heed in these respects 1. Beware of living in secret sins secret uncleanness secret lying bribing or unjust wayes for this will be the eminent work of the Day of Judgement to bring all secret things to light The Day of Judgement is Judicare malè judicata non judicata those sins which for the secretness the Magistrate cannot judge at the Day of Judgement will then be most eminently and signally judged by God That will be the Day when those sins which no neighbour no wife no friend in the world knows shall be discovered and judged Whatsoever is said or done in secret shall be preacht upon the house-top Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Why will God judge them Because such sins are so secretly committed that the Magistrate cannot punish them Flatter not thy self with secretness seeing there will be a Day of Judgement but live so uprightly and sincerely that if thou hadst Gyges ring which they fable would make a man invisible yet thou wouldst with Joseph say How can I do this and sinne against God The more craft subtilty and secrecy there is in a sinne the greater is thy wickedness as appeareth Joshua 7.9 That wedge of gold was a tongue indeed as the word signifieth Sometimes even in this life God judgeth secret sins to make them confess them and bring them to light how much rather at that great Day Prov. 5.14 2. Because of this Day of Judgement take heed of accounting any sins little as if they were venial for at this great Day even those shall be judged as well as the greatest Matth. 12.36 We must give an account of every idle word at the Day of Judgement It is true Some learned men because of the Context do positively determine That the idle word is no less than the sin against the holy Ghost but more probably our Saviour argueth from the less to the greater If of an idle word a man shall give account how much more of that blasphemy against the holy Ghost Do not then charge men as too strict or precise when they endeavour to abstain from idle thoughts and idle words that they dare not give themselves that licence which others take for these are indictable as well as great sins an idle word will damn thee as well as sinfull actions if not repented of For what are the apostate Angels adjudged to eternal torments and reserved in those chains of darkness Was it for any more than proud thoughts and the very first also There cannot be any little sinne no more than a little God or a little hell or a little damnation in some sense Futurum Judicium est â—â—ucides said a devout Ancient to one whom he saw laughing If a man should have no other sinne but an idle word or an idle thought yet at the Day of Judgement this would eternally cast him for this needeth the bloud of Christ to wash it away as well as other sins But wo and a thousand times wo to us because of this Day For what are all our Feastings What are all our meals but so many idle words What are all our meetings our companyings together but so many idle words 3. Because of this Day of Judgement therefore in a particular manner take heed of sins of omission Do not bless thy self with a privative Righteousness Lord I bless thee I am no drunkard no extortioner nor like this Publican It is not a Negative but a Positive Holiness which this Day will enquire after Thus you may reade of that solemn process at the Day of Judgement Maâ—th 25.42 43. I was in prison and ye visited me not c. all is for omission It 's not for sins committed you robbed me defrauded me you persecuted me you put me into prison but the omission of what they should have done was that which did condemn them Now how dreadful will the Day of Judgement be even in this respect to most men How little do they consider their Negative their Privative sinnes thou comfortest thy self because thou art none of the gross positive sinners in the world but what confusion will fall upon thee when God shall enquire about thy omissions Thou dost not curse or swear but thou prayest not thou callest not upon God privately or in thy Family thou dost not oppose all such who are maliciously set against those who fear God thou art but a meer Negative Christian thou dost not reprove sinne thou dost not punish sinne thou art not zealous for the holy wayes of God Oh consider this not doing will damn thee as well as sinful doing and in this God will make special enquiry How many Talents hath God given thee and thou hast not improved them How many blessed advantages for good have been vouchsaft and thou hast omitted them as Divines say Plures sunt gratiae privativae quam positivae so Plura sunt peceata privativa quam positiva 4. Because there is a Day of Judgement take heed of Hypocrisie of carnal and corrupt Ends in the professing of Christs way for that Day will especially bring the Jehues and the Judasses to light who though they may for a season do the will of God yet because not for Gods sake not upon pure and righteous motives therefore the great work of that Day will be to unmask such and make them naked 2 Cor. 5.9 10. This made Paul walk with such integrity not seeking himself in the Ministry of the Word because we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must be thorowly made manifest and transparent Now it is hardly known who is an hypocrite and who is sincere who is truly for God and who in pretence only who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but then the counsels and thoughts of the heart will be disclosed That is remarkable 1 Cor. 4.5 Paul did not matter other mens judgements yea he did not judge himself because the Day of Judgement will finde out more evil more hypocrisie more sinfulness than ever we thought of Isa 3â— 14 The hypocrites are surprized with fearfulness Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire A man that is carried by false motives in Religion hath hell heated seven times hotter for him Hence the expression for an heavy damnation is to have a portion with the hypocrites Matth. 24.51 It was the speech of that famous Oratour for the Heathens Symachus pleading for the Liberty of the Heathenish Idolatry when urged to become a Christian in a scoffing manner Fac me Episcopum Romanum ero Christianus Are not many too real what this Heathen was in pretence Help me to profit to preferment and I will turn religious but pray thou for truth in the inward parts 5. Lastly Let the thoughts of this Day moderate thy appetite to the great things of this world to wealth honours places of trust and charge for as these things do increase so their account will be greater at that Day Oh that I had never been a Magistrate will one say Oh that I had never been a Minister will another say We shall be then as ready to shake off those burdens as now we are to put them on Let this therefore satisfie thee if I have less my account will be less at that great Day FINIS
A TREATISE OF SELF-JUDGING In order to the Worthy Receiving OF THE Lords Supper Together with a SERMON OF THE Generall DAY OF JUDGEMENT By Anthony Burgesse Pastor of Sutton-Coldfield in Warwickshire LONDON Printed by J.H. for T. Underhill at the Anchor and M. Keinton at the Fountain in Pauls Church-yard 1658. TO THE READER READER THe subject of this short Trea I se which for the comprehensiveness and fruitfulness of it might have swelled into a bigger Volumn is Self-judging The frequent commands for which in Scripture as also the excellency usefulness difficulty and contrariety of it to flesh and blood which loveth to say Soul take thy ease do all proclaim the great moment and importance thereof yea it may be justly affirmed that the neglect of this duty is the cause of miscarriage and apostacy in many professors Certainly Calvin when he had enlarged himself about that curious and exact point wherein the temporary believer and the truly godly differ granting that simili ferè sensu afficiuntur they feel almost the same things with one another yet addeth that in the hypocrite this sense of divine things is not so radicated it is also more confused then what is in the godly but hereby they are deceived in their experiences and one reason is because slothfulness doth so far possess them ne cor suum probè ut par erat examinent lib. 3. Instit cap. 2. par 12. that they do not so throughly examine their heart as is fit they should Some Heathens as Pythagoras Seneca have made Essaies upon this duty The Jesuites also in their Tractates of devotion do much commend it but the pillar and cloud that we have in the â—cripture is only able to guide us in this wilderness They only can manage this work with spiritual proficiency who through an holy habit have their senses exercised to discern between good and evil For seeing there are three different principles may be working in our hearts Nature in its improvement The Devil with his delusions The Spirit of God and that either in a common way such as hypocrites and reprobates may attain unto or in a peculiar discriminating way which the sincere do only partake of what heavenly skill what godly prudence is required to make a distinction herein to difference what is of nature or the devil from the Spirit of God yea to go further and to discern what is of the Spirit of God in a common way and what in a special way Such that can do this must be like thosâ— Benjamites Judg. 20.16 that could sling stones at an hairs breadth and not miss In the protract of this discourse I consider this duty more particularly as it is a necessary preparative to the Ordinance of the Lords Supper for this was the occasion of fastning upon this subject at first My Method in handling of this Point is for the most part positive waving controversies even when the matter did seem to call for it As pag. 126 127. I affirm That such who are spiritually dead cannot put forth gracious actings at the Lords Supper or spiritually eat and drink so that they receive no heavenly nourishment thereby not entring upon the Controversie Whether the Lords Supper be a converting Ordinance or not being satisfied in this That that Ordinance was not instituted either for the exhibition or obsignation of the first and radical or fundamental grace but doth wholly presuppose it Therefore I think Aquinas speaketh Orthodoxally in this Comment In cap. 11. ad Corinth Epist 1ª Lecti 7ª who making this objection to himself That Christ is received in this Sacrament now he is a spiritual Physitian that not the whole but the sick need such an one He answereth That this Sacrament declareth nourishment and therefore none do receive the benefit thereof but such who live the life of grace yet we must add that sinners if humbled and of broken hearts ought to addresse themselves to that Ordinance for the sealing of the pardon of their sins to obviate that error in Popery which denieth remission of sins to be vouchsafed in the right use thereof Again pag. 128 129. I declare That such who have competent knowledge and are unblameable in their lives are by Church-officers to be admitted to this Ordinance though happly not internally sanctified Neither is the Church-officer to attend to that but the command and order of Christ not launching into the Controversie of the extensivenesse of the administration of Ordinances or the qualifications of Church-members aâ—quiescing in that which Ames answereth to Bellarmine Bellar. Enerv. tom 3. cap. 1. de Sacram. qu 3. who objected That if Sacraments were the seals of grace a Minister could not baptize any unless he knew he were elected lest he should apply the seal to a falshood That Ministers are not to administer Sacraments according to their private knowledge or opinion but according to the command of God Let me also advertise thee that because of the consanguinity of the matter there is annexed a Sermon of the day of Judgement self-judging being a speciall means to prevent that dreadfull judgemenâ— of condemnation in that great day The great Prophet of his people teach thee to profit and make these necessary instructions effectual to thy souls good Anthony Burgesse ERRATA PAg. 12. lin 7. r. Cyprian Inde surgat actus nostri ratio unde ordo origo surrexit p. 19. l. 18. r. Ancient did p. 43. l. 5. r. desultorious l. 3. r. true gold l. 14. dele mettall p. 49. l. 20. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 64. l. 19. r. renew p. 82. l. 17. dele voluntary In the Sermon of Judgement Pag. 9. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 36. l. 11. dele vertuous p. 59. l. 20. r. is u. p. 64. l. 17. r. tu rides A TREATISE of Self-judging In order to the Worthy receiving the LORDS SUPPER 1 COR. 11.31 For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged FRom the 17th verse to the end of the Chapter Some general observations from St Pauls Discourse about the Lords Supper we may see Paul like a shining and burning light with that Urim and Thummim upon him as some expound it light by his doctrinall information burning by his severe and sharp reprehension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a very terrible manner as Chrysostome and all this wholly about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Now although it would be too much to analize and take notice of all the particulars in this his Discourse about the Lords Supper yet I shall touch upon some general observations and so bring you to the text First therefore take notice of the suddain and speedy degeneracy of this Church of Corinth from Christs first institution about the Sacrament who would thinke that this Church being a garden of Pauls own planting and he yet alive that it should be thus over-grown with weeds As Paul of Doctrinalls to the Church of Galatia so here of
appointed a day And In the words Consider The Authour or Efficiâ—nt Cause God hath appointed a day God that is Just Omniscient Omnipotent He hath appointed a day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath setled it so that there is no repealing of it there cannot be any reversing of it though ungodly men would give worlds to have it cancelled 2. There is the Matter it self A Day Here is much dispute about the length Some say this Day is a thousand years wherein God will be judging of the world It is certain that there will be no proper Natural or Artificial Day as we account but seeing the Scripture hath not determined the duration who can define it 3. The End why such a Day is appointed and that is to judge Now God seemeth to take no notice of the impieties and ungodliness of wicked men for they at present eat drink and rejoyce in their iniquities but there is a Day wherein God will judge the world 4. The Object The World None is exempted great as well as small rich as well as poor the mighty as well as the weak whosoever is of the world shall be judged the godly as well as the wicked But differently The godly with a judgement of Discussion and Approbation the wicked with a judgement of Discussion and Condemnation 5. The Manner how in righteousness Righteousness is here put partly for Truth and partly for Justice whereby he hateth sinne and will punish it so that the opinion of the Socinians which saith there is no such thing as vindicative Justice essentially appertaining unto God as it maketh Christ Satisfaction needless so it openeth a wide door to all impieties Lastly There is the Judge By whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Hebraism for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Grecism Now in that Christ is called here a man and a Judge only appointed a constituted Judge Hence those blasphemous Socinians deny the Essential Deity of Christ and make him only a constituted God but therefore is he called a man here not exclusively to God but because he shall judge the world in an external and visible manner which cannot be done by him as God for so he is invisible and whereas he is said to be appointed a Judge and this Judiciary Power is given him you must know that many things are said to be given unto Christ as Mediatour which doth not diminish his Deity but necessarily presuppose it as to be made a Judge of the whole world None can be so but he who is God as well as man for he must be Omniscient and Omnipotent who is this Judge whether indeed he be a Judge in both Natures as well in the Divine as Humane As also how the Humane Nature of Christ cometh to know all the secret things of mans heart is disputed between us and the Lutherans but I wave it only you must know Christ is not an inferiour or delegate Judge but supream and chief being God as well as man The Text being thus divided and opened this Doctrine or Corollary naturally floweth from it viZ. That God hath appointed a Day to judge all mankinde by Christ. This truth is an Article of Faith and having such powerfull influence upon our lives it is good to possess our mindes with the truth of it and our hearts with the terrour of it for both corrupt mindes and prophane hearts have withstood this main Fundamental point As the fool hath said in his heart by wish and affection that there is no God So they say in their hearts there is no Day of Judgement And as that King of France strictly forbad any so much as to mention death in his hearing he did so abhorre the thoughts of it so do many about the name of this Day The Devil cannot hurry men into hell as he did the Swine into the Sea untill the thoughts of this Day are wholly obliturated Therefore before Christs time and since there have been Doctrinal and Practical opposers of it Doctrinal so the Sadduces who denied the Resurrection and Immortality of the soul were necessitated also to deny the Day of Judgement And as Josephus observes The Sadduces though they were not so many as the Pharisees nor so reputed of for Religion yet they were the most potent the greatest in wealth and honour So that the denial of a Resurrection and the Day of Judgement was very suitable to their interest After Christs time though this Article be so plainly affirmed in the New Testament that no words can speak it more clearly yet there is a large Catalogue given by learned men of blasphemous and damnable Hereticks who do deny it and the Socinians in that they hold eternal torment to be the annihilation of the whole man do in effect also renounce this necessary Truth And as for Practical Opposers of it the Apostle Peter doth signally decipher some even in his dayes that were but scoffers and deriders at that truth which should have struck them into fear and tremblihg 2 Pet. 3.3 4. There shall in the last dayes come scoffers saying Where is the promise of his coming No doubt all prophane secure and atheistical sinners who say Let us eat and drink and to morrow shall be as this day though they do not expresly yet do really deny this Day or put it farre from them It is therefore Gods great mercy that whereas some main points in Divinity are not directly in Scripture but by consequence though the sense and matter be in Scripture yet not the words But for this Article we have in Scripture both the truth and the words For if there had been any evasion the corrupt heart of man would have sought out plausible inventions to have denied it This truth is clearly asserted both in the Old and New Testament so that the Scribe of the Kingdom of Heaven may bring out of his Treasure old and new and this is the more remarkable to have it in the Old where the truths of Heaven and Hell are more obscurely delivered Yea the Socinians look upon the Jews under that Legal Administration but as so many Swine desiring husks only and not knowing of the Manna of the Gospel That this Doctrine was believed of old yea presently after the fall appeareth by what Jude relateth in his Epistle vers 14. Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to render vengeance And whether this was a reall or verbal Prophecy is disputed if verbal where is that Prophecy if it be lost May any part of the Canonical Scripture be lost And how did Jude come to know this was in Enoch's Prophecy These are Disputes which the practical matter I intend will not suffer me to treat of Here we have a plain Prophecy and that almost from the beginning That the Lord will come with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgement That it is
fall alike to all to him who feareth God and him who feareth him not The prosperity of the wicked and the adversity of the godly hath been such a perplexing subject to the wisest of the godly Heathens Seneca and Plutarch that they have spent many thoughts about it yea this Providence of God was such a riddle to David and Jeremiah that without much prayer and recourse to God they were not able to answer it Now to this Objection which hath stagger'd so many there is no such satisfying and compleat answer as that there is a Day of Judgement when God will set every thing in its proper place when all the world shall discern between him who is righteous and him that is not therefore silence all such murmurings and disputes with expectation of that Day you should not judge too soon before the last act be past and as in the Word of God a man would make blasphemy if he should make a period at a comma or a colon as in this place Thou art not a God that lovest iniquity if he should stop at that Thou art not a God and goe no farther this would be blasphemy So it would be highly derogatory to the Justice Wisdom and honour of God if thou shouldst conclude what is just and what is unjust compleatly and finally by passages in this world seeing the day of consummation of all things is not yet come Lastly That there is such a Day appeareth by the very implanted principles in a natural conscience For why is it that a man dying whose conscience is not benummed in that hour terrours and agonies should surprize him And why then and it may be never before should horrour and trouble take hold of him Animula vagula quae nunc abibis in loca Oh wretched soul Whither art thou now going What will become of thee Live I cannot Die I dare not Why I say should such anguish of spirit fall upon a man going out of the world if not for some implanted sense about a future judgement For we might think a man though never so vile might then be least troubled about his sinnes he then feareth no Law to convince him no Judge to condemn him no Neighbours to shame him and yet for all this he trembleth and quaketh in his soul not knowing what to do To bring this coal yet neerer into your bosoms to inflame there I shall lay down some Propositions about the day of Judgment As First It will be the last day of Gods great working as to the world God will then make to cease all that kinde of government in Church and State as is now upon the earth administred So that it being the last Day of Gods Power Majesty Glory in reference to mankinde we must think that that day will be answerable to the greatness of the Judge hence he is to come in the Clouds as so many bright Thrones of Glory with an innumerable company of Angels So that God though he hath in many particular and publick judgements shewed forth his glorious power yet never like what will be at that Day it is the last day and all dayes empty into it All our words works and thoughts have an influence into that Day so that in this sense we may say Every thought is Eternal every word is Eternal every action is Eternal these die not but all live till the Day of Judgement What holy care and diligence should this put us upon in all things It is said of Apelles that being demanded why he was so deliberate and curious in drawing his pictures answered he did pingere aeternitati he painted for Eternity not the present Age only but many successive Ages were to judge of his work Thus all we do we do to Eternity at the Day of Judgement it will be all revived thy sinnes die not thy good works die not all these wil then be mentioned as if done but to day So that this is the last Day wherin all days with the works therein are involved after this there is no more day of grace no more Manna will fall no Angel will descend into the pool the world is then as to this kind of administration put to an end Secondly As it is the last Day so it is a terrible and dreadfull Day the very name a day of Judgment Dooms day is enough to strike terrour into us Rom. 2. It is called the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous Judgment of God it is terrible in the antecedent signs as Matth. 24. in the concomitant in the nature of it all the secret and evil wayes of mankinde being to be judged in the consequent of it as appears in that sentence Depart ye cursed and it must needs be terrible because the Judge will then set himself to appear terribly so that all the terrour and dread God can put forth will then be manifested and this maketh the Scripture represent it by all those expressions which may make it formidable And certainly if the report of it be so dreadful what will the Day it self be Then every wicked man will say as the Queen of Sheba concerning Solomon That she had heard was nothing to what she did see Hence also the wicked are brought in gnashing of their teeth and crying to mountains and to hils for to cover them This will be the more terrible not onely because all external objects will be horrid and dolefull sights viZ. The world on fire the wicked roaring and yelling but because God will then fill the hearts of men with terrour and trembling their spirits will be prepared for it What is the reason that now the thought of this Day doth not astonish thee doth not make thee a Magor-missabib fear and terrour round about but because thy heart is a stone God doth not make it sensible and apprehensive but at that Day as the spirits of the just shall be perfected and raised up to love God and to delight in him more then ever So the spirits of wicked men will be more enlarged to receive horrour they will be made more capacious of terrour than now they are though now under these truths thou art like Jobs Leviathan that dost laugh at the spear and we seem but as bablers telling you the Poets fâ—bles of the Stygian lake and the hellish furies yet when this Day cometh indeed madness and horrour will fill thy heart whether it will or no Above is horrour if thou lookest to Christ the Judge About thee is terrour the Devils ready to take thee to an eternal prison Below is horrour hell opening its mouth to swallow thee up in those flames and within thee is the greatest horrour there is the gnawing worm which never dieth Think then of sinne look upon thy lusts as thou wouldst then at that Day Would I do as I do if I were at Gods Tribunal if I were arraigned at that dreadful Day Thirdly It is a wonderfull Day a Day wherein there are
the unworthy receiving of this ordinance That it hath left some impression upon all Churches to keep off those that are dogs and swine not to give this bread and pearle to such let them be Episcopall some of them at least Presbyteriall or Congregationall Hooker in his Posthumus bookes of Ecclesiasticall Poliâ— sixth Booke pag. 57. doth affirme that by the Church of England Every notoâ—ious offender was to be kept from that ordinance and which is remarkable that all Ministers had equally power to do it The Socinians do highly presse the casting out of all evill persons and condemne the Evangelicall Churches for remissnesse therein yea Erastus one of the first that troubled the Church about the admission of persons to the Sacrament doth yet often professe that he onely understands such sinners to be admitted as publickly repent of their sinnes and promise amendment He maketh it a great injury done to him as if his opinion were that all who name themselves Christians yea though neither willing nor thinking to depart from their evill wayes were to be admitmitted therefore professeth he so disputeth of these points as that he would have the custome of their Church observed Erast Contr Thes lib. 6. cap. 2. And he speaketh expressly against the promiscuous admission of all without any examination It is an injury and a calumny he saith to charge that opinion on him lib. 6. pag. 34. Certainly these thunderbolts of Paul have made deep impressions upon mens hearts though otherwise not willing to be affected with much strictnesse herein 8. We may observe it is a blessed and happy thing that Paul did thus by the Spirit of God inlarge himselfe about the institution of this ordinance for although three Evangelists relate the institution of it John onely omitting it yet Paul instead of a fourth Evangelist doth with much inlargement make mention of it for who could have gathered such conclusions as Paul did from the meer institution had not the Spirit of God immediatly guided him so that these very sins of the Corinthians we may as the ancient Adams sin call them felices culpae for their corruptions gave occasion to Paul for such a large and pithy amplification about it And therefore as it was a mercy to the Church that many heresies arose even in the Apostles daies which made them speake so distinctly and clearely against them as about Justification by the works of the Law c. Yea the doubtings of the Apostles in many particulars is the cause why we doe not doubt now about the same things Which made one say Plus debeo Thomae dubitanti quam Petro credenti I owe more to Thomas doubting then Peter believing As I say the event of such heresies or doubts was in mercy to the Church so disorders and corruption in the Discipline of the Church did provoke the Apostle to speake so much about this ordinance as he doth And it was Casaubons good wish that men had been more industrious to bring in the Primitive good order in Church-discipline then subtilly to dispute without Scripture-light in many controversal points this would have bin more acceptable to God Exer. 16. pag. 396. Lastly Observe amongst the many arguments for our right approaching this in my text is none of the meanest wherein we may consider First the duty supposed with the object of it if we would judge our selves what the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth imply will appear in the doctrine Grotius thinketh this place may not unfitly be expouÌ„ded of their publick Church-censures as if the Apostles meaning were if you had godly discipline this were faithfully put in order this would prevent Gods judgments for he thinketh by the severall factions that were the discipline of the Church lay prostrate but I will go in the most generall interpretation of it and so the words may be considered either in the Thesi as a Theologicall Aphorisme That self-judging will prevent Gods judging of us in all cases or else in Hypothesi in the particular as it doth relate to the Sacrament Hence Erasmus renders it in the past sence If we had judged our selves we had not been judged of the Lord. I shall take in both these considerations Secondly There is the benefit proposed or discovered upon our self-judging we should not be judged The Apostle speaketh here of believers as well as wicked men yea chiefly of believers because he addeth vers 32. When we are judged we are chastenâ—d of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world The world and the godly are directly opposite here are then three doctrines in this text as the naturall off-spring of it First That self-judging preventeth Gods judging Secondly God doth judge even his own people for their sins Thirdly The sins which God judgeth them for are not only morall grosse sins but their ordinance-sins their Sacrament-sins committed against positive institutions For the first He that judgeth himself taketh the way to prevent Gods judging of him What our Saviour saies of judging of others Mat. 7.1 Judge not lest ye be judged is clean contrary here Judge your selves and that severely impartially else God will judge you You see there must be judging if you do not judge your selves here God will judge hereafter if here be not a judgement of discussion in hell there will be a judgement of condemnation This self-judging it is the marrow and soul of all Christianity for want of this it is that there are so many hypocrites and Apostates in Religion for want of this that there are so many Pharisaicall and self-righteous men If this duty were more practised there would be more truth and sincerity in the waies of godliness so that in this very thing the prophane and the godly man part the Pharisee and the true believer are divided the hypoâ—rite and the true Saint differ they may both pray they may both abound in gifts and inlargements they may both be frequent in the Ordinances but the one judgeth himself and the other doth not or cannot or dare not he is afraid to search into himself so that this is a duty required of us in our whole life but especially upon some extraordinary occasions as here in this Sacramentall Administration Had Jehu judged himself had Judas judged himself they had not been such scandals in Religion But let us rip up as it were and discover this great and weighty duty of self-judging and herein we are to know that many things are antecedent to it some things constituent of it some things concomitant of it and some things consequent from it and all these manifested will make us able to judge of this self-judging What things are antecedent to self-judging To the Antecedent or introductory things we referre these particulars 1. A man must erect a tribunal and barre as it were in his own heart and assume to himself a superiority and dominion as it were over himself for thus all judgement is exercised
upon your bed and be still How can that man who is alwaies in a throng of businesse in a croud of distracting thoughts ever be able to passe sentence upon himself Therefore remove all disquietness all disturbances of soul be as if there were nothing in the world but God and thy own soul together as Abraham left his beast and other things at the bottom of the hill and went up to God alone It 's Aristotles rule Anima sedendo and quiescendo fit sapiens A quiet sedate frame of soul is like wiping the dust off the glasse to see our faces more clearly In the Canon Law the very sitting is made requisite to the validity of tâ—e sentence that if the Judge do not sedendo pronounce judgement it is void because it implyeth he is in some passion and commotion when he riseth up or stirreth himself many waies 4. There must not only be a quiet sedaâ—e frame of soul but there must be an aâ—tentive fixed and setled meditation of the heart in this work so that self-judging can never be performed without meditation This duty of meditation as it is commended in the Scripture so it is very seldom practised by believers there is not the least sinne lurking in the soul but meditation would finde and search it out Alas thy light inconstant desulphurous thoughts which are like a flâ—sh of lightning these will never go to the bottom of thy soul Hence this self-judging is in equivalent expressions called searching and trying as the Artificer doth couÌ„terfeit from gold mettall or as the woman took a candle and swept the house to finde her lost groat Meditation is the soul in paraphrase whereas short ejaculations are but the soul in an epitome or in characters It is a shame for us Protestants to see how much Jesuitical devotion both commends and practiseth this work of meditation insomuch that Suarez said he prized that part of the day which was for the examination and scrutiny of his conscience above all the time of his study wherein he prepared so many voluminous books and we are seldom or never in this duty Lastly The work of God even his efficacious grace is above all required antecedently to inable us to this self-judging if we cannot do the least good or think the least good thought without his grace how much lesse this which is one of the greatest and weightiest Rom. 8. We know not what to pray or how to pray without Gods Spirit so neither what to judge or how to judge unlesse God assist us in it This made Paul say contrary to my text 1 Cor. 4.3 I judge not my self What did not Paul examine himself watch over himself yes he did lest he should become a castaway but he dared not to judge himself with a sententiall absolution of himself as from and of himself Why because it is God that judgeth So then unlesse God who knoweth our hearts better then we do who seeth more pride vanity rottennesse in thy soul then thou canst unless he inable thee thou maist be an Hazaell when thou thinkest thy self a Saint Would Peter have spoken so presumptuously if God had made his own heart known to him at that time In the next place let us consider what is formally constituent of this self-judging What is formally constituent of this self-judging and that lieâ—h in these things 1. Examination exploration and diligent diving into our hearts The Greek word is used sometimes for disputation and doubting which is a kind of further searching into a thing then at first appeareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and truly this is necessary for our hearts because they are so deceitfull above all things Thy principles thy aims thy ends thy motives and all the secret workings of thy soul who can find out but by diligent searching The heart is like the sea though the waters are calm above sometimes yet there are many rocks and several monsters under the waters Therefore thou must search and again search it may be thou art not yet come to the bottom of thy heart for all thy duties 2. There is required not only examination but discerning and separation of the vile from the pretious of making a difference between what is of God in thee and what of the devil in thee what is of the flesh and what is of the Spirit for the meaning is not as if a Christian should be alwaies searching and examining and prying upon his soul wearying himself in labyrinths of doubts and perplexities but he must be able to make a separation Thus the Apostle Phil. 1.9 10. prayeth they might abound in all judgement which was seen by approving the things that are excellent and Heb. 5.14 some are said to have their senses exercised between good and evil we see the hypocrite the reprobate may go farre we see there are many that do doctrinally dispute that the work of grace is of the same species in a temporary believer and one regenerated yea many dispute it 's impossible to know whether we be in the state of grace or no therefore there is required this eagle-eye for from that bird do some derive the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh then be thus wisely qualified as to be able upon thy inquiry to take the drosse from the gold to winnow the chaff from the wheat and so to separate thy waies from the most refined paths of any hypocrite 3. It 's required that upon sinne discovered we should passe sentence of condemnation upon our selves that as God will have at the day of judgement a judgement of discussion and then of condemnation to the wicked so should we And this is the greatest thing in this duty if we would condemn our selves saying Lord we are worthy of all thy curses of all thy wrath of all thy anger this would prevent Gods judging of us David thus judged himself often but our self-love our self-flattery is such that we are unwilling to sentence our selves as lost damned wretches As Paul had the sentence of death so we should have of condemnation upon our selves and this is the way to have it repealed to come to God as they did to the King of Israel with a rope about their necks Lastly This judging is in a voluntary taking of all shame upon our selves we judge our selves to mourn to weep we judge our selves to shame and to an holy revenge upon our selves 2 Cor. 7.11 What indignation what revenge This was that penance the Church of God did exercise it self with in antiquity for in grosse scandalous sinnes such as did offend the Congregation he that did truly judg himself for his sins could have no rest till he did publiquely confesse his sin and shame himself with tears in the face of the Church Indeed afterwards this way was abused and Officers of the Church took upon them to injoyn penance and to make new Sacraments about it but at first there was only this way of their
a Doctrine of great Antiquity Solomon likewise the wisest of men even in that Book where to outward appearance we would think too much liberty given to carnal opinions therefore some Expositors make him often speak in the person of a prophane Epicure and sensual man he giveth a two-fold testimony to this truth Eccles 11.9 12 14. God will bring every work into Judgement And this is brought as a bridle to impiety and a spur to all godliness The last Text I shall pitch on is that famous Text Dan. 7.9 10 13-26 so much agitated in the Chiliastical Controversie From hence saith Mr Mede the Jews took the name of the Day of Judgement and Christ used the expression as a known thing even as the title of the Kingdom of Heaven was a Jewish phrase It is true some learned and pious men comparing this with Revel 20. do improve it not only for a Day of Judgement but that it shall continue a thousand years wherein the Martyrs as some or all the godly as others shall be raised and reign in glory in the Earth a thousand years after which time the wicked also shall rise to be judged and this they call the first Resurrection But as in the Doctrine of the Trinity and Christs Incarnation we must distinguish between Fundamental Truths and Problematical so in this Article the Fundamental is That there shall be a Day of Judgement The Problematical are such which Learned and pious men may dispute and differ in without breach of Charity Although for this opinion of a thousand years I can sooner admire it for the wonderfull things asserted by it than approve of it I come to the New Testament And here it would be useless to accumulate many places only two or three Texts shall be mentioned that so our hearts may be as sensibly awed with it as if with Hierom we did alwayes hear that noise in our ears Arise ye dead and come to Judgement Matth. 25.31 We have there a lively Description of the Day of Judgment with the form of Christs judicial process as also the event of it which is to divide between Goats and Sheep the one adjudged to eternal punishment the other received into eternal life Let Faith realize this Text upon thy soul set thy self at Gods Barre think as God called to Adam Adam Where art thou and he was filled with so much fear that he hid himself Thus God is calling thou such a sinner such an unjust prophane wretch where art thou To what mountains and hils wilt thou call to be covered from the sight of this Judge A second Text is 2 Pet. 3.7 8 9. there is the antecedent to this Day All the world shall be on fire like a Sodom and Gomorrah â—nd the Heavens and the Earth shall pass away like a noise As before an house falleth this beam crackleth and that pillar maketh a noise Thus it will be in the end of the world I do not dispute Whether it will be an essential abolition or a qualitative one but this will be such a terrible change and alteration that the Apostle maketh this use vers 11. Seeing all these things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought we to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to admiration How is it possible to believe such a day as this and live in ungodliness Thou prophane and unrighteous man either thou art an Atheist and dost not believe any such thing and if so What dost thou in the Church of God Or if thou believest this day thou art a fool and mad man that fittest thy self for destruction against that Day Have men faith reason conscience whose thoughts are not more constant about it 1 Thess 4.16 There is Christs coming also described with a shout the voice of the Archangel and a trump of God We will not dispute the Explication of those things this is to shew that Christ will come with all the Majesty terrour and glory that possibly can be imagined and that this is certainly so consider Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for man once to die and after death comes Judgement It is appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 treasured up in Gods Decrees and therefore it is as sure as death so that thou maist no more question such a day then that thou shalt die Besides Scripture let us consider from rational demonstrations of it And First It must be so from the verity and Truth of God God you see hath foretold in so many places of such a day so that although it may seem impossible and incredible to men yet Gods word will stand when Heaven and Earth shall passe away Now consider with thy self whatsoever the Scripture hath foretold we see it comes to pass in it's time Christ did come in the flesh according to the Prophecies which went before The world was drowned as Noah prophesied while they were eating and drinking Now shall all things come to pass but this Set Scripture the Word of God against thy carnal reasonings and say Every thing will prove a lie but Gods word thou wilt finde thy lusts thy sins the Devil to be a liar to thee only Gods Word will be faithfull and true Secondly The righteousness of God his punishing Justice doth require it therefore it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the day of Gods righteous Judgement and in the Text He shall judge the world in righteousness The Socinians as you heard who deny any essential Justice in God whereby he is enclined to punish sinne as they take away the Satisfaction of Christ thereby so also they weaken the necessity of such a Day of Judgement wherein the holy Majesty of God will be avenged upon all the ungodly Should sinne ever go unpunished this would seem as if God were not a God hating iniquity the Justice of God calleth for such a day Thirdly The goodness and mercy of God likewise requireth such a Day For if the godly had only hope in this life they were more foolish and miserable than any They only were wise who say Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die A man would keep a good conscience in vain and foolishly abstain from the excessive riot of the world especially the Martyrs would be the greatest fools of all let them put off the crown of Glory if this day be not If there be no Dâ—y of Judgement they were imprisoned in vain and died in vain but it is called a Day of Redemption and the godly are commanded to lift up their heads with joy then their Summer cometh they are to look for and hasten it for here they are sighing groaning here also they are conflicting with proud earthly vain hearts but this day wilt put a period to all there will be no fin or sorrow any more Fourthly The providence of God as it disposeth things in this life doth plainly declare a Day of Judgement For here in this world Solomon observes All things