that which the blessed Euangelist Matthew setteth downe saying Wake therefore for ye know not what houre your Master will come Many other exhortations we haue to moue incite and stirre vs to a godly life drawne from this day of Iudgement as that of Paul Act. 17.30 31. verses where hee preached against idolatry and told the idolatrous people that God admonished all men euery where now to repent Because hee hath appointed a day wherein hee will iudge the world in righteousnesse c. Let the recordation hereof make vs to be sober and watch and haue feruent loue as Saint Peter exhorted the faithfull 1. Pet. 4.7 8. saying Now the end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in Prayer But aboue all things haue feruent loue among your selues Watch therefore beloued and againe I say Watch. Take instruction of the Hare who not knowing when her enemy may come vpon her yet fearing the worst sleepeth with her eyes open and by that meanes seeth the least glimpse of her enemy that may steale vpon her The Nightingale fearing lest she should be deuoured of a Serpent setteth her brest against a sharpe Thorne or some hard thing that when she oppressed which sleepe noddeth shee may by and by be awaked and then shee will sing most cheerefully melodiously So doe you deare brethren sleepe as the Hare doth with her eyes open that you may awake sodainly auoid when your enemy Satan with his alluring temptations would steale vpon you Sleepe also when you are heauy and drowsie as the Nightingale doth with some sharp thing at your brest I meane sorrow for sin at your heart that though against your wil you nodde sometimes with sleepe yet you may with the Nightingale speedily awake and sing melodious but yet spiritual songs Ephes 5.19 I meane Psalmes of thanksgiuing vnto the Lord as Dauid doth exhort vs saying Sing wee merrily vnto our Lord God Psal 81. make a cheerefull noise vnto the God of Iacob O let vs be mindfull of our latter end of death and this last account which that we may the better doe let vs call to minde diuers domesticall and familiar things dayly conuersant before our eyes that they may put vs in minde of our latter end and all circumstances touching the same all antecedents coniuncts and consequents Our beds may bring to our remembrances our graues our sheetes that we lye in 1. Thes 4. our winding sheete our sleepe death for vnto the same Death is compared the very Flea that bites vs the worme of Conscience that shall gnaw the wicked the crowing of the Cocke that awaketh vs out of sleepe and warneth vs of the passing away of the night may presage vnto vs the Trumpe of the Lord the sweet Bels of Aaron sounding out and ringing alowd to call vs to the Church the societie of the faithfull to knowledge faith and a godly life here in this world yea and our awaking out of the sleepe of death at the last Day the last audit and account at the time of the Resurrection Therefore beloued giue mee leaue for your good to shake you out of the cradle of your sleepe securitie and carelesnesse be lulled and rocked therein no longer For then you are said to bee asleepe in the Scriptures when all the powers of the minde and senses are so ouercome with the sound and dead sleepe of sinne that you cannot heare when Christ calleth nor see him when he commeth vnto you nor feele him when he knocketh at your hearts nor taste him how gracious hee is when ye come to receiue the Sacraments but only to your condemnation when ye doe not smell him whether hee bee a sauour of life vnto life or death vnto death so that yee cannot know the day of your visitation when such darknesse ouershaddoweth you that you cannot comprehend Christ the light when he commeth among his owne On the contrary then are we said to watch when all our senses are apt to all godly exercises when our eares are open to heare Christ our Master when we continue our watch and ward neuer putting off our armour or betaking our selues to our rest least Death the Lords Bayliffe should sodainly arrest vs or our Sauiour the high Iudge comming to Iudgement when wee least thinke of his comming 1. Thes 5. 2. Pet. 3. and therefore it 's compared to the comming of a Thiefe who giues no warning should sodainly we vnprouided and not looking for him steale vpon vs. And this is the reason that my Text giueth mee occasion to presse you with now The speciall exercise that we are to vse in our Watch and Ward is Prayer 1. Pet. 4. Mat. 24.42 And because wee know not the certaine time of the Lords comming to take this account we should bee the more vigilant and watchfull hauing on our spirituall armour Ephes 6. whereof Paul speaketh Watch therefore good Christians whiles it is the time of light the time of grace before the night of death commeth wherein no man can worke out his saluation Ezek 7. Augustine yeeldeth a reason why man knoweth not the time of his death nor the Day of Iudgement His words are these Magna Dei misericordia monuit In Psal 34. vt rectè viuamus ideo diem mortis extremi Iudicij nobis abscondit ne nobis in futurum aliquid promittamus that is the great mercy of God hath taught vs to liue well and for this cause he hath kept vs from the day of our death and of the last Iudgement that wee might not promise any thing to our selues afterwards August de disciplina Christiana The same saith Latet vltimus dies vt obseruentur omnes dies that is to say the last day is vnknowne that we should obserue all dayes Therefore I say Watch for you are not certaine to liue one houre I wil tell you how I would haue you watch Vigilate rectè credendo Helm firmiter sperando sincere Deum proximum diligendo mandata Dei custodiendo sanctè piè iustè viuendo sine intermissione orando in patientia Deo in omnibus bonis operibus fructificando quae edificationis sunt vbique sectando in omni bonitate vsque in finem permanendo that is to say Watch truely beleeuing stedfastly hoping sincerely louing God and our neighbour keeping the commandements of God liuing holily godly and iustly praying without ceasing in patience fructifying to GOD in all good workes following in euery place those things that tend to edification continuing in all goodnesse to the end If thou doest these things thou shalt neuer perish neither in this world nor in the world to come The doctrine of the vncertainty of the day of Iudgement ouerthroweth all the coniecturall and doubtfull opinions of them which haue gone about to set downe the certaine time of Christs comming to Iudgement and the purging of the world by fire Elias whether the Prophet
be thanked the Lawes are so well established and executed that no man dareth to lay violent hands vpon his Minister but yet the wicked will hurt him with their slanderous tongue many times and keepe his dues from him sometimes priuily that hee shall not know it And if hee doth know it then many times they will plead a custome their custome to deceiue yea they will say Our custome is an ancient custome Whereas Mala consuetudo est erroris vetustas that is An euill custome is the antiquity of an errour Some when they are called are somewhat more Formall Morall and mannerly then the former were For although they are meere Worldlings and preferre earthly things before heauenly yet they couer their affections and make comely excuses and reasonable as they thinke and will say when they are absent from a Sermon Wee were hindred by such and such meanes that wee could not be at it very like to them that were bidden to the great Supper and made seuerall excuses One said Luke 14. I haue bought a Farme and I goe to see it Another said I haue bought fiue yoke of Oxen and I goe to proue them and the third said I haue married a Wife and therefore I cannot come But none of these excuses pleased the Lord the maker of the Feast For hee being angry with these said None of these shall taste of my Supper of my spirituall and heauenly dish-meates and of my costly banquet What greater ingratitude and churlishnesse could any shew Nay what greater sottishnesse can the whole world bewray then to preferre Chaffe before pure Wheat rust before Iron Lead before Siluer Copper before pure Gold earthly and fraile things before heauenly and eternall good things And yet so foolish are we and ignorant yea so void of discretion and piety that we will still pretend and alledge one cause or another to hinder our comming when we are called thinking that we thereby help our selues when we most of all hurt our owne soules We pretend lets as that man did who when our Sauiour called him said Suffer me first to goe and bury my Father and we are worse then hee that would goe and bid them that were of his houshold Farewell and then resolued to come For many neuer resolue to obey their calling at any time but stand backe with wily shifts good for nothing but to beguile themselues So truely spake Christ No man commeth to me saith he vnlesse the Father draw him Marke the word draw as though a man were holden backe of some Tyrant as of Satan or were of himselfe so vnwilling to come that he must be drawne and haled along Let vs make excuses no longer but pray vnto God to giue vs both to will and power to performe Phil. 2. for in him it is to performe both The speciall and effectuall calling a benefit proper to Gods Children hath euer election going before it for it is the first fruit of it and comes next from it and therefore Paul sets our falling next to predestination Rom. 8.30 This speciall and effectuall calling takes place onely in them that are elect when as God doth by the preaching of the Gospel call vs out of the kingdome of Satan and sinne and as it were out of this world of wickednesses to the kingdome of Christ of grace and of light to be of the number of his children to be sheepe of his fold And here we are to note that God doth not call vs all at one time but at sundry times as it shall please him to dispense his grace vnto vs as we may see by his sending of labourers at seuerall houres into his Vineyard Mat. 20. Some are sanctified in their mothers wombe and speedily called and sent to their offices Mat. 3. as Iohn Baptist in his youth Peter when hee was of ripe age Paul somewhat late and the theefe when he was readie to be crucified Before the time of their calling they wander in the vast solitude and wildernesse of this world nothing differing from other men in outward shape but in qualities and maners and they being Christs sheepe are so saued and guided by him that they cannot bee taken from him Ioh. 10. neither runne into the pit of destruction This effectuall calling is wrought by the preaching of the Word and by these three meanes First God openeth and prepareth the eares which are the mouthes of the soule the bodie hath but one mouth to receiue corporall nutriment to sustaine it but the soule being the better part of man hath two mouths I meane his two eares to receiue in food for it which God openeth to that purpose as Dauid doth teach vs by his owne example Psal 40. saying Sacrifice and offerings thou didst not desire for mine eares hast thou prepared Secondly attendance is giuen to that which is preached and taught for he that hath cares to heare is commanded to heare Mat. 13. Reuel 2. Esa 55.3 And the Prophet Esay craueth and calleth for this attendance saying Encline your eares and draw neere heare and your soules shall liue Thirdly there followeth this preaching eares opening and good attendance giuen a wonderfull compunction and pricking of the heart as it may appeare by the example of those people that heard the Sermon of Peter who said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Act. 2.37 Men and brethren What shall we doe Well Peter followed them so earnestly when he saw them comming with good doctrine and exhortation that he did win them and there was added to the Church about three thousand soules But beloued note this that there is euer much adoe before that the Law compared to an hammer can breake the knottie affections of the heart and so currie and make the ground of mans heart fit to receiue the seede of the Gospel and there plant faith that may purifie it Acts 15.9 But here perhaps some may desire to know by what characters markes and signes a man may assure his soule that hee is predestinated to eternall life that he may take comfort by this doctrine For resolution marke this which I haue penned for thy good If thou seest thy sinnes and perceiuest Gods wrath and anger ready to fall on thee for them dislikest them art grieued for them bewailest them and heartily crauest pardon for them and beginnest to become a new man continuest with increase in the faith of Iesus Christ and doest seeke after the kingdome of God then no doubt thou art elected and effectually called Moreouer if thou art readie as it were with an Eccho to answere to euery thing that the Spirit of God shall endite and the Preacher shall speake truly out of Gods Booke then thou art effectually called Looke to Dauids example Psal 40. Psal 40. In the volume or rolle of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O my God I am content to doe it or I am delighted with it
no nor the Angels in Heauen nay which is most of all not our Sauiour Iesus Christ in his humanitie but in his Deitie knoweth all And let this worke in vs all a serious kinde of watchfulnesse Luk. 12.40 Bee yee ready saith our Sauiour for the Sonne of Man will come at an houre when yee thinke not The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON God in his inscrutable wisedome and infinite goodnes towards man deferreth this day of iudgement for 3 reasons 1. To stirre vp in vs a vigilant expectance and a patient waiting for his appearance 2. That his Church his flocke may be increased 3. To grant all men time space to repent AS touching the first Chap. 5.7 8. Iames teacheth vs to performe the same by precept and patterne by precept in the beginning of the seuenth Verse where hee saith Bee patient vnto the comming of the Lord and hee in effect repeateth the same doctrine in the eighth Verse saying Bee ye also patient therefore and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere His example is taken from Husbandmen who patiently wait for the precious fruit of the earth vntill they receiue the former and the latter raine His words seruing for doctrine and example are these Bee patient therefore vnto the comming of the Lord Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the latter raine Be ye also patient therefore and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere He that waiteth in Faith Reu. 16.15 hope and patience for the Lords comming Luke 12.37 is blessed for hee shall appeare the second time without sinne vnto them that looke for him vnto saluation as we may see Heb. 9. the last Verse Secondly the Lord deferreth his comming to Iudgement that all the Elect may bee gathered together to his Church may be effectually called be of the Lords flocke who although they are the Lords already in his eternall Decree yet there is a time wherein they are called The Lord would haue them heare the Word and by the same to be born againe vnto which time is required and therefore that they may haue time the Lord delayeth his comming for their sakes the world consisteth and for them all the good things on the earth are prepared For the vngodly vse them as Robbers and Theeues The Apostle saith 1. Tim. 4.3 God hath prepared meates to bee receiued of the faithfull with thanksgiuing and of such as know the Truth The like place the Apostle hath speaking to this purpose thus Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled Tiâ—us 1. â—5 and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen the minde and conscience of them is defiled The third reason why the Lord is so long before hee come to take this account is very like to the former reason and it is to grant all men time and space to repent that they may bee saued which the godly will not pretermit nor neglect The Lord saith the Apostle that hath promised is not slacke as some men count slacknesse but is patient towards vs for as much as he would haue no man lost but would receiue all men to repentance Vnto which purpose hee speaketh after in the 15. Verse Suppose saith he that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation This time space to repent and prepare themselues for this account the godly will neuer let slip vnprofitably Contrarily the wicked neglect time and therefore by the same are made inexcusable making a fuller measure of their sinne in that they despise the goodnes and bountifulnesse of the Lord Rom. 2.4 calling them to repentance These wicked ones are afraid of this Iudgement and therefore neuer wish for it but the godly desire it because at that time they shall be deliuered from the miseries wherein they liue in this world Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am saith the Apostle who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In Reuelation 22. The Brideman and Bridewoman say Come Lord Iesu Come which they say not that are not ready to entertaine the Lord. Hauing before proued that there is a day of Iudgement and that God would haue vs to know it and the reasons wherefore and also hauing shewed that the certain time the yeere moneth weekes dayes and houres are vnknowne and the reasons also of the same with a confutation of the gaine-sayers and the vse of both And lastly hauing yeelded reasons why the Lord delayeth this Day In the rest I will bee as compendious and short as I may bee so as I may lay downe the truth with perspicuitie Which that I may the better doe obserue with mee these points which I thinke fittest to bee spoken of And first hauing before manifested that there is a day of Iudgement and account-taking next it wil be most profitable to shew First what this Iudgement is Secondly the terrible signes and dreadfull preparations for the wicked Thirdly the manner and comming of the Iudge and settling him in his Throne and raising of the dead to come to Iudgement Fourthly the tryall of the sinner by Accusers and Witnesses Fiftly the Booke and touchstone of the sinners tryall at the last Day Sixtly the lamentable case of the sinner condemned Seuenthly the sentence giuen of both godly and vngodly First what this Iudgement is First it is that Iudgement which God will exercise in the end of the World by Christ which shall come downe from Heauen into the Clouds visibly in great glory and Maiestie and will take this account and by him all men shall bee raised vp which haue beene dead from the beginning of the world euen to the end the rest then being aliue shall be suddenly changed and all shall stand before the Tribunall Seat of Christ who shall giue sentence of all and will cast the euill with the Diuels into eternall punishment and will take the godly to him that with him and the blessed Angels they may in Heauen enioy eternall felicitie This long description is taken out of the knowne Scriptures and therefore if I should labour to proue it I should hold vp a Candle to lighten the Sun I will therefore leaue this matter as yeelded vnto and hasten to the next point to wit what shall be done at that time at that fearefull time of reckoning that men warned of the dangers may be danted and discouraged from doing euill and walking any longer securely in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and by serious repentance be brought to the narrow way that leadeth to saluation Secondly at this Day of Iudgement when this strict reckoning shall be taken there shall be such terrible signes and dreadfull preparations for the wicked that they shall bee at their wits ends their hearts shall faile them for feare and they shall wish that the Hils may couer