Motives to holy living, or, Heads for meditation divided into consideratins, counsels, duties : together with some forms of devotion in litanies, collects, doxologies, &c.

§. 169.

For Consideration of the General day of Judgment some more particulars may yet be added. Consider,

1. That that is the proper day of justice, and wrath; as the present is of Grace, and Mercy (See Rom. 2.5.8, 9. 2. Thes. 1.7, 8. Rev. 11.18. —6.16. Luk. 18.7. —2. Cor. 5.11.) God's justice upon sin(by Christ's Mediation) being delayed till that time, that many might come to repentance (2. Pet. 3.9.) and these his present temporal punishments be∣ing inflicted chiefly not for vengeance, but for other ends; either for their good that suffer, or other mens that behold it. Therefore the present called our day (Luk. 19.42. —2. Cor. 6.2.) wherein our free will doth as it pleaseth. That, the day of the Lord (2. Pet. 3.10. —1. Thes. 5.2.) wherein removing this free power we yet enjoy, God will gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend, and all that do iniquity, and cast them into the furnace (Matt. 13.41.)

2. The dreadful signs (that shall be then) of God's wrath, and the terribleness of the appearance of that day beyond all other terrors; and the alteration of Heaven, and Earth, and putting out of the Sun (before the sitting in judgment. Rev. 20.11. comp. 12.) tho not till after the resurrection. 1. Thes. 4.16. (See 2. Pet. 3.10.12. Psal. 18.7. &c. Na∣hum. 1.3. &c. Esai. 30.27. &c. Matt. 24.29. &c. Rev. 20.11. Joel, 3.2.12. &c. to 17. Zechariah, 14.4. Luk. 21.36.

3. As the Bodies of the righteous raised in great beauty, and glory; so those of the wicked in great filthiness, and de∣formity.

4. The horrible fear, and trembling of the wicked then living, (Matt. 30. Luk. 21.25, 26. Rev. 1.7. —6.16. —11.18. Rev. 1.7.) this day coming upon them when full

of sin, and security (Matt. 24.12.38. Luk. 18.8. —21.35. —1. Thes. 5.3. —2. Thes. 2, 3.) And of the Souls of the formerly dead then being brought out of their prisons (1. Pet. 3.19.) and reunited to their loathsome companion the Body; Now to be sentenced together with the devil to eternal torments; whom also we may suppose depreca∣ting, as the Devils (Luk. 8.31.)

5. The confidence, and joy of the righteous then living, and of the Souls of the dead then coming out of the place of rest, and bliss, and reunited to their Bodies; their Bodies care∣fully gathered up, and brought together by the Angels, and such as they are described 1. Cor. 15.42. &c. 2. Thes. 1.10. both these being then caught up in the clouds, and having their ascension like our Saviour's; and meeting the Lord (coming in his Glory with his Blessed Angels to Judg∣ment) in the air (1. Thes. 4.17. Luk. 21.28. —1. Jo. 2.28. —1. Cor. 7.7. —2 Tim. 4.8. Tit. 2.13. —1. Thes. 5.4. —2. Pet. 3.12.) whom we may suppose singing together, as in Rev. 19.6, 7, 8.

6. A particular appearance, and examination, of all the Sons of Adam, assembled together; Sodom, and Gomorrah in Abraham's time then confronting Corazin, and Bethsaida in Christ's time &c. And every one giving account of him∣self to God; the Counsels of all their hearts being made mani∣fest, and secrets divulged. Rom. 14.10.12. —1. Cor. 4.5. Matt. 10.15. Rev. 20.12. Rom. 2.16. Ecclesiastes, 12.14.

7. Books kept, containing all mens works, then brought forth, and opened Rev. 12.20.) In which how many sins, never thought of for Repentance, shall be then brought to our Remembrance for Condemnation? And besides them a peculiar Book of life (called also a Book of remembrance, Mal. 3.16.) being not of actions, but only of names i. e. of those who have here served and pleased God; that none of them might be forgotten, or unrewarded in that day. All the rest

who are not writ in that happy book being abandoned to eternal destruction. (Exod. 32.32, 33. Phil. 4.3. Rev. 3.5. —20.15. Luk. 10.20. Jo. 10.28, 29.)

8. The manifestation at that time of God's just judgment (the manner whereof is set down by St. Paul. Rom. 2. from 6. to 17. verse) which shall be upon no other point, but down-right according to works, (Rom. 2.6. Rev. 20.12. Matt. 16.27. &c.) In which works, words (Matt. 12.37. Jud. 15.) and thoughts (Rom. 2.16.) are contain∣ed. According to works; either those that men have per∣severed in, without any repentance of them at all, or where any repentance of them hath been (which cancels all the work before it, Ezech. 18.21, 22.) according to the works done after it; whether these be good, or whether they be evil: which being evil, and backsliding to our former ways, do again cancel our repentance, and bring the account also of all our former sins repented of upon us (See Ezech. 18.24. 2. Pet. 2.20. Matt. 18.23. &c. where, as the Lord forgave to the servant, upon submission, many talents, so upon his mis-behaviour after this he recalled him to account for every farthing of those talents before remitted. See Matt. 5.26.) Now these our works shall be judged according to the several talents that have been promulgated to us, and which we have lived under; whether it be that of Christ, or that of Moses: (Where note that the law of Moses, for a great part of it, not only Morals, but Ceremonials, was re∣vealed to the holy race from the beginning (See The Benefits of our Saviour) who may be said therefore to have been from the beginning under the law, or under the Gospel, only ob∣scured by types) or that of Nature. Under one of which all the Sons of Adam have lived. For it must always be some law (received) that worketh wrath (Rom. 15. Jo. 9.41.) because where no law is there is no transgression. (Therefore See Rom. 1.21. comp. 18.24. how wrath was wrought against the Heathen upon a law.) Some therefore at that

day shall be judged by the law and the words of Christ our Lord, and by the New Testament (See Jo. 12.48.) Some by the law of Moses, and the Old Testament. (See Rom. 2.12. Jo. 5.45.) The rest by that of nature, which is written in their hearts (See Rom. 2.12. comp. 14.) which law to be given to, and in, all men, the Apostle there proves, from the testimony of Conscience, and reflex thoughts, in all men, sometimes accusing, sometimes ex∣cusing them, which necessarily presupposeth a law (Rom. 2.15.) So that every one at that day is condemned for evil works committed not only against the power of that light, and knowledge, which (had it not been their own default) they might have acquired; but against that light, and know∣ledge, which they actually were possessed of, and did not walk according to it: All condemned for those things, which when they did their Conscience accused them for ill doing; and therefore which when they did, they might have for∣born (for conscience accuseth for none else) and which, some others living under the same law, (Suppose a Socrates, or a Seneca,) did upon like temptations forbear. So that all, in that day are condemned ex ore suo. Meanwhile, though extra Christum there will be no Salvation, no re∣ward, yet that Judgment shall be more tolerable by much for some offenders than for others: for those who lived under Moses's Law, than for those under Christ's (Heb. 2,3. —10.28, 29.) for those under the law of nature, than those under Moses's: for much shall (then) be required of him to whom much is (here) given: and who knew not so much of his Lord's will, and so committed things worthy of stripes, shall be in that day beaten with few stripes (See Matt. 10.15. —11.22.24. Luk. 12 48. Act. 17.30. —14.16. Matt. 3.10. Heb. 2, 3. Jo. 15.22.) [Which law of nature, and light given, had any one entirely observed, he should have been saved, i. e. freed at least from all punishments, as respect∣ing his own actions, (though he would have stood guilty

still of original uncleanness, and must have incurred the same Condemnation with unbaptized infants,) though he had not been rewarded with any supernatural beatitude upon the vertue of the first Covenant. Yet so it is, that though for the single Acts of sin, for some time, those who live under this law have power to abstain; yet through the depravation of nature, and contagion of ill Example, and in so much temptation, reason not being always able to be vigilant without the help of supernatural Grace, it could not be that any one at all times should perfectly abstain from all; i. e. should do all which possibly he might.]

9. In this Judgment, the righteous (after that those whose works have been less pure have first endured the severe trials of the purifying sire of that day, 1. Cor. 3.15.) first absolved, and separated by our Saviour from the wicked; and placed on his right hand (Matt. 25.32, 33.) then receiving their approbation and praise of God (1. Cor. 4, 5.) for all their righteous, works, and sufferings; and embraced and acknowledged by the Lord Jesus for his sheep, for his Bre∣thren, before his Father, and all his holy Angels (Luk. 12.8. Rev. 3.5.) and all the world; and so admitted (every man according to the proportion of his labour, and service here Luk. 19.17.) to the reward, and Crowns, and Kingdome promised: i. e. to be partakers with Christ of his Kingdome over all things (See Matt. 24.47. Rev. 3.21.) In which Kingdome first taking their places, and set on thrones (as mercy in that day also will prevent Judgment) they shall judge with Christ the rest of the world; and that not only men, but Angels.

10. The General 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and self conviction of the wicked in that day (Matt. 22.12. Rom. 2.15. comp. 16.) especially shame, and confusion of those that have pro∣fessed the name of Christians; who pleading this name (Luk. 13.26.) shall be denied by our Saviour before his Father, and the holy Angels, that he ever knew them for any of

his followers, and then he shall be ashamed of them, as they of him here (See Mark. 10.38. Matt. 7.23. 1. Jo. 2.28. —3.16. &c. Dan. 12.2.)

11. The dreadful sentence (Matt. 7.23. —25.41.) And the outcries of that day; and the woful separation; (the most joined being then parted asunder according to their contrary deserts, (Matt. 24.40.) the cursed (with weep∣ing; and gnashing of teeth, to see others in the Kingdome they might so easily have acquired, and themselves thrust out Luk. 13.38.) descending into the abyss, and land of forget∣fulness (Luk. 8.31. Psal. 88.12.) as the blessed with our Saviour ascending) and being now filled with the perfecti∣on of despair, and left to God's anger, and indignation, and vengeance; which vengeance having been gathered toge∣ther in all ages, is now to be poured out in full measure upon all the sin that ever hath been committed since the beginning of the world, and especially upon all the vio∣lence, and wrong done to all his Saints, by the executing now of all the Curses of the Holy Scriptures upon his, and their Enemies.

12. The holy Saints, and Angels, no more pitying, no more praying for these miserables; no more acknowledging any more alliance unto them; but exceedingly approving Christ's justice, and praising God's vengeance, and tri∣umphing in the destruction of his, and their enemies, (like those Rev. 11.17, 18. —16.5, 6. —19.1, 2.) God himself also laughing at, and having them in derision (Psal. 37.13. Prov. 1.26.) and sending them into a land of eternal for∣getfulness.

13. After all these: Consider the Paucity of the saved gathered from Matt. 7.13, 14. Luk. 13.24. 1. Cor. 9.24. 2. Tim. 2.5. [lawfully] i. e. observing strictly, the conditions upon which the Crown is given: Matt. 22.14. Rom. 9.27. 1. Cor. 1.26. Matt. 19.23, 24. 1. Cor. 9.27. 1. Jo. 5.19. Joel, 2.32. Zech. 13.8, 9 [spoken of the

last times] Luk. 13.27. And this also may be gathered from the small number of those saved in the flood, and in the destruction of Sodome: Types of the last destruction of the world, and of the wicked (2. Pet. 2.5, 6. comp. 9. Matt. 24.38.) And of those entring into the earthly Canaan (1. Cor. 10.5.) a type of the Heavenly. So in the Parable of the Seed (Matt. 13.) which was not sown every where; (where sown) only one part of four fructified. And ex∣perience shows most part of the world to be unbelievers; of Christians, wicked. Luk. 18.8. —21.35.

14. For exciting affections; meditate on 2. Pet. 3.11. —1. Pet. 1.17. &c. Luk. 21.36.