The following is the conclusion of a sermon posted yesterday from a compilation of rare puritan writings compiled by a James Hamilton, D.D. (circa 1858). If you missed part 1, you can read it here.

“Imagine you see a sinner going to hell, and his Sumner [In England, an officer of a spiritual court] gapes at him, his acquaintances look at him, and many look him in the face; and they that said they would live and die with him, forsake him, and leave him to pay all the score. Then Judas would gladly restore his bribes; Achan would casts down his gold; Gehazi would refuse his gifts; Nebuchadnezzar would be humble; Balaam would be faithful; the prodigal would be tame.

Me thinks I see Achan running about. “Where shall I hide my gold that I have stolen, that it may not be seen, nor appear for a witness against me?”  And Judas running to the High priests, saying ‘Hold! Take again your money. I will none of it. I have betrayed innocent blood.’ And Esau crying for the blessing when it is too late, having sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. ‘Woe, woe, woe that ever we were born!’  Then Herod shall wish that he were John Baptist; Pharaoh would wish that he were Moses; and Saul would wish that he had been David. Balaam shall wish he might die the death of the righteous.  Then would he say, ‘I will give more than Hezekiah, fast more than Moses, pray more than Daniel, suffer more stripes than Paul, weep more than Mary Magdalene, that if, instead of Item, “Go, ye cursed,” it might be, “Come, ye blessed.”  Yea, I would give all my goods in the world that I might escape this dreadful day of wrath and judgment, and that I might not stand among the “Go.” Oh that I might live a beggar all my life, and a leper!  Oh that I might endure all plagues and sores from the top of the head to the sole of the foot, that I might escape this judgment!’

“The guilty conscience cannot abide this day. It cannot abide to hear of it; for when it hears of it, it knows that it hears of its own condemnation. I think if there were a general collection made through the world that there might be no judgment day, then God would be so rich that the world would go a-begging and be a waste wilderness. Then the covetous judge would bring forth his bribes: then the crafty lawyer would fetch out his bags: the usurer would give his gain, and the idle servant would dig up his talent and make a double thereof.  But all the money in the world will not serve for our sins: but the judge must answer for his bribes, he that hath money must answer how he came by it, and just condemnation must come upon every one of them.  Then shall the sinner be ever dying and never dead; like the salamander, that is ever in the fire and never consumed.”