the Parable of the Talents To provoke all to a faithful improving of all the gifts and graces committed to their trust by their great Lord and Master that when he comes again to call all his Servants to account we may receive the reward and enter into the joy of our Lord. For the third and last part concerning the eternal judgment a Subject of all other most necessary When there shall be a final determination of all mens estates for ever according to the Scriptures But not to prevent what is more copiously discoursed of by the Author himself in all these particulars in this Treatise For the manner of handling these Subjects I dare promise thee if thou beest one that hath any relish of the most important truths contained in the Holy Scriptures that thou wilt find a Savour running through the whole discourse as one that felt what he first spoke and afterwards committed unto writing for thy souls good and profit and indeed they are the fittest persons to treat of such Subjects as these are To conclude The Author hath no other designe and end of writing this but thy spiritual edification and advantage That thou maist prove a wise Virgin and so improve thy Talents that thou maist stand in the judgment Which is also the sincere and hearty desire of John Gosnold A Table of the Principal matters contained in this Book PRedictions of Christs certain and second coming calling upon Christians to be strict and constant in self-examination after their inward and Spiritual estate before it be too late from the consideration of their Lords near approach pag. 1. The explication of the ten Virgins and of the Kingdom of Heaven pag. 2 3 4. Signs of Christs near approach with distinguishing Marks of the right Virgins Shewing also how the Church on earth resembles the state of glory in four particulars pag. 5 6 7. That none goeth to meet Christ without the Lamp of profession nor Oyl without Lamps and yet there may be Lamps without Oyl pag. 8 9 10 11. Vast numbers of professors may wait for Christs coming in six particulars and yet deceive themselves pag. 12 13. How to know you are not of this number by six Marks pag. 13 14. A description betwixt wise and unwise Virgins in many particulars pag. 15 16 17. Use of Tryal in four particulars as evidences of the truth of Christianity pag. 24. In the marriage of a true Virgin to Christ are six blessed priviledges pag. 27 28 29 30. Who may comfortably hope for this day resolved in six particulars pag. 31 32 33. That a little before Christs second coming the sin of slumbering and sleeping will be very prevalent among professors with several signes of this dreadful state pag. 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47. Ten awakening considerations to prevent or rowse from this slumbring estate pag. 48. Christs second coming remarkable under five circumstances pag. 49 50 51. Seven remarkable passages relating to the two sorts of Virgins with the blessed advantage of the wise and dreadful disappointment of the foolish pag. 59 60 61 62 c. What it is to buy oyl and that a Market price is to be given for it pag. 80 81. Christ Jesus requires all that look for glory hereafter from him shall now make ready for him shewing also what it is to be ready pag. 85 86 c. The earnest petition of the foolish Virgins under five heads that Jesus would open the door for them yet fruitless because too late pag. 90 91. c. Reasons of Christs rejection of persons from glory at the last day pag. 97. Six marks to know when we savingly know Jesus Christ pag. 98. The great duty of watchfulness enjoyned from the certainty and suddenness of Christs approaching under five headâ— pag. 99 100. c. The Parable of the Talents explained pag. 109. c. Rules for a right improvement of our Talents to Gods glory and our own and others good pag. 128. 129. Great advantage attends the well improving Talents pag. 162 163 c. The plea of the slothful in hiding his Talent and the Lordâ— ill resentment of it and proceeding thereupon pag. 170 171 172. c. A description of usury what it is when biting pag. 184 185 186 187. Five marks to know a slothful person with eight arguments against the sin of slothfulness with account of Christs severe punishment inflcted upon such being attended with a double punishment pag. 191 192. c. What taking awâ—y the Talent meaneth and that the consequence is utter and a revokable darkness where shall be nothing but wailing and gnashing of teeth and that this taking away of the slothful Servants Talent takes place at Christs personal coming pag. 191 194 195. That Industry in spirituals shall produce abundance of increase pag. 204 205. That there will not be the least dram of favour in Christs face to slothful persons at the day of account pag. 206. Christ Jesus compared to a Shepherd his people to Sheep but the wicked to Wolves Lions Dogs pag. 208. The dreadful Sentence denounced against those on Christs left hand into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels pag. 229 230. c. Hell fire differs from all other fire in six circumstances pag. 241 242. Not only the profane but very many among professors will be cast into this torment for four reasons pag. 246. Torment certain and terrible easie to fall into it difficult to escape it and impossible without cutting off and plucking out a right hand or eye or foot pag. 246 247. That the pains and punishments of unbelievers is endless a worm that never dies a fire that never goes out pag. 249 250. c. Christs Kingdom will be upon earth four rules to help Christians to walk worthy of it pag. 241 242 243. Christs high estimation of such acts of Charity as are in singleness of heart shewed to his suffering members he takes them as done to himself pag. 246 247. God will reward men more or less proportionable to their work in the great day and yet the reward of grace not of debt pag. 253 254. Mercy Charity and Alms extended to Christs true Brethren here on earth is above all services acceptable to God and brings in great profit to persons at Christs appearance works of Charity above all other works being called good works proved by six Arguments pag. 255 256 257. Rules for the right distribution of our Charity in ten particulars pag. 258 259. As a spur to good works have an eye to Gods reward pag. 251 252. We must not measure Gods love to us by his outward dealings with us want may be good for them that fear God pag. 253 254. The truly gracious have a low esteem of their best performances to Christ in point of acceptance to salvation pag. 255 256 257. Two Emminent reasons why righteous persons have so low an esteem of their best duties of obedience pag. 258 259. Jesus Christ is
reject them with a Depart I know you not My dear and Christian Friends who are entred into the race and are aiming at the Crown so run that ye may obtain it is not every running will serve neither is it the best of running will serve if not persevered in to the end the Galatians did run well yet ceast too soon the very best of Professors had need to set these awakening considerations before their Eyes in this back sliding sleeping slumbring day wherein the best of Virgins if not fallen into a dead sleep yet they slumber they all slumbred and slept and let the consideration of the miscarrying of the former Churches awaken us in time What became of the seven Churches of Asia and the former Apostolical Churches is not their Glory laid in the dust long ago Now as formality without life and power was the very thing that prepared the Church of the Jews Gods circumcised Church for casting out of his presence as a dead Carcase so the same formality was the ruin of these first Churches as we may perceive For this is a certain truth that by how much the nearer any sort of Persons come to God in his worship and yet live not up to it it doth provoke God to the most severe proceedings against such as for example Nadab and Abihu Levit. 10. Ananias and Saphira Act. 5. and many more there is enough in this Chapter so awaken us to consider Persons so near to Christ having such boldness and confidence yet not known by him To consider what a close mixture here is between these persons all as it were of one Society of one Family Christs own Sevants of one Flock till Christ severs them Now our Lords great design in these Parables is upon pain of eternal miscarriage and disappointment to provoke industry and faithfulness in all Christs Talents and intrustments and that from a right root that we may plainly gather if we observe Therefore have a special care of sloth and negligence in Christs service that is greatly distasteful to him and consider my Friends that there is no one grace more acceptable to Christ and conducing more to future profit than Charity and Almes to the Poor those whom Christ hath intrusted with the Talent of this Worlds goods as Stewards he expects should as need require dispense them in his house see how Christ takes it in this Chapter ver 35. For I was an hungry and ye gave me meat thirsty and ye gave me drink naked and ye cloathed me Christ takes it as done to his own person and is pleased to found their blessedness upon that foundation if any omission in these near to Christ renders them Goats it is that they had not fed nor cloathed Christ in his Brethren or members If what I have said in my following labour may be a means but to awaken one Person to look to his or her standing and examine their State for eternity I shall be bound to bless God for his assistance in the work I cannot but say I did experience some quickning in my study of it the same I desire for you in the reading of it But I would not hold you too long in this Porch or Preface I shall refer you to the Book it self which I desire you to read with care and consideration I shall only leave Five or Six general rules as to the work of self-examination and provision First Have a special care you mistake not in the two great fundamental points of Repentance and Faith for there may be a counterfeit Repentance and Faith see they be true of the right kind Many miscarry upon this mistake thinking they have them when indeed they have them not Secondly Know this for a truth that where one miscarries through despair hundreds perish through presumption which is the State of those pointed at by Christ in these Parables Thirdly Improve present means and opportunity to get Oyl you see there is a time when it is too late Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven is Christs Counsel and to such seeking is a certain promise made see Prov. 2.8.17 Fourthly Have a special care of too much love to present things that is very dangerous if any man love the World the love of God cannot be in him this hinders Charity no sin so contrary to true Saintship a Saint is much in Heaven Philippians 3.20 Fifthly â—est not content with the measure of grace received but add to and labour to grow in grace Trade for Heaven it is Gods mind that besides getting into Christ we should grow in him to whom much is given of him much is required as we see in this Chapter and he that hath least must make it more one Talent must increase to another grace if true is communicative also to others Sixthly Study much the near approach of the day of reckoning it is not long at the longest before Christ will come to reckon with you set your accounts ready against that day that you may give your account so as that Christ may say Well done good and faithful Servant thou hast been faithful in a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things or as Luke Ruler over Ten Cities Now Reader if thou meetest with any thing strange in this exposition know this that my design is not to impose upon the Scriptures a sense not consonant to the currant of Scriptures or impose upon the judgment of any man I only humbly tender my Judgment in these things to the tryal of the unbyassed Reader Sam. Loveday To the READER THE Prophets have foretold that in the last days the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord and knowledge shall be increased And blessed be God we see these prophesies in great measure fulfilled though not to that degree and universal extent they shall be but the light is growing on more and more unto the perfect day Now among other ways and means whereby this knowledge hath been spread the writings of the Servants of God in all ages have greatly advanced and propagated the knowledge of the truth And they especially are to be commended who by their diligent and faithful labours have opened the Holy Scriptures unto us that by the light thereof we may see light Among the rest of the number of Gods faithful Servants that have imployed their Talents this way the Author of this Treatise is one according to the Subject he hath handled And though every word of God is pure and highly to be prized yet it must be confessed that some protions of Holy Scripture are more useful and profitable than others Such is the wisdom that God hath given to this Author in directing his heart to pitch upon one of the most seasonable Subjects for the day and age we live in The Parable of the Virgins What can be more necessary For the discovery of Hypocrisie in the foolish Virgins For the awakening of sleepy drowsy Christians in the wise Virgins So for
of encouragement to the common sort of men that they may do so and it is laid down for that end Joh. 16. I have overcome the World and herein Christ is but as the first-fruits The second Particular we are to speak unto is the Glory that Christ shall come in in that day Christ shall then have a â—â—stinct Glory of his own besideâ— the Father's Glory So Mat. 16.27 Mark 8.38 Christ is said to come in His and in his Father's Glory Now Jesus Christ must either be understood 1. of internal and essential Exod. 33. or 2dly external and visible shining Glory and Splend or brightly as the shining of the Sun glorious and visible This is called Glory 1 Cor. 15. One glory of the Sun another glory of the Moon This outward Splendidness in appearance Job calls his Glory Job 19. They have saith he stript me of my Glory This must be understood in God's words to Job chap. 40. Deck thy self with Glory and Beauty Visible Glory is sometimes attributed to Apparel as Isa 63. Who is this glorious in Apparel Now that Christ shall have such a visible splendor as to his garb is plain in Scripture see Dan. 10. Rev. 1. This Peter James and John saw in the Mount And this Glory of Christ is rendred distinct from his Power therefore he is said to come in Power and great Glory Mat. Mark Luke This Glory as his Robes is such a Glory as every one shall not be able to behold nay it will be a special favour to be admitted to behold this King in his Glory Isa 33. This may serve to inform us of the vast difference as to the Glory between Christ's first and second Coming In his first Coming he had no glory upon him it was prophesied Isa 53. that he should come without Beauty or form or comeliness then there was no outward glory or desirableness in him He came mean and poor every way as to the outward in his second Coming he shall be cloathed with Glory 2dly Consider that all this unexpressible Glory that Christ shall then be cloathed with is but the same that all Christ's true and faithful Servants shall be cloathed with also for Christ and they shall be glorified together Rom. 8.17 if we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together Col. 3.4 We shall appear with him in Glory Phil. 3. Our vile bodies shall be made like unto his glorious Body O what can be greater comfort and encouragement to Christians in bearing the image of Christ in his Sufferings and low estate than to think that you shall be gloâ—sied with him That though you have been amongst the Pots Ps 68. you shall be covered with yellow Gold See what St. John saith 1 John 3.2 We shall be like him we shall see him as he is And consider thâ—â— Christ's great design in his abasement was that he might bring many Sons unto Glory Heb. 2. Therefore Christians have cause sufficient to slight present meanness and sufferings Christians may say as St. Paul Rom. 8.18 I râ—ckon the sufferings of this present time c. Thus much for the second circumstance The Glory Christ shall come in The third Circumstance in this his Coming is His Attendance the Angels I had occasion to touch upon this before in the former verse when I shewed you that the Angels should be Christ's subordâ—â—ate Servants to execute his Will as to the slothful Servant Now have we the same more fully attested in this Consideration for from that and the other ends we here find Christ attended with Angels We have three Circumstances considerable as to them 1. The Certainty of their coming with him 2. Their Number 3. Their Nature 1. It is here fore-spoke by Christ as a certain truth that the Angels shall then come with him 2. That all the whole body and host of them 3. These Angels are exprest by their Nature Holy we have three Predications in Scripture of the Nature of Angels 1. They are said to be mighty 2 Thess 1.7 Mighty Angels 2dly said to be Elect 1 Tim. 5.21 3dly They are said to be holy Angels And it is an eminent qualification in Angels that they are Holy so called Mark 8.38 Luke 9.26 they are very holy and it must â—eeds be that Christ's attendâ—nts be holy these so near to Christ must be holy But some may object from Job 4.18 He chargeth his Angels with folly which in Scripture-language is as much as to say with sin I answer Some here understand this to be spoken of the bad Angels which fell they he might well charge with sin But this cannot be the meaning of it 2. Some understand the good Angels 3. But others think neither good nor bad as understood personally but with respect to the nature of Angels he chargeth the Angelical nature with sin because a Regiment of them fell But I think it may be understood comparatively compared with God who is holy in the abstract They are chargeable with fully because there is none holy as the Lord As there is none immortal as Him 1 Tim. 6.16 He only hath immortality so He only is holy So that it may be true that the Angels of themselves may be holy according to our Text and yet in comparison with God chargeable with folly Oh what a glorious and large Attendance shall Christ have when he comes What! all his Angels what a vast number then must he have come with him Ainsworth reads Psal 68. Twice ten thousand thousands of Angels v. 17. or double myriads or innumerable they cannot be numbred Heb. 12.22 innumerable company As Abraham's seed could not be numbred so neither can Christ's attendants those Angels be numbred Oh what an amazing sight will this be to Christ's enemies and what a rejoyâ—ing sight to Christ's true Spouse O who would not be interessed in Christ at that day and how unspeakably dreadful will it be at that day for Christ not to know you or be ashamed of you Mark 8.38 We now proceed to the fourth Circumstance considerable in the first Head relating to the Glory and splendor of Christ's second Coming which lyeth is the glorious Throne thus exprest Then shall he 〈◊〉 upon the Throne of his Glory it shall be a most Glorious Throne God's Throne is called a Glorioâ— Throne Jer. 14.21 So also is Christ's Throne called a Glorious Throne Mat. 19.28 when the Sâ—â— of man shall sit on the Throne of his Glory where we read that Christ as Son of Man according to our Text shall have a Glorious Throne Throne of Glory supposeth very high Glory as we may gather by considering it in opposition to the Throne of Inquity spoken of Psal 94.20 High ruling Iniquity is stiled a Throne of Iniquity So at this Sessions of Christ he shall be cloathed with Ruling Glory The Scripture speaks of three Thrones first that Throne which is in the highest Heavens or as we reade Eph. 4.10 far above all Heavens This is
but these are gone out up and doing these are gone to seek gone to meet 4. They are gone to meet Christ as a Bridegroom with some hope joy and expectation as they that have an interest in him Having thus opened the words I shall take notice of those observable Doctrines that flows from the words 1. That near to the second coming of Jesus Christ the Gospel of the kingdom is preached many shall take upon them professed friendship to him then shall there be ten Virgins even multitudes take up profession 2. The Church here on Earth doth or ought to bear a resemblance to the kingdom of Heaven to come 3. All that are waiting for Christ aright are or ought to be Virgins 4. Those only are wrightly waiting for Christ who are gone forth 5. They that go forth to meet Jesus Christ as they ought have Lamps with them 6. All those that are gone to meet and wait for Christ do go to meet him as a Bridegroom I shall give a brief hint to each of these 1. As to the great number of Professors that shall come in the latter days I have in the explication of this number ten shewed you that it is taken for a large indefinent number This was prophesied Esa 60.5 The abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee and the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee ver 8. They shall flock like Doves to the windows Christs house will be furnished with Guests Math. 22.10 Many are called Jesus Christ did foresee that the harvest would be very great Math. 9.37 But some may object was not this fulfilled in the beginning of the Gospel when there were 3000 converted at one Sermon of Peters Acts 2. I answ No First because those then converted were Jews but these prophesied of are Gentiles and Secondly this plentiful flowing in is contemporary with those signs and immediate fore-runners of Christs coming Ch. 24. Now that which shall occasion this large flowing in in that juncture of time may be these circumstances First From that great increase of light that shall break out in that Day which was prophesied of by the Prophet Daniel Chap. 12.4 Many shall run to and fro and knowledg shall be increased which doth refer to that time aâ— we may perceive by the Context We read also of an Angel coming down from Heaven by whose means the Earth is enlightned Rev. 18.1 the first fruit whereof we see in our days Secondly These may arise from the great noise of Christs second coming which shall be made more than formerly which shall awaken many and cause them to run forth The Doctrin of the latter days near Christs second coming will run much upon this Subject this was foreseen by Malachy Chap. 3 as we may also gather out of the Book of the Revelations Thirdly those dreadful and amazing dispensations of God that shall take place in the latter days when those signs spoken of Math. 24. Luk. 21. shall begin to come to pass this shall make all the Tribes of the Earth to mourn Math. 24.30 Luk. 21.25 26. Mens hearts failing at the sight hereof From hence we may be informed that we are upon the borders of the latter days we have not only seen some forerunners of Christs coming in other respects but we have in some part seen this also great numbers of persons have flowed in in these 20 years past much more than formerly So much for the first Doctrin The second is drawn from this appellation kingdom of Heaven Christ doth not inconsiderately but with good consideration so call it From whence I draw the second part That the Church of Christ here on Earth ought to bear a lively resemblance of the State of glory and that in four Circumstances 1. From their compactness the Church of Christ are imbodied together and compact we have this very word used Eph. 4.16 Speaking there of the Church saith it is compact as the Natural Body is so is this therefore called a City Ephe. 2. Fellow Citizens of the Saints so the glory to come called a City Heb. 11.1 ver 16. He hath prepared for them a City 1 Pet. 2.5 Buâ—â— up a spiritual house 2. The Church resembles the State of glory in that purity and holiness 〈◊〉 ought to be in it or members of it Plas 93.5 Holiness becometh thy house for ever the Church is as to holiness stiled Golden Candlesticks which answers to the State of Glory in which no unclean thing shall enter 3. The Church on Earth bears a meet resemblance to the State of Glory and may be called here by Christ the kingdom of Heaven because as Christ is King and Lawgiver in that kindom of Glory so Christ is King and Lawgiver to his Church James 4.12 One Lawgiver 4. As Christ will be resident in his kingdom with his Saints he shall then dwell amongst them Rev. 22.3 he â—abernacle of God is with men and he will dwell amongst them so in the Church the Lord hath promised to walk and dwell amongst them 2. Cor. 6.16 He walketh amongst the Churches under the name of Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. Thus the Church bears a resemblance with the Kingdom of Glory and the Church is the Porch or entrance into Glory according to Acts 2. last The Lord added to tâ—e Church daily such as should be saved This consideration well weighed may serve to provoke holiness in the Church of Christ both in Ministers and members it is prophesied as to the State of the Church to come Esa 63.21 the people shall be all righteous that we are sure will be a holy time a holy State and without holiness no man shall see God Heb. 12.14 You that are Church members labour after holiness if you arrive not at holiness here you shall never have it hereafter the truth of this Doctrin is confirmed by the third Doctrin which I shall only name 3. Doct. That all that truly wait for Christ are or ought to be Virgins I have already shewed you in the explication what is intended by Christ in this appellation they that the Scripture gives this appellation to or name of Virgins unto such as are holy Persons First as to a blameless holy conversation Secondly Such as are separate from false worship as I shewed you from Rev. 14.4 but I proceed to the fourth doctrin which is this 4. Doct. That all that truly wait for Christ are gone forth they are raised from their Bed of carnal security The Apostle writing to the Hebrew Church Chap. 13.13 doth emphatically call their sufferings for Christ going forth Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach The Spouse of Christ Cant. 3.1.2 While she seeks Christ upon her Bed found him not she must arise and go forth to seek her beloved whom her Soul loves this going forth supposeth a sequestration in a great measure from earthly injoyments and this the Prophet Joel calls for Joel 2 16. Let the
Answer No it appears to the contrary in Scripture because that God both immediately from himself and mediately by his Servants desireth the contrary see the Lords ardent and passionate desire as in Deut. 32.29 Oh that my people were wise so also in Psal 9.8 Vnderstand O ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise and this is Solomons wishes throughout the whole book of Proverbs all along The Second Vsâ— From hence we may learn that the Wisdom Faith Love Sincerity and Holiness of one will not serve another or do good to another though of the same Society these were of one Company yet the Oyl of the wise must not be imparted to the foolish Although as to outward deliverance as from outward Judgments those related as the family have received mercy upon their account as Noahs Family did yet not eternal good things received upon their account The Third Use Have a special care of hypocrisie it is a very dangerous evil it is a sin of the highest magnitude it is a sin that is very distasteful to God a sin that Christ pronounceth more woes against than against any sin see Mat. 23. as one calleth them they are the first born of the Devil and there is cause for it for an hypocrite is most dishonourable to God of all for he renders God as the Idol Gods that have eyes and see not ears and hear not they think he seeth not their hearts Christ seemeth to intimate that hypocrites are the first in Hell as in Mat. 24. last They shall have their portion with hypocrites The Fourth Use To the end thou maist be supplied with Oyl as the wise then make Christ thy store-house that is the way to have life and all spiritual supplies as in Gal. 2.20 The life that I live is by Faith in the Son of God without me saith Christ ye can do nothing as in John 15.4 that Soul whose life is hid with Christ in God shall have supplies when those that lay it up in themselves may be drawn away to go to the Creature for Oyl We see this Parable this invites such an answer as have Ne forte not so or not able We now proceed to the ninth Verse But the wise answered saying not so lest there be not enough for us and you But go ye rather to them that sell and buy for your selves We now come to the reply of the wise Virgins to the foolish Virgins request which reply of theirs seems to savour of harshness and uncharitableness in these three circumstances First Their positive denial of their request in this time of their need 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not so which word must be understood to arise from an impossibility or else from a negative resolution it cannot or we have no power or it shall not be or we have no will Secondly The reasons given seem to savour of the same Spirit in effect we must see our selves served first and we fear it will not serve to supply our selves and you too Thirdly Their uncharitableness seems to appear in their ironical sending them to buy at such a juncture of time when the Bridegroom was so near his approach it is the judgment of the Assembly that this is but an ironical or mocking direction like to Elijah's bidding Baal's Prophets cry aloud for their God was in a journey there are some that are of opinion that this was simple honest counsel but such an understanding cannot suit with the scope and season it was spoken in but I would not stand too exactly upon every word in a Parable but mind the scope I now proceed to the observations from this Verse First That frugality and seeming covetousness in spiritual things is a demonstration of true wisdom the wise answered not so not a drachm Second Doctrine The best wisest holiest of Saints have none of their stock of sincerity to spare they may well question whether there be enough for both Third Doctrine From the manner of their speaking by way of Irony and mocking from whence this Doctrine ariseth That one part of the punishmâ—nt of negligent and foolish Persons in spiritual things they shall be the Subjects of diâ—ision another day and as some would have it simple Counsel I note that true spiritual grace and wisdom is then rightly come at when it is bought not borrowed or begged go and buy for your selves as if they should say ours cost us dear it is not to be given away buy as we did A few words to each of these and so I proceed First That frugality and covetousness in spirituals is not only consistent with but a demonstration of true wisdom these are the words of the wise not so covetousness which is such a sin that God abhors that Person in whom it is as in Psal 10.3 yet in this case it is allowable 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly the best gifts though Jacob's dealing with his Brother Esau in an ordinary case would have been condemned as a piece of uncharitableness yet it is not blamed in that case as the blessing and birthright pointed at spirituals therein Esau only is blamed as a fornicatour and profane Person in Hebrews 1.2.16 We have liberty to buy the truth whatever it cost us but not to sell it whatever we may have for it Prov. 23.23 Though usury and taking increase in Scripture is greatly forbid yet usury upon a spiritual account is lawful and allowed as Math. 25.27 Thou ought to have put it out to the bank that I might have received mine own with usury the Church is exhorted Revel 3.11 To hold fast what she had that no man take her Crown the wise have held fast what they had they would not part with a drop Christ loves such covetous closefistedness such Usurers as will hold fast their integrity Job was of this sort I will not let it go as Job 13.13 and this must needs be a demonstration of true wisdom for it doth arise from a right understanding the worth of grace and sincerity Jacob understood the worth of a blessing and birthright but of Esau it is said he in parting with his birthright despised and slighted it see Gen. 25.34 he is counted a wise man in earthly things that holds fast his own But some may object Object But is it not said by David Psal 40.10 I have not had or concealed my righteousness in my heart I have declared and spread it abroad I answ This is to be understood as to the exercise of grace this is a duty which may be termed a trading with not a parting with the stock a well stockt Person is the only Person to do good to others he is the man that teacheth by experience I can tell you by experience how I came by what I have saith David I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul The declarations of experience of grace and sincerity is common to all it is communicable as light you cannot
use it your selves but others must have a benefit and David meaneth no more than this not to part with the principal The First Vse My counsel from this Doctrine is in two branches First The same that St. Paul gives 1 Cor. 12.31 Covet earnestly spiritual indowments The Second use When you have it hold it fast let none go to friend none for take the counsel to Philadelphia Rev. 3.11 Hold fast that thou hast let no man take thy Crown We now come to the Second Doctrine which was this that the best and wisest and Holiest of Saints have none of their stock to spare they have ground to question whether they themselves have enough if they should part with any We have in this Doctrine contained the reason of the former denial we will give you none because we have none to spare lest we expose our selves to want we have little enough for our selves and Charity begins at home we must see our selves served first that which Ezek. speaketh upon another account is certainly true here Ezek. 14.24 He shall only deliver himself by his own Righteousness though it were Noah Daniel and Job Ezek. 18.20 the Righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him and it is plain that when Christ comes the nearest acquaintance and relations can afford no relief therefore it is said Luk. 17.34 In that night there shall be two in one Bed one taken the other left Consider this you that think you can speed the better for your wife or Husbands sake because they are righteous the wife of the righteous Lot is not saved for Lots sake she is made an example she is turned into a pillar of Salt and if nearest acquaintance and relations would have done any good these might these were of one Society went out together to meet our Lord upon the most worthy design yet such of the company are received the other rejâ—cted bâ— Christ The First use from hence Oh then get Oyl of your own take the Counsel of the wise Virgins now buy for your selves whilst it is to be had take the Counsel of the Prophet Esa 55. from verse the I to the 7. Seeâ— the Lord while he may be found calâ— upon him while he is near in that proper season Buy Wine and Milk without money and without price The Second use of Exâ—ortation make what use you can of the wise and truly righteous at present for when Christ comes then they even the wisest of them can do you no good their righteousness now may be beneficial to you the lips of the righteous now feeds many but not â—hen I now come to the Third Circumstance in this Text the reply which I told you before is taken two ways First Ironically as most understand and the assembly of Divines so called so understand it some understand it is a simple proper Counsel but I shall speak unto it as it is ironically taken and from thence I laid down this proposition or Doctrine That one part of the punishment of negligent and foolish persons in spirituals is this They shall be the Subjects of derision as well as rejection God himself is said to mock when their fear cometh upon them Proverbs 1.25 which must refer to this day Object But some may say it seems not to be ironical because they took the counsel and went To which I answer So did Baal's Prophets take Elijah's Counsel when he mocked them and said Cry aloud your God is in a journey or talking they did as he bid them 2 King 18.28 This manner of speaking is usual in Scripture so Solomon speaks to the young man Eccl. 11.9 walk after the sight of thine eyes and desire of thine heart which cannot be taken for proper and simple Councel after this manner St. Paul speaks to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.11 Now ye are full now ye are rich ye reign as Kings without us when in good earnest it was nothing less from hence may arise a case of conscience whether ironical speeches may be used among Saints Answ First They may not be used meerly to please the flesh Secondly Such speaking must not be the fruit of hatred but pitty Thirdly The design must be to reduce foolish Persons out of their folly this kind of speaking the Lord himself seems to use to Adam Gen. 3.22 The Man is become as one of us it could not properly be understood But far be it from us to allow of a vain kind of mocking and scoffing to please the flesh as many use the wise here seems to upbraid the folly and negligence of the foolish you would not buy when you might have had it go now and see if you can get it the wise answer them according to their folly as Micaiah did Ahab Go up to Ramoth Giâ—lead and prosper when nothing less is meant to him than that Now we proceed to the use of this Doctrine First Vse Study the sadness of this punishment Can there be a greater aggravation to a poor afflicted disappointed Person than to be an object oâ— mocking and derision This is the state of the foolish Virgins in the last day this is prophesied oâ— in Psal 2.4 He that sitteth in heaven will laugh the Lord will have them in derision the same is threatned Prov. 1.26 But suppose we should take this for simple honest counsel Go and buy for your selves Then it affords us this observation That true saving grace and wisdom is then rightly come at when it is bought and purchased not begged or borrowed therefore Christ counsels the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold raiment and Eye-salve this is Solomons manner of speaking Prov. 23.23 Buy the the truth and wisdom and understanding and this is the Language of the Evangelical Prophet Esa 55.1 Come buy wine and milk we have this language twice used in that Parable Math. 13. the treasure and the pearl must be bought Reason But why is this language of Scripture so frequent First To set forth that sensible need that a soul rightly receiving Christ hath upon him Persons buy when they are sensible of their needs Persons will not usually purchase that which they see no need of if Laodicea in the forecited place could be brought off from her self conceitedness of being rich and could see her self poor blind and naked she might readily be brought to take Christ's counsel now this language of buying is made use of â—o accomodate that state Second Reason Because that such a Person that is a buyer is one that knows the worth of that which he goeth to buy so did the Merchant in the Parable that sold all to buy the Pearl he saw the excellency makes him buy Third Reason He is at a very great price for it it is said he sold all to buy the Pearl see Math. 13.44 46. Luk. 14.33 He that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple Paul judged all dung Phil. 3.9 in comparison of Christ These
is not enough that there is a match agreed on between Jesus Christ and thee that thou art sure but prepare for the Marriage A few motives to set home this Use First Consider the dreadful state of those Persons not ready not only in our Text but in Math. 22.23 Bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness for want of having the Wedding Garment on Secondly Consider that though many are called yet but few are chosen Math. 22.14 None chosen but such as are ready Thirdly Consider how well our Lord taketh it to be ready as appears by his Carriage to such Luk. 12.17 Fourthly Consider how reasonable a request it is to be ready when he is at all the cost Eph. 5.25 Rev. 19.7 Thus I have done with the tenth Verse The eleventh and twelfth Verses Afterwards came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us 12. ver But he answered and said Verily I say unto you I know you not In these two Verses we have wrapt up the perfect and total disappointment of the foolish Virgins We had the beginning of their misery in the former Verse which lay in this that the door was shut upon them that was a tacite or implicite rejection but here we have their positive and declared rejection and therein their irrecoverable disappointment they are wholly denied and rejected in their vehement solicitations for entrance In these two Verses we have contained two general parts First The foolish Virgins earnest petition and desire Secondly The Lords reply unto them But in our handling these two Verses I shall glance at these two parallel places Mat. 7. Luk. 13. because they seem to relate to the same time and are spoken to the same Persons or such like see Math. 7.22 They will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy name cast out Devils and done many wonderful works we have Christ's reply ver 23. And then will I profess I never knew them depart from me ye that work iniiniquity so Luk. 13.25 26 27. I tell you I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquity so in our Text Verily or Amen I know you not so that in taking in those Scriptures we have not only a petition to the Lord to open but many arguments urged to move the Lord for entrance but all in vain In the petition we have considerable First The matter of the request Secondly We have in this petition the manner of it considerable we have the ingemination or doubling of the word Lord Lord which ingemination hath these four Circumstances in it First Confidence Secondly Earnestness Thirdly Intimacy Fourthly Acknowledgment First Considence in opposition to bashfulness shame or silence it is a commanding authoritative speech Secondly It savours of earnestness and vehemency of speaking quickness of spirit in speaking willing to be quickly heard and taken notice of as when Christ so speaks to Martha Luk. 10.41 Martha Martha and so it is to be understood in that voice from heaven to Saul Act. 9. Saul Saul the Lord is earnest and would be heard Thirdly This kind of speaking implieth intimacy and acquaintance it is that kind of speaking which intimate friends use to each other Christ and Martha was familiar and to this purpose the rebuke given by Christ â—uk 6.46 And why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things I speak as if he should say you express intimacy and acquaintance but do not express obedience Fouthly It implies acknowledgment as if he should say thou art my Lord Math. 7. so understood shall say Lord Lord we own thee as our Lord thus it must be understood Rom. 8.16 we say Abba or Father by way of acknowledgment see John 20. My Lord my God so that we see the petition hath much in it Secondly if we take in the forenamed two Scriptures we find a material Plea with strong arguments We have five arguments used here with desire of opening and entrance First say they we have eaten and drunk in thy presence this eating and drinking in Christs presence is taken two ways First For eating personally with Christ when he was on earth as Judas and many more bad persons did Secondly By some it is taken for eating and drinking at his Table in the Church and this latter is most likely because Christ was ascended before this flocking in of the Virgins besides there are but few can plead the first Secondly Thou hast taught in our Streets that is we have been Sermon-hearers by hearing Christ may be under stood hearing his Ministers so St. Paul speass Eph. 4.20 If you have heard Christ and have been taught bâ— him which there can not be understood Christ in Person but his Ministers Thirdly They had not only heard but taught themselves if prophesying be preaching as many understand it to be from 1 Cor. 14. Fourthly They had cast out Devils possibly by fasting and prayer casting out Devils is not enough therefore Christ caurions his Disciples not to rejoyce in that Luk. 10.20 Nevertheless rejoyce not in this that the Devils are subject to you but rejoyce your names are written in heaven The Fifth argument these Virgins urge is that they had done many other mighty works Now all these allegations and Pleas we may suppose are true for our Lord never contradicts them as not being true and these are considerable arguments what not let in such so qualified and so related to Jesus Christ this seems strange to them they made no question but these arguments would have opened the door but instead thereof see our Lords sharp angry reply in two circumstances First His absolute positive rejection of them depart depart no admission notwithstanding all this And this rejection is built upon a double foundation First He knoweth them not which seems strange Secondly They were workers of iniquity and that is strange also considering what they pleaded here Now those Doctrines that I shall observe from the words thus explained shall respect not only this Text but those parallel places forenamed First Doctrine That Persons are naturally and strongly apt to lean bear and lay weight upon the external duties of obedience These several pleas are all outward not a word of any thing inward all ouâ—ward this was the Plea of the Jewish Church with God all along they leaned upon the Lord from that ground this was natural with the Pharisee Luk. 18. I fast twice a week The Second Doctrine The best of duties rested in are nauseous and abominable to God ye are workers of iniquity yet we read of no gross evils recorded of them This truth is very much confirmed in Scripture see Esa 1.13 14. My soul hateth your solemn meetings incense is abominable to me Esa 66.3 Their Sacrifices are like offering Swines blood cutting off a Dogs neck and such kind of Language The Third Doctrine That persons may be in the highest duties of obedience and yet workers of iniquity The
it may bring forth more Fruit. This I have toucht upon before Part. 5. Jesus Christ is pleased even to delight in an industrious improving Soul Jesus Christ is herein like a frugal man in the world he loves to see his tenants and Servants thrive under him The Spirit of Paul was the same that dwelt in Christ when he was glad and rejoiced in the Thessalonians increase in Spirituals 2 Thess 1.3 That their faith groweth and their charity aboundeth This is that which the Spirit of God takes notice of in the Church of Thiatira Rev. 2 Thy last works are more than thy first And from whence doth this arise in God and Christ not because our profiting is to his own profit no we can add nothing to his glory but the love of God to his creature is such that he would have us bring forth fruit that might abound to our own account admire the goodness and dear love of Christ to his Servants Part. 6. Faithfulness and industry are in Christ's account the same thing and sloathfulness and wickedness are the same He that improves his Talents doth bear the appellation of Good and Faithful Servant We are now upon the industrious Servant he had traded to advantage and he is Faithful Faithfulness is a proper qualification in a Servant that he be found faithful is required in a Steward 1 Cor. 4.2 that is that he makes a distribution to each according to their several needs Luke 12.42 He is a Faithful Steward that gives them meat in due season Use A sloathful Servant of Christ can never be reckoned faithful Sloathfulness is no such small sin as some take it to be there is a curse pronounced by God against a sloathful person Jer. 48. that doth the work or business of the Lord negligently A faithful Servant hath these three properties First He is diligent in his business in which he is intrusted Secondly he aims and designes his Masters profit in all he does Thirdly he stands up for his Masters Name and Credit in what he does A good and faithful Servant answers to all these Part. 7. Christ's usual way is to try his Servants with a little first All that he intrusts his Servants in this world though never so large intrustments are but small and few things in comparison of what they shall be trusted with hereafter there are true riches to commit to his faithful Servants Luke 16.10 11 12. The intrustments here are called the least things and he that is unfaithful in these least shall not be intrusted with much O then Consider that thy future intrustment depends upon thy present improvement of what thou hast committed to thee whether it be Wisdom Riches or any other Gift thou hast those Gifts only for a tryal and thou art now only in the Tryal thou must be tryed before thou be trusted more Part. 8. Is the Use of this Be assured that the well-improvement of a little shall certainly bring in abundance To him that hath shall be given he shall have abundance as we have it Mat. 25.29 we have a double shall to confirm the truth of this Part. 9. Jesus Christ rewards his faithful Servants with Rule and Government Be thou over ten Cities And that this is properly and really to be taken is plentifully proved from other Scriptures Dan. 7.27 The Kingdom under the whole Heavens shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high And in several other Scriptures But I shall meet with this more fully afterwards This reward is a very great reward in Christ's esteem sufficient to requite his Servants for all their saithfulness and industry Part. 10. The state will be a state of very great Joy called here the Master's Joy a state of unspeakable joy Sometimes this state of Joy comprehends all good as sorrow comprehends all evil See an eminent place to this purpose Isa 35.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting Joy upon their heads they shall obtain in and gladness and sorrow and sighings shall flee away This I have according to my promise only touched these ten Parts and so I have done with the 20 21 22 23. verses We now proceed to the 24th verse and it is altogether necessary that we do at once cast our eye upon these seven verses 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 at once because they all together make up the whole proceeding of Christ with the sloathful Servant 24. Then he which had received the one Talent came and said Lord I knew thee that thou art aâ— hard man reaping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strawed 25. And I was afraid and went and â—id thy Talent in the Earth lo there thou hast that is thine 26. His Lord answered and said unto him Thou wicked and sloathful Servant thou knowest that I reap where I sowed not and gathered where I strawed not 27. Thou oughtest therefore to have put thy money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury 28. Take therefore the Talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten Talents 29. For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath 30. And cast ye the unprofitable Servant into utter darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth That which remains to be handled as to the winding up of this second Parable is that remarkable passage relating to the sloathful and unprofitable Servant which was him who had received the one Talent a relation of whom we have contained in these â— verses the whole whereof divides it self into three Parts First the Servant's Answer Plea and Defence Secondly the Lord's ill-resentment and dissatisfaction thereat Thirdly his proceeding thereupon Now for order's Sake I shall speak to these heads distinctly and First the Servant's Answer Plea and Defence An Answer I call it because it must be implyed that his Lord in his reckoning with him propounds a double Question First What hast thou received Secondly What improvement hast thou made This first Part contains verse 24.25 in which verses we have his Confession and Concision with his Lord that he had received one Talent Secondly We have him as formerly acknowledging that he had made no improvement and he seems to six the foot and foundation of his non-improvement upon his Lord namely his Lord's austerity and severity the fence and knowledg whereof begat fear in him which fear disinabled him bound up his hands took away his heart hindred his industry and in short all the whole fault of his miscarrying in this affair is wholly laid upon his Lord even as our father Adam at first did Gen. 3. And all this evil is founded upon a mistake of the nature and Justice of his Lord as first he chargeth his Lord with hardness or austerity according to
do what they do in obedience to Christ with joy and gladness in consideration how gladly he shall reward them This Paul exhorts the Corinthians unto as to Almes 2 Cor. 9.7 not grudgingly for God loves a cheerful giver because he is so himself it is but our reasonable service Rom. 12.12 Part 4. That Christ loves and desires close Communion with his Righteous in that day as appears by this invitation Come he is not content to let them remain at a â—stance for we must understand this is oposed 〈◊〉 what he saith to the other Depart here it is Come or draw near This Come is seâ— as a loving invitaton so it was used by Jehu to Jehonadab 2 Kings 10.15 16. Come along often so used in the Book 〈◊〉 Canticles ch 4.8 Come with me So ch 5.1 2. 〈◊〉 Prov. 9.5 Come eat And according to this invitâ—tion it shall be 1 Thes 4. they shall be ever with the Lord. See again the unspeakable difference in God's preceedings with these two sorts of Persons Come Depart The Spouse of Christ can say as it is Cam. 7.10 I am my Beloved's and his desire is towards me or his face The Saints is comely the others is despised But a poor sâ—ul may say How may I now know that I shall then be invited into this Communion I answ Thou mayest in a great measure knowâ— at present How stands thy desires as to Communioâ— with Christ at present the true Spouse of Christ desires the kisses of his mouth at present besides 〈◊〉 Letters at a distance Canst thou say My Beloved iâ— mine and my desire is towards him Part 5. That the reward of the Saints is an Inheritance not their own purchase This is implied in that they are bâ—d to inherit In opening the words I shewed you that by an Inheritance is commonly understâ—od a Patrimony or a 〈◊〉 descending from Fathers to Children The Lâ—arned cell us that there is a critical difference between a Portion an Inheritance a Portion consisting of Goods and Chattels but an Inheritance is properly of Lands Now a man may come to possess an Inheritance two wayes 1st as it doth descend to him lineâ—lly as the rightful Heir 2dly by tree-gift as having it freely given or being adopted unto it made an Heir as many are in a proper sense In this latter sense it doth very well agree to and set forth the state of the Saints for they are freely made Sons and Heirs John 1.12 He gave priviledge to be called the Sons of God And so Rom. 8.17 And it is considerable that there was a time when we had no right to this Inheritance according to that 1 Cor. 6.9 The unrighteous shall not inherit and in such a caparity were you Eph. 2.12 straâ—gers from the Covenants and Promises And â—hat this Reward of the Saints is called an Inheritance 〈…〉 from these Scriptures Eph. 1. 1 Cor. 3.24 Heb. 9.15 1 Pet. 1.4 These Consideraâ—ions may inform us if the Reward is by Inheritance there is then thâ—se four Circumstanceâ— considerable in it 1. It is lâ—rge every small Legacy or Gift is not an Inheritance 2. It comes freely an Inheritance is free not the product of thy labour and pains it was the purchase of thy Ancestors therefore it is called the purchased Possession Eph. 1. 3. If an Inheritance then not subject to imbeziement it lies sure not like Goods and Chattels a man will strain hard before he will sell the Inheritance of his Fathers 4. If it be an Inheritance it is an honourable Portion a person that hath an Inheritance is esteemed above one that hath no Inheritance If thou art anâ— Heir to this Inheritance live like an Heir All God's Children are Heirs Live like an Heir to such an Inheritance and have a special care of those sins thâ— will disinherit thee There are ten sins laid dowâ— 1 Cor. 6.9 that every one of them will disinheâ— thee as these Fornication Idolatry Adultery Essâ—minate Abusers of themselves with Mankind I heâ—â— Covetousness Drunkenness Revelling Extortion 〈◊〉 of these lived in will disinherit thee or any person Part 6. The particular Reward of the Righteous from Chriâ—â— is a Crown and Kingdom Inherit the Kingdom 〈◊〉 the Kingdom possess the Kingdom In handling the part I shall speak a very brief word to these fiâ—â— Heads 1. Prove the Part. 2. Explain more particularly what this Kingdom is 3. Where it is 4. When it takes place 5. A brief word of Use 1. For proof hereof this was prophesied of from the beginning of the World Numb 23.24 Balaan prophesied of it so doth David and the Prophe Daniel But I have touched this in the Explication only I will mind some places in the New-Testament Jam. 1.12 Those that endure Temptations shall have a Crown of Life So chap 2.5 The Kingdom that God hath prepared for them that love him This is the Reward that is promised to the Elders that are faithful 1 Pet. 5.2 Tim. 4.8 called a Kingdom 2 Thess 1.5 that you may be accounted worthy of the Kingdom Luke 12.32 Heb. 12. We saith the Apostle receive a Kingdom that cannot be moved Luk. 22.30 This is a Truth that the Scriptures do abundantly make manifest 2. What a Kingdom is this I Answer When Kingdom in Scripture is spoken as it is taken for Rule and Dâ—â—â—â—ion or Sâ—veraignry Thus it must be understood of Saul 1 Sam. 14.47 of whom it is said He took the Kingdom that is â—e entred into the Rule So understood also 1 Sam. 18. and what can he have more but the Kingdom This was prophesied Psa 49. The Just shall have dominion So Psal 22. And this is plain in that Parallel-place with this Luke 19. from Christ's mouth Be thou Ruler over five or ten Cities So that here when Christ saith inherit the Kingdom he means take the Rule or Dominion 3. Where is this Kingdom This I have spoken unto before only a few words I answ This Kingdom shall be on Earth See one Text more Psal 45.16 Christ's Sons or Children shall be construted and appointed Princes in all the Earth as Ainsworth reads it Remember I have before given you two Scriptures which alone are sufficient Dan. 7.27 Rev. 5.10 oâ—e saith under the whole Heavens the other on the Earth 4. When doth this take place or its beginning I answ At and not before Christ's second Appearing And in managing this I shall comprehend the seventh Part which was this That they shall receive their Commission from Christ's immediate mouth This Part is exceeding clear if we will mind our Context comparing ver 31. with these verses When the Son of Man shall come and all his Angels with Him then this Kingdom commences and not before neither can it rationally be expected that they shall receive it before St. James saith they are tryed when they are tryed And thâ—s confirmed Dan. 7.21 28. They have made war with the Saints and prevailed until the Ancient of Dayes come and
through Sanctification of thâ— Spirit unto Obedience not without This applicatioâ— of Election is never applyed to any but as they appear called and the application of Election is by thâ— Scripture suspended where these due qualification are wanting as for example The person without thâ— Wedding-Garment is supposed by Christ one 〈◊〉 those not chosen or elected Math. 22. he was only come in upon the invitation not elected But against this it it objected from Rom. 9.11.12 in these verses in a parenthesis before the Children had done good or evil that the purpose of God according to Election may stand not of works but of him the Calleth To this I answer that this Text doth not at all relate unto this part before us and so it will easily appear if we consult the original place Gen. 25. First because this Text doth not refer to particular persons but nations Secondly neither doth this Text reâ—er to eternal but temporal good and evil Thirdly neither are either of the persons actually loved or hated till good or evil appears from them it was only said before the elder shall serve the younger Fourthly neither can the works here spoken of intend Gospel-Obedience but works of the Law as is plain vers 30 31 32. The Use that we may make from this Part to our selves is 1. From hence be instructed to measure your Election by your effectual Calling and Conversion Many are at a great loss in themselves about their Election and many have been upon the point of Desperation whilst they have been upon the question whether they were Elected or no. Are ye of those that the Kingdom is prepared for before the foundation of the World you may know it by this you are prepared also see Rom. 9.23 24. You are Vessels prepared unto Glory by Sanctification and Friendship to Christ 2. Would you be making your Calling and Election sure and certain then the way to effect it is to grow in grace according to what St. Peter calls for 2 Pet. 1.10 Add to your Faith Vertue c. Those that experience increases of Grace and answer to every Duty called for by Christ in them and from them as here in our Context may read their state to be sure and certain and such are those for whom the Kingdom is prepared before the foundation of the World So much for the first Part. Part 2. That the Lord Jesus in his dealings and distributionâ— to all sorts of Men doth not proceed according to his Royal Prerogative though in his highest Royalty and Glory but according to undeniable reason Jesus Christ renders a reason of his proceedings on both sides And this way of proceeding is God's way from the beginning of the World When God will save Noah and drown all the World he gives his reason on both sides Gen. 7.1 For thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation and for the rest he gives this reason for the imaginations of their heart were only evil and that continually So in that eminent differing dispensation to the Rigteous and wicked Isa 3.10 God gives the reason For they shall eat the fruit of their doings for there ward of their hand shall be given unto them Aâ— so in all Cases God is very ready to render a realoâ— of his Dispensations to Men therefore he inviâ—â— them to reason with him God is not Arbitrary iâ—â— his proceedings with Men but upon equal and â—â—tional grounds And were not this the manner 〈◊〉 Gods proceedings how should every mouth be stopped as they shall be in the great day 1. I know many will plead the Soveraign Power of God in this place from Rom. 9.21 Haâ—â— not the Potter power over the Clay For answer to which I say The great design oâ— the Apostle is to set forth the sole power that God hath being the free Donor of Salvation here 〈◊〉 make choice of what terms or conditions he pleaseth in order to the way of saving men whether by the deeds of the Law or Faith in Christ and he hath absolutely rejected that way of the Law and made choice of Faith in Christ as the terms of Salvation as is plain Rom. 3.4 By the same lump the posterity of Adam Yet however the making these Vessels different is not only the bare Will of God but upon terms See the original place Jer. 18.10 11. 2 Tim. 2.21 The consideration of this part may administer great satisfaction to poor souls they have a very righteous God to deâ—l with who will judge righteous judgment not according to his Prerogative but according to the works of each Person which leads us to the Part which was this That God in his distributions to men in Judgment hath a special eye to mans work respectively Come ye blessed of my Father for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat c. I shall be veâ—y brief as to this Part because it doth border upon â—he former And besides this Truth is so apparent that the very current of Scriptures contribute to the proof of iâ— We have a cloud of witnesses as to this Part the recompence from God to Men is proportioned to their works whether good or evil This Rule was stated by God at the first in the dayes of Cain and Abel when we read of but two men in the World Gen. 4.7 If thou dost well thou shalt be accepted if evil sin or punishment lyeth at the door This Rule God proceeds by to Abraham Gen. 22. For because thou hast done this thing therefore will I bless thee If any one question the truth of this Part let them read these Scriptures Psal 62.12 Isa 3.10 Rev. 17.10 Prov. 24.12 Ezek. 18.33 Matth. 16.27 Rom. 2.6 2 Cor. 5.10 1 Pet. 1.17 Rev 2.23 Chap. 20.13 Chap. 22.12 and by the taking in these Scriptures I hope you will easily be satisfied of the truth of this Part. Yet some will be ready to Object That if God rewards men according to their works and men have only what they work for where then is Grace St. Paul saith We are saved by Grace not by Works I Answer We must distinguish between Legal and Evangelical works therefore St. Paul tells us it is through Faith the work of Faith is not excluded in part of salvation 2ly The way propounded in which we are saved is of Grace we thought not of it 3ly We are saved by Grace if we consider the vast disproportion between the wages and work all our Obedience is nothing compared with the Reward Though God rewardeth every man according to his works that is in kind good for good yet not quantity all we do is not to be compared withâ— recompence of reward the Saints are by Christ 〈◊〉 counted worthy of the Kingdom for which they 〈◊〉 suffer 2 Thes 1.5 4thly Salvation is free and of Grace because 〈◊〉 the strength by which we act is from himself 〈◊〉 may say of all we do in order to salvation as Daâ—â— saith of the
people 1 Cor. 29.14 All things 〈◊〉 of thee and of thine own have we given thee And whereas many are apt to Judg that this Paâ— doth incourage man to trust to his own righteouness I Answer That our own righteousness must suâ—pose a righteousness without faith or distinct 〈◊〉 faith and that trusted in without an eye to Christ and his righteousness but know this that there in righteousness called the Righteousness of Saints and this Righteousness of Saints upon true and right beses hath an honourable esteem with Christ Rev. 19.8 the white linnen is the righteousness of Saints and John saith he that doth righteousness is righteous â— he is righteous Now because this part seems to border upon the former I shall leave but a brief word of application unto it and that is this That God 〈◊〉 no respecter of persons according to Acts 19.35 that is a certain truth which we ought to receive Now herein doth God clear himself from respect of persons in that he doth dispense to each person according to his works Part. 2. From hence we may take great incouragement to righteousness and holiness Study what St. Paul speaks 1 Cor. 15.58 Your labour is not is vain in the Lord. Part. 3. The Consideration of this part may be 〈◊〉 means to caution persons against sin because thou shalt be certain to receive according to thy works Part. 4. And the main is drawn from the reason â—here given by Christ which doth center in Charity the Part was this That Mercy Charity and Almes extended to Christs true brethren whilst here on earth is above all services acceptable to God and brings in greatest profit to a person at Christs appearance these services of Charity are superintendent above all other services whatsoever in Christians This part is sounded upon 3 Circumstances in this Text First we have the gracâ— of Charity only made mention of by Christ at this day therefore it must needs be mighty acceptable to him Secondly we have Christs favourable aspect and amicable Countenance on these thereupon Thirdly The Kingdom is received upon this very ground Almes and Charity Distribution to the poor is compared to Sowing 2 Cor. 9. which doth naturally produce increase it is a casting seed into the earth or as Solomon upon the waters In handling this part I shall speak to these five heads a few words First prove the Point in both parts the acceptance to God and profit to our selves Secondly shew the nature and root of our Alms and Charity in order to this end Thirdly offer some Scripture-Reasons why it is so Fourthly speak something to the Subjects of our Charity Fifthly make some use of the whole 1. That Charity is so acceptable to God when rightly performed See James 28. this is Called pure religion and undefiled before God or in his right this is pure Religion or the highest Reâ—â—gion 2. This is Called good Works Works of Chaâ—â— above all works are Called good Works they most 〈◊〉 all resemble God who is good to all That they aâ—â— called good works see Acts 9.16 spoken of Dorcâ— who the text saith was full of good works 1 Timâ— But which becomes women professing Godliness 〈◊〉 good works Heb. 13. But to do good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is 〈◊〉 pleased 3. The person found in the services is in Scripture called a good person Psal 112. a good man he 〈◊〉 called that is found in it 4. This service is very acceptable from those impâ—tations put upon it see Luke 11.41 But rather give almes of such things as you have and behold all thing are clean unto you It appears to be of a cleaning nature Moreover it bespeaks God to be his friend it is a pregnant place which we have Luke 16.9 Maks to your selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness it makes God thy friend after death if it be performed from a right root 5 It appears to be acceptable in that the Lord bears those works in mind Heb. 6. God is not forgetful of your work and labour of Love shewed to his name is that you have ministred to the Saints and do Minister 6. These services appear to be an acceptable service to God because he doth declare that he loves a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9. It is said of Cornelius that his prayers and his almes were come up in remembrance before God Acts 10. We have an eminent place Phil. 4.18 but I have all abound and I am full having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well pleasing to God 2ly Charity is not only pleasing to God but it is profitable to our selves 1. Here 2. Hereafter at Christ's coming 1. It is profitable here many Mercies are promised here See the singular favour shewed from God to Abimelech Jer. 39.17 18. foreshewing favour to Jeremiah when he was in the Dungeon he shall be delivered in the day of God's judgments for that reason So we have it Psal 41. He that remembreth the poor shall have many Mercies in this life preservation in sickness and deliverance from death strengthning upon the bed of languishing God will make all his bed in his sickness If these be the Qualifications God will not deliver him to the will of his enemies Oh the many merciful Promises a charitable person is under at present therefore saith Solomon Eccl. 11.2 Give a portion to seven and to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be in the Earth that is to say that so thou mayest have mercy in an evil day See what a special present priviledg belongs to such Psal 112. Such a one shall not be afraid of evil tidings these Mercies he shall receive from God as tokens of his acceptance he shall procure the love and esteem of Men at present Oh how is a charitable person in the affections of persons the Apostle saith Rom. 5. That for a good man some would even dare to dye that is a charitable man he is so in the affections of men These are Priviledges here But 2ly Hereafter it is profitable according to our Text there is a profit Eccles 11.1 After many dayes thou shalt find it that is afteâ— this life these in the Text and Parable after many dayes shall find Psal 112. Such a one as hath dispersed to the poor his righteousness endures for ever Matth. 6. God shall reward him openly Luke 12.33 Sell the you have and give Alms provide your selves Baggâ— which wax not old Treasures in Heaven that 〈◊〉 not where no thief approacheth nor moth corrupteth 2. Cor. 9.6 But this I say he which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 1 Tim. 6.17 18 19. charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy that they do good that
vagabonds and beg let them seek their bread There are some poor whom God is specially concerned to take care of these are the poor we have in our text Psal 34. this poor man cryed There is a Congregation of poor who may be stiled Gods poor Psal 74. I might urge the state of our Lord Christ who was poor for our sakes 2 Cor. 8. he had no habitation many times he was hungry and thirsty Obj. but why doth God expose his dear servants to such a state Answer from a three-fold ground First with respect to themselves Secondly with respect to himself Thirdly with respect to his brethren 1st As to themselves 1. God doth it to humble them who many times are not able to bear the contrary This is the reason that God renders Deut. 8 he suffered them to hunger and thirst in the wilderness to humble them to prove them 2. To teach Israel to live by Faith therefore they must have but from hand to mouth their daily bread to make them know that man shall not live by bread alone buâ— by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God 3. To make them relish future mercy the land flowing with Milk and Honey that he might do them good in their latter end vers 16. Heavenly things are sweet to a poor hungry Soul rightly qualified 2ly God doth this to try those that are rich whether they will do their duty they were born for such a day Psal 17.17 a brother is born for adversity by this way God tryes their love and sincerity to Christ see these texts 2 Cor 8.9 chap. 9.13 Phil. 4. Not saith St. Paul that I desire a gift but fruit that might abound upon your account Thus we from good reasons known to God know Gods people are such as may be very acceptable to him and yet may be very poor as to outwards Object But it is not said Psal 34. The Lyons shall suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord shall want no good thing From hence we may gather that hunger shall not be the state of those that fear God Ans 1. All that is promised in that place is that they shall want no good thing but sometimes hunger is good for them that fear God as you have seen from Deut 8. this Part may teach us not to measure Gods special love by his dealing to thee in outwards one that God is angry with may flourish in this World whilst one whom he dearly loves may want bread Doth not Solomon say Eccles 9.2 that all things come a like to all yet how often are persons apt to measure the favour of God by these his dealings Secondly This may help to bear up the hearts of righteous persons be not discouraged under poverty and a low estate study that word James 2.5 God hath chosen the poor of this World rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdom Study the state of Jesus Christ himself he was often hungry though the Son of God Thirdly If thy estate in the world be low Consider there is a special duty lyeth upon thee in thâ—â— Condition to live by Faith and to be content God took it very ill of Israel when he brought them into a low estate in the wilderness and they did not believe but murmured against him Learn that lesson that St. Paul learnt Phil. 4. in all estates to be content To the end I might dispatch this paragraph according to promise with brevity I shall only touch two Parts more and so conclude the one respects the disclaiming of the righteous to Christs reasons rendred the other respects the reply of our Lord to take it off by way of explanation wherein we have a worthy Part though but implyed supposing the relation that these stand in to Christ his brethren The 2 parts are these First That it is the nature of a truly righteous person in Christ's account to have a mean and low esteem of their best performances for acceptance with Christ and Salvation The Second part is this That true believers in Christ Jesus though poor and despicable in the World yet stand related to Christ and his brethren 1. A righteous person is ready to disclaim his own righteousness for Salvation In handling this Part I shall 1. Indeavour to Confirm the truth of this part from Scripture 2. answer an objection founded on some seeming Contrary Scriptures 3. give two considerable reasons 4. make some Improvement as to the truth of it There is a vast difference between a righteous and a wicked man in this respect a Saul will justifie his disobedience 1 Sam. 15.20 but a righteous Job will not justifie his righteousness it must be forced upon him as here our Lord draws the emblem of a righteous and naked person to the life Luke 18. under the name of a Pharisee and a Publican the Pharisee thinks himself righteous and doth pertinaciously plead it I fast twice in the week I pay tithes of all that I possess he boasts of his righteousness but the Publican seeth nothing in himself worthy taking notice of See what frame of Spirit David is in 2 Sam. 7. What am I or my Fathers house 2 Chron. 29.14 he sees nothing in himself So Job is full to this purpose who is a man Justified by God to be one perfect or upright one that feared God and escheweth evil yet he can see no such thing Job 9.15 whom if I were righteous I would not answer Job 40.4 behold I am vile yet a perfect man in Gods esteem a very charitable man chap. 29. in his own understanding when he was to deal with man So Daniel a man greatly beloved of God Chap. 9. We present not our suplications in our own name And this lesson Christ teacheth Luke 17. say when ye have done all we are unprofitable Servants But it is objected Do we not find three eminent Servants of God pleading their own righteousness Nehemiah David Hezekiah Nehem. 13.14 Remember my good deeds Psal God rewarded me according to my righteousness and the cleanness of my hands Hezekiah Isa 38.3 Remember how I have walked before thee with a perfect heart done that which is right in thy sight doth not these speeches savour of another Spirit thus Job 9.20 If I should justifie my self my own mouth would condemn me then if I should say I were perfect it would prove me perverse See what David saith Psal 130.3 If thou shouldest mark iniquity who can stand Psal 143.2 In thy sight shall no flesh be justified Now how shall we reconcile these two sorts of Scriptures Answ To reconcile which we must diligently consider the different acceptation of righteousness in Scripture 1. A Righteousness as to Actions 2. A Righteousness as to Persons and this considered under a two-fold opposition 1. There is Righteousness in opposition to Wickedness 2ly Righteousness in opposition to imperfection and in that abstracted sense there is none righteous no not one Rom. 3.10 no man righteous
we can find but want of Charity acts of goodness and love to Christ they had been wanting in relieving Christ in his poor members not a word of swearing Whoring Murdering and debauchery Thirdly This should put all persons upon a serious and cordial examination of their state how it will be at this day with them You may find now how it will be then Fourthly Labour to bless own and love Christ in his poor members be beneficent to them you see the contrary is that which provokes Christ to this detestation of these Christ loves a cheerful giver and abhors a closefisted professor So much for the third Doctrine we now proceed to the fourth Doctrine which was this 4 Doct. That the second and positive part of the punishment of reprobates consists in real materiâ— and most exquisite misery and torment extensive to Soul and body by fire This Doctrine is the very product of our Text. In handling this Doctrine I shall prove the truth of it from other Scriptures that fire is the punishment of barren professors See Mat. 3.12 He shall throughly purge his flowr and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fireâ— From which Scripture I note these things First That Jesus Christ in his proceedings with his own people acts as a Husbandman who is gathering in his wheat with which he must needs bring in chaff also Secondly There is a necessity of threshing fanning or winnowing this his wheat in order to segregating the chaff which is here called the purging his flowr Thirdly We have a choice discovery of singular esteem for the wheat by gathering it into his garner a place for clean grain Fourthly We have contained his total and absolute rejection of the chaff They are executed under the name of chaff and that by sire That by the chaff are intended ungodly and reprobates is plain from Psal 1. Fire is the threatned punishment of the rash angry Brother spoken of Mat. 5.22 He shall be in danger of Hell fire gehenna torment This is the punishment of the Tares Mat. 13.42 They are bound in bundles and cast into a Furnace of fire This is the punishment of the bad fish gathered in the net see ver 58. They are cast into a Fornace of fire this is the punishment of him that doth not cut off his offending hand and foot Mat 18. Hell fire this is the punishment of them that worship the beast Rev. 14. Cast into a lake of fire this is the punishment of all those whose names are not in the book of life Rev. 20.15 It is true it is a question amongst some of our modern Writers whether by fire in these places is to be understood material sire but the generality are of opinion that it is to be understood material and should we depart from the literal fence and grant it to be immaterial fire it will be dangerous for it is a rule in Divinity That we are not to depart from the letter unless we be forced to it to preserve other Scriptures from violence Now I know no Scripture can be wronged by taking these Scriptures in the literal fence Secondly If we should give way to question the materiality and reality of the torments of Reprobates it will make way to question the reality of the reward of the righteous which we would believe to be real Thirdly That it is material fire we have the earnest of it in the punishment of Sodom which fire proceeded from God and was a punishment representing this we are speaking of Fourthly If this fire was immaterial or allegorical the Scripture in some place or other would have told us so as in some other cases Gal. 3. Yet we grant that this fire doth considerably differ from our ordinary fires in six circumstances First As to the unexpressible and vehement extream heat of it as one well observes If all the fire in the World were contracted in one and all the combustible matter in the World brought to it to feed it yet all this fire is but as a fire painted upon the Wall in comparison of Hell fire Therefore it is called a Fire of Brimstone a River of Brimstone Esa 30.33 Rev. 14.20 Now we know that that sort of fire made of Brimstone is of all fires most scorching and tormenting if two or three drops fall upon our flesh how will it torture it Secondly It differs from our fires as this Hell fire is made by God himself prepared compounded and ordained by God Esa 30.33 God hath been much exercised in his wisdom and counsel in contriving this fire that it might torment and his wrath blows it up and continues it Thirdly In our fires there is light as well as heat but this though it be fire yet here is no light at all but utter darkness whilst consuming fire We have it often called utter darkness Jude calls it chains of darkness and blackness of darkness Aegyptian darkness that may be felt their portion is darkness whereas the Saints portion is light Fourthly Our fires only consume or torment the bodies not touch the Soul whereas this fire taketh hold of both body and Soul as our Lord teacheth Mat. 10.28 Fear not them that kill only the body but I warn you whom you shall fear fear him that can kill Soul and Body in Hell that is after the resurrection can torment the body and mind also The reprobate in Hell hath his mind as full of torment as his body and there is reason it should be so and that they should suffer together because they sinned together for a wicked and ungenerate person sins with delight of mind as well as body We read a pretty parable of an Hebrew Doctor to this purpose There was a certain man planted an Orchard and being to take a Journey appointed certain watchmen to look unto it and preserve it from robbing by others or wronging from themselves and accordingly he appointed one man strong limbed but blind and another man that could see but was a Cripple And in his absence the blind man and the Cripple agree together the blind to carry the lame and so they robbed the Orchard When the Master understood the agreed deceit he severely punished them both together The whole is but a Parable the moral is this The body cannot act without the mind nor the mind without the body therefore they are joynt in sin and joynt in punishment Fifthly Our fires consume or annihilate all that come into them they reduce all into its own nature turn flesh into ashes but this doth not so here is not an annihilation But I shall have occasion to speak to that afterwards Sixthly This is called unquenchable fire Mat. 3. It is noted by the Learned that a river of Brimstone cannot be quenched That there is such certain punishment for the reprobate we have the general consent of the most approved Authors both ancient and modern Zanchy Austin Lambert Aquinas Gregory and many others Secondly The name of Hell
or Tophet in it self carries in the name of it torment it was drawn from the torture that the Idolatrous Jews put their Children upon They made a hollow Idol of Brass with his arms open in whose arms they put their Children when their Idol was red hot from the fire within hereupon there was great scrieching with the Children and they used to beat Drums and found Trumpets to drown the noise with This place partly from the Image and the torment is called Tophet and the punishment of the damned is in the forenamed place called Tophet Esa 30.33 That there is real torment to come for the wicked we have the testimony of the Devil who believes and fears it Mat. 8.29 Art thou come to torment us before the time the Devils believe and tremble at the thoughts of these torments So do the consciences of wicked men who have felt the earnest of it Before they went hence they have witnessed with a witness this torment We have a threefold testimony to this truth in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus the scope of which is to set forth the dreadful inexpressible torment of wicked uncharitable persons hereafter We have the testimony of Abraham we have the testimony of Dives himself we have the testimony of Christ in this case who makes this Parable Heathens have been convinced of the truth of this by the improvement of Nature We read of one who coming to visit Olympas finding him closed up in a dark Cell which by reason of heat and swarms of Gnats and stinging Flies vvas uninhabitable he being asked why he confined himself to such an afflictive place he makes answer This is a small matter of punishment if he could avoid the torment of Hell fire the stinging of Gnats is nothing to the stinging of conscience Many Heathens have been satisfied that there is bliss and torment after death But it might have seemed strange some Ages since to have spent any time to assert the truth of this real torment for wicked men after Judgment yet the unhappiness of our Age is such that there are many whose endeavours have been either to overthrow the Scriptures altogether or else to corrupt them from their simplicity in all things and in this also That the Judgment and torments of men is in their consciences here that there is no resurrection no future state all is here But I may say of such as St. Paul saith of those who did in his time deny the resurrection or say it was past as these do let them deny as much as they can yet it will not turn it aside the foundation of God stands sure there will be a resurrection and eternal Judgment to their cost who so say First From this Doctrine we may perceive the cursed nature of sin Oh what an antipathy is in the nature of God against sin See his severity against the first sin that ever was committed Gen. 3. In Paradise God curses the Serpent the woman and the man And in the end see in our Text the severity of Christ in this unspeakable torment And one thing I would beseech all our Allegorizers upon Hell torments seriously to weigh and that is the reality of Gods first punishment was it not literally as God speaks ask the Woman and she will tell you it is true in the letter of it that she brings forth in pain and do not all men really go to the dust in a literal sence for it why then should it be strange as to the time to come that Gods threatnings to the reprobate should be as really and literally performed as those in the beginning That God means as he speaks in promises precepts and threatnings may be seen in several cases the threatning of the old World the making the Ark the Bow in the Clouds which last may fully satisfie us we see with our eyes that what God said is so fulfilled there is a Bow in the Clouds Therefore have a special care of corrupting the word of God as to the precepts promises or threatnings There is no ground but Gods present silence and defer'd execution that occasions this thought This is prophesied of by God Psal 50. Because I kept silence but I will set thy sins in order God reckons all sinners to be his adversaries and he will have a time to avenge himself of his adversaries Psal 7.11 Secondly Consider what ground of lamentation with great admiration that the greatest number of persons are posting to this place of torment yet not sensible of it nor considering whither they are going there is but a thread between most men and this eternal torment And this is not only the state of the ignorant and prophane debauched world that never profest acquaintance with Christ but the greatest part of Professors also but few of them walk as a people travelling toward the right hand It is a certain truth if I understand any thing of the mind of God in Scripture that there are but a few of strict Professors in outward appearance will escape this torment And how comes this to pass First Few believe the reality of what is here said Secondly Though they do believe it yet they put the evil day far away from them they think they may yet live long and have time to prepare to prevent it though we have not one hour of time that we can call our own Thirdly Others trust to the grace mercy and tenderness of God as if they could have mercy and pardon from him when they will with a word speaking upon a dying Bed not considering that Syllable in his name Exod. 34.6 By no means clearing the guilty No know that as Gods thoughts of mercy exceed our thoughts of mercy so his thoughts of severity also Fourthly Many trust to their standing profession and relation they are Church members So were these that Christ hath to do with in this Chapter if I understand the scope of this Chapter and what do they gain at Christs hands by it Oh then consider the great and most weighty work that lyes upon each of us is to labour to escape and avoid this wrath to come And if the living and powerful belief hereof did rest upon us it would make us labour not only to deliver our selves but others See what St. Paul saith We knowing the terror of the Lord perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 Do not be worse than Dives who according to the Parable takes pains to prevent his Brethren from coming into that place of torment Luk. 16. Fourthly Examine how the case stands with thee art thou liable to this torment if thou dye as thou art consider or art thou upon good grounds in a way of escape First If you are in a ready way to escape you are united to Jesus Christ in a work of true regeneration by Faith Love and Obedience are you now gotten out of the Kingdom of Satan Secondly Are your names written in the Book of life for all whose names are
not there shall fall into this Lake Rev. 20. last But how shall I know that may some say First Are your names recorded in the Church of God as those Phil. 4. of whom St. Paul speaks Secondly Are you assistant in the Gospel as they were Thirdly Do you make it your business to mortifie every lust even your own iniquity according to Mark. 9. from 43. to 48. those that escape are of these There are five Circumstances considerable in these verses First That there is a certain torment else Christ would not have made it an argument of it Secondly The torment must be great the deliverance from which is profitably purchased with such loss and torments as cutting off and plucking out Thirdly There is a connaturality between persons and their own iniquity eyes hand foot Fourthly It is very difficult and hard Service to escape Hell to cut off and pluck out especially to do it himself to himself Fifthly Notwithstanding so hard yet it must be done else we cannot escape Hell torment So much we have in this Mark 9.43 to 49. It is a matter of great concernment to know how the case stands with us in this matter Now if upon examination we find upon true and solid grounds that we have some good hope through grace to avoid this place and state of torment oh what ground of unspeakable joy is here to a poor Soul there is more cause of joy in this than can be from casting out of Devils and doing mighty works That is not a sufficient ground of joy this is See Luk. 10.20 But if upon examination you want this hope remember what is in the Parable said to Dives Luk. 16. They have Moses and the Prophets make use of the word of God that is the only means to come to avoid this place of torment I now proceed to the fifth Doctrine observed viz. That the pains and punishment of Hypocrites and unbelievers are endless and eternal As they are not tolerable so not terminable The truth of this Doctrine is plain from the constant language of old and new Testament The fire is everlasting eternal unquenchable This is the Scripture language I need have said nothing to this Doctrine were it not that we are fallen into such a day wherein persons do study to avoid the force of those Scriptures which are of most concernment to consider of Therefore that which I shall chiefly indeavour as to this Doctrine is First To strengthen this Doctrine from Scripture arguments Secondly Answer some objections made against it Thirdly Give a Second sort of Testimony to this truth Fourthly Make some Use of the whole 1. Consider the Testimony of Scripture Mat. 3.12 He shall burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire This fire is called everlasting fire Mat. 18. Hell fire and eternal fire are taken one for another in Scripture it is not Hell fire except it be eternal no fire is eternal but Hell fire It is called eternal damnation Mar. 3.29 But I will give you one place in the Room of many that sets it forth to be endless Mar. 9.43 to 48. where we have this fire five times called unquenchable and three times the worm that never dieth Certainly there is more than ordinary in this that our Lord who is never guilty of Tautologies or making vain repetitions should so often reiterate this word not quenched not quenched five times over There is a just cause of repetition and by this reiteration First We may learn the certainty of this truth As in other cases in Scripture when things are doubled in Scripture it is to shew the certainty Secondly This truth so reiterated was not only a truth but a truth that lay much upon Christs heart this eternity of torment lay much upon Christs heart he was much affected with it And Thirdly Christ would fain affect his Disciples also with it Fourthly Whereas our Lord adds this three times the worm that never dyeth we are instructed in these two things First That the severity of the punishment it self is endless Secondly That the creature in this fire is eternal and endless that he shall not be annihilated in it or consumed to nothing and so an end of his torment as to himself By the fire is understood the punishment it self by the worm must be understood the person himself The truth of this Doctrine is yet further confirmed from what the Apostle speaketh to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 8.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of God and the glory of his power The same is farther confirmed Rev. 14.19 20. The smoak of their torments ascended up for ever and ever Now our Lord is greatly desirous that persons might take warning and be awakened before they come into this gulf with Dives It is said he lift up his eyes being in torment he was not awake till he came there irrecoverably Therefore our Lord beats so long upon this string the danger is very great and persons greatly secure Object But it is objected against this truth by our Critical Age that ever and everlasting have an end yea ever and ever and they urge Jer. 7.7 when God tells Israel that they shall dwell in the Land for ever see ch 25.5 yet say they this is endless I Answ As Canaan was a type of that rest which remains to the people of God Heb. 4. so it is for ever and ever putting their present and future estate together makes it ever and ever Secondly I Answ That although ever and ever have an end in some cases yet it cannot be always so understood As for instance when it relates to the eternity of God when God is called the eternal and everlasting God and where it is said he raigns for ever and ever I hope the objector will not say that God and his government is to terminate So that ever and ever in that case cannot have an end neither will it I hope be thought that the joy and happiness of the righteous shall have an end which yet if ever and everlasting have an end lyeth in danger to have an end also So that in our understandings of these speakings of the Spirit of God we must diligently observe the scope of the place and thing spoken of that must guide us in our understandings And then it will not appear that what is spoken as to the punishment of the Reprobate is temporal but eternal Some will urge what the Apostle Jude speaks of the punishment of Sodom to weaken our position who it is said suffered the vengeance of eternal fire To which I answer That punishment might be called eternal from these considerations First From the perfection of it Secondly From the continuance of the burning as it is reported throughout all Ages unto this day Thirdly From the nature of it or rather the matter of it it was fire and Brimstone and that from Heaven and so of the same nature as Hell fire shall be Fourthly