and drunkennesse the light shines from heaven but thou hast not an eye to see it the Trumpet sounds but thou hast no ears to hear it the Angel cryes Awake ye that sleep and stand upright but thou hast not a foot to stand on Christ cals for an account but thou hast not a tongue to answer O then ◠since there is such a Judge at the very door 2 Pet. 3.11.14 who is ready to passe such an irreversible and unchangeable sentence upon all persons for all sinnes what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse How diligent should wee be to be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse This speaks terror to all ungodly persons whom Vse 1 no not the neer approach of such a Judg can take off from their beloved sins to whom let me speak in the language of Solomon Eccles 11.9 and resume his sacred Irony Rejoice O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Greg. Nazian oratio 53. But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement Let the covetous wretch hugg himselfe in the company of his good Angels let him say to his gold Thou art my hope and to his fine gold Thou art my confidence Let the Ambitious cheer up himselfe with those Honors which cost him the price of a conscience and the Lascivious court his Paramour in beds of roses yet let them know that for all this God will bring them to Judgment Let the Murderer multiply his slaughters as the sand and swill his soul with the blood of the slain Let the Thief imbrace the opportunity of the night and glut himself with the sweetness of the waters he hath stollen Let the Amorous idolize a piece of Damask'd flesh and bow down to a lump of gilded clay but withall let them know that the Judg is at the door and for all this c. Let the Swearer belch out as many oathes as words Let the Profane contemn the Sabbaths of the Lord Let the Judges hand be so fill'd with bribes that he cannot handle the cause of the poor Let the Councell sell the cause for a double fee and the Witness his conscience for a morsell of bread yet let them know that the Judge is at the door and for all these things c. Let the Tradesman help away his brayded wares by the smoothnesse of his tongue and the darknesse of his shop let him inrich himselfe by his unequall scales and wrap up his conscience in each penny worth of ware In a word Let every man enjoy his dearest wish and hugg his darling sin but withall let them know that the Judg stands before the door and that for all these things he will bring them to judgement for all this as well for thy secret and most retired sin as for that which was done in the sight of the Sun what skils it how secretly thou contrivest this mans death with what privacy thou defilest another mans wife thy midnight imbraces shall be as manifest as the day and thy curtaine discourses proclaimed upon the house top Those thoughts those loathsome thoughts adulterous thoughts malicious envious murderous blasphemous black thoughts which thou durst not impart to thy friend in thy bosome shall be writ in characters legible by every eye and thy heart that polluted hypocritical deceitful heart made transparent as the Christall shal give way to the scrutiny of each prying beholder who shall greedily gaze upon that seminary of villany which thou wouldst have trembled here to have been thought guilty of when the secrets of thy heart shall be laid open and the inside of thy gastly soul discovered and that loathsomenesse laid naked which was varnish'd over with guilded hypocrisie Conceive thy self conveyed into the most secret chambers of the earth and there invellopt in the most gloomy darknesse it were in vaine to think thy sins would lie hid unlesse thou couldest flee from thy selfe or escape his view to whom the darknesse is as cleer as the day There is no darknesse nor the shadow of death Job 34.22 Credis hoc posse effici inter videntes omnia ut lateas Deos where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves from him In thy secretest sin thou hast a Divell to accuse a conscience to bear witnesse and a God to condemn Admit thy sin to be as secret as the night yet canst thou think to cheat him that seeth the first risings of the heart or that a trick of leger-demain can juggle him out of sight whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun No he shal surely see and as certainly condemn for who shall dare to speak for thee when thy Mediator must be thy Judge and shall smilingly condemn whom hadst not thou rejected him he would willingly have interceded for Who shall dare to speak for thee when thou hast contemn'd thine Advocate and counted his blood an unholy thing who shall umpire thy cause before that Judge who himselfe hath suffered in all thy misdoings when thou murderest thy brother thou woundest thy Judge when thou tumblest out oathes thou tearest as it were thy Judge lim-meale when thou grindest the poor thou oppressest thy Judge when thou takest his rayment thou starvest thy Judge when thou detainest his wages thou defraudest thy Judge when thou with-holdest thy grain thou famishest thy Judg for in as much as thou dost it to one of those little ones in whom his soul delighteth Mat. 25. thou dost it to thy Judge Now if one man sin against another saith Ely the Judge shall judge him 1 Sam. 2. but if a man sin against God against his Judge who shall plead for him when thy poor naked soul shall be dragged forth in the midst of so many Angels men and divels to give up a strict account before this just and impartiall Judge what strains of Rhetorick shall be able to move 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Greg. Nazian orat 15. or what Mines of gold shall be sufficient to bribe thy Judge what prevalent Courtier shall be solicitous in thy cause what adulterous Mistris shall dare to begge thee the sweetnesse of thy person shall move no pity the greatnesse of thy place shall draw no reverence the eloquence of thy tongue shall captivate no heart the noblenesse of thy birth the excellency of thy parts shall not draw a sigh a tear a groan from any that behold thy ruine though thou wert clothed with the treasures of the east and thy garments bespangled with the pearles of heaven yet no eye shall pitty nor at thy destruction say Ah! my brother Non Torquate genus non te facundia non te restituet pietas Horat. ah my Lord or ah his glory Sinn'd thou hast condemn'd
Christ Nay Our blessed Lord and Saviour hath at once sanctified and strengthened this argument by his own using it when he forbids us to beat our fellow-servants and not to eat Matth. 24.49 and drink with the drunken lest the Lord of the House come in an hour that we think not of and give us our portion with hypocrites in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone Five things considerable about the last judgement All which will yet appear more clear if we consider these five things which set out the nature of this judgement so as may render it more vigorously quickning men to the performance of their duties and more effectually restraining them from the violation of Gods sacred Lawes 1 The Impartiality of it as to persons Rom. 14.10 it will teach all persons wee must all stand saith the Apostle before the Judgement Seat of Christ the reverend age the blooming youth the eloquent Oratour the blunt Peasant rich Dives poor Lazarus the new fresh varnish'd Lady as well as she that sits grinding at the Mill. Heb. 9.27 As 't is appointed for all men once to die so for all that die to come to judgement no prerogative can procure exemption from his jurisdiction who is to be Judge of quick and dead and that is good Logick with Saint Peter Acts 10.24 Because that without respect of persons he judgeth every man according to his works therefore we should passe the time of our our sojourning here in fear 2 The Exactnesse of it as to all manner of offences Matth. 5.25 1 Of Omission where Christ gives us a pattern of the last judgement the Sentence is past onely for negatives for omitting the duties they should have done Thou hast not cloathed not visited not fed therefore Go ye cursed If he who gives not cloathes to the naked nor food to the hungry nor lodging to them that want be punish'd with such whips what scorpions shall be provided for them who strip the poor of their clothes turn them out of their own houses pull the bread out of their throats if not to visit and comfort those that are imprisoned for Christs cause be a sin what is it to cast the innocent into prison to feed them with the bread and water of affliction 2. Of Commission 1 King 22.27 Whether they be open and notorious or private and secret for God shall bring every mans work to judgement Eccles 12.14 1 Tim. 5.24 with every secret thing Some mens sins are open before-hand going before to judgement and some men they follow after Open profanenesse runs to the Bar of Justice before-hand and waits for the sinner Sly Hypocrisie and dissembled sins these follow after The murders thefts rapes burglaries of the prisoner at the bar they go before to judgment the passion injustice bribery of a Judg the partiality of a Juror the perjury of a witnesse these follow after unto judgement We must be brought to an account not only for the outward acts and grosser commitments of sin but for the first risings of the heart it 's secreter tendencies inclinations to sin for that sin which is conceived in the heart though never produced nor acted by the hand Matth. 5.22 I need not trouble you for this further then that one Text But I say unto you whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of judgement and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the Councell and whosoever shall say Thou fool shall bee in danger of hell fire where we may see that if we go no further then the Pharisees we shall come to judgement for actuall murder and adultery we must give an account of all our works thus far the divinity of a Pharisee will lead us But is this all no not onely he that kils his brother but he who is angry with him rashly unadvisedly shall be liable to a future account and brought to judgement in another world for it Not that all anger binds over to judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad textum pertinere ex eo comprobatū dari potest quod iram quae à Christo prohibetur pulchrè determinat limitat ne omni justâ etiam irâ ac zelo interdictum sibi esse Christiani existimant Sol. Glas Philo. sac lib. 1. tract 2. but this rash unadvised anger Over and above the usuall interpretation which the Pharisees put upon this text our Saviour shews there be three other things beside actuall murder whereby this cōmandment is violated to each of which he affixes a severall punishment proportionable to the nature and quality of the offence The first way by which the sixth commandment is broken even by him who doth not actually kill his brother is by rash and unadvised anger which is then rash and unadvised when it hath no good cause nor ground to warrant it and when it exceeds its bounds either in the degrees or continuance of it And to this rash andunadvised anger though it never went further then the brest which bred it he assignes a sutable punishment it makes a man guilty of judgement 2 But he that sayes Racha which is a second way whereby this commandment may be broken without actuall murder 1. Either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vacuum mente optbus ingenio 2. Or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conspuere making it an interjection of disdaining and abhorring Linwood provinciall Constit and suffers the anger conceived in his heart to break forth at his mouth though with some moderation that shall give any contumelious language in calling his brother a vaine and empty fellow a fool ideot or beggar or shall by any significant gestures or carriages expresse the disdaine rancour and indignation of his heart shall be in danger of the councell But he that shall say Thou fool which is the third way that is whose anger breaks out by some speciall and remarkeable kind of reproach and vents his passion not only in contumelious language but in virulent and bitter raylings shall be guilty of hell fire You have seen the three severall sorts of sin whereby the sixth Commandment is broken as well as by the actuall shedding of the blood of man now cast your eyes upon the three sorts of punishment which are here threatned to these three degrees of sin and you wil find then rise in degrees as the sins do in guilt The first to wit rash anger shall bee in danger of judgement where by judgement is meant that Court of Judgement which sate almost in every Town Dr Reynolds praelect in Apoc. Practicall catech and in matters criminall of inferiour nature had power of life and death who punish'd the offender with beheading But he that saith Racha shall be in danger of the Councell which meanes the great Councell the Sanhedrim consisting of seventy one persons who had cognizance of the greater and
bring every work Eccles 12. ult to judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill What the design of some men is Catech. Racov. in charging the morall Law with imperfections and vacuities which were fill'd up as they pretend by these Additions of our Saviour is sufficiently evident and that the consequences of this position with them are no lesse then the utter evacuating and nulling the meritorious passion of our blessed Lord. For others who solemnly professe to abhorr such impious conclusions and aim at nothing in the use of such language but the bringing men up to a higher degree of holinesse and perfection then the Pharisees prest upon the Jews I wish they would consider whether the same end might not be as well attained by charging the Pharisees with misinterpretation of the Law as by charging the Law it self with imperfections and vacuities And if so whether were not more sutable to Christian charity to say no more to forbear those expressions Master Jean's Treatise of the appearance of evill in expressions p. 28. which smell so strongly of the Polonian-infected aire rather then to grieve and give just occasion of offence to such who are as conscienciously solicitous to preserve the truth so exemplarily zealous Antequam nasceretur Arius innocenter quaedam minus cautè loquuti sunt Patres quae non possunt perversorum hominum calumniam declinare Hierom. Apol. 2. cont Ruff. Ante errorum â—eresâ—â—n originem nondum satis illustratâ patefactâ rei veritate quaedam scriptis suis asperserint Patres quae cum orthodoxae fidei regulâ minimè consemiant Dion Petav. in Epiphan Daille treatise of the right use of the Fathers p. 80. to carry men up to the highest degrees of holinesse in conscience and conversation An honest and grave Matron would blush to be found in the dresse and harnesse of an harlot and those who would be accounted orthodox should not contend for such expressions as carry with them but an appearance of evill for though they may be used by us perhaps in a good sense and so used by the Ancients yet being abused by wicked men to broach their heresies under they carry a shrewd shew of evill and render others jealous and suspicious of our soundnesse In points not controverted the Fathers speak oftentimes more uncircumspectly then they would in a businesse that is under dispute and I am apt to believe that if those Fathers who are pretended to have maintained this doctrine of the vacuities of Moses Law and the additions thereunto by Christ how farre and how fully they do it let others judge but if they had but fore-seen those sad and dismall conclusions which some desperate wretches have deduced thence in derogation to the satisfaction made by Christ they themselves would have done execution upon those papers which are pretended to have conveyed it to the Christian World But I have been too long in this point 3. The un-appealablenesse from this judgement he is the supreme Judge to him all appeals are made but none from him Acts 25.10 Paul made his appeale from Festus Court to Caesars Throne 't is the priviledge of this Nation that we have a Chancery to appeal to by such who are cast by the Rigour of the Common-Law The Countesse of Arundel made her bold appeal against King Richard the third Life of Richard the 3 d. to the Tribunal of him that was above The woman in the story who appealed from King Philip sleeping to King Philip waking had some ground for what she did but we have none such for our appeal Non temere è triclinio abscessit nisi distentus madens interdiu in juredicendo nonnunquam obdormisceret vixque ab advocatis de industriaÌ„ vocem augentibus exitaretur Sueton. in vita Claud. 33. 'T is not with him as it was wont to be with Claudius the Emperour who never used to rise from dinner but with a full panch and well whitled and was wont to sleep so soundly on the Bench that the Lawyers who pleaded before him though they purposely strained their voices and bawled could hardly awake him a posture very much mis-becoming a Judge But the Judge of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps he is unlimited in power and untainted in point of Judicature he admits of no superiour 't is at his Judgement Seat that that we must stand or fall 4 The un-repealablenesse of this judgment it can never be revers'd It is appointed for all men once to die and after death to judgment * Qualem te invenit Deus cum vocat talempariter judicat Cypr. de mort after death comes judgment and after judgment nothing but the continuation of happinesse or misery as death leaves us judgement finds us and as judgement leaves us we must remain for ever This present age is the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazianzen Oratio 15 season of mercy that to come is the time of justice when the Sentence is past and the door is shut thou mayest cry and call and plead thine ancient acquaintance but thou shalt hear nothing but that comfortlesse language I know you not Go ye cursed God's Sentence is firmer then the decrees of the Medes and Persians which can never be revers'd 5. And beyond all this which ye have heard The nearnesse of this judgement 't is at hand Behold the Judge standeth at the door 't is a desperate degree of boldnesse to be cutting of purses while the Judge is on the bench this is to sin in defyance of Justice next to him who sins as Ahaz did when hee was under judgement those who sin while judgement is at their heels are most desperately guilty 't is a strange boldnesse in a Scholer to set himselfe to play when his Master is taking out the rod and for a sinner to go on in his evill ways when God hath bent his bow and fitted his arrows upon the string and prepared the instruments of death is either blockish stupidity or daring presumption Oh but say the scoffers in Peter 2 Epist 3.4 where is the promise of his coming This hath been long talk'd of but 't is not yet come nor is there any likelihood of it for all things remaine as they were but what sayes the Apostle to this Objection God is not slack as men count slacknesse a thousand yeers is with him but as one day though it be much to us yet 't is nothing to his eternity 't is but a day Behold hee 'l come quickly hee 'l come suddenly as a whirlewind as lightning in a moment in the twinkling of an eye in an hour we little dream of What if he should rend the heavens and come downe draw the curtaines and do execution when thou art in the heat of thy lust as in Zimri and Cosbies case what if that day overtake thee when thy heart is overcharged with surfetting
evidence a knowing head 2. Integrity and uprightnesse not to decline from the path of Justice for fear nor favour an honest heart 2. Extrinsicall and they are likewise twofold 1. Commission every man that is able to discipline souldiers may not beat up Drummes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authoritatem raise lead fight souldiers without Commission Every one that can speak well may not take upon him the office of a preacher unlesse he be x Rom. 15. sent Every person who understands the Laws may not arraigne and condemn men without commission he must be able to answer that question Quis te constituit judicem who made thee a judg 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 portentiam Power of Execution else all the rest is to little purpose To sit in state and to condemn prisoners and to have no power to execute the sentence is but to expose the Law to contempt and scorne Dan. histor in the life of Ed. 3d. It was said of Edward the Third that he was a Prince who knew his work and did it and his love to Justice is observed in this that he made so many Laws for the Execution of Justice Execution is the life of the Law a knowing Head an honest Heart and an active vigorous Hand make a Judge But all these qualifications shine most gloriously in the Lord Jesus Christ who is the wisdome of his Father and understands the Lawes which himself hath made who is a righteous Judg no fear no favour no bribes Joh. 5.22 no hopes can turn him aside from the path of Justice he is Commissioned to this work The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne And to conclude that he hath power of Execution Mat. 25.41 is manifest by the very form of the sentence Depart ye cursed those words are as other of Gods words effective which work the thing they command they send sinners to hell without resistance The word Cast or turned into hel Psa 9.17 imports such an over-ruling power which the creature is no way able to resist Behold this is the Judge 2. Behold he standeth Psa 82.1 which is Gods posture when he comes to execute judgment God standeth in the congregation of Princes he is Judg among the Gods Isa 3.13 Act. 7.55 Non quasi causam dicentem sed quasi sententiam cito laturum Morall homil 29. Gataker appeal to Prinn in initio The Lord standeth up to plead and he standeth to Judg the people Stephen sees Christ standing at Gods right hand whom other scriptures usually represent sitting not as an Advocate saith Gregory to plead his cause but as a Judge to take speedy vengeance on them for this bloody act alluding saith one of our own to the customes of Judges who sit to hear the cause which they do deliberately but stand up to passe sentence which they do resolvedly The Church when she would hasten God to judgment prays Arise O Lord and come lift up thy self he that stands is ready to come which yet is clearer in that he says 3 Behold he stands at the door as 't is Gen. 4.7 if thou dost evill a Poena peccati sin lyes at the door punishment is hard at hand so the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door Act. 5 9. Senibus mors in Januis de conver si cap. 14. 1 Pet. 4.5 they be hard by and Bernard when he would shew the neernesse of the death of old men phrases it thus Death is at old mens door so here The Judge standeth at the door he is at hand he hath put on his Robes he is ascending his Tribunall he is in Saint Peter's language ready to judge The words are capable of a double consideration 1. As a positive doctrine holding out the certainty and vicinity of the last judgment Behold the Judge standeth c. 2. Relatively in reference to those things which the Apostle had treated of before Take heed ye rich men of violence and oppression Why what 's the danger Behold the Judge standeth at the door Take heed ye poor oppressed people of grumbling and repining why who shall releeve us Behold the Judge standeth c. I shall not ingulph my self into that vast Ocean of matter which the former proposition concerning Christs second coming to judgment will afford only I shall point at the certainty of it so farr as may make it serviceable to the second consideration of the word which I chiefly intend Nor will I trouble you with meaner witnesses then God and Nature to prove it and when these vouchsafe to bear witness 't is vain curiosity to expect others and strange infidelity to suspend our assent Nor shall I multiply texts in so cleer a case one or two arrows from Jonathans bow may certifie David of the Kings pleasure as well as a quiver full two or three stones out of Davids Budget may fell Goliah as well as a whole quarry In quotations of Scripture I would observe the weight rather then the number Should I cite all I should be infinite I shal select some few and those such as perhaps labour with some other doubts the first text is Rom. 14.10 Wee shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ How doth that appear why from another Scripture Isa 45.23 for it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confesse to God But stay Dub. thou learned Doctor of the Gentiles strive not to confirme our faith by false allegation of Scripture that 's the practice of the wily serpent the Divel and of his factors at Rome the subtil Jesuits and suits not with the Candor and Religion of an Apostle but the words in Isaiah are read otherwise I have sworne by my selfe the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not returne Solut. that unto me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confesse Magis expressus sensus quà m expensa verba Hierom. Regula videatur Ribera in Hos 2. Num. 14. Apostolorum ac Evangelistarū mos est ut testimoniis Vet. Testam referendis crebrò non verborum ordinem sequuntur sed sensum Vivo ego in forma jurandi Deo propria 'T is true indeed they are so but though here are not all the same words yet here is the same sense The Evangelists the Apostles and Christ himselfe in citing the Old Testament look not so much at the word as at the sense in which these two places agree That that is the sense of the Old Testament which is given of it in the New is without controversie the pen-men only differing but the Spirit which dictates being in both the same to whom if we allow what we deny not men to be the best interpreter of his own meaning we cannot but yeeld that he intended by Isaiah what he exprest by Paul and so the
words make strongly for the last judgement As I live saith the Lord 't is an oath peculiar to God himself Have I purposed and shall not I bring it to passe have I sworne and shall it not stand Shall not I who punish perjury in others fulfill mine own oath doubtlesse I will Every knee shall bow Those knees which bowed to him in mockage shall now do him homage and those feeble sinnews shall tremble before him on the throne whom in a contumelious manner they scraped to on the Crosse Every tongue shall confesse Every reviling tongue shal confesse him to be God whom once they thought the worst of men and upon constraint acknowledge him their Judge whom they lately executed as a guilty Malefactor The Apostle Jude in the 14 and 15 verses of his Epistle hath another Testimony to the same purpose And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of Saints to execute judgement upon all c. 'T is hard to say Vtrumque vitium est omnibus credere nulli tutiùs hoc crimen est illud honestiùs Sen. Rawliegh histor lib. 1o. part 1. cap. 5. §. 6. Vid. Bez. which is worst to believe every one or no body they are both faults only with this difference the former is more ingenuous the later is more secure That this testimony is true there will be more will averre And who this Enoch was is not so hard to ghesse as what was his prophesie That it was an unwritten prophesie calculated onely for that Nation and delivered over from hand to hand is not improbable we find that he prophesied that he spake it but that it was written we do not read Enoch no question was a faithfull Preacher in his time and strove by a floud of divine Rhetorick to beat down those sins which nothing could stop but a floud of water and amongst other of his divine sayings this might be one by the care of the faithfull continuing to succeeding ages Secondly It might be written either by himselfe or some other yet not by divine inspiration nor never reduced into the Canon and such it may be was the Book of Jasher the upright if a very learned man mistake not Junius in loc for the word rendred Book signifies either a Catalogue of books or else it signifies publick records containing acts and proceedings in a Court of Judicature or Ecclesiasticall concerning Church-government or historicall concerning events and occurrences in the State of all which sorts there were severall lodged up in the Ark which never came to light which might be lost without any detriment to the Canon and of this sort might be this of Enoch Thirdly We are not to reckon all those books lost whose names we find mentioned in Scripture but not the books that bear those names as those of Nathan the Seer and Gad the Seer with those which Samuel himselfe wrote Manent libri tacentur nomina Junius make up the two Books of Samuel the books remaine though their names be supprest or changed so have I often seen smaller streams emptying themselves into the vaster Channel lose their own and assume the name of the greater current and so this of Enoch as others may remaine in holy Writ though being annexed with greater works it hath lost its name And it moves not much though we find not the very words if we find that which is equivalent which is sufficient to prove the citations out of the Old Testament true as you saw made clear in the former quotation Thus having proved Enoch to be bonum legalem hominem a man of credit and repute in his country let us hear his evidence Behold the Lord cometh c. where we have two things 1 the Judge and then 2 the Judgement it selfe The Judge set forth by his title and his train 1 His title 't is the Lord and for his traine ther 's the quality or nature of them Saints and the number of them ten thousand of Saints and for the judgement 't is to convince all the ungodly of all their hard speeches and evill works and all this with an ecce Behold ut de presenti loquitur as if it were within his kenn Enoch the seventh from Adam through the perspective of faith saw the day of judgement even at his heels we are some thousands of years nearer then he and can that be far from us Verstegan in his tract of the ancient English tongue p. 192. which so nearly bordered upon him Had Enoch been silent his very name had proclaimed a judgment to come In the old Teutoniâ—â— language the ancient speech of this Nation E signifies Law or Equity and Noch signifies yet once again or to come so that his very name imports a time to come where shall be the administration of justice according to right 2 Tim. 4.8 Paul when he came downe from the third heaven brought with him the certaine newes of a Judge that should come to crown him at that great day and not him onely but all those that shall love his appearing * Causab in annal Baron exer 2. c. 11. 1 Tim. 3. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now there is a double appearance of Christ the first called by the Ancients 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the unridling of that great mystery God manifested in the flesh the second that is here mentioned by the Apostle 2 Thes 1.6 7. When the Son of man shall come in the clouds and every eye shal see him or to use his own words in that most accurate and dreadfull expression When the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of Jesus Christ c. Not to be injurious to your patience in a businesse so obvious our Saviour the best of preachers hath laid down this truth in the parable of tares and in plain terms Matth. 25.31 2 Thus have you heard the testimony of Nature Naturae naturantis Naturae naturatae now lend an ear to nature her selfe Nor is this word far from thee that thou shouldest ask Who will bring it unto me only unrivet the secret Cabine of thy brest and thou shalt find this doctrine legible Whence else arise those secret twinges girds of thy conscience which like an under-officer bind thee over to the great Assize whence else that horror in thy dejected soule for sin committed which anticipates thy finall doom and executes thee before thou art condemned whence else those renting spasmes and tearing convulsions in his brest whose sin is so secret that none can know it whose person is so eminent that none can punish him Every mans secret thoughts bode and fore-speak a judgement to come whenâ—â— conscience tels him that sinne went before Culpam paena premit comes Hor. Carm. lib. 4. Od. 4. Sin and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who preached the Sermon at the first sitting of the Councel of Dort What have we to do saith he with those prodigious and odious nick-names of Remonstrant and Anti-remonstrant c. We be all Christians all of one body let 's be all of one mind and one way So may I say of those names which are cast upon one another by way of scorn and reproach amongst us What have we to do with such odious titles and reproachfull names which serve onely to heighten our differences and set our spirits at a more irreconcileable distance Now Per tremendum Dei nomen per dulcissima matris gremium per sanctissima Christi Servatoris viscera c. enite pacem c Vid. Concil Dodr. by the blessing of God our Armes are laid down let not our mouthes be spears and arrows and our tongues sharp swords let me beseech you as he did there his Auditours by the dreadfull name of God the Father by the teeming womb and fruitfull breasts of the Church our Mother by the tender bowels of Jesus Christ our elder Brother by the sweet and chearing influences of the Dove-like Spirit that you will study peace and quietnesse and meeknesse and gentlenesse not provoking to wrath but forbearing one another in love Here 's the balme of Gilead for the fainting soule Vse 2 and abundant consolation for him that is opprest Mr. Manton in loc 't is doubtlesse a great asswagement to a Christians's misery to think that Christ is ready to come to judgment Lift up your heads O ye dejected spirits for the day of your redemption draweth nigh though thou be as disconso late as grief can make thee either with sorrow because thou art or persecution because thou wilt not be sinfull yet have patience a while and see the salvation of God he that shall come will come and will not tarry the Sun of Righteousnesse with healing in his wings to redeem thee from thine own misery and thine enemies cruelty When God brought Israel out of Egypt he went up before them in a fire and a cloud And when Christ shall come to judgment Exod. 13.21 2 Thes 1.8 Luke 21.27 Nubes refrigerium indicat Aquin. Isai 32.2 Dies refrigerii Acts 3.19 he shall come in a fire a cloud in a fire to the bad in a cloud to the good in a fire to consume but not to light in a cloud to refresh in a cloud to cover A cloud imports refreshment and is as the shadow of a rock in a weary land the day of judgement is called the day of refreshing Christ is therefore said to come in a cloud because he comes to comfort and refresh the drooping and the fainting soule we are here in a wildernesse the dust of opposition contradiction persecution ever blowing in our eyes but there 's a Canaan we expect will make amends for all We are here in a sea whose surging waves and swelling billows put us every moment in danger but behold secundam post naufragium tabulam Here 's one will preserve us from sinking and will bring us to the Haven where we would be This is the proper year of Jubile Fuller Miscel lib. 4. cap. 8. Levit. 25.9.10 Buxtorf Lexicon in verb. the true day of rejoycing to a gracious spirit whether we derive the word Jubile as some do from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Ram because the Jubile was proclaimed with a trumpet made of a Rams-horn in this sense the day of judgement shall be a day of Jubile For the trumpet shall blow and the dead shall arise 1 Cor. 15.42 and all shall be changed Or whether ye derive the word Jubile from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other significations Jubilaus Annus est annus 1. Restitutionis Levit. 25.13.24.28 2. Remissionis yet the day of judgement is still a day of Jubile The year of Jubile is sometimes rendred the year of Restitution Had a man forfeited his estate or morgaged his lands yet he entered again upon his inheritance at the year of Jubile 2 'T is sometimes rendred the year of remission or forgivenesse if the man-slayer had fled to the cities of refuge and there abode till the year of Jubile he was to be acquitted 3. 'T is sometimes rendred the year of freedome 3 Emancipationis Levit. 25.54 when those whom nature or indigence had made slaves had leave to go forth free In all these senses the day of judgement is a day of Jubile then we shall be restored to the full and quiet enjoyment of that possession which we lost in Adam whereof the earthly Paradise was but a type Jubilatio is by the Greek gloss rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is fausta ac lata acclamatio quae à victoribus adversus victos excitatur G eg Nyss orat de sancto feste Pasch in fine then shall we receive a full discharge from all our sins then they who have been here unwillingly held under the power of the world and the Divel shall utterly break those bonds and cast away those cords from them singing Haleluiah's to him that sits upon the Throne Since then there is such a day at hand when our forfeited estates shall be restored our sins blotted out of the book of remembrance and our inveterate enemies who have holden us captives trampled under foot we may well rejoyce seeing that then we shall keep a true day of Jubile 2. In particular this is improveable to enlarge both the patience and the comfort of two sorts of people 1. Such as are over-matched with too too potent Adversaries who are overcome by might and purse and friends that they can get no justice in an honest cause Possesse your soules with patience the coming of the Lord draweth nigh if we have our houses broken our goods stollen our dearest friends murdered yet we expect with patience till the Assizes come to have justice against our adversaries so do you grudge not grumble not vex not your souls with impatience Behold the Judge standeth at the door 2 Of the Ministers of the Gospel It was with this that Luther supports the drooping spirits of Melancthon and others Nolite timere fortes estote Dominus propè adest Agant quicquid possunt Henrici Episcopi Turca Diabolus consputum occisum Servatorem colimus expectamus under the greatest oppositions and discouragements Fear not saith he be chearfull the Lord is at hand Let Kings and Bishops and Turks and Divels do their worst we owne and worship that Christ who was spit upon and crucified whom we expect from heaven to our encouragement and reward And with this may the Ministers of the Gospel support their spirits against all the prejudices and calumnies and injuries which the world casts upon them Dominus propè adest the Judge standeth before the door Let the covetous earth-worm the debauched sinner the Atheistical Politician raise and foment what
and last shall be a word of caution Vse 3 and that first generally to all Let the consideration of this approaching day represse thy exorbitant thoughts and crush those brats which issue from thy corrupted nature if a filial fear bridle them not this slavish must and will bee a good needle to introduce the other When thoughts of malice and murder spring up in thee as in a Gen. 4.8 Cain of oppression as in b 1 King 21. Ahab of rebellion as in c Num. 16.2.3 Corah of idolatry as in the d Exod. 32.2 Israelites of hypocrisie as in e Acts 5.6 Ananias when any speaking eye would insnare thy heart any lascivious gesture kindle thy bloud or when f Gen. 39.7 Potiphars wife putting off woman and modesty together shall in plain terms say Come lie with me answer them all as Joseph did that strumpet g Verse 9 How shall I doe this great wickednesse and sin against God How shall I provoke that Majesty who is all eye and must needs see who is all hand and must needs strike who shall intercede for me at the day of judgement or wipe away that staine which this sin will contract this sin though it be sweet in the mouth will prove gall in the stomack For the Lord cometh in flaming fire Ribera in 2d of Amos 3. Exoritur clamorque virum clangorque tubarum Virg. to render to every man according to his works the Judge is at the very door and comes ushered with the sound of the trumpet tuba signum belli the trumpet strikes horrour and amazement into every ear and who shall free me from his anger who comes to take vengeance of my sin who shall free me from that scorching fire which hath heat to burn but not light to discover a way to escape 2. This may caution those particular ranks of men who are to be imployed in the publick administration of justice which is the proper work of this day and first to begin with the stars of the greatest magnitude that move in this Orbe My Lords and Gentlemen I shall not take upon me the confidence of chalking out your severall duties to you whom I presume every way fitted for those imployments which your Commissions impower you to execute onely let me to use the a 2 Pet. 3.1 Apostles words stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance that you may be mindfull of the words spoken by the holy Prophets and because I would not clog your Lordships memories which have such variety and weight of affairs upon them I shall mind you of only two texts which I would have not written only on your b Matth. 23.5 Phylacteries as the Pharisees were wont to do but in your memories and that you would constantly repeat them every night when you lie down and every morning when you rise the first is 2 Chronicl 19.6 7. And he said to the Judges Take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor taking of gifts You are God's Judges you must judge with sutable integrity his you are and he is with you in the judgement God is in a more speciall manner with you on the Bench Psal 82.1 he sitteth and judgeth among the Gods he is there to be a witnesse of what you do and as a Judge to reward your righteous service and to avenge your mis-doings When you go to the Bench look well into your hearts if there be any thing of fear or favour or spleen or prejudice or profit that may turn you from the path of justice take heed what you do Deus videt That God sees who must be your Judge And as he is there to awe you from false and corrupt judgment so to encourage you in upright and just judgement when you judge advisedly and justly you may do it boldly and severely too God is with you in the judgement he will bear you out against the proudest offender An act of indemnity is already drawn up in heaven for you and when you your selves shal be brought before this Judge in the Text your entertainment shall be Euge bone serve Well done Matth. 25.21 thou good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull in a few things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. The next Scripture is that Micah 6.8 which though in generall terms it reaches all yet in a more peculiar manner belongs to you He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requires of thee to do justice to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Some of the Rabbins say that this ver is the abridgment of the whole Law If I mistake not 't is the sum of your Commissious wherein are contained your duties to man in the works of the second and your duties to God in the works of the first Table your dutie to man in two things 1. Do justice 2. Love mercy 1. Do justice Justice is the life bloud that quickens and actuates the whole Body of the Commonwealth There is a twofold Injustice whereby this holy Command of God is broken 1. Negative not relieving the poor not righting the widow and the fatherlesse when they justly complaine Petit disner longuement attendu n' pas donnee mais cheremens vendu not to do them right is to do them wrong to delay justice is a breach of Magna Charta as well as to deny it What the French-man sayes of a little dinner for which we waite long that 't is not given but dearly bought that we may truely say of justice He that did justice at the last because it was so long first and then he did it meerly upon importunity lies under the black character of an unjust Judge still Luke 18.2 A good work impiously managed merits no more then an evill one not to do justice to the oppressed or to do it only for your own sakes credit quiet profit are both sins which you must answer for to the Judge who stands before the door Micah 7.3 2. Positive Injustice where evill is done with both hands greedily the Prince asketh and the Judge asketh for a reward and the great man utters his mischievous desires and so they wrap it up when through fear or favour of men the poor is turned from his right in the gate when the Judges favour is cast into one scale and makes it sink too fast If not to do justice be a sin what a crime is it to do wrong If not to relieve the distressed in their cause be injustice what is it to grind their faces if you prove not a shield to protect them which is your duty but a spear and sword to wound them if you prove not a bush to shelter