The General Assembly, Doctrine · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Reprehenſion and Conviction of Graceleſs and Gracious Souls.
2. ANother Uſe is of Conviction: 1. O ſuch as are Graceleſs, 2. Of Godly Perſons.
1. Of unconverted graceleſs Perſons.
1. Muſt there be a gathering together o… Saints, and only Saints, what then will becom… of Wicked men? They are not to be gathered with Saints, they cared not for their Company here, and they ſhall not have their Society in the other World.
1. Wicked men ſhall be baniſhed from among the Godly, this is no ſmall Puniſhment He ſhall ſet the ſheep on the right-hand, and th… goats on the left, Mat. 25.32, 33. He ſhall ſeparate them one from another, as a ſhepherd divideth his ſheep from the goats. In this Worl… they were mingled together, in the ſame Kingdom, City, Houſe, Aſſembly, and none wa… able to diſtinguiſh them; they were taken t… be as Devout as the beſt, and they took themſelves to be as good as any: But now the ſhall be detected, and the rottenneſs of the… Hearts ſhall be laid open, before themſelves, …ngels, and Men, and they ſhall be an abhorring …nto all fleſh, ſo ſays the Evangelical Prophet, …ſal. 66.24. This will be none of the leaſt of Wicked mens Puniſhment to ſee thoſe that …hey had ſcorned, ſlighted, and cenſured, as …ot worthy Humane Society, to mount up, and ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, …n the Kingdom of Heaven; and the Children of …he Kingdom (theſe Church-members) to be …aſt out into utter darkneſs, Mat. 8.11, 12. O …ad parting, never to meet again! How will …he Wicked wiſh they had lived in Priſons, Poverty, and woful ſtraits in this World, ſo …hey might now go along with them into Glory. O that we had ſpent our time in Prayer, Reading, Meditation, Conference, and Works of Mortification, as theſe Holy Souls …id, then had we been happy, as theſe are: But now we ſee our loſs: We thought your Life madneſs, but now we are convinced of …ur Folly, and the wiſdom of your Choice.
2. Theſe poor graceleſs Souls muſt be for …ver baniſhed from the Eternal God, the Foun…ain of all Happineſs: They bid God depart, Depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of …hy ways, Job 21.14. If not in ſo many words, yet interpretatively by their Works: And now God will ſay, Depart from me, ye …urſed, Mat. 25.41. The dreadfulleſt Word …n the Bible, the moſt aſtoniſhing Sentence that can come out of the Mouth of God, or duplicate page duplicate page can be heard by the Ears of Men. The enjoyment of God is the Saints Heaven, baniſhment from God is the Wickeds Hell; yea, th… very Hell of Hells; the only Venom, Sting and Poiſon of that Infernal Lake. They th… are not gathered to God, are ſeparated from God; and once baniſhed, and for ever baniſh'd; they cannot be parted from his Revenging Juſtice, but from his Comfortin… Love: Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction, from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, 2 Theſſ. 1.9. The pai… of loſs is greater than the pain of ſenſe: O… dreadful Caſe! Now poor Sinners will be baniſhed from the Beatifical Preſence, and ſhal… never more ſee God or Chriſt to their Comfort. O wretched State! Sinners ſhall the… know what the loſs of God meaneth. They gathered themſelves together under Ordinance… but deſired not God's Preſence in Ordinances more know what Communion with God meant, but they ſhall know what Separation from God now means: Where Love ended Wrath begins, Fury comes in the room o… Mercy. Now conſider this, ye that forget God leſt he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver, Pſal. 50.22.
3. Wicked Men ſhall be bound up together in bundles, and caſt into the Fire of Hell So ſaith the Text, Mat. 13.30. In the time of harveſt, I will ſay to the reapers, gather ye together, firſt, the Tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them. And why in bundles? Will this be any eaſe to them in Torments? They are wont to ſay, Here, Neighbours Fare is good Fare: But it will be otherwiſe there, the ſight of each other will increaſe their Torment, where they ſhall reflect upon their Guilt together, how they tempted others, and were tempted by others to ſin; thou waſt one Inſtrument to bring me into this Place of Torment: O that I had never known thee! Now merry Companions will be torturing Company; their ſweet Meat muſt have ſour Sauce. This, this is the dreadful conſequence of our frantick Frolicks. It is thought, that this was the reaſon why the Rich Man was loth his five Brethren ſhould come to him in Hell;Euke 16.28. not for love to them (for there's no ſuch Charity in Hell) but Self-love, leſt their preſence ſhould aggravate his Torments. Hence is the gnaſhing of teeth alſo mentioned,Mat. 13.50. for ſpleen and ſpight both againſt themſelves, and againſt each other; as Communion advanceth the Saints Glory above, ſo Company of old Sinners aggravates the Wicked's miſery in Hell.
4. It will greatly aggravate Wicked mens Torment, to conſider, that this was their own doing: Their deſtruction is of themſelves; Hoſ. 13.9.they can challenge none but themſelves, though they had many Incentives and Temptations: Neither the Devil nor Wicked men could ever pu… them to Hell againſt their wills: God ſaith He wills not the death of a Sinner. Jeſus Chri… expreſſed his earneſt deſire of their Salvation by his Death, the Spirit came with its lovin… motions and impulſes, Godly Miniſters, Chriſtian Friends prayed for them, took pains wit… them to ſave them; ſo that our Lord himſel… ſaith, Mat. 23.37. O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under he… wings; and ye would not? There was God's gathering time of Mercy, but that's paſt; now there's a gathering time of Wrath When the Chaff muſt be burnt i… unquenchable fire. Mat. 3.12.They migh… have been happy, but would no… They obſerved lying vanities, Jonah 2.8.an… forſook their own mercies; now there's no remedy. They choſe the thing wherein he delighted not, and now he will chuſ… their deluſions, Iſa. 66.3, 4. Alas, poor Sinner chuſe the Devil's Drudgery here, and Go… gives them up into his hands, to be tormente… for ever; and as Chriſt will gather up his Saint whom he purchaſed, ſo the Devil will gathe… up all his Slaves, not one ſhall eſcape him the Wicked are gathered by Death to thei… Maſter, and to their proper place as it's ſaid of Judas, Acts 1.25.That he wen… to his own place, that's Hell; Fo… the wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all th… Nations that forget God, Pſal. 9.17. O, what a vaſt Aſſembly will that be! Millions, Millions of Souls deſcend down into that Place of Torments. Wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be that go in thereat, Mat. 7.13. O tremble, leſt you be found among this greater number of the Sons of men.
Remember, all Mankind have their Faces Hell-wards, when they are born; The wicked are eſtranged from the womb, they go aſtray as ſoon as they be born, ſpeaking lyes, Pſal. 58.3. There is none righteous, no, not one; Rom. 3.10, 11, 12.we are altogether become unprofitable, without a ſaving turn we are all marching Hell-ward, and muſt be gathered together, and, like Faggots, piled up in that Infernal Lake, but eſpecially ſuch as have improved the ſtock of Original Corruption in a courſe of Profane Swearing, Rioting, Drunkenneſs, mocking of Religion, ridiculing Preciſeneſs, condemning the Righteous, juſtifying the Wicked: How can ſuch as theſe expect to be gathered with the Saints in the other World, whom they cannot endure in this? Surely the Godly and Wicked go contrary ways, when they go off the Stage of this World into an Eternal ſtate.
2. As Wicked, Graceleſs Perſons ſtate is ſad and hopeleſs, ſo continuing, ſo alſo profeſſed Chriſtians, yea, real Saints are in ſome things too ſaulty, and blame-worthy.
1. Shall there be a gathering together at laſt, then how unaccountable are thoſe Diſtances, Animoſities, and Heart-burnings among Chriſtians? There is utterly a fault among us: How contrary is this to Chriſtian Love, ſo often recommended by Chriſt and his Apoſtles? Yea, our Lord hath made it the Characteriſtical Note of his Diſciples, to love one another, John 13.35. It was wont to be ſaid of the Primitive Chriſtians by Heathens, See how they love one another. But alas, Brotherly Love doth not continue: It hath been declared, to the ſcandal of our Noble Profeſſion, That there are Contentions among us. 1 Cor. 1.11.Further, it hath been ſaid, That where ſtricteſt Profeſſors fall out, they are moſt implacable; Drunkards will ſooner be Friends than theſe Puritans: God forbid it ſhould be true; God forbid that there ſhould be Debates, 2 Cor. 12.20.envyings, wraths, ſtrifes, back bitings, whiſperings, tumults, ſwellings. Alas, that ſuch unbecoming Fruits of the Fleſh ſhould be found among us! There hath been too much of this Evil Spirit; O, let us take heed, leſt if we bite and devour one another, we be not conſumed one by another, Gal. 5.15. Theſe are the Devil's Artillery, whereby he ſights, and too often prevails to do abundance of miſchief, and hinder much good; For where envy and ſtrife is, there is confuſion, James 3.16.and every evil work. How can you think of the Day of meeting one another in Heaven with ſuch peeviſh Spirits? Will you perpetuate your Quarrels into another World? Are you Children of Peace, that thus Quarrel? For ſhame lay aſide your Differences, or lay aſide your Profeſſion of this Goſpel of Peace.
2. If the Saints be gathered at laſt, why do they not keep cloſe together in this World? What unaccountable Separations do men make from each other upon ſmall Occaſions? This is a Duty practiced by all the Saints in all Ages, the Primitive Chriſtians continued ſtedfaſtly in the Apoſtles doctrine and fellowſhip, Acts 2.42. As ſoon as Paul was converted, he aſſayed to joyn himſelf to the Diſciples, Acts 9.26. & 17.4.and others conſorted with Paul and Barnabas. Phil. 1.5.The Philippians were in the fellowſhip of the Goſpel from the first day of their Converſion. Like will to like: It's Natural for a Child of God to hold cloſe Communion with his Father's Children: How comes it to paſs then, that ſome that profeſs themſelves Chriſtians, keep at a diſtance? Alas, have you the ſame Name, Nature, and Divine Image, and do you not care for their Company? How will you like to live with them for ever in Heaven, that love not their Society on Earth? How comes it to paſs that you keep off? It's poſſible ſome do it out of modeſty, they are not worthy to aſſociate with them; theſe are but few: Others out of Singularity, Retiredneſs, they can find none good enough to whom they think fit to vouchſafe intimate Familiarity. Others have a pique againſt ſuch and ſuch Chriſtians, or againſt the whole Party, and moſt hold off from ſupine Negligence, Careleſneſs, and Oſcitancy; moſt men are unconcerned about their Edification: How unwilling are ſome Chriſtians to be drawn to Communion of Saints? If it be an Article in their Creed, 'tis no part of their Practice, as though they had never ſubſcribed to it; yea, there are ſome, that were once forward for this Work of Chriſtian Communion, that are now fallen off, like thoſe Hebrews that believed, of whom the Apoſtle ſaith, Not forſaking the aſſembling of our ſelves together, as the manner of ſome is, Heb. 10.25. The Donatiſts of old, and the Sectaries of late, have made dreadful Rents and Schiſms in the Church; the more Holy Chriſtians are, the more Catholick Spirits they have: They are moſt likely to be ſenſual, that needleſly ſeparate themſelves, yea, not having the ſpirit, Jude 19. however they may boaſt themſelves to be more full of the Spirit than others they ſeparate from. Well, Sirs, conſider what you do, how you prejudice your ſelves, weaken your Brethrens Hands, ſadden their Hearts, yea, you weaken the Intereſt of Religion hereby: What, Friends, ſhall one Heaven hold you, and cannot one Church hold you? Do you look for comfort at Chriſt's ſecond Coming among his Saints, and will you not keep by the foot-ſteps of the flock? The Lord awaken you.
3. Some Chriſtians make nothing of offendting the Saints of God, that they ſhould not offend; that's a dreadful word, Mat. 18.6. Whoſo ſhall offend one of theſe little ones, which believe in me, it were better for him that a mill-ſtone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea. I confeſs this is ſpoken of open and violent Perſecutors, whom our Lord will baniſh among the puſhing Goats: But even Chriſtians are too apt to offend one another; ſometimes by provoking words, ſometimes by offenſive carriages, doing that which (however it ſeem indifferent to us) yet thereby a Brother ſtumbleth, or is offended, or made weak, Rom. 14.21. Unadviſed walking may hinder much good, occaſion much evil, at leaſt may make ſad the hearts of thoſe whoſe hearts God would not have made ſad: With what comfort or confidence will you look in the Faces of thoſe whom you have juſtly offended? An eminent Divine ſaith,Mr. Baxter in a Letter before Mr. Burgeſs's Book of Chriſtian Commemoration. if it be my weakneſs, I have much ado to think but ſome ſhame with confuſion will accompany me, when I firſt meet any there, that I have been unkind to, or wronged, or that will know my faults better than here they did, and that I ſhall ask them forgiveneſs, which will be ſoon granted, being forgiven by Chriſt. However matters will go then, it becomes all the Saints to be very choice and chary of the Holineſs and Comſort of their Fellow-members on Earth, and to ſay, with Paul, 1 Cor. 8.13. Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no fleſh while the world ſtandeth, leſt I make my brother to offend. Happy are they that neither give Offence careleſly, nor take Offence cauſeleſly.
4. Yet ſtill there's a great (if not greater) fault, of good People, and that is, to be too familiar with Wicked Men, to comply too far with Sinners, to the diſhonour of God, ſcandal of Religion, and wronging of our own Conſciences. Paul writes, and writes again,1 Cor. 5.9.11. not to keep company with fornicators; the word is very emphatical, [foreign] not to be mingled with them by intimate familiarity, as ſtreams of Water mix together; but Chriſtians muſt be like Oyl, that will not mix with Water; eſpecially ſcandalous Profeſſors of the True Religion, if ſuch be diſorderly Perſons, Idle, Buſie-bodies, diſobedient to the Word; ſound cloſe-walking Chriſtians muſt note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be aſhamed, 2 Theſſ. 3.11.14. Brand ſuch an one as infamous, diſcover a ſtrangeneſs in your Carriage to him, [foreign] that he may turn into himſelf, and conſider what may be the cauſe in him of this your alienation from him: Such a Recognition may become a means of his Repentance; whereas if you ſtill ſmile upon him, as if you ſaw nothing amiſs in him, you do but harden him in ſin: Yet there's ſomething worſe in your ſinful complyance, you contract Guilt to your own Souls, and are in danger to be infected, and ſo partake of their Sins,Rev. 18.4. and of their Plagues. How often doth God call, Come out from among them, and be ye ſeparate, ſaith the Lord — What fellowſhip hath righteouſneſs with unrighteouſneſs? 2 Cor. 6.14.17.Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſs, but reprove them rather, Eph. 5.11. How often doth David bid Wicked Men depart from him? And if they will not be gone, he will flee from them as from a Peſt-houſe: Pſal. 26.4, 5. I have not ſate with vain perſons, neither will I go in with diſſemblers. I have hated the Congregation of evil doers, and will not ſit with the wicked: And then prays, ver. 9. Gather not my ſoul with ſinners. Oh, Friends, tremble to be found among Wicked Men in the Gathering-day.