to be put to torments and cruell death In like maner shall it bee with the Elect and Reprobate faithfull and vnfaithfull the godly and the wicked at this generall and great Assize both shall arise out of their close prison I meane their Graues but the one sort to be euer with the Lord and to be euer in a continuall ioyfull practice ministring praises and Songs of Thanksgiuing saying Saluation and glory and honour bee to the Lord our God c. Math. 25. The other to bee banished from the presence of the Lord and to bee finally adiudged to euerlasting fire and torments Therefore O godly man hold on and goe forward in a godly course of life Thou shalt haue comfort and ioy at the last euen a solace sempiterne and perpetuall For eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man 1. Pet. 1.4 what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him and the inheritance of Gods Children is incorruptible vndefiled and neuer fadeth away But if thou art a wicked man and hast walked in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and continuest in thy wicked life without repentance then thou shalt rise in the last Day but to iudgement to torment to bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where are paines endlesse Luke 16. caselesse and remedilesse Looke to the example of the rich Glutton At this day and time of account Kings Queenes Princes Earles Barons and Baronets Knights Esquires Gentlemen Yeomen rich and poore young and old all one as well as another shall bee demanded how they haue occupied their Talents as wee may gather by the Parable Mat. 25. The Virgins that expect the Bridegroome with Oyle and Lampes prepared shall be blessed The wicked shall be sifted with straight examination and shall giue an account of a thousand matters whereof they would haue scorned to haue been told of in this life by Minister or Magistrate as how they haue spent their time whether they haue fought against the world the Flesh and the Diuell Of which and many other things they must giue an account of The sinners Tryall yea of euery idle word And heere wee are to note that as when persons are tryed at our Assizes vpon matters of life and death there are vsually accusers and witnesses written and printed Lawes and Bookes by which men are tryed for no man is condemned vpon a bare accusation without testimonie some apparant proofe or at leastwise some great probabilitie that cannot bee spoken against and the breach of the some branch of the Lawes So the Scriptures speaking after the manner of men proue that there shal be both accusers and witnesses against a false Steward a wicked man at this great Assize The accusers are a mans owne thoughts after which sort the thoughts of the Gentiles are said to accuse them or excuse them Rom. 2.15 16. at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ A mans wicked thoughts then are sinnes and vnlesse a man repent him of them deserue death And therefore Peter bad Simon Magus pray to God if perhaps the thoughts of his heart may bee forgiuen him And for this cause our Sauiour speaking of an euill heart saith that out of it proceede euill thoughts Mat. 15.19 from these wicked thoughts come many euill and wicked words whereof the sinner must giue an account yea Mat. 12.36 many sinnes and wickednesses that shall correct a man and many turnings backe that shall reprooue him Ier. 2.19 Our thoughts therefore may well bee said to accuse vs at this day of reckoning And here it is strange to see how wonderfully worldly men are deceiued in this point they will say Thought is free as though it were lawfull for them to thinke at pleasure without sinning or punishment It is true that man may thinke what he will freed from mans knowledge and punishment For as it is true that no man knoweth the thoughts of man so it is as true that no man can iustly inflict punishment vpon man for his thoughts for he knoweth not them Onely God the searcher of the hearts and reynes knoweth mans thoughts and punisheth them if they are wicked and that deseruedly For euill thoughts defile man Mat. 15.19 20. and therefore worthily are condemned Zech. 8.17 The witnesses against man are foure 1. God 2. Heauen and Earth 3. Rust of the Gold and Siluer of wicked rich men 4. A mans Conscience First God is a witnesse who knoweth all things yea the very secrets of the heart therefore the truest and best witnesse This is proued Malachy 3.5 Mal. 3.5 I will said he come neere to you in iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the Southsayers and against the Adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vex the widdow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not mee saith the Lord. This righteous Lord and true witnesse will set before mans face the things that hee hath done Hee vvill bring to light the hidden things of darknes make manifest the counsels of the heart that euery one that thinketh well and doth well may haue praise of God and he that thinketh not well Math. 25. nor doth well may bee cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Deut. 4.26 The second witnesse Heauen and earth The Lord saith to Israel when thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt haue remained long in the land if yee corrupt your selues and make any grauen image or likenesse of any thing and worke euill in the sight of the Lord thy God to prouoke him to anger I call Heauen and Earth to record against you this day that yee shall shortly perish from the land whereunto ye goe ouer Iordan to possesse it yee shall not prolong your dayes therein but shall vtterly bee destroyed The like place we haue Deut. 30.19 Deut. 30.19 Where the Lord calleth Heauen and Earth to witnesse against them saying that he had set before them life and death a blessing and a curse and bids them chuse life that they may liue with their seed Beloued Christians let vs take heed what we doe heere on the earth For our sayings doings are knowne and seene from aboue and the earth vpon which our sinnes are committed can beare witnesse of the same against vs if our words and deeds are euill Thirdly the rust of the gold and siluer of couetous worldlings shall be a witnesse against them which hath beene layd vp till it rusted for want of vsing and well employing to the vse of the poore And as their gold and siluer is eaten vp and fretted with rust so they for not vsing their treasure well shall be eaten vp and deuoured with the fire of hell that is they shall be tormented with euerlasting flames
accused in these words and the same was accused Secondly called and he called him Thirdly reprehended in these words How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee Fourthly he yeeldeth an account Come render an account of thy Stewardsh Fiftly he is put out of his Office in these words For thou mayest be no longer Steward Of these in order and first of his accusation Wherein we are to note first his Accusers Secondly the capitall and hainous crimes whereof he is accused The Accusers or complainants are these 1. Satan 2. Angels 3. Saints 4. His owne Conscience 5. Sinnes 6. Creatures of God The hainous crimes wherof the euill Steward is accused of are these fiue 1. Vnfaithfulnesse 2. Cruelty 3. Slothfulnesse 4. Ill company-keeping 5. Wastfulnesse First the euill vnfaithfull and vngracious Steward is accused of the Diuell For which cause hee is called Reu. 12. The accuser of the Brethren which accuseth them before God day and night Hee accuseth our workes words and thoughts as Gregory noteth saying thus Lib. 2. moral Diabolus prima opera nostra deinde verba tandem cogitationes accusat He defameth man accuseth him of wickednesses reporteth them before God calleth for vengeance and speedy death lest the thred of mans life should be drawne out along and he should repent and obtaine eternall life Iob 1. If Satan was so impudent that he blushed not to defame and accuse before God holy Iob a man to whom there was none comparable in his time on the earth a perfect and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill What is it that he will not alledge against a sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquitie a seed of the wicked corrupt children in whom from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing sound in them but they draw wickednesse with cords of vanity and sinne as it were with a cart-rope Secondly an vniust Steward is defamed and accused of Angels Iob 20.27 Reuelant coeli iniquitatem improbi Esay 1. The Heauens reueale the iniquitie of a wicked man Per coelos Angelos qui in coelis sunt accipe saith the ancient Father In Math. 18. The fellow-seruant told to the Lord the cruelty of his seruant Now the Angels are our fellow-seruants as we may probably gather out of Iohn Reu. 22. where he fell downe to worship the Angell who said vnto him See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-seruant and the fellow-seruant of thy Brethren the Prophets which keepe the sayings of this Booke Worship thou God Loe the Angell said to Iohn that he was his fellow-seruant and not onely his but of his Brethren the Prophets which kept the sayings of Gods Booke The Angels then tell God our faults as here Our prayers holinesse and righteousnesse as in Tobie 12. Let vs therefore that liue in the presence of God and his Angels carry our selues godly and honestly knowing that most pure eyes doe looke vpon vs. Thirdly a bad Steward is blamed and accused of Saints both triumphant which are in Heauen and militant which liue on earth Of Saints triumphant whose bloud was shed on earth by cruell Tyrants and persecutors for the Word of God and testimonie which they had For these being in the blessed port of Heauen cry out against them that imbrued their hands in their bloud Reu. 6. saying How long tarriest thou O Lord which art holy and true to iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on earth And that an vngracious Steward is accused before God of Saints that are liuing in this mortall life it is also most manifest Ieremy blamed and accused the Iewes vnto God yea and craued reuengement against them in these words O Lord of hosts thou righteous iudge Ier. 11. thou that tryest the reines and the hearts let me be auenged of them For vnto thee haue I committed my cause When Antiochus oppressed the Church of God with great tyrannie Dauid accused him vnto God in these words Psal 74.10 18. Remember this O Lord how the enemy hath rebuked and the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name Ieremy in like manner accused and blamed his persecutors vnto GOD and craued him to reuenge him saying Ier. 15.15 O Lord thou knowest remember me and visit me and reuenge mee of my persecuters If the poore is oppressed of the rich and make his mone vnto the Lord accusing him and crying for reuengement The Lord respecting the deepe sighing of the poore will awake as one out of sleepe and as a Gyant refreshed with Wine Psal 12. and will smite their enemies in the hinder parts and put them to a perpetuall shame True it is and memorable which Siracides hath chapter 35. where he saith God hath no respect of persons against the poore but doth heare the prayer of him that is wronged hee will not neglect the prayer of the fatherlesse nor the widdow if she complaine Doe not the widdowes teares goe downe her cheekes and they cry out to God on high in Heauen against him that hath caused the same Now beloued brethren and sisters if wee should wrong an innocent and harmelesse man in a righteous cause vpon earth we would be vnwilling yea we would tremble and quake to haue a complaint we knowing our selues guilty to bee made vnto a mighty Iudge or Potentate that can punish vs seuerely How much more then should it grieue vs and astonish vs and cause vs to make recompence and satisfaction to the parties whom we haue wronged when wee know that the complaints and cryes of them that are iniured doe sound in the eares of the Lord that an accusation is made against vs that an account must be giuen to the high Iudge and iustice without partialitie ministred Fourthly Rom. 2. the bad Steward is accused of his owne thoughts and testified against of his owne conscience and this is as forcible to conuict a man as a thousand witnesses and hereupon grew the prouerbe Socrates Conscientia mille testes When a mans Conscience is wronged hee liueth as merry as a Bird in a pitfall Lib. de moribus For Conscientia laesa est nunquā secura as Seneca writeth Chrysostome writing vpon the 50. Psalme saith Conscientia peccati formidinis mater that is to say The Conscience or knowledge of sin is the mother of feare If a man feare any creature Man Beast or Worme he may auoid them but hee can neuer flee from his Conscience she is a bird which hee alwayes carrieth in his bosome pleasant as the Nightingale if shee bee not violated but being wronged shee is like a Waspe or Snake vnder a mans cloathes or rather like the Bots in a Horse belly which neuer suffereth him to be quiet but are still eating and gnawing Sat. 12. And therefore Inuenal said that this is the greatest punishment and we must needs all yeeld vnto it Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem This
cùm tandem caro datur vermibus anima daemonibus cum diuete sinc fine crucianda That is to say If thou haddest the wisedome of Salomon the beauty of Absalom the strength of Samson the long life of Enoch the riches of Croesus the felicity of Octauian what doe these profit thee when at the last thy flesh is giuen to the wormes and thy soule to the Diuels with the rich man to be tormented world without end For what will it auaile a man to winne all the world and to lose his owne soule or what ransome shall a man giue for his soule 2. Men placed Stewards in this world hauing the stock of the same at their disposition play the bad Stewards in setting their hearts vpon them idolatrously From this vice and hainous sinne Dauid dehorteth when he said Psal 62.10 1. Tim. 6. If riches increase set not your heart theron And Paul commands them that be rich in this world that they be not high-minded neither put their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God In which place hee yeeldeth a great reason to moue men not to trust to riches adding a fit Epithite to riches calling them vncertaine For they ebbe they flowe they come they goe they are neuer certaine Therefore the Wise man gaue good counsell when as hee said Trust not in vncertaine riches Valerius said well to this purpose Diuitiae istae in quibus summam foelicitatem consistere putant sunt caducae momentancae crepundijs simillimae affluunt subitò subitò dilabuntur nullo in loco nullo in homine nullo tempore sunt certae sed incertissimo flatu fortunae huc illuc actae quos in sublime sustulerunt subito casu deijciunt That is to say Those riches wherein men place their chiefe felicitie are caduke momentany most like to gugawes they come suddenly and suddenly slide away they are certain in no place in no man at no time but tossed hither and thither by fortunes instabilitie whom they haue exalted highly they throw downe suddenly This was one of the Philosophers reasons why riches should not bee felicitie quia fluunt refluunt that is they come speedily to a man and hastily runne away like the tyde of the Sea So long as Troy flourished it was said of King Priamus quo nō foelicior alter neuer was any more happy but when it was destroyed so vncertaine was his state and so vaine his former trust in riches infoelix Priamus so that this saying Priami calamitates became a common prouerbe spoken of all distressed persons What a foolish thing it is for men to trust in riches may appeare by the example of that rich Steward who considering his great in-comes and friuts that were to come in reasoned with himselfe saying What shall I doe because I haue no roome where I may lay vp my fruits And he said This will I doe I will pull downe my Barnes and build greater and therein will I gather in all my fruits and my goods and I will say to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy Soule from thee then whose shall those things bee which thou hast prouided So is he that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich towards God which trusteth to vncertaine riches and considereth not how deadly they sting in the end For as the Bee carrieth Hony in his mouth and a sharpe sting in his tayle euen so the couetous and cruell man trusting to his riches hath pleasure in his life but pain at his death Like to the example of the rich Glutton whose pleasant life you may see whiles hee liued and his dolefull sorrows after death from the 19. Verse to the end of this Chapter Thirdly men play the bad Stewards in this Farme this world by keeping their goods to themselues basely and miserably of which goods the Lord is the true owner and not themselues but Stewards and Disposers of them and therefore O man thou shouldest dispose them and doe with them as he would haue thee for so ought euery one to doe that is a Steward and Bayliffe vnder another Therefore be rich in good workes glad to distribute For this is the true vse of riches in good men that vse them wel to whom they are Gods blessings and the ornaments of vertue But to the wicked that imploy them not to help others but rather do hurt they are sentina malorum Arist a sinke of euils Keepe not that to thy selfe basely which God the true owner bids thee layout cheerefully to help others For if thou doest thou art false to God in thy dealing If a rich man that hath a Bayliffe a seruant vnder him should say vnto him Here is twenty shillings pay this to such and such persons and it is as good as if thou payedst it vnto me If this seruant should keepe this twenty shillings vnto himselfe and not lay it out as his Master bids him nor restore it you will say with mee that this were a bad seruant a false Steward God of his gracious goodnes bestoweth all that thou hast vpon thee and bids thee giue vnto the poore feede the hungry cloath the naked Math. 25. visit the sicke and imploy it to other good vses and then thou giuest it to him If thou shouldest not doe this thou art a false Steward thou doest not repay that which thou hast receiued Thou a rich man carriest as it were the poore mans stocke and therefore let them haue part with thee Stips pauperum thesaurus diuitum Tiberius Constant the rich treasure is the poore mans stocke as said the good Emperour God will haue no Begger in Israel Nature suffereth nothing empty and the Raine when it falleth downe and runneth filleth euery chinker and hole as it runneth and leaueth still some moisture behinde it to doe good where need is So doe you ye rich Stewards of the weale publique Lay out some goods for the maintenance of the Gospell some for thy poore neighbours that is done to Christ that is a treasure in Heauen surely kept for thee Reu. 18. and hath a finall blessing Math. 25. for the works of the godly follow them to defend them and reioyce them in the world to come But if thou art a false Steward gettest thy goods by pilling polling grinding the faces of the poore and selling them for hose and shooes and keepest them basely to thy selfe and thinkest at thy death to leaue them to thy wife and children thou shalt vndoubtedly leaue behind thee for all thine not a blessing but a plague and a curse and so vtterly vndoe all thy posteritie De malè quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres Exod. 20. God doth visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him And the Lord
commaunded the cruell seruant himselfe his wife and children and all that hee had to be sold Math. 18. inflicting the punishment not onely vpon himselfe but also vpon his wife and children Therefore let men be not vniust and cruell but true and mercifull for as the holy father hath August Sola misericordia est comes defunctorum Onely mercy accompanieth the dead That a man shall carry away with him and God in his mercy will reward mercy Fourthly men play the bad Stewards when they receiue the Lords goods and lay them not out according to his will but spend them vnlawfully wilfully and wastfully for which they are culpable and accusable as this bad Steward was The idolatrous person layeth out his riches vpon superstitious workes as Ahab and Iezabel The quarrelsome man layeth out his goods vpon vnnecessary suites of law hindering himselfe and his neighbours as the Corinthians did The vncleane person in chambering and wantonnesse as Sardanapalus and Absalon liuing altogether in carnalitie The Epicure and belly God in faring deliciously euery day as the rich Glutton Gamâ—ters in gaming as Octauius Augustus To conclude euery one which layeth out his goods in idle superfluous and vngodly courses of life playeth the parts of an vnthrifty and vnfaithfull seruant as the prodigall sonne And if a Preacher Magistrate or other Officer rebuke any of these for their vnfaithfull dealing and prodigall swaggering they will say What haue they to doe with vs we wast and spend but our owne money and goods building vpon a base ground for no man is Lord and proper owner of his wealth but onely a Steward for a time to the high Lord of all And as a great mans Bayliffe and Steward on earth ought to lay out the goods of his Master as he commandeth and must render an account how he doth it euen so must euery man being made a Steward in this farme the world employ the talents and gifts which he receiueth as the Lord of Lords the high Master of all commandeth and shall render an account as hereafter followeth The second Farme or Mannor-house wherein man a Steward vnder this rich man God is to be employed and which he ought carefully to looke vnto is his owne body the goods whereof as health power and strength are to be employed to the honour of God to supply our owne necessary occasions 1. Cor. 6. and to helpe our neighbour in all godly and honest affaires This Farme ought to be well and cleanly kept that it may be a fit dwelling Place and Temple of the holy Ghost for if wee will adorne our houses decke them sweepe them and euery way as much as in vs lyeth make them hansome and commodious for a great earthly person much more should wee haue a care to preserue from pollution and keepe cleane our owne bodies because they are the houses of the holy Ghost and further to giue our members instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Rom. 6.13 and to offer vp our bodies a quicke sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God Rom. 12.1 This Farme a good Steward should carefully looke vnto lest death should enter through the ports and gates thereof to the soule and worke the destruction thereof which ports and gates I will set open vnto you making as much haste as the Porter doth when his Master waiteth for him at the gate The ports and gates of the body are these fiue Hearing Seeing Talking Tasting and Touching Which gates should be heedfully watched that nothing goe in or out but that which pleaseth the Lord for as a great earthly man hath a Porter to keepe his gates that no lewd filthy nor contagious person should enter in to pollute his house or infect his people and so procure danger or death vnto theÌ„ or otherwise disorder himselfe Euen so euery Christian man should looke to the gates and doores of his body lest sinne enter in by them and death follow to the subuersion of body and soule The first port and gate of the body is the care the proper organ and instrument of hearing it is the mouth of the soule which giues it nourishment and sendeth downe foode into it and which makes it liuely and fructifie in all the rest of mans members Mans eares should be open to heare good things Reuel 2. Math. 13. as the Word as our Sauiour would haue vs and the Prophet Esay verse 3. exhorteth vs so to doe shewing the vtilitie thereof saying Incline your cares and draw neere Heare and your soule shall liue This word is the sincere milke whereby our soules are nourished and receiue their spirituall growths it is a lanterne to carry light 1. Pet. 2.2 and to direct it is a medicine to heale a guide to conduct a bit to restraine a sword to defend water to wash fire to inflame salt to season wine to reioyce raine to refresh a treasure to inrich a key to vnlocke heauen gates vnto vs and by the merits of Christ Iesus to let vs into an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away Now beloued seeing that mans eares are the instruments vessels to receiue this Word let vs study to keepe them cleane and open to receiue the Word 1. Cor. 15. Moenan but shut this gate against al blasphemous speeches slanderous and filthy talking for euill words corrupt good manners The second port of the body is the eye which must not let in bad sights it must not couetously looke on his neighbours goods lands or liuings 1. King 21. as Ahab did on poore Naboths vineyard nor wantonly looke on his neighbours wife as Dauid did vpon the wife of Vrie 2. Sam. 11. This caused Iesus the sonne of Sirach in his ninth chapter verse eight to say Turne away thy eyes from a beautifull woman looke not vpon others beauty for many haue perished by the beauty of women for through it loue is kindled as a fire What harmes enter in by this gate it may appeare by the example of Putiphar his Lady and wife Gen. 39. who steadily beholding the beauty of Ioseph after many dayes at the last said Come lye with mee Let vs therefore take heed of wanton looking sinfull lusting and vngodly committing of sinne and wickednesse The third port and gate which letteth in sinne and death to the soule is talking out of the mouth executed by the tongue This should not be filthy nor foolish Ephes 5.4 Col. 3 8. Ephes 4.29 but good to edifie withall that it may minister grace to the hearers The tongue is the best member that a man hath if it be in tune in good order but the worst member if it is out of order And therefore Anacharsis being demanded what was the best member of a man and what the worst The people looking for a double answere vnto a double question He spake in one word and said The tongue for the former reasons Therefore the Poet said Est vitae pariter
that which the blessed Euangelist Matthew setteth downe saying Wake therefore for ye know not what houre your Master will come Many other exhortations we haue to moue incite and stirre vs to a godly life drawne from this day of Iudgement as that of Paul Act. 17.30 31. verses where hee preached against idolatry and told the idolatrous people that God admonished all men euery where now to repent Because hee hath appointed a day wherein hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse c. Let the recordation hereof make vs to be sober and watch and haue feruent loue as Saint Peter exhorted the faithfull 1. Pet. 4.7 8. saying Now the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in Prayer But aboue all things haue feruent loue among your selues Watch therefore beloued and againe I say Watch. Take instruction of the Hare who not knowing when her enemy may come vpon her yet fearing the worst sleepeth with her eyes open and by that meanes seeth the least glimpse of her enemy that may steale vpon her The Nightingale fearing lest she should be deuoured of a Serpent setteth her brest against a sharpe Thorne or some hard thing that when she oppressed which sleepe noddeth shee may by and by be awaked and then shee will sing most cheerefully melodiously So doe you deare brethren sleepe as the Hare doth with her eyes open that you may awake sodainly auoid when your enemy Satan with his alluring temptations would steale vpon you Sleepe also when you are heauy and drowsie as the Nightingale doth with some sharp thing at your brest I meane sorrow for sin at your heart that though against your wil you nodde sometimes with sleepe yet you may with the Nightingale speedily awake and sing melodious but yet spiritual songs Ephes 5.19 I meane Psalmes of thanksgiuing vnto the Lord as Dauid doth exhort vs saying Sing wee merrily vnto our Lord God Psal 81. make a cheerefull noise vnto the God of Iacob O let vs be mindfull of our latter end of death and this last account which that we may the better doe let vs call to minde diuers domesticall and familiar things dayly conuersant before our eyes that they may put vs in minde of our latter end and all circumstances touching the same all antecedents coniuncts and consequents Our beds may bring to our remembrances our graues our sheetes that we lye in 1. Thes 4. our winding sheete our sleepe death for vnto the same Death is compared the very Flea that bites vs the worme of Conscience that shall gnaw the wicked the crowing of the Cocke that awaketh vs out of sleepe and warneth vs of the passing away of the night may presage vnto vs the Trumpe of the Lord the sweet Bels of Aaron sounding out and ringing alowd to call vs to the Church the societie of the faithfull to knowledge faith and a godly life here in this world yea and our awaking out of the sleepe of death at the last Day the last audit and account at the time of the Resurrection Therefore beloued giue mee leaue for your good to shake you out of the cradle of your sleepe securitie and carelesnesse be lulled and rocked therein no longer For then you are said to bee asleepe in the Scriptures when all the powers of the minde and senses are so ouercome with the sound and dead sleepe of sinne that you cannot heare when Christ calleth nor see him when he commeth vnto you nor feele him when he knocketh at your hearts nor taste him how gracious hee is when ye come to receiue the Sacraments but only to your condemnation when ye doe not smell him whether hee bee a sauour of life vnto life or death vnto death so that yee cannot know the day of your visitation when such darknesse ouershaddoweth you that you cannot comprehend Christ the light when he commeth among his owne On the contrary then are we said to watch when all our senses are apt to all godly exercises when our eares are open to heare Christ our Master when we continue our watch and ward neuer putting off our armour or betaking our selues to our rest least Death the Lords Bayliffe should sodainly arrest vs or our Sauiour the high Iudge comming to Iudgement when wee least thinke of his comming 1. Thes 5. 2. Pet. 3. and therefore it 's compared to the comming of a Thiefe who giues no warning should sodainly we vnprouided and not looking for him steale vpon vs. And this is the reason that my Text giueth mee occasion to presse you with now The speciall exercise that we are to vse in our Watch and Ward is Prayer 1. Pet. 4. Mat. 24.42 And because wee know not the certaine time of the Lords comming to take this account we should bee the more vigilant and watchfull hauing on our spirituall armour Ephes 6. whereof Paul speaketh Watch therefore good Christians whiles it is the time of light the time of grace before the night of death commeth wherein no man can worke out his saluation Ezek 7. Augustine yeeldeth a reason why man knoweth not the time of his death nor the Day of Iudgement His words are these Magna Dei misericordia monuit In Psal 34. vt rectè viuamus ideo diem mortis extremi Iudicij nobis abscondit ne nobis in futurum aliquid promittamus that is the great mercy of God hath taught vs to liue well and for this cause he hath kept vs from the day of our death and of the last Iudgement that wee might not promise any thing to our selues afterwards August de disciplina Christiana The same saith Latet vltimus dies vt obseruentur omnes dies that is to say the last day is vnknowne that we should obserue all dayes Therefore I say Watch for you are not certaine to liue one houre I wil tell you how I would haue you watch Vigilate rectè credendo Helm firmiter sperando sincere Deum proximum diligendo mandata Dei custodiendo sanctè piè iustè viuendo sine intermissione orando in patientia Deo in omnibus bonis operibus fructificando quae edificationis sunt vbique sectando in omni bonitate vsque in finem permanendo that is to say Watch truely beleeuing stedfastly hoping sincerely louing God and our neighbour keeping the commandements of God liuing holily godly and iustly praying without ceasing in patience fructifying to GOD in all good workes following in euery place those things that tend to edification continuing in all goodnesse to the end If thou doest these things thou shalt neuer perish neither in this world nor in the world to come The doctrine of the vncertainty of the day of Iudgement ouerthroweth all the coniecturall and doubtfull opinions of them which haue gone about to set downe the certaine time of Christs comming to Iudgement and the purging of the world by fire Elias whether the Prophet
them For it shall be at midnight when men commonly are asleepe 1. Thes 4.16 The Trumpet the Word of the Lord compared to a Trumpet because of the fearefull shrill and lowd sound thereof shall sound out a most dreadfull taratantara Surgite mortui venite ad Iudicium that is Rise ye dead and come to Iudgement At which voice these dreadfull and terrible effects shall follow Mat. 24.29 The Sea and the Waters shall roare the Hils shall moue out of their places the Earth shake the Sunne shall be darke the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres shall fall from Heauen the whole Element shiuer in pieces the world shall bee in a consuming fire the Graues shall open and yeeld forth the bodies lying in them yea and the Sea and all other places also Reu. 20.13 they that then shall be aliue shall with a sudden mutation be renued and all corruption wiped from their bodies 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. and all mortalitie remoued they shall be made incorruptible and immortall which changing shall be instead of death vnto them and all shal come to meete the Lord in the Aire as thick as swarmes of Bees The Angels shall separate the good from the bad Math. 13.41 the Tares from the Wheat the Sheepe from the Goates and euery one shal receiue according to that he hath done in this life 2. Cor. 5. whether good or bad The World 2. Pet. 3. Heauen and Earth shall bee dissolued by fire there shall bee a change of this present state and a purging of the Creatures and not an vtter consumption Thirdly the Iudge himselfe euen Christ Iesus the Sonne of God to whom the Father hath giuen all iudgement shall bee seene comming in the Clouds of Heauen Ioh. 5.22 Math. 24. in his very humane Nature not in poore and base state and sort as at his first comming in the flesh which was to good purpose to giue vs an example of true humilitie of true lowlinesse but in glory and great power waited on not with mortall and sinfull men but with the immortall and holy Angels And then hee beeing most Regall maiesticall and powerfull Math. 25.31 The settling of him in his Throne and being also vpright and pure will ascend into his great white Throne most beseeming his Imperiall and immaculate person And this Iohn saw plainly in a vision reuealed vnto him by Christ Iesus Re. 20.11 Reu. 20.11 where he thus reporteth And I saw a great white Throne c. The greatnesse of this Throne sheweth his might Maiestie For he is a King hauing on his head a golden crown The whitenes of it his purity and holines Reu. 14.14 Heb. 7.26 For he is a Priest and a Iudge holy innocent vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens When this Regall mighty and vncorrupt Iudge hath setled himselfe in his Tribunall Seat then at the shrill sound of the Trumpet The Resurrection of the dead to come to Iudgement Iob. 19. all that are dead shall rise euen in the same state and forme as they were when they dyed couered againe with the same skinne and hauing the same flesh shall also behold God not with other but with the same eyes as they had when they departed out of this life and all this shall come to passe although a man is burnt to ashes For God who is Omnipotent and made man of nothing is much more able of ashes to reedifie and make man againe then a simple man of ashes can make a beautifull glasse And if a Goldsmith or a Pewterer of a melted vessell can make another againe then much more God of a man returned to dust can make a man againe He made man I say at the first of nothing therefore much more is able to make him againe of something and to bring together all parts and pieces of him wheresoeuer they bee scattered and dispersed An excellent example and demonstration whereof we haue in Ezechiel 37. where the Prophet foreshewing the bringing againe of the people being in captiuitie telleth how the Lord set him downe in the middest of a field which was full of dry bones and led him round about by them Ezec. 37. and said vnto him Sonne of Man can these bones liue And the Prophet answered O Lord God thou knowest Then the Lord proceeded further and said vnto the bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall liue and I will lay sinnewes vpon you and make flesh grow vpon you and couer you with skinne and put breath in you that ye may liue And as soone as the Lord spake the word all this was done shewing plainely vnto vs our restauration to life at the Resurrection in the last Day All that are dead shall liue shall rise againe and come to be iudged for the dead shall liue they shall rise againe with their body Esay 26.19 Awake and sing ye that sleepe in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of Hearbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Let vs therefore resolue our selues that the houre shall come in the which all that are in their graues shall heare Christs voice Ioh. 5.28 29. and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the Resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 11.24 Martha therefore truely said to Christ of Lazarus I know that hee shall rise againe at the last Day Martha knew this to bee true and so did Iob and in this point let vs all be resolued Iob 19. 2. King 4. Luke 7. Math. 9. Iohn 11. for as truely as Elizeus called to life a dead Boy Christ the Widdowes sonne in Naim and Iairus Daughter and Lazarus so wee shall be raised againe to life and stand before this high Iudge sitting in his Imperiall Throne of Maiestie I pray God that wee may appeare before him cloathed with his holinesse and righteousnesse Now although some shall be aliue at the last Day 1. Thes 4.17 yet they shall not preuent them that sleepe for they shall bee caught vp with them also in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and shall come to Iudgement that both the dead 2. Cor. 5.10 and they that then shall bee liuing may receiue the things that are done in their bodies according to that which they haue done whether it be good or bad For God by his Sonne Christ Iesus Acts 17.31 will Iudge the world in righteousnesse It shall therefore goe well with the righteous the godly but ill with the wicked It shall be with the godly and the wicked at the Resurrection in the last Day Gen. 40. as it was with Pharaoh his seruants his chiefe Butler and his chiefe Baker Both of them were taken out of Prison the one to be restored to his Office to minister before the King but the other