very Deuils how hard-hearted gracelesse soeuer tremble and quake heere all springs of mercy are locked against such as shewed no mercy no one word of comfort to such as denied comfort to the comfortlesse heere Lazarus the beggar scornes to be at a gentlemans command to reach him a droppe of water for that hee denied him the crunmeâ— that fell from his table which now to his cost he rues it and feeles the wants and heauy heart of a poore man and iust it is that such as stop their eares at the cry of the poore should then cry and not be heard Oh dolefull place that yeelds no comfort and oh more wretched people that foresee not this misery to preuent it but most miserable that now hearing and knowing it no warning will serue them no calling will awake them no threatnings no not hell fire will terrifie them and therefore such as haunt mischeefe shall fall into it But O ye holy watchmen and sheepheards of the people for Christs sake cry out aloud lift vp your voyces like a trumpet giue thosee sleepers no rest vntill they bee awaked from their deadly sleep and you godly Christians exhort one another whilest it is called to day lest your hearts be hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sinne and this day come suddenly vpon you and take you away when a mans house is set on fire all the towne and country will forthwith arise to helpe to quench the fire and it is very well done but heere mans soule and body is set on hell fire yet to preuent this danger which is more then the burning of an house or towne no man helpes the watchman is asleepe the gentleman though the house of his soule be all fired snorts in his sinne and must not be awaked the neighbors help to rocke him in the cradle of security vntill death comes and arests him to come to iudgement and then the man and his workes fall in the fire and what misery findeth he not there the guilty conscience the neuer-dying worme the flames vnquenchable the darkenes frightfull comfort no where paines without and terrors within The holy Martyrs burning heere in the flames of fire felt no such matter they died in a good cause had a good conscience towards God and man vvere very cheerefull forgaue their enemies prayed for the Church exhorted one another to patience and constancie perswaded comforted and confirmed the people in the truth reioyced in spirit sang prayses to God prayed instantly to the very last gaspe committed their soules to God in full hope of a ioyfull resurrection and finally as in a burnt sacrifice more then Conquerers ascended vp to Heauen which should animate all men to retaine a good Conscience leade a godly life and be sure of a blessed comfortable death and resurrection vvhereas contrarily a bad Conscience and the guilt of a wicked life portendeth a fearfull death an heauy resurrection to be executed in hell fire But heere the wicked coyne obiections and demand how it is that the mercifull God can finde in his heart thus strangely and seuerely to punish any sinner seeing our sinnes cannot hurt him nor our piety benefit him Iob. 35. 6. 7. and 32. 3. If all be in heauen hee is not the richer nor if they be all in hell is he the poorer I answer 1. God is almighty whose infinitenesse of power wisedome and iustice makes him willing and able to inflict vpon sinners the most exact and sharpest punishment as pleaseth his Maiesty and therefore as he is a God and mighty in all his workes that is to say great wonderful terrible Nahum 1. 1. c. Cant. 8. 6. 7. Deut. 29. 20. so specially sheweth he the same in punishing Reprobates and for that cause is called the God of righteousnesse and the God of vengeance Psal. 94. 1. 2. and seeing all his other workes be wonderfull and full of Maiesty we may be assured hee is so in smiting the wicked 2. As his mercy patience is vnspeakable great in inuiting waiting for sinners repentance Rom. 2. 4. so is his iustice impatience as great if he be contened for in God mercy and iustice are termed Gods two armes therefore must be of equall length and bignesse as well in punishing the wicked as pardoning the godly 3. Sinne is a most odious and impudent aduersary to God and to all his workes prouoking his iustice in the highest degree labouring to bring the Author of all Being to a none being and all his creatures with him and therfore must God be reuenged vpon it and his fauourites as vpon the greatest enemies to his glory in the highest degree 4. This is Gods ordinance that such as feare and obey him in this life should to heauen and the others to hell this is the principall condition of his gracious couenant and therefore it must bee so 5. All transgressions against the Kings person or bloud royal are high treason to be punished with the extreamest tormens as can be deuised but the Reprobate sinne against the King of Kings in crucifying and killing his Sonne and heyre apparent within his owne Court raigning in heauen and therefore no punishment is great enough for such as crucifie the Sonne of God to death to say nothing how they coÌ„spire with Satan to disturb and persecute his Church to robbe the Lord of his honour and glory and to bring all to confusion 6. A Reprobate is an heart-murtherer of God himselfe and a destroyer of all his ordinances wishing there were no God no Iudge no heauen no hell no resurrection nor life immortall and therefore should be seuerely punished 7. The godly cry against them and so doe their bloudy sinnes and therfore the râ—ghteous Iudge must doe iâ—stice vpon them according to their demerits 8. In sinning there passeth through euery mans hart a practicke discourse of the vnderstanding laying before the sinner as it were in the one scale of the ballance the delight ease pleasure or profithe reapes by sinning and in the other the wrath of God if he sinne and hell torments with the losse of Gods fauour kingdome and all his goodnesse which all in respect of his greedinesse to sinne he renounceth maketh a couenant with death and hell and now is turned to it and receiueth his owne madde choyce The next Vse then is for vs not for lust and lustinesse in sinne thus to set at naught the Lord and his regalities for though this bee but the first degree to the paines of hell and as it were the suburbs thereof yet all the teares spent in hell are vnsufficient to bewaile the losse of Heauen and of Gods presence and yet we see millions preferre the losse of their least commodities before it but they shall finde this a greater losse when without delay they must after the sentence denounced trudge the black way to perdition with many a deepe sigh and comfortlesse sobbe from God and all the
of life hath a foule visage to fright boyes and fooles which causeth it to be feared and hated for want of wisedome and true iudgement but take off the maske and thou shalt see Death very amiable and life odious and terrible 10. Death is to be desired before life and the day of our decease before the day of our Natiuity I meane in respect onely of temporall good and euill prosperity aduersity else not for by our birth wee enter to sorrow and by death end it and goe vp to God wherefore in olde time Sepulchers were built in Gardens as Ioh. 19. 41. not only among our sports to put vs in mind of our ends and so to vse the same moderately but also to teach vs that ioy and pleasure is a consequence of death and an entry to Gods Paradise of pleasure and therefore let vs liue to God and Death shall not hurt vs. The fourth Vse serues for terror to the wicked who hearing of this early watch and preparation for death will none of it they bee not so foolish as to defraud themselues of the comforts and delights which God gaue them with the frightfull thoughts of gastly death this would bee able to fright a fearefull simple body out of his wits and to draw honest neighbours to desperation and what needs this pudder shall not wee be saued as our neighbours and vvhat doe wee desire more doth euery man so as you say or shall all that prepare not so as you prescribe be damned our fathers nor forefathers euer taught vs any such matters and we will not nor desire to bee better then they as for you ye be vncharitable men God forgiue you I answer here is a great deale of good stuffe pact together if wee had time to vndoe and consider it But in the meane while know ye that wee desire nothing of you more then the Lord exacteth of his dearest children and therfore not to be trodden vnder foote by you for we liue not by examples but by the Lawes of the Almighty whereunto all men ought in all humility bee obedient before father or life it selfe neyther is heere any thing pressed but what your selues know to be requisite and could wish ye did if you as many and most men doe and you must lay vpon your death-beds knowing feeling what they miserable men doe Yet if you refuse this diet as ouer tart take then your owne no man will blame me for giuing you good counsell and because I giue you ouer yet follow wise Salomons aduise and that the rather for that without compulsion you often of your owne accord vse it viz. Goe to the house of mourning for there is the end of all men and hee that is liuing taketh it to heart Eccles. 7. 2. where hee would haue all men bestow sometime daily to think what pressures and agonies shall assault vs at the houre of death and for the better consideration hereof hee would haue vs goe to the house of mourning and not of banqueting and there behould a man dying and that we should marke the heauy accidents and painfull passions of that houre and take it to heart for as it fareth to day with him so shall it tomorrow fare with thee and with all the world this thou canst learn without his or any further direction for comming to the house to visit thy neighbours there shalt thou see a very sick man forsaken now of naturall heat his senses without much mouing his face like lead the bowles of his eyes sunke in his head his mouth full of fleame and some his throat ratling his tongue swollen his necke winding euery side his breast beateth and panteth for life ready to burst for paine the veynes still all infallible tokens of death Now take this to heart and take the case to be thine own for this is the way of all the world and then now seeing and viewing such perplexed extremities in others reflect and represent the like image to bee shortly in thy selfe Imagine that thou lay vpon thy death-bed that thy Physitions had now giuen thee ouer thy friends and kinsfolke stood weeping wringing their hands about thy bed vnable to help or comfort thee but rather augment the greefe of thy departure and thou the while speechlesse and helpelesse O how dreadfull shall this departure and last farewell be to thee and to them where wealth shall not asswadge thy woe but plunge thee deeper in the gulph of calamity neither honours assist thee for thou must leaue them with like vehement smart as thou gottest them with greedy desire and badde conscience thy wonted delights breed within thy soule that neuer-dying worme and neuer-quenched fire what counsell wilt thou heere take who formerly hast refused all good connsell couldest not abide to heare of death no more canst now to goe out of thy body will bee too intollerable to abide within is vnpossible to deferre the time to end thy will but vntill to morrow will not bee granted death is in poast-haste now art thou abashed that thou diddest not watch and prepare for this houre Oh hadst thou wist but it is too late now thou cryest fye fye vpon thy brutish behauiour and now for feare horror wouldest flee from thy selfe for then shalt thou see thy selfe beset with horrible monsters that is with thine owne sinnes which as furies pursue and hedge thee in all the time past shall seeme vnto thee as the twinkling of an eye but the time to come endlesse pittilesse and remedilesse so that thou maist truly say The snares of Death compasse me round about and the pangs of hell got hold vpon mee and I shall finde trouble and heauinesse c. Psal. 116. 3. 4. But returne wee to our sicke man againe whom vnexpected Death frustrateth of all his counsels and could not come in a worse time for now hee curteth off violently the webs of all his deuises and with one pellet ouerthroweth all his castles built in the ayre then commeth in the Physitian with his It will not be thinke good sir no longer of life you must be gone These be heauy tidings then his sorrowes shall bee vnspeakeably encreased when he recounteth with himselfe that his body which now hath some life in it shall after an houre be depriued of sense life spirit soule for if it be an hard matter to bee pulled away from these things which no doubt so neerely toucheth man how bitter I pray you will be the separation of the body from the soule for such two louing familiar friends which haue alwaies liued sweetly together cannot be diuided without vnspeakable griefe if the Oxe doe commonly low and mourne when his yoke-fellow which was wont to draw with him is taken away how will euery one of vs mourne when the soule shall bee separated from the body and as Sathan in our life time set forth to him Gods mercy nothing but Mercy hiding his Iustice so vvill
punishment which shall be layed vpon the soule it selfe and all the faculties thereof as the cogitation memory vnderstanding will and affections c. then of the body and of euery member therof for wherein euery man sinneth therein is he tormented But these torments are partly vnknown and so I pray God they may euer be and partly so lamentable that no Christian heart can abide to dwell long vpon so dolefull a subiect and therefore I referre you to others that writ largely thereupon beseeching Almighty God to giue vs all grace to consider wisely and in time of all that hath beene said and to make a ready vse thereof to Gods glory and our saluation and not to run sottishly vpon Gods iudgements denying there is an hell as doe Sadduces Atheists Ideots Infidels and Nullifidians and vngodly liuels whose liues proclaime it 〈◊〉 and 2. such as deny there is any heauen as Epicures Belly-gods Worldlings Sodomites Inordinate liuers idlers out of a calling c. 3. all Theeues Oppressors Sacriledgers poore Cony-catchers 4. all Protestants at large Christians without faith or good workes Selfe louers Hypocrites Mis 〈…〉 cordists Origenists c. but let vs watch and pray The first vse wee are to make of this thirteenth Motine serues to shew how necessary it is for all men to know this principle concerning hell the reward of the wicked that in these respects 1. It bringeth the wicked to the knowledge and feare of God for when they consider the vnspeakeable power that is in the mildest word proceeding from Gods mouth they must needs accuse the hardnesse of their owne hearts vpon which it cannot worke vnlesse it be to their destruction whereas here we see the commanding voyce of God to depart from him to be so forcible and powerfull that neither man nor deuill is able to withstand it but all as slaues from the whip will runne to hell fire and therefore should they now not sin against the Lord whose very voyce is more terrible then hell it selfe and this reason vseth Dauid in Psal. 29. 4. out to exhoxt all men and by name the mighty Nimrods betimes to obey his glorious voyce in his word 2. Satan would perswade all men that there is no hell thereby to set all to worke iniquity without remorse and therefore this doctrine must be often whetted vpon them to feare 3. Most men yea Professors though they can discourse heereof are so wicked euen in the very bosome of the Church and liue so loosely as if there were no hell at all for how few will for feare thereof forgoe on◠houres pleasure or one mite of profit or auoid any temptation Satan can cast at them and therefore needful it is to set before them often what dainty fare they shall finde in hell whether they hasten and if this will not reforme them nothing will seeing it is the last remedy in the Bible vsed to presse men with 4. Were there no heauen to enioy no God to reward no hope of immortality yet should men for feare to burne in hell forbeare now to sinne for vve see how men for feare of temporall penalties forbear to transgresse the Lawes of the land yet Gods lawes penalties nor promises which far surmount these are not regarded heere a felon or traitor may be pardoned there no obstinate malefactor shall and though for a while he respiteth him in this life it is but to reach his hand the higher to let the weight of his stroke in the life to come to fall vpon him the heauier and his deferring is the more to inferre the thicker and surer blowes and of no ill paiment shall he need to complaine that hath the wages of his wickednesse withheld from him in this life to receiue the totall summe together and for euer in hel this would breed in the most valiantest Atheist liuing such a gasping terror and quaking dislike that euer after hee should abhor not onely the least branch of sinne but withall euery thing alluring or aspecting thereto and vvithall should haue hell it selfe pictured in euery corner of his gardens orchards banqueting houses and places of delight in more carefull manner then euer had the Pharisies Gods lawes broydered vpon the fringed Phylacteries of their garments and so would notwithstanding now all parents and superiors doe well their duty it is often to relate to their families the paines ordained in hell fire and so admonish them to beware of that burning place 5. The knowledge that there is an hell is behoofefull in sundry respects as 1. it rectifieth the conscience when the neuer-dying worme gnaweth thereat and signifieth vnto vs that still we haue some vnrepented sinners summoning vs to iudgement and damnation 1. Ioh 3. 20. 2. this should cause vs in all our carriage to misdoubt our actions euery of them and euer setting the Lords blessed word before vs feare him who is able to cast soule and body to hell Math. 10. 38. 3. it should make vs wary neuer to forfeit but still to retaine sure our title to Gods kingdome and therefore be carefull neuer to commit any of those sinnes that depriue vs of Gods kingdome as be in 1. Cor. 6. 9. Galat. 5. 19. Eph. 5. 3. c. 4. It maketh vs thankefull for our Election withall teacheth vs to be careful to obserue the same in the whole course of our liues lest wilfully we relapse and euer feare all our waies Ephes. 1. 3. to 7. 5. This is a forcible meanes to weane vs from the world and all sinfulnesse and to cause vs to hasten to enter in couenant with God afresh and so open a doore to heauen and to all Christs treasures of grace which God grant we doe speedily The second Vse serues for reproofe of such as deny there is any hell and therefore will not watch these be Atheists Nullifidians Epicures Worldlings inordinate liuers malefactors c. but that there is an hell appeares by the aboue quoted titles of hell 2. By our consciences accusing when we sinne 3. the very Heathen in all ages and places how prophane soeuer affirmed that malefactors should to hell 4. Chysostome in his Homelies 48. and 49. and 50. Ad populum Antiochenum confuteth this error And therefore let all men stand in awe and sinne not but beleeue lest they approoue worse then the Deuils who beleeue and confesse it and tremble at the minding thereof Iames 2. 19. The third Vse is for admonition for all men generally that seeing there is an hell and the paines thereof vnspeakable yea so great as no heart can conceiue onely by the names of the extreamest punishments vpon earth as fire brimstone darkenesse death an euereating worme and neuer dying they bee shadowed because vvee can conceiue no soarer nor greater torments all vvorldly torments bee finite and temporall these infinite spirituall pittilesse easelesse remedilesse a paine beyond all paines and greefe surmounting all greefes at the very names whereof the
22. 23. Luke 13. 23. 24. and euery mans conscience telleth him that if the Lord should call him to iudgement vpon a sodaine he should not be able to answere him one to a thousand Iob 9. 3. and 40. 4. 5. and 42. 3. and that there is no way but by carefull watchfulnesse to escape this doome and yet our eyes for all this are heauy for sleepe as were the eleuen Apostles in their greatest danger who could not watch one houre with Christ or if a lying Wizard should foretell that of many that passed that day ouer a bridge one should drop ouer drown all the passengers would see carefully to their footing though he were but a lier but when the holy Ministers out of the infallible word of God admonish them to watch they heere mocke and say the daies are prolonged but surely so dangerous a case admits no mocking we shuld hastily see to our watch and the rather seeing our Sauior hath blown his trumpet the day approcheth the summons are sent forth the sentence is drawn and we all wait but for his glorious coÌ„ming to denounce it therfore the while let vs as good porters watch at the gates of our soules that Satan step not out to cast vs to the dead sleep of sin or to steale vs from our selues there is not any of vs but hath a secret watch within to giue him timely warning hereof in euery thought word action we take in hand to tell vs that we for the preseÌ„t are liable to Gods temporal iudgment if we escape them not we must doubtlesse die and come to iudgement and this is the watch of our consciences Oh that we would regard it in time at euery stroke of the clocke bewaile how little good to further our reckoning against death iudgment we did that houre past and that we would consider that euery houre we are neerer and neerer to our end which if we did sadly remember we would not do amiss Many idle gentlemen for a brauery carry golden watches in their bosoms to warn them how their golden time passeth yet are the while neyther idle nor well occupied but no watch to this of thy Conscience if vvee would listen vnto it which runneth truely as well by night as by day and giueth vs a checke euery munute neuer standing still vnlesse it bee rusty or choaked altogether with the filth of sinne yet let vs know that when iniquity hath played her part vpon the Theater of this sinfull vvorld then vvill vengeance speedily succeed and set vp a tragedie bloudy and tedious without end rufull without mittigation and continuall without ease and release and look how many drams of delight heere thou impenitent wretch hast tasted of so many pounds of endlesse paines shalt thou there receiue the Comedy is short but the Tragedy is ouer-long bloudy and bitter Saue and protect vs good Lord from this Lake of misery worke in vs speedily true repentance faith vnfeigned with due obedience to all thy commandements that so standing vpon our watch and seruing thee euer in spirit truth wee may liue with thee euer in Heauen and as Ambrose in his funerall Oration for Theodosius supposeth that the Angells carrying his soule to heauen should in the way aske him what did he while hee liued heere vpon earth and hee should answer Dilexi I haue loued So we pray thee O sweet Sauiour both to prepare our selues while we be heere to liue before thee in all Christian watchfulnesse and so likewise for death and iudgement withall to grant vs thy holy Spirit grace in such powerfull and aboundant manner that when thy holy Angells shall gather vs from the foure windes to appeare before thy iudgement seat and thou the great Arch-Angell shalt aske vs what we did all the while wee liued hâ—ere we may truly and cheerefully answere both that we loued thee O blessed Sauiour aboue all and loued our neighbours as our selues and withall that we watched continually ouer our whole liues and against death and thy comming to iudgement O Lord grant vs this grace for thy great name sake To thee deere Sauiour with thy Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory giuen by vs both now and for euer Amen FINIS AN ADMONITION to the Reader GEntle Reader although the Printer hath desired and vsed his best care that this booke should come forth with fewest faults yet by reason of the duskie obscurenesse of the hand and absence of the Author dwelling farre off it could not be but some faults escaped vs not oâ—ely in pointing or mis-pointing in omitting or adding sometimes a letter and in the Sections eyther not placed or mis-placed but in omission and alteration of words obscuring the sense in some places which the godly Readers iudgement and diligence must helpe or charitably passe by and not impute them neyther to the Author nor the Printer And so Farewell Plunaâ—â—h in lacon apoph Iob. 29. 12 1 Sam. 18. 29. 19. 6 9 10 24. 17. 26. 21. 2 Tim. 1. 16 Mat. 19. 27 Phil. 3. 7. 8. 2. Cor 8. 5. 2. Cor. 9 15 Ambrose Isa 54. 1. Xeâ—phâ—â— in Oâ—coâ— citatur a Cicerone in Catone Math. 25. Aâ—â—eas Sylâ—ius de dictis Alphonsi 1 King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 47. Crag Haz. in Orat. â—uneb Athan. Xenoph. in Oâ—â—on Qui moneâ— vt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iam facis ille moâ—â—do laâ—dat hortatu 〈◊〉 probat acta suo â—uid de trist l. 5. â—lâ—g 14. Ier. 2. 32. 1. Tim. 2. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 3. 4 Caluin in Ier. 2. 32. â—â—ertius lib. 4. cap. 6. Mat. 13. 44 45. 46. Mar. 13 33 Eze. 48. 35. Ier. 31 23. a Citatur a 〈◊〉 in primâ— sex thesium b The occasioÌ„ of publishing this Sermon c Plin. lib. 8. cap. 36. Aclia 〈…〉 de hist. Auama 〈…〉 d Austin de doct Christ. li. 4. ca. 19. e Cicero de Orat. l. 2 de â—inib â—onorum li. 1. f Aust. contra faust li. 5. cap. 11. g Fabius Quintil. h Sutor vltra crepidaÌ„ i Iuter epist. Hypocra citatur a Rinald orat 13 k 2 Cor. 5. 13. l Angust ad Pascentium epist. 174. m Hieron dial 1. aduers Pelag. n Gal. 1. 10 o Hieron al Theoph aduers Ioan. Hierosolym p Iu MenaÌ„dro q Lib. de vtilitate ad hostib capiâ—nda r Cicero in C 〈…〉 s Ioan. Rainold Orat. 13. t Foxiuâ— The preamble Dan. 2. 2. Dan. 5. 3. It is a fearfull iudgement of God on man to see a iudgeeÌ„t and not to lay it to heart Xenophon liâ—â— 7. d 〈…〉 stit 〈◊〉 Herod 〈◊〉 Cliâ— It is vsuall with the wicked in the time of iudgement threatned to turne fasting into feasting more to depend on their owne strength then Gods power Pride a forerunner of iudgmâ—t Read 〈◊〉 6. Heroâ— lib. 1. Vse Gods iudgments are most neere to the wicked when they thinke themselues most safe The wicked euer hasten their