The saints everlasting rest

The third part of this prologue to the saints rest, is the solemn process at their judgment, where they shall first themselves be justified; and then with Christ judge the world. All the world must there appear, young and old, of all estates and nations, that ever were from the creation to that day. The judgment shall be set, and the books opened, and the book of life produced; and the dead shall be judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works, and whosoever is not found written in the book of life, is cast into the lake of fire. O terrible! O joyful day! Terrible to those that have not watched, but forgot the coming of their LORD! Joyful to the ⟨p. 37⟩saints, whose waiting and hope was to see this day! Then shall the world behold the goodness and severity of the LORD; on them who perish, severity; but to his chosen, goodness. When every one must give account of his stewardship; and every talent of time, health, wit, mercies, affliction, means, warnings must be reckoned for. When the sins of youth, and those which they had forgotten, and their secret sins shall be laid open before angels and men: when they shall see all their friends, wealth, old delights, all their confidence and false hopes forsake them. When they shall see the LORD JESUS whom they neglected, whose word they disobeyed, whose ministers they abused, whose servants they hated, now sitting to judge them: when their own consciences shall cry out against them, and call to their remembrance all their misdoings. Remember, at such a time such or such a sin; at such a time Christ sued hard for thy conversion; the minister pressed it home to thy heart, thou wast touched to the quick with the word; thou didst purpose and promise returning, and yet thou didst cast off all. O which way will the wretched sinner look! O who can conceive the thoughts of his heart! Now the world cannot help him; his old companions cannot help him: the saints neither can nor will; only the LORD JESUS can: but there is the misery, he will not: nay, without violating the truth of his word, he cannot: tho' otherwise, in regard of his absolute power, he might. The time was, sinner, when Christ would, and you would not; and now, fain would you, and he will not. What then remains but to cry to the mountains, Fall on us; and the hills cover us from the presence of him that sits upon the throne!