2 Peter 3:12

IT pleased God to make use of two Instruments, for the calling together of the assemblies of the Saints; Bells and Trumpets. In the foundation of his militant Church, his first institution was Trumpets by his appointment the Congregation was called into the Tabernacle by Trumpets: and when they were in, he gave them also the sound of Bells, from the garment of his Priest. In the Christian church, we have the use of Bells, but not of Trumpets: yet if we distinguish this Church, as it hath a Militant, and as it hath a Triumphant part, we have both Bells and Trumpets employed, but with an inverted Order. A Bell calls us to the Temple, and a Bell calls us to the Tribunall For as the Sermon-bell calls us to the Church materiall, so our Passing-bell calls us to the Church celestiall. The Bell toules, and we come into the militant Assembly: the Bell toules againe when we die, and then we goe out unto that triumphant Company. And when we shall receive our further Consummation, the re-uniting of Bodies and Soules at the Resurrection; it shall be done by the sound of Trumpets. In a spirituall sense, we have both these, Bels and Trumpets, inviting us to the way of Goodnesse: Every Sermon wee doe [heare], is as one of Aarons bels, that rings us to repentance and a holy life: But every Sermon upon such an argument as this, the presentation of the Day of Iudgement to our Soules, whereof the Day of Iudgement will call for a presentation: this is a loud Trumpet, thundring in our eares the necessitie of that Preparation, which may save us from eternall destruction. Heare therefore these lower Trumpets to your profit, that you may then heare that last Trumpet to your Comfort.

Looking for, and hastening unto, &c.] Wherein wee have two generall parts; The Object requiring some exercise; The Comming of the Lord’s Day: And the Exercise concerning that Object; Looking for it; hastening to it. The Object hath two appendances; The fiering of the Heavens, and The melting of the Elements. The Exercise consists in two actions; Expectation and Expedition; the one of Hope, the other of Desire: the former is Patient, Looking for: the other is Properant, Hastering to. Both these affections of the Soule, are resembled to two actions of the Body: Looking for, that is worke for the eye: hastening to, that is the businesse of the foot: The one is an Organ of Vision, the other of Motion: Hope must keepe the eye open to Looke; and Desire teach the foot to mend his pace, and to hasten. The Object hath the last place in the Text, but it shall have the first in my discourse: the journey being knowne, we set forwards.

The Comming of the Day of the Lord.] God is no Iudge Dormant, nor Demurrant, nor Rampant. Not Dormant, none of those Iudges that fall asleepe on the Bench; that like those Idoll-gods, hath eares, and heares not. Not like him that would not Luk. 18.4. right the poore widow, till her importunitie had wakened him. Not Act. 24.25. Demurrant, like Felix, that put off Paul to a longer day, I will heare thee another time. Nor Rampant, like those in the Prophet, that slay off the skinnes of the poore, and grinde their faces. Hee is uncorrupt, no bribe can tempt him: not dilatory, no businesse doth detaine him: Inflexible, no power can-sway him. This Supreme Iudge hath set the day of his Assise, and all men must appeare before him. All eyes shall see him, but with a different aspect: which is strange; that the same Object should bee so acceptable to some, to others so terrible. Luk. 21.27. They shall see the Sonne of man comming in a Cloud: but with no comfort. Not that the Excellencie and Splendor of his glory shall be hidden, but there is an indisposition in their fight to receive it. They shall know him to bee the Sonne of God, by the Claritie of his person, the Majestie of his Word, the obsequious [readinesse], of the Angels to serve him, and by divers other perspicuous and evident demonstrations. But as a weake eye is offended with a shining light, so this Glory shall amaze, not cheere them. The good mans honor is the envious mans torment. If Gen. 37.7. Iosephs sheafe stand, the brethren repine. If the fat Calfe be killed, the Elder brother is angry: Saul findes not so much pleasure in his Kingdome, as vexation in the prosperitie of David. The Glory of Christ shall adde to the Reprobates confusion, when they are driven to confesse, This is he whom we had in derision. They will rather chuse to endure the horrors of hell, than to stand in so glorious a presence. Christ sayes of the wicked, that they Ioh. 1• •• shall see him no more. If wee understand this of the Godhead, they never saw it at all. If of the manhood, they shall see it againe, Videbunt quem soderunt. Indeed they shall see him no more as a Redeemer; that time is past: but as a Iudge they shall, to their endlesse discomfort.

But these are Scarabees and Beetles, and this Day of the Lord is to them a Rose; so sweete that it kils them. The breath of a man hath this propertie, that at the same instant it can warme that which is neere it, and coole another thing somewhat removed. It is no otherwise with the breath of God: Doth any man feare him? Then is he neere him; Psal. •5 •• For his Salvation is nigh to all them that feare him: and this breath of the Lord, the Promise of his second Comming, lights warme upon him, and is a cordiall reviving his heart. But if a man bee farre off from God, through the vaste gulfe and separation of his sinnes; then comes this breath very cold and bleake to his heart; and the meere mention of the day of Iudgement sends a shivering through all his bones. Matth. 8•.••. It was the Son of man, whom the high Priest was promised to see one day in the Clouds. The Father hath given him the Commission of Iudgement, and that by this Title, as he is Ioh. 5.27. The Sonne of man. Which consideration makes us bold to take Pauls speech out of his mouth; and what hee said to Agrippa, to apply better to Christ: Act. 26.2. I thinke my selfe happy, O King Iesus, because I shall answere for my selfe this day before thee, touching all the things whereof Satan accuseth me. Especially because thou hast knowledge of all customes; whether they be the adversaries, who is busie in assaulting; or the Fleshes, who is false in betraying; or my poore soules, which is weake in resisting. Thy owne temptations have given thee experience of my frailty. I see the wounds yet bleed, which were taken for my sinnes: yea, and mine owne nature is assistant in Iudgement, to assure mee I shall be partaker in Glory. Is my brother Ioseph thus great? Then shall not his brother Gen. 43.34. Benjamin be forgotten. If Hester be so deare to Assuerus, her kinsman Mordecai shall be advanced: there is in store for him, a robe, and a ring, and a horse, and a crowne, and a traine to proclaime his favour, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honour.

Wherein the Heavens being on fire, &c. Concerning the Conflagration of the Heavens, liquefaction of the Elements, and dissolution of the World, sufficient hath been spoken before. My Meditations now are directed onely to such profitable Uses, which if wee devoutly practise, our soule shall escape in that Day of Vengeance.

1. Let there be an holy Fire within us, which will be an antidote against the rage of this Fire about us. The Word of God is Fire; an holy Fire from the Altar of Heaven: Sinne is also like Fire; but one heat doth avocate another; the greater Fire extinguisheth the lesse. The Word is compared to Fire. First, It doth calefacere, warme the heart: more extensive of beames than the Sunne; Nihil occultatur à calore ejus; Psalm. 19.6: Nothing is hid from the heat thereof. The most frossen breast will thaw, when God shall lay this Fire unto it. Secondly, It can illuminare, give light to the ignorant, if it be not mis-placed. The Fowler that carries the light on the top of his head, lights others plainely, himselfe sees not so well: Some carry this light onely for the good of others, not of themselves; while they teach well, and walke ill: such men, when they goe abroad, leave their lampe at home. Some keepe this Fire to themselves, and grudge it to others: their light is kept within doores, and shall doe no good to their neighbours: they have knowledge, but they will part with none of it. Others rake up this Fire under the embers, as Christ cals it putting the light under a bushell; so that neither others nor themselves shall bee the better for it. Thirdly, Fire can purgare, search, try, examine, and purge away the drosse from the metall: This operation if the Word had in us, wee should bee presented pure Gold to the Treasury of Christ. Sinnes are rust, and rust will not be gotten out but by fire. When we finde our affections so drossie, rusty, foule, wee must remember that this Fire hath not been made on our harthes; the Word hath not been admitted into our hearts. Fourthly, Fire can assimilare, make the matter it enters into, like it selfe: as Iron in the fire becomes fire. The soule that humbly entertaines the Word, is made pure and holy, like the Word. If we see an uncharitable man, like a cold unformed lumpe of metall; know that his conscience, hath not yet taken Fire. Fifthly, It will permanere, last long in fit matter: as a marke made in a boord by fire, will last as long as the boord. If the Word have once throughly taken bold of our hearts, that gracious Fire will never out. Gods Word, and mans Eare are like the Steele and the Flint: they quickely strike out fire; but to no purpose, unlesse our heart be as Tinders to receive the sparkes. If we have this fire, let it not goe out for want of fewell: Hearing and Meditation are like oile to the Lampe, and fewell to the Fire; Psalm. 39.3. My heart was hot within me, and while I was musing, the fire burned. If we maintaine this holy Fire in our hearts, wee shall not be hurt by the burning of the Heavens.

2. The Heavens shall burne, and the Elements shall melt, both with one Fire. Our Affections are our Elements: under the command of the Heart, as the Elements are under the rule of Heaven: By the Creation, the Elements were pure, and so were our Affections: now both of them are corrupt, feculent, and drossie. Therefore let this same holy Fire melt our Elements, new cast our Affections. Hast thou a covetous affection, greedy of those baser things? Melt it. How? Dissolve it into charitable contributions; like molten Lead, that runnes into empty corners. Melt thy riches into almes, thy rapacity into mercy. Thy money was congealed in thy chests; put the Fire of Charity to it: were it frozzen to a stone, and bound with iron barres, Iob. 38.31. as with the bonds of Orion; this Fire would thaw it; Charity would set it a running into the bellies of the poore, the fittest receptacles for all our wealthy superfluities. When an ill gotten estate is left to a prodigall Heire, Wee say proverbially, yea prophetically; It will melt like snow in the Sunne. The father, like a Constable, kept in the stockes; but the gallant sonne will let it loose, and set it a running. The penurious father did clippe the wings of his riches; but the sonne will open the cage, and make them fly. This is a melting without thankes, without reward. But that which is molten in Charity, runnes into a blessed Treasury: it is but put over by a Bill of Exchange, to be paied an hundred fold in Heaven. This is an holy, an happy Fire: but alas, we may say of this vertue in speciall, as the Poet doth of vertue in generall; Virtus laudatur, & alget: Charity is so cold, as if these many Winters it had seene no fire. A man had need blow strong and long upon this pile of Charity; for it is greene wood, and hard to kindle: But if this fire cannot melt our hearts into beneficence, the last Fire will more than terrifie them with vengeance. Stones will lie long in the fire, and before they melt, they flie in peeces: and such will be the meed of all stony hearts. Hast thou a proud Affection? Melt it into Humility; Lay thy ambitious desire of Honour in the dust. Hast thou an Affection of Revenge? Melt it into Forgivenesse, without which thou shalt never bee forgiven. Art thou transported with a lascivious affection, troubled with the Itch of Wantonnesse? Melt it by Mortification: Doe not feed this fire, least it burne thee to cinders; but withdraw the fewell, and it will out of it selfe. Is thy Desire set upon Wine? Doest thou long after the cups of Excesse? Melt it, or it will melt thee. The Drunkard indeed can melt his estate into drinke, his body into Surfeits, his time into vanity: but hee cannot melt his sinne into sorrow, his inordinate lust into sobriety. These Elements of our corrupt nature must bee molten by repentance, that when the Elements of the world shall melt with fervent heat, wee may be found pure and refined Oare in the eyes of IESVS CHRIST.

Looking for, and hastening unto.] The one is the worke of Hope, the other of desire: the former commends Tolerancie, the latter Diligence. Looking for: this eye of expectation hath three beames: Vigilancie, Hope, and Patience. Without Watchfulnesse we cannot looke, without Hope we will not looke, and without Patience we should not looke for the comming of the Lord.

1 Vigilancie is required in this Expectation, even a continuall waking. The Prophets of God were called both Seers, and Watchmen: not onely Seers, endued with a power of seeing, able to see: but Watchmen, evermore in the act of seeing. Sleepe, in the Scriptures, hath so heavie a sense sometimes, as not onely to bee taken for sinne it selfe, Ephes. 5.1 Awake thou that sleepest: but even for the punishment of sinne: The most fearefull and irrevocable malediction is presented to us in a perpetuall sleepe: Ier. 51.5. They shall sleepe a perpetuall sleepe, and not wake. Sleepe is as often taken for naturall death, as for naturall rest. There is a privation of Motion in both: in sleepe an interruption, in death a cessation. Sleepe is a short death, death a long sleepe. Spirituall slumber is a very death. The Romists compare the state of nature but onely to sleepe, or to a man fallen into a deepe ditch: hee can heare thee call, give him a rope, and pull; he will take hold and be drawne out: this is false, for he is dead. A man may struggle out of naturall sleepe, of Edormire crapulam: but it is not in our power to awake from sinne: wee must have a continuall grace, or we cannot stand. Rev. 3.20. I stand at the doore and knocke: [sto], not [steti], not stabo, but sto stans; he is ever there. Yet wee must adde our owne endevours, and with waking eyes be alwaies looking for our Deliverance.

There be signes before sleepe naturall, and spirituall. First, heavinesse of the head and temples, by reason of the rising up of fumes and vapours: Worldly desires induce such a drowsinesse upon the soule: these hinder the contemplation of heavenly things: the bodies of such men bee at Church, while their mindes are at home. O that they could remember to rubbe their temples with holy thoughts: this would keepe them waking. Secondly, Yawning is another signe of sleepe invading the body: answerable whereunto there is a torpour or lazinesse of the soule. O that this Sermon were done! When will he make an end of prating? Shall I goe to my praiers? I care not if I doe: yet ‘tis no matter: let it alone till another time. Is this man awake? Doth hee looke for the Day of the Lord? No, but the Day of the Lord may take him napping.

There bee Symptomes of sleepe: First, Snorting; every one that sleepes, does not snort; but every one that snorts, does sleepe. This is a profound sleepe; when the whole Parish rings of a mans vicious acts, yet still hee shorts in the roome. This man speakes of his greedinesse, that of his frowardnesse, one of folly, another of his basenesse; he heares all this, yet snorts, laughes at it; Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo. Doe we know none such? I would there were none such to be knowne. Secondly, Dreaming: there be many fancies in both sleepes, of body and minde. One while hee dreames that he is on a mountaine, and sees the glory of kingdomes: an ambitious Dreame! Another while, that he hath found a great treasure, hid in the earth: a covetous Dreame! Another time he eates and drinkes plentifully; and yet, alas, wakens hungry: a voluptuous Dreame! All the pleasure, all the bravery, all the money of the world, is but a waking Dreame. Such men will not bee perswaded that they are a-sleepe: indeed it is hard for a sleeping man to know that hee does sleepe: yet by his Dreames, he may in some measure finde it. The head hath often very frightfull Dreames in sleepe: Lions and Beares seeme to assault us, Gulfes of water to drowne us, fire to consume our houses, Theeves and Murderers to robbe and kill us. The sleeping soule hath such dreames too: one thinkes, If I be honest, and keepe a good conscience, I must needs be poore: it is but a Dreame. Another, If I doe not collogue and flatter, I shall be despised: it is but a Dreame. A third thinkes, If I doe not bribe, I shall lose my cause: it is but a Dreame. Another, If I put up this injury without revenge, I shall be held a coward: it is but a Dreame. Another thinkes, If I bee every day giving to the poore, I shall bee poore my selfe: it is but a dreame. A thousand of these fond Dreames surprize us in our sleepe: if our hearts were awake, we would detest them. Wee have slept enough, it is high time to rise. Carnall fancies are but Bug-beares to hinder us from good workes: when wee awake, we will count all things losse for Iesus Christ.

But suppose that such sensuall soules be possessed with the spirit of slumber, What say you to them that put on a zealous forme of godlinesse, and overunne the common professors more than 2 Sam. 18.•3. Ahimaaz did Cushi, till they are quite out of breath: Are these men a-sleepe? Yes, too many of them that thinke themselves waking. You shall have a Pharisee that walkes from Church to Church, till he hath heard three Sermons in a day, What? Doth he sleepe? Why not? Did you never heare of men that walke in their sleepe? They that thinke the whole duty of a Christian consists in visiting the Temple, and hearing the Preacher, doe (in effect) but walke in their sleepe. But they can tell you some notes of the Sermon, repeat the Doctrines and Uses to their Familie. It may be so, but did you never heare of men that talke in their sleepe? If this be all that they learne by those Doctrines, if this bee all the use they make of those Uses, onely for matter of discourse; they doe no more but talke in their sleepe. But they can conceive long extemporall praiers in their private houses, and cut out large peeces of devotion: and are they still a-sleepe? The Pharisees had their long-winded Orisons; petitions made up tedious with repetitions: yet under the colour of long praiers they devoured widowes houses: I hope you will not say, These men were awake. As the sensuall man fals a-sleepe at his praiers, so the Hypocrite doth but pray in his sleepe. It is a bastard devotion that is not begotten in the heart: without the heart, all the labour of the lippes and lungs, is but a stinking sacrifice. Christs Spouse acknowledgeth; Cant. 5.8. I sleepe, but my heart waketh: the dissembling Professor inverts the words; I wake, but mine heart sleepeth. Adde to all this, that such a man is industrious in his calling, hee followes his businesse close, and thrives in this world: Is hee yet a-sleepe? He may be for all that? Are there none that pull up the clothes about them, and wrap themselves warme in the coverings, even whiles they are fast a-sleepe? Even the sleeping man may bee sensible of cold, and catch at something to hill him: the scraping together of worldly wealth is no more argument of a mans being awake, than coldnesse and breathlessenesse is that he is alive; or the absence of the Sunne proveth it to be day. Farre is it from my intent to censure those holy actions in any man: Heare that you may learne to pray, and pray that you may heare to learne: Spend the Sabbath in those holy exercises, and woe unto you if you doe not. But let mee tell you, that if you have a false and unfruitfull heart, a dishonest and unconscionable life; for all this hurry and precipitation of outward zeale, you are still fast a-sleepe.

Security and expectation are opposites: the servant that lookes for his masters comming, is afraid to fall a-sleepe. There bee foure waies to waken men from their slumbers. First, some lowd and suddaine noise, as the beating up of drummes, or the sound of trumpets; especially the claps of thunder. We heare the rumours of warres on every side: the Buls of Rome, worse than those Buls of Basan, bellow and roare against us: How many hornes of that seven-headed Beast threaten to goare us? If they once get the power, we too well know their malice. Can none of these noises waken us? If wee could be safe at home, yet shall wee not pitie our distressed brethren beyond the seas, because wee are not within the hearing of their grones? Shall we not rather say with Vriah; 2 Sam. 11.11 Is the Arke of the Lord, and Israel, and Iudah in danger, and can wee sleepe in security? The tolling of a bell will waken a man at midnight; especially if it goe for a friend. Wee have heard the fatall knell of that ever to be lamented Palatinate, the dying grone of long afflicted Rochel, with the expiring gaspes of innumerable Christians in other places; and are we still a-sleepe? Wee have heard the honour of those unhappy conquests, given away from God to Idols and Images; and are we still a-sleepe? Secondly, if noise will not waken us, me thinkes paine should. We have felt the losse of estate, the losse of honour, the losse of our bloud, like so many mortall wounds in our sides; and can wee still sleepe? Ill successe abroad, worse distractions at home, the feare of our enemies, the feare of our friends hath touched us: and cannot all this awake us to feare our God? Thirdly, there is yet another way of rowsing the sleeper: Pull off the clothes, lay him naked, expose him to the cold, and try what that will doe. Disgrace strips us of honour, trouble strips us of peace, bondage strips us of liberty, sicknesse strips us of health, poverty strips us of wealth, persecution strips us of friends, death strips us of all. Will not some of these, Will not all of these waken us? Fourthly, Well yet there is one thing that will not faile to effect it; even that summons which shall be given at the comming of this day of the Lord: the last trumpe shall raise us. O then let us looke up in time, and looke for that Day when time shall be no more. It is comfort for a man, when he wakes to see the light. Eph. 5.14. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

2 Hope must not bee excluded from this expectation: Evill is the object of feare, and that wee suspect: The object of hope is good, and this wee expect. None but the gratious can be said to looke for this day: Iusti expectant, & expetunt? 2 Tim. 4.8. They love his appearing. They pray for it; Thy Kingdome come. They cry for it, Come Lord Iesus. All this argues their Hope; yea, 1 Iohn 4.17. They have boldnesse in the day of judgement. Wee confesse with Saint Augustine, Aug. in Psal. 66. Gaudere judicandum qui timmerit judicaturum. What chaste and loving Spouse will not earnestly looke for the comming of her Bridegroome? What Princely heire does not long for the day of his Coronation? In Heaven is the perfection of all good things: Fulnesse is the perfection of measure: Everlastingnesse is the perfection of time: Infinitenesse is the perfection of number: Immutability is the perfection of state: Immensity is the perfection of place: Immortality is the perfection of life: God is the perfection of all. We have nothing but what is imperfect below, why then doe wee not long for that universall perfection above? If wee hope for it, wee cannot but looke for it: and if wee looke for it, there is some comfort to our conscience that we hope for it. But many are mistaken in their hope Prov 14.32. The righteous man hath hope in his death. Diverse have hope in morte aliena; they hope for the death of others, that they may get by them: some reversion or legacy runnes in their mindes: whereof they are not seldome frustrated; for, Dum sperant, expirant. But the good man hath hope in his owne death; that death it selfe, like some more gentle Iailor, shall but unlocke the doore of his prison, and set him at everlasting liberty. Simple people cannot discerne hope from desire: they thinke that they hope to bee saved; whereas indeed they onely desire it, and doe not truely hope for it. We may desire many things which we cannot hope for; as to raise the dead; but there is nothing that we hope for, which we may not desire. As diverse have fidem, faith; that have not fiduciam, constancy. So there may bee Desiderium, a desire of blessednesse; where there is not Spes, a well grounded hope to be blessed.

But the soule that knowes herselfe redeemed by Christ, is never throughly contented, till either she returnes to Christ, or Christ returnes to her. The waters doe not more naturally runne backe to the Sea, nor heavie substances incline to their center, than the pious soule desires to ascend to her Maker. The converted unthrift can never rest, till he returnes to his Father. A bladder blowne full of winde, and held under the water, will still be rising upwards; because that is not the place of the Aire. My soule cleaveth to the Pavement; as some read that of the Psalme. Throw dirte on the pavement, and it stickes there: but cast downe a ball, and it rebounds; it comes backe againe to the thrower. The body is but Earth, and when that is throwne to the Earth, there it remaines: but the righteous soule, when it is cast downe by humiliation, or dejected by the afflicting hand of God, it still rebounds to him: The spirit returnes to him that gave it. Hope then should make us looke up, and desire enflame us to looke for the comming of Iesus Christ.

3 Patience must not be left out; as wee looke for the Bridegroomes presence, so the Bridegroome lookes for our patience. Wee are unworthy of his honour, if we cannot endure to tarry his leasure. The noblenesse of a Christian is seene in his patience: Magnanimity is patient; like the flint which hath fire in it, but it appeares not till it be stricken. How contrary is the opinion of the world, to the judgement of God, concerning valour? They thinke it consists in a brave revenge: God stateth it in an humble patience. What greater courage can there be, than to suffer? What victory so great, as to conquer a mans selfe? Our expectation may be charged with too much violence, if it bee not qualified, and corrected by patience. The fond Alchymist projects much, and extracts nothing but poverty and shame. Patience is the best Chimist, for out of course Earth she can draw pure gold, out of trouble peace, out of sorrow joy, out of persecution profit, out of affliction comfort, She teacheth the bondman, in a narrow prison to enjoy all liberty. He hath within those strict limits, his galleries, his walkes, his orchyards: though he be alone, he never wants company: though his diet be penury, his sawce is content: all his miseries cannot make him sicke, because they are digested by patience. It makes the poore beggar rich: though hee goes for his drinke to the Well, for his bread to anothers Cupbord, for his garments to the refuse of a cast Wardrobe: yet hee lookes with as chearefull a countenance, as he Luke 16.19. that was clothed in Purple, and fared sumptuously every day: Or he that said to his soule, Luke 12.19. Eate, drinke and be merry: for this man had but a purpose to be merry, but the patient man is merry indeed. A superiors unjust frowns are all one to him with his flattering smiles: and causelesse aspersions doe but rubbe his glory the brighter. The Iailors that watch him, are but his Pages of honour, and his very Dungeon, but the lower side of the vault of Heaven. Hee kisseth the wheele that must kill him: and thinkes the stayres of the Scaffold of his martyrdome, but so many degrees of his ascent to glory. The tormentors are weary of him, the beholders have pitty on him, all men wonder at him: and whiles he seemes below all men, below himselfe, he is above nature. Hee hath so overcome himselfe, that nothing can conquer him. As it was said of Demosthenes, that other Lawyers got not so much by their speaking, as hee did by holding his peace: so suffering sinners finde not so much ease in their complaints and murmures, as the patient man doth by his humble silence. If with such eies we looke for our Lords comming, Heb. 6.12. we shall Through Faith and Patience, inherite the promises. Iacob thought not his service tedious, because his beloved Rachel was in his eye: the sight of glory future, mitigates the sense of misery present. The best example teacheth us, Heb. 12.2. To runne with patience the race that is set before us: As we looke for Iesus, so let us looke unto Iesus, who for the proposed joy, endured the crosse, and despised the shame: and then we shall dwell with him, That sits at the right hand of the Throne of God.

But doth our Apostle write this onely for the comfort of the righteous? would he not also (through the use of this expectation) winne sinners to repentance? what can sooner breake off a servants dissolutenesse, than every day looking for his masters presence? Feare and hope are opposites: but in this day, Luke 21.26. Mens hearts shall faile them for feare, when the powers of Heaven shall be shaken. Shew me the man that sayes, hee doth not feare that terrible day of the Lord. When the Master of the house perisheth, all the Family is troubled: the servants looke sad, and all things are out of order. No marvell, if there be such a combustion in the Elements, such a commotion in the Heavens; no marvell, if the starres fall, and the Seas roare; when man, the vsu-fructuary Lord of all these, is brought to his judgement. Though feare and hope have their opposition; yet it is not in diametrall termes, but in termes remisse. There is no hope on Earth, without some feare: no feare in a righteous heart, that is quite destitute of hope. There may be a feare without faith: but who will say, that hee hath a faith without all feare? Both may consist in the same subject: the holy heart beleeveth his salvation with confident trusting: and yet that holy heart Phil. 2.12. Worketh out his salvation with feare and trembling. The ground of our faith is Gods infallible promise: the cause of our feare, is our owne sinnefull weakenesse. Mat. 8.26. Why are ye fearefull, O yee of little faith? They had some faith, but the best part of it was lost in their feare: the more faith, the lesse feare: and consequently, the more feare, the lesse faith. Yet not onely may feare and hope consist together, but even feare and joy: The women departed from the Sepulchre with feare and joy. Matth. 28.8. The women who were made supernumerary Apostles, Apostles to the Apostles, the Mothers of the Fathers of the Church, Angels of the Resurrection; they did runne, and they ran upon two legs, Feare and Ioy. Those joy in the Lord, that feare Him: and they onely feare Him, that feele joy in Him. The feare of God and the love of God are inseparable: innumerable are the places, wherein wee are called upon, to feare the Lord: and yet the greatest Commandement, which is the roote of all, is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God. Hee doth neither, that doth not both: hee omits neither, that does one. Well therefore may we feare the last Day, when wee consider our owne desert: yet hope and long for it, when wee remember the Covenant in IESVS CHRIST.

Let Unbeleevers, and impenitent sinners tremble: let such feare to die, as have no hope to live: let them wish for the shelter of rockes, that have not built upon the Rocke of salvation: as the Devils beleeve and tremble, expecting the full measure of their torment. But if wee have made our peace through the bloud of Him, that reconciled God and man, and led a life worthy of that noble Priviledge; Let us looke for that Day with joy, which shall beginne our glory. Blasphemers doe not looke for this Iudge; for then they would not offer to sweare Him out of his Throne. Worldlings doe not looke for this breaking of all asunder, for then they would not be busie in scraping all together. Dissolute sinners doe not looke for this Day, but this Day shall come upon them unlooked for. Matth. 24.50. The Lord of that evill servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an houre that he is not ware of. He that lookes for his Masters returne, after a long absence, will bee sure to have the house in a readinesse; cleansed and furnished for his entertainment: they whose consciences ly sluttish, and full of sordid lusts surely doe not looke for the comming of their Lord: but hee is not bound to their times: When they cry, Peace, Peace, then comes that fatall trouble unlooked for. Onely the faithfull looke for Christ: as before his first Comming Hee was the Expectation of Nations: so untill his second Comming Hee is the Expectation of all good Christians. Heb. 10.37. And this long looked for comes at last; Psalm. 59.13. to deliver our eyes from teares, our soule from death, and our feet from falling, that we may walke before God in the light of the living.

Hasting unto] It is not enough to hope that this Day will come toward us, but we must approach towards it. We may pray earnestly, Come Lord, come quickly: yet Hee will come never the sooner. Act. 17.31. For Hee hath appointed the Day wherein Hee will judge the world: He will come in his owne determined time, not when wee would have Him. We cannot accelerare Diem, we may accelerare ad Diem: though we cannot hasten it, wee may hasten to it. There be certaine degrees of Preparation, preceding this Properation. Hasting is in effect the same, that Saint Paul cals Running: Let us runne the Race. A man that is downe on the ground, must arise, and stand, and be able to goe, before hee can runne. First, a Sinner is laid, and must arise. Vp Elias, thou hast a great journey to goe: first, he must Vp, and then Goe, Repentance is the onely Angell that raiseth a Sinner: and wee may to as much purpose call a dead man out of his grave, as an ungratious soule from sinne without repentance. Secondly, when he is risen, let him try if hee can stand. If a Sinner thinkes to stand alone: he fals faster than he rose. In [stas], & non stas: hee that stands upon his owne feet, shall soone feele them double under him. It is because, like children, we will presume to goe of our selves, that we get so many knockes. The same hand that lifted us up, must hold us up: if either God let goe us, or wee let goe Him, downe wee [topple]. But being strengthened by his might, Ephes. 6.1•. Let us stand. Standing up is a signe that a man purposes to be going. It is an erection of body, an elevation of it towards heaven: not creeping upon the earth, but bearing upwards: it is a disposition of motion: be that standeth, hath put himselfe into a posture of going. Thirdly, that is the the next degree: let him try how hee can goe. Hee that hath lyen long bedrid, and at the first loose sets a running, will soone be out of breath. When we are helped up, and enabled to stand; yet without the same supportation we cannot goe. Vphold thou my goings, O Lord, that my footsteps slide not. As an Infant learnes to goe by the hand of the mother, so we by the manu-tenencie of God. But being thus upholden, let us be going. It is a shame for them to stand still, that have so long a journy and so strong a convoy. Fourthly, when we have learned to goe well, let us try to runne: the same power will strengthen us in any pace, so long as wee keepe the way of goodnesse. Our journey requires hast, let us make as few lets as may be. In many things, the more haste, the worse speed: but hee can never speed amisse, that Psal. 11.32. runnes the way of Gods Commandements. Not seldome we shall stumble; but a trip in the way sets a man somewhat the more forward, if hee does not fall. When wee doe fall, let us remember, that either wee have gone out of the way, or neglected our Upholder. It is our praier, O God make speed to save us, O Lord make haste to helpe us: And it is Gods Charge to us, O man make speede to be helped, make haste to be saved.

Haste makes waste, is a true proverbe in the precipitant carriage of businesses: Faire and soft goes farre: Not to fast for falling: Stay a little, and we shall have done the sooner. These be the sayings of moderation, to correct the rashnesse of undertakings. But in spirituall proceedings, Delay is more dangerous than Celerity. If salvation be, we cannot worke it out too fast. I speake not for a flashy zeale, that runnes upon a line like a fireworke, and ends with a cracke: but for an holy and hearty desire to doe God all possible service; and to make the best improvement of our time to his honour. This Apostolicall charge condemneth two defects in sinfull men; The Neglect of Resolution, and the Delay of Inception to be good: it riseth in full strength against those, that neither begin to resolve, nor resolve to begin, the amendment of their lives.

1. The Neglect of Resolution to enter into the way of Righteousnesse, is the forlorne estate of a sinner? What hope can there bee of him, that hath not so much as a purpose to be holy? Sloth hath been reproved in the very Mat. 20.6. Market, How much worse is it in the Vineyard? Time is the measure of businesse, as money is of wares: and what thrifty husband will lose his Market? Yet businesse in the world, is no better than idlenesse in the sight of the Lord. As David saith, that Psal. 32.3. he kept silence, though he roared all the day long: or as Ierusalem is said to be Lam. 1.1. a solitary City, though shee was then full of people. As the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse before God: so all carnall negotiation is but a more serious kinde of play. Children thinke themselves very busie, when they are riding upon Reeds, or making of Puppets: men doe not thinke so. What time soever is spent out of the service of God, or our owne calling, is but lost in vanity. Idlenesse it selfe is damnable; not is it sufficient excuse to say, We doe none ill: for it is ill, to do nothing. Thou hast a servant, Chrys. Hom. 16. in Eph. ad Ephes. which neither is Theefe, nor Drunkard, nor Swearer, nor taxed with any vice: but because he sits all the day with his hand in his bosome, thou correctest him: Why? What harme hath he done? Thou canst charge him with nothing, but the not doing of something; yet hee deserves chastisement. Confess. lib. 8. cap. 5. Serm. 17. ad frat. in Eremo. Saint Augustine confesseth, that in his unconverted estate, hee returned to Gods call, Verba lenta & somnolenta: Anon Lord, Anon. But Lex non [dormientibus] scripta est, say the Lawyers: nor is heaven open to the lazy. Saint Augustine cals idlenesse vivi [hominis] sepulturam.

When thy heavenly Master cals thee, O evill Servant, Why doest thou loiter? Luke 19.6. Zacheus made haste, and came downe: the Shepheard Luke 2.16. came with haste, to finde the Childe Iesus. Today let us heare his voice: To day, that is Gods note; To morrow, is the voice of the Tempter. Licentious sinners Hodie sibi reservant, & Cràs Deo 〈◊〉 t••t: they will be their owne now, and the Lords another time. This is truely the Heb. 3.13. Deceitfulnesse of sinne; the persuasion of that pestilent spirit. Nazian. Orat. in S. Baptis. Da mihi nunc, futurum Deo: mihi aetatis florem, Deo senectutem. But gods to day, allowes no morrow: and mans Day is not sure of a morrow. Out of a whole peece of cloth we may cut any kinde of garment: but when a garment is made of one fashion, it will bee hard to translate it into another: either wee shall spoile the stuffe, or deforme the garbe. When we have beene long fashioned to this ill-favoured World; to reforme us to goodnesse, or to conforme us to Christ, is an alteration that requires much difficulty. When wee lend money, we call for security; and colour the suspition of our want of trust, with mortality: Men are mortall, we have no lease of our life. But for the matter of conversion, and in the businesse of our salvation, we promise our selves Nestor’s yeeres; and so live, as if we never looked to die. August. de verb. Dom. Sen. 59. Basil. in Exhort. ad Bapt. Some have beene called into the vineyard at the eleventh houre: but if God call thee at the third, faile not to come even then, for thou art not sure to live unto the fourth. A snow-ball growes bigger by rowling, and sin multiplies by time. A shippe of never so great burden, may bee overladen till it sinke againe. He that shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, Psalm. 24.4. Hath not lift up his soule unto vanity: the vulgar reads it, qui non accepit in vanum animam suam; that hath not taken his soule in vaine. Surely, hee that hath a soule, and doth not use it well, nor seeke to save it, hath taken it in vaine: as he that buyes a garment, and never weares it: or that farmes good land, and never tills it. We desire to have all good that belongs unto us: Abraham would have a good sonne, David a good servant, Iacob a good wife, wee would have our beds good, our garments good; not so much as our very beasts, but wee would have them good too: and doe we not wish to have good soules: If but our shooes be fowle, we will have them made cleane; and haue wee no care to clense our soules? Bee not so unkinde to thy selfe, as to esteeme thy shooe above thy soule. What earthly businesse hath the worldling, which he doth not most diligently prosecute? If hee be in law, how duely doth hee frequent the chamber of his Advocate? If ficke, what running is there for the Physitian? If he have a hundred things to doe, not one of them shall be neglected. His land shall be husbanded, his house highted, his garments brushed; the very haires of his head passe not untrimmed: hee thinkes of every thing in due place and order: But for his soule, when it comes in his minde: he laies that by till another time For the mending of that, for the clensing of that, it is the least and last thing he thinkes on. No wonder, if that man never come to the end, that hath not so much as attempted to beginne. Here is no hast.

2 Delay is dangerous, even when we have resolved. If ever we meane to bee good, why not now? There is but one moneth in the yeere called May: if some flowers doe not spring up then, we looke for none afterwards. Purpose and performance are like Iacob and Esau: our good purpose, as Esau, is the first borne: but our good performance, as Iacob; carries away the blessing. The holy soule, like that vertuous woman, doth not onely meddle with the distaffe, but Prov. 31.19. She layeth her hands to the spindle. Purpose is but the Distaffe, actuall obedience is the Spindle. The raw Flaxe is upon the Distaffe, the spunne yarne or thread upon the Spindle. Aske the harlot, the swearer, or the oppressor, if they ever intend to change their lives: yes, one day: O they will doe good workes apace, when they once fall to it. These put their fingers to the Distaffe, not to the Spindle: they have some raw thoughts of repentance upon the rocke; but they doe not spinne it into threed, not worke it into actuall obedience. They trust to the good workes they meane to doe, but who knowes when? Mariners in a storme, if they see but one fire upon their sailes, looke for an unlucky voyage; but if two fires appeare to them, they take it for a good Omen, and promise themselves safety. The purpose of amendment is but one fire, and many have had that, who are sunke into the bottomlesse gulfe of Hell: But if the other fire be present, a reall conversion to righteousnesse, prosperous successe will not faile to follow, and the end of our voyage shall be salvation. What servant that lookes for his Master every houre, will have the house to sweepe, the fire to kindle, the bed to make, when he knockes at the doore? yet alas, neither are our affections swept by repentance, nor is the fire of charity kindled in our hearts, nor have wee prepared the bed of our conscience, though we may well looke for our Lord every moment. We are so farre from hastening toward this day, that we cannot endure to heare of this dayes hastening toward us. Kinde servants, that love their master, will be ever and anon talking of his comming: this night, say they, he lyes in such a citty, so many leagues off, to morrow at night in such a citty, nearer; the third night he will be at home: what shall we prepare for his entertainement? How shall we welcome him? Be these our thoughts, or is this our discourse, concerning our Lords? No but rather falshood, hypocrisie, contumely, scurrility, blasphemy dwells in our lippes, as if we talked of the Divell, not of Christ. When Birds are ready to flie, they spread their wings: if we did make hast toward our Saviour, we would dilate our affections, enlarge our desires, and like the Cherubins spread the wings of our soules to be with him. Gen. 18.1. Abraham sate in the doore of his tent, when he entertained the Angels: 1 King. 19.13. Eliah stood in the doore of the Cave, when he had that vision of God: so let us stand in the doore of our life, by a continuall meditation of death, that we may be ready to entertaine our deare Lord IESVS CHRIST.

When we expect the comming of our best beloved friend, we often runne to the doore, and give many a looke out at the window; and not seldome a sigh steales from our hearts, and forceth a sound out of our lips; Oh when will he come? If we did love Christ so well as we ought to doe, or but so well as we say we doe; we would give more frequent lookes towards him: and though our eyes cannot carry up our soules, yet our soules would send up our eyes, to the place where his Honour dwelleth. Luke 15. The Father ranne to meete his returning child, and shall not we hasten to meete our returning Father? The cunning Serpent does not at first dash bid us utterly forsake God; but he perswades to delay: what need you make so much hast? God is never to seeke; you know where to find him: At what time soever a sinner repents, His mercy is at hand: you may take your pleasure yet a great while: you shall be saved at last, I will warrant you. Hath not that soule a goodly securitie for her salvation, that hath the Divels warrant? Doe not bad debters, by deferring of payment, grow more unable for the discharge? when a ruinous building is suffered to run into further decay, wil it not require the more charges to be repaired? One knotte or two may be soone undone, but when we have tyed ten thousand knots vpon our soules, by multiplying sinne all the dayes of our life; can we thinke to untie them all at once in the houre of our death? If we cannot passe over the foord, when the waters are low, how shall we doe in a flood? If sin while it is a twigge, be not easily plucked up, how shall we eradicate it when custome hath growne it to a sturdy tree? The coales, the sparkes of sin be not lightly quenched; how then shall we put out the flame? There is trouble in curing greene wounds, much more old festred sores. Try thy strength in combating with one sin; see if it does not put thee hard to’t: thou must pant, and blow, and sweat, and bleed too, ere thou gettest the victorie. If it be so hard to wrastle with one divell, how wilt thou encounter a legion? Youth is vigorous and hath nimble feet: old age is resty, and fitter for the couch, than the race. Let us cast away delay, lest it cast us away: and with all present speed make haste toward salvation. If you aske me how you should hasten to this Day?

1 By sending up your hearts to Heaven, as an earnest that you would have your soules there. Let our desires be above, though our bodies are below. The signe that we are risen, is the object we have chosen: there we are, where our delight is; Neither can we goe from our hearts, nor will our hearts goe from our treasure. Would you know where this object is? First tell me where your joy is. Would you heare where your joy is? Shew me where your minde is. You are young and witty, and your minde is upon that. You are old and wealthy, and your minde is upon that. Are you ambitious, and have your minde set upon honour? Are you effeminate, and have your minde set upon beauty? Are you proud, and pitch your hearts upon envie? Then heers your minde, for heer’s your treasure; and heer’s your treasure, for heer’s your heart; and heer’s your heart, for heer’s your ioy. You may cry with the Lapwing till you be hoarse; There, There, above: but you are here, even here, below. Heaven is a great way from Earth, and, if you doe not make more hast, you will never come there. It is not enough to bee righteous, but wee must bee zealous in righteousnesse: not enough to doe some good workes, but we must abound in all good workes; and this is to hast to the comming of the Day of the Lord.

2 By soliciting God with our constant devotions; still praying, Thy kingdome come: That Christ may have the consummation of his dignity, by entring into his last office, the office of a Iudge; and may have the society of humane bodies in Heaven, as well as hee had ever of soules: That as hee hateth sinne it selfe, so his hatred to sinne may be expressed, in the abolishing of all the instruments of sinne; the allurements of this world, and the world it selfe: and all the temporary punishments of sinne, the stings of sicknesse and death: and all the Castles, Prisons and Monuments of sinne, in the grave: That time may bee swallowed up in Eternity: and Hope swallowed in Possession, and Ends swallowed in Infinitenesse: That all men ordained to salvation, may both in body and soule become one intire and everlasting sacrifice to God, hee receiuing delight from them, and they glory from him, for evermore through Iesus Christ Amen.