into Abrahams Bosom Thus many times the Lord adorneth the death and departure of his Saints to hold forth unto after Generations how excellent they are in his eyes It is said of Enoch that God took him of Abraham that he died in a good old age of Moses that the Lord buried him of Elijah that he was taken up into Heaven that the Saints sleep in Jesus that they die in the Lord that they rest from their labour that their works follow them that they are under the Altar that they are with Christ that they are in light that they are to come with the Lord Jesus to judge the World All which sayings signifie thus much That to die a Saint is very great Honour and Dignity But the ungodly are not so The rich or ungodly die and are buried he is carried from his dwelling to the Grave and there he is buried hid in the dust and his Body doth not so fast molder and come to nought there but his name doth stink as fast in the World as saith the holy Scripture The name of the wicked shall rot And indeed the names of the godly are not in so much honour after their departure but the wicked and their names do as much rot What a dishonour to Posterity was the death of Balaam Agag Achitophel Haman Judas Herod with the rest of their companions Thus the wicked have their names written in the Earth and they do perish and rot and the name of the Saints do cast forth a dainty savour to following Generations and that the Lord Jesus doth signifie where he saith The godly are carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosom And that the wicked are nothing worth where he saith The ungodly die and are buried Verse 23. And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torment and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom THE formâ—â— Verse speaks onely of the departure of the ungodly out of this life together with the glorious conduct that the godly have into the Kingdom of their Father Now our Lord doth shew in this Verses partly what doth and shall befall to the Reprobate after this life is ended where he saith And in Hell he lift up his eyes That is the ungodly after they depart this life do lift up their eyes in Hell From these words may be observed these things 1. That there is an Hell for Souls to be tormented in when this life is ended Mark after he was dead and buried In Hell he lift up his eyes 2. That all that are ungodly and do live and die in their sins so soon as ever they die they go into Hell he died and was buried And in Hell he lift up his eyes 3. That some are so fast asleep and secure in their sins that they scarce know well where they are till they come into Hell and that I gather from these words In Hell he lift up his eyes He was asleep before but Hell makes him lift up his eyes As I said before it is evident that there is an Hell for Souls yea and Bodies too to be tormented in after they depart this life as is clear First because the Lord Jesus Christ that cannot lie did say that after the sinner was dead and buried In Hell he lift up his eyes Now if it be objected that Hell is here meant the Grave that I plainly deny First Because there the Body is not sensible of torment or ease but in that Hell into which the spirits of the damned depart they are sensible of torment and would be very willingly freed from it to enjoy ease which they are sensible of the want of as is clearly discovered in this Parable Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue Secondly It is not meant the Grave but some other place because the Bodies so long as they lie there are not capable of lifting up their eyes to see the glorious condition of the Children of God as the souls of the damned do In Hell he lift up his eyes Thirdly It cannot be the Grave for then it must follow that the Soul was buried there with the Body which cannot stand with such a dead state as is here mentioned for he saith The rich man died that is his soul was separated from his body And in Hell he lift up his eyes If it be again objected that there is no Hell but in this life that I do also deny as I said before after he was dead and buried In Hell he lift up his eyes And let me tell thee O soul whoever thou art that if thou close not in savingly with the Lord Jesus Christ and lay hold on what he hath done and is doing in his own person for sinners thou wilt find such an hell after this life is ended that thou wilt not get out of again for ever and ever And thou that art wanton and dost make but a mock at the Servants of the Lord when they tell thee of the torments of hell thou wilt find that when thou departest out of this life that Hell even the hell which is after this life will meet thee in thy Journey thither and will with its hellish crew give thee such a sad salutation that thou wilt not forget it to all eternity when that Scripture comes to be fulfilled on thy soul in Isa. 14. 9. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming it stirreth up the dead for thee even all the chief ones of the earth it hath raised from their Thrones all the Kings of the Nations All they that is that are in hell shall say Art thou become weak as we Art thou become like unto us O sometimes when I have had but thoughts of going to hell and considered the everlastingness of their ruine that fall in thither it hath stirred me up rather to seek to the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver me from thence than to slight it and make a mock at it And in hell he lift up his eyes The second thing I told you was this That all the ungodly that live and die in their sins so soon as ever they depart this life do descend into Hell This is also verified by the words in this Parable where Christ saith He died and was buried and in hell he lift up his eyes As the Tree falls so it shall lie whâ—â—â—er it be to Heaven or Hell Eccl. 11. 3. And as Christ said to the Thief on the Cross This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Even so the Devil in the like manner may say unto thy Soul Tomorrow shalt thou be with me in hell See then what a miserable case he that dies in an unregenerate state is in he departs from a long sickness to a longer hell from the gripings of death to the everlasting torments of hell And in hell he lift up his eyes Ah Friends if you were but your selves you would have a care
must go to the devil and he will not neglect to fetch me away into those inâ—olerable torments Think thus with thy self What shall I lose a long Heaven for short pleasure shall I buy the pleasures of this world at so dear a rate as to lose my soul for the obtaining of that Shall I content my self with a Heaven that will last no longer than my life time What advantage will these be to me when the Lord shall separate soul and body asunder and send one to the grave the other to hell and at the Judgement-day the final Sentence of eternal ruine must be past upon me 6. Consider that the profits pleasures and vanities of this world will not last ever but the time is coming yea just at the doors when they will give thee the slip and leave thee in the suds and in the brambles of all that thou hast done And therefore to prevent this thy dismal state think thus with thy self T is true I do love my sins my lusts and pleasures but what good will they do me at the day of death and of judgement Will my sins do me good then will they be able to help me when I come to fetch my last breath What good will my profits do me and what good will my vanities do when death sayes he will have no nay What good will all my companions fellow jesters jeerers lyars drunkards and all my wantons do me will they help to ease the pains of hell will these help to turn the hand of God from inflicting his fierce anger upon me Nay will not they rather cause God to shew me no mercy to give me no comfort but rather to thrust me down into the hottest place of hell where I may swim in fire and Brimstone 3. Consider thus with thy self Would I be glad to have all every one of my sins to come in against me to inflame the justice of God against me would I be glad to be bound up in them as the three Children were bound in their clothes and to be as really thrown into the fiery Furnace of the wrath of Almighty God as they were into Nebuchadnezzars fiery Furnace 4. Consider thus Would I be glad to have all and every one of the Ten Commandements to discharge themselves against my soul The first saying damn him for he hath broken me The second saying damn him for he hath broken me c. Consider how terrible this will be yea more terrible then if thou shouldest have ten of the biggest Pieces of Ordnance in England to be discharged against thy body thunder thunder one after another Nay this would not be comparable to the reports that the law for the breach thereof will give against thy soul For those can but kill the body but these will kill both body and soul and that not for an hour a day a month or a year but they will condemn thee for ever Mark it is for ever for ever It is into everlasting damnation eternal destruction eternal wrath and displeasure from God eternal gnawings of conscience eternal continuance with devils O consider it may be the thought of seeing the devil doth now make thine hair to stand right up on thy head O but this to be damned to be among all the devils and that not only for a time as I said before but for ever to all eternity This is wonderfully miserable ever miserable that no tongue of man no nor of Angels is able to express it 5. Consider much with thy self not onely my sins against the law will be laid to my charge but also the sins I have committed in slighting the Gospel the glorious Gospel these also must come with a voyce against me As thus Nay he is worthy to be damned for he rejected the Gospel he slighted the free grace of God tendered in the Gospel How many times wast thou damned wretch invited intreated beseeched to come to Christ to accept of mercy that thou mightest have Heaven thy sins pardoned thy soul saved and body and soul glorified and all this for nothing but the acceptance and through faith forsaking those imps of Satan which by their embracements have drawn thee downward toward the gulf of Gods eternal displeasure How often didst thou read the promises yea the free promises of the common salvation How oft didst thou read the sweet counsels and admonitions of the Gospel to accept of the grace of God but thou wouldst not thou regardest it not thou didst slight all 2. As I would have thee to consider the sad and woful state of those thaâ— die out of Christ and are past all recovery so would I have thee consider the many mercies and priviledges thou enjoyest above some peradventure of thy companions that are departed to their proper place As first Consider thou hâ—st still the thread of thy life lengthned which for thy sins might seven years ago or more have been cut asunder and thou have dropped down among the flames 2. Consider the tearms of reconciliation by faith in Christ is still profered unto thee and thou invited yea intreated to accept of it 3. Consider the tearms of reconciliation are but bear with me though I say but onely to believe in Jesus Christ with that faith that purifies the heart and enables thy soul to feed on him effectually and be saved from this sad state 4. Consider the time of thy departure is at hand and the time is uncertain and also that for ought thou knoweâ—â— the day of grace may be past to thee before thou diest not lasting so long as thy uncertain life in this world And if so then know for certain that thou art as sure to be damned as if thou wert in hell already if thou convert not in the mean while 5. Consider it may be some of thy friends are giving all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure being resolved for Heaven and thou thy self endeavourest as fast to make sure of hell as if resolved to have it and together with this consider how it will grieve thee that while thou wert making sure of hell thy friends were making sure of Heaven but more of this by and by 6. Consider what a sad reflection this will have on thy soul to see thy friends in Heaven and thy self in hell thy Father in Heaven and thou in hell thy Mother in Heaven and thou in hell thy Brother thy Sister thy Children in Heaven and thou in hell As Christ said to the Jews of their relations according to the flesh so may I say to thee concerning thy friends There shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see your Fathers and Mothers Brethren and Sisters Husbands and Wives Children and Kinsfolk with your friends and neighbours in the Kingdom of Heaven and thou thy self thrust out Luk. 13. 27 28 29. But again because I would not onely tell thee of the damnable state of those that die out of Christ but
open that it will evidently appear they have been very merciless and mad against the Children of God insomuch that when the Providence of God did fall out so â—s to cross their expectations they have been very much offended thereat as is very evidently seen in them who set themselves to study Psal. 31 13. how to bring the Saints into bondage and to thrust them into Corners as in these late Years And because God hath in his goodness ordered Things otherwise they have gnashed their Teeth thereat Hence then let the Saints learn not to commit themselves to their Enemies beware of men Matth. 10. 17. They are very merciless men and will not so much favour you if they can help it as you may suppose they may Nay unless the over-ruling Hand of God in goodness do order Things contrary to their natural inclination they will not favour you so much as a Dog Vers. 22. And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carryed by the Angels into Abraham's Bosome the rich man also died and was buried THe former Verses do briefly hold forth the carriage of the ungodly in this Life toward the Saints Now this Verse doth hold forth the departure both of the godly and the ungodly out of this Life Where he saith And it came to pass that the Beggar died and was carryed into Abraham's Bosome and the rich man died also The Beggar dyed that represents the godly and the rich man died that represents the ungodly From whence observe Neither godly nor ungodly must live always without a change either by Death or Judgment the good man died and the bad man died That Scripture doth also back this Truth that good and bad must die marvellous well where it is said And it is appointed to men once to die and after that the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. Mark he doth not say it is so that men by chance may die which might beget in the hearts of the ungodly especially some hope to scape the bitterness of it But he saith It is a thing most certain it is appointed Mark it is appointed for men once to die and after that the Judgment God hath decreed it that since men have fallen from that happy estate that God at the first did set them in they shall die Rom. 6. 23. Now when it is said the Beggar died and the rich man died part of the meaning is they ceased to be any more in this World I say partly the meaning but not altogether Though it be altogether the meaning when some of the Creatures die yet it is but in part the meaning when it is said that Men Women or Children die for there is to them something else to be said more than barely a going out of the World For if when unregenerate men and women die there were an end of them not onely in this World but also in the World to come they would be happy over they will be now for when ungodly men women die there is that to come after death that will be very terrible to them namely to be carried by the Angels of Darkness from their Death-beds to Hell there to be reserved to the Judgment of the Great Day when both Body and Soul shall meet and be united together again and made capable to undergo the uttermost Vengeance of the Almighty to all Eternity This is that I say which doth follow a man that is not born again after Death as is clear from that in 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. Where before speaking of Christ being raised again by the power of his Eternal Spirit he saith By which that is by that Spirit he went and preached to the Spirits in Prison But what is the meaning of this Why thus much that those Souls who were once alive in the World in the time or days in which Noah lived being disobedient in their Times to the Calls of God by his Spirit in Noah for so I understand it was according to that which was foretold by that Preacher deprived of Life and overcome by the Flouâ— and are now in Prison Mark he preached to the Spirits in Prison he doth not say who were in Prison but to them in that is now in Prison under Chains of Darkness reserved or kept there in that Prison in which now they are ready like Villains in the Jayl to be brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ at the Great Day But of this I shall speak further by and by Now if this one Truth that men must die and depart this World and either enter into Joy or else into Prison to be reserved to the Day of Judgment were believed we should not have so many Wantons walk up and down the streets as there do at least it would put a mighty check to their filthy Carriages so that they would not could not walk so basely and sinfully as they do Belshazzer notwithstanding he was so far from the fear of God as he was yet when be did but see that God was offended and threatned him for his wickedness it made him hang down his head and knock his knees together Dan. 5. 5 6. If you read the verses before you will find he was careless and satisfying his Lusts in Drinking and playing the wanton with his Concubines But so soon as he did perceive the finger of an Hand writing then saith the Scripture the King's Countenance was changed and his Thoughts troubled him so that the Joynts of his Loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another And when Paul told Felix of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come it made him tremble And let me tell thee Soul whosoever thou art that if thou didst but verily believe that thou must die and come into the Judgment it would make thee turn over a new leaf But this is the misery the Devil doth labour by all means as to keep out other Things that are good so to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies the Thoughts of passing from this Life into another World for he knows if he can but keep them from the serious Thoughts of Death he shall the more easily keep them in their sins and so from closing with Jesus Christ as Job saith Their houses are safe from fear neither is the Rod of God upon them Which makes them say to God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways vers 14. Because there is no fear of Death and Judgment to come therefore they do put off God and his ways and spend their days in their sins and in a moment that is before they are aware go down to the Grave ver 17. And thus it fared also with the man spoken of in Luk. 12. 20. the man instead of thinking of Death he thought how he might make his Barns bigger But in the midst of his business in the World he lost his Soul before he was aware supposing that Death had been many Years
off But God said unto him Thou Fool thou troublest thy self about Things of this Life thou puttest off the Thoughts of departing this World when this Night thy Soul shall be taken from thee Oâ— this Night they that is the Devil will fetch away thy Soul from thee And here it comes to pass mens not being exercised with the Thoughts of departing this Life that they are so unexpected to themselves and their Neighbours taken away from the pleasures and profits yea all the Enjoyments they busie themselves withall while they live in this World And hence it is again that you have some in your Towns and Cities that are so suddainly taken away some from haunting the Ale-house others from haunting the Where-houses others from playing and gaming others from the cares and covetous desires after this World unlooked for as by themselves or their Companions Hence it is also that men do so wonder at such Tidings as this There is such an one dead such an one is departed it is because they do so little consider both the transitoriness of themselves and their Neighbours for had they but their Thoughts well exercised about the shortness of this Life and the danger that will befal such as do miss of the Lord Jesus Christ it would make them more wary and sober and spend more time in the service of God and be more delighted and diligent in enquiring after the Lord Jesus who is the Deliverer from wrath to come 1 Thes. 1. 10. For as I said before it is evident that they who live after the flesh in the Lusts thereof do not really and seriously think on Death and the Judgment that doth follow after neither do they indeed endeavour so to do for did they it would make them say with Holy Job All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my Change come Job 14. 14. And as I said before that not onely the Wicked but also the Godly have their time to depart this Life And the Beggar died The Saints of the Lord they must be deprived of this Life also they must yield up the Ghost into the hands of the Lord their God they must also be separated from their Wives Children Husbands Friends Goods and all that they have in the World For God hath decreed it It is appointed namely by the Lord for men once to die and we must appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ. As it is 2 Cor. 5. 10 11. But it may be objected if the godly do die as well as the wicked and if the Saints must appear before the Judgment Seat as well as the sinners then what advantage have the godly more then the ungodly and how can the Saints be in a better condition then the wicked Answ. Read the 22th Verse over again and you shall find a marvellous difference between them as much as is between Heaven and Hell everlasting joy and everlasting torment for you find that when the beggar died which represents the godly He was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosom or into everlasting joy Psal. 1. but the ungodly are not so but are hurried by the Devils into the bottomless pit drawn away in their wickedness Prov. 14. 32. for he saith And in Hell he lift up his eyes When the ungodly do die their misery beginneth for then appear the Devils like so many Lions waiting every moment till the Soul depart from the Body Sometimes they are very visible to the dying party but sometimes more invisible but always this is certain they never miss of the Soul if it do die out of the Lord Jesus Christ but do hale it away to the prison as I said before there to be tormented and reserved until that great and general day of Judgment at which day they must Body and Soul receive a finall sentence from the Righteous Judge and from that time be shut out from the presence of God into everlasting woe and distress But the godly when the time of their departure is at hand then also are the Angels of the Lord at hand yea they are ready waiting upon the Soul to conduct it safely into Abrahams Bosom I do not say but the Devils are oft times very busie doubtless and attending the Saints in their sickness I and no question but they would willingly deprive the Soul of Glory But here is the comfort as the Devils come from Hell to devour the Soul if it be possible at its departure so the Angels of the Lord come from Heaven to watch over and conduct the Soul in spite of the Devil safe into Abrahams Bosome David had the comfort of this and speaks it forth for the comfort of his Brethren Psal 34. 7. saying The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Mark the Angel of the Lord encampeth round about his Children to deliver them From what From their enemies of which the Devil is not the least This is an excellent comfort at any time to have the holy Angels of God to attend a poor man or woman but especially it is comfortable in the time of distress at the time of death when the Devils beset the Soul with all the power that Hell can afford them But now it may be that the glorious Angels of God do not appear at the first to the view of the Soul nay rather Hell stands before it and the Devils ready as if they would carry it thither But this is the comfort the Angels â—o always appear at the last and will not faâ—l the Soul but will carry it safe into Abrahams Bosom Ah Friendâ— consider here is an ungodly manupon his death-bed and he hath none to speak for him none to speak comfort unto him but it is not so with the Children of God for they have the Spirit to comfort them Here is the ungodly and they have no Christ to pray for their safe conduct to glory but the Saints have an Intercessor John 17. 9. Here is the World when they die they have none of the Angels of God to attend upon them but the Saints have their company In a word the unconverted person when he dieth he sinks into the bottomless pit But the Saints when they die do ascend with and by the Angels into Abrahams Bosom or into unto unspeakable glory Luke 23. 43. Again it is said that the rich man when he died was buried or put into the Earth but when the beggar died he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosome The one is a very excellent stile where he saith he was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosome it denotes he excellent condition of the Saints of God as I said before and not onely so but also the preciousness of the death of the Saints in the eyes of the Lord Psal. 116. 15. that after Generations may see how precious in the sight of the Lord the death of his Saints is when he saith they are carried by the Angels
sorrow of mind And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Nay thou wilt find worse things to thy wo then this Scripture doth manifest For indeed there is no tongue able to express the horrour terrour torment and eternal misery that those poor souls shall undergo without the least mitigation or ease and a very great part of it shall come from that quick full and continual remembrance of their sins that they shall have And therefore there is much weight in these words Son remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things From these words you see this is to be observed that the ungodly shall remember or have in remembrance the mispending their lives Remember that in thy life time thou hadst thy good things You may take these words good things either simply for the things of this world which in themselves are called and may be called good things or else with these words namely the things of this life all the pleasures delights profits and vanities which the ignorant people of the world do count their good things and do very much cheer themselves therewith Soul soul eat drink and be merry for thou hast much goods laid up for many years Luke 12. 20. Now I say God according to his glorious Power and Wisdome will make poor Creatures have alwayes in their minds a fresh and clear remembrance of their ill-spent life he will say unto them Remember remember that in thy life-time it was thus and thus with thee and in thy life-time thy carriage was so and so If Sinners might have their choice they would not have their sins and transgressions so much in remembrance as is evident by their carriages here in this Would for they will not endure to entertain a serious thought of their filthy life they put far away the evil day Amos 6. 3. Ezek. 12. 27. but will labour by all means to put the thought of it out of their mind but there they shall be made to remember to purpose and to think continually of their ungodly deeds And therefore it is said that when our Lord Jesus comes to Judgment it will be to convince the ungodly world of their wickel and ungodly deeds Mark To convince them Jude 14 15. They will not willingly take notice of them now But then they shall hereafter in spite of their teeth And also between this and then these that die out of Christ shall be made to see acknowledg and confess do what they can when they lift up their eyes in hell and remember their transgressions God will be a swift witness against them Mal. 3. 5. and will say Remember what thou didst in thy life-time how thou didst live in thy life time Ha Friend If thou dost not in these days of light remember the days of darkness Eccles. 11. 8. the days of Death Hell and Judgment thou shalt be made in the days of Darkness Death Hell and at the Judgment too to remember the days of the Gospel and how thou didst disregard them too to thy own destruction and everlasting misery This is intimated in that 25. of Matthew Remember that in thy life-time thou hadst thy good things The great God instead of giving the ungodly any ease will even aggravate their Torments first by slighting their perplexities and by telling of them what they must be thinking of Remember saith he O ye lost Souls that you had your joy in your life-time your peace in your life-time your comforts delights ease wealth health your Heaven your Happiness and your Portion in your life-time O miserable state Thou wilt then be in a sad condition indeed when thou shalt see that thou hast had thy good Things thy best Things thy pleasant Things for that is clearly signified by these words Remember that thou in thy life-time hadst thy good things or all the good things thou art like to have From whence take notice of another Truth though it be a dreadful one which is this There are many poor Creatures who have all their good sweet and comfortable Things in this Life or while they are alive in this World Remember saith hâ—â— that in thy life-time thou hadst thy good things Psal. 17. 14. The Wickeds good Things will shortly have an end They will last no longer with them than this Life or their Life-â—â—ne That Scripture was not written in vain It is like the crackling of Thorns under a Pot make a little blaze for a suddain a little heat for a while but come and consider them by and by and instead of a comfortable heat you will find nothing but a few dead Ashes and instead of a flaming fire nothing but a smell of smoak There is a time coming that the ungodly would be glad of a better portion when they shall see the vanity of this that is when they shall see what a poor thing it is for a man to have his portion in this World 'T is true while they are here on this side Hell they think there is nothing to be compared with Riches Honours and Pleasures in this World which makes them cry out Who will shew us any good Psal. 4. 6. that is comparable to the pleasures profits and glory of this World But then they will see there is another thing that is better and of more value then Ten Thousand Worlds And seriously Friends will it not grieve you trouble perplex and torment you when you shall see that you lost Heaven for a little pleasure and profits in your Life-time certainly it will grieve you and perplex you exceedingly to see what a blessed Heaven you left for a Dunghil World Oh! that you did but believe this that you did but consider this and say within your selves What shall I be contented with my portion in this World What shall I lose Heaven for this World I say consider it while you have Day-light and Gospel-light while the Son of God doth hold out Terms of Reconciliation to you least you be made to hear such a voice as this is Son remember that in thy life-time thou hadst thy good things Thy comforts thy joys thy ease thy peace and all the Heaven thou art like to have O poor Heaven O short pleasures what a pitiful thing it is to be left in such a case Soul consider is it not miserable to lose Heaven for 20 30 or 40 Years sinning against God When thy Life is done thy Heaven is also done when Death comes to separate thy Soul and Body in that day also thou must have thy Heaven and Happiness separated from Thee and Thou from That Consider these Things betimes lest Thou have thy portion
on them and not let them go O Father cannot you help me Mother cannot you do me some good O how loath am I to burn and fry in Hell while you are singing in Heaven But alas the Father Mother or Friends reject them slights them and turn their Backs upon them saying You would have none of Heaven in your life-time therefore you shall have none of it now You slighted our Counsels then and we slight your tears cries and condition now What sayest thou sinner will not this perswade thine heart nor make thee bethink thy self This is now before thou fall into that dreadful place that fiery Furnace But O consider how dreadful the place it self the Devils themselves the fire it self will be And this at the end of all here thou must lie for ever here thou must fry for ever and for ever This will be more to thee than any man with Tongue can express or with Pen can write There is none that can I say by the Ten Thousand part discover the state and condition of such a Soul I shall conclude this then with a few Considerations of Incouragement 1. Consider for I would fain have thee come in sinner that there is way made by Jesus Christ for them that are under the Curse of God to come to this comfortable and blessed state of Lazarus I was speaking of See Ephes. 2. 2. Consider what pains Christ Jesus took for the Ransoming of thy Soul from all the Curses Thunder-claps and Tempests of the Law from all the intollerable flames of Hell from that Soul-sinking appearance of thy person on the left hand before the Judgment-Seat of Christ Jesus from everlasting fellowship with innumerable Companies of yelling and Soul-amazing Devils I say consider what pains the Lord Jesus Christ took in bringing in Redemption for sinners from these Things 1. In that Though he were rich yet he became poor that thou through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. He laid aside his glory Joh. 17. and became a servant Phil. 2. He left the company of Angels and incountred with the Devil Luk. 4. Mat. 4. He left Heavens ease for a time to lie upon hard Mountains Joh. 8. In a word he became poorer than they that go with flail and rake yea then the very Birds or Foxes and all to do thee good Besides consider a little of these unspeakable and intollerable slightings and rejections and the manifold abuses that came from Man upon him How he was falsly accused being a sweet harmless and undefiled Lamb. How he was undervalued so that a Murtherer was counted less worthy of condemnation than he Besides how they mocked him spaâ— on him beat him over the head with staves had the hair pluckt from his cheeks I gave my Back to the Smiters saith he and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my Face from shame and spitting His Head crowned with Thorns his Hands pierced with Nails and his Side with a Spear together with how they used him scourging him and so miserably misusing him that they had even spent him in a great measure before they did crucifie hâ—m Insomuch that there was another fain to carry his Cross. Again not only this but lay to heart a little what he receiv'd from GOD his dear Father though he were his dear and tender Son First in that he did reckon him the greatest Sinner and Rebel in the World For he laid the sins of Thousands and Ten Thousands and Thousands of Thousands of Sinners to his charge Esay 53. And caused him to drink the terrible Cup that was due to them all and not onely so but did delight in so doing For it pleased the Lord to bruise him God dealt indeed with his Son as Abraham would have dealt with Isaac I and more terribly by Ten Thousand parts For he did not only tear his Body like a Lion but made his Soul an Offering for Sin And this was not done fainedly but really for Justice call'd for it he standing in the room of Sinners witness that horrible and unspeakable Agony that fell on him suddainly in the Garden as if all the Vials of God's unspeakable scalding Vengeance had been cast upon him all at once and all the Devils in Hell had been broken loose from thence at once to destroy him and that for ever insomuch that the very pangs of Death seized upon him in the same hour For saith he My Soul is exceeding sorrowful and amazed even unto death Mark 14. 33 34. Witness also that strange kind of sweat that trickled down his most blessed Fâ—ce where it is said And he sweat as it were great drops or clodders of blood trickling down to the ground O Lord Jesus what a Load didst thou carry What a Burthen didst thou bear of the sins of the World and the Wrath of God! O thou didst not onely bleed at Nose and Mouth with the pressure that lay upon thee but thou wast so pressed so loaden that the pure bloud gushed through the flesh and skin and so ran trickling down to the ground And his sweat was as it were great drops of bloud trickling or falling down to the ground Luk. 22. 44. Canst thou read this O thou wicked sinner and yet go in sin Canst thou think of this and defer Repentance one hour longer O heart of flint yea harder O miserable Wretch what place in Hell will be hot enough for thee to have thy Soul put into if thou shalt persist or go on still to adde Iniquity to Iniquity Besides his Soul went down to Hell Psalâ—6 â—6 10. Act. 2. 31. and his Body to the bars of the Grave And â—ad 〈◊〉 Dâ—â—th oâ— the Grave been strong enough â—o holâ— him then he had suffeâ—'d the Vengeance of Eternal Fire to all Eternity But O blessed Jesus how didst thou discover thy Love to Man in thy thus suffering And O God the Father how didst thou also declare thy purity and exactness of thy Justice in that though it was thine onely holy innocent harmless and undefiled Son Jesus that did take on him our Nature and represenâ— our persons answering for our sins instead of our selves Thou didst so wonderfully pour out thy Wrath upon him to the making of him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And O Lord Jesus what a glorious Conquest hast thou made over the Enemies of our Souls even Wrath Sin Death Hell and Devils in that thou didst wring thy self from under the power of them all And not only so but hast led them Captive which would have led us Captive and also hast received for us that glorious and unspeakable Inheritance That Eye hath not seen nâ—r Ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of Man to conceive And also hast given thine some discovery thereof through thy Spirit And now Sinner together with this consider Fourthly That though Jesus Christ hath done all these Things for Sinners yet the Devils
are many poor souls that think they believe the Scriptures to be the word of God and yet they never enjoyed any thing of the life and promises they come in upon the heart to quicken to revive thee to raise thâ—e from the sentence of death that is passed 〈◊〉 thee by the Law And through the faith that is wrought in thy soul by the operation of Gods holy Spirit though once killed by the Law or Letter thou art made alive in the Lord Jesus Christ who is presented to thy soul in the promises 3. Dost thou indeed and in truth believe the Scriptures to be the word of God then â—he things contained in them especially the things of the Gospel are very excellent to thy soul as the birth of Christ the death resurrection intercession and second coming O! how precious and excellent are they to thy soul insomuch that thou regardest nothing in comparison of them O! it is Christs birth death blood resurrection c. according to the Scriptures that thou dost rejoyce in exceedingly and abundantly desire after whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing the mercy with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4 5 6. compare with Phil. 3. 6 7 8. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 4. Dost thou believe the Scriptures to be the word of God Then thou standest in awâ—of and dost much reverence them Why they are the word of God the true sayings of God they are the counsel of God they are his promises and his threatnings Poor souls are apt to think If I could hear God speak to me from Heaven with an audible voice then sure I should be serious and believe it But truly if God should speak to thee from Heaven except thou wert converted thou wouldest not regard not really believe him But if thou dost believe the Scriptures thou seest that they are the truth as really believe him But if thou dost believe the Scriptures thou seest that they are the truth as really as if God should speak to thee from Heaven through the Clouds and therefore never flatter thy self foolishly thinking that if it were so and so then thou couldest believe I tell thee saith Christ If they believe not Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe though one should rise from the dead But 5. Doest thou believe the Scripture to be the word of God Then through faith in Christ thou endeavourest to have thy life squared according to the Scriptures both in word and practice Nay this I say thou mayst have though thou do not believe them all My meaning is that if thou believe none but the ten Commandements thy life may be according to them a legal holy life and if thou do believe the Gospel too then thy life will be the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ that is either thou wilt live in the blessed and holy enjoyment of what is testified in the Scripture concerning the glorious things of the Lord Jesus Christ or else thou wilt be exceedingly panting after them For the Scriptures carry such a blessed beauty in them to that soul that hath faith in the things contained in them that they do take the heart and captivate the soul of him that believeth them into the love and liking of them believing all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God that there shall be a Resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust and herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man Acts 24. 14 15 16. 6. He that believes the Scriptures to be the word of God if he do but suppose that any one place of Scripture doth exclude him and shut him out of and from a share in the promises contained in them O it will trouble him grieve him perplex him yea he will not be satisfied untill he be resolved and the contrary sealed to his soul for he knows that the Scriptures are the word of God all truth and therefore he knows that if any one sentence doth exclude or bar out him for want of this or the other qualification he knows also that not the word alone shuts him out but he that speaks it even God himself and â—â—herefore he cannot will not dare not be conented until he find his soul and Scripture together with the things contained therein to embrace each other and a sweet correspondency and agreement between them For you must know that to him that believes the Scriptures aright the promises or threatnings are of more power to comfort or cast down then all the promises or threatnings of all the men in the world And this was the cause why the Marryrs of Jesus did so slight both the promises of their adversaries when they would have overcome them with prâ—fering the great things of this world unto them and also their 〈…〉 them they would rack them haâ—g them 〈…〉 Acts 20. 24. Noâ—â— of these things câ—â—lâ— prâ—vail upon them or against them because they did most really believe the Scriptures and the things contained in them as is clearly found and to be seen in Heb. 11. and also in Mr. Fox's Records of their Brethren 7. He that believeth the Scriptures to be the word of God believeth that men must be born again and also be partakers of that faith which is of the operation of God according as he hath read and believes he must and shall be damned And he that believeth this aright will not be contented until according as it is written he do partake of and enjoy the nâ—w birth and until he do find through grace that faith that is wrought by the operation of God in his soul. For this is the cause why men do satisfâ—â— themselves with so slender a conceited hope that their state is good when it is nothing so namely because they do not credit the Scripture for did they they would look into their own hearts and examine seriously whether that faith that hope that grace which they think they have be of that nature and wrought by that spirit and power that the Scripture speaketh of I speak this of an effectual believing without which all other is nothing unto salvation Now then because I would not be too tedious I shall at this time lay down no more discoveries of such an one as doth savingly believe the Scriptures and the things contained in them but shall speak a few words of examination containing the things already mentioned As 1. Thou sayest thou dost indeed and in truth effectually believe the Scriptures I ask therefore wast thou ever killed stark dead by the Law of works contained in the Scriptures killed by the Law or letter and made to see thy sins against it and left in an helpless condition by that Law For as I said the proper work of the Law is to slay the Soul and to leave it dead in a