The Saints Sufferings and Sinners Sorrows, Part 20
Their end and miſery.
Their end is the very tragedie of all miſeries, and compendium of the laſt woe. They are puniſhed as if doomeſday were come upon them. God it is that will bee the Author of all tragedies, and write out all men the parts they are to play in this world. Hee is not partiall to the greateſt, when they grow inſolent againſt him. Darius of a great Emperour is put to play the poore begger, and in the drought of death to call for drinke from an enemie. Baiazet the grand Signior of the Turkes, turnes the ſtage of his honour, into a footſtoole for Tamberlane to mount on horſe-backe. Valerian, by Sapores is commanded the ſame ſervice, and thouſands more of examples might bee brought. The greateſt Worthy, and the leaſt worme are ſubjects to God, and without wrong, muſt bee made to ſerve his providence. Fortune (wee ſay) on the great Theater of the world deales with us, as wee doe with our ſelves in the change of our garments in our leſſer Chambers: when we have unclad our ſelves, every man weareth but his owne skin: and ſo the proudeſt, and moſt preſumptuous are of the ſame nature with the meaneſt, when they are ſtripped of ſome few raggs they weare: wee are to meete with an hard maſter, that will not pardon us farthings, Math. 5.26.
In the way we might have done well, but now being come to the end of our journey, we muſt abide both our pay and paine. Hell fire will be the hotter, by how much God in patience hath beene the cooler: Tarditas ſupplicij gravitate penſatur, the calme of Gods mercy, ends in the tempeſt of his juſtice. Men ſhall ſee now how to ſorrow, but not to ſolace themſelves. Iſid. l. 1. de ſum. bon. Ad aggrevatum ut videant unde doleant, non ad conſolationem, ut videant unde gandeant, they have played with thoſe things that now will not pleaſe them. When they come to number with God as well for magnitude as multitude of ſinnes, they ſhall perceive themſelves burthened as wel for conſcience as memory. There is ſinne (ſaith a Father) both in weight and number, etſi non timeas quando expendis, time quando numeras. The many ſeventies injoyed by the Iewes, became ſevere in the count, and for ſhort weekes they have now ſharpe miſeries. Cum illis ludunt quae illis laedunt, They ſport with that which will not ſpare them. They become careleſſe of their evils, and then careleſſeneſſe, ſadneſſe & ſuddenneſſe will overtake them. The time was when God called for that, which they would not give, and now may call for that which God will not grant; like Dives they deny morſels, and want dropps when they neede them. Would they give their ſoules to God, when they have given them to the devils, he will none of them but commands (as the text hath it) the devils to fetch them without their wils. It is ſmall happineſſe that concludes with ſo heavy newes. Some ſay he is a happy ſonne whoſe father goes to the devill: but an heire of ſuch happineſſe may have as heavy an end. Abraham remembred Dives of paines in hell for pleaſures upon earth.
Men that have deſpiſed the Goſpell were bleſſed, if they might die like beaſts, and be buried like wormes. A Toad is touched with leſſe miſery in the hatred of man, than men that for ſinne are hated of God. A bitter cup that is in Gods keeping, and though vengeance bee not powred out of it, yet it neither ſleepeth, nor reſteth there for ever. Iudgements doe not follow crimes as thunder doth lightning, neither is a wicked mans pang alwayes ſuperſcribed in his forehead. duplicate page duplicate page Wickedneſſe hath Sugar in the mouth and ſorrow in the heart; wantonneſſe like oyle ſhineth in the face, and is feſtered in the ſoule: worldly things upon the beſt termes are vaine, but vile with ſinne: men may up and be rich with injury, grow great by ſecret evils, and not know their wofull end. If theſe things had better conditions they were no great friends to us, but as they are by us to corrupted, they are no leſſe then tormenters. A gay coate will not alwayes beare out a corrupt heart, nor high title a hell in the conſcience.
Sophar in the booke of Iob powreth out curſes upon the head of an impious man, te les him hee ſhall ſucke the gall of Aſpes and be ſlaine by a Vipers tongue. The ſunne that ſhineth faire ſix dayes upon a wicked mans tabernacle, may bee clouded the ſeventh, and then for delay he comes to pay the intereſt. Surely when the heavens ſhall ſhrivell as a ſcrole, and the Mountaines move like frighted men, then no Cave ſhall bee found to receive, or mighty Mountaines to fall upon them. Count them miſerable who for a while are made fortunate by impiety, fooles are at no time happy: if wicked men were wiſe they would ceaſe to be evill. Iniquity is an undoubted proofe, both of folly and miſery. Grieve not at the ſinners impunitie and proſperity, becauſe rightly diſcerned they even then neither proſper or goe unpuniſhed.
Vulgar people for their names lie buried with their bodies: but great perſons and kingdomes ſtand upon record. We are marveilous blind in their uſe, men thinke ſuch and ſuch perſons miſcarried not by ſin, but ſimplicity. They are dare hazzard the ſame way, and looke for better ſucceſſe. Let mee never bee credited if they fare better then their neighbours. Their Chronicles wil come out with the ſame edition and addition of better wits. It is no working againſt Gods workes that hath alwayes curſed ill courſes: mans end in this world, ends not his miſery in hell. Hee ſtands for a time upon the ſlippcrie yee, and being in darkeneſſe knowes not when Gods Angell ſhall puſh him into hell, Pſal. 35.6. Three aggravations of his miſery, firſt, the place of his ſtanding, this is ſlipperie. Secondly, it is poſſeſſed with darkeneſſe, and therefore being in the way to fall, hee cannot have the wit to place one foote for ſafety. Hee that walkes upon the yee in darkeneſſe muſt needs have a downefall as deadly, as a break-neck.
God is angry every day with ſinners, and could find in his heart to caſt them into hell, that he ſpares them is his patience not his pardon, for hee will puniſh in the end. Hee will one day breath fire upon thoſe coles that in mercy hee breathed into us. His fire ſhall fall as raine, catch them like ſnares. To ſire he will adde brimſtone, and to both an horrible tempeſt, Pſal. 11.6. The ſtreame and current of Gods wrath ſhall runne like a River of brimſtone, the very pile of the pit is fire, and that fire hath alſo much wood to worke on, Iſa. 30.33. This afterclap of hell is the worſt, and ſhould have our greateſt care of prevention before it be too late, and wee have loſt both our lives and him that is unto us both life and length of daies.
One hand by the pulſe askes the other how wee doe, and our eye is on our Vrine to divine in what danger wee are: why is there not a pulſe panting and beating within to admoniſh us of our inward eſtate? With what preſumption doe we daily provoke God to blow theſe Soules into hell that once he breathed into our bodies? The Lord teach us Wiſedome to thinke of our end, that when wee are taken of our feete to fall on our beds, and from them to the cold earth, we may not be raiſed off our foundation, but reſt on him that will ſuſtaine us, if we obey his Goſpell. Let the good departure of my Soule to ſalvation, bee alwaies evident to my faith, and I ſhall be the leſſe curious to care how darke and deadly it entred into my body. It is the going out more then the comming that concernes every hearer of Gods Goſpel. This was St. Auguſtines meditation, and ſhall be mine for ever; that my end may conclude my ſorrowes, and begin my joyes.