good treasure of the heart we bring forth good But I say vnto you saith Christ that of euery idle word that men shall speake they stall giue account thereof at the day of Iudgement When as wee shall aunswere for our selues beeing altogether vnable to aunswere one for a thousand Yea so much the more grieuous it shall bee because wee shall open all the secrets of our heart and bee enforced to confesse our misdeeds and to keepe backe nothing all must bee manifest And not as it is in this world when vpon the humble confession of our sinnes to God wee may cry for pardon and hope to be forgiuen but then shall but confession be to our open shame confusion and endlesse destruction Wherefore this day of iudgement may well bee called the day of Reuelation when as all things that are now hid shall then be reuealed and made known Secrets opened Here on earth many things are kept close hid and hudled vp But God shall tighten faith the Apostle things that are hid in darknesse 1. Cor. 4.5 and make the counsels of the heart manifest And at that day Ro. 2.16 God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. In this life many great and sinfull deedes are not punished but remaine hid and vnknowne and the parties passe as guilolesse and without all faulte who thinke themselues cleare inough so long as they can keepe their owne counsell But our Sauiour Christ Luke 8.17 sheweth the matter to be cleane contrary Nothing is secret that shall not bee euident neyther any thing hid that shall not be knowne and come to light The which in Eccle. 12.14 is more manifest God will bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill Which is not set downe to driue vs to dispaire although no doubt we are priuie to many hainous sinnes the which we would not for all the worlds good should bee knowne abroade and in euery mans mouth yea such sin that are forcible inough to driue vs to dispaire yet seeing at the iudgement day they shall be reuealed be they neuer so secret wee are moued hereby to call for mercy while God doth graunt vs life and to pray with the Prophet O Lord deliuer mee from my secret faults from my secret sinnes from my secret offences This therefore that our secret hidden faults shall come to light iudgement is a very profitable lesson for vs whereby we may learn to feare what we do although wee may keepe it close from men as also that we may bethinke our selues of that which is past and pray for forgiuenesse and be more warie and circumspect in time to come so that it keepeth vs in the feare of God so long as we liue and let this be vnto vs in stead of Auricular confession in remembrance whereof in euery time and place wee may flye and auoyd all sinne whether it be secret or open whereof if we take not heed we may incurre the daunger of Gods wrath and heauy iudgement And at the day of iudgement shall God bring all matters to light as we may read Reue. 20.12 And I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened that is their conscience and another booke was opened which is the booke of life And the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes It is not onely God Conscience that shall bring our secret sinnes to light but euen our owne consciences shall bewray vs as the last place of Scripture alleadged Reue. 20.12 dooth testifie where by the bookes that were opened our owne consciences are vnderstood which shall be most ready to reueale all things According to that in the Epistle to the Romaines Chap. 2.15 Which shew the effect of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and theyr thoughts accusing one another or excusing at that day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. And full truly is it spoken that a mans conscience is in steed of a thousand witnesses For when time shall serue there shall not neede many accusers or store of euidences to be giuen vp against vs seeing that our conscience which is our secret storehoue shall declare all although it bee neuer so much against our will and that without any cōstraint or comparison Wherof we haue a sufficient and manifest tryall euen in this life For tell me who is it among vs but must of force confesse and dooth perceiue so much in himselfe that hee cannot no nor may not forget his sinnes and misdeedes for our conscience will not suffer it and especially the more notorious bad and wicked our deedes haue beene the more fresh and fresh they are and will bee in our remembrance They will come into our mindes when wee little thinke of any such matter and if wee would neuer so faine wee cannot put them away from vs and when they come into our mindes and remembrance they bring dumps and sorrow inough Which is a token and a most apparant signe and proofe of the iudgement day vnto the which time all our sinnes are reserued to bee iudged Before we commit any wicked or notorious deed our conscience within vs doth grudge against it and would full faine bridle and restraine vs from it if it were possible but after wee haue done the deed it is a torment vnto vs and that more grieuous inwardly to our mindes then any whip or scourge to the body can bee because the one is but for a time the other lasteth long and shall endure By which inward griefe conceiued and sorrowe of conscience many are driuen to dispaire and doo thinke so bad of themselues for theyr wicked vnlawful vngodly deeds that they are desirous to reuenge the matter vpon themselues and to be their owne tormenters before the iudgement day come But if there be any that can say their conscience is cleare let thē reioyce and giue God the praise and thankes who hath preuented them with his grace and preserued them from euill And as a guiltie conscience is his owne tormenter so a good conscience is a continuall feast He or shee that is not charged or rather ouercharged by their owne conscience they haue a continuall ioy within them so if our owne hearts condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things And what miserie trowe we doo the wicked of the world liue in For the Lord hath said There is no peace vnto the wicked when in all their life is feare and terror carrying in their breasts tormenting furies to hold them day night in feare of endlesse destruction And what should those heauy dumps and inward feares signifie but that there is a iudgement and that there is a hell as well as a heauen Their hearts doo droope and their consciences are affrighted and God by his secret power dooth worke this feare and
24.26 in the presence of Felix the gouernour disputed of righteousnesse temperance and of the iudgement to come Felix trembled therwithall did suppresse this matter by betaking himselfe to other businesse Go thy way saith he for this time and when I haue conuenient time I will call for thee Hee vsed not this inward feeling of the knowledge of Gods iudgement to the best that is to repent and to turne to God but as a worldly minded man hee would haue no such dumps to daunt his minde and to hinder him from his vain pleasures althogh then and at that time he were full deeply toucht in conscience Well although some do mock at the iudgement day as though it should not come or else suppresse the knowledge thereof within themselues that they may follow their lusts eate and drinke and rise vp to play that they may enioy the vanities and pleasures of this transitory world so long as they liue in the world yet they and we together with them may learne two profitable lessons First because as wee thinke it is long before God doo come to iudgement although oftentimes he beginneth his iudgement here vpon earth by strange examples which as I haue said are the forerunners of his last iudgement we may learne I say that with God a thousand yeares which we count a whole world is but as yesterday that is past and therefore that it is not long though it seeme so vnto vs. Secondly that God hereby sheweth his patience and long suffering his great compassion and mercy in that hee would not the death of a sinner but waiteth for our repentance and amendment and thinketh that in good time we will hate and auoyde our wicked and shamefull life and turne to him that we may be saued for hee would haue all men to come to repentance And therefore the holy Apostle S. Paul Ro. 2.4 doth greatly rebuke and speake against them who eyther make little account or despise the riches of Gods bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth to repētance But we after our hardnes and hearts which either cannot or will not repent heape vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God For indeede it is like to be with vs as it was in the dayes of Noah they cared not for Noahs warning and preaching vnto them and rather made a mocke of it they followed their owne hearts desire and did whatsoeuer seemed good in their owne eyes So shall not we in this last Iron age of the world regard any warning nor respect the counsell of thē that wish vs good neither thinke of iudgement nor what shall befall vs being greatly doted vpon the pleasure of sin which at the last shall vanish and in time to come shal haue a bitter reward Wheras if we forethink with our selues of these heauy matters of the wrath of God which shall be perceiued by his iudgement which we must of force endure if we repent not I say if we should forethink these matters we should learn truly to fear God to forgo our selues that is deny our naughty desires sins and pleasures that so Gods wrath might be diminished toward vs and that hee might not enter into iudgemēt with vs. As saith the Prophet Ps 90.11 Who regardeth the power of thy wrath for euen as a man feareth so is thy displeasure How the godly ought to be affected seeing the sin and the flourishing estate of the wicked Here also the mindes of the faithfull and godly are to be prepared to patiēce that although they see many vngodly minded men to make a mocke of the iudgement to come and so to continue in their sinfull liues and doo what they list that they are not punished in this world by Gods iudgemēts plagues and punishments yet let vs perswade our selues that they shal not escape though God suffer long and though we in our weake mindes think it too long For althogh the wicked may say within themselues vauntingly and yet full vainely as the Prophet Esay Chap. 28.15 reciteth their speeches We haue made a couenant say they with death and with hell are we at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs. Yet their couenant with death shal be disanulled and their agreement with hell shall not stand And when a scourge runneth ouer and passeth through are they not sometime trode downe by it and taken away when they make litle or no reckoning of any such matter The holy Apostle doth giue the reason of the certaintie of their punishment if not in this world yet in an other 2. Pet. 2.4 For if god spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell Nay if Gods iudgement begin at his owne house and if God doo punish his owne people And if the righteous scarcely bee saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare 1. Pet. 4.17.18 Wherefore let vs not be as they were of whom the Prophet Malachy speaketh Chap. 3.15 Wee count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered from all daungers So that it is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts These are the speeches of many weake and discontented and decaied mindes because they see the flourishing estate of the wicked But as it is said in the Reue. Chap. 22.11 They that be filthy and will so continue without amendment let them see what shall be the end and let them be filthy still Hee that is vniust let him be vniust still So also it is said on the contrary part They that are iust and righteous let them bee righteous still and they that are holy let them be holy still let them not faint in the course that they haue taken in hand but remember what is written in the selfesame Chapter The comming of the Lord to iudgement is at hand Surely saith he I come quickly and let vs wish Euen so come Lord Iesus And as for the rest let vs perswade our selues thus as we reade 2. Pet. 2.9 The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgemēt to be punished The Lord knoweth his best time and when it is most expedient that we should be deliuered In the meane time let vs not faint and vtterly cast away our hope if God doo not presently punish the wicked For God doth so order his punishments and his iudgements that although he suffer the wicked for a time which indeede if we do rightly consider is but a moment of time yet he will not leaue them vnpunished at the last as we vse to say It is neuer too late that comes once Againe seeing that God hath appointed a
that he hath done whether it be good or euill Whereof S. Iohn had a manifest demonstration as we reade in his Reuelation Chap. 20.11.12 And I saw saith he a great white throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth and the heauen and there place was no more found And I sawe the dead both great and smal stand before God who shall iudge both the quicke and the dead euen all that euer haue beene are and shal be to the end of the world as well those that are dead and rotten in the earth as those which shall be found aliue at his comming who shal be changed in a moment which change shal be in stead of death In iudgements that are practised among men there are diuers conueiances vsed not to appeare in iudgement and for fauour feare bribes and such like matters malefactors are bayled out of prison and bonds forfeyted and they kept from the barre and from the presence of the Iudge and quitte by Proclamation But here the ministers of this heauenly iudgement to wit the Angels shall not be blinded by any earthly considerations There shall be no entreaty no way to auoyd no other remedy but that they shall and must appeare It is a straunge matter and not to be seene that any Emperour King Prince or any such mightie Potentate should be called to iudgement or shuld bee subiect vnto the sentence of the Iudge For why as they say the Prince is aboue his law and not to be censured by any Subiects are vnder the penalty of lawes and iudgement may passe vpon them but as for the Prince and the highest in a Realme who dare controll him if he do ill But from this iudgement of this mighty heauenly Iudge whom no power can resist shall neither Emperour King Prince nor mighty Potentate be exempted neither can they be dispenced withall but that of force and necessitie they must make their personnall appearance There shal be no respect of persons high and and lowe rich and poore all shall appeare Yea then it shal be far better with the poorest begger that hath liued in the feare of God then with the mightiest Emperour that in his life time hath had little or no regard to serue God For true it is that the mighty shall be mightily punished All prophane persons leaud liuers Atheists persecutors which haue beene enemies to God to his word and to his ministers who haue wished in their hearts there were no God nor any iudgement who haue made a scoffe and contempt of all goodnesse and of the professours and Ministers thereof they shall of force bee brought to this Iudgement But what To speake in theyr owne behalfe No they shall not bee able For at that time and there they shall confesse theyr faultes and haynous offences and make bitter lamentation but all too late and there shall they waight in trembling sort to heare their iudgement And who is it amongst vs No excuses shall serue that knowes himself guiltie that will declare the truth being called before a Iudge but rather our mindes runne vpon deuices and excuses how wee may blinde the Iudge and defend our selues and auoyd that which is toward vs. And so long as wee haue to deale with mortall men it may so fall out that our excuses may serue the turne and set vs cleare But when our cause commeth to be tried before GOD from whom nothing is or can be hidde and vnto whom nothing can bee secrete then no excuses can preuaile neither shall any deuices helpe vs or blinde the Iudge Our first parents when God called them to their tryall for transgressing his commaundement and when the fled from God and his themselues although they were still in Gods presence but foolishly they thought otherwise how did they aunswere for themselues but by excuses Adam hee speakes for himselfe Gene. 3.12 and saith The Woman which thou gauest to be with me she gaue me of the tree and I did eate The woman likewise she thinkes to escape by that meanes Eue saith The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate When King Saul had disobeied Gods commaundement running after the pray being called to an account he deuiseth a currant excuse and saith Yea I haue obeyed the voyce of the Lord and haue gone the way which the Lord sent me and haue brought Agag the King of Amelek and haue destroyed the Amalekites But the people tooke of the spoyle sheep and oxen the chiefest of the things which should haue bene destroyed to offer vnto the Lord. Amongst these may Pilat be reckoned who against his owne conscience condemned Christ to death and yet would excuse himselfe as though he were innocent in the cause Math. 27.24 When Pilat sawe that hee auailed nothing but that more tumult was made hee tooke water and washed his hands shaying I am innocent of the blood of this iust mum In the description of the latter iudgement Math 25.44 wee read that some began to excuse themselues saying Lord when sawe we thee an hungred or a thirst or a straunger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister vnto thee Neuerthelesse all this serued not but vnto them it was said Depart from me ye cursed into euer lasting fire And such part is Pilat like to receiue for all his excuse King Saul his excuse was not taken our first parents escaped not for all their excuses but dyed the death and shall wee thinke our case to be better then theirse howsoeuer wee thinke we shall not so finde it There shall we appeare when as no friend nor and body shal be suffered to speake for vs and in our defence and when a faire glosing tale shall not bee heard for the plaine and naked truth must then come in place and we shal be enforced to giue our account euery one of vs by our selues This is the principall matter that must be done before the Iudge We must giue accoūt that we must giue account of our selues and of our deedes done in this life And most shall haue sorrowfull hearts because they shal be called to their accounts As it was said to the euill steward Come giue account of thy stewarship so shall euery one of vs be called to our account haue vsed those benefites gifts and graces which God hath endued vs withall whether to Gods glory and to the benefit of other or after our owne pleasures and to the hurt of others In the Epistle to the Romaines Chap. 14.10.12 We shall all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ and then euery one of us shall giue accounts of himselfe to God The wicked which lightly cānot be brought to any accounts they shal giue accounts to him that is ready to iudge quick and dead 1. Pet. 4.5 Not only most notorious and wicked deedes shal be called to account but we shall giue a reckoning for euery idle word So we read Math. 12.36 Out of the
liues madnesse and their end without honor But now how is it that they are counted among the children of God and that their prouision is among the the Saints and that they are so highly in Gods fauour Therefore we haue erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs and the Sunne of vnderstanding rose not vpon vs. We haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we haue gone through daungerous wayes but wee haue not knowne the way of the Lord nor liued in his feare And now hauing heard the chiefest matters concerning the day of doome and the generall and last day of iudgement that wee may the better bee prepared vnto it let vs heare what counsell is giuen vs in holy scriptures And first that of the Apostle S. Paul may take place and seemeth greatly to tend to this purpose Which counsell wee read 1. Cor. 11.13 in this sort If wee would iudge our selues we should not be iudged and this profit wee should reape thereby that in time to come we should not be condēned with the world But as a matter full of terror and pensiuenesse wee will not enter into so deepe a consideration nor trouble our consciences so farre as to iudge our selues or to fall into examination of our owne wayes Whereas no doubt if wee should so doo it would fall out most happily on our side For if vpon due try all and examination without all partiallitie and affection wee should pronounce sentence of iudgement against our selues according to our deserts it would bee no otherwise nor no better then condemnation And yet not that condemnation which woorketh dispaire but such a condemnation whereby wee might bee acquitted from euerlasting condemnation As the same Apostle writing to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 7.9 I now reioyce saith he not that yee were sory but that yee sorrowed to repentance For yee sorrowed godly so that in nothing ye were hurt by vs. For godly sorrowe causeth repentance vnto saluation not to bee repented of but the worldly sorrowe causeth death So verily if wee would enter into iudgement with our selues it would procure a griefe and sorrowe but such a sorrowe especially if it came from a well meaning minde that should not be vnto death For by iudging of our selues we should take a viewe of that death and of those torments which by reason of our sinnes we deserue And by this meane we should be driuen to repentance and to seeke after God to bee reconciled vnto God to returne into his fauour that our consciences might be disburthened of so great feare which the seuerity of the last iudgemēt of god might work within vs that we might haue boldnesse and comfort in that day But if we walke on securely carelesly and wil not once vouchsafe to enter into iudgement with our selues then may we a while be merry in this world but our mirth shal hereafter be turned into mourning As the wise mā doth put such carelesse persons in remembrance that in their iollitie they might not too much forget themselues Reioyce saith he if so be it seeme good in thine eyes but remember therewithall that thou shalt be called to account and to iudgement Eccle. 11.9 and 12.14 And therefore he giueth this counsell Chap. 7.14 It is better to go to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting Anger is better then laughter for by a sad looke the heart is made the better Better it is to be in the house of mourning and to weepe for our sinnes wherby we are in daunger of Gods iudgement then to be in the house of feasting and forgetfulnesse to enioy some pleasure with the world for a small time seeing our life is but as a span long that here onely and in this life is the time of forgiuenesse that we may be pardoned Better it is to be angry with our selues then to please our selues in such sort and a sad minde is a meane and a great help to further our repentance And how shall we obtaine so godly a purpose as to bee set free from Gods heauy anger which we haue most iustly deserued if we doo not vse the meanes which tend therevnto Commonly where iudgement is there followeth condemnation but heare how sweete and comfortable it is that in iudging of our selues after this order which I haue set downe vnto you we shall find a way to be quit from euerlasting condemnation Which we can no way escape if in this life wee doo not iudge our selues and condemne our selues by true repentance calling for mercie and forgiuenesse that wee may be receiued into Gods fauour and not in time to come to be condemned with the world For in so iudging of our selues it is not a meanes to cause vs to dispaire but to haue a better hope and an enduring and a reioycing comfort which comfort shall neuer bee taken from vs if still wee be mindfull to call our selues to iudgement and haue an eye to our wayes that wee do not offend God Wherefore let euery one of vs pray that our hearts may bee so prepared against this iudgement day that we may be most willing to call our selues to account and to iudgement So that hauing thus humbled our selues after a while all feare shall passe away from vs and our hearts shall be filled with ioy and whereas heretofore we haue wished that this day should not bee now wee shall desire in heart to haue it come to passe And so much the more because our consciences shall assure vs our sins being forgiuen that we shall not bee among the number of them that shall be condemned but among them to whom it shall be said Come yee blessed inherit the kingdome prepared for you Which comfortable words God graunt we may then heare to our euerlasting comfort Spend the time in an honest vocation An other remedy to auoyd the seueritie of this punishment is to seeke to please God in this world in an honest vocation and trade of life For as idlenesse is the cause of many sinnes and vices so godly painfulnesse is the mother of all vertues and which doth breede a great comfort to our cōsciences against the time when we shall be called to our account how we haue spent our time and imployed those good gifts wherewith God hath inabled vs. Therefore in the Gospell before the declaration of the latter day of iudgement there is mention made of the talents that were bestowed they that receiued them were called to the reckoning how they employed them the slothfull being bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darknesse and the painfull highly aduanced So that there is a way offered to auoyd iudgement and they that are therein negligent and carelesse shall be guilty of iudgement and shall fall into diuers mischiefes and sins which shal make them more faulty and worthy of greater condemnation The life of man somewhere is
day of iudgement they shall not escape though his iudgement doo not presently take hold on them They cannot slip from God or auoyd him but are bound as it were with secret chaines so that in time to come they shall bee drawne do iudgement who are kept vntill that time to be punished euen as the oxe which is fed fatted to the slaughter So that it behoueth vs to wayt vpon the time of the last iudgement which God hath appointed and so to continue in hope and patience vnto the ende of our liues and not to be offended thogh the wicked be not punished But euery one of vs ought to haue respect to our owne wayes to keepe our selues within the compasse of Gods feare least that fall vpon vs which we thinke and looke should fal vpon other and wonder with our selues why it is not so Againe as the word of God dooth instruct vs let vs cōsider these two principall causes why God delayeth this day of iudgement One is that the day of iudgement shall not come vntill the number of the elect be fulfilled as we may reade Reu. 7.2 And I saw another Angel come vp from the East which had the seale of the liuing God and he cried with a loud voyce to the foure Angels to whom power was giuen to hurt the earth and the sea saying Hurt ye not the earth neither the sea neither the trees till we haue sealed the seruants of our God in their foreheade And then shall the iudgement be as we reade Math. 24.22 Except those daies should be shortned there should no flesh be saued but for the elects sake those dayes shal be shortned Secondly this Iudgement is delaied that the stubborne and vngodly may be thereby without excuse For they haue warning inough exhortations threatnings at all times what their sinnes deserue and what they are to looke for so that they cannot be ignorant of the iudgemēt day neither can they say that they are oppressed at vnawares And this may suffice to proue not onely that sinne and our offences is and shal be the cause of iudgement but also they that sin of set purpose in scoffing and mocking sort think that there shall be no iudgement or rather do suppresse and bury within thēselues if it might be the inward feeling knowledge of the same that to their great hurt shal not escape that heauy vēgeance of God thogh yet they be forborn Also that the minds of the godly be not troubled although they do not presently see that god doth exercise his iudgments punishments vpon them and that they faint not in wel doing but still hold on their course remembring that God hath appointed a day of iudgement vpon the which they must stay and depend and vnto the which they must referre all matters and then shall all their causes be heard and all their griefes eased Notorious sinnes procure notorious punishments in this world but especially at the iudgement day shall the full measure of all plagues and punishments be fulfilled And so much the more because that in this world many rule and raigne in their wickednesse and are as it were scotfree and as the Prophet saith They come in no misfortune like other men neither are they plagued according to their deserts But the latter day the day of doome and iudgement is and shall bee their day of assises and of their perpetuall execution Wherefore let none of vs all suppresse and banish the inward feeling and knowledge of this iudgement day seeing that by nature it is engraffed into our hearts and secret knowledge but rather let in haue that effect in vs that of right it ought to haue We see it true in worldly matters and I would to God it were as true in heauenly matters For questionlesse the forethought of the assises and of the execution doth feare many from their wicked purposes and makes them take an other course And so no doubt would the remembrance of the iudgement day preuaile with vs but that wee are carelesly perswaded that it is farre hence and that we shall neuer see it nay more then that many thinke it shall neuer be Well how far off the iudgement day is God knowes and wee may euery day looke for but by the way take this for thy learning that thy dying day is and shall be thy iudgement day and assure thy selfe that thou shalt so find it For when thy soule is parted from thy body then shalt thou presently appeare before Gods iudgement seate to giue thy account and pray that it may be to thy comfort and not to thy destruction Heb. 9.27 2 Now for the description and declaration of this generall iudgement which is the second principal matter in this text that both they which either mocke or doubt of the iudgement to come and they also which are well neare perswaded thereof might be throughly perfectly and certainly enformed therefore the order and maner of this iudgement is set downe in the scriptures and word of God principally and especially in the 25. Chap. of Mat. vers 31. and so forth in these words And when the Sonne of man commeth in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from an other as a shepheard separateth the sheepe from the goates And he shall set the sheep on his right hand and the goates on the left Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world Vnto them on the left hand he shall say Depart fro me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his Angels And these shall go into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall Which description and declaration cannot be more plainely euidently and briefly set downe setting forth vnto vs First the comming of the Iudge with his company that is al the holy Angels Secondly the general appearance of all the people of the world Thirdly the office of the Iudge in separating the good from the bad And lastly the pronouncing of iudgemēt by definitiue sentence without all reuocatiō Al which matters God willing shall be handled when I come to entreate of the Iudge so that I need not to stand vpon this point but to referre you thither where in a more fit place it may be considered And as here the order of the iudgement is expressed so in other places of scripture other matters are specified which are very necessary to giue vs further vnderstanding herein As first concerning the day when this iudgement shall be the signes that shall go before this day as also how suddenly it shall come vpō the world Cōcerning the day the Prophets do foretell how terrible it is likely to be The day The day of the Lord
that doo not know God which obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ Which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to bee made maruellous in all them that beleeue 2. Thes 1.7 Which glorious appearance of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ this heauenly Iudge that shall come in the latter end of the world shall be of the more maiestie if we shall compare it to the deliuerie of the lawe which then was both fearefull and terrible whereof wee reade Exod. 9.16 And the third day when it was morning there was thunders and lightnings and a thicke cloude vpon the mount and the sounde of the trumpet louder and louder euen exceeding loude so that all the people that was in the campe was affraied Then Moses brought the people out of the tents to meete with God and they stood in the nether part of the mount And mount Sinay was all on a smoke because the Lord came downe vpon it in fire and the smoake thereof ascended as the smoake of a furnace and all the mount trembled exceedingly This appearing of the deliuery of the lawe was to denounce a sharpe punishment and curse for sinne but this second appearing at the ende of the world shall bee with greater maiestie and more terrible by reason of the ful execution of this curse and punishment And as Moses was admitted into Gods presence but the people trembled and would not come neare so shall this second appearing bee ioyfull to the godly who shall meete with the Lord in the cloudes but as for the rest they shall mourne and as the Prophet saith who shall be able to abide it Then was but the mount on fire but now shall the whole world bee on a flame then onely the people of Israel were called and assembled together now shall all people nations and languages be gathered then was there a curse onely denounced if they and wee by them also beeing vnderstood should transgresse and breake Gods law and commaundements but no present punishment followed now shall there be no delay but they shall in the same moment of time receiue the sentence of condemnation and shall forthwith bee throwne into hell fire to be tormented for euer Therefore shall this appearing be of greater glory of greater maiesty and more terrible The Sonne of man as yee haue heard he shal be the Iudge of the whole world at the latter day indeede no earthly man but he that tooke vpon him the nature of man Who also elsewhere is called the sonne of God and is the second person in the reuerent and most holy trinitie whom God hath not onely ordained to this office but also hath commaunded the Apostles to preach and to publish it throughout the whole world that it might bee as surely grafted into the mindes of men as it is certainly decreed by the determinate purpose of God As we read Iohn 5.22 For the father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement vnto the sonne Whereof the holy Apostle S. Paul also giueth witnesse Acts 17.32 God saith he admonisheth all men euerywhere to repent Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath giuen an assurance vnto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead By the force of which certaine perswasion he chargeth Timothy to bee earnest and carefull in his dutie 2. Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quick and dead at his appearing preach the word be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Also the holy Apostle S. Peter 2. Ep. 4.5 doth testifie the selfe-same thing when as he exhorted those whom he writ vnto to desist and leaue off their vngodly life to depart from the company of the wicked and not to be daunted in mind thogh they should be scoffed and mocked at their hands for so doing Encouraging them with a most forceable reason that might throughly perswade them which is that the wicked shall be iudged which iudgement they shall escape that go from them and turn to God in time forsaking the waies and counsels of the wicked And because the place of scripture is notable and worthy of great regard I think good to set it downe It is sufficient for vs saith hee that we haue spent the time past of the life after the lust of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lusts drunkennesse in gluttonie and in abhominable idolatries Wherein it seemeth to them strange that yee runne not with them vnto the same excesse of ryot and continue in so doing therefore speak they euill of you which shall giue accounts to him that is ready to iudge quick dead who is no other but Iesus Christ the Iust as is manifect by those places of Scripture which I haue before alleaged Which proofes being so substanciall that Christ shall be the Iudge and the matter so manifest as I think there is no man but doth so beleeue it shall suffice onely to haue touched it And so let vs go forward that wee may vnderstand how Christ shall performe his Iudgement Which especially is laide downe in these three poynts First that all the Nations and people of the world that euer haue bene shall be gathered into his presence and the reason why they shall appeare is All people shall appeare that they shall be called to their account Secondly after triall of their cause how he shall seperate the one from the other the iust from the vniust and the godly from the wicked Thirdly the execution of this Iudgemēt in pronouncing of sentence All nations people shal be gathered into his presence For he shal send forth his Angels with a great sound of trumpet and they shall gather together his elect frō the foure winds and frō the one end of the heauē to the other Math. 24.31 In the Parrable of the seede it is set downe Math. 13.30 that when haruest comes the reapers shall gather the tares and binde them in sheaues to burne them and so foorth Which Parable Christ enterpreting to his Disciples saith that the haruest is the end of the world and the reapers be the Angels whom the sonne of man shall send forth and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which doo iniquitie Whereby may be perceiued that both the good and the bad shal be gathered into the presence of the Iudge because the Text hath these words in the same place Then shall the iust men shine as the Sunne For we must all appeare saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 5.10 before the Iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to
no doubt they feele that there is giuen to them a spirit of bondage and feare through which they tremble at their owne estate They are in mount Sinay where is the burning fire blacknesse darknesse tempest and the sound of a Trumpet in consideration whereof they tremble and are inwardly tormented But thou wilt say the wicked prosper and reioyce in their dayes they are bound in no such bondage nor feare no such feare Thou canst not tell neither doest thou know the heart of wicked man howsoeuer hee boast in his substance and outward prosperitie and seemeth to haue peace peraduenture there is a bitter remembrance within him of the iudgement to come He may delight and sport himselfe but in that laughing the heart is sorrowfull and that myrth doth end in heauinesse And albeit they striue maruellously to cast out this feare yet if they could cast it out from them as out of a cannon and fieldpeece yet would it euermore returne vnto them againe and vexe their heart that so flyeth from it If they would full faine seare vp their consciences as with a hot and glowing Iron yet sometime it will awake them as out of a sleepe so â—aht vpon a sudden they shall see a fearfull sight of death and iudgement And as we read Rom. 8.19 That the feruent desire of the creature wayteth when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed so also we may well say that the consciences of men do groane as it were vnder the burthen of sinne and earnestly desire to be diâ—burthened and yet they shall not For at the iudgement day when all the creatures of the earth shall haue their desire then shall the consciences of the wicked torment them a fresh and that more fiercely then euer they did before For then shall the time be that we shall giue account and God shall bring all our secret sinnes to light our consciences bearing witnesse against vs. The diuell shall accuse And yet there remaineth an other accuser beside God and our owne conscience and that is the diuell who alwayes sought our destruction and brought vs vnto it by diuers temptations and sugered baytes The diuel shal be at hand to accuse vs to call for iudgement against vs who after our iudgement is giuen and the sentence past shal be ready most terribly to torment vs world without end And to bring this to passe then shall he lay deeply to our charge and call for iudgement against vs reioycing and triumphing that he hath so good a cause before so righteous a Iudge earnestly crauing that hee will iudge vprightly because iustice and iudgement is the preparation of his seat and his throne is established by it I pray thee therefore will this accuser say giue sentence with me and iudge him to bee mine which while hee liued would be none of thine mine he or she whosoeuer is by right and they haue deseâ—erued to suffer torments with me and seeing they haue followed my wayes in theyr liues now let them be partakers of my punishments And shall not the Iudge of the world doo right saith Abraham and minister righteous iudgement yea doubtlesse as the Apostle S. Iude vers 14. hath set it downe Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of Saints to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him When all matters are thus made manifest all shall be iudged partly according to the confession of their owne guiltie conscience and partly by the word of God which they haue hard and which they haue either neglected or despised euen by the selfesame word shal they be iudged For by that shall they be made without excuse and the more culpable before Gods iudgement seate As we may reade in the Gospell of S. Iohn Word Chap. 12.48 He that refuseth me and receiueth not my words hath one that iudgeth him the word that I haue spoken it shall iudge him in the last day Where by the way we are taught to haue the more regard of the word of God and with reuerence to heare it with remembrance to keepe it in our hearts and with care to expresse it in our liues and conuersation that it may be a helpe to our saluation whereas otherwise it is like to bee our Iudge to our condemnation Which is further declared by that which is set downe Acts 13.40.41 Beware therefore least that come vpon you which is spoken of in the Prophets Behold the despisers and wonder and vanish away For I worke a worke in their dayes a work which yee shall not beleeue if a man would declare it vnto you Which worke by the interpretation of the learned is the vnspeakable vengeance of God vpon those that contemne his word Thus then beeing in his presence and after the generall trial of our cause and after we haue giuen our account shall Iesus Christ who is appointed to be the Iudge of quick and dead proceed to Iudgement in seperating the iust from the vniust the good from the bad the wheat from the chaffe the sheepe from the goates For in this world they are mingled together the good with bad and God suffereth his raine to fall as well vpon the vniust as the iust neither is he hasty to separat them the one from the other in this life To the end that he may shewe his patience toward the wicked in giuing them time and space to repent as also by their meanes he exerciseth his Church and people to teach them patience and to try whether they will stand stedfast vnto him or fall away from him with the rest of the world And as he rebuked his Disciples because they desired that fire should come downe from heauen to consume the Samaritanes so also he findeth fault with them that would haue a seperation before the iust time come According as we read in the Epistle to the Romans Chap. 12.19 Vengeance is mine I will repay it saith the Lord. God knoweth his iust time and his appointed time is the end of the world Which matter is very effectually set downe in a Parable Mat. 13.12 For after the good feede was sowne and the blade sproong vp and brought forth fruite then appeared also tares Then came the seruants of the housholder and said vnto the maister Maister sowedst not thou good seed in thy field from whence then hath it tares And hee said to them the enuious man hath done this Then the seruants said vnto him Wilt thou then that we goe and gather them vp But hee said nay least while ye go about to gather the tares yee pluck vp also with them the wheat Let both grow together vntill the haruest and in time of haruest I will say to the reapers gather ye first the tares and bind them in sheaues to burne them but gather the wheat into my barne The
iudgement as though the iudgement seate were appointed for the defence and maintenance of them not that are oppressed but that do oppresse not for the reliefe and succour of them that are wronged but to countenance and bolster them out who as the Propher saith deuise mischiefe vpon their beds and practise it when they come abroad Therefore Salomon Eccle. 5.7 giueth instruction to the godly that they be not mooued and that they may be confirmed in patience looking for a day of heaâ—ing If in a countrey saith he thou seest the oppression of the poore the defrauding of iudgement and iustice bee not astonied at the matter and maruell not for hee that is higher then the highest regardeth and there bee higher then they Whereby they are put in mind both of a more vpright Iudge then is no earth to be seene and of a more righteous iudgement by the vertue and force whereof they shal be both righted and relieued Concerning which matter Esdras hath spoken very well 2. Esd 7.32 The earth shall restore those that haue slept in her and the most high shall appeare vpon the seate of iudgement and miseries shall vanish away and long suffering shall haue an end iustice onely shal coÌ„tinue the truth shall remain and vnrighteousnesse shall beare no more rule For the wicked thinketh not on the iudgement to come nay the are inwardly blinded and that by Gods secret appointment being so farre giuen vp to their owne lusts that they care not what villanie or violence they put in practice But the godly are willed to haue regard to this rightfull day when true iudgement shal onely haue the vpper hand againe they must take heed that when they suffer they suffer not as euill doers and malefactors for then they cannot looke for redresse an other day and then this earthly iudgement dooth lawfully take place against them But in all well dooing let euery one commend this soule to God and commit his cause to that righteous Iudge This last iudgement therefore is for the benefite of the godly that it may go well with them whose cause in this life could not be heard nor any iustice done them Againe that not onely they may be righted in their cause but also that they may bee deliuered from that infamy and from those spitefull and approbrious speeches which the world hath giuen out against them dooing them more hurt and wrong and inward griefe thereby then by false iudgement which hath passed against them and whereby they haue had their willes of them and haue preuailed And as the restoring of theyr righteous cause and of their credit and good name which the world hath laboured to depriue them of shall be an occasion of Christ his coÌ„ming to iudgement so also is the condemnatioÌ„ of the wicked For in this life their coÌ„demnation is begun their conscience witnessing against them which then and at the iudgement day shall fully and perfectly be declared which is not spoken that the godly are cleare from iudgement by their desert for they are sinners and offenders as others though not perhaps in the same degree Who through repentance and a liuely faith taking hold of the mercies of God haue no need to feare this iudgement because God doth not impute their sinnes vnto them and also their consciences do in this sort declare them free although in respect of themselues they are greatly guilty So that Christ shal stand on their side and their conscience shall witnesse vnto them the exceeding loue of God and his gracious meercies which shal be the breath of life vnto theÌ„ an assuraÌ„ce of heaueÌ„ly ioyes But the wicked because they haue their coÌ„sciences accusing and condeÌ„ning theÌ„ the fierce couÌ„tenance of the Iudge to daunt them and fearfully to dismay them the diuel pleading against them and calling for iudgement to be done vpon theÌ„ therefore are they to look for nothing else but euen the seuerity of iudgemeÌ„t the fearful senteÌ„ce of coÌ„demnation which shal make them as it were to fall in peeces through quaking trembling and to be resolued to nothing but that by Gods appointment they are reserued to euerlasting punishment together with the diuell his angels Who also I mean the diuell and his angels shal be coÌ„demned by the sentence of Gods seuere iudgement not only because they haue highly offeÌ„ded god but also because they haue bene the authors of the ruine downfall of all mankind in prouoking and tempting them to all disobedience sin mischiefe When as the righteous shall liue for euer shall receiue a glorious kingdome a bewtifull crowne at the Lords hand Christ shall come again the second time as it is Iohn 14.3 and shal receiue vs vnto himself that where he is there may we be also And as it is said of our Sauiour Christ to the manifestation of his great glory that they shall then see him whom they haue pierced through whose presence shall be to the greater confusion of the wicked his enemies who shal be constrained to behold him to be their iudge and to abide his iudgement whom they haue in this life so greatly despised so cruelly handled so also shal Christ make his meÌ„bers the godly repentant faithfull partakers of this his glory as he himself hath promised Mat. 19.28 That they shal sit vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel not that they shal be Iudges but that they shal approue his iudgement A shadow wherof we haue in these our earthly iudgements whereas you see the iustices men of account sit with the Iudge not that they haue to do with pronouncing sentence or with the iudgement but that amongst the rest it is a token vnto them of honour and dignitie in the sight of the people According to the which meaning wee read Luk. 13.28 That there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth when the vngodly shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob meaning thereby they godly and faithfull and all the prophets in the kingdome of God and themselues thrust out at doores and heauen gates shut against them being in that taking as the rich man was spoken of in the Gospell who being in hell beheld Lazarus in Abrahams bosome himselfe crying out but for one drop of cold water to allay that burning and vnquenchable heate which he found himselfe to be in and could not haue it Then shall they begin to say with themselues when they shall see the righteous stand in great boldnesse so that they shall be vexed with horrible feare and wonderfully amazed then shall they chaunge their mindes and sigh with inward gitefe and say within themselues Wisd 5. These are they whom sometime we had in derision as indeede who are more derided and contemned in the world then they that be well disposed and to their power liue after the feare of God These are they whom wee had in derision in a parable of reproach We fooles thought their
compared to a warfare because wee ought to fight with it and to resist all euill tentations So also is it wel compared to marchandise because we ought alwayes to be painfull according as God hath appointed The marchant increaseth the wealth and honor of the cōmon-weale and hath wherwithal he may be liberal vnto others rich vnto himself In like sort hath God created vs to his honour and that by that vocation whervnto he hath called vs we shuld set forth his glory as we are borne to the benefit one of an other so in our vocation ought we to do good to al as much as lyeth in our power And by the performance of our dutie according to Gods commaundement we shall be able to assure our selues of Gods fauour and blessing towards vs. Let vs redeeme the time saith the Apostle for no dout we haue spent much of our time euilly And so redeeming the time that is granted vs in honest vertuous and godly affaires and exercises we shal be kept from wicked rhoughts ydle words and shamefull deedes whereby we are made guiltie of Gods wrath and heauy iudgement A wonder it is to see that many to whom God hath giuen excellent gifts do least vse them eyther to Geds glory or the benefite of their countrey Yea rather they are giuen to abuse them turning them to the dishonour of God and to the hurt of others and to the shame of themselues And I would to God this might come into their mindes that vnto whom and vpon whom God hath bestowed much much also of them shal be required Many I say withdrawe themselues from doing good and suppresse the good gifts of GOD within them and consume their yeares in ydlenesse and vanitie as though it should neuer be said Stand foorth and giue account of thy Stewardship And as there is no kind of life more commendable in the sight of GOD and men then that which doth shewe forth in practise the goood graces that God hath bestowed to the comfort encouragement and furtherance of others so is there nothing more to bee dispraised then to suffer Gods gifts to lie hid and as it were to be buried within vs and to wrap vp that talent in a napkin as the Gospell speaketh which was put into our hands to vse to great commoditie aduantage The more our time is idly spent the more we haue to answere and the more that we haue spent the time in good endeuours the lesse we haue to feare Nay when the latter day of iudgement shall come happy shall they be of what degree or calling soeuer happy shall that seruant be that is founde to bee so painefull For vnto him it shall bee giuen and from him that had a a talent and vsed it not well it shal be taken And this shall be their glory and crowne of reioycing when it shal be said in the presence of all the people of the world then assembled It is wel done good seruant and faithfull thou hast bene faithfull in a little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter in into thy maisters ioy It is wel done good seruant and faithfull As I would the contrary sentence might fear them that are vnmindful and carelesse to spend the time wel which shal be pronounced then and at that day against them Cast that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Cast that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse Now most fitly to this warning Watch. to spend our time well is this counsell giuen vs to watch For this iudgement shall come as a snare vpon the whole earth and shall come at vnawares to the ydle wicked and carelesse And better watching there cannot be then to spend the time well For so wee shall bee sure that whether wee sleepe or wake wee bee the Lords come death come life it cannot fall out amisse vnto vs. It is said that the last iudgement shall come as a theefe in the night and also that the inhabitants of the world shall for the most part if not all of them be giuen to their pleasures and all licenciousnesse and loosenesse of liuing as it was in the dayes of Lot when Sodome and Gomorra were burnt with fire and brimstone from heauen and as it was in the dayes of Noah when the windowes of heauen were opened and when the floud came and ouerwhelmed them all That so iudgement may proceed most iustly against them that shall then be ouertaken in such filthy and vngodly kinde of liuing Well are we counfelled by the Euangelists by the Apostles if at leastwise we can suffer their counsell to take deepe roote in our hearts Now the end of all things saith the Apostle S. Peter is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in prayer Likewise also his fellow Apostle Let vs not sleepe as do other where sleepe is taken for a carelesse and lewde life but in all godly and vertuous exercises let vs watch and bee sober For God saith hee hath not appoynted vs vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ which dyed for vs that whether wee wake or sleepe we should liue together with him Take heed therefore saith the Euangelist S. Luke 21.34 vnto your selues least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life which matters the Apostle meaneth by sleeping and least that day come on you at vnawares Watch and pray continually that yee may bee counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the sonne of man And because we know not when this iudgement shall be neither as the Euangelist Mar. 13. saith Do wee know when the maister of the house will come to call his seruants to their reckoning whether it will be at euen or at midnight at the cock-crowning or in the dawning least if he come suddenly hee should find vs sleeping and ill occupied therefore let vs also harken to the counsell of our Sauiour Christ which doth iumpe and agree with the former Take heed saith hee watch and pray for ye know not when the time is or shall bee when the trumpet shall blowe to call you to iudgement And these things which I say vnto you I say vnto all Watch. Not to be curious Because we know not when this generall and last iudgement shall be wee are willed to watch and to be in a readinesse against that time but not to be curious to search Gods secrets It is not for you saith our Sauiour Christ to his Disciples to knowe the times and the seasons of this waighty matter which God hath kept in his owne knowledge and this is a miserie of all miseries But the nature of man as it is wholly desirous of newes so is it wholly giuen to knowe those things which are hidden and must be hidden and yet are wee so presumptuous as to creepe and