Looking Unto Jesus

SECT. I. Of Christ's preparing for Judgment.

AND is not yet all done? O the unwearied patience, love, mercy, free grace of Christ in carrying on this mighty work! he begun it before the beginning of the world; since then he hath been laboring in it about six thousand years; and now the time of restoring being come, he will perfect what he hath begun, and bring on the other end of the Golden chain; Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. In this piece also as in the former we shall first lay down the object, and then give directions how to look upon it.

The Object is Jesus, carrying on the great work of our salvation in his coming again to earth, and taking up with him all his Saints into Heaven. In this work I shall set before you these particulars:

• 1. Christ's preparing for judgment.
• 2. Christ's coming to judgment.
• 3. Christ's summons of the Elect to come under judgment.
• 4. Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day.
• 5. Christ's sentencing or judging the Saints for eternal glory.
• 6. Christ and the Saints judging the rest of the world.
• 7. Christ and his Saints going up into Heaven; when shall be the end of this world.
• 8. Christ surrendering and delivering up the Kingdom to God even the Father.
• 9. Christ's subjection to the Father, that God may be all in all.
• 10. Christ (notwithstanding this) being all in all to his blessed, saved, redeemed Saints to all eternity.

1. For his preparing for judgment. When once the number of all his Elect shall be completed, and the work of his intercession shall be at an end, then immediately will follow these particulars. As—

1. A great voice comes out of the Temple of Heaven, saying, it is done. It comes out of the Temple of Heaven, that we may understand it to be the voice of Christ. And if this speech be directed unto God, it is as if Christ had bespoke his Father thus. And now, O my Father, I have done; that office of the Priest-hood which by agreement we erected, is now at an end: here I have sat at thy right hand interceding for my Saints ever since my ascension; and of all that thou hast given me by thine eternal election I have not lost a Saint; in their several ages I produced them and gave them a being, and in their times I remembered them, and presented their conditions and necessities before thee; and now I have not a Saint more; in the Book of life there is not another name written to be born on earth; and to what purpose should I now continue the world? the Saints are they for whom I made the world, the Saints are they that hold forth the light of my glory in the world, the Saints are they for whom my eternal counsels before the world did work, the Saints are they for whom I was content to shed my precious blood when I was in that world below; and now their number is completed, I am resolved to unpin the fabric of the world, and take it down; it stands but for their sakes, and therefore now let the seventh Angel blow his trumpet, that the mystery of God may be finished. I swear by him that lives forever, that time shall be no longer.

2. No sooner this said, but the seventh Angel sounds. This seventh Angel (saith Pareus ) is the Arch-angel that proclaims Christ's coming, with a great and mighty shout; For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Arch-angel, and with the trump of God. The Lord shall descend with a shout; but before he descend, and I believe upon the very discovery of his coming down, there will be a shout in Heaven; for so it follows, And the seventh Angel sounded, and there were great voices in Heaven; if we may believe Commentaries, these are the voices of blessed souls, and blessed souls, and blessed Angels in heaven; no sooner Christ bids the Angel sound] q. d. summon those blessed souls that were slain for the Word of God, and therefore cried, How long Lord, holy and true? summon those blessed souls that have cried so long, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly; summon all souls, and summon all Angels, and bid them wait on me, now I resolve to go down, and to judge the world:) no sooner I say Christ bids the Angel sound, but presently at the joy of this command, all the voices in Heaven give up a shout; why, this is the long-looked for day, the day of perfecting the number of the Saints; the day of joining the souls and bodies of the Saints together; the day of convening all the families both of Saints and Angels under one roof; the day of bringing up the Bride unto the Lamb, and of completing the Marriage in its highest solemnity: and therefore no wonder if at this news great voices and cries (such as are used by Mariners, or gatherers of the vintage) were made in Heaven. O what an addition of joy is this to Heavens joy itself! the spirits of the just, and the blessed Angels that have lived together in heavens bliss, had never such an adventitious joy as this before; now they shout and sing a new and blessed Song, The kingdoms of this world, are become the Kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. We may call this Heavens triumph for the finishing of God's mystery. Now is it that Christ will vindicate his Kingdom, and overthrow the power of his enemies; they had long set themselves against the Lord, and against his anointed; the Kings of the earth, and the Rulers confederated; they ruled all, and as much as in them lay, excluded Christ; but now the Kingdoms of the world will return to Christ, and he alone shall rule; and thence the winged Choristers of Heaven chant forth this Anthem, The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of Christ.

3. After this shout, The four and twenty Elders which sit before God on their seats, fall upon their faces, and worship God, saying, we give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty, w ••• h art, and wast, and are to come, because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and h • 〈◊〉 •• ned; and the nations were angry, &c. By these four and twenty Elders we un •• 〈◊〉 • ll God's Saints of the Old and New Testament, comprehended under the twe ••• 〈◊〉 • riarchs, and twelve Apostles; others would have them to be only those Saints 〈◊〉 Old Testament, and therefore called Elders; whosoever they are, we find they are so glad at this news, that Christ will now judge the world, that presently they rise off their seats, and fall on their faces; and first they praise, and then they pray: 1. They praise God for taking to himself his own power; Christ connived (as it were) till now at the power of his enemies; Antichrist, and not Christ seemed to rule, and to sit in the Temple of God; but now Christ is resolved to rule himself, and to make all his enemies his footstool: and therefore now We give thee thinks, O Lord God Almighty, 2. They pray Christ to go on to judgment. 1. Because the nations were angry, q. d. they have been angry long enough, they have set themselves against Christ and against his Church, and therefore now it is time to bridle their wrath, and to break them with a rod of Iron, O let thy wrath come. 2. Because the time of judgment is now accomplished which God had decreed in his eternal counsel, and which the Father had put in his own power; This time was not for mortals to know, but now 'twas revealed to these celestial spirits by Christ, and therefore they beg, Go on Lord Jesus; reward now thy Servants, Prophets, Saints; and destroy them which destroyed the earth.

4. God the Father is well pleased with Christ's purpose of judging the world. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. I know these words were spoke to Christ at his ascension into Heaven, yet that hinders not but that now God speaks them again to Christ; for as yet (saith the Apostle) we see not all things put under him; and God's purpose was that Christ should rule, until he had put all things in subjection under his feet. Nay, why not these words spoken now rather than before? Christ indeed reigned as King ever since his Ascension, but now more especially he is to manifest his Kingdom, for now is he to judge among the heathen, now is he to wound the heads of many countries, now is he to overthrow Pope, Turk, and all his enemies, and he alone with the Father and the Spirit is to reign in his Elect Saints and Angels. Thus all agree, that Christ in the latter days shall be fully honored in his Kingly power; hitherto Christ hath been much honored in his Prophetical and Priestly office, but not so much in his Kingly; but now he must be fully honored in his Kingly office; now especially The Kingdoms of this world must become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ; and so he shall reign forever and ever. Certainly there is a difference betwixt Christ's reign before, and his present reign at the day of judgment, Christ hath a double Throne wherein he sits and reigns, To him that overcomes will I give to sit with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. That Kingly rule that Christ hath from his ascension is upon his Fathers Throne, but the Kingdom that Christ shall have at the day of judgment and ever after, it is the joint reign of him with the Father, he shall have a Throne himself, and the Saints shall sit with him in his own Throne: And now saith the Father, Sit thou at my right hand, q. d. sit on thy own Throne by me; go on to judge the Nations; I will not judge them, but only in thee, and by thee; Lo I have committed all judgment unto the Son, and do thou judge them, until thou hast rewarded thy friends, and made thine enemies thy footstool. Mark, He hath committed all judgment unto the Son; the Father gives the Son a Commission; wherein is written (as it were) these words, My Son, now is the time or season which I had put in my own power; and my pleasure is, that all the world shall be set on fire: these heavens under thee shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burnt up; and I will have new heavens, and a new earth, wherein shall dwell righteousness; go too then, put on thy robes, appear in thy glory; empty thi • heaven of all those glorious spirits that are therein, and let them wait on thee to thy judgment seat; go, pass thy doom upon all flesh, and send reprobates to hell, and bring up hither all thy Saints, that they may live with thee, and here behold thy glory forever and ever. Lo here is thy commission; be gone, and return no more hither until it be accomplished.

Christians, I cannot but wonder at this joy and exultation in Heaven, and that we have so little or none of this on earth; we say with cold lips, and frozen hearts, Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven; but if our prayers were real and fervent, if we could but imitate those heavenly Citizens, what longings would be in our hearts after Christ's coming? how should we rejoice at the very thoughts hereof? Christ comforting his Disciples in respect hereof, he speaks these words, When these things begin to come to pass, then look up (said he) and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. The fullness of our redemption is a ground of consolation; all the spirits above are sensible of this; God, and Christ, and the Angels, and Saints rejoice, and again rejoice. The Spirit and the Bride say, come; and Christ himself saith, Surely I come quickly; O let us say Amen to it; Even so come Lord Jesus.

SECT. II. Of Christ coming to judgment.

2. FOr Christ's coming to judgment; no sooner Christ prepared, and all in readiness, but down he descends from his Imperial throne to the Judgment-seat. In this passage I shall observe these particulars.

1. He descends with his Train: He comes with his Royal Attendants out of Heaven. This is the glory of a Prince, that hath so many Nobles waiting on him; and this is the glory of Jesus Christ, that when he comes to judge the world, he shall have his Saints and Angels (the glory of the creation) to be his Attendants in that work. Behold the Lord comes with mighty Angels. Behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all. Certainly a numberless number shall wait upon him: Daniel tells us of a thousand thousand that this day Minister unto Christ, A thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: or if Heaven have more, I believe Heaven will empty itself of all the Saints, and all the Angels; not one Spirit, whether Saint or Angel shall stay behind when Christ descends: The Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him. Oh what a glorious day will this be! if one Sun make the morning Sky so glorious, what a bright, shining, and glorious morning will that be, when so many thousands of Suns shall shine over all our heads, the glorious Body of our Christ surpassing them all in splendor and glory? here's a new Heaven of Sun and Stars, such as this nether-world never saw, Lo yond the Sun of righteousness with all his Morning-stars, singing and shouting for joy: Heaven now empties itself of all its created Citizens, and cleaves asunder to make way for Christ, and all his Train.

2. In his descent through the Heavens, he shakes the Heavens. And the powers of the heaven shall be shaken. The whole frame of Heaven, most strong and immutable in its being and motion; or the mighty bodies thereof, most mighty in their substance, lastingness, motion and operation shall be shaken. I know by the powers of heaven some mean the Angels, who at this wonderful descent of Christ shall admire and move; but I rather think the Heavens themselves are meant hereby, whose very nature shall be moved, and shaken at that day: At his nod the pillars of heaven tremble, and are astonished. As yet they are Subject to vanity and therefore 'tis no wonder if at the coming of Christ they tremble and are moved. In this moving or shaking the Evangelists adds, that the glorious lights of Heaven shall be altered, The Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the Stars shall fall: Many interpretations are given of this: I am not for Allegories, but rather conceive these things are real; the very coming of Christ shall bring with him such a light, that the splendor of the Sun and Moon shall be obscured: this is most certain, saith Aretius, that both Sun and Moon shall really be darkened at that day; it is the glory of his Majesty that will dazzle those Candles.

3. As he passes through the Elementary world, a fire doth usher him. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. Whence this fire should come, I shall not dispute, only one tells us with some confidence, that 'tis begotten in the middle Region of the Air by Divine command; and that first it goes before him, ushering the Judge to the Judgment-seat, and that there it stays during the judgment; and that ended, and the doom passed on all flesh, then it sets on fire all the world. Let this pass as it may, Scripture goes thus far, that a fire goeth before him.—Behold the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind.—And the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty Angels in flaming fire. In which respect Daniel saw his throne like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire; a fiery stream issued, and came forth from before him: and at last this fire shall have that effect, that the very Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burnt up. O Christians! what cause have we to make the Apostles use on this point, Seeing all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness? looking for, and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat?

4. He descends lower and lower till he is inwrapt with clouds. Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. When he went up into Heaven it is said, that a cloud received him out of their sight; and the Angels then said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. He went up in clouds and he shall come down in clouds. I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven. Here is the first sight of Christ to men on the earth, when once he is come down into the clouds, then shall they lift up their eyes, and have a full view of Jesus Christ; a cloud first received him out of their sight; and a cloud now discovers him to their sight; Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory: is it not plain that the first appearings, and sight of Christ at his second coming from Heaven, is in the midst of clouds? Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him. Some controversy there is about these clouds, as whether they be Angels? when the Psalmist speaks of all sorts of Meteors, as of Waters, Clouds, Winds, Flames, some say, all these are Angels; and of the Angels he saith, who maketh his Angels spirits, and his Ministers a flame of fire. For my part I take it in the literal sense, that upon the very backs of clouds Christ shall come riding along at the general day; and howsoever this may seem a small matter unto us, yet I cannot look on any circumstance of this transaction as small and trifling! the very clouds on which Christ rides, speaks terror, and comfort.

1. Oh what a terror is this to the wicked? They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds, and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn. These Tribes of the Earth are the Tribes of the wicked; no sooner shall they look up, and see Christ in his clouds, but with inconceivable horror will they cry it out, O yonder is he whose blood we neglected, whose grace we resisted, whose counsels we refused, whose government we cast off. O yonder is he that comes now in clouds, in tempestuous clouds; O see how he storms! do not those very clouds in which he rides speak or threaten a storm? In the eighteenth Psalm is a description of Christ's coming to judgment. But O how terrible! in the seventh verse, we find the earth trembling; in the eighth verse, a fire devouring; in the ninth verse, the heavens bowing downwards▪ in the 12, 13, 14, 15. verses, are thick clouds darkening the sky, thunders, lightnings, hailstones flying through the air, the foundations of the world discovered; thus the Mighty God, our Jesus descends. Oh how should the wicked but tremble at this, when but a consideration of this hath sometimes startled God's own people? behold Habakkuk with quivering lips, trembling joints, bones mouldering into dust, when he had only a Prophetick representation of Christ's second appearance! all the dreadful things that attended the presence of God in Egypt, at the red Sea on Mount Sinai, through the Wilderness, are made but types, but shadows of the terrible march of the Captain of the Lord of Hosts; and therefore shall the wicked mourn.

2. Here is the patience, and faith, and joy of Saints. And all the kindreds of the earth shall mourn over him; even so, Amen. This I cannot but understand of the wicked; only some tell us of a double mourning on that day, the one of joy and love, and the other of sorrow and despair; I shall not deny but there may be some sweet tears upon this sweet Subject, Christ's apparition in the clouds: Such a shine will be from Christ in the cloud, that the very shine will pierce the hearts of men with the golden-headed arrow of love, and how may this work tears? from this Text of John, Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him, and all the kindreds of the earth shall wayle, &c. Some Divines gather, that Christ at that day, will show in his glorified body the wounds of his crucifying, as an infallible trophy of his victory over all his enemies; and hence the wicked who pierced, or crucified the Lord of glory, by their sins, will weep and wail. I can think no less, but that Christ at that day will open his bosom, and show those wounds of love, which he had in his heart from all eternity, together with those wounds which he received on the Cross, as they are glorified in his eternal love: and then as at the discovery of Joseph, he and his brethren fell upon the necks of earth other and wept; so will this discovery in the appearances of Christ bring a sweet confusion upon the Spirits of Saints; then shall a Saint fall at the feet of his Savior, and weeping say, O my Jesus! thou art my Father, Brother, Husband, Self; while there were other things, I loved other things besides thyself, but alas! they are everlastingly gone, and have left me alone, yet now thou ownest me; O my Jesus thou breakest my heart: oh I cannot but weep out tears of love, and tears of joy at this appearing; O welcome, welcome, sweet Jesus into these clouds! oh welcome, welcome, sweet Jesus into this nether world.

You see him still upon his old design; though the world now end, yet hitherto there is no end of his great transaction; his first coming and his second coming is to save your souls; his first coming was to purchase, his second to give you the possession of Salvation. What, are you not glad of this Gospel-news, that Christ will come at last from this Empyreal Throne to his judgment-seat, to give you the possession of salvation? is not the promise of his coming comfortable? is it not comfortable to believe in him, and to hope for him? why, muse then, what comfort will it be to see his person with all his glorious train coming for you? The Mighty God, the Lord hath spoken, and called the Earth, from the rising of the Sun, to the going down thereof; out of Zion the perfection of beauty hath God shined; our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him; he shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth that he might judge his people. It is indeed a most terrible day unto the wicked, but oh how sweet, and pleasant, and comfortable to his Saints? Christians! do we not long to have Christ's Spirit come into our souls with life? do we not droop while Christ is absent from our souls? are not the feet of them beautiful that bring glad tidings of peace, and of salvation by Jesus Christ? Oh then what will it be to see the King, not in his Ambassadors, but in his own person coming for us to fetch us into Heaven? if we have but a dear friend returned from some far Country, how do all run out to meet him with joy? Oh saith the child, my father is come; saith the wife, my husband is come; and shall not we, when we see our Father, our Husband, our Head, our Savior returning with great glory, and glorious Majesty, cry out, he is come, he is come? shall not we at the first view of him in his clouds, cry out, O yonder is he whose blood redeemed us, whose Spirit cleansed us, whose prayers prevailed for us, whose Law did govern us? yonder comes he in whom we trusted, and now we see he hath not deceived our trust, yonder is he for whom we waited long, and now we see we have not waited in vain.

I verily believe thus it will be with us one day; we shall have comfort then, oh let us comfort ourselves with these words; and ever and anon cry, Come Lord Jesu, come quickly! make hast my beloved, and be thou like to a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the Mountain of spices.

SECT. III. Of Christ's summoning of the Elect to come under judgment.

3. FOR Christ's summons of the Elect to come under judgment: no sooner is he in the clouds, his Throne of judicature, but there he stands, and thence he sends his holy Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to another. Christ's summons are effectual, if he will have the elect to meet him, they must come; to this purpose he sends his Angels, and they return with his Saints back again to the judgment-seat. In the carrying on of this affair, we shall discuss these particulars. 1. His mission of the Angels. 2. The manner of the mission. 3. The resurrection of the world. 4. The collection of the Saints; wherein, 1. whence, 2. whither they are gathered.

1. For Christ's mission of his Angels; he shall send his Angels. This was their office from their first creation; they were still sent of God this way, and that way; and indeed herein is one difference betwixt Christ and the Angels, he was to fit on God's right hand, but they were sent abroad to Minister to the Saints and people of God; To which of the Angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? are they not all Ministring Spirits, sent forth to Minister for them, who shall be heirs of salvation? Now according to their office, Christ puts them upon employment at this day. q. d. O my Angels! you that wait upon me, that excel in strength, that do my commandments, and hearken to the voice of my Word: go your ways now into all the four winds of the World, gather all my Saints together unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice; search into all the dusts of the earth, and leave not behind one dust that belongs unto any Saint; search into the bottom of the Sea; see what becomes of those drowned bodies of my dear ones; if either worms have eaten those in graves, or fishes have devoured them in the deep, why now restore them; am not I as able to recover them, as I was to create them? is it not as easy for me to raise the dead, as to make Heaven and Earth, and all of nothing? go then and gather together all those dusts and let every dust be brought home to its own proper body, and compact those dusts as soft as they are into solid bones; and prophesy upon those bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord, behold I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live, and I will lay sinews upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord; why this is my will and pleasure, and therefore be gone, O my Angels, do your office, what? have not I commanded you?

2. The Mission, or commission, or dismission given, the Angels, swift messengers of his will fall on the execution; and to that purpose immediately they sound the Trumpet; so it follows, And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet. Here is the manner of their mission; they go, and as they go they give a shout; what this shout is, or how it is made, is a curious question, and sets many wits on work: in this Scripture it is set out by the sound of a Trumpet. Now some would have it to be a material Trumpet, because the Scriptures frequently call it a Trumpet; He shall send his Angels with the sound of a Trumpet, saith Christ; and in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump we shall be changed (saith Paul) for the Trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised. And the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trumpet of God: But whether this Trumpet shall be of Silver or of Brass, or of the Air, or of the Cloud and Meteors whereon Christ rides, they cannot agree: others more probably look upon this Trumpet as nothing else but a metaphor; or a sound formed in the Air, like the sound of a Trumpet. A voice it is without all controversy; and metaphorically it may be called a trumpet, both from the clearness and greatness of the sound; so loud shall it be, that 'twill pierce into the ears of the dead in their graves; It will shake the world, rend the rocks, break the mountains; dissolve the bonds of Death, burst down the gates of Hell, and unite all spirits to their own Bodies. An horrible terrible voice shall it be: But how should Angels who are spirits make a voice? by a collision of the Air which the Angels can move at their pleasure; and who can tell, say some, but there may be some new-created instrument trumpet-like, adapted for the Angels; at the sides of which, by a force, and collision of the air, this great shout may be, to convene all the World? or who knows (say others) but that the Lord Jesus may fill the Angels, even as trumpets are filled with a loud blast, and that through them this loud blast shall come rushing like a mighty wind upon the dead Saints, and so awaken their bodies out of the dust? we all know this was usual in all the Jews solemnities to convene the people by the found of a trumpet. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver, — That thou mayest use them for the calling of the Assembly; —And when thou shalt blow them, all the Assembly shall assemble themselves; and if ye go to war, then ye shall blow an alarm with the Trumpets; and in the same way (say they) Christ now will convene all the World with the sound of a trumpet, or with the sound of some such instrument of divine power and virtue, whereby the dead shall be raised, and their bodies and souls re-united. Amidst all those Authors, if I may deliver my opinion; I suppose the Text that will clear all to us above all that is written, is that of 1 Thessalonians 4.16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God. Give me leave to insist on it, that we may come up yet to a more full and perfect knowledge of this passage. In these words is shown, or held forth the coming of Christ in three particulars: with a shout, with a voice, and with a trumpet; some think this to be one and the same set out in variety of expressions; but I am of another mind. It is agreed by most that the transactions at the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, were a representation of the proceedings which shall be at the great day of Judgment; now in that transaction we read of a three-fold voice, The voice of God, the voice of Thunder, and the voice of a Trumpet, (Exod. 19.16. compared with Exod. 20.1.) and accordingly we find the Apostle speaking of a three-fold voice, Of the voice of Christ, of the voice of Thunder, and of the voice of a Trumpet.

1. The Lord himself shall descend with a shout: Arius Montanus, and the vulgar translate it with a command; Lyra and others think this to be the voice of Christ himself, saying, with a loud voice, Arise ye dead, and come to Judgment. Thus Jesus cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth; and with such a voice will he call on the dead at the last day. So much Christ himself hath taught us; The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. The hour is, because by his voice he raised some at his first coming: and the hour is coming, because in the like manner he will raise up all men at the last day; Marvel not at this (saith Christ) for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth. As at the creation of the World, he said, Let there be light, and there was light; so at the dissolution of the World, he will say, Let the dead arise, let the Sea give up the dead that are in it, and Death and Hell deliver up the dead which are in them; and it will be so.

2. The Lord shall descend with the voice of the Archangel. Two questions here; 1. Who is this Archangel? 2. What is this voice?

For the first, some argue this Archangel to be Gabriel, others Raphael, others Michael. The Jews have an ancient tradition, that there are seven principal Angels that minister before the throne of God, and therefore called Archangels. The Scriptures seem to speak much that way, calling them, seven Lamps of fire burning before the throne: and seven horns, and seven eyes of the Lamb; and the seven spirits of God sent for • h into all the earth; and seven eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth; and yet more plainly, seven Angels that stand before God. Now which of these Seven is the Archangel, here spoken of, is hard to determine; only probable it is, that all the Archangels, and all the angels are hereby understood, as comprehended under that one; to which agrees, Matth. 24.31. Mr. Ainsworth observes, that when things are done by a multitude; where one is chief, that the action is frequently ascribed either to the multitude, or to him that is chief indifferently; as Jehoiadah brought forth the Kings Son, and he put the Crown upon him, 2 Kings 11.12. or they brought forth the Kings son, and they put upon him the Crown, 2 Chron. 23.11. so David offered burnt-offerings, 2 Sam. 6.17. or they offered burnt offerings, 1 Chron. 16.1. and so he shall descend with the voice of the Archangel; or he shall scend his Angels with a great sound, Matth 24.3.

That there are seven principal Angels, Master Mede affirms; and that there is one which yet eminently, is called the Archangel; some others affirm, as among Devils, there is one chief Devil, called the Prince of Devils; and therefore the fire is said to be prepared for the Devil and his Angels; so from this Text of 1 Thess. 4.16. and of Dan. 10.13. and of Jude v. 9. Some probably conclude that the good Angels have a Prince, even Michael, whom Jude calls the Archangel. But of this no more; the Lord keep me from intruding into those things which I have not seen. The day itself will discover it, and so I leave it, as having said enough to satisfy the sober minded.

For the second, what is this voice of the Archangel? I conceive that thereby we are to understand thunder: here is (as we have said) a manifest allusion to the proceedings at the giving of the Law, now the voice there mentioned, besides the voice of God, and the voice of a trumpet, is the voice of Thunder; And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, there were thunders. In this sense some expound these words of the Apostle, where the Law is said to be spoken by Angels, because the Angels did raise up those extraordinary thunders, which happily were the matters of the articulate voice, in which the Lord spake to Israel: or if the Law was spoken by Christ (as I have delivered my opinion elsewhere) he being the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3 1, And the Angel of his presence, Isa. 63.9. Yet this hinders not, but that created Angels might speak the Law too, if not in respect of the articulate voice, yet in respect of the voice of thunders which attended on it; thus thunder is often called the voice of God, and the voice of his excellency, Job 37.4, 5. Psalm. 29.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

3. The Lord shall descend with the trumpet of God. Such a voice was used also at the giving of the Law, Exod. 19.16. and Exod. 20.18. and so it will be now when men are called to account for the keeping or breaking of it. For the understanding of this, our last translation tells us, that Christ shall send his Angels with the great sound of a trumpet; but in four Greek copies, as Beza confesseth, as also in the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, and in the Vulgar, and in the margent of our last translation, it is read, that Christ shall send his Angels with a trumpet, and a great voice. And so the latter words are exegetical, q. d. with a trumpet, that is, with a great voice, like the voice of a trumpet; so that this reading very provably proves, that the last trumpet is to be taken metaphorically. For the more full confirmation whereof I argue thus; when anything is ascribed to the Angels which is not suitable to their spiritual nature, and which they have no need of for the work they are about, is it to be taken metaphorically; unless the context or some other Scripture force us to a proper acceptation, but a material trumpet of Silver, Brass, or the like metal, is not suitable to the spiritual nature of the Angels; neither have they need of such a trumpet for producing a great sound in the Air; it is evident that without a trumpet they can make a great sound like the noise of a trumpet; and there is nothing at all in the Scriptures that will force us, or probably lead us to a proper acceptation of the word; add yet to what hath been said, that sometimes a great voice is set out by the similitude of a Trumpet; I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Rev. 1.10. and the first voice which I heard, was as it were of a trumpet, Rev. 4.1.

But why is this sound as of a trumpet, called the trumpet of God? I answer, for the greatness of it; for its usual in the Hebrew Language for the setting forth of greatness, excellency, or superlativeness of a thing, to add the Name of God to the word, whereby the thing is signified; as Gen. 23.6. A Prince of God, (i.e.) a Mighty Prince, Gen. 30.8. With the wrestlings of God, (i.e.) with great wrestlings, Psal. 36.6. Mountains of God (i.e.) Great mountains, Psal 80.10. Cedars of God (i.e.) very high Cedars. So here, the trump of God (i.e.) A very great sound, like the sound of a trumpet. It is said in the Law, there were thunders, and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled; and if there was trembling at the giving of the Law, oh what trembling will be at the general Assize, when sinners shall be condemned for breaking of it?

3. No sooner the shout made, but the Saints arise; it is true, the Saints that are alive need no resurrection, but upon them will this trumpet have its effect. Somthing like death shall ceaze upon them, and they shall be changed. The order of this is given in by the Apostle from the Lord; This we say unto you by the Word of our Lord, that we which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep, for the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them into the clouds. The first that shall be called are the Saints that sleep, and then the Saints that are alive shall be immediately changed. Oh what a day will this be? what a strange sight to see all the dead ever since the beginning of the World rise out of their graves? for the wicked I believe they shall rise like Toads from their holes, in a black, swarthy, ugly, color: A question is amongst the Schools, whether Reprobates shall rise again with all their deformities which they had in this life? as some of them being blind, halt, lame, maimed, deaf, dum, &c. Whether now they shall rise in the self-same condition? for my part I conceive that whereas God the author of nature, will at that day restore human nature, that therefore there shall be no defects of natural parts; certainly nothing shall be wanting in the damned, which may impede the sense of torment in any part; now a defect of any member would hinder these universal torments that must ceaze on every part of the bodies of the damned in Hell; their bodies therefore shall be whole, only the bodies of such shall be foul, ugly, heavy, lumpish bodies, as opposed to the glorious qualities of the bodies of Saints; why, what bodies (you will say) have they? I answer, glorious bodies: no sooner shall the bodies of the Saints arise, but they shall exceed with singular qualities; They were sown in corruption, but they are raised in incorruption; they were sown in dishonor, but raised in glory; they were sown in weakness, but raised in power; they were sown natural bodies, but raised spiritual bodies. The Sun in its shinings, doth but shadow forth the glory of their bodies; and this will in some measure torment Reprobates, to see the difference of their bodies, and the bodies of the Saints. O (will they say) yond are they, whom we despised, and now are they honored. See a world of Suns rising at once out of all parts of the Earth; sometimes we lived on Earth, and we never saw but one Sun rising in the East, but lo millions of Suns on East, and West, and North, and South; O those are the glorious Saints of Heaven: see with what swift and agile bodies they are preparing to fly into the Air, to meet their Lord and Savior there; whilst in the mean time we rise with such heavy, dull, and deformed bodies, that we cannot mount. O what will become of us? why this is the day of resurrection. The Angels have been here to unseal our graves to roll away the stones, and at their shout, and sound of the Trumpet, our scattered dusts have met together: and lo now we stand upon the Earth.

4. No sooner the Saints raised, and their souls and Bodies re-united with excellent Majesty, but then shall all the elect of God, from first to last be gathered together: if you ask whence? and whither? I answer—

1. To the question whence? from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to another. (i.e.) From all parts of the world, from East, and West, and North, and South, from one end of Heaven to another; a Vulgar term, in regard of our sight; for in itself Heaven is round, and hath no end: the meaning is, that not one Saint in all the world, from Adam to the last man shall be concealed, or lie hid; from the most hidden, inward, secret bosom of the earth all shall be gathered; howsoever their dusts may be scattered into a thousand thousand parts, yet the power of Christ shall restore all those dusts, and bring them together into their several compacted bodies.

2. To the question whether they shall be gathered? Some say to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, from that Text, Let the Heathen be weakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there, will I sit to judge the Heathen round about; but I believe this Text hath reference to a particular judgment of God upon Israel's enemies which dwell round about Jerusalem, and not to the general day of Judgment. Others say, to Mount-Olivet from that Text, This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven; then returned they unto Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet. But I believe this Text speaks only of the manner how Christ shall come, and not of the place to which he shall come. Indeed 'tis not probable that either the valley of Jehoshaphat, or the Mount of Olivet can be sufficient places to contain all the men that ever were, are, and shall be; and therefore if such a thing can be determined, I should rather appeal to that Text, Then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them (that are raised) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. When Christ was asked this very question, where Lord? whither shall the Saints be gathered? where shall the general Judgment be? he answers, wheresoever the body is, thither will the Eagles be gathered together. By the body, Christ meant himself, and by the Eagles Christ meant his Elect, because their youth is renewed as the Eagles; now the elect must resort to Christ wheresoever he is; and the Apostle is express, that Christ is in the air, and in the clouds: and therefore thither must the elect be gathered; they shall be caught up by the holy Angels into the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.

O my brethren, what sights are these! what changes, wonders, strange face of things will be this day? how is it that we are not as frequent in the meditation of this Summons as Jerome was, who as he thought, heard daily that sound, Arise ye dead and come to Judgment? methinks a sad and serious consideration of these passages might keep us close to Christ; come try a little, if in the hurryings of the day we are so distracted, that we cannot reach the spiritual part of a meditation, yet in the evening or morning when all is still, or in the night-season when all is quiet, then labor to prevent the day of doom; so realize it, as if then we saw Christ in the clouds, sending his Angels on this errand, Away, and bring hither all the men, and women in the world; and in the first place, gather my Saints together unto me, Adam and Abraham, those Fathers of the world and of the faithful, let them see all their children, and let all their children see them, and bring them all to my Throne; awaken the world, let them who have slept in their graves, some thousand of years be now roused, and raised. Imagine then, as if we heard the Trumpet of God founded by the Angels of God, and as the sound of it waxed louder and louder, that we saw the Mountains skip like Rams, and the little Hills like young Sheep. That we saw all the graves in Churches, or Church-yards, in Fields, or Plains, or Seas fly open, that we saw all the bodies of the dead beginning to stir, and to stand upon their feet, and presently the Angels coming, and taking all the Saints upon their wings, and so flying with them through the air till they came to the Throne, and judgment-seat of Christ: is it possible that such a meditation should pass without some tincture of it on our spirits? if my ears shall hear that sound, and if my eyes shall see these sights, is it not time for me to lay these things to heart, that I may be found faithful and well-doing? as sure as I have this Book in my hand I must be one of those that shall hear the sound of the Trumpet, and away I must from the mouth of my grave, where ever I shall be buried, to the cloud where Christ doth sit; come then, how would I rise? as foul as a toad? or as an Angel of God? O my God! set this home on my soul! O where's my Lamp? and where's my oil? are all ready? and am I ready, furnished, and prepared to meet the Lord in the Air? Christians! if we have any life in us, let us act and realize this to the life; O this would keep us close to Christ, and to the Banner of Christ; who would not march under this Banner, and adhere to him, that but reads over these summons of souls at the last dreadful day.

SECT. IV. Of Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day.

4. FOR Christ and the Saints meeting at the judgment day; no sooner are the Saints lifted up, and set before the Judge, but these things follow—

1. They look, and gaze, and dart their beams: and reflect their glories on each other. Oh the communications! Oh the darting of beams betwixt Christ and his Saints! look as when two admirable persons, two lovers meet together, their eyes sparkle, they look on, as if they would look through one another. So Christ and his Saints at first meeting, they look on, as if they would look through one another. And such is the effect of these looks, that they give a luster to each other by their Looks. Did not Moses face shine when he had been with God? and shall not the faces of the elect glitter and shine when Christ also looks on them? nor stays it there; but as they shine by Christ, so shall their shine reflect on Christ, and give a glory to Christ, and this I take it to be the meaning of the Apostle, That when Christ shall come, he shall be glorified in his Saints; not only in himself, but in his Saints also; whose glory as it comes from him, so it redounds also to him, For of him, and through him, and to him are all things.

2. They admire at the infinite glory, and beauty, and dignity, and excellency that is in Christ. The glory they reflect on him is nothing to the glory that is in him. Oh when these Stars the Saints shall but look upon Christ the Son of righteousness, they exceedingly admire. So the Apostle, When he shall come, he shall be glorified in his Saints, and he shall be admired in all them that believe. All that believe shall break out into admiration of Jesus Christ: they shall at the first sight observe such an excellency in Jesus Christ, as that they shall be infinitely taken with it: here we speak of Christ, and in speaking we admire; but how will they admire, when they shall not only speak or hear, but see and behold him who is the Express image of God, and the brightness of his Fathers glory? O the lustres that he casts forth each way! is not his very body more sparkling than the Diamond before the Sun? yea, more than the Sun itself now shining at noon-day? how should the Saints but wonder at this sight? Oh there is more beauty, and glory in Jesus Christ than ever their thoughts or imaginations could possibly reach; there is more weight of sweetness, joy, and delight in Jesus Christ, than either the seeing Eye, or hearing Ear, or the vast understanding Heart (which can multiply and add still to any former thoughts) can possibly conceive: every soul will cry out then, I believed to see much glory in Jesus Christ, when ever I saw him; I had some twilight, or Moon-light glances of Christ, on Earth; but O blind I! O narrow I! that could never have faith, opinion, thought, or imagination to fathom the thousand-thousand part of the worth, and incomparable excellency that I now see in him. Why, this causeth admiration, when we see more, than ever we could expect; the Saints shall then cry out, and say, I see more ten thousand times more than ever I expected; I see all the beauty of God put forth in Christ, I see the substantial reflection of the Fathers light and glory in Jesus Christ, I see thousands of excellencies in Jesus Christ that never were revealed to me before. This is the very nature of admiration; it is eve • wondering or admiring at some new and strange thing: the glory of Christ will then exceed all former apprehension. O they admire to see the King in such a beauty, they admire to see the Judge in such a glittering and glorious Robe of Majesty, they admire, and they cannot but admire.

3. They adore, and magnify the grace and glory of Jesus Christ; as it is said of the twenty four Elders, that they fell down before him that sat on the Throne, and worshipped him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their Crowns before the Throne, saying, thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory, and honor and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. So all the Saints, now advanced to come up to Christ, and to stand before the Throne, they fall down before Christ, and they worship him that lives forever, shouting and singing about Jesus Christ, and setting out his glory, grace, and goodness. After this I beheld (saith John) and lo a great multitude, which no man could number, of all Nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues stood before the Throne, and before the Lamb—and cried with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb; and all the Angels stood round about the Throne, and about the Elders, and the four Beasts, and fell before the Throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen; blessing and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever, and ever, Amen. Saints and Angels will both give glory to Jesus Christ that day; every elect man will then acknowledge, here is Christ that shed his blood for me, here is the Savior that laid down his life for me, here is the Sacrifice that gave himself a propitiation for me, here is the Person that mediated, and interceded, and made peace for me, here is the Redeemer that delivered, and redeemed me from the wrath to come; and then they begin those Hallelujahs, that never shall have end: Hallelujah, and again Hallelujah; and Amen Hallelujah; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

4. Christ welcomes them into his glorious presence; if the Father could receive his Prodigal but repenting with hugs and kisses, how will Christ now receive his Saints, wh • n they come as a Bride to the solemnization of the marriage; his very heart springs (as I may say) at the sight of his Bride; no sooner he sees her, and salutes her, but he welcomes her with such words as these: O my love, my dove, my fair one, come now and enjoy thy Husband, many a thought I have had of thee, before I made the world, I spent my infinite eternal thoughts on thy salvation, when the world began I gave thee a promise, that I would betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment; in loving-kindness, in mercy, and in faithfulness; It was I that for thy sake was incarnate, and lived, and died, and rose again, and ascended, and since my ascension that have been interceding for thee, and making ready the Bride-chamber where thou and I must live, forever and ever: and now I come higher into the clouds, to meet thee more than half the way; and my meaning is to take thee by the hand, and to bring thee to my Father; now do I take thee for my own; O my Sister, my Spouse, thou art as dear to me as my own dear heart; come, see into my bosom, see here Love written in the golden letters of free grace; come near, for I must have thee with me; and I will never more be so strange to thee as to this day; sometimes thy sins have made a wall of partition between me and thee; sometimes I withdrew and was gone, and I hid myself beyond the curtains; and for a time thou hast lain hid in the closset of the grave; but now we'l never part more; anon I will bring thee to my Father, and I will say to him, Father, behold here my Spouse that I have married unto myself; in the mean time welcome to thy Jesus, I have purchased thee with my blood, I have paid dear for thee: and now I will wear thee as a Crown, and ornament forever.

5. Christ sets them on his right hand; Upon thy right hand doth stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir. This is the sign of Christ's love, and respect to his Saints; when he himself ascended up into Heaven, then said the Father to him; Son, sit thou down at my right hand; and no sooner the Saints are ascended up to Christ, but he speaks the same to them, Sit thou down at my right hand; Christ entertains them, as God the Father entertained him, he at the right hand of God, and they at the right hand of Christ. And herein is set forth the great exaltation of the Saints; as Christ being set at God's right hand, God highly exalted him and gave him a Name above every Name, so now are the Saints highly exalted by Jesus Christ, now are they filled with unmatchable perfections, now is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the fullness of perfection, and fullness of honor and glory conferred upon them; Upon his right hand is set the Queen in gold of Opnir, (i e.) in the best, richest, finest Gold; the Lord now puts upon his Saints heavens glory; he adorns them with all his ornaments fit for the marriage day; and indeed here is the beginning of the solemnity of the marriage of the Lamb; not but that the contract was before, but the solemnity was reserved for this day, and all the glory of this day is for nothing else but to set out the solemnity of the marriage. As the Bridegroom on the day of nuptials comes forth in his glory, and as the Bride on the marriage-day comes forth in her best array; and as the servants, and parents, and friends, and all appear on the marriage-day in as much glory as they can; so Christ on this day comes forth in his glory, with all his Angels in their glory; and the Saints, the Lambs wife, The Kings Daughter, is all glorious, without and within. Though Stars may lose their shining when the Sun ariseth, yet the glory of the Saints shall be no less, because of the Sun of righteousness, but rather more. This is the day that Christ shall honor his Saints before all the world; come (will he say) and sit you down at my right hand; as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats, so will I separate you from wicked reprobates; why you are they for whom the eternal councils of my Father did work, you are they in whom I am now to be glorified forever; and therefore now will I exalt, and advance, and honor you; sit here, or stand here on my right hand: O come, come hither to the right hand of your Savior.

6. Hereupon Christ fully, and actually joys in them; and they in him; he joys in them, because now he sees of the travail of his soul; he sees the issue of all his doings and sufferings hereon earth, he sees now the great work he hath brought about, to wit, the glory of his Saints; and he cannot but rejoice therein. As a man that makes a work that is very curious, and glorious, he takes abundance of delight to look upon it; when God made the world; he lokit upon what he made, and he saw it was good, and he delighted in it: So Christ looks on his Saints, and when he sees what he hath done, in raising so poor a worm to so high an excellency, he takes infinite delight therein; now he sees that he hath attained his end in that great design, and deepest councils that he had before the world: he was then resolved to save a number of sinners, and to bring them at last to himself that they might behold him in his glory, and manifest the riches of his grace; and to that purpose hath he still been carrying on the great work of souls salvation, as we have heard; and now that he sees it accomplished, and fulfilled in them, he must needs delight: In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, fear thou not, and to Zion, let not thy hands be faint, for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save thee, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

And as he joys in them, so they cannot but rejoice in him; as he delights in their glory, so they cannot but delight in his glory: are they not at Christ's right hand? and is not that the place of pleasure, the Paradise of God? In thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore: The very setting them on Christ's right hand, is the beginning of Heavens joy. The presence of Christ makes joy, exceeding joy, saith Jude; oh but what joy? what fullness of joy, what exceeding joy will it be to be set at Christ's right hand? now begins that joy, that never, never shall have end. O the complacency which the blessed feel in their seeing, knowing, loving, and being beloved of Jesus Christ. O my Christ, let me have tribulation here, let me here spend my days in sorrow, and my breath in sighings; punish me here, cut me in pieces here, burn me here, so that I may there be placed at thy right hand; for then joy will come, and sorrow will vanish; sorrow is but for a night, this night of life; but joy will come in the morning of the resurrection, and it never shall be night again.

SECT. V. Of Christ's sentencing his Saints.

5. FOR Christ sentencing of his Saints; no sooner are they set on his right hand, but he prepares for sentence; in the opening of which we must consider, 1. The preparative. 2. The sentence itself.

1. The preparative before sentence will be some exploration or trial of the parties to be sentenced, as—

1. The Book must be opened. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the Books were opened, and another Book was opened which is the Book of life. It is spoken after the manner of men, in whose public Judgments are produced all the writings of the process, informations, depositions of witnesses, to show that all actions, even the most secret ones, shall then be rehearsed and made manifest; Augustine thinks these Books to be the Books of the Old and New Testament, wherein all things either to be done, or omitted, are prescribed by God: and then shall these Books be opened, because according to them shall sentence be given; In that day God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel. Origen, and all most all with him, think these Books to be the Books of our consciences, which now are shut up, and concealed from men; but then shall be made manifest to all the world: whatever these Books are, we find here one Book opened which is proper to the Saints, called the Book of Life; This Book contains in it the names of all that are elected from first to last; Thou John, and thou Joseph, and thou Judeth, and thou Mary, and thou Elizabeth, &c. you are all Book'd down; there is the particularity, and there is the certainty; Your names are written in Heaven, rejoice in it; Oh what is the joy of Saints when once they see this book opened, and their names enrolled, engraven there in letters of glory. This very Book clears it to me, that God from all eternity made choice of a particular and determinate number of Persons, to save them; and that none other can be saved, but those who were so elected; and whosoever are so elected, they shall not fall away. All that worship the Beast, their names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb, from the foundation of the world. On the other side, He that overcometh, the same shall be written in the Book of life, and I will not blot out his name, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels. This is the day when that book of life shall be opened, and Christ shall read the names of every elect person before God and Angels; not that Christ needs a book, or indeed reads a name, but that his Election stands so firm, that he knows every predestinated Saint as well, as we know their names, whom for our memories we commit unto our books: and then he will so honor his Saints, that he will publish their names to all the world.

2. All the actions, demeanors, graces, duties, and (it may be) sins of Saints shall be produced and laid open: the holy Ghost tells us, that the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books. It appears hence, that not only names, but things were written, and these things were produced, and accordingly they were judged.

1. As to evil things, unfruitful works of darkness. It is a question, and I dare not be too positive in it, viz. Whether the sins of God's People shall be manifest at the day of Judgment? Some are for the negative, because God in his promises speaks so expressly, Of forgiving iniquities, of remembering them no more, of blotting them out, of throwing them into the bottom of the Sea, of casting them behind his back: in which respect say they, the Godly are said not to come into Judgment. I suppose this last Text is ill urged, for by Judgment is not meant discussion, but condemnation; and in our best Translations so it is rendered; others are for the affirmative, upon these grounds. 1. Because many of the Godly and wicked men's sins are mingled together, and there cannot be a Judgment of discussion, preceding that of condemnation, unless Godly men's sins are also produced. 2. Because it is spoken generally in respect of all sorts, that the Books were opened; By which Books most understand the consciences of men, and by the opening of those Books, they understand the manifesting, clearing, and discovering of consciences at that general day.

3. Because the Scriptures are express for the affirmative; not but that those Texts are truths, that sins are forgiven, blotted out, thrown away, to be remembered no more, (i.e.) as to condemnation; but as for exploration or discussion the Lord speaks universally, that of every idle word that men speak, they shall give an account thereof at the day of Judgment. If the balance weigh down on this side (for my part I am not peremptory, but shall easily submit to the spirits of the Prophets) yet this manifestation shall not be for the shame, grief, trouble, ignominy, or confusion of the godly; but only for the setting up of God's justice, and that the goodness and free grace of God in Christ may be made more illustrious; how will Christ then be exalted, when all the world shall see his righteousness and goodness, his truth and mercy, now again meeting together, and kissing each other? it was so at his first coming, and it will be so at his second coming; then shall his justice and mercy, his righteousness and goodness be manifested to all; in that by his own merits, notwithstanding their sins, he will bring all his Saints to his heavenly glory.

2. As for good things, whether good works, duties or graces, there is no question but all these will be that day produced, and laid open. 1. We see Christ enumerating the good works of them on his right hand; for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; sick, and ye visited me; in prison, and ye came unto me. It is true, in this catalogue we find nothing of faith, but all of works; but certainly faith is included, as the life of the Tree is included in the fruit; not only, nor principally are works here mentioned for the goodness of the work considered in itself; but as these works did express our faith and love to Jesus Christ, in that by saith we could see Christ in a poor beggar, or prisoner, and could love Jesus Christ in these poor, better than all our worldly goods, or liberties. I do not wonder that Paul adviseth his Corinthians, See that ye abound in this grace of contribution to the Saints: and that he prayeth his Philipians, And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more; And that he prayeth for his Thessalonians, now the Lord make you to increase, and to abound in love one towards another, and towards all men; and that he praiseth God in their behalf; We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of everyone of you all towards each other aboundeth. Christians! if we did but consider that every duty done to God or Man, that every penny given to a poor naked Saint, that every cup of cold water given to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, should not lose his reward, but this day should be reckoned up, or drawn (as it were) into a full Inventory; Imprimis, For this piece of silver given such a day to such a one; Item, For this piece of bread such a day given to such a one, &c. Oh who would not abound in faith and love? oh who would think anything too much, too good, too dear to give to the needy members of Jesus Christ? there is a charge laid upon Ministers to preach this Doctrine, I beseech you give me leave to discharge my duty, and to lay it, and leave it at your doors, where beggars usually stand; Charge them that are rich in this world—that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to destribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. You to whom God hath given the riches of this world, as you would meet Christ with comfort, learn this lessen; consider whether of these too reckonings will be more comfortable at that day; Item, So much given to such and such a religious use? or so much given towards such a Feast, and for the entertainment of such brave gallants? so much to promote the Gospel? or so much at Dice, Cards, Horse-races? if one should tell you, that either you must feed Christ in the poor, or you must starve in Hell; you must either clothe naked Christ in the poor, or you must be laid naked to the fiery indignation of the Lord forever, oh what strictness would you call this? but I recollect myself; if Christ set you at his right hand, he will then recount all your charities, and all your labors of love to the Saints: you that are poor, and had nothing to give, he will tell you of your good works, if it was no more, but at such a time, you cast a mite into his Treasury, and at such a time you carried a Letter for the Lord Jesus; he will produce and commend these pittances of your poor charities to all the world.

2. Nor only good works to man; but all the Saints duties to God shall come in remembrance. Oh then it will be known who served the Lord in spirit and truth, and who did not; then Men and Angels shall know, such a day this poor Saints performed such a spiritual service; every prayer in public or private, every, tear shed for sin, every sob, or sigh, every spiritual meditation, or self-examination every glance, ejaculation, or looking unto Jesus, shall be recounted by Jesus: It was said of Cornelius, that as well his prayers to God, as his alms to men came up for a memorial before God; certainly every duty in reference to the first table is booked in Heaven, and at this day the book being opened, it will appear, that such a prayer thou madest such a morning and such an evening in thy closet; and now will Christ say, Did not I tell thee, that if thou wouldst pray to thy Father in secret, then he that saw thee in secret, should reward thee openly? why now shalt thou have thy reward in a full view, I will divulge here all thy secret duties, to Men and Angels; all the world shall know it, thy wanderings I told them, and thy tears I bottled them; lo here, are they not all written in my Book?

3. Nor only duties, but graces shall now be rehearsed; thy Knowledge, Faith, Hope, Love, spiritual Joy; thy Fear, Obedience, Repentance, Humility, Meekness, Patience, Zeal, Perseverance shall be fully discovered; time was that in the incense of such a Prayer many sweet spices were burned together; therein was Faith working by Love; therein was Humility, therein was Patience in submitting to God's will and pleasure, therein was Hope of a gracious answer in God's due time, therein was Holiness, brokenness of Heart, and love to others, &c. Time was (saith Christ) that I gathered my myrr with my spices, that I eat my honey-comb with my honey that I both accepted and delighted myself in thy heavenly graces; I shall never forget how thou didst ravish my heart, my sister, my spouse; how thou dost ravish my heart with one of thine eyes, and with one chain of thy neck. Why, thus shall the Lord set forth, and tell all the world what gracious children he had; then will appear indeed the Meekness of Moses, the Faith of Abraham, the Patience of Job, the Zeal of Phineas, the Love of Magdalene; and according to the measure of grace conferred upon thee, Christ will set thee out; We commend the graces of such and such Saints at their death, but oh let Christ blazon me, and his graces in me at the resurrection-day.

Thus far for the Exploration or trial before sentence.

2. For the sentence itself, then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Every word here is full of life and joy; 1. Come] this is the King's invitation of his Saints to his Court; he had summoned them before to his presence, and now they are about him, he will not part with them, they must come a little nearer yet, they must go with him into his presence chamber; the mansions are ready, the Supper of the Lamb is ready, and now he begins the solemn invitation to his bride, Come. 2. Come ye blessed of my Father] Christ blessed them when he went up to Heaven, and whiles yet on earth he pronounced them blessed many a time; Blessed be ye poor; Blessed are ye that hunger; Bless • d are ye that weep; but now he calls them the blessed of his Father; not only Christ, but God the Father hath ever looked upon them as his children; it is the Father's will as well as Christ's that they should be blessed, Ye blessed of my Father. 3. Inherit the Kingdom] Christ had told them before, It is your Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom; but then they were only as servants, or as children under age but now they are heirs, Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; and now they are come to full age, To the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; and therefore they must have the inheritance in possession, they must all be Kings; this very word speaks them Kings, and makes them Kings; it is the solemn coronation of the Saints. It is the anointing, the setting of the Crown upon the heads of the Saints; Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, and not for me only, but unto them also that love his appearing. 4. Inherit the Kingdom, prepared for you] as Tophet was prepared of old, so was this Kingdom prepared of old; it was the first creature that ever God made, In the beginning God created heaven; his first work was to make Heaven for himself and his Saints to dwell in; he prepared it for them, and then he prepared them for it: but why for them? were not the Angels the first creatures that possessed it? nay, were they not created in it, or together with it? yes, but yet the Angels are not, properly the heirs, sons, members, spouse of God and Christ, as the Saints are; the Angels are but ministering spirits, and the servants of the Bride-groom, but the Saints are the Bride herself, heirs and co-heirs with Christ. 5. Prepared for you from the foundation of the world.] This was the great design of God and Christ from all eternity; before the foundations of the world, and at the first stone laid, and ever since, they have been carrying on this mighty work: it is not a business of yesterday only; No, no; the eternal thoughts of God have been upon it, He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.

Oh what thoughts are in Saints, when this sentence is propounded! Oh what joy enters into them now they are to enter into their Masters joy? methinks if it were possible that tears could be in a glorified estate, the Saints should not see Christ reach out a Crown to set it on their heads, but they should weep, and hold away their heads, but Christ will have it so; This honor have all the Saints; praise ye the Lord.

SECT. VI. Of Christ and the Saints judging the rest of the World.

6. FOR Christ and his Saints judging the world: no sooner shall the Saints be sentenced, Justified, Acquitted, Anointed, Crowned; but presently they must be enthronized, and sit with Jesus Christ to judge the world. In the unfolding of this we may observe these particulars.—

1. As Christ is on a Throne, so now must the Elect be set on Thrones; To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne. Thrones are for Kings and Judges; and in that Christ hath now lifted up his Saints to this condition, he will have them sit with him as so many Judges, and as so many Kings; or if it be more honor to have Thrones by themselves, than to sit with Christ in his Throne; John in his vision saw many Thrones; And I saw Thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. And Christ himself told his Apostles, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. Hence some argue that amongst all the Saints, the Apostles shall have their Thrones seated next to Christ; howsoever the rest shall not be deprived of their Thrones; for not only twelve Thrones, but twelve and twelve are set about the Throne of Christ; And round about the Throne were four and twenty Thrones (or seats) and upon the Throne I saw four and twenty Elders sitting clothed with white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of Gold. Only four and twenty Thrones, and four and twenty Elders are numbered, but thereby is represented the whole Church of Christ; It is plain enough, that all the Saints shall appear plainly in the glory of Christ's Kingdom, having Thrones with him in the Air, during the time of his judgment.

2. The goats on the left hand shall then be called to receive their doom. No sooner the Saints enthronized, but then shall Christ say, Ye blessed Angels bring hither all those mine enemies, who have said I shall not rule over them, that I may bruise them with my Iron mace, and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel. O the fear and trembling that will now seize on reprobates! do but see the case of prisoners, when the Judge speaks that word, Come Jailors, bring hither those prisoners to the bar. But alas! what comparison can we make to suite with the condition of these reprobates? now shall their hearts fail them for fear; now shall they seek death (oh how gladly would they die again!) but shall not find it; now shall they cry to rocks and mountains; Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. As a prisoner in a desperate case had rather remain in his fordid stinking dungeon, than coming into the open air for execution; so the reprobates newly raised from the earth, would fain return again into the earth, glad to remain, though not on the face of it with pleasure, yet in the bowels of it with rottenness and solitude; like malefactors pressing to death, they cry out for more weight, Hills cover us, mountains fall upon us, yet more weight, more rocks, more mountains; hide us, press us, cover us, dispatch us. But all in vain; the command is out, Angels and Devils will force them to the bar, for the Lord hath spoken it; Those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them, bring them hither.

3. They shall look on Christ, and his Saints, now sitting on their Thrones. As prisoners that stand at the bar in the face of the Judge, so must these reprobates look the Judge and all his Assessors in the very face.

1. For the judge, they shall look on him; Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him. We heard before, that no sooner Christ in the clouds but they saw him then; as the prisoners that see the Judge riding to his Judgment-seat; Oh but now they shall see him in the Judgment-seat ready with sparkling eyes, and thundering voice to speak their sentence. Prisoners at the bar must not turn their backs on the Judge, when he begins their sentence; no more must reprobates; They must see him in Majesty whom they would not deign to look upon in humility; that by so much more they may feel his power, by how much more they derided his weakness. Oh the difference betwixt Christ's first coming in the flesh, and in his second coming in the clouds; then he came in poverty, now in Majesty; then in humility, now in Glory; then with poor-Shepherds, now with mighty Angels; then the contempt of Nations, now the terror of the World; then crowned with Thorns, now with Majesty; then judged by one man, now judging all men; then as a Lamb, now as a Lyon; oh horror to conceive! how will the sight of this Judge amaze the wicked? and the rather because they shall see him whom they have pierced. Is not this the aggravation of their terror? conceive the guilty man-slayer coming to his trial, will not the red robes of his Judge make his heart bleed for his blood-shed? doth not that crimson clothe present a monstrous hew before his eyes? O then what sight is this, when the man slain sits in the Judgment-seat? the rosy wounds of our Savior still bleeding (at it were) in the prisoners presence? well my they hang their heads, but they shall not shut their eyes; They shall see him, saith the Text; yea, they also which pierced him shall see him. This very sight will be as convincing, as if they heard Christ say, Thou art the man that didst murder me, thou art the man hast pierced me, this wound, this skar, and this print of the nails in my hands and feet were thy very doings in thy sinning against me. And who can tell but Christ may speak in some such manner as this! Come all you on the left hand, prepare you for the sentence; I am them an whom you did crucify afresh; I am he whose person you despised, whose Commands you disobeyed, whose Ministers you abused; whose Servants you hated, whose Offers you rejected; and of whom you said, There is no beauty in him that we should desire him. Whatsoever he shall say, this I believe, that Christ's sweet face will be most terrible to the wicked at that day. Oh it will cut them to see him in the judgment-seat whom they basely shut out of doors, preferring a lust before his presence; then will they begin with extremist grief and bitterness of spirit to sigh and say, Oh, he that I look upon, and must look upon, and cannot choose but look upon: he whom I now see sitting on yonder flaming, white, and glorious Throne, is Jesus Christ, the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace, that true Messiah, whose precious blood was poured out as water upon the earth, to save his people from their sins: it is he, yea, the self same he that many a time whiles I lived on earth, invited and wooed me by his faithful Ministers, that besought and entreated me with tears of dearest love, to leave my lusts, and to bid the Devil adieu; that knocked again and again at the door of my heart for entrance, offering himself to be my all-sufficient, and everlasting husband, telling me that if I would but have embraced him, at this time should have been the solemnity of the marriage, and now he would have set an immortal crown of bliss and glory upon my head with his own Almighty hand; but I alas! like a willful desperate wretch forsook my own mercy, judged myself unworthy of everlasting life, and wretchedly and cruelly against my own soul, persecuted all the means which should have sanctified me, and all the Ministers which should have saved me, as instruments in the hands of Christ; and now happy I, if I were an hundred thousand millions of miles distant from this sight of Jesus Christ: oh that these eyes in my head were holes again, as they were but even now when I was rotting, or rotten in the grave! oh that I could turn any way aside from this glorious sight! oh that I were a Stone, or Tree, or Air, or any other thing that wanted eyes! oh that I had no eye within, nor understanding faculty to conceive of Christ, or to know Christ Jesus as my Judge, now ready to bid me go to Hell! certainly these will be the woeful wishes of the wicked, when they shall look on Christ as sitting on his Throne of Judgment.

2. For the Saints, they shall look on them. Indeed they sit so near their Savior, that they cannot look on him, but they must look on them; the Saints are on their Thrones, either in the Throne or about the Throne of Jesus Christ, and the reprobates stand in a direct opposite line to the Saints, so that their eyes cannot be off them; It is said in the parable, that the rich man being in Hell, He lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom; but the distance being so great as Heaven and Hell, that cannot be literally understood, but only parabolically; it is otherwise here, for howsoever the separation be already made, yet neither is the sentence, nor execution past upon the reprobates; and indeed as yet, both the Saints and reprobates are in the Air; the one on the right hand, and the other on the left hand of Jesus Christ, and therefore they cannot but have a full view of each other. In the Apocryphal book there is a plain description of this view, Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of his Labors; and when they see it they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for; and they repenting and groaning for anguish of Spirit, shall say within themselves, this is he whom we had sometimes in a derision, and a proverb of reproach; we fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honor; how is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is amongst the Saints? Here is a sight that will trouble and amaze the wicked, that those who sometimes were their footstools should now be on Thrones; that poor Lazarus who lay at the gates of that certain rich man, should now shine like a Star near the Sun of Righteousness; that they who were reproached, reviled, massacred, murdered by them, should now be their Judges, joining with Jesus Christ to sentence them to Hell. Oh who can conceive the terrible thoughts of these men's hearts! now the world cannot help them, their old companions cannot help them, the Saints neither can, nor will; only the Lord Jesus can; but Oh! there is the soul-killing misery, he will not; Ye Men, and Devils (saith Christ) joint-heirs of Hell, fit fuel for eternal fire, look on us in our Thrones, time was we could not have a look from you; Christ and Christians were an abhorrency of spirit unto you, you troad us underfoot, but now we are got above you; oh see the vast difference betwixt us and you; look on us, look on me and my Saints! see us on our Thrones, see us glittering in glory; and be confounded and amazed forever.

4. A particular strict account shall be then required, and given. Of what you will say? I Answer—

1. Of sins: Come (will Christ say) Now confess all your sins before all the world; time was that you consealed your sins, but now every sin shall be laid open before God, Angels, and Men; and now is the black Book of their consciences opened, wherein appears all their sins original and actual; of Omission and Commission. For omissions of duties all those shall be discovered. Christ hungry, and I gave him no meat; Christ thirsty, and I gave him no drink; Christ a stranger, and I lodged him not; Christ naked, and I clothed him not; Christ sick, and in prison, and I visited him not. And for commissions of evils, all those shall be discovered. These and these sins I committed in my child-hood, youth, ripe age, old age: these were my gross sins, Blasphemy, perjury, Idolatry, robbery, drunkenness, uncleanness, profaneness, &c. and these were my less sins, anger, hatred, envy, distrust, impatience, pride, presumption, contention, derision, inconstancy, hypocrisy, &c. Oh the numberless number of evil thoughts, words and deeds that now are laid open. In the black book is not only written all sins done, but all such sins as were intended and purposed to be done; All the projects of the heart, though never acted, must now be discovered. Men little think of this; if I should tell you of such designs that died in your hearts, and never came out to light; you would be now ready to say, Tush, I never did such a thing, I only intended it, or had some thoughts about it, and what then? why then those very thoughts, secrets, purposes, projects shall come to light; or if there be anything more hidden or secret, as the very bent, and frame of your hearts, the very inclinations of your souls to this or that evil, shall then be manifest to all the World. Nay, yet more, such sins, as by the sinners themselves were never took notice of, either before, or at, or after the commission of them, shall this day come out. Conscience is such a kind of private Notary or Secretary, that it keeps notes or records of all acts and deeds, whether you observe them or no; conscience hath the Pen of a ready Writer, and takes in short-hand, and in an illegible character, from your mouths as fast as you speak, and from your hearts as fast as you contrive. Consciences writing (saith one) is not now legible; as that which is written with the juice of a Lemmon is not to be read by day-light, but against the sire by night you may read it; so consciences writing cannot now be read, but in that day when Heaven and Earth are set on fire, this book shall be opened, and the cypher be discovered. Oh what a day will this be, when not a sin committed by any reprobate from the beginning of the world, but now it shall be rehearsed.

2. As an account of all sins, so an account of all temporal gifts which God hath imparted to reprobates, must now be given. Some have the gifts of the world; as riches, honors, places of authority; others have the gifts of the body, as health, strength, beauty, life; others have the gifts of the mind, as understanding, wisdom, policy, learning; now of all these gifts they must give an account. Come you that are rich (saith Christ) render you an account of your stewardship; how have you spent your riches? The like will he say to the honorable, and to those in places of authority; Oh remember you were in authority, and office, and place, but what service did you to me, or my members? you had wisdom, and learning, and knowledge, and understanding conferred upon you, but what good had the Church or Common-Wealth by it? the like will he say to others according to the talents bestowed on them, You excelled in strength, beauty, health of body, length of days; and now tell me, and publish it to all the world, how were these improved? I believe many a sad answer will be given to Christ of these things, riches mis-spent, and health mis-spent, and wisdom, policy, learning, gifts, and parts mis-spent; O consider it! if the Factor after many years spent in foreign Countries, at last returns home without his reckonings, who will not blame him for his negligence? but when his Master calls him to account, and he finds nothing but a bill of expenses, this in courting, that in seasting: who laughs not at so fond a reckoning? Thus many pass the time of their life as a time of mirth, then when they return to their Lord again, behold all their accounts are sins, their profits vanities.

3. I shall add one thing more; not only of gifts Temporal, but of all blessings spiritual, though but tendered, and offered, must all give an account. Oh the sad accounts that many a soul will make of these things! methinks I hear some wicked wretch confessing thus to Christ; True Lord, I lived at such a time when the Sun of the Gospel shone bright in my face; and in such a place where all was Goshen; I lived under such a ministry, who set before me life, and death; many and many a powerful, and searching Sermon have I heard; any one passage whereof (if I had not wickedly and willfully forsaken my own mercy) might have been unto me the beginning of the new Birth, and everlasting bliss. Sometimes in the use of the means I felt stirrings or strong workings in my heart, and then I was fully purposed to have been another man, to have cleaved to Christ, and to have forsook the World; I was almost resolved to have been wholly for God, I was almost persuaded to be a real Christian; Oh what thoughts were in my heart when such a faithful Minister pressed the truth home? methinks every Sermon I heard then, is now a preaching again; methinks I hear still the voice of the Minister, methinks I see still his tears dropping down his cheeks; Oh how fresh is the reproof, admonition, exhortation of such, and such a Preacher now in my mind? oh how earnestly did he entreat me! with what love and tender compassion did he beseech me: how did his bowels yearn over me! how strongly did he convince me, that all was not well with my sin-sick soul! how plainly did he rip up all my sores! and open to me all my secrets, and my whole heart! but alas within a while I made a jest of all, I hardened my heart against all, I stifled all his convictions, I shut my eyes against his discoveries; I cared neither for the Minister, nor anything he said, or did. And yet here is not all, not only the Ministers of Christ, but the Spirit of Christ sometimes speak to my heart; I remember at such a time Christ himself (as it were) condescended, and bowed the Heavens, and came down to entreat me for my souls health; oh the strivings of the Spirit of Christ, as if he had been loath to have took a denial! O Christ, I remember thy words, when thou cryedst to me, open sinner, open thy heart to thy Savior, and I will come in, and sup with thee, and thou with me. Why sinner, are thy lust's better than I? thy carnal pleasures better than I? thy worldly commodities better than I? why sinner, what dost thou mean? how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? O take pity on thy Jesus! for here I stand, and wait at the door of thy heart, and my head is filled with the dew, and my looks with the drops of the night. But Alas! I resisted Christ and his Spirit; O thou Judge and Savior of all thine Elect, I dealt churlishly with thee, I tired out thy patience, I gave thee a repulse, I told thee I had entertained other lovers, and I would have none of thee; I troad on council, I trampled thy precious blood under my feet; and now I am expecting no other but to eat the fruit of my own way. Now mayst thou accomplish thy Word, because I set at naught all thy counsels, and would none of thy reproof, therefore thou mayst laugh at my calamity, and mock now my fear cometh. Lo, here the confessions of sins. Every thing now comes out, for Christ will have it so, as a preparative to his doom upon them.

5. Christ and his Saints proceed to sentence. First, Christ the chief Judge shall pronounce it, depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, every word breathes out nothing but fire and brimstone, vengeance and woe; to depart from that glorious presence of Christ were Hell enough, but they must go with a curse; nor only so, but into fire; and that must be everlasting; and therein they shall have no other company or comforters but wicked devils, and they insulting over them with hellish spite and stinging exprobations.

Give me leave a little to enlarge upon these words. No sooner Christ begins the sentence, Depart from me] but methinks I imagine the reprobates to reply; how? depart from thee? why O Christ, thou art all things, and therefore the loss of thee is the loss of all things; thou art the greatest good; and therefore to be deprived of thee is the greatest evil; thou art the very Centre, and perfect rest of the Soul, and therefore to be pulled from thee is the most cruel separation: we were made by thee, and for thee, O let us never be divided from thee; we were made according to thy Image, O never drive us from our glorious pattern; Away, away (saith Christ) ye have no part in me, or in my merits, never speak, or entreat me anymore, but depart from me. But secondly, they may reply again, if we must depart, and depart from thee, at least give us thy blessing before we go, thou hast great store of blessings to give, and we hope thou hast one yet in store for us, we crave but a small thing, but a blessing. O it is a little one; thou art our Father (witness our Creation) and it is a chief property of a Father to bless his children. No, depart from me ye Cursed, in place of a blessing take the full curse of your Father, you have been most prodigal and disobedient children: you have followed him who had my first curse; and now share ye curses with him, cursed be you in your souls, and in your bodies; and in your thoughts, and in your words, and in the heinousness of your sins, and in the grievousness of your punishment. But thirdly, if we must depart from thee, and depart accursed, yet appoint us some meet and convenient place to go into; Create a fruitful piece of ground, and let a goodly Sun daily shine upon it; let it have sweet and wholesome air, and be stored with fruits, and flowers, of all forms and colors; give us the variety of Creatures for our uses; O if we must go from thee, the source and fountain of heavenly sweetness, and afford us some plenty of earthly pleasures, which may in some sort recompense our pain of loss, speak but the word, and such a place will presently start up, and show itself. No, depart from me ye cursed into fire; though fire naturally burns not Spirits, yet I will lift and elevate this fire above its nature; you have sinned against nature, and I will punish you above nature; Fire? alas that ever we were born! who is able to rest in fire? the very thought of it already burns us. Of all the creatures appointed by God to be the Instruments of revenge, fire and water have the least mercy. But Fourthly, if we must into fire, let the sentence stand but for a very short time; quench the fire quickly, half an hour will seem a great while there; No, depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire; it was kindle by my breath, and it hath this property among other strange qualities, that it is an unquenchable Fire; as long as I am God it shall endure, and ye broyl in it; and when I cease to be happy, then shall ye cease to be miserable. O woe is us! what? to live in a fire perpetually without all end, or hope of end?—Yea Fifthly, allot us then some comforters, whose smooth and gentle words may sweeten our torments, or somewhat dull the most keen edge of our extremity: O let the Angels recreate us with Songs and hymns of thee, and of thy blessedness, that we may hear that sweetly delivered which others fully enjoy: No, no; depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels: they shall be your comforters, they that will triumph in your miseries, they that are your deadly, desperate enemies; they that will tell you by what deceits and by-ways they led you from me, and that will give you every hour new names of scorn and horrible reproach. O sentence not to be endured, and yet never, never must it be reversed. O my brethren, I tremble at the very mentioning of this sentence, and O what will they do on whom it must pass? I beseech you before we pass from it, will you ask but your souls this one question! what, can you dwell with everlasting fire? if you can, you may go on in sin; but if you cannot, why then stop here, and repent of sin: O now say, if this be the effect of sin, Lord pardon what is past, and O give me grace that I may sin no more, as sometimes I have done. Methinks if a temptation should come again for ordinary entertainment, you should fright it away with the remembrance of these powerful words, depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.

2. The Saints shall judge the very self same judgment, do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World? that they as well as Christ shall judge the World, is without controversy; And judgment was given to the Saints of the most high. Ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. Behold, the Lord cometh with twelve thousand of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels? not only shall we judge the World, but the God of the World; the Principalities and Powers that captive wicked men at their pleasure; even they must be judged by those whom they formerly soyled; so then there is no question but they shall judge.

Only how the Saints shall judge together with Christ, is a very deep question. For my part I am apt to think, that it shall not be directly known, ere it be seen or done. I shall only relate what others say to this point, and so leave you to your liberty of judging what is right.

1. Some say that the Saints shall judge the World by presenting their persons and actions, by comparing their good examples with the evil examples of all the Reprobates; and so, they shall convince and condemn the World. Behold the Lord cometh with Ten thousand of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them; This I conceive to be a truth, yet surely this is not all truth.

2. Others say, that the Saints shall judge the World by way of indicting, impleading, accusing witnessing, &c. And I conceive it may be thus too; the Saints of the Law more especially accusing the breakers of the Law, by the Law. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father, there is one that accuseth you to the Father, there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. And the Saints of the Gospel more especially judging the profaners of the Gospel, by the Gospel: in that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my Gospel. This likewise is truth, but I believe as yet we have not the whole truth.

3. Others say, that the Saints shall judge the World after the manner of exaltation, glorying, and rejoicing to see the vengeance. The Righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance, he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. But this their exulting being a constant and perpetual act, not for a time, but for eternity, methinks this present act should be yet somewhat more.

4. Others say, that the Saints shall judge the World by way of assession, assent, vote, suffrage, comprobation, and the like subordinate, and conformable acts. And I heard another out of the Altar say, even so Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. —And after these things, I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Allelujah, salvation, and glory, and honor, and power unto the Lord our God, for true and righteous are his judgments; this certainly is truth, and commonly so received, yet neither is this all truth.

5. Others say, that the Saints shall judge the World (i.e.) Christ in the Saints, and the Saints in Christ. He in them by those Infallible principles of Divine Justice which are imprest in them; and they in him, by those inseparable bounds of union, whereby they wholly relate to him: or he and they together as head and members, the act of the head imputed to the members, and the act of the members acknowledged by the head; his Judiciary Act (especially as from his Mediatorship and Manhood) having a peculiar influence upon them; and their Judiciary act (in a perfect conformity, though not any absolute proportion) having a peculiar reference to him. And methinks those Texts of Mat. 19.28. Jude 14.15. speak there of Christ's, and of the Saints judgment, as of one joint act.

Oh what terror will be to all wicked men? when not only Christ, but all the Saints shall say of them, away with them, away with them, let them be damned. You that are Fathers, it may be that your Children will thus sentance you, I remember when the Jews told Christ, that he cast out Devils through Belzebub the Prince of Devils, he answered, If I through Belzebub cast out Devils, by whom do your Children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. They liked well enough of the Miracles of their Children who were the Disciples of Christ, but they could not endure them in Christ; and therefore he tells them, that their Children, whom God hath converted, and to whom he had given power to do the same works as he did, even they should be their judges to Condemn them. And so it may be with you, if any of your Children be converted to the Lord, and you remain still in a natural estate, your very Children shall be your judges, and condemn you to Hell. But of that anon.

6. In this doom which Christ and his Saints shall pass on Reprobates, our Savior tells us of some reasonings betwixt him and them; I was an hungered (saith Christ) and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink, &c. — Then shall they answer, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? and then shall he answer them, verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. As if Christ should have said, time was that I was under reproach, misery, calamity, necessity; I lay at your doors like Lazarus full of sores, and as I thought nothing too, much for you, so I expected also something from you; but oh cruelty to see thy Christ an hungered and not to feed him? to see thy Christ a thirst, and not to cool, or quench his thirst? to see thy Christ a stranger, and not to give him a nights lodging? to see thy Christ naked, and not to cover him with a garment, who would gladly have covered thee with the robe of righteousness, the garment of Salvation? O monstrous inhumane heart? O prodigious wretch! who among the Heathens ever dealt thus with their Idols? have any of the Nations starved their God's, turned them out of doors? and must I only be slighted? away Reprobates! you had no mercy on me, and now I laugh at your calamity: surely he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shown no mercy; They stand wondering at this, and cannot remember that ever they saw Christ in such a condition; Why Lord, (say they) when saw we thee an hungered, or thirsty, or naked? art thou not he that rose again from the dead, and ascended on high, and ever since hast been exalted above the highest Cherubims, a name being given thee above every name, at which name to this day, but especially now on this day, every knee doth bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; how then could we see thee in such a condition? is not this thy second coming in glory? and were we alive at thy first coming in humility? how can this be? oh how shouldst thou charge us with unkindness to thyself? surely if we had known thee in need, we would have given thee of thy own, thou shouldst never have wanted what things we enjoyed, but thou shouldst have commanded both us and them. To which our Savior replies, O deceitful, ignorant, and stupid souls! have you no better learned Christ than so? am not I Head of the Church, and can the Head be without Members? Verily, if you had loved, relieved, or done good to them, you had done so to me; but in being uncharitable to them, you were no less unto me. Never say you would have been thus, and thus kind to Christ, whiles you were unkind to Christians: herein lies the deceitfulness of your hearts; O they are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know them? but I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give to every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings; In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of my members, ye did it not to me, and therefore get you down into Hell, and get you out of my presence; take them Devils, away with them Angels to the Devil and his Angels forever.

These are the reasonings betwixt Christ and Reprobates; and if so, may we not imagine the like between Saints and Reprobates? is there not the same reason of reasoning betwixt them and the inferior Judges, as betwixt them and the supreme Judge? for my part I cannot conceive, but if we admit of such disputes betwixt Christ and them, well may there be the like disputes, arguings, and reasonings betwixt Saints and them: for they had on earth more familiarity, converse, and communion together; some of them it may be, were in near and dear relations to each other; and now that one shall judge the other to eternal flames, oh what passages will be betwixt them? I shall instance in our nearest relations upon earth, as of Masters and Servants, Parents, and Children, Husbands, and Wives, Ministers and People; no question but in these very relations some shall judge, and others be judged; our Savior tells us, There shall be two men in one bed, the one shall be taken, the other shall be left; two women shall be grinding at one Mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left; two men shall be together in the Field, the one shall be taken, and the other left; wherein the Lord seems to show that God's Election doth extend itself to all sorts of persons, and separates the most. They shall not be saved by Families, as in Noah's time, but one fry •• shall be taken by Christ into Heaven, and another left for the Devil to carry into Hell. Give me leave but to enlarge on those reasonings, or discourses that we may imagine will be now betwixt these several relations. As—

1. Betwixt Master and Servant; if the Master be the Saint, and his Servant the Reprobate, then shall the Master say, O thou wicked Servant, how many a time did I call on thee to duty? how often have I told thee that I would have thee to be God's Servant as well as mine? how often came that word to thy ears; Servants obey your Masters in all things according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God? how often was that precious Word laid close to thy conscience, He that doth wrong, shall receive for the wrong which he doth; but in doing service to me as to the Lord, thou shouldst of the Lord receive the reward of the Inheritance, for in such service thou didst serve the Lord Christ? but thou wouldst not be warned, and now thou art justly condemned; I say Amen to Christ's Sentence; get thee down to Hell, and there serve Satan, and receive his wages in fire and Brimstone forever.—Or if the Servant be the Saint, and his Master the Reprobate, then shall the Servant say, O my quondam Master, how many a time hast thou tyrannized it over me? how didst thou use me, or abuse me to serve thy own lusts and corruptions? many a time I had strong desires to wait upon God in the use of public and private Ordinances; this morning, and that evening, I would have served my Master the Lord Jesus Christ, but thou wouldst not spare me one hours time for prayer, reading, meditation, &c. I was ever faithful in thy service, going to bed late and rising early; The drought consumed me by day, and the frost by night, and my sleep many a time departed from mine eyes; surely God hath seen my affliction, and the labor of my hands, and now he hath rebuked thee: dost thou not observe the admirable justice and righteousness of Christ in the sentences past on us both? remember that thou in thy life-time received thy good things, and I received evil things; but now I am comforted, and thou must be tormented. I now serve a better Master; after my weeks work with thee, I shall keep a perpetual Sabbath with God; but go thou with thy old companions from thy glorious Mansion to a loathsome dungeon; from thy table of surfeit, to a table of vengeance; from thy faithful Servants, to afflicting Spirits; from thy bed of down, to a bed of fire; from soft linen and silken coverings, to wish a rock for thy pillow, and a mountain for thy coverlet.

2. Betwixt Parent and Child; if the Parent be the Saint, and the Child the Reprobate; then shall the Parent say, O thou wicked, rebellious Son! or O thou wicked, rebellious, and disobedient daughter! it is I that begot thee, or that brought thee forth; that during thy Infancy, laid thee in my bosom, and dandled thee on my knee, and carried thee in my arms, and set thee as a seal upon my heart; that during thy minority fed thee, and appareled thee and trained thee up in manners, learning a particular calling, and especially in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and then when I saw thy untowardness of spirit, and thy breakings out into things forbidden by God and man, O the admonitions, reprehensions, corrections! O the many thousands of warnings that I gave thee of this day, and of the wrath to come! and yet thou wentest on in thy stubbornness, till thou becamest many and many a time a grief of mind, a bitterness of spirit unto me: and then how often did I mind thee of thy duty. Children obey your Parents in all things. Honor thy Father and Mother, which is the first Commandment with promise. The eye that mockketh his Father, and despiseth to obey his Mother, the Ravens of the Vally shall pick it out, and the young Eagles shall eat it. But alas, all these expressions made no saving impression on thy hardened heart, thy brow was Brass, and thy sinew of Iron, thou wast ever stiff-necked, and now thou art justly damned; I cannot but approve of Christ's judgment upon thee; though thou camest out of my bowels, yet now I have no pity, no bowels of compassion towards thee; the glory of God hath so swallowed up all my natural affections, that I cannot but laugh at thy calamity, and joy in thy damnation; I gave thee a body, and God himself gave thee a Soul; but now let the Devils have both, and torment them in Hell; be gone! I shall never see thee again—Or if the Child be the Saint, and the Parent the Reprobate, then shall the Child say, O unworthy Parent; unworthy of everlasting life! I had my natural being from thee, but my Spiritual being was from the Lord; if I had followed thy steps, I had been everlastingly damned; did I not know thy ignorance, thy unbelief, thy worldliness, thy covetousness, thy pride, thy malice, thy lust, thy lukewarmness, thy impatiency, thy discontentment, thy vain-glory, thyself-love; didst not thou often check me for my forwardness, and zeal, and holiness in Religion? didst not thou ask me, what, art thou wiser than the rest of the neighbor-hood? are there not many gray hairs amongst us, whose wisdom and experience thou hast not yet attained? and canst not thou walk on soberly towards heaven, and either do as the most, or keep pace with the wisest? what, have any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on Christ? oh I shall ever remember to the praise and glory of Christ, what discouragements I had, and yet how the Lord plucked me as a fire-brand out of the fire; and now hath the Lord set me on the Throne to judge thee according to thy demerits; and therefore I join with him, who is the Father of Spirits, against the Father of my flesh; depart, go to the God's whom thou hast served, and see if they will help thee in the day of thy calamity.

3. Betwixt Husband and Wife; now if the Husband be the Saint, and the Wife the Reprobate, then shall the Husband say; Thou art she whom I knew in the flesh, whom I dearly affected with my heart and soul; whom I nourished and cherished as my own body; thou art she that was the Wife of my bosom, as near and dear to me as my heart in my bosom; thou wast my companion, my yoke-fellow, and my very delight: but oh! I could never rule thee, lead thee, guide thee in the way of life, in the path that is called holy: many a time have I wooed, sued, and sought to gain thy soul to that blessed Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, many a time have I prayed with thee, and for thee; many a time have I stirred thee up to hear the Word, to wait upon God in the use of all means public and private; and instead of embraces, or yieldings to these blessed motions, I have met with contentions and jars, as a continual dropping in a very rainy day; but death hath dissolved that knot, so that now I am no more thy Husband; this is the day of separation, and I shall no more consort with thee; at the Resurrection there is no use of Marriage, but now I am to live as an Angel in Heaven; and because thou wouldst not draw with me in Christ's yoke, now therefore adue forever and ever; we shall never more lie in one bed, or sit at one board, or walk in one Field, or grind at one mill; thou hast lost me, and thou hast lost Jesus Christ, two husbands in one day; go now and take thy choice in Hell! thou art free from us, but thou shalt be bound there with indissoluble bonds to the Devil and his Angels—Or if the Wife be the Saint, and the Husband the Reprobate, then shall the Wife say; Thou art he who I looked upon as my second-self, my head, my governor, my helper, my husband; for whom I was willing to forsake my native home, Fathers house, dear Relations, of Father, Mother, Brother, Sister, and many comforts in that kind; and I expected to have found new matter, and a continued influence of comfort, and delight in a marriage-state; but oh the vexations of Spirit! hadst thou not almost drawn me away from Jesus Christ? was I not forced through many provocations sometimes to break out and say, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me? many a time I cried out, O my Husband when wilt thou set up the rich and royal trade of grace in thy Family? when wilt thou exercise prayer, reading, catechizing, conference, days of humiliation, and other household holy duties? oh for doing something to assure our souls of meeting together hereafter in heaven! But alas! it would not be; and now see the effect: here I stand like a Queen, deckit and adorned with cloth of Gold, with raiment of needle-work, with the white robe of Christ's righteousness; so that the King of Heaven greatly desires my beauty, and my soul is this day married to Christ; I acknowledge him, and no other Husband in the world; and for thee who refused to join with me in the worship of God, now God hath refused thee: fare well, or fare ill forever.

4. Betwixt Minister and some of his people at least: if the people be as so many Saints, and the Minister the Reprobate, then shall the people say: O thou art the man that undertookest that high and mighty calling of feeding souls with the Word of life; but now are thy sins written in thy fore-head, for either thou run'st before thou wast sent, or being sent, thou hast been exceeding negligent in the gift that was in thee: Didst not thou prophesy in Baal, and cause God's people to err? didst thou not studiously and mainly seek for the Fleece, not regarding respectively the Flock? didst not thou strengthen the hands of evil-doers in Preaching peace, peace to wicked men? wast thou not profane, and wicked, and loose in thy life, and by that means ledst many thousands to hell! O thou bloody Butcher of Souls; hadst thou been faithful in thy Ministry, well might those damned Companions about thee have escaped the flames! but they are doomed to death, and now thou mayest hear their cries, and grievous groans, and complaints against thee, this was the man set over us to give us the bread of Life, but oh Christ, did he not fail us? did he not feed us with unprofitable matter, fables, conceits, airy sentences, rather than anything tending to godly edifying, which is in faith? did not our tongues, and the tongues of our Children stick to the roof of our mouths in calling and crying for bread, for the bread of life, and he would not pity us? we gave him the tenths which thou appointed, but he gave not us thy truth, which thou didst command him; why Lord Christ, thou Judge of all the world, didst not thou bid him feed, feed, feed? didst thou not bid him feed the flock committed to his charge? didst not bid him preach the word, be instant in season, and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering? and notwithstanding all thy commands, did he not miserably starve us? instead of feeding us unto salvation, hath he not starved many thousands of us to our destruction. O Christ, thou that art the judge of Nations, and the revenger of blood! reward thou this man, as he hath rewarded us; he led us in the ways of wickedness, and (if it must be so) let him be our ring-leader to Hell; and upon his soul once buried in Hell, let this be the Epitaph, the price of blood, the price of blood; if thou didst hear the blood of Abel, being but one man, forget not the blood of many, now thou art judging the earth. Why thus do the damned cry about thine ears; and as for us, (say the Saints) who were once thy people, but now thy Judges, we consent to their cry, and to our Savior's doom, go ye cursed into everlasting fire.

Men, Brethren, and Fathers, I begin thus with the Ministers doom, that you may see I would deal impartially; and verily I believe it, if our case come to this, we of the Ministry shall be in a thousand times worse condition than any of you; for besides the horror due to the guilt of our own souls, all the blood of those souls who have perished under our Ministry, through our default, will be laid to our charge; little do you know, or consider the burden that lies upon us, a burden able to make the shoulders of the most mighty Angel in heaven to shrink under it. Chrysostom was a glorious Saint, yet casting his eye upon one only Text in the Bible, Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, He professeth that the terror of this Text made his heart tremble. Surely it is enough to make our hearts tremble, if we seriously weigh our terrible doom, in case that we should miscarry.

But now on the other side, if the Minister be the Elect, and sentenced to salvation; and many of his people prove no better than Reprobates, then shall the Minister say, O miserable souls, now you feel the truth of those comminations, and curses which we opened and unfolded, and discovered to you out of God's Word! We dealt plainly with you, that the unrighteous should not inherit the Kingdom of God: we advised you again and again, be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor Thieves, nor Covetuous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God: and such were you, and notwithstanding all our threats, warnings, intreatings, beseechings, thus ye lived, and thus ye died; and there is the issue, Christ now hath doomed you to hell, and here am I set on a throne to judge your souls; for the Saints shall judge the World as well as Christ himself; Oh what shall I do? Oh my bowels, my bowels! here's a case beyond all the former, each of them according to their relations judge another; but here's a multitude, not one, or two, or ten, or an hundred, but many hundreds, or thousands, according to the number of such and such Congregations, where I have preached.

In Christ's reasonings with the wicked we have heard of his sayings, and their answers, and of his replications to their answers, much said on both sides to and again; I may suppose the like here. O what shall I do (says the Minister) what doom shall I pass on this Assembly of Reprobates? can I absolve them whom the righteous God hath condemned? can I say, come along with me to heaven, now Christ hath said, go ye cursed into hell? and oh now shall I turn my speech from my wonted wooing, beseeching, entreating, exhorting, to a direct dooming, damning, condemning these souls to the pit of hell? sometimes indeed I opened to these souls the armoury of God's wrath. I thundered and lightened in their Congregations; but my design was to fright them out of hell-fire, and knowing the terrors of the Lord to have persuaded them towards heaven, and heavenly things; but now if I speak condemnation, no sooner shall I speak, but their souls will sink down to hell; O miserable souls, what shall I say? or what can you say for yourselves? Then shall they answer; Oh Sir, do not you aggravate the torment by your condemnation; the weight of Christ's doom is already unsupportable, but will you add more weight? Why remember, we are some of us (it may be) of your flesh and blood; many a time you told us that you unfeignedly loved us; and that we were dearer to you then all worldly enjoyments; many a time you told us that you were willing to spend yourself for us, as the candle that burns itself to give others light; you were pleased to bestow your prayers, tears, sighs, groans for our souls; your very Books and Writings were high expressions, and abiding monuments of your dear love to us; you weighed not your strength and spirits in comparison of our souls; and shall this fair comical scean end in a dismal, doleful, bloody Tragedy? would you do or suffer anything to save us, and will you now condemn us? Oh forbear!

Ah no, (saith the Minister) I cannot forbear; all is true that you say, I loved you dearly, and I was willing to spend, or to be spent for you; but this aggravates the more; ah my travail, pains, books, writings, words, fears, sighs, groans are in one volume together, and this volume has been opened this day, and now is the question put; what have you profited by all my words, prayers, tears, sighs, and groans? is not all lost? and are not your souls lost? and now do you tell me of love? what, did I ever love you more then Christ loved you? were the drops of my tears to be compared with the showers of his blood? were my pains for you equal with the pains of his Cross? and hath he not condemned you to hell? and shall not I be like-minded to Jesus Christ? Surely the Lord's will must be my will; he hath already judged you, and he will make me to judge you; so far am I from pitying you, that if he that formed you will show you no mercy, if he that saves me, and all the Elect people of God, will not save you, can I pity you, or save you, or descent from Jesus in his sentence upon you? speak no more of flesh, and blood, of labors, of love, Christ's Sentence must stand, and as I am a member of Christ, and a Minister of Christ, I cannot but approve of it, and so judge you to hell.

Why then (say Reprobates) we will curse thee, and blaspheme Jesus Christ in hell forever; cursed be the time that ever we heard of Jesus Christ, or that ever we knew thee, or thy Ministry; do not thy Sermons send us deeper into hell? had it not been easier for us at this day of judgment if we had lived in Tyre and Sidon, where the Gospel never was Preached? didst not thou harden our hearts in such and such Sermons, when the Word came home? didst not thou deny us the seals which might have been for confirmation of our souls salvation? didst thou not estrange thyself from us in respect of any inward, intimate, and familiar society, which thou affordest to others? doth not the event plainly show, that all thy tears, prayers, words, and works, as in reference to us, were hypocrisy, flattery, deceit, dissimulation? Oh cursed be the day that ever we lived under such a Ministry, or that ever we heard of Jesus Christ.

Nay then (saith the Minister) it is time for us to part; such were your invectives on earth, and now they are, and will be your language in Hell; but have I not answered these cavils many a time? have I not told you that the Word would harden some, and soften others, the fault being in yourselves? have I not cleared it that the seals are not to be set upon blanks, and that confirmation could not be without a work of conversion to lead it? and were we not commanded in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to withdraw ourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly? did not the wise man tell us? he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith, and he that hath fellowship with a proud man shall be like unto him? can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt? can a man go upon hot coals, and his feet be not burnt? as for other cavils, the Lord be judge betwixt you and us; nay the Lord hath been Judge betwixt you and us; lo here we stand on the right hand of Christ, so, here we sit on our Throne to judge you, and that world of wicked men and Angels; let Christ be glorious, and let his sentence stand, and let that word of Judgment never be reversed; he that loveth cursing, let it come upon him; and he that clotheth himself with cursing as with a garment, let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones? no more, but adieu souls, adieu Reprobates, adieu forever; you must descend, but we must ascend. Go you to Hell, whiles we mount upwards to Heaven and Glory.

At this last word, down they go, the evil Angels falling like lightning, and evil men hailed, and pulled down with them from the presence of God, and Christ, and Angels, and all the blessed ones; even from their fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, children, ministers, servants, lovers, friends, acquaintance; who shall then justly and deservedly abandon them with all detestation and derision; and forgetting all nearness, and dearest obligations of nature, neighbourhood, alliance, anything, will rejoice in the execution of divine justice. Oh the shrikes, and horrid cries that now they make, filling the air as they go! Oh the wailings and wringing of hands! Oh the desperate roarings! Oh the hideous yellings, filling heaven, and earth, and hell! But I shall follow them no further, no sooner do they fall into the bottomless pit, but presently it shuts her mouth upon them, and there I must leave them.

SECT. VII. Of Christ and his Saints going up into heaven, and of the end of this World.

7. FOR Christ and his Saints going up into heaven, and so for the end of this world: no sooner are the Reprobates gone to their place, but the Saints ascend; now Christ ariseth from his judgment-seat, and with all the glorious company of heaven, he marches towards the heaven of heavens. Oh what a comely march is this? what songs of triumph are here sung and warbled? Christ leads the way, the Cherubims attend, the Seraphims wait on, Angels, Arch-angels, Principalities, Powers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests, Evangelists, Martyrs, Professors, and Confessors of God's Law and Gospel following, attend the Judge, and King of Glory; singing with melody, as never ear hath heard, shining with Majesty as never eye hath seen, rejoicing without measure as never heart conceived. O blessed train of Soldiers! O goodly Troop of Captains! each one doth bear a palm of Victory in his hand, each one doth wear a Crown of Glory upon his head; the Church Militant is now Triumphant; with a final overthrow have they conquered Devils, Death, and Hell; and now must they enjoy God, Life, and Heaven; sometimes I have with much wonder and admiration beheld some Regiments passing our streets; but had I seen those Roman Armies when they returned Victors, and made their solemn Triumphs in the streets of Rome, oh then how should I have then admired? never was the like sight to this of Christ and his Army in this World. O the comely march they make, through the sky, and through the Orbs, and through all the Heavens, till they come to the Heaven of Heavens! were ever so many glistering Suns together in one day? was ever so many glories together on this side the Kingdom of glory? not to speak of Christ, or his Angels, O who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the Moon, clear as the Sun, and terrible as an Army with Banners? are not in the head of these Regiments Adam, and Abel, and Noah, and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; and all the Patriarchs and all the Prophets, and all the Apostles? And (if thou art a Saint that readest this) art not thou one Son appointed by God amongst the rest to follow Christ? here's enough to fill thy heart with joy beforehand; as sure as yond Sun now shines in the Firmament shalt thou that believest pass by that Sun in its very orb, and by reason of thy glory it shall lose it shine? oh then what spreading of beauty and brightness will be in the heavens as all the Saints go along! what lumps of darkness shall those glittering Stars appear to be, when all the Saints of God shall enter into their several orbs and spheres? and thus as they march along higher, and higher, till they come to the highest, at last heaven opens unto them, and the Saints enter their Masters joy; what is there done at their first entrance, I shall discover another time; only for a while let us look behind us, and see what becomes of this nether World.

No sooner Christ and his company in the Empyreal heaven, but presently this whole world is set on fire; To this profane Authors seem to assent, As,

1. Philosophers, especially the Stoics were of this mind. Humor primordium, exitus ignis, said Seneca: Moisture was the beginning, and fire shall be the end of this World. And speaking of the Sun, Moon, and Stars; mark (says he) whatsoever now shines in comely and decent order, shall at last burn together in one fire.

2. The Poets grant this; Lucan speaking of those whom Caesar left unburned at the Battle of Pharsalia; Hos Caesar populos si nunc non urserit ignis, uret cum terris. If fire shall not now burn these, when Heaven and Earth, and all shall burn, then must they burn.— Ovid in like manner, Esse quoque in fatis—quo mare, quo tellus—ardeat. A time shall come, when Sea, and earth, and all the frame of this great World shall be consumed in flame.

3. The Sybills grant this, to which the Roman missal seems to allude, joining them with the Prophet David, though I know not by what warrant. Dies ira, dies illa, solvet saeculum in favilla, teste David cum Sybilla.

But to wave all these, one Text of Scripture is to me more than all these. 2 Pet. 3.10. The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burnt up. Hence all our Divines agree, that a fire shall seize on the Universe; only some difference is amongst Divines, whether the World shall be wholly annihilated, or renewed by fire? Jerome and Augustine, and many after them say, the end of this fire is for purifying and refining of the Heaven, and Earth; for all corruptible qualities shall be burnt out of them, but they in their substance shall remain still: if we ask them, to what end shall this nether world be renewed? some say for an habitacle of the restored Beasts; others for a fitter accommodation of men, and the glorified Saints; others for a perpetual Monument of God's Power and Glory. Polanus and some of our Moderns are of Opinion, that These Heavens and this Earth when purified with those fires, and super-invested with new endowments, they shall be the everlasting habitations of the blessed Saints. But on the contrary, others are of the other opinion, that all the World with all the parts and works (except Men, Angles and Devils, Heaven, and Hell, the two mansions for the saved and damned) shall be totally and finally dissolved and annihilated. And of this opinion were Hilary, Clement, and all the ancients before Jerome; and of our Moderns not a few. For my part I rather incline this way, because of the many Scriptures that are so express, I shall only mention these. — Man lieth down, and riseth not till the heavens be no more.—Of old thou hast laid the foundations of the Earth, and the Heavens are the works of thy hands, they shall perish, but thou shalt endure. All the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heaven shall be rolled together as a scroll, and all the host shall fall down as the leaf falleth from the Vine, and as a falling fig from the fig-tree. To which prophesy John seems to allude, And the heavens departed as a scrowl when it is rolled together, and every Mountain and Island were moved out of their places. Again, heaven and earth shall pass away (saith Christ) but my Word shall not pass away—The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night, in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burnt up.—And the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth forever.—and I saw a great white Throne, and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and heaven fled away, and they was found no place for them. Now I would demand, whether being no more, as Job; and perishing, as David; and rolling together, and falling down like a withered leaf, as Isaiah; and passing away, as our Savior, and Peter; and flying away, as John; do not include to utter abolition? If to these Scriptures I should add one reason, I would argue from the end of the Worlds Creation; was it not partly for the glory of God? and partly for the use of man? now for the glory of God, the manifestation of it is occasioned by the manifestation of the world unto man; if man therefore should be removed out of the world, and no creature in it be capable of such a manifestation, what would become of his glory? And for the use of man, that is either to supply his necessity in matter of diet, physic, building, apparel; or for his instruction, direction, recreation, comfort, delight; now when he shall attain that blessed estate of enjoying God, and seeing God face to face, these ends or the like must needs be frustrate. This argument is weighty, and we need no more. Only we shall hear an Antagonist's objections and give them their answers, and so conclude.

The Texts more especially objected against this opinion, are two; the first is that in Rom. 8.21. The creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God: here (say the • ) is an earnest expectation, attributed to brute Creatures, that they shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Children of God. But I answer, that no immortal being of the brute creatures is here promised, but only a simple deliverance and dismission from the servitude they were in, to ungrateful men. The Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, do now suffer for our diet; Horses, Mules, and beasts of that nature do now groan under the burdens of our pleasures, or necessities; their annihilation therefore to them must needs be a kind of deliverance; and at last they shall be delivered at the time of the glorious liberty of the Sons of God; the Text will bear it thus. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Creature shall be delivered by the glorious liberty of the Sons of God. (i.e.) When such a deliverance comes to men, these shall be freed from their servitude by being not at all, having done all the business for which they were ordained, or created.

The second Text is that in 2 Pet. 3.13. We look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness. These words (say some) imply a purging, rather than abolishing; a taking off the corrupt qualities only, not the substance. But I am of another mind, and if I must give my sense of the place, I say—

1. Negatively that by new heavens and new earth, is not meant renewed heavens and earth; is it not punctually in the seventh verse, that the heavens and the earth which are now, are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment? and doth he not descend unto particulars in the tenth verse, that the heavens which are now, shall pass away with a great noise? that the Elements shall melt with fervent heat? and that the earth also, and the works therein shall be burnt up? and doth he not infer thereupon in the eleventh and twelfth verses, that all these things shall be dissolved? and in the thirteenth verse, that we are therefore to look for new heavens, and a new earth? dissolution mends not a fabric, but destroys it; how then should that which is dissolved be said to be reserved, and let stand? surely if Peter had thought of this refining only, some words of his would have intimated so much. The end of these creatures was for man's use, and man using them no more, to what end should they be reserved? to say for a monument of what hath been; or for the habitation of the Saints; or for an out-let for the Saints, descending sometimes from the highest heavens to solace themselves here below; are but groundless surmises, and deserve no answer at all.

2. Positively, by new heavens, and a new earth, is meant the heaven of heavens, and place of glory. Now these heavens are termed new, not in regard of their new making, but of our new taking possession of them for our new habitation; and they are called heavens and earth, because they come instead of that heavenly covering, and that earthly habitation which we now enjoy; so that the Text may well bear this paraphrase,