World must appeare before the Throne of CHRIST IESVS Thirdly if you desire to be instructed by what meanes and after what maner CHRIST IESVS wil proceed in iudgement What shall be the Euidences and the Witnesses What Iury shall passe vpon euery man and woman The holy Ghost tells vs that the Bookes shall be opened that God will Iudge euery man by his owne conscience for that shall giue euidence eyther with or against thee either to excuse or accuse thee Fourthly and lastly if you would know what shall be the finall end of all men you may heere perceiue that they vvhose Names are written in the Booke of Life shall bee Blessed But Death and Hell and Sathan and all vngodlie sinners shall bee cast into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone for euermore which is the second death Now hauing seene the meaning of the Text let vs come to speake of the seuerall points one by one in order I saw a great white Throne c. THis Verse containes in it a notable Description of the Iudge himselfe And whereas S. Iohn saith he saw a great white Throne that is Christ Iesus reuealed it vnto him in a Vision the manner of his second comming to iudgement and withall commandeth him to write it in a booke for the comfort and instruction of the Church of God for euermore Heere then we may note the great care and loue of IESVS CHRIST towards his poore Church and people that hee would not haue them ignorant of his second comming to Iudgement But he doth make it knowne to his Disciple Iohn and bids him record it in the booke of God for our instruction that so no man might be ignorant of it but rather might prepare himselfe by true repentance to meete the Lord Iesus Christ in the Clouds Now concerning the Vision Saint Iohn saw a Great white Throne he saw a throne set and this Throne is described by two properties First a Great Throne 1 Great Throne secondy a white Throne The first shewes the wonderfull Might Maiestie and Power of the Iudge The second shewes the Puritie Integritie and Vprightnesse of the great Iudge of the whole world Mat. 25.31 And as it was shewed vnto Iohn in a Vision so our Sauiour Christ himselfe speaketh of it when he shewes that as earthly Kings vvhen they will make shevv of their Regall Power and Dignitie of their Maiestie they ascend into the Thrones of their Kingdome euen so Christ Iesus when hee comes to Iudgement hee will come with all glorie all his holie Angells shall attend on his Sacred person And then hee will ascend into this Great white Throne of his Glorie to pronounce that finall sentence both on the Sheepe and on the Goates Vse 1 Here then we see a manifest difference betweene Christs comming in the flesh to bee a Mediator and Redeemer and his second comming to Iudgement And surely it makes much for the comfort of Gods poore children that though heere they be in want in misery and pouerty yet they shall be made partakers of this glorie of their head Christ Iesus Secondly it serueth to astonish all hard-hearted sinners which contemne Christ and his poore members Christ will at last manifest his power in their iust condemnation Seeing the person of the Vse 2 Iudge is of such endlesse power and glorie of such wonderfull might and maiestie this must humble all men vvhen they come to stand in presence of so great a Person as wee doe vvhen vvee come to heare the Word Preached and Taught to receiue the holy Sacrament If wee were to come but into the presence of an earthlie Prince how carefull and circumspectly vvould vve behaue our selues to do nothing vnbeseeming the presence of so great a person This is the great care men haue when they come into the presence of an earthlie iudge to put off their hats and to shew al tokens of reuerence And yet it is a wonder to see how vnreuerently men and women come into the ptesence of the Euer-liuing and most high God vnto the presence of the great Iudge of Heauen and Earth the King of Kings and Lord of lords When we come to pray or to sing Psalmes vnto God hovv vnreuerently doe some sit vvith their hattes on would any man do it in the presence of an earthly iudge or a mortall presence Surely it is an vnreuerent behauiour to sit couered eyther when wee speake vnto God by Prayer or vvhen GOD speaketh vnto vs in his word Againe when men come to heare the vvord of this great Iudge the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ when they reade it priuately in their houses It is wonderfull to see what little reuerence they shew in the glorious presence of this great Iudge Would anie earthlie Prince take it in good part if thou shouldest stand in his presence and he talke with thee for thy good and thou shouldst euen at that time turne thy backe vpon him and fall to wiping of thy shoes or some baser businesse Though men dare not do this in the presence of an earthly prince yet when Iesus Christ shall speake vnto them in his Word and Gospell they will more regard the vaine and foolish talke of anie Boy or Girle that shall prattle in their eares then the heauenly voyce of this great Iudge CHRIST IESVS Which shewes very plainely that they care not for CHRIST and that they make but small account of his Word and glorious Gospel Oh therefore let vs consider when we come eyther to speake to God by our praiers or to heare Christ speak vnto vs in his Word that wee come to appeare in a glorious presence that so we may come in feare and reuerence as becommeth the presence of so great a maiestie Vse 3 Seeing the Person of the Iudge is of such endlesse Maiestie and power we must take heede we neuer doe wrong anie of his poore members for Christ hee taketh it as done vnto himselfe and hee will neuer put it vp at our hands Let vs therefore embrace the counsell of the Prophet Dauid in the second Psalme and twelfth verse Kisse the Sonne lest hee be angrie c. let vs regard his word embrace his Gospell loue his people obey his truth kisse the golden Scepter of this great and mightie Iudge of the world lest in his anger he breake vs in peeces with his rod of yron Secondly 2 White Throne this Throne of CHRIST IESVS is called a White Throne Now this white Throne it betokeneth puritie beautie sinceritie and integritie And therefore it sheweth that CHRIST IESVS the Iudge of the whole world will iudge all causes and all persons vprightly sincerely and purely no crueltie no iniustice nor wrong will hee doe to anie creature but will proceed most sincerely in all vprightnesse Indeed iudgement in this world many times swarueth greatly sometimes the Iudge is not able to search into the depth of the Cause sometimes for feare he dareth not doe iustice sometimes for
saith 1. Cor. 15. Wee shall not all die but we shal be changed they that be liuing at his comming Then how doth this place agree with them seeing S. Iohn saith heere He saw the dead Heere is none spoken of but the dead no mention of the liuing I answere Saint Iohn saith Answ that He saw the dead Not that he saw not the liuing too For he saw no doubt both quicke and dead stand before God But hee speaketh heere onelie of those of whom there might be some doubt For if the dead and they which haue beene rotten so many thousand yeares shall appeare and stand before God How can we thinke that any of the liuing shall be wanting if that they which haue beene dead for sixe thousand yeares and are turned to ashes shall be brought to iudgement then no doubt they which be found liuing when Christ shall come to iudgement So then it is euident that though Saint Iohn speake heere onelie of the dead because there might be most doubt of them yet he said in a vision all men both quicke and dead stand before almightie God at the Barre of IESVS CHRIST Doct. Comfort to the godly that they shall rise againe I saw the dead Hence may wee rayse a double Doctrine First a notable comfort for the soules of Gods children namely that the dead bodies of Gods children do not perish they are not cast away and lost when they die but they shall rise againe They shall bee purified and made a glorious bodie and they shall stand in the presence of the Lord Iesus Christ and shall see his glorie And therefore let vs not thinke that when death commeth and separateth the soule from the body that then the body doth perish and is cast away No no it shall rise agayne it is but layd in the Graue as in a sure Chest and there it is at ease and lieth asleepe as in a bedde of dowlne But when CHRIST IESVS shall come to iudgement it shall rise againe For we must know that euerie true beleeuer is made a member of CHRIST And not onely our soules are vnited to Christ but euen our dead bodies when they be layd in the Graue they still remayne the deare members of his mysticall Bodie and therefore shall not perish but rise againe to glorie And for our further confirmation in this poynt of Resurrection Resurrection proued let vs see how it is confirmed to vs by the testimonie of the holy Scriptures as that of Daniel Dan. 12.13 They that sleep in the dust shall avvake some to euerlasting life and some to euerlasting shame And the Lord God by the Prophet Hoseas doth make vnto his Church this gracious promise Hosea 13.14 I will redeeme thee from the power of the graue I will deliuer thee from death O death I wil be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction This is cleared by the testimonie of Iesus Christ himselfe Ioh. 5.28 The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graue shall heare his voyce and they shall come foorth And they that haue done good shall goe into the resurrection of Life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation This is taught by the Apostles of Christ Iesus in diuers places of their Epistles As Beholde I shew you a Mysterie 1. Cor. 15.52 we shall not all sleepe but we shall be changed and that in the twinckeling of an eye at the last Trumpe And this is that vvhich all of vs confesse to beleeue as one of the most principall Articles of our faith The resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.21 So that we see it is cleere that the godly and the wicked shal both arise But the ends of their resurrection are different the one shall rise to life eternall the other to perpetuall shame and eternall destruction So that howsoeuer it shal be a ioyfull day to the godly that haue the sting of Death taken away from them through Christ his death yet the wicked shall haue no benefite by it and therefore vnto them it cannot properly be called a Resurrection no more then the taking of a malefactour out of prison to be executed can be called a Deliuerie But it shall be with the godlie and the wicked at that day as it was with Pharaohs seruants Genesis chapter 40. both of them were taken out of prison but the one of them to be restored to his Office to minister before the King but the other to be executed and put to a cruell death Euen so shall it be with the godly and the wicked at the last day Both shall arise out of their graues as out of a prison but the one to be euer with the Lord ministring praises vnto him for euermore the other to be banished from his presence and sent into euerlasting condemnation For vnto them alone is the resurrection a benefite where remission of sinnes goes before as we are taught in the Creed This must needes be a great comfort to GODS Children Vse 1 when wee can say with Iob chap. 19. I know that my Redeemer liueth and that I shall see him with these eies This same body shall arise this verie bodie for substance thogh purged and cleansed from sinne yet the same for substance shall rise againe and these my eies which haue beene carefull to seeke Christ Iesus to seeke his glorie to reade his blessed Word to releeue the poore members of CHRIST that these my eyes shall see my blessed Redeemer to my endlesse ioy And these mine eares which haue beene carefull to heare thy holy word to saue my soule they shall heare his sweet and blessed voice saying vnto me Come yee blessed of my Father For the bodies of GODS children shall not perish but shall rise to glorie and be made like vnto the glorious Bodie of Iesus Christ Oh how this should moue all men and women 1. Cor. 15 to vse their bodies well to the honour of Christ Iesus seeing hee will not let them perish but will crowne them and glorifie them for euer Secondly this must needes bee a fearefull terrour vnto all profane and filthy sinners who bestowed their bodies wholy in the seruice of sinne and Sathan They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced and shall lament Zachar. 12.10 For euen their dead bodies shall rise too but how to iudgement to torment and to burne for euer in the lake of fire and brimstone Thou hast set open thy wanton and adulterous eies to beholde vanitie thou hast delighted to heare vanitie more then goodnes thou hast vsed thy tongue to lying deceipt swearing c. and hast runne to vaine sportes and pastimes on the Lords day to the dishonor of CHRIST IESVS to serue the Diuell and thine owne flesh Oh know that thy bodie shall one day rise againe to iudgement to torment to be cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone Consider the rich Glutton Luke 16.
Word a drunkard c. they think themselues to be iolly fellowes and who but they Alas alas their case is feareful poore soules they doe not see they be the sonnes of death the heires of vengeance and the wrath of God the fire-brands of hell nay euen death and hell it selfe Vse 2 Heere wee may see what a horrible and cursed thing sinne is in the sight of God for sinne maketh men become guiltie of eternal death and firebrands of hell as we see when the traitour is executed for treason his son smarteth for his sinne Euen so sinne which is treason against the maiesty of God when wee haue brought it foorth it bringeth vs to death and hell For death and hell is the reward of sinne And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire Would you know what shall become of the profane wretches of the world would you know what shall become of the blasphemer would you know what shall become of the adulterer drunkard idolater swearer c. S. Iohn saith here in plaine termes They shall be cast into the lake of fire Thus was the rich Glutton Luke 16. for his gluttony drunkennesse want of pitty c. cast into this wofull lake of fire And thus shall all impenitent sinners one day be cast into this wofull Lake of fire Now if a Blasphemer or an Adulterer c. should haue but this punishment to holde his little Finger in the flame of a candle one houre how could hee endure it But if a man should bee roasted on a Gridiron or boyled in a Cauldron of molten lead what miserie were this whose heart wold not quake and melt to thinke on it O these are nothing in comparison of these most extreme and endlesse torments in this lake of fire when both body and soule shall both burne and boyle and as it were fry in the scorching flames which cannot bee quenched All men almost are afraid to commit Treason because Traytors are so grieuously punished they are hanged drawne and quartered But alas men be not afraid to commit Treason against the King of Heauen though they must bee cast into a lake of fire for euermore Men are afraid to offend the Prince for feare of death And yet our Sauiour bids vs Not feare them that can kill the body and can do no more but feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell fire And yet wee see that men and women bee more affraid to offend man then God that can cast both body and soule into hell fire If wee should see a little child fall into the fire and heare it cry pittifully and the very Bowels should bee burnt out O how it would grieue vs and make our very hearts bleed within vs How much more then should it grieue vs to see not a childe but euen our owne bodies and soules cast away for euer by sin into the lake of fire that cannot be quenched If a man should come amongst vs and cry fire fire thy house is all of a flaming fire thy Corne thy Cattell thy Wife and Children and all that thou hast were consumed with fire Oh how would this astonish vs that would make the very haire to stand vpright on our heads and teares to gush out of our eyes Behold then and see the Spirit of God cries out vnto vs Fire euen the dreadfull fire of hell gapeth ready to deuoure not thy house thy corne or thy cattell but thy poore soule and that for euermore Oh how should this breake our hard and flintie hearts asunder and make our soules to bleed if wee haue any sparke of grace any care of our soules that they may not bee tormented in this Lake of Fire for euer I will leaue the further handling of this poynt vntill I come vnto the next verse where the holy-Ghost saith agayne the better to make it sinke into our verie hearts That Whosoeuer is not found written in the Booke of Life shall be cast into this lake of fire Now the better to expresse what is meant by this Lake of Fire Not a bodily death nor a materiall fire like to ours But the holy-Ghost meaneth heere euen the second death that is not of the bodie onelie Double death but of eternall death and damnation both of bodie and soule for euermore This is the second death and by this we may see there is a double death there is the first death and the second death The first death is the separation of the soule from the body this is common to all the children of GOD doe die this death aswell as the wicked yet there is a difference For death is no curse to the children of God because Christs death hath taken avvay the Sting of death that it can not hurt the children of God No it is as a doore to let our soules into the Kingdome of Heauen But the second they neuer taste of No childe of God needes to feare the second death Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Wherein the second death consisteth Now as the first death is onely the seperation of the soule from the body so the second death is a totall and finall seperation of both soule and bodie from God for euermore And this second death doth stand principally in these three points First that all the wicked and vngodly sinners that liue and die in their sinnes they shall be seuered from the glorious and blessed presence of GOD for euer Which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 2. Thes 1.9 O what a wofull death is this to be plucked and torne from the blessed and comfortable presence of God whereas our Sauiour CHRIST saith Matth. 5. â—8 that our happines and all the ioy of GODS children shall stand in the beholding of God and being in his presence for euermore Then what miserie and what woe will this be vnto the wicked to be cast out of the glorious presence of God for euer seeing that he alone is the fountaine of Life and of happinesse Secondly the second death stands in this that wicked men and women shall not onelie be seuered in body and soule from the blessed and glorious presence of God for euer but they shall be cast into the lake of fire and haue all their abode with the diuels and all the damned spirits in hell where shall be no ioy nor comfort nor ease but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth If a man should be cast into a deepe and darkesome dungeon full of Toades and Serpents what comfort I pray could he haue but to wish for death This is the death that all the impenitent sinners must die They must be cast out of the sweet and comfortable presence of the Lord CHRIST IESVS and bee throwne into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone there to be tormented for euermore Mat. 25 41 Thirdly
the third thing wherein this second death doth consist is that all reprobates shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition they shall bee tormented in body and soule with vnspeakable torments the wrath and vengeance of God shall seize vpon them and feed on them as fire doth on pitch or brimstone where they shall bee euer burning and boyling and yet neuer consumed euer in paine and torment and neuer haue ease And to shew the wonderfull torment of hell of this second death our Sauiour compareth it vnto a furnace of fire Mat. 13.24 Now what a woefull torment is it to bee cast into a furnace of fire and to lie many thousand yeares therein this is a torment that cannot be expressed Againe he saith that Their worme sh ll not die Esay 66.24 and their fire shall not bee quenched Now how should a man doe if hee should haue a worme alwayes crawling in his belly gnawing alwaies at his heart This is the estate of all wicked men and women They shall alwaies haue a worme euen griefe and anguish of heart euer gnawing at their hearts and biting at their consciences And this worme shall neuer die nor kill them but euer gnawing and wounding them So then you see by this which hath been spoken what this second death is and also wherein it doth consist Now all the Question will be Who shall be cast into this Lake of Fire VVho are they that shall die this second death Who they bee that shall partake of the second death which is such a miserable and wofull death For there is no man nor woman that liueth I thinke but they suppose that they shall escape this death they hope that they shall be saued and so escape this flaming fire And therefore now you shall see who they be that shall be cast into it Looke they are there marked out vnto vs Reu. 21.8 The fearefull and vnbeleeuers and abhominable and murtherers and whooremongers and sorcerers and lyars c. shal haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death So then rhe holy-Ghost telleth vs that all impenitent sinners shall bee damned 1 Cor. 6.10 shall be cast into this lake of fire which is the second death Then what a strange thing is this The Holy-Ghost tells vs who shall be damned and cast into the Lake of Fire all impenitent sinners the Blasphemer the Drunkard c. and yet no man almost will beleeue this Well the Spirit of God cannot lie He sayth That all the wicked and vngodlie sinners shal be cast into the lake of Fire which is the second death now tell neuer so wicked a wretch of his sinnes of his swearing c. And what will they say Tush GOD is mercifull I hope I shall be saued Is not this I pray to giue the Holy-Ghost the lie Tell the drunkard or the profaner of the Lords day c. they shall be damned doe they beleeue this Oh no no For if they did beleeue it how durst they be so bold to liue in sinne Well hovvsoeuer these vile wretches say they hope to be saued aswell as the best of them all yet know this is the truth of God the holy-Ghost telleth vs plainly That all vnbeleeuers and theeues and murderers c. shall be cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone which is the second death But to you whose hearts doe tremble for feare of these things whose soules doe melt for feare of this second death now if you would know how to escape this Lake of Fire and how to auoyde this second death which is th' eternall damnation and torment both of body and soule you shall see how the Spirit of GOD doth not onelie shew you how to escape hell but to come to heauen not onely to auoide damnation in this Lake of fire but to obtaine saluation and ioy in the blessed and glorious presence of Almightie God for euermore Now see what the Holy-Ghost doth teach thee in the sixth Verse of this chapter Blessed and holie is hee that hath his part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death shall haue no power But they shall bee the Priests of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeares that is for euermore So then would you know what manner of men and women shall escape the second death and eternall damnation in this lake of hell fire why the holy-Ghost saith They and none but they that haue their partes in the first Resurrection So then it is manifest in these words that there be two resurrections and also a double death The Children of GOD they haue a double resurrection and one death But all wicked and vngodly sinners they haue one resurrection and a double death So then let vs see what is meant by this first resurrection namely our rising out of the graue of sinne to newnesse of life This is the first resurrection Ephes 2.1 You that were dead in trespasses and sinnes hath hee quickned Rom. 6.4 And we are buried with Christ in Baptisme that like as he rose againe to the glory of the Father euen so wee should walke in newnesse of life So then would you know whether you shall escape eternall fire in hell euen this second death then looke vnto your owne soules Are you dead to all your old sins and new sins Are you quickned in the inner man Do you hate sinne as well when it is committed by your selfe as by others Doe you labour to mortifie and to keepe vnder the workes of the flesh and walke in all holy duties and obedience both vnto God and men Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Blessed and holy are they that haue part in the first resurrection where he shews that none shall be blessed none shall haue part in the first resurrection and be freed from the second death but such as be sanctified to liue a godly life that are partakers of the first resurrection And therefore if you desire to bee blessed to escape the second death which is the euerlasting damnation both of bodie and soule then labour heere to liue a godly life For these two Iustification and Sanctification cannot be seuered And this is a very great comfort to all the true members of Christ Vse that do repent and leaue their sinnes and liue a godlie life though they be in miserie in pouertie in want and in the end die the first death of the bodie yet they shall bee freed from the second death that is from eternall death the gates of hell shal not preuaile against them And therfore as you loue your soules as you desire to be blessed and to escape eternall damnation which is the second death Labour I say to haue a part in the first Resurrection to die vnto sinne and to liue in newnesse of life But
THE GREAT ASSIZE OR DAY OF IVBILEE Deliuered in foure Sermons vpon the 20. chapter of the Reuel ver 12.13.14.15 Whereunto are annexed two Sermons vpon the 1. chapter of the Canticles verse 6.7 The second Impression corrected and amended by the Authour SAMVEL SMITH Minister of the word of God at Prittlewell in Essex Math. 12.36 I say vnto you That of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue an account thereof at the day of Iudgement LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES 1617. ⧠TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND VERtuous Gentlewoman Mistresse IANE ELIOT of Newland Hall SAMVEL SMITH wisheth the encrease of all true comfort in this life and eternall happinesse in the next RIGHT Worshipful the Apostle Paul hath told vs That In the last dayes shall come perillous times For men shall bee louers of their owne selues couetous boasters prowd cursed speakers Disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholie without Natural affection Truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no Louers at all of them which are good traytours heady high-minded Louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but yet denie the power thereof And they are the words of our Sauiour himselfe that as it was in the dayes of Noah So shall the comming of the Son of man be And againe vvhen the Sonne of man commeth shall hee finde Faith vpon earth When were these perilous times Saint Peter speaketh of if not now When was there the like securitie When gaue men themselues ouer to their owne hearts lust more then now By the which then wee see that we are they Vpon whom the ends of the world are come and that wee must all shortly be called to accompt for these things The Nineuites fast and repent the Publicans do feare and quake when Ionas cryeth to the one and Iohn to the other of iudgement to come Ahab is humbled and Felix trembles when from Elias and Paule they heare of death and Judgement yet alas where is the man among vs that thinkes of these things Doe not men crie Peace peace till destruction come vpon them as the Trauell vpon a woman with childe Shee thinketh not of the paine vntill it come and they thinke not of this day of reckoning till it come This is the security of our Age so that we may now looke for an end to be put vnto these sinnefull daies for vvhat are they but the fore-runners of that last and dreadfull day The Lord make vs wise betimes that we may think of that Great Assise and the account that we are then to make I haue heere endeauoured in a weake measure to vnfold the Doctrine of the day of Judgement the which J here present vnto your Worship in regard of the demonstration of my vnfained thankefulnes for your extraordinary kindnesse bestowed vpon me As also in regard of the great affection and good deuotion you beare to the Truth Accept therfore I pray you what is heere offred vnto you and take in good part my indeuour therein so I humbly take my leaue Resting Your Worships in all Christian duetie to be commanded SAMVEL SMITH ⧠To the Christian Reader Grace and Peace from IESVS CHRIST the Prince of Peace CHristian Reader I present heere vnto thy view the third publique fruite of my Ministerie wherein I haue endeuoured that those especially of mine owne Hearers might a second time take notice of my Exercises that in publike I deliuered vnto them The night commeth when no man can worke therefore it stands vs all in hand both Minister and People to esteeme of Time as the most precious thing in the world and the rather because we know not how soone we shall be called to an account of our Works Many haue had many times many good purposes of hart to cleaue vnto the Lord that haue beene preuented by Death for want of timely Repentance It shall then be our wisedome To agree with our Aduersarie while wee are in the way with him for if wee be but once arrested by Death we shall be sure to pay the vtmost farthing Vse this as a help vnto thee to better thee in the performance of that dutie which concerns thee so nearly That thou must one day giue an accompt of thy Workes If thou reape any benefit by it giue the praise vnto God from whom euery good perfect gift proceedeth and help me in thy praiers which I shall take as a full recompence of all my Labours and be encoraged to spend some houres more in the like dueties for thy good In the meane time I remaine Thine in the common Sauiour SAMVEL SMITH THE GREAT ASSIZE The first Sermon REVEL 20.11.12 c. 11 And I sawe a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose Face fled away both the Earth and the Heauen and their place was no more found 12 And I saw the dead both small and great stand before God and the Bookes were opened and another book was opened which is the book of Life the dead vvere iudged of those things vvhich vvere vvritten in the books according to their deeds 13 And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and Death and Hell deliuered vp the dead that were in them and they were iudged euery man according to his deeds 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 15 And whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire HAVING spoken not long since of the Comming of CHRIST into his Garden Cant. 5.1 or into his Church and of his kinde and princely offers vnto vs suing for entertainment at our hands being his first comming vnto vs heere in this vale of Teares I thought it verie necessarie to speake something of his second comming that those that will not be moued with the former might be terrified with the latter To which purpose I haue made choyce of this place of Scripture in which this matter as you see is at large described with many necessary circūstances needfull to be knowne and learned of euerie one of vs all For heere the second comming of Christ is reuealed to Saint Iohn in a vision from Heauen euen in that manner in which Christ will come at the last day For these fiue Verses containe in them nothing else but a liuely and heauenly description of the second coming of Christ to Iudgement with all the circumstances belonging to the same The parts of the Text. For first if you would know with what Maiestie Power Integritie Seueritie and Terrour this great Iudge will come you may see the person of the Iudge described in the first verse of this present Text. Secondly if you would vnderstand what persons must be cited and summoned who must appeare Saint Iohn saith heere he Sawe the dead both great and small stand before the Iudge all that euer are that haue been or shall bee vnto the end of the
fauour he is with-holden sometimes bribes blind his eies and peruert the right sentence But it shall not be so with this Iudge of the whole world His sentence is a righteous sentence he will iudge according to trueth he is able to finde out any cause and will examine it to the bottome hee feareth no mans person he will not be moued with fauor to conceale the truth And as for rewards hee contemnes them all therefore no doubt hee will proceede according to iustice This serueth for the comfort Vse 1 of Gods people in this world we see oftentimes the righteous cause is troden vnder foot mens lands and liuings are detained and taken from them by vnrighteous Iudges and that vnder colour of Law Well let men haue patience and know this that there wil come a day wherin there shal be Iustice and true Iudgement doone vnto them Here thy cause shall be heard it shal be righted for Christ Iesus will bee a righteous Iudge for the poore the fatherlesse and the widow Againe we see how the members of CHRIST which make conscience of sinne and care of their liues to heare the word and to walke accordingly they be disgraced and despised of the world Well let vs learn here to possesse our soules with patience for there will come a day of reckoning when as our righteous cause will bee heard and we shall haue iustice and all the contemners of Christ Iesus and persecutors of his poore members shall feele the smart of it Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christ Iesus the Iudge commeth thus with might and Maiestie not as a Sauiour or Mediator but as a Iudge It must admonish all men and women now to repent and turne vnto God in the time of mercy Esay 55.6 to seeke the Lorde while he may be found and to call vpon him while hee is neere Now while we liue Iesus Christ commeth vnto vs by his Ministers as a Sauiour to saue our Soules in mercie to bring vs to Repentance But after this life hee will no more come as a Sauiour or a Mediator but as a mightie Iudge full of Maiestie full of Might Power and Glory And therefore looke how men die so shall the Iudge finde them If thou die in thy sinnes and doest not repent and seeke for pardon at the hand of the Iudge whilest thou liuest heere There is no hope of mercy after death For how death leaueth thee so shall iudgement finde thee Cain died many thousand yeares agoe and Iudas in their sins so shall the last day find them For after death there is no mercy but iustice and iudgement And one fitting thereon NOw who this is which sate vppon this Great White Throne The Person of the Iudge described Reu. 14.14 you may see in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the foureteenth chapter and the foureteenth verse I sawe a White Cloud and one sitting on it like the Sonne of man hauing on his head a golden Crowne and in his hand a sharpe Sickle So that wee see that it is the Sonne of man euen CHRIST IESVS GOD and man that shal be the iudge And so doth Saint Mathew call him Mat. 25.31 When the Sonne of man cometh in his glorie and all his holie Angells with him then shall hee sit vpon the Throne of his glorie And againe he titles him by the name of a King Verse 24. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. This is taught by the Apostle Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ .1 Cor. 5.10 True it is that our Sauiour Christ is King Priest and Prophet a true Prophet in whom vvas contayned all the secrets and whole counsell of God A true high Priest whose Sacrifice alone was able to put avvay the sinnes of the vvhole world But when he comes in the Throne of his Maiestie to iudge the quicke and the dead he shall not come as Priest or Prophet for these Offices of Christ are finished For his Propheticall Office he hath sufficiently reuealed the whole counsell of God his Father to his Church and People First by his holy Prophets then by himselfe after by his Apostles and Minsters And therefore seeing that his Prophetical Office is finished he calles not himselfe a Prophet but a King Againe CHRIST IESVS our Priest hauing once for all offered vp that Propiciatory Sacrifice for the sinnes of all the Elect now this Office of a Priest is likewise finished and this Sacrifice must be no more iterated and repeated But now hee commeth as a King in all Maiestie and Glorie For though his Propheticall and Priestlie Office be accomplished yet his Princely Office is not finished But now CHRIST IESVS the Iudge of quicke and dead shall beginne to manifest himselfe to be a King to all Nations to men and Angells Novv shall hee shevv himselfe to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords full of all Diuine and Heauenly power and glory For that now at the name of CHRIST euery knee shall bow When our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST liued on earth he came in misery very base and lowly euery childe durst look him in the face Then euery base fellow euery sinfull wretch durst mock him and spit in his face Herod and Pontius Pilate and the rabble of the Iews durst then vse him at their pleasure But now Hee shall come as a King full of maiestie and glorie guarded and attended vpon with many thousands of heauenly Souldiours euen all his holie Angells and then he will make Herod and Pontius Pilate yea the greatest Kings and Monarchs to stoope Nay then all his enemies shall tremble and quake Zach. chap. 12 ver 10. and not dare to open their mouthes against him Oh then what a terrour may this bee to all vvicked and vngodlie sinners that liue in sinne to see him come in that wonderfull Maiestie to be their Iudge whom they haue contemned vvhose members they haue persecuted and whose word and glorious Gospel they haue not regarded but troden vnder foot for he shall come with a sharpe two-edged Sword to cut them in peeces and a consuming fire to burne vp all vngodlie sinners And as hee is a King to the vvicked so is hee a King to the godlie Hee alone hath the Scepter of Dauid to the endlesse comfort of those that bee the children of his Kingdome For who is it that curbs Leuiathan snaffles the Diuell brideleth his force and malice Surely this our King Who is it that cuts the throate of sinne in his members and taketh away the strength of sinne Surelie this King of Kings Who breaketh the brasse barres of Death and pulleth out the sting of Death Our sinnes that they sting not our soules to the eternall death None can doe that but this our King CHRIST IESVS Who opens the gate of heauen who puts his spirit into the hearts of his children making them to crie Abba Father to lift vp their soules and with ioy to long
himselfe in a Vision and sheweth after what manner we shal be all iudged Euen according to those things written in the Booke according vnto our workes You haue heard before that hee saw all both great and small stand before God none shall bee wanting or absent themselues Now it might bee wondered how this great multitude shall bee iudged how euerie mans Booke should bee read and euerie mans cause should bee tryed For wee see what a long time it holdes our Iudges heere to trie a few persons such calling for Euidences such prouing of witnesses such preferring of Inditements But Saint Iohn saith It shall not bee so heere for all must proceed according to the written Records And according to these things which bee written in the Booke So as when Christ Iesus the great Iudge shall once sit vpon the Throne of his Glorie attended by his holy Angells then shall the Bookes of euerie mans conscience bee opened and then they shal afresh call to minde all their sinnes In these words we are to obserue three speciall points Parts of the Text. First who they are that must come to this Iudgement namely the dead euen they which haue lien many thousand years rotten in the graue Secondly the means whereby they must be tryed euen by those things which bee written and recorded in their Bookes Thirdly the Touch-stone of this tryall namely the written word of God And first of the persons It is not to bee doubted but that Saint Iohn meaneth that all must come to Iudgement Both great and small must stand before God But why doth he say heere And the dead shall bee iudged It is to be obserued that he names so expresly the dead euen those which haue lyen rotting so many thousand yeares must come to Iudgement they must be called to accompt yea their olde sinnes must be now brought to light For this is rhe wicked thoughts of many carnall men that when a man is dead hee is well then all his sinnes die with him hee is forgotten and his sinnes are not spoken of But Saint Iohn saith heere that euen the dead must come to iudgement euen their olde sinnes must come to light and they must answer for them It is nigh sixe thousand yeares since Caine slew his brother yet this sin of his is not forgotten though Caine bee dead so long since yet his sins are not dead No no Caine one day shall come to accompt for his sinne Iudas he did for vile lucre sell his Maister many hundreds of yeares agoe hee is dead and gone but at this day hee shall be called to accompt So in our dayes many men thinke when they die their sins shall neuer be brought to light The Vsurer hee getteth his goods by wicked and vngodly meanes he groweth in wealth when hee dieth hee thinkes hee shall neuer heare of this sinne agayne So the Drunkard Swearer Profaner of the Lords Sabboth c. they are persvvaded that death will end all their miserie Ah poore soules it were well with them indeede if death might end their wofull miserie But alas alas death is euen as a wide Gate to let them haue some passage to endlesse woe and miserie For when they be dead and buried their sins doe not die with them their misery is not then ended O no then begins their endlesse miserie torment Oh it were good they might haue no more being after death It had beene good for such men they had neuer beene borne or being borne that they had been made rather a Toade or a Serpent for in death they haue an end But it is not so with a filthy and and vngodly sinner For when hee is dead and buried euen then beginnes his greatest woe and misery for euen the sinner that is dead a many thousand yeares must for all this come to iudgement And therefore thou that liuest in sinne in adultery c. remember that although thou die yet thy sinnes doe not die with thee No no both thou and they must one day come to iudgement thy old sinnes and those which thou hast committed in secret they must come now to light Seeing that the dead must come to Iudgement Vse that haue laine a many hundred yeares in the graue and then their old sinnes and secret sinnes must come to light Oh let vs then watch ouer our liues and haue this still in our mindes Well though I die and rotte in the Graue yet my sinnes shall not die my euill wayes cannot be buryed they must come to light that so wee may neuer dare to sinne thinking as many doe that when they be once dead they shall neuer come to accompt for their sinnes But Saint Iohn sayth heere that the dead were iudged euen those whom wee forgot and whose sinnes wee would thinke would neuer be called to accompt euen they must come to a reckoning In the next place Saint Iohn tells vs how all men shall be tryed and according to what Sentence shall bee avvarded Namely according to those things Written in their Bookes Heere is the Euidence heere is no witnesse to bee produced for a mans conscience shall bee euen as good as a thousand witnesses Novv what is heere meant by the bookes you haue heard already namely the particular Conscience of euerie man and woman Thy conscience is the Booke that is the Euidence No other witnesse shall bee produced but euen thy owne conscience Againe the things which be written in these Bookes I told you they be all our thoughts wordes and workes not onely our grosse sinnes as murder c. but in our Bookes bee recorded euen our idle and vaine words euery vile and filthy thought and by these Sentence must proceede and according to these must Iudgement be awarded Now then those which haue good thoughts yea and holie things written in their Bookes they be blessed and happie for they shall not be ashamed nay they shall be glad to haue their Bookes layd open that their repentance their faith loue zeale and patience c. might bee knowne and come to light But woe then to all filthie sinners adulterers c. For the reward of these sinnes is death the wrath and curse of God for euer Vse Seeing that heere is the Euidence and by the things written in our Bookes in our consciences we must be arraigned and seeing in our Bookes bee recorded all that we do all our words thoughts and deedes First it must teach vs aboue all things to looke to our Bookes our consciences to keepe them very faire and cleane that our Bookes of Accompts bee in a readinesse For our consciences shall eyther excuse or accuse vs at the day of Iudgement Acts 24. This was the care of the blessed Apostle saint Paul Acts 24 in regard of this that wee must all come vnto iudgement and our consciences must be layed open and wee iudged according to the things therein recorded it made this holie seruant of God to take all
them all Thou canst not take one peece of golde or siluer with thee but all must bee left behinde Onelie thy conscience onelie thy bookes onelie thy workes must accompany thee O then what madnesse is this to seeke and hunt after such things as cannot helpe vs nor stand vs in no steade in the day of Iudgement Nay if they be got or kept with a badde conscience they will be a very terrour vnto thee at the last O then let vs looke to our selues let vs not set our hearts too much vppon these things which cannot profite vs in this hote fierie day of triall Why should wee bee so foolish to set our hearts vpon that cannot helpe vs nay which we must leaue behinde vs. And for faith that which might bee our comfort both in life and death and in the dreadfull day of Iudgement I meane a good Conscience which as it is a blessed and a sweete companion in life and death so it will be a blessed comfort to our poore Soules at the day of Iudgement O then I beseech you againe and againe seeing that nothing shall goe with you vnto iudgement but onely your works let vs lay aside our immoderate care for the world yea and the things of this world for these must stay behind vs and cannot helpe vs in the day of Iudgement Let vs labour for better things for durable treasures for a good conscience to abound in good workes in knowledge faith and repentance Let vs take heed wee be not found naked of these O what a woefull case are they in that haue nothing in the world to goe with them to iudgement but an euil heart a galled conscience full of all vncleanenes their state is most woefull and miserable it had beene good for them that they had neuer beene borne Here may a question be moued How this saying of Saint Iohn can stand with that of our Sauiour Iohn 3.18 He that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement but he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie Now then if the faithfull children of God shall not come into iudgement and the wicked vnbeleeuers be condemned already How saith he that all shal be iudged at the day of Iudgement I answere it is true that the faithfull children of God shall not come into Iudgement that is of condemnation Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation c. But God wil pronounce that blessed sentence Come yee blessed c. As for the wicked it is true they be condemned already first in the Decree and Councell of God being Reprobates and Cast-awayes secondly in the word of GOD thirdly in their owne conscience they be condemned already But the full manifestation of this Sentence shall not bee vntill the day of Iudgement And so we are to vnderstand that saying of Salomon Eccles 3. God shal iudge the iust and vniust The iust to saluation the vniust to condemnation Now the third point that I propounded is the touch-stone of this Triall whereby all mens thoughts words and workes shall be tryed To this S. Paul answereth At the day of Iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of all mens hearts by my Gospel Rom. 1.16 Our thoughts our words and our workes must be tryed by the word of God and that thought word or worke which is not according to the written VVord of GOD is an euill thought a vile word and a wicked worke Vse Seeing that all our thoughts wordes and workes must bee tryed and examined by the written word of God by the Lawe and by the Gospell wee haue neede to labour to know them to bee acquainted with them that wee might know what is sin and not sinne good and bad that so wee may leaue the one and doe the other Oh what a woefull case are all they in which are ignorant in the word of God blinde men and vvomen without knowledge they know not what is good or euill And therefore saith the Apostle Paul 2. Thess 1. That the Lord Iesus will come in a flame of fire to render vengeance to them which know him not and obey not the Gospel of Iesus Christ And therefore as you doe loue your soules loue this word of God labour to know it embrace it If thou be ignorant of it and yeelde not obedience vnto it it shall stand against thee at the daie of Iudgement and thou must be tryed by it Therefore let vs all labour to be instructed in it to reade it to remember it and to leade our liues by it For whatsoeuer is done contrarie to it is sinne it must come to iudgement and the Word will condemne it 13 And the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes YOV heard in the twelfth Verse immediately going before how Saint Iohn saw the dead both great and small stand before GOD that is all men and women that euer liued or shall liue vnto the end of the world Now heere might a question arise How this can bee How is it possible that all men should come to Iudgement There haue beene many thousands which haue beene drowned in the Sea and the fishes haue deuoured them some haue beene slaine in the field and the fowles haue eaten their flesh and many haue been burnt and consumed to ashes Then it is a very high poynt a matter beyond all reason that all the dead should rise againe Men that haue beene drowned fishes haue eaten them men againe perhaps haue eaten the fishes and they that haue beene burnt to ashes their ashes haue beene scattered who knoweth whither How then is it possible for them to arise againe Indeed the profane Atheists and filthy epicures are not ashamed â—o say that there shall be no resurrection but when a man dies there is an end of all his ioy and of all his miserie But that the dead shall rise againe is an Article of our Faith We beleeue the resurrection of the dead And so wee know it is a speciall point of Gods glory in mercie to reward his poore children and in punishing in iudgement the wicked and vngodly But as Salomon saith In this Life all things happen alike to the iust and vniust Nay oftentimes Diues is full and at ease when Lazarus is empty and in misery How then should God bee iust if hee should suffer his poore children that loue and feare his Name heere to liue in miserie and neuer to reward them Or again how should God be iust if hee should suffer the wicked and vngodlie heere to liue at ease if there were not a time when they should taste of vengeance Therefore they must come to Iudgement they must rise againe the godlie to bee made partakers of life and ioy and the wicked of shame and confusion Iob saith in his nineteenth chapter That though the wormes did eate his flesh yet hee should beholde God with his eyes And
Saint Paul doth proue this with many reasons 1 Cor. 15. If the dead rise not againe then is not Christ risen And if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vaine c. And why should we thinke it impossible for God to raise our bodies out of the dust Wee see a poore ignorant man is able of Ashes to make a verie beautiful Glasse How much more then is the Euer-liuing and almighty God able to raise our bodies out of the dust But you will say are mens bodies eaten of fishes men eate them againe How is it possible to saue the bodies of men thus consumed to dust and mingled with the bodies of fishes and of beasts I answere that though it be impossible to men yet it is not impossible to God For he that created all our bodies of nothing can make them againe of something namely of their owne matter and to seuer their bodies from all other matters As wee see that a Gold-smith can seuer one matter from another So then this place doth proue and confirme that Article of our faith that wee beleeue the Resurrection of the dead For howsoeuer a man dieth by Sea or by Land in his bed or in the field Saint Iohn saith heere the Sea shall giue vp all that haue beene drowned death and hell that is the Graue shall deliuer the dead in them so as all must come to Iudgement of what death soeuer they die O then see beloued how the diuel bewitcheth many a poore ignorant soule Vse When he is in miserie in great distresse and calamitie the Diuell hee perswadeth him to become his owne executioner to end his misery and to end his shame by hanging himselfe cutting his owne throate drowning himselfe c. And wee know and heare that hee preuaileth much by these meanes in these dayes Some being in disgrace as Achitophel some with the guilt of sinne and of conscience as Iudas and some being crossed with wife and children cut their throates or otherwise make an end of themselues Now they foolishly thinke by this means to end their griefe Alas alas they do by this means euen hasten their ovvne destruction And doe as if a man should to auoyd a little smoake cast himselfe head-long into a flaming fire So they to auoyd this little griefe of their body plunge body and soule into eternal torments For what ease is it for a man to kill himselfe or cast away himselfe seeing they must come to Iudgement though they kill themselues or drowne themselues Why the water and the Graue must one day deliuer vp their dead And therefore hence let vs learne to arme our selues if Sathan shall tempt vs to such horrible facts to cast away our selues c. Let vs answere him Wee may not cast away that which Christ hath bought with his owne bloud Nay let vs answere him That wee shall not thereby end our miserie but encrease it Now if you demand of me by what meanes the dead shall then arise at the last day I answer It is by the mighty power of the voice of CHRIST The houre shall come saith CHRIST in the which all that are in the Graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and come forth Iohn 5.28 And to shew the wonderful power of the voice of Christ it is compared to the sound of a Trumpet the lowdest and the shrillest of all Instruments And the Lord Iesus himselfe shall descend and come with a shout 1 The. 4.16 and with the voyce of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God and then the dead in Christ shall arise first Such shall bee the power force of this voice of the Lord IESVS as that it shal be heard ouer all the whole world Nay though men haue laine many a thousand yeares rotten in the Graue yet they shall heare it and come forth to iudgement Nay the very diuels and damned spirits in spite of their teeth shall be constrained to appeare at his Voyce No Prince no Monarch no King no Angell shall bee able to absent themselues but they must all bee enforced to obey the Voyce of the Sonne of GOD and come to Iudgement Vse O then seeing wee must all heare the voice of the Lord IESVS at the day of Iudgement and wee cannot but come forth of our Graues vnto Iudgement Oh let vs now obey his Voyce in the Ministerie of the Gospel now embrace the Gospell and the voyce of his Ministers If wee will not now leaue sinne heare CHRIST IESVS speaking vnto vs in his Word and embrace his Gospell then let vs well know that wee shall one day heare another Voice when wee shal be compelled to come before him to be condemned Thus you may see that all the dead must arise and come to Iudgement and you see how and by what meanes our bodies shall be raised namely by the mighty and the wonderfull power of the voice of the Lord Iesus Let vs now come to the Vses First seeing of vvhat death soeuer men shall die either by fire or water or howsoeuer they must one day come to iudgement Let vs then beware of that vngodly thought and diuelish perswasion that runnes in most mens minds namely that thinke that when they die there is an end of all their miserie And though they haue beene grieuous and horrible sinners yet if they can escape till death all is well And thus they thinke that they and their sinnes shall be buried together No no poore soules they doe much deceiue themselues Howsoeuer thou diest thou shalt come to iudgement And death is so farre from ending thy misery that it is a broade gate to let thee in into it Luke 16. For so soone as the Glutton died hee was presently in hel in torment And therefore let vs take heed how we wish as foolish men do in their sicknesse or age or miserie O I would I were dead then I should bee out of my paine O no no if thou bee not the child of God and a repentant sinner it had beene better for thee neuer to haue beene borne or to bee a Toade or Serpent And thou shalt finde that death is so farre from easing thy paine that it shall bring thee ten thousand times more paine and torment euen in hell fire for euer Therefore let vs not thinke that death shall end the miseries of wicked men Secondly seeing all men must rise to iudgement and by what meanes soeuer they die they must bee called to accompt this is a wonderfull comfort to Gods poore children Who abides more trouble and griefe then they Who be more hated reuiled crossed and wronged then they So as their life here for the most part is nothing else but a life of miserie But their comfort is heere in this that they shall rise againe and then the case shall bee altered then our miserie shall bee turned into felicitie ioy and happinesse Hast thou beene poore heere then thou shalt bee rich and
possesse a Kingdome Hast thou beene hungry and thirsty heere then thou shalt taste of the Tree of Life Hast thou beene poore and naked heere Then thou shalt bee cloathed with the precious Robes of Christs righteousnesse and in steede of the rags of Infamie and Reproch which wee must put on heere wee shall bee crowned with a Crowne of immortall Glorie c. Agayne vnto the wicked and the vngodlie it is not so with them but they hauing taken their pleasure here and receiued their portion in this present world shall arise now to Iudgement to heare the Sentence of Condemnation denounced against them and Mohammed Bouaziziow to bee cast into the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for euer Iohn 5.29 which is the second death Thirdly seeing Saint Iohn saith that wee shall all come to iudgement these bodies of ours though they be drowned though they be burnt to ashes or howsoeuer they bee consumed yet they shall rise againe eyther to Life eternall or death eternall Should not this make vs all Beloued to looke vnto our selues to take heed we doe not vse our bodies to the dishonour of God Wouldest thou haue thy bodie to bee partaker of Life Felicitie Glorie and Saluation in heauen Then vse thy bodie now to the glorie of God vpon earth to heare his word to sanctifie Gods Sabboth c. But if thou vse thy bodie to sinne to swearing to drunkennesse whooredome c. then know that thy bodie shall rise againe to iudgement to be tormented for euer Do not looke vpon the rich Glutton Luke 16. hee had abused his bodie to swearing drunkennesse c. and what became of it was hee not fearefully tormented in Hell at last And hee which had giuen his tongue to swearing c. Now he cries his tongue his tongue O that all sinful wretches could but thinke of this one example of GODS iudgements that if they abuse their bodies as this man did that they shall then taste of the same Iudgement Wouldest thou haue thy body glorified then glorifie God in thy body Dost thou thinke that thy soule shall bee saued and thy body glorified if thou vse the members thereof to sinne to vncleanenes c. O no let vs not deceiue our owne soules it can not be For saith the Apostle Rom. 6.2 How can wee that are dead to sinne yet liue therein Fourthly seeing the Holie-Ghost saith that of what death soeuer wee doe die wee shall all rise againe and Gods children they shall rise to life and to glory This must teach vs all this Doctrine namely not to weepe and mourne immoderatly for our friends deceased True it is that CHRIST IESVS wept for Lazarus Iohn 11. and the Disciples made great lamentation for Stephen Acts 7. And so wee haue great cause to mourne and weepe when as some speciall member of the Church of God is taken away we may not be as stockes or stones or senselesse creatures without affection It must needes grieue the heart of a husband to part with his louing godly and religious wife But heere is a meane for this mourning to moderate our weeping that wee weepe not and mourne not ouermuch for they shall rise againe I would not haue you ignorant brethren concerning those that bee asleepe that you should mourne at they that haue no hope 1. Thess 4.13 Where the holy-Ghost tells vs that the dead in Christ doe not die properly but lay them downe to take a sweet sleepe after their long and tedious labors and troubls in this world and afterward they must rise againe to life to happinesse to liberty to glory and saluation And wherefore then should we mourne so excessiuely weep and lament at the death of our friends seeing they doe not perish they are not cast away O no their soules are presently in ioy and their bodies are buried in the graue as in a bed of dowlne to take a sweet sleepe till the day of Iudgement and then they shall rise to glory And they were iudged euery man according to their workes MArke I pray you how the holy Ghost repeates this point againe and againe he beates vpon it he can neuer haue done with it He said before The Bookes are opened and the dead were iudged according to those things written in the books And now againe he saith They were iudged euery man according to his workes What should bee the cause why the Holy-Ghost so often repeats this point and beates so vpon it againe and againe I answere The cause is in vs because wee are hardly brought to beleeue this poynt hardly perswaded of so necessary a matter for hardly one man of a thousand beleeueth this That he shall be iudged according to his workes Oh it is a hard matter to perswade men and women of this That they must giue an accompt of their workes and be iudged by their workes Tell the wicked sinner of his vngodly wayes of his profanenes contempt of Gods word c. And what doe they say Doe they quake and tremble Doth their heart and soules euen erne in them O no no they flatter themselues with this conceit God is mercifull And thus they make the mercie of God a packe-horse for all their abominations And thus it is in the vile heart of man to thinke he shall neuer come to account for his sins that he shall neuer bee called to a reckoning for them and receiue his reward according to his workes Heere then we may perceiue there bee but two sorts of men and women there is the repentant sinner and the impenitent sinner and both of them must come to iudgement The repentant sinner is he or she that mourneth for their sinnes bewaileth them hateth them and leaueth them and doth hunger and thirst after good things Now the impenitent sinner is he or shee that liues in sinne and will not in any wise bee brought to leaue sinne They neuer with teares beg the pardon of them at the handes of God but wallow in all vncleannesse heaping sinne vpon sinne and one vngodly way vpon another whereas all the sinnes of GODS children who doe repent be quit and pardoned in Christ Iesus hee hath nayled them to his Crosse and hath washed them away in his owne Bloud and they shall neuer come to light But their faith their religiō their good deeds as their feeding and cloathing of CHRIST IESVS in his poore members Matth. 25. and according to these they shal receiue their reward life happinesse and eternall saluation and as their good deeds be many and great so shall their honour praise and glory be greater in heauen And therefore we should labour to abound in good works in faith knowledge repentāce loue zeale c. seeing our reward shall be according to our workes But as for the vnrepentant sinner that liues in sinne delights in sinne as they do not repent nor haue no faith nor good workes euen so as their workes shall bee so
shall their punishment be Ah what a wofull haruest hath many a poore soule now to reape at this day that all his life time hath sold himselfe vnto sinne that neuer had any care nor conscience to liue a godly life They shal weep they shal howle lament when they shal see their reward shall be according to their workes O how should this doctirene moue vs all as we haue any care to our poore soules to looke to our selues to watch ouer our wayes to hate sinne as the very bane of our soules and to auoid euery euill worke because euen by our workes shall we be iudged O then as you loue your selues and as you desire life and saluation abound in good workes and as you feare the wrath and endlesse vengeance of God and as you feare the torments of hell take heed of sinne of euery euill thought of euery euill word and of euery euill work for by them we shall be iudged at the last And if our workes be euill let vs assure our selues this will be the sentence of the Iudge Depart from me yee cursed c. But if you haue care to liue here a godly life to abound in good works O then see what a cheerefull and comfortable voyce yee shall heare Come yee blessed of my father c. For iudgement shall proceede according to our workes O that God would touch our hearts that we could but truely learne and beleeue this one lesson That our sentence shall be as our works be and iudgement shall be awarded according to our workes O it would bridle vs from many thousand sinnes and impieties How should any man dare to sinne to sweare to lie to steale c. when as hee knoweth that his reward shall be according vnto his workes and it would inflame our soules to labour to abound in good workes in knowledge faith repentance humiliation care and conscience because if wee abound in these our sentence shall bee happy blessed and comfortable and our glorie and reward shall be great in the Kingdome of heauen The end of the third Sermon The great Assize THE FOVRTH SERMON REV. 20.14.15 4 And death and hel were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death 5 And whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire IN the handling of this weighty poynt of Religion the second comning of CHRIST to Iudgement wee haue learned from he mouth of God First what maner of person the Iudge shalâ— be namely that he shall come like a mighty Prince with great Power Maiestie and Glorie to the great comfort of all his poore members to the great terrour and dread of all his enemies Secondly we haue seene who shall be iudged Both great and small Thirdly the manner hovv iudgement shal proceed namely by the written Records of mens consciences And now in the last place we are to come to the execution of iudgement vpon the wicked reprobates and vngodly in these two last verses for when iudgement is pronounced according to their workes when CHRIST IESVS shall say vnto them Depart from me c. then immediately the execution of this senâ—ence shall follow for so saith Saint Iohn here And death and â—ell were cast into the lake of fire â—hat is the second death First here we are to seeke the â—rue meaning of the Text beâ—ause there is neuer a word that â—s plaine but may moue a quetion For First what is Death that hee â—hould bee cast into Hell Is Death any creature Is Death â—ubiect to paine and torment Surely no. Death is no bodie â—t hath no sense nor feeling Death is no creature but onely â—he depriuation of life Againe â—hat a strange speech is this â—hat death should be cast into â—ell how can this be Secondly what is meant by â—he lake of Fire Is hell a water â—r fire like our fire And lastly wee are to consider what is meant by the secoÌ„d death into which al reprobates must be cast First heere by death and hell is meant not death it selfe or hell it selfe but the heires of death and hell that is all the Reprobates that shall bee cast into hell fire and there die for euermore Thus then you see what is heere meant by death and hell namely the heires of death and fire-brands of hell All reprobates all impenitent sinners that liue and die in their sinnes all those shall be cast into the lake of fire Seeing the holy-Ghost giues these Titles and Names to all wicked and vngodly sinners euen death and hell Surely this shewes the wonderfull miserie and the cursed estate of those that liue and die in their sinnes without repentance Alas it is so woefull and damnable that they be euen called death and hell it selfe Oh then let all sinners that liue and delight in sinne Vse take heed vnto themselues You do see the woefull miserie of all impenitent sinners Namely that they are no better then the vessells of wrath the heires of eternall death and fire-brands of hell for euermore O that all sinners could forethinke of this wofull miserie that hangs ouer their heades What a strange kinde of speech is this and of what force when God calleth such Reprobates euen death hell it selfe Ah poore wretches Ah miserable and wofull creatures which are but death and hell it selfe Oh would that the Drunkards c. could lay this to heart That howsoeuer they see not their misery nor the woefull estate wherein they liue but blesse themselues in their sinnefull wayes yet they are no better then the heires of vengeance and wrath of God nay indeed very death and hell it selfe True it is that many wicked men doe as the people did in Esay his time Esay 28.11 though they liued in horrible sinnes yet they made a league with death and were at an agreement with the Graue they had taken a Lease of death and hell to liue in sin by Licence without punishment But the Lord tells them he will breake their couenants and disannull their agreements and although they haue liued a long time in sinne yet in the end death will knocke at their doores and he will lay hold vpon them and they must pay full deare for their long Lease euen the losse of bodie and soule for euer And is not this the practise of most men and women Doe they not euen make a couenant with death and do they not labour to be at agreement with hell Men liue in swearing lying drunkennesse c. and yet they thinke they shal neuer die they thinke they shall escape for all their sinnes But poore soules let them well know that death and hell will seize vppon them Nay if they liue and die in their sinnes without repentance let them know that they be not better then death and hel it selfe and they must be cast into the lake of fire True it is you shall see many a notorious sinner contemner of the
Christ endure that any other should haue with him a portioÌ„ in his church For he is a iealous God Exodus 20. verse 5. So then the force of the reason standeth thus Gods people which are married vnto CHRIST must loue CHRIST alone because we are linked married to him alone as a wife to her husband vnto whom alone she is bound Therefore if we forsake the Lord and breake the promise wee made to him in Baptisme and betroth our selues vnto others then will he surely cast vs off giue vs a Bill of Diuorcement as shamelesse strumpets and punish vs for our vnfaithfulnesse Secondly hee loued vs first Reason 2 and best according to that of Iohn Wee loue him Iohn 4.19 because hee loued vs first Yea he loued vs first when we were his enemies and had made a voluntary separation betweene him and our soules committing Spirituall fornication with sinne and Sathan yea as the Apostle Paul witnesseth Eph. 2.4.5 Yee that were dead in trespasses and sinnes hath hee quickened And lest wee should any whit doubt of his loue hee hath manifested it Reuel 1.6 in that Hee hath washed vs from our sinnes in his Bloud Oh then greater Loue then this can no man shew And therefore seeing Christ hath loued thy Soule so dearely as to suffer a cursed death yea to shed his owne heart Bloud to saue thy soule Oh how oughtest thou to loue Christ agayne If a man vvere taken by the Turkes and put to extreme slauery and bondage where hee should remayne for euer vnlesse a great summe of money were payd for his ransome the which hee were neuer able to pay how miserable were the estate of this man But if one should come that out of his meere loue vnto him pittying his miserie that should pay his ransome and set him free who can expresse how much this poore wretch were bound vnto him VVee are all taken prisoners and that not by the Turkes which onely can but hold vs in temporall bondage but by Sathan the Prince of darkenesse where wee should haue indured not a temporall but a spirituall and eternall bondage and slauery and that in hell for euermore And nothing but onely the bloud of the Sonne of God could bee our ransome O how should this worke vpon the affection of euery Christian man and woman and euen bind vs to loue Christ againe Now what might moue Christ but onely his loue to giue himselfe to death for vs Surely nothing that was in vs. Ephe. 2.4.5 But God who is rich in mercie through his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hath quickned vs together by Christ by whose grace yee are saued And againe 1. Ioh 3.16 Hereby haue we perceiued loue that hee layd downe his life for vs. Ephes 1.7 By whom saith the Apostle we haue redemption through his bloud and therefore the loue that Christ Iesus hath first sheâ—ed vnto vs must constraine vs to loue Christ againe Reason 3 And lastly because CHRIST IESVS is most excellent in him selfe and therfore most worthie of our loue For so saith the Church of Christ My beloued is white and ruddy Cant. 5.10 the chiefe of ten thousand In the world we see it commoÌ„ that some are beloued because they are faire and beautifull some because they are rich and wealthy some because they are wise and prudent and some because they are honourably descended Now Christ Iesus hath all of these For what soeuer may affect a mans heart and any way procure loue the same is Christ Iesus fully and absolute without any shadow of mutabilitie or change For wisedome he is the fountaine for truth hee is the authour of truth for mercie he is the store-house of all mercie for riches hee is the Lord of heauen and earth euen the store-house of durable riches and for beautie hee is the most holy and blessed sonne of God full of grace and truth Oh how may this serue to reproue Vse 1 all carnall and prophane Gospellers worldly men Epicures couetous Cormorants who loue any thing more then Christ Iesus and his glorious Gospell like the Gadarens who preferred their hogges before Christ yea one messe of pottage with Esau that can be content to sell Christ for lesse then thirtie pence that loue their filthy plesures eating drinking pride vncleannenesse c. more then CHRIST and their owne soules like the Bethlemites let Christ lie in the stable amongst beasts for they can not affoord him one corner in their hearts Againe it is the sin of thousands that professe Christ to be their Husband and Sauior that yet breake their couenant and serue the world and the flesh that pretend they loue the Lord Iesus Christ and yet betroth themselues to the world the flesh and the diuell and serue them Now how could any man be content with this That his wife should say she loues him and yet sets her heart vpon another man So how can wee thinke that God will take it at our hands if we will make shew that we loue Christ and yet are euer dallying with the world Christs enemy Oh he is a iealous God and will neuer indure it at our hands And lastly by the rule of this Doctrine of the Papists heere no lesse to be reproued who so much rob God of his honour calling vpon Saints and praying vnto them nay preferring the virgin Marie before Christ himselfe giuing honour and adoration to Saints and Angels making them Mediatours and Sauiours they shall finde one day that GOD will not put vp this robbery at their hands but will shew his iealous and terrible anger against them as most sacrilegious persons and robbers It must stirre vp euery Christian Vse 2 man to labour to finde his heart rauished with the loue of Christ Iesus so as he can say out of the affection of his heart O thou whom my soule loueth so as if the question were demanded what I loue best I can truly say Phil. 3.7.8 I loue Christ Iesus more then the whole world yea I account all things but losse and dung to win Christ And where men find this true affection loue of Christ in them it is a certaine signe of their saluation that God hath cast his loue vpon them that so the loue of God drawes loue to him againe As the light of the Sunne lights on the eie and by it we see the Sunne again And as by the picture in the Waxe wee know the Seale so by our loue to God we know his loue to vs. O how should this cause euery man and woman and euery mothers childe amongest vs to examine their loue towards Christ that so they may gather some assurance vnto their owne soules that Christ hath cast his loue vpon them And to doe this aske me this question of thine owne soule Doest thou desire Phil. 1.25 with the Apostle Paul to be loosed and to be with Christ Tell mee