A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Part 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Sheweth the miserable and dreadfull condition of the Vnregenerate after their deaths.
IF this were the conclusion of Unregenerate men, that death did put an end to all their miseries, happy were it for many. But this is their grief and sorrow, their woe and misery, that all this is the beginning of their sorrows: that after all this, there is a reckoning to be made for what is past.Heb. 9.23. For as it is appointed to men once to dye, so after this cometh the judgement. Where by the Iudgement that immediately followeth after death, the Apostle meaneth the particular judgement, which is at the end of each mans life, as is evident by this phrase,foreign. after this, which intendeth the time of a mans death. For as there is a general judgement at the end of the world; So there is a particular judgement that passeth upon each man at the end of this life. Ah sinner! so soon as thy breath departeth out of thy body; it fareth with thy soul, as with that man of whom the Prophet Amos speaketh,Amos 5.19. who did flee from a Lion, and a Bear met him. In like manner thy soul is no sooner escaped out of a miserable World, but in a moment it is plunged into another and greater misery.
Herein lyeth a main difference between the Children of God, and the wicked. The course which God taketh with his Children is this. When the soul is set at liberty from the prison of the body, it is instantly conveighed by the Angels into Abraham bosome, Luk. 16.22.as is expresly noted of Lazarus. And being cloathed with the long white robe of Christs Righteousness, Rev. 6.11. Heb. 12.23.is joyned to the spirits of just men made perfect.
But with the souls of wicked and impenitent sinners, it is far otherwise; for so soon as they depart out of their bodies, they are seized upon by wicked Angels, and presently brought before Gods Tribunal-seat, where receiving their doom, they are instantly sent down into the Kingdom of darkness, and bottome of the burning lake, there to be reserved in everlasting chains unto the judgement of the great day.
For the better awakening the Consciences of wicked and impenitent sinners, I shall briefly shew you the manner and degrees of this particular judgement.
1. As the Iaylor at the Assizes brings forth the Prisoner out of Prison, and sets him before the Judge. So, Sinner, the Devil as thy Iaylor brings forth thy soul out of the Prison of thy body, and sets it before the glorious presence of God; the sight of whom will strike thee with such hellish horrour and astonishment, that thou wouldst be glad to have the greatest rock to fall on thee, and mightiest mountain to cover thee, Rev. 6.16.and there to lye hid everlastingly from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne.
2. As when the Prisoner is come before the face of the judge, then his accusers bring in their evidence. So sinner, thou art no sooner set before the face of the Almighty Judge, but thy Conscience joyning with the Devil brings in evidence against thee. And then all thy filthy thoughts and impure imaginations, all thy lyes and oaths, with all thy rotten communications, and all the secret impurities and villanies of thy whole life will be set before thee, and charged upon thy soul. And how dismally will all thy mirth, and thy pleasures, the houses that thou hast built, the lands thou hast purchased, the money thou hast hoarded up by iniquity, how dreadfully will these look on thee in that day? Now thou boastest thy self in thy wealth, and blessest thy self in thy pleasures, and sportest thy self in thy sins, but in what a grim countenance will all these appear, when they meet thee before the throne of God? Ah sinner! What wilt thou then do? whither wilt thou fly from the revenging hand of God? what mountain canst thou get by entreaty to fall upon thee. Truly, in this case one would not have thine heart in his breast one hour, for all the riches, honours, and pleasures of the World.
3. Then will the Lord hereupon proceed to the sentence of condemnation, (though haply not vocally, yet effectually,) upon thy soul; and say, Depart thou cursed into everlasting fire, there to be reserved to the Iudgement of the great day. Ah sinner! what horrour and astonishment will overwhelm thy soul upon that dreadful sentence.
4. As the Judge having pronounced the sentence of death, delivers up the Prisoners to the Jaylors: So then shall God deliver up thy Soul into the hands of the Devils, who being thy Jaylours must keep thee to the great day of account. Whereupon they will instantly hurry thee into that horrible dungeon, and fiery lake, where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Where thou shalt have no other comforter, but the cursed Devils, who will be continually insulting over thee with hellish spite for slighting and rejecting the offers and tenders of Jesus Christ, for neglecting so great Salvation all thy life long, and losing Heaven for thy base lusts.
II. Besides this particular judgement on the souls of the unregenerate at their deaths; there will be a general judgement on their souls and bodies re-united at the great and last day.
For the fuller clearing and opening of this great and fundamental principle of Religion, I will shew you;
1. That there will be a day of Iudgement.
2. The Person who shall be the Iudge.
3. The manner of Christs coming to Iudgement.
4. The order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement.
I. For the first, that there will be a day of Iudgement, is clear from that of the Author to the Hebrews, Chap. 6.2. where he reckoneth it amongst the fundamental principles of Religion. And Act. 17.31. The Apostle Paul speaking of God, saith, He hath appointed a day in which he will Iudge the World in righteousness. Yea in 2 Cor. 5.10. he puts a MUST upon it, We must, saith he, all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ, which implyeth the necessity thereof.
And truly there is a necessity of a general Iudgement, as for the declaration of the equity of Gods particular Iudgement on each man at his death; in which respect it is called the day of the revelation of the Righteous Iudgement of God. Rom. 2.5.So for a clear manifestation of the justice of God.Psa. 145.17. Though God be most just in all his wayes, yet in this World it is not so evidently discerned. Because God in Wisdom oft suffereth the wicked to prosper; yea and to domineer over the Righteous. Here the best men are ofttimes the worst used, and most wronged. Here the true Prophets of God are fed with bread and water in their Caves; whilest the false Prophets of Baal fared plentifully at Iezabels Table.Luk. 16.19, 20, 21. Here Dives sits in his Palace, cloathed richly, faring sumptuously every day; whilest Lazarus lyeth at his gate, naked and hungry. But then God will reader to every one according to his deeds. Rom. 2.6. In die judicii cum justi introducentur in regnum Dei, injusti autem abjicientur for as. Aug. in Psal. 72.When as Heaven and everlasting happiness shall be the lott of the righteous: So hell and eternal horrour shall be the portion of the unrighteous. Thus you see, there will be a day of Judgement.
Oh how terrible will this day of Judgement be unto the unregenerate, and wicked! To them it will be *Zeph. 1.15.a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of darkness and gloominess; Then shall the drunkard drink deepest of the cup of Gods wrath; the fornicator and adulterer, who burned with the fire of lust, burn in the fire of Hell. Then shall the glutton who gave himself up to the satisfying of his greedy appetite, be pinched with hunger and parched with thirst, not having a drop of water to cool his flaming tongue. Then shall the worldling and covetous wretch feel his loads of ill-gotten goods sinking and drowning him in perdition and destruction, pressing him down to the bottom of the infernal lake.
Ah sinner! How doth it concern thee to retire into some secret place, and there seriously to ponder on this day of judgement? Ask thine heart this question, Is it certain there will be a day of judgement, or no? If it be certain; Oh then why do I not prepare for it, by breaking off my sins, and making my peace with God, before that day come upon me? why do I not labour for an interest in Christ, by whom alone I can be freed from eternal death and condemnation?Rom. 8.1. why do I not now give all diligence to make my Calling and Election sure? Oh sinner, reason thus with thy self; thou knowest not of what advantage a few such serious thoughts may be to thy soul.
When Paul Preached to the Athenians, he urged them to repent and turn from their sins, from this very ground and reason,Act. 17.30, 31. Because the Lord had appointed a day in which he will judge the World in righteousness. Oh repent therefore, and turn ye from your wicked wayes, for why will ye dye and perish eternally in your sins? Seek unto the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is nigh. Christ now stands knocking at the door of thine heart, by the Ministers of his Word, the motions of his Spirit, and checks of thine own Conscience. Oh give him speedy and willing entertainment. The time will come when thou wilt knock with the foolish Virgins, and shalt not be heard: and repent with Iudas, and not be accepted. For the Lord will have his day when thine is past, and a day of Iudgement for thy punishment, that didst slight and reject the day of mercy for thine amendment.
II. For the Person who shall be the Iudge, It is Christ that shall be Iudge: who shall in a visible shape both judge and pronounce sentence upon all men, as the sentence of absolution on the elect, so the sentence of condemnation on the wicked.
Indeed judging the World, being a work ad extra, which is terminated upon, or respects the creature, it is common to the whole Trinity; So that neither the Father, nor the Holy Ghost are excluded: but yet it is in Scripture more especially appropriated to the Son. And that partly as a recompence of his humiliation; and partly because the proceedings of the judgement being visible, it seemed convenient, that the Iudge himself should be conspicuous. And therefore Christ in his humane nature shall judge the World, and denounce the doom of condemnation against the wicked ones: yet shall he do all as Immanuel, God and man.
Oh, how terrible will the sight of Jesus Christ as Iudge be unto all carnal and impenitent wretches? who when they shall see him sitting upon the Throne, whose gracious invitations they have slighted; whose Ministers and Ambassadours they have wronged and contemned; whose ordinances they have neglected, and whom they have often crucified by their sins: how then will their hearts be appalled with dread and terrour? entreating the rocks and mountains to fall on them, Rev. 6.16.and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
A poor believer on that day seeing Christ sitting upon the Throne, may with comfort say, Loe yonder is he who dyed to save me, who shed his blood for my redemption, and rose again for my justification, and is now come to judge both the quick and the dead.
But thou who dyest in thy sins, canst not but with much anguish of Spirit in that day cry out and say, Loe yonder is he, who came from Heaven to save poor lost sinners, and who did Sabbath after Sabbath, even all my life long, by his Ministers, wooe and b…seech me to abandon my lusts, and to receive him as my Lord and Saviour, to yield subjection unto him, and his laws, and to rest upon him alone for life and salvation: who now would have received me into eternal bliss and happiness. But I miserable wretch that I was, did slight his woings, and beseechings, turning a deaf ear to the calls of his grace, and preferred my lusts and corruptions b…fore the Lord, and his salvation: yea and all my life long opposed his Kingdom and government, as quite contrary to my carnal heart, and sensual pleasures, wherein I took much content and delight. This is the Iudge who now sits on life and death, and from whom I must now receive my se…tence. And oh what a fearfull sentence must I expect from such a wronged, cont…m…ed, c…raged, righteous Iudge? What will he award me? whether will he se…d me? Oh my sins, my sins have cloathed his soul with fury against me. O my soul, what Talents of wrath and vengeance will this righteous provoked Iudge lay upon thee? how will he bind thee in chains of darkness, and setters of eternal fire?
Oh therefore that we were so wise, as now in this our day and time of grace, so to renounce bo…h our own wickedness, and righteousness, as to joyn our selves to our Lord, resigning up our souls to the government of his holy laws, adventuring and relying upon the merit of his blood, resolving to follow him in holiness, that hereby we may make him sure to us against that terrible day.
III. For the Manner of Christs coming to Iudgement, it will be as in great glory, so in great terrour to the wicked and impenitent.
1. Christ will come in great glory a…d Majesty, Mat. 24.30.even in the glory of the Father. Mat. 16.27.This is the most glorious work that Christ ever did, or will do in his humane nature. He will therefore in doing it be ar…yed with as much glory and Majesty, as his humane nature is capable of:Tit. 2.…13. and therefore the Apostle calls it the glorious appearing.
Q. If you ask wherein the glory of Christ shall appear?
A. His face shall shine as the Sun. Mat. 17.2.Bright clouds as a Canopy shall be over him. Mat. 24.30.A loud sound of a Trumpet shall be heard before him, He shall sit on a glorious Throne. Mat. 24.31.He shall be attended with all the glorious Angels, who are ready to do him service in this judgement.Mat. 25.31. These are present as so many Sheriffs and other officers, attending on the Judge of that great assize.
If it be so terrible to guilty prisoners to behold an earthly judge in his scarlet Robes, attended upon with the Iustices, and Sheriff and other Officers. Oh how fearful and terrible will the sight of this Judge be, manifesting himself from Heaven with such a mighty host, and glorious array of Angels! certainly no tongue can express, no heart can conceive that terrour of soul, and horrour of conscience, that fear and amazement, which will seize upon thee, when thou shalt see Christ in his glory, sitting upon his Throne.
2 Thes. 1.7.2. As Christ will come in great glory, so in great terrour. For he shall come in flaming fire. Yea the terrour of Christs coming to Judgement is noted in this, that thereupon the very Sea shall quake and tremble, and in its kind, cry out and roar, making a most dolefull and dreadful noyse. Oh what shall become of the roaring Boys of the earth, when all their rude roarings, and rufflings, and rantings on their Alebench shall be drowned and swallowed up of this terrible roaring of the Seas? oh then what shall become of swearers, drunkards, whore-masters and such like in that dreadfull day? Surely they will seek to creep into an auger-hole to hide their heads: and will cry out in the bitterness of their souls, Woe and alas, that ever we were born, surely it had been better for us, if our Mothers wombs had been our graves, and that we had never seen the Sun.
When Foelix heard Paul preach of this Iudgement-day, and the terribleness thereof, the text noteth that he trembled. Act. 24.25.And sinner, dost not thou tremble, who goest on impenitently in thy wicked and ungodly courses? in thy lying, swearing, drinking, whoring, Sabbath-breaking, and other like abominations? Ah sinner, either thou knowest not, or thinkest not as thou shouldst of this dreadfull and terrible day. And therefore it is that thou goest on in the career of thy lusts, giving thy self up to the gratifying thy sinfull affections, and satisfying thine own hearts desire. Oh that thou wouldst seriously weigh that advice of the Wise man,Eccl. 11.9. Rejoyce, O young man in thy youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the waies of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. As if he had said, Ah young man, do what thou pleasest, take thy fill of pleasure, satisfie thy Lus…s, deny not thy self any thing that heart can wish; which expressions are to be taken as spoken ironically, by way of derision, as appeareth by the following words, But know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgement; as if he had said, Though thou put from thee the thought of death, and of judgement, yet assure thy self, that for thy mispent youth, and for all thy sinfull lusts, dye thou must, thou knowest not how soon; and after death thou shalt be brought before Gods Tribunal, there to receive the just reward of all thy sins. A serious consideration whereof would be an excellent means to abate the heat of lust, and cause the hearts of young men to tremble at the thought of that great and terrible day, when Christ shall come to judgement in glory and great Majesty, with his mighty Angels in flaming fire.