The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VII. Containing the folly of Sinners, and the vaſt difference between them and the Godly at the Great day.
3. IT informeth us that every wicked man is out of his wits; ſurely the man is mad, who exchangeth his Soul, and Saviour, and God, and all for a little worldly profit, or fleſhly pleaſure; yea, that parts with true and durable Riches, for ſhadowy and fading Treaſure, that loſeth heavenly and eternal Joys, for earthly and tranſitory Pleaſures.
No man can love ſin, but he hates himſelf; nor part with his Duty, but he parts with his Felicity. And ſurely ſuch a man who hates himſelf, and forſakes his Happineſs, is a mad man. Well might the Holy Ghoſt ſpeak the Prodigal out of his wits, when he was out of his way, and wandring from his Father's houſe. How mad was he to forſake Bread for Husks? (all the world is but Huſks, dry, coorſe, empty Fare, to the Dainties of the Goſpel.) Bread in a Fathers houſe, for Huſks among Swine; yea, and plenty of Bread, enough and to ſpare, for a few Huſks that could not fill their Bellies.
If one Soul be more worth than a whole World, ſurely one Saviour, one God is more worth than a thouſand Souls, than a million of Worlds. How mad then is he that parts with this Soul, this Saviour, this God, for a little, a very little of this World; yea, for this little of the World for a very little time.
If all the delights of the Fleſh, and all the Pleaſures of Sin, and all the profits of the World, cannot ballance the partial enjoyment of God in his Ordinances for one hour; How unable will they be to compenſate the loſs of full Communion with God for ever? O how infinitely doth Chriſt out-weigh what ever the fleſh or world can offer in exchange for him!
4. It informeth how contrary the portion of the Godly and the Wicked is at the day of Judgment. At this day they fare often alike, they fall under the ſame favourable and frowning Providences, they have the ſame Comforts, and the ſame Croſſes. If any difference for the better, 'tis uſually on the Sinners ſide. The vileſt men are exalted, and the proud proſper. But at that day there will be a difference indeed for the better on the Saints ſide. That day will be terrible to the Wicked, a day of wrath, a day of the perdition of ungodly men, Rom. 2.4. 2 Pet. 3.7. To the Godly a day of Redemption, a time of refreſhing, a day of Light and Gladneſs, and a good day, Luk. 21.28. Act. 3.19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your ſins may be blotted out, when the time of refreſhment ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord.
The difference between the Godly and the Wicked at that day will be vaſt.
1. In regard of their ſtation. Then ſhall he ſeparate them one from another, as a Shepheard divideth his Sheep from the Goats. And he ſhall ſet the Sheep at his right hand, (in token of honour and favour) and the Goats on his left, (as a ſign of ſhame and contempt) Matth. 25. 32, 33. Thoſe who are now uppermoſt, will then be undermoſt. The filth of the World will then appear to be God's Jewels; and the darlings of the World will then appear to be the Children of the Devil. The Righteous ſhall have dominion over them in the morning, Pſal. 49. In the night of this world, the Wicked ſit in high Places, and have dominion over the Godly; but in the morning of the World, the Godly ſhall ſit at the right hand of Chriſt, and have dominion over the Wicked.
2. In regard of the Sentence. And indeed herein is the principal difference. God and the Devil, Light and Darkneſs, Heaven and Hell, are not more contrary than the doom of the Godly and Wicked at the great day.
1. His Voice to the Wicked, is, Depart from me. And thoſe words will wound to purpoſe: Ah whither do they go that go from Chriſt. His Voice to the Godly, Come, Come. No Honey to the Taſt, no Muſick to the Ears, no Cordial to the Heart, was ever ſo ſweet as this word of Chriſt. His Voice in the Goſpel, when he called out, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt, was ſweet and refreſhing to them; but that was but as water to this Wine: Come, O come and welcome into my Arms and embraces. When they who had long'd for his coming, and look'd for his coming, Titus 2.13. and loved dearly his coming, 2 Tim. 4.8. and ſigh'd and ſob'd ſo often for his coming. Why are his Chariots ſo long a coming? why tarry the wheels of his Chariot? Make haſte my Beloved, and be thou like the Hart and Roe upon the Mountain of Spices. And pray'd ſo earneſtly for his coming. The Spirit and the Bride ſay, Come, Rev, 22.17. Come Lord Jeſus come quickly, verſ. 20. For theſe to ſee him coming in the Clouds, with all his train of Angels, and to hear him calling to them, Come to me; O who can imagine the joy that will fill their hearts! If when they ſaw him coming with the proſpective of Faith, they rejoyced with joy unſpeakable; how will they rejoyce when they ſhall ſee him coming with the eye of ſenſe, and hear him call to them to come to him.
2. His Voice to the Wicked will be, Depart from me ye curſed. Be gone as a curſed Brood, and my curſe ſhall follow you where-ever you go. His Voice to the Godly will be, Come ye bleſſed of my Father. O come dear Souls, whom my Father bleſſed in his eternal Choice, to bleſs whom he ſent me into the world, as a token of whoſe bleſſing, he hath provided an everlaſting Inheritance for you. Come ye bleſſed in your Souls, bleſſed in your Bodies, bleſſed in your Names, bleſſed in your Conditions, and thrice bleſſed in your eternal poſſeſſions.
3. His Voice to the Wicked will be, Depart from me ye curſed, into everlaſting fire. Be gone from me to extremity of Torments, Fire; and eternity of Torments, Everlasting fire. His Voice to the Godly will be, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom. Ye have been Heirs a long while under Age, and Kings in the lower World in diſguiſe, the time is now come for you to enjoy your Inheritance. O come ye bleſſed Ones, and inherit the Kingdom as Kings thereof. Enjoy your full Glory, 2 Cor. 7.17. Perfect Pleaſure, Pſal. 18. ult. And vaſt Dominion, 1 Cor. 6.3. And Rev. 2.26, 27. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the Nations, and he ſhall Rule them with a Rod of Iron, &c. I, and enjoy this Kingdom for ever; Inherit the Kingdom: Inheritances are for ever. The Lord knoweth the days of the Ʋpright, and their Inheritance ſhall be for ever, Pſal. 37.18.
4. His Voice to the Wicked will be, Depart ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Be gone to that place of Torments, which infinite Wiſdom and Wrath contrived, and infinite Power and Juſtice provideth for the Devil, and his curſed Crew. Depart from me, and be their Partners and Companions in Torments for ever. His Voice to the Godly will be, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World. Come take poſſeſſion of a Crown, to which your Heads were deſtin'd before ye were born. O come and partake of thoſe Pleaſures and Joys, of that Glory and Dignity to which infinite Love elected you, and which infinite Wiſdom, and Goodneſs, and Grace hath prepared for you.
O how vaſt will the difference be at that day between the Servants of God, and the Servants of Sin, when thoſe ſhall weep, and howl, and wail, and gnaſh their teeth for envy and vexation; and ſhall call to the Rocks to fall upon them, and the Mountains to cover them from the Wrath of the Lamb; the Servants of God ſhall ſing and rejoyce, and lift up their Heads with joy, becauſe the day of their Redemption is come, Rev. 6.16. Luke 21.28. And when theſe things begin to come to paſs, then look up, and lift up your Heads, for your Redemption draweth nigh.
CHAP. VIII. An uſe of Trial, with the marks of thoſe that ſhall be baniſhed Christs preſence.
Secondly, THis Doctrine may be uſeful by way of Exhortation, and that two ways:
1. To try whether thou, Reader, art one of them that art like to be baniſhed the preſence of Chriſt. It's a woful doom, as thou haſt heard at large; therefore examine thy ſelf, whether it ſhall be thy part and portion or no? To help thee herein, that thou mayſt not deceive and delude thy own Soul, I ſhall give thee out of the Word of Truth, the Characters of them, to whom Chriſt will ſay, Depart from me.
1. The evil Liver and prophane Perſon ſhall be baniſhed Chriſts preſence. The black Sinner ſhall not ſtand before the white Throne. Then ſhall he ſay unto them, Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity, I know you not, Matth. 7.23, Luk. 13.27. Thoſe who lived in the breach of his Commands, muſt not live in the enjoyment of his company. The Workers of Iniquity muſt aſſociate with the wicked One, not with the holy One. Heaven can by no means admit the unholy; Into it can in no wiſe enter any thing that defileth, neither whatſoever worketh abomination, Rev. 21. ult. Scandalous Sinners proclaim to the World, That the Devil, not Chriſt, is their Maſter, and that Hell where the Devil is with his Angels, not Heaven where Chriſt is with his Angels ſhall be their eternal home. They who never liked or loved his preſence on the Earth, but baniſhed him their Hearts and Houſes, muſt think and expect that he will not like or love their preſence, but ſentence them to an everlaſting baniſhment from him.
2. The groſly ignorant Creature ſhall be baniſhed the preſence of Chriſt. He will not know them who do not know him. Wilful Ignorance doth certainly exclude the undefiled Inheritance. A blind eye cannot ſee the bleſſed Jeſus in all his Glory; neither can a dark Heart enjoy the Kingdom of Light. The Lord Jeſus ſhall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, to render Vengeance on them that know not God, (2 Theſſ. 1.7, 8.) Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlasting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord. The portion of ſuch will be everlaſting deſtruction from his preſence. They are deſtroyed for lack of knowledge, becauſe they reject knowledge; Chriſt will reject them, Hoſ. 4.6. They are loſt Souls, whoſe eyes the God of this World hath blinded, 2 Cor. 4.4. Inner darkneſs is the direct way to utter darkneſs.
3. The hypocritical Profeſſor ſhall be excluded the preſence of Chriſt. He that hath but the ſhadow of Holineſs, muſt expect a real Hell. If thou beareſt the Name of Chriſt, and art not partaker of the Divine Nature, thy Profeſſion (as Ʋriahs Letter to Joab) will but haſten thy Execution, Job 13.16. He (i. e. God) alſo ſhall be my Salvation, but an Hypocrite ſhall not come before him. God will be the godly upright Souls Salvation, but not the Hypocrites. He ſhall not dwell with God, Pſal. 5.4. No, not ſtand in his ſight, Pſal. 5.5. Nay, not ſo much as come before him with any Comfort. He may come before good men with acceptance, as the fooliſh Virgins before the wiſe, who were ignorant of their Hypocriſie, but he ſhall not come before the Omniſcient God. When thoſe Virgins came which wanted Oil, the door was ſhut, Matth. 25. There was no entrance, no admiſſion for them. They had not received God into their Hearts (though he was often in their Lips) and he would not receive them into his Houſe; The door was ſhut.