shalt be brought down to Hell with a strong Hand with great Wrath and in one of the hottest and lowest Places there thou shalt lye for ever There are two Doctrines which I raise from the Words First Those that hear the Gospel are exalted unto Heaven Happy you if you understand your Priviledge which at this day you enjoy Secondly They who will not turn to God at the Gospel-call shall certainly be turned into Hell Thou Capernaum who art exalted unto Heaven shalt be brought down to Hell and if Christ says it shall be so most certainly it will be so The first of these I shall but just touch upon for it is the second that I principally purpose to Prosecute Doct. 1. The first Doctrine is this They that hear the Gospel are exalted unto Heaven The Gospel is an heavenly Calling Heb. 3. 1. it comes from Heaven and says to those that hear it Come up hither 1. Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. Here you have a Map of those happy Regions of Light and Love and Joy where there is nothing present that is burthensome where there is nothing wanting that is desirable 2. The Gospel plainly chalks out the way that leads to Life Christ is the way the truth and the life Joh. 14. 6. the true way to life indeed We have liberty to enter into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus had it not been for his undertaking and performance of what he undertook there had been a flaming Sword at Heavens gate and no fallen Man could ever have entred there And as Christ in whom we are to believe is the way so is also Holiness Christ by his Blood has purchased the heavenly Inheritance and has bought the Saints themselves that are to be the Inheritors and 't is by his sanctifying Spirit by true Holiness that they are made meet for that Inheritance The pure in Heart and such will be likewise pure in Life are the blessed Ones that shall see God Mat. 5. 8. and who besides are desirous or fit to see the Lord 3. Heaven in the Gospel is offer'd 't is seriously freely offer'd unto All 't is offer'd to the meanest Persons 't is offer'd to the greatest Sinners and that without Money without Price 'T is indeed too good too great a thing for Man to purchase by any thing that he can give or do Those have very low thoughts of Heaven and very high thoughts of their own Works that think they can do enough to merit Heaven Eternal Life is the free Gift of God not deserved by Man and 't is given through Christ Rom. 6. 23. Had not Christ procured it fallen Men would all have been as certainly excluded as the fallen Angels Briefly to Apply this 1. Be thankful for the Gospel which makes the richest discovery that ever was made in this World the East the West-Indies cannot shew any thing comparable to a blessed Immortality the Jewels from the one the Gold from the other are contemptible when Heaven is named The Gospel tells you where is the true the tried Gold and of the Pearl which is of greatest price and concerning a Treasure in Heaven which neither moth nor rust doth corrupt nor can thieves break through and steal Mat. 6. 20. 2. Let the Kingdom of Heaven suffer Violence and do you use an holy force to take it here you will meet with great opposition Heaven is that which occasions the envy of Hell because of its real and eternal Excellency and does very well deserve your labour Let the Treasure in Heaven cause your Hearts to be there strive to enter in at the strait gate hate every false way because it leads from Heaven and towards Destruction let the Hopes of a Crown of glory make you willing to bear the Cross look upon Sloth as most absurd when no less than Heaven will be given to them who shew their diligence in full assurance of hope unto the end Press still forward towards the mark you cannot run too fast for such a Prize But I shall stay on this no longer 'T is the second Doctrine that more largely I shall insist on Doct. 2. And that 's this Those that will not turn to God at the Call of the Gospel shall certainly be turned into Hell 2 Thes 1. 8 9. They that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power In the handling of this Doctrine I shall 1. Discourse concerning Hell what it is that you may the better understand it and understanding be afraid of it 2. I shall prove the Certainty of the Doctrine that Sinners who will not turn to God shall most surely be turned into Hell. 3. I shall Vindicate the Righteousness of God in thus dealing with and eternally Punishing them that will not turn to him 4. I shall conclude with the Vses and Application In the first Place I am to Discourse concerning Hell and to shew you what it is In Hell There is a Deprivation of good There is an Infliction of evil pain and torment There is an Eternity of both 1. In Hell there is a Deprivation of good All the temporal losses that have been sustained by all the Children of Men in this World are not comparable to the Poena Damni Punishment of loss which one Sinner in Hell shall undergoe Several things those in Hell are deprived of 1. They are deprived of all that Love and Grace and Mercy that is in God The Psalmist that knew by experience the excellency of God's Loving-kindness affirms 't is better than Life Psal 63. 3. His Mercys are tender and a multitude and sure to the Vessels of Mercy How were those fill'd with admiration and with a sense of their obligation Who in times past were not a People but were made the People of God who had not obtained Mercy but after did obtain Mercy 1 Pet. 2. 10. But alas thô God be Love it self 1 Joh. 4. 8. he hath no Love for them that are in Hell they lye under his Wrath and Hatred and both are unalterably sixt upon them Though the Lord does delight in shewing Mercy yet his Bowels do not at all stir or move towards the Damned though they lye in extreamest Woe and are continually weeping and wailing yet their Tears draw not forth his Compassions He has cast them off for ever and will be favourable no more he has forgotten to be gracious and in implacable but righteous Anger has shut up his tender Mercies 2. They that are in Hell are deprived of the beatifical Vision of God The door of Heaven they found shut against them when they said Lord Lord open to us and 't will never be opened They shall never be suffered to see him face to face but be always excluded from his Presence What Happiness is there in seeing God!
Officers compel him to the Bar where Judgment is given against him to take away his Life Wicked Men will be horribly afraid to make their Appearance before the Lord Jesus whose Salvation they have flighted whose Kingâ—om and Government they would by no means submit unto they will wish that their Bodies might sleep eternally in their Graves and never have such a Resurrection which will be only to Damnation they will wish rather to be turned into Nothing than to be turned into Hell they will call to the Rocks and the Mountains to fall upon them to hide them from the Face of him that sits upon the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6. 16. But will they nill they they must appear at his Seat and see him Eye to Eye though his Eye will be as a flame of Fire to terrifie them That just Indignation that sparkles from Christs looks how will it amaze them Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so Amen the thing is certain 5. They that never heard Christs Gospel shall be brought to Judgment He is to Judge the Church and the whole World in Righteousness The State of those that are without the Gospel is set forth as very sad in Scripture they are said to be without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World Eph. 2. 12. Yet it seems to me an unwarrantable boldness to pronounce them all lost since for ought we know God may help some of them to be faithful in that little he has given them but however be it or be it not so their Case is so dangerous that we should be concerned very much for them at present and Pray that God would make known his saving health among them The Apostle tells us what will be the Rule of Christ's proceedings with the Heathen that never heard of the glad-tydings of Salvation they shall be judged according to the Law and Light of Nature Rom. 2. 12. As many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law for not the hearers of the Law are just before God but the doers of the Law shall be justified 6. They that have enjoyed the Gospel and the means of Grace shall be brought to Judgment and of all persons that are to be judged these have largest account to give and the most Talents to answer for A poor Heathen he has but one Talent the dim Light of nature but thou that enjoyest the Gospel hast two if not five Talents to improve And where much is given will not much also be required you that hear Christ Preached had need to look to it that you sincerely obey him now and that you may stand before him at last for if you fall in Judgment you will fall very low Damnation will be great and extraordinary where great Salvation has been neglected Heb. 2. 3. Our Lord Jesus plainly intimates that there are degrees of Torment in the place of future punishment there is a blacker Darkness and a Darkness not quite so dima there is a cooler and an hotter Hell. Who are those that shall be thrown into the hottest Hell of all Truly those who heard the Gospel and were called to repent and believe but would do neither Mat. 11. 21 22 23 24. Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have Repented long ago in Sack-cloath and Aslies but I say to you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for you And thou Capernaum that art exalted unto Heaven shalt be cast down to Hell for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained to this day But I say to you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment than for Thee In the third place I am to speak of the things which will be brought into Judgment and that both with respect to the Righteous and with respect to the Wicked I begin with the Righteous and concerning these you must know 1. Their Sincerity at the day of Judgment will be made apparent All the Sincerity that has been on Earth will then be own'd and approved every one shall have an Euge a Commendation that has been a good and faithful Servant Mat. 25. 21 23. The Apostle prays for the Philippians Ch. 1. 10. that they might be Sincere and without offence till the day of Christ Sincerity will signifie much in that Day None will pass for sincere but those that are so Not one that has been sincere but shall be accepted and rewarded Faithful ones may now possibly he loaded with Reproaches from without and with Censures from within the Church but at the great Day all will be wiped off 1 Cor. 4. 5. Judge nothing before the time until the Lord do come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the Counsels of the Hearts and then shall every Man have praise of God. How many that have been highly esteemed among Men will be discovered then to have been unsound at Heart and that the World and Self did act and rule them tho their Tongues did speak for God and tho they made a Splendid Profession that they were his Servants And how many that have been hardly thought of by Men will Christ at that day confess before his Father and the Angels their Censurers at the same time being ashamed and confounded 2. There will Cognizance be taken of all the good works of the Righteous These will follow them into another World Rev. 14. 13. The Apostle that he might encourage Believers unto diligence tells them Heb. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your Work and Labour of love which ye have shewed towards his Name Good works are rewardable tho they are not Meritorious there is no proportion between the work and the reward but the reward infinitely exceeds for God himself is the reward of the Saints and All in all that are in Heaven There is no intrinsick worth in good works to deserve Heaven but God has promised Heaven and eternal Life and is Righteous in bestowing it but still it must be acknowledged his free Gift and given through Jesus Christ Indeed Mat. 25. 35 40. mention is made only of works of Charity and Mercy I was an Hungred and ye gave me Meat Thirsty and ye gave me Drink I was a Stranger and ye took me in I was Naked and ye cloathed me Sick and ye visited me I was in Prison and ye came to me From hence you are to learn how acceptable such works as these
are sanctified both in Soul and Body therefore in Body and Soul they shall be gloryfied The dead shall rise again all that are in the Graves shall hear the Voice of Christ and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of Life they that have done evil to the resurrection of Damnation Joh. 5. 28 29. The Grave is only a prison for a time not a Body that is there that shall lye there always the same Body that was employed in the unfruitful works of darkness shall be raised by the Power of the righteous Judge to share in the demerited Punishment And the same Body of the Saints the Members of which were used as Instruments of Righteousness unto Holiness by Vertue of its Union with Christ shall rise again and be made like unto Christs glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself Phil. 3. 21. It is not another Body I grant that qualities are alter'd but the substance is the same therefore the Apostle does not stick to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This corruptible shall put on incorruption this mortal shall put on immortality so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory 1 Cor. 15. 53 54. 4. Will there be a Judgment 't is wonderful there should be so much security in them that hear of it Really the very mentioning of Christs Tribunal before which all must stand should make all Criminals to tremble If a Man were seized for a Crime that 's capital deserving Death by the Law of God and Man and being in Bolts and Fetters in Newgate he should be secure and unconcerned though the Sessious were at hand you would conclude him to be very stupid and inconsiderate What Sinner secure and shortly to be Judged O Drunkard Whoremonger Swearer Sabbath-breaker Covetous Worldling what secure and speedily to appear at the Judgment-seat of Christ who has said That they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God! Sin is folly security in Sin is the folly of that folly Take heed of Security 't is not I only but Christ himself also that gives you this necessary caution Luk 21. 34 35 36. And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkeness and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares for as a share shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Watch ye therefore and Pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man. VSE II. By way of Counsel Two words of Counsel I would give this Congregation The one is more firmly to believe a Judgment and more frequently to think of it The other is Be sure in time to prepare for eternal Judgment 1. More firmly believe more frequently think of Judgment You have reason to believe it for the Judge is ordained and though neither Men nor Angels know the day yet the day is appointed Act. 17. 30 31. The time of this ignorance God winked at but now commands all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all in that he hath raised him from the dead The stronger your assent is unto this the more serious and often will be your Consideration of it To think of Judgment is proper for a Saint that he may be encouraged to fight the good fight of Faith and persevere in well doing to the end To think of Judgment is proper for a Wicked Man to awaken him and to make him with fear and trembling to work out his Salvation It 's proper for an Hypocrite to think of Judgment because then all Masks and Vizours will be pull'd off all shews will be at an end and naked Truth will appear at that day The Graves will be open'd and do ye think the whited painted Sepulchers will remain shut Oh! then all the concealed Pride and Filthiness and Selfishness and Sensuality and Injustice and earthliness of Professors will with all their aggravations be brought to light before Men and Angels Oh how many demure and serious Countenances that have been a covering to naughty Hearts will then be filled with Confusion 'T is proper for the Old to think of Judgment they have one foot in the Grave already and quickly the whole body must drop into it and the Spirit must return to God who gave it You also that are Young should think of Judgment have the youngest of yoa any assurance of your Lives Infants Children Youths do not many of them dye and step into Eternity and as you see them leave the World so certainly they appear before God and one way or other have their Doom Solomon tells you that Childhood and Youth are Vanity Would you that are Young be serious the Meditation of Judgment would conduce much to it Eccles 11. 9. Rejoyce O young Man in thy Youth and let thy heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes He says Rejoyce but speaks Ironically and means the quite contrary thoa hast no reason at all to rejoyce whilst thou walkest that are seen and whilst thou walkest in those evil ways which thy Heart naturally does like Then the Wise man speaks seriously But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment If you ask me What are the Benefits that will accrue by a firm Belief and frequent Meditation of Judgment I thus Answer to this momentous Question 1. This will be a great Preservative against Temptation Look beyond the present advantage and delight that Sin boasts of and see as far as the Judgment-seat this is the way to silence the Tempter and to avoid his share Would the Lyar dare to speak falily if he considered that all Lyars shall be adjudged to the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death Rev. 21. 8. Would the Unclean Person dare to desile himself and run to the Harlots house if he did but believe and consider that it boremangers and Adulterers God will judge Improve Christs Cross and think of Christs Tribunal and this will cool and kill Corruptions and take away the force of your Temptations 2. The Belief and Meditation of Judgment will cause you to use this World as not abusing it to make a good improvement of it You that have this World in great abundance and have the clearest and largest Estates do you think you are Proprietors of what you have Do you think 't is given or only lent you for a