For then thy conscience will accuse and lay to thy charge euery one of them in order Thou hast set my misdeeds before me and my secret sins in the sight of thy countenance saith Dauid Againe in the heart of man what anger what enuy what malice lurke therein and they passe it ouer and thinke it no matter Well know beloued that vnlesse you repent of the very thoughts of the hearts euen these things will be found written in the bookes at the day of Iudgement and what a lamentable thing will that be 2. Our thoughts Secondly as conscience is priuie to all our thoughts and wil accuse vs of them at the day of Iudgement so all our speeches are noted therein What a number of wicked speeches passe out of the mouth of wicked and vaine men and women what horrible and blasphemous oathes what cursed speaking lying and slaundering Now a wicked person that thus abuseth his tongue so many thousand times in a day he cannot for his life remember them VVell know that euerie sinnefull word thou speakest is written in this booke there it is recorded and when this Booke of thy conscience shall be opened it will discouer all thy sinnes not onely thy filthy thoughts but euery wicked word Our Sauiour tels vs Mat. 12.36 that we must giue an account of euery wicked word at the day of â—udgement For though men labour to forget them yet they are written in their consciences one day shall come to iudgement O how this should awaken vs all and cause vs to looke vnto our liues to make a couenant with our eyes as Iob did and to set a watch before our mouths as Dauid did and to lay aside our vaine oathes and idle mirth which as Salomon saith cannot want iniquitie seeing one day they must all of them come to iudgement 3 Our workes Thirdly if we come vnto the liues of men and women why alas they bee nothing almost but a continuall practise of sin as the sinnes of mens liues they bee innumerable euen as the Sands on the Sea shore Now though mens liues abound with so many thousand sinnes yet we see man perceiues not nor knowes not one quarter of his sinnes It may be hee knoweth some but alas they forget the greatest part of them But yet they be all written in this booke of thy Conscience and they shall all come to Iudgement When these Bookes shall bee read then all thy sinnes shall be made manifest though neuer so secret for thy Conscience doth marke them all and pen them downe against this day of account Now seeing what is meant by this booke our Conscience and likevvise what bee written in them euen all our thoughts words and workes let vs come to see what vse wee are to make of this Doctrine first Hence first of all wee may obserue the endlesse loue and mercie of our God towards vs foretelling euery Vse 1 one of vs novv of the opening of these Bookes that our consciences shall be layd open these Bookes vnclasped and all our thoughts words and works must come to iudgement Surely it is to this end and purpose that we might preuent the danger that is to come and labour to keep a good conscience washed and purged in the bloud of Christ that it may not lay to our charge any one sinne but assure vs that we are in the fauor of God Vse 2 Secondly we see here that it is not enough for a man or a woman to abstayne from euill wordes and workes but euill thoughts likewise the very lust of the heart Paul complaines of this Rom. 7. and Peter bids Simon Magus to repent and pray Actes 8. if perhaps the thoughts of his heart might be pardoned I doubt not but the children of God are carefull ouer their very thoughts For a wicked carnal man may abstaine from some grieuous sinnes But it is a note of the true childe of GOD to repent of his euill thoughts and to be carefull ouer them Thirdly seeing euery mans Vse 3 conscience is this booke and euery mans sin is penned downe therein we may see the wofull misery of all those that haue defiled consciences filthy and vncleane hearts For looke how their consciences doe accuse them euen so will God condemne And hauing not repented of their sinnes they carry a tormentor within them namely a guilty and an accusing conscience which is their Iudge to condemne them and their hell to torment them Vse 4 Fourthly seeing the bookes must be opened and euery mans conscience must come to scanning because sentence shall passe and iudgement shall bee awarded accordyng to the things written in euery mans conscience How should this cause vs all both Minister and people to labour to get a good conscience If thy conscience be good thou shalt not faile to bee blessed if thy conscience be filthy and polluted thou art accursed The mean to get a good conscience And therefore it should bee our chiefest care our chiefest study and our chiefest desire all our life time to keepe a good conscience Now if you aske how is it possible to get a good conscience I answere for the getting and keeping of faith and a good conscience we must know that it is done by the vse of the word of God Ioh. 17. Sanctifie them by thy Trueth Thy word is the Trueth All graces of Gods spirit are wrought by his word But that wee may get a good conscience we must First repent of all our sinnes wee must know by the Lawe of God what is sin what is not Secondly we must know the heauie curse of GOD euen for sinne that the reward of sinne is death eternall both of Bodie and Soule For men doe by nature blesse themselues in their sinnes and though we heare of Gods Iudgements against sin yet whose heart is touched and troubled Thus men runne on still in sinne and feare nothing They meane well they say but yet liue ill and thinke all is well Thirdly til we see what sinne is and then see the curse of God due to sinne we shall neuer seriously try our consciences and see how our sins haue wounded them that so we may repent vs of sinne Fourthly we must be grieued for our sinnes wee must acknowledge and confesse them begging for pardon of them and to hunger and thirst after Christ Iesus For there is nothing that can purifie the conscience and quiet the heart but onely the bloud of Iesus Christ applied to our soules by Faith with perswasion of the forgiuenesse of them Marke heere then beloued when a man is thus humbled for his sinnes and beggeth the pardon of them earnestly with sighes and groanes then will the Lord send downe into his soule his blessed Spirit to assure vs of gods mercy of the pardon of our sinnes that our wounds in conscience are healed and this is done by the meanes of Faith Acts 15.9 which purifies the conscience Hereby we
and by certaine markes and testimonies in our owne hearts to prooue that we are in the number of Gods Elect. For as Salomon saith Pro. 27.19 As water sheweth face to face Euen so the heart sheweth man to man Euen as a glasse sheweth what a mans face is so will a mans heart and conscience shew what man is in the sight of God Then if you would now know whether your names be written in the Booke of Life that is whether you bee the elect of God and heires of eternall Life you must now enter into your owne soules 2 Cor. 13 proue your selues and you shal certainly know whether you shall bee saued or damned For if thou finde in thee the true marks and notes of Gods childrē thou needest not feare but that thy name is in this Booke and thou shalt certainely be saued But as for wicked and prophane men and women that make no conscience of sinne they shall in spite of their teeth vpon this examination sing the dolefull tune I am a damned sinner I know not what will become of my poore soule at the day of Iudgement And therefore that we might in some measure trie our selues and iudge whether we be in this booke and so shall be saued let vs search out of the holie word of God some certaine marks of Gods children The first marke whereby we may know whether we be elect or not is the inward testimony and witnesse of Gods spirit Rom. 8.15 Yee haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but ye haue c. Whereby Saint Paul tells vs that wicked and vngodly sinners which haue not the spirit of God to guide them but liue in sinne they haue onelie the spirit of Bondage they haue no tru peace in their souls but they that be the children of God haue the Spirit of Adoption who seales vnto our harts the assurance of our adoption and election and doth make it knowne vnto vs that we are the Sonnes of God For his Spirit doth witnesse to our spirits that we are the Sonnes of God Romans 8.16 And that no man might deceiue himselfe and thinke hee hath the testimonie of GODS Spirit when hee hath it not Saint Paul giueth vs two most excellent notes to know whether wee haue the testimonie of GODS Spirit yea or not It maketh vs crie Abba Father Where the Spirit of God doth witnesse to any mans soule that hee is the childe of God It will make him cry to God and euen fill heauen and earth with crying and teares with sobbes and sighes for the pardon of his sins And hee which hath not this in him that hee cannot crie vnto GOD for pardon of his sinnes this man can not truely assure himselfe that hee is the Childe of God And though men say they hope to be saued yet alas they seldome or neuer pray vnto God for the pardon of their sinnes Secondly if wee finde the testimony of GODS Spirit that wee are the children of God It will make vs not onely to bee earnest with God for pardon of our sinnes but it will make vs cry Abba Father that is it will make vs beare the tender affection of a duetifull childe so as we shall be afraide to offend so louing a Father And therefore all those which delight in sinne and are not afrayde to offend GOD Surely they can find no assurance that they be the children of God And therefore if you desire to be assured that the names be in this Booke labour to finde this testimony of Gods Spirit to witnesse vnto your Soules that you belong vnto God and labour to be earnest in prayer vnto God for that is a speciall worke of Gods Spirit 1. Cor. 2.12 The second means whereby we may know whether our names be written in the Booke of Life is by the word of GOD. For the word of God tells vs whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesu shall be saued But the childe of God hearing this promise opened and applied by the Ministerie of Gods word is able to say I beleeue and am able to apply this promise to my selfe For no man hath faith but hee knoweth that hee hath it and therefore can say seeing I beleeue with all my heart surely I know I shall be saued Thirdly besides the blessed testimony of Gods Spirit which cannot deceiue and the witnes of the word of GOD wee may know our election by the fruits and effects thereof As wee say a man is aliue so long as we see him breathe and can iudge of the Tree by the fruits Euen so by the effects of Election wee may know whether our names be in the Booke of Life or not Now the fruites of Election bee set downe by the Holie-Ghost that al men might be able to examine and try themselues and know whether they bee ordayned to Life or not Whom GOD predestinated Rom. 8.30 them also hee Called and whom he Called them also he Iustified and whom hee Iustified them also he Glorified Where we may beholde the markes of our Election For all that be elected to Life Eternall and bee written in this Booke they are first called secondly iustified and thirdly sanctified So then if you would know whether you bee elected to life looke to these three effects of Election Art thou Called art thou Iustified art thou sanctified Then sure thou art Elected But if thou hast not these three then canst thou not assure thy selfe of thy saluation So then the first fruite of our Election is our effectuall Calling when as God doth by the Preaching of the Gospell call vs out of the world from our olde sinnes to be of the number of his people to liue as his children Againe when a man cometh to the preaching of the Word to see his sinnes and Gods anger for them dislikes them is grieued for them bewailes them and begs the pardon for them and beginnes to become a new man to beleeue in Christ Iesu to seeke after Gods Kingdome Hee which findeth this effectuall calling in him he may assure his Soule that hee is Predestinated to Eternall Life But wee must take heed that wee deceiue not our selues with an outward calling for our Sauiour saith Mat. 22. Many are called but few are chosen Many doe heare the word of God with the eare but wee must labour to finde the Spirit of God to preach vnto our Soules to applie the Word to our conscience to beleeue it and to obey it And therefore they which liue in their old sinnes as blind ignorant and prophane as euer before alas how can they thinke to be saued seeing God chooses none or saues not any but whom he calles effectually by the Gospel 2 Thess 2.13 and seuers from the rest of the world Secondly the fruit of Election is Iustification For whom he predestinated them hee called So then heere is an other token and marke to know whether we be Elected namely or Iustified Now this is
Word a drunkard c. they think themselues to be iolly fellowes and who but they Alas alas their case is feareful poore soules they doe not see they be the sonnes of death the heires of vengeance and the wrath of God the fire-brands of hell nay euen death and hell it selfe Vse 2 Heere wee may see what a horrible and cursed thing sinne is in the sight of God for sinne maketh men become guiltie of eternal death and firebrands of hell as we see when the traitour is executed for treason his son smarteth for his sinne Euen so sinne which is treason against the maiesty of God when wee haue brought it foorth it bringeth vs to death and hell For death and hell is the reward of sinne And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire Would you know what shall become of the profane wretches of the world would you know what shall become of the blasphemer would you know what shall become of the adulterer drunkard idolater swearer c. S. Iohn saith here in plaine termes They shall be cast into the lake of fire Thus was the rich Glutton Luke 16. for his gluttony drunkennesse want of pitty c. cast into this wofull lake of fire And thus shall all impenitent sinners one day be cast into this wofull Lake of fire Now if a Blasphemer or an Adulterer c. should haue but this punishment to holde his little Finger in the flame of a candle one houre how could hee endure it But if a man should bee roasted on a Gridiron or boyled in a Cauldron of molten lead what miserie were this whose heart wold not quake and melt to thinke on it O these are nothing in comparison of these most extreme and endlesse torments in this lake of fire when both body and soule shall both burne and boyle and as it were fry in the scorching flames which cannot bee quenched All men almost are afraid to commit Treason because Traytors are so grieuously punished they are hanged drawne and quartered But alas men be not afraid to commit Treason against the King of Heauen though they must bee cast into a lake of fire for euermore Men are afraid to offend the Prince for feare of death And yet our Sauiour bids vs Not feare them that can kill the body and can do no more but feare him that can cast both body and soule into hell fire And yet wee see that men and women bee more affraid to offend man then God that can cast both body and soule into hell fire If wee should see a little child fall into the fire and heare it cry pittifully and the very Bowels should bee burnt out O how it would grieue vs and make our very hearts bleed within vs How much more then should it grieue vs to see not a childe but euen our owne bodies and soules cast away for euer by sin into the lake of fire that cannot be quenched If a man should come amongst vs and cry fire fire thy house is all of a flaming fire thy Corne thy Cattell thy Wife and Children and all that thou hast were consumed with fire Oh how would this astonish vs that would make the very haire to stand vpright on our heads and teares to gush out of our eyes Behold then and see the Spirit of God cries out vnto vs Fire euen the dreadfull fire of hell gapeth ready to deuoure not thy house thy corne or thy cattell but thy poore soule and that for euermore Oh how should this breake our hard and flintie hearts asunder and make our soules to bleed if wee haue any sparke of grace any care of our soules that they may not bee tormented in this Lake of Fire for euer I will leaue the further handling of this poynt vntill I come vnto the next verse where the holy-Ghost saith agayne the better to make it sinke into our verie hearts That Whosoeuer is not found written in the Booke of Life shall be cast into this lake of fire Now the better to expresse what is meant by this Lake of Fire Not a bodily death nor a materiall fire like to ours But the holy-Ghost meaneth heere euen the second death that is not of the bodie onelie Double death but of eternall death and damnation both of bodie and soule for euermore This is the second death and by this we may see there is a double death there is the first death and the second death The first death is the separation of the soule from the body this is common to all the children of GOD doe die this death aswell as the wicked yet there is a difference For death is no curse to the children of God because Christs death hath taken avvay the Sting of death that it can not hurt the children of God No it is as a doore to let our soules into the Kingdome of Heauen But the second they neuer taste of No childe of God needes to feare the second death Rom. 8.1 For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Wherein the second death consisteth Now as the first death is onely the seperation of the soule from the body so the second death is a totall and finall seperation of both soule and bodie from God for euermore And this second death doth stand principally in these three points First that all the wicked and vngodly sinners that liue and die in their sinnes they shall be seuered from the glorious and blessed presence of GOD for euer Which shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glorie of his power 2. Thes 1.9 O what a wofull death is this to be plucked and torne from the blessed and comfortable presence of God whereas our Sauiour CHRIST saith Matth. 5. â—8 that our happines and all the ioy of GODS children shall stand in the beholding of God and being in his presence for euermore Then what miserie and what woe will this be vnto the wicked to be cast out of the glorious presence of God for euer seeing that he alone is the fountaine of Life and of happinesse Secondly the second death stands in this that wicked men and women shall not onelie be seuered in body and soule from the blessed and glorious presence of God for euer but they shall be cast into the lake of fire and haue all their abode with the diuels and all the damned spirits in hell where shall be no ioy nor comfort nor ease but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth If a man should be cast into a deepe and darkesome dungeon full of Toades and Serpents what comfort I pray could he haue but to wish for death This is the death that all the impenitent sinners must die They must be cast out of the sweet and comfortable presence of the Lord CHRIST IESVS and bee throwne into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone there to be tormented for euermore Mat. 25 41 Thirdly
fauour he is with-holden sometimes bribes blind his eies and peruert the right sentence But it shall not be so with this Iudge of the whole world His sentence is a righteous sentence he will iudge according to trueth he is able to finde out any cause and will examine it to the bottome hee feareth no mans person he will not be moued with fauor to conceale the truth And as for rewards hee contemnes them all therefore no doubt hee will proceede according to iustice This serueth for the comfort Vse 1 of Gods people in this world we see oftentimes the righteous cause is troden vnder foot mens lands and liuings are detained and taken from them by vnrighteous Iudges and that vnder colour of Law Well let men haue patience and know this that there wil come a day wherin there shal be Iustice and true Iudgement doone vnto them Here thy cause shall be heard it shal be righted for Christ Iesus will bee a righteous Iudge for the poore the fatherlesse and the widow Againe we see how the members of CHRIST which make conscience of sinne and care of their liues to heare the word and to walke accordingly they be disgraced and despised of the world Well let vs learn here to possesse our soules with patience for there will come a day of reckoning when as our righteous cause will bee heard and we shall haue iustice and all the contemners of Christ Iesus and persecutors of his poore members shall feele the smart of it Vse 2 Secondly seeing Christ Iesus the Iudge commeth thus with might and Maiestie not as a Sauiour or Mediator but as a Iudge It must admonish all men and women now to repent and turne vnto God in the time of mercy Esay 55.6 to seeke the Lorde while he may be found and to call vpon him while hee is neere Now while we liue Iesus Christ commeth vnto vs by his Ministers as a Sauiour to saue our Soules in mercie to bring vs to Repentance But after this life hee will no more come as a Sauiour or a Mediator but as a mightie Iudge full of Maiestie full of Might Power and Glory And therefore looke how men die so shall the Iudge finde them If thou die in thy sinnes and doest not repent and seeke for pardon at the hand of the Iudge whilest thou liuest heere There is no hope of mercy after death For how death leaueth thee so shall iudgement finde thee Cain died many thousand yeares agoe and Iudas in their sins so shall the last day find them For after death there is no mercy but iustice and iudgement And one fitting thereon NOw who this is which sate vppon this Great White Throne The Person of the Iudge described Reu. 14.14 you may see in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn the foureteenth chapter and the foureteenth verse I sawe a White Cloud and one sitting on it like the Sonne of man hauing on his head a golden Crowne and in his hand a sharpe Sickle So that wee see that it is the Sonne of man euen CHRIST IESVS GOD and man that shal be the iudge And so doth Saint Mathew call him Mat. 25.31 When the Sonne of man cometh in his glorie and all his holie Angells with him then shall hee sit vpon the Throne of his glorie And againe he titles him by the name of a King Verse 24. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand c. This is taught by the Apostle Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ .1 Cor. 5.10 True it is that our Sauiour Christ is King Priest and Prophet a true Prophet in whom vvas contayned all the secrets and whole counsell of God A true high Priest whose Sacrifice alone was able to put avvay the sinnes of the vvhole world But when he comes in the Throne of his Maiestie to iudge the quicke and the dead he shall not come as Priest or Prophet for these Offices of Christ are finished For his Propheticall Office he hath sufficiently reuealed the whole counsell of God his Father to his Church and People First by his holy Prophets then by himselfe after by his Apostles and Minsters And therefore seeing that his Prophetical Office is finished he calles not himselfe a Prophet but a King Againe CHRIST IESVS our Priest hauing once for all offered vp that Propiciatory Sacrifice for the sinnes of all the Elect now this Office of a Priest is likewise finished and this Sacrifice must be no more iterated and repeated But now hee commeth as a King in all Maiestie and Glorie For though his Propheticall and Priestlie Office be accomplished yet his Princely Office is not finished But now CHRIST IESVS the Iudge of quicke and dead shall beginne to manifest himselfe to be a King to all Nations to men and Angells Novv shall hee shevv himselfe to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords full of all Diuine and Heauenly power and glory For that now at the name of CHRIST euery knee shall bow When our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST liued on earth he came in misery very base and lowly euery childe durst look him in the face Then euery base fellow euery sinfull wretch durst mock him and spit in his face Herod and Pontius Pilate and the rabble of the Iews durst then vse him at their pleasure But now Hee shall come as a King full of maiestie and glorie guarded and attended vpon with many thousands of heauenly Souldiours euen all his holie Angells and then he will make Herod and Pontius Pilate yea the greatest Kings and Monarchs to stoope Nay then all his enemies shall tremble and quake Zach. chap. 12 ver 10. and not dare to open their mouthes against him Oh then what a terrour may this bee to all vvicked and vngodlie sinners that liue in sinne to see him come in that wonderfull Maiestie to be their Iudge whom they haue contemned vvhose members they haue persecuted and whose word and glorious Gospel they haue not regarded but troden vnder foot for he shall come with a sharpe two-edged Sword to cut them in peeces and a consuming fire to burne vp all vngodlie sinners And as hee is a King to the vvicked so is hee a King to the godlie Hee alone hath the Scepter of Dauid to the endlesse comfort of those that bee the children of his Kingdome For who is it that curbs Leuiathan snaffles the Diuell brideleth his force and malice Surely this our King Who is it that cuts the throate of sinne in his members and taketh away the strength of sinne Surelie this King of Kings Who breaketh the brasse barres of Death and pulleth out the sting of Death Our sinnes that they sting not our soules to the eternall death None can doe that but this our King CHRIST IESVS Who opens the gate of heauen who puts his spirit into the hearts of his children making them to crie Abba Father to lift vp their soules and with ioy to long
after this Kingdome of Heauen Surely it is none other in Heauen or earth but this our gracious King who being the onely immortall and wise GOD hauing the Key of Heauen and of the bottomlesse Pitte he alone can kill and make aliue hee alone can lift vp to Heauen and send to Hell hee alone and none but hee can saue and destroy O vvhat a comfort is this vnto all the poore Members of CHRIST IESNS For vvhat greater ioy and comfort can there bee to anie poore soule then this to know that he that is their Iudge is their Sauiour a sweet Redeemer a mercifull Iudge vnto them he will neuer condemne his owne members Nay he will crowne them with his ovvne Selfe and vvith his owne Glorie Vse What must this teach vs Surely seeing our Iudge is a King and that he alone is able to saue and to destroy this must teach vs euery man and woman in the feare of God to yeelde to this King that true loyaltie that sincere obedience and seruice which this our King requireth of vs in his blessed word Malac. 1.6 If I he a Father where is mine honour If I be a Lord where is my feare saith the Lord. So vvill Christ say If I be a King where is that loyaltie seruice and obedience that is due vnto mee Now Christ Iesus is a Spirituall King and therefore he will be serued in Spirit and Trueth O then let vs all with a godly purpose of heart yeeld and resigne our selues bodies and soules to honour this King and to performe vnto him true and spirituall obedience for euermore Alas it is not externall and outward seruice which hee expects he is not like an earthly king but he regards the heart and the soule that is a speciall thing in his seruice And if wee shall thus performe this spirituall seruice and obedience then wee shall shew our selues to bee his loyall and dutifull Subiects and then will he acknowledge vs for his Seruants But if wee denie to him this seruice of the heart and giue it to anie other he will then cast vs off for euermore Seueritie of the Iudge described Thus much of the Maiestie of the Iudge and of his sinceritie and vprightnesse in iudgement Now in the description of the Iudge it is further added that from the face of this Iudge both The Heauen and the Earth flee away And this doth shevv the wonderfull seueritie of this great Iudge of Heauen and Earth We know that men flie those things that they feare and dread So here the Heauen and Earth do feare the glorious presence of IESVS CHRIST the great iudge of the whole world and seeke to hide themselues that they may not appeare before him This flying of the Earth and the Heauens and hiding themselues that they dare not appeare in the presence of CHRIST this shews the wonderfull maiestie and the great seueritie and terror of CHRIST IESVS the Iudge from whence we obserue a three-fold instruction The Heauens and the Earth Vse 1 are voyde of sense they are great and mightie Creatures Agayne they be verie goodly and beautifull Creatures Besides all this they neuer committed anie sinne Hovv commeth it to passe then that they shal flie hide themselues from the glorious presence of the Son of God Ans They neuer sinned indeed but yet the sinne of man is of that force that it hath infected both the earth we treade on and the heauens ouer our heads many thousand miles aboue vs. Oh then see how monstrous a thing sinne is in the sight of Almightie God what a vile thing that the contagion and infection thereof should hurt infect the whole Heauens and make them that they dare not abide the glorious presence of God their Creator O should we not abhorre sinne as the vilest thing in the world Wee are afraide of the plague because it infecteth and killeth mens bodies But the plague of Sinne is a thousand times and more to be abhorred and fledde from seeing it poysons and infects both bodie and soule is so contagious that the creature is afraid to behold the face of the Sonne of God Seeing both Heauen and Vse 2 Earth shall flie and perish from before the glorious presence of Christ Iesus Nay they shall burne with fire as Peter saith 2. Pet. 3.10.11 All these goodlie houses all thy golde and siluer and costly apparell shal be burnt with fire this may teach vs moderation and sobriety in the vse of Gods creatures What folly is it to spend al that a man hath to build a stately house and yet in the end it must be consumed with fire and become nothing else but fevvell for the fire That seeing the heauens and Vse 3 the earth these great and mightie Creatures these beautifull and excellent works of almightie Gods power which haue no sense nor feeling nor neuer sinned if these shall flie before the Sonne of GOD as being not able to indure his presence Alas what shall wicked and hard-hearted sinners doe what shall become of the vile wretches of the world which liue and delight in sinne where shall the vngodlie and sinner appeare what will become of all ignorant soules what will become of the Blasphemer and Adulterer If the Heauens and the Earth these great and glorious creatures which sinne not shall not be able to stand in his presence Then what I say will become of all prophane and vngodly sinners Alas they shall be euen at their wittes end not knovving in the world which way to turne them nor where to flie for succour vvhere shall they seeke for refuge when as the Iudge himselfe is their enemy who dares pleade for them dare any Saint or Angell No no no Saint or Angell dares open their mouth to speake one word in their behalfe neyther can any creature deliuer them from the dreadfull vengeance of this terrible Iudge Verse 12. And I saw the dead both great and small THvs haue you seene the person of the Iudge described by his wonderfull maiestie and povver The persons that shall appeare before this Iudge described wherevvith he will come to iudgement and also by the great severitie and terrour that shal astonish both the heauen and the earth and make them to flie from before his presence Now in this Verse and that which follovveth is declared who be they that shall appeare before this great Iudge Namely I saw the dead both great and small c. Secondly the euidences that shall bee brought in and vvhat witnesses shall be produced either to excuse or accuse in these words And the Books were opened Obiect And I saw the dead both great and small c. Before we come to speake of the wordes heere may a question arise Namely How this can be true that Saint Iohn saith He saw the dead both great and small For we beleeue that Christ Iesus shall iudge both quicke and dead not onely the dead but the liuing and Paul
hee should be a warning to all vngodly sinners Hee gaue his bodie to all kinde of vncleanenesse pride drunkennesse c. Hee gaue his tongue to lying swearing and cursed speaking and now is his body tormented and would giue euen a whole world if he were Lord ouer it for one drop of water to coole his flaming tongue O let him be a warning to all sinners and teach vs to vse our bodies well to look to our eies to our eares and to set a VVatch before our mouthes for feare lest wee dishonour GOD by them and bring endlesse woe vnto our selues Well then you see that as it is an exceeding great ioy to Gods Saints that they shall rise againe so is it a terrour vnto the wicked that they shall Rise againe to Iudgement 1. Sam. 2. It were well with the wicked man with the Drunkard c. if their bodies might neuer rise if they might rotte and perish in corruption and that their soule might be euen as the soule of a beast a vapour vtterly to be extinguished But now there is more behinde they shall one day come to iudgement And therefore Saint Iohn telleth vs in this place that he saw the dead both great and small stand before GOD. Euen our dead bodies must rise eyther to honour or dishonour eyther to ioy or to paine to saluation or damnation And therefore let vs bethinke our selues of this betimes Both great and small Great and Small who These words may admit a double exposition for it may seeme this that by Great and Smal is meant those that be great men growne or else small children young and old all must appeare For wee see that many die euen little children young Infants of a span long some againe die men of yeares Well both great and small must appeare none shall be so yong or so little but that they must stand before GOD and none so great or so strong but they must appeare likewise Secondly by great and small may be vnderstood all sorts and degrees of men and women great men and great women poore men and poore women All sorts and conditions must come to iudgement as well the prince as the subiect as well the rich as the poorest Begger as though Saint Iohn should haue said I saw all men that euer haue beene or shall be to the end of the world none shall be wanting the rich and poore yong and old high and low married and vnmarried bond and free all must stand before God Oh what a wonderfull assembly will this be to see so many millions of thousands It is a great sight to see an Armie of men of a thousand But heere shall be a thousand thousands Euen all men women and children that euer haue beene or shall be to the worlds end None shall be wanting the rich and poore yoong and old high and low bond and free all must stand before God and therefore it is well called the day of the Lord when all the of-spring of Adam shall stand before God Seeing S. Iohn saw the dead both great and small Vses diuerse 1. stand before God that is al sorts of men and women high and low rich and poore bond and free all must appeare and hold vp their Hand at the Barre of this great Iudge Surely this ought to moue all men both great and small rich and poore to make conscience of their liues to repent of all their euill wayes to turne to GOD by true repentance for you see here no excuse can serue the turne no auoyding of this appearance all must appeare the very Diuells themselues 2. Cor. 5. Esay 30. and all the damned spirits must come to iudgemēt Tophet is prepared for the King the Iudge the Gentleman the rich man if they be wicked their riches shall not be excused nor the poorest shall not be forgotten Surely and if we haue any care at all what shall become of our poore soules at this day It ought to perswade al men both poore and rich both Minister and People to repent to turne to Almighty God to leade new liues that then we may reioyce with ioy and comfort This did make Paul to labour to keepe a good conscience Acts 24.16 before God and all men and why Because there would come a day when all must arise to iudgement and giue a straight accompt of all their thoughts wordes and workes And the same reason should mooue vs likeiwse to keepe a cleare conscience And what is the cause that men liue in sinne and defile their bodies with many thousand filthy sins Surely because they thinke not of this day whē they must stand before God If they could but thinke of this day that they must all come to a reckoning O it would stay and bridle their carnall hearts from many foule and filthie sinnes which novv they commit with greedinesse 2. Cor. 5.11 Acts 17.3 This will be a blessed day to all the children of God to heare the Iudge say vnto them Come yee blessed O happy day O blessed voyce But to the vngodlie sinners that liue in sinne to the Drunkard Blasphemer c. this will be a terrible and fearefull day to heare the woefull voyce of the Iudge Go yee cursed into c. Oh dolefull voyce Oh heauie newes O fearefull Sentence O woe and ten thousand woes to all vngodly sinners woe then to the blasphemer woe to the drunkard c. woe vnto all vngodly and wretched sinners for there is no escaping of this Sentence All must appeare all must stand before God all must come to their answere None shall be so great to escape or so small to be forgotten And then woe to them that shall rise to this fearefull and woefull Sentence and heauy newes of condemnation Oh it had beene good for such men if they had neuer been borne or had beene brought foorth as loathsome Toads or Serpents for then beginnes their eternall misery and condemnation O then againe and againe let vs bethinke our selues that wee must come to iudgement we must be called to a reckoning wee cannot escape the Sentence of Iudgement by anie meanes whatsoeuer Agayne vvhere Saint Iohn saith He saw the dead Heere Vse 2 is matter of endlesse comfort to all the poore members of Iesus Christ In this life who is more full of woe vvho more full of payne in bodie and soule then Gods children Long and tedious sickenesses many annoyances Some be sore from top to toe as Iob was some maymed in bodie as the poore man was Iohn 5. Well when our bodies shall now arise they shall not bee weake or lame or maymed but a perfect body sound and a glorious body All paine shall haue an end all woe shall cease But as for the vngodly Psal 1.6 it is not so with them But they shall arise that both bodie and soule may goe to hell together Stand before God I sawe the dead c. Heere wee see againe
the Doctrine is apparent man was first cast out of Paradise for sin neither is there any thing that doth hinder his returne but only sin for it is sinne that makes vs execrable to the Lord and doth hinder all good things from vs. Psal 38.4 For as long as sinne remaynes it is as a weightie burthen to presse downe a sinner into hell and the wages and stipend of it is eternall death Therefore Romans 6 if sinne be taken away and pardoned as it is from all the Elect what should hinder their happinesse God hath against them no matter of displeasure and the obedience of Christ Iesus being imputed vnto them heauen can not bee denyed vnto them but they must needes bee saued Secondly Christ Iesus doth Reason 2 esteeme highly of his Church and the Church is most excellent in her selfe because in it alone saluation is to be found and no where else When the Lord brought the great and generall deluge ouer the face of the whole earth What place was there left more excellent then the Arke in the which Noah and his Family were saued and out of the which the whole world besides perished What was that Arke but a Type and Figure of Christs Church wherein saluation is to bee found and out of the which there is no saluation to bee looked for Seeing therefore that remission of sinnes is proper onely to Christs Church and that therein is saluation and eternall life to bee found wee may safely therefore conclude that the estate of Christs Church and of euery member thereof is most excellent and blessed The vses of this Doctrine is Vse 1 excellent as the nature of the Church is First then seeing that Christ will thus passe by the sinnes of his children and iudge them faire without any spot and blemish of sinne if they do truely repent and embrace Him and his Righteousnesse by faith Here is matter of endlesse comfort to euerie poore childe of God Note Doest thou repent of thy sinnes and art truely humbled for them Doest thou embrace CHRIST IESVS for the pardon of them Hath God sanctified thy heart by his Spirit so as thou hatest euerie wicked way and dost desire and endeuour to obey God his will in all his Commandements Well then comfort thy selfe and cheere vp thine owne soule Christ Iesus will couer all thy sinnes they shall neuer be layd to thy charge but hee will wrap thee in his own righteousnesse whereby thou shalt appeare faire and beautifull in his sight Indeed many a poore child of God looking on their owne infirmities and manifold corruptions see themselues to be black indeed deformed and stained with sinne it grieueth them that they do hang downe their heads and goe drooping all their dayes striuing and also struggling with their rebellious hearts and vile corruptions and thinke that CHRIST IESVS cares not for them cannot loue them being so defiled with sinne But I say againe Be not discouraged for if thou doest repent of them beleeue in Christ hate thy sinnes and prayest often vnto God to giue thee power to withstand them vsing all godly meanes to withstand them Christ Iesus wil couer them and passe by them all as he did deale with Dauid Peter c. Oh then how carefully ought all men daily endeuour themselues to be the members of this Societie that so they may haue a part in all these excellent prerogatiues and then howsoeuer the world doe esteeme of them counting them miserable grinding at them with their teeth and nodding at them with their heads and euerie way contumeliously reproching them yet are they deere and precious in the sight of Christ who hath redeemed them with the ransome of his owne bloud Let vs learne by Christs example Vse 2 heere that if we see anie good thing in the childe of Almightie God to commend it and to embrace it and if we see any blemish or infirmitie that we wincke at it and couer the same with the cloake of Loue and not as the maner of wicked and vngodly men who though they see many good giftes and graces in GODS children as knowlege faith patience loue zeale c. passe by them all and if they shall espie but one blemish or infirmitie or weakenesse by and by they blaze it abroad with open mouth note them with a blacke cole calling them Puritanes Precisians Hypocrites and the like reuiling them in a most odious manner like a Coorrector of a Booke passe by all that is well and if but one fault find that out like the horse-Flie passing by many floures and sweet hearbs lights vpon some noysome sore these are not like vnto CHRIST but to their sire the Diuell who is the Accuser of the Brethren Thus much for the exceeding loue and kindenesse of Christ Iesus toward his church in that he cals her by this kind appellation The fairest amongst women Secondly his gentle reproofe of her If thou know not q. d. This seemeth strange 2 Christs gentle reproofe that thou shouldest be ignorant where I doe feede my sheep where my truth and gospell is truely preached and soundly professed But if thou know not The church of God somtimes may be at that straight as not to discerne the truth I will direct Doctr. 7 thee and shew thee how thou shalt finde it out Hence we are taught that the church of God and true beleeuers may sometimes be so blinded and left to themselues that they stand at a stagger and doe hardly know which is true religion Where Christ doth feede his Flocke where the word is faithfully preached soundly professed For we are all of vs readie to erre by nature How apt are wee in matters that do concerne our Soules to be mistaken partly through our owne blindnesse ignorance and carelesnesse in not searching of the Truth and trying of the spirits and partly by the subtile policy of the diuell who is Gods Ape and so like him in many things as that it is hard to discerne his slights and falshoods Wicked men false teachers lying prophets set such a face and shew on their errors and beare them out with such a countenance credite and authoritie and the truth is so neglected plaine and simple troden vnder foot that it is hard for a man yea the true Church of God sometimes to discerne where Christ feedeth his Flocke 1. Reg. 18.12 When as Elias was left alone and Baals foure hundred and fiftie prophets who could almost then discerne the worship of GOD from Idolatry when all was corrupted So when Michaiah told the trueth and Ahab had foure hundred false Prophets it was hatd to discerne the truth of God from the lying of Sathan In Christs time how did the Scribes and Pharisees confound Religion dimme and dazell the truth for the which our Sauiour himselfe did often reprooue them And in our times how doe the Papists labour to obscure Religion how bold and impudent are they to defend Idolatrie