Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 4 (3 of 3)
Into chaines.] Theſe cannot be underſtood litterally, for materiall chaines: but …etaphorically, and ſo they are two; the Powerfulneſſe of divine Iuſtice, and the …uiltineſſe of their owne conſcience. The divels are bound, like mad men or ban…ogs, in the chaines of eternall damnation. Whereſoever they are permitted to …ander, their owne guilty conſciences are thoſe chaines which bind them over unto …dgement. Such are the horrors of that place, that the damned are bound to in…fferable torments: they muſt endure what they cannot endure, without being able … remove a foote. Theſe chaines ſhall ſo hamper them, that not one part of body, … facultie of ſoule, ſhall have the power of activitie to gratifie their owner withall. The mind is bound to cotemplate nothing but endles infelicity, the memory bound … recount nothing but fearefull ſinnes, the fantaſie bound to preſent nothing but …orrid viſions, the eyes bound to ſee nothing but offenſive objects, the eares bound … heare nothing but howlings and roarings, the noſtrills to ſmell nothing but the …ench of brimſtone, the hands to catch hold of nothing but flames, and the feete to …alke no further than theſe chaines will give them leave. Delivered them into chaines … darkeneſſe: the collections, and inferences here obſervable are diverſe.
1 Concluſion, that there is certainly a God, for how elſe ſhould Satan be bound? …ee is that Strong man, and therefore there muſt bee a ſtronger than hee to bind him. If there be a deſtroying power, without queſtion there is a preſerving power, ſuperior to it, and correcting it. For if the divells were not curbed, they would confound us all in a moment. It is not more naturall for fire to burne; nor for heavines to finde downeward, than for Satan to deſtroy. He is a King over all the children of pride,gIob. 41.33. VponUpon earth none can match him: but there is one in heaven that chaines him. … there be a roaring Lion that would devoure us, certainely there is a bleſſed power that preſerve us.
Let this teach us to get ſo cloſe as we can to God, that Satan may not reach … The chickens be ſafe under the wings of their mother, and we under the providence of our Father. So long as we hold the tenor of obedience, we are the Lords ſubjects: and if we ſerve him, he will preſerve us. But when a man is fallen to the … of an out-Law or rebell, the Law diſpenſeth with them that kill him, becauſe the Prince hath excluded him from the benefite of his protection. All the feare of Satan ariſeth from the want of the due feare of God. The more a man feares God, the leſſe he feare every thing elſe. Feare God, Honour the King: he that feares God, doth but honour the King, he need not feare him. It would affright a weake Chriſtian, to conſider the preſence and number, malice and power, of wicked ſpirits. But when with the Prophets ſervant, he ſees thoſe good Angels on his ſide, as preſent, as diligent, more able to helpe than the other to hurt, he takes heart againe. He knowes that God (moſt good) bounds the temptation of the one, and directs the protection of the other. Though there be many legions of divells, and every o… ſtronger than many legions of men, and more malicious than ſtrong; yet Chri… little flocke lives and proſpers.hMal. 3.6. I am the Lord, I change not: therefore yee ſo… of Iacob are not conſumed. The divell would doe it, and doth attempt it; but God… unchangeable merciemercy prevents it. That we here meet, pray, worſhip, is againſt the divells will; onelyonly our gracious GOD maintaines it. That every moment … periſh not in the jawes of that Lion, let our hearts acknowledge, and our tong… praiſe the Lord our maker.
2 Concluſion; that Satan can doe nothing but by Gods permiſſion: he is bo… in a teddar, and cannot goe one inch beyond his chaine. Chriſt tells Peter, th… Satan had deſired to winnow them: iLuk. 11.22.Deſired, he muſt begge an ill turne before he c… doe it. Whatſoever he doth, is limitata poteſtate, and by diſpenſation from God He could not ſeduce a Prophet, nor take one poore ſheepe from Iob, nor enter a h…g without licence. It is an Ethnical error of our times, in ſtrange accidents to give the honour of God to Sorcerers and conjurers. If a tempeſt ariſe beyond commo… experience, preſently as if the God of heaven were fallen faſt aſleepe, and minde nothing; the judgment is given, there is ſome conjuring: there muſt needs be a peſt… lent convention and ſtipulation betwixt men and devills. As if God were not … to raiſe as great a ſtorme, as the Devill. Looke upon the witches of Egypt: … rum poteſtas defecit in muſcis, Aug. Their cunning failed in the moſt contempt… creatures; and they are forced to cry, This is the finger of God. Though the circuite of Satan be very large, even to compaſſing of the whole earth; yet he hath his dayes aſſigned to ſtand before the Lord for the renewing of his commiſſion, and there is a chaine tyed to his power that he cannot move beyond his allowance. Yet hath he… little liberty to tempt; for the probation of ſome, for the reprobation of others, i… all for the glory of God. He is the baſeſt of all creatures, a ſlave, a ſcullion: n… how is that perſon ſhamed, that is given up to a baſe ſlave to be corrected!
So little he feares to tempt us, that he ventured upon Chriſt himſelfe, Ma… 4. As we read Rev. 12.7. There was a great battell in heaven, ſo here was a mo… machie or ſingle combate on earth. It was a dainty ſight to behold little Da… grappling with great Goliah, and great Goliah groueling under little David. A La… matched with the Wolfe, and the wolfe overmatched by the Lambe. Firſt, the Devill tempts him to diffidence. Art thou hungry? Turne theſe ſtones into bread: not into quailes, feaſants, dainties; but into Bread, without which man could … live. Then to preſumption, ver. 6. If thou be the Sunne of God, caſt thy ſelfe downe. That he might get credite to his miniſterie, he would have him ſhew the people ſome ſtrange device. Laſtly, to apoſtacie, ver. 8. which was the ſinne that turned himſelfe out of heaven: wherein firſt he propounds Promiſſum, All theſe will I give …hee: and indents Pactum, If falling downe thou wilt worſhip me. He is like an old bitten …urre, that being fleſhed to the game, will not be ſtay'd off: hells bandog, fed with …he livers of Gods caſt-awaies. He tries all courſes, like Balaam, or ſome ſuperſtitious …ameſter on the loſing hand; ſhifts places; ſtill in hope to winne. Hee tooke him up …nto a mountaine: Cyprian ſayes, he went on foote with him: for Chriſt would not …ſe him pro vehiculo, quem novit praecipitatorem. This opinion is not againſt the Text, …or the Text againſt it. For foreign doth not imply portage: no more than, Matt. 17.1. Chriſt tooke them: it were groſſe to thinke that he carried them on his …acke. But that he carried him is the moſt received opinion, becauſe it is ſaid that he …et him on the pinacle. This was no diſparagement to Chriſt: no more than to ſuffer …pprehenſion, ligation, crucifixion of his enemies.
He reſerves the old malice to all Chriſts members: why ſhould any ſerve him? …here is no goodneſſe in him. He is the greateſt ſinner of all: for Quicquid efficit …le, ipſum magis eſt tale. Wicked Phariſies may make their Proſelytes two-fold more …he children of hell than themſelves: but the malice of the Devill cannot be matched. …e never gives man any thing, but as Michol was given to David, to enſnare him.1 Sam. 18. St …eter calles him Contra litigator, an adverſary at Law: 1 Pet. 5.he wrangles with God a…ainſt us. Auguſtine brings him in thus pleading. They were thine by creation, …hey are mine by prevarication: they were thine per gratiam, they are mine per culpam: …hey were thine by redemption, they are mine by defection. They left tua Sacra…enta, thy Sacraments: and accepted mea Blandimenta, my allurements. He pleads …any things againſt us, but we have one argument to confute him; our Faith, 1. Pet. 5.9. Whom reſiſt ſtedfaſt in the faith. And all our defects are ſupplied by an Advocate in heaven, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous. I know that God caſteth his ſom…mes into the ſieve for tryall, but the Lord Ieſus ſtrengthens them.
Satan is called a Lyon, and that fitly; for he hath all the properties of a Lyon: …s bold as a Lyon, as ſtrong as a Lyon, as furious as a Lyon, as terrible as the roar…ng of a Lyon. Yea worſe: the Lyon wants ſubtiltie and ſuſpition, herein the Devill … beyond the Lyon. The Lyon will ſpare the proſtrate, the Devill ſpares none. The Lyon is full and forbeares, the Devill is full and devoures. He ſeekes all: let not he ſimple ſay, he will take no notice of me: nor the ſubtle, he cannot overreach me: …ot the noble ſay, he will not preſume to meddle with me: nor the rich, he dares …ot conteſt with me: for he ſeekes to devoure all. He is our common adverſary, …herefore let us ceaſe all quarrels amongſt our ſelves, and fight with him.
Seeing the Devill is bound with chaines, and cannot range further than his bonds …low him, let us not come within his reach. The bandog is tyed up that he may …ot hurt the paſſenger: but how if the paſſenger will come within his compaſſe?kEph. 4.24. Give no place to the Devill: for the Devill hath no place unleſſe we give it him.lIam. 4.7. Re…ſt the Devill, and hee will flee from you. He cannot come in, except we open him …e doore: now who would open the doore to let in his enemie? yet many doe: by wearing, they open the doore to let him in at their mouth: by luſtfull lookes, they …pen the doore to let him in at the eye. Pride admits him into his wardrobes, cove…ouſneſſe into our purſes, adultery into our beds, Schiſme into our Studies, …runkenneſſe into our ſtomachs, Idolatrie into our devotions, hypocriſie into our …earts. As if his chaine were not long enough, wicked men put themſelves in his …ay. Thinke when thou art about to commit a voluntary ſinne; now I am running …ithin the Devils chaine. I durſt not ſo venture within the chaine of a Lyon, …are … other ſavage beaſt, which can but teare my fleſh. Hath God tyed him up from …e, and ſhall I runne unto him? ſhall I truſt his merciemercy, that is nothing elſe but ma…ious crueltie. O but the hand of God holds his Chaine: but ſay the hand of God let goe his chaine, for thy preſumption? what remaines then but ruine? As we h…e the Devill, let us hate thoſe workes that lengthen his chaine. Doe we pray to be delivered from the gates of hell, and yet frequent the gates of hell? we reade of a bea… that being too unwildly to hunt for his prey, ſtands ſtill and enticeth the reſt unto him with his glorious ſpots and colours, and ſo devoureth them. But Satan … quicke and nimble enough to purſue men, they need not wilfully runne into the… owne ruine.mPſal. 55.6. O that I had w…ngs like a dove, then would I flee away and be at reſt. Le… us flie from him ſo faſt as we ca…, and ſo farre as he may never overtake us. Which is done by turning to God with faithfull repentance, and devout obedience: ſo ſhall his chaines be ſhortned: our ſoules delivered, our Creator glorified, and our ſelves everlaſtingly ſaved, through the merits of Ieſus Chriſt. Amen.
3. Obſerve, that Satan is puniſhed everlaſtingly, without all hope of recovery: bound with chaines, and as St Iude calls them, Everlaſting chaines. There was … deliverance ever ordained for the Devils: fornHebr. 2.16. Chriſt tooke not the nature of Angels: he tooke not their narure, therefore was not their Saviour. Now there are diverſe reaſons, why Chriſt ſhould ſeeke loſt Adam, rather than the loſt Angels.
1. The Angell ſinned without inſtigation; Non ab alio tentatus, nec ab alio ſervatus. As there was none to tempt him, ſo there is none to ſave him, Ioh. 8.44. When he ſpeaketh a lie, he ſpeaketh of his owne. A ſe peccatum rapuit, nullo alio ſuggerente: he tooke ſinne of himſelfe, no other ſuggeſted it to him. He fell alone, nothing caſt him downe: he muſt riſe alone, there is nothing to helpe him up. The winde blowes out the Torch, we light it againe: bat if the winde blow out it ſelfe and ceaſe moving, who ſhall raiſe it? If Satan hurt man, Chriſt heales him: but … Satan hurt himſelfe, let him heale himſelfe.
2. The Devill was the party ſeducing, (man onelyonly ſeduced) and ſtill endevo… what he can to deſtroy all: therefore none ſtands up to preſerve him. Becauſe … hand is againſt all, therefore all hands are againſt him. Being throwne out from t… preſence of God, in ſpight he wounded his Image, that he might doe him all the miſchiefe he could: therefore he periſheth without redemption.
3. The Angels were more excellent and glorious natures by creation, and ne… rer to God than men: more ſubtle, more powerfull: their dwelling in the hig…e… heaven. Whereas one halfe of man was but refined duſt, and his manſion the ear… more remote from the glorious preſence of God. Angelus ergo quantò ſublimi… … gloria, tantò major in ruina, Aug. The higher the Angell was in glory, the deep… in miſery. Homo autem quantò fragilior per naturam, tantò facilior ad veniam. … man, the more fraile he was by conſtitution, the more eaſie he is to redemption. Therefore God tooke pity on man, who was but duſt: and pitied not the divells, becauſe they had once beene Angels.
4. The whole humane nature fell with Adam. 1 Cor. 15.22. In Adam all die. All mankind was loſt, and unleſſe the humane nature had beene repaired, man had bee… wholly fruſtrated of his end. But all the Angels did not fall with Lucifer, but only ſome: and ſo none were partakers of his puniſhment, but ſuch as had beene pa… kers of his ſin. Innumerable multitudes of Angels ſtood in heaven, as well as a gr… company ſunke to hell. Dan. 7.10. Thouſand thouſands ſtand before him, … thouſand times ten thouſand miniſter unto him. Some of that nature ſtood by conſer… tion, without redemption: for redemption preſuppoſeth loſſe. But if our nature … not beene redeemed, not one man could have beene ſaved.
5. Man was diſtinguiſhed into ſexes; male and female: becauſe they were … generate their like: as Adam begate a ſonne in his owne likeneſſe. But Angels … no ſexes; as CHRIST confuted the Sadduces. Matth. 22.30. In heaven they … ther marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the Angels of God. They ca… beget a generation of ſpirits. Every divell ſinned in himſelfe, and is puniſhed … himſelfe only. But Adam having ſinned, and being to multiply his kind, … needs convey his ſin to his ſeed. Therefore was the Lord Ieſus made of his fee… …hat the guiltyneſſe which Adam to all his ſeed had propagated, by one of his ſeed …ight be expiated.
6. Satan immediately upon his fall was caſt into hell. Ioh. 8.44. He abode not in …e truth. But ſo was not Adam; for howſoever he was caſt out of Paradiſe, yet …ot out of the world, but had ſpace and grace given him to repent. And albeit that …enace, In the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt ſurely die, Gen. 2.17. Yet God ſpa…d him 900 yeares: indeed preſently he became mortall, and fell into a conſumpti…; as the originall ſpeach is, dying thou ſhalt dye. And for the ſecond death, the …ed of the woman excuſed him; he died not that death at all. Indeed Auguſt…ne …entions the Tatian hereſie, which held that Adam was damned. But Wiſ. 10.1. …he preſerved the firſt formed father of the world that was created alone, and brought him …t of his fall. Which is agreeable to the Scripture, Luk 3.38. Which ſaith that …dam was the ſonne of God: therefore he was not the child of death and hell. God …lieved him with a promiſed Meſsiah, a newes that never came to the apoſtate …ngels.
7. If the whole humane nature had periſhed, to what purpoſe had beene this …orld? The world was made for man, not for Angels: either heaven or hell was …dained for them, this middle walke for man. Now why ſhould either the Sunne …ine, or the earth fructifie for man, if he were not redeemed? Spirits have no uſe … theſe things, man hath the benefite: and man ſhould not have the benefite of any …eature, but for Gods favour in CHRIST. For he did forfeit his patent, and …ne but a Saviour could renew it. But for the El…cts ſake, the raine ſhould not fall, …r the earth ſtand. Therefore if man had periſhed, all this world had beene in …ine created. Man is the ſumme and abridgement of all creatures, and containes … him more generalitie than the Angels. Stones have being, but not life: plants …ve being and life; but not ſenſe: beaſts have being, life, ſenſe; but not under…nding: Angels have being, life, ſenſe, and underſtanding. Now man partici…tes with all theſe; a being with ſtones, a life with plants, a ſenſe with beaſts, an …derſtanding with Angels. He is the compendious Index of Gods great booke in …lio. Mark. 16.15. Preach the Goſpell to every creature: no creature hath part in …e Goſpell; but only man is called every creature, as having in him the chiefe per…ctions of every creature. Some hold, that man beares the Image and ſuperſcrip…on of God more fully than the Angels: and hath ſomething more; an organicall …ody united to his ſpirit, which the Angels have not. He is the common end why is world was made: therefore, Eſa. 9.6. To us a child is borne, and to us a ſonne is …ven. To VsUs, not to Angels. Luk. 2.14. To us is borne a Saviour; To VsUs, not to …e loſt Angels. There is enmitie put betweene the Seed of the woman, and the ſeed of …e Serpent, Gen. 3.15. Therefore the ſeed which ſaves man, ſhall be at enmity with …e divell.
8. Laſtly, the principall reaſon of all is the free merciemercy, and gracious decree of …od. Who made both men and Angels good in creation, and finding both men …d Angels, loſt in tranſgreſſion, vouchſafed to men not to Ang…ls a Redemption. …hat did we deſerve at his hands, that he ſhould pitie us duſt and aſhes, paſſing by …oſe celeſtiall ſpirits? Pſalm. 8.4. Quis homo, what is man that thou art mindfull of …? For the wonder had beene leſſe to ſay, Quis Angelus, what is the Angell that …ou art mindfull of him? That we ſhould find him a Saviour, whom they find a …ſt revenger: that we ſhould be looſed from the chaines of our ſinnes, and they de…ered into chaines of plagues: that the ſame CHRIST ſhould with his owne …oud free us, that ſhall with his word ſentence them: that the ſame Almighty hand …ould lift us up to heaven, that caſteth them downe to hell! Oh the riches of that …ercie, which even to taſt will keep a man from ever being poore! Of all mixt crea…es men are the beſt, for they have reaſon: of all men, Chriſtians are the beſt, for …ey have religion: of all Chriſtians, holy beleevers are the beſt, for they have ſalva…n. In the ſoreſt troubles, men have ſome hope, Chriſtians have good hope, beleevers have ſure hope. Let us bleſſe God for making us men, but moſt of all, for making us Chriſtian men: for in that he gives us his Son, he gives us himſelfe. He gave the water to fiſhes, the earth to beaſts, the aire to fowles, the heaven to Angels;Heb. 6.13. but he gave himſelfe to man, Having no greater to ſweare by, he ſware by hi… ſelfe: ſo, having no greater to give, he gave himſelfe. Whom have I in heaven but thee? ſaith that royall Prophet. The Romiſts in 88. cried out, whether maliciouſly or blaſphemouſly; God ſhewes himſelfe a Lutheran, and the God of Lutherans: but indeed he ſhewes himſelfe a Chriſtian, and the God of Chriſtians. By how much we finde more mercy than all creatures, let us bee more thankefull than all creatures. It is an harmonious ſweetnes, to have Gods bounty, and our gratitude meeting in that middle way, the hand of Ieſus Chriſt. Without whom neither could we receive his goodneſſe, nor would he accept our goodneſſe.
4 Obſerve that the puniſhments of hell are eternall: theſe chaines can never be broken: were they of cords, of wreathed trees, of iron, they might bee bu… aſunder, but the chaines of vengeance never. Binde him hand and foote, and caſt … into utter darkneſſe. Mat. 22.13.i Now if a man were bound hand and foote, and throwen … a Well five thouſand fadome deepe, what hope could he have of comming forth? But how doth this ſtand with Gods juſtice, to puniſh temporall offences with eternall ſcourges? It was the rule of his owne law, that Poena non debet excedere cul…, Deut. 25.3. Anſ. There is a double quantity conſidered in puniſhment: the o… according to the intention of paine; the other according to the duration of time. … reſpect of the former, the quantity of puniſhment, muſt be anſwerable to the quantity of ſinne, Rev. 18.7. How much ſinne, ſo much ſorrow: the more peſti… iniquity, the more torturing fire. For the other, we muſt not thinke that the co… nuance of puniſhment is limited with the continuance of the fact. Among men, a… tery is but a ſhort pleaſure, yet often perſued with a long pennance. But the dura… of torment reſpects the diſpoſition of the delinquent. Poenae ſingulorum inaeq… intenſione, poenae omnium aequales duratione, Aquin. The paines of all are equall i… continuance, unequall in grievance.
But a good Iudge will make his penalties, medicines and corrections, rather than deſtructions. Anſ. So doth the Lord in all corrigible offenders: but thoſe he cannot mend by chaſtiſing, his Iuſtice muſt ſatisfie it ſelfe by confounding, … God delights not in the death of a ſinner. EZek. 18, What profit is there in my bl… when I goe downe to the pit? Pſal. The Lord hath no uſe, of their eternall dam… on. Anſ. Yes, as mercy hath had her place and day; ſo muſt juſtice have hers. Wh… mercy ſaves, ſhee ſaves for ever: though their workes were ſhort, and u nothing … to God, yea, the very effects of his owne grace. Therfore, whom juſtice condem…, ſhe condemnes for ever: not reſpecting ſo much the perſons that have ſinned, as the perſon againſt whom they have ſinned, Greg. Almighty God as hee is good, … not delighted with their torments: but as he is juſt, he is not ſatisfied without the… torments. Factus eſt malo dignus aeterno, qui hoc in ſe peremit bonum, quod eſſe … aeternum, Aug. He is juſtly plagued with an evill, that is eternall, who hath co… ted in himſelfe a good that might have beene eternall.
But if Gods juſtice muſt be ſatisfied upon thoſe ſinners, for whom Chriſt … tisfied not; why is not this rather in reducing them to nothing? Seeing the un… full deſerve to be deprived of all benefits; now one eſpeciall benefit is Being; the… fore ipſum eſſe amittant, let them not be. Anſ. It is true, the creature that diſobey… the Creator, deſerves to loſe his Being: but becauſe it was given him to this purp… that he ſhould ſerve him, therefore it ſhall never be taken away. For God will … his homage and ſervice out of that Being; whether of grace and ſalvation to … praiſe of his mercy, or of puniſhment and confuſion to the praiſe of his Iuſtice.
But one would think, that the mercy of God ſhould terminate their ſorro… Wiſd. 11.23. Thou haſt mercy upon all, and Thou loveſt all the things that are. …. 11.32. God hath concluded all under unbeleefe, that he might have mercy upon all. Sed … …uſit & daemones: hee hath alſo concluded the divels under ſin. Neither will his …oodneſſe ſuffer that, which he made for bleſſedneſſe, to periſh for ever in torment. …heſe be the plauſible conceits that over-mercifull Origen, hath brought for the re…overy of loſt ſpirits And whereas Chriſts doome is; Depart yee curſed into ever…ſting fire, prepared for the divels: he would have theſe words rather Minaciter quàm …raciter dicta, ſpoken by way of threatning, than by way of truth. But the Scrip…re delivers it planè ac plenè. Rev. 20.10. The divell ſhall be tormented in the lake of …e day and night, for ever. Beſides, his opinion doth both Extendere & extenuare mi…icordiam: as it ſtraineth, ſo it reſtraineth mercy. It extends it to the future deli…erance of the damned, ſo it extenuates it in regard of the bleſſed. For if the loſt be …er to be taken out of hell; then will it follow that the Saints alſo are one day to be …ut out of heaven. And ſo what the bad ſhould gaine, the good ſhould loſe: yea, the …ery mercy of God cannot get more glory by the one, than it ſhall loſe by the other.
But though the divels be everlaſtingly chained, is there no mercy for reprobate …en? ſhall they never get looſe? Gen. 6.3. My ſpirit ſhall not alwayes ſtrive with …an: therefore his indignation ſhall ceaſe. Doth he not often threaten, and not doe …to Ninive? Anſ. God doth ſometimes menace and not ſtrike, becauſe our repen…nce ſteps betweene: but when everlaſting burning hath waſted all the moiſture repenting, will hee doe ſo then? Here indeed we may ſpeed as well as Ninive: …verſa eſt quae mala erat, aedificata eſt bona quae non erat, Aug. Wee ſhall ſtand if our …ines fall: but we ſhall fall, if our ſins ſtand. But at that day the date of repen…nce will be out. But ſuch is the charity of the Saints in this life, that they pray … their enemies: now this charity ſhall be more perfect in heaven, therefore they …ll interceed for them in hell: and God hath promiſed that their prayers ſhall bee …ard. Anſ. Here they pray for them that they may be converted: for if they know at ſuch were (in Gods decree) reprobates, they would pray for them no more …n th…y doe for divels. Their preſent ſuite is x that they may be recovered out of the …re of the divell. Now they may be recovered, not hereafter: there may be preſent …nverſion, no future permutation. For that objected out of the Pſal. 77. Will the Lord …t off for ever; will he be favorable no more? There i. meant onelyonly the temporary af…ction of the Church. Still as the joyes of heaven, ſo the paines of hell, are eter…ll. Death is to men, as the fall was to Angels: as loſt Angels after their apoſta…, ſo loſt men after their death, can never be recovered. Hell is made y Deepe; ſo …epe, that there is no hope of crawling out. Ex inferno nulla redemptio. Therefore … called Infernus, ab inferendo, of caſting in: for the wicked are ſo caſt in, that they … never get forth. From earthly Gaoles and dungeons there may be ſome tricke eſcape: but hell is ſo deepe, that nor earth nor heaven can helpe out one poore …le. That rich man, Luk. 16. ſollicited for his brethren: why did hee not beg his …ne deliverance, who was able to have taught them by his owne experience? O ſaw Ingentem hiatum, a vaſt interpoſed Gulfe: he muſt let that alone for ever.
One deepe calleth another: the depth of hell calls for our anſwerable humiliation. … that will not be humbled for his ſinnes here, muſt be tumbled into that depth …eafter. Pſal. 130. De profundis clamavi Domine; out of the depths have I tryed un…e O Lord. God will heare the voice that comes de profundis. The deeper we …e beene in the Law, the higher we are in the Goſpell: the deeper in hell, the …her in heaven. The deeper a bucket dives into the well, the more water it brings the lower a man is humbled with ſorrow for ſinne, the higher he ſhall be exalted …h the grace of ſalvation. Never came prayer, ſigh or groane de profundis paeniten… from the depth of repentance; but it was heard in Excelſis miſericordiae, in the …ght of mercies. Of Davids propheticall imprecation againſt his enemies, (Pſal. 15. Let them goe downe quick into hell) we may make a good apprecation for our …es. Let us goe downe quicke into hell by meditation, that we be never ſent …ke thither by condemnation. Let us deſcend every day while we live, that we …er come there when we are dead.
5 Obſerve, that God puniſheth ſinne whereſoever he finds it, though it be … the very Angels. For all the men and Angels in the world are not ſo deare to him, … his owne honour: and what diſhonors him but ſinne? For this cauſe 1 He made a Law againſt it, Gal. 3.19. The Law was added becauſe of tranſgreſſion. Non ſ… ſiſſet mandatum, niſi abhorruiſet peccatum. He could not have written the Law w… his owne finger, if he had not ſo abhorred ſinne, 2 Gracious are the promiſes … hath made to obedience: grievous the plagues he hath to threaten diſobedience, … His owne hands have ſmitten it, the whole world is a bleeding witneſſe thereof: … man may ſay, Quorum pars magna fui: the whole creature groaneth in expecta…ce … his pacification. He hath drowned the world in a flood of waters, and he … burne it in a flood of fire, becauſe of ſinne. The ſentence ſhall ſtand unchangeable, ſo long as heaven and earth endureth;aRom. 2.9. Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoule … man that doeth evill: Be he Iew or Gentile, learned or ſimple, Poore or Peere; y… man or Angell. 4 So doth he hate ſinne, that he ſpared not his owne Sunne, whe… appeared in the ſimilitude of ſinfull fleſh. If the Iuſtice of God could ever … ſwallowed ſinne, or diſmiſs'd it with impunitie, he would have forborne it i… … owne bowels. Yea, ſuch a Sonne as never knew the leaſt thought of diſobedien… the Sonne of his love, the Sonne of his joy, the Sonne of his light, the Sonne of … delight: a Sonne fully as good and as great as his Father. Yea becauſe he ſtoo… … the place, and bore the perſon of ſinfull man, he plagued him as the moſt deadly e… my that ever he had. Vt Peccatum occideret, Filium crucifixit. That he might … ſinne, he ſlew his Sonne.
How ſhould this make us all hate ſinne! He doth hate, not love God; that lo… what God hates. Let us be content to meete our afflictions, as Peter and A… met their Croſſes, as their deareſt friends; embracing them in our armes, and … ting them with the kiſſes of peace. Or as the Martyrs welcomed their deathes, … ing to the ſtakes as if they had runne for a garland. But for ſinnes, were they as d… to us as the ſight of our eyes, the children of our bodies, the ſpouſes of our boſo… becauſe they are traitors to our Father and Maker; let us deale with them as A… ham did with Hagar and Iſhmael, put them out of our houſe for ever.
6 Obſerve, that great offenders meete with great puniſhments: and accor… to the condition of their place, is the nature and proportion of their fault. The … glorious the Angels excellencie, the more damnable their apoſtacie. If the light b… come darkneſſe, how great is that darkneſſe! The more notable the Perſon, the … notorious the corruption. The freſheſt ſummers day doth ſooneſt taint the … ſome carcaſſe: and feſter'd lillies ſmell farre worſe than weeds. If vertue turne … vice, the ſhame is trebble. For many Iewes to deny Chriſt, was not ſo m… for one Peter: the adulteries of many Iſraelites leſſe infamous than one Davi…. … all the Cities of the world had done filthily, it were ſhort of this wonder. The … gin daughter of Sion is become an Harlot. If Iudas become a traitor, how great i… treaſon! If Achitophel prove a villaine, how miſchievous is his villanie! If Al… rebell, how unnaturall is his rebellion! The leaſt mote that flies in the Sunne, … tweene our eyes and the light, ſeemes a greater ſubſtance than it is. Deepe are … blowes made by a mighty axe. Sinne in a Magiſtrate is not onelyonly ſinne, but ſub… tion. Q… in vulgaribus nugae, in magnatibus blaſphemiae.
There is no diſpenſation for ſinne, no protection from Iudgement. N… rich mans opulencie, not Belſhazzars monarchie, not Adams perfection, … Angels glory; could abſcondere culpam, vel abſcindere poenam, countenance ſinne, … ward puniſhment. No place, no robes, no riches, no excellencie, can give it … ledge. Cloath an ape in tiſſue, and the beauty of the robe addes but more ſco… the beaſt. The richer colours, or bolder countenance is ſet on wickedneſſe, … more ugly it appeares. Therefore as they that govern well in high places, ſhall … with a higher degree of glory in heaven: becauſe they being inſtruſted with th… ſures of God, enrich his Church. So they that are in good offices evill men, … …ſchiefe of both their actions and examples, ſhall be caſt deeper into hell. Potentes …enter punientur. Wiſd. 6.5. A ſharpe judgement ſhall be to them that are in high places. …ercy may ſoone pardon the meaneſt, but mighty men ſhall bee mightily tormented. …a. 30.33. Tophet is ordained of old, even for the King it is prepared. Kings are not …empted from judgements; Peſsimus in Imperio, maximus in Inferno. What made …e damned churle move for his brethren, but that every ſtep they followed of his …ding, he felt encreaſing the pile of his torments. 1 Sam. 12.25. If yee doe wickedly … ſhall periſh and your King. For the Lord freeth none according to place, but ac…rding to grace; not for outward condition, but for his owne free favour.
Nor yet let the poore and ignoble clap their wings, as if they were the onelyonly …en that God loves.b1 Cor. 1.26. Not many rich, not many wiſe, not many noble, are called. Non mul…ed non nulli: not many, but ſome; and not many after the fleſh; but many wiſe, rich, …ble, after the ſpirit. The gate of heaven is narrow, and but few enter of any con…tion: yet certainly the noble ſooner than the rabble: more wiſe men are admitted …n fooles: for morality is the firſt ſtep to chriſtianity. And at the laſt dreadfull …y, it is thecRev. 6.15. Bond-man ſo well as the Great man, that cals upon the rockes to cover …. But doe any of the Rulers beleeve on him? Ioh. 7.48. Yes, Chriſt had his Church …en in Caeſars family. Acts 17.11. They were the Noble men, and Honourable wo… at Berea, which received the word: it was the people that perſecuted it. Acts. …. 14. There was one Lydia a ſeller of purple converted: God ſaved a purple ſeller, …y not then a Purple wearer? The poore that is Blaſphemus in Deum, & tu multuo… in divitem, murmuring againſt God, and ſedicious againſt the rich; is in more …nger of judgment, than another that hath not more opulencie than charity. Wealth …th not damne the rich, but when the getting or keeping of it doth damnifie the …ore. Rich Abraham is in heaven, not becauſe he was rich, but becauſe hee was …od. Poore Lazarus is there, Non propter meritum paupertatis, ſed pietatis, Aug. …ot for his poverty, but for his piety, howſoever, let them that muſt be patternes, … good patternes: the life that cannot be but exemplary, ſhould not be but holy.
7 Laſtly, inferre, that if God ſpared not the Angels, ſo neere to his owne Per…; (a thing which the very children of God tremble to thinke) how much leſſe …ll he ſpare duſt and aſhes?dIob 4.19. Hee put no truſt in his Angels, how much leſſe on them …t dwell in houſes of clay, whoſe foundation is in the duſt? What is the manlieſt prow… on earth, when the loynes be girded up with ſtrength, and decked in the greateſt …ry, to encounter with the fortitude of God?eAmos 3.8. The Lion hath roared, who will not …re? The Lord hath thundered from heaven, in caſting downe Angels to hell; …ll not fleſh and bloud quake for feare? The Scripture as well acquainted with … pride of mans nature, hangs talents of lead at the heeles to keepe it downe. The … Pſalme, which is a circular Pſalme, ending as it began; O Lord our Governour, … excellent is thy Name in all the world! that whitherſoever we turne our eyes, wee …y ſee our ſelves beſet with his glory round about. How doth the Prophet diſ…ntenance man, by his diſdainfull interrogation; What is man? Then ſtill as the …lmes goe in order, they grow in ſtrength to deject the haughtineſſe of man.fPſal. 9.20. A… Lord, let not man prevaile: let the Nations know themſelves to be but men. We are …n, and the ſonnes of men, not the generation of Angels; to ſhew our deſcent. …en in our knowledge, groſſe and dull brain'd; not quick, free, ſubtle, and celeſti… ſpirits: the conſcience of our owne infirmity doth convince us. Men of the …th, not of the aire, fire, Starres, Sunne, Heavens; much leſſe of the ſubſtance of …gels; but earth is the matter whereof we are framed. The diſgrace is yet dee…, Pſal. 22.6. Vermis ſum, non vir. The prophet either in his owne name, regar…g his perſonall contempt: or in the name of Chriſt, whoſe figure he was: or in … repreſentation of all mankinde: as if it were a robbery and preſumption to take …n him the name of man, he ſayes, I am a worme, and no man. Thus Abraham con…ing with GOD, fifts himſelfe to the courſeſt branne; I am but duſt and aſhes. …ny of the children of Abraham, that have ſucceeded him in the faith; or any of the children of Adam, that ſucceed him in the fleſh; thinke otherwiſe, their … cataſtrophe ſhall confute them.
Man is an excellent creature, if we compare him with the faireſt flower of … Garland, the talleſt Cedar of the Forreſt, the ſtatelieſt Beaſt in the wilderneſſe. N… the Sunne, and Starres are not ſo excellent, for they want ſenſe, and man hath … ſon: not one of them was formed after the Image of God, there are no ſpark… Divinity in them. But if we look up to the Angels, there is a large and ample … ference: we have bodies, and they are full of groſſe corruptions; ſo many … that who is Phyſitian good enough to number them, I ſay not, to cure them? T… is in the ſoule uncleanneſſe, in the underſtanding blindneſſe, in the will perverſe… in the affections wantonneſſe, in the whole man ſinfulneſſe. The Angelicall … is ſubject to none of theſe infirmities. If thou wert a ſinfull angell, thou ſhou… be puniſhed; therefore if a ſinfull man, what hope to be ſpared? It was the … note to King Philip of Macedon every morning; Remember thou art a man: for … membring this, we remember all unworthineſſe.
If any ſoule be humbled with this meditation, (and indeed who are fit for ſo … cious ſeed but the tilled ground? comfort is well beſtowed on a broken he…:) … this cheare them. God that ſpared not offending Angels, neither hath ſpa… … fending men: but he puniſhed one man for many men, he ſpared not the man C… Ieſus. All beleeving men have anſwered his juſtice in that one man: hence … faith is bold to ſay, Lord thou art juſt, and haſt not ſpared me: but thou art … full, and haſt not ſpared him for me. Thou haſt puniſhed our ſins through his …
To be reſerved unto judgement.] This is their binding over to the Aſſiſes: … ſumme wherof is: That the fulnes and extremity of their torments is not yet … but there abideth a more fearefull and finall condemnation for them. They are … entred into divers degrees of penalty, but the plenary wrath of God is not p… on them till the laſt judgement. They are already damned, and they know it, … 2.19. The divels beleeve and tremble. It is ſo certaine, that Iuſtice admits no … tion of it, nor doe themſelves ſtudy any evaſion from it: and yet there is ſt… … ſervation of greater plagues. But they have no bodies, and therefore are not … ble of receiving more by addition. Anſ. Their puniſhment ariſeth from the … of God, which then ſhall in a greater meaſure empty it ſelfe upon them. The … of man while he ſtrikes, can make his blow heavier or lighter as himſelfe ple…
They are now ſuffered to tempt men, which is a pleaſure to their malice, th… ing themſelves by this meanes ſomewhat revenged on God: as he that defaceth … picture of his enemy, when he cannot come at his perſon, eaſeth his ſpleene a … So the dog gnawes the ſtone, that cannot reach the thrower. In a word, … are ſuffered to wander abroad, then they ſhall be confined to their priſon. … priſoner that is allowed to walke abroad though with his keeper, is not ſo … as the dungeon'd. Now they containe their hell, then their hell alſo ſhall … them. Now they ſeeme to rejoyce at our ſinning, then they ſhall have eno… gr eve at their owne ſuffering. Now the bottomeleſſe pit hath bin opened for … egreſſe of thoſe Locuſts: then it ſhall be locked up for ever with the eternall … Iuſtice. But he is judged already, Ioh. 16.11. The Prince of this world is judged. … ſtill he is reſerved to another Iudgement. There is a double Iudgement, … Diſcuſſion, another of Retribution. For the diſcuſſive Iudgement, theſe … … gels come not under it, their rebellion is ſo apparant. What need a Iewry … on the malefactor, that confeſſeth his fault? For that of Retribution, they … receive it in the view of the whole world; that the juſtice of God may … be acknowledged, when he ſhall render to every one according to his … Cor. 6.3. Know ye not that you ſhall judge the Angels? Good men ſhall have the … nour to judge bad Angels. For this they challenged Chriſt, that hegMat. 8.29. C… ment them before the time. They confeſſe that there is a time deſigned for the … tude and perfection of their torments.
He is reſerved; but till the Iudgement come, let us watch him, for he watcheth us. There is no corporall enemie, but a man naturally feares: the ſpirituall foe appeares …eſſe terrible, becauſe we are leſſe ſenſible of him; we talke of Travellers, that have …eene the world over; none ever ſaw ſo much as hee. Hee hath ſeene earth, ſeene …e ſea, ſeene hell, ſeene heaven. Hee compaſſeth; as the hunter that makes …s though he would raile a mound about the deere to preſerve them; when indeed …e layes a toile to deſtroy them. Great conquerors have beene chronicled for vi…ories, and extention of their kingdomes; Satan is beyond them all. Saul hath ſlaine …is thouſands, and David his ten thouſands; but Satan his millions. He that fights …ith an enemy, whom nothing but his bloud can pacifie, will give him no advantage. … we know that we have an adverſary at the next doore, that pries into all our cour…s, and upon the leaſt error will ſue us on an action of treſpas, we will be circumſpect … diſable him of advantage. Satan no ſooner ſpies our wandrings, but he preſently …nnes with a complaint to God, bills againſt us in the ſtar-chamber of heaven; …here the matter would goe hard with us, but for the great Lord Chancelour of …eace, our Advocate Ieſus Chriſt. As God keepes all our teares in a bottell, and …giſtreth the very grones of our holy paſſion in a booke: ſo Satan keepes a Record … our ſinnes, and ſolicites Iuſtice againſt us. Were God like man, ſubject to paſ…ons, or incenſible by the ſuggeſtions of the common barretor, woe were us. But …e will heare one Sonne of Truth before ten thouſand fathers of lying. No matter …hat the plaintiffe libelleth, when the Iudge acquiteth. We have forfeited our e…ates by treaſon, and the buſy Devill begges us: but there is one that ſteps in, and …eads a former graunt, and that both by promiſe and purchaſe.hPſal. 35.17. Lord reſcue my …le from deſtructions, my darling from the Lions. Lord Ieſus chalenge thine owne; …t not Satan enter upon by force or fraud, what thou haſt bought with thine …wne bloud.
Thus in generall, the particulars here conſiderable are two, (for I purpoſe no …ommon place of the day of Iudgement.) Firſt the neceſſity of it, in that they are …eſerved to it. Then the Severity of it, in that it is a Iudgement. Theſe be inherent … the words; there be ſome ſhort adherent circumſtances which I ſhall ſalute as I …ſſe; they may be within the circumference, theſe are in the heart and Center.
The necesſity. As the Creation was that Principium, which did produce things … their being: ſo Iudgment is that concluſion, which ſhall perduce things to their …ding. There is a double operation of God, one that wrought the production of …ings, the inſtitution of nature, and diſtinction of places; from this God reſted the …venth day. Another of providentiall goverment, whereby he conſerves and …poſeth things; from this he reſteth not.iIoh. 5.17. Hitherto my Father worketh, and I worke. …ccording to both theſe there is a double Iudgment: one at the departure out of …is life, which anſwers to Gods diſpoſition: that they which kept not the appoin…d rule of their maker, might undergoe the Iuſtice of their avenger. The other at …t day, when God to all things determines an end, as immediately of himſelfe he …ve them a Beginning. But it is objected, Nah. 1.9. Iudgment ſhall not riſe up a …nd time: there is one Iudgment at the end of life, if there be another at the end … the world, then there is Iudgement a ſecond time. I might anſwer, that the Pro…et ſpeakes there of a temporall deſtruction, which ſhall make an utter end, that there …ll be no neede of a ſecond blow; Affliction ſhall not riſe up the ſecond time. But …take it in their reading; Every man muſt be conſidered, as he is an individuall per…, and with relation as he is part of mankind. So there is a double Iudgment pro…rtioned; one at his death reſpecting the ſingularity of his perſon: the other at laſt …pecting his partnerſhip of the world: and thus as he is a member of the univerſe, … Iudgement muſt be in the univerſall.
But Iudgment is the determination of doubtfull things, and every one before …t day ſhall be put paſt doubting of his future eſtate. Yet there muſt be a generall …gment, that the equity of every ones ſentence may be approved, and the Iuſtice of God glorified. Object. But it is againſt the proper forme of Iudgment, to let execution goe before ſentence: now every ſoule as ſhe departs, receives her reward, and is preſently poſſeſſed of joy, or puniſhed with ſorrow, If therefore there be a future Iudgment, here is execution befor ſentence. Anſw. The firſt is but the effect of the latter: by that they preſently feele, they know what they ſhall eternally feele. Beſides, but one part of man onelyonly paſſeth that cenſure, the ſoule alone is bleſſed or curſed: therefore a generall Iudgment muſt paſſe upon the re-united body: which as it hath ſerved the ſoule in holineſſe or ſinne; ſo muſt accompany the ſoule in bl… or paine. Object. The body is but an Inſtrument of the ſoule: ſo the Philoſophers, Phyſicum corpus organicum ſtatuunt; becauſe the ſoule doth uſe it as an organ. Therefore it is for the ſoule alone to ſuffer: corpus ab anima ſeparatum non dolet: the body feeles no paine when the ſoule is departed from it. Anſw. Let it be but an Inſtrument, yet was it a living Inſtrument: as therefore the ſoule being the Miſtreſſe i… ſinning, ſhall be no leſſe in ſuffering: yet the body muſt have his due ſhare in being puniſhed, as it had the full part in being delighted.
Ioh. 3.18.But, He that beleeveth not is already judged: what neede then any more Iudgment? Anſw. He is judged Per divinam praeſcientiam per propriam conſcientiam, non per ultim… ſententiam: judged by Gods preſcience, judged by his owne conſcience, not by the laſt ſentence. There is a five fold Iudgment. 1 The judgment of Diſpoſition; ſo a… unbeleevers are now judged. 2 The judgement of Compariſon. kMat. 12.41.The men of Ni… ſhall riſe in judgment with this generation, and ſhall condemne it. Evill men ſhall th… judge them that be worſe; Non ſecundum cenſuram dictaminis, ſed ſecundum menſur… criminis, Ezek. 16.So I…ruſalem is ſaid to Iuſtifie Sodome, yet were the Sodomites then in …. 3 The judgment of Approbation; 1 Cor. 6.3.ſo the Saints ſhall judge the Angels, judge the n…ions, Wiſd. 3.8. judge the tribes of Iſrael, Mat. 19.28. judge the whole wo… 1. Cor. 26.4. The judgment of Difinition; ſo Ioh. 5.22, The Father hath … ted all judgment unto the Sonne. 5 The judgment of Remuneration, which ſhall re… every man according to his practiſe.
That there ſhall be a judgment, is univerſally granted:lRom. 7.1. I ſpeake the Law to th… that know the Law. Though there be a particular judgment precedent, this hinders not the generall ſubſequent. Here the wicked condemne themſelves, there God ſhall condemne them. Qualis conſcientia, talis ſententia. As is their conſcience, ſuc… ſhall be their ſentence.m1 Ioh. 3.20. If our owne heart condemne us, God is greater than our hea…. Beſides the common reaſons that be given, 1 That the godly here ſuffer for we… doing, therefore ſhall be crowned for well ſuffering. It is fit that they whom … world hath uniuſtly condemned, ſhall by the Lord be iuſtly acquited. Vt app… tam patientis innocentia, quàm perſequentis injuſtitia. If there be Iudas to cenſure M… and not a Ieſus to Iuſtifie Mary; Truth ſhall be utterly loſt. 2 That many notor… ous ſinners are puniſhed here; which is but the little Image and earneſt of the general Seſſions hereafter. God ſtrikes ſome, ne ipſi pereant, to ſave themſelves: and ſo… againe, ne reliquos perimant, leſt they ſhould deſtroy others. Graceleſſe ſinners e… boldening themſelves to riot by the remoteneſſe of judgement, are often cut off before hand.n1 Tim. 5.24. Some mens ſinnes are open before hand, going before the judgement. Th… have not the patience to tarry ſo long for their owne damnation. As when the deſperate Pirat, ranſaking and rifling a bottome, was told by the maſter, that tho… no law could touch him for the preſent, he ſhould anſwer it at the day of judgment: replyed, nay, if I may ſtay ſo long ere I come to it, I will take thee and thy Veſſel too. A conceit wherewith too many land-theeves, oppreſſours, flatter themſel… in their hearts, though they dare not utter it with their lippes. Theſe God judg… before hand, as he did Herode immediately upon his elevation: the people called … a god, but the wormes ſoone confuted their ridiculous deity. That as when M…ſ… had powdered the calfe, he might upbraid Iſrael, behold your God: ſo when the Ang… had worm'd that Idoll, he might ſay, Behold your king. Beſide theſe, and … other beaten arguments, I faſten upon two inſtances.
1 Many perverſe ſinners are forborne here: they tranſgreſſe in health, Pſa. 73. … They trouble others, tremble not themſelves: all feele their plagues, no plagues …o they feele. They ſinke others eyes into their heads with leanneſſe, while their …ne eyes ſtand out with fatneſſe. What, ſhall they never be called to an account for …is? Shall a man covet and take, take and keep, keep and devoure, devoure and never …ew it up again? Shall an Extortioner make every houre advantageous, laugh at …e grones of the oppreſſed, dance to their lacrymae, and yet ſcape? Every ſinne is …metimes ſuſpended, ſaving only the uſurers: others ſin by day only, or by night …nly, and the moſt violent ague of wickedneſſe hath ſome intermiſsion: but he ſins …ay and night continually: and is there no day nor night of anſwer? Shall a man …te the bread of ſacriledge, drinke the wine of ſacriledge, ſleepe in ſacriledge, cloth …s family with ſacriledge, leave to his children an inheritance in ſacriledge, and no …ckoning? what though no Iudge, no Court, no Parliament queſtion or medi…ne this diſeaſe; ſhall not the Iudge of all condeme it.
Many ſinnes have bin puniſhed, that are now forborne; becauſeoAct. 17.31. The Lord hath …pointed a day to judge the World in righteouſneſſe. The wickedneſſe of the old world … as abundant in the new world; yet is not the world drowned with water, bceauſe …od hath ordained for it a deluge of fire. The ſinnes of Sodome are practiſed every …her e; yet doe the committers ſcape fire and brimſtone on earth, becauſe they are …ſerved to fire and brimſtone in hell. Doe not many perſecute the Church as vio…ntly as Pharaoh, with Charriots and Armies, who yet ſcape drowning? There is a …ſervation of a deeper and bottomeleſſe ſea for them. Diverſe murmure at God who …e not ſtung with fiery ſerpents as the Iſraelites: becauſe they are reſerved to a fiery …rpent in hell. Many take bribes like Geheſi, without a leproſie; becauſe of that eter…ll leproſie which waits for them. How many a deceitfull Trader ſayes and ſwears, with a little inverſion of Ananias his lie: I ſold it for ſo much.) It coſt me ſo much, yet … not ſtricken with death temporall, becauſe he is reſerved to death eternall. Are not …any monopoliſts amongſt us, as bad as theſepActs 16.16. Philippians, that got a patent of the …ery divell? It is plaine that they did monopolize the Damoſell, and the Damoſell …d monopoliz'd the devill. Satan was wont to be a ſpirit latent; now he durſt be ſpirit Patent: it is time that this Patent-devill were caſt out.
But there is a reſervation of all to judgement: Mercy now ſtretcheth out her …ings like a hen; then Iuſtice ſhall ſtretch out her wings like an eagle. Gods hands …eme now ſo fraught with mercies, that judgement hath no roome to be graſped in …em. But ſhall wicked men live, ſin, dye, and there an end? No, the Lord hath …orne the contrary. Heb. 3.18. Hee ſweares that unbeleevers ſhall not enter into his …ſt. An oath among men is the end of all ſtrife; and ſhall not faith be given to …od when he ſweares? The leſſe evill they feele, the more let them feare. If …ercy allowes a tolleration, Iuſtice hath a reſervation; there will come a day of …ckoning.
2 To omit the demonſtration of the prognoſtick ſymptomes, forerunning …is judgement. That ſame trumpet of warre in every corner, the divulgation of …e Goſpell; not only by the Antichriſtian Seminaries, who at once have named it …d ſhamed it: the revelation of Antichriſt, whereof all Chriſtendome is a blee…ng witneſſe: the incorrigibility of ſin, that it is even dangerous to bee good; and …ods reproofes doe not weaken, yea ſcarce weaken ſinners. The generall decay of …ture aſſure us this Iudicial concluſion of the world. That which David ſaid ſhould …, now is: the world is waxed old like a garment: ſo old that moſt men are turned …tchers, ſpending their times and ſtudies to patch it. The lawyer talkes of a te…e called a perpetuity, that's his patch. The Vſurper thinkes to amplifie his domi…ons by fire and ſword, that's his patch. One ſaies the world is naught, yet hee a…res to be a great man in it, that's his patch. The covetous ſaies, it is but ranſito… and ſhort, yet he hoordes as if it were everlaſting, that's his patch. Another …ould dip it in new colours, make us beleeve it is an honeſt world; this is like painting, of an old, wither'd, and worme eaten face. Some as old as this garment is, would ſtill beſtow lac… and gardes upon it, as if they meant to make it a fooles coate theſe are the proud and haughty, who only ſeeme to effect new clothes, and new faſhions; yet love the world that is ſo old a garment, and quite out of faſhion.
If we ſee a man whoſe eyes grow dimme, his eares deafe, his face furrowed, his haires white, his legs doubling under him; wee ſay, his living date is almo… expired. Such a dotage doth the world labour of, yet men covet as if there were a thouſand generations to provide for. As a man that is dying, hath many fantaſies: ſo the declining world is troubled with many delirements and errours. In a ſurf…d body the corruption labours downewards, to the feete, and makes an iſſue there: ſo the putrefaction and turpitude of all times is ſunke downe to this latter age; and one extremity anſwers another. Faith is rare, though there be many Chriſtians: and charity ſo cold, as if a continuall February of in-devotion had frozen it. There was lately a great froſt, and we called it a hard time: the rivers were cruſted, the … ming earth obſtructed, and the conveyances of water lock'd up: yet it is tha…d and diſſolved by the imperious and friendly Sun. But there is ſtill a ſpirituall fro…, a hardneſſe of mans hearts, that extinguiſheth the heate of zeale, the warmth of charity, the ſparke of faith. q Out of whoſe wombe came the Ice? And the hoary f… of heaven, who hath gendred it? out of whoſe wombe comes this ſinfull Ice, but the divels? It is not a froſt of heaven, but the hoary froſt of hell. The fruites of pie…y are withered, the ſprings of grace dried up, and the waters of charity that ſhould make glad our citie of God, are congealed to covetouſneſſe. Who can looſe theſe … of Orion? The Son of grace ſhineth, yet this froſt melts not: it is reſerved unto judgment, to be melted with the fire of hell.
Thus truly is the world growen an old man. 1. It ſtoopes like an old man, as … the head were too heavy for the ſhoulders; ſinkes downeward with ponderous cares. 2. It is full of raw humors like an old man; the ſtomach is ſo opppre… with crude and unwholſome vanities, that it is mortally feveriſh. 3 It is cold like a… old man; that the bloud cannot be warmed, no heate of zeale can be got into it. 4. … teſty like an old man, weary of his owne deſires, angry at the doing of that he commands to be done: deſires, obtaines, and then deſpiſes; nothing can pleaſe him. 5. Piddling with the fingers like an old man; ſcratching all together into heapes it defyance of any future diſſipation. 6. It hath loſt all the ſenſes like an old man: … eares ſo deafe that he cannot heare the Goſpell, his eyes ſo blind that he cannot … the evill of his ſinnes, his tongue ſo faltering that he cannot utter his prayers, … feete ſo lame that he halts with his beſt friend: even ready to cloſe up his lights, the Sunne and Moone, be put out: the great ſpirituall Court is breaking up, all offices diſcharged; and he that takes their accounts, ready to appeare in the cloudes, the Iudge of all, Ieſus Chriſt. We ſee the neceſſitie of this generall Iudgement: … is neceſſary for the Iuſtice of God, neceſſary for the good of man, neceſſary for the glory of him that is both God and man.
The Severity of it followes; it is ſuch a Iudgement, as ſhall leave nothing unexamined, uncenſured. He that was Salvator verus will be Iudex ſeverus. Iudex …o… lis, Deus univerſi. There are many gods, many kings, many prieſts, innumerable men. Now he that is God ſhall judge all thoſe gods: he that is King, ſhall judge all theſe kings: he that is Prieſt, ſhal judge al thoſe prieſts: he that is man, ſhal judg all men. The Apoſtle Iude calls it the great day; Great, for there ſhall be. 1. A great congregation, never did ſo many meet together before, never ſhall after. All ſhall be ſummo…ed, and all muſt appeare; though they were reſolved into duſt many thouſand yeares before; and this citation ſhall be made by the ſound of a Trumpet. 2. A great e… mination; when not only viſible and actuall workes ſhall be revealed; but even … moſt ſecret thoughts, reſerved intentions, and ſcarce borne conceptions. Nothing is ſo hid, Vt Iudicis vel lateat ſcientiam, vel effugiat ſententiam; that it can bee kep… from his ſapience, or eſcape his ſentence. 3. A great Iudication, giving ſentence … abſolution unto the faithfull; and ſentence of condemnation upon the wicked. And …is ſhall be done ſuddenly: no Subpaena's to fetch in witneſſes, they are all ready: no …peale, for there's no higher court: no tedious pleading, for then all ſinners are …ruckerMat. 22.12. dumbe: no demurre, for the Iudge is perfect in the Law, it was of his owne …aking: no writ of error, for he muſt needs Iudge wiſely and truly, that is wiſe…ome and truth it ſelfe: no reprieve, for their is no hope of pardon: no Pſalme of …ercie; that day is paſt, this is the time of Iuſtice. 4. A great retribution, every …an ſhall receive his reward according to his worke: to the godly there is the free …ward of life and glory, to the ungodly deſerved death and torment. This king …th treaſure enough for all; not one of the faithfull ſhall want merciemercy, not one re…obate ſhall ſcape without penaltie. Great was the lamentation of the drowning …gyptians, and no leſſe the rejoycing of Iſrael ſafe on the ſhore: but O the unſpeak…le joy with the ſheepe of CHRISTS right hand, and the unventable ſorrow … the goates on his left? When both the ſongs of good men and Angels, and the …ies of bad men and devills, ſhall eccho to the glory of one moſt holy God.
A great reſignation, whenſ1 Cor. 15.24. CHRIST ſhall deliver up the kingdome to God …e Father; and ceaſe to raigne, not as God, for ſo he is equall with the Father, but … mediator. For then all his redeemed ones are embraced with the everlaſting …mes of bleſſedneſſe: and for the reſt he ſhall never make interceſſion, for they had …ver part in his redemption. Vp goe the Saints and Angels in their eternall Quire, owne ſinke the reprobates and devills to their eternall fire, where the one ſhall live …ging, and the other live burning, ſo long as there is a God in heaven.
Thus Power had her day in creation, Providence hath her day in Preſervation, …ercie had her day in redemption, and Iuſtice muſt have her day in retribution. That …at Sonne of righteouſneſſe appeareth in foure ſignes of his Zodiacke. In his …onception he came through Virgo, he was borne of a Virgin. In his Birth, through …emini; two natures being united in one Perſon. In his Reſurrection he was found … Leo, triumphing like a victorious Lion over all his enemies. When he comes to udgement, he ſhall appeare in Libra the Balance; juſtly waighing out to every man …portion of reward, according to the proportion of his worke. This is his ſecond …omming; the firſt was of Grace, this is of Iuſtice. The firſt was to propiciate, not … judge. Ioh. 3.17. God ſent not his Sonne to condemne the world but to ſave it. The …cond ſhall be to judge, not to propiciate. Ioh. 5.22. The Father judgeth no man, …t hath committed all judgement unto the Son. In the firſt he came a Phyſitian to …ale, in the next an Avenger to puniſh that would not be healed. Then a Lambe to …ffer, now a lion to triumph and conquer. His firſt comming was ſoft, as the dew …on the mowen graſſe: his ſecond ſhall be terrible, in lightning and fire.
Seeing there muſt be a Iudgement, and we muſt all be judged, let us prepare our …ules for a good anſwere. CHRIST bad his Diſciples, when they were brought …efore mens Iudgement ſeates, to ſtudy no anſwere: but let every one ſtudy an an…were before he comes to this Iudgement ſeat. Yet alas, what anſwere can be made? If God contend with us, we cannot anſwere him one of a thouſand.tIob 9.3. Quae verba …alent contra verbum? CHRISTS word muſt ſtand. Iob 31.14. What ſhall I doe …hen God riſeth up? and when he viſiteth, what ſhall I anſwere him? If great men ho…ur themſelves more than God, Quid facient, what ſhall they doe? If covetous …en love money more than Chriſt, what ſhall they doe? If men have robbed the …ord of his Patrimonie, what ſhall they doe? Here is a Quid facient for all. Men …ve now their colours, reaſons, pretences, and qualifications; but then what ſhall …ey anſwere? The wicked ſhall plead to Chriſt; we are the worke of thy hands; …ut he will reply, you have loſt my Image and ſuperſcription. But Lord, remem…er thy Paſſion; Yes, but this is no time of compaſſion. The ſentence is terrible. Matth. 25.41. Depart yee curſed into everlaſting fire, Mat. 25.41.prepared for the devill and his Angels. When they ſhall cry; Lord, though we may not aſcend with thee unto …ory, yet let us abide ſtill on the earth, ſtatu quo prius; nay goe, Depart. If we muſt goe, let it not yet be farre, not out of thy ſight and gracious preſence; nay depa… from me. If we muſt goe, and goe from thee, yet let us have a bleſſing with us: nay, depart yee curſed. If we muſt goe, and from thee, and with a curſe, yet ſomewhat qualifie thy anger, and let our curſe be but eaſie: nay, depart yee curſed into Fi… If we muſt depart from thee, curſed, and into fire; yet let not that fire burne long ſuffer it to be ſoone extinguiſhed; nay, but goe into Everlaſting fire. If there be … remedie, but we muſt goe from thee the God of glory, and with a Curſe, the character of infelicitie: and into fire, torment in extremitie: and that everlaſting, without hope of recoverie: yet let us have ſome pleaſant and loving company; nay, … the very devill and his Angels. A heavy doome, which if we deſire to evade, let … before the day of tryall make ſure the Iudge: if we can get him our friend, we … ſpeed well in the Iudgement.