Servants Ephes 5. Ephes 6. Col. 3. Col. 4. It directs us in all Conditions how to demean our selves in Prosperity to be joyful in Adversity to consider how God hath set the one against the other In Afflictions to be patient and prayerful and more studious of a right improvement of them than of deliverance out of them Under Mercies it directs us to be thankful to God the more chearful in his Service and faithful in the use of our Talents for the honour of our Master It directs us in all our Thoughts Jer. 4.14 Words Psal 39.2 Works Prov. 4.23 24 26. It directs us in all our natural Actions as Eating Drinking Sleeping 1 Cor. 10.31 Tit. 2.12 In our civil Converses Micah 6.8 In our religious Duties how to pray James 5. James 1. How to hear how to receive 1 Cor. 11. 3. It s purity above and beyond all other Religions appears in this That it forbids Evil all Evil nothing but Evil it commands Good whatsoever is Good and nothing but Good Isa 1. Psal 32.14 The Laws of Lycurgus among the Grecians and Numa among the Romans had somewhat of good in them but not all prohibited somewhat that was evil but not all that was evil But the Christian Religion is of a larger extent both in its Precepts and Prohibitions I have seen an end of all Perfections but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Psal 119.96 A man with the eye of his Body may behold an end of many worldly Perfections of many fair Estates great Beauties large Parts hopeful Families but a man with the eye of his Soul for by Faith may see an end of all earthly Perfections He may see the World in a flame and all its Pomp and Pride and Glory and Gallantry and Crowns and Scepters and Riches and Treasures turn'd into ashes he may see the Heavens passing away like a scroll and the Elements melting with fervent heat and the Earth with the things thereon consumed and all its Persections which men doted so much on vanished into smoke and nothing It 's easie to see to the end of all terrene Perfections but its difficult yea impossible to see to the end of Divine Precepts But thy Commandments are exceeding broad Of a vast Latitude beyond our apprehension They are so deep that none can fadom them Psal 36.6 So high that they are established in Heaven Psal 119.48 So long that they endure for ever 2 Pet. 1. And so broad that none can measure them They are not only broad but exceeding broad Higher than Heaven longer than the Earth broader than the Sea The Commands of God reach the inward parts the most secret motions and retired recesses of the Soul They reach all the privy thoughts They pierce even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 They reach to all our Actions to those that seem smallest and of less concernment as well as to those that are greater and of more concernment They reach to the manner nay circumstance of Actions The Divine Law takes notice of all the circumstances of sins as aggravations of sin As 1. From the time of Gods patience towards the Sinner These three years I came seeking fruit Luke 13. 2. The place where the sin was committed The Sons of Eli lay with the Women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation 1 Sam. 2.22 3. From the season of committing the Sin Isa 58.3 4. Behold in the day of your Fast ye find pleasure and exact all your labour c. 4. From the Condition of the person that sins He that eats bread with me lifts up his heels against mee Joh. 13.18 A familiar Friend proves a treacherous Enemy So Joh. 3.10 Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things 5. From the means the person enjoys You only have I known therefore you will I punish for your Iniquities Amos 4. Rom. 2.7 6. From the manner of committing the Sin So they spread Absalom a Tent on the top of the house and Absalom went in to his Fathers Concubins in the sight of all Israel 2 Sam. 16.22 Impudency in sin doth highly increase it Were they ashamed when they committed all these Abominations No they were not ashamed But how far are other Religions from observing much more from condemning men for such sinful circumstances CHAP. XXXI The holiest have cause of humiliation 8. IF Christ will condemn men at the Great Day for sins of Omission I was hungry and ye gave me no meat c. Then it may inform us That the best have abundant cause of humiliation for the best have in them abundant matter of Condemnation O how many are our Omissions every day every hour and by reason of them we are obnoxious to Hell flames Good Bishop Vsher who for Piety and Learning was honoured through the Christian World though he was early converted and feared the Lord in his Youth though he was eminently industrious in private in his Family in chatechising and instructing and praying often every day with and for them that were committed to his Charge Though he was a constant Preacher and that with Judgment and Affection Though he was singularly famous for his many worthy pieces which he wrote in Latin and English yet after all this diligence and labour when he came to die Usher's Life the last words almost which he was heard to speak were Lord in special forgive my Sins of Omission Sins of Omission will at death lie heavier on our hearts than we think for in life If such a laborious person found cause of bewailing his Omissions surely much more cause have Loyterers as we are Omissions are fruits of Original Corruption as well as Commissions It 's from that dead stock that we are so defective in bringing forth good fruit Paul layeth his Omissions at this door Rom. 7.17 to 23. In my flesh is no good When I would do good evil is present with me c. Now whatsoever is the Child of such a monstrous Parent is loathsome and calls on us for sorrow and self-abhorrency Holy Job did but suspect his Children to be guilty of Omissions of not sanctifying the Name of God in their Hearts according to their Duties at their Feasts and Meetings And he riseth early and offereth Sacrifice according to the number of them all Job 1.4 5. He goeth to God and begs Pardon for them and the blessing of God upon every one of them It may be saith he my Sons have sinned and cursed and not blessed God so Calvin reads it God in their hearts Thus did Job continually Now if Job upon a supposition that his Sons might be guilty of Omissions was so constant in his addresses to God on their behalf by way of humiliation acknowledging their Iniquity and beseeching his Mercy What cause have we on the behalf of our own Souls who know that we often offend God
to the Text. THough the Wise God is pleased now and then to keep a Peti-Sessions at this day and to execute Vengeance on some Sinners lest men should question his Providence and but on some lest they should question his Patience Yet the Great Assize when Justice shall have a solemn publick and general Triumph will be the last Day This World is the Theatre whereon Mercy is acting its part every moment if Justice peep out a little as the Sun out of a Cloud it is quickly recall'd and hidden again it will not appear in its full beauty and glory and brightness till all Nations appear in the other World Here all things come alike to all there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked to the Clean and to the Vnclean to him that sweareth and to him that feareth an Oath Eccles 9.2 The Sun of Prosperity shineth and the Showers of Adversity fall on both promiscuously If there be any difference for the better it is commonly on the worser side Psal 73.3 to the 8. vers But there when the last Trump shall sound the living be changed the dead raised and all shall appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ when the Saints shall be called honoured acquitted and rewarded when the Sinner shall be arraigned accused condemned and executed when the Judge shall say to the Saints on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And to the Sinners on his left hand Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Then men will see and say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous Surely there is a God that judgeth in the World Then men shall return and discern a difference between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not In relation to this great and general Judgment we may consider 1. The Efficient or Judge vers 31. The Son of man shall come in his glory with all his holy Angels and shall sit on the Throne of his Glory He that was judged by man shall be Judge of men 2. The Subject or Persons to be judged all the World vers 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations The Congregation of the whole World together shall follow upon the sound of the Trumpet In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound the dead indefinitely shall be raised 1 Cor. 15.52 Some understand the sound of the Trumpet Metaphorically for the Virtue and Power of Christ whereby he shall cite and cause all the World to appear before him Others take it literally and properly as God appeared on Mount Sinai when he gave the Law with the long and loud sound of a Trumpet Exod. 19.19 So he will appear at the great Day with the sound of a Trump when he comes to reckon with men for the breach of the Law Matth. 24.31 And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet The Jews gathered their solemn Assemblies together with the sound of a Trumpet And God will gather the greatest assembly of men that ever was with the sound of a Trumpet Adam shall then see all his Children to the hundredth and thousandth and hundred thousand Generation 3. The Form or Proceeding at that day from vers 32. to the end 4. The Event or Execution of the Sentence vers 1. And these shall go into everlasting punishment as Hamans face was covered when the Sentence was given and presently led forth to Execution and the Righteous into life eternal About the Form or Process of this Day wherein the Text lieth these four particulars are observable 1. The separation of Persons 2. The setting them in their places 3. The manifestation of persons and things 4. The pronunciation of the Sentence 1. The separation of Persons Now the Tares and Wheat grow together but then they shall be parted asunder vers 32. And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard separateth his sheep from the goats Here they mingle together in the same House and Family and Society but there the Devils Herd of Goats shall be by themselves and Christs Flock by themselves The Wicked shall be gathered together and he shall bind them in bundles Matth. 13.41 and the Godly gathered together The Sinner shall have his desire not to be troubled with Admonitions or Singularity of the Precise and the Saint shall have his Prayer not to be vexed with the filthy Conversation of the Prophane Psal 26.4 5 6 7. I have not sate with vain persons neither will I go in with Dissemblers I have hated the Congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the Wicked c. 2. The setting them in their places Now the vilest men are exalted and the most virtuous debased but then it shall be otherwise And then he shall set the Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left vers 33. Here the Godly are set in low places on foot-stools the Wicked in high places on Thrones But there the Godly shall be honoured and the Wicked disgraced The right hand is a place of the greatest honour To sit at a Kings right hand is the highest Seat next him To sit on King Solomon's right hand was the honour he gave his Mother 1 King 2.19 To sit at the right hand of God is peculiar to Christ whom he hath honoured and exalted above Principalities and Powers To which of the Angels said he at any time sit thou on my right hand Ephes 20.21 Heb. 1.13 And to sit on the right hand of Christ will be the honour of his Spouse his Queen At thy right hand was the Queen in Gold of Ophir Psal 45.9 They who are now placed at the left hand of earthly Princes will then be placed at the right hand of the King of Kings of the blessed and glorious Potentate and they who are now placed at Kings right hands will be placed at Christs left hand 3. The manifestation of Persons and things 1. Of Persons 1. Of Men. All men shall then be pellucid and transparent as Christal We must all appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifieth a clear and a permanent manifestation Such a clear manifestation of men that every one may see into them what they are and what they have been and such a permanent manifestation as will last for ever according to the Greek Scholiast on 1 Tim. 3.18 Good men shall then be manifested their Principles their Practices their Designs and Purposes and their uprightness in all to their glory and praise They who are now accused of Hypocrisie and Obstinacy and Pride and Peevishness because they could not swim with the stream nor run with others
scorned and mocked for their purity and preciseness in the presence of Christ in the Arms and embraces of Christ in a state of full Happiness and perfect Satisfaction while they themselves are shut out and denied entrance Luk. 13.25 28. The fire of Hell will give them light enough to see as well as heat enough to feel themselves infinitely miserable 5. It will greatly add to their torment and anguish to consider that they were sometime near the enjoyment of this blissful presence of Christ Pardon and Peace and Love and Life and the endless fruition of the blessed Jesus were tendered to them were nigh them were at the very door of their hearts They were solemnly commanded lovingly invited severely threatned sweetly allured and pathetically perswaded to accept of Christ and Grace yea and Heaven and Happiness and eternal Life yea and their hearts began to relent and to close with the intreaties of the Gospel They were almost perswaded to be Christians indeed There was but a little a very little between them and Christ The bargain was driven so far that Christ was got into their consciences they bore witness for him and warn'd them if they loved their Lives their Souls to accept of him while he would accept of them yea Christ was got into their Judgments they gave their Verdict on his side as one infinitely more amiable and elegible than the World or Flesh nay he had possibly got into their Affections they delighted to hear of his great Love to poor Sinners and of the great things he purchased for them with his own blood and yet though they were so near they came short and like Ephraim play'd the part of unwise Sons and stay'd in the place of the breaking forth of Children O how like a Dagger will it pierce the heart of them that live under the Gospel and neglect the great Salvation offer'd to them when they come to be banished the presence of Christ and to see others who made Religion their business on Earth bathing their Souls in Rivers of Pleasures drawing water with joy out of the Well of Salvation eating of the Tree of Life that groweth in the midst of Paradise and hous'd in the Arms of their dearest Saviour and shall reflect and consider with themselves all those Joys and Pleasures all those Dainties and Delicacies all those Robes and Riches and Glories and Felicities which they enjoy in the presence of Christ might have been mine they were freely and frequently and affectionately offered to me I had the refusal of them nay I had a good mind to them I was not far from the Kingdom of Heaven There was but a little between me and them they were at the very door of my heart and stood knocking there for admission and desired only hearty acceptance but like a Fool I dallied with them and defer'd them as if hereafter had been time enough and so have lost them for ever 6. It will much augment their anguish and misery to consider who it is that passeth so severe a doom upon them This dreadful Sentence is pronounced by Love and Grace and Goodness it self He that sometimes call'd them to him so sweetly so affectionately now casts them from him so sharply so furiously He who sometimes cry'd to them Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and wept over them O that thou hadst known even thou in this thy day the things of thy peace He that formerly invited intreated besought them to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 and shew'd them his heart-blood the price of their Pardon and Life and stretch'd out his Arms to imbrace their returning Souls will now in wrath and rage and flames and fury bid them be gone from him and his Curse go along with them And if Love prove their Enemy surely Wrath will not be their Friend And if Mercy be thus against them surely Justice will not be for them Ah how sorely will it gall the Sinner to consider This dreadful doom is denounced against me not by an Enemy or one that hated me but by a Friend and Father by one that loved me and took my nature on him and suffered therein the Laws Curse to render me capable of escaping these Torments which I now suffer and partaking of those Pleasures which yonder blessed Souls enjoy CHAP. VII Containing the folly of Sinners and the vast difference between them and the Godly at the Great day 3. IT informeth us that every wicked man is out of his wits surely the man is mad who exchangeth his Soul and Saviour and God and all for a little worldly profit or fleshly pleasure yea that parts with true and durable Riches for shadowy and fading Treasure that loseth heavenly and eternal Joys for earthly and transitory Pleasures No man can love sin but he hates himself nor part with his Duty but he parts with his Felicity And surely such a man who hates himself and forsakes his Happiness is a mad man Well might the Holy Ghost speak the Prodigal out of his wits when he was out of his way and wandring from his Father's house How mad was he to forsake Bread for Husks all the world is but Husks dry coorse empty Fare to the Dainties of the Gospel Bread in a Fathers house for Husks among Swine yea and plenty of Bread enough and to spare for a few Husks that could not fill their Bellies If one Soul be more worth than a whole World surely one Saviour one God is more worth than a thousand Souls than a million of Worlds How mad then is he that parts with this Soul this Saviour this God for a little a very little of this World yea for this little of the World for a very little time If all the delights of the Flesh and all the Pleasures of Sin and all the profits of the World cannot ballance the partial enjoyment of God in his Ordinances for one hour How unable will they be to compensate the loss of full Communion with God for ever O how infinitely doth Christ out-weigh what ever the flesh or world can offer in exchange for him 4. It informeth how contrary the portion of the Godly and the Wicked is at the day of Judgment At this day they fare often alike they fall under the same favourable and frowning Providences they have the same Comforts and the same Crosses If any difference for the better 't is usually on the Sinners side The vilest men are exalted and the proud prosper But at that day there will be a difference indeed for the better on the Saints side That day will be terrible to the Wicked a day of wrath a day of the perdition of ungodly men Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.7 To the Godly a day of Redemption a time of refreshing a day of Light and Gladness and a good day Luk. 21.28 Act. 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshment shall come from
It is a deep impression of infinite wrath and fury on every member of the Body and faculty of the Soul And O what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God for our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.2 ult The wrath of God is sometimes compared to that of a Lion roaring after her prey which tears and rents and kills and slays without the least pity And to a Bear robbed of her Whelps which claws and wounds and destroys whatsoever comes near her But alas the wrath of a God is infinitely more cutting more killing The Mountains are moved the Rocks are rent in pieces the stoutest Oaks are rooted up the Foundations of the Earth tremble the great Luminaries are darkned the course of Nature is over-turned when he is wroth Thou even thou art to be feared for who may stand when thou art angry If his wrath be kindled but a little how wofully do his own Children cry out Job 6.4 The Arrows of the Almighty are within me Job 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Psal 88. Their Spirits are drunk up while they suffer his terrors they are distracted What then will be the condition of them on whom he will pour out all his wrath If a small degree of God's anger be so terrible when it is mingled with Love what will a full Cup of pure wrath be 3. They differ in the ends of their Creation Our fires were created for our Service and Comfort God made these for the use and benefit of man to fence us against the cold to melt and mould metals and form them into several moulds c. But the fire of Hell is created for the torment of Men and Devils God makes it of such a nature as may best suit his end For every wise Agent fitteth his means to his end and the more wise the Agent is the more proper means he findeth out for his end Now when the only wise God to whom Angels themselves are Fools shall set his infinite Wisdom awork about the most proper means of racking and torturing the poor Creature surely it will be done to purpose As when his Love sets his Wisdom awork to find out a way to comfort his Children what Rivers of Pleasures VVeights of Glory Crowns of Life fulness of Joy doth he provide So when his wrath sets VVisdom awork to find out a way for the afflicting his Enemies what stinging Adders and gnawing VVorms and Chains of Darkness and Lakes of Brimstone doth he provide 4. They differ in the Fewel that feeds them Our fires are maintain'd and preserv'd in burning by wood or coals or somewhat that is combustible and the fire must be suitable to the meanness and limitedness of the fewel But the fire of Hell is fed with the Curse of a righteous Law and the wrath of an infinite God and the lusts of the damned Ah what work will sin back'd with the Curse and wrath of God make in the Souls and Bodies of men If David beloved of God under the weight of sin and sense of Divine displeasures went mourning all the day and cryeth out so mounfully Thine Arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine Anger nor rest in my bones because of my Sin Mine Iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Psal 38.2 3 4. O what will they suffer and how will they roar and howl whose Sins are as a Mountain of Lead shall press and oppress their Consciences all whose lusts shall gnaw their Spirits set home and close to their Souls by the fury and malediction of God 5. They differ in this that our fires are accompanied with Light but the fire of Hell though it hath heat to torment hath no light to comfort It is a state of darkness of utter darkness Matth. 25. Of Blackness of Darkness Jude vers 13. They have only light enough to see themselves endlesly and easelesly wretched and miserable Darkness is dreadful but what darkness like utter darkness or blackness of darkness The Egyptians did not move out of their places in the time of their darkness but what will men do in the dark in the midst of ravenous VVolves and roaring Lions and stinging Adders and fiery Serpents and frightful Devils 6. They differ in their Operations 1. Our fires work only on the Body they cannot pierce the Soul but Hell fire pierceth the Soul Spirits burn in it as well as Bodies Go into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels If it seise on Devils it will also on the Souls of men The Spirit whose senses are most acute will feel the greatest pain in the unquenchable fire 2. Our fires destroy and consume their fewel they turn their wood and coals into dust and ashes the bodies of men are by them turn'd into ashes and hereby the pain ceaseth with the life of the Creature But the fire of Hell will never consume though it be ever consuming it will always be destroying but never destroy the Sinner The damned will be always dying but never die The Almighty hand of God will preserve them to undergo that wrath that is intollerable and those flames that are unquenchable CHAP. XII The fulness of wicked mens misery in that it 's positive and privative with some Cautions against it Vse LEarn hence the full misery of the wicked in the other World They shall not only be deprived of all good in their banishment from the presence of God but also be afflicted with all evil in their suffering the pains of Hell fire The godly in the other World shall be perfectly blessed in their freedom from all poenal and all moral evil and their fruition of all that is truly good for they shall ever be with the Lord who is an universal good So the Wicked in the World to come shall be perfectly cursed in the absence of what ever is comfortable and in the presence of whatsoever is dreadful and may render them miserable Snares Fire Brimstone an horrible Tempest shall be rained on them as their portion woful are the fruits of Sin oftentimes in this World It keeps good from men here strips them of their Estates Relations Liberties Limbs Health Names nay of the Gospel Ordinances and seasons of Grace and brings on them much evil here Aches Pains Diseases in their Bodies Horrors and Terrors in their Souls But these are nothing to the effects of Sin in the other World Here in the midst of Judgment Mercy is remembred there is no state on Earth of mear or pure wrath All good things are not removed nor all evil things inflicted on any In the worst Estate there is Life and that cloathed with some Favours The pained have some intermission or at least remission of their pains In the lowest estate there is hope of better and that is no small Cordial
to a poor Creature there is no Condition so bad but might have been worse both for its intention and duration But now in the other World the wicked have Judgment without a mite of Mercy and Misery without any Ease either in regard of degree or intermission All good banished from them and all evil inflicted on them Ex. If the wicked shall be thus punished with the loss of Christ and the pains of Hell fire it exhorts us to flee from the wrath to come Ah who would fry one hour in flames for a Kingdom How dreadful is the hearing of fire fire in the night How doth the very sound of it fright men and women Ah then what will the feeling of it be in utter darkness in that black long night of eternity Sinner when thou art tempted to sin consider whether the satisfaction of thy Lust will make thee amends for and ballance the loss of God and thy suffering the flames of Hell Alas how little is the pleasure of Sin but how terrible how intollerable is the pain of it What wise man would be rack'd a day for a moments delight much less suffer the wrath of an infinite God for the dreggy pleasures of a Beast Dost thou think thou canst bear it art thou able to endure it Canst thou suffer the pain of our fire if not how wilt thou endure the pain of that fire which the breath of a God kindleth and keepeth burning which tortures the Soul as well as the Body and which was prepared of God for the afflicting and punishing his Creatures O Friend flie to Christ if thou wouldst flee from the wrath to come 1 Thess 1. ult He is the only skreen between thee and the fire of Hell Flie from sin if thou wouldst flie from Hell fire Flie the Cause and thou fliest the Effect Take away Sin and you take away Hell Whatsoever thou sowest now thou shalt reap hereafter Gal. 6.7 Sow Lust and reap the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever Sow Holiness and reap Happiness They who sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap Corruption but they who sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.8 CHAP. XIII The eternity of the Sinners misery in the other World with the grand Reason of it I Come now to the eternity of the Sinners punishment in that word Everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is refer'd to God and then is used for that which is eternal à parte ante or that never had a beginning Sometimes it 's refer'd to the rational Creature and then signifieth an eternity a parte post or that which never hath an end The word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Age because what is everlasting endureth through all Ages and Generations and infinitely beyond them The Doctrine which I shall draw from this property of ungodly mens punishment shall be this Doct. 3. That the punishment of the wicked in the other World will be everlasting It will not only be extream in regard of its intention but also eternal in regard of its duration Their privative punishment will be eternal They shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thess 1.7 8. And so will their positive punishment be Jude vers 7. Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them are set forth suffering the vengeance of the eternal fire And Christ tells us There the worm never dieth and the fire never goeth out Matth. 18. And again it 's called the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever It were no small ease to the damned if they had hopes of any end of their misery though after as many millions of millions of years as have been moments since the Creation and as are Creatures small and great in both worlds but it may not be it cannot be after all these years they are not to remain one moment the less in Hell I shall only give the Reasons of it and proceed to the Use There are several Reasons given why the Sinners temporal fault should have an eternal punishment 1. Some tell us He refused eternal Life and therefore it 's but reason he should be punished with eternal death They had eternal pains and eternal pleasures set before them and they chose eternal pains In choosing the way they chose the end they chose the way of the Flesh the way of their own Hearts and so consequentially they chose Hell to which that way led Now if a man hath but his own choice whom can he blame but himself If a man have what he desireth and loveth if it be ill with him he must thank himself He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul all that hate me love death Prov. 8. ult Jer. 4.17 18. 2. Others tell us That if they should live here for ever they would sin for ever therefore God taking the will for the deed punisheth them for ever They die eternally for sin who would have lived eternally in sin Vellet sine fine vivere ut posset sine fine peccare Greg. Man would live here for ever if he had his will that he might sin for ever Scotus and Aquinas tell us Peccant in aeterno suo puniuntur in aeterno Dei They sin in their eternity and God punisheth them in his eternity If God would give them an eternal abode on Earth they would imploy it in disobeying and dishonouring him eternally And because they would sin for ever therefore they shall suffer for ever Jer. 8.5 The Children of Israel are slidden back with a perpetual back-sliding they hold fast deceit and refuse to return How loath are they to forsake their Lusts 1. They hold them fast As a Fountain sendeth forth water so doth the Sinner send forth wickedness Jer. 6.7 Now a Fountain sendeth forth water freely without constraint and constantly without cessation What any thing doth naturally it doth easily and unweariedly The Sun shines naturally and he shines without any pains or tiresomeness The Fountain sends forth water naturally and doth it with ease and constancy So the Sinner sins naturally and doth it delightfully and unweariedly When the Body and its members the instruments of sin are tired and worn out and unable to execute the lusts of the flesh the body of sin is still fresh and vigorous in plotting and conspiring evil and in embracing and cherishing evil motions whence it appears that man sinning naturally would if he lived sin eternally and thence say they He is tormented for ever But 3. The principal Reason of the eternity of the Sinners misery and indeed the only reason in my Judgment with due respect to others is the infinite demerit of sin as committed against an infinite Majesty Because the Sinner is not capable of bearing a punishment infinite in intension therefore he must have it infinite in duration I doubt not but if the Sinner were able to bear the infinite stroak of Divine
hand whom I appointed to utter destruction thy life shall go for his life Eli was a good man and as much in Gods Favour but by not reproving his Sons he so far incurred Gods anger that he lost his two wicked Fondlings in a day and the Priest-hood for ever 1 Sam. 3.12 13 c. Moses was God's special Friend and Favorite And the Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his Friend Exod. 33.11 And the Lord said to Moses thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by Name Yet when this Moses is guilty of an Omission that he doth not believe God nor sanctifie his Name in the eyes of the Children of Israel he is excluded the temporal Canaan Numb 20.12 Though Moses was taken up to the Mount to converse with God forty days together when Aaron and all the people must stay below though Moses was honour'd to see the Commands written with God's own Hand though Moses was taken into a Rock while God passed before him that he might hear his Name The Lord the Lord God gracious c. proclaimed and see his back parts though God was pleased to confer with Moses as one Friend with another yet when this Moses comes to be guilty of such an Omission he is denied liberty to enter into the Land flowing with Milk and Honey Nay though this Moses begs so hard I pray thee let me go over and see the good Land beyond Jordan that goodly Mountain and Lebanon Yet God was so provoked by his Omission that though he had heard him once and again for greater things on the behalf of others Exod. 33.11 to 15. Numb 14.10 He would not hear him in this small Request for himself But his wrath was kindled and he would not hear me and said let it suffice thee speak no more unto me of this matter Deut. 3.25 26. Nay how angry was Christ with the man who had not a Wedding-Garment at his Supper how severe is his Sentence how dreadful his Doom And when the King came in to see the Guests he saw there a man which had not a Wedding-Garment Though but one in a Crowd Christ spied him 1. Here is his Transgression We do not read that the man slighted the Invitation and denied to come as they in vers 5. nor that he intreated his Servants spitefully and slew them as those vers 6. We do not read that the man came to the Feast in a drunken-fit or reproached and abused either the Master or Guests but only omitted to bring with him a Wedding-Garment which some say is Charity others Obedience he was a Professor but without godly practices but I suppose is meant Christ and the Graces of the Spirit which are compared to a Garment Rom. 13. Col. 3. Ephes 4.23 24. And that ye be renewed in the Spirit of your Minds And that ye put on the new man 2. Here is the mans self-conviction vers 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was muzled The same word is used of muzling the mouth of a Beast whereby its unable to open it to eat 1 Cor. 9.9 His conscience was that which put a muzle on his mouth being convinced that he might and ought to have procured a Garment before he had gone to the Feast They who have a form and no power of Godliness who make a shew without any substance of Religion will be speechless when Christ shall come to reckon with them 3. Here is his Condemnation vers 13. Bind him hand and foot When Malefactors are cast in Law either by their own Confession or the Evidence of others the Gaoler puts new Fetters and Shackles on them to secure their Persons against Sentence and Execution lest they should make an escape Bind him hand and foot Make sure of him The Sinner shall have no power of resisting or possibility of flying from Divine severity And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ejicite cast him forth Cast him out as a vile loathsome abominable wretch unfit for company whom I hate to behold Into utter darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prison a Dungeon where there is no light a condition most remote from joy and comfort such darkness as hath a blackness joyn'd to it Jude vers 13. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth weeping for the extremity of their own pain and gnashing of teeth out of envy at others happiness CHAP. XXIII The danger of sins of Omission in their destructiveness to man and our proneness to over-look them 3. THe danger of Sins of Omission will appear by their destructiveness to men The more wrong and injury any Sin doth us the more danger is in it Now what hath been already spoken doth abundantly evince this If Omissions are so great sins that they most directly cross the mind of the Law and make way for all Sins of Commission and exceedingly grieve the Spirit of God they must needs be dangerous and destructive to men If God himself blame them so sharply threaten them so severely and punish them so grievously who are guilty of such sins then these Sins must be very injurious to us But it will further appear if you consider that they cause 1. The Judgments of God on men in regard of their Bodies or external Comforts He punisheth many with extream penury for not being diligent in their particular Callings Their idleness which is a sin of Omission cloaths them with rags Prov. 23.21 Again The idle Soul shall suffer hunger Prov. 19.15 How doth experience prove the truth of this Many begin the World as we say with considerable Estates who in a few years for lack of care and industry in their Imploys have wasted all The idle man may call the Prodigal Brother Besides these Sins of Omission are punished with a temporal destruction The Lord having saved the people out of the Land of Egypt afterwards destroyed them that believed not Jude vers 5. Israel was God's own people his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 a people nigh unto him Psal 148. ult incomparable for this Deut. 4.7 and other Priviledges Rom. 9.4 Yet when guitly of this Omission God would not spare them but destroy'd them No Priviledges can exempt from punishment God may forsake his Tabernacle at Shiloth deliver his strength into captivity and his glory into the enemies hand if they will not believe him if they will not obey him Psal 78.60 61. 2. A judicial tradition to spiritual Judgments Of all Judgments none in this World are so dreadful as those that are spiritual bodily Judgments touch the Flesh but these the Spirit When God would speak and wreak his anger against a person or people to the utmost he doth it this way by giving them up to their own wickedness When he would strike Ephraim under the fifth Rib and kill him at a blow it is by this Judgment Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone Hos 4.17 He is given to Idolatry let him take his fill of it