not enough to persecute them with the tongue but you must persecute them with the hand What could you betray them like Judas for a piece of money or out of malice which was worse Could you disturb them in their service and worship of me when they were praying for your conversion and salvation Could you hale and drag them to Prison who endeavoured to keep you out of the Prison of Hell Could you seek the ruine of such as were the best Friends of your souls when you never received injury from them could you be so injurious to them Do you know whom yee persecuted It was mâ— it was me whom you persecuted when you persecuted my Disciples it was me whom yee wounded thorow their sides it was me you betrayed in betraying them it was me yee imprisoned in imprisoning them it was me you spurned at when yee lifted up the heel against them and did you ever think to prosper in this way You you have been above all other Persons upon the Earth my professed Enemies and most like your Father the Devil Come yee Wretches gird up your loines like Men gather your forces together put on strength and courage if you have any and life up your hand if you dare against me do you finde strength to faile you now and your forces too weak to niake resistance and were you so foolish as to engage in battel where you might have known you should certainlie be conquered at the last doth your courage faile you upon the sight of the Captain and should you not have been afraid to touch my anointed ones my lifted Souldiers You served the Devil and fought under his banner against me and mine and can be deliver you now out of mine hand can be defend you against my rage and fury or would he do it if it lay in his power had you ever more spight and malice against my people than the Devil had against you in setting you about persecution worke did not he design your ruine herby did not he think of this day and on purpose drew you to this sin that you might be the more horriblie tormented and doth not be with his Angels wait now for you that they may drag you unto torments Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 8. Come forth all yee intemperate and licentious Persons who have indulged your slesh and laid no restraint upon your sensual appetite who have made provision for your flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof but made no provision for my glorie and took no câ—re to fulfill my commands did you never hear of such a dutie as self-denial which I required of all my Disciples and followers Were you never told that if you followed the inclinations and obeyed the commands of carnal self it would be to your ruine and destruction that bitterness and sorrow would be the issue of flesh-pleasing that lust if it conceived would bring forth sin and sin when perfected would bring forth death did you never read that if yee lived after the flesh yee should die and that you must through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the bodie otherwise life and happiness could not be obtained and yet would you lay the reines on the neck of your lusts if you had no faith had you no reason neither to keep you from intemperance if you did not live like Christians would you not live like Men would you needs be bruits and live as if you were all body and had no soules of such high capacity were you so blinde as not to see afar off before this day of Iudgment when I should call you to an account or to see a little before you to the day of your death which would put a conclusion to all your sensual pleasures Could you bribe and muzzle conscience and lay it asleep whilst you took your pleasures Could you tread reason under foot and resolve you would not be controuled by any light or law or government from your eager prosecution of your carnal delights Come forth all ye Gluttons who have pampered your flesh with delicious food but never had the least regard to seed your souls which had more need who have sâ—eâ— many hours and dayes in feasting your bodies nourishing your selves against the day of slaughter but when you were invited by my Messengers to the marriage feâ—st to the feast I had prepared for you of the richest and most câ—stly spiritual dainties you had no stomack no appetite and could not would not come what did you indeed make your belly your God and can such a God save and make you happy did you think that food which perisheth could give happiness to a never-dying soul did you not know that both meat and belly would be destroyed and that your bodies would become food for worms and yet could you make it the chief business of your lives to feed your bodies you were allowed food convenient and something for delight that your bodies might serve your souls with strength and vigour and both their Lord and Master but excess you were forbidden which did distemper both body and minde and unfit you for the service of the Lord and yet would you overcharge your selves now reap the fruit of this intemperance and taste the Gall and Wâ—rmâ—ood which your sweet bits are turn'd into Come forth yee Drunkards who if you have not overcharged your bellies with excessive eating yet have often entoxicuted your brains with the fumes of excessive drinking who have drowned your understanding wit and fancy your natural parts and ingenuity which might have rendered you useful in the Church or Common-wealth where you lived and made your selves meer sots by your drunkenness and what account can you now give of the talents you were entrusted withall what excuse can you finde for this sin were you entited to it And overtaken before you were aware but who could entice you to drink a potion which would kill your bodies and was not the death and damnation of your souls more to be avoided would you be enticed to that unto which a very Beast will not be forced but were you not forward of your selves to the sin did you not like the company well that joyn'd with you therein did not you overtake the sin by your desires did not the liquor please your appetite did not you sâ—â—ill it in without perswasion if you had cen overtaken would you have been so often guilty would you have come so often into the places and company where you fell into it was not your chiefest mirth amongst your Cups and drunken Companions were not you melancholick and troubled when your meetings of good-fellowship were disappointed you would have your Cups and drink Wine in Bowles and strong Drink without measure and now also you shall have a Cup to drink of even the Cup of the Wine of the wrath of the angry Allmighty God now yee shall drink of the dregs of this Cup which hath ten thousand times more
reign in them though sometime it did rage and domineer that they had chosen God for their chief good above the whole world and the byas of their wills was towards him and that they had a sincere love to him though they fell short in the fervency which they desired to have that they did walke and keep on in heavens way if sometimes they wandred that they found their way again if some times they stumbled that they got up again and this book of the Gospel will give all true believers such acquittances as that they shall not come into condemnation Iohn 3. 16. Whosoever believeth in the Son shall not perish but have everlâ—sting life And Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And the like But the unbelievers will get no benefit by this book they may finde great and sweet promises but not one promise in the whole Book of the Gospel belonging to them because they do not belong to Christ they lived and died in impenitency and unbelief and neglect of Christ and salvation and now they cannot finde one favourable word for them and therefore they will be sent back to be tried by the Book of the Law only the Gospel will double the condemnation of such as have not yielded up themselves unto its obedience 5. A Fifth Book which will be opened will be the Book of Life Where all the names of the Elect are enrolled which when they read how will they adore the riches of the free grace of God in choosing them before the foundation of the world was laid and all those whose names are not enrolled in this Book shall be condemned and cast into the lake of Fire Rev. 20. 12 15. 5. The fifth thing proposed and the chiefest is to speak more particularly of Christs judging both the righteous and the wicked at his second appearance And here I shall speak 1. of their particular judgment 2. Of the execution of their sentence pronounced in judgement 1. Concerning the judgment of the righteous and the wicked CHAP. V. THe judgment of the righteous will be first and therefore I shall first treat of it and here speak 1. Of the immediate antecedents to their judgment 2. Of the judgement it self 1. Concerning the immediate Antecedents to the judgment of the righteous 1. The first Antecedent to the righteous judgment will be their resurrection from the dead 1 Thes. 4. 16. The dead in Christ shall rise first when Christ descends from heaven the souls of the righteous shall descend with him 1 Thes. 4. 14. Them that sleep in Iesus will God bring with him The spirits of all the just men and women made perfect shall then come down and finde out their own bodies which have been sleeping in the bed of their graves and they shall enter again into their old habitations they went out of them it may be with fear and trembling with grief and sorrow being unwilling to leave them behind though they were so rotten and ruinous but O with what joy will they return and enter again when the building shall be repaired when their bodies shall be raised by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and healed of all infirmities when they shall be made incorruptible and immortal see 1 Cor. 15. 52. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed And vers 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory then shall they triumph over death and the grave saying vers 55. O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy Victory The Lord Jesus will then make them victorious over this conquerour vers 57. Thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. The parting of soul and body was never so sad unto any of the Saints at their death as the meeting will be sweet at their resurrection O how will the soul wonder at the sudden and strange metamorphosis of the body when the soul left the body vile to putrify and corrupt in the grave and shall finde it come forth more bright and glorious than gold after it hath been refined in a Furnace when the vile body shall be fashioned like unto Christs most glorious body Phil. 3. 21. O how will the soul delight in the beauty strength and immortality which then shal be put upon the body whereby it will be more suited to its nature and fitted for its operations and participation in its glory and how will the body delight in the wonderful glories and shining excellencies which the soul hath attained since its separation If the love between the soul and the body were so great when the body was so vile and the soul so sinful what will it be when both are glorified If the conjunction between the soul and body were so sweet vvhen the body vvas so frail and subject to death and the soul a spiritual and never-dying substance vvhat vvill it be vvhen the body shall be made immortal and in some sort spiritual O with what pleasure will the body awake out of its long sleep and arise and shake off its dust and put on its beautiful garments of immortality and glory with what delight and joy will it first open its eyes upon those beautiful and glorious objects which vvill quickly present themselves to its vievv Thus concerning the resurrection of the righteous bodies 2. The second Antecedent to the Iudgment of the righâ—eous will be their meeting with the Angels at their Graves mouth Matth. 24. 31. He shall send his Angels with the great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather the Elect from the four winds from one end of Heaven to the other no sooner are they awakened and risen out of their Graves but they are entertained by Angels those holy and excellent creatures who have such a dear love to them and before have done many good offices for them though when before in the body they did not perceive it and were too low and unfit for their acquaintance but they will then know them and be able to discern the beauty of those lovely spirits who for so many years have been beholding the face of their Father in heaven which will have cast such a lustre upon them that will be matter of their admiration and these shall be part of their acquaintance and companions in glory instead of Devils those Angels of darkness which used to assault buffet and molest them when in the body before they shall now have Angels of light with them and about them to joyn together in the Love and praise of the great Jehovah The Angels will be sent to call them and gather
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
upon the account you shall give and the sentence which shall be pronounced upon you by the great Judge therefore let me beseech you all to examine your selves whither you are prepared for this day of Judgment it will be a woful day to such sinners whom the Lord Jesus will condemn unto everlasting torments and are there no such Persons amongst you are there no ungodly ones gathered together into this place are all of you Saints and Children of God if you are not such you will wish you had been such at that time but are you all such now the worst of you may be such if you seriously diligently and timely seek such a priviledge but are you such yet are there not many here whom the Lord Jesus Christ will come in flaming Fire to take vengeance upon It would take up too much room to speak of all those sinners whom Christ will condemn especially having already spoken particularly of them under the conviction from pag. 87. to 115. But briefly and more summarily for the discovery of such Persons that you may examine your selves whether you are in their number The sinners which Christ will condemn at his appearance may be known by these Characters They are 1. Carnal 2. Sensual 3. Earthly 4. Devilish 1. Christ will condemn such as are carnal I mean such as are in the flesh such as are in the state of nature such as never were regenerated or born again by the Word and Spirit as never have had experience of a work of grace upon their hearts such as are blind and never had their eyes opened to see their sin and their Saviour who are muffled up in the darkness and hoodwinked with the vail of ignorance and unbelief and upon whose eyes there are such thick scales that the glorious light of the Gospel hath never been discerned by them in a spiritual and saving way such who are asleep and never had their consciences awakened out of their carnal security whose consciences are seared as with a hoâ— Iron and permit them to sin with little check or controll such who are dead in sin and never were quickned by the Spirit of life such as are slaves to their lusts and under the reigning power of sin and never were delivered from this worse than Turkish bondage that never were converted and savingly changed never were humbled and emptied of themselves never truly repented and mourned for sin never were powerfully drawn unto and savingly closed with Jesus Christ that never were renewed in their minds and hearts transformed after the Image of God transplanted into the garden of the Lord and engrafted into the new stock such in whom all old things remain and are wholly carnal in the same state in which they were first born their persons will all be condemned by the Judge Iohn 3. 3. Matth. 13. 3. Rom. 8. 13. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Eph. 4. 22 23 24. 1 Cor. 15. 50. Matth. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 14. Luke 13. 3. Revel 21. 27. 2. Christ will condemn the sensual I mean such who are so far from denying themselves crucifying the flesh mortifying the deeds of the body taking up the cross walking in the narrow way of â—trict obedience striving to enter in at the strait gate which alone can bring unto eternal life and happiness and subjugating their thoughts wil affections unto the government of Christ and so living as if they were his servants indeed whose name they bear that they labour either to imprison or banish or hide themselves from the light of those truths which would reach them these things to bribe or muzzle conscience which would urge them yea to shake off the government of reason it self which would put a curb upon them and so give up themselves to licentiousness making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof with all greediness such who are so far degenerated and fallen from that primitive holiness which nature was endued with at the first creation that they have lost the relicts of Gods Image and blotted out the characters of his law engraven upon the hearts of all men and have made themselves like beasts yea more vile than the beasts that perish such are they that are sensual and luxurious and seek for their chiefest happiness in pleasing their sensual appetites such are drunkards and gluttons and adulterers who wallow in the mire of such sins who spend their daies in such pleasures and gather as much of them as they can finde without any regard to Gods Law which doth forbid them or to those higher sweeter pleasures which they are capable of and might obtain if they did seek after them in the way which God hath appointed All these which fulfil the desires of the flesh are children of wrath Ephes. 3. 3. and they which please themselves and live deliciously here will have torment and sorrow given them by Christ at his appearance Rev. 18. 7. Luke 6. 25. 3. Christ will condemn the earthly such who lay up for themselves treasures on earth and neglect the heavenly treasure Matth. 6. 19 20. who love the world and things in the world and have no true love to the Father who is the God of love and the chief good of mankind 1 Ioh. 2. 15. All covetous worldlings will be condemned by Jesus Christ for their heart Idolatry Eph. 5. 5 6. especially unjust and unrighteous persons oppressors and extortioners earth will be all the portion of such who make choice of it no room will be found for them in the Kingdom of heaven 1 Cor. 6. 10. 4. Christ will condemn the Devilish all such as are children of the devil as bear his Image and do his work that yield themselves to be his slaves and servants and endeavour the promotion of the interest of his Kingdom all such as are under the power of Devilish pride and Devilish envy and Devilish malice all Devilish lyars and Devilish slanderers and Devilish persecutors of Gods people In a word all such persons as live in a course of sin and never brake off the trade thereof by repentance and obtained a pardon of sin through faith and yielded up themselves unto the obedience of the Gospel will be condemned by Christ at his appearance Beloved examine your selves seriously hereby and what hath been before said whether you are not in the number of these persons whether none of you are carnal in a state of nature whether none of you are sensual or earthly whether none of you are children of the Devil whether none of you are Drunkards Adulterers Liars slanderers unjust unrighteous and withall impenient persons unbelievers and children of disobedience against whom the wrath of God will be revealed when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven to Judgment 2. For the awakening of sinners Will the Lord Jesus Christ certainly and quickly appear to judgment methinks this doctrine should awaken sleepy sinners and arouze them out of their carnal â—ecurity Doth conscience accuse you
concernment to repent because God will judge the World by Jesus Christ for sin and condemn you if you be found impenitent Sinners you have tasted the sweetness of sin in the Commission of it O labour to taste the bitterness of sin in your repentance for it your sins have been displeasing to the holy and jealous Godâ—et them be displeasing to your souls your sins have wounded the Lord Jesus Christ let them pierce your hearts the spirit of God hath been grieved and quenched by them be you grieved and troubled for them grieve for sin not only because of its consequential evil but also because of its incrinsecal evil not only because it is like to damn you but also because it hath so much defiled you not only because it is likely to sink you into Hell amongst Devils but also because it hath debased you and made you more vile than the Beasts that perish Sinners mourn for sin Be afflicted mourn and weep Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heavinesse Jam. 4. 9. Get your proud hearts humbled and your hard hearts broken for those sins whereby you have broken Gods Law get your hearts broken for sin and get your hearts broken from sin Break off your sins by Repentance Cast away all your transgressions like menstruâ—us cloathes saying get ye hence Isa. 30. 22. Let the wicked forsake his way the unrighteous man his thoughts turn to the Lord c. Isa. 55. 7. Thrust these Iuhabitants out of doors who have so long had possession suffer not to lodge any longer within you remember that they are Vipers which will poyson you that they are enemies which will wound and kill you Do not harbour sin any longer do not entertain it with smiles and a pleasing countenance but with teares and frownes Get your hearts set against sin labour for deep-rooted hatred of it and accordingly behave your selves towards it get the strong holds of sin demolished in your hearts get the rooms in which your lusts have scattered defilement washed with the teares of Repentance and the blood of Jesus Christ let Christ have his Throne where sin hath reigned let your thoughts and affections be brought into captivity and obedience unto Jesus Christ Keep the door of your hearts with all diligence least your old enemy enter again upon you Flee from sin as from a Cockatrice and if you be pursued manâ—ully resist resist even unto blood striving against sin never parley with sin hearken not to any tearms of composition Be not enticed unto sin by pleasing baits neither be affrighted to sin by frowns and threatnings Fight the good fight of Faith Turn by repentance from sin break off the course of sin and walk not in the way thereof and turn by repentance unto the Lord let the Biass of your hearts be turned unto him Deliver up your selves unto the obedience of his Law yield your selves unto God c. Rom. 6. This is Repentance And that you may repent of Sin 1. Examine your selves Christ will examine you at the last day and you must give an account unto him examine your selves and call your selves to an account that you may repent and prevent the future misery which will be the consequent of sin Finde out your sins that you may mourn and turn that which the eye seeth not the heart will not cannot be affected withal Consult the Register of your consciences turn over the leaves and read what is recorded in that Book open your hearts to the beams of the light of the Word and be ready to receive the convictions of the Spirit Find out your sins your original sin the defilement of your natures your actual sins your great Conscience-wounding sins find out your bosome-sins which your hearts are most nearly joined unto and are most loth to part withal finde out your Constitution-sins your Calling-sins the sins which bear the greatest sway and are most supported by the interest of the flesh and your hearts are ready to cloak and cover under the veil of excuses and plausible pleas Think how you will be able to answer for them at the great Day to the Heart-searching Judge Sinners finde out your sins otherwise your sins will finde you out and Christ will finde you out and Wrath will finde you out and then woe be unto you 2. Iudge and condemn your selves for your sins this is the way to escape the judgement of God 1 Cor. 11. 31. If you judge others you shall be judged Matth. 7. 1. but if you judge your selves you shall escape and therefore 3. Make confession of sin Spread the black Catalogue of your sins before the Lord come with ropes about your necks and tears in your eyes and sorrow in your hearts unto the Throne of Grace and fill your mouthes with humble acknowledgements of your sins rip up your hearts before the Lord open before him your soars stand noâ— in your own defence and justification but fall down prostrate at God's feet and confess what sinfull natures you have what vile hearts what wicked lives you have lead confesse how you have broken his Law and disobeyed his Gospel charge upon your selves the guilt of your particular and most heinous sins and do not extenuate but aggravate them with all the circumstances you can think of look upon your selves as cursed wretches whilest under the guilt of sin as miserable lost forlorne creatures whilest God is your enemy and his wrath abideth on you acknowledge your sins and the demerit of your sins that you have deserved not only temporal plagues but also eternal torments that you have forfeited all outward mercies and are unworthy of the least grace and favour much more unworthy of eternal life Lye very low before God â—ick the dust look upon your selves as Wormes as Toads yea as more vile and more full of poyson 4. If under the view of sin and confession thereof you finde your hearts hard and senslesse like rocks or Adamantine stones within your hearts yet be not discouraged the sense of hardnesse is some beginning of softnesse but do not rest in beginnings take pains with them to get them melted throughly to get them broken to pieces Read and consider and apply and urge at the Throne of Grace the gracious Promise Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh Be sensible of your own inability of your selves to repent of sin and perswaded thâ—â— it is Goâ—s grace remember it is free but withal that 〈◊〉 promised beg the influence of his Spirit upon your hearts to melâ— them beg the application of the blood of Christ to mollifie them the blood of the Goat only can break an Adamaâ—t stone and it is the blood of Christ the Scape-goat which alone can break the hard hearts of sinners If any be discouraged with the difficulty of Repentance that it is hard to obtain and a very grievous thing to
ravished with transporting joy which no heart now can conceive 5. Rejoyce believers rejoyce when Christ dâ—â— appear yee shall be judged by him yee shall not be condemned by him but yee shall be judged by him your advocate will be your judge Who shall then lay any thing to your charge God will then justify you who then shall condemn you Christ will acquit and absolve you You will openly be declared righteous on that day through the righteousness of Jesus Christ which here hath been imputed to you Christ will own you then for his redeemed people whom he hath purchased with his own blood then all your works of mercy will be made mention of all your services of Christ in the World will be had in remembrance all your graces will be taken notice of and the Lord will kindly accept of the improvement of the smallest talents which he hath intrusted you withall Well done good and faithfull Servants yee have been faithful in a few things enter into the joy of your Lord Matth. 25. 21. And if you have been persecuted for righteousness sake if you have been imprisoned banished reproached and greatly afflicted for Christs sake if you have left Father Mother Wife Children Houses Lands yea and have laid down your lives for the testimony of Jesus and that you might keep a good conscience think what entertainment the Lord Jesus will give to you at that time and O how will you rejoyce that the Lord should confer so great honour and dignity upon you as to call you forth and enable you to suffer for his name and think how sweetly the sentence which Christ shall pronounce upon you will sound in your eares Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World 6. Rejoyce Believers rejoyce when Christ doth appear he will reward you he will give you a crown of glory which fadeth not away he will not only judge and sentence you to inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but he will receive you into the Kingdome he will give you possession thereof he will carry you along with him unto glory he will lead you and bring you into the new Ierusalem he will show you the Father unto your full satisfaction and you shall behold his glory and share in it he will put you into those mansions which he hath prepared for you Then and never till then shall you be perfectly happy and the fore-thoughts of this is matter of exceeding great comfort especially if you consider these four properties of Heavens happiness 1. Believers consider the greatness of the happiness of Heaven it will be full and you will be filled therewith unto your utmost capacity yea beyond what here you are capable of consider these particulars in your happiness of Heaven 1. Think what bodies you will have they will be most beautiful and glorious bodies they will be most healthful strong and immortal bodies you will then bear the image of the Heavenly Adam in regard of your bodies as well as in regard of your souls Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though some of you have crooked and deformed bodies now what though some of you are blinde or lame or maimed or have your bodies filled with irksome pains and weakned with long sickness what though you live in expectation of death and these bodies whatever their mold and shape be must ere long be carried to the cold stinking grave and be turned into putrefaction yet rejoice you that are believers because your bodies will be made so glorious in the resurrection when all blemishes of nature will be healed and all sickness and pain will be removed because they will be raised in incorruption and freed from any more dominion of death for ever 2. Think what Souls you shall have you will be glorious without your bodies will shine but you will be far more glorious within your souls will shine much more then your souls shall be washed clean from all remainders of sin so that they shall not have the least spot or stain then you shall be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and arrive unto perfection of holiness then the feeds of grace will be grown up into the flowers of glory and O what a fragrant garden will your souls be when the rude draught as it were of Christ here in your hearts shall be finished and perfected by Gods Pensil and your spirits shall be made perfectly like unto your glorious Lord O how beautiful will they be in the eyes of God! Rejoice then believers rejoice it grieveth you when you look within you and perceive so much remaining defilement when you feel such strong opposition of the flesh against the spirit and you finde your selves sometimes foiled thereby your weaknesses and infirmities trouble you but rejoyce believers because in Heaven you will be perfectly freed from sin you will never be foiled nor defiled with it any more but you will be made perfectly holy and perfectly happy 3. Think what habitations ye shall have you shall have Mansions in the Fathers house Joh. 14. 2. A building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. your persons will be glorious and your habitations will be glorious Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though some of you live in poor and mean cottages then you shall live in the glorious Pallace of the King of Kings what though your houses have been burned with fire and some of you have not where to lay your head and none of you have a certain dwelling place which you can secure to your selves yet rejoyce because there are Mansions provided for you out of which it will be impossible for you to be burned or turned out for ever The City which is above hath foundations which cannot be over turned and the building of God which is not made with hands cannot be destroyed by hands neither is exposed to flames of fire which may demolish the fairest City in the world 4. Think what Company you shall have you shall have the presence of the Father you shall dwell with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God will dwell in you for ever you shall have the company of holy Angels and all the glorified Saints all your companions will be most lovely and glorious Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though wicked men separate you from their company and think you unworthy of their fellowship God will not think you unworthy of his fellowship nor separate you from his presence what though some of you are forced to dwell in Meseck and are linked in neer relations to some ungodly persons and are every day vexed with their ungodly conversation Rejoyce for in Heaven you will be freed from such company no wicked person will be permitted to come into that place 5. Think what Treasures you shall have you shall have Treasures which cannot be corrupted by moth nor stoln by thief your riches
them if you hid them by lies from men could you hide them from God who searched your heart did you shew kindness to any by your lies and did you not injure your selves a thousand fold more did you harm others by your lies so much as your selves Did you not know that the Devil was the father of lies and liars and were you so desirous to be like him were you so forward to do him service Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 13. Come forth all ye slanderers and backbiters who have walked about with slanders and carried about tales unto the reproach and injury of your neighbours good name Did you not know it was your duty to endeavour the preservation of your neighbours reputation as carefully as your own were you not commanded to speak evil of none could you sâ—â—tter others before their faces and alter your speech so much when their backs were turned did not your own self-contradicting words condemn you did you finde good in back-biting and speaking evil of others did you gain reputation by wounding others reputation or rather did not you give occasion to others to speak as reproachfully of you Did you not alienate affection and separate neer friends by your standers did you not know many things to be false which you spake to others disparagement could you with confidence have averred the same things to the persons themselves would not they easily have disproved you and put you to shame and if you were privy to some real faults of others should you not have concealed them if you had had real love would you not have covered them did you do as you would be done by had you not as great faults of your own and could you be content to have them blazed abroad you have accused others falsly and now you are accused truly and you shall be punished justly Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 14. Come forth all ye proud and ambitious persons you that have builded your nests on high that have taken many dirty steps to get into the seat of honour whose hearts have been lifted up with high touring imaginations and conceits of your own excellencies unto the scorning and contempt of others who have had proud hearts and proud looks and proud speeches and proud carriage towards others especially towards them that have been of meaner degree who have looked upon others after off and have disdained the converse and company of some of whom the world hath not been worthy Were you acquainted with no higher honour and dignity than the world could give unto you might you not have had seats in Heavenly places if you had looked after them and less after the other did you not know that the highest places on the earth were the most slippery places did you not foresee the turning of the wheel upon you did you not believe that God would cost down the mighty from their seats that the higher you were lifted up in dignity if your hearts were withall lifted up with pride the lower and greater would be your fall And was the favour and applause of men so desirable was it not an empty breath an inconstant wind If you had been ambitious should you not have been ambitious of the favour of the King of glory which would have been so beneficial and lasting And are You the persons that once were so proud and sornfull You proud had you such reason Proud when creatures depending creatures who had nothing but what was borrowed and received from God! proud when such mean creatures proud when fallen fallen into the dirt and so defiled proud when sinners sinners so vile so full of sores when you had such lothsome spirits when you had such leprous souls could you lift up the plumes when you had such black feet could you be proud when you had last Gods Image and were so like unto foul devils proud when such beggarly sinners cloathed in such filthy rags proud when such slaves and vassals to the vilest and basest Tyrants proud in chains and fetters of Sathan and lust You had reason indeed to be proud and scornful and to look so high and speak so big when you were so odious to God and such low mean-spirited miserable wretches who were drudging in mire and dirt and were led by the devil in chains like dogs towards the prison of Hell you had need scorn the company of my disciples as if dirty dunghil beggars should scorn the company of high-born noble Princes you were high in conceit but now you shall be debased and laid low indeed Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 15. Come forth all ye envious and malicious persons you that have grieved at the good of others which they have had or done that have grieved at the good estates of others and that they have thrived faster than you in the world that have grieved at the sweet and comfortable relations of others and that yours have not been like to them that have grieved at the beauty or strength of body the gifts and endowments of mind of others beyond what your seives have had that have grieved at the honour of others that they have been esteemed and preferred before your selves that have grieved because others have done more good and been more useful than your selves and hence have secretly and deeply hated them and born malice towards them in your minds and have entertained thoughts and desires of doing them some mischief and were glad when any mischief did befall them You you have been children of the Devil indeed and the likeness and lusts of your father you have had Was your eye evil because God was good did not God put the difference between them and you and should not you have been contened was not God good to you and had not you reason to be thankeful did not you put a stop to the current of Gods goodness by your envy did not you lose the comfort of the good things you had by this sin did not you hereby loose the benefit you might have had by the good things of others should not you have rejoyced in their good things if you had loved them indeed would not you have done it did not you rack and torment your selves by your envy had you been humble would you have been trumbled had your affections been set upon things above would this sin have so much prevailed had you been sincerely desirous to promote Gods glory would you have been so much concerned that your glory should be clouded when Gods glory was advanced though by others more than your selves were you not warned to lay aside all envy and malice if you would be Christians indeed if you had put your spirits under my government would not I have conquered by my Spirit their inordinate motions should not you have found sweetness and comfort in love if you had laboured after and lived in the exercise of this grace Did you not know that these were