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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62379	The grand assises: or, The doctrine of the last generall judgment with the circumstances thereof: comprised and laid forth in a sermon preached at the assises holden for the county of Southampton at Winchester, on Wednesday, July 28, 1652. By William Sclater Doctor in Divinity, preacher of the word of God in Broadstreet, London.	Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1653 (1653)	Wing S918A; ESTC R218648	45,998	59

us all about their cessation Quaest Wee are to enquire whether such like Visions or else immediate instincts or Enthusiasmes may be expected or will be afforded to ordinary Christians under these days of Gospel-dispensations Answ To which I answer that Howsoever we may not tie the Lord to his ordinary means for we know hee can work above yea without them as there was (t) Gen. 1.2 light before the Sun and Moon were made yet we have reasons many to perswade us that the Lord now deals not by Visions or Revelations extraordinary and whosoever doe pretend such directions it 's to be feared they are but vain delusive apparitions or dangerous and Satanicall impostures My reasons are these 1. Because the Lord hath now made perfect the (v) Gal. 6.16 Phil. 3.16 Rule of Faith and Life and given us an absolute Canon of Doctrine to which there may nothing be added nor from which the least Iota be detracted 2 Tim. 3.15 16. So that to instruct us in a matter of faith or morall practise Visions are all now unnecessary 2. For particular Events and accidents of the Church of God which were the usuall matter of Visions and Revelations he hath given us reason to think that he will no longer instruct his Church by that means extraordinary because the charge runs so precisely to adde nothing to the words of the Prophesie of St. John's Book under penalty of having addition made to our plagues Rev. 22.18 He would intimate in that charge that by that Prophesie hee hath fully instructed his Church in all things convenient for it to know unto the end of the world 3. Even then when was place for Visions and Revelations the Rule was to (w) Isa 8.20 Act. 17.11 examine all by the Word of God so that if any thing came under colour of Divine Revelation obtruded upon the Church of God that held not currant at that Touchstone it was as a probation in Gods permission of his people Deut. 13.13 So in it self and in the issue a fanaticall (x) Isa 66.4.2 Thess 2.11 delusion like to some Meteor or Comet fed onely by unwholesome exhalations which speedily vanish without heat or light it was no say of the true (y) Mal. 4.2 Rev. 12.1 Sun Christ Jesus in whose (z) Psal 36 9 light alone it is that the Saints of God doe see the solid light of the Truth Wherefore saith the Prophet Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this (*) Quae libeo legis non cominem us ca nec nosse debemus Hilar. Word it is because there is no light in them And yet those grand Impostors of Rome to this day boast of I know not what lumen Propheticum continued in their Church and for most of their paradoxes in the questions of Purgatory Prayer for the Dead Invocation of Saints c. when other arguments drawn from dark Allegoricall texts or Apocryphall books faile them at length they come to Visions and Apparitions of Soules that have appeared to the living and testified some their tortures some their deliverances by prayers and suffrages of the Living others pretending the lively voyee of the blessed Virgin from Heaven as that Benede me scripfisti Thoma applauding what Thomas had written of her at another time speaking through her image or statue in the Temple giving the Good morrow to St. Bernard who yet to confute the imposture gave answer that shee had forgotten St. Paul's rule It was not lawfull for a woman to speak in the (a) 1 Cor. 14.34 Church But I forbear to offend your patience with these vanities I only touched at them in my way the more to fasten on all Gods holy people truly such the persuasion to keep themselves praecisely to the written Word inspired by and joined with the Spirit of all truth Isa 59.21 even that sure Word 2 Pet. 1.19 as St. Peter that Word of Truth as St. Paul calls it 2 Tim. 2.15 Gal. 2.5 This of St. John was an Apostolicall Personall priviledge not to be drawn into common imitation or into ordinary expectation Hee being immediately acquainted of this secret of the manner of the last Judgment by Vision extraordinary It is not privilegium but pravilegium not a warrantable favour to be expected but a praesumptuous tempting of God to be avoyded if ordinary Christians with sleighting or omission of the Word written do for their direction expect Visions now after the prophesie of St. John's Book is finished And thus much if not too much of the means by which St. John first came to have to him revealed for the generall information of the Church of God this carriage of the Grand Assises It was by Vision so we read in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I saw And so I hasten to the sight it self or to what he did see and that is here described first to be the Judicatory or Seat of Judgement it self with its Epithets or Adjuncts I saw a throne and that a great and a white throne A Throne is a Seat of majesty and glory as when Solomon would be seen in his might ascends his royall (b) 1 King 10.19 20. throne supported by twelve Lyons the emblemes of power and of undaunted courage Now whether St. John saw any (c) Vid. Geyard e. 5 ●om 6. sect 58. created Seat visibly in some shining clouds in the which Christ shall come any materiall Throne or rather such a semblance of majesty presented to him is no point of curious disquisition under this expression of a Throne or of the Throne of his glory mentioned here and in St. Matthew ch 19.28 25.31 I apprehend is meant the (d) Dieteric In Festo Convers Pauli p. 180 181. glory the mighty power and justice of the Lord Christ in the manisestation of himself as the (e) 2 Tim. 4.1 Judge of Quick and Dead in his glorious appearing as St. Paul calls it Tit. 2.13 or in the praesence of his glory as St. Jude v. 24 It hath the Epithet of Great to denote his Majesty and of White to declare his Purity and the (f) Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 clearnesse of his just proceedings Venit Christus (g) S. August l. 3. c. 8. de Symb. ad Catech occulte judicandus veniet manifeste judieaturus 2 Thess 1.7 or thus Great to shew his Severity White to denote his Lenity even in the middest of that Severity and both these exercised when Actually upon his throne namely when Seated when the Judgment as Daniel speaks was (h) Dan. 7.10 set commonstrating thereby the wise deliberation observed in this finall Judicature I might speak to each of these and as the Disciples by (i) Luk. 6.1 rubbing of these eares come to the solid grain by discoursing on them find out the very (k) Psa 63.5 marrow and sweetnesse therein contained First for the severity of this Judge it 's to the

seasonable I hope for that occasion and generally usefull for these times intended as a Preservative against the growing malady of this corrupt age Atheisin Being straitned by the time and your important businesse ensuing this copious Theam as a Camell passing through a needles eye was compendiated into a narrow compass If your Lordship doe look upon it as in it self it is too mean a present for your acceptation but if on the affectionate Heart wherewith it is tendred to your Patronage you may judg it a great one It 's sometimes as Noble to accept small things as to conferre great such as it is it prostrates it selfe at your feet beseeching an entertainment in finding whereof his Devotions shall bee enlarged for your blisse Who is MY LORD Your Lordships humble Orator and Servant William Sclater A SERMON Preached at the Assises holden for the County of Southampton at Winchester on Wednesday July 28 1652. REV. 20.11 12. And I saw a great white Throne and him that sate on it from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away and there was found no place for them And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works HONORABLE BELOVED I Cannot but esteem it as the great favour of Heaven that in the revolution of a few months the Divine Providence hath brought me again hither and called mee to this Publick service on the same occasion I having the happinesse to speak in such a praesence wherein not the pompe of any elaborate or quaint Humane Oratory but the power of solid and sacred Divinity will be best regarded of which whilest I rest perswaded I shall humbly crave your Devotions that the same Hand which gave this opportunity would adde also a successe to this businesse It were a facility had I a mind to build a large Portall to my narrow house to entertain your patience a while with a discourse of this Book of the Revelation wherein there are so many * Rev 5.7 sealed Mysteries almost as Words or Sentences so (a) Mihi tota Apocalypsis valde obscura videtur talis cujus explicatio citra periculum vix queat tentari fateor me hactenus in nullius scripti Biblici lectione minus proficere quàm in hoc obscuro vaticinio Grascrus abstruse Aenigma's as none but a Divine Oedipus can unriddle them Insomuch that some of the greatest and those too most sanctified Scholars have acknowledged that they had rather (b) D. Rainolds of Oxford Divis 4. against Hart. c. 8. learn than teach it However some others who to themselves have seemed as the sons of (c) Num. 13.33 Anak of tall Imaginations have yet proved in the issue but like (d) Luk. 19.3 Zacheus little in the stature of sound Judgment and whilst they have gone about to give other men eyes to see John's Visions more clearly they have been overtaken unawares by their own (e) Job 20.8 Dreams and many of them outlived the date of their weak yet bold and daring Interpretations I cannot but appland the modesty of Cajeian none of the meanest among the Schoolemen who after he had Paraphrased the Epistles and Acts of the Apostles professed thus Apocalypsin fateor me nescire exponere juxta sensum literalem Hee was posed about the Literall sense of this Scripture more meet for his Wonder than his Exposition And good reason for it consisting of many Prophesies of things to come and those too clothed with Allegories and clad in Metaphors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak with (f) Sophocles in Antig. Nescia mens hominum fati sortisque futurae Virgil. Sophocles who could directly tell the sense till the event was seen that being the best Interpreter of dark praedictions Neverthelesse sith as it is in our English Proverb that Bones bring Meat to town that is Difficulties bring Comforts as in Sampson's Riddle Judg. 14.14 Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse that of the Ancient being true Paseit apertis excrect obscurts as the Lord is pleased to delight us with the clearer so to exercise us with the obscurer parts of Holy Writ and as the Doctor of the Gentiles assures us Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever was written was written for our Learning there being likewise some rills and brooks for the Lambe to wade in as well as deeps for the Elephant to swim in Give me leave I beseech you sith not of curiosity to feed fancy but of a zealous disquisition to discover verity I attempt it to withdraw the Curtain and to set open the Windowes of this Text that so the (g) 2 Cor. 4 6. light of divine truth in a bright serenity may (h) 2 Per. 1 19. shine in upon your Minds and Hearts to illuminate the one and to inflame the other for the best advantage of the whole soul And I saw a great white throne c. Under which form of words we have me thinks according to St. John's Vision The Grand Assises held upon the Day of the last generall Judgment described in variety of circumstances which as the carving or enamelling of some curious Watch doe exceedingly illustrate and adorn the same And as in some solemne businesse of great importance there are usually some antecedaneous introductories to raise expectation and win the greater veneration thereto so here we have something observable by way of praeparation and something also by way of action or dispatch The Praeparation consists of the supposalls foregoing Men were dead and those dead men againe risen and brought out of the prison of the grave and set to the Bar Death and the Resurrection from Death praecede the Judgment I saw the dead great and small stand before God The matter of Action or Dispatch is the Judgment it self following this Death and Resurrection The dead were judged according to their works The carriage or managing of this Judgement is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much what after the similitude of (i) Vt judicii species notior fieret Hominibus judicandi forma ex his quae inter Homines geruntur assumpta est Anselm Comment in Rom. 14. Humane Judicatures here upon earth save onely with this odds or difference That in this Grand Assises in my Text the Judges themselves must then stand forth before the God of all Judges even before the most dreadfull Tribunall of the onely Potentate the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords Regum timendorum in proprios greges Sen. tragoed Reges in ipsos Imperium est Jovis For howsoever it be the style of Magistrates in the Scripture to bee called Gods Psal 82.6 namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in regard of the Dignity of their office yet though they be sons of the most High they must die like Men

help to stand under it Pray we then to the God of wisdome (*) Isa 28.6 to be for a spirit of Judgement to them that sit in Judgement to inspireour (a) Psal 105.22 Senators with a spirit of wisdome and counsell to direct all their consultations so as they may in the issue tend to the glory of God the credit of the Gospell the discovery 2 King 20 19. and suppression of Blasphemy Haeresie Atheisme with the Authors of it and for the establishing of (b) Zech. 8.19 Truth with publick Peace in the Nation Secondly To the Magistrates there is due Honour belonging to bee besides in the inward awfull thoughts of their power manifested in Reverentiall speeches and Externall homage you must nor revile the Gods or as it is in your margine the Judges nor curse the Ruler of the people it was the charge of Moses a Prophet Exod. 22.28 Wherefore when Paul had overshot himselfe in a sudden passion that way and given the nickname of a Whited wall to the High Priest then his Judge hee upon advertisement thereof gave himself a check for it upon the consideration of that very text Act. 23.5 Moses a chief Governour is styled by Joshua My Lord Moses Num. 11.28 and the people in taken of civill homage and observance bow the knee to Joseph when a Governor in Aegypt Gen. 41.43 And moreover which for some reasons I will not omit to note on this occasion for the greater gracefulnesse of their Office and Persons they have been in all Ages arrayed in robes of Majesty and honour before the people chiefly when placed in the Seat of Judicature and under the actuall execution of their so honorable Function which may be gathered from 1 King 22.10 Matth. 6.29 Render then honor to the Magistrate to whom it is so many wayes due Rom. 13.7 and it 's well observed by Chrysostome that the Apostle saith not simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give as if the thing were Arbitrary but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * See Matt. 22.21 Luk. 20.25 render it as of Duty in all obedience to Authority Thirdly there is due to the publick Magistrates (c) Matt. 17.25 Rom. 13.7 Tribute and Custome appertaining to them for all their publick care providence protection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they attending continually upon this very same thing carrying publick spirits in their publick places being contented not only to spend but to be * 2 Cor. 12.15 spent for the good of the Community the words in the originall Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for Tribute and Custome in a generality of use are oft-times confounded and indifferently put to signifie any kind of payment made to the Governors yet critically say some learned Authors Tribute is of that which ariseth out of what is grown within the land 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from being carryed or brought into the Exchequer or Treasury appointed Custome is that which is paid for what is according to Contracts in Traffique imported or exported into or out of a Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so (d) Strabo lib. 17. Strabo calls such things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the Latine word vectigal hath its name ex vectura But before so learned an Auditory I may not waste time about words (e) Bodinus l. 6. c. 2. de Republ. Bodinus reckons up divers kinds of both the determination of the manner or of the measure of either whether ordinary or extraordinary is left to the prudence and piety of lawfull Superiours according as the state of important affaires the faculty and ability of the people or the necessity of Subsidiary supplies for the support honor and safety of a Common-wealth may require Now an obedient people may assure themselves that aequall just and godly Governors will not turn Judgment into gall Amos 6.12 but remember that God for (f) Chr. 19 6. whom they judge is pleased to style them (g) Isa 44.28 Numb 27.17 Shepheards whose office is not to (h) Mic. 3 3. Ezek. 45. flay off the skin from off the backs of the flock but to shear the sheep so for their own use that withall the wool may grow again for the warmth of the flock it self even as it 's reported to have been the saying of Tiberius A good Shepheard should tondere pecus non deglubere as (i) Sueton in 〈◊〉 Suetonius records it Oppression saith Solomon maketh even a wise man (k) Eccles 7.7 mad yea and it may make a good man (l) Exod. 2.23 Psal 12.5 sigh But when as I noted in my former Sermon these things are expected and imposed after the old Charter of England salvo contenemento in a tender moderation Tribute must be rendred to whom it is due our Saviour himself paid it Matth. 17.25 and such payment was in use even in the days of King Solomon 1 King 4.6 In summe who doe or should carefully guard your Religion your Possessions but Governors Who protect you by land and fense you by sea but they And what can you bethink to purchase a solid peace on the land or to fortifie your wooden walls at sea And if Governours lay out themselves for the good of Community so that themselves shall become a generall and a publick good it will be a great Ingratitude in those who reap the comfort not to yeeld such all lawfull assistance And thus having shewn the duties of the people at large in their relation to Governors and to Government It onely remains that I adde but a few words more suitable to the present season and occasion of this meeting And here I might begin my advice to Mr. High * Mr. Iohn Trott of Laverstake Esq Sheriff but why should I goe about to paint a Diamond or to enamell a pearle whose modesty whilest it declined Honor it overtook him He hath set a faire Copy for his Successors in that Office and Authority to write after I shall onely desire him to continue doing as hee doth doe and then both his (m) Cant. 1.3 Name and his Actions shall bee as an Oyntment poured forth to persume Posterity as with some fragrant odour that may provoke Imitation I might next direct my Exhortation to the Gentlemen of the Grand Inquest upon whose Information Advice to the Grand Jury and Presentments depends almost the main transaction of the present proceedings in Judicature for the (n) Gal. 5.12 cutting off of incorrigible Malefactors and the reformation of all disorders and illegall irregularities If you would bee esteemed as the Eyes of your whole Countrey you had need to see clearly but if in any particulars you would defire to be of Lyncean and discerning eyes indeed Let me desire you to have speciall regard to the Violators of Gods sacred and precious (o) 1 Cor. 11.2 Ordinances in the promoting whereof as you shall advance the glory of God and therein your