cum gemitu fugit the life which is the light of men goeth likewise away with a groane Virg. AEneid 12 Iohn 1 4. In the last day all the elements shall be confused leave their naturall operations so in death the parts of the elements whereof we be made shall be confused and all dead without operation In the last day the earth which shall be the remainder of the world must be overrunne with fire to purifie it so in death the carcasse all the remainder of the whole man must be purified by rotting from the drosse of corruption Lastly in the judgement day the soules are brought before the Lord in the ayre to be tryed for all they did so in death the soule is presented before the Lord where the Lord hath set up his seate of judgement and therefore after tryall and sentence given is sent either to heaven or hell Both unknowne both have signes going before Besides as death doth shew thee the state of the world so the knowledge that wee may have of death sheweth what knowledge we may have of the judgement day As the Lord hath hidden the knowledge of that day from men and Angells so is the day of our death hidden from men and Angells but as the Lord hath prefixed signes and markes to know when it approacheth if wee have eyes to see them so the Lord hath foreshewen signes in our bodie and behaviour if wee marke and observe them which prophecie our mortalitie And as blindnesse shall overcome men in the end of the world and they shall cry peace and safety when sodaine destruction is comming so when men are surest to live long to enjoy the world and improve it to the most then are they caught away and we see them no more I therefore intreate that all men would provide and study what concernes their death when they thinke of the last comming of Christ according to both which this doctrine is to bee applied First The reason of Christs stay in both wee see ofttimes the Lord tary long Saint Peter tells us the reason not that hee is slacke or desirous to put off the time but that hee is patient towards us and would have no man to perish but that all should come to repentance the Lord hath some chosen to salvation that are either unborne or uncalled and therefore the judgement day cannot come untill this bee done Againe seest thou a wicked man to live long the Lord stayes to give him time to repent which he not doing is made inexcusable if God gave him repentance then for this did the Lord suffer him to live Know the reason why the Lord preserves your life even that you may have time to turne and amend beware therefore that this time given for repentance be not used to the hardning of your hearts and heaping up of judgement And this was the cause why the great judgement came not long agoe Time uncertaine that we may prepare Secondly you see that the Lord will have the time of death and judgement uncertaine lest we conceiving the Lord giveth us time of repentance should convert and use it to our destruction that being certaine that they shall come but uncertaine of the time wee may prepare our selves shake off sinne more speedily and avoid it more carefully Are we then uncertaine of the time when we shall die and be brought to judgement First then let us be ever prepared Christ compareth the uncertainty of them to a snare Luke 21 35. Mat 24 43. that shall come upon the inhabitants of the earth likewise Christ 2 Pet. 3 10. 2 Thess 5 2. Peter and Paul compare them to the unexpected comming of a theef Christ compareth them to the flood in Noahs time Mat 24 37. O then how prepared ought we to be For if the bird feared the snare if the goodman feared the theef if the world would feare an universall flood to drowne them what providence how many lockes how many watches would be used and how many prayers would be said When the Spouse is uncertaine of her husbands comming how is her sleepe broken in the night her labour hindred in the day with thinking on him So saith Christ Luke 21 35. Watch therefore for the day when you shall goe to your Lord or your Lord come to you that you may be accounted worthy to stand before the Sonne of man in his comming Secondly And shake off sinne seeing the time of death and judgement are uncertaine take the Wisemans Counsell Make no delay in turning to the Lord and put not off from day to day c. Ecclesiasticus 5.7 If the King were to give one pardon for life or a grant for preferment upon condition to have his patent ingrossed in one day what haste would he make It may be that thou seest some live long and therefore thou presumest for the like Who would not beware of a mad man who killeth all before him as we see death doth every day But as hogges stand by whilest some of themselves are a killing cry for company with that which is killed and so goe away without any care or feare of the like so it is with most of us wee lament and bemoane for our friends whom the Lord calls but never consider that the next day the like is to befall us Seeing therefore we must goe out of the world to make account let us not deferre time to cast off sinne lest wee be forced to carry it to judgement A ship may be overloadened and overburdened so may the soule be if a man heape up sinne never so fast it may be the Lord will never punish in this life that after death he may be damned Israel hath sinned Esay 1 5. Ezek 16 42. I will smite him no more he will free him from dangers that destruction when it commeth may be the more intollerable Theramenes got our and escaped killing Aelian de var. hist lib. 9. when his house in Athens fell sodainly he crying out Iupiter for what time doest thou keepe mee when shortly after thirty robbers compelled him to eate and drink of the hemlock till it killed him Therefore let the uncertainty of the time and feare of greater judgement move you to turne truely to God And prevent it in time to come Finally the uncertainty of the time of death and judgement are soveraigne helpes to make us feare sinne and prevent it if the Ninivites had not feared they had perished as did Lots sonnes in law that feared not Iacobs sonnes at their first going into Aegypt feared little and fared ill at their second going they were in great feare and fared the better Hosea 13.1 When Ephraim spake as trembling the Lord exalted him but when he committed idolatry without feare the Lord destroyed him Sozom. lib. 7. ca. 31. Chrysostome counseiling the people of Antioch to call upon God to remove his anger lest Theodosius should destroy
consider the foolishnes of the damned and the wisedome of the elect because Christ sets out the foolishnes of the one to be in two particulars that they did not rightly weigh how much oyle or grace they wanted neither did equally and proportionably provide for what they knew they did or might want these must be urged that wee may know how much oyle to carry in our lampes and how much to provide in our vessells besides Manifold are our miseries by nature sinne death and iudgement That I speake not too mystically lest the miseries of our soules be not beleeved for few beleeve our report I will set downe our miserie as the most ignorant men either sensibly feele or by naturall inclination doe feare Bern. Meditat. cap. 2. almost set down word for word We are come of such parents qui priùs fecerunt dānatos quā natos by whom we were sooner condemned than brought into the world and if wee consider the first stocks from whence wee all sprung we may say to them as the same Father saith Idem Ser. 2. super Missus est ut fuistis parentes ita omnium fuistis peremptores as you were the bringers out so you were the destroyers of all et quod miserius est priùs peremptores quà m parentes and which is more miserable sooner destroyed than brought us forth into the world sinners have begotten us sinners and in sinne have nourished us miserable creatures have led us that are miserable into this miserable light of whom wee have gotten nothing but sinne misery and this corruptible body wee beare about us which as they have brought them into dust and corruption at last so doe they drive us forward to follow them when we looke into their graves wee see nothing but ashes wormes filthinesse and feare as they were so are we now as they are so shall we shortly be conceived we were not without them yet without their knowledge with weeping and sorrow are we sent out to be banished in this world in which we stay full of iniquities from which banishment wee are in a haste apprehended and presented to give a strict account of all wee have done when it shall be said Behold the man and his workes with what fearefull and shamefull countenance shall wee looke or speake when without speaking our conscience and countenance shall utter so much as might condemne a thousand and how long soever the Lord deferre this that wee may amend the more strictly and severely shall he judge if we neglect it notwithstanding the longer we live our sin growes greater this debt of judgement increaseth Hitherto St. Bernard I need not urge this any more he that least beleeveth it shall feele it most Mat 24.51 his portion saith Christ shall be with the unbeleevers and hypocrites But as Augustine saith Epist ad Hieron if one see his brother in a ditch and aske how he came thither his best answer is For curing of which all the faithfull finde Christ a sufficient salve that he thinke not so much how he came thither but how he may be relieved so my best describing of our miserie is not to discourse that man is so or how he became so but how I may cure or comfort him or get oyle to powre in his wounds or to suffice his Lampe Whilest by Oyle we understand all grace needfull to salvation we know where to finde it Coloss 2.9 even in Christ Iesus for in him dwelleth al the fulnes of the Godhead bodily and we are compleate in him he hath the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psal 45.7 His head is anoynted meeting vers 6. etc. The preparation is set down of all the Virgins first in similitude then in dissimilitude In similitude all prepared their lampes but in this they were unlike for the foolish prepared no oyle for the darkenesse of the night the wise filled their lampes because they feared the length of the night and long tarying of the Bridegroome they filled their vessells also First then that I may speake of their lampes we must remember somewhat spoken of before that this life is the time and place in which some professe that they are meeting Christ and others are truely upon their journey looking and longing for his comming either by their departure to him or his comming to them by iudgement It is therefore agreed vpon by the consent and practise of all both the servants of God and the servants of sinne that lampes are needfull to be prepared for their journey to inlighten them in this world untill Christ who is the true light appeare when wee shall not need Sunne Moone lampes nor candles to direct vs. As the maides of the holy Land even the unwisest of them had this wit that for celebrating a wedding they had need of a lampe that the Bridegroomes should according to custome come in the night-time the naturall darkenes of the Creatures So all the Virgins The practise almost of all men sheweth that our way to heaven is dark I meane all that are called by the name of Christians doe shew by their actions that our journey and way to meet Christ is naturally darke and that we have neede of some light to shew vs the way But that I appropriate not this truth only to true Christians who best know how darke this way is I finde all except them that are truely Atheists to pronounce the same and by their deedes shew that nature doth darken vs in some errand which the soule of man of it selfe naturally intendeth Our profanest sort of professed Christians prove it who have taken and professed Baptisme and all the conditions of it they avouch that Christ appertaineth to them so much as to any they say that Gods word is true and that of their owne knowledge they knowe well enough both what it and the Minister can say these therefore doe confesse the darknes and imperfection of Nature in this businesse and to have taken Lampes Pagans also have espyed this for to what purpose should Turke or any Savage cary the love of any Religion with him if hee thought not that common naturall knowledge were imperfite herein and that it were not able to direct and conduct the soule so farre as it is to goe for he that would onely live and dye with this life needes not any sort of Religion at all But none of all this kinde are so blinded but that they scorne to remaine content with the light of nature and therefore will take one sort of Religion or other by the end as a lampe to direct him some way he should go but he knowes not whither Onely the Atheist that is sure as he conceives that there is no God neither seeketh or professeth any Lampe because he hath none that made him to whom he should goe except Nature with whom he already remaineth of all men his case is the strangest for hell which is
in another letter saith his owne minde with application of it Ad Cecili lib 2 Ep 3. Et quia jam secundus adventus nobis appropinquat magis ac magis benigna ejus dignatio corda nostra illustrat c And because his second comming commeth neere Instit lib 7 cap 25. c. In the yeare 317 Lactantius saith that all expectation was of no more time than 200 yeares at most After the yeare 400 Augustine and Ierome say that many were of Lactantius minde that even in their owne time Christ would come to judgement and that St. Ierome was of this minde appeareth by his fearefull words In Regist Monach cap 30. Sive edam sive bibam aut aliud quid agam semper insonat auribus vox illa horrifica Surgite c. Whether I eate drinke or whatsoever I doe that fearfull voice sounds ever in mine eares Rise dead and come to Iudgement Hesichius a Bishop wrote to Augustine that Christ should come in the yeare 700 because of Daniels Prophecy of 70 weekes which was onely concerning the first comming of Christ Augustine answereth him in the words of Christ that of that day knoweth no man nor the Angels but onely God himselfe All these expectations and conjectures proving false Christ is said to stay long I have further observed diverse who being curious to know and determine the time of the great Iudgement were sodainly themselves taken away by death Wherefore wee are to retaine onely the signes and that modesty to be beleeved and daily expect it But seeing many have beene deceived even by mistaking the signes themselves it may be asked Which of them may wee take holde of as a marke and not to be mistaken concerning his comming I answere The plainest and surest marke of Christs coming the surest of all is the conversion of the Iewes But when shall this be I answer they are letted by Daniels Prophecie chap. 2. for seeing the Roman Empire as yet stands in the Pope they cannot beleeve that Messiah is come and therefore untill this power of his be beaten to powder they cannot see how the King of Kings can reigne and whosoever doth this as they thinke is their saviour and deliverer then shall their hearts be turned to the Lord and be opened to see the hardheartednesse of their forefathers in crucifying the Lord of glorie and their owne blindnesse that so many hundreth yeares could not espie the day of salvation What doe the Iewes see in the Christian Churches The many thousands that are tributaries in Rome Naples All this mischiefe is set downe particularly in Muscul com plaâ— de Ministris verbi under the name of Nundin Pont. Venice Spaine and other places see that they directly stand against the holines of Gods law in commanding publike Idolatry dispensing with blasphemies treasons rebellions murthers and sometimes commanding and authorizing them in countenancing incests adulteries fornication receiving rent for stewes selling soules and bodies and making lawfull and unlawfull what they will commanding people to beleeve and yet they may not enquire what The bookes of Corn Agrippa Ioan. Baptistae poreae Iohan. Tâ—itenemius de occult Scripturis doe plainely shew this and chiefly this last author who upon his salvation protests the said booke may bee used with a safe conscience c In Prafat 〈◊〉 finally admitting Iewish superstition to be mixed with their own permitting witchcraft and conjuration which is the invocation of Satan to be accounted so lawfull as either of them Whilest this Babel and kingdome of confusion doth stand how is it possible that a Iew should be converted or beleeve that these are the true servants of God As for such Iewes as are in Germany or other places neere the reformed they see few visible Churches and know that all of them are farre from the large extent spoken of Dan. 2.35 But when once this is taken away and they converted their learning and devotion shall be the riches of the world that the secure and carelesse shall by their example be pierced with sorrow and turne unfeinedly unto the Lord after which time both they and other Nations shall fall in a dead security and lose the power of religion that Gods particular punishments nor the cry of Preachers shall be little able to awake or make them looke about them Then on a sodaine shall the Lord come the heavens goe away with a noise the elements melt with heate the earth fall a burning the quicke and dead mount up to meete the Lord in the ayre But when shall those things come to passe It can not certainely be knowne but if it be asked When to come to passe unknowne yet as appeareth by example may soone come how soone all this may be I pray you consider what alteration the Lord hath made in Christendome since Luther was taken notice of but 112 yeares agoe especially what God hath done in Great Britaine in lesse time turned out the Prince of Babell indued olde and young with knowledge and other gifts of God especially inflamed their hearts with zeale that they were readier to suffer torments than their enemies were to impose them upon them filled all with knowledge that none were hidde from the sound of Gods word and finally hath cast them into such a security that most have lost the power strength of religion that no sinne wants actours no wickednesse but it hath excusers patrons and defenders hundreds of Preachers are become dumbe and these best heard and befriended that either cannot or will not speake a word in Gods name and these who forewarne men of this state never taken notice of what they say or command O what a security is this Certainely if the great Iudgement day were farre off God could not suffer this so long He therefore that considereth how God hath wrought these things in so short a time may easily see how soone the Lord can bring all the aforesaid to passe and hasten the Iudgement day Now we are to make use of this Death and Iudgement go together I cannot think or speake of this great day but I must needes continually thinke of death and therefore if any say that it is neare at hand then I answere that death must bring him thither If he say that it is farre off and shall not be these many hundred yeares I answere that death shall presently apprehend him and pull him unto Iudgement The world may stand long but how knowest thou but thou maist fall before to morrow the great judgement may be farre but thy judgement may be this night and as death leaveth thee the great judgement shall finde thee Death a prophecy of iudgment Finally so oft as thou seest one die so many prophecies the Lord shews thee foretelling the ruine of the whole world in which the heaveÌ„ which is the light of the world shall goe away with a noyse 2 Pet 3. in death Vitaque
them for defacing his wives Image Chrysost hom 15 ad Popul Antiochen the whole Citty seemed rather to be religiosorum Coenobium quà m congregatio Civium an Abbey of religious people than a meeting of Citizens So if the terrour of death and the judgement day goe to our hearts it will worke strongly against sinne and make us shew another manner of life ☞ Of Afflictions HItherto is shewen the stay of Christ from death and judgement Let us now consider another stay of this spirituall Bridegroome Every faithfull soule hath his meetings with Christ both in this life and after in this life he is to expect that Christ should come as a visiting Father to correct him for faults hee hath fallen into or to bestow his blessings and gifts upon him The first is one of Gods favours shewen to his children God visits his servant here with corrections Heb. 12 6. for he chasteneth every sonne whom he receiveth and where the Lord doth promise blessings this is one that of all he most accounteth in King Davids graunt 2 Sam 7. Psal 89 31 32. this promise is mentioned If thy children forsake my law I will visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with strokes for they are chastened of the Lord 1 Cor. 11 32. lest they should be condemned with the world Iob. 33.16 Elihu giveth a reason that when the Lord doth often exhort us yet our eares are sealed untill the Lord use the last remedie which is to open them with his corrections It is a marke to spie out the men whom God hateth that they * Psal 73.4 5 are not in bonds like other men and certainly they are most punished when they feele themselves not punished at all for then they are given up to the desires of their owne heart to live so wickedly as they list It is both doubtfull and dangerous for Gods servant to be without the use of the rod for looke and thou shalt finde that all Gods Saints saith * Quis Sancto rum sine certamine coronatus est Abel instus occiditur Abraham uxotem periclitatur amittere ne in immensum volumen extondā quaere et invenies sanctos omnes adversa perpessos solus Salomon in delitiis perpetuo fuit forsan ideo corruit Hieron ad Eufloch Ierome suffered adversity onely Salomon lived continually in pleasures and therefore it so proved with him Now whilest God suffereth his children to fall and to be long uncorrected this is his delay as when David without a checke for three quarters of a yeare continued in his sinnes of Adultery Murther and Hypocrisie Mora hec Domini longanimitas est quia non statim et è vestigio poenam imponit In Mat 24. As Salomon Eccles 8 11. Bern in Cant. Ser. 42. This stay of the Lord saith Theophilact is his long-suffering when he apprehends not the sinner in the fact nor sodainly inflicts punishment Misericordiam hanc nolo God deliver me from this mercy by which the Reprobates without bit or bridle spurre on to eternall destruction Try therefore your selves if you be thus acquainted to meete your Master and consider all the children of God and finde out but one sonne Heb. 12 7. that our heavenly Father chasteneth not If wee thus expected the comming of our Lord we would beleeve this to be true of every Christian August de Past Si exceptus est à passione flagellorum exceptus est de numero filiorum That he who is freed from suffering the rod is blotted out from the number of Gods sonnes and be rather afraid to be cast out of our heavenly inheritance than to be a sufferer of profitable correction And sometime with temporal blessings But lest the feare of Gods heavie hand should be a thraldome to Gods servants hee visits them in this life with gifts comfortable both to soule and body David who the most time of Saules reigne was a sufferer looked for this favour that God would yet at length give him some ease and visit him with some worldly comforts and therefore waited when God would be pleased to come unto him Psal 101 2. But because his servants are not to expect their felicity to be here of a certaine they must looke for sorrow and trouble Psal 34 10. and for prosperity onely so much as may ease them a little and as God in his wisdome knoweth to be for their good All slumbered and slept Now followeth the effect of the Bridegroomes staying even all slumbered and sleeped As the time for solemnization of a marriage is deferred and proposed unto a nominate time to this end that all who are bidden may be ready for the meeting But if fooles were invited they not understanding what concerned their profit and honour would neither prepare nor expect the appointed time or others though wise enough to provide and yet with watching and expectation should be weary heavy and so slumber and sleepe the Bridegroome should finde them all short of their intended readinesse So when our Saviour commeth to his judgement many shall be altogether unready and even of his deare servants some shall be weary and heavie and those that are dead found sleeping in the dust And therefore where God is liberall of time some are carelesse some faint in it most men are prodigall of it Herein we see the right use of the time that God lends us The right use of time and the abuse unto which the sinfulnes of men turnes it Our time is bestowed upon us that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome Psal 90 12. that we may recover out of that weaknesse Psal 39.13 whereinto sinne hath cast us 2 Pet 3 9. 2 Cor. 6 2. and that we may come to repentance and make it the day of purchasing salvation It is not for small consequence that daies moneths and yeares are bestowed upon us seeing that all the worth and friendship the world can afford cannot procure one weeke or a day to be added to make up a mans life to be the full summe of an hundred yeares The heavens serve for the framing of time and God giveth life that wee should not lose the use of it The Philosophers searching out what time was found it to be numerus motus the counter of celestiall motions Arist Phys acro lib. 3. so the Lord accounteth the time of our life not the time of his lingring from judgement but of his stay that all may come to repentance so to number their dayes that they may finde them so many steps of our motion heavenward And thus Hilary tels us what is the stay of the Bridegroome Mora sponsi tempus poenitentiae est even the time of repentance And this blessed benefit doth the Lord bestow upon his servants so much as needes for their spirituall preparation and upon the reprobate as may make them inexcusable and a measurer of the
except he be a child of perdition Finally our Lord said All slept few doing otherwise that all may tremble and feare lest the Lord come upon them by death and judgement as a thiefe in the night Tremble therefore before death that you tremble not in it watch for that houre lest it watch for you and finde you asleepe make ready for judgement for feare it be heaped up for you examine your selves if you be some of them whom Christ saith are now asleepe and consider the fearefull taking you would be in if in this instant death should apprehend you and bring you to judgement as who knowes but it may or at some other time when you are as unresolvedly prepared found carelesse of heaven fearelesse of hell slacke in religion dead and buried in wickednes all that are thus found shall a thousand times curse father mother friends and acquaintance the world and all that were their helpers and comforters in this mortall life VERSE 6. And at midnight there was a cry made Behold the Bridegroome commeth goe out to meete him NOw followeth this solemne meeting and the marriage day which beginneth with a Proclamation containing a publike notice a general command Go ye c. As it concerns the honor of the married that so honourable a work should be accordingly performed to the degree and estate of the parties espoused So seeing Iesus Christ who is Lord above all blessed for ever is the Bridegroome it standeth with his honour that his comming personally and bodily should be with the fight of Majesty voice of heavenly Heraulds and attendance of all his creatures which with the time wee are now to consider of And at midnight As Christ when he speaketh of the time of his comming usually doth it by the signe so here when hee saith at midnight hee continueth the Parable according to the former particulars because it is the usuall time in which all men betake them to their naturall rest and are found asleepe in their beds So that Christ meaneth not hereby to point out any time in an age yeare or naturall day at which he would come but thereby doubleth his former words to shew that the security of the world at his comming shall not be as an ordinary sleepe but as the dead sleepe in the night in which many are according to their owne confession so without sense that you may beat drums by them and cary them whither you will Gods word hath not set downe the time of Christs comming As for knowledge of the time of Christs comming the word of God hath shewen us nothing which may make us certaine of the age yeare or day Christ giveth a reason to his Apostles because it doth not concerne you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non est vestrū c. Acts 1.7 or it is not profitable for you If every mans death or the generall judgement were knowne to be farre off it would make his servants faint and weary and wicked men would be more dissolute and ungodly The reason hereof who for all their conterfeiting are often compelled to tremble Vigilate quia nescitis diem neque horam c. Crebro id repetit ut ignorantiam exitus ab hac vita utilem esse ostenda◠Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 79. doubting the fearefull approach of that day If these times were knowne to be neere his servants would be troubled with naturall feare of death which is a greater paine when we feare it than when we feele it wicked men would be tormented with desperate feare of worse than a thousand deathes which would make them leape into hell sooner than need were Our Saviour as he said in the forenamed place that the Father had put up the times and seasons in his owne power so he had answered this question to his Disciples before Admonet ne discere tentent quod Angeli ignorant Theophilact in Mat 24 36. Marke 13 32 as unwilling to shew it and unwilling that either they should thinke it possible to be knowne or fitting ever to be demanded of againe For of that day and houre saith he knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaven neither the Sonne but the Father It is certaine that Christ knew it Pet Mart in 1 Cor 10 11. although not as he was man but as his divine nature shewed him but he saith he knoweth it not Theophilact in Marke 13 32. even as a loving Father unwilling either to deny his childe or to grieve his tender heart when hee is asking some thing which the father will not give he hideth it in his hand and afterwards sheweth him his empty hand for satisfaction so Christ hideth it from his Apostles and us with a reason that we grieve not because wee cannot know it seeing the Angels in heaven know it not and yet are not the lesse blessed because they doe not know it nor the blessed humane nature of Christ lesse glorious though nature hath not affoorded the knowledge thereof unto him And though Christ in this Parable name midnight yet it cannot be to point out the time seeing every place in the world as it differeth from other in scituation east or westward differeth also in houres there can no houre be given which is the same in halfe a quarter of the earth Exod 12 29. Traditio ludaeorum est c. Vnde reor traditionem illam permansisse ut in die vigiliarū Paschae ante noctis dimidium populos dimittere non liceat expectantes adventum Christi Hieron in Matth. 25. See more of the time upon Verse 13. and though the destroying Angel came at midnight among the Aegyptians yet was it an idle tradition that the convert Iewes in Saint Ieroms time had that Christ should come at midnight Onely I wish that wee were so of this conceit that every day past were the last of our life then would we enter our bed as wee would wish to goe to our grave for many goe sound to their bed as wee commonly say who are found dead in the morning and it is certaine that it must be midnight in some part of the world at Christs comming By these things we should learne how unprofitable their curiosity is We ought to leave curiosity in searching of it that labour to know this day of judgement and how blinded wee are in neglecting what is set downe and profitable for us and to hunt with sorrow and trouble for the thing that is not to bee had Saint Augustine said truly Prophetiae citiùs implentur quà m intelliguntur That Prophecies are sooner fulfilled than understood And therefore we are not to enquire for that day but how ready we are for it and as wee perceive by signes the approaching of that wrath so we may call to the mercifull God to be delivered from the terrour of it Our Saviour by naming the time of his comming midnight teacheth us two things First Security a forerunner of
of common light Math. 8.12 Math 22.13 for they shall be cast into utter darknesse insteed of quicknesse for motion they shall be bound hand and foote and the soule clogged to the body and lastly their bodies and soules are capable of nothing but sufferings and torments Mar 9.44 for their worme dyeth not and their fire never goeth out So when all arise the godly and wicked shall differ more then the blacknesse of a blackamore from the brightnes of the Sunne Consider these things and so behave your selves as you wish in the Resurrection to be a vessell of honour or dishonour according as you shall to your unspeakable joy or sorrow finde it in that fearefull day And trimmed their Lampes Lest Virgins appointed to be attendants at mariage be unfitt for the honour that becommeth their place it is requisite that they be adorned with wedding garments furnished with lampes or wedding Torches for preparing whereof they have an appoynted and competent time So the Lord hath granted unto us such competency of time as in his wisdome he knoweth is sufficient for our preparation to meet him when he shal call by death or the last judgement Now when the Bridegroome is coÌ„ming and the Virgins on foote to meet him it onely remaines that they trimme their Lampes as they are in meeting of him So when in death and judgement we are meeting the Lord we shall turne our mindes to the consideration of what state our soules and bodyes were in and whether in our life time we were prepared for meeting him or not this is the meaning of trimming their lampes aptaverunt lampades suas id est rationes reddendas operum which is August de Temp. Ser. 23. that they were to addresse them to give account of their works This is the busines that every one shall take in hand both after death and the Resurrection Our lampes for this spirituall and everlasting imployment are our soules and bodies which are never knowne how ready they were untill they bee brought in examination and tryal before the Lord reade Math. 22.11 which must be in death when we goe to the Lord or in the generall judgement when he commeth to us in both which this trimming and addressing our selves to account shall be used In death Heb. 9. â—9 the soule must be brought to this account for after death commeth judgement after it hath left the body then doth it call it selfe to account how it may answere at the tribunall seate of Gods justice unto which it is then conveyed In the great Iudgement both soule and body doe joyntly returne to consider what they shall answer to the great and fearefull reckoning they shall be charged withall For we must all appeare before the judgement seate of Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 and give account of whatsoever we have done The prodigall Sonne was long before he studied an answere and account of his life yet he did it when he was to meet his Father All this doctrine may be read as it is set downe in Esay 29. vers 15.18.19.20.21.22.23.24 so though men be now coÌ„tent to forget their owne experience and to counterfeit the ignorance of their owne knowledge in all things that concerne themselves yet when they are comming to the judgement seate of Christ they shall search for some answere which may prove most currant for their delivery This shall be done by two helpes first all men shall examine themselves how prepared they were when they were in this world and that this may the more truely and speedily be performed Revel 20.12 the booke of the conscience shall bee opened wherein is written all that ever men have done for as men have bookes to this purpose that they put in them the treasury of things which the memory cannot containe so shall the consciences of all men shew at one fearefull sight unto every man Math. 12.36 the Legend of their life and actions with all the circumstances of them every idle word shall be remembred Ecclesias 12 14. and every worke shall bee brought to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill then shall this power of Conscience Rom. 2.15 shew it selfe either in accusing or excusing all eyes shal be opened to see if they be naked or clothed in the sight of God Our sinfull actions in this life are they which make up this large booke of reckoning against vs for both it is our owne actions and it shall be our owne knowledge and memory that shall witnesse against us If therefore this debt of ours doth daily increase with which we shall accuse our selves in Gods presence let us like wise debters looke our count booke often and be ever discharging some by often examining what our conscience can witnes against us when we finde our faults cry according as our Saviour instructed us Lord forgive us our debts if we doe thus often our conscience shall have the lesse to accuse us of and the more easily shall our lampes be trimmed in the judgement day Secondly the servants of God had other lampes in this world then wicked men had and therefore they shall finde it in trimming and addressing themselves to give account Gods servants for their lampe vsed their soule and body which they offred as a quicke and lively sacrifice unto God Rom 12.1 and therefore in the Resurrection they find them ready to give account for which they laboured so much all their life time and are found ready to goe in with the Lord of glory into his heavenly habitation as will appeare verse 10. Reprobate men in their life labour only wearying theÌ„selves in the wayes of wickednes some are so sensuall that they distast all things except pleasure untill they surfet of it and by bodily weakenes their mindes grow queasie as formerly their stomacks were Dissidet ambiguis semper mens obvia votis Nee voluisse homini satis est optata recusat Auson Elyâ— 15. others for their lampes are enamoured with the lustre that the deceiving world hath and toyle as much to fill the belly of their chests with trash as the sensuall do to stopp their belly full of detestable doung Both these kinds of men of which kinds most Reprobates are have mistaken their lampes and insteed of making soule and body ready for account labor to fatten and make delicate their body to feast wormes withall or to fill all their stores with riches which proves often times fewell to unexpected fire a sword for robbers to kill them withall but sure in the end a barre to shutt them out of heaven and to hinder them from preparing for judgement and therefore how can these bee ready who never prepared themselves Thirdly by trimming of their lampes is understood the framing of them to that readinesse they were in when they layd them downe to sleepe So when all men shall addresse them to goe to judgement
CHRISTS VVATCH-VVORD BEING THE PARABLE OF the Virgins expounded and applyed to these times of security Or an Exhortation of our Saviours to us that we may watch and prepare our selues for the unknowne times of death and judgement MATTH 25.13 Watch for you know not the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come LONDON Printed by W. J. for John Bartlet and are to be solde at his shoppe at the signe of the Golden Cuppe in Cheapeside 1630. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD DOCTOR THEOPHILVS BVCKVVORTH by the providence of God Lord Bishop of Dromore my singular good Lord and Patron THE manifold exhortations of Christ and his Apostles considered with the security of these times are reasons sufficient both to command and encourage his servants to be watchfull and to awaken others both by voice and writings that they hold the times of death and iudgement before their eyes yet for mine owne particular J have reasons leading me unto this forwardnesse not onely excusing but also enforceing me to the publishing of this present Treatise First J was not able by writing to satisfie the importunity of those who heard some of it delivered nor of those unto whom upon intreaty some of it was communicated except it had beene published Secondly I considered that the same Scripture was not particularly handled by any either ancient or moderne so farre as J can learne though Commentatours have given briefe notes upon it which moved me the rather to communicate this Exposition or by my rashnesse to stirre up others more learned to give sufficient contentment unto such who by this motion may be set on longing Thirdly the disposition of men requires that in so necessary a subiect they have not onely admonition in words but that there remaine a daily admonisher standing in sight yea they who loathe repetition of one thing yet love to reade often over such things as they finde to move their consciences unto which may be added Saint Peters example who endeavoured not by word alone 2 Pet 1 13. but by writing also to put his heareres in remembrance Lastly J alwayes desired as both my duty first and your Lordships unexpected bounty in the next place tyed mee to render account of my labour unto you and to expresse my thankefulnesse both to God and to the world for your ordinary encouragements of Gods servants your favours in particular to me and your willingnesse to have the flocke of Christ exhorted by these my weak endeavours who are bounden to returne prayers to God for your Lordship onely for whatsoever benefit they may reape reape hereby J dare not as building a stately gate for lowly cottages invite the Readers with goodly promises seeing I am conscious of mine owne weaknesse and unability to performe neither need I intreate the zealous Christian seeing the title the subiect and his owne desire to Gods word are incitements sufficient unto him And I doubt not but the countenance of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who in name Luke 12 35 c 17 24. c 21 17. c. honour and religion are the same with that honourable Christian to whom this subiect was commended by S. Luke at the beginning will make it to have better acceptance at all their hands who are according as your name imports the friends and lovers of God So praying God long to continue you an instrument of his glory I take leave acknowledging my selfe ever Your L pps most bounden Chaplaine THOMAS IOHNSTON AN EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST PART OF THE XXV CHAPTER OF SAINT MATTHEW Being an exhortation of our Saviour to vs that we may watch and prepare our selues for the unknowne times of death and judgement OF all Doctrines to be Preached that great and fearefull day of account ought never to be forgotton when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven Our Saviour his Messengers have been carefull to remember the trumpet that shall call vs to iudgement 2 Thess 1.7 with his mightie Angels In flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that doe not know God and which obey not unto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall bee punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the Glory of his power Whosoever beleeveth and remembreth the terrour of the Lord and the strict account that he must make will be carefull to walk the more honestly and so frame his life as he wishes to have favour in judgement Therefore the holy men of God have beene carefull to remember vs of the fearefull sound of the Trumpet calling vs to judgement Ecclesiast 11.9 Salomon sounds this Trumpet in young mens eares saying Remember for all this that God will bring thee to judgement He sounds it in the eares of all men Chap. 12.14 that God will bring every worke to Iudgement and every secret thing whether it be good or evill Saint Paul is a fearefull sounder of it to the Corinthians and Thessalonians when he considered of it he trembled knowing the terrour of the Lord. 2 Cor 5.11 In Reg. Monach. Cap. 30. Ierome said that whether he eate or dranke or whatsoever he did he thought that he heard this Trumpet sounding in his Eares Rise dead and come to Iudgement And the Church of God hath laide before vs in our Creede to be said every day that Christ shall come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead Most of all our Lord Iesus Christ who best knew both our danger and remedy is carefull to put us in remembrance of it who in this sermon preached it three times twise in the former Chapter and proved it by the example and experience of the world in the dayes of Noe vers 42.44 and of the common carefulnesse of men in lesse dangers Vers 43. for who would sleepe and suffer his house to bee digged through Now because it stands every one vpon the damnation of his soule that labours not to prevent it and men are carelesse of unseene and unfelt dangers therefore our Saviour preacheth it the third time and labours to imprint it in our hearts by the comparison and successe of wise foolish Virgins But why doth he repeate this matter so often and insist in it so much Barnard Serm. 1 super Missus est Credo quia noluit nos negligenter audire quod tam diligenter studuit enarrare I beleeue it is because hee would not haue vs carelesse to heare that which he is so carefull to set downe and that we may know Idem cap. 2 meditat quanto diligentior est Deus admonendo tanto strictior erit judicando si neglexerimus that the more carefull the Lord is to admonish vs the more severe shall he be to punish vs if we neglect This Chapter is the History of Christ his second comming comprehending in it Division of the Chapter First his vnexpected comming in the Parable of the Virgins Secondly
common-wealth florished Iansenius in hunc locum Mat. 1. that the parties to be maried were by promise and oath bound each to the other as we reade that Ioseph and Mary were betrothed and the Mariage at more convenient time to be solemnized which was done most in the night the fittest time for mirth and banketting as St. Paule saith Rom. 13.12.13 Now while the Bridegrome was at hand the Bryde with a company of virgins met him with lamps torches who all entred into the mariage-house with the Bride Brydgrome Whē David prophesieth of the mariage betweene Christ and his Church he describeth it in the foresaid manner saying Psal 45.14.15 The Bryde shall be brought unto the King in rayment of needle worke the Virgins that follow after her and her companions shall be brought unto thee with joy gladnes shall they be brought and shall enter into the Kings Pallace Thus much for Historie In which we are to consider the Bridgrome the Virgins their lampes their oyle their going out and meeting the Bridgrome of which particulars some appertaine to the second part of the Parable But for the comparison obserue that Christ saith it shall be likened In Math 22.2 he saith it is like unto a wedding where servants were sent out to invite guests in this Parable he saith It shà ll be so likened in this there is no diversitie Gods Kingdome according to diverse states and times may have severall comparisons in this life God is preparing these things for vs This life is only for preparing our selves and by his word and servants inviting vs vnto this Mariage but in the life to come it shall be like unto another comparison to a mariage in the solemnizing that is all time and meanes of preparation shall be past that they who lose this day of Salvation shall be as foolish virgins and said unto that the Lord knowes them not The Bridgrome and Virgins Who is the Bridgrome SAint Iohn Baptist sheweth vs who is the Brydgrome in these words He is the Brydgrome that hath the Bryde the friend of the Bridgrome is he who heareth his voyce Iohn 3.29 and rejoyceth greatly But who is this that hath the Bride St. Paul tells the Corinthians 2 Cor. 11.2 I have betrothed you to one man to present you a pure virgine unto Christ. And by the other marke Christ is the Bridegrome for all his servants shall rejoyce to heare his voyce at the great day at which Iohn 5.28 Who is the Bride the dead shall come out of their graves The Bride must bee these Virgins that go out to meete him Observe by the way that where certaine virgins did present themselves in one company to the Bridgrome that mariage is then most honorable in the fight of God and men When is mariage truely honourable when it is of such as have beene Virgins that is to say have for their actions ben honest Heb. 13.4 for their cariage modest and shamefast Paul saith that mariage is honourable among all and the bed undefiled but whooremongers and adulterers God will judge besides the weight of this judgement of God the mariage is greatly dishonoured when it is of shamelesse unhonest persons And although mariage be a preventing from sinnes of that kinde to come therefore in that case is honourable among all yet it is not a pardon for wickednes past before mariage but as Iacob said of his sonne Reuben for this fault so doth God esteeme of others that fall in the like Gen. 49.4 that their dignitie and excellencie is gone because they darken the honour of their mariage-day The Divell who is a lyar from the beginning hath blinded the eyes of many young persons to esteeme these trickes of their youth which by God are condemned and by all civill and honest men abhorred and it hath so prevailed that the men cannot be securely received into mariage who have not approved their abilitie in begetting Bastards Whooremongers and adulterers God will judge O when God shall either judge or punish this no Crosse can prevent it no Priests Commission absolve it nor holy water is able to wash it away Remember Christs Spouse is a Virgin If you demand why these that are to meete Christ are called Virgins I answer because this is a comparison of Marriage in which onely Virgins chosen and appointed went out to meet the Bridegroome But if you aske which of all them that shall meete Christ is his Spouse I answer Who is the Spouse of Christ Every soule that hath in this life washed himselfe from sinne by repentance and calling on the name of the Lord and prepared himselfe with a confidence in the sweete love and mercy of God shall be the spouse of Iesus Christ But to speake as the Scripture doth all the Elect servants of God who agree in unity of one faith and love to Iesus Christ are his one and undivided Spouse from which notwithstanding we may not conceive an equality of dignity and love to be in the Church to be worthy the uniting unto the glorious God who for worth is Lord of heaven and earth and of love beyond all comparison Ioh 15 13. for no man can shew greater love for his friend than to give his life for him Christ shewed greater Rom. 5.10 in giving his life for his enemies And though all the faithfull cannot bee sufficiently meet for to be his Spouse yet are they counted worthy Philip. 3 9. when they are considered as joyned to Christ and one with him and are seene of God not with their owne righteousnesse but cloathed and overshadowed with the worth and righteousnesse of Christ We are to observe two things 1 Christs servants called Virgins that the faithfull soule is called a Virgin Christ a Virgin the Sonne of a Virgin will have a Virgin to his Spouse But what kinde of Virgin Hieron in Epist Virginis definitio est sanctam esse corpore mente A Virgin is one that is holy both in minde and body in minde because the Lord doth in this Parable condemne the corrupted mindes of the foolish Virgins whose bodies were not corrupted in body 1 Cor 6.15.19 because an uncleane body cannot be the Temple of the holy Ghost nor member of Christ But if wee consider why Gods Church was called a Virgin wee shall the better understand what is here meant by a Virgin God from the beginning ever shewed himselfe unto the people that were his as if he had beene their husband or spouse unto the Iewes he shewed himselfe as a husband unto the Christian Church he shewed himselfe a spouse the Iewes he tooke to him when their fathers were Idolaters Iosh 24.2 and themselves too hee married himselfe to them who by Idolatry had lost their Virginity who notwithstanding after they came to serve God fell to Idolatry many times againe provoked him to wrath
would try whether the oyle that you have be good or how we may know it in time to come the properties of good oyle are three 1. That it be new and fresh Gods gifts must be daily renewed by prayer and meditation 2. That it may be easily powred out what good we doe must be willingly and cheerefully done Senec in Proverb Beneficium qui citò dat indigenti bis dat One good deed done in season is a double kindnesse Thirdly that it be not earthy or mixt with slime so true graces must not be defiled with ostentation and worldly glory The foolery of the Templaries I must not omit the foolishnesse of some who have by practise shewen how they expound this verse the Romish Leigers at the Sepulchre in Ierusalem Musculus in lacum have made it a materiall businesse in their preparation to heaven-ward to have lampes in that Church continually burning and maintained with oyle The Greeke Church follow the same superstition but increased more than the former who comming in multitudes to the Sepulcher Sandes travell pag 173. compasse it often and in the end following an Aethiopian Priest and some of their owne Bishops rush in confusedly to get fire to lighten their lampes which remaine unlighted with other fire untill that day twelve-moneth This folly more heathenish than Christian-like deserveth more pity than refutation VERSE 5. Now while the Bridegroome tarried long all slumbred and slept HItherto hath beene their preparation for this great Wedding now the Bridegroomes comming is to be considered of and their meeting of him But that we may be the better prepared to meet Christ he tells us that we must be watchfull to attend his pleasure and appointed time As the Virgins of Israel attendants on their Marriages knew certainly that the Bridegroome would come but were uncertaine at what precise houre he should come So we are certaine that Christ shall come but what yeare moneth or day we cannot imagine Therefore wee are to provide for his staying as well as his comming This Verse containeth Christs stay and the effects of it the Verses following have his comming and effects thereof Christ in his comming is said to stay long Christ seemeth to stay long 1. In respect of his Saints first in respect of his Saints who in the miseries of this world and desire of eternall life are ever crying Come Lord Iesus and knowing that the day of his comming to judgement is the first day of their true perfection both in body and soule they sigh in themselves Rom. 8 23. waiting for the redemption of their body and this Christian Religion teacheth us that we waite for that blessed hope Tit 2 13. and the practise of the Saints Iob 14 14. the soule of Iob in glory is still waiting till his renewing doe come and not Paul onely shall receive the Crowne of glory but all that love Christs appearing 2 Tim 4 8 Now because hee commeth not so soone as they desire rather than faile his servants in this life would take up the matter with the day of their death Philip. 1.21 and wish to bee dissolved to bee with Christ 2 In respect of wicked men Secondly the stay of Christ is thought long in respect of wicked men both by the opinion of Gods servants and their owne opinion Gods servants doe wonder that God should suffer the Sunne to give light the ayre to give breath or the earth to beare his enemies and that he suffereth Satans Kingdome to be so long without finall destruction Rev. 6 10. their bloods and oppressions to be so long unrevenged with the infinite wrath of God And in the opinion of wicked men Christ stayes long from judgement for some will not beleeve it 2 Pet 3 2. but mocke to heare of it others as Salomon saith put the day of evill farre from them Mat 24. and doe plainly resolve that their Master doth deferre his comming to judgement and that their life is for many yeares and therefore they play the tyrants and doe what they list but the Master shall come in the day when they look not for him and at the houre that they are not aware of if many thought the day of their death was so neere or judgement presently to follow they would not live as they doe 3. In respect of the creature 3. Christs coming is thought longby the instinct nature of the creatures though they be not chained to sinne as we are yet they are sometimes partakers of the punishment of our sinne that the heaven is sometimes hard as brasse for want of moysture Deut 28 23. other times the sea seemeth to be above because of raine and waters all times the heavens waxe olde as a garment Psal 102. the powers of it grow weake that in stead of distinguishing they often confound the seasons now they are subject to change and weaknesse but the day of Christs comming shall releeve them and restore them to the liberty of Gods children which is both to be free from sinne and corruption the punishment of sinne and the creatures seeme to travaile in paine being subject to vanitie Rom 8 20 21 22. desiring to be delivered from that bondage unto the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God What is the meaning of Christs stay Long staying may be either in respect of appointed or expected time although the time of Christs comming is not set downe yet because there were certaine marks given before he come which some observing others mistaking yet most of all inquirers could never imagine that he should have stayed so long therefore not comming as he was expected hee is thought to stay long In all the times when the Gospell flourished When Christ was expected and the curious fouly deceived there were some that enquired for it and some concluded the time which came not to passe the Lord thereby shewing the folly of their curiositie In St. Paules dayes as the Grecians in all manner of learning were curious so at Thessalonica especially they began to beate their braines about this and because St Paul had written in his first Epistle chap. 4. vers 15. For this I say by the word of the Lord that wee who live shall not prevent them that sleep they presently concluded that his comming was at hand for repressing of which opinion Paul wrote his second Epistle unto them 2 Thess 2 1 2. some said that they knew it by revelation others avouched that they heard it from Saint Paules mouth others that they could shew his letters for it A little after the Apostles dayes it was a common opinion among unconverted Gentiles August de Civit. Dei lib 18 cap 53. that the world should stand 365 yeares About the yeare of Christ 250 Cyprian writeth to a friend of his Epist ad Fortunatum that the common opinion was that the end was at hand and
the rest of the creatures are able to witnesse against us Let every man therefore remember how often hee hath received warning of Christs comming Goe out to meete him Now followeth the notice given to all the Virgins to goe out to meete the Bridegroome Seeing at Christs comming the voice shall declare his greatnesse and the matter in hand it may be demanded What shall be the words that shall be uttered in that cry I answere the Scripture hath not named them particularly but in all reason they are like to be these or surely to the same effect Also St. Paul longed for it and yet trembled to thinke on it 2 Tim. 4.8 2 Cor. 5.11 Hieron in Reg. Monach. â— 30 Miserum me dum haec cogito scribo cor timore palpitat humâ—nt oculi tribulater nimium si nescirem miscricordiam Domini Bern. in hanc Parabolam Saint Ierome a man much desirous to have that blessed day once come and yet trembled when he thought on the terrour of it by his often meditating on it apprehended these to be the words witnessing thus Sive edam sive bibam sive aliud aliquid agam semper insonat auribus meis vox illa horrifica Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Whether I eate drinke or whatsoever else I doe this fearfull voice sounds ever in mine eares Rise dead and come to judgement But whatsoever the words be the effect shall be to call us to judgement The use hereof is the same which the aforesaid Doctour maketh of it for he exhorteth others to thinke continually upon this voice It is without question a great bridle even to the wickedest men that they must come to a reckoning for all Salomon exhorteth us almost with Saint Ieromes words and meaning Eccles 11 9. Remember that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement and layeth them in the wayes of these who leade their life as they list When Gods servants thinke on it it makes them tremble 2 Cor 5 11. this sentence We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to give account Saint Paul calleth it the terrour of the Lord which moveth him and others to be carefull in their calling Would to God that this sentence would often yea ever sound in our eares Rise dead and come to judgement it were not to be doubted but it would make us more carefull in every thing we doe remembring that shamefull and sorrowfull account that we must giue of them which would make us often to conclude that we would not buy this Repentance so deare as with the greatest pleasure the world can give Sperne voluptates necat empta dolore voluptas Horat. 1. Epist 12. nor so make our markets in this world that wee should lose in our reckening all our labours Gods favour and eternall happinesse VERSE 7. Then all those Virgins arose and trimmed their Lampes HItherto hath beene the Proclamation now followeth the meeting which that it be accordingly performed two things are requyred 1. That they arise 2. That they trimme themselves in such decency as may become the friends and honourers of a mariage solemnitie the first is set downe in this verse the second partly in this verse partly in the 8.9 and 10. Verses In like manner when Christ shall come from heaven to us all must rise whether their sleepe be naturall death sinne or security and in hast addresse themselves for to give an account of all that ever they did and to be partakers of endlesse joy or everlasting torment The first we call the Resurrection of the body when God shall restore unto all mankinde The Resurrection comfortable to the godly In omni re aut actu virtus ageÌ„di spes est futuri Qui enim arat arat vt metat qui pugnat pugnat vt vincat etc. Ergo etc. Chrysost in Math. 22.23 Qui dicunt non esse resurrectionem that body which death bereft them of and which was detayned within the power of earthly corruption A great comfort to us who know it for as it would be a great griefe to the husbandman that all his store should be bestowed upon the ground only to rotte it who on the contrary commits it cheerefully to dust and corruption in sure certaine hope that it shall spring againe with triple reward for his wanting it for a season so it would be a great griefe to us if the bodies of our selves or friends committed to the dust should have an everlasting winter without a spring time who now reioyce Revel 1.18 knowing that as our Redeemer liveth who once was dead so shall we rise at the last day Iob 19 28. and be covered againe with our flesh and behold with our eyes Act. 17.28 the blessed body and person of him In whom we live move and have our being Philip. 3 21. and that he will change our vile bodyes which shame causes us now to hide from our owne eyes and make it like unto his owne glorious body To this purpose therefore the God of all comfort assures us of the Resurrection that as that day shall be the beginning of our endlesse happinesse so the knowledge of it should be a comfort to make us beare patiently all the sorrowes which we sustaine in our body which was as appeareth a great help to Iobs patience Iob. 19 26 27 28. Titus 3.12 and this S. Paul calleth the blessed hope of Gods servants wherein they shall be declared in presence of all creatures to be they that are honoured of the Almighty and their oppressours and enemyes in this world Psal 149 8. troden under feete Kings and Nobles which were their enemies chained and fettered by the power of God unto eternall woe after that the Saints themselves have censured the Divells and them 1 Cor 6 2 3. Wisd 3 8. and sentenced both to be worthy of everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power then shall the Lord Iesus be glorified in his Saints 2 Thes 1 9 10 and made marvailous in all them that beleeve this is the honour due unto all his Saints Psal 149 9. When wicked men shall see it they shall be vexed with horrible feare and with fruitlesse repentance confesse their justly deserved misery a patterne whereof is set downe in Wisdome throughout the whole fifth chapter Whereby we may see the joy and comfort Gods children have by the hope of their resurrection Ignorance of the resurrection causeth a wicked life fearful death But as other Christian comforts are assaulted by Satan and shaken by our weaknesse so our hope of the resurrection hath beene a fort for Gods servants against which Satan hath warred and prevailed against many and turned them into Atheists and Epicures in all ages who in their beleefe have but this one Article that they are bound to live and dye like beasts as indeed they
the offenders remembring that it is the part of a Iudge qui ponit personam amici cum induit judicis that he then layeth downe the person of a friend when he taketh on him the person of a judge If we forsake our selves or our frindship with sinne when we confesse our sinnes to God we shall finde it to encrease the sorrow of our repentance and help us to be readier for a discharge when God seeth how we condemne and hate our selves for the wrong we have done unto him Secondly there is another thing without the which Christs satisfaction makes vs ready our repentance cannot make us ready Though we repent yet God lookes for satisfaction or one to suffer the punishment due unto us which being performed by our Saviour and the Covenant of Gods mercy confirmed unto us by the sheding of his blood we may justly disclaime the guilt of our sinnes which he was charged withall and for full satisfaction unto God and discharge of our selves cry unto God in these words of David Psal 84.9 Iustus advocatus noster iustos nos defendet in Iudicio quia nosmet ipfos cognoscimus accusamus iniustos Non ergo c. Greg. in Ezech. lib. 1. Hom 7. Regard o Lord and looke upon the face of thine Annoyneed And therefore as Gregory saith Our just Advocate shall defend us as iust in judgement because we know accuse our selves as unjust Non ergo in fletibus non in actibus nostris sed in Advocati nostri allegatione confidamus and therefore let us not trust in our weeping or in our deedes but in the defending which our Advocate maketh and by consequence qui se caelesti precio vident redemptos ad caelestia non dubitent praeparatos They who see themselves redeemed by an heavenly price Euseb Emiss de Pasch Hom. 1 3. neede not doubt but that they are prepared for heavenly things Thus are we at all times to doe and at all times the Lord shall finde us ready to be called to judgement When the account is past Gods servants find it easie to reckon with the world and consider what interest they have in it or it in them That which maketh us cleave so much to the world is the separation that our sinnes make betweene vs and God when this partition wall is taken away the world can give no relish unto us who seeke our comfort from above Philip. 3.8 St. Paul counted the best of it doung and losse Eliah who tasted but litle comfort of it 1 King 19 4. said long before he did leaue it Lord it is enough Thus Gods servants loath the world because so long as they are in it they are kept recourse unto the Lord that is they shall well understand how good it had beene for them if in their life time they had sought unto the Lord and amended their life which they shall then desire to doe when they can neither doe other wise nor gaine any profit by it Christ hereby would teach us that after death and in the generall judgement wicked men begin to repent heartily and when all teares are wiped from the eyes of others Repentance of Reprobates in this and the life to come they begin their eternall lamentations In this life Reprobates may repent but in sorrowing they are either too severe that when they feele it they shun comfort and aggravate it untill it overcome them and proves to be despaire which is that eternall worme that possesseth the soule after unseasonable repentance but most commonly their repentance is too slacke Ahab repented but sorrow pearced not his heart otherwise he would have amended his idolatry And so many bowe the bodie who have bowed little at the heart and therfore though they seeme to repent yet they shall in the day of judgement repent because they repented no better before Labour therefore to end your repentance with your life and let death which cureth all sores bring also an end to your sorrowes and labour to repent to salvation which never needeth to be repented of 2 Cor 7 11. This saith Paul causeth us to have great care to cleare our selves and to be more zealous of our life in time to come They that were ready went in with him to the Marriage and the gate was shut Now followeth the effect of their readinesse some were admitted and went in some were excluded As a Bridegroome in solemnizing his marriage hath just reason to take notice of them that tooke notice and prepared for his comming and without regard of others stoppe all wayes for their admittance So shall our Lord in his comming take into his owne company and fellowship them that loved and longed for his comming 2 Tim 4 8. where wicked men shall not come in the assembly of the righteous Psal 1 5. 2 Thess 1 9. but shall bee banished away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power After judgement is the Marriage betweene Christ and his servants who in this life stand espoused unto him by faith and truth and waite for the joyfull meeting after which they shall not be longing in love nor separate for a time but shall enjoy his blessed presence and company and as husband and spouse love and live together for ever Gods Saints acknowledge this for they finde the experience of sorrowes that they have in their spirituall love for they sigh and are burdened with sorrow 2 Cor 5.4 6. because they are absent from the Lord But at Christs comming they shall rejoyce and be glad crying with glory unto God The marriage of the Lambe is come Revel 19 7. his Spouse hath made her selfe ready Our union with Christ compared to a marriage Our everlasting remaining with Christ is compared to a marriage solemnizing First to teach us that then onely beginneth our perfect union with Christ when we are fully delivered from sinne and corruption and restored to righteousnesse and immortality In this life we are one with Christ and Christ with us but the tye of this union is faith and love whereby we desire none but him and hereafter are certaine to be joyned to none other but himselfe It is true that he who joyneth himselfe by love unto the Lord is one spirit with him 1 Cor 6 17. but at the marriage our union shall be such that we shall be declared to be members of his glorious body Ephes 5 30. flesh of his flesh bone of his bone Secondly to teach us if it were possible how great the bond of this union is neere is the conjunction of friendly love yet naturall love is a stricter bond which maketh us to account the flesh and blood of our kindred as if it were our owne But above all the love betweene man and wife must cause to relinquish and quite the society and company of all others that they may shew that all pleasure the world can give
how and in what holy exercises they spent the day onely for the good of the soule accounting the necessities of the body to be supplyed and cared for rather in the night which customes being used in other places in processe of time they divided the night into severall watches of which I will speake hereafter by all which appeareth how carefull the true servants of God have beene to count and employ their time But ignorance being the mother of presumption it appeareth that this is one of the markes of reprobate men because they know not how precious the time is to make a count of many yeares but care not how they bestow them If God gave time according to their desire they would at least choose the yeares of Methusalah The rich man counted not his life by dayes but counted a part of his life to be the summe of many yeares Luke 12 19. and it is the property of an evill servant to say My master doth deferre his comming Matth 24 48. As they count their time lightly gotten so they intend to bestow it lavishly in feasting gameing and sleeping but most of them with the evill servant to commit all manner of violence and oppression and because they never counted their time by dayes and houres they ever finde Christs promise true that their master will come in a day when they looked not for him and in an houre that they are not aware of Learne therefore to number your dayes and as the Wiseman saith Ecclus. 14.14 Be not disappointed of the good day but so employ it that the time be not lost without some fitting gaine to soule and body according as the times are convenient This is verbatim out of Suetonius in the life of Tit. Flau. Vespas Augus Sect. 7. It is a memorable example of an Heathen Emperour Titus Vespasian who calling to minde one time as he sate at supper that hee had done nothing for any man that day he uttered this memorable and praise-worthy Apophthegme My friends I have lost a day O what lost time have we to answer for wherein we have neither done good to others nor our selves Let them that love glasses to see their faces in looke also upon houre-glasses to see how their time goes away and comes not againe Watch therefore for you know not the day nor the houre c. Lastly followeth the charge Seeing we know all these things how carefull should wee be that death and judgement overtake us not when wee are sleeping in sinne and without thought of heaven or hell Better it is to watch and to be saved than sleepe and be destroyed We have herein to be considered three things 1. The meaning of the word Watch. 2. The persons to whom this watch is spoken 3. What is required for performance of it The word is used from warfare in which the armie ever count themselves to be in danger if the enemie be not certainly knowne to be farre off and therefore adventure not to sleepe without spies appointed and set in the most convenient places to perceive the approach of the enemy and with a loud voice when danger is at hand may sound an alarme to awake others to stand to their defence So soone as any lessons of military discipline were given this was accounted one most necessary of all And for the better performance of the charge which stood them all on their lives it was counted dangerous to trust a whole nights watching to one man they divided the night into foure parts by the name of watches though in these parts of the world it was necessary that the watches be changed oftner than foure times This constitution hath been long used for it is written that Gideon came upon the host of the Midianites in the beginning of the middle watch Iudg. 7 19. 1 Sam. 11 11. and Saul upon the Ammonites in the morning watch From hence it came to be used as a common division of the night David saith He waited on the Lord more than the morning watch did for the morning Psal 130 6. Mat 14 25. Christ came walking on the sea in the fourth watch and useth the same division in this exhortation in these words Watch therefore Mark 13 35. for ye know not when the master of the house will come at even or at midnight at the cocke-crow or in the dawning This exercise was used by holy people in religion 1 Sam 2 22. Pet. Mart. in Iud. 7 19. In vita HilarioÌ„ as by those women at the Tabernacle which the sonnes of Eli abused And Ierome reports of the watches kept in his time whole nights at the graves of holy men which being intended for holy conference meditation and praising of God by continuance in the time of darknesse caused much intemperance and gave way to lascivious persons for diverse sorts of wickednesse whose effects are to be seene in the Wakes observed in some places which are the fruites of the former superstition Of which I say thus much though they were used as first intended to the remembrance of holy men that their life and actions might relish the better for imitation yet with the Apostle that bodily exercise profiteth little 1 Tim 4 8. and how little profit this kinde of exercise hath done to the Church appeareth by the effects of it which have beene no better than those among the Gentiles Of Ianus is said Quam multas matres fâ—cerat ille Deus Ovid. Trist lib. 2. Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 4. in which diverse fornications and adulteries have beene committed and fathered upon the Idols as one which Iosephus named with a Gentlewoman in Rome had beene put and reputed to the kindnesse of the god Anubis and the woman with her husband Saturnius very thankfull to the Idol and the Priests of it if Decius Mundus who had abused her had kept his owne counsell and not cast it despitefully in her teeth A French man hath in this particular unmasked their wickednes to the world Certainly if a rabble who are canonized for Saints by the Romish Church whose mothers were Nunnes were duely enquired of they shall be found according as their friends and Confessours of their mothers avouched it to the world to be the children of Ghostly Fathers indeede But omitting these abuses our watching for Christ is onely our Christian preparation by a holy carriage and often remembrance yea and longing for his comming which is better understood by practise than preaching Now for the persons that should watch No man is free from this charge and lest any should conceive immunity our Saviour tells us Mark 13 37. That which I say unto you I say unto all Watch. From the highest to the lowest none can have liberty to thinke himselfe out of danger for the destruction of the soule or preventing it lyeth upon watching What persons should watch There are foure sorts of persons in this world
it rooteth out all the buds of vertue and maketh sinne flourish in stead of them These dangers we have in us either to lose the grace of God given us or to have it burnt and choaked by Satans cunning and therefore no meanes to prevent and disappoint him but to watch and resist him and the occasions of sinning Our Saviour giveth this same exhortation of watching with the same reasons of his sodaine comming and our carefull looking that sinne surprise us not and sheweth his blessednesse that doth accordingly in these words Behold I come as a theefe Revel 16 15. blessed is hee that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walke naked and men see his filthinesse Thus as a Commander chargeth all under his government to watch and stand to their guard under the paine of losing their life honour and all So our Lord Iesus Christ who knowes our danger hath given us charge to watch or else wee shall undoubtedly perish wee are ever assaulted for our soule and when our life shall be called for we know not Horat. Horae autem momento aut certa mors venit aut victoria laeta and in a moment either commeth certaine death or a joyfull victory Now though every one be here charged to watch for themselves The great charge of Ministers of the Church that they may he prepared to stand before the Lord in his comming yet there are some that are both to watch their owne soules and the soules of others even those who are both to watch ex officio by charge and calling unto it and who have received their names to put them in remembrance of their charge the Watchmen of Israel Ezek 3 1. 1 Sam 9 9. Ezek 34 2. Acts 20 28. Seers Shepheards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops or Overseers of the flocke which God hath bought with his owne blood Of all others their charge is heaviest in this watching their account shall be most sharpely exacted and as Christ lost not one of all them whom the Father committed unto him so they shall be charged with every soule that perisheth by their negligence The Lord chargeth Ezekiel to be a Watchman upon this perill Ezek 3 18. that if he gave not warning to the wicked man he should die in his iniquity but his blood should be required of him To whom much is committed of him much shal be required and when the Lord gives each one according to his workes most severe judgement shall be unto them that are set over others Wisd 6.5 And therefore Church-men are to consider what danger both their own and the soules of others are in if once they grow carelesse or sleepe in sinne without awaking and if they be not ever careful to watch in prayer and declare to their charge by crying and admonition what danger they foresee them in and by their example leade them the way by which they may escape the snares which Satan hath laid for them Now if they faile in their watching they may see their danger by example of others whose charges are lighter Their danger in unwatchfulnes to be seene in the examples of Of all sorts of men sleeping is most dangerous in three Shepheards Pilots Watchmen of townes or those who keep Gates First it is dangerous for a shepheard to sleepe 1 Shepheards because theeves are ever watching opportunitie and when others betake them to rest ut jugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones then theeves betake them to their occupation The flocke is also subject to be devoured and dispersed abroad by wilde beasts wherof are numbers of diverse sorts for when it is night Psal 104 20 all the beasts of the forrest creep forth and hunt after their prey If therefore the shepheard sleepe though while he wake he be as watchfull as Argus yet he may lose some of his flocke and his owne life too and though in body he escape danger yet having a charge whatsoever is lost he must make it good Iacob said to Laban Whatsoever was torne of beasts Gen 31 39. I brought it not to thee but made it good my selfe of mine owne hands didst thou require it were it stollen by day or by night In like manner when the shepheard of soules falls slacke or negligent over the flocke then doth Satan fall on worke beginneth to roare after his prey some he drives before him in the way of all wickednesse because there is none to rescue them nor to turne the sinner from his evill way others he bindes up in the bundell of ignorance because there is none to holde out a light unto their feet nor a lanterne unto their steps and to make all sure he smites the shepheard and then takes his time to gather the remainder and makes the place where once Gods name was called upon to become a denne of theeves the valley of darknesse shadow of death Miserable experience had the Iewes of all this proceeding before they were carried to Babylon and the Christian Church when their watchmen fell to sleep Satan came out among them and raged many yeares This is at large proved by the table of taxes in Muscul com plac Nundin Pontif 〈◊〉 de Ministris verb. Dei filled the world with olde wives fables ghosts and apparitions and made such way for his kingdome that he obtained the Visible Christian Church to be disposers of liberty for every kinde of sinne Blessed be God who hath delivered us from the open power of darknes and hath not left our salvation in the dispose of the confederates of darknes We are therefore to beware that he overcome us not againe we are not ignorant of his practises how he laboureth in every private Congregation Rev. 2 13. hee had a throne in the Congregation of Pergamus and in processe of time obtained all Mat 24. Who is that faithfull steward whom God hath set over his house to give them moate in due season let him heare the last exhortation which Paul gave to Timothy a little before his death But watch thou in all things suffer adversity 2 Tim 4 5. doe the worke of an Evangelist cause thy Ministery to be truly liked of according to his owne example by which hee exhorteth the Elders of Ephesus Watch and remember Acts 20 31. that by the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne every one both day and night with teares Secondly 2. Pilots it is dangerous to have a sleepy Pilot in a shippe whose negligence may be the overthrow of many others It is all one to be without a Pilot as to have one that is not watchfull but to be without one is to want the ordinary meanes to be saved Acts 27 31. according as St. Paul said to the Centurion Except these abide in the shippe you cannot be safe But if like Ionas he be heavy and sleepy in time of danger Prov. 23 34. as it were in the Sea