Of the Conversion of Sinners to God in Christ, Part 6
A concluding Speech to the ƲNCONVERTED.
CHAP. VIII. Containing advice and counſel to thoſe who are yet unconverted.
HAving ſhewn the neceſſity of converſion, the Nature and ſigns of it, I ſhall now conclude with ſome advice and council to thoſe who are ſtrangers to any work of grace upon their hearts, but are going on in ignorance and blindneſs and ſee not into what a gulph and bottomleſs pit of deſtruction, they are going.
Wonder not that I am earneſt in ſuch a matter, and tell you ſo much of Hell and damnation, it is to ſtop them that being ſpiritually blind and deſparate, are running into the lake of fire and brimſton, which burneth for ever. Well then let me direct my ſpeech unto ſuch, if God peradventure will give them repentance that ſo they may be recovered out of the ſnare of the Devil, and eſcape everlaſting deſtruction.
Hearken and give ear to this Alarm that is now ſounded to you that are yet ignorant, and careleſs of the things that belong unto your everlaſting peace, Repent, repent, get into Chriſt, the City of refuge quickly, quickly before the Lord come forth againſt you in his wrath and fury, and you be caſt into Hell. I ſhall endeavour to ſet before you, the miſerable condition, you will be in to eternity, if you die in your ſins and to that end I ſhall ſhew you three things.
1. The certainty of Hell.
2. the miſery of Hell.
3. The eternity of Hell.
1. Conſider the certainty of Hell. This is that which I would ſpeak of firſt, That there is a place of torment and extream miſery into which the wicked are caſt, their ſouls entring firſt into this woful place as ſoon as they depart this life; and at the Day of Judgment their bodies being raiſed by the Almighty power of God ſhall be united again with their ſouls, that ſo both in body and ſoul, they may bear the wrath of God for ever.
It may be ſome that may read this may be ſo ignorant and prophane that they may think that Hell is a fable deviſed to keep me in awe, and think them fools that are ſcar'd with it, therefore let me endeavour to convince them of it, for it doth appear indeed by the lives of too many, that they believe neither Heaven nor Hell, yet there are ſuch fools that ſay in their hearts, there is no God too, Pſal. 14.1. They ſay ſo in their hearts, and ſay ſo in their lives, though few of them are ſo impudent as to ſay it with their mouths.
To prove that there is a Hell, I might ſhew that the very heathens as they have a Notion that there is a God, ſo they have a Nation that there is a Hell; a ſtate and place of miſery into which evil men go after this life, likewiſe I might ſhew that the boldeſt Athieſts are ſometimes ſtruck with a Pannick fear of Hell, all which proves that it is an univerſal Notion of mankind, that the ſoul is immortal, and that there is happineſs or miſery after this life though Atheiſts ſmother this conviction what they can. But I ſhall onelyonly inſiſt upon Scripture proof of this point.
The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, Pſal. 9.18. How can ye eſcape the damnation of Hell, Mat. 23.33 Fear him that is able to deſtroy Soul and body in Hell, Mat. 10.28. God ſpeared not the Angels that ſinned but thruſt them down to Hell, 2 Pet. 2.4.
To name no more particular places; when ye read in the Scripture of everlaſting puniſhment, the wrath to come, unquenchable fire, all thoſe expreſſions, point at the ſame thing.
As there is a real Hell, as well as there is a real Heaven, ſo there is a local Hell, as well as there is a local Heaven. Hell and Heaven are not expreſſions, onelyonly to ſet forth the two ſtates and conditions of men after this life, but the two places, to one of which all go at death.
Let none out of curoſity enquire where Hell is, 'tis-ſufficient that the Scripture tells us that there is a Hell, and tells us what will bring us thither that we may avoid it and that Chriſt onelyonly can deliver us from it that we may make ſure of our intereſt in him.
2. Conſider the miſery of Hell. Though there be a Hell, yet if it were a tollerable good place and condition though far inferiour to Heaven it was not to be ſo much feared but O let us conſider the miſery of Hell.
I might inſiſt upon that which is commonly called the puniſhment of loſs that is what the damned are deprived of, and what ſad reflections they may make upon that account, being not onelyonly deprived of all the creature comforts which once they enjoyed in this world (which the Saints in Heaven cannot reflect upon as any loſs to them, becauſe God is there all in all, and better then all to them) but they are ſeperated from God, from any hope of his favour and enjoyment of him ſhut out of the place where he ſhews the riches of his glorious Kingdom and the honour of his excellent majeſty to the Angels and Saints, not for a time onelyonly but for ever. Shut out of the company of the Holy Angels and Saints. Surely theſe things gall the ſpirits of the damned. If Eſau wept ſo bitterly for that he had loſt the birthright, and loſt an earthly Fathers bleſſing how bitterly may the damned weep that they have loſt Heaven, and the bleſſing of the Father of Spirits? What better reflections the damned make upon their fall in Adam (which now ſo little affects the generality of men) and their great loſs thereby we cannot conceive now, nor how it will vex and fret them to think (ſome of them) what means of grace they enjoyed in the powerful preaching of the Word, and good council of Parents, Maſters, and Friends but that they have loſt all thoſe advantages for Heaven which once they had, and made light of.
But let me ſpeak ſomething of that poſſitive miſery or puniſhment of ſenſe, that the damned undergo.
1. They are miſerable for their place.
2. They are miſerable for their company.
3. They are miſerable for the wrath of God which They beare, this is the worſt of all.
1. They are miſerable for their place. I ſhall not ſtand much upon this but ſurely Hell is a doleful place, therefore compared to Tophet, Iſa. 30.33. To a bottomleſs pit, Rev. 9.2. Ʋtter darkneſs, Mat. 22.13.
Heaven is called Paradiſe, Luke. 23.43. Hell a Priſon, 1 Pet. 3.19. But I but touch this for the truth is as the enjoyment of God in Heaven, is the Heaven of Heaven, the beſt of Heaven, and not meerely the ſplendour and glory of the place (though it is a glorious place) ſo it is the bearing of the wrath of God in Hell, that is the Hell of Hell, the worſt of Hell, though it is alſo a doleful and miſerable place.
2. They are miſerable for their company. Now men are fit to go out of their wits if the Devil appear to them, what will they do, how will they be eternally ſcared and …igted when they know they are amongſt a throng of them ſhut up with them in the ſame eternal Priſon.
That Devils and damned Men and Women ſhall he together in the ſame place of torment, is cleare from the ſentence of condemnation, at the laſt day, depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Mat. 25.41.
As thoſe of the Children of men that are ſaved ſhall be in the ſame Heaven with the elect Angels, and their company will be a great refreſh ng to them, ſo thoſe that are damned ſhall be in the ſame Hell, with the faln Angels, the Devils and their company will be a great terrour to them.
And as much as prophane men delight in in one anothers company, now it will be very grievous to them in Hell. To hear one anothers, howlings, weeping, wayling, groanings, and bitter Lamantatioas will ſurely be very terrible, and eſpecially the company of thoſe that have been partners in ſin, fellow-drunkards, fellow-thiefs, fellow-perſecutors, fellow-wantons, will be very grievous. O how they will curſe one another and courſe the days that ever they ſaw one another.
3. They are miſerable for the wrath of God that abideth on them. It is not meerly the place nor the company that makes them miſerable, but the ſting of Hell is the mediate ſenſe and feeling of the wrath of God in an unſportable manner, this is their paenal Hell, which is worſe than their local Hell.
As God lets out his love and makes great impreſſions thereof upon the ſpirits of the Saints in Heaven, ſo he lets out his wrath and makes great impreſſions thereof upon the damned in Hell.
The damned are ſaid in the Scripture to be puniſhed, tormented, beaten with ſtripes, burnt with unquenchable fire, all to ſhew how the wrath of God lies very hard upon them.
It is true there are degrees of torments in Hell, more and fewer ſtripes a great difference, there is no doubt of the ſufferings of the damned, ſome receive greater damnation, and beare more wrath then others, 'tis according as men have ſinned more or leſs in this world (I ſpeak of thoſe that periſh) that they are punniſhed more or leſs in Hell. But ſurely thoſe that have feweſt ſtripes, and the cooleſt places in Hell, have a ſad portion.
If people do verily believe that there is a Hell, yet few believe the extremity of miſery duplicate page duplicate page that is ſuffered there.
I remembre a poor Woman that ſuffered death for being a Witch, told me, that after ſhe had made a contract with the Devil, ſhe began to be much afraid of Hell, as a miſerable place and condition, whereupon the Devil told her that Hell was not ſo bad a place as people thought, that he was the prince of the aire that people lived very well in his dominions, and that ſhe for her part ſhould be an hoſteſs and keep a fair Inn there. It was to this purpoſe what this poor ignorant Woman told me. The Devil hath ſcarce the face to tell his followers that there is no Hell but rather that it is a tollerable good place and not bad as ſome zealous preachers would make them believe.
At another time I heard a prophane man when he was told of Hell fire ſay, I hope there are ſome ponds of cold water there to where I may go and cole my ſelf when I am heated and ſcorched with the flames, thus fools now make a mock of ſin and a mock of Hell too, till they came to it and then they will be paſt their jeſting. Hell torments put the greateſt wits, and the moſt ſanguine tempters paſt their Joaks and meriment. Many go laughing and merry to Hell but when they come once there, they laugh no more for there is nothing but weeping, and wayling, and gnaſhing of teeth in Hell.
3. Conſider the eternity of Hell. Though there be ſuch miſery in Hell, yet if men were to be there but a little while, it were not ſo much to be feared, but none that go thither return again, neither take they hold of the paths of Life. Therefore 'tis ſaid in the Scripture, that the wicked go into everlaſting puniſhment as the righteous go into life eternal Mat. 25.46. They ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction, 2 Theſ. 1.9. Their Worme dieth not, and the fire is not quenched Mark. 9.44.
It is true, that neither utter deſpaire nor eternity of ſuffering are of the eſſence of the puniſhment due to ſin, for if men could ſatisfy the juſtice of God for the debt of ſin, there were no cauſe of diſpare, neither would they be deteined for ever under the wrath of God, but the damned being never able to make fatisfaction for their ſins, it doth unavoidably follow that they are ſwallowed up of diſpare, and that the wrath of God abideth on them for ever.
Now let thoſe who go on deſperately in their ignorance and prophaneſs, conſider theſe things before it be to late, before the decree hath brought forth before the gulph is fixed, and the day of grace be over.
God hath made a Hell for the glory of his Juſtice to ſhine in, and all impenitent and unbelieving ſinners ſhall be as fuel for his Holy Juſtice to burn upon for ever. Tremble, tremble, weep, and howl, all ye that are going on in the broad way to deſtruction, for the miſeries that ſhall come upon you, except you repent, God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, God ſpared not the Old World, God ſpared not Sodom and Gomorah, multitudes, multitudes are already in Hell, for the ſame ſins that you are guilty of, and if you do not now ſeek the Lord and make peace with him in Chriſt; ſhall you eſcape?
It is time, high time to ſeek the Lord, to make ſupplication to your judge, through the Advocate for ſinners, Jeſus Chriſt before all this miſery come upon you.
But may ſome ſay we do not love to hear ſo much of Hell and damnation, it is a terrour to us.
I anſwer, did not Chriſt in his doctrine tell the people much of Hell and damnation? Mat. 5.2, 30. Luke. 16.19.20.21.22.23. And thrice in five verſes he uſes that terrible expreſſion to ſet forth the miſery of Hell that their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, Mark. 9.44, 45, 46, 47, 48. Surely Chriſt knew how to preach, and ſurely he is the beſt pattern of preaching, and you ſee he ſpake much of Hell in his doctrine. Mat. 24.51. Mat. 25.41, 46.
Indeed moſt people are like thoſe of old, who ſaid to the ſeers ſee not, and to the prophets propheſy not, propheſy not unto us right things, propheſy unto us ſmooth things Iſa. 30.16. As if men ſhould ſay let us go on quietly to Hell, I pray do not trouble our conſciencies, we will venture our Souls, and if we do come to Hell at laſt we muſt bear it as well as we can. I but if the Lord intend to make you his people, he will not ſuffer you to go on in ſuch a deſperate way, but he will make you willing to hear of your danger, and make you to enquire in good earneſt how you may eſcape it, yea you ſhall bleſs the Lord that ever you came to ſee into what a gulph and bottomleſs pit you were falling, that ſo you might ſeek for help and ſalvation in Chriſt the Mediatour.
All that hath been ſaid to ſhew men the certainty, the miſery, and the eternity, of Hell is that they may avoid it, and may never come into that place of torment. And let all know that though the Doctrine of Hell is to be urged unto men, to awaken them, yet Miniſters are not to ſtop there, but to hold forth Chriſt as an object of faith to them that they may look to him and be ſaved. The terrours of the Law are not to be preached ſimply for themſelves, as it were to torment men before the time, but for another end to ſhew them their need of Chriſt, and that they may prize him and beleive on him to everlaſting Life; Miniſters cannot ſpeak to much of Hell, if withal they held forth Chriſt as he that delivereth from that wrath to come. The hearing of Hell is uſeful, even to thoſe that are in Chriſt that they may be continually prayſing God that hath delievered them from going down to that pit: whatſoever afflictions and chaſtnings they have here.
He that only tells people of Hell and damnation is a meer legal preacher but he that ſhews men firſt their miſerable and loſt eſtate in themſelves, and then holds forth Chriſt to them as a Saviour and ranſom for their ſouls is the right Goſpel preacher.
As I have ſpoken of the judgment, and fiery indignation of God that ſhall conſume thoſe that die in their ſins ſo let me ſhew how we may be delivered from this wrath to come, and ſo make an end.
The Goſpel taken in a ſtrict ſenſe is meerly the good news and glad tidings (glad tidings indeed) of a Saviour for loſt ſinners. A wonderfull thing indeed is the Goſpel, it holdeth forth ſuch a way of juſtifying ſinners as could never have entred into the heart of Man to conceive, if the Lord had not revealed it. It ſhews us wonder upon wonder, God was manifeſt in the fleſh, that is one great miſtery and wonder of the Goſpel what a condeſcention and humbling of himſelf was this. That Jeſus Chriſt took upon him our Nature, our fleſh, not in appearance but really, not to lay it down ſoon again, but Ʋniting it to his God-head for ever, to be ſure it was to do a great work, that Angels and Men ſhall admire to eternity, that God was manifeſt in the fleſh. This is ſuch a wonder that when it is deeply weighed doth overſet the Spirit of Man.
This mighty one the Son of God, not by conſtraint but willingly died for ſinners, had our iniquities laid upon him, Iſa. 53.6. Bare the puniſhment of them, 1 Pet. 2.24. This was the cauſe of his bitter paſſion of all his inward end outward ſufferings. The Jews crucified him as if he had been an evil doer but Chriſt knew what was the Fathers meaning, and his own (viz) that he ſhould ſuffer and be crucified becauſe they, in whoſe ſtead he ſuffered, were realy evil doers, ſinners, and had deſerved all that he underwent for them. Thus he duplicate page duplicate page that was perfectly just ſuffered in the room of the unjuſt, A ſurety paid the great debt that others had contracted; There is a wonderful myſtery in the death of Chriſt, He died as the Second Adam, as a mediatour, as a publick perſon for his people, for this cauſe he came into the World, for this cauſe he laid down his life, elſe theſe things had never been.
This Jeſus, God man, mighty, to ſuffer, bare that puniſhment due to our ſins; which if it had been laid upon us would have been eternal, but he overwraſtled it, made ſatisfaction, put away ſin by the ſacrifice of himſelf, made peace and obtained eternal redemption for us whereof he hath given aſſurance unto all men, in that after he had the iniquities of all his people laid and charged upon him, yet he roſe again the third day, is gone unto the Father and is ſet down at the right hand of the Majeſty in the Heavens. By one offering upon the Croſs he did the work, he being an infinite Perſon, God as well as Man, his ſhort ſuffering was of an infinit value. He dieth no more, there is no need at all of it, in referance unto thoſe, for whom he made his ſoul an offering for ſins, he hath done the work fully, to whom be glory for ever.
This is the Summ and ſubſtance of the Goſpel. Now if any hearing of the danger they are in of the wrath of God, for their ſins and ſenſible of the Rebellion and perverſneſs of their hearts and wayes against God, would have a Saviour and a ſanctifier that it may go well with them for ever, this is he, Jeſus the Son of God. He is not here now upon earth to be ſeen with bodily eyes, he is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God. Look up to him there with an eye of Faith, put your truſt in him, he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt all that come to God by him. Get the knowledge of him out of the word, ſearch the Scriptures for they teſtify of him, they tell you what he is, what he hath done, and what he hath ſuffered to bring us to God. Think of him continually, prize him, ſet your hearts on him, if you flight him, you will find there is no other Saviour, no other Mediatour, no other advocate with the Father.
If the work be yet to be done, even now whilſt thou readeſt theſe things look to him, cloſe with him, give up thy ſelf to him to be ſaved and Sanctified by him, fall in love with him, you will never repent of your choice. Poor ſoul, what ſaiſt thou to a Pardon for all thy ſins? what ſaiſt to peace with God? what ſaiſt thou to eternal life? Come to Chriſt and thou ſhalt have all theſe, and a New Heart and ſpirit to walk in holineſs and obedience before God too. O doth the Lord affect thy heart (for he doth this great work) that thou art taken with Chriſt, and art a thirſt for this water of life; then take it freely, as excellent and precious as the Lord Jeſus is, he beſtowes himſelf freely upon poor ſinners; the beſt qualification you can have for receiving Chriſt is to ſee your need of him; and that you are altogether unworthy of him, do you ſee your ſins now, the multitude of them, the hainouſneſs of them, let not your ſins drive you from Chriſt, but drive you to Chriſt. Come, poor ſinners, come to Chriſt his blood cleanſeth from all ſin, his righteouſneſs is able to cover all your unrighteouſneſs. Come to Chriſt but with a true Heart, to give him all the glory of your ſalvation, and to deſire now to have him reign over you, and fear not he is mighty to ſave. Jeſus is the Lord of glory, conſider his God-head in your looking to him to take away your ſins. Never any Patient came to this Phiſitian and miſſed of cure, come with all the ſpiritual Ʋlcers running Sores and Bloody Iſſues of ſin, touch the hem of his Garment by Faith (as the Woman in the Goſpel did) and you ſhall ſee there is vertue enough in Chriſt to make you whole.
The Devil labours to make men confident and preſumptuous, when they are going on greedily in ſin, but when they are convinced of their loſt eſtate and are looking after Chriſt, then he endeavours to puzle them with many doubts and ſuſpitions as if they were paſt cure, and it were too late now to lock after Chriſt. Ah poor ſouls do not you ſee that the hand of Sathan is in all this. When you went on in ignorance and prophaneſs, he would not endure you ſhould hear, when Miniſters preached of damnation, and now that you are convinced and ſtopt in your vile courſes, and are thinking how you may make peace with God, now the Devil cannot endure you ſhould hear of Salvation in Chriſt the Son of God, leaſt you ſhould come unto him that you may have life.
Thus I have ſet before them that are not yet converted life and death pardon of ſin, peace with God and eternal life, if the Lord giveth them hearts to repent and cloſe with Chriſt, The Wrath of God and eternal deſtruction; If they ſtill go on in their ignorance, prophaneſs, and ſlighting of Jeſus Chriſt, If any that read theſe things ſhall ſay in their hearts, they ſhall have peace and ſhall do well enough (whatſoever ſome zealous preachers ſay) though they caſt Gods law behind their backs, and never look after a work of Grace, and converſion duplicate page duplicate page upon their ſouls, the anger of the Lord and his Jealouſy ſhall ſmoake againſt thoſe perſons, and burn againſt them for ever. But if they ſhall now tremble at the word of the Lord, and lay hold upon the offer of Chriſt; believing on his name, and ſubmitting unto him; their ſins ſhall be forgiven them, for his names ſake, and they ſhall be the heir of eternal life through him, for though the wages of ſin is death even eternal death, yet the gift the free gift of God is life even eternal life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, to whom be glory for ever, Amen.
FINIS.