yea to lay down their life for Christ as many of necessity must and did do that would be Christians indeed in those daies and when the Doctrine of the Gospel was such surely it was not likely of it self to receive entertainment unless the power of God had accompanied it 5. The power of the Gospel in the first preaching appears in that it met with so much opposition the Devil stirred up instruments against it the powers of the Earth were against it as well as the powers of Hell great men did oppose it Philosophers were against it Learned men did oppose it the Iews were against it and raised up persecution against the Apostles and the hearts of all men naturally were against it and when there was such an opposition against it surely it was none but the power of God which could cause it to prevaile and conquer and cause so many Nations to bow and yield obedience hereunto 2. The wonderful power and efficacy of the word where it is preached unto this day is a strong argument that it is the Word of God 1. The power of the Word to search the heart and convince of sin Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart there is a light in the Word which discovereth the dark filthy corners of the heart and convinceth of secret sins and there is a sharp edge in the word to cut and wound no word in the world searcheth and pierceth like the word in the Scriptures 2. And especially the power of the Word doth appear in the work of conversion and regeneration which it effecteth it is called the incorruptible seed by which men are born again 1 Pet. 1. 23. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth Iam. 1. 18. there is a great power goeth along with it â—o break rockie hearts to bow stubborn wils to spiritualize carnal affections to subdue strong lusts to work a gracious and thorow change in the heart of man which exceedeth the power of nature or moral suasion and in so much as all are not wrought upon by it which read or hear it yea sometimes the more disposed subject receiveth no impression thereby and the less disposed subject is effectually changed which shows that the â—ower doth proceed from God and that the work is effected by his Spirit and proves the diâ—ine Authority of this Word 3. The Word is powerful not only for the first working of grace but also for the encrease thereof for the building up believers Act. 20. 32. for the perfecting of the Saints and the edifying the body of Christ there is Milk in the Word for babes and strong meat for strong men wholsome words which have much spiritual nourishing vertue in them the Word is powerful for the â—uenching Sathans fiery darts for the repelling and driving back the tempter for the comforting and rejoycing of distressed and disconsolate souls â—hen they are brought even to the brink of deâ—air there are no such joyes in the world as â—â—ose joyes which Christians sometimes finde in â—eading and applying the Word when they mingâ—e it with faith and have the breathings of the Spirit therewith and there is no book in the world that can produce such powerful effects aâ— the Scriptures do wherefore it must needs follow that these Scriptures are indeed the Word oâ— God 3. The Scriptures appear to be the Word of God from the Historical relation in them of Prophecies fulâ—filled of miracles whereby they were confirmed aâ—â— the rationally unquestionable certainty of this History as it is handed down to pâ—sterity 1. In the Scriptures we have relation of Prâ—â—phecies and the fulfilling of them which doâ—â— prove these writings to be from God alone because he alone can certainly foretell futuâ—â— things indeed wise men may guess and througâ— prudence foresee the effects of some thingâ— in their causes and foretell some things thâ— are not very far off yet not certainly and wiâ—â— all their circumstances But it is Gods prerogâ—â—tive to foresee and foretell such things certainlâ— and with their circumstances and long before 〈◊〉 time for which no cause in nature can be aâ—signed sucâ— as many of the Prophesies of 〈◊〉 Scriptures were By this argument God doth 〈◊〉 the Prophet Isaiah prove the Heathenish gods 〈◊〉 be no gods because they could not foretell fuâ—ture events Isa. 41. 21 22 23. Produce your cauâ—â— saith the Lord bring forth your strong reasons 〈◊〉 them shew us what shall happen and declare to 〈◊〉 things to come shew the things which are to 〈◊〉 hereafter that we may know that ye are Gods 〈◊〉 v. 26. There is none that sheweth there is none thâ—â— declareth c. Therefore he concludeth v. 29 Behold they are all vanity their works are nothing their molten Images are winde and confusion 〈◊〉 The Prophesies of Scripture as they prove the Lord who spake them by the Prophets to be God so they prove the Scriptures in which they are spoken to be of Divine authority It would take up too much room in this small Treatise to enumerate all the Prophesies of Scripture take two or three instances See Gen. 15. 13 14. God foreâ—elling to Abraham that his seed should be strangers in a Land which was not theirs and serve them and be afflicted by them four hundred years and that afterward they should come forth with great substance This Prophesie is fulfilled Exod. 12. So also the return of the children of Israel â—rom the Babylonish captivity after seventy years was foretold Ier. 25. 12. and the name of Cyrus who should deliver them before he was born â—sa 45. 1 2. So also the name of Iosiah who â—hould destroy the Altar which Ieroboam had reaâ—ed and burn the bones of the Priests upon it was foretold three hundred thirty and three years before he was born the Prophesie is in 1 King â—3 2. the fulfilling of it 2 King 23. 17. But â—specially the Prophesies in the Scripture concerâ—ing the Messiah are remarkable of his birth lâ—fe death and the fulfilling of them in the History of the Evangelists the Prophesie of the destruction of the Temple and Ierusalem by Daâ—iel and especially by our Saviour and the â—ulfilling thereof before that generation wherein our Saviour lived were all in their graves 2. In the Scripture we have relation of Miâ—â—cles whereby they were confirmed such as the â—lague of Egypt the dividing of the Sea for the â—â—raelites to pass â—horow the raining of Manna from Heaven the standing still and going back of the Sun the preservation of the three Children in the fiery Furnace and the like in the old Testament especially the Miracles wrought by our Saviour and his Disciples which the new Testament do record such as healing the sick the lame blinde deaf leprous by a word the feedinâ— many
God will enlighten it and the Lamb will be the light of it and Chap. 22. 5. There shall be no night there and they shall need no Candle nor the light of the Sun but the Lord God giveth them light and they shall raign for ever and ever In Hell it will be all night and no day there will be blackness of darkness for ever and not the least beam of light shall shine into that place and if the Sun and other Stars be given for the measure and distinction of times and seasons when the last day is come Time will be no longer and all must launch forth from the confines of Time into the vast Ocean of Eternity which cannot be bounded nor measured It is said Rev. 20. 11. When the great white Throne shall be set and Christ is placed thereon that the Heavens and the Earth shall flee away from before his face and no more place be found for them and 2 Pet. 3. 10. When the day of the Lord cometh that the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth with all its works shall be burnt up Christ will come with a glorious light and with a roaring dreadful noise which will further set forth the glory of this appearance see this expressed 1 Thes. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God and Matth. 24. 31. He shall send forth his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet who shall gather in his Elect from the four mindes Never was there such a noise heard in the World as then will be heard when Christ shall appear the heavens will roar the Earth will be in flames of Fire there will be a great shout and the sound of the last Trump in the Aire this shout will be given by Jesus Christ himself as is likely for it is said Iohn 5. 28 The hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth we read Iohn 11. 43. When Christ came to raise Lazarus that he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth surely then when he comes to raise the World he will cry and shout with a much louder voice Such a voice likely will come down from him in a roaring shout Awake yee dead and come to Iudgement or arise yee Children of Men and come forth of your Graves Never was there such a shout given as then will be given which will be accompanied with the sound of the Trumpet the Angels shall sound the Trumpet we read Exod. 19. 16. When the Lord gave the Law from Mount Sinai that there were thunderings and lightnings and the voice of a Trumpet exceeding loud which made all the People which were in the Camp to tremble O what thunderings will there be in the aire at Christs second appearance and how exceeding loud will the sound of this last Trumpet be when Christ comes to judge them which have broken this Law That Trumpet was heard only by the Nation of the Jewes which were together about the Mount this Trumpet will be heard by all Nations throughout the World that Trumpet was heard only by those which were alive at that time this Trumpet will be heard not only by them that shall remain alive upon the Earth at the last day but also by all those which have dyed throughout all Generations from the beginning of the Creation such a noise there will be as will awaken all that shall be asleep in their graves Such a noise as will make all the corners of the earth to ring and the pillars of the world to tremble but O how will it startle the wicked when they hear it and fill them with terrour and amazement Thus you have something of the manner of Christ's second appearance set forth unto you he shall come with power and great glory CHAP. IV. 2. THe second thing is to speak of the end of Christs second appearance and the transactions of that day The end of Christs second appearance will be to judge the world the end of his first coming was not to judge but to redeem and save as he tells his disciples when they desired him to execute some judgment from Heaven upon those Samaritans which would not receive him Luke 9. 55 56. Ye know not what spirit ye are of for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them And Iohn 7. 47. If any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge but to save but when Christ doth appear the second time he will come to judge the world Iude 14. 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgment upon all c. Matth. 26. 31 32. When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit on the Throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and so he goeth on in description of the last judgment In speaking of Christs judging the world and the transactions at that day I shall show 1. That Christ will raise up all the dead one of their graves 2. That he will gather all Nations before his judgment Seat 3. That he will separate the righteous from the wicked 4. That he will open the Boâ—ks out of which all must be judged 5. I shall speak more particularly of the judgment of the Righteous and the Wicked 1. Christ at his second appearance will raise up all the dead out of their graves there shall be a general resurrection Iohn 5. 28 29. The hour cometh in which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation Something hath been spoken already concerning Christs victory over death and loosning all his prisoners but give me leave to illustrate the resurrection a little further and here I shall endeavour to set it forth by an allusion to that notable place Ezek. 37. and the ten first verses The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones And caused me to pass by them round about there were very many in the open valley and so they were very dry And he said unto me Son of man Can these bones live and I answered O Lord thou knowest Again he said unto me Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the Word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live And I will lay sinews upon you and bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and you
they will finde them like so many debts crossed out with the red lines of Christs blood If the Devil should be permitted to accuse them at that time who is now the accuseâ— of the Brethren and rip up their secret faults the Lord himself will stand up and plead for them he will make known the sufficient value of his merits for their ransome and publiquely acquit them from all guilt and condemnation who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth who is he that shall condemn it is Christ that died for them Rom. 8. 33 34. But these four things Christ will take an account of in the judgement of the righteous 1. He will take an account of their graces The vessels of the Virgins will be lookt into what Oile they have goâ— the hearts of the Saints will be lookt into what graces they have obtained Christ will then take notice what godly sorrow they have had for sin their secret weeping and mourning will then be made manifest he will take notice what humility and meekness what self-denial and patience they have had especially what faith and love and hope and spiritual joy they have had and all their raised affections towards himself and heavenly things in his ordinances and his judgment of grace will not be according to the appearance and show which hath been but according to truth and then the Saints shall be ranked not according to their esteem and dignity in the world but according to the measure of the graces they have attained 2. Christ will take an account of the improvement of the talents of graces and gifts and opportunities of service which he hath entrusted them withall Mat. 25. 19. and Christ will then take chief notice of those which have been most industrious and faithful and instrumental for doing most good and bringing most glory to his name and though all shall have a full reward that are found truly faithful and shall enter into their masters joy yet they shall have a more full reward and be capable of more joy and glory than the other 3. And especially he will take an account of their works of mercy Matth. 25. 35 36. I was hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me c. It will even astonish and confound the righteous to hear such language as this from the Lord Jesus Christ when he appears in such glory they will be ready to question when he was in any want and received relief at their hands When saw we thee a hungry or a thirst or naked and ministred any help we received all from thee but we could give nothing to thee thou didst relieve us and redeem us out of the deepest poverty and misery in which we were sunk and should have perished without thy help but what relief hadst thou from us Then the King will answer and say unto them v. 40. Verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me At such a time and such a time the poor came to you for relief making use of my name whose backs for my sake you cloathed and whose bellies you refreshed and whose necessities you supplied that was done unto me though they were poor they were my brethren some of my servants were brought into straights for conscience sake and you received them or sent help to them you received me then and gave help to me that money was not thrown away it was given to me and I am come to give you a thousandfold reward Were this truth more effectually believed what a forwardness would there be in Christians to works of mercy Surely they would look upon that part of their estate as best improved which in such works is bestowed Christ doth not mention any other use which they put their money unto which if worthy to be compared would be made mention of he doth not speak of so much laid out in building so much laid out in cloathing so much laid out for food so much laid up in portions for children all this the wicked can do but so much laid out to the poor and me in them which is the only part you have laid up for your selves and which I am now come to return unto you with usury 4. Christ will take an account of the afflictions which the righteous have endured especially of their sufferings for his sake such reproaches such losses imprisonments banishments buffetings but if they have suffered death with what honour will this be made mention of with what great esteem will he receive and speak unto them which have come out of great tribulation and O the joy in this morning after the tears of the night then they will finde that their light affliction which they have endured for a moment hath wrought for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. 2. The second thing in Christs judegment of the Saints is the Sentence which he will pronounce upon them which will be a most gracious invitation of them to take possession of the Kingdom of Heaven which he hath prepared for them Matth. 25. 34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared from you from the foundation of the world All Christs invitations in Scripture are very sweet Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest Matth 11. 28. How sweet is this to a troubled conscience and an oppressed spirit ready to sinke under the burden of sin Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters and he that hath no money come buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa. 55. 1. O what sweet words are these to those which are parched and pained and ready to die with spiritual thirst and can finde nothing in the creatures which can give them any satisfaction or ease But of all the words that ever Christ did speak of all the invitations that ever Christ did make this will be the sweetest which he will give to his Disciples at the last day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World Come ye blessed and happy ones however accounted miserable ones by men yet blessed of my Father Come inherit the Kingdom prepared for youâ— frâ—m the foundation of the World Take possession of your eternal inheritance Come enter into the Kingdom of glory which the father hath chosen you unto and called you unto and which I have purchased and now fitted and made ready for you Come along with me and I will shew you my glory and where I am there ye shall be also Come along
pouring forth tears for him at the Throne of grace in my Closet when he hath been pouring in Wine and strong drink in Taverns and Aie-houses I have been troubled for him when he hath staied our so late and troubled more with him when he hath come in so full of drink and pâ—ssion and with much patience have endured his foul speeches and behaviour which he hath used I have watched the most fit opportunity I could take to put him in mind of his sin and danger and I have done it with the greatest humility and meeknes and tender affection as I could but either he hath not regarded my words or slew out into a rage against me O how fain would I have perswaded him to draw in the same yoke of Christ with me but he would draw another way do what I could none of my prayers nor tears nor arguments no not the lâ—ve of Christ nor the love of his own soul could prevaile with him to change his course he would 〈◊〉 leave his drunkenness and adultery his worldliness and iâ—justice his lying and over-reaching his swearing and bitterness against thy people by no means would he be perswaded 3. Believing Parents will then accuse and witness against their ungodly children and servants Lord we endeavoured to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of thee we laboured to put good principles betimes into them we drâ—pped many wholsome instructions upon them we prayed frequently for them and with them and spake plainly aâ—d earnestly to them about their soul-concernment we told them of the immnrâ—atity of their sâ—uls the preciousness of their time the evil of sin their need of thee the excellency of grace their danger of Hell the way to escape it the glory of Heaven the way to attain it but alas to the grief of our hearts they shut their ears against all our instructions and would take none of our reproofs or counsels they would go foolishly and stubbornly on in a course of sin and neither thy law nor our fear would restrain them Thus these and other godly relations will rise up in judgment and witness against the wicked 3. The ungodly friends and companions of the wicked will at that day be their accusers and witness against them especially those who have been drawn by them into sin however now they are very well pleased with them and delight in their company because sin pleaseth them and they do not feel nor believe the bitterness which will be consequent yet when they come to be judged and punished for those sins they will with rage and madness accuse curse those wicked persons which were their first tempters Drunkards will accuse those that drew them first into Taverns and Ale-houses and perswaded them by healths and other waies to drink beyond their measure Adulterers and Adulteresses will accuse those which first inticed them unto privy lewdness ungodly servants also will then accuse their wicked masters and ungodly children their wicked parents who have been drawn into sin by their example Thus men will be accusers and witnesses against the wicked 3. Devils will be the Accusers and Witnesses against the wicked they are now accusers of the brethren then they will be accusers of the wicked they accuse the brethren falsly they will accuse the wicked truly now they please and flatter the wicked and perswade them to sin then they will accuse them for those very sins which they have perswaded them unto they have done the devils drudgery all their daies and been his faithful slaves and this is his recompence he will be their accuser at the last day 4. The wicked will be accused by themselves their own thoughts shall accuse them in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ Rom. â— 15 16. their own consciences will accuse them and be as a thousand witnesses against them they will finde all their sins registred in that book and that book will then be opened and they will not be able to deny one word of what they shall finde there recorded Thus of the accusers and witnesses against the wicked 6. Concerning the Conviction And here I shall speak of the conviction of some particular sinners especially of such who have lived in the daies and places where the Gospel hath been preached whom the Lord Iesus Christ with upbraiding having of full evidence with convict of their sins To set this out the more lively Suppose that this very day were the day of Judgment and in this very Church were the Judgment-feat that here were a great white Throne and the Lord Jesus Christ himself sitting upon it in his glory with millions of holy Angels about him and all the Saints in white at his â—ight hand and on his left all the wicked gathered â—ogether into one body as it will be at the last â—ay And the Judge should cry with a loud voice â—ring the prisoners to the Bar Bring the sinners to judgment and so summon and convict particular sinners 1. Come forth all ye ignorant persons who have not known the father nor me nor the mysteries of salvation however clearly revealed in my Word who lived in darkness and loved darkness and bated the light least your deeds should thereby have been reproved What dark in a Goshen ignorant in London in a place of so much knowledge and instruction Did not Parents teach you when you were young how is it that you would not be taught If Parents neglected to instruct you had you not Ministers who were ready to do it How is it that you have not learnt If knowledge did not offer it self to you why did you not seek after it why did not you learn of your selves was there any thing in the world that did concern you more to know was not the knowledge of me and my waies worth the looking after had you a capacity for other knowledge and not for this have not others learnt who were naturally as dull and had as few helps 〈◊〉 you had you time to spend about other things iâ— sports and sins and not time to spend in getting knowledge had you an ear and yet not hear so as to learnâ— had you an eye and yet not see so as to understand And if you were naturally blind had not I eye-salve could not I have opened your eies was I not willing did I not stand in the gates to call upon you How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity and fools hate knowledge Turn unto me and I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make knowâ— my words unto you Prov. I. 22 23. Have 〈◊〉 neglected me through ignorance is not your fouâ— double because you have neglected knowledge too have you committed many sins through ignorance 〈◊〉 not this an aggravation of your sin did not you 〈◊〉 knowledge and therefore dis-regarded it did not yoâ— love sin and therefore shunned the light which would have discovered it and disturbed you in
works of the flesh which would exclude you the Kingdome of Heaven Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 16 Come forth all ye wrathful and contentious persons you that have had fiery Spirits and fiery tongues whose tongues have been like Swords wherewith you have lashed and wounded others in your reproachful reviling speeches who have had the poison of aspes in your hearts and lips which hath vented it self in virulent language whose words have been bitter and clamorous full of anger and wrath and contention who have been incendiaries in the places where you have lived who have disturbed the peace of your families and turned all things into uprore and confusion Did you not know the precepts of the Gospel which commanded peace and gentleness and meekness and easiness to be entreated did you disturb others peace by your contentions and did you not disturb your own did you raise an uprore in your houses and was not there a greater uproar in your hearts did you not taste the bitterness of such a conversation and yet would you persist therein did not you receive some blows and wounds by your contention sometimes and yet would you not hearken to such rebukes were you angry with others without just cause and was there not good reason that God should be angry with you was not the fire of your tongues kindled by the fire of Hell and is it unreasonable that you should be thrust into the place of burning for your contention Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 17. Come forth all yee civil and moral persons who have had moral righteousness and been upright in your dealings but wholly strangers unto the power of godliness who have observed some Precepts of the second Table of the Law in reference to your selves and others externally but have grosly neglected the duties of the first Table which have had reference to God who have had no knowledge of God nor fear of him nor love to him nor delight in him who have never sanctified his name or day in your hearts nor worshipped him in a spiritual manner according to the prescriptions of his words who never yielded obedience to the Gospel never saw your need of me and obtained interest and acquaintance with me what ever calls and opportunities you had and do you think I should know you and own you now when you are none of mine will your moral righteoâ—sness stand you now in any stead when you are to give so strict an account did not I tell you in my word that unless your righteousness did exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees yee should in no wise enter into the Kingdome of Heaven that you must be born again or else you could not be saved that you must be holy or else you could not be happy did you not hear of the young man who had as much moral righteousness as you and yet mist of Heaven because he would not obey my other commands hath your moral righteousness been so perfect that it hath had no flaw have you lived free from sin in regard of the second Table of the Law besides your breaches of the first will not Conscience tell you of some slips some stumbles and falls as to your external walking were you never guilty of unrighteous dealing never distempered your selves with drink never were lustful and wanton never told any lies nor uttered any slanders and if you have been fair in your outward carriage and converse have you not had â—oul insides had you not need of pardon for your sins and my blood to wash you from your filthiness have not the best of your workes been sinful in regard of the principal and end and manner of performance did you think the works of nature would save you when the works of grace cannot without the imputation of my righteousness because of their imperfection must not Gods Iustice be satisfied for your sins and how do you think it should be done but by your eternal punishment in Hell had you believed in me and yielded obedience to me my righteousness should have been yours and then you might have held up your Heads with joyful expectation of glory on this day but you cleaved to your own righteousness and were well and whole and did not see your need of me to be your Physician and Saviour and would not submit unto and accept of my righteousness and what have you to say why judgment should not pass upon you did you think such works as yours would satisfie Iustice when if you had done better and kept the whole Law for the greatest part of your life yet you had done but your duty and the sins of your youth were enough to sink you into Hell but was any of your righteousness perfect did you think to merit Heaven by such works do you think you deserve a Crown of Glory for your civility or morality where have you a promise of it and if you had no promise could you think you should ever attain it what is your mouth stopt and are you speechless now Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 18. Come forth all yee Hypocrites who have made a show of Holiness and have born the name of zealous Professors of Religion but have been acted by carnal designes and principles who have used religion as a Cloak for your covetousness who followed me only for the loaves who have been hollow at heart rotten at the Core painted Sepulchres blazing Comets wandring and falling Stars for whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever what did you mean by your showes and outward appearance of worship and service did you think that the all-seeing heart-searching God judged according to outward appearance did you think that lip-service and bodily exercise would be accepted by him or was it acceptation only with Men which you sought after that reward you had and can you expect any other reward when you did not desire it nor design it and what doth it can it now profit you that Men accounted you religious will their esteem of you procure pardon and salvation for you could you be content to cast away and loose all your external services for want of sincerity and an internal living principle did not you think that all your services would rise up one day in judgment against you did not you affront the highest Majesty by the mockery of your shew-worship did not be very well understand which way your heart went when you seemed must devout was not be acquainted with the secret lusts which you harboured in your heart and secret way of wickedness which you walked in when you made a show of mortification and self-denial and a holy and strict conversation were you not warned against hypocrisie and told how odious it was unto God and that hypocrites portion would be in utter darkness where there is weeping and weiling and gnashing of teeth Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 19. Come forth
all yee Back-sliders and Apostates from me and my wayes You that turned back to wayes of prophaneness and open wickedness after some time of profession and joyning your selves with my people was my service so burdensome that you could endure it no longer was the way to Heaven so unpleasant that you would walk no longer therein after some tryal in show of me did you prefer and make choice of the Devil before me after some washing your selves would you wallow in the mire again after heaving some vomit off of your stomack would you again lick it up after some sweepings and dressings would you open the door and let in seven worse spirits to defile your hearts after you seemed to be escapèd were you again entangled would you needs put your foot again into the snare and binde your selves in fresh bonds of sin did you prefer the company of the wicked which were going Hell-ward before the company of my people which were going Heaven-ward could not you now wish that you had held on and held out with them unto the end would not you have rejoyced if you had now been found in their society did you repent of your repenting and do you not now repent of your back-slidings were not you told if you drew back my Soul would have no pleasure in you And you that have turned aside from me and my wayes into wayes of errour that suckt in damnable Heresies from faise Teachers Did you not know that there were damnable Heresies as well as other damnable sins were you not warned that Sathan sometimes appeared as an Angel of light would you so quickly turn aside after some workings and strivings of my spirit with you and some hopes which you gave of your conversion and reformation did not you perceive how Sathan lay upon the catch so soon as you began to be awakened to prejudice you against the truth and draw you aside in another way to serve him did you not understand the mysteries of his delusions if you had heartily loved the truth as it was in me would you have been so deluded was not deep humiliation and mortification of every last too hard a Doctrine and therefore you chose such as would give you more scope and liberty and shroud your lusts under some other name and terme your hatred and anger against my people by the name of zeale for my glory did you think if you gave Sathan one hold that it would not be sufficient to undo you had you stuck close to my Ministry and Ordinances would you have been so deluded did you think your selves wiser than my Ministers so soon as you got a little glimmering of light could you so readily open your eare to slanders and receive prejudices against them through Sathans and his Instruments perswasions to the shipwracking of your own Souls did you not finde how wavering and unsteady you were how like Children tossed too and fro with every wind of Doctrine when once you forsook my Ministry which I appointed for your establishment did you conceit that you might live above Ordinances in the World did you imagine to get into a higher forme when you went forth of my School and when you expected perfection most were not you more imperfect than before when you fancied a clearer light were not you most full of darkness when you thought your selves so holy as none like you and none must be holy but those of your way were not you most unholy and like a smoke in my nostrils could I accept of your worship out of the way of my Ordinances and Institutions when you thought your selves must guided and acted by the spirit was it not a spirit of delusion did my spirit lead you and act you in a way which my word did not allow of were not you the renders and â—â—â—rers of my Church was it not by reason of you that the wayes of truth were evil spoken of by evil Men were not those without prejudiced against my very wayes because of your delusions which made so forward a profession suppose I permitted some of mine to mistake in circumstantials was this a just excuse for your errours in fundamentals when the word was open for you to inform your selves in the truth did not you wrest the Scriptures to your own destruction suppose you denied your selves some things were they those things that I commanded suppose you suffered some things in your way do you hope for a reward for sufferings which I never called you unto and which did but so much the more harden your party and promote your delusion did you know what a snare you were hampered in so soon as you put your foot into the way of errour and turned aside from that old strait narrow way of my Word and Ordinances which have brought so many to Heaven were not you in a greater unlikelihood of being called effectually than Drunkards and Adulterers and the most vicious who lay more naked to the blow of the Word and were more ready to receive instruction you were more forward to reprove my Ministers than to receive my Ministers and conviction from them you could call them Antichristian and false Prophets though they adheared to and maintained nothing but the truths of my word and when I gave them so many seals of their Ministry in the conversion of many Souls you could call them self-seekers and hirelings though they gave such evidences of self-denial and many of them forsook all that they had rather than they would make a breach upon their consciences you could some of you emrench upon their office though you had no call nor commission from me you had the Scripture to discover to you the right way but you shut your eyes against the light and châ—se wayes of darkness and is it not sit that you should go to the place of darkness Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 20. Come forth all yee Impenitent Persons and Unbelievers all yee that have not yielded obedience to the Gospel were you not called to repentance by Ministers and the spirit in Ordinances and when a stiller voice was not heard were you not called louder by God in his Iudgments did you not know that except you repented you would certainly perish that iniquity would be your ruine unless your heart were broken for it and from it and yet were you though you lay under the guilâ— of so much sin could you be so impenitent and hard-hearted were not you called to me by the voice of the Gospel did not I call you and stretch out my hand all the day long to you did not I stand at the door of your heart and woâ— hard for entertainment and yet could you shut the door against me though you had so much need of me had you not commands and encouragements to believe could you rationally desire firmer ground and footing for your faith did not you give God the lie by your unbelief have you not hereby
they were hid from their eyes they slept in the harvest they loitered away and sinned away their time and wasted their day in which they should have made provision for their souls O how will they be then ready to tear themselves in pieces that they should neglect so great salvation in the day when salvation was attainable yea that they should refuse the proffers of grace and pardon and peace and life and happiness which in that day were so frequently and earnestly made unto them then they will wish that they had opened their ear and heart that they had regarded and accepted such gracious proffers whatever they had neglected or parted withall then they will wish they had imbraced and improved the opportunities which once they had for prayer and hearing and attendance upon Gods Ordinances that they had been in the Church when they were in the Ale-house that they had associated themselves with Gods people when they frequented the company of the leud and ungodly that they had been upon their knees with grief confessing sin when they took so much delight in the commission of it that they had taken time from their sports to make their peace with God that they had worshipped God in their Closets and worshipped God in their Families and laid up for themselves treasures in Heaven and horrible will their vexation be that they did not so 4. In going away they will remember for what it was that they refused this happiness that it was only for the satisfaction of some foolish and unprofitable lust If two Kingdomes of equal worth and glory were proposed to a Mans choice it would not trouble him that he had refused the one to obtain the other but if a Man were to chuse whether he would be a King or a slave if he should refuse the former and chuse the later when he came to feel the misery of his bondage this would trouble him more than the bondage that he might have avoided it that he hath chose this thraldome and parted with a Kingdome for it they will then perceive that they have chosen to be slavesunto sin and Sathan rather than to be Heires unto the Kingdome of Glory I know that though now they are slaves and serve divers lusts and though their bondage is a thousand fold worse than if they were Vassals to the cruellest Tirant upon Earth yet they are not sensible neither are they weary of their bondage because their wills are in thraldome and their affections are captivated and though heirdome to the glory of Heaven be the choicest priviledge upon Earth and most desirable yet they do not desire it but prefer their slavery before it because they are blinde unbelieving besorted sinners and judge of things according to sense yet on the day of Christs appearance all things will appear with a new face and they will look upon things with a new eye they will then perceive that they were slaves all their dayes and that there was no such drudgery as that which they were employed in and that there was no such glory and happiness as that which they refused and foolishly cast away then it will sting them indeed to remember that they have chosen rather to do the work of the Devil and yield obedience to the basest lusts for which they must now be repayed with the wages of death and eternal misery than to do the work of the Lord who would have rewarded them with eternal life and a Crown of glory and immortality Then they will say What profit have we got by those things whereof we are now ashamed What fruit doth all our labour and toile in the World now yield unto us What are we the better for our riches and great estate on Earth for our honour and high esteem amongst men for our luscious pleasures and delights now vanished and gone which we bought at so dear a rate as the loss of our precious and immortal souls and the forfeiture of an Inheritance in the kingdome of Heaven Then they will cry out O bewitching World O deluding Devil O deceitfull hearts and lusts O what fools and mad-men have we been that we should trample Iewels under our feet like Swine and in stead of them put dross and dung into our Cabinet that we should so greedily drink the sweet poison of sin to the bane and ruine of our souls and refuse to taste of the Cup of salvation which all our dayes was held forth unto us Then they will cry out of their voluptuousness their covetousness their pride and haughtiness and the like lusts which have kept Christ out of their hearts and kept them out of the Kingdome of Heaven 5. In going away some of them shall remember how neerly they missed of this happiness that they were almost perswaded to be Christians in deed as well as in name and to accept of Christ upon his own termes that they were not far from the Kingdome of Heaven that they were come even within fight of the Heavenly Canaan and yet died in the Wilderness that they were come even to the Gate of the new Ierusalem but finding it too strait for them and the luggish of their sins together there they stuck and could not enter in that they climbed up a great way of the Hill to Zion but did not reach the top and tumbling down their fall was the greater they will remember the means of grace which they enjoyed the Ordinances which they sate under and the treaties which the Lord did make with them by his word and spirit about their life and salvation and the carriage of their hearts towards the Lord in those treaties some of them will remember what convictions the Lord wrought in them of sin and what tremblings of conscience for fear of Hell and wrath to come and if they had followed that preparative work they might have quickly been acquainted with Christ and escaped the misery which they feared but they â—tifled convictions and shook off their troubles they shut their eies against the light and stilled the noise of their consciences and calmed their spirits with the delights and pleasures of the World and so grew more hardned in sin than before and gave such repulses to the spirit that the spirit quite departed from them Others will remember that they were perswaded to ascend some steps higher under the Ministry of the Word when they were reproved for such and such gross sins which they lived in the practise of that they could have no ease in their consciences until they had broken off that wicked course that they left off their drunkenness and their swearing their uncleanness and unrighteous dealing and were in a great measure reformed in their lives but there were some lusts in their hearts which they hugged secretly and delighted in and could not be perswaded to leave which were their undoing pride revenge uncharitableness covetousness or the like remained in their reigning power which were inconsistent with
make such an impression as to raise their hearts to an unconceivable heighth of love 3. The righteous will have a higher capacity for love in Heaven than here they have and they shall be filled with love unto the heighth of their capacity they will be able to love a thousand times more than now they can do and they shall love unto their utmost ability they will see perfection of loveliness in God and all that are about him and they shall have perfection of love here their love is sincere and growing but it is weak and imperfect hereafter it will be grown up to the full heighth of it and perfect love will cast out all tormenâ— here their love is mixed the stream is divided â—t runs and wasts it self in many small rivulets which empty themselves upon the creatures but then the whole stream will run forth unto God individedly not a drop of their love shall be â—pâ—lt on the ground God will be the sole object â—f their love here their love is uneven and incoâ—stant to God sometimes it ebbs and someâ—imes it slows sometimes they have a high and â—pring-tiâ—e of love to God but at other times it 〈◊〉 low water hereafter their love to God will be â—ven and constant and alwaies at the greatest â—eighth 3. And O what joy will there be in their hearts through the union which the righteous shall have unto God the chief good when their minds shall be joyned to him in immediate vision and their hearts in perfect love O how sweet a fruition of God will this be what delights will spring from hence if the Saints can now rejoyce exceedingly in God when they see him so little and their love is so imperfect what will they do when they see and love him perfectly and fully if they are now exceeding glad sometimes with the light of his countenance though they have but a glimpse thereof what will they be when they shall have a constant view thereof and live eternally under the beams of that light their love to God is sweet now though it be weak but what will it be in Heaven when the conjunction of their hearts to God by love shall be so neeâ— and close if the Saints can now rejoyce in hope of the glory of God what will they do in the possession thereof when faith shall be changed for vision and hope turned into fruition O how will the Saints rejoyce and triumph when they are sailed quite thorow the tempestuous Sea oâ— this world and are landed safely in Heaven where there is rest and peace without any windy stormâ— when they have got the victory over the devil and sin and are now placed out of the gun-shoâ— of temptation and have conquered througâ— Christ the grave and death and are out of feâ—â— of his arrows when they see that they have escaped the terrible wrath of God and finde them selves in the arms of his love when theâ— perceive that they are in Heaven now inâ—deed notwithstanding all their sins and doubts and fears and now they have that blessed vision of God which they so much desired and the full fruition of God in love which they hoped for when they shall look about them and see so much glory about them and shall look within them and see so much glory there revealed beyond whatever they could imagine O how will they be transported with joy then they will have fulness of joy in the presence of God and their pleasure and happiness wil be perfect without interruption or possibility of a conclusion And the eternity of their happiness will be the Heaven of Heaven as eternity of misery will be the Hell of Hell Thus concerning the happiness of the Saints or the eternal life of glory which they shall enter into 2. Concerning the righteous going or entring into eternal life The righteous after the pronouncing of their sentence and their seeing the execution of the sentence of the wicked shall pass away from them and go with Christ into eternal life they shall go with singing to the Zion which is above and everlasting joy on their heads they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Isa. 51. 11. It wil be a most glorious train such as eye never hath seen which will go together unto Heaven The Lord Jesus Christ will be in the head in shining glory all the holy Angels will be with him and the whole company of the righteous will be together that ever lived in all generations and O with what mirth and gladness will they move towards Heaven together with what shoutings and Hosannah's will they attend upon the glorious triumph of our Saviour unto the new Ierusalem but when they are come to the gates of Heaven and the everlasting doors shall be lifted up to them and they look into the place prepared for their eternal abode when the Lord Iesus shall bring them into the glorious presence of the Father and they shall have the beatifical vision of his face and see the smiles of his countenance and are received into the imbracements of his love Then Then they will finde themselves to be happy indeed then their heart will be filled with joy and their tongues with singing then they will sing the new Song the Song of the Lamb which now cannot be learned then they will sound forth the prayses of God and cry with a loud voice as Rev. 7. 10 11. Salvatiâ—n to our God 〈…〉 upâ—n the Throne and to the Lâ—mb And worshipping God they will say Amen Blessing and Glory and Wisdom and Thanâ—sgiving and Honour and Power and Might be untâ— our God for ever and ever Amen And there shall they live and reign for evermore Thus concerning the execution of the sentenceâ— on the righteous and concerning the second appearance of Christ and end thereof CHAP. XI 2. COneâ—rning the Certainty of Christs second appearance I'shall prove this by several Arguments 1. Aâ—g If the Scriptures have clearly revealed an◠〈◊〉 Christ's second appearance to judgment an◠〈◊〉 the Scriptures are certainly true then this second appearance of Christ is certain But the Scriptures have clearly revealed and foretold this second appearance of Christ to judgement and the Scriptures are certainly true Therefore the second appearance of Christ is certain 1. The Scriptures have clearly revealed and foretold Christ's second appearance to judgment It is not a truth written in the book of nature it is not to be found in the writings of the Philosophers and those who have had the highest speculations of natural causes and effects and products this is a mysterie which the world by wisdom could never finde out it is a secret which hath been hid in God and is revealed by his Spirit in his Word this coming of Christ was foretold by Enoch Iude 14. 15. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prâ—phesied Behold the Lord â—â—meth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all
c. So that it is of ancient revelation The first coming of Christ was foretold to Adam in the promise that the seed of the woman should break the Serpents head and the second coming of Christ was foretold to Enâ—ch It is foretold by the Angels Acts 1. 10 11. Whilst the Disciples looked stedfastly upon our Saviour in his Ascension two Angels say unto them Ye men of Gâ—lilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven this same Iesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come down in like manner as â—e have seen him go into Heaven however Devils are Lyars and the Fathers of Lyes and Lyars yet the good Angels are true and Ministers of truth and this is a true restimony further this is foretold by the Apâ—stles who were employed to be the Pen-men of part of the holy Scripture and were guided by an infallible spirit the Apostle Paul speaks often of it especially see his testimony I Thes. 4. 15 16 17. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord Thus he sets forth Christs coming in a comfortable manner unto his people therefore exhorteth Christians to comfort one another with those words and hopes of Christs glorious appearance when they should be caught up to meet with him and be with him for ever and he sets it forth in a dreadful manner in regard of the wicked 2 Thes. I 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them which know not God and obey not the Gospel who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Moreover this coming of Christ is spoken of by the Apostle in every Chapter of both of these Epistles I Epist Chap. 1. 10 And to wait for his Son from Heaven Chap. 2. 19. What is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not ye in the presence of the Lord Iesus at his coming Chap. 3. 13. To the end he may establish you unblameable in holiness at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Chap. 4. 16. The Lord himself will descend from Heaven with a shout Chap. 5. 23. I pray that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. 2. Epist. Chap. 1. 10. He shall come to â—e glorified in his Saints Chap. 2. 1 3. Now I beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not soon shaken in minde c. Chap. 3. 5. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and patient waiting for Christ. I might turn you to further testimonies of his Tit. 2 13. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Heb. 9. 28. Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time unto salvation We have also the testimony of the Apostle Iames Chap. 5. 7. Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord. Of the Apostle Peter 1 Epist Chap. 5. 4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory which fadeth not away 2 Epist. Chap. 3. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night Of the Apostle Iohn 1 Epist. Chap. 3. 2. When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And in his Revelation frequently Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also that pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him Even so Amen To conclude we have the testimony of our Saviour himself whilst on earth to his Disciples Mat. 16. 27. The Son of man shall come in the glory of the Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Matth. 24. 27. As lightning so shall the coming of the Son of Man be V. 30. They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of Heaven V. 31. And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet to gather the Elect from the four Winds Mat. 25. especially from the 31. to the end where his judicial proceedings are set forth and our Saviour doth testifie to his enemies that he would come again Matth. 26. 64. Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power coming in the clouds of Heaven And our Saviour testified by his Angel to Iohn his beloved Disciple after his ascension into Heaven that he would come again especially Rev. 22. where we have three promises of the same thing V. 7. Behold I come quickly Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of this Book V. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man according as his work shall be V. 20. Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus If any one word in the whole Book of God may be believed this concerning Christ's second coming and appearance may be believed of which we have such frequent and evident testimonies in the Word as surely as he came the first time in the flesh according to the predictions hereof in the Old Testament so surely will he come the second time in glory according to the predictions in the New Testament God can as soon cease to be God as this Word concerning Christs second coming fail when the Sun goes down in the evening we believe it will return and arise at such a time in the morning accordingly it comes to pass So now Christ the Sun of righteousness is gone into Heaven whilst the night of this world doth last though we cannot know the certain time yet we may believe that he will certainly return and come down from Heaven in the morning of the resurrection it is more possible that the Sun when it is set should abide for ever in the other parts of the world and never arise any more in our Horison than that Christ should abide for ever in Heaven and not return to judge the World when the thing is evidently revealed and frequently promised in the Scripture 2. That the Scriptures are true is evident because they are the Word of God who is a God of truth and cannot lie who can as soon cease to be God as cease to be true untruth in God would argue weakness and imperfection in God which cannot be since to be
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
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
and secretly tell any of you that you are in the number of those persons whom the Lord will condemn at the last day and sentence unto Hell methinks it should make you startle and look about you methinks it should make your hair stand an end and every joynt to tremble methinks it should fill you with fear and imprint such trouble upon your spirits as would damp all your earthly comforts and delights to confider the danger which ye are in by reason of sinâ— the guilt of which doth still lie upon you Every word of this Doctrine is awakening 1 Awake sinners awake Christ will appear to judgment Christ will appear whom you have read of and heard of and have had frequent proffers of but could never be prevailed to accept of Christ will appear in his glory in whom you could see no beauty or desirableness Christ will appear as a Iudge whom you might have had for your Saviour Sinners the Judge of the whole world will appear and can you sleep under the guilt of sin He will be a most glorious powerful wise holy righteous strict furious inexorable Judge as hath been shown from p. 65. to p. 73. and yet are you secure and fearless you have heard God's terrible voice in the City and that hath not awakened you and will not Christ's appearance to Judgment awaken you neither You have been asleep under the sound of temporal judgments and can you sleep under the thoughts of the last judgment when the punishment which shall then be inflicted will be eternal 2. Awake sinners awake Christ will certainly appear to Judgment if there were only a peradventure of Christs coming to Judgment methinks it should awaken the guilty but when there is a certainty of it how should it awaken you as certainly as God is true as certainly as the Scriptures are his Word as certainly as you are creatures and sinners so certainly will the Lord Jesus Christ appear to judge the ungodly World for sin at the last day England hath of late been under the stroke of several temporal Judgments and England is in danger of further and greater calamities God may put a more bitter Cup into our hands to drink than yet we have tasted of the danger of which should awaken secure sinners because they cannot promise to themselves any shelter at such a time yet there is a possibility that the Lord may be entreated to spare and put up his Sword and prevent our ruine which we have deserved but the day of Judgment is most certain God who cannot change hath decreed it God who cannot lie hath revealed it the iniquities of the World which are great do call for it therefore it must be the day will certainly come and yet can you sleep in sin If a Thief knew after he had robbed his neighbour that he should certainly be taken and judged and condemned and punâ—shed it would affright him you may know that Christ will certainly come to judgment and that all guilty sinners shall be brought forth and condemned and should not this awaken you especially since if you sleep on your damnation and eternal punishment will be certain 3. Awake sinners awake Christ will quickly appear to Judgment The coming of the Lord draweth nigh the Judge standeth at the Door the Lord will suddenly come down when you least expect it the Lord may be here and can you sleep when the appearance of Christ is so sure and so neer too can you slumber when your judgment lingreth not and your damnation slumbreth not If the day of general Judgment should be protracted for some time longer until all the Elect be gathered and the things foretold in the â—ord be fulfilled yet your time for preparation may be almost spent you may suddenly go down into your Graves where there is no operation and can you sleep in sin when you are liable every day to the stroke of death which will cut you off from all opportunities of making your peace with God for ever and deliver you up at the last day into the hands of the Judge under the same guilt as it found you when it first laid its arrest upon you 4. Awake sinners awake when Christ doth appear yee also shall appear when Christ is descended from Heaven yee shall be raised from the Earth you shall be awakened out of the sleep of death and will not you be awakened out of the sleep of sin If there were any hopes that by getting into your Graves before this day you could hide your selves and lie buried there for ever you might be the more secure but when your death is not more certain than your resurrection will be when the appearing of Christ to judgment is not more certain than your appearance on that day to be judged you have reason to shake off sleep and bethink your selves how you are provided Death will be terrible to you if it come with the sting of sin in its mouth if it shoot its poisoned arrowes into you but your resurrection will be a thousand fold more dreadful if you awake at the last day with the guilt of sin in your consciences Sinners think what terrours will invade you when you are raised out of your Graves when you first lift up your heads and eyes to Heaven and see the Lord Jesus Christ the glorious Judge of the World come down with millions of mighty Angels cloathed with vengeance like flames of Fire and look down with a furious countenance upon you when in your rising you hear the sound of the Trumper and such a shout given in the aire as will make a louder noise than if twenty thousand great pieces of Ordnance were shot off together just before you when you have a summons given you and you are dragged with the rest of the damned crew which have lived in all ages of the World to the Tribunal Seat of Jesus Christ O how will you quiver and tremble and be filled with confusion then and yet can you sleep securely now as if you were not at all concerned 5. Awake sinners awake when Christ doth appear you shall be judged by him Then the Books will be opened where all your actions are recorded then your sins now it may be forgotten and slighted will be called to remembrance and your secret sins which now you are ashamed of will then be made manifest before the whole World your old sins will be reviewed your old uncleanness your old drunkenness your old unrighteousness and you will be made to hear of all your sins past and gone many years before in such a manner as shall make your eares to tingle your hearts to quake and tremble and when Gods justice shall arraign you and the Devil accuse you and your conscience shall bear witness against you and the Lord Jesus Christ shall pronounce the Sentence upon you Depart from me yee cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and the Saints it may
live with him all the powers of earth and hell cannot separate you from his love and therefore cannot keep you out of heaven Rom. 8. 35 36 37 38 39. 7. Ye are justified by faith Rom. 5. 1. and therefore absolved from the guilt of sin therefore freed from the condemnation of hell Rom. 8. 1. therefore shall not perish seeing the cause thereof is removed therfore you shall have eternal life Ioh. 3. 16. whom God justifieth them he also glorifieth Rom. 8. 30. 8. Yee are the adopted children of God Gal. 3. 26. For ye are all the Children of God by faith in Iesus Christ. And if children then heirs Rom. 8. 17. and if heirs you shall be sure to have the inheritance 9. Ye are called with a Holy calling and sanctified with the holy Spirit and thereby in some measure fitted and qualified for this happiness by the work of grace consormity to the Lord in holiness grace is glory begun and is called eternal life and God hath promised to perfect it Philip. 1. 6. grace hath relation to Heaven as sin hath relation to hell and as sin will certainly bring men to hell if it be not pardoned and subdued so grace will certainly bring men to heaven because it cannot be wholly eradicated 10. You have made choice of Heaven for your portion you have laid up there your treasure and God hath set your souls a longing after it and given you hopes of it and therefore you shall not miss it your desires shall be satisfied and your hopes shall not make you ashamed Rom. 5. 5. 11. And if besides all this you have the witness and seal and earnest of the spirit giving you some first fruits and foretastes of this happiness though all believers do not obtain it then you may know without question that this is a sure happiness both in its self and unto you Therefore believers exercise your faith that you may be filled with all joy and peace in believing 3. Believers consider the neerness of the happiness of Heaven Christs appearance is not far off but your happiness may be neerer I mean the happiness of your souls in Heaven which will begin so soon as your lives come to an end the wicked walk upon the brink of Hell every day when they die thither they are carried you walk upon the borders of the Heavenly Canaan the Paradise which is above when you die thither you shall be conveyed and you may die suddenlie and as sâ—ddenlie you will be in glory Rejoice then believers rejoice you may be in Heaven before you are aware it may be to morrow God will send for you within a few daies you may be out of the body and present with â—he Lord Jesus and amongst the spirits of just Men made perfect when you break Prison from the body you will be delivered into the marvelous light of Gods glory rejoice to think how neer your happiness is 4. Believers consider the everlastingness of the happiness of Heaven there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal. 18. 11. When you are come to Heaven there you shall abide your happiness will be constant and eternal without diminution intermixture of sin or sorrow without interruption or possibility that ever it should be brought to an end It would alleviate the torments of the damned if they had any hopes of ever being let out of Hell and it would weaken the joyes of the Saints yea fill them with unspeakable grief if there were any danger and fear of being ever thrust out of Heaven Rejoice then yee believers yee shall rejoice for evermore in the eternal vision and fruition of God labour to begin your Heavens joyes now let faith so realize and bring neer the things which you hope for and make evident the things which as yet you do not see but shall possess that you may have a sweet foretaste of this happiness and begin your Heavens work to praise the Lord for his great and undeserved love wherewith he hath loved you and for those things beyond conception which out of love he hath prepared for you CHAP. XV. LAstly to conclude I shall speak a word both to Sinners and Believers Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear to judgment let me then in his name perswade you to three things 1. Believe that Christ will appear mingle the Doctrine you have heard or read with faith you have had evident proofs of it believe the thing Sinners believe that Christ will come to judge and condemn you if you be found in your sins did you believe it effectually you would quickly become Saints Believers labour for more faith in this truth did you believe it more strongly you would live at a higher rate 2. Consider that Christ will appear meditate on this thing let it dwell in your thoughts let it lie down with you at night and arise with you in the morning let it sit down with you at Table and walk with you abroad think often of the antecedents of Christs coming the judgment it self and the consequents thereof and get a deep impression of the last Judgment upon your spirits Sinners consider how the wicked will be judged think how they will be accused and condemned think of the dreadful sentence and the execution thereof in Hell and then think that you are in the number of those that are in such danger unless you speedily secure your selves by making your peace Believers consider how the Saints will be judged think how Christ will acquit them and invite them to take possession and then will give them possession of Heaven and then think that you are in the number of these blessed ones which shall be made thus happy 3. Prepare for the appearance of Christ to judgment and that you may be prepared as a conclusion to this Doctrine take these directions 1. Be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace it is the advice of the Apostle after his discourse of the coming of the Lord and the glorious things of that day Wherefore beloved seeing that yee look for such things be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3. 14. 1. Make your peace with God sinners God is your enemy make your peace with him you have offended him by your sins and his justice must be satisfied O labour to geâ— an interest in the satisfaction of Christ that your sins may be pardoned and God may be reconciled lay hold on Christ by faith as yet you may be welcome to him hereafter it will be too late Believers make sure of a pardon you cannot be too sure in a thing of such concernment 2. Diligently endeavourâ—after peace in your consciences sinners get the wounds which fin hath made there healed with the blood of Christ Believers take heed of making any breaches there maintain peace within when you have obtained it 3. Diligently follow after peace one with another take heed of hatred variance