vnto me the day after Doomes-day and then I will tell thee In the meane time I am sure that nothing shall be which shall not bring delight and glory vnto the sonnes and daughters of God Let curious questions therfore cease and study rather how in that day thou maiest be found blameles and to Iehovah acceptable Awake oh ye foolish virgins the heauens are ready to run on a heape the elements about thee to melt the earth vnder thee to burne and the Iudge of all flesh is comming in cloudes majestie and power Heark hark the trumpet calling vnto judgment the Angels readie prest to gather the harvest the graue seas and hell giving vp all for all must presently to Iudgment The Iudge is set thousands of Angels about his fiery throne Satan and his black Guarde come plodding towards the Throane as a Beare to the stake The glorious Martyrs and all the faithfull come flying towards the Iudg with the wings of an Eagle crying * Saue I pray thee Hosanna hosanna blessed is he that commeth in the name of IEHOVAH Hosanna in the highest As for the Beaste false Prophet their marked people and all workers lovers of iniquitie me thinks I see them pulling back but the decree of God whipping them all forwarde Seduced People crye to the false Prophet Couer vs oh Father from the wrath of him that sitteth on the Throne but he replieth Aes me Aes me I am vnable to hide my selfe One crieth Oh King oh Queene saue me but they answere Accursed subiects we are not able to saue our selues They replye Oh your fearefull Lawes and tyrannie haue caused vs to vvorship God after a humaine carnall foolish manner Oh oh say Kings and Queenes againe we are therefore accursed and you condemned Me thinks I see the Murtherer with a bloody sword in his hand and the souls of the persecuted and slaughtered crying Oh God our Avenger now iudge thou betweene vs and that Murtherer and the Murtherer me thinks I heare him cry Nowe I see these I persecuted had in honour but I the persecutor vnable to beholde them in the face against vvhome I heretofore did harden my heart flint my face oh that I might be killed to die but I must liue ever to die While thus their consciences debate their false worshippe adulteries murders thefts blasphemies pride c. the Lord commandeth all to appeare Coram As by the Lords word Genes 1. Let it be every creature at first was formed so at one word all appeare before the glorious Iudge and innumerable sight of Angels If the Israelites trembled at the giuing of the Lawe howe shall Law-les people now tremble at the execution of the Law Now * Revel 1.7 every eie shall see him even they which haue pearced the Christ thorough and all kinreds of the Earth shall lament before him Al the earth encompassing the face of the Tribun all seate the bookes even every conscience shall be laide open Every soule shall be naked to his eies that seeth the secrets of the heart and as it were in the tables of the soule shall every vnrepentant sinne be written Oh the secret murders thefts vncleannesses wicked counsells against Christs Church that then shall be open to all the world in somuch as one running by may reade them In the face of Iudas his soule shal be written I haue betrayed innocent blood In the face of Pilate shall bee written I condemned the innocent for pleasing the people In the faces of Esau and Nimrod We haue loued hunting but neglected holinesse In the portall of Chams conscience shal be printed I reioyced to see the corrector of sinne overtaken with sin and therefore published it to my brethren that they togither with me might for ever after make his nakednes a reason of our not hearing nor bearing his corrections as vn fit to rule vs that first could not rule himselfe therefore iust that now my nakednes be laid open before God Angels and men In the Conscience of Herod shall bee drawne as it were in great text letters I vsed not my guifts to the praise of God the giuer but laboured thereby to catch praise vnto my selfe In Balaam and every covetous teacher his face shall be written I preached for pelfe but then Oh woe vnto the dumbe Minister for his Conscience shall thus indite him Balaam was better than I for though hee did all for gold yet he preached as for me I occupied a feeders roome and had a feeders fee but I fed not the people by dividing the vvord and causing them to vnderstand the holy mysterie Then shall the wicked Kinges Queenes Magistrates haue graven deeply in the face of their accusing conscience We haue kept out the kingdome of Christ for planting a Religion drawn out of our politicks an Ethelo threskia or Wil-worship * Coloss 2.22.23 vvhich had indeede a shewe of wisedome but was not according vnto the wisedome of God In a word then shall every man his conscience carrie his owne inditement his sin hanging before the door of his Conscience as doeth the Iuie-bush before the wine-seller and hee that knowes not this knows lesse than did the Heathen Philosopher Plato As for the consciences of the Elect they shall all in this great day be clear from clamour and accusation every one having written in his conscience as had Paule 1. Cor. 4.4 I knowe nothing by my selfe and this puritie of their conscience falleth out by reason that they here in this life disclaimed their sinns for bastardly fruites and by the teares of vnfained sorrowe did wash their consciences the Lord therewithall putting all their sinnes out of his remembrance and so are they by the * Col. 1.28 Lords Prophets and preachers presented perfect in Christ lesus The consciences of all this multitude * Rom. 2.15.16 either accusing or excusing one another in this great daye wherein God shal judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ and that according to the Gospell immediately therevpon shall the conscience excusing be placed on the right hand but the consciences accusing vpon the left hand of the Iudge Then vnto his recovered sheep shall Christ say Mat. 25.34 c. I vvas an hungred and yee gaue me meat I thirsted and ye gaue me drink I was a stranger and ye lodged me being naked ye clothed me I vvas sicke and ye visited me I vvas in prison and ye came vnto me But they vnwilling to assume any thing to themselues shall replie When did vve so vnto thee to whome he shall answer hauing done it vnto one of the least of my bretheren yee haue done it vnto me Therefore or in asmuch as all may see your faith was no dead faith Come ye blessed of my Father even blessed * Ephes 1.4 before the foundation of the world inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you before the Worlds foundation even before ye could doe good or evill Wherevpon
* 1. Iohn 3.3 Every man that hath this Hope purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure Purgation goeth before salvation the putting off of the old Adam with his deceiueable lustes before the newe Adam can be put on with his holines and righteousnes before Christ can exalt thee Moses must humble thee before that Christs works be imputed thine thou must forsake the works that are thine before God adopt thee his Son thou must disclame the devill the father of thy corrupt nature and if thou wilt haue Christ to be thy King thou must covenant holy obedience due to that King The Heavens are pure in comparison of thee yet the Heavenly Spheres and glittering Starres must giue place to the brightnesse of his Throne howe much more must thy damnable corruption be cast awaye except thou togither with thy corruption will be for ever cast away Come wee but before an earthlie King Queene Lord oh howe we will trick vp our attire make bright our countenance and study to place our wordes in order and all this why do we because forsooth wee must come before a noble man a noble woman But howe prepare we for meeting of the Lord of Lords in the clowds who shall come with the * 1. Cor. 15 52. Matth. 24. sound of a Trumpet his Angels marching before to gather togither his Elect from one wind vnto another how are wee fitted with spirituall garments shall wee be clad with the workes of darknes with what face wil we look him in the face harlots faces theeuish faces murdering faces faces puft vppe with pride these will not serue the turne With what words will we greet the judge of all the world He saith we shal giue an accompt of all our * Mat. 12.36 Idle vvords and dare wee meete him with vnsavourie speaches and rotten words Away away with such care to please men and in the meane time carelesse to please God careles how Christ find vs occupied careles how to come before his judgement seate The Heavens shall giue place but man will stand still in the way of sinners the Elements shall melt but mans heart will not melte more than an Adamant the earth shal willinglie permit the fire to consume his corruption but man will not let the fire of God his spirite burne vp and consume his corrupt nature and vnprofitable lustes The Devils at the rememberance of this great day doe tremble but man can heare of the Great day the Fire of that day the iudgment of that day and never be stirred in his soul Oh miserable man and ten times more stupid than any creature striue and contend to feare before the Iudge of al the Earth studying holines and righteousnes without which thou shalt never see God Let now at last thy stony heart gush out teares as the Israelites * Nomb. 20 10.11 Rock gushed out waters bath thy soul in them contrite teares as in another Baptisme and rise vppe from thy earthly waies as * Act. 9. Saul smit downe rose from the Earth and hereafter shaking the scales of naturall blindnes from thy eies go and learne to be holy as our head is holy that so thou * 2. Pet. 3.14 maiest be found of him in Peace without spot and blameles Mount Sinaj vpon the promulgation of the holy law was al on smoke the smoke ascending as the smoke of a fornace and the mountaine trembled exceedingly but in this great daye of the Lord all the mountaines of the world all vallies high thinges lowe things shall not onely smoke but frye in a consuming flame The Israelites trembled at the first and shall not wee tremble at the second The Israelites durst not approch Sinaj before they were * Exo. 19.14 sanctified by Moses and dare we approach the great day of doome what time the breach of the Law shal be punished in the lake of scortching brimstone and vnquenchable fire before we be sanctified by Christ Iesus They durst not come neere the Hill with vnwashen clothes but wee think to stand before Christ his pure throne of Iudgment and that with vnwashen hands vnwashen hearts where as no one shall appeare without confusion of face that first haue not * Rev. 7.14 made their Robes vvhite in the blood of the Lamb. I say not in his owne workes but â— say againe in the blood of the Lambe Blessed therefore is he that watcheth and keepeth his spirituall garments least at his sodaine comming he walk naked and men ey and Angels see his filthines If thou shame not now at vnholy conversation and vngodlines in that great daye an hellish shame shall cover thy face and horrour of conscience shall confound thee If the Devill shal not then claime thee for his own do here shake of his livery cote of vnholines and teare of his cognizance of vngodlines but if thou here will carrie his vnholy brand in thy fore-heade hand and hart then togither with thy black Lord exspect to be committed to the * Rev. 21.8 Lake vvhich burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death In that great day wicked Cain and his Citie Nimrod his bloodhounds wicked Saule and his desperate Iaueling Balaam and his bribe the Vsurer and his money-bagges shal be parted Theuish Achan and his wedg of golde shal be sundred the harlot and whore divorced The murderer and his bilbow-blade the Idolater his shryne the dronken Nabal and his tipling cup the Merchant and his false measure the Courtier and his softe raiment Nebuchadnezzer and his pallatial prospects the Glutton and his belching banquet the mad dauncer and his instrument in that great daye they shall shake hands and never meet more Seing all which and more terrible than that must and shall bee effected what manner of persons shoulde Kings and Queenes be what maner of persons had rich men need to be what maner of persons had Prophets neede to be what maner of men and weomen had wee all neede to be in holines of conversation and godlines That when Cain shall roare for his murder C ham for not covering his fathers nakednes Esau for his mispent time scorning sacramentall signes Saul for his persecution the false Prophet for preaching Peace to men when men were not at peace with God Shechem for his defiling Dinah Alexander the Copper-smith for resisting Paul That when Demas shall wring his handes for departing from preaching the Gospell to liue as a Farmer and grazier that when proude Diotrephes shall curse himselfe for pratling and playing the busy-body against the Saintes to the end that then we may boldly hold vp our heads in the testimonie of a good conscience let vs nowe so liue as wee may not feare presently to die Let vs nowe study so to die as wee may not feare presently to make appearance before that glorious Iudge and al the glorious Armie of Heaven So liued not the earthly minded Prophet who in the testimonie of a bad conscience cryed Nomb. 23.10 Oh that I might die the death of the Righteous and that my last end might be like his But so lived the humble poor Apostle who in the testimonie of a good conscience cryed I desire to bee dissolued and to be with Christ So lived good Simeon who could say Lord now thou lettest thy servant depart in peace And so must every professor of Christ liue as when hee heareth Christ say * Reu. 22.20 Surely I come quickly he with longing soule may answere Amen even so Come Lord Iesus Amen Sic vivamus á¼Î½ Ï„á¿· κοσμω Vt ne simus á¼Îº τοῦ κοσμοῦ Amen
what time the old world was destroyed by water This I take to bee the true sence of them two verses In the seventh verse he teacheth the pure minded that the same worde that brought forth the former effects the same worde is the preseruer of the Heauens and Earth during the time of their conservation but that the same word hath determined an end vnto the Heauens and the Earth which shall as verely take place by fire as erst by water The day of which destruction shal be what time the Lord shall vtterlie destroye the vngodly closely intimating thus much As the waters overflowed the Earth in that day wherein God had appointed to preserue Noah and to destroy the vnbeleevers so verely shall the fire ceaze vppon the Heavens and Earth in that day wherein our God hath secretly concluded the destruction of all such mockers and vngodlie persons In the eight and ninth verses hee stirreth vp the beloued of the Lord to be grounded in a perswasion quite contrary vnto the former mockers First in not being ignorant as the former were willinglie ignorant Secondly to testifie their not being ignorant by beleeving first that before the Lord one day and a thousand yeares are alike this is secretlie opposed to the ignorant judgement of the mockers who thought God woulde neuer come because hee had driven so many yeares Secondly by beleeuing that the Lord will not be slack in keeping his promise of comming howsoeuer some in their foolishnes accounted him slack for the effecting of which beliefe in them hee giueth in the next words a reason not of the Lords slacknes but of his not destroying the world and comming vnto judgement as yet namely because he hath decreed a time wherein with all long suffering he will awaite the repentance of people that so they might be saued This secretly insinuateth thus much Euen as the Lord before he would destroy the old world by water did with loue and much patience even an * Genes 6.3 1. Pet. 3.20 hundred twenty years awaite the repentance of the people euen so with patience and asmuch ey more lenitie he now awaiteth the conuersion of people from Sinne to Sanctitie that so in that great and fearfull day they might bee saved and not with the vngodly be destroied Now come we to the text read wherin is considered two things First the propound of the doctrine generall in the first verse read by a simple affirmatiue Secondly by way of concession in the first clause of the next verse then an exhortation vrged by an interrogation in the next and last clause In the proposition generall wee haue to obserue the comming of the Lord in these wordes But the day of the Lord will come Secondlie the manner of his comming like a Theef in the night Thirdly what shall be effected by his comming vz. the passing away of the Heuens with the Elements melting Secondly of the Earth by the burning of fire Thirdly the concession of the whole in these words Seeing all these things must be dissolued The exhortation included in the interrogation lieth in these wordes What maner of persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and godlinesse The comming of the Lord expressed in these words But the day of the Lord vvill come is an opposition to the mockers negatiue axiome which was this The day of the Lord vvill not come And to make the affirmation more forcible the holy Apostle preponeth the particle But as though he shuld say You mockers affirme that the Lord vvill not come But I affirme he vvill come Thus the Apostles of Sathan and the Apostles of Christ will be ever in contradictions like to IEHOVAH and Satan in Paradise The Lord he said In eating of the tree of knowledge of good evill thou shalt dy the death Genes 2.19 Sathan soone after saide * Chap. 3.4 Ye shall not die at all The impes of Satan can say Loe all things in the world are as they were woont to be therefore God will not come to iudgment The Apostle of IESVS he saith But the day of the Lord will come Whether nowe shall we beleeue the abhominable Atheist or the blessed Apostle PETER To the wicked their fore-but the Apostle opposeth his But which But will prooue so mighty a wal in the end as neither mockers nor mockers disciple shall be able to leape over without breaking the neck of their soule The Apostle PAVL hee plainely saith to the Thessalonians * 1. Thes 5.2 Ye knowe perfectly that the day of the Lordshal come but our Mockers say vve knowe perfectly that the day of the Lord shall not come Holy IVDE bringeth in the prophecie of * Iude. 14.15 Henoch saying that the Lord commeth vvith thousandes of Saintes to giue iudgment And our Saviour himselfe affirmeth * Matth. 24. that Hee will come with the sounde of a Trumpet but our Helhounds affirme that all these things are but tales and devises of men whom shal we beleeue now The blessed Apostles and our Saviour himselfe or these birds of the bottomles pit that breath blasphemie against God and his worde A wonder of the worlde that man should be so infatuate and sensles But the Apostle a little before giues the reason hereof namely that they willingly are ignorant howe the Lord by his word hath made and conserved the Heauens and Earth as also howe heretofore by the same potent word hee brought the waters vpon the Earth to the destruction of all Creatures breathing excepting them in the Arke These Atheists blind Moles are ignorant of the Worde and works of God ey willingly ignorant else they could not but knowe that the Lord will come vnto judgment Let the rankest mocking Atheist answere to this question Is there not sometimes a qualme comming over thine heart when thou murdreist vvhen thou steales vvhen thou commits adulterie c. Feelest thou not sometimes a griping of thy Conscience Speake plaine ly not Oh yes thou Atheist thou art not ever exempted from such nips girds and cold qualmes What meanes thine hart to admit of such molestures Oh thou Atheist thy soule is affraid and trembles to come before one that will take an accompt of thy wicked life that will judge that sinne and plague it with Hell fire Thy Conscience therefore accuseth thee thy soule trembles with thy Predecessor Diagoras neither shalt thou escape the Iudge before whom thy soul so citeth and sommoneth thee * Prou. 14.13 Euen in laughing thine heart is somtimes sorrowfull and the end of thy mirth attainted with heavines Put the evill day farre from thee for a while yet the remembrance thereof wil somtimes crosse thy banquet when thou art so overthwarted imagine thy selfe to bee * 2. King 21.20 Ahab and that overthwarter to be Elijah Say vnto the twitching light of thy Conscience Hast thou found me oh mine Enemie and it shall answer I haue found thee for thou hast sold thy selfe to
worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord when the Apostle saith But the day of the Lord will come he wold oppose that Day vnto the daye of the wicked The wicked now haue their day the Lord then wil haue his day and therfore that great day is called the Lords day Christ his resurrection day is called the * Revel 1.10 Lords day because hee then triumphed over the Deuill death and sin so this day of Doome is called the Lords day because hee then will for ever commit the Deuill and those that haue delighted in the waies of death and sinne to everlasting torture As ABRAHAM could equally conclude against DIVES Thou hadst then thy pleasure and Lazarus his torment therefore now it is just that thou bee tormented and Lazarus haue pleasure so against all wicked ones I conclude As you haue your day nowe so Christ shall haue his day then walke on in the waies of your own flesh but be sure the day wil come that shal pay for al. In this day the wicked shall cry Hilles and mountaines fall vpon vs and cover vs from him that sitteth vpon the throane but as for the godly let them hold vppe their heades for then is come the fulnes of their redemption Woe be vnto these that nowe laugh because of sin for then they shall mourne but blessed be these that now mourne because of sinne for they then shall laugh and be comforted This day of the Lord saith PETER shall come as though hee should say tremble oh wicked man for thy day of judgment shall come be patient and rejoice thou that art persecuted for righteousnes sake for the daye of judging thy cause shall come This daye is figured out by the Prophet * Ioel. 3.12 14. IOEL vnder IEHOVAH his pleading in the Valley of Iehoshaphat in the daye of his threshing the Heathen Howsoeuer the Lord seeme now to be a sleepe the wicked thinking God like to themselues yet then the Lord shall awake as a Gyant refreshed with wine Pfal 50.21 bring them vnder the crushing blowe of his flayle a flayle of judgment that shall beat them like chaffe In the meane time let all knowe that whatsoever Mockers say The day of the Lord shall come Iudge righteouslie oh yee rulers of the Earth preferre not the cause of the Potent to the cause of Widowes and Orphanes slaughter not Christ in Habell commit not * 1 King 22.27 Michajah with Ahab vnto prison nor dare to feed the Lords Prophet with the bread and water of affliction for after yee haue had your daies of judging and pleading the Lords day shall come wherein hee will examine the cause of the poore and oppressed If yee haue not judged and done according to God his book but according to the inequall ballance of your owne making then hearken to * Isai 10.1 ISAIAH Woe vnto them that decree wicked decrees and doe vvrite grievous things for keeping back the poor from Iudgment and for taking away the iudgment of the poore of my people that Widowes may be their pray and that they may spoile the Fatherlesse What will yee do now in the day of visitation of destruction which shal come from farre to vvhome will ye flie for helpe and where will ye leaue your glory Oh yee Rulers of the Earth The day of the Lord shal come as verely as the Assirians Medes-Persians Graecians Syri-Egyptians vpon Iudah your judgments shall bee weighed in the ballances of the Sanctuarie if they be found faithfull and full weight then enter into the possession of glorie but if they be found partial and too light with Belshazzars kingdome then thou shalt be cast out for counterfeit coyne If oh yee widowes fatherles and wrongfull distressed ones ye here in the day of man cannot be equally dealt withall do not curse murmure but rest patient for a while Revel 6.9 as vnder the bloody Alter Iesus more injured than thou and after man hath had his day of playing Rex jex The day of the Lord shall come what time the Lord will examine their Law-books by his sacred Testament and call back the examination of thy cause in the hearing of men angels and devils Loosers must haue their sayings and the wicked their wordes for a season but The day of the Lord shall come wherein they shall bee forced to stand by and to hearken what the Lord shall say Iesus himselfe was here of the Rulers Priests of the people scarselie vsed as a Lord nay vsed like a traytor to Caesar like a sower of seditious doctrine like a superstitious conjurer in a worde like an of skouring of the world even as are his members but in this day hee will come as a LORD to whome al power in Heauen and Earth is given and they shall looke vpon him and his members mystical whome they haue pearced In the day of this life they would dominere and Lord it over him and his but now shall he and his Lord it over them In this day of the Lord Habel shal Lord it over Cain the * Matth. 2. slaughtered infants over the Fox Herod Lazarus ouer Dives In this day the Lord Iesus shal awake the mocking Atheist and let him knowe that there is a God that judgeth the earth The workers of iniquitie notwithstanding their preaching and casting out of Devils shall this day bee driuen from the societie of the faithfull and the face of Iesus Now the Lord wil examine how they haue * Mat. 25.24 fed and clothed the poore visited the prisoner and been mercifull vnto the distressed They shall in this day even every lippe-gospeller know what difference there is betwixt a dead faith or idle beleefe not working and a liuely Faith that bringeth foorth fruites of righteousnes and holinesse If they will not here in this life * Iam. 2.18 shewe their faith which is invisible by holy vvorkes which are visible then fear in that gret daye of our Lord to heare the sentence Depart from mee yee cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 Oh this shall bee a day of feare and horrour Our Lord shall bee vnto the wicked and vngodly the roaring Lyon of the tribe of Iudah but vnto the faithfull members of IESVS it shall be a day of solace and glorie for vnto them shall Christ be the meeke Lamb slaine from the beginning of the Worlde wiping away all teares from their eies setting them on his throane even as himselfe nowe sitteth on his Fathers throane so aeternize their felicitie vnto them for that shall be the Lords day Oh who will not beg with Lazarus now that he may glorie with Lazarus then who wil not now lay down the life of his bodie for an houre that so he may receiue of the Lord then life for yeares millions of yeares even for aeternitie of time beyond al time On the other side who will bee so madde to murther with Cain heere for satisfying
a sodaine momentaine lust and then bee damned to the pit of torment for ever who will be so mad as for sparing a little meate and drinke with the proud glutton from the needie to sell his body and soule to the Devill and the damnable pit for ever Oh foolish and vntoward fleshe of ours that remembers not this day this fearefull day to the workers of vnrighteousnes It is written of a certaine Ancient that he so lived as ever opening his eare and listening vnto the voice of the Angels trumpet that shuld cry Come come away vnto Iudgment If we would so liue as ever listening after the appearance of the Lord in this his day then assuredlie wee would not dare to rush into adulterie stealth and other prophanesses as we doe When thou art tempted to defile thy Neighbours bed to filtch away thy Neighbours goods to imprison or kill the innocent c. Then say thus within thy selfe Oh miserable man nowe the spirite of Hell with the bellowes of his malice is blowing and puffing vppe thy lustes to sette them on fire that so thy members may commit iniquitie this Sathan doeth to haue me damned with him If I followe the motion of this wicked spirit what gaine shal I therby win I shall satisfie my lust of vncleannes of filching of wrath of pride Oh but God hath damned that lust and set his curse vpon that work what if the terrible day of the Lord come as I am committing that sinne or if not howe shall I exspect Gods mercie vnto repentance after the doing of the sinne that knowes before hand that it is displesing vnto my God what is an howres plesure to fierie torments induring for ever why should I grieue God and cause the Devill to bee merrie thogh the great day of the Lord come not vppon me at this instant yet this day may be the day of my death then commeth my soules Iudgement shall I then hazard my soule nay shal I wittinglie commit it to the Devils seruice who is desirous to drawe me with himself vnto the black burning pit Thus debate with thy selfe then tell mee what pleasure thou canst take in sinning Oh Lord sweet Lord Iesus though this shal be a terrible day to the Atheist mocker and counterfeit Christian whose pleasure then endeth and whose endles pain and torture then beginneth yet vnto thy poore afflicted sonnes and daughters it shal be a day of glee and gladnes for then shall their dolour end and their never fading glorie beginne then shall the wicked be tormented in hell fire but thy people shall raigne in the beauteous heavens then shall the wicked be coupled and chained with the Devill and his Angels in the Iron bandes of thy wrath but thy sanctified members shall be * Iohn 3.2 like thee see thee as thou art wait vpon thee the Lambe whither soever thou goest Sweete Iesus sanctifie the consideration heereof vnto thy people that by the torture of the wicked the glorie of the godlie they may be drawn from sinne to serue thee in righteousnes and holines all the daies of their life But how shall this day come The Apostle hauing learned that of our Saviour Iesus what time hee preached vnto them the destruction * Mat. 24. of Ierusalem doth answer it shal come as a theefe in the night that is even as the theefe stealeth vpon a man in the night season vnawares to the housholder even in the time of his sleepe so shall this day of the Lord vnawares and sudenly come vpon the inhabitants of the earth ey our Saviour according to Lukes rehearsall saith that this day shall as a * Luk. 21.35 snare come on all them that dwell vppon the face of the whole earth that is even as the beast or bird not thinking of any danger neer is then vnawares caught in a snare so shall the dwellers on the earth sodainly without foreknowledge be arrested by the day of the Lord. Methinks to him that is content but to vnderstand according to sobrietie Rom. 12.3 another question and that a curious one is heerein answered Many demaund in what daye or in what yeare This great day of the Lord shall fall Of the houre and daye no professor of Christ dare define because our Saviour hath said plainlie * Matth. 24.36 Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heauen but my Father only but concerning the yeare some dare determine for say they though the houre and day be not reveiled in the word yet the year is clear lie vnderstood from Daniel 12. c. neither say they let it be marveled that the yeare should be pointed at considering the Devils had some foreknowledge of that time when they cried * Mat. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment vs before our time As also Elias plainlie fore-prophesied The World shall stand six thousand yeares and then it shal be consumed with fire And having determined the vttermost day to fall out Anno 1700. they then qualifie their judgment by saying that somthing of these times must be cut off from Mat. 24.22 c. To answer to all these things at large would require a peculiar treatise and it is bruited but I knowe it not of certaintie that * L. Chadderton M. of that Colledge one of Immanuel in Cambridge hath publikelie there confuted the opinion I therefore as I speak of it but by the way will therefore but by the way shape foorth this litle answere The shortning of the daies Matth. 24.22 is properlie spoken of the cutting of them troublous daies of miserie which came vpon Ierusalem what time the Romanes besieged it This may bee gathered from our Saviours words in the 15.16.17.18.19.20.21 verses aforegoing The people there are willed for avoiding them troubles to flee out of Iudea If them daies were ment of the daies immediatelie before the ending of the world to what end should hee speake of flying out of Iudea to what end should he will the people to make such haste in flying from house and substance and howe should it then bee better for such women as were not with child then for these that were except he ment that the first might with lesse paine and trouble flie away from the sworde of Titus and his souldiers as also from the sworde of the * Read Iosephus de bello Iud. Divided in the Citie why should he wish them to pray that these troubles might befall Iudea in the sommer rather than in the winter but that hee knewe that snowe and foule weather wold hinder the speedines of their flight Secondlie to cause our Saviour in DANIEL to giue foorth a limited yeare and then in the time of his fleshe to cut somewhat from that time even 12. yeares as some haue is to make Christ yea and nay which the Apostle PAVLE denieth 2. Corinth 1.19.20 as also a breaker of the Prophets which himselfe denieth Mat. 5.17
not on Lot himselfe so this Fire of wrath not of Correction shall parche the bodies of the wicked not of the Lordes people As the faithfull that carrie heere the Crosse of IESVS on their shoulders may heereby receiue just occasion of comfort and rejoicing so theeues adulterers murderers witches all that loue lies and vnrighteousnes may bee smitten downe and not haue wherewithall to be solaced After this daye the greate daye of deliverance saith PAVL * Rom. 8. Wee groane that haue the first fruites of the Spirite These that nowe groane not for this day as for the day of gaole deliverie they shall groane in that day as being the day of fearefull captivitie That gret day oh my God thou knowes I long after looking for litle rest till that day but after that day desireth not the man that hath not received the earnest pennie of thy spirit for here is his Heauen neither doth he exspect any good in that great day of fire Oh my God cause me to be ravished so stronglie with the memoriall of that daye as alwaies present to my eyes as I may not dare at any hand to cease preaching thy sacred worde nor for any worldlie maintenance to bee drawne to conceale any trueth from thy people Amen After this day of deliverie groane not onely wee that haue the first fruits of the spirit and the first fruits sanctifie the whole lumpe Rom. 11.16 but saith the blessed Apostle * Rom. 8.21 22. c. Every creature whether having onely being or being and moouing or being moouing and sence every of them groane togeather vvith vs and traueleth in paine for the presence of this great day that so they as well as wee may bee delivered from their bondage of corruption As by our sinne they became corrupted and so subject to rottennes stench impuritie c. falling togeather with vs so they shall rise and recover their pristine glorious estate but not till the day of our deliverance and therefore introduced groning togither with the Faithfull after the Last day As these creatures after a sort do groane vnder the burden of our sin so woe vnto man more sensles than a stone that cannot grone vnder the burden of his owne sinne rather adding sinne vnto sinne as though it were no burden These creatures in their kinde desire after this great day as for the adulterer theef murderer of bodies or souls or both they and all their companions of darknes desire there may neuer come such a day The Atheists beleeue not that there will be such a day as for them they shal need none other to testifie against them than stocks stones oxen asses neerer God than they are The consideration of whose blindnes insensibilitie causeth the Lord sometimes to turne away from men and crie out * Isa 1.2.3 Heare oh Heauens and hearken oh Earth justifying the Ox and Asse before them Against such the Lord will call the Heavens aboue and the Earth to judge Psalm 50.4 as being persons vnworthie to be judged by any but insensible and vnreasonable creatures because such Atheists are vnreasonable and sensles If the Heavens the earth whome I see not to be accessarie to Satan and Adam his sin except because the Satan might be made of the heavens nature as Adam of the earthlie and so the lumps should suffer with the Reasonable creatures formed out of them being once apostate If the heavens the earth role away and giue place at the appearance of our Lord how shal wicked sinfull man author of his own and their miserie how shal he appeare before him that sitteth vpon the white throane from whome shall proceede nothing but pure judgement and justice For in the daye of this fire the Iudge shall appeare in vnspeakable glorie his garment as white as snow his throane a fiery flame a streame of fire issuing before him and thousands of Angels round about him Oh beloued brethren this shall be the great day of deliverance for the Iudge appeareth to take vengeance on corruption and to glorifie sinceritie and righteousnes If any enquire Whether the creatures shall be delivered from their corruption before man have received his full and finall doome in the flesh I answere that point seemeth to me not very plaine from holy writ yet by some reasonable conjecture I easilie condiscend to this vz. That the Creatures shall first bee loosed from corruption First because before man was the creatures were existent and that * Genes 1. good every one of them As they were created for mans vse so ELOHIM wold not bring man into the wast world as into an emptie house but first furnished the temporarie mansion of the world with al necessaries and then brought man into the pallace of the world and the most pleasant chamber therein Eden that therein he might be exercised Nowe when as the creatures shal be restored to their former libertie I see not to what end but that the same may as in the order of first creation be first restored and then manifested to mankinde in the glorious act of judgment for the letting of him see howe good and glorious all thinges were before they were attainted and corrupted through mans sin And this may well be a preparation to the judgement or generall Session of Christ Iesus Neither seemeth this to bee contrary to blessed Iohn his words where he saith * Revel 20.11 c. I sawe a great white throne and one sitting thereon from whose face fled avvay the Earth and Heauen after which giuing place of the corruptible heavens and the earth he introduceth the dead and the opening of the books of judgment And if the * 2. Pet. 3.13 newe Heauens and new Earth wherein Righteousnes shal dwell be the Heavens and the Earth then restored then so much the more plaine it is That all the creatures vnder degree of reason and Angels and men are onely creatures Reasonable shall be loosed from their bondage corruption corruption giving place to him that sitteth on the throne and then be readie as it were to giue in verdict with the Faithfull that haue vsed them soberlie righteouslie as also to witnes against the wicked that vsed them intemperatlie vnholilie to the dishonor of the Creator Secondly I am rather induced to thinke that before all men haue received full and finall doome they shall see the other creatures restored to libertie as for the animating and lifting vp of the heades of the Elect so and that more specially for the tormenting of the heartes of the Reprobate who having seene the Creatures restored and beautified shall then vpon the books opening be not onely driven from the sweet behold of Iesus * Psal 1.5 from the glorious Assemblie of the Saintes but also from enjoying somuch as the very sight of the excellent creatures If any demaund vvhat shall become of these Creatures after once they be delivered from corruption bondage I answer repaire
the glory of God encompasseth them and not only that but they are filled with glorie and are made * 1. Ioh. 3.2 like vnto Christ in qualitie though not in quantitie seeing him as he is a glory beyond the conceit of man And therefore oh my soule here glut thee and be thou ravished in the spirite as was IOHN in Paetmos and bee content to contemplate that which neither thy hand can set down thy tongue vtter nor yet thy self look towards vntill thy flesh by strength of Gods spirit be humbled to the Earth ly as dead for giving further scope vnto the inner man Neither hauing contemplated profoundlie in the spirit shall thou attaine to the least period or jod of that glory a glory beyond the glittering shine of the Sun Moone starres for this must be endles as Christ himselfe is endles But vnto the goatish multitude and hypocriticall tares he shall say I vvas an hungred and ye gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drink I vvas a stranger and ye lodged me not naked and ye clothed me not sick and in prison but ye visited me not But as willing to cover their vnworking faith they shal say When did we see thee and not releeue thee The judge shall answere Verely I say vnto you in as much as yee did it not to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Depart therefore from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels Herevpon the Devils all workers of iniquitie shall go into everlasting paine as the former into life everlasting Oh the horrible noise and roarings of devils and men at this departure to the bottomles pit where the worme worse than a snake or viper shall gnawe every of them to the death yet not die The Lord his flayle and whippe of Scorpions shall nowe bruise and lashe them more fiercely then doth Iehouahs flayl the Heathen in the valley of Iehoshaphat for the first is but a part but this the fulnes of his wrath But as the shritchings howlings of the latter shall be immeasurable so the Singings of the former togeather with the glorious Angels shall be vnspeakable heavenly even a melody vnmatchable The Devil departeth with his mysticall black body and hellish corporation Christ ariseth togither with his glorious and mysticall body * 1. Cor. 15.24.28 nowe all his adversaries trampled vnder his feete and delivereth vp the kingdome to God the Father hee and his body thence standing subject vnto him that did subdue all things vnder him that God may be all in all First God and Christ is all one secondly Christ and the faithful are all one lastly the Father the Son and the Faithfull are all one according to our Sauiour his petition Iohn 17.20.21 c. And all this falleth out after an vnvtterable manner God first abasing himselfe by assuming our nature and lastly lifting vs vp vnspeakable high that so being like Christ wee may beholde the glory of the Father and bee one with God Neither thenceforth can the mysticall members of Christ fall away from their mysticall head more than Christ from his head the Father and the Father from himselfe Oh filthie flesh filthie lumpish flesh that savoureth not this mysticall Vnion glorious Com-vnion God as it were translated into man and man into God the Creator into a creature and the creature into the Creator Dy dy oh my flesh and be thou more and more vivified oh my spirit that I may be lifted vp beyond my selfe to see my selfe greater than my selfe Oh miserable wretch I am to sin against this God mercifull God that by his vncompassable wisedome hath provided that I a base worme should become one with God Oh my beloved brethren and sisters of England as also oh yee people of other Nations Considering all these things not onely the consumption of all by fire but especially the Accepting and Reiecting of soules immediatlie after vvhat maner of persons say I with Peter ought ye to be in holy conversation and godlines If the corruptible Heavens elements earth the works therein shal be vnable in their corruptible estate to apeare before that great and incorruptible Iudge how had ye neede while it is called To day to cast aside all filthinesse and superfluitie of wickednes that so you may with boldnes stand before that white Throne as though the Apostle woulde say do not your Consciences beare witnes that ye had neede to liue in pure conuersation and godlinesse and if your consciences do testifie that much puritie and holinesse is required at the handes of those that shal come before that Iudge then lest your owne consciences doe condemne you in that great day do labour more in holines of conversation towards man as also that such outward conversation may proceede from an heart inwardly affected with godlines The Apostle taking it for graunted that every mans conscience will make such answer to his demaund doth secretly even in the same demaund exhort vnto holy conuersation and godlines In deede no exhortation can in better time be vrged then when the conscience is convicted And oh thou Atheist whosoeuer thou be tel me if these things somtimes lye not at the doore of thy conscience as did * Genes 4.7 Cains sin at his door and giue thee a twitch bloody nip snarling at the banket of thy sinne as a Dogge vnder the table Oh thou Atheist that corroding of thy Conscience wil prooue the sculpture and ingrauement of thy sin in thy soule that so it may be visible to the eies of al the world in the great generall doome Awake therefore oh Atheist and all ye lovers of iniquitie and * Heb. 12.14 followe holines vvithout vvhich no man shall see the Lord. See him without holinesse they may as Satan the sheepherd of hell and his goats shall see him namely a fearefull and terrible Iudge every word of whose mouth shall wounde them as an envenomed arrowe but see the Lord to their comfort as shall lovers of holines they never snall and therefore as our Saviour saith * Matth. 5.8 The pure in heart are blessed for they shall see God as for the impure hearted they by the nature of contraries are accursed for they shall see the Devill Be not deceived God will not bee mocked as thou sowes thou shalt reape If thou reply Though I liue in vncleannesse Idolatrie witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath contentions seditions heresies envie murthers drunkennes gluttonie and such like yet I hope to be saved I answer and not I but PAVL They which do such things shall not inherite the kingdome of God Gal. 5.21 Christ will present man before his Father as he presented himselfe but * Heb. 9.14 hee presented himselfe without falt therefore he wil present man without falt If thou saiest I hope he will present me as a sonne to God Iohn maketh this answer