Chapter IV: Part 4

§ 9. (5.) After this deep conviction, the will discovers also its change. As for instance,—The sin, which the understanding pronounces evil, the will turns from with abhorrence. Not that the sensitive appetite is changed, or any way made to abhor its object: But when it would prevail against reason, and carry us to sin against God, instead of Scripture being the rule, and reason the master, and sense the servant; this disorder and evil, the will abhors.—The misery also which sin hath procured, is not only discerned, but bewailed. It is impossible that the soul should now look, either on its trespass against God, or yet on its own self-procured calamity, without some contrition. He that truly discerns that he hath killed Christ, and killed himself, will surely in some measure be _pricked to the heart_.[194] If he cannot weep, he can heartily groan; and his heart feels what his understanding sees.—The creature is renounced as vanity, and turned out of the heart with disdain. Not that it is undervalued, or the use of it disclaimed; but its idolatrous abase, and its unjust usurpation. Can Christ be the way where the creature is the end? Can we seek to Christ to reconcile us to God, while in our hearts we prefer the creature before him? In the soul of every unregenerate man, the creature is both God and Christ. As turning from the creature to God and not by Christ, is no true turning; so believing in Christ, while the creature hath our hearts, is no true believing. Our aversion from sin, renouncing our idols, and our right receiving Christ, is all but one work, which God ever perfects where he begins.—At the same time the will cleaves to God the Father, and to Christ. Having been convinced, that nothing else can be his happiness, the sinner now finds it is in God. Convinced also, that Christ alone is able and willing to make peace for him, he most affectionately accepts of Christ for Savior and Lord. Paul's preaching was _repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ_,[195] _And life eternal_ consists first in _knowing the only true God, and_ then _Jesus Christ whom he hath sent_.[196] To take the Lord for our God, is the natural part of the covenant; the supernatural part is, to take Christ for our Redeemer. The former is first necessary, and implied in the latter. To accept Christ, without affection and love, is not justifying faith. Nor does love follow as a fruit, but immediately concurs; for faith is the receiving of Christ with the whole soul. _He that loveth father or mother more than_ Christ, _is not worthy of him_,[197] nor is justified by him. Faith accepts him for Savior and Lord: For in both relations will he be received, or not at all. Faith not only acknowledges his sufferings, and accepts of pardon and glory; but acknowledges his sovereignty, and submits to his government and way of salvation.

[Footnote 194] Acts ii, 37.

[Footnote 195] Acts xx, 21.

[Footnote 196] John xvii, 3.

[Footnote 197] Matthew x, 17.

§ 10. (6.) As an essential part of the character of God's people, they now enter into a cordial covenant with Christ. The sinner was never strictly, nor comfortably, in covenant with Christ till now. He is sure, by the free offers, that Christ consents; and now he cordially consents himself; and so the agreement is fully made.—With this covenant Christ delivers up himself in all comfortable relations to the sinner; and the sinner delivers up himself, to be saved, and ruled by Christ. Now the soul resolutely concludes, "I have been blindly led by flesh and lust, by the world and the devil, too long, almost to my utter destruction: I will now be wholly at the disposal of my Lord, who hath bought me with his blood, and will bring me to his glory."

§ 11. (7.) I add, that the people of God persevere in this covenant to the end. Though the believer may commit sins, yet he never disclaims his Lord, renounces his allegiance, nor repents of his covenant; nor can he properly be said to break that covenant, while that faith continues, which is the condition of it. Indeed, those that have verbally covenanted, and not cordially, may _tread under foot the blood of the covenant_, as _an unholy thing, wherewith they were sanctified_, by separation from those without the church;[198] but _the elect_ cannot be so _deceived_.[199] Though this perseverance be certain to true believers, yet it is made a condition of their salvation; yea, of their continued life and fruitfulness, and of the continuance of their justification, though not of their first justification, itself.[200] But eternally blessed be that hand of love, which hath drawn the free promise, and subscribed and sealed to that which ascertains us, both of the grace which is the condition, and the kingdom which on that condition is offered.

[Footnote 198] Hebrews x, 29.

[Footnote 199] Matthew xxiv, 24.

[Footnote 200] John xv, 4, 6, 9, viii, 31. Revelation ii, 25, 26, iii, 11, 12. Colossians i, 23. Romans xi, 22.

§ 12. Such are the essentials of this people of God: Not a full portraiture of them in all their excellencies, nor all the notes whereby they may be discerned. I beseech thee, Reader, as thou hast the hope of a Christian, or the reason of a man, judge thyself, as one that must shortly be judged by a righteous God, and faithfully answer these questions. I will not inquire whether thou remember the time or the order of these workings of the Spirit: there may be much uncertainty and mistake in that: If thou art sure they are wrought in thee, the matter is not so great, though thou know not when nor how thou camest by them. But carefully examine and inquire, hast thou been thoroughly convinced of a prevailing depravation through thy whole soul? and a prevailing wickedness through thy whole life? and how vile sin is? and that, by the covenant thou hast transgressed, the least sin deserves eternal death? Dost thou consent to the law, that it is true and righteous, and perceive thyself sentenced to this death by it? Hast thou seen the utter insufficiency of every creature, either to be itself thy happiness, or the means of removing this thy misery? Hast thou been convinced, that thy happiness is only in God, as the end; and in Christ as the way to him? and that thou must be brought to God through Christ, or perish eternally? Hast thou seen an absolute necessity of thy enjoying Christ, and the full sufficiency in him, to do for thee whatsoever thy case requires? Hast thou discovered the excellency of this _pearl_, to be worth thy _selling all to buy it_?[201] Have thy convictions been like those of a man that thirsts, and not merely a change in opinion, produced by reading, or education? Have both thy sin and misery been the abhorrence and burden of thy soul? If thou couldest not weep, yet couldest thou heartily groan under the insupportable weight of both? Hast thou renounced all thy own righteousness? Hast thou turned thy idols out of thy heart, so that the creature hath no more the sovereignty, but is now a servant to God and Christ? Dost thou accept of Christ as thy only Savior, and expect thy justification, recovery, and glory, from him alone? Are his laws the most powerful commanders of thy life and soul? Do they ordinarily prevail against the commands of the flesh, and against the greatest interest of thy credit, profit, pleasure, or life? Has Christ the highest room in thy heart and affections, that though thou canst not love him as thou wouldest, yet nothing else is loved so much? Hast thou to this end made a hearty covenant with him, and delivered up thyself to him? Is it thy utmost care and watchful endeavor, that thou mayest be found faithful in this covenant; and though thou fall into sin, yet wouldest not renounce thy bargain, nor change thy Lord, nor give up thyself to any other government for all the world?—If this be truly thy case, thou art one of the people of God in my text; and as sure as the promise of God is true, this blessed rest remains for thee. Only see thou _abide in Christ_,[202] and _endure to the end_;[203] for _if any man draw back, his soul shall have no pleasure in him_.[204]—But if no such work be found within thee; whatever thy deceived heart may think, or how strong soever thy false hopes may be; thou wilt find to thy cost, except thorough conversion prevent it, that the rest of the saints belongs not to thee. _O that thou wert wise, that thou wouldest understand this, that thou wouldest consider thy latter end!_[205] That yet, while thy soul is in thy body, and _a price in thy hand_,[206] and opportunity and hope before thee, thy ears may be open, and thy heart yield to the persuasions of God, that so thou mightest rest among his people, and enjoy _the inheritance of the saints in light_.[207]

[Footnote 201] Matthew xiii, 46.

[Footnote 202] John xv, 4.

[Footnote 203] Matthew xxiv, 13.

[Footnote 204] Hebrews x, 38.

[Footnote 205] Deuteronomy xxxii, 29.

[Footnote 206] Proverbs xvii, 16.

[Footnote 207] Colossians i, 12.

§ 13. That this rest shall be enjoyed by the people of God, is a truth which the Scripture, if its testimony be further needed, clearly asserts in a variety of ways. As for instance, That they are _foreordained to it, and it for them. God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city._[208] They are styled _vessels of mercy, afore prepared unto glory_.[209] _In Christ they have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will._[210] And _whom he did predestinate, them he also glorified_.[211] Who can bereave his people of that rest which is designed for them by God's eternal purpose?—Scripture tells us, they are _redeemed to this rest. By the blood of Jesus we have boldness to enter into the holiest_;[212] whether that entrance means by faith and prayer here, or by full possession hereafter. Therefore the saints in heaven _sing a new song_ unto him who has _redeemed them to God by his blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and made them kings and priests unto God_.[213] Either Christ then must lose his blood and sufferings, and never _see of the travail of his soul_, or else _there remaineth a rest to the people of God_.—In Scripture this rest is _promised to them_. As the firmament with stars, so are the sacred pages bespangled with these Divine engagements. Christ says, _fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom_.[214] _I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom_,[215] _&c. &c. &c._—All the means of grace, the operations of the Spirit upon the soul, and gracious actings of the saints, every command to repent and believe, to fast and pray, to knock and seek, to strive and labor, to run and fight, prove that there remains a rest for the people of God. The Spirit would never kindle in us such strong desires after heaven, such love to Jesus Christ, if we should not receive what we desire and love. He that _guides our feet into the way of peace_,[216] will undoubtedly bring us to the end of peace. How nearly is the means and end conjoined? _The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force._[217] They that _follow Christ in the regeneration, shall sit upon thrones of glory_.[218]—Scripture assures us, that the saints have the _beginnings, foretastes, earnests, and seals_ of this rest here. _The kingdom of God is within them._[219] _Though they have not seen Christ, yet loving him, and believing in him, they rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; receiving the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls._[220] They _rejoice in hope of the glory of God_.[221] And does God _seal them with that holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of their inheritance_, and will he deny the full _possession_?[222]—The Scripture also mentions, by name, _those who have entered_ into this rest. As Enoch, Abraham, Lazarus, the thief that was crucified with Christ, &c. And if there be a rest for these, sure there is a rest for all believers. But it is vain to heap up Scripture proofs, seeing it is the very end of Scripture to be a guide to lead us to this blessed state, and to be the charter and grant by which we hold all our title to it.

[Footnote 208] Hebrews xi, 16.

[Footnote 209] Romans, ix, 23.

[Footnote 210] Ephesians i, 11.

[Footnote 211] Romans viii, 30.

[Footnote 212] Hebrews x, 19.

[Footnote 213] Revelation v, 8-10.

[Footnote 214] Luke xii, 32.

[Footnote 215] Luke xxii, 29, 30.

[Footnote 216] Luke i, 79.

[Footnote 217] Matthew xi, 12.

[Footnote 218] Matthew xix, 28.

[Footnote 219] Luke xvii, 21.

[Footnote 220] 1 Peter i, 8, 9.

[Footnote 221] Romans v, 2.

[Footnote 222] Ephesians i, 13, 14.

§ 14. Scripture not only proves, that this rest remains for the people of God, but also that it remains for none but them, so that the rest of the world shall have no part in it. _Without holiness no man shall see the Lord._[223] _Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him._[224] _No whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolator, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God._[225] _The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God._[226] _They all shall be damned, who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness._[227] _The Lord Jesus shall come in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power._[228] Had the ungodly returned before their life was expired, and been heartily willing to accept of Christ for their Savior and their king, and to be saved by him in his way, and upon his most reasonable terms, they might have been saved. God freely offered them life, and they would not accept it. The pleasures of the flesh seemed more desirable to them than the glory of the saints. Satan offered them the one, and God offered them the other, and they had free liberty to choose which they would, and they chose _the pleasures of sin for a season_, before the everlasting rest with Christ. And is it not a righteous thing, that they should be denied that, which they would not accept? When God pressed them so earnestly, and persuaded them so importunately, to come in, and yet they would not, where should they be but among the _dogs without_? Though man be so wicked, that he will not yield till the mighty power of grace prevail with him, yet still we may truly say, that he may be saved, if he will, on God's terms. His inability, being moral, and lying in wilful wickedness, is no more excuse to him, than it is to an adulterer, that he cannot love his own wife, or to a malicious person, that he cannot but hate his own brother: is he not so much the worse, and deserving of so much the sorer punishment? Sinners shall lay all the blame on their own wills in hell for ever. Hell is a rational torment by conscience, according to the nature of the rational subject. If sinners could but then say, it was long of God, and not of us, it would quiet their consciences, and ease their torments, and make hell to them to be no hell. But to remember their wilfulness, will feed the fire, and cause the worm of conscience _never to die_.[229]

[Footnote 223] Hebrews xii, 14.

[Footnote 224] John iii, 3, 36.

[Footnote 225] Ephesians v, 5.

[Footnote 226] Psalm ix, 17.

[Footnote 227] 2 Thessalonians ii, 12.

[Footnote 228] 2 Thessalonians i, 7-9.

[Footnote 229] Mark ix, 44.

§ 15. If is the will of God, that this rest should yet remain for his people and not be enjoyed till they come to another world.—Who should dispose of the creatures, but he that made them? You may as well ask, why have we not spring and harvest without winter? or, why is the earth below, and the heavens above, as, why we have not rest on earth? All things must come to their perfection by degrees. The strongest man must first be a child. The greatest scholar must first begin in his alphabet. The tallest oak was once an acorn. This life is our infancy; and would we be perfect in the womb, or born at full stature? If our rest was here, most of God's providences must be useless. Should God lose the glory of his church's miraculous deliverances, and the fall of his enemies, that men may have their happiness here? If we were all happy, innocent, and perfect, what use was there for the glorious works of our sanctification, justification, and future salvation?—If we wanted nothing, we should not depend on God so closely, nor call upon him so earnestly. How little should he hear from us, if we had what we would have? God would never have had such songs of praise from Moses at the Red Sea and in the wilderness from Deborah and Hannah, from David and Hezekiah, if they had been the choosers of their own condition. Have not thy own highest praises to God, Reader, been occasioned by thy dangers or miseries? The greatest glory and praise God has through the world, is for redemption, reconciliation, and salvation by Christ; and was not man's misery the occasion of that?—And where God loses the opportunity of exercising his mercies, man must needs lose the happiness of enjoying them. Where God loses his praise, man will certainly lose his comforts. O the sweet comforts the saints have had in return to their prayers! How should we know what a tender-hearted Father we have, if we had not, as the prodigal, been denied the husks of earthly pleasure and profit? We should never have felt Christ's tender heart, if we had not felt ourselves _weary and heavy laden, hungry and thirsty, poor and contrite_. It is a delight to a soldier, or traveller, to look back on his escapes when they are over: and for a saint in heaven to look back on his sins and sorrows upon earth, his fears and tears, his enemies and dangers, his wants and calamities, must make his joy more joyful. Therefore the blessed, in praising the Lamb, mention his _redeeming them out of every nation, and kindred and tongue_; and so, out of their misery, and wants, and sins, _and making them kings and priests to God_. But if they had had nothing but content and rest on earth, what room would there have been for these rejoicings hereafter?

§ 16. Besides, we are not capable of rest upon earth. Can a soul that is so weak in grace, so prone to sin, so nearly joined to such a neighbor as this flesh, have full content and rest in such a case? What is soul-rest, but our freedom from sin, and imperfections, and enemies? And can the soul have rest that is pestered with all these, and that continually? Why do Christians so oft cry out in the language of Paul, _O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me_?[230] What makes them _press towards the mark_, and _run that they may obtain_, and _strive to enter in_, if they are capable of rest in their present condition? And our bodies are incapable, as well as our souls. They are not now those sun-like bodies which they shall be, when _this corruptible_ hath _put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality_. They are our prisons, and our burdens; so full of infirmities and defects, that we are fain to spend most of our time in repairing them, and supplying their continual wants. Is it possible that an immortal soul should have rest in such a distempered, noisome habitation? Surely these sickly, weary, loathsome bodies must be refined, before they can be capable of enjoying rest. The objects we here enjoy are insufficient to afford us rest. Alas! what is there in all the world to give us rest? They that have most of it, have the greatest burden. They that set most by it, and rejoice most in it, do all cry out at last of its vanity and vexation. Men promise themselves a heaven upon earth; but when they come to enjoy it, it flies from them. He that has any regard to the works of the Lord, may easily see that the very end of them is to take down our idols, to make us weary of the world, and seek our rest in him. Where does he cross us most, but where we promise ourselves most content? If you have a child you dote upon, it becomes your sorrow. If you have a friend you trust in, and judge unchangeable, he becomes your scourge. Is this a place or state of rest?—And as the objects we here enjoy are insufficient for our rest, so God, who is sufficient, is here little enjoyed. It is not here that he hath prepared the presence-chamber of his glory. He hath drawn the curtain between us and him: We are far from him as creatures, and farther as frail mortals, and farthest as sinners. We hear now and then a word of comfort from him, and receive his love-tokens, to keep up our hearts and hopes; but this is not our full enjoyment. And can any soul, that hath made God his portion, as every one hath that shall be saved by him, find rest in so vast a distance from him, and so seldom and small enjoyment of him?—Nor are we now capable of rest, as there is a worthiness must go before it. Christ _will give the crown_ to none but the worthy. And are we fit for the crown, before we have overcome? Or for the prize, before we have run the race? Or to receive our penny before we have wrought in the vineyard; or to be rulers of ten cities, before we have improved our ten talents? Or to enter into the joy of our Lord, before we have well done, as good and faithful servants? God will not alter the course of justice, to give you rest before you have labored for the crown of glory, till you have _overcome_.—There is reason enough why our rest should _remain_ till the life to come. Take heed then, Christian Reader, how thou darest to contrive and care for a rest on earth; or to murmur at God for thy trouble, and toil, and wants in the flesh. Doth thy poverty _weary_ thee? Thy sickness? Thy bitter enemies and unkind friends? it should be so here. Doth the abominations of the times, the sins of professors, the hardening of the wicked, all _weary_ thee? It must be so while thou art absent from thy rest. Doth thy sins, and thy naughty distempered heart _weary_ thee? Be thus _wearied_ more and more. But under all this _weariness_, art thou willing to go to God thy _rest_? And to have thy warfare accomplished? and thy race and labor ended? If not, complain more of thy own heart, and get it more weary till rest seem more desirable.

[Footnote 230] Romans vii, 24.

§ 17. I have but one thing more to add, for the close of this chapter, that the souls of believers do enjoy inconceivable blessedness and glory, even while they remain separated from their bodies.—What can be more plain than those words of Paul? _We are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home_, or rather sojourning _in the body, we are absent from the Lord. (For we walk by faith, not by sight.) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord._[231] Or those? _I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better._[232]—If Paul had not expected to enjoy Christ till the resurrection, why should he be in a strait; or desire to depart? Nay, should he not have been loth to depart upon the very same grounds? For while he was in the flesh, he enjoyed something of Christ. Plain enough is that of Christ to the thief, _To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise_.[233] In the parable of Dives and Lazarus, it seems unlikely Christ would so evidently intimate and suppose the soul's happiness or misery presently after death, if there were no such matter.[234]—Our Lord's argument for the resurrection supposes, that, _God being not the God of the dead, but of the living_,[235] therefore Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were then living in soul.—If the _blessedness_ of _the dead that die in the Lord_,[236] were only in resting in the grave, then a beast or a stone were as blessed; nay, it were evidently a curse, and not a blessing. For was not life a great mercy? Was it not a greater mercy to serve God and do good; to enjoy all the comforts of life, the fellowship of saints, the comfort of ordinances, and much of Christ in all; than to lie rotting in the grave? Therefore some farther blessedness is there promised.—How else is it said, _We are come to the spirits of just men made perfect_?[237] Sure, at the resurrection, the body will be made perfect as well as the spirit.—Does not Scripture tell us, that Enoch and Elias are taken up already? And shall we think they possess that glory alone?—Did not Peter, James, and John, see Moses also with Christ on the mount? Yet the Scripture saith, Moses died. And is it likely that Christ deluded their senses in shewing them Moses, if he should not partake of that glory till the resurrection?—And is not that of Stephen as plain as we can desire? _Lord Jesus receive my spirit._[238] Surely, if the Lord receive it, it is neither asleep, nor dead, nor annihilated; but it is where he is, and beholds his glory.—That of the wise man is of the same import: _The spirit shall return unto God who gave it_.[239] Why are we said _to have eternal life_, and that to _know God is life eternal_; and that a believer _on the Son hath everlasting life_? Or how is _the kingdom of God within us_? If there be as great an interruption of our life, as till the resurrection, this is no eternal life, nor everlasting kingdom. _The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah_ are spoken of as _suffering the vengeance of eternal fire_.[240] And if the wicked already suffer eternal fire, then no doubt, but the godly enjoy eternal blessedness.—When John saw his glorious revelations, he is said to be _in the Spirit_, and to be _carried away in the Spirit_. And when Paul was _caught up to the third heaven_, he knew not, _whether in the body, or out of the body_.[241] This implies, that spirits are capable of these glorious things, without the help of their bodies.—Is not so much implied when John says, _I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God_![242]—When Christ says, _Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul_,[243] does it not plainly imply, that when wicked men have killed our bodies, that is, have separated the souls from them, yet the souls are still alive?—The soul of Christ was alive when his body was dead, and therefore so shall ours too. This appears by his words to the thief, _To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise_; and also by his voice on the cross, _Father into thy hands I commend my spirit_.[244] If _the spirits_ of those _that were disobedient in the days of Noah_, were _in prison_,[245] that is, in a living and suffering state; then certainly the separate spirits of the just are in an opposite condition of happiness.—Therefore, faithful souls shall no sooner leave their prisons of flesh, but angels will be their convoy; Christ, with all the perfected spirits of the just, will be their companions; heaven will be their residence, and God their happiness. When such die, they may boldly and believingly say, as Stephen, _Lord Jesus, receive my spirit_; and _commend_ it, as Christ did, _into a Father's hands_.

[Footnote 231] 2 Corinthians v, 6-8.

[Footnote 232] Philippians i, 23.

[Footnote 233] Luke xxiii, 43.

[Footnote 234] Luke xvi, 19-31.

[Footnote 235] Matthew xxii, 32.

[Footnote 236] Revelation xiv, 13.

[Footnote 237] Hebrews xii, 22, 23.

[Footnote 238] Acts vii, 59.

[Footnote 239] Ecclesiastes xii, 7.

[Footnote 240] Jude verse 7.

[Footnote 241] Revelation i, 10. iv, 2. 2 Corinthians xii, 2.

[Footnote 242] Revelation vi, 9.

[Footnote 243] Matthew x, 28.

[Footnote 244] Luke xxiii, 46.

[Footnote 245] 1 Peter iii, 19, 20.

CHAP. V.

The Misery of those who lose the Saint's Rest.

§ 1. The Reader, if unregenerate, urged to consider what the loss of heaven will be. § 2. (I.) The loss of heaven particularly includes, § 3. (1.) The personal perfection of the saints; § 4. (2.) God himself; § 5. (3.) all delightful affections towards God; § 6. (4.) the blessed society of angels and glorified spirits. § 7. (II.) The aggravations of the loss of heaven. § 8. (1.) The understanding of the ungodly will then be cleared; § 9. (2.) also enlarged: § 10. (3.) Their consciences will make a true and close application: § 11 (4.) Their affections will be more lively; § 12-18. (5.) Their memories will be large and strong. § 19. Conclusion of the chapter.

§ 1. If thou, reader, art a stranger to Christ, and to the holy nature and life of his people, who are before described, and shalt live and die in this condition, let me tell thee, thou shalt never partake of the joys of heaven, nor have the least taste of the saint's eternal rest. I may say, as Ehud to Eglon, _I have a message to thee from God_;[246] that as the word of God is true, thou shalt never see the face of God with comfort. This sentence I am commanded to pass upon thee; take it as thou wilt, and escape it if thou canst. I know thy humble and hearty subjection to Christ would procure thy escape; he would then acknowledge thee for one of his people, and give thee a portion in the inheritance of his chosen. If this might be the happy success of my message, I should be so far from repining, like Jonas, that the threatenings of God are not executed upon thee, that I should bless the day that ever God made me so happy a messenger. But if thou end thy days in thy unregenerate state, as sure as the heavens are over thy head, and the earth under thy feet, thou shalt be shut out of the rest of the saints, and receive thy portion in everlasting fire. I expect thou wilt turn upon me, and say when did God shew you the Book of Life, or tell you who they are that shall be saved, and who shut out? I answer, I do not name thee, nor any other; I only conclude it of the unregenerate in general, and of thee, if thou be such a one. Nor do I go about to determine who shall repent, and who shall not; much less, that thou shalt never repent. I had rather shew thee what hopes thou hast before thee, if thou wilt not sit still, and lose them. I would far rather persuade thee to hearken in time, before the door is shut against thee, than tell thee there is no hope of thy repenting and returning. But if the foregoing description of the people of God does not agree with the state of thy soul, is it then a hard question, whether thou shalt ever be saved? Need I ascend up into heaven to know, that _without holiness no man shall see the Lord_; or, that only _the pure in heart shall see God_, or, that _except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God_? Need I go up to heaven, to inquire that of Christ, which he came down to earth to tell us; and sent his Spirit in his apostles to tell us; and which he and they have left upon record to all the world? And though I know not the secrets of thy heart, and therefore cannot tell thee by name, whether it be thy state, or no; yet if thou art but willing and diligent, thou mayest know thyself, whether thou art an heir of heaven or not. 'Tis the main thing I desire, that if thou art yet miserable, thou mayest discern and escape it. But _how_ canst thou _escape, if thou neglect_ Christ and _salvation_? 'Tis as impossible as for the devils themselves to be saved. Nay, God has more plainly and frequently spoken it in Scripture of such sinners as thou art, than he has of the devils. Methinks a sight of thy case should strike thee with amazement and horror. When Belshazzar _saw the fingers of a man's hand that wrote upon the wall, his countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other_:[247] What trembling then should seize on thee, who hast the hand of God himself against thee, not in a sentence or two, but in the very scope of the Scriptures, threatening the loss of an everlasting kingdom? Because I would fain have thee lay it to heart, I will shew thee——the nature of thy loss of heaven,—together with its aggravations.

[Footnote 246] Judges iii, 20.

[Footnote 247] Daniel v, 5, 6.

§ 2. (1.) In their loss of heaven the ungodly lose—the saint's personal perfection,—God himself,—all delightful affections towards God, and the blessed society of angels and saints.

§ 3. (1.) The glorious personal perfection which the saints enjoy in heaven, is the great loss of the ungodly. They lose that shining lustre of the body, surpassing the brightness of the sun at noon-day. Though the bodies of the wicked will be raised more spiritual than they were upon earth, yet that will only make them capable of the more exquisite torments. They would be glad then, if every member were a dead member, that it might not feel the punishment inflicted on it; and if the whole body were a rotten carcass, or might lie down again in the dust. Much more do they want that moral perfection which the blessed partake of; those holy dispositions of mind; that cheerful readiness to do the will of God; that perfect rectitude of all their actions. Instead of these, they have that perverseness of will, that loathing of good, that love to evil, that violence of passion, which they had on earth. 'Tis true, their understandings will be much cleared by the ceasing of former temptations, and experiencing the falsehood of former delusions. But they have the same dispositions still; and fain would they commit the same sins, if they could; they want but opportunity. There will be a greater difference between these wretches, and the glorified Christian, than there is betwixt a toad, and the sun in the firmament. The _rich man's purple, and fine linen, and sumptuous fare_, did not so exalt him above _Lazarus, while at his gate full of sores_.

§ 4. (2.) They shall have no comfortable relation to God, nor communion with him. _As they did not like to retain God in their knowledge_; but said unto him, _Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways_; so God will abhor to retain them in his household. He will never admit them to the inheritance of his saints, nor endure them to stand in his presence, but _will profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity_. They are ready now to lay as confident claim to Christ and heaven, as if they were sincere believing saints. The swearer, the drunkard, the whore-master, the worldling, can say, Is not God our Father, as well as yours? But when Christ separates his followers from his foes, and his faithful friends from his deceived flatterers, where then will be their presumptuous claims? Then they shall find, that God is not their Father, because they would not be his people. As they would not consent that God by his Spirit should dwell in them, so the tabernacle of wickedness shall have no fellowship with him, nor the wicked inhabit the city of God. Only they that walked with God here, shall live and be happy with him in heaven. Little does the world know what a loss that soul hath, who loses God! What a dungeon would earth be, if it had lost the sun? What a loathsome carrion the body, if it had lost the soul? Yet all these are nothing to the loss of God. As the enjoyment of God is the heaven of the saints, so the loss of God is the hell of the ungodly. And as the enjoying of God is the enjoying of all, so the loss of God is the loss of all.

§ 5. (3.) They also lose all delightful affections towards God. That transporting knowledge; those delightful views of his glorious face; the inconceivable pleasure of loving him; the apprehensions of his infinite love to us; the constant joys of his saints, and the rivers of consolation with which he satisfies them. Is it nothing to lose all this? The employment of a king in ruling a kingdom, does not so far exceed that of the vilest slave, as this heavenly employment exceeds that of an earthly king. God suits men's employments to their natures. Your hearts, sinners, were never set upon God in your lives, never warmed with his love, never longed after the enjoyment of him; you had no delight in speaking or hearing of him; you had rather have continued on earth, if you had known how, than be interested in the glorious praises of God. Is it meet then that you should be members of the celestial choir.

§ 6. (4.) They shall be deprived of the blessed society of angels and glorified saints. Instead of being companions of those happy spirits, and numbered with those triumphant kings, they must be members of the corporation of hell, where they shall have companions of a far different nature and quality. Scorning and abusing the saints, hating them, and rejoicing in their calamities, was not the way to obtain their blessedness. Now you are shut out of that company, from which you first shut out yourselves; and are separated from them, with whom you would not be joined. You could not endure them in your houses, nor towns, nor scarce in the kingdom. You took them as Ahab did Elijah, for the _troublers of the land_; and, as the apostles were taken, for _men that turned the world upside down_. If any thing fell out amiss, you thought all was owing to them. When they were dead or banished, you were glad they were gone, and thought the country well rid of them. They molested you by faithfully reproving your sins. Their holy conversation troubled your consciences, to see them so far excel you. It was a vexation to you, to hear them pray or sing praises in their families. And is it any wonder if you be separated from them hereafter? The day is near when they will trouble you no more. _Betwixt them and you will a great gulf be fixed._ Even in this life, while the saints were _mocked_, _destitute_, _afflicted_, _tormented_, and while they had their personal imperfections; yet, in the judgment of the Holy Ghost, they were such _of whom the world was not worthy_.[248] Much more unworthy will the world be of their fellowship in glory.

[Footnote 248] Hebrews xi, 36-38.

§ 7. (11.) I know many will be ready to think, they could spare these things in this world well enough, and why may they not be without them in the world to come? Therefore to shew them that this loss of heaven will then be most tormenting, let them now consider—their understandings will be cleared to know their loss, and have more enlarged apprehensions concerning it—their consciences will make a closer application of it to themselves,—their affections will no longer be stupefied,—nor their memories be treacherous.

§ 8. (1.) The understandings of the ungodly will then be cleared, to know the worth of that which they have lost. Now they lament not their loss of God, because they never knew his excellence; nor the loss of that holy employment and society, for they were never sensible what they were worth. A man that has lost a jewel, and took it but for a common stone, is never troubled at his loss; but when he comes to know what he lost, then he laments it. Though the understandings of the damned will not be sanctified, yet they will be cleared from a multitude of errors. They now think that their honors, estates, pleasures, health, and life, are better worth their labor, than the things of another world; but when these things have left them in misery, when they experience the things which before they did but read and hear of, they will be of another mind. They would not believe that water would drown, till they were in the sea, nor the fire burn, till they were cast into it; but when they feel, they will easily believe. All that error of mind which made them set light by God, and abhor his worship, and vilify his people, will then be confuted and removed by experience. Their knowledge shall be increased, that their sorrows may be increased. Poor souls! they would comparatively be happy, if their understandings were wholly taken from them, if they had no more knowledge than ideots, or brute beasts; or if they knew no more in hell, than they did upon earth, their loss would be less trouble to them. How happy would they then think themselves, if they did not know there is such a place as heaven! Now, when their knowledge would help to prevent their misery, they will but know, or will not read and study that they may know; therefore, when their knowledge will but feed their consuming fire, they shall know whether they will or not. They are now in a dead sleep, and dream they are the happiest men in the world; but when death awakes them, how will their judgments be changed in a moment? and they that would not see, shall then see, and be ashamed.

§ 9. (2.) As their understanding will be cleared, so it will be more enlarged, and made more capacious to conceive the worth of that glory which they have lost. The strength of their apprehensions, as well as the truth of them, will then be increased. What deep apprehensions of the wrath of God, the madness of sinning, the misery of sinners, have those souls that now endure this misery, in comparison with those on earth, that do but hear of it? What sensibility of the worth of life has the condemned man that is going to be executed, compared with what he was wont to have in the time of his prosperity? Much more will the actual loss of eternal blessedness make the damned exceedingly apprehensive of the greatness of their loss; and as a large vessel will hold more water than a shell, so will their more enlarged understandings contain more matter to feed their torment, than their shallow capacity can now do.

§ 10. (3.) Their consciences also will make a truer and closer application of this doctrine to themselves, which will exceedingly tend to increase their torment. It will then be no hard matter to them to say, "This is my loss! and this is my everlasting remediless misery!" The want of this self-application is the main cause, why they are so little troubled now. They are hardly brought to believe that there is such a state of misery; but more hardly to believe that it is like to be their own. This makes so many sermons lost to them, and all threatenings and warnings in vain. Let a minister of Christ shew them their misery ever so plainly and faithfully, they will not be persuaded they are so miserable. Let him tell them of the glory they must lose, and the sufferings they must feel, and they think he means not them, but some notorious sinners. It is one of the hardest things in the world, to bring a wicked man to know that he is wicked, or to make him see himself in a state of wrath and condemnation. Though they may easily find by their strangeness to the new birth, and their enmity to holiness, that they never were partakers of them; yet they as verily expect to _see God_, and _be saved_, as if they were the most sanctified persons in the world. How seldom do men cry out, after the plainest discovery of their state, _I am the man_? or acknowledge, that if they die in their present condition, they are undone for ever? But when they suddenly find themselves in the land of darkness, feel themselves in scorching flames, and see they are shut out of the presence of God for ever; then the application of God's anger to themselves, will be the easiest matter in the world; they will then roar out these forced confessions, "O my misery! O my folly! O my inconceivable, irrecoverable loss!"

§ 11. (4.) Then will their affections likewise be more lively, and no longer stupified. A hard heart now makes heaven and hell seem but trifles. We have shewed them everlasting glory and misery, and they are as men asleep; our words are as stones cast against a wall, which fly back in our faces: we talk of terrible things, but it is to dead men; we search their wounds, but they never feel us; we speak to rocks, rather than to men; the earth will as soon tremble as they. But when these dead souls are revived, what passionate sensibility! what working affections! what pangs of horror! what depth of sorrow will there then be! How violently will they fly in their own faces! How will they rage against their former madness! The lamentations of the most affectionate wife for the loss of her husband, or of the tenderest mother for the loss of her children, will be nothing to theirs for the loss of heaven. O the self-accusing and self-tormenting fury of those forlorn creatures! How will they even tear their own hearts, and be God's executioners upon themselves! As themselves were the only meritorious cause of their sufferings, so themselves will be the chief executioners. Even Satan, as he was not so great a cause of their sinning as themselves, he will not be so great an instrument of their torment. How happy would they think themselves then, if they were turned into rocks, or any thing that had neither passion nor sense! How happy, if they could then feel, as lightly as they were wont to hear! if they could sleep out the time of execution, as they did the time of the sermons, that warned them of it! But their stupidity is gone; it will not be.

§ 12. (5.) Their memories will moreover be as large and strong as their understandings and affections. Could they but lose the use of their memory, their loss of heaven being forgot, would little trouble them. Though they would account annihilation a singular mercy, they cannot lay aside any part of their being. Understanding, conscience, affections, memory, must all live to torment them, which should have helped to their happiness. As by these they should have fed upon the love of God, and drawn forth perpetually the joys of his presence, so by these must they feed upon his wrath, and draw forth continually the pains of his absence. Now they have no leisure to consider, nor any room in their memories for the things of another life; but then they shall have nothing else to do; their memories shall have no other employment. God would have had the doctrine of their eternal state _written on the posts of their doors, on their hands and hearts_; he would have had them mind it, and _mention it when they lay down and rose up, when they sat in their house, and when they walked by the way_; and seeing they rejected this counsel of the Lord, therefore it shall be written always before them in the place of their thraldom, that which way soever they look, they may still behold it.—It will torment them to think of the greatness of the glory they have lost. If it had been what they could have spared, or a loss to be repaired with any thing else, it had been a small matter. If it had been health, or wealth, or friends, or life, it had been nothing. But, oh! to lose _that exceeding eternal weight of glory_!—It will also torment them to think of the possibility they once had of obtaining it. Then they will remember, "Time was, when I was as fair for the kingdom as others. I was set upon the stage of the world, if I had played my part wisely and faithfully, I might now have had possession of the inheritance. I might have been among yonder blessed saints, who am now tormented with these damned fiends. The Lord did _set before me life and death_; and having chose death, I deserve to suffer it. _The prize_ was held out before me; if I had _run well_, I might have _obtained it_; if I had _striven_, I might have had _the victory_; if I had _fought_ valiantly, I had been _crowned_."—It will yet more torment them to remember, that their obtaining the crown was, not only possible, but very probable. It will wound them to think, "I had once the gales of the Spirit ready to have assisted me. I was purposing to be another man, to have cleaved to Christ, and forsook the world. I was almost resolved to have been wholly for God. I was once even turning from my base seducing lusts. I had cast off my old companions, and was associating myself with the godly. Yet I turned back, lost my hold, and broke my promises. I was _almost persuaded to be a real Christian_, yet I conquered those persuasions. What workings were in my heart, when a faithful minister pressed home the truth! O how fair was I once for heaven! I almost had it, and yet I have lost it! Had I _followed on to seek the Lord_, I had now been blessed among the saints."

§ 13. It will exceedingly torment them to remember their lost opportunities. "How many weeks, and months, and years, did I lose, which if I had improved I might now have been happy? Wretch that I was! could I find no time to study the work, for which I had all my time? no time among all my labors, to labor for eternity? Had I time to eat, and drink, and sleep, and none to save my soul? Had I time for mirth and vain discourse, and none for prayer? Could I take time to secure the world, and none to try my title to heaven? O precious time! I had once enough, and now I must have no more. I had once so much, I knew not what to do with it; and now it is gone, and cannot be recalled. O that I had but one of those years to live over again! How speedily would I repent! How earnestly would I pray! How diligently would I hear! How closely would I examine my state! How strictly would I live! But 'tis now too late, alas! too late."