rule by which they shall be judged First God will judge them by Jesus Christ to accept of whom they have been daily woed and courted and yet they have with unspeakable contempt refused him whereas there be Pagans that never so much as heard of the name of Christ and therefore it will be more tolerable for these in the day of judgment then for those 2. God will judg them according to the Gospell which they have so vilified and despised the Gospell cannot oblige those unto whom it was never published and consequently they cannot be judged by the rule of the Gospel but now it hath been daily sounded in the eares of loose and prophane Christians how shall they then escape according to the Law of the Gospell damnation at that day if they continue with a scornfull obstinacy to neglect and reject that great Salvation which is tendered them in the Gospel and that with the greatest and most condescending importunity that can be imagined Heb. 2. 3 Secondly Here is a use of Consolation unto all true believers for the great day Jude 6. will be unto them a good day as good as it will be great The Psalmist in a most Elegant Apostrophie exhorts the inanimate dumb and senselesse creatures to beare a part with them in their exultations and doxologies for the Lords coming to judgment and as it were to congratulate the blisse and glory which they shall then enjoy Let the Heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad let the sea roare and the fulnesse thereof Let the field be joyfull and all that is therein 〈◊〉 shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord for he cometh for he cometh to Judg the earth he shall Judg the world with righteousnesse and the people with his truth Psal. 96. 11 12 13. Make a joysull noise unto the Lord all the earth make a loud 〈◊〉 and reioyce and 〈◊〉 praise Sing unto the Lord with the harpe with 〈◊〉 harpe and the voice of a Psalme with trumpets and sound of 〈◊〉 make a joy full noise before the Lord the King Let the sea roare and the fulnesse thereof the world and they that dwell therein Let the slouds clap their hands let the hils be ioyfull together before the Lord for he 〈◊〉 to Judg the earth with righteousnesse shall he judg the world and 〈◊〉 people with equity Psal. 98 4 5 6 7 8 9. But to instance in some particulars against which the expectation of the day of judgment may comfort the members of Christ and they shall be their sinnes their afflictions and their death First It may comfort them against their sins against 1. The guilt 2. The being and pollution of them 1. Against the guilt of their sins for God will Judge them by Jesus Christ their Saviour their Redeemer their Head their Husband their elder Brother who will spare them as a man spareth his Son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Christ calleth his Disciples his Friends Ioh. 15. 15. and therefore he cannot be unto them a rigid and inexorable Iudg for exuit personam judicis saith the Orator quisquis amici induit he that assumes the person of a friend puts off the person of a Iudge He that shall then judge of their sins is now an Advocate against their sins and his Advocation is in the right of his satisfaction he intercedes for the pardon of those sins that he hath satisfyed Gods Iustice for unto the uttermost farthing if any man sinn we have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins 1 Ioh. 2. 1. 2. Christ will appeare the second time without sin unto them that looke for him Heb. 9. 28. And they are only such as believe in him his appearing the second time will be the consummation of his discharge from all the sins of believers imputed to him at his first appearing and if he their surety be discharged from them impossible that they should be condemned for them and therefore Peter promiseth unto them that at that time their sins shall be blotted out Acts 3. 19 that is at least declaratively the pardon of all their sins shall then be proclaimed in the hearing of all the world and they shall then also receive the full fruit of their pardon a consummate deliverance from all the consequents of sin in their bodies as well as their soules Secondly against the being and pollution of their sinnes for then Christ will appeare without sin considered mystically as well as personally he will present his Church to himselfe glorious not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but it shall be holy and without blemish Eph. 5. 27. Here is comfort secondly unto believers against all their afflictions of what nature soever reioyce in as much as yee are made partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be be glad also with exceeding ioy 1 Pet. 4. 13. here the Saints life of glory is hid with Christ in God hidden with great heaps of externall misery but when Christ who is their life shall appeare then shall 〈◊〉 also appeare with him in glory Colos. 3. 3 4. God will then be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thes. 1. 10. Their glory shall be such as that it shall strike their scornfull slighters with stupor and astonishment and shall infinitely over-ballance their greatest pressures and lowest abasures here is but the seeds time of glory Light is but sowne for the righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart Psal. 97. 11. and commonly they have a wet seeds time too they sow in teares Psal. 126. 5. but in this day they shall reape a plentifull harvest of a most intense ioy in which there shall be no allay by the mixture of the least griefe for God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Rev. 21. 4. here their light is frequently interrupted and eclipsed a child of light may walke in darknesse and see no light Esai 50. 10. not so much as a glimpse of comfort but then they shall enioy a cleare and a perpetuall noone that shall not be overcast so much as with one cloud Gods Jewels may now lye in the dirt and upon the dunghill but that will be the day when God will make up his 〈◊〉 Mal. 3. 17. and then they shall shine oriently with unimaginable lustre those that are as David men after Gods own heart may have their good names buried in a deeper and filthier grave then any in 〈◊〉 valley Ezek. 37. a throat of calumny deservedly entituled by the Psalmist an open sepulchre Psal. 5. 9. but God will give their reputations as well as their bodies a resurrection he will bring their innocency to light and make their righteousnesse clearer then the 〈◊〉 day Psal. 37. 6. Though Gods people have lien amongst the Pots Psal. 68. 13. though they be so vile and miserable as that in
Cor. 8. 9. take heed lest by any meanes this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weake In Chapt. 10. he determineth that it was lawfull to eat things consecrated to the Idols and he instanceth in two cases 1. When they were sold in open markets vers 25. 2ly When they were made use of at private feasts But unto this his determination he subjoyneth the exception of scandall vers 28. 29. If any man say unto you this is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it and for conscience sake The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Conscience I say 〈◊〉 thine own but of the others for why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience This some understand of the unbelieving Idolater others of a weake brother And indeed this practise gives an wound unto both their consciences 1. The Idolater triumphes because he thinks it an honour unto his Idol and so he is confirmed and hardned in his Idolatry And then 2ly As for the weake Brother he supposeth that the meat is so polluted by Consecration and sacrifice 〈◊〉 Idols as that to eat thereof is a compliance with Idolatry and therefore altogether sinfull and hereupon the eating of these meats by the strong may occasion in the weak two scandalls 1. The example of the strong may intice them unto imitation and so they will sinne against their consciences 2ly The practise of the strong may provoke them unto rash and uncharitable judgment both scandals give a great blow unto the Conscience of the weake But that the Apostle speaks of the latter scandall I am induced to think by the words following Why is my liberty judged of another mans Conscience that is why doe I needlessely indiscreetly and unseasonably expose my Christian liberty unto the rash censures of a weake Brother who may be ready to traduce it as a prophane licentiousnesse why shall I drive him upon a sin which I may prevent by a prudent and charitable forbearance of the exercise of my liberty Liberty is a thing which men out of an excessive selfe love so much overvalue as that they are very impatient of any restraint to be put upon it at all But the Restraint that Charity prompts us unto is of all others most disregarded because there is nothing almost that is so much undervalued as the precious soules of our poore Brethren and therefore we make but little conscience how thick we throw scandals in their way I shall therefore briefly propound such weighty and pressing arguments as the Apostle useth to perswade the Romans and Corinthians to abstaine from a scandalous use of their liberty in things otherwise indifferent and lawfull and they are drawn either from the nature of things indifferent or from the nature of scandall 1. From the nature of things indifferent and here the first argument is Rom. 14. 17. the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke It doth not stand in indifferent things for they are neither the way to the kingdome of Glory nor our duty under the kingdome of grace They are no part of Gods worship and service no matter of Religion the weale and safety of Gods people is in no wise wrapt up in them nay many times a rigid pressing and unseasonable practice of them is a great disturbance unto the peace and a great hinderance unto the edification of the Church the kingdome of Christ. A second Argument from the nature of things indifferent is the great latitude of 〈◊〉 Though some of them be scandalous yet there will still remaine an ample field of them besides 1 Cor. 10. 28. If any man say unto you this is offered in sacrifice unto idols eat not for his sake that shewed it c. the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof It is as much as if he had said though ye abstaine from things offered unto idols yet there is no doubt of want no feare of pinching your bellies for you have the earth and the fulnesse thereof for your supply And from the scandall by meats we may argue in like manner touching the scandall by recreation If cards dyce tables offend thy brother there is plenty enough of other sports bowling chesse draughts c. A second sort of arguments that the Apostle insists on are taken from the nature of scandall It is a sinne against that tender love which we owe unto our brethren And when ye sinne so against the brethren 1 Cor. 8. 12. And that 't is no small but a very hainous sinne the next words evince And wound their weake conscience The words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where as Beza well observeth the Antecedent is put for the consequent beating striking or smiting for the effect thereof wounding As weapons or whips wound the body so scandalls the conscience Unjustly to wound the body the face the eye of our Brother is a cruell and inhumane part but to wound so tender a piece as his conscience to wound a weake a sicklie a diseased conscience is the very height of inhumanity To wound the soule of a Brother with sorrow is a breach of charity If thy Brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably Rom. 14. 15. And hence we may reason in a way of comparison à minori ad majus that to wound the soule of a Brother with sinne violates Christian love in a farre higher measure for the wound of the least sinne is in its own nature mortall and therefore scandall is not onely of a wounding but of a killing and destroying nature it is a soule murder Destroy not him with thy meat Rom. 14. 15. Indeed the weak that were scandalized might by Gods mercy and Christ's merit escape an actuall destroying and damning But the Apostles meaning is that the strongs scandalizing of them carried in it's nature a tendency towards their destruction for it drew them into sinne and sinne without repentance will destroy the soule This malignant and destructive efficacy of scandall the Apostle urgeth also unto the Corinthians Epistle 1. chapt 8. v. 11. And through thy knowledg shall thy weake brother perish that is through thy scandalous abuse of thy knowledg of thy liberty in eating things offered unto idols thou shalt doe what lieth in thee to farther the perishing of thy weake Brother This cruelty that is in scandall towards the soules of our Brethren is aggravated from Christs Redemption Gods Creation of their soules 1. From Christs Redemption of their soules Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died Rom. 14. 15. And through thy knowledg shall the weake brother perish for whom Christ died But when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak conscience ye sinne against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 11 12. In the judgment of charity thou art to rank thy weake Brother in the number of those for whom Christ dyed Christ died for his salvation and how darest thou oppose his worke
or a cart in a certaine way at a certaine time when it may be unwitting to the commander little children were playing in the way would any mans conscience serve him to doe it Avoiding of scandall is a maine duty of Charity May Superiours at their pleasure appoint how farre I shall shew my Charity towards my brothers soule Then surely an inferiour earthly court may crosse the determinations of the high court of heaven The superiours have no power given them for destruction but onely for 〈◊〉 If therefore they command scandals they goe beyond their Commission neither are we tied therein to doe as they bid but as they should bid If determination by superiours were sufficient to take away the sinne of a scandall Then they doe very ill that they do not so farrè as is possible determine all things indifferent that so no danger may be left in giving of offence by the use of them Then the Church of Rome is to be praised in that she hath determined of so many indifferents then Paul with the other Apostles might have spared a great deale of labour in admonishing the Churches how they should 〈◊〉 offences about some indifferent things A farre shorter way had been either to determine the matter fully or else to have given order that the Churches should among themselves determine it at home But say that 〈◊〉 Archbishop of Corinth for now I suppose such a one had called his convocation and with consent of his Clergie had 〈◊〉 that men might and for 〈◊〉 of liberty should at a certaine time eat of such and such meats which men formerly doubted of would not yet the Apostle have given the same 〈◊〉 he did Would not good Christians still have had care of their brothers consciences Can the determination of a superiour be a sufficient plea at the barre of Gods judgment seat for a man that by virtue or 〈◊〉 thereof alone hath done any 〈◊〉 that his 〈◊〉 telleth him will scandalize his brother Lastly I would 〈◊〉 know whether those superiours do not give a great scandall which take upon them determinately to impose unnecessary rites which they know many good men will be scandalized by Thus farre Ames But this opinion of Ames is I confesse to be understood cum gravo salis with many limitations which I shall lay downe fully in the Tractate that next followeth If the Prelates would have seriously laid to heart that golden saying of Paul 1 Cor. 8. 13. If meate make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world 〈◊〉 lest I make my brother to offend This would supersede all further dispute of this argument for thence it is easie to evict that it is unlawfull for Church governours to command the observation of things indifferent when in all probability they will scandalize how dare they make that the matter of a Church Canon which Paul durst not adventure upon in his own personall practice He thought it unlawfull to do a thing otherwise indifferent to eat flesh in the care 〈◊〉 scandall and therefore doubtlesse he judged it unlawfull in such a case to impose any such matter upon others Greater was the importance of the flesh for borne by Paul unto his health and the comfort of his life then the profit of the controverted ceremonies can be unto the worship and service of God And besides the indifferency of eating flesh was a thing cleare and evident unto all that were well instructed in the Doctrine of Christian liberty whereas the indifferency of our ceremonies will at least be judged a very doubtfull matter and that by very indifferent men who shall thoroughly ponder the Arguments of Didoclave Parker Ames and others against them which to this day remaine unanswered The Prelates will not pretend unto such an ample authority in the Church of God as Paul had But though they be farre inferiour unto him in point of Authority they are not yet so humble as to imitate him in the condescention of his charity Pauls peremptorie resolve was to forbeare a thing indifferent whē it scandalized If 〈◊〉 makae my brother to offend I will saith he eat no flesh while the world standeth least I make my brother to offend 1 Cor. 8. 13. But what a wide difference nay contrariety was there betwixt this charitable resolution of Paul and the rigid practise of the Prelates For they were obstinately bent to presse the Ceremonies with all severity without any care or Conscience of the scandals ensuing nay their endeavour was daily to adde unto the heape of former ceremonies though they knew that thereby the scandals would be increased They spake a language quite contrary to that of Paul we will enjoyne say they the surplice crosse kneeling in the sacrament of the Lords supper while the world standeth as long as we have any power and authority in the Church of God Let who will be offended This their rigour brings unto my mind a cruel command of Vedius Pollio that was countermanded by Augustus Caesar supping with him A poore boy his slave had casually broken a Chrystall glasse and for this Pollio most inhumanely condemned him to be throwne into a great pond of Lampreys there to be devoured The boy escaping from those appointed for his execution prostrated himselfe at the feet of Caesar who then sup't with his master and desired not pardon but onely commutation of so horrid and unnaturall a death Augustus was extreamly transported with the strangenesse and novelty of so inhumane a cruelty and hereupon to prevent the like for the future he forthwith commanded all the Christall glasses of Pollio though his friend to be broken and the fishpond to be filled up for the breaking of a sorry glasse he thought it a disproportioned and too severe a punishment to have a mans bowels pluck't in pieces and torne asunder This spirit of Vedius Pollio breathed in many of our late Prelates The Ceremonies in comparison of mens soules were but as paltry trifles as glasses and feathers and yet by the maintenance of them they hazarded the soules of thousands In as much as in them lay they destroyed the worke of God they destroyed those for whom Christ died they scandalize Papists and separatists people and Pastours conformists and non-conformists as Mr Parker at large demonstrates Dr John Burgesse as I have often heard urged this story in a Sermon before King James to perswade him unto the abolition of the Ceremonies And King James had doubtlesse expressed a Christian and royall care of his people if he had broken these glasses in pieces if he had cashered these toyes out of the Church which had broken so many in their estates wounded so many in their consciences and endangered the salvation of so many soules and hereby have prevented those unspeakable griefes feares and scandalls which they formerly occasioned I proceed unto the third and last conclusion which is that 〈◊〉 actions of men which proceeds from deliberate reason if they be
but morall duties also Use of a division here is none but to bewray Logick and therefore without more adoe we will 〈◊〉 betake our selves to Limitation Consirmation and Application of the plaine point 〈◊〉 commended to us we are to abstaine not onely from things intrinsecally 〈◊〉 but from all shewes and appearances of sinne For Limitation appearance of evill is either in 〈◊〉 or actions First then t is questioned whether or no wee are to abstaine from all positions which have an appearance of evill of falshood For resolution we must distinguish 1. Concerning appearance of evill in positions 2. Concerning abstinence from such an appearance Appearance of evill in Positions is twofold 1. Either in regard of their 〈◊〉 and substance 2. Or else in the termes and expressions used in their proposall That 〈◊〉 is in regard of their matter and substance is either to our selves or others Secondly to distinguish concerning abstinence from the appearance 〈◊〉 evill or falshood in Positions we may be said to abstaine from doctrines false in appearance two manner of waies either 1. When we abstaine from assenting to them 2. Or when we abstaine from publishing of them We abstaine from assenting to them either positively or negatively Positively when by a positive or reall act of the understanding we dissent from we reject them Now dissent from them is twofold 1 Either absolute and peremptory 2. Or else but conditionall and cautionary Negatively when we do not dissent from them but onely not assent unto them when we suspend our assent To apply these distinctions Note first that though the substance or matter of Doctrines appeare to be false unto our selves our own judgments yet are we not bound to abstaine positively from assenting to them to dissent from them to reject them for this appearance may not be true and reall grounded upon the doctrines themselves which perhaps may not send forth the least colour or shadow for suspicion but only put and fastned upon them by means of the errour ignorance and darknesse of our understandings that perhaps not with due care and circumspection but rather with much precipitancy have given their censure of them and therefore however at first blush they seeme false yet when once the light of our reason is cleared from mists and clouds they may upon due examination prove true and to dissent from and reject a truth would be a soule errour of and blemish to our understanding Obliged we are then to abstaine not positively but negatively from assenting to them that is not to 〈◊〉 from them but only not to assent unto them to stay our assent to demurre a while before we give in our judgment lest we receive any thing with a doubtfull entangled and perplexed Conscience Of this Calvin gives us an hint in his exposition on this place Speciem mali interpretor cùm nondum it a comperta est doctrinae falsitas ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 queat sed tamen aliqua haeret 〈◊〉 suspicio timetur ne quid veneni 〈◊〉 ergò ab 〈◊〉 genere doctrinae quod malum etiamsi non sit apparet 〈◊〉 praecipit non quod in totum rejici 〈◊〉 sed quia recipi aut fidem obtinere non debet Cur 〈◊〉 priùs quod bonum est teneri jussit nunc abstinere vult 〈◊〉 simpliciter à malo sed à mali specie quia ubi dijudicatione in lucem product a fuerit veritas tunc demum ei sidem haberi decet ubi autem subest falsi metus aut mens dubitatione 〈◊〉 implicita 〈◊〉 referre vel gradum suspendere 〈◊〉 nè quid dubiâ perplex áque censcientiâ amplectamur By the appearance of evill I understand saith he when as the falshood of a doctrine is not yet so throughly detected that it may be deservedly rejected but yet there sticks some bad suspicion of it and 't is feared lest poison lurke under it therefore he commands us to abstaine from that kind of doctrine which though it be not evill yet appeares so not as though it ought altogether to be rejected but because it ought not to be received to be believed For why doth he before command us to hold fast onely that which is good and here he wills us to abstaine not barely from evill but from its 〈◊〉 Because when after a thorough sifting a truth is cleared `t is fitting it should forthwith be believed but when as the falshood of it is feared or the mind with doubting is intangled we must for a while withdraw our assent lest we 〈◊〉 any thing with a doubting and 〈◊〉 conscience But suppose I for mine own part am firmely perswaded of the truth of such or such a Tenet or at least unconvinced unperswaded of it's falshood and yet it appeare generally unto others to be false unto the judgments of the godly learned of most of the ancient 〈◊〉 unto either generall or provinciall Councils in such a case what course must I take because it hath appearance of falshood unto others understandings must I therefore dissent from it or stop mine assent unto it For answer take these foure following rules First we owe so reverend and humble an esteeme of and submission unto the Spirits of the Prophets to the judgment of learned sober and pious Divines unto the writings of the ancient godly Fathers unto the Canons and decrees of Oecumenicall and Provinciall Councils as that whatsoever Tenents the whole Church representative to wit a generall Councill or the greatest and chiefest part of the Church most of the Fathers and Divines too of later and present times have rejected and condemned for false and erroneous we should abstaine negatively from assenting to that is though not change yet suspend our beliefe of them and not fully passe over our full and absolute assent unto them untill by diligent inquisition 〈◊〉 prayer imploring the guidance of Gods holy spirit and use of all other good means either their consonancy with or dissonancy from the truth be cleerly discerned fully confirmed and manifested unto our Consciences But Christian modesty stayeth not here but goeth one step further and in a second exacts of us a conditionall probable and cautionary dissent from all doctrines thus generally suspected and censured for upon generall dislike of a doctrine as upon a 〈◊〉 motive we may ground a strong presumption an high and probable conjecture of the falshood of it so that hereupon wee may reject it though not in an absolute and irrevocable way yet with this limitation and caution so the apparent verity therein of it selfe do not force us to embrace it So sottish I am not as to measure truth by multitude of voices for errours I know that have grated upon the foundation nay heresies that have raised the foundation have had their cloud of witnesses yet I should so farre honour a publick testimony as to suspect mine own and others private bare opinions not back't by plain scripture with evident sense or a 〈◊〉 demonstrative
argument rather than a generall suffrage for nemo omnes neminem omnes 〈◊〉 improbable as for one to deceive all so for all to deceive one Rivet makes no doubt but caeteris paribus that is if parts prayer diligence of study after the truth be equall that then a greater and fuller measure of the gist of expounding the Scripture and deciding controversies thereabouts is comn unicated to the publick ministers of the Church whether they execute their function severally and apart in some one particular Church or else jointly conferre and discourse among themselves concernîng the true and genuine sense of the Scriptures in some assemblies call'd lawfully and in the name of Christ than unto severall private men who are neither endowed with so many gifts nor see with so many eyes nor by their private and single meditation can equall the united consultations and enquiries after truth of many And thus you see how farre Christian modesty requireth us to abstaine from assenting to doctrines upon the appearance of evill or falshood which they carry unto those who in interpeting scripture and deciding controversies have committed to them the publick office of direction and instruction of others but yet it taketh not 〈◊〉 us the judgment of private discretion for Christian liberty alloweth us such a freedome of dissenting from or assenting unto what the Church and her ministers say as is to be specified in the next two following rules In a third place therefore although the Church or the greatest and cheifest part of her charge errour and falshood upon such a doctrine yet this bare and single testimony not seconded by any scripture or reason is not to gaine so farre upon our beliefe as that thereupon we should presently reject and dissent from the doctrine thus generally censured with an absolute and peremptory dissent This were to give unto the Churches decisions as high and over-ruling a suffrage in our hearts as is onely due to divine revelations to receive them not as they are indeed the word of men but as if they were the word of God to yeild unto them an absolute divine faith and credence This were a meere Vassallage of our soules understandings faiths unto the authority of an humane testimony a thing utterly unworthy the generosity and freedome of Christian Spirits If God hath indulged to any the exercise of such dominion over mens faiths and consciences alas then to what purpose hath he placed that glorious lamp of reason in our bosomes of what use are our intellectualls What place is there left for St Pauls proving of all things St John's tryall of the Spirits but the truth is that God is so farre from enslaving our understandings or captivating our beliefe unto the judgment of any mortall as that he approves not onely of a forbearance from a flat and absolute 〈◊〉 from doubtfull doctrines thus publickly and generally disliked but also of a full and peremptory assent unto doctrines manifestly true though condemned in a generall Councill as is apparent from the fourth and last rule which is If a doctrine be as true in it selfe so also clearly and evidently by me 〈◊〉 to be so and yet appeare generally to be false unto others of what degree order or condition soever neverthelesse it Commands absolute subscription and assent of the mind without contradiction without hesitancy nay without so much as suspense of judgment If the verity then of a doctrine be apparent it must over-rule the assent of the understanding against the testimony of the whole world For the testimony of men of the wisest holiest men considered either apart or assembled in a councill admits as allwaies of examination and tryall by the ballance of the Sanctuary and rules of right reason so likewise of contradiction and denyall when in it there is an expresse and evident variation from either reason or divine authority In such a cause we may lawfully and safely dissent from it allwaies provided that it be not in an insolent manner but with a reverend child-like and respectfull bashfulnesse But to goe on if I am not to abstaine from assenting to a doctrine manifestly true because it appeares generally to others to be false must I not yet abstaine from publishing from spreading of it either by writing or preaching For answer thou must consider the generall nature and qualitie of the doctrine thus wrongly either 〈◊〉 or suspected of falshood and also of what use and importance it is in regard of the present times and places wherein thou livest and if it prove to be a doctrine either fundamentall or at least of such weight and moment that from the publishing of it will spring a greater good more glory to God and benefits to the Church then the trouble and disquiet it brings can be an evill thou art then at no hand to conceale it so should'st thou be unfaithfull both to God and his Church and become accessary to the betraying nay murther of the truth Si de veritate scandalum sumatur saith Gregory melius est ut scandalum oriatur quà m ut veritas relinquatur If scandall or offence be taken at a truth which the estate and exigence of those soules committed to a mans charge requireth him to publish better suffer the whole world to be scandalized than such a truth disadvantaged either by deniall or but a cowardly smothering and dissembling thereof Quemadmodum enim saith Calvin Charitati subjicienda est nostra libertas ita sub fidei puritate subsidere 〈◊〉 charitas ipsa debet As our liberty is to be subjected to charity 〈◊〉 also our Charity it selfe to faith's puritie But now if it be a doctrine either not fundamentall but of a lower rank and quality wherein both orthodox writers and preachers may vary and abound in their owne sense without prejudice to the foundation or if it be of so small use that upon its divulgement it is not probable there will arise so much honour to God and edification of the Church as may preponderate those mischiefes that hurly-burly those tumults and contentions in the Church which in all likelyhood will ensue thereby thou must then forbeare to vent it either from presse or pulpit so shalt thou best consult for thine own private quiet and publick peace And we must follow after things that make for peace and edification Rom. 14. 19. About such matters to be contentious we have no custome nor the Churches of God and indeed about them to be contentious were the right pranke of a Schismatick for not only he is a Schismatick saith Cameron who maintaines a perverse Tenet a man may hold a very true opinion and yet play the Schismatick and give scandall unto the people of God by delivering it in a rash unpeaceable and unseasonable manner neither in fit place nor due time no necessity urging thereunto for seeing in determining of his opinion the glory of God and weale of the Church lye not at the stake
that evill Conscience which doth but now whisper will then roare and thunder the peace of a good Conscience here in this life passeth all understanding and that joy which is the result of it is unspeakeable and full of Glory but compared with those ravishing sweets and Comforts with which the Conscience shall be filled in the day of judgment it beares not unto them halfe that proportion which a Cluster of grapes cut downe at the brook 〈◊〉 had unto the whole vintage of Canaan Numb 13. Secondly The influence of Conscience will then be greater and 〈◊〉 more irresistable and unobstructed then now for now it may be silenced or out-noised by our louder pleasures but then nothing will be able either to stoppe or drowne its voice it will speake in as loude and shrill an accent as the voice of the Arkeangel and the trump of God as these shall awaken the dead out of their Coffins so shall that raise in the memory of Reprobates those sins which their impenitency had buried in a grave of forgetfulnesse and put fresh life and vigour into them to torment and terrifie unto all eternity Thirdly In the day of judgment there will be a clearer evidence in the testimony of Conscience then now for now it is many times undiscerned by any but our selves for what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him 1 Cor. 2. 11. but then it will be made as legible as if it were written with the glorious beames of the Sunne upon a wall of the purest Chrystall in conformity hereunto 't is that some think that there is an Elipsis in the words which they thus supply their Conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts in the meane while accusing or else excusing one another as shall be manifested in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. Estius quotes Stapulensis for another interpretation to wit that in the day is as much as against the day and why may not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be translated here against the day as well as verse the 5 th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the day of wrath and thus the coherence will be fluent and 〈◊〉 and afford us this note That Conscience will bind over against the grand assises of Jesus that day wherein God will Judg the secrets of men by Jesus Christ c. the tribunall of Conscience is a prognostick and representation of Christ's throne it 's verdict a presage and preoccupation of Christ's sentence futuri judicii praejudicium as Tertullian phraseth it what are the terrors of a bad Conscience but slashes of Hell fire what are the triumphs and Consolations of a good Conscience but a glimpse and dawning of Heaven-happinesse But I dwell too long upon the Coherence In the words themselves wee have three things considerable First A prediction 2ly A Description 3. A Confirmation of the last and generall Judgment First A prediction of it shall Judg. Secondly A description of it and that 1. By its causes 1. Principall God shall judg 2. Instrumentall by Jesus Christ. Secondly By its object and that both personall and reall 1. Personall men 2. Reall secrets of men Thirdly By an adjunct the Circumstance of time when in the day Lastly we have the Confirmation of this prediction from a testimony of undenyable authority the testimony of the Gospel according to my Gospel From the words I shall take occasion to handle the Common place of the last and generall judgment and it is a point that I shall briefly explaine confirme and apply 〈◊〉 In the explication of it I shall confine my selfe to the opening of the text the act of judgment is an aggregate action containing many distinct and particular acts some formally and others by way of concomitancy a description of which you may see at large Matth. 25. vers 31 32 c. usque ad finem 2 Thesal 1 vers 6 7 8 9 10. Jude 14. 15. Rev. 20. 11 12 13 14 15. here in the text 't is set forth by its causes object and adjunct 1. By its causes principall and instrumentall 1. Principall God shall Judge God is taken in Scripture either 〈◊〉 or personally 1. Essentially for the three persons in the Trinity and so it may be taken here because the act of judicature is an outward worke and therefore common unto them all 2. Personally for the first person the Father and the act of judging may in a speciall manner be ascribed unto the Father by that manner of speaking which the Schoolemen call appropriation for hereby the Son and holy Ghost are not excluded but only the order of the Fathers concurrency shewn to wit that being the fountaine of the Trinity he judgeth of himselfe by the Son and Holy Ghost But against this that saying of our Saviour may be objected John 5. 22. The Father Judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son Unto this there are usually given two answers 1. The Father Judgeth no man separately without the Son but hath communicated all Judgment unto the Son non largiendo sed generando saith Ambrose not by temporary donati n but by eternall generation but if any think that to say that Judgment is given or committed unto the Son by eternall generation is too harsh a Catachresis 2. In a second place therefore 〈◊〉 answer may be returned to wit that the Father Judgeth no man in that manner that he hath committed all Judgment unto the Son to wit as 〈◊〉 as God man as subsisting in the 〈◊〉 he Judgeth no man in a visible and externall manner for thus judgment is ascribed unto the Son not per appropriationem but per proprietatem 2. Instrumentall by Jesus Christ to wit as man and Mediator for as God he is a principall cause but the judiciary power conferred upon Christs manhood though in comparison of other creatures it be a power singularis 〈◊〉 of singular and transcendent excellencie unto which no creature can have an equall power yet in respect of the judiciary power of his Godhead 't is but a secundary subordinate and ministeriall power which he hath by delegation and Comission so that as man he is but a deputy Judg the Father hath committed all Judgment unto the Son John 5. 22. that Christ shall Judg in the humane nature the Scripture is expresse the Son of man shall come in his Glory c. Matth. 25. 31. chap. 24. v. 30. He hath appointed a day in which he will Judg the world c by that man whom he hath ordained c. Acts 17. 31. Every eye shall see him and they also which 〈◊〉 him Rev. 1. 7. Even Reprobates shall see him but they cannot behold his Godhead for the sight of that would make them happy and banish all sadnesse in his manhood then it is that he shall be visible and conspicuous unto them but though the Scripture be thus cleare that Christ shall judge
in his manhood yet whether he shall judg according to his manhood is made a controversie betwixt the 〈◊〉 and the Scotists Not so much for the state of the question it selfe as for Aquinas his proofes of it the validity of which Scotus according unto his usuall wont questioneth and disputes against the place of Scripture that is chiefly quoted for the affirmative is John 5. 27. And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man Here Beza noteth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 saies that the Authours of this interpretation Hereticks render it infamous and he quotes in the margent Calvine and Beza upon the place but their great and subtile Suarez in tertiam partem Thom quaest 59. artic 2. cites Tertullian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cap. 22. for the very same thing and he takes notice of it as a thing very remarkable illud observatione dignum non legere quia sed qua but now as is here to be taken not reduplicativè for then authority to execute judgment would be essentiall to and reciprocall with man but specisicativè so that it only determines the subject in which this derived authority is seated unto this purpose speaks Suarez in the place but now quoted according to this exposition saith he in those words because he is the son of man is not rendered the adequate cause whence this power of Judging ariseth but that nature is designed which was necessary unto Christ that he might be capable of the gift of this power for as God he could not receive this power anew but because he was the Son of man he was capable of it but we may well stick unto our own translation and render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because for the humane nature hath not only a concomitancy with but also a causality in respect of the act of execution of judgment But then we must not abstract and sever the humane nature from the grace of Head-ship and the grace of personall union but Consider them 〈◊〉 jointly This Aquinas hints when he saith par 3. quaest 59. art 2. that the Father hath given authority unto the Son to execute Judgment because he is the Son of man 〈◊〉 propter conditionem naturae not meerly because of the condition of his nature for then as Chrysostome objects all men should have this authority sed hoc pertinet ad gratiam capitis quam Christus in humanâ naturâ accepit but this appertaineth to the grace of head-ship which he received in the humane nature the words then may be thus glossed he hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man because as he is Mediator King and head of his Church so also he is qualified for discharge of this his office by being not only God but man in one person God-man and it we take this way the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated also will not be redundant but emphatick and Maldonate makes the Emphasis to stand thus the Father hath not alone the power of judging but he hath transferred it also upon the Son because he is the Son of man and so fitted for the audible and visible administration of judgment Aquinas his reasons are by Capreolus thus summed up judgment agreeth unto Christ according unto that nature in regard of which he hath as Mediator Redeemer and head of his Church a Lord-ship over men but this Lord-ship agreeth unto him not only according to his God-head but also according to his man-hood for to this 〈◊〉 Christ both dyed and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the d ad and living Rom. 14. 9. and therefore he shall judge according to his man-hood Next followes the object of this judgment and that is twosold personall and reall 1. Personall the persons to be judged men although men be here expressed indefinitely yet we may by warrant of the Scriptures adde the universall signe and say God will judge the secrets of all men of all sorts ranks and degrees of men of all individuals of men we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ Rom. 14. 10. we must all appeare before the judgment seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. Gorran hath a Conceit that by the naming of men the evill angels are excluded he shall judge the 〈◊〉 of men not divels saith he but that the wicked angels shall come unto judgment also at the last day the scripture is very plaine know yee not that we shall judge the Angells 1 Cor. 6. 3. For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to 〈◊〉 and delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto judgment 2 Pet. 2. 4. And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgment of the great day Jude 6. 2. Reall the secrets of men their secret state election and reprobation their most secrets actions their chamber their midnight and closet sins that have no witnesses but such whose partnership in guilt will render silent Eccles. 12. 14 1 Cor. 4. 5. the most hidden and darkest musings of the mind those purposes desires nay wouldings and wishings of the will unto which no vent was given either by language or action those passions of the heart which have been smothered from outward notice with the greatest care and cunning nay those first motions and inclinations unto sinne that were never consented unto which arise so thick in the soule as that 't is impossible for the most watchfull Conscience to take an exact survey of the most of them and therefore may be deservedly ranked ámongst those errors and secret faults of which David speakes Psal. 19. 12. Who can understand his errors cleanse 〈◊〉 me from secret faults Lastly we have an adjunct the circumstance of time when this judgment shall be in the day which is so called saith Gorran propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because then shall be a manifestation of all secret things sometimes 't is cald midnight Matth. 25. 6. propter improvisionem because of the suddennesse and unexpectednesse of it it is cald the even Matth. 20. 8. propter sinem temporis because then shall be the finall period of time and t is stiled the morning as he inferreth from a mistranslation of the Latine Interpreter Zeph. 3. 5. propter initium aeternitatis because 't will be the beginning and as it were dawning of eternity but these are but curious niceties that have no footing in the text for doubtlesse the day is here taken for time indesinitely as 't is usually in many other places of Scripture Esa. 49. 8. 2 Cor. 6. 7. Luk. 19. 42. Joh. 8. 56. So that there is no need to make any inquiry touching that opinion of some Millenaries that the day of judgment shall last a thousand yeares because
day unto a prize 1 Cor. 9. 24. unto a Crowne a Crowne of righteousnesse a Crowne of life and a Crowne of glory for however a prize or a crowne may be designed or allotted privately yet it is usually bestowed publiquely in some great assembly or concourse of people seldome or never in a corner and thus have you seene that before the last judgment Gods judgment is not consummate for it is but a judgment of the soule it is but a judgment of mens actions considered in themselves it is but a judgment of men taken as private and particular persons therefore there is another judgment which shall he compleat and perfect a judgment both of bodies and soules a judgment as of mens actions in themselves so of their fruits and effects and of mens judgments and opinions that they passe upon them c. a judgment of men not 〈◊〉 as private particular persons but as they are parts of the universe of mankind 1. Here is a use of Terror unto all the wicked for this day will be unto them if they die in this Condition a day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. the fulnesse of Gods vindicative wrath will then be poured upon them the wrath of a mortall King is saith Solomon as the roaring of a Lion Prov. 19. 12. and as a messenger of death Prov. 16. 14. it is the second and eternall death of which the vengeance of the immortall King of Kings and Lord of Lords is a forerunner and in Comparison of this the most tormentfull death of the body is but a flea-biting for the hatred of an infinite God cannot but make a creature infinitely miserable behold saith Malachie the day cometh that shall burne as an Oven and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble and the day that cometh shall burne them up saith the Lord of Hosts that it shall leave them neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 branch Mal. 4. 1. Suppose the place be chiefly meant of the destruction of Jerusalem shortly upon the first coming of Christ yet there is no doubt but it may be applied unto the execution of Christs wrath upon the ungodly in the very day of judgment here in this life they may be proud like the mettals of iron and brasse stubborne and inflexible but in that day they shall be like stubble before fire before the fire of an Oven where it burnes more fiercely and furiously then in the open aire the consuming fire of Gods wrath shall then utterly and irrecoverably destroy all their comforts and happinesse the day that cometh shall burne 〈◊〉 up it shall 〈◊〉 them neither root nor branch The Doctrine of judgment to come made Felix a corrupt Iudge to tremble upon the 〈◊〉 though the Pulpit was the barre and the preacher but a poore prisoner Paul in his bonds Acts 24. 25. if the bare commination of this iudgment be so terrifying what will the sense and experience of it doe In Rev. 6. 15 16 17. you shall find that it will put the Kings of the earth the great men and the rich men and the chiefe Captaines and the mighty men into such a desperate affrightment as that they shall be so foolish as to hide themselves in the dens and the rocks of the mountaines as if it were possible for them to run from omniscience and withall they shall bewray so impotent a passion as to invocate the rocks and mountaines to fall 〈◊〉 them indeed to be crushed in pieces by them will be a more tolerable ruine then the frowne and wrath of the Lamb that 〈◊〉 the Throne it is strange there should be such Lion like terror in a Lamb but though he be a Lamb in regard of mildnesse unto his own he will be the Lion of the Tribe of Judah unto his adversaries and he will be unto them so dreadfull a Lion as that they shall be even forced to acknowledg the 〈◊〉 of his wrath and the unresistablenesse of his power they shall say the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand indeed the greatnesse of their terror will be such as that it is undecipherable by the tongues of men and Angels but a guesse wee may give at it though alasse very narrow and defective by the terrors of some condemned Malefactors Before the Assises how full are their minds of boding feares and when it cometh how are these their feares heightned every circumstance the grave and severe aspect of the Judge the aufulnesse of the Bench and the Judgment seat the Sheriffs Halberts the great throng of spectators and auditors the ratling of their own irons will even distract and amaze them the trumpets that are musicall unto others sound unto them a dolefull note and are as it were a passing bell but the dreadfull sentence of death strikes them dead and kils them before their execution as you may see by their pale and bloudlesse cheeks shaking hands and trembling knees but when once they are dragged from the prison to the place of execution without hopes either of pardon or reprieve then despaire the most terrible of all passions possesseth the place of feare and sorrow and the expressions of it are so dolefull as that they 〈◊〉 the pity of any humane brest But now what is any terrene Judg compared with the Son that hath all judgment committed to him all power given to him in Heaven and in earth how poore and meane is the retinue of the most magnificent sheriffe in comparison of those millions of Angels that shall waite on Christ how inglorious is any bench in respect of these Assessors that shall sit with Christ in judgment the myriads of Saints each of which shall shine forth as the Sun Matth. 13. 43 how dreadlesse and contemptible is any tribunall in comparison of Christ's Throne which Daniel 7. 16. is described to be like a fiery flame what are your trumpets in comparison of that shout the voice of the Ark-Angell and the trump of God with which the Lord himselfe shall 〈◊〉 from Heaven 1 Thes. 4. 16. which shall shake Heaven and earth these all these particulars together with the thunder of that condemnatory sentence and the sight of the horrid executioners there of the Divel and his Angels will beget such an earthquake in their bosomes that will be followed with such unspeakable yellings roarings and howlings as will expresse the greatest perturbation that an humane soule is capable of The day of judgment you see will be a black and dismall day unto all the ungodly a day of darknesse and not light Amos 5. 18. The horror of it will receive no allay or mitigation by the least degree or drop of comfort But there are two particulars in the text that will aggravate the sadnesse and discomfort of the day unto unbelievers in the Church and that farre more then unto meere Pagans though professed worshippers of Divels to wit consideration of 1. The person by whom 2. The
very loath to be disturbed by Christ's coming from Heaven for their utter aversation from things heavenly sufficiently instructs them that thence they have no reason to looke for Christ to come as a mercifull Saviour for what good what salvation may they expect from a place they have so much contemned The Thessalonians waiting for the Son of God srom Heaven 1 Thes. 1. 10 hath for its antecedents a true Conversion from Idolatry unto the worship and service of God vers 9. as also an inchoation of rescue from Hell they turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God they were delivered from the wrath to come and indeed it was an act altogether unperformable by them as long as they were unconverted as long as they were either Idolaters or Atheists as long as they were children of wrath in whose soules deliverance from wrath to come was not so much as begun the Kingdome of sin and Satan remaining in them still as entire powerfull and unbroken as ever Compare 12 13. of Titus 2. together and you may easily collect that those who looke for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God are such as deny ungodlinesse and wordly lusts such as live soberly righteously and godly in this present world St 〈◊〉 joyneth looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God with a most intense zealous and transcendent diligence in all holy conversation and Godlinesse 2 〈◊〉 3. 11 12. in the Lords prayer the petition for the coming of Gods Kingdome is placed betwixt the two petitions Hollowed be thy name Thy will be done in 〈◊〉 as it is in Heaven and from this method we may observe that none can pray cordially for the coming of Gods Kingdome of Glory when Christ shall deliver up the Kingdome to God even the Father that are carelesse of the glory of Gods name and regardlesse of obedience unto his will I shall conclude this particular with Rev. 22. 17. where desire of and prayer for the coming ofChrist to judgment for a perfect vindication of all his from all the sequels ofsin is appropriated unto he Bride unto the Church mysticall and unto every true and genuine member thereof every sincere believer that is betrothed unto Christ in righteousnesse in judgment in loving-kindnesse and in mercies Hos. 2. 19. And the spirit and the Bride say Come In the words 〈◊〉 thinks there may be an Hendiadys so that the spirit and the bride may be put for the spirituall Bride the bride sanctified by the Spirit or if you rather thinke that the Spirit is taken properly for the Holy Ghost why then saith he the spirit saith come in the same sense that it maketh intercession for us Rom. 8. 26. to wit 〈◊〉 it enableth and maketh the bride to say come the Spirit and the Bride say come that is the Spirit in the Bride or the Bride by the assistance influence and actuation of the Spirit saith come Come Lord Jesus come quickly those that are espoused unto Christ long for the Consummation of their Nuptials and their marriage with the Lamb is this great and last day Rev. 19. 7. 9. Whereas now on the Contrary such as have gone a whoring after the creature and have been wedded unto the mortall adversaries of Christ Jesus their lusts and corruptions their desire is to build Tabernacles on earth and they stand in as great a terror of Christs coming as the disloyall Adulteresse doth of the coming home of her abused Husband for their guilty consciences cannot but assure them that without repentance this day will not be their wedding day but a day of eternall divorce their outward and visible be trothment unto Christ by receiving of his Sacraments and profession of his name will then be proclaimed to be a meere nullity and they shall be everlastingly separated from all communion with him this day then will be unto them as Job saith the morning is unto murtherers Theeves and Adulterers as the shadow of death they will be in the terrors of the shaof death Job 24. 17. Secondly preparation for it In the Parable only the wise Virgines were ready for the coming of the Bridegroome and hereupon they went with him into the marriage and the 〈◊〉 to wit of grace and mercy was shut against the 〈◊〉 unprepared virgins and could not be opened by their greatest importunity Matth. 25. 10 11 12. the Apostle Peter connexeth this preparation for the coming of Christ in both his Epistles with expectancy of it 〈◊〉 in his first Epistle chap. 1. v. 13. Wherefore gird up the loines of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ where girding up the loines of the mind is a 〈◊〉 expression of that preparation which is requisite in all those that hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto them at the revelation of Iesus Christ in allusion unto an ancient custome of those Easterne Countries where not only women but men wearing long garments were wont to tuck them up when they addressed themselves unto a journey unto worke unto battell or unto service our Saviour useth the very same similitude unto the same purpose and joyneth another of the like nature with it Luk. 12. 35. Let your 〈◊〉 be girded about and your lights burning the whole verse is a borrowed speech from the guise of good Servants that prepare for the coming of their Masters by girding and trussing up their garments to waite and attend on them and by lighting candles in a readinesse for them 2. In his second Epistle chap. 3. v. 12. he makes the like connexion looking for and hasting unto the Coming of the day of God Indeed we cannot accelerare diem but yet we may accelerare ad diem though we cannot hasten it yet we may hasten unto it to wit by fitting our selves for it by going forth as it were to meet the Lord with burning lamps that is with saiths that not only blaze before men but also shine before God in their sruits good works This preparation is of a vast extent and taketh in all duties whether regarding the first or second table so much may be gathered from the 1 Pet. 1. 13 14 15. Wherefore gird up the loines of your minds c. as obedient Children and not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Here wee have a Concomitant of this preparing of our selves a generall obedience and Universall holinesse and hence also is it that unpreparednesse is described by disobedience Luk. 12. 47. that Servant c. which prepared not himselfe neither did according to his Masters will c. But now out of those many duties in which preparation for the day of Iudgment stands I shall select some few unto the
of thy youth and walke in the waies of thy heart and in the sight of 〈◊〉 eyes as if he should have said pursue thy 〈◊〉 pleasures without check or stop and abridge not thy selfe of any thing that thy heart desireth or delighteth in but to shew that this is but a Sarcasme he presently brings in a dreadsull commination of judgment as a cooling card to 〈◊〉 the the rage and fury of his lusts But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment For all these things that is for all thy excesses for all thy intemperate courses for all thy Epicurisme and Sensuality God will bring thee unto Judgment thou mayest perhaps be unwilling to come to a triall but God will compell thee and the Ministers of his justice will dragge thee unto his Tribunall This in its owne nature is an apt and forcible dissuasive as unto all men from all sin so especially unto those that are in the Magistrary or in any office apperteining to justice from those sins that are opposed unto the duties of ther respective places Asterion in Tenedos is memorable for an old custom observed amongst them which was that at the backe of the Judge there alwaies stood a man with an axe advanced as well to terrisie the witnesse from giving false evidence to the Judge as the Judge from pronouncing a false sentence upon the evidence whence the Proverb 〈◊〉 securis But this axe was but a 〈◊〉 crow in comparison of a deep imprestion of the last judgment one would thinke that it should deterre even a Judge that is not very zealous for justice from the perverting of judgment and resusall to doe iustice and make him returne this or the like answer unto all temptations unto unjustice How shall I commit this great wickednesse and sin against the Judge of all Judges What then shall I do when God 〈◊〉 up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Iob 31. 14. And why should not this meditation have the like influence upon all organs of Justice from the highest unto the lowest from the Sheriffe unto his Bailiffs why should it not affright all Plantiffs from unjust contentious and frivolous actions all Accusers and Informers from suggesting all Witnesses from deposing any untruth all Jurors from 〈◊〉 and partiality in their verdicts and presentments all Lawyers from colouring and palliating bad causes and persons from betraying or delaying the causes of their poore Clients Would all these but sadly Consider that a day will come when all their actions and proceedings at this time shall be revewed and reexamined how 〈◊〉 might it make them against all failings and practises that turne judgment into 〈◊〉 into gall and the fruite of 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 Amos. 5. 7 and. 6. 12. that is that turne publique Judicatories into places of bitter banefull and deadly injustice unto the oppressed for of all these their Judge hath a more perfect cognizance then their own Consciences The Prophet Amos tels the great ones of Samaria that they did put farre away the evill day and caused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 to come neare Amos 6. 3. Although the evill day be there meant primarily of the 〈◊〉 of some particular judgment upon Israel yet it may be extended unto the day of generall judgment which will be unto the wicked in a way of eminency the evill day a day of sad and 〈◊〉 tidings Now if those that have any imployments in publique dispensation or distribution of Justice put farre away from them all thoughts of this day they cause the seat of violence to come neare the 〈◊〉 of justice should be a sanctuary unto the distressed but they who dread not a day of accounts turne it into a seat of unjust and Tyranicall violence and they are very hot and eager in the pursuit of their oppressive courses they cause the seat of violence to come neare Secondly The day of judgment should be a disswasive from even suspected sins from all things that have an appearance of evill When Tunstall Byshop of Durham told Mr Gilpin that he should have a dispensation for non-residence during his travell beyond the 〈◊〉 Mr Gilpin answered that he feared 〈◊〉 he came to stand before Christs Tribunall it would not serve his turne and indeed whosoever will seriously weigh the matter must needs confesse that in the generall we all have very good reason to stick and scruple at those things which we doubt will be disallowed by the supreame and Soveraigne Judge of all rationall Creatures in this sublunary world Me thinks then men should be afraid to adventure upon those recreations fashions or the like concerning the lawfulnesse of which they have not cleare full and evident satisfaction A third duty regarding God unto which we may be exhorted from the day of judgment is love of God and Christ Jesus for the sincere and upright love of them will give admirable erection and embolden against the terrors of that day 1 Joh. 4. 17. Herein is our love made p rfect that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgment because as he is so are we in this world Wheras on the Contrary how can they have boldnesse in the day of judgment whose hearts are here 〈◊〉 with enmity against Jesus Christ by whome God will in that day judge the secrets of men and God reckons all those to be mortall enimies unto him who are cordial friends unto any sin against such what a thundering curse doth Paul denounce 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha there be many learned Expositors that take the word to be an advise unto the third and highest degree of Excommunication that answered unto the Jewish Shammata an accursing of a man unto the coming of Christ without hope of mercy which cannot be done without a Propheticall spirit But against this it may be objected That the mere not loving of Christ is a sin of the heart and therefore comes not under Ecclesiastical Cognizance and censure Unto this Objection I find two answers The first Of the learned and Reverend Doctor Hammond that the not loving of Christ is the denying of him in time of trouble and signifyeth here him that was taynted with the Error of the Gnosticks and so would not confesse Christ in time of persecution A second Is that the not loving of Christ is the sin against the holy Ghost an opposition of Christ and his Gospel out of mere malice and desperate hatred But to make either of these interpretations good we must fly unto a Meiosis whereby lesse is spoken and more implyed and what need we run unto a figure as long as the words are capable of a faire interpretation in their proper sense I shall therefore conclude with Cornelius Alapide Dickson and others that the words containe only a simple denunciation of an eternall curse and damnation to be inflicted at the coming of the Lord to judgment upon
shall be as visible unto all the world as the rising of the Sun is he shall arise with healing in his wings then shall there be a perfect cure of all spirituall diseases whatsoever and ye shall go sorth to wit in the resurrection out of the 〈◊〉 of your graves and grow up as Calves of the stall your glorified bodies shall be endued with vigor and agility they shall leape and skip for joy like fatted Calves and besides ye shall have a full both conquest and triumph over all your adversaries v. 3. And ye shall tread downe the wicked for they shall be as ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall doe this saith the Lord of Hosts Lastly we may hence be exhorted unto zealous and frequent praiers unto God Luk. 21. 36. The end of all things is at hand therefore watch unto prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7 not only pray but be watchfull in prayer men dare not supplicate in a sleepy posture for their lives that are forfeited unto the justice of the Law for dull and drousy supplications bespeake a repulse rather than an answer shall not we then rouze up our selves and stirre up all our abilities when we are suiters for the unmerited salvation of our soules in the day of the Lord Jesus If petitions could prevaile with Judges on earth how would they be even overwhelmed with them now God hath alway an eare and a heart open unto prayers rightly qualified and impossible he should be ever cloyed with it to be an Hearer of Prayer is one of his Titles ô thou that hearest prayer saith David Psal. 65. 2. And shall not this quicken us unto a diligent frequency and most raised fervency in prayer for prevention of the Condemnatory sentence of the last day He that then shall be our Judge is in the meane while to be God's great and sole master of requests and God will be favourable unto every one whome he intercedes for and he will deny his intercession unto none that Cordially and sincerely crave it but yet how seldome are our requests made knowne to God by him for favour and how saint and unzealous are those requests He that the last day shall sit upon a Tribunall of justice now sitteth upon a Throne of grace and a mercy seat and yet how desolate and unfrequented is this Throne of grace this mercy Seat how few and cold are the petitioners that resort unto it it is very strange that we should be so backward and remisse in our prayers here in this life seeing in the next after death in the day of judgment all prayers will be as as bootlesse as the vaine cries of condemned prisoners for mercy unto the Judge though Christ be now an Advocate that offers to plead for any Client who will sue unto him in a due manner yet then his Commission for Advocate expires and he is to enter upon the execution of the Commission of a Judge and he is to give righteous judgment without the least partiality Secondly there be another sort of duties unto which the day of judgment excites that concerne our selves and they are foure 1 Watchfulnesse 2. Sobriety 3. Diligence and faithsulnesse in our particular callings 4. A Diligent use and faithfull imployment of all our Taleuts c. First watchfulnesse and that over all our duties and actions against the temptations of all our spirituall adversaries Satan the world and our own deceitfull hearts unto this watchfulnesse our Saviour and the Apostle presse from the 〈◊〉 and uncertainty of the day of judgment the certainty that it shall be the uncertainty when it shall be Matth. 24. 42 43 44. Marke 13 32. 33 34 35 36 37. Thes. 5 2 3 6. Luk. 21. v. 35. 36. That day shall come as a snare on all them that dwell on the face of the whole 〈◊〉 Watch ye therefore c. that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Son of man The worthinesse that our Saviour speakes of is a worthinesse of fitnesse not desert and may be expounded by that of the Apostle Col. 1. 12. Made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light unwatchsull soules are unprepared for judgment and consequently unqualified for Heaven When Epaminondas sound a 〈◊〉 sleeping he ran him through The Lord hath appointed every one to be a spirituall watchman What I say unto you I say unto all watch Mark 13. 37 and when the Captaine of our Salvation shall be walking his great round in the day of judgment if he find any securely sleeping and snorting in sinne having their soules ungarded and the Gates of their hearts lying wide open unto the enemy what can such expect but the extremity of martiall Law indeed the wise Virgins may slumber and sleep Matth. 25. 5 but it is only a slumber of insirmity each of them may say as the Church Cant. 5 2. I sleep but my heart waketh that is my regenerate part the spirit striveth and struggleth with the flesh to shake of all drouzinesse so that in regard of the constant bent of my heart I am alwayes vigilant A Second duty regarding our selves unto which by the Consideration of the day of Judgment we may be stirred up is sobriety The Apostles Paul and Peter joyne vigilancy and sobriety together because sobriety is a great help and furtherance unto vigilancy and they propound the day of judgment to enforce the practice of both 1 Thes. 5. 2 6. For your selves know perfectly the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night Therefore let us not sleep as doe others but let us watch and be sober 1 Pet. 4. 7. But the 〈◊〉 of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch c. Aquinas points at two acceptions of the word sobriety one more strict and restrained and thus taken it moderates the appetite in the use of drinkes the other more large and generall and according unto this it puts due bounds and limits unto our desires of and endeavours after all things temporall it keeps in all things that measure which is requisite the opposites of sobriety in each sense are a virtuall denyall of the day of judgment not only they that are drunke with wine and strong drinke but they that are intoxicated with coveteousnesse or any kind of Epicurisme carry themselves as if they thought there were no day of generall account and hereupon our Saviour dehorting from things that expose unto the hazard of a suddaine and unexpected surprizall by that day coupleth in his said exhortation the cares of this life with 〈◊〉 and drunkennesse And take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of
detract from the most praise-worthy and crowne those with praises that are of all others most undeserving that which Paul here speakes to the Corinthians and in them unto all private Christians may be pressed in a more speciall manner upon publique judicatories they should judge nothing secret before the time untill the Lord come indeed that which Job professeth of himselfe Job 29. 16 the cause which I knew not I searched out is the duty of every magistrate a Judge should doe his best for the bolting out of the most hidden truth and to search into the bottome of the darkest cause but if when in this search he hath proceeded with his most diligent care and greatest caution he yet hath no convictive prooses but only meere 〈◊〉 presumptions and probabilities to guide him which can beget only a conjecturall knowledge and that is full of uncertainty here he may guesse but cannot properly judge he that in this case will peremptorily judge either way may soon wrong the generation of the upright condemne as frequently the innocent as the guilty the hidden things of darknesse are to be put over unto the final infallible judgment of the great day which will bring them all into the open light Proceed we next unto those duties that regard wicked men and they are two 〈◊〉 from them patience towards them First we may hence be exhorted unto an estrangement from all unnecessary delightfull intimate fellowship with them not that we may not at all converse with such for then as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5. 10. we must 〈◊〉 goe out of the world such a doctrine hath attendancy to the putting of the world into a mutiny and the dissolving of all humane societies our callings relations and necessities will many times enforce us to have commerce with the worst of men but to enter into any league of familiarity amity and inwardnesse with persons notoriously or professedly impious and prophane is a thing disagreeable unto that finall separation which Christ shall make the last day of the sheep from the goates the godly from the ungodly Matth. 25. 32 33 shall they only be our intimates and confidents here in this life from whom in the next life we are like to be everlasting separatists shall they now alone have our hearts and bosomes unto whose curse and condemnation we shall without God give them repentance give our vote and suffrage shall they have our most intimate and friendliest conversation that are as yet the professed enemies of Christ and his Church seeing if they continue so still we shall in the last day rejoyce and triumph in their eternall ruine and damnation Unlesse God worke a change in their hearts after death we shall never come into their company againe and after the day of judgment never so much as see them againe and therefore why shall they now ingrosse if not all yet the greatest part of our intimate and familiar society betwixt us then there will be an impassable gulph and that unto all eternity and therefore why now is there such a nearnesse betwixt us the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous Psal. 1. 5 the goates shall not so much as come nigh the sheep and therefore now the righteous should not stand in the way of 〈◊〉 Psal. 1. 1 they should as 〈◊〉 exhorts not enter into the path of the wicked nor goe in the way of evill men 〈◊〉 should avoid it c. turne from it and passe away Prov 4. 14 15. 〈◊〉 we may hence be exhorted to patience under their injuries and at their 〈◊〉 Jam 5. vers 7. 8 9. Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter raine be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Grudge not one against another 〈◊〉 lest ye be condemned behold the Jugde standeth 〈◊〉 the doore Here we have an 〈◊〉 unto patience vers 7. 8 and a 〈◊〉 from the effects of impatience vers 9. 1. An 〈◊〉 to patience and this is addressed unto the poore Christians oppressed and persecuted by the wicked rich and so much may be collected from comparison of vers 7 with 〈◊〉 6 unto which the illative particle therefore carrieth us ye have condemned and killed the just and he doth not resist you be patient therefore brethren your unjust and unavoidable sufferings are not only the matter or object of but a motive unto patience ye are just and innocent and yet condemned and killed and you can make no resistance therefore be patient therefore you have need of the buckler of patience and indeed without it the persecutions that you are to suffer will not only ruine your states and bodies but even sinke your soules the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the margent it is render'd be long patient or suffer with long patience let patience have her perfect worke Jam. 1. 4. let it be parallel unto your sufferings be as lasting and as durable as they can be and with them you must expect no truce here in this life be patient therefore unto the coming of the Lord that is to judgment untill that time you will dayly meet with matter for the exercise of your patience In the words there may be both the extension and the limitation or restriction of our patience be patient unto the coming of the Lord and when he comes there will be no further need of your patience indeed the habit of patience will still remaine but there will be no objects wherewith to exercise it the Apostle exhorts as to patience it selfe so also to the cause of it stablish your 〈◊〉 be firme and unshakeable in the faith and be rooted and grounded in love Eph. 3. 17. in all other practical graces unsetlednesse in the faith temporary graces that have no firme or deep rooting in the soule will soone betray a man unto impatience and unto it's usuall sequele Apostacy some thinke that the Apostle urgeth the fortification of our hearts with courage and resolution against the most bloody and violent persecutions that are one of the strongest temptations unto impatience Christian fortitude will even steele and as it were harden the soft spirits of women with an all-conquering patience and enable them quietly and composedly to encounter such dangers as a stout Souldier would tremble to thinke of whereas on the other side from the want of spirituall valour you may expect nothing but such impotent whining and puleing language and behaviour as expresseth a lower impatience then a man shall meet with in poore children Hitherto we have a 〈◊〉 of the patience exhorted to 1 From it's 〈◊〉 of the bloudy persecutions of the ungodly rich 〈◊〉 6. 7. 2. By it's 〈◊〉 and limitation unto the coming of the Lord
be patient untill then and afterwards there will be no further tryall of your patience 3. By it's cause establish your hearts In the next 〈◊〉 consider we the arguments by which the Apostle enforceth this his exhortation unto patience and they 〈◊〉 two 1 A 〈◊〉 of it 2. A promise of reward unto it 1. A 〈◊〉 of it behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and latter raine 〈◊〉 ye also patient With a comparison in point of quality similitude there is joyned another in point of quantity a comparison of unequals so that the argument proceeds à minori ad majus from the lesse unto the greater if husbandmen wait with such long patience for the precious fruits of the earth how much more should Christians wait with all possible patience for the farre more precious objects of their faith and hope But the second argument is more to our purpose and that is the promise of reward unto this patience in the day of judgment for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh and he when he cometh will recompense your patience with such a glorious crowne as shall make a whole age of affliction and misery spent in expectation of it to seeme but a few dayes as Jac. b's time of service seemed unto him for the love of Rachell Gen. 29. 20. The very same motive is used in the next verse to 〈◊〉 from the effects of in patience Grudge not one against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the 〈◊〉 the latter words are a 〈◊〉 expression of the neernes of a thing so likewise ye when you shall see all these things know that it is neare even at the doores Matth. 24. 33 the words read in our translation grudge not one against another are in the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the margent it is thus varied groane or grieve not to wit either out of 〈◊〉 or envy Unto both sortes of groanes I shall shew how the neare approach of the Judge is suited as a disswasive 1. Groane not against others out of a desire of revenge for injuries received from them for behold the Judge standeth at the doore Vengeance is one of God's royall prerogatives Rom. 12. 19. Deut. 32. 35 and the day of judgement is the time which he hath set apart in a more speciall manner for the compleat inflicting of it God will recompense when he judgeth his people Heb. 10. 30. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire 2 Thes. 1. vers 6. 7 8 avenge not your selves therefore but rather give place unto wrath Rom. 12. 19 and commit your cause unto him whose insinitenesse will have a more tender resentment of your wrongs then your owne narrow hearts arecapable of No injuries cut deeper in mens spirits than those of tribunals for what greater aggravation almost can there be of a man's wrongs than to have them to be authorized by the abused Law and cloaked with a pretence of Justice and yet this is a mischiefe that sometimes Judges of the greatest both ability and integrity may be unable to prevent for unto the administration of Justice there be very many that have a concurrence and therefore it may be hindred by the default of the least and lowest instrument even as the motion of a clocke will prove irregular if the least wheele or but pin be out of order alse witnesses may misguide both Jury and Judge nay suppose the witnesses give a true and full testimony and the Judge be as the woman of Tekoah said of David 2 Sam. 14. 20. wise according to the wisdome of an Angell of God and discharge his part exactly in directing the evidence in recapitulating selecting and collating the materiall points of that which hath been said yet one crafty and willfull knave in a tame Jury may pervert or disturbe Justice but now against the perjury of witnesses the unjustice of Judges Jurers Counsellers Attourneys Clarkes there is not the poorest wretch but may enter his appeale unto a Judge that can neither deceive nor be deceived and this should make him in patience to 〈◊〉 his soule and take up such an estimate of the unrighteous both verdict and sentence of men as Paul had of humane unjust judgments in the generall private as well as publique with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's judgment 1 Cor. 4. 3 in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of man's day or a humane day man's day by a metonymy of the Adjunct is put for man's judgment and it is a phrase taken from ordinary Courts in which set dayes are appointed for judgment Hierome thinketh that it is a forme of speech proper unto the Cilicians among'st whom Paul first learn'd his Greek as being borne at Tarsus a City in Cilicia others take it for a Hebraisme for with the Hebrewes say they the day of the Lord signifies the judgment of the Lord and so man's day may in like manner signifie man's judgment the like also is in use among'st the Latines with whom diem dicere is in jus 〈◊〉 here is an opposition imployed betwixt man's day and the Lord's day Paul knew that in the Lord's day he should be acquitted and so long it was a matter of light moment with him to be condemned in man's day if a man can say as Job 〈◊〉 hold my witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high why then he is beyond the reach of a slavish feare or a distempered sorrow that may arise from the falsenesse of testimonies from a pack't jury a Corrupt Judge an unfaithfull Lawyer God knoweth thine innocency and he both can and will cleare it if thy cause be just and yet miscary here 〈◊〉 it unto the Lord and he will in his day bring forth thy 〈◊〉 as the light and thy judgment as the noone-day Ps. 37. v. 5. 6 〈◊〉 having shewn how prone men are to abuse authority unto oppression he comforteth and encourageth those that are oppressed with a consideration of Gods future judgment Eccles. 3 16 17. And moreover I saw under the Sun the place of Judgment that wickednesse was 〈◊〉 and the place of 〈◊〉 that iniquity was there I said in mine heart God shall judge the righteous and the 〈◊〉 for there is a time there for every purpose and for every worke That worldly power and authority is no branch of true happinesse but a meere vanity the Preacher proves from its being subject to be abused unto wrong and injustice for let men have what opinion they will of it yet because it is liable to so great a mischiefe the utmost it can render if severed from the feare of God is a glorious
infelicity Now the Preacher observeth that this abuse of Magistracy was a thing very rife and usuall and in all likelyhood he speaks not only of forraigne nations but of the Kingdome of Israel the only Church of God at that time wherein righteousnesse should if in any place reigne and flourish not only of the former times under David Saul Samuel and the Judges but even of the very daies wherein he himselfe lived he was a very prudent prince and his peace gave him leasure to looke after the execution of his Lawes and withall we may well presume that his utmost vigilancy and circumspection were not wanting but notwithstanding all this injustice too too frequently crept into his very courts of Justice Moreover I saw under the Sunne the place of Judgment that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity 〈◊〉 there The offence is aggravated from the circumstance of place wherein it was committed the place of righteousnesse the place of Judgment to violate justice any where is naught but to do it in the Courts of Justice is extremely odious and abominable for they by their institution should be Altars of refuge unto the wronged and distressed and therefore when they prove unto them a rock against which they split and ship 〈◊〉 all their hopes and fortunes the disappointment of their just expectation cannot but adde exceedingly to their injury and vexation as the Temple was consecrated wholy unto Gods worship so that no vessell but what was holy was to be brought therein even so places of judgment are to be sacred unto justice and nothing unjust should dare appeare there and if it do the frown of the Judge should soone scatter it Solomons great Throne and it was a throne whereon he executed judgment 1 King 7. 7. was made of Ivory and overlaid with the best gold 1 Kings 10. 18. and this thinke some was to signifie that from it nothing was to proceed but what was white 〈◊〉 Ivery sound and uncorrupt 〈◊〉 precious as the best gold the morall may be applyed unto the tribunals of subordinate Judges for let them consist of whatsoever matter yet their use and end is not only innocent white like ivory but also 〈◊〉 and glorious like 〈◊〉 gold and from a throne of ivory overlaid with the best gold no drosse should be heard no lead no sentence of ignorance no iron no sentence of violence hereupon is it as Mr Cartwright observeth that the Prophet Esaiah thus describeth the corruption of publique Iustice in Judah Esai 1. 22. thy silver is become drosse thy wine mixt with water and how he explaineth this Allegorie you may see in the next verse thy princes are rebellious and companions of thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after 〈◊〉 they judge not the fatherlesse neither doth the cause of the widdow come unto them But the Preacher having shewn the disease of his times publique unjustice in the next place points unto the remedy of the wronged against it vers 17. and that sometimes is only a patient waiting for Gods last judgment that will review correct and redresse all the miscarriages of humane judicatories I said in my heart God will judge the righteous to wit by a sentence of absolution and the wicked to wit by a judgment of condemnation for there is a time there that is with God in the judgment to come for every purpose and for every 〈◊〉 if men be overthrown in one court and there lie an appeale unto another where there sits a Iudg of known and unquestionable uprightnesse and incorruption they will hopefully and cheerfully fly unto that other though the prosecution of their appeale be very chargeable The lowest vassall that is upon the 〈◊〉 of the earth hath liberty to appeale from the highest court upon earth unto one that is far higher that which the Lord will hold in the day of judgment the pursuit of thy appeale thither will cost thee nothing but thy teares prayers there God will Iudg over thy cause again do thee all the right that thou canst desire assurance of this should one would thinke exclude all excesse of sorrow faintnesse of courage and despondency of spirit for the misiudgings of the highest of men If thou seest the oppression of the poore and violent perverting of Iudgment and Iustice in a Province 〈◊〉 not at the matter for he that is higher then the 〈◊〉 regardeth and there be higher then they Eccl 5. 8. 2. Groane not against the wicked out of envy at their prosperity in this life for 〈◊〉 the Iudge standeth at the doore and when he cometh men will diseerne 〈◊〉 the righteous and the wicked between him that 〈◊〉 God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3. 18. The Lord knoweth how to reserve the unjust unto the day of iudgment to be punished 2 Pet. 2. 9. and their punishment then shall be such as shall throw them below all envy it will then be plainly seen that innocent Paul at the barre had no reason to looke with an envious eye at his uniust Iudge Felix upon the tribunall that Lazarus the beggar in his rags 〈◊〉 of sores and wants had no ground to repine at the pompous attire and sumptuous fare of the rich glutton that the poore Martyrs in their deepest and darkest dungeons loaden with irons and chaines upon the rack in their greatest tortures at the stake amidst their flames were in a farre happier condition than their cruell persecutors in the height of all their power pomp and glory the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning to wit in the resurrection Psal. 49. 14. here the wicked flaunt it domineer and tyrannize it over the godly but these in the last day shall enjoy a full victory and triumph over them Ye that feare my name shall tread down the wicked saith God in the Prophet Malachie for they shall be 〈◊〉 under the soles of your seet in the day that I shall do this saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 4. 3. Now they trample upon the godly and make up the upper end of the world but then they shall be the vilest and most contemptible of men they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet to tread upon the present selicity of the wicked was a great stumbling block even unto a David untill he went into the Sanctuary then he understood their end Psal. 73. 2. 3. 17. when he understood their end their novissima what happened unto them after death and judgment this calmed and composed his spirit for then he saw that they were not to be envied in their highest glories To goe unto the last sort of duties to wit those which regard good men both ordinary Christians and Ministers and they are two 1. The reall expressions of a cordiall love of them in 〈◊〉 2. All actions of Christian Communion with them in particular First the day of judgment should provoke unto reall expressions of
a Cordiall love of them in generall In the prayer of the Apostle for the Thessalonians in the 1 Thes. 3. 12 13. you may observe that growth in this love will be attended with such an unblameable holinesse as will stand before God at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men even as we do towards you to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holinesse before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints Now love is not sincere unlesse it be fruitfull and expressive and the very omissions of the expressions of charity will be by Christ himselfe put into the bill of endictment against reprobates in the day of Judgment Matth. 25. 41 42 43 44 45. and therefore much more their injurious and cruell acts of persecution and oppression of them men dare not affront and wrong those that are neare in place and favour unto a Judge before whom they are to be tryed for their lives the generall tryall at the last day will concerne mens eternall life and happinesse and unto the Iudge Christ Iesus none are so nearly related as the Godly for they are his servants favourites intimates members spouse and 〈◊〉 and yet there are none among the sons of men that have so much contempt so many and so great injuries and abuses heaped upon them as they nothing so much distasteth carnall men as strictnesse in the service of Christ nothing amongst them exposeth unto so much scorne and obloquie as to be a faithfull Embassadour unto Christ and is not this an evident argument of disesteeme of and disaffection unto his person and office the guilt hereof may sufficiently instruct such malignant enemies that they are not to expect any good or favour from him when he shall sit upon the throne of his glory in judgment John Damascene relates this following story of a certaine great and powerfull king riding in a chariot overlaid with gold and waited on by his Royall guard he met with two Ministers well known unto him who were very meanly habited and in a poore plight of body He no sooner saw them but he forthwith leapt down from his chariot and in reverence of them prostrated himselfe upon the ground and afterwards arising he embraced them and affectionately kissed them The nobles that attended him deeply resented this his carriage as unbecoming the glory and majesty of a king Hereupon they addressed themselves unto his brother and he by their instigation tartly admonished him that in this strange veneration of two such contemptible wretches he had forgotten his dignity and dishonoured his Crown The king for the present said little unto him but the next evening he returned him a reall and sharpe answere It was the custome of that Country where the kings power was it seemes 〈◊〉 for the king to denounce the sentence of death without farther processe by a trumpet sounded by an officer appointed for that purpose so that all the neighbourhood lookt upon him before whose gate this trumpet was sounded as a condemned man when the night came the king commanded this trumpeter to sound before the gates of his brothers house who no sooner heard it but he look't upon it as the messenger of his unavoydable death And this despaire made the Remainder of the night 〈◊〉 unto him and all his family As soone as it was day he went in 〈◊〉 apparrell with his Wife and Children unto the Court-gates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expecting every minute the Executioner The King hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elently commanded him to be brought unto his presence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this mournfull posture thus he 〈◊〉 him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tremble at the trumpet of thy naturall Brother though thine 〈◊〉 be not privy unto any signall offence against him what a 〈◊〉 part then was it in thee to reprehend me for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and reverentiall salutation of the trumpets of my great God which 〈◊〉 me unto his tribunall that is insinitely more 〈◊〉 than mine seeing mine heart is conscious of great and in numerable transgressions against him There was doubtlesse an imprudent excesse in this action which I may excuse but shall not undertake to justify much lesse shall I presse to the practise of the same God forbid that any Protestant minister should accept so profound a respect from the people of his Congregation But yet however the example may make those blush if their cheekes were capable of such a colour who have the ministers of Jesus Christ by whom God will judge the secrets of men in such an horrible contempt as that to use the expression of Job in another case They disdaine to set them with the doggs of their slocke Job 30. 3. Secondly we may from the day of judgment be pressed unto all obliged acts of communion with them let us consider 〈◊〉 another to prevoke unto love and to good workes not for saking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye 〈◊〉 the day approaching Heb. 10. 24 25 here the Apostle call's upon the Hebrewes for both private and publique acts of Christian Communion and he makes the neare approach of the day of judgment a speciall incentive unto both 1. It is an incentive unto private acts of Christian communion let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good workes 〈◊〉 one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching for when that day cometh it will be to no purpose to exhort one another and therefore as the 〈◊〉 chap. 3. vers 13 Exhort 〈◊〉 another dayly whil'st it is called to day what the 〈◊〉 speakes of exhortation I may say of private prayer for one another pray for one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching for when that day cometh prayers for one another will be in vaine the efficacy of the prayer or petition is proper unto the time of this life now the effectuall 〈◊〉 prayer of one righteous man 〈◊〉 much and that for others 〈◊〉 5. 16 but 〈◊〉 the prayers of millions will be of no availe 2. Vnto publique acts of Christian communion not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of 〈◊〉 is and so much the more as you see the day approaching At that day all the Saints will concurre unto the making up of the generall assembly and Church of the first borne Heb. 12. 23 and therefore why should any of them that live here together forsake the assembling of themselves together then they shall for ever associate in the praises of God and why then shall they not in the interim joyne in all other parts of God's worship and walke hand in hand together friendly and fruitfully in all the ordinances of Christ then shall there be a perpetuall and uninterrupted union and communion betwixt them
and is it not a thousand pities that there should be in the meane time betwixt them a separation then they shall all stand together in one 〈◊〉 at the right hand of Christ and why now should there be such distances and divisions betwixt them nothing shall then breake off that happy fellowship in which they shall everlastingly embrace one another and what is there now then that should make them to refuse to reach out to one another the right hand of fellowship O beloved the animosities sidings factions schismes and bandings that are among st Protestants betwixt Lutherans and Calvinists Presbyterians and Independents and betwixt both and some moderate persons for Prelacy are unmeet qualifications for that blessed unity agreement and harmony which shall be betwixt all the Godly at the day of judgment and from that unto all 〈◊〉 there is nothing almost more opposed unto this communion of Saints then their condemning and 〈◊〉 one another and from both those the Apostle dehortes upon the account of the generall judgment Rom. 14. 10 11 12 13. But why doest thou judge thy brother or why dost thou set at nought thy brother we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ for it is written As I live saith the Lord every knee shall 〈◊〉 to me and every tongue shall confesse to God So then every one of us shall give account of himselfe to God let us not therefore 〈◊〉 one another any more Why doe Christians judge one another seeing they shall all be associated with Christ as assessors in judgment why doe they set at nought one another seeing they shall all stand upon the same levell before the judgment seat of Christ and at this generall appearance the weake must give an account for judging of the strong and the strong for their despising the weake and both for their rending the Church of God and disturbing the peace thereof however their persons may be acquitted yet their actions shall be condemned and discovered to be nought Contests between brethren are very unsutable unto their worke in the day of judgment for then they shall all joyne in the worship of God as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God vers 11 and unto this sacred conjunction how unfortable is it for them here to be snarling one at another to be judging and despising one another There is another opposite of Christian fellowship mentioned by James and his dissuasive from it is the nearnesse of the great Judges coming grudge not one against another brethren behold the Judge standeth before the doore Jam. 5. 9 in the Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 groane not one against another brethren it is very probable that he speakes of the dissenting Christians of those times that went under the names of the circumcision and uncircumcision in the two next foregoing verses he exhortes them to patience towards persecuting enemies and in this he dissuades them from the effects and fruits of impatience one towards another to wit contentious groanes groane not one against another out of contention for behold the Judge standeth at the doore and he disalloweth all such groanes and will put an utter period unto them as he will wipe away all teares from the eyes of brethren Rev. 21. 4 so he will suppresse all their groanes we shall all be perfect friends at our journeyes end and therefore why doe we fall out by the way God will reconcile all the brethren at the last day and therefore it is folly for any of them to jangle in the meane while they shall not then so much as harbour an ill thought one of another and therefore why should they now thinke so uncharitably of and speake and write so bitterly one against another that persecuters should condemne and kill the just is no wonder vers 6 but that brethren should thus sigh groane and pray one against another especially seeing the Judge standeth at the doore is very strange Thus having seen how the day of judgment is an inducement unto the matter of the forementioned duties I shall only crave thy patience Reader to shew how it hath the same use as touching the manner requisite in the performance of them which standeth especially in foure things fervency frequency sincerity and constancy The two 〈◊〉 I shall joyne together the day of judgment is an apt motive unto fervency and frequency in the foregoing duties 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye alwayes 〈◊〉 in the worke of the Lord estote eminentes in opere 〈◊〉 as Beza reades it be ye alwayes eminent or excelling in the worke of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour will not be in vaine in the Lord for in the day of retribution he will render unto every man according unto his 〈◊〉 according unto the degree and measure and according to the number of his workes the harvest of our glory will be proportioned unto our seed of grace and good workes he which soweth spareingly shall reape spareingly and he which soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully 2 Cor. 9. 6 those that out-shine their brethren here in holinesse shall hereafter out-shine them in 〈◊〉 and this our Saviour expresseth metaphorically in conformity unto the guise of prudent Princes who preferre their Servants proportionably unto the degree of their service he that gained ten pounds had authority 〈◊〉 him over ten Cities and he that 〈◊〉 but five pounds was placed but over five Cities Luk. 19. 16 17 18 19. Thirdly the day of judgment is an apt motive unto sincerity because then there will be a perfect and full disclosure of all hypocrisy and dissimulation God will then judge the secrets of 〈◊〉 God will then bring every secret thing unto judgment Eccles. 12. 14 he will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse the bidden things of 〈◊〉 he will make manifest the counsels of the hearts 1 Cor. 4. 5 unto this some apply that of our Saviour Luk. 12. 1 2 3. Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed 〈◊〉 hid that shall not be knowne therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darknesse shall be heard in the light and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the house tops the 2. and 3. verses are by Cajetane and others understood of the life to come to wit in the day of judgment The designe of Pharisaicall hypocrites is to cloake and conceale their vices and sinnes with shewes and professions of religion but this will be a vaine and fruitlesse designe for in the day of judgment the craftiest hypocrite shall be unmasqued his most concealed covered and hidden actings shall be displaied revealed and made knowne darknesse shall be no shelter to him and the greatest privacy cannot prevent detection what he hath done in darknesse shall be made visible to all the
judgment is a congruent inducement unto Constancy in obedience stablish your hearts saith James for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Jam. 5. 8 not only stablish your heads in 〈◊〉 but also stablish your hearts in all morall virtues graces and duties stablish your hearts 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 1 Thes. 3. 13 for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh and he when he cometh will give a crowne of life unto all those and only those that are faithfull unto death Rev. 2. 10. I shall conclude with Heb. 10. 36 37 38 39. For ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Now the just shall live by faith but if any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of them who draw backe unto 〈◊〉 but of them that believe to the saveing of the soule The patience here spoken of differs but little from constancy and perseverance and it regardes in duties those difficulties impediments troubles and molestations that deterre from them and tempt unto a desertion of them these are so many and great that patience is necessary unto every Christian to keep him from backsliding and this patience must be an active and diligent patience ye must doe the will of God and without this patience there is no receiving of the promis'd reward ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise for the promise runs conditionally upon condition we patiently persevere God will render to them who by patient continuance in well doing seeke for glory and honour and immortality eternall life Rom. 2. 7. But now they may be ready to object that the promise would not be fully accomplished untill the day of judgment and that was a great wayes off unto this Paul answers that Christ's coming was neare at hand if the distance were measured 1. By God's eternity 2. By Christ's vehement and most intense desire to deliver and reward all his people in the due and appointed time and this now he expresseth affirmatively and 〈◊〉 1. Affirmatively and that by a double Hebraisme 1. By a double diminutive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a very little while and the same thing is intimated by another gemination in the like imutation of the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that cometh will come he will come as certainely as if he were come already but because flesh and blood out of impatience is apt to thinke that the time is very long he contents not himselfe with a vehement and earnest affirmation that Christ will come shortly and speedily but goes yet further to put the matter out of all doubt by denyall of the contrary and will not tarry that is as Diodati upon the place beyond the time which God hath prefixed and beyond the tune as shall be necessary for the Church But though Christ's coming be neare at hand in the above mentioned respects yet in it selfe it is a long time off and what shall poore and persecuted Christians doe in the meane while why the Apostle tel's us out of the Prophet Habakkuk that untill that time the just shall live by faith faith in the promise of Christ's coming will sustaine and support the soule and make to walke cheerfully and comfortably But one the contrary the condition of the Apostate is very sad and uncomfortable For. 1 he incurreth the hatred of God if any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him in the words there is a Litotes so that more is understood then is expressed by the denyall of God's complacency is signified his hatred of 〈◊〉 so that it is as if he had said I infinitely detest and abhorre all back-sliders a slavish feare of the wrath of man is that which makes many Apostates but such shall find in the day of judgment that the hatred of their Judge will be more dreadfull than that of their most potent persecuters who without repentance will as their fellow-prisoners be arraigned with them at the same barre men thinke by their sinfull compliances with the times to procure the favour and approbation of great men but alasse 〈◊〉 this is but a sorry designe for withall they pull upon themselves the dislike of Jesus Christ the foolish Virgins whose lampes goe out shall be rejected by the Bridegroome Matth. 25. v. 10 11 12 and what good will the countenance of Princes doe a man if he be rejected and condemned by the Judge of all the earth Thou mayest by thine unconstancy preserve thy state and the life of thy body but then thou runnest upon the assured ruine and destruction of thy soule we are not of them who draw backe unto perdition all that draw backe draw backe unto perdition so that we may say of all Apostates that are finally impenitent what the Apostle speakes above v. 26. 27 of the highest ranke of them such as sinne against the holy Ghost there remaineth no more sacrifice for their sins but a 〈◊〉 fearfull looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries A BRIEFE AND Scholasticall Discourse TOVCHING The NATURE of THANKSGIVING BY HENRY JEANES Minister of God's Word at Chedzoy Nullum officium referendâ gratiâ magis necessarium est Cic. 1. de Offic. OXFORD Printed by HEN HALL for THO ROBINSON 1660. Unto the Worshipfull The MAIOR The ALDERMEN WITH All other the well affected Inhabitants of the City of CHICHESTER HENRY IEANES Dedicateth this ensuing discourse of Thanksgiving AS A Publique and perpetuall Testimoniall of his Cordiall gratitude for their hospitable reception of him and his during the late Civill Warres of this Nation To the READER I Formerly published a Treatise touching the Excellencie of Thanksgiving the favourable acceptation of that hath incouraged me to send after it This Concerning the nature of Thanksgiving The Subject was my first Theologicall Essay which some twenty yeares since or upwards I revised and contracted and now I present it unto thee without any considerable either alteration or addition Many Authors I might perhaps then make use of which now I have forgotten But all that 〈◊〉 can remember I have either quoted in the discourse it selfe or placed in the Margent Thine in the Service of Christ HENRY JEANES Ephes 5. 20. Giving thanks allwaies for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. THe words without surther discourse containe 5 Generals 1. An act or duty Giving thanks 2. Next the time when to be performed allwaies 3. The matter for what all things 4. And 4ly the object unto whom God and the Father 5. Lastly the Meane or Mediator through whose mediation In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I beginne with the act or duty it selfe Giving thanks A thing not so soone done as said but an