The Grand Assizes, Sermon

The Grand Assizes · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON Preached at the Aſſiſes holden for the County of Southampton at Wincheſter, on Wedneſday, July 28, 1652.

REV. 20.11, 12.

And I ſaw a great white Throne, and him that ſate on it, from whoſe face the Earth and the Heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them.

And I ſaw the Dead, ſmall and great ſtand before God, and the Books were opened: and another Book was opened, which is the Book of life: and the Dead were judged out of thoſe things which were written in the Books, according to their works.

HONORABLE & BELOVED,

I Cannot but eſteem it as the great favour of Heaven, that in the revolution of a few months, the Divine Providence hath brought me again hither, and called mee to this Publick ſervice, on the ſame occaſion: I having the happineſſe to ſpeak in ſuch a praeſence, wherein not the pompe of any elaborate, or quaint Humane Oratory; but the power of ſolid and p. 2ſacred Divinity will be beſt regarded: of which whileſt I reſt perſwaded, I ſhall humbly crave your Devotions, that the ſame Hand which gave this opportunity, would adde alſo a ſucceſſe to this buſineſſe.

It were a facility (had I a mind to build a large Portall to my narrow houſe) to entertain your patience, a while, with a diſcourſe of this Book of the Revelation, wherein there are ſo many**Rev 5.7.Rev 5:7 ſealed Myſteries almoſt, as Words, or Sentences; ſo(a)(a)Mihi tota Apocalypſis valde obſcura videtur, & talis, cujus explicatio citra periculum vix queat tentari: fateor me hactenus in nullius ſcripti Biblici lectione minus proficere, quàm in hoc obſcuro vaticinio. Graſcrus. abſtruſe Aenigma's, as none but a Divine Oedipus can unriddle them: Inſomuch that ſome of the greateſt, and thoſe too moſt ſanctified Scholars have acknowledged, that they had rather(b)(b)D. Rainolds of Oxford, Diviſ 4. againſt Hart. c. 8. learn, than teach it: However ſome others, who to themſelves have ſeemed as the ſons of(c)(c)Num. 13.33Num 13:33 Anak, of tall Imaginations, have yet proved, in the iſſue, but like(d)(d)Luk. 19.3.Luke 19:3 Zacheus, little in the ſtature of ſound Judgment; and whilſt they have gone about to give other men eyes to ſee John's. Viſions more clearly, they have been overtaken, unawares, by their own(e)(e)Job 20.8.Job 20:8 Dreams, and many of them outlived the date of their weak, yet bold, and daring Interpretations: I cannot but appland the modeſty of Cajeian, (none of the meaneſt among the Schoolemen) who, after he had Paraphraſed the Epiſtles, and Acts of the Apoſtles, profeſſed, thus, Apocalypſin fateor me neſcire exponere juxta ſenſum literalem, Hee was poſed about the Literall ſenſe of this Scripture, more meet for his Wonder, than his Expoſition: And good reaſon, for it conſiſting of many Propheſies of things to come, and thoſe too clothed with Allegories, and clad in Metaphors, foreign (to ſpeak with(f)(f)Sophocles in Antig. Neſcia mens hominum fati, ſortiſque futurae. Virgil. Sophocles) who could directly tell the ſenſe, till the event was ſeen? that being the beſt Interpreter of dark praedictions.

Nevertheleſſe, ſith, as it is in our Engliſh Proverb, that Bones bring Meat to town, that is, Difficulties bring Comforts; as, in Sampſon's Riddle, Judg. 14.14. Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the ſtrong came forth ſweetneſſe, that of the Ancient being true, Paſeit apertis, excrect obſcurts, as the Lord is pleaſed to delight us with the clearer, ſo to exerciſe us with the obſcurer parts of Holy Writ; and as the p. 3Doctor of the Gentiles aſſures us, Rom. 15.4. Whatſoever was written, was written for our Learning: there being likewiſe ſome rills and brooks for the Lambe to wade in, as well as deeps for the Elephant to ſwim in: Give me leave, I beſeech you, (ſith not of curioſity to feed fancy, but of a zealous diſquiſition to diſcover verity, I attempt it) to withdraw the Curtain, and to ſet open the Windowes of this Text, that ſo the(g)(g)2 Cor. 4 6.2 Cor 4:6 light of divine truth, in a bright ſerenity, may(h)(h)2 Per. 1 19. ſhine in upon your Minds, and Hearts, to illuminate the one, and to inflame the other, for the beſt advantage of the whole ſoul.

And I ſaw a great white throne, &c.

Under which form of words we have, me thinks, according to St. John's Viſion, The Grand Aſſiſes, held upon the Day of the laſt generall Judgment, deſcribed in variety of circumſtances, which as the carving, or enamelling of ſome curious Watch, doe exceedingly illuſtrate and adorn the ſame.

And as in ſome ſolemne buſineſſe of great importance there are uſually ſome antecedaneous introductories to raiſe expectation, and win the greater veneration thereto: ſo here, we have ſomething obſervable by way of praeparation; and ſomething alſo by way of action, or diſpatch: The Praeparation conſiſts of the ſuppoſalls foregoing, Men were dead, and thoſe dead men againe riſen, and brought out of the priſon of the grave, and ſet to the Bar: Death; and the Reſurrection from Death praecede the Judgment, I ſaw the dead, great and ſmall, ſtand before God: The matter of Action, or Diſpatch, is the Judgment it ſelf following this Death, and Reſurrection, The dead were judged, according to their works.

The carriage, or managing of this Judgement is, foreign, much what after the ſimilitude of(i)(i)Ʋt judicii ſpecies notior fieret Hominibus, judicandi forma ex his, quae inter Homines geruntur, aſſumpta eſt. Anſelm. Comment. in Rom. 14.Rom 14 Humane Judicatures here upon earth; ſave onelyonly with this odds, or difference: That in this Grand Aſſiſes in my Text, the Judges themſelves muſt then ſtand forth before the God of all Judges, even before the moſt dreadfull Tribunall p. 4of the onelyonly Potentate, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords.

Regum timendorum in proprios greges,Sen. tragoed.

Reges in ipſos Imperium eſt Jovis.

For, howſoever it be the ſtyle of Magiſtrates in the Scripture, to bee called Gods, Pſal. 82.6. namely, foreign, in regard of the Dignity of their office; yet, though they be ſons of the moſt High, they muſt die like Men; they being, as(k)(k)Agapetus in Paraen. ad Iuſtin. Agapetus told Juſtinian, foreign, in the ſubſtance, or nature of their Bodies, compoſed of the ſame brittle materialls with other men; though (as I ſaid on the laſt like occaſion) they be Gods with Men, yet are they but Men with God: ſo that all ſubordinate thrones muſt then be caſt down, Dan. 7.9. all Commiſſions given up, and a ſtrict account bee taken both of themſelves, and of their ſtewardſhip, even before Him, who by Daniel (who was the John of the Old, as John was the Daniel of the New Teſtament) is deſcribed under the title of The Ancient of Dayes, ſitting upon his throne [Imperiall and Paramount,] whoſe garment was white as ſnow, and the hair of his head like pure wool, his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels like burning fire; A fiery ſtream iſſued, and came forth from before him; Thouſand thouſands miniſtred unto him, and Ten thouſand times Ten thouſand stood before Him, The Judgment was ſet, and the Books were opened: So Daniel.

Now, this great Judicature is, in this Text, deſcribed after this manner.

The Diviſion.

1. By the Judicatory, or Seat of Judgment, with its Epithets, or Adjuncts, ver. 11. I ſaw a throne, and that a great, and a white throne.

2. By the Judge ſitting on that throne, who is God himſelf, ſet forth under expreſſions of Majeſtick terror; from whoſe face the Earth, and the Heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them.

3. By the perſons to be judged, and that impartially, The Dead, ſmall, and great.

4. The Arraignment of all thoſe perſons, They ſtand before God.

p. 55. The Indictment, The Books were opened.

6. The Evidence, The things written in thoſe Books.

7. The Sentence, They were Judged.

8. The Rule, ordering that Sentence, According to their Works.

9. The means of the Diſcovery of all this to S. John. and by him unto us, and that was by revelation, or ſpeciall viſion; ſo himſelf acquaints us, foreign, I ſaw, ſaith he, twice; this viſion (as ſometime Pharaoh's dream, Gen. 41.32.) was [doubled,] to ſhew the certainty and aſſurance of what he thus had ſeen: I ſaw a great, white Throne—and, I ſaw the dead, great and ſmall ſtand before God, &c.

And theſe (at leaſt as to my weak obſervation they occurre) are the proper, and genuine parts of this Scripture; the preſent meaſures of my Sermon, and your Chriſtian patience: Each of them being ſo important as they are do ſo invite your attentions, that I need not to ſtand courting your ears at all to obtain them: And ſo I addreſſe my ſelf to my buſineſſe, and that after this order, Firſt, beginning with the Divinity, and the explication of the Text; and then proceeding unto the Morality, or the effectuall application of the whole: Pleaſe to favour me with your patience, whileſt I am (by Gods bleſſing) in the diſpatch of my Sermon, I ſhall be as contracted, as this deep matter, and your waighty affairs enſuing will give leave.

But before I come directly to the ſeverall parts, I muſt of neceſſity ſay a few words of the ſuppoſals foregoing this laſt and Grand Aſſiſes; and thoſe are Death, and the Reſurrection; Men were Dead, and thoſe Dead men again riſen, (for ſurely not deadmen, as dead, but as riſen) were preſented to the Barre, and there ſtood before God: (Wherefore the Doctrine of the Reſurrection of the Dead, and of eternall Judgement are conjoyned, Heb. 6.2.) I ſaw the Dead, great and ſmall ſtand before God.

Mors a Morſu, ſaith(l)(l)S. Auguſt. l. 1. Hypagnoſt. contr. Pelag. circamed. Auſtine; No ſooner had the ſerpent faſtened the venome of his teeth on the Protaplaſts, or our firſt Parents, and his temptation bit them; but they bite p. 6the forbidden(m)(m)Gen. 3.6.Gen 3:6 apple, and death immediately bit them again; And ſo in in Adam all dye, ſaith the great(n)(n)1 Cor. 15.22.1 Cor 15:22 Apoſtle, in as much as he was not Ʋnus but Ʋniverſitas, as the Schoolemen expreſſe it, not conſiderable as a ſingle man, by himſelf alone, but as a publique perſon, repreſenting the Univerſality of all mankinde, the Nature whereof being contaminated in the firſt Fall, that infection runs ſtill as tainted bloud in the veins of Poſterity to this day; ſo that now, foreign, ſaith Damaſcen, The whole ſublunary Creature is become ſubject to mutation, and as(o)(o)Phil…, de Mundo. Philo ſaith, foreign, to Generation ſucceedeth a diſſolution: Had man indeed ſtood in the honour of his firſt Creation, and not blotted the eximious pulchritude, and beauty of that(p)(p)Gen. 1.26.Gen 1:26 Image, in which he was firſt ſtamped, he had needed, as no Jeſus to redeem his ſoul, ſo no Aeſculapius, or Phyſician to cure his body, He ſhould have had temperamentum ad pondus, as the Philoſophers ſpeak, ſo equall a temperature in the exact ſymmetry of parts, that no qualities in the Elements, of which he is compounded, ſhould have contended for ſuch a conqueſt, as ſhould have routed him into his grave; For howſoever the Schoolemen (more curious, oft-times, to raiſe doubts, than judicious to aſſoyle them) had a conceit, that if the firſt Adam had never fallen; yet the ſecond Adam, (the Lord Chriſt) had come in the fleſh, ad decus & ornamentum generis humani, for the Honour, and ornament of the Humane nature; yet that is but the play of ſome wanton wits, it is not the plea of any ſolid judgement; ſith it diſappoints, at leaſt miſapprehends the proper end of Chriſts coming in the Fleſh, which was, to ſuffer for, and to(q)(q)1 Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15 ſave ſinners, even ſuch as by what Names, or Titles ſoever they are diſtinguiſhed above ground, like to the ſeverall Cheſſemen as they ſtand in the game, under ſeverall notions, on the table, yet being ſhuffled all together into one common bagge, they have no diſtinction in the duſt at all: But in(r)(r)Mat. 27.33.Matt 27:33 Golgotha (as ſaith the Hebrew Proverb) are skuls of all fizes, as well great as ſmall: foreign, ſaith Agapetus, for all have reaſon to ſay to Corruption, Thou art my(s)(s)Job 17.14.Job 17:14 Father, p. 7and to the Worms, Thou art my Mother, and my Siſter: ſome Great ones, perhaps, like Teeth, may here dwell as in the mouth of Honour, eat up or oppreſſe a man and his(t)(t)Mic. 2.2.Mic 2:2 heritage, as the Prophet ſpeaks, grinding the face of the poor; or as Sapor King of Perſia write Brother to the Sun and Moon; or as the twelve Caeſars divide the twelve moneths between them, waſhing their ſteps in(u)(u)Job 29.6.Job 29:6 Butter, houſing themſelves like ſnails, in their golden ſhels, and painting the earth as they paſſe with their ſilver ſlime, and on the Theatre of this world act their parts ſo, as they can blaſt with their breath, thunder-ſtrike with their frown, and cruſh with their ſinger; but the Interlude will end anon, and then they muſt all get them along down to Death's tiring Houſe, as well as others, as well Alexander as Dametas, fair Nereus as deformed Therſites; there is no remedy, they muſt unſtrip, they muſt uncaſe, and be all uncloathed, they muſt exchange their Canopies of ſtate for coſtins, their Ivory couches for graves, their Palaces for charnell houſes, their Tapeſtry for ſhrowds, and all their embroidered Mantles for coverlets of duſt; Sic in non Hominem vertitur omnis Homo; Duſt at the firſt was mans Compoſition, and into duſt at the laſt will be his reſolution, Gen. 3.19. Homo ab (w)(w)Man is named in Hebrew foreign ab foreign Adam, of Adamab, the earth, or, the red earth.Humo; and whileſt even the beſt men carry about them a(x)(x)Rom. 7.24.Rom 7:24 Body of death, they muſt unavoidably (for the aboliſhing of the remainders of Corruption, the Law in their members) expect the death of the body, for the wages of Sin is Death, Rom. 6.23. They ſay there ſtands a Globe of the world at one end of a great Library, and the Sceleton of a man at the other end; which may not unfitly be thus moralized, though a man were Lord of all that he ſees in the Map of the world, yet hee muſt dye, and become himſelf a map of morttlity; even provant for worms to revell with in the grave: It's true indeed what(y)(y)Stitius lib. 9. Theb. Statius utters in his loſty verſe, Mille modis Lethi miſeros mors una fatigat.

Though there be many wayes to one, and the ſame(z)(z)Solomon, Eccleſ. 12.5. cals the grave foreign Domum ſeculi the Houſe of age.Eccl 12:5 long home, yet we muſt all meet together at laſt in p. 8the ſame(a)(a)Job 30.23.Job 30:23 Houſe, and in the chambers of death muſt be our dwelling: that Grammarian who can decline a Noune in every Caſe, yet cannot decline Death in any Caſe: In ſhort, this being a Doctrine which more needs application, than proof, ſith, as(b)(b)In ortu adhue ſuo, ad finem nativitas proper at. S. Cyprian. contr. Demetrian. Tract. 1. one ſaith, Naſeimur morituri, we are no ſooner born, but inſtantly we begin to dye; as M…ſes had no ſooner wrote his Book of Geneſis, but ſoon after his Book of Exodus; we dye from infancy into childhood, from childhood into youth, from youth into age, and from age into old age, and perhaps into dotage, and at length into the grave: ſurely, it were well, if every one of us could (as one obſerves) out of the Acroſtick Letters in the four degrees, or ſteps of mans Age, to wit, Puerit a, Juventus, Virilitas, Senectus, experimentally make up Pius; that piety might be the golden thread to run through all; that we would dye before we do dye, ſo that when we do dye, we may not dye; that is, that we would dye daily unto(c)(c)Rom. 6.7. 1 Pet. 2.24.Rom 6:71 Pet 2:24 ſinne by continuall mortification of all our vile, and corrupt affections, before we do dye into our graves, by a naturall diſſolution, ſo that when we do dye a naturall death, we may not dye the death eternall; which death eternall doth not conſiſt in the annihilation, or utter abolition of the Body and Soul in regard of their beeing, or ſubſiſtence, as the Epicures might ſancy, 1 Cor. 15.32. but only of the ceſſation of their well-beeing, in regard of the everlaſting ſeparation of both from the gracious and glorious(d)(d)2 Theſ. 1.9.2 Thess 1:9 preſence of Almighty God, and withall of the plunging of both into the ſenſe of torments in both unto all eternity, even for ever and ever: By this occaſion, ſith we are ſure we muſt dye(e)(e)Heb. 9.27.Heb 9:27 once, and but once, as the day hath but one ſtarre, but it is the Sun, the Lyoneſſe but one young one, but it is a Lyon; ſo we having but one death, it had need be a good one: We perhaps ſecurely contemplate our Naturall complexions, having milk in our breaſts, and(f)(f)Job 21.24.Job 21:24 marrow in our bones, blithe, and buxom at the preſent, may be apt to ſay to the ſummons hereof, as ſometimes Felix did to S. Paul reaſoning of righteouſneſſe, temperance, and judgement to p. 9come, Act. 24.25. foreign, Goe, thy way for this time, till a more convenient ſeaſon; whereas, it may be, in reſpect of the Lords Divine Praeſcience, according to which from aeternity every mans dayes are(g)(g)Job 14.5, 14.Job 14:5Job 14:14 appointed, it may be this night, before we know what(h)(h)Prov. 27.1. Jam. 4 14.Prov 27:1Jas 4:14 to morrow may bring forth, our(i)(i)Luk. 12.20.Luke 12:20 ſouls may be taken from us: But yet, if we conſummate, and finiſh a good life before Death ſeiſe on us, ſo that the thought of our(k)(k)Deut. 32.29. Eccleſ. 7.36.Deut 32:29Eccl 7:36 end be ſtill at the end of our thoughts; it will not be to the godly in inſidiis, as a ſnare, but alwayes in januis, under expectation as at our doors: the ſtroke of Death can never be too ſudden, when to a mortified ſoul it's alwayes under expectation; Thus, qui moritur, non moritur, quando moritur, as S.(l)(l)Auguſt. lib. 65. quaeſt. qu 32. Auſtine made his riddle, ſo prepared, he doth not dye, when he doth dye.

Yea, he ſo dyeth, that he both is, and ſhall be ſure to live, and riſe again: and ſo ſhall all others of all ſorts whatſoever: None ever but a(m)(m)Luk. 10.27.Luke 10:27 Sadduce, or men infected with the ſame leaven, denyed it: thoſe dry bones in Ezekitl, chap. 37. which being made to live again, having breath, and ſinewes, and fleſh drawn over with skin, did immediately indeed repreſent new vigour to be ſhortly put into the dead hopes of the Jewes; but yet by many, or moſt Divines taken notice of likewiſe as(n)(n)Peter Martyr. loc. Com. Claſſ. 1. p. 82. num. 24. a Type of the Reſurrection: foredenoted, ſay ſome, in Aaron's rod, which being pluck't up by the roots, withered and dry,(o)(o)Numb. 17.8.Num 17:8 budded afreſh; ſo(p)(p)Rabanus Maurus Comment. in Ierem. cap. 1. fol. 7.Jer 1 Rabanus Maurus; hanſelled it was alſo in thoſe raiſed under the Old Teſtament, as the(r)(r)2 King. 4.36.2 Kgs 4:36 Shunamites ſon. and the man(s)(s)2 King. 13.21.2 Kgs 13:21 who touched the bones of Eliſha, &c. and ſome others raiſed by Chriſt, under the New Teſtament, as(t)(t)Joh. 11.44.John 11:44 Lazarus, the widows(u)(u)Luk. 7.15.Luke 7:15 ſon of Naim, the(w)(w)Mar. 5.42.Mark 5:42 daughter of Jairus, thoſe Candidates of immortality, as one cals them; and in expreſſe texts, there is enough in both Teſtaments to evince it; both the(x)(x)Cant. 4.5.Song 4:5 breaſts of the Spouſe yeeld us milk, which we may thence(y)(y)Iſa. 66.11.Isa 66:11 ſuck out, and be ſatisfied with as with the breaſts of conſolation: ſo Iſa. 26.19. Thy dead men ſhall live, and the earth ſhall caſt out the dead; the almoſt whole fifteenth chapter to the Corinthians is ſpent p. 10on the ſame ſubject: yea, ſome Chriſtian Philoſophers have attempted to draw as much for the thing it ſelf from grounds of regulated reaſon; even from the very deſire that the ſeparated ſoul hath to be reunited again to the body; for, confider the foul, not as abſolutely in it ſelf, a ſpirituall, immortall ſubſtance: but reſpectively, and with relation to the body, as it was forma informans, or, as by(z)(z)Ariſtot. lib. de Anima. Ariſtotle, under that notion, it's called, foreign, that ſpecificall form, or firſt act which gave individuation to that body, which in toto compoſito, in conjunction with it ſelf, denominates the reaſonable creature Man: now, in this reſpective conſideration, the ſoul, under ſeparation from the body, which it did inform, during that ſtate, ſubſiſts in an imperfect kinde of being: Now, as all things naturally deſire to be preſerved in being, ſo alſo in the moſt perfect kinde of being, ſutable to the end of their firſt Creation; ſo the ſoul deſires naturally a reunion again with that body which it did inform, ratione Termini, in regard of the Term, or end of that deſire; although indeed ratione modi, in regard of the manner, and means, how this ſhould be accompliſhed, this is ſupernaturall, and requires a divine power to effectuate: The ſumme is, (for I muſt haſten to my main intention) thus all both Saints, and Caſtawayes ſhall be raiſed up, at the laſt day, the one ſort by the Spirit of Chriſt, Rom. 8.11. for Chriſt himſelf being the(a)(a)Eph. 4.15.Eph 4:15 Head of the Church, quod praeceſſit in Capite, ſequetur in Corpore, He being the Firſt-fruits of them that ſleep in him, 1 Cor. 15.20. Cumeadem ſit ratio primitiarum, & tetius cumuli, as Beza gloſſeth it, there being the ſame reaſon of the whole lump as of the(*)(*)Deut. 26.Deut 26 Firſt-fruits, in point of Conſecration, all(b)(b)Reſurrexit Chriſtus, ut reſurrecturum ſe, non dubitet Chriſtianiae. S. Auguſt. ſer. 162. de Temp. members of Chriſts Myſticall Body muſt, and ſhall be raiſed alſo from their dormitories, and beds of reſt to take poſſeſſion of their Glory: and the other ſort by the power of Chriſt, (being Lord both of the dead, and living, Rom. 14.9.) ſhall be ſummoned likewiſe from their graves, as Malefactors are ſtartled from their dungeons to be(c)(c)Joh. 5.29.John 5:29 brought forth to their Executions: Both theſe ſorts p. 11like to the Letter of(d)(d)Litera Pythagorae diſcrimine ſecta bic… Humanae vitae ſpeciem preferre videtur. Pythagoras, (the letter Y) having two ends divided at the top, they are raiſed up, but unto ſeverall ends, according to what we read moſt oppoſitely to this purpoſe, Dan. 12.2. Job. 5.28, 29. (with which ſaying I ſhall now cloſe up all that I have now to ſay of theſe two ſuppoſals, or praecedaneous praeparatives to my main buſineſſe) Marvell not at this, ſaith our Saviour; for the Hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves ſhall hear his voice; and ſhall come forth, they that have done good, unto the Reſurrection of Life, and they that have done evill, unto the Reſurrection of Condemnation. And thus farre of what was obſervable by way of praeparation to this great Aſſiſes: wee now come to the matter it ſelf of Action, or of Diſpatch therein.

In my diſcourſe of which I ſhall follow the order wherein the words are here ſet down by S. John, and then, the firſt particular, that as Abraham in his Tent, ſtands here in the(e)(e)Gen. 18,1.Gen 18:1 door of the Text, to invite your obſervation, is the means of Diſcovery, by which S. John came to have the knowledge of all this, and that was by Revelation, or by ſpeciall viſion; for he ſaith, foreign, I ſaw: where we muſt take notice by the way, that he doth expreſſe himſelf, more Prophetico, after the manner of the Prophets, in the Praetertence, ſpeaking by way of anticipation, of a thing as it were already paſt, though it was wholly future, and to come, to ſhew the certainty thereof, aſſuredly to come to paſſe, as if it had been actually paſt already, and over.

But the point that we have here offered to our conſideration is this; viz. Quaere. Whether in theſe dayes, Viſions be extraordinarily vouchſafed, and ſo may be expected as means of imparting to us what the minde of God is in the affairs of life, and ſalvation to the Church of God?

Anſw. The better to clear my paſſage to a direct reſolution of this Quaere, it ſhall not be amiſſe on this occaſion, (but ſuccinctly) to preſent you as in a Man, the ſeverall p. 12wayes of extraordinary revelations mentioned in the Scripture, concerning the will of God, or the iſſues, and events of things.

Theſe were either(f)(f)Vid. Pet. Martyr. loc. Commun. ſect. 6. p. 8. Oracles, or Signes, or Urim, or Lots, or Prophets, or Dreams, or Viſions.

Oracles were, when by(g)(g)Act. 7.38. foreign.Acts 7:38 lively voyce God was pleaſed to inform his ſervants of his will, as in the Sanctuary from betwixt the two Cherubims, Exed. 25.22. God was pleaſed, in the exigents of his Church to reveal his will unto his people, by the High Prieſt; in this manner ſpake He to Abraham, to Moſes, to Samuel, and to other eminent and eximious Saints recorded for Heaven's favourites, in holy writ.

Omina, or Signes, by which men might underſtand his will; as in the inſtance of(h)(h)Gen. 22.Gen 22 Abraham's offering up his only ſon, in a(i)(i)Heb. 11.19.Heb 11:19 type of Chriſts owne oblation of himſelf,(k)(k)Heb. 10.14. & Heb. 9.28.Heb 10:14Heb 9:28 once for all; in Moſes typicall lifting up the(l)(l)Num. 21.9. Ioh. 3.14.Num 21:9John 3:14 brazen ſerpent in the wilderneſſe; in Gideons (m)(m)Iudg. 6.37.Judg 6:37fleece; in Jeremiah's, and Ezekiel's uſing of(n)(n)Ier. 27.2.Jer 27:2 yokes, and(o)(o)Ezek. 7 23.Ezek 7:23 chains, and ſuch like viſible repraeſentations of what ſhould, under certain terms expreſſed, enſue.

Urim, whereof we read, Exod. 28.30. Numb. 27.21. 1 Sam. 28.6. a ſtone, or ſtones in the Breaſt-plate of the High Prieſt, which (as ſome out of(p)(p)Ioſephus Antiq. l. 3. c. 9. Joſephus, and Suidas conceive) if it became ſhining, it boded victory, or good ſucceſſe, if of a bloudy colour, warre, and if black, death.

Lots were ſometimes uſed to determine doubtful iſſues, or elections, Prev. 16.33. as in the choyce of Matthias the Apoſtle, Act. 1.26.

That of the Prophets is knowen, who ſometimes in(q)(q)Numb. 12.6.Num 12:6 Dreams had by the Lord repreſented to their fancies, or mindes what he would have beleeved, or done, or expected.

And the laſt way was by(r)(r)Gen. 1.15. Pſal. 89.19. Prov. 29.18. Iſa. 1.1.Gen 1:15Ps 89:19Prov 29:18Isa 1:1 Viſions, when the Lord, either to the underſtanding, or to the imagination, or elſe(s)(s)Act. 10.11.Acts 10:11 viſibly to the fight was pleaſed to exhibit p. 13the repreſentation, or ſemblance of what he purpoſed to effect; which kind of Revelation Ezekiel, Daniel, Zachary, and here St. John were acquainted with.

Now, as concerning all the former ſort in uſe during the diſpenſations under the Old Teſtament, I ſuppoſe the queſtion is out of queſtion with us all about their ceſſation: Quaeſt. Wee are to enquire, whether ſuch like Viſions, (or elſe immediate inſtincts, or Enthuſiaſmes) may be expected, or will be afforded to ordinary Chriſtians, under theſe days of Goſpel-diſpenſations.

Anſw. To which I anſwer, that Howſoever we may not tie the Lord to his ordinary means, for we know, hee can work above, yea without them; as there was(t)(t)Gen. 1.2.Gen 1:2 light before the Sun and Moon were made; yet we have reaſons many to perſwade us, that the Lord now deals not by Viſions, or Revelations extraordinary; and whoſoever doe pretend ſuch directions, it's to be feared, they are but vain, deluſive apparitions, or dangerous, and Satanicall impoſtures.

My reaſons are theſe. 1. Becauſe the Lord hath now made perfect the(v)(v)Gal. 6.16 Phil. 3.16.Gal 6:16Phil 3:16 Rule of Faith, and Life, and given us an abſolute Canon of Doctrine, to which there may nothing be added, nor from which the leaſt Iota be detracted, 2 Tim. 3.15, 16. So that to inſtruct us in a matter of faith, or morall practiſe, Viſions are all now unneceſſary.

2. For particular Events, and accidents of the Church of God, which were the uſuall matter of Viſions and Revelations, he hath given us reaſon to think, that he will no longer inſtruct his Church by that means extraordinary, becauſe the charge runs ſo preciſely, to adde nothing to the words of the Propheſie of St. John's Book, under penalty of having addition made to our plagues, Rev. 22.18. He would intimate in that charge, that by that Propheſie hee hath fully inſtructed his Church in all things convenient for it to know, unto the end of the world.

3. Even then, when was place for Viſions and Revelations, the Rule was, to(w)(w)Iſa. 8.20. Act. 17.11.Isa 8:20Acts 17:11 examine all by the Word of God; ſo that if any thing came under colour of Divine p. 14Revelation, obtruded upon the Church of God, that held not currant at that Touchſtone, it was, as a probation (in Gods permiſſion) of his people, Deut. 13.13. So, in it ſelf, and in the iſſue, a fanaticall(x)(x)Iſa. 66.4.2 Theſſ. 2.11.Isa 66:42 Thess 2:11 deluſion, like to ſome Meteor, or Comet, fed onelyonly by unwholeſome exhalations, which ſpeedily vaniſh without heat or light; it was no say of the true(y)(y)Mal. 4.2. Rev. 12.1.Mal 4:2Rev 12:1 Sun Chriſt Jeſus, in whoſe(z)(z)Pſal. 36 9Ps 36:9 light alone it is, that the Saints of God doe ſee the ſolid light of the Truth; Wherefore, ſaith the Prophet, Iſa. 8.20. To the Law and to the Teſtimony; if they ſpeak not according to this(*)(*)Quae libeo legis non cominem us, ca nec noſſe debemus. Hilar. Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them.

And yet thoſe grand Impoſtors of Rome, to this day, boaſt of I know not what lumen Propheticum, continued in their Church; and for moſt of their paradoxes in the queſtions of Purgatory, Prayer for the Dead, Invocation of Saints, &c. when other arguments drawn from dark, Allegoricall texts, or Apocryphall books faile them, at length, they come to Viſions, and Apparitions of Soules, that have appeared to the living, and teſtified, ſome, their tortures, ſome, their deliverances, by prayers, and ſuffrages of the Living: others pretending the lively voyee of the bleſſed Virgin from Heaven, as that, Benede me ſcripfiſti, Thoma, applauding what Thomas had written of her: at another time, ſpeaking through her image, or ſtatue in the Temple, giving the Good morrow to St. Bernard, who yet to confute the impoſture, gave anſwer, that ſhee had forgotten St. Paul's rule, It was not lawfull for a woman to ſpeak in the (a)(a)1 Cor. 14.341 Cor 14:34Church: But I forbear to offend your patience with theſe vanities; I only touched at them in my way, the more to faſten on all Gods holy people (truly ſuch) the perſuaſion, to keep themſelves praeciſely to the written Word inſpired by, and joined with the Spirit of all truth. Iſa. 59.21. even that [ſure] Word, 2 Pet. 1.19. as St. Peter, that Word of Truth, as St. Paul calls it, 2 Tim. 2.15. Gal. 2.5.

This of St. John was an Apoſtolicall, Perſonall priviledge, (not to be drawn into common imitation, or into ordinary expectation) Hee being immediately acquainted of this ſecret of the manner of the laſt Judgment, by Viſion p. 15extraordinary: It is not privilegium, but pravilegium, not a warrantable favour to be expected, but a praeſumptuous tempting of God to be avoyded; if ordinary Chriſtians, with ſleighting, or omiſſion of the Word written, do for their direction, expect Viſions now, after the propheſie of St. John's Book is finiſhed.

And thus much, if not too much, of the means, by which St. John firſt came to have to him revealed, for the generall information of the Church of God, this carriage of the Grand Aſſiſes: It was by Viſion; ſo we read in the Text, foreign, I ſaw.

And ſo I haſten to the ſight it ſelf, or to what he did ſee, and that is here deſcribed, firſt, to be the Judicatory, or Seat of Judgement it ſelf, with its Epithets, or Adjuncts, I ſaw a throne, and that a great, and a white throne.

A Throne, is a Seat of majeſty, and glory; as when Solomon would be ſeen in his might, aſcends his royall(b)(b)1 King. 10.19, 20.1 Kgs 10:191 Kgs 10:20 throne, ſupported by twelve Lyons, the emblemes of power, and of undaunted courage: Now, whether St. John ſaw any(c)(c)Vid. Geyard. e. 5. …om. 6. ſect. 58. created Seat, viſibly in ſome ſhining clouds, in the which Chriſt ſhall come, any materiall Throne, or rather ſuch a ſemblance of majeſty preſented to him, is no point of curious diſquiſition: under this expreſſion of a Throne, or of the Throne of his glory, mentioned here, and in St. Matthew, ch. 19.28. & 25.31. I apprehend is meant the(d)(d)Dieteric. In Feſto Converſ. Pauli, p. 180, 181. glory, the mighty power, and juſtice of the Lord Chriſt; in the maniſeſtation of himſelf as the(e)(e)2 Tim. 4.1.2 Tim 4:1 Judge of Quick and Dead, in his glorious appearing, as St. Paul calls it, Tit. 2.13. or in the praeſence of his glory, as St. Jude, v. 24 It hath the Epithet of Great, to denote his Majeſty; and of White, to declare his Purity, and the(f)(f)Pſal. 51.4. Rom. 3.4.Ps 51:4Rom 3:4 clearneſſe of his juſt proceedings Venit Chriſtus (g)(g)S. Auguſt. l. 3. c. 8. de Symb. ad Catech.occulte judicandus, veniet & manifeſte judieaturus, 2 Theſſ. 1.7. or thus, Great, to ſhew his Severity, White, to denote his Lenity, even in the middeſt of that Severity; and both theſe exerciſed, when Actually [upon] his throne, namely, when Seated, when the Judgment, as Daniel ſpeaks, was(h)(h)Dan. 7.10.Dan 7:10 ſet, commonſtrating thereby the wiſe deliberation obſerved in this finall Judicature: I might ſpeak to each of theſe, and as p. 16the Diſciples, by(i)(i)Luk. 6.1.Luke 6:1 rubbing of theſe eares, come to the ſolid grain, by diſcourſing on them find out the very(k)(k)Pſa. 63.5.Ps 63:5 marrow and ſweetneſſe therein contained: Firſt, for the ſeverity of this Judge, it's to the life reſembled by Daniel, ch. 7.9, 10. when he ſaith, that his throne was like the fiery flame, a fiery ſiream iſſued, and came forth from before, him, and ſo in his wrath God is ſaid to be a conſuming fire, Heb. 12. ult. and the Pſalmiſt, to expreſſe it, in the Actuall execution, compares it to the Hills melting like wax at the preſence of the Lord: at the preſence of the Lord of the whole earth, Pſal. 97.5. To this purpoſe tends that expreſſion, in the perſon of the Lord Chriſt, Thoſe mine enemies that would not that I ſhould reign over them, bring hither, and ſlay them before my face, Luk. 19.27. Nor is it more then equall, that thoſe, who in the fury and rage of their impetuous corruptions(l)(l)Pſal. 2 3.Ps 2:3 teare the bonds of Chriſt's injunctions in ſunder, (at leaſt in their attempts), ſhould when he is advanced, and got into his throne, bind them faſt in(m)(m)Pſa. 149.8.Ps 149:8 chains, yea and though they were Nobles themſelves, in links of iron; the meaning is, to cruſh them as Chriſt, an anointed(n)(n)Pſal. 2.6.Ps 2:6 King; who refuſed him for a Jeſus, a redeeming Saviour.

And yet, if yee peruſe Rev. 4.3. yee ſhall there read, that howſoever He who ſate upon the throne, was to look upon, like a Jaſper, and a Sardinſtone, which ſparkled with radiant, blazing, and dazeling colours, or coruſcations; yet even then he had a rainbow round about that throne, in ſight like unto an Emerald; the(o)(o)Gen. 9.13.Gen 9:13 rainbow was a ſign of the Covenant of favour, after the great deluge of the old world; and the Emerald being green, and freſh, delighteth the eyeſight: Whereto tendeth all this? but to ſhew a ſtrong propenſity to mercy even in the(p)(p)Hab. 3.2.Hab 3:2 middeſt of ſeverity; yea, the very damned in hell find this, for though a greater judgement could not befall them Extenſive, in regard of Continnance, for it's Everlaſting; yet Intenſive, he could lay more upon them then they ſuffer: It's an old word in Orthodox Divinity, God rewardeth Ultra condignum, puniſheth citra condignum, Ezra 9.13. Chriſt is ſaid in the Revelation, 1.13. to wear his girdle about his paps, or breaſt; we, about p. 17our loynes; we, about our loyns(q)(q)Luk. 12.35.Luke 12:35 the ſeat of Concupiſcence, to curb that; Chriſt, about his breaſt, theſe at of Anger, to reſtrain it, to wit, in point of Execution; the motion of anger in Chriſts boſome was like the ſtirring of pure water in a cryſtall glaſſe, without all diſorderly**His girding about the paps and breaſts ſignifieth, that there is no defect, or aberration in any motion, or affectiō in our Saviour Chriſt; but every thought, and inclination of his heart is kept in order by the fulneſſe of the Spirit. Mr. Ed Leigh Annot. ib perturbation, ſuch as is in the defiled, muddy, and polluted breaſts of ſinful men; indeed, the Lord is ſo propenſe to ſnew‖‖There is a ſweet expreſſiō in ludg. 10.6. His ſoule was [grieved] for the miſery of … he doth not afflict [willingly] nor grieve the children of men, Lam 3.33 In all their affliction hee is afflicted, Iſa. 63.9. Atque delet quoties cogitur eſſe ſerox: Therefore in the Pſalms wee read that God as he had a red to Correct, ſo withall a ſtaffe to Support, Pſal. 23.4.Lam 3:33Isa 63:9Ps 23:4 the acts of benignity rather, than the contrary of extreme rigour, that even when he is proceeding to the very act of Execution, his very Heart is turned within him, and his repentings are kindled together, making many expoſtulations both with the ſinner, and with his own mercy, How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? How ſhall I deliver thee, Iſrael? &c. Hoſ. 11.8. Juſtice and Mercy ſtrive, as it were, which ſhall firſt manifeſt it ſelf; Juſtice like Zarah, one of Tamars twins, Gen. 38.28. puts out the hand, on which is bound a ſcarlet thread of a bloudy colour; but it draws back the hand again, till Mercy like to Pharez breaketh forth before it, and carries the priority, ver. 29, 30. But I muſt haſten, yee ſee here in the Text, as the Throne was Great, to ſtrike terror into the hearts, even of the mightyeſt Potentates upon earth; ſo alſo it was White, the colour, as of Clearneſſe, and Innocence; ſo, of Lenity, Kindneſſe, and of Indulgence.

And, (which muſt not be paſſed over) both theſe exerciſed, when actually upon his Throne, Seated there; not, in any poſture of haſte, as on any ſudden to paſſe ſentence, before due pawſing, examination, or conviction; Hee firſt ſits down, and ponders the whole cauſe; As much as this was intimated in the Lords proceeding with Sodom, Gen. 18.21. the enormities whereof, though they were exceeding clamorous, and cryed to heaven for judgment; yet before the execution of fire and brimſtome upon them, he is ſaid, firſt, to goe down, and ſee whether all things anſwered that loud and lewd report of their unnaturall and moſt prodigious crimes: I ſaw (ſaith St. John) a great while throne; Great, for Terror, and Severity; White, for Lenity, and Moderation; a Throne, for Counſel, and ſage Deliberation.

p. 18And ſo I come to the next particular, which the Text in order preſents us with, and that is the Judge fitting on his throne, who is here ſaid to be God himſelf, ſet forth under expreſſions of Majeſtick terror, from whoſe face the earth and the heaven flee away, and there was found no place for them.

God himſelf then is the Judge, ſeated upon his throne; ſo is his ſtyle, Heb. 12.23. God the Judge of all, even Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity; which howſoever diſtinguiſhed in regard of Perſonal ſubſiſtence, and peculiar appropriations of operations, yet are ſtill but One, and the ſame in Eſſence, and divine Being; even as if you take water, and ice, and ſnow, though in Apprehenſion diſtinct things, yet put together into one veſſell, and diſſolved, all prove but one water: or, as(r)(r)Gregor. Nyſſen Catech. 15. Gregory Nyſſen makes the obſervation, in Abraham, Gen. 18.2, 3. who though, as it's ſaid, He ſaw three men from his tent dore, yet hee called all but [my] Lord, in the fingular; as for the device of the Rabbins, that theſe three Men were three Archangels, Michael, who foretold the birth of Abraham's Son; Raphael, who healed him of his wound received in his Circumciſion; and Gabriel, who reſcued Lot out of Sodom; this conceit we may reckon among thoſe which St. Paul calleth foreign, fooliſh and unlearned queſtions, 2 Tim. 2.23. the myſtery of the Text is to repreſent the Trinity of Perſons, in the Unity of the divine Eſſence: ſo Iſa. 33.22. The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King, this threefold repetition of the word Jehovah, implyeth the myſtery of the Holy Trinity, as(s)(s)Ioh. Gerard. loc. Com. tom. 9. c. 3. ſect. 26. tract. de Extremojudicio. Gerard apprehends it: To the Father judgment is given, Pſal. 9.8. The Lord hath prepared his throne for judgment, and he ſhall judge the world in righteouſneſſe; & Joh. 8.50. There is one that judgeth, ſaith Chriſt of his Father; compare we 1 Pet. 1.17. To the Son it is aſcribed, Act. 10.42. 1 Cor. 4.4. 2 Tim. 4.1.8. to the Holy Ghoſt, Iſa. 4.4. called the Spirit of Judgment: The ground of this is that known Maxime in Divinity, Opera Trinitatis ad extra ſunt indiviſa, look as the Eſſence of the three Perſons is aequall, individed, and the ſame, ſo p. 19is the power, and work one, in relation to the Creature.

And yet, howſoever this be orthodox truth, that the whole Trinity doe judge, in regard of their foreign, or conſubſtantiality, Authoritatively; nevertheleſſe, the whole execution of this Judgment, foreign, in regard of Diſpenſation, is committed unto the Son; the Father, and the Spirit judge, but by the Son; ſo Dan. 7.13, 14. Act. 17.31. He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteouſneſſe, by that Man whom he hath ordained, So Rom. 2.16. God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt; in which reſpect, the Judgment Seat is ſaid to be Chriſt's, Rom. 4.10. 2 Cor. 5.10. And this is alſo an Article of our Creed.

The reaſons of it are principally theſe two.

1. Firſt, becauſe the proceedings of the laſt Judgement being to be Viſible, it ſeemed good to the bleſſed Trinity, to appoint the managing thereof to the man Chriſt Jeſus, that ſo the Judge might be ſeen in Majeſty; hence it's ſaid, Joh. 5.27. He hath given him Authority to [execute] judgment alſo, [becauſe] He is the Son of many foreign, as(t)(t)Pelargus in lo…. p. 62. Pelargus expounds it, that is, according to his Humanity; for, this particle foreign, becauſe, in this place, is not Aitiologicall, Cauſall, for the Humane nature is not the Cauſe, of which that Judiciary power doth depend; but it is foreign, Demonſtrative, ſhewing the Nature, in reſpect of which that power is ſaid to be communicated unto Chriſt, the ſecond Perſon: Now, the Godhead being inviſible, 1 Tim. 1.17. & 6.16. it is ſaid truly, Matth. 24.30. They ſhall [ſee] the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven, with power and great glory; and Zach. 12.10. compared with Rev. 1.7. They ſhall [looke] on him, whom they have pierced; ſo likewiſe Act. 1.11. This ſame Jeſus which is taken up from you into Heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner, as you have [ſee] him goe into Heaven.

2. Secondly, becauſe it is a part of the recompenſe of his Humiliation, I am ſure an eſpeciall part of his Regall authority, by vertue whereof all the enemies of his Spirituall p. 20Kingdome ſhall be forced to ſubmit to the aequity of his Sentence, Rom. 14.11. Every knee ſhall how to him, and at his Name, Phil. 2.10. that is, all Creatures ſhall yeeld him homage, and bee forced to acknowledge his power, ſcepter and ſoveraignty: The Apoſtles indeed, Matt. 19.28. are ſaid to judge the world, by their ſolid Doctrine, and eminent Example, convincing them of their error, and ungracious courſes; and all the Saints in generall likewiſe, 1 Cor. 6.2. ſhall judge even the Angels; however, not by Originall, and Supreme authority; yet, as(v)(v)Ephe. 2.6.Eph 2:6 Aſſeſſors with the Lord Chriſt, as it were upon the ſame Bench, by approbation, applauding the(w)(w)Rev. 19.1.Rev 19:1 Juſtice of him, who being, as Abraham ſtyles him, Gen. 18.25. the Judge of all the earth, cannot but doe right.

Now, for the majeſty under which he is here deſcribed, in theſe words; From whoſe face the earth and the Heaven flee away, and there was found no place for them; many are the conjectures for the ſenſe; ſome underſtanding it of the aboliſhing, and utter annihilation of the whole frame of this preſent Univerſe, being totally diſſolved, and melted by the fire of Conflagration at that day: ſome moderne Expoſitors incline to this, for that they read, Rev. 21.2. I ſaw a new Heaven, and a new Earth; for the firſt Heaven, and the firſt Earth were paſſed away, and there was no more Sea: though(x)(x)S. Auguſt. de Civ. cap. 14. & 16. Ambroſ. Primaſ. Bede, Arethas, Ribera, ad loc. P. Lombard. l. 4. Diſt. 47. D. others, with as much judgement, apprehend it only to be an foreign, not a foreign, a mutation, or alteration, in reſpect of qualities, and the preſent ſpecies, or corrupt form, not of the actuall deſtruction of their Eſſence, or Beeing; a change of them into a melioration, not an abolition by annihilation; and they expound it by that in the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 102.25, 26. Of old haſt thou laid the foundation of the earth, and the Heavens are the work of thy hands, they ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt endure; yea, all of them ſhall wax old like a garment, as a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed: As a Veſture] Now, you know the ſubſtance of the Body may remain the ſame, though the Veſture that covers it be exchanged from an old [(*)(*)1 Cor. 7.31. foreign.1 Cor 7:31 faſhion], to a new: Now as a Diamond is not ſo well cut as by a Diamond, no more is p. 21the Scripture interpreted comparably, as by it ſelf: And to the ſame purpoſe is that, we read in 2 Pet. 3.13. where is mention made of new Heavers, and a new Earth, after thoſe that now are, verſ. 7. being reſerved unto fire, are purged by it: Which fire at the laſt day, as(z)(z)Bonaventur. ad 4 ſent. D. 48. qu. 1. Bonaventure (a)(a)Durand. in 4. ſent. D. 47. qu. 3., Durandus, and Schooltmen are of opinion, ſhall not, (even as the waters were not in the old deluge) be anew created, as a new materiall Element; But, it ſhall be only Ignitio quaedam elementi purgandi, A certain fiery inflammation, even as iron is made hot by a vehement heat, not by receiving any new ſubſtantiall form of fire into its ſelf; By vertue of which Ignition, the old droſſe which ſin had contracted over the face of the Creation, ſhall be defaecated, and repurged, and a new, freſh face, or beauty reſtored to it.

And yet, notwithſtanding all this, under the favour of more deep judgements, me thinks, by this flying away of the Heaven and Earth from before the face of this great Judge, is, as by a Periphraſis expreſſed, in effect, no more but this; namely, how the whole Creation ſhall be overwhelmed, after a ſort, and vaniſh, as it were, at the glorious Preſence, and clarity of the Lord Chriſt: They ſhall ſee the(b)(b)Mat 24.30. Bellarm. l. 2. cap. 28. de Imag. ſo Maldonat. Co…el. a Lap.Matt 24:30 ſign of the Son of man, by which the Papiſts generally underrſtand the enſign of the Croſſe, by which he got the victory over all his Enenties; others, ſome(*)(*)See the elaborate Annotations collected by Mr. Edward Leigh, a choice Linguiſt, of various learning, and of great induſtry, on Mat. 24.30.Matt 24:30 bright ſignall teſtimony of his dreadfull, and majeſtick approach to judgement, when the powers of heaven ſhall be(c)(c)See Heb. 12.26, 27.Heb 12:26Heb 12:27 ſhaken, the earth tremble, the mountains be overturned:(x)(x)2 Theſſ. 1.7.8.2 Thess 1:72 Thess 1:8 the ſtarres ſhall fall from Heaven, though not really (for if one ſtarre be bigger then the whole globe of Earth, as Aſtronomers acquaint us, what ſhall receive them all, in their fall?) but ſeemingly, as it were frighted from their ſtations; and the Sun ſhall loſe its light, though not in regard of its innate Being, yet in regard of the more glorious ſplendor of Chriſts appearance; even as S. Paul comparing the Goſpell with the Law, the Spirit with the Letter, ſaith, 2 Cor. 3.10. Even that which was made glorious, bad no glory in this reſpect by reaſon of the glory that excelleth: In a word, as the Pſalmiſt hath it, Pſal. 98.7. The p. 22ſea ſhall roar, and the fulneſſe thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein, before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth; with righteouſneſſe ſhall he judge the world, and the people with equity; yea, and that impartially, even without reſpect of perſons.

Which leads me to the next particular, that here the Text in order preſents us with, and that is the conſideration of the perſons, thus impartially to be arraigned, before this formidable, and majeſtick Judge: and theſe are ſmall, and great; I ſaw the dead, ſmall and great ſtand before God.

Small and Great] that is, as well young, as old, as Ribera: poor and rich, ſo(d)(d)Dionyſius Carthuſianus l. 2. c. 5. de quatuor Noviſſimis. Dionyſius Carthuſianus, Kings and Caeſars, as well as Subjects, and Peſants; in which regard, we may ſay as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 49.1, 2. Hear this all ye People, give ear all ye Inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together; even men of low degree, and men of high degree, Pſal. 62.9. all the Heathen round about, Joel 3.12. all nations, Mat. 25.32. All muſt appear before the Judgement ſeat of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.10. Chriſtians and Pagans; yea, the righteous, as the wicked, Eccleſ. 3.17. Rom. 14.12. Whether(e)(e)2 Tim. 4, 1.2 Tim 4:1 quick, that is, whom the laſt day ſhall finde alive, or by a(f)(f)1 Cor. 15.51.1 Cor 15:51 change, aequivalently dead, and revived again; or elſe having indeed been dead, are raiſed up again, even all the world, Pſal. 98.9.

Judicium faciet geſtorum quiſ que ſuorum,

Cuncta que cunctorum cunctis arcana patebunt.

There is no reſpect of perſons with God, Rom. 2.11. 1 Pet. 1.17.

Some curioſities there are coyned in the Mint of quaint heads, (as they would be accounted) about this univerſality of appearance in Judgement: As, in what age, or ſtature, Infants, and others very young ſhall ariſe from the dead; and they have taken the boldneſſe to determine, that it ſhall be about that Age, wherein Chriſt was in his fulneſſe upon earth, to wit, about 33; miſapplying to this purpoſe that Text, Eph. 4.13 They ſhall all come, p. 23foreign, to the meaſure of the ſtature of the Fulneſſe of Chriſt; or of the Age (as the originall bears it) of the Fulneſſe of Chriſt; whereas that place (if in my poor underſtanding, I miſapprehend not) is more genuinely meant of that ſpirituall proficiency, which under the power of the Ordinance, by the work of the Miniſtery, muſt by be Beleevers improved to the higheſt degree: Another conceit of the Pontificians is, that Infants dying unbaptized appear not in Judgement, and their fancy is thus drawn out; Then, there ſhall be made a diſtribution into Sheep, and Goats; but ſuch being unbaptized cannot be reckoned among the Sheep, by reaſon of their ſin originall, nor among the Goats, for the want of actuall ſin; whereas yet the Text ſaith, that S. John ſaw foreign, as well as foreign, ſmall and little, as well as great and growen: Beſides, that opinion is founded on a falſe ſuppoſall, to wit, of the abſolute neceſſity of the work done in Baptiſme; ſo, as if, without the externall application of the water in the Signe, there were an impoſſibility of ſharing in the thing fignified; againſt the orthodox Judgements of the Reformation, according to the Scriptures. Another tiffany diſpute is this, How Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 3.17. That the righteous, as well as the wicked ſhall be judged; whereas it is ſaid, that the Saints themſelves ſhall be Judges of the world, as ye heard but now? To which the Reſolution may be this, that the very Saints themſelves, as well as others, ſhall in reſpect of(*)(*)Gerard. preſentation be firſt preſented before the Tribunall of Chriſt; but having received the(g)(g)Rom. 2.5.Rom 2:5 Declarative ſentence of their abſolution, of Come ye Bleſſed, they then meet the Lord in the aire; partly, by the aſſiſtance (happily) of Angels, and partly, by the agility of their own glorifyed bodies, being caught up to be Aſſeſſors with Chriſt, in the ſplendid Clouds of his glorious appearance, as the Judge of all men, 1 Theſſ. 4.17.

But to ſpeak my mind freely, I am, in ſuch(h)(h)Ʋbi de re obſcuriſſima diſputatur, non adjuvantibus Divinarum Scripturarum certis, clariſ que documentis, cohibere ſe debet Humana praeſumptio, nihil faciens in alteram partem declinando. S. Auguſt. lib. 2. de Peccat. merit. cap. ult. abſtruſe myſteries as theſe, of opinion, that it's ſafer to offend of too much modeſty (if at leaſt, that be an offence) then of too much audacity, and praeſumption to determine: p. 24(i)(i)Quo modo at que or dine illud ſit ſuturum magis tunc docebit [experientia] quam nunc valet conſequi ad perfectum Hominum intelligentia. S. Auguſt. lib. 20. de civ. Dei, cap. 30.Experience muſt, and will be, in this, the ſureſt Umpire, in that great, and glorious Day of Revelation: In the mean time, in this grave aſſembly, I ſhall not preſent fine-ſpun opinions, as ornaments to be worn only in the ear; rather think it my duty to enforce the evidence of my Text; which is clearly, to convince us, that all, and every, ſmall and great, ſhall impartially, and without reſpect of perſons be preſented before this awfull, and majeſtick Judge of all the earth; For ſo ſaith expreſly S. John in the Text, I ſaw the dead ſmall and great ſtand before God.

Which now brings me next in order to that part, which I ſtyled the Arraignment of all perſons, of what rank and condition ſoever they be, noted from this expreſſion, They ſtand before God.

foreign, that is, as the word imports, as before the face of God; ſo that, whatſoever cunning Artifice there may be, to contrive Maeanders, or crafty fetches of wit, or machinations to conceal the hidden and forbidden things of darkneſſe; ſaying with thoſe in the(k)(k)Pſal. 10.11.Ps 10:11 Pſalm: Tuſh, the Lord ſhall not ſee; yet then all thoſe pavilions, all thoſe mantles of Darkneſſe ſhall bee to no purpoſe at all, nor of any more advantage to hide them from the al-ſeeing eye of this piercing, ſoul-ſearching Judge, then were thoſe(l)(l)Gen. 3.7.Gen 3:7 fig-leaves to cover Adam's firſt nakedneſſe, or that buſh in Paradiſe, to ſhelter him from the voyce, or wrath of Heaven: foreign [foreign], ſaith the great Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 5.10. Wee muſt all appear, or [be made manifeſt] as the word imports, before the Judgment Seat of Chriſt: In this great Harveſt day of the Lord, the Angells, as Gods Reapers, ſhall from all the four corners of the world gather up all Nations, and then, as it is Matth. 25.32. Before him ſhall be gathered all Nations, all muſt come forth, as St. John expreſſeth it, Joh. 5.29. When the Lord cometh, ſaith Paul, 1 Cor. 4, 5 he both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſſe, and will make manifeſt the counſels of the hearts: And again, Rom. 2.16. God ſhall judge the [ſecrets] of men by Jeſus Chriſt; neither is there any Creature, that is not manifeſt in his ſight, but all things are naked, and open unto the eyes of p. 25him, with whom we have to doe, Heb. 4.13. foreign, 'tis in that Text by a Metaphor borrowed from Anatomiſts, who, to diſcover how(*)(*)Pſal. 139.15.Ps 139:15 curiouſly the Lord had wrought all the parts of Nature within a man, are wont to diſſect him even from the neck, per ſpinam dorſi, down through the very chine bone, and ſo the very inmoſt cels, and cloſets, every nerve, and vein, and artery, and veſſell is diſcovered, and laid open to the eye, and view of the diſſector: Even ſo is the whole man, in his cloſeſt thoughts, imaginations, and intentions to the Lord the Judge: and the extent of this reacheth as well to the good, as to the bad, Eccleſ. 12.14.

Godly men are, in this life, under a threefold cloud, hidden, Pſal 83.3. and as it were unobſerved, becauſe obſcured: The firſt is a cloud of Hypocriſie: it's an old word, Mundus univerſus exercet Hiſtrioniam; as Players upon the Stage come on diſguiſed under the habits of ſeverall Perſons, they being nothing leſſe indeed, then what they ſeem to be in ſhew; and yet, till they be all unmaſqued, are miſtaken for what they only ſeem to be; by which occaſion, tinſell often paſſeth for ſilver, and copper for gold, Hypocriſie for ſincerity, a wooden leg with a ſilken ſtocking, a dunghill covered with ſnow, are taken for ſound, and fair, till the ſun diſcover the quite contrary: or, as Maginus writes, in his Geography, of the river Jordan, which ariſeth at the foot of the mountain Libanus from a double head, the one being called Jor, and the other Dan, which glideth along in a ſweet, and ſilver ſtream, pleaſant to behold, but it emptieth it ſelf at laſt, in mare mortuum, into the dead ſea; ſo theſe hollow profeſſors ſeem to(m)(m)Iſa. 12.3.Isa 12:3 draw water, and to be refreſhed from the Word and Sacraments, as from the two ſprings of Jor and Dan, and ſwim along in a ſtream of complacency to all beholders, not to be detected till, in the upſhot, and(*)(*)See 1 Cor. 4.5.1 Cor 4:5 end of all, (which will be their tryall) they empty themſelves out into the dead ſea of Apoſtaſie: and indeed uſually it proves true, whoſoever begins in Hypocriſie ends in Apoſtaſie: But yet till the Scene is over, and the Act done, during the time of the ſtage, it had need be a Lyncean eye to diſcriminate a p. 26true Nathanael, an Iſraelite indeed, from an oppoſite in diſguiſe. And ſith it hath ſo pleaſed the Lord of the field to ſuffer tares to grow together with the wheat, untill the Harveſt, the nettle, and the myrtle, the hemlock, and the roſe in the ſame garden, good fiſh and bad to be in the ſame Net, clean and unclean beaſts in the ſame Arke, Simon Magus, and Simon Peter in the ſame Church among viſible Profeſſors, till the laſt(n)(n)Mat. 3 12.Matt 3:12 fan make a finall(o)(o)Mat. 25.23.Matt 25:23 ſeparation, the godly will be here under a cloud, by Hypocriſie.

The ſecond is a cloud of Sin and Corruption, which like a(*)(*)Joſh. 15.63. & 23.13.Josh 15:63Josh 23:13 Jebuſite in Canaan will not out of their coaſts, that Hydra of originall evill will ſtill be repullulating; as in the womb of Rebecca, ſo in the wils of the beſt men, Carnall Eſau's often(p)(p)Gen. 25.22.Gen 25:22 ſtruggle with Spirituall Jacob's; and, to ſpeak with(q)(q)Tertullian. l. 1. c. 5. contr. Nationes. Tertullian in his African ſtyle, Caelum ipſum nulla ſerenitas tam colata purgat, ut non alicujus nubeculae flocculo reſignetur, In the cleareſt ſerenity of the Firmament, ſome ſpeckling cloud may be diſcovered, as a mole was in the very face of Venus, or a foyle nigh ſet to ſome precious Diamond; ſome blots, oft-times, in the face of the Church, as in the face of the Moon, to which ſhe is reſembled, Cant. 6.10. Yea, many times, when we would wind up our thoughts to the ſweeteſt meditation upon God, they do like the pegs of an inſtrument, ſlip down between our fingers, and prove untunable; Now it falling out ſo, that the(r)(r)Gal. 6.1.Gal 6:1 ſlips of the Saints, though but of infirmity, being more both watched, and obſerved, then their firmeſt ſtanding, theſe ſet them often under a cloud, and they become obſcured.

The third and laſt is a cloud of ſorrowes, and afflictions, to which they are appointed, Act. 14.22 A Chriſtians life is not like the Hill Olympus, foreign, wholly clear, without Clouds; Chriſtianus is quaſi Crucianus, as one ſaith, it comes from Crux, as well as Chriſtus; nor can there be a truer inſcription, wherewith to incircle ſo deſpiſed a coyn as the Church is, then that in Can. 2.2. As a Lilly among Thornes, ſo is my Love among the Daughters, ſure to be torn by Adverſity: ſhe is like to the buſh of Moſes, preſerved from p. 27(s)(s)Exod. 3.2.Exod 3:2conſuming, yet ſeldome out of the flames of Tryall by ſufferings; or, as the Arke of Noah, though ſaved from finking, yet toſſed in a ſea, and(t)(t)Gen. 7.17.Gen 7:17 upon the billowes of ſorrow: and during that ſtate, ſhe is often beclouded under ſhowres, and ſtormes.

But now, when the day ſhall come, wherein men make their generall appearance, before this great Tribunall, in the Text; then ſhall all theſe clouds be removed, foreign, Mat. 13.43. Then, ſhall the righteous ſhine forth as the Sun, in the Kingdome of their Father: They ſhall not only come [to] Judgement, but be able alſo to ſtand [in] Judgement; yea, to lift up their heads with joy, and with alacrity ſtand before the Sonne of man, Luk. 21.28, 36. But, as for the ungodly, it is not ſo with them, They ſhall not ſtand in the judgement, Pſal. 1.5. but, when the laſt ſhril Trump ſhall blow, and the Dead ariſe, they ſhall, though all in vain, endeavour to hide their heads for horrour, calling for rocks and mountains to(u)(u)Rev. 6.16.Rev 6:16 cover them from the preſence of the Judge, who then ſhall ſet all their ſins (though never ſo ſecret) in order(w)(w)Pſal. 50.51.Ps 50:51 before their faces; even then, when they ſhall be drag'd from the priſon of their graves, ſhackled in the chains of guilt, and ſo arraigned, and ſet to the Barre of Juſtice, to ſtand before God.

And ſo I paſſe from what I termed the Arraignment, to that, which in the order of Judicature, is called the Indictment, which here ſtands entred upon record, The Books were opened.

I ſaw the Dead, ſmall and great, ſtand before God, and the Books were opened.

I haſten.

By theſe Books thus here, and in Dan. 7.10. ſaid to be opened, we may not apprehend any(x)(x)Si hic liber carnaliter cogitetur, quis ejus magnitudinem, aut longitudinem valeat aeſtimare? &c. S. Auguſt. de Civ. Dei c. 4. materiall Volumes preſented before the Lord, with a Catalogue of the Names, or actions of all men to be Judged, as if the Lord did ſtand in need of any ſuch Information; Loe, ſaith the Prophet, Pſal. 139.5. Thou O Lord, haſt beſet me behind and before, ſearched me, and known my thoughts, words, and actions; Pſal. 11.4. The Lords Throne is in Heaven, his eyes behold, his p. 28eye-lids, try the children of men: to the ſame purpoſe, Job 34.21.(y)(y)Heſiod. lib 1. foreign. foreign, as the Poet hath it; foreign, ſaid an old Poet Philemon, mentioned by(z)(z)Iuſtin. Martyr. lib. de M…narchia Dei. Juſtin Martyr; the Platoniſts therefore called him foreign, the inſpector of all things; and ſome Criticks in the Greek tongue are of an apprehenſion, that foreign, ſignifying God, is derived foreign, of a word which denoteth an Ʋniverſall ſeeing, or beholding of things: This ſearcher of all mens hearts doth alone(a)(a)Hooker l. 3. p. 82. Eccleſ. Polit. Intuitively know who are his, ſaith learned Hooker; The Lord Chriſt knoweth all things, ſaith Peter, Job. 21.17. & 2.25. to the ſame purpoſe are thoſe many other Texts, Jer. 17.10. & 23.24. 1 King. 8.39. Pſal (b)(b)Cor & renes in occulto latitant: ſignificatur ergo Deum abſcondita cogitationum noſtrarum ſcire.7.9. Job 42.2, 3. But theſe Books are only foreign, aſcribed to the Lord, by way of dignation, or gracious condeſcenſion, God ſpeaking after the manner of men, that men might the better conceive of the things of God; and the meaning of them is, that all things thought, or ſaid, or done by men, ſtand all as it were upon record, and are all exactly remembred by the Lord, and brought likewiſe afreſh unto the memories of all men, Pſal. 50.21. Setting them all in order before their eyes; ſo that Auſtin thinks thereby, quaedam vis eſt intelligenda divina, a certain power of God is underſtood, by means, or by virtue whereof all the deeds of men are in a wonderfull ſerenity recalled to the remembrance, ut accuſet, vel excuſet ſcientia conſcientiam, that, according as they prove to be, ſcience may either accuſe, or elſe excuſe conſcience: And they are all called Books, in the plurall number, not, in reſpect of the mind, or of the knowledge of God, which is a moſt pure, and ſimple act; but, in reſpect of the variety of the objects, or diverſity of the things therein inſcribed.

And yet Divines both for order, and diſtinction ſake, have given ſeverall Titles to theſe my ſticall, and ſpirituall Books.

1 The firſt is the Book of Nature, or of Providence, whereof Pſal. 139.16. In thy Book are all my members written.

2 The ſecond is of Gods Remembrance, Mal. 3.16. Pſal. 56.8.

p. 293. The Book of Mans Conſcience, which is Volumen grande, as one calleth it, a large volume, wherein all things are written by the ſtyle of Verity, and for the amending of which Book all other Books were invented; ſo(c)(c)S. Ambroſ. ad Pſal. 1.Ps 1 S. Ambroſe, What are theſe Books opened, ſaith hee, but Conſcience? Non atramento ſcripti, ſed veſtigiis delictorum, & flagitiorum inquinamento? not written with Inke, but ſtamped with the Impreſſion of black Sinnes, and moſt ugly Offences.

4. The Book of Life, Phil. 4.3. Rev. 3.5. by which is underſtood Catalogus Savandorum, the Catalogue of the Elect, whom God in Chriſt hath choſen from all Eternity unto Salvation; who though they now be unknown, yet ſhall then be more manifeſtly declared.

5. To which ſome adde, fiftly, the Books of the Scriptures, the Two Teſtaments.

All of theſe Books ſhall be, perhaps, at that day brought forth, bound up together in one volume, which being unclaſped ſhall diſcover all matters, how they have been tranſacted, managed and done in the body, 1 Tim. 5.25, 26. Some mens ſins are open before-hand, going before to Judgment, and ſome men they follow after; likewiſe alſo the good works of ſome are manifeſt before-hand, and they that are otherwiſe cannot be hid; that is, ſome evil deeds are puniſhed in this world, to give notice that there is an eye of Providence that obſerves them here; and ſome likewiſe are reſerved for hereafter, to ſhew that there is a Judgment to come: The good works likewiſe of ſome follow them, Rev. 14.13. that is, the reward of their good works ſhall be imparted hereafter: In ſumme, The generall reſolve in this matter is, that by theſe Books opened are mainly meant the Conſciences of all men; the office of which is to(d)(d)Rom. 2.14, 15.Rom 2:14Rom 2:15 accuſe, or to excuſe, according to the(e)(e)Dr. Field l. 4. c. 33. of the Church. privity that the ſoul hath to things good or ill, known to none, but to God, and it ſelf: the Conſcience being, as it were, Gods Regiſter Book, wherein all the ſins of the Impenitent, and Unregenerate, or Caſtawayes, with all their ſeverall circumſtances of aggravation, are kept under their guilt uncancelled, unſtruck-out: It's true indeed, that Actus p. 30tranſit, but Reatus permanet, the act of Sin was tranſient, and momentany, not ſo the guilt; no, that is written with a(f)(f)Jer. 17.1.Jer 17:1 pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, and graven (as it were in characters indeleble) upon the table of their heart, Jer. 17.1. And this is the Act of Conſcience, to be its own Teſtimony, yea, a thouſand witneſſes againſt it ſelf: Hence was that ſaying of(g)(g)Lactant. l. 6. c. 24. Lactantius, Quid prodeſt non habere Conſcium, habenti Conſcientiam? It is a true word of the Apoſtle, God is greater then our Conſcience, 1 Joh. 3.20. and ſurely none but He: Yet under that great God, the Supreme power on earth, (within a man) is the Conſcience: In this Microcoſme of Man, (ſaith a devout(h)(h)B. H. Soliq. 51. edit. 1651. Divine) there is a Court of Judicature erected, wherein, next under God, the Conſcience ſits as the Chief Juſtice, from which there is no appeal; if that condemne us, or our actions, in vain ſhall all the world beſides acquit us, and if that clear us, all other doom on earth is frivolous, and ineffectuall: O the agonies of a guilty boſome unacquitted within it ſelf! like Paſhur, it's a(i)(i)Jer. 20.4. & Pſal. 73.19.Jer 20:4Ps 73:19 terror to it ſelf: yea, very Ethniques many experimenting ſometimes the ſtroke but of Naturall Conſcience, were wont to ſet it forth by their Erinnes, or Helliſh Furies purſuing the flagitious with flaming firebrands, tormenting with all extremity; the noyſe of a leaf(k)(k)Lev. 26.36.Lev 26:36 ſhaken ſtartles them, being afraid, alas! where no feare is; For Wickedneſſe (ſaith Wiſdome, ch. 17.11.) condemned by her own witneſſe is very timorous, and being preſſed with Conſcience, alwaies forecaſteth grievous things, that fear being nothing elſe but a betraying of the ſuccours, which Reaſon offereth: Guiltineſſe can never think it ſelf ſecure; if there were no Fiends to torment it, like a Boſome-devil, it would like trembling(l)(l)Dan. 5.6.Dan 5:6 Belſhazzar, and as Cain the(m)(m)Gen. 4.15.Gen 4:15 marked vagabond, ever torture it ſelf; There is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked, Iſa. 57.21. Aut ſi pax, bello pax ea deterior; yea, the wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt up mire, and dirt: all the winds in the world, from without, cannot make a mountain ſhake, but the impriſoned vapors that are within: Truly ſpake one, once, All the world for a clear Conſcience! wonder we p. 31at the wiſh? A wounded Spirit, ſaith Solomon, who can bear? Prov. 18.14. On the other ſide again; I ſay, on the other ſide, (For, we(n)(n)Mar. 1.17.Mark 1:17 Fiſhers of men muſt have our Cork, as well as our Lead; our Cork, to boye up penitent ſoules from finking in the mighty waters of Deſpair, as well as our Lead to ſink them into hell, who perſevere incorrigible) O the tranquillity of a ſpotleſſe breaſt! when theſe Books are opened, and the characters of guilt are found to bee expunged, no ſin at all(o)(o)Pſal. 32.1.Ps 32:1 imputed to ſo bleſſed a ſoul: Beloved Chriſtians, there is but one remedy of the forementioned malady, but one principall Receipt to eat out, or to fret away that canker which ſin hath brought into the ſpirit, or rather to waſh away the ſpots which(p)(p)Tit. 1.15.Titus 1:15 defile the Conſcience, and that is in Heb. 9.14. the blood of ſprinkling, even the precious blood of the Lamb(q)(q)1 Pet. 1.19.1 Pet 1:19 without ſpot, even the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, which cleanſeth from all ſin, 1 Joh. 1.7. even that blood which (r)(r)Heb. 12.24.Heb 12:24ſpeaketh better things then the blood of Abel, the one cryed to Heaven for Judgment, but the Lord Chriſt's for Mercy; one line, or as it were but one red ſtrake of his bloud drawn through that Book, cleareth and acquitteth all: Let ſuch an one be arraigned, let him be indicted, yea, perhaps by the grand Accuſer of the Brethren, Rev. 12.10. accuſed before God, day and night; yet bring him to the Teſt, and the proofe will bee all, According to the Evidence.

And ſo I proceed in order, to the next particular, which after the Indictment, I ſtyled the Evidence, the things written in the Books; The Dead were judged out of thoſe things which were written in the Books.

In all regular, or legall Judicatures, before the Sentence, there goes Conviction, and that grounded upon ſome clear Evidence, according to ſome rule of Law, which directs, and orders Juſtice in that reſpect: Now, that which directs the buſineſſe in the Text, is no other then the Word of God, the obſervation, or the violation of the commands whereof, clears, or charges the Conſcience, to receive the Sentence of Abſolution, or of Condemnation, according to the Evidence: Doe not thinke, p. 32ſaith our Saviour, (the Judge in my Text) that I will accuſe you to the Father, there is one that accuſeth you, even Moſes, in whom yee truſt, Joh 5.45. by Moes hee meanes the Writings of Moſes, ver. 47. Again, Joh. 12.48. Hee that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words; hath one what judgeth him, the Word that I have ſpoken, the ſam ſhall judge him at the laſt day: Compare Jam. 2.12. and it is therefore ſaid to be Organically, or Inſtrumentally, A diſcerner ef the thoughts, and of the intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12. & Rom. 2.16. God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt, according to my Goſpell, that is, in a generall acception of the Word, according to the whole ſyſteme of Doctrine preached by Chriſt, his Prophets, and Apoſtles, epitomized into the Goſpel: The righteous ſhall be judged, ſpecially, (ſaith(s)(s)Gerard. ſect. 70. ubi ſupra. one) according to the termes of the Goſpel, and bee abſolved; the wicked, out of the Law, (colluſtrated by the light of the Goſpel) thereby being convinced of ſin and infidelity, and be condemned; and indeed, Divines are of opinion, that there ſhall not bee in the laſt day any other norma, or rule to order, or to direct the Judgement, then what is already paſſed before in the Miniſtry of the Word: The Conſcience is(t)(t)Joh. 10.23. Matth. 18.18John 10:23Matt 18:18 bound or looſed Before, as the Keyes are rightly applyed: The Sentence of the Judge at the laſt day, is not a new making of Salvation, or Damnation; but onelyonly a ſolemne, and publick teſtification, propalation, or definitive ratihabition of what was before paſſed in the particular Judgment by the Word, or inſtantly after Death, Heb. 9.27. Wherefore the laſt day is ſtyled the [Revelation] namely, publick, of the righteous judgement of God, that is, of that particular, righteous Judgement, paſſed upon diſcuſſion, between God and the Conſcience, before, Rom. 2.5. thus we read the ſentence of the word to be this, Tribulation, and anguiſh upon every ſoule of man that doth evill, but glory, honor, and peace to every one that worketh good, Rom. 2.9, 10. & 2 Theſſ. 1.6, 7. all which, in the aequivalent, is declared, and more openly ratified in the Come yee Bleſſed; and in the Goe yee Curſed, at the laſt day; each of theſe, according to the Evidence, out of what is written in the Bookes.

p. 33Upon this occaſion, I have read of one much retired, and given to devotion, who being asked, what book he was moſt of all ſeen in, and accuſtomed to read, made anſwer, That he read eſpecially one, and that was a book of three leaves, a red leaſe, a black leaſe, and a white leafe; in the red leaſe he read the Paſſion of Chriſt; in the black leaſe, the Puniſhment of the Damned; and in the white leaſe, the joyes of the Bleſſed; by peruſall, and meditation of which three leaves, he more profited, then if he had evolved all the Philoſophers in the world.

And thus, at length, we are come to the Judgment, or Sentence-giving it ſelf, in the next words, foreign, The Dead were judged.

This Doctrine of the Judgment to come was never more needfull to be preached then now among us, upon whom the(v)(v)1 Cor. 10.11.1 Cor 10:11 ends of the world are come; all the lees and dregs of former times ſeeming to be about to ſettle, in this laſt, and corrupt age; wherein, alas! whileſt Atheiſme, like the(w)(w)Jon. 4.7.Jonah 4:7 worm in Jonah's gourd, hath eaten out the ſap of Religion, and almoſt damp'd the very life, and power of godlineſſe, wee meet with thoſe(x)(x)foreign from foreign quod ſignificat ludo pueriliter foreign, veluti puer, puerorum more; ſuch as make children play of the Terrors of the Lord. M. L. foreign, thoſe ſcoffers, of whom S. Peter makes mention, 2 Pet. 2.3, 4. alſo Jude, v. 18. walking after their own luſts, and ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his coming? vainly, and ſcoffingly putting(y)(y)Jam. 1.22. foreign.Jas 1:22 paralogiſmes, or deceivings upon themſelves, ſophiſtically reaſoning from the delay of the time to a Nullity of the thing it ſelfe, and becauſe Sentence is not executed ſpeedily againſt their evill works, therefore, as Solomon long agoe obſerved, Eccleſ. 8.11. the heart of the ſons of men are fully ſet in them to doe evill; and ſo believe the Doctrine of the Judgment to come to be but fabulous, together with the torments of Hell that follow after it, upon all ſuch mockers: To whom I ſhall onelyonly now ſay thus much, Vae quibus haec experienda ſunt prius, quam credenda, as(z)(z)Granatenſe tom. 2. Conc. d. Temp. Conc. 1. Granatenſis expreſſeth it, Woe bee to thoſe beſotted, and impenitent miſcreants, whoſe ſad experience may anticipate their Credulity in this, and prevent their Faith! O how well had Felix (that corrupt Governor) anſwered his name, and been happy, if as the reaſoning about this truth made his conſcience p. 34to tremble, he had inſtantly reformed his practice, and ſhun'd the danger of it, Act. 24.25.

But, for the atteſtation of this Doctrine, the Firmament is not more beſpangled with ſtarres, then the Scriptures are ſtored throughout with proofes thereof: Enoch the ſeventh from Adam propheſied hereof, ſaith Jude, v. 13, 14. Behold, the Lord cometh with Ten thouſand of his Saints, to execute Judgement upon all, both for their deeds and ſpeeches: From whence St. Jude had that Propheſie, whether by undoubted tradition, as Paul is ſaid to have received the names of Jannes and Jambres, the Magicians that withſtood Moſes, 2 Tim. 3.8. or by ſome(a)(a)Vid. Scalig. in notis ad Euſeb. p. 244. &c. book written of the tranſlation of Enoch, extant in that Apoſtles dayes, but ſince intercepted by time; (though I am praeciſely of(b)(b)S. Auguſt. lib. 18. de Civ. Dei, cap. 38. Auſtin's opinion, that however ſome records might be loſt, which did pertinere ad ubertatem Cognitionis, appertain to the plenty of Knowledge; yet the Church hath been ſo faithfull a Keeper of the ſacred Canon, that nothing is eſcaped her cuſtody, which doth belong ad Authoritatem Religionis, to the Authority of Religion) It's moſt likely S. Jude might receive it, by Apoſtolicall and immediate Revelation: ſome praeludiums whereof were ſeen in the deſtruction of the old world by(c)(c)Gen. 7. 2 Pet. 3.6.Gen 72 Pet 3:6 Water, and of the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah by(d)(d)Gen. 19. 2 Pet. 2.6. & S. Jud. ver. 7.Gen 192 Pet 2:6 Fire; the two colours in the Rainbow figure it; the caerulean colour minds us of the watery Deluge paſt, and the flame colour, of the(e)(e)2 Pet. 3.10.2 Pet 3:10 fiery Conflagration to come.

It would be a large, if not a tedious taske for mee to enumerate all thoſe Texts, which in Moſes, in the Pſalms, in the Prophets, and almoſt in each page of the New Teſtament make mention hereof, and prove the Doctrine: Two places (which I have alſo named already) may be in ſtead of all, Act. 17.31. 2 Cor. 5.10. and the manner of it is expreſſed in the 24, and 25. Chapters of S. Matthew: But yet to ſay ſomething of it. 1. This may be proved from what hath been already ſeen in thoſe particular Judgments inflicted, in the courſe of Gods providence upon impenitent ſinners inwardly, and outwardly, as upon Cain, Ahitophel, Judas, Herod, whom God was pleaſed to make p. 35viſible Examples here, and thereby alſo to give intimation of what, in the laſt day of wrath, is like to bee inflicted on ſuch, as committing like ſins are [reſerved] with the apoſtate and damned Angels to the day of Judgment to bee puniſhed, 2 Pet. 2.9. 2. Beſides this, the juſtice of God, and the truth of his promiſe, in regard of the righteous requires it, whoſe afflicted eſtate in this life ſhall be recompenſed with a glorious one hereafter, and all their perſecutors have ſhame and conſuſion poured upon their faces forever, 2 Theſſ. 1.5. 3. That there may bee a publick acknowledgment of the Lord Chriſts Dominion, purchaſed by his paſſion to himſelfe, over men, and Angels, ſo that every knee ſhall bow, and every tongue confeſſe unto him, and own his Soveraign power, Rom. 14.9, 10, 11. 4. Equity requires it, that though the ſoule and body be ſeparated in death, yet having ſinned or obeyed together, they ſhould accordingly be tormented or rejoyce together unto all eternity. In a word, ſome of the wiſer Heathen have diſcourſed of a future reward, upon tryal of mens actions, after death, making mention of Pluto, Minos, Rhadamanthus, &c. as grim Judges, ſuppoſing the flakes of Aetna, to ſmel of the ſulphur of Hell: and moreover, what they alſo ſpeak of the Elyſian fields, implies an apprehenſion of ſome future eſtate of Happineſſe in another world. What need I adde more to this proof, ſith it is an expreſſe Article of our Creed, that Chriſt ſhall come again to judge the quick and the dead? proved alſo, 2 Tim. 4.1. & 1 Pet. 4, 5. Heb. 6.2.

Now, (which I thought not amiſſe to mention, on this occaſion) howſoever our Saviour interdicted his Diſciples the curious in quiſition after the times, and ſeaſons, Act. 1.7. ſith the Father hath put [that] in his own power; yet there have been found ſome, in all ages, very adventurous, who (as(f)(f)Bullinger lib. 2. adverſ. Anabap. c. 1. Bullinger writes of ſome Enthuſiaſts) have preſumed to define a ſet time for this generall Aſſiſes: though the Scripture indeed mention a ſet day determined by God for the ſame, as Act. 17.31. 2 Pet. 2.9. and as St. John acquaints us, Rev. 1.10. that, as there is Dies Dominica, the Lords day; ſo St. Paul, 1 Theſſ. 5.2. that there p. 36is Diēs Domini, the day of the Lord, or the day of God, 2 Pet. 3.12. In the one, it is for us to give him, here, the Glory of his Publick ſervice; in the other, himſelf will give us that beleeve, then, and there, his Glory for our reward. Though this be ſaid in the generall, yet of the very Day, and(g)(g)Mar. 13.32.Mark 13:32 Hour before-hand, no man, no not the Son of man (as man) himſelf knoweth, at leaſt, thinks it not fit to acquaint us with ſo much.

There is, as(b)(b)Pet. Galatin. lib. 4. c. 20. Petrus Galatinus well ſtyleth it, a Thalmudiſticall tradition, but no true Propheticall prediction, (and yet it is mentioned almoſt by all, who treat on this ſubject) of one Elias, who undertook to foretell that the world ſhould laſt juſt 6000 years, 2000 before the giving of the Law, 2000 under the Law, and 2000 under the Goſpel; gathering it, they ſay, from David, Pſal. 90.4. & from Peter, 2 Pet. 3.8. that a thouſand years with the Lord are but as one day, and one day as a thouſand years, and ſo allowing one day of the week for a thouſand years, by way of a reſembling computation, the time is made up; and the ſeventh day, as it was ſometimes a day of a Spirituall (but of a Temporary) reſt, ſo then it ſhould be an everlaſting and glorious reſt to all true Belcevers: and the ſame, ſay men of that apprehenſion, was after a ſort preſigured in the Tranſlation of Enoch; for the ſix perſons, who were before him dying after the uſuall manner of dying, Enoch being the ſeventh, as S. Jude ſaith, dyed not after the ordinary way, but was tranſlated, as it were in a figure hereof, extraordinarily, by God himſelfe, Gen. 5.24.

Thus have theſe men ſpunne a thread upon the wheel of their owne imaginations, not uttered an opinion upon ſufficient warrant from Gods Word: for this cannot bee proved to bee the Propheſie of**1 King. 17.1.1 Kgs 17:1 Elijah the Tiſhbite, who propheſied under King Ahab, about the Three thouſand and fortyeth yeare of the World, and Nine hundred and odde yeares before Chriſt, as ſome**Vid. Gerard. ubi ſupra, tom. 9. ſect. 77. ca. 7. Chronologers compute it; but of one Elias, a Jewiſh Rabbi, about ſome Two hundred years before Chriſt: But (by the way a little) if this conceit ſhould be Authentick, and hold right, then that other opinion of the p. 37Chiliaſts, or Millenaries, firſt mentioned by one**Euſcb. lib. 3. Eccleſiaſt. Hiſt. cap uli. Nicephor. Hiſt. c. 20. & Hieronym, in Catalogo Scriptor. in vita Papiae. vid. Ribcram Comment. in Apocal. c. 20. v. 6. p. 380, 381. &c.Rev 20:6 Papias of Hierapolis, (as Irenaeus reports it) but much exploded in that age, yet of late taken up again by many, who have found more leiſure to raiſe doubts, then (under that odde affectation of Singularity) declared any ſatisfactory reſolves unto them hereabout; that opinion I ſay, muſt vaniſh: They pretend, that Chriſt ſhall come perſonally, and viſibly to reign a thouſand years upon earth, before the Day of the laſt generall Judgement: and all thoſe who dyed Patriarchs, or Prophets, or Apoſtles, Martyrs, or Confeſſors, or any eminent Saints, and Iſraelites, and Chriſtians(i)(i)Joh. 1.47.John 1:47 indeed, ſhall then be raiſed up from the dead to reign with him; and this they think is underſtood by the firſt Reſurrection, Rev. 20.6. Thus an Error; or, in a modeſt expreſſion, a Miſtake confutes a Praeſumption; for if Chriſt muſt reign a thouſand years viſibly upon earth, before the day of Judgement, and that firſt Reſurrection being not yet paſt, then, of neceſſity, the world muſt continue above 6000 years, for that we are now within 400 years expiration of thoſe 6000, and yet that bodily Reſurrection is not come to paſſe.

But, as to this latter opinion, beſides the known maxime in Divinity, Scriptura ſymbolica non eſt argumentativa; many ſound, orthodox Divines do conceive it to have in it too worldly, and too carnall an apprehenſion of the Nature of Chriſts Kingdome, ſith Himſelf hath ſaid it, that it was not of this world, Job. 18.36. in the outward(k)(k)Act. 25.23. foreign.Acts 25:23 phantaſies and pomp thereof; but Chriſts Kingdome is within, Rom. 14.17. in the inner man, ſpirituall and myſticall: And it is no new thing in the Scriptures to call our New birth in grace a Reſurrection, by ariſing ſpiritually out of the graves of our Naturall corruptions to a life of Holineſſe, even ſo it's underſtood, Col. 3.1. Beſides, this were to make ſome addition to the Articles of our Creed, which neither mentions, nor implies three viſible Comings of the Lord Chriſt; but only two, the one at his firſt appearance in the Fleſh to be Judged, and the other in Glory to Judge the world; even ſo the Holy Ghoſt expreſly by his Divine Apoſtle, Heb. 9.18. He p. 38ſhall to them that look for him appear foreign, [the ſecond] time, without ſin, unto ſalvation: Chriſt comes but(l)(l)D. Taylor. twice Corporally, once to merit ſalvation, and again, to perfect it.

But I muſt contract this diſcourſe, and all I have to adde more under this Head is a double adviſe; The one, not to ſearch beyond a praecept after a Revelation unrevealed, Noluit Deus prsdicari, quod videbat non utiliter ſeiri, ſaith(m)(m)S. Auguſt. Epiſt. 80. ad Helychaum. Auſtin, God would not have it known, beeauſe He ſaw it more profitable unknown: Neo tamen negatum eſt ad Detrimentum, quod ignoratum tribuit inerementum, as(n)(n)Hilar. l. 9 de Trin. Hillary: If God had foreſeen it advantageous for us, He would undoubtedly have revealed it unto us, Deut. 29.29. But this He hath aſſured us of, that there is ſuch a day, and that it ſhall come as a thief in the night, ſuddenly, 2 Pet. 3.10. and S. James is expreſſe, chap. 5.8, 9. That the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, and (in moſt of the**Read Mat. 24 & 2 Theſſ. 2 3.Matt 242 Thess 2:3 praecurſory ſignes thereof) it's evident, that the Judge ſtandeth before the door, as it were, now ready to ſound the laſt Trump, ſommoning all to the laſt generall Tribunall. Well then, what others give to a curious indagation of the time, let us (by caſting off thoughts of ſecurity) beſtow upon a ſerious, and hourly praeparation againſt that time, and hour, whenſoever it ſhall be, or how long ſoever that day ſhall continue, (which ſome have alſo unſatisfactorily, if not praeſumptuouſly diſcourſed upon) or whereſoever it ſhall be, whether in the vale of Jehoſhaphat, or in the Centre of the earth; let us, I ſay, leaving theſe unrevealed,**Deut. 29.29.Deut 29:29 ſecret things to God, get into the Arke before the floud come, that we may be ſafe, when it doth come: Praeveniendus eſt Dies, qui praevenire conſuevit, ſaith a Father in a kinde of Prophecy, praevent that day by a ſedulous(o)(o)2 Pet. 3.12.2 Pet 3:12 expectation, which may otherwiſe praevent us, and come upon us as at(p)(p)Luk 21.34.Luke 21:34 unawares,(q)(q)Latet ultimus Dies, ut chſerventur omnes Dies. S. Auguſt. l. 50. Hom. 13. thinking every day to be it. The Rabbins have a Proverb, Qui colligit in veſpere ſabbati veſcetur in Sabbato, Who ſo gathers his Manna before the Sabbath come, in the Eve, ſhall be fed with the ſame Manna, in the morrow, when the Sabbath is come: to which purpoſe give me leave I beſeech you, to offer to p. 39your conſiderations a(r)(r)Vide librum, cui Titu. lus eſt Deſtru…orium vitiorum, a quodam no nine Carpentero conſcriptum, ſub. 41.6. ſtory of a religious King, ſometimes of Hungaria, who took a reſolution to retire himſelf, and ſo to take an exact ſurvey of himſelf, and of his actions, how he ſhould give up the laſt(s)(s)Luk. 16.2.Luke 16:2 account of himſelf, and of his great ſtewardſhip, both as a Chriſtian, and as a King, in that(t)(t)Act. 2.20. Rev. 6 17.Acts 2:20Rev 6:17 great day, when after that generall Audit, he muſt be no longer Steward: The Nobles about his Court(u)(u)Amos 6.3, 4, 5, 6.Amos 6:3Amos 6:4Amos 6:5Amos 6:6 chanting it to the noyſe of the violl, drinking wine in bowls, inventing to themſelves inſtrumen's of muſick, anoynting themſelves with the chief oyntments, and ſtretching themſelves upon Ivory couches, theſe put far from them the thought of this great day: (in like ſort as many of our ſupine Chriſtians every where, who have it often in their lips, upon any miſ-accident, Alas! they thought no more of it, then of their Dying Day; no nor or Doomſday neither; an ill-beſeeming expreſſion!) I ſay theſe joviall gallants about the Court would needs by a vehement inſtigation ſtirre up the Duke the Kings brother to adventure to the Kings cloſet, to interrupt, or to remove the ſullen fits of his melancholy, to perſwade him to minde his greatneſſe, to take the liberty of his pleaſures, and forget ſorrowes: To this adviſe the King, for that inſtant, makes him no returns of anſwer, or of reply: but ſoon after makes an edict, and gives it abroad, that at whoſe door a Trumpet ſhould ſound, that man ſhould immediately be put to death: accordingly it ſounded at his Brothers lodgings, and the Serjeants apprehend him for execution; at which unexpected ſurpriſall being ſtartled, he makes his way to the King, becomes proſtrate at his feet, implores pardon, and mercy: under that proſtration, and poſture, then, (and not till then) the King ſpeaks to him, and ſaid, Ah my brother, are you ſo afraid of my Trumpet, who can but(w)(w)Luk. 12.4.Luke 12:4 take the body, or afflict the outward man; and ſhall not I tremble, and be afraid under the apprehenſion of that great Day, and of that dreadfull Tribunall of the ſupreme Potentate, the Lord of Lords, and the (x)(x)1 Tim. 6.15.1 Tim 6:15King of Kings, when I ſhall be ſummoned thither by the laſt, and terrible(y)(y)Theſſ. 4.16. Trumpe of the Archangell? Which ſaying was enough to have appalled his ranting p. 40brother, yea to have put bowels into a rock, and have taught marble the art of relenting: I preſume the application to be eaſie: Wherefore, to end this part, it ſhall be not my admonition only, but my prayer alſo, that every one of us may alwayes bear in remembrance that not more known, then ſerious ſaying of S. Hiecome, Sive comedam, ſivebibam, ſive aliud quid agam, ſemper videtur tuba illa terribilis inſonare auribus meis, Surgite mortui, & venite ad judicium, that is, Whether I eat, or drink, or whatſoever elſe I am about, me thinks that terrible Trumpet ſoundeth this ſaying in mine ears, Ariſe ye Dead, and come to Judgement: which the learned(z)(z)Voſſius diſputat. Theolog. p. 234 edit. 1628. Voſſius hath, for memory ſake, turned into this Diſtich,

Seu vigilo intentus ſtudiis, ſeu dormio, ſemper

Judicis extremi neſtras Tuba perſonat aures.

And thus, at length, I am come to the laſt obſervable (at leaſt according to my diviſion) in this Text, and that is the Regulation of the finall ſentence it ſelf, whether of Abſolution, or of Condemnation; and this is expreſſed in the laſt words, According to their Works.

The Quaere here is, whether Thoughts; and Words, and Omiſſions come not into account with the Lord, at the laſt Day? The Quaeſtion is out of quaeſtion, undoubtedly they ſhall all, however the denomination here be given to the more noted part: For the Thoughts it's clear, 1 Cor. 4.5. Mal. 3.16. Eccleſ. 12.14. Pſal. 50.21. For the Words, Mat. 12.36. S. Jud. v. 14. For ſins of Omiſſion it's evident from the form of the ſentence, Mat. 25.42, &c. You did not feed me, &c. And for all other Works, 2 Cor. 5.10. Even for whatſoever men have done in the Body: yet with this difference or oddes, to the godly, and to the wicked; to the godly it ſhall be ſecundum, non propter opera; not [for] their Works, as if the merit of them did deſerve a recompence of bliſſe, as a meritorious cauſe of ſalvation; for all [that] merit, is in Chriſt their Head, and mediator: and indeed, of all their moſt accompliſhed works of the greateſt Saints it may be ſaid, as Andrew did of the five Loaves, and two Fiſhes, foreign; Alas! Lord, p. 41(a)(a)Joh. 6 9. It was the ſaying of Luther, Cave non tanturn a peccatis, ſed etiam a bo nis operibus. ſee Iſa. 64 6. Vae etiam laudabili juſtitiae lominum, ſi remota iniſericerdia diſcutins eam, S. Auſtin.John 6:9Isa 64:6what are theſe … if laid in the ballance they would be found too lighty and thy Juſtice would infinitely praeponderate; but Chriſt with the(b)(b)Rev. 8.3.Rev 8:3 incenſe of his merits hath perfumed the performances of the Saints unto an acceptation with God: the faith of the Righteous layes them as John in the(c)(c)Joh. 13 23John 13:23 boſome of Chriſt, and their good Works as S.(d)(d)Mat. 26.58.Matt 26:58 Peter follow(e)(e)Rev. 14.13.Rev 14:13 after them, as the evidence, and manifeſtation of their Faith: But with the wicked, and impenitent reprobate the caſe is otherwiſe, becauſe the ſentence is pronounced upon them, propter opera, for their wicked, and ſinfull Works. Nor will this ſeem ſtrange, if we ſhall conſider what it is; that makes ſins culpable of damnation; what our weak ſervices capable of heavenly glory: we ſhall diſcover great oddes, mens ſins are culpable of death by their own Nature being committed againſt an endleſſe Majeſty, that cannot be ſatisfied but by a puniſhment commen ſurate and proportional to his infinite Juſtice: but good Works become capable of their reward, 1 By the graoious promiſe of God, (promittendo ſe fecit debitorom, ſaith(f)(f)Auguſ. de verbu Apoſt. ſer. 16. Auſtin) who by promiſe only hath made himſelf a debtor. 2 By the merit of Chriſt, that hath purchaſed unto us a cover of their blemiſhes, and that they might be capable of aeternall glory. Now, for the ſins of the obſtinate, incorrigible, and impenitent, the Lord hath received no ſatisfaction in the bloud of Chriſt, which they(g)(g)Heb. 10.29.Heb 10:29 trampled under feet; ſo that they lye ſtill under the guilt of all their ſins, and of all the ſeverall aggravatlons of the ſame, together with all the wrath, and formidable curſes, which the Lord hath in ſtore for all ungodly miſcreants, who by the abuſe of Gods patience, and their own impenitent hearts have ſo treaſured up to themſelves wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds, Rom. 2.5, 6.

To conclude this part; in a juſt diſpenſation of the ſeveral rewards of both; the great(h)(h)Heb. 12.23.Heb 12:23 Judge of all adorned with majeſty, attended with the glorious retinew of(i)(i)Heb. 12.22.Heb 12:22 innumerable Angels, and glorified(k)(k)Dan. 7.10. S. Jud. v. 14.Dan 7:10Judg 5:14 Saints, ſeated upon his royall glorious throne, with(l)(l)Mat. 25.31. Mat. 24.30.Matt 25:31Matt 24:30 power, great glory, ſhall p. 42call the one Sheep, and the other Goats, and making a finall, and everlaſting(m)(m)Mat. 25.31, 32.Matt 25:31Matt 25:32 ſeparation between them ſhall ſay unto the one, Come ye bleſſed, inherit the Kingdome praepared for you, from the beginning of the world; and to the other, Go ye curſed into everlaſting fire; and theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment, but the righteous into life eternall.

The ſum of all I find to be epitomized into theſe four Latine verſes:

Quam triſtis vox eſt,Vide hos verſus apud Ioh. Gerardum, tom. 9. c. 4. ſect. 60. cum Iudex dixerit, Ite,

Tam duleis vox eſt, cum dixerit Ille, Venite.

Mortis, vel vitae breve verbum eſt, Ite, Venite,

Dicetur Reprobis, Ite; Venite, Piis.

So that this ſentence is like to that pillar of the cloud which was darkneſſe to the Egyptians, but light to the Iſraelites, Exod. 14.20. The word, or ſentence of Life, or Death eternall it is but ſhort; yet curt and ſharp to the Reprobate, or Caſtawayes; but ſhort, and ſweet to all Gods Elect, and Chriſts redeemed precious Holy ones.

Ʋſe. And thus, (my beloved Hearers) after my weak meaſure, though not (as I fully deſired) after the expectation happily of ſuch an auditory, I have diſpatch'd the Divinity, or Explication of the Text: It remains, now, that under the ſame favour of your continued patience, I deſcend to the morality, or the effectuall Application of the ſame: Thus much I ſhall aſſure you all, that I have it in my wiſhes, that my remaining words may fall like Manna upon every ear, and heart; for [that] they ſay, had a taſte, which every man did like, or wiſh for; I know its difficult to pleaſe all, yet it ſhall not be my aime (juſtly) to diſpleaſe any, only, my main intention is, to(n)(n)2 Tim. 2.15.2 Tim 2:15 approve my ſelf to God, the(o)(o)Heb. 12.23.Heb 12:23 Judge of all, in the diſcharge of my conſcience.

And now, if any look that I ſhould, in the firſt place, aſſume the boldneſſe to adviſe, or admoniſh theſe learned, and reverend Judges, who like Caſtor and Pollux appearing [together] promiſe good to the Common-wealth, as that Aſteriſme p. 43doth to the Mariners at Sea; I ſhall diſappoint that expectation, ſith their great abilities, and their cordiall both aims and endeavours to do Juſtice [for Juſtice ſake] are ſo well known to the chiefeſt ſeats of Judicature, and to this Nation already: I ſhall therefore in ſtead of exhorting them, take this occaſion to perſwade all you that hear me this day, to be enlarged towards God in thankfulneſſe, that by his propitious providence, he hath furniſhed the ſeats of publique Juſtice with ſo accompliſhed Magiſtrates as theſe are: ſeeing therefore that by you we enjoy great(p)(p)Act. 24.2, 3.Acts 24:2Acts 24:3 quietneſſe, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this Nation by your providence; we accept it alwayes, and in all places, (Honourable Lords) with all thankfulneſſe.

My Admonitions muſt be directed unto all ſuch, who enjoy the benefit, and bleſſing of government, which in the juſt adminiſtration thereof is a Terrour to the wicked, lawleſſe, and ungodly; and an encouragement to thoſe that be good, Rom. 12.3, 4. Yea, a(q)(q)Xenophon foreign. Xenophon expreſſeth it, foreign, Thoſe who are good men, by beholding the diſhonour caſt upon vicious perſons (by the Juſtice of the Magiſtrate) for their unlawfull deeds, and their illegall perpetrations, do by ſarre more chearfully follow, and embrace vertue; and not only ſo, but exemplary Juſtice upon ſome proves a common terrour unto all; When a ſcorner is ſmitten, the ſimple will beware, ſaith the wiſe man, Prov. 19.25. or, as Moſes expreſſeth it, When any praeſumptuous ſinner was puniſhed, all Iſrael muſt hear, and fear, and do no more praeſumptuouſly, Deut. 17.12.13.

To all the people in generall, then, let me ſay as Eliſha the Prophet did by the mouth of Gehazi his ſervant to the Shunamitiſh woman, 2 Kin. 4.13. Behold thou haſt been carefull for us with all this care; What is to be done for thee? So ſay I, Behold our Governors have been carefull for you with all the care they can take, that you may every one dwell ſafely under your own(r)(r)1 King. 4.25. Zech. 3.10.1 Kgs 4:25Zech 3:10 Vines, and Fig-trees, in peace and quietneſſe; that there may be no(s)(s)Pſal. 144.12, 13, 14.Ps 144:12Ps 144:13Ps 144:14 leading into captivity, nor complaining in your ſtreets, but that your ſons may grow p. 44up as Plants, and your daughters as the poliſhed corners of the Temple, that your ſheep may bring forth thouſands, and ten thouſands in your ſtreets, &c. If ye aske me then, What is to be done for the Magiſtrates? I anſwer, They muſt be ſpoken for: If ye deſire to know, to whom? I anſwer, To the King of Heaven, even to that(t)(t)1 Tim. 6.15.1 Tim 6:15 King of Kings, of whoſe Kingdome there can be(u)(u)Dan. 7.14 Luk. 1.33.Dan 7:14Luke 1:33 no end. If ye demand further, How this King of Heaven muſt be ſpoken to for them? I anſwer, or rather the great Apoſtle for me, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. In ſupplications, and Prayers, and interceſſions: If you would know, for what? that ſame Text reſolves you; namely, that we may lead a quiet, and peaceable life, in all godlineſſe, and honeſty; intimating hereby, that men in lawfull authority are, (or ſhould be) the prime ſupporters both of Religion; and morall Honeſty, and therefore being ſubject to many temptations, and undergoing many difficulties, they ſtand in need of many, and thoſe too the moſt fervent Prayers of all thoſe good people, who expect protection, ſupport, encouragement from them: Yea, if men did ſeriouſly ponder but the weight of the Magiſtrates office, they would double the zeal of their devotions for them: ſome of the Rabbins went ſo high in their expreſſions this way, as to ſay, qui funguntur magiſtratu non veniunt in judicium, as Paulus (w)(w)Paulus Fagius. ſenttenanor. 3. Ben Syra.Fagius acquaints us to have been the ſentence of Rabbi Ben Syra, that is, ſuch as conſcientiouſly undergoe the office of Magiſtracy, were exempted from the Judgement to come; as if their preſent vigilancy, care, ſtudy, travell, and other laboriouſneſſe, which they underwent for the good, and weal of Community, had been ſo great, that it had after a ſort, excuſed them, for all things elſe: but we will take notice of this as an hyperbolicall expreſſion, and an exceſſive ſpeech in the Rabbi: Yet, nevertheleſſe, we read in Scripture that Moſes (however then the(x)(x)Num. 12.3.Num 12:3 meekeſt man upon earth) being in the office of a Governor, found cauſe to call it a [(y)(y)Num. 11.11. confer, Exod. 18.22.Num 11:11Exod 18:22 Burthen] yea, and to call out too for ſome(z)(z)Num. 11.14.Num 11:14 help to ſtand under it: Pray we then to the God of wiſdome(*)(*)Iſa. 28.6.Isa 28:6 to be for a ſpirit of Judgement to them that ſit in Judgement, to inſpireour(a)(a)Pſal. 105.22.Ps 105:22 Senators with a ſpirit p. 45of wiſdome, and counſell, to direct all their conſultations ſo, as they may in the iſſue tend to the glory of God, the credit of the Goſpell, the diſcovery,2 King. 20 19.2 Kgs 20:19 and ſuppreſſion of Blaſphemy, Haereſie, Atheiſme, with the Authors of it, and for the eſtabliſhing of(b)(b)Zech. 8.19.Zech 8:19 Truth, with publick Peace, in the Nation.

Secondly, To the Magiſtrates there is due Honour belonging, to bee (beſides in the inward awfull thoughts of their power) manifeſted in Reverentiall ſpeeches, and Externall homage; you muſt nor revile the Gods; or as it is in your margine the Judges, nor curſe the Ruler of the people; it was the charge of Moſes a Prophet, Exod. 22.28. Wherefore, when Paul had overſhot himſelfe, in a ſudden paſſion, that way, and given the nickname of a Whited wall to the High Prieſt (then his Judge), hee, upon advertiſement thereof, gave himſelf a check for it, upon the conſideration of that very text, Act. 23.5. Moſes a chief Governour is ſtyled by Joſhua [My Lord] Moſes, Num. 11.28. and the people in taken of civill homage, and obſervance, [bow the knee] to Joſeph, when a Governor in Aegypt, Gen. 41.43. And moreover (which for ſome reaſons, I will not omit to note on this occaſion) for the greater gracefulneſſe of their Office and Perſons, they have been, in all Ages, arrayed in robes of Majeſty, and honour before the people; chiefly when placed in the Seat of Judicature, and under the actuall execution of their ſo honorable Function; which may be gathered from 1 King. 22.10. Matth. 6.29.

Render then honor to the Magiſtrate, to whom it is ſo many wayes due, Rom. 13.7. and it's well obſerved by Chryſoſtome, that the Apoſtle ſaith not ſimply, foreign, Give, as if the thing were Arbitrary; but foreign,**See Matt. 22.21. & Luk. 20.25.Matt 22:21Luke 20:25 render it, as of Duty, in all obedience to Authority.

Thirdly, there is due to the publick Magiſtrates(c)(c)Matt. 17.25. Rom. 13.7.Matt 17:25Rom 13:7 Tribute, and Cuſtome, appertaining to them for all their publick care, providence, protection; foreign, they attending continually upon this very ſame thing, carrying publick ſpirits in their publick places, being contented p. 46not only to ſpend, but to be**2 Cor. 12.15.2 Cor 12:15 ſpent for the good of the Community the words in the originall Greek, foreign, and foreign, put for Tribute, and Cuſtome, in a generality of uſe are oft-times confounded, and indifferently put to ſignifie any kind of payment made to the Governors; yet critically ſay ſome learned Authors, Tribute is of that which ariſeth out of what is grown within the land, foreign, from being carryed, or brought into the Exchequer, or Treaſury appointed: Cuſtome is that which is paid for what is, according to Contracts in Traffique, imported or exported, into, or out of a Nation, foreign, ſo(d)(d)Strabo. lib. 17. Strabo calls ſuch things foreign, and ſo the Latine word vectigal hath its name ex vectura: But before ſo learned an Auditory, I may not waſte time about words:(e)(e)Bodinus, l. 6. c. 2. de Republ. Bodinus reckons up divers kinds of both; the determination of the manner, or of the meaſure of either, whether ordinary, or extraordinary, is left to the prudence and piety of lawfull Superiours, according as the ſtate of important affaires, the faculty and ability of the people, or the neceſſity of Subſidiary ſupplies, for the ſupport, honor, and ſafety of a Common-wealth may require: Now, an obedient people may aſſure themſelves, that aequall, juſt, and godly Governors, will not turn Judgment into gall, Amos 6.12. but remember, that God, (for(f)(f)Chr. 19 6. whom they judge) is pleaſed to ſtyle them(g)(g)Iſa. 44.28. Numb. 27.17.Isa 44:28Num 27:17 Shepheards, whoſe office is not to(h)(h)Mic. 3 3. Ezek. 45.Mic 3:3Ezek 45 flay off the skin from off the backs of the flock, but to ſhear the ſheep ſo for their own uſe, that withall the wool may grow again for the warmth of the flock it ſelf; even as it's reported to have been the ſaying of Tiberius, A good Shepheard ſhould tondere pecus, non deglubere, as(i)(i)Sueton in …. Suetonius records it: Oppreſſion (ſaith Solomon) maketh even a wiſe man(k)(k)Eccleſ. 7.7.Eccl 7:7 mad, yea, and it may make a good man(l)(l)Exod. 2.23. Pſal. 12.5.Exod 2:23Ps 12:5 ſigh: But when (as I noted in my former Sermon) theſe things are expected, and impoſed, after the old Charter of England, ſalvo contenemento, in a tender moderation, Tribute muſt be rendred to whom it is due; our Saviour himſelf paid it, Matth. 17.25. and ſuch payment was in uſe even in the days of King Solomon, 1 King. 4.6.

p. 47In ſumme, who doe, or ſhould, carefully guard your Religion, your Poſſeſſions, but Governors? Who protect you by land, and fenſe you by ſea, but they? And what can you bethink to purchaſe a ſolid peace on the land? or to fortifie your wooden walls at ſea? And if Governours lay out themſelves for the good of Community, ſo that themſelves ſhall become a generall, and a publick good; it will be a great Ingratitude in thoſe who reap the comfort, not to yeeld ſuch all lawfull aſſiſtance.

And thus having ſhewn the duties of the people at large, in their relation to Governors, and to Government: It onelyonly remains, that I adde but a few words more, ſuitable to the preſent ſeaſon, and occaſion of this meeting.

And here I might begin my advice to Mr. High**Mr. Iohn Trott of Laverſtake Esq Sheriff: but why ſhould I goe about to paint a Diamond, or to enamell a pearle? whoſe modeſty whileſt it declined Honor, it overtook him: He hath ſet a faire Copy for his Succeſſors in that Office, and Authority, to write after: I ſhall onelyonly deſire him to continue doing as hee doth doe, and then both his(m)(m)Cant. 1.3Song 1:3 Name, and his Actions ſhall bee as an Oyntment poured forth to perſume Poſterity as with ſome fragrant odour, that may provoke Imitation.

I might next direct my Exhortation to the Gentlemen of the Grand Inqueſt, upon whoſe Information,Advice to the Grand Jury. and Preſentments depends almoſt the main tranſaction of the preſent proceedings in Judicature, for the(n)(n)Gal. 5.12.Gal 5:12 cutting off of incorrigible Malefactors, and the reformation of all diſorders, and illegall irregularities; If you would bee eſteemed as the Eyes of your whole Countrey, you had need to ſee clearly; but if in any particulars you would defire to be of Lyncean, and diſcerning eyes indeed, Let me deſire you to have ſpeciall regard to the Violators of Gods ſacred, and precious(o)(o)1 Cor. 11.2.1 Cor 11:2 Ordinances, in the promoting whereof, as you ſhall advance the glory of God, and therein your own felicity, ſo (as I am aſſuredly perſwaded) extremely gratifie theſe learned, and p. 48religious Judges, to whom nothing is more dean, then the promotion of Gods(p)(p)1 Sam. 2.30.1 Sam 2:30 Honor: one thing, above many others, that I might mind you of, is the Diſcovery of thoſe Artifriall, and Grand Impoſtors, or Church-cheaters, the Jeſuites, by whoſe cunning in ſinnations, (under the ſeverall habits, or ſhapes, as well of Mechanicks, as otherwiſe) it's more than probable, that all the combuſtions, at the preſent, in the Chriſtian world are raiſed, and not a little in Great Britany; if you have your owne ſoules, the proſperity, and welfare of the Church, and State of England, uſe your beſt indeavours to detect, and to preſent thoſe Stygian, and Infernall Emiſſaries, for their mature extirpation; Take heed, and doe it.

And as for you Jurors of another order,Advice to the Petty-Jury and Witneſſes. and all thoſe who are in any kind of Cauſes to give Evidence; I hope none of you are become Antinomians, to reject,(q)(q)Pſal. 119.126.Ps 119:126 or evacuate the Morall law of God, if not, then bee mindfull of the Third Commandement, wherein you cannot but take notice, how upon no terms, the Lord hath proteſted to hold him(r)(r)Exod. 20.7.Exod 20:7 guiltieſſe, who by raſh, or(s)(s)Zech. 8.17.Zech 8:17 falſe Oaths ſhalt dare to take his Name in vain, or conteſt his dreadfull Omniſcence to an injuſtice: againſt all(t)(t)1 Tim. 1.10.1 Tim 1:10 [perjured] perſons the Law ſtands in full force, and vigor, 1 Tim. 1.10. The very Heathens had their foreign, Perjury-revenging Gods, to whoſe vindictive powers they left the Violators of their Deities, as if themſelves were at a loſſe how to proportion a puniſhment to ſo foul a crime: And grave men are of opinion, that in taking Oaths men are to look to the ſenſe of the Impoſer, otherwiſe they doe foreign, ſwear falſely; and if they performe not what is ſworn by them, they doe foreign, forſwear and perjure themſelves: It's ſad, when amongſt Chriſtians that Apophthegme in Plutarch ſtall be made uſe of, in good earneſt, foreign, that Children are to be conſened with Rattles, and Men with Oaths: But I hope**Heb. 6.9.Heb 6:9 Better things of you.

p. 49I had prepared alſo ſome more viands for ſome other**The Lawyers. gueſts, but finding them not preſent, it's poſſible their ſtomachs are not up ſo early, or, perhaps, with ſome of them durum potabile may go down ſweeter, then the gold of the Sanctuary, to which Gods word is reſembled Pſal. 19.10.

To my reverend Brethren of the Miniſtry,To the Clergie. I ſhal not preſume to ſay much, only to the learned, and godly among them be a ſhort Remembrancer of perſiſting in the great and important Labour of(u)(u)Col 4.17.Col 4:17 Fulfilling their Miniſtry, in which regard I wiſh from my heart, that we might be all as ſo many Coloſſian(w)(w)Cor. 4.17. Archippuſſes: Times have been, when with too many ſound Preaching hath been eſteemed, but a ſound of Preaching; and whereas S Paul profeſſed of himſelf, and of his fellow-labourers, We (x)(x)2 Cor 4.52 Cor 4:5preach not our ſelves, but Chriſt Jeſus and him **1 Cor 3.11 Gal. 6.14.1 Cor 3:11Gal 6:14Crucified, the ſaying might have been inverted, we our ſelves preach not; and yet, (upon what pretence who knowes?) like ſome Anticks in old buildings they with Iſſachar (y)(y)Gen. 49.14.Gen 49:14couched down, and bended the ſhoulders, as if the whole ſtreſſe of Eccleſiaſticall building had layn upon their ſhoulders.

Let us have not only our(z)(z)Exod. 28.33.Exod 28:33 Bels, but alſo our(a)(a)Exod. 28.34Exod 28:34 Pomegranates, our Bels to tole, and call men into the Temple of piety, but our Pomegranates as emblemes of our fruitfull converſations; and as Aaron the Prieſt had the names of the twelve Tribes engraven upon his(b)(b)Exod. 28.21.Exod 28:21 Breaſtplate, thereby to intimate the dear, and hearty affection, that, as one that(c)(c)Heb. 13.17.Heb 13:17 watched for their ſouls, he ſhould bear to them all; ſo let us have all the people committed to our charge, in our(d)(d)1 Theſſ. 2.8.1 Thess 2:8 hearts, as if our very(e)(e)1 Theſſ. 3.8.1 Thess 3:8 life, and welfare were bound up in their ſpirituall(f)(f)1 Theſſ. 4.1.1 Thess 4:1 Proficiency: The Schoolemen are ſomewhat divided in opinion about Theology, or Divinity, whether it be a Science? and if ſo, of what kinde? Thomas makes Theologiam, ſpeculativam; Scotus, practicam; Hales, affectivam; but, as when three ſtarres are in conjunction, there uſually followeth ſome admirable effect, ſo where there is a concurrence of all theſe, they make up an accompliſhed Divine: Well then, let us lift up our voices like(g)(g)Iſa. 58.1.Isa 58:1 Trumpets, as the Prophet ſpeaks; and why like Trumpets? are there not other p. 50ſounds as loud? Loe, the(h)(h)Pſal. 29.3.Ps 29:3 Thunder of the Lord giveth out a(i)(i)Pſ. 77.17, 18.Ps 77:17Ps 77:18 voice, and that a mighty voice; yea, the Sea(k)(k)Pſ. 93.7.Ps 93:7 roars, and makes a very loud noiſe; yet not like Thunder, nor like the Sea, which both are louder, but lift up we our voices like Trumpets, becauſe in ſounding of Trumpets, the Hand is uſed, as well as the Mouth, to intimate, that a preacher muſt take heed to(l)(l)1 Tim 4.16. Read Ho ker lib. 5. Eccleſ. polit. ſect. 81. per tot.1 Tim 4:16 himſelf in matter of Action, as well as to his Doctrine, in matter of Elocution; as Noah is obſerved to have taught the old world as well by his(m)(m)Heb. 11.7.Heb 11:7 hand, in building the Arke, as by his lips in forewarning their deſtruction, and both conjoyned gave him the denomination of a Preacher of Righteouſneſſe, 2 Pet. 2.5. Verbum ſapientibus; and I crave pardon for this boldneſſe.

To end this Diſcourſe, and leſt I be further(n)(n)Act. 24.4.Acts 24:4 tedious unto you: To all this people in generall, let me ſay, as S. Jan. 2.12. So ſpeak ye; and ſo do, as they that ſhall be judged by the Law of liberty: ye have heard the certainty, and impartiality of all your Diſſolutions, and the ſame likewiſe of all your Reſurrections: ye have heard moreover of Books, and Regiſters wherein ſtand recorded all your thoughts, words, and actions whatſoever done in the Body, and according to what is written in thoſe Books, ye muſt all be Judged at the laſt day: ſo then, be exhorted all of you, from the higheſt to the loweſt, to labour to keep theſe Books, theſe laſting Records clear; and remember, that here Heaven is either won, or loſt; after death men are, ſay Schoolemen, Extra ſtatum merendi, & demerendi, out of a condition to procure any thing by acting, as who are then in a ſtate, or condition to receive their ſeverall(o)(o)2 Cor. 5.10.2 Cor 5:10 rewards, whether of good, or ill, according as they have done before in the body: wherefore as our Saviour, Let us work the works of God, whileſt it is Day, Joh 9.4. that is, as Chryſoſtome expounds it, foreign, during the continuance of the Day of this Life: Take notice that your Time, and your Day is(p)(p)Pſ. 39 4, 5.Ps 39:4Ps 39:5 ſhort, your account large, and the Judge before whom this(q)(q)Rom. 14.12.Rom 14:12 Account is to be given up,(r)(r)Mat. 25.24.Matt 25:24 ſtrict, and(s)(s)2 Tim 4.8.2 Tim 4:8 juſt, and no(t)(t)1 Pet. 1.17.1 Pet 1:17 Reſpecter of perſons at all.

In one word, to cloſe up all; act vigorouſly for God, p. 51for his Chriſt, for his Goſpell, and that as well in the Praecepts, and Duties thereof, as in the Priviledges, and Promiſes of the ſame; be as well reſolved to have Chriſt for a Lord to rule thee, as for a Jeſus to ſavethee: In ſumme, as I ſaid in the concluſion of my laſt Sermon, in this very place, on the ſame occaſion; So live, and ſtrive for holineſſe, as if thou hadſt no mean of ſalvation but that; I mean, in regard of zealous earneſtneſſe, and Chriſtian endevours: And yet ſo reſt, and relye upon the merits of Jeſus Chriſt, as if, in point of ſelf-deſert (which is nothing) thou hadſt no holineſſe at all: This, this alone is the way, by grace to arrive at glory.

Amen, Amen. Soli Deo Gloria.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

PAg. 5. lin. 38. read Protoplaſts. p. 11. l. 3. r. mortality. p. 11. l. 3 r. appoſite. p. 19. l, 4. r. foreign. p. 23. l. 6. r. muſt be by beleevers. p. 28. l. 25. r. for ſerenity, dexterity. p. 43. l. 19. r. Rom. 13.3, 4. and as Xenophon. p. 48. l. 23. r. Omniſcience.

End of the text · William Sclater, The Grand Assizes (1653)