The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX. Sinners Conviction at the Day of Judgment. The purity of Chriſts Religion above all others.
Sixth Uſe of Information.6. IF Chriſt will ſay to them on the left hand, Depart from me. For I was Hungry and ye gave me no meat. Or if Chriſt will condemn men for ſins of Omiſſion at the Great Dy: It informs us, That Chriſt will be rational in his moſt ſevere proceedings, even to the Conviction of the Sinners own Conſcience. I draw this from the Coherence of the verſes, Chriſt firſt pronounceth the Sentence, verſ. 41. Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire. And then verſ. 42. he gives the reaſon, For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat, &c. which (though at firſt they ſeem to queſtion, yet) at laſt they are muzled and put to ſilence. Jude tells us of ſolemn Condemnation and ſolemn Conviction of theſe ungodly Ones, as the chief buſineſſe of that Day. Behold he cometh with ten thouſand of his Saints to execute Judgment on all, and to convince all that are ungodly amongſt them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches which ungodly Sinners have ſpoken againſt him, Jude, 14, 15. Execution, by an Hyſteron Proteron, is put before Conviction; yet one great work of that Great Day is to convince theſe ungodly Ones, and the ſeverity of the Proceſs is againſt the Ungodly.
This Conviction implyeth:
1. A reflection of Conſcience upon all their paſt and former ſins. Conſcience, as a Glaſs, ſhall repreſent to the Sinner all his luſts (which he hath loved above his Soul and Saviour) in all their ugly features, and loathſome colours: The Books at that day will be opened, Rev. 20.12. i. e. The Book of Gods Remembrance, Mal. 3. and the Book of Conſcience. Sins are not gone as ſoon as done; God records them in his Book of Remembrance, and Conſcience will review them all in that Day of Vengeance. Though it could not be heard by the Sinner in this World, for the noiſe of his carnal delights, and cry of his worldly delights; yet when it ſets his ſins in order before his eyes in their monſtrous frightful ſhapes, it will thunder in his Ears as Reuben to his Brethren, Did not I tell you of this, and ſay, Do not ſin, and thou wouldſt not hear; therefore all this Wrath, and Fury, and Flames, and Darkneſs, and Chains, are come upon thee.
2. This Conviction implyeth a ſilencing the Sinner, that he will have nothing to ſay either againſt God, or for himſelf. A man that is convinced, hath his mouth ſtop'd. When the Spirit convinceth the World of ſin, the World hath not a word to ſay againſt the Sin and Guilt, which the Law chargeth on it. Every mouth is ſtoped, and all the World is guilty before God. How often is the poor Creature ſelf-convinced and ſelf-condemned here; but ſoon after the ſick qualms go off his ſtomach, and he is revived with the Cordials of ſinful ſhifts and excuſes, wherewith he deludes himſelf, and preſumes he may alſo deceive God; but at the Great Day, as his Convictions will be more killing, ſo they will be more laſting. The man will be dumb and ſpeechleſs when Chriſt ſhall ſay, Why didſt thou deny to relieve my Servants in their wants? Why didſt thou ſlight my Blood, neglect my Worſhip, grieve my Spirit, and omit to obey my poſitive Laws? Matth. 22.3, 4, 5. The very Heathen who ſhall be impriſon'd in the dark dungeon of Hell, for impriſoning the Truth, and holding it in unrighteouſneſs, will not have a motion in their Breaſts of accuſing God for falſe Impriſonment. How certainly then and how fully will the Conſciences of Chriſtians, who lived under the Goſpel, juſtifie God, when he ſhall condemn them for not believing, and not repenting, upon the Meſſages he ſent to them of pardon and life.
7. If Chriſt will condemn men at the Great Day for ſins of Omiſſion, It may inform us of the excellency of the Chriſtian Religion above all other Religions. The excellency of any Religion conſiſteth in the purity of its Precepts, and ſtrictneſs of its Commands; now no Religion is ſo holy in its Commands, and ſo exact in its Laws as the Chriſtian Religion. Moral Duties are advanced by it to their higheſt perfection, and moral Vices are debaſed by it to their loweſt degradation. The Commandment of the Lord is pure, Pſal. 19. Thy Word is very pure. Chriſt will condemn men to Hell at the laſt Day for Omiſſions as well as Commiſſions, for neglect of known Duties, as well as for the perpetration of groſs Enormities.
1. If we conſider the Religion of the Heathen, we ſhall find that it is vaſtly inferior in purity to the Chriſtian Religion. Among the Gentiles (who lived without the Goſpel) it can ſcarce be ſaid there was any Religion at all, for their Gods were Stocks, and Stones, and Trees, and Fire, and Water, and Beaſts, and dead Men; nay, their Precepts were ſo far from purity, that they commended and commanded impurity. As among the ancient Babylonians, in the Worſhip of Venus, the Women proſtituted themſelves to all Strangers; nay, the very Gods of the Heathen did, according to their own fictitious Writers, patronize all their Impieties, even by their own Patterns. Jupiter, the chief forſooth of their Gods, who hath his Name from being an helping Father, commits Inceſt with his own Siſter Juno, and his Daughter Minerva, Sodomy with Ganymedes, raviſheth Europa, baniſheth his Father Saturn out of his Kingdom. Venus was a Whore, Mercury a Thief, Bacchus a Drunkard, &c. But to leave theſe, and ſpeak to them that were more ſober in their Underſtandings, and not ſo vain in their Imaginations, who had foreign, the work of the Law written in their hearts, Rom. 2.14. and improved it to more purpoſe than others; yet theſe pleaſed themſelves with a little outward civility, without any inward or outward practical godlineſs. Their chief devotion conſiſted in abſtaining from groſs ſins, which might expoſe them to the ſhame of men, and the doing ſome external acts of Piety, as ſacrificing and mumbling over a few Prayers that were little ſignificant. O how vaſtly doth the Chriſtian Religion excel this! This Religion of the Heathen doth rather hide ſin then heal it. It doth not root the love of ſin out of the heart, only reſtrain it in the life. But the Chriſtian Religion doth forbid ſin in the Affections as well as in the Converſation, it doth abſcindere as well as abſcondere, cure ſin as well as cover it. In the beſt Heathen the fire of their Luſts was only raked up, and cover'd with aſhes, from the eyes of the World: But now in the Chriſtian it is quenched, at leaſt in part, and ſhall by degrees be wholly quenched. The Chriſtian Religion doth not only forbid all Sins, or outward Commiſſions, but alſo all Luſts and inward Inclinations. I beſeech you brethren to abſtain as Pilgrims and Strangers, from all fleſhly Luſts, that war against the Soul, 1 Pet. 2.11. And a religions Chriſtian doth not only forbear groſs Commiſſions, but alſo abhor ſecret ſinful motions. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love, Pſal. 119.
Thoſe among the Heathen who were the wiſeſt, made nothing of neglecting to give God their love, and fear, and truſt, their higheſt Honour, and ſuperlative Eſteem, and exacteſt Obedience, which are the chief of Religion. They allowed Revenge, in caſe of ſuffering Injury; and ſome of their greateſt Law-givers ordained Theft to be unpuniſhable, if it could be done cleanly and cleaverly, ſo as not to be found out. They put away their Wives upon any ſmall diſtaſt, and took others during their pleaſure only. Their whole Religion hath not one Prohibition againſt inward Corruptions, nor one Precept for inward heart Duties; and therefore muſt of neceſſity come ſhort of the Chriſtian Religion for Purity.
2. If we conſider the Turkiſh Religion, what a bundle of fooleries is Mahomets Alcoran, and what a dunghil of filthineſs is the Religion of his Followers. They allow a man as many Wives as he can maintain, and encourage men to murder, with a promiſe of a (Poetical, carnal) Paradiſe to all that ſhall die in the Wars againſt the Chriſtians. They obey the Luſts of their Tyrant in all things, even to the murder of their Soveraigns neareſt Relations, or chiefeſt Miniſters of State, againſt the very light and law of Nature. They do not ſo much as profeſs to mind thoſe heart Prohibitions and Precepts, without which all external Holineſs is but as a rotten Carkaſs, noiſome and unſavoury to Gods Noſtrils, and without any lovelineſs or life in his Eyes. Nay, the Popiſh Religion, ſo far as it differs from the true Chriſtian Religion, is impure. They have ſins that are Venial, allow publickly of Uncleanneſs. The Pope hath a Revenue out of the Stews; they diſpenſe with Sodomy, inceſt, any Sin for money: They place all their Holineſs in ſome external Mortifications, which God never required at their hands. But what doth the Chriſtian Religion do? It reacheth the Heart, and teacheth the Soul: The Law of the Lord is perfect, Pſal. 19.
1. It directs the whole Man, and gives Laws to all the powers of the Soul, and parts of the Body. It directs us about our Bodies and outward Converſation: It commands to preſent our Bodies a living Sacrifice to God, Rom. 12.1. and the members of our Bodies as Inſtruments of Righteouſneſs unto Holineſs. It binds the Eyes, Ears, Tongue, Hands, Feet, all the members to their good behaviour: It allows not any part to be abuſed to prophaneneſs, Job 31.1. Pſal. 119. Pſal. 37.30, 31. Pſal. 34.13, 14. Rom. 6.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. It directs us about our Souls: The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul, Pſal. 19.7. It changeth the nature of the Soul, and opens the eye of it, and turns it from Darkneſs to Light, and from the Power of Satan to God, Act. 26.18. It directeth the mind to learn the Knowledge of God, as the richeſt Treaſure, and choiceſt Portion, and only Happineſs of the Creature; 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou Solomon, my Son, know the God of thy Fathers. It directs the Will to chooſe this God for its ſuitable, and ſatisfying, and everlaſting felicity, Pſal. 73.25. It limits the Affections as to their Objects, and their motion towards thoſe Objects. It forbids inordinate deſires after, or delight in ſublumary Vanities; and commands moderation in our love to all created Comforts. Let your moderation be known to all men. The time is ſhort, let them that have Wives, be as though they had none, &c. 1 Cor. 7.29. It enjoyns our love in the greateſt degree to be placed on the worthieſt Object. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, and all thy Soul, and all thy Strength, Matth. 22.37. And ſo our fear; Fear him that can caſt Body and Soul into Hell, I ſay unto you fear him. It keeps all the unruly paſſions within their proper banks and bounds, and preſerves the ſuperior and inferior faculties in their proper places. Now what Religion either of Moraliſts or Mahometans doth do?
2. As it directs about the whole man, ſo it directs as to every part and paſſage of this mans Converſation. We need never be at a loſs for a Rule, or at a ſtand what to do, if we will but uſe diligence to know and underſtand the revealed Will of God. The Chriſtian Religion directs us in our Callings, whether Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Tradeſmen, Souldiers, Luk. 3. It directs us in our Relations, as Huſbands, Wives, Parents, Children, Maſters, Servants, Epheſ. 5. Epheſ. 6. Col. 3. Col. 4. It directs us in all Conditions how to demean our ſelves, in Proſperity to be joyful, in Adverſity to conſider how God hath ſet the one againſt the other. In Afflictions to be patient and prayerful, and more ſtudious of a right improvement of them, than of deliverance out of them. Under Mercies it directs us to be thankful to God, the more chearful in his Service, and faithful in the uſe of our Talents, for the honour of our Maſter. It directs us in all our Thoughts, Jer. 4.14. Words, Pſal. 39.2. Works, Prov. 4.23, 24, 26. It directs us in all our natural Actions, as Eating, Drinking, Sleeping, 1 Cor. 10.31 Tit. 2.12. In our civil Converſes, Micah 6.8. In our religious Duties, how to pray, James 5. James 1. How to hear, how to receive, 1 Cor. 11.
3. Its purity above and beyond all other Religions, appears in this, That it forbids Evil, all Evil, nothing but Evil; it commands Good, whatſoever is Good, and nothing but Good, Iſa. 1. Pſal. 32.14 The Laws of Lycurgus among the Grecians, and Numa among the Romans, had ſomewhat of good in them, but not all prohibited, ſomewhat that was evil, but not all that was evil: But the Chriſtian Religion is of a larger extent both in its Precepts and Prohibitions. I have ſeen an end of all Perfections, but thy Commandments are exceeding broad, Pſal. 119.96. A man with the eye of his Body may behold an end of many worldly Perfections, of many fair Eſtates, great Beauties, large Parts, hopeful Families; but a man with the eye of his Soul (for by Faith) may ſee an end of all earthly Perfections. He may ſee the World in a flame, and all its Pomp, and Pride, and Glory, and Gallantry, and Crowns, and Scepters, and Riches, and Treaſures, turn'd into aſhes; he may ſee the Heavens paſſing away like a ſcroll, and the Elements melting with fervent heat, and the Earth with the things thereon conſumed; and all its Perſections which men doted ſo much on vaniſhed into ſmoke and nothing. It's eaſie to ſee to the end of all terrene Perfections, but its difficult, yea impoſſible to ſee to the end of Divine Precepts: But thy Commandments are exceeding broad. Of a vaſt Latitude, beyond our apprehenſion. They are ſo deep, that none can fadom them, Pſal. 36.6. So high, that they are eſtabliſhed in Heaven, Pſal. 119.48. So long, that they endure for ever, 2 Pet. 1. And ſo broad, that none can meaſure them. They are not only broad, but exceeding broad. Higher than Heaven, longer than the Earth, broader than the Sea. The Commands of God reach the inward parts, the moſt ſecret motions and retired receſſes of the Soul: They reach all the privy thoughts. They pierce even to the dividing aſunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joynts and Marrow, and diſcern the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12. They reach to all our Actions, to thoſe that ſeem ſmalleſt and of leſs concernment, as well as to thoſe that are greater, and of more concernment.
They reach to the manner, nay circumſtance of Actions. The Divine Law takes notice of all the circumſtances of ſins, as aggravations of ſin. As, 1. From the time of Gods patience towards the Sinner; Theſe three years I came ſeeking fruit, Luke 13. 2. The place where the ſin was committed; The Sons of Eli lay with the Women that aſſembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, 1 Sam. 2.22. 3. From the ſeaſon of committing the Sin, Iſa. 58.3, 4. Behold in the day of your Faſt, ye find pleaſure, and exact all your labour, &c. 4. From the Condition of the perſon that ſins; He that eats bread with me, lifts up his heels againſt mee, Joh. 13.18. A familiar Friend proves a treacherous Enemy. So Joh. 3.10. Art thou a Maſter in Iſrael, and knoweſt not theſe things? 5. From the means the perſon enjoys; You only have I known, therefore you will I puniſh for your Iniquities, Amos 4. Rom. 2.7. 6. From the manner of committing the Sin; So they ſpread Abſalom a Tent on the top of the houſe, and Abſalom went in to his Fathers Concubins in the ſight of all Iſrael, 2 Sam. 16.22. Impudency in ſin doth highly increaſe it. Were they aſhamed when they committed all theſe Abominations? No, they were not aſhamed. But how far are other Religions from obſerving, much more from condemning men for ſuch ſinful circumſtances?