that thou art of nor so much his Religion because he professes the same Faith with thee nor so much his Person because he is a Gentleman nor so much his readiness to extol thy bounty as the Love and Charity of the Holy Jesus to thy Soul and Body Have that in thine Eye chiefly when thou openest thy Hand let him be in thy Mind when thou distributest thy bounty this makes thy Charity amiable and acceptable and fit to be proclaimed and commended in this Day And indeed How dost thou know Christian but that thy Saviour may sometimes disguise himself and appear to thee in the shape of a poor Man and wilt not thou give freely wilt not thou give cheerfully wilt not thou give readily since thou knowest not but thou may'st give it to thy Saviour himself And how glorious an Encomium will it be in the last Day to hear him say before the World I was naked and this good Man cloathed me I was in Prison and he visited me The three Angels of Old disguised themselves in the shape of Travellers to try Abraham's hospitality and from hence possibly came the Heathenish Fables that their Jupiter came in the Habit of a poor Man to Philemon who entertaining him Jupiter made his House a Temple and the Owner the Priest of it and that Apollo coming as a Traveller to Mydas and being kindly entertain'd by him rewarded his Bounty with vast Wealth and Riches tho' we have no warrant from Scripture to believe that Christ doth actually disguise himself to us in such shapes and appears to us to try our Charity yet it is no impossible thing and we may piously believe it thereby to encourage our selves to cheerful Contributions lest finding us hard-hearted and ill-natured covetous and incompassionate he deal with us as Jupiter among the Heathens is said to have dealt with Lycaon whom when he came to visit as a guest and found cruel instead of being hospitable he turned him into a Wolf Christ hath threatned the hard hearted a worse and stranger Metamorphosis for they that will not be like him in doing good shall be doomed to be like Devils to mourn and lament as they and to Eternal Ages too for this is the Sentence Go into Everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat c. Mat. 25. 41 42. 12. Let nothing discourage you from admiring those men who live in the Thoughts and Contemplation of this future Judgment We admire men for their Parts Abilities and Accomplishments we admire Aristotle for his Learning Archimedes for his Mathemathicks Socrates for his Gravity Absolom for his Beauty Achitophel for his Policy Saul for his Tallness Arion for his Musick Asahel for his Nimbleness the Men of Benjamin for their Skill in Slinging Darius for his Gratitude Cicero for speaking Virgil for Poetry Urbino for Painting c. but these are poor things for our Reason to admire Men that live Day and Night in a sense of this future Judgment live continually in expectation of the Arch-angel's Trumpet or the Summons of Almighty God these are the Men whose Praise we ought to shew forth in the Gates Let others admire Demosthenes for his Rhetorick I will admire St. Paul who so look'd at the things not seen even at this Judgment as to rejoyce in Tribulation and though troubled on every side yet was not distressed though perplex'd yet was not in despair tho' persecuted yet was not forsaken tho' cast down yet was not destroyed appeared to the World as sorrowful yet was always rejoycing as poor yet made many rich as having nothing and yet possessed all things 2 Cor. 4. 7 8 18. 2 Cor. 6. 10. Let others admire Arcesilaus for his Prudence Scipio for his Fortitude Aristoclides for his humanity Pythagoras for his Philosophy I will admire the Primitive Believers who stood in such awe of this Great Day that their constant Thoughts and Contrivances were how to resist their Adversary the Devil and upon this account stood fast in the Faith quitted themselves like Men were strong and always abounding in the work of the Lord. The thoughts of that Day made them vigilant sober heavenly minded despisers of the World charitable kind tender-hearted fruitful in all good Works and why should we delude our selves or fancy we need not do so or that they did more than they ought to have done The Best of Men the Wisest Men the Holiest Men that ever lived have been frighted over-awed supported preserved in goodness by the contemplations of that Day and therefore if we are not it 's no sign that we are wiser than they but that we are more stupid we are all ambitious of participating of their glory and why should we be afraid of taking the way that led them to it These are the men who choose the better part These are the men who though laugh'd at by the World are a Crown of Glory and a Royal Diadem in the Hand of their God and for their Shame they shall have Double and for their confusion they shall rejoice in their portion Their light shall come the Glory of the Lord shall rise upon them They shall break forth on the right Hand and on the left and in Righteousness shall they be established They shall dwell on high their place of defence shall be the Munition of Rocks Bread shall be given them their Water shall be sure Their Eyes shall see the King of Glory in his Beauty they shall behold the Land that is very far off even the Land where Rivers of Pleasures flow where no Tears are to be seen no Sorrow to be found no anguish to be heard of These are the Men which at last shall sit down in the Throne of God and having suffered Hunger and Thrist with the Holy Jesus here shall Eat and Drink at his Table in his Kingdom These Men will at last be look'd upon with greater fear and reverence than now they are and when the bruitish World shall see them advanced to the highest Seats of Bliss and behold that these which once were the most contemptible Creatures shall judge the World with the Son of God they will change their Voices and with the Maltheses be ready to call them Gods whom but a little before they condemned as Varlets and Villains I conclude this discourse with St. Peter's exhortation 2 Pet. 3. 9. 15. The Lord is not slack concerning his Promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance But the Day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness looking for and hastening unto the coming of the Day of God wherein the Heavens being on Fire shall be dissolved and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat Nevertheless we according to his Promise look for New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwells Righteousness wherefore Beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in Peace without Spot and Blameless FINIS Socrat. Eccl. Hist. l. 1. c. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 24. 25. Plat. in Phaed. Psal. 8. 6. 2 Sam. 15. 23. Isa. 1. 3. Lam. 1. 12 13 14. Chrysost. Hom 2. in 2 Thessalon Rev. 22. 15. Zeph. 1. 14 15 16 17 18. Prov. 5. 11 12. Happy Asectic p. 425. Seq Phil. 4. 4. Eccles. 2. 4 8 10 11. Gen. 4. 21. Conc. Eliber c. 79. Conc. Const. 6. c. 50. Es. 3. 18 19 20 21. 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. De Serm. in Monte lib. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 9 1 Pet. 3. 3. Vid. Chrysost. Hom. 10. in Col. Vid. Cypr. de Habit. Virg. Ed. Oxon. p. 95. Est. 14. 16. Cyprian de Habit Virgin Rev. 17. 4. Tertul. de cult Foem l. 2. c. 13. Vid. Celada commentar in Judith c. 10. Plutarch in Apophthegm Aelian var. Hist. l. 8. Rom. 8. 9. Rom. 8. 5. Platin. in Paul 2. Euseb. l. 5. c. 15. Greg. Naz. in laudem Gorg. De Habit. virg p. 100. Homil. 31. in Matth. Vid. P. Martyr loc com class 2. c. 11. P. Mart. loc cit Summ. Part. 2. tit 6. c. 6. ss 3. De Bell. Belg. l. 1. Hom. 49. in Matth. De và nit scient c. 18. Ps. 119. 47. Exod. 23. 13. Vid. Gerh. Joh. Voss. de Idol l. 2. c. 8. Matt. 5. 13. Ephes. 5. 4. Mar. 8. 38. Salvian de gubern Dei lib. 6. Tertul. de spect c. 15. c. 15. c. 15. c. 16. c. 17. c. 23. c. 23. c. 25. c. 25. c. 26. c. 26. c. 27. c. 29. 2 Cor. 6. 4 5. Pro. 7. 14. Vid Drexel Tribun Christi l. 1. c. 8. ss 5. In Epitaph Paulae Rom. Rev. 21. 20 21. Psal. 37. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 23. Matt. 11. 22. Luke 6. 38.
upon Heaven and all that time look'd very ghastly recovering out of the Extasie and being asked by his Friends where he had been and what his Thoughts had been during those three days and what made him look so strangely O my Friends said he Do you ask me where I have been Alas I have been these three days standing before the great Tribunal and seen how the most just Judge sentenced divers Souls to Eternal Darkness and who would not stand amazed at the dreadful Spectacle It was therefore a very good Prayer of St. Ambrose I do most vehemently desire O Lord that thou wouldest be pleased to imprint and very deeply imprint the Land skip of the future World the Miseries of the Disobedient the Groans of the Stubborn the Agonies of the Impenitent the Shrieks of the Prophane the Vexations of Hypocrites the Fears of the Careless the Destruction of the Covetous the Perdition of Worldlings the Flames of the Revengeful the Terror of Damnation and Eternal Torments and the future Felicity of thy Kingdom upon my Mind for it is impossible that he that thinks much of these things should not become thy Child and Servant and one of those whom thou host predestinated to Eternal Life Dost thou laugh said the Old Man in Ruffinus to a Youngster whose Behaviour was very light when you and I are to be judged before Heaven and Earth And indeed that Person that surveys what the Divine Jesus hath said of this future Judgment thinks how in that Day the Powers of Heaven will be shaken the Sun turned into Darkness the Moon into Blood and the Stars forbear to give their Light how the World and all the Elements will be on Fire the Universe melt like Wax the Earth be burnt up the Seas dried and the Rivers consumed and with what Glory and Bravery the once afflicted Son of God will then appear with an Army of Angels about him displaying their Banners and carrying the Sign of the Son of Man before him how before him all Nations will be assembled and all that are in their graves upon hearing the Voice of God loud as Thunder and more dreadful too will be summoned to appear before his Bar the Judge shining in his Meridian-glory brighter than Moses clearer than the Sun and how the Consciences of guilty men will quake at this sight their Hearts misgiving them that their Portion will be in outward Darkness how formidable all the Transactions will be how immutable the Sentence after it is once passed not to be altered or deprecated by Saints or Angels how all Evasions Subterfuges will be out of doors there and all possibility of transferring our Errors upon others who have been Partners with us in our Sins will vanish how those that make themselves Fools for Christ's sake in this Life were reproached reviled derided and laughed at for their Severities would not lose their Souls for a Trifle nor sell their Birthright to Eternal Bliss for a Morsel of Meat would hold fast their integrity though solicited by innumerable Losses and Crosses and by their nearest Relations to curse God and die how these who were here made the off-scourings of all things will then be absolved and quitted and have Seats appointed them in the Mansions of Glory there to reign and sing the Goodness of God to all Eternity I say he that seriously surveys these things if he be a Person who hath not debauch'd or lost his Reason cannot but be affected by passages of this Nature and think it time to curb himself in his sensual Delights and Satisfactions But 2. Bare thinking is not enough but the Particulars of this future Judgment must be actually applied to our selves General things and what is done to others though they may touch the Heart yet do not subdue it till particular applications give them force and power A Fire that is a Mile off from me though it causes in me some sense of the Calamity yet if it threatens the House I live in my Faculties soon bestir themselves and I fall to work and secure my self in good earnest so here when I behold the tremendous Process of this Judgment I must reflect that as God deals with others so he will certainly deal with me that I have no greater privilege than others but must stand and fall by the same Law that they stand and fall by that to fancy any more favourable proceedings towards me than God intends to others is but a Dream and contrary to the impartiality of the Judge that as I have a Soul to be saved as well as my Neighbour so God will expect I should live here as he bids my Neighbour live that neither my Estate nor Dignity neither my Offices nor Friends neither my Riches nor my Greatness will excuse my living more carelesly than my poorer Friends nay that my outward Advantages make my Account greater and as I have had greater Talents bestowed upon me so more will be required of me than of them who have not had those opportunities of being good and holy which I have had that as God hath advanced me in the World placed me in a higher station given me a considerable figure here on Earth made his Candle to shine upon me caused my Root to spread by the Waters and the Dew of Heaven to lie all night upon my Branch and afforded me Credit and Respect among men so he looks for greater Fruitfulness in good Works and more than ordinary exemplariness to advance his Glory and to spread the Power of Religion among my Inferiors and Dependants and therefore upon a view of this future Process I must needs rouze my Soul by such Questions as these If God be resolved to judge the Secrets of mens hearts according to his Gospel what will become of me Should God call thee to Judgment O my Soul this Night or this Hour art thou in a condition to appeat before so great so dreadful a God Is this Foolery thou pleasest thy self with this wanton Dress this jolly Life these merry Hours this Gaming this Carousing this extravagant Laughter this Fondness of the Humor of the Age this immodest and frothy Talk this foolish Garb this phantastick Fashion this mispending thy Time this keeping of vain Company this unprofitable way of Living this thy being intent altogether upon the Profits and Pleasures of the World this Indifferency in Religion these faint Resistances of Temptations this Neglect of known Duties this unfaithful Discharge of the Duties of thy Relations this unwillingness to mind any thing that 's serious this Aversion from Spiritual Discourses and Actions this want of Gravity c. Are these fit Wedding-Garments to come before the King of Heaven in Thou maist be summon'd to come to his Bar within this day or two think what an infinite Majesty thou must be presented to Should God speak the word within a few Minutes Come away come away and give an Account of thy Behaviour how unprepared art thou
must be the fullness of his vertues that it may burst out from the mind within to the habit without and press from the conscience to the outward man that men from without may see what store and treasure he hath in the secret recesses of his Soul Voluptuousness and Wantonness must be renounced for by these the Vertue of Faith loses its masculine vigor I doubt the hand that hath been used to Bracelets will never endure the sturdiness of a Chain for Christ Jesus nor can I apprehend how the Knee used to a soft Garter will be able to endure the Stocks or Racks for the Gospel and I very much question whether that Neck which glistered with Pearls and precious Stones will ever yield unto the Sword of persecution therefore my beloved let 's chuse hard and uneasie things and we shall not feel them let 's forsake the pleasant things of this World and we shall not desire them these are the Anchors of our hope let 's lay aside these outward gayeties if we aim at the Wedding Garment in Heaven let not Gold prove the object of our love by which the sins of Israel are expressed let 's hate that which hath undone the Patriarchs and was adored by them after they had forsaken the fountain of living waters Come forth beloved and set before you the rich attire of the Prophets and Apostles of our Lord take your fairness from their simplicity your blushes from their modesty paint your eyes with their shamefacedness and your lips with their self-denial in speaking instead of Pendants insert in your ears the word of God and let your necks bear the yoke of Christ Jesus submit your heads to your own Husbands and then you 'll be dressed like Christians employ your hands about Wool and as much as you can keep at home and this will render you more amiable than Gold Clothe your selves with the Silk of Innocence with the Velvet of Holiness and with the Purple of Chastity and thus adorned God will fall in love with you 10. Delight in Painting and Patching and artificial meliorations of the Fate and Skin to please and delude spectators or to draw others into admiration of our persons as it is a thing which the very Heathens have condemn'd for reasons drawn from the light of nature so it is almost needless to discourse of it or to batter it with Arms and Weapons out of the Magazine of the Gospel This Delight hath in most Ages been infamous and the thing it self counted incongruous with the Law of our very Creation The Fathers of the second third and fourth Centuries derive the Original of it from the Devil and will allow nothing of this nature in any person that looks like a Christian It is a sign that the Spirit of Christ doth not dwell in a person that dares delight in such Vanities for that Spirit inclines the Soul to other things makes her regardless of Beauty and external Comeliness obliges her solicitous about inward Accomplishments and how she may please him that died and hath purchased an eternal Salvation for her and it 's enough that he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his A Soul that hath the Spirit of Christ hath other things to do than spend her time and care in mending the Face for they that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit And what are the things of the Spirit but setting our affections upon the things which are above meditating of the purchased possession longing after the light of God's countenance despising the world self-denial taking up the Cross of Christ a transcendent love of God a burning zeal to his Glory laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come growing strong in the Lord and in the power of his might resisting temptations growing in Grace labouring after a greater hatred of sin a greater fore-taste of Heaven a greater conformity to the Will of God a greater sense of the love of God c. And he that in good earnest minds these things will have no great desire to busie himself about such pitiful trivial and impertinent things these will be trash and dirt to him and his Soul will soar above them and scorn them as the Devils Lime twigs whereby he lies in wait to deceive And though I will not deny but that a man in case of danger and when his Life is in jeopardy or when he would pass through a party of his Enemies may lawfully disguise himself and by Art change and alter his Countenance that he may not be known and though a man who hath lately had the Small Pox or hath been Sun-burnt or whose Face hath been parch'd with Wind may lawfully take care by ordinary helps to reduce his face to his former or native colour and complexion and though we do not judge it against the Law of God to hide some great Blemish or Defect in the Face whereby Spectators may be offended and particularly Women that are with Child frighted and though it is not inconsistent with the Rule of the Gospel to wash the Face when dirty yet all those Pains and additional Washes and artificial black Spots whereby Men and Women endeavour either to set off their complexion the better to give themselves a more pleasing Colour or to mend their Meen or to make themselves look more beautiful or to attract the Eyes and Admiration and sometimes the unlawful Amours of those they converse withal are things which a Christian must be a stranger to When I say Men it is not without reason for we read of such a Beast as Paul the Second Pope of Rome who whenever he went abroad painted himself that the Beauty of his Face might in some measure be answerable to the Comeliness of his Stature which was procere and tall and it is to be feared that this Effeminacy dwells in too many Persons of the Masculine Sex at this day However as Women are usually more faulty this way than Men so they give us but small hopes to believe that they are Heirs of Heaven while they are so industrious to please their Acquaintance and others here on Earth St. Paul would not please Men no not in the Ceremonies of the Law which were things formerly commanded by God thinking it unworthy of a Christian that had been freed from that Yoke by the Son of God and how unworthy must it be then to please Men in things which God hath never commanded nay by many hints and places discovered his dislike of How justly may God look upon it as Presumption to alter that Face which he thought fit to create in that shape it is of And what is it but contending with our Maker and expostulating with the Potter Why hast thou made me thus and controuling his Art and Wisdom while not content with the Countenance he hath given we seek
Example as I am not ashamed to follow so since they thought it their duty to discourage such Vulgar Errours it cannot be a Crime in us to follow their Faith knowing the end of their Conversation THE SUMMARY Of the whole DISCOURSE THe Explication of the Text Pag. 1 6. The Proposition That the Prospect of a future Judgment is enough to imbitter all the Sensual and Carnal delights of Men particularly of young Men and to bring a damp upon the most Youthful and most Jovial Temper imaginable p. 7. The illustration of this Proposition p. 8 13. The Heads of the Discourse I. What Reason we have to believe that there is a Day of Judgment The Reasons drawn 1. From the Universal consent of the wiser sort of Mankind 2. From the Being and Justice of God II. What there is in that future Judgment that 's able to cast a damp on the Mirth and Jollities of Men especially the younger sort 1. In the Prospect of this Judgment there appears a very serious Judge the mighty Jesus the Son of God p. 22. 2. A very strict Examination of what we have done in the Flesh p. 33. 3. A very wonderful Scene The Person that is the Judge is the Law giver too the Party offended the Witness and his own Advocate p. 49. 4. The unspeakable anguish and misery of those who have been most jolly and merry in this life p. 67. III. How the Prospect of that future Judgment must be managed that it may actually damp and put a stop to these Carnal delights 1. By thinking reflecting and ruminating upon that future Judgment p. 78. 2. By applying the particulars of this future Judgment to our selves p. 87. 3. By seconding all this with earnest Prayer p. 95. IV. Whether every Man is bound to imbitter his Carnal delights with this Prospect Aff. 1. Because if not imbitter'd they will infallibly lead the Soul into innumerable dangers p. 104. 2. Because to imbitter such delights to our selves is a thing of the greatest concernment p. 108. 3. This imbittering our sensual delights with such a Prospect is that which men will certainly wish they had done when they appear at the great Tribunal p. 111. V. Whether a Christian that would be saved is upon this account obliged to forbear and abandon all Sensual and Worldly delights and recreations whatsoever The Answer to this Query laid down in several Articles 1. Spiritual delight is and must be the chief delight of a Christian p. 117. 2. Worldly delights as are neither sinful in themselves nor apparent occasions of evil are allowable p. 119. 3. Delight in Gardens Rivers Orchards c. considered p. 121. 4. Of delight in Musick either Vocal or Instrumental p. 123. 5. Of delight in Books p. 125. 6. Of delight in Drinking and Tipling p. 127. 7. Of delight in Cards and Dice p. 130. 8. Of delight in Feasting and going to Feasts p. 136. 9. Of delight in fashionable Cloaths and Habits p. 142. 10. Of delight in Painting and Patching and artificial Meliorations of the Face and Skin p. 160. 11. Of delight in Dancing p. 175. 12. Of delight in Seeing and going to Stage plays p. 186. Inferences drawn from the Premises 1. How far sorrow is better than laughter explained p. 247. 2. How differently Spiritual things affect men as they either attentively or inattentively think upon them p. 262. 3. How much the greatest part of the World is to be pitied that can delight in nothing but what they can grasp and feel p 271. 4. How unreasonable it is to harbour any hard Thoughts of Religion because it debars us of dangerous sensual delights p. 283. 5. How necessary it is to prepare for the Great Day of Account DIRECTIONS 1. To pity those inconsiderate Men that live as if there were no future Judgment p. 297. 2. To spend some time every Day in reflecting upon this Day p. 299. 3. To walk circumspectly every Day and to use that conscientiousness we would use were we sure we should be summon'd to Judgment at Night p. 307. 4. To reflect and think on this Day whenever we see or hear of the judicial Process of a Malefactor p. 310. 5. To reflect on this Day whenever we converse with sick and dying men or are present when their Breath leaves their Bodies p. 315. 6. To reflect on this Day whenever we go to a Funeral p. 319. 7. To judge our selves here on Earth in order to avoid the terrour of God's future Judgment p. 324. 8. In our actions to regard not so much how they are relished with Men as whether they will endure the Test before the Judge when our Souls shall appear before him p. 328. 9. To bear injuries patiently out of regard to this Day of Judgment when God will set all things to rights and take care that we shall lose nothing by our sufferings p. 333. 10. To consider particularly that it will be more tolerable for Heathens and Professed Infidels at this Day than for Christians p. 337. 11. To make this Day a Motive to Christian Charity and Compassion p. 342. 12. Not to suffer our selves to be discouraged from admiring those men who have always lived in the Thoughts and Contemplations of this future Judgment p. 347. Advertisements of two Books Published by the Reverend Doctor Horneck and Sold at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-Yard THe Happy Ascetick Or The Best Exercise To which is added A Letter to a Person of Quality concerning the Holy Lives of the Primitive Christians Octavo THe Exercise of Prayer Or A Help to Devotion Being a Supplement to the Happy Ascetick or best Exercise Containing Prayers and Devotions suitable to the respective Exercises With Additional Prayers for several Occasions Twelves THE SIRENES OR Delight and Judgment Eccles. xj 9. Rejoyce O young Man in thy Youth and let thy Heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart and in the sight of thine Eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment THere is no Man certainly better able to give us so true an Account of the Nature Extent Danger Exit and End of sensual Pleasure as Solomon the Son of David a wise Son of a wise Father a Man wise to a Prodigy wiser than all the Children of the East to whose comprehensive Brain nothing came amiss whose penetrating Mind contained the whole circle of Arts and Sciences and whose insatiable desire after Knowledge made him enquire into the Nature of Sin and not content with the speculation of the Delights it caused in corrupted Souls ventured even upon the practice of them he walked through the whole Garden tasted of all the Fruits smelt to every Flower and I believe many times sinned not so much out of fondness to the Sin as for Tryals sake to acquaint himself with the Nature of the Folly and to see whether there was really that satisfaction in it which the
Talking loosly c. But in some measure in Lawful also especially where a greater good is to be promoted and hath bid us use these outward Comforts as if we used them not and rejoyce in them as if we rejoyced not with fear and cautiousness that they draw not our hearts away and with a generous indifferency as Persons who have laid up their Treasure in another World and look for the Blessed Hope and the Glorious appearing of the great God Such a Judge appears in this prospect one who descended into this vally of Tears upon the most serious Errand imaginable even to call Sinners to Repentance to make them sensible of what God expects at their hands to convince them that they have Souls to be saved to assure them that though God is patient yet he will not be everlastingly affronted by bold and daring Men and judges otherwise of things than besotted Mortals and is in good earnest when he bids them set their Affections upon the things which are above one who will not be put off with fooling nor spare a Malefactor for a jest one who gave Mankind a Being and Habitation here not to play but to work not to mind Trifles and Rattles but the Concerns of a tremendous Eternity a Judge whose Eyes are like Flames of Fire and his Feet like Brass glowing in a Furnace who was indeed a Lamb when he had his conversation here on Earth and like one was led to the slaughter not opening his Mouth and is still so to all those that take his Yoke upon them and learn of him to be humble and meek but will at last appear in all the Robes of Majesty which the Clouds of Heaven and a Guard of Ten Thousand times Ten Thousand Angels and all the Light of the Throne of God can furnish him with This Judge knows all the Secrets of our Hearts and before him all things are naked and open and no Creature can hide himself he is one who cannot be imposed upon by Sophistry nor nor wheadled into a wrong Judgment of things by equivocation whose presence will shake the World and put the greatest Captains and stoutest Souldiers into Fits of Trembling and make them cry to Rocks and Mountains Fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sits upon the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb. This Judge is not to be corrupted nor to be bribed cannot be carried away with outward respects which make Judges here on Earth pervert Judgment these judge too often according to Affection and call white black and black white good evil and evil good defend vice under the notion of virtue rashness under the name of fortitude laziness under the colour of moderation and timorousness under the title of cautiousness these do too often become advocates for the Prodigal and call them liberal and generous the covetous with them pass for frugal the Lascivious for Courtiers the Talkative for affable the Obstinate for Men of resolution and the Dull and Idle for persons who act with great deliberation Love to their Kindred and Blood makes them extenuate Faults in their Relations and that which appears an inexpiable crime in Strangers seems but a peccadillo or infirmity in a Child or Brother Herod hurried away with his Amours to Herodias beheads the innocent Baptist Flaminius out of Love to his Harlot violates the Publick Faith Julius Caesar out of fondness to Cleopatra gives Sentence against her Brothers David's inordinate affection to a Rebel-Son tempts him to give the Army charge to take care of the young Man Absolom But the Judge we speak of is of another temper it was his Character here on Earth that he was no respecter of Persons nor could the Sons of Zebedee prevail with him to place them one at his right hand the other at his left and it was not Kindred he would advance to that Dignity but such for whom it was prepared by his Father Hence it was that his Mother and Brethren found no farther acceptance with him than they were obedient to his Word and he deliver'd it as his Eternal Rule They that do the will of my Father they are my Mother and Brethren and Sisters and with this Motto he gave a Reprimand to the Woman that cried Blessed is the Womb that bare thee and the Paps which thou hast sucked yea blessed are they said he who hear the Word of God and do it And he that here on Earth could not be wrought upon by Kindred or Consanguinity nor blinded by Affection sure will not be misled by these false Fires in the great Day of Judgment Judges here on Earth if Passion or Hatred to a Man reigns in their Minds are too often tempted to pass wrong Sentences What the Effects of Prognes hatred to her Husband Tereus were and how the innocent Son suffered by it how dire the hatred of Medea to Jason was and drew the death of their Children after it how Joseph's Brethren condemned that guiltless Soul meerly because they hated and envied him and how the Jews dealt with our great Master the Lord Jesus upon this Principle both Civil and Sacred Histories do sufficiently manifest But this impotent Passion cannot light upon him who is to be the Judge in the last Day He hates nothing that he hath made and is so great a lover of all Mankind that he would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth and would give them all Eternal Life if they would but take the way he prescribes them The Devils themselves could they be penitent would be received into favour and let a Man be born of a Jew or Turk if he do but bring forth fruits meet for Repentance neither his odious Name nor loathsome Kindred shall exclude him from his bosom He hath no secret Spleen or Pique against any Person living and though God under the Law seems to vent a particular displeasure against the seven Nations and especially against the Amalekites yet it was for their monstrous and unnatural Sins that his just Displeasure rose against them not any private Grudge or Envy he bore to them as Men above other of his Creatures Such Imperfections are not incident to our Judge who detests and abhors no person but what makes himself deformed and odious to his purer Eyes and in every Nation whosoever serves him and works Righteousness is accepted of him Fear very often prevails upon Governors and Men in Office here upon Earth that they dare not speak their mind in passing Sentence for fear of offending a Favorite or losing their Places or being accounted pragmatical or missing such a Preferment distorts their Judgments and makes them take wrong measures of things This makes Laws Cobwebs for great Men and Traps to catch lesser Animals this tempted Pilate to crucifie the Holy Jesus and though he was sensible of his Innocence yet the word If thou let this Man go thou art not Caesar ' s Friend turns
shall speak they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment saith Christ Matth. 12. 36. Not having repented of things of this nature either through unbelief or carelesness when these points shall come to be examined and thy Soul interrogated upon these Particulars and so many too it stands to reason that it must necessarily cause very great astonishment for these things were most certainly forbid in that Gospel thou didst profess and that notwithstanding as if such things had never been spoken of thou shouldst slight them and undervalue them and not think them worth thy care to shun them what sad reflexions will this Examination cause In vain dost thou hope that Eagles catch no Flies and that God will never mind such small trivial and inconsiderable Errors He that minded these smaller Faults as they seem to carnal men and took notice of them in this life may justly be supposed resolved to call men to an account for them in that solemn Day of Reckoning for indeed God's Proceedings here are an Emblem of his process in Judgment hereafter Eating of the forbidden Fruit in Paradise seem'd but an inconsiderable oversight yet did God curse the very Earth for that Fact made it bring forth Briars and Thorns for the future condemned Adam to the eating of Bread in the Sweat of his Brows and threatned the Woman his Partner in the Error to multiply her pain and sorrows It doth not appear from Moses that the Children of God or Professors of the true Religion did any more than marry with the Daughters of the prophaner Crew a small fault a brutish Man would think yet was the Insolence lash'd and the inordinate Fire quencht with a Deluge of Waters Lot's Wife looks back to Sodom out of curiosity perhaps a venial Folly natural to women it seems to be and no more yet for doing so she is turn'd into a Pillar of Salt Achan as a Souldier and that sort of men we know live much upon Prey takes in a time of War a golden Wedge and Babylonian Mantle no great matter one would think yet God orders him to be stoned Uzzah out of his over-care that the Ark might not fall lays hold on 't to support it yet for so doing is struck with Death immediately the Prophet who came from Judah to Prophecy against the Altar of Bethel in suffering himself to be persuaded to eat Bread by another Prophet who pretended Visions too to ones thinking committed no great Crime yet God revenged his Disobedience with a violent Death for a Lion sent by God slew him Moses grows impatient at the Waters of Meribah Who would not have done so that had to deal with so stubborn a People yet that Act of Mistrust and Impatience cost him the loss of the Land of Canaan he had so long desired to behold the People of Israel murmured in the Wilderness a thing that People might easily do who were kept so long in a barren Desart without seeing an end of their Travel yet of that vast number of Six hundred thousand Men not one enters into the Promised Land save Caleb and Joshua Ananias and Sapphira seemed to be guilty of no great Misdemeanor for they were content to give half of their Estate to the poor but kept the other to themselves yet is God so angry that he punishes their violating of their Vow to give all with sudden Death Go now Sinner and fancy that God will not call thee to an account for Faults the World makes nothing of because he doth not do it here he will certainly do it hereafter and the Examples of the Bible are Items that he will do so It 's no matter whether the thing in which the offence is committed seem inconsiderable or no the disobedience is all in all if God commands thee to avoid a thing that 's trivial it s the easier Task to do according to his Will and because it was so easie to obey and thou wouldst not it s that which makes thy disobedience grievous and heinous tho' the matter of the offence seems mean and contemptible Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft and Stubborness is as Iniquity and Idolatry said Samuel in a case much like this where the thing done by Saul was so far from seeming ill that it appeared like a Work of Mercy and an Act of Gratitude for he spared the best of the Sheep and brought home Agag the King alive in Triumph yet this excused not the Fact but rather aggravated it for hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices as in the obeying the Voice of the Lord Behold to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken than the Fat of Rams as the Prophet tells him v. 22. This confirms the Method of Christ's proceeding in the last Day and indeed how could that Judgment be perfect if the lesser as well as the greater Errours were not to be accounted for and mens disobedience against the lesser as well as the greater Commands of the Gospel was not to be manifested and proclaimed before the World And though this is chiefly to be understood of men who die without sincere Repentance yet it is more than probable that even the sins of those who were justified and sanctified will be brought to light and discovered before the vast Assembly that shall appear before the Throne of God in that Day not that they need fear any hurt or disadvantage that will arise from that examination and publication but by these means both the Glory of God and the Glory of these true Converts will appear more illustrious the Glory of God who hath snatch'd such Persons like Brands out of the Fire pull'd them out of the miery Clay in which they were ready to perish and taken them out of the Devils Clutches than which there cannot be a greater sign of the power and goodness of God and who sees not how much it will be for the Credit and Honour of the Saints themselves For to let the World see first the Bands and Ropes that once held them and how like Samson they broke them all and carried away the gates of Gaza and escaped out of Hell in despight of all the Devils that raged and stormed and domineer'd there What can be said more for their renown and glory What hurt doth the penitent Mary Magdalen receive by the Evangelists recording or our speaking of her former Whoredoms No more will the revealing of holy Mens faults and errors in the last Day eclipse but rather advance their goodness because they extricated themselves from the Snare of the Fowler and generously rouzed themselves from their fatal Slumber and in despight of Temptations would press towards the Mark of endless glory Their Errors being published with their true Repentance and Change of Life justifies God in accepting of them while he refuses others and proclaims their Wisdom in chusing the better part and condemns the impenitent and discovers how justly they are left
11. 31. Then we judge our selves when we confess our particular Errors and condemn our selves for the Commission when with Grief and sorrow of Heart and Indignation against our selves we do acknowledge that we have abused the Divine Mercy and by so doing deserved his taking his holy Spirit from us when we lay his Threatnings before us and confess that these Plagues are due to us and that we have deserved them and wonder at the Patience of God that hitherto hath been loath to give order to the destroying Angel to seize on us when from a sense of our Neglects and Sins we cry It is a bitter thing and evil that we have forsaken the Lord and that his Fear hath not been in us and are so convinced of our Demerits that we can give no other Reason for our Escape and Preservation so long but God's infinite Goodness This is to accuse our selves a necessary Part or Action in this Judgment so far from being unnatural that it is a very ordinary nay necessary Effect of true Repentance In humane Courts of Judicature the Malefactor is not bound to accuse himself but in the Court of Conscience when we stand before God and remember we have to deal with the Searcher of Hearts to accuse our selves before him is not only our Duty but our Interest we are gainers and advantage our Cause by it and render God propitious and kind not that we make any alteration in God's Nature but we rely upon his promise which is that he will spare us upon this Self-accusation Nor is this all but we prosecute the task of judging our selves when we are angry with our selves for our imprudence in neglecting so great Salvation and study how to be revenged upon our Corruptions when we decry our inward and outward failings and are resolved to mortifie them were they as dear to us as our right Hand and Foot and the Apple of our Eye when we erect a Tribunal in our Souls and bid our disorderly Thoughts and Words and Actions appear before us and give an account of their behaviour and finding they have been exorbitant lash them into better manners when we lay mulcts on our inordinate desires in case they will not yield and put our Flesh to some more than ordinary trouble in case it will not be kept within its due bounds and limits when we punish our Eyes by fixing them so many minutes on Heaven or on the Word of God because they gazed on things which God hath forbid when we chastise our Ears with hearing so many Sermons because such a Day they listned with pleasure to an offensive story when we inflict silence upon our Tongues for some days because such a time they spake things either undecent or injurious to our Neighbours when we bid our Feet keep at home for a considerable time because they ran into evil Company when they should not when we deny our Body its necessary Food and Refreshment for some time because it pamper'd it self such a Day and play'd the wanton when we will not let our sensual Appetite enjoy its harmless and innocent delights for a certain time because the other Day it was greedy after outward and carnal satisfactions when we suffer our selves to be reproached without answering because such a Day we flew out into an unruly passion This is to judge our selves and they that do so may be confident they shall not be condemn'd with the World in doing so we do that to our selves which God would have done to us if we had continued impenitent and insensible and take that vengeance of our selves which God would have taken of us in a severer manner in case we had not bethought our selves and thus we prevent his anger and shew that we dread his Wrath and seek his Love that his Threatnings fright us and that we have just apprehensions of his Indignation and such men the Holy Ghost counts happy for blessed is he that feareth always saith the wise Man Prov. 28. 14. 8. In your Actions regard not so much how they are relish'd with Men as whether they will hold Water and endure the Test before the Judge when your naked Souls must appear before him It is a very great fault to govern our selves by the Opinion of Men Even Heathen Philosophers saw that the way to Virtue was to despise the Opinions of Men. And indeed where we make meer Opinions the measure of our Goodness we cannot but run into very great Errors It 's true we are to provide things honest in the sight of all Men and we are not to give Offence to others in any thing especially in matters where Duty is not concerned and we are concerned to let our light shine before Men that others may see our good Works and may praise our Father which is in Heaven but this differs very much from governing our selves in matters of good and evil by the Opinions of Men. We are not therefore to think our Actions are truly good because Men have a high Opinion of them nor to believe there is no hurt in many things we do because men see none or because they are charitable and will not put an ill Construction upon them Abundance of our Actions appear plausible to men who see no further than the outside but let 's consider whether they will bear the piercing Eye of this All-seeing Judge it 's true should God lay our Righteousness to the Line and measure our Religious actions by the exact Rule of his Wisdom Justice and Holiness he would spy innumerable flaws even in the Services of the devoutest Person living but he proceeds not according to that rigour for the great Mediators sake he makes large allowances for accidental infirmities and incogitances and unforeseen and involuntary slips and the sincerity of a good work is that he chiefly takes notice of whether the intention was good whether the design was Holy whether Love was the Principle of it whether it was without reserves of some secret sin whether there was candour and ingenuity in it and whether the offering was free unforced unconstrain'd by any outward Motive and whether Charity lay at the bottom Many of our Actions may want these qualifications of Sincerity and yet appear specious and gay and glorious in the Eyes of Spectators and those we converse withal Look not Christians on the commendations of your Neighbours in your acts of Piety but on the commendations of that Judge to whom ye must give an account for not he that commends himself or whom men commend is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10. 18. If he do not commend our works all the approbations of Mortal men will do us but little good another day and serve only to tell us that we were cheated by those Encomiums Alas How many men are counted Just and Righteous Honest and Good here on Earth whom the great Judge will not find so when he comes to examine their deeds by the
Rule of Sincerity Sirs matter not whether men do look upon you as devout but pray that God may esteem you so Alas what doth it signifie that men call me Religious when God knows I am an Hypocrite What comfort can it be to me that men think me charitable when God sees I give Alms to be seen of men What will it profit me that men call me Zealous and Fervent when God sees that gain and profit is the cause of it What doth it avail me that men say I pray well when God sees I study to please the Company What great matter is it that men applaud me for a single Virtue when God sees I am partial in my Obedience What great advantage can it be to me that men say I am humble when God sees pride in that very humility The Apostle therefore bids us look to the manner of our performances He that gives let him do it with simplicity He that rules with diligence He that shews Mercy with cheerfulness Let love be without dissimulation be kindly affectioned one to another with Brotherly Love c. Rom. 12. 8 9 10. So when you pray let your Hearts breath out holy Desires when you sing let your Minds bear a principal Part in the Hymn when you come to the Table of the Lord let your Souls be touch'd with the Love of Jesus when you are kind to your Neighbours banish all sinister Designs when you express any holy Fervours let God's Glory be in your Eye when you discharge any part of your Duty to God and Man let a cheerful Obedience to the Gospel be the Motive Do all this as unto God not as unto Men do it as if no Creature saw you do it as if none but God were before you do it as if you were to be summoned this Moment to Judgment such Services will endure the Probe such Devotions will stand good such Acts of Piety will bear searching such Works God himself will bear witness of that they were wrought according to his Will and by the Power of his holy Spirit 9. What Injuries you receive in this World from Men bear them patiently out of regard to this great Day of Judgment when God will set all things to rights and take care that you lose nothing by your Sufferings Rejoyce Christian in thine Innocence which God intends to proclaim in this Day before all Men and Angels He 'll wipe off all the Dirt and Aspersions that are thrown upon thee in that day He will bring forth thy Righteousness as the Light and thy Judgment as the Noon-day What need'st thou take notice of an Affront offer'd to thee when thy God stands engaged to take notice of it with a Witness in that day What need'st thou seek Revenge when thy Master whom thou servest is resolved to judge thy Cause in that Day What need'st thou fret and rage at the Contempt Men put upon thee here when thy great Lord will be sufficiently angry with the Offender in that day What need'st thou grieve that Men abuse thee here when thy Sovereign Master will grieve every Vein of the Reviler's Heart in that day What need'st thou be concerned for the Reproaches Men cast upon thee for thy Righteousness sake when he for whose Name thou sufferest will vindicate thy Wrongs and call the Persecuter Fool for his Pains in that day Say not At this rate there will be no living for me in the World but trust that God who hath promised to clear thy Innocence in that day and he will hide thee under the shadow of his Wings while thou art in this troublesome World he that preserved Elijah when Ahab and Jezabel and all the Prophets of Baal were enraged against him knows how to keep thee in the Hour of Temptation Ay but Revenge is sweet What if it be so to Flesh and Blood it will prove bitter to thy Spirit and if ever thou art saved a bitter Repentance must come in and salve the Wound and wilt thou prepare for a needless and uncertain Repentance How knowest thou whether God will after the Fact give thee his holy Spirit to come to this Repentance And what Cruelty is it when God is resolved to revenge thy Quarrel that thou wilt needs revenge it too If thou revengest it God will take no care to plead for thee but if thou leave thy Cause entirely to him thy patience will be infinitely recompens'd in that day Thus did thy blessed Master who when he suffer'd threatned not but committed himself to him that judges righteously Wilt thou boast of being his Disciple and art thou loath to follow his Example Fear not those Men who wrong thee now will be sufficiently sorry for the Injury either here if ever they be truly converted or hereafter when the Almighty will convince them to their everlasting Grief how much they were mistaken in their Verdicts and what sinister Constructions they put upon thy Actions how barbarous their Rage was against thee how inhumane the ill Language they gave thee and how unjust all their Reproaches were Do but stay a little while and thou shalt see it with thine Eyes Have but Patience until that appointed day and thou wilt find the Prophet was in the right when he said The Righteous shall rejoyce when he sees the Vengeance so that a Man shall say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous Verily he is a God that judges in the earth Psal. 58. 9 10. 10. Consider particularly That it will be more tolerable for Heathens and professed Infidels at this day than for Christians and not without reason Treason is more excusable in a Stranger than in a Citizen or Domestick and more may be pleaded for a sinful Life in a Pagan than in one of Christ's own Houshold A Heathen is obliged to God by the Right of Creation and Preservation but a Christian hath besides these Baptism and his Vows to tye him his Motives to the Fear of God are stronger than they can be in other Religions Where the greatest Rewards are there we may justly believe People will be most industrious most laborious and most sedulous No Religion proposes those rewards that Christianity doth The Heathens either had doubtful Apprehensions of an everlasting Happiness or were Strangers to the nature of it Among us this endless Glory is not only professed but most clearly revealed we are sure of it confident of it have no reason to dispute the certainty of it and the nature of it is discovered to us by him who came out of his Fathers Bosom therefore he that under these Manifestations proves careless and negligent of God's Love can have no Excuse And as Heaven is or may be seen in all its Glories among us so we are assured of a burning Lake of an endless Misery which attends the unconscionable and disobedient whereof the Notions of Pagans and Idolaters were but dark and consequently we have a stronger Bridle to curb the Violence of