as the Apostle saith 2 Thess 1.5 The Wise man argueth in like manner Eccles 3.16 17. For observing the cruelty and injustice of men in great place and authority how in stead of being a shelter and sanctuary to the oppressed they proved unto them a briar and a thorn-hedge in stead of being patrones of laws they perverted them making use of their power to do mischief and turning their Courts of Justice into dens of rapine into meer butcheries and shops of cruelty what inferreth he hence Not what they Ezek. 9.9 The Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not but what his Father doth in the like case Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy the Lord will arise c. Solomon from the cruell and unjust courses of Magistrates inferreth the just judgement of God and how there shall be a time when he that is higher then the highest will call them to account for all their oppression of the poor and their violent perverting judgement and justiee For thus he saith Moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgement that wickedness was there and the place of righteousness that iniquity was there I said in mine heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work Thus Solomon like Samson found honey in the carcases even of lions And thus may the children of God do still The prosperous wickedness of profane persons which emboldeneth them in their waies of cruelty and tyrannie and maketh them say in their hearts God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it Psal 10.11 even that very same thing though it oft wring tears from the eyes of the godly yet it affordeth them a towell to wipe their cheeks withall it being a strong argument to assure their hearts that a time of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 when there shall be no more place left for those silly objections against Divine Providence Why is this villain prosperous and why that Saint in mifery Cur sceleris pretium ille crucem tulit hic diadema Why was that traitour dressed with an hempen halter and this with a gold chain or a diadem Then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 2.5 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the exact justice of God will be so evident that even his enemies shall be forced to say Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth Psal 58 11 A day of judgement then shall come But when Some profane ones ask the question 2 Pet. 3. scoffing at Gods slackness and thinking because it is not yet that it will be never But the Lord is not slack as they count slackness He doth but stay till his harvest be ripe then he will send forth his reapers Matth. 13.30 he tarrieth but till his elect be accomplished and then he that shall come will come and will not tarry Hebr. 10.37 Others too curious have taken on them to calculate the period of the world both Gentiles Jews and Christians Plato and Pythagoras among the Heathens said all this elementary frame shall be dissolved after six and thirty thousand yeers Elias a Jew but not the Tishbite but a cabalisticall Rabbine of a far meaner stamp alloweth the world but a sixth part of that term which those Philosophers do and saith it shall endure but six thousand yeers which he equally parcelleth out thus two thousand before the Law two thousand under two thousand after But he grosly erreth in the two first particulars for from the creation of the world to the giving of the Law were above five hundred years more then his accompt and from the Law to Christ almost five hundred years less Therefore we may well suspect him in the last particular which was the furthest off from his ken But his totall summe of six thousand years passed for currant with many of the antient Fathers whilest they compared Gods creating the world in six dayes with that place of S. Peter One day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 It would bee endless and indeed it is needless to acquaint you with the severall opinions of Christian writers concerning the time of Christ's second coming there having been some almost in every age that have ventured to set the year if not the day of these grand Assises Most of which conjectures Time the mother of Truth hath already convinced to bee as false as they were bold and so without doubt it will confute the rest For none know nor can know the end of the world but hee that began it Times and seasons are in the Fathers power Acts 1.7 this especially Mark 13.32 Of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the angels which are in heaven neither the Son but the Father Not the Son that is not as man or not at that time for his knowledge was graduall Luke 2.52 and mixed with some ignorance Mark 11.13 or not as Mediatour so as to reveal it to his Church Thus the Son knew not the day of judgement From 1 Thess 5.2 The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night some conclude but very weakly that Christ shall come in the night The uncertainty of this appeareth from Mark 13.35 Yee know not when the Master of the house cometh at even or at midnight orat the cock-crowing or in the morning Besides it is called the day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5.5 2 Cor. 1.14 2 Pet. 3.10 Moreover when it is night with us it is day in the other hemisphere Whether night or day how near it is wee may not affirm yet that it is not far off wee may gather from those prognosticks that our Saviour hath given us most whereof are come to passe already as the arising of false Christs and false prophets persecuting of true Christians wars and rumours of wars pestilences and famines quakings of the earth and searfull signes in heaven iniquity everywhere abounding and charity everywhere abating These buds plainly tell us that the Sun of righteousness draweth nigh Let us therefore lift up our heads and gird up our loins that hee may not come upon us and pass by us before wee bee aware Let the sound of the Archangels trumpet bee ever in our ears as S. Hierome saith it was in his Let the fear and remembrance of that dreadfull tribunall bee continually in our minds But how far soever the generall Judgement bee off this let us know that our particular judgement is at hand For this immediately followeth our death So saith the Apostle Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement No sooner shal thy soul leave her earthly tabernacle but shee shall stand before her Judge who having passed an unalterable doom upon her shee shall enter into endless
THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE A SERMON Preached before the Judge of ASSISE at Leicester Julie 30. 1652. By ANTONIE SCATTERGOOD Rectour of Winwick in North-hampton-shire LONDON Printed by ROGER DANIEL Anno 1652. ORNATISSIMO VIRO D. THOMAE CAVE BARONETTO ET LECTISSIMAE EJUS CONJUGI PENELOPAE HANC OPELLAM D. D. D. ANTONIUS SCATTERGOOD THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE ROM XIV 10. Wee shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ I Know it is usuall in such assemblies as this to handle texts of Scripture proper to the present occasion Such as is Jethro's counsel to Moses concerning the choice of Judges Exod. 18.21 Moses's charge to the Judges hee had chosen Deut. 1.16 17. Samuels example that was a Judge itinerant 1. Sam. 7 15-17 in Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpeh and Ramah 1 Sam. 12.3 King Jehoshaphat's commission to the Judges hee set in the cities of Judah 2 Chron. 19.6 Job's profession of his own integrity Job 29 7-17 David's vow Psal 101. those Proverbs of Solomon and passages of the Prophets that either press the duties of Magistrates or prohibit Bribery Cowardise Partiality or some other vice incident to that honourable calling Such places as these are for the most part the subject of Assise-sermons And indeed so worthy they are to bee ever fresh in the memories of all in autority that I wish they were written on the walls of their houses or rather in the tables of their hearts Yet my desire beeing to speak to all here present and not to one onely or a few though those few yea that one bee more considerable at this time then many others I have therefore balked such texts chosen one of general perpetual concernment a text that will not so much minister occasion to the Preacher to satissie the humour of those that exspect a Satyre from the pulpit and love to see the faults of others great ones especially lashed while themselves sit untouched as it will force us all if well and duly weighed to erect a tribunall every man in his own bosome and to become Accusers and Judges of our selves a text that will not so much give occasion the Preacher to tell the people what the Informer and witness and Pleader and Jurer and Judge should do as it will force us all of what calling or rank soever seriously to bethink ourselves and carefully to enquire of others as they in the Acts chapt 2.37 and 9.6 and 16.30 What wee ourselves should do All here at Church have not business at the Court The Sheriff's men will tell you so anon Yea many there are who never had and haply never shall have any quarrel or controversie to bee tried before an earthly Judge But the Judge that cometh in the clouds every eie shall see him Rev. 1.7 every one shall bee summonned to appear before him to receive according to what hee hath done in the body whether good or bad 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee shal all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ The text yee see is profitable at any time for any congregation And meethinketh it is also seasonable enough at this time and sutable enough to the present auditorie Wee have a Judge and an Assises in the Town and wee have a Judge and an Assises in the Text and each ought to reflect upon the other The Trumpet and Guard and Attendance the Robes the Tribunall the Barre the whole pomp and proceeding of Judges here below should mind us of that awfull Judge who will one day descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God 1 Thess 4.16 and coming in the glorie of his Father with his Angels and myriads of Saints Mat. 16.27 Jude 14. shall erect his judgement-seat in the clouds and there sit upon the eternall life and death of all mankind Thus the affair in hand is an embleme of the Text for an Assise is a little Dooms-day And again the Text by Gods blessing may have great influence upon the affair in hand For let all that have to do in matters apperteining to Judgement but believe and remember these few words Wee shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ and I am consident there will bee no malicious calumnies or false accusations brought into the Court no rotten cause gilded over by bribed eloquence no verdict given-in against evidence and Oath no perverting no delaying of Justice but all from him that sitteth on the Bench to the meanest Officer will by the terrours of the Lord bee perswaded so to demean themselves as to have alwayes a conscience void of offense toward God toward men Acts. 24.16 The Text then is a word spoken in fit season as appeareth further from our Saviours telling the High Priest and Councel of the Jews when he was apprehended and brought before them that they should see him come in the clouds of heaven Mat. 26.64 and from S. Pauls reasoning before Felix of the judgement to come Acts. 24.25 My porch is big enough It is time to walk into the Court I have hitherto made way for my Text Let us now make entrance into it Therein three things are obvious to our view 1. A Judgement-seat 2. The Person that shall sit upon it 3. The Persons that shall stand before it Whence three points of doctrine 1. There shal bee a Judgement 2. Christ shall bee the Judge 3. The Judgement shall be generall I. That there shal bee a Judgement after death though it bee an article of Christian Faith the property and privilege whereof is to look beyond the veil and to behold things invisible yet was it not wholy hid from the ey of naturall Reason for wee find the wiser sort of the Heathen making some discoveries of it The Sibylls prophesie of it Plato and other Philosophers prove it in their discourses concerning the Immortality of the soul and its condition after death The Poets with their witty fansies paint it out in their fables of Aeacus and his fellow-Judges of the Elysian fields of Tityus's vultur of Tantalus's hunger thirst of the darkness and fire and furies of the infernall regions If these by the glimmering light of Nature could see so much how can wee wonder enough at those Sadducees and Epicures amongst us that deny this truth now the Sun of the Gospel shineth so bright about them what can wee think but that they are mere Atheists and not worthy to bee disputed with since they deny our principles and oppose both Scripture and Nature Time will come when they shall feel what they will not now believe and bewail their errour when it will bee too late As for us let us not bee deceived Let not their evil words corrupt either our minds or our manners Let not us follow swinish Epicures who profess ourselves Christs sheep but let us hear the voice of our Shepherd while they deride the Scriptures let us believe them And they are as clear in this matter as
any Solomon saith to the voluptuous youngster Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement Eccl. 11.9 and hee endeth that excellent book with that golden sentence concerning the end of all things God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it bee good or whether it bee evil Eccl. 12.14 Our Saviour in the Gospel doth not onely tell us that hee will come at the last day and by his powerful voice raile up all unto judgement Mat. 16.27 Joh. 5.28 29. and 6.39 but hee also punctually setteth down the signes of his coming Matth. 24. and the maner of his proceeding Matth. 25. And since the rest of his words have proved faithfull and true let us not make any question of this Hee foretold the particulars of his passion the maner of his death and the time of his resurrection Hee promissed to send the holy Ghost upon his disciples Hee threatned the ruine of the temple the desolation of Jerusalem the rejection of the Jews Let the accomplishment of these predictions confirm our belief of the other The same mouth spake all and the same hand that hath fulfilled so many will not fail in one That this main point might be the more generally believed he commanded his Apostles to testifie that it is hee that is ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 And accordingly they almost in all their Sermons and Epistles do teach and press it It were tedious to cite all the places S. Paul describeth the maner of the Lords coming 1 Thess 4 15-17 And S. John amongst his many other Revelations had the white Throne the raising of the dead the opening of the Books the last judgement and the execution of it revealed unto him Rev. 20 11-15 The like vision had Daniel Dan. 7.9 10 13 14. Yea Enoch even in the beginning of the world was so certain of the end of it that he speaketh of the day of doom as if he had then seen it And indeed he did see the day of Christs second coming with the like eye to that wherewith Abraham beheld his first See him as it were pointing with his finger at the Judge marching in the clouds with all the company of heaven with him Jude 14. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all c. This article of the later Judgement is not onely grounded as yee see upon the word but we may draw arguments also to prove it from all the Attributes of God His Power will then be shewen in raising the dead out of the dust and bringing all his rationall creatures before his Tribunall and with one word of his mouth turning the wicked into hell and all the people that forgat God His Wisdome will then appear by bringing to light the hidden things of darkness and laying open all the works and words and thoughts of men His Truth will then be manifest by performing the promises that he made to his servants and by executing the threats denounced against his enemies Lastly his Justice and Mercy will then become unquestionable which during the time of this life are much questioned Here in this world God doth not alwaies reward men according to their works but for the most part suffereth his dearest children to lie under the cross while the wicked are laden with his benefits Cain buildeth Cities while Abel sleepeth in the dust Esau is a great Lord while Jacob endureth an hard service Chast Joseph heth by the heels while his wanton Mistress is at liberty Naboth's vineyard is usurped by Ahab Lazarus wanteth relief at the gluttons door briefly the rod of the ungodly lieth upon the back of the righteous the devils goats tread down Gods heritage and all this while though God look upon them that deal treacherously yet he holdeth his tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he Hab. 1.13 And because God thundereth not as oft as men blaspheme because sentence against their evil works is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Eccles 8.11 Nay because God keepeth silence they take his silence for consent and they think he is altogether such an one as themselves Psa 50.21 Sure he loveth our persons say they he owneth our cause he is well pleased with our courses otherwise he would never pour his favours so plentifully on us And thus they grow more hardened in their sins On the other side the righteous comparing their own affliction with the prosperity of the wicked are ready to call into question the justice of God and the truth of his promises This seeming confusion that is in Gods dealings with men in this world made not some morall Heathens alone to question Providence as we read Lucilius demanded of Seneca Quid ita si providentia mundus agatur tam multa bonis viris accidunt mala but it moved the Prophet thus to expostulate with God himself Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously Jer. 12.1 Yea this unevenness in the wayes of God made the Psalmist stumble shrewdly Psal 73.2 3. As for me saith he my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked And ver 13 14. Verily I have cleansed mine heart in vain and washed mine hands in innocency For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning He began to think it a vam thing to serve God if God rewarded his servants with no better wages then afflictions And surely Religion were the grandest folly in the world and we Christians of all men the most miserable as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15.19 if in this life onely we had hope in Christ If there were no recompense of reward to be looked for hereafter who would choose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather then to enjoy the pleasures of sin and esteem the reproch of Christ greater riches then the tredjures of a kingdome as Moses did Hebr. 11.25 26. The briny tears of repentance and the bitter pills of mortification would never down with any of us if not sugred with after-hopes But blessed be God we are assured that after all these gloomy dayes and doubtfull weather the day of the revelation of the righteous judgement of God will appear when those Saints of his whom he had afflicted in this life shall be the more rewarded for their patience and those wicked wretches to whom he had been so bountifull shall be the more sharply punished for the abuse of his blessings Yea this very irregular proceeding of God now is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manifest token of his righteous judgement hereafter