Two Treatises to Awaken Secure Sinners, Treatise 1

Two Treatises to Awaken Secure Sinners · Treatise 1

p. 1A Diſcourſe of the Terror of the Day of Judgment.

2 Cor. 5. 10, 11.

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. Knowing therefore the Terrors of the Lord, we perſwade Men.

IT is not unlikely that ſome of thoſe Wits that are taken more with things new than with things neceſſary, will marvel that I chooſe ſo common a Subject, and tell me that they all know this already. But I do it purpoſely upon theſe following Conſiderations. 1. Becauſe I well know it is theſe common Truths that are the great and neceſſary things which Mens everlaſting Happineſs or Miſery doth moſt depend upon. You may be ignorant of many Controverſies and in…eriour Points, without the Danger of your …ouls, but ſo you cannot of theſe Fundamentals. …. Becauſe it's apparent by the Lives of Men, that few know theſe common Truths ſavingly, that think they know them. 3. Becauſe there are ſeveral Degrees of knowing the ſame Truths, and the beſt are imperfect in Degree; the principal Growth in Knowledg that we ſhould look after, is not to know more Matters than: … p. 2knew before, but to know that better and with a clearer Light and firmer Apprehenſion, which we da…kly and ſlightly knew before. You may more ſafely be without any Knowledg at all of many lower Truths, than without ſome …arther Degree of the Knowledg of thoſe which you already know. 4. Beſides, it is known by ſad Experience, that many periſh who know the Truth, for want of the Conſideration of it, and making uſe of what they know, and ſo their Knowledg doth but condemn them. We have as much need therefore to teach and help you to get theſe Truths which you know, into your Hearts and Lives, as to tell you more. 5. And indeed, it is the Impreſſion of theſe great and Maſter-Truths, wherein the Vitals and Eſſentials of God's Image upon the Soul of Man doth conſiſt: and it is theſe Truths that are the very Inſtruments of the great Works that are to be done upon the Heart by the Spirit and our ſelves. In the right uſe of theſe it is that the principal Part of the Skill and holy Wiſdom of a Chriſtian doth conſiſt; and in the diligent and conſtant Uſe of theſe lieth the Life and Trade of Chriſtianity. There is nothing amiſs in Mens Hearts or Lives, but is for want of ſound Knowing and Believing, or well uſing theſe Fundamentals. 6. And moreover, methinks in this Choice of my Subject, I may expect this Advantage with the Hearers, that I may ſpare that Labour that elſe would be neceſſary for the Proof of my Doctrine: and that I may alſo have eaſier Acceſs to your Hearts, and have a ſuller Stroak at them, and with leſs Reſiſtance. If I came to tell you of any thing not Common, I know not how far I might expect Belief from you. You might ſay, Theſe things are uncertain to us, or all Men are not of this Mind. But when every Hearer confeſſeth the Truth of my Doctrine, and no Man can deny it, without denying Chriſtianity it ſelf; I hope I may expect that your Hearts ſhould the ſooner receive the Impreſſion of this Doctrine, and the ſooner yield to the Duties it directs you to, and the eaſier p. 3let go the Sins which from ſo certain a Truth ſhall be diſcovered.

The Words of my Text, are the Reaſon which the Apoſtle giveth both of his perſwading other Men to the Fear of God, and his Care to approve to God his own Heart and Life. They contain the Aſſertion and Deſcription of the Great Judgment, and one Uſe which he makes of it. It aſſureth us that judged we muſt be, and who muſt be ſo judged, and by whom, and about what, and on what Terms, and to what End.

The meaning of the Words, ſo far as is neceſſary, I ſhall give you briefly. We all, both we Apoſtles that preach the Goſpel, and you that hear it, muſt, willing or unwilling, there is no avoiding it, appear, ſtand forth, or make your appearance, and there have your Hearts and Ways laid open, and appear as well as we. Before the Judgment-ſeat of Chriſt, i. e. before the Redeemer of the World, to be judged by him as our Rightful Lord. That every one, even of all Mankind, which are, were, or ſhall be, without Exception; may receive, that is, may receive his Sentence, adjudging him to his due; and then may receive the Execution of the Sentence, and may go from the Bar with that Reward or Puniſhment that is his due according to the Law by which he is judged. The things done in his Body, that is, the due Reward of the Works done in his Body; or as ſome Copies read it, The things proper to the Body, i. e. due to the Man, even Body as well as Soul, according to what he hath done, whether it be Good or Bad; i. e. this is the Cauſe to be tried and judged, whether Men have done well or ill, whilſt they were in the Fleſh, and what is due to them according to their Deeds. Knowing therefore, &c. i. e. being certain therefore that theſe Things are ſo, and that ſuch a terrible Judgment of Chriſt will come, we perſwade Men to become Chriſtians and live as ſuch, that they may then ſpeed well, when others ſhall be deſtroyed; or as others, Knowing the Fear of the Lord, that is, the true Religion, we perſwade Men.

p. 4Doct. 1. There will be a Judgment. Doct. 2. Chriſt will be the Judg. Doct. 3. All Men ſhall there appear. Doct. 4. Men ſhall be then judged according to the Works that they did in the Fleſh, whether Good or Evil. Doct. 5. The End of Judgment is, that Men may receive their final Due by Sentence and Execution. Doct. 6. The Knowledg and Conſideration of the terrible Judgment of God, ſhould move us to perſwade, and Men to be perſwaded to careful Preparation.

The ordinary Method for the handling of this Subject of Judgment ſhould be this. 1ſt. To ſhew you what Judgment is in the General, and what it doth contain: and that is, 1. The Perſons. 2. The Cauſe. 3. The Actions. 1. The Parties are, (1.) The Accuſer. (2.) The Defendant. (3.) Sometime Aſſiſtants. (4.) The Judg. 2. The Cauſe contains, (1.) The Accuſation. (2.) The Defence. (3.) With the Evidence of both. (4.) And the Merit. The Merit of the Cauſe is as it agreeth with the Law and Equity. 3. The judicial Actions are, I. Introductory, 1. Citation. 2. Compulſion, if need be. 3. Appearance of the Accuſed. II. Of the Eſſence of Judgment, 1. Debate by, (1.) The Accuſer. (2.) Defendant, called the Diſceptation of the Cauſe. 2. By the Judg. 1. Exploration. 2. Sentence. 3. To ſee to the Execution: But becauſe this Method is leſs ſutable to your Capacities, and hath ſomething humane, I will reduce all to theſe following Heads.

1. I will ſhew what Judgment is.

2. Who is the Judg: and why.

3. Who muſt be judg'd.

4. Who is the Accuſer.

5. How the Citation, Conſtraint and Appearance will be.

6. What is the Law by which Men ſhall be judged.

7. What will be the Cauſe of the Day, what the Accuſation, and what muſt be the juſt Defence.

8. What will be the Evidence.

p. 59. What are thoſ… frivolous inſufficient Excuſes by which the Unrighteous may think to eſcape.

10. What will be the Sentence, who ſhall die, and who ſhall live, and what the Reward and Puniſhment …s.

11. What are the Properties of the Sentence.

12. What and by whom the Execution will be. In …heſe particular Heads we contain the whole Doctrine of …his Judgment, and in this more familiar Method ſhall …andle it.

I. For the firſt Judgment, as taken largely, comprehendeth all the ſorementioned Particulars; as taken more ſtrictly for the Act of the Judg, it is the Trial of a controverted Caſe. In our Caſe note theſe things following.

1. God's Judgment is not intended for any Diſcovery to himſelf of what he knows not already, he knows already that all Men are, and what they have done, and what is their Due: But it is to diſcover to others and to Men themſelves the ground of his Sentence, that ſo his Judgment may attain its End, for the glorifying …his Grace on the Righteous, and for the convincing the Wicked of their Sin and Deſert, and to ſhew to all the World the Righteouſneſs of the Judg, and of his Sentence and Execution. Rom. 3. 4, 26. and Rom. 2. 2.

2. It is not a Controverſy therefore undecided …in the Mind of God, that is there to be decided; but only one that is undecided, as to the Knowledg and Mind of Creatures.

3. Yet i… not this Judgment a bare Declaration, but a Deciſion, and ſo a Declaration thereupon: the Cauſe will be then put out of Controverſy, and all farther Expectation of Deciſion be at an End; and with the Juſtified there will be no more Accuſation, and with the Condemned no more Hope for ever.

II. For the ſecond Thing, who ſhall be the Judg; I anſwer, The Judg is God himſelf by Jeſus Chriſt.

p. 61. Principally, God as Creator.

2. As alſo, God as Redeemer; the humane Nature of Jeſus Chriſt having a derived ſubordinate Power. God loſt not his Right to his Creature either by Man's Fall, or the Redemption by Chriſt, but by the latter hath a new farther Right: but it is in and by Chriſt that God judgeth: For as meer Creator of innocent Man, God judgeth none, but hath committed all Judgment to the Son, who hath procured this Right by the redeeming of fallen Man, Joh. 5. 22. But as the Son only doth it in the neareſt Senſe, ſo the Father as Creator doth it remotely and principally.

1. In that the Power of the Son is derived from the Father, and ſo ſtandeth in Subordination to him as Fountain or Efficient.

2. In that the Judgment of the Son (as alſo his whole Mediatorſhip) is to bring Men to God their Maker as their ultimate End, and recover them to him from whom they are faln; and ſo as a Means to that End, the Judgment of the Son is ſubordinate to the Father.

From hence you may ſee theſe following Truths worthy your Conſideration.

1. That all Men are God's Creatures, and none are the Workmanſhip of themſelves or any other; or elſe the Creator ſhould not judg them on that Right.

2. That Chriſt died for All, and is the Redeemer of the World, and a Sacrifice for All, or elſe he ſhould not judg them on that Right. For he will not judg Wicked Men as he will do the Devils, as the meer Enemies of his Redeemed Ones, but as being themſelves his Subjects in the World, and being bought by him, and therefore become his own, who ought to have glorified him that bought them, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. 2 Pet. 2. 1. 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. 1 John 2. 2. Heb. 2. 9. 1 Tim. 2. 6, 7.

3. Hence it appeareth that all Men were under ſome Law of Grace, and did partake of ſome of the Redeemer's p. 7Mercy. Tho the Goſpel came not to all, yet all …ad that Mercy which could come from no other Foun…in but his Blood, and which ſhould have brought them …arer to Chriſt than they were, (though it were not …fficient to bring them to Belief) and which ſhould …ave led them to Repentance, Romans 2. 4. For …e neglecting of which they juſtſy periſh, and not …eerly for ſinning againſt the Law that was given Man in …nnocency: Were that ſo, Chriſt would not judg them … Redeemer, and that for the Abuſe or not Improvement of his Talents, as he tells us he will do, Mat. …5. per to…um.

4. If God will be the Judg, then none can expect …y any Shifts or Indirect Means to eſcape at that Day. For how ſhould it be?

1. It is not poſſible that any ſhould keep out of Sight, or hide their Sin and the Evil of their Actions, and ſo delude the Judg: God will not be mocked now, nor deceived then, Gal. 6. 7. they groſly deceive themſelves that imagine any ſuch thing: God muſt be Omni…cient and All-ſeeing, or he cannot be God. Should you …ide your Cauſe from Men and from Devils, and be ignorant of it your ſelves, yet cannot you hide it from God. Never did there a Thought paſs thy Heart, or a Word paſs thy Mouth, which God was not acquainted with: and as he knows them, ſo doth he obſerve them. He …s not as imperſect Man, taken up with other Buſineſs, ſo that he cannot mind All. As eaſy is it with him t… obſerve every Thought, or Word, or Action of thine, as if he had but that one in the World to obſerve; and …s eaſy to obſerve each particular Sinner, as if he had not another Creature to look after in the World. He is a Fool indeed that thinks now that God takes no notice of him, Ezek. 8. 12. and 9. 9. or that thinketh then to eſcape in the Croud: He that found out one Gueſt that had not on a Wedding-Garment, Mat. 22. 12. will then find out every unholy Soul, and give him ſo ſad a Salutation as ſhall make him ſpeechleſs. Joh. 11. 11. For he p. 8knoweth vain Man; be ſeech Wickedneſs alſo, and will be not conſider it?

2. It is not poſſible that any ſhould eſcape at that Day by any Tricks of Wit and falſe Reaſoning in their own Defence. God knoweth a ſound Anſwer from an unſound, and a Truth from a Lie. Righteouſneſs may be perverted here on Earth, by out-witting the Judg; but ſo will it not be then. To hope any of this, is to hope that God will not be God. It is in vain then for the unholy Man to ſay he is holy; or for any Sinner to deny, or excuſe, or extenuate his Sin; to bring forth the Counterfeit of any Grace, and plead with God any Shells of hypocritical Performances, and to think to prove a Title to Heaven▪ by any thing ſhort of God's Condition: all theſe will be vain Attempts.

3. And as impoſſible will it prove by Fraud or Flattery, by Perſwaſion or Bribery, or by any other Means, to pervert Juſtice by turning the Mind of God who is the Judg: Fraud and Flattery, Bribery and Importunity may do much with weak Men, but with God they will do nothing. Were he changeable and partial, he were not God.

4. If God be Judg, you may ſee the Cavils of Infidels are fooliſh, when they ask, How long will God be in trying and judging ſo many Perſons, and taking an Account of ſo many Words, and Thoughts, and Deeds? Sure it will be a long Time, and a difficult Work. As if God were as Man that knoweth not things till he ſeek out their Evidence by particular Signs. Let theſe Foo…s underſtand, if they have any Underſtanding, that the infinite God can ſhew to every Man at once, all the Thoughts, and Words, and Actions that ever he hath been guilty of. And in the twink of an Eye, even at one view, can make all the World to ſee their Ways and their Deſervings, cauſing their Conſciences and Memories to preſent them all before them in ſuch a ſort, as ſhall be equivalent to a verbal Debate, Pſal. 50. 21, 22. he will ſet them in Order before them.

p. 95. If Jeſus Chriſt be the Judg, then what a Comfort muſt it needs be to his Members, that he ſhall be Judg that loved them to the Death, and whom they loved above their Lives, and he who was their Rock of Hope and Strength, and the Deſire and Delight of their Souls!

6. And if Jeſus Chriſt muſt be the Judg, what Confuſion will it bring to the Faces of his Enemies, and of all that ſet light by him in the Day of their Viſitation? to ſee Mercy turned againſt them, and he that died for them now ready to condemn them, and that Blood and Grace which did aggravate their Sin, to be pleaded againſt them to the Increaſe of their Miſery: How ſad will this be?

7. If the God of Love, and Grace, and Truth, be Judg, then no Man need to fear any Wrong. No Subtlety of the Accuser, nor Darkneſs of Evidence; no Prejudice or Partiality, or whatſoever elſe may be imagined, can there appear to the Wrong of your Cauſe. Get a good Cauſe and fear nothing: and if your Cauſe be bad, nothing can deliver you.

III. For the third Point, Who are they that muſt be judged?

Anſw. All the rational Creatures in this lower World. And it ſeems Angels alſo, either all or ſome: But becauſe their Caſe is more darkly made known to us, and leſs concerns us, we will paſs it by. Every Man that hath been made or born on Earth (except Chriſt, who is God and Man, and is the Judg) muſt be judged. If any fooliſh Infidels ſhall ſay, Where ſhall ſo great a Number ſtand? I anſwer him, That he knoweth not the things Inviſible; either the Nature of Spirits and ſpiritual Bodies, nor what Place containeth them, or how; but eaſily he may know that he that gave them all a Being, can ſuſtain them all, and have room for them all, and can at once diſcloſe the Thoughts of all, as I ſaid before.

p. 10The firſt in Order to be judged are the Saints, Mat. 25. and then with Chriſt they ſhall judg the reſt of the World, 1 Cor. 6. 2, 3. not in an equal Authority and Commiſſion with Chriſt, but as the preſent Approvers of his righteous Judgment. The Princes of the Earth ſhall ſtand then before Chriſt even as the Peaſants, and the Honourable as the Baſe; the Rich and the Poor ſhall meet together, and the Lord ſhall judg them all, Prov. 22. 2. No Men ſhall be excuſed from ſtanding at that Bar, and giving up their Account, and receiving their Doom. Learned and unlearned, young and old, godly and ungodly, all muſt ſtand there. I know ſome have vainly imagined that the Righteous ſhall not have any of their Sins mentioned, but their Graces and Duties only; but they conſider not that things will not then be tranſacted by Words as we do now, but by clear Diſcoveries by the infinite Light; and that if God ſhould not diſcover to them their Sins, he would not diſcover the Riches of his Grace in the Pardon of all theſe Sins: even then they muſt be humbled in themſelves that they may be glorified, and for ever cry, Not unto us Lord, but unto thy Name be the Glory.

IV. For the fourth Particular, Who will be the Accuſer?

Anſw. 1. Satan is called in Scripture the Accuſer of the Prethren, Revel. 12. 10. and we find in Joh▪ 1. and other Places, that now he doth practiſe it even before God: and therefore we judg it probable that he will do ſo then. But we would determine of nothing that Scripture hath not clearly determined.

2. Conſcience will be an Accuſer, though eſpecially of the Wicked, yet in ſome ſenſe of the Righte…us, for it will tell the Truth to all; and therefore ſo far as Men are faulty, it will tell them of their Faults. The Wicked it will accuſe of unpardoned Sin, and of Sin unrepented of; the Godly only of Sin repented of and p. 11pardoned. It will be a Glaſs wherein every Man: may ſee the Face of his Heart and former Life, Rom. 1. 15.

3. The Judg himſelf will be the principal Accuſer; for it is he that is wronged, and he that proſecutes the Cauſe, and will do Juſtice on the Wicked. God judgeth even the Righteous themſelves to be Sinners, or elſe they could not be pardoned Sinners. But he judgeth the Wicked to be impenitent, unbelieving, unconverted Sinners. Remember what I ſaid before, that it is not a verbal Accuſation, but an opening of the Truth of the Cauſe to the view of our ſelves and others, that God will then perform.

Nor can any think it unworthy of God to be Mens Accuſer by ſuch a Diſcloſure, it being no Diſhonour to the pureſt Light to reveal a Dunghil, or to the greateſt Prince to accuſe a Traitor. Nor is it unmeet that God ſhould be both Accuſer and Judg, ſeeing he is both abſolute Lord, and perfectly Juſt, and ſo far beyond all ſuſpition of Injuſtice. His Law alſo doth virtually accuſe, Joh. 5. 45. but of this by it ſelf.

V. For the fifth Particular, How will the Sinners be called to the Bar?

Anſw. God will not ſtand to ſend them a Citation, nor require them to make their voluntary Appearance: but willing or unwilling he will bring them in.

1. Before each Man's particular Judgment, he ſendeth Death to call away his Soul, a ſurly Serjeant that will have no Nay: How dear ſoever this World may be to Men, and how loth ſoever they are to depart, away they muſt, and come before the Lord that made them; Death will not be bribed. Every Man that was ſet in the Vineyard in the Morning of their Lives, muſt be called out at Evening to receive according to what he hath done: then muſt the naked Soul alone appear before its Judg, and be accountable for all that was done in the Body, and be ſent before till the final Judgment p. 12to remain in Happineſs or Miſery, till the Body be raiſed again and joined to it.

In this Appearance of the Soul before God, it. ſeemeth by Scripture, that there is ſome Miniſtry of Angels; for Luke 16. 22. it is ſaid that the Angels carried Lazarus, that is, his Soul, into Abraham's Boſom. What local Motion there is, or Situation of Souls, is no fit Matter for the Enquiry of Mortals; and what it is in this that the Angels will do, we cannot clearly underſtand as yet; but moſt certain it is, that as ſoon as ever the Soul is out of the Body, it comes to its account before the God of Spirits.

2. At the end of the World the Bodies of all Men ſhall be raiſed from the Earth, and joined again to their Souls, and the Soul and Body ſhall be judged to their endleſs State; and this is the great and general Judgment where all Men ſhall at once appear. The ſame Power of God that made Men of nothing, will as eaſily then new-make them by a Reſurrection, by which he will add much more Perfection, even to the Wicked in their Naturals, which will make them capable of the greater Miſery; even they ſhall have immortal and incorruptible Bodies, which may be the Subjects of immortal Wo, 1 Cor. 15. 53. John 5. 28, 29.

Of this Reſurrection and our Appearance at Judgment, the Angels will be ſomeway the Miniſters: as they ſhall come with Chriſt to Judgment, ſo they ſhall ſound his Trumpet, 1 Theſſ. 4. 16. and they ſhall gather the Wicked out of God's Kingdom, and they ſhall gather the Tares to burn them, Matth. 13. 39, 40, 41. in the End of the World the Angels ſhall come forth and ſever the Wicked from among the Juſt, and ſhall caſt them into the Furnace of Fire, Matth. 17. 49, 50.

VI. For the ſixth Particular, What Law is it that Men ſhall be judged by?

p. 13Anſw. That which was given them to live by: God's Law is but the Sign of his Will to teach us what ſhall be due from us and to us: before we fell he gave us ſuch a Law as was ſutable to our Perfection; when we had ſinned and turned from him, as we ceaſed not to be his Creatures, nor he to be our Lord, ſo he deſtroyed not his Law, nor diſcharged or abſolved us from the Duty of our Obedience. But becauſe we ſtood condemned by that Law, and could not be juſtified by it, having once tranſgreſſed it, he was pleaſed to make a Law of Grace, even a new, a remedying Law, by which we might be ſaved from the deſerved Puniſhment of the Old. So we ſhall be tried at Judgment upon both theſe Laws, but ultimately upon the laſt. The firſt Law commanded perfect Obedience, and threatned Death to us if ever we diſobeyed; the ſecond Law finding us under the Guilt of Sin againſt the firſt, doth command us to repent and believe in Chriſt, and ſo return to God by him, and promiſeth us pardon of all our Sins upon that Condition, and alſo if we perſevere, everlaſting Glory. So that in Judgment though it muſt be firſt evinced that we are Sinners, and have deſerved Death according to the Law of pure Nature; yet that is not the Upſhot of the Judgment. For the Enquiry will be next, whether we have accepted the Remedy, and ſo obeyed the Law of Grace, and performed its Condition for Pardon and Salvation, and upon this our Life or Death will depend. It is both theſe Laws that condemn the Wicked, but it is only the Law of Grace that juſtifieth the Righteous.

Obj. But how ſhall Heathens be judged by the Law of Grace, that never did receive it?

Anſw. The expreſs Goſpel ſome of them had not, and therefore ſhall not directly be judged by it; but much of the Redeemer's Mercy they did enjoy, which ſhould have led them to repent and ſeek out after Recovery from their Miſery, and to come nearer Chriſt; and for the neglect and abuſe of this they ſhall be judged, p. 14and not meerly for ſinning againſt the Law that was given us in pure Innocency: ſo that Chriſt as Redeemer ſhall judg them as well as others; though they had but one Talent, yet muſt they give an account of that to the Redeemer from whom they received it. But if any be unſatisfied in this, let them remember that as God hath left the State of ſuch more dark to us, and the Terms on which he will judg them; ſo doth it much more concern us to look to the Terms of our own Judgment.

Obj. But how ſhall Inſants be judged by the Goſpel, that were uncapable of it?

Anſw. For ought I find in Scripture, they ſtand or fall with their Parents, and on the ſame Terms; but I leave each to their own Thoughts.

VII. For the ſeventh Head, What will be the Cauſe of the Day to be enqu…ed after? what the Accuſation, and what the Defence?

Anſw. This may be gathered from what was laſt ſaid, The great Cauſe of the Day will be to enquire and determine who ſhall die and who ſhall live, who ought to go to Heaven, and who to Hell for ever, according to the Law by which they muſt then be judged.

1. As there is a twofold Law by which they muſt be judged, ſo will there then be a twofold Accuſation. The firſt will be that they were Sinners, and ſo having violated the Law of God, they deſerve everlaſting Death according to that Law: If no Defence could be made, this one Accuſation would condemn all the World; for it is moſt certain that all are Sinners, and as certain that all Sin deſerveth Death. The only Defence againſt this Accuſation …ieth in this Plea; confeſſing the Charge, we muſt plead that Chriſt hath ſatisfied for Sins, and upon that Conſideration God hath forgiven us; and therefore being forgiven, we ought not to be puniſhed: To prove this we muſt ſhew the Pardon under God's Hand in the Goſpel. But becauſe this pardoning p. 15doning Act of the Goſpel doth forgive none but thoſe that repent and believe, and ſo return to God, and to ſincere Obedience for the time to come; therefore the next Accuſation will be, that we did not perform theſe Conditions of Forgiveneſs; and therefore being Vnbelievers, Impenitent and Rebels againſt the Redeemer, we have no right to Pardon, but by the Sentence of the Goſpel are liable to a greater Puniſhment for this Contempt of Chriſt and Grace. This Accuſation is either true or falſe: where it is true, God and Conſcience, who ſpeak the Truth, may well be ſaid to be the Accuſers: Where it is falſe, it can be only the Work of Satan the malicious Adverſary, who, as we may ſee in Job's Caſe, will not ſtick to bring a falſe Accuſation.

If any think that the Accuſer will not do ſo vain a Work, at leaſt they may ſee that potentially this is the Accuſation that lieth againſt us, and which we muſt be juſtified againſt. For all Juſtification implieth an actual or potential Accuſation.

He that is truly accuſed of final Impenitency, or Unbelief, or Rebellion, hath no other Defence to make, but muſt needs be condemned.

He that is falſly accuſed of ſuch Non-performance of the Condition of Grace, muſt deny the Accuſation, and plead his own perſonal Righteouſneſs as againſt that Accuſation, and produce that Faith, Repentance and ſincere Obedience and Perſeverance, by which he fulfilled that Condition, and ſo is Evangilically Righteous in himſelf, and therefore hath part in the Blood of Chriſt, which is inſtead of a Legal Righteouſneſs to him in all things elſe, as having procured him a Pardon of all his Sins, and a Right to everlaſting Glory.

And thus we muſt then be juſtified by Chriſt's Satiſfaction only againſt the Accuſation of being Sinners in general, and of deſerving God's Wrath for the Breach of the Law of Works; but we muſt be juſtified by our Faith, Repentance and ſincere Obedience it ſelf, againſt the Accuſation of being Impenitent, Vnbelievers p. 16and Rebels againſt Chriſt, and having not performed the Condition of the Promiſe, and ſo having no part in Chriſt and his Benefits.

So that in ſum you ſee that the Cauſe of the Day will be to enquire, whether being all known Sinners, we have accepted of Chriſt upon his Terms, and ſo have Right in him and his Benefits or not? whether they have forſaken this vain World for him, and loved him ſo faithfully, that they have manifeſted it, in parting with theſe things at his Command? And this is the meaning of Mat. 25. where the Enquiry is made to be, whether they have ſed and viſited him in his Members or not? that is, whether they have ſo far loved him as their Redeemer, and God by him, as that they have manifeſted this to his Members according to Opportunity, though it coſt them the Hazard or Loſs of all; ſeeing Danger, and Labour, and Coſt are fitter to expreſs Love by than empty Compliments and bare Profeſſions.

Whether it be particularly enquired after, or only taken for granted that Men are Sinners, and have deſerved Death according to the Law of Works, and that Chriſt hath ſatisfied by his Death, is all one as to the matter in hand, ſeeing God's Enquiry is but the Diſcovery and Conviction of us. But the laſt Queſtion which muſt decide the Controverſy will be, whether we have performed the Condition of the Goſpel?

I have the rather alſo ſaid all this, to ſhew you in what ſenſe theſe Words are taken in the Text, that every Man ſhall be judged according to what he hath done in the Fleſh, whether it be good or bad. Though every Man be judged worthy of Death for ſinning, yet every Man ſhall not be judged to die for it, and no Man ſhall be judged worthy of Life for his good Works: It is therefore according to the Goſpel, as the Rule of Judgment, that this is meant. They that have repented and believed, and returned to true, though imperfect Obedience, ſhall be judged to everlaſting p. 17Life, according to theſe Works; not becauſe theſe Works deſerve it, but becauſe the free Gift in the Goſpel through the Blood of Chriſt, doth make theſe things the Condition of our poſſeſſing it. They that have lived and died Impenitent, Unbelievers and Rebels againſt Chriſt, ſhall be judged to everlaſting Puniſhment, becauſe they have deſerved it both by their Sin in general againſt the the Law, and by theſe Sins in ſpecial againſt the Goſpel. This is called the Merit of the Cauſe, that is, what is a Man's Due according to the true meaning of the Law, though the Due may be by free Gift. And thus you ſee what will be the Cauſe of the Day, and the Matter to be enquired after and decided as to our Life or Death.

VIII. The next Point in our Method is, to ſhew you, What will be the Evidence of the Cauſe?

Anſw. There is a fivefold Evidence among Men. 1. When the Fact is notorious. 2. The Knowledg of an unſuſpected competent Judg. 3. The Parties Confeſſion. 4. Witneſs. 5. Inſtruments and viſible Effects of the Action. All theſe Evidences will be at hand, and any one of them ſufficient for the Conviction of the guilty Perſon at that Day.

1. As the Sins of all Men, ſo the Impenitency and Rebellion of the Wicked was notorious, or at leaſt will be then. For though ſome play the Hypocrites, and hide the Matter from the World and themſelves, yet God ſhall open their Hearts and former Lives to themſelves, and to the view of all the World. He ſhall ſet their Sins in Order before them, ſo that it ſhall be utterly in vain to deny or excuſe them. If any Man will then think to make their Cauſe as good to God as they can now do to us, that are not able to ſee their Hearts, they will be foully miſtaken. Now they can ſay they have as good Hearts as the beſt: then God will bring them out in the Light, and ſhew them to themſelves and all the World, whether they were good or bad. Now they will face us down that they do truly p. 18repent, and they obey God as well as they can; but God that knoweth the Deceivers will then undeceive them. We cannot now make Men acquainted with their own unſanctified Hearts, nor convince them that have not true Faith, Repentance or Obedience, but God will convince them of it; they can find Shifts and falſe Anſwers to put off a Miniſter with, but God will not ſo be ſhifted off. Let us preach as plainly to them as we can, and do all that ever we are able to acquaint them with the Impenitency and Unholineſs of their own Heart, and the Neceſſity of a new Heart and Life, yet we cannot do it, but they will believe whether we will or not, that the old Heart will ſerve the turn. But how eaſily will God make them know the contrary? We plead with them in the dark, for though we have the Candle of the Goſpel in our hands when we come to ſhew them their Corruption, yet they ſhut their Eyes and are wilfully blind; but God will open their Eyes whether they will or not, not by holy Illumination, but by forced Conviction; and then he will plead with them as in the open Light. See here thy own unholy Soul; canſt thou now ſay thou didſt love me above all? canſt thou deny but thou didſt love this World before me, and ſerve thy Fleſh and Luſts, though I told thee if thou …idſt ſo thou ſhouldſt die? Look upon thy own Heart now, and ſee whether it be an holy or an unholy Heart, a ſpiritual or a fleſhly Heart, a heavenly or an earthly Heart. Look now upon all the Courſe of thy Life, and ſee whether thou didſt live to me, or to the World and thy Fleſh. O how eaſily will God convince Men then of the very Sins of their Thoughts, and in their ſecret Cloſe…s, when they thought that no Witneſs could have diſcloſed them! Therefore it's ſaid that the Books ſhall be opened, and the Dead judged out of the Books, Rev. 20. 12. Dan. 7. 10.

The ſecond Evidence will be the Knowledg of the Judg. If the Sinner would not be convinced, yet it is ſufficient that the Judg knoweth the Cauſe; God needeth no farther Witneſs, he ſaw thee committing Adultery in p. 19ſecret, Lying, Stealing, Forſwearing in ſecret. If thou do not know thine own Heart to be unholy, 'tis enough that God knoweth it. If you have the Face to ſay, Lord, when did we ſee thee hungry? &c. Mat. 25. 44. yet God will make good the Charge againſt thee, and there needeth no more Teſtimony than his own. Can fooliſh Sinners think to lie hid or eſcape at that Day, that will now ſin wilfully before their Judg? that know every Day that their Judg is looking on them, while they forget him, and give up themſelves to the World, and yet go on even under his Eye, as if to his Face they dared him to puniſh them?

3. The third Evidence will be, the Sinners Confeſſion God will force their own Conſciences to witneſs againſt them, and their own Tongues to confeſs the Accuſation. If they do at firſt excuſe it, he will leave them ſpeechleſs, yea and condemning themſelves before they have done.

O what a difference between their Language now and then! Now we cannot tell them of their Sin and Miſery, but they either tell us of our own Faults, or bid us look to our ſelves, or deny or excuſe their Fault, or make light of it: but then their own Tongues ſhall confeſs them, and cry out of the wilful Folly that they committed, and lay a heavier Charge upon them than we can now do. Now if we tell them that we are afraid they are unregenerate, and leſt their Hearts are not truly ſet upon God, they will tell us they hope to be ſaved with ſuch Hearts as they have: But t…en, O how they will confeſs the Folly and Falſeneſs of their own Hearts! You may ſee a little of their Caſe even in deſpairing Sinners on Earth, how far they are from denying or excuſing their Sins. Judas cries out, I have ſinned in betraying innocent Blood, Mat. 27. 4. out of their own Mouth ſhall they be judged. That very Tongue that now excuſeth their Sin, will in their Torments be their great Accuſer. For God will have it ſo to be.

p. 204. The fourth Evidence will be the Witneſs of others. O how many thouſand Witneſſes might there be produced, were there need, to convince the guilty Soul at that Day!

1. All the Miniſters of Chriſt that ever preached to them, or warned them, will be ſufficient Witneſſes againſt them; we muſt needs teſtify that we preached to them the Truth of the Goſpel, and they would not believe it. We preached to them the Goodneſs of God, yet they ſet not their Hearts upon him; we ſhewed them their Sin, and they were not humbled: we told them of the danger of an unregenerate State, and they did not regard us: we acquainted them with the abſolute Neceſſity of Holineſs, but they made light of all: we let them know the Deceitfulneſs of their Hearts, and the need of a cloſe and faithful Examination, but they would not beſtow an Hour in ſuch a Work, nor ſcarce once be afraid of being miſtaken and miſcarrying. We let them know the Vanity of this World, and yet they would not forſake it, no not for Chriſt and the Hopes of Glory: we told them of the everlaſting Felicity they might attain, but they would not ſet themſelves to ſeek it.

What we ſhall think of it then the Lord knows, but ſurely it ſeemeth now to us a matter of very ſad Conſideration, that we muſt be brought in as Witneſſes againſt the Souls of our Neighbours and Friends in the Fleſh. Thoſe whom we now unfeignedly love, and would do any thing that we were able to do for their good, whoſe Welfare is dearer to us than all worldly Enjoyments. Alas, that we muſt be forced to teſtify to their Faces for their Condemnation! Ah Lord, with what a Heart muſt a poor Miniſter ſtudy, when he conſidereth this, that all the Words that he is ſtudying muſt be brought in for a Witneſs againſt many of his Hearers! with what an Heart muſt a Miniſter preach when he remembreth that all the Words that he is ſpeaking muſt condemn many, if not moſt of his Hearers? Do we deſire p. 21this ſad Fruit of our Labours? No, we may ſay with the Prophet, Jer. 17. 16. I have not deſired the woful Day thou knoweſt: No, if we deſired it, we would not do ſo much to prevent it, we would not ſtudy, and preach, and pray, and intreat Men, that if it were poſſible we might not be put on ſuch a Task. And doubtleſs it ſhould make every honeſt Miniſter ſtudy hard, and pray hard, and intreat hard, and ſtoop low to Men, and be earneſt with Men in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon, that if it may be they may not be the Condemners of their Peoples Souls. But if Men will not hear, and there be no remedy, who can help it? Chriſt himſelf came not into the World to condemn Men, but to ſave them, and yet he will condemn thoſe that will not yield to his ſaving Work: God takes no Pleaſure in the Death of a Sinner, but rather that he repent and return and live, Ezek. 18. 23, 32. and yet he will rejoice over thoſe to do them hurt, and deſtroy them that will not return, Deut. 28. 63. And if we muſt be put on ſuch a Work, he will make us like-minded. The Holy Ghoſt tells us that the Saints ſhall judg the World, 1 Cor. 6. 2, 3. and if they muſt judg, they will judg as God judgeth; you cannot blame us for it, Sinners: we now warn you of it before-hand, and if you will not prevent it, blame not us but your ſelves. Alas, we are not our own Maſters! As we now ſpeak not to you in our own Names, ſo then we may not do what we liſt our ſelves, or if we might, our Wills will be as God's Will. God will make us judg you and witneſs againſt you. Can we abſolve you when the righteous God will condemn you? when God is againſt you, whoſe ſide would you have us be of? we muſt be either againſt God or you; and can you think that we ſhould be for any one againſt our Maker and Redeemer? we muſt either condemn the Sentence of Jeſus Chriſt or condemn you: and is not there more reaſon to condemn you than him? Can we have any Mercy on you, when he that made you will not ſave you, and he that formed you will p. 22ſhew you no Mercy? Iſa. 27. 11. yea when he that died for you will condemn you, ſhall we be more merciful than God? But alas! if we ſhould be ſo fooliſh and unjuſt, what good would it do you? If we would be Falſe-witneſſes and partial Judges, it would not ſave you; we are not juſtified if we abſolve our ſelves, 1 Cor. 4. 4. how unable then ſhall we be againſt God's Sentence to juſtify you? If all the World ſhould ſay you were holy and penitent, when God knows you were unholy and impenitent, it will do you no good. You pray every Day that his Will may be done, and it will be done: It will be done upon you, becauſe it was not done by you. What would you have us ſay, if God ask us, Did you tell this Sinner of the need of Chriſt, of the Glory of the World to come, and the Vanity of this? Should we lie and ſay we did not? What ſhould we ſay if he ask us, Did not you tell them the Miſery of their natural State, and what would become of them if they were not made new? Would you have us lie to God, and ſay we did not? Why if we did not, your Blood will be required at our hands, Ezek. 33. 6. and 3. 18. and would you have us bring your Blood upon our own Heads by a …ie? yea, and to do you no good, when we know that Lies will not prevail with God? No, no, Sinners; we muſt unavoidably teſtify to the Confuſion of your Faces; if God ask us, we muſt bear Witneſs againſt you and ſay, Lord, we did what we could according to our weak Abilities to reclaim them: indeed our own Thoughts of everlaſting Things were ſo low, and our Hearts ſo dull, that we muſt confeſs we did not follow them ſo cloſe, nor ſpeak ſo earneſtly as we ſhould have done: we did not cry ſo loud, or lift up our Voice as a Trumpet to awaken them (Iſa. 58. 1.) we confeſs we did not ſpeak to them with ſuch melting Compaſſion, and with ſuch Streams of Tears beſeech them to regard, as a Matter of ſuch great Concernment ſhould have been ſpoken with; we did not fall on our Knees to them, and ſo earneſtly beg of them for the Lord's ſake, to have Mercy upon their own Souls as we ſhould have done. But yet we told them the Meſſage of God, p. 23and we ſtudied to ſpeak it to them as plainly and as piercingly as we could. Fain we would have convinced them of their Sin and Miſery, but we could not: fain we would have drawn them to the Admiration of Chriſt, but they made light of it, Mat. 22. 5. we would fain have brought them to the Contempt of this vain World, and to ſet their Mind on the World to come, but we could not. Some Compaſſion thou knoweſt, Lord, we had to their Souls, many a weeping and groaning Hour we have had in ſecret, becauſe they would not hear and obey, and ſome ſad Complain…s we have made over them in publick: we to…d them that they muſt ſhortly die and come to Judgment, and that this World would deceive them and leave them in the Duſt: we told them that the time was at hand when nothing but Chriſt would do them good, and nothing but the Favour of God would be ſufficient for their Happineſs, but we could never get them to lay it to heart. Many a time did we intreat them to think ſoberly of this Life and the Life to come, and to compare them together with the Faith of Chriſtians and the Reaſon of Men, but they would not do it: many a time did we intreat them but to take now and then an Hour in ſecret to conſider who made them, and for what he had made them, and why they were ſent into this World, and what their Buſineſs here is, and whither they are going, and bow it will go with them at their latter End: but we could never get moſt of them to ſpend one Hour in ſerious Thoughts of theſe weighty Matters. Many a time did we intreat them to try whether they were Regenerate or not, whether Chriſt and his Spirit were in them or not, whether their Souls were brought back to God by Sanctification; but they would not try: we did beſeech them to make ſure Work, and not leave ſuch a Matter as everlaſting Joy or Torment to a bold and mad Adventure, but we could not prevail. We intreated them to lay all other Buſineſſes aſide a little while in the World, and to enquire by the Direction of the Word of God, what would become of them in the World to come, and judg themſelves before God came to judg them, ſeeing they had the Law and Rule of Judgment before them; but their Minds were blinded, and their Hearts were p. 14duplicate page p. 15duplicate page p. 24hardned, and the Profit, and Pleaſure, and Honour of th… World did either ſtop their Ears, for quickly ſteal away the Hearts, ſo that we could never get them to a ſober Conſideration, nor ever win their Hearts to God.

This will be the Witneſs that many a hundred Miniſters of the Goſpel muſt give in againſt the Souls o… their People at that Day. Alas, that ever you ſhoul… caſt this upon us! For the Lord's ſake, Sirs, pity you… poor Teachers if you pity not your ſelves. We ha… rather go 1000 Miles for you, we had rather be ſcorne… and abuſed for your ſakes, we had rather lay our Hands under your Feet, and beſeech you on our Knees with Tears were we able, than be put on ſuch Work as this. It i… you that will do it if it be done. We had rather follow you from Houſe to Houſe, and teach and exhort you… if you will but hear us and accept of our Exhortation Your Souls are pretious in our Eyes, for we know they were ſo in the Eyes of Chriſt, and therefore we ar… loth to ſee this Day; we were once in your Caſe▪ and therefore know what it is to be blind, and careleſs▪ and carnal as you are, and therefore would fain obtain your Deliverance. But if you will not hear, but we muſt accuſe you, and we muſt condemn you, the Lord judg between you and us. For we can witneſs that i… was full ſore againſt our Wills. We have been faulty indeed in doing no more for you, and not following you with reſtleſs Importunity, (the Good Lord forgive us) but yet we have not betrayed you by ſilence.

2. All thoſe that fear God, that have lived among… ungodly Men, will alſo be ſufficient Witneſſes againſt them. Alas, they muſt be put upon the ſame Work▪ which is very unpleaſant to their Thoughts, as Miniſter… are! They muſt witneſs before the Lord that they did as Friends and Neighbours admoniſh them; tha… they gave them a good Example, and endeavoured to walk in Holineſs before them. But alas, the moſt did but mock them, and call them Puritans and preciſe Fools, and they made more ado than needs for thei… p. 25…lvation: They muſt be forced to reſtify, [Lord, we …ould fain have drawn them with us to hear the Word …nd to read it, and to pray in their Families, and to …nctify the holy Day, and take ſuch happy Opportu…ities for their Souls; but we could not get them to …: we did in our Places what we were able to …ve them the Example of a godly Converſati…n, and they did but deride us, they were rea…er to mark every ſlip of our Lives, and to obſerve …ll our Infirmities, and catch at any Accuſation that was againſt us, than to follow us in any Work of holy …bedience, or Care for their everlaſting Peace.] The …ord knows it is a moſt heavy thing to conſider now that …oor Neighbours muſt be fain to come in againſt thoſe …hey love ſo dearly, and by their Teſtimony to judg …hem to Perdition. O heavy Caſe to think of, that Maſter muſt witneſs againſt his own Servant! Yea, Husband againſt his own Wife, and a Wife againſt …er Husband; yea, Parents againſt their own Children, …nd ſay, [Lord I taught them thy Word, but they would …ot learn; I told them what would come on it if they …eturned not to thee, I brought them to Sermons, and … prayed with them and for them. I frequently …inded them of theſe everlaſting Things, and of …his dreadful Day which they now ſee. But youth…ul Luſts and the Temptations of the Fleſh and the Devil led them away, and I could never get them …hroughly and ſoundly to lay it to their Hearts.] O …ou that are Parents, and Friends, and Neighbours, …n the Fear of God beſtir you now, that you may not …e put to this at that Day of Judgment. O give them …o reſt, take no nay of them till you have perſwaded …heir Hearts from this World to God, leſt you be put …o be their Condemners: It muſt be now that you muſt prevent it, or elſe never; now while you are with them, while you and they are in the Fleſh together, which will be but a little while: Can you but now prevail with them, all will be well, and you may meet them …oyfully before the Lord.

p. 263. Another Witneſs that will teſtify againſt the Ungodly at that Day, will be their ſinful Companions, thoſe that drew them into Sin, or were drawn by them, or joined with them in it. O little do poor Drunkards think, when they ſit merrily in an Ale-houſe, that one of them muſt bear witneſs againſt another, and condemn one another! If they thought of this, methinks it ſhould make them have leſs Delight in that Company: thoſe that now join with you in Wickedneſs, ſhall then be forced to witneſs, [I confeſs, Lord, I did hear him ſweat and curſe, I heard him deride thoſe that feared the Lord, and make a Jeſt of a holy Life: I ſaw him in the Ale-houſe when he ſhould be hearing the Word of God, or reading, or calling upon God, and preparing for this Day: I joined with him in fleſhly Delights, in abuſing thy Creature and our own Bodies.] Sinners, look your Companions in the Face the next time you are with them, and remember this that I now ſay; that thoſe Men ſhall give in Evidence againſt you, that now are your Aſſociates in all your Mirth. Little thinketh the Fornicator and luſtful Wanton, that their ſinful Mates muſt then bear Witneſs of that which they thought the Dark had concealed, and tell their Shame before all the World. But this muſt be the Fruit of Sin. It's meet that they who encouraged one another in Sin, ſhould condemn one another for it. And marvel not at it, for they ſhall be forced to it whether they will or no; Light will not then be hid: They may think to have ſome caſe to their Conſciences, by accuſing and condemning others. When Adam is queſtioned for his Sin, he preſently accuſeth the Woman, Gen. 3. 12. when Judas his Conſcience was awakned, he runs to the Phariſees with the Money that drew him to it, and they caſt it back in his own Face, See thou to il, what is that to us? Mat. 27. 4, 5, 6. O the cold Comfort that Sinners will have at that Day, and the little I leaſure that they will find in remembring their evil Ways! Now when a Foruicator or a Worldling, or a p. 27merry voluptuous Man is grown old, and cannot act all his Sin again, he takes Pleaſure in remembring and telling others of his former Folly; what he once was, and what he did, and the merry Hours that he had: but then when Sinners are come to themſelves a little more, they will remember and tell one another of theſe things with another Heart. O that they did but know now how theſe things will then affect them!

4. Another Witneſs that will then riſe up againſt them, will be the very Devils that tempted them: They that did purpoſely draw them to Sin, that they might draw them to Torment for Sin: They can witneſs that you hearkned to their Temptations, when you would not hearken to God's Exhortations: They can witneſs that you obeyed them in working Iniquity. But becauſe you may think the Accuſer's Teſtimony is not to be taken, I will not ſtand on this. Though it is not nothing where God knoweth it to be true.

5. The very Angels of God alſo may be Witneſſes againſt the Wicked; therefore are we adviſed in Scripture not to ſin before them, Eccl. 5. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 10. 1 Tim. 5. 21. I charge thee before the Elect Angels, &c. They can teſtify that they would have been miniſtring Spirits for their good, when the Wicked rather choſe to be Slaves to the Spirit of Maliciouſneſs. The holy Angels of God do many a time ſtand by you when you are ſinning: They ſee you when you ſee not them; they are imployed by God in ſome ſort for your good, as well as we. And as it is the Grief of Miniſters that their Labours ſucceed not, ſo may we ſuppoſe that according to their State and Nature it is theirs. For they that rejoice in Heaven at the Converſion of one Sinner, may be ſaid to ſorrow, or to loſe thoſe Joys when you refuſe to be converted. Theſe noble Spirits, theſe holy and glorious Attendants of Chriſt that ſhall wait upon him to Judgment, will be Witneſſes againſt rebellious Sinners to their Confuſion. p. 28Sirs, you have all in you naturally a Fear of Spirits and inviſible Powers: Fear them aright, leſt hearkning to the deceiving Spirits, and refuſing the Help of the Angels of God, and wilfully ſinning before their Faces, you ſhould cauſe them at that Day, to the Terror of your Souls, to ſtand forth as Witneſſes againſt you to your Condemnation.

6. Conſcience it ſelf will be a moſt effectual Witneſs againſt the Wicked at that Day. I before told you it will be a Diſcerner, and force them to a Confeſſion: But a farther Office it hath, even to witneſs againſt them. If none elſe in the World had known of their ſecret Sins, Conſcience will ſay, I was acquainted with them.

7. The Spirit of Chriſt can witneſs againſt the Ungodly that he oft moved them to repent and return, and they rejected his Motions; that he ſpoke to their Hearts in ſecret, and oft ſet in with the Miniſter, and often minded them of their Caſe, and perſwaded them to God; but they reſiſted, quenched and grieved the Spirit, Acts 7. 51. As the Spirit witneſſeth with the Spirits of the Righteous that they are the Children of God, Rom. 8. 16. ſo doth he witneſs with the Conſcience of the Wicked that they were Children of Rebellion, and therefore are juſtly Children of Wrath. This Spirit will not alway ſt…ive with Men: at laſt being vexed, it will prove their Enemy, and riſe up againſt them, Gen. 6. 3. Iſa. 63. 10. If you will needs grieve it now, it will grieve you then. Were it not a Spirit of Grace, and were it not free Mercy that it came to offer you, the Repulſe would not have been ſo condemning, nor the Witneſs of this Spirit ſo heavy at the laſt. But it was the Spirit of Jeſu…, that came with recovering Grace, which you reſiſted: And though the Wages of every Sin is Death, yet you will find that it will coſt you ſomewhat more to reject this Salvation, than to break the Creator's Law of Works. Kindneſs, ſuch Kindneſs will not be rejected at eaſy Rates.

p. 29Many a good Motion is now made by the Spirit to the Heart of a Sinner, which he doth not ſo much as once obſerve; and therefore doth not now remember them. But then they ſhall be brought to his Remembrance with a witneſs. Many a thouſand ſecret Motions to Repentance, to Faith, to a holy Life, will be then ſet before the Eyes of the poor, unpardoned, trembling Sinner, which he had quite forgotten: And the Spirit of God ſhall teſtify to his Confuſion. [At ſuch a Sermon I perſwaded thy Heart to repent, and thou wouldſt not; at ſoch a time I ſhewed thee the Evil of thy Sin, and perſwaded thee to have forſaken it, but thou wouldſt not; I minded thee in thy ſecret Thoughts, of the nearneſs of Judgment, and the certai…ty and weight of everlaſting things, the need of Chriſt, and Faith, and Holineſs, and of the danger of Sinning; but thou didſt drown all my Motions in the Cares and Pleaſures of the World. Thou harkenedſt rather to the Devil than to me; the ſenſual Incl…nations of thy Fleſh did prevail againſt the ſtrongeſt Arguments that I uſed: Though I ſhewed Reaſons, undeniable Reaſons, from thy Creator, from thy Redeemer, from Nature, from Grace, from Heaven and from Hell; yet all would not ſo much as ſtop thee, much leſs turn thee, but thou wouldeſt go on; thou wouldeſt follow thy Fleſh, and now let it pay thee the Wages of thy Folly; thou wouldeſt be thy own Guide, and take thine own Courſe, and now take what thou getteſt by it.]

Poor Sinners, I beſeech you in the Fear of God, the next time you have any ſuch Motions from the Spirit of God, to repent, and believe, and break off your Sins, and the Occaſions of them: conſider then what a Mercy is ſet before you, and how it will confound you at the Day of Judgment, to have all theſe Motions brought in againſt you, and that the Spirit of Grace it ſelf ſhould be your Condemner! Alas, that Men ſhould chooſe their own Deſtruction, and wilfully chooſe it! and that the Foreknowledg of theſe things ſhould not move them to relent.

p. 30So much concerning the Witneſs that will be brought in againſt the Sinner.

5. The fifth Evidence that will be given againſt the Sinner will be, The Inſtruments and Effects. You know among Men, if a Man be found murdered by the highway, and you are found ſtanding by with a bloody Sword in your Hand; eſpecially if there were a former Diſſenſion between you, it will be an Evidence that will prove a ſtrong Preſumption that you were the Murderer; but if the Fact be certain by other Evidence, then many ſuch things may be brought for aggravation of the Fault.

So a twofold Evidence will be brought againſt the Sinner from theſe things. One to prove him guilty of the Fact, the other to aggravate the Fault, and prove that his Sin was very great.

For the former. 1. The very Creatures which Sinners abuſed to ſin, may be brought in againſt them to their Conviction and Condemnation. For though theſe Creatures ſhall be conſumed with the laſt deſtroying Fire, which ſhall conſume all the World; yet ſhall they have a Being in the Memory of the Sinner, (an eſſe Cognitum;) the very Wine or Ale, or other Liquor which was abuſed to Drunkenneſs, may witneſs againſt the Drunkard. The ſweet Morſels by which the Glutton did pleaſe his Appetite, and all the good Creatures of God which he luxuriouſly devoured, may witneſs againſt him, Luke 16. 19, 25. He that fared deliciouſly every Day in this Life, was told by Abraham when he was dead, and his Soul in Hell, [Remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedſt thy good things, and likewiſe Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.] Though their ſweet Morſels and Cups are paſt and gone, yet muſt they be remembred at Judgment and in Hell. [Remember Son] ſaith Abraham; Yea, and remember he muſt whether he will or no; long was the Glutton in ſinning, and many a pleaſant bit did he taſte: and ſo many Evidences of p. 31his Sin will lie againſt him, and the Sweetneſs will then be turned into Gall.

The very Clothing and Ornaments by which proud Perſons did manifeſt their Pride, will be ſufficient Evidence againſt them; as his being clothed with Purple and fine Linen, is mentioned Luke 16. 19.

The very Lands, and Goods, and Houſes of Worldlings will be an Evidence againſt them: Their Gold and Silver, which the Covetous do now prefer before the everlaſting Riches with Chriſt, will be an Evidence againſt them: James 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. Go to now, ye rich Men, weep and howl for your Miſeries that ſhall come upon you. Your Riches are corrupted, and your Garments Mothtaten; your Gold and your Silver is cankered, and the Ruſt of them ſhall be a Witneſs againſt you, and ſhall eat your Fleſh as it were Fire; ye have heaped Treaſure together for the laſt Days. Behold, the Hire of the Labourers, which have reaped down your Fields, which is of you kept back by Fraud, crieth; and the Cries of them which have reaped, are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabbath. Ye have lived in Pleaſure on the Earth, and been wanton; ye have nouriſhed your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter. O that Worldlings would well conſider this one Text; and therein obſerve whether a Life of Earthly Pleaſure and fulneſs of worldly Glory and Gallantry, be as deſirable as they imagine, and to what Time and Purpoſe they now lay up their Treaſures; and how they muſt hear of theſe things hereafter; and what effect the review of their jovial Days will have upon their miſerable condemned Souls.

2. The very Circumſtances of Time, Place, and the like, may evidence againſt his Condemnation. The Drunkard ſhall remember in ſuch an Ale-houſe, I was ſo oft drunk, and in ſuch a Tavern I waſted my time. The Adulterer and Fornicator ſhall remember the very Time, the Place, the Room, the Bed, where they committed Wickedneſs. The Thief and Deceiver will remember the Time, Place, and the Perſons they wronged, p. 32and the things which they robbed or deceived them of. The Worldling will remember the Buſineſs which he preferred before the Service of God; the worldly Matters which had more of his Heart than his Maker and Redeemer had; the Work which he was doing when he ſhould have been praying or reading, or Catechiſing his Family, or thinking ſoberly of his latter End. A thouſand of theſe will then come into his Mind, and be as ſo many Evidences againſt him to his Condemnation.

3. The very Effects alſo of Mens Sins will be an Evidence againſt them. The Wife and Children of a Drunkard are impoveriſhed by his Sin; his Family and the Neighbourhood is diſquieted by him. Theſe will be ſo many Evidences againſt him. So will the Abuſe of his own Reaſon, the enticing of others to the ſame Sin, and hardning them by his Example.

One covetous unmerciful Landlord doth keep an hundred, or many hundred Perſons or Families in ſo great Neceſſities, and Care and Labour, that they are tempted by it to overpaſs the Service of God, as having ſcarce time for it, or any Room for it in their troubled Thoughts; all theſe miſerable Families and Perſons, and all the Souls that are undone by this Temptation, will be ſo many Evidences againſt ſuch Oppreſſors.

Yea, the Poor whom they have neglected to relieve when they might; the Sick whom they have neglected to viſit when they might, will all witneſs then againſt the Unmerciful, Mat. 25.

The many ignorant, worldly, careleſs Sinners, that have periſhed under an idle and unfaithful Miniſter, will be ſo many Witneſſes againſt him to his Condemnation! They may then cry out againſt him to his Face, [I was ignorant, Lord, and he never did ſo much as teach me, catechiſe me, nor tell me of theſe things; I was careleſs, and minded the World, and he let me go on quietly, and was as careleſs as I, had never plainly and faithfully warned me, to waken me from my Security.] And p. 33ſo their Blood will be required at his hands, though themſelves alſo ſhall periſh in their Sins, Ezek. 33. 7, 8.

2. And as theſe Evidences will convince Men of Sin, ſo there are many more which will convince them of the greatneſs of their Sin. And theſe are ſo many, that it would too much lengthen my Diſcourſe to ſtand on them. A few I ſhall briefly touch.

1. They very Mercy of God in creating Men, in giving and continuing their Being to them, will be an Evidence for the Aggravation of their Sin againſt him. What, will you abuſe him by whom it is that you are Men? will you ſpeak to his Diſhonour that giveth you your Speech? will you live to his Diſhonour who giveth you your Lives? will you wrong him by his own Creatures? and neglect him without whom you cannot ſubſiſt?

2. The Redemption of Men by the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, will be an Evidence to the exceeding Aggravation of their Sins. You ſinned againſt the Lord that bought you, 2 Pet. 2. 1. When the Feaſt was prepared, and all things were ready, you made light of it, and found Excuſes and would not come, Mat. 22. 4, 5, 6. Luke 14. 17, 18. Muſt Chriſt redeem you by ſo dear a Price from Sin and Miſery, and yet will you continue the Servants of Sin, and prefer your Slavery before your Freedom, and chooſe to be Satan's Drudges, rather than to be the Servants of God? The Sorrows and Sufferings that Chriſt underwent for you, will then prove the Increaſe of your own Sorrows. As a neglected Redeemer it is that he will condemn you. And then you would be glad that it were but true Doctrine, that Chriſt never died for you, that you might not be condemned for refuſing a Redeemer, and ſinning againſt him that ſhed his Blood for you. How deeply will his Wounds then wound your Conſciences! You will then remember that to this end he both died, roſe and revived, that he might be Lord both of the Dead and the Living: And that he therefore died for p. 34all, that they which live, ſhould not henceforth live to themſelves, but to him that died for them and roſe again; Rom. 14. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. Mat. 28. 18, 19, 20. 1 Pet. 1. 17, 18. You will then underſtand that you were not your own, but were bought with a Price; and therefore ſhould have glorified him that bought you with your Bodies and Spirits, becauſe they were his, 1 Cor. 6. 19, 20. This one Aggravation of your Sin will make you doubly and remedileſly miſerable, that you trod under foot the Son of God, and counted the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith you were ſanctified, an unholy thing, Heb. 10. 26, 27, 28, 29. and crucified to your ſelves the Son of God afreſh, and put him to open Shame, Heb. 6. 5, 6.

3. Moreover, all the perſonal Mercies which they received, will be ſo many Evidences for the Condemnation of the Ungodly. The very Earth that bore them, and yielded them its Fruits, while they themſelves are unfruitful to God. The Air which they breathed in, the Food which nouriſh'd them, the Clothes which cover'd them, the Houſes which they dwelt in, the Beaſts that laboured for them, and all the Creatures that died for their Uſe: All theſe may riſe up againſt them to their Condemnation. And the Judg may thus expoſtulate with them, [Did all theſe Mercies deſerve no more Thanks? Should you not have ſerved him that ſo liberally maintained you? God thought not all theſe too good for you, and did you think your Hearts and Services too good for him? He ſerved yours with the weary Labours of your fellow-Creatures; and ſhould you have grudged to bear his eaſy Yoak? They were your Slaves and Drudges, and you refuſed to be his free Servants and his Sons: They ſuffered Death to feed your Bodies, and you would not ſuffer the ſhort Forbearance of a little forbidden fleſhly Pleaſure, for the ſake of him that made you and redeemed you.]

p. 35O how many thouſand Mercies of God will then be reviewed by thoſe that neglected them, to the Horror of their Souls, when they ſhall be upbraided by the Judg with their baſe Requital! All the Deliverances from Sickneſs and from Danger; all the Honours, and Privileges, and other Commodities which ſo much contented them, will then be God's Evidences to ſhame them and confound them. On this Suppoſition doth the Apoſtle reprove ſuch, Rom. 2. 4, 5, 6. Deſpiſeſt thou the Riches of his Goodneſs, and Forbearance, and Longſuffering, not knowing that the Goodneſs of God leadeth thee to Repentance? But after thy hardneſs and impenitent Heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf Wrath againſt the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God, who will render to every Man according to his Deeds.

4. Moreover, all the Means which God uſed for the Recovery of Sinners in the Day of their Viſitation, will riſe up againſt impenitent Souls in Judgment, to their Condemnation. You can hear Sermons careleſly and ſleepily now: but O that you would conſider how the Review of them will then awake you! You now make light of the Warnings of God and Man, and of all the wholeſom Advice that is given you, but God will not then make light of your Contempt. O what cutting Queſtions will they be to the Hearts of the Ungodly, when all the means that were uſed for their Good, are brought to their Remembrance on one ſide, and the Temprations that drew them to Sin on the other Side, and the Lord ſhall plead his Cauſe with their Conſciences, and ſay, [Was I ſo hard a Maſter, or was my Work ſo unreaſonable, or was my Wages ſo contemptible that no Perſwaſions could draw you into my Service? Was Satan ſo good a Maſter, or was his Work ſo honeſt and profitable, or was his Wages ſo deſirable, that you would be ſo eaſily perſwaded to do as he would have you? Was there more perſwading Reaſon in his Allurements and Deceits, than in all my holy Words, and all the powerful Sermons that you heard, or all the p. 36faithful Admonitions you received; or all the good Examples of the Righteous, or in all the Works of God which you beheld? Was not a Reaſon fetch'd from the Love of God, from the Evil of Sin, the Blood of Chriſt, the Judgment to come, the Glory promiſed, the Torments threatned, as forcible with you, and as good in your Eyes to draw you to Holineſs, as a Reaſon from a little fleſhly Delight or worldly Gain, to draw you to be unholy?]

In the Name of God, Sinners, I intreat you to bethink your ſelves in time, how you will ſufficiently anſwer ſuch Queſtions as theſe. You ſhould have ſeen God in every Creature that you beheld, and have read your Duty in all his Works; what can you look upon above you, or below you, or round about you, which might not have ſhewed you ſo much of the Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Greatneſs of your Maker, as ſhould have convinced you that it was your Duty to be devoted to his Will? and yet you have his written Word that ſpeaks plainer than all theſe; and will you deſpiſe them all? will you not ſee ſo great a Light? will you not hear ſo loud and conſtant Calls? ſhall God and his Miniſters ſpeak in vain? And can you think that you ſhall not hear of this again, and pay for it one Day? you have the Bible and other good Books by you; why do you not read them? You have Miniſters at hand; why do you not go to them, and earneſtly ask them, Sirs, What muſt I do to be ſaved? and intreat them to teach you the Way to Life: You have ſome Neighbours that fear God; why do you not go to them, and take their good Advice, and imitate them in the Fear of God, and in a holy Diligence for your Souls? Now is the time for you to beſtir your ſelves; Life and Death are before you. You have Gales of Grace to further your Voyage: There are more for you than againſt you. God will help you: his Spirit will help you: his Miniſters will help you: every good Chriſtian will help you: the Angels themſelves will help you, if you will reſolvedly p. 37ſet your ſelves to the Work; and yet will you not ſtir? Patience is waiting on you: Mercies are enticing you: Scourges are driving you: Judgment ſtayeth for you: The Lights of God ſtand burning by you to direct you: And yet will you not ſtir, but lie in …arkneſs? And do you think you ſhall not hear of this? Do you think this will not one Day coſt you dear?

IX. The ninth part of our Work is to ſhew you, …hat are thoſe frivolous Excuſes by which the Vnrighteous may then indeavour their Defence?

Having already ſhewed you what the Defence muſt be, that muſt be ſufficient to our Juſtification;

If any firſt demand, Whether the Evidence of their Sin will not ſo overwhelm the Sinner, that he will be ſpeechleſs and paſt excuſe? I anſwer, Before God hath done with him, he will be ſo; but it ſeems at firſt his clark Underſtanding, and partial corrupted Conſcience will ſet him upon a vain Defence. For Mat. 7. 22, 23. Chriſt telleth us, that [Many will ſay to me in that Day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy Name, and in thy Name have caſt out Devils, and in thy Name have …lone many wonderful Works? And then will I profeſs to them, I never knew you, Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity.] And in Mat. 25. 11. the fooliſh Virgins cry, [Lord, Lord, open to us.] And ver. 44. [Then ſhall they alſo anſwer him, ſaying, Lord, when …aw we thee an hungred, or thirſt, or a Stranger, or Naked, or Sick, or in Priſon, and did not miniſter unto thee?] And verſ. 24, 25. they fear not to caſt ſome of the Cauſes of their neglect on God himſelf, [Then he which had received the one Talent came and ſaid, Lord, I knew thou art an hard Man, reaping where thou haſt not ſown, and gathering where thou haſt not ſtrawed; and I was afraid, and went and hid thy Talent in the Earth; lo, there thou haſt that is thine.]

p. 38It is clear then, that Excuſes they will be ready to make, and their full Conviction will be in order after theſe Excuſes, (at leaſt as in their Minds, if not in Words) but what the particular Excuſes will be, we may partly know by theſe Scriptures which recite them, and partly by hearing what the Ungodly do now ſay for themſelves. And becauſe it is for their preſent Benefit that I now make mention of them, that they may ſee the Vanity of all ſuch Excuſes, I will mention them as I now meet with them in the Mouths of Sinners in our ordinary Diſcourſe: and theſe Excuſes are of ſeveral ſorts; ſome by which they would juſtify their Eſtate; ſome Excuſes of particular Actions; and that either in whole, or in part; ſome by which they would put by the Penalty, though they confeſs the Sin; ſome by which they lay the blame on other Men; and in …ome they would caſt it upon God himſelf. I muſt touch but ſome of them very briefly.

The firſt Excuſe. I am not guilty of theſe things which I am accuſed of. I did love God above all, and my Neighbour as my ſelf. I did uſe the World but for Neceſſity, but God had my Heart.

Anſw. The All-ſeeing Judg doth know the contrary, and he will make thy Conſcience know it: Look back, Man, upon thy Heart and Life: How ſeldom and how neglectfully didſt thou think of God? how coldly didſt thou worſhip him, or make any mention of him? how careleſly didſt thou ſerve him, and think much of all that thou didſt therein? Thou rather thoughteſt that his Service was making more ado than needs, and didſt grudg at thoſe that were more diligent than thy ſelf; but for the World, how heartily and how conſtantly didſt thou ſeek and ſerve it? and yet wouldſt thou now perſwade the Judg that thou didſt love God above all? He will ſhew thee thy naked Heart, and the Courſe of thy former Life, which ſhall convince thee of the contrary.

p. 39The Second Excuſe. I lived not in any groſs Sin, but only in ſmall Infirmities; I was no Murderer, or Adulterer, or Fornicator, or Thief, nor did I deceive or wrong any, or take any thing by violence.

Anſw. Was it not a groſs Sin to love the World above God, and to neglect Chriſt that died for thee, and never to do him one Hour's hearty Service, but meerly to ſeek thy carnal ſelf, and to live to thy Fleſh? God will open thine Eyes then, and ſhew thee a thouſand groſs Sins, which thou now forgetteſt or makeſt light of; and it is not only groſs Sin, but all Sin, great or ſmall, that deſerveth the Wrath of God, and will certainly bring thee under it for ever, if thou have not part in Chriſt to relieve thee. Wo to the Man that ever he was born that muſt anſwer in his own Name for his ſmalleſt Offences!

The third Excuſe. I did it ignorantly; I knew not that there was ſo much required to my Salvation. I thought leſs ado might have ſerved the turn: and that if I look'd to my Body, God would take care of my Soul; and that it was better to truſt him what would become of me hereafter, than to trouble my Mind ſo much about it. Had I known better, I would have done better.

Anſw. If you knew not better, who was it long of but your ſelf? Did God hide theſe things from you? Did he not tell them you in his Word as plainly as the Tongue of Man can ſpeak, That except you were regenerate and born again, you ſhould not enter into the Kingdom of God? John 3. 3, 5. That without Holineſs none ſhould ſee God, Heb. 12. 14. That you muſt ſtrive to enter in at the ſtrait Gate; for many ſhall ſeek to enter, and ſhall not be able, Luke 13. 24. That if you lived after the Fleſh, you ſhould die: and if by the Spirit you mortified the Deeds of the Body, you ſhould live, Rom. 8. 13. That if any Man have not the Spirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his, Rom. 8. 9. And to be carnally minded is Death; but to be ſpiritually minded is Life and Peace, Rom. 8. 9. p. 40That you muſt not lay up for your ſelves a Treaſure on Earth, where Ruſt and Moths do corrupt, and Thieves break through and ſteal, but muſt lay up for your ſelves a Treaſure in Heaven, where Ruſt and Moths do not corrupt, nor Thieves break through and ſteal, Mat. 6. 19, 20. That you muſt ſeek firſt the Kingdom of God and the Righteouſneſs thereof, Mat. 6. 23. and not labour for the Food that periſheth, but for the Food that endureth to everlaſting Life, which Chriſt would have given you, John 6. 27. That if you be riſen with Chriſt, you muſt ſeek thoſe things which are above, where Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of God, and not the things that are on Earth, Col. 3. 1, 2, 3. Yea your very Converſation ſhould be in Heaven, Phil. 3. 19, 20, 21.

What ſay you? Did not God tell you all this and much more; and plainly tell it you? Turn to your Bibles and ſee the Words, and let them witneſs againſt you.

2. And could you think with any Reaſon, that your Souls being ſo much more precious than your Bodies, you ſhould yet do ſo much more for your Bodies than your Souls? could you think all the Labour of your Lives little enough for a frail Body that muſt lie ſhortly in the Dirt; and that your Immortal Souls ſhould be no more regarded? Could you think with any Reaſon, that your Souls ſhould do ſo much for a Life of a few Years continuance, and do no more for a Life that ſhall have no end?

3. And whereas you talk of truſting God with your Souls, you did not truſt him: You did but on that Pretence, careleſly diſregard them. If you truſt God, ſhew any Word of Promiſe that ever he gave you to truſt upon, that ever an impenitent, carnal, careleſs Perſon ſhall be ſaved: No; he hath told you enough to the contrary. And could you think that it was the Will of God that you ſhould mind your Bodies more than your Souls, and this Life more than that to come? p. 41Why, he hath bid you ſtrive, and run, and fight, and labour, and care, and ſeek, and uſe Violence, and all Diligence for the ſafety of your Souls, and for the Life to come: But where hath he bid you do ſo for your Bodies? No, he knew that you were prone to do too much for them; and therefore he hath bid you [Care not, and labour not] that is, Do it as if you did it not: and let your Care and Labour for earthly Things be none in compariſon of that for heavenly Things. You know God can as well maintain your Lives without your Care and Labour, as ſave your Souls without it: And yet you ſee he will not, he doth not: You muſt plough, and ſow, and reap, and threſh, for all God's Love and Care of you, and not ſay, I will let all alone and truſt God. And muſt you not much more uſe diligence in much greater Things? If you will truſt God, you muſt truſt him in his own Way, and in the uſe of his own Means.

The fourth Excuſe. I was never brought up to Learning, I cannot ſo much as read: nor did my Parents ever teach me any of theſe things, but only ſet me about my worldly Buſineſs, and provide Food and Raiment for me: but never once told me that I had a Soul to ſave or loſe, and an everlaſting Life to provide and prepare for, and therefore I could not come to the Knowledg of them.

Anſw. The greater is their Sin who thus neglected you. But this is no ſufficient Excuſe for you. Heaven is not prepared for the Learned only; nor will Chriſt ask you at Judgment whether you are good Scholars or not, no nor ſo much as whether you could write or read. But conſider well, Was not God's Word ſo plainly written, that the Unlearned might underſtand it? Did he not put it into the moſt familiar Stile, though he knew it would be offenſive to the proud Scholars of the World, of purpoſe that he might fit it to the Capacities of the Ignorant? And if you could not read, yet tell me, could not you have learned to read at 20 or 30 Years of Age, if you had p. 42been but willing to beſtow now and then an Hour to that end? Or at leaſt, did you not live near ſome that could read? and could you not have procured them to read to you, or to help you? and did you not hear theſe things read to you in the Congregation by the Miniſter, or might have done if you would? and if your Parents did neglect you in your Youth, yet when you came to a fuller uſe of Reaſon, and heard of the Matters of Salvation from God's Word, did it not concern you to have looked to your ſelves, and to have redeemed that time which you loſt in your Youth, by doubling your Diligence when you came to riper Years? The Apoſtles gathered Churches among Heathens that never heard of Chriſt before; and converted many thouſand Souls that were never once told of a Saviour, or the Way to Salvation, till they had paſt a great part of their Lives. If you loitered till the latter part of the Day, it behoved you then to have beſtirred your ſelves the more; and not to ſay, Through the Fault of my Parents, I loſt the beginning of my Life, and therefore I will loſe all; they taught me not then, and therefore I will not learn now: Have you not ſeen ſome of your Neighbours who were as ill educated as your ſelves, attain to much Knowledg afterwards by their Induſtry? and why might not you have done ſo, if you had been as induſtrious as they? May not God and Conſcience witneſs, that it was becauſe you cared not for Knowledg, and would not be at pains to get it, that you knew no more? Speak truth, Man, in the Preſence of thy Judg; was thy Heart and Mind ſet upon it? Didſt thou pray daily for it to God? Didſt thou uſe all the means thou couldſt to get it? Didſt thou attend diligently on the Word in publick, and think of what thou heardſt when thou cameſt home? Didſt thou go to the Miniſter, or to others that could teach thee, and intreat them to tell thee the Way to Salvation? Or didſt thou not rather careleſly neglect theſe Matters, and hear a Sermon as a common tale, p. 43even when the Miniſter was ſpeaking of Heaven or of Hell? It was not then thine unavoidable Ignorance, but thy Negligence.

Yea further, anſwer as in the Preſence of God; Didſt tou obey ſo far as thou didſt know? Or didſt thou not rather ſin againſt that Knowledg which thou hadſt? Thou kneweſt that the Soul was better than the Body, and everlaſting Life more to be regarded than this tranſitory Life; but didſt thou regard it accordingly? Thou ſure kneweſt that God was better than the World, and Heaven than Earth: at leaſt thou waſt told of it, but didſt thou accordingly value him, and love him more? Thou kneweſt ſure that there was no Salvation without Faith, and Repentance, and newneſs of Life, and yet they were neglected. In a word, many a thouſand Sins which were committed, and Duties that were omitted againſt thy own Knowledg and Conſcience, will marr this Excuſe.

The fifth Excuſe. I lived not under a powerful Miniſter to tell me of theſe things; but where there was no preaching at all.

Anſw. And might you not have gone where a pow…ful Miniſter was, with a little pains? Yea, did not the very plain Word that you heard read, tell you of theſe things? and might you not have had a Bible your ſelves, and found them there?

The ſixth Excuſe. I was a Servant, and had no time from my Labour to mind theſe matters; I lived with an hard Maſter that required all his own Work of me, but would allow me no time for the Service of God. Or elſe, I was a poor Man, and had a great Charge to look after, and with my hard Labour had much ado to live, ſo that I had no time for heavenly things.

Anſw. 1. Who ſhould be firſt ſerved, God or Man? What ſhould be firſt ſought after, Heaven or Earth? Did not Chriſt tell thee, One thing is neceſſary? Luke 10. 41, 42. Was it not as needful to ſee that you eſcape Damnation, and get ſafe to Heaven p. 44when this Life is ended, as to ſee that you had Food and Raiment for your ſelves and yours?

2. Did you ſpend no time in Recreation, nor Idleneſs, nor vain talking? why might not that at leaſt have been ſpent about heavenly things?

3. Could you have taken no time from your reſt, or eating, or at other Intermiſſions? Man's Body will not endure ſo great Labours as have no Intermiſſion. And why then might not Godlineſs have been your Eaſe and Recreation?

4. Or might you not have minded theſe things ever when you were about your Labour, if you had but a Heart to them?

5. At leaſt you might have ſpent the Lord's own Day in hearing, reading and pondering of theſe Matters, when you were forced to forbear your worldly Labours, even by the wholeſom Law of the Land. Theſe therefore are all but vain Excuſes; and God will ſhortly make thee ſpeak out and plainly confeſs, it w… not ſo much for want of Time or Helps, or warning as for want of a Heart to uſe them well. I ſhould have found ſome time, though it had been when I ſhould have ſlept, if my Heart had been but ſet upon it.

The ſeventh Excuſe. Little did I think to have ſen… this Day: I did not believe that ever God would be ſo ſevere. I thought his Threatnings had been but to keep Men in awe… and I ſuſpected either that the Scripture was not his Word, … elſe I thought he would be better than his Word. I thought all that I heard of another Life had been uncertain; and therefore was loth to let go a Certainty for an Vncertainty, and loſe my preſent Pleaſures which I had in hand for the Hopes o… that which I never did ſee.

Anſw. He that will not know his Miſery by believing▪ to prevent it, ſhall know it by feeling to endure it. You were told and told again what your Unbelief would bring you to. Did God's Word make Heaven and Earth? doth it ſupport them, and ſecure them? and p. 45… not his Word ſufficient Security for you to have …uſted your Souls upon? did you know where was …y better Security to be had? and where was any …rer Ground for your Confidence? And did you think … baſely and blaſphemouſly of God, that he would …ſify his Word, leſt ſuch as you ſhould ſuffer? and …at he was fain to rule the World by a Lie? Did God …ake the World ſo eaſily? and can he not govern it by …e and righteous Means? what need God to ſay that …hich he will not do, to awe Sinners? can he not awe …em by Truth? is it not juſt that thoſe ſhould eter…lly periſh, that will entertain ſuch deſperate Thoughts …f God, and then by ſuch wicked Imaginations encou…ge themſelves in Sin againſt him?

And for the Truth of Scripture, God did not bid …ou believe it without Evidence. He ſtamped on it …e Image of his own Purity and Perfection, that you …ight know it by that Image and Superſcription, if …ou had Eyes to ſee them: He ſealed it by uncontrouled Multitudes of Miracles: He delivered it down to your …ands by infallible Witneſſes, ſo that he left you no …oom for rational Doubting.

And you knew that the Matters of this World were …ot only uncertain, but certainly vain and tranſitory, …nd would ſhortly come to nothing, and leave you in …iſtreſs. If it had then been uncertain whether there …ere a Glory and Miſery hereafter, (as it was not) …hould not Reaſon have taught you to prefer the leaſt Probabilities of an everlaſting unſpeakable Happineſs, …efore that which is certainly periſhing and vain? Theſe vain Excuſes will but condemn you.

The eighth Excuſe. I was ſo enticed and perſwaded by …inners to do as they did, that I could not deny them: they would never let me reſt.

Anſw. And were you not as earneſtly perſwaded by God to forſake Sin and ſerve him, and yet that would not prevail with you? You could not deny the Devils and Fools, but you could deny God and all his Meſſengers p. 46Were not Miniſters as earneſt with you even Week to repent and amend? What did Men entice you with? with a little deluding fleſhly Pleaſure for a few Days? And what did God entice you with? with the Promiſe of endleſs unconceivable Felicity! And if this were a ſmaller Matter in your Eyes than the other, then you have had your choice; be content with it, and thank your ſelves. In your Life-time you had the good things which you choſe, and preferred before Heaven, and therefore cannot expect to have Heaven beſides.

The ninth Excuſe. I lived among ungodly Perſons, that derided all that feared God; ſo that if I had not done as they did, but had made any more ado to be ſaved, I ſhould have been the very Scorn of the Place where I lived.

Anſw. And was not Heaven worth the enduring of a Scorn? Is not he worthy to go without it that thinks ſo baſely of it? Did not Chriſt tell you that if you were aſhamed of him before Men, he would be aſhamed of you before his Father and the Angels of Heaven? Mark 8. 38. He ſuffered more than Scorns for you: and could not you ſuffer a Scorn for him and yourſelves? ſeeing you choſe rather to endure everlaſting Torment, than a little deriſion from ignorant Men, take that which you made choice of. And ſeeing ſo ſmall a Matter would drive you from Heaven, and part God and you, as a Mock, as the Wind of a Man's Mouth, no wonder if you be commanded to Depart from him into everlaſting Fire.

The tenth Excuſe. I had ungodly Perſons to my Parents, or Maſters, or Landlord, or Governours, who threatned to undo me, if I had addicted my ſelf to ſo ſtrict a Life, and if I would not believe and do as they did.

Anſw. What if they threatned you with preſent Death? Did not God alſo threaten you with everlaſting Death, if you were not ruled by him? And whoſe threatning ſhould you have chiefly feared? Is Man more p. 47dreadful than God? Is Death more terrible than Hell? Did not Chriſt bid you fear not them that can kill the Body, and after that can do no more; but fear him that is able to …eſtroy both Body and Soul in Hell-fire; yea I ſay unto you, fear him? Mat. 10. 28. Luke 12. 4, 5. and Iſa. 51. 7. Fear ye not the Reproach of Men, neither be afraid of their Revilings. For the Moth ſhall eat them up like a Garment, and the Worm ſhall eat them like Wool: but my Righteouſneſs ſhall be for ever, and my Salvation from Generation to Gene…tion. Seeing therefore you have choſen rather to ſuffer from God for ever for your Sin, than to ſuffer ſmall Matters for well-doing for a Moment, you muſt ever bear your own Choice. Chriſt told you before-and, that if you could not forſake all the World and your own Lives for him, you could not be his Diſciples, Mat. 10. 37, 38, 39. And ſeeing you thought his Terms too hard, and would needs ſeek you out a better Service, even take what you have choſen and found.

The eleventh Excuſe. I ſaw ſo many follow their pleaſure and their worldly Buſineſs, and never look after theſe higher things, and ſo few go the other way, that I thought ſure God would not damn ſo great a Part of the World, and therefore I ventured to do as the moſt did.

Anſw. God will make good his Word upon many or few. Did you doubt of his Will, or of his Power? For his Will he hath told it you in his Word. For his Power he is as able to puniſh many as one Man. What is all the World to him, but as the Drop of a Bucket, as …e Duſt of the Ballance? He told you before-hand that the Gate was ſtrait, and the Way to Heaven was narrow, and few did find it; and the Gate to Deſtruction was wide, and the Way was broad, and many did enter in at it, Mat. 7. 13, 14. And if you would not believe him, you muſt bear what your Unbelief hath brought you to. What if you had twenty Children, or Servants, or Friends, and the greater part of them ſhould prove falſe to you and ſeek your Deſtruction, p. 48or prove diſobedient, and turn to your Enemy? would you think it a good Excuſe if the reſt ſhould do the like becauſe of their Example? will you therefore wrong God becauſe you ſee others wrong him? would you ſpit in the Face of your own Father if you ſaw others do ſo? God warned you, that you ſhould not follow a Multitude to do Evil, Exod. 23. 2. And if yet you will do as moſt do, you muſt even ſpeed as moſt ſpeed. You ſhould not ſo much conſider who they be, as what they do, and whither they go, and wh… they forſake, and what they loſe, and what ſtrength is in the Reaſons that move them to do this. And then you would find, it is God they forſake, it is Sin they chooſe; it is Heaven they loſe, it is Hell they run into and it is no true Reaſon, but Satan's Deluſion and ſenſual Inclination that lead them to it. And ſhould Men be imitated, be they many, or be they few, in ſuch a Courſe as this?

The twelfth Excuſe. I ſaw ſo many Faults in thoſe that were accounted Godly, and ſaw ſo much Diviſion among them, that I thought they were as bad as others; and among ſo many Opinions, I knew not what Religion to be of.

Anſw. 1. A Spot is ſooneſt ſeen in the faireſt Cloth: And the malicious World uſeth to make ſuch far work than they are.

2. But ſuppoſe all were true that Malice ſaith of ſome, you could not ſay the like by others.

3. Or if you could, yet it was God's Law, and not Mens Faults that was made the Rule for you to live by▪ Will it excuſe you that others are bad?

4. And from their diverſe Opinions, you ſhould have taken counſel at God's Word, which was right: Did you firſt ſearch the Scripture impartially, as willing to know the Truth, that you might obey it? and did you pray daily that God would lead you into the Truth▪ and did you obey as much as you knew? Did you joi… with the Godly ſo far as they are all agreed? they an… all agreed in the Fundamental Articles of Chriſtianit… p. 49and in all things abſolutely neceſſary to a holy Life, and to Salvation: that all known Sin is to be forſaken, and all known Duty to be done. Why did you not …o far then agree with them? Alas, the Imperfections of the Godly, and the falſe Accuſations of the malicious World, will prove but a poor Cover for your wilful Ungodlineſs, and Chriſt will convince you of the Vanity of theſe Excuſes.

The thirteenth Excuſe. The Scriptures were ſo dark that I could not underſtand them. And I ſaw the wiſeſt Men differ ſo much in the Expoſition of them, that I thought it was in vain for me to trouble my ſelf about then. If God would have had us live according to the Scriptures, he would ſure have written them plainly, that Men might underſtand them.

Anſw. 1. It is all plainly written according to the Nature of the Subject: But a prejudiced, diſaffected, …ea or but untaught, diſuſed Soul cannot at firſt under…and the plaineſt Teaching. The plaineſt Greek or Hebrew Grammar that can be written, will be utterly …bſcure to him that is but newly entred the Engliſh …chool; yea after many Years time that he ſpends in …earning. Did you ſtudy hard, and pray for God's …eaching, and enquire of others, and wait patiently in Chriſt's School, that you might come to farther Know…dg by degrees? and were you willing to know even …hoſe Truths that called you out to ſelf-denial, and that …id put you on the hardeſt Fleſh-diſpleaſing Duties? …ad you done thus, you would have admired the Light … the Holy Scripture, and now have rejoiced that ever you ſaw them, and not have quarrelled at its ſeeming Darkneſs. This Word might have made you wiſe to Salvation, as it hath done others, Act. 20. 32. 2 Tim. 3. … 5, 16, 17. This Law of the Lord is perfect, converting …he Soul; the Teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, making wiſe the Simple; the Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the Heart; the Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightning the Eyes. Pſal. 19. 7, 8.

p. 502. So much as is of Neceſſity to Salvation, is as plain as you could deſire. Yet if you be judged by theſe, you will be condemned: For you did not obey that which was moſt plain. What Darkneſs is in ſuch Words as theſe, Except ye repent, ye ſhall all periſh, Luke 13. 3, 5. Love not the World, nor the things in the World: if any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him, 1 John 2. 15. He that will come after me, let him deny himſelf? &c. Mat. 16. 24.

3. If there had been nothing that ſeemed difficult to you, would you not have deſpiſed its ſimplicity, and have thought your ſelves wiſe enough at the firſt Reading, and needed no more?

The fourteenth Excuſe. There were ſo many ſeeming Contradictions in the Scripture, and ſo many ſtrange improbable things, that I could not believe it.

Anſw. The Contradictions were in your fancy, that did not underſtand the Word which you read. Muſt the raw unexperienced Learner deſpiſe his Book or Teacher, as oft as in his Ignorance he thinks he meets with Contradictions? Did you think God was no wiſer than you, and underſtood not himſelf, becauſe you underſtood him not? Nor could reconcile his own Words, becauſe you could not reconcile them? You would needs be a Judg of the Law, inſtead of obeying it, and ſpeak evil of it rather than do it, Jam. 4. 11.

2. And thoſe things which you called improbable in the Word, were the Wonders of God, of purpoſe to confirm it. If it had not been confirmed by Wonders, you would have thought it unproved; and yet now it is ſo confirmed, you will not believe the Doctrine, becauſe the Witneſs ſeems incredible. And that is, becauſe they are Matters above the Power of Man: as if they were therefore above the Power of God! You ſhall at laſt have your Eyes ſo far opened, as to ſee thoſe ſeeming Contradictions reconciled, and the certa…nty of thoſe things which you accounted improbable: that you may be forced to confeſs the Folly of p. 51your Arrogancy and Unbelief: and then God will judg you in Righteouſneſs, who preſumed unrighteouſly to judg him and his Word.

The fifteenth Excuſe. It ſeemed ſo unlikely a thing to me, that the merciful God ſhould damn moſt of the World to everlaſting Fire, that I could not believe it.

Anſw. 1. And did it not ſeem as unlikely to you, that his Word ſhould be falſe?

2. Should it not have ſeemed as unlikely that the Governour of the World ſhould be unjuſt, and ſuffer his Law to be unexecuted, and the worſt to ſpeed as well as the beſt, and to ſuffer vile ſinful Duſt to deſpiſe his Mercy, and abuſe his Patience, and turn all his Creatures againſt him without due Puniſhment?

3. Did you not feel Pain and Miſery begin in this Life?

4. You ſaw Toads and Serpents which had never ſinned: And you would rather live in any tolerable Suffering than be a Toad. And is it not Reaſon that it ſhould go worſe with contemptuous Sinners, than with thoſe Creatures that never ſinned?

5. Could you expect that thoſe ſhould come to Heaven, that would not believe there was ſuch a State, but refuſed it; and preferred the World before …it? And to be out of Heaven, is to be out of all Happineſs: and he that is ſo out of all Happineſs, and knows that he loſt it by his own Folly, muſt needs torment himſelf with ſuch Conſiderations, were there no other Torments. And as Man is capable of greater Felicity than Brutes, ſo muſt he needs be capable of more Miſery.

The ſixteenth Excuſe. The things which God promiſed in Heaven, and threatned in Hell, were all out of my Sight: and therefore I could not heartily believe them. Had I but once ſeen them, or ſpoke with one that had ſeen them, I ſhould have been ſatisfied, and have contemned the things of the World.

p. 52Anſw. Will you not believe till you ſee or feel? Wa… not God's Word ſufficient Evidence? would you have believed one from the dead that had told you he ha… ſeen ſuch things? and would you not believe Stephe… that ſaw them? Act. 7. 56. Or Paul that heard and ſaw them? 2 Cor. 12. 3, 4. Nor Chriſt that came purpoſely from Heaven to reveal them? why Fleſh and Blood cannot ſee them: You ſee not God: will you not therefore believe that there is a God? Indeed, whatever you imagine, if you would not believe Moſes and the Prophets, Chriſt and his Apoſtles, neither would you have believed though one had riſen from the dead: For God's Word is more credible than a dead Man's: and Chriſt did riſe from the dead to atteſt it. Bleſſed are they that have not ſeen, and yet believed. Noah ſaw no Rain when he was preparing the Ark: but becauſe he believed, he made ready and eſcaped, Heb. 11. 7. when the World that would not believe did periſh. But ſeeing God's Word was of no more weight with you, and no Knowledg would ſerve your turn but by ſeeing and feeling; you ſhall ſee and feel everlaſtingly to your Sorrow.

The ſeventeenth Excuſe. It was ſo ſtrict a Law that God would have ruled me by, and the Way to Heaven was ſo ſtrait and difficult, that I could not endure it. I was not able to deny my Fleſh, and live ſuch a Life.

Anſw. 1. You were not able, becauſe you were not willing. What was there but your own wicked Hearts that ſhould make ſuch a Life ſeem grievous to you? Every thing is hard and grievous to him who loaths it, and whoſe Heart is againſt it. The chief thing that God called you to, was to love him, and make him your Delight: and are Love and Delight ſuch grievous things? It was not grievous to you to love your Meat, or Drink, or Money: It was no hard matter to you to love a Friend that loved you; no nor to love your Sin, which was your Enemy: and what ſhould make it ſeem hard to love God, but a wicked Heart? Is not he p. 53better and more lovely than all theſe? And had you but …oved him, all the reſt of his Service would have ſeem…d eaſy to you. To think of him, to ſpeak of him, …o pray to him, to praiſe him; yea, to deny all and ſuffer for him, would have been ſweet and pleaſant to you, ſo far as you had loved him. It was not God …herefore, but your own naughty Hearts that made his Work ſeem grievous to you, and the Way to Heaven …em hard. He told you truly, that his Yoak was eaſy, …nd his Burden light, and his Commandments were not grievous, Mat. 11. 29. 1 John 5. 3. They that tried them found them the very Joy and Delight of their …ouls; and why could not you do ſo?

2. But what if the Way to Heaven had been harder than it was? Was not Heaven worth your Labour? Were you afraid of being a loſer by it? Could not God requite your Labour or Sufferings? Doth any repent when they come to Heaven, that it coſt them ſo …ear to come thither? And is not Hell worſe than the …ardeſt Way to Heaven? Seeing you have choſen Hell to ſave you a Labour and Suffering in this Life, you muſt have your Choice. And ſeeing you thought not everlaſting Life to be worth ſo much as God required, that is, the accepting thankfully, and minding, and ſeeking, and preferring it before this Life, you have one to blame for the loſs of it but your ſelves.

The eighteenth Excuſe. It was God that made me of a ſenſual Nature: He gave me an Appetite to Meat, and Drink, and Eaſe, and Luſt: he gave me that Fleſh which …uled me; how then can he condemn me, for living according to the Nature which he gave me?

Anſw. He gave that Appetite to be exerciſed moderately under the Rule of Reaſon, for the Preſervation and Propagation of Mankind: But did he not alſo give you Reaſon to govern that Appetite? and the Revelation of his Will to guide that Reaſon? He gave you your Fleſh to be a Servant, and not a Maſter. Your Beaſt hath fleſhly Appetite without Reaſon; and therefore p. 54God hath put him under you, who have Reaſon that you ſhould rule him. Will you let your Beaſt do what he liſt, and madly run upon whom he liſt, and ſay, you do but let him live according to his Nature which God hath given him? Why God that gave him ſuch a Nature, did intend him to be ruled by a higher Nature, even by the Reaſon which he gave to you: and ſo he did alſo by your Fleſh and ſenſual Appetite.

The nineteenth Excuſe. But I lived among ſo many Baits which enticed this Fleſh, that I could not reſiſt them. My Meat was a Snare to me, my Drink a Snare, my Clothes, my Houſe, my Land a Snare, every Beauty that I ſaw was … Snare: and the better all theſe were, the ſtronger was my Snare. If God would not have had my Heart enſnared and drawn from him, he ſhould not have put ſo many Baits in my way. Yea and they were ſo near to me, and daily with me, that though I was reſolved to forbear them before, yet whe… they were brought to my hand, I could not forbear.

Anſw. Is this the Thanks that God hath for his Mercies? He ſent you all theſe as Favours from his own hand: he wrote his own Name upon them, that in them you might ſee his Power, and Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and ſo be led up to the Conſideration of him, that you might fall in love with himſelf, who was the Fountain, the Life, the End of all. And do you overlook God in the Creature, and live as without him in the World, and dote upon that which ſhould have drawn you to himſelf, and then lay the Blame on God? If he ſend a Sutor to ſpeak to you in his Name, and write you a Love-Letter with his own Hand, will you fall in love with the Meſſengers or the Letter, and neglect the Sender, and then blame him that wrote his Letter on ſo fair a Paper, or in ſo neat a Hand, or that ſent it by ſuch a comely Meſſenger? Certainly, theſe Excuſes are too groſs, to take with the wiſe and righteous God, or to ſeem ſufficient to a well informed Conſcience.

p. 552. And whereas you ſpeak of the Power of theſe Objects, was there not much more in God, in Chriſt, …n the promiſed Glory, to have drawn your Heart anoter Way? Why then did not theſe take as much with you as the other? You could not chooſe forſooth, but be enticed with ſuch Baits as were fitted to your ſenſual Appetite, and ſuch things as a Dog, or a Swine may enjoy as well as a Man: but you could chooſe, when Chriſt and Glory were offered you: yea you did chooſe to refuſe the Offer, and tread them under Feet by your neglect. When Satan ſet your Cups, and your Harlots, and your Profits before you on one ſide; did not God ſet his Favour and everlaſting Happineſs on the other ſide? And was it wiſe or equal Dealing, to prefer your Luſts before that Glory?

3. Moreover, it was not in the Power of any of thoſe Baits to force your Will, or to neceſſitate you to chooſe them. They could be but Baits to entice you, and it was ſtill in your own Choice, whether you would yield to the Enticement, and chooſe them or not. Shall every Man be falſe to God that hath any Bait to entice him from him? will you excuſe your Child or Friend, if he would be falſe to you, upon as great Enticements as theſe? If a Cup of Drink, or a Whore, or a little Gain, could draw him more than all your Love and Intereſt, I do not think you would hold him excuſed.

And whereas you ſpeak of the nearneſs and continuance of theſe Allurements, I would fain know, was not God as near you, continually near you, to draw you to himſelf? Faith might have ſeen him, though Fleſh and Blood cannot. Did he not ſtand by you when you were in your Cups and luſtful Pleaſures? Did he not tell you of the Danger, and offer you far better things, if you would obey him and deſpiſe thoſe Baits? But you would hearken to none of this; you ſhould have remembred that he ſtood over you, and was looking on you, and you ſhould have ſaid as Joſeph, p. 56Gen. 39. 9. How can I do this great Wickedneſs, and … againſt God? You had alſo Scripture near you, and Reaſon near you, and Conſcience near you, as well as the Bait was near you. And therefore this is a vain Excuſe.

The twentieth Excuſe. It was God that let looſe the Devil to tempt me; and he was too ſubtile for me to deal with; and therefore what wonder if I ſinned and were overcome?

Anſw. 1. He did nor let looſe the Devil to conſtrain you to Sin. He could but entice, and you might chooſe whether you would yield. The Devil could neither make you ſin againſt your Will, nor yet neceſſitate you to be willing.

2. You were a ſure Friend to Chriſt that while, that would forſake him as oft as you were tempted by the Devil. Is that a Friend or a Servant worthy to be regarded, that will diſobey you, or betray you as oft as he is tempted to it?

3. Will you excuſe your Servant if he leave your Work undone, and follow Cards, or Dice, or the Ale-houſe, and ſay I was tempted to it by one that was cunninger than I? Shall every Murderer or Thief eſcape hanging, becauſe the Devil was too cunning for him in his Temptations? Would you have the Jury or the Judg to take this for a good Excuſe?

4. And why did you not hearken to God that enticed you the other way? You forget what Helps he afforded you to diſcover the Wiles of Satan, and to vanquiſh the Temptation? He told you it was an Enemy that tempted you: and would you hearken to an Enemy? He told you it was a Dream, a Shadow, a painted Pleaſure, a guilded Carcaſs, a lying Promiſe, and deceitful Vanity by which you were tempted; and yet would you regard it before your God? He told you that it was your God, your Saviour, your Hope, your everlaſting Happineſs that the Tempter would beguile you of: And yet would you be beguiled? He told you, and p. 57plainly, and often told you that the Temper would …ead you to eternal Fire, and undo you everlaſtingly beore you were aware; and that a fatal Hook was cover…d with that Bait: And yet would you ſwallow it?

5. It is plain by all this that it was not your natural Weakneſs of Faculties that cauſed you to be over…me by the Subtilties of the Devil, as a ſilly Child … deceived by a crafty Fellow that overwits him: But it was your Careleſneſs, Inconſiderateneſs, your …enſual Inclinations, and vicious Diſpoſition, that drew you to a wilful Obeying of the Tempter, and rejecting the wholeſom Advice of Chriſt. This therefore is a …rivolous Excuſe of your Sin.

The one and twentieth Excuſe. But I hope you will not ſay that all Men have Free Will! And if my Will were not free, how could I chooſe but ſin?

Anſw. 1. Your Will was not free from God's Rule and Government. 2. Nor was it free from its natural Inclination to Good in general; for either of theſe were more properly Slavery. 3. Nor was it free from the Influence of a dark Underſtanding. 4. Nor free from its own contracted vitious Inclination. 5. Nor freed from the Temptations of the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil.

But it was, 1. Free from any natural Determination to Evil, or to any thing that was doubtful. 2. And free from the Coaction or Violence of any. 3. And free from an irreſiſtible Determination of any exteriour Cauſe, at leaſt ordinarily. So that naturally, as Men, you have the Power or Faculty of determining your own Wills, and by your Wills of ruling your inferiour Faculties in a great meaſure; yea, of ruling the S…nſes and the Phantaſy it ſelf, which doth ſo much to diſpoſe of our Underſtanding. And if your Wills, which are naturally free, are yet ſo habitually vitious, that they encline you to do evil, that is not an Excuſe, but an Aggravation of your Sin. But of this more under the next.

p. 58The two and twentieth Excuſe. But I have not Power of my ſelf to do any thing that is good: what can the Creature do? without Chriſt we can do nothing. It is God that muſt give me Ability, or I can have none: and if he had given it me, I had not been an Vnbeliever or Impenitent. I can no more believe of my ſelf, than I can fulfil the Law of my ſelf.

Anſw. 1. Theſe are the vain Cavils of learned Folly, which God will eaſily anſwer in a Word. The Word [Power] is taken in ſeveral Senſes. Sometime, and moſt commonly and fitly, for a Faculty or a Strength by which a Man can do his Duty if he will. This phyſical Power you have, and the worſt of Sinners have while they are Men on Earth. Were they actually willing, they might acceptably perform ſincere Obedience; and were they diſpoſitively willing, they might actually believe and will. And thus the Ungodly have Power to believe.

Sometime the word [Power] is taken for Authority or Leave, for legal or civil Power. And thus you have all not only Power or Liberty to believe, but alſo a Command which makes it your Duty, and a Threatning adjoined, which will condemn you if you do not.

Sometime the Word [Power] is taken ethically, and leſs properly, for a Diſpoſition, Inclination, Habit, or Freedom from the contrary Habit or Diſpoſition. And in this Senſe it's true, that none but the effectually called have a Power to believe. But then obſerve, 1. That this is but a Moral, leſs proper, and not a Phyſical proper Impotency: And therefore Auſtin chuſeth rather to ſay that all Men have power to believe, but all have not a Will, or Faith it ſelf; becauſe we uſe to difference Power from Willingneſs; and Willingneſs actuateth the Power which we had before. And therefore our Divines chooſe rather to call Grace a Habit when they ſpeak exactly, than a Power; and Dr. Twiſs derides the Arminians for talking of a Power ſubjected in a p. 59Power. 2. Note that this Impotency is but the ſame thing with your Unwillingneſs and wilful Blindneſs in another Word. 3. Note that this Impotency is long of your ſelves as to the Original, and much more as to the not curing and removing of it. Hath God given you …o means towards the Cure of this Diſability, which you have neglected? 4. Note that this Impotency is not a juſt Excuſe, but an Aggravation of your Sin. If you were willing to be the Servant of Chriſt, and yet were not able either becauſe he would not accept you, or becauſe of a want of natural Faculties, or becauſe of ſome other natural Difficulty which the willingeſt Mind could not overcome, this were ſome Excuſe: But to be habitually wilful in refuſing Grace, is worſe than to be meerly actually unwilling. If a Man have ſo accuſtomed himſelf to Murder, Drunkenneſs, Stealing or the like Wickedneſs, ſo far that he cannot leave it, will you therefore forgive him, or will any Judg or Jury hold him excuſed? Or rather think him the more unfit for Mercy? 5. Note alſo that the want of a ſupernatural Habit, no nor the Preſence of the contrary Habit, do not efficiently determine the Will to particular Acts, much leſs take away its natural Freedom. 6. And that till Habits attain an utter Predominancy, (at leaſt) there is a Power remaining in the Will to reſiſt them, and uſe Means againſt them. Though eventually the perverſe Inclination may hinder the uſe of it.

The three and twentieth Excuſe. I have heard from learned Men, that God doth determine all Actions, natural and free, as the firſt efficient phyſical immediate Cauſe: or elſe nothing could act. And then it was not long of me that I choſe forbidden Objects, but of him that irreſiſtibly moved me thereto, and whoſe Inſtrument I was.

Anſw. This is a trick of that Wiſdom which is Fooliſhneſs with God, and to be deceived by vain Philoſophy.

p. 601. The very Principle it ſelf is moſt likely to be falſe, and thoſe that tell you this do err. Much more, I think, may be ſaid againſt it than for it.

2. I am ſure it is either falſe, or irreconcileable with God's Holineſs, and Man's Liberty and Culpability; ſo that its a mad thing to deceive your ſelves with ſuch philoſophical Uncertainties, when the Truth which you oppoſe by it is infallibly certain. That God is not the Author of Sin, but Man himſelf, who is juſtly condemned for it, is undoubtedly true: and would you obſcure ſo clear a Truth, by ſearching into Points beyond humane Reach if not unſound, as you conclude them?

The four and twentieth Excuſe. But at leaſt, thoſe learned Divines among us that doubt of this, do yet ſay that the Will is neceſſarily and infallibly determined by the practical Vnderſtanding, and that is as much unreſiſtibly neceſſitated by Objects: and therefore whatever act was done by my Vnderſtanding or Will, was this neceſſitated, and I could not help it. They ſay, Liberty is but the Acting of the Faculty agreeably to its Nature: And it was God as Creator that gave Adam his Faculties, and God by providential Diſpoſe, that preſented all Objects to him, by which his Vnderſtanding, and ſo his Will were unavoidably neceſſitated.

Anſw. This is of the ſame Nature with the former; uncertain, if not certainly falſe. Were this true, for ought we can ſee, it would lay all the Sin and Miſery of this World on God, as the unreſiſtible neceſſitating Cauſe; which becauſe we know infallibly to be falſe, we have no reaſon to take ſuch Principles to be true which infer it. The Underſtanding doth not by a neceſſary Efficiency determine the Will, but morally; or rather, is regularly a Condition or neceſſary Antecedent, without which it may not determine it ſelf. Yea the Will by commanding the Senſe and Phantaſy, doth much to determine the Underſtanding. As the Eye is not neceſſary to my going, but to my going right, ſo is not the Underſtanding's Guidance neceſſary to p. 61my willing, (there the ſimple Apprehenſion may ſuffice) but to my right willing. There are other ways of determining the Will. Or if the Underſtanding did determine the Will efficiently and neceſſarily, it is not every act of the Underſtanding that muſt do it. If it be ſo, when it ſaith, This muſt be done, and ſaith it importunately; yet not when it only ſaith, This may be done, or you may venture on it, which is the common part which it hath in Sin.

I am not pleaſed that theſe curious Objections fall in the Way, nor do I delight to put them into vulgar Heads; but finding many young Scholars and others that have converſed with them, aſſaulted with theſe Temptations, I thought meet to give a Touch, and but a Touch, to take them out of their Way: As Mr. Fenner hath done more fully in the Preface to his Hidden Manna, on this laſt point, to which I refer you. I only add this.

The Will of Man in its very Dominion doth bear God's Image. It is a ſelf-determining Power, though it be biaſſed by Habits, and needs a Guide. As the Heart and Vital Spirits by which it acteth, are to the reſt of the Body, ſo is it to the Soul. The Light of Nature hath taught all the World to carry the Guilt of every Crime to the Will of Man, and there to leave it. Upon this all Laws and Judgments are grounded. From Ignorance and intellectual Weakneſs, Men commonly fetch Excuſes for their Faults; but from the Will they are aggravated. If we think it ſtrange that Man's Will ſhould be the firſt Cauſe, ſo much as of a ſinful Mode, and anſwer all occurring Objections: it may ſuffice that we are certain the Holy Majeſty is not the Author of Sin; and he is able to make all this as plain as the Sun, and eaſily anſwer all theſe vain Excuſes, though we ſhould be unable. And if we be much ignorant of the Frame and Motions of our own Souls, and eſpecially of that high ſelf-determining Principle, free-Will, the great Spring of our Actions, and the curious Engine by which God p. 62doth ſapientially govern the World, it is no wonder, conſidering that the Soul can know it ſelf but by Reflection, and God gave us a Soul to uſe, rather than to know it ſelf; and to know its Qualities and Operations, rather than its Eſſence.

The five and twentieth Excuſe. No Man can be ſaved, nor avoid any Sin, nor believe in Chriſt, but thoſe whom God hath predeſtinated thereto. I was under an irreverſible Sentence before I was born: and therefore I do nothing but what I was predeſtinated to do; and if God decreed not to ſave me, how could I help it?

Anſw. 1. God's Judgments are more plain, but his Decrees or ſecret Purpoſes are myſterious: And to darken Certainties, by having recourſe to Points obſcure, is no part of Chriſtian Wiſdom. God told you your Duty in his Word, and on what Terms you muſt be judged to Life or Death; hither ſhould you have recourſe for Direction, and not to the unſearchable Myſteries of his Mind.

2. God decreeth not to condemn any but for Sin. Sin, I ſay, is the Cauſe of that Condemnation, though not of his Decree.

3. God's Decrees are Acts Immanent in himſelf, and make no change on you, and therefore do not neceſſitate you to ſin, any more than his Fore-knowledg doth. For both cauſe only a neceſſity of Conſequence, which is Logical, as the Divines on both ſides do confeſs. And therefore this no more cauſed you to ſin, than if there had been no ſuch Decree. And it's a Doubt whether that Decree be not negative; a willing Suſpending of the Divine Will, as to evil; or at moſt a Purpoſe to permit it.

The ſix and twentieth Excuſe. If it be no more, yet doth it make my Perdition unavoidable; for even God's Fore knowledg doth ſo; for if he foreknow it, all the World cannot hinder it from coming to paſs.

Anſw. Muſt God either be ignorant of what you will do, or elſe be the Cauſe of it? If you foreknow p. 63that the Sun will riſe to morrow, that doth not cauſe it to riſe. If you foreknow that one Man will murder another, you are not the Cauſe of it by foreknowing it. So is it here.

The ſeven and twentieth Excuſe. God might have hindred my Sin and Damnation if he would.

Anſw. And will you wilfully ſin, and think to eſcape becauſe God doth not hinder you? The Prince that makes a Law againſt Murder, could lock you up, and keep you from being a Murderer. But are you excuſable if he do not? We are certain that God could have hindered all the Sin and Death, and Confuſion, and Miſery that is in the Word: and we are as certain that he doth not hinder it (but by forbidding it, and giving Men means againſt it:) and we are certain that he is Juſt, and Good, and Wiſe in all, and not bound to hinder it: And what his Reaſons are, you may better know hereafter: In the mean time, you had been better have looked to your own Duty.

The eight and twentieth Excuſe. How could I be ſaved if Chriſt did not die for me? He died but for his Elect; and none could be ſaved without his Death.

Anſw. He did die for you, and for more than his Elect, though he abſolutely purpoſed only their Salvation. Your Sins crucified him, and your Debt lay upon him; and he ſo far ranſomed you, that nothing but your wilful Refuſal of the Benefits could have condemned you.

The nine and twentieth Excuſe. It was Adam's Sin that brought me into this Depravedneſs of Will, which I can neither cure, nor could prevent.

Anſw. 1. If Adam caſt away his Holineſs, he could no more convey that to us which he caſt away, than a Nobleman that is a Traitor, can convey his loſt Inheritance or Honours to his Son.

2. You periſh not only for your Original Sin, but for rejecting the recovering Mercy of the Redeemer: you might have had Chriſt and Life in him for the accepting.

p. 64The thirtieth Excuſe. God will require no more than … gives. He gave me not Grace to repeat and believe; … without his Gift I could not have it.

Anſw. 1. God will juſtly require more than he giveth; that is, the improvement of his Gifts, as Mat. 25. ſhews. He gave Adam but a Power to perſevert, and not actual Perſeverance: Yet did he juſtly puniſh him for want of the Act; even for not uſing by his own Wll the Power which he had given him.

2. It is long of your ſelf if God did not give you Grace to believe: It was becauſe you wilfully refuſed ſome preparatory Grace. Chriſt found you at a great diſtance from him, and he gave you Grace ſufficient to have brought you nearer to him than you were; you had Grace ſufficient to have made you better than you were, and reſtrained many Sins, and brought you to the means, when you turned your back on them: tho this were not ſufficient to cauſe you to believe, it was ſufficient to have brought you nearer to believing; and through your own wilfulneſs, became not effectual; even as Adam had ſufficient Grace to have ſtood, which was not effectual. So that you had not only Chriſt offered to you, if you would but accept him; but you had daily and precious▪ Helps and Means, to have cured your Wills, and cauſed you to accept him; for neglect of which, and ſo for not believing, and ſo for all your other Sins, you juſtly periſh.

The one and thirtieth Excuſe. Alas, M… is a Worn, a dry Leaf! Job 13. 25. a ſilly fooliſh Creature, and therefore his Actions be not regardable, nor deſerve ſo great a Puniſhment.

Anſw. Though he be a Worm, and as nothing to God, and … by Sin, yet he is naturally ſo noble a Creatur… … …age of God was on him, Gen. 12. 26. … 1. James 3. 9. and the World made his Serv… … Angels his Atten…ants, Heb. 1. 14. ſo noble … Chriſt died for him, God takes ſpecial care of him; he is capable of knowing and enjoying God, p. 65… Heaven is not thought too good for him if he will …ey. And he that is capable of ſo great Good, muſt … capable of as great Evil, and his Ways not to be ſo …erlooked by that God that hath undertaken to, be … Governour. When it tendeth to Infidelity, the evil will teach you to debaſe Man, even lower than … would do.

The two and thirtieth Excuſe. Sin is no Being: and …ll Men be damned for that which is nothing?

Anſw. 1. It is ſuch a Mode as deformeth God's Create. It is a moral Being. It is a Relation of our …tions and Hearts to God's Will and Law.

2. They that ſay, Sin is nothing, ſay Pain and Loſs … nothing too. You ſhall therefore be paid with one …thing for another. Make light of your Miſery, and …, it is nothing, as you did of your Sin.

3. Will you take this for a good Excuſe from your …hildren or Servants, if they abuſe you? or from a …hief or a Murderer? ſhall he eſcape by telling the …dg that his Sin was nothing? Or rather have Death, …ich is nothing, as the iuſt Reward of it?

The three and thirtieth Excuſe: But Sin is a tranſt… Thing. At leaſt it doth God no harm, and therefore why …uld he do us ſo much harm for it?

Anſw. 1. It hurts not God, becauſe he is above …rt. No thanks to you if he be out of your reach.

You may wrong him, when you cannot hurt him. …nd the Wrong deſerves as much as you can bear. If a …aitor endeavour the Death of the Prince in vain, … Endeavour deſerves Death, though he never hurt him. You deſpiſe God's Law and Authority; you cauſe the Blaſpheming of his Name, Rom. 2. 24. He calls it a Preſſing him as a Cart is preſſed with Sheaves, …os 2. 13. and a Grieving of him.

3. And you wrong his Image, his Church, the pub…ck Good, and the Souls of others.

The four and thirtieth Excuſe. But God's Nature is ſo …od and merciful, that ſure he will not damn his own Crea…re.

p. 66Anſw. 1. A merciful Judg will hang a Man for a Fault againſt Man: By proportion then what is due for Sin againſt God?

2. All the Death and Calamity which you ſee in the World, comes from the Anger of this merciful God: why then may not future Miſery come from it?

3. God knoweth his own Mercy better than you do; and he hath told you how far it ſhall extend.

4. He is infinitely merciful, but it is to the Heirs of Mercy, not to the final Rejecters of his Mercy.

5. Hath not God been merciful to thee in bearing with thee ſo long, and offering thee Grace in the Blood of Chriſt, till thou didſt wilfully reject it? Thou wi… confeſs to thy everlaſting Wo that God was merciful; had he not been ſo merciful, thou wouldſt not have been ſo miſerable for rejecting it.

The five and thirtieth Excuſe. I would not ſo torment mine Enemy my ſelf.

Anſw. No reaſon you ſhould. Is it all one to wrong you, and to wrong the God of Heaven? God is the only Judg of his own Wrongs.

The ſixth and thirtieth Excuſe. All Men are Sinners; and I was but a Sinner.

Anſw. All were not impenitent, unbelieving, rebelious Sinners, and therefore all are not unpardoned, condemned Sinners. All did not live after the Fleſh, and refuſe to the laſt to be converted as you did. God will teach you better to difference between Sinners and Sinners.

The ſeven and thirtieth Excuſe. But if Chriſt have ſatisfied for my Sins, and died for me, then how can I juſtly ſuffer for the ſame Sins? will God puniſh one Sin twice?

Anſw. 1. Chriſt ſuffered for Man in the Chriſt of Man; but not in your Perſon, nor you in him. It was not you that provided the Price, but God himſelf: Chriſt was not Man's Delegate in ſatisfying, and therefore received not his Inſtructions from us, nor did p. 67on our Terms, but his own. It was not the ſame thing which the Law threatned, that Chriſt underwent: for that was the Damnation of the Sinner himſelf, and not the Suffering of another for him; it cannot therefore be yours but on Chriſt's own Terms. He died for thy Sin, but with this intent, that for all that if thou refuſe him, thou ſhalt die thy ſelf. It is therefore no wrong to thee to die, for it was not thou that diedſt before, and Chriſt will take it for no wrong to him: for he will judg thee to that Death. It is for refuſing a Chriſt that died for thee, that thou muſt periſh for ever.

The eight and thirtieth Excuſe. But I did not refuſe Chriſt. I believed and truſted in him to the laſt; and repented of my Sins, though I ſometime was overtaken with them.

Anſw. Had this been true, thy Sin would not have condemned thee. But there is no mocking God. He will ſhew thee then thy naked Heart, and convince thouſands that thought they believed and repented, that indeed they did not. By thy Works alſo will this be diſcovered, that is, by the main bent and ſcope of thy Life, as Mat. 25. throughout, and Jam. 2.

The nine and thirtieth Excuſe. I did many good Works; and I hope God will ſet thoſe againſt my evil Works:

Anſw. Thy good Works were thy Sins, becauſe indeed they were not good, being not done in ſincerity of Heart for God. The beſt Man's Works have ſome Infirmity, which nothing can cleanſe but the Blood of Chriſt, which thou haſt made light of, and therefore haſt no part in. If all thy Life had been ſpent in perfect Works except one day, they would not make ſatiſfaction for the Sins of that Day. For they are but part of thy Duty. Wo to him that hath no better a Saviour at Judgment, than his own good Works.

The fortieth Excuſe. I lived in Poverty and Miſery on Earth, and therefore I hope I have had my Suffering here, p. 68and ſhall not ſuffer in this World and another too.

1. By that Rule all poor Men and Murderers, and Thieves that are tormented and hanged, ſhould be ſaved. But as Godlineſs hath the Promiſe of this Life and that to come, ſo Impenitency and Wickedneſs hath the Threatning of this Life and that to come.

2. The Devils and the damned have ſuffered much more than you already; and yet they are never the nearer a Deliverance. When thou haſt ſuffered ten thouſand Years, thy Pain will be never the nearer an end. How then can a little Miſery on Earth prevent it? Alas, poor Soul, theſe are but the Foretaſts and Beginnings of thy Sorrow. Nothing but Pardon through the Blood of Chriſt could have prevented thy Condemnation; and that thou rejectedſt by Infidelity and Impenitency. His Sufferings would have ſaved thee, if thou hadſt not refuſed him; but all thy own Sufferings will yield thee no Relief.

So much for the anſwering of the vain Excuſes which poor Sinners are ready to make for themſelves; wherein I have been ſo large, as that this part I confeſs is diſproportionable to the reſt: but it was for theſe two Reaſons.

1. That poor careleſs Souls might ſee the Vanity of ſuch Defences; and conſider if ſuch a Worm as I can eaſily confute them, how eaſily and how terribly will they be all anſwered by their Judg?

2. I did it the rather, that godly Chriſtians might the better underſtand how to deal with theſe vain Excuſes when they meet with them: which will be daily if they deal with Men in this ſad Condition.

X. We have done with that part of the Judgment which conſiſteth in the Exploration or Trial of the Cauſe: we now come to that which is the Concluſion and Conſummation of all; and that is, to ſhew you what the Sentence will be, and on whom.

p. 69And for this, we muſt go ſtrait to the Word of God for our Light, it being impoſſible for any Man to have any particular Knowledg of it, if Chriſt had not there revealed it unto us. Indeed almoſt all the World do acknowledg a Life after this, where it ſhall go well with the Good, and ill with the bad. But who ſhall be then accounted righteous, and who unrighteous, and on what Terms and Grounds, by whom they ſhall be judged, and to what Condition, they know not.

The Sentence in Judgment will be, 1. Either on thoſe that never had Means to know Chriſt. 2. Or on thoſe that had.

1. For the former, as it leſs concerneth us to enquire of their Caſe, ſo it is more obſcurely revealed to us in the Scripture. It is certain that they ſhall be judged according to their Uſe of the Means which they had, Rom. 2. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. and the Talents which they received, Mat. 25. But that it ever falleth out that he that hath but the one Talent of natural Helps, doth improve it to Salvation; or that ever they who knew not Chriſt, are juſtified and ſaved without that Knowledg, (being at Age and Uſe of Reaſon) I find not in the Scriptures. I find indeed that [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 Rom. 2. 12. but not that any are juſtified by the Works of Nature, ſuch as are here ſaid to be without Law.] I find alſo, that [They have the Work of the Law written in their Hearts, their Conſcience alſo bearing witneſs, and their Thoughts the mean while accuſing, or elſe excuſing one another, in the Day when God ſhall jude the Secrets of Men by Jeſus Chriſt, according to the Goſpel] Rom. 2. 15, 16. And I believe it is a juſt Excuſe, and not an unjuſt which is here meant. But it will be but an Excuſe ſo far as they were guiltleſs: and that will be but in tanto, and not in toto, in part only; and ſo not a full Juſtification. A Heathen's Conſcience may excuſe him from thoſe Sins which he was p. 70never guilty of; but not from all. But no more of them.

2. The Caſe of thoſe that have had the Goſpel, is more plainly opened to us in God's Word. Their Sentence is opened in many Places of Scripture, but moſt fully in Matth. 25. whence we will now collect it.

There we find that Jeſus Chriſt the Redeemer, as King of the World, ſhall ſit in Judgment on all Men at the laſt; and ſhall ſeparate them one from another, as a Shepherd divideth the Sheep from the Goats, and ſo ſhall paſs the final Sentence. This Sentence is twofold, according to the different Condition of them that are judged. To them on the right Hand, there is a Sentence of Juſtification, and Adjudication to everlaſting Glory: To them on the left Hand, there is a Sentence of Condemnation to everlaſting Puniſhment.

The Sentence on each of theſe containeth both the State which they are judged to, and the Reaſon or Cauſe of the Judgment to that State. For as God will not judg any to Life or Death without juſt Cauſe, ſo he will publiſh this Cauſe in his Sentence, as it is the manner of Judges to do. If you ſay, Chriſt will not uſe a Voice; let it ſatisfy, that though we know not the manner, yet if he do it but by mental Diſcovery, as he ſhews Men what ſhall everlaſtingly befal them, ſo he will ſhew them why it ſhall ſo befal them.

1. The Sentence on them on the right Hand, will contain, 1. Their Juſtification and Adjudication to Bleſſedneſs, and that both as generally denominated, and as particularly determined and deſcribed. 2. And the Cauſe of this Judgment.

1. In general they ſhall be pronounced Bleſſed. Satan would have had them curſed and miſerable: the Law did curſe them to Miſery; many a fearful Though hath poſſeſſed their own Breaſts, leſt they ſhould prove at laſt accurſed and miſerable: but now they p. 71hear the contrary from their Judg. All the Promiſes in the Goſpel could not perfectly overcome thoſe their Fears; all the comfortable Words of the Miniſters of the Goſpel could not perfectly ſubdue them; all the tender Mercies of God in Chriſt did not perfectly ſubdue them▪ but now they are vanquiſhed all for ever. He that once had heard his Redeemer in Judgment call him bleſſed, will never fear being curſed more. For he that Chriſt bleſſeth, ſhall be bleſſed indeed.

The Deſcription of their Bleſſedneſs followeth, Come inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World. And alſo they are called Bleſſed of the Father. Here is the Fountain of their Bleſſedneſs, the Father; and the State of their Bleſſedneſs in being the Father's: for I ſuppoſe they are called the Bleſſed of are Father, both becauſe the Father bleſſeth them, that is, makes them Happy, and becauſe theſe bleſſed Ones are the Father's own. And ſo Chriſt will publiſh it to the World in Judgment, that he came to glorify the Father, and will proclaim him the principal Efficient, and ultimate End of his Work of Redemption, and the Bleſſedneſs of his Saints; and that himſelf is (as Mediator) but the Way to the Father. It is the Father that prepared the Kingdom for them, and from the Foundation of the World prepared it; both for [them] as choſen ones, and for them as future Believers and righteous Ones. It is called a Kingdom, partly in reſpect to God the King, in whoſe Glory we ſhall partake in our Places; and partly metapherically, from the Dignity of our Condition. For ſo it is that our ſelves are ſaid to be made Kings, Rev. 1. 6. and 5. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 9. and not that we are properly Kings; for then we muſt have Subjects who muſt be governed by us.

Thus we ſee their Bleſſedneſs in the Fountain, End and State of Dignity. As to the receptive Act on their Part, it is expreſſed by two Words; one ſignifying their firſt Entrance on it, Come: the other their Poſſeſſion, Inherit: That is, poſſeſs it as given by the Father, p. 72and Redeemed by the Son, and hold it in this Tenure for ever.

The true Believer was convinced in this Life, that indeed there was no true Bleſſedneſs, but this Enjoyment of God in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord revealed this to his Heart by his Word and Spirit. And therefore he contemned the ſeeming Happineſs on Earth, and laid up for himſelf a Treaſure in Heaven, and made him Friends with the Mammon of Unrighteouſneſs, and ventured all his Hope in this Veſſel. And now he findeth the Wiſdom of that Choice in a rich Return. God made him ſo wiſe a Merchant as to ſell all for this Pearl of greateſt Price: and therefore now he ſhall find the Gain. As there is no other true Happineſs but God in Glory; ſo is there nothing more ſutable and welcome to the true Believer. O how welcome will the Face of that God be, whom he loved, ſought, longed and waited for! How welcome will that Kingdom be which he lived in hope of, which he parted with all for, and ſuffered for in the Fleſh! How glad will he be to ſee the bleſſed Face of his Redeemer, who by his manifold Grace hath brought him unto this I leave the believing Soul to think of it, and to make it the daily matter of his delightful Meditation; what an unconceivable Joy in one Moment, will this Sentence of Chriſt will fill his Soul with? Undoubtedly it is now quite paſt our Comprehenſion; though our imperfect Forethoughts of it may well make our Lives a continual Feaſt.

Were it but our Juſtification from the Accuſations of Satan, who would have us condemned either as Sinners in general, or as impenitent, unbelieving Rebels, againſt him that redeemed us, in ſpecial, it would lift up the Heads of the Saints in that Day: After all the Fears of our own Hearts, and the ſlanderous Accuſations of Satan and the World, That we were either impenitent Infidels or Hypocrites, Chriſt will then juſtify us and pronounce us righteous. So much for the Condition to which they are judged.

p. 732. The Reaſon or Cauſe of this Juſtification of the Saints, is given us both, 1. In a general Denomination, and 2. In a particular Deſcription. 1. In general, it is becauſe they were righteous, as is evident, Mat. 25. 6. The Righteous ſhall go into Life everlaſting. And indeed it is the Buſineſs of every juſt Judg to juſtify the Righteous, and condemn the Unrighteous. And ſhall not the Judg of all the Earth judg righteouſly? Gen. 18. 25. God makes Men righteous before he judges them ſo: and judgeth them righteous becauſe they are ſo. He that abominateth that Man who ſaith to the Righteous, Thou art wicked; or to the Wicked, Thou art righteous; who juſtifieth the Wicked and condemneth the Righteous, will certainly never do ſo himſelf.

Indeed he will juſtify them that are Sinners, but not againſt the Accuſation that they are Sinners, but againſt the Accuſation, that they are guilty of Puniſhment for Sin: but that is, becauſe he firſt made them juſt; and ſo juſtifiable, by pardoning their Sin, through the Blood of Chriſt.

And it's true alſo, that he will juſtify thoſe that were wicked; but not thoſe that are wicked: but Judgment findeth them as Death leaveth them, and he will not take them for wicked, that are ſanctified and cleanſed of their former Wickedneſs. So that Chriſt will firſt pardon them before he juſtify them againſt the Charge of being Sinners in general; and he will firſt give Men Faith, Repentance and new Obedience, before he will juſtify them againſt the Charge of being Impenitent, Infidels or Hypocrites, and conſequently …mpardoned, and doubly guilty of Damnation. This twofold Righteouſneſs he will firſt give Men, and ſo conſtiture them juſt, before he will declare it, and ſentence them juſt.

2. The Reaſon of the Sentence, particularly deſcribed, is from their Faith and Love to Chriſt, expreſſed in their Obedience, Self-denial, and forſaking p. 75all for him. For I was hungry and ye fed me; I was thirſty and ye gave me daink; I was a Stranger and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me: I was ſick and ye viſited me: I was in Priſon and ye came to me. Verily I ſay unto you, inaſmuch as ye have done it to one of the leaſt of theſe my Brethren, ye have done it unto me, Mat. 25. 35 to 41. Here is, 1. The cauſal Conjuction for. 2. And the Cauſe or Reaſon it ſelf.

Concerning both which, obſerve. 1. How it is that Man's Obedience and Self-denial is the Reaſon and Cauſe of his Juſtification. 2. Why it is that God will have the Reaſon or Cauſe thus declared in the Sentence.

For the firſt, obſerve that it's one thing to give a Reaſon of the Sentence, and another thing to expreſs the Cauſe of the Benefit given us by the Promiſe, and judged to us by the Sentence. Man's Obedience was no proper Cauſe why God did in this Life give Pardon of Sin to us, or a Right to Glory, much leſs of his giving Chriſt to die for us. And therefore as to our conſtitutive Juſtification at our Converſion, we muſt not ſay or think that God doth juſtify us, for, or becauſe of any Works of our Obedience, legal or evangelical. But when God hath ſo juſtified us, when he comes to give a Reaſon of his Sentence in Judgment, he may and will fetch that Reaſon partly from our Obedience, or our Performance of the Conditions of the new Covenant. For as in this Life, we had a Righteouſneſs conſiſting in free Pardon of all Sin through the Blood of Chriſt, and a Righteouſneſs conſiſting in our perſonal Performance of the Conditions of the Promiſe, which giveth that Pardon and continueth it to us; ſo at Judgment we ſhall accordingly be juſtified. And as our evangelical perſonal Righteouſneſs, commonly called inherent, was at firſt only in our Faith and Repentance, and Diſpoſition to obey, but afterward in our actual ſincere Obedience, in which Senſe we are conſtitutively juſtified or made righteous here by our Works, p. 74in James his ſenſe, James 2. 24. ſo accordingly a double Reaſon will be aſſigned of our ſentential Juſtification; one from our Pardon by Chriſt's Blood and Merits, which will prove our Right to Impunity and to Glory; the other from our own Faith and holy Obedience, which will prove our Right to that Pardon through Chriſt, and to the free Gift of a Right to Glory: and To this laſt is to be pleaded in Subordination to the former. For Chriſt is become the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him, Heb. 5. 9. He therefore that will be ſaved, muſt have a Chriſt to ſave him as the Author, and an Obedience to that Chriſt as the Condition of that Salvation; and conſequently both muſt be declared in the Judgment.

The Reaſon why the Judg doth mention our good Works rather than our believing, may be becauſe thoſe holy ſelf-denying Expreſſions of Faith and Love to Chriſt do contain or certainly imply Faith in them, as the Life of the Tree is in the Fruit: but Faith doth contain our Works of Obedience but only as their Cauſe. The Works alſo are a Part of the perſonal Righteouſneſs which is to be enquired after, that is, we ſhall not be judged righteous, meerly becauſe we have believed, but alſo becauſe we have added to our Faith Vertue, and have improved our Talents, and have loved Chriſt to the hazard of all for his ſake. For it is not only or principally for the Goodneſs of the Work conſidered in it ſelf, or the Good that is done by it to the Poor; but it is as thoſe Works did expreſs our Faith and Love to Chriſt by doing him the moſt coſtly and hazardous Service; that by Faith we could ſee Chriſt in a poor Beggar or a Priſoner, and could love Chriſt in theſe better than our worldly Goods or Liberties, which we muſt part with, or hazard by the Works that are here mentioned.

2. The Reaſons why Chriſt will ſo publickly declare the perſonal Righteouſneſs of Men, to be the Reaſon or Cauſe of his juſtifying Sentence, is becauſe p. 76it is the Buſineſs of that Day, not only to glorify God's meer Love and Mercy, but eminently to glorify his remunerative Juſtice; and not only to expreſs his Love to the Elect, as ſuch, but to expreſs his Love to them as faithful and obedient, and ſuch as have denied all for Chriſt, and loved God above all; and to ſhew his Juſtice to Men, and Faithfulneſs in fulfilling all his Promiſes, and alſo his Holineſs, in the high Eſtimation of the Holineſs of his People. I ſhall expreſs this in the Words of a Learned Divine (Dr. Twiſs againſt Mr. Cotton, pag. 40.) Was there no more in God's Intention when he elected ſome, than the Manifeſtation of the Riches of his glorious Grace? Did not God purpoſe alſo to manifeſt the Glory of his remunerative Juſtice? Is it no undeniable that God will beſtow Salvation on all his Elect, (of ripe Years) by way of Reward, and Crown of Righteouſneſs, which God the righteous Judg will give? 2 Tim. 4. 2 Theſſ. 1. It is great pity this is not conſidered, as uſually it is not, eſpecially for the momentous Conſequence thereof in my Judgment. So far he.

So much of the Sentence of Juſtification which ſhall be paſſed by Chriſt at Judgment upon the Righteous.

2. We are next to conſider of the Sentence of Condemnation which ſhall then by Chriſt be paſſed on the Unrighteous. Which is delivered to us by Chriſt, Mat. 25. in the ſame Order as the former.

The Sentence containeth, 1. The Condemnation it ſelf. 2. The Reaſon or Cauſe of it.

The Condemnation expreſſeth the Miſery which they are judged to. 1. Generally in the Denomination, Curſed. 2. Particularly by Deſcription of their curſed State.

To be curſed, is to be a People deſtinated and adjudged to utter Unhappineſs, to all kind of Miſery without remedy.

2. Their curſed Condition is deſcribed in the next Words, Depart from me into everlaſting Fire prepared for the … and his Angels.

p. 771. Depart: From whom? from the God that made them in his Image; from the Redeemer that bought them by the Price of his Blood, and offered to ſave them freely, for all their Unworthineſs, and many a time intreated them to accept his Offer, that their Souls might live: From the Holy Ghoſt, the Sanctifier and Comforter of the Faithful, who ſtrove with their Hearts, till they quenched and expelled him. O ſad Departing! who would not then chooſe rather to depart from all the Friends he had in the World, and from any thing imaginable; from his Life, from himſelf, if it were poſſible, than from Chriſt? Depart: from what? why from the Preſence of the Judg, from all farther Hopes of Salvation for ever, from all poſſibility of ever being ſaved, and living in the joyful Inheritance of the Righteous. Depart: Not from God's Eſſential Preſence, for that will be with them to their everlaſting Miſery, but from the Preſence of his Grace in that Meaſure as they enjoyed it. Depart: Not from your fleſhly Pleaſures, and Honours, and Profits of the World; theſe were all gone and paſt already: and there was no farther need to bid them depart from theſe: Houſes and Lands were gone. Mirth and Recreations were gone. Their ſweet Morſels and Cups were gone. All the Honour that Men could give them was gone before they were ſet at Chriſt's Bar to be judged. But from all Expectations of ever enjoying theſe again, or ever taſting their former Delights; from theſe they muſt depart: not from their Sin, for that will go with them; but the Liberty of committing that part of it which was ſweet to them, as Gluttony, Drunkenneſs, Whoredom, Idleneſs, and all Voluptuouſneſs; from theſe they muſt depart. But this is conſequential; it is Chriſt and the Poſſibility of Salvation, that they are ſentenced to depart from.

But whither muſt they depart? 1. Into Fire. 2. Into that Fire which was prepared for the Devil and his Angels. 3. Into everlaſting Fire.

p. 781. Not into a purifying, but a tormenting Fire. Whether elementary or not; whether properly or metaphorically called Fire, let us not vainly trouble our ſelves to enquire. It is enough to know, that as Fire is one of the moſt grievous Tormentors of the Fleſh, ſo grievous will be thoſe infernal Torments to the whole Man, Soul and Body; ſuch as is moſt fitly repreſented to us under the Notion of Fire, and of Burning. It is eaſy for a ſecure unbelieving Soul to read and hear of it; but Wo and ten thouſand Woes to them that muſt endure it! In this Life they had their good things, when it went harder as to the Fleſh with better Men; but now they are tormented, when the Godly are comforted, as Luke 16. 25.

2. But why is it called a Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels? 1. What is this Devil that hath Angels? 2. Who are his Angels? 3. When was it prepared for them? 4. Wat it not alſo prepared for wicked Men? To theſe in order.

1. It ſeems by many Paſſages in Scripture, that there is an Order among Spirits both good and bad; and that there is one Devil that is the Prince over the reſt.

2. It ſeems therefore that it's the reſt of the evil Spirits, that are called his Angels. And ſome think that the Wicked who ſerved him in this Life, ſhall be numbred with his Angels in the Life to come. Indeed the Apoſtle calls him the God of this World, 2 Cor. 4. 4. as is ordinarily judged by Expoſitors; and the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Diſobedience, Eph. 2. 2. And he calleth falſe ſeducing Teachers the Miniſters of Satan, 2 Cor. 11. 15. But that wicked Men are here meant as part of his Angels, is not clear.

3. If it be the Preparation of God's Purpoſe that is here meant, then it was from Eternity: but if it be any Commination of God as Ruler of the Angels, then was this Fire prepared for them conditionally, from p. 79the beginning of that Commination, and was due to them at their Fall.

4. It ſeems that the Reaſon why here is no mention of preparing Hell-fire for the Wicked, but only for the Devils, is not becauſe indeed it was not prepared alſo for the Wicked; but to note that it is the Torment which was firſt prepared for, or aſſigned to the Devils, thereby ſhewing the greatneſs of the Miſery of the Wicked, that the Devil and his Angels muſt be their Companions: Though ſome think, as is ſaid before, that the Reaſon why wicked Men are not mentioned tere, is, becauſe they are part of the Angels of the Devil, and ſo included. And ſome think it is purpoſely to manifeſt God's general Love to Mankind, that prepared not Hell for them, but they caſt themſelves into the Hell prepared for the Devils. But the firſt ſeems to be the true ſenſe.

And how apparently Righteous are the Judgments of the Lord! that thoſe Men who would here entertain the Devil into their Hearts and daily Familiarity, ſhould be then entertained by him into his Place of Torments, and there remain for ever in his Society! Though few entertained him into viſible Familiarity with their Bodies as Witches do, who ſo make him their Familiar: yet all wicked Men do entertain him into more full and conſtant Familiarity with their Souls than theſe Witches do with their Bodies; how familiar is he in Thoughts, to fill them with Vanity, Luſt or Revenge! How familiar is he in their Hearts, to fill them with Covertouſneſs, Malice, Pride, or the like Evils! and to baniſh all Thoughts of returning to God, and to quench every Motion that tendeth to their Recovery! How familiar is he with them, even when they ſeem to be worſhipping God in the publick Aſſemblies, ſtealing the Word out of their Hearts, filling them with vain and wandring Thoughts, blinding their Minds that they cannot underſtand the plaineſt words that we are able to ſpeak to them, and filling them with a proud p. 80Rebellion againſt the Direction of their Teachers, and an obſtinate Refuſal to be ruled by them, be the Matter never ſo neceſſary to their own Salvation? How familiar are theſe evil Spirits in their Houſes, filling them with Ignorance, Worldlineſs and Ungodlineſs, and turning out God's Service, ſo that they do not pray together once in a Day, or perhaps at all! How familiarly doth Satan uſe their Tongues, in Curſing, Swearing, Lying, Ribaldry, Backbiting or Slandring! And is it not juſt with God to make theſe Fiends their Familiars in Torment, with whom they entertained ſuch Familiarity in Sin? As Chriſt with all the bleſſed Angels and Saints will make but one Kingdom or Family, and ſhall live altogether in perpetual Delights; ſo the Devil and all his helliſh Angels and wicked Men ſhall make but one Houſhold, and ſhall live altogether in perpetual Miſery. O poor Sinners, you are not troubled now at his Preſence and Power in your Hearts! but will you not then be troubled at his Preſence and tormenting Power? As long as you do not ſee him, let him do what he will with you, it grieves you little or nothing at all; but what will you ſay when you muſt ſee him, and abide with him for ever? O Sirs, his Name is eaſily heard, but his Company will be terrible to the ſtouteſt Heart alive. He ſheweth you a ſmiling Face when he tempteth you, but he hath a grimmer Face to ſhew you, when Temptations have conquered you, and Torments muſt ſucceed. As thoſe that write of Witches, ſay, he appeareth at firſt to them in ſome comely tempting Shape, till he have them faſt tied to him; and then he beats them, and affrights them, and ſeldom appears to them but in ſome ugly Hew. Believe it, poor Sinners, you do not hear or ſee the worſt of him, when you are merry about your ſinful Pleaſures, and rejoicing in your Hopes of the Commodities or Preferments of the World: he hath another kind of Voice which you muſt hear, and another Face to ſhew you, that will make you know a little p. 81better whom you had to do with! You would be afraid now to meet him in the Dark: what will you be to live with him in everlaſting Darkneſs? Then you will know who it was that you entertained and obeyed, and plaid with in your Sins.

3. And as the Text tells us, that it is a Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels: So it telleth us, that it is an everlaſting Fire. It had a Beginning, but it ſhall have no End. If theſe Wretches would have choſen the Service of God, they would have met with no Difficulty or Trouble, but what would have had a ſpeedy End. Poverty and Injuries would have had an End: Scorns and Abuſes would have had an End: Faſting, Humiliation, Sorrow for Sin, watching and fighting againſt our ſpiritual Enemies, would all have had an End. But to avoid theſe, they choſe that Eaſe, that Pleaſure, which hath brought them to that Torment which never will have end. I have ſaid ſo much of theſe things already in my Book called the Saints Reſt, that I will now ſay but this much. It is one of the Wonders of the World, how Men that do believe, or think they do believe this Word of Chriſt to be true, that the Wicked ſhall go into everlaſting Fire, can yet venture on Sin ſo boldly, and live in it ſo fearleſly, or ſleep quietly till they are out of this unſpeakable Danger! Only the commonneſs of it, and the known Wickedneſs of Man's Heart, doth make this leſs wonderful. And were there nothing elſe to convince us that Sinners are mad and dead as to ſpiritual Things, this were enough; that ever the greateſt Pleaſures or Profits of the World, or the moſt enticing Baits that the Devil can offer them, ſhould once prevail with them to forget theſe endleſs things, and draw them to reject an everlaſting Glory, and caſt themſelves deſperately into everlaſting Fire: Yea, and all this under daily Warnings and Inſtructions; and when it's told them beforehand by the God of Truth himſelf! For the Lord's ſake, Sirs, and for your Souls ſakes, if you p. 82care not what Miniſters ſay, or what ſuch as I ſay, yet will you ſoberly read now and then this 25th Chapter of Matthew, and regard what is told you by him that muſt be your Judg! and now and then bethink yourſelves ſoberly, whether theſe are Matters for wiſe Men to make light of; and what it is to be everlaſtingly in Heaven, or in Hell-fire.

2. We have ſeen what is the Penalty contained in the Sentence againſt the Ungodly: The next thing that the Text directs us to, is the Cauſe or Reaſon of the Sentence, ver. 42. For I was hungry, and ye gave me no Meat, &c. The Reaſon is not given expreſly, either for their Sin againſt the Law of Works, that is, becauſe they were Sinners, and not perfectly innocent nor yet from their Unbelief, which is the great Sin againſt the Law of Grace: But it is given from their not expreſſing their Faith and Love to Chriſt in Works of Mercy and Self-denial. And why is this ſo?

1. We muſt not ſuppoſe that theſe Words of Chriſt do expreſs the whole judicial Proceſs in every Point; but the chief Parts. It is ſuppoſed that all Men are convicted of being Sinners againſt the perfect Law of the Creator, and that they are guilty of Death for that Sin; and that there is no way but by Chriſt to obtain Deliverance. But becauſe all this muſt be acknowledged by the Righteous themſelves, as well as by the Wicked; therefore Chriſt doth not mention this, but that only which is the turning Point or Cauſe in the Judgment. For it is not all Sinners that ſhall be finally condemned, but all impenitent, unbelieving Sinners, who have rebelled finally againſt their Redeemer.

2. And the Reaſon why Faith itſelf is not expreſſed is, 1. Becauſe it is clearly implied, and ſo is Love to Chriſt as Redeemer; in that they ſhould have relieved Chriſt himſelf in his Members: That is, as it's expreſſed, Mat. 10. 42. they ſhould have received a Prophet in the p. 83Name of a Prophet, and a Diſciple in the Name of a Diſciple; all ſhould be done for Chriſt's ſake, which could not be, unleſs they believed in him, and loved him. 2. Alſo becauſe that the bare Act of Believing is not all that Chriſt requireth to a Man's final Juſtification and Salvation; but holy ſelf-denying Obedience muſt be added. And therefore this is given as the Reaſon of their Condemnation that they did not ſo obey.

We muſt obſerve alſo, that Chriſt here putteth the ſpecial for the general; that is, one way of ſelf-denying Obedience and Expreſſion of Love, inſtead of ſuch Obedience in general: For all Men have not Ability to relieve thoſe in miſery, being perhaps ſome of them poor themſelves. But all have that Love and Self-denial, which will ſome way expreſs it ſelf. And all have Hearts and a Diſpoſition to do thus, if they had Ability; without ſuch a Diſpoſition none can be ſaved.

It is the fond Conceit of ſome, that if they have any Love to the Godly, or wiſh them well, it is enough to prove them happy. But Chriſt here purpoſely lets us know that whoever doth not love him at ſo high a rate, as that he can part with his Subſtance or any thing in the World, to thoſe Uſes which he ſhall require them, even to relieve his Servants in want and Sufferings for the Maſter's ſake, that Man is none of Chriſt's Diſciple, nor will be owned by him at the laſt.

XI. The next Point that we come to, is to ſhew you the Properties of this Sentence at Judgment.

When Man had broken the Law of his Creator at the firſt, he was liable to the Sentence of Death, and God preſently ſat in Judgment on him, and ſentenced him to ſome part of the Puniſhment which he had deſerved; but upon the Interpoſition of the Son, he before the reſt, reſolved on a Way that might tend to his Recovery; and Death is due yet to every Sinner for every Sin which he commits, till a Pardon do acquit p. 84him. But this Sentence which will paſs on Sinners at the laſt Judgment, doth much differ from that which was paſſed on the firſt Sin, or which is due according to the Law of Works alone. For,

1. As to the Penalty, called the Pain of Loſs, the firſt Judgment did deprive Man of the Favour of his Creator, but the ſecond will deprive him of the Favour both of the Creator and Redeemer: the firſt Judgment deprived him of the Benefits of Innocency; the ſecond deprives him of the Benefits of Redemption, the loſs of his hopes and poſſibility of Pardon, of the Spirit, of Juſtification and Adoption, and of the Benefits which conditionally were promiſed and offered him; theſe are the Puniſhments of the laſt Judgment, which the Law of Works did never threaten to the firſt Man, or to any, as it ſtood alone.

Alſo the loſs of Glory as recovered, is the proper Penalty of the violated Law of Grace, which is more than the firſt loſs. As if a Man ſhould loſe his Purſe the ſecond time, when another hath once found it for him; or rather as if a Traitor redeemed by another, and having his Life and Honours offered him, if he will thankfully accept it and come in, ſhould by his Refuſal and Obſtinacy, loſe this recovered Life, which is offered him; which is an Addition to his former Penalty.

Beſides that the higher Degree of Glory will be loſt which Chriſt would beſtow on him, more than was loſt at firſt. The very Work of the Saints in Heaven, will to praiſe and glorify him that redeemed them, and the Father in him; which would not have been the Work of Man, if he had been innocent.

2. As to the Pain of Senſe, the laſt Judgment by the Redeemer will ſentence them to a far ſorer Puniſhment than would have befaln them, if no Saviour had been offered them, Heb. 10. 29. The Conſcience of Adam if he had not been redeemed, would never have tormented him for rejecting a Redeemer, nor for refuſing p. 85or abuſing his gracious Offers, and his Mercies; nor for the forfeiting of a recovered Happineſs; nor for refuſing of the eaſy Terms of the Goſpel, which would have given him Chriſt and Salvation for the accepting; nor for neglecting any Means that tended to Recovery: no nor for refuſing Repentance unto Life, nor for diſobeying a Redeemer that bought him by his Blood. As all theſe are the Penalties of the Redeemer's Law and Judgment, ſo is it a ſorer Penalty than Conſcience would have inflicted meerly for not being perfectly innocent: and they will be far ſoarer Gripings and Gnawings of the never-dying Worm for the abuſe of theſe Talents, than if we had been never truſted with any after our firſt Forfeiture. Yea and God himſelf will accordingly proportion his Puniſhments. So that you ſee that privatively and poſitively, or as to their Loſs and their Feeling, the Redeemer will paſs on them a heavier Doom than the Creator did, or would have done according to the firſt Law to perfect Man.

3. Another Property of the Judgment of Chriſt is, that it will be final, peremptory, and excluding all farther Hopes or Poſſibilities of a Remedy. So was not the firſt Judgment of the Creator upon faln Man. Though the Law of pure Nature knew no Remedy, nor gave Man any Hope of a Redeemer, yet did it not exclude a Remedy, nor put in any Bar againſt one; but God was free to recover his Creature if he pleaſed. But in the Law of Grace he hath reſolved, that there ſhall be no more Sacrifice for Sin, but a fearful looking for of Judgment and Fire which ſhall devour the Adverſary, Heb. 10. 26, 27. and that the Fire ſhall be everlaſting, the Worm ſhall not die, and the Fire ſhall not be quenched, Mat. 25. ult. Mat. 13. 42, 50. John 5. 27. Mat. 5. 26. Mat. 3. 12. and Luke 3. 17. Mark 9. 43, 44, 45, 46, 48. He that now breaketh that pure Law that requireth perfect Innocency, (as we have all done) may fly to the Promiſe of Grace in Chriſt, and p. 86appeal to the Law of Liberty or Deliverance to be judged by that. But he that falls under the Penalty of that Law which ſhould have ſaved him, as all final Unbelievers and impenitent ungodly Perſons do, hath no other to appeal to. Chriſt would have been a Sanctuary and Refuge to thee from the Law of Works, hadſt thou but come into him: But who ſhall be a Refuge to thee from the Wrath of Chriſt? The Goſpel would have freed thee from the Curſe of the Law of Works, if thou hadſt but believed and obeyed it: But what ſhall free thee from the Condemnation of the Goſpel? Had there no Accuſation lain againſt thee, but that thou waſt in general a Sinner; that is, that thou waſt not perfectly innocent, Chriſt would have anſwered that Charge by his Blood. But ſeeing thou art alſo guilty of thoſe ſpecial Sins which he never ſhed his Blood for, who ſhall deliver thee from that Accuſation? When Chriſt gave himſelf a Ranſom for Sinners, it was with this Reſolution both in the Father and himſelf, that none ſhould ever be pardoned, juſtified or ſaved by that Ranſom, that did not in the time of this Life ſincerely return to God by Faith in the Redeemer, and live in ſincere obedience to him, and perſevering herein. So that he plainly excepted final Infidelity, Impenitency and Rebellion from Pardon: He never died for the final Non-performance of the Conditions of the New Covenant. So that his Judgment for theſe will be peremptory and remedileſs. If you ſay, Why cannot God find out a Remedy for this Sin, as well as he did for the firſt? I ſay, God cannot lie, Tit. 1. 2. He muſt be true and faithful, as neceſſarily as he muſt be God, becauſe of the abſolute Perfection of his Nature; and he hath ſaid and reſolved, that there ſhall be no more Remedy.

Many other Properties of God's Judgment general there are, as that Righteouſneſs, Impartiality, Inflexibility, and the like, which becauſe I would not make my Diſcourſe too long, I will paſs over, contenting my p. 87ſelf with the mention of theſe which are proper to the Judgment of the Redeemer according to his own Laws in ſpecial.

XII. The twelfth and laſt thing which I promiſed to unfold, is, The Execution of this Judgment. Here I ſhould ſhew you both the Certainty of the Execution, and by whom it will be, and how: but having done all this already in the third Part of the foreſaid Book of Reſt, I ſhall now only give this brief Touch of it.

No ſooner is the dreadful Sentence paſt, Go ye curſed into everlaſting Fire, but away they muſt be gone: There is no delay, much leſs any Reprieve to be expected; and yet much leſs is there any hope of an Eſcape. If the Judg once ſay, Take him Jailor; and if Chriſt ſay, Take him Devils, you that ruled and deceived him, now torment him: all the World cannot reſcue one ſuch Soul. It will be in vain to look about for help. Alas, there is none but Chriſt can help you; and he will not, becauſe you refuſed his help: Nay, we may ſay, He cannot; not for want of Power, but becauſe he is True and Juſt, and therefore will make good that Word which you believed not. It is in vain then to cry to Hills to fall on you, and the Mountains to cover you from the Preſence of him that ſitteth on the Throne. It will be in vain now to repent, and wiſh you had not ſlighted your Salvation, nor ſold it for a little Pleaſure to your Fleſh. It will be then in vain to cry, Lord, Lord, open to us; O ſpare us; O pity us; O do not caſt us into theſe hideous Flames! Do not turn us among Devils! Do not torment thy redeemed ones in this Fire! All this will be then too late.

Poor Sinner, whoever thou art that readeſt or heareſt theſe Lines, I beſeech thee in Compaſſion to thy Soul, conſider how fearful the Caſe of that Man will be, that is newly doomed to the Everlaſting Fire, and is haled to the Execution without Remedy! And what p. 88mad Men are thoſe that now do no more to prevent ſuch a Miſery, when they might do it on ſuch eaſy Terms▪ and now have ſo fair an Opportunity in their hands.

The time was when Repentance might have done thee good: but then all thy Repentings be in vain. Now while the Day of thy Viſitation laſteth, hadſt thou but a Heart to pray and cry for Mercy, in Faith and Fervency through Chriſt, thou mighteſt be heard. But then Praying and Crying will do no good, ſhouldſt thou roar out in the Extremity of thy Horror and Amazement, and beſeech the Lord Jeſus but to forgive thee one Sin, or to ſend thee on Earth once more, and to try the… once again in the Fleſh, whether thou wouldſt not love him, and lead a holy Life, it would be all in vain Nay, ſhouldſt thou beg but one Hour before you were caſt into thoſe Flames, it would not be heard; it would do thee no good. How earneſtly did a deceaſed Gentleman, Luke 16. 24. beg of Abraham for one Drop of Water from the Tip of Lazarus's Finger to cool his Tongue, becauſe he was tormented in the Flame: And what the better was he? He was ſent to remember that he had his good things in this Life; and that Remembrance would torment him more. And do not wonder or think much at this, that Chriſt will not then be entreated by the Ungodly. You ſhall then have a Remember too from Chriſt or Conſcience. He may ſoon ſtop thy Mouth, and leave thee ſpeechleſs, and ſay, Remember Man, that I did one Day ſend thee a Meſſage of Peace, and thou wouldſt not hear it. I once did ſtoop to beſeech thee to return, and thou wouldſt not hear. I beſought thee by the tender Mercies of God; I beſought thee by all the Love that I had ſhewed theſe, by my holy Life, by my curſed Death, by the Riches of my Grace, by the Offers of my Glory; and I could not get thee t… for ſake the World, to deny the Fleſh, to leave one beloved Sin for all this. I beſought thee over and over again: I ſent many a Miniſter to thee in my Name: I waited on thee many a Day, and Year, and all would not do: thou wouldſt not conſider, return and live: and p. 89…ow it is too late, thy Sentence is paſt, and cannot be re…alled: away from me thou Worker of Iniquity, Mat. 7. 22, 23.

Ah Sirs, what a Caſe then is the poor deſperate Sinner left in! How can I write this, or how can you that read or hear it, without trembling, once think of the Condition that ſuch forlorn Wretches will be in! When they look above them, and ſee the God that hath forſaken them, becauſe they forſook him firſt; when …hey look about them, and ſee the Saints on one hand whom they deſpiſed, now ſentenced unto Glory; and the Wicked on the other hand whom they accompanied and imitated, now judged with them to everlaſting Miſery: when they look below them, and ſee the Flames that they muſt abide in, even for evermore: and when the Devils begin to hale them to the Execution: O poor Souls! Now what would they give for a Chriſt, for a Promiſe, for a time of Repentance, for a Sermon of Mercy, which once they ſlept under, or made no account of! How is the Caſe altered now with them! Who would think that theſe are the ſame Men that made light of all this on Earth, that ſo ſtoutly ſcorned the Reproofs of the Word, that would be worldly, and fleſhly, and drunk, and proud, let Preachers ſay what they would; and perhaps hated thoſe that did give them warning. Now they are of another Mind; but all too late. O were there any Place for Reſiſtance, now would they draw back, and lay hold of any thing, before they would be dragged away into thoſe Flames! But there is no reſiſting; Satan's Temptations might have been reſiſted, but his Executions cannot: God's Judgments might have been prevented by Faith and Prayer, Repentance and a holy Life; but they cannot be reſiſted when they are not prevented. Glad would the miſerable Sinner be, if he might but turn to nothing, and ceaſe to be; or that he might be any thing rather than a reaſonable Creature: but theſe Wiſhes are all in vain. There is one Time, and one Way of a p. 90Sinner's Deliverance; if he fail in that one, he periſhth for ever: all the World cannot help him after that 2 Cor. 6. 2. I have heard thee in a time accepted: and in the Day of Salvation have I ſuccoured thee: Behold now is the accepted Time; behold now is the Day of Salvation. Now he ſaith, Rev. 3. 20. Behold, I ſtand at the Door and knock; if any Man hear my Voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him, and he with me. But for the time to come hereafter, hear what he ſaith, Prov. 1. 24, 25, 26. Becauſe I have called, and ye refuſed, I have ſtretched out my hand and no Man regarded; but ye have ſet at nought all my Counſels, and would none of my Reproof: I alſo will laugh at your Calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as a Deſolation, and your D…ſtruction comueth as a Whirlwind; when Diſtreſs and Anguiſh cometh upon you: then ſhall they call upon me, but I will not anſwer; they ſhall ſeek me early, but they ſhall not find me: for that they hated Knowledg, and did not chooſe the Fear of the Lord; they would none of my Counſels: they deſpiſed all my Reproofs; therefore ſhall they eat of the Fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own Devices: for the turning away of the Simple ſhall ſlay them, and the Proſperity of Fools ſhall deſtroy them; but whoſo hearkneth to me ſhall dwell ſafth and ſhall be quiet from fear of Evil. I have recited all theſe Words that you may ſee and conſider, whether I have ſpoke any other thing than God himſelf had plainly told you of.

Having ſaid this much of the Certainty of the Execution, I ſhould next have ſpoke ſomewhat of the Manner and the Inſtruments, and have ſhewed how God will be for ever the principal Cauſe, and Satan and their own Conſciences the Inſtruments in part; and in what manner Conſcience will do its part, and how impoſſible it will be to quiet or reſiſt it. But having ſpoke ſo much of all this already elſewhere, as is ſaid before I will forbear here to repeat it, leaving the Reader that deſireth it, there to peruſe it.