2 Peter 2:9 (part 2 of 2)

The Malefactors; The unjust. Binding over; are reserved. Assises; To the day of Iudgement. Execution; To be punished.

The unjust.] This terme must be considered in a threefold relation. 1. As it is a want of that righteousnesse which the Law requires. 2. As a want of that righteousnesse which the Gospell accepts. 3. As it implies a habite of unrighteousnesse, such as both the Law and Gospell condemnes. Of all these a little.

1 For legall Iustice, how far short is the best man of it! God requires a perfect fulfilling of the Law, because he gave a perfect abilitie to doe it. If man would lose wilfully this sufficiencie, what fault is in God? Now the sonne that inherites his fathers goods, is bound to pay his fathers debts: we have our fathers goods, naturall endowments, &c. Therefore bound to answer for his sin: if so wee call originall sin, not ours but His. But howsoever our parents conveyed unto us originall sins, we our selves are the parents of actuals. All naturals are depraved, all supernaturals are deprived, by the first fall. Mans nature may be inclined to some morall vertues imperfect; as Truth, Iustice, temperance, chastitie: but not to supernaturall, as faith, hope, charitie, humility; these are quite out of natures orbe. So for that Iustice, which should give absolute obedience to GODS will, all men be unjust.

2 For Evangelicall Iustice, which is had by faith: this is a righteousnesse of Grace, to supply the defects of nature. We that had no righteousnesse of our owne, must be beholding to one that hath some to spare: such a one, as though he give never so much, hath never the lesse: an infinite and in exhaustible fountaine of goodnesse. Satan like a Chimicke, had extracted all the juyce and spirits of our grace: we have no way to enrich our bankerupt estate, but with the treasures of CHRIST. He was not not only our brother by taking our flesh upon him, but also our suretie by taking our debts upon him: not only naturam hominis, but formam servi. Psal. 69.4. Restituli quod nunquam abstui, may he well say; I paied that I never tooke. What man will give his Mic. 6.7. sonne for his sinne? Yet God did more: he gave his Son, for (not his owne, but) anothers sin. Mans sin was the cause of Christs death: Christs death the cause of mans life. He gave life to us, by giving his life for us. Had he bin meere man, this had done us no good; his Iustice had bin little enough for himselfe. But the Son of God suffered, not in Proprietate Natura, yet in Vnitate Personae; Personaliter: and so he merited. Zach. 13 7. The Sword of Iustice was awaked to be sheathed in our bowels; the Shepheard interposed himselfe to take the blow. By sin we are indebted to God more than we are worth; now Christ undertooke for us. In his Circumcision, he gave the earnest, set his hand to the Obligation, to pay the whole debt. God is the Creditor, he payed him, and sued out for his Church a Quietus est. Satan was the Gaoler, he payed him; death the executioner, he payd him too; though for their fees they parted his garments among them. Gen. 44.30. As Iacobs life was bound up in the life of Benjamin, without whom his gray haires would be brought to the earth in griefe. So our life is bound up in the life of IESVS, and if he be not with us, we shall dye with anguish, and goe to the grave in sorrow.

This is a second way to be just: the former we lost by sin, this we finde by faith: he that wanteth this is unjust and must perish. Now reprobates cannot have this justice, by reason they lack faith: as he that is blinde hath no benefit by the light. Indeed the world thinkes this an easie attainement; but is quite mistaken. A child cannot generate, nor a man regenerate himselfe: the latter is as possible as the former. Mans nature being whole, could not preserve it selfe: much lesse being broken, can it repaire it selfe. He that cannot keepe himselfe from death while he lives, will more impossibly restore and revive himselfe to life being dead. Faith is a rare gift, though there be many Christians: all thinke they have it; yet even CHRIST himselfe sayes, he shall scarce know where to finde it. How great a part of the world lies quite out of the orbe of faith! In Rome it is not they contest against it. In Courts it is rare, many live there rather by the favour of the Prince, than by the faith of God. In the Citie, the credit of faith is so weake, that it cannot be trusted without ready money. In the Countrey she is likeliest to be had; but the Tenant findes so little faith in the Land-lord, that he thinks it a needlesse vertue in himselfe. Among Lawyers there is just so much faith, as there is charity. Most men have so much, and so little, as to thinke they need no more. The professors of faith are like Gideons army, two and thirty thousand: but when the faithfull are separated, as those souldiers were mustered, there is but three hundred left. Lord, encrease our faith, and the number of the faithfull: that we who cannot be just in our selves, may be just in Iesus Christ.

3 There is a third kinde of Iustice; actuall, practicall; inseparably proceeding from the former: it is a sanctified conformity to the will of God. This justifies all them to the world, whom faith hath justified to the Lord. When in all our earthly businesse, we still carry a heavenly minde. When our faith to God, is seene in our faithfulnesse to men. Rev. 2.10. Be thou faithfull unto the death, and I will give thee the crowne of life. Continue in evangelicall faith, though you dye for it: continue in morall faithfulnesse, til you dye in it. There is a faith of the Law, Mat. 23.23. There is a faith of the Gospell, Mat. 25.23. Rom. 1.17. The one is fidelity in our promises, the other is confidence in the promises of God. If he covenant with us, I will be your God: we must restipulate, then will we rest upon thee. Thou shalt be my people; then we must be faithfull. Secundum fidem quam credimus, Deus fidelis nobis: secundum fidem quâ credimus, nos fideles Deo. Both these together: for no man can deale faithfully with God legally, unlesse hee beleeve evangelically that God will deale faithfully with him. Want of legall faith oppugnat Dei majestatem: want of evangelicall faith oppugnat Dei veritatem & misericordiam. Be not false-hearted in the first, nor faint-hearted in the latter. In a word, he is a just man that doth good: and there is no sap of life in the tree if no fruit appeare in the branches.

The unjust man wants all these three righteousnesses: he is not legally just, for he hath no purity of nature: he is not evangelically just, for he hath no sanctity of grace: he is not practically just, for he hath no morality of life. The first wicked men cannot have, the next they will not have, and (without that) the last they shall not have.

Thus we see negatively who are unjust; but there is more than a bare privation in it; Quiddam positivum: it includes not onely a defect and indisposition to doe well; but also an actuall contrariety to Iustice, doing what is palpably evill. So there is a two-fold malignity in it; the transgression, and the duration of it. For the former, the wicked are unjust to God, to men, to themselves.

1 To God: righteousnesse is an obedience to the will of God; and injustice is no other than disobedience. That wee may learne to judge our selves in this, consider the infallible markes of obedience. First, it must be Integra; respective of all the Commandements: he that transgresseth one, hath not obeyed. Saul kept part of Gods precept, slew the most, and worst; yet God rejected him as disobedient. Many peece their lives, as beggars doe their cloakes, here and there a new patch: an almes at Christmasse, this is a patch of charity: communicate twice a yeare, two patches of faith. Disobedient for all this. Secondly, Simplex, we must obey the law Intuitu legislatoris, without glance at our owne profit or credit or safety by it. If one eye looke one way, the other another way, the object will never be well seene. The servant would go to Church, to please his master; more faine another way, to please himselfe: but he that lookes any other way in his devotion, than to the Lords precept; is unjust: he makes God the second, himselfe the principall. Thirdly, Prompta, ready: Angels have wings to flye about it. Abraham no sooner received that strange command, but he rose early to obey it. A compulsory obedience the devils may give, but are never the nearer being righteous. He shall never be welcome to God, that comes on his feet, and leaves his heart behind him. Fourthly, Assidua, constant: that obedience which hath an end, had never any true beginning. If it fals it was never a fixed Starre, but a meere meteor. A man may lose his Horse, his Purse, his Cloake; these be separable: the grace that hangs on by tacks, like a mantle, soone drops off. Divers have a crust of profession congealed by cold, desirous to keepe themselves warme by the fire of the Temple; which the summer of wantonnesse thawes into fluid and spilt water. Nah. 3.17. The Grashoppers campe in the hedges in a cold day, &c. In cold weather they lye in heapes and swarmes: in hot weather they scatter: when prosperity comes, their loosenesse appeares. In Gods Booke these are found unjust servants. Fifthly, Vera vel Iusta, no trick nor equivocation in it. It seekes not to obey God for mans sake, but man for Gods sake: it obeyes men, but never against the Lord.

Disobedience is called witch-craft, for it goes from God to the devill, and like a Witch intends mischiefe and revenge. There be two parts of it; Cum non fit quod praecipitur, cum contra fit quàm praecipitur. Disobedience materiall, when it breaks the Law: formall, when it scornes the Law-giver. Disobedience did cast Adam out of Paradise, Angels out of Heaven, Ionas out of the Ship, Saul out of his Kingdome, Israel out of Israel. Superiours complaine that others doe not obey them; but no wonder, when they obey not God. Shall any creature owe that man service, that will performe no service to his Maker? God for this often makes a tumult and rebellion in their owne bosomes; that reason, the Queene Regent of the soule, cannot be heard, nor any of her lawes be respected, because the mutinous affections make such a combustion, putting the whole man out of order and good disposition. Disobedience will not bow, but it shall be broken: as the thunder melts the stubburne metall, and spares the unresisting purse. Thus is he unjust to God, that detaines his honour: that is fed and gives no thankes: such an one steales his meat. He requires the seventh of our time, the tenth of our encrease: we are unjust that deny this. These are thought honest men, yea thinke themselves no lesse: they goe as merrily with this profanation and sacriledge at their heeles, as horses with an empty Coach. Yea, the divell serves them, as Carriers doe their horses; lay on them heavy loades, and then hang bels at their eares, to make them musick. These are reserved to judgement, for no humane law takes hold of them. Where should the poore Minister have the Tenths adjudged to him? And for making that day common to licentiousnesse, which God hath separated for especiall holinesse; where is this censured? A good Lord gives his poore servant a farme to live on: for the Rent, he requires every weeke one dayes service, and at the yeares end the tenth of his profits. Hee that returnes not this small part, to that God who gives all, is most unjust, and will be so found at the day of sentence.

2 To man: such are they that measure their right by their power, and therefore will do injurie, because they can doe it. Vnjust. 1. To the common-wealth, as the golden extortioner. (I may so call him, because he gets gold by Vsurie, as Babel is called the Golden Citie, because she is an exactresse of gold.) Let all the scribes in the Citie passe their words for him, yea set their hands to it; yet God will hold him unjust. 2. To the Church; that deny him reverence to their mother, and withhold her maintenance; and which is worse, plead a custome for it: as if it were a custome for children to rob their parents. The Italians have a tricke in the art of rapier and dagger; they will teach a scholer with a traverse or two, to get the point of his adversaries weapon, and then to locke him up so sute, that (turning away his face) he runs him thorow: and for-sooth he turnes away his face, because he will behold no crueltie. It is Custome in England that lockes up our points; and the Law takes away the Churches weapons by a tricke of custome: yea men stand still, behold this, justifie it: but Gods Iudgement shall finde them unjust. 3. To private persons; such as steale away a mans good name with a felonious slander. Every one is bound to preserve the reputation of his brother: he that abuseth it, (colour his splene with what pretence he can) shall be condemned for unjust. Such a man is a monster; his throat a sepulcher, his tongue a sword, his mouth a bagge of poyson. I know in diverse Courts, scandals have their just censures: but how if the Courts themselves admit of scandals? By the Law of quittance, he that accuseth another of crimes which blemish his credit, and cannot prove them; should undergoe the punishment due to such an offence. Act. 18.16. Gallio drove the railing Iewes from the Iudgement seat: he knew they had more malice than matter: a rare example! Thus Lawyers often hunt a man at his forme, and leave the cause at losse. A Captaine of Darius hearing a mercenary souldier raile upon Alexander, stroke him with his Iavelin: Ego te ut [pugnes]; I hired thee to fight against him, not to raile against him. Let Advocates plead the cause, not Petere adversarium, inveigh against the adverse party.

The great injustice of the world is oppression; that doth Psal. 10.9. ravish the poore, not of their bodies, but of their estates. The hard hearted Luk. 10.32. Levite did but passe by, without succouring the robbed passenger: it is wicked miserum relinquere, but worse miserum facere. If the Levite be taxed for not helping him, what is their punishment that rob’d him? Such are depopulaters, ruining people to feed beasts that where before men devoured sheepe, now sheepe devoure men. This hath beene an old disease, complained of by our fore-fathers: there were oppressors in their dayes, but the successors of them are now worse. Antigonus was a Tyrant bad enough; yet being dead, and a more cruell one succeeding him: a Cynicke fellow falls every day a digging by the high way. The passengers asked him what be digged for: he answers, Antigonum refodio, I would have Antigonus againe. Rehoboams government made them ready to say, God be with Salomon. 1 King. 12. This caused the poore widdow, an old Tenantesse, so to pray for the life of her young Land-lord, who had now the third time racked her rent. This he hearing, demanded the reason why she should so blesse him, that had so cursed his father; seeing that he (in his modest phrase of oppression) had improved her rent. She answered; when your Grandfather dealt hardly with us, we wish’d him in his grave, hoping for some goodnesse in the next. Your father was worse than hee; ew longed to bee rid of him, our hopes looked on you; now you are the worst of all. And seeing by experience, seldome comes the better, we desire to keepe you still: for certainely when you are gone, the next will be the Devill himselfe. Innumerable other be the demonstrations of Injustice; as the wicked borrowes, and payes not againe: the sword-man wounds the Image of his Maker: the tradesman abuses the simplicitie of his customer: the lascivious corrupts the wife of his neighbour: these be capitall unrighteousnesse, that bring men to Iudgement.

3 To a mans selfe: so is the unthrift, that spends himselfe into povertie by pride and luxurie. His father went to hell with Carrets, and he followes after with Potatoes: out of a laborious silke-worme rises often such a painted butterflie. The drunkard is unjust to himselfe; hath bloud, and he fires it; spirits, and he choakes them; drownes himselfe on the dry land. So is the envious, that loseth the sweetnesse of his owne, by grudging at his neighbours; that grinds himselfe to powder with his neighbours milstones: anothers fatnesse shal keep him leane: and not being patient to tarry sicknesses leasure, or (which is more dispatching) his Empirickes; soone dies of the sullens. The covetous of the unjust to himselfe; what he should adde to the content of his nature, he addes to the continent of his treasure. It grudgeth his heart, that his heart should have any good. If his body be not kept pining, his mind is repining. A secret and sore Iudgement; that he who is unjust to all others, should be most unjust to himselfe. When pride, or lust, or mis-affection calls for the purse; it is ready: let the soule call for it; that cost may be spared. While you deny your selves for a whole yeare the body and bloud of your Saviour, are you not unjust to your selves? While you heare Sermons, the food of your soules, as if you had no stomach to them; your are more unjust to your spirituall life, than hee that wilfully famisheth himselfe, is accountable for his owne death. Oh heare your consciences in time, and comfort them, lest they be never able to comfort you.

Thus you have heard the nature and specifications of Injustice; now looke upon the continuance of it; for so much the word imports. God will not cast all sinners into hell, who then should goe to heaven? but the unjust: such as practise unrighteousnesse without any recovery of repentance. 1 Cor. 6.9. Eph. 5.6. The unrighteous shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven: it is the continuance in sinne that excludes from mercie. Two things throw men to perdition, without the intervention of extraordinary favour; malice in sinne, and utter apostacie. These be the symptomes of that endangered disease, for which there is no balme in Gilead; we call it the sinne of the Holy Ghost. Not that it is against the third Person, as he is the third person, more than against the first or second: but because it is against the function or operation of that person, whose office is to illuminate the mind, and mollifie the heart with love: therefore himselfe is called love. Heb. 10.26. If men sinne wilfully after that they have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for their sinnes: because they maliciously have sacrificed their sacrifice, and split the only vessell that should save them. 1 Sam. 3.14. The iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice for ever: never expiated. 1 Ioh. 5.16. There is a sinne unto death, I doe not say he shall pray for it. Every sinne is unto death, but this Emphatically; with a prohibition of interceeding set upon it; like the flaming sword that kept Paradise; Pray not for it. Schoolemen give this reason, why the sinne of malice is unpardonable. The defect may find remission, where the will may pretend feare of excesse. A sinne of ignorance is often forgiven, as was 1 Tim. 1.13. Pauls; because a man may affect too much knowledge; as Adam did. A sin of infirmitie is oft forgiven, because a man may affect too much power and dominion, as did the Angels. A sinne of carnall feare is often forgiven, because a man may affect too much zeale; as did two of the Apostles. A sinne of partialitie is oft forgiven, because a man may affect Eccl. 7.16. too much Iustice. But not a sin of malice, because a man can never affect too much charitie.

No lesse doth Apostacie and falling off from God; Totus, a toto, in totum. A man may sin beyond all comfort in his owne conscience, till he cannot hope for himselfe; as did Iudas. Beyond all interest in the Churches devotion, till their prayers cannot helpe them: Ier. 7.16. Pray not thou for this people. Beyond all claime to Christs satisfaction; the bloud of the Lambe shall not helpe them, Mat. 12.31. That which makes this sin past all cure, is, because it strives against the cure: as a mad man wounded, will not suffer his wounds to be bound up, but rather seekes to wound the Chirurgion God hath mercy upon sinners, Christ came to call and dye for sinners, there be none now in heaven but they were once sinners; which of all the holy Patriarchs, blessed Apostles, can excuse themselves that they never did act unjustly? But Injustice was none of their trade; they did not live in it, not dye in it. Zacheus was once unjust, but he testified his repentance by charity and restitution. But they that practise unrighteousnesse to the end, in the end shall finde judgement.

Are reserved.] This is the binding over: God puts off many wicked men from the Quarter Sessions, to the great Assises. There is a Reservation that tendeth to good: as in the danger of wrack, much luggage is throwne over-boord, the precious things are reserved. In the generall slaughter of Amalek, Saul reserved Agog. Esa. 1.9. Vnlesse the Lord had reserved a remnant, we had beene as Sodome. But here is a reservation to punishment: whether they sleep or wake, play or work, stand or walke, their time runs on, their judgement is neerer: and they are more surely kept unto it, than any dungeon with the thickest wals and strongest chaines, can hold a Prisoner till his arraignement comes. This reservation affords us a two-fold collection or observation.

1 Wickednesse hath but a time, but the punishment of wickednesse is beyond all time. The most raging sea of malice hath the bounds, the usque the devill himselfe knowes that he hath but a short time. Stay till the Amorites sins be full, then comes their overthrow. The wicked are suffered to have their wils upon the righteous, their fils of unrighteousnesse; but Psa. 73.19. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! The manner is scarce visible, the time scarce divisible: How, and in a moment. Impudent Pharaoh bloudied with this unresisted tyranny, can belch our defiance in the face of heaven; Who is God? It is too much honour for man to receive a message from heaven; yet God sends to Pharaoh, and is repulsed. Humility saies, What is man that God should regard him? Pride sayes, What is the Lord that I should regard him? Thus he domineers for a while; but ere God have done with him, he will be knowne to him, and knowne by him to all the world. He could have swept him away suddenly, as a man most unworthy to live; who with the same breath he receives denies the giver of it. But he was reserved to another purpose, he must rage a while longer, that his determined confusion might be the greater. He sees Israel crossing the sea, and wonders: yet hath neither the grace not wit to retire. He is angry at the sea, thinkes not on the Lord: sees not the plaine difference which he puts betwixt his Israel and the Aegyptians. He cannot now either consider or feare, it is his time to perish. Faire way he had, and smoothly ran on, till he came to the midst; not so much as one wave to wet the foot of his horse. When he is too farre to escape, then God begins to strike. They know not why, but they wish themselves but againe. Their Chariots grow heavy, when they had done them the service to bring them to their perdition.

Wicked men run not faster into sin, than they would run from judgement. But they shall find, that it was never so easie to post into transgression, but it will be more impossible to post from destruction. Sauls persecution makes David take many a weary step: he kils the Priests, consults with Witches; what not? Hee hath his day, but in meane time is reserved to the Lords day: the battell in Gilboa shall pay for all. The people are slaine before his face, his sons fall under the swords of uncircumcised enemies, and the last scene of that tragicall field is reserved for Saul himselfe. GOD is long ere he strikes, but when he doth, it is to purpose. The wicked man is not halfe so sure of transient pleasures, as he is of permanent plagues. Sin serves him as Abner did Ishbosheth; put him on the challenge of the Kingdome, and there leave him miserable: or as Tamberlaine helped Cosroe to the Kingdome of Persia, and then tooke it away againe. It is like a boyes squib; flashes, and cracks, and stinkes, and is nothing. It serves him as Iael did Sisera; he asks water, she gives him milke: he wishes shelter, she makes him a bed: he begs but the protection of her Tent, shee covers him with a mantle: she gives more than hee askes, but withall, more than he expects. When his troublous thoughts were pacified with the change, and he flatters himselfe, It is better to be here, than in the whirling of Chariots, in the horror of fight or flight; among such wounds, such shriekes, such carcasses. But as when Agag sayes, the bitternesse of death is past, even then he feeles the sword: so in these contentfull thoughts Sisera dies: the terror of Israel lies bleeding at the foot of a woman. Doe we see impudent sinners flourish, awe the greatest, confront yea controll Magistracy? It is their time, and they take it: doe what mischiefe they can, answer it as they may. Psa. 37.13. But the Lord laughes at him, for he seeth that his day is comming. There is a day of reckoning and that day is comming, and the Lord sees it. He that may reckon with them at any time, will not reckon till that time.

2 The unjust are already reserved, the decree is past against them. They are bound over to the last Assises by a threefold recognisance, as it were with infrangible, though insensible chaines of Iudgement. The bond of their sins, the bond of their conscience, and the bond of omnipotent Iustice: and this threefold cable is not easily broken.

The first bond is their sins; Prov. 5.22. He shall be holden with the cordes of his sinnes. His owne shackles shall hold him fast enough, he needs no stronger chaines than those he makes for himselfe. It may be asked the sinner, what he meanes to make his fetters so strong? Saul was ever from the beginning his owne enemie; neither did any hands hurt him but his owne. At last, his death is sutable to his life; his owne hand payes him the reward of all his wickednesse: he that had beene so long a killing his soule, now makes as short worke with his body; Satan needs not bind a reprobate faster than he bind himselfe. The wicked doe not, like temporall malefactors, goe under baile; where it is but forfeiting the recognisance, and scape: for every step they take in sinne, brings them directly forward to their Iudgement.

Therefore is this bondage called a death: sin being the death of life on earth, and the life of death in hell. There may be certaine degrees in this spirituall dying, as there are in a corporall dissolution. There is a Syncope or swooning, an Epilepsie or falling sicknesse, an Apoplexie or cold palsey; which if it be to all, is also finall. The former are incident to the faithfull, but recoverable by their ordinary repentance: as a man in a swoone is restored by sprinkling cold water, or bowing forward the body. The second are greater crimes, deadly sins; so expelling the Spirit of God, that no signe of his Presence appeares. It must bee an extraordinary repentance, that recovers these offenders: as a man in the falling sicknesse, by striving, sweating, beating of himselfe. Now they that are in a swoune, or foaming under a Epilepsie, are bound fast enough, they cannot run away yet such fits and fals may be recovered. But when it comes to an Apoplexie, a putrified custome, a rotten obstinacie in sin; the grave does not surer bind a dead body within her mouldy barres, than these bonds of obduratenesse enchaine such a soule. There may remaine a while some smale appearance of breath, a little naturall warmth: yet is it impossible, without a miracle, to recover that spirituall life, which is so long, so universally excluded.

There is a proceeding with the mortified conscience, as with the dead carcase. First the dead man that is to be buried, is the impenitent sinner; resembling a corps in many respects. 1. In lacke of sense; so lethargis’d in sin, that he feeles not the prickings and woundings of a sore heart. Lay a mountaine upon a dead man, Revel. 3.18. he feeles not the weight. CHRIST counsells him to buy restoratives; he perceives no need to buy: the cause of buying is the feeling of want, not the want of feeling. There is no love to God, no charity to men, in them: they have the true love of sense, but not the true sence of love. 2. In lacke of appetite; they neither hunger nor thirst after righteousnesse; as being full of sinfull crudities. Life brings appetite, appetite desires meat, and meat affords nourishment: if the soule hungers not, it lives not. Appetite is sharper in famine than in plentie: a double punishment; more stomach, and lesse meat: but these desire not the body and bloud of Christ. There is no corporall affection like thirst; as we see in Hagar, in Sampson, in Christ himselfe suffering; not Esurio, but Sitio; extreme heat working upon the radicall moisture. But dry these soules are to the death, yet feele no thirst after the waters of life. 3. In lacke of motion: Indeed; a dead body hath a naturall propension downewards: so these unjust men have a passive motion, feruntur in infernum: but they cannot actively move one finger to goodnesse. A corps is a heavy disanimated lumpe, pressing downewards; as sinne cast Dathan from this world, Lucifer out of heaven. 4. In lacke of heat, infected with the poyson of that Serpent, which is cold in the fourth degree, mortall. When a man is dead, chafe him, rubbe him, bow him, put Aqua-vitae into him; then take him by the hand, and bid him walke; yet he cannot stirre the least joynt; except the soule be restored, all perswasions be in vaine. 5. In lack of sweetnesse; the soule, his salt being gone, what can keepe it from putrefaction? Thus is adultery a noisome uncleannesse; Slander an unsavory breath, like the steame that comes from a new open grave; Psal. 5.9. their throat being an open sepulcher. Heapes of ill-gotten wealth is a very dunghill; all wickednesse like stinking carrion to GOD.

Now the coffin or grave for such a sinner, is three-fold; according to his death. The sepulcher of the body is the earth, the sepulcher of the soule is the body; the sepulcher of both dying in sin, is hell: as there is naturall, spirituall and eternall death. The Bearers that carry him, are foure. 1. Hope of life; neither age nor sicknesse can put him out of that hope. 2. Promise of repentance to himselfe, when he can sin no longer. 3. Presumption of mercy; as if God must needs save him, because he made him. 4. Love of the world, Luk. 7. Aug. which makes him forget the world to come. These carry him out of life, as the widdowes son was borne out of the gates of the Citie. A wanton eye carries a man out, by the gates of his sight: a swearing tongue, by the gate of his mouth: itching after scurrilous speeches, by the gate of his eares.

Thus dead is every obstinate sinner: dead in sin, saith Paul; yea, saith the Lord. It is not the opinion of some Physician, that may be deceived in his principalls, but it is a Dicit Dominus. It is said of Adam fallen, as of a condemned malefactor; Mortuus in lege. Not only in respect of the dissimilitude betwixt Gods life, and theirs: which is such an Eph. 4.18. alienation, as is indeed a diametrall opposition. But in the order and course of Gods Iustice, sentencing death to every one that sins: and this death must be answered either in the sinner, or in the Saviour. So they are as dead to God, as a Traitor to the Prince, or as a Felon is to the Iudge.

This is one especiall bond, wherby they are reserved and bound over to the day of Iudgement; a death in sin. Not, but that CHRIST is able to raise the dead, Psal. 116.16. and to lose these bonds. He raised three sorts of dead in the three yeares of his Ministerie. One in the house; Iairus his daughter: another in the gate; the widdowes son: a third in the grave, which was Lazarus. Serm. 44. de verb. Dom. Saint Augustine thus resembles them a sinner is dead in the house, when he sins secretly, imagining mischiefe in his mind. He is carried out of the gate, when he sins openly, not confining it withindoores: but Psal. 7.14. Rom. 2.5. brings it forth, in word or deed, and makes it scandalous to the Church. He stinkes in the grave, when he sins habitually, without any remorse. The first may be raised by Doctrine, the next by discipline: as appeares by Christs owne practice and direction, Ioh. 2.15. Matth. 18.17. But what shall we doe with the incorrigible and customary sinner, who is dead in the grave? Only pray with Mary: Ioh. 11.32. Lord, if thou hadst beene here, my brother had not died: but I know, all things are possible unto thee. Now there was weeping for the damosell dead in the house: more weeping for the man carried out of the gate; the mother wept, the Church laments: but most weeping at Lazarus his grave: Martha wept, and Mary wept, and the Iewes wept, and Iesus wept, and groned in the Spirit. We ought to weepe penitently for the beginnings of sin, more for the proceeding and encrease, most of all for the completion and accomplishment of death; when the sinner betakes himselfe to the scorners chaire, deriding God and all goodnesse. Let us say in the Church, as Demosthenes did in Athens; we have more cause to weepe for the lives of the bad, than for the deaths of the good. It is over the spiritually dead, that the confused Quire of hell sing Epinicions, and songs of triumph. They are glad to see us sin in the house, admitting an ill motion to our purpose: rejoyce at our carrying forth breaking out into notorious offences: are most merry, when we continue in filthinesse, till we stinke in the sepulcher. O let us hearken to Christ Surge; sit up and speake; to comfort our mother on earth, to please our father in heaven.

The next bond is their evill conscience; an infallible binder, hell it selfe is not surer. Such a man is αὐτοκατάκριτος, Tit. 3.11. damned of his owne selfe. Vnlesse he could run away from himselfe, he cannot scape this Iudgement. There be three acts of conscience. 1. Before the deed is done, examining whether it bee lawfull or unlawfull. 2. In the deed doing, allowing or resisting. 3. After the deed done, approving or condemning. There be diverse reasons why every man hath a conscience.

1 That man might have an internall Schoole-master to direct him: now the fittest for this office is conscience. Chrys. If the Irascible or concupiscible part had beene our governors, either they would have beene often absent, or else led us amisse. What a beast is man under the regiment of lust or sense? and how seldome does anger play the game with reason? But conscience like a pulley, keepes reason in the right wheele; and either cashiers mutinous affections, or executes martiall Law upon them. If only outward Rulers were to governe us; they have no eyes to see the mind: there might be mis-rule enough within doores, and they never the wiser. Therefore they would either be contemned for meanenesse, or condemned for partialitie. But in the conscience there is both awe enough, and Iustice enough; and every man is willing to be ruled by his owne mind: if not, this School-master hath a rod to compell him.

2 That he might have a thing within him to put him in remembrance. In the Law a man will doe nothing without his counsell learned; but for the passages of his life, he seldome stands upon advise. This Monitor will be ever plucking him by the sleeve, telling him, this action is naught, God is angry at it, unshiftable plagues attend it. Chrys. David portavit in pectore, tanquam Imaginem pictam, adulterii & homicidii. The word doth but sometimes discover our corruption: it is the Glasse Saint Iames speakes of, wherein we looke, and see our Image, but turne our backes, and forget it. But conscience is alwayes at hand; it is the continuall reflection of the soule upon it selfe. Even in the darke it will represent to a man his owne forme, make his wounds smart, and send him a maine to the Physician.

3 That he may have a Iudge within him: wherein conscience hath yet a higher office. For, 1. a Schoole-master may be despised. Customary sinners, like boyes growen tall and stubborne, contemne the rod. A remembrancer may be dispraised; and said as Hushai of Achitophel; his counsell is good, but not at this time: but a Iudge we all tremble at. 2. Externall Iudges may be corrupted, but the conscience will take no bribes. O that as every Iudge hath a conscience, so this conscience might evermore give the Iudgement. 3. The guilty person may flie from another Iudge; but there is no evasion of conscience. Nescis temeraria, nescis quem fugias, ideoque fugis. It is impossible for a man to runne away from himselfe. 4. Great men cannot be brought to Iudgement-seates: the poore are like materia prima, under generation, so under reformation: but the rich are like starres above the Moone, too high for the reach of ordinary power When a company of Lacedemonian Gallants had defiled the bench and seat of Iudgement; the Magistrates at first stormed, and vowed punishment. But when they knew who did it, they enacted a Law of exception; Liceat illis, It is lawfull for those Gentlemen to doe what they will. But be they never so great, this Iudge will make them stoope. 5. Preachers dare not reprove all men particularly: such an attempt would bring them into contempt. Conscience feares no man; dares checke a Magistrate, controll a Prince. It may sometime slumber; no woman is alwaies scolding: but when she wakens she will speake.

4 That man might have his comfort, or his torment, within him. Comfort to the righteous; in all afflictions they have this stay, that they be not overwhelmed with sorrow. Though they be condemned, this approves; affords libertie in prison; Revel. 2.17. Chrys. in the want of outward food, this sustaines: it is the Hidden manna. Torment to sinners; that they may tast of Gods Iudgements even in this life. In the midst of all their prosperous fortunes, they have inward tortures. A malefactor in prison, though he fare well, yet is tormented with the thought of ensuing judgement. It is the hand-writing on the wall, that prints bloudy characters in Belshazzars heart. This is the breakings out of the flames of Tophet, a little module of hell: as a looking glasse broken into many small pieces, every one can shew the contracted forme. This is another indissoluble chaine that binds them over.

The last bond of this reservation is the immutable justice of God. In respect of his decree before the world, and suffering them to heape up sinne in the world, that they may be punished in the world to come. But this is to be adored with reverence and with silence. Novit Dominus, he knowes how to doe it.

For our selves let us take externall prosperity for no good marke of our election: the fattest beasts are kept for the slaughter. Flatter we not our selves with the sense of impunity: the lesse sorrow we feele, the more we have cause to feare; for the more may be behind. Let us breake off our sins by repentance, that God may breake the bonds of our durance. Pray with David; Psa. 142.7. Bring my soule out of prison, that I may praise thy name: Psa. 35.17. Rescue my soule from destructions, my darling from the Lions. That our sins being remitted, and our consciences quieted; we may live in grace, and goe to the grave in peace: and when all bookes be opened, ours may have no sin found in it, but instead thereof, the righteousnesse of IESUS CHRIST.

Vnto the day of judgement.] This is the Assises. Lewd persons riot in the Gaole of their durance; yet when the Session comes, they begin to be a little calme; put off their disguises of dissolutenesse, and put on some modesty and semblance of humiliation. Then they change their apparell, their garbes, their, lookes; all to appeare civill. If the meditation of this dreadfull day when all hearts shall be searched, all secret corruptions embowelled, a finall sentence pronounced, by a Iudge that cannot be deceived, upon sinners that would not be converted: if this cannot make us tremble; our hearts disdaine comparison for hardnesse with the nether milstone.

Iudgement is diversely understood. For rule and governement, Mat. 12.18. Order them aright. For equity, Luk. 11.42. Ier. 22.3. For opinion, Dogma. 1. Cor. 4.3. That is a mans Iudgement, which he thinkes. For plagues and calamities, Exod. 7.4. For righteousnesse and holinesse. All the wayes of God are Iudgement and Truth, Prov. 28.5. For authority, Ioh. 5.27. For Gods secret councell, Rom. 11.33. For our afflictions, 1 Pet. 4.17. 1 Cor. 11.32. Here it is taken for a determination, or giving a sentence by a Iudge on the Bench, and in the seate of justice. For this there is a Court, and a Throne. The Court shall be kept in the Mat. 24.30. Cloudes; if any aske, why rather on earth, than in heaven? I answer, the malefactor to be judged hath sinned on the earth; and it is the manner of secular Iudges there to keepe the Assises, where men committed the trespasses. All the Elements have bin abused by sinners, therefore are they judged in the midst of the Elements: that the very place guilty of their fault, might be satisfied with their ruine. Againe, to be admitted into heaven, though there to be judged, is an honour whereof sinfull nature is not capable: therefore they must remaine in the lower parts of the world. No reprobate man or devill shall ever see God: Christ indeed they shall see in the glory of a Iudge, not in the glory of God. There is also a Mat. 25.31. Throne: earthly Kings, when they will show themselves to their Subjects in awfull Majesty; ascend their Thrones: this is the highest state of a Kingdome. This Throne shall be most terrible to the wicked; Dan. 7.9. A fiery flame, and the wheeles burning fire. But to the faithfull there is a Rev. 4.3 Raine-bow about it, to qualifie the terriblenesse of it.

To the day of judgement.] This point I have diverse times handled: therfore to avoid a co-incidence of discourse, I fasten onely upon two meditations, formerly not observed. The sufficiency of the Iudge, and the necessity of the judgement.

1 First the sufficiency of the Iudge: his infinite perfection cannot be better discerned of us, than by comparison. There be two maine conditions that [concurre] to the making up of a Iudge: outward warrant, and inward inablement.

For the former; Iudgement is not every mans worke, there must be commission and designement for it. There have bin indeed some extraordinary actions of Iustice, without specification of warrant. Such was the act of Phineas, Num. 25. for which some plead extraordinary instinct from God: and doubtlesse, he would not have accepted that sacrifice, if himselfe had not prompted it. So he had the substance of authority, from private revelation, though not the forme of authority from publike deputation. But I rather thinke that his judgement was also solemnely warranted. For both, God sayes to Moses, Hang up the heads: and Moses to the under-rulers, every one slay his men, that were joyned to Baal-peor. So that for this execution every Israelite is made a Magistrate; and then why not Phineas? But it is objected, that he was a Priest, and his place for peace and mercy. I answer even this act of justice was a worke of mercy: Samuel thought it not out of his office, to hew Agag in peeces. They might make a carcase which might not touch it. Levi got the Priest-hood by such a sacrifice, shedding the bloud of Idolaters. Thus ordinary justice might well beare out Phineas in that act. But it is not for every man to challenge this office: private persons may only pray for the redresse of sin: if the man be not warranted, it is a lawfull question, Who made thee a judge? Now if a deputed Iudge be of great authority, who hath yet a Supreme Magistrate over him, to examine and reforme him; how mighty is this Iudge? [Quantus] ille judex, qui facit judices; that makes, yea, and unmakes Iudges? That judgeth them; and if they doe ill, condemnes them? By him Kings raigne, and Iudges rule: by him shall Kings and Iudges be called to account. The Iewes once questioned Christ; Mat. 21.23. By what authority doest thou these things? And the fooles of the world would faine doubt it. But this day shall shew, that the Ioh. 5.22. Father hath committed all judgement unto the Son.

For the other, which is Enablement; whatsoever sufficiency is in other Iudges, comes from the Lord; how infinite then is himselfe? To make a sufficient Iudge, August. these vertues are required.

1 Knowledge, Deut. 1.13. A man can best judge of that which he knoweth. Ignorantia judicis, calamitas innocentis. It is bad at the Barre, worse on the bench. An Advocates ignorance can wrong but one mans cause, a Iudges may prejudice the whole Countrey. In this, Paul thought himselfe happy; that he stood before a Iudge Acts 26.3. expert in the Lawes, Eccl. 5.22. Wisedome is better than weapons of warre. Without this a Magistrate is but a blind Poliphemus, a great Monster without an eye. A stander by can say, this you cannot doe by law: or in derision, you are beside your book. It is a shame for a Iusticer, that before he can tell what to doe, he must goe consult his Clark. Otherwise he must weave a resolution out of his owne braines, as Spiders spin their cobwebs out of themselves. If he hit on the right, it is beholding to his luck: and so he relieves the plaintifes hope, not with constant equity, but with an uncertain lottery: and fils up the time, with that which empties the occasion; some Adage, or a stolne jest of stale wit, or a patch of Poetry. But our Iudge hath cleare eyes to discerne the cause: and knowes the law, for it was of his owne making. There is nothing that can Latere cognitionem, vel effugere potestatem. The Iesuite cannot equivocate with him, though he have tricks beyond the devill.

2 Courage, Magnanimity, or Spirit: typified in Iudah, that judiciary Tribe; whose Embleme or Escoucheon, was a Lion Couchant; that lyes by the prey without feare of rescue, and turnes not his head at the fight of any creature. The principall pillars of a house had need be heart of Oake. Of soft wood, or bending lead, Carpenters will not make them Rules: and are flexible dispositions fit for Rulers? Men doe not chuse a starting horse to lead the Teame. He had need be of Davids valour, that can snatch the prey out of the Lions mouth, rescue the oppressed from him that is too mighty for him. Now all the courage of man is but the gift of God. 1 Chr. 29.12. In thy hand it is to give strength to all. If a beame be so radiant, how glorious is the Sun himselfe? The Iudge of all the world is inflexible: it is falsely said of Cato, that the Sun might sooner alter his course, than he pervent his course of Iustice. The stoutest and strongest may yield, either for feare, as Pilate when he heard but a buzze that he was not Caesars friend. Or for favour, as Eli; that buried the living severitie of a Iudge, and burning zeale of a Priest, in the frozen and dead indulgence of a father. But whom should this Iudge feare, or who can deserve his favour? No audacious swaggerer dares crosse him, no great mans letters can prevaile with him: nor the frownes of kings, nor the flatteries of Courtiers, can move him.

3 Integrity; there must be no corruption in him. The braine had need be of a strong constitution, that can disperse and dispell the fumes surging from a vitious stomach, liver, or splene. He whom neither clamour, nor rumour, nor terrour; neither furious passion, nor melting compassion, can divert from Iustice; is fit to be a Iudge. In this Court of Christ, there will be no commuting, give me thy silver for thy sin. No dispensing; Beare with me, and I will beare with thee. No conniving, as Eli; 1 Sam. 2.25. the Iudge shall judge it; whereas himselfe was Iudge, and did not judge it: so sentencing himselfe, while he did not sentence his sons. No slubbering over a cause, without ransaking the bowels of it. But a vindicating of truth out of all the dens and thickets of juggling conveyance. The Scholer searcheth it by disputation, in thesi: the Iudge by examination, in hypothesi. Neighbourhood is my friend, allyance is my friend, bountie is my friend; but Iustice is my friend above all. Thus Iob 29.16. Iob searched out the cause which he knew not. Man doth search before he finds, God doth finde before he searches. Man goes by discourse, by certaine rules and principles and generall deductions, and from thence concludes: GOD sees at first. Man and truth are two severall things; truth and God is all one.

Mortall Iudges may be blinded with bribes; and the champions of Iustice become Mammons slaves. This acceptatio muneris, pravaricatio veritatis. A gift in the bosome wresteth Iudgement: the injection of a dram swayes the golden balance of Iustice, and so the cause is poised by the weight of the bribe. If the left hand be full of bribes, the right must be full of mischiefe. But our Iudge is not thus to be wrought upon: Gen. 18.25. Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right? Did not the Iudge in his mortall flesh, scourge such money merchants with zealous severity? Did not his Apostle with fiery indignation ban Simon and his money? It comes to passe that whole kingdomes and Churches perish, because such men and their moneys perish not. O if this Iudge would take gold, how few rich men would goe to hell? But gold hath lost milions of soules; it never did, never shal, save one. A dram of grace shall be more worth then, than all the treasures of the earth. Sublunary materialls have their places; Iob 28.2. Ver. 13. Iron is taken out of the earth, and brasse moulten out of the stone: the sun is found in his orbe, fire in his element, &c. But where is grace to be found, and what is the place of Iustice? It is not found in the land of the living. Nature sayes, It is not in me: wealth and honour disclaime it; It is not found in us. Then how shall we doe in the day of Iudgement? It is found in the treasurie of Iesus.

This point willingly and usefully extends it selfe to Magistrates, of what place soever; collaterally to all persons: teaching them to doe equitie, and to preserve integrity.

1 Doe Iustice; to this the Iudge stands bound in reason, as the proper act of his function: if he be not at leasure to doe this, it is time to unjudge him; as the woman said to Philip, Noli regnare. 2 Chron. 19.6. Iudgement is not mans, but the Lords. Iudges are a kinde of living instruments; and the nature of Instruments consists in the use and operation: as a knife is only to cut. Ad nihilum valet, quod non valet ad finem suum: if the axe be not good to hew, we say it is good for nothing. What then say you to those Magistrates, that have eyes and see not, eares and heare not? They are Idols: only one defect of those Idols they are not troubled with: we cannot say, They have hands, and handle not: for they handle too much: so much of the money, that they care not to handle the cause. Eyes they have, and see not: feet they have, and walke not: mouthes they have, and speake not: hands they have, but they doe handle. These are Instruments without operation: for Iudicem Iudicare, is as agreeable and naturall, as for the eye to see, the eare to heare. If the other be not Idols, sure they are Idolaters: golden calves if they be not, yet they are worshippers of golden calves. Yet in doing Iustice, I would not have Iudgement triumph over mercie; whereas mercie rejoyceth against Iudgement. To banish all favour, is to banish some equity. There may be favours within the cause, not favours without the cause: legall favours, though not personall. Where no wrong is done to Iustice, there may be faire use and place for Mercy.

2 Keepe integrity; what place soever you make good: it is the spirituall constitution and best health of your soules. The breach of this, the Apostle cals a Ship-wrack; and a Divine, Solutionem continui. The weight of all goodnesse will leave us, when we leave that: it shall powre contempt upon Princes, and make a great Antiochus called a vile person. As we love our lives, as we love our soules; through all the transitory, temporary, momentany passages of this world; let us preserve the life of our lives, and soule of our soules, our integrity.

2 The necessity of this judgement. That this should be, it stands both with the Iustice and Mercy of God. 2 Thes. 1.6. It is a righteous thing with God, to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, to you that are troubled, rest with us, rest with himselfe. For this world, they are afflicted most, that serve God best: and men of worst conscience flow with abundance. So that the world thinkes none miserable, but the conscionable: the more holy, the lesse happy. Who have more seconds and friends at a pinch, than the deboisht sonnes of Belial, the roring Monsters of the world, that with Crest and breast oppose all hindrance in the way of their lusts and humours? What plotting, what siding there is to maintaine a Ruffian, to countenance some disordered Retainer, to uphold a rotten Ale-house, to procure a Homicides pardon; who sees not? Whereas a good mans trouble is by all cunning aggravations greatned; as if the world meant all hurt against him, that meanes none. 1 Cor. 15.19. O if in this life onely wee had hope in Christ, we were of all men the most miserable. There had need be a judgement; and for this cause among the rest, the Saints cry instantly, incessantly; Come Lord Iesus, come quickly.

Be pleased to consider this point also comparatively. Without judgement how could any Nation stand? All things would run to disorder and confusion, but for this. There can be no society among men without indifferency: there is no indifferency, where offence is done without satisfaction: satisfaction may be sought many wayes, can no way be enforced, but by judgement. This they resolve into severall acts of judiciary proceeding, even from the Summons to the Sentence, from Gods owne example in the first sinners conviction. If visible powers were not more feared, than the invisible God, the world would be overrun with outrage. Even when Gods owne Israel had offended, Moses makes them bleed for it, He that was so good, that he would rather perish himselfe, than Israel should perish; yet pronounceth sentence of death on the Idolaters, rejoyces and blesseth the executioners. It is charity as well as justice, to punish offenders: and it is hard to say whether God loves more; a pittifull justice, or a punishing mercy. But might not those sinners have repented and lived? Or if they must be punished, can nothing serve but death? Or if they must dye, shall it be by the hands of their brethren? Or if brethren must cut their throats, shall it be done in the heat of their sins? Yes, so God commanded; and even that judgement was mercy: judgement on the bad, mercy to the whole: the corrupt bloud is let out, that the body may be preserved. Moses had a soft heart, but zealous and wise: pittifull he was, not fond.

A sinfull Common-wealth cannot live, unlesse it bleed in the common veine. There is not a better sacrifice to God, than the bloud of malefactors: this sacrifice so pleased him in the hands of the Levites, that they alone must sacrifice to him still. Next to our prayers, we doe no better service to God, than in punishing obstinate sinners; if they deserve it even unto bloud. How doth this free the Land from those Iudgements, which God otherwise would inflict! His revenge pursues transgressors; but if the revenge of mans justice overtake it, God gives over the chase: to execute this judgement, saves him a labour. If the Land be defiled with bloud, in duels, drunken quarrels; there is no way to purge it, but by their bloud that polluted it. Often hath the Lord done justice on the whole body, because the head hath not done justice on a member: and the seasonable infliction of a lesse punishment hath avoided a greater. The Tribe of Levi by shedding the bloud of the Idolatrous Israelites, was cleared from the bloud of the innocent Shechemites. The best friends to the State are the impartiall Ministers of judgement: nor doe the prayers of them that sit still and doe nothing, so much pacifie Gods wrath against us, as their just retribution. We gaze and wonder at the iniquity of the Land, yea shed teares for it: but it is the publike sword of our authority in correcting it, that must reconcile the Lord. Governours are faulty of those sins they see and punish not. It is no lesse than a good sight in a State, even a Malefactor at the Gall-house. We could not eate our meat, nor sleep in our beds, nor say our prayers in peace; but for judgement. Such is the necessity of it, that no State can stand without it.

This is a benefit in our Land which we must acknowledge by experience, God grant we may acknowledge with thankefulnesse. We have Courts and judgment seats for all causes; spirituall and temporall, civill and criminall, pecuniary and capitall. 1 Sam. 7.16. We have Iudges visiting all the great Cities twice in the yeare at least: so that the people cannot complaine that they travell far for justice, nor except against triall, who stand or fall by the deposition and verdict of their nearest neighbours. Luk. 18.3. The Widdow tooke a right course in solliciting the Iudge. When they have matters, saith Moses, they Exod. 18.3. come to me. And when Christ chargeth us to Mat. 5.25. Agree with our adversary, &c. he speaks not against just proceeding in Law: but rather ratifies and rectifies the course of civill Iustice. Being smitten he stroke not againe; yet he expostulated De facto, Iohn. 18.23. Act. 23.3. Paul reproving the High Priests in justice, was yet prepared to suffer: and he appealed unto Caesar. If then it be so necessary for man, that he cannot conserve his profit, credit, quiet, life it selfe, without judgement: how much more stands it with the honour of God? There be innumerable sins, which neither the eye of man sees, nor the arme of man can reach: these must not scape, God must be glorified in all: now he cannot be glorified, unlesse all transgression be punished, and all obedience crowned. I conclude.

O that men would therefore prepare themselves for this last and great audite. Application. Rev. 6.8. I beheld a pale horse, and his name that sate on him was Death; and hell followed him. Many tremble at death, but how would they be affrighted if they could see his follower, hell? The Foxes doth not more waite upon the Lions, nor Crowes upon Armies, nor Gaolers on Serjeants, than the divell attends on death for a booty. Death is but as the hooke, that jerkes the reprobates like fishes out of the pond of this world: there is afterward a fire and a Frying-pan, or scalding caldron to come. 1 Cor. 15.32. Let us eate and drinke, to morrow we shall dye? Never beast made such a senselesse argument: Riot, because we shall dye? How strange is such a conclusion to such a promise? It is all one with them to be a Farmers hog, or an Aldermans Horse, or a Ladyes puppy; or themselves: that thinke death the full period, the last and finall cessation of the creature. So when Antisthenes cries out in his pangs, Who shall ease me? Diogenes tenders him a knife, to cut his owne throate. Our frantick combatants, falsely tearmed brave spirits; as prodigall of their lives as Cocks and Dogs, powring them out on every drunken quarrell; little thinke of this dreadfull day to come. It is not the losse of the men we so much pitty; good for nothing but to stop breaches, and make up forlorne hopes, in the mouth of Cannons; but it is the losse of their soules. If they did thinke of this judgement, they would have little list to such desperate combates. For who would not rather welcome a Rapier or Pistoll, than a lingring and racking sicknesse; but for this consequence; that after death comes judgement.

Death is but the beginning of sorrowes; when we have done with him, judgement begins with us. Yet too many banish this meditation as too melancholy: and like children or cowards, rather shut their eyes, and chuse to feele the blow, than to see and avoid it. How silly is it to feare death, whose pangs be sometimes lesse than the tooth-ach; more than the day of Iudgement, which whom it finds out of CHRIST, shall cast into everlasting fire? So fooles feare the thundercracke, and not the thunder-bolt: the report of the ordinance, not the bullet: the Serjeans arrest more than the Gaolers Imprisonment. Let us not seeke to avoid death, this we cannot, but prepare our selves for the tryall, this we may. Some a little wiser, and a very little better, upon a cold thought of death, admit a short breath’d parley of Iudgement. And then after a sigh or two, put all upon a LORD have mercie on us; wee trust it shall goe as well with us as with others; even as GOD will have it. These have some scattered and preposterous flashes of the last Iudgement in their consciences; yet take no course to get faith and pardon in IESUS CHRIST. Most men thinke all well, and they shall answer the matter easily enough; not weighing the horror of their sins. But how fearefully doe they finde themselves deluded, when their soules awake, as Ionas did in the tempest; in the gulfe of fire and brimstone? Let us ballast our ship before we put to sea, lest wee perish in the maine: and judge our selves, that we be not judged in the day of Iesus Christ.

To be punished.] This is the execution. It were a vaine Session, if malefactors were not put to execution. Irrite and forcelesse are those censures, which impunitie followes. The mulcts and fines which are not required, doe make wickednesse more bold and insensible. But after Gods Iudgement followes an unavoidable execution: the unjust are not only judged, but punished. Among men, good lawes droope into contempt, by making difference of offenders: magistrates are afraid to meddle with the outrages of the mighty. Whence it comes, that small thefts are condemned to carts, while the great sacriledges are honoured in coaches. If the great beast make a gappe in the mound, the whole heard will not be afraid to follow. It was the Lords charge to Moses, Numb. 25. hang up the heads. God could as well have stroke the rulers, as the people: yet while himselfe punisheth the vulgar, he bids Moses punish the Princes; which one would think should have beene more properly reserved to his owne immediate hand. Yet these he leaves to humane authoritie, that he might procure awe to his owne ordinances. It is the impartiall execution of noble offenders, that winnes credit to government: and the want of it cuts the sinewes of any state. If their sins have made them base, let there be no favour in their penaltie. But in this Iudgement, God respects no persons: he knowes no valour, no honour, no riches, no royaltie, in the matter of sin: but Rom. 2.9. Tribulation and anguish on every soule of man that doth evill. He knowes nothing in man, nothing for man, but only the righteousnesse of one, God and man, his son Iesus. There is a sin among men, for which there may be some mediation; 1 Sam. 2.25. but if a man sinne against God, who shall intreat for him? None but Christ. To be punished, From hence I will only derive these two collections.

1 That mans soule is immortall, and his body shall be raised againe: otherwise how could there be a punishment after the day of Iudgement? Carnall reason can hardly imagine, how a soule should have subsistence after it’s separation from the body: it seemes incredible, because it is invisible. But Eagles can see more than Owles: nor was meere nature ignorant of this; through all clouds of error she could see this cleare truth; that soules die not with their bodies. This is an inbred instinct sucked from the brest of nature, an indeleble principle stamped in the soule by God himselfe, not to be rased out. The waggoner hath a being though his coach be broken: the ship is wrack’d on the sea, yet the mariner may swim to harbour: the addar lives after shee hath slipt off her coat: the musician keepes his skill, though his lute be broken: the snaile may creepe out, and leave his shell behind. Beside faiths cleare sight, and supernaturall revelation; Rev. 6.9. I saw soules under the Altar: Iohn did see spirits.

Reason it selfe can finde no absurditie in it. 1. I know my soule to be in my body, I cannot see it: my body is but a house of clay: cannot another substance be as capable of this soule, as clay? may not the aire, or heaven, or any other place, containe it as well as earth. 2. The soule is not guided by the body, but the body by the soule: that may be cholericke, when the body is flegmaticke: that cheerfull, when the other is melancholy. Diverse Martyrs have expressed solid joy, when their corporall torments have beene extreme: as if they had beene spirits without bodies. The body would often eate, when the soule hath a minde to fast: the body would sleepe, the soule rowseth it up to pray: often have you seene a cheerly mind in a distemperd body. Now if their dispositions be so manifestly crosse; that the one can be wel, when the other is ill: one grieved and troubled, when the other is in perfect health: it is plaine, that this soule may as well be, and be sensible, out of the body, as in the body.

It were foolish for men to be so carefull about their surviving names, if their soules were extinguishable with their bodies. What is that honour to me, whereof I am not sensible? If death were the destruction of the whole nature and substance, a good remembrance were to little purpose: and men had better leave their posterity more wealth, though lesse credit behinde them.

Death it selfe were but a toy, if no Iudgement followed it, or if there was no soule to be judged. It were then only as the breaking of a pitcher, which was full of nothing but fluid aire. He were a coward that would feare death, if he thought it to be the end of all feare. Expiration were not terrible, if it left nothing that remaines sensible.

If the soule does exhale as sensuall bruites, why does it understand more than bruites? The soule of the beast is as salt to keepe it sweet: man’s hath a nobler and more Divine dowry: it can discourse, reason, forecast, invent, remember: it can read, exercise arts, deduce conclusions; which be characters of an immortall nature. For men will not write on waters, nor ingrave curiously in snow, yee, or such liquefying stuffe. Therefore it is a particle of Divine breath, inspired into formed loame by God himselfe. It doth not arise out of the body, but is infused into it: therfore may as well exist without the body after, as it did without the body before. Eccl. 12.7. Dust returnes to dust, the spirit to him that gave it: both to their originalls, dust to dust, heaven to heaven. First, the soule goes to this Tribunall, then the body to earth: first the soule is judged and punished or rewarded, as the principall in good or evill: afterwards the body, as a meere accessary. The soule of the righteous is first, crowned, as that which more purely and primarily served God: the body did but rather hinder: therefore must come after. Dies mortis corpori, dies nativitatis animae.

The body is but sometimes awake, the soule is never a sleepe. The body is infirme and dull; now that which never sleepes in the body, shall certainely never sleepe out of the body. And how is that lyable to death, that is not capable of sleepe? In the deadest and deepest slumbers, that is alway discoursing, working, thinking: deaths younger brother cannot overcome it, sleepes elder brother shal not annihilate it. No Somniferous Opium, or dormitory potion can charme this into slumber: yea, it doth not seldome exercise the faculties with more freedome in the epilogue of sicknesse, in the confines yea even article of death: and shewes more vigour in the corporall weakenesse, than it did in the fulnesse of health: as a prisoner lookes and speakes more cheerfully, when the windowes be open, than when all are shut up in darkenesse. Yea, it rejoyceth at death, as at the keepers turning of the key, to open the doore, and set it at libertie. It leaves the body, as the inhabitant leaves a rotten and ruinous house; as a carpenter leaves his axe when the edge is blunted: or as a musician layes by his lute, when the strings are broken: or as a guest makes hast out of his Inne in Domum aternitatis sua, to his long home. She never sleepes in sleepe, therefore not in death: for death is a long sleepe as sleepe is a short death. Elias prayes that the 1 King. 17.21 Childs soule may come to him againe; therefore it was not extinct, though out of the body. Acts 7.59. Lord Iesus receive my spirit, was Saint Stephens farewell: his spirit was not stoned to death. Mat. 10.28. Feare not him that can kill the body onely, &c. To kill the body is one thing, to kill the soule another. By Saint Pauls choice, 2 Cor. 5.8. a man may be at once absent from the body, and present with the Lord. 2 Sam. 11.11. As thou livest, and as thy soule liveth, saith Vriah to David, Luke 16. he speakes of two different lives. The rich man was in hell: no man thinkes his body there; it was his soule. GOD is called Deus viventium, the GOD of the living: now the bodies of the Saints are dead, therefore their soules be safe.

To conclude then, the soule is not a vapour, but a spirit: not an accident, but a substance; the bodies elder sister, an excellent Queene over it: in it but not mixt; but separable from it: a guest that fals not with the house: but departs from it for a better habitation: and when it is re-edified at the Resurrection, will revisite and reunite it againe to it selfe. Thus it lies not a dying with the flesh: but as when the body sleepes, the soule sleepes not: so when the body dies, the soule dies not. If it have kept house well, it shall be exalted to everlasting peace: if bin unjust in life, after death it must be punished.

But is the soule only accountable, is that alone liable to punishment? No, the body that hath accompanied it in the sin, must not be separated in the penalty. Diverse have beleeved the soules immortality, that have doubted the resurrection of the body: and this error seemes to have found place in some of the Corinthians. 1 Cor. 15.12 How say some of you, that there is no resurrection? Some of you, all doe not say so: S. Paul doth not wrap up the innocent and orthodox with the rest in the same accusation. Many acknowledged this, some doubted: therfore he spends a long Chapter in this argument: which I forbeare to amplifie, as not daring to suspect any of us taken with such an hesitation. The soule never dies, and a man is not a man without his body; therefore there must be a resurrection of bodies. Let a greene twig be bowed together by the hand of man: when the hand is gone it will come to it selfe againe. Some are so nimble that they can lay their heele on their head; yet is not this the right place: but after such a forcible violence, the whole body comes againe to the first proportion. Death may take one peece of man from another; but when he shall be driven to let goe his hold, these two parts shall joyne. The soule is a spirit, and cannot be called a man without the body: no man is said to be a husband that hath no wife: nor is the sap a tree: nor faire written paper called a booke, till it be bound up in a cover. The soule in heaven is not a perfect man without the body. Vses.

1 It discovers their pittiable folly, that upon every galling discontent, lift up heir owne hands against their owne lives. They thinke death the remedy of all vils, seeke it as a present ease, the onely cure of their violent passions and perplexed consciences. But alas, then begins their present misery: for that sends them to this judgement, and for this lamentable end, to be punished. They leape out of the smoke, into the flame: from a momentany disturbance, that may be cured by faith and repentance; into a woe that enwraps them in eternall vengeance. What a foole was that crafty Polititian; that could order his house, dispose his goods, and then hang himselfe! He little thought of this judgement. Thus Saul forsaken of all hopes, scorning deaths blow by the hand of a Philistim, begs it of his Armour-bearer: and what he could not obtaine of him, himselfe supplies. As if he had borne armes against himselfe, he fals on his owne sword. The Armour-bearer followes his Master, and does that to himselfe which he durst not to his King: both yeelding that to their owne swords as familiar executioners, which they grudged to their pursuers. Saul had bin told the evening before by a familiar, 1 S .19. To morrow thou shalt be with me. Now he makes hast to prove the divell no lier: rather than faile, he makes his owne mittimus; accepting the greater mischiefe, to avoid the lesse. He might have suffered the Philistian violence without blame: to have died by an enemy had bin his fate, not his fault. But when he will needs act the Philistims part upon himselfe; he lives and dyes a murtherer. Other prisoners by breaking the Gaole may escape the Assisses: but here to breake it and not to stay for a summons, is to hasten the judgement, as it were to purchase a Sessions, for his owne damnation. Vpon the soule we passe not this sentence, upon the fact we may. There may be repentance, but the deed is hainous: and without repentance the punishment will be grievous.

2 Let it teach us all to provide in our life, a harbour for this storme that comes after death. How unshiftable otherwise shall we be in that houre, how unable to answer at the day of Iudgement? What is it for a poore man to take care of his winding sheete? Or the rich for a curious tombe? their names may stinke like their carcases for al this. Or for the superstitious to be buried in a Fryars cowle, or with a great summe to purchase a grave under the Altar? Whereas a good man buried in the Church, is Templum, in Templo. Or for the desperate to wish for mountaines, instead of monuments? When they shall be turned out of their bodies, as Hagar was out of doores; and rejected from Gods presence, like vagabond Cain; saying with the unjust steward, what shall become of us? It is a provided receptacle, that shall comfort them that have it: foxes, and hares, and even vermine fore-acquaint themselves with muses, thickets, and borowes: and when they are hunted, repaire thither for safetie; and shall man be to seeke for his refuge? Prov. 30.26. The comes make their houses in the rockes: we have only one Rocke to borough in; our only Citie of refuge, and Sanctuary of peace Iesus Christ.

2 The other collection is, that there is a Punishment ordained for the wicked: a punishment for the matter; but for the qualitie and manner, this is sealed of God and concealed from man. Horrible it is, and unconceivable; therefore hath no specification in Scripture, saving only in some shadowes and narrow representations; according to humane capacitie; the figure, rather than the nature of hell. Diverse popish writers have made certaine mappes and models of hell, searched all the nookes of that dungeon, surveyed the darke roomes, quartered them into regions and cantons: here placing lust, there ryot, there covetousnesse. Bellarmine sayes that one glimpse of that burning climate were enough to make a man (not only Christian, but) even turne Monke, and confine himselfe to the strictest rule of their mortification. But to wish such a sight, and come off like a discoverer; to make report unto men, is superfluous, superstitious: a thing that God hath not thought Luk. 16.31. fit for him to grant, nor necessary for man to know. If we aske what is in heaven, CHRIST answers; Ioh. 14.4. You know the way, follow it. So if you aske what is in hell, you know the way; avoid it. Quid mors est, rogitas: si scirem, mortuus essem. No man ever saw hell, that came backe to make relation. Let us heare Moses, the word, the Preacher: if the Lord meane us any good, they shall doe us some good. Let us not desire it painted in tables, but considered in our meditations; and that frequently: short and transient thoughts of it, may leave men to the long and permanent paines of it, so thinke of it that we study to escape it. Take these glimmering shadowes of it.

By the want and privation of all comforts: how terrible is it for a man to be famished? it is able to make him gnaw his owne flesh. In hell the want shall be greater, and the desire more violent described by Rev. 16.10. gnashing their teeth for anger, and gnawing their tongues for hunger. A son takes it grievously to be banished the sight of his father: 2 Sam. 14.32. Absalom was weary of his life by this delay. What a torment is it then to be shut out for ever from the presence of God, without all hope of readmission? David, was but the father of his flesh, God is the father of all spirits: Absalom might have life by him, but did not live in him: yea, he could live not only without him, but against him. But in God we live, and without him can be no life. It was griefe enough for Adoniah, though he were pardoned, to be decourted, confined to his countrey house. With what horror shall the reprobates heare, Depart from me yee cursed? Everlastingly to be expiled from him in whom is all life, must needs be an everlasting death. If in the Lords presence be the fullnesse of joy, the fulnesse of sorrow must be in his absence.

By the necessitie, in respect of the decree of Gods immutable Iustice; which casts them into prison without baile or main-prise: no ransome, no redemption. Bondage is terrible, especially to them that have ranged in libertie. Though Absalom be repealed, yet to have his owne house his prison, vexeth him. It could not content Shimei, though he had roome enough, to be confined to the river Kidron for gadding. Take a man from his well furnished house, seated in a good aire, his grounds watred with commodious springs, with his choice of Gardens, fields or walkes; from walking or riding at his pleasure: and lay him up in some loathsome prison, to spend but the short miserie of his remaining dayes: how disconsolate is this restraint? Such, and ten thousand times more, is it to be fetcht from this broad world, Sun-shine, light, and delight: and to be bound in the chaines of eternall darkenesse.

By the society: the company addes much to the content or torment of a place. A loving wife, gracious children, kinde neighbours, cheerefull companions, are the sweet refreshments of this life. Now for a man to be excluded from these, and to be haunted with furies, male-contents, melancholy, or wrangling copesmates; how grievous is the change? No man delights to dwell among Herses and Funerals, or to live in charnell houses; unlesse Sextons that can make themselves merry with dead corpses. We hate to dwell in Hospitals, Bridewels, or Bedlams: yea, the very society of ruffians and teare-Christs is odious to us, if the love of God be in us. How intolerable then is the habitation among dogs, uncleane birds, reprobate spirits worse than any scriech-Owles, Tygers, or Toades.

By the extremity: flesh and bloud hath beene exercised with many sharpe miseries, and those sorer than flesh and bloud (without the comfort of Grace) could ever indure. The Collick, the Gowte are torments: the strappado, or the rack: the slow burnings of materiall fire, all terrible. Yet are all these but the rast of this punishment; like an itch to those exquisite paines. The rich oppressor will then thinke his former Gowte a pleasure: and the murderer wish to hang eternally on his gibbet. But hath a man bin vexed with a disquiet conscience, the arrowes of guiltinesse sticking in his sides, groning under the pressure of unbearable sins? This comes neerest to the say of hell, a taste of those vials, to which the gall of Aspes is honey, and the stings of Scorpions a meere tickling. That which made the humane nature of the Son of God sweat clods of bloud, and heavy his soule to the death; crying as if he were forsaken; thinke of that punishment.

By the eternity; which makes all the rest absolute. Did the glasse hold more sands than ever the Sea washt on the shore, and but one little dust could passe in a Milion of yeares; this were miserable enough: yet would there be an end of that long ruine. But this punishment is a continuall feaver, a death which hath no death: it hath a beginning, Mat. 8.29. it hath no end. Adde eternity to extremity, and then consider hell to be hell indeed. If the Ague of a Yeare, or the Collick of a Moneth, or the rack of a day, or the burning of an houre, be so bitter: how would it breake the hearts of the wicked, to think of all these beyond all measure, beyond all time? Yet is all this truth, saving that it comes farre short of the truth? This is much, it is not neere all.

O that men would meditate on this before they sin: but such thoughts are held too melancholy; and we counted bloudy Physitians to speake of hell in our Sermons. They upbraid us, that we torment them before their time. Men are loth to be tormented before their time, and yet feare not to be tormented time without end. Alas, all our scope in discoursing of this fire, is but to snatch your soules out of the fire: we bring you to the brinke of the gulfe, that seeing it with horror you may never fall into it. All this the very divels, I doe not say, beleeve, but feele and shudder to thinke of. Shall a temporall King have his judgement seat, his prison, his executioners; and not God, who is so infinitely just? Shall man punish with death corporall, and is not death eternall just with the Lord? Let men ruminate of these things by themselves: and if the description of these flames cannot make them detest sinne, how likely are they to become fire-brands of these flames? Without some infallible antidote against this poison, mee thinkes the soules of unbeleevers should goe out of their bodies, as devils doe out of the possessed; raging, rending, foaming. It is a wonder that any should dye in their right senses and wits, that have not learned to dye in the faith of Christ. Death it selfe is painefull, therefore no marvell if men wish it short: of an easefull life man desires a protraction, but speed of his inevitable dissolution: not more willing to live when he is well, than to be out of his paine when he must dye. Every pang of violent and mortall sicknesse is a death: to lye one houre under deaths tyrannie is tedious: but to be a whole day a dying, is beyond naturall patience. What then is that death which knowes no end? As this body is as fraile as the life that animates it, so that death is as everlasting as the soule that endures it. It were grievous for man to be but so long a dying, as he hath leave to live: yet one minute of the second death is worse than whole ages of the first. Let us never be so mad and desperate, as to shrinke at that which must come, and will soone be over: and not to tremble at that which may come and continue for ever.

To conclude, here is one thing that answers to all doubts and questions that here might be moved. If it be asked who these unjust are, Dominus novit: he knowes who are his, which is a Novit of approbation: who are not his, which is a Novit of reprobation. If, how reserved, what bonds be upon them; Dominus Novit, he hath insensible chaines of durance. If when this day of Iudgement shall be, what time is designed for it; what moneth, what yeare the Iudge shall appeare in the clouds; Dominus novit; it is not fit for man to know, the LORD, keepes it to himselfe. If, how they shall be punished, what that fire and brimstone is, how differently it shall worke upon sinners, where the locall seat of torment should; in aire or earth: still Dominus novit, and suo tempore revelabit. One Quaere before I part with the verse.

Whether doth God alwayes forbeare notorious sinners to this great day. Indeed he set a brand upon Cain, that he should not be cut off by the hand of man, but reserved to this generall Session: and many an oppressor dies aged in his bed, and tarries long for his condemnation. Even this is a heavy punishment, that suffers men to grow old in their sinnes. It is best for a reprobate, excepting only never to bee borne, to have his swadling clouts a winding sheet, and his cradle become his sepulcher. Then is a terrible woe, when God forbeares smiting, and man forbeares not sinning. But this impunitie, doth not alwayes hold to a mature and white-hair’d death. Some are met withall betimes, in the heat of their fury, breathing out bloud and slaughter against the Church; even suddenly confounded, as Paul was converted. Corah rebells; doth his fall stay for his age? No, the earth opens, and swallowes him quicke. That element was never used to such morsells: many dead carcases hath it taken into the hungry bowels, never before bodies informed with living soules. Before it hath beene only opened with the violent hand of man; now opens it selfe. It had often beene a grave, now it is both a grave, and an executioner. Those five Kings pull sudden vengeance on their owne heads, they come forth to their death: Ioshua’s sword and Gods hailestones dispatch them apace.

Sisera flies from the impartiall hand of a victors warre, gets into a Tent, a friends tent there securely falls a sleepe: in the midst of all that tumult, and the jawes of death, he finds time to sleepe: as too many hearts doe in the midst of their sins and spirituall dangers. And whiles haply he was dreaming of the clashing of armours, rattling of charrets, cryes of the bleeding, and triumphs of the conquering; even then he sleepes his last, and hath the fatall reward of all his crueltie. His head was fastned so close to the earth, as if his body had beene listning what was become of his soule. Of his hundred thousands so soone hath he none left, not a page, to prevent his death, to accompany it, or bewaile it. He brag’d of great wonders that he would doe with his yron chariots; and now one naile of yron kills him; and he knowes not by whom he perishes. Fearefull are the examples of these sudden doomes; there is nothing more horrible, than to die in the act of sin without the act of repentance. Too many promise themselves the grace and space to repent in their old age: that rich man afforded himselfe many yeares; foole, Luk. 12.19. he had not many houres. Nadab and Abihu, while they were offering sacrifice, were made sacrifices. God sends downe true and strange fire upon them, that offered false and common fire to him. What sinner can be safe, when these sons of Aaron so suffer? Nature might have pleaded for them, they are young men, scarce warme in their office, the sons of the High Priest, of great eminence, they have not yet experience, may be more carefull all their remaining time, it is but their first fault.

Thinke of this ye that study pretences and patronages for your sins: what hope of plea shall you finde either in the greatnesse of your birth, or greenenesse of your youth, or in the newnesse of your ill doing, when you doe that you know God hath forbidden? O there is no priviledge that can beare off a sin with the Lord: no prerogative can challenge pardon; when as you see young men, sons of the Ruler, for their first offence, stroke dead. How did Phineas Iavelin take Zimri napping; as it is reported of one of the Popes, to dye in the instant act of his adultery. Let fornicators tremble at this remembrance, when they purpose fulfilling their lusts. The Blasphemer, that wounds himselfe by wounding Christ, hopes to quit all with a miserere at the last: but did he never heare of Iulian, of diverse common swearers, that have died with oathes in their mouthes? The drunkard assures himselfe to be sober long enough before he dies: yet how many hath he heard of, yea some knowne, that have perished in their cups, and never awaked from their drink, till their soules appeared to judgement? Examples of men quackled, drowned, crushed to death, breaking their necks, are frequent enough. The theevish oppressor promises himselfe to give over, when age hath fill’d his purse. Such is the resolution of reprobates, and men ordained to damnation. I have credibly heard of one slaine out-right with a peece of timber, which he stole but halfe an houre before. Of another that had stollen a Sheepe, and resting his burden on a stone, was strangled with the struggling of it about his neck.

Thus doth God sometimes execute Martiall-law, doing present execution; that fooles might not say in their hearts; There is no God. As he forbeares others that men might see a necessity of the solemne judgement to come. We pronounce not definitive sentence upon particular men so dying: but certainely they leave behind them to their friends little hope and comfort of their salvation. Nor yet is speed of death ever more a judgement: sudden dying is alwayes deprecable; and when it comes, full of feare, doubt, and suspicion of the worst. But is never a manifest and infallible argument of anger, but when it strikes men in the act of sin. Howsoever, leasure of repentance is a signe of Gods speciall favour: when hee gives a man law, it implies that he would not have him wrapt up in destruction. But presume not O sinner, nor flatter thy selfe that the day of judgement is a great way off. Thou knowest not, when the drunken cup is in thy hand, whether thou shalt live to drinke it off. When thou swearest, whether thy mouth shall ever open againe to call for pardon. When thou goest to the bed of adultery, whether thou shalt ever rise againe from thy uncleane pillow. When thou liftest up thy hand to strike thy brother, whether thou shalt ever lift it up for mercy to thy father. When thou beginnest an unjust contention, whether thou shalt ever end it ere thou commest to hell. O thinke of a powerfull arme, which though it drawes back long to fetch the harder blow, yet is it alwaies able to strike, and dead the despiser of Goodnesse ere he can have leave to swallow his spittle.

How often doth God cut men off for a sin they never did, while their assiduall iniquities are not summoned, nor medled withall? Not much otherwise he did Zeba and Zalmunna: they had bin cruell to many of Gideons fathers children; yet had they bin spared if his mothers children had not died by them. For Succoth, he slew the Rulers, and spared the people: for Midian, he slew the people and would have spared the rulers. Gideon would, but God would not: he will finde occasions to bring wicked men to their Iudgement: and they which should have scaped the penaltie of their publike wrongs, must perish in a private quarrell. So swaggerers, when for theft and homicide they have scaped the Iudgement of a Session; often bleed their last drop in streetes and Tavernes: God doing on them just execution, by an unjust adversaries weapon. Wherein he shewes his manifest wrath by performing that himselfe, which he charged the Magistrate to doe, and he performed not. The slaughter of Gideons brethren was not the greatest fault of those Kings: yet when the rest should have found an unjust forgivenesse, this alone kills them. The sins of a wicked man are many, yet some one shall bring him to shame. Not seldome doth God pay men with one sin for all the rest. Shimei had faults enough, cursing and abusing the Lords Annointed with dust and stones: David pardons him, Salomon confines him; he might now rest in peace: No, he must run to Gath, to fetch home his servants, with the losse of himselfe: this payd him for all the rest. Ioab had trecherously murdered Abner and Amasa, scapes for both these: at last hee sides with Adoniah, and this brings him to his end in bloud.

How many bloudy murders have beene thus punished in a mutinous word? The tongue in rash language hath scourged the iniquitie of the hand. One hath done many robberies, scaped many searches; at last when all hath beene forgotten he hath beene hang’d for accessary to a theft he never knew. Suspected felonie hath often paid the price of an unknowen rape: and they that have gone away with unnaturall filthinesse, yet have clipped off their dayes with their owne coine. Still GODS Iudgements are just, even when mans may be unjust. Sinner, that which hath befalne any of these, may befall thee; what dispensations soever thou givest thy selfe. Some of these were mightie, some rich, some young, some thought themselves as wise as thou: none of them ever looked for such ignominious ends more than thou doest. In the feare of GOD, if we deprecate such ends, let us decline such courses.