Impenitent SINNERS Warned of their MISERY And Summoned to Judgment.
Delivered in Two Sermons: the former on the Sabbath, Nov. 6. the other on the Lecture following, Nov. 10. 1698.
Occasioned by the Amazing instance of a Miserable Creature, who stood Condemned for Murdering her Infant begotten in Whoredom. To which are subjoyned the Solemn Words spoken to her, on those Opportunities. Published for the Warning of others.
By Samuel Willard, Minister of the Gospel, and Teacher of a Church in Boston, N.E.
And all the People shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
Boston, Printed by B. Green, & J. Allen. Sold by Michael Perry, at his Shop over against the Town House. 1698.
TO THE READER.
IF ever there was a time when God solemnly calls his Servants to Cry aloud and not to spare, but shew his People their transgressions, it is now, when Iniquity so abounds and love waxeth so cold. And as the Philosopher once said, that Evil manners occasion the making of good Laws; So the horrid wickedness of some notorious sinners, gives occasion for the Preaching of Sermons more peculiarly serviceable for the rowsing and awakning of secure ones, and loudly calling them to Repentance; when God toucheth the hearts of his Ministers, with a feeling sense of the danger of, and tender compassion towards [Page] those that are going without regard in the path of destruction. That which gave birth to the ensuing SERMONS, was the prodigious example of a forlorn young Creature, that had defiled her self with Whoredoms, and been the unhappy mother of two illegitimate children successively, and became the barbarous Murderer of the latter of them; for which Crime, she there stood under a sentence of Death, upon due Conviction, and that before she had seen full Nineteen years in the World: and for the which she hath been since righteously executed. My Soul was the more deeply affected with her condition, partly, because she belonged to my Flock, and had received the Seal of the Covenant from my hands, and was under my Charge; in which I could not but feel an heart thrilling rebuke in the Holy Providence of God: Partly because of the most amazing, and scarce paralel'd induration of heart, and tremendous Wickedness which she discovered in and under her Imprisonment, to the deep consternation of all serious ones that were acquainted therewithall. Which will, I hope, plead sufficiently for the suitableness of the Subjects treated of, and the severity of the Words used in the prosecution of them. But she is now gone, and hath given up her account to the Judge of all. Yet her example remains, and stands for the [Page] Warning of others. And doubtless God expects that the living should lay it to heart, and learn lessons of Caution thereby. I have therefore endeavoured, according to the Grace given me, to Level these Discourses for the Admonition of others, least they also provoke a Sin hating God, to give them up to be more astonishing Monuments of his righteous severity. And there are, I fear, more abominations as great as these, which have not yet seen the light; and may her example, and these warnings drawn forth by it, drive such to a timely Repentance, and making of their peace with God. Let young Ones more especially learn by her, To Remember their Creator early, and beware of such sins as were leading to the bringing of her to a fearful end; in particular let all Children, and such as are under the Command of Parents and Family Government, beware of disobedience to their Parents, and those that have the Authority over them; let them be warned to take heed to themselves of being linked in vain company, and take the wise mans counsel, Prov. 1.10. My Son, if Sinners entice thee consent thou not. Let them beware of prophaning Gods Holy Sabbaths: of unnecessary absenting themselves from the Worship of God in his House, or neglecting of any opportunities of attending on his Holy Ordinances; and let them be advised to keep their feet when they come to the [Page] House of God, and not suffer their hearts to wander into the corners of the earth, when they should be learning what God the Lord hath to say unto them. Let them be warned against the neglect of Secret Prayer, and Meditation, and be afraid of living content in an Unregenerate State, trifling away a day of grace, and putting off calls, and counsels, and the strivings of the Spirit of God with them, as things that may be thought of soon enough, when they have taken their fill of their mad mirth, and glutted themselves with sensual pleasures; all of which Sins that poor Creature acknowledged her self to have been eminently guilty of: lest, if you be not admonished by her example, an Holy God should be provoked to leave you up to your own hearts lusts. Be sure therefore to read in her a confirmation of that truth, that for these things the Wrath of God cometh on the children of Disobedience. Let Parents be rouzed up by this to take more care, and use more prudence in maintaining that Authority over their Children, which God hath vested them withal, and beware of an over fond indulgence, in giving them an unrestrained liberty: let it awaken them to say themselves out with more industry, and constancy, in training them up in the nur [...]e and admonition of the Lord; in instructing them about the great things of their Souls and Eternity; let it [Page] make them more affectionate and importunate in praying with them, and for them; and put them upon the more watchful care over themselves in their whole conversation, that they set no evil examples before them, but write them a copy in their lives of all the counsels & admonitions which they offer to them: fearing lest, if they by their neglect bring guilt on themselves, their children should be forsaken of God, and prove an heaviness to their Parents, as this foolish Child did. May all that Fear God, and peculiarly his Ministers, whom the Lord Jesus Christ hath given a special charge unto, to feed his Lambs, be excited hereby to more anxious solicitude, and industrious endeavours for the Souls of all whom they are concerned withal, and more especially for the Rising Generation, that they may not become a stubborn and a rebellious Generation, a Generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit is not stedfast with God: And may the following Sermons be made any way serviceable to these good ends and purposes, God shall have the Glory; to whose gracious Blessing I Commend it, with my most hearty Prayers, Who am,
THE FOLLY and MISERY OF Impenitent Sinners.
The foolish shall not stand in thy sight.
I shall not now spend time in inquiring after the Occasion of the penning of this Psalm, or in Analysing of it. Let it suffice to observe that David in verse 4, 5, 6. represents the miserable condition of wicked men, on the account of the Holiness of God, as it stands engaged against sinners for sin. The summ of it is, that God takes no pleasure in them, but hates & abhors them, and therefore will not admit them into his favour, but will bring destruction on them: and one would think that every word [Page 2] should be an envenomed arrow in the Heart or Conscience of the ungodly. Our Text is one of those shafts taken out of Gods quiver, and shot at every unregenerate Soul; and Oh! that they might be throughly wounded by it. The words before us are an assertion delivered by the mouth of Truth it self, and may well terrify and amaze every Christless Soul. In them we may observe two things. 1. The Subject spoken of, the foolish: I shall not insist on the various usages of this word in Scriptures; it is sometimes improved in a good sense; and sometimes it is made use of in a bad sense; and in this latter it is here: and thus it is frequently used for a Fool, or a Mad-man: and therefore many translations read it, Insani; the mad or distracted; men that are out of their wits 2. The thing asserted concerning these, they shall not stand in thy sight. Hebr. before thine eyes, i. e. Gods, for of Him the Psalmist is speaking. Eyes are ascribed to God after the manner of men, for he is a Spiritual being, and hath neither senses, nor organs of sense: and the word [Stand] signifies to be in a settled Condition: and it is in the last conjugation, which farther intends the signification. To stand then in Gods sight, or before his eyes, intends an enjoying of, or being settled in his favour. It is a Metaphor taken from the favourites of Princes, who are admitted into their presence, and stand before them at all times. And in this negative the contrary affirmative is included, i. e. they [Page 3] shall fall before him, and be thrust out of his sight; and it also intends that he cannot bear the sight of them, and will banish them his presence. This may be referred to the present life and time; but hath a more peculiar respect to the great day of Accounts.
Hence,
DOCTRINE.
All impenitent Sinners are foolish and mad, and therefore shall not stand in Gods sight; which will render them extreamly miserable.
There are three Propositions contained in this Doctrine.
Prop. I. That all impenitent Sinners are foolish and mad.
There are a sort of persons in the world, whom God in his word, is pleased to put the Character of fools and mad men upon, who are neither naturals, or void of the use of reason, considered as men; nor yet bereft of their understandings, through occasional dotage or frenzy in that respect: and who are they? we have a summary account of them, Jer. 4.22. My people is foolish, they have not known me, they are sottish Children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. The summ [Page 4] is, all sinners, remaining in their natural estate belong to this Character; and hence Sin and Folly are, in Scripture, terms equivalent. Here we may, in particular, briefly come at this in three steps.
1. All sin is folly. And hence so much sin [...] remains in the Godly, so much foolishness there abides with them. This the Psalmist confesseth of himself, Psal. 69 5. O God, thou knowest my foolishness. Every time a person commits any sin, he hath just reason to say of himself, as he, 1 Sam. 26.21. I have sinned, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. And it must needs be so, for every sin is an act of disobedience to that God, on whom we have our entire dependence, and to whom we owe our selves and our whole lives: it is an act of rebellion against that God whom we are bound to subject our selves unto, and is able to destroy us for that rebellion. It is a forsaking the fountain of living waters, and digging of broken Cisterns that can hold no water. Jer. 2.12. It is a preferring of lying vanities before everlasting Mercies. Jer. 2.8. It is a provoking of God to jealousy. 1 Cor. 10.22. And we are not stronger than he. It is an entring of the lists of contention with him, a running upon him, even his neek, on the thick bosses of his buckler, Job. 15.26. It is for a worm to bid a challenge to Omnipotency it self: yea, what shall I say? there are uncountable follies attend the commission of every sin; and no wisdom at all.
[Page 5]2. That hence all they that are under the Dominion of Sin, are egregious fools. There is folly cleaving to the best of Gods Children here, as long as they [...] body of death to carry about with them; and it shews it self in every stirring of the corrupt [...] but yet they have the principles of the true wisdom in them; they are such as are made wise to Salvation. But as for those in whom there are no seeds of saving Grace sown, but they yet remain in their natural estate, folly is bound up in their hearts, & they have no other principle in them As to their Understandings, they are foolish and perverse, they call evil good, and good evil. Isai. 5.20. As to their Wills and Affections, they are engaged. Eccl. 8.11. The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. They do nothing at all with a sincere aim at the glory of God, and the furtherance of their own salvation: yea, their whole life is a continual progress in the way that leads to destruction; hence we have that put into their description, Rom. 3.16, 17. Destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of Peace have they not known.
3. That Impenitent Sinners are the greatest fools of all. The Word of God often useth these words [ Sinners, Fools, Wicked] emphatically, for such as are peculiarly so: and then it intends either, (1.) Such as live in most notorious and prodigious sins; thus a common Whore is called a Sinner more than once in the Gospel: or (2.) Such as remain obstinate and impenitent in their [Page 6] Sins under, and notwithstanding means used to win them to repentance [...]ow the means used with them are of two sorts. (1.) Such as are afforded to the Gentiles, who have not the Gospel, viz. the light of a natural Conscience, and the common strivings of the Spirit of God in them; they are therefore said to be a Law to themselves, and their Consciences to bear witness, and either to accuse or excuse, Rom. 2.14, 15. and the Providences of God, which ought to be improved by that light, to excite them to repentance: thus the Goodness of God is said to lead to it, Rom. 2.4. and his common benefits are called witnesses, Acts 14.17. his Judgments also are that the Inhabitants of the World may learn righteousness, Isa. 26.9. (2) Such as those enjoy who sit under the means of Grace, wherein God shews them the evil and danger of their sins, and not only invites them to Repentance, but also gives them all suitable directions, and the greatest imaginable encouragements to help them in it; and these are afforded to such as are in the Covenant with him, Psal. 147.19, 20. he sheweth his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel: he hath not dealt so with any nation. Impenitence in the former of these is a note of inexcusable folly; and so it is charged on their foolish minds, Rom. 1.21. how much more then may it be imputed to the latter, and their folly be reputed the Paroxism of madness? inasmuch as they have a price in their hands, and have not an heart to make use of it; and whence is that, but because [Page 7] they are fools; according to, Prov. 17.16. Wherefore is there a price in the hands of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it? they have life and death set before them, and they chuse death; they have the way to escape the Wrath of God, and obtain Eternal Life, and regard it not; they are told whicher their sinful courses do lead, and where they will end, and yet they will take no warnings, but run wilfully and violently on to their own destruction, like that fool, Prov. 7.22, 23. he goeth after her straitway, as the ex goeth to the slaughter, and as a fool to the correction of the Stocks, till a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hacteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life; they are invited and entreated to be reconciled unto God, and to put away their sins by repentance, and they mind it not, but stop their ears, and harden their hearts, & turn their backs; they have a day of visitation, in which the things of their peace are set before them, and do not know it; they see others of their fellow sinners cut off by Gods awful Judgments, and it makes no impression upon them: yea, they themselves are brought to sorrow and shame; and still they will not be reclaimed: and were not madness in their heart, could they do so?
Prop. II. That therefore such Sinners shall not stand in the sight of God.
Could that Philistian Prince say, 1 Sam. 21.14, [Page 8] 15. the man is mad, wherefore then have ye hrought him to me? have I need of mad men? &c. and will not God declare as much concerning these? yea, he hath said it, Text. Here two things.
1. That no such as these shall stand in Gods sight. That this is so, our Text fully asserts, and many other parallel Scriptures confirm. All that lies before us at present, is to consider what is implied in this. The words are a threatning, and indeed a very awful one, as will presently appear. Here then let it be observed, that the expression may refer either to the time present, or that which is to come.
1. With respect to the time present; and then it intends that God will cut short their lives, and hurry them out of the World before they should have died, according to the ordinary course of nature; hence we read, Psal. 55.23. bloody and deeeitful men shall not live out half their days; and Eccles. 7.17. be not wicked overmuch, why shouldst thou dy before the time? It is a common favour which God allows to men as he sees meet, to spare them, and let them fill up their number of dayes; whereas such fools have reason to expect to be debarred of this priviledge, and posted away before hand. But I insist not here, though this also affords matter of awful consideration.
2. With respect to the time to come: and then to stand in Gods sight, intends to enjoy his special favour and love, and we have this infelicity expounded in Isa. 27.11, and there are two seasons [Page 9] wherein they shall be debarred of this favour.
1. In the day of Judgment. In some sense all must stand before him then; i. e. all shall be cited to make their personal appearance before God, and receive their doom; but by standing then, we are to understand their being acquitted and accepted, and acknowledged by him as his Redeemed; these only are said to stand then; whereas these fools shall fall before the Judge; they shall be utterly disclaimed by him, he will say to them, Depart, I know you not, Mat. 7.23. they shall be condemned and have a sentence of death pronounced on them, Mat. 25.41. Depart ye cursed, and in this respect it is said, Psal. 1.5. the ungodly shall not stand in the Judgment.
2. In the Eternal Kingdom; into which the righteous shall be received, and partake in the Everlasting Vision of God, these shall then be excluded, Mat. 8.12. The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness. We observed that the word signifies, A Settled Condition: Heaven is the Godly mans Inheritance, and when he comes there, he shall settle to remove no more; but there is no settlement for these, but an everlasting exclusion from the presence of God, which is a punishment ordained for them, 2 Thes 1.9. they shall never have one look or pitty or compassion from God any more for ever.
2. That the reason of this is, because they are such fools, this will appear, if we consider,
1. That all men are foolish in their Natural Estate, [Page 10] state, it is bred in, and born with them; it is the Wise mans observation. in Prov. 22.15. foolishness is bound up in the heart of a Child, and we have it more distinctly set forth in, Psal. 58.3, 4 5. The wicked are estranged from the womb, they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Ignorance of God, and alienation from him is rooted in the hearts of all the posterity of sinful Adam, and the Apostle give [...]n us a true account how it is with every natural man, before regenerating Grace hath renowed him, Eph. 4.18 having the understanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.
2. That yet there are a great many of these that shall stand in Gods sight. God hath not left this foolish and sinful race without all hope. The Doctrine before us, is not to drive the wretched children of men to despair. There have been such as have added to their natural folly, prodigious wickednesses, whereby they have expressed the height of their madness, who yet notwithstanding have been made partakers in this grace, to be heavens favourites, and taken near unto God, and entituled to all the Glories of his Kingdom, what saith the Apostle? 1 Cor. 6.9, 10, 11. Neither Fornicators, &c shall inherit the Kingdom of God, and such were some of you, but ye are washed, &c. and he puts himself in the number, in that declaration of his, Tit. 3.3. for we our selves also [Page 11] were sometime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving of divers lusts and pleasures, &c.
3. That in order to this they must be made wise. Though God saves such as have been foolish, yet he doth not save them in their folly, but from it. God hates sin, and it is his holy and pure nature that is displayed in his so doing, as Hab. 1.13. thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. There must therefore be a change wrought in them, they must be cured of this distemper, in order to their obtaining of this priviledge, though God be Gracious, yet he is Holy; and will not baulk this Holiness of his, but display it in the application of his grace to sinful men▪ There must therefore a work of Sanctification pass upon them, in which Sin must be subdued, and grace must be implanted in them.
4. That God offers this wisdom to all that live under the Gospel, and invites them to seek to him for it. Herein God shews his good will to such, in that he hath told them wherein the true wisdom consists, Job 28.28. to man he saith, the fear of God, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding; and hath pointed them to know where it is treasured, viz. in Christ, Col 2.13. in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom & knowledge, bids them come to him for it, and encourageth them so to do, Jam. 1.5. if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given [Page 12] him; yea, and expostulates with sinners about their refusing of it, as one that is grieved, Prov. 1.22. how long ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and ye scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
5. Hence it is by their impenitency that Sinners procure this to themselves. If they would have hearkened to Gods voice, and received instruction, it had not been so: but because they have hardened their hearts against all Counsel, and would not receive his reproofs, though he followed them with repeated cries and calls, and tried all courses with them unto wonderful long suffering, he therefore puts them out of his sight, and they shall fall before his judgment; hitherto therefore God reduceth the reason, and lays the charge on which the threatning is built; Prov. 1.24, &c. because I have called, and ye refused, &c. I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh, &c.
Prop. III. That this will render them extreamly miserable.
The Psalmist is here setting forth the miserable state of Impenitent Sinners; and the summe of all infelicity is contained in this very thing. Observe therefore;
1. That it is a woful infelicity for a Sinner to be every day exposed to destruction, to have the Wrath of God continually impending over him, [Page 13] to be in the state mentioned, Psal. 7.11. God is angry with the wicked every day; to have the Arm of Divine Vengeance up, with the glittering Sword of revenging Justice, ready to give him the deadly stroak▪ to have nothing before him but a fearful expectation of fiery indignation which shall devour him, when it lights upon him; in the fulness of his strength and folly, to fall upon him, and send him down to the pit of endless misery; such is the condition of impenitent sinners at the best; read at leisure, Job 18.5. to end, and you shall find it there astonishingly described, and see 1 Thes. 5.3. when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
2. Their condition must needs be fearful who shall fall before God in the judgment: who shall not be able to stand, when they shall appear before him in the great and terrible day. It is a dreadful thing to stand at an Humane Bar, and to have sentence of death pronounced upon one by the Judge; it fills the by standers with consternation, and what horror hath seized such as have been under it? What shrieks, and cries have they uttered! what will it then be when the Judge of all the Earth shall say to the man, as Mat. 21.41. Depart thou cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Which Sentence will be immediately followed with as terrible an Execution? and yet such is the portion of Impenitent Sinners.
[Page 14]3. That to lose the sight and favour of God for ever, is the quintessence of everlasting miseries; what saith the Psalmist, Psal 30.5. in thy favour is life. 63.3. thy loving kindness is better than life. 16. ult. in thy presence is fulness of joys; and the Apostle thought he had backed his Exhortation with a most potent argument in, Heb. 12.14. follow after Holiness, without which no man shall see God; in his light only can we see light; and there is nothing but outer darkness out of it; he that loseth God, loseth all: there is nothing but destruction that accompanieth this exclusion, Hos. 9 12. Wo to them when I depart from them, they fall under Gods indignation; and we are told, Psal. 11 6. upon the wicked be shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup; how miserable then must these forlorn creatures needs be!
USE I.
Learn hence the grievous folly of those that embolden themselves in sin, on presumption of Gods mercy. The truth is, the foolishness of Impenitency in nothing appears more, than in the arguings by which men strengthen themselves in it: and among these, I know none more amazing, than the delusion of a false hope in mercy; notwithstanding men persist in iniquity, and refuse to return, this is that which God complains of, Psal. 50.21. these things thou hast done, [Page 15] and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self. And the Prophet urgeth it on them, Jer. 7.9, 10. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, &c and come and stand, &c. and say, we are delivered to do all these abominations? As if God had no other way to shew himself merciful, but by saving sinners in their sins; whereas we are told that Christs great design is to save them from their sins. Matth. 1.21. Hence we have God using that Sarcasm, Isa. 27.4. Fury is not in me: who would set the briars and thorns against me in battel? I would go through them, I would burn them together: and drawing up that sentence, verse 11. It is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, will shew them no favour. But men forget that God hath a revenging Justice to glorify in the Obstinate, as well as Mercy on the Penitent: and whiles men thus nourish a vain hope, to gratify their own lusts, they lose the Opportunity of mercy, and lay up treasures of wrath; than which what madness can be more pernicious?
USE II.
Let it then be a word of warning and terrour to Impenitent Sinners under the Gospel, & I know none that carries more of dread in it, if well understood and believed, let all such then consider,
1. You are all foolish in your natural estate. Whatever vain opinion you have of your own [Page 16] wisdom, which is indeed but an indication of your folly, according to, Prov. 26.16. the sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that can render a reason; yet this is a great truth of all men as they come into the world in their natural estate, Job 11.12. vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild asses colt. The wise man gives in the true character of every Child of Adam, as he is in himself, from the beginning to the end, Eccles 9.3 the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the Dead.
2. If you live and dy such, you shall never stand in Gods sight; your doom is determined and pronounced: and you have the reason given in the words following our Text, thou hatest all the workers of Iniquity. And if God hates you, you have reason to expect that he will separate you from his presence. You have a fearful account given you, of the condition of those who add Impenitency to Iniquity, Psal. 7.12, &c. if he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready, &c.
3. God affords you the means of grace as a remedy to cure you of your foolishness: The great design of the Gospel and Ordinances, is to shew men the right way, to recover of their madness, and be made wise. This is the usefulness of the word of God, 2 Tim. 3.15. the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation ▪ [Page 17] they that have them not must needs dy without knowledge, it is the main design of the means to point us to this; God gives Pastors to feed men with knowledge and understanding, Jer. 3.15. What he saith of his Proverbs, may be applyed to the whole book of God, Prov. 2.3; 4. To know wisdom, and instruction, &c.
4. If you perish in your impenitency under these means, you will never be cured. Sinners, by their hardness of heart, withstand the efficacy of the Word and Ordinances; and when once it comes to that, that sinners do practically say, as they did expressly, Jer. 44.16. As to the word which thou speakest to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee; their case is next to desperate We have God therefore expostulating with such, Psal. 94.8. Ye fools, when will you be wise? These are the only means which God hath appointed to bring sinners to their right minds; and if the operation be contrary, it argues their case to be deplorable. Hence that complaint of our Saviour, Math. 23.37, 38. Jerusalem, &c. how often would I have gathered, &c. but ye would not: therefore is your house left unto you desolate.
5. However you now despise instruction, yet you will mourn for it at last. It will be a dreadful thing to lose Gods presence for ever, though now you can say unto him depart, yet when it comes to be your lot indeed to lose all your hope of his favour, this will be unconceivable bit [...]erness: [Page] and nothing will make it more bitter than to think, I had a day of Grace, wisdom himself pleaded with me, stretched out his hands all the day long to me; I heard the precious truths of the Gospel, I was told of my miserable state, entreated to consider of it, offered help out of it; was waited upon with line upon line, striven with, both by Parents, and Godly friends, and faithful Ministers, and by the Spirit himself together with them: I was told what it would come to; and yet I despised, I scorned, I would have mine own ways, and grew the more resolute in them, and now I am but filled with my own devices, and made to eat of the fruit of my own ways: and how dreadful an eccho of Conscience will this be? and yet we are told that thus it will be in the end, Prov. 5.11. &c. and thou mourn at last, &c. and say, how have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof? &c.
6. Hence think what a doom is hastning upon you, and what an execution will follow that. You must very shortly appear before God; your day of Grace will soon be at an end; the time is drawing near when God will say that his Spirit shall strive no more with you; the ax which lyeth at the root all this while, will cut you down, you must hear your terrible Judge say, depart from me, I know thee not, thou worker of iniquity: and when that word is once past, the sentence will take place. And whither must you go, when you depart from him, but to everlasting burnings? to [Page 19] the worm that dyes not, to the fire that is not quenched, to eternal torments, to dwell with the Devils and damned, and feel the endles impressions of the fury of a provoked God? and can your hearts endure? let these terrours of the Lord work on your hearts and perswade them.
And to that end,
1. Be convinced of your folly and madness. As long as you are wise in your own esteem, there is no hope that ever you should be so indeed; or so much as comply with the means that are made use of to render you so; it is the remark in, Prov. 26.12. Seest thou a man that is wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. Conversion begins at Conviction; and men are led to that Conviction by Consideration, as, Ezek. 18.28. Because he considereth, and turneth away from his transgressions &c. And think how unreasonable a thing it is to chuse Sin before Holiness, to prefer unprofitable vanities, before the glories of the everlasting Kingdom: to gratify your lusts, and undoe your Souls; for a few moments pleasure, in the gratification of the senses, to suffer eternal separation from God, and the fearful impressions of his insupportable wrath.
2. Deeply resent your danger. Think it not a small and inconsiderable thing to lose Gods gracious presence; and take heed of counting it a light matter to be thrust out of it, after all the offers of it that have been made to you, and advantages that have been put into your hands to [Page 20] gain it, and the importunate entreaties with which it hath been urged upon you, have been neglected, and despised by you. Yea, solemnly consider, that you can in nothing more dishonour God, or provoke him to hasten your wo day, and speedily to put you out of his sight at the farthest distance, than by hardning of your hearts against all his calls and warnings.
3. Be often pondering what a God you have to do withall. He is a great and a terrible God; if you lose his favour, and procure his anger to burn upon you, you will certainly fall before it. What saith he? Psal. 76.7. Thou, even those art to be feared; and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? He is an holy God; he hates, and is resolved signally to testify his displeasure at sin; and wo to those that must be made the monuments of that displeasure of his, better had it been for them, if they had never been born. He is a Just God, and he will not suffer the righteousness of his Law to fail; and if bold sinners will thrust themselves upon the swords point, they shall feel the smart of it, to their confusion. He is a True God, and faithful to his threatnings as well as to his promises, and if he hath said, that the foolish shall not stand in his sight, let all impenitent sinners look to themselves, for they shall find that the Strength of Israel is not a man that he shouldly, or a son of man, that he should repent.
4. Let the consideration of all this make you hasty, and in earnest to fly to God for his Spirit [Page 21] and Grace to make you wise. This is the right improvement that sinners ought to make of the Terrours of the Lord: it should make them afraid of the wrath of God, and put them into trembling at the apprehension of their danger; and by this fear to be stimulated to an uneasiness and restlessness in their present condition, and cause them to cry aloud to God, for his pitty and help, and by his Holy Spirit to work in them that great Change by which they may be turned from folly to wisdom, from darkness to his marvailous light, from sin to God. And let the dread of such a misery as this separation will certainly produce, be a spur to quicken you to make no more delays, lest whiles you dispise the mercy offered, and trifle away a precious day of Grace which you enjoy, you pull down vengeance on your own heads, & be put beyond hope for ever.
5. And to make you the more earnest, look on, and take warning by every awful monument of Gods dispeasure on this account. There are those Judgments of his in the World, which he designs to be exemplary, for the rousing up of secure sinners, and terrifying of them under the apprehension of his Holiness therein displayed. When any are left by God to themselves, and by their own naughtiness run themselves upon the sword of civil Justice, and must be cut off by it, God would have all Israel to hear, and fear, and do no more so presumptuously. Such an one we have now, in the Providence of God set before us; and the [Page 22] Lord give us all the Grace to learn by it, and let young ones in a special manner, and more peculiarly, such as are in their sins, and leading a course, possibly as vile and abominable as that was which led her into this snare; take warning from this, and let it be a solemn admonition to you: let her History be your Caution, lest God be provoked to make you an History too.
And now let me direct my speech to her, but let all sinners in the Congregation take warning by it, and not look upon themselves unconcerned. Let me then say unto you, that your own sin hath found you out, and God hath made you a Spectacle to the world, of his righteous indignation. Your life is forfeited as to man; you are made a Curse, and may not be suffered to live, but must be Cut off, lest otherwise the Judgments of God should fall upon the land. But still there is hope in Israel concerning this thing, with regard to your poor immortal Soul; though you must flee to the pit, and no man may stay you; yet Sovereign Grace can say of you, as, Job 33▪24▪ Deliver her from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom: only know and be assured, that if ever you be Saved, you must be Converted; and in order to your being Converted, you must be Humbled. And for your help, I have five things to advise you about; and do you look up unto God, that you may be enabled solemnly to entertain them.
[Page 23]1. Think what an egregious fool you have been; if ever God shew you mercy, he will imprint this thought on your heart very deep. Remember then, you were born and brought up in a Land of Uprightness, in the Valley of Vision, where Christ and Salvation by him hath been published. You were admitted in your Childhood to partake in the priviledges of the Gospel Covenant; & have been by Baptism Sealed to the Service of God, and devoted to be for him and no other. You have doubtless had many private warnings and counsels given you by your Parents, and Kindred, and Godly Neighbours. You have sat under the clear Dispensations of the Word of God, in which you have been many a time over, told of your sinful courses, and the certain destruction that they would lead you to, if you held on in them, and been solemnly advised to break off your sins by repentance; and all arguments have been used with you to perswade you of the necessity and happiness of your so doing. You have seen and heard of the falls of others, and of the misery which they brought themselves into thereby. You have been your self left by God to fall into scandalous sins, and warned thereby to beware and not to go on, lest some worse thing should befal you; and yet how have you despised instruction, & scorned reproofs, and more desperately resolved in your own ways and courses, until the holy God was provoked to leave you up to your self, and withhold his restraining grace from you, and so suffer [Page 24] you, by your unaccountable madness, to lay your self open to the Sword of Justice, and you must now dye, as one that would not be instructed; and you may well reflect on that expostulation, and think, that you hear God so saying to you, Jer. 2.17. hast thou not procured this to thy self, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way? Cry out then bitterly of this your own foolishness.
2. Be convinced of the amazing danger which you have exposed your self to, by your fearful hardness of heart; and tremble to think, that this hardness that you are under the power of, may be Judicial. I am sure it is so sometimes, in Gods righteous judgment, with such as God hath spoken to, used many endeavours with, but they would not receive his advice: affected hardness is very often punished in this life, with inflicted hardness; as Psal. 81.11, 12. my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts, and they walked in their own counsels; and what more fearful plague can befal any soul on this side of Hell? Had not your heart been dreadful hardned, would you not have taken warning by the first fall which God left you to, to have avoided evermore exposing of your self to such another; nay, would it not have driven you to have sought unto God for grace to prevent you, and for forgiveness and peace through the blood of Christ? Had not your heart been desperately obdurate, would [Page 25] you, when by your most egregious wickedness, you had again fallen into your former sin, have run your self over such a precipice as this, to expose your self, by adding of Murder to Whoredoms, to have your life taken away from you by the Hand of Justice; but rather have sought your peace with God? Had not your heart been harder than an Adamant, would not the horridness of that Sin of Murder, which without all reason, and by an unaccountable desperateness you precipitated your self into, have made you to relent? whereas instead of discovering a broken heart, and a contrite spirit, upon a reflection on it, your whole carriage both before and at your Trial, and at the very pronouncing of a Sentence of Death upon you, hath been such, and so stupendous, as hath put a grief of heart, into all that fear God, who have either seen it, or heard of it; & what do you think this Impenitency will lead to at length, if God do not graciously heal you of it?
3. See what a little time you have left you, and how soon your case will be determined for Eternity. I know, that there is never a bold and secure Sinner in the Congregation, who can tell but that he may be Cited before Gods Tribunal, sooner than you shall, and had therefore need to see to his own concern: But this you know, that you are dead in the Law, and may every day expect to have the Warrant Signed, and warning given you to go to Execution. Well; bethink [Page] your self; no more opportunity for the securing your Souls Eternal Welfare is before you. When once you are dead, you are fixed unchangeably; if your peace be not made before then, you are gone for ever: And Oh, what a great work have you to do in a little time? and the Lord knows whether at present it be so much as begun in you; yea, there are fearful tokens that it is not. Oh that this pungent word may, by his grace give a forcible stroak unto it.
4. Suitably repent of all your follies in particular. Repentance and Pardon are inseparable; & you are told who it is that hath the dispensation of both, viz Christ: Acts 5.31. him hath God exalted with his Right-hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; and be sure to seek to him for it, as you hope to obtain it; let all the obstinacy and hardness of heart which you have laboured of, be exceeding bitter to you, call all your sins to remembrance, and let every one of them be confessed & bewailed apart; and more peculiarly those sins that have brought you to this, your pride, your disobedience to your Parents, your impatience of Family Government, your company keeping, your Whoredoms, and your despising of Christ, who hath offered himself to you; and let all this lead you to the fountain of Iniquity, to the source or original of all abominations, and make you to confess with David, Psal. 51.5. behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. [Page 27] Beware of hiding, excusing, extenuating, falsely denying of any thing, wherein the Glory of God is concerned: what said he to Achan, when Gods Providence had discovered him, Josh 7.19. My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, & make confession to him; and be sure to pour out your heart before God, with the most aggravating acknowledgments, in all the circumstances, with deepest self loathings and hatred of your sins, utterly renouncing of them; remember what is said, Prov. 28.13. he that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy.
5. Now humbly betake your self to the blood of sprinkling; come to the fountain opened, to be washed in; there is enough in the blood of Christ for your pardon and healing, 1 Joh. 1.7. the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin; there wants not vertue in him to save such an one as you are▪ for we are assured, Heb. 7.25. he is able to save to the uttermost 1 Tim. 1.15. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Isa 1.18 though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. There have as great sinners as you, sought mercy, and found it. God can be just, and yet forgive your sin; he can get himself a name, and exalt the glo [...]y of his grace, in you; he can make those falls of yours to be the occasions of his appearing in his grace the more eminently to you, in his humbling, healing, and pardoning of you; [Page 28] and so making it to appear in you, how much more that can do for the saving of a Soul▪ than a vile hardned sinner can do for her own undoing. Only beware of cheating your self by any fond presumptions of mercy though you live in your Impenitence, or of supposing that you can comply with the terms of peace in your own strength: but carefully spend the residue of your little time, in lying prostrate at the footstool of the throne of Soveraign Grace, looking up to him, ho hath mercy on whom he will have mercy; and with repeated earnestness cease not to offer up that petition to him, while you have any breath left in you, Psal. 25.11. For thy name sake, Oh Lord, pardon mine Iniquity, for it is great.
A Citation TO Judgment after DEATH.
— And after this the Judgment.
THIS Verse is the protasis of a comparison which the Apostle makes use of in his Discourse; which needs not for the present be insisted on, or laid open, in as much as we have now to do but with the general Doctrine contained in the words themselves. Among all those things which men are invited to the serious contemplation of, there are none [Page 30] that carry more of solemnity in them, than those of Death and Judgment: because the former of these puts an end to mans life and time, and opportunities; and the other disposeth them to an Everlasting and Unchangeable Estate. Death it self is stiled a King of Terrours in the Holy Scriptures; and the Philosopher could call it, [TON PHOBERON PHOBERATAION] of fearful things, the most fearful; but that which adds to the tremendousness of it, is that it is a passage to the great and last Judgment, which the ignorant Gentiles had but dark notice of; but is evidently manifested in the Word of God, which we Christians are favoured withal. The verse before us, gives us an intimation of both these, and of the certainty of them, as things which are appointed. The word [ appointed] signifies both a designation, & a reservation of a thing; notifying that, as there is an Eternal purpose for it in the Decree of God, so it is his fixt and unchangeable will that it shall so be; and accordingly all men are reserved for it. It is the latter of these statutes then that I am now to treat of, though with that respect as it is consequent upon the former. In the words then, there are three things to be observed:
(1.) A Statute for the Judgment is asserted; and thereby we are assured that it shall be without fail; for the appointment mentioned in the beginning of the verse hath reference to this as well as to death; and this is the first and most proper signification of the word.
[Page](2.) The time when it shall be, after that men dy. And although we are not told how soon it shall be after, yet we have Scripture warrant to conclude, that every ones personal Judgment will follow presently upon it; though the great and general Judgment is reserved until the consummation of all things, as will be farther observed anon.
(3.) The subjects of it, or who they are on whom this Judgment shall pass: men, indefinitely expressed; it intends all men: this Judgment is as extensive as Death; yea there have been, & will be some exceptions from the general Rule about Death, who have been translated, or shall be changed; but even these also shall come to the Judgment.
Hence,
DOCTRINE.
A certain Death shall be followed with as certain a Judgment. It is every whit as certain that men shall come unto Judgment, as that they shall Dye.
That every one must dy sooner or later, is an acknowledged truth by all, and proved by universal experience: though, Oh how few do improve it to good purpose? And a reason why this truth hath no more proper or suitable impressions on mens minds, may be because, either they believe not, or put from them the thoughts of [Page 32] the ensuing account which they shall be called unto, and look no further than the Grave, where they think there will be an end of them, which must needs make them unconcerned for that which comes after. But here we are led into the contemplation of a more awful truth, which is no less real, though not so obvious to the senses. I shall not at present enter upon any distinct or methodical discourse about this matter, but only make some cursory glances on it. There are therefore three or four brief Observations which I shall make on this truth, to make it practicable.
I. That there is a future Judgment to which all reasonable Creatures shall be called. How far the Doctrine of a future Judgment hath been entertained by the light of nature, in the Consciences of men acted by humane reason, without the help of Scripture revelation, I shall not now enquire. But that it is an Article of faith, commended to us by the infallible Oracles of that God who cannot ly, or be mistaken, is written with Sun beams in his word. Read for this, Eccles. 12.14. God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil. Acts 17.31. he hath appointed a day in which he will Judge the World in righteousness, by the man whom he hath appointed. 2 Cor. 5 10. we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body; and we have a description of it [Page 33] given to us by Christ himself, in Math. 25.33, to end. And it must need be so for, there is a special Government of God, to be acknowledged, in the managment whereof he will bring all reasonable Creatures to an everlasting state of happiness or misery, according to their Obedience or Disobedience to the Law of that Government, in prosecution whereof he will display the Glory of his Justice and Grace. God deals with his Creatures in his Government, according to the nature which he saw meet to bestow on them in their Creation. Now when God Created man, he made him a reasonable Creature, and thereby capable of being treated in the way of a Covenant, by precepts and promises, and threatnings; according unto which capacity, he gave him a Command, and required his obedience to it; promised him a reward of life, in case of his performing of perfect Obedience thereunto; denouncing Death against him in case he should disobey. He hath also, upon mans Apostasy by which he fell under a Curse of Death, revealed to him a new and a living way for his recovery out of that misery into which he was plunged; and hath treated some of that race with a Covenant of Grace, in which he hath promised them life upon their compliance with it, and menaced them with damnation, yea double damnation, on their neglect of it. All these things are abundantly testified to in the Word of God: Now men are, according to their behaviour, with respect to this discovery [Page 34] which God hath made of himself to man, and obligation which he hath laid him under, disposed of everlastingly: In order unto which they are to pass under a Trial. Where there is a Law given to reasonable Creatures, established with Sanctions, there must needs be a Judgment, in which their relation thereto is to be examined, and a retribution made to them accordingly. Either they have complied with the Rule given to them, and are to receive a reward of life; or they have revolted therefrom, & have not sought and made their peace, according to the tenour of the Covenant of Grace; and then they must receive the wages of sin, which is death, as we are told, Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death. He therefore that acknowledgeth a Government of God over rational beings, must needs believe that there shall be a Judgment, or a time of Trial and Recompences.
II. That this Judgment is after Death; this is the order that it is manifestly put in, Text. That there are many awful and stupendous Judgments that God brings upon men in this world, is not to be denied; in which he declares his Holiness and just Indignation at sin; and hence we are told, Psal. 9.14. The Lord is known by the Judgment that he executeth. There is also a Court which God hath set up in mens Consciences, at which Bar they are sometimes solemnly tried, and being there convicted of breaking the Holy Law of God, & [Page 35] laying themselves open to the vengeance therein threatned, they are filled with horrors. But it is another Judgment whereof we are now considering, in which men are to appear before God, and receive from him their final doom, which, when it is once past, shall be immediately put in Execution. Now this men come not to in this life, but after they are dead; so that death is not, as too many vainly dream, the last news that shall be heard of men, but there is something more fearful and amazing that comes after it, and that is the Judgment. There is a Judgment to come; so Paul Preached to Faelix, at the report whereof he trembled, Acts 24.25. and when is that, but when men are past from time, and have done the work which they were engaged in in this life? while men are in this world, conversant in the body, they are upon probation for Etetnity, they are laying in, and making way for their account, and all that they do here bears a proper respect thereunto; for they are the works which are done in the body, which must be called to an after reckoning, 2 Cor. [...] 10. hence sinners are said in this time to be [...] up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 2 5. It is evident, that neither good men nor evil men are in this life, openly distinguished in the observable Providences of God, except in some special instances; love and hatred cannot be known by all that is before them, Eccles. 9.1. yea, the wise man hath an observation, as if often times, the outward face of things look with a [Page 36] contrary aspect, Eccles. 8 14 there be just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; & there be wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. What shall we say? It is for the present a day of patience & forbearance with which God sees meet to treat men, even the worst of men withal, in which he lets them alone for a while, & suffers them to go on, till they have filled up their measure: and though they give him uncountable and very grievous provocations, yet he falls not upon them. But yet he is brought in laughing at them all the while, and we are told the reason of it, Psal 37.13. The Lord shall laugh at him, for he seeth that his day is coming. Since then men are not called to their reckoning here, it remains that they be summoned to it afterwards; inasmuch as it is certain, that God will sooner or later manifest the glory of his Holiness and Righteousness, and make it known that he is the great Potentate and Ruler of Angels and men.
III. That there is a particular Judgment to which every man shall be called immediately after Death. It is true, the general Judgment is reserved for the great and last day, when, after the whole affair of time is wound up, God will call all reasonable Creatures to an account; and, having raised up their dead bodies to life, and re-united them to their Souls, of which Resurrection also the word of God gives us the assurance; he will cite them before his Tribunal, [Page 37] and dispose of them in their whole persons eternally, which day is peculiarly Celebrated in the Book of God; which, though it also follows after mans death, yet it will not be till a long time after a great many have dyed, and seen Corruption; and that because there were other Generations to be born, and live, and dy, until the whole Series of them, according to the Divine appointment, be consummated. But there is, besides this, another more particular one, which passeth upon the Soul, on its departure from the body, which, though it be not so frequently, or expresly spoken of in the Holy Scriptures, yet there are also sufficient intimations of it there to be found, enough to confirm our faith in the belief of it. This is an indubitable truth, that the Soul of man doth not dy a proper natural Death; nor is it capable of it. The man indeed is said to die, by reason of the dissolution of the bond of Union, and the separation which is thereupon made between the Soul and Body, whereupon the body remains a Carcase, and must suffer Corruption, after which there must be a powerful Resurrection bestowed on it, in order to its being made capable of standing forth in Judgment. But it is otherwise with the Soul; that, in its separate state, still retains its Spiritual and Immortal nature, which it is in no other way able to lose but by an Annihilation; and it is accordingly disposed of presently to its unchangeble state, whether it be of weal or wo. When [Page 38] Lazarus dyeth, his Soul is forth with carryed by a Convoy of Angels, into Abrahams bosome, and that is no other but a place and state of actual Felicity. When the Wicked Rich man dyes, the next news that we hear of his Soul is in Hell, whether it is carried, and where it is disposed of; and that not only as in a Prison, but as a place of Execution, where it suffers the penalty which its sin had procured for it: for this reason we have him pouring out his doleful complaint, Luk. 16.24. I am tormented in this flame. And we have Abraham brought in declaring concerning them both, Verse 25. He is comforted, and thou art tormented. When the penitent Thief dyes, he is the same day entertained with his Saviour in Paradise; for so Christ himself promised to him, Luk. 23.43. which must needs intend a state of actual blessedness enjoyed in that place. And why was Paul in such a strait, and so desirous to depart? Phil. 1.23. it was to be with Christ, which he saith is best of all; which it could not be, if he did not presently enter into communion with Christ in blessedness. Now certainly, mens going actually to receive rewards and punishments, necessarily infers a Judgment that is past upon them in order thereunto: for those things are beyond all question, disposed of by God, in the exercise of his Government over the Creature, as he is the Judge of all. Besides, there is such an Indefinite assertion used by the wise man, which amounts to an universal, and hath a respect to all sorts of [Page 39] men, Eccl. 12.7. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return to God who gave it. These two returns are put together as contemporary; and all Souls do not return to God as their Father, to be admitted into his Kingdom, and to dwell with him, and enjoy his favourable presence for ever; that is a priviledge proper only to the Godly, and none shall enjoy it but those whom Christ hath Redeemed and Saved. As for the ungodly, it is said concerning them, Psal 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the nations that forget God. It is therefore to God as a Judge, to be doomed, and disposed of by him, according to his righteous Judgment.
IV. That this is an awfull consideration to men while they live, and peculiarly so to such as are just ready to dy. I may not tarry at these things, to give a distinct and particular account of them, but must only give some brief glances at them: And there are two assertions in this Observation.
1. It carryes awe in it to men while they live▪ to put them on the greatest Circumspection to themselves in their whole course. If there were no Judgment to come, what need would there be for men to take any care how or after what manner they lead their lives? The Epecurian Doctrine, let us drink and drab, let us revel and swagger, and give every sensual lust its freest scope to satisfie [Page 40] it self, might plead, if not reason, yet immunity and security; for, if there be no after reckoning, there is then no danger at all. But this thought, if it be rightly entertained, will be a strong curb to sin, and a sharp spur to duty, inasmuch as it must needs lead mens thoughts forward to such meditations as these: There is certainly a future Judgment, in which I am personally concerned. I am Gods Creature, and am placed under the Rule of his special Government, and interested in the Sanctions of his Holy Law. I am now a probationer for that day, and all that I am doing in this world hath a reference unto that, and must come under the strict examen of it. Every thought of mine heart, every word of my mouth, and every deed that I do, will then be called over, and tryed whether it be conformable to, or dissonant from the Rule, by the which I must be either acquitted or condemned; and so exact will that scrutiny be, that not so much as one idle word shall escape it, Math 12.36. Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment. I am under the watchful eye of an all-seeing God, who keeps an exact account of all my thoughts, words and deeds, and will certainly in that day, bring them into open light, and set them in order before me; For God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing, Eccl. 12.14. I must dy ere long, and there is no possible avoidance of it, and then to the Judgment I must, [Page 41] whether I will or no; and it will be utterly in vain for me to tire the Rocks and Mountains, to hide me from the presence of the great God, or secure me from making my appearance before his Judgment seat. There will need no witness then to be produced to prove any of the matters that shall be alledged against me; since mine own Conscience is an exact register of all things, and will be more than a thousand witnesses. I am, all the time that I am living in this world laying up treasures for eternity, and those either of happiness or of misery, which shall be righteously distributed to me, according as I have been laying in in this time. I have a righteous Judge unto whom I must give up my accounts, with whom there is no respect of persons, and a vain thing it is to hope to bribe him; but according as my true state, upon the most exact enquiry, shall be found, so will he take order about me, and pass the sentence either of absolution or condemnation upon me. Now, what a check would such reflections as these are, throughly believed, and fixedly entertained, give to the mad youngster, in the midst of all his frolicks, and mar all the mirth of his greedy lusts, turning it into bitterness? God therefore offers such a memento as this is to these. Eccl. 11.9. Rejoyce, O young man, in thy youth, and let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into Judgment. [Page 42] Yea, how would it put every one of us upon greater wariness to our selves, and make a deep impression of that advice upon our hearts, Eph. 5.15. See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time. How would it put us upon pondering our way, and living by rule, and make us afraid of rash & precipitant rushing into any action? I am sure that Job tells us that he was awed by such a thought as this, and upon it to look well to himself, lest at any time he should expose himself to the danger of not being able to hold up his head, when he should be called to a reckoning, Job 31.14. What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
2. And what an amazing thought must it needs be to them, that are at the point of death, except they have made their peace with God? As for those indeed, who have through grace obtained a pardon & acceptance unto life through the New-Covenant, this thought must needs afford to them all preciousness and desirableness; though still, the very nature of the thing will carry in it an holy awe on their hearts. But as for all others, how can they, at such an hour, look upon it without horror? Truly, the uncertainty of death, and the certainty of the following Judgment, and Reckoning he must then be called to, is enough constantly to fill the sinner with consternation, for that he hath reason every moment to be afraid of the arrest: though careless men, put away the [Page 43] thoughts of this, on presumption that the vision is for many days to come. But when he perceives that he hath but a very few days or hours to stay; death now stares him in the face, shews him its Warrant, and tells him he must be gone, & there is no hope of a longer reprieve; what a tumult will it raise in him, and what pungent thoughts must it needs fill him withal? can he but reflect and say? my working time is now done, my day in which I have been laying up for another world, is over, and I am now ready to pass into an amazing Eternity; and what an unconceivable change will it make with me? what little hope have I that this Change is like to be unto me for the better, and not for the worse? I have indeed been hard at work in my little time, and pursued my buisiness with great eagerness, but what manner of work is it that I have been doing? I have been laying up of vast treasures, but where is it they are stored? I am now going to appear before my Judge; my naked soul, must, in a very little while be brought before his Tribunal; and he will certainly recompence me, without all partiality, according to what I have done in the body, whether it be good or evil: If the life I have led in this world hath been wicked, how can I expect that my latter end should be peace? There is an Heaven and an Hell before me, one whereof will receive me as soon as I depart; but into which of these am I like to pass? the Judge will certainly appoint me to one or the other of them. Oh! [Page 44] where shall this Immortal Soul of mine lodge, when it shall be called out of this mortal body, & shall be required at mine hands? Have I any good reason to think that it shall be received by the blessed Angels, and lodged in Abrahams Bosome; or rather fall into the hands of rageful Devils, and be burried to endless torments? What manner of life is it that I have been leading in the World? Which way is it that I have been going? Have I chosen that narrow way that leads unto life, which there are but a few that find? or have I not rejected it, and gone in the broad way that leads to destruction, in which the multitude of mankind are travelling? what Guilt is it that I have been contracting to my self by transgressing of Gods Law, and exposing my self to the curse of it? how many horrid and amazing sins do there stare me in the face? sins which I have committed against light, against conscience, against mercy and patience, against counsels and warnings, against the strivings of the Spirit of God? and what hope have I that these sins are forgiven, and shall not be laid to my charge? what grounds have I to think that my person is accepted with God? and what is the foundation on which my hopes are built? have I truly and cordially repented of these sins of mine, or rather hardned mine heart against all calls, and counsels, into impenitence? have I really forsaken these sins, never to have to do with them more, or do I not hold them fast, and refuse to let them go? Have I gotten into Christ by a true [Page 45] and living faith? Have I made my Judge mine Advocate and my friend? or have I not despised all his offers of Grace and Mercy, and resisted his Spirit who strove with me, and thereby horribly aggravated my Guilt, provoked him to take Vengeance on me? How shall I appear before this Great and Terrible God? must I in that condition be haled to his Judgment Seat? is there nothing to be done yet for my safety, that I may not fall under his terrible indignation, but may meet him with comfort? must I dy, and be judged, and condemned, and damned for ever? Happy, yea thrice happy are they that can say as he, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will give me at that day. But as for me, what shall I do?
I had chosen this text for a most solemn occasion, which had been designed for this day; which, in pity to an Immortal Soul, and to give Opportunity of a farther space for repentance is deferred. God grant it to obtain the desired end. But I hope, with his blessing, it may prove a seasonable subject, both to the miserable object, and to the whole Congregation. I shall therefore offer at a brief Application of it.
USE. I. For Information in three particulars.
[Page 46]1. Learn we hence the folly and madness which the generality of man kind do labour of. Are all men riding post to their dissolution, and must they thence pass unto Judgment? we must then certainly conclude, that the workers of iniquity have no understanding. If we take a due observation of the Lives and Conversations which the most of the Children of men are leading, we may plainly read thus much in them, viz. That they either believe that they shall never dy, or at the least that they have no thoughts or expectations of ever being called to an after reckoning. Doth the Covetous worlding, who lays out all his thoughts and industry, in laying up his treasures on earth, and making of that his only care, that by heaping up wealth, and providing himself with abundance of the good things of this life, he may have encouragment to sing that requiem to his Soul; Luk. 12.19. Soul, thou hast goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. Doth he believe that he shall ever be parted from his possessions, and he made to go to the generation of his fathers, never to see light? Doth the Profligate Voluptuary, who seek no farther than to immerge himself in carnal pleasures, spending of his time among vain and lewd Companions, in drinking, and gaming, and wanton dalliances, always making provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof, ever affect his heart with the thought or belief of the days of darkness which shall be many? Doth the Profane Swearer, that is every day rending of Gods blessed name with [Page 47] horrid Oaths and Curses; the wicked Sabbath breaker, who, on design, takes holy time, for his most gratefull Opportunity of acting his greatest debaucheries; the Licentious Young person, who despiseth his Parents, rejects all their faithful counsels, and warnings, rebelliously and resolutely breaks away from under the yoke of Family Government, and gives the reins to his youthful lusts; the Fornicator and Adulterer, who with greatest greediness drinks his stollen waters, & eats his bread in secret; the thief, who watcheth for the twilight, for the black and dark night, to commit his outrages in; do these, & a great many more that might here have been brought into the number, believe that their sins are written with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, and that for all these things God will shortly call them to a severe account? Do careless sinners, who trifle away a day of grace, without regard to their Souls and Eternity; who live contented in their state of Unregeneracy, and take no heed to make their peace with God, or seek to secure an interest in Christ, and that Salvation which is wrought out by him, by giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure; expect shortly to be called to a reckoning for their Talents received, & be doomed accordingly? certainly no. And doth not the truth now under consideration say, that all these labour of madness in their hearts whiles they live?
2. Here we see one great reason why there is so much horrid wickedness committed in the [Page 48] World, the root of it indeed is in that Original Sin, which the hearts of all men are by nature full of, and is a fountain that is always sending forth its bitter streams: and he was never rightly acquainted with his own naughtiness, who is not led by the observation of his actual prevarication to the source from which all do derive: However, there are those restraints under which the Corruption that is within men is held back from breaking forth into prodigious Enormities, which is none of the least of these favours which God indulgeth the children of men withal, but for which all humane Societies must disband, and one, and not the least of these, is the dread of an after reckoning imprinted on the Consciences of men, by which they are kept in awe; when therefore this chain, with which God ties men up, and sets bounds to their violence, is taken off, and men are insensible of any impressions from it, what will not their impetuous lusts make them dare to do? It is the Psalmists observation in Psal. 36.1. The transgression of the wicked saith in my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes, and did men think of, or believe the terrors of the Lord, they would surely make them afraid; were the expectation of a future judgment, and a strict reckoning then to be taken of men, of all that ever they have done, realities to them, they would not dare to do as they do. Would the bold Sinner dare to run himself upon the point of the sword of revenging Justice, if he knew that it is for his life: Would [...]