A DISCOURSE ON THE Extensiveness and Comprehensiveness OF THE Future Judgment of God In another Method than what hath been hitherto Extant in any other BOOKS or SERMONS upon this Subject By RICHARD STAFFORD AS to the extensiveness of the future Judgment of God That is How far it will reach back even to all the days of this Life after we are come unto the knowledge of Good and Evil unto the day of ones Death and as to the comprehensiveness thereof How much it will take in even all the Deeds here done in the Body I ground all this on the following Scriptures And here the first sort of Scriptures which I shall make use of are but conjectural to illustrate this Truth and the others shall be so plain and express even to confirm and demonstrate it An instance of the first sort of Scriptures may be like that Vision which Paul had seen of one saying Come over into Macedonia and help us And immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them Acts 16.10 and so that place in Acts 13.34 As concerning that he raised him from the dead now no more to turn into corruption He said on this wise I will give you the sure Mercies of David And so our Saviour Jesus Christ proves the Resurrection of the Dead from that saying I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living Mat. 22.32 For there is a way by assuredly gathering and reasoning out of the Scriptures to bring out such and such Truths altho' they seem to speak nothing thereof in plain and express Words as it was here in the matter of the Resurrection And so it may seem odd and unusual at first until the Reader comes to know the Reason thereof if I should ground the extensiveness of the future Judgment from Deut. 1.39 Moreover your little ones which you said should be a Prey and your Children which in that day had no knowledg between good and evil they shall go in thither and unto them will I give it and they shall possess it Hereby intimating That those Little ones and Children because they had not the knowledge of Good and Evil therefore they should be freed and exempted from that Punishment which was to befall their Fathers of their Carcasses falling in the Wilderness But the Little ones and Children for the aforesaid Reason Because in that day they had no knowledge between good and evil Therefore they should go in and possess that good Land So that if they were to avoid a punishment and inherit a Blessing because by their not having the knowledge of Good and Evil they had done nothing worthy of a forfeiture and loss of that Blessing It may be again reasoned on the other hand That Children indeed have not the knowledge of Good and Evil. And it is elsewhere written And the Times of this Ignorance God winked at Acts 17.29 so it may be supposed for the same Reason That God winks at the Sins and Follies of that tender Age. But as for Boys and Girls when they come to have the knowledge of Good and Evil then they are accountable before God and so likewise are those of Youth and riper Years But much more are they accountable that are of full knowledge even those who by Reason of use have their Senses exercised to discern both Good and Evil. As people come to know good and evil and to discern between good and evil so they are accountable and must be judged and receive accordingly To the Good is annexed Reward and to the Evil Punishment so is the very order and establishment of the things of God And so indeed it is from the Reason of Things As indeed all the things of the All-wise God who is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in Working are ordained and established with very Great reason as it will appear yet more evidently to us than any knowledge of Man can now bring forth when He himself will speak and testifie Psal 50.7 And He will gather all Nations under which is comprehended of all Generations into the Valley of Jehosaphat and will plead with them there Joel 3.2 for what they have done on this Earth It is certain that God doth more regard the Iniquities of Youth than of Childhood upon this very same Reason For Children have no knowledge between Good and Evil but Youth hath or may have which is the same thing which by the way doth answer that common Deceit of People as if Ignorance would excuse their Sin and Ungodliness which it will in no wise but rather increase and aggravate their Sin for their Ignorance was willing 2 Pet. 3.5 and wilful God expects that when we know his Will we should do it otherwise we sin and are liable to his Indignation And also the same God doth expect that Boys and Girls Young men and Maidens should learn and receive the Knowledge of his Will before or however as soon as they come to know any other thing and as soon as ever the Faculties of Reason are widened or employed about other things they should be used towards God and for the apprehending the things of his Kingdom In the same Scriptures whereby we must be judged and according to which we must receive according to our works we do not find any of the Saints and Servants of the Lord complaining of the sins and vanities of Childhood nor yet praying for Pardon and Forgiveness of the same But by that Expression of Paul When I was a Child I spake as a Child I understood as a child I thought as a child It is imported as if God would pass all that over and not enter into judgment for the same But it is not so as to Youth for we read otherwise concerning that Remember not the sins of my Youth nor my Transgressions Psal 25.7 The Psalmist here knew by the Spirit that without his deprecating and praying against them God would remember them and call him to an account for the same For so his servant Job saith expresly Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my Youth Job 13.26 And so his own Spirit saith by the mouth of Jeremiah Surely after that I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was aâ—â—â—â—â—d yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my Youth Jer. 31.19 The just Judge of all the Earth calls to account for those Transgressions committed in Youth all one as of succeâ—ding years As indeed in some time about Youth is that exâ—ct Day God only knows it from which Day forward to the Day of each person's Death God doth commence and begin the time from which he will call to account for all the following days of Life Like as whether it be in Manhood declining years or old
is within the Body so the substance or vital parts of Religion which is to the saving of the Soul is inward and invisible also Where any one or any sort of People speak according to the Scriptures of Truth there Truth from whencesoever it spring up is to be received and embraced But if it speaks not according to the Word there it is to be rejected and not admitted according to that spiritual Wisdom and Divine method of separating the Precious from the Vile and gathering the good Fishes into Vessels and casting the bad away When we see our selves already acquitted and cleared out of that Word whereby we must be judged at the last Day this must be a mighty Comfort and Assurance And that same Word having promised and annexed a Crown of Life unto Faithfulness to the Death Rev. 2.10 Therefore my beloved Brethren Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15.58 From all this put together will appear the Necessity of Persevering and continuing in the work of the Lord in order to have a well grounded hope evidence and assurance Right and Title to have this Crown of Life and to have our Labour in the Lord recompenced According as himself hath promised For thy works shall be rewarded saith the Lord. Jer. 31.16 There is no Point in Divinity more clear and certain and of more undoubted Truth than the necessity of Perseverance in order unto Salvation As also nothing is more put in mind of repeated and inculcated over and over in common Preaching for the abundant care and safety of Souls The same is also understood by common People whether learned oâ— unlearned He that knows any thing of God and Religion knows this also That if we would be saved it is necessary in order thereto to continue unto our Lives end in the Worship and Service of God in doing his Will and finishing his Work For He and he only that endures unto the End shall be saved Whosoever once puts his hand to this Plow and looks back he is not worthy of the Kingdom of God In those Scriptures which are given to make wise unto Salvation there are abundance of Truths and Affirmations to this purpose so that there is no need to cite or rehearse any more But yet there are several people who are for serving God for a spurt and for a season and they come to the Place of Hearing his Word for once and away I have told ye often this will not do A fit of Holiness for a season will not bring any one to Heaven But God who cannot lye hath promised to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality Eternal Life Rom. 2.7 Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. But that is such holiness as is ingrafted fixed constant and universal The Souldiers of the antient Roman Empire according to the Laws and Constitutions thereof were disbanded and dismissed from any further Service in the Military Employment after the fiftieth Year But the Souldiers of Jesus Christ are never disbanded or dismissed from his Service and if any should desert dismiss or disband themselves from his Service they lose their Crown and they become liable unto punishment We read of Mnason an old Disciple and those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old Age they shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92.13 14. As long as any of us have the knowledge of Good and Evil remaining with us we are to do the Good and eschew the Evil. As long as any one hath all his senses left as there is none who lives out all his five senses to discern between Good and Evil he is to do the first and leave the last undone according as he hath Power of Action The Soul thinks as long as ever it is in the Body and as long as one thinks his thoughts are to be bent and lifted up towards God and Goodness and Truth and not to admit of but cast out all such Evil and Vanity which would lodge or lurk there And this it signified and required by that great and Indispensable command Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength and with all thy mind Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Bless his holy name Psal 103. â—… So by all that is within us and to our very utmost God is to be served and obeyed and also to the utmost Period and Duration of time As our Souls in their creation and making have a beginning in time but they are without end of days they being Properly Immortal Even such an obedience and service doth the Lord our Creator require of us which did and doth once begin and never end until our service here is crowned and consummated with Glory hereafter What remains But that ye who shall hear or read this be in the visions of God as Daniel and John was to see the dead small and great stand before God and seeing that they were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works therefore in every thing so think speak and do as ye that must give Account The word of Instruction which arises hence is this that each of us severally do order our Life and Conversation in this short Time and mean while as near as ever we can according to all the words which are Written in those Books which are the Books of Scripture and the Book of Conscience That is to live up and according to all those Thoughts of Good and Truth which Conscience doth suggest unto Man FINIS
Age God only knows when it is He limiteth a certain Day saying in David To day after so long a time Heb. 4.7 after which if they will come to repentance they will be hardly admitted So in the foregoing part of Life there is a certain Day from which Day forward God will call in question and to account and so of every day after we are come to the years of Discretion and have the knowledge of Good and Evil. And this I shall not so much ground upon as assuredly gather from another conjectural Scripture as I phrase it which is the concluding part of the Speech of the Town-Clerk of Ephesus for we are in danger to be called in question for this days Voroar there being no Cause whereby we may give an account of this days Conoourse Acts 19.40 So in like manner I alledge and reason That we are not so much in danger which denotes Doubt and Uncertainty whether it would be so or not and probably for all he spoke thus they were never called in question for the same as we read of But I go on to add That we every one of us shall be certainly called in question for this Day and so of all the past Days after Years of Discretion and so of all the following Days for each days actions and deeds done in the Body yea for the Thoughts of Heart and for the Words of our Tongue For they must be given account of according to Mat. 12.35 36 37. and whether there was a Cause or no Cause for the same yet of every thing we must give account Many may be apt to think that this is but a slender foundation to build so great a Truth and Assertion upon as that here is For the Town-Clerk of Ephesus was an Heathen and a worshipper of the Great Goddess Diana and he said this as to a Temporal matter and when he spake after this manner he thought nothing at all of the Future judgment of God How then canst thou bring this Saying of his to manifest a great Truth of God as to declare his Decree of Eternal Judgment to be on that wise as thou hast here affirmed it Why therefore mistake me not I do only allude to those his words but. I do in no wise bring them for proof and confirmation of this Position of the extensiveness and comprehensiveness of the future Judgment For indeed they are no proof at all or at least a very slender one Only from the parity and likeness of the Proceedings in Humane Courts of Judicatory with those of the last and great Day of the Lord in which indeed there is some similitude For the Great Judge of all the Earth will proceed against all Mankind with the same measures of Justice as they now do one to another for he gave them knowledge thus to proceed and judge And from the same Reasoning Shall not he that teacheth man knowledge know It may be certainly concluded for he often makes such comparisons and resemblances that he will so deal with us Creatures in righteousness justice and equity Psal 98.9 as is now commonly used in Courts of Judicatory when they proceed according to the true and exact Rules thereof But similitudes do illustrate and not prove But here we have no need thereof for let alone that Saying of the Town-clerk of Ephesus which I only mentioned because his words did so appositely express forth our Subject in hand and so plainly that it may be understood by the meanest capacity We have besides sundry express plain and full places of undoubted Scripture which make known the comprehensiveness and extensiveness of the future Judgment as hath been afore-affirmed As also herein differs the future Judgment of God from Human Assizes or Sessions or Common Courts of Judgment For many things are here done on this Earth whereof no notice or cognizance at all is taken at Assizes Sessions Court-leets or such like And then also they do only take notice of some Misfesances Nusances Evil Prejudice or Harms either as to the Society of Mankind or as relating to Property which many times through Bribery Corruption Partiality or the Greatness of the Person do pass uncensured without Animadversion or Punishment And then they do not reward those that do well or who keep up the good and peace of Community Now herein the Judgment of the Great God supplies what is wanting or defective as to that He is a Great God mighty and terrible that regardeth not persons nor taketh Reward in all which he is opposite unto Men. And then as his Providence doth reach over Sparrows for not one of them falleth to the ground without the Will of our Heavenly Father as the Hairs of our Head are all numbred and not one of them is forgotten before God As his eyes are upon all the ways of the sons of Men Mark that particle all To give every one according to his way and according to the fruit of his doings Jer. 32.19 So he will bring them all to Judgment for not one thing whether it be great or small of more or less moment whether the greatest King or meanest Beggar had an hand in it For not only the Kings of the Earth and the Great Men and the Rich Men and the Chief Captains and the Mighty Men but every Bond man will also come forth unto Judgment I say again not any thing that was ever done or transacted on this Earth from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hyssop on the Wall but will come forth into Judgment For God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be bad Eccles 12.14 Here is a most plain and express Text which proves and confirms the point in hand of the extensiveness and comprehensiveness of the future Judgment besides that saying of the Town-clerk of Ephesus which barely as it comes from him is not to be relied on But this of Ecclesiastes is a most certain Truth and proceeds from the Spirit of God Every work and every secret thing There is some of this sort done and Transacted every day and night after night so that each days transactions and secret things yea and every least thing shall be brought into Judgment whether it be good or whether it be evil This makes out again what is afore-affirmed for the Judgment of Man in Courts of Judicatory doth chiefly and almost only take notice of the Evil. But God will bring both the Good and the Evil into judgment And that God will judge for all the actions of Youth as to which many think that they shall escape scotfree and unpunished we have this expresly averr'd and affirmed in the foregoing Chapter Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy heart and in the light of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment Eccles
11.9 Observe here again this last For all these things God will bring thee into Judgment And some of all these things are done every day by the young Man So that the consequence is evident that of every day after we are come to the knowledge of Good and Evil we shall certainly be called in question yea and be called to the Bar of God for to give an account for the same Many think of what is past as if it were over and there is no more to be said thereof It seems forgotten and perished and to be come to an utter end But the word saith otherwise God requireth that which is past Eccl. 3.15 yea all one as the present for what is past was once present also and what is now present will soon be past The judgment of God will be retrograde or by way of rehearsal or remembring or ripping up of former miscarriages as we commonly say or by reciting up the several Thoughts Words and Actions of this Life that now is These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psal 50.21 That is in order and succession of time as each thing was done and committed together with the other circumstances of place and manner and such like as also with the several aggravations belonging thereunto some instances whereof are given in this same Fiftieth Psalm and many more there are throughout the Book of the Lord. Another great Scripture which proves the extensiveness and comprehensiveness of the future Judgment as before explained is 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ that every one may receive the Things done in his Body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad It is said Deeds indefinitely which reaches to all the deeds done in the Body Like as when it is said in general words It is appointed unto men once to die That is It is so appointed unto all men once to die as we sensibly know And truly even common Reason manifesteth the very same for if we were to receive for some Deeds done in the Body Why not for other Deeds as well as for them and so on till it comes to all as indeed the Decree of God and our case is The Lord looketh upon all the Inhabitants of the Earth he considereth all their Works Psal 33.14.15 And give to every man according to his way whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou only knowest the hearts of all the Children of Men. 1 Kings 8.39 And so all those other places of Scripture as there are many which speak of Gods rewarding or rendring unto the Children of Men according to their works and according to their deeds and such like all these do manifest and make known the comprehensiveness and extensiveness of the future Judgment And so all these Deeds done in the Body the several works and ways are done in the several days of our Life some in one day and some in another so that the same Truth holds firm that of this day and of all the past days and of all the succeeding days between this time of my publishing this unto ye and the day of our several respective Deaths we shall be called to an account We must give account of this Concourse whereof I hope we shall give a good one with joy and comfort our only end and design herein being to worship the God of Heaven and Earth and to hear his word I must give account of every Sermon that I preach or publish that I be faithful in the handling thereof not shunning to declare unto ye the whole Counsel of God and to make known the Truth the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth whether it pleases or displeases Man for if I yet pleased Men I should not be the servant of Christ. Through good and evil Report as Deceivers and yet true And ye must give account of your Hearing whether ye do mind and are attentive unto the same and how ye profit and edifie thereby How ye ponder and remember it in your hearts But chiefly that ye continue therein Good God! how much dost thou delight in this one thing of continuing The Children of thy Servants shall continue Psal 102.28 But whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful Hearer but a doer of the Word this man shall be blessed in his deeds James 1.25 This is the principal Matter to be doers of the Word and not Hearers only Though ye are to be Hearers also before ye can be doers For a man cannot do a thing before he knows it God will likewise call the Non-hearers of his Word to an account for the same for their disobedience and rebellion for their stubbornness and perverseness therein which is the same as if a Son or Servant should be obstinately resolved not to Hear what his Father or Master will say unto him All those Threatnings and evil Things as they are many which are written and spoken forth in the Book of the Lord against such who refuse to hear his words will be fulfilled upon them unto their greater Condemnation So it will be of the several Seasons and Opportunities of Prayer whether it be private Prayer in ones Closet or Family-Prayer or Prayer in the Cougregation and Assemblies of his People of all this we must give an â—â—count as also of all our other holy Things and of all acts whatsoever pertaining to Religion and so likewise of all the doings of common Life otherwise than what are meerly natural and necessary and so of all the Transactions between Man and man There is nothing done by any Men or Women under the Sun in any Country or Language of the Earth whether the same be done by Nations Families or single Persons in any Time or Generation but what will come into account and examination and to be heard and decided over again at the Judgement of the Great God Indeed there will be multitudes multitudes in the Valley of Decision Joel 3.14 So that what appearance is ever at the greatest Assizes or at the Rendezvous of the most numerous Armies or the greatest Concourse of People to see some extraordinary sight in populous Cities all this will be no more to the multitude and number of Creatures which shall be then gathered together in the great Day of God then a single Man is now in comparison of an hundred thousand or a million I have heard to this purpose that the Schoolmen should say That because of the multiplicity of Business and the multitude of Creatures which shall appear then thereupon they suppose that the Day of Judgment will last a thousand years But herein they imagine and talk after the manner of Men For known unto God are all his works from the Beginning of the World as also the Times
my self withal Yet for all that I have not stood but faln in the Time of Trial and Temptation for after all those Thoughts and Purposes aforementioned when I have come into Company and amongst a mixt People I have put on again the same vain and worldly Conversation I have talked and had that which savours of Men and the Grace and Spirit of the Lord hath sensibly departed from me for a time and I have been weak and all one as another Man I wish I could here tell it weeping but it is a real grief of Soul when I throughly consider of it I my self have a great deal to answer and account for before God in that I have not at all times and in all places and in all Companies lived according to that Grace and Knowledge which God hath given me that at the very same time when I did know and approve of the things more excellent yet I did not follow them but rather I did the worse How many precious and seasonable Truths have I concealed and kept within when in Duty I ought to have spoken them out I speak all this to my shame and to my fault which should be amended But as I am declaring this unto ye remember that your Hearts be also upon the search and examination whether it hath not been so with ye likewise And I do therefore bring forth these Things unto ye because that it is good to know our Faults in order to amend them As also to put you in mind stir up and exhort ye And let us consider one another to provoke unto Love and good works Heb. 10.24 As it is commonly advised Be sure to keep be best Company which in the meaning of the World is the Richest But this is a false way of speaking for they are not the best as may be understood from the word of Truth and will be seen at the Judgment of the Great Day so I would recommend to ye to set before ye the very best Examples of all the very best Saints and Servants of God that are in the Town or Neighbourhood wherein ye inhabit and there try your best skill and use your utmost endeavour that as the other Disciple did out-run Peter So do thou use diligence and put forth all thy strength if thou canst out-run such an one in the Christian-race for if thou wouldst not upon a false Imagination or vain Hopes which are like the Dream of one that eateth and he awaketh and his Soul is empty but upon rational and assured grounds have God do more for thee in this World and in the World to come as to have a Benjamin's Mess or a double Portion of his Spirit or to be brought out of Trouble for so is the Promise to the Righteous when the Wicked are left therein then thou must exceed them also in Godliness which hath the promise of this Life and of that which is to come and in righteousness and holiness It is very well worth our while to strive to be utmost herein because that the future recompence of God will be proportioned out and it will be infinitely so much beyond all the Pain Uncouthness Labour Backwardness which was ever in any Act or Instance of well-doing Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account Heb. 13.17 These last words As they that must give account do not belong only to Magistrates Ministers and Preachers for it extends to all the People also for it should be a constant Rule which they should always bear in mind and have recourse unto in whatever they take in hand or in whatever their hands finds them to do To do it as ye that must give account And because this Judgment of God will reach to Thoughts and Words also therefore the same Rule should be exprest yet a little more comprehensively on this wise So think speak and do as ye that must give accovnt according to what is written and commanded by the Spirit So speak ye and so do as they that must be judged by the Law of Liebrty Jam. 2.12 As one saith Remember the End that is the last end of Things and thou shalt never do amiss So in thy Walking keep the Judgment of God always in thine eye and thou shalt never go much astray We know and are assured of it beforehand That when the Great Day of his Judgment is come we may have no Excuse or Plea that of this and of every day of our Life after we are come to the years of Discretion and to the Knowledge of Good and Evil we are not only in danger but we shall certainly be called to an account There is hardly any thing which is a greater Awe and Check to sin than a lively Faith of this future Judgment to have it continually before our eyes and to have our Thoughts and Apprehensions always upon it Jerom an antient Servant of the Lord did say of himself Whither I sleep or wake or whatever I do Methinks I hear that voice always sounding in my Ears Arise ye dead and come forth to judgment And truly if we did with the eye of Faith and with the eyes of our understanding being enlighmed Behold till the Thrones were cast down and the antient of days did sit whose Garment was white as Snow and the Hair of his Head like the pure Wooll his Throne was like the fiery stream and his wheels as burning fire A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him Thousand thousands ministred unto him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him The judgment was set and the Books were opened Dan. 7.9 10. Such a vision the Prophet then had and also John when he saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which are written in the Books according to their works And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it and Death and Hell delivered up the Dead which were in them and they were judged every Man according to their works Rev. 20.12 13. Did we in the midst of Life see those things which we shall see when we are let forth into the Chambers of Death but yet more especially as we shall see when the Great day of his Judgment is come this would influence our whole Life and Conversation into the greatest Awe and Seriousness fear and trembling and watchfulness that can be If even a Sinner and an ungodly Man were to rise from the Dead and live over his past Life again he would be another kind of Man and even he would be perswaded unto God and good Things Nothing can be a more forcible consideration to make us to please God this little mean while and to endeavour to the utmost to be reconciled unto him then the knowledge how that we must