Saints is taught vs h Luk. 16.8 9. by the vniust policie of the deceitfull Steward Quest Doth any aske reason of the Spirit of God Answ It should suffice vs to receiue his holy instructions and reuelations without asking a reason It is his mercy that he is pleased to acquaint vs with Gods will who are we that we should prescribe to him or aske him reason of his counsells yet nothing lets with modestie to make coniecture Perhaps he would teach vs how by worse things we may worke our aduantage in goodnesse Physicians they say can make of deadliest poyson antidotes against poyson of the Vipers venome the soueraignest Triacle And there is not the worst man but may teach vs goodnesse their vilest practices may after a sort be our paternes There is an oblique kind of imitation of wicked men permitted to Gods children the rule is this Change but the obiect thou mayest imitate them in wisedome in contention in wrath in labour c. They are i Iere. 4.22 wise to doe euill learne thou wisedome to doe well They are zealous for superstition it shall be thy shame if thou bee not as zealous for Religion They striue for their pleasures for their sinnes striue thou with as great eagernesse of Gods glory Vse 1 Is it not then a worthy argument for vsurious contracts drawne from the parable Worldlings looke for their owne with vsury so the Lord for aduantage of his glory by his gifts Approues he their practice or rather vpbraydes our negligence by comparison drawne from mens courses in euill They were best say they may imbezzle their Masters goods because CHRIST by that worldlings wisdome would teach vs prouidence for our soules or because he resembles his comming to a Thiefes in the point of suddennesse thence inferre the lawfulnesse of the euery Comparisons are borrowed from things sinfull and vnlawfull to teach truth and admonish of dutie the vse of them is not to iustifie their euill but to remember vs of dutie or to explaine his truth Secondly let Christians labour for this wisedome to Vse 2 make profit of other mens euils to further them in goodnesse Gods Wisedome is in this kind remarkeable directing vs by all things that may runne into our senses to rayse vs furtherances in spirituall things the sillyest creatures he hath made our patternes their naturall inclinations are in a sort our instructions k Ier. 8.7 The Crane and Swallow teach vs to obserue our season of visitation l Isai 1.3 The Oxe and Asse to acknowledge our great Lord and Master that giues vs all things liberally to inioy The m Prou. 6.6 Pismire can teach the Sluggard prouidence and industriousnesse The worst men though sibi nequam yet may doe good to vs and bee our Monitors to holy Duties Worldlings n Psal 127.2 rise early and take late rest for the trash of this World wilt not thou redeeme some time for heauenly aduantages Gods enemies agree as SIMON and LEVI as o Gen. 49.5 brethren in euill Learne we like vnitie and consent in goodnesse Pharises trauell Sea and Land to make a Proselyte Iesuites hazzard liues to peruert from the truth oh learne of them to bee as painfull to gaine to GODS Kingdome as they are to winne to the Deuill It is probably the reason of such resemblances to teach vs out of worst things to worke our spirituall benefit Obser The conclusion now followes in summe this The time and season of Christs second Comming is amongst Gods secrets that must be adored rather then searched into Not Scripture but the euent only reueales it Of p Mat. 24.15 that day and houre knowes no man no not the Angels no nor the Sonne of man as hee is man True say some not the day and houre but the yeere at least the Age within some small compasse of time may bee knowne I wonder by what calculation that the Scripture affords vs. Saint Paul speakes here not of the seasons onely but of the times and of both teacheth they are vnreuealed The difference betweene the termes the learned in that Language thus assigne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signiâ—es time at large and often time of the largest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the article and point of time that determines oportunitie as if to the point in hand the Apostle would say Touching the Yeere or Moneth or Age when the Sonne of man shall come it is as much vnreuealed as the season whether in the spring or fâ—ll by day or night at q Mark 13.35 midnight or cocke crowing or in the dawning as our Sauiour himselfe speakes both are equally vnreuealed and therefore curiously inquired r Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath kept in his owne power saith our Sauiour to his Disciples in a point conioyned something neere with the finall consummation Quest Doth any aske reason of the concealement particular we haue none to assigne this onely let vs bee assured had it beene expedient for vs to know such is GODS loue to his Church hee would haue imparted it as well as other secrets to our notice What is written wee are sure was written for Å¿ Rom. 15.4 our profit what is concealed wee are as sure was not necessary to bee knowne rather expedient to be concealed And to say truth what profit might wee imagine to come from the reuealing that flowes not as fully from the concealement perhaps our preparation would be more hastened and the malice of the worst men thereby restrayned Answ First that benefit would be peculiar to those only that should suruiue against that day For Ages fore-going in as great likelihood securitie would bee the greater Secondly besides what greater preparation to meete the Lord was in Saul when he heard and beleeued that his death should be the next morrow some pensiue sadnesse and desperate melancholy it wrought in him no penitent remorse for sinne nor godly sorrow to Repentance How were those Iewes the better prepared that knew or might haue knowne by what the Lord foretold by Esay the nigh approching of their captiuitie nay see how they grow the more indulgent to licentiousnesse f Isai 22.13 eating and drinking for tomorrow they should dye Thirdly I demand for whom is this knowledge so expedient for GODS Children or for Reprobates Gods Children haue learnt by the concealement to order euery day as their last and so to liue euery houre as if in the next moment should bee their Iudgement And for Reprobates thinke we the same infidelity would not be in them towards this as to other Reuelations What auayled it the wretched Sodomites to be told by Lot of their nigh-approching vengeance He u Gen. 19.14 seemed to them as one that mocked And what was the old World the better for all Noahs preaching and building the Arke for his owne preseruation And what would it auayle an Infidell if a Prophet
yea one from the dead yea an Angell from Heauen should tell him that to morrow should be his Iudgement Questionlesse it is truth Nothing teacheth such men faith but sense It is questioned amongst Schoolemen whether the faith that Iames affirmes Deuils to haue bee faith in propertie of speech or not And they resolue no for they beleeue not what God speakes because hee speakes it but because they feele it And like commonly is the faith that Reprobates haue of any truth supernaturall sense is their only reason of beleeuing and by euents only they giue credit to Diuine Predictions How often threaten wee out of Salomon The x Pro. 23.21 Drunkard shall be clothed with rags A y Pro. 21.17 louer of pastime shall bee poore The z Pro. 6.26 Where shall bring to a morsell bread Yet who beleeues our report till hee feeles his pouertie seize on him as an armed man And thinke you in case the time were reuealed the Sonne of man when hee commeth should finde faith on Earth In Reprobates little or none neuer a whit the more for the Lords reuealing the time of his comming I say then as Abraham When the Glutton thinkes so much power in a Messenger from the dead to worke faith in his brethren nay sayth ABRAHAM a Luke 16.31 If they heare not MOSES and the Prophets neyther will they beleeue though one come from the dead So if while the comming is certaine the time vncertaine they repent not neyther would they repent or beleeue though the Lord had reuealed the day and houre of his comming to Iudgement Lastly consider of this pretended expediencie but by this Reason Some hundreds of yeeres are past since Peter said b 1. Pet. 4 7. The end of all things is at hand wee see or may see a sensible decay and languishing through age in this vast bodie of the World How is the strength of the Earth worne out with long trauell to bring forth fruit for the vse of mans life the other creatures how are they feebled since their first originall Yea how many signes of Christs second comming haue beene euidently accomplished in our eyes c 2. Thess 2.3 8 Apostasie from the faith reuealing of that man of sinne his consumption in a great measure by the breath of the Lords mouth And yet who almost bethinkes him of preparation against that Day and rather liues not as if Death and Hell and Iudgement were all but Fables To conclude this point therefore as great and farre greater expediencie there is not of concealing as of reuealing the time of Christs second comming to Iudgement And the conclusion I hope is cleere The and season of Christs last comming is amongst Gods secrets knowne to no man nor possible to bee knowne by Scripture Reuelations Vse Where comes iustly to be taxed the curiositie should I say or licentious boldnesse of such as haue in this point presumed to haue an eye where the Lord hath no tongue to inquire into this secret and vpon inquirie presumptuously to determine of the time of Christs second comming and of the end of the World All Ages haue beene pestered with such wits diuerting mens mindes from preparation to meete the Lord to vaine speculations of things vnreuealed and therefore vnprofitable Amongst Philosophers serious contemplatours of of the Worlds fabrique the originals course and state thereof specially the Mathematicians and Star-gazers as the Prophet cals them tooke vpon them to determine the question as Tully sayth they conceited Magnum quendam Annum a great Yeere wherein all the Starres should returne to the originall site and position when that Yeere came should be the end Macrobius calculates this Yeere to consist of fifteene thousand Sun-yeeres Others of the same Heresie allow it thirtie sixe thousand Sun-yeeres They haue calculated belike the Natiuitie of the World as they vse to doe of men and thereby found out amongst the Starres what wee cannot find in Scriptures the precise time of the end of the World Amongst Iewes the prophecie of Elias as they say the Thisbite as we the counterfeit goes current alloting to the continuance of the World sixe thousand yeeres Sexerunt Annorum millia huius mundi Duo millia inane Duo millia lex Duo millia Christus postea finis from them it seemes Lactan. de diuino praem l. 7. c. 14. Lactantius and Hierome receiued that errour and haue added their explication to make it more plausible The sixt thousand yeere is not yet absolued that time once expired the consummation must needes be and the restoring of all things to a better state what is the Reason In six dayes God made the World rested the seuenth therefore must the World continue in this state sixe thousand yeeres and then be restored for with God a thousand yeeres is as one day one day as a thousand yeeres Within our owne remembrance Osiander Napier and sundry others haue busied themselues much in that question and determined too peremptorily of the time of consummation O curious wits of men not contented with things reuealed and necessary they must needes search into Gods secrets Cui bono was the old saying but to breed questions without end rather then godly edifying which is in faith Holily spake hee that said in this point Libentèr ignoro quod me scire Deus noluit I am willingly ignorant of what God would not haue mee know And know wee there is an holy ignorance beseeming Gods Children in things that hee hath pleased to secret vnto himselfe As holily may wee bee ignorant of what is concealed as wee can comfortably know what God hath reuealed Hereof thus thinke sith the Apostle so teacheth it is amongst those d Deut. 29.29 secrets that belong to God Vse Let vs leauing these idle and curious inquiries take notice of the dutie concernes vs in respect of the vnknownnesse and suddennesse of Christs comming as our Sauiour commends it vnto vs First e Mat. 13.35 To watch continually because in an houre when we thinke not of it the Lord shall come thus conceiue it that wee should stand in continuall expectation of it thinke of euery day as if it were the last Day of the World wherein Christ shall come to Iudgement As Hierome professed whether hee did eate or drinke or whatsoeuer hee did else hee thought he heard that terrible Trumpe sounding in his eare Arise yee dead and come to Iudgement Oh that there were such hearts in vs that the Swearer could thinke It may bee the LORD will now come if not to the Generall yet to my particular Iudgement his wrath may seize on mee euen while the Oath is in my mouth and then what shall become of my poore soule that the Drunkard would thinke the Iudgement may come euen betwixt the cup and the lip as on f Dan. 5.5 6. BELSHAZZAR in the middest of his iollitie But alas Brethren how mocke wee at the mention of that day as those in
MICAIAH by name and wee may by him inquire of the Lord hee is likely to giue vs as good resolution as any of the rest but e 1. King 22.8 I hate him why hee prophecieth not good to mee but euill hee dealt as a Minister desiring to please God What wonder if to Achab a carnall man his ministerie and person was so hatefull Not as pleasing men but God So then the mayne ayme of a Minister of euery Christian should be this so to walke that he may please God and be approued of him See 1. Thes 4.1 Col. 1.10 2. Cor. 5.11 His reason me thinks is binding we must all appeare before the Iudgement seate of Christ a motiue that should preuayle euen with vilest men please that Iudge at whose barre thou must one day stand to be quit or condemned according as thy person and actions shall please or displease him we pitie the folly and madnesse of that malefactor that standing at the mercy of the Iudge for life or death according as his after-carriage shall please or displease him will rather exasperate him then seeke by all pleasing meanes to make him fauourable such is our case we all are culpable before God and lyable to condemnation at his mercy wee stand to be either saued or damned his desire is but this that for the remaynder of our life wee so demeane our selues in holinesse and feare that wee may please him whom should not this reason perswade Let vs all labour so to serue him that we may be pleasing and acceptable before him in Christ Things requisite hereto some concerne the state of our persons some the matter of our actions some the manner of performance For the first two things there are that make our persons and actions displeasing vnto God First faithlesnesse Secondly fleshlinesse Of HENOCH there was report before his translation that he pleased God by good consequence it followes in Pauls diuinitie that therefore HENOCH f Heb. 11.5 6. had faith in Christ inasmuch as without faith it is impossible to please God The reason is plaine because all the faithlesse mans actions whiles hee is such are censurable according to termes of the Law wherein the least blemish or imperfection adiudgeth the performer to condemnation here is the priuilege of the Beleeuer his obedience done in weaknesse so be it in sinceritie is sure to find acceptance with God for Christ his sake to whom Faith knits vs and whose perfections it giues vs interest vnto A second thing in the person making actions vnpleasing to God is fleshlinesse They that are in g Rom. 8.8 the flesh cannot please God all things sauouring flesh are stinking in the nostrils of God euen our best actions that haue rellish thereof this the reason why those vertuous actions of Heathens were in them so abominable because their persons were faithlesse and fleshly God approues his owne works in vs. Secondly for the matter of our actions they must be such as haue warrant from the Word of God prooue what is acceptable vnto God and h Rom. 12.2 what the good and acceptable will of God is Whatsoeuer is contrariant to his will that is grosly a sinne whatsoeuer is added to his will or but besides it that also abominable In manner of our seruice that it may be acceptable two things are requisite First that it bee tendred to our God i Heb. 12.28 29 in reuerence and feare Let euery act of seruice done vnto carry a rellish of awe and dread of that endlesse Maiestie Thinke when thou commest to heare how great a God that is in whose presence thou standest whose Word thou hearest a God that is in his wrath a consuming fire and learne as Isay k Isai 66.2 to tremble at his Word c. Secondly In sinceritie and singlenesse of heart as vnto the Lord that pondreth the hearts which is with God a thing so much set by that hee esteemes it as perfection And of Pauls behauiour thus farre his motiues follow First Meditation of the great fauour God had vouchsafed him in trusting him with the Gospell Secondly Consideration of Gods Omni-science and power to discerne hearts In the first considerable are First The effect that meditation had in the Apostle Secondly The fauour it selfe It made him carefull to please God So workes the meditation of Gods fauours in a gracious disposition so ought it to doe in all men that they become carefull to please God Compare Rom. 12.1 Deut. 7.7 8 11. Iohn 24.14 Luke 7.47 More specially thus conceiue the specialtie of Gods fauour in trusting him with his greatest treasure was it that chiefly preuayled Obser The preferment God giues any of vs in his fauour ought specially to perswade obedience and care to please God He had dealt with Israel l Psal 147.19 20. so as with no other Nation they of all others should therefore be excited to prayse him and liue to his glory more mercifully with vs said MOSES then with our m Deut. 5.3 Fathers in making this Couenant with vs so much more should we thinke our selues obliged to obedience See also Mat. 13. The more odious is the turning of Gods grace into wantonnesse the abuse of his patience to securitie his mercie to presumption his loue to licentiousnesse yea the fauour of fauours Christs death is made occasion of the vilest abominations So did not Dauid nor so Paul they haue least share in Gods fauours that thus abuse them to licentiousnesse Our dutie it shall bee for our better excitement to cheerefulnesse in Gods Seruice to take notice of the specialtie of his fauour and louing kindnesse towards vs. There is not nor can be to Gods Children a greater prouocation to faithfulnesse in his Seruice nor is any thing in experience a greater clogge to our hearts in holy duties then that vnwise and enuious casting our eyes on others preferments in Gods mercy with neglect of our owne while euery man thinkes God hath done more for others then for him It is good in this case to looke downewards and see how many are behinde vs in the fauours of God And here haue we a large field of comparison to walke in there scarce being any but may say in some thing or other God hath giuen him preeminence aboue many others Compare thy selfe as a man with other creatures as a Christian with other men as a sincere Christian with Hypocrites as such a Christian suppose a Magistrate or Minister with other Christians It was in Gods power to haue made thee a beast hee hath honoured thee so farre as to make thee a man to stampe thee with his owne Image hee might haue left thee as thousand others without God without Christ without hope in this World he hath made thee a member of his Church perhaps a liuely member of his Sonnes Bodie quickened with his Spirit a fauour denyed to many in the Church Perhaps a Minister his instrument and co-worker to the sauing
Christs sake is not worthy of him VERS 15.16 Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and haue persecuted vs and they please not God and are contrarie to all men Forbidding vs to speake to the Gentiles that they might bee saued to fill vp their sinnes alwayes for the wrath is come vpon them to the vtmost THE Apostle occasionally mentioning the Persecutions raysed by Iewes against the Church digresseth a little to a description of their manners yet so as he hath still respect to his principall purpose His ayme seemes this to preuent the scandall might aryse to Gods people in respect of Persecutions raysed by Iewes It might seeme strange the Lords only people in time past hauing such knowledge in the Law and Prophets should persecute the Gospell some weakling might perhaps thinke there was something amisse in the Doctrine when Iewes did so eagerly oppose it That scandall the Apostle would here preuent shewing it to be no new thing in that Nation Such crueltie was become hereditarie to them and persecution after a sort their Nationall sinne To this end hee remembers them how they dealt with our Sauiour and their owne Prophets That the Conclusion in this digression may bee this Crueltie in Iewes may to no man seeme strange First from their former facts Secondly Reasons their malignant nature Thirdly Gods wrath vpon them Who killed the Lord Iesus and their owne Prophets Quest Meanes he the same persons Answ Not the same particulars but men of the same Nation Quest How are they said to haue killed the Lord Iesus when it is certaine by the Story he was put to death by Authoritie of the Roman Empire and the Executioners seeme to haue beene Romane Souldiers Answ Though their hands slew him not yet their malicious accusations and slanders procured his death wherefore they are said to haue killed him The note thence is Obser Sinnes committed by others through our instigation become ours by iust imputation and participation What sinne thou excitest another to commit that thou committest the guilt of it redounds to thee in as high a nature as to him that is the immediate Executioner In Naboths death the Iudges and false witnesses were the next Agents l 1. King 21.7 13 23. IEZABEL the plotter only and instigator she is punished for sheading Naboths bloud though her hand was not vpon him Euen in mens courses it seemes iust that not only the Executioner but the Plotter Abetter Instigator Concealer of Treason be punished with death Yea see how a farre lesse degree of participation brings guilt vpon our soules The Rulers among the Iewes that but tolerated the breach of Sabbath are charged to m Neh. 13.17 haue broken the Sabbath Yea least countenance giuing to Idolatry n 1. Cor. 10.18 21. makes culpable of Idolatry Vse I say then as PAVL Communicate not with other mens sinnes beware how thou prouoke another to euill lest the guilt of his sinne yea of his soule redound to thy Conscience There is a rule that most men walke by o Gal. 6.5 Euery man shall beare his owne burthen smart for his owne sinne A true rule but misinterpreted Thine owne sinnes are they not only which thy selfe actest but what thou prouokest others to commit AHAB wrought euill in the sight of the Lord c. o 1. King 21.25 whom IEZABEL his Wife prouoked AHABS sinnes are Iezabels sinnes because shee prouoked to commit them Thy childes impietie and vncleannesse are thy sinnes if thou giue him countenance to commit them Thy Neighbours Persecution is thy Persecution if thou encourage him to persecution To which end consider Gods Commandements bind not only to our own personall performance of duties but to further their performance in others Turne and p Ezech. 18.32 cause others to turne They enioyne not only to flye sinne in our owne persons but to hinder it in others within our compasse Thou shalt q Leu. 19.17 not suffer thy Brother to sinne Obser Againe see here how sinnes once set on foot by Parents practice are oft-times continued in the Posteritie to many Generations Crueltie beganne amongst Iewes in the dayes of Prophets continues in that Nation till destruction of their Citie Isay cals them r Isai 1.4 a seed of the wicked as if their Fathers had propagated their Cruelty with their Nature IOHN BAPTIST Å¿ Mat. 3.7 a generation of Vipers as if it had beene as naturall to Iewes to receiue crueltie from their Parents as for Vipers to receiue Poyson from their Dam. So Ahabs Posteritie resemble his manners and all that come neere him or his Race taste of his malice Hence see we in all Ages sinnes spreading ouer Nations therefore called of some Nationall sinnes so passe they along in euery Generation as t 2. King 5.27 GEHEZI his Leprosie to his Posterity The question is oft mooued whether as Adams first sinne passeth to his Posterity so other actuall sinnes of immediate Parents The resolution is generall they doe not because say some their actuall sinnes are personall and singular whereas Adam stood as a publike person in whom the whole Posteritie was to stand or fall As others conceiue in termes In the precept giuen Adam was the whole Posteritie bound mans whole nature was in Adam obliged to preserue that rectitude wherein they were created whereas in immediate Parents Children are not bound Though this be truth yet may we not denie but the sinnes of other Parents though not the indiuiduall acts yet the same in kinde passe after a sort from the Parent to the Posteritie Thus conceiue There are some fleshly and as they are termed sensuall sinnes as Drunkennesse Adultery c. there are other more spirituall Those sensuall haue a kind of propagation from Parents to Children a stronger inclination and pronenesse to them they deriue from Parents through temper and constitution of the body by customary practice of such sinnes wrought in the Progenitors For others more spirituall as Pride Idolatrie Swearing c. wee see them oft continuing in the Posteritie but by other meanes as First cursed example of Parents which it is naturall for Children to imitate Secondly Education when they are nuzzeled and trayned vp therein Thirdly Chiefly by Gods iust Iudgement vpon the Parents thus visiting their sinnes by giuing ouer the Posteritie to walke in the steps of their cursed conuersation How it comes to passe we cannot so distinctly explaine but find in experience such a lineall descent of sinnes from Predecessors to Posteritie Vse It serues to admonish vs all whom God hath made Parents of Children or but Precessours to the Generation that shall come after vs to beware how wee become Ring-leaders or On-setters to any prophanenesse that we draw not on our selues the bloud of their soules that shall come after vs. It is easie to set a house on fire not so easie to quench the flame The beginnings of the inflammation we see the stop who
the same shall he receiue of the Lord. Thirdly We call God Father and so he is and cannot but acknowledge his Fatherly loue to vs in Christ How should we not be perswaded that what he sees b Mat. 7.11 best for vs that he will giue vs If Peace were better for thee then Trouble Riches then Want Honor then Infamie makest thou question but the Lord would giue it thee Thou knowest not then the bowels of his Fatherly loue to thee in Christ farre exceeding the loue of the tenderest father towards the sonne of his loines Lastly let that now propounded neuer be forgotten an Argument me thinkes forcible to curbe in all men carnall emulation In those things wherein wee seeme to be disaduantaged in respect of our brethren wee are sure to haue in one kind or another our prerogatiue and priuiledge to counteruaile it VERS 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from Heauen with a shout with the voice of the Archangell and with the Trumpe of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first THe Explication followes first by causes principall and subseruient secondly the order of proceeding then holden Vers 16.17 In the words are three things considerable first that Christ shall come secondly the manner of his comming thirdly the effects and consequents thereof That there shall be such a glorious comming of Christ to Iudgement Scriptures plentifully proue c Act. 1.11 This same IESVS shall so come as you haue seene him goe into Heauen d Mat. 24.30 They shall see the Sonne of man comming in the Clouds with Power and great Glory e Iude 14. ENOCH the seuenth from ADAM prophecied hereof Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints The Lord was pleased to grant some intimation hereof to the very Heathen by their Sybillae Augustine and Eusebius record the Verses of Sybilla Erythraea to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence they had it whether by extraordinarie reuelation or by some notice from Scriptures of old Testament it is not materiall to enquire The Lord it seemes would haue extant amongst the Heathen some Predictions thereof as also of other things the better to make way for entertainment of the Gospell amongst Gentiles in the fulnesse of time when they should see the Principles thereof haue consent from their owne Writers whose Authoritie was sacred amongst them Reasons of it are many amongst many take these few first to declare the iustice and equitie of Gods secret iudgement for which cause it s called f Rom. 2.5 the day of declaring the iust iudgement of God There is at euery mans death a iudgement of absolution or condemnation passed vpon their soules according to their faith or infidelitie repentance or impenitencie but to vs as yet secret The Lord therefore hath appointed a day of generall Assise wherein euery mans works shall come to examination and publique view and all the world be forced to acknowledge the equitie of the Lords secret proceedings To this tend other actions of the Lord euidencing the same truth as g Iude 15. conuiction of all the vngodly of their vnlawfull deeds which they haue vngodlily committed Though I doubt not but its true of most men they liue and dye as those heretiques Paul speakes of h Tit. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their cōscience being witnesse iudge against them yet hath it pleased the Lord so to appoint that there shal be a farther and more publique conuiction of them that if any hypocrite shall be so impudent as to obtrude vnto the Lord the formall seruice he hath done his mouth may be stopped and his face couered with confusion when his owne heart shall tell him men and Angels witnessing he hath bin a Formallist onely in Christianitie A second reason is the execution of full vengeance vpon the bodies and soules of them that haue either ignorantly or maliciously i 2. Thes 1.8 disobeyed the Gospel And this reason is furthered by two others First though they now in their soules suffer what their sinnes haue deserued yet by their bodies the instrumēts of their soules in sinning in the same state of sencelesnesse with the bodies of Gods Saints It s meet therefore that there should be such a comming of Christ that as bodies and soules haue been fellowes in euill doing so they may both partake in the punishmēt of their abominations Secōdly moreouer it s to be considered that howsoeuer the personall acts of sinne in the vngodly are as they are acts transient and seene to die with the committers yet haue many of them a propagation along euen to a thousand generations It is said of Ieroboam He made Israel to sinne It is true not onely of the time wherein he liued but the infection of that policie and example reached to many succeeding ages The same is true of other sins and sinners the poyson and stench of their abominations continue long after the death of their first Authors Saint Iude tells vs of some in his time that walked in the way of CAIN and BALAAM Themselues were long since dead but the poyson of their example remained euen to Iudes time and will doe to the end of the world And it is not to be doubted but that all the sinnes of other men occasioned by their example shal be punished in thē as well as those that in their owne persons they committed To the end therefore that they may haue a full measure of wrath according to the full measure of their sins there must be a second comming of Christ to the vniuersall Iudgement and these are some ends in respect of the wicked I might be infinite in setting down other ends that respect Gods children As first the clearing of their innocencie to the faces of them that haue loaden them with vniust slanders and accusations Secondly the recompensing of their labours that haue not receiued in this life any visible reward And what should I tell you of the vses it hath in respect of God himselfe and his Christ How often quarrell we at the dispensations of his prouidence that hee casts prosperitie vpon the wicked and exerciseth his children with continuall afflictions There must a day come when men shall k Mal. 3.18 discerne betwixt him that serues God him that serues him not and the equity of Gods present disposition shal appeare to all men when the wicked shal be forced to confesse they found the Lord liberall to them in the things of this earth and Gods children haue all their afflictions rewarded with a full measure of glory Let vs now come to the manner of his comming and then we subioyne the vses The manner is described to be with great terror Maiestie and glory With the voyce of the Archangel and with the Trumpe of God My purpose is not vpon this occasion to enter the controuersie about the orders and degrees of dignity amongst Angels That there
of wicked men then was of euill Angels that kept not their first estate Their destruction abolished not their Nature but destroyed their ioy they are d Iude v. 6 7. kept in chains vnder darkenes vnto the Iudgement of the great Day and with them goe the wicked to euerlasting fire to torture them not to consume them Saith Peter of Sodomites whose destruction came from heauen They suffer now the vengeance of eternall fire What should I tell you of those Arguments which out of Reason Naturallists haue drawne shewing of the soule at least it must be immortall First Because they say it hath in it no principle of corruption or dissolution being incorporeall as some of them taught immateriall At the death of the body they wondered not for they knew it consisted of contrary Natures and therefore carried in it principles of its owne dissolution but for the soule they thought the originall thereof was Heauenly made not of any elementarie matter but if of any of the Quintessence of the Heauens Secondly Moreouer they obserued in the soule a kind of infinitenesse of desiring which nothing that this world affoords was euer able to satiate and that desire being Naturall they thought could not alwayes bee vaine but should at least after separation from the body find some infinite good thing in fruition whereof it should find rest and full contentment Thirdly Besides they obserued in the most desperate mainteiners of the soules mortality towards death vnspeakeable feares wherewith their consciences were surprised Whence should they grow from perswasion of vtter destruction and abolishment It could not be For as Tullie said The dead if they be not cannot be miserable No question therefore from impression of that principle fastened in the hearts of al men It is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes Iudgement ZENO was wont to say he had rather see one Indian willingly of his owne accord go into the fire to be burnt their custome see in Valerius Maximus Lib. 2. cap. 1. then heare all the Philosophers in the world dispute of the soules immortality His meaning was that the cheerefulnes they shewed in death was to him a more binding Argument that the soule was immortal then all Philosophical speculations thinking there could be in no man such alacritie in death without a strong impression of immortality So certainely the feares that Atheists are surprised withall in death is an Argument strong as any that there is a life of the soule after it is seuered from the body What should I speake of that perfection time that weares out all things corruptible brings to the reasonable soule and vnderstanding The body the elder it growes the more feeble the senses that are exercised by bodily Organs haue all their decay by age whereas the mind and vnderstanding is perfited by age e Iob. 12.12 With the ancient is Wisedome and in length of dayes vnderstanding I spare the testimonies of Ancient Heathens that euery Reader may find frequent in their writings That of DIDYMVS King of Brackmans to Alexander I cannot let passe Nos non sumus incolae huius mundi sed aduenae Nec ita in orbem terrarum venimus vt in eo libeat consistere sed transire properamus enim ad larem patrium Epist 102. SENECA Cum venerit Dies ille qui mixtum hoc Diuini humanique seceruat corpus hoc vbi inueni relinquam ipse me Dijs reddam Apud Galenum Porphyrie Non est mirum animam quae substantia incorporea est posse separari à corpore cum ignis qui est substantia corporea corruptibilis à lignis quibus est coniunctus possit separari reuertiin suam materiam sine sui corruptione The summe is this that neither death nor Iudgement brings to any man destruction of his Nature or abolishment of being Quest What then is the destruction here spoken of Answ Not of their Nature but of their ioy and seeming felicitie that in this life they inioyed The amplifications follow First it is sudden comming in a time when it is least thought of and lesse expected as trauell vpon a woman with child sometimes while they are eating drinking sleeping laughing and thinke of nothing lesse then of the paines of trauell thereof before Secondly as trauell painefull The anguish and paine of it who may conceiue The Scriptures the better to fasten the impression in our hearts haue bene pleased to make choice of such comparisons as best serue to expresse it to our apprehension Here it is set out by the paines of womens trauell the bitternesse whereof that sexe can witnesse in other Scriptures it is expressed by the paines of fire Nothing more painefull to the sense then fire of fires none more scalding or noysome then that of Brimstone such and more painefull are the torments that Day brings vpon the world of the vngodly Diuines haue referred all to these two heads First they call poenam damni Second poenam sensus The good things whereof they are depriued as the presence of God the ioyes that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor the heart of man conceiued The torments they feele are such as all earthly things are too little to expresse the Brick-kills of Aegypt the Furnace of Babel or if there be any thing a man can conceiue more torturing are all but Flea-bites to the anguish and horrible torment they then suffer To this if we adde the last circumstance that it is ineuitable what can bee added to declare the horror The Creatures are all then seruiceable to the will appointment of the Iudge f Reuel 20.13 Graue and Sea giue vp their dead Angels as Gods Ministers present them to Christs Tribunall They are brought in indeed g Reuel 6.15 16. flying to the mountaines to fall on them and to the rockes to couer them from the presence of him that sits vpon the Throne But all in vaine The power of God his Iustice and truth all glorifie themselues in their destruction His mercy then in respect of the effects thereof towards them ceaseth that Day h Rom. 2.15 is a day of wrath and declaration of the iust Iudgement of God Lord Lord open vnto vs say the foolish Virgins What heare they but Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire Thus sudden painefull and vnauoydable is the destruction that great Day brings vpon the world of the vngodly And I beseech you brethren seriously and betimes thinke of it and lay it to heart Pray saith our Sauiour and by all meanes labour that yee may escape the feares and tortures of that great Day and with comfort stand before Christ at his comming Wonderfull prodigall wee are generally of our soules for the base profits and pleasures of this life exposing them to the bitter paines of eternall death Alas what is it to gaine the world and to lose thy soule What to fare deliciously euery
day and at death to bee found in Hell in torments What to spend our dayes in wealth and iollity and in a moment to goe downe to Hell Heare those wretched men crying out of their folly when it is too late i Wisd 5.8 What hath pride profited vs and what hath the pompe of riches brought vs All these are vanished as a shadow passed away as a Post left nothing behind them but guilt and paine torturing and tormenting the soule without ease or hope of end Let me therefore say as Isai Oh k Isai 55.6 seeke the Lord while hee may bee found call vpon him while hee is neere There is yet place for mercy when that Day commeth Nothing but indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery one that hath done euill VERS 4.5.6 But yee Brethren are not in darkenesse that that Day should ouertake you as a Thiefe Yee are all the Children of Light and the children of the Day we are not of the Night nor of darkenesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as doe others but let vs watch and be sober THe words haue apparently this scope to preuent the discomfort that might arise to Gods children by the noise of that so fearefull destruction that the Day of the Lord brings to the wicked Wherein besides the scope obseruable are First the condition and state of Gods children Secondly their priuiledge in respect of that state Thirdly the duety that concernes them in regard of both From the scope and practice of the Apostle subioyning comforts for Gods children immediatly vpon the mention of the terrour of the last Day thus much wee learne that are Ministers for our imitation Obser So to conuerse in terrifying the vngodly that wee forget not to comfort Gods children As we must warne the vnruly l 1. Thes 5.14 so comfort the feeble-minded This is that I thinke Paul calls m 2. Tim. 2.15 Cutting or deuiding the Word aright our Sauiour Giuing the houshold their portion when wee share out to euery one what belongs vnto him terrour to whom terrour comfort to whom comfort belongeth So ISAI n Isai 10.11 Woe to the wicked it shall bee ill with him for the reward of his hands shall bee giuen him But say to the righteous It shall bee well with him for they shall eate the fruit of their doings Reasons may bee First the tender disposition and temper of their hearts readie to bee immoderately cast downe with the least noyse of any thing that sounds terrible from the mouth of the Lord. o Isai 6.2 They tremble euen at the words of the Lord that howsoeuer wicked men are not mooued with the workes of God except they be maruailously extraordinary yet the very Word of God sounding any thing fearefull from him makes them cry out as MOSES p Heb. 12.21 I tremble and quake EPHRAIM and the Inhabitants of Samaria are brought in by the Prophet mocking at the Lords executions well q Isai 9.10 The brickes are throwne downe but wee will build it with hewne stones But see Iosiah when he but heares the Words of 〈◊〉 Law his heart r 2. King 22.19 20. melts and he is as a man ouer-whelmed with feare so that the Lord is faine presently to send him his cōfort that his eyes should not see the euill As an ingenuous childe trembles at the Word of his Father and more feares at the shaking of the Rod then a slauish disposition at the feeling of many stripes so c. Besides the truth is if there bee any thing terrible in our Ministerie it belongs not to Gods Children as they are such as if there bee any thing comfortable that is all and onely theirs See Esay 61. Rom. 16. Aug. de correption Grat. cap. 9. Some caueats must here bee remembred There are Children of God saith Augustine that are not so to vs though they bee to God as being written in the memoriall of God the Father Iohn 11.52 such was Paul before his Conuersion c. To these whiles yet in the state of Nature discomforts are not vnprofitable to bring them to Christ Moses brought Israel to the borders of Canaan though Ioshua diuided it for an Inheritance vnto them It had I thinke this Moral the Law is that that prepares vs to grace though the Gospell bee the instrument to conuay it into our hearts Secondly againe there fall out times when as Gods Children though they lose not their adoption yet forget to demeane themselues as becomes the Children of such a Father in such case God himselfe ſ Iob 13.26 writes bitter things against them and Paul casts forth the Thunderbolt of t 1. Cor. 5.5 Excommunication against the incestuous Corinthian that his spirit by Repentance might bee saued in the Day of the Lord Iesus Vse It warrants vnto a Minister a like course in teaching against the sottish prescripts giuen by their people Some we haue of this minde they would haue all Ministers at all times to al men as is said of Barnabas u Act. 4.36 sons of consolation and with these it is crime enough to be charged on a Minister that hee doth at any time though with neuer so good caution proclaime the Lords terrours Others againe cry out wee are too prodigall of our comforts they like better in vs the spirit of Iames and IOHN x Marke 3.17 those sonnes of Thunder It may be such sometimes is our indiscretion wee forget our rules of prudence but shall I tell you what I haue obserued in these prescribers of both sorts Those that call for continuall comforts are of all others most vnfit to receiue them such as neuer yet saw the horrour of sinne the terrour of the Iudge nor felt in any degree the bitternesse of a wounded spirit Onely they would haue their hurt healed with sweet words and are loth to take notice of the misery they are in by reason of their sinne And for the other sort howsoeuer they seeme to like best reproofes and threatnings of the sharpest yet if the finger be but pointed at their owne sinnes none so sensible or tender as they saue that vsuall their skill is such to turne off all from themselues to others It would be considered that these things are to be ordered not so much by times as by the people and state of their persons looke what is their condition such must bee their portion of the obstinate terrour of Gods Children comfort And because such is the estate of all visible Congregations that they are mixt companies consisting of both sorts they walke with rightest foot to the Gospell that so intermeddle these in their teaching that neither want what belongs vnto them Gods people hence learne no small part of Wisedome in all their reading hearing meditating of the Word of God that part of it especially that is spent in threatning and terror Know thou for thy comfort that fearest God and eschewest
Posteritie therefore is he enioyned labour to instruct vs to painfulnesse and industrious imployment in our vocations Accordingly after the fall thus trayned they vp their Children x Gen. 4 2. CAIN was a tiller of the ground ABEL a keeper of sheepe like was the course of Patriarches as wee may reade along the Story Yea the cursed seed of Cain though they degenerated into vanitie yet had they their seuerall imployments In the Israelitish Common-wealth after their settling in the Land of Promise such prouision was made that euery Tribe and Family had their husbandry to bee imployed in The Tribe of LEVI whose exemption was most from manuall Arts yet had their seuerall places of Ministerie In this first ranke of inordinate walkers we haue alas how many to bee ranged It is vaine perhaps to speake of Monkes and such like y Titus 1.12 idle-bellies as PAVL cals Cretians Yet this I may say for them they had the fayrest pretence of all of their disorderly order giuing themselues to deuotion and heauenly contemplation A life I confesse aboue all others to bee chosen were a man borne to himselfe alone But this ground wee must remember Euery man on Earth is a member of some common bodie And is thereby bound to imployment in some office good to communitie Whereby it comes to passe that euen this kind of life spent wholly in deuotion and contemplation is vnpleasing to God Because howsoeuer herein they doe good to themselues yet bring they no benefit to the common bodie I confesse the life hath great commendation amongst Ancients some of them call it heauenly and Angelicall And sure it is such shall bee the life of Gods Children after Resurrection spent wholly in praysing and magnifying the Name of God But till that time see how Angels themselues want not their imployment euen they z Heb. 1.14 are sent forth to minister for good of them that shall be heires of saluation To these may bee added how many of our Gallants and their attendants whose whole life is spent alas how Epicurelike and vnprofitably in eating drinking sporting snorting as if they were borne as the wild Asse-Colt in the Wildernesse to snuffe vp the wind or as Leuiathan in the Sea to take pastime therein Me thinkes seeing their liues I cannot but thinke of that in Ezechiel describing the sinnes of Sodome so fitting it is to men of this disposition The a Ezech. 16.49 sinnes of Sodome were Pride fulnesse of Bread abundance of Idlenesse vnmercifulnesse to the Poore No maruell if they grew such Monsters in Lust hauing all things so at full to feed their Luxurie A third sort are our vagrant and sturdie Beggers whose base and brutish life what termes are sufficient to expresse I know not how our people thinke it almes to feed them in their idlenesse conceiting these the poore whom the Lord hath commended to our compassion His order in Israel was there might b Deut. 15.4 be no Begger among his people And Pauls Cōstitution Men wanting not strength but c 2. Thess 3.10 will to labour must not eat The best mercie to such is that which one cals Misericordia puniens Thou canst not better releeue them then by correction The second kind of persons disorderly are such as neglect imployment of the vocations wherein the LORD hath placed them Of these especially speakes the Apostle His rule is Whoso hath an Office d Rom. 12.7 must wait on his Office And his Ordinance in Thessalonica that if any refused labour e 2. Thess 3.10 hee should not eat Yea hee makes them flat Theeues that so liue Such eat not their owne bread Now here beloued where should I beginne to complaine of vnfaithfulnesse It spreades it selfe so generally ouer all orders and degrees of men This is that eats out the large patrimonies of many gotten with no small care and industrie of their Progenitors while Children thinke themselues borne to pleasures and whatsoeuer is occasion or nourishment of all vitiousnesse in life The third sort is of them that intrude vpon other mens callings not sparing the Function of the Ministery which yet the Lord will haue no man touch but hee that is f Heb. 5.4 called of God as was AARON His Iudgement on Corah and his company for such intrusion is recorded their Censors kept by Gods speciall appointment as g Num. 16.40 a memorial and warning to all posterity The Stories of Vzzah and Vziah are knowne the one stricken h 2. Sam. 6.7 with sudden death the other i Chron. 26.19 21. with leprosie till the day of his death In the fourth ranke are to bee ranged all those that wilfully violate wholesome Ordinances for better ordering of common life whether in Church or Common-wealth Ad omnia sua strenui ad communia pigri Bern. de grad Humilitatis said Bernard of such men delighted in singularitie Turpis est omnis pars quae vniuerso suo non congruit saith Austine And of the persons thus farre The dutie in respect of them is to admonish that is to put them in minde of their dutie It is the k Mat. 18.15 first step or degree in censures which must goe before sharper corrections Touching it three particulars shall be briefly scanned Quest First Whose dutie it is Answ The dutie of euery Christian vt supra They were the people of whom Paul said they were l Rom. 15.14 able to whom he m Col. 3.16 prescribes to admonish one another Doe ye aske Reasons Besides the Commandement of God First Mutual n Iude 20. compassion should teach it vs. Secondly Care of community in respect First Of the o 1. Cor. 5.6 infectiousnesse of the euill example Secondly p Ioh. 7 1◠12. For danger of wrath It iustly reprooues such as put ouer this dutie of loue from themselues to Ministers and thinke it so peculiar to them that in no degree it belongs to them Erewhile wee shewed it pertinent to the people with this difference The Minister doth it as of Authoritie the people out of sociall Charitie The publike performance is the Ministers in priuate commerce the peoples also And it is strange the Lord should commend to vs care of each others body q Exod. 23.4 5 goods good name and leaue vs carelesse of any soules saue our owne The second question is to what persons wee owe it Diogenes and the Cynikes Seneca Epist 29. saith Seneca were wont promiscuously to admonish all they met with What if they fell on deafe men They answered Words were gratuitous and cost them nothing Besides though they missed their end in many yet admonishing all they might doe good to some With like zeale shall I say or passion many are transported prodigally casting away sacred and precious admonitions vpon Dogs and Swine Our Sauiour inioynes vs in this point caution and prudence To make choice of such as wee must admonish by the Word