matter of belief or opinion that are proposed by any to be embraced whether they be God's saving truths or the errors of deceivers and the fancies of mens brains bring them to this Test and they will quickly appear what they are Yea ordinary capacities without any extraordinary learning may be able as far as it concerns themselves to prove all things 1 Thes 5.21 Gen. 1.1 Rev. 22.13 21. that so they may hold fast that which is good It is a good observation that one makes that the Scriptures begin with In the beginning and end with Amen which signifieth Truth Shewing that they contain in them which no other writings do Et vetustissimum verissimum what is eldest what is truest And indeed what is not antient is not true Truth is of God Error is of the Devil So that what is not Old Divinity is not true Divinity though it come from the Councel of Trent the Conclave of Cardinals with their pretended infallible Inspirers the Pope and the Devil or Consult of Jesuites 3. It 's mans whole happiness and excellency This distinguisheth him from and prefers him before all others though never so great and glorious in the world Job Job who feared God and eschewed evil was acknowledged by God himself to be the None-such of his time The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour Pro Let him be what he will if he be not Righteous In Gods account who knows best how to esteem and whose honourable approbation is of greatest weight and worth in the eyes of good men who despise vile persons Psal 15. yea in the eyes of wicked men themselves All men held John for a Prophet yea Herod reverenced him in his heart though he was overswayed by an Impudent Harlot to command his Death And in real worthiness as being and having that in him which makes a man and will keep him happy If you know these things happy are ye if you do them Joh. 13.17 3. God will call to account For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be bad ver 14. A pressing and powerfull argument if well weighed to enforce upon us the care of fearing God and keeping his Commandements That we shall be most certainly brought to an account whether we do or do not VVe are not Lords Paramount that may do as we please and live as we list and there 's an end No but an account must be rendered and therefore we have great reason to see to it that our Thoughts VVords and VVorks may be such as may correspond with Gods fear and comply with his Command our Dignity and Duty For though by our greatness we may bear it out and by our policy conceal what evil we do from man yet we cannot escape Gods Hand which is Omnipotent nor his Eye which is Omniscient and so knows what we have done and though he doth not always in this Life which we may all justly fear and he many times doth yet he will most assuredly hereafter bring us into judgment for it And the minding of this would be our wisdom and prove a great restraint from evil and encouragement unto good And unto this end we find the consideration often made use of in the holy Scriptures Thus Solomon makes use of it as a Bridle to restrain the Lustfull extravagancies of unruly Youth VVhen by an Ironical Concession he seems to invite a Young Man to rejoyce Let his heart chear him in the days of his Youth to walk in the ways of his heart and the sight of his eyes But again powerfully to restrain him with this consideration Eccl. 11.9 But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment Thus St. Paul doth ingeniously confess that by the remembrance of this he was stirred up and assisted in and unto a holy and incorrupt ministration of his Office 2 Cor. 5.11.10 Knowing the Terrors of the Lord we perswade men For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Thus the same Apostle exhorts the Athenians to Repentance because God had appointed a day wherein he would judge the world Act. 17.31 And though mockers may scoff and think it afar off because the signs of it are not yet come yet alas Though the general judgment may not surprize them yet the day of their death will which will be to them a day of judgment and all will certainly be found at the great day as they are found at that hour And if the time would bear it it were worth a larger consideration How Emphatically Solomon lays down this argument which I cannot at present but briefly lay before you In which fourteenth verse of this Chapter concerning Gods judgment VVe may observe these five things 1. The unavoidableness of it 2. The certainty of it as to the thing and the uncertainty as to the time 3. The generality and exactness of it 4. The Righteous proceeding in it 5. The directing of the sentence according to desert 1. The unavoidableness God shall bring whom none can escape or delude Here many culpable persons make shift to escape by secresie hiding flying or corruption But there is no such dealing with God with whom we have to do by whose authority the judgment shall be though Christ be the Administrator of it and the Saints shall give their Approbation As the Kings Majesty by his Deligated Judges and the assistance of others in Commission with them perform Judgment amongst Men. God then being Judge he hath as Inferior Judges his Deputies ought to have and are supposed to have what ever is requisite and is ever necessary Viz. 1. Knowledge 2. Power 3. Uprightness 1. Knowledge to discern As Solomon had who having the Scepter in his hand had an eye in his head to discern whose the living Child was Justice is indeed usually painted blind but that is as to persons not causes Blind Isaac that would try by feeling placed the Blessing where he would not 1 Sam. 12.3 and blinded Judges and you know the Scripture tells us what will blind them usually place it where they should not But God is Omniscient and cannot be deluded nor deceived Heb. 4.13 All things to him are naked and bare 2. Power to see their judgment executed otherwise they will be contemned and authority fully to end and determine its appeals will be made nought of and matters will run in a circle and endless Labyrinths But God is Omnipotent and Supreme there is no resisting of him nor appealing from him 3. Uprightness in passing sentence The Egyptians in their Hieroglyphicks describe Justice as an Angel without hands that he may not receive gifts and winking or without eyes that he might not respect persons The Person of a Judge must
not take the person of a Friend but be as Levi that knew neither Father nor Mother We usually paint Justice with a Ballance in one hand and a Sword in the other to weigh and execute If Justice in passing and care in executing the Sentence passed be wanting Knowledge and Power will be to no purpose But God will do what is just Job 8.3 and will not pervert Justiee With him a pure heart is better than a smooth word and a good Conscience than a good Purse 2. The certainty of it as to the thing the uncertainty as to the time He will he shall To lay down arguments in this Auditory to prove what we profess an Article of our Faith would be very impertinent The Scripture positively asserts it and all Gods Attributes undeniably evince it As his 1. Power God will have it so for the manifestation of his infinite Power 2 Cor. 5.10 He will bring all to Judgment We must all appear And that is a work of Almightyness to raise and revive the dead But there is nothing impossible to an Omnipotent Arm. 2. Wisdom It 's a poynt of Wisdom to bring a thing to its appoinâ—ed end Now the end that God made man for was not to live in this World for ever but to serve him here and afterwards enjoy him to all Eternity which cannot be done without a judgment first determining of us 3. Truth He hath spoken and cannot but fulfill it he hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the World Act. 17.31 Men may break their words God will not He knows his appointed day and will keep it His Justice and Mercy doth enforce it It is the property of Justice to recompense to every man his own Mercy to whom Mercy Psal 101.1 and Judgment to whom Judgment appertaineth Now here in this World we see it not done The wicked many times flourish when the righteous suffer Naboth is stoned Joseph is in Prison If the World should always last where were Gods Justice and Mercy and therefore for the manifestation of these there must be a day of Retribution Dives must have his evil things Lazarus must have his good which here they have not All Gods attributes require that God should bring every thing and every man to judgment as most certainly he will and therefore we should as St. Hierome tells us he did what ever he was a doing remember and imagine that he heard that voice Arise ye dead and come to Judgment Math. 24.31 3. The Generality and Exactness of it VVe must all we must every one for every thing There is no answering as in Humane Courts by a Proxy God doth not deal in a lump by passing sentence on all men and all things together Condemn all or Acquit all No but he makes a Separation and distinguisheth between good and bad Here indeed Solomon tells us they fare all alike but hereafter there will be a distinction made and manifested Math. 25.32 Now Goats and Sheep feed and sold together then will be seperated Tares must be let alone and grow with the Corn till the day of Harvest but at last their will be a separation Chaff and VVheat lye in the same floor till the fan cometh Here men as Travaillers in a journey pass together lodge together but in the Morning part â—ood and bad are here mingled together But then it will be known which were Jacob's which were Labans Flock Masks and Vizards and Paint will be then stripped of then all shall appear as they are 4. The Righteous proceeding He will bring to judgment God will not sentence first and judge afterwards but first weigh judge and then sentence Neither will he sentence ex proprio motu by his own will and pleasure but according unto evidence and good proof For the Books shall be opened and by them shall men be tryed Rev. 20.12 Now there are three Books by and out of and according to which the judgment shall be 1. Rom. 2.14 Of Nature By this the Gentiles shall be tryed 2. Of the Scriptures by this those that lived in the Church shall be tryed The Books of the 1. Law who lived under the Law shall be judged by the Law 2. Gospel So St Paul tells the Christians God should judge the secrets of all hearts by the Gospel he preacht 3. Conscience So both shall be judged by the Books of their own Conscience for what they have Transgressed against the Books of Nature or Scriptures which will then witness what is now recorded in them Conscience may be now as a book clapsed which men do not read in Gen. 44. and so not mind their sins as Joseph's Brethren did not theirs till in their distress and then will they not they must read all And Lastly 5. The Sentence will be past distinctly As on all good and bad So whether it be good or whether it be bad God will not involve all promiscuously for that is far from him who is the great Judge of all the Earth and therefore he will do right Gen. 18.23 and not make the Righteous as the VVicked as Abraham in his Prayer pleads with God But God will then say 1. Come ye Blessed to his Sheep that hear his Voice Fear him and keep his Commandements 2. Go ye Cursed to the Goats who have said depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy Law And thus Honourable Right VVorshipfull VVorshipfull and Beloved I have laid before you with what brevity I could what the Doctrinal part of these words acquaint us with and have put Oyl in your Lamps by Doctrinal Instruction what now remains but that I put Fire to it by some practical APPLICATION VVhich shall be only in a word of Exhortation Humbly to beseech you as your Orator and earnestly to require you as Gods Embassador to see to it that whatever you do in all your Transactions whether publique or private in your politique and personal capacities as Magistrates Ministers Christians I say that whatever you do you be carefull that for all your Thoughts VVords and VVorks there may be nothing which may not Comply with Gods fear Correspond with Gods Command Comport with man's dignity duty and happiness Stand approved through Gods mercy and gracious acceptation in Gods judgment Certainly these reflections would have powerfull influence on us to regulate all our carriage Seneca gave his Friend Lucilius this Counsel that what ever he was doing He should imagine some of the Roman â—orthies did behold him and then he would do nothing dishonourable So let us say with Hagar Thou Lord seest me and with David I have set the Lord alwayes before me Of whom it is most true what the Poets feign of Minerva's Picture that it was drawn with that Art that look what way so ever a man turned himself her eyes were still upon him For he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all eyeâ— vvho seeth and vveigheth and tryeth and
sentenceth and as he punisheth all evil so will he reward all faithfull Servants Others cannot reward all their followers as having not wherewith and others will not as being illiberal and sordid but God is able because Lord of all and vvilling because Rich unto all These considerations shall vve not be vvanting to our selves vvould have a very great influence on all of us but especially on such who are In Publique Place Trust and Employment Magistrates and Ministers That they do not with their ill practises and examples overthrow that good which by their Authority and Preaching they do or should promote It were a happy thing and much to be desired that there were none that did so But that cannot be expected and we find by sad experience that it ever was and will be so In Aarons Line there was a Nadab and Abihu In Eli's Family are an Hophni and a Phineas But it is no wonder for amongst the Angels some fell and there was a Judas amongst the Apostles And it is most certain that the generality of the people as Labans Ewes conceived according to the colour of the Rods that were set before them So are they swayed by the practise of others especially their Rulers and Teachers Jupiter ipse fuit Ego non Homuncio But Elihu tells us Great men are not always wise neither do the aged understand judgment I and my Ruler I and my Teacher if the practice be evil there will be no good Plea at the last day for so might the Jews excuse themselves who had the high Priests to go before them and perswade them to Crucifie our Saviour Eminent Persons intrusted with publique inployments are as looking glasses to the places wherein they live whereby the people dress themselves who falling into open sins like men in a crowd many fall with them Mens Souls being as apt to be infected by ill examples as their bodies by ill air Peter at Antioch dissembling Act. 11. dravvs Barnabas into the same error Publique persons then have great cause often to put an avve upon themselves by such reflections Doth my Carriage correspond vvith God's fear and command my duty and account That so they may have their Carriage inoffensive For in all their visible miscarriages there is a double sin The Fact and the Example The vulgar being their shadovvs to follovv their steps and so vvill bring a double punishment on their selves and charges Hence David prays for Zion as vvell as for himself Ps 51.5 Let such say than vvhen tempted to evil as Nehemiah and shall such a man as I fly Upon all which considerations give me leave I beseech you Right Worshipfull Worshipfull who are intrusted with the Government of this Honourable Ancient and Famous City to perswade you to a diligent care rightly to discharge that trust that Gods providence his Majesties Charter and your Brethrens choice have impowered you for and called you to And I can no better do it than by laying before you that famous instance which in all its circumstances is applicable to you That excellent charge which that good King Jehosaphat gave his Judges and Magistrates 2 Chr. 19.6.7 which he by his Royal Charter Established in the Cities of Judah Take heed what you do for you judge not for man but God 2. Chron. 19.6 7. And this he enforceth with arguments and leaves directions for Let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it He impowered them by his Charters and enjoyns them to discharge their duty to judge justly to do nothing rashly unadvisedly but in all their proceedings to use a heedfull circumspection They were not to be idle or as Gallio careless and negligent but they were to do They were not to be wilfull and to do what they please but they were to observe and do both according to God and the Kings Laws and the true state of the particular matters that were brought before them They were not to be rash and inconsiderate in hast and careless but to see what they did least as David they may pass a wrong Sentence and injure a faithfull Mephiboseth upon the flatteries and insinuating calumnations of a treacherous and false hearted Ziba Lo this was the charge that good Prince laid upon his Deligated Magistrates whom he had Established from City to City He gave them Power under him to act he gives them directions how to act They might not usurp a power without his Charter they might not neglect to execute that power committed to them by his Charter But he enjoyns them to do and not be idle to take heed and see to it that they did according to the Law and Justice and not be willfull rash and negligent and to prevail with them so to do he presseth upon them the fear the pattern and presence of God I shall not undertake to direct you in particulars only in general to recommend unto you the consideration of God's fear God's command your own duty dignity and account And then certainly you will discharge the duty of your places according to your names and powers God and mans expectation from you Hos 4.18 Judg. 18.7 You will then be what God calls you Sheilds And so defend the innocent and well-doer Heirs of Restraint to curb the extravagant exorbitances of the Sons of Belial Healers To make up and not make wider any incident breaches that may and will unavoidably arise when many are concerned in the management of the same power Psal 78.71 Shepherds And ought therefore with earnest care as Jacob did Laban's Sheep to feed the Lords Flock aiming at the good of their charge and not their own advantage who must lose themselves in the common right as Rivers their names and natural qualities in the main Ocean Est 10.3 Thus Mordicai sought his Peoples welfare and seeking Gods glory and not their own as Joab did David at the seige of Rabbah since God is jealous of his glory aad keeps that for himself As Potiphar did his Wife when he gives us all things else 1 Sam. 12.3.4 And shall you be able to say as good Samuel did Witness against me wâ—ose Ox or Ass have I taken whom have I defrauded or oppressed of whose hand have I received any bribes to blind mine eyes therewith Or receive as he did a Testimony of his Innocency Then you may say with comfort as Nehemiah did Remember me O my God concerning this Nehe. 13.22 Isa 38.3 and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy And as good Hezekiah did Remember now O Lord How I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done what is good in thy sight And with our Saviour Joh. 17.4.5 Father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do I have glorified thee on earth and now glorifie thou with thine own self Fathers And so must when need is prest with a weeping eye and tender