giuen out If thou doest eate thou shalt die the death so seeing he hath diuersly and most notoriously offended therefore hath God appointed a day to sit in iudgement to make this sentence more sure and knowne and to put it in ful execution We read of Enoch that holy man Wisd 4.10.14 that hee walked with God that is that he pleased him was beloued of him so that wheras he liued among sinners God translated him and tooke him vp into heauen least wickednesse should alter his vnderstanding For his soule pleased God and therefore God hasted to take him away from wickednesse least he should giue his consent vnto sinners and fal into the selfsame condemnation with them But because wee haue grieuously offended his maiesty therfore shal we be brought before his iudgement seat For righteousnesse is immortall but vnrighteousnes bringeth death Thus then through the bane of sin wee are subiect vnto Gods wrath and heauy iudgemeÌ„t which in the end of the world at the second comming of Christ shall bee pronounced against vs. According to that we read Eccle. 11.9 Reioyce ô yoong man in thy youth let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the waies of thy heart in the sight of thine eies But know that for al these things God will bring thee to iudgement But here many of vs follow the course of the stream with all other Atheists vngodly persons who because they see that God delayeth the time of his comming to iudgement therfore they think there shal be no iudgemeÌ„t at all Of whom the holy Apostle S. Peter doth thus prophecie in his 2. Epistle Chap. 3.3 Some mock at the iudgement day as though it should not be This first vnderstand saith he that there shal come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lusts And say where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation Seed time haruest sommer and winter one generation decayeth and an other commeth in place thereof And because they see the same course of the world to continue that was from the beginning they are ready to say as those of whom I made mention when I opened vnto you the doctrine of resurrection Our life say they is but a breath and so forth and when we are dead there shall be no more remembrance of vs and therefore we will doo thus and thus euen what we list Which is a token of Gods iudgement vpon theÌ„ who sometime suffereth the obstinate offender to do in a maner what hee list as we read Ps 81. v. 11.12 So I gaue them vp to the hardnesse of their heart and they haue walked in their owne counsels Where we must not imagine that they can doo any thing against Gods will who doth so bridle and restraine them that they shall do no more then that which hee will suffer them God doth not onely restraine and bridle them but furthermore sends his fearefull iudgements vp-them oftentimes to ouertake them that they may knowe there is a God that iudgeth the earth Gods iudgements in this world and that such malefactors are further reserued vnto the day of iudgement And therefore we see so many strange and wonderfull examples of Gods wrath daily before our eies Which strange examples we cannot say are wrought by meÌ„ or by chaÌ„ce because they passe the compasse of mans reason how they shuld be wrought how they shuld come to passe but that we may say as Pharaohs enchaunters said This is the finger of God that is to say this is the worke and punishment of God when he bringeth vpon men and women sore plagues sudden death and strange ends so that we cannot otherwise chuse but confesse it to be so These punishments God doth send not onely to feare vs from the like offences that they haue committed vpon whom God hath exercised and executed his iust iudgement but also that wee may bee put in minde that there is a iudgemeÌ„t to come and that hee hath begun the anger and wrath of his fierce iudgement here vpon earth Which plagues and punishments are fore-tokens and as it were manifest signes of the iudgement to come The feeling of this iudgement engraffed in vs by nature Yea there is an inward feeling of this iudgement engraffed in vs by nature For they that commit any sinne as murder fornication adultery blasphemie and many other the like albeit they can so conceale the matter that none aliue do know it or be priuy vnto it yet oftentimes they haue a griping in their conscience and they feele as it were the very flashings of hell fire within them Which is a strong reason to shewe that there is a God before whose iudgement seate they must answere for their sinnes offences and misdeeds Some suppresse the knowledge of the latter iudgement Yet such there are who being possessed with an euill humor and ouercome of their naughtie wicked desires that the coÌ„sideration of Gods heauy iudgement to come cannot preuaile to moue them to relâ—nt or to haue any remorse of their euill life but rather they endeuour to suppresse the feeling of that which by nature and by the light of reason is engraffed within theÌ„ and are desirous willingly to forget it As S. Peter speaketh of them 2. Pet. 3.5 This saith he they willingly know not that the heauens and earth are reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men they willingly know not So when it comes into mens consciences that there is a iudgement to come and when they feele an inward feare within them for their misdeeds they doo not take profit by this inward feeling of Gods iudgement whereby it pleaseth God to call them to the knowledge of themselues to be humbled in his sight to call for mercy forgiuenesse of sinnes to turne to God in newnesse of life that so they might preueÌ„t Gods iudgement be saued But they are so mightily ouercome of sinne and of their euill desires which rule and raigne within them that they turn this inward feeling and this inward calling of God to their owne hurt And as the fashion of the world is they desire to put away such sad thoughts betake themselues to merry coÌ„pany and pleasant conceits or else to other pastimes of carding dicing bowling such like So that the diuel through their owne coÌ„sent holdeth him still in his chaines whereas they might seeke meanes to be deliuered from the subiection whereby the diuell retaineth them in his seruice and keepeth them within his power if they themselues were any thing willing to be deliuered and set free By a sad looke saith the wise man Eccle. 7.4.5 the heart is made the better And it is better to be in the house of mourning theÌ„ in the house of laughter When the holy Apostle S. Paul Act.
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
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
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
bridegrome It is an article of our beliefe and surely not without singular comfort and commoditie that he that vouchsafed to take our nature vpon him and to bee cloathed with our flesh that suffered and endured the spitefull dealing of the wicked and an accursed death for our sakes that he that rose from death to bring vs to life that he that ascended into heauen to procure vs an entrance into his fathers Kingdome and to make vs fellow heires with himselfe that he I say would not forsake vs euen in the most dreadfull time and greatest necessitie when we had deserued the heauy sentence of iudgement and wofull condemnation That hee would set vs free from all feare and to haue that comfortable and most gracious regard of vs as though we had neuer offended him and to vse this chearefull and ioyfull speech vnto vs Come ye blessed I say this article is not without singular comfort From thence shall be come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Which is not spoken to the wicked to whom nothing is comfortable but onely the vanities and pleasures of this transitorie life which shall haue an end and a sudden end and a finall and heauy recompence but to the comfort of the godly and to encourage them which haue sighed and groaned vnder the burthen of their sinnes and who haue fledde vnto the throne of the grace of God and holding out a godly course haue through hope and patience looked for this deliuerance which shall be at the day of doome and iudgement Which comming of Christ vnto iudgement shal be vnto them as the appearing of the Angel was after Christ his resurrectioÌ„ vnto the women that is milde and gentle Be not ye affraid let not your hearts be troubled But vnto the rest his countenance shall be like lightning and hee shal come in flaming fire reÌ„dring vengeance So that they shall not be onely astonied and become as dead men as were the souldiers that were set to keepe our Sauiour Christ in the graue but furthermore they shall be in horrible feare and trembling And happy were they if they might be partakers of their desire so far as not to be to become as thogh they had neuer bene borne But as the godly do passe to ioyes so the other of force must liue in eternall torments In consideration of which iudgement and torments to come they leade a life continually in feare and treÌ„ble at the remembrance of their woful estate which hereafter shal be The godly also haue good cause to feare the selfesame feare of the last iudgement and eternall torments in respect of their manifold sinnes and offences whereby they haue prouoked the heauy wrath of God against them But that they might be raised vp againe and comforted it pleased our Sauiour Christ to receiue the sentence of condemnation himselfe and against his owne person hee beeing altogether innocent and guiltlesse in the presence and from the mouth of an earthly Iudge Pontius Pilat by name that wee might bee acquitted and set free at the terrible and fearefull day of iudgement which in the ende of the world shall come vpon all flesh that wee I say might bee acquitted which are altogether full of sinnes and altogether guiltie According to that we read Ro. 8.1 Now then there is no coÌ„deÌ„natioÌ„ to them that are in Christ Iesus And what shall we then say If God be on our side who caÌ„ be against vs who spared not his own son but gaue him for vs al to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God maketh requÌ„est also for vs. So that I may boldly say to them who feele the inward comfort of Gods spirit within their hearts by the forgiuenesse of their sinnes through Christ his death Feare not this feare nor tremble as the wicked doo at this iudgement For seeing ye are led by the good spirit of God it is a token that yee are the children of God and that yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba which is as much as to say father euen our father which art in heauen And the same spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God and if we be children wee are also heires euen the heires of God and fellowe heires with Christ our elder brother Wherefore there is no cause why the godly should feare this iudgement as the wicked feare it For as the one sort shall at that day receiue the iudgement of condemnation whereof they haue an inward feeling in this life which makes them feare so the other shall receiue the sentence of absolution and shall bee quit as it were by proclamation when Christ shall say Come yee blessed Which is the cause that moueth the holy Apostle S. Iohn 1. Ep. 4.17 to breake forth into these words Herein is the loue of God perfect toward vs that we should haue boldnesse at the day of iudgement Therefore the godly make their prayers and wish that this day might come shortly Reue. 22. Come Lord Iesus come quickly The wicked would not haue it come as yet nay if it were possible they could wish it should neuer be and that it would neuer come to passe Torment vs not say the diuels to Christ before our time Oh say the wicked that this time might neuer be or that after death wee might vanish away and come to nothing How greatly auaileable shall it be to the godly when hee that is their Sauiour and hath shead his most precious bloud for their redemption hee that is their elder brother and hath purchased vnto them this libertie as to be called the sonnes of God when he that is their head and hath made theÌ„ his members shal be their Iudge to iustifie them and to declare them righteous and whâ—n at that day hee shall deliuer them from all sinne feare of death the diuell hell and all other miseries wherewith other shall not onely be ouertaken but ouerwhelmed For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods children and who shall procure their destruction whose saluation God hath wrought But to the great terrour of the godlesse and wicked who feare not God nor loue either Christ or his Gospell hee shall be their Iudge to their fearefull and that most iust destruction This also shal not onely be an inward refreshing amoÌ„g great miseries wrongs and persecutions while wee liue heere on the earth but also a great ioy in time to come that al vnrighteous iudgement shall be called to account and that there shal be a generall and most absolute reformation For on earth for the most part there is no true
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
clime into Gods vnsearchable counsell althogh it be denied vs. Wherefore let vs be content to keepe our selues within the bounds of modestie and not to be curious and desirous to knowe more then the Angels who are altogether ignorant hereof much lesse shal we be able to reach vnto it but the more we desire to know it the further off shal we be from it Some haue bene so bold as to set down the time and haue fained heauenly reuelations for the certaintie and assurance of their speeches yet their vanitie hath beene disprooued when the time hath beene expired How much better shall it bee for vs to lay aside all such vanitie which stands vpon vncertaintie and giue our selues to such a carefull meditation that wee may not bee vnprepared when wee shall bee called Curious searching can nothing profit vs but a wise and godly foresight and forecast may stand vs greatly in stead whereby wee shall not bee taken at vnawares as the vngodly are like to be who forecasting no danger shall suddenly fall into destruction If wee cannot sufficiently make answere vnto the Iudge Prayer before whose iudgement seate wee shall stand as doubtlesse wee shall not bee able to answere one for a thousand let vs prepare our hearts by confession of our sinnes and by prayer for forgiuenesse of them and let vs say with the Prophet Enter not into iudgement with vs O Lord for in thy sight shall no flesh bee iustified O Lord forgiue vs our sinnes and let not thy wrathfull displeasure light vpon vs. Who would be vnprepared against the time that shall come and yet it is vncertaine to teach vs to haue the more care seeing that after death hath arrested vs we shal be broght into the court of Gods iudgement and then no other issue no other way but either heauen or hell And who would not haue a great regard to this matter For the tryall of this iudgement shal be seene in the anguish of death and as it were at the last gaspe when our consciences shall bring heauy things to our remembrance and the diuell by his accusations shall put vs in great feare and driue vs well-neare to dispaire And the nearer wee begin to approach to the tribunall seate of Gods iudgement the greater shall bee our feare and more grieuous vnto vs then the bitter pangs of death it selfe Watch therefore and pray that thou mayest be prepared against this time and against this iudgement Wherefore the Lord in mercie Conclusion graunt vs a godly and a peaceable passage and that throgh his desert that dyed for vs it would please him to mittigate and asswage all these terrorus and feares and let vs with all speede approach to the throne of grace to finde helpe in time of need Whereas the wicked which are carelesse in their lifetime at the poynt of death and at their last passage out of the world shal be so assaulted on euery side by their owne cōscience condemning them and the diuell accusing them and the horrour of euerlasting torments to come ouerwhelming them that they shall bee driuen to crie out against that iudgement that hangeth ouer their heads and wayteth for them at the doore Such shall the day of iudgement bee to vs as is the last day of our life and looke what the course of our life is when we are called vnto iudgement for after our death immediately commeth iudgement and so shall our iudgement be Neither are we therefore to thinke that our last deedes onely shall come to examination but wee ought to be prepared euery moment least death doo take vs vnprouided For they which in the anguish of death and in the vpshot of their liues shal be found vnready it is hardly to be thought that their resurrection shal be happy And therefore our Sauiour Christ hath said He that perseuereth Perseuere and holdeth out well to the end he shall be saued The which that we may do let vs be prudent Noahs to build the Arke of a good conscience before the floud of iudgement do ouerflowe prouident Iosephs to lay vp the graine of golinesse in the barns of our harts before the dearth of mercy shal be like vnto painful ants to prouide the food of the soule before the winter of iustice do approach tractable patients to take the preparatiue of repentance before the pangs of death doo come wise virgines to haue ready the lampe of faith and the oyle of vertue before the Bridgrome Christ Iesus shut vp the doores good stewards to prouide for the tabernacle of heauen before we loose the office of this life And let vs not straine curtesie to see who will go first but let vs remember that euery one is to answere for himself and God hath many messengers For either sicknesse will come or age will come nay death will come suddenly and speedily and after a while we shall rise againe and the Iudge will come who will neither be led by fauour or request nor blinded and stopped from proceeding with bribes and money nor then will allowe of too late repentance because then shall be the time of execution of his iustice The day of iudgement shall come in the which pure harts shall more preuaile then faire words and a good conscience then great treasure And though some may thinke that that day is far off yet let them be sure their last time will come on apace and wee knowe not how soone that houre shal be and when God wil appoint the time Good it were and most happy for vs if euery one of vs were so affected and so prepared as it is reported of a holy father S. Ierome whose words were these euen the declaration of his heart For out of the heart out of the abundance thereof the mouth speaketh Whether I eate sath he or drinke or whatsoeuer I do me think I heare this sound alwayes in my eares Arise ye dead and come to iudgement Arise ye dead and come to iudgement Let vs follow his example confirmed by the Apostles counsell Watch and pray withall perseuerance that wee may keepe the garment of innocencie and labour the worke of God in the day of this life Wherefore seeing that day shall bee comfortable to the godly which shal be fearefull to the wicked let vs endeuour before this iudgement come to be among the godly and the righteous and that our cōsciences may cleare vs so wel that wee may feele within our selues a desire of this second comming of Christ rather then any trēbling at the remembrāce of it The which let it not be done by any fained flattery of our selues but in sinceritie truth knowing this assuredly that whosoeuer shal not be found written in the booke of life shal be cast into the lake of fire where their portion shal be nothing else but weeping gnashing of teeth That wee may not bee caught in the flaming fire rendring vengeance but that we may
be placed in the heauenly Ierusalem and reckoned amōg the saints of God that the day of iudgement may not be a day of eternall condemnation vnto vs but euen the perfection of our saluation and redemption and the beginning of all ioy comfort While we liue here in this world let vs be alwayes ready by spending the time well For as we sowe so shall we reape As the holy Apostle doth put vs in minde Gal. 6.7.8 Bee not deceiued God is not mocked For he that soweth to the flesh by practising the workes of the flesh shall therefore reape corruption or rather as if he had said condemnation But he that soweth to the spirit by mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the good motions of Gods spirit shall there hence reape euerlasting life Which sentence I pray God print in all our hearts and so graciously prepare vs vnto the day of iudgement Now the very God of peace keepe vs in all well doing and in all good workes to do his will working in vs that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for euermore Amen 2. Pet. 36. The world that then was perished ouerflowed with water 2. Pet. 3.7 But the heauens and earth which are now are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men vers 9. The Lord is not slack but patient vers 10. Howbeit the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolued what manner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynesse Looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God by the which the heauens being on fire shal be dissolued But we looke for new heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Wherefore beloued since ye looke for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse And suppose that the long suffering of our Lord is saluation 1. Pet. 4.7 Now the end of all things is at hand Be ye therefore sober and watching in prayer Luk. 21.34 Take heed to your selues least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and least that day come on you at vnawares For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Watch therefore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the Sonne of man Arise ye dead and come to iudgement The end of the first Treatise A TREATISE OF the Ioyes of Heauen 1. Cor. 2.9 But as it is written The things which eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him IF the holy Apostle S. Paul being taken vp into Paradice heard such words which cannot bee spoken and are not possible for man to vtter as he testifieth of himselfe 2. Cor. 12.3 How should I take vpon mee to shewe you those Ioyes which neither eye hath scene nor eare hath heard nor euer entred into the heart of man Herein I know mens mindes wil run vpon needlesse curiosities which is no part of my dutie to satisfie as also to shew you mine owne deuices and imaginations were a thing to set forth my owne folly But so far forth as mans reason may search but there we must stay for mans reason in spirituall affaires is altogether foolishnesse nay rather so far forth as Gods word doth instruct vs we may be desirous to learne as also to be content although many things bee hid from vs. Let it therefore be sufficient vnto vs if wee may haue but a taste of those Ioyes and that it pleaseth God in a measure to graunt vs some knowledge of them Adam beeing in the earthly paradice knewe not all the secrets and commodities thereof and how shall wee thinke to attaine to the full knowledge of heauenly Paradice But seeing God doth graunt vs the vnderstanding of these matters but after a sort he doth it for our good that seeing those ioyes that we can conceiue are surpassing excellent and yet the heauenly ioyes do surmount our cōceits by many degrees further we might the more be drawne in loue with God himselfe who hath ordained such rare vnspeakeable incomprehensible and endlesse excellencies for them that loue him and liue in his obedience As also considering our own great vnworthinesse we might with the Prophet Dauid breake foorth into the praises of God 14.4.3 and say Lord what is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him Now as the Prophets doo stir vp the peoples mindes to serue and honor God by setting before them the temporal blessings of this life and thereby giuing them an earnest of greater blessings to come so is the happie estate of euerlasting life described vnto vs by such earthly comparisons as our natural capacitie can conceiue That we beholding in minde and contemplation those wonderfull Ioyes which we can conceiue we may grow into admiration of those heauenly and incredible excellencies which are altogether past our conceit and farre beyond our reach and vnderstanding For as spiritual blessings do far surpasse corporall blessings so heauenly ioyes do far exceed al earthly glory Yea and these stately secrets of an other life are so much hidden from flesh and bloud that all the learning of the wise men of the world can come nothing neare them That in this case they may truly say with the Astrologers of King Nabuchadnezzer Dan. 2. It is a rare thing and there is no other that can declare them but God himselfe whose dwelling is not with flesh The Turkish Paradice But let vs a little behold what flesh and bloud hath set downe concerning these ioyes of heauen In the Turkish Alcoran that is a booke which they vse in stead of a Bible which Booke Mahomet their Prophet left vnto them as the learned haue searched out thus the ioyes of heauen are set downe Their Prophet promiseth them garments of silke of all sorts of colours bracelets of gold and amber parlours and banquetting houses vpon flouds and riuers vessels of gold and siluer Angels seruing thē bringing in gold milk in siluer wine lodgings furnished cushens pillows and downe beds most bewtifull women to accompany them gardens and orchards with harbors fountains springs and all manner of pleasant fruits riuers of milk honey and spiced wine all manner of sweet odours perfumes fragrant sents and to be short whatsoeuer the flesh shall desire to eate Thus fleshly people haue a fleshly religion