Thomas Adams
1. The certainty of it: Heaven and earth shall passe away, but not that word of God, Luk. 21. which hath decreed this judgement. Of this infallible expectation we have frequent warning: The Sunne shall bee darkened, the Moone shall not give her light, Matth. 24.29. and the Starres shall fall from heaven. Great Eclipses have been terrible to poore mortals, and the darkenesse at our Saviours Passion was the wonder of the world: If it were such at his suffering, what shall it be at his glorious appearing? When the Master of the family dieth, the house is troubled, the servants lament, Chrysost. Hom. 49. in Mat. and put on mourning garments: When man, the Tenant of the world is neere his end, and comming to answer for his rent; his old friends and servants, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, clothe themselves in blacke, and become his mourners. Nor do these only wait upon this great funerall; but the earth shall tremble, and the seas roare, when mens hearts shall faile them. Vehement earthquakes, Luk. 21.25. and the inundations of mighty waters have bin terrible: how much more when the vast Ocean shall rage, and the massie globe of the earth totter?
How obdurate be those hearts, whom this consideration does not terrifie. Physitians, in dangerous diseases, give a special regard to the 7. day, which they call critical; and observe what strength nature hath to repell it, & therby judge of the patient. We all labor of the spirituall sicknes, Sin: and the day of Iudgemēt is truly a criticall day: if the remembrance of that cannot discover some hope of reformation in us, we are not like to escape. We are busily intēt in our observations upon climactericall yeres for particular persons, and periodicall yeres for the life of states and kingdomes: but we consider not our owne criticall day, and what assurance we have of the everlasting Kingdome. Wee exercise our curiositie in marking, that Adam, the eldest of the eldest world, died in his climactericall yeere: and Sem, the eldest sonne of the next world, in his: and Abraham, the Father of the faithfull, in his: and the blessed Virgin Mary, the Garden where the Root of faith grew, in hers. But they whose Climacterickes we observe, did spend their observation upon other criticall daies; the expectation of the Messias, the end of their lives, the preparation for death. The Pharises pretended that if they had bin in their Fathers dayes, Matth. 23.30. they would not have bin partakers of the blood of the Prophets: and shall we, who live in the daies, not of the Prophets, but of the Son, kill those Prophets againe, and againe crucifie that Sonne, for al those evident Indications that are afforded us? Shall we study, and seeke, and find out such criticall daies, as are fittest to forsake Christ in? Now, Religion is in a neutrality in the world, and this is my day, the day of liberty: Now I may make new friends, by changing my old Religion, and this is my day, the day of advancement. This is a fearefull Crisis or indication of spirituall death. Physicians speake of their criticall dayes, that the first is Index, the next Iudex. So we have two maine criticall dayes, our life, and our death: the former is Indicatory, the latter Iudicatory: that declares what we are, this concludes what we shall be: the one is for consultation, the other for Sentence. There may be some hope of convalescence in the first: but if we amend not before the second, we must perish. In the first we have leave and time to judge our selves: otherwise, the Lord will judge us in the next.
Yea, we have many criticall daies, to prepare us for that great day of Determination; and them we may distinguish, like naturall daies, into seven. First, the day of Trouble and affliction, which is therefore called the day of visitation: because in trouble, the Lord, our good Physician, doth visite us. Men thinke that God is removed from them, when they suffer calamitie: as the Israelites doe but want water, Exod. 17.7. and presently cry, Is the Lord among us, or no? As if God could not be with them, and they athirst? Either he must humor carnall mindes, or bee distrusted. If they prosper, though it bee with wickednesse, then God is with them: If they be crossed in their owne designes, straight, Is God with us? It was the way to put God from them, to distrust, and murmure. If he had not bin with them, they had not lived: if he had beene in them, they had not murmured. We can thinke him absent in our want, and cannot see him absent in our sinne: yet wickednesse, not affliction, argues him gone. Yea, he is then most present, when he most chastises. We measure not the visitations of great persons, by their apparell, by their equipage, by the solemnity of their comming; but by their very comming. If the Lord come unto us, though it be in sickenesse, though in calamitie, it is our criticall day: and if we make him welcome, and entertaine him with patience, it is an argument he would not lose us, that by any meanes seekes us. Secondly, penitent sorow for our sins is a right criticall day: when the conscience is molested with the paines of a bleeding remorse. This day hath an Evening and a Morning; a sad guiltinesse in the soule, but a cheerefull rising of the Sunne. The Evenings and Mornings made dayes in the Creation, but there is no mention of nights: Our sorrowes for our sinnes are Evenings, but they determine not in night: There is joy in the Morning; a day of solace; when the Spirit broken and dejected in it selfe, is acquited and comforted by Christ. Thirdly, this Remorse sends us to a third criticall day, to a devout hearing of the Word, and faithfull receiving of our Saviour, in his Institution of the Sacrament: conforming our life to those sacred Rules, and walking worthy of so inestimable an honour. Fourthly, thus having walked with God three daies, we are prepared for the stormes of the fourth, the day of our dissolution and transmigration from hence. Sins, sorowes, and troubles have so embittered our life, that there is no bitternesse in the remembrance of death. Eccl. 41.1. Sicknesse hath disabled us to receive meat, and made it our fasting day, our Eve, to this great Festivall of our Translation. Fiftly, this day of death shall deliver us over to the fift, the day of our Resurrection: for how long soever that day be in the grave, there is no day betweene that and the Resurrection. Then shall all men be re-apparelled with their owne bodies; and they that have made good use of their former dayes, shall be super-invested with glory. Onely the ungodly shall be condemned to their old clothes; their sinfull bodies; and have no addition, but of immortalitie to torment. Sixthly, this day thus reinvesting our soule in our body, and our body in the Body of Christ, shall present us both body and soule to our sixt day, The day of Iudgement: which is truely, and in a literall sense, the criticall, the Decretory day; rewarding the wicked according to their demerites: And having passed upon the faithfull the Iudgement of Approbation, they shall also be assistant in that Session, and judge the world of evil men and Angels. Seventhly, after this, we shall be possessed of our seventh day; that everlasting Sabbath in the rest, the joy, the sight, and glory of the blessed Trinitie: where we shall live, without reckoning any more dayes for ever.
2. The uncertainety of this day bespeakes our preparednesse. When the disciples asked Christ concerning the Signe of his comming; hee answeres them with a Qualis, not with a Quando: hee describes the manner, Luk. 21.7. but conceales the Time, such signes shall goe before, hee does not determine the day when the Iudgement shall come after. Onely he cautions them, Ver. 35. with an Attendite ne superveniat in vos repentina dies illa: for as a snare it shall come on them that dwell on the face of the earth. The bird little thinkes of the snare of the fowler, nor the beast of the hunter; this fearelesse rangeth through the woods, the other merrily cuts the aire: both follow their unsuspected libertie, both are lost in unprevented ruine. Against publike enemies we fortifie our coasts, against private theeves we barre our doores, and shall we not against the irremediable fatalitie of this day prepare our soules? It is favour enough that the Lord hath given us warning: the day is suddaine, the warning is not suddaine: the old world had the precaution of sixscore yeeres; and that (we cannot deny) was long enough: but we have had the prediction of Christ and his Apostles, of above fifteene hundred yeeres standing; besides the daily sound of those Evangelicall Trumpets, that tell us of that Archangelicall Trumpet in their Pulpits. Qui audit tonitrua, metuit fulgura: when we heare the thunder, in a darke night on our beds, we feare the lightning: Our Saviours Gospel, premonishing of this day, is like thunder; if it cannot wake us from our sinnes, the Iudgement shall come upon us like lightning, to our utter destruction. But I will thanke the Lord for giving me warning. Psa. 16.7. The thunder first breakes the cloud, and makes way for the lightning, yet the lightning first invades our sense: All Sermons upon this argument of the last day, are thunder-claps; yet such is the securitie of the world, that the sonnes of thunder cannot waken them, till the Father of lightning consume them. Dedisti metuentibus te significationem, ut fugiant à facie arcus, saith that royall Prophet. The Huntsman doth not threaten the deare, or terrifie him; but watches him at a stand, and shootes him. But God speakes, before he shootes: takes the bow in his hand, and shewes it us, before he puts in the arrow, to wound us. Saint Gregory hath a meditation, Mor. in Iob. li. 25. c. 16. which by way of similitude doth lively expresse this point. Mariners have made their voyage, and are returning home: when on a suddaine the windes rise, and the seas begin to be troubled: first they are set upon with lighter waves, then with fiercer billowes; then litle bals of fire are seene rolling on the face of the waters: now they labour with all their powers, and unlade the vessels of those pretious merchandize, for which they made their unhappy voyage. But still the unexpiable rage of the sea ceaseth not, till it hath swallowed the ship: some sinke with it, and others by help of a little barke get to shore. We are all put into the vessell of mortality; & all those signes preceding the day of Iudgement, are so many successive waves prognosticating this universall shipwracke: and now worldlings would throw overboord their unblest traffike; the covetous despiseth his riches, the voluptuous his pleasures, the ambitious his honours: they have ventured all their life for those sinnes, and now they would bee rid of that venture with all their hearts. The maine storme comes, the earth trembles, the Ocean roares, the elements melt, the heavens dissolve, the huge Caricke of the whole world perisheth: Those that have put all their fortunes and estate in that one uncertain Bottome, must perish with it: But the Children of Grace have a little Pinnasse, the Church of Christ; and this carries them safe thorow the fire, as Noahs Arke bore him thorow the water, and lands them in Heaven, where they are welcomed home with Songs of triumph.
We are all Gods Creatures, and he hath an indefeisable right in every man: yea, we are his Factors, and he hath sent us into this world, as into a strange countrey to traffike for him. Estote Factores verbi, non actores: Bee ye doers of the word, not actors, for that is but to play Religion, like hypocrites: Actors doe but represent things done, and personate other men. But wee are Factors; and the commodities we are trusted withall, are first heavenly Graces, and then a competencie of temporall things. The trade we drive is our good Workes, and all wee can returne to our Masters profit is but his Praise and Glory: the whole benefit of the voyage redounds to our selves: not Hee, but we may be the better for it. At last that great Merchant cals us home, to this universall audite, when every Factor must bring in his accounts. They that have advantaged their Lord and traded to his honour, shall be honoured by him for ever: But these slothfull servants, that have trifled with his Talent, or mis-spent it, shall be cast into that prison of unthrifts and beggers, which is full of all wants, but the want of torments. The wise Merchant; that preponders his future reckoning, will carefully looke to foure houses under his charge: His ware-house, his worke-house, his clocke-house, and his Closet or counting-house. Our Ware-house is our Heart; wherein lie all those pretious Commodities deposited to us from Heaven: our knowledge, with all our Graces, and spirituall abilities: if lusts and malicious thoughts breake in like theeves, and robbes us of those celestiall Wares, we are undone. Our Worke-house is, as it were, the Shop of our good Actions, wherein by way of holy commerce, we retaile those deare Commodities of our Master, to his gainefull use: if we have learning, wee instruct the ignorant; if we have riches, we comfort the poore; if authoritie, wee protect the innocent: whatsoever Grace we have in the Ware-house of our Heart, we bring it forth into the Worke-house of our life, and do good with it. Our Clock-house is to be regarded too: Whither we consider it in relation to our speech, and discourse, for the Tongue is the Clocke of the Soule: if the Clocke goe false, if our talke be ungratious; lying, swearing, or profane; we are factors for hell, rather than for Heaven: Men may know by the Clocke-house, what stuffe is in the Ware-house; for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. Or wee may consider this Clocke, in respect of our time: the good Husband still mindes how the day goes with him; and therefore so followes his businesse, that he may have done before night. They are injurious Sextons to their owne soules, that set the Clocke backe; that make it stand at two in the afternoone, when it is sixe in the evening, even neere the Sunne-set of their ends; that they might more securely follow their pleasures. No, let the Clocke goe right, thinke of the time, meditate on the uncertaintie of thy life, the certaintie of thy reckoning; and worke out thy Salvation in time, that thou maiest rest when time shall be no more. All men are called to Repentance: doe you heare some answere, Yes, to morrow, Lord; or next weeke, Lord; or next yeere, Lord? Sure, their Clocke does not goe right. God hath another Clocke; and it may bee twelve by His, when it is scarce five by theirs: he summons them by death, when they thinke they have many yeeres to live. The last is our Counting-house, and that is our Conscience; where wee finde written all our receits, and all our layings out. No false reckoning can be found in this Booke; it will speake the truth to a peny. Trades-mens bookes may lie, stewards bookes may erre; there is no errour in this. In respect of our receipts, Luk. 16.6. we cannot with that unjust steward set downe fiftie for a hundred: nor can we, in regard of our layings out, set downe a hundred for fiftie. This booke is written by another hand than ours; even the Lords: and certainely, the Lord can reade his owne hand. There have beene some that could stupefie the voice of their Conscience; never any could obliterate the writing of their Conscience: they could stop the sound of it, as it is a Trumpet; they could not scrape out the Characters of it, as it is a Booke. Happy are we, if wee can get the blood of Christ, to wash out our debts; and the merits of Christ, to stand for our accounts: onely this reckoning shall passe in the Day of Iudgement. For as our Conscience leaves us here, so the Almightie Iudge will finde us hereafter.
To conclude; the weakest memory here present, may easily think on these foure Houses: and if we keep them wel, we shall prove happy Christians. But the Day of Iudgement, thou saiest, is far enough off: It is more than thou, or any man, or any Angell knowes. Yet grant it far off to the world; it may be neere to thee. The day of Iudgement is remote, Thy day of Iudgement is at hand: and as thou goest out in particular, so thou shalt be found in the generall. Thy passing-bel and the Archangels Trumpet, have both one sound to thee. In the same condition that thy soule leaves thy body, shall thy body be found of thy Soule. Thou canst not passe from thy death-bed a sinner, and appeare at the great Assises a Saint. Both in thy privat sessions, and the universal Assises, thou shalt be sure of the same Iudge, the same Iury, the same Witnesses, the same Verdict. How certaine thou art to die, thou knowest: how soone to die, thou knowest not. Measure not thy life with the longest; that were to peece it out with flattery: thou canst name no living man, not the sickest; which thou art sure shall die before thee. Daily wee follow the dead to their graves, and in those graves wee bury the remembrance of our owne death with them. Here drops an old Man, and there a Childe; here an aged Matron, there a young Virgin: with mourning eyes wee attend them to their Funerals; yet before wee lay the Rosemary out of our hands, the thought of death hath vanished from our hearts. When an Hogge lies bound under the knife to be killed, he makes an hideous cry above any other Creature: hereupon the other Swine come running in, and they grunt, and whine, and keepe a fearefull noise: but as soone as the dying Beast hath ceased, they also are silent, and returne to the filthy mire as carelesly, as if no harme had been done. When we lose a Neighbour, a Friend, a Brother, wee weepe, and howle, and lament, as if with Rachel, wee could never bee comforted: But the body once interred, and the funerall Ceremonies ended; if wee doe not stay to enquire for some Legacies, wee runne backe with all possible haste to our former sinnes and turpitudes, as if there had been no such matter. Alas, that the farthest end of all our thoughts, should bee the thought of our ends! Death is but our apprehension, like the taking of a Malefactor; but it sends us to the Session, and that either to forgivenesse or execution. O then, let us repent in life, that we may finde comfort in death, and be acquitted at the Day of Iudgement by Iesus Christ.
3. The Integrity of the Iudge, and of his Iudgement, comes next to bee considered. There is no Name of God so often mentioned in the Scripture, as that of a Iudge; no action so often, as that of Iudgement. Many Names of God be sweeter, none frequenter. Even where the Lord is glorious with all his Titles of Mercie, still there comes in one Title of his Iudgement: where he is slow to anger, even there he does not acquit the guiltie. Exod. 34.7. Nah. 1.3. The first comming of Christ was in weakenesse, because he was then to be judged: his second shall bee in power, because hee is now to judge. Then, like a feeble unweaponed David against that mighty Giant of Hell, that Goliah, Satan: now, like an armed and angry David against wicked and unthankefull Nabals. In vaine have I kept his Flockes safe in the Wildernesse, that will not give a little bread to my hungry followers. Have I been so bountifull to the rich Churles of the World, and doe they deny a small reliefe to my poore members? Then he came like a soft Dew upon the Grasse, now he shall come like Thunder in the Cloudes. Then he came unto his owne, and they knew him not; now all eyes shall see him, and all tongues confesse him. Then hee came in private, from the wombe of his Mother; now he shall come in publike from the Throne of his Father. Then, with a few Apostles; now, with thousands of Angels. Then, with a Starre in the East; now, with the Heavens on Fire. Then, as a Lambe; now as a Lion: Then, to save the lost, now, to condemne the lost. Then as a Subject to Cesar; now, the King of kings. Then, O Man, Venit ut tuus, Hee came as thine: now, Veniet ut suus, Hee shall come as his owne, and appeare himselfe: Then Hee, poore Man stood before Pilate, to receive his Sentence; now Pilate and Herod, and all the Potentates of the Earth must stand before Him, and undergoe his dreadfull Doome. Then Hee had a Reed for his Scepter, and Thornes for his Crowne: now, Hee shall breake the Nations with a Scepter of Iron, Dan. 7.6. and his Throne shall be like a flaming Fire. At his Birth, onely Ierusalem was troubled; and at his Death, some tender-hearted Women wept: but at his Comming to Iudgement, All the Kinreds of the Earth shall mourne before Him.
Rev. 1.7. It is Christ then that shall be our Iudge; He to whose contumely did tend all our misdeeds. He, whose Majesty we have dishonoured, whose Mercy we have despised, whose Glory we have abased, and whose Goodnesse wee have abused. He, whose Presence wee have profaned, and whose Patience we have mis-interpreted, either for Ignorance or Allowance of evill. But wee shall finde neither of both in this impartiall Iudge: There are sixe principall Refuges of the guilty before the Iudgement-seats of mortall men. If either the Iudge may bee deceived through Ignorance, or made partiall with Favour, or overcome with Power, or melted with Pitie, or corrupted with Monie, or perswaded with Oratory: but all these Forts of confidence faile before this Tribunall.
Heb. 4.13. 1. This Iudge cannot erre through Ignorance, for All things are naked and open to his eyes, with whom wee have to doe. Hee knoweth our goings out and our commings in: The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vaine. There is nothing so quicke as thought, nothing so free as thought, nothing so secret as thought, (the Devill cannot know our thoughts, but by conjecture or inference) nothing so boundlesse as thought: nature hath set no limits to the thoughts of the soule. Yet, Thou, O Lord, understandest our thoughts long before. To know them, when they have being, is much: but to know them before they were, is onely Gods peculiar. Man himselfe does not know to day, what he shall thinke to morrow: God knowes it, and knew it from all eternity. Hee understood what thoughts thoughts the soule would create, before He had created the soule. Adam would faine have hidden himselfe from God, when he found him naked in the coole of the day: such a desire is in every guilty sinner to hide himselfe from Christ, when he comes to Iudgement in the Evening of the world: but it is not possible. Rev. 6.16. The wicked shall call to the Mountaines, Fall on us, and to the Rockes, Cover us; but to what purpose? Alas, In the Presence of the God of Iacob, the Mountaines skip like Rammes, and the little Hils like young Sheepe. Yea, at that Day there shall be neither Rockes nor Mountaines left to hide them. As it is intolerable to abide his Presence, Ioh. 1.48. so it is impossible to avoid it. He saw Nathaniel under the Figtree, and Elias in the Cave. He sees the Theefe in his darkest night, and the Adulterer when all the doores and windowes are shut. Hee saw Faulx, without the helpe of his darke Lanthorne, when he labored in that black Vault or Mine under the Parliament-house. He sees all the plots of the Iesuites against his Church: they delude all Princes, but the Prince of Heaven, and Hee sees their villanie. Hee sees them that are in Hell, who see nothing, not themselves. Hee knowes our most secret sinnes; to repeat those wee doe not remember, to reveale also those wee would hide, and to convince us of those wee would deny.
2. This Iudge cannot be forestalled with favour, for Hee is no Respector of Persons. The poorest Beggar shall finde as good Audience in this Court of Iustice, as the greatest Monarch in the word. Christ will judge most justly, even those that have judged most unjustly. Pilate shall finde Iustice from Christ, Christ found none from Pilate. Take Him, saith he to the malicious Iewes, I finde no fault in Him. No fault in Him, O Pilate, and yet doest thou condemne Him? Where was the fault then? Surely in thee, O Pilate. Hee will not deale so with thee; thou shalt have Iustice.
3. Hee cannot bee overborne with power; for All power is given Him both in Heaven and Earth. With many Iudges on Earth, a Lords Message, Mat. 28.18. or a Ladies Letter may doe much: and let the poore mans complaint be never so honest, if it trench upon great Ones, it must not be heard. Favour is the Mistresse, toward which all the Bowles of Authority runne Bias. Such Magistrates are like Spaniels, which ever hunt that way their Master lookes. But those unrighteous Iudges, that have been led by favour below, shall finde least favour above. It will be a poore excuse for an act of Injustice, Such a Lord commanded me: Him for perswading, and Thee for yeelding, the Lord of Heaven shall condemne you both. Now men deale with our Sermons, as they doe with our Tithes: when wee preach Iudgement, they sue out a Prohibition from an higher Court, or a Protection from the Chancery, their Mercie-seat, or a Commission for Composition: but whither will they appeale from this Court, the great Star-chamber of Heaven?
4. He cannot be moved with pity. There was a time, when upon the condition of repentance, He proffered padon: but the time of Mercy is past, this is the Day of Iustice. Time was, when He powred forth his precious Blood to expiate their sinne: but now There remaines no more sacrifice for sinne. Time was, He wept over Ierusalem in compassion; now let Ierusalem weepe out her eyes, there is nothing but indignation. His Meekenesse shall be turned into Wrath; and He that before wept for the misery of sinners, will now laugh at their destruction. The Lawyer, whiles he is an Advocate, pleads his Clients cause, Prov. 1.26. though it be not good: but being made a Iudge, hee sentenceth the cause, without respect to the Client. Christ is now our Advocate, and Hee pleads our cause; and mediates for our very sins: but at the last Day his Office is to Iudge, and He will give a most righteous Sentence.
5. He will not be corrupted with Bribes; yea, those that have been so corrupted, He will condemne. The wealthiest Miser must come before Him naked and empty handed. In his Infancy the Wise Men presented Him Gold, and they are wise men that in this world bring Him such offerings. With thy Gold and Riches feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, while thou livest: else at the Day of Iudgement it will not be taken. What wealth shall any man have left, when the whole world is on fire? Only what the hand of Charity hath given Christ here, He will abundantly repay there: And as we use, upon the wall of Hospitals and Almeshouses, to write up the name of the Benefactors: so those beneficent soules, that have comforted the needy members of Christ on Earth, shall finde their names written in Heaven. Other rich Churles shall undergoe Magus his Doome, Themselves and their money must perish together.
6. Hee cannot be perswaded with arguments. Tullius is weake, and Tertullus a foole, to thinke that eloquence shall carry it there. Let not the greatest Clarkes, who have led wicked lives, hope that at this Assises their Booke shall save them. They may be condemned for the former abuse of their Eloquence, but here their very tongues shall bee put to silence. Even now, Theologia non formidat Dialecticam: Divinity will not bee awed by Logicke, nor will God be imprisoned in a Predicament: much lesse above. I speake not this to dispraise Learning; it is the gift of God, and usefull to his glory. Moses a Priest, or (if that bee doubtfull, Psalm. 99.6. Deut. 34.10. Act. 7.22. yet sure) a Prophet, and that with a Non sicut; was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians. The Scorners of Learning are like Wormes in Libraries: busie about it, but with an intent to destroy it. There bee many arts in the world, but there is one worth them all; an holy life, the effect of a true faith in Iesus Christ. Saint Paul was a great Scholar, yet it was onely his Didicisse Christum, that saved him. All arguments are lost but this; Lord, I bring thee thine owne righteousnesse, by imputation made mine; by this, I beseech thee save mee: This argument will prevaile.
We see the Integrity of the Iudge: the Conscience of the sinner shall bee compelled to accuse, and the Devill suffered to urge, but no Advocate allowed to plead his cause. The Angels shall not, the Saints may not, Christ will not, and himselfe cannot. Not the Angels, for they are witnesses to his wickednesse: Not the Saints, for it is their office to judge the world: Not Christ, for he despised his grace when it was offered: Not the sinner himselfe, for hee shall obtaine no audience. O the desperate extremities, which will then beset the ungodly! If they offer to speake, their sinnes stand up against them: if they hold their peace, they finde nothing to comfort them. Every moment of our time is one step toward this Iudgement: And yet wee are so farre from compassion of our selves, that even going to our triall, we cease not to multiply crimes against him, that must give sentence upon us. With what countenance can sinners bee able to looke upon that glorious Majesty? It will be at that time a greater paine for them to stand before God, than to bee in Hell. The severe acts of a Iudge being discoursed, and his impartiall censures; an hearer wittily and honestly replyed; I meane never to trouble him. It cannot be so with us; our sinnes are so hainous and numerous, that wee must come before him: there is onely one way to helpe us; which is now by an appeale? To whom? Even to himselfe, let us appeale from Christ, to Christ: from him as an angry Iudge, to him as a gracious Saviour. How cheape an account do most men now make of Christ? No more than cunning Gallants do of a prodigall Heire; even to riot upon his score, and to lavish out sinnes on the riches of his satisfaction. But let them know, that though the Death of Christ have fully satisfied for all our sinnes; and borne the extremity of whatsoever, either the Law of God could lay against us, or the wrath of God could lay upon us: yet hath it left no liberty to build our sinnes upon his Death, but rather to bury our sinnes in his Death. Wee may not crucifie him againe by our sinnes, Heb. 6.6. which for our sinnes hath already been crucified. For as in the Creation, Gen. 6.6. the disobedience of the Creature caused the Creator to hate the worke of his owne hands: so in the Reconciliation, the peace that was made betweene God and man, did not stretch so farre as to conclude of peace betweene God and sinne. But he that was content in Christ to be reconciled to his enemies, is yet at enmity with their sinnes: and though hee forgive great sinnes in Christ, yet doth hee punish little sinnes in Christians. Yea, though the blood of Iesus doe continually cry unto God for us; yet doth it not so possesse his eares, Heb. 12.24. that hee can heare no crie against us. Still where is the due estimation of Christ? Atheist denie him, Papists dishonour him, Pagans persecute him, Worldlings oppresse him, Hypocrites dissemble him, Time-servers make use of him, Polititians pretend him, Swearers blaspheme him, millions professe him, few rightly esteeming him, few indeed honour him. The price of Christ seemes to goe downe, the Covetous will sell him for a Farme, the Adulterer for a kisse, the Drunkard for a Pinte of Wine, for a Pot of Ale; the fraudulent Tradesman for a Peny; the Swearer will sell Him for Nothing, and take no Monie for Him. This is the difference betweene Gods Iudgement, and mans: God valued man at more than his owne Blood, man valued that Blood but at thirty Peeces of Silver. But the Day will come, when one gracious Word from the Mouth of Christ, one pleasing Looke of his Countenance, shall bee farre more precious than all the World. Then shall All the Tribes of the Earth mourne before Him. Unbeleevers shall mourne, because they would not accept that glorious Way of Salvation: the Voluptuous shall mourne, that they have bought transient Pleasures with everlasting Torments. The Covetous shall mourne, that they have more accounted of a crosse of Coine, than of the saving Crosse of Christ. The Proud shall mourne, that they have despised the Humility of the Gospell. Blasphemers shall lament, that they have sworne away the Price of their Redemption. The Uncleane shall mourne, because they rather chose to bee the Limbes of an Harlot, than Members of the Sonne of God. All Sinners shall mourne, and especially, because the Time of all fruitfull Mourning is for ever past. The World now rejoyceth, but let us mourne; that when the whole World is set on mourning, we may then rejoyce World without End.
4. The Impartiality of the proceeding falles next into our Consideration. Such is the Perfection of Gods Iustice, Who is ever constant to his own wayes; that Hee doth still proceed by the Booke; openly, intelligibly, manifestly. When the Ancient of Daies shall sit upon his White Throne, the Bookes shall bee opened.
1. Booke is the Booke of Life; never shut to God, but never throughly open to us. Whosoever is found written in this Booke, shall not perish. Rev. 21.27. Wee cannot unclaspe this Booke, yet wee may know something in it that concernes our selves. There is a safe collection or gadation, à Posteriore. I deprecate all sinne, I repent heartily of that is done, I abhorre to commit it, I earnestly pray against it, I strive with all my powers to avoid it, I thirst for more Grace, I am ready to all good Workes, I rest wholly and onely on my Saviours Merits; therefore I rightly beleeve: I beleeve, therefore am justified: I am justified, therefore called: I am called, therefore elected: I am elected, therefore shall be glorified. Rom. 8.•0. Wee cannot, wee may not conclude the contrary: I am a sinner, therefore God hath from everlasting rejected me: therefore He hath made me to be damned: this is an unwarrantable, yea, a desperate Collection. I beleeve in Christ, and endevour to live like a Christian, therefore I am chosen: this as a safe and sound inference; and thus farre God hath given our Humility leave, to looke into this Booke of Life.
2. Is the Booke of Nature; wherein, though subobscurely and in shadowes, God hath expressed his owne Image, and written his owne Law with indelible Characters. They that have sinned without the Law written, Rom. 2.12. shall be judged by the Law engraven. Though this Law bee much defaced in their hearts by the custome of sinne, yet it shall no more helpe them, than a Theefe is to bee excused, because he hath torne the eight Commandement, Thou shalt not steale, out of the Decalogue.
3. Is the Booke of the Scriptures, consisting of the Law and the Gospell: the one commanding, the other enabling; the one condemning, the other presenting a remedy: those two Testaments, wherein all that God wrote in the Old, Hee hath lighted us a Candle to read it by in the New. No exception can lye against this Booke; for the Law of God is holy, and all his Commandements are pure. Rom. 7.12. Psalm. 19.8. These are for Number few, for Understanding plaine, for Equity approved, and onely profitable to whom they are given. Sure there had not been such state in the promulgation of this Law, if God had not intended it for eternity. Every circumstance of the delivery, representing the fearefull exaction of it at the last, may well deterre us from the trangression. First, how could they thinke of having any other Gods, that had such proofes of this? Secondly, How durst they make any Resemblance of Him, Whom they could not see, and might therefore perceive to bee Infinite? Thirdly, How durst they profane his Name, Whom so dreadfull a Majesty waited upon? Fourthly, How could they stand with Him for a day, Whom they see to be the Maker and Determiner of daies? Fifthly, Why should they disobey his Deputies, whom they saw so able to revenge? Sixthly, How durst they kill a Man, that heard Him forbid it, Who can kill both Body and Soule? Seventhly, How durst they entertaine the flames of Lust, that saw such Fiers of Vengeance? Eightly, How durst they steale, that saw by such terrible Demonstrations, Whose both Heaven and Earth was to dispose of at his Pleasure? Ninthly, Or speake falsly, that heard the God of Truth speake in so fearefull a Tone? Tenthly, Or covet others goods, that saw how weake and uncertaine Right they had to their owne? We men, that feare the Breach of humane Lawes for some small Mulcts of Forfeiture; How should wee feare to transgresse thy Law, O Lord, that canst cast both Body and Soule into Hell!
4. There is another Booke annexed to this; a Codicill, a Schedule; the Booke of just and usefull Lawes, established by them, to whom God hath committed his People. The Lawes of that Church, and Lawes of that State, wherein wee have our Station. The Breaches and wilfull Contempts of this Booke; will be strictly examined, and hardly answered, in this Audite.
5. Is the manuall, the Pocket-booke, the Bosome-booke of our Conscience. The other Bookes will manifest what we should have done; this, what we have done. Wee cannot except against it, because it hath alwaies been in our owne keeping: and nothing shall be written in it, but what is subscribed by our proper hand. It hath three offices: First, to give in Testimonie, of something acted or omitted. Secondly, to examine whether the action or omission were lawfull or unwarrantable. Thirdly, to give Iudgement according to that evidence. It can both ligare & solvere: it bindes a man faster than the Philistimes bound Samson, and looseth him sooner than the Angell loosed Peter. It is a private Law within man: when Law and Chancery too have done with him, (and that not seldome is long before it hath done with him) then Conscience takes him in hand. It is a true looking Glasse, that represents all blemishes, without favour or flattery. It is Infra Deum, but Supra hominem, a vice-Deus; and deales with us here, as God will doe hereafter. There is a Bill framed out of the Law, it is Crimen laesae Majestatis, against our high Soveraignes Crowne and Dignitie: our workes are the Evidence, and Conscience is the witnesse, which will not be bribed to give a false testimonie. If the maine course of our life bee gracious, and our Conscience will speake for our workes, that they proceed from a sound faith and honest heart; wee are then quit by proclamation, for no body comes in against us: The world may not, our sinnes shall not, our Conscience must not, the Angels dare not, God will not, the Devill cannot: for hee is the Father of lies, and his word will not bee taken. But if otherwise, all these will be against us: there need no Subpoena’s to fetch in witnesses; they come unsent for, and cannot be kept backe: they will speake the truth, and all the truth. As Intelligencers for Statesmen mingle themselves with all companies, but use their best art to keepe themselves concealed: So the Conscience is Gods Informer, a Spie in the Soule, mixing her selfe with all our thoughts and actions: It is indeed the Reflection of the Soule upon it selfe. Though wee know not what this Conscience is, yet this Conscience knowes what wee are. As Pilate asked Christ, Ioh. 18.38. What was the Truth? when The Truth stood before him: So many aske what is Conscience? when indeed Conscience is within them.
Origen cals it Paedagogam animae; that teaches all, and keepes all under the Ferula, in a perpetuall pupillage. It is like an Italian Comedian, that can play all parts himselfe: It is Plaintiffe, Defendant, Witnesse, Iudge, Executioner, and Punishment. The soule may say to the Conscience, as Mercury did to Battas Et me mihi perfide prodis? Dost thou betray me to my selfe? Yes, Me mihi prodis. The Conscience will accuse the Conscience; she brings in evidence, produceth the law, proves the forfeit, urges the penalty, gives the sentence, begins the punishment. It is a volume that no Iesuite can corrupt: No Index expurgatarius can strike a letter out of it: The onely Booke of all our Library that goes along with us into the world to come. Look in that Book, thou sinner, beforehand: Find there, the Title, Sin the Dedication, to the Prince of Sin: the severall Chapters, so many severall sins: yea, every letter, a Character of sin. As Averroes killed Avicen, by anointing his book with poison: so Satan labours to envenome this booke of our Conscience, that we may uncomfortably perish. The Grecians are said to have an Hill so high above the force of the winds; that if a man had drawn his name in Characters, upon the ashes of the sacrifices; he might come the next yeere and find the same letters unblowne away. If any sinful hart be so securely placed, that Satan may now read in the sluttish dust, the sins that were written there long ago, if no thunder hath cleared the aire about him, no wind scattred those guilty Characters, if all be hushd in rest & silence about the borders: Like the country of the Sabarites, where not so much as a Cock, the remembrancer of S. Peter, is left alive to trouble them; it is in a desperate case. But the Conscience that sleepes now, shall be wakened then: the book now clasped, shall be then opened. If ever sleep were the Image of death, it is this. O qualis tempestas, ista tranquilitas! Ierom. Rather, ô Lord, let thy winds rage, and thy seas roare; than we thus be suffred to sleep with Ionas. It is fearfull, when God will not so much as favor us with a frown, nor blesse us with his anger. Cleopatra, that had not a mind to feele her death, poisoned her selfe with Aspes, that she might die sleeping. Riot in sin is like the poison of Aspes, so stupefying the desperate conscience, that untill the day of Iudgement this fatal book is not opened.
It is Satans method; first to make men so senselesse, as not to feele their sins at all; and then so desperate, that they feele them too much. In the first fit, men live as if there was no hell: in the last, they die as if there was no heaven. There be some diseases called Opprobrium medici, the shame of Physicians: Is this Lethargie the shame of Divines? No, there is a way to cure it. Let sinners lay to their hearts, all the curses on mount Ebal, the terrors of the law, the sting of death, the darknesse of the grave, the horror of this Iudgement, with some glimpse of hell. O wretched man, doe but dreame of them sometimes: talke to God, though it be in thy sleep: Downe with thy knees, though thy heart be stiffe: up with thy hands, though thy soule be downe. Let but out an ejaculation, a peece, a shred of a Prayer; though it be no longer than the Publicans, Lord, be mercifull to me a sinner.
6. There is another book, wherin the Registry of our transgressions is written; the infinite and universall knowledge of God: this is his particular booke of all our particular sins. These records will present unto us all our offences, done from our birth to our buriall; and lay those things to our charge, which now we either remember not, or regard not: which we esteeme either lawfull, or tolerable: And we shall bee compelled to answer to many things, wherof now we would scorne to be questioned. He that writes our members in his booke, Psa. 139.16. hath also in that booke written the sins of those members. The concupiscence of our eies, the violence of our hands, the intemperance of our throats, the virulence of our tongues, the forwardnesse of our feet to evill, together with the unseemely behaviour of our whole body, shall be rigorously examined. Nor is this Indictment made up onely of actuall trespasses: but even the very blankes are crimes; and the not doing of good shall be punished with the suffering of evill. If our feet have not frequented Gods walkes, in his holy Courts: if our tongues have not vociserated our Makers praises: if our eies have not pitied the poore, if our hands have not ministred to their necessities: even these omissions are damnable. Such is the sinceritie of Christian Religion, that it not onely imposeth upon us pure innocencie, but profitable honesty. Here, not onely action, but the intermission, the suspension of action; both our speech, and our silence; as well the vacancie of thinking well, as the positive thought of evill; not onely cursed fruits, but the barrennesse of good; shall bee questioned. Not onely for making wealth an instrument of cruelty, but for not making it an instrument of mercie; there is a Goe ye cursed. If a Magistrate doe not support the just cause, though he never tooke bribe, he shall be condemned. The Father shall bee accountant for the education of his children, the Master for the discipline over his servants, the Prince for the governement of his subjects. O the great charge of that high calling! Every king is a briefe of his land, and he hath a patterne of the ordering of it alwayes about him. The honour he gives his Magistrates, is but a charge, and so is that which God gives him: and as he requires an account, so he must give. Happy is it for him, when true Religion and sincere Integritie, shall be made the Eye of wisdome in his counsell, the eare of Iustice in his Deputies, the hand of valour in his Nobles, the tongue of perswasion in his Preachers, the head of governement in himselfe, and the heart of obedience in his people. Private men shall not only be judged as men, but as subjects: they that wil not obey, are neither good subjects, nor good men. To obey well, is as great a thing as to governe, and more mens duties: they that thinke not so, know not the Christians part, which is to suffer. Publike Rulers shall not only be judged as men, but as Magistrates. Not only our images, but our offices shall never returne ad nihilum. The Image of God it selfe may uri, it cannot exuri. The image of a lawyer, of a Iudge, of a Commander, may burne, but can never burne out.
Matth. 12.36. Rom. 2.16. Eccl. 12.14. Nor be only our grosse sins recorded in this Booke, but even our loose speeches: Of every idle word we must give an account in the day of Iudgement. Yea, our very thoughts shall not escape; He will judge the secrets of our hearts. If the private sins of the most innocent soule here, should be revealed to this whole Congregation, it would put us to the blush: how terrible will it be then, to have them opened before the eyes of all the world, both of men and Angels? Wee write that in the forgetfull dust, which God writes in everlasting marble. David pressed far upon the Lords pardon, Psal. 19.12. Mic. 2.1. in that petition; Clense thou me from my secret sins. Can any sin be secret? for a great part of our sins, though we conceive them in the darke, on our beds, yet we doe them in the light. And there are many sins which we glory in doing, and would not doe, if no body should know them. S. August. confesseth of himselfe, that in his wilder times, he was ashamed of his shamefastnesse, and the tendernesse of his Conscience: and that he often belied himselfe with sins which he never did, lest he should be unacceptable to his sinfull companions. But if we would conceale them, can we? God knowes not only the sins we have committed, but even those we would have committed, if we could. Lord, thou hast forgiven me those sins which I have done, and those sinnes which onely by thy grace I have not done; saith S. Augustine. They were done in our inclination to them, and even that Inclination needs Gods mercie, and that mercie he cals a pardon. These are truly most secret sinnes, because they were never done; and because no other man, nor we our selves, but only God knowes, how many and how great sins we have escaped by his preventing grace; which without that, we had multiplied against him. We have abundance of sins out of the compasse of our knowledge: we can accuse our selves of originall sin; yet, do we know what originall sin is? We know not enough of it to satisfie others, we know enough to condemne our selves, to sollicit the mercy of God. Our youth hath bin full of sins, and we have forgotten what those sins were. Wee remember them not so well as to name them all: not are we sure to live houres enough to name them all: for we did them faster then, than we can speake them now; when every thing that we did, conduced to some sin. Yet we know them so well, as to know that nothing, but the mercie of our heavenly Father is so infinite as they. We have sins of thought, word, and deed: sins of omission, and of action: sins against God, against our neigbour, and against ourselves: sins against the Fathers Commandements, against the Sonnes Prayer, and against the holy Ghosts Office: sins against our owne Creed, against the Lawes of that Church and State wherein we live: sins unrepented, and sins relapsed into after repentance: sins of ignorance, and sins against the testimony of our conscience. If this Arithmeticke cannot reach home to the number of our sins, we know what will: O Lord, pardon us all those sinnes, which thy Sonne Christ Iesus suffered for, who suffered for all the sins of all the world.
If one man have so many sins, how infinite an heape doe the sinnes of all men amount unto? And how immense must that Booke be, where all those sins are ingrossed? We may say of our evill deeds, what the Evangelist speakes of the holy acts of Christ; that If they were all written, Ioh. 21.25. the world it selfe could not containe the bookes. Yet so capacious is this Booke of Gods omniscience; that every transgression, from the highest blasphemie to the least infirmitie, is not omitted. Quid in Babylone tutum, si in Ierusalem tale scrutinium? Bern. Serm. 55. in Cant. Moral. in Iob. lib. 17. Basil. lib. de vera virgi. What shall the shrub of the desart doe, when the Cedar of Paradise shall be shaken? If they doe this in the greene tree, what will they doe in the dry? The Lambes may well be afraid, when the Lions tremble. It shall not be a summary, confused, or indigested examination; but exact and particular, as it were by the booke. The adulterer shall not only be charged with that filthy act, but with all the circumstances preceding, preparing, conducing, and attending on that uncleannesse: Thus he plotted, thus he perswaded, and thus he acted; as if all were now done over againe in presentation. Where then bee those Peccadillo’s, which sinners now rather make a matter of sport, than the occasion of repentance? Alas there are no sinnes small, but comparatively: Christ died for all sinnes, and the least sin might be a thorne in his head, or a lash on his side. Many litle boyes at the Market-crosse, make as great a noise as the cryer. Even our little sins have no little cry in the eares of the Divine Iustice: But they are rather now like little children, which by the day of judgement will be growne up to strong men, and with confusion challenge us to our faces.
7. The last Booke is that with the Seven Seales, Rev. 5.5. which only the Lambe that was slaine, was found worthy to open. This is the booke wherein lies all our comfort; containing the promulgation of their pardon and righteousnesse, that are washed in the blood of the Lambe. If we be tried by the Booke of Nature, we shall bee cast; for we have done unnaturall deeds: Nature is depraved, corrupted; and who shall bring life out of corruption? The first man that God made, was saved; Adam was a Saint. The first man that was begotten of man, was damned; Cain was a Reprobate. Such difference there is betwixt Gods workmanship, and ours; betwixt nature created and nature corrupted. If we be tried by the law written, O wretched men that we are, who shall deliver us? Even the very thought of that law, Rom. 7.24. which condemnes our very thoughts, is for the present a burning in the hand, in the private Session of our Conscience; before we come to hold up that hand at the barre of eternall Iustice. If we must stand to the booke of Gods knowledge, and be judged by those everlasting Rols; wee are so farre from being acquited, that we have not done one justifiable action all our dayes. Iob 14.17. Our transgressions are sealed up in a bag: but if we thrust our hand into that bagge, there is not one good worke to be found: Every line of this book is a sin, every leafe an age of sin: there is not a tittle of any thing but sin. Only when God doth blot all our sinnes out of his remembrance, he doth (as it were) throw this booke into the fire. As Caesar after the defeat of Pompey, having in his custody a casket, wherein he found letters written with his enemies own hands, sufficient evidence to condemne them, he burnt thē all, and forgave them; that no monument might remaine for a future grudge. So doth Christ cancell & anihilate all the records of the sins of his chosen, that there might be no quarrell against them in heaven. If we should appeale to the book of our Conscience, we are condemned before we come to the triall: there sits a little Iudge within, that tels us plainely what we must trust to: It is as a malefactor should labour to purge himselfe before the Iudge, with the evidence of his crime sticking apparantly in his bosome.
Well yet, though we cannot be saved by our booke, by our owne conscience; nor by the other bookes, the Registry of our iniquities: yet there be two Bookes of comfort for us, and by them we desire to be tryed. The first is the Booke of Life, Gods eternall decree for our election; that sacred and immutable Record, out of which never was any name razed. The other is the Booke of the Lambe, and the shedding of his blood upon our Soules. This booke is not of a darke print, hard to read; but a faire large manuscript; the leaves of it pure untainted flesh; the letters, bloud; the pennes that wrote it, thornes and scourges: the claspes, nailes: the binding, wood: the name of it, Iesus of Nazareth: the contents of it, mercie and Eternall Salvation. If my Conscience be at peace with me, I am not condemned yet: if this Booke be afforded me, I shall not be condemned at all. O Lord, we humbly confesse, that there is no veine in us, which is not full of the blood of thy Sonne, whom we have crucified, and crucified againe, by multiplying many, and often repeating the same sins: That there is no arterie in us, which hath not the spirit of error, 1 Tim. 4.1. Esai. 19.14. the spirit of lust, the spirit of giddinesse in it: That there is no bone in us, which is not hardned with the custome of sin, and nourished with the marrow of sin: That there be no sinewes, no ligaments, which do not tie and chaine sin and sin together: That our fantasie is in labour with the study, invention, and imagination of sin: That our memorie is tenacious of nothing so much as sin: that with delight, it revolveth the remembrance of sin. That all these sins are upon Record, in those bookes which thou hast ordained for that purpose. Yet, O gracious Father, there is a Booke which abrogates all these: and as the Sanctuary had the end in the Temple, and the Temple in Christ; so all these bookes have their end in the Booke of the Lambe; if thou please to write our names there. There, O mercifull God, write them; in that Booke of satisfaction to thee, and of Redemption to us: and write the assurance of it in the present booke of our conscience, the copy of that blessed Originall: That when the day of judgement shall come, and all bookes are opened, nothing may be found in ours, but the righteousnesse of thy deare Son, and our sweet Saviour Iesus.
5. The fatalitie and horror of this dreadfull day to the wicked, is beyond all mortall Imagination. When at the sound of the Trumpet hell shall shake, all graves shall open, and yeeld up their prisoners. Though all this shall be done at once, yet our understanding cannot conceive it but through divers passages.
1 King. 1. 1. The suddennesse of the Summons shall amaze them. Adoniah was justling himselfe into the not-yet-vacant Throne of his Father David: hee feasts his friends, he jeeres his opposites, he boasts the prosperitie of his designe. On a suddaine, the Trumpet sounds out King Salomons Coronation, and this braving troupe is dispersed; and if you aske for their new Prince, hee hangs upon the hornes of the Altar. The ungodly will be banketing and solacing their sensuall soules at the last day: But the Archangels Trumpe resounding the Almighty Salomons Coronation, will put them to desperate shifts; and so much the more desperate, as they have no Sanctuary, whereunto they may flie for refuge.
2. The amazednesse at the resurrection will be terrible; when the body shall be forced to rise, though it would lie still; and the soule be compelled to lie still in the body, though it would rise. Both their salutations shall be nothing but curses: the soule shall curse the body, that for the pleasure of that earthen dunghill, she hath lost inestimable joyes: and the body shal curse the soule, that for the gratifying of such sensual desires, they must both suffer intolerable paines. Thus shal they meet together, not as companions, but as enemies: not as mutual helpers, but as reciprocall tormentors: not the body, as the house of a tenant, but as the prison of a malefactor. The prisoner had rather lie still in his comfortlesse dungeon, than bee brought forth into the open aire, to receive his sentence of condemnation. There is horrour enough in the grave, yet is it a paradise to hell.
3. The very assembly shall daunt them: for this Iudgement shall be before the whole Court of Heaven: in the presence of all the Angels, of all the Saints, like so many starres before the glorious Sun, the sinner shall be brought forth naked, deformed, leprous, monstrous. Then the proud harlot, that so admired her owne beautie; and did set one houres fruition of it at a thousand crownes, shall appeare more foule than any Gipsee, in respect of those whō for Gipsees she once despised.
4. The devils accusation shall distract them, because they know not what to answer. Thus will he plead; O just Iudge! I never did this sinfull man the least good turne, I never endured the least paine for his sake: yet still he bore a nimble eare to my directions, and a willing heart to execute all my devices: how perfectly is he transformed into mine Image? He knew me for his vowed enemie, yet hee served mee: Thee for his Maker, Saviour, and best friend, yet hee rebelled against thee. For him, thou hast done much good, and suffered much evill; thou hast opened the treasures of heaven to blesse him, yea opened thine owne side, and shed that precious blood to save him; yet he hath turned all that grace into wantonnesse, all that mercie into contempt. Nor is the devill the sole accuser of the ungodly; but all the sins they have done, shall be so many devils against them. Yea more, all the Creatures, which they have either not used to good, or abused to evill, are bound over to this Sessions, to joyne in their indictments against them.
5. The very goodnesse of the Iudge shall make to the further aggravation of their wretchednesse. When he shall aske their perverse Consciences, what they ever saw in him worthy of contempt? What want, either of perfection in himselfe, or of liberalitie towards them, did they ever find? What though I became poore? it was to make you rich. What though they stripped me naked? it was to clothe you with my garments. What though I died? it was to give you life. Would you despise my humility, who only therefore admitted it, to bring you to glory? Iust cause shall they have to mourne before him, who have so ingratefully sinned against him. The covetous Churle shall mourne before that Iudge, who despised all worldly riches. The proud shall mourne before him, that was both the Teacher and Example of humilitie. The ambitious aspirer to greatnesse shall mourne before him, that refused it when it was offered him: The drunkard shall mourne before him, who to expiate his intemperance, had a draught of gall and vineger. The malitious and revengefull shall mourne before him, who did put up both contumelies and blowes with patience. Whatsoever the Iudge hath suffred in himselfe, he will commiserate in others: but what he hath ever detested to doe, he will not forbeare to punish. He will say to such as have been patiently miserable; You have been hungry, so was I: you have been persecuted, so was I: you have been scandalized, so was I: you have been killed, so was I. But to the rest; You have bin uncharitable, so was not I: you have bin proud, so was not I: you have bin rebellious, covetous, luxurious, profane, intemperate; such I never was my selfe, when I was a mortall man, such I will not pardon now I am an immortall Iudge. Most men are now rather afraid of miseries than of sinnes; yet miseries, not sinnes, shall finde pitie at the day of Iudgement.
6. The horrour of the sentence shall confound them: Depart from me, ye cursed, Mat. 25.41. into everlasting fire. Few words, but full of bitternesse. Depart from me, those are the words of separation: Ye cursed, the words of malediction: Into everlasting fire, the words of desolation: Prepared for the devill and his Angels, the words of dolefull exemplification. Depart from thee, O Christ? Why thou art all sweetnesse, all Ioy, all Peace, all Blessednesse, All in all; therefore to depart from thee, is the universall losse of all. Thou art the greatest Good, therefore to bee deprived of Thee, is the greatest evill. This Sentence is intolerable, and irrevocable. First, intolerable; Dan. 5.6. if Belshazzar was so confounded at a temporall doome, which reached but to the losse of his Life and kingdome: what is it to lose Eternall Life, and the Kingdome of Heaven? When Christ was to bee judged, Ioh. 18.6. he said but, I am he; and his apprehenders were stricken downe with the word: How shall they be able to stand before him when he comes to judge, and shall say, I am he? He, whom you have contemned, abused, persecuted, crucified, by your obstinate rebellions? How will they looke then? Loe, these are the men, that neither regarded the Lords Promises, nor trembled, at his Iudgements, Ioh. 5.27. and now they are confounded at his sentence. Secondly, it is irrevocable: here can be no appeale, for there is no higher Court. And whither should they goe to complaine? To God, whose Spirit they have grieved? To the Angels, whose Ministery they have abused? To the Saints, whose Righteous Soules they have vexed? Iob 9.33. Alas, There is no Vmpire, when God and man are at oddes. There can be no writ of errour to reverse the Iudgement: but as Isaac said of Iacob, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed: So will the Lord conclude upon the reprobates; I have cursed them, and they shall be cursed. This is a time of punishment, not of pardon. When we perswade men to worke out their Salvation, by mortifying their sensuall lusts, by abridging their voluptuous appetites, by a peremptory and resolute denying of themselves, that so they may enter into Heaven by the streight Gate; they answere us with our Masters flinching followers, Ioh. 6.60. This is a hard saying: But did they consider that finall Sentence upon the neglect of this; Goe, ye cursed, into everlasting fire; they would finde, that that were a hard saying indeed. Heb. 3.7. To day if you will heare his voice, harden not your hearts: Otherwise at that day, your hearts shall melt at the voice you would not heare. For they shal tremble at the voice of his condemnation, Bern. that have shut their eares at the voice of his exhortation.
The Vses. Matth. 8.29. 1. This convinceth all unbeliefe, all hesitation concerning the certainety of this day of Iudgement: The deuils beleeve and tremble: are there any Christians that come short of the faith of devils? They object to Christ; Art thou come to torment us before our time? There is no time wherein those evill spirits are not tormented: there is a time when they expect to be tormented yet more. They knew that the last Assises are the prefixed terme of their full execution: and this they also then understood not to be yet come. Though they knew not when the day of Iudgement should be; (a point concealed from the glorious Angels of Heaven) yet they knew when it should not be: and therefore can say, Before the time. Even the very lost spirits confesse, and fearefully attend a set day of universall Sessions: They beleeve lesse than Devils, that either doubt of, or deny that day of Iudgement and finall retribution.
2. This teacheth all men to be afraid of this day. When a King comes in State, and with royall Equipage, into a Citie of his Kingdome, there to solemnize his nuptials, or to be feasted by his Subjects; he salutes some, hee graceth others, he lookes and speakes cheerefully to all: But when he comes against a Citie of Outlawes, that have shaken off the yoke of allegiance, and fortified themselves within the wals of Rebellion; then fury sparkles from his eyes, Death and Destruction flameth from his sword. The first comming of Christ was to take a Bride, and therefore he appeared like a Bridegroome; mansuete and gracious to all; with Angels singing his nuptiall Anthemes: But his next comming will be against traitors, Ioh. 8. when his Countenance shall be as a flaming fire, and pitie shall be hid from his eyes. When the Pharises brought the adulteresse before Christ, he held his peace, but he wrote on the ground. God now is silent, and we thinke all safe: but he still writes up all our arrerages against this day of Audite. When the Law was given to Israel, Moses comforted them; Feare not, Exod. 20.20. for God is come to prove you, and that his feare may be before you. What a charge was this? Feare not, and yet feare. Indeed this glorious appearing is dreadfull, while the Lord gives his Law: but feare not this so much, as that second appearing, when he shall call for an account of this Law.
3. Let us admire that wonderfull Patience of God, that to wicked men and spirits, respites the utmost of their torment, and forbeares it to the day of Iudgement. Hee might upon the first instant of the fall of Angels, have inflicted on them the greatest extremity of his vengeance. He might upon the first sinnes of our youth, yea of our Nature, have swept us away, and given us our portion in that firy lake: he stayes a time for both. Yet so much doth his mercie exceed to us lost men, over it did to the lost Angels; that he affords us not onely a delay of punishment, but a faire conveniencie of utter prevention: which to the evill spirits is altogether denied. They doe suffer, they must suffer: and though they have now deserved to suffer all they must, yet they must once suffer more than they doe.
4. What would a man give for a sure friend at that day? One good friend is a good Conscience; and happy is hee that hath that friend in a corner: for when all the corners of the world shall be on fire, this shall stand forth to plead for him. But the best friend of all, and without whom wee can have no friend at all, is the Iudge himselfe. To make him on our side, let us now thinke no paines too great, no prayers too fervent. Let us trample under foot these sinfull vanities; and shake them off quickly, as Paul did the Viper into the fire; lest into the fire those Vipers shake us. Let us prostrate our selves before Christ in the lowest degree of sorrow and shame, with the same confusion, wherewith an adulterous wife would in her penitence present her selfe to her injured husband. Poure we out our teares at his feet, and say; Lord, though we be full of impietie, yet thou art more full of pitie: If wee confesse the one, wilt thou therefore deny the other? If our sinnes be greater than they ought, yet thy mercies are not lesser than they were wont. It could be no goodnesse in us, that procured thee to make us, but even thy love. It was no merit in us, that did winne thee to redeeme us; but even thy Mercie. Sweet Iesus, let that love which moved thee to make us, move thee also to save us: let that mercie which wonne thee to die for us, winne thee also to save our life. It is late enough, but yet not too late, to call for mercie: and why should wee languish away in silence? As it is impossible that Christ should forget the passions which he suffered; so it is not credible that he should not have compassion on us for whom he suffered.
