strength in our weakness and raise up our spirits and make us couragious that we shall not be afraid of Death the King of terrors which though it be terrible in it self and as the Philosopher saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most terrible of all terrible things yet through the mediation of Jesus Christ Death is a conquer'd Enemy Christ hath conquer'd Death and took away its sting That which makes Death so terrible is the sting of sin but when the sting is took away Death can no more hurt us than a Snake that hath lost its sting or an Adder that hath its teeth knockt out The Apostle cries out 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ What is Death to a Child of God reconciled to him by the 〈…〉 hrist It 's no more as a dâ—ing Saint exprest then a Child of God can embrace with both his arms And he closing his arms together died immediately To a Child of God Death is the greatest preferment by Death he is translated from a vale of tears and misery to everlasting happiness It 's like 〈◊〉 Gaol-delivery which delivers the Soul from the Bodies imprisonment and sets it at liberty to enjoy the happiness amongst Saints in glory VVhat 's then the grand duty incumbent on us all It is thus If we would desire to die happily we must live holily if we would die the death of thâ—â—ghteous we must labour to live the life of the righteous we should so live every day as we desire to be sound at the last day And if we desire comfort in our death we must make daily preparation by approving our hearts to God in a holy and circumspect life and conversation It is a very great mercy and condescension in God to accept Evangelical instead of Legal perfection and to accept of a willing mind instead of real performances For we read Heb. 11. 17. that by faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac And likewise the Apostle saith If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not When then we come to die to consider that our hearts are sincere with God and that our peace is made with him by the redemption and intercession of Christ and that all our sins are washt away and we are made white in the Bloud of the Lamb these Meditations will comfort us in Life and in Death Sect. 3 Let 's add hereunto for incouragement and comfort to the living the dying Speeches of many eminent Saints who upon their Death-beds breath'd forth snch savoury Speeches which ought to be had in everlasting remembrance I shall gather sparingly from so great a heap and only select some choice Instances which deserve a special remark to be set upon them Old Simeon's Song was sweet before his Funeral saying Luke 2. 29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Stephen the Protomartyr breath'd forth this dying Prayer Acts 7. 59. Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Ignatius who liv'd in the sirst Century 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Ignat. epist ad Rom. who was as the Ecclesiastical Writers say twelve years of age when Christ was crucified and afterward St. John's Auditor used frequently to say My Love is crucified And when he was brought to Martyrdom and the wild Beasts were let loose to tear him in pieces he couragiously said I am the Wheat or Grain to be ground with the teeth of Beasts that I may be pure Bread for my Masters tooth Let fire rack pullies yea and all the torments of Hell come on me so I may win Christ Polycarpus when the Proconsul urged him to deny Christ answered I have served Christ Eighty six years and he hath not done me hurt and shall I now deny him When they would have tied him to the Stake to be burned he desired to stand untied saying Let me alone I pray you for he that gave me strength to come to this fire will also give me patience to abide in the same without your tying Cyprian that eminent Martyr for the truth after his condemnation said Blessed be God for this Gaol-delivery Ambrose on his Death bed said to his Friends about him I have not so lived that I am ashamed to live any longer nor fear I death because I have a good Lord. Some young men seeing the excellent death of St. Ambrose and hearing what rare speeches he uttered one of those young men turned to his fellow and said Oh! that I might live with you and die with him John Lambert a Martyr in Queen Mary's daies said amidst the flame None but Christ none but Christ Mr. Bradford at the Stake in Smithfield embraced the Reeds and Fagots which were suddenly to be set on fire to burn him and said Strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it And he encouraged his fellow-Martyr saying Be of good comfort Brother for we shall have a merry Supper with the Lord this night If there be any way to Heaven on horse-back or in fiery Chariots this is it Martin Luther that great scourge of the Pope and Champion sor the Protestant Religion on his Death-bed said Thee O Christ have I taught thee have I trusted thee have I loved into thy hands I commend my spirit Bucer an eminent Reformer said neâ—â— his death No man by talk shall with draw my mind from Christ crucified from Heaven and my speedy Depaâ—ture on which my Soul is fixed Wheâ— one advised him to arm himself againâ— Saâ—ans temptations he answered Satan hath nothing to do with me Goâ— forbid but that now my Soul shoulâ— be sure of sweet consolation John Ardley a Martyr in Queen Mary'â— daiâ—s said If every hair of my heaâ— were a man it should suffer death iâ— the faith I now stand in To the samâ— purpose William Sparrow spake and Agâ—nes Stanley Alice Driver when the Chain was about her Neck Here is saith she â— goodly Neckerchief blessed be Goâ— for it John Noyes a Martyr kissing the Stake sain Blessed be God that ever I waâ— born for this day And he added farther to his fellow Martyrs a word of singular consolation saying We shal not lose our lives in this fire buâ— change them for a better and foâ— Coals have Pâ—arls c. What need I produce any more Instances with what joy have many sincere hearted Christians lookt death in the face so that they had rather die than live Melancthon rejoyced when he was to die saying That he should be with Christ and enjoy fellowship with him and the Church triumphant and then be freed from all those hot disputes and contentions
See the vast difference between worldly and godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death If we could mourn for sin much more and for the world less we should lead more comfortable lives for the future than ever we have formerly done CHAP. V. Of Sorrowing and Mourning for others Sins Sect. 1 A Fifth Character of a sincere Heart Charact. 5. Mourning for others Sins 1. is Sorrowing and Mourning for others Sins A true godly Mourner whose heart is upright with God doth not confine and terminate his sorrow within the narrow compass of his own â—rest and not let it extend any further but he laies to heart and unfeignedly mourns for the sins of others Though as it 's commonly said Charity begins at home yet it must not end there there must be a plus ultrà for our Charity it must be diffusive and extended to others And this is a great sign of love when we are assected with and affected for the sins oâ— others as well as for our own Every good man is not only grieved for his own sins but for the sins of others Of this excellent temper was David the man after God's own heart who from his heart professed Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law Psal 119. 136. But many there are whose motions Qui spiritu Dei aguntur hi sentiunt tales dolorum stimulos ut Loth cum videret sceleruÌ„ omnium colluviem regnare Sodomae c. Mollcrus are excentrick to that good man for they are so far strangers to mourning for other mens sins as they make their sins a matter of sport mirth and mockery However they would be loath to be branded for fools yet they cannot escape Solomon's censure Prov. 14. 9. Fools make a mock at sin When men make sin a matter of pleasure and jesting and make that a matter of laughter which should be a cause of mourning they shew themselves to be notorious fools Many there are who deservedly may be rank'd amongst the chiefest and worst sort of fools who when they see men drunk or hear them swear or curse or talk lasciviously and belch out such words as even the Heathen could say corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menander those men are transported with laughter and merriment and they talk with delight and complacency pleasing themselves with the remembrance of others sins These have Solomon's brand for fools and their folly will appear to their shame when they shall mourn for their laughter and weep for their wicked pleasure and jollities When some wrote Books in a jesting and deriding manner concerning several faults of great men after Mr. Greenham a Reverend and Learned Divine had read those Books he was much offended at them saying That sins ought to be made V. Greenhams works odious and not onely made ridiculous Whatever sins we either discern in our selves or in any other we ought to mourn for them and not to make a sport of them A good Christian who is acquainted with the pangs of the New Birth and is sensible of that great filthiness and abomination that is in every sin and that every sin grieveth and vexeth God and is odious and abominable in his sight such a man I say where-ever he finds sin he hates it and mourns for it and therefore he is not an idle Spectator or over-curious Inquisitor but a real Mourner for other mens sins And whilst he mourns for others sins he reflects upon himself as a person made of the same mould and one of the same passions and having the same corrupt nature That excellent Father St. Bernard makes mention of an old man who when he had heard that one of his Brethren had committed a scandalous sin he wept bitterly saying He sin'd to day Vid. Bern. in Fest St. Martini I may sin to morrow We are all by nature children of wrath as others Ephes 2. 3. Nature makes no difference between us and the vilest of men Who art thou then that boastest of a good nature and a sweet disposition though these things are very commendable amongst men and much to be desired yet there 's much more required for the best nature without sanctifying grace is no better than poyson in a golden Cup. Hath then God endowed thee with a greater measure of grace than thy Brother remember that it is thy duty to acknowledg with all thankfulness that what grace thou hast is the free gift of God And what hast thou which thou hast not received now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not 1 Cor. 4. 7. received it Not the goodness of thy nature but the free grace of God makes thee to differ from thy Brother O therefore with all thankfulness acknowledg God's restraining grace and sanctifying grace whereby thou kept from running with others into the same excess of riot All sorts of grace come from God as antecedent concomitant and subsequent and a Christian hath need of them all that so he may begin any good work proceed and persevere therein If the Lord should leave thee to thy self and let thee be fill'd with thy own ways and give thee up to thy own hearts lusts thou wilt quickly destroy thy self by breaking out into such horrid sins as the vilest of men give themselves to commit with delight and complacency It was a good Prayer in an ancient Letany Lord deliver me from my self That rare Father St. Bernard prayed Lord deliver me from the evil man i. e. my Eâ—ipe me a malo homine a me iâ—so Bern. de iâ—ter Domâ— self Thus he counted himself the evil man and thus he discovered singular humility Sect. 2 Let 's not neglect our duty in being both affected with and afflicted for the sins of others as remembring that we are men of like passions and we are dust and ashes frail creatures our Fathers being Amorites and our Mothers Hittites notwithstanding we are preserv'd from the commission of many sins which others ordinarily commit we have great cause of thankfulness but not the least cause of being proud If through riches of mercy we have hopes of a saving interest in Christ we not knowing the secret Decree of God for ought we know others may be fellow members of Christ's Body and fellow Citizens of the new Jerusalem we ought therefore to sympathize with them and be alike affected with variety of Dispensations towards them as the Apostle commands Rom. 12. 15 Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce weep with them that weep For any one to say as Cain Am I my Brothers keeper What am I concern'd in anothers matters let every one look to himself such speeches as â—â—â—elare scriptum est a Platone â—on a nobis solum nati sumus sed ortus nostri partem patria partem pareates veâ—dicant
persons nor to their sacrifices Thus the Lord expostulates the case with them Isai 1. 12 13. When ye come to appear before me who hath required this at your hand to tread my courts And the Lord forbids them to bring such kind of sacrifices verse 13. Bring no more vain oblations incense is an abomination unto me Quest But might not they truly have replied that incense oblations sacrifices c. were all of Divine institution God commanded them all why then should not they yield obedience to the command accordingly Answ I answer They were commanded to offer sacrifice but they offered sacrifice in a wrong manner For in every service which we perform to God we should do it in a right manner and for a right end not only the action it self but the manner of performing it must be regarded The Jews rested only in the Ceremonial service and in the multitude of external sacrifices having no regard at all to their own hearts and lives these they should have offered up to God pure and holy but their hearts were exceeding foul and their hands were full of bloud therefore God rejected both their persons and their sacrifices For thus saith the Lord verse 15. When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of bloud First then before we can offer any acceptable sacrifice unto God we must set upon the practice of mortification and slaughter of all our sins Wherefore the special charge of the Apostle is Col. 3. 5. Mortisie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness in ordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry Not a◠lust may be spared All carnal lusts may be compared to those brats of Babylon which are appointed for utter destruction To this purpose we may apply that of the Psalmist Psal 137. 8 9. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast rewarded us Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones Quest Some make it a Question though good Christians make no Question of it at all Whether self-murther be lawful Answ For Answer It 's murther in the highest degree and an apparent breach of the sixth Commandment Thou shalt do no murther As no murther should be committed against another much less against a mans self But for every one of us to slay our sins and destroy our corruptions is no self-murther for then a Christian lives best of all when he hath slain his sins and corruptions We must make it our daily prayer that God would destroy our sins and save our Souls Every sin we must account a Benhadad design'd for destruction Therefore Benhadad being appointed by God for utter destruction Ahab by sparing him brought inevitable ruine upon himself and his people For thus saith the man of God to Ahab by the word of the Lord 1 Kings 20. 42. Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction therefore thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people If then we give quarter to any one sin and hug it in our bosomes we take a speedy course to destroy our own Souls for by shewing foolish pity to spare any one sin we prove cruel to our precious Souls we our selves being the greatest enemies to our selves Sect. 3 Farther we must take special cognizance of such sins as either are secret unknown to any man or else such as come not within the verge of the punishment of the Law of man as wanton and amorous glances vain frothy discourse and covetousness on which God sets a peculiar brand of infamy Col. 3. 5. and calls it Idolatry Now Idolatry is a sin of a high aggravation for it indeavors to rob God of his honour and to ascribe that honour and glory to Mammon and worldly rich men which is only due to the eternal Creator God blessed for ever Likewise we must observe what a wide difference the Apostle makes between carnal living and the practice of mortification the difference is as great as between life and death and so are the different effects and issues of both For saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 13. Ifye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live We read of that glorious Victory which the Lord wrought for Israel against Amalek an inveterate enemy after this Victory was obtained we read that Moses built an Altar and called the name of it Jehovah Nissi for he said because the Lord hath sworn that he will have war with Amalek from generation to generation Exod. 17. 15 16. Quest The Question may be askt Why was war to be made and continued from generation to generation against Amalek Answ The Answer is obvious they were cruel and bloudy Enemies destitute of all manner of mercy and bowels of compassion and therefore God chargeth Moses to make a Record of this signal Deliverance And the Lord said unto Moses write this for a memorial in a Book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven Quest But it will be further askt Wherein consisted the particular sin of Awalek Answ For Answer Moses gives a full relation Deut. 25. 17 18 19. Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way and smote the hindmost of thee even all that were feeble behind thee when thou wast faint and he feared not God Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven thou shalt not forget it As war by Gods appointment should be waged against Amalek so it 's the appointment of God that we should continue fighting and warring against our sins and corruptions In this case onely it's lawful to perpetuate a deadly fewd and remain alwaies implacable and irreconcileable against all our sins we must not make the least peace nor admit of any parly for peace for any sin though it be of long standing custom and antiquity and pleasing to flesh and bloud To what hath been mentioned I will add for further explication two significant words viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which the Apostle makes an emphatical mention 1 Cor. 9. 27. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away The first word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred I keep under my body but there lies in the word a greater emphasis for the word signifies to beat the body black and blue and further yet in
the propriety of the word it signifies * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est parâ— saciet quae oculis est subjecta contuendo suboctum seu dejectuÌ„ premo Beza to beat under the eye and to leave a mark there of redness and blueness The other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this properly signifies to bring into subjection it 's a Metaphor took from Oxen whom we bring under the yoke or from any such Creatures whom we enslave or captivate and bring them into subjection for our use and service We should then indeavor so to bring down our bodies and subdue them as to make them serviceable to our souls and subject and obedient to the yoke of Christ if so we have well learn'd the Doctrine of Mortification A learned moral Heathen will condemn many dissolute livers who call themselves Christians and yet live without God in the world I am saith Seneca greater and born to greater things than to be a slave to my body Every Drunkard is a slave to his Cups and every Whoremonger a slave to his Harlot and every covetous Worldling is a slave to his Mammon But our design must not be to enslave our Souls to our Bodies but the design which we drive must be to make our Bodies serviceable to our Souls It was an excellent saying of Ephrem Syrus who flourisht in the third Century after Christ He that feasts his Body and starves his Soul is like him that feasts his Slave and starves his Wife CHAP. XII Vivification of the Fruits of the Spirit is a Character of a sincere Heart THe twelfth and last Character of sincerity Charact. 12. Vivification of the fruits of the Spirit Sect. 1. which I shall only mention is The Vivification of the Fruits of the Spirit After mortification of the deeds of the Body there must necessarily follow the Vivification of the Fruits of the Spirit for where Christ dwells in a Soul by faith and by the influence of his grace the Body is dead as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 10. because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness A Learned and Judicious Writer thus interprets that Scripture Quam vis peccatum morfi nos adjudicet quatenus in nobis remanet primae naturae vitiosibus spiritum tamea Dei esse victore noc obstare quod tantum primitiis donati sumus quia vel una ejus sciatilla viâ—ae semen est Calv. in Loc. Although saith he sin condemns us to death so far as the remainders of corrupt nature and the vitiosity thereof remains in us yet the Spirit is Conquerour wherefore notwithstanding out primitive corruption one spark of the Spirit of God is a seed of life to us though in this world we receive only the first-fruits thereof All those who by nature are dead in trespasses and sins can never be brought from death to life and from the state of nature into the state of grace any other way but by the quickning virtue of Jesus Christ For saith the Apostle You hath he quickned who were dead in your trespasses and sins Such as are now through grace in a state of regeneracy were in their natural condition in a state of unregeneracy and such who are now quickned were formerly in a dead condition As it 's said of the converted Prodigal in the Parable Luke 15. 32. He was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found The Apostle discovers the great difference between the state of regeneracy and unregeneracy and the difference is great as great as the difference between life and death Let 's diligently review the words of the Apostle Wherein Ephes 2. 2 3. in time past ye walked according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the power of the Air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires or wills of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the children of wrath even as others And what is the sole moving cause of all it followeth vers 4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sect. 2. Christ by grace ye are saved Quest But the Question may be askt How may such who are regenerated and quickned by Christ be distinguished from such who are unregenerate and yet dead in their trespasses and sins Answ I Answer as a tree may be known by its fruits which it bears i. e. a good tree by good fruits and a bad tree by bad fruits so may regenerate be distinguished from unregenerate unregenerate bring forth the fruits of the flesh as adultery fornication uncleanness c. Gal. 5. 19 20 21. before mentioned but regenerate persons bring forth the fruits of the Spirit St. Paul gives us a double Catalogue one is short but very comprehensive Ephes 5. 9. The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness righteousness and truth The other is a large Catalogue Gal. 5. 22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no Law If then the fruits of the Spirit exert and manifest themselves in the holiness of our lives and conversations it 's an infallible sign of our vivification by the Spirit of Jesus Christ By those twelve forementioned Characters of a sincere Heart we may and must put our selves upon a strict search and enquiry whether our hearts be sincere and upright towards God We must then with all diligence and impartiality make a strict search into our hearts we must ask What have I done Jer. 8. 6. we must commune with our own hearts Psal 4. 4. and as the Church resolves Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. And I am perswaded that if we have one of those Characters forementioned in sincerity and in truth we have the rest for they are all Links of one and the same golden Chain and there 's such a concatenation between them as one cannot be separated from another CHAP. XIII Containing the Comforts pertaining to sincere Christians in their Lives in this World HAving laid down those twelve forementioned Characters and Signs of Sincerity I thence infer this Conclusion That it 's the grand Duty incumbent upon us all and every one in particular to propound the Question as in the presence of God to his own Soul Am I a sincere-hearted Christian yea or no Let us with deliberate thoughts consider of those twelve above-named Signs and Marks of Sincerity and examine our selves by them accordingly herein consists the grand Labour and Work to busie our selves with all frequent and serious self-reflections and heart-examinations and let us as one man every one particularly propound the Question
of Divines which were very great in those days Grynaeus a great Scholar when he came to die said O happy day when I may depart out of this troublesome and sinful world and to go to those blessed Souls before departed He writing to his friend Chytraeus said If we never see one another again in this world yet we shall meet in that place where Luther and Zuinglius agree very well together Mr. Bolton on his dying bâ—d said I am now drawing on apace to my dissolution Hold out faith and patience your work will quickly be attained That great Magazine of Learning Mr. John Selden when he came to die said That he accounted all his Learning nothing at all in comparison of Christ. Mr. Giles Workman a worthy Minister of the Gospel in Glocester shire a little before his death said That he had a little sincerity of heart and that was a comfort to him Mr. John Ferriby a Minister of the Gospel in Essex when he was dying said That he left his Wife and Children with God and his gracious promises Mr. Gifford a Minister in Northampton-shire said to his Children upon his Death-bed That if they feared God to which he earnestly exhorted them they should not want but if they did not fear God he wisht that they might want till they did fear him Mr. Samuel Hieron a rare Minister whose excellent writings praise him in the gate on his Death-bed said That the same God who took care for the Ravens and Sparrows would likewise take care for the young Hierons And so it came to pass for God stirred up the hearts of some charitably affected persons who carefully educated his Children and so those young Hierons were well provided for I shall conclude this head with the words of the Psalmist Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116. 15. Surely he shall not be moved for ever the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance Psal 112. 6. And I will only add words of Solomon Prov. 10. 9. The memory of the just is blessed CHAP. XV. Containing the Happiness of the Saints in Heaven or the inexpressible Consolations which the Godly even all sincere-hearted Persons enjoy in Heaven to all Eternity IN the third and last place let 's consider 3. The comforts of the godly afteâ— death Sect. 1. or rather admire at the happiness even the perfection of all comforts and happiness which the Saints shall enjoy after death in the highest Heavens to all eternity As for all those who lived in hypocrisie and dissimulation and lived without repentance and so died and as for all such who lived without God in the world having no fear of God before their eyes but have committed sin with greediness and have run into all excess of riot and so die in their unbelief and impenitency these are the Goats which shall stand on Christs left hand and against them he will pronounce that dreadful sentence of condemnation Matth 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels But all upright and sincere-hearted Christians who are only Christs sheep they shall stand at Christs right hand and he will pronounce to them that comfortable soul-ravishing sentence of absolution Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world verse 34. However such who are Gods Jewels and precious in sight are vilisied and trampled on by the wicked of the world as if they were no better than the filth of 1 Cor. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world and the off-scouring of all thingsâ— yet at the general resurrection both of just and unjust there will be a resurrection of the names and of the causes of the righteous however in this world they have been traduced and scorned Then the meanest of glorified Saints whom this world thought they could not think bad enough shall have the preheminence and superiority above all the ungodly though they have been never so great in this present world for so saith the Psalmist Psal 49. 14. the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning From this Scripture it plainly appears that at the general resurrection the godly shall be known to the whole world to have dominion and Quamvis â—â—c demersis sit iâ— teâ—ebris mund is exâ—riâ—tur subito nâ—vaâ— manè quod faciem verae aeâ—etaae vâ—â—e â—obis restituet Calv. in Loc. preheminence above all the ungodâ—y men of this world And that all such who truly fear God though in this world they were in a poor and abject condition yet at that great day they shall be in a better condition every way rich and honourable and infinitely happier than any ungodly great and rich men can be in this present world Farther the godly in glory shall partake of nothing else but joy and happiness and the perfection of both but damned wretches shall be for ever debar'd from all manner of joy and partake of nothing else but hopeless sorrow and endless misery At the general Judgment when all without exception shall appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. of Christ then there shall appear a great and wide difference between gâ—od and bad chaff and wheat sheep and goats that day will make a great and clear distinction Then all the Enemies of Christ and of his Church who rejoyced in persecuting Christ here on Earth in his Members would be glad to creep into holes if possible that they might hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb. Then they will wish that the mountains might fall upon them and that Rocks and Hills Dens or Caves might shelter and cover them from the face of the Lamb incensed against them Theâ— those bloudy Persecutors of Christ shall see him whom they have pierced zech 1â— 10. Judas who betrayed Christ with a hypocritical kiss Pilate who notwithstanding the reluctancy of his own conscience condemned Christ to please the people and released Barabb as an infamous Thief and Murtherer the Soldiers who crucified him and after they had first been his Executioners were his Executors to take his Garments All these and all other Enemies of Jesus Christ shall see him at that great Day to their terror and condemnation Those giddy-pated people who a little before cried to Christ Hosanna and afterwards cried Crucifie him Crucifie him shall appear before Christs Judgment-seat and then receive their sentence Those cursed Jews who wisht that the bloud of Christ might be upon them and their Children except such only who are washt in Christ's bloud shall to their dread and horror be condemn'd for embrewing their hands in the innocent bloud of Christ Sect. 2 At the day of Judgment all fals Judgments and unrighteous sentences past on earth shall be reverst Pontius Pilate who past an unjust judgment against Christ shall have a just judgment past upon him Luther used to say that At the day