of fire This doth Iames teach vs saying Iam. 5.1 2 3. Goe to now ye rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your garments are moth-eaten your gold and siluer is cankred and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire Ye haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes How foolish then are greedie couetous men Rom. 1. which heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Mat. 5. How much better were it for them to lay vp treasures not vpon earth where the rust and moth doth corrupt and where theeues breake thorow and steale but rather to lay vp treasures in heauen where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt and where theeues doe not breake thorow nor steale Fourthly a mans conscience shall witnesse with him or against him as the Apostle doth testifie Rom. 2. speaking thus of the Gentiles When the Gentiles saith he which haue not the Law doe of nature the things conteined in the Law they hauing not the Law are a law vnto themselues which shew the effect of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel Note I beseech you the Apostles words He saith That the conscience of the Gentiles shall beare witnesse and he telleth when she shall doe this to wit when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ meaning the day of Iudgement But that I may speake more plainely note I beseech you beloued Christians that as mens doings are two-fold good or bad They are good which proceed from faith and are agreeable to the Law of God and they are euill which proceed from infidelitie and are repugnant to the Lawes of God So the motions of mens hearts are two-fold either ioyfull which concomitate good deedes or sorrowfull which alwayes accompany euill deedes Hereupon it commeth to passe that one Conscience may bee called good another bad Omnis Conscientia cum scientia Now a good conscience is a ioyfull motion of the heart arising from a certaine knowledge of wel-doing or it is the iudgement of the mind grounded vpon knowledge concerning a mans good deeds ministring ioy vnto him Hereupon Paul said Our reioycing is this the testimonie of a good conscience 2. Cor. 1.12 Paul bended his wit and will and laboured earnestly to haue a good conscience towards God and man and he had such an one and with it could truly say I am pure from the blood of all men And further at his end his conscience so comforted strengthened and emboldened him that he without any scruple or hesitation 2. Tim. 4.7.8 said I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith c. A good conscience makes a merrie heart whiles wee liue makes vs to sleepe more quietly then if we layd our heades on a Doune-pillow and when death approcheth she causeth man not to feare to die and then will not forsake him when all worldly vanities and shadowes vanish fade away and yet she wil doe him the best seruice that she can shee will plead for him and witnesse with him O what a treasure is a good conscience She is as it were mount Tabor a glimpse of glory vpon earth a comfortresse of thy heart at the houre of death and a faithfull friend and witnesse to stand by thee at the day of Iudgement when thou shalt haue most need But an euill conscience is in this world as it were an hellish Hagge an infernall Furie euer tormenteth man followeth him she alwayes keepeth a true record of all mans euill thoughts words and workes troubleth man with direfull suggestions and temptations she is neuer at peace and quietnesse she bringeth man to destruction as it may appeare by the examples of Cain Iudas Arrius and many others and yet she hath not done but continuing an enemy at the last Day will witnesse against a man all his sinnes his swearing forswearing lying stealing iniuries oppressions and all other his workes of the flesh and darknesse She will not nor cannot forget them For all mens faults are so perfectly knowne vnto her and so firmely impressed in her that shee is compared to a booke a booke of remembrance wherein all things are so perfectly recorded that they cannot be forgotten Reu. 20 12. Iob saith Thou hast sealed vp our sinnes in a bagge to shew the exact and strict kind of keeping of them against that Day of account So that not an euill thought not an euil word not an euill deed can be forgotten they are all so surely recorded and the time of opening this booke and reading them ouer to the hearing of the world is the day of Iudgement For then all mens faults shall be knowne and in them that haue offended they shall be punished Foolish men and women think that all their wicked thoughts all their idle and euill words passe away with the wind but it is not so for in this booke they are written and recorded and once the booke shall be opened and thy secret sinnes discouered Now if we come to the liues of men and women alasse they are most wicked they are nothing else but a continuall practice of sinne Well let vs labour to keepe a good conscience an vnblotted and vnblurred booke and then we shall preuent and escape the danger The booke and touchstone of the triall The Booke and touchstone whereby all our thoughts words and workes shall be examined and tried is the Word of God it is I say the Rule and Line by which they ought to be leuelled squared and wrought by The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 1.16 That at the day of Iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to his Gospel he meaneth that Gospel whereof he was a preacher not an authour Our thoughts words and workes must be tryed by the Word of God If therefore our thoughts words and workes are not agreeable to the Word of God to Gods rules and commandements they are as odious distastefull and vnpleasing vnto the Lord as the offering vp of brused things were in the time of the Law Therefore let the Word of God O man be a lanterne to thy feet and a light vnto thy pathes that thou mayest not wander out of the old ancient wayes of the Lord but goe the straight wayes to Heauen alwayes directing thy steps by this Word of God When the poore wretched sinner accused by his own thoughts is found culpable in his words and workes and is conuicted by euident and plaine testimonies as before because he made no conscience of his wayes and neuer directed his goings according to the Word of God behold in what lamentable
vnto their prayers Againe Psal 34.15 16. The face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off their remembrance from off the earth And this we may perswade our selues to be true because he is the onely true Vbiquitarie present euery where with his Spirit and from whose presence no man can flie And therefore the Psalmist by way of interrogation speaketh thus vnto God Psal 139. Whither shall I goe then from thy Spirit or whither shall I goe then from thy presence If I climbe vp into heauen thou art there if I goe downe to hell thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and remaine in the vttermost parts of the sea euen there also shall thine hand leade me and thy right hand shall hold me If I say peraduenture the darknesse shall couer mee then shall my night be turned to day yea the darkenesse is no darknesse with thee but the night is as cleare as the day the darknesse and light to thee are both alike No man then can hide himselfe from the Lord no place is fit Amos 2. For though they digge downe to hell saith the Lord thence shall my hand take them though they climbe vp to the heauens thence will I bring them downe though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I will search them and take them out thence though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea thence will I command the serpent and he shall bite them The wicked Steward cannot then flee from the Lord his cause must come to the hearing of his Master he must endure sharpe reprehension strict examination and come to an account as after If the vniust Steward the euill man the theefe adulterer and such like offenders were perswaded that God did heare of their misdemeanors and euill carriages or that he did looke vpon them when they perpetrated their wickednesses me thinkes it should be a great terrour and shame vnto them If an earthly Prince a Noble man a Master or a Magistrate should looke vpon a man and see him deale falsely and vniustly or otherwise to play the filthy adulterer would it not make man to tremble feare and to be ashamed How much more then to consider that the King of kings and Lord of lords the high Master Magistrate and Iudge of all doth heare of his sinnes and looke vpon his sinfull and filthie facts Let vs all bee ashamed to commit sinne 2. Sam. 16. and not be like Absolom who shamed not to lie with his fathers concubines in the open Sunne in the top of the house euen in the sight of all Israel for the Lord heareth seeth and knoweth all the sins of man This wicked Steward before he was accused called and reprehended and brought to account was perswaded that the Lord had not intelligence of his falshood but how much was he deceiued For here the Lord saith How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee There are three foolish and vaine conceits suggested of Satan which embolden a wicked man in the perpetration of his wickednesses 1. They thinke that the Lord neither seeth nor knoweth their wickednesses 2. Hee punisheth not straight but either delayeth long or punisheth not at all 3. If the Lord knoweth mans faults yet he concealeth them c. Concerning the first vaine conceit concerning the Lords not seeing and not knowing their sinnes how friuolous and impious it is this place doth proue for here the Lord saith How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee The Master therefore heard it and had notice of all Although I hope that I haue spoken sufficiently of this point yet I beseech you hearken to two examples to ground you throughly in this point The first is of Dauid which committed adulterie and murther 2. Sam. 11. and presently the Lord saw it knew it and it was euill in his sight and sent Nathan the Prophet to reproue him 2. Sam. 12. who boldly layd his great sinnes to his charge The second example of Ahab that vile king of Israel and Iezabel his queene 1. Kings 21. worse then himselfe an instigatrix of his euils as Eua was to Adam when they had wrought poore Naboths death the Lord knew it and sent Elias to rebuke him To end this point in a word Apoc. 2. 3. chapt The Lord did bid Iohn write to the Angels that is to say the Ministers of the seuen Churches I know thy workes The second vaine conceit suggested of Satan is The Lord punisheth not straight nor presently but suffereth the vngodly Steward to flourish To which I answere That the pleasures of the wicked beeing taken with euill consciences neither are nor can be durable they flourish but for a time and in the middest of them are taken away Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Psal 37. saw that by his owne experience and therefore said I my selfe haue seene the vngodly in great prosperity and flourishing like a greene bay tree and I went by and loe he was gone I sought him and his place could no where be found Therefore fret not thy selfe because of the vngodly neither be thou enuious against the euil doers for he shall soone be cut downe like the greene grasse and be withered like the greene herbe For the Lord doth set them in slippery places and at last casteth them downe to desolation suddenly doe they consume perish and come to a fearefull end What plainer example to this purpose Luke 12. can bee produced then that of the rich man who in the middest of his prosperitie and worldly pleasures heard this dolefull voice Thou foole this night will they fetch away frō thee thy soule then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided So that whereas they haue been fed fat in the great and large greene pastures of pleasures wasting their Masters goods as this bad Steward did yet all endeth in sorrow euen as the fat Oxe after his pleasant feeding commeth to the slaughter and the end of these is confusion For euen as a Snayle by little and a little creepeth vp from the root of an Hearbe vnto the top and as she goeth consumeth the Leaues and leaueth her nothing but foule and filthy slimy steps so likewise lust and pleasure if wee consent vnto them will creepe into our soules and will depriue them of all ornaments of vertue and will leaue behinde nothing but a foule filthy conscience reproach to vs and our posteritie The third vaine conceit suggested of Satan is the Lords taciturnitie For although he knoweth euery sinne when the world doth not yet for a time hee holdeth his peace and it commeth not out to the eyes of the world The impure person sinneth and so doth the Theefe and other offenders the Lord heareth of it and seeth it and yet for a time it may be neither speaketh nor punisheth But this silence is temporarie And therefore
to be put to torments and cruell death In like maner shall it bee with the Elect and Reprobate faithfull and vnfaithfull the godly and the wicked at this generall and great Assize both shall arise out of their close prison I meane their Graues but the one sort to be euer with the Lord and to be euer in a continuall ioyfull practice ministring praises and Songs of Thanksgiuing saying Saluation and glory and honour bee to the Lord our God c. Math. 25. The other to bee banished from the presence of the Lord and to bee finally adiudged to euerlasting fire and torments Therefore O godly man hold on and goe forward in a godly course of life Thou shalt haue comfort and ioy at the last euen a solace sempiterne and perpetuall For eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man 1. Pet. 1.4 what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him and the inheritance of Gods Children is incorruptible vndefiled and neuer fadeth away But if thou art a wicked man and hast walked in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and continuest in thy wicked life without repentance then thou shalt rise in the last Day but to iudgement to torment to bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where are paines endlesse Luke 16. caselesse and remedilesse Looke to the example of the rich Glutton At this day and time of account Kings Queenes Princes Earles Barons and Baronets Knights Esquires Gentlemen Yeomen rich and poore young and old all one as well as another shall bee demanded how they haue occupied their Talents as wee may gather by the Parable Mat. 25. The Virgins that expect the Bridegroome with Oyle and Lampes prepared shall be blessed The wicked shall be sifted with straight examination and shall giue an account of a thousand matters whereof they would haue scorned to haue been told of in this life by Minister or Magistrate as how they haue spent their time whether they haue fought against the world the Flesh and the Diuell Of which and many other things they must giue an account of The sinners Tryall yea of euery idle word And heere wee are to note that as when persons are tryed at our Assizes vpon matters of life and death there are vsually accusers and witnesses written and printed Lawes and Bookes by which men are tryed for no man is condemned vpon a bare accusation without testimonie some apparant proofe or at leastwise some great probabilitie that cannot bee spoken against and the breach of the some branch of the Lawes So the Scriptures speaking after the manner of men proue that there shal be both accusers and witnesses against a false Steward a wicked man at this great Assize The accusers are a mans owne thoughts after which sort the thoughts of the Gentiles are said to accuse them or excuse them Rom. 2.15 16. at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ A mans wicked thoughts then are sinnes and vnlesse a man repent him of them deserue death And therefore Peter bad Simon Magus pray to God if perhaps the thoughts of his heart may bee forgiuen him And for this cause our Sauiour speaking of an euill heart saith that out of it proceede euill thoughts Mat. 15.19 from these wicked thoughts come many euill and wicked words whereof the sinner must giue an account yea Mat. 12.36 many sinnes and wickednesses that shall correct a man and many turnings backe that shall reprooue him Ier. 2.19 Our thoughts therefore may well bee said to accuse vs at this day of reckoning And here it is strange to see how wonderfully worldly men are deceiued in this point they will say Thought is free as though it were lawfull for them to thinke at pleasure without sinning or punishment It is true that man may thinke what he will freed from mans knowledge and punishment For as it is true that no man knoweth the thoughts of man so it is as true that no man can iustly inflict punishment vpon man for his thoughts for he knoweth not them Onely God the searcher of the hearts and reynes knoweth mans thoughts and punisheth them if they are wicked and that deseruedly For euill thoughts defile man Mat. 15.19 20. and therefore worthily are condemned Zech. 8.17 The witnesses against man are foure 1. God 2. Heauen and Earth 3. Rust of the Gold and Siluer of wicked rich men 4. A mans Conscience First God is a witnesse who knoweth all things yea the very secrets of the heart therefore the truest and best witnesse This is proued Malachy 3.5 Mal. 3.5 I will said he come neere to you in iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the Southsayers and against the Adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vex the widdow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not mee saith the Lord. This righteous Lord and true witnesse will set before mans face the things that hee hath done Hee vvill bring to light the hidden things of darknes make manifest the counsels of the heart that euery one that thinketh well and doth well may haue praise of God and he that thinketh not well Math. 25. nor doth well may bee cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Deut. 4.26 The second witnesse Heauen and earth The Lord saith to Israel when thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt haue remained long in the land if yee corrupt your selues and make any grauen image or likenesse of any thing and worke euill in the sight of the Lord thy God to prouoke him to anger I call Heauen and Earth to record against you this day that yee shall shortly perish from the land whereunto ye goe ouer Iordan to possesse it yee shall not prolong your dayes therein but shall vtterly bee destroyed The like place we haue Deut. 30.19 Deut. 30.19 Where the Lord calleth Heauen and Earth to witnesse against them saying that he had set before them life and death a blessing and a curse and bids them chuse life that they may liue with their seed Beloued Christians let vs take heed what we doe heere on the earth For our sayings doings are knowne and seene from aboue and the earth vpon which our sinnes are committed can beare witnesse of the same against vs if our words and deeds are euill Thirdly the rust of the gold and siluer of couetous worldlings shall be a witnesse against them which hath beene layd vp till it rusted for want of vsing and well employing to the vse of the poore And as their gold and siluer is eaten vp and fretted with rust so they for not vsing their treasure well shall be eaten vp and deuoured with the fire of hell that is they shall be tormented with euerlasting flames