clime into Gods vnsearchable counsell althogh it be denied vs. Wherefore let vs be content to keepe our selues within the bounds of modestie and not to be curious and desirous to knowe more then the Angels who are altogether ignorant hereof much lesse shal we be able to reach vnto it but the more we desire to know it the further off shal we be from it Some haue bene so bold as to set down the time and haue fained heauenly reuelations for the certaintie and assurance of their speeches yet their vanitie hath beene disprooued when the time hath beene expired How much better shall it bee for vs to lay aside all such vanitie which stands vpon vncertaintie and giue our selues to such a carefull meditation that wee may not bee vnprepared when wee shall bee called Curious searching can nothing profit vs but a wise and godly foresight and forecast may stand vs greatly in stead whereby wee shall not bee taken at vnawares as the vngodly are like to be who forecasting no danger shall suddenly fall into destruction If wee cannot sufficiently make answere vnto the Iudge Prayer before whose iudgement seate wee shall stand as doubtlesse wee shall not bee able to answere one for a thousand let vs prepare our hearts by confession of our sinnes and by prayer for forgiuenesse of them and let vs say with the Prophet Enter not into iudgement with vs O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh bee iustified O Lord forgiue vs our sinnes and let not thy wrathfull displeasure light vpon vs. Who would be vnprepared against the time that shall come and yet it is vncertaine to teach vs to haue the more care seeing that after death hath arrested vs we shal be broght into the court of Gods iudgement and then no other issue no other way but either heauen or hell And who would not haue a great regard to this matter For the tryall of this iudgement shal be seene in the anguish of death and as it were at the last gaspe when our consciences shall bring heauy things to our remembrance and the diuell by his accusations shall put vs in great feare and driue vs well-neare to dispaire And the nearer wee begin to approach to the tribunall seate of Gods iudgement the greater shall bee our feare and more grieuous vnto vs then the bitter pangs of death it selfe Watch therefore and pray that thou mayest be prepared against this time and against this iudgement Wherefore the Lord in mercie Conclusion graunt vs a godly and a peaceable passage and that throgh his desert that dyed for vs it would please him to mittigate and asswage all these terrorus and feares and let vs with all speede approach to the throne of grace to finde helpe in time of need Whereas the wicked which are carelesse in their lifetime at the poynt of death and at their last passage out of the world shal be so assaulted on euery side by their owne cōscience condemning them and the diuell accusing them and the horrour of euerlasting torments to come ouerwhelming them that they shall bee driuen to crie out against that iudgement that hangeth ouer their heads and wayteth for them at the doore Such shall the day of iudgement bee to vs as is the last day of our life and looke what the course of our life is when we are called vnto iudgement for after our death immediately commeth iudgement and so shall our iudgement be Neither are we therefore to thinke that our last deedes onely shall come to examination but wee ought to be prepared euery moment least death doo take vs vnprouided For they which in the anguish of death and in the vpshot of their liues shal be found vnready it is hardly to be thought that their resurrection shal be happy And therefore our Sauiour Christ hath said He that perseuereth Perseuere and holdeth out well to the end he shall be saued The which that we may do let vs be prudent Noahs to build the Arke of a good conscience before the floud of iudgement do ouerflowe prouident Iosephs to lay vp the graine of golinesse in the barns of our harts before the dearth of mercy shal be like vnto painful ants to prouide the food of the soule before the winter of iustice do approach tractable patients to take the preparatiue of repentance before the pangs of death doo come wise virgines to haue ready the lampe of faith and the oyle of vertue before the Bridgrome Christ Iesus shut vp the doores good stewards to prouide for the tabernacle of heauen before we loose the office of this life And let vs not straine curtesie to see who will go first but let vs remember that euery one is to answere for himself and God hath many messengers For either sicknesse will come or age will come nay death will come suddenly and speedily and after a while we shall rise againe and the Iudge will come who will neither be led by fauour or request nor blinded and stopped from proceeding with bribes and money nor then will allowe of too late repentance because then shall be the time of execution of his iustice The day of iudgement shall come in the which pure harts shall more preuaile then faire words and a good conscience then great treasure And though some may thinke that that day is far off yet let them be sure their last time will come on apace and wee knowe not how soone that houre shal be and when God wil appoint the time Good it were and most happy for vs if euery one of vs were so affected and so prepared as it is reported of a holy father S. Ierome whose words were these euen the declaration of his heart For out of the heart out of the abundance thereof the mouth speaketh Whether I eate sath he or drinke or whatsoeuer I do me think I heare this sound alwayes in my eares Arise ye dead and come to iudgement Arise ye dead and come to iudgement Let vs follow his example confirmed by the Apostles counsell Watch and pray withall perseuerance that wee may keepe the garment of innocencie and labour the worke of God in the day of this life Wherefore seeing that day shall bee comfortable to the godly which shal be fearefull to the wicked let vs endeuour before this iudgement come to be among the godly and the righteous and that our cōsciences may cleare vs so wel that wee may feele within our selues a desire of this second comming of Christ rather then any trēbling at the remembrāce of it The which let it not be done by any fained flattery of our selues but in sinceritie truth knowing this assuredly that whosoeuer shal not be found written in the booke of life shal be cast into the lake of fire where their portion shal be nothing else but weeping gnashing of teeth That wee may not bee caught in the flaming fire rendring vengeance but that we may
bridegrome It is an article of our beliefe and surely not without singular comfort and commoditie that he that vouchsafed to take our nature vpon him and to bee cloathed with our flesh that suffered and endured the spitefull dealing of the wicked and an accursed death for our sakes that he that rose from death to bring vs to life that he that ascended into heauen to procure vs an entrance into his fathers Kingdome and to make vs fellow heires with himselfe that he I say would not forsake vs euen in the most dreadfull time and greatest necessitie when we had deserued the heauy sentence of iudgement and wofull condemnation That hee would set vs free from all feare and to haue that comfortable and most gracious regard of vs as though we had neuer offended him and to vse this chearefull and ioyfull speech vnto vs Come ye blessed I say this article is not without singular comfort From thence shall be come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Which is not spoken to the wicked to whom nothing is comfortable but onely the vanities and pleasures of this transitorie life which shall haue an end and a sudden end and a finall and heauy recompence but to the comfort of the godly and to encourage them which haue sighed and groaned vnder the burthen of their sinnes and who haue fledde vnto the throne of the grace of God and holding out a godly course haue through hope and patience looked for this deliuerance which shall be at the day of doome and iudgement Which comming of Christ vnto iudgement shal be vnto them as the appearing of the Angel was after Christ his resurrectioÌ„ vnto the women that is milde and gentle Be not ye affraid let not your hearts be troubled But vnto the rest his countenance shall be like lightning and hee shal come in flaming fire reÌ„dring vengeance So that they shall not be onely astonied and become as dead men as were the souldiers that were set to keepe our Sauiour Christ in the graue but furthermore they shall be in horrible feare and trembling And happy were they if they might be partakers of their desire so far as not to be to become as thogh they had neuer bene borne But as the godly do passe to ioyes so the other of force must liue in eternall torments In consideration of which iudgement and torments to come they leade a life continually in feare and treÌ„ble at the remembrance of their woful estate which hereafter shal be The godly also haue good cause to feare the selfesame feare of the last iudgement and eternall torments in respect of their manifold sinnes and offences whereby they haue prouoked the heauy wrath of God against them But that they might be raised vp againe and comforted it pleased our Sauiour Christ to receiue the sentence of condemnation himselfe and against his owne person hee beeing altogether innocent and guiltlesse in the presence and from the mouth of an earthly Iudge Pontius Pilat by name that wee might bee acquitted and set free at the terrible and fearefull day of iudgement which in the ende of the world shall come vpon all flesh that wee I say might bee acquitted which are altogether full of sinnes and altogether guiltie According to that we read Ro. 8.1 Now then there is no coÌ„deÌ„natioÌ„ to them that are in Christ Iesus And what shall we then say If God be on our side who caÌ„ be against vs who spared not his own son but gaue him for vs al to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God maketh requÌ„est also for vs. So that I may boldly say to them who feele the inward comfort of Gods spirit within their hearts by the forgiuenesse of their sinnes through Christ his death Feare not this feare nor tremble as the wicked doo at this iudgement For seeing ye are led by the good spirit of God it is a token that yee are the children of God and that yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba which is as much as to say father euen our father which art in heauen And the same spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God and if we be children wee are also heires euen the heires of God and fellowe heires with Christ our elder brother Wherefore there is no cause why the godly should feare this iudgement as the wicked feare it For as the one sort shall at that day receiue the iudgement of condemnation whereof they haue an inward feeling in this life which makes them feare so the other shall receiue the sentence of absolution and shall bee quit as it were by proclamation when Christ shall say Come yee blessed Which is the cause that moueth the holy Apostle S. Iohn 1. Ep. 4.17 to breake forth into these words Herein is the loue of God perfect toward vs that we should haue boldnesse at the day of iudgement Therefore the godly make their prayers and wish that this day might come shortly Reue. 22. Come Lord Iesus come quickly The wicked would not haue it come as yet nay if it were possible they could wish it should neuer be and that it would neuer come to passe Torment vs not say the diuels to Christ before our time Oh say the wicked that this time might neuer be or that after death wee might vanish away and come to nothing How greatly auaileable shall it be to the godly when hee that is their Sauiour and hath shead his most precious bloud for their redemption hee that is their elder brother and hath purchased vnto them this libertie as to be called the sonnes of God when he that is their head and hath made theÌ„ his members shal be their Iudge to iustifie them and to declare them righteous and whâ—n at that day hee shall deliuer them from all sinne feare of death the diuell hell and all other miseries wherewith other shall not onely be ouertaken but ouerwhelmed For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods children and who shall procure their destruction whose saluation God hath wrought But to the great terrour of the godlesse and wicked who feare not God nor loue either Christ or his Gospell hee shall be their Iudge to their fearefull and that most iust destruction This also shal not onely be an inward refreshing amoÌ„g great miseries wrongs and persecutions while wee liue heere on the earth but also a great ioy in time to come that al vnrighteous iudgement shall be called to account and that there shal be a generall and most absolute reformation For on earth for the most part there is no true
liues madnesse and their end without honor But now how is it that they are counted among the children of God and that their prouision is among the the Saints and that they are so highly in Gods fauour Therefore we haue erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs. We haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we haue gone through daungerous wayes but wee haue not knowne the way of the Lord nor liued in his feare And now hauing heard the chiefest matters concerning the day of doome and the generall and last day of iudgement that wee may the better bee prepared vnto it let vs heare what counsell is giuen vs in holy scriptures And first that of the Apostle S. Paul may take place and seemeth greatly to tend to this purpose Which counsell wee read 1. Cor. 11.13 in this sort If wee would iudge our selues we should not be iudged and this profit wee should reape thereby that in time to come we should not be condēned with the world But as a matter full of terror and pensiuenesse wee will not enter into so deepe a consideration nor trouble our consciences so farre as to iudge our selues or to fall into examination of our owne wayes Whereas no doubt if wee should so doo it would fall out most happily on our side For if vpon due try all and examination without all partiallitie and affection wee should pronounce sentence of iudgement against our selues according to our deserts it would bee no otherwise nor no better then condemnation And yet not that condemnation which woorketh dispaire but such a condemnation whereby wee might bee acquitted from euerlasting condemnation As the same Apostle writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 7.9 I now reioyce saith he not that yee were sory but that yee sorrowed to repentance For yee sorrowed godly so that in nothing ye were hurt by vs. For godly sorrowe causeth repentance vnto saluation not to bee repented of but the worldly sorrowe causeth death So verily if wee would enter into iudgement with our selues it would procure a griefe and sorrowe but such a sorrowe especially if it came from a well meaning minde that should not be vnto death For by iudging of our selues we should take a viewe of that death and of those torments which by reason of our sinnes we deserue And by this meane we should be driuen to repentance and to seeke after God to bee reconciled vnto God to returne into his fauour that our consciences might be disburthened of so great feare which the seuerity of the last iudgemēt of god might work within vs that we might haue boldnesse and comfort in that day But if we walke on securely carelesly and wil not once vouchsafe to enter into iudgement with our selues then may we a while be merry in this world but our mirth shal hereafter be turned into mourning As the wise mā doth put such carelesse persons in remembrance that in their iollitie they might not too much forget themselues Reioyce saith he if so be it seeme good in thine eyes but remember therewithall that thou shalt be called to account and to iudgement Eccle. 11.9 and 12.14 And therefore he giueth this counsell Chap. 7.14 It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting Anger is better then laughter for by a sad looke the heart is made the better Better it is to be in the house of mourning and to weepe for our sinnes wherby we are in daunger of Gods iudgement then to be in the house of feasting and forgetfulnesse to enioy some pleasure with the world for a small time seeing our life is but as a span long that here onely and in this life is the time of forgiuenesse that we may be pardoned Better it is to be angry with our selues then to please our selues in such sort and a sad minde is a meane and a great help to further our repentance And how shall we obtaine so godly a purpose as to bee set free from Gods heauy anger which we haue most iustly deserued if we doo not vse the meanes which tend therevnto Commonly where iudgement is there followeth condemnation but heare how sweete and comfortable it is that in iudging of our selues after this order which I haue set downe vnto you we shall find a way to be quit from euerlasting condemnation Which we can no way escape if in this life wee doo not iudge our selues and condemne our selues by true repentance calling for mercie and forgiuenesse that wee may be receiued into Gods fauour and not in time to come to be condemned with the world For in so iudging of our selues it is not a meanes to cause vs to dispaire but to haue a better hope and an enduring and a reioycing comfort which comfort shall neuer bee taken from vs if still wee be mindfull to call our selues to iudgement and haue an eye to our wayes that wee do not offend God Wherefore let euery one of vs pray that our hearts may bee so prepared against this iudgement day that we may be most willing to call our selues to account and to iudgement So that hauing thus humbled our selues after a while all feare shall passe away from vs and our hearts shall be filled with ioy and whereas heretofore we haue wished that this day should not bee now wee shall desire in heart to haue it come to passe And so much the more because our consciences shall assure vs our sins being forgiuen that we shall not bee among the number of them that shall be condemned but among them to whom it shall be said Come yee blessed inherit the kingdome prepared for you Which comfortable words God graunt we may then heare to our euerlasting comfort Spend the time in an honest vocation An other remedy to auoyd the seueritie of this punishment is to seeke to please God in this world in an honest vocation and trade of life For as idlenesse is the cause of many sinnes and vices so godly painfulnesse is the mother of all vertues and which doth breede a great comfort to our cōsciences against the time when we shall be called to our account how we haue spent our time and imployed those good gifts wherewith God hath inabled vs. Therefore in the Gospell before the declaration of the latter day of iudgement there is mention made of the talents that were bestowed they that receiued them were called to the reckoning how they employed them the slothfull being bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darknesse and the painfull highly aduanced So that there is a way offered to auoyd iudgement and they that are therein negligent and carelesse shall be guilty of iudgement and shall fall into diuers mischiefes and sins which shal make them more faulty and worthy of greater condemnation The life of man somewhere is