punishment was greater than hee could could beare and Absolom desired to be killed 2 Sam. 14.32 if he could not have leave to enjoy the Kings presence the childe shut out of the fathers doores is in a miserable estate or the subject excluded from the Kings defence and protection Therefore now consider how grievous it will be to you to bee thrust out of our heavenly Fathers house and so walke now to please him that in that day when you are to be possessed of that long expected inheritance others and not you may be shut out of dores But if this punishment is not effectuall to move you Poena sensus then the Lord declareth his wrath from heaven that he hath prepared unquenchable fire to be their portion that will upon such faire intreaty neglect to prepare for a heavenly inheritance August in spec hum mis there is utter or most extreme darknesse hunger and thirst extremenesse of colde and heate nothing is heard but curses lamentations grones no company but tormenting divels and cursing soules they shall seeke for death and not obtaine it and this is their estate for ever It shall be a miserable sight that the body shall continually burne and not be consumed who could thinke this possible if the Lords word had not said so And besides he hath confirmed it with our experience The stone Asbestus August de Civit. Dei l. 21. c. 5. if once it be set on fire it can never be quenched 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math 3.12 and yet it never consumeth and therefore hath the name When Iohn Baptist expresseth the durance of hell fire he useth the same word unquenchable fire Were it not good to be delivered from this eternall woe and not to be disappointed of an eternall and unspeakable good yet weigh both now that you be not compelled to suffer both hereafter Secondly our Saviour doth hereby teach vs that as unmercifull men deale with others Vncharitie requited so shal they be dealt with when they goe to meate the poore are cast out and lest they should gett to reach the crummes of their table the dore must be shutte In like manner when our Lord shall convey his servants into Abrahams bosome the gate shall bee shutte and these who held out others in this life God shall hold without the gates of blisse in the life to come This is the third reason we have found in this Parable to moue us to be mercifull to the distressed for first in the beginning of eternall woe and necessitie the hard hearted shall wish if it were possible that they might be helped by others Secondly their former cruell dealing shall be cast in their teeth and their owne answers meet them in judgement and Thirdly with anger thrust from the presence of God and the gate of glory shutte upon them He that expecteth to sit on a throne in Gods company for ever must cause the distressed to sit at his table Gods word hath often commanded and commended hospitalitie I meane not common feastings of them that are able to double it in the like againe Abrahams charitie requited but to call the sicke naked and blind the lame the stranger and the prisoner Abraham hath a threefold reward and commendation for his hospitality in this world Heb. 13.2 Gen. 18.22 besides his eternall reward in heaven 1. In lodging strangers he received Angells yea the great Angell of the Covenant even the Sonne of God Malach 3.1 2 That none shall be accounted to be a true Israelite to God Iohn 8.39 except he doe the works of Abraham of which this is a chiefe And therefore Theophilact in Luke 16.23 for good reason doth Christ in the Parable call the rich glutton to be judged by Abraham who compelled those that were strangers on the way to receive entertainment of him where the rich Glutton starved them that lay continually within a call to his table 3. Heaven hath received the name of Abrahams bosome because his heart bosome was open to all the distressed who received heate cōfort nourishment in this life and shall though all the unmercifull in the world would starve thē at their gate be received into the hospitalitie of heaven with as great compassion and comfort as ever the distressed was received into the house or bosome of Abraham As the Lord hath made the faith of Abraham an example of beleeving to all the faithfull so hath he commended his hospitalitie that all who desire to follow him to glory may imitate him in his charitie But as God dealeth with the hard hearted according to their workes in shutting doores on them as they doe vpon others yet there is a difference when the poore is denyed or shutte out at one time yet he hopes he may be helped at anotime Heavens Gates once shutt cannot be open and therefore wailes and importunes for help and reliefe though it stay long because hee that hath shutt his doore may open it and the hard hearted may at length be moved with compassion compassion but when the Lord shutteth the gate of mercy it is never opened againe there is no waiting nor hope of any comfort to ensue for clauditur Bern. in hunc 〈◊〉 janua audiendi respondendi miserandi the Lord hath shut the gate of hearing of answering or taking compassion But what gate is this Even the gate that is now open unto all that come from the east and west to sit with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven the gate of him who saith He that commeth to me I will not cast out Iohn 6.37 The murtherers come and are admitted the Publicans and sinners are received the wanton adulteresse fornicators theeves blasphemers and oppressours and the open gate is not denied unto them Beholde how the gate is now open which shall be shut for ever even that which is open to teares sighes and grones of sinners which received Aaron after his idolatry David after his murther and adultery Peter after his denying of Christ now it is shut for ever If the Lord open our eyes to make use of this wee may perceive with Iacob the gate of heaven Gen. 23.17 Acts 7 56. or with Steven see the heavens open because it is the occasion and time to heare our prayers to answer our calls and have mercy upon us And therefore to day if you will make use of it harden not your hearts but strive to enter in at this gate before it be shut upon you VERSE 11. Afterward came also the other Virgins saying Lord Lord open to us NOw the Parable sheweth us the last refuge of reprobate men even to the Lord but he shall not heare them We are very ready to deceive and beare our selves in hand with conceits beyond all reason and ground and therefore as by the former intreaty to the elect and their answere Christ taught us how little helpe the
CHRISTS VVATCH-VVORD BEING THE PARABLE OF the Virgins expounded and applyed to these times of security Or an Exhortation of our Saviours to us that we may watch and prepare our selues for the unknowne times of death and judgement MATTH 25.13 Watch for you know not the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come LONDON Printed by W. J. for John Bartlet and are to be solde at his shoppe at the signe of the Golden Cuppe in Cheapeside 1630. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD DOCTOR THEOPHILVS BVCKVVORTH by the providence of God Lord Bishop of Dromore my singular good Lord and Patron THE manifold exhortations of Christ and his Apostles considered with the security of these times are reasons sufficient both to command and encourage his servants to be watchfull and to awaken others both by voice and writings that they hold the times of death and iudgement before their eyes yet for mine owne particular J have reasons leading me unto this forwardnesse not onely excusing but also enforceing me to the publishing of this present Treatise First J was not able by writing to satisfie the importunity of those who heard some of it delivered nor of those unto whom upon intreaty some of it was communicated except it had beene published Secondly I considered that the same Scripture was not particularly handled by any either ancient or moderne so farre as J can learne though Commentatours have given briefe notes upon it which moved me the rather to communicate this Exposition or by my rashnesse to stirre up others more learned to give sufficient contentment unto such who by this motion may be set on longing Thirdly the disposition of men requires that in so necessary a subiect they have not onely admonition in words but that there remaine a daily admonisher standing in sight yea they who loathe repetition of one thing yet love to reade often over such things as they finde to move their consciences unto which may be added Saint Peters example who endeavoured not by word alone 2 Pet 1 13. but by writing also to put his heareres in remembrance Lastly J alwayes desired as both my duty first and your Lordships unexpected bounty in the next place tyed mee to render account of my labour unto you and to expresse my thankefulnesse both to God and to the world for your ordinary encouragements of Gods servants your favours in particular to me and your willingnesse to have the flocke of Christ exhorted by these my weak endeavours who are bounden to returne prayers to God for your Lordship onely for whatsoever benefit they may reape reape hereby J dare not as building a stately gate for lowly cottages invite the Readers with goodly promises seeing I am conscious of mine owne weaknesse and unability to performe neither need I intreate the zealous Christian seeing the title the subiect and his owne desire to Gods word are incitements sufficient unto him And I doubt not but the countenance of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who in name Luke 12 35 c 17 24. c 21 17. c. honour and religion are the same with that honourable Christian to whom this subiect was commended by S. Luke at the beginning will make it to have better acceptance at all their hands who are according as your name imports the friends and lovers of God So praying God long to continue you an instrument of his glory I take leave acknowledging my selfe ever Your L pps most bounden Chaplaine THOMAS IOHNSTON AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST PART OF THE XXV CHAPTER OF SAINT MATTHEW Being an exhortation of our Saviour to vs that we may watch and prepare our selues for the unknowne times of death and judgement OF all Doctrines to be Preached that great and fearefull day of account ought never to be forgotton when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven Our Saviour his Messengers have been carefull to remember the trumpet that shall call vs to iudgement 2 Thess 1.7 with his mightie Angels In flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that doe not know God and which obey not unto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power Whosoever beleeveth and remembreth the terrour of the Lord and the strict account that he must make will be carefull to walk the more honestly and so frame his life as he wishes to have favour in judgement Therefore the holy men of God have beene carefull to remember vs of the fearefull sound of the Trumpet calling vs to judgement Ecclesiast 11.9 Salomon sounds this Trumpet in young mens eares saying Remember for all this that God will bring thee to judgement He sounds it in the eares of all men Chap. 12.14 that God will bring every worke to Iudgement and every secret thing whether it be good or evill Saint Paul is a fearefull sounder of it to the Corinthians and Thessalonians when he considered of it he trembled knowing the terrour of the Lord. 2 Cor 5.11 In Reg. Monach. Cap. 30. Ierome said that whether he eate or dranke or whatsoever he did he thought that he heard this Trumpet sounding in his Eares Rise dead and come to Iudgement And the Church of God hath laide before vs in our Creede to be said every day that Christ shall come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead Most of all our Lord Iesus Christ who best knew both our danger and remedy is carefull to put us in remembrance of it who in this sermon preached it three times twise in the former Chapter and proved it by the example and experience of the world in the dayes of Noe vers 42.44 and of the common carefulnesse of men in lesse dangers Vers 43. for who would sleepe and suffer his house to bee digged through Now because it stands every one vpon the damnation of his soule that labours not to prevent it and men are carelesse of unseene and unfelt dangers therefore our Saviour preacheth it the third time and labours to imprint it in our hearts by the comparison and successe of wise foolish Virgins But why doth he repeate this matter so often and insist in it so much Barnard Serm. 1 super Missus est Credo quia noluit nos negligenter audire quod tam diligenter studuit enarrare I beleeue it is because hee would not haue vs carelesse to heare that which he is so carefull to set downe and that we may know Idem cap. 2 meditat quanto diligentior est Deus admonendo tanto strictior erit judicando si neglexerimus that the more carefull the Lord is to admonish vs the more severe shall he be to punish vs if we neglect This Chapter is the History of Christ his second comming comprehending in it Division of the Chapter First his vnexpected comming in the Parable of the Virgins Secondly
common-wealth florished Iansenius in hunc locum Mat. 1. that the parties to be maried were by promise and oath bound each to the other as we reade that Ioseph and Mary were betrothed and the Mariage at more convenient time to be solemnized which was done most in the night the fittest time for mirth and banketting as St. Paule saith Rom. 13.12.13 Now while the Bridegrome was at hand the Bryde with a company of virgins met him with lamps torches who all entred into the mariage-house with the Bride Brydgrome Whē David prophesieth of the mariage betweene Christ and his Church he describeth it in the foresaid manner saying Psal 45.14.15 The Bryde shall be brought unto the King in rayment of needle worke the Virgins that follow after her and her companions shall be brought unto thee with joy gladnes shall they be brought and shall enter into the Kings Pallace Thus much for Historie In which we are to consider the Bridgrome the Virgins their lampes their oyle their going out and meeting the Bridgrome of which particulars some appertaine to the second part of the Parable But for the comparison obserue that Christ saith it shall be likened In Math 22.2 he saith it is like unto a wedding where servants were sent out to invite guests in this Parable he saith It shà ll be so likened in this there is no diversitie Gods Kingdome according to diverse states and times may have severall comparisons in this life God is preparing these things for vs This life is only for preparing our selves and by his word and servants inviting vs vnto this Mariage but in the life to come it shall be like unto another comparison to a mariage in the solemnizing that is all time and meanes of preparation shall be past that they who lose this day of Salvation shall be as foolish virgins and said unto that the Lord knowes them not The Bridgrome and Virgins Who is the Bridgrome SAint Iohn Baptist sheweth vs who is the Brydgrome in these words He is the Brydgrome that hath the Bryde the friend of the Bridgrome is he who heareth his voyce Iohn 3.29 and rejoyceth greatly But who is this that hath the Bride St. Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 11.2 I have betrothed you to one man to present you a pure virgine unto Christ. And by the other marke Christ is the Bridegrome for all his servants shall rejoyce to heare his voyce at the great day at which Iohn 5.28 Who is the Bride the dead shall come out of their graves The Bride must bee these Virgins that go out to meete him Observe by the way that where certaine virgins did present themselves in one company to the Bridgrome that mariage is then most honorable in the fight of God and men When is mariage truely honourable when it is of such as have beene Virgins that is to say have for their actions ben honest Heb. 13.4 for their cariage modest and shamefast Paul saith that mariage is honourable among all and the bed undefiled but whooremongers and adulterers God will judge besides the weight of this judgement of God the mariage is greatly dishonoured when it is of shamelesse unhonest persons And although mariage be a preventing from sinnes of that kinde to come therefore in that case is honourable among all yet it is not a pardon for wickednes past before mariage but as Iacob said of his sonne Reuben for this fault so doth God esteeme of others that fall in the like Gen. 49.4 that their dignitie and excellencie is gone because they darken the honour of their mariage-day The Divell who is a lyar from the beginning hath blinded the eyes of many young persons to esteeme these trickes of their youth which by God are condemned and by all civill and honest men abhorred and it hath so prevailed that the men cannot be securely received into mariage who have not approved their abilitie in begetting Bastards Whooremongers and adulterers God will judge O when God shall either judge or punish this no Crosse can prevent it no Priests Commission absolve it nor holy water is able to wash it away Remember Christs Spouse is a Virgin If you demand why these that are to meete Christ are called Virgins I answer because this is a comparison of Marriage in which onely Virgins chosen and appointed went out to meet the Bridegroome But if you aske which of all them that shall meete Christ is his Spouse I answer Who is the Spouse of Christ Every soule that hath in this life washed himselfe from sinne by repentance and calling on the name of the Lord and prepared himselfe with a confidence in the sweete love and mercy of God shall be the spouse of Iesus Christ But to speake as the Scripture doth all the Elect servants of God who agree in unity of one faith and love to Iesus Christ are his one and undivided Spouse from which notwithstanding we may not conceive an equality of dignity and love to be in the Church to be worthy the uniting unto the glorious God who for worth is Lord of heaven and earth and of love beyond all comparison Ioh 15 13. for no man can shew greater love for his friend than to give his life for him Christ shewed greater Rom. 5.10 in giving his life for his enemies And though all the faithfull cannot bee sufficiently meet for to be his Spouse yet are they counted worthy Philip. 3 9. when they are considered as joyned to Christ and one with him and are seene of God not with their owne righteousnesse but cloathed and overshadowed with the worth and righteousnesse of Christ We are to observe two things 1 Christs servants called Virgins that the faithfull soule is called a Virgin Christ a Virgin the Sonne of a Virgin will have a Virgin to his Spouse But what kinde of Virgin Hieron in Epist Virginis definitio est sanctam esse corpore mente A Virgin is one that is holy both in minde and body in minde because the Lord doth in this Parable condemne the corrupted mindes of the foolish Virgins whose bodies were not corrupted in body 1 Cor 6.15.19 because an uncleane body cannot be the Temple of the holy Ghost nor member of Christ But if wee consider why Gods Church was called a Virgin wee shall the better understand what is here meant by a Virgin God from the beginning ever shewed himselfe unto the people that were his as if he had beene their husband or spouse unto the Iewes he shewed himselfe as a husband unto the Christian Church he shewed himselfe a spouse the Iewes he tooke to him when their fathers were Idolaters Iosh 24.2 and themselves too hee married himselfe to them who by Idolatry had lost their Virginity who notwithstanding after they came to serve God fell to Idolatry many times againe provoked him to wrath
quà m desidem non potuisse tentari seeing it is more praise-worthy and happy that the fighter could not be overcome than that being idle he could not be tried let every man put himselfe to use and not be as an empty or unused Vessell in the sight of God It is for them that have no use at all that Christ hath an iron rod Psal 2. to breake them as the potter doth his vessell Of the Oyle Gifts of Gods Spirit compared to Oyle Now we are come to speake of the Oyle and what is meant by it All our treasures of riches which are in Christ are comprehended in the name of Oyle 1 Iohn 2.27 all the graces of Gods Spirit in us are meant by annoynting and when Moses would set downe the outward and inward blessings to be bestowed upon the Tribe of Asher he saith He shall dip his foote in Oyle Deut. 33.24 But as there are many sorts of Oyle as of Roses Spikenard Myrrhe c. whereof each hath his proper vertue and operation So saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit so al receive the name of Oyle As the vertues of Oyle are peculiar either in health or sicknesse some cooling others heating some binding others loosing some cause ripening others cause rotting In like manner the graces of Gods Spirit one vertue heates and warmeth us as charity another is cooling as chastity one ripeneth as Christian discretion another bindeth as temperance and abstinence one looseth the palsie of sluggishnesse as labour another driveth away the fever and heat of avarice as devotion and compassion one breaketh the impostume of pride as humility c. But in generall Oyle is noted in the Scriptures to have 3 properties First to cherish make a man joyfull and this is supposed Psal 104.15 And Oyle to make him of a cheerefull countenance and therefore it was a signe of gladnesse as Christ appointed his Disciples to anoynt their faces with Oyle Mat 6 17. So hath God appointed gifts of his Spirit to make his servants joyfull Gods gifts make his servants not to feele worldly sorrowes Acts 5 41. although all the world would heape sorrowes upon them when the Iewes laboured to breake the Apostles hearts they went rejoycing to and from the Councell And this is done either by taking somewhat away or by giving By taking away when we are made not to feele the evills that are on us as the Oyle of Poppie causeth sleepe and the Oyle of Mandrakes makes us insensible though a legge or arme were cut off us so hath the Lord made his servants who by contemplation had onely their mindes in heaven that they felt not what was doing to them on earth as is principally to be seene in our Arch-type Iesus Christ who of all men was the man of sorrowes Esay 53 3. yet hee in a manner felt not nor cared what the world did to him Psal 45. for hee was anoynted with the Oyle of gladnesse and many Martyrs burning in fire in stead of crying rejoyced and sung Psalmes because they truly had received what Christ had promised to his Disciples Iohn 16.22 Your hearts shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you Partly the Lord doth it by making them feele causes of joy and gladnesse when our conscience doth testifie our love to God and hatred to sin 2 Cor 1.12 our joy is herein more than our sorrow can be for any thing in the world when we are assured that our sinnes are forgiven us then the Lord maketh us heare the voice of joy and gladnesse Psal 51.8 63.4 and his loving kindnesse is sweeter than life it selfe We learne then that it is one effect of Gods Spirit to deliver us that worldly sorrowes break not our hearts Rom. 5.3 Psal 23. We rejoyce in tribulation said Paul and David thy rodde and thy staffe comforteth mee Whereby it appeareth that they whose hearts are cast downe for the world the envious rageing and desperate have not this spirituall annoynting this comfort the Lord hath holden from them and left them to be tormented by their owne thoughts as an evill Spirit to vexe them an example of all which I meane envie anger melancholly and finally despaire wee finde in King Saul which made David sing his funerall Elegie according to this doctrine The shield of the mighty is cast downe 2 Sam. 1.21 even the shield of Saul as though he had not beene annoynted with Oyle To comfort others The second property of Oyle and effect of Gods Spirit is that as Oyle is a nourisher of the poore and asswager of hurts So Gods Spirit worketh the same effects in us The widow of Sarepta was long sustained by the little Oyle she had 1 Kings 17.16 Luke â—0 34 and the Samaritan powred Oyle into the hurt mans wounds where the Lord giveth a compassionate spirit it both maintaineth others in necessitie and comforteth them in their sorrowes It appeareth hereby that covetous cruell and hard-hearted men have never beene mollified by grace nor have interest in Gods Spirit The third property of Oyle is to give light And to shew us our way to heaven Papiaâ— citatur a Pet. Beveborio in Indice voce Oleum especially if it touch fire and of this I have read a wonder I know not how true that if a man fill his mouth with Oyle and were let downe into the bottome of the sea if hee put it out of his mouth it will make light and give him roome to breathe about him howsoever the Spirit of God giveth light in the darknesse of nature and of this world by which wee are directed to heaven Psal 143.10 Let thy good Spirit leade mee into the land of righteousnesse said Davih which he doth by his word and given us understanding to conceive it This is the third effect of Gods Spirit who as Christ tolde his Disciples Iohn 16.13 should leade them into all truth and therefore all ignorant soules have not the Spirit nor are come within the way of salvation As the effects of Oyle are proportionably seene in Gods servants Wicked men have some properties of Oyle so are wicked men possessed with the vices of our time in some things like Oyle The lightnesse of Oyle is fully represented by the proud inconstant malicious and wicked hearts who are full of malice Psal 109.18 and drinke it up as Oyle powred into their bones and for the smoothnesse and softnesse of Oyle flatterers and dissemblers have appropriated it to themselves Davids enemie had words softer than oyle Psal 55 21. and the conversation of the effeminate is accordingly Prov. 5.3 when the Israelites flattered the Aegyptians they presented them with smooth words Hos 12.1 abundance of oyle Conditions of good Oyle Finally because wee are not to beleeve every Spirit but try them if you
would try whether the oyle that you have be good or how we may know it in time to come the properties of good oyle are three 1. That it be new and fresh Gods gifts must be daily renewed by prayer and meditation 2. That it may be easily powred out what good we doe must be willingly and cheerefully done Senec in Proverb Beneficium qui citò dat indigenti bis dat One good deed done in season is a double kindnesse Thirdly that it be not earthy or mixt with slime so true graces must not be defiled with ostentation and worldly glory The foolery of the Templaries I must not omit the foolishnesse of some who have by practise shewen how they expound this verse the Romish Leigers at the Sepulchre in Ierusalem Musculus in lacum have made it a materiall businesse in their preparation to heaven-ward to have lampes in that Church continually burning and maintained with oyle The Greeke Church follow the same superstition but increased more than the former who comming in multitudes to the Sepulcher Sandes travell pag 173. compasse it often and in the end following an Aethiopian Priest and some of their owne Bishops rush in confusedly to get fire to lighten their lampes which remaine unlighted with other fire untill that day twelve-moneth This folly more heathenish than Christian-like deserveth more pity than refutation VERSE 5. Now while the Bridegroome tarried long all slumbred and slept HItherto hath beene their preparation for this great Wedding now the Bridegroomes comming is to be considered of and their meeting of him But that we may be the better prepared to meet Christ he tells us that we must be watchfull to attend his pleasure and appointed time As the Virgins of Israel attendants on their Marriages knew certainly that the Bridegroome would come but were uncertaine at what precise houre he should come So we are certaine that Christ shall come but what yeare moneth or day we cannot imagine Therefore wee are to provide for his staying as well as his comming This Verse containeth Christs stay and the effects of it the Verses following have his comming and effects thereof Christ in his comming is said to stay long Christ seemeth to stay long 1. In respect of his Saints first in respect of his Saints who in the miseries of this world and desire of eternall life are ever crying Come Lord Iesus and knowing that the day of his comming to judgement is the first day of their true perfection both in body and soule they sigh in themselves Rom. 8 23. waiting for the redemption of their body and this Christian Religion teacheth us that we waite for that blessed hope Tit 2 13. and the practise of the Saints Iob 14 14. the soule of Iob in glory is still waiting till his renewing doe come and not Paul onely shall receive the Crowne of glory but all that love Christs appearing 2 Tim 4 8 Now because hee commeth not so soone as they desire rather than faile his servants in this life would take up the matter with the day of their death Philip. 1.21 and wish to bee dissolved to bee with Christ 2 In respect of wicked men Secondly the stay of Christ is thought long in respect of wicked men both by the opinion of Gods servants and their owne opinion Gods servants doe wonder that God should suffer the Sunne to give light the ayre to give breath or the earth to beare his enemies and that he suffereth Satans Kingdome to be so long without finall destruction Rev. 6 10. their bloods and oppressions to be so long unrevenged with the infinite wrath of God And in the opinion of wicked men Christ stayes long from judgement for some will not beleeve it 2 Pet 3 2. but mocke to heare of it others as Salomon saith put the day of evill farre from them Mat 24. and doe plainly resolve that their Master doth deferre his comming to judgement and that their life is for many yeares and therefore they play the tyrants and doe what they list but the Master shall come in the day when they look not for him and at the houre that they are not aware of if many thought the day of their death was so neere or judgement presently to follow they would not live as they doe 3. In respect of the creature 3. Christs coming is thought longby the instinct nature of the creatures though they be not chained to sinne as we are yet they are sometimes partakers of the punishment of our sinne that the heaven is sometimes hard as brasse for want of moysture Deut 28 23. other times the sea seemeth to be above because of raine and waters all times the heavens waxe olde as a garment Psal 102. the powers of it grow weake that in stead of distinguishing they often confound the seasons now they are subject to change and weaknesse but the day of Christs comming shall releeve them and restore them to the liberty of Gods children which is both to be free from sinne and corruption the punishment of sinne and the creatures seeme to travaile in paine being subject to vanitie Rom 8 20 21 22. desiring to be delivered from that bondage unto the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God What is the meaning of Christs stay Long staying may be either in respect of appointed or expected time although the time of Christs comming is not set downe yet because there were certaine marks given before he come which some observing others mistaking yet most of all inquirers could never imagine that he should have stayed so long therefore not comming as he was expected hee is thought to stay long In all the times when the Gospell flourished When Christ was expected and the curious fouly deceived there were some that enquired for it and some concluded the time which came not to passe the Lord thereby shewing the folly of their curiositie In St. Paules dayes as the Grecians in all manner of learning were curious so at Thessalonica especially they began to beate their braines about this and because St Paul had written in his first Epistle chap. 4. vers 15. For this I say by the word of the Lord that wee who live shall not prevent them that sleep they presently concluded that his comming was at hand for repressing of which opinion Paul wrote his second Epistle unto them 2 Thess 2 1 2. some said that they knew it by revelation others avouched that they heard it from Saint Paules mouth others that they could shew his letters for it A little after the Apostles dayes it was a common opinion among unconverted Gentiles August de Civit. Dei lib 18 cap 53. that the world should stand 365 yeares About the yeare of Christ 250 Cyprian writeth to a friend of his Epist ad Fortunatum that the common opinion was that the end was at hand and
destruction that security or carelesnesse is ever the last forerunner of destruction and the greater it wil be Cum fataliâ— equus saltu super ardua venit Pergama Tum me confectum curis somnoque gravatum Infelix habuit thalamus pressitque lacentem â—uicis alta quies placidaeque similllima morti Virg. 6 AEneid The greater security the greater iudgement followeth it sheweth that the greater vengeance is to follow as appeareth in all written examples of Gods wrath and when any are so farre past as to contemne Gods justice and thinke that hee will not punish or regardeth not the warning of it destruction is neere unto them Secondly wee are taught that when Christ commeth for all the labour that can be taken to awake them yet shall the world be in dead sleepe of ungodlinesse and carelesnesse as they were in Noahs time and in Sodome unto the houre that Lot went out of it When Cyrus his army besieged Babylon Belshazzar gave his subjects of the Citty notice how little he feared any threatned danger by his publicke feasting and drinking Dan. 6.1.3 and almost the whole Citty blinded with the same impiety Herodot lib 1. followed his example of drunkennesse the enemies entred the City in the night Invadunt urbem somno vinoque sepultam Virg. and killed them whom they found buried in drunkennesse and sleepe notwithstanding that Daniel had expresly forewarned both his predecessour and himselfe of it So the day of Christ shall come as a snare upon the inhabitants of the earth when labour shall be little profitable or seasonable to awake them The same cause giveth us occasion of the same complaint in our time many continue in a seene and knowne carelesnesse and contempt of God all forewarning is to no purpose 1 Sam. 15.35 Non in solis divitiis est misericordia sed in sermone si nihil habes etiam in lachrymis Theophilact in Mat. 5 7. untill they fall into the hands of an angry God But as Samuel did for Saul so must we bemoane their misery if our example cannot move them then they can witnesse that God sent his children who mourned for and unto them who would not lament for themselves this is all the helpe that we can bestow upon them who neither can nor will be helped There was a cry made When no meanes can availe to awake security the last cry shall doe it As mariages in solemnizing have divers sights for delight the voyces of singers and instruments to give content to the eare and variety of meates to please the taste and stomacke and if the Bridegroome be of the Nobility he wanteth not the voice of a Trumpet to proclaime the greatnesse of his person So our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming to judgement shall send in stead of a cry the voice of a Trumpet before him with terrour whereof heaven earth and hell shall have notice of the power and greatnesse of his Majesty This voice shall be that which the Scripture calleth the sound of the Trumpet as shall appeare yet our Saviour sets it out by the name of a cry because of the former security wherein the Lord shall be carefull to give forewarning according to the capacity of every one The Lord suffereth not the deafe to be without warning for as wee expresse our selves to the deafe by signes and tokens so doth the Lord foretell the end of the world by signes of particular wrath in some when others for a time goe free by the weakning of nature in diverse creatures diverse prodigies and wonders of natures imperfection by weaknesse of the operation of heaven by subversion of worldly power and glory and the increase of iniquity beyond measure which being compared with the relation and experience of former times Bern. in Fest Pentet Ser. 3. ut ex praeteritis fidem astruat futurorum that from things by past he may understand the certainty of what is to follow These that have eares to heare let them heare Mat. 13 9. for the Lord sends to them the admonitions of his word But they that have hearing and yet are so thicke that no counsell can reach so deepe as their dulnesse is or are so asleepe that common calling cannot awake them nothing will prevaile but a voice loud as a Trumpet Esay 58.1 to make the earth shake and the ayre to be resounder of terrour So at the last day there can be no place for a secure deafnesse when the heavens go away with a noyse the elements melt and the earth burneth with fire who shall not heare and feele the power of this Cry this will end their sleepe with the beginning of endlesse torments Now for the greatnesse and terrour of this cry which shall summon all men to judgement The greatnes of the cry neither can it be sufficiently expressed nor understood If the Trumpet Exod. 19 16. that called the Israelits to heare the Law was a terrour unto them how terrible shall that voyce be which shall call all men to account for not keeping of it If the noyse of thunder which is not farre heard be so terrible that it allayes the courage of the proudest and is even a terrour to the fishes of the Sea Psal 104 7. and sheweth a power in the waters what may we thinke of this voyce Contents of Psal 29. Vere vox magna vox tubae terribilis cui omnia obediunt elementa quae Petras scindit inferos aperit portas aereas frangit vincula mortuorum difrumpit c. Chrysost in 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thess 4.16 Psal 50.1 which shall be heard in heaven earth and hell The 29 Psal extolleth and sheweth the power of Gods voyce for feare whereof all Creatures tremble that the securitie of men may be thereby shaken but at this last voyce all creatures shall declare the terrour of it Lastly if we consider whose voyce it shall bee we shall conceive it the better St. Paul tells us The Lord himselfe shall descend from heaven with a shoute for hee himselfe shall call his people loe this is the Trumpet even the voyce not of Angell but of him who is Lord and Master of the Angells the voyce of the Sonne of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but sounding with the power of the Sonne of God and because the secure world would never heare him nor the voyce of his servants he saith That the houre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and come out either to salvation or damnation It is the voyce of Christ himselfe The Scripture calleth this voyce of Christ the sound of the last Trumpet Mar. 14 62. Iohn 5.28 1 To shew the power and majestie of his comming as he shewed in his ascending prophecied of in the Psalmes who being exalted above all when he went to heaven Psal 47.5.7 8 9. in his comming hee shall shew that all his enemies
are trod under feete Secondly to shew the great and fearefull things that are then to be done thus a Trumpet sounded before the Law was given and in the Revelation the great alterations of the Church and judgements upon the enemies thereof Revel 8 6 7.8 from the time of Christ unto the last day are foretolde by the blowing of Trumpets which notwithstanding was never heard by them who felt the fearefull events Thirdly to shew that the cry is for the assembling of his people Ioel 2.15 Psal 81.3 not an uncertaine sound but a certaine that all may prepare and appeare 1 Cor. 14.8 Hence wee understand the diverse effects of this Cry The effects of it When the destroying Angell came downe to Aegypt in the night Exod. 12.30 the terrour of God caused them to make an outcry over all the land How many voyces of Lamentations shall be heard at once when the generall Cry shall be Hills and mountaines fall upon us Rev. 6.16 and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth upon the throne for the great day of his wrath is come who can stand They that were never moved with the words of Christ now tremble at his voice and their hard hearts shall make unseasonable lamentation But with the servants of God it is not so for as the same voice of Christ before his suffering which made his enemies fall as dead to the ground yet incouraged Peter and others of his Disciples Iohn 18 6. so this voice of Christ at the great day though it shall be the most terrible that ever wicked men heard yet it shall be the most joyfull that ever Gods true servants heard Iohn 3 29. for he that is the friend of the Bridegroome must needes rejoyce greatly because hee heareth his voice for thereby their bodies shall receive life and immortality Psal 91.1.5 As in their life time they betooke themselves unto the shadow of the Almighty and therefore when wicked men affraid with the terrours of the night made an Aegyptian outcry Psal 118 15. his servants finde that the voice of joy gladnes is in the dwelling of the righteous because prosperity is within their gates Quanta crit electis laetitia in adventu Domini quem comparat adventui Sponsi Muscul in Mat. 25 1 Looke Ier. 33.10.11 no evill can come unto them nor any plague neere unto their dwelling Much more shall they be glad at the voice of Christ in that day for which their soules and bodies have waited long in hope to heare Would you know if the voice of Christ shall be joyfull to you in that day or not The Prophet Esay from the Lords mouth tells us Esay 66.2 They who tremble at Christs voice now shall reioyce hereafter that if we tremble at his words in this life he will looke upon us and we shall rejoyce to heare his voice in the fearefull day calling us the blessed children of his Father if with humility and feare we draw neare to heare what the Lord saith now in his word we shall not appeare in judgement to be censured but commended And this is most certaine that seeing all the creatures tremble at the Lords voice we must either doe so in this life when God commands us or in the life to come when he condemnes us Beholde the Bridegroome commeth Here is the first part of the Proclamation being a notice given of the Bridegroomes coming If these that were prepared for a mariage solemnity heard a warning given without certaine notice for what purpose how could they understand that it concerned them So if in the great day the voice of the Lord shewed not the particular person that came it could not be the trumpet of the Almighty but his voice shall declare that the Bridegroome commeth because the power of God shall goe along with it the diligence of the Angels shall second the sound of it in gathering his Saints unto the great assembly The Scriptures say that Christ shall come for although he filleth all places being God infinite and incomprehensible yet because of his humane nature he shall shew a locall descent The glory of Christs person is now hid and set his throne in the ayre But for his divine nature it filleth the world and of it I say Bern. Ser. 3. Advent as Bernard said of Christs incarnation that he was in the world and the world was made by him but the world knew him not Non ergo veniet qui aberat sed apparebit qui latebat He shall not therefore come as one that was absent but appeare as one that was hidden before and shew the glory of his Majesty shining in his humane nature the glory of both which is now hidden from our eyes for the clouds spheares of heaven have taken him out of our sight and according to the Psalme Psal 18 11. Compare 1 Tim. 6.16 with Act. 22 11. Hee hath made darkenesse his pavilion and secret place which though it be in it selfe a light inaccessible yet it darkeneth our sight Thus our Lord as a Bridegroome is entred into his chamber and there he stayes untill the day come and then shall he come out of his chamber as a mighty man and shew himselfe before all mankinde and as nothing is hid from the heate of the naturall Sunne so no man shall be able to hide himselfe when the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall declare his glory and power for every eye shall see him yea even they that pierced him through Revel 1 7. and all kindreds of the earth shall waile before him This doctrine is of great antiquity for when the olde world by their impieties began to be the first presidents of this last vengeance of God Henoch terrified them with this doctrine Beholde the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints Iude verse 14. to be revenged on them but their gracelesse hearts tooke no notice of it so while we have the same Proclamation giving us warning so long before hand who are moved to prepare and attend But as often as we reade or heare these words Behold the Lord commeth or the Bridegroome commeth so often is this voice either in characters or sounds sent from heauen to our eyes and eares to give us warning of this last meeting When Moses forewarned Israel of their ensuing calamities Deut. 4 26. and the cause of them he called heaven and earth to be witnesse that he had given them warning and left it registred to be read to all posterity so if they perished their owne neglect should be the cause of it so in the day of judgement the Lord shall call heaven and earth before him to judge his people Psal 50 4. and to prove how often we have heard the Proclamation though we forget and be carelesse yet the Sunne and Moone that give us light Psal 89 37. are faithfull witnesses in heaven and
when we have no enemies at all This union with Christ is only compared to the solemnizing of a marriage But because long life without separation proveth not a happinesse to all that are married for we see the disordered and discontented lives of many that they would be glad to be ridde of marriage so they could save their life yea even in them that agree best the godly life cannot set them free of all troubles 1 Cor. 7 32. for every sort of life is intermixed with its owne griefes and inconveniences therefore we may observe that our eternall joyes in heaven are not compared to the best life in marriage that ever was led but only to the solemnizing and time of it that as the time and day of marriage is an image of honour joy and pleasure of all kindes that this earth can give insomuch that both opinion and experience hath framed the Proverbe that the day of marriage is the onely joyfull day in a mans life which incontinent hath its owne changes as all things else have so our eternall glory shall be as a solemnizing of a marriage the joy and pleasure of it cannot passe away but continually remaine unchangeably with us and we with it Esth 1 4. When Ahasuerus did shew the riches and glory of his Kingdome and honour of his Majesty he did it in feasting the Nobles Commonalty of two Kingdomes both which feasts continued above halfe a yeare what shall we thinke of him who counteth the heaven with the spanne Esay 40 12. Verse 22. comprehendeth the dust of the earth in a measure Verse 23. counteth all the inhabitants of it as grashoppers and bringeth Princes to nothing Shall not he shew it to be everlasting Psal 145.10 11 13. when his Saints shall blesse him and shew the glory of his Kingdome and speake of his power which is saith David everlasting and enduring for ever Psal 102.27 Stat unus dies quia nec habet ortum nec occasum nec inchoatur ab hesterno nec excluditur a crastino August in Psal 122.3 cuius participatio in seipsum This everlasting is as one yeare that faileth not yea this yeare is as one day because it changeth not it never hath Sun-set nor can it give place to the morrow even this is the day which the Lord hath ordained for us that we should everlastingly rejoyce and be glad in it So it appeareth wherein our eternall glory is like unto the solemnity of marriage As I have compared our eternall union with Christ unto a marriage so is it fit that I should compare marriage unto our union with Christ This union is not an imitation of marriage but marriage is an imitation of it Exod 25 40. What ever Moses did it was according to the Arch-type and patterne shewed him in the Mount so whatsoever is here taught us to practise it is that by earthly rudiments wee may ascend higher and consider heavenly things in them And therefore many things are taught us to be read in the plaine letters of our owne actions that as children are taught to act those things which may teach them to know what men doe and what they shall doe in mens estate that they may frame themselves accordingly so doth the Lord teach us many things that they may be glasses for our instruction and that we may though in earthly manner frame our selves for a prepared state of glory The dealing of Christ with his Church is the patterne and direction of marriage Eph 5 22. of which marriage is one and drawn out after the heavenly patterne for it is the Lord that framed both and our practise is no rule to direct the Lord but from the Lords dealing towards his Church and the Churches towards him the Apostle drawes instructions to teach husbands and wives how to behave themselves one to another The maker time place forme matter and end of marriage First what account wee should have of Mariage if we looke to the originall of it it is framed to the similitude of Gods eternall purpose of uniting man to himselfe an extract copyed out of the heauenly Paterne by the hand of God himselfe For the forme of it the most excellent union that we sinfull men can claime or wish for is to be knit to the man Iesus Christ and to be of his body so mariage is according to this paterne to make the strictest bonde that the soule can admit on earth and to unite them in one who were severall bodyes before For the matter of it of all mortall creatures the excellency pertaineth to man and therefore this union the more excellent and lastly for the end of it the preservation of man is better than of any other mortall creature which cannot be without confusion if marriage were wanting And therefore if you respect the time and place the maker the matter the forme and end of marriage you may see how honourable it is and how reverently to be accounted of Paul calleth it a doctrine of divels to forbid marriage 1 Tim 4.1 3. because none else would be an enemie to make it dishonourable in some which God hath pronounced honourable among all Heb. 13 4. or take away the lawfull imitation of so heavenly a patterne and they are the children of Satan that dishonour it either in their owne person or in the practise of others by fornication adultery contempt of the lawfull liberty of it or unadvised undertaking of it I would gladly wish the Church of Rome to aske St. Paul whether it is God or the Divell that would have us teach such doctrine as to forbid marriage unto any The common ends of marriage Secondly we are taught what use to make of marriage The common ends for which marriage was ordained were 1. The conservation of mankinde from utter decay by procreation of children Malach 2.15 to be the seed of the Church 2. The bounding and limiting of wandring lusts and affections 1 Cor. 7.2 that men should not become like beasts the Lord hath ordained lawfull meanes to preserve them from falling into unlawfull 3. That two being together Eccles 4 10. Gen 2.18 the one might be company and helpe unto other Yet are wee to make further use of it that when we either reade or heare the institution of marriage our hearts may ascend higher The spirituall uses of marriage and consider the union betweene Christ and his Church what it is in this life and how our love shall increase when wee are possessed of glory And when we are invited to a marriage to remember the day of the marriage of the Bridegroome when his friends shall enter in and foolish men be shut without doores These things Christ teacheth under the similitude of a mariage that in all such wee may call to minde that mariage which sinne cannot divorce nor death make void And that we may doe this the
far frō loathing quia sitientes satiabimur satiati sitiemus for in thirsting after the same wee shall be filled and being filled we shall thirst What shall wee doe in heaven saith Augustine Psal 84.4 The Psalme saith Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be alwayes praising thee this shall be our eternall action Thou ceasest to praise him if thou cease to love him but thou shalt not leave loving of him for hee whom thou seest can never be too much looked upon his presence causeth fulnesse of joy nor offend thee with loathing Et satiat te non satiat Mirum est quod dico si dicam quia satiat te timeo ne c. August in Psal 85 in Hebr. 86.17 Adiu visti me consolatus es me Hee both filleth and filleth thee not this is a wonder that I say for if I say he filleth thee I feare thou shouldst conceiue it in earthly manner that thou shouldest depart as one filled with a dinner or supper if I say hee doth not fill thee I feare thou shouldest seeme to want and be empty in some part which should be filled why then shall I say that which cannot be uttered cannot be conceived It is easier to obtaine than declare the joyes of heaven whatsoever wee can conceiue or speake we shall to our great comfort finde it true which is written As we haue heard Psal 48.8 so haue wee seene in the Citty of the Lord but what we shal heare and see cannot come by report Wonderfull things were tolde the Queene of Sheba 2 Chron. 9.6 of Salomons wisedome and glory of his Kingdome she beleeved them not untill she saw and heard them and then she confessed that the one halfe was not reported unto her Glorious things are spoken of heaven unto us and such as wee shall understand could not be delivered and conceiued with words Let us therefore beleeue the Lord and rely with hope untill that blessednesse be shewen upon us he hath done a harder thing than bringing us to immortality For it is harder to beleeue saith Aug. that he who is eternal should die In Psal 148.6 Posuit mandatum c. than that a mortall man should live for ever We beleeue the death of the Sonne of God if God died for man shall not man live with God or hee live eternally for whom one died who liveth for ever Vses of this doctrine The use the Scripture teacheth us of this doctrine is first that considering what entertainment the Lord hath prepared for us in heaven we should winde our hearts from the love of the shadowes which the world presents unto us We are here like the poore estate of the prodigall childe if we considered how many were in our Fathers house in full felicity we would wish to be removed from this place where hogges have as much to maintaine their life as we can obtaine to maintaine ours St. Paul who once tasted of this joy sighed and groaned ever after to bee gone out of the world and little reason have we if wee appertaine unto God to be in love with our worldly estate for it hinders us of a better Secondly what labor should we take to obtaine unspeakable joyes or to purchase a heavenly kingdome August in Psal 93. in Hebr. 94.20 Nunquid sedes iniquitatis c. If we speake the truth eternall rest is worthy to be bought with eternall labour yet the Lord is mercifull in hastening us to get possession Let us therefore consider at what rate we would sell those joyes if once we had them and we shall the better know what labour and paines is worthy to be payed for them Thirdly this doctrine is set downe to comfort and ease all that suffer misery in this life that they looke not on the things which are seene but the things which are not seene that nothing prove so intollerable which they feare to suffer that they may see Christ in glory In Manual therefore Augustine did encourage himselfe against miseries and meditated thus O soule if we behooved to suffer daily torments if to suffer hell it selfe a long time that we might see Christ in glory and be fellowed with his Saints were it not worthy to suffer all that is painfull that we may be partakers of so great a glory Let therefore the infernall spirits beset us let them prepare their temptations let fasting breake the body let labours burden watching dry up let whosoever disquiet me let my conscience murmure heate burne me the body sicken the breast be enflamed the stomack swell let the countenance grow pale let all be weake let my life end in sorrow and my yeares in mourning Habac 3 16. let rottennesse enter into my bones so that I may have rest in the day of tribulation And the gate was shut Now followeth the reward of foolishnesse the foolish are kept without doores and not admitted to the company of the wise nor accounted worthy that the same place should receive the carelesse and improvident which is appointed as a reward unto the understanding and industrious The greatest punishment that could be imposed upon the unprovided for a common wedding was to be exposed to shame and shut out of doores Therefore Christ according hereunto saith that the Reprobate shall be shut out from partaking the felicity of the elect when notwithstanding this is not their greatest sorrow for if they were neither capable of joy Pana damni nor sorrow their estate might seeme more tollerable but their misery can never be enough pitied for they shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord 2 Thess 1. if once their misery could come to an end it were some hope of comfort but eternally this word is more painefull then all the paine besides that so long they must suffer torment as God is God And so everlastingly they shall be banished from the presence of God who is mercifull and chained in the land of forgetfullnesse When our Saviour sheweth that they shall be deprived of a glorious inheritance and expresseth no more he would have us thereby to understand that there is no man so forgetfull of salvation if he knew how great good he were to have needed to be threatned with any further punishment The like is set downe in the Revelation that the punishment of filthy and wicked men shall be to be without the gates of heavenly Ierusalem Revel 22 15. St. Paul in punishment of diverse kinds of wickednesse pronounceth 1 Cor. 6.10 Gal 5 21. Ephes 5 5. that they shall not inherite the kingdome of God who is able to abide such a doome To bee sure that others in our presence shall enter to possesse unspeakable joyes and our selues receive ashamefull repulse Who can patiently abide to be disinherited When Caine was banished from the Lords presence favour he complained in this life Gen. 4 13. That his
the Lords deniall of all favour unto the damned after death and judgement And to make us assured of it he hath not spoken it onely without further confirmation but added an oath Verily I say unto you The word verily is often used by Christ in the Greeke it is Amen which Christ taketh to bee his owne name These things saith Amen Revel 3.14 the true and faithfull witnes for he is the way the truth and the life As if he had said as the truth is truth I say unto you and so having no greater to protest witnes and seale this doctrine with then himselfe Verbum confirmationis praemittitu magnum noveris esse quod sequitur Bern Declamat confirmeth it with his trueth Wheresoever this word is used in Scripture it sheweth a vehemency and earnestnes of the affection of him that speaketh and doth import some great consequence So that wheresoever it is pronounced by Christ it should be unto us as a marke vpon that Scripture to move us to consider the weight of it because hee would not have us negligent to heare that which he is so carefull to teach Now he saith verily to shew that as he is true this is the answer they may looke for I know you not If words were taken hold of and beleeved the Lord needeth not thus to add an oath for confirmation We will hardly beleeve any thing to hurt us and because we will never beleeve any thing that will hurt vs the Lord ingageth his truth that so it shal be if we labour not to make our acquaintaince with him in time and all this is to drawe us out of the snare of presumption that we passe not our life so idly Examples or according to our owne phantasie that we looke for favour after death when none is to be had How apt we are to conceive so appeareth by divers experiences the coÌ„mon voyce of the ignorant is This is the hope of Papists to be released out of Purgatorie by the prayers of the living that sure God will be mercifull unto all men and it were a sinfull conceite to thinke otherwise Others more grossely have laid it as a ground to all their hopes that when the paines of hell have taken hold on their soule that then others may knocke at the gates of blisse for them Theophilact in Math. 25.46 Setteth downe this errour of the Originians contrarie to Christs owne words and like to this is the Papists deliverance from Purgatorie both smelling of the Stoicks conceits of which Cicero Neither the soules in â—unc lo um nisi multis exagitati seculiâ— reveruntur in Som. Scip. and that after they regarded not to heare the Lord all their life time yet he will heare others for them and recall them for their torments they suffer And because errour hath no bridle to it nor end at which it doth determine even mercy hath been preached by some to be granted to the Divells and other damned Spirits after that the world doth end and they have suffered the torments of hell a little after So that all these onely give leave that men may leade what life they will or never expect to have or see heaven open whilst they are in this life and have occasion to have it open wherefore all these give no credit to this protestation that Christ maketh Verily I say unto you I know you not I knowe you not As Christ hath forewarned us in this Parable what part Reprobates shall haue in his favor The meaning and truth of the words so in other places he tells us that wheÌ„ the matter shall come to open triall in judgement when they shall claime familiaritie and acquaintance with Christ saying Lord Lord open to us Luk 13.25.26 and he shall answere and say I know you not then shall they say we haue eaten drunken in thy presence Math 7.22.23 and thou hast taught in our streetes By thy name we haue prophecyed and cast out Devils and done many workes Notwithstanding all this Theophilact in Math. 7.23 Christ will professe say unto them I never knewe you Neque tunc quando miracula faciebatis diligebam vos even then when you preached and did miracles in my name I loved you not by which appeareth the same is the truth of God for ever This concernes all that are in Gods imployments to consider for all that they doe if the Lord hate them or if he be preparing eternall wrath for them He makes wicked men to doe him good service Ioh. 6.70 Iudas preached saluation to others and ouercame the power of Sathan in them who was no better than a Diuell himselfe He calleth Nebuchadnezer his servant Ezech. 29.18 Esay 44.28 and Cyrus his Sheepheard and many other to doe him service whom he will protest in the great day that he never loved The words have a reason in themselves The foolish Virgins desire him to open heaven unto them his answere is I know you not according to the rest of this Parable for at solemne feasts they that desire entrance but ought not to be admitted the common answere is I know you not and therefore there is no reason I should open unto you Especially this is the reason of the uncharitable who being by the command of God to open their dores to strangers they doe no good except they know well to whom and to the poore and distressed they answer I know you not Even so shall their answer be from the Lord as they answered others and as they did good to none but whom they loved so the Lord will not heare them because he never loved them The meaning of the words I know you not is I will take no notice of you for as these that are promoted to honour when their olde acquaintance would claime interest in them The elect reprobate known to God but diverse wayes use to say I doe not know you So Iesus Christ in the great judgement when Reprobates would claime some interest in him shall say the like I know you not that is I will have no commerce nor fellowship with you August de verb. Dom Ser. 22. Quid est Nescio vos Est improbo vos reprobo vos What is I know you not It is I refuse you I cast you off The Lord knowes both the godly and reprobate but after diverse manners love is joyned with the knowledge of the one and hatred with the knowledge of the other Of the elect it is said The Lord knoweth who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Rom. 8.29 and Those that he had knowne before he elected to salvation And of the Iewes Rom. 10.2 that hee knew them before that is he loved them before and in this respect it is true that the Lord knoweth not wicked men for he loves them not But otherwise he knoweth all their thoughts and deedes happy were they if they knew themselves in some
the third time and by a common comparison labours to imprint it in the mindes of his hearers Iob 33 14.29 30. The Lord saith Elihu speaketh once or twice and a man perceiveth it not yea and being abundant in compassion will labour twice or thrice with a man that he may turne backe his soule from the pit to be illuminate in the light of the living As a carefull Captaine before hee betake him to rest considering the great danger of his army if they become sleepy and carelesse will give charge that the watches be placed and not contented with direction and intreaty will goe in person to see his owne satisfaction and their security So our Lord Iesus Christ being to leave this world and considering the watchfulnesse and labour of our spirituall enemies seeking to devoure us which may hastily be done if once we be taken at unawares he often exhorts us to stand to our guard and at last in his owne person sets the watch and seales it with a charge of punishment to be inflicted upon those that neglect And as a man going into a strange Country and leaveth his house Marke 13 34. giveth authority to his servants and to every man his worke and commandeth the porter and all to worke and watch that upon his uncertaine time of returne they may be upon an instant ready to give account of their charge So our Lord before his going into our heavenly Country prescribed and delivered to every man his charge and because not onely the Disciples but every other soule standeth at the gate of heaven untill it be open and our Saviour meet us he therefore gave charge and exhorted all to watch lest they be found sleeping and negligent Matth. 25.30 and with the sloathfull servant be cast into utter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Consider how carefull Christ is to preach and beate this doctrine into our eares and make use of it for the more carefull the Lord is to give us warning the more severe shall he be in judgeing if we neglect This exhortation Watch therefore springeth from many rootes each wherof leadeth us to this fruite even from every maine particular in this Parable which proceeding along by the uncertainty of time are as so many motives and counsellers that wee watch and awaite for the comming of Christ to us The great River Nilus receiveth water and strength from many springs all which concurring overflow much of Egypt and causeth fruitfulnesse So the former doctrines of this Parable all concurre in one and taking their current through the uncertainty of our life or Christs comming doe overflow the soule and make it fruitfull causing us to walke worthy of our calling and to watch for Christs comming The greatest argument to move us to watchfulnesse and carefulnesse of a Christian life is the uncertainty of our life and the continuall danger we stand in to be arrested by death and so brought presently to a fearefull account He that feareth the thiefe to come at every houre of the night will be sure to spend the whole night in watching Wee are ever in danger yea in the midst of life we be in death and therefore while we live our soules should continually watch for the time that our Lord Iesus shall appeare for our deliverance out of this mortall life Therefore when our Lord exhorteth us to watch he giveth this for a reason We know not the day c. And because of all the foolishnesse and miserable estate of the foolish Virgins this is most lamentable that beginning and labouring for the marriage they should notwithstanding allow a purposed prodigality to consume an uncertaine time and so be taken at unawares in carelesnesse lose their expected credit and benefit to their great shame and confusion so should we stand in awe and watch lest that day come upon us as a snare when we least thinke of it For we know not the day c. And this is the particular that Christ urgeth out of this Parable and which hee maketh expresse use of But seeing there are many other circumstances in it which doe urge this exhortation and by good consequence conclude the same doctrine it is not unfitting to set them downe as so many hands laying one and the same burthen of necessary watchfulnesse upon us but so as they may be linked with this maine reason of the uncertainty of the time to give greater strength unto them When all our reasons are seasoned and salted with the uncertaine time of death they give no other relish nor bring out any other effect in an understanding soule than warinesse and watchfulnesse in all things according to the wise mans saying Remember death and thou shalt never sinne Ecclesiasticus 7.36 There have been six principall doctrines in this Parable which all concurre to teach us this exhortation These reasons I have set down thus for brevities sake which may be easily drawne into syllogismes From the first Verse Heaven is our native Country for which wee are brought up now we are children of the kingdome and are pilgrims in another Countrey and have no certainty when the Lord will translate us from this miserable estate to receive our mercifull expectation and therefore wee should watch seeing we know not the day c. From the second Verse We heard that few were to be saved and the power of damnation is an equall enemy to all and at all times ready to take holde of us therefore we should be watchfull seeing we know not c. From the third Verse We finde it true that most of men content themselves with a shew of grace and preparation and so labour with cunning and industry that they may be damned and with this shew consume the time which they neither know nor have power of and therefore we should give labour that we prove not of this gracelesse number but watch for we know not c. From the fifth Verse The time of our life and of Christs stay is bestowed upon us to the end that we may make ready against he come which if it be within a day or an houre we know not and therefore we should watch seeing we know not c. From the fift and sixt Verses Security is a common forerunner of danger and the usher which maketh way to destruction which is commonly nearest when it seemeth to be furthest off but when it comes is uncertaine but ever doubtfull and therefore we should be ever upon our guard and watch seeing we know not c. From the following Verses is by reasons concluded that there is neither time to provide and prepare nor any helpe to be hoped for from God or man after the day of death which is ever waiting to carry us to judgement And therefore we should ever prepare and watch seeing we know neither the day nor houre when the Sonne of man commeth Now we are in particular to consider the main reason