2 Peter 3:7 (part 1 of 2)

SAtan perswades Atheists that this world is eternall: that there is no other Heaven but what they see: and because they see not Hell, that there is none at all. Through this Imagination, they onely labour about the present, and cast off all hope or feare of the future. If they can make good to themselves their condition (and they thinke it good, if it be pleasant) in this life; for the next, it is no Article of their Creed, no Creed of their heart. Therefore they live like beasts, because they thinke they shall die like beasts; without any answer for ought they have either acted, or left undone. But the Iustice of God teacheth, that there shall bee a Day of reckoning, when all the world shall bee summoned to one universall Audite, and receive a reward according to their workes. To prove this, the Apostle argues conveniently and comparatively: God made the world by his Word, therefore by his Word hee can destroy it: and that we may be sure of his power, he hath given us an example or proofe; for hee hath destroyed it once already: and that wee should not doubt of his will, he hath said he will doe it. Qui potuit creare, non poterit cremare? His Word does all: by his Word he created it, by his Word he drowned it, by his Word hee restored it, by his Word hee preserveth it, and by his Word hee will burne it.

But the Heavens and the Earth which are now, &c.] Here, first wee must looke upon the world in the present state, wherein it is preserved: and secondly, then the future condition, to which it is reserved. In the former are two considerations. First, the composition, The Heavens and Earth that are now. Secondly, the reposition, Are kept in store by the Word. In the future state, which is the destruction of the world, we have First, the manner, By fire. Secondly, the time, At the day of judgement. To beginne with that axletree whereon the world moves.

The Word of God:] This is indeed the Will of God. At his fiat gave the world being, so his maneat gives it continuance and abiding. For as when he said, Let there be Light and a Firmament; what cares had the Light or Firmament, or any other creature, to heare his Word, if he had pronounced it? The words of the Tempter was Dic, say, command these stones to be made bread: Mal. 4.3. but what capacity had there beene in stones to heare his saying? God spake to the fish: Ion. 2.10. what intelligence had the fish to answere him? But as speech is interpreter of mans heart, signifying his secret purposes: so the Lord hath some way, (which, is easie for him to doe, not for us to conceive) whereby he imparteth to insensible creatures what his pleasure is. Speech is not of Gods nature, but an action of his will: and hee that goes without feet, seeth without eyes, reacheth without hands, so also speaketh without a tongue.

Observe we here, what a Divinity there is in the Word of God; how imperious to command, how omnipotent to prevaile. One fiat is enough to make that which never was before, or to shape that which otherwise had lyen in everlasting informity: to establish nature where it is not, or to change nature where it is: to create Angels, Men, Birds, Beasts, Fishes: to store Heaven, Earth, and the deepe with innumerable armies of creatures; and to make them bow their knees to their maker, Mat. 8.8. and render unlimited obedience to all his decrees. The beleeving Centurion, in a suite that dearely affected him, desires not the travell of his feet, nor any receipt of Physicke to heale his servant; no not so much as the imposition of his hand, which some had requested; nor comming under the roofe of his house; Mat 4.4. but onely a word from his lippes: Dic verbum, speake the word onely, and my servant shall be whole. Man neither liveth by bread, nor recovereth by physicke, Mat. 8.2. but by the Word of Gods providence. Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me cleane: Origen. voluntas tua opus est: thy will is thy worke. I will, bee thou cleane: as if with the breath of his mouth, he had spoken to the Leprosie, Bee gone: as hee afterward spake to the Divells, Bee packing; and they went with a vengeance, as if a whirle winde had driven them. He rebuked the windes and the seas, with farre more authority than Peter did Ananias, and with the like successe: for he smote the breath from the windes, and the motion from the sea. They not onely heare him, but heare him with effect: they goe, and run, and stand still, like dutifull servants at his bidding, and live and die at his command.

God hath one voyce that is of a sensible sound indeed; smiting the eares and hearts both of men and beasts with astonishment. It maketh the Cedars, and breaketh the Cedars, Psal. 29.4. formeth and quencheth the flames of fire, planteth and supplanteth Forrests, absolveth and dissolveth the World at his pleasure. O ye obsequious Heavens and Earth, how doe you convince rebellious man? Heare O Heavens, Esa. 1.2. Mic. 6.2. and give eare O Earth: and Heare O ye Mountaines! The Lords controversie. The Sunne stands still, the Earth cleaves and opens her jawes, Rivers run backe, Lions forbeare their prey, all at the Word of God, and yet man refuseth to obey it. There be some indeed that will give it the hearing; as a man sees a remote object by his opticke instrument, yet it is not his: so many come to Church, as if they meant to learne the way, and know the Will of God; and so they leave it. Our fathers were more devout than we; for they did what they heard, though it were but the device of man: wee heare and doe not, though it be the Word of God. They had base metalls, but good manners: we have base manners with our good metalls. They had their coyne of brasse, and men of gold: we have coine of gold, and men of brasse, or lead, or if there be a courser metall. The abundant waters of the sanctuary have bred two diseases; Curiosity, and Satiety. Wee are full of honey, and will not heare much: and what does not humour us, wee will not heare at all. Indeed Schismaticall Teachers have alwayes the most busie swarmes of hearers: so they make the people Ideots, that the people may make them Idols: and we truly say of them, as of Idols; Qui colit, ille facit. But it is not fit that we should leave the Word of God, and listen to fables; Act. 6.2. as the Apostle said, It is not reason wee should leave preaching and serve tables. Let us keepe the Word, for the Word doth keepe us: yea, as it keeps Heaven and Earth in store; so it keepes us on Earth, in store for Heaven, that wee may be eternally blessed.

This is not onely a creating, but a preserving word: such a one as reserves Heaven and Earth in store, as if it laid them up in a Treasury: till the great Emperour of the world, who is his owne Lord Treasurer, calls them forth to further use. The Peripatetickes housed the Divine providence above the Moone; allowing it no descent beneath that Circle, to intend inferiour businesses. The Epicures, by the Relation of Eliphaz, say no lesse. How can God know? Can he judge through the darke Cloud? He walketh in the Circle of Heaven. Iob 22.13. Averroes the Spanish Physician, thinkes that vilesceret Dei intellectus, if he should minde these lower things. But the Glasse is not deformed, because it represents deformities: nor is the Sunne defiled by reflecting upon dunghils; nor the Divine Providence vilified by ordering the most contemptible things. His Creation is their Mother, his Providence their Nurse: the one brings them forth, the other brings them up: the one set up the frame of Heaven and Earth, the other keepes it in reparation. That he is the God of the Mountaines, not of the Vallies, was a Syrian dreame: that he looketh to the greater, and scorneth the smaller employments; is a blasphemous assertion. No, his Providence extends to the feeding of Ravens, to the falling of Sparrowes, numbring of Haires, and casting of Lots. Saul is appointed to the Kingdome of Israel by God, 1 Sam. 10.21. and annointed by the Prophet; yet still hee must bee designed by Lot: was nor this to leave a certainety, and put it to hazzard? No, for of all the Tribes Benjamin is taken: of all the families of Benjamin, Matri: of all the kindreds of Matri, the house of Cis: of all the house of Cis, Saul is chosen to bee King. Saul had hidden himselfe; yet he could not hope that this subducing should disappoint the purpose of God. He that designed his name among the thousands of Israel, (hee might well thinke) could easily finde out his person in a Tent, and bring him forth to honour.

As the same Word of God that made the Angels, made also the little Wormes: so the same Word againe that preserves the starres in heaven, preserves also the very dusts of the earth. Nec laborat in maximis, nec fastidit in minimis. The moving of all those glorious Orbes is no more to him, than the setting of a flie upon her wings. The whole world is but a Ball in his hand, which he turnes about at his pleasure: and when hee will, he can throw it into the fire. He keepes them in store: without his Providence they could not subsist, not stand a day; but fall like an Infant, when the Nurse puts it from her bosome. Indeed hee does thesaurizare, sed ad ignem; treasure them up, but for the fire: as the wicked doe reponere thesaurum, sed in vindictam, Rom. 2.5. treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. But till that appointed day, hee does conserve them in their pristine state: and though our intolerable sinnes would soone ruinate the world, yet for the Elects sake the time is prolonged, and for the Elects sake the dayes shall be shortened. As a Monarch sustaines even a citie of rebels for a time, which otherwise would perish; but at last sets it on fire. Well yet, to that day it is laid up as a Treasure: now if God be so provident over heaven and earth, what is his respectfulnesse of man for whom he made them? He that is so rich in goodnesse, and in the communication of that goodnesse, as to feed the Birds, Matth. 6.30. and cloth the Lilies; will he neglect us and ours? We and our Children are the houshold of God: and will not that great Master and Father of the whole family in heaven and earth, provide for us? If a man provide not for his owne, hee hath denied the Faith, and is worse than an Infidell. 1 Tim. 5.8. We are certainely more precious than Fowles or Flowers, yet the Lord cares for them. Will the housholder take care to water the herbes of his garden, or to fodder his cattle; and suffer his men and maides to famish through hunger and thirst? Or will hee provide for his men and maides, and let his owne children starve? I know there is a double difference, between his keeping of heaven and earth, and his provision for us.

1. They are insensible things, and obey onely by naturall instinct; as wee move a stone, which otherwise would lie still. We have life, sense, reason, and naturall abilities, to worke together with his Providence. Therefore he enjoynes us meanes, and would not that the workes of his wisedome should be idle. Wisd. 14.5. He can save without meanes, but he hath told no man that he will: he hath told every man, that (ordinarily) he will not. When the Centurion beleeved the Master of the ship more than Saint Paul, they were all exposed to a great danger: that was a preferring of the meanes before the Authour of the meanes. Act. 27.11. But as it is little short of Atheisme, to use God onely for a shift, and at second hand, when our owne powers faile: so it is no lesse than sluggishnesse to thrust all our businesse wholly upon him: as if we were masters, and might sit idle; whiles he like a servant, must doe all our workes for us. Wee must not looke to be fed as the young Ravens, without sowing: nor to bee clothed as the Lilies, without spinning. God works upon the Clouds, and we must worke upon the clods; or expect no fruits.

2. They are stored up for destruction, God hath set us apart for Salvation. Indeed the heavens and earth shall passe through a refining by fire to their originall puritie; and wee must passe through death, our changing, to the perfect Glory. Now, he that is the keeper of these, is much more the Preserver of man. When we were inclosed in the wombe, he tooke care that wee should not be stifled in darknesse, nor borne an abortive and untimely fruit: hee planted love in our parents hearts to provide for us, milk in our mothers brests to nourish us, strength in their armes to beare us, and vigilancie in their eyes to watch us. He gave them eares willing to heare our cries, compassionate hearts to pitie our wants, providence to lay up portions for us. Hee made this great House for man; Heaven for his Parlour, the Aire for his Hall, the Earth for his Kitchin, furnished with all necessary Viands; and the Sea for a Cisterne to serve it with water, not without Fire for a Chimney, and the Sunne for a window. Thus was man priùs ornatus, quàm natus: cui Deus benefecit, antequam fecisset. For if God had given him life, before hee provided him living, hee had entred upon want; and this stood not with the riches of his Maker. If he had given him life and living, without comfort and happinesse in them, he had fallen upon misery, and that did not become his Creators mercy. Therefore in those sixe dayes did hee make a Magazin of provision for him, that should last to the end of the world. And for this purpose he useth these Creatures; Quasi imperans, non quasi mendicans. Hee imployeth these instruments, non indigentiae, sed indulgentiae causâ. The very haires of our heads are all numbred: Mat. 10.30. The least things that concerne man. Things that be numbred, are therefore numbred, that none of them should be lost. Hee saies not, They shall be numbred; but They are, long agoe: not some of them, but All: not covered, but numbred: not the dayes of our life, but the haires of our head: if a haire doe grow on our head, it is the Gift of God; or if a haire fall from our head, it is the will of God. Now he that numbers our haires, what account doth he make of our soules? Illi sollicitiserant de animabus, Christ secures them de capillis. Thus hath he stored up heaven and earth, but their end is to be burned: hee hath treasured up us for a better heaven, wherein we shall be blessed.

To borow an application from the Metaphor, which is τεθησαυρισμένοι: the Apostle speaks of a Treasurie; let us all be treasurers; not of gold, or Iewels, or riches: these shall perish with the world, because they be laid up in the world, and belong to the world. Death like a severe Porter, shall examine all men at the gate, as they goe out of the world, and not suffer them to carry one peny along with them: nothing they brought in, and they shall carry out nothing. The Spaniards never so narrowly examined the poore Moores, when they drove them out of their Kingdom. Nabal of his three thousand sheep which he shore in Carmel, could not beare one lock of wooll with him to the grave: nor the rich man out of his enlarged barnes, Luk. 12.20. one straw toward the making up of his pallet: nor the other Churle, out of all his Cellars & Fountains, one drop of water to coole his tongue: nor Craesus, out of his abundant treasury, one broken fragment of coine, not an end of gold or silver. Wealth is but like unto words; by imposition, not naturall: for commodities are but as they are commonly valued: and in the next life they beare no value at all. The space of humane life how short soever, is the utmost extent of the use of worldly riches. As all Principalities have their limits, and kings are but chiefe in their owne Dominions: so Pecunia, the worlds Queene (I meane, that worlds, whereof the Divell is king) extends her regiment but to the brim of the Grave, and is not currant one step further. Or if it had any validitie afterward, yet it might not be suffered to passe: men may beguile the Law that forbids them to carry coine out of the kingdome; but God will admit none with coine into his Kingdome. Well then, there is another Treasure, which we may carry with us, and bee welcome: of this death cannot hinder us, and with this Angels shall receive us. Good workes are a Treasure, and they doe follow us. Good Praiers are a treasure, and they goe before us. Good Faith and Hope are a treasure, and they goe with us. Workes follow; Revel. 14.13. Blessed are they that die in the Lord, for their workes follow them. Praiers precede, Act. 7.59. Lord Iesus receive my spirit: Act. 10.4. Thy Prayers are come up for a memoriall before God. Faith does accompany, Luk. 23.43. To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. The Graces of God are called Talents; if wee improve them to his use, wee make them our treasure. If a Traveller beare treasure in bullion, or in a wedge of gold, and have none coined into currant monies, his treasure will not defray his charges, as he goes. All our knowledge, and whatsoever ability, is Gods Gift; and that Gift is treasure in the Nature of it: but it is not currant money in the use of it, except we get neerer and neerer to heaven, our home by it. Good workes are the improvement of Grace, and that is the treasure which will passe currant in heaven: For God will reward us according to our workes. Phil. 3.20. Our Conversation is in heaven: it is there already to entertaine us when wee come. Matth. 6.20. Lay up for your selves Treasure in Heaven: this is a treasure, which when the earth is on fire, shall not bee burnt with it: for that fire shall but consume the Elements; but this is above the Sunne and starres, in the Repository of Blessednesse, the gracious hand of IESVS CHRIST.

But the heavens and the earth which are now, &c.] Weake Philosophers easily become wicked Atheists: If the Scripture doe not in all circumstances jumpe with their Plato and Aristotle, they will beleeve Aristotle and Plato against the Scriptures. It is the madnesse of vaine man, by his owne line, to measure the workes of God: as if a blinde man should not beleeve there is a Sunne, because he cannot see it. Out of this blacke and tetricall vault, the Divell breathes forth those pestilent dampes; quarrels and wranglings against the Divine truth. As, How could the world bee destroyed with water? Grant that the earth was overwhelmed, yet what is this to the world? The heavens remained still untouched. Yet even their owne philosophie might teach them to distinguish of the heavens. There is an airy heaven, as well as the starry: and so farre this deluge might well extend. For the earth, it was not only at the first covered with water, but with water it is still cimented. And the aire doth challenge the name of heaven: so God is said to Psal. 147.8. Cover heaven with Clouds, and Psalm. 18.13. to thunder out of heaven: and the Cataracts of heaven were opened, when the Clouds poured downe, whilst all the winged inhabitants of the aire, and mortall dwellers upon the earth (saving those in the Arke) perished; what, can they say, became of the world?

Some would have the water, a kinde of Principium from which other things were derived; and observe it from the very Etymologie of Aqua, à qua sunt omnia. Rev. 17.15. People and Multitudes are called by the name of waters. The Primum mobile, which they call the Chrystaline heaven, appeares, either as if water were congealed into Chrystall; or through the diaphanous transparencie of it, did represent Water as cleare as Chrystall. The Blessednesse of Heaven is called, a Rev. 22.1. Pure River of Water of Life, cleare as Chrystall. Such is the excellencie of Water, and necessarie Concurrence to all Elementarie things: Yet was this Gods Instrument to destroy the world. What force is there then in Nature, to cherish and conserve the world, when the seed and matter of it owne destruction is wrapped up in it? That which cannot stand by the owne power, must be upheld by anothers; and must it not then needs fall; when the Supporter lets goe his manutenencie? Now what perpetuitie, O Atheist, canst thou finde in that whole, whose parts are so flexible.

1. The heavens and the earth.] The earth is indeed a muddy, sordid, and feculent place, the receptacle of all corruption: well may that perish. But the heavens are pure, bright, ceruleous, sublime, and refulgent; why should so glorious and magnificent a Machine suffer? The earth is but the Nurse of our mortall bodies while they live, and their grave when we die: when there is no more use of her office in that ministration, let her be dissolved. But heaven is full of beautie and solace; and though we shall dwell farre above these airy or starry regions; yet it cannot but be some delight to looke downe upon these inferiour objects; and to see that become now our pavement, which was once our seeling. Though the Presence-chamber of the King be most stately and sumptuous; yet his Courtiers disdaine not to looke into the publike hall. Why then should the heavens, so rich and illustrious a Creature, be exposed to this last fire.

Yes, for whatsoever was created for man, was infected by the sinne of man: and it is necessary, that this conflagration should reach as farre, as did the former corruption. The heavens, Sunne, Moone, and starres, though they did not fall under so deepe a curse as the earth, yet were all blemished with mans fall. Even these must also bee purged; and the meanes by which God will reduce them to their originall integritie, is by fire: It is not then pitie that this goodly frame should be dissolved; whether we respect the Maker, the creatures, or men for whom they were created. For God; he was dishonoured in their contamination; therefore it is fit he should be honoured in their repurgation. That infinite Majestie, who is Purenesse it selfe, will not suffer the least out-roome belonging to his Palace or universall Court, to remaine unclensed. For themselves, this losse shall redound to their gaine: for there shall not be an abolition, but a restitution of them: Nothing shall they lose, but what they may well spare: that substance and perfection which they received from their Creator shall abide: onely the defects and blemishes which they had from us, shall be done away. Wee intend not the perishing of our Ore, when wee refine the Gold from the drosse. In respect of men, they may well vanish: for the good have a better place, and the wicked deserve a worse. These latter are but rebels, and therefore must be laid up in prison, or the place of execution: the other are Gods loyall Subjects, and shall dwell with him in peace for ever.

The Vse. Seeing that sinne had so contagious an extent, as to reach unto the very Heavens; well should the remorse of it reach unto the bottome of our hearts. Whither can wee turne our eyes, and not read the Characters of our owne transgressions? If we looke downewards, we read them in the barren and cursed earth: every Thistle may sting us, Gen. 3.18. and every Thorne bee a pricke to our consciences: Praesentémque refert tibi quilibet herba reatum. If we looke inwards, there we finde a depraved soule, a mortalized body: every errour and distemper in either of them, may well represent unto us the force of this fatall infection. If we looke outwards; the creatures groane under the burden of our vanity, they labour to shake off the yoke of servitude; and tell us to our faces, wee are their bloody and cruell masters. If wee looke upwards, the Sunne blusheth at our impiety, the Moone lookes pale with feare of our imminent vengeance: the Aire is troubled with our murmurings and blasphemies. They are sacrilegious fooles, that offer to reade mens destinies in the starres: but they are ignorant and carelesse soules, that doe not reade their owne iniquities in the starres. That were a strange pestilence, which could send the infection to a remote country, over the seas: but there is no plague so malignant as sinne; that could disperse the contagion through the vast Aire, make it pierce through the Clouds, and sticke pestilentiall spots upon the very Heavens. The Heavens doe not more send downe their kindely influence to the earth, than the earth doth send up her unthankfull corruption to the Heavens. The sonne hath just cause to lament his fathers treason, when he lookes upon the ruines of that goodly Mannor, wherein he dwelt, and whereof he is disinherited. Let us cast our eyes which way we will, we cannot but behold the lothesome markes of our sinnes. Well may we say with David, My sinne is ever before me: Psalm. 51.3. that leafe of the Booke was alwaies open. Wee may give it a kinde of ubiquity or infinitenesse, as that royall Prophet ascribes to God: Whither shall we flie from the presence of sinne? Psalm. 139.6. If we should compasse the Earth, in every nooke and corner of it we finde sinne: not our fields and houses, our beds and boords, scarce our Temples, are without sinne. In our walkes, sinne meets us: if we dig, wee turne up sinne. When wee view the desolate footsteps of warre, wee say, The enemy hath beene here: no lesse may wee say of every foot of ground wee tread upon, Here hath been sinne. If we flie on the wings of the morning to the uttermost seas, wee descry sinnes in greater multitudes, than either fishes in the Maine, or sands on the shore. In the day we see Clouds of sinnes, In the darkenesse wee stumble upon sinne. If wee could ascend up into Heaven, there we behold the deare Sonne of God that dyed for our sinne: Could we looke into Hell, there be millions tormented for sinne. Sinne hath possessed our reines, and covered us in our mothers wombes. There is not a point of the compasse to which wee can turne our faces, but our sinne is ever before us. Shall the Hypocrite hide his sinnes, as Rachel sate upon her fathers Idols? Alas, Heaven and Earth shall discover them, in their contracted staines. But what should wee doe to clense them from this pollution? The Heavens are high; what instruments of man can reach them?

Yes, we have two helpes, whereby we may doe somewhat towards the purging of the Heavens. Both the breath of our faithfull praiers, and the deaw of our penitent teares, hath a clensing quality. Elias opened Heaven by his praier, and by his prayer David purged the same Heaven from that infection: The praiers of the Saints are sweet odours and Incense, perfuming Heaven and Earth. Let them rise up like pillars of smoke, and mountaines of Myrrh; till they passe through the Clouds, the airy regions, the Sun and Starres, and present themselves before the gracious Throne of Iesus Christ. The sighes of a broken heart are like pleasant suffumigations from the hils of spices. Our teares have no lesse vertue: and against the force the course of nature, they rise upwards, and besprinckle Heaven it selfe. Mary stooped downe when she wept, Luk. 7.38. because Heaven was then upon earth: the drops of our contrition mount aloft, because earth is now in Heaven: even Christ, whose body was made of earth, in the glory of his Father. This happy moisture, if it cannot purifie the Heavens, yet can wash our soules; so that Heaven will not disdaine to receive us. Our teares are the Sea, a good Conscience the Vessell, Faith the Winde, Charity the Sailes, and good Works the Oares whereby wee saile unto Blessednesse. The Israelites went about by the drie wildernesse, yet they must crosse Iordan, before they enter into Canaan: certainely, our shortest cut to Heaven is by water; I meane, by our teares. Yet still so farre is the sickenesse of the world, taken by our sinne, beyond any Physicke that we can minister to it; that nothing but the extreme fire shall bee able to purge it.

2. The Heavens and the Earth:] Why not the Water also? Shall that escape onely in this universall confusion? Shall the water bee too hard for the fire? Or shall that flame only worke upon the Earth with her fruits, upon the Heaven with his Elements, and not upon the Sea with his flouds? Yes, Etiam in aquam grassabitur ignis. As when the Angell powred out his viall upon the great River, 〈◊〉 6.12. Euphrates, the water thereof was dried up: Or, as the fire that came downe from Heaven, •ng 18 38. at Eliah’s sacrifice, licked up the water that was in the trenches: so this supernaturall fire shall consume the vast Ocean; and his deepe bottome shall bee but the great harth of a chimney for this generall combustion. The Apostle mentions not the water, as being comprehended under the termes of Heaven and Earth: and this burning shall bee more conspicuous in the Aire and Earth, than in the water.

The Vse. Seeing the Earth shall be dissolved, Why doe we seeke so greedily to ramme and cramme our desires with it? Worldlings thinke that their houses shall continue for ever, Psal. 49.11. and their dwelling places to all generations, and therefore call their lands after their owne names: They doe but thinke so: alas, when the Earth perisheth, What will become of their habitations? Doth Peter talke of Tabernacles on Mount Tabor; the glory whereof was scarce to last an houre? A weake old man leaning upon his weaker staffe, does not trust his whole weight upon it, lest it mocke his vaine confidence with a fall. Miserable is that soules condition that rests upon this worlds supportation. When we would disperse a swarme of Bees, we throw up dust amongst them: all the imaginations of politicke worldlings are scattered abroad and extinct with a handfull of dust: the grave shall afford them Earth enough. Aelian. Apoph. l. 12. Isocrates compared Athens to a faire Curtesan, with whose beautie every man was taken: they would all know her as a Mistresse, but not one of them would accept her for his wife: They would faine injoy her beautie, but not be clogg’d with her levitie. Every man thought himselfe too good to bee her husband; to bee her Paramour, none was good enough. Wherein hee taxed the inconstancie of that famous Citie; which having lifted men up to the highest pitch of honour, would instantly hurle them downe againe to the depth of ignominie. Such a whore is the world: we are caught with her painted fairenesse, and long to lie with her: but wee know her false-heartednesse, and count him a foole that marries her. Do we see a covetous Earth-worme, denying cherishment to the poore, to his familie, to his owne bowels, to his owne soule? there is a foole married to a whore. Doe wee see another swolne with the Dropsie of ambition, doting more on popular honour, than on vertue and goodnesse? there is a foole married to a whore. Act. 25.23. Agrippa came into the Iudgement seat, with great pompe: the Greeke is, with great fantasie: all the pompe of the earth is but a meere fansie. A Philosopher said, that Athens was a pleasant Citie to travell thorow, but not safe to dwell in. We may make some use of this world in our journey or pilgrimage; but if wee purpose to inhabite here, death and fire will say No to that. We shall at last thinke of this world, as that Harbinger answered a noble man complaining that he was lodged in so homely a roome: You will take pleasure in it, when you are out of it: The remembrance of those troublesome vanities shall not a little adde to the felicitie of our peace in heaven: Olim haec meminisse juvabit. Socrates was wont to observe, that the argument of Tragedies was the death of Tyrants and bloody Princes: and that none of the Poets ever presented a hogge to bee slaughtered on the stage: common persons are not noted; but the fall of Princes is humanae gloria ludibrium, the mockery of all mortall glory. Lysimachus noting what power Lamia the Curtesan had with Demetrius King of Macedon, and that by her instigation he did many unjust and cruell acts; said, That it was the first time, that ever he knew a whore play in a Tragedie. But as a whore is the tragedie of the world, so the world it selfe is a whore in all the tragedies of the sonnes of men. Ecc. 40.13. The goods of the unjust shall vanish with a noise, like a great thunder in raine. The aire is troubled, lightenings flie about, the thunders rend the clouds; and now every man leaves the field, and seekes for shelter: but when the storme is over, what remaines of all this terrour, but a little dirt composed of earth and raine, which men tread under their feet? Great and rich men make such a noise in the world: what with the bravery of their followers, the acclamation of their flatterers, the adherence of their confederates, and the imperiousnesse of their humours, they keepe such a thundring, as if they would confound nature it selfe: Tarry but a little, and death comes downe upon them in a showre: then all this noise is husht, and their glory turned into dirt. O then Lay not up treasures for your selves upon earth: Matth. 6.19. You may lay up for your children; that is providence: you may lay up for the poore; that is charitie: but lay not up for your selves, for that is a vaine confidence. Why should wee love a sluttish and vanishing earth, that have an eternall heaven prepared for us by Iesus Christ?

3. The heavens and the earth.] Why not the highest Heaven? why not hell also? No, for the sinne of man never reached so high as heaven. The Angels indeed fell there, and fell from thence: but mans sinne extended not so farre. The Court and Throne of God is pure, and needes no purging. And for hell, there is fire enough already; a tormenting flame, never to be put out with any inundation of teares. Both these places are to remaine for everlasting, without any change. This fire shall onely worke upon mortalitie and corruption; upon heaven and earth, with all things contained in them, saving onely those, which God hath redeemed with the blood of his owne Sonne.

Seeing this world shall passe away, but Hell abides for ever, The Vse. it is a mad improvidence, of all places, not to take heed of that. Could our miserie last so long as our life, and our life so long as the world, yet all were terminable in time: but what shall put an end to Eternitie? The longest life must die: the Stag fals, the Raven vanisheth, the Oake withers; and could a man reach to the yeeres of Methusalah, yet he must yeeld to the necessitie of Nature: yea, Nature it selfe is subject to a finall change: time shall abolish all, and this last fire shall abolish time: But hell is an ever-dying life, an ever-living death. If there might be any end of those torments, though after so many millions of yeeres, as there are drops in the Sea, or dusts upon earth, or as there have been moments of time since time began; it would be some comfort to the damned: But eternitie is intolerable, infinite eternitie breakes their hearts. Indeed, Eternitie is the very hell of hell. If those punishments were no greater than the stinging of Ants, yet eternitie is enough to make them intolerable. The present sense of their paine is grievous; but the endlesnesse of it is their desperation: to thinke that after so infinite a space, they shall bee as farre from either end or ease, as they were the first day of their beginning! There is no calamitie in this life, but either reason, or time, or hope of end may qualifie it: but all comfort is excluded, where the suffering can never be concluded. What shall we call it? Life? why then does it kill? Death? why then does it not kill? There is neither life nor death, but hath some good in it: for in life there is some ease, and in death an end: but hell hath neither end nor ease. Of death it hath the torment, without any end: of life it hath the continuance, without any ease. All that is good, whether in life or death, God hath taken away: the residue he hath mixed together, and thereof composed that fearefull cup of vengeance. Yet alas, many men so live as if they were never to die, and so die as if they were never to live againe. O sinner, thy life is short, the worlds is not long, but hell is eternall: of whose torments there is no cessation, and from which there is no redemption. Thou canst not have a Redeemer in hell, One thou maist have upon earth: make him thine owne while thou livest, that thou maist escape that dismall place when thou diest.

Againe, seeing these lower heavens must vanish, but there is a Heaven of eternall joy, unto which corruption never could, never shall extend; why doe wee not unite all our powers to the attainement of it? who would builde upon a quagmire, that might build upon Marble or Chrystall? Or place his hopes in a Region destined to fire, that might have an inheritance above the danger of mutabilitie? If the joyes of this world were durable, yet are they not perfectly pleasant: if they could be truly pleasant, yet they cannot be durable still, duration is the accomplishment, whether of pleasure or paine. The perpetuitie of that heavenly Crowne is the Crowne of assurance. The infinitenesse of that Glory were not enough to make us happy, without the Everlastingnesse: For the more sweet it is to be enjoyed, the more grievous it would be to be determined. The very thought of ending, would abate the comfort of possessing. But eternitie does not adde more continuance, than contentment to this happinesse. What can we finde in this life, but wanting and wishing; from whence arise those two tortures of the minde, hope and feare? We rejoyce in health; an Ague shakes us: in honour; an affront crosseth us: in riches; a night robs us: in friends; a trifle bereaves us: in peace; a rumour disquiets us: in the Sunne; a cloud debarres us: in the favour of Princes, a frowne dejects us: in long life, and death a thousand wayes disappoints us. O vaine soule, to fixe upon that, which is subject to man, which is subject to death, which is subject to time, which is subject to the last fire! The earth is harrowed with war, countries over-flowne with water, cities demolished with fire, the sea enraged with stormes, the clouds hurried with windes, the aire troubled with thunders: none of all these come neere heaven. There is no noise, but the songs of Saints and Angels, but the shouts of praises; nothing but tranquilitie and eternall Comfort within those blessed doores. There, O Christ, establish us in thy rest for ever.

4. The heavens and the earth that are now.] Now, why, are they not the same that they were before? Is there another heaven, another earth, than those that God made at the first? No new creation hath abrogated the old: I doe not thinke, there was a mountaine lost upon earth, much lesse a starre in heaven, by the deluge. The Orbes keepe their courses, the Starres their motions, the Sunne knowes his rising, Psalm. 119.91. and the Moone her going downe: They all continue this day according to thine Ordinances, vers. 90. for all are thy Servants. The earth retaines her stedfastnesse, because thou hast established it: One generation passeth, and another commeth, Eccles. 1.4. but the earth abideth for ever. When God promised the seasonable vicissitude of cold and heat, Gen. 8.22. Winter and Summer, Seed-time and Harvest, day and night, after the Flood; this was no new thing; but onely that hee had ordained from the beginning, and which had beene suspended during that great Inundation. Why then doth the Apostle seeme to make a difference between the former heaven and earth, and the present? I answer, that he does not ascribe to the world another being, but another condition: nor does hee intend to oppose substances (there being an Identitie) but the severall states of the same substances. The world then perished by water, now it shall be dissolved with fire: here is no opposition betweene world and world, but betweene destruction and destruction.

The Conclusion we may gather from it, is this; The world is not eternall, because is hath suffered, and is still subjected to ruine. All Creatures are of their owne Nature prone to decay; whatsoever was made of nothing, may be reduced unto nothing. Not the soules of men, not the Angels of heaven are exempted; they all move upon the same poles, they bend to the same Center. And if they were not made immortall by preservation, their Nature could not keepe them from sinking to annihilation. Onely that is Eccentrique, which was never made: that light, which is the very emanation of the light of God, in which the Saints shall dwell; that Garment, with which they shall be apparell’d; that glory, which wee can imagine, but not demonstrate: onely that bends not to this Center, Ruine. That which was not made of nothing, is not in possibilitie of annihilation. All other things are concentrique: there is one common Center to them all; Decay and Ruine. The heavens containe the earth, the earth containes cities, cities containe men: this is Natures nest of boxes; and they are flexible to fate, made to bee changed, and there is a time appointed for their permutation.

Seeing the world goes round, and all things it containes, The Vse. follow that circular and changeable condition, Why are wee inamour’d of it? It is but like a bullet shot from a Piece of Ordinance; that runs and danceth on the ground; which when the ignorant Souldier thinkes to take up with his hands, it knockes out his braines. The best of it, is but vanity; the worst, vexation. The very pleasures of it are as a smoky fire in cold weather, whereof the smoke is more noisome than the heat is comfortable. If he that built thy house, should come againe after divers yeares, and upon a review of it, assure thee that it will suddainely fall, would’st thou not depart from it, to save thine owne life? Behold, he that made the world, and is best able to survey the present state of his owne workmanship, forewarnes us of the imminent ruine: are wee so stupid, that for love of these forbidden vanities, wee will suffer it to fall upon our heads? Hee loves Gold dearely, that will runne into a roome on fire, to fetch it out. What is there in the world, whose center is not Decay? Take the pride of it, which is Greatnesse; the Preheminence of man over men. What can be wanting to a Prince, which the earth may afford? The confluence of all pleasures, of all riches, waits upon the hand of Soveraignty. Yet alas, what stability is there in earthly greatnesse? Dionysius the second was Lord of foure hundred shippes, had an Army of an hundred thousand foot, and nine thousand Horse, Aelian. var. Hist. besides the richest Magazine or Penuary of any Prince in the world; yet he lived to see himselfe dethroned, his sonnes cruelly butchered, his daughters first ravished, and then massacred, all his Allies one way or another destroyed. How mighty was the honour of Haman in the Persian Court; What could not hee doe with the King, with the State? When the Sunne shines upon the Dyall, every Passenger will be looking at it. There needs no command of reverence, where the King is pleased to countenance. All knees will bow alone even to forbidden Idols of honour: How much more where royall authority enjoynes obeisance? Yet is this lofty man advanced fifty foot higher; and (which aggravates the vexation) is hanged on his owne Galhouse. One houre hath changed the face of the Persian Court: and hee, to whom all knees bowed in the morning, as more than a man; now hangs up like a despised Vermine, for a prey to the Ravens. Mordecai, that was in the morning destined to the Galhouse, before night rules over Princes: and Haman, that in the morning ruled over Princes, is a spectacle of shame on the Galhouse. Oh the vanity of worldly honour, that mistresse of fooles and mad men! Haman was not the first that fell from such an height, nor is the last. Many an one hath sped no otherwise; to borrow the (not common) words of an English Poet: —Having done what he can To worke himselfe into a glorious man: All’s but an exhalation to best eyes: The matter spent, and then the fooles fire dies. A Gallant goes to some publike Duell or tourneament, accompanied with musike, many friends, and encouragements: But when he is beaten and wounded by the adversary champion, home he returnes solitary and forsaken, in shame and silence. When the May-pole is first set up, there is dancing, and shouting, and rejoycing about it: after a while, boyes defile it; and when it is blowne downe with the winde, they cast it into the fire, and burne it. The world goes round, and all things in it, follow the same motion: At first it was in the hands of plaine dealing Labourers and Husbandmen: then was it seized on by tyrants and men of might: From them it was devolved into the dition of Princes: Souldiers and Warriers then invaded it, and it was usurped by Emperors: Indulgent Emperours resigned it into the fingers of Church-men, the Popes chalenge it: Now the greater part of it is fallen into the clutches of Lawyers; and who shall get it from them againe, is yet uncertaine: but round it must goe; this is certaine. The Sunne doth not more duely run his course, than doe all things under the Sunne. The conditions of men are but as the Spokes of a Wheele; which sometime turnes up Prince, and sometime Peasant; now Wise man, and then Foole; to day Rich man, to morrow Beggar. Still it goes round, and changeth, and wee change with it; untill that universall change of all things shall determine it, in the great Day of Iesus Christ.

Are kept in store: Ad verbum, Are treasured up. The Word of God is a kinde of Treasury, out of which Hee bringeth all his Workes. Hee bringeth the Wind out of his Treasuries. Psalm. 135.7. Ier. 10.13. Deut. 28.12. Iob 38.22. Eccles. 43.14. He laieth up the Depth in Storehouses. The Lord shall open to thee his good Treasure, the Heaven to give thee Raine. Hast thou entred into the Treasures of the Snow? Or seene the Treasure of the Haile? Through his Commandement the Treasures are opened, and Cloudes flee forth as Fowles. The Windes, the Clouds, Snow, Haile Raine, Lightning and Thunder; all passe under the name of his Treasure. Even his very Iudgements are his Treasure: Saint Paul cals his Patience and Goodnesse, His Riches: Rom. 2.4, 5. and those punishments wherewith Hee scourgeth the wicked, His Treasure: for they treasure up wrath unto themselves. And although his Riches bee greater, than his Treasure, and Hee delighteth in Mercy more than in vengeance: yet properly a mans treasure is the best part of his riches. If men despise his Riches, He will open his Treasury: for Hee that is rich in Mercy, is not poore in Iustice; both being infinite in that infinite Essence. Men commit sinnes by peeces and snatches, like broken fragments of coine: God gathers all these together, Deut. 32.34. laies them up in store, and seales them up among his Treasures. Mala quae facit bomo, August. in Psalm. 49. Lorin. in Loc. servat ei Deus, depromenda in tempore suo. Ditescimus bonis Divinis, & Deus quodammodò ditescit peccatis nostris: the Mercie of God makes us rich with his blessings, and wee (after a sort) make the Iustice of God rich with our sinnes.

Seeing that for the sinnes of men, the Heavens are treasured up unto fire, and even those sinnes be also a kinde of treasure, The Vse. enriching God with fit matter for the execution of his Iustice; let us all breake them off by a seasonable repentance. Iam. 5.3. Many men make a cursed treasure: as the Apostle chargeth rich worldlings; that they hoord up wrath with their wealth, and paine in the midst of their coine: This last fire shall melt their coine, and consume their wealth: but their sinne and their paine remaines treasured up for ever. Why should a man desire to bee rich in woes, or to abound with torments? No man ever counted dirt a treasure: Is there any mire so filthy as sinne? Are we so foolish, to make much of that, which procures destruction? Wee thinke sinne a pleasure, and sorrow a troublesome copesmate: indeed Sorrow is no good Fellow, no boon Companion, therefore few desire to meddle with it. But at the last, wee shall finde our sinnes the greatest troubles, vexing our soules, and gnawing our consciences: but our teares and sorrowes are such a treasure laid up in the storehouse of Mercy, that we shall be infinitely rich in comfort and glory.

Reserved unto fire.] The various questions concerning this conflagration of the world, wherewith the Schoolemen have troubled their owne heads, but not satisfied others, I omit as impertinent and unprofitable. Onely concerning the power of fire something would be said. Even naturall fire workes ad ultimam potentiam, so long as the matter lasts: but this fire shall bee of another nature, even of a nature (if I may so speake) above nature. Doe they say, the Heavens are not exustible? How then be spirits and soules, made of a purer nature, subject to torment in the fire of Hell? Esai. 30.33. The Prophet saith, Tophet is prepared of old: the Iudge of men and Angels saith, Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels. If with feare, and without curiosity, wee may looke upon those flames; Why may wee not attribute a spirituall nature to that more than naturall fire? Though spirits have nothing materiall in their nature, which that infernall fire should worke upon: yet such is the powerfull Iudgement of that Almighty Arbiter of the world, justly willing their torment, that hee can make spirits most sensible of those fiery tortures: and such is the obedible submission of their created nature, that they may bee immediately wrought upon by those appointed paines. The spirits of living men are incorporeall, yet how great a sorrow may they conceive to bee imprisoned in a loathed and painefull body? And may not then meere or separated spirits of Angels or men be held as easily in those direfull flames, and be tormented with the insufferable horror which ariseth from the place, whereto they are everlastingly confined? Wee may distinguish of fire, as it is it selfe, a bodily creature, and as it is an instrument of Gods Iustice: so working, not by any materiall vertue or power of it owne: but by a certaine height of supernaturall efficacy, to which it is exalted by the omnipotence of that supreme and righteous Iudge. If then God hath from eternity created a fire of another nature, proportionable even to spirituall Essences? What should hinder but that the pure quintessentiall matter of the Skie, and the elements themselves, in the end of the world, may be dissolved by fire? Yea, of so different a nature shall the last fire bee, from that which it consumeth, that the element of Fire it selfe shall be dissolved by fire.

All miraculous creatures are better than ordinary naturall ones: The Water that Christ turned into Wine, was the best Wine: the same bounty that expressed it selfe in the quantity of the Wine, shewes it selfe no lesse in the excellence: Nothing can fall from that divine Hand not exquisite. It was fit that the miraculous effects of Christ, which came from his immediate hand, should be more perfect than the naturall. The fire that came downe from Heaven upon Sodome had more in it than nature. How strange was the fire that consumed Eliah’s sacrifice? Many hands are emploied for the making of a large Trench round about the Altar, and the Prophet causes it to bee filled with those precious remainders of water, which the people would have grudged to their owne mouths. But as those that powre downe a pailefull into a dry Pumpe, they part with this little in hope of fetching more. The Altar, the Trench is full: a barrell full is powred out for each of the Tribes, that every Tribe might bee afterwards replenished. Eliah praies, and instantly the fire of the Lord fals from Heaven, and consumes the burnt Sacrifice, the Wood, the Stones, the Dust, and lickes up the water that was in the Trench. With what terror must Israel needs see this fire rolling downe out of the Skie, and a lighting with such fury so neere their heads: heads no lesse fit for this flame, than was the Sacrifice. They might well have thought, how easily might this fire have dilated it selfe, and consumed our bodies, as well as the Wood and Stones; and have lick’d up our blood, as well as that Water? I know not whether they had the grace to acknowledge the Mercy of God, they could doe no lesse than confesse his Power, The Lord is God, The Lord is God. 1 King. 18.40. Cannot the same Power provide another fire, to make a whole burnt sacrifice of the world? Farre be it from us to doubt it, when he hath said he will doe it.

Seeing the whole world is but a great house, and the end of it is to bee burned; happy are they that have provided themselves of another not subject to fire. Wherefore is it called Immobile regnum, a kingdome that cannot be shaken? An eternall house? An immortall mansion? Into which no Theeves can breake through? But to shew that this fire cannot come at it, that it is farre above the reach of ruine? The joyes of Heaven should lose one priviledge, which they have above the pleasures of Earth, if they could bee mutable. If men finde such faire contentments in this their prison, What will the liberty of Gods owne royall Court afford us? If in this stormy time of teares we meet with such comforts, What may wee expect in that everlasting Sun-shine? If this corruptible world, set up for a short time, as some Tent or Cottage, be so gorgeous; that many desire no other Heaven: What estimation should we make of that eternall Palace, prepared before all worlds, for the greatest manifestation of his glory? This world of ours, which holdeth a middle state betweene Heaven and Hell, and (in some sort) participateth of both; doth not so farre surpasse Hell in beauty; as it is excelled by that Imperiall Court of Heaven, contrived by his owne wisedome, as agreeable to the State of almighty God. There, there let us lay up our hearts; that when this whole world is on a flame, our Inheritance may bee safe, and our selves established in it for ever.

Reserved unto fire.] Here is offered to our observation, the great difference betwixt the former destruction of the world, and this latter: That by Water, this by Fire.

1. The Heavens then had their Dropsie, and drowned the world: now they shall have their Feaver, and burne the world. It seemes the world was then too hot, and therefore was Water sent to coole it: now it shall bee too cold, and this Fire shall come to enflame it. Indeed, before the Flood, men were given to inordinate and unnaturall Lusts: to fury and wrath, which is Excandescentia, a chafing or fuming sinne: and to uncleannesse, which the Apostle cals a Burning: these sinnes were fitly punished with an Inundation of Water. Toward the latter end of the World, Charity shall waxe cold, Piety bee nipped with a Frost, and Faith almost starved to death: and the World thus benummed, shall be set on Fire. Or shall we rather say, this Iudgement of Fire shall be proportionable to the present state of sinne? As many heats contracted in the body are a preparation to the Fever: so Pride, Ambition, Drunkennesse, filthy Concupiscence, Envy, Malice, and such intemperate heats in the soule, doe justly provoke and call for a Dissolution of the World by Fire.

2. Of the Flood, the world had a fore-knowledge one hundred and twenty yeares before it came; whereby men might lay hold on the opportunity of repentance. Hereupon some made provision against it, and were saved. But this last Fire shall breake out in an instant, and consume all. Noah knew when the Flood would come, and by Gods Direction furnished himselfe of a sufficient Refuge. But this Day of Fire is knowne to no man, to no Angell. The Dog-starre hath a pestilent breath, an infectious exhalation: yet because we know when it will rise, we clothe our selves, wee dyet our selves, and we shadow our selves, to a sufficient prevention: But Comets and blazing Starres, whose significations or effects no man can interrupt or frustrate, no man foresaw. No Almanacke tels us, when a blazing Starre will breake out, because the matter is carried up in secret: No Astrologer tels us, when the effects will be accomplished; for that is a secret of an higher Sphere than the other. Some Prognosticators have ghessed at the time of Thunder and Lightening, and been deceived: but which of them could foretell, that in such a Yeare such a City should bee burned, or such a Countrie overflowne? The last Day shall suddainely breake in like a Theefe, and entrap like a Snare: like some unexpected Thunder-clappe, awaking men from their quiet sleepes. If a man should suddainely start from his slumber, and see his house on fire about him, his Friends bewailing, but not being able to helpe him; it were cause of strange Amazement. Death is but a sleepe in the bed of the Grave: in how terrible a plight must the wicked man rise, when hee shall be enclosed within those comfortlesse extremities? Hee shall have on the one side his sins accusing him, on the other side Iustice threatning him: Above, an angry Iudge condemning him: Beneath, Hell open, and the boiling Furnace ready to devoure him: Before, those mercilesse Fiends haling him: Behinde, the Saints and some of his nearest Friends not onely forsaking him, but rejoycing and praising God for Iustice in his damnation: Within, his conscience tearing him; without, the powers of heaven shaken and dissolved, the elements melting, the whole world flaming, and all damned soules crying and cursing round about him. O intolerable indignation of the Almighty; which he shall neither have power to resist, nor patience to indure, nor place to avoide!

3. The Deluge did but invade a peece of the world: it did no harme to the heavens, from whence it fell: it did not put out those lights, it did not quench those heates: but this last fire shall burne the fornace it selfe, and annihilate those heavens that breathe it out. If Noahs Dove found no place for her foot by reason of the water, what roome will be left for the sinner in the midst of this universall fire! If the just shall scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly appeare? To go forward, it will be intolerable: impossible to goe backe: to turne aside, unavaileable. 1 Pet. 4.18. So extreme will be the astonishment, made up of sorrow, shame, and feare; that the guilty sinner will be desirous, if it were possible, even to hide himselfe in hell, rather than stand his tryall: like some desperate malefactor, that had rather goe to the galhouse in private, than be brought to the publicke Sessions.

4. The Deluge came upon the world Paulatìm, by degrees: this fire shall come Sabitò, on a suddaine. God was then forty dayes a raining upon the earth, before the Flood did beare up the Arke: so that still men shifted places, according to their best conveniences: from the vallies up to the higher grounds, from thence to the loftyest mountaines, and againe there, to the towers and tallest Cedars; Death and Destruction following after them in a slow march. Beside that feare and hunger did in many of them save the Flood a labour; they had time to take breath, the happy space of repentance; and though the waters would not bee intreated to spare their bodies, yet that other Deluge of their owne Teares might eternally save their soules. But this destruction by fire is altogether suddaine: it shall not begin with one peece of the world, and so proceed on to another, as materiall fire does in an earthly building; but consume all at once. Therefore He that best knowes it, because He will doe it, compares it to Lightning, which quickly flies from East to West, and that chosen Vessell saies, 2 Cor. 15.52. it shall be done In a moment, in the twinckling of an eye. Those are the greatest mischiefes, which are least discerned: the most insensible in their wayes, come to bee most sensible in their ends. In the societies of men, States and Common-wealths; twenty rebellious drummes make not so dangerous a noise, as a few whisperers and secret plotters in corners. The Cannon doth not so much hurt against a wall, as a Myne under the wall: nor a thousand enemies that threaten, so much as a few that take an oath to say nothing. It is the concealement of the last day, that will be terrible to those men one day, that have not prepared themselves every day. It was a noble answere of a meane favourite to his Prince; who had threatned one day to come and see what cheare he kept in his house, and understanding afterwards how bountifull and expensive he was at all times since, farre above his state and revenues, reproved him for a prodigall waster of his fortunes: but he humbly replied; Your Highnesse promised to eate with me one day, and because I did not know which day, I made the better provision for you every day. Wee are sure there is a day when our Lord will come: therefore to trim up our houses, our Consciences; to furnish our soules with the best Viands, Faith, Charitie, and Repentance; is not to our losse, but gaine: Hee will not taxe us of lavishnesse; but rather having supped with us in grace, Rev. 3.20. take us home to his Kingdome, to sup with him in everlasting Glory.

But if this fire bee so universall, how then shall the Righteous escape? Question. Can they avoide so supernaturall a flame? Yes, how were those three mortall Servants of God delivered in the midst of that firy fornace? Were the haires of their heads sindged? or was the smell of fire upon their garments? Their persecutors were destroyed with the very breathing of that Oven, themselves were not hurt with the flame. Dan. 3.25. What was the reason? There was a Fourth among them, and his forme was like the Sonne of God. So when the whole world shall be turned into a burning fornace, the godly have One among them, that will secure their preservation; even their blessed Redeemer, the almighty Sonne of God. If hee could keepe mortal men from the power of naturall fire, he can as easily from the force of this supernaturall fire save his immortall Saints. I deny not, but that even the Saints and Angels may bee touched with the terrour and astonishment of this dreadfull day: not for any danger which they can feare towards themselves; but at the greatnesse of the Lords Indignation: As a harmelesse childe will be afraid at the fury of his father, though it be against his bondslave: or as a tempestuous sea will strike some astonishment even into him, that standeth safe on the shore. If the heavens and earth flie before his presence, well may the sons of men be abashed. When Gideon went against the Midianites, in stead of whetting swords, sharpening speares, and fitting of armour, he only gave order for empty pitchers, and lights, and trumpets. The cracking of those pitchers shall breake in peeces that Midianitish clay: the kindling of those lampes shall extinguish the light of Midian: those trumpets sound no other than a soule-knell to all the host of Midian. There shall need nothing but noise and light, to confound that innumerable Army. Now if the pitchers, and brands, and trumpets of Gideon, did so daunt and dismay the proud troupes of Midian and Amalek: who (can we think) shall be able to stand before the last terror; when the trumpet of the Archangell shall sound, and the heavens shall passe away with a noise, and the elements shall be on a flame about our eares?

Seeing the world shall be determined in fire, let us looke in time to our owne preservation. No deniall, no defence, will serve at that day, either to countenance or to cover our sins: It will be in vaine to offer, whether excuse or intreaty: no place remaines for the on, no pitie for the other. Nothing will be granted, which shall then be required; because nothing was performed, which was before commanded. When a mans house is on fire, he does not so much looke to his lumber, and trash, and ordinary stuffe, but he labours to preserve his treasure and Iewels, his deeds and evidences: This great house of the world will shortly be on fire: it will be our vaine folly, to seeke the saving of any temporall things; for they shall not escape this combustion: but let us save the Iewels, our deare soules: the evidence, our faith in the Covenant of God, made unto us in Iesus Christ. Let not him that is on the house top, Matth. 24.17. come downe to take any thing out of it; there is nothing in it worth his care. No, let him make sure his Iewell, and his Charter in the blood of his Redeemer: if that be safe, pereat mundus: Let Christ be ours, and our soules his, and though the world be on a light flame, we shall not perish.

Reserved unto fire.] The Law of God was given in fire, and in fire it shall be required. That they might see what was due to their sinnes, they behold the fire aboue, representing the fire that should be below them. Wee may all tremble at the resemblance. The trumpet of the Angell called onely Israel to the one: the voice of an Archangell, the Trumpet of God shall summon all the world to the other. There mount Sinai was only on a flame; here the whole world shall burne. There was fire, smoke, thunder and lightning: here a firy streame issuing from the Lord shall melt the elements, and dissolve the heavens. If such were the proclamation of Gods statutes, what shall the Sessions be? What shall become of the breakers of so firy a law? Only the fire wherein it was delivered, was but terrifying: but the fire wherein it shall be required is consuming. Therefore will the supreme Iudge hold his Assises in fire: nor is only the Law thus required, but even the Gospell. He will come in flaming fire, taking vengeance, not only on them that know not God and his Law; 2 Thess. 1.8. but even on those that obey not the Gospell of Christ.

To recover us from our wilfull fall, he came downe from heaven, was borne in povertie, and lived in paine, and dyed with intolerable torment and scorne. Witnesse the wounds he endured, witnesse the earth that trembled, witnesse the heavens that drew in their light, when his death was in action. Where is our thankfulnesse, where our obedience? How have we answered his holy inspirations? How have we used the meanes and opportunities, which were presented us for our salvation? What desire had we of those workes of mercie which hee commanded? Where appeared in us that Charitie which he commended? Is this the account we make of his sufferings? Is this our estimation of his more than precious blood? Rebellion against Gods mercie is so much worse than disobedience to his Iustice, as his mercie sweetens all his workes, as his mercy redeemed us, when we were forfeited to his Iustice. Even this Ingratitude shall be required in fire, and the Lord will judge it in that universall burning. When Ioseph said to his brethren, I am Ioseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt, Gen. 45.3. they could not answere him, for they were astonied at his presence. When Christ shall shew that blessed Head which was crowned with thornes, those sacred hands which were pierced with nailes, that holy side which was thrust through with a speare, and say, Behold I am Iesus your brother, whom your sins once sold into the hands of Pilate, and have ever since daily crucified by your unthankfull relapses, and repetitions of the same iniquities; they must needs be speechlesse. O then let us follow the counsell of him, that would be our Advocate, before he wil be our Iudge! and enter into Iudgement against our selves, that when we shall appeare in that great Audite, he may find us before-hand judged, & for ever forbeare to condemne us.

Against the day of Iudgement.] We find foure Advents of Christ. 1. Verbum ad carnem, when the Word tooke flesh. 2. Caro ad verbum, when he began to execute his office. 3. In carne soluta, when we lie on our death-bed, then he comes to comfort us: the God of life comes in the houre of death. 4. In carne restituta, at the Resurrection: when our old mother shall bee delivered of her last burden, when a feaver shall calcyne the corrupt body of this world. Ioh. 9.39. There is Iudicium Discretionis, which is done here; For Iudgement I am come into this world: Rom. 2.16. and there is Iudicium Retributionis hereafter; God shal Iudge the secrets of man by Iesus Christ. There is a iudgement of election, before the world began: and there is a judgement of reward, when the world is done. Concerning this last and great Day of Iudgement, I desire briefly to touch upon these particulars: The certainty, the uncertenty, the integrity, the impartiality, the fatality to the wicked, the consolation to the Iust.