it Is there no remedy against this Evil nor defence against this Danger 2. The Evil is not in being judged but in going unprepar'd to Judgment This imminent danger hath an easy plain and safe remedy by the Grace of God And that is for a Man to judge himself often times before God judge him once for all Wouldst thou not be afraid of the Judgment nor of that dreadful Sentence Judge thy self before hand examine thy self before thou comest to be examin'd call thy self frequently to a strict account humble thy self amend thy Life and at the sight of thy Sins pray and weep and thou shalt go willingly to Judgment and come off safe with thy account Serve thy Judge love thy Judge and obey him in all things before he come to judge thee and thou shalt go contentedly to his Judgment and find thy Judge to be thy Friend 3. Consider that many Saints have desir'd that their Life might be shorten'd that their Death might be hasten'd and that they might come to Judgment thereby to enjoy God They desir'd to be dissolved and to leave this mortal Tabernacle They desir'd this knot of Life might be untied and to be free from the Prison of this miserable and corruptible Body to see their God their Creator and Redeemer whom they loved served and ador'd while they lived in this World They esteem'd Death as Life because it freed them from a dying Life which delay'd their enjoyment of an eternal Life 4. They could not pass to the beatifical Vision of their God without going by the way of the Judgment and Sentence They did as it were die with an eager desire of dying and joyfully embrac'd that Death which brought them to behold the kind the cheerful and beautiful Countenance of their loving Judge They knew they were to be judged by their Father their God their Creator and Redeemer their faithful Friend and their most gracious Lord. They loved him in their Life they sought him by their Death they ador'd him in the Judgment and with an humble confidence in his infinite Pity they hoped for Mercy in the Sentence They knew their offences were many but they had bewailed them they knew though they were Sinners they had lived desirous to please him diligent to serve him and with care not to offend him They knew they could not put their cause into better hands and that the same Person was to judge them who had shed his Blood for them and given his Life upon the Cross for their Redemption They went to offer their Works their Tears and their Repentance unto God yet without trusting any thing in their Works they relied wholly upon the Goodness of God and the Merits of their Saviour 5. For though it be just that the Judgments of the Lord should be fear'd yet it is as just that they should be loved My Father says the holy Soul is to judge me what am I then afraid of My Lord and my God is my Judge How can I choose but hope and trust in my Lord and my God though he be my Judge If he have a kindness for me and I have a reverence for him What can I look for in the Sentence but Mercy and Compassion What Son is afraid to be judged by his own Father if he hath not lived and acted as an Enemy to his Father or if he hath bewailed the time that he was his Enemy What Wife is afraid to be judged by her tenderly affectionate Husband if she hath not been an Adulteress or hath heartily lamented that Injury and penitently begged pardon of her dearly loving Husband What Friend is afraid to be judged by his Friend if he hath been faithful to him or hath shewed a real grief for the breach of his Fidelity Though I be afraid and wretched says a sick Soul I have been desirous to serve thee O my God thy Precepts have been my Direction and thy Counsels have been my Rule if not in the execution yet at least in my intention and earnest desire I hope for mercy from that eternal goodness of God my Creator and Redeemer who dyed upon a Cross for my Salvation He that was so gracious and so loving in Redeeming me cannot but be a sweet and tender Father in Judging me 6. These are the breathings of a Holy Soul Thus said St. Paul and many others when they desir'd to be dissolved that they might come to the presence of God and for the obtaining of that did not fear to put their Cause and Sentence into his hand They feared his Power and they adored his Power They were afraid by reason of their sins and yet they hoped knowing his mercy and loving-kindness Their love conquered their fear because their hearts were inflam'd with that perfect Charity which casts out fear And thus if thou doest desire to have a holy and assured hope humbly resign'd and yet chearful in the Judgment and in the Sentence do that which the Saints have done and thou shalt hope as they have hoped 7. Make account in thy life-time of that Account thou art to give hereafter I repeat it to thee once again keep a Judgment-seat within thy self every day till thou comest to thy last Judge thy self ten thousand times and consider in what steps thou treadest for according to what thou doest in this World thou shalt be judged in the other Strictly observe thy very thoughts and mend what thou shalt find amiss For by this means thou shalt increase that love which casts out fear Do thou judge thine own Actions before God judges them beg light of him to see and know them and tears to bewail them and so with a holy resignation and with an humble confidence thou mayest appear in the presence of God Take good heed to thy Words Thoughts and Actions and square them by the Rule of the Divine Law and of the Will of that Lord who is to Judge thee and strive in this Life to obtain Mercy and Pardon for thy Sins and Miseries 8. Be careful to purifie thy Understanding and to purge it from evil fill it with honest and spiritual Considerations cleanse thy will from corrupt Desires and fill it with the love of thy Creator Let thy Memory be the Store-house of Holy Meditations and then hope and trust love and adore the Judgment of the Lord. His goodness does more desire to Pardon thee than thou dost to be pardoned He is more desirous of thy Salvation than thou art to be saved He is more desirous to deliver thee from that Infernal Dragon than thou art to be delivered Be careful I warn thee once again on what hand thou livest in this life for on that hand thou shalt find thy self when Death carries thee from hence 9. Fear the Judgment of the Lord for it is very just so to do fear humble thy self and tremble but yet hope and be more afraid of the sins wherewith thou offendest him than thou art of his righteous Judgment
glorious promise which at Pentecost was verified He by his Omnipotency raised his Body from the Dead and enlivened it according to that Prediction of his Destroy this Temple and in three days I will build it up again What more pregnant evidence could possibly be afforded of his being the Son of God than this sublime Miracle This one would think were enough to conquer the most inveterate Infidelity and to banish the least doubt or suspicion of our Saviour's Divinity O my Soul do thou endeavour herein to resemble Christ As he died and rose again for thee so do thou die from Sin and rise again unto Righteousness and Newness of Life seeking those things that are above where Christ is ascended and praying to him to quicken thy sinful and earthly Heart with holy Desires and heavenly Affections That Infinite Power which did so solemnly triumph over Death and the Grave can much more easily roll away the Stone of a customary Sin and subdue and mortifie the most powerful Lust though of never so long continuance and enable thee to live henceforward to God in a careful observance of all Christian Duties which will at length bring thee to the end of thy Hopes to those Glories which being the Portion of Angels and Saints and the nearest Communications with God are infinitely above what we see for hear or understand After the Miracles of our Saviour succeed his Parables which way of Expression was abundantly useful and recommended it self chiefly upon this account That whatsoever was represented in this Figurative manner was apt to insinuate more closely and to work more powerfully upon the Affections Forasmuch as in this case the mind was not only addressed to by the meer dint of Reason but Truth was in a manner made Visible and set off in such lively Colours that the Imagination being Impregnated the Passions were easily carried along too Hereby also the memory was exceedingly fortified for such things as we feel and see or which our Imaginations have an express Image of and our Affections relish those things always stick by us And further this way of Parables which our Saviour made so frequent use of in many cases came more home to Mens Consciences and carried more Conviction than any other more express and direct way of speaking And had it not been that the Jews were filled with Intollerable Prejudices against him they must of necessity have had his Wisdom in great Veneration For though under his Parables were hid mysterious Senses yet they were not so mysterious but that they were easily intelligible to Minds unprejudiced honest and desirous of Instruction The Truth shines through the Veil and the Shadow does itself guide to the Body and Substance How excellently did our Lord represent the great Efficacy of Repentance under the Gospel-state and its acceptableness with God from the vilest Sinners under the Parable of the Prodigal Son The Pharisees who were hardened in Infidelity for the sake of this Doctrine accounted him a Friend of Vicious and Lewd Persons They knew that the Law gave hopes of Pardon only to some smaller Offences excluding all great and notorious Offenders and shutting them up under Wrath and they not being elevated above this literal Dispensation would not believe that God would exercise Mercy upon any other Terms than what he therein proclaimed and therefore our Saviour Preaching Repentance and giving hopes of Pardon to the greatest Sinners upon condition of an hearty and thorough Reformation these demure Hypocrites were offended and insinuated a suspicion of our Saviour That he was a favourer of wicked Persons In answer to this unjust Imputation and to silence the murmuring of these hard-hearted Jews our Saviour makes use of this Parable with two others of the like nature wherein he plainly sets forth this great Doctrine and shews that as it is the common course of Men to express most Joy upon the recovery of any thing lost so God to whom the Souls of Men are infinitely valuable is highly pleas'd with the recovery of lost Sinners and upon their returning to him will mercifully accept them as the Indulgent Father here embraced his returning Son who had been so long engaged in the most wild Extravagancies and in the greatest Disobedience to his Paternal Authority O the merciful Compassion of God to Mankind O Love that surpassest all Understanding That the worst of Sinners should be received into favour and be made capable of Pardon only by repenting of their Wickedness and being sorry for their Sins In another Parable to wit that of the Talents how forcibly does our Lord instruct us in the Duties of Industry Diligence and Spiritual Husbandry How plainly does he teach us the necessity of improving those Gifts and Graces which God communicates to us for that purpose and to encrease those Talents which he entrusts us with and which he will call us to an account for how we have used them and what we have gained by them He sets before us the Reward of a careful employing of them to the Uses designed and the Punishment of a neglectful management of them Those that had gained by their Talents were pronounced good and faithful Servants and commanded to enter into their Masters Joy but he that had hid his Talent in the Earth and made no advantage of it was branded with the infamous name of wicked and slothful Servant and commanded to be cast into outer Darkness In like manner God will require an account of us how we have used all those Gifts and Endowments which he has bestowed upon us whether they be Goods of Fortune or of Grace We are mistaken if we think them given meerly for our sakes Have we the Blessing of a plentiful Fortune God entrusts us therewith to make us capable to do good and to relieve the necessities of our poor Brethren and unless we thus use it it will prove a Curse to us Are we favoured with extraordinary Endowments of Mind It is that we may instruct the Ignorant and employ them to the Glory of God and to the good of others which are destitute of so great a benefit Is God pleased to infuse his Grace into our Hearts it must then be our daily endeavour to grow therein and to add one Vertue to another We must faithfully employ and husband the first beginnings to the end that we may obtain still greater degrees God will Reward or Punish us according to the good or ill Employment of his Goods which he makes us Stewards of If we give diligence to add to those Talents of whatsoever nature they be which he deposits with us then no doubt God will honour us with the Title of faithful Servants and abundantly recompense our Industry but if through Idleness and Sloth we so employ our Talents as to bring in no gain to our Lord we must expect nothing but that dismal Sentence denounced against the slothful Servant Cast ye the unprofitable Servant into outer darkness there
in excessive apprehension of their own unworthiness which has been the Case of some very devout Souls whose Faith hath failed more out of the Timerousness of their own Nature than through any distrust of God's Mercy or of their Saviour's Merits 10. Would'st thou than escape from both these dangers Consider seriously the Shortness of Life and the Certainty of Death that the time of it when come can by no means be prolonged that the Place Manner and Time is utterly unknown to thee that it will come like a Thief in the Night that we can die but once and if we do it ill there is no second time to do it better that as the Tree falleth so it lieth Examine which way it would fall with thee if it should now be cut down Let these thoughts fill thee with the holy Fear of God's Justice which will keep thee from the Gulph of Presumption Bring forth Fruits of Repentance and entertain an humble Hope of God's Mercy whereby thou shalt avoid the Rock of Despair and looking up to Jesus the Author and Finisher of thy Faith with the Arms of that Faith lay fast hold upon the Merit of his Cross and so shalt thou pass safely into the Haven of everlasting Happiness Let not Life deceive thee but let Death undeceive thee See what St. Austin says The Sinner that would not when he might is not able when he would and being asked the Reason he answers Because by his affection to what was evil he lost the power of doing what was good A Man that has spent a whole Life in sinning will not find it easie to die repenting he whose Life is departing and Death seizing on him is but in an ill condition to grieve for his Sins he is not like to lament and bewail his offences which are hastening on his Death it being more probable his Sorrow will then be for the Loss of his Life In that terrible moment the Sinner will want Time he will want Disposition he will want Understanding and all things fitting for that weighty Business and will abound in nothing but Pain Terrour Anguish and Confusion The Third WEEK The dreadful Call of God to the Sinner that defers Repentance till his Death MEN want time to repent because God justly takes it from those that have so long abused his Mercy and gone on delaying their Repentance to such a time as is rather to be called a Moment than a Time Thou hast provoked my Anger says God to the Sinner thou hast forsaken and cast me off during thy whole Life How can'st thou expect to find me kind and loving to thee at thy Death I gave thee the best time and thou givest me the worst Doest thou think it is so easie to regain that best time which thou didst despise with the worst and in the worst till which thou hast delayed to use it When I gave thee Light and Strength thou imployedst it to persecute me and will it be easie for thee without Strength and without Light to seek me and to find me Is it all one thing O presumptuous Sinner whether thou offendest or pleasest me I have called upon thee and wooed thee with many gracious Invitations and with innumerable Benefits ever since thou camest into the World Is it enough for thee having despised them all and wounded me with thy Ingratitude to come to me when thou art just going out of it And canst thou expect that I will then receive thee If thou art rejected then O sinful Man the Fault will not be mine but thine own If the business of thy whole Life has been nothing but a wilful provocation of my Anger Can there be any thing more unreasonable than at thy Death to expect my Favour Is the Grace of Contrition in thy own Power whensoever it pleases thee Wilt thou be able to do that in the instant of Death which thou could'st not do in so many Years of thy Life Wilt thou be able to do that with a disturbed Judgment and a confused Understanding which thou never didst attempt nor wouldst ever learn while thy Understanding and Judgment were clear and found If the whole Custom of thy long Life has been nothing else but sinning canst thou O Man be so sensless as to look that the end of such a wretched Life should be merit and reward How canst thou hope to die a Saint having ever lived a scandalous Sinner If so many repeated acts of Sin have begot in thee a powerful Habit and an inveterate Custom of despising me Which way wilt thou begin to overcome that Custom when thy Life is at an end If thou hast spoken but one Language all thy Life wouldst thou go about the learning of another quite contrary to it in the Moment of thy Death 2. So long as thou didst live in health thou never wert acquainted with sorrow for sin nor knewest what it was to be contrite and penitent will it be easie for thee to learn and practice these things when thou art going out of the World to which thou wert so averse all the time of thy being in it If thou hast spent it all in the deceits and entanglements of sensual Delights How wilt thou be able to get loose from them and free thy self in that short instant when thy Soul is to be separated from thy Body If then thou wouldst leave them they will not leave thee thou holdest them fast and they stick as fast to thee How will you then get loose from one another Canst thou be willing to leave that at thy death which thou never wouldest forsake nay which thou didst ever run after and hug with so much fondess all thy life I shall be willing to pardon thee O Man but thou wilt not be able to ask me pardon the fault will not be in me O Sinner but in thy self 3. Thou wouldst never think of Death much less think how to dye and then thou wilt not know which way to beg for Pardon because thou wouldst never endeavour to learn and that time must then be spent in dying which ought to be spent in bagging forgiveness Thou wilt not be able because thy Will disturbed with fears will fail thee thy Understanding will be darken'd with Anguish thy Memory afflicted with Sins thy Senses dulled and decayed with a mortal Sickness and finally all thy abilities will be meer disabilities Thou hast wasted all thy life as if there were never to be a death and therefore thou wilt not have power to repent thee at thy death which is the death of Eternal Life Thou never in all thy life didst remember that there is a Hell and therefore at thy death thou wilt either forget it or else be so prest with the fear of going thither that thou wilt not be able to pour down Tears nor send up Prayers to escape it Thou hast lived without Judgment as if there were to be no Judgment without calling thy self to Account as if
Thy fear of his Judgment is so great because that of thy Sins is so little Thou livest in a course of wickedness and committest thy wickedness with boldness and even with greediness and then thou art afraid to be judged and that is because thou art to be justly condemned But thy chief and principal fear ought to be that of offending so severe a Judge and thy chief and principal hope ought to be that of being judged by so indulgent and so loving a Father It is the part of an unfaithful Servant not to dare appear before his Master's face and though he fears him yet he does not love him But a good Servant is glad to come to the Presence of his Master Every Call of his is a joy to him every Command a comfort and he runs chearfully to wait upon him at every knock but an evil Servant is afraid to see him because he was not afraid to offend him 10. Every sin thou committest unless thou repent of it is a rigorous Sentence against thy self every guilty action and every wilful transgression is a Criminal Article whereof thou accusest thy self at that Tribunal How is it possible for thee not to tremble and dread the Judgment and thy Account in the other Life if thou livest without Judgment and without Account in this Repent therefore pray and weep love and serve thy Judge here that thou mayest find him kind gentle and gracious hereafter He is a Judge that suffers himself to be gain'd in this life therefore use means to win his favour before he comes to Judge thee in his anger for thy having slighted and neglected to get his favour when thou mightest have done it Tremble with apprehension to see him in his wrath who may yet be appeased by the means I have shewed thee and who being reconciled first fills the Penitent's Soul with transports of his Love and after with those Joys and Pleasures which are at his right hand for evermore The Fourth WEEK Of the Vniversal Judgment at the end of the World 1. I AM something comforted with your Discourse says the Penitent but I have heard dreadful things of that great Day when all Mankind must rise to Judgment that horrible Trumpet which makes even the Dead to hear how much more the deaf does also make the heart to tremble and confounds the senses with amazement It is no wonder indeed that thou shouldst be dismayed at that which affrighted St. Hierome and very many other holy Men thou mayest very well tremble at that which they were afraid of 2. Who can choose but fear and tremble to see the whole Creation destroyed by the Creator of it and all the World consumed by his powerful hand Who can choose but fear the Signs which fore-run that Judgment those terrible Earth-quakes and horrible roarings of the Sea Who would not fear to see the Elements those preservers of Life to become its furious Enemies and fighting with one another to become the Ministers of Death Who can choose but fear to see the confusion of Mankind some calling on the Rocks to hide them others upon the Darkness to cover them all being full of terror and astonishment to see all sorts of miseries come together to bring our Nature to an end Who can choose but fear to see the Sun covered with a deadly Vail his light obscured that of the Moon extinguished the Stars also falling from their places and overwhelming the Generations of Men. Nothing to be heard but publick Complaints and Lamentations Cries Sighs and Groans nothing to be seen but Fears Dangers Losses Miseries and Confusions 3. Can any one choose but be affrighted to see the dead rise again by God's Command at the sound of that horrible Trumpet to take up the consumed and scattered pieces of their Body to cloath themselves therewith and each one unite it to his Soul that he may appear at the dreadful Judgment-seat of God waiting for the Sentence either of Eternal Life or of Eternal Death Who can choose but be amazed with fear to see the Almighty cloathed in Majesty to come down with the Court of Heaven armed with Justice to be exercised against sin and wickedness Who would not be dismayed to see the Creator hurle flames of fire against all he hath created to see Houses and Cities Palaces and Kingdoms burnt together and finally to see the whole World destroyed in that cruel and dreadful Conflagration Who would not even dye with fear to see so many Angels and so many Devils together divided from one another on the right hand and on the left expecting the word of Sentence to be put in execution The Angels carrying the good to Eternal Joys and the Devils dragging the wicked to Eternal Torments 4. How is it possible not to fear a Tribunal so dreadful a Judgment so terrible and a Sentence so formidable from whence there is no Appeal and the Execution whereof is either Life Eternal or Death Eternal for ever for ever for ever so that they shall know no end of that ever ever ever My Soul is astonished and amazed in the consideration of the Universal Judgment It is dismayed to think and to imagine all this which is but as a Dream thus represented to us in writing in comparison of what it will be and of what we shall see it in effect 5. Grant O Lord that I may tremble bewail lament and sigh deeply for my sins and wickednesses before I hear that killing Sentence pronounced against them by thy Divine lips Grant that my Tears and Repentance my Sorrow and Contrition may make my polluted Soul fit to be washed and purified by thy most precious Blood to the end I may never hear that confounding word Go ye cursed into eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels 6. O give me grace to imitate the Martyrs in Faith the Confessors in Hope and the Blessed Virgin thy most holy Mother and all the rest of the Saints in Charity to the end I may hear that most sweet and most welcome call of Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world 7. Oh that I had never offended thee my dearest Lord that I might not see thee offended Oh that I had ever served thee that I might see thee appeased Mercy sweet Saviour mercy in this Life that I may find it in the Judgment and in the Sentence of the Life to come Prepare me O Lord Jesus for my particular Judgment that I may be able to stand in thy Universal Judgment Have mercy upon me when thou shalt Judge me alone to the end thou mayest have mercy upon me when thou shalt Judge me and all the World together O grant I may live with such care to judge and call my self to an Account in this Life that the remembrance of that other which I must one day give to thee and my earnest endeavour to make my self ready for it may
as strong and effectual as it was then Grace does not grow old but continues the same or rather increases Strive then fight and persevere for he that without Grace is but meer weakness may by it become a powerful Conquerour The Second WEEK Of the Glory of the Blessed THough the former Doctrine was sad and disconsolate I hope this last has chear'd and comforted thee We must still walk between hope and fear for the doubt of fear restrains us and the light of hope sets us forward To facilitate the way of the Spirit is good and sound Counsel and of possible performance for it is made easie by Grace and therefore a Christian ought not to be afraid of it but to facilitate Salvation and to make it consistent with a loose and licentious Life to make it attainable without seeking Heaven in good earnest without Repentance and Contrition through Grace and without conquering the Passions and banishing them from the Soul to make it easie I say to be sav'd that way is a most plain Fallacy and dangerous Deceit St. Paul tells us That through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore the steps that lead to Glory are Tribulations And believe me even so it is purchased at a very cheap rate for all we can suffer in this Life full of Miseries is not worthy of the Glory that shall be revealed which he obtains who suffers willingly for God What can our Sufferings be in comparison of those Enjoyments How light are they all in respect of the eternal weight of Glory What an inexpressible Happiness must it be to see ones self admitted to be one of the Citizens of the Coelestial Jerusalem to see ones self in the ravishing Company of Saints and Angels to see ones self with the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Virgins to see all those Just and Holy Spirits singing Hymns and Praises to the Glory of God And yet all this is less though unspeakably great than to see the holy Humanity of our Lord that gracious Countenance those Divine Eyes whose brightness darkeneth the Sun and enlightens all the Creatures those Hands and Feet and that pierced Side from whence as Blood heretofore there now comes forth the Splendour of Glory the Stream of Grace the Joy and Comfort of all the Saints And still this is less than to see God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost Three Persons in One Essence the beginning and the end of all Creatures that ineffable Mystery which exceeds all created Understandings before whom all the Angels and Saints prostrate themselves in Adoration This is that which amazes the Pen and humbles the highest Meditations in contemplation whereof the most lofty Cherubims and Seraphims lose themselves not being able fully to comprehend it From this Fountain and Original of Divinity and Goodness proceed all the Felicities of those holy Citizens in that Triumphant Jerusalem from that Source of Joy and Delights flow all their Delights and Pleasures from that Infinite Omnipotent and Supream Essence which is Incomprehensible in all it's Attributes springs the Original Glory of the Blessed All their Power and Being arises from his Power and Being The sight of that Goodness that Wisdom and Charity is the cause of theirs From that Light proceeds their Light Only to see one of his Attributes whether his Goodness Justice or Mercy though 't is impossible to see any one of them without seeing the rest is enough to give inexpressible Glory to all the Creatures What a blessedness also is it to turn the Eyes upon the Order and Beauty of that whole Coelestial Court To see the Martyrs crown'd with Ensigns of their own Valour to see the Holy Confessors adorn'd with their Vertues to see the Virgins with their Palms and Crowns only to see the Order wherein they are rank'd and wherewith they Adore and Praise the Lord to see the Nine Quires of Angels with the Three admirable Hierarchies only to see the great number of beatified Souls and Spirits every one in his Place and Employment serving their Creator and the Author of all their Happiness with unspeakable Contentment What a wonderful and high Felicity is this Then what Peace what Contentment what Joy what Quiet what Sweetness what Union what Conformity what Ardent love of God and of his Creatures is there in that blessed City Finally wouldst thou see what Heaven is Look what all the Delights of this World are freed from any mixture of Disgust and thou shalt find that in respect of them they are but Pains and Torments Think what it is to hear the sweetest Voices to smell the sweetest Perfumes and to enjoy whatever can delight the rest of the Senses think of an Heart full of Joy and Contentment an Understanding with all the Powers of the Soul fill'd with all the Delights and Pleasures that this World can afford it is all but Sadness and Affliction Pain and Anguish in the highest degree in comparison of those Eternal Joys Wouldst thou know what Glory is Then consider who it is that gives it to the Saints Think how Infinite the Power of God is it 's his Power that gives that Glory Think how Infinite is his Wisdom 't is that Wisdom which gives that Glory Think how Infinite is his Goodness 't is that Goodness which gives that Glory If then an Infinite Power an Infinite Wisdom and an Infinite Goodness joyn together to give Glory what must that Glory be which is the effect of such a Power of such a Wisdom and of such a Goodness If God gives to every one of his Saints in his just proportion according to his Love his Power and his Wisdom what Riches shall he give who is infinitely Rich What Wisdom and Light shall he give who is Infinitely Wise And what Joy shall he give who is Infinitely Good and Happy If the necessitous Person measures his hopes by the Power and Hand of the Liberal what shall the Joy be that is given by an Infinite Power which is willing to give that which is Infinite Wouldst thou see what Joys those are which God will give to the Blessed in Heaven Think how great the Punishments are that are inflicted upon the Damned in Hell If those are so sharp and intolerable for the pain of them to the wicked how sweet and superabundant will be the Enjoyments of the good Though his Justice and his Mercy are Essentially equal yet in the effects his Mercy is greater than his Justice for he punishes in Hell less than Sinners deserve and rewards in Heaven more than the Saints deserve What Glory shall he give in Heaven who punisheth so terribly in Hell with everlasting Fire Wouldst thou see the Joys which he confers upon the Elect who serve him in this Life Think what he suffered for them and what he did to save them If he gave his Blood and Life upon the Cross for the bad as well as for the good
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Another most useful and profitable Doctrine is taught us in the Parable of the Ten Virgins going forth to meet the Bridegroom which is that of Vigilance or Watchfulness and a timely preparation for Death and Judgment As the exact time of the Bridegrooms coming was unknown to them so is our latter end to us And as the Door was shut against the foolish Virgins and they excluded from the Marriage for their unpreparedness at the Bridegrooms coming so the Door of Mercy will for ever be shut upon us if we suffer ourselves to be surpriz'd by Death without making a due preparation for it The coming of the Lord to Judgment will be as a Snare on all them that dwell on the Face of the whole Earth Let us Watch therefore and Pray always that we may be found worthy to stand before the Son of Man We are likewise taught to pray instantly and perseveringly by the Parable of the Importunate Widow whom the unjust Judge that feared not God nor regarded Man did yet condescend to avenge of her Adversaries meerly because of her Importunity and constant Entreaties that he might not be wearied by her continual coming If this unjust Judge could by this means be mov'd to do right and to hearken to the Petition of the oppressed Widow How much more will God hear thy Prayers if thou continuest instant in soliciting his Divine Majesty If at the first thy requests be not granted yet cease not thy Addresses nor give over praying but contend and wrestle as it were with God till thou gainest a hearing God loves such an holy Violence First see that the matter of thy Petitions be just lawful and convenient and then thou mayest be sure to obtain them or something better if thou perseverest with Faith and Patience Another most necessary Duty is very strongly enforc'd in the Parable of the King which would take Account of his Servants I mean the Duty of forgiving Offences and Injuries When he began to reckon with them one was brought to him which owed him ten thousand Talents but being utterly uncapable of ever discharging so vast a Debt he fell down before his Lord and with great Humility and Earnestness entreated him to have patience with him whereupon he freely forgave him the whole Sum. But this same Servant afterwards severely exacting a far less considerable Debt of an hundred Pence of one of his fellow-servants and notwithstanding all entreaties casting him into Prison till Payment should be made his Lord thus expostulates with him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst me shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had pity on thee And his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the Tormentors till he should pay all that was due to him This is our case as the Servant's Debt to his Master was great and important and that of his fellow-servant to him but trivial and inconsiderable So our Offences against God are infinite and of a provoking Nature and the Injuries of our fellow-Creatures to us are but few and of small importance if therefore we desire God to pardon our hainous and often-repeated sins against him how can we refuse to pardon the petty and small Affronts of our Brethren With what Modesty canst thou who denyest to forgive thy Brother one single Trespass expect that God should forgive thee ten thousand Or how canst thou hope for the Mercy of God who art most cruel and unmerciful to others Revenge as it is an unchristian Principle so it tends directly to unqualifie us for forgiveness and is uncapable of the least rational defence for no man ever did or can forgive his Neighbour so many Provocations and Offences as he himself has need to be forgiven by God which is an eternal Reason and Motive to incite us to the exercise of Charity and Mercy and cannot fail to work upon ingenuous and considering Minds Can there be a greater Argument devis'd to make us easie and willing to pardon Offences than the consideration of that absolute necessity we our selves stand in of God's Pardon without which we must eternally perish Especially since our Saviour has plainly revealed to us that unless we from our hearts forgive every one his Brother their Trespasses our Heavenly Father will not forgive us our Trespasses Consider this attentively and thou canst not but perceive the great unreasonableness and sinfulness of Revenge Think seriously how much thou dependest upon the Mercy of God for thy Salvation and then thou wilt not fail to be merciful to thy Brethren Finally see what an infinite multitude of sins must be forgiven thee by God if thou escapest Damnation and thou wilt find great cause to pass by without the least thoughts of Revenge all the Injuries and Wrongs that can possibly be done thee by thy Fellow-Creatures And many more useful Doctrines may we find couch'd under these Figurative Speeches and Parables which our Saviour delivered Thus by the Parable of the Tares permitted to grow amongst the Wheat he intimated the Toleration of Dissenting Opinions not destructive of Piety or Civil Societies By the three Parables Of the Seed growing insensibly of the grain of Mustard-seed growing up to a Tree and of a little Leven qualifying the whole Lump he signified the increase of the Gospel and the Blessing of God upon the Apostolical Sermons By the Parable of the Sower scattering his Seed by the way-side some on stony some on thorny and some on good Ground he intimated the several Capacities and Indispositions of mens hearts the carelesness of some the frowardness and levity of others the easiness and softness of a third and how they are spoil'd with Worldliness and Cares and how many ways there are to miscarry and that but one sort of Men receive the Word and bring forth the Fruits of an Holy Life Thus plentifully did the Saviour of Souls provide for the winning of mens hearts or else if they were Stubborn and Contumacious and would not be wrought upon for the hardening of them by such pleasing Discourses which to pursue in particular were endless for Without a Parable spake he not unto them The Second WEEK The Eve of the Passion NOW it will be needful for thee to prepare thy Mind for great Tribulations because thou drawest near the Passion of our Lord whose Holy Imitation is the Joy and the Glory of Suffering How well does a Souldier fight seeing the Courage of his General How well the Subject in the sight of his King that is ready to lose his Life for him The Disciple is not to be above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. The Son is not to fare better than his Father nor the Creature better than his Creator Embarque thy self in the vast Gulf of thy Saviour's Passion In that Stormy Sea of his Sufferings thou wilt sail more safely than in the Haven of thine own