Life and Death, Sermon 4 – Title page 2

Life and Death · Sermon 4 – Title page 2

p. 262THE FOVRTH SERMON.

IVDES Epiſtle verſes 14.15.

Verſ. 14 Behold the Lord commeth with thouſands of Saints.

Verſ. 15. Togiue iudgment vponupon all men; and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all their wicked deeds, which they hauehave vngodlily committed; and of all their cruell ſpeakings, which wicked ſinners hauehave ſpoken againſt him.

THis prophecy was ancient; for he to whom this teſtimonie is aſcribed, was the ſeuenth from ADAM. And it is like, it either paſſed as Enocks, from hand to hand, p. 263by tradition, or was found, in the daies of the Apoſtles, extant in ſome booke bearing Enochs name. For the Iewes had ſome vnwritten truths which were profitable and good for inſtruction, and yet were not made articles or rules of faith to ſaluation. This prophecie of Enochs, and teſtimonie of Iudes might bee one: yet was it as common water, till it paſſed through the ſanctuarie. Ezech. 47.1. Till the Apoſtle Iude, or the holy Ghoſt by him ſet it down in ſcripture, it was to be receiued but as other truths, which are to hauehave their allowance from the booke of faith. But now that the Lord hath brought it into his treaſurie; among the other golden plates which beare (for letters of credence) the ſtampe of his Spirit, wee muſt take it for his owne coine and ſacred metall, diſtinguiſhing it from baſer metall that hath receiued but common impreſſion, and is marked with the finger of man. That which the Apoſtle would proue by this teſtimoni…, is, that thoſe ſeducers of Gods people, of whom he p. 264had ſpoken already in the fourth verſe, ſhould periſh, being fore-written to condemnation. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: God will giuegive iudgement to deſtruction, againſt all vngodly men: And of this number are theſe deceiuers. Therefore they alſo ſhall periſh and be damned. This is the Apoſtles drift in the allegation of the prophecie. Wherein, (to ſay nothing of the preface to it,) wee hauehave ſpeech of the laſt generall iudgement, ver. 14. and of the ends of the Iudges comming, ver. 15. In the firſt, the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the certaintie of the thing, and with what ſolemnitie it ſhall be performed? The ends of the Iudges comming are general, & ſurely as concerne, the wicked; firſt, in their deeds, whereof they ſhall be iudged; and ſecondly, in their words, for which they ſhall giuegive anſwere. In the certaintie of this laſt iudgement two things may bee conſidered: as firſt, who ſhall be Iudge, the Lord, and ſecondly, the manner of propounding this iudgement, in the word commeth. Hee that is iudge, is p. 265the Lord, to wit, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who ſhall hold the Court of aſsiſe in the clouds, and cite all nations before him with the ſound of the laſt trumpet. Hee ſhall be iudge, who is of pure eyes, and cannot behold euill: Habac. 1.13 Who iudgeth the world with righteouſneſſe, and his people with equitie: Pſa. 98 9. And who is gracious to his ſeruants, and terrible to Sinners.

From whence this point is taught; Doctr. that the day of the laſt iudgement is kept by Chriſt onelyonly, who will come both as a Sauiour, and as a Iudge; and in a day of as great ioy as may be, and feare as euer was. Chriſt himſelf ſaith, the father iudgeth no man. Ioh. 5.22. To wit directly, but by the ſonne, to whom he hath committed all iudgement: that is, to whom, onelyonly he hath giuen the hearing of the laſt day. Peter, in his Sermon to Cornelius and his company, ſaith as much, ſaying, that Chriſt is ordained of God a iudge of quicke and dead. Act. 10.42. His meaning is: it was the decree and will of God from eternitie, that Chriſt properly ſhould p. 266be iudge: and that hee ſhould condemne the world, who was condemned in the world, and ſaue his owne who died for his owne. And the Apoſtle Paul charging Timothy, by the charge of an adiuration, to preach the word; giueth him a commandement ſo to doe before God, and before Ieſus Chriſt: whom he deſcribeth by a proper effect, which is, that hee ſhall indge the quicke and dead, at his appearing and in his kingdome, that is, in that day of his great glorie. 2. Tim. 4.1. Alſo the ſame Apoſtle Paul telleth the men of Athens that God will iudge the world by that man, to wit, Chriſt, God and Man: whom hee hath appointed, or whom, by a decree elder then the world, hee hath made iudge. And hee (ſaith the Apoſtle) ſhall iudge the world in righteouſneſſe. Act. 17.31. Others may ſell iudgement, but he wil giuegive true iudgement, and execute iudgement with righteouſneſſe. Queſt. You will ſay: Muſt not the Father and holy Ghoſt be Iudges as well as Chriſt? Anſw. I anſwere, that p. 267iudgement is an action belonging to all the three perſons in Trinitie, but the execution of it is proper to the Sonne, by whom the Father and holy Ghoſt doe iudge the world. Queſt. But what ſay you, to thoſe places of Scripture, where it is ſaid that the Apoſtles ſhall ſit vponupon Thrones and iudge the tribes of Iſrael, Mat. 19.28. and that the Saints ſhall iudge the world? 1. Cor. 6.2. Anſw. I ſay that the authoritie of iudgement doth not belong either to Apoſtles or Saints: and that, in their manner of iudgement, they reſemble Iuſtices, who at an aſſiſe, are in a manner Iudges, and yet giuegive no ſentence, but onelyonly approue the ſentence that is giuen. The Iudges for the time, hauehave the whole authoritie; Iuſtices on the bench are but aſsiſtants and witneſſes. So (here) the definitiue iudgement is proper to Chriſt, who is Iudge himſelfe; The Saints and Apoſtles are not Iudges, but as Iudges, hauing no voices of authoritie but of aſſent. Thus it hath been ſhewed that Chriſt (onelyonly) is iudge, it muſt be further ſhewed p. 268that he is both a Sauiour, and a Iudge. Our conuerſation (ſaith the Apoſtle) is in heauen. He ſpeaketh of himſelfe and of the Saints, whoſe conuerſation and life is not carnall, but ſpirituall. And from thence, we (ſaith the ſame Apoſtle) that is, all the godly, looke for the Sauiour, meaning Chriſt the Lord, who is a Sauiour to the righteous, and a Iudge to the vngodly. Phil. 3.20. Alſo, the grace of God that hath appeared (as the bright ſunneſhine) in our ſaluation, teacheth vsus to liue ſoberly, righteouſly and godlily, as they that looke for the appearing of their Sauiour, Tit, 2.13. that is, for the comming of Chriſt, who will ſaue his people, and iudge the wicked and ſinners. So he is called the Sauiour of his bodie, which is the church, Epheſ. 5.23. becauſe at the laſt day, and at his laſt comming, hee will come as a Sauiour to it, as a Iudge to the enemies of it. And that this will be a terrible day to the wicked, and day of as great reiolcing to the righteous, appeareth in Pſal. firſt, & verſes 3. & 4. Where that p. 269Prophet, ſpeaking of the different eſtates of the godly and ſinners, in their apparances at the great Seſsions of the laſt iudgement, ſaith, that the leafe of the righteous ſhall not fade, but the chaffe of the vngodly, ſhall be driuen away. Chriſt ſaith that it ſhall be a day of ſuch tribulation to the vngodly men, that their hearts ſhall faile them for feare, when they thinke of it, or looke after it. Luke 21.26. But ſpeaking of and to the righteous, by ſhewing what manner day it ſhall bee to them, hee biddeth them (for the peace it bringeth, and ioy it promiſeth to all ſuch) to looke vp, and to liſt vp their heads; for it is the day of their redemption (ſaith he) draweth neere. ver. 28. And the Prophet Daniel aimeth at this, where ſpeaking of the diuers manners and ends of their riſing, who ſleep in the duſt of the earth, ſaith that ſome ſhall awake to euerlaſting life, ſome to ſhame and perpetuall contempt. Dan. 12.2. as if hee had ſaid; all the dead ſhall not hauehave a like reſurrection; p. 270for ſome ſhall be raiſed to life, ſome to condemnation, ſome ſhall hauehave a ioyfull, ſome a dreadfull riſing, to ſome it ſhall be a bitter day, to ſome their marriage day. Ioh. 5.29. Thus the righteous ſhall reioice when hee ſeeth the vengeance. Pſ. 58.10. But the ſtrange children ſhall ſhrinke away and feare in their priuie chambers. Pſ. 18.45. ſaying to the mountaines, fall vponupon vsus, and to the hils, couer vsus. The godly ſhall appeare with boldneſſe, comming before Chriſt, who will be their aduocate, not Iudge, except to acquit them and to giuegive them the crowne of righteouſneſſe. The wicked not ſo: for, the wicked ſhall not ſtand in iudgement, nor ſinners in the aſſemblie of the righteous. Pſal. 1.5. Thus the doctrine ſtandeth faſt, being proued in eueryevery part, particularly. Other reaſons may be giuen for further illuſtration. The reaſons. And firſt, there is great reaſon that Chriſt ſhould be Iudge himſelfe. For, he alone is the Sauiour: and therefore he alone muſt be Iudge. He that ſaueth his elect, muſt condemne the world. p. 271Secondly, he is the head of his Church to ſaue it from harmes, and to wring out the dregs of his wrath vponupon their heads that harme it. Eph. 5.23. Eſa. 63.1.2.6. And how can he thus deliuer his Church, if he be not her Sauiour, and thus be reuenged on his Churches enemies, if he be not there Iudge? Thirdly, it ſhall be a day of ioy vnſpeakable to the godly, and of terrour importable to the wicked. For, the godly ſhall meet the Lord in the 2 1. Theſ. 4.17.1 Thess 4:17aire. The fornace, that is appointed to purge the world, and to conſume ſinners, ſhall hauehave no power ouer ſuch, nor the ſmell of it come vponupon them. Dan. 3.27. The Iudge will be their Sauiour. The witneſſes, the Angels, the Saints, and the great inqueſt of all the creatures will cleere them. And, who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect. Rom. 8.33. The things that they ſhall be iudged off, are condemned in Chriſt; and the ſting of conuiction is departed from them to his death, who hath conquered all the power of the enemie. The tribunall, that face of it that is toward p. 272them, ſhall put off feare, and become a ſeſſion-houſe of merciemercy and of plentifull redemption. The ſentence pronounced ſhall ſend them to their houſes of ioy and bliſſe endleſſe, and their father will giuegive them the kingdome. Luc. 12.32. But, as the godly ſhal (thus) heare a moſt bleſſed ſentence of abſolution, ſo the wicked ſhall (then) heare their iuſt ſentence of ſeperation from God. Where all things ſhall make them to melt away with an horrible dread, and miniſter great matter of all feare and terrour in that day For firſt, it ſhall be a moſt fearefull thing to ſee and conſider the number of them without number, that ſhall run hither and thither to hide themſelues in the holes of the earth. The place & ground on which they muſt ſtand will be fearefull: for, it ſhall be all on a flaming fire. The Iudge will be fearefull: for, God is Iudge himſelfe. The things that they ſhall be iudged off will be fearefull: for, their ſecret and darke vngodlineſſe ſhall then (euerie thought of it) come to light, and be iudged in the p. 273ſight of fire, in the ſight of water, in the ſight of Angels, in the ſight of all the elements, in the ſight of men, and preſence of God, the Iudge of quicke and dead, on whoſe head are many crownes, and who is clothed with a garment dipt in blood Apoc. 19.11.13. The witneſſes will be fearefull, which will be their owne griping conſcience, and Gods all-ſeeing prouidence, the accuſing Angels, their offended brother, and millions of creatures abuſed by them. The bench will be fearefull; for, it ſhall be to them a tribunall of iudgment without merciemercy. The ſentence will be (if any thing) moſt fearefull, as that which ſhall proceed againſt al vnrighteous perſōs in the fearefull forme. Go ye accurſed into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the Deuil and his Angels. And the fire, that to which they are appointed, ſhall hauehave no end of feare. For this fire is a far other thing then the fire of the chimney, the fire of Gehenna, then materiall fire.

The vſes of this point concerne the godly, and ſinners. Vſe 1 It is comfortable to p. 274the godly that Chriſt ſhall be Iudge: and they who hauehave followed him in the regeneration, may lift their head to their redemption at hand when he commeth, who will iudge his people with equitie, that is, with ſauour. For he muſt be Iudge, who hath communicated to all his ſeruants the ſweete and louing names of his aaMar. 33.mother, ſiſters, brethren, bbCant. 4.9 10.11.12.Song 4:9ſpouſe, ccIohn. 15.14.15.John 15:14John 15:15friends. Now we are his mother if we beare him in the wombe of our hearts by faith, as Marie bore him in the wombe of her bodie. And we are his brethren and ſiſters, if we louelove him as brethren, and cheriſh him as ſiſters, in his weake and deſpiſed ſeruants among vsus. And if we keepe our ſelues to him alone by matrimoniall faithfulneſſe, we are his ſpouſe & wife. And, we are his friends, if we doe whatſoeuer he command vsus. We being theſe, and doing thus, what need we feare? for, if we be his mother, may we not come to him with as great boldneſſe and expectation of ſucceſſe, as did Bath-ſheba to Salomon, the naturall mother to her Sonne? 1. King. 2.19. p. 275If we be his ſpouſe, ſhall we feare to make him our Iudge, who is one with vsus in ſpirituall marriage, and by the eſpouſall of faith our husband and friend? or, will one kind brother, feare to make another his Iudge? Can he condemne vsus to death, who hath redeemed vsus from death eternall? He is our Iudge, who (alſo) is our aduocate at his fathers right hand, and maketh interceſſion for vsus. Art thou afraide that thy Iudge will be vnmercifull? O what a vaine feare is that, ſeeing he is thy Iudge, who condemned himſelfe to ſaue thee from iudgement? who emptied himſelfe for thy filling? beſtowed and ſpent himſelfe for thy reſtoring? and gaue his life, which paſſed out at all the gates of his bodic, for the life of thy ſoule? Can the ſentence be ſharpe that commeth from the throne of grace, in the hand of a Redeemer, from whom commeth ſaluation? or, will he, who ſtood at the barre to deliuer vsus, go vp to the bench, and ſit downe in the throne to condemne vsus? Rom. 8.1. or, ſhall we feare any longer when our p. 276aduocate is made our Iudge? And when he who came to ſaue vsus, may ſaue, or condemne?

But ſhall Chriſt bee iudge? Vſe 1 The other was not more comfortable to the Saints, then this ſhall bee terrible to vngodly ſinners. For what a hart-breaking will it bee to the wicked and death, beyond all kindes of death temporall, to ſee him who is their chiefe enemie, in chiefe place? What comfort can it bee to a couetous man or woman to be iudged by him, for auarice, who limited all his cares to the preſent day, and ſpake ſo much & earneſtly againſt the morrowes care? Or, to a proud perſon to hauehave him his Iudge, who humbled himſelfe as a child being God of maieſtie, and ſet the low doore of humilitie, before the courts of his fathers houſe? Or to fleſhly perſons to appeare at his barre of iudgement, whoſe whole life was lead in temperance, and commandement was, that we ſhould be ſober? Or to Whoremongers, and Adulterers (whom God will iudge. Heb. 13.4. to receiue p. 277ſentence of death or abſolution from his mouth, who (himſelfe) was born of a pure Virgin, and hath thoſe for his followers, who were not defiled with women. Apoc. 14.4. Or to the vnmercifull, to be tried by him, who when many dogges come about him, prayed for his perſecutors, ſaying; Father forgiue them they know not what they doe? Luke 23.34. Or to murtherers, to ſtand in his preſence, who being reuiled, reuiled not againe, whoſe comming was to ſaue the life and not to ſpill it. If thou hadſt a cauſe to be heard in ſome court of iuſtice, and it ſhould be told thee that the like in that very Court, had beene iudged againſt another that morning; wouldeſt thou not rather agree with thine Aduerſarie, then aduenture thy matter in that Court wherin, & the preſence of that Iudge before whom the very ſame matter had been already condemned in another mans caſe? Euen ſo then, ſeeing it is moſt certaine, that ſentence hath paſſed alreadie againſt all kindes of ſinnes and degrees of ſinners, as it is to bee p. 278ſeene in the aſsiſe booke of the word of God; Should not the wicked and ſinners dread to appeare, in their euils, and thoſe euils vnrepented of, before that terrible iudge, who hath already condemned to deſtruction ſo many millions of ſinners and reprobates, men, women, bond, and free? Should they not rather goe backe by confideration? Entreat the iudge by prayers of repentance? Submit by a better courſe? be reconciled by amendment? And pleaſe him by obedience who is Lord of all? Men muſt not thinke to ſinne, and to bee called to no account for their ſinnes, or to offer wrongs to their innocent neighbour, and not to ſuffer as wrong doers: For Chriſt is Iudge: And though all men were corrupt, and ſeates of iudgement partiall; yet there is a God that iudgeth right. A day will come, when Naboth ſhall hauehave his vineyard: when the Martyrs who loſt their liues ſhall finde them: and they who are railed on for the name of Chriſt, ſhall hauehave praiſe of their enemies. Chriſt will honour p. 279thoſe who hauehave honoured him, raiſe vp thoſe who died for him, reſtore thoſe ſummes which in deeds of charitie, and workes of merciemercy, hauehave been lent to him, and liberally reward thoſe who ſerued him. But for the wicked, though they were glorious in their life, and pompous in their death; they ſhall be nothing ſo in their riſing, and there ſhame ſhall come, when their iudgement commeth. He that hath ſo much pleaſure here, as to be clothed in purple, and to fare well and delicately eueryevery day, Luke 16.19. could not hauehave in hell torments, one drop of water to coole his tongue tormented in thoſe flames. verſ. 24. Neither could he hauehave the preſence of Lazarus for a moment, who cared not for the cry of Lazarus, when he was in his ruffe, and Lazarus in his ragges. ver, 26.29.31,

A reproofe of their madneſſe, Ʋſe 3 who goe on in ſinne impenitently, becauſe here they anſwere not for ſinne at the barre of man: either becauſe they hauehave great friends, or becauſe they p. 280hauehave a good purſe, or becauſe the Iudge is their friend; or becauſe the countrey will ſticke vntounto them. For what though no mortall Iudge condemne them? The righteous Iudge will. Though men execute partiall ſentence, hee who is iudge of all men, will execute righteouſneſſe in the clouds, from which there is no appeal. On earth, there are meanes to acquite and ſet free from bonds, and death, a guiltie priſoner, as, the abuſing of the Iudge, the corrupting of the witneſſes, acquaintance with the Iurors, fauour with the Sheriffe, and many ſuch ſhifts. The Iudge may bee deceiued by certaine pricks in the law that deſtroy iuſtice. But there are no ſuch, either pricks or points in that vndefiled law by which both quicke and dead ſhall be iudged; The witneſſes cannot be ſtopt: For, the booke of our conſciences will not lie, and that booke of euidence which God himſelfe keepeth, cannot. The Iurors (the creatures) are the Lords ſeruants to whom they ſhall giuegive glorie in their true and p. 281honeſt verdicts, not reſpecting the arme of fleſh, or face of man. No perſwaſions or windings will then ſerue; For God is iudge himſelfe, and his Sherifs are the mighty Angels of his preſence: The high acts of God are in their mouth, and a two edged ſword is put in their hands to execute vengeance vponupon the heathen, and corrections among the people. Pſal. 149.6.7. Or, if the Sherifs, Iurors, and witneſſes could be corrupted with mony (which were vnſpeakeable folly to thinke of) what ſhal we hauehave to giuegive them, when all ſhal be deſtroyed with fire? And for fauour: how can we looke for any in a day, not of merciemercy, but of iudgement? Further, to auoide an earthly ſentence, we plead an appeale or retraction: but here can be no appeale: For, all appeales are to an higher. But what Iudge is higher then God, or court aboue this of the laſt day? And for reuerſing of iudgement once giuen, there is as little hope. For, there ſhall not be any more ſitting or ſecond iudgement. Let vsus not think then (becauſe p. 283wee can eſcape mans ſentence) that no ſentence to come, ſhall condemne vsus. Or that there is no iudgement, but mans iudgement, or Iudge, but man. For where men end, God begins; and where men are partiall, he will doe iuſtice. Here men breake the Sabbath and are drunken, here they whore, and ſweare, and deceiue, and doe vilely, and anſwere not vntounto men for theſe riots of ſinne Shall they therefore goe free? O nothing leſſe, hereafter they ſhall anſwere them, and in hell pay dearely for them, except they repent. So much for the perſon of the Iudge, the manner of propounding the iudgement followeth.

Commeth with, &c.] The tenſe or time, that the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in, noteth the certaintie; or, (as I may ſay) preſentneſſe of the Iudges comming. Where he vſeth the time preſent, for the future, he commeth, for he wil come. And this is to teach vsus, that a iudgement wil, and muſt (moſt certainly) be. So it is ſaid that the great day of the Lords wrath is come. Apoc. 6.17. Not p. 282will come, but is come: as if that had beene come a thouſand and ſiue hundred yeeres a goe that is not come yet. The like ſpeech we hauehave in the 13. of Eſay and ninth verſe, when it was further off. In the time of the Prophet Zephanie it is ſaid to be neere. Zeph. 1.14. and Malachi, another Prophet, and the laſt of the Prophets, ſpeaketh (as Enoch here,) it commeth. Peter ſaith it is at hand, though no man can ſhew the fingers of this hand. 1. Pet. 4.7. Chriſt ſaith, he commeth ſhortlie. Apoc. 3.11. nay, that he ſtandeth at the doore, as if he were come already. verſe 20. And indeed, as the day will moſt ſurely come, ſo it cannot be long in comming. It is not in the fadome of mans head to tell, or heart to know how neere or farre off the day is; onelyonly God knoweth, and Chriſt as God, in what yeere, month, and day, this frame ſhall goe downe. In an age long ſince, the day was neere, now the houre is neere. But curioſity is to be auoided in a concealed matter, and in this forbidden tree of knowledge. It is ſufficient p. 284for vsus to know that ſuch a day will come, and it ſhall be our wiſdome, alwayes to be ready for it, that it come not vponupon vsus, as the ſnare vponupon the bird. The reaſons of the certainetie of this day of iudgement, are. Firſt, it is the will and decree of God; for, the Apoſtle ſaith: He hath appointed a day in the which hee will iudge the world in righteouſneſſe. Act. 17.31. Now the wil and decree of God is vnchangeable. His counſell ſhall ſtand Eſa. 46.10. Secondly, it is an article of our faith grounded on the word of God. But the articles of our faith are all certaine, and moſt certaine. Thirdly, the ſcripture ſaith that God will make manifeſt euerie mans worke, and iudge the ſecrets of men. Eccleſ. 12.14. Luc. 8.17. Rom. 2.16. This is not done here: and here many matters are cloked and carried in a miſt, that deſerue iudgement and merit condemnation. Therefore, and that God may be iuſt in his ſayings, there muſt be a ſeſſions of gaol-deliuery, which we call, with the ſcriptures, the iudgement of the laſt day. p. 285Fourthly, the godly doe here groane vnderunder many miſeries, and the vngodly wallow in delights: the rich liue delicately, and Lazarus is in paine: therefore, is it neceſſary (as it is certain) that a day ſhould come wherein the Lord may make knowne his righteouſneſſe, and magnifie his iuſtice before his glorious throne: that they who hauehave liued merrily, diſhonouring God, might liue in torments of fire; and they whoſe life hath beene miſerable, ſeruing the Lord, might be comforted for euer. Some hauehave offended deepely, and hauehave not beene touched by the Magiſtrate, ſome hauehave ſuffered great rebuke, ſomtimes death, deſeruing fauour: therefore a day muſt come, and is appointed, wherein the Lord, that is iuſt, will recompence tribulation to all that hauehave troubled the righteous, and to ſuch as were troubled by them, reſt. 2. Theſ. 1.6.7. On the other ſide, would it not be hard for the godly, who here hauehave endured the croſſe, for the ioy that was ſet before them, if there ſhold not come a time of refreſhing from p. 286God? and would it not too much indu… rate the wicked, who drinke iniquity as water, if they ſhould eſcape all puniſhments and vengeance, here, and after death. Fiftly, this is ſhadowed out in that houſholder, who, when euen was come, called the Labourers, and gaue eueryevery man his hire and pennie. Math. 20.8.10. And, if a wiſe Maſter will reckon with his ſeruants: Math. 25.19. ſhall we thinke that the wiſeſt will not (one day) reckon with ſinners, and call them before him for his money, that is, precious graces of wit, learning, authoritie, wealth, and other ontward and inward ornaments of life, which they hauehave conſumed on their luſts? Sixtly, eueryevery wicked mans conſcience doth, by a trembling feare, as in Felix, at one time or another, iuſtifie this point of a iudgmēt to come. Act. 24, 26. And, therefore, as the flood of waters once drowned the world, except a few who were ſaued in the arke: Gen. 7 1.7.2. Pet. 2.5. So it is certain that the flood and tempeſt of the laſt daies fire ſhall burne it, and all in it, except ſuch as Chriſt hath, p. 287or wil (then) gather into the little arke of his Church. In the euening of this world, and when there ſhall be no more time, he will call the labourers before him, giuing them the pennie or pay of euerlaſting life; but for the idle and loiterers, forth of the vineyard and out of Chriſt, he will let them goe with ſinners to the place prepared for them: as they hauehave liued without the Church or idlie in it; ſo when the labourers receaue their pennie, they ſhall heare; depart from mee ye that worke iniquitie, I know you not. Math. 7.23. Thus it is proued, not onelyonly to be certaine, but neceſſarie that there ſhould be a iudgment.

But ſome will ſay: Queſt. ſeeing men come to their account at their death, what needeth any other day of audit or hearing?

I anſwere; Anſw. Men at their death receiue but priuate iudgement; here they ſhall receiue publike ſentence: Then, they are iudged in their ſoules onelyonly, here they ſhall bee iudged in ſoule and bodie: that is, but a cloſe p. 288Seſsions, that an open or ſolemne aſſiſe. There, much of their ſhame is hid, here they ſhall be ſhamed to the full. And if our owne lawes doe not condemne, and execute malefactors in priſon, but for their greater ſhame, in open place, and manner: It is great reaſon that wicked ſinners ſhould not priuately in their graues, as in priſon, bee iudged and led to execution, but be brought to the publike ſcaffold and barre of ſolemne feſsion, there to receiue their ſhame and ſentence together; and not to bee executed by a cloſe death in the goale but be broght forth to ſuffer vponupon the high ſtage of the world, in the ſight of Saints and Angels, where all eyes may ſee them.

But is not Chriſt iudge in this life? Queſt. And is there not a iudgement begun here?

Indeed, Anſw. there is a iudgement begun already, a iudgement that goeth before this of the laſt day. For God hath erected, in the conſiſtorie of euerie mans heart, a certaine iudgement ſeat, where conſcience is iudge. The wicked p. 289ſecurely deſpiſe, or ſcornefully deride this iudge and iudgement ſeat: but it giueth them many ſecret gripes, though they profit not by them. Oftentimes, Gods children themſelues, becauſe that the noiſes and ſounds that the ring of the world maketh in them, doe too much neglect theſe loude cals of their conſciences to amendment of life. But this is the iudgement that the Lord beginneth here, with which they muſt well bee acquainted, who meane to ſtand before Chriſt the iudge at the laſt day. And this, one well compareth to our quarter-Seſsions, which are kept for mulcts, and meddle not in matters of life and death, as Seſsions of goale deliuerie doe. For in this mid-ſpace betweene theſe Seſsions, and that day of aſſiſe, the Lord executeth a kind of iudgement among his houſhould people and enemies, by taking his grace from his ſeruants for a ſeaſon, from the wicked for euer; Or, by taking ſomething from his children that they loued to much and did hurt them, and p. 290that from the wicked that they ſeemed to hauehave. The firſt, to prepare the righteous for a better world, the other, to make the wicked readie for the ſentence of their laſt and iuſt damnation begunne in this world. That we may be fitted for this comfortable meeting of the Lord in the ayre, and not liue in ſinne, as thoſe workers of iniquitie do…, vponupon whom theſe mid-Seſsions hauehave paſſed ſentence, binding them ouer to the cloſe ſeſsions of their death, or more publike aſsiſe of the laſt day, when all priſons muſt be rid, and graues emptied; let vsus not ſleightly paſſe ouer thoſe ſeuerall penalties that the Lord inflicteth at his quarterſeſſions in the twitches of our conſcience for ſome good omitted, or euill done: But when he thus calleth vsus, let vsus anſwere, here am I. A learned Father compareth conſcience (which is the knowledge that we hauehave with our ſelues of ſome good or euill) to water in a Well, which, when it is troubled, ſheweth no image of any face, but waxing cleare, doth. So if p. 291we ſuffer this chriſtall of our conſcience to bee mudded with foule treſpaſſes of habit or impenitencie, wee ſhall neuer ſee our naturall face in it, neither perceiue how deadly we ſinne againſt God and our owne ſoules: Where if we purge daily for our daily offences, and greatly for our greater ſinnes; if we hauehave an eye alway to the Lord and his proceedings in vsus, making good vſe of thoſe priuie & ſecret pinches that our conſciences giuegive vsus, when we doe amiſſe; wee ſhall in ſo cleare a fountaine of our good conſcience (as in a true glaſſe) behold with ſanctified profit, the many faultes of our life, and ſo the ſooner and more conueniently bee humbled for them. Or, if when our conſciences reproue vsus of our waies, wee liſten vntounto them, and make preſent good vſe of the ſtrokes of our heart for euill deedes, and that, while we be tender and ſenſible of ſinne; wee ſhall auoide the plague of a fooliſh heart, or heart paſt feeling, Epheſ. 4.19. and not goe deſperately on with bold ſinners, in the p. 292way that leadeth to deſtruction. Thus may wee profit greatly by the iudgement that is begunne in vsus, in theſe mulcts of our conſciences or mid-hearings, preparing vsus, with comfort, to the hearing of the laſt day.

A confutation of all Atheiſts, Vſe 1 whether Atheiſts in iudgement, or in life Atheiſts, who deny the iudgement to come, or liue as if there ſhould bee none. Of ſuch we reade, who ſlandering the footeſteps of Chriſts comming, ſaid; where is the promiſe of that day? 2. Pet. 3.4. that is, what is become of it, and of all this talke about it? So there were in Eſay, who ſaid, when they heard of ſuch a day. Let him make ſpeed, let him haſten his worke, that wee may ſee it; as if they ſhould hauehave ſaid; if it ſhall bee at all, let it be now. Or, he had need to haſten it, if we ſhall beleeue it. Eſay 5.19. And in Amos time there was a large fellowſhip of theſe mates, who put the euill day, the day of their death and iudgement which they called euill, farre off. Amos 6.3. But hauehave we p. 293none of this knot and conſpiracie in our own time? Yes, too many: whom I leaue to the merciemercy of God to be amended; or, as the droſſe of the earth, to bee conſumed with the fire of his comming, who will come with fire and his chariots like a whirlewinde. Eſay 66.15.

A reproofe of their ſecuritie, Vſe 2 who by certaine ſlumbering delaies and puttings off, walke in no reuerence of the Lords comming, or remembrance of their owne death. For the yong man preſumeth that he ſhall liue long, and the oldeſt, that he may liue one yeare longer. But knowing theſe terrours of the Lord, what care ſhould bee in vsus, preſently to ſet our houſe and nature in ſome good order for the comming of Chriſt the iudge, or for our own laſt end, in which we ſhall be iudged? 2. Cor. 5.11. Schollars who come to render to their Maſter the leſſon or part giuen them, doe it not without feare: and ſhall we not feare to thinke of that day in which wee muſt giuegive account to Chriſt the iudge p. 294for all the things that hee hath put in our hand and keeping? When Paul willed the men of Athens to repent, it was vponupon this ground that the Lord had appointed a day wherein hee would iudge the world in righteouſneſſe. Act. 17.31. As if he had ſaid; yee ſhall be ſure to be iudged; and therefore, repent. And yet wee liue in ſinne, and our hearts are not turned. If we were ſure that Chriſt would come to iudgement the next May day: what an alteration would it worke in many of vsus? and how would it change vsus, and moue vsus? who would ſet his heart vponupon riches? who would deceiue and oppreſſe? who would ſpend ſo much in apparell, and ſo many daies in vanitie? who durſt be drunke? who durſt ſweare, and lie, and commit adulterie? what would become of our May-games, dauncing greenes and bowres, and ſuch conuenticles of ſpirituall fugitiues from God on his Sabbaths? who would not (rather) paſſe the time, that remaineth, in Gods ſeruice? and run to ſermons? and reade p. 295and pray deuoutly? and beſtow good houres well, and not ſpend time in chambering and wantonneſſe? But we are not ſure that that day ſhall tarrie till May next. And we know not that Chriſts day will come, this weeke, or the next, or this preſent day and houre, or while I am ſpeaking of it: and yet we walke in as great ſecurity, and as deſperately in ſinne, as if we were certaine it would not come in our time. If we heare a ſudden crie of fire, fire, we are aſtonied out of meaſure: and yet hearing by our Preachers (the Lords trumpets) ſo many and fearefull threatnings by the word, concerning the fires of hell and iudgement, when, not a few houſes, but the whole world ſhall burne like an ouen, we are not moued. Euerie one (almoſt) will giuegive his beſt helpe for the quenching of a materiall fire: but who regardeth to ſaue himſelfe, or to preſerue others from the vnquenchable fire of hell, and terrible fire of the Lords comming, that will moſt certainely, (we know not how ſoone) flame out to p. 296the burning of this great Sodom of the Earth, in the which the heauens ſhal paſſe away with a noiſe, the elements ſhall melt with heat, and all things corruptible ſhall be diſſolued moſt ſpeedily, as if they did flee away? 2. Pet. 3.10. Apoc. 20.11. Chriſt, euen now, ſtandeth at the doore of thy Chriſtian heart, to wit, as a gueſt and ſtranger that would be entertained. Apoc. 3.20. and thou by continuing in ſinne, denieſt to receaue him. He threatneth by the law, he reproueth by the law, and condemneth by it all impenitent ſinners. By theſe he knocketh erneſtly and crieth vehementlie at the dore of thy heart to open vntounto him: and wilt thou tarrie till by thy death he breake in, or by his particular comming? If a great man ſhould knocke at our doore, what ſtirring would there bee to receiue him preſently, and as is me…te? Is there any greater or more worthy gueſt then Chriſt, who knocketh, by the miniſterie of the Goſpell, at the gate of our heart, who reacheth forth the hand of his threatnings, to beate vponupon our p. 297conſciences day and night, that we might turne with all ſpeed, which is our opening to the ſonne of God: and ſhall we giuegive him no entrance after ſo long a time of waiting at our hearts for our conuerſion? A great man will not be ſo abuſed: and ſhall we thinke that the mighty God will take it well, that, after ſo many knockings and long ſtanding without, he ſhould finde no dore of admiſſion into vsus, or opening by vsus, and ſhould ſtill be deferred and put off? or can theſe daies long continue, wherein charity is waxen ſo cold, and faith ſo ſcant? In men there is not the mercy that hath beene. No man (almoſt) will ſpeake in a good cauſe without a fee, and without a gift in the hand there is no hearing for it. Sinne ranckleth in the boſome, and ratleth in the bones of the inueterate adulterer. The aged drunkard pleadeth vntounto and preſcribeth for his ſinne, wrong ſentence is good iudgement in ſome earthly courts. And, men hold their peace of theſe things, but will God doe ſo? will not p. 298he ſpeake? will he keepe ſilence for euer? will he not by the writ of his laſt great ſeſſions, remoue all theſe matters to his owne court of audience ſhortly? Let vsus not therefore too much preſume, or thinke that God is like vsus becauſe he holdeth his tongue while we doe ſuch things: for, he will reproue vsus, and ſet them in order before vsus. Pſ. 50.21.

But muſt a iudgement bee? Ʋſe 3 Let vsus then (while we are here) vſe all good meanes for abating the edge and ſeueritie of this iudgement toward our ſelues. And that we may not enter vponupon the ſharpe of it, it ſhall bee good to practiſe that leſſon of the Apoſtle, where hee telleth vsus that if wee would iudge our ſelues, we ſhould not be iudged. 1. Cor. 11.31. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: if we would examine our ſelues of our ſinnes, confeſſe them before God the Iudge, giuegive ſentence againſt them, or (as a iudge vponupon the bench) condemn them, and our ſelues for them, wee ſhould not come into condemnation. Or, if we would iudge our ſelues, God p. 299would not iudge vsus: and if wee would condemne our ſelues God would deliuer vsus. For wee ſhall not receiue a double iudgement, nor double ſentence from him that iudgeth righteouſly. When Dauid iudged himſelfe, God forgaue him. 2. Sa. 12.13. When Iob confeſſed againſt himſelfe, God accepted him. Iob. 42.6.8. and when the loſt ſonne came vntounto himſelfe, the father preſently receiued him. Luk. 15.17.18.19 20. So ſhall it be with vsus in the day of Chriſt, if we will (accordingly) humble our ſelues in our day. With earthly Iudges, the more is confeſſed by a malefactor, the worſe it may be for him: but, ſo is it not with Chriſt the Iudge. For, the more wee aggrauate our faults, the more will he leſſen them; the more wee lay vponupon them, the more will hee take from them; the more wee miſlike them, the leſſe will hee iudge them. Let vsus learne then to auoide the common faſhion and errour of the world, in leſſening, hiding, excuſing, and iuſtifying of our faults, becauſe wee would not p. 300bee ſhamed nor condemned here. For here we muſt be aſhamed, if hereafter wee would not take ſhame: and here we muſt be condemned, if hereafter we would not bee condemned of the Lord. And better now ſuffer a little, that is, in this life, then (after it) ſuffer with ſinners, in torments and woe endleſſe. So much for the certaintie of the iudgement, it followeth to ſhew with how great a traine and ſolemnitie it ſhall be performed.

With thouſands of Saints, &c.] Or with his holy thouſands. Theſe thouſands of Chriſt are the royall hoaſt of his Angels, and the glorious company of his Saints, all which ſhall attend their Lord vntounto iudgement. The meaning is, that Chriſt ſhall bee brought with great glorie and attendance to the throne of his laſt Seſſions. The doctrine is: Doctr. The ſecond comming of Chriſt ſhall be manifeſt, and will bee glorious. Daniel the Prophet, hath a ſingular place for this purpoſe, where ſpeaking of God the Father, & Chriſt his Sonne, and of their ſtate and magnificence p. 301which was, that they ſate in thrones, ſhining bright like the flame of a fornace, and therefore called thrones of fire, the wheeles of which were as burning fire; Dan. 7.9. He ſaith that the ancient of daies, meaning Chriſt, who is the ſame and his yeares ſhall not faile, Heb. 1.12. ſate on his throne, where thouſand thouſands miniſtred vntounto him; and ten thouſand thouſands ſtood before him, or attended vponupon him. ver. 10. al which is ſpoken, to ſhew, with what a Court of attendance, and traine of glorie, Chriſt ſhall (as it were) bee brought to the hall and iudgement place at the laſt great day. And further, to make manifeſt ſo ſolemne a Seſſion, it is added, that the bookes ſhall be opened: meaning chiefely by theſe bookes, as Saint. Iohn doth. Apoc. 20.12. the booke of Life, which is the booke of the law written, and the booke of conſcience in eueryevery mans heart. The booke of the law ſheweth what we ſhould hauehave done, and the booke of conſcience what we hauehave done. And againſt theſe p. 302there is no exception. For the booke of the law, is a booke of commandements, that are all holy and righteous, Pſal. 19.9. And the booke of conſcience a booke of euidence that cannot lie. He that is iudged by it, is iudged by a booke that was euer in his owne keeping, and is written with his own hand: and how can that bee falſified? For God will iudge no man by another mans conſcience, but by his own. So manifeſt and glorious ſhall Chriſts comming be. Saint Paul ſpeaking of this ſecond comming of Chriſt, ſheweth that it ſhall be manifeſt. For, hee ſaith, it ſhall be with a ſhout. 1. Theſ. 4.16. Meaning by it, aloud and vehement crie, ſuch as Mariners nake, who doing ſome buſineſſe in the ſhip, make a very ſtrong and common ſhout. And this is further ſhewed by that which followeth of the trumpet the ſhrilleſt and lowedeſt of all muſicall inſtruments. The Euangeliſts ſpeaking of the ſame comming of Chriſt, vntounto iudgement, ſay: it ſhall bee glorious. There words are: The Sonne of Man p. 303ſhall come in his glorie, and all the holy Angels with him. Mat. 25.31. Mar. 8.38. Mat. 16 27. Or, the Sonne of Man ſhall come in a cloud with power & great glorie. Luk. 21.27. Their meaning is; that, as at the ſetting forth of his Goſpell, all the hoaſt of heauen did aſsiſt him: ſo comming to reuenge and viſit for the contempt of that ſame Goſpell, all his Saints, Angels, and ſeruants ſhall attend vponupon him. As (therfore) earthly Iudges are brought with great pompe and terrour to the hall or place of ſitting, the Sheriffe, the Iuſtices, and many other gentlemen attending them to the court, and the halbards going before: So (here) the ſonne of God, the great Iudge, is ſaid to come with his holy thouſands: whoſe Sheriffe is, powers, principalities, thrones, and dominions, whoſe followers are the Patriarkes, and Prophets, with the twelue Apoſtles, and with Diſciples innumerable, whoſe guard are the Angels, and not a few bil-men, whoſe troupes are the bleſſed Martyrs, the fourtie p. 304and foure thouſand who hauehave his fathers name written in their forheads. Apoc. 14.1. Whoſe throne is of fire, and ſeate of burning Iaſper, whoſe garments are (not of ſcarlet) but of vengeance, whoſe head is like wooll, and feete like vntounto ſine braſſe, and voice as the ſound of many waters. Apoc. 1.13.14, 15. Thus ſhall his comming be manifeſt, and thus will his perſon be glorious, who ſhall come to iudge the world. The reaſons. There muſt be a difference between Chriſts firſt comming in the fleſh, and ſecond comming to iudgement. Now, his firſt comming was baſe, therefore his ſecond comming muſt be glorious. His firſt was obſcure, his ſecond therefore muſt be manifeſt. In the firſt, he came into the world, in the ſecond he comes againſt it. His firſt was to receiue iudgement, his ſecond is to giuegive iudgement. His firſt, in merciemercy, his ſecond with rebuke. Then, he came as a ſeruant, poore and without ſhew, but now he commeth as the mighty God with power and great glorie. Tit. 2.13. And, if Iudges of aſſiſe doe not p. 305aſcend to their ſeats of iudgmēt, but (as we hauehave ſaid) with great ſtate & ſolemnity: ſhal we think that the Lord of the Angels, & iudge of man wil go meanly attended) to his tribunall in the clouds? 2. Chriſts ſecond cōming is to cōdemn̄ the world, & to caſt fear in the face of eueryevery ſinner. It is requiſite (therfore) it ſhould be with power, & with ſignes of power. 3. Chriſt ſhall hauehave, at his cōming, all that may ſet forth the ſtate & roialtie of ſuch a King. Now, a part this glorie is in the attendants about his perſon. For in the multitude of the people is the honor of the King, ſaith Salomon, Pro. 14.28. Therefore, ſhal his day be manifeſt, & his comming glorious.

A confutation of their madnes who think with their multitudes (as Giants here) to put Chriſt out of countenance, Vſe 1 & Chriſts ſeruants out of heart. For, what are their numbers to Chriſts thouſands? nay, what are they al to one Angell, and what a nothing to thoſe troups of Angels, who ſhal come with him frō heauen, & now ſtand about his throne in heauē? Euen they who band the world to reſiſt Chriſt (notwithſtanding p. 306that they boaſt ſo much of their thouſands, whom they hauehave numbred againſt religion) ſhall know one day, and may know within few daies, that there is no health but vnderunder his wings whom they hauehave defied. For, what ſaith the Lord to ſuch Aſſyrian Spoilers? gather on heapes and yee ſhall be broken: gird your ſelues and yee ſhall be broken in peeces, ſo ſaith the Lord, and he ſaith it twiſe, becauſe it is ratified, and God will doe it. Eſa 8.9. They were many againſt a few, and heapes of men, to there here and there a man, yet did they ſtumble, and fall, and were broken, and ſnared, and taken, verſe 15. look Nahum. 2.1. 2. 13. & Ioel 3.9.11. There was a conſpiracie of Kings againſt Chriſt, and Dauid prophecied of a world of kingdomes that ſhould bee againſt him: and yet what could they doe againſt him? put him to death? and he roſe from death, tread him downe, by his owne ſufferance and will, for a little while? and he is King for euer; Iudge him here? and he will be their iudge at p. 307his terrible comming. Pſ. 2.2.3.4.

But, Vſe 2 will Chriſt come with ſuch power, and ſignes of power? then how terrible ſhall his comming be to preſumptuous and vnrepentant ſinners? what will become of vnpardoned ſwearers, drunkards, whooremongers, breakers of the ſabbath, liars, ſlaunderers, and ſuch ſinners, at that great day of the Lords comming? whether will they runne to ſaue themſelues? and into what holes of the earth to hide themſelues? how will they reſiſt Chriſt who commeth ſo ſtrong againſt them? and if they muſt yeeld vntounto him, (as is without queſtion they muſt,) how will they abide the rebukes of his comming? If the people could nor endure his glorie when he deſcended on mount Sinai, in a ſtorme of fire, in tempeſt, thunder, and darkneſſe, but fled and ſtood a farre off. Exod. 20.19. And if the ſight was ſo terrible, that Moſes himſelfe ſaid, I feare and quake. Heb. 12.21. (And yet Chriſt came then but to giuegive the law as Mediatour, not to viſit for p. 308it as Iudge:) how ſhall his deſpiſers ſtand before his great glorie and ſecond comming, when he ſhall burne with wrath, ſtirring vp himſelfe like a man of Warre, till the houſes of pride, and children of diſobedience bee deſtroyed for euer? Or, if the brethren of Ioſeph could not tell what to ſay vntounto him, becauſe of one treſpaſſe againſt him. Gen. 45.3. What ſhal theſe baſtard brethren ſay to this glorious Ioſeph, our brother, their Iudge, for innumerable contempts and treſpaſſes wherewith they hauehave pierced him, being not ouer one kingdome only, and vnderunder an higher, as Ioſeph ouer Egypt, and vnderunder Pharao, but ouer all the kingdomes of the world? And if they who came to take Chriſt (being a well prouided company) when he himſelfe was not countenanced with worldly meanes to reſiſt, and was onelyonly followed by a few vnarmed men, fell to the earth, after he but ſpake vntounto them, Ioh. 18.6. how ſhall they fall back, or (rather) altogether flat vponupon their faces with horrible feare, who ſhal come p. 309qu…uering before him, not attended (as then) with eleuen Apoſtles (onelyonly) but with thouſands of his Saints: nor meanely furniſhed, but gloriouſly arrayed; not ſpeaking gently, whom ſeek yee? But threatning ſharpely, and ſaving roundly; Depart from me ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels? Mat. 25.41. If men ſhould pitch againſt vsus, we would feare with the ſeruant who ſaid, Alas Maſter, what ſhall wee doe? 2. King. 6.15. We would more feare if many Kings ſhould ioine to make an hoaſt againſt vsus. Yet the power of men might be forced, yea, the power of Princes: but if an Angell ſhould come againſt vsus, as ſometimes againſt Balaam, with a drawne ſword, Num. 22.23. Who can compell an Angell to returne to heauen? What then, when mighty troupes of Angels ſhall threaten the world at Chriſts comming? Who ſhall daunt ſo ſtrong a power, the ſtrong power of the Angels, when they ſhall keep their march in the aire, and profeſſe to rebuke the vngodly p. 310and ſinners that ſhall be turned into hell, with all that forget God? The Sunne, Moone, and Starres (that neuer ſinned) cannot endure this wonderfull, and aſtoniſhing maieſtie of the Sonne of God; and therefore ſhall, by a kinde of bluſhing darkneſſe, preſently looſe their light and glorie: and ſhall the race of men, that hauehave beene ſuch ſinners, and ſtand not in any borrowed corruption (as thoſe heauenly lights doe) but in their proper tranſgreſſion and filthineſſe, appeare without ſhame, and without the confuſion of their faces before Chriſt the iudge of all fleſh at that day? nay, if the ſea and waters, not infected by their owne, but by mans ſinne, ſhall (then) roare and cry out becauſe of thoſe things which ſhall come on the world, Luk. 21.25.26. How ſhall the wicked roare out for the diſquietneſſe of their harts, and how ſhall the vngodly and ſinners feare and be troubled, who hauehave ſtained themſelues and caſt into the world thoſe defilings that cannot bee waſhed but with a floud of fire?

p. 311A comfort to the righteous. For, Vſe 3 ſhall Chriſts comming bee glorious? then they ſhall not bee without their honour, whom Chriſt will bring with him, and whom hee will make to ſit with him on thrones in the ayre. The Iudges of aſsiſe hauehave much honour: And therefore the Iuſtices that ſit with them, ſit downe on an honourable bench. So Chriſt being exalted; Shall not his Saints reioice? When Dauid was made King, all Dauids children ſate neere the throne, though not in the throne. His ſonnes were the kings ſonnes, and the poſteritie he had, the Kings children. Thus Dauids honour honoured thoſe that come of him. And ſuch honour hauehave all the Saints. Such? Nay greater. For they all are Kings, & all ſit on thrones, who come with Chriſt. 1. Cor. 6.2. More is ſpoken of this in the next doctrine.

But the Saints are a part of Chriſts company & attendance, that is, he will bring them with him when hee commeth to giuegive iudgement againſt the world of the vngodly. Doctr. From whence p. 312we learne, that the faithull (though deſpiſed here) ſhall hauehave the honour from Chriſt, at his comming, to bee companions with him in the laſt Seſſions. This is the prerogatiue of the Saints, and their proper glorie. They ſhall meet Chriſt in the clouds, and raigne with him for euer in heauenly places. When the wicked ſhall ſtand vponupon the earth, as vponupon a burning floore, the fire flaming high about their cares, they ſhall bee receiued into fellowſhip, with Chriſt, and then ſhall the iudgement begin. The Prophet aimed at this, Pſa. 50.4 5Ps 50:4who ſpeaking of this great day of the Lords comming, ſheweth whom the Lord would call vntounto it, either to ſtand before him as witneſſes, or to be ioined with him as companions. The witneſſes are heauen and earth. They, whom Chriſt will hauehave in company with him, are the Saints. And therefore hee ſaith, Gather my Saints together vntounto mee. Pſal. 50.5. Math. 24.31. As if hee had ſaid: Let heauen and earth come to iudgement, but let my elect p. 313come to the bench. And Dauid ſpeaking of the Saints glorified, doth not ſet them in the outward courts of Gods houſe, but in the preſence, Pſal. 16.11. In thy preſence, ſaith hee, that is, in place where thou art. This is reſembled in the Lambes ſtanding on mount Sion, and in thoſe hundred fourtic and foure thouſand that were with him, hauing his fathers name written in their forheads. Apoc. 14.1. For by the Lamb is meant Chriſt, and by the hundred fourty and foure thouſand, the company of the Saints who ſhall be with Chriſt. So, in the Ʋirgens that went to meete the Bridegroome: Math. 2….1. But more ſpecially in thoſe, who being ready, when the Bridegroome went in, went in with him to the wedding, ver. 10. But the Apoſtle S. Paul ſpeaketh plainely, and not in a figure, where, ſpeaking of the great honour that the Saints ſhall hauehave in the ſight of the damned, he ſaith: They ſhall be caught vp in the cloudes and meet Chriſt in the aire. 1. Theſ 4 17. And addeth, So they ſhall euer be with the Lord. The p. 314meaning is, and it is as if he had ſaid: they ſhall neuer be ſtrangers but companions. Chriſt himſelfe hath ſaid it, who ſpeaking to his Diſciples and, in them, to the reſt of the thouſands of his Saints, that hauehave followed him in the regeneration, promiſeth that they ſhall ſit on ſeats, or rather on glorious thrones. Math. 19.28. Luc. 22.30. Now he is faithfull who hath promiſed, and will ſurely doe it. Therefore ſhall the righteous abide with Chriſt for euer. The reaſons. The Saints are Chriſts ſeruants. Now where the Maſter is there muſt the ſeruants bee that, waite vponupon him. Ioh. 12.26. nay, they are Chriſts friends. Ioh. 15.5. and where ſhould a friend be, but in the preſence of his friend? or they are Chriſts court. Therefore, where he is, there muſt they be: for where the King is, there the court is. And they be more then of his court: for, they are of his court and counſell too. Ioh. 15.15. And ſo Chriſts preſence is not only where they are, as the Kings is at court, but they be his counſell-table, or court of power, p. 315wherein he ſitteth gloriouſly, as the King in his throne. Secondly, and to reaſon from the leſſe to the greater. If a good Maſter will preferre his good followers, when himſelfe is preferred: Chriſt, being ſo highly exalted in glorie, will much more honour thoſe thouſands that hauehave beene of his company and attendance here. And ſo, they who hauehave had fellowſhip with Chriſt in his afflictions, ſhall hauehave fellowſhip with him in his glorie, and they who hauehave ſuffered with him, ſhall raigne with him. 2. Tim. 2.12. Thirdly, Luc. 12.32.Luke 12:32this is the hope of the faithfull, and ſhall the hope and patient abiding of the faithfull deceiue them? Vſe 1

This teacheth the righteous to beare the iniuries of the world quietly, and willingly. For, the day will come when their perſecutors ſhall be troden downe to hell and ſecond death, and they (preſently) receiue the crowne of their ſufferings, who hauehave ſuffered for Chriſt. Here, hee that refraineth from euill maketh himſelfe a prey, Eſa. 59.15. and it is ſafer to doe p. 316wrong, then to complaine of an iniury we; but let me not too much diſcourage Gods children, for, that which is thus, and ſo here, ſhall bee contrary hereafter, when the Lord ſhall requite the furie of his aduerſaries with a recompence, verſe 18. then they who here deſpiſed the righteous mans life, will ſay, that they, whom they thought to bee fooles, and their end without honour, are now counted among the children of God, and their portion among the ſaints. Wiſd. 5.4.5. what though the companions of the diuell ſet themſelues, as in battell array, againſt thoſe whom it pleaſeth Chriſt, in a gracious fellowſhip thus to call his, and the companions of his comming: after a while they ſhall be gathered to Chriſt, and be free from all wrongs of men; and at Chriſts comming ſee the iuſt iudgement and vengeance of all thoſe, who cruelly hurt them, themſelues ſitting on the bench, and giuing a kind of iudgement againſt them, with Chriſt, and the thouſands that are with him.

p. 317But ſhall the Saints be in company with Chriſt at his comming, Vſe 2 and bee made a part of his attendance? Then let vsus conſider our high calling, and not company with ſinners, that muſt hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt. We cannot alway auoide thoſe that be ſuch; yet we muſt in affection ſeperate from them, when we cannot in place, and not delight to ſit down with them on one ſtoole. There is a large fellowſhip of men in the world, whoſe whole ſtudies and deſires are bent to paſſe the time in drinking, gaming, rioting, and other beaſtly exerciſes; and hee that will not be combined in fellowſhip with ſuch looſe mates, is counted no bodie: but Gods children and they who meane to hauehave fellowſhip with Chriſt, muſt abhorre this vngodly fellowſhip of lewd men, and not hauehave one purſe or communion with them, who beleeue the communion of ſaints; not communion of light with ſuch darkneſſe. Prou. 1.14. 2. Cor. 6.14. Or ſhal they ſit on the throne of iniquity, who muſt ſit on thrones with Chriſt? p. 318And make a league with the world, who muſt iudge it and the Angels? 1. Cor. 6.2.3. That is, ſhall they now iuſtifie the world with their talke and conuerſation, who muſt hereafter condemne it, and the hels of the diuels with the ſentence of their mouth, and ſinceritie of their waies? That holy Author of the 119. Pſalme, had an eye to this bleſſed hope of being one of Chriſts attendants hereafter; and therfore, would not be for all companies, but profeſſed himſelfe a companion onelyonly to ſuch as feared God and kept his lawes. Pſal. 119.62. He would not hazard his fraile pot-ſhard vponupon the rocke of euill company for any thing. And wherefore did Dauid hate the aſſembly of the euill, and not company with the wicked, Pſal. 26.5. but becauſe, hauing fellowſhip with God, he feared to hauehave any fellowſhip with Gods enemies, and was perſwaded that as God will not take a wicked man by the hand, Iob 8.20. ſo none of Gods company ſhould; Alſo, he was loth to make them his companions on p. 319earth, of whom he could hauehave no hope that they ſhould bee his companions in heauen. Let them conſider this, who caſt in their lots with a wicked generation for their ends in the fleſh, and mingle heauen and earth together in a ſoci…tie, whereof wee may ſay, the head is gold, but the legges are yron, and the ſeete ſtand vponupon clay. Dan. 2.33. I ſpeake to the faithfull, whom I would not hauehave to goe out of the world, to auoide the wicked that are in it, but entreat by the tender mercies of God, to be as carefull as they can, to auoide them and their aſſembly; and if they muſt vſe them for neceſsitie, not to vſe them as companions, neither to draw with them in any yoke of affection, but rather to draw back when the wicked are in place.

A comfort to the godly, Ʋſe 3 whom the wicked thruſt out of their company, and would thruſt out of the world, becauſe of their conſcience to God. For though they bee not accepted where euill men beare ſway (which is p. 320no diſparagement to them, but glorie, nor loſſe, but gaine,) Yet they are eſteemed of the good, and admired of the euill, though not followed of them. Or, doe the wicked hate them? They ſhall looſe nothing by ſuch hatred, for God & good men will louelove them. Will not the vnrighteous hauehave any fellowſhip with them? It is the better for them. For they are in leſſe danger of corruption, and more poſſibilitie of grace. And where men that be euill auoide them, Chriſt and his thouſands will ſtick vntounto them. Thoſe worthies of whom we reade in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes, were vilely and cruelly dealt with in the world. But what ſaith the text? The world was not worthy of them Heb. 11.36.37.38. The wicked dr…ue them out of their companies by ſharpe perſecution, into deſerts, and mountaines, and holes of the earth: But they were worthy, and had farre better company, hauing a kinde of fellowſhip with Chriſt, and all the Saints that were gone before them. ver. 40. So for the faithfull that p. 321now liue, if the vngodly make no more of them, then of the filth of the world, & the of-ſcouring of all things, 1. Cor. 4.13. It is becauſe they are good to liue among them, and too precious to be caſt before Swine, that ſo tread them vnderunder foote, and rent them. Mat. 7.6. And where they ſay; Away with ſuch fellowes from the earth, Act. 22.22. Chriſt will in his time, take them from the earth by a bleſſed & ſweet death to hauehave fellowſhip with him & his thouſands. Wherfore, let vsus comfort one another with theſe ſayings. 1. Theſ. 4.18.

A comfort againſt death, Vſe 4 or inſtruction not to feare death, but rather to long for the houre of our happy death, by which we ſhall hauehave ſo great preferment as to bee with Chriſt and his Saints. Wee deſire and greatly affect earthly preferments: and ſhall this prerogatiue of the Saints get from vsus ſo ſmall affections and weake deſires? Shall wee not rather preferre to our chiefe ioy, not Ieruſalem onelyonly, the Church of Chriſt: but Chriſt himſelfe p. 322the head of his owne Church, that he may be honoured in vsus, & in the thouſands of his Saints? Againe, if we be hated in a place, we will long to goe out of it, to a place, where we know or hope to bee otherwiſe, and better regarded. Here the true Chriſtian is hated for the name of Chriſt, that hee loueth, and few places ſhall he come into where the good courſe hee followeth, and the profeſsion hee is of, is not ſpoken againſt: What comfort (then) can we hauehave to remaine in the Meſhech of thoſe aſſemblies, where ſuch haters of God be? Pſal. 120.5. And what great comfort muſt it needs be to him to remoue to that place and glorie, where all louelove the Lord Ieſus with all their hearts; which place is heauen, and glorie in heauen, and not in theſe tents of Kedar? Therefore, that wee may comfortably looke for this day of the Lord, or day of our remouing to him, and to the company of all his thouſands; Let vsus louelove the appearing of Chriſt here: louelove to goe out with the Saints to meete him in p. 323Chriſtian aſſemblies; louelove his truth and brethren with all our hearts, and decline the waies of the wicked, that wee may eſcape their iudgement. So much for the iudgement it ſelfe, the ends of the Iudge his comming, follow.

To giuegive indgement vponupon all men, &c.] Verſe 15.The ends of Chriſts comming are to iudge generally, all men; particularly, all vngodly men. The generall is of good and bad; the particular, here mentioned, is of bad onelyonly. The good ſhall receiue a ſentence, but it ſhall be of abſolution; the bad ſhall hauehave their iudgement, but it ſhall bee of rebuke. For the firſt, which is the iudgement that concerneth all men; it adminiſtreth this doctrine; Doctr. That there muſt be an vniuerſall iudgement, or iudgement of all men, iuſt and vniuſt. So the Apoſtle S. Paul ſpeaketh where he ſaith; wee muſt all appeare before the iudgement ſeat of Chriſt. He ſaith, we, that is, the righteous: and all, that is, both godly and ſinners, muſt appeare… and not by their Attourney but in p. 324their own perſons. No mans abſence ſhall be excuſed by ſecuritie, or baile, neither will any caution be receiued for an after-comming. For, the Apoſtle doth not ſay, wee muſt appeare hereafter, but, wee muſt appeare, that is, preſently appeare, and without delay, before Chriſt the iudge. Saint Mathew ſaith that all nations ſhall bee gathered before him. Mat. 25.32. His meaning is, that in eueryevery nation, eueryevery man, Ioh. 5.28.29.John 5:28John 5:29woman, & little child, high, low, poore, and rich, ſhall perſonally be cited to iudgement by the voice of the Sonne of God in the ayre. But ſhall they be cited, and ſhall they not come? The Euangeliſt ſaith, they ſhall bee gathered: that is, they ſhall not chuſe but come. And the Euangeliſt Iohn, the third witneſſe of this truth vntounto vsus, ſaw this in a viſion, & wrote it in a booke. His words are: And I ſaw the dead both great and ſmall, ſtand before God. Apoc. 20.12. Not ſome dead, but all the dead, little and great. And they were iudged: Not ſome men, but euerie man according to his workes. ver. p. 32513. But ſhall the dead onelyonly ſtand before Chriſt, & not they who ſhal be found aliue at his comming? Yes, euen they ſhall ſtand before Him, and the elect (then aliue) ſhall come vp vntounto him. 1. Theſ. 4.16. The elect ſhall be with him in the Mount, the wicked and ſinners ſhall ſtand at the foote of the hill. The reaſons. Firſt, euerie thought and worke muſt bee brought into iudgement. Eccleſ. 12.14, & 11.9. and if eueryevery ſecret thing and worke, then the perſons out of whoſe hearts thoſe thoughts came, and in whoſe hands thoſe workes were, muſt be iudged. Secondly, among the ſonnes of Adam, ſome are gold, and they muſt be purged, and ſome droſſe, and they muſt be burnt vp with the fire of the Lords comming. Here, goates and ſheepe feede together as in one common paſture, and here tares and wheat grow vp together as in one common field. But when they come to the fold, the Porter of heauen (not Peter but Chriſt) will open the doore of life to his ſheepe, and open hell for damned p. 326goates and reprobates: and when they come to the harueſt, the Maſter of the field will command his Reapers, the Angels, to gather the wheate of his election into his garner; but for the chaffe of his wrath, he will ſcatter it with the wind of his iudgement, and burne it vp with the vnquenchable fire of hell. Math. 3.12. & 13.30. It is neceſſary therefore, for the triall of eueryevery mans worke and perſon, that there ſhould be a generall iudgement, and a generall appearing at it. Thirdly, it is more for the glory of God and the ſolemnitie of the day, that all without exception, ſhall be cited to it, and be preſent at it. It is more to the glorie of God: for, then, the glory of his iuſtice ſhall more appeare in the reprobation of ſinners, and the glorie of his grace be more and more gloriouſly manifeſt in the ſaluation of his people. And for that daies magnificence, what can be imagined to make it more ſolemne, ſtately, and glorious, then to hauehave all countreyes, tongues, and kindreds of the earth to come together p. 327to it? for, what a great day will that be, and how full of maieſtie, beautie, and honour; when the whole world ſhall appeare together at once, that is, at one ſeſſion and iudgement? If a King ſhould marrie his eldeſt ſonne and bid many Kings, and ſome Emperours to the marriage, would not that be a great marriage? but at the day of Chriſts marriage, wherein he ſhall be (eternally) eſpouſed to his Church, all the world ſhall be preſent: all Kings and Emperors that euer were ſhall be at it: ſome as gueſts to honour it, ſome as enemies to be driuen from it. Math. 22.11.13. Queſt. But if the godly ſhall be iudged, and if all perſons, both the godly and ſinners, ſhall and muſt appeare before Chriſt in iudgement, how is it true, that the Saints ſhall come with Chriſt, and that no iudgement ſhall paſſe by Chriſt againſt the ſaints? and why doth Saint Iohn ſay, that he who beleeueth in the Sonne, ſhall not come into iudgement? Ioh. 3.18. For anſwere, I ſay, that, Anſw though all perſons muſt come vntounto iudgement, yet the p. 326righteous onelyonly ſhall ſtand in the iudgment. Pſ. 1.3. and with boldneſſe, before Chriſt the Iudge: Luc. 21.36. who (therefore) ſhall receiue ſentence with them, not, as the wicked, againſt them, and here the ſentence of come yee bleſſed, not the wofull ſentence of goe ye curſed into euerlaſting fire. Math. 25.34.41. & where it is ſaid, that he who beleeueth ſhall not come into iudgement, the meaning is, and ſo our bookes hauehave it, into iudgement of condemnation. Queſt. Anſw. But the text hath, againſt all men? I anſwere, the me anng is, and the greeke prepoſition may well be rendred vponupon all men, and ſo the laſt tranſlated Bible copie hath it.

Will Chriſt giuegive iudgement vponupon all men, Vſe 1 good and bad? then the bodies of all men that ſleepe in the duſt, good or bad, muſt be raiſed. For, if they be not raiſed, how ſhall they be iudged? or ſhall they be iudged in their ſoules onelyonly? then, not men, but the ſoules of men onelyonly, are to be iudged. This point of the reſurrection, p. 327is a point or article of faith to ſaluation, wherein we profeſſe to beleeue, by the ſcriptures, that when the ſoule goeth out of the bodie to reſt or paine, the bodie it ſelfe is laid in ſome graue till the day come, wherein the Lord Ieſus will raiſe it, by his voice in an Archangell, either to eternall happineſſe, or to eternall miſerie. I ſpeake of the ſoules going out of the body. For, ſome hauehave thought that the ſoules of men, which die not, are kept in ſtill within the body that dieth, as in a ſleepe or ſwoune till the laſt day. But, we reade to the contrarie in the word of God: as of ſoules vnderunder the altar, not ſtill in the body; and of crying ſoules, not of ſoules aſleepe or ſoules in a traunce. Apoc, 6.9. So Lazarus ſoule was carried to heauen. Therefore not leaſt in the bodie, but taken out of the bodie. Luc. 16.22. Other groſer opinions of the ſoules eſtate after death, I leaue to the Mowles and to the Backes from which they came, Eſa. 2.20. My purpoſe being to ſpeake of the bodies eſtate p. 330as it ſhall be at the laſt day; not of the ſoules as it is at the day of our death. And (here) for the reſurrection of bodies, which we beleeue with all the true Churches of Chriſt, Satan hath raiſed ſome in all ages to cauill againſt it, or flatly to denie it. For, all hauehave not (altogether) denied it, who were enemies to it, as Himineus and Philetus, who granted there was a reſurrection, but ſaid it was paſt. 2. Tim. 2.17.18. And, the Sadduces did not generally reſiſt it, but had their falſe gloſſes, and diuers interpretations of it. Indeed the Stoikes and Epicures, among the Philoſophers were peremptorie ad…erſaries to it. Act. 17.18, and Libertines among Chriſtians doe in their liues denie it. But the truth of it ſhineth brighter in ſcripture and reaſon, then that it can be darkned by any cloude (how blacke ſoeuer) of humane oppoſition. Iob ſaith, that after the wormes hauehave done with his bodie, yet euen in that bodie he ſhall ſee God. Iob. 19.26. Ezechiel foreſheweth the bringing againe of the people out of p. 331captiuitie vnderunder an excellent figure of the riſing and reſtoring of our fleſh at the laſt day. Ezech. 37.5.6. as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid; He that can reſtore fleſh and breath to rotten bones, can reſtore the Iſraelites to their country, Eſay ſpeaketh plaine of this matter, ſaying, Thy dead men ſhall liue, together with my dead bodies ſhall they riſe. Eſa. 26.19. where the Prophet teſtifieth, without any figure, his hope in the reſurrection, both of his owne bodie and the bodies of all beleeuers. His drift is, to proue that ſame thing, whereof we ſpake before out of Ezechiel; namely, the reſtoring of Iſrael after their long captiuitie in Babylon: where he ſheweth, that, as herbs, which in winter ſeem dead, are freſh again in the ſpring; ſo the people, who ſeemed to die (as winter herbs) in their captiuitie, ſhall in the ſpring of their return riſe, as it were, from death to life: And yet hee plainely ſheweth, that the bodies of the faithfull (though they ſeeme vtterly to poriſh, when they are in the earth) ſhall riſe at the duplicate page p. 330duplicate page p. 331p. 330laſt day, through that ſeed which they hauehave in Chriſt. Daniel ſpeaketh yet more plainely, and ſaith: Many of them that ſleepe in the duſt of the earth ſhall awake. Dan. 12.2. He ſaith many, as if he ſhould ſay: an infinite number ſhal awake, an infinite number of the iuſt, and an infinite number of the wicked. Or, by many, hee vnderſtandeth all; as the Apoſtle in a like caſe doth, Rom. 5.15.19. Where, ſpeaking of many dead by the ſinne of Adam, he ſheweth in the 18. verſe, that by thoſe many, hee meaneth all. The Iewes gather from the text in Daniel, that there ſhall be no reſurrection of the wicked, which alſo they doe from the firſt Pſalme. But they gather that the holy Ghoſt neuer ſcattered. And they may as well ſay, that all the godly ſhall not riſe, becauſe it is ſaid many, not all, as that the wicked ſhall not be raiſed. But to proceed, wherefore did Dauid lay vp his fleſh in ſuch hope, but becauſe hee had greater faith in the reſurrection? Pſal. 16.9.10. Martha neuer ſtaggered at the reſurrection, but p. 331confeſſed it, as a doctrine of the faith of thoſe times. For when Chriſt had ſaid, thy brother ſhall riſe againe, ſhee readily anſwered, I know that hee ſhall riſe againe in the reſurrection at the laſt day. Ioh. 11.23.24. As if hee had ſaid, I doubt nothing of that. Saint Paul in the whole 15. chapter of his former Epiſtle to the Corinthians, maketh the reſurrection the ſubiect of all his diſputes there. And, this was his hope that he had toward God, that the reſurrection of the dead, ſhould bee both of the iuſt, and vniuſt. Act. 24. The Epiſtle to the Hebrews ſpeaking of the manifold martyrdomes of the Saints, ſheweth that they quietly endured al thoſe ſharpe ſtormes in their faces, becauſe their hope was to receiue a better reſurrection, that is, better then any deliuerance here. Heb. 11.35. Alſo, how could Chriſts argument hold, that God is the God of the liuing, being the God of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob; if Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, ſhould not liue, as now in their ſoules which are before God, ſo hereafter in their bodies, p. 334which are in Gods keeping? Mat. 22.32. Neither doth the Lord ſay, I am the God of Abrahams ſoule, but the God of Abraham, that is, of Abrahams whole man. Thus the point of the reſurrection is plaine by Scripture; It followeth briefely to ſhew what euidence it hath in reaſon, that we may take heauen & earth to witneſſe againſt the oppugners of it. Deut. 30.19. It is ſufficient to weigh theſe matters in the weights of the ſanctuarie, and not needfull to trie them at the bulke of humane reaſon, yet, to giuegive them ouer meaſure, that will not receiue this truth; Let it firſt bee conſidered, that as the ſoule of the righteous, did not pleaſe God without the body, nor the ſoules of the wicked ſinne againſt him, but in their bodies: ſo it is requiſite, that as the ſoule of the one is glorified, and the ſoules of the other are condemned to hell, that (I ſay) their bodies alſo ſhould, in Gods time, bee brought to pleaſures or torment. Secondly, without the bodie, the ſoule is imperfect. And beeing imperfect, p. 335how can it enter into an entire eſtate of happineſſe, till the body bee raiſed, that the bodie may bee ioined to it? Thirdly, if the bodie ſhould not bee raiſed; the fulneſſe of grace ſhould not be ſhewed to the Saints, nor the fulneſſe of wrath to ſinners. Fourthly, if there were no reſurrection, God ſhold promiſe, that which he minded not to giuegive; who promiſeth a reward to the iuſt, but it is at the reſurrection. Luke 14.14. Fiftly, the reuolutions of ſo many ſprings, ſummers, harueſts, & hard winters, as it were ſo many deaths and reſurrections; the dying of the day in the night, the graue of that day, and the vpriſing againe of it in the morning, from that den of darkneſſe, are, and doe become ſo many liuely teſtimonies to the world, of the generall great reſurrection of all bodies, at the laſt day. Sixtly, doe we not ſee, in the ſpring, how that from a dead & dry tree leaues proceed and ſprout forth, by a kinde of reſurrection? And doe wee not ſee the ſame tree to beare further fruit, and to be adorned with a duplicate page p. 334duplicate page p. 335p. 333new rinde, as it were, freſh and beautifull skin? do wee not fee in a ſmall ſeede a tall and great tree? is that, which is ſowne quickened except it die? 1. Cor. 15.36. Doe not our Meddowes, paſtures, and pleaſant gardens which in the winter appeare dead, without all beautie, returne, with the returne of the Sunne, to their former full life and glorie? This winter is our death: and this ſpring our riſing from death to life. Seuenthly, the ſwallowes, wormes, and flies which lie dead all winter, doe with the returne of the Sunne, and comming of Summer, receiue a new life. Now, ſhall the force of this earthly Sun, worke ſo in birds and wormes; and ſhall the Sunne of righteouſneſſe be leſſe able to giuegive life then the ſunne of the heauens. And if it was an eaſie thing with God at firſt, to make man of nothing: is it a leſſe eaſie thing with him to make him againe, though he be as nothing, ſeeing hee is not meerely nothing, but nothing out of that, which was before? Before we were borne, where p. 337was our forme and matter? Yet wee feee to what bigneſſe wee are come, and what forme wee hauehave, and what being. Where was the ſeede of Leui, when (to ſpeake as the Scriptures do) hee was in the loines of Abraham his great grand-father? Heb. 7.20. Many alterations, corruptions, and changes came between, yet God purpoſed that Leui ſhould be ſo borne, that is of the feede of Abraham, and not all the corruptions that came betweene, could alter his purpoſe. Laſtly, all the reſurrections that we reade of in the Scriptures of the old and new teſtament, as of the Shunamites ſonne. 2. Kin. 4.33. Of the body that was caſt into the Prophets graue, 2. King 13.21. of Lazarus, Ioh. 11.43. of Iairus daughter, Mat. 9.25. yea, of the bright Sunne himſelf, and of many Saints with him, Mat. 27.52.53. are as ſo many pledges to vsus of the reſurrection that ſhal be of all dead bodies at Chriſts comming.

But muſt all bodies bee raiſed? O then, let vsus ſo prepare for death by a good life, that the day of our reſurrection p. 338may bee a day of refreſhing to vsus from the Lord. Act. 3.19. When the wicked (as ſeede that rotteth in the earth which God doth not bleſſe) ſhall ariſe without comfort, let vsus endeuor to lie downe in that fauour of God, wherein who ſo falleth a ſleep, ſhal out of the ſame be ſure to awake comfortably and ioifully, hauing no more woe nor ſorrow. And as Chriſt is the firſt fruits of them that ſleepe, 1. Cor. 15.20. there reſurrection beeing yet in the blade and greene eare, and their bodies at reſt in their graues, as it were beds of peace, in which they ſleepe quietly till he ſhal raiſe them, who raiſeth the Sunne daily from his den: So, let vsus ſo liue in Chriſt by our good conſciences, that when the night ſhall come, that night, or hour in the night, whereof our Sauiour ſpake, when hee ſaid; the night commeth when no man can worke, Ioh. 9.4. we may goe down peaceably to our ſepulchers, as into our beds, with confidence to ſtand before God in the reſurrection of the iuſt. The day will come (let vsus thinke p. 339of it earneſtly) when we muſt meete the Lord face to face. It is good therefore to meete him heere in his word, and in our honeſt conuerſation, ſeeking the things aboue, Col. 3.1. that when we ſhall goe forth to meet him with the Virgins, that had oile in their lampes, and ſtore of oile, that is grace in their hearts, wee may not bee aſhamed. Math. 25.1.10. If we will attaine to the reſurrection of the iuſt; we muſt begin it here in the New birth of a Chriſtian, and new life of one that is ſo borne. For as in the firſt birth, man is brought forth, conſiſting of ſoul and body: ſo in this ſecond of our ſpirituall reſurrection, wee muſt hauehave a new ſoule and bodie, as it were new heauen and earth created in vsus. Of fleſh we muſt be made ſpirit; and of fleſhly, diuine; ſo wee may comfortably looke for the laſt reſurrection, or our parts in it: a day that ſweeteneth more then ſugar, the croſſes and miſeries of our hard life here. The comfortable day of the Saints: and Chriſts glorious and welcome day, after which he will p. 340raigne in the middes of the people for euer.

Againe, ſhall the iudgement be of all men good and bad? then it concerneth vsus all, if we meane to receiue from Chriſt the Iudge, a comfortable ſentence in that day, to looke well to our eſtate and matters here, that we bring a good cauſe, and the witneſſe of a good conſcience to that iudgement ſeat. He that hath a matter to be heard before ſome earthly Iudge, and vponupon ſome certaine day, will, at the time and about the day appointed, be in ſome good readineſſe. That is: He will bring his ſufficient counſell to the barre, be ſure that his matter be good, and eu…dence without exception, hauehave his witneſſes to ſpeake for him, and the truth of the cauſe to ſpeake for it ſelfe. And, ſhall we negligently deale in ſo waighty an action, as that which muſt come to hearing before ſo great a Iudge of quicke and dead? The day is ſet: and we know not how ſuddenly it will come, and in how ſhort time. Beſides, the matter to p. 341be heard, concerneth not lands or goods, but life or death eternall. Chriſt is our onelyonly Counſellour, or Aduocate in that court, our good deedes are our good euidence. The witneſſes are the word that muſt iudge vsus, and our owne conſciences. And, ſhall we now deſpiſe the Son of God, and count his couenant a prophane thing? ſhall we crucifie, by our ſinnes, Chriſt our Aduocate, and thinke to hauehave him on our ſide and part, or dreame that he will be for vsus whom we hauehave crucified? ſhould we not rather kiſſe the Sonne with the kiſſe of our reconcilement to Chriſt, who muſt ſpeake for vsus, and be for vsus, if euer we be ſaued? our good deedes are our beſt euidence: and ſhall we follow after vnrighteouſneſſe, doe bad deeds with greedineſſe, and ſhew no good euidence why we ſhould not be damned? our witneſſes are the word and our owne conſciences: and ſhall we make a mocke of the word, and not regard the witneſſe of our conſcience, whether it be with vsus or againſt vsus? if we p. 342deſpiſe the Goſpell, it cannot ſpeake for vsus, and if we goe againſt our conſcience, it will ſurely be againſt vsus. And ſhould not man feare to bring a witneſſe (ſpecially in ſuch a court) that will fearefully ſpeake againſt him? Let vsus (therefore) endeuour, by making much of the word, by preferring it to our chiefe ioy, by hearing it diligently, by being moulded in it, and faſhioned like vntounto it, to get one witneſſe for vsus, that is more worth, then all the pleaſures and profits of ſinne, that wretched men ſo admire. And, for the waies of our heart, and actions of our life, let vsus ſo approue them to God, who will giuegive an vpright ſentence vponupon them, and vponupon vsus for them, and doe them in ſuch an integrity before God, and innocencie before men, when we either deale with God, or hauehave dealing with our Neighbor, that wee may hauehave two witneſſes clearely for vsus in that great day of hearing.

Laſtly, Ʋſe 3 if all matters and perſons muſt be iudged by Chriſt; they are p. 343here reproued, who take from God his ſeat, and iudge their brother, that is, iudge him to condemnation. For, this Chriſt hath forbidden who is Iudg. Math. 7 1. And the Apoſtle Saint Paul would not hauehave vsus thus to iudge our brother, giuing this for a reaſon: for, we muſt all appeare before the iudgement ſeate of Chriſt. Rom. 14.10. as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid: by iudging in this manne… we would ſeeme to ſtep before God, and to preuent his ſentence, expoſing our brother, with great wrong, to a double iudgement, one, which we pronounce, another, which Chriſt will giuegive at the laſt day. So our brother ſhall be twice iudged, once by vsus who are vſurpers, and againe by Chriſt who is Iudge indeed, or, by ſuch manner iudgement, we argue Gods righteous iudgement of inſufficiencie, and iudgement ſeat of corruption, and ſo wrong the Lord, and not only our brother when we ſo iudg him. But though raſh iudgement be forbidden, yet all iudgement is not. For, the Iudge may cenſure a fault, p. 344that deſerueth death, with death, and may condemne a malefactor to the gallowes, whom he may not condemn to hell. The Miniſter may cenſure faults by the doome of the word of God, and by eccleſiaſticall correction. Nay, the priuate man may iudge a wicked perſon by his life, ſo farre as he may know him by it, and iudge him by the word, though he may not iudge him to hell, nor iudge him before the time. 1. Cor. 4.5. we may iudge the tree by the fruit, becauſe by the fruit we may know it. Math. 12.33, and ſo, as farre as we know we may ſpeake, ſo we ſpeake charitably and wiſely of our brother, we may not iudge of the tree by the ſappe: neither may we iudge our brothers heart, but muſt leaue that to his iudgment ſeat who knoweth it, and the ſecreteſt walkes of it. Neither is raſh iudgement onelyonly here forbidden, but much more all lying iudgement, as to ſay, a man doth euill when he doth well, or, when he doth euill, to ſay he doth worſe then hee doth. When a thing is doubtfull to take it p. 345in the worſt part, and when it is plaine to obſcure it. This meteth (alſo) with a kind of people who blow abroad (vncharitably) the faults which they ſhould couer, and hauehave their tongues alwaies vponupon their neighbours ſores, ſetting their ſmall faults vponupon tenters, and great vponupon the ſtage of the wide world. But the time that ſuch ſpend in cenſuring of others, they ſhould beſtow in amending of themſelues, remembring that they hauehave a Iudge, and that, that Iudge is the Lord, who is full of eyes, and lacketh not power to thruſt into hell all ſuch vſurping Iudges, who ſpeake cruelly and without reſpect, either of their owne frailtie or their brothers amendment. But more of this in the place thereof, hereafter. Here (alſo) they are reproued, who giuegive a fauourable ſentence, not ſo much vponupon euill doers, as vponupon their euill deedes, calling their euill good. Eſa. 5.20. For, theſe doe not onlie preuent, but flatly croſſe Chriſts righteous iudgement. Of theſe ſaith Salomon: He that iuſtifieth the wicked, and he that p. 346condemneth the iuſt, euen they both are an abhomination to the Lord. And let them conſider this, who will be ſure to ſpeake for, or to ſpeake well of a wicked perſon, or excuſe him in his boldneſſe with a lying tongue. Men may commend ſuch as charitable, but God will condemne them as vnrighteous: they may bee welcome to men, but they are an abhomination to God. You will ſay: Chriſtians muſt iudge charitably. Charitably, I grant, but not falſely. Charitie muſt neither bee too quickſighted, nor blind. And here wiſe iudgement is not forbidden, but raſh iudgement. So much for the general end of Chriſts ſecond comming, the particular followeth.

And to rebuke all the vngodly among them, &c.] The particular end of Chriſts comming concerneth the vngodly among men: and that is to rebuke them to damnation, and to ſet their doings in his angry countenance. Where the Apoſtle ſetteth down two things; as the forme of iudgement in the word rebuke or conuince, and p. 347…ow farre it exceedeth in the letter, he ſpeaketh of the perſons who, and the matters where of they ſhall be iudged. The forme is by a iudgement of rebuke or conuiction, wherein the Lord will proceede againſt all vngodly perſons ſeuerely and terribly by his word and their owne conſciences. For God rebuketh two waies, either in mercy when he correcteth his children. Ha…. 3.2. or in iuſtice without merciemercy, when he deſtroyeth his enemies. Pſal. 6.1. Of the latter it is meant, where it is ſaid, that the Lord will rebuke all the vngodly among men, as if it had beene ſaid; he wil rebuke them to a perpetuall deſtruction, or poure out his furie vponupon them. The doctrine here taught is: The day of Chriſts comming againſt his enemies will be intollerable and full of wrath. So the word ſheweth whereby the Apoſtle doth expreſſe their igtollerable iudgement to come. For, he ſaith, the Lord, will rebuke. Meaning, that in his iudgement of rebuke, he will reproue them by the booke of theirown wicked hearts, which ſhall p. 348be ſo touched (as it were opened) euerie leafe of it, and worke in it, that all ſhall come forth, Apoc 20.12. and they ſhall bee able to deny nothing, that ſhall bee obiected againſt them: and being thus laid open in their own conſciences, he will preſently execute his fierce anger vponupon them by puniſhing them with hell fire. Eſay the Prophet ſaith, ſpeaking of the Lords comming to iudgment againſt vngodly men, that he will ſtretch out his hand as one that ſwimmeth; his meaning is, His iudgement ſhall ſo extend to them all, that no one ſhall eſcape it. Eſay 25.11. Yea, as an ouerflowing riuer, ſo ſhall it be, and ſhall goe ouer all their bankes, and with ſuch force break into their ſoules that they ſhall bee able no more to auoide this deſtruction of fire, then the old world could that of the floud. Eſay 8.7.8. Now, will not this be an intollerable iudgement, that thus ſhal ſingle out eueryevery vngodly ſinner, as it were by the Pole, to periſhment? It ſhall not be auoided, and it cannot be abidden: ſo terrible to all the Lords p. 349enemies, ſhall the Lords comming be. But this is ſet downe more fully by Saint Mathew, where ſhewing how Chriſt, in his laſt iudgement, ſhall ſeperate his own people from ſtrangers, as a Shepheard ſeparateth the ſheepe from the goates; he ſaith, he will call to ſaluation the righteous, whom (therefore) hee will ſet on the right hand of his fauour; but for the wicked, whom (therefore) he will ſet, as on his left hand, before the face of his rebuke in all their ſinnes, hee will, in the chiding voice of that his laſt iudgement, ſend them from his own comfortable preſence, to hauehave company with the Diuell & his Angels of darknes in the loweſt hels. The words are: Depart from me ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels. Math. 25.41. One writing vponupon theſe words, doth thus amplifie, As if the damned ſhould ſay: Lord let vsus be in thy preſence, though vnworthy to ſit downe vponupon ſeates in thy kingdome. No, ſaith the Lord, but depart from me, that is, out of my ſight p. 350and preſence for euer. Yet, ſay the damned, if thou put vsus out of thy ſight, bleſſe vsus before we goe. Gen. 27.38. No, ſaith the Lord, but depart yee curſed. And muſt wee goe with a curſe, ſay the damned? yet ſend vsus into ſome place of eaſe and comfort. No, ſaith the Lord, but goe into a lake of fire. Yet let this fire hauehave an end might the damned ſay, No ſaith the Lord, but goe into euerlaſting fire. If wee muſt depart into euerlaſting fire, might the damned ſay, yet, let vsus hauehave ſome good company there. No, ſaith the Lord, but goe into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels, hauing the Prince of Diuels for your King, and the reſt of the Diuels for your companions. And thus, after this ſecond Noah, hath bleſſed the ſeed of the righteous, as is ſaid before in this Chapter: verſ. 34. he will curſe all the Chams of the earth: Gen. 9.24. And now, that the bleſſing is paſt, which, not Iacob alone, but the ſeede of Iacob hath gotten; though they would ſay with Eſau, yet bleſſe vsus, euen p. 351vsus alſo, before we goe hence; they ſhal heare, not from Iſaac, but from him that is iudge in the clouds, who hauing made an end of bleſſing, ſhall ſay: Iacob hauehave I bleſſed, and hee ſhall be bleſſed, the godly are with me, and ſhall euer remaine with mee, but for you the workers of iniquitie, Depart from mee, I know you not. Gen. 27.30.33.38. Mat. 7.23. It is a plague of all plagues, and the very bottome of the viall of Gods wrath, to bee ſeparated from Chriſt. For, as in the preſence of God is the fulneſſe of all ioy: Pſ. 16.11. So to depart from the Lord, is the perfection of all miſerie. Abſalon could ſay; Let mee ſee the Kings face, and if there bee any treſpaſſe in mee, let him kill me. 2. Sa. 14.32. His meaning was, rather let me not liue, then liue in diſgrace, an exile from my fathers court and fauour. And what will the wicked ſay, who muſt in this rebuke of their euerlaſting baniſhment, from the face and ſaluation of Chriſt, depart, neuer to returne? And if the comming of the Sunne to a place, promiſe ioy, and p. 352the againe departing of it from the ſame place, cauſe ſorrow and darkeneſſe: what ioy muſt needs be lacking, and ſorrow abound, where the Sunne and God of ſaluation, ſhall neuer in the ſunne-ſhine of his preſence, bee ſeene any more? Where ſhall be no gleames of fauour, but darke tempeſts of iuſtice, raining ſnares vponupon all the wofull inhabitants of the earth? And yet this puniſhment is not all, though inſufferable. For, the damned Cains of hell, ſhall not onelyonly hauehave this curſed marke ſet vponupon them, to goe from the preſence of the Lord; Gen 4.16. but ſhall dwell for euer in the Tophet of damnation, Eſay 30.33. where beſides their not endurable pain of loſſe, they ſhall hauehave inflicted vponupon them paines of ſenſe that are intolerable. For, ſpirituall Tophet is a place, wherin is fire, and much burning. Our ordinarie fire, the hotteſt we make, and greateſt we kindle, is but as painted fire, to this fire indeede. Yet a man would not be in it, one quarter of an houre to gaine the world. How much p. 353then and itolerably ſhall the wicked ſuffer, who ſhalbe tormented in this fierce fire, not a quarter of an houre or yeare only, but yeares vppon yeares, yea millions of yeares, world without end? or, if a little diſeaſe and that but in one part onelyonly, ſo troubled vsus lying vponupon a ſoft bed: How ſhall we abide the rebuke of the Lord in all the parts of our body and tender powers of our mind, and not vppon our pallats of eaſe but beds of glowing fire? The rage of the fierceſt enimy may be qualified, or if it might not, yet he ſhall periſh, and his wrath with him. But in this large winepreſſe of the Lords indignation, the worme dieth not and Gods anger endureth for euer as himſelfe is eternal. The couenant that God hath made with the day and night ſhall be broken. But his iudgment of rebuke is inuiolable. They, whom he condemneth ſhall bee euer damned, and whom he ſendeth to hel, ſhall neuer returne.

Some doe (here)idly aske how fire can euer burne the fleſh of the damned p. 354and neuer conſume it? To this Ianſwere, materiall fire cannot, but this fire appointed ſo to doe by the powere and will of the Creator, ſhall. The buſh that Moſes ſaw in the fire, burned and conſumed not: Exod. 3.2. And it is ſaide of the Salamander, that ſhee liueth in the fire and is not burnt. So why may not theſe buſhes of the curſe ordained to burning, and helliſh Salamanders iudged to perpertuall fire be, day and night, tormented in a fornace of intollerable heat, and yet their fleſh neuer be diminiſhed, nor their bodie conſumed in thoſe flames? Some are curious to know what manner fire that ſhall be, Queſt. that is able to burne vponupon, not the bodies onelyonly, but ſoules of damned wretches? To this curious queſtion I only anſwere. Anſw. God knoweth. And let vsus, who hauehave the hope of the Saints, endeuour, rather neuer to feele it then to know it. For, as when a mans houſe is on fire, we ſtand not to enquire how it came, but doe our beſt to quench it: ſo, it ſhould be our wiſdome, hearing that the p. 355Lord will rebuke the world with fire, and ſinners with hell fire, rather to quench the matter of it in our ſo many increaſings againſt God, by the meanes of ſinne that dwelleth in vsus, and to take from it the wood-pile that fedeth it, then curiouſly to diſpute or ſearch how fire can faſten vponupon a ſpirituall ſubſtance and with what kind of burning. Thus hauehave we ſhowed that the Lords comming, at the laſt day, ſhalbe a putting of the wicked frō God, and a putting of them into hell, where they ſhall be tormented day and night for euer: and that (therefore) it will be a day to all vngodly men of intolerable wrath from God, and vexation from the effects of his comming. The reaſons. All things which (then) they ſhall ſee and feele ſhall be, if any thing may be terrible, moſt terrible. They ſhall ſee and feele ſinne on their right hand, and Satan on their left hell vnderunder their feet, and an angry Iudge aboue their head, the world full of deſtruction without, and a worme gnawing the heart within. Or, to ſpeake, p. 356as bbAnſelme.one, (ſometimes) fearefully ſpake. Aboue them, ſhall be their Iudge offended with them for their wickedneſſe: beneath them, hell open and that burning furnace wide gaping to receiue them: on the right hand, their ſinnes accuſing them: on the left hand fierce diuels ready to execute this wrathfull ſentence of the Lords rebuke vponupon them: within them, their conſcience gnawing: without them all damned ſoules bewailing: on euerie ſide, the world burning. Be not theſe ſights terrible? and will not theſe things worke terribly? Secondly, the wrath of a Lyon is terrible. Am. 3.8. what then, when the Lord ſhall roare from heauen, and giuegive forth his voice, and that a glorious voice? who will not (then) be afraid? or, if the wrath of a King, that is, if a Kings anger or fire, iuſt kindled, burne to death vponupon the offendours: for Salomon ſaith, The wrath of a King is as meſſengers of death. Prou. 16.14, how terrible to eternall death, ſhall the Lords anger be, prouoked by ſinners? how inſufferable p. 357to all thoſe, who hauehave by rebellious wickedneſſe offended him? If the King paſſe ſentence, who will denie execution? For, where the word of the King is (ſaith the Preacher) there is power. Eccleſ. 8.4. And yet the King may command where the Subiect will not ſee done: as when Saul would hauehave put Ionathan to death, and the people would not let him die. 1. Sam. 14.44.45. But if God once paſſe ſentence, who will ſtop it? nay, who will not be readie, both good and bad Angels, to execute it? If Gods wrath be to be feared in man: how fearefull is that wrath, in the God of wrath? Dauid ſaith, if his wrath be kindled but a little, bleſſed are they that truſt in him: then, when it is all on fire, how miſerable are they, who hauing truſted in themſelues and prouoked him, can hauehave no hope from him, nor comfort from his comming? Thirdly, the ſignes that ſhall keepe company with, or be ioined to the comming of the ſonne of man to iudgement; as the darkning of the Sunne and Moone, the roaring p. 358of the Sea and waters, not by an ordinary but ſtrange vnquietneſſe, the failing of mens hearts, the generall palſey or ſhaking diſpoſition, that ſhall be in all the heauenly powers, which ſhall be ſo violent, and with ſuch perturbations of all lights and elements; that the ſtarres ſhall fall, that is, ſhall ſeeme to fall from heauen, and the ſigne of the Sonne of Man, which I take to be the burning of the high heauens and this lower earth, which, at the inſtant of his comming ſhall be ſet on fire; theſe and the like ſignes, (not of peace, but of warre to the world, and not of fauour, but of great wrath to ſinners) how can they but pierce with feare all ſuch as ſhal come before the Lord, in their ſinnes without repentance, at this day? If the winds keepe vsus in ſome awe when they be high and loud, and if we feare the ſea when it is but a little mooued: if euerie ſudden noiſe and cracke at mignight fright vsus, and if the thunder make vsus afraid; what ſhall their feare be, and how great the confuſion of p. 359their faces, who ſhall ſtand in no faith, and therefore with no boldneſſe before the Sonne of God, when all theſe matters of intolerable feare ſhall come together, and meete vponupon the (then)firie ſtage of this world, and be ready to execute, in their fierceſt wrath and greateſt power, the law and will of their moſt excellent Creator againſt all faithleſſe reprobates? Fourthly, this will be a day, not of merciemercy, but of rebuke to all Gods enemies, and therefore intolerable to ſuch. For, if the Lord doe ſtraitly marke what is done amiſſe, who ſhall abide it? Pſal. 130.3.

An admonition, Vſe 1 ſeeing it ſhall be thus to all the enemies of Chriſt, preſently to make our peace with Him while we are in the way. Mat. 5.25. Our Sauiour doth exhort all the faithfull to this wiſdome by the example of a King, going to warre, who being wiſe, confidereth if hee be able with tenne thouſand, to meere him that commeth againſt him with twenty thouſand: or if he be not, will ſend an ambaſſage, and p. 360deſire conditions of peace. Luc. 14.31.32. HaueHave we our ten thouſands to incounter with Chriſt, who commeth, that is, will come with thouſands of his Saints, to giuegive iudgement vponupon all men? Surely, as the men of Samaria reaſoned concerning Iohn; two Kings could not ſtand before him, how then ſhal we ſtand? 2. King. 10.4. ſo we may more truly and better ſay concerning Chriſt: not two Kings, but not all the Kings of the earth, though they banded themſelues, and aſſembled in troupes againſt him, could (yet) euer preuaile, or ſtand before the fierce wrath of his comming. Pſal. 2.2.4.9. and ſhall we (poore wormes,) when Chriſt will come to rebuke ſinners, thinke to abide or ſtand againſt the chiding voice of his iudgement, ſo intolerable and righteous? therefore yeeld we muſt, or be broken in peeces. Should we not therefore, while this King is (I cannot ſay a great way off, for he may be neeter then we are aware) but in his way yet toward vsus by his ſingular patience, ſend forth an ambaſſage of humble p. 361ſupplication and teares, and preſent amendment of life, deſiring peace and that he would not turne againſt vsus, but to vsus in mercy, that we may be ſaued? Therefore while our feet are at libertie, and before wee bee bound hand and foot, let vsus runne the way of the Lords commandements: & while we hauehave tongues, and before we become ſpeechleſſe, Mat. 22.12. let vsus vſe our tongues well, and not ſuffer our mouthes to ſinne: and while we hauehave hands, and before our hands fall from our arme, and arme rot from our ſhoulder, let vsus worke with our hands, the thing that is good, Epheſ. 4.28. and procure things that bee honeſt in the ſight of all men: and while wee hauehave breath, & before God ſtop our breath, let breath and all praiſe the Lord: and while we hauehave eares, and before our eares, theſe daughters of ſinging, bee abaſed, Eccleſ. 12.4. let vsus lift vp our eares to the word, and not vntounto vanitie. For, if (here) we ſtop our eares againſt the trumpet of the Goſpell, we ſhall heare to our griefe, the trumpet p. 362of the laſt iudgement, which, whether wee ſleepe in the ayre, or fire, or ſea, or holes of the earth, will awake vsus. Some, nay many, like ſome players at the game of cardes, who (though the night be farre ſpent) will not giuegive ouer till their candle faile them, will not leaue off to doe wickedly, till the candle, that Iob ſpeaketh of, bee put out. And ſome flatter themſelues with an imagination of a longer day then God hath ſet vntounto them, or perhaps to the world, for the laſt houre thereof. But let ſuch know, that thogh the day of iudgement were far of, yet the day and houre of eueryevery mans particular iudgement in death, cannot be; it being a common and true ſaying: to day a man, to morrow none. And for the day of the generall death of this languiſhing world, he that wiſely conſidereth the waines and declinings that hauehave been found in it within theſe few yeares, and (how like a woman with child, which hath many panges & fits before the throwes of her great labour come) it is now in paine till p. 363it be deliuered, hauing much complained in thoſe ſignes and alterations that are gone before; I ſay, hee that well obſerueth, to the true purpoſe of his ſaluation, theſe & ſuch like throws, or rather downe throwes of things, in the womb of this old and ſickly world ſo neare to the trauell, and time of her appointed end by fire, cannot but ſay that it cannot continue long, and that the Lord will come ſhortly among vsus. When wee ſee a man, in whoſe face wearing age hath many wrinckles, and deepe ſurrowes, we ſay, This man can not liue long: ſo when we ſee the furrowes of old age to appeare and bee manifeſt, in ſo many waſtes and conſumptions, as this feeble world is entred into, why doe we not ſee that the death of it is neare? More particularly and ſpecially, as there is no greater ſigne that a man is drawing towards death, then that hee is alway catching at the ſheetes and blankets, and alway ſnatching and pulling at ſomewhat: ſo, ſeeing that euerie one catcheth what hee can in this p. 364griple and couetous age, and ſeeing that there is ſo inſatiable a minde of hauing, in all conditions and callings of people now, it is a ſure ſigne to the heart of a wiſeman, that this world is ſicke vntounto death, and ſo, as it cannot hold out long. And if there be no greater ſigne of death, then that the bodie is ſo cold, that no heate will come vntounto it; ſurely the cold charitie of the world, mens no zeale to religion, our nullitie of faith, or poore growth in faith, inſomuch as Sermons are ſeldom heard, or with ſmall amendment, can not but teſtifie that the world it ſelfe came to be of no long life. And if for ſhould it not much concerne vsus without putting off, preſently to turne vntounto God, preſently to repent and beleeue the Goſpell, and preſently to enter into, and keepe the way of truth and vertue, which are ſo ſeldome birds in our dayes?

A terrour to all the enemies of Chriſt, Vſe 2 who wil not hauehave him to raigne ouer them. For, now the Kings writs come forth for the execution of all vngodly p. 365men, and of ſuch he will ſay, at his ſecond comming, bring them hither, and ſlay them before mee. Luk. 19.27. Then ſhall Kings be bound in chaines, and the Nobles (that would not be linked to Chriſt) in linkes of yron, till the appointed vengeance come. And when that time is come; the King will ſay: Executioners, doe your offices. Bind theſe Kings, and theſe great men: binde them hand and foote, that they may neither defend themſelues nor flye; and caſt them into vtter darkneſſe, that if they would flye, they may not know whether to flye in the darke. Mat. 22.13. They hauehave had their time, and this is mine. Men durſt not rebuke them, but I will rebuke them in iudgement. And not them onelyonly, but all the vngodly of the earth. This is my great day, wherein I will burne with the fire of rebuke, and perpetuall torment, with the intolerable fire of hell all mine enemies. Thus Chriſt will rebuke all the vngodly among men, when hee ſendeth the damned to their owne place. At his comming, & when p. 366hee ſhall put on theſe garments of rebuke, hee will ſharpely reproue the world, with a fire burning before him? At mignight ſhal a cry be made by the voice of an Angell, and trumpet of God. Mat. 15 6.Matt 15:6Now, canſt thou heare a ſudden and long crie of fire, fire, at midnight, and not be afraid? Thou wilt be worſe afraid, if the fire ſhall be in thine own houſe: and worſe then that, if it ſhall burne in the timber, and along the floore of thy bed chamber. But the vngodly ſhal ſuddenly and wofully heare a greater cry, and cry of greater feare. For, the fire of hell, and not the bare crie of fire, ſhall be in their eares, and begin to kindle in their bodies, at their firſt riſing out of their graues. They ſhall ſee heauen and earth burning before their eyes, and the chambers of their graues all on a fire. They ſhall ſee the fire about them, and flames of euer-burning fire ready to enter into them, to torment them day and night. So terrible ſhall this day of rebuke be to ſinners and vngodly men. And ſhall not the expectation of all this make the p. 367vnrighteous to melt with feare? If the downefall of two or three houſes can giuegive ſuch a cracke: what a terrible cracke and great burſt will the heauens, aire, ſea, and all the elements, with all the buildings and houſes of this large and great frame, make when they ſhall (all) runne togither like a ſcroule in the fire? Therefore, if wee would not hauehave this cry, at midnight to condemne vsus, let vsus now in this mid-day of the Goſpell, heare, to obedience, the cry of the word, that we may liue. If we would hauehave a comfortable riſing, let vsus goe to our beds, that is graues, in the peace of faith and a good conſcience. And if we would not feare hereafter, let vsus feare now; and now be Saints, if we meane to be as the Saints then, that is, at that great day of Chriſts comming. So much for the forme of the laſt iudgement, the perſons to whom it extendeth, follow.

All the vngodly among them, &c.] The perſons, who ſhall be rebuked in iudgement, are the vngodlie: yea, all the vngodly, none excepted. By this p. 368propertie of vngodlineſſe, and by theſe perſons who are called vngodly, the Apoſtle vnderſtandeth impenat… wickedneſſe, and the impenitent wicked againſt God, and the people of God, who ſhall riſe to damnation. Vngodlineſſe is a ſinne directly againſt God, and vngodly men are fighters aagainſt him. Either their thoughts are, that their is no God. Pſ. 10.4. or, if they beleeue a God, yet they denie his prouidence, and diſtinguiſh of his preſence: they make an idol of his mercy, and a ſport of his iuſtice. Or, if they confeſſe that God is Ruler, yet they will not confeſſe his rule by his word. Iob 21.14. nor worſhip him as he hath commanded, but as they (themſelues) thinke good. They neither pray for their neceſſities, nor giuegive thanks for their receipts. Iob. 21.15. They louelove not the Lord, and they abhorre his inheritance: they make much of his enemies, and ſmite downe his people, liuing as if there were no God, nor iudgement to come, Pſ. 44.5. Theſe are vngodly men, and againſt theſe this iudgement of p. 369rebuke is threatned. Doctr. From whence we learne, That God will not iuſtifie the wicked, though he beare with them, nor count them innocent, though he ſuffer them long. When the Lord ſtood before Moſes, and proclaimed his name before him, he ſpeaketh of his merciemercy, grace, and ſlownes to wrath, yet with a reſeruation and prouiſo of taking his iuſtice vntounto him when he ſeeth time: for, he addeth, that all this ſhall not make the wicked innocent, as if he had ſaid, Indeed I am ſlow to anger, but iuſt in my anger, to all thoſe, who ſhall abuſe theſe graces of my patience, merciemercy, and fauour to ſinners. Exod. 34, 6.7. When the haters of God, and they who caſt his words behind them powred out themſelues to all vngodlineſſe, and vnrighteouſneſſe, the Lord held his tongue, that is, ſeemed not to diſlike ſo great diſorder, and exceſſe of wickedneſſe in vngodly men: therefore they thought that he was like to them, and liked … ſinne as well as they; that he toke pleaſure in wickedneſſe, and would neuer p. 370puniſh thoſe that did wickedly. But God aſſureth them that all is contrarie, telling them that he will reproue them as here, and draw forth his hand to puniſh them as in a day of rebuke, and make them aſhamed of all their ſinnes, that he will bring in order before them, and as they committed them before him, not ſparing any Pſal. 50.21. The ſinner (ſaith Salomon) doth euill an hundred times: that is, makes no end, and keepes no meaſure, in ſinning, becauſe God prolongeth his daies, or, is patient, not cutting him off ſo ſoone as hee hath done wickedly. But though God beare neuer ſo long, preſume neuer ſo much, it ſhall not be well to him, or it ſhall be farre otherwiſe with him at the laſt. For, as the ſhadow that flyeth away, ſo ſhall hee poſt to his graue and his ſoule flye to deſtruction. Eccleſ. 8.12.13. The reaſons. If God ſhould euer iuſtifie the ſinner, it were either becauſe hee did want power to puniſh him, or inſtice to puniſh ſinne. But neither is lacking p. 371to God, who for power is almightie, and for zeale againſt ſinne, of pure eyes that cannot ſee euill. Habac. 1.13. That is, cannot abide it. Secondly, if God ſhould beare euer with ſinners; men would thinke that God delighted in them, or made ſome reckoning of them. The godly would be diſcouraged from doing good, and the wicked incouraged to doe euill. Thirdly, ſo, God ſhould condemne the generation of the righteous. For, he that iuſtifyeth the wicked condemneth the iuſt. A man cannot take an euill mans part, but he muſt by taking part with the euil, take part againſt the good. Eſay 5.23. Fourthly, Gods law condemneth the wicked; Now ſhall his law condemne them: and will hee cleere them? Or ſhall his word ſend them to execution: and will hee ſaue them from the hand of the Executioner? Fiftly, this were to bring ſin into credit. For, the Magiſtrat that wil not puniſh ſin, doth countenance ſinne. And ſhall we think that hee who perfectly hateth euill, a… good men hate it, but imperfectly, will duplicate page p. 370duplicate page p. 371p. 372grace either it or the doers of it? Laſtly, the word eueryevery way threatneth finners: and therefore if God ſhould for euer ſpare them, the word ſhould not be true.

Will not God iuſtifie ſinners? Vſe 1 then, men muſt not, and good men will not. For this is a fault eſſentiall in the Diuell and his ſeede. But Gods children will ſtriue to bee like God, and vnlike the Diuell. Of this ſomewhat was ſpoken before, the laſt doctrine but one, and third vſe. And it would bee well conſidered of thoſe flatterers who palpably iuſtifie the wicked, ſaying, they doe well when they doe euill, & that they offend pardonably, when their offence is intolerable. Magiſtrat… alſo, that are too ſparing to malefactors, are here admoniſhed not to keep ſtill in ſheath the ſword of puniſhment for euil deeds, which they ſhould draw vponupon offendours. For, this were to incourag… not to reforme them, or to …, and let the diſeaſe ….

… to Chriſtians, Ʋſe 2 to deny p. 373vngodlineſſe, and to exerciſe themſelues vntounto godlineſſe, and the duties thereof, that they may eſcape this ſentence of the rebuke of vngodly men. ſo much the grace of God, that (namely) which hath appeared in our ſaluation, teacheth vsus. Tit. 2.11. Where the Apoſtles meaning is, that we ſhould forbeare, not onelyonly palpable Atheiſme, of an vngodly life in Chriſtianitie: and that we ſhould au…ide not onelyonly the vngodlineſſe of deſpiſing God openly, but the diſſembling vngodlineſſe of ſeruing him negligently. Some will beleeue that what God hath promiſed, in merciemercy to his people ſhall bee done, who will not beleeue that what the ſame God hath threatned in iuſtice, to ſinners, ſhall be performed. This is open vngodlineſſe. So, when we heare men ſay, it were no … i… there were on more going … ſeeing there is no more follo…: this (likewiſe) is a ſpeech of …. For, did euer any grow … ſitting by the fire, or more … eating of good meate? So me will …eare p. 374the word, who yet deſpiſe him that teacheth it. But how can this be leſſe then a maine effect of vngodlineſſe, ſeeing that he who deſpiſeth the teacher, deſpiſeth God? Luc. 10.16. Some thinke if they frequent the aſſemblie with thoſe fooliſh virgins, that went out to meet the Bridegroom, Mat. 25.1, or if they be at Church, though they heare not at the Church, and come to praier, though careleſſe how to pray, and receiue the Sacrament, though not Chriſt by faith in the Sacrament, that their comming hither, and being here is ſufficient. But he that reſteth in theſe formes, going no further, is an vngodly man. Some hauehave a forme of godlineſſe and denie the power thereof, who weare Chriſt in their mouths, and hauehave not taſted of him in their hearts. Some hauehave a polygamie of husbands, their old huſband the world is not dead, and they will be married to Chriſt, ſeruing God and ritches: or, they are not diuorced from the fleſh, and they will marrie with the Spirit, ſeeming ſpirituall and ſeruing ſinne. Theſe and ſuch like, are p. 375the vngodly men, whom without repentance, God will iudge. It muſt be our care (therefore) not to walke in their waies, and to decline their paths. For, their waies are contrarie to wiſdoms waies, of which it is ſaid: Her waies are waies of pleaſure, and all her paths proſperity. Pro. 3.17. Indeed, there is a way that ſeemeth right to a man, the iſſues wherof are the waies of death. Prou. 16.25. And ſo, the broad and eaſie way to death and hell, ſeemeth to hauehave much pleaſure in it in the conceipt of worldlings. But ſo many as feare the Lord, will refraine their foot from ſuch waies. And, ſeeing they onelyonly ſhall ſtand in iudgement who take hold of the waies of life, walking with God, let vsus keep the waies of iudgement, and walke vprightly, that the Lord may be our ſhield for euer. Prou. 2.7.8.

A reproofe of the worlds errour, Vſe 3 which thinketh that they onelyonly are the happie men, who liue in all pleaſures and peace here. But ſuch (for the moſt part) ſerue not the Lord Ieſus but their owne bellies. Rom 16.18. and p. 376are ſure to be damned; being as Oxen that are made fat in the beſt paſture, and therefore ready for the ſlaughterhouſe eueryevery day. And is there any happineſſe in this, or matter that we ſhould enuie? Pſ. 37.1.2. Say, there were no knots in their death. Pſ. 73.4. and that the web of their life ſhould runne in an euen threed without any breakings, concerning theſe outward things, euen from their cradles to their graues, (though this be rather in opinion ſo, then ſo indeed:) yet after this commeth the iudgement. Eccleſ. 11.9; and when they come downe, who now are on horſebacke in their ruffe, againſt Chriſt and chriſtians, their fall ſhall be great; not to conuerſion with Saul. Act. 9.4.6. but into hell with all that forget God. God will rebuke them, and (ſuddenly) they ſhall be cut off in iudgement: their beauty ſhall conſume when they goe from houſe to graue, Pſ. 49.14. Is there any happineſſe in this? or can a man be happie for this? And yet the life, that theſe wretched men hauehave here, is not altogether p. 377ſo without twitches of ſorrow, as we thinke. For, when we ſuppoſe them moſt happie in their goods, and moſt pleaſant in their daies, perhaps euen then, there is a moſt bitter remembrance of death within. Euen, in laughing (ſaith Salomon ſpeaking of the wicked) the heart is ſorrowfull. Prou. 14.13. His meaning is, when you thinke them moſt merrie and paſt bitternes, there are gripes of feare in their pleaſures, and ſorrow of heart in all their mirth. Faine would they caſt out feare, ſometime with one paſtime, ſometme with another: but it will not goe out; and though they would caſt it out as out of a Cannon, it will returne to vexe them. Thus there is no peace to the wicked. Eſa. 57.21. nor ſound ioy in the wicked, and what is it (then) that we thinke to be ſo full of pleaſure in a life ſo vnpleaſant, tormented with the guilt of an euill conſcience, that like an vlcer in the body, will put thoſe to great anguiſh that are purſued of it in the middes of their feaſting, and not ceaſe to torment p. 378them day and night, though wrapped vpwith neuer ſo great brauery? But, this is the very caſe of ſome of thoſe whoſe life we thinke to be ſo happie, and condition of life ſo without knot. So much for the perſons that ſhall be rebuked; the things, for which, follow.

Of all their wicked deeds which they hauehave vngodlily committed.] The matters about which the ſeſſions of the laſt day ſhall be holden, by Chriſt with all wicked ſinners, concerne their deeds and ſpeeches, according to which, or the euidence of which, they ſhall be reproued of him at his comming. Their deeds are to be ſaid vngodlily committed, that is, done againſt the law of God, in the firſt and ſecond table. For, eueryevery ſinne (though it be done directly againſt man) yet hath a kind of defect, and withdrawing from God. And for the manner of committing them: it is not ſaid that they were ſinnes of infirmitie or accident, but ſinnes done after an vngodly manner, or, to render it by the p. 379aduerbe, as here, vngodlily, or ſinnes, not weakely, but wickedlie committed, and not vponupon occaſion but of purpoſe: that is, from an vnrepentant heart, and mind addicted to vngodlineſſe. The Apoſtles meaning is, that they doe not euill vnwillingly but gladly, nor againſt their mind, but purpoſely, nor ſometimes of weakneſſe, but continuallie, or, that they are of the occupation of ſinne, and follow it, as men doe their trades; and for this, they ſhall bee rebuked to damnation. Doctr. 1 The doctrine here taught is, That not ſimply the committing of vngodlineſſe, but the committing of ſinne vngodlily, bringeth death: not our being in ſinne, but our trading in it, will condemne vsus. Indeed, to commit a ſinne deſerueth death, but to lie in ſinne, bringeth it. So the Apoſtle Iohn is to be vnderſtood when he ſaith: He that committeth ſinne is of the Diuell. 1. Ioh. 3.8. For, his meaning is, he, who giueth himſelfe ouer to ſinne, in whom Chriſt neuer deſtroied ſinne, cannot be the p. 380child of God, but of the Diuell, nor child of ſaluation, but of death. …inne deſtroied not Dauid, for he repented of it: but ſinne deſtroied Saul, for he would not leaue it to the day of his death. If Iudas had repented for betraying of Chriſt, as Peter did repent for denying of Chriſt, Iudas had not periſhed more then did Peter. Iudas did caſt to doe euill, Peter was circumuented: therefore Peter obtained merciemercy, Iudas died in his ſinne. Sin therefore doth not principally or ſo much condemn a wicked perſon, as his impenitencie in ſinning, a greedineſſe to commit ſinne. For, a man may hauehave an infirmitie, and not die of it; and regenerate man may commit ſome ſinnes, and not be damned for them. Elſe why came Chriſt? Was it not to ſaue ſinners, that is, repentant ſinners? 1. Tim. 1.15. I ſpeake not this, as if ſinnes of infirmitie did deſerue pardon. For, I hauehave ſaid that euerie ſinne (both of infirmitie and other) deſerueth death. Yea, ſinnes of infirmitie in Gods children, deſerue p. 381death, and are ſinnes: but, by grace, they looſe their power and condemnation, Rom. 8.1. and ſo are, as they are accounted, not ſinnes vntounto death, but ſinnes that ſhall not bee condemned, and his ſinnes who ſhall not die. The reaſons; All are ſinners in Adam, and all hauehave ſinne in them, that came from Adam: and therefore if ſinne (ſimply) ſhould condemne a man, no man ſhould be ſaued. Secondly, a man may commit ſinne, as the Apoſtle did, who ſaid: the euill that I would not doe, that I doe. Rom. 7.19. But ſinne ſo committed is couered in merciemercy, that is, is accounted none: or is not imputed, that is, ſtandeth not vponupon the booke, and ſo goeth for no debt, and is made, by remiſſion, no ſinne. and if no ſinne, by account, then none to condemnation. Further, wee are that in account that we are in affection: and hee is no ſinner, who ſtriueth to be none. Now, if no ſinner in account, then no ſinner vntounto death. But it is ſo, with all Gods children, who are in ſinne, as a Mal… factor in priſon, that would gladly go p. 382out and cannot, that is, though they doe euill, they would & with all their hearts, would doe otherwiſe: and therfore in ſome, ſinne doth not condemn, which in others, ſinning vngodlily, that is, willingly, wilfully, & ordinarily, is to condemnation. Thirdly, when Gods children fall out with their ſinnes, which they euer doe, and doe by true repentance, God comes in with them: being in with them, they are no longer accounted enemies by him, but friends, and ſo their ſinnes cannot hurt them. For, who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods choſen? Rom. 8.33. That is, who ſhall obiect any thing againſt them that ſhall bee able to condemne them, or harme them? But this ſhould not be, if the committing of ſinne ſimply, ſhould bring death. Ʋſe 1

The vſe of this point teacheth vsus to diſtinguiſh betweene ſinners, and to put difference, in ſinnes committed by Gods elect and reprobates. For, the ſinnes of Gods children are ſinnes of infirmitie; ſo are not the ſinnes of p. 383the wicked that bring death; and ſinnes of infirmitie befall not graceleſſe ſinners. The ordinarie drunkard, though hee call his ſinne of drunkennes his infirmitie, yet is it his inexcuſable ſinne. And large couetouſneſſe is not an infirmitie, but ſinne of idolatry in thoſe that commit it. Raigning anger is a great iniquitie: ſo is the cuſtome of ſwearing. Buyers and ſellers, who trade with lying, as they doe with wares, are obdurate ſinners, not ſinners of infirmitie. And they who ſo offend, let them repent quickly, or they ſhall beare their condemnation, whoſoeuer they be. Gods children may fall into ſome of theſe ſinnes, or all; yet, though they fall into them by infirmitie, they riſe vp from them by repentance; but the wicked fall into them, and lie in them, and louelove them. Againe, the ſinne of wantonneſſe is couered by ſinners with a cloke of naturall infirmitie, and the wicked lend a ſigge leafe of excuſe to prankes of vanitie in ſtriplings and yong men. But the godly ſay with Dauid, Lord remember p. 384not the dayes of my youth. Pſal. 25. and the ſinnes of my youth, they call not infirmities, but rebellions. If yong men dance, and colt, and ryot, and poure out themſelues to all exceſſe, not onelyonly on common dayes, but on the Lords day; cockering parents, and carnall maſters will iuſtifie all the profuſe wickedneſſe and ſay, Youth muſt hauehave a time. But godly parents, will ſacrifice care for their children, with Iob, in ſuch a caſe: Iob. 1.5. and religious maſters ſay for themſelues & their ſeruants, with Ioſua in a like matter: I, and my houſe will ſerue the Lord. Ioſ. 24.15. And if any ſuch wickedneſſe be committed by their children, or any in their houſe, they wil not beare it with the vngodly, but bee againſt it with Dauid, Pſal. 101.3.4.5.8. and proteſt againſt the doers of it with Nehemiah. Neh. 13.21. So for miſpending of time: The wicked iuſtifie that vnthriſtineſſe, the godly bewaile their loſſe of precious time. The wicked ſay, how ſhall we paſſe the time? They caſt to doe euill: the godly ſay, let vsus redeeme the p. 385time, they are ſorrie for the loſſe, and confeſſe it. And thus great difference is to be put betweene the fals of Gods children, and the breake neckes of the wicked, who fall into death.

A comfort to repentant ſinners. Ʋſe 2 For though their ſinnes hauehave hurt them, their repentance may heale them. Ier. 18 8. Though they hauehave beene great ſinners, as Saul and Manaſſes were: Yet if they bee repentant ſinners, neither they nor their ſinnes can change the new teſtament, that God will be mercifull to their ſinnes, and blot out all their tranſgreſsions. Though their ſinnes were many: the matter is not how many their ſinnes are, but how penitent they be that are ſinners; and the more they are, the greater is his merciemercy who hath forgiuen them. But is this for the worke of repentance? No, but becauſe the repentant ſoule doth by faith apprehend Chriſt in his promiſes, and beleeue that vponupon his true conuerſion or comming home, God will receiue him, and the father welcome home his ſtraying ſonne. p. 386Luk 15.20.22.23. Queſt. Some will ſay: My ſinnes were committed vngodlily, Anſw. and with purpoſe of heart. Say they were ſo: now that you are ſorie for them, it is not iudged ſo: and your mercifull God will take you as you are, not as you hauehave beene. A repentant ſinner you are: and as a repentant ſinner, you ſhall hauehave merciemercy at Gods hands. OnelyOnly look that your repentance be ſound; ſo you may hauehave confidence for pardon, that God will bee mercifull to your vnrighteouſneſſe, and forgiue you your ſinnes. Ezech. 18.21.22.23.32. Luc. 17.4. Though your conſcience be full of wounds, the Lord who is your Surgeon, hath plaiſter inough of his tender merciemercy and long compaſsions to heale them. Though the debts you owe bee great ſummes, Gods merciemercy is not ſtinted to any number, and he that is infinite in his pardons, will as ſoone, and doth as graciouſly pardon many as few ſinnes; yea, when the ſumme of them is growne to a great reckoning, and maine totall. And though, like a wretched ſubiect, you hauehave raiſed againſt p. 387Chriſt many commotions in his owne kingdome, yet the King of the Kings of Iſrael, is a mercifull King; and when you come to him with true ſubmiſsion, as Benhadads ſeruants did to the King of Iſrael, with ſignes of ſubmiſsion. 1. King. 20.31.32. he will be as readie to grant your pardon, as you to aske it.

Of all their vngodly deedes, &c.] Secondly, where the vngodly ſhall be called to their anſwere for all that they hauehave done, we learne that all the deeds of the wicked ſhall be rebuked to damnation. So ſaith the Apoſtle S. Paul, where he ſheweth, that in the day of wrath, the wicked ſhall be rewarded according to their deeds: meaning by their deeds, their euill deeds. Rom. 2.5.6.8. And the ſame Apoſtle ſaith: we ſhall receiue, according to that wee hauehave done; the godly for the good they hauehave done in Chriſt, the wicked (out of Chriſt) for the euill they hauehave done in their owne bodie. 2. Cor. 5.10. And S. Mathew the Euangeliſt ſaith as much, where, ſpeaking of the comming of p. 388the Sonne of Man, he ſaith: when the Sonne of Man commeth in his glorie, he ſhall giuegive to enerie man according to his deedes. His meaning is, the godly ſhall beare vntounto iudgement the good deeds of Chriſt, imputed to them, and the wicked bring into iudgement the bad deedes of ſinne, properly theirs. Math. 16.27. The like we read in the booke of the Reuelation, or rather the ſame, where it is ſaid, that all the dead ſhall be iudged according to their works. The good, for Chriſts righteouſneſſe, and by it, ſhall liue: the wicked ſhall be damned for their owne vnrighteouſneſſe. Queſt. Apoc. 20.11.12. But ſome may ſay: if euill deeds deſerue damnation, why ſhould not good deeds merit life? I anſwere. Anſw. It followeth not, ſeeing that (here) good and bad workes cannot be oppoſed directly. For, our good workes are imperfitly and faultily good, but our bad deeds are perfitly naught: our good deedes are Chriſts in vsus, our bad are our owne and Satans: our bad deeds, becauſe perfectly bad, iuſtly deſerue hell, our p. 389good, becauſe ſo mixed with infirmities, cannot merit heauen. And now, that bad deedes ſhall be rebuked in iudgement, may further appeare by the reaſons which follow. As (firſt:) The deeds of the wicked more harme the Church, then words doe, or thoughts can: but words and thoughts ſhall be iudged, therefore deeds much more: els why doth Chriſt ſay, that God will auenge his elect that crie day and night vntounto him? Luc. 18.7. Secondly, theſe things ſaith Amen; now, if Amen ſay it, the ſame Amen, who is faithfull, will doe it. Apoc. 3.14. Amen hath ſaid by his Seruants and in the Scriptures, that he will bring eueryevery work vntounto iudgement. Eccleſ. 12.14. And therefore euerie vngodly worke, & deed of eueryevery vngodly man ſhall be ludged. Thirdly, for this cauſe (as hath been ſaid) the Lord will ſtretch out his hand, in the rebuke of the vngodly, as one that ſwimmeth ſpreadeth his armes abroad to encloſe all before him. The meaning is: God will encloſe ſo in the fadome of his ſecond p. 390comming eueryevery work of wicked man, that no one ſhall eſcape the ſeuerity of his throne. Eſa. 25.11. Fourthly, if any wicked worke ſhould not be iudged, it were either becauſe God could not, and then were he not almighty; or would not iudge it, and then ſhould he looſe his righteouſneſſe. But none can ſtand before his great power. Ier 49.19. And he that is Iudge of the world wil iudge it with righteouſneſſe. Pſal. 98.9.

An inſtruction to doe good deeds, Vſe. 1 ſeeing bad deeds ſhall be iudged to hell. For, though good deeds may not ſit in the chaire of merit, yet we muſt giuegive them their proper place, They are not merits of eternall life, yet they muſt be witneſſes of our being in Chriſt. Good workes cannot ſaue vsus: and yet if we doe not good workes, we cannot be ſaued. I ſpeake according to the ordinary rule, and of perſons able to doe good workes: not of infants, nor what God doth extraordinarily, as when he ſaued the confeſſing thiefe at the laſt houre: and yet he not onelyonly had faith but ſhewed it p. 391by diuers teſtimonies and effects of grace. Luc. 23.40.41.42. Therefore, though good workes cannot ſaue vsus, yet bad workes and the want of good, may damne vsus. They be euidences of our ſaluation, though not cauſes. As (therefore) he who holdeth a peece of land, holdeth it by his euidence, his euidence was not that that procured it, but his mony: ſo the good euidence of our ſaluation, is in our ſanctified liues, the cauſe of it in Chriſts merits, no other coine, either of gold or ſiluer, could purchaſe it at the hands of Gods iuſtice; in our redemption. 1. Pet. 1.18. wherefore, as S. Iames ſaith: If thou haſt faith, ſhew it by thy workes. Iam. 2.18. ſo with the Apoſtle S. Iames I ſay: If thou haſt this hope, let me ſee it in that euidence of thy good conuerſation in Chriſt.

A terrour to all the perſecutors of Gods Church and people, Ʋſe 2 who driue from their paſtures, and ſend to the ſlaughter-houſe, the harmeleſſe lambes of Chriſts fold. For, Chriſt will come to iudgement againſt all thoſe who, p. 392in ſuch manner and ſo cruelly, ſmite their fellowes with impriſonment and death. Math. 24.49. And, the beaſt and falſe Prophet ſhall bee caſt into the lake of fire and brimſtone, there to be tormented day and night for euermore. Apoc. 20.10. Men may not iudge the Antichriſt of the Weſt though he doe neuer ſo badly, yet God will iudge him. And ſuch portion ſhall they hauehave from the Lord; eueryevery one that ſmiteth downe his people, and vexeth his heritage. So much for the firſt of thoſe things for which the wicked ſhall be rebuked, the ſecond followeth.

And of all their cruell ſpeakings which wicked ſinners hauehave ſpoken againſt him.] The laſt of thoſe things, whereof the vngodly ſhall be iudged, is their cruell ſpeakings, that is words proceeding from a cruell minde in all vngodly and railing tongues of euill men. For, men ſhall receiue according to that which is done in the bodie, or any part of the bodie, whether hands or tongue. Doctr. 2. Cor. 5.10. The doctrine from hence is: The wicked ſhall not onelyonly p. 393anſwere for their euill deedes, but for their bad tongues. So ſaith our Sauiour Chriſt. By thy words, to wit, if they be gracious, thou ſhalt be iuſtified: and by thy words, if they bee wicked, thou ſhalt be condemned. Math. 12.37. Salomon did confeſſe as much, when hee ſaid, that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Prou. 18.21. as if he had ſaid, as a man ordereth his tongue well or ill, ſo ſhall hee receiue his ſentence from the throne that iudgeth right, either vntounto death or life. And hee (further ſaith; He that keepeth his mouth, his meaning is, is conſiderate or wiſe in the words of his mouth, ſpeaking but when hee ought, and what hee ſhould, keepeth his life, that is, prouideth well for his ſaluation hereafter: as contrarily, he that is careleſſe of his tongue, or cruell in talke, ſhall come to deſtruction. Prou. 13.3. The Prophet Dauid ſaith: hee that deſireth life, and loueth good dayes, let him keepe his tongue from euill. Pſal. 34.12.13. Then, they who keepe not there tongue, ſhal neither ſee life, nor the good dayes of p. 394life, but inherit the euill that they hauehave paid for with their bad tongues. And Saint Iames ſaith, that a fierie tongue ſhall hauehave a fierie doome. Iam. 3.6. For as it hath done, ſo God will doe vntounto it. Iudg. 1.7. And, it is iuſt, that, that which hath ſet on fire the courſe of nature, ſhould (it ſelfe) be ſet on fire, by the curſe of God. The reaſons. If (as we heard) ſentence muſt be giuen for euerie thing that is done in the bodie, then for words which are vttered by the tongue, a part of the body. 2. Cor. 5.10. Secondly, the mouth is the ſin-hole of the vncleane heart, for out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh. Mat. 12.34. And what is due to the one, is payable to the other. If the one deſerue iudgmēt, both deſerue it, and if one be puniſhable, both are. Thirdly, cruell tongues are compared to ſharp arrowes, and coles of Iuniper, to ſhew, that as arrowes ſent out of a bow, by the hand of a ſtrong man, flye with great force and violence, and as Iuniper-coles are not onelyonly very hot, but doe long continue ſo. So cruell p. 395words forced out of an euill heart, and wicked ſpeeches fired by the malice of a ſpitefull ſoule, doe not only pierce violently through the name of the innocent; but leaue a long and incurable wound in it after the blow giuen. And doe not ſuch tongues deſerue to be rebuked in iudgement? Pſal. 120.4. Yea ſurely; And therefore among the rabble of reprobates, ſpoken off. 1. Cor. 6.10. railing perſons, and railing tongues are in the number.

But ſhall cruell ſpeeches and ſpeakers be iudged to condemnation? Vſe 1 It ſhall be (then) an admonition to the godly, patiently to ſuffer the reuilings of men, and not to render euill for euill, one euill word for another. Rom. 12.17. Some giuegive reproch for reproch, as if they would fight againſt an iniury, not with the weapons of Chriſt, who being reuiled, reuiled not againe, 1. Pet. 2.23. But with the Diuels weapons of impatiencie and reuenge. The Prophet ſaith, his enemies laid a ſnare for him. Pſal. 119.110. Did hee (therefore) lay another for them? No, p. 396he would not ſhoote with Satan in his own bow, recompencing ſin with ſin, but ſtuck to the word, committing all to him who ſaith; Vengeance is mine & I will repay: Heb. 10.30. Rom. 12.19. This is written for our learning: and therfore ſeeing that the reuiling tong ſhall be brought into iudgement, let the Lord iudge it, let not vsus iudge it before the time. And as our Sauiour ſaith: reſiſt not euill. Mat. 5.39; So let vsus bee ſo farre from fighting with the wicked at their owne weapons, auenging our ſelues, that we be ready rather to ſuffer two wrongs then to reuenge one. ver. 39.40.41. Dauids example is notable in this caſe: who, when Shemei that Cur-dog ſnarles fiercely at him, being then King, would ſuffer nothing to be done vntounto him for it, but with remembrance of his owne ſinne and wicked ſonne, ſuffered him to goe on, leauing him to a higher Iudge. 2. Sam. 16.5.6.7.8.9.1.11.12.

An inſtruction to looke carefully to the good ordering of our tongues, Vſe 2 ſeeing wee muſt bee brought to our account p. 397for ſpeeches, as well as for deeds. Saint Iames ſaith, be ſlow to ſpeak, and ſlow to wrath. Iam. 1.19. As if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid: If thou bee of an haſtie minde, keepe thy tongue long in thy mouth, the ſcabbard thereof; and draw not that ſword haſtily, ſo ſhalt thou neither prouoke ſo much, nor be prouoked ſo ſoone. Salomon the Preacher giueth like good counſell, bidding a Chriſtian not to be raſh with his mouth, Eccleſ. 5.1. His meaning is, the Tongue is an edge toole that will cut where it ſhould not, if we handle it raſhly, and nimble, and light tongues cannot but doe much harme: and therfore we muſt keep the tongue in the ſheath, if we would not be cruell ſpeakers, and ſuch as muſt come to our anſwere for bloud. Set a watch before my mouth, and keepe the doore of my lips, was Dauids prayer, and muſt bee our practiſe. Pſal. 141.3. And why did the Prophet pray the Lord (ſo earneſtly) to ſet his watch at the gate of his lippes, but becauſe he knew wel that without Gods watch ouer his words, they wold p. 398rather purſue miſchiefe, then follow peace. And ſhold we not fear more then he to let our tongues goe at ſuch liberty without a keeper and watch man, being nothing ſo able to guide them as he was? This would be conſidered of thoſe who turne their tongues looſe, and giuegive them leaue to vtter whatſoeuer the luſts or malice of their heart can inuent. For, lewd words do not only worke on themſelues, but on thoſe that heare them; on themſelues to deſtruction, and on their hearers to infection: and malicious tongues doe not onelyonly deſtroy the ſoule that vſeth them, but wound the innocent name of thoſe againſt whom they are bent and vſed. So, they are to giuegive a double account for their wicked ſpeeches: one for hurting themſelues, another for harming their brethren. So much for the laſt of thoſe things that are to be iudged; which is further amplified: and that by two properties, as firſt, that thoſe ſpeakings are cruell, and ſecondly that they are ſpoken againſt Chriſt.

Cruell ſpeakings, &c.] The ſpeakings p. 399of the wicked are ſaid to be cruell ſpeakings, becauſe, by them, they cruelly raged againſt the righteous, and, after a ſort, drew blood from them in the point of their credit, and (ſometime) in the caſe of their life, bitterly accuſing or tauntinglie mocking them. And now where theſe things are ſtiled, with the name of crueltie, The doctrine is; Doctr. That the ſcornes and reuilings of the wicked, incident to Gods children, are perſecutions. Among the grieuous trials of the Saints, this, that they were tried by mockings, was reckone one. Hebr. 11.36. And thus was Iſaac perſecuted by ſcoffing Iſmael. Moſes ſaith no more but that Sarah ſaw the ſonne of the Egyptian, mocking her ſonne. Gen. 21.9. yet, S Paul ſpeaking to that point, ſaith, He perſecuted him. Gal. 4.29. Saint Pauls meaning is, that ſcoffes and girds at men for good waies, are ſore afflictions and the point of cruelty at their heart. It was not the leaſt part of Chriſts ſuffering, that the inſtruments of his death and many limmes of the Diuell ſo deſpitefully p. 400wagged their heads at him in great diſdaine: and that they ſpate upon him, and ſpake vntounto him ſo diſgracefully and ſo cruelly, ſaying: Thou that deſtroieſt the temple and buildeſt it in three daies, ſaue thy ſelfe, &c. Math. 27.40. A great portion of the cup of his bitter Paſſion conſiſted in this, that hee was mocked for his confidence in God. For, they ſaid: He truſteth in God, let him deliuer him now, if he will hauehave him. Pſal. 22.8. Math. 27.43. The reaſons. Firſt, it is a degree of murder thus to ſpeake. Math. 5.22. For, to ſpeake cruelly, is to ſpeake wrathfully, with deſpitefull tongues and goomes in blood. Secondly, ſuch ſpeeches proceed from a contempt of the grace of God in thoſe who ſo ſuffer. And it greeueth them more, and they ſet it more to heart that God is contemned, then if themſeles were to ſuffer reproch and contempt, yea loſſe of their goods, and that, which is dearer to them, their life. Hebr. 10.33.34 Act. 20.23.24 Laſtly, that which ſauoureth of cruelty p. 401muſt needs be an affliction. But cruel ſpeakings are ſuch, for they are caſt vponupon the righteous with terrible indignities, and therefore cruell ſpeakings are afflictions.

Firſt, Vſe 1 this doctrine doth teach vsus to feare to be ſcorners of our brethren, as we would be afraid to be perſecutors of them. The practiſe of godlineſſe which ſtandeth by the law of God, and the good lawes of this land, is called Puritaniſme, and the profeſſours of it, in a by-name, Puritans. But let ſuch reprochers of the good way of the Lord in their fellow-chriſtians, bewaile ſuch cruell ſpeeches, leſt, proceeding ſo to doe, the Lord rebuke them at his comming. And for the Papiſts, whoſe bitter railings we hauehave heard, and rancor againſt the truth of Chriſt we know: let them learne here that they are right Iſmaelites, and therfore bound ouer to condemnation for their cruell ſpeakings againſt Chriſt, and the Church of Chriſt. Like iudgement is to be giuen of all filthy ſpeeches of vncleane Sodomites, p. 402which gall the ſimplicitie and very ſoules of the righteous.

Secondly, Vſe 2 true chriſtians here learne to prepare for, & to bear the ſcourge of tongues. For among other perſecutions that they muſt looke for, perſecution by euill tongues, is one. The Diſciple is not aboue his Maſter. Math. 10.24. Thus men dealt with Chriſt: and they muſt expect accordingly, to ſuffer, that are in Chriſt It is our Maſters reproch, and we muſt beare it. Hebr. 13.1…. or (properly) our own reproch, and good reaſon wee ſhould beare it. So much for the firſt propertie of the wi… ked, the ſecond amplified propertie, followeth.

Which wicked ſinners hauehave ſpoken againſt him.] That which was ſpoken againſt the godly is (here) ſaid to bee ſpoken againſt Chriſt: For hee taketh the iniuries of his Saints, to bee iniuries done vntounto himſelf: they that deale deſpitefully with them, deale contemptuouſly with him. The point taught is: Doctr. Whatſoeuer is ſpoken or practiſed againſt the godly for their p. 403righteouſneſſe is eſteemed as ſpoken, and done vntounto Chriſt, for whoſe ſake and cauſe they ſo ſuffer. The people had caſt off Samuel whom God had choſen. Therefore the Lord counted himſelfe deſpiſed, becauſe they had deſpiſed him whom he had choſen. 1. Sam. 8.7. Saul perſecuted the church, and Chriſt ſaith, I am Ieſus whom thou perſecuteſt: to wit, not in my perſon, but in the church my members. Act. 9.4.5. Alſo, concerning his Diſciples Chriſt ſaith, and concerning all the godly in them: Hee that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me. Luc. 10.16. The reaſons; That which is done againſt the bodie, concerneth the head, but Chriſt is the head of his church, and the church is his bodie. Epheſ. 1.22.23. And therefore what is done againſt the Church, is done againſt Chriſt. Secondly, It is not we that are hated, but the cauſe of Chriſt in vsus when we ſuffer for righteouſneſſe. And wil not he reuenge his owne abuſe, and deſend his own glorie? He that ſpurneth againſt his truth, ſpurneth againſt him. And ſhall not the p. 404Lord turne to confuſion all his deſpiſers.

A terrour to thoſe who reproch a good man for his goodneſſe, Vſe 1 and a religious man for the truth. For the Lord will proceede againſt ſuch, not onelyonly for their iniury to man, but for their blaſphemie to God. So they that ſmite his ſeruants, ſhall be as they that ſmite himſelfe. For, as hee that beateth a mans ſcruant, abuſeth the maſter: So he perſecuteth Chriſt, that vexeth his ſeruants. Pharao, Saul, Senacherib, Herod and others, found the truth of this in their fearefull deſtruction, becauſe (like deſperate wretches) they fought againſt God, in his Saints.

A comfort to thoſe who defend a good cauſe. Ʋſe 2 For, they ſtand not alone, but hee ſtandeth with them who is ſtronger then all men. And, of God bee on our ſide, who can bee againſt us. Rom. 8.31. If wee hauehave ſuch a cauſe as Hezekiah had, we may ſay with like confidence as Hezekiah did… there be … with vsus, then are with them. 2. Chron. 32.7. 2. King. 6.16. Dauids cauſe, was p. 405the Lords: and hee found that God would bee neare to auouch his owne truth in the middes of his enemies. Therefore was hee deliuered from the battell that was againſt him; for many were with him. Pſal. 55.18. To conclude therefore, let vsus prouide our ſelues of a good cauſe: and wee ſhall be ſure of a ſtrong helper: Let vsus reuerence the godly, and honour the Lord: and we ſhall ſtand inuincible in all oppoſitions, or as mount Sion that cannot bee remoued, but remaineth for euer. Pſal. 125, 1. Our death ſhall bee comfortable, and our iudgement without rebuke: wee ſhall benefit Chriſts church, & hauehave praiſe of God; to whom, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, three perſons, and one immortall and onelyonly wiſe God, be rendred all glorie, power and thanksgiuing now and euer. Amen.

All glorie to God.

FINIS.

POINTS of inſtuction for the ignorant: With An examination before our comming to the LORDS TABLE: And A ſhort direction for ſpending of time well.

LONDON, Printed by William Hall, for Francis Burton, and are to be ſold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yeard, at the ſigne of the Greene Dragon, 1613.