The Last Judgment, Title page – To the reader 1
A DISCOURSE OF THE LAST JUDGEMENT: OR, Short Notes upon MAT. XXV. from Ver. 31. to the end of the CHAPTER. Concerning the Judgement to Come, and our Preparation to ſtand before The Great Judge of Quick and Dead. Which are of ſweeteſt Comfort to the Elect Sheep and of moſt dreadful Amazement and Terrour to Reprobate Goats. And do Concern All to think Seriouſly upon, that they may look the Judge in the Face with Comfort in the Great Day of His APPEARING. By SAMUEL WHITING, Paſtor of the Church of Chriſt at Lynne in N.E.
Eccleſ. 12.14. For God ſhall bring every work into judgement, with every ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
2 Cor. 5.10. For we muſt all appear before the Judgement ſeat of Chriſt, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Acts 24.25. And as he reaſoned of Righteouſneſs. Temperance, and Judgement to come, Felix trembled.
CAMBRIDGE: Printed by S. G. and M. J. 1664.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
THE Judgement to come, as it is moſt Formidable and Dreadfull to the Wicked; ſo it is moſt Sweet and Comfortable to thoſe that are truely godly, being the Day of their Redemption, Luke 21.28. The Time of Refreſhing Acts 3.19. and The time of Reſtitution, ver. 21. when all ſhall be Reſtored which God hath ſpoken of, and when among other things, all our Loſſes ſhall be f…lly Reſtored; the loſs of the Image of God by the Fall: for, 1 Co. 15.49. As we have born the image of the Earthly, ſo we ſhall bear the image of the Heavenly. Our loſt Comforts alſo ſhall be Reſtored, for we ſhall have everlaſting Conſolation, 2 Theſſ. 2.16. Our loſt Fellowſhip with the Father, Son, and Spirit ſome ſmall and little beginnings whereof we have here) ſhall be Reſtored, 1 John 3.2. R…v…lat. 22.4. John 14.3. 1 The…. 4.17.
Now had the main Subject of the following Diſcourſe a better Head and Heart to deal in and about it, it might be very advantageous to draw men ſeriouſly to Repent, according to that in Acts 17.30, 31. and to quicken them up to watch and pray alwayes, that they may be counted worthy to eſcape thoſe things that are coming upon the wo…ld, and to ſtand before the Son of M…n, Luke 21.36. But what I have, I offer to thy candid View, and to thy ſerious Thoughts, concerning this great Subject of The Laſt Judgement.
Some Hints there are (and but Hints) which may make a gracious heart chearfully to deſire after that Day, and elevate, and ſublimate his Spirit Heaven-ward. Some other things indeed are terrible, but to none but thoſe that love their Sins, and will not be perſwaded to Confeſs them, and forſake them: To ſuch I would ſpeak, as D…el to Nebuchaanezza…, Dan. 4.27. Let my counſel be acceptable to you, and break off your ſins by Righteouſneſs: Become new men; let all old things p…ſs away, and all things become new. Let Jeſus Chriſt be yours: Get a ſure Portion and Intereſt in him; and if he that is to be your Judge, be your Saviour, this great Day, and the great Tranſactions then, will not be dreadful to you. But if you will reſolve upon it to keep your Sins, and adventure the Loſ… of Soul and Body to all Eternity for your Luſts ſake; if the Worm that d…s not, and the Fire that is not quenched, will not ſtartle and awaken you; if you can grapple with Everlaſting Burnings, and will be trying Maſtery with the Omnipotent One; if you provoke the Lord to anger, and think to be ſtronger then he, and will be Fighters againſt God, and let Heaven, and all the joyes and City-priviledges of it, go for a thing of no…ght: Then I have no more to ſay but this to you, My Soul ſhall weep in ſecret places for you; and this Little Book, with what you have heard and known from other of the Lords Worthies, ſhall Witneſs againſt you at the Laſt Day.
My hearts deſire is, knowing the Terrour of the Lord, to perſwade men; and if this ſmall Script may but by the Bleſſing of God be Effectual to fit any of my dear Countrey-men to look upon Jeſus Christ with Comfort at that Day, and that they and I may, among the reſt of the Sheep, be ſet at his Right Hand, and hear that bleſſed Sentence of Abſolution pronounced upon us, I have enough. Then he that is in the Boſome of the Father, will put us in his Boſome, and reveal all his Boſome-Secrets, and Boſome-Counſels, and Boſome-Conſolations, and Boſome-Love, and open all the Treaſures that are with him, to enrich us to all Eternity. Then we ſhall fully Comprehend the Breadth, and Length, and Depth, and Height, and know the Love of Chriſt that paſſeth knowledge, which the beſt of us do but in part comprehend and know here: For when that which is perfect is come, then that which is imperfect ſhall be done away.
Good Reader, I have given thee a ſhort account about the Publiſhing of theſe poor Labours of mine, beſeeching the Lord that his mighty Spirit may go along with them, that good may be done by them, and Souls won to him; and that he may be glorified, when he comes to be admired in his Saints, and in them that Believe, at that Day.
I have done, after I have ſaid one thing more: If thou and I be made more Spiritual and Heavenly, in our Looks, and Longings, and Breathings after Immortality, by this Diſcourſe, and be any way better fitted to meet the Lord at that Day; if our Deſires be more quickened after the ſweet Views of his Bleſſed Face, whom we yet never ſaw, but by an Eye of Faith; if after a few toſſings with Tempeſt in the Sea of this World, we arrive at thoſe fair Havens of Eternal Reſt in a ſtate of Glory, to ſing everlaſting Hallelujahs and Praiſes to the God of our Mercy, To Him that ſitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever: Then we ſhall never repent neither thou that haſt peruſed, nor I that have Publiſhed theſe unpoliſhed Lines, but ſhall rejoyce that they have been brought to ſee the light.
Thine in the Lord Jeſus, Samuel Whiting.