life while men are in this world conversant in the body they are upon probation for Etetnity they are laying in and making way for their account and all that they do here bears a proper respect thereunto for they are the works which are done in the body which must be called to an after reckoning 2 Cor. 5. 10. hence sinners are said in this time to be treasuring up into themselves wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2 5. It is evident that neither good men nor evil men are in this life openly distinguished in the observable Providences of God except in some special instances love and hatred cannot be known by all that is before them Eccles 9. 1. yea the wise man hath an observation as if often times the outward face of things look with a contrary aspect Eccles 8. 14. there be just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous What shall we say It is for the present a day of patience forbearance with which God sees meet to treat men even the worst of men withal in which he lets them alone for a while suffers them to go on till they have filled up their measure and though they give him uncountable and very grievous provocations yet he falls not upon them But yet he is brought in laughing at them all the while and we are told the reason of it Psal 37. 13. The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming Since then men are not called to their reckoning here it remains that they be summoned to it afterwards inasmuch as it is certain that God will sooner or later manifest the glory of his Holiness and Righteousness and make it known that he is the great Potentate and Ruler of Angels and men III. That there is a particular Judgment to which every man shall be called immediately after Death It is true the general Judgment is reserved for the great and last day when after the whole affair of time is wound up God will call all reasonable Creatures to an account and having raised up their dead bodies to life and re united them to their Souls of which Resurrection also the word of God gives us the assurance he will cite them before his Tribunal and dispose of them in their whole persons eternally which day is peculiarly Celebrated in the Book of God which though it also follows after mans death yet it will not be till a long time after a great many have dyed and seen Corruption and that because there were other Generations to be born and live and dy until the whole Series of them according to the Divine appointment be consummated But there is besides this another more particular one which passeth upon the Soul on its departure from the body which though it be not so frequently or expresly spoken of in the Holy Scriptures yet there are also sufficient intimations of it there 〈◊〉 be found enough to confirm our faith in the belief of it This is an indubitable truth that the Soul of man doth not dy a proper natural Death nor is it capable of it The man indeed is said to die by reason of the dissolution of the bond of Union and the separation which is thereupon made between the Soul and Body whereupon the body remains a Carcase and must suffer Corruption after which there must be a powerful Resurrection bestowed on it in order to its being made capable of standing forth in Judgment But it is otherwise with the Soul that in its separate state still retains its Spiritual and Immortal nature which it is in no other way able to lose but by an Anniâ—ilation and it is accordingly disposed of presently to its unchangable state whether it be of weal or wo. When Lazarus dyeth his Soul is forth with carryed by a Convoy of Angels into Abrabams bosome and that is no other but a place and state of actual Felicity When the Wicked Rich man dyes the next news that we hear of his Soul is in Hell whether it is carried and where it is disposed of and that not only as in a Prison but as a place of Execution where it suffers the penalty which its sin had procured for it for this reason we have him pouting out his doleful complaint Luk. 16. 24. I am tormented in this flame And we have Abraham brought in declaring concerning them both Verse 25. He is comforted and thou art tormented When the penitent Thief dyes he is the same day entertained with his Saviour in Paradise for so Christ himself promised to him Luk. 23. 43. which must needs intend a state of actual blessedness enjoyed in that place And why was Paul in such a strait and so desirous to depart Phil. 1. 23. it was to be with Christ which he saith is best of all which it could not be if he did not presently enter into communion with Christ in blessedness Now certainly mens going actually to receive rewards and punishments necessarily infers a Judgment that is past upon them in order thereunto for those things are beyond all question disposed of by God in the exercise of his Government over the Creature as he is the Judge of all Besides there is such an Indefinite assertion used by the wise man which amounts to an universal and hath a respect to all sorts of men Eccl. 12. 7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and â—he Spirit shall return to God who gave it These two returns are put together as contemporary and all Souls do not return to God as their Father to be admitted into his Kingdom and to dwell with him and enjoy his favourable presence for ever that is a priviledge proper only to the Godly and none shall enjoy it but those whom Christ hath Redeemed and Saved As for the ungodly it is said concerning them Psal 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the nations that forget God It is therefore to God as a Judge to be doomed and disposed of by him according to his righteous Judgment IV. That this is an awfull consideration to men while they live and peculiarly so to such as are just ready to dy I may not tarry at these things to give a distinct and particular account of them but must only give some brief glances at them And there are two asserâ—ions in this Observation 1. It carryes awe in it to men while they live to put them on the greatest Circumspection to themselves in their whole course If there were no Judgment to come what need would there be for men to take any care how or after what manner they lead their lives The Epecurian Doctrine let us drink and drab let us revel and swagger and give every sensual lust its freest scope to satisfie it self might plead if not reason yet immunity and security
for if there be no after reckoning there is then no danger at all But this thought if it be rightly entertained will be a strong curb to sin and a sharp spur to duty inasmuch as it must needs lead mens thoughts forward to such meditations as these There is certainly a future Judgment in which I am personally concerned I am Gods Creature and am placed under the Rule of his special Government and interested in the Sanctions of his Holy Law I am now a probationer for that day and all that I am doing in this world hath a reference unto that and must come under the strict examen of it Every thought of mine heart every word of my mouth and every deed that I do will then be called over and tryed whether it be conformable to or dissonant from the Rule by the which I must be either acquitted or condemned and so exact will that scrutiny be that not so much as one idle word shall escape it Math. 12. 36. Every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment I am under the watchful eye of an all-seeing God who keeps an exact account of all my thoughts words and deeds and will certainly in that day bring them into open light and set them in order before me For God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing Eccl. 12. 14. I must dy ere long and there is no possible avoidance of it and then to the Judgment I must whether I will or no and it will be utterly in vain for me to tire the Rocks and Mountains to hide me from the presence of the great God or secure me from making my appearance before his Judgment seat There will need no witness then to be produced to prove any of the matters that shall be alledged against me since mine own Conscience is an exact register of all things and will be more than a thousand witnesses I am all the time that I am living in this world laying up treasures for eternity and those either of happiness or of misery which shall be righteously distributed to me according as I have been laying in in this time I have a righteous Judge unto whom I must give up my accounts with whom there is no respect of persons and a vain thing it is to hope to bribe him but according as my true state upon the most exact enquiry shall be found so will he take order about me and pass the sentence either of absolution or condemnation upon me Now what a check would such reflections as these are throughly believed and fixedly entertained give to the mad youngster in the midst of all his frolicks and mar all the mirth of his greedy lusts turning it into bitterness God therefore offers such a memento as this is to these Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God wiâ—l bring thee into Judgment Yea how would it put every one of us upon greater wariness to our selves and make a deep impression of that advice upon our hearts Eph. 5. 15. See that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time How would it put us upon pondering our way and living by rule and make us afraid of rash precipitant rushing into any action I am sure that Job tells us that he was awed by such a thought aâ— this and upon it to look well to himself lest at any time he should expose himself to the danger of not being able to hold up his head when he should be called to a râ—ckoning Job 3. 1. 14. What then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him 2. And what an amazing thought must it needs be to them that are at the point of death except they have made their peace with God As for those indeed who have through grace obtained a pardon acceptance unto life through the New-Covenant this thought must needs afford to them all preciousness and desirableness though still the very nature of the thing will carry in it an holy awe on their hearts But as for all others how can they aâ— such an hour look upon it without horror Truly the uncertainty of death and the certainty of the following Judgment and Reckoning he must then be called to is enough constantly to fill the sinner with consternation for that he hath reason every moment to be afraid of the arrest though careless men put away the thoughts of this on presumption that the vision is for many days to come But when he perceives that he hath but a very few days or hours to stay death now stares him in the face shews him its Warrant and tells him he must be gone there is no hope of a longer reprieve what a tumult will it raise in him and what pungent thoughts must it needs fill him withal can he but reflect and say my working time is now done my day in which I have been laying up for another world is over and I am now ready to pass into an amazing Eternity and what an unconceivable change will it make with me what little hope have I that this Change is like to be unto me for the better and not for the worse I have indeed been hard at work in my little time and pursued my buisiness with great eagerness but what manner of work is it that I have been doing I have been laying up of vast treasures but where is it they are stored I am now going to appear before my Judge my naked soul must in a very little while be brought before his Tribunal and he will certainly recompence me without all partiality according to what I have done in the body whether it be good or evil If the life I have led in this world hath been wicked how can I expect that my latter end should be peace There is an Heaven and an Hell before me one whereof will receive me as soon as I depart but into which of these am I like to pass the Judge will certainly appoint me to one or the other of them Oh! where shall this Immortal Soul of mine lodge when it shall be called out of this mortal body shall be required at mine hands Have I any good reason to think that it shall be received by the blessed Angles and lodged in Abrahams Bosome or rather fall into the hands of rageful Devils and be hurried to endless torments What manner of life is it that I have been leading in the World Which way is it that I have been going Have I chosen that narrow way that leads unto life which there are but a few that find or have I not rejected it and gone in the broad way that leads to destruction
them all suitable directions and the greatest imaginable encouragements to help them in it and these are afforded to such as are in the Covenant with him Psal 147. 19 20. he sheweth his word to Jacob his statutes and judgments to Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation Impenitence in the former of these is a note of inexcusable folly and so it is charged on their foolish minds Rom. 1. 21. how much more then may it be imputed to the latter and their folly be reputed the Paroxism of madness inasmuch as they have a price in their hands and have not an heart to make use of it and whence is that but because they are fools according to Prov. 17. 16. Wherefore is there a price in the hands of a fool to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart to it they have life and death set before them and they chuse death they have the way to escape the Wrath of God and obtain Eternal Life and regard it not they are told whither their sinful courses do lead and where they will end and yet they will take no warnings but run wilfully and violently on to their own destruction like that fool Prov. 7. 22 23. he goeth after her straitway as the ox goeth to the slaughter and as a fool to the correction of the Stocks till a dart strike through his liver as a bird hacteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life they are invited and entreated to be reconciled unto God and to put away their sins by repentance and they mind it not but stop their ears and harden their hearts turn their backs they have a day of visitation in which the things of their peace are set before them and do not know it they see others of their fellow sinners cut off by Gods awful Judgments and it makes no impression upon them yea they themselves are brought to sorrow and shame and still they will not be reclaimed and were not madness in their heart could they do so Prop. II. That therefore such Sinners shall not stand in the sight of God Could that Philistian Prince say 1 Sam. 21. 14 15. the man is mad wherefore then have ye brought him to me have I need of mad men c. and will not God declare as much concerning these yea he hath said it Text. Here two things 1. That no such as these shall stand in Gods sight That this is so our Text fully asserts and many other parallel Scriptures confirm All that lies before us at present is to consider what is implied in this The words are a threatning and indeed a very awful one as will presently appear Here then let it be observed that the expression may reser either to the time present or that which is to come 1. With respect to the time present and then it intends that God will cut short their lives and hurry them out of the World before they should have died according to the ordinary course of nature hence we read Psal 55. 23. bloody and deeeitful men shall not live out hals their days and Eccles 7 17. be not wicked overmuch why shouldst thou dy before the time It is a common favour which God allows to men as he sees meet to spare them and let them fill up their number of dayes whereas such fools have reason to expect to be debarred of this priviledge and posted away before hand But I insist not here though this also affords matter of awful consideration 2. With respect to the time to come and then to stand in Gods sight intends to enjoy his special favour and love and we have this infelicity expounded in Isa 27. 11 and there are two seasons wherein they shall be debarred of this favour 1. In the day of Judgment In some sense all must stand before him then i. e. all shall be cited to make their personal appearance before God and receive their doom but by standing then we are to understand their being acquitted and accepted and acknowledged by him as his Redeemed these only are said to stand then whereas these fools shall fall before the Judge they shall be utterly disclaimed by him he will say to them Depart I know you not Mat. 7. 23. they shall be condemned and have a sentence of death pronounced on them Mat. 25. 41. Depart ye cursed and in this respect it is said Psal 1. 5. the uugodly shall not stand in the Judgment 2. In the Eternal Kingdom into which the righteous shall be received and partake in the Everlasting Vision of God these shall then be excluded Mat. 8. 12. The Children of 〈◊〉 Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness We observed that the word signifies A Settled Condition Heaven is the Godly mans Inheritance and when he comes there he shall settle to remove no more but there is no settlement for these but an everlasting exclusion from the presence of God which is a punishment ordained for them 2 Thes 1. 9. they shall never have one look of pitty or compassion from God any more for ever 2. That the reason of this is because they are such fools this will appear if we consider 1. That all men are foolish in their Natural Estate it is bred in and born with them it is the Wise mans observation in Prov. 22. 15. foolishness is bound up in the heart of a Child and we have it more distinctly set forth in Psal 58. 3 4 5. The wicked are estranged from the womb they go astray as soon as they be born speaking lies Ignorance of God and alienation from him is rooted in the hearts of all the posterity of sinful Adam and the Apostle giveth us a true account how it is with every natural man before regenerating Grace hath renewed him Eph. 4. 18. having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart 2. That yet there are a great many of these that shall stand in Gods sight God hath not left this foolish and sinful race without all hope The Doctrine before us is not to drive the wretched children of men to despair There have been such as have added to their natural folly prodigious wickednesses whereby they have expressed the height of their madness who yet notwithstanding have been made partakers in this grace to be heavens favourites and taken near unto God and entituled to all the Glories of his Kingdom what saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Neither Fornicators c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you but ye are washed c. and he puts himself in the number in that declaration of his Tit. 3. 3. for we our selves also were sometime foolish disobedient deceived serving of divers lusts and pleasures c. 3. That in order to this they must be made wise Though God saves such as have been foolish yet he
doth not save them in their folly but from it God hates sin and it is his holy and pure nature that is displayed in his so doing as Hab. 1. 13. thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity There must therefore be a change wrought in them they must be cured of this distemper in order to their obtaining of this priviledge though God be Gracious yet he is Holy and will not baulk this Holiness of his but display it in the application of his grace to sinful men There must therefore a work of Sanctification pass upon them in which Sin must be subdued and grace must be implanted in them 4. That God offers this wisdom to all that live under the Gospel and invites them to seek to him for it Herein God shews his good will to such in that he hath told them wherein the true wisdom consists Job 28. 28. to man he saith the fear of God that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding and hath pointed them to know where it is treasured viz. in Christ Col. 2. 13. in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom knowledge bids them come to him for it and encourageth them so to do Jam. 1. 5. if any of you lack wisdom let him ask it of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him yea and expostulates with sinners about their refusing of it as one that is grieved Prov. 1. 22. how long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and ye scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge 5. Hence it is by their impenitency that Sinners procure this to themselves If they would have hearkened to Gods voice and received instruction it had not been so but because they have hardened their hearts against all Counsel and would not receive his reproofs though he followed them with repeated cries and calls and tried all courses with them unto wonderful long suffering he therefore puts them out of his sight and they shall fall before his judgment hitherto therefore God reduceth the reason and lays the charge on which the threatning is built Prov. 1. 24 c. because I have called and ye refused c. I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh c. Prop. III. That this will render them extreamly miserable The Psalmist is here setting forth the miserable state of Impenitent Sinners and the summe of all infelicity is contained in this very thing Observe therefore 1. That it is a woful infelicity for a Sinner to be every day exposed to destruction to have the Wrath of God continually impending over him to be in the state mentioned Psal 7. 11. God is angry with the wicked every day to have the Arm of Divine Vengeance up with the glittering Sword of revenging Justice ready to give him the deadly stroak to have nothing before him but a fearful expectation of fiery indignation which shall devour him when it lights upon him in the fulness of his strength and folly to fall upon him and send him down to the pit of endless misery such is the condition of impenitent sinners at the best read at leisure Job 18. 5. to end and you shall find it there astonishingly described and see 1 Thes 5. 3. when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child and they shall not escape 2. Their condition must needs be fearful who shall fall before God in the judgment who shall not be able to stand when they shall appear before him in the great and terrible day It is a dreadful thing to stand at an Humane Bar and to have sentence of death pronounced upon one by the Judge it fills the by standers with consternation and what horror hath seized such as have been under it What shrieks and cries have they uttered what will it then be when the Judge of all the Earth shall say to the man as Mat. 21. 41. Depart thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Which Sentence will be immediately followed with as terrible an Execution and yet such is the portion of Impenitent Sinners 3. That to lose the sight and favour of God for ever is the quintessence of everlasting miseries what saith the Psalmist Psal 30. 5. in thy favour is life 63. 3. thy loving kindness is better than life 16. ult in thy presence is fulness of joys and the Apostle thought he had backed his Exhortation with a most potent argument in Heb. 12. 14. follow after Holiness without which no man shall see God in his light only can we see light and there is nothing but outer darkness out of it he that loseth God loseth all there is nothing but destruction that accompanieth this exclusion Hos 9. 12. Wo to them when I depart from them they fall under Gods indignation and we are told Psal 11. 6. upon the wicked he shall rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup how miserable then must these forlorn creatures needs be USE I. Learn hence the grievous folly of those that embolden themselves in sin on presumption of Gods mercy The truth is the foolishness of Impenitency in nothing appears more than in the arguings by which men strengthen themselves in it and among these I know none more amazing than the delusion of a falsE hope in mercy notwithstanding men persist in iniquity and refuse to return this is that which God complains of Psal 50. 21. these things thou hast done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self And the Prophet urgeth it on them Jer. 7. 9 10. Will you steal murder commit adultery c. and come and stand c. and say we are delivered to do all these abominations As if God had no other way to shew himself merciful but by saving sinners in their sins whereas we are told that Christs great design is to save them from their sins Matth. 1. 21. Hence we have God using that Sarcasm Isa 27. 4. Fury is not in me who would set the briars and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together and drawing up that sentence verse 11. It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour But men forget that God hath a revenging Justice to glorify in the Obstinate as well as Mercy on the Penitent and whiles men thus nourish a vain hope to gratify their own lusts they lose the Opportunity of mercy and lay up treasures of wrath than which what madness can be more pernicious USE II. Let it then be a word of warning and terrour to Impenitent Sinners under the Gospel I know none that carries more of dread
not have driven you to have sought unto God for grace to prevent you and for forgiveness and peace through the blood of Christ Had not your heart been desperately obdurate would you when by your most egregious wickedness you had again fallen into your former sin have run your self over such a precipice as this to expose your self by adding of Murder to Whoredoms to have your life taken away from you by the Hand of Justice but rather have sought your peace with God Had not your heart been harder than an Adamant would not the horridness of that Sin of Murder which without all reason and by an unaccountable desperateness you precipitated your self into have made you to relent whereas instead of discovering a broken heart and a contrite spirit upon a reflection on it your whole carriage both before and at your Trial and at the very pronouncing of a Sentence of Death upon you hath been such and so stupendous as hath put a grief of heart into all that fear God who have either seen it or heard of it what do you think this Impenitency will lead to at length if God do not graciously heal you of it 3. See what a little time you have left you and how soon your case will be determined for Eternity I know that there is never a bold and secure Sinner in the Congregation who can tell but that he may be Cited before Gods Tribunal sooner than you shall and had therefore need to see to his own concern But this you know that you are dead in the Law and may every day expect to have the Warrant Signed and warning given you to go to Execution Well bethink your self no more opportunity for the securing your Souls Eternal Welfare is before you When once you are dead you are fixed unchangeably if your peace be not made before then you are gone for ever And Oh what a great work have you to do in a little time and the Lord knows whether at present it be so much as begun in you yea there are fearful tokens that it is not Oh that this pungent word may by his grace give a forcible stroak unto it 4. Suitably repent of all your follies in particular Repentance and Pardon are inseparable you are told who it is that hath the dispensation of both viz. Christ Acts 5. 31. him hath God exalted with his Right-hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and be sure to seek to him for it as you hope to obtain it let all the obstinacy and hardness of heart which you have laboured of be exceeding bitter to you call all your sins to remembrance and let every one of them be confessed bewailed apart and more peculiarly those sins that have brought you to this your pride your disobedience to your Parents your impatience of Family Government your company keeping your Whoredoms and your despising of Christ who hath offered himself to you and let all this lead you to the fountain of Iniquity to the source or original of all abominations and make you to consess with David Psal 51. 5. behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Beware of hiding excusing extenuating falsely denying of any thing wherein the Glory of God is concerned what said he to Achan when Gods Providence had discovered him Josh 7. 19. My son give glory to the Lord God of Israel make confession to him and be sure to pour out your heart besore God with the most aggravating acknowledgments in all the circumstances with deepest self loathings and hatred of your sins utterly renouncing of them remember what is said Prov. 28. 13. he that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy 5. Now humbly betake your self to the blood of sprinkling come to the fountain opened to be washed in there is enough in the blood of Christ for your pardon and healing 1 Joh. 1. 7. the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin there wants not vertue in him to save such an one as you are for we are assured Heb. 7. 25. he is able to save to the uttermost 1 Tim. 1. 15. Jesus Christ came to save sinners of whom I am chief Isa 1. 18 though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool There have as great sinners as you sought mercy and found it God can be just and yet forgive your sin he can get himself a name and exalt the glory of his grace in you he can make those â—alls of yours to be the occasions of his appearing in his grace the more eminently to you in his humbling healing and pardoning of you and so making it to appear in you how much more that can do for the saving of a Soul than a vile hardned sinner can do for her own undoing Only beware of cheating your self by any fond presumptions of mercy though you live in your Impenitence or of supposing that you can comply with the terms of peace in your own strength but carefully spend the residue of your little time in lying prostrate at the footstool of the throne of Soveraign Grace looking up to him who hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and with repeated earnestness cease not to offer up that petition to him while you have any breath left in you Psal 25. 11. For thy name sake Oh Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great A Citation TO Judgment after DEATH Hebr. IX 27. And after this the Judgment THIS Verse is the protasis of a comparison which the Apostle makes use of in his Discourse which needs not for the present be insisted on or laid open in as much as we have now to do but with the general Doctrine contained in the words themselves Among all those things which men are invited to the serious contemplation of there are none that carry more of solemnity in them than those of Death and Judgment because the former of these puts an end to mans life and time and opportunities and the other disposeth them to an Everlasting and Unchangeable Estate Death it felf is stiled a King of Terrours in the Holy Scriptures and the Philosopher could call it TON PHOBERON PHOBERATATON of fearful things the most fearful but that which adds to the tremendousness of it is that it is a passage to the great and last Judgment which the ignorant Gentiles had but dark notice of but is evidently manifested in the Word of God which we Christians are favoured withal The verse before us gives us an intimation of both these and of the certainty of them as things which are appointed The word appointed signifies both a designation a reservation of a thing notifying that as there is an Eternal purpose for it in the Decree of God so it is his fixt and unchangeable will that it shall so
be and accordingly all men are reserved for it It is the latter of these statutes then that I am now to treat of though with that respect as it is consequent upon the former In the words then there are three things to be observed 1. A Statute for the Judgment is asserted and thereby we are assured that it shall be without fail for the appointment mentioned in the beginning of the verse hath reference to this as well as to death and this is the first and most proper signification of the word 2. The time when it shall be after that men dy And although we are not told how loon it shall be after yet we have Scripture warrant to conclude that every ones personal Judgment will follow presently upon it though the great and general Judgment is reserved until the consummation of all things as will be farther observed anon 3. The subjects of it or who they are on whom this Judgment shall pass men indefinitely expressed it intends all men this Judgment is as extensive as Death yea there have been will be some exceptions from the general Rule about Death who have been translated or shall be changed but even these also shall come to the Judgment Hence DOCTRINE A certain Death shall be followed with as certain a Judgment It is every whit as certain that men shall come unto Judgment as that they shall Dye That every one must dy sooner or later is an acknowledged truth by all and proved by universal experience though Oh how few do improve it to good purpose And a reason why this truth hath no more proper or suitable impressions on mens minds may be because either they believe not or put from them the thoughts of the ensuing account which they shall be called unto and look no further than the Grave where they think there will be an end of them which must needs make them unconcerned for that which comes after But here we are led into the contemplation of a more awful truth which is no less real though not so obvious to the senses I shall not at present enter upon any distinct or methodical discourse about this matter but only make some cursory glances on it There are therefore three or four brief Observations which I shall make on this truth to make it practicable 1. That there is a future Judgment to which all reasonable Creatures shall be called How far the Doctrine of a future Judgment hath been entertained by the light of nature in the Consciences of men acted by humane reason without the help of Scripture revelation I shall not now enquire But that it is an Article of faith commended to us by the infallible Oracles of that God who cannotly or be mistaken is written with Sun bâ—ams in his word Read for this Eccles 12. 14. God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or evil Acts 17. 31. he hath appointed a day in which he will Judge the World in righteousness by the man whom he hath appointed 2 Cor. 5. 10. we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that â—vâ—ry one may receive the things done in the body and we have a description of it given to us by Christ himself in Math. 25. 33 to end And it must needs be so for there is a special Government of God to be acknowledged in the managment whereof he will bring all reasonable Creatures to an everlasting state of happiness or misery according to their Obedience or Disobedience to the Law of that Government in prosecution whereof he will display the Glory of his Justice and Grace God deals with his Creatures in his Government according to the nature which he saw meet to bestow on them in their Creation Now when God Created man he made him a reasonable Creature and thereby capable of being treated in the way of a Covenant by precepts and promises and threatnings according unto which capacity he gave him a Command and required his obedience to it promised him a reward of life in case of his performing of perfect Obedience thereunto denouncing Death against him in case he should disobey He hath also upon mans Apostasy by which he fell under a Curse of Death revealed to him a new and a living way for his recovery out of that misery into which he was plunged and hath treated some of that race with a Covenant of Grace in which he hath promised them life upon their compliance with it and menaced them with damnation yea double damnation on their neglect of it All these things are abundantly testified to in the Word of God Now men are according to their behaviour with respect to this discovery which God hath made of himself to man and obligation which he hath laid him under disposed of everlastingly In order unto which they are to pass under a Trial. Where there is a Law given to reasonable Creatures established with Sanctions there must needs be a Judgment in which their relation thereto is to be examined and a retribution made to them accordingly Either they have complied with the Rule given to them and are to receive a reward of life or they have revolted therefrom have not sought and made their peace according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace and then they must receive the wages of sin which is death as we are told Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death He therefore that acknowledgeth a Government of God over rational beings must needs believe that there shall be a Judgment or a time of Trial and Recompences II. That this Judgment is after Death this is the order that it is manifestly put in Text. That there are many awful and stupendous Judgments that God brings upon men in this world is not to be denied in which he declares his Holiness and just Indignation at sin and hence we are told Psal 9. 14. The Lord is known by the Judgment that he executeth There is also a Court which God hath set up in mens Consciences at which Bar they are sometimes solemnly tried and being there convicted of breaking the Holy Law of God laying themselves open to the vengeance therein threatned they are filled with horrors But it is another Judgment whereof we are now considering in which men are to appear before God and receive from him their final doom which when it is once past shall be immediately put in Execution Now this men come not to in this life but after they are dead so that death is not as too many vainly dream the last news that shall be heard of men but there is something more fearful and amazing that comes after it and that is the Judgment There is a Judgment to come so Paul Preached to Faelix at the report whereof he trembled Acts 24. 25. and when is that but when men are past from time and have done the work which they were engaged in in this
Justice if he knew that it is for his life Would the miserable children of men dare Heaven with their impious blasphemies and all manner of bruitish abominations if they believed that there is a great and holy God who will bring them before his bar and punish them with everlasting destruction for these things No there is a root of Atheism in the bottom of all this Psal 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God And they that entertain arguings in their minds to put them on calling in question the being and perfections of God will certainly on the same Topicks conclude that there can be no Judgment The Prophet therefore is given to understand what it was that nourished the daring abominations of those Jews Ezek. 9. 9. The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great and the city is full of blood and the land full of perverseness for they say the Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not And they that are arrived to entertaining of such sentiments as these are no better than Atheists 3. This truth tells us who they be that are the truly and only wise men not those that have the worlds verdict for such and are cryed up among men on this account not they who have that Character upon them Jer. 4. 22. They are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge All the skill that men have attained unto by which they out-do others in being able to get and keep the world all the wit which men exercise in carrying on their courses of iniquity with greatest secrecy and security will be found one day to have been nothing better than madness whiles they have looked no farther nor laid in any provision for the time to come and every such man hath the doom already declared against him that in the end he shall be a fool He he is the only wise man who believing the reports of a future account looking upon himself to be deeply concerned in it makes it his great study business to be providing for it and what ever be the changes that go over him in this world to secure peace in his latter end to study how he may and endeavour that he may make the Judge his friend Attourney to get a sure claim to the promises of the everlasting Covenant and all the mercies that are laid up in them to get now a sealed pardon of all his sins that none of them may rise up against him in that day and a Justification unto life This is the man who shall stand in the Judgment when all others shall fall this is the man who may look death in the face without dread and entertain joyful thoughts of that great Judgment which may make all other faces to gather paleness hearts to be filled with astonishment and horrour this is he who can look with an eye of faith on his appearance before God upon every warning that is given him of the approach of it can say Amen even so come Lord Jesus Who shall pass through death to be Judged and being there accepted before God and his cause found good shall pass from thence with comfort and be settled in the eternal Kingdom and live in the fulness of those joys that are in Gods prescnce And when the last Trumpet shall sound he knows now that his Redeemer is coming to give him perfect Salvation in both Soul body whiles they that had so little consideration as to neglect the things of their peace in the day of it having laid out and lost all their thoughts endeavours upon perishing things shall howl and lament bitterly when the Judge shall shut them out of his presence Chamber and thrust them down into the bottomless pit where shall be nothing but wailing and gnashing of Teeth USE II. Let this Doctrine be a watch word for sinners I am sure that it carries just matter of terrour in it to all such as are open to the Temptations of sin ready inconsiderately to entertain them I am sure that Paul made use of this very thing as his monitor to keep him close to his work and make him faithful in the discharge of it 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. We must all appear c. knowing therefore the terrours of the Lord we perswade men Let us then be always bearing this in mind and using of it as a potent argument on our hearts to excite us to be very careful fearful lest we should fall into the neglect of duty by reason of the discouragements which encounter in the way of it or run our selves into the Commission of any sin through the allurements which may be offered to us from the men or the things of the world Whatsoever arguments flesh and blood wicked men or Satan may at any time urge upon us to intice us in to sins of Omission or Commission let us be sure to weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary against this great consideration I must very shortly appear before God and be called to answer for this then and what an account shall I give to him ask will it bear the tryal of that day of revelation will it then have the approbation of the Judge or if it will not will the benefit which I shall gain by it in the gratification of carnal concupiscence make reparation for the damage which I shall sustain by the sentence of Condemnation that will then pass upon me for it and the fearful miseries which I shall undergo in the execution of that sentence and if not think what an ineffable infatuation it will be to give place to it When you are urged hard and find your selves beginning to give consent and address your selves to the Commission of any sin think seriously if the hand of Gods anger should now â—all upon me and cut me off and hasten me to the Judgment how shall I appear before this dreadful God what good might such thoughts as these do if reallized USE III. Let it be for a word of Warning to us all to be very careful in making ready to dye well whiles others are only solicitous in providing that they may rub through live according to their hearts desire in this woâ—ld let us be perswaded to be peculiarly thoughtful and practically so that when we come to dy we may make a good end And I know no argument that carries more of pungency in it to stimulate us hereunto than the Truth in hand if it be entertained with a one solemnity Let us then gather up our thoughts fix them frequently here Think I am going to the Judgment think who is to be Judge that no other than the all knowing heart-fearching holy righteous and Almighty God Think what will be the matter of the Judgment even all that I have been and done to a thought the most secret abomination that ever I was guilty of Think
what is the Rule according to which all will proceed and that will be the exact Law of Justice unless I am under Grace and so delivered from the Dominion of it Think what shall be the happiness of those that shall then stand and receive the sentence of absolution and what will be the woful infelicity of those that must â—all Think how sin hath exposed us all to condemnation where our only hope and help is even in Jesus Christ who alone can deliver us from the wrath to come Think now is the time for us to seek and secure a part in him by getting into him by a living faith it will be too late for this when death hath delivered us up to the Judgment Think what a fearful thing it will be then to be mistaken to go out of this life with hope that will prove a a spiders web to lean on an expectation that will fail and break under us Think if I make not the more hast it may be too late I stand on the very edge and brink of eternity the Judge is at the door Am I ready for it if not shall I dare to dally in an affair of such infinite concernment one moment will it not expose me to unconceivable hazard and when we see any such as have despised Gods Grace and run themselves desperately into self-destroying sins and are now ready to be posted away to their fearful account let any such Object before us put a suitable solemnity into our hearts and make us reflect and say I may go away as soon as or before such an one and am I in a better readiness have I done any thing more to lay in for a comfortable trial and let this drive you to him who is the God of all Grace to ask of him with the most intense importunity to work you up unto a meetnaess for this Appearance And now give me leave to add one word of advice to the poor Condemned Creature who is under a Sentence of Death Who if God had not put more pitty into the hearts of her pious compassionate Judges than she had for her own Soul had now been hearing the last Sermon that ever should have been Preached in her ears and the Lord grant that this respite given you may turn to the account of your Salvation else know it it will add a fearful Item to your astonishing account Oh that I might now have had the occasion and encouragement to have spoken a consolatory word to a broken heart wounded to death under the Arrows of the Almighty and sensible of her miserable condition humbly asking after the hopes of Salvation the Lord knows how my heart would have rejoyced might it have been so But since it must be otherwise I pray God that his Terrors may make you afraid and drive you yet before all hopes of mercy be past and gone in deepest sense of your own unworthiness to take Sanctuary in the Blood of Christ where only how much soever you have despised it you can obtain safety Your Humane Judge hath told you that you must Dy and that very quickly and you have no hope that this Sentence will be reversed But I am now to Cite you in the name of God to a more dreadful Judgment upon that as soon as ever you are dead you must be called to it and what preparation have you made what have you been doing in order to it alas a fearful deal you are but a young Creature but ah an old sinner grown ripe and must be cut down before you have seen twenty years in this world What a fearful Indictment hath the All-seeing God ready drawn up against you what uncountable bloody Items is it filled up withal I have already given you the most solemn advice in the name of God about these things on the last Sabbath and all the encouragement to seek for a pardon which the Word of God affords and many of Gods faithful Servants have been in publick or private or both solemn and serious in their applications to you and what do you now mean to do are you resolved to harden your neck till you be remedilesly destroyed will you add Impenitency to Iniquity trample on the precious Blood of Christ that hath been and is offered to you do you think to plead with God as you have done with men that you are guilty of Murder only according to mans Law and not â—is Shall the all-knowing God so be put off do you hope thy your lies which men have detected you of not only before but at your Trial and since your Condemnation will shelter you from the Vengeance of that God who is a Witness and â—ath said Rev. 21. 8. That all Liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone Do you think that your abominable Whoredom committed in the Prison under the apprehension of being quickly to be thrust out of the World as an Execration will help forward your repentance or make your account more easie is this the provision that you are making for your standing before God let all that hear me this day take notice and tremble and learn by this amazing instance what sin persisted in under calls and counsels warnings will expose them to how righteous a thing it is with God to leave them up to a feared conscience Who would not be instructed Well I know that the blood of Christ can wash away this guilt too and the Soveraign Grace of God can yet discover it self and my hearts desire and prayer to God in this behalf continually is that it may be so and let every soul that is affected with the misery of this poor Creature lift up a prayer in this regard But know it that if you appear before your Judge under the guilt of these Crimson and Scarlet Sins a few days more will fix you in Eternal Miseries and because you have despised mercy in the day of it you shall have Judgment without mercy and can your heart endure to be made the Subject of Gods Fiery Indignation and feel the Impressions of his Fury in Everlasting Burnings Hasten then the Avenger of Blood is just ready to give you the fatal stroak and if you do not with all speed get into the City of Refâ—uge you are gone for ever The Lord give you an ear to hear and heart to consider lest this word also rise up in the Judgment against you and encrease your Eternal Flames FINIS