The Sincere Convert, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
THat all mankind is fallen by sin, from that glorious estate he was made in, into a most wofull and miserable condition;
The Devill abusing the Serpent, and man abusing his owne free-will, overthrew Adam, and in him all his posterity by sin, Gen. 3. 1, 2, 3, &c.
Now mans misery appeares in these two things.
1. His misery in regard of sinne.
2. His misery in regard of the consequents of sinne.
1.Mans misery in regard of sin His misery in regard of sinne, appeares in these particulars.
1. Every man living is borne guilty of Adams sin. Now the justice and equity of God in laying this sin to every mans charge, though none of Adams posterity personally committed it, appeares thus.
First, If Adam standing, all mankind had stood; then it is equall that he falling, all his posterity should fall. All our estates were ventured in this ship: therefore, if we should have been partakers of his gaines, if he had continued safe, its sit we should be partakers of his losse too.
But secondly, we were all in Adam, as a whole countrey in a Parliamentman, the whole Countrey doth what he doth; And although wee made no particular choyce of Adam to stand for us, yet the Lord made it for us; who being goodnesse it selfe, beares more good will to man, than he can or could beare to himselfe; and being wisdome it selfe, made the wisest choice, and took the wisest course for the good of man; For this made most for mens safety and quiet; for if he had stood, all feare of loosing our happy estate had vanish'd; whereas, if every man had beene left to stand or fall for himselfe, a man would ever have beene in feare of falling.
And again, this was the sure way to have all mens estates preserved; for having the charge of the estates of all men, that ever should be in the world, hee was the more pressed to looke the more about him, and so to bee more watchfull, that he be not robbed, and so undoe and procure the curses of so many thousands against him. Adam was the Head of mankind, and all mankind naturally are members of that head: and if the Head invent and plot Treason, and the head practise treason against the King or State, the whole body i… found guilty, and the whole body must needs suffer. Adam was the poysoned roote and cisterne of all mankind, now the branches and streames being in the root and spring originally, they therefore are tainted with the same poysonous Principles. If these things satisfie not, God hath a day comming wherein he will reveale his owne righteous proceedings before men and Angels, Rom. 2. 4.Vse
Oh that men would consider this sinne, and that the consideration of it could humble peoples hearts. If any mourne for sinne, it is for the most part for other foule actuall sinnes, few for this sinne, that first made the breach and began the controversie betwixt God and man. Next unto the sinne against the Holy Ghost, and contempt of the Gospell,The horrible nature of the first sin. this is the greatest sinne that cryeth lowdest in Gods eares for vengeance day and night against a world of men. For now mens sinnes are against God in their base and low estates; but this sinne was committed against Iehovah, when man was at the top of his preferment. Rebellion of a Traytor on a dunghill is not so great as of a Favorite in the Court. Little sinnes against light are made horrible: no sinne by any man committed was ever against so much light as Adam had. This sin was the first that ever displeased God. Drunkennesse deprives God of the glory of sobriety; whoring of Chastity, but this sinne darkens the very Sunne, defaces all the Image of GOD, the glory of man, and the glory of GOD in man; this is the first sin that ever did thee a mischiefe. This sinne like a great Captaine hath gathered together all those troops and swarmes of sins that now take hold upon thee. Thanke this sinne for an hard heart, thou so much complainest of: thank this sinne for that hellish darkenesse that overspreads thee. This hath raised Satan, Death, Judgement, Hell and Heaven against thee.
O consider those fearefull sinnes that are packt up in this one evill.
1. Fearefull Apostacie from GOD like a Devill.The hainousnesse of Adams sinne.
2. Horrible Rebellion against GOD in joyning sides with the Devill, and taking GODS greatest enemies part against God.
3. Wofull unbeliefe in suspecting Gods threats to be true.
4. Fearefull Blasphemy in conceiving the Devill, (Gods enemy and mans murderer) to be more true in his temptations, then GOD in his threatning.
5. Horrible pride in thinking to make this sin of eating the forbidden fruit to bee a step and a stayre to rise higher, and to be like God Himselfe.
6. Fearefull contempt of God, making bold to rush upon the sword of the threatning secretly, not fearing the plague denounced.
7. Horrible unthankfulnesse, when God had given him all but one tree, and yet he must be singring that too.
8. Horrible theft, in taking that wch was none of his owne.
9. Horrible Idolatry; in doting upon, and loving the creature more than God, the Creator, who is blessed for ever.
You therefore that now say, no man can say blacke is your eye, you have lived civilly all your dayes, looke upon this one grievous sin, take a full view of it, which thou hast never shed one teare for as yet, and see thy misery by it, and wonder at Gods patience. He hath spared thee who wast borne branded with it, and hast lived guilty of it, and must perish for ever for it, if the Lord from Heaven pity thee not.
But here is not all, consider secondly,Secondly dead in sin every man is borne stark dead in sinne, Ephes. 2. 1. he is borne empty of every inward principle of life, voyde of all graces, and hath no more good in him (whatsoever hee thinkes,) then a dead Carrion hath. And hence he is under the power of sin, as a dead man is under the power of death, and cannot performe any act of life: their bodies are living coffins to carry a dead soule up and downe in.
'Tis true (I confesse) many wicked men do many good actions, as praying, hearing, almesdeeds, but it is not from any inward principle of life:Best actions of the wicked, how sinfull. Externall motives like plummets on a dead (yet artificiall) clock, set them a running. Iehu was zealous, but it was only for a kingdome: the Pharisees gave alms only …o be seene of men. If one write a Will with a dead mans hand deceased, that Will can hold no Law, it was not his Will, because it was not writ by him, by any inward principle of life of his own. Pride makes a man preach, pride makes a man heare, and pray sometimes. Selfe-love stirs up strang desires in men, so that wee may say, this is none of Gods Act by his grace in the soule, but Pride and selfe-love. Bring a dead man to the fire, and chase him, and rubbe him, you may produce some heate by this externall working upon him: but take him from the fire againe, and he is soone cold: so many a man that lives under a sound Minister, under the lashes and knockes of a chiding, striving Conscience, he hath some heate in him, some affections, some feares, some desires, some sorrowes stirred, yet take him from the Minister, and his chasing conscience, and he grows cold again presently, because he wants an inward principle of life.
Which point might make us to take up a bitter lamentation for every naturall man.Vse. 2. It is said, Exod. 12. 30. that there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not an house wherein there was not one found dead. Oh Lord, in some townes and families what a world of these are there? Dead Husband, dead wife, dead servants, dead children, walking up and downe with their sinnes (as Fame saith some men doe after death) with their grave-cloathes about them, and God onelyonly knowes whether ever they shall live againe or not. How doe men lament the losse of their dead friends! O thou hast a precious soul in thy bosome stark dead, therefore lament thine estate, and consider it seriously.
First,How every Naturall man is dead while he liv…. a dead man cannot stir, nor offer to stir. A wicked man cannot speake one good word, or do any good action, if heaven it selfe did lye at stake for doing of it, nor offer to shake off his sins, nor thinke one good thought. Indeed he may speak and think of good things, but he cannot have good speeches, nor good thoughts; as an holy man may thinke of evill things, as of the sinnes of the times, yet the thought of those evill things is good, not evill, so, è contra.
Secondly, A dead man feares no dangers, though never so great, though never so neare. Let Ministers bring a naturall man tidings of the approach of the devouring plagues of God denounced, he feares them not.
Thirdly, A dead man cannot bee drawne to accept of the best offers. Let Christ come out of Heaven and fall about the necke of a naturall man, and with tears in his eyes beseech him to take his blood himselfe, his Kingdome, and leave his sinnes, hee cannot receive this offer.
Fourthly, A dead man is starke blinde and can see nothing,Mar. 23. 37. 38. and starke deafe and heares nothing, hee cannot taste any thing: so a naturall man is starke blind, he sees no God, no Christ, no wrath of the Almighty, no glory of Heaven. He heares the voyce of a man, but he heares not the voyce of God in a Sermon; hee savoureth not the things of Gods Spirit.
Fifthly, A dead man is senselesse, and seeles nothing: so, cast mountaines of sinne upon a wicked man, he feeles no hurt, untill the flames of hell break out upon him.
Sixtly, A dead man is a speechlesse man, he cannot speake unlesse it be like a Parret.
Seventhly, he is a breathlesse man; A naturall man may say a Prayer, or devise a prayer out of his memory and wit, or hee may have a few short-winded wishes; but to powre out his soule in prayer, in the bosome of God, with groanes unutterable he cannot. I wonder not to see so many families without family prayer; Why? They are dead men, and lie rotting in their sinnes.
Eightly. A dead man hath lost all beautie: So a meere naturall man hath lost all glorie: Hee is an ugly creature in the sight of God, good men and Angels, and shall one day be an abhorring to all flesh.
Ninthly. A dead man hath his wormes gnawing him. So naturall men have the worme of conscience breeding now, which will be gnawing them shortly.
Lastly. Dead men want nothing but casting into the grave. So there wants nothing but casting into hell for a naturall man. So that as Abraham loved Sarah well while living, yet when shee was dead; he seekes fora burying place for her to carry her out of his sight: so God may let some fearefull judgement loose, and say to it, take this dead soule out of my sight, &c. It was a wonder that Lazarus, though lying but foure dayes in the grave, should live againe: O wonder thou, that ever God should let thee live, that hast beene rotting in thy sin 20. 30. perhaps 60. years together.
III. Every naturall man and woman is borne full of all sin, Rom. 1. 29.Fulnesse of sinne. as full as a Toade is full of poison, as full as ever his skin can hold; Minde, Will, Eyes, Mouth, every limbe of his body, end every piece of his soul is full of sin; their hearts are bundles of sin: hence Salomon saith, foolishnesse is bound up in the heart of a child; whole treasures of sinne, An evill man (saith Christ) out of the evill treasure of his heart, bringeth forth evill things; nay raging seas of sinne, Isaiah 20.Iames 3. 6 nay worlds of sinne. The tongue is a World of mischiese; what is the heart then? for out of the aboundance of the heart the tongue speaketh: so that looke about thee and see, what ever sinne is broached and runnes out of any mans heart into his life through the whole world, all those sinnes are in thine heart; thy minde is a nest of all the soule opinions, berisies, that ever were vented by any man; thy heart is a stinking sinkhole of all Atheisme, Sodomy, Blasphemy, Murther, Whoredome, Adultery, Witchcrast, Buggery; so that if thou hast any good thing in thee, it is but as a drop of Rosewater in a bowle of poison, where fallen, it is all corrupted.
It is true, thou feelest not all these things stirring in thee, at one time, no more than Hazael thought he was or should be such a blood sucker, when he asked the Prophe… Elishab if he were a dog; but they are in thee like a nest of snakes in an old hedge. Although they break not out into thy life, they lie lurking in thy heart, they are there as a filthy puddle in a barrell, which runs not our, because thou happly wantest the temptation or occasion to broach and tappe thine heart, or because of Gods restraining Grace by Feare and Sham, Educaeion, good Company, thou art restrained and builded up: and therfore when one came to comfort that famous picture, patterne and monument of Gods justice by seven yeares horrour and grievous distresse of conscience:Francis Spira. when one told him hee never had committeed such sins as Manasses, and therefore hee was not the greatest sinner isince the Creation, as he conceived; hee replyed that hee should have beene worse than ever Manasses was if he had lived in his time, and been on his throne.
Master Bradford would never looke upon any ones lewd life with one eye, bnt he would presently re…urne within his owne breast with the other eye, and say, In this my vile heart remaines that sinne, which without Gods speciall grace I should have committed as well as …ee. O mee thinkes this might pull downe mens proud conceits of themselves, especially such as beare up and comfort themselves in their smooth, honest, civil life; such as through education have beene washed from all soule sinnes, they were never tainted with whoredome, swearing, drunkennes, or prophanenesse; and here they think themselves so safe, that God cannot finde in his heart to have a thought of damming them.
Oh consider of this point, which may make thee pull thine haire from thine head, and turn thy cloaths to sackloth, and run up and down with amazement and palenes in thy face, and horrour in thy conscience, and teares in thine eyes. What though thy life bee smooth, what though thy outside, thy sepulcher be painted? oh thou art full of rottennes of sin within. Guilty not before men as the sinnes of thy life make thee, but before God, of all the sinnes that swarme and roar in the whole world at this day, for God lookes to the heart; guilty thou art therfore of heart-whordom, heart-sodomy, heart-blasphemy, heart-drunkennes, heart-buggery, heart oppression, heart-idolatry; and these are the sinnes that terribly provoke the wrath of almighty God against thee, Isay 57. 16. for the iniquitie of his covetousnesse (saith our Translation,) I smote him, but the Hebrew renders it better, the iniquitie of his conscience (which is the sin of the heart and nature,) I smote him. As a King is angry and musters up his army against rebels, not only which brings his souldiers out to fight, but who keepes souldiers in their trenches ready for to fight. These sins of thine heart are al ready arm'd to fight against God at the watchword or alarum of any temptation. Nay I dare affirme, and will prove it, that these sinnes provoke God to anger, and are as bad, if not worse, than the sinnes of thy life. for
1. The sin of thine heart or nature,Sins of the heart worse than the sins of the life. its the cause, the wombe that conteines, breeds, brings forth, suckles all the bitter, all the troope of sins that are in the life, and therefore giving life and being to all other, its the greatest sin.
2. Sinne is more abundantly in the heart than in the life. An actuall sinne is but a little breach made by the sea of sinne in thine heart, where all sinne, all poison is met and mingled together. Every actuall sinne is but as a shred broken off from the great botrome of sinne in the heart, and hence Christ saith, out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and out of the evill treasure of the heart wee bring forth evill things. A mans spending mony (I meane sinne in the life) is nothing to his treasure of sin in the heart.
3 Sinne is continually in the heart. Actuall sinnes of the life flie out like sparkes and vanish, but this brand is alwaies glowing within: the toade spits poison sometimes, but it retaines and keepes a poysonfull nature alwayes.Rom. 7. Hence the Apostle calls it, sinne that dwells in mee, that is, which alwaies lies and remaines in mee. So that in regard of the sins of thy heart thou doest rend in peeces and breake, 1 All the lawes of God. 2 At one clap, 3. Every moment of thy life. Oh! mee thinkes the thought of this might rend an heart of Rocke in peeces, to thinke I am alwayes grieving God, at all times, whatsoever I do.
4. Actuall sinnes are onelyonly in the life and outward porch; sinnes of the heart are within the inward house. One enemy within the City is worse than many without; A traytor on the throne is worse than a traitor in the open field. The heart is Christs Throne. A swine in the best roome is worse than in the outward house. More I might say, but thus you see, sinnes of the life are not so bad, nor provoke Gods wrath so siercely against thee, as the sinnes of thine heart. Mourne therefore not so much, that thou hast not beene so bad as others are, but look upon thy blacke feete, looke within thine owne heart, and lament that in regard of the sins there thou art as bad as any; mourn not so much meerly that thou hast sinned, as that thou hast a nature so sinfull, that it is thy nature to be proud, and thy nature to be vain and deceitfull, and loath, not only thy sins but thy selfe for sin, being brimfull of unrighteousnesse. But here is not all, consider fourthly.
4.4. Every action is sinfull as comming from a Naturall Man. That what ever a naturall man doth is sinne; as the inside is full, so the outside is nothing else but sinne, at least in the sight of an holy God, though not in the sight of blind sinfull men; Indeed hee may doe many things,Lu. 16. 15 which for the matter of them are good, as he may give Almes, pray, fast, come to Church, but as they come from him they are sinne, as a man may speak good words, but we cannot endure to heare him speake because of his stinking breath which de…iles them: some actions indeed from their generall nature are indifferent, for all indifferences lye in generals; but every deliberate action considered in Individuo, with all its circumstances, as time, place, motive, end, is either morally good, or morally evill, as may be proved easily; morally good in good men, morally evill in unregenerate and bad men: For let us see particular actions of wicked men.
1. All their thoughts are only evill, and that continually, Gen. 6. 5.
2. All their words are sinnes, Psal, 50. 16. their mouthes are open S…pulchers which smell filthy when they bee opened.Rom. 3. 13
3. All their civill actions are sin, as their eating, drinking, buying, selling, sleeping and ploughing, Prov. 21. 4.
4. All their religious actions are sins, as comming to Church. Praying. Pr…. 15. 8, 9, 28. 9. Fasting and mourning roare and cry out of thy self till dooms day,Isai. 13. 14 they are sins, Isa. 58.
5. All their most Zealous Actions are sinnes, as Iehu who killed all Baals Priests; because his action was outwardly and materially good, therefore God rewarded him with temporall favours; but because hee had a Hawkes eye to get and settle a Kingdome to himselfe by this meanes, and so was Theologically evill, therefore God threatens to bee revenged upon him. 2. King. 10.
6. Their wisedome is sinne. Oh, men are often commended for their wisedome, wit, and parts, yet those wits, and that wisedome of theirs is sinne, Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God.
Thus, all they have or doe are sins; For, how can hee doe any good action whose person is filthy? A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit; thou art out of Christ, therefore all thy good things, all thy kindnesses done unto the Lord & for the Lord, as thou thinkest, are most odious to him. Let a woman seeke to give all the content to her Husband that may be, not out of any love to him, but only out of love to another man, he abhorres all that shee doth. Every wicked man wants an inward principle of love to God and Christ, and therefore, though hee …eekes to honour God never so much, all that hee doth, being done out of love to himselfe, God abhorres all that hee performes All the good things a wicked man doth, are for himselfe, either for selfe-credit, or selfeease, or selfe-contentment, or selfesafety: Hee sleepes, prayes, heares, speakes, professeth for himselfe alone; hence, acting alwayes for himselfe, hee committeth the highest degree of idolatry, hee pluckes God out of his throne, and makes himselfe a God, because hee makes himselfe his last end in every Action; for a man puts himselfe in the roome of God aswell by making himselfe his finis uttimus as if he should make himself primum principium. Sin is a forsaking or departing from God. Ier. 20. …3.Now every naturall man remaining alwayes in a state of separation from God, because hee alwayes wants the bond of union which is Faith, is alwaies sinning, Gods curse lyes upon him,Deut. 28. therefore hee brings out nothing but briers and thornes.
Object. Obj.But thou wilt say, if our praying and hearing bee sinne, why should we doe these duties? wee must not sinne.
Answer, Ans.1. Good duties are good in themselves,Why good duties must bee performed though we sin in doing them. although comming from thy vile heart they are sinnes.
2. It is lesse sinne to doe them, than to omit them; therefore it thou wilt go to hell, goe in the fairest path thou canst in thither.
3. Venture and try, it may be God may heare, not for thy prayers sake, but for his names sake. The unjust Iudge holpe the poore widow, not because hee loved her or her suite, but because of her importunitie; and so be sure thou shalt have nothing if thou doest not seeke: what though thou beest a dog, yet thou art alive, and art for the present under the Table. Catch not at Christ, snatch not at his bread, but waite till God give thee him; it may be thou maiest have him one day. Oh wonder then at Gods patience, that thou livest one day longer, who hast all thy lifetime like a filthy Toade spet thy venome in the face of God, that hee hath never beene quiet for thee: oh looke upon that black bill that will one day be put in against thee, at the great day of account, where thou must answer with flames of fire about thine eares, not only for thy drunkennesse, thy bloody oathes, and whoring, but for all the actions of thy short life, and just so many actions so many fins.
Thou hast painted thy face over now with good dueties, and good desires; and a little honesty amongst some men, is of that worth and raritie, that they thinke God is beholding to them, if hee can get any good action from them. But when thy painted face shall be brought before the fire of Gods wrath, then thy vilenesse shall appeare before men and Angels. Oh know it, that as thou doest nothing else but sinne, so God heapes up wrath against the dreadfull day of wrath.
Thus much for mans misery in regard of sinne.
Now followeth his misery in regard of the consequents or miseries that follow upon sinne. And these are,
1. Present.
2. Future.
First, Mans present miseries,Mans present miseries. that already lie on him for sinne, are these seven, that is;
First, God is his dreadfull enemy, Psal. 5. 5.
Quest. How may one know another to be his enemy?
Ans. 1. By their lookes. 2. By their threats. 3. By their blowes. So God,
1. Hides his face from every naturall man, and will not looke upon him, Isay 59. 2.
2. God threatens, nay curseth every naturall man, Gal. 3. 10.
3. God gives them heavie bloudie lashes on their soules and bodies.
Never tell me therefore, that God blesseth thee in thine outward estate; no greater signe of Gods wrath, then for the Lord to give thee thy swinge, as a Father never lookes after a desperate Sonne, but lets him run where he pleases. And if God be thine enemy, then every creature is so too, both in Heaven and Earth.
Secondly, God hath forsaken them, and they have lost God, Ephes. 2. 12. It's said, that in the grievous famine of Samaria,Isai. 55. 6. Doves dung was sold at a large price, because they wanted bread. Oh! men live and pine away without GOD, without bread, and therefore the dung of worldly contentments are efteemed so much of. Thou hast lost the sight of God, and the favour of God, and the speciall protection of God, and the government of God. Caines punishment lyes upon thee in thy naturall estate, thou art a Runagate from the face of God, and from his face thou art hid. Many have growne madde to see their houses burnt, and all their goods lost. Oh, but God the greatest good is lost: This losse made Saul cry out in distresse of conscience, 1. Sam. 28. 15. The Philistians make warre against me, and God is departed from me; the losse of the sweetnesse of whose presence, for a little while onelyonly, made the Lord Jesus himselfe cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? whereas thou hast lost God all thy life time. Oh, thou hast an heart of brasse that canst not mourne for his absence so long. The damned in hell have lost God, and know it, and so the plague of desperate horrour lyeth upon them; thou hast lost God here, but knowest it not, and the plague of an hard heart lyeth upon thee, that thou canst not mourne for this losse.
Thirdly, They are condemned men, cōdemned in the court of Gods justice, by the law which cryes treason, treason, against the most high God, & condemned by justice & merey by the Gospel, which cryes murder murder against the sonne of God, Iohn 3. 18. so that every naturall man is damned in Heaven, and damned on earth. God is thy all…seeing terrible Iudge: Conscience is thine accuser; an heavie witnesse: His word is thy Iayle: thy lusts are thy Fetters: In this Bible is pronounced and writ thy doome, thy sentence: Death is thy hangman, and that fire that shall never goe out, thy torment: The Lord hath in his infinite patience reprived thee for a time; O take heed and get a pardon before the day of execution come.
Fourthly, being condemned take him Iaylor, he is a bondslave to Satan, Eph. Act. 28. 21.2. 3. for his servants yee are whom ye obey, saith Christ. Now every naturall man doth the Devills…drudgery, and carries the Devillspack, and howsoever he saith he defyeth the Devill, yet he sinnes, and so doth his worke. Satan hath overcome and conquered all men in Adam, and therefore, under his bondage and dominion. And though he cannot compell a man to sin against his will, yet he hath, 1 Power.
First, to present and allure a mans heart by a sinfull temptation.
Secondly, to follow him with it, if at first he be something shie of it.
Thirdly, to disquiet and wrack him if he will not yeeld, as might be made to appeare in many instances.
Fourthly, besides he knowes mens humours, as poore wandering beggerly Gentlemen doe their friends, in necessitie (yet in seeming courtesie) he visits and applyes himselfe unto them; and so gaines them as his owne. Oh he is in a fearefull slavery who is under Satans dominion,Mans fearfull slavery under Sathan. who is;
1. A secret enemy to thee.
2. A deceitfull enemy to thee, that will make a man beleeve (as he did Evah) even in her integrity, that he is in a faire way, yet most miserable.
3. He is a cruell enemy or Lord over them that be his slaves, 2 Cor. 4. 3. he gaggs them, so that they cannot speake, as that man that had a dumbe devill, neither for God, nor to God in prayer; he starves them, so as no Sermon shall ever doe them good; hee robs them of all they get in Gods ordinances, within three houres after the market, the Sermon is ended.
4. He is a strong enemy, Luk. 11. 21. So that if all the devills in hell are able to keepe men from comming out of their sinnes, he will: so strong an enemy, that he keepes men from so much as sighing or groaning under their burthens and bondage, Luke 11. 21. When the strong man keepes the palace, his goods are in peace.
Fiftly, He is cast into utter darknesse, as cruell Jaylors put their prisoners into the worst dungeons; so Sathan doth naturall men,1 Pet. 2. 9 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. they see no God, no Christ, they see not the happinesse of the Saints in light, they see not these dreadfull torments that should now in this day of grace awaken them and humble them. Oh those by paths which thousands wander from God in, they have no lamp to their feet to shew them where they erre. Thou that art in thy naturall estate art borne blind, and the Devill hath blinded thine eyes more by sin, and God in justice hath blinded them worse for sinne, so that thou art in a corner of hell, because thou art in utter darknesse, where thou hast not a glimpse of any saving Truth.
Sixtly, They are bound hand and foote in this estate, and cannot come out. Rom. 5, 6. 1 Cor. 2. 14. for all kind of sinnes like chaines have bound every part and faculty of man, so that he is sure for stirring; and those are very strong in him, they being as deare as his members, nay his life, Col. 3. 7. so that when a man begins to forsake his vile courses, and purposeth to become a new man, Devils fetch him back, world enticeth him, and locketh him up, and flesh saith, oh, it is too strict a course, and then farewell merry dayes, and good fellowship. Oh thou mayest wish and desire to come out sometime, but canst not put strength to thy desire, nor indure to doe it. Thou mayest hang downe thy head like a bulrush for sin, but thou canst not repent of sinne, thou mayst presume, but thou canst not beleeve, thou mayest come halfe way and forsake some sinnes, not all sinnes, thou mayest come and knocke at heaven gate as the foolish virgins did, but not enter in and passe through the gate; thou mayest see the land of Canaan, and take much paines to goe into Canaan, and thou mayst taste of the bunches of grapes of that good land, but never enter into Canaan, into heaven, but thou lyest bound hand and foot in this woefull estate, and here thou must lye & rot like a dead carkasse in his grave, untill the Lord come and rowle away the stone, and bid thee come out and live.
Lastly, They are ready every moment to drop into hell. God is a consuming fire against thee, and there is but one paper wall of thy body betweene thy soule and eternall flames. How soone may God stop thy breath, there is nothing but that betweene thee and hell; if that were gone, then farewell all. Thou art condemned, and the mufflter is before thine eyes, God knowes how soone the ladder may be turned, thou hangest but by one rotten… twined thread of thy life over the flames of hell every houre.
Thus much of mans present miseries.
Now followeth his future miseries,Mans future Miseries. which are to come upon him hereafter.
They must die, either by a suddaine, sullen or desperate death, Psal. 89. 48. which though it is to a childe of God a sweet sleepe, yet to the wicked it is a fearefull curse proceeding from Gods wrath, whence like a Lyon he teares body and soule asunder, death commeth hissing upon them like a fiery Dragon with the sting of vengeance in the mouth of it, it puts a period to all their worldly contentments, which then they must forsake, and carry nothing away with them, but a rotten winding sheet. It's the beginning of all their woe, it's the captaine that first strikes the stroke, and then armies of endlesse woes follow after, Revel. 6. 2. Oh thou hadst better be a toade, or a dogge then a man, for ther's an end of their troubles, when they are dead and gone, they fall now as men from a sleepe, they know not where they shall goe; now Repentance is too late, especially if thou hast lived under meanes before, it's either a cold Repentance, when the body is weake and the heart sicke, or an hypocriticall repentance, onelyonly for feare of Hell, and therefore thou sayest, Lord Jesus receive my soule. Nay commonly then mens hearts are most hard, and therefore men dye like Lambes, and cry not out; Then it's hard plucking thy soule from the Devils hands, to whom thou hast given it all thy life by sinne, and if thou dost get it back, dost thou thinke that God will take the devils leavings? Now thy day is past, and darknesse begins to over-spread thy soule; now flocks of Devils come into thy chamber, waiting for thy soul, to flye upon it as a Mastive Dog when the doore is opened. And this is the reason why most men dye quietly that lived wickedly, because Satan then hath them as his own prey, like Pirats that let a Ship passe by, that is empty of goods, they shout cōmonly at them that are richly loaden. The Christians in some parts of the Primitive Church tooke the Sacrament every day, because they did looke to die every day. But these times where in we live, are so poysoned and glutted with their ease, that it is a rare thing to see the man that lookes death stedfastly in the face one houre together, but Death will lay a bitter stroake on these one day.
II. After death they appeare before the Lord to judgement, Heb. 9. 27. their bodies indeed rot in their graves, but their soules returne before the Lord to judgement, Eccles. 12. 7. The generall judgement is at the end of the world, when both body and soule appeares before God and all the world to an account. But there is a particular judgement that every man meets with after this life, immediately at the end of his life, where the soule is condemned onelyonly before the Lord.
You may perceive what this particular judgement is, thus, by these 4. conclusions.
1. That every man should dye the first day he was borne, is cleare; for the wages of sinne is death; in justice therefore it should be paid a sinfull creature as soone as he is borne.
2. That it should be thus with wicked men, but that Christ begs their lives for a season, 1 Tim. 4. He is the Saviour of all men, that is, not a Saviour of eternall preservation out of hell, but a Saviour of temporall reservation from dropping into Hell.
3. That this space of time thus begged by Christ, is that season wherein onelyonly a man can make his peace with a displeased God, 2 Cor. 6. 2.
4. That if men doe not thus within this cut of time, when Death hath dispatched them, judgement onelyonly remaines for them; that is, when their doome is read, their date of repentance is out, then their sentence of everlasting death is passed upon them, that never can be recalled againe. And this is judgement after death. Hee that judgeth himselfe (saith the Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. 31.) shall not be judged of the Lord. Now wicked men will not judge and condemne themselves in this life, therefore at the end of it, God will judge them. All naturall men are lost in this life, but they may be found and recovered againe; but a mans losse by death is irr…coverable, because there is no meanes after death to restore them, there is no Friend to perswade, no Minister to preach, by which Faith is wrought, and men get Christ; There is no power of returning or repenting then, for night is come and the day is past: Againe, the punishment is so heavy, that they can onelyonly beare wrath, so that all their thoughts and affections are taken up with the burden. And therefore Dives cryes out, I am tormented. Oh that the consideration of this point might a waken every secure sinner. What will become of thine immortall soule when thou art dead? thou sayest, I know not, I hope well. I tell thee therefore that which may send thee mourning to thy house, and quaking to thy grave, if thou dyest in this estate, thou shalt not dye like a Dogge, nor yet like a Toad; but after death comes judgement; then farewell Friends, when dying; and farewell God for ever when thou art dead.
Now the Lord open your eyes to see the terrours of this particular judgment; which if you could see,The terrour of mans particular judgement. unlesse you were mad, it would make you spend whose nights and dayes in seeking to set all even with God.
I will shew you briefly the manner and nature of it in these particulars.
1. Thy soule shall be dragged out of thy body, as out of a st…king prison, by the Devill the Jaylor, into some place within the bowels of the third Heavens, and there thou shalt stand stript of all Friends, all comfort, all creatures, before the presence of God, Luk. 19. 27. as at the Assizes first the Jaylor brings the prisoners out.
2. Then thy soule shall have a new light put into it, wherby it shall see the glorious presence of God, as prisoners brought with guilty eyes, looke with terrour upon the Judge. Now, thou seest no God abroad in the world, but then thou shalt see the Almighty Jeho. vah, which sight shall strike thee with that Hellish terrour and dreadfull horrour, that thou shalt call to the mountaines to cover thee, ô Rocks, Rocks, hide me from the face of the Lambe, Rev. 6. ult.
3. Then all the sinnes that ever thou hast or shalt commit, shall come fresh to thy minde; as when the prisoner is come before the face of the Judge, then his accusers bring in their evidence; thy sleepy Conscience then will be instead of a thousand witnesses, and every sinne then with all the circumstances of it, shall be set in order, armed with Gods wrath round about thee, Psal. 50. 21. as letters writ with juice of Oranges cannot be read untill it be brought unto the fire, and then they appeare; thou canst not read that bloudy bill of indiotment thy conscience hath against thee now; but when thou shalt stand neere unto God a consuming fire, then what an heavy reckoning will app…are. It may bee thou hast left many sinnes now, and goest so farre, and profitest so much, that no Christian can discerne thee, nay, thou thinkest thy selfe in a safe estate; but yet there is one leake in thy Ship that will sinke thee; there is one secret hidden sinne in thine heart, which thou livest in, as all unsound people doe, that will damne thee. I tell thee, as soone as ever thou art dead and gone, then thou shalt see where the knot did bind thee, where thy sin was that now hath spoiled thee for ever, and then thou shalt grow mad to thinke; ô that I never saw this sinne I loved, lived in, plotted, perfected mine owne eternall ruine by, untill now, when it is too late to amend.
4. Then the Lord shall take his everlasting farewell of thee, and make thee know it too. Now God is departed from thee in this life, but he may returne in mercy to thee againe; but then the Lord departs with all his patience to wait for thee more, nor Christ shall be offered thee any more, no spirit to strive with thee any more, and so shall passesentence, though haply not vocally, yet effectually upon thy soule, and say, Depart thou cursed. Thou shalt see indeede the glory of God that others finde, but to thy greater sorrow shalt never taste the same, Luke 13. 28.
5. Then shall God surrender up thy forsaken soule into the hands of Devils, who being thy Iaylors must keep thee till the great day of account; so that as thy friends are scrambling for thy goods, and wormes for thy body, so Devils shall scramble for thy soule. For as soone as ever a wicked man is dead, he is either in heaven or in hell. Not in heaven, for no uncleane thing comes there: if in hell, then among Devills, there shall bee thine eternall lodging, 1 Pet. 3. 19. and hence thy forlorne soule shall lie mourning for the time past now too late, amazed at the eternity of sorrow that is to come, waiting for that fearefull houre when the last trump shall blow, and then body and soule meete to beare that wrath, that fire that shall never goe out: Oh therefore suspect and feare the worst of thy selfe now, thou hast seldome or never or very little troubled thine head about this matter, whether Christ will save thee or not, thou hast such strong hopes and confidences already that he will; know, that it is possible, thou mayest be deceived; and if so, when thou shalt know thy doome after death, thou canst not get an houre more to make thy peace in with God, although thou shouldest weepe teares of blood. If either the muffler of ignorance shall be before thine eyes, like an handkercher about the face of one condemned, or if thou art pinioned with any lust, or if thou makest thine owne pardon, proclaimest (because thou art sorry a little for thy sinnes, and resolvest never to doe the like againe) peace to thy soule, thou art one that after death shalt appeare before the Lord to judgement; thou that art thus condemned now, dying so, shalt come to thy fearefull execution after death.
There shall be a generall Iudgement of soule and body at the end of the world, wherein they shall be arraigned and condemned before the great Tribunall seat of Iesus Christ, Iude 14, 15. 2 Cor. 5. 10. The heating of Iudgement to come made Felix to tremble; nothing of more efficacy to awaken a secure sinner, then sad thoughts of this siery day.
But thou wilt aske me how it mayObj. bee proved that there will be such a day.
I answer,Ans. Gods justice calls for it, this world is the stage where Gods patience and bountie act their parts, and hence every man wil professe and conceive,Why there must be a day of Iudgemēt. because he feeles it, that God is mercifull; But Gods justice is questioned, men thinke God to be all mercy and no justice; all honey and no sting; now the wicked prosper in all their waies, are never punished, but live and die in peace, whereas the godly are daily afficted and reviled. Therefore because this Attribute suffers a totall eclipse almost now, there must come a day wherin it must shine out before all the world in the glory of it, Rom. 2. 5.
The second reason is from the glory of Christ: he was accused, arraigned, condemned by men, therefore he shall be the Iudge of men, Iohn 5. 27. for this is an ordinary piece of Gods providence towards his people, the same evill he casts them into now, he ex…lts them into the contrary good in his time. As the Lord hath a purpose to make Ioseph Ruler over all Egypt, but first he maketh him a slave. God had a meaning to make Christ Iudge of men, therefore first he suffers him to be judged of men.
Quest. Quest.But when shall this Iudgement day be?
Answ. Ans.Though we cannot tell the day and houre particularly, yet this we are sure of, that when all the Elect are called, for whose sake the world stands, Isa. 1. 9. when these pillars are taken away, then woe to the world; as when Lot was taken out of Sodome, then Sodome was burnt. Now it is not probable that this time will come as yet: for first Antichrist must be consumed, and not onelyonly the scattered visible Jewes, but the whole body of the Israelites must first be called, and have a glorious Church here upon earth, Ezech. 37. This glorious Church Scripture and reason will inforce, which when it is called, shall not be expired as soone as 'tis borne, but shall continue many a yeare.
Quest. Quest.But how shall this Iudgement be?
Answer. Ans.The Apostle describes it 1 Thes. 4. 16, 17.
1. Christ shall breake out of the third heaven,The manner of the last judgement. and be seene in the aire, before any dead arise, and this shall be with an admirable shout, as when a King commeth to triumph over his subjects and enemies.
2. Then shall the voyce of the Archangell be heard: now this Arch-angell is Iesus Christ himselfe, as the Scripture expounds, being in the Clouds of heaven; hee shall with an audible Heaven-shaking shout say, Rise you dead and come to Iudgement, even as he called to Lazarus, Lazarus arise.
3. Then the Trump shall blow, and even as at the giving of the Law, Exod. 19. it's said the trumpet sounded, much more lowder shall it now sound when he comes to judge men that have broken the Law.
4. Then shall the dead arise. 1. The bodies of them that have dyed in the Lord shall rise first, then the others that live, shall, like Enoch, be translated and changed, 1 Cor. 15.
5. When thus the Iudge and Iustices are upon their B…nch at Christs right hand on their thron…s, then shall the guilty pr…soners be brought forth, and come out of their graves like filthy toades against this terrible storme: Then shall all the wicked that ever were or ever shall be, stand quaking before this glorious Iudge, with the same bodyes, feete, hands, to receive their doome.
Oh consider of this day thou that livest in thy sinnes now, and yet art safe, there is a day comming wherein thou mayest and shalt be judged.
1. Consider who shall be thy Iudge: why, mercy, pitty, goodnesse it selfe, even Iesus Chr…st that many times held out his bowers of compassion towards thee. A child of God may say, yonder is my brother, friend, husband. But thou mayest say, yonder is mine enemy. He may say at that day, yonder is he that shed his blood to save me; thou mayest say, yonder he… comes whose heart I have pierced with my sinnes, whose blood I have despised. They may say, O come Lord Iesus, and cover me under thy wings: But thou shalt then cry out, O Rockes fall upon mee and hide mee from the face of the Lambe.
2. Consider the manner of his comming, 2. Thes… 1. 7. He shall come in flaming fire, the heavens shall be on a flame, the …lements shall melt like …alding lead upon thee: when a house is on fire at midnight in a Towne, what a fearefull cry is there made? When all the world shall cry fire, fire, & run up and down for shelter to hide themselves, but cannot finde it, but say, O now the gloomy day of blood and fire is come, here's for my pride, here is for my oathes, and the wages for my drunkennesse, security, and neglect of duties.
3. In regard of the heavie accusations that shall come against thee at that day. There's never a wicked man almost in the world, as faire a face as he carries, but he hath at some time or other committed some such secret villany, that he would be ready to hang himselfe for shame, if others did know of it; as secret whoredome, selfe- pollution, speculative wantonnesse, men with men, Eccl…s. ult. ult.women with women, as the Apostle speakes Rom. 1. Why, at this day, all the world shall see and heare these privie prankes, then the books shall be opened. Men will not take up a foule businesse, nor end it in private, therefore there sh…ll be a day of publique hearing; things shall not be suddenly shuffled up, as carnall thoughts imagine, vi…. That at this day, first Christ shall raise the dead, and then the separation shall be made, and then the sentence past, and then suddenly the Iudgement day is done: No, no, it must take up some large quantitie of time, that all the world may see the secret sinnes of wicked men in the world, and therefore it may be made evident from all Scripture and Reason, that this day of Christs Kingly office in Iudging the world, shall last happily longer than his private administration now (wherein he is lesse glorious) in governing the world. Tremble thou time server, tremble thou Hypocrite, tremble thou that livest in any secret sinne under the all-seeing eye of this Iudge; thine owne conscience indeed shall be a sufficient witnesse against thee, to discover all thy sinnes at thy particular judgement, but all the world shall openly see thine hidden close courses of darknesse, to thine ever Insting sh…me at this day.
4. In regard of the fearfull sentence that then shall be passed upon thee; Depart thou cursed creature into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels. Thou shalt then cry ou…, duplicate page duplicate page O mercy, Lord, O a little mercy: No, will the Lord Iesus say, I did indeed once offer it you, but you refused, therefore Depart. Then thou shalt plead againe, Lord, If I must depart, yet blesse me before I goe: No, no, Depart thou cursed. Oh but, Lord, if I must depart cursed, let me goe to some good place; no, Depart thou cursed into hell fire. Oh Lord, that's a torment I cannot beare, but if it must be so, Lord, let me come out againe quickly. No, depart thou cursed into everlasting fire. Oh Lord, if this be thy pleasure, that here I must abide, let mee have good company with me: No, Depart thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels. This shall be thy sentence. The hearing of which may make the rocks to rent, so that, goe on in thy sinne, and prosper, despise and scoffe at Gods Ministers, and prosper, abhorre the power and practise of Religion as a too precise course, and prosper; yet known, there will a day come when thou shalt meet with a dreadfull Iudge, a dolefull sentence. Now is thy day of sinning, but God will have shortly his day of condemning.
When the Iudgement day is done, then the fearefull wrath of God shall be poured out and piled upon their bodies and soules, and the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone shall kindle it, and here thou shalt lye burning, and none shall ever quench it. This is the execution of a sinner after judgement, Revel. 21. 8.
Now this wrath of God consists inWherein consists the wrath of God. these things.
1. Thy soule shall be banished from the face and blessed sweet presence of God and Christ, and thou shalt never see the face of God more. It is said, Acts 20. that they wept sore, because they should see Pauls face no more. Oh, thou shalt never see the face of God, Christ, Saints, and Angels more. O heavie doome to famish and pine away for ever without one bit of bread to comfort thee, one smile of God to refresh thee. Men that have their sores running upon them must be shut up from the presence of men sound and whole. Oh, thy sinnes like plague-sores runne on thee, therefore thou must be shut out like a dogge from the presence of God, and all his people, 2. Thes. 1. 9.
2. God shall set himselfe like a consuming infinite fire against thee, and tread thee under his feet, who hast by sinne trod him and his glory under foot all thy life. A man may devise exquisite torments for another, and great power, may make a little sticke to lay on heavie strokes: but great power stirred up to strike from great fury and wrath, makes the stroke deadly. I tell thee, all the wisedome of God shall then be set against thee to devise torments for thee, Mich. 1. 3. there was never such wrath felt or conceived as the Lord hath devised against thee that livest and dyest in thy naturall estate: Hence it is called wrath to come, 1 Thes. 1. ult. The torment which wisedome shall devise, the almighty power of God shall inflict upon thee, so as there was never such power seene in making the world, as in holding a poore creature under the wrath, that holds up the soule in being with one hand, and beats it with the other, ever burning like fire against a creature, and yet that creature never burnt up, Rom. 9. 22. Thinke not this cruelty, it's justice; what cares God for a vile wretch whom nothing can make good while it lives. If wee have been long in hewing a block, and we can make no meet vessell of it, put it to no good use for our selves, wee cast it into the fire: God heweth thee by Sermons, sicknesse, losses, and crosses, sudden death, mercies, and miseries, yet nothing makes thee better; what should God doe with thee, but cast thee hence? Oh consider of this wrath before you feele it. I had rather have all the world burning about mine eares, than to have one blasting frowne from the blessed face of an infinite and dreadfull God. Thou canst not indure the torment of a little kitchin fire on the tip of thy finger, not one halfe houre together: how wilt thou beare the fury of this infinite endlesse consuming fire in body and soule throughout all eternity?
3. The never-dying worme of a guilty conscience shall torment thee, as if thou hadst swallowed downe a living poysonfull snake, which shall lie gnawing and biting thine heart for sin past, day & night. And this worm shall tormēt by shewing the cause of thy misery, that is, that thou didst never care for him that should have saved thee. By shewing thee also thy sins against the Law, by shewing thee thy sloth, whereby thy happinesse is lost. Then shall thy conscience gnaw to thinke, so many nights I went to bed without prayer, and so many dayes and houres I spent in feasting and foolish sporting. Oh if I had spent halfe that time now mis-spent, in praying, in mourning, in meditation, yonder in heaven had I beene. By shewing thee also the means that thou once hadst to avoid this misery; such a Minister I heard once, that told me of my particular sinnes, as if he had been told of me: such a friend perswaded me once to turne over a new leafe: I remember so many knocks God gave at this iron heart of mine, so many mercies the Lord sent, but oh no meanes could prevaile with me. Lastly, by shewing thee how easily thou mightest have avoided all these miseries. Oh, once I was almost perswaded to be a Christian, but I suffered my heart to grow dead, & fell to loose company, and so lost all. The Lord Iesus came unto my doore and knocked, and if I had done that for Christ, which I did for the Devill many a time, to open at his knocks, I had beene saved. A thousand such bites will this worme give at thine heart, which shall make thee cry out, O time, time, O sermons, sermons; O my hopes and my helpes are now lost, that once I had to save my lost soule.
4. Thou shalt take up thy lodging for ever with Devills, and they shall be thy companions: Him thou hast served here, with him must thou dwell there. It scares men out of their wits almost to see the Devill, as they think, when they be alone; but what horrour shall fill thy soule when thou shalt be banished from Angels societie, and come into the fellowship of Devills for ever?Mat. 25. 41.
5. Thou shalt be filled with finall despaire. If a man be grievously sicke, it comforts him to thinke it will not last long. But if the Physitian tell him he must live all his life time in this extremitie, he thinkes the poorest begger in a better estate than himselfe. Oh to thinke when thou hast been millions of yeares in thy sorrowes, then thou art no neerer thy end of bearing thy misery, then at the first comming in; Oh I might once have had mercy and Christ, but no hope now ever to have one glimpse of his face, or one good looke from him any more.
6. Thou shalt vomit out blaspemous oathes & curses in the face of God the father for ever, & curse God that never elected thee, and curse the Lord Iesus that never shed one drop of blood to redeeme thee, and curse God the holy Ghost that passed by thee, and never called thee, Rev. 10. 9. And here thou shalt lie and weepe and gnash thy teeth in spight against God and thy selfe, and roare and stamp and grow madde, that there thou must lie under the curse of God for ever. Thus I say thou shalt lie blaspheming, with Gods wrath like a pile of fire on thy soule burning, and flouds, nay seas, nay more, seas of teares (for thou shalt for ever lie weeping) shall never quench it. And here which way so ever thou lookest thou shalt see matter of everlasting griefe. Look up to heaven, & there thou shalt see (oh) that God is for ever gone. Looke about thee, thou shalt see Devills quaking, cursing God; and thousands, nay millions of sinfull damned creatures crying and roaring out with dolefull shrikings: Oh the day that ever I was borne. Looke within thee, there is a guilty conscience gnawing. Looke to time past, oh those golden dayes of grace, and sweet seasons of mercy are quite lost and gone. Looke to time to come, there thou shalt behold evills, troupes and swarmes of sorrowes, and woes, and raging waves, and billowes of wrath comming roaring upon thee. Looke to time present, O not one houre or moment of ease or refreshing, but all curses meet together, and seeding upon one poore lost immortall soule, that never can be recovered againe. No God, no Christ, no Spirit to comfort thee, no Minister to preach unto thee, no friend to wipe away thy continuall teares, no Sunne to shine upon thee, not a bit of bread, not one drop of water to coole thy tongue.
This is the misery of every naturall man. Now doe not thou shift it from thy selfe, and say; God is mercifull. True, But it is to very few, as shall be proved. Tis a thousand to one if ever thou bee one of that small number whom God hath picked out to escape this wrath to come. If thou doe not get the Lord Jesus to beare this wrath, farewell God, Christ and Gods mercy for ever. And I am sure that it's no common evill which God gives to every wicked man; if Christ had shed seas of bloud, set thine heart at rest, there is not one drop of it for thee, untill thou comest to see, and feele, and groane under this miserable estate. I tell thee, Christ is so farre from saving thee, that he is thine enemy. If Christ were here and should say, here is my bloud for thee, if thou wilt but lye downe and mourne under the burden of thy misery, and yet for all his speeches, thy dry eyes weepe not, thy stout heart yeelds not, thy hard heart mournes not, as to say; oh! I am a sinfull, lost, condemned, cursed, dead creature: what shall I doe? dost not thinke but he would turne away his face from thee, and say, oh! thou stony hard-hearted creature, wouldst thou have mee save thee from thy misery, and yet thou wilt not groane, sigh, and mourne for deliverance to me, out of thy misery? if thou likest thine estate so well, and prizest me so little, perish in thy misery for ever.
Oh labour to be humbled day andThe scope of knowing our miseries is to be humbled. night under this thy woefull estate. Thou art guilty of Adams grievous sin; will this breake thine heart? No, Thou art dead in sinne, and top-full of all sinne, will this breake thine heart? No, Whatsoever thou dost, hast done, shalt doe, remaining in this estate, is sinne, will this breake thine heart? No. God is thine enemy, and thou hast lost him, will this breake thine heart? No. Thou art condemned to die eternally; Sathan is thy Iaylor, thou art bound hand and foote in the bolts of thy sinnes, and cast into utter darknesse, and ready every moment to drop into hell, will this breake thine heart? No. Thou must dye, and after that appeare before the Lord to judgement; and then beare Gods everlasting insupportable wrath, which rents the rocks, and burnes downe to the bottome of hell; will this breake thine hard heart man? No. Then fare well Christ for ever, never look to see a Christ, untill thou dost come to feele thy misery out of Christ. Labour therefore for this, and the Lord will reveale the brazen Serpent, when thou art in thine owne sense and feeling stung to death with thy fiery Serpents.
So I come to open the Fourth Principall point, v…z.