TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE FRANCIS Lord VERVLAM Lord high Chancellor of England and one of his MAIESTIES most Honourable priuie Counsell Grace and peace from God the Father in the mediation of his Sonne Iesu Christ and by the operation of the blessed Spirit for euer Amen Right Honorable WHen Paul and Barnabas did preach the word of God at Antioch Act. 13.14 the people seemed to giue such attendance vnto their words of exhortation that they desired to heare the same the next Sabboath day When I preached this Sermon at Court the auditors did seeme to giue such attention vnto what was spoken although vnworthy of their meanest attention that they did earnestly desire to see in writing what that day they had heard by preaching Visus enim est perfectior sensus so that my weake labours through Gods blessing passed along the Court like plaine honestie with euery mans good leaue and liking and if this place had beene the furthest period ◠had beene eased of some future paines But then it pleased some Honorable and worthy friends to impose vpon mee this second view and surely pruritus scribendi the disease of our age had almost hindered me for I know litera scripta manet and is more subiect to censure then quod auribus auditur for which cause I did not at the first yeelde Yet at last vpon more serious deliberation least I should haue encurred the breach of loue of some worthy and much respected friends as also the censorious conceit of some supercilious Stoickes I resolued prodere in vulgus to lye Noah-like in the Tent doore that euery scoffing Cham may smile at my nakednesse And because that a seruant of meane birth and qualitie is many times preferred aboue his worth for his Lord and Masters sake I haue therefore made choise of your Honorable Patronage being at that time when it was deliuered one of my most Noble Auditors Vtinam esset possibile me vnum esse ex principibus offerre genimas ad ornamentum Pontificis sed quia haec supra me sunt certe vel pilos caprarum habere merear in Tabernaculo Dei as Origen elegantly I wish that I could speak any thing worthy of this Text or your Honours Dedication A day it is and that a great one when not onely all criminall causes will be heard as in the Court of the Kings Bench as also euery mans case shall be adiudged as at the Common-pleas barre but when and where the iust Iudge of all the world will according to the euidence of euery mans conscience distribute righteous Iudgement and therefore more properly I call it The great day of Chancery plaine it is that the rudest and most Ignorant may vnderstand it yet as I thinke profitable that the most wise and learned may reape some instruction by it the best Remembrancer that Iudges can haue about them is to remember the day of Iudgement Summus enim iudex iudicata reiudicabit and vnto whom much is giuen of him much shall bee required in that day wherefore I beseech the Lord of heauen and earth to assist your Honour with his grace and holy Spirit that you may Honourably long continue as hitherto a good Iusticiar in that place whereunto you are worthily called to his glory and your eternall comfort that you may stand boldly before the Tribunall in that day Amen Your Honours in all seruice in the Lord IAMES FORSITH TO THE READER EXpect not courteous and gentle READER Critical conceits nec ipsum Ciceronem not any Rhetoricall fine phrases in this plaine Sermon for we ought to come to the people as Saint Paul speaketh not with the wisedome of words 1. Cor. 2.4 but plaine euidence of the Spirit to benefit and not to fit the humour is my desire not to please but to displease rather doe I seeke that their sorrow might bee godly against sinne to cause repentance not to bee repented of The dangerous securitie and damnable Impietie of these last and perillous times which euery true iudicious eye discerneth and euery good Christian lamenteth did cause mee to choose this Text that hereby I might rouze vp all carelesse sleepers and sluggish slumberers from their secured safety for some there be I pray God not too many that hardly entertaine at any time so much as any shew of desire or care how they shall appeare in that day as if they had made a couenant with death and hell Esa 28.15 or rather I thinke they beleeue that false Axiome of Atheisme that there is neither heauen nor hell nor yet such a day as is spoken of here for their actions seeme such as these in Iob bidding the Almightie to depart from them Iob. 21.14 for they desire not the knowledge of his waies and stand scoffing like these Mockers in Peter ◠Pet. 3.4 that aske Where is the promise of his comming Such monsters there bee vnder the habite of men worse then the very deuils themselues Ia. 2.19 for the deuils beleeue this day and tremble in remembrance of it for whose prosperitie I thinke charitably of all Psal 122.8 de viuo sperandum as for my brethren and companions sake I am bound to pray and he that is the searcher of the heart knoweth Ro. 10.1 that mine heart desireth their conuersion that all men and women that haue heard of the trueth may truly receiue this true doctrine concerning Christ and his comming to Iudgement that we all being in our liues reformed in our consciences cleared by true repentance of our sinnes and that euery day wee may be readie Luc. 1.17 as a people prepared for the Lord and my prayer dayly shall be vnto Almightie God with the blessed Apostle for my selfe and all Christians that he may grant vs according to the riches of his glorie that wee may be strengthened in the Inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith in this life so that in that day wee may bee freed from Iudgement and after that day continually dwell with Christ in glory Vnto that God that brought Iesus Christ againe from the dead and made him Iudge of quicke and dead Eph. 3.20 that is able to doe exceeding abundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs be praise in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all generations Amen Thine in the Lord IAMES FORSITH S. Michaels in the Quern London 20. Nouemb. 1619. THE GREAT DAY of Chancery 2. COR. 5.10 We must all appeare or be manifested before the Tribunall seat of Christ. A Text as I thinke fit to be preached at all times and to all persons Recordare nouissima non peccabis in aeternū saith the Son of Syrach Ecclus. 7.36 Let any man or woman of what degree soeuer alwaies remember their last end and it will bridle them in their courses and curbe them in their waies the remembrance of death is the way to life and for
stand in Iudgement Hilar. in Psa 1. Orig. in Iob l. 3. pag. 272. for he that beleeueth not is iudged already Some of the Ancients did thinke by these places that neither the godly faithfull nor wicked infidell should come to Iudgement but they that are inter Impios piosque medij of the middle sort which are in the faith yet liue not thereafter this opinion is plainely confuted in my text Ambr. serm 20. in Psalm 119. nam oportet nos omnes for we must all appeare S. Ambr. thought that the godly onely should come to Iudgement quia festinant innoxij ad Iudicium for they that are innocent make hast to Iudgement because they doe not feare it but the vngodly doe so tremble at it that they dare not come neere it but our blessed Apostle saith plainely Rom. 2.3 that the wicked man aboue all other shall not escape the iudgement of God But Saint Augustine doth very wel expound these places thus The godly shall not come in iudicium condemnationis vnto Iudgement of condemnation as it is in the Gospel nor the wicked shall not come in Iudicium Electionis vnto iudgement of Election with the godly Saint Chrysostome vpon that place that the wicked are adiudged already doth say thus He that hath committed murther although hee bee not by the Iudge condemned actu prolationis by sentence giuen yet by the Law he is condemned for the Law saith Thou shalt not kill Hee that beleeueth not hath the cause of condemnation in himselfe although the sentence bee not pronounced against him vntill the day of Iudgement The Lord said vnto Adam In what day soeuer thou eatest of the fruit thou shalt de the death The Lord spake not this meaning presently to destroy Adam but to shew that Adam immediately vpon tasting thereof had the cause of death in himselfe But to conclude this point neither godly nor godlesse although the one cleared in his owne conscience the other condemned hauing the cause of condemnation in himselfe shall escape this Iudgement seat For we must all appeare c. Obiect 2 Another obiection may bee made vpon this text concerning little children whether they that haue miscaried before the birth or after birth that haue died without Baptisme or after Baptisme that haue departed before they come to knowledge shall come to Iudgement It is but a Popish conceit to imagine that such shall stand on the Iudges left hand in that day Thom. Aquinas 4. dist 7. q. 1. art 3. Thomas Aquinas thinkes that little children shall appeare in that day not to bee iudged but to see the glory of the Iudge but my text is plaine that all both old and young great and small shall appeare And surely in that day all shall goe either vnder the sentence of Goe yee cursed or Come yee blessed Let this doctrine conuince the Heathen Vie that expect not such a time and likewise let it condemne the Wicked that put off this day from them thinking as they shew in their actions that they shall not come to Iudgement Let vs that professe Christ stand in awe of his comming and expect this day knowing the terror of the day wee perswade men Aug. in Psa 93. St. Augustine compares all Christians vnto schollars that come to render an accompt vnto their masters of that which they haue receiued they doe it not without feare so should wee tremble to remember this day Sine metu Plagarum when we shall giue account of all things giuen to vs in charge Know this that the Gyants before the floode could not deliuer themselues from the deluge by their strength that Pharaoh for all his power and forces could not saue himselfe from the ouerthrow in the redde Sea that the rich glutton in the Gospel could not with all his wealth free himselfe from hell torments Neither shall Kings nor Potentates Iudges nor Magistrates poore nor rich deliuer themselues from this Iudgement some shall iudge others bee iudged but all must appeare God grant wee may be found worthy of the Iudges comming Amen In the second place wee are to consider the euidence The maner how wee shal appeare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the manner of our appearing or rather the condition of those that appeare in that great day Our blessed Apostle repeating the same words in his Epistle to the Romans doth vse another word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 14.10 stabimus wee shall stand and Saint Ambrose seemes to fauour that word better because saith hee the Psalmist sayth Psal 1.5 the wicked shall not stand in Iudgement and St. Augustine enclineth rather to stand in this sense but Theoph. Theodor. and all the moderne doe reade it rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee manifested and not to stand and I thinke the word is more Emphaticall and doth expresse better the manner of our appearing in that day for many stand before a Iudge that are not manifested or well knowne vnto the Iudge Gen. 39.18 Ioseph and Putiphars wife stood before Putiphar shee accused Ioseph and hee did cast him into prison but Putiphar knew neither the hypocrisie of the one nor the integritie of the other But it shall not be so with this Iudge concerning those that stand before him hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of the heart Thou hastryed me and knowen me sayth the Prophet Dauid Psal 139.1 thou knowest my thoughts long before there is not a word in my tongue but thou knowest it altogether Quid in Babilone tutum si Ierusalem manet scrut mium sayth holy Bernard Bern. Ser. 55. in Cant. If hee doth so narrowly marke the actions of the godly for which they shall not come to iudgement how much more doth hee obserue the abhominations of the wicked Hebr. 4.13 for which they shall bee condemned in iudgement Omnia illi nuda manifesta erunt all things shall appeare plainely vnto him when wee shall stand naked before him not vnto him alone but vnto the whole world 1. Cor. 4.5 cunctaque cunctorum cunctis arcana patebunt Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that bee hid in darkenesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest sayth the Apostle Ecce homo opera eius will the Lord say sayth St. Ierome vpon that text Behold the man and his workes when hee doth giue vnto euery man according to his workes there is nothing now hid which then shall not bee manifested Whatsoeuer hath bin done in darknes shall then bee brought vnto the light and whatsoeuer men haue spoken in the eare shall then be preached on the house toppe As the Lord spake vnto Dauid by the mouth of Nathan 2. Sam. 12.12 so shall it be then done to euery one thou didst it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne The Sunne
yee know doth shine into euery cranie and hole neither can there any thing be hid from the heat thereof when the Sunne of righteousnes doth appeare can there any thing bee hid from the heat of his furie or the bright beames of his piercing sight Then Apices Iuris your quirkes and nice distinctions of the law will not helpe neither Iudges nor witnesses can be deluded corruption smooth perswasion and fauour shall be altogether banished thy whole life and all the actions of thy life shall be there read and manifested vnto the whole world there shall not be a confused capitulation of thy crimes bound vp in a grosse summe and deliuered in the totall which if it might be granted to the wicked they would not much regard their standing in iudgement but that the Iudge of all the world may make appeare vnto the whole world his Iustice and righteous iudgement the sinnes of the wicked shal particularly be manifested in that day as St. Basil well noteth Lib. de vera virgin As the liniaments of a picture are euery one by themselues knowen so shall euery mans actions there bee manifested This our blessed Sauiour doth intimate vnto vs when he sayth there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested what is spoken in the eare shall be preached on the house toppe The Lord doth likewise affirme this speaking in these words of the Psalme When thou sawest a thiefe Psal 50.18 21. thourunnest after him thou art partaker with the adulterers these things hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I was like vnto thy selfe but I will reproone thee and set them in order before thee The blessed Apostle St. Iohn speaking in the Apocalyps Reutl 20.12 concerning our appearing in that day saith That the bookes were opened Liber vitae liber conscientiae and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes There shall bee two bookes opened in that day the booke of life and the booke of euery mans conscience the booke of the conscience is a true copy of the booke of life here a man may finde how it is written there The record of a mans conscience if it be truely obserued is a certaine and infallible euidence of the record in heauen If thou bee written in the booke of life thou shalt haue some assurance hereof in thine owne conscience Thus Saint Paul found it written in the booke of his owne conscience that because he had fought a good fight and kept the faith 2. Tim. 4.8 he doubted not but that a crown of righteousnesse was laide vp for him in heauen which the Lord the righteous Iudge would giue him in that day It is betweene God and man as betweene Creditor and Debitor both keepes bookes and when they are about to reckon they both bring forth their bookes and examine the one by th' other When the Pharisees brought the woman taken in adultery before our Sauiour Christ hee said nothing but stouped downe and with his finger Ioh. 8.6 wrote on the ground While wee liue in sensualitie and take our pleasure our al-seeing God obserueth it he holdeth his peace and seemeth to vs not to heare or see which causeth vs to bee secure in our actions but in the meane time hee writeth vp all our faults and sealeth them vp in a bagge Iob. 14.17 as Iob speaketh and one day will lay them open before vs. Whatsoeuer is written with the iuyce of a Limmon at the first appeareth not but hold it a little to the fire and then yee may read it plainely The Lord doth now write all our sins as if it were with Limons iuyce that almost they appeare not vnto vs to bee sinnes Who is priuie to his secret faults or who knoweth how often he doth offend But in that great day of Christs appearance when all our workes shall be tryed with fire then shall they appeare what they are there need no witnesses to accuse any man in that day omnia palam fient all shall bee laid open the booke of euery mans conscience will manifest his faults conscientia mille testes a mans own conscience wil be vnto him as a thousand witnesses quid prodest non habere conscium habenti conscientiam thou needest no witnesse to come against thee thine owne conscience wil condemne thee and if our owne hearts condemne vs God is greater then our hearts and knoweth all things Bern. Med. c. 13 Peccata mea celare non possum quoniam quocunque vado conscientia mea mecum saith holy Bernard I cannot hide my sinnes for whithersoeuer I goe my conscience is with mee it carieth with it whatsoeuer I haue laid vp in it be it good or euill it keepeth for mee while I liue and will restore vnto me when I am dead if I do amisse it is present Accusat constientia testis memoria c. and priuy to it Thus haue I in mine owne bosome my Iudges my witnesses my accusers and my tormentors The conscience is the accuser the memory witnesse reason the Iudge delight torment and feare the prison thus our consciences shall make manifest our deedes when our booke is examined with the booke of life so that to conclude in the presence of the Iudge in open view of all the world we shall bee manifested For we must appeare But here wee must obserue that Obseruation Manifestatio Hypocritatum in that day men and women shall be manifested two maner of waies 1. Some shall be reuealed to be that which they did not seeme to bee in the world A prophanis scriptoribus sic vocati vt refert Caluinus in sua Harmonia 2. Others shall appeare to bee that which they were in the world And for the further manifestation of these two consider all men and women as they are Actors vpon the Theator of this world and you know that Actors vpon a Stage are of two sorts either they be Hypocrites so they were named in former times because they did represent the persons of those that they were not one playeth the part of a King and is no King another acteth the Merchant and is no Merchant c. Others againe act the persons of such as they are one playeth the drunkard another the whoremaster a third the foole the fourth the Deuill and the fifth the part of a rogue nihil valent omnes and so they are In like maner In that day many that haue seemed vnto men to be honest ciuill charitable and religious when the vizards shall be pulled from their faces Tit. 1.16 shall appeare to haue beene plaine hypocrits they haue had a shew of godlinesse but in their actions they haue denyed the power of it as the cruell King the wicked Iudge the vniust steward the oppressing officer the griping landlord the complementall courtier the racking rake-shame of the Common-wealth that ploddeth among
the commons to lay imposition vpon the subiect for to benefit the King as hee pretendeth but his intent is like that of the vniust stewards in the Gospel for to get vnto himselfe some meanes of liuing all such shall bee manifested in that day The cunning parishioner that hath a tricke to cozen his Pastor in Tythes with two leases or else by way of fine seeke to defeate the Lord of his due in that day cannot deceiue the great Pastour of our soules 1. Pet. 2.25 for there he shall appeare to bee a sacrilegious robber and all such as haue intus linum subtilitatis extra lanam simplicitatis a linsey-wolsey garment the outside lambes wooll the inside foxes furre shall be manifested in that day Againe some will appeare truely in their coulours as they are Vera manifestatio impiorum as Basill well noteth The whoremaster in his affectation the drunkard in his abomination the blasphemous swearer in his execration the proud man the liar robber and the deboascht man in that day shall appeare in their perfect pictures and bee throughly manifested to the Iudge and to the whole world and bound hand and foote and cast into vtter darkenesse from whence they shal neuer bee deliuered for if they should breake the chaines through their strength yet they shall see no light whereby to escape for the place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vtter darkenesse and thus much of the wicked mans appearance in that day For all must appeare Lastly Manifestatio piorum the godly that are now reuiled slandered hated and persecuted of the wicked shall then appeare how falsely they are accused and vnworthily vsed in this present world when their causes shall bee knowne the word of the Lord shall trye them Psal 105.19 they shall be exalted in the sight of the world and shine like starres in regard of their puritie and sinceritie before the Iudgement seat Ioseph that was accused falsely by his Mistris condemned and cast into prison wrongfully was not more glad when hee was exalted by Pharaoh in the sight of the people then these when they shall stand before the Iudge with dignitie and be honoured in the sight of the whole world In regard whereof that day will be pleasant and glorious vnto that litle flocke of Gods children for here we see in a glasse 1. Cor. 13.12 sayth the Apostle but there wee shall know as wee are knowen here wee are persecuted there shall wee be glorified Luk. 12.32 Feare not litle flocke it is my fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome Now wee are accounted the scumme of the earth then shall wee be preferred aboue the lords of the earth Matth. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of God this is our ioy and comfort that in that day wee shall be manifested Vse Let this doctrine be a terrour to the wicked Io. 3.19 that now loue darkenesse rather then light because their deeds are euill when euery thing commeth foorth into the light it shall be iudged by the light Matth. 12.36 Our blessed Sauiour telleth vs. that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of Iudgement Let no filthie communication no idle and vaine oath proceed out of your mouthes you that are prophane obscoene and wicked Nay our very thoughts shall be called in question Why thinke yee euill in your hearts you hypocrites And let it bee as a spurre vnto the godly to stirre them vp to an holy and godly conuersation that they may walke in a good conscience before God and in the sight of men knowing that in that day they must be manifested I will conclude this point with a storie out of Damascen Damasc Hist inter Barlaam and Iosaphat Cap. 13. A man had three friends two of them hee loued dearely and regarded much but on the third hee looked with a squint eye litle respecting him it happened on a time that this man was arrested and vpon the sodaine being taken tarde and not knowing what to doe he made his way to his best beloued friend to entreat him by all the bonds of loue to goe before the iudge with him which hee denying saide that hee durst not looke the Iudge in the face but all the fauour that hee could doe was to giue him so much as to beare his charges in his iourney Vnto the second he made haste who answered him so likewise At last hee came to the third whom hee least of all respected and told him how it was with him vnto whom hee answered with great comfort that although sayth he thou hast litle regarded me yet I will goe to the Iudge with thee and cleare thee immediatly So it is with euery man in this world that hath these three friends The first which a man most regardeth is his money and wealth which hee dearly loueth the second his friends kinsfolke and acquaintance whom hee next respecteth but the last is the least that hee looketh vpon and it is his owne conscience this man is arrested with the Sergeant of death to stand before the Iudge of heauen and earth at which time his money nor his wealth cannot helpe him to buy a wynding-sheet a coffin to giue a pennie dole or the like is the furthest they can goe His friends likewise can doe no more but accompanie him to the buriall there remaineth nothing in that day but a cleare conscience to quite him before the Iudge let vs therefore respect our conscience more then all things besides in the earth for it must onely helpe vs in that day when wee shall bee manifested For wee must all appeare In the third place wee haue the necessitie or ineuitabilitie of this appearance The necessitie of our appearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that are driuen by force are most violent therefore to set forth the terrour of this Iudgement our blessed Apostle addeth an oportet The reasons why there must be such a day necessitate coacta to shew that there bee no meanes to escape no waies to auoide it and that for many reasons Oportet it must be so 1 Propter decratum Dei because it hath beene so decreed of God from the beginning and whatsoeuer the Lord hath appointed from the beginning must stand Tit. 1.2 Heb. 6.18 God is not like man to lye or dye nor like the Sonne of man that he should repent he hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed Acts. 17.31 Math. 11.22 sayth the Apostle in one of his sermons it shall be better for Tyrus and Sidon in the day of Iudgement then for this citie sayth our blessed Sauiour the Prophets before the Law did prophesie of it our Sauiour affirmeth it in the Gospel and all the Apostles beare witnesse of the same in their seuerall writings Oportet ergo
pro conuicto Quis in iudicio tam stricto fiet in praesidium Quid sum miser tum dicturus quem patronum rogaturus dum vix iustus est securus cum veniet in iudicium Which I English thus according to the letter Who shall pray for his offence Who shal answer after sentence or who shall bring any pretence in this strict arraignement What then shall I catiue say What aduocate can I pray seeing the iust can hardly stay when he commeth vnto Iudgement We must all appeare c. I haue by this time rushed through this great Assembly and compassed this Iudgement seat where I haue taken notice of the persons cited the manner of their enditement and the speciall motiues vrging Now followeth to stand before the seat and then to take view of it and the Iudge that sitteth vpon it and first I will speake of the Tribunall A Tribunall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tribunall among the Romans was a place where the Iudge sate so called Quia tres tribuni ibi sedebant ad iudicandum populum Because three Tribunes sate there to iudge the people Or quia dabant iura tribubus because they gaue Iudgement to the Nations The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gradior to goe vp on steppes which both do well set forth the eminency maiestie and glory of the place When the Sonne of man commeth in his Maiestie Math. 25.31 and all his holy Angels with him then shall he sit vpon the Throne of his glorie At his first comming hee came in humilitie and pouertie Phil. 2.7 In forma serui saith our blessed Apostle In forme of a Seruant Non serui solum vt subesset sed vt mali serui vt vapularet Not onely as a Seruant to vndergoe subiection but as an euill seruant to suffer correction But at his second comming he wil shew himselfe as a King to be serued and ministred vnto in glory and Maiestie I saw a great white Throne Apoc. 20.11 and one that sate on it from whose face sled away both earth and heauen saith the Apostle Saint Iohn Some haue gone about to describe this Throne or Tribunall more curiously then profitably They doe describe it what it is and where it will be placed or seated which opinions I will briefly relate vnto you We finde say they three attributes giuen to it inscripture First Quomodo dicitur Math. 25.31 Apoc. 20.11 it is described by our blessed Sauiour to be a Throne of glory The Sonne of man shall sit vpon the Throne of his glory and it is so called because of his Maiesticall and glorious comming in that day Secondly the Euangelist S. Iohn saith thus I saw a white Throne because of the innocencie of him that sitteth on it And thirdly Dan. 7.9 the Prophet Daniel saith His Throne is said to be of fire for fiue reasons That this Throne was like a fiery flame and his wheeles like burning fire and that is spoken in respect of fiue reasons which are taken from the fire First in regard of the clearenesse for in his presence there shall bee no darknesse but all cleare light euery thing shall be manifested Secondly because the light shall bee such that euery eye shall see him and hee shall appeare vnto all Thirdly to shew the flame of his furie and the hot burning coales which hee will scatter vpon the wicked Fourthly to shew as fire passeth swiftly through and cannot bee hindered in the force of it so in that day his wrath will burne like fire and none shall hinder his proceedings in Iustice And lastly in the execution of Iustice he will bee like fire to purge the drosse from the pure Mettall the one like chaffe or drosse shall burne blacke with vnquenchable fire and Brimstone the other like good Gold shall not be hurt with the flame Will ye know whereof this Tribunal shal be Materia ex qua Apoc. 14 4. Nothing in heauen Cherubim nor Seraphin Sunne nor Star nor in earth Gold nor precious stone but as I read a cloud shal be his Tribunall I looked saith Saint Iohn and behold a white cloud and vpon the cloud one sitting like to the Son of man hauing on his head a golden Crowne and in his hand a sharpe Sickle Which is spoken of Christ and this seemeth to be confirmed by the speech of the Angel vnto those that looked vpon Christ when he was taken vp Why stand yee gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp from you Acts. 1.11 shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen And it is said in the verse going before That a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight Likewise at his transfiguration which is a type of his second comming It is said That a cloud did compasse him Math. 17.5 Concerning the forme of this Tribunall we haue no warrant and therefore will leaue all supposed coniectures vnto the curious There be many opinions concerning the place where this Tribunall should be seated Locus in qu◠and where the Lord will appeare to iudge his people It shall not be in Heauen for thither cannot the wicked come to behold him nor yet in Hell for thither shall not the godly come to Iudgement on the earth I cannot see how it should bee seeing there is no place so large of earth to containe so many Myriades of people as shall appeare in that day Ioel. 3.2 that opinion of some grounded on the words of Ioel hath no sure foundation that it shall bee in the valley of Iehoshaphat that is onely an allusion vnto Iehoshaphats victory that as he got the victorie in that place ouer his enemies so shall the Lord get the victorie and victoriously triumph ouer his enemies in that day but I thinke his Tribunall shall be in the ayre where euery eye may see him according to that of the Apostle Saint Paul 1. Thess 4.27 We which remaine shall bee caught vp also with them in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall wee be euer with the Lord. But there can bee no Materiall nor locall seat prescribed vnto Christ truly at his comming for there is no such thing reuealed vnto vs our Apostles meaning here is onely to set forth the Maiestie of his comming Most of the auncient and the Moderne Writers doe signifie by Tribunall Iudiciariam potestatem Math. 28.18 a iudiciarie power which is giuen vnto him of the Father All power is giuen vnto me in heauen in earth saith our blessed Sauiour potestatem regendi potestatem iudicandi power both to gouerne and to iudge so that by Tribunall is set forth his dignitie his authoritie his Maiestie and also the certaintie of his comming and that we must all appeare I will now passe from the Throne Iudex to him that sitteth on the Throne and heere in my Text he is said to be Christ by
whom we shall be iudged and here I will passeouer many obiections and draw briefly towards a conclusion Iohn 5.22 The Father is not our Iudge for the Father iudgeth no man nor yet the holy Ghost for the holy Ghost would rebuke the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of Iudgement All Iudgment is committed to the Sonne S. Paul in his Sermon saith That the Lord hath commaunded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie that it is he that is ordained of God to be the Iudge of quicke and dead This Iudge must bee Christ for sundry reasons Cur Christus Iudex First because of his affinitie with vs in that he hath taken our nature vpon him for in the same flesh and forme that he was adiudged by Pontius Pilate in the same manner shall he come to iudge Pontius Pilate Heb. 4.15.16 We haue not an high Priest saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes that cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne therefore let vs goe to the Throne of grace 2 Because by Christ shall all the dead bodies be raised in that day 1. Cor. 15.22 As by Adam all dye so by Christ all are made aliue saith the blessed Apostle I am the resurrection and life Ioh. 11.25 saith our blessed Sauiour 3 Because both good and bad must appeare as you haue heard and therefore Christ the Sonne of God God and Man must bee the Iudge for the wicked cannot see the face of God they shal be depriued of that comfort which shall onely be afforded vnto the godly That he shall come to Iudgement this word Christ in my Text doth verifie for he was annointed for this purpose to vndergoe this office and doth daily annoint vs to prepare vs for it he took our flesh with him into heauen as a pawne of his comming and left with vs his Spirit to make vs fit for his comming Then the certaintie of our resurrection and Christs comming to Iudgement is firmely testified in my Text For we must all appeare before the Tribunall seat of Christ Vse This doctrine doth yeeld great comfort vnto the children of God Comfort to the godly both in regard that there shall bee such a day as also that Christ Iesus shall bee their Iudge in that day Now their eyes are full of teares and their hearts full of griefe because of the many crosses and afflictions which they suffer in the valley of this misery The Israelites were neuer more gladder of their departure out of Egypt then the children of God of the comming of the day of Iudgement then they wil lift vp their heads For their redemption draweth nigh Againe it wil be comfortable vnto them that Christ Iesus their elder Brother shal be their Iudge because of his equitie and humanitie Abel went willingly into the field with Caine expecting no hard measure at his hand because he was his brother Isaac went freely to the Mount with Abraham looking for no seuerity of him because he was his father The children of God with a chearefull countenance will come out to Iudgement because their elder Brother is there And as this is a comfort to the godly A terrour to the wicked so it is a terrour to the wicked that there shall bee such a iudgement and that Christ shall bee the Iudge The Scripture maketh mention of some that doe not beleeue the Lords comming to iudgement because he doth delay his comming others there bee that put off the terrour of this day from them It is reported that the Italians do vse to ring their bells and discharge their cannons in a thunder-clap that the noise of the one may lessen the terrour of the other In like manner Satan I thinke doth hang tinkling cymbals at the eares of earthly men and delighteth them so with the musick of the world that thereby they may forget the sound of the last trumpe I doubt that day will bee seene of many before it bee foreseene of any It will prooue more terrible vnto them then that day of the promulgating of the Law did vnto the Israelites Exod. 19.18 for if the promulgation of the Law was fearefull how much more will the execution be more fearfull if his voice was terrible to those that came to apprehend him in so much Ioh. 18.6 that they fell backward to the ground when they heard it how shall the wicked stand before his wrathfull voice in that day Gen. 3.10 If Adam did hide himselfe for feare of the Lords furie after his transgression how much more would the wicked hide themselues if they had any place to hide them in from the voice of the Lambe that sitteth on the throne Gen. 45.3 If Iosephs brethren were mightily amazed and so daunted that they could not speake when he told them that hee was their brother Ioseph because of the euill that they had committed against him how much more will the wicked bee astonied when they shall see their brother Christ in such glorie and great Maiestie whom they haue pierced and persecuted with their wicked life Apo. 1.7 Euery eye shall see him yea euen they that pierced him and all the Nations of the earth shall waile before him Plangent quia mundum dilexerunt plangent quia vitam in mundo non correxerunt plangent quia fidem non habuerunt the couetous man shall waile because hee loued the world more then God and godlinesse the lasciuious man shall waile because for a little pleasure hee hath purchased euerlasting paine the vnbeleeuing wretch shall waile because he did not beleeue in Christ nor in the trueth of the Gospel the proud man shall waile because hee did contemne the base humilitie of the crosse of Christ and all the wicked men and women shall weepe and waile because they did not weepe nor waile in time while they liued in the world Remember these things now all yee that forget God least the Lord come in his furie against you and there be none to deliuer you let the feare of iudgement perswade you from your wicked courses Thou that blasphemest the name of God with execrable oathes filling vp euery sentence with an oath or a curse remember the gnashing of teeth after iudgement Let the thiefe robber and cousener thinke on them that shall be bound hand and foot and cast into vtter darknesse in that day Let the drunkard looke vpon the glutton scorched in the flame and cannot haue one droppe to coole his tongue withall Thou that takest thy pleasure consider the damned crew of the wicked that shall bee grieuously aflicted in that day Thou that liuest idlely on the sweat of other mens browes call him to minde that hid his talent in the earth was bound hand and foot and cast into vtter darknes in that day Thou that art couetous in griping other mens goods grinding the faces of the poore with thine own goods Consider the gnawing worme that shall continually gnaw and grinde thee in hell torments in that day Wee read that he that had not vpon him a wedding garment was put out and hee that did deferre his masters comming was not accepted In that day shall the godly looke vpon him with great ioy and comfort but the wicked shall behold him with great feare and torment In that day shall hee separate the sheepe from the Goats the sheepe he will place on his right hand and take them vp with him into theayre as St. Paul speaketh that all the world may know them and honour them as Saints but the wicked he will place on his left hand leauing them on the earth which they haue so much loued that all may behold them and despise them as sinners The Iudge shall sit aboue them to their great terrour Beneath them Hell shall be open readie to receiue them Before them the deuils and damned crew readie to execute Gods wrath vpon them Behind them the Saints and all their dearest friend forsaking them On their left hand their sinnes accusing them On their right hand Iustice threatning them On all sides the whole world burning and flaming about them It is no maruell that they seeke death but death flyeth from them they call vnto the mountaines and rockes and they refuse to couer them they shall dry vp and consume away for the very disquietnesse of their soules To goe forward it is intollerable to goe backward impossible to goe to either side vnauaileable Thus at the worlds end men shall be at their wits end but happie shall that seruant be whom the Master when he commeth shall find ready prepared and looking for his comming such shall bee sung in with that sweet haruest song Come yee blessed children of my father receiue the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the world To the which kingdome that he may bring vs let vs daily pray for Iesus Christ his sake that hath dearly bought vs to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour glorie and dominion for euer and euer FINIS