natural abilities as appeares not only by the history but also by the stile of their writings which hath not that politeness as is to be found in many humane Authors which doth not run in such a golden stream of eloquence neither is dressed with such neatnesses of wit nor garnished with such flowers of Rhetorick which is not methodized by the rules of Logick nor enterlarded with any peepings of humane wisdome which doth not savour of high parts and great natural ingenuity or give the least suspicion of cunning and subtilty which these Men had above others But some of the highest mysteries of divinity are set forth by these Pen men in a passsing-mean and home-spun dress yea they are left even naked and bare of such apparel as the ingenuous Men of the World have cloathed their matter withall which hath given the light of the most glorious truths and mysteries more evident discovery not but that some parts of the Scriptures have such a strain of divine eloquence as doth exceed humane writings but the plainness of the stile especially of the Apostle Iohn in his Gospel and Matthew c. Doth evince that what they delivered was not their own invention but that they were acted by another spirit in the writing of them even by the spirit of God who did reveal all the mysteries which they speak of in whole unto them 3. A third Character of Divinity in the Scriptures is the wisdome which there doth appear especially the wonderful contrivement of God's wisdome in Mans redemption and salvation by Iesus Christ which is there made known No Book in the World doth shine with such beames of wisdome as the Word doth it doth teach Men wisdome spiritual and divine wisdome in comparison with which all the wisdome of the World is but foolishness It doth irradiate the minde with the most glorious light and proposeth to the understanding the most noble objects it discovers the greatest truths of the greatest concernment it sheweth the way to avoid the most dreadful effects which sin will produce and to obtain the highest happiness which humane nature is capable of which is one part of its divine stamp Moreover the Scriptures do set forth the infinite wisdome of God in the wonderful contrivement of the salvation of fallen Man by his only Son the Lord Jesus Christ the only Saviour of Man-kind which wisdome being so transcendent doth evidence both the Contrivement thereof in Mans salvation and the discovery thereof in the Scriptures to be from himself so that as by the light of the Word we may know what this wisdome was even so by this wisdome we may know the Word to be the Word of God To clear this Argument I shall show 1. That the way of Mans salvation by Iesus Christ which the Scriptures reveal must needs be the contrivement of Gods wisdome 2. That the revelation of this contrivement must needs be from God which I suppose will be an evident demonstration of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures 1. That the way of Mans Salvation by Iesus Christ was the contrivement of Gods wisdome will appear because it was impossible for any Man of the most searching brain and most notable invention to have imagined it Man being guilty of sin against the Law of God inscribed upon the hearts of all Men which natural Conscience will accuse of if sinners listen thereunto and Gods Justice being engaged to inflict a punishment proportionable unto the crime without a satisfaction which right reason will say is but reasonable and this justice of God being infinite must in reason require an infinite satisfaction Now what created understanding could of it self have contrived or conceived a way how this should be done Every thing that hath a being is either God or a Creature all the Creatures are finite in their Beeings and actions and therefore could not make an infinite satisfaction It is God only who is infinite and he being the party offended could not make satisfaction to his own justice especially since his justice requires punishment for satisfaction which God as God being impassible is uncapable of not to say any thing that the same nature which did commit sin should in justice suffer the punishment would not reason now conclude that it were impossible for this satisfaction to be made Surely it was none but the wisdome of God that could contrive the way of satisfaction to his justice by the incarnation of his Son by the union of the divine nature in the second Person of the Trinity unto the humane nature in the Person of Christ that so by vertue of the hypostatical union the humane nature might not only be strengthned to undergo the wrath of God which was due for the sins of Men in the sufferings which he endured before and upon the Cross but also that through the communication of attributes the sufferings of Christ might be of infinite value because the sufferings of such a Person as was God as well as Man that so they might be a full satisfaction unto Gods justice for sin and through Gods Covenant with him and gracious acceptation of this satisfaction from the surety instead of the offenders themselves the sins of Men might be pardoned and their souls saved O the depth of the Wisdome of God! here is the wisdome of God in a mystery surely they are blinded and hoodwinked by the Devil who do not acknowledge that this was the contrivement of Gods wisdome 2. That the Revelation of this contrivement of wisdome was from God will appear in that none could know the minde of the Lord herein unless he himselâ— had discovered it What Man saith the Apostle knâ—â—eth the things of Man but the spirit 〈…〉 which is in him even so the things of God â—noweth no Man but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. And the spirit of God searcheth all things even the deep things of God and unless the spirit had revealed these things we must have remained in our ignorance of them since it could not have entered into our hearts to have conceived them seeing then none could have discovered the deep contrivements of Gods wisdome unless God by his spirit had revealed them and seeing these contrivements are revealed in no other Book but the Book of the Scriptures it is evident that the Scriptures must needs be the Word of God which also will further appear if we consider the manner of the Revelation of the mystery of Mans redemption and salvation by Jesus Christ that it was revealed by pieces and more obscurely at first and that divers Men were made use of in the discovery thereof in divers ages who spake hereof mostly in dark sayings and where they spake most clearly yet themselves had not a clear understanding of what they were moved to speak by the Holy Ghost but searched what and what manner of time the Holy Ghost which was in them did signify when it testified of the sufferings of Christ and
infinitely perfect is his essential property That God doth know whether Christ shall appear to Judgment I suppose none will deny who acknowledge the Deity and by consequence his omniscience and prescience especially when the futurity of things doth depend upon his predetermination and that his revelations of future things are true I suppose none wil deny who acknowledge his beeing and perfection whence follows an impossibility of Gods speaking untruths and falshood besides that he need not do it But then the question wil be concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures whether they are indeed the Word of God which if proved wil evidence the certainty of Christ's coming to Judgment which is there revealed and foretold That the Scriptures are the Word of God will appear 1. From the Superscription and Image of God upon them 2. From the marvellous power and efficacy of them 3. From the Historical Relation in them of Prophesies fulfilled and Miracles whereby they were confirmed and the rationally unquestionable certainty of this History as it is handed down to pâ—sterity 1. From the superscription and Image of God upon them I mean in that 1 They bear the name of the Word of God 2 In that they bear such evident marks and characters of Divinity 1. The Scriptures bear the name of the Word of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by divine inspiration We cannot rationally imagine that the all-seeing and jealous God should permit such an impious forgery and deceit to receive credit for so many generations amongst the most zealous worshipers of him in the World and by such wonderful providences preserve and maintain the Scriptures against the rage and fury of an ungodly World who have opposed the truths therein contained and endeavoured the suppressing of the Light which therein hath shined if so be that they had been a forgery and deceit indeed and the fancies and inventions of Men fathered upon him as his Word and will and proceeding from the inspirations of his spirit but that he would have made known their falshood unto some at least who had the greatest love and respect to his name and honour and have been the most diligent enquirers after truth and unwilling to be imposed upon with deceits especially in such things as are of the highest concernment which the Lord having given no testimony against but all along owned and when none in the World either worshippers of him or others of highest pretensions to reason have any evident and swaying reason to believe that the Scriptures are a deceit whatever some black mouths mutter in corners it is not irrational for us to believe that the Scriptures are indeed the Word of God which they bear the Title of 2. Moreover and especially the Scriptures appear to be from divine inspiration insomuch as they bear such evident marks and characters of divinity beyond all other Books 1. The first character of Divinity in the Scriptures is the clear discoveries and high praises which they give of God and the chief design of the whole Book which is Gods glory No Heathen Philosopher or Writer could think or speak so highly of God as the Scriptures do speak However God hath put characters of himself in the Book of the Creatures to be read of all making known by his Works his eternal Beeing his infinite Power Wisdome and Goodness yet most of the wisest Men who have lived in the Heathen World and have been the greatest Students of the Book of the Creatures and have had no view of the Book of the Scriptures have been so gross in their conceptions of God that as the Apostle saith Rom. 1. 22 23. When they professed themselves to be wise they became fools and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man and to Birds and four-footed Beasts and creeping things They have figured to themselves and worshipped many Gods unto the dishonour of the true God And if some of them have arrived by the light of nature unto the notion of one God yet their conceptions of him have been low mean and unworthy of him and in no Book in the World is God set forth so fully and highly in his glorious attributes and superlative excellencies as he hath set forth himself in the Book of the Scriptures We may finde in heathen Writers high Elogium's and Panegyricks of some men and Women famous in their time for their valour and some moral vertues whom they have deified in after ages and given room amongst their feigned Gods and Goddesses dedicating Temples and giving worship unto them but in no Heathen writings shall we finde the praises of the true God and rules given for the service and worship of him alone as we shall finde in the Scriptures Large Volumes some Heathens have left behinde them the design of which hath been their own glory and as much as in them lay the eternizing their Fame which is an evidence that themselves were Authors of them because we cannot rationally think that any motive should induce others to make and put forth Books in their names that they might obtain glory for them unto whom it did not belong so this little volume of the Scriptures designing the glory of God and the promoting of his Interest in the hearts of Men and the Pen-men employed in the writing thereof not in the least pretending that what they wrote was the invention of their own brain doth evidence God himself to be the Author of this Book Wherefore the Scriptures being so clear in their discoveries of the one true God and setting him forth more gloriously than any other Book and ascribing all praise and honour to him and appointing all religious worship to be given to him only and designing his glory throughout the whole doth evince that the Scriptures are indeed the Word of God 2. The second Character of Divinity in the Scripture is the sublime mysteries therein revealed namely concerning the Trinity of Persons in one nature and essence of God the hypostatical union of the two natures of God and Man in one person of Christ the mystical union of Christ and his members and the like which mysteries are so sublime so high that no mortal Man of the highest reason and most elevated understanding could possibly invent in as much as noâ— they are revealed they exceed the capacity of the most enlightned to understand especially if we further consider by whom these mysteries were revealed not by the great Schollars and subtle Philosophers of the World not by them who were brought up in Schools and had conversed with Books and learned Men not by Men of high parts who had polished their reason and heightned their understandings by all possible humane helps but the most of the Pen-men of the Scripture especially those by whom the greatest mysteries are revealed were Fisher-men Publicans and the like Men of mean education illiterate Men Men of no reading and of but mean
Subjectively body 153 to 157 soul 158 to 160 2. Objectively 161 3. Formally 162 to 166 2. Of their entring into eternal life p. 167 chapter 11 2. Concerning the certainty of Christs appearance proved by 3. Arguments where concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures and the Resurrection c. from p. 168. to 206 chapter 12 3. Concerning the speediness and suddenness of Christs coming where is a Description of the Old Worlds drowning and Sodom's burning applied c. from p. 207. to 224 chapter 13 4. The Application 1. More generall from 225 to 229 2. More particularly 1. To sinners 1. To discover them from p. 230 to 234 2. To awaken them from p. 235 to 246 3. To exhort them from p. 247 to 263 chapter 14 2. To believers 1 For the trial of them from p. 264 to 269 2. For the comforting of them from p. 270 to 28◠chapter 15 3. To both sinners and believers to perswade them 1. To believe 2. To consider 3. To prepare where twelv◠Duties requisite in order 〈◊〉 preparation From 283. 〈◊〉 the end Christ's certain and sudden Appearance to Judgment Revel 22. 20. Surely I come quickly Amen Even so come Lord Iesus CHAP. I. THe last words of a Dear friend are usually most remarked and best remembred especially when they speak great affection these are the last words of Jesus Christ the best friend that the children of men ever had which he sends his Angel from Heaven after he had been some yeers in glory with the Father to speak in his Name unto his Churches upon the earth v. 16. I Iesus have sent mine Angel to testifie these things in the Churches and of all the things which he testifieth by his Angel this is the last and the sweetest in the Text Surely I come quickly Which words of Promise comming down from Heaven and expressing so much Love to the Church are followed with 〈◊〉 Eccho and resound of the Churches earnest desire Amen Even so come Lord Iesus c. Hence observe Doct. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear Doct. 2. That there is an earnest desire and longing in the Church after Christs appearance D. 1. That the Lord Iesus Christ will certainly and quickly appear Here I shall speak 1. Concerning Christ's appearance 2. Show that he will certainly appear 3. Show that he will quickly appear 4. And lastly Apply 1. Concerning Christs appearance There is a twofold appearance of Christ which the Scripture makes mention of 1. In the Flesh. 2. In Glory CHAP. II. 1. THe first appearance of Christ was in the flesh above sixteen hundred years ago in the Land of Iudea unto the people of the Jews the only-then-visible-Church upon the Earth There it was that the Word was made Flesh and amongst that people he dwelt for a while some of whom beheld his Glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth There it was that the eternal Son of God was made man being conceived miraculously by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary without the contamination of original sin which all ordinary conceptions do introduce His real Mother and supposed Father were both of the Tribe of Iudah and of the lineage of David and he was born in the Town of Bethlem according to the Scripture predictions who after he had lived thirty years in obscurity was baptized by Iohn Baptist his Fore-runner and Harbinger in whose Baptism when Iohn saw the Heavens opened and the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him and heard the voice from the excellent Glory saying This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He gave his testimony concerning him that he was the Son of God and the Lamb of God who taketh way the sins of the world Who after his own baptism and temptation and Iohns imprisonment made his appearance more openly unto Israel shewing forth his glory not in outward pomp and splendour but in a more high eminent and wonderful manner altogether Divine exceeding the imitation of any Earthly Monarch in the World He shewed forth the glory of his power in the Miracles which he did work namely in opening the eyes of the blind and ears of the deaf in loosning the tongue of the dumb and the bonds of other infirmities in cleansing the Lepers and healing other diseases with a word in casting out Devils after long profession in calming the Sea and Winds when boisterous and stormy in raising up the dead before and after burial for some daies and the like He shewed forth the glory of his Knowledge in looking into the hearts of those which came unto him being able to perceive their most secret thoughts and imaginations and needed not that any should restifie of man for he knew what was in man He shewed forth the glory of his Wisdom in his most wise answer to the ensnaring questions of the Pharisees and others in the most excellent and heavenly doctrine which he preached wherein he did not teach his Disciples subtile and empty speculations which the greatest wits in the world have busied themselves about but great soul-saving truths indeed he revealed some great and deep mysteries above the reach of the highest wit of the greatest Schollar without the teachings of his Spirit which were momentous and needful in order unto practice but the greatest part of his doctrine was plain and easie He shewed forth the glory of his Holiness in his exact walking and perfect obedience unto the Law of God without the least deviation or sin He shewed forth the glory of his Goodness and tenderness towards the children of men in going about to do them good and give succour to them which were in misery casting out none which came unto him Especially he shewed forth the glory of his Mercy and infinite Love to his own people in submitting to so low a condition as he liv'd in for their sakes in humbling himself and becomming obedient unto death even the cursed disgraceful painful death of the Cross besides the soul miseries which he endured through sense of Gods wrath due for their sins that he might satisfie Gods justice and deliver them from eternal death and wrath to come and purchase Life and Glory for them Thus Christ lived and thus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and being dead the bonds of death could not hold him neither did the holy one see corruption but the third day rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures and after his resurrection was seen of Mary Magdalen of Peter Iames all the Apostles of five hundred brethren at once according to the Scriptures After forty daies was taken up into Heaven and is there in his humane nature at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens making intercession for his people where he will abide untill the second appearance Thus concerning Christs appearance
from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord Luke 5. 8. And others in the Ship to worship him acknowledging of a truth thou art the Son of God Mat. 14. 33. And often filled his Disciples with fear and astonishment but he was so disguised in flesh that few knew him at all none knew much of him when he was so disrobed and so meanly attired and attended It is said the Princes of this World knew him not else surely they would have laid down their Scepters at his feet had they known him they would not have dared so disgracefully to have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. But at his second appearance the Vail will be so drawn aside that the Deity of Christ will shine forth with amazing splendour to the view of the whole World his humane nature will be glorious beyond any other Creature but oh how glorious will his Divine nature be when the eyes of the whole World shall be opened to see God in such a way as now we are not able to conceive He will appear in the brightness of his Fathers glory so that they which see him will see the Father the Mâ—jesty Authority Dominion Power Holiness Justice and love of the Father will be like so many sparkling gems to deck the Crown of Christ at his appearance but who can conceive the royalty and surpassing excellency of Jesus Christ when he comes down out of his Fathers Pallace into the World He will come in great glory God will come down in him and with him the Throne of God will be removed the Pallace will be below Heaven will be upon the Earth where Christ is there is Heaven there is God in his greatest glory to be seen he will come in great glory never was there such glory seen upon the face of the Earth never did the eye of man behold such a sight as then it will behold we read of great and pompous showes which some Princes have made in their triumphs but never was there such pomp in the World as there will be at this appearance of Jesus Christ when he cometh triumphing over all his enemies when he cometh with the spoiles of principalities and powers making a show of them openly and decked with such excellent glory A little further to set this forth 1 He will come attended with a glorious retinue of Angels we read Mâ—tth 26. 53. Of more than twelve legions of Angels And Dan. 7. 10. Of thousand thousands yea ten thousand times ten thousands which Minister about the throne of God yea further Rev. 5. 11. Of a number of ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of Angels and Heb. 12. 22. Of an innumerable company of Angels All these Angels will attend upon Jesus Christ at his second appearance It is said Mâ—tth 25. 31. That all the holy Angels shall come with him Now the Angels are dispersed in several places some of them are upon the Earth ministring unto the saints which shall be heires of salvation Heb. 1. 14. Others are in heaven beholding the face of the Father ready to execute his will some are ascending some descending but then they will all be gathered together into one company and like so many Courtiers attend upon this great King in this his glorious appearance in the World all will descend with Christ Heaven will be emptied of Angels they will all come forth and come down from their old habitation and oh how glorious will this train be he will come with all the holy Angels Angels that are holy and glorious not like those rotten Courtiers which attend upon some Earthly Kings who have no other glory upon them but what lies in their rich and splendid apparel the bodies of some of which if they were uncas'd would appear to be full of loathsome diseases but whose souls are monstrously ugly and deformed full of loathsome and noisome lusts besmeared with dung and filthiness who could their inside be turned outward and the deformity of sin be seen with bodily eyes would appear too hideously black and swarthy and more mis-shapen than those which are born with the greatest blemishes of nature who carry Hell in their bosomes and like so many bears and ugly hounds are led about by the Devil in chains such such follow many Kings on earth when they appear abroad with hearts full of lust vvith eyes full of adultery vvith mouths full of oaths and filthy ribauldry vvho are like so many spots in the faces of their Princes or like a Cloud about their brow vvhich darkneth their glory in the eyes of the serious and sober minded but Christ vvill come attended vvith millions of holy Angels arrayed in such pure and vvhite garments as shall not have the least spot or tincture of sin upon them he vvill come vvith holy Angels who vvill be like so many flames of Fire full of holy svveet burning Love and covered vvith such Light and glorious excellency as will not darken but illustrate the glory of their Lord and Prince they attend upon 2 Christ will come with a glorious Brightness and great noise such a light will shine in him and about him as will a thousand fold surpass the light of the Sun when it shineth in its full strength we read Matth. 13. 43. That the righteous shall shine like the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father how then will the Sun of righteousness shine from whom they wil receive all their brightness by reflection as the Moon and some other Stars do from the Sun in the firmament It is said Mat. 24. 29 30. That at the coming of Christ the Sun shall be darkned and the Moon shall not give her light and the Stars of the Heaven shall fall and Rev. 6. 12 13 14. That the Sun shall be black as Sackcloath of hair and the Moon shall be like blood and the Stars of the heaven shall fall to the earth even as a Fig-tree casteth her untimely Figges when she is shaken of a mighty winde and the Heavens shall depart as a scroll when it is rolled together and every Island and Mountain shall be moved out of their places At the coming of Christ there will be such a brightness as will darken the Sun and other Luminaries in the Heavens even as the Sun doth darken the lesser Stars who though shining all night with a twinkling light and like so many Candles in the Firmament yet upon the Suns first lifting up his head in a morning and casting about its beames they presently sink in their sockets and disappear so the Sun it self and other Luminaries of Heaven will disappear when this more glorious Sun doth arise in the morning of the last day they will then lose their light and what further need of them in Heaven it will be all day Rev. 2. 22. In the City of the new Ierusalem there will be no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of
cast into a caldron of boiling pitch or lead or put into Phalaris Bull or Nebuchadnezzars fiery Furnace the torture of the damned's bodies will be far beyond the sharpest pain now incident to humane nature by racking diseases or have been inflicted upon any of the children of men by the most cruel tyrant for the bodies of the wicked when raised again will be strengthned unto a greater capacity for punishment when they will be made incorruptible and immortal and punishment will be the end of their resurrection but more of this punishment under the properties 3. Concerning the properties of the punishment which the wicked shall go into 1. It will be universal it will not onely be in soul and body but also in every part of both in every faculty of the soul in every member of the body O the black thoughts the dismal apprehensions the grisly fancies the heavy griefs the sinking fears the dreadful terrors the hellish gripes the utter despair the horrible anguish and confusion which the soul will have when the wrath of God shall be poured in upon it like water the wicked will not only be in hell but they will have a hell in themselves in their consciences they will have a never dying worm which will gnaw and tear them they will have a storm in their spirits raised by the winde of Gods wrath which will blow most fiercely upon them every faculty of the soul will be afflicted according to its capacity and every member of the bodies of the wicked will be tormented O how will their eyes glare their tongues roar their hands and feet fry their flesh rost no part will be free from the devouring flames of this horrible burning Fire There are many diseases which the body is exposed unto in this world but very seldome do they meet together in the same subject if the head ake the members may be free if the foot be pained the hand may be at ease and ready to contribute some relief unto the pained part and if the body be sick the soul may give some consolatory arguments to alleviate the irksomeness of the disease but in hell the punishment of the wicked will be universal it will be in every member of the body and every faculty of the soul. 2. The punishment of hell will be extream the souls of the wicked will be filled with anguish as full as they can hold their capacity will be larger and they will be filled up to the height of their capacity and their bodies also will have the most exquisite pain as it is possible for them to endure their sense of pain will be quicker and their strength to endure pain greater and their pain will be in the uttermost extremity some pains of the body here are not very acnte and some troubles of mind may well enough be born but any disease in extremity is very irksome the pain of the head or the tooth in extremity the gout stone chollick in extremity especially the troubles of the mind in extremity will make a man weary of his life but to have every part afflicted in extremity and the uttermost extremity and that beyond our now capacity or conception this will be very dreadfull 3. The punishment of the wicked will be continual without any intermission or alleviation the wicked will have no rest day nor night Rev. 14. 11. there will be nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Matth. 22. 13. The most painful diseases here have their fits which do not continue long the diseased finde after their fits some ease and asswagement they have intermissions sometimes some lucida intervalla lightsome intervals but the wicked in hell will have no ease or asswagement no lightsome intervals of their grief and pains there will be no mixture of comfortable ingredients in the cup of God's wrath which the damned must drink of there will be but one fit in their disease and this fit will alwaies be at the height they will not have the least drop of water to cool so much as the tip of the tongue which shall be tormented in flames their grief will not have any allay they will not have one comfortable thought no eye to pitty them none to bring any relief unto them O how bitter will their sins be to them here they are but bitter sweets then they will be nothing but bitterness and gall and worm-wood unto them Their punishment will be continuall 4. The punishment of the wicked will be remediless there will be no escaping or flying from the wrath of God now sinners may flee from the wrath which is to come but when it is once come and hath got hold on them it will hold them down so that they shall never get loose from it now they may agree with their adversary upon the way they may make their peace with God in this world there is no sin for which they may not obtain a pardon but the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost which carries men away from God but hereafter in hell there will be no more sacrifice for sin the Saviour of mankind will be their judge and pass an irreversible sentence of condemnation upon them it is possible now for the wicked to be delivered from this punishment but it will be impossible then to be delivered out of it their punishment will be remediless 5. The punishment of the wicked will be eternal hell fire will be unquenchable Mark 9. 43. everlasting Matth. 25. 41. the smoak of the torment will ascend up for ever and ever Rev. 14. 11. This eternity of punishment will be a fearful aggravation of it If you saw a malefactour torn to pieces with wilde horses or thrown into a fiery furnace and there burned to ashes you would say that either of these were dreadful punishments though the pain possibly might not endure a quarter of an hour for death concludes all bodily pains here what then will it be to endure the torments of hell for ever a small pain if it should last long would be very irksome much more some racking pains by the stone strangury gour cholick and the like if they should continue for a year or a moneth together how miserable would they make the life to be yea if a man should hold but one of his fingers in the fire but for a day it would afflict him more than all outward comforts could delight him the torments of Hell will not be in one part only but in every part not in a weaker degree but in the greatest extremity not for a day or a month or a year but for ever the wicked will be alwaies dying never dead the pangs of death will be ever upon them and yet they shall never give up the ghost if they could die they would think themselves happy they wil alwaies be roaring and never breathe out their last alwaies sinking and never come to the bottome alwaies burning in those flames and never consumed
the design of them whence it is evident that they were not neither could be the Contrivers of what they revealed but that the Revelation was from the spirit of God which did inspire the Prophets and was the same in all the Pen-men of the holy Scriptures whom Men of insight in the Scriptures may plainly perceive to be guided and acted by the same spirit in their Revelation of the contrivement and way of Mans salvation by Jesus Christ. 4. A Fourth Character of Divinity in the Scriptures is the Purity and Holiness of them the Scriptures are like Silver or Gold purified and seven times tried in the Fire wherein no dross doth remain Psal. 12. 7. the Scriptures are pure and holy from the beginning of them to the end In no Histories shall we finde such examples of holiness as the Scriptures do record in no Writings of moral Philosophers shall we finde such precepts of holiness as in the Scriptures are enjoyned Indeed the light of nature hath been improved by some Heathens so far that they have given excellent rules for the restraining of vice and obtaining of moral vertues and the ordering their conversations in such a vertuous way that those persons who have observed these rules have been illustrious in their generations and have shined with some kinde of brightness in the dark places where they have lived but in no book that ever issued from the brain of man shall we finde such exact rules for holy living as in the Book of the Scriptures In this Book we finde the moral Law summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandements which was written by God himself on the Tables of Stone when Moses was with him in the Mount in which there are such holy precepts as no Heathen author can show the like the Heathens were blinde as to the duties of the first Table of the Law which have a reference unto God and in observance of which mans holiness doth chiefly consist in the second Table duties they had some understanding yet they were much mistaken in some things accounting some sins as ambition self-murder in some cases and the like to be vertues and they had not so deep an insight into sin they did not apprehend the inclination of the heart and the previous motions to the consent of the will to evil which the Scriptures do discover to be sinful and offensive in the eyes of a pure and holy God Moreover in the Scriptures we finde the holy precepts of the Gospel which the Heathens were strangers unto and a way discovered not only for the obtaining the pardon of sin but also for the subduing and mortifying of sin where means are made known not only for the restraining of a vicious nature but also for the changing of it for the regenerating of the soul of man and forming it after the Image of the holy God in knowledge righteousness and true holiness the making men partakers of the divine nature which Heathens never understood the meaning of the Scriptures show the way of obtaining the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit which do further exceed the moâ—all vertues of the Heathen in lustre than the Sun doth exceed the lesser Stars in brightness and glory Marvellous is the purity and holiness of the word such as doth not savour of any thing terâ—ene and humane yea it is such as is directly opposite to the natural biass of the hearts of all men and women in the world whilst they are in a state of nature such as doth contradict carnal affections and against which the carnal mind hath a natural enmity and unto which all such and none but such have a liking and love as are â—egenerated by the Spirit of God whence it strongly follows that the Scriptures could not proceed from men but that this holy Book did proceed from the immediate inspiration of the holy Ghost in those holy men which were the Pen-men thereof 2. It will appear that the Scriptures are the word of God from the marvellous power and efficacy of them Such a power and spirit hath and doth accompany the preaching of the Gospel which in the Scriptures is contained as doth evidence them to be from God alone we read 1 Pet. 1. 12. of them which preached the Gospel with the holy Ghost sent down from Heaven This hath been this is unto this day 1. The wonderful power of the Gospel in the first preaching of it doth evince that it was from God when so great a part of the world was in so shoâ—â— a time subdued unto the obedience thereof wheâ— the Gospel prevailed not only amongst many 〈◊〉 the Jews after Christs ascension and the effusion of the holy Ghost more largely upon the Apostles so that three thousand people were converted to the faith by one Sermon of the Apostlâ— Peter Acts 2. 41. and five thousand moâ—e Act. 4 4. but especially in that it prevailed amongâ—â— the Gentiles and Heathens and so many Churches of Christ were planted and brought not bâ— carnal weapons but by Spiritual to the subjection and obedience of the Lord Jesus This power will appear to have been from God if we consider 1. How few men were employed in the firsâ— preaching thereof there were not many whicâ— we read of besides Paul and Sarâ—abas who preached unto the Gentiles at the first If there haâ— been multitudes of witnesses it might have given the more credit to the Doctrine when the testimony of a few is not easily believed and received 2. That these men were but of little esteem in the world that they were Jews whom the Gentiles had an antipathy against and so were not so ready to believe their report and entertain their message that their persons were contemptible in their eyes that they were like crucified persons to the world and therefore unlikely to finde acceptation 3. That whatever humane Learning and Wisdom any of them were endowed withall yet they did not make use of it in their preaching they did not come with excellency of speech and wisdom in declaring the testimony of God but used all plainness which was not likely in it self to produce such great effects 4. That the doctrine which they preached was 1. New to the world and tended directly to pull down the old religion and superstitious worship of the heathenish gods which they had been brought up in and wedded unto which could not be done by any humane power 2. Strange they preached such things as were above reason and therefore the world might have had much show and pretence of reason to have excused themselves from yielding obedience thereunto 3. Strict severe and contrary unto natural inclination and interest they taught the world to deny themselves to crucifie the flesh to mortifie the deeds of the body to take up the cross to mourn and weep for sin to endure hardship to forsake father and mother and wife and children and houses and lands if they stood in competition with Jesus Christ to venture imprisonments