undergone could you eat and drink and sleep and not pray to God which was more necessary than any thing which is mâ—st necessary for your bodies and if there was no worship of God at home could not you have looked alroad were there none lived neer you who would have been glad of your company in the worship of God and way to Heaven could yâ—u finde out no religious young men or women suittble to your degree who would have quickned you and heartned you against discouragements Did not you devote your selves rather to the service of some lusts and were glad of any excuse when conscience would have minded you of your duty towards God Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 4. Come forth all ye Sabbath-breakers you that have spent the day in sleeping in eating and drinking to excess who instead of holy meditations have been thinking and contriving your worldly business instead of religious conferences have discoursed only of earthly matters instead of going to Church to worship God have walked into the Fields and spent the time in recreations or if you have seemed to give God a half-day service by your presence at Church one part of the day yet have worshipped him only with your bodies when your hearts were removed far from him had not you an express command for the Sabbaths observation and if the day of first institution were changed was the day and worship thereof laid aside and ceased to be a duty If the Iews were obliged to keep a day holy were not the Christians much more Was not the Sabbath made for man was it not his Priviledge to take that time for holy rest and worship and did the Gospel straiten mens Priviledges Did not the morral Law of which Sabbath observation was one precept bind throughout all generations could you call other daies holy which the Scripture gave no warrant for and not observe that holy day which you were enjoined Did not God allow you six daies for labour in your Callings and was it unequal for him to take one day for his own worship had he eased you of the burdensome Ceremonies under the Law and was the Sabbath so burdensome to you could you reasonably hope to enter into eternal rest and keep a Sabbath in Heaven if you would not celebrate the appointed Sabbaths on Earth Were not the works of the Creation and Redemption worthy your memorial was not communion with God in Ordinances desirable had you no need of those spiritual provisions which God did use to deal forth on the Sabbath daies to them that waited upon him for them What! not worship God either in your own houses nor in his house neither on the week-day nor Sabbath-day could your sometimes could and formal services be counted worship Did you think that lip-prayers would ever be heard by God that searcheth and requireth the heart Did you think that Sermons un-minded un-remembred which you did neither believe nor were affected with would be effectual to save you Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 5. Come forth all ye swearers and profaners of the Name of God Did you never read nor hear the third Commandement which forbad this sin Did you never hear of my strict Injunction that you should not swear at all in your discourses but that your communication should be yea and nay Were you never told that swearers would fall into condemnation Was the Great and dreadful Name of God of so little regard that you could not only use it irreverently so frequently but also even tear it in pieces by your oaths What profit did you get by your swearing and are you like to sustain no loss what pleasure did you find in your swearing and are you like to reap no litterness was it for your honour to swear by the Name of God or rather was it not for your dishonour but how did you dishonour God What an affront did you offer to him hereby you call'd upon him sometimes to damn and sinke you can you speake in that language now now damnation is so near you Worms could not God have trodden you under his feet or crusht you as easily as you could do a flie every time you profaned his Name and because he was patient would you presume because he did not presentlie punish did you dare him and flie in his face to provoke his fury You have sworn in your solly and have not repented and God hath sworn in his wrath and will not repent that you shall never enter into his rest Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 6. Come forth all yee scoffers at Religion and the zealous Professors thereof who thought and spake of Religion as if it had been a fancie and cunningly devised Fable and of the most holy humble and self-denying Christians as if they were the most mean-spirited foolish and contemptible People upon Earth and have used the name of a Saint in derision and Proverb of reproach Have you the same minde now that Religion was but a fancy Is your Resurrection and my appearance but a fancie Is your punishment eternallie in Hell like to be bus a fancie Had you not a sure ground and bottome for your faith in the Scriptures Could you have desired more reasonable evidence of things done before your age Could you laugh at Scripture-threatnings And can you laugh now you are come to Execution Could you contemn Gospel-promises And are they so contemptible now in your eies when now you see the accomplishment of them before you Against whom was it that you opened so wide a mouth Whom was it that you did flout and scorn What my Disciples because they were meek and humble and did not take the pleasures of sin with you and were strict in their profession and conversation What think you of them now Were they so mean-spirited and contemptible Were they so foolish which made so wise a choice Did they well or ill in staying till this time for their happiness Look upon the Persons now whom once you scorned and thought unworthie of your companie Was it so ridâ—culous a thing to be a Saint as you imagined Was not shining with them in glory at all desirable Would not you be glad to be numbred amongst them now Why do you not laugh and fleer at the Saints now Yee fooles and blinde sots do you know what you sâ—oft at Could you see no excellencie in Holiness and the Divine Nature in my Image which was engraven upon them Did ever any Man of understanding laugh at the light of the Sun They were lights in the dark World where they lived what mock at Holiness hereby you mocked at God himself who is so infinitelie glorious in this attribute and hereby distinguished from all his Creatures vile Wretches Take them Devils binde them hand and foot 7. Come forth all yee Persecutors of my Disciples Was it not enough for you to mock them but you must persecute them too Was it
God will enlighten it and the Lamb will be the light of it and Chap. 22. 5. There shall be no night there and they shall need no Candle nor the light of the Sun but the Lord God giveth them light and they shall raign for ever and ever In Hell it will be all night and no day there will be blackness of darkness for ever and not the least beam of light shall shine into that place and if the Sun and other Stars be given for the measure and distinction of times and seasons when the last day is come Time will be no longer and all must launch forth from the confines of Time into the vast Ocean of Eternity which cannot be bounded nor measured It is said Rev. 20. 11. When the great white Throne shall be set and Christ is placed thereon that the Heavens and the Earth shall flee away from before his face and no more place be found for them and 2 Pet. 3. 10. When the day of the Lord cometh that the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth with all its works shall be burnt up Christ will come with a glorious light and with a roaring dreadful noise which will further set forth the glory of this appearance see this expressed 1 Thes. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God and Matth. 24. 31. He shall send forth his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet who shall gather in his Elect from the four mindes Never was there such a noise heard in the World as then will be heard when Christ shall appear the heavens will roar the Earth will be in flames of Fire there will be a great shout and the sound of the last Trump in the Aire this shout will be given by Jesus Christ himself as is likely for it is said Iohn 5. 28 The hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth we read Iohn 11. 43. When Christ came to raise Lazarus that he cried with a loud voice Lazarus come forth surely then when he comes to raise the World he will cry and shout with a much louder voice Such a voice likely will come down from him in a roaring shout Awake yee dead and come to Iudgement or arise yee Children of Men and come forth of your Graves Never was there such a shout given as then will be given which will be accompanied with the sound of the Trumpet the Angels shall sound the Trumpet we read Exod. 19. 16. When the Lord gave the Law from Mount Sinai that there were thunderings and lightnings and the voice of a Trumpet exceeding loud which made all the People which were in the Camp to tremble O what thunderings will there be in the aire at Christs second appearance and how exceeding loud will the sound of this last Trumpet be when Christ comes to judge them which have broken this Law That Trumpet was heard only by the Nation of the Jewes which were together about the Mount this Trumpet will be heard by all Nations throughout the World that Trumpet was heard only by those which were alive at that time this Trumpet will be heard not only by them that shall remain alive upon the Earth at the last day but also by all those which have dyed throughout all Generations from the beginning of the Creation such a noise there will be as will awaken all that shall be asleep in their graves Such a noise as will make all the corners of the earth to ring and the pillars of the world to tremble but O how will it startle the wicked when they hear it and fill them with terrour and amazement Thus you have something of the manner of Christ's second appearance set forth unto you he shall come with power and great glory CHAP. IV. 2. THe second thing is to speak of the end of Christs second appearance and the transactions of that day The end of Christs second appearance will be to judge the world the end of his first coming was not to judge but to redeem and save as he tells his disciples when they desired him to execute some judgment from Heaven upon those Samaritans which would not receive him Luke 9. 55 56. Ye know not what spirit ye are of for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them And Iohn 7. 47. If any man hear my words and believe not I judge him not for I came not to judge but to save but when Christ doth appear the second time he will come to judge the world Iude 14. 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgment upon all c. Matth. 26. 31 32. When the Son of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit on the Throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations and so he goeth on in description of the last judgment In speaking of Christs judging the world and the transactions at that day I shall show 1. That Christ will raise up all the dead one of their graves 2. That he will gather all Nations before his judgment Seat 3. That he will separate the righteous from the wicked 4. That he will open the Boâ—ks out of which all must be judged 5. I shall speak more particularly of the judgment of the Righteous and the Wicked 1. Christ at his second appearance will raise up all the dead out of their graves there shall be a general resurrection Iohn 5. 28 29. The hour cometh in which all that are in their graves shall hear his voice and come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation Something hath been spoken already concerning Christs victory over death and loosning all his prisoners but give me leave to illustrate the resurrection a little further and here I shall endeavour to set it forth by an allusion to that notable place Ezek. 37. and the ten first verses The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones And caused me to pass by them round about there were very many in the open valley and so they were very dry And he said unto me Son of man Can these bones live and I answered O Lord thou knowest Again he said unto me Prophesie upon these bones and say unto them O ye dry bones hear the Word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord unto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall live And I will lay sinews upon you and bring up flesh upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and you
they were hid from their eyes they slept in the harvest they loitered away and sinned away their time and wasted their day in which they should have made provision for their souls O how will they be then ready to tear themselves in pieces that they should neglect so great salvation in the day when salvation was attainable yea that they should refuse the proffers of grace and pardon and peace and life and happiness which in that day were so frequently and earnestly made unto them then they will wish that they had opened their ear and heart that they had regarded and accepted such gracious proffers whatever they had neglected or parted withall then they will wish they had imbraced and improved the opportunities which once they had for prayer and hearing and attendance upon Gods Ordinances that they had been in the Church when they were in the Ale-house that they had associated themselves with Gods people when they frequented the company of the leud and ungodly that they had been upon their knees with grief confessing sin when they took so much delight in the commission of it that they had taken time from their sports to make their peace with God that they had worshipped God in their Closets and worshipped God in their Families and laid up for themselves treasures in Heaven and horrible will their vexation be that they did not so 4. In going away they will remember for what it was that they refused this happiness that it was only for the satisfaction of some foolish and unprofitable lust If two Kingdomes of equal worth and glory were proposed to a Mans choice it would not trouble him that he had refused the one to obtain the other but if a Man were to chuse whether he would be a King or a slave if he should refuse the former and chuse the later when he came to feel the misery of his bondage this would trouble him more than the bondage that he might have avoided it that he hath chose this thraldome and parted with a Kingdome for it they will then perceive that they have chosen to be slavesunto sin and Sathan rather than to be Heires unto the Kingdome of Glory I know that though now they are slaves and serve divers lusts and though their bondage is a thousand fold worse than if they were Vassals to the cruellest Tirant upon Earth yet they are not sensible neither are they weary of their bondage because their wills are in thraldome and their affections are captivated and though heirdome to the glory of Heaven be the choicest priviledge upon Earth and most desirable yet they do not desire it but prefer their slavery before it because they are blinde unbelieving besorted sinners and judge of things according to sense yet on the day of Christs appearance all things will appear with a new face and they will look upon things with a new eye they will then perceive that they were slaves all their dayes and that there was no such drudgery as that which they were employed in and that there was no such glory and happiness as that which they refused and foolishly cast away then it will sting them indeed to remember that they have chosen rather to do the work of the Devil and yield obedience to the basest lusts for which they must now be repayed with the wages of death and eternal misery than to do the work of the Lord who would have rewarded them with eternal life and a Crown of glory and immortality Then they will say What profit have we got by those things whereof we are now ashamed What fruit doth all our labour and toile in the World now yield unto us What are we the better for our riches and great estate on Earth for our honour and high esteem amongst men for our luscious pleasures and delights now vanished and gone which we bought at so dear a rate as the loss of our precious and immortal souls and the forfeiture of an Inheritance in the kingdome of Heaven Then they will cry out O bewitching World O deluding Devil O deceitfull hearts and lusts O what fools and mad-men have we been that we should trample Iewels under our feet like Swine and in stead of them put dross and dung into our Cabinet that we should so greedily drink the sweet poison of sin to the bane and ruine of our souls and refuse to taste of the Cup of salvation which all our dayes was held forth unto us Then they will cry out of their voluptuousness their covetousness their pride and haughtiness and the like lusts which have kept Christ out of their hearts and kept them out of the Kingdome of Heaven 5. In going away some of them shall remember how neerly they missed of this happiness that they were almost perswaded to be Christians in deed as well as in name and to accept of Christ upon his own termes that they were not far from the Kingdome of Heaven that they were come even within fight of the Heavenly Canaan and yet died in the Wilderness that they were come even to the Gate of the new Ierusalem but finding it too strait for them and the luggish of their sins together there they stuck and could not enter in that they climbed up a great way of the Hill to Zion but did not reach the top and tumbling down their fall was the greater they will remember the means of grace which they enjoyed the Ordinances which they sate under and the treaties which the Lord did make with them by his word and spirit about their life and salvation and the carriage of their hearts towards the Lord in those treaties some of them will remember what convictions the Lord wrought in them of sin and what tremblings of conscience for fear of Hell and wrath to come and if they had followed that preparative work they might have quickly been acquainted with Christ and escaped the misery which they feared but they â—tifled convictions and shook off their troubles they shut their eies against the light and stilled the noise of their consciences and calmed their spirits with the delights and pleasures of the World and so grew more hardned in sin than before and gave such repulses to the spirit that the spirit quite departed from them Others will remember that they were perswaded to ascend some steps higher under the Ministry of the Word when they were reproved for such and such gross sins which they lived in the practise of that they could have no ease in their consciences until they had broken off that wicked course that they left off their drunkenness and their swearing their uncleanness and unrighteous dealing and were in a great measure reformed in their lives but there were some lusts in their hearts which they hugged secretly and delighted in and could not be perswaded to leave which were their undoing pride revenge uncharitableness covetousness or the like remained in their reigning power which were inconsistent with
the power of godliness others will remember what profession they made and that they went with some kinde of gladness in the company of Gods people unto his House and Ordinances and heard the Word and received some impressions thereof yea obtained some kinde of graces under its influence that they had a kinde of righteousness repentance faith desires love joy hope that they had some tastes of the heavenly gift and the powers of the World to come and thought themselves as fair for Heaven as the best and who ever missed that they should not miss of glory but O the confusion and vexation which will be upon the spirits of these Persons when the Lord Jesus shall disown them and shut them out of his Kingdomâ— O what tearings of heart will they have when they perceive that they were mistaken and finde themselves disappointed of the happiness which they had such hopes of and confident expectations to obtain when they finde that their silver was but dross and their graces were counterfeit and not of the right stamp that they had not the Image and superscription of Christ upon them when they remember that they had a righteousness but it was like the morning Cloud which the wind of affliction or temptation had driven away that they had some repentance but it was legâ—l not Evangelical that the teares they had sometimes shed for sin were like the early dew which the bright Sun of prosperity did quickly dry up that they had a faith but it was a temporary faith which wanted deep rooting in the heart and what ever flourishing fruit it quickly sent forth yet the hot Sun of persecution did wither it that iâ— came to nothing when they were put upon the Trial that they had desires after Christ and the favour of God and spiritual things but they weâ—â— but faint velleities they were like the untimely birth of a Woman which never came to any perfection that they had love to God in show or it may be at some time a passionate glow of heart under an Ordinance which was not enkindled by a spark falling down from Heaven upon them blown up by the spirit of God but a false or more inferiour Fire which arose from a sympathy with Ministers or other Christians in the more inferiour workings and expressions of their love which in the sincere arose from the right principle that they had some kinde of hope but it was like a spiders web broken quickly to pieces or swept down by the beesome of destruction with them into Hell that they had some joyes but they were flashy and ungrounded some tastes arising from misapprehensions of Gospel-priviledges and misapplication of Gospel-promises all which did quickly vanish and come to nothing They will finde if not before be sure at that day that they were mistaken and have lost all their pains and labour for want of a thorow work of grace for want of soundness at the root for want of hearty sorrow deep humiliation good-grounded and deepâ—rooted faith supream love well-bottom'd hope universall reformation and mortification of the deeds of the body that none of their actions were accepted by the heart-searching God for want of a right principle and end now when these Persons are sentenced to Hell and are going away from Christ and the glory which once they had hopes of and were so near unto and had they gone but a step or two further they might have attained O with what unconceivable grief and curtings of heart will it be they will remember then that they did seek to enter in at the strait Gate and they will wish with all their hearts that they had striven that they had taken more pains that they might not have missed and fallen short of salvation possibly then with unutterable anguish they may say There is a glorious Inheritance in Heaven which we are now departing from we often prayed for it when we were upon the Earth and if we had been sincere and fervent if we had resolved to take the place by storme and would not have been denyed we might have got it we have read of it in the Word and heard of it in Sermons and it hath been proffered to us freely and if we had renounced the World and forsaken sin and chosen it for our portion we might have had it we parted with some sins if we had left all it should have been ours once we had some hopes of it when we had some taste of it and had done some things to obtain it and if we had gone a little further we might have indeed obtained it if we had taken pains with our hearts before God to get them raised to things above if we had denyed our selves and mortified our members upon the Earth if we had cast away all our transgressions and câ—st away our own righteousness and rowled our selves wholly upon Iesus Christ and acted faith upon him and the promises of this Kingdome and walked in the narrow way which we seemed to walk in we might now have been made passessours hereof and shined amongst yonder glorious Saints some of whom were our companions and hoped for our company and wonder to see us separated from them But alas we were sloathfull and careless we were unwatchfull and idle our pains was more to appear religious than be religious we had some lusts which lay nearer our heart than Iesus Christ we did some things with seeming vigour but carnal motives were the chief incentives to our duties and how ever lifeless faithless and empty of true grace they were yet we trusted in them and made them our Saviour and never were brought clear off from our own bottome unto a closure with Iesus Christ and we have fool'd away our salvation and made our selves unworthy of eternal life Deservedly deservedly do we lose this crown for our folly O that we had been sincere and thorough Christians 6. In going away it will sting the wicked to think that now this happiness of Heaven is irrecoverable once they might have obtained it and that upon easie tearmes yea after some refusals of it they had fresh proffers and invitations the door of mercy and gate of salvation and glory stood open a long time but now the door is lookt upon them and will never be opened more they must go away without any hopes of ever entering into the new Ierusalem or obtaining the least degree of the happiness of the Saints they must bid adieu unto joy and comfort for ever These considerations will sting Gospel-sinners in their going away Thus concerning the first particular in the execution of the sentence on the wicked they shall go away 2. They shall go into punishment and here I shall speak 1. Of the punishment which they shall go into 2. Of their entring into this punishment 1. Concerning the punishment which the wicked shall go into Take two or three places of Scripture which set forth this punishment Matth. 25. 41.
extream but also you will have no eye to pittie you God will not pittie you in the least but laugh at your calamitie his bowels will be shut against you your grief then will not be pleasing in the least and your cries and complaints of sin then will be like the howling of a Dog in his eares He will then instead of meeting you to embrace you he will meet you to destroy you instead of speaking kindly to you he will speak to you in his wrath and vexe you in his hot displeasure Angels and Saints will then turn from you and Devils will drag you with them into torments 3. If you repent of sin now you may obtain thâ— pardon of sin I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord concerning repenting Ephraim Jer. 31 20. He that confesseth his sins that is with repentance so as not only to grieve for them but also to leave and for sake them shall finde mercy Prov. 28. 13. Yea God hath promised abundantly 〈◊〉 pardon such as forsake their evil wayes and by repentance turn to him Isa. 55. 7. and if sinners ceasâ— to do evil and learn to do well that though their sinâ— be as scarlet they shall be white as snox though they be red like Crimson they shall be as wool Isa. 1. 16 17 18. And not only his mercy but also his justice and faithfulnesse is engaged to pardon such as acknowledge their sins with repentance and apply themselves to him by faith 1 Ioh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness The Door of mercy is now open to all true penitents and the golden Scepter of Grace and Reconciliation is helâ— forth unto them the Lord Jesus Christ is now interceding at the right hand of God ready to make their peace with God but if you do not repent until hereafter a pardon will be unattainable there will remain no sacrifice for sin then the day of grace will be quite spent and the Door of mercy will be fast shut then Jesus Christ will have finished his interceding work and it will be impossible to obtain remission 4. If you repent of sin now you may get strength against sin you shall be delivered from the reigning power of sin presently and you shall be freed from the rage and tyranny of sin by degrees and at the last you shall obtain a perfect freedome from the being of sin and be wholly delivered from the bondage of corruption But if you do not repent until hereafter you will for ever abide under the power of sin you will not only be tormented in Hell but also be for ever sinning in Hell 5. If you repent of sin now you will escape the panishment of sin I do not speak of some temporal calamities which God may exercise his people withall in this World but you shall assuredly be kept from the eternal punishment of Hell which shall be inflicted upon the ungodly World but if you do not repent of sin until hereafter your punishment will be unavoidable no cries nor teares will then save you from the torments of Hell which you will be condemned unto now you are condemned for sin whilst unbelievers but in this World the sentence is reversible you may fly from the Bar of justice to the Throne of Grace and if with repentance and faith you apply your selves unto Jesus Christ he will deliver you from the wrath to come and free you from condemnation but hereafter when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear unto Judgment and summon you and examine you and finde you guilty and pass sentence upon you to depart into everlasting Fire this sentence will be irreversible and your repentance will be too late to procure freedome from or the least mitigation of your punishment 6. If you repent of sin now your grief will be but for a time for a season a short time a few dayes a night a moment a short moment 1 Pet 1. 6. Rev. 2. 10. Psal. 30. 5. Isa. 54. 6 7. Weeping may endure for a night â—ut joy cometh in the morning God will not permit you to weep and grieve for sin long it is not a life of grief which he calleth you unto but a life of faith and love it is not grief for it self which he requireth but in order unto your comfort and therefore it shall not be of long continuance your grief for sin doth make way for spiritual comforts for the joyes of the holy Ghost which after sorrowing times the Lord doth often give in abundantly unto his Children in this World in which they finde incomparably more sweetness than ever they could finde sweetness in sin or bitterness in sorrow they have pleasures of a higher and more transcendenâ— nature be sure your grief for sin will make way for your everlasting joyes in Heaven where all teares shall be wiped away from your eyes and all sorrow and sighing shall be removed from your hearts and you shall obtain gladnesse unspeakable and everlasting But if you do not repent until hereafter as the pleasures which you finde in sin will be but for a season and your tryumphing but short Death be sure will put a conclusion unto all so your grief for sin then will be long the daies of darknesse and sorrow will be many yea your grief will be eternal Repent then sinners repent Christ will come certainly to judgment therefore repent truly and Christ will come quickly to judgment therefore repent speedily Protract not the time endeavour presently without any further delay Considering 1. Your particular judgment may be suddenly and the time of your preparation may be spent quickly You may be within a few moneths or weeks or daies yea it may be within a few houres smitten by Deaths arrows and there will be no place for repentance and preparation in the other world 2. If you defer your repentance it is a thousand to one that you never repent as long as you live If your life should continue many yeares because not one in a thousand that defer their repentance do afterwards repent there are millions in hell that lived under the light of the Gospel who intended to repent but were prevented by death before they were aware and it is a thousand to one if you defer any longer but ere long you will be received into their number have not you deferred your repentance before this till such a time and such a time and yet when such times have come again and again have you not deferred it still and will not your deceitful hearts still finde as plausible excuses till it be too late Remember this sinners that it is a thousand to one but you will be damned if you any longer defer your repentance 3. The longer you defer your repentance the more difficult will you finde the work to be because you will be the faster bound in Sathans chains and not so
ravished with transporting joy which no heart now can conceive 5. Rejoyce believers rejoyce when Christ dâ—â— appear yee shall be judged by him yee shall not be condemned by him but yee shall be judged by him your advocate will be your judge Who shall then lay any thing to your charge God will then justify you who then shall condemn you Christ will acquit and absolve you You will openly be declared righteous on that day through the righteousness of Jesus Christ which here hath been imputed to you Christ will own you then for his redeemed people whom he hath purchased with his own blood then all your works of mercy will be made mention of all your services of Christ in the World will be had in remembrance all your graces will be taken notice of and the Lord will kindly accept of the improvement of the smallest talents which he hath intrusted you withall Well done good and faithfull Servants yee have been faithful in a few things enter into the joy of your Lord Matth. 25. 21. And if you have been persecuted for righteousness sake if you have been imprisoned banished reproached and greatly afflicted for Christs sake if you have left Father Mother Wife Children Houses Lands yea and have laid down your lives for the testimony of Jesus and that you might keep a good conscience think what entertainment the Lord Jesus will give to you at that time and O how will you rejoyce that the Lord should confer so great honour and dignity upon you as to call you forth and enable you to suffer for his name and think how sweetly the sentence which Christ shall pronounce upon you will sound in your eares Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World 6. Rejoyce Believers rejoyce when Christ doth appear he will reward you he will give you a crown of glory which fadeth not away he will not only judge and sentence you to inherit the Kingdome of Heaven but he will receive you into the Kingdome he will give you possession thereof he will carry you along with him unto glory he will lead you and bring you into the new Ierusalem he will show you the Father unto your full satisfaction and you shall behold his glory and share in it he will put you into those mansions which he hath prepared for you Then and never till then shall you be perfectly happy and the fore-thoughts of this is matter of exceeding great comfort especially if you consider these four properties of Heavens happiness 1. Believers consider the greatness of the happiness of Heaven it will be full and you will be filled therewith unto your utmost capacity yea beyond what here you are capable of consider these particulars in your happiness of Heaven 1. Think what bodies you will have they will be most beautiful and glorious bodies they will be most healthful strong and immortal bodies you will then bear the image of the Heavenly Adam in regard of your bodies as well as in regard of your souls Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though some of you have crooked and deformed bodies now what though some of you are blinde or lame or maimed or have your bodies filled with irksome pains and weakned with long sickness what though you live in expectation of death and these bodies whatever their mold and shape be must ere long be carried to the cold stinking grave and be turned into putrefaction yet rejoice you that are believers because your bodies will be made so glorious in the resurrection when all blemishes of nature will be healed and all sickness and pain will be removed because they will be raised in incorruption and freed from any more dominion of death for ever 2. Think what Souls you shall have you will be glorious without your bodies will shine but you will be far more glorious within your souls will shine much more then your souls shall be washed clean from all remainders of sin so that they shall not have the least spot or stain then you shall be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and arrive unto perfection of holiness then the feeds of grace will be grown up into the flowers of glory and O what a fragrant garden will your souls be when the rude draught as it were of Christ here in your hearts shall be finished and perfected by Gods Pensil and your spirits shall be made perfectly like unto your glorious Lord O how beautiful will they be in the eyes of God! Rejoice then believers rejoice it grieveth you when you look within you and perceive so much remaining defilement when you feel such strong opposition of the flesh against the spirit and you finde your selves sometimes foiled thereby your weaknesses and infirmities trouble you but rejoyce believers because in Heaven you will be perfectly freed from sin you will never be foiled nor defiled with it any more but you will be made perfectly holy and perfectly happy 3. Think what habitations ye shall have you shall have Mansions in the Fathers house Joh. 14. 2. A building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. your persons will be glorious and your habitations will be glorious Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though some of you live in poor and mean cottages then you shall live in the glorious Pallace of the King of Kings what though your houses have been burned with fire and some of you have not where to lay your head and none of you have a certain dwelling place which you can secure to your selves yet rejoyce because there are Mansions provided for you out of which it will be impossible for you to be burned or turned out for ever The City which is above hath foundations which cannot be over turned and the building of God which is not made with hands cannot be destroyed by hands neither is exposed to flames of fire which may demolish the fairest City in the world 4. Think what Company you shall have you shall have the presence of the Father you shall dwell with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God will dwell in you for ever you shall have the company of holy Angels and all the glorified Saints all your companions will be most lovely and glorious Rejoyce then believers rejoyce what though wicked men separate you from their company and think you unworthy of their fellowship God will not think you unworthy of his fellowship nor separate you from his presence what though some of you are forced to dwell in Meseck and are linked in neer relations to some ungodly persons and are every day vexed with their ungodly conversation Rejoyce for in Heaven you will be freed from such company no wicked person will be permitted to come into that place 5. Think what Treasures you shall have you shall have Treasures which cannot be corrupted by moth nor stoln by thief your riches
emulations wraths strifes seditions envyings divisions clamours evil-speakings back-bitings whisperings swellings tumults and follow after those things which make for peace as love joy humbleness of minde meekness long-suffering patience and the like that you may be found of the Lord in peace 2. Give diligence that yee may be found of the Lord without spot and blameless as the Apostle doth advise in the same 14. vers And read ver 11 Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manneâ— of Persons ought yee to be in all holy conversatioâ— and godliness Get the spots of sin washed ofâ— not only the guilt of sin removed but also the deâ—filement labour to be holy in all manner of conâ—versation to be blameless and harmless the Chilâ—dren of God without rebuke in the midst of crooked and perverse Generation Take heed 〈◊〉 the sins of the times and places wherein you live joyn not with them in their sins least you share 〈◊〉 their Plagues at the last day Let your conversaâ—tion be as becometh the Gospel let your action be â—quâ—â—ed by the Word as those which must givâ— an account and receive a reward according 〈◊〉 your works 3. Sit loose from the World let not your hearâ— be over-charged with the cares of this life nâ— filled with the love of the World and that daâ— overtake you at unawares Luke 21. 34. Rememâ—ber that riches will not profit you in the day 〈◊〉 wrath that the fashion of this World passeth â— way and you are passing away and therefoâ— live here as strangers and soâ—journers 4. Lay up your treasure in Heaven Matth. â— 20. And get your affections set upon things abovâ— Col. 3. 2. And then the appearance of Jesus Chrâ—â— will be joyful to you because he will give 〈◊〉 poffession of Heaven 5. Be ready to do and suffer whatever the Loâ— calls you unto patiently continue in well-doinâ— for in due time yee shall reap be stedfast and 〈◊〉 movable alwaies abounding in the work of 〈◊〉 Lord because your labour shall not be in vain 〈◊〉 the Lord Gal. 6 9. I Cor. 15. 58. And what ever afflictions yee suffer for Christ they are light and momentany but the glory which Christ will give is weighty and eternal 2 Cor. 4. 17. 6. Give Christ your hearts let him have the highest room give him your whole heart let him have the choicest and chiefest of your affections and then he will give you his Kingdome and such expressions of his love will he make unto you at his appearance as now you have not thoughts to conceive 7. Maintain communion with Christ in his Ordinances prize Ordinances upon this account because Christ doth walk there and improve Ordinances for this end that you may meet with Christ â—est not in the out-side and carnal part of Ordinances but seek after Christ in them until you finde â—im and labour to grow into acquaintance with Christ and to keep fellowship with him and â—hen when he doth appear he will know you again â—nd own you and receive you to live with him â—or ever 8. Stand up for the honour of Christ in the World â—onfess him before Men and he will confess you â—efore his Father in Heaven Matth. 10. 32. Be â—ot ashamed to profess your selves his Disciples â—nd to own his waies and truths when they are â—ost contemned and despised by the ungodly â—orld because if you be he will be ashamed of â—ou when he cometh in his Glory Mark 8. 38. 9. Improve your Talents for the use of the Lord â—ho hath entrusted you with them All of you have â—alents lay them not up in a Napkin but lay â—em out in the service of the Lord whatever â—ifts or graces you have put them forth to usury â—at you may give an account with joy to your Lord when he shall come to call you to an account 10. Stand upon your Watch when our Saviour had foretold his Disciples of his coming he exhorts them and all to watch Mark 13. 37. What I say unto you I say unto all watch Watch against sin watch your senses which are the inlets of sin watch your hearts from whence are the issues of sin watch take heed of sleeping in sin least you lose your Garmâ—nts and be found naked 11. Be frequent and fervent in Prayer our Saviour joyns these duties together in his exhoâ—tation of his Disciples Luke 21. 36. Watch yee therefore and pray alwayes that yee may be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man Pray without ceasing pray without fainting be often upon your knees and be earnest with the Lord that he would prepare you for this day that he would deliver you from that dreadful wrath which shall be revealed when Christ doth appear and which you have deserved for your sins and pray that he would give you those qualifications as may embolden you at the last day to hold up your heads with confidence that he would keep you without spot and blameless until the coming of the Lord. 12. And lastly Look for the appearance of the Lord look with an eye of hope labour to abound in hope by the power of the Holy Ghost and let this hope be an Anchor fastned within the Vail to stay your sinking hearts in the midst of those fierce stormes which do or may beat upon you in the World and look with an eye of desire look and long for Christs appearance dart up your wishes often to Heaven O when shall we see the Heavens opened and behold our Lord in his Glory When shall we hear the Trumpet sound and be gathered by the Angels from all the quarters of the Earth When shall we put off this dust and corruption and be cloathed with robes of immortality When will the Lord Jesus come down and show us his glory and receive us to himself that where he is there we may be also Christ hath spoken from Heaven to Earth Surely I come quickly let there be an eccho back from Earth to Heaven in your desires to this voice Amen even so come Lord Iesus come quickly I shall conclude all with the words of the Apostâ—e Iude vers 24 25. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceedâ—ng joy To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and Majesty dominion and power now and ever Amen FINIS