which he calls the third heaven 2. Cor. 12.2 1. Cor. 12.2 4 and that Paradise in my Text must be understood of Heaven this resemblance confirms the first Adam sinned against God and was presently cast out of that Paradise on earth the second Adam made satisfaction for sinne and so must presently enter into this Paradise of heaven because of the sinn of the first Adam both he and all his posterity were thrust out of Eden because of the sufferings of the second Adam both he and we this Thief and all believers are to go into heaven So then this Paradise whither Christ is gone and this Thief went with him what is it but as Paul calls it the third heaven or as the Thief himself styled it in his prayer to our Saviour Remember me where in thy Kingdome And if this be it we call Paradise what can we say of it It is not for us saith Bernard in these earthly bodies to mount into the Clouds Bern. super Cant. serm 38. to pierce this fulnesse of light to break into this bottomlesse depth of glory this is reserved to the last day when Christ Iesus shall present us glorious and pure to his Father without spot or wrinkle And yet because God in his Word doth here give us a taste of heaven by comparing it with the most precious things that are on earth let us follow him so far as he hath revealed it and no further In the midst of Paradise is a Tree of Life Rev. 2.7 Revel 2.7 and this Tree bears twelve manner of fruits yielding her fruit every Moneth Rev. 22.2 Rev. 22.2 What more pleasant then life and what life better then where is variety of pleasure here is a tree of life and the life of the tree a Tree of life that renews life to the eaters and the life of the tree bearing fruit every moneth and as many moneths so many fruits such are the varieties of heavens joyes where youth flourisheth that never waxeth old change of delights and choise too entreth that never knoweth end But look we a little further Iohn that calls this place Paradise Revel 2. calls this Paradise a City Rev. 21. Rev. 21. from the 10 verse to 24. and hereof he gives us the quantitie and quality the bignesse and beauty first for the greatnesse of it An Angel with a golden Reed meaâ—ures it and and he finds the length and the breadth and the height of it are equall Secondly for the beautie of it The Walls saith he are of Iasper and the foundation of the Walls garnished with all manner of precious stones the twelve gates are of pearls and the streets paved with pure gold there is no need of Sun or Moon for the glory of God lightens it and the Lamb Christ Iesus is the light thereof See here the excellency of this City on which words to give you a short Comment Wee 'l begin first with the Greatness of it The Angel sets it down twelve hundred Furlongs vers 16. Yet that we may know this certain number it is but figuratively taken you may ghesse at the measurable magnitude of this Citie by those many Mansions spoken of by Christ John 14.2 John 14.2 In my Fathers house are many Mansions How many so many saith one as would suffice infinitis mundis Rolloc in Joh cap. 14. a thousand worlds of men and though all the men in this one world attain not to it it is not for want of room but of will They believe not in him who hath prepared these seats for them And ghesse it you may by that incredible distance betwixt Heaven and Earth Some Astronomers compute that betwixt us onely and the starrie Frmament there is no lesse then seventy four Millions Casman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seven hundred three thousand one hundred eighty miles and if the Empyreall Heaven as many say be two or three Orbs above the Starrie firmament how many more miles is it then beyond and the further it is distant we all know well enough the heavens being Orb-wise and one comprehending another that which is furthest or highest must needs be the greatest hence is it that Scriptures compare the height of Heaven and consequently the magnitude to the perfection of God past finding out Canst thou by searching find out God it is as high as heaven what canst thou do Job 11.8 Job 11.8 Secondly If such be the immensity what think you is the beauty It is a most glorious Citie whose walls are of Iasper whose building is of gold whose gates are of pearls whose foundation of precious stones and if such be the gates and streets what then are the inner rooms what are the dining Chambers what are the lodging rooms O how unspeakable is the glory of this Citie Kings shall throw down their Crowns before it and count all their pomp and glory but as dust in comparison and well they may for what is an earthly Kingdome to this heavenly Paradise where is mirth without sadness health without sorrow life without labour light without darknesse where every Saint is a King adorned with light as with a garment and clad in the richest robes that God bestows upon a creature But that which more especially commends the beauty of this Citie is the lustre of it There is saith Iohn no need of Sun or Moon it is verus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly light it self Zanch. de Coelo beatorum cap. 4. not like the starrie firmament bespangled here and there with glittering spots It is all as it were one great one glorious Sun from every point it pours out abundantly whole rivers of purest light and then what a light is this Nor is this all for the glorie of God lightens it and the Lamb is the light thereof besides the native lustre there is the glorie of God the glory of all glories this is it for which Moses prayed O Lord I beseech thee shew me thy glory to whom God answered thou canst not see my face and live but I will put thee in a cleft of the rock Exod. 33.18 20 21 22 23. and will cover thee with my hand while my glory passeth by then will I take away my hand and thou shalt see my back parts but my face shall not be seen And if Moses face shone so bright with seeing Gods back-parts that the Israelites were afraid to come nigh him and that he was fain to cover his face with a veil while he spake unto them Exod. 34.30 33. how bright then is Paradise not onely lightened with the back-parts of God but with his own divine glory From the majestie of God saith a modern there goes out a created light Zanch. de Coelo beat l. 1. c. 4. that makes the whole Citie glitter and this being communicated to the Saints God thereby causeth that they see him fully face to face Again The glory of God and the Lambe of God
both give their lights that Lambe that was slain from the beginning of the world that body of his once crucified now brighter then ten thousand Suns O how infinitely glorious doth it make this Paradise this Citie of God His countenance is as the Sun that shineth in his strength saith Iohn Revel 1.16 Revel 1.16 But what starres are those in his hands and his feet Where the nayls pierced now it sparkleth where the spear entred now it glittereth gloriously if we look all over him Ibid. v. 14 15. his head and his hairs are as white as snow his eyes are as a flame of fire his feet like unto fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace no wonder then if such beams come from this Sun the Sun of righteousnesse that all heaven shines with it from the one end to the other And yet again the Lambe and the Saints all give their lights for we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him 1. Joh. 3.2 1. John 3.2 how like why he shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 Phil. 3.21 In what like even in this very quality for they that be wise shall shine Dan. 12.3 Dan. 12.3 How shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament nay more as the starres saith Daniel nay more as the Sun saith our Saviour nay yet more saith Chrysostome howsoever the righteous in heaven Heaven are compared to the Sun Matth. 13.43 Matth. 13.43 Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 6 It is not because they shall not surpasse the brightnesse of it but the Sun being the most glittering thing in this world he takes a resemblance thence onely towards the expressing of their glory Now then what a masse of light will arise in Paradise where so many millions of Sunns appear all at once If one Sunne make the morning sky so glorious what a bright shining and glorious day is there where 's not a body but 't is a Sunn Sure it is Revel 21.23 There shall be no night there no need of candle no need of Sunne or Moon or Star O that this clay of ours should be partakers of such glory what am I O Lord that being a worm on earth thou wilt make me a Saint in heaven this body of earth and dust shall shine in heaven like those glorious spangles in the firmament this body that shall rot in dust and fall more vile then a Carrion shall arise in glory and shine like the glorious body of our Saviour in the mount of Tabor To come neer my Text See here a Saint-Thief shining gloriously he that was crucified with our Saviour at whose death the Sun hid her face with a veil now he reigns in glory without need of Sunn for he is a Sunn himself shining more clearly then the Sun at noon he that one day was fastened to a Crosse now walks at liberty through the streets of Paradise and all the joyes all the riches all the glory that can be is poured upon him What else He is in Paradise and what is Paradise but a place of pleasure where sorrow is never felt complaint is never heard matter of sadness is never seen evil success is never feared but in stead thereof there is all good without any evil life that never endeth beauty that never fadeth love that never cooleth health that never impaireth joy that never ceaseth what more could this penitent wish then to hear him speak that promised Paradise and perâ—â—â—â—â—ed his promise To day thou shalt 〈…〉 with me in Paradise And thus in a Map have I 〈…〉 Paradise for quantitie great for quality glorâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 better when you shall walk through the 〈◊〉 observe the towers fully contemplate the glory 〈◊〉 that you may not wâ—â—â— of application before I 〈◊〉 Vse 1 Meditate then with what sweet delight everyâ—â—â— servant of God may bath himself before hand even in this valley of tears Did we but think on this gloriâ—â—â— place 〈…〉 â—hose heavenly mansions prepared for us did we spend many thoughts upon it and ever and anon sigh and seek after it until we came to the fingering and possession of it O how would these heavenly meditations ravish our souls as if Heaven 〈…〉 before we entred into Heaven Consider of this in what â—â—se soever we are whether we are vexed or injured or oppressed or persecuted for the name of Christ there is nothing so imbittered that a thought of heaven will not sweeten Yet I say not that wâ— are onely to think of it withall let us strive and strain to get into this golden Citie where streâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—teâ— â—nd all is gold and pearl nay where pearl 〈…〉 noâ—hing worth in comparison of those things which shall be revealed unto 〈◊〉 faithfull soul Vse 2 On the other side Consider with your selves what fools are they who deprive themselves willingly of this endlesse glory who bereave themselves of a room in this City of Pearl for a few carnall pleasures what Bedlams and humane beasts are they who shut themselves out of Paradise for 〈…〉 rie pelf What sots and senselesse wretches are they who wittingly and wilfully bar themselves out of this Palace for the short fruition of wordly trash and 〈◊〉 As for you of whom I hope better things let me advise you for the love of God for the love of Christ for the love that you bâ—â—â— to your own soule that you will settle your affections or things above and not on things beneath and then you shall find oâ—â— lâ—y the comfort of it when leaving this world the Spirit of Gâ—â—st shall whisper to your souls this happy tidings To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Here is an end Shall I now cast up the accounts of what I have delivered you The Total is this Every sinner that repents and believes shall be saved you need no other instance then this Thief on the Crosse at one hearty tear one penitent prayer Lord remember me in thy Kingdome the Lord gives him his desire see here the fiat thou shalt be the expedition to day his admission with me the place whither he is inducted it is into Paradise and there now he officiates doing service to God without ceasing world without end O Lord give me grace so to repent and believe that whensoever I go hence that day I may be with thee in Paradise AMEN SOâ—â— DEO â—Lâ— Printed for Nath. Webb and William Grantham at the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard MDCL
goats severed asunder each from other Vse 1 And now see the parties thus summoned raised gathered severed is not here a world of men to be judged all in one day Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision Joel 3 14. for the day of the Lord is neer in the valley of decision Ioel 3.14 Blessed God! what a multitude shall stands before thee all tongues all nations all people of the earth shall appear at once all we shall then behold each son of Adam and Adam our grand-father shall then see all his posterity Consider this high and low rich and poor one with another God is no accepter of persons Heark O beggar petitions are out of date and yet thou needest not fear thou shalt have justice this day all causes shall be heard and thou though a poor one must appear with others to receive thy sentence Heark O Farmer now are thy lives and leases together finished this day is the new harvest of thy Iudge who gathers his wheat into his garner Matth. 3.12 and burns up the chaffe in fire unquenchable no boon no bribe no prayers no tears can avail thy soul but as thou hast done so art thou sentenced at the first appearing Heark O Land-lord where is thy purchase to thee and thy heires for ever this day makes an end of all and happy were thy soul if thou hadst no better land then a barren rock to cover and shelter thee from the Iudges presence Heark O Captain vain now is the hope of man to be saved by the multitude of an host hadst thou command of all the armies on earth and hell yet couldest thou not resist the power of Heaven see the trump sounds and the alarum summons thee thou must appear Heark O Prince what is the crown and scepter against thunder the greatness of man when it comes to encounter with God is weakness and vanity Heark all the world Ecclus 40.3 4. From him that sitteth upon the glorious throne unto him that is beneath in earth and ashes from him that is cloathed in blue silk and weareth a crown even to him that is cloathed in simple linnen all must appear before him the Beggar Farmer Land-lord Captain King and Prince and every man when that day is come shall receive his rewards according to his works Vse 2 But O here is the misery Every man must appear but Every man will not think on it would you know the sign of that man which this day shall be blessed it is he and onely hee that again and again thinks on this day that Ierome-like meditates on this summons and resurrection and collection and separation Examine then your selves by this rule is your mind often carried to these objects soar you on high with the wings of faith and a sound eye to this hill why then you are right birds truly bred and not of the bastard brood I pray you mark it every cross and disgrace and slander and discountenance losse of goods disease of body or whatsoever calamity if you are the children of God and destined to sit at the right hand of our Saviour they will ever and anon be carrying your minds to those objects of Doomes-day And if you can but say that experimentally you find this true in your selves if ordinarily in your miseries or other times you think on this time of refreshing then be of good comfort for you are of the brides company and shall enter into the marriage-chamber to abide there there for ever But if you are destitute of these kinde of motions O then strive for these properties that are the inseparable breathings and movings of an holy heart sound mind and blessed person every day meditate that every man shall appear one day and receive his reward according to his works You see how we have followed the cause and wel-neer brought it to finall sentence the term is discovered the Iudge revealed the prisoners prepared and the next time we shall bring them to the bar to receive their rewards This time depart in peace and the God of peace keep your souls spotless without sin that you may be well prepared for this day of judgment According to his works VVEe have brought the prisoners to their triall and now to go on how should this triall be I answer not by faith but works by faith we are justified by works we are judged faith onely causeth but works onely manifest that we are just indeed Here then is the triall that every soul of man must undergo that day Works are the matter that must be first enquired of and is there any wicked man to receive his sentence let him never hope to be saved by anothers super-erogating the matter of enquiring is not aliena but sua not anothers but his works Or is there any good man on whom the smiling Iudge is ready to pronounce a blessed doom Let him never boast of meriting heaven by his just deservings see the reward given not propter but secundum as Gregory Greg. 1. in illa verba 7. Psal poenit Auditam fac mihi mane misericordiam tells us not for his works as if they were the cause but according to his works as being the best witnesses of his inward righteousness But the better to acquaint you with this triall there be two points of which especially we are to make inquiry First how all mens works shall be manifest to us Secondly how all mens works shall be examined by God 1. Of the manifestation of every mans work Revel 20.12 Iohn speaketh 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 Revel 20.12 God is said to have books not properly but figuratively all things are as certain and manifest to him as if he had registers in heaven to keep records of them Remember this O forgetfull you may commit add multiply your sins and yet run on score till they are grown so many that they are out of memory but God keeps them in a register and not one shall be forgotten there is a book and books and when all the dead shall stand before God to receive their sentence then must these books be opened That is the book of Gods memory Mans conscience Eternall life There is a book of Gods memory and herein are all the acts and monuments of all men whatsoever enrolled and registred A book of remembrance was written before God for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name Malac. 3.16 Malach. 3.16 This is that which manifests all secrets whether mentall or actuall this is that which reveales all doings whether good or evill In these Records are found at large Abels sacrifice Cains murther Absolons rebellion Davids devotion the Iews cruelty the Prophets innocency good mens intentions and the
then shall your souls be hurried by Devils to that infernall lake whence there is no redemption O beloved O wretch whosoever thou art Canst thou possibly sleep in such a case as this Canst thou go to bed with a conscience laden with sin Canst thou take any sleep which is the brother of death when thou lyest now in danger of eternall death Consider I pray what space what distance how far off is thy soul from death from hell from eternity no more but a breath one breath and no more no more but a step one step and more O beloved were not this lamentable that some one of us that now are standing or sitting should this night sleep his last and to morrow have his body brought to be buried yea and before to morrow morning have his soul which the Lord forbid cast from his bed of feathers to a bed of fire and yet alas alas if any of us this night dye in his sin or in a state unregenerate thus will it be with him whosoever he be to morrow may his body lye could under earth and his soul lodg in hell with this miserable rich man Vse 2 But let me speake to you of whom I hope better things it is good counsell for you all to exspect death every day and by this means death fore-seen cannot possibly be sudden no it is he onely dyes suddenly that dyes unpreparedly Watch therefore saith our Saviour be ever in a readiness and finally that this rich man may be your warning you that tender your souls learn that lessen of our Saviour Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break thorow and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break thorow nor steal Mat. 6.19 20. Mat. 6.19 20. You will say What treasures are those I answer These treasures are those stocks of grace that will last for ever it is that circumspect walking Ephes 5.15 Ephes 5.15 that fervency of spirit Rom. 12.11 Rom 12.11 that zeal of good works Tit. 2 14. Tit. 2.14 that purity which St. Iohn makes a property of every true hearted professour 1 Joh. 3.3 1 Joh. 3.3 In a word it is the work the life the power of that prayer that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy these are heavenly hoords indeed O that we would treasure up such provision against the day of calamity If while it is called to day we would make our peace with his heavenly Highness by an humble continued exercise of repentance if in this time of grace we would purchase Gods favour and those rarest jewells of faith and a good conscience if now before we appear at the dreadfull Tribunall we would make God and his Angels our friends in the Court of Heaven O then how blessed would out deaths be to us came it never so suddenly still should death find us ready and if ready no matter how suddenly yea though it were this this night I have broke ope the writ and you see when it must be served this night but in this Quando there is both suddenness and sadness it is not this day but this night Let this end this dayes discourse and the next day we will lay open the nights dark sadness it is a dismall time and God give us grace so to provide that we may be ready with oyle in our lamps and enter with our Saviour into his blessed Kingdome Night HE sins all day and dyes at night and why at night This you know is frequent and there is reason most are begot and born and therefore dye at night but we must further then the lists of nature this night was more then ordinary as being the fittest time to aggravate his griefe weigh but the circumstances First It was a night of darkness and this may encrease the horrour of his judgment think but what a fear seized on the Aegyptians Wisd 17.5 when no power of the fire must give them light nor might the clear flames of the stars lighten the horrible night that fell upon them The Husband-men the Shepherds the work-men Exod. 10.23 all were bound with one chain of darkness No man saw another neither rose up from the place where he was for three days Exod. 10.23 Was not this fearfull darkness you may guesse it by the effects they were troubled and terrified and swooned as though their own souls should betray them Wisd 17.18 19. Whether it were an hissing wind or a sweet noyse of birds among the spreading branches or a pleasing fall of waters running violently or a terrible sound of stones or the running of skipping beasts or the noyse of cruell beasts or the eccho that answereth again in the hollow mountains these fearfull things made them to swoon for fear And if thus the Egyptians how was it with this Worldling a darknesse seized on him that engendred a thousand times more intolerable torments Wisd 17.21 This was the image of that darkness which should afterward receive him and yet was he unto himself more grievous then the darknesse It was not an outward but an utter darknesse not onely to be not seen but to be felt and feared Imagine then what visions what sounds what sights what sudden fires appeared unto him Unhappy Worldling look round about thee although it be dark here is something to be seen above is the angry Judge beneath is the burning lake before is gloomy darknesse behind is infallibe death on thy right and left hand a legion of evil angels exspecting every moment to receive the prey Here is a sight indeed able to break the very heart-strings of each seer If some have lost their wits by means of some dreadfull sight yea if the very suspicion of Devils have caused many men to tremble and the hairs of their heads to stand staring upright what then was the fear and terrour of this man when so many dreadfull horrible hellish monsters stood round about him now readie to receive him O ye sonnes of men stand in aw and sinne not Psal 4.4 commune with your own heart and in your chamber and be still Will not this fear you from your sinnes Suppose then you lay on your beds of death were the Judge in his throne your souls at the Barre ths accuser at your elbows and hell ready open to shut her mouth upon you O then how would you curse your selves and bewail your sins What horrible visions would appear to you in the dark horrible indeed In so much saith * Cyril de vitae beati Hieron ad fin Epist one that were there no other punishment then the appearing of Devils you would rather burn to ashes then endure their sights Good God that any Christian should live in this danger and yet never heed it till he sees its terrour How many have gone thus
soul the object is too clear for our weak eyes our eyes are but earthly the soul of an heavenly nature O divine being not onely heavenly but heaven it self as God and man met both in Christ so heaven and earth met both in man would you see this earth that is the body Out of it wast thou taken and into it must thou return Gen. 4.19 Gen. 4.19 would you see this heaven that is the soul the God of heaven gave it and to the God of heaven returns it Eccles 12.7 Eccles 12.7 The body is but a lump but the soul is that breath of life of earth came the body of God was the soul thus earth and heaven met in the creation and the man was made a living soul Gen. 2.7 Gen. 2.7 the sanctified soul is an heaven upon earth Est coelum sancta anima habens solem intellectum lunam fidem astra virtutet Bern super Cantic where the sun is understanding the moon is faith and the stars gracious affections what heaven is in that body which lives and moves by such a soul yet so wonderfull is Gods mercy to mankinde that as reason doth possesse the soul so the soul must possesse this body Here is that union of things visible and invisible as the light is spirituall incorruptible indivisible and so united to the air that of these two is made one without confusion of either in like manner is the soul united to this body one together distinguished asunder onely here 's the difference the light is most visible the soul is invisible she is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angels the envie of devils that immortall splendor which never eye hath seen never eye must see And yet we must up another step it is fourthly incorporeall as not seen with a mortall eye so neither clogg'd with a bodily shape I say not but the soul hath a body for his organ to which it is so knit and tyed that they cannot be severed without much sorrow or strugling yet is it not a body but a spirit dwelling in it the body is an house and the soul the inhabitant every one knows the house is not the inhabitant and yet O wonder there is no roome in the house where the inhabitant lives not would you please to see the roomes the eye is her window the head is her tower the heart is her closet the mouth is her hall the lungs her presence chamber the senses her cinque-ports the common-sense her custome-house the phantasie her mint the memory her treasury the lips are her two leav'd doores that shut and open and all these and all the rest as the motions in a Watch are acted and mooved by this spring the Soul See here a composition without confusion the soul is in the body yet it is not bodily as in the greatest world the earth is more solid the water less the ayr yet lesser the fire least of all so in this little world of man the meaner parts are of grosser substance and the soul by how much more excellent by so much more spirituall and wholly with-drawn from all bodily being And yet a little higher it is fiftly immortall It was the errour of many Fathers Scaliger notae in nov Test That bodies and souls must both die till doomes-day and then the bodies being raised the souls must be revived Were that true why then cryes Stephen Lord Iesu receive my spirit or why should Paul be dissolved that he might be with Christ Act. 7.59 Philip. 1.23 Blessed men are but men and therefore no wonder if subject to some errour Others more absolutely deny the souls immortality We are born say they at all adventures and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been Why so for the breath is a smoke in our nostrils and the words as a spark raised out of our hearts Wisd 2.2 3. which being extinguished the body is turned into ashes and the spirit vanisheth as soft ayre What is the soul a smoak and the spirit no better then the soft vanishing ayre Matth. 22.32 wretched men Have you not read what is spoken of God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob now God saith Christ is not the God of the dead but of the living Abraham Isaac Iacob they are not dead then in the better part their souls but passed indeed from the valley of death unto the land of the living Whosoever liveth and believeth in mee saith our Saviour shall never die Iohn 11.26 John 11.26 Not die against some never die against others what can we more onely live and believe in him that redeemed us and be sure his promises shall never fail us our souls must live live for ever Sweet soul blessed with the felicity of eternall life here 's a joy unspeakable that this soul now clogged with cares vexations griefs passions shall one day enjoy those joyes immortall not for a day or two Nullus erit defectus nullus terminus though this were more then we can imagine but through all eternity There shall be no defect nor end after millions of ages the soul must still live in her happiness it is not of a perishing but an everlasting substance And yet the perfection of the soul goes higher it is most like to God so far it transcends all earthly happiness I cannot say but in some sort all creatures have this likeness every effect hath at least some similitude with its cause but with a difference some onely have a being as stones others being and life as plants but man above all hath a being life and reason and therefore of all other the most like unto his Creatour Can we any more yes one step higher and we are at the top of Jacobs ladder The soul is not onely like God but the image of God I cannot denie but there is some apparance of it in the outward man and therefore the bodie in some measure partakes of this image of the Deity it was man and whole man that was corrupted by sin and by the law of contraries it was man and whole man that was beautified with this image Please you to look at the body is it not a little world wherein every thing that God made was good as therefore all goodness comes from him so was he the pattern of all goodness that being in him perfectly which onely is in us partly This is that Idaea whereby God is said to be the exemplar of the world man then in his body being as the worlds map what is he but that image in which the builder of the world is manifest but if you look at the parts of his body how often are they attributed though in a metaphor yet in resemblance to his Maker our eyes are the image of his wisdome our hands are the image of his power our heart is the image of his
knowledge and our tongue the lively image of his revealed will God therefore before he made the body said Let us make man in our own image Gen. 1.26 and what was the meaning but that soul and body should both bear the image of his Majestie Be astonished then ye men of the earth If this dust this clay this bodie of ours be so glorious what think ye of the soul whose substance faculties qualities dignities every way represents Gods omnipotent Essence Look on this glass and first for substance is the soul invisible why so is God No man hath seen him at any time Joh. 1.18 John 1.18 Is the soul incorporeall why so is God We ought not to think him like unto gold or silver or stone graven with art Acts 17.29 Acts 17.29 Is the soul immortall why so is God He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who onely hath immortality 1. Tim. 6.16 1. Tim. 6.16 Is the soul spirituall why so is God God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit John 4.24 John 4.24 Is the soul one essence why so is God There is one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4.6 Ephes 4.6 See here the lively image of God in every soul of man But there is another character imprinted in every faculty so that not onely the substance but the powers of the soul bear this image in them As there is one God and three persons so there is one soul and three faculties the Father Son and holy Ghost are but one God the Vnderstanding Will and Memory are but one soul the Father is not the Son nor the Son the holy Ghost so the Vnderstanding is not the Will nor the Will the Memory and yet the Father is God the Son is God and the holy Ghost is God so the Vnderstanding is the soul the VVill is the soul and the Memory is the soul I dare not say but there is some difference Trinitatem in nobis videmus potius quà m credimus Deum verò esse Trinitatem credimus potiùs quà m videmus Aug. de Trin. l. 15. c. 6. Psal 45.13 Ecclus 17.6 This trinity in us we rather see it then believe it but that Trinity of Persons we more believe it then see it Howsoever then our soul is no proof of the Godhead yet is it a true sign of that image of God in the soul Nay yet as if this stamp were of a deeper impression see the dowrie of Gods Spouse and who wonders not at the qualities conditions with which the soul is arrayed The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of broydered gold What say you to that heavenly knowledge inspired into us God that created man filled him with knowledge of understanding and shewed them good and evil Ecclus 17.6 What say you to those heavenly impressions that are stampt upon us Ephes 4.24 such are the new mans marks which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 These make the soul like God and God loving to the soul is it not clad with righteousness as with a garment witnesse the integrity of Adam in that sweet subjection his soul to the Lord his affections to the soul his body to the affections the whole man to God as to the chiefest good and as truth and mercy meet together so righteousnesse and holinesse kisse each other this righteousness to God is it that makes us righteous afore God and this is that holiness wherein we are created O blessed image how nearly dost thou resemble thy Creatour he is the pattern of perfection and we bear the image of that pattern Be ye holy for I am holy 1. Pet. 1.15 1. Pet. 1.15 And yet again as if this picture were of deeper die how like is the soul to its Creatour in her full dominion over all the creatures Cant. 6.3 Thou art bountifull O my soul as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem terrible as an army with banners What is it will not stoop to this Gods Vice-gerent Beasts and birds and serpents and things of the sea are tamed and have been tamed of the nature of man Jam. 3.7 Jam. 3.7 What a thing is this soul she can came the wild command the proud pull down the loftie do what she will by compounding comparing contemplating commanding O excellent nature that sittest on earth canst reach to heaven mayest dive to hell nothing being able to resist thy power so long as thou art subject to that power of God Psal 8.6 Is this the soul Lo what is man that thou art mindfull of him thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet Psal 8.6 O my soul my soul what can we say of such a creature to summe up all she is in nature a substance created by God invisible of men incorporeall with Angels immortall through grace most like to God in a way of nearness and bearing his image in the glorious stamp of her created likeness Is this the darling of our Lord where then is the rich man that hath lost this pearl he that could tell his soul Soul Vers 19. thou hast much goods laid up for many years live at ease eat drink and take thy pastime Now on a sudden his soul is taken and whose shall those things be which he hath provided The loss of all losses is the loss of a soul without which had we never so much we could truly enjoy nothing what trust then in your earthly treasures what stay in such broken staves of reed one day you shall finde them most deceitfull leaving your naked souls to the open rage of wind and weather to the scourges and scorpions of guiltiness and fear Could you purchase a monopoly of all the world had you the gold of the West the treasures of the East the spices of the South the pearles of the North all is nothing to this incarnate Angell this invaluable soul O wretched worldling what hast thou done then to undoe thy soul was it a wedge of gold an heap of silver an hoord of pearl to which thou trustest see they are gone and thy soul is required Alas poor soul whither must it go to heaven to its Creator to God that gave it no there is another way for wandring sinners Go yee into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 prepared for the Devill and his Angels thither must it go with heaviness of heart into a kingdome of darkness a lake of burning a prison of horrible confusion of terrible tortures O poor soul what a misery is this darkness burning confusion torments are these the welcomes of his soul to hell what meant the rich man in his unhappy fore-cast he propounded to his soul a world of ease of pleasure of pastime it proves far otherwise this other world is a world
Angels on both sides waiting whether of them should have the prey now alas then wouldst thou say The soul to depart from the body were a thing intollerable to continue still therein were a thing impossible and to deferre this departure any longer supposing this hour thy last hour no Physick could prevail it were a thing unavoydable what then would thy poor soul do thus invironed with so many straights O fond fools of Adams sinne that neglect the time till this terrible passage how much wouldst thou give if thus it were for an hours repentance at what rate wouldst thou value a dayes contrition worlds are worthlesse in respect of a little respite a short truce would seem more precious then the Treasures of Empires nothing would then be so much esteemed as a trice of time which before by moneths and years thou lavishly mis-spent Think on thy sinns nay thou couldst not choose but think Satan would write them on the curtains of thy bed and thy agashed eyes would be forced to look upon them there wouldst thou see thousands committed not one confessed or throughly repented then too late thou wouldst begin to wish O had I lead a better life and were it to begin again O then how would I fast and pray how repent how live Certainly certainly if thou goest on in sinne thus would be thy departure thy carkass lying cold among the stones of the pit and thy soul by the weight of sinne irrecoverably sinking into the bottome of that bottomless burning lake Vse 2 But to prevent this evil take this use of advice for thy farwell whilest yet thy life lasteth whilest yet the Lord gives thee a gracious day of visitation ply ply all those blessed means of salvation as prayer and conference and meditation and Sermons and Sacraments and fastings and watchings and patience and faith and a good conscience in a word so live that when this day or night of death comes thou mayest then stand firm and sure as yet thou art in the way of a transitory life as yet thou art not entred into the confines of Eternitie if now therefore thou wilt walk in the holy path if now thou wilt stand out against any sin whatsoever if now thou wilt take on thee the yoke of our Saviour Christ if now thou wilt associate thy self to that sect and brotherhood that is every where spoken against if now thou wilt direct thy words to the glorifying of God and to give grace unto the hearers if now thou wilt delight in the word the wayes the Saints the services of God if now thou wilt never turn again unto folly or to thy trade of sin though Satan set upon thee with his baits and allurements to detain thee in his bondage but by one darling delight Psal 116.15 one minion-sin then I dare assure thee dear right dear would be thy death in the sight of the Lord with joy and triumph wouldst thou passe through all the terrours of death with singing and rejoycing would thy soul be received into those sacred mansions above O happy soul if this be thy case O happy night or day vvhensoever the nevvs comes that then must thy soul be taken from thee You may think it now high time that we bid this far-wel-funerall Text adieu then for conclusion let every word be thy warning Lest this be thy time provide for this and everie time 1. Thess 5.6 lest the night be dreadfull Do not sleep as do other but watch and be sober lest thy soul should suffer desire the sufferings of thy God to satisfie lest death require it of thee by foree offer it up to God with a cheerfull devotion and lest this of thee be fearfull who hast lived in sin correct these courses amend your wayes and the blessing of God be with thee all thy life at the hour of death now henceforth and for ever AMEN FINIS Doomes-day MATTH 16.27 Then shall he reward every man according to his works THe dependance of this Text is limited in few lines and that your eyes wander no further then this verse therein is kept a generall Assize the Judge Officers Prisoners stand in array the Judge is God and the Son of man the Officers Angels and they are his Angels the Prisoners men and because of the Gaol-delivery every man If you will have all together you have a Iudge his circuit his habit his attendants his judgments a Iudge the Son of man his circuit he shall come his habit in the glory of his Father his attendants with his Angels what now remains but the execution of justice then without more adoe see the Text and you see all the scales in his hande our works in the scales the reward for our works of just weight each to other Then hee shall reward every man according to his works This Text gives us the proceeding of Doomes-day which is the last day the last Sessions the last Assize that must be kept on earth or is decreed in heaven if you exspect Sheriffs or Judges Plaintiffs or Prisoners all are in this verse some in each word Then is times Trumpet that proclaims their coming Hee is the Judge that examins all our lives Reward is the doom that proceeds from him in his Throne Man is the malefactour every man stands before him as a prisoner Works are the inditements and according to our works must go the triall howsoever we have done good or evill Give me yet leave this Judge sits on trials as well as prisoners it is an high Court of appeal where Plaintiffs Counsellors Judges all must appear and answer would you learn the proceedings there is the Term Then the Judge hee the sentence shall reward the parties very man the triall it self which you may finde in all to be just and legall every man his rewards according to his works We have opened the Text and now you shall have the hearing Then THen when the answer is Negative Positive First Negative Then not on a sudden or at least not at this present This life is no time to receive rewards the rain and Sun pleasure both the good and bad nay oftentimes the bad fare best and Gods own children are most fiercely fined in the furnace of affliction Job 9.24 Matth. 16.24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked saith Iob but if any man will follow mee he must take up his cross saith our Saviour Ioy and pleasure and happiness attend the ungodly while Gods poor servants run thorow the thicket of briers and brambles to the kingdome of heaven but shall not the Iudge of all the world do right Gen. 18.25 a time shall come when both these must have their change Mark the upright and behold the just for the end of that man is peace but the transgressours shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off Psal 37.38 Psal 37.37 38. The effect of things is best known to
Ayr shall be wholly distempered and disordered when the Sun shall threaten with mourning the Moon with blood the Stars with their falling yea when all the heavens shall shrink and pass away as a paper scroule who then dares eat or drink or sleep or take a minutes rest Be sure these dayes shall come and the signes shall pass Ioel 1.5 13 15. Awake yee Drunkards and weep all ye drinkers of Wine because of the new wine for it shall be pulled from your mouthes Gird your selves and lament ye Priests howle ye Ministers of the Altar alas for the day for the day of the Lord is at hand and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come What are ye insensible of these signes the imprisoned thiefe fears at the news of the assize and is the sinner so impudent that he fears nothing The day shall come when the men of earth shall fear and be full of fear every sign shall breed a wonder and ever sight shall breed a wondrous terrour men shall hide themselves in the caves of beasts and the beasts seek shall to save themselves in the houses of men where then shal the wicked stand when all the world shal be thus in uprore Vse 2 Yet a word for us all we have all warning and we had best to provide yet the weather is fair we may frame an Ark to save us from the flood yet are the Angels at the gates of Sodom yet is Jonas in the streets of Nineveh yet the Prophet wooes Hos 6.4 O Iudah how should I entreat thee yet the Apostle prayes nay we pray you in Christs stead that yee will be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 to conclude yet the Bride-groom stayes the Virgins leisure Lord that they would make speed seeing the joyes of heaven tarry for them This Tearm is at hand and is it not time to petition to the Judg of heaven what a dangerous course is it never to call to minde that Time of Times until we see the Earth flaming the Heavens melting the Iudgment hastning the Iudg with all his Angels comming in the Clouds to denounce the last doom upon all flesh which shall be unto some Woe woe when they shall call to the mountains to cover them and for shame of their sins hide themselves if it were possible in hell fire if we have any fear this should move fear if we have any care this should move us all to be carefull indeed We have not two souls that we may hazard one neither have we two lives that we may trust to another but as thy last day leaves thee so will this Doomes-day finde thee Who would not but axcept the fatherly fore-warning of Christ our Saviour See you not how many signes as the Heralds and fore runners of his glorious comming Matth. 24.7 12. The abounding of iniquity the waxing cold of charity the rising up of Nation against Nation Was there ever lesse love was there ever more hatred Where is that Jonathan that loves David as his own soul nay where is not that Joab that can imbrace friendly but carryes a malicious heart towards Abner sure we are near the end indeed when charity is grown thus cold You then that would have the comfort of the day take these signs for warnings provide for him who hath thus long waited for you 2 Pet. 3.14 and seeing you look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamless Who would indanger their souls for a little sin busie Clients heed nothing but their cause and if you would recover heaven be sure that ye mark this Tearm The time draws on now the Writs are out anon comes the Iudge and Then is the day Then he shall reward every man according to his work You see the Tearm and now you may exspect to view the Judge the Tearm is Then the Judge is He. Stay a while and the next time you shall see him in his judgment seat He. HE who if you look at the fore-going words you may see who he is The son of man shall come in the glory of his father and it is he that shall reward us according to our works hoc facit ut ad infimam se sortem hominum abjiciat Musculus in Matth. cap. 8. Psal 8.4 This title of the Son of man denotes unto us the humility of the Son of God what is the Son of man but man and this tels us how humble he was for us that being God was made man or the Son of Man which is as all one according to that Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that visitest him It is true God is the Judg of all Heb. 12.23 Heb. 12.23 and yet it is as true this God is man Acts 17.31 Acts 17.31 God saith Paul will judge the world but it is by that man whom he hath ordained God hath the power but God as man hath onely the Commission He who is God hath given him Authority to execute judgment And would you know the reason it is onely because he is the Son of man Joh 5.27 Iohn 5.27 In a word God shall judg the whole Trinity by prescription Christ onely in execution the Father judgeth but by the Son or as the Evangelist John the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Iohn 5.22 Iohn 5.22 But because as man there appears in him a double form as humbled as glorified wee 'l discusse these questions which resolve all doubts 1. Whether Christ as man shall appear unto us when he will reward us 2. Whether man as glorified shall appear unto us when he will reward us To the first we say that onely as man he will appear our judge who as man appeared when himself was judged what better reason to express the benefit of our redemption then so to judg us as he did redeem us Tunc manifestus veniet inter justos judicaturus qui occultè venerat judicandus ab injustis August de civit dei was he not man that suffered died and was buried and is he not man that one day shall come to judg both the quick and dead he that came obscurely to be judged by the unjust shall then appear openly to judg all the just the same man who is God and man shall be our judge in his humane nature by his divine power Thus we say God who is the ancient of daies hath the power originall but man who is the Son of God hath the power traduced and therefore saith Daniel One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days and they brought him here before him Dan. 7.13 14. and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdome Vse Consider this yee that are going to the Bar what a sight will this be to the faithless
Iewes stuborn Gentiles wicked Christians when every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him This is the man shall they say that was crucified for us Apoc. 1.7 and again crucified by us why alas every sin is a Cross every oath is a Spear and when that day is come you must behold the man whom thus you do crucifie by your daily sins Sure this will be a fearfull fight where is the bloudy swearer that can tear his wounds and heart and bloud and all at this day of Doom * Sic Aug. habet suum fortasse de Christ martyrum vulneribus et quod non sit deformitas iis sed dignitas novi quod quaeritur an cicatrices remaneant in corpore perfecto et glorificato attamen Christus apparuit Thomae cum cicatricibus ad fidem ejus confirmandam Ioh. 20.27 Matth. 26.24 those wounds shall appear that heart be visible that body and bloud be seen both of good and bad and then shall that fearfull voice proceed from his Throne this was the heart thou piercedst these are the wounds thou racedst and this is the bloud thou spilledst Here is the fearfull judgment when thou that art the murtherer shall see the slain man sit thy Judge what favour canst thou exspect at his hands whom thou hast so vilely abused by thy daily sins be sure the Son of man will come as it is written of him but woe be unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed it had been good for that man if he had not been born Matth. 26.24 To the second question we answer that as Christ shall appear in the form of man so this man shall appear in a glorious form he that is a Mediatour betwixt God and man must both intercede for man to God and communicate those things which are of God to man to this purpose both these offices are agreeable to him in that he participates of both extreams he is man to abide the judgments due from God hee is God to convey all his benefits unto man as then in his first coming he pleased God by taking the infirmities of man upon him so in his second coming will he judg us men by appearing in that glory which he derives from God But look about you who is this Iudg arrayed in such a majesty Ioel. 2.3 6. A fire devoures before him and behind him a flame burns up on every side the people tremble and all faces shall gather blackness here is a change indeed he that was in a cratch now sits on a Throne then Christ stood like a Lamb before Pilate now Pilate stands like a malefactour before Christ he that was once made the foot-stool of his enemies Psal 110.1 must now judge till he hath made all his enemies his foot-stool Where shall they run and how shall they seek the clifts of the rocks and hollow places the glory of his Majesty kindles a flame while the heaven and earth shall fly from the presence of this Iudge Revel 21.17 O yee heavens why do ye fly away what have ye done why are ye afraid it is the Majesty of the Iudge that will amaze the innocent the greatness of whose indignation will be able to strike all the heavens with terror and admiration when the Sea is out-ragious and tempestuous he that stands on the shoar will be struck into a kinde of fear or when the Father goes like a Lyon about his house in punishing his bond-slave the innocent son stands in great fear and trouble and how then shall the wicked tremble when the very heavens shall be affraid Greg. in Mor. If the goodly Cedars of Lebanon be shaken what shall become of the tender twiggs in the Desart if the sturdy Rams stoop and tremble how will the bleating Lambes cry and run away 1 Pet. 4.18 and if the just and righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear The mountains and heavens shall melt before the Lord and what stony hearts have we that for all this are nothing at all yet moved But may be I prevent you exspectation if here be a Judge where is the guard behold him coming from above with great power and glory would you know this habit he is cloathed with Majesty seek you the colour 't is the brightness of his Father would you view his attendants they are an hoast of Angels look you for the guard they are a troope of shining Cherubims nay yet see a longer train a further company the souls of Saints descend from their imperiall seats and attend the Lambe with great glory and glorious majesty never was any Iudge Lord of such a circuit his footstool are the Clouds his seat the Rain-bow his justices Saints his officers Angels and the Arch-Angels Trump proclaims a silence whilest a just sentence comes from his mouth on all the world Thus are the Assizes begun to be solemnized the thrones as Daniel saw in in his vision were set up and the ancient of days sate down his garments white as snow Dan. 7.9 and the hair of his head like pure wooll his Throne like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire Dan. 7.9 Dan. 7.9 This is the Iudge whose coming is so fearfull ushered by a fiery flood apparelled in snowy white carried in his circuit on burning wheeles and attended with the number of thousand thousands O yee Iewes behold the man whom before you crucified like a Malefactor behold him in his Throne whom you said his Disciples had stollen by night out of his grave behold him in his Majesty Matth. 28.13 Greg. sup ill Matth. 24. in nubibus coeli whom you would not deigne to look upon in his humility the baser you esteemed his weakness the heavier must you find and feel his mightiness The Son of man appears and the kindred of the earth must mourn such a shout of fury followes the sight of his Majesty that the vaults shall eccho the hills resound the earth shake the heavens change their situation and all be turned to a confusion then shall the wicked weep and wail and yet their tears not serve their turn their sins past betray them their shame present condemns them and their torment to come confounds them thus shall they bewail their miserable hap their unfortunate birth and their cursed end O fearfull Iudge Cant. 6.4 5. terrible as an Army with Banners turn away thine eyes from us which overcome the proudest Potentates the Kings of the earth shall be astonished and the Nations of the Isles shall fear from farr Every eye shall see him whom they have pierced and tremble at the presence of his sight Conceive the guilty prisoner coming to his tryall will not the red robes of his Judge make his heart bleed for his blood-shed doth not that scarlet Cloath present a monstrous hew before his eyes O then what sight is this when the man slain sits in the
judgment seat the rosie wounds of our Saviour still bleeding as it were in the prisoners presence These are the wounds not as tokens of infirmity but victory Aquin. supplem Q. 90. A. 2. ad secundum and these now shall appear not as if he must suffer but to shew us he hath suffered See here an object full of glory splendor majesty excellency and this is He the man the judg the rewarder of every man according to his works The Judge we have set in his Throne and before we appear let us practice our repentance that we answer the better Vse 1 Think but O sinner what shall be thy reward when thou shalt meet this Iudge The adultery for a while may flatter beauty the Swearer grace his words with oathes the Drunkard kiss his cups and drink his bodies-health till he bring his soul to ruine but remember for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Eccles 11.9 Cold comfort in the end the Adulterer shall fatisfie his lust when he lies on a bed of fire all hugged and embraced with those flames the swearer shall have enough of wounds and blood when Devils torture his body and rack his soul in hell the Drunkard shall have plenty of his Cups when scalding lead shall be poured down his throat and his breath draw flames of fire in stead of air as is thy sin so is the nature of thy punishment the just Iudge shall give just measure and the ballance of his wrath poize in a just porportion Vse 2 Yet I will not discomfort you who are these Iudges dearest favorites Now is the day if you are Gods servants that Sathan shall be trod under your feet and you with your Lord and Master Christ shall be carried into the holiest of holies You may remember how all the men of God in their greatest anguishes here below have fetcht comfort by the eye of faith at this mountain Iob rejoyced being cast on the Dung-hill that his Redeemer lived and that he should see him at the last day stand on the earth Iohn longed and cried Come Lord Iesus come quickly and had we the same precious faith we have the same precious promises why then are we not ravished at the remembrance of these things certainly there is an happy faith wheresoever it shall be found that shall not be ashamed at that day Now therefore little children abide in him 1 Joh. 2.28 that when he shall appear we may have confidence Confidence what else I will see you again saith our Saviour-Iudge and your heart shall rejoyce Joh. 16.22 and your joy no man taketh from you O blessed mercy that so triumphes against judgment our hearts must joy our joyes endure and all this occasioned by the sight of our Saviour for Hee shall reward every man according to his works We have prepared the Iudge for sentence he hath rid his circuit in the Clouds and made the Rain-bow his chair of state for his judgment seat his Sheriffes are the Saints that now rise from the Dust to meet their Iudge whom long they have exspected the summons is sent out by a shout from heaven the cry no sooner made but the graves flie open and the dead arise stay a while till I ready them you have seen the Iudge and now we prepare the judged He is the Iudge every man the judged and He shall reward every man according to his works Every man THe persons to be judged are a world of men all men of the world good and bad elect and reprobates but in a different manner To give you a full view of them I must lead your attentions orderly through these passages there must be a Citation Resurrection Collection Separation follow me in these pathes and you may see both the men and their difference before they come to their judgments First there is a summons and Every man must hear it it is performed by a shout from heaven and the voice of the last Trump Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Jeronymus super Mathaeum Verc vox tubae terribilis cui omnia obediunt elementa petras scindit inferos c. Chrysost 1. ad Corin. 15. the clangor of this Trump could ever sound in Ieroms eares Arisr yee dead and come to judgment the clangor of this Trump will sound in all mens eares it shall wake the dead out of their drouzy sleep and change the living from their mortall state make devils tremble and the whole world shake with terrour A terrible voice a Trumpet shall sound that shall shake the world rend the rocks break the mountains dissolve the bonds of death burst down the gates of hell and unite all spirits to their own bodies What say you to this Trump that can make the whole Universe to tremble no sooner shall it sound but the the earth shall shake the mountains skip like Ramms and the little hills like young sheep it shall pierce the waters and fetch from the bottome of the Sea the dust of Adams seed it shall tear the rocky Tombes of earthly Princes and make their haughty minds to stoop before the King of heaven it shall remove the center and tear the bowels of the earth open the graves of all the dead and fetch their souls from heaven or hell to reunite them to their bodies A dreadfull summons of the wicked whom this suddain noise will no less astonish then confound the dark pitchy walls of that infernall pit of hell shall be shaken with the shout when the dreadfull soul shall leave its place of terrour and once more re-enter into her stinking Carrion to receive a greater condemnation what terrour will this be to the wicked wretch what wofull salutations will there be between that body and soul which living together in the height of iniquity must now be re-united to enjoy the fulness of their misery Joh. 5.28 29. The voice of Christ is powerfull the dead shall hear his voice and they shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the resurrection of condemnation You hear the summons and the next is your appearance death the Goaler brings all his prisoners from the grave and they must stand and appear before the Judge of heaven The summons is given and every man must appear Death must now give back all their spoils and restore again all that she hath took from the world What a gastly sight will this be to see all the Sepulchers open to see dead men rise out of their graves and the scattered dust to flie on the wings of the wind till it meet together in one compacted body Ezekiels dry bones shall live thus saith the Lord I will lay sinewes upon you and make flesh grow upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and you shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 37.6 Ezek. 37.6 This dust of ours shall be
the sentence follows which is to reward every man according to his works This reward is nothing in effect but a retaliation if we live well here God will then crown his own gifts but if we sinne without repentance we may not escape without punishment There is a God that sits and sees and anon will reward us But to unfold this Reward there lies in it a Doom and Execution God speaks it in the first effects it in the second he gives it in our doom and we receive it in the execution The doom is of two sorts according to the parties that receive it One is an absolution which is the doom of Saints the other is a condemnation which is the doom of reprobates there is a reward on the right hand bestowed on the blessed and an heavie judgement which falls on the left hand upon the heads of the wicked To begin with that in our meditation which our Saviour begins with in action Imagine what a blessed day will this be to the godly when standing on the right hand of the Judge they shall hear the heavenly musick of their happy sentence Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world In which gracious speech we may observe four gradations First a gentle invitation Come Secondly a sweet benediction Ye blessed of my Father Thirdly heavens possession inherit the Kingdome Fourthly a glorious ordination to felicitie prepared for you from the beginning of the world First you have Come It is the sweet voice of Christ inviting the Saints before and now giving their welcome to his heavenly Canaan he hath called often Come all that labour Come all that travell Matth. 11.28 Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst Come Thus he calls all men to his grace but onely the elect to his glory now he desires every man to Come but the righteous alone shall have this Wel-come O how leaps that soul with joy that hears this voice of her sweet Saviour all the musick of Angels cannot so ravish the mind as this voice of our Saviour glads the soul now are the gates of heaven open and the Judge who is Master of the feast bids the guests Come and Wel-come But who are they Ye blessed of my Father a word able to make them blessed when pronounced Down on your knees rebellious sonnes and so long as you live on earth beg pray sue for the blessing of your Father in heaven They that are Gods servants are no lesse his sonns therefore every morn night and noon ask blessing boldly and God will bestow it liberally The first Sermon that ever Christ preached was full of blessings Matth. 5. Matth. 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit Blessed are they that mourn Blessed are the meek Blessed are the mercifull And as he begun so he concludes Come ye blessed ye blessed of my Father Must they come for what to inherit the kingdome Of all tenures inheritance is best of all inheritances a kingdome is most excellent Sic aeterna sine successione distributa sine diminutione communis sine invidia beata sine omni miseria but that all shall inherit and that there is no scantling this is heavens wonder and the Angels blisse An heavenly inheritance sure that is cintinued without succession divided without diminution common without envie for ever happy and without all misery This is the inheritance of the just the possession whereof makes every Saint no lesse glorious then a King Kings are they indeed whose dominions are not limited nor their borders bounded nor their people numbred nor the time of their reigne prescribed Such glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God Is this your inheritance but upon what right it is prepared for you from the beginning of the world Had the Lord such care to provide for his children before they were how may his sonnes triumph born to such dignitie God will so certain their salvation that he hath prepared it for them from before the foundation of the world O blessed souls if you be Gods servants though a while you suffer sorrow and tribulation yet here is the hope of Saints Luke 12.32 it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome Heaven is prepared of old there is the place of Gods majestie and there the Saints of God shall receive the crown the reward of victory Vse I cannot expresse what this joy affords to the one half of it Come blessed souls bathed in repenting tears here is a sentence able to revive the dead much more the afflicted Are you now sorrowing for your sinnes leave it a while and meditate with me on this ensuing melodie Hear yonder a quire of Angels a song of Sion an heavenly consort sounding to the Judge whilest he is pronouncing of thy sentence Blessed souls how pant you dances at the uttering of each syllable Come saith our Saviour and if he but say Come joy happinesse glory felicity all come on heaps into the indeared soul Ye blessed saith our Saviour and if he but say Blessed the Angels Archangels Cherubims Seraphims all joy at the injoying of this blessed company Inherit the kingdome saith our Saviour and if he but say inherit crowns scepters garlands diadems all these are the inheritance of Gods adopted children Prepared for you saith our Saviour and if he but say Prepared the love mercy election compassion of our Lord will shine forth to the soul to her everlasting comfort O ravishing voice Cantic 5.8 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if you find my welbeloved thâ—â— you tell him I am sick of love What else you that are Gods servants are no lesse his spouse your soul is the bride and when the day is come this day of doom God give you joy the joy of heaven for ever and ever But I must turn to the left hand and shew you another crew prepared for another sentence And what a terrible sentence will that be which at first hearing will make all ears glow and tingle His lips saith the Prophet are full of indignation and his tongue like a consuming fire Matt. 4.25 41. Esay 30.27 Esa 30.27 What fire so hot as that fierie sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Here is every particular full of horrour gradually inhancing their judgement First a grievous refusall Depart Secondly the losse of salvation from me Thirdly that deserved malediction ye cursed Fourthly the horrour of pains into everlasting fire Fifthly the preordinance of their torments prepared for the devil and his angels First they must depart This seems nothing to the wicked now depart why they are contented to be gone much more delight have they in sinne then in Gods service But as when a gracious Prince opening his long locked up treasury bids
done so we must be sentenced for then he shall reward every man according to his works Thus you have heard the sentence of the just and wicked and now is the Judge rising from his glorious seat the Saints that were invited guard him along and the sentenced prisoners are delivered to the Jaylers to be bound in burning Steel and Iron the reward of Execution The sentence being past in all prescribed order the Execution must needs follow but as there is a double sentence so a double retribution first for the wicked who immediately after the sentence shall be chased into hell the Execution being speedily and fearfully done upon them with all horrour and haste by the Angels O what a scriech of horrour will be heard what woes and lamentations will be uttered when Devils and Reprobates and all the damned crew of hell shall be driven into hell whereunto they shall be thrust with violence never to return again How desperate is their case when none will comfort them the Saints deride them Angels mock them their own friends scoffe them devils hate them the earth groans under them and hell will swallow them Down they go howling and shrieking and gnashing their teeth the effect of a most impatient fury The world leavs them the earth forsakes them hell entertains them there must they live and die and yet not live nor die but dying live and living die death in life life in death miserable ever If the drowning of the old world swallowing up of Korah and his complices burning up of Sodom with brimstone were attended with such terrours and hideous out-cryes how infinitely transcendent to all possibilitie of conceit expression or belief will the confusions and tremblings of that red-dread-fiery day be It is not a few but many nor many onely but all the wicked of the earth being many millions of men shall be dragged down with all the Devils of hell to torments without end or ease or past imagination then to speak it again that I may the deeper imprint it in your minds and memories sure there was horrible shrieking when those five filthy Cities first felt fire and brimstone drop down upon their heads when those Rebels saw the ground cleave asunder and themselves and all theirs Go down quick into the pit Num. 16.33 when all the sonnes and daughters of Adam found the floud rising and ready to over-flow them all at once But the most horrid cry that ever was heard or ever shall be heard in Heaven or in Earth in this world or in the world to come will be then when all the forlorn condemned reprobates upon sentence given shall be violently and unresistably haled down to hel neither shall any tears or prayers or promises or suits or cryes or yellings or calling upon Rocks and Mountains or wishes never to have been or now to be made nothing be then heard or prevail in their behalf nay yet more to encrease their torments there is not one in Earth or Heaven that will speak one word in their behalf but without mercy without stay without any farewell at all they shall be immediately and irrecoverably cast down into the bottomless pit of easeless endless and remediless torments Oh! what then will be the gnawings of the never-dying worm what rage of guilty consciences what furious despair what horrour of mind what distractions and fears what tearing their hair and gnashing of teeth In a word what wailing weeping roaring yelling filling heaven and earth and hell O miserable Caitiffs catcht and wrapt in the snares of Sathan What need we more this is the Judges charge the Sheriffs Commission Matth. 22.13 the sinners execution Take them away cast them into utter darknesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth A darknesse indeed that must ever be debarred from the sight of heaven no sunne-shine ever peeps within those Walls no light no fire no candle alas nothing is there but Clouds and darknesse thick smoak and fierie sulphure and such is the portion of sinners the Reward of the wicked Vse What faith or fear have the wicked that go dancing and leaping to this fire as it were to a Banquet or like Solomons fool that runneth and swiftly runneth to the stocks Prov. 7.22 is this our pleasure to sinne a while and burn for ever for one small spark of silly joy to suffer universall and perpetuall pains Who buyes at so dear a rate Fear and the pit and the snare are upon thee O inhabitant of the Earth and he that fleeth from the noyse of the fear shall fall into the pit and he that cometh up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windows from an high are open and the foundations of the earth do shake the earth is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunken man and shall be removed like a Tent and the iniquity thereof shall be heavy upon it so that it shall fall and rise no more Esay 24.17 Esay 24.17 18 19 20 22. O miserable fear to the wicked If the Earth fall how shall the sinners stand Nay They shall be gathered together as prisoners in the pit and they shall be shut up in the prison never more to be visited released or comforted Be forewarn'd then beloved least you also come into this place of torment Luke 16.28 It is a fearfull prison and God give us grace so to arraigne judge cast and condemne our selves here that we may escape this execution of the damned hereafter I have no will to end with terrour Then to sweeten your thoughts with the joy of Saints look upwards and you may see a blessed company After the wicked are cast down into hell Christ and the blessed Saints ascend into heaven From the Tribunall Seat of Judgement Christ shall arise and with all the glorious companie of Heaven march towards the Heaven of Heavens O what comely march is this what songs of triumph are here sung and warbled The voice of thy Watchmen shall be heard they shall lift up their voice and shout together for they shall see eie to eie when the Lord shall bring again Zion Esay 52.8 Esay 52.8 Here is a victorie indeed the souldiers in arrayed order both Marching and Triumphing Christ leads the way the Cherubims attend the Seraphims burn in love Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Patriarchs Prophets Priests Evangelists Martyrs Professours and Confessours of Gods Law and Gospel following attend the Judge and King of glory singing with melody as never ear hath heard shining with Majestie as never eye hath seen rejoycing without measure as never heart conceived O blessed train of souldiers goodly troop of Captains each one doth bear a palm of victory in his hands each one must wear a Crown of glory on his head the Church Militant is now Triumphant with a finall overthrow have they conquered Devills and now must
spit fire from their mouthes and Wolves all devour mens souls and Lions roar for the prey and Vipers sting and strike with their Tayls O fearfull Jailers what strange kind of furies live in hell You see the Jailer now turn your eyes from so bad a spectacle and let us view the Den where this Monster lies The Hebrews call it Sheol a great Ditch or Dungeon the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even darkness it self the Latins Infernus a place under ground all agree it is a Dungeon under earth containing these two properties Deepness Darkness 1. It is deep as heaven is high so most probable it is that hell is deep Iohn calls it a bottomless pit Revel 9 1. Revel 9.1 as if Reprobates were alwaies falling yet never could find bottome where to rest or howsoever this be a Metaphor yet without question heaven and hell are as opposite as may be and whether the Center be the place of torment or as others think all the gulfes of the Sea Kecker Syst Theo. de inferno and hollows of the earth as being more capable to contain the damned I leave it to the Schools as for the Pulpit I think this prayer more fit Lord shew us what it is but never where Secondly the deepness is yoaked with darkness such a dungeon fits the Tares they committed works of darkness and are cast into utter darkness a darkness that may be felt thick Clouds that may be handled dampes and mists that strike at their hearts with sensible griefs This is that bottomless pit in the heart of the earth there shines no Sun no Moon nor Stars there is no light of Candle Torch or Taper shine the Sun never so fair it is still night there the Dungeon is dark and this makes the place more sad more uncomfortable Let Poets faign of Tantalus tortures Prometheus Vultures Ixions Wheel and Charons rowing these come far short to express the pains of those that rage in hell there plagues have no ease cryes have no help time has no end place no redemption it is the dark prison where the Tares are chained and the wicked bound in fetters of fire and darkness Could men have a sight of hell whiles they live on earth I doubt not their hearts would tremble in their bosomes yet view it in a way of meditation and see what you find are there not wonderfull engines sharpe and sore instruments of revenge fiery Brimstone pitchy Sulphur red hot chains flaming whips scorching darkness will you any more the worm is immortall cold intolerable stench indurable fire unquenchable darkness palpable This is that prison of the damned then whose eyes dare behold such amazing objects but if not see yet listen with your eares is there any charm in hell to conjure away Devils or to ravish souls what musick affords the place but roaring and crying and houling cursing their Hymnes wailing their tunes blasphemies their ditties lachrymae their notes lamentations their songs scrieching their streins these are their evening and their morning songs Moab shall cry against Moab one against another all against God O fearfull Prison what torments have the Tares that lye here fettered their feet are chained in the stocks and the Iron pierceth their souls it is a Dungeon where the light never shined but the walls are as black as pitch the vaults are smoaked as Chimneys the roof as dark as hell nay the Dungeon is hell where the Tares lie bound and fettered Think of this Iayle yee offenders of Gods Law and Majesty the Angels see our doings the Judge now exspects our returning the Tares grow till the harvest and if still they offend death apprehends them God will judge them the Iayler take them Hell imprison them there are they bound You hear the Evidence brought in and the sentence gone out Take them Binde them binde them in bundles to burn them And if this be the Iaylers Goal what then be the Bonds or Chains The Angles which kept not their first estate saith Iude God hath reserved in everlasting Chains Iude 6. and God spared not the Angels that sinned saith Peter but cast them down to hell 2 Pet. 2.4 and delivered them into Chains of darknes Thus Christ doomed him that had not on his wedding garment Binde him hand and foot Matth. 13.22 and what may these Chains and Bonds insinuate but that the Tares are tyed to their torments might they but remove from place to place this would afford some ease might they but stir a foot or but turn about or have any little motion to refresh their tormented parts this would yield some comfort but here is an universall binding hand and foot body and soul all must be bound with everlasting Chains The Reprobates are packt and crowded together like Bricks in a fiery furnace having not so much as a Chink where any winde may enter in to cool them O yee that live in the sinfull wealth of this world consider but this one punishment of hell and be afraid if a man injoying quietment of mind and health of body should lie chained on a soft Down-bed for a month or a year how would he abide it but this is nothing If a man should lye sick of a Fever swoln in a Dropsie pained with the Gout and though it were for the recovery of his health without any turning tossing stirring this were a great torture sure and a question it were whether the disease or the physick were more intollerable Vermis conscientiam ignis comburet carnem witnesse poor Patients who change their sides wish other beds seek other rooms and all these shifts but to mitigate their pains how wretched then are the Tares bound in Chains they are not in health nor bound for a month nor sick of a Fever nor lye for a year their pain is grievous their bonds heavy their torments durable their restlesse rest eternall The worm shall gnaw their spirit the fire torture their flesh were these nothing yet small sorrows grow great with continuance the fire shall torture yet never cease worms gnaw the heart yet never gnaw in sunder the strings wretched souls are bound indeed whose bonds are never out of date A seven years prentiship would ere long exspire but what are seven years to a world of ages the reprobates must serve years ages even to a million of millions and yet are never free O bondage not to be uttered yet must be endured Is it not a Bedlam fury that must have such bonds a little to express their torments by our sufferings which yet are nothing nothing in comparison what means these Chains and whips and links and scourges Iron Chains whips of steel fiery linkes knotty scourges furies shake their bolts to afrighten souls the Irons strike through their eares and the hooked Engines tear their Bowels as if the torment of Tares were the delight of Devils Here is a prison indeed where is nothing heard but yells and
Reapers at the generall harvest Vse O then having yet a little time how should we labour to escape Hels horrour let the Proud be humbled the Epicure fast the Drunkard pray the Adulterer chastise himself to pull down his body and for the Covetous wretch let him with all holy greedinesse lay out his bags for the eternal good of his soul Alas one foot in heaven is better then all your lands on earth I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God Psal 84.10 then to dwell in the Tents in the houses in the Palaces of the wicked Now then in the fear of God reform your lives and your harvest without question shall be the joy of heaven or if Tares will be Tares what remains but Binding and Bundling Bind them Bundle them Burn them The harvest is done and the Angels sing and shout for their ended task the Tares are reaped the furrows cleansed the sickles laid aside the sheaves Bundled and to shut up all they must be Burned But stay we them a while and at our next meeting we will set them on fire God make us better seed that we may receive a better crop even that Crown of glory in the highest heavens To burn them VVE have followed the Prisoners from the Barre and brought them to the stake what remains further but to kindle the Faggots and so to shut up all with the burning Hell-fire at the first naming makes my soul to tremble and would the bouldest courage but enter into a serious meditation what it were to lie everlastingly in a red hot scorching fire how could he chuse but stand astonished at the consideration it is a furious fire Rouze up beloved for either this or nothing will awake you from the sleep of sin wherein you snort too securely Some differences there are about this fire many think it a Metaphoricall others a materiall fire be it whether it will it is every way fearfull and farre above the reach either of humane or Angelicall thoughts to conceive If it be Metaphoricall as Gregory and Calvine are of mind then is it either more or nothing lesse terrible when the Holy Ghost shadows unto us the joys of heaven by gold and pearls and precious stones Revel 21. Rev. 21. there is no one thinks but those joys do farre surpasse these shadows and if the pains of hell are set out by fire and flames and brimstone and burning what pains are those to which these are nothing but dumb shows or types Or if hell fire be materiall as Austine and Bullenger do conjecture yet is it farre beyond any fire on earth mark but the difference our fire is made for comfort hell-fire is created for nothing else but torment our fire is blown with some ayrie breath of man but hell fire is blown with the angry breath of God our fire is fed with the fuell of Wood or Cole but hell fire is tempered with all the terrible torturing ingredients of Sulphur and Brimstone or to cut the way nearer I will reduce all the differences to some of these four and so proceed in their order they differ first in heat secondly in light thirdly in their object fourthly in durance First in heat The pile thereof is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Esai 30.33 Esai 30.33 This fire is not made by the hand of man nor blown from the bellows of some forge nor fed with any fuell of combustible matter no it is the arm of God and the breath of God and the anger of God that kindles it sharply and continues it everlastingly and I pray if the breath that kindles it be like a stream of brimstone what is the fire it self you know there is a great difference betwixt the heat of our breath and the fire in our chimnies now then if the breath of God that kindles hell fire be dissolved into brimstone What a fearfull fire is that which a great torrent of burning Brimstone doth ever mightily blow A torrent of Brimstone said I no it is not Brimstone but like Brimstone like to our capacity although for the nature this like is not like nay could we know exactly what this breath were you would say I warrant you it were far more hotter then ten thousand Rivers of Brimstone were they all put together Our God saith the Apostle is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Heb. 12.29 And if God be a fire what then is hell fire kindled by the breath God O my soul how canst thou but tremble at the thought of this fire at which the very Devils themselves do quake and shiver Pause a while and consider wert thou arraigned at some earthly bar thy doom past the execution at hand and thy body now ready to be cast as many a Martyrs was into some burning fire or boyling Caldron O how wouldest thou shout and roar and cry through the extremity of torment but what is a boyling Caldron to that boyling sea of fire and brimstone pitch and sulphur boyl altogether were not this enough see there the perplexing properties of such heats they burn as Brimstone darkly to grieve the sight sharply to afflict the sense loathsomly to perplexe the smell it is a fire that needs no bellows to kindle it nor admits of the least air to cool it the fuell wasts not the smoke vents not the chimnies are but Reprobate credits where they lie scorching burning houling their lullabies and their nurses furies The flames of Nebuchadnezzars fire could ascend forty nine Cubits but if hell be a bottomless pit sure these flames have an endless height how hot then is that glowing Oven where the fire burns lively the blasts go strongly the wheeles turn roundly and the darkned fuell are those damned souls that burn in an heat surpassing ours unspeakable of us here is one difference Secondly as hell fire differs from ours in heat so in light Cast that unprofitable servant saith our Saviour into utter darkness Mat. 25.30 Matth. 25.30 Vtter to perplexe the mind Darkness to confound the eye Consider but the terrour of this circumstance if a man alone in darkness should suddenly hear a noise of ghosts and spirits coming towards him how would his hair bristle his tongue faulter his blood run to the heart yea I dare say although he felt never a lash from them on his body yet the onely houling of devils would make his very inmost heart to shake and shudder O then what horrour is that when darkness must surround thee and devills hollow to thee and reprobates shrick at the lashing of their bodies and all hell be filled with the cries and ecchoes of Woe woe woâ— for their torments and the darkness May be you will object if there be fire there is assuredly light nay without question this fire hath heat no light it is a dark smoaky flame that burns dimm to the eye yet sharp to the
fâ—nce oâ— it may beâ— as some do imagine this fire affords a 〈…〉 pâ—â—iâ—eous oâ— obscure light but how not for comforts but confusion Conceive it thus he that in twilight sees deformed Images or in the night beholds shapes of Ghosts and spirits by a dimm dark light why better he saw nothing then suck tâ—â—â—â—le visâ—â—ns such fears nay a thousand times worse are preseâ—ved to the 〈◊〉 of Reprobates they may discern through darkness the ugly faceâ— of fiend â—f the foul visages of Reprobates the furious torments of their friends or parents while all lye together in the same condemnation What comfort affords this light where nothing is seen but the Judges wrath and the prisoners punishment O will they cry that our eyes were out or the flames were quenched or that some period were put to this endlesse night of darknesse but all in vain lo pillars of smoak arise out of the infernall pit which darken the light as the fire lightens the darknesse and this the second difference Thirdly there is yet another difference in the fuell or object of this fire ours burns not without materialls this works also on spirituals It is I confesse a question whether devils suffer by fire and how may that be some are of opinion that they are not onely spirits but have bodies not organicall as ours but aereall or somewhat more subtil then the air it self this opinion howsoever most denie yet Austin argues for it for if men and devils saith he are punished in the same fire and that fire be corporeall how are Devils capable of the suffering unlesse they have bodies like men fit for the impression And yet if we deny them to have bodies I see no impossibilitie but that spirits themselves may suffer in hell fire August de civit dei lib. 21. cap. 10. is it not as easie with God to joyn spirits and fire as souls and bodies as therefore the soul may suffer through the body so likewise may those spirits be tormented by fire I will not argue the case either with or against Austin yet safely may we put this conclusion not onely men in their bodies but devils and souls must together be tormented in hell fire thus our Saviour couples them in that last heavy doom Matth. 25.41 Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels What a fire is this it tryes the reins it searcheth the bowells it pierceth the very soul and inmost thoughts O fire above measure where spirits are the tormentors damnation the punishment men and devils the fuell and the breath of an offended God the Bellows Think not on your fires that gives you heat for warmth or light for comfort neither fear you him that kils your bodies but hath no further commission to hurt your souls here is another fire another Judge a fire that kindles souls a Judge that sends bodies and souls to everlasting fire such heats such darknesse such objects accompanie this fire the heat is intollerable darknesse palpable bodie and soul both combustible all burn together that have sinned together This the third difference Lastly there is a difference in durance our fire dyes quickly but hell fire lasts for ever This is done saith Austin admirably Miris sed veris modis Aug. ibid. Aug. de civit dei l. 21. yet actually the burning bodies never consume the kindled fire never wasts with any length of time We read of a certain salt in Sicilia that if put into the fire it swims as in water and being put into water crackles as in fire we read of a fountain in Libya that in a cold night is so hot that none can touch it in a hot day so cold that none could drink it If God thus work miracles on earth dost thou seek a reason of Gods high and heavie judgement in hell I see the pit I cannot find the depth there is a fire that now stands as it was created it must be endured yet never never must be ended The custome of some countreys that burn malefactours use the least fires for greatest offenders that so the heat being lessened the pains might be prolonged but if this be so terrible to them whose fire is but little and whose time cannot be long what an exceeding horrible torment is this in hell where the fire is extreme great and the time for ever and ever lasting Suppose you or any one of you should lie one night grievously afflicted with a raging fit of the Stone Collick Strangurie Toothach Pangs of travail and a thousand such miseries incident to man how would you tosse and tumble how would you turn your sides tell the clock count the houres exspect every moment for the gay-bright morn and till then esteem every hour a year and every pang a misery matchlesse and intollerable O then what will it be think you to lie in fire and brimstone kept in highest flame by the unquenchable wrath of God world without end how tedious will be that endlesse night where the clock never strikes the time never passes the morn never dawns the Sunne never rises where thou canst not turn nor tosse nor tumble nor yet take any rest where thou shalt have nothing about thee but darknesse and horrour and wailing and yelling wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth for evermore Good Lord that for a smile of present pleasure men should run upon the rock of eternall vengeance Come ye that pursue vanitie and see here the fruit of sin at this harvest of Tares Pleasures are but momentany Momentaneum quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat but the pangs are eternall Eternall how long is that Nay here we are silenced no Limner can set it forth no Oratour can expresse it if all times that ever were and ever shall be should be put together they would infinitely come short of this fiery eternitie the latitude thereof is not to be measured neither by houres nor dayes nor weeks nor moneths nor years nor Lustra's nor Olympiads nor Indictions no Jubilees nor ages nor Plato's years nor by the most slow motions of the eighth sphear though all these were multiplied by thousands or millions or the greatest multiplyer or number numbering that can be imagined Plainly in a word count if you please ten hundred thousand millions of years and adde a thousand myriads of ages to them and when all is done multiply all again by a thousand thousand thousand of thousands and being yet too short count all the thoughts motions mutations of men and Angels adde to them all the sands of the sea piles on the earth starres in the Heavens and when all this is done multiply all again by all the numbers squares cubicks of Arithmetick and yet all these are so farre short of eternity that they neither touch end nor middle nor the least part or parcell of it what then is this which the damned suffer eternall fire we had need to cry out Fire fire
eternitie eternity lest you also come into this place of eternity eternity of torment it is the doom of Tares wo to them whosoever that are of the number for they they must be gathered and bound and bundled and burned We have now done our task and ended the harvest if you please to cast back your eie upon the particulars delivered they amount to this summe Whatsoever a man sowes that shall he reap Gal. 6.7 Gal. 6.7 If the enemy sow Tares and we nourish the seed what think you is the Harvest Gather ye together first the Tares saith our Saviour to the Angels they are branded in their name Tares sped in the time first curst in their doom gathered but worst in the hands of their executioners it is by Angels and yet what is all this to the latter work in hand If the Tares weeded up might rot in the furrows the punishment were lesse but as they are gathered so they must be bound Is that all nay as they are bound so they must be bundled Is that all nay as they are bound and bundled so they must be burned Bind them in bundles to burn them I must end this Text yet am loath to leave you where it ends As there is an harvest of Tares so there is a better harvest of Wheat Psal 126.5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy if we repent us of our sinns we shall have a blessed harvest indeed how fourty grains for one nay by the promise of our Saviour an hundred fold A measure heapen and shaken and thrust together Luke 6.38 and yet running over Every Saint shall have joy and glory fountains of pleasure and rivers of delight where they may swim and bathe their souls for ever and ever what though Tares must to the fire the Wheat is gathered into Heaven Pray you then with me that we may be Wheat not Tares and God so blesse the seed that every soul of us may have a joyfull harvest in the kingdome of Heaven AMEN FINIS Right Purgatorie HEB. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins THe point is not full but to make it up the Text stands compast with words of wonder concerning the word our Saviour he that is the Sonne of God heir of all things creatour of the world the brightnesse of his glory the image of his person and upholder of all things by the word of his power stands here as the subject of humilitie and glory he purged our sins and sits on the right hand of the majesty on high He purged our sins by his suffering on the crosse he sits on Gods right hand by obtaining the crown he purged our sinnes by dying for them he sits on Gods right hand by ruling with him what need we more here is his passion and session in the same order he performed them for then he sate down on the right hand of his Father when he had by himself purged our sins But to come nearer the words they are as the drugs of an Apothecary and we will examine the ingredients O I am sick of love saith the Church in Canticles Cant. 5.8 Cant. 5.8 Sick indeed not of love onely but of sinne also a disease that infatuates the mind gripes the conscience distempers the humours disturbs the passions corrupts the body indangers the soul Is not he blessed that can help this maladie Come then ye that labour of sin and to your endlesse comfort see here the manner of the cure there is a Physitian he the patient himself the physick administred when he had purged the ill humours evacuated when he had purged our sinnes Or to gather up the crumbs lest in this costly receit or physick any thing be lost see here the remedie girt and compast with each necessary circumstance the time when the person he the matter purged the manner by himself the disease sinne the extent of it ours Observe all and you find no time more dismall then this when no person more humbled then this he no physick more operative then this purge no disease more dangerous no plague more spreading then sinne our sinne for which he suffered When he by himself had purged our sins We have opened the body of the Text now look on the parts and you may see the Anatomie of our Saviour in every member of it When Ne sedendo videatur purgare Annot. Erasm in text THe Text begins with the time When he had purged and this time saith Erasmus according to the originall denotes the time past lest that we had thought he had purged our sinnes by his sitting him down at the right hand of God First therefore saith the Apostle he purged and then sate he first purged by his death and when that was done he sate at the right hand of the Majesty in the highest places Whence observe Doctrine The time that Christ purged was in the dayes of his humiliation Then was he born Matth. 1.18 Matth. 1.18 then was he tempted Matth. 4.1 Matth. 4.1 then was he circumcised Luke 2.21 Luke 2.21 then was he traduced Matth. 11.19 Matth. 11.19 then was he persecuted John 8.59 John 8.59 then was he betrayed Matth. 26.16 Matth. 26.16.50 then was he apprehended Matth. 26.50 then was he mocked Matth. 27.29 Matth. 27.29 35. then was he crucified Matth. 27.35 But all his life was full of infirmitie so according to the nature of all infirmities he had those four times mentioned by Physitians in his life the beginning the increase the Akmen or state and declination Give me leave but to prosecute these times and by that time we have done the hour I know will summon us to a conclusion First then he had his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his beginning and that was the first time of his purging even at his birth then took he our infirmities upon him and in some measure evacuated the brightnesse of his glory to become for us a poor a weak a silly babe on earth Mark I pray how this purge works with him at his first entrance into the world it brings him into so poor and low estate that heaven and earth stand amazed at so great a change where was he born but at Bethlehem a little citie where did the shepherds find him but in a poor sory cottage and there if we look after majestie we find no guard but Joseph no attendants but Mary no heralds but Shepherds none of the bed-chamber but beasts and oxen and howsoever he is styled King of the Jews yet the Jews cry out They have no King but Cesar His mother indeed descended of kings and he himself gives crowns to others of victory of life of glory but for his own head no crown is prepared but a crown of thorns Rev. 4.10 anon you may see him clothed in purple anointed with spittle but for the crown we speak of they can afford him no richer then of the hedge no easier
Physician he needs no physick no Purge no Physician at all but for us he is become a Physician himself for us he became Physician and Patient for us he was sick for us he purged that we through him might escape that danger of eternall fire But how purged he By himself Was there none to associate him in this misery no he purged by himself onely and that without a Partner Comforter First without a partner there was none that laid a finger in the burthen of his Crosse to ease him why Blessed Saviour thou hast Myriads of Angels waiting on Thee and can they not a little lighten thy heavie yoke No the Angels are blessed but they are finite and limited and therefore unable to this expiation of sinne But what say we of the Saints if you will believe the Rhemists Rem Coll. 1. sec 4. they can tell you that the sufferings of Saints sanctified in Christs bloud have not onely a forcible satisfaction for the Church and its members but withall they are the accomplishments of the wants of Christs passion an horrible blasphemy as if Christs were not sufficient in it self but his wants must be supplyed by the satisfaction of others my Text tels me Christ purged by himself therefore not by any other but sufficiently in his own person and as for that Text they urge against us Coloss 1.24 Col. 1.24 Now rejoyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church whence they argue these two points first the want of Christs sufferings and secondly the abounding of Saints sufferings for the satisfaction of others To the first we answer that the afflictions of Christ which the Apostle saith I fulfill are not meant of the afflictions which Christ suffered in his Person August tract in Joh. 108. but in his members thus Augustine Non dixit pressurarum mearum sed Christi quia membrum erat Christi The Apostle saith not my afflictions but Christs because he was a member of Christ who is usually said to suffer both with and in his members To the second we answer that Pauls sufferings for his body which is the Church served not for satisfaction but for confirmation of their faith Christi passio nobis sufficit ad salutem Petri Pauli contulit ad exemplum Ambr. serm 66. thus Ambrose Christs passion sufficeth to salvation Peter and Pauls passion serve onely for example so then if you will have the true sense of the words they run thus Now rejoyce I in my sufferings for you whereby I fulfill the measure of those tribulations which remain yet to be indured of Christ in his mysticall body which I do for the bodies sake not to satisfie for it but to confirm it or strengthen it in the Gospel of Christ and good reason have we to admit of this comment otherwise how is Christ a perfect Saviour if any act of our redemption be left to the performance of any Saint or Angell no it is Christ and onely Christ Jesus and onely Jesus nor is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 Acts 4.12 But if not Angels or Saints what say we of good Works Cannot they expiate sinne yea say our adversaries they are meritorious and applicatory and expiatorie so here is a threefold use of them what hath Christ purged by himself and is there any other means whatsoever to expiate sinne no saith the Apostle so incompatible are these two his grace and our works that if it be of grace it is no more of works Rom. 11.6 or else grace were no more grace and if it be of works it is no more grace or else works were no more works By grace then ye are saved not of works lest any man should boast himself Ephes 2.8 9. Ephes 2.8 9. But if no purging by Angels Saints nor good works what say we to purgatory it self we say it is a fable or were it an Article of Faith as the Pontificians affirm let us have Scripture for it yes saith Roffensis We went through fire and water Roffen contra Luther art 37. Psal 66.12 Psal 66.12 and Sir Thomas Moor will have more Scripture yet I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water Zach. 9.11 Zach. 9.11 here are two places for Purgatory and one saith there is water the other saith there is no water but to say truth of both the Catholick faith Aug. hypog l. 5. tom 7. resting upon divine authoritie believes heaven and hell but third place saith Augustine we know none neither find we in holy Scripture that there is any such place neither speaks he onely of places eternall that are to continue for ever for he purposely disputes against Limbus puerorum and rejects all places temporary yea elsewhere he acknowledgeth there is no middle place at all Aug. de pec merit remiss l. 1. c. 28. Juel def Apol. 2. part but he must needs be with the Devil that is not with Christ away then with those paper walls and painted fires a bug could Harding once say meet onely to fray children God will have no rivall in sinnes purge no Angel in Heaven no Saints no works on earth no purgatory under earth it is he himself will purge it by himself my text affirms it and who dares gainsay it that he by himself by no other hath purged our sinnes Thus farre you have seen Christ purging without a partner Esay 63.3 he trod the winepresse alone and there was none to help him but ô the bitternesse of this purge that admits of no help no ease as he had no partner to help him so no Comforter to chear him in his so lamentable sufferings Some ease it is to have one or other touched with the sense of our miseries and if they cannot help us Solamen miseriis socios c. yet to do what they can be it onely to condole us it were a comfortable refreshing ay but our Saviour finds no refreshing at all he purged by himself without a Partner without a Comforter not any one one earth or in heaven that afforded his poor heart any cure or cordiall First look on earth for to them doth he address that speech in Lamentations Lament 1.12 is it nothing to you all ye that pass by the most grievous torments find some mitigation in the supply of friends and what friends hath our Saviour to comfort him in his torments If you say the Gentiles I must confess he found faith in some and a seeming favour from others the Centurion is witness of the one of whom our Saviour himself confessed I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Matth. 8.10 Matth. 8.10 and Pilate gives a token of the other when he took water and
washed his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just man Matth. 27 24 Matth. 27.24 but alas did Pilate so favour him as to free him no he fears to condemn him being innocent and yet dares not absolve him being so envyed as he was by the Iewes what then can a little water what can Iordans floods what can rivers of wine and oile do towards the washing of those hands that had power to release him and would not he knew they had delivered him of envy Matth. 27.18 Matth. 27.18 he confesses I find no fault in this man Luk. 23.14 Luk. 23.14 he tells him that he had power to crucifie him and he had power to loose him Iohn 19.10 Joh. 19.10 and yet fondly would he wash away the guilt of his unjust sentence with a little water on his hands no Pilate that ceremony cannot wash away thy sin that sin I mean which thou and the Gentiles in thee committed in delivering of Jesus to the will of the Iewes Luk. 23.25 But if delivered to the Iewes sure it is well enough he is their Country-man Kinsman of the stock of Abraham of the Tribe of Juda of the Family of Ioseph but this rather aggravates then allaies his misery that his own people should degenerate into Traitors not a Gentile but a Jew to be his Executioner what torment had not been a lenitive and a recreation in comparison of this Daniels Den the three Childrens Furnace Esays wooden Saw Israels fiery Serpents the Spanish Inquisition the Romish Purgatory are all as far short in torture as the last of them in truth to the malice of a Iew witness our Saviours death when they all conspired not onely to scourge him mock him buffet him slay him but to slay him in such a manner as to hang him on nailes and to make the Cross his Gibbet But what no comforter amongst them all do the Gentiles condemn him will the Jewes crucifie him and is there none to pity him Yes what say we of his Disciples that heard him followed him Luk. 10.1 and were sent of him by two and two into every City and place whether he himself should come Would you think that these seventy Luk. 10.17 for they were so many in number which for a time did his Embassage with joy would now have forsaken him yes if you mark it many of them went back Joh. 6.66 and would walk no more with him some stumble at his Doctrine others at his passion but all were offended as it is written I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered Matth. 26.31 Matth. 26.31 Yet if the Gentiles reject him they do but like Gentiles who were ignorant of God if the Iewes hate and maligne him Matth. 23.31 it is but their old wont of killing the Prophets if the Disciples that are weaker faint and waver in faith Matth. 8.26 it was no more then was said of them O ye of little faith but what say we to the twelve Apostles those Secretaries of his mysteries stewards of his mercies almners of his bounties will they also go away and leave him comfortless alone no can Peter say Master to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Ioh. 6.68 Joh. 6.68 or if he will have deeper protestations I am ready to go with thee saith Peter into prison and to death Luk. 22.33 Luk. 22.33 to death yes though I die with thee I will not deny thee and thus said all his Disciples Matth. 26.35 Matth 26.35 and yet like Ionas Gourd when the Sun beates hottest how soon are they all gone and vanished away loe one betrays him another forswears him all run from him and leave him alone in the midst of all his enemies And yet if his Apostles leave him what say we to Mary his mother and other his friends these indeed wait on him seeing sighing wailing weeping but alas what do those tears but increase his sorrows might he not justly say with Paul What mean yee to weep and to break my heart Act. 21.13 Acts 21.13 Pity and of all other feminine pity it is the poorest helpless salve of misery but howsoever it was to others this was so far from any salve to him as 't is one of his greatest tenderest sores about him Luk. 23.28 Daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and your children O see the wonder of compassion which he bears to others in his passion he hath more care of the women that follow him weeping then on his own mangled self that reels along fainting and bleeding even unto death the tears that drop from their eyes is more to him then all the bloud in his veins and therefore careless as it were of his own sacred person he turns about his blessed bleeding face to the weeping women Luk. 23.38 affording them looks and words too of compassion of consolation weep not for mee but weep for your selves and your children But O blessed Saviour didst thou flow unto us in showrs of Bloud and may not we drop a tear for all those purple streams of thine yes Lord thou dost not here forbid us weeping onely thou turnest the stream of our tears the right way that is to say homewards into our own bosomes pointing us to our sins the truest cause of thy sufferings But as for comfort to our Saviour whence trow ye may it come if we compass the earth the Gentiles Iewes his Disciples Apostles Mary his own Mother and all other his friends they are but as Iobs miserable comforters all but let us go up into heaven John 16.2 and there if any where be his comforters indeed alas what comforters If you imagine the Angels it is true they could attend him in the Desart and comfort him in the Garden but when he came to the main act of our Redemption not an Angell must be seen how not seen no they must not so much as look through the windows of heaven to give him any ease at all nor indeed were it to any purpose if they should for who can lift up where the Lord will cast down O yee blessed Angels how is it that your Hallelujahs cease that your songs which you warbled at his birth are finished at his death that your glorious company which are the delight of happy souls is denied to him who is the Lord and Maker both of you and them why thus it must be for our sakes I am full of heaviness said our Saviour in his type and I looked for some to take pity but there was none and for comforters but I found none Psal 69 20. Psal 69.20 And yet if the Angels be no comforters he hath a Father in heaven that is nearer to him Ioh. 10.30 I and my father are one saith our Saviour and it is my Father that honoureth mee Ioh.
fast asleep on the edge of a Rock he dreams merrily of Crowns and Kingdomes and will not off it but on a sudden starting for joy he tumbles into the bottome of the Sea and there lies drowned in the deep that assurance which is ever secure is but a dream whereas the testimony of Gods Spirit is sometimes mixed with doubts and sometimes to our unspeakable comfort with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus speaks to our consciences thou shalt be thou shalt be with me in paradise You see the testimonie of Gods Spirit how it works in us and how it is discerned by us it works in us by a particular application of the promises in the Gospel and is discerned by us by the word by our love our prayers our fears our joys at some times while we are a doing our duties Vse O blessed man that feels in his soul this blessed testimonie what is here comparable to it riches are deceitfull pleasure is a toy the world is but a bubble onely our assurance of Heaven is the onely reall comfort that we have on earth who then would not studie to make this certain if we purchase an inheritance on earth we make it as sure and our tenure as strong as the brawn of the Law or the brain of Lawyers can devise we have conveyance and bonds and fines no strength too much and shall we not be more curious in the setling our eternall inheritâ—nce in Paradise a man can never be too sure of going to Heaven and therefore in Gods fear let us examine the testimonie of our spirits by the inward tokens and by the outward fruits let us examine the testimonie of Gods Spirit by the means and the difference and if we find both these testimonies to accord within us how blessed are we in this vale of tears it is an heaven upon earth a Paradise in a wildernesse in a word a comfort in all miseries be they never so embittered See a Thief hanging on the Crosse an Engine of most grievous torture but who can tell the joy that entred into him before he entred into Heaven you may guesse it by his desire to be remembred of Christ when he came into his Kingdome he begs not for life nor pleasure nor riches nor honour no there is one thing necessary give him Heaven and he cares for nothing to this purpose doth he addresse himself to our blessed Saviour Luke 23.37 39. and he asks what if thou be Christ save thy self said the Jews in derision and if thou be Christ save thy self and us said the other Thief to him but this was onely for the bodies safetie and here is a man quite of another mind let the Jews rack him tear him break all his bones and pull him into atomes if our Saviour will but do so much as remember him in his kingdome he desires nothing more O blessed Christ speak comfortably to his soul that begs it thus vehemently at thy hands but why do I prevent the bowels of our Saviour yearn to hear him remember him yes he will remember him and he shall be with him comfortable news how leaps his heart at these so blessed words his desire is granted and Heaven is assured and the Spirit of God yea the God of Spirits thus testifies it to him to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thus farre of the certainty of his salvation thou shalt be but as the grant is sweet that is certain so is it yet more acceptable if done with expedition and here is both the certainty and expedition thou shalt be when to day with me in paradise To day OUr Saviour deferres not that he promises but as he quickly hears and quickly grants so he quickly gives him Paradise and a kingdome This sudden unexspected joy makes all more gratefull to tell us of Crowns and Kingdomes that we must inherit and then to put us off with delayes abates the sweetnesse of the promise men that go to suits for lands and livings though Lawyers feed them with hopes yet one order after another spinning out time to a multitude of Terms makes them weary of the businesse it is the happinesse of this suitour that he comes to an hearing but the highest degree of his happiness was the expedition of his suit no sooner he motions Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome but the Lord gives him that he asks upon his first motion to day ere the Sun be down the Kingdome shall be thine thou shalt be with me in Paradise But you may object Was there no Limbus Patrum no Purgatory to run through but the very same day he died he must then go to Paradise no unlesse Limbus or Purgatorie be Paradise it self there is no such thing at all Some there are that rather then say nothing speak thus Christ giving up the ghost Mox ut Deus exspiravit ipse secundum animam ad infernos descendit Guliel Paris cap. 21. secundum verbum his soul descended into hel and the very same day was this Malefactour partaker of Christs beatificall vision with the other Patriarchs in Limbus But of how great difference is Paradise and Limbus we shall hear another time sure it is Christ promised not a Dungeon in stead of a Kingdome nor is Paradise a place of pleasure of any such imaginary melancholy nature we conclude then To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise it is all one as to say To day thy day of death thou shalt be with me in Heaven and there enjoy me in my Kingdome But again you may object That Christ rather that day descended into hel then ascended into heaven The Creed teacheth that after he was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell To answer the objection some go about thus by hel say they is meant Paradise where the soul of Christ was all the time that his body lay in the grave If this be not a misconstruction I am sure it is no literall Exposition and me thinks a very strange kind of figure it is to expresse Christs ascent into Paradise by his descent into hell Others more probably understand Christs abode in the grave for the space of three dayes Aug. Epist 57. Austin after some turns and wrenches concludeth thus Est autem sensus multò expeditior c. It is a farre easier sense and freer from all ambiguity if we take Christ to speak thesc words This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise not of his Manhood but of his Godhead for the man Christ was that day in the grave according to the flesh and in hell as touching his soul but the same Christ as God is alwayes every where Thus he But this will not satisfie all Perkins on the Creed and therefore they argue thus against it These words say they must be understood of his Manhood not his God-head and why so For they are an answer unto a demand and unto it they must be
sutable Now the Thief seeing that Christ was first of all crucified and therefore in all likelihood should first of all die makes his request to this effect Lord thou shalt shortly enter into thy Kingdome remember me then to which Christs answer as the very words import is thus much I shall enter into Paradise this day and there shalt thou be with me but the God-head which is at all times in all places cannot be said properly to enter into a place and therefore not into Paradise Again When Christ saith Thou shalt be with me in Paradise he doth intimate a resemblance between the first and second Adam the first Adam sinned against God and was presently cast out of Paradise the second having made a satisfaction for sinne must presently enter into Paradise Now there is no entrance but in regard of the soul or man-hood and therefore to apply it to the God-head were to abolish this analogy betwixt the first and second Adam These reasons are weighty but should we say with Austin That Christ in his soul went down into hell one of our Worthies can tell us R. Clerk D. in D. Serm. that Christs soul united to his God-head might do all that and yet be that day in Paradise God works not lazily like man Satan could shew Christ all the Kingdoms of the world in the twinkling of an eye and Gods expedition exceeds his To this agrees another that we have no warrant in Gods Word so to fasten Christs soul unto hell for all the time of his death B. Bilson l. of the power of Hel destroyed fol. 219. Rom. 10.7 but that it might be in Paradise before it descended into hel That he was in Paradise must be received because himself doth affirm it and that he descended into the deep must be received also for the Apostle doth avouch it but how he descended or what time he descended as also what manner of triumph he brought thence cannot be limited by any mortall man To conclude I will not denie but that according to the Creed he descended into Hell yet howsoever we expound it Metaphorically or literally it hinders not this truth but that immediately after death his soul went into Paradise The objections thus solved now come we to the Thief thus comforted by Christ to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise What to day without all doubts or delayes here 's a blessed dispatch if we either consider the misery endured or the joy to be received First in regard of his miseries he was a Thief condemned and crucified we read of foure kinds of deaths in use amongst the Jews strangling stoning fire and the sword the Crosse was a death whether for the pain the shame the curse farre above all other we may see it in that gradation of the Apostle He became obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 Phil. 2.8 What engine of torture was that it spins out pain it slowes his death yet a little and a little till it be more then any man can think see his hands bored his feet nayled his legs broken every part full of pain from top to toe and thus hangs this Thief the poyz of his body every moment increasing his pain and his own weight becoming his own affliction in this case were not a quick riddance his best remedie were not the news of death better then a lingring life Lo then to his eternall comfort Christ our Saviour in the same condemnation grants him his desire What would he have a dispatch of pain he shall have it this day as Samuels appearance said to Saul To morrow yea to day thou shalt be with me 1 Sam. 28.19 But secondly here 's a greater comfort his miseries have an end and his joys are at hand while he is even gasping in deaths pangs he is carried on a sudden from earth to heaven from his Crosse to Paradise from a world of wo to a kingdome of happiness and eternall blisse O how blessed is the change when in the very moment of misery joy enters Suppose you a poor man in the night time out of his way wandring alone upon the mountains far from companie destitute of money beaten with rain terrified with thunder stiff with cold wearied with labour famished with hunger and near brought to despair with the multitude of miseries if this man upon a sudden in the twinkling of an eye should be placed in a goodly large and rich palace furnished with all kind of clear lights warm fire sweet smels dainty meats soft beds pleasant musick fine apparell honourable company and all these prepared for him to serve him honour him and to anoint and crown him a King for ever what would this poor man do what could he say surely nothing but rather in silence weep for joy Such nay far happier was the case of this poor malefactour he was like the man wandring on the mountains full of as much pain as the crosse could make him but on a sudden he and our Saviour crucified with him both meet in his Kingdome and now Lord what a joy enters into him when he entred into heaven on Calvary he had nothing about him but the Iews at his feet and the nails in his hands and the Crosse at his back in stead whereof no sooner comes he to Paradise but the Angels Archangels Cherubims Seraphims all hug him and embrace him imagine with your selves how was he astonished and as it were besides himself at this sudden mutation and excessive honour done unto him Imagine with your selves what joy was that when he met our Saviour in his glorie whom that very day he had seen buffeted scourged crowned crucified blessed day that could ever bring forth such a change Beloved I know not how to express it but let your souls in some meditation flie up from Calvarie to Heaven in the morning you might have seen Christ and this Thief hanging on two Crosses their bodies stretched their veins opened their hands and feet bleeding in abundance the one desiring to be remembred of the other and the other complaining that he was forgotten of his Father Matth. 27.46 in this dolefull case both leaving the world ere night they meet again and now what hugs what kisses are betwixt them When Joseph met with Iacob Gen. 46.26 he fell on his neck saith Moses and wept on his neck a good while but never was any meeting on earth like this in Heaven here we have a Ioseph lift out of the dungeon to the Throne where no sooner set but our Saviour performs his promise of meeting him in Paradise at which meeting the Angels sing the Saints rejoyce all Harps warble all Hands clap for joy and the poor soul of this penitent Thief ravished with delight what does it or what can it do but even weep for joy if any weeping were in heaven to see on a sudden so great a change as this Vse And if
this be his case who will not say with Balaam Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23 10. O let us I beseech you present unto our souls the blessed condition to come and this will be effectuall to stir us up to every good duty and to comfort us in all conditions whatsoever what will a man care for crosses and losses and disgraces in the world that thinks of an heavenly Kingdome What will a man care for ill usage in his Pilgrimâ—ge when he knows he is a King at home we are all in this time of our abâ—ence from God but even strangers upon â—â—rth here then must we suffer in dignities yet here is the comfort we have a better estate to come and all this in the mean time is nothing but a fitting of us to that heavenly Kingdome â—s Davids time between his anointing and investing was a very preparing of him that he might know himself and that he might learn fitnesse for to govern aright so we are anointed Kings as soon as we believe we have the same blessed anointing that is poured on our head and runnes down about us but we must be humbled and fitted before we are invested 〈◊〉 time and but a 〈◊〉 we have yet here to spend and let this be our comfort howsoever we 〈◊〉 here it is not long ere we inherit Alas the 〈◊〉 of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed us Rom. 8.18 Rom. 8.18 and therefore Igâ—â—â—â—â— iâ— a burnâ—â—g 〈…〉 say 〈…〉 gallows Hieron in catalogo beasts breaking of my bones quartering of â—y 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—sâ—â—ng of my body all the torments of devils let them come upon me so I may enjoy the treasure of Heaven and well â—â—gâ—â— he say it that knew what a châ—nge would be one day 〈◊〉 never was cold shadow so pleasant 〈◊〉 hot Summer never was 〈◊〉 so delightfull after â—â—â—our as shall be this â—eâ—t of heaven to an afflicted â—our coming thither out of this valley of tears O then what service should we do what pain should we suffer to attain this â—est were it to runne through fire and water were it as Augustine said to suffer every day torments you Aug. serm 31. de sanct the very torments of Hell yet should we be conâ—enâ— to aâ—â—â—e it and how much more when we may buy it without money or money-worth we need not to part with any thing for it but sin This Thief now a blessed Saint in glory * I speak of suffering and repenting as means not as the cause for a dayes suffering an half dayes repenting was thus welcomed to Heaven imitate we him in his repentance not in his delay he indeed had mercy at the last cast but this priviledge of one inferres not a common law for all one finde mercie at the last that none should despair and but one that none should presume Be then your sins as red as Scarlet you need not despair if you will but repent and lest your repentance be too late let this be the day of your conversion now abhorre sinnes past sue out a pardon call upon Christ with this Thief on the Crosse Lord remember me remember me now thou art in thy Kingdome thus would we do how blessedly should we die our consciences comforting us in deaths pangs and Christ Jesus saying to us at our last day here our day of death our day of dissolution To day shalt thou be with me in paradise We have dispatcht with expedition this dispatch this expedition to day the next day you shall hear the happinesse of this grant which is the societie of our Saviour thou shalt be with whom with me in paradise With me ANd is he of the Societie of Jesus yes though no Jesuite neither for they were not then hatcht but what noble order is this where the Saints sing Angels minister Archangels rule Principalities triumph Powers rejoyce Dominations govern Virtues shine Thrones glitter Cherubims give light Seraphins burn in love and all that heavenly company ascribe and ever give all laud and praises unto God their Maker here is a Societie indeed I mean not of Babylon but Jerusalem whither Jesus our Saviour admits all his servants and whereto this Thief on the Crosse was invited and welcomed thou shalt be with me in paradise For if with me then with all that is with me and thus comes in that blessed company of Heaven we will onely take a view of them and in some scantling or other you may guesse at Heavens happinesse With me and therefore with my Saints blessed man that from a crew of thieves by one houres repentance became a companion of Saints and now he is a Saint amongst them what joy is that he enjoys with them O my soul couldst thou so steal Heaven by remorse for sinne then mightst thou see what all those millions of Saints that ever lived on earth and are in Heaven Heb. 12.22 there are those holy Patriarchs Adam Noah Abraham and the rest not now in their pilgrimage tossed to and fro on earth but abiding for ever on Mount Sion the City of the living God there are those goodly Prophets Esay Jeremy Ezekiel and the rest not now subject to the torments of their cruell adversaries but wearing Palms and Crowns and all other glorious Ensigneâ— of their victorious triumphs there live those glorious Apostles Peter Andrew James John and the rest not now in danger of persecution or death but arrayed in long robes washed and made white in the bloud of the Lamb Revel 7.14 there live those women-Saints Mary Martha and that Virgin-mother not now weeping at our Saviours death but singing unto him those heavenly songs of praise glory world without end there are those tender infants an hundred forty four thousand Revel 14.1 Revel 14.1 3 4. not now under Herods knife bleeding unto death but harping on their harps and following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth there lives that noble armie of Martyrs they that were slain upon the earth Revel 18.24 Revel 18.24 not now under the mercilesse hands of cruell tyrants but singing and saying their Hallelujahs salvation and glory and honour Revel 19.1 and power be unto the Lord our God tâ—ere dwell all the Saints and servants of God both small and great Revel 19.5 Revel 19.5 not now sighing in this vale of tears but singing sweet songs that eccho through the Heavens as the voice of many waters as the voice of mighty thunderings so is their voice saying Hellelujah Revel 19.6 for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth And is not here a goodly troop a sweet company a blessed societie and fellowship of Saints O my soul how happie wer't thou to be with them yea how happie will that day be to thee when thou shalt meet all the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Disciples Innocents Martyrs the Saints and servants of the King of Heaven why thus happie
and blessed is this penitent Thief no sooner entred he into the gates of Heaven but there meets him with musick and dancing Luke 15.25 all the quire of Heaven and Lord what a joy entred into his soul when his soul entred into his masters joy Tell me could I speak with thee that dwellest in the Heavens what a day was that when stepping from the Crosse and conducted to Paradise thou wast there received with all honourable companies and troops above there did the Patriarchs meet thee and the Prophets hug thee and the Martyrs struck up their Harps to bid thee welcome to the Tabernacle of Heaven Such honour have all his Saints that attain the fellowship of the Saints in glory But more then so thou shalt be with me and therefore with my Angels Lo here a blessed companie indeed these are the heavenly Choristers eternally singing Jehovahs praise The Seraphims cry aloud Esay 6.3 Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts an Army answer to the antheme Glory to God on high The whole Quire of heaven add the burthen Revel 4.11 Thou art wortby O Lord to receive honour and glory and power for thou hast created all things and for thy sake they are and were creâ—â—â—d O heavenly harmony consisting of ten thousand times ten thousand various sorts of Musick Revel 5.11 I heard saith John the Divine that 〈◊〉 of many Angels round about the throne and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand thousand of thousands these are the shining and singing Starres of which God told his servant Job Job 38.7 The morning starres sing together and the serâ—â—â—â—â— of God shout for joy These are the winged Châ—risters of 〈◊〉 whom John the Divine heard singing their song of Hallelujah and Hosanna Revel 19.6 I heard saith he the voice of a great multitude as the voice of many waters the voice of â—any Angels singing and saying Hallelujah and again Hallelujah these are the nimble Posts of heaven Gen. 28.12 whom Jacob sayâ— thing 〈◊〉 and down the Ladder these are the Protectours of the godly whose aid God promised the Israelites Exod. 23.20 Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee to the place which I have prepared These are the Guardians of sucking Infants of whom our Saviour told his Disciples that in Matth. 18.10 Heaven their Angels alwayes behold the face of his Father these are the armies of God who meeting Jacob in his journey Gen. 32.2 he said this is Gods Hosts these are the Spirits and Ministers of God whom David describing by the purity of their substance and readinesse of their obedience he calls the Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire Psal 104.4 They are shining and singing stars winged choristers nimble Posts of heaven Protectours of the godly guardians of children the armies of the Almighty the Spirits and Ministers of the great Jehovah What blessed companie is this we shall enjoy in heaven there is nothing in them but is amiable nothing in them but is admirable O that this clay of ours should come to dwell with thâ—se incorporeall spirits and yet see here a man a thief 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of men by his confession and contrition and faith in Christ is now become a companion with Angels Nor is that all thou shalt be with me not onely with my Saints and Angels but with me with my soul in Paradise His soul indeed was there though his body at that time was in the grave and if the soul be it that makes us men what a passing great joy is that when men standing amongst the Angels shall see their Lord the Lord of heaven not to be an Angel but a man Here is the solace of Saints when they shal see say who is yond that rules on the Throne of heaven who is yond that sits on the right hand of God the Father and they shal answer themselves again it is he that for us became man for the salvation it is he that of our souls hath took upon him a body soul And think now with thy self whosoever thou art that readst if thou wilt but spend thy few evil dayes in his fear so die in his favour what a comfort will it be unto thee to see that Lamb sitting on his seat of state If the wise men of the East came so far and so rejoyced to see him in the Manger what will it be to thee to see him sitting and glittering in his glory If John Baptist did leap at his presence in his mothers belly what shall his presence do in his royall and eternall Kingdome It passeth all other glories saith Austin to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face August and to receive the beams of glory from the brightnesse of his Majestie nay should we suffer torments every day or for a time the very pains of hell it self thereby to gain the sight of Christ and of his Saints it were nothing in comparison No wonder then Phil. 1.23 if Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Alas who would not be so O most sweet Saviour saith one devoutly when shall this joyfull day come when shall I appear before thy face when shall I be filled with thy excellent beautie when shall I see that countenance of thine which the very Angels themselves are so desirous to behold an happie time sure will it be to each faithfull soul And thus happie was this man he parted sorrowfully with our Saviour on the Crosse but he met him joyfully in his Kingdome those sweet souls that both left the world at one time no sooner had heaven gates opened unto them but with mutuall kisses they embraced each other in unspeakable manner Nor was this all thou shalt be with me not onely with my soul but with my God-head this indeed was the height of blisse the very soul of heavens joy it self set aside this and crown a man with the Empire of all the earth the splendour of heaven the royall endowments of a glorified soul the sweetest company of Saints and Angels yet still would his soul be full of emptinesse and utterly to seek for the surest Sanctuary whereon to rest onely once admit him to the face of God and then presently and never before his infinite desire exspires in the bosome of his Maker I denie not but the other joyes in heaven are transcendent and ravishing but they are all no better then accessories to this principall drops to this Ocean glimpses to this Sunne If you ask how can our souls enjoy this God-head I answer two wayes first by the understanding secondly by the will The understanding is filled by a clear glorious sight of God 1 Cor. 12.12 called Beatificall vision we shall see him face to face saith Paul 1 Cor. 13.12 We shall see him as he is saith John 1 John 3.2 1 John
3.2 For as the Sunne by his beams and brightnesse illightens the eye and the air that we may see not onely all other things but also his own glorious face so God blessed for ever in whose presence ten thousand of our suns would vanish away as a darksome mote doth by the light of his Majestie so irradiate the minds of all the blessed that they behold in him not onely the beautie of all his Creatures but of himself and thus shall we see and know that glorious mystery of the Trinitie the goodnesse of the Father the wisdome of the Sonne the love and comfortable fellowship of the holy Spirit nothing that can be known but in him we shall know it in most ample manner Secondly the will is for ever satisfied with a perfect inward and eternall communion with God himself Christ that is God and man by his Man-hood assumed uniteth us unto God and by his God-head assuming uniteth God unto us so that by this secret and sacred communion we are made partakers and as it were possessours of God himself O bottomlesse depth and dearest confluence of joyes and pleasures everlasting here is the perfection of all good things the Crown of glory the very life of Life everlasting And well may it be so for what can the soul desire God will not be unto her It is he that is eminently in himself beauty to our eyes musick to our ears honey to our mouthes perfume to our nostrils light to our understanding delight to our will continuation of eternitie to our memorie in him shall we enjoy all the varieties of times all the beautie of creatures all the pleasures of Paradise Blessed Thief what a glory was this to be admitted to the societie of Christ in his Deitie thou shalt be with me how then should he be but happie Where could he be ill with him Vbi malè poterat esse cum illo ubi bene poterat esse sine illo Aug. Psal 16.11 where could he be well without him In thy presence there is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore joy and fulnesse of joy pleasures and everlasting pleasures Blessed are all they that live in thy house O Lord for they shall praise thee eternally world without end Psal 84.4 Psal 84.4 You see now Heavens societie they are Saints and Angels and Christ and God blessed for ever and ever Vse 1 Who then would not forsake Father and Mother the dearest fellowship of this world to be with Christ in his Kingdome You that love one another in the deepest bonds who cannot part out of this life but with the survivours grief and hearts break tell me what a merry day will that be when you shall not onely meet again never more to part asunder but when Christ our Saviour shall gladly welcome you every one of you into his societie thou shalt be with me and let me speak to the joy of us all I mean all broken-hearted Christians as for you that are profane ones you have your portion here therefore stand you by and let the Children come to their share a day will come I trust in the Lord when I shall meet you and you me in the Kingdome of heaven a day will come I trust in the Lord when you and I shall be all admitted into the societie of God and of Christ and of his Saints and of the Aagels a day will come I trust in the Lord when with these eyes we shall behold our Redeemer together with that Thief that was crucified with him a day will come I trust in the Lord when we shall meet again with all the Saints that are gone afore us and is not this a comfort what shall we say when we see our Saviour in his Throne waited on with Mary his Mother and Magdalen and Martha and Lazarus and Paul and Peter and all the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and Saviour yea when this Thief shall be presented to our view the wounds in his hands and his feet shining like Starres and Pearls and Rubies all his body glittering in glory and his soul magnifying the Lord for his conversion and salvation world without end Vse 2 But stay least we be lead too forward there is no such thing for us if now we are not in the Covenant of grace heaven is both happie and holy and if we would enjoy heaven then we must fit our selves to that estate to which God hath preserved us to this purpose saith the Apostle Our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour Phil. 3.20 Phil. 3.20 He was assured of heaven and therefore he conversed as a Citizen of heaven before he came there every way he â—â—rried himself as much as earth would suffer him like them that live in heaven and thus must we if ever we go to heaven become like to those that are in that place Deceive not your selves neither Whoremongers no Adulterers nor Extortioners nor the like shall enter into the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 1 Cor. 6.9 Do men who live in these sinnes without all remorse or repentance ever think to go to heaven is it possible that ever any flesh should go out of the puddle into Paradise Matt. 25.41 no no Away ye workers of iniquitie I know you not saith our Saviour let no man cherish presumptions of an heavenly Kingdome except he abstain from all sinnes against Conscience What then but so live we here as becomes his servants and thus when we part it is but for better companie we lose a few friends but we shall find him that welcomes all his with this heavenly harmonie thou shalt be with whom with me in Paradise Hitherto of the Society The last thing considerable is the place or Vbi where his soul arrived but of that hereafter as the Lord shall inable me God give us all grace â—o to live here that howsoever we go hence one after another yet at last we may all meet together with our Lord and Saviour in his heavenly Paradise In Paradise ANd where was that our Adversaries say in Limbus and yet to give them their due Bellarmine so means not as that Limbus was Paradise Illa enim verè Paradisus deliciarum est non corporalis aut localis sed spiritualis coelestis Bellar. de 7. verbis Domini l. 1. cap. 4. but that in Limbus this thief had his Paradise to wit the vision of God The vision of God saith Bellarmine is a true Paradise indeed not locall but spirituall But with Bellarmines leave we have no such sense of Paradise in any part of holy Writ In the old Testament we read of an earthly Paradise wherein Adam lived in the new Testament we read of an Heavenly Paradise whither Paul was caught yet both these were locall for the one saith Moses was a garden Eastward in Eden Gen 2.8 Gen. 2.8 and the other saith Paul was in heaven
all eyes dry here is the eye of the world weeps it self blind to see this dissolution Is man bereft of compassion for whom the Sun it self undergoes this passion think on those times when darkness that may be felt shall spread over all the earth how should plants but whither or beasts of the field but waste how should men but die when they stumble at noon-day their eyes shall fail them the light forsake them miserable men the Sun shill not shine on them because God will judg them But this not all Then shall the moon not give her light Matth. 24.29 as the day and night are both alike with God so the day and night shall be alike with man the Sun will not lend his lustre nor can the Moon borrow any more light but what strange warr makes this confusion of nature the Sun shall look black Ioel 2.31 and the Moon be turned into bloud Here is a new Moon and such a change as before was never seen there is no encrease no full no wane Gen. 1.14 but all the light is at once exstinguished unhappy creatures that depend upon her influence how should they live when she her self wades in bloud God made these Lights for signes and for seasons for daies and for years but now signs are out seasons past daies are done years abolished The Angels hath sworn by him that lives for ever that time shall be no longer Rev. 10.6 Who will not believe that hears this sacred oath was it a man no an Angel did he say it no he swore it how by himself no it was by him that lives for ever and what that time must be little nay it must be no longer time shall be no more How shall it be any more the Sun is disfigured the Moon disrobed both eclipsed But this not all Then shall the stars be shaken the powers of Heaven shall move and the Lamps of Heaven shall tremble these were Gods threats against the Babylonians Esay 13.10 Esay 13.10 For the stars of Heaven and the Planets thereof shall not give their light Against the Egyptians Ezek. 32.7 Ezek. 32.7 I will cover the heaven and make the stars dark over thee Against all his enemies Ioel 3.15 Joel 3.15 The Sun and Moon shall be darkned but not they alone for and the starrs themselves shall withdraw their shining But what speak we of darkness or the starrs not shining they shall not onely dimme Mark 13.15 but down In those days saith our Saviour after that tribulation the Sun and Moon shall darken and the stars of heaven shall fall Tymne c. how fall so thick say Expositors that the Firmament shall seem to be without all light I cannot say these signs shall be reall whether it is by substraction of their light or the conceit of brain-troubled sinners or the fall of some inflamed vapours or the Apostacy of some enlightned persons for certain to speak literally there shall be some change in the whole order of Nature Sun and Moon Starrs and Planets all must lose their lights and by all likely-hood it is the glory of the Judge that will dazel those Candles Neither is this all Then shall the Elements melt the fire shall fall down from heaven the air turn it self into vapours the Sea swell above all Clouds the earth be full of yawning Cliffes and violent tremblings 2 Pet. 3.18 Elementaris subtiliando terrestris consumendo infernalis puniendo Ioh. de Combis A fire shall first usher the Judge and such a fire as shall have the property of all fires that fire in its sphear this fire on earth the fearfull fire which torments in hell all shall meet in one and according to their severall qualities produce their severall effects the just shall be refined by one the wicked shall be tormented by another the earth be consumed by a third There is no creature but it must be fuell for this fire as the first world was destroyed with water to quench the heate of their lust so must this be destroyed with fire to warm the cold of our charity But not the fire alone Then shall the aire breed wonders what shall be seen but lightnings whirle-winds coruscations blazing starrs flashing thunders here a Comet runns round in a circuit there a Crown compaseth that Comet near them a fiery Dragon fums in flames every where appears a shooting fire as if all above us were nothing but inflamed ayr Yet not the air alone Then shall the waters roare Rivers shall wax dry Luke 21.25 the Sea froth and foame and fume those that dwell near shall wonder at the swelling tides others a far off shall tremble at the roaring noise what threats are those which the Surges murmur war is proclaimed by noise set on by blasts continued by storms the floods and tides shall run over all the plaines the the Sea and waves shall mount up to the very skyes now would they warr with Heaven then overwhelme the earth anone will they sinke to hell and thus shall they rove and rage as if they would threat all the world with a second inundation Nay yet again Then shall the earth be shaken in divers places saith Matthew in all places saith Joel for all the earth shall tremble before him here is an Earth-quake indeed Matth. 24.7 Joel 1.10 not some part of the land by reason of some cloystered wind but the Rocks Mountains Castles Cities Countreys some shall remove others be ruined thus all the earth shall be as a swallowing gulf that all things here situated may be then devoured What can I more Then shall Plants cease their growth Beasts want their sence men loose their reason were this but little you may wonder more The Sibylls could affirm that Nature should both cease and change her being the Trees in stead of growth should sweat out blood the Beasts should bellow up down the fields then want their sence Men should have disfigured faces astonished hearts affrighted looks then lose their reason nay what marvail then if at the worlds end they be at their wits end O fearful signes enough to move flintie stones if this be the Term what is the Suit the Bill the Doom the Execution a Trump shall summon Death will arrest God must have appearance and Then is the day Then he shall reward every man according to his works What a Chaos is here when the world must be thus turned topsie torvie the Sun the Moon the Starrs come yet lower the Fire the Air the Sea the Earth nay Trees and Beasts and Men all must be out of order in the whole course of Nature Vse 1 Who can read or hear this Prognostication of Dooms-day and not wonder at the signes which shall hang over our heads we see by experience when any out-ragious storm happens on Sea or Land how wonderfully men are dismayed how strangely astonished now then when the Heavens the Earth the Sea the