Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 7

Commentary on 2 Peter · Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 7

p. 12192 PET. 3.7.

But the Heavens and the Earth which are now, by the ſame Word are kept in ſtore, reſerved unto fire againſt the day of Judgement, and perdition of ungodly men.

SAtan perſwades Atheiſts that this world is eternall: that there is no other Heaven but what they ſee: and becauſe they ſee not Hell, that there is none at all. Through this Imagination, they onelyonly labour about the preſent, and caſt off all hope or feare of the future. If they can make good to themſelves their condition (and they thinke it good, if it be pleaſant) in this life; for the next, it is no Article of their Creed, no Creed of their heart. Therefore they live like beaſts, becauſe they thinke they ſhall die like beaſts; without any anſwer for ought they have either acted, or left undone. But the Iuſtice of God teacheth, that there ſhall bee a Day of reckoning, when all the world ſhall bee ſummoned to one univerſall Audite, and receive a reward according to their workes. To prove this, the Apoſtle argues conveniently and comparatively: God made the world by his Word, therefore by his Word hee can deſtroy it: and that we may be ſure of his power, he hath given us an example or proofe; for hee hath deſtroyed it once already: and that wee ſhould not doubt of his will, he hath ſaid he will doe it. Qui potuit creare, non poterit cremare? His Word does all: by his Word he created it, by his Word he drowned it, by his Word hee reſtored it, by his Word hee preſerveth it, and by his Word hee will burne it.

But the Heavens and the Earth which are now, &c.] Here, firſt wee muſt looke upon the world in the preſent ſtate, wherein it is preſerved: and ſecondly, then the future condition, to which it is reſerved. In the former are two conſiderations. Firſt, the compoſition, The Heavens and Earth that are now. Secondly, the repoſition, Are kept in ſtore by the Word. In the future ſtate, which is the deſtruction of the world, we have Firſt, the manner, By fire. Secondly, the time, At the day of judgement. To beginne with that axletree whereon the world moves.

The Word of God:] This is indeed the Will of God. At his fiat gave the world 1being, ſo his maneat gives it continuance and abiding. For as when he ſaid, Let there be Light and a Firmament; what cares had the Light or Firmament, or any other creature, to heare his Word, if he had pronounced it? The words of the Tempter was Dic, ſay, command theſe ſtones to be made bread:Mal. 4.3.Mal 4:3 but what capacity had there beene in ſtones to heare his ſaying? God ſpake to the fiſh: Ion. 2.10.Jonah 2:10what intelligence had the fiſh to anſwere him? But as ſpeech is interpreter of mans heart, ſignifying his ſecret purpoſes: ſo the Lord hath ſome way, (which, is eaſie for him to doe, not for us to conceive) whereby he imparteth to inſenſible p. 1220creatures what his pleaſure is. Speech is not of Gods nature, but an action of his will: and hee that goes without feet, ſeeth without eyes, reacheth without hands, ſo alſo ſpeaketh without a tongue.

2Obſerve we here, what a Divinity there is in the Word of God; how imperious to command, how omnipotent to prevaile. One fiat is enough to make that which never was before, or to ſhape that which otherwiſe had lyen in everlaſting informity: to eſtabliſh nature where it is not, or to change nature where it is: to create Angels, Men, Birds, Beaſts, Fiſhes: to ſtore Heaven, Earth, and the deepe with innumerable armies of creatures; and to make them bow their knees to their maker,Mat. 8.8.Matt 8:8 and render unlimited obedience to all his decrees. The beleeving Centurion, in a ſuite that dearely affected him, deſires not the travell of his feet, nor any receipt of Phyſicke to heale his ſervant; no not ſo much as the impoſition of his hand, which ſome had requeſted; nor comming under the roofe of his houſe;Mat 4.4.Matt 4:4 but onelyonly a word from his lippes: Dic verbum, ſpeake the word onelyonly, and my ſervant ſhall be whole. Man neither liveth by bread, nor recovereth by phyſicke,Mat. 8.2.Matt 8:2 but by the Word of Gods providence. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canſt make me cleane: Origen.voluntas tua opus eſt: thy will is thy worke. I will, bee thou cleane: as if with the breath of his mouth, he had ſpoken to the Leproſie, Bee gone: as hee afterward ſpake to the Divells, Bee packing; and they went with a vengeance, as if a whirle winde had driven them. He rebuked the windes and the ſeas, with farre more authority than Peter did Ananias, and with the like ſucceſſe: for he ſmote the breath from the windes, and the motion from the ſea. They not onelyonly heare him, but heare him with effect: they goe, and run, and ſtand ſtill, like dutifull ſervants at his bidding, and live and die at his command.

3God hath one voyce that is of a ſenſible ſound indeed; ſmiting the eares and hearts both of men and beaſts with aſtoniſhment. It maketh the Cedars, and breaketh the Cedars,Pſal. 29.4.Ps 29:4 formeth and quencheth the flames of fire, planteth and ſupplanteth Forreſts, abſolveth and diſſolveth the World at his pleaſure. O ye obſequious Heavens and Earth, how doe you convince rebellious man? Heare O Heavens, Eſa. 1.2. Mic. 6.2.Isa 1:2Mic 6:2and give eare O Earth: and Heare O ye Mountaines! …he Lords controverſie. The Sunne ſtands ſtill, the Earth cleaves and opens her jawes, Rivers run backe, Lions forbeare their prey, all at the Word of God, and yet man refuſeth to obey it. There be ſome indeed that will give it the hearing; as a man ſees a remote object by his opticke inſtrument, yet it is not his: ſo many come to Church, as if they meant to learne the way, and know the Will of God; and ſo they leave it. Our fathers were more devout than we; for they did what they heard, though it were but the device of man: wee heare and doe not, though it be the Word of God. They had baſe metalls, but good manners: we have baſe manners with our good metalls. They had their coyne of braſſe, and men of gold: we have coine of gold, and men of braſſe, or lead, or if there be a courſer metall. The abundant waters of the ſanctuary have bred two diſeaſes; Curioſity, and Satiety. Wee are full of honey, and will not heare much: and what does not humour us, wee will not heare at all. Indeed Schiſmaticall Teachers have alwayes the moſt buſie ſwarmes of hearers: ſo they make the people Ideots, that the people may make them Idols: and we truly ſay of them, as of Idols; Qui colit, ille facit. But it is not fit that we ſhould leave the Word of God, and liſten to fables;Act. 6.2.Acts 6:2 as the Apoſtle ſaid, It is not reaſon wee ſhould leave preaching and ſerve tables. Let us keepe the Word, for the Word doth keepe us: yea, as it keeps Heaven and Earth in ſtore; ſo it keepes us on Earth, in ſtore for Heaven, that wee may be eternally bleſſed.

4This is not onelyonly a creating, but a preſerving word: ſuch a one as reſerves Heaven and Earth in ſtore, as if it laid them up in a Treaſury: till the great Emperour of the world, who is his owne Lord Treaſurer, calls them forth to further uſe. The Peripatetickes houſed the Divine providence above the Moone; allowing p. 1221it no deſcent beneath that Circle, to intend inferiour buſineſſes. The Epicures, by the Relation of Eliphaz, ſay no leſſe. How can God know? Can he judge through the darke Cloud? He walketh in the Circle of Heaven. Iob 22.13.Job 22:13Averroes the Spaniſh Phyſician, thinkes that vileſceret Dei intellectus, if he ſhould minde theſe lower things. But the Glaſſe is not deformed, becauſe it repreſents deformities: nor is the Sunne defiled by reflecting upon dunghils; nor the Divine Providence vilified by ordering the moſt contemptible things. His Creation is their Mother, his Providence their Nurſe: the one brings them forth, the other brings them up: the one ſet up the frame of Heaven and Earth, the other keepes it in reparation. That he is the God of the Mountaines, not of the Vallies, was a Syrian dreame: that he looketh to the greater, and ſcorneth the ſmaller employments; is a blaſphemous aſſertion. No, his Providence extends to the feeding of Ravens, to the falling of Sparrowes, numbring of Haires, and caſting of Lots. Saul is appointed to the Kingdome of Iſrael by God,1 Sam. 10.21.1 Sam 10:21 and annointed by the Prophet; yet ſtill hee muſt bee deſigned by Lot: was nor this to leave a certainety, and put it to hazzard? No, for of all the Tribes Benjamin is taken: of all the families of Benjamin, Matri: of all the kindreds of Matri, the houſe of Cis: of all the houſe of Cis, Saul is choſen to bee King. Saul had hidden himſelfe; yet he could not hope that this ſubducing ſhould diſappoint the purpoſe of God. He that deſigned his name among the thouſands of Iſrael, (hee might well thinke) could eaſily finde out his perſon in a Tent, and bring him forth to honour.

As the ſame Word of God that made the Angels, made alſo the little 5Wormes: ſo the ſame Word againe that preſerves the ſtarres in heaven, preſerves alſo the very duſts of the earth. Nec laborat in maximis, nec fastidit in minimis. The moving of all thoſe glorious Orbes is no more to him, than the ſetting of a flie upon her wings. The whole world is but a Ball in his hand, which he turnes about at his pleaſure: and when hee will, he can throw it into the fire. He keepes them in ſtore: without his Providence they could not ſubſiſt, not ſtand a day; but fall like an Infant, when the Nurſe puts it from her boſome. Indeed hee does theſaurizare, ſed ad ignem; treaſure them up, but for the fire: as the wicked doe reponere theſaurum, ſed in vindictam, Rom. 2.5.Rom 2:5treaſure up wrath against the day of wrath. But till that appointed day, hee does conſerve them in their priſtine ſtate: and though our intolerable ſinnes would ſoone ruinate the world, yet for the Elects ſake the time is prolonged, and for the Elects ſake the dayes ſhall be ſhortened. As a Monarch ſuſtaines even a citie of rebels for a time, which otherwiſe would periſh; but at laſt ſets it on fire. Well yet, to that day it is laid up as a Treaſure: now if God be ſo provident over heaven and earth, what is his reſpectfulneſſe of man for whom he made them? He that is ſo rich in goodneſſe, and in the communication of that goodneſſe, as to feed the Birds,Matth. 6.30.Matt 6:30 and cloth the Lilies; will he neglect us and ours? We and our Children are the houſhold of God: and will not that great Maſter and Father of the whole family in heaven and earth, provide for us? If a man provide not for his owne, hee hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidell. 1 Tim. 5.8.1 Tim 5:8We are certainely more precious than Fowles or Flowers, yet the Lord cares for them. Will the houſholder take care to water the herbes of his garden, or to fodder his cattle; and ſuffer his men and maides to famiſh through hunger and thirſt? Or will hee provide for his men and maides, and let his owne children ſtarve? I know there is a double difference, between his keeping of heaven and earth, and his proviſion for us.

1. They are inſenſible things, and obey onelyonly by naturall inſtinct; as wee move a ſtone, which otherwiſe would lie ſtill. We have life, ſenſe, reaſon, and naturall abilities, to worke together with his Providence. Therefore he enjoynes us meanes, and would not that the workes of his wiſedome ſhould be idle. Wiſd. 14.5.Wis 14:5He can ſave without meanes, but he hath told no man that he will: he hath told every man, p. 1222that (ordinarily) he will not. When the Centurion beleeved the Maſter of the ſhip more than Saint Paul, they were all expoſed to a great danger: that was a preferring of the meanes before the Authour of the meanes.Act. 27.11.Acts 27:11 But as it is little ſhort of Atheiſme, to uſe God onelyonly for a ſhift, and at ſecond hand, when our owne powers faile: ſo it is no leſſe than ſluggiſhneſſe to thruſt all our buſineſſe wholly upon him: as if we were maſters, and might ſit idle; whiles he like a ſervant, muſt doe all our workes for us. Wee muſt not looke to be fed as the young Ravens, without ſowing: nor to bee clothed as the Lilies, without ſpinning. God works upon the Clouds, and we muſt worke upon the clods; or expect no fruits.

2. They are ſtored up for deſtruction, God hath ſet us apart for Salvation. Indeed the heavens and earth ſhall paſſe through a refining by fire to their originall puritie; and wee muſt paſſe through death, our changing, to the perfect Glory. Now, he that is the keeper of theſe, is much more the Preſerver of man. When we were incloſed in the wombe, he tooke care that wee ſhould not be ſtifled in darkneſſe, nor borne an abortive and untimely fruit: hee planted love in our parents hearts to provide for us, milk in our mothers breſts to nouriſh us, ſtrength in their armes to beare us, and vigilancie in their eyes to watch us. He gave them eares willing to heare our cries, compaſſionate hearts to pitie our wants, providence to lay up portions for us. Hee made this great Houſe for man; Heaven for his Parlour, the Aire for his Hall, the Earth for his Kitchin, furniſhed with all neceſſary Viands; and the Sea for a Ciſterne to ſerve it with water, not without Fire for a Chimney, and the Sunne for a window. Thus was man priùs ornatus, quàm natus: cui Deus benefecit, antequam feciſſet. For if God had given him life, before hee provided him living, hee had entred upon want; and this ſtood not with the riches of his Maker. If he had given him life and living, without comfort and happineſſe in them, he had fallen upon miſery, and that did not become his Creators mercy. Therefore in thoſe ſixe dayes did hee make a Magazin of proviſion for him, that ſhould laſt to the end of the world. And for this purpoſe he uſeth theſe Creatures; Quaſi imperans, non quaſi mendicans. Hee imployeth theſe inſtruments, non indigentiae, ſed indulgentiae cauſâ. The very haires of our heads are all numbred: Mat. 10.30.Matt 10:30The leaſt things that concerne man. Things that be numbred, are therefore numbred, that none of them ſhould be loſt. Hee ſaies not, They ſhall be numbred; but They are, long agoe: not ſome of them, but All: not covered, but numbred: not the dayes of our life, but the haires of our head: if a haire doe grow on our head, it is the Gift of God; or if a haire fall from our head, it is the will of God. Now he that numbers our haires, what account doth he make of our ſoules? Illi ſollicitiſerant de animabus, Chriſt ſecures them de capillis. Thus hath he ſtored up heaven and earth, but their end is to be burned: hee hath treaſured up us for a better heaven, wherein we ſhall be bleſſed.

6To borow an application from the Metaphor, which is foreign the Apoſtle ſpeaks of a Treaſurie; let us all be treaſurers; not of gold, or Iewels, or riches: theſe ſhall periſh with the world, becauſe they be laid up in the world, and belong to the world. Death like a ſevere Porter, ſhall examine all men at the gate, as they goe out of the world, and not ſuffer them to carry one peny along with them: nothing they brought in, and they ſhall carry out nothing. The Spaniards never ſo narrowly examined the poore Moores, when they drove them out of their Kingdom. Nabal of his three thouſand ſheep which he ſhore in Carmel, could not beare one lock of wooll with him to the grave: nor the rich man out of his enlarged barnes,Luk. 12.20.Luke 12:20 one ſtraw toward the making up of his pallet: nor the other Churle, out of all his Cellars & Fountains, one drop of water to coole his tongue: nor Craeſus, out of his abundant treaſury, one broken fragment of coine, not an end of gold or ſilver. Wealth is but like unto words; by impoſition, not naturall: for commodities are but as they are commonly valued: and in the next life they beare no p. 1223value at all. The ſpace of humane life how ſhort ſoever, is the utmoſt extent of the uſe of worldly riches. As all Principalities have their limits, and kings are but chiefe in their owne Dominions: ſo Pecunia, the worlds Queene (I meane, that worlds, whereof the Divell is king) extends her regiment but to the brim of the Grave, and is not currant one ſtep further. Or if it had any validitie afterward, yet it might not be ſuffered to paſſe: men may beguile the Law that forbids them to carry coine out of the kingdome; but God will admit none with coine into his Kingdome. Well then, there is another Treaſure, which we may carry with us, and bee welcome: of this death cannot hinder us, and with this Angels ſhall receive us. Good workes are a Treaſure, and they doe follow us. Good Praiers are a treaſure, and they goe before us. Good Faith and Hope are a treaſure, and they goe with us. Workes follow;qqRevel. 14.13.Rev 14:13 Bleſſed are they that die in the Lord, for their workes follow them. Praiers precede,rrAct. 7.59.Acts 7:59 Lord Ieſus receive my ſpirit: ſſAct. 10.4.Acts 10:4Thy Prayers are come up for a memoriall before God. Faith does accompany,ttLuk. 23.43.Luke 23:43 To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe. The Graces of God are called Talents; if wee improve them to his uſe, wee make them our treaſure. If a Traveller beare treaſure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into currant monies, his treaſure will not defray his charges, as he goes. All our knowledge, and whatſoever ability, is Gods Gift; and that Gift is treaſure in the Nature of it: but it is not currant money in the uſe of it, except we get neerer and neerer to heaven, our home by it. Good workes are the improvement of Grace, and that is the treaſure which will paſſe currant in heaven: For God will reward us according to our workes.uuPhil. 3.20.Phil 3:20 Our Converſation is in heaven: it is there already to entertaine us when wee come.xxMatth. 6.20.Matt 6:20 Lay up for your ſelves Treaſure in Heaven: this is a treaſure, which when the earth is on fire, ſhall not bee burnt with it: for that fire ſhall but conſume the Elements; but this is above the Sunne and ſtarres, in the Repoſitory of Bleſſedneſſe, the gracious hand of IESVS CHRIST.

But the heavens and the earth which are now, &c.] Weake Philoſophers eaſily become wicked Atheiſts: If the Scripture doe not in all circumſtances jumpe with their Plato and Aristotle, they will beleeve Aristotle and Plato againſt the Scriptures. It is the madneſſe of vaine man, by his owne line, to meaſure the workes of God: as if a blinde man ſhould not beleeve there is a Sunne, becauſe he cannot ſee it. Out of this blacke and tetricall vault, the Divell breathes forth thoſe peſtilent dampes; quarrels and wranglings againſt the Divine truth. As, How could the world bee deſtroyed with water? Grant that the earth was overwhelmed, yet what is this to the world? The heavens remained ſtill untouched. Yet even their owne philoſophie might teach them to diſtinguiſh of the heavens. There is an airy heaven, as well as the ſtarry: and ſo farre this deluge might well extend. For the earth, it was not only at the firſt covered with water, but with water it is ſtill cimented. And the aire doth challenge the name of heaven: ſo God is ſaid toaaPſal. 147.8.Ps 147:8 Cover heaven with Clouds, andbbPſalm. 18.13.Ps 18:13 to thunder out of heaven: and the Cataracts of heaven were opened, when the Clouds poured downe, whilſt all the winged inhabitants of the aire, and mortall dwellers upon the earth (ſaving thoſe in the Arke) periſhed; what, can they ſay, became of the world?

Some would have the water, a kinde of Principium from which other things were derived; and obſerve it from the very Etymologie of Aqua, à qua ſunt omnia. ccRev. 17.15.Rev 17:15People and Multitudes are called by the name of waters. The Primum mobile, which they call the Chryſtaline heaven, appeares, either as if water were congealed into Chryſtall; or through the diaphanous tranſparencie of it, did repreſent Water as cleare as Chryſtall. The Bleſſedneſſe of Heaven is called, addRev. 22.1.Rev 22:1 Pure River of Water of Life, cleare as Chrystall. Such is the excellencie of Water, and neceſſarie Concurrence to all Elementarie things: p. 1224Yet was this Gods Inſtrument to deſtroy the world. What force is there then in Nature, to cheriſh and conſerve the world, when the ſeed and matter of it owne deſtruction is wrapped up in it? That which cannot ſtand by the owne power, muſt be upheld by anothers; and muſt it not then needs fall; when the Supporter lets goe his manutenencie? Now what perpetuitie, O Atheiſt, canſt thou finde in that whole, whoſe parts are ſo flexible.

1. The heavens and the earth.] The earth is indeed a muddy, ſordid, and feculent place, the receptacle of all corruption: well may that periſh. But the heavens are pure, bright, ceruleous, ſublime, and refulgent; why ſhould ſo glorious and magnificent a Machine ſuffer? The earth is but the Nurſe of our mortall bodies while they live, and their grave when we die: when there is no more uſe of her office in that miniſtration, let her be diſſolved. But heaven is full of beautie and ſolace; and though we ſhall dwell farre above theſe airy or ſtarry regions; yet it cannot but be ſome delight to looke downe upon theſe inferiour objects; and to ſee that become now our pavement, which was once our ſeeling. Though the Preſence-chamber of the King be moſt ſtately and ſumptuous; yet his Courtiers diſdaine not to looke into the publike hall. Why then ſhould the heavens, ſo rich and illuſtrious a Creature, be expoſed to this laſt fire.

Yes, for whatſoever was created for man, was infected by the ſinne of man: and it is neceſſary, that this conflagration ſhould reach as farre, as did the former corruption. The heavens, Sunne, Moone, and ſtarres, though they did not fall under ſo deepe a curſe as the earth, yet were all blemiſhed with mans fall. Even theſe muſt alſo bee purged; and the meanes by which God will reduce them to their originall integritie, is by fire: It is not then pitie that this goodly frame ſhould be diſſolved; whether we reſpect the Maker, the creatures, or men for whom they were created. For God; he was diſhonoured in their contamination; therefore it is fit he ſhould be honoured in their repurgation. That infinite Majeſtie, who is Pureneſſe it ſelfe, will not ſuffer the leaſt out-roome belonging to his Palace or univerſall Court, to remaine unclenſed. For themſelves, this loſſe ſhall redound to their gaine: for there ſhall not be an abolition, but a reſtitution of them: Nothing ſhall they loſe, but what they may well ſpare: that ſubſtance and perfection which they received from their Creator ſhall abide: onelyonly the defects and blemiſhes which they had from us, ſhall be done away. Wee intend not the periſhing of our Ore, when wee refine the Gold from the droſſe. In reſpect of men, they may well vaniſh: for the good have a better place, and the wicked deſerve a worſe. Theſe latter are but rebels, and therefore muſt be laid up in priſon, or the place of execution: the other are Gods loyall Subjects, and ſhall dwell with him in peace for ever.

The Vſe.Seeing that ſinne had ſo contagious an extent, as to reach unto the very Heavens; well ſhould the remorſe of it reach unto the bottome of our hearts. Whither can wee turne our eyes, and not read the Characters of our owne tranſgreſſions? If we looke downewards, we read them in the barren and curſed earth: every Thistle may ſting us,Gen. 3.18.Gen 3:18 and every Thorne bee a pricke to our conſciences: Praeſentémque refert tibi quilibet herba reatum. If we looke inwards, there we finde a depraved ſoule, a mortalized body: every errour and diſtemper in either of them, may well repreſent unto us the force of this fatall infection. If we looke outwards; the creatures groane under the burden of our vanity, they labour to ſhake off the yoke of ſervitude; and tell us to our faces, wee are their bloody and cruell maſters. If wee looke upwards, the Sunne bluſheth at our impiety, the Moone lookes pale with feare of our imminent vengeance: the Aire is troubled with our murmurings and blaſphemies. They are ſacrilegious fooles, that offer to reade mens deſtinies in the ſtarres: but they are ignorant and careleſſe ſoules, that doe not reade their owne iniquities in the ſtarres. That were a ſtrange peſtilence, which could ſend the infection to a remote country, over the p. 1225ſeas: but there is no plague ſo malignant as ſinne; that could diſperſe the contagion through the vaſt Aire, make it pierce through the Clouds, and ſticke peſtilentiall ſpots upon the very Heavens. The Heavens doe not more ſend downe their kindely influence to the earth, than the earth doth ſend up her unthankfull corruption to the Heavens. The ſonne hath juſt cauſe to lament his fathers treaſon, when he lookes upon the ruines of that goodly Mannor, wherein he dwelt, and whereof he is diſinherited. Let us caſt our eyes which way we will, we cannot but behold the lotheſome markes of our ſinnes. Well may we ſay with David, My ſinne is ever before me: Pſalm. 51.3.Ps 51:3that leafe of the Booke was alwaies open. Wee may give it a kinde of ubiquity or infiniteneſſe, as that royall Prophet aſcribes to God: Whither ſhall we flie from the preſence of ſinne? Pſalm. 139.6.Ps 139:6If we ſhould compaſſe the Earth, in every nooke and corner of it we finde ſinne: not our fields and houſes, our beds and boords, ſcarce our Temples, are without ſinne. In our walkes, ſinne meets us: if we dig, wee turne up ſinne. When wee view the deſolate footſteps of warre, wee ſay, The enemy hath beene here: no leſſe may wee ſay of every foot of ground wee tread upon, Here hath been ſinne. If we flie on the wings of the morning to the uttermost ſeas, wee deſcry ſinnes in greater multitudes, than either fiſhes in the Maine, or ſands on the ſhore. In the day we ſee Clouds of ſinnes, In the darkeneſſe wee ſtumble upon ſinne. If wee could aſcend up into Heaven, there we behold the deare Sonne of God that dyed for our ſinne: Could we looke into Hell, there be millions tormented for ſinne. Sinne hath poſſeſſed our reines, and covered us in our mothers wombes. There is not a point of the compaſſe to which wee can turne our faces, but our ſinne is ever before us. Shall the Hypocrite hide his ſinnes, as Rachel ſate upon her fathers Idols? Alas, Heaven and Earth ſhall diſcover them, in their contracted ſtaines. But what ſhould wee doe to clenſe them from this pollution? The Heavens are high; what inſtruments of man can reach them?

Yes, we have two helpes, whereby we may doe ſomewhat towards the purging of the Heavens. Both the breath of our faithfull praiers, and the deaw of our penitent teares, hath a clenſing quality. Elias opened Heaven by his praier, and by his prayer David purged the ſame Heaven from that infection: The praiers of the Saints are ſweet odours and Incenſe, perfuming Heaven and Earth. Let them riſe up like pillars of ſmoke, and mountaines of Myrrh; till they paſſe through the Clouds, the airy regions, the Sun and Starres, and preſent themſelves before the gracious Throne of Ieſus Chriſt. The ſighes of a broken heart are like pleaſant ſuffumigations from the hils of ſpices. Our teares have no leſſe vertue: and againſt the force the courſe of nature, they riſe upwards, and beſprinckle Heaven it ſelfe. Mary ſtooped downe when ſhe wept,Luk. 7.38.Luke 7:38 becauſe Heaven was then upon earth: the drops of our contrition mount aloft, becauſe earth is now in Heaven: even Chriſt, whoſe body was made of earth, in the glory of his Father. This happy moiſture, if it cannot purifie the Heavens, yet can waſh our ſoules; ſo that Heaven will not diſdaine to receive us. Our teares are the Sea, a good Conſcience the Veſſell, Faith the Winde, Charity the Sailes, and good Works the Oares whereby wee ſaile unto Bleſſedneſſe. The Iſraelites went about by the drie wilderneſſe, yet they muſt croſſe Iordan, before they enter into Canaan: certainely, our ſhorteſt cut to Heaven is by water; I meane, by our teares. Yet ſtill ſo farre is the ſickeneſſe of the world, taken by our ſinne, beyond any Phyſicke that we can miniſter to it; that nothing but the extreme fire ſhall bee able to purge it.

2. The Heavens and the Earth:] Why not the Water alſo? Shall that eſcape onelyonly in this univerſall confuſion? Shall the water bee too hard for the fire? Or ſhall that flame only worke upon the Earth with her fruits, upon the Heaven with his Elements, and not upon the Sea with his flouds? Yes, Etiam in aquam graſſabitur ignis. As when the Angell powred out his viall upon the great p. 1226River,… 6.12. Euphrates, the water thereof was dried up: Or, as the fire that came downe from Heaven,…ng 18 38. at Eliah's ſacrifice, licked up the water that was in the trenches: ſo this ſupernaturall fire ſhall conſume the vaſt Ocean; and his deepe bottome ſhall bee but the great harth of a chimney for this generall combuſtion. The Apoſtle mentions not the water, as being comprehended under the termes of Heaven and Earth: and this burning ſhall bee more conſpicuous in the Aire and Earth, than in the water.

The Vſe.Seeing the Earth ſhall be diſſolved, Why doe we ſeeke ſo greedily to ramme and cramme our deſires with it? Worldlings thinke that their houſes ſhall continue for ever, Pſal. 49.11.Ps 49:11and their dwelling places to all generations, and therefore call their lands after their owne names: They doe but thinke ſo: alas, when the Earth periſheth, What will become of their habitations? Doth Peter talke of Tabernacles on Mount Tabor; the glory whereof was ſcarce to laſt an houre? A weake old man leaning upon his weaker ſtaffe, does not truſt his whole weight upon it, leſt it mocke his vaine confidence with a fall. Miſerable is that ſoules condition that reſts upon this worlds ſupportation. When we would diſperſe a ſwarme of Bees, we throw up duſt amongſt them: all the imaginations of politicke worldlings are ſcattered abroad and extinct with a handfull of duſt: the grave ſhall afford them Earth enough.Aelian. Apoph. l. 12. Iſocrates compared Athens to a faire Curteſan, with whoſe beautie every man was taken: they would all know her as a Miſtreſſe, but not one of them would accept her for his wife: They would faine injoy her beautie, but not be clogg'd with her levitie. Every man thought himſelfe too good to bee her husband; to bee her Paramour, none was good enough. Wherein hee taxed the inconſtancie of that famous Citie; which having lifted men up to the higheſt pitch of honour, would inſtantly hurle them downe againe to the depth of ignominie. Such a whore is the world: we are caught with her painted faireneſſe, and long to lie with her: but wee know her falſe-heartedneſſe, and count him a foole that marries her. Do we ſee a covetous Earth-worme, denying cheriſhment to the poore, to his familie, to his owne bowels, to his owne ſoule? there is a foole married to a whore. Doe wee ſee another ſwolne with the Dropſie of ambition, doting more on popular honour, than on vertue and goodneſſe? there is a foole married to a whore.Act. 25.23.Acts 25:23 Agrippa came into the Iudgement ſeat, with great pompe: the Greeke is, with great fantaſie: all the pompe of the earth is but a meere fanſie. A Philoſopher ſaid, that Athens was a pleaſant Citie to travell thorow, but not ſafe to dwell in. We may make ſome uſe of this world in our journey or pilgrimage; but if wee purpoſe to inhabite here, death and fire will ſay No to that. We ſhall at laſt thinke of this world, as that Harbinger anſwered a noble man complaining that he was lodged in ſo homely a roome: You will take pleaſure in it, when you are out of it: The remembrance of thoſe troubleſome vanities ſhall not a little adde to the felicitie of our peace in heaven: Olim haec meminiſſe juvabit. Socrates was wont to obſerve, that the argument of Tragedies was the death of Tyrants and bloody Princes: and that none of the Poets ever preſented a hogge to bee ſlaughtered on the ſtage: common perſons are not noted; but the fall of Princes is humanae gloria ludibrium, the mockery of all mortall glory. Lyſimachus noting what power Lamia the Curteſan had with Demetrius King of Macedon, and that by her inſtigation he did many unjuſt and cruell acts; ſaid, That it was the firſt time, that ever he knew a whore play in a Tragedie. But as a whore is the tragedie of the world, ſo the world it ſelfe is a whore in all the tragedies of the ſonnes of men.Ecc. 40.13.Sir 40:13 The goods of the unjust ſhall vaniſh with a noiſe, like a great thunder in raine. The aire is troubled, lightenings flie about, the thunders rend the clouds; and now every man leaves the field, and ſeekes for ſhelter: but when the ſtorme is over, what remaines of all this terrour, but a little dirt compoſed of p. 1227earth and raine, which men tread under their feet? Great and rich men make ſuch a noiſe in the world: what with the bravery of their followers, the acclamation of their flatterers, the adherence of their confederates, and the imperiouſneſſe of their humours, they keepe ſuch a thundring, as if they would confound nature it ſelfe: Tarry but a little, and death comes downe upon them in a ſhowre: then all this noiſe is huſht, and their glory turned into dirt. O then Lay not up treaſures for your ſelves upon earth: Matth. 6.19.Matt 6:19You may lay up for your children; that is providence: you may lay up for the poore; that is charitie: but lay not up for your ſelves, for that is a vaine confidence. Why ſhould wee love a ſluttiſh and vaniſhing earth, that have an eternall heaven prepared for us by Ieſus Christ?

3. The heavens and the earth.] Why not the higheſt Heaven? why not hell alſo? No, for the ſinne of man never reached ſo high as heaven. The Angels indeed fell there, and fell from thence: but mans ſinne extended not ſo farre. The Court and Throne of God is pure, and needes no purging. And for hell, there is fire enough already; a tormenting flame, never to be put out with any inundation of teares. Both theſe places are to remaine for everlaſting, without any change. This fire ſhall onelyonly worke upon mortalitie and corruption; upon heaven and earth, with all things contained in them, ſaving onelyonly thoſe, which God hath redeemed with the blood of his owne Sonne.

Seeing this world ſhall paſſe away, but Hell abides for ever,The Vſe. it is a mad improvidence, of all places, not to take heed of that. Could our miſerie laſt ſo long as our life, and our life ſo long as the world, yet all were terminable in time: but what ſhall put an end to Eternitie? The longeſt life muſt die: the Stag fals, the Raven vaniſheth, the Oake withers; and could a man reach to the yeeres of Methuſalah, yet he muſt yeeld to the neceſſitie of Nature: yea, Nature it ſelfe is ſubject to a finall change: time ſhall aboliſh all, and this laſt fire ſhall aboliſh time: But hell is an ever-dying life, an ever-living death. If there might be any end of thoſe torments, though after ſo many millions of yeeres, as there are drops in the Sea, or duſts upon earth, or as there have been moments of time ſince time began; it would be ſome comfort to the damned: But eternitie is intolerable, infinite eternitie breakes their hearts. Indeed, Eternitie is the very hell of hell. If thoſe puniſhments were no greater than the ſtinging of Ants, yet eternitie is enough to make them intolerable. The preſent ſenſe of their paine is grievous; but the endleſneſſe of it is their deſperation: to thinke that after ſo infinite a ſpace, they ſhall bee as farre from either end or eaſe, as they were the firſt day of their beginning! There is no calamitie in this life, but either reaſon, or time, or hope of end may qualifie it: but all comfort is excluded, where the ſuffering can never be concluded. What ſhall we call it? Life? why then does it kill? Death? why then does it not kill? There is neither life nor death, but hath ſome good in it: for in life there is ſome eaſe, and in death an end: but hell hath neither end nor eaſe. Of death it hath the torment, without any end: of life it hath the continuance, without any eaſe. All that is good, whether in life or death, God hath taken away: the reſidue he hath mixed together, and thereof compoſed that fearefull cup of vengeance. Yet alas, many men ſo live as if they were never to die, and ſo die as if they were never to live againe. O ſinner, thy life is ſhort, the worlds is not long, but hell is eternall: of whoſe torments there is no ceſſation, and from which there is no redemption. Thou canſt not have a Redeemer in hell, One thou maiſt have upon earth: make him thine owne while thou liveſt, that thou maiſt eſcape that diſmall place when thou dieſt.

Againe, ſeeing theſe lower heavens muſt vaniſh, but there is a Heaven of eternall joy, unto which corruption never could, never ſhall extend; why doe wee not unite all our powers to the attainement of it? who would builde upon a p. 1228quagmire, that might build upon Marble or Chryſtall? Or place his hopes in a Region deſtined to fire, that might have an inheritance above the danger of mutabilitie? If the joyes of this world were durable, yet are they not perfectly pleaſant: if they could be truly pleaſant, yet they cannot be durable ſtill, duration is the accompliſhment, whether of pleaſure or paine. The perpetuitie of that heavenly Crowne is the Crowne of aſſurance. The infiniteneſſe of that Glory were not enough to make us happy, without the Everlaſtingneſſe: For the more ſweet it is to be enjoyed, the more grievous it would be to be determined. The very thought of ending, would abate the comfort of poſſeſſing. But eternitie does not adde more continuance, than contentment to this happineſſe. What can we finde in this life, but wanting and wiſhing; from whence ariſe thoſe two tortures of the minde, hope and feare? We rejoyce in health; an Ague ſhakes us: in honour; an affront croſſeth us: in riches; a night robs us: in friends; a trifle bereaves us: in peace; a rumour diſquiets us: in the Sunne; a cloud debarres us: in the favour of Princes, a frowne dejects us: in long life, and death a thouſand wayes diſappoints us. O vaine ſoule, to fixe upon that, which is ſubject to man, which is ſubject to death, which is ſubject to time, which is ſubject to the laſt fire! The earth is harrowed with war, countries over-flowne with water, cities demoliſhed with fire, the ſea enraged with ſtormes, the clouds hurried with windes, the aire troubled with thunders: none of all theſe come neere heaven. There is no noiſe, but the ſongs of Saints and Angels, but the ſhouts of praiſes; nothing but tranquilitie and eternall Comfort within thoſe bleſſed doores. There, O Chriſt, eſtabliſh us in thy reſt for ever.

4. The heavens and the earth that are now.] Now, why, are they not the ſame that they were before? Is there another heaven, another earth, than thoſe that God made at the firſt? No new creation hath abrogated the old: I doe not thinke, there was a mountaine loſt upon earth, much leſſe a ſtarre in heaven, by the deluge. The Orbes keepe their courſes, the Starres their motions, the Sunne knowes his riſing,Pſalm. 119.91.Ps 119:91 and the Moone her going downe: They all continue this day according to thine Ordinances, verſ. 90.for all are thy Servants. The earth retaines her ſtedfaſtneſſe, becauſe thou haſt eſtabliſhed it: One generation paſſeth, and another commeth,Eccleſ. 1.4.Eccl 1:4 but the earth abideth for ever. When God promiſed the ſeaſonable viciſſitude of cold and heat, Gen. 8.22.Gen 8:22Winter and Summer, Seed-time and Harveſt, day and night, after the Flood; this was no new thing; but onelyonly that hee had ordained from the beginning, and which had beene ſuſpended during that great Inundation. Why then doth the Apoſtle ſeeme to make a difference between the former heaven and earth, and the preſent? I anſwer, that he does not aſcribe to the world another being, but another condition: nor does hee intend to oppoſe ſubſtances (there being an Identitie) but the ſeverall ſtates of the ſame ſubſtances. The world then periſhed by water, now it ſhall be diſſolved with fire: here is no oppoſition betweene world and world, but betweene deſtruction and deſtruction.

The Concluſion we may gather from it, is this; The world is not eternall, becauſe is hath ſuffered, and is ſtill ſubjected to ruine. All Creatures are of their owne Nature prone to decay; whatſoever was made of nothing, may be reduced unto nothing. Not the ſoules of men, not the Angels of heaven are exempted; they all move upon the ſame poles, they bend to the ſame Center. And if they were not made immortall by preſervation, their Nature could not keepe them from ſinking to annihilation. OnelyOnly that is Eccentrique, which was never made: that light, which is the very emanation of the light of God, in which the Saints ſhall dwell; that Garment, with which they ſhall be apparell'd; that glory, which wee can imagine, but not demonſtrate: onelyonly that bends not to this Center, Ruine. That which was not made of nothing, p. 1229is not in poſſibilitie of annihilation. All other things are concentrique: there is one common Center to them all; Decay and Ruine. The heavens containe the earth, the earth containes cities, cities containe men: this is Natures neſt of boxes; and they are flexible to fate, made to bee changed, and there is a time appointed for their permutation.

Seeing the world goes round, and all things it containes,The Vſe. follow that circular and changeable condition, Why are wee inamour'd of it? It is but like a bullet ſhot from a Piece of Ordinance; that runs and danceth on the ground; which when the ignorant Souldier thinkes to take up with his hands, it knockes out his braines. The beſt of it, is but vanity; the worſt, vexation. The very pleaſures of it are as a ſmoky fire in cold weather, whereof the ſmoke is more noiſome than the heat is comfortable. If he that built thy houſe, ſhould come againe after divers yeares, and upon a review of it, aſſure thee that it will ſuddainely fall, would'ſt thou not depart from it, to ſave thine owne life? Behold, he that made the world, and is beſt able to ſurvey the preſent ſtate of his owne workmanſhip, forewarnes us of the imminent ruine: are wee ſo ſtupid, that for love of theſe forbidden vanities, wee will ſuffer it to fall upon our heads? Hee loves Gold dearely, that will runne into a roome on fire, to fetch it out. What is there in the world, whoſe center is not Decay? Take the pride of it, which is Greatneſſe; the Preheminence of man over men. What can be wanting to a Prince, which the earth may afford? The confluence of all pleaſures, of all riches, waits upon the hand of Soveraignty. Yet alas, what ſtability is there in earthly greatneſſe? Dionyſius the ſecond was Lord of foure hundred ſhippes, had an Army of an hundred thouſand foot, and nine thouſand Horſe,Aelian. var. Hiſt. beſides the richeſt Magazine or Penuary of any Prince in the world; yet he lived to ſee himſelfe dethroned, his ſonnes cruelly butchered, his daughters firſt raviſhed, and then maſſacred, all his Allies one way or another deſtroyed. How mighty was the honour of Haman in the Perſian Court; What could not hee doe with the King, with the State? When the Sunne ſhines upon the Dyall, every Paſſenger will be looking at it. There needs no command of reverence, where the King is pleaſed to countenance. All knees will bow alone even to forbidden Idols of honour: How much more where royall authority enjoynes obeiſance? Yet is this lofty man advanced fifty foot higher; and (which aggravates the vexation) is hanged on his owne Galhouſe. One houre hath changed the face of the Perſian Court: and hee, to whom all knees bowed in the morning, as more than a man; now hangs up like a deſpiſed Vermine, for a prey to the Ravens. Mordecai, that was in the morning deſtined to the Galhouſe, before night rules over Princes: and Haman, that in the morning ruled over Princes, is a ſpectacle of ſhame on the Galhouſe. Oh the vanity of worldly honour, that miſtreſſe of fooles and mad men! Haman was not the firſt that fell from ſuch an height, nor is the laſt. Many an one hath ſped no otherwiſe; to borrow the (not common) words of an Engliſh Poet:

—Having done what he can

To worke himſelfe into a glorious man:

All's but an exhalation to best eyes:

The matter ſpent, and then the fooles fire dies.

A Gallant goes to ſome publike Duell or tourneament, accompanied with muſike, many friends, and encouragements: But when he is beaten and wounded by the adverſary champion, home he returnes ſolitary and forſaken, in ſhame and ſilence. When the May-pole is firſt ſet up, there is dancing, and ſhouting, and rejoycing about it: after a while, boyes defile it; and when it is blowne downe with the winde, they caſt it into the fire, and burne it. The world goes round, and all things in it, follow the ſame motion: At firſt it was in the hands of plaine dealing Labourers and Husbandmen: then was it ſeized on by tyrants p. 1230and men of might: From them it was devolved into the dition of Princes: Souldiers and Warriers then invaded it, and it was uſurped by Emperors: Indulgent Emperours reſigned it into the fingers of Church-men, the Popes chalenge it: Now the greater part of it is fallen into the clutches of Lawyers; and who ſhall get it from them againe, is yet uncertaine: but round it muſt goe; this is certaine. The Sunne doth not more duely run his courſe, than doe all things under the Sunne. The conditions of men are but as the Spokes of a Wheele; which ſometime turnes up Prince, and ſometime Peaſant; now Wiſe man, and then Foole; to day Rich man, to morrow Beggar. Still it goes round, and changeth, and wee change with it; untill that univerſall change of all things ſhall determine it, in the great Day of Ieſus Christ.

Are kept in ſtore: Ad verbum, Are treaſured up. The Word of God is a kinde of Treaſury, out of which Hee bringeth all his Workes. Hee bringeth the Wind out of his Treaſuries. Pſalm. 135.7. Ier. 10.13. Deut. 28.12. Iob 38.22. Eccleſ. 43.14.Ps 135:7Jer 10:13Deut 28:12Job 38:22Sir 43:14He laieth up the Depth in Storehouſes. The Lord ſhall open to thee his good Treaſure, the Heaven to give thee Raine. Hast thou entred into the Treaſures of the Snow? Or ſeene the Treaſure of the Haile? Through his Commandement the Treaſures are opened, and Cloudes flee forth as Fowles. The Windes, the Clouds, Snow, Haile Raine, Lightning and Thunder; all paſſe under the name of his Treaſure. Even his very Iudgements are his Treaſure: Saint Paul cals his Patience and Goodneſſe, His Riches: Rom. 2.4, 5.Rom 2:4Rom 2:5and thoſe puniſhments wherewith Hee ſcourgeth the wicked, His Treaſure: for they treaſure up wrath unto themſelves. And although his Riches bee greater, than his Treaſure, and Hee delighteth in Mercy more than in vengeance: yet properly a mans treaſure is the beſt part of his riches. If men deſpiſe his Riches, He will open his Treaſury: for Hee that is rich in Mercy, is not poore in Iuſtice; both being infinite in that infinite Eſſence. Men commit ſinnes by peeces and ſnatches, like broken fragments of coine: God gathers all theſe together,Deut. 32.34.Deut 32:34 laies them up in ſtore, and ſeales them up among his Treaſures. Mala quae facit bomo, August. in Pſalm. 49. Lorin. in Loc.Ps 49ſervat ei Deus, depromenda in tempore ſuo. Diteſcimus bonis Divinis, & Deus quodammodò diteſcit peccatis nostris: the MercieMercy of God makes us rich with his bleſſings, and wee (after a ſort) make the Iuſtice of God rich with our ſinnes.

Seeing that for the ſinnes of men, the Heavens are treaſured up unto fire, and even thoſe ſinnes be alſo a kinde of treaſure,The Vſe. enriching God with fit matter for the execution of his Iuſtice; let us all breake them off by a ſeaſonable repentance.Iam. 5.3.Jas 5:3 Many men make a curſed treaſure: as the Apoſtle chargeth rich worldlings; that they hoord up wrath with their wealth, and paine in the midſt of their coine: This laſt fire ſhall melt their coine, and conſume their wealth: but their ſinne and their paine remaines treaſured up for ever. Why ſhould a man deſire to bee rich in woes, or to abound with torments? No man ever counted dirt a treaſure: Is there any mire ſo filthy as ſinne? Are we ſo fooliſh, to make much of that, which procures deſtruction? Wee thinke ſinne a pleaſure, and ſorrow a troubleſome copeſmate: indeed Sorrow is no good Fellow, no boon Companion, therefore few deſire to meddle with it. But at the laſt, wee ſhall finde our ſinnes the greateſt troubles, vexing our ſoules, and gnawing our conſciences: but our teares and ſorrowes are ſuch a treaſure laid up in the ſtorehouſe of Mercy, that we ſhall be infinitely rich in comfort and glory.

Reſerved unto fire.] The various queſtions concerning this conflagration of the world, wherewith the Schoolemen have troubled their owne heads, but not ſatisfied others, I omit as impertinent and unprofitable. OnelyOnly concerning the power of fire ſomething would be ſaid. Even naturall fire workes ad ultimam potentiam, ſo long as the matter laſts: but this fire ſhall bee of another nature, even of a nature (if I may ſo ſpeake) above nature. Doe they ſay, the Heavens are not exuſtible? How then be ſpirits and ſoules, made of a purer nature, ſubject to torment in the fire of Hell?Eſai. 30.33.Isa 30:33 The Prophet ſaith, Tophet is prepared of old: the Iudge of men and Angels ſaith, Goe yee curſed into everlasting fire, prepared for p. 1231the Devill and his Angels. If with feare, and without curioſity, wee may looke upon thoſe flames; Why may wee not attribute a ſpirituall nature to that more than naturall fire? Though ſpirits have nothing materiall in their nature, which that infernall fire ſhould worke upon: yet ſuch is the powerfull Iudgement of that Almighty Arbiter of the world, juſtly willing their torment, that hee can make ſpirits moſt ſenſible of thoſe fiery tortures: and ſuch is the obedible ſubmiſſion of their created nature, that they may bee immediately wrought upon by thoſe appointed paines. The ſpirits of living men are incorporeall, yet how great a ſorrow may they conceive to bee impriſoned in a loathed and painefull body? And may not then meere or ſeparated ſpirits of Angels or men be held as eaſily in thoſe direfull flames, and be tormented with the inſufferable horror which ariſeth from the place, whereto they are everlaſtingly confined? Wee may diſtinguiſh of fire, as it is it ſelfe, a bodily creature, and as it is an inſtrument of Gods Iuſtice: ſo working, not by any materiall vertue or power of it owne: but by a certaine height of ſupernaturall efficacy, to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that ſupreme and righteous Iudge. If then God hath from eternity created a fire of another nature, proportionable even to ſpirituall Eſſences? What ſhould hinder but that the pure quinteſſentiall matter of the Skie, and the elements themſelves, in the end of the world, may be diſſolved by fire? Yea, of ſo different a nature ſhall the laſt fire bee, from that which it conſumeth, that the element of Fire it ſelfe ſhall be diſſolved by fire.

All miraculous creatures are better than ordinary naturall ones: The Water that Chriſt turned into Wine, was the beſt Wine: the ſame bounty that expreſſed it ſelfe in the quantity of the Wine, ſhewes it ſelfe no leſſe in the excellence: Nothing can fall from that divine Hand not exquiſite. It was fit that the miraculous effects of Chriſt, which came from his immediate hand, ſhould be more perfect than the naturall. The fire that came downe from Heaven upon Sodome had more in it than nature. How ſtrange was the fire that conſumed Eliah's ſacrifice? Many hands are emploied for the making of a large Trench round about the Altar, and the Prophet cauſes it to bee filled with thoſe precious remainders of water, which the people would have grudged to their owne mouths. But as thoſe that powre downe a pailefull into a dry Pumpe, they part with this little in hope of fetching more. The Altar, the Trench is full: a barrell full is powred out for each of the Tribes, that every Tribe might bee afterwards repleniſhed. Eliah praies, and inſtantly the fire of the Lord fals from Heaven, and conſumes the burnt Sacrifice, the Wood, the Stones, the Duſt, and lickes up the water that was in the Trench. With what terror muſt Iſrael needs ſee this fire rolling downe out of the Skie, and a lighting with ſuch fury ſo neere their heads: heads no leſſe fit for this flame, than was the Sacrifice. They might well have thought, how eaſily might this fire have dilated it ſelfe, and conſumed our bodies, as well as the Wood and Stones; and have lick'd up our blood, as well as that Water? I know not whether they had the grace to acknowledge the Mercy of God, they could doe no leſſe than confeſſe his Power, The Lord is God, The Lord is God. 1 King. 18.40.1 Kgs 18:40Cannot the ſame Power provide another fire, to make a whole burnt ſacrifice of the world? Farre be it from us to doubt it, when he hath ſaid he will doe it.

Seeing the whole world is but a great houſe, and the end of it is to bee burned; happy are they that have provided themſelves of another not ſubject to fire. Wherefore is it called Immobile regnum, a kingdome that cannot be ſhaken? An eternall houſe? An immortall manſion? Into which no Theeves can breake through? But to ſhew that this fire cannot come at it, that it is farre above the reach of ruine? The joyes of Heaven ſhould loſe one priviledge, which they have above the pleaſures of Earth, if they could bee mutable. If men finde ſuch faire contentments in this their priſon, What will the liberty of Gods owne royall p. 1232Court afford us? If in this ſtormy time of teares we meet with ſuch comforts, What may wee expect in that everlaſting Sun-ſhine? If this corruptible world, ſet up for a ſhort time, as ſome Tent or Cottage, be ſo gorgeous; that many deſire no other Heaven: What eſtimation ſhould we make of that eternall Palace, prepared before all worlds, for the greateſt manifeſtation of his glory? This world of ours, which holdeth a middle ſtate betweene Heaven and Hell, and (in ſome ſort) participateth of both; doth not ſo farre ſurpaſſe Hell in beauty; as it is excelled by that Imperiall Court of Heaven, contrived by his owne wiſedome, as agreeable to the State of almighty God. There, there let us lay up our hearts; that when this whole world is on a flame, our Inheritance may bee ſafe, and our ſelves eſtabliſhed in it for ever.

Reſerved unto fire.] Here is offered to our obſervation, the great difference betwixt the former deſtruction of the world, and this latter: That by Water, this by Fire.

1. The Heavens then had their Dropſie, and drowned the world: now they ſhall have their Feaver, and burne the world. It ſeemes the world was then too hot, and therefore was Water ſent to coole it: now it ſhall bee too cold, and this Fire ſhall come to enflame it. Indeed, before the Flood, men were given to inordinate and unnaturall Luſts: to fury and wrath, which is Excandeſcentia, a chafing or fuming ſinne: and to uncleanneſſe, which the Apoſtle cals a Burning: theſe ſinnes were fitly puniſhed with an Inundation of Water. Toward the latter end of the World, Charity ſhall waxe cold, Piety bee nipped with a Froſt, and Faith almoſt ſtarved to death: and the World thus benummed, ſhall be ſet on Fire. Or ſhall we rather ſay, this Iudgement of Fire ſhall be proportionable to the preſent ſtate of ſinne? As many heats contracted in the body are a preparation to the Fever: ſo Pride, Ambition, Drunkenneſſe, filthy Concupiſcence, Envy, Malice, and ſuch intemperate heats in the ſoule, doe juſtly provoke and call for a Diſſolution of the World by Fire.

2. Of the Flood, the world had a fore-knowledge one hundred and twenty yeares before it came; whereby men might lay hold on the opportunity of repentance. Hereupon ſome made proviſion againſt it, and were ſaved. But this laſt Fire ſhall breake out in an inſtant, and conſume all. Noah knew when the Flood would come, and by Gods Direction furniſhed himſelfe of a ſufficient Refuge. But this Day of Fire is knowne to no man, to no Angell. The Dog-ſtarre hath a peſtilent breath, an infectious exhalation: yet becauſe we know when it will riſe, we clothe our ſelves, wee dyet our ſelves, and we ſhadow our ſelves, to a ſufficient prevention: But Comets and blazing Starres, whoſe ſignifications or effects no man can interrupt or fruſtrate, no man foreſaw. No Almanacke tels us, when a blazing Starre will breake out, becauſe the matter is carried up in ſecret: No Aſtrologer tels us, when the effects will be accompliſhed; for that is a ſecret of an higher Sphere than the other. Some Prognoſticators have gheſſed at the time of Thunder and Lightening, and been deceived: but which of them could foretell, that in ſuch a Yeare ſuch a City ſhould bee burned, or ſuch a Countrie overflowne? The laſt Day ſhall ſuddainely breake in like a Theefe, and entrap like a Snare: like ſome unexpected Thunder-clappe, awaking men from their quiet ſleepes. If a man ſhould ſuddainely ſtart from his ſlumber, and ſee his houſe on fire about him, his Friends bewailing, but not being able to helpe him; it were cauſe of ſtrange Amazement. Death is but a ſleepe in the bed of the Grave: in how terrible a plight muſt the wicked man riſe, when hee ſhall be encloſed within thoſe comfortleſſe extremities? Hee ſhall have on the one ſide his ſins accuſing him, on the other ſide Iuſtice threatning him: Above, an angry Iudge condemning him: Beneath, Hell open, and the boiling Furnace ready to devoure him: Before, thoſe mercileſſe Fiends haling him: Behinde, the Saints and ſome of his neareſt Friends not onelyonly forſaking him, but p. 1233rejoycing and praiſing God for Iuſtice in his damnation: Within, his conſcience tearing him; without, the powers of heaven ſhaken and diſſolved, the elements melting, the whole world flaming, and all damned ſoules crying and curſing round about him. O intolerable indignation of the Almighty; which he ſhall neither have power to reſiſt, nor patience to indure, nor place to avoide!

3. The Deluge did but invade a peece of the world: it did no harme to the heavens, from whence it fell: it did not put out thoſe lights, it did not quench thoſe heates: but this laſt fire ſhall burne the fornace it ſelfe, and annihilate thoſe heavens that breathe it out. If Noahs Dove found no place for her foot by reaſon of the water, what roome will be left for the ſinner in the midſt of this univerſall fire! If the just ſhall ſcarcely be ſaved, where ſhall the ungodly appeare? To go forward, it will be intolerable: impoſſible to goe backe: to turne aſide, unavaileable.1 Pet. 4.18.1 Pet 4:18 So extreme will be the aſtoniſhment, made up of ſorrow, ſhame, and feare; that the guilty ſinner will be deſirous, if it were poſſible, even to hide himſelfe in hell, rather than ſtand his tryall: like ſome deſperate malefactor, that had rather goe to the galhouſe in private, than be brought to the publicke Seſſions.

4. The Deluge came upon the world Paulatìm, by degrees: this fire ſhall come Sabitò, on a ſuddaine. God was then forty dayes a raining upon the earth, before the Flood did beare up the Arke: ſo that ſtill men ſhifted places, according to their beſt conveniences: from the vallies up to the higher grounds, from thence to the loftyeſt mountaines, and againe there, to the towers and talleſt Cedars; Death and Deſtruction following after them in a ſlow march. Beſide that feare and hunger did in many of them ſave the Flood a labour; they had time to take breath, the happy ſpace of repentance; and though the waters would not bee intreated to ſpare their bodies, yet that other Deluge of their owne Teares might eternally ſave their ſoules. But this deſtruction by fire is altogether ſuddaine: it ſhall not begin with one peece of the world, and ſo proceed on to another, as materiall fire does in an earthly building; but conſume all at once. Therefore He that beſt knowes it, becauſe He will doe it, compares it to Lightning, which quickly flies from Eaſt to Weſt, and that choſen Veſſell ſaies,2 Cor. 15.52. it ſhall be done In a moment, in the twinckling of an eye. Thoſe are the greateſt miſchiefes, which are leaſt diſcerned: the moſt inſenſible in their wayes, come to bee moſt ſenſible in their ends. In the ſocieties of men, States and Common-wealths; twenty rebellious drummes make not ſo dangerous a noiſe, as a few whiſperers and ſecret plotters in corners. The Cannon doth not ſo much hurt againſt a wall, as a Myne under the wall: nor a thouſand enemies that threaten, ſo much as a few that take an oath to ſay nothing. It is the concealement of the laſt day, that will be terrible to thoſe men one day, that have not prepared themſelves every day. It was a noble anſwere of a meane favourite to his Prince; who had threatned one day to come and ſee what cheare he kept in his houſe, and underſtanding afterwards how bountifull and expenſive he was at all times ſince, farre above his ſtate and revenues, reproved him for a prodigall waſter of his fortunes: but he humbly replied; Your Highneſſe promiſed to eate with me one day, and becauſe I did not know which day, I made the better proviſion for you every day. Wee are ſure there is a day when our Lord will come: therefore to trim up our houſes, our Conſciences; to furniſh our ſoules with the beſt Viands, Faith, Charitie, and Repentance; is not to our loſſe, but gaine: Hee will not taxe us of laviſhneſſe; but rather having ſupped with us in grace,Rev. 3.20.Rev 3:20 take us home to his Kingdome, to ſup with him in everlaſting Glory.

But if this fire bee ſo univerſall, how then ſhall the Righteous eſcape? Question. Can they avoide ſo ſupernaturall a flame? Yes, how were thoſe three mortall Servants of God delivered in the midſt of that firy fornace? Were the haires of their heads ſindged? or was the ſmell of fire upon their garments? Their perſecutors were deſtroyed with the very breathing of that Oven, themſelves were not hurt p. 1234with the flame.Dan. 3.25.Dan 3:25 What was the reaſon? There was a Fourth among them, and his forme was like the Sonne of God. So when the whole world ſhall be turned into a burning fornace, the godly have One among them, that will ſecure their preſervation; even their bleſſed Redeemer, the almighty Sonne of God. If hee could keepe mortal men from the power of naturall fire, he can as eaſily from the force of this ſupernaturall fire ſave his immortall Saints. I deny not, but that even the Saints and Angels may bee touched with the terrour and aſtoniſhment of this dreadfull day: not for any danger which they can feare towards themſelves; but at the greatneſſe of the Lords Indignation: As a harmeleſſe childe will be afraid at the fury of his father, though it be againſt his bondſlave: or as a tempeſtuous ſea will ſtrike ſome aſtoniſhment even into him, that ſtandeth ſafe on the ſhore. If the heavens and earth flie before his preſence, well may the ſons of men be abaſhed. When Gideon went againſt the Midianites, in ſtead of whetting ſwords, ſharpening ſpeares, and fitting of armour, he only gave order for empty pitchers, and lights, and trumpets. The cracking of thoſe pitchers ſhall breake in peeces that Midianitiſh clay: the kindling of thoſe lampes ſhall extinguiſh the light of Midian: thoſe trumpets ſound no other than a ſoule-knell to all the hoſt of Midian. There ſhall need nothing but noiſe and light, to confound that innumerable Army. Now if the pitchers, and brands, and trumpets of Gideon, did ſo daunt and diſmay the proud troupes of Midian and Amalek: who (can we think) ſhall be able to ſtand before the laſt terror; when the trumpet of the Archangell ſhall ſound, and the heavens ſhall paſſe away with a noiſe, and the elements ſhall be on a flame about our eares?

Seeing the world ſhall be determined in fire, let us looke in time to our owne preſervation. No deniall, no defence, will ſerve at that day, either to countenance or to cover our ſins: It will be in vaine to offer, whether excuſe or intreaty: no place remaines for the on, no pitie for the other. Nothing will be granted, which ſhall then be required; becauſe nothing was performed, which was before commanded. When a mans houſe is on fire, he does not ſo much looke to his lumber, and traſh, and ordinary ſtuffe, but he labours to preſerve his treaſure and Iewels, his deeds and evidences: This great houſe of the world will ſhortly be on fire: it will be our vaine folly, to ſeeke the ſaving of any temporall things; for they ſhall not eſcape this combuſtion: but let us ſave the Iewels, our deare ſoules: the evidence, our faith in the Covenant of God, made unto us in Ieſus Chriſt. Let not him that is on the houſe top, Matth. 24.17.Matt 24:17come downe to take any thing out of it; there is nothing in it worth his care. No, let him make ſure his Iewell, and his Charter in the blood of his Redeemer: if that be ſafe, pereat mundus: Let Chriſt be ours, and our ſoules his, and though the world be on a light flame, we ſhall not periſh.

Reſerved unto fire.] The Law of God was given in fire, and in fire it ſhall be required. That they might ſee what was due to their ſinnes, they behold the fire aboue, repreſenting the fire that ſhould be below them. Wee may all tremble at the reſemblance. The trumpet of the Angell called onelyonly Iſrael to the one: the voice of an Archangell, the Trumpet of God ſhall ſummon all the world to the other. There mount Sinai was only on a flame; here the whole world ſhall burne. There was fire, ſmoke, thunder and lightning: here a firy ſtreame iſſuing from the Lord ſhall melt the elements, and diſſolve the heavens. If ſuch were the proclamation of Gods ſtatutes, what ſhall the Seſſions be? What ſhall become of the breakers of ſo firy a law? Only the fire wherein it was delivered, was but terrifying: but the fire wherein it ſhall be required is conſuming. Therefore will the ſupreme Iudge hold his Aſſiſes in fire: nor is only the Law thus required, but even the Goſpell. He will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance, not only on them that know not God and his Law;2 Theſſ. 1.8.2 Thess 1:8 but even on thoſe that obey not the Goſpell of Chriſt.

To recover us from our wilfull fall, he came downe from heaven, was borne in povertie, and lived in paine, and dyed with intolerable torment and ſcorne. p. 1235Witneſſe the wounds he endured, witneſſe the earth that trembled, witneſſe the heavens that drew in their light, when his death was in action. Where is our thankfulneſſe, where our obedience? How have we anſwered his holy inſpirations? How have we uſed the meanes and opportunities, which were preſented us for our ſalvation? What deſire had we of thoſe workes of merciemercy which hee commanded? Where appeared in us that Charitie which he commended? Is this the account we make of his ſufferings? Is this our eſtimation of his more than precious blood? Rebellion againſt Gods merciemercy is ſo much worſe than diſobedience to his Iuſtice, as his merciemercy ſweetens all his workes, as his mercy redeemed us, when we were forfeited to his Iuſtice. Even this Ingratitude ſhall be required in fire, and the Lord will judge it in that univerſall burning. When Ioſeph ſaid to his brethren, I am Ioſeph your brother, whom ye ſold into Egypt, Gen. 45.3.Gen 45:3they could not anſwere him, for they were aſtonied at his preſence. When Chriſt ſhall ſhew that bleſſed Head which was crowned with thornes, thoſe ſacred hands which were pierced with nailes, that holy ſide which was thruſt through with a ſpeare, and ſay, Behold I am Ieſus your brother, whom your ſins once ſold into the hands of Pilate, and have ever ſince daily crucified by your unthankfull relapſes, and repetitions of the ſame iniquities; they muſt needs be ſpeechleſſe. O then let us follow the counſell of him, that would be our Advocate, before he wil be our Iudge! and enter into Iudgement againſt our ſelves, that when we ſhall appeare in that great Audite, he may find us before-hand judged, & for ever forbeare to condemne us.

Against the day of Iudgement.] We find foure Advents of Chriſt. 1. Verbum ad carnem, when the Word tooke fleſh. 2. Caro ad verbum, when he began to execute his office. 3. In carne ſoluta, when we lie on our death-bed, then he comes to comfort us: the God of life comes in the houre of death. 4. In carne restituta, at the Reſurrection: when our old mother ſhall bee delivered of her laſt burden, when a feaver ſhall calcyne the corrupt body of this world.Ioh. 9.39.John 9:39 There is Iudicium Diſcretionis, which is done here; For Iudgement I am come into this world: Rom. 2.16.Rom 2:16and there is Iudicium Retributionis hereafter; God ſhal Iudge the ſecrets of man by Ieſus Chriſt. There is a iudgement of election, before the world began: and there is a judgement of reward, when the world is done. Concerning this laſt and great Day of Iudgement, I deſire briefly to touch upon theſe particulars: The certainty, the uncertenty, the integrity, the impartiality, the fatality to the wicked, the conſolation to the Iuſt.

1. The certainty of it: Heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away, but not that word of God, Luk. 21.Luke 21which hath decreed this judgement. Of this infallible expectation we have frequent warning: The Sunne ſhall bee darkened, the Moone ſhall not give her light, Matth. 24.29.Matt 24:29and the Starres ſhall fall from heaven. Great Eclipſes have been terrible to poore mortals, and the darkeneſſe at our Saviours Paſſion was the wonder of the world: If it were ſuch at his ſuffering, what ſhall it be at his glorious appearing? When the Maſter of the family dieth, the houſe is troubled, the ſervants lament,Chryſost. Hom. 49. in Mat. and put on mourning garments: When man, the Tenant of the world is neere his end, and comming to anſwer for his rent; his old friends and ſervants, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, clothe themſelves in blacke, and become his mourners. Nor do theſe only wait upon this great funerall; but the earth ſhall tremble, and the ſeas roare, when mens hearts ſhall faile them. Vehement earthquakes,Luk. 21.25.Luke 21:25 and the inundations of mighty waters have bin terrible: how much more when the vaſt Ocean ſhall rage, and the maſſie globe of the earth totter?

How obdurate be thoſe hearts, whom this conſideration does not terrifie. Phyſitians, in dangerous diſeaſes, give a ſpecial regard to the 7. day, which they call critical; and obſerve what ſtrength nature hath to repell it, & therby judge of the patient. We all labor of the ſpirituall ſicknes, Sin: and the day of Iudgemēt is truly a criticall day: if the remembrance of that cannot diſcover ſome hope of reformation in us, we are not like to eſcape. We are buſily intēt in our obſervations upon climactericall yeres for particular perſons, and periodicall yeres for the life of p. 1236ſtates and kingdomes: but we conſider not our owne criticall day, and what aſſurance we have of the everlaſting Kingdome. Wee exerciſe our curioſitie in marking, that Adam, the eldeſt of the eldeſt world, died in his climactericall yeere: and Sem, the eldeſt ſonne of the next world, in his: and Abraham, the Father of the faithfull, in his: and the bleſſed Virgin Mary, the Garden where the Root of faith grew, in hers. But they whoſe Climacterickes we obſerve, did ſpend their obſervation upon other criticall daies; the expectation of the Meſsias, the end of their lives, the preparation for death. The Phariſes pretended that if they had bin in their Fathers dayes, Matth. 23.30.Matt 23:30they would not have bin partakers of the blood of the Prophets: and ſhall we, who live in the daies, not of the Prophets, but of the Son, kill thoſe Prophets againe, and againe crucifie that Sonne, for al thoſe evident Indications that are afforded us? Shall we ſtudy, and ſeeke, and find out ſuch criticall daies, as are fitteſt to forſake Chriſt in? Now, Religion is in a neutrality in the world, and this is my day, the day of liberty: Now I may make new friends, by changing my old Religion, and this is my day, the day of advancement. This is a fearefull Criſis or indication of ſpirituall death. Phyſicians ſpeake of their criticall dayes, that the firſt is Index, the next Iudex. So we have two maine criticall dayes, our life, and our death: the former is Indicatory, the latter Iudicatory: that declares what we are, this concludes what we ſhall be: the one is for conſultation, the other for Sentence. There may be ſome hope of convaleſcence in the firſt: but if we amend not before the ſecond, we muſt periſh. In the firſt we have leave and time to judge our ſelves: otherwiſe, the Lord will judge us in the next.

Yea, we have many criticall daies, to prepare us for that great day of Determination; and them we may diſtinguiſh, like naturall daies, into ſeven. Firſt, the day of Trouble and affliction, which is therefore called the day of viſitation: becauſe in trouble, the Lord, our good Phyſician, doth viſite us. Men thinke that God is removed from them, when they ſuffer calamitie: as the Iſraelites doe but want water,Exod. 17.7.Exod 17:7 and preſently cry, Is the Lord among us, or no? As if God could not be with them, and they athirſt? Either he muſt humor carnall mindes, or bee diſtruſted. If they proſper, though it bee with wickedneſſe, then God is with them: If they be croſſed in their owne deſignes, ſtraight, Is God with us? It was the way to put God from them, to diſtruſt, and murmure. If he had not bin with them, they had not lived: if he had beene in them, they had not murmured. We can thinke him abſent in our want, and cannot ſee him abſent in our ſinne: yet wickedneſſe, not affliction, argues him gone. Yea, he is then moſt preſent, when he moſt chaſtiſes. We meaſure not the viſitations of great perſons, by their apparell, by their equipage, by the ſolemnity of their comming; but by their very comming. If the Lord come unto us, though it be in ſickeneſſe, though in calamitie, it is our criticall day: and if we make him welcome, and entertaine him with patience, it is an argument he would not loſe us, that by any meanes ſeekes us. Secondly, penitent ſorow for our ſins is a right criticall day: when the conſcience is moleſted with the paines of a bleeding remorſe. This day hath an Evening and a Morning; a ſad guiltineſſe in the ſoule, but a cheerefull riſing of the Sunne. The Evenings and Mornings made dayes in the Creation, but there is no mention of nights: Our ſorrowes for our ſinnes are Evenings, but they determine not in night: There is joy in the Morning; a day of ſolace; when the Spirit broken and dejected in it ſelfe, is acquited and comforted by Chriſt. Thirdly, this Remorſe ſends us to a third criticall day, to a devout hearing of the Word, and faithfull receiving of our Saviour, in his Inſtitution of the Sacrament: conforming our life to thoſe ſacred Rules, and walking worthy of ſo ineſtimable an honour. Fourthly, thus having walked with God three daies, we are prepared for the ſtormes of the fourth, the day of our diſſolution and tranſmigration from hence. Sins, ſorowes, and troubles have ſo embittered our life, that there is no bitterneſſe in the remembrance of death. Eccl. 41.1.Sir 41:1Sickneſſe hath diſabled us to receive meat, and made it our faſting p. 1237day, our Eve, to this great Feſtivall of our Tranſlation. Fiftly, this day of death ſhall deliver us over to the fift, the day of our Reſurrection: for how long ſoever that day be in the grave, there is no day betweene that and the Reſurrection. Then ſhall all men be re-apparelled with their owne bodies; and they that have made good uſe of their former dayes, ſhall be ſuper-inveſted with glory. OnelyOnly the ungodly ſhall be condemned to their old clothes; their ſinfull bodies; and have no addition, but of immortalitie to torment. Sixthly, this day thus reinveſting our ſoule in our body, and our body in the Body of Chriſt, ſhall preſent us both body and ſoule to our ſixt day, The day of Iudgement: which is truely, and in a literall ſenſe, the criticall, the Decretory day; rewarding the wicked according to their demerites: And having paſſed upon the faithfull the Iudgement of Approbation, they ſhall alſo be aſſiſtant in that Seſſion, and judge the world of evil men and Angels. Seventhly, after this, we ſhall be poſſeſſed of our ſeventh day; that everlaſting Sabbath in the reſt, the joy, the ſight, and glory of the bleſſed Trinitie: where we ſhall live, without reckoning any more dayes for ever.

2. The uncertainety of this day beſpeakes our preparedneſſe. When the diſciples asked Chriſt concerning the Signe of his comming; hee anſweres them with a Qualis, not with a Quando: hee deſcribes the manner,Luk. 21.7.Luke 21:7 but conceales the Time, ſuch ſignes ſhall goe before, hee does not determine the day when the Iudgement ſhall come after. OnelyOnly he cautions them,Ver. 35. with an Attendite ne ſuperveniat in vos repentina dies illa: for as a ſnare it ſhall come on them that dwell on the face of the earth. The bird little thinkes of the ſnare of the fowler, nor the beaſt of the hunter; this feareleſſe rangeth through the woods, the other merrily cuts the aire: both follow their unſuſpected libertie, both are loſt in unprevented ruine. Againſt publike enemies we fortifie our coaſts, againſt private theeves we barre our doores, and ſhall we not againſt the irremediable fatalitie of this day prepare our ſoules? It is favour enough that the Lord hath given us warning: the day is ſuddaine, the warning is not ſuddaine: the old world had the precaution of ſixſcore yeeres; and that (we cannot deny) was long enough: but we have had the prediction of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, of above fifteene hundred yeeres ſtanding; beſides the daily ſound of thoſe Evangelicall Trumpets, that tell us of that Archangelicall Trumpet in their Pulpits. Qui audit tonitrua, metuit fulgura: when we heare the thunder, in a darke night on our beds, we feare the lightning: Our Saviours Goſpel, premoniſhing of this day, is like thunder; if it cannot wake us from our ſinnes, the Iudgement ſhall come upon us like lightning, to our utter deſtruction. But I will thanke the Lord for giving me warning. Pſa. 16.7.Ps 16:7The thunder firſt breakes the cloud, and makes way for the lightning, yet the lightning firſt invades our ſenſe: All Sermons upon this argument of the laſt day, are thunder-claps; yet ſuch is the ſecuritie of the world, that the ſonnes of thunder cannot waken them, till the Father of lightning conſume them. Dedisti metuentibus te ſignificationem, ut fugiant à facie arcus, ſaith that royall Prophet. The Huntſman doth not threaten the deare, or terrifie him; but watches him at a ſtand, and ſhootes him. But God ſpeakes, before he ſhootes: takes the bow in his hand, and ſhewes it us, before he puts in the arrow, to wound us. Saint Gregory hath a meditation,Mor. in Iob. li. 25. c. 16. which by way of ſimilitude doth lively expreſſe this point. Mariners have made their voyage, and are returning home: when on a ſuddaine the windes riſe, and the ſeas begin to be troubled: firſt they are ſet upon with lighter waves, then with fiercer billowes; then litle bals of fire are ſeene rolling on the face of the waters: now they labour with all their powers, and unlade the veſſels of thoſe pretious merchandize, for which they made their unhappy voyage. But ſtill the unexpiable rage of the ſea ceaſeth not, till it hath ſwallowed the ſhip: ſome ſinke with it, and others by help of a little barke get to ſhore. We are all put into the veſſell of mortality; & all thoſe ſignes preceding the day of Iudgement, are ſo many ſucceſſive waves prognoſticating this univerſall ſhipwracke: and now worldlings would p. 1238throw overboord their unbleſt traffike; the covetous deſpiſeth his riches, the voluptuous his pleaſures, the ambitious his honours: they have ventured all their life for thoſe ſinnes, and now they would bee rid of that venture with all their hearts. The maine ſtorme comes, the earth trembles, the Ocean roares, the elements melt, the heavens diſſolve, the huge Caricke of the whole world periſheth: Thoſe that have put all their fortunes and eſtate in that one uncertain Bottome, muſt periſh with it: But the Children of Grace have a little Pinnaſſe, the Church of Chriſt; and this carries them ſafe thorow the fire, as Noahs Arke bore him thorow the water, and lands them in Heaven, where they are welcomed home with Songs of triumph.

We are all Gods Creatures, and he hath an indefeiſable right in every man: yea, we are his Factors, and he hath ſent us into this world, as into a ſtrange countrey to traffike for him. Estote Factores verbi, non actores: Bee ye doers of the word, not actors, for that is but to play Religion, like hypocrites: Actors doe but repreſent things done, and perſonate other men. But wee are Factors; and the commodities we are truſted withall, are firſt heavenly Graces, and then a competencie of temporall things. The trade we drive is our good Workes, and all wee can returne to our Maſters profit is but his Praiſe and Glory: the whole benefit of the voyage redounds to our ſelves: not Hee, but we may be the better for it. At laſt that great Merchant cals us home, to this univerſall audite, when every Factor muſt bring in his accounts. They that have advantaged their Lord and traded to his honour, ſhall be honoured by him for ever: But theſe ſlothfull ſervants, that have trifled with his Talent, or miſ-ſpent it, ſhall be caſt into that priſon of unthrifts and beggers, which is full of all wants, but the want of torments. The wiſe Merchant; that preponders his future reckoning, will carefully looke to foure houſes under his charge: His ware-houſe, his worke-houſe, 1his clocke-houſe, and his Cloſet or counting-houſe. Our Ware-houſe is our Heart; wherein lie all thoſe pretious Commodities depoſited to us from Heaven: our knowledge, with all our Graces, and ſpirituall abilities: if luſts and malicious thoughts breake in like theeves, and robbes us of thoſe celeſtiall 2Wares, we are undone. Our Worke-houſe is, as it were, the Shop of our good Actions, wherein by way of holy commerce, we retaile thoſe deare Commodities of our Maſter, to his gainefull uſe: if we have learning, wee inſtruct the ignorant; if we have riches, we comfort the poore; if authoritie, wee protect the innocent: whatſoever Grace we have in the Ware-houſe of our Heart, we 3bring it forth into the Worke-houſe of our life, and do good with it. Our Clock-houſe is to be regarded too: Whither we conſider it in relation to our ſpeech, and diſcourſe, for the Tongue is the Clocke of the Soule: if the Clocke goe falſe, if our talke be ungratious; lying, ſwearing, or profane; we are factors for hell, rather than for Heaven: Men may know by the Clocke-houſe, what ſtuffe is in the Ware-houſe; for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh. Or wee may conſider this Clocke, in reſpect of our time: the good Husband ſtill mindes how the day goes with him; and therefore ſo followes his buſineſſe, that he may have done before night. They are injurious Sextons to their owne ſoules, that ſet the Clocke backe; that make it ſtand at two in the afternoone, when it is ſixe in the evening, even neere the Sunne-ſet of their ends; that they might more ſecurely follow their pleaſures. No, let the Clocke goe right, thinke of the time, meditate on the uncertaintie of thy life, the certaintie of thy reckoning; and worke out thy Salvation in time, that thou maieſt reſt when time ſhall be no more. All men are called to Repentance: doe you heare ſome anſwere, Yes, to morrow, Lord; or next weeke, Lord; or next yeere, Lord? Sure, their Clocke does not goe right. God hath another Clocke; and it may bee twelve by His, when it is ſcarce five by theirs: he ſummons them by death, when 4they thinke they have many yeeres to live. The laſt is our Counting-houſe, and p. 1239that is our Conſcience; where wee finde written all our receits, and all our layings out. No falſe reckoning can be found in this Booke; it will ſpeake the truth to a peny. Tradeſ-mens bookes may lie, ſtewards bookes may erre; there is no errour in this. In reſpect of our receipts,Luk. 16.6.Luke 16:6 we cannot with that unjust ſteward ſet downe fiftie for a hundred: nor can we, in regard of our layings out, ſet downe a hundred for fiftie. This booke is written by another hand than ours; even the Lords: and certainely, the Lord can reade his owne hand. There have beene ſome that could ſtupefie the voice of their Conſcience; never any could obliterate the writing of their Conſcience: they could ſtop the ſound of it, as it is a Trumpet; they could not ſcrape out the Characters of it, as it is a Booke. Happy are we, if wee can get the blood of Chriſt, to waſh out our debts; and the merits of Chriſt, to ſtand for our accounts: onelyonly this reckoning ſhall paſſe in the Day of Iudgement. For as our Conſcience leaves us here, ſo the Almightie Iudge will finde us hereafter.

To conclude; the weakeſt memory here preſent, may eaſily think on theſe foure Houſes: and if we keep them wel, we ſhall prove happy Chriſtians. But the Day of Iudgement, thou ſaieſt, is far enough off: It is more than thou, or any man, or any Angell knowes. Yet grant it far off to the world; it may be neere to thee. The day of Iudgement is remote, Thy day of Iudgement is at hand: and as thou goeſt out in particular, ſo thou ſhalt be found in the generall. Thy paſſing-bel and the Archangels Trumpet, have both one ſound to thee. In the ſame condition that thy ſoule leaves thy body, ſhall thy body be found of thy Soule. Thou canſt not paſſe from thy death-bed a ſinner, and appeare at the great Aſſiſes a Saint. Both in thy privat ſeſſions, and the univerſal Aſſiſes, thou ſhalt be ſure of the ſame Iudge, the ſame Iury, the ſame Witneſſes, the ſame Verdict. How certaine thou art to die, thou knoweſt: how ſoone to die, thou knoweſt not. Meaſure not thy life with the longeſt; that were to peece it out with flattery: thou canſt name no living man, not the ſickeſt; which thou art ſure ſhall die before thee. Daily wee follow the dead to their graves, and in thoſe graves wee bury the remembrance of our owne death with them. Here drops an old Man, and there a Childe; here an aged Matron, there a young Virgin: with mourning eyes wee attend them to their Funerals; yet before wee lay the Roſemary out of our hands, the thought of death hath vaniſhed from our hearts. When an Hogge lies bound under the knife to be killed, he makes an hideous cry above any other Creature: hereupon the other Swine come running in, and they grunt, and whine, and keepe a fearefull noiſe: but as ſoone as the dying Beaſt hath ceaſed, they alſo are ſilent, and returne to the filthy mire as careleſly, as if no harme had been done. When we loſe a Neighbour, a Friend, a Brother, wee weepe, and howle, and lament, as if with Rachel, wee could never bee comforted: But the body once interred, and the funerall Ceremonies ended; if wee doe not ſtay to enquire for ſome Legacies, wee runne backe with all poſſible haſte to our former ſinnes and turpitudes, as if there had been no ſuch matter. Alas, that the fartheſt end of all our thoughts, ſhould bee the thought of our ends! Death is but our apprehenſion, like the taking of a Malefactor; but it ſends us to the Seſſion, and that either to forgiveneſſe or execution. O then, let us repent in life, that we may finde comfort in death, and be acquitted at the Day of Iudgement by Ieſus Christ.

3. The Integrity of the Iudge, and of his Iudgement, comes next to bee conſidered. There is no Name of God ſo often mentioned in the Scripture, as that of a Iudge; no action ſo often, as that of Iudgement. Many Names of God be ſweeter, none frequenter. Even where the Lord is glorious with all his Titles of MercieMercy, ſtill there comes in one Title of his Iudgement: where he is ſlow to anger, even there he does not acquit the guiltie. Exod. 34.7. Nah. 1.3.Exod 34:7Nah 1:3The firſt comming of Chriſt was in weakeneſſe, becauſe he was then to be judged: his ſecond ſhall bee in power, becauſe hee is now to judge. Then, like a feeble unweaponed David againſt p. 1240that mighty Giant of Hell, that Goliah, Satan: now, like an armed and angry David againſt wicked and unthankefull Nabals. In vaine have I kept his Flockes ſafe in the Wilderneſſe, that will not give a little bread to my hungry followers. Have I been ſo bountifull to the rich Churles of the World, and doe they deny a ſmall reliefe to my poore members? Then he came like a ſoft Dew upon the Graſſe, now he ſhall come like Thunder in the Cloudes. Then he came unto his owne, and they knew him not; now all eyes ſhall ſee him, and all tongues confeſſe him. Then hee came in private, from the wombe of his Mother; now he ſhall come in publike from the Throne of his Father. Then, with a few Apoſtles; now, with thouſands of Angels. Then, with a Starre in the Eaſt; now, with the Heavens on Fire. Then, as a Lambe; now as a Lion: Then, to ſave the loſt, now, to condemne the loſt. Then as a Subject to Ceſar; now, the King of kings. Then, O Man, Venit ut tuus, Hee came as thine: now, Veniet ut ſuus, Hee ſhall come as his owne, and appeare himſelfe: Then Hee, poore Man ſtood before Pilate, to receive his Sentence; now Pilate and Herod, and all the Potentates of the Earth muſt ſtand before Him, and undergoe his dreadfull Doome. Then Hee had a Reed for his Scepter, and Thornes for his Crowne: now, Hee ſhall breake the Nations with a Scepter of Iron,Dan. 7.6.Dan 7:6 and his Throne ſhall be like a flaming Fire. At his Birth, onelyonly Ieruſalem was troubled; and at his Death, ſome tender-hearted Women wept: but at his Comming to Iudgement, All the Kinreds of the Earth ſhall mourne before Him.

Rev. 1.7.Rev 1:7It is Chriſt then that ſhall be our Iudge; He to whoſe contumely did tend all our miſdeeds. He, whoſe Majeſty we have diſhonoured, whoſe Mercy we have deſpiſed, whoſe Glory we have abaſed, and whoſe Goodneſſe wee have abuſed. He, whoſe Preſence wee have profaned, and whoſe Patience we have miſ-interpreted, either for Ignorance or Allowance of evill. But wee ſhall finde neither of both in this impartiall Iudge: There are ſixe principall Refuges of the guilty before the Iudgement-ſeats of mortall men. If either the Iudge may bee deceived through Ignorance, or made partiall with Favour, or overcome with Power, or melted with Pitie, or corrupted with Monie, or perſwaded with Oratory: but all theſe Forts of confidence faile before this Tribunall.

Heb. 4.13.Heb 4:131. This Iudge cannot erre through Ignorance, for All things are naked and open to his eyes, with whom wee have to doe. Hee knoweth our goings out and our commings in: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vaine. There is nothing ſo quicke as thought, nothing ſo free as thought, nothing ſo ſecret as thought, (the Devill cannot know our thoughts, but by conjecture or inference) nothing ſo boundleſſe as thought: nature hath ſet no limits to the thoughts of the ſoule. Yet, Thou, O Lord, understandest our thoughts long before. To know them, when they have being, is much: but to know them before they were, is onelyonly Gods peculiar. Man himſelfe does not know to day, what he ſhall thinke to morrow: God knowes it, and knew it from all eternity. Hee underſtood what thoughts thoughts the ſoule would create, before He had created the ſoule. Adam would faine have hidden himſelfe from God, when he found him naked in the coole of the day: ſuch a deſire is in every guilty ſinner to hide himſelfe from Chriſt, when he comes to Iudgement in the Evening of the world: but it is not poſſible.Rev. 6.16.Rev 6:16 The wicked ſhall call to the Mountaines, Fall on us, and to the Rockes, Cover us; but to what purpoſe? Alas, In the Preſence of the God of Iacob, the Mountaines skip like Rammes, and the little Hils like young Sheepe. Yea, at that Day there ſhall be neither Rockes nor Mountaines left to hide them. As it is intolerable to abide his Preſence,Ioh. 1.48.John 1:48 ſo it is impoſſible to avoid it. He ſaw Nathaniel under the Figtree, and Elias in the Cave. He ſees the Theefe in his darkeſt night, and the Adulterer when all the doores and windowes are ſhut. Hee ſaw Fa…lx, without the helpe of his darke Lanthorne, when he labored in that black Vault or Mine under the Parliament-houſe. He ſees all the plots of the Ieſuites againſt p. 1241his Church: they delude all Princes, but the Prince of Heaven, and Hee ſees their villanie. Hee ſees them that are in Hell, who ſee nothing, not themſelves. Hee knowes our moſt ſecret ſinnes; to repeat thoſe wee doe not remember, to reveale alſo thoſe wee would hide, and to convince us of thoſe wee would deny.

2. This Iudge cannot be foreſtalled with favour, for Hee is no Reſpector of Perſons. The pooreſt Beggar ſhall finde as good Audience in this Court of Iuſtice, as the greateſt Monarch in the word. Chriſt will judge moſt juſtly, even thoſe that have judged moſt unjuſtly. Pilate ſhall finde Iuſtice from Chriſt, Chriſt found none from Pilate. Take Him, ſaith he to the malicious Iewes, I finde no fault in Him. No fault in Him, O Pilate, and yet doeſt thou condemne Him? Where was the fault then? Surely in thee, O Pilate. Hee will not deale ſo with thee; thou ſhalt have Iuſtice.

3. Hee cannot bee overborne with power; for All power is given Him both in Heaven and Earth. With many Iudges on Earth, a Lords Meſſage,Mat. 28.18.Matt 28:18 or a Ladies Letter may doe much: and let the poore mans complaint be never ſo honeſt, if it trench upon great Ones, it muſt not be heard. Favour is the Miſtreſſe, toward which all the Bowles of Authority runne Bias. Such Magiſtrates are like Spaniels, which ever hunt that way their Maſter lookes. But thoſe unrighteous Iudges, that have been led by favour below, ſhall finde leaſt favour above. It will be a poore excuſe for an act of Injuſtice, Such a Lord commanded me: Him for perſwading, and Thee for yeelding, the Lord of Heaven ſhall condemne you both. Now men deale with our Sermons, as they doe with our Tithes: when wee preach Iudgement, they ſue out a Prohibition from an higher Court, or a Protection from the Chancery, their MercieMercy-ſeat, or a Commiſſion for Compoſition: but whither will they appeale from this Court, the great Star-chamber of Heaven?

4. He cannot be moved with pity. There was a time, when upon the condition of repentance, He proffered padon: but the time of Mercy is paſt, this is the Day of Iuſtice. Time was, when He powred forth his precious Blood to expiate their ſinne: but now There remaines no more ſacrifice for ſinne. Time was, He wept over Ieruſalem in compaſſion; now let Ieruſalem weepe out her eyes, there is nothing but indignation. His Meekeneſſe ſhall be turned into Wrath; and He that before wept for the miſery of ſinners, will now laugh at their destruction. The Lawyer, whiles he is an Advocate, pleads his Clients cauſe,Prov. 1.26.Prov 1:26 though …t be not good: but being made a Iudge, hee ſentenceth the cauſe, without reſpect to the Client. Chriſt is now our Advocate, and Hee pleads our cauſe; and mediates for our very ſins: but at the laſt Day his Office is to Iudge, and He will give a moſt righteous Sentence.

5. He will not be corrupted with Bribes; yea, thoſe that have been ſo corrupted, He will condemne. The wealthieſt Miſer muſt come before Him naked and empty handed. In his Infancy the Wiſe Men preſented Him Gold, and they are wiſe men that in this world bring Him ſuch offerings. With thy Gold and Riches feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, while thou liveſt: elſe at the Day of Iudgement it will not be taken. What wealth ſhall any man have left, when the whole world is on fire? Only what the hand of Charity hath given Chriſt here, He will abundantly repay there: And as we uſe, upon the wall of Hoſpitals and Almeſhouſes, to write up the name of the Benefactors: ſo thoſe beneficent ſoules, that have comforted the needy members of Chriſt on Earth, ſhall finde their names written in Heaven. Other rich Churles ſhall undergoe Magus his Doome, Themſelves and their money must periſh together.

6. Hee cannot be perſwaded with arguments. Tullius is weake, and Tertullus a foole, to thinke that eloquence ſhall carry it there. Let not the greateſt Clarkes, who have led wicked lives, hope that at this Aſſiſes their Booke ſhall ſave them. p. 1242They may be condemned for the former abuſe of their Eloquence, but here their very tongues ſhall bee put to ſilence. Even now, Theologia non formidat Dialecticam: Divinity will not bee awed by Logicke, nor will God be impriſoned in a Predicament: much leſſe above. I ſpeake not this to diſpraiſe Learning; it is the gift of God, and uſefull to his glory. Moſes a Prieſt, or (if that bee doubtfull,Pſalm. 99.6. Deut. 34.10. Act. 7.22.Ps 99:6Deut 34:10Acts 7:22 yet ſure) a Prophet, and that with a Non ſicut; was learned in all the wiſedome of the Egyptians. The Scorners of Learning are like Wormes in Libraries: buſie about it, but with an intent to deſtroy it. There bee many arts in the world, but there is one worth them all; an holy life, the effect of a true faith in Ieſus Chriſt. Saint Paul was a great Scholar, yet it was onelyonly his Didiciſſe Christum, that ſaved him. All arguments are loſt but this; Lord, I bring thee thine ow…e righteouſneſſe, by imputation made mine; by this, I beſeech thee ſave mee: This argument will prevaile.

We ſee the Integrity of the Iudge: the Conſcience of the ſinner ſhall bee compelled to accuſe, and the Devill ſuffered to urge, but no Advocate allowed to plead his cauſe. The Angels ſhall not, the Saints may not, Chriſt will not, and himſelfe cannot. Not the Angels, for they are witneſſes to his wickedneſſe: Not the Saints, for it is their office to judge the world: Not Chriſt, for he deſpiſed his grace when it was offered: Not the ſinner himſelfe, for hee ſhall obtaine no audience. O the deſperate extremities, which will then beſet the ungodly! If they offer to ſpeake, their ſinnes ſtand up againſt them: if they hold their peace, they finde nothing to comfort them. Every moment of our time is one ſtep toward this Iudgement: And yet wee are ſo farre from compaſſion of our ſelves, that even going to our triall, we ceaſe not to multiply crimes againſt him, that muſt give ſentence upon us. With what countenance can ſinners bee able to looke upon that glorious Majeſty? It will be at that time a greater paine for them to ſtand before God, than to bee in Hell. The ſevere acts of a Iudge being diſcourſed, and his impartiall cenſures; an hearer wittily and honeſtly replyed; I meane never to trouble him. It cannot be ſo with us; our ſinnes are ſo hainous and numerous, that wee muſt come before him: there is onelyonly one way to helpe us; which is now by an appeale? To whom? Even to himſelfe, let us appeale from Chriſt, to Chriſt: from him as an angry Iudge, to him as a gracious Saviour. How cheape an account do moſt men now make of Chriſt? No more than cunning Gallants do of a prodigall Heire; even to riot upon his ſcore, and to laviſh out ſinnes on the riches of his ſatisfaction. But let them know, that though the Death of Chriſt have fully ſatisfied for all our ſinnes; and borne the extremity of whatſoever, either the Law of God could lay againſt us, or the wrath of God could lay upon us: yet hath it left no liberty to build our ſinnes upon his Death, but rather to bury our ſinnes in his Death. Wee may not crucifie him againe by our ſinnes,Heb. 6.6.Heb 6:6 which for our ſinnes hath already been crucified. For as in the Creation,Gen. 6.6.Gen 6:6 the diſobedience of the Creature cauſed the Creator to hate the worke of his owne hands: ſo in the Reconciliation, the peace that was made betweene God and man, did not ſtretch ſo farre as to conclude of peace betweene God and ſinne. But he that was content in Chriſt to be reconciled to his enemies, is yet at enmity with their ſinnes: and though hee forgive great ſinnes in Chriſt, yet doth hee puniſh little ſinnes in Chriſtians. Yea, though the blood of Ieſus doe continually cry unto God for us; yet doth it not ſo poſſeſſe his eares,Heb. 12.24.Heb 12:24 that hee can heare no crie againſt us. Still where is the due eſtimation of Chriſt? Atheiſt denie him, Papiſts diſhonour him, Pagans perſecute him, Worldlings oppreſſe him, Hypocrites diſſemble him, Time-ſervers make uſe of him, Polititians pretend him, Swearers blaſpheme him, millions profeſſe him, few rightly eſteeming him, few indeed honour him. The price of Chriſt ſeemes to goe downe, the Covetous will ſell him for a Farme, the Adulterer for a kiſſe, the Drunkard for a Pinte of Wine, for a Pot of Ale; the fraudulent Tradeſman p. 1243for a Peny; the Swearer will ſell Him for Nothing, and take no Monie for Him. This is the difference betweene Gods Iudgement, and mans: God valued man at more than his owne Blood, man valued that Blood but at thirty Peeces of Silver. But the Day will come, when one gracious Word from the Mouth of Chriſt, one pleaſing Looke of his Countenance, ſhall bee farre more precious than all the World. Then ſhall All the Tribes of the Earth mourne before Him. Unbeleevers ſhall mourne, becauſe they would not accept that glorious Way of Salvation: the Voluptuous ſhall mourne, that they have bought tranſient Pleaſures with everlaſting Torments. The Covetous ſhall mourne, that they have more accounted of a croſſe of Coine, than of the ſaving Croſſe of Chriſt. The Proud ſhall mourne, that they have deſpiſed the Humility of the Goſpell. Blaſphemers ſhall lament, that they have ſworne away the Price of their Redemption. The Uncleane ſhall mourne, becauſe they rather choſe to bee the Limbes of an Harlot, than Members of the Sonne of God. All Sinners ſhall mourne, and eſpecially, becauſe the Time of all fruitfull Mourning is for ever paſt. The World now rejoyceth, but let us mourne; that when the whole World is ſet on mourning, we may then rejoyce World without End.

4. The Impartiality of the proceeding falles next into our Conſideration. Such is the Perfection of Gods Iuſtice, Who is ever conſtant to his own wayes; that Hee doth ſtill proceed by the Booke; openly, intelligibly, manifeſtly. When the Ancient of Daies ſhall ſit upon his White Throne, the Bookes ſhall bee opened.

1. Booke is the Booke of Life; never ſhut to God, but never throughly open to us. Whoſoever is found written in this Booke, ſhall not periſh.Rev. 21.27.Rev 21:27 Wee cannot unclaſpe this Booke, yet wee may know ſomething in it that concernes our ſelves. There is a ſafe collection or gadation, à Posteriore. I deprecate all ſinne, I repent heartily of that is done, I abhorre to commit it, I earneſtly pray againſt it, I ſtrive with all my powers to avoid it, I thirſt for more Grace, I am ready to all good Workes, I reſt wholly and onelyonly on my Saviours Merits; therefore I rightly beleeve: I beleeve, therefore am juſtified: I am juſtified, therefore called: I am called, therefore elected: I am elected, therefore ſhall be glorified.Rom. 8.…0.Rom 8 Wee cannot, wee may not conclude the contrary: I am a ſinner, therefore God hath from everlaſting rejected me: therefore He hath made me to be damned: this is an unwarrantable, yea, a deſperate Collection. I beleeve in Chriſt, and endevour to live like a Chriſtian, therefore I am choſen: this as a ſafe and ſound inference; and thus farre God hath given our Humility leave, to looke into this Booke of Life.

2. Is the Booke of Nature; wherein, though ſubobſcurely and in ſhadowes, God hath expreſſed his owne Image, and written his owne Law with indelible Characters. They that have ſinned without the Law written,Rom. 2.12.Rom 2:12 ſhall be judged by the Law engraven. Though this Law bee much defaced in their hearts by the cuſtome of ſinne, yet it ſhall no more helpe them, than a Theefe is to bee excuſed, becauſe he hath torne the eight Commandement, Thou ſhalt not ſteale, out of the Decalogue.

3. Is the Booke of the Scriptures, conſiſting of the Law and the Goſpell: the one commanding, the other enabling; the one condemning, the other preſenting a remedy: thoſe two Teſtaments, wherein all that God wrote in the Old, Hee hath lighted us a Candle to read it by in the New. No exception can lye againſt this Booke; for the Law of God is holy, and all his Commandements are pure. Rom. 7.12. Pſalm. 19.8.Rom 7:12Ps 19:8Theſe are for Number few, for Underſtanding plaine, for Equity approved, and onelyonly profitable to whom they are given. Sure there had not been ſuch ſtate in the promulgation of this Law, if God had not intended it for eternity. Every circumſtance of the delivery, repreſenting the fearefull exaction of it at the laſt, may well deterre us from the trangreſſion. Firſt, how could they thinke of having p. 1244any other Gods, that had ſuch proofes of this? Secondly, How durſt they make any Reſemblance of Him, Whom they could not ſee, and might therefore perceive to bee Infinite? Thirdly, How durſt they profane his Name, Whom ſo dreadfull a Majeſty waited upon? Fourthly, How could they ſtand with Him for a day, Whom they ſee to be the Maker and Determiner of daies? Fifthly, Why ſhould they diſobey his Deputies, whom they ſaw ſo able to revenge? Sixthly, How durſt they kill a Man, that heard Him forbid it, Who can kill both Body and Soule? Seventhly, How durſt they entertaine the flames of Luſt, that ſaw ſuch Fiers of Vengeance? Eightly, How durſt they ſteale, that ſaw by ſuch terrible Demonſtrations, Whoſe both Heaven and Earth was to diſpoſe of at his Pleaſure? Ninthly, Or ſpeake falſly, that heard the God of Truth ſpeake in ſo fearefull a Tone? Tenthly, Or covet others goods, that ſaw how weake and uncertaine Right they had to their owne? We men, that feare the Breach of humane Lawes for ſome ſmall Mulcts of Forfeiture; How ſhould wee feare to tranſgreſſe thy Law, O Lord, that canſt caſt both Body and Soule into Hell!

4. There is another Booke annexed to this; a Codicill, a Schedule; the Booke of juſt and uſefull Lawes, eſtabliſhed by them, to whom God hath committed his People. The Lawes of that Church, and Lawes of that State, wherein wee have our Station. The Breaches and wilfull Contempts of this Booke; will be ſtrictly examined, and hardly anſwered, in this Audite.

5. Is the manuall, the Pocket-booke, the Boſome-booke of our Conſcience. The other Bookes will manifeſt what we ſhould have done; this, what we have done. Wee cannot except againſt it, becauſe it hath alwaies been in our owne keeping: and nothing ſhall be written in it, but what is ſubſcribed by our proper hand. It hath three offices: Firſt, to give in Teſtimonie, of ſomething acted or omitted. Secondly, to examine whether the action or omiſſion were lawfull or unwarrantable. Thirdly, to give Iudgement according to that evidence. It can both ligare & ſolvere: it bindes a man faſter than the Philiſtimes bound Samſon, and looſeth him ſooner than the Angell looſed Peter. It is a private Law within man: when Law and Chancery too have done with him, (and that not ſeldome is long before it hath done with him) then Conſcience takes him in hand. It is a true looking Glaſſe, that repreſents all blemiſhes, without favour or flattery. It is Infra Deum, but Supra hominem, a vice-Deus; and deales with us here, as God will doe hereafter. There is a Bill framed out of the Law, it is Crimen laeſae Majestatis, againſt our high Soveraignes Crowne and Dignitie: our workes are the Evidence, and Conſcience is the witneſſe, which will not be bribed to give a falſe teſtimonie. If the maine courſe of our life bee gracious, and our Conſcience will ſpeake for our workes, that they proceed from a ſound faith and honeſt heart; wee are then quit by proclamation, for no body comes in againſt us: The world may not, our ſinnes ſhall not, our Conſcience muſt not, the Angels dare not, God will not, the Devill cannot: for hee is the Father of lies, and his word will not bee taken. But if otherwiſe, all theſe will be againſt us: there need no Subpoena's to fetch in witneſſes; they come unſent for, and cannot be kept backe: they will ſpeake the truth, and all the truth. As Intelligencers for Stateſmen mingle themſelves with all companies, but uſe their beſt art to keepe themſelves concealed: So the Conſcience is Gods Informer, a Spie in the Soule, mixing her ſelfe with all our thoughts and actions: It is indeed the Reflection of the Soule upon it ſelfe. Though wee know not what this Conſcience is, yet this Conſcience knowes what wee are. As Pilate asked Chriſt,Ioh. 18.38.John 18:38 What was the Truth? when The Truth ſtood before him: So many aske what is Conſcience? when indeed Conſcience is within them.

Origen cals it Paedagogam animae; that teaches all, and keepes all under the Ferula, in a perpetuall pupillage. It is like an Italian Comedian, that can play p. 1245all parts himſelfe: It is Plaintiffe, Defendant, Witneſſe, Iudge, Executioner, and Puniſhment. The ſoule may ſay to the Conſcience, as Mercury did to Ba…an Et …e mihi perfide prodis? Doſt thou betray me to my ſelfe? Yes, Me mihi pr…dis. The Conſcience will accuſe the Conſcience; ſhe brings in evidence, produceth the law, proves the forfeit, urges the penalty, gives the ſentence, begins the puniſhment. It is a volume that no Ieſuite can corrupt: No Index expurgatarius can ſtrike a letter out of it: The onelyonly Booke of all our Library that goes along with us into the world to come. Look in that Book, thou ſinner, beforehand: Find there, the Title, Sin the Dedication, to the Prince of Sin: the ſeverall Chapters, ſo many ſeverall ſins: yea, every letter, a Character of ſin. As Averroes killed Avicen, by anointing his book with poiſon: ſo Satan labours to envenome this booke of our Conſcience, that we may uncomfortably periſh. The Grecians are ſaid to have an Hill ſo high above the force of the winds; that if a man had drawn his name in Characters, upon the aſhes of the ſacrifices; he might come the next yeere and find the ſame letters unblowne away. If any ſinful hart be ſo ſecurely placed, that Satan may now read in the ſluttiſh duſt, the ſins that were written there long ago, if no thunder hath cleared the aire about him, no wind ſcattred thoſe guilty Characters, if all be huſhd in reſt & ſilence about the borders: Like the country of the Sabarites, where not ſo much as a Cock, the remembrancer of S. Peter, is left alive to trouble them; it is in a deſperate caſe. But the Conſcience that ſleepes now, ſhall be wakened then: the book now claſped, ſhall be then opened. If ever ſleep were the Image of death, it is this.**O qualis tempestas, iſta tranquilitas! Ierom. Rather, ô Lord, let thy winds rage, and thy ſeas roare; than we thus be ſuffred to ſleep with Ionas. It is fearfull, when God will not ſo much as favor us with a frown, nor bleſſe us with his anger. Cleopatra, that had not a mind to feele her death, poiſoned her ſelfe with Aſpes, that ſhe might die ſleeping. Riot in ſin is like the poiſon of Aſpes, ſo ſtupefying the deſperate conſcience, that untill the day of Iudgement this fatal book is not opened.

It is Satans method; firſt to make men ſo ſenſeleſſe, as not to feele their ſins at all; and then ſo deſperate, that they feele them too much. In the firſt fit, men live as if there was no hell: in the laſt, they die as if there was no heaven. There be ſome diſeaſes called Opprobrium medici, the ſhame of Phyſicians: Is this Lethargie the ſhame of Divines? No, there is a way to cure it. Let ſinners lay to their hearts, all the curſes on mount Ebal, the terrors of the law, the ſting of death, the darkneſſe of the grave, the horror of this Iudgement, with ſome glimpſe of hell. O wretched man, doe but dreame of them ſometimes: talke to God, though it be in thy ſleep: Downe with thy knees, though thy heart be ſtiffe: up with thy hands, though thy ſoule be downe. Let but out an ejaculation, a peece, a ſhred of a Prayer; though it be no longer than the Publicans, Lord, be mercifull to me a ſinner.

6. There is another book, wherin the Regiſtry of our tranſgreſſions is written; the infinite and univerſall knowledge of God: this is his particular booke of all our particular ſins. Theſe records will preſent unto us all our offences, done from our birth to our buriall; and lay thoſe things to our charge, which now we either remember not, or regard not: which we eſteeme either lawfull, or tolerable: And we ſhall bee compelled to anſwer to many things, wherof now we would ſcorne to be queſtioned. He that writes our members in his booke, Pſa. 139.16.Ps 139:16hath alſo in that booke written the ſins of thoſe members. The concupiſcence of our eies, the violence of our hands, the intemperance of our throats, the virulence of our tongues, the forwardneſſe of our feet to evill, together with the unſeemely behaviour of our whole body, ſhall be rigorouſly examined. Nor is this Indictment made up onelyonly of actuall treſpaſſes: but even the very blankes are crimes; and the not doing of good ſhall be puniſhed with the ſuffering of evill. If our feet have not frequented Gods walkes, in his holy Courts: if our tongues have not vociſerated our Makers praiſes: if our eies have not pitied the poore, if our hands have not miniſtred to their neceſſities: even theſe omiſſions are damnable. Such is the ſinceritie of Chriſtian Religion, that it not onelyonly impoſeth upon us pure innocencie, but profitable honeſty. p. 1246Here, not onelyonly action, but the intermiſſion, the ſuſpenſion of action; both our ſpeech, and our ſilence; as well the vacancie of thinking well, as the poſitive thought of evill; not onelyonly curſed fruits, but the barrenneſſe of good; ſhall bee queſtioned. Not onelyonly for making wealth an inſtrument of cruelty, but for not making it an inſtrument of merciemercy; there is a Goe ye curſed. If a Magiſtrate doe not ſupport the juſt cauſe, though he never tooke bribe, he ſhall be condemned. The Father ſhall bee accountant for the education of his children, the Maſter for the diſcipline over his ſervants, the Prince for the governement of his ſubjects. O the great charge of that high calling! Every king is a briefe of his land, and he hath a patterne of the ordering of it alwayes about him. The honour he gives his Magiſtrates, is but a charge, and ſo is that which God gives him: and as he requires an account, ſo he muſt give. Happy is it for him, when true Religion and ſincere Integritie, ſhall be made the Eye of wiſdome in his counſell, the eare of Iuſtice in his Deputies, the hand of valour in his Nobles, the tongue of perſwaſion in his Preachers, the head of governement in himſelfe, and the heart of obedience in his people. Private men ſhall not only be judged as men, but as ſubjects: they that wil not obey, are neither good ſubjects, nor good men. To obey well, is as great a thing as to governe, and more mens duties: they that thinke not ſo, know not the Chriſtians part, which is to ſuffer. Publike Rulers ſhall not only be judged as men, but as Magiſtrates. Not only our images, but our offices ſhall never returne ad nihilum. The Image of God it ſelfe may uri, it cannot exuri. The image of a lawyer, of a Iudge, of a Commander, may burne, but can never burne out.

Matth. 12.36. Rom. 2.16. Eccl. 12.14.Matt 12:36Rom 2:16Eccl 12:14Nor be only our groſſe ſins recorded in this Booke, but even our looſe ſpeeches: Of every idle word we muſt give an account in the day of Iudgement. Yea, our very thoughts ſhall not eſcape; He will judge the ſecrets of our hearts. If the private ſins of the moſt innocent ſoule here, ſhould be revealed to this whole Congregation, it would put us to the bluſh: how terrible will it be then, to have them opened before the eyes of all the world, both of men and Angels? Wee write that in the forgetfull duſt, which God writes in everlaſting marble. David preſſed far upon the Lords pardon,Pſal. 19.12. Mic. 2.1.Ps 19:12Mic 2:1 in that petition; Clenſe thou me from my ſecret ſins. Can any ſin be ſecret? for a great part of our ſins, though we conceive them in the darke, on our beds, yet we doe them in the light. And there are many ſins which we glory in doing, and would not doe, if no body ſhould know them. S. August. confeſſeth of himſelfe, that in his wilder times, he was aſhamed of his ſhamefaſtneſſe, and the tenderneſſe of his Conſcience: and that he often belied himſelfe with ſins which he never did, leſt he ſhould be unacceptable to his ſinfull companions. But if we would conceale them, can we? God knowes not only the ſins we have committed, but even thoſe we would have committed, if we could. Lord, thou haſt forgive… me thoſe ſins which I have done, and thoſe ſinnes which onelyonly by thy grace I have not done; ſaith S. Augustine. They were done in our inclination to them, and even that Inclination needs Gods merciemercy, and that merciemercy he cals a pardon. Theſe are truly moſt ſecret ſinnes, becauſe they were never done; and becauſe no other man, nor we our ſelves, but only God knowes, how many and how great ſins we have eſcaped by his preventing grace; which without that, we had multiplied againſt him. We have abundance of ſins out of the compaſſe of our knowledge: we can accuſe our ſelves of originall ſin; yet, do we know what originall ſin is? We know not enough of it to ſatisfie others, we know enough to condemne our ſelves, to ſollicit the mercy of God. Our youth hath bin full of ſins, and we have forgotten what thoſe ſins were. Wee remember them not ſo well as to name them all: not are we ſure to live houres enough to name them all: for we did them faſter then, than we can ſpeake them now; when every thing that we did, conduced to ſome ſin. Yet we know them ſo well, as to know that nothing, but the merciemercy of our heavenly Father is ſo infinite as they. We have ſins of thought, word, and deed: ſins of omiſſion, and of action: ſins againſt God, againſt our neigbour, and againſt p. 1247ourſelves: ſins againſt the Fathers Commandements, againſt the Sonnes Prayer, and againſt the holy Ghoſts Office: ſins againſt our owne Creed, againſt the Lawes of that Church and State wherein we live: ſins unrepented, and ſins relapſed into after repentance: ſins of ignorance, and ſins againſt the teſtimony of our conſcience. If this Arithmeticke cannot reach home to the number of our ſins, we know what will: O Lord, pardon us all thoſe ſinnes, which thy Sonne Chriſt Ieſus ſuffered for, who ſuffered for all the ſins of all the world.

If one man have ſo many ſins, how infinite an heape doe the ſinnes of all men amount unto? And how immenſe muſt that Booke be, where all thoſe ſins are ingroſſed? We may ſay of our evill deeds, what the Evangeliſt ſpeakes of the holy acts of Chriſt; that If they were all written, Ioh. 21.25.John 21:25the world it ſelfe could not containe the bookes. Yet ſo capacious is this Booke of Gods omniſcience; that every tranſgreſſion, from the higheſt blaſphemie to the leaſt infirmitie, is not omitted. Quid i… Babylone tutum, ſi in Ieruſalem tale ſcrutinium? Bern. Serm. 55. in Cant. Moral. in Iob. lib. 17. Baſil. lib. de vera virgi.What ſhall the ſhrub of the deſart doe, when the Cedar of Paradiſe ſhall be ſhaken? If they doe this in the greene tree, what will they doe in the dry? The Lambes may well be afraid, when the Lions tremble. It ſhall not be a ſummary, confuſed, or indigeſted examination; but exact and particular, as it were by the booke. The adulterer ſhall not only be charged with that filthy act, but with all the circumſtances preceding, preparing, conducing, and attending on that uncleanneſſe: Thus he plotted, thus he perſwaded, and thus he acted; as if all were now done over againe in preſentation. Where then bee thoſe Peccadillo's, which ſinners now rather make a matter of ſport, than the occaſion of repentance? Alas there are no ſinnes ſmall, but comparatively: Chriſt died for all ſinnes, and the leaſt ſin might be a thorne in his head, or a laſh on his ſide. Many litle boyes at the Market-croſſe, make as great a noiſe as the cryer. Even our little ſins have no little cry in the eares of the Divine Iuſtice: But they are rather now like little children, which by the day of judgement will be growne up to ſtrong men, and with confuſion challenge us to our faces.

7. The laſt Booke is that with the Seven Seales, Rev. 5.5.Rev 5:5which only the Lambe that was ſlaine, was found worthy to open. This is the booke wherein lies all our comfort; containing the promulgation of their pardon and righteouſneſſe, that are waſhed in the blood of the Lambe. If we be tried by the Booke of Nature, we ſhall bee caſt; for we have done unnaturall deeds: Nature is depraved, corrupted; and who ſhall bring life out of corruption? The firſt man that God made, was ſaved; Adam was a Saint. The firſt man that was begotten of man, was damned; Cain was a Reprobate. Such difference there is betwixt Gods workmanſhip, and ours; betwixt nature created and nature corrupted. If we be tried by the law written, O wretched men that we are, who ſhall deliver us? Even the very thought of that law,Rom. 7.24.Rom 7:24 which condemnes our very thoughts, is for the preſent a burning in the hand, in the private Seſſion of our Conſcience; before we come to hold up that hand at the barre of eternall Iuſtice. If we muſt ſtand to the booke of Gods knowledge, and be judged by thoſe everlaſting Rols; wee are ſo farre from being acquited, that we have not done one juſtifiable action all our dayes.Iob 14.17.Job 14:17 Our tranſgreſsions are ſealed up in a bag: but if we thruſt our hand into that bagge, there is not one good worke to be found: Every line of this book is a ſin, every leafe an age of ſin: there is not a tittle of any thing but ſin. Only when God doth blot all our ſinnes out of his remembrance, he doth (as it were) throw this booke into the fire. As Caeſar after the defeat of Pompey, having in his cuſtody a casket, wherein he found letters written with his enemies own hands, ſufficient evidence to condemne them, he burnt thē all, and forgave them; that no monument might remaine for a future grudge. So doth Chriſt cancell & anihilate all the records of the ſins of his choſen, that there might be no quarrell againſt them in heaven. If we ſhould appeale to the book of our Conſcience, we are condemned before we come to the triall: there ſits a little Iudge within, that tels us plainely what we muſt truſt to: It is as a malefactor p. 1248ſhould labour to purge himſelfe before the Iudge, with the evidence of his crime ſticking apparantly in his boſome.

Well yet, though we cannot be ſaved by our booke, by our owne conſcience; nor by the other bookes, the Regiſtry of our iniquities: yet there be two Bookes of comfort for us, and by them we deſire to be tryed. The firſt is the Booke of Life, Gods eternall decree for our election; that ſacred and immutable Record, out of which never was any name razed. The other is the Booke of the Lambe, and the ſhedding of his blood upon our Soules. This booke is not of a darke print, hard to read; but a faire large manuſcript; the leaves of it pure untainted fleſh; the letters, bloud; the pennes that wrote it, thornes and ſcourges: the claſpes, nailes: the binding, wood: the name of it, Ieſus of Nazareth: the contents of it, merciemercy and Eternall Salvation. If my Conſcience be at peace with me, I am not condemned yet: if this Booke be afforded me, I ſhall not be condemned at all. O Lord, we humbly confeſſe, that there is no veine in us, which is not full of the blood of thy Sonne, whom we have crucified, and crucified againe, by multiplying many, and often repeating the ſame ſins: That there is no arterie in us, which hath not the ſpirit of error, 1 Tim. 4.1. Eſai. 19.14.1 Tim 4:1Isa 19:14the ſpirit of lust, the ſpirit of giddineſſe in it: That there is no bone in us, which is not hardned with the cuſtome of ſin, and nouriſhed with the marrow of ſin: That there be no ſinewes, no ligaments, which do not tie and chaine ſin and ſin together: That our fantaſie is in labour with the ſtudy, invention, and imagination of ſin: That our memorie is tenacious of nothing ſo much as ſin: that with delight, it revolveth the remembrance of ſin. That all theſe ſins are upon Record, in thoſe bookes which thou haſt ordained for that purpoſe. Yet, O gracious Father, there is a Booke which abrogates all theſe: and as the Sanctuary had the end in the Temple, and the Temple in Chriſt; ſo all theſe bookes have their end in the Booke of the Lambe; if thou pleaſe to write our names there. There, O mercifull God, write them; in that Booke of ſatisfaction to thee, and of Redemption to us: and write the aſſurance of it in the preſent booke of our conſcience, the copy of that bleſſed Originall: That when the day of judgement ſhall come, and all bookes are opened, nothing may be found in ours, but the righteouſneſſe of thy deare Son, and our ſweet Saviour Ieſus.

5. The fatalitie and horror of this dreadfull day to the wicked, is beyond all mortall Imagination. When at the ſound of the Trumpet hell ſhall ſhake, all graves ſhall open, and yeeld up their priſoners. Though all this ſhall be done at once, yet our underſtanding cannot conceive it but through divers paſſages.

1 King. 1.1 Kgs 11. The ſuddenneſſe of the Summons ſhall amaze them. Adoniah was juſtling himſelfe into the not-yet-vacant Throne of his Father David: hee feaſts his friends, he jeeres his oppoſites, he boaſts the proſperitie of his deſigne. On a ſuddaine, the Trumpet ſounds out King Salomons Coronation, and this braving troupe is diſperſed; and if you aske for their new Prince, hee hangs upon the hornes of the Altar. The ungodly will be banketing and ſolacing their ſenſuall ſoules at the laſt day: But the Archangels Trumpe reſounding the Almighty Salomons Coronation, will put them to deſperate ſhifts; and ſo much the more deſperate, as they have no Sanctuary, whereunto they may flie for refuge.

2. The amazedneſſe at the reſurrection will be terrible; when the body ſhall be forced to riſe, though it would lie ſtill; and the ſoule be compelled to lie ſtill in the body, though it would riſe. Both their ſalutations ſhall be nothing but curſes: the ſoule ſhall curſe the body, that for the pleaſure of that earthen dunghill, ſhe hath loſt ineſtimable joyes: and the body ſhal curſe the ſoule, that for the gratifying of ſuch ſenſual deſires, they muſt both ſuffer intolerable paines. Thus ſhal they meet together, not as companions, but as enemies: not as mutual helpers, but as reciprocall tormentors: not the body, as the houſe of a tenant, but as the priſon of a malefactor. The priſoner had rather lie ſtill in his comfortleſſe dungeon, than bee brought forth into the open aire, to receive his ſentence of condemnation. p. 1249There is horrour enough in the grave, yet is it a paradiſe to hell.

3. The very aſſembly ſhall daunt them: for this Iudgement ſhall be before the whole Court of Heaven: in the preſence of all the Angels, of all the Saints, like ſo many ſtarres before the glorious Sun, the ſinner ſhall be brought forth naked, deformed, leprous, monſtrous. Then the proud harlot, that ſo admired her owne beautie; and did ſet one houres fruition of it at a thouſand crownes, ſhall appeare more foule than any Gipſee, in reſpect of thoſe whō for Gipſees ſhe once deſpiſed.

4. The devils accuſation ſhall diſtract them, becauſe they know not what to anſwer. Thus will he plead; O juſt Iudge! I never did this ſinfull man the leaſt good turne, I never endured the leaſt paine for his ſake: yet ſtill he bore a nimble eare to my directions, and a willing heart to execute all my devices: how perfectly is he transformed into mine Image? He knew me for his vowed enemie, yet hee ſerved mee: Thee for his Maker, Saviour, and beſt friend, yet hee rebelled againſt thee. For him, thou haſt done much good, and ſuffered much evill; thou haſt opened the treaſures of heaven to bleſſe him, yea opened thine owne ſide, and ſhed that precious blood to ſave him; yet he hath turned all that grace into wantonneſſe, all that merciemercy into contempt. Nor is the devill the ſole accuſer of the ungodly; but all the ſins they have done, ſhall be ſo many devils againſt them. Yea more, all the Creatures, which they have either not uſed to good, or abuſed to evill, are bound over to this Seſſions, to joyne in their indictments againſt them.

5. The very goodneſſe of the Iudge ſhall make to the further aggravation of their wretchedneſſe. When he ſhall aske their perverſe Conſciences, what they ever ſaw in him worthy of contempt? What want, either of perfection in himſelfe, or of liberalitie towards them, did they ever find? What though I became poore? it was to make you rich. What though they ſtripped me naked? it was to clothe you with my garments. What though I died? it was to give you life. Would you deſpiſe my humility, who only therefore admitted it, to bring you to glory? Iuſt cauſe ſhall they have to mourne before him, who have ſo ingratefully ſinned againſt him. The covetous Churle ſhall mourne before that Iudge, who deſpiſed all worldly riches. The proud ſhall mourne before him, that was both the Teacher and Example of humilitie. The ambitious aſpirer to greatneſſe ſhall mourne before him, that refuſed it when it was offered him: The drunkard ſhall mourne before him, who to expiate his intemperance, had a draught of gall and vineger. The malitious and revengefull ſhall mourne before him, who did put up both contumelies and blowes with patience. Whatſoever the Iudge hath ſuffred in himſelfe, he will commiſerate in others: but what he hath ever deteſted to doe, he will not forbeare to puniſh. He will ſay to ſuch as have been patiently miſerable; You have been hungry, ſo was I: you have been perſecuted, ſo was I: you have been ſcandalized, ſo was I: you have been killed, ſo was I. But to the reſt; You have bin uncharitable, ſo was not I: you have bin proud, ſo was not I: you have bin rebellious, covetous, luxurious, profane, intemperate; ſuch I never was my ſelfe, when I was a mortall man, ſuch I will not pardon now I am an immortall Iudge. Moſt men are now rather afraid of miſeries than of ſinnes; yet miſeries, not ſinnes, ſhall finde pitie at the day of Iudgement.

6. The horrour of the ſentence ſhall confound them: Depart from me, ye curſed, Mat. 25.41.Matt 25:41into everlaſting fire. Few words, but full of bitterneſſe. Depart from me, thoſe are the words of ſeparation: Ye curſed, the words of malediction: Into everlaſting fire, the words of deſolation: Prepared for the devill and his Angels, the words of dolefull exemplification. Depart from thee, O Chriſt? Why thou art all ſweetneſſe, all Ioy, all Peace, all Bleſſedneſſe, All in all; therefore to depart from thee, is the univerſall loſſe of all. Thou art the greateſt Good, therefore to bee deprived of Thee, is the greateſt evill. This Sentence is intolerable, and irrevocable. Firſt, intolerable;Dan. 5.6.Dan 5:6 if Belſhazzar was ſo confounded at a temporall p. 1250doome, which reached but to the loſſe of his Life and kingdome: what is it to loſe Eternall Life, and the Kingdome of Heaven? When Chriſt was to bee judged,Ioh. 18.6.John 18:6 he ſaid but, I am he; and his apprehenders were ſtricken downe with the word: How ſhall they be able to ſtand before him when he comes to judge, and ſhall ſay, I am he? He, whom you have contemned, abuſed, perſecuted, crucified, by your obſtinate rebellions? How will they looke then? Loe, theſe are the men, that neither regarded the Lords Promiſes, nor trembled, at his Iudgements,Ioh. 5.27.John 5:27 and now they are confounded at his ſentence. Secondly, it is irrevocable: here can be no appeale, for there is no higher Court. And whither ſhould they goe to complaine? To God, whoſe Spirit they have grieved? To the Angels, whoſe Miniſtery they have abuſed? To the Saints, whoſe Righteous Soules they have vexed?Iob 9.33.Job 9:33 Alas, There is no Vmpire, when God and man are at oddes. There can be no writ of errour to reverſe the Iudgement: but as Iſaac ſaid of Iacob, I have bleſſed him, and he ſhall be bleſſed: So will the Lord conclude upon the reprobates; I have curſed them, and they ſhall be curſed. This is a time of puniſhment, not of pardon. When we perſwade men to worke out their Salvation, by mortifying their ſenſuall luſts, by abridging their voluptuous appetites, by a peremptory and reſolute denying of themſelves, that ſo they may enter into Heaven by the ſtreight Gate; they anſwere us with our Maſters flinching followers,Ioh. 6.60.John 6:60 This is a hard ſaying: But did they conſider that finall Sentence upon the neglect of this; Goe, ye curſed, into everlaſting fire; they would finde, that that were a hard ſaying indeed.Heb. 3.7.Heb 3:7 To day if you will heare his voice, harden not your hearts: Otherwiſe at that day, your hearts ſhall melt at the voice you would not heare. For they ſhal tremble at the voice of his condemnation,Bern. that have ſhut their eares at the voice of his exhortation.

The Vſes. Matth. 8.29.Matt 8:291. This convinceth all unbeliefe, all heſitation concerning the certainety of this day of Iudgement: The deuils beleeve and tremble: are there any Chriſtians that come ſhort of the faith of devils? They object to Chriſt; Art thou come to torment us before our time? There is no time wherein thoſe evill ſpirits are not tormented: there is a time when they expect to be tormented yet more. They knew that the laſt Aſſiſes are the prefixed terme of their full execution: and this they alſo then underſtood not to be yet come. Though they knew not when the day of Iudgement ſhould be; (a point concealed from the glorious Angels of Heaven) yet they knew when it ſhould not be: and therefore can ſay, Before the time. Even the very loſt ſpirits confeſſe, and fearefully attend a ſet day of univerſall Seſſions: They beleeve leſſe than Devils, that either doubt of, or deny that day of Iudgement and finall retribution.

2. This teacheth all men to be afraid of this day. When a King comes in State, and with royall Equipage, into a Citie of his Kingdome, there to ſolemnize his nuptials, or to be feaſted by his Subjects; he ſalutes ſome, hee graceth others, he lookes and ſpeakes cheerefully to all: But when he comes againſt a Citie of Outlawes, that have ſhaken off the yoke of allegiance, and fortified themſelves within the wals of Rebellion; then fury ſparkles from his eyes, Death and Deſtruction flameth from his ſword. The firſt comming of Chriſt was to take a Bride, and therefore he appeared like a Bridegroome; manſuete and gracious to all; with Angels ſinging his nuptiall Anthemes: But his next comming will be againſt traitors,Ioh. 8.John 8 when his Countenance ſhall be as a flaming fire, and pitie ſhall be hid from his eyes. When the Phariſes brought the adultereſſe before Chriſt, he held his peace, but he wrote on the ground. God now is ſilent, and we thinke all ſafe: but he ſtill writes up all our arrerages againſt this day of Audite. When the Law was given to Iſrael, Moſes comforted them; Feare not, Exod. 20.20.Exod 20:20for God is come to prove you, and that his feare may be before you. What a charge was this? Feare not, and yet feare. Indeed this glorious appearing is dreadfull, while the Lord gives his Law: but feare not this ſo much, as that ſecond p. 1251appearing, when he ſhall call for an account of this Law.

3. Let us admire that wonderfull Patience of God, that to wicked men and ſpirits, reſpites the utmoſt of their torment, and forbeares it to the day of Iudgement. Hee might upon the firſt inſtant of the fall of Angels, have inflicted on them the greateſt extremity of his vengeance. He might upon the firſt ſinnes of our youth, yea of our Nature, have ſwept us away, and given us our portion in that firy lake: he ſtayes a time for both. Yet ſo much doth his merciemercy exceed to us loſt men, over it did to the loſt Angels; that he affords us not onelyonly a delay of puniſhment, but a faire conveniencie of utter prevention: which to the evill ſpirits is altogether denied. They doe ſuffer, they muſt ſuffer: and though they have now deſerved to ſuffer all they muſt, yet they muſt once ſuffer more than they doe.

4. What would a man give for a ſure friend at that day? One good friend is a good Conſcience; and happy is hee that hath that friend in a corner: for when all the corners of the world ſhall be on fire, this ſhall ſtand forth to plead for him. But the beſt friend of all, and without whom wee can have no friend at all, is the Iudge himſelfe. To make him on our ſide, let us now thinke no paines too great, no prayers too fervent. Let us trample under foot theſe ſinfull vanities; and ſhake them off quickly, as Paul did the Viper into the fire; leſt into the fire thoſe Vipers ſhake us. Let us proſtrate our ſelves before Chriſt in the loweſt degree of ſorrow and ſhame, with the ſame confuſion, wherewith an adulterous wife would in her penitence preſent her ſelfe to her injured huſband. Poure we out our teares at his feet, and ſay; Lord, though we be full of impietie, yet thou art more full of pitie: If wee confeſſe the one, wilt thou therefore deny the other? If our ſinnes be greater than they ought, yet thy mercies are not leſſer than they were wont. It could be no goodneſſe in us, that procured thee to make us, but even thy love. It was no merit in us, that did winne thee to redeeme us; but even thy MercieMercy. Sweet Ieſus, let that love which moved thee to make us, move thee alſo to ſave us: let that merciemercy which wonne thee to die for us, winne thee alſo to ſave our life. It is late enough, but yet not too late, to call for merciemercy: and why ſhould wee languiſh away in ſilence? As it is impoſſible that Chriſt ſhould forget the paſſions which he ſuffered; ſo it is not credible that he ſhould not have compaſſion on us for whom he ſuffered.