A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Part 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Sheweth the order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement.
IV. FOr the order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement at the last day.
I. There will be a Citation of all both dead and living men with the Devils, to come to Judgement. We must all appear, 2 Cor. 5.10.saith the Apostle. All without exception of any must make their appearance, high and low, rich and poor, King and beggar, male and female.
Oh what a great day will that be, when the whole world shall be cited and summoned to appear together at once!
Q. If you ask how they shall be summoned?
A. By a shout from Heaven, and the sound of a Trumpet, which shall alarm this sleeping earth, and at which Hell shall shake, all graves shall open, and yield up their prisoners, which they have fast kept in the chains of death, from all ages since the beginning of the World.Rev. 20.13. Yea the Sea shall give up her dead which are in it.
A dreadfull summons it will be unto all the wicked and ungodly, whom this sudden noise will no less astonish, than confound. We read, that when the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, for the delivery of the Law,Exod. 19.16. with the sound of a Trumpet; the people of Israel quaked and trembled. Oh then how will the wicked and ungodly quake and tremble when the Lord Christ shall descend from Heaven with the sound of a Trumpet to punish the transgressours of that Law?
II. Upon this Citation and summons there will be a resurrection, from the dead, and such a change of the living, as if they had been a long time dead, and were raised to life again. And as the graves shall then give up their dead bodies; so hell shall give up her living souls, which shall enter into their old Carcases to receive a greater condemnation. Oh, what woful salutations will there be between that body and soul, which living together in the height of iniquity, must now be reunited to suffer the fulness of their misery?
III. After the resurrection follows a Collection, and gathering together of all men and Devils in the World; but with this difference. The Elect being gathered together by Angels,Mat. 24.31. shall with great joy be caught up into the air to meet the Lord. But the reprobate together with the Devils and his Angels shall with extream horrour and confusion be drawn and dragg'd into his presence.Rev. 6.15, 16. Ah sinner, What terrour and amazement will then seize upon thee, when like a malefactor thou art brought against thy will before the Judgementseat of Christ?
IV. After this follows a separation of the good from the bad, of the elect from the reprobate. For Christ at the first appearing of all before his JudgementS…at, to testifie his gracious favour, and good respect to believers, separates them from others, and sets them on his right hand, as a flock of sheep, whom he intends to take for his own. And then will he set the wicked and unbelievers on his left hand, to testifie as his rejecting them, so his purpose to pass a terrible doom upon them, as himself expresseth, Mat. 25.32, 33. Yea in Luke 17.34, 35. I tell you, saith he, in that night there shall be two in one bed, the one shall be taken and the other left, Two men shall be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left. So that at the day of judgement there will be a separation of the nearest and dearest relations that may be: as between Husband and Wife, yea Father and Child. Oh! what a sad separation will that be? when the Husband shall be separated from the Wife, and the Wife from the Husband: the Father from the Child, and the Child from the Father. You have often seen what a sorrowfull parting it is, when the Wife buries her Husband, and layeth him in the cold grave. How she goeth home weeping and lamenting her sad loss; though she hath hope of meeting him again in Gods Kingdom. Oh, but what an heavy parting and separation will there be, when the one shall be set at the right hand of Christ, the other at his left? the one taken into Heaven, and the other cast down into Hell? Oh, that all Husbands and Wives, all Parents and Children, all Masters and Servants would seriously think of this dreadfull separation; and be thereby stirred up, so to live together here in the fear of God, that they may not be separated at the day of judgement, when this sad and fearful separation shall be.
V. After this follows conviction of the wicked, and a discovery of all their works; Which is proper to go before giving of sentence. For in all Courts of Justice, there is no man condemned till he be convicted. And therefore this Court of Christ being the most exactest Court for equity and justice, we may well conclude, that there will be no man condemned, till he be convicted, and his offences laid open before all. And therefore at that day there will be,
1. A conviction of the wicked and ungodly.
2. A discovery of their sins to all the World.
Touching the conviction of the wicked, two things are to be considered;
1. The matter of their conviction, or what they shall be convinced of.
2. The means of their conviction, or what they shall be convinced by.
I. The matter of their conviction shall be twofold, they shall be convinced,
1. Of their state. That enquiry shall be made after this is evident, Rom. 14.12. Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God, that is, what he is, whether a sheep or a goat; whether a believer, or an unbeliever; regenerate or unregenerate; in Christ or out of Christ; under the power of corrupt nature, or sanctified by the grace of God. Here in this world, if carnal men make any enquiry after themselves at all, it's only after their outward wayes and actions, not asking themselves, What am I? whose am I? Am I of God or the Devil? Am I in Christ, or in my sins? But for the most part enquiring only, What have I done? What life have I lived? What course have I run? 'Twere well if there were more such enquiries as this now in this day. Oh how seldome do we hear carnal men asking,Jer. 8.6. What have I done? But in that day the great enquiry will be, What art thou? A Saint or a sinner? A believer or unbeliever? What charge hath been made upon thy nature? Hath there been a work of grace wrought upon thee? And as this will be the grand inquiry, so this will be the great matter of conviction in that day. Now men easily take themselves to be converts, to be believers; but then shall they be convinced of their mistakes, and shall be made to acknowledge, that they are still in their sins, have rejected Christ, and are strangers from the life of God.
2. Of their actions: as those that shall evidence what their state is. All the wickedness of their lives shall be brought forth to light, and made to stare them in the face: and with such unquestionable evidence charged upon them that they shall stand speechless before their Judge, not having a word to say to excuse and acquit themselves of this dreadful charge.
II. Touching the means of conviction, know that this conviction will be by the opening of two books, which we find mentioned in Scripture.
1. The book of Gods Remembrance.
2. The book of every mans Conscience.
The former we find mentioned, Mal. 3.16. A book of Remembrance was written before God. God hath a book of Remembrance, as of the goods works and actions of the godly, so of the evil works and actions of the wicked, wherein their most secret abominations are registred and recorded. Sinner, all the wickednesses of thy life, the secret villanies that thine heart hath been privy to, which no eye of man ever saw, or suspected: all thy chamber sins, all thy twilight sins, all thy works of the night, and of darkness, yea secret and open, which thou hast long since forgotten and buried out of thy sight; all these are written and booked up before the Lord against that terrible day.
The latter book, namely the book of Conscience, we find mentioned Jer. 17.1. The Sin of Judah is written with a pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, it is graven upon the Tables of their hearts. That is, their sins are so fixed in their hearts and consciences that they cannot be forgotten, but the memory of them all shall be revived. And with the Apostle, Their conscience also bearing witness, Rom. 2.15.and accusing them in the day, when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. In this book of conscience, which God hath given to every man and woman, as in Gods book, so in this also are written all their thoughts, words, and actions; yea their sinful omissions, as well as their sinful commissions; their secret impurities, as well as their open impieties.
Now many mens consciences are, as it were, asleep, so that though they are guilty of manifold sins and transgressions, yet their consciences do not accuse them for the same: but their iniquity is still marked, and at that day every mans conscience shall be awakened, bring forth its black roule, even all his sins, and so shall be as a thousand witnesses against him. Then the Covetous Shop-keeper shall remember all his deceits in trading, his false weights and measures, his lying and dissembling. Then shall the unclean person remember all his watchings for the twilight, all his speculative wantonnesses, and contemplative as well as practical uncleannesses. Then shall the proud man remember all his phantastick fashions. The malicious man all his envious wishes, all his plots and stratagems to ensnare and mischief the godly. Yea then shall every one read in this book the hell of his nature, as well as the hideous abominations of this life: then shall he see all his former sins, which he had forgotten, to be written in his conscience, with indelible characters, never to be blotted out. That work of accusing, which the conscience here doth in some men imperfectly, it will at that day do most perfectly.
Some have found by woful experience what an intollerable burden one sin is to the conscience, when the Lord hath been pleased to set it home. When Iudas had betrayed his Master, and his conscience began to accuse him for the same, it was such an intollerable burden to him, that he was not able to stand under it, but went and hanged himself.
Now if one sin proves so intollerable, who then can stand under the weight of the many millions of sins, which he hath committed in the whole course of his life? especially when God shall set them all home together upon his conscience. Ah sinner, If the reading one leaf of this book was so dreadful to Iudas; how dreadfull and terrible will it be to thee? when thou shalt read not only one leaf, but the whole book from the beginning to the end, and therein see the millions of sins committed by thee, whereof as thy whole life, so thy whole book will be filled within and without, and interlined with lamentation, mourning and woe. Ah, in what a woful case will thy heart then be? what horrour and astonishment will then possess thy soul? when all thy lies and oaths, all thy raylings and rotten speeches, all thy filthy and unclean thoughts, thy mispent time in Taverns and Alehouses, thy worldliness and covetousness, the vanities and rebellions of thy whole life, shall be brought to thy remembrance, and at once charged upon thy graceless soul.
2. At the day of Iudgement there will be a discovery of thy sins to all the World. For as the Apostle speaketh,1 Cor. 4.5. Hidden things shall on that day be brought to light. They shall not only be called to remembrance, by the sinner himself, but likewise exposed to the view and censure of others. There is no sin so secretly and closely committed, but then shall be discovered to the view of all. There is scarce a wicked man in the World, though never so formal, but he hath at some time or other committed some such sin in secret, which he would not have others to know for all the World. But know for certain, that at the day of judgement, all the World shall hear thereof. For then all thy secret sins, and close villanies shall be discovered, and layd open before Angels, Men and Devils; thy secret Whoredomes and close Adulteries, thy Pilfrings and stealings, thy false Weights and Measures, thy Hypocrisies and Dissemblings shall be discovered to the view of all, and that to thine eternal shame and confusion. And therefore the day of Judgement is called the day of revelation, Rom. 2.5.when many Murthers, Thefts, Adulteries, and other abominations, which come not to light here, shall at that day be made known, and discovered to the view of all. The Husband shall then behold the Whoredomes of his Wife, and the Wife the Adulteries of her Husband: the Master the Pilferings of his Servant, and the Servant the deceitfulness of his Master. Yea then not only thy words and actions, but also thy secret thoughts and imaginations, how vain and wanton, how filthy and abominable soever they have been, shall appear to the view of all. Never therefore adventure upon the committing of any sin in hope of secrecy, because thou seemest safe from the eyes of men. For suppose thy sin lyeth undiscovered unto the last and great day: yet then shall it out with a witness, and be made manifest to the view of all.
Q. If any shall ask, how their sins shall be discovered to all the World at the last and great day?
A. 1. By their own confessions and complaints extorted from them by the power of God. For then will they cry out in the bitterness of their souls, with these or such like expressions, Woe and alas, that ever I slighted the manifold gracious invitations of Iesus Christ, and preferred my base lusts and corruptions before him; that I have opened the door of my heart to every sinful temptation, but never would open it to let in Iesus Christ; that I so often rejected the motions of Gods spirit stirring me up to turn from my sins unto God; and hearkened more unto the solicitations of the Devil, than to the motions of Gods spirit: that I neglected the many opportunities and means of grace afforded unto me, and trifled away my pretious time in vanity and pleasure, yea sin and wickedness; spending that time in the Ale-house, and in following my sinful lusts and pleasures, wherein I should have been praying in my closet, or attending upon the Ministry of the Word, or reading the Scriptures with other good books: that I should prefer… my Wordly business before the service of God; that the World should have more of my heart and time, than my maker and Redeemer.
2. By the cryes and complaints of those whom they have wronged and oppressed. Then Abels blood will cry out afresh against Cain; and the hungry bellies of the poor will cry out against those hardhearted rich worldlings, who would not afford them the least comfort or relief. And starved souls will then cry out against their ignorant, scandalous Ministers, for not giving them the bread of life. The Wives and the Children of Gamesters, Drunkards and Whore-masters, being impoverished by their sins, will then cry out against them for spending their small means in the satisfying their sinfull lusts. The poor Tenants will then cry out against their covetous unmerciful Land-lords, for raising and racking their rents to such an height, as they could not earn their bread by all their care and labour.
3. By the testimony of Gods spirit, who will then come in as a witness against thee, saying, at such a time I shewed thee the evil of thy sins, and how sad the issue of them would be, and thereupon perswaded thee to turn from thy sins unto God, but thou wouldst not: at such a time I shewed thee thy misery without Christ, and thy need of him, how thou wouldst be undone for ever without an interest in Christ; and how willing Christ was to receive the worst of sinners unto mercy upon their coming in to him; but thou hearknedst to the Devil more than to me, to his suggestions, rather than to my motions.
4. By the testimony of the Devil, who is now a tempter, but will then be an accuser; whose chief design in tempting us to sin is that he may have wherewithall to accuse us in that great day; that so he might drive us into the same condemnation with himself.
Thus you see there are several wayes of discovering the sins of the wicked and ungodly at the day of judgement, even to the view of all.
Now I know no better way to prevent the discovery of your sins at that great day, than here in this time and day of grace to call your selves to an account, to search and examine your own hearts and lives, and th…n to judge and condemn your selves for your manifold sins and transgressions; for as the Apostle speaketh,1 Cor. 11.31. If we judge our selves, we shall not be condemned of the Lord. Oh therefore let us here often keep a day of judgement in our own souls and consciences, by a serious examining of our selves concerning our sins, and judging and condemning our selves for the same: and then let us in all humility prostrate our selves at the Throne of grace, pleading the mercy of God and merits of Christ for the pardon and forgiveness of them all; giving no rest to our souls, till we have some comfortable evidence and assurance thereof, which will cause us to lift up our heads with joy at the great day of account.
VI. After conviction and manifestation of all their sinfull actions, follows the sentence of condemnation; and what it is, our Saviour himself hath shewed, Matth: 25.41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. O dreadful sentence! every word whereof carryeth much terrour in it, and breatheth nothing but woe and misery, yea fire and brimstone. So terrible is this sentence that the first hearing thereof will make all ears to glow and tingle.
Depart from me] that is, from Iesus Christ, the fountain of bliss and happiness. This the wicked make light of at present: for taking more delight in their sinful lusts and pleasures than in Christs presence, they are willing to depart from him. Whereas in truth it is a most grievous misery; for, as the Psalmist speaketh, in his presence there is fulness of joy, Psal. 16.11.and pleasures for evermore. So to be cast out of his presence, is to be cast away from the fountain of all joy and pleasure, yea from glory and Salvation: for if from Christ, then from all that is his, even his glory and salvation.
Ah sinner, What a terrour, what a torment will this be unto thee at that great day? This will be a great part of thy torment, that thou shalt be excluded, and that from Christ and his glory, when others shall be admitted; as our Saviour speaketh, There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Luk. 13.28.when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and you your selves thrust out. Oh the fears and distractions! the horrour and confusion! the tearing of hair, and gnashing of teeth! the wringing of hands and dashing of knees! that these words will produce, Depart from me. Oh that sinners would lay this to heart! You that now bid God depart from you, you will have none of his knowledge, none of his commands: God will requite you in your own kind, he will then command you to depart from him.
Ye cursed.] To depart from Christ were hell enough, but thou must also go with a curse, even a curse that comprehends all woes and miseries under it. This curse will be a thousand times more grievous than the cursed and bitter water was to the defiled woman, Numb. 5.18, 27.which caused her belly to swell, her thigh to rot, and made her accursed among her people. For upon the pronouncing of this curse, not only the belly and thigh, but likewise head and heart, yea body and soul of the wicked shall be filled with rottenness and bitterness, and become accursed before God, men and Angels. Now thou cursest every one that stands in the way of thy lusts; and that crosseth thee in thy designs. But at the great and last day all the curses of Heaven and Hell shall meet in thee, so that thou shalt be cursed with a witness. And truly to be under Gods curse is the quintessence of misery.
Into everlasting fire.] What! into fire, and into everlasting fire? Ah wretches! cursed indeed. For as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh,Isa. 33.14. who can dwell with devouring fire? who can dwell with everlasting burnings? which shall not be quenched night nor day, but fed continually with Rivers of brimstone, and kept still in flame and fierceness by the unquencheable wrath of the just God to all Eternity. The torment of the wicked in hell will be, as without any intermission, so without any end. After they have there been tormented hundreds, thousands, millions of dayes, years and ages, their torments will be as far from ending, as if they were then beginning. And is not this misery enough? to lye in fire? in everlasting burnings? this is even beyond the expression of men or Angels. If a man knew he must lye in a flaming fire but one day or hour, Oh what fear and horror would possess his soul? But what is a day, or an hour, or an age, to eternity? Oh then what stupidity and senselesness hath possessed the hearts of sinful men, who by all this are not frighted from their sins? The fear of Nebuchadnezzar's fiery Furnace made men do any thing to avoid it. And shall not the fear of everlasting fire in hell, make men do any thing to escape it? this methinks should awaken them, and cause them not only to humble themselves for their sins, and to beg the pardon of them: but also to cast away their transgressions, to strive against them, watch against them, pray against them, begging power and strength from Christ, to keep down the power of their lusts, that hurry them on in their sinfull wayes. It is one of the wonders of the world, how men who do believe the word of Christ to be true, that the wicked shall go into everlasting fire, can wittingly and wilfully adventure upon sinfull wayes, the end whereof they know will be so dreadful and astonishing.
Prepared for the Devil and his Angels] That is, you shall not only be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone, but you shall there dwell with those hellish Fiends, the Devil and his Angels, who are the best company you are like to have. Sad company for distressed souls! and yet in that dismal dungeon, you shall have no better company, or comforters: who will be continually insulting over you with hellish exprobrations for neglecting so great salvation offered unto you time after time; and being so foolish as to loose the joys and pleasures of Heaven which last to all Eternity, for the enjoyment of some base lust, which lasted but for a season.
It was a dreadful punishment which was executed upon Nebuchadnezzar, when he was cast out of the society of men,Dan. 4.33. and turned a grasing with the beasts of the field. But what was that in comparison of this? to be cast out of the presence of Christ, and society of Saints, and to have only the company of the Devils, and damned in hell?
We read in the Gospel of a Woman who came unto Christ,Mat. 18.22. and said unto him, Have mercy on me O Lord, for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil. Now if it were such a grievous misery to be vexed with one Devil; what is it to be vexed and tormented with all the Legions of Devils in Hell?
Oh what terrour and trembling, what horrour and amazement will seize on their souls that have received this dreadful sentence? When King Belshazzar saw his sentence written upon the wall, though he could not read it,Dan. 5.6. it is said, his countenance was changed, his thoughts troubled him, so that the joynts of his Loyns were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. How much more shall the wicked tremble and quake, and their knees smite one against another for fear, at the great day, when they shall hear the sentence of condemnation pronounced by Jesus Christ? How will they then run like men distracted to the Mountains and Hills for covert and shelter? How will they then beg and yell again for mercy to a judge that is justly inexorable? I say, justly inexorable to them, having scornfully rejected his many loving invitations, and earnest beseechings by his Ministers, to accept of that peace and reconciliation which he hath purchased by his blood. Oh that men would consider, that one tear or sigh of a penitent heart will now more prevail for attainment of mercy, than all their bitter and importunate yellings in that day of Gods wrath!
VII. After the promulgation of the sentence, followeth the execution, and sending of the persons judged to their everlasting estate;Mat. 5.46. as it is written, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: So that now comes the eternal separation from Christ, and possession of those torments, which are easeless and endless. For then shall they be hurried by the Devils as their Iaylors out of Christs presence, and dragged into the bottomless lake of outer-darkness, that perpetually burneth with fire and brimstone. Oh the hellish cryes and horrible shrieks that then will be heard! no heart can conceive or imagine what an hideous cry it will be. When the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah felt the fire and brimstone falling from Heaven upon their heads. And when the earth opened her mouth to swallow up Corah and his company, and they saw themselves going down quick into the pit: Oh the cryes which were then heard? Oh the shrieks which then filled the air? But alas what were these to the outcryes which will be made? and to the scrieches which will be heard? when the Devils and reprobate men and women shall be violently driven into Hell, never, never to return again. For though they houl and cry to the judge for mercy and redemption; pitty and compassion; yet will they find no answer, but too late, too late. Mercy, and pardon and peace have been preached to thee, but thou wouldst not hearken, thou wouldst not accept. Thy day is over, the things of thy peace are hid from thine eyes: henceforth no more for ever.
Ah sinner, hadst thou now an heart to turn from thy sins unto God by true and unfaigned repentance, and to pray unto him for mercy in and through the merits of Jesus Christ, there were hope of mercy. But at the day of judgement thy repentance and thy prayers will nothing avail: The judge will not then be intreated by thee; and no marvel, seeing thou wouldst not hearken to him in the day of his merciful visitation. But though he sent unto thee messenger after Messenger, Ambassadour after Ambassadour to woe and beseech thee to abandon thy sins, and to accept of him for thy Lord and Saviour; yet wouldst thou not leave one beloved sin, nor deny one fleshly lust for all his intreaties. And therefore on that day will he not be intreated by thee, notwithstanding thy manifold cryes and prayers. If thou wilt not believe me, hear Christs own words to this purpose, Because I have called, Prov. 1.24, &c.and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded. But y e have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I will also laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction 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. Ah sinner, time was when he called to thee, turn from thy sins, cast away thy transgressions, accept of grace, submit to mercy, be wise, be happy, thou maist if thou wilt; but thou wouldst not, but hast sold thy mercy and thy peace, and thy Saviour, and thy soul for thy lusts, and the pleasures of sin. And therefore though in thy greatest extremity thou cry unto him for mercy, he will tell thee, that thy day of mercy is past and gone, and the day of vengeance is come; wherein he will no longer entreat, nor no more be entreated.
Ah sinner, how will it then wound thy very soul to remember thy folly in neglecting thy season, and refusing so great salvation? How will it make thee with anguish of heart to cry out, Ah silly wretch, where was thine understanding, to sleight such gracious invitations? to preferr every base lust before the Lord of life? to turn aside from him that spake unto thee from Heaven, and to turn after thy companions, and the pleasures of this earth? to put off the turning from thy sins, and making thy peace with God till it was too late? Oh now would I give a World, if I had it, for one offer of Christ more, for one Sabbath more to make my peace with God, and to make sure of Christ, but alas it is now too late.
Oh the fears and distractions, the tearing of the hair, and wringing of the hands, the gnashing of teeth, and dashing of knees: the weeping and wailing, the crying and roaring that this will produce! especially when thou shalt consider, how God every Sabbath called upon thee by his Ministers to turn from thy sins unto him: but thine ear and thine heart were shut against him. And how Jesus Christ was offered and tendred to thee only upon these terms, that thou wouldst cast away thy sins, and cast thy self into his arms, and yet thou wouldst not go unto him, but refusedst, and rejectedst him and his grace. This sad reflection of thy soul upon its own wilful folly in neglecting and outstanding thy day, will be the everlasting worm that will gnaw on thy heart, World without end.
Oh the folly and madness of all wicked men who go on securely and impenitently in their sins, till they drop into hell-fire! Is this thy Wisdom to sin awhile, and burn for ever? to laugh a while, and howle for ever? for a little momentary pleasure here, to suffer the vengeance of eternal fire?
Ah sinner, that thou wouldst now forethink of this dreadful time, and woful misery, which hangs over thine head! that when thou art alone, thou wouldst seriously consider with thy self as the certainty and dreadfulness of this day, so what thy condition is like to be▪ that thou mightest thereby be stirred up to make out after Christ, by whom thou maist escape the wrath to come. Now whilest Christ is Preached to thee in the Ministry of the Gospel, mercy and salvation is offered, and now if ever is the time to accept it. Oh therefore that now, even now in this thy time and day of grace, thou wouldst know the things that belong to thy peace; that thou wouldst now resolve for Christ, resolve for holiness: and henceforth bid adieu to all thy vain and sensual wayes which are hastily carrying thee down to that place of darkness, from whence there is no redemption.