Two Sermons, Sermon 2 – Commentary
THE GRAND ASSIZES.
A Sermon preached at Saint Maries in Cambridge.
REVEL. 20. 12.
And the Bookes were opened.
THere is not in all the Scripture a more lively representation of the last Judgement, then in this and the paralel Chapter of the Prophesie of Daniel▪ Foure grand Observables present themselves therein.
First, Verse 11. I saw a great white Throne: Throne, there is Majestie; Great, there is Magnificence; White, there is Integritie; no spot of Injustice, no sparke of Partialitie shall staine the Puritie of that Dayes Proceedings. God grant, that this Throne, White in it selfe, and White in relation to him that sitteth thereon, may prove White to us, that our innocencie thereat in Christ may be cleared, and our soules with joy comforted and compleated. Otherwise, though the Throne be White, the Day will prove to guiltie Offenders, as it is described, Ioel 2. 2. A Day of Darknesse, and of Gloominesse, a D…y of Clouds, and of thick Darknesse.
Secondly, The Earth and the Heaven fled away from his face that sat on the Throne: Wherein had the harmlesse Heaven and innocent Earth offended, that should cause the flight? What if the Heathen had superstitiously worshipped the Hoast of Heaven? the Heavens purely passive therein had never consented thereunto. What if the Earth had brought forth Thornes and Thistles? she did it not willingly, but cursed and commanded by God, Gen. 3. 18. so to doe. Alas, both Heaven and Earth were conscious to themselves of comparative impuritie, and fled like Dross from his Face who is a consuming fire. See here how poorely the wicked are helped, when they Petition the Mountaines to fall upon them and cover them. Fall upon them; that is Improbable. Cover them; that is Impossible. Ill are the Mountaines able to protect them, when the whole Earth cannot defend it selfe; cannot make good it's own Station, but flyeth away.
Thirdly, Iohn saw the Dea…, Small and Great stand before God. Here the extreames, Small and Great, are expressed, whilest those of middle seized condition betwixt them are implyed. Mens Nets commonly are so cast▪ the great Fishes break through the Threads, and little Fishes creep through the holes; whilest Gods Drag-net is so large, so strong, so advantagiously cast, neither Great nor Small can escape it. I saw the Dead, Small an… Great.
But why is there here no mention of the Living? our Creed, according the Analogie of Faith, teaching us that God shall judge the Quick and the Dead.
I Answer, S. Iohn onelyonly took notice of them who were most numerous, and that which was most miraculous. Most numerous, the living at the last day being inconsiderable in number to the dead, as being onelyonly the product of one Generation. Most Miraculous. It is usuall and ordinary to see the living arraigned everie Assizes and Sessions; but for the Dead to appeare before the Judges, is most strange, and therefore onelyonly noted by the Apostle.
The Fourth Observable in the words of my Text; And the Bookes were opened.
We read of King William, called the Couqueror, that he caused a Survey-Booke to be made of all the Demesne Lands in England, which he no l…sse proudly and prophanely then falsly termed D…omesday-Booke; yet was not the same unparti…lly performed, some Lands being rated above, and others beneath the true value thereof. Behold here the true Doomsday Bookes, done without feare or favour, wherein all mens actions were unpartially recorded; And the Bookes were opened.
The words are a Metaphor borrowed, say some, from Mercatorie transactions betwixt Buyer and Seller, where the Debt… are Booked: taken, say others, from Iudiciall Proceedings, where the Indictments of Malefactors are written and read before the Iudge; and this beares best proportion with the Context.
Take notice herein of the low condescention of the high God of Heaven, speaking after the manner of men. Should God speake of himselfe as he is, his expressions would be as incomprehensible as his Essence. What then is to be done in this case, to make man capable of Gods discourse? Either man must be mounted up to Heaven, a perfection in this Life unattainable, or God of his goodnesse may be pleased to stoope unto Earth, which by him is graciously performed. Let us not therefore thinke the lower of his Greatnesse, but the higher of his Goodnesse. Let no Preachers count it a diminution to their Learning, a degrading to their Language, to humble themselves to the Capacities of their Auditories, having so good a Precedent; God the Father, as I may say, incar…ating himselfe in his humane expressions: And let people listen the more attentively to Gods language herein. When the Iewes heard, Acts 22. 2. that S. Paul spake in the Hebrew (that is, in their owne) Tongue unto them, they kept the more silence: Seeing God descends to our Dialect, let us attend with the more earnestnesse to what is spoken; And the Bookes were opened.
All Metaphors in Scriptures must tenderly be toucht, lest (as the wringing of the Nose bringeth forth blood) they …e …ortured to speake beyond and against their true intention. But Metaphors from Gods mouth, speaking foreign, must be handled with much moderation, lest in the prosecution thereof we come into the suburbs of Blasphemie. Where Discretion adviseth us to be cautious in others, Devotion c…mmands us to be timorous in following such Metaphors. How-ever, we may safely tread in the steps of the Scrip…ure, and use such phrases as we find… therein.
In the words we may observe five Doctrines; all which, like the Linkes in a Chayne, depend one upon another.
First, God writes downe and records … actions of me… on Earth.
Secondly, Actions thus written are not trusted in loose Papers, but bound up.
Thirdly, Actions thus bo…nd up, … not onelyonly to one, but make many Bookes.
Fourthly, Bookes thus made are not prese…tly opened, but for a time kept secret and concealed.
Fifthly, Bookes thus concealed shall not be concealed for ever, but in due time shall be opened.
I intend not a particular prosecution of all these parts; onelyonly I will make a Decoction of them all, so to make them more Cordiall into one Staple Doctrin…, when first we have explained something necessarie thereunto.
God his writing downe of the actions of Earth, proce…deth not from his want of Memorie, as if he intended to make use of his Notes for the benefit thereof. There be two expressions like in sound, yet so different in sense, that applyed to God, the one importeth Blasphemie, the other sound Divinitie, namely, Ancient, and Old. God is termed in Daniel, The Ancient of Dayes, expr…ssing his everlasting continuance from all Eternitie: But Old he cannot be termed, as appropriated …o Creatures, (they wax old, as doth a Garment) and carrying in it more then an … of impairing and decay. God hath all the perfections of Age, Knowledge, Gravitie, Wisdome, without the infirmities thereof, Weaknesse, Frowardnesse, Forgetfulnesse.
Wherefore he reciteth downe mens Actions, not out of any necessitie to helpe himselfe to remember them, but partly out of State, (as Ioseph made use of an Interpreter, though understanding his Brothers language) partly, that the producing the …ame in Evidence at the Last Day, may silence and confound the more impudent Malefactor.
These Actions thus written, amount to many Bookes, and we finde seven severall Bookes mentioned in the Scripture.
First, the Booke of Life, whereof frequent mention in Gods Word, Phil. 4. 3. Whose Names are in the Booke of Life. This containeth a Register of such particular persons, in whose salvation God from all Eternitie determined to have his merciemercy glorified, and for whom Christ merited Faith, Repentance, and Perseverance, that they should repent, beleeve, and be finally saved.
Secondly, the Booke of Nature. This mentioned by David, Psa…. 139. 16. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect, and in thy Booke all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Thirdly, the Booke of Scripture, and here behold it; and happie were it for us, could we but as zealously practice it in our hearts, as we can easily hold it in our hands.
Fourthly, the Booke of Providence, wherein all particulars are registred, even such which Atheists may count triv…all and inconsiderable, Math. 10. 30. But the very haires of your head are all numbred: And where is their number summed up? Even in the Booke of Gods Providence.
Fifthly, the Booke of Conscience. This Booke is Gods, as the tr…e Owner and Proprietarie thereof; yet so, as he lend…th it to man in this Life, to make use thereof.
Sixthly, the Booke of mens Actions. Hence that frequent expression in Scripture, Psalme 51. 9. And blot out all mine iniquities: intimating, that all our ill deeds are fairely written, til God in Christ doth crosse or delet… them. And if our ill deeds be registred, surely our good deeds be recorded; God not being like those envious and ill-natured persons; who onelyonly take notice of what is bad, passe by and neglect what is good in another.
Seventhly, the …ooke of mens Afflictions. Some account this onelyonly a distinct Tome, or Volume, of the former Booke; others, an intire Booke of it selfe, Psal. 56. 8. Thou … my s…ittings, put my teares into thy Bottle; are no… all these things written in thy Booke? And if the white teares of Gods servants be botled up, surely the red teares are not cast away; but their innocent blood causelesly shed, shal (though …lowly) yet surely and severely be punished on the causers thereof.
These Bookes are for a time concealed, and not opened till the Day of Iudgement. First, because some of them are not finished and compleated till that time; Finis is not as yet affixed unto them: and it is absurd, that a Booke should be published before it is perfected. The generations of mankind continuing till th… Day of Iudgement, such Vol…mes as concerne the Quick at that Day, are not ended till that Day. Secondly, God conceales them for a while, untill the Day of Iudge…ent, that then his owne Honour may be the more advanced, and his enemies the more confounded at the unexpected opening of these Bookes.
The maine Doctri…e is this: All men must at the Last Day be tryed, so as to be saved or condemned by the Bookes. Th… truth hereof will appeare, by an induction of all mankind, which fall under a generall Division of Pagans and Christians.
Be it here premised, That all Mortalitie shall be tryed by one of these two Statutes, either the Statute of Infidelitie, or the Statute of Vnconscionablenesse. The former we have set downe, Marke 16. 16. He that beleeveth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that beleeveth not, shall be damned. By this Statute shall no Heathen man be tryed, because God is not so austere, (how-ever others may accuse him) to reape where he did never some. Invincible Ignorance shall so farre excuse them, that it shall never be charged on their Account, that they never beleeved, who never had the meanes conducing thereunto.
The second Statute, is the Statute of Vnconscionablenesse, expressed Romans 2. 14, 15. For when the Gentiles, who have not the Law▪ doe by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves. Which shew the workes of the Law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witnesse, and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another. Now b… this Statute shall all Heathen be tryed, that they have been wanting to that light of Nature bestowed upon them.
In proofe whereof, we divide the Heathen into Heathen Heathen, and Civilized Heathen. By the former we understand those pure-impure Pagans, who are meerly wilde, without any Art or Learning, to cultivate or instruct them. The Southerne point of Africa is knowne to Mariners passing thereby, by the Name of the Cape of Good Hope, which in relation to the Natives inhabiting thereabouts, may more truly be termed the Cape of sad Despaire; for they are but one Degree, or Remove, from brute▪ beasts. Yet even these have more Light then they have Heat, and their Naturall Vnderstanding dictates unto them many cleare and straight Rules, from which their darke and crooked practice doth swerve and decline. For although the Morall Law may be said to be written in them, (to use the phrase of a Critick) literis fugi…ntibus, in dull and dimme Characters; partly, because in a great measure obliterated at the first by Originall Corruption, at the Fall of Adam; partly, because defaced since, and …retted out with the Rust and Canker▪ of Barbarisme, (contr…cted by l…ng Cust…me in severall degenerating G…nerations:) Ye… still so much of the Morall Law remaines legible in their hearts, as may convince their practice to be contrarie thereunto. In a word, though they come farr… short of other refined Heathen in knowledge, yet their knowledge (as little as it is) goeth farre beyond their performances: so that justly they may be condemned, when the Bookes are opened, on the Stat…te of Vnconscionablenesse.
Civilized Pagans succeed; such, who by Art and Education (as anciently the Grec…ans and Romans, and at this day the Persians and Chinois) have scoured over the dimme inscription of the Morall Law, that it appeareth plaine unto them. Such were Socrates the Pagan Martyr, (put to death for asserting one God) Diogenes the Heathen Hermite; Plato, their Moses, who saw the back parts of God in the Doctrine of his Id…'s; Regulus, their Abraham, so famous for his Faith (though but a Morall one) kept with the Carthaginians; Titus Vespasian, their Iosiah, who wept at the consideration of the sinnes of the Iewes, and Gods seve…itie at the sacking of the Temple in Ierusalem. Verily I say unto you, I have not found so much civill performance, no, not amongst many professing themselves to be Christians: Such wise Soveraignes, such loyall Subjects; such valiant Generalls, such …orthie Souldiers; such loving Husbands, such dutifull Wives; such provident Pare…ts, such obedient Children; such equall Masters, such faithfull Servants; such constant Friends, such courteous Neighbours; that they discharged all Morall Relations, to the admiration, yea, envie of all Beholders.
Yet even the best of these, in the strictnesse of Gods Justice, may be condemned when the Bookes are opened. For, grant that in some particular actions they may be said morally to supererogate, even over-doing in goodnesse what was required at their hands, yet in other things they were defe…tive, and fell short of the just measure of Gods Commands, according to the Morall Light manifested unto them. That servant doth not his Masters will, who being commanded to shut all the doores in the house, doth latch, bolt, lock, barre, and barricado up one or two of them, leaving the rest standing open. So, though some of these Heathens may seeme in some particular acts to surpasse themselves, and to be better then the Law enjoyneth them, yet in other things they were deficient, and justly condemnable for the same, seeing Gods finall Sentence shall be passed, not according to some eminent performance of persons, but according to the constant drift, scope, purpose, and tenour of their conversations.
Besides, some grand Vices (though not so visible to humane eyes) infected the transcendiaries of their highest atchievements.
First, V…ine-glory, and Popular Applause, the Pole-St…rres by which they steered all their actions. Had Pride been the Weapon whereat a Duel had been fought betwixt Alexander and Diogenes, probably the Conqueror of the World had been worsted by a poore Philosopher.
Secondly, Hypocrisie set a Tincture and Dye on all their Actions. Who hath more golden Sentences then Seneca against the Contempt of Gold? Yet (if Tacitus and other of his Contemporaries may be credited) none more Rich, none more Covetous then he; as if out of Designe he had perswaded others to cast away their Money, that he himselfe might come and gather it up againe.
Thus these Heathens, for ought we can finde in Scripture, are left in a d…mnable, but farre be it from me to say, in a damned condition. When men of my Profession were formerly admitted into the Commission of the Peace, it was fashionable for them to goe off the Bench at the Assizes, after the Iurie had Cast, and before the Judge did pronounce the Sentence of Condemnation on Malefactors: To shew, that we of the Clergi… ought to be Men of MercieMercy, taking no delight in the sad, though necessarie part of Punitive Justice.
Give me leave so farre to remember this ancient Custome, that I may make an improvement thereof for the present occasion. We finde these Heathen men Cast by the Verdict of the Scriptures, let my Sermon therefore depart in silence, and proceed no further in this Point, as to any determining of their finall condition.
When Haman, Esther 7. 8. fell into the displeasure of King Ahasuerus, it is said, they covered his face, as of a man that lost himselfe at Court, and no pleasing spectacle for others to behold; it being a ghastly sight to looke on a (though living man, yet) dying, y…a, dead favourite. Let us cover the faces of these Heathen men, as from any further discoursing of their condition, whose sad Case may thus briefely be drawn… up, They are left under the Wrath of God, and weight of their sinne, and without any ordinarie …ay to a Saviour.
I say, ordinarie. I confesse it is a Gospel-Truth, That in the Name of Iesu… onelyonly Salvation is to be expected; and it is a Maxime no lesse sound then generally received, Extra Ecclesia… nulla salus, Out of Gods Church no hope to be saved; if both be confined to common Dispensations, and the regular knowne way of Gods manifesting of himselfe. But how farre forth it might please God to reveal… Christ to such Heathens on their Death-beds, by peculiar favour, out of the Rode of hi… com…on kindnesse, and how farre fo…th God, as an Vniversall Creator, may be pleased to indulge unto some …minent Heathen persons, is curious for man to enquire, and imp…ssible to determine. Leave we the… therefore to stand, or fall, to their owne Master; onelyonly adding this, That it will be farre better at the Last Day of Iudgement for these Christian Pagans, as I may terme them, then for many Pagan Christians amongst us now-adayes, who are worse under the Sunne-shine of Grace in the Gospel, then they by the dimme Candle-light of Nature.
Come we now to Christians; where the difficultie is the lesse to prove, that they all shall be arraigned, and may justly be condemned, when the Bookes are ope…ed: which will plainely appeare on the serious perusall of the following particulars.
First, That to all persons living within the Pale of the Church, Christ hath really and cordially, sine fuco & dol…, without any fraud or deceit, been tendred unto them, under the Conditions of Faith and Repentance, That whosoever beleeveth o… him should have everlasting life: And this will appeare when the Bookes shall be opened.
Secondly, that even the worst of men living under the Light of the Gospel have at one time or another their heads filled with good notions, and their hearts with good motions; Grace illuminating, wooing, and courting them, as I may say, to lay hold on God in his Promises: on the truth whereof, their owne Consciences will be deposed; and so this will appeare when the Bookes are opened.
Thirdly, that God standeth readie, on mans good improvement of the aforesaid illuminating Grace, (though not for the merit of mans performances, but for his owne meere merciemercy and promise sake) to Crowne their Endeavours▪ with the addition and accession of farther degrees of Grace, even such as infallibly accompanie salvation. For I shall never be of their Opinions, who parallel Gods proceedings with those of Adonib…zek, Judg. 1. 7. who put seventie Kings under his Table, there to gather up Crummes, which probably did very plentifully fall down unto them; whereas he before-hand had taken order that their Thumbes were cut off: Their Thumbes I say, which alone of all the fingers are of the Quorum, to the gathering or grasping of any thing; and whose effectuall correspondencie with the rest of the Hand, is absolutely necessarie to the taking up of any small thing, especially if …ying in plano, on a Floore, or …at place. I say, I must dissent from those who make God such a Tyrant, as sportingly and …pightfully to proffer Grace to wicked men, when by a previous act, without any …ault or refusall of theirs, he hath rendred …hem incapable of the acceptance of that which he offereth unto them. No surely, God doth no way before-hand maime or …isable them from enjoying the benefit of …race tendred unto them; but on the o…her side, is prepared to encrease their …ore, and adde to them, which use the ut…ost of their power to encrease those Ta…nts which they have alreadie received. …nd this will appeare to be true, when the …ookes shall be opened.
Fourthly, No man hath made that improvem…nt of Grace offered which he ought, and might. Many a time he hath stayed at home, when he should have been at Church: Many times he hath been at Church ei…her sleeping, or not attending there: …any a time he hath attended, yet afterwards forgotten what he heard: many times he hath r…membred it, and it hath been his Remembrancer, yet he hath quenched the heat in his Heart, and Light in his Vnderstanding. And all this wi…l appeare true, when the Bookes shall be opened.
Fi…thl…, Upon our not improving Gods Gr…ce …ffered us in his Word, God qui non des…rit, nisi deseratur, who leaves none unlesse he be first left by them, is not bound to adde more Grace: yea, he may justly withdraw what he hath given; and which is more, may judicially harden those from whom his Grace is withdrawne, for making no better use thereof when tendred un…o them. And all this shall appear, when …he …ookes shall be opened.
In a word, the transactions of that Day will be a perfect Comment on those words of the Prophet Hosea 13. 9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy selfe, but in me is thine helpe. All such who are condemned, shall cast the blame thereof on themselves; whilest those whom God shall be pleased to save, will in their Consciences confesse they might most justly be damned, when the Bookes shall be opened. And seeing a Saviour hath by his Death purchased for them Repentance, Faith, and Perseverance to the end, (because he would not trust the perverse-freedome of their will with the acceptance or refusall of Grace) they shall for ever sing Hallelujahs to the praise of the undeserved merciemercy and goodnesse of God in their salvation.
But some will say, How shall God proceed against Infants at the Last Day of Iudgement, when the Bookes shall be opened; namely, such Infants of Christian Parents, who dye in so happie a juncture of Time, as the intervall betwixt their baptizing, and before it is possible for them to commit actuall sinne? For will some say, The Bookes, when opened, are effectually not opened in relation to them; all the Bookes will be but Blankes and White Paper, as containing no Charge against them. For firs…, for Originall sinne some hold, that that in Baptisme is washed away; and all the world will be their Compurgators, that such Infants neither have nor can commit actuall transgression: and therefore how can God with Justice proceed to the condemnation of such Innocents? This Argument hath prevailed so farre with some Learned and Religious Divines, as to make them charitably judgemented of the finall estate of all such Infants.
Give me leave to stand Neuter in this Point: onelyonly this I will adde, If God in the Last Day should be pleased to condemne some of such Infants, he will render such a Reason thereof, Rom. 2. 5. in that Day of the revelation of the just judgement of God, as shall appeare satisfactorie to Angels, Men, and Devils, to the admiration of the good, and confusion of the bad, who shall be present thereat.
And here give me leave to discover dange…ous Error, lurking in the brests of most men▪ We are generally jealous, that God at the Last Day will not come off with that Credit which we could wish and desire: We suspect, that his Name will haerere ad metas, that his Iustice will not appeare so cleare as we both desire and expect, if he should condemne such and such persons whom we in our narrow apprehensions conceive uncondemnable, according to the proportion of Justice, as we doe measure it. But know, that this suspition hath a double mischiefe therein.
First, The owners thereof are jealous over God with an ungodly jealousie, fearing where no feare is; and it proceedeth from a Principle of Atheisme, seeing it springeth from the same Root, to denie a God, and doubt, that God will appeare just in manifesting his owne Proceedings.
Secondly, This takes off mens thoughts, to take care for themselves, what they shall plead in their owne behalfe, and how they shall manage their owne Defence at the Last Day, and maketh them employed where they ought not, troubling themselves about that wherein they are not concerned. If it be a hainous offence, and punishable by the Lawes of man, 1 Pet. 4. 15. to be a busie-body in other mens matters, how great is the offence, to be busie in the Mysteries of the God of Heaven? Let us leave it to him to act his own part; Look every man on his owne things, Phil. 2. 4. God grant, we may but come off so well at the Barre, as God doth at the Bench, and appeare righteous by God in Christ, whilest God will appeare so of himselfe in himselfe.
And here let me advise men to be modest with sobrietie, and not to be overprying into the Mysteries of Gods Proceedings.
The Chronicler of the Citie of London (Stow in his Survey of London, pag. 137.) telleth us a remarkable Storie of one Sir Iohn Champneyes, Alderman and Major of London, who built a faire House, with an high Brick …ower, in Tower-street Ward, the first that ever was built in any private mans house, to over-looke his Neighbours in the Citie. For before his time, there were no Towers in that Citie, but such as belonged as Steeples to Churches & Covents, or else pertained to the Kings Palace. But his ambition herein, saith our Author, was pub…iquely pu…ished, falling blinde some yeares before his death: so that he who would see more then all, saw lesse then any of his Neighbours.
Take heed of Towring Thoughts and Aspiring Inquiries, to mount up, if p…ssible, into Gods Minde, there to seeke and search the Causes of his secret Will and Pleasure: Such Curiositie is commonly severely punished, it being just with God to deprive them of that Light they have, who affect Knowledge above the bounds of Sobrietie: Such professing themselves to be wise, often become fooles, and forfeit the Eyes of their Soules, for their immoderate prying into forbidden Mysteries.
Vse 1.
Are all then to appeare before God, when the Bookes are opened? This serveth in the first place to confute such who conceive God will hold Malefactors guiltlesse, because he doth not presently inflict his Judgements upon them, Ecclesiastes 8. 11. Because Sentence against an evil work i… not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is …ully set in them to d…e evill. These men proceed upon a dangerous mistake, namely, they conceive the Bookes to be cancelled, which are onelyonly con…ealed: and because God forbeares, they mistake him, to have forgot to doe Justice.
There was lately a Iudge in England, whom I need not be ashamed to name, as the honour of his Robe and Profession, viz. …ustice Dodderidge, whom they commonly called the sleeping Iudge. Indeed, he had an affected drowsie posture on the Bench, insomuch, that many persons unacquainted with his Custome therein, having Causes of Concernment to be tryed before him, have even given all for lost, as expecting no Justice from a Dormant Iudge: when he all the while did onelyonly retire himselfe within himselfe, the more seriously to consult with his owne Soule about the validitie of what was alledged and proved unto him; as appeared afterwards by those Oracles of Law which he pronounced.
Wicked men, in like manner, erroneously conceive God to be a sleeping God, chiefely on this account, because of the long impunitie of notorious offenders. David himselfe may seeme in some sort guiltie of the same vulgar error, Psal. 44. 23. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. But God in due time will soundly confute mens mistake herein, and appeare what he is, a slow, but sure Revenger of Malefactors, in the Day when the Bookes shall be opened.
Vse 2.
Are we all to be tryed in the Day when the Bookes shall be opened? Let us then labour to get these Bookes cleared (so much as relateth to our particular Accompts) and crossed by the Blood of Iesus Christ, before that Day doth approach; and let us not despise the committing of small sinnes, knowing that many of them quickly swell our Accompts. It is a true Maxime, Qui negligit minima nunquam ditescet, He that neglects small things, shall never make a Rich man▪ Who would thinke, that a Penny a day should within the compasse of a yeare amount to more then thirtie shillings? It is incredible, how insensibly many small sinnes greaten and inflame our Reckonings, and therefore let us beware thereof.
The Italians have a Proverb, It is good to goe to Bed without supping, and to rise in the Morning without owing. If Physicians will approve the former part for healthfull, good Husbands will justifie the latter part for thriftie. But especially it is good Divinitie, in relation to our spirituall Accompts; Happie he who this Night, by the effectuall pleading of Christs Merits, gaineth of God, before the closing of his eyes, the clearing of his sinnes, that so to Morrow Morning he may arise dis-engaged and un-indebted for his former Offences.
Lastly, let this teach us to be warie what we doe on Earth, as knowing and beleeving, that a Memoriall is kept in Heaven, of whatsoever we act here below.
There is still a Project propounded on the Royall Exchange in London, wherein one offers (if meeting with proportionable encouragement for his paines) so ingenuously to contrive the matter, that every Letter written, shall with the same paines of the Writer instantly render a double impression, besides the Originall; each of which Inscript (for Transcript I cannot properly tearme it) shall be as faire and full, as lively and legible as the Originall. Whether this will ever be really effected, or whether it will prove an Abortive, as most Designes of this nature, Time will tell. Sure I am, if performed, it will be very beneficiall for Merchants, who generally keepe Duplica…tes of their Letters to their Correspondents.
What here is propounded, is alreadie performed, in relation to our actions, in Gods presence. Whatsoever we doe, good or bad, at the acting thereof reflects (beside the Principle) a double representation of the same.
One, in the Booke of our Conscience. The woman of Samaria s…id to her …ellow-Citizens, John 4. 29. Come see the man that told me all things that ever I did. Herein Hyperbolicall was her expression: Christ told her not all, but many things, and one thing too much for her, (without her serious repentance) namely, her unlawfull conversing with him who was not her Husband.
But this is most true of our Conscience; it will really represent unto us whatsoever we have done, either accusing or excusing us therein. And as Sores and Wounds doe throb and ake the more in infirme persons, the neerer it draweth to Night; so the older men grow, and the neerer they approach unto their Death, the more frequent, constant, and acute will be the prickings and the pinchings of their Consciences.
The second Copie of all our Actions is kept in Heaven, recorded in Gods Booke. Let all therefore, but especially men in places of Legall Proceedings, (whether Iudiciall or Ministeriall officers therein) be minded of integritie in their carriage from my Text, and the occasion thereof, THE GRAND ASSIZES. Let Diligent Attorneyes so faithfully Solicite, let Painefull Solicitours so honestly Agitate, let Trustie Sheriffes so truly Impannell, let honest Iurie-men so conscionably give their Verdict, let faithfull Witnesses so sincerely Depose, let the Honourable and Learned Iudges so unpartially passe their Sentence, as knowing they must give an Account thereof to GOD in the Day when the Bookes are opened.
AMEN.
FINIS.
A Comment ON RUTH: BY T. F. B. D.
LONDON, Printed for G. and H. Eversden, and are to be sold at the Sign of the Greyhound in Pauls Church-yard. 1654.
TO The Right Worshipfull, the Lady ANNE ARCHER, in the Countie of WARWICK.
THE Apostle to the Philippians, chap. 4. v. 15. giveth them this high commendation, None communicated with me concerning giving and receiving, but ye onelyonly▪ Should I apply the same in relation of my selfe to your Ladyship, I should be injurious to the Bountie of many my Worthy Benefactours. How-ever (not exclusively of others, but) eminently I must acknowledge you a Grand Encourager of my Studies. In publique testimonie whereof, I present these my Endeavours to your Ladiships Patronage.
Indeed they were Preached in an eminent Place, when I first entred into the Ministerie, above twentie yeares since, and therefore you will pardon the many Faults that may be found therein. Nor were they intended for publique view, till understanding the Resolution of some of my Auditors to Print them (to their Profit, but my Prejudice) by their imperfect Notes, I adventured on this seasonable prevention.
The Lord make his Graces flow plentifully from the Head of your Family, your Religious Husband, to the lowest Skirts thereof, the last and least of your Relations,
Your Ladyships in all Christian Offices, THOMAS FULLER.