The Last Judgment, Tract · Doctrine 27
Ver. 41. Depart from me, ye curſed, &c.
Doct. XXVII. is this, That it is the greateſt miſery of Reprobates and wicked perſons, that they ſhall be ſeparated for ever from Chriſts Preſence. Chriſt begins with this, as being the very top of all their miſery; and therefore in the other places, as if this had all miſery wrapt up in it, it is alone ſpoken of, Mat. 7.23. Luke 13.27. 2 Theſſ. 1.9
Reaſons. 1. Becauſe by this Separation from his Preſence, they are for ever deprived of the favour of God, and all hope of ever obtaining favour with him, which muſt needs be the top of all miſery: for, In his favour is life, and his loving kindneſs is better then life, Pſal. 30.5. & 63.3. and therefore what a death muſt it be, to be deprived of that? 2. Becauſe this Separation from Chriſt, is the loſs of the greateſt good in the world: for, he is our Summum Bonum, our Chief Good, our All in All, C…loſſ. 3.11. Cant. 5.10. Above all other Beloveds; and to be deprived of him, muſt needs be the top of all miſery. Hence not onelyonly the beſt of the Schoolmen, but the ableſt of our Divines agree upon it, That the Puniſhment of Loſs is greater then that of Senſe. 3. Becauſe this Separation from Chriſts Preſence, for ever deprives them of Happineſs; for our Happineſs lies in our Communion with him. 4. Becauſe it deprives them of Conformity to him; for that depends upon our being with him, and viewing of his bleſſed face, 1 …. 3.2. 5. Becauſe this Senaration from him deprives the… of all that Joy and Comfort that is with him, Pſal. 16 …. 2 Theſſ. 2.16. 6. Becauſe it deprives them of all ſatisfaction that they ſhould have in him, Pſal. 17.15. they muſt needs be unſati…fied altogether in their condition. 7. Bec… u… t…is Separ…ion from C…riſts Preſence deprives the… of the bleſſed Company of all the Saints and Angels, they ſhall never …ee one Sai…t more; and if ſo, it muſt needs be the top of miſery. 8. Becauſe it deprives them of …ll his Glory, which they might have been partakers of, John 17.24. They that were ſo taken with worldly glory that they would have it any way, ſhall be de…rived of all beavenly glory, Pſal 49.19. 9. Becauſe it deprives them of the revel…tion of all thoſe Myſteries, that here by reaſon of our childiſh condition we could not underſtand, whi…h then will be unfolded, 1 Cor. 13.9-12. 10. Becauſe i… deprives them of all p…bility of Praiſing God, which is the Saints happineſs on earth, Pſal. 84.4. and will be much more in heaven. 11. Becauſe it deprives them of all the ſweet ſmiles of his bleſſed face, and of all the ſweet e…braces that the Saints partake of in that Celeſtial Bride-Chamber and B…d of Love. 12. Becauſe it deprives them of all thoſe City-Priviledges and Immunities which the Saints enjoy, Heb. 11.16. which, what they are, no tongue can expreſs, nor heart conceive. 13. Becauſe it deprives them of all the Treaſures, Pleaſures, Honours, Contentments of that Celeſtial Kingdome. 14. Becauſe it ſhuts them out of Paradiſe, Luke 23.43. And if it was A…ams mifery to be ſhut out of an Earthly Paradiſe, Geneſ. 3.24. what a miſery is it then to be excluded from the Heavenly? 15. Becauſe it deprives them of thoſe rare views of Gods M…e…y which the Saints ſhall have in him, 1 John 1.2. 16. Becauſe it deprives them of that Reſt that remaineth to the people of God. Heb 4.9.
Ʋſe 1. for Information: 1. We ſee how woeful their condition is that the Lord caſts off here, as Hoſ. 4.17. & 9.12 for it is a fore-runner of his eternal Separation of them from his Preſence at the laſt and great day, which is the top of all …iſery. 2. We ſee what cauſe we all have to fear, as Heb. 4.1.2. 3. We ſee that the enjoyment of Chriſts Preſence muſt needs be the greateſt Happineſs, for it is the greateſt miſery to be…d prived of it, Luke 23.43. 4. We ſee what need we all had to get Chriſt with us, and to keep him with us, Cant 3.4. for it is the top of the damned's miſery, that they ſhall be ſeparated from him for ever. 5. We ſee a reaſon of the Saints mourning for his …bſence from them, Jer. 14.8. Lam. 1.16. Well may they do ſo, for it is the worſt part of the damned's miſery to be eternally ſeparated from him. 6. We ſee that the …uniſhment of Loſs, though men be not ſo ſen…ble of it now, yet will ſting …em moſt at that day 7. We ſee the …iſerable ſtate of thoſe that care not for fellowſhip with Chriſt here, had rather have fellowſhip with their luſts and lewd company; they ſlight that here, the want w…ereof will be the top of all their miſery at the laſt day 8 We ſee how good the Lord is to his Saints, in ad…itting t…em to his bleſſed Preſence here and hereafter; for it is the very height of the damned's miſery, to be bid Depart from him. 9. We ſee that the Puniſhment of Senſe, though it be intolerable, Mark 9.44, 46, 48. yet or the two, is farre more tolerable then the Puniſhment of Loſs. 10. We ſee how truly happy their condition is that enjoy Chriſts Preſence to all eternity, to whom he will ſay, Come; for it is the damned's greateſt miſery to be depr…ve… of his Preſence. 11. We ſee the folly of evil men, t…t wilf…lly run in ſuch wayes as lead to ſuch miſer…, Jer. 2.17, 19. Rom. 3.16. 12. We ſee how good it is to draw near to Chriſt here, Pſal. 73.28. for it will be the wicked's greateſt miſery to be ſeparated fro… …im.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour: 1. To thoſe that fly from the Lords Preſence, as Cain did, Gen. 4.16. it will be the height of their miſery at the laſt day. 2. To thoſe that ha…e thoſe that have Communion with him he…e, they will wiſh their Souls, in their Souls ſtate. 3. To thoſe that ſeek not after his favour here, they ſ…all be deprived of it for ever, Pſal. 10.4. & 73.27.
Ʋſe 3. for Exhortation: 1. To ſeek the Lord and his face, Pſal. 105.4. 2. To bewail their caſe that have no followſhip with him, they ſhall have none of it hereafter, and that will be their greateſt miſery, Luke 13.28. 3. To fly their company that have no Communion with Chriſt here, leſt we ſhare in their miſery, Epheſ. 5.11. 4. To delight in thoſe Ordinances moſt, wherein we have moſt Communion with him; as the Word, Supper, Prayer, Meditation, Conference, 1 Cor. 11. Mal. 3.16. 5. To Watch and Pray alwayes, Luke 21.36. 6. To take all opportunities here of getting into his Preſence, Prov. 8.34, 35. 7. To ſave as many as we can from this miſery. 8. To open to Chriſt at his calls and knocks, Cant. 5.2. Rev. 3.20. 9. To evil men, to break off their ſins now, Dan. 4.27. 10. To be perſ…aded (2 Car. 5.11.) to love Chriſts fellowſhip.
Ʋſe 4. for Conſolation: 1. Againſt wicked m…ens…louts and jeers at us for our fellowſhip with Chriſt here. 2. Againſt the loſſes we are at, it may coſt us much many wayes our cloſe walking with him; but they that look at the damned's miſery, and the eſcape that they make out of it, may well bear all this.