shall lose their light and vttâ—rly cease to measure time by their motion leauing the same to passe on without end or intermission till the Lord be fully auenged vpon all the wicked in hell Therfore are all the torments of the reprobate noted with the Epithets of Eternity and perpetuitie The shame that shall couer their face Dan. 12.2 Mar. 9.44 is perpetuall the worme that gnaweth their conscience neuer dyeth Mat. 25.46 the pain which they shall go into is endles the fire that shall deuoure them Iude. 7. is eternall the torments of the fierie lake last for euer Reu. 20.10 the perdition which shall punish them from the throne of the Lord 2. Thes 1.9 and the glorie of his power is euerlasting and the death which they suffer is an euerlasting death It goeth hard with a man that would faine dye but cannot and such shall be the conditioÌ„ of the damned as Saint Iohn speaketh of certaine men Reu. 9.6 They shall seeke death but shall not find it and shall desire to die but death shall flie from them And it is a iust recompence that they which might haue found life but would not seeke it should now seeke for death and not find it Thus shall they be like to a man that lyes with many waights vpon him to bee pressed to death crying and calling for more waights to dispatch him but alas hee cannot get them so shall they wish euen an increase of torments to end their liues but it shall not bee graunted That is a fearefull iudgement which the Lord threateneth to the Iewes Behold Ier. 8.17 I will send Serpents and Cockatrices among you which will not be charmed but this is a farre greater iudgement that the Lord will cast men into the euerlasting fire Mat. 3.12 that shall neuer be quenched If those who are shut vp in the dungeon of hell had so many thousand yeares to endure there as there bee sands on the shore fishes in the sea stars in the firmament or grasse in the field there were some hope and comfort though God knowes it were very small but when so many millions of ages and worlds are passed ouer their torments alas for pitie are as fresh and new to beginne againe as euer they were according to that of Gregory They poore wretches haue a death without a death Mor. lib. 9. cap. 48. an end without an end a defect without a defect for the death liueth the end alway beginneth and the defect neuer faileth Is it possible for Almightie God not to be eternall neither is it possible for the punishment of the wicked in hell to be temporall offences against an infinite Maiestie require an infinite punishment Many to embolden themselues to sinne in this life are willing to remember that Gods mercie endureth for euer but such shall in the life to come receiue the reward of their sinnes and prooue against their willes that the arme of his iustice is as large as the arme of his mercie and that his wrath and indignation also endureth for euer Dauid hath a dolefull complaint Will the Lord absent himselfe for euer Psal 77.7 and will hee shew no more fauour is his mercie cleane gone for euer hath God forgotten to be gracious and hath he shut vp his tender mercies in displeasure Alas this were a pitifull case indeed he hath not dealt thus with Dauid but hee will deale so with all the damned Of many things in the world me thinkes this is most admirable That men perswading and assuring themselues there are such pains prepared for the wicked do yet liue as though they feared no such thing some making but a iest of sin Prou. 14.9 Iob. 15.16 others drinking it vp like water Oh God is mercifull thou wilt say not desiring the death of a sinner and that giues them hope I but to whom is God mercifull to all nay shall not the greatest part of the world tast of his heauie indignation Mat. 7. What to euery man how lewd so euer he bee nay hee hath threatened that to a man going presumptuously on in his lewdnesse without remorse Deut. 29.20 he will not be mercifull If it were bruted for certaine that in a citie where there are thousands the Prince would shortly vse some strange and seuere execution vpon an hundred but vpon whom it were vncertaine would it not cause euerie man to tremble If it were told ten going ouer a bridge that one of them should fall into the water would it not make euery one looke to his feete lest he should be the man If a skilfull Phisitian should assure a towne that many in it were infected with some daungerous disease what running and riding would there be to Phisitians to preuent the same Behold now men do heare that the King of Kings will shortly come to execute his fierce wrath vpon many Rev. 22.12 Iude. 13. they know that not one of ten but rather nine of ten are in danger of falling from the bridge of iniquitie into the pit of eternall destruction Mat. 7. and see that in euery towne many are infected with those daungerous diseases which bring eternall death yet how few are found that tremble looke to theÌ„selues or seeke to the Phisitian of their soules that they may escape these daungers Who would for thousands of goldly burning in the fire for only one dayes space who is so mad that he would for one houres pleasure be racked a whole yeare together and yet alas how many are there that for trifles doe damne themselues to the fire of hell and how many that for foolish and sottish sinnes such as are odious in the sight of God hatefull to men and hurtfull to their owne health do bring them selues to the racke and torments which endure not for an howre or a yeare but for euer and euer and if it were possible for euer and after If euer it please God to visite thee with sicknes thinke with thy selfe deare Christian as thou sittest or lyest in thy bed how irkesome it would bee to thee if thou shouldest lye alwayes in that small paine without comfort or company of friends and if that seeme tedious to thee bethinke thy selfe how gieuous it will bee to lye in the vnspeakeable torments of hell without all comfort and companie saue of the terrible fiends and miserable soules of hell and that world without end and this meditation must needes mollifie thy heart and humble thy soule But alas men do not remember or else do onely superficially consider these things But I beseech thee for Gods sake who created thee like himselfe for Christs sake who shed his bloud and dyed to redeeme thee and for thy soules sake which should be more precious to thee then ten thousand worlds let not these infinite torments bee passed ouer with a short or shallow consideration but engraue the remembrance thereof in the most sensible and secret part of
we leade a sanctified life for such honour and happinesse haue all his Saints SECT 3. The third steppe into heauen at the day of iudgement namely The comfortable and honorable sentence of acquiting Come you blessed of my Father THe Lord by his Euangelicall Prophet did in times past make this gracious promise concerning his forlorne desolate Church In an acceptable time haue I heard thee Esa 49 8. in the day of saluation haue I helped thee And Saint Paule making the time of promulgation of the Gospell the period of his promise addeth by the way of exemplification 2. Cor. 6.2 Behold now the accepted time behold the day of saluation If the Apostle spake thus of the time wherein saluation was published and offered how much more may it bee said of the day wherein saluation is giuen and receiued Behold the day of saluation euen now behold it when the Sauiour of the world is become the Iudge of the world and shall pronounce the comfortable sentence of mercie and absolution Come yee blessed of my Father Mat. 25.34 possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world In which sentence euery word hath his woorth and weight and deserues to be ingraued in letters of gold Come saith Christ there is a blessed vocation ye blessed of my Father a gracious appellation possâ—sse the kingdome a happie exaltation prepared for you from the beginning of the world the foundation of all consolation It is worthie the obseruation that all Christs words are words of consolation his deedes are deedes of compassion and his workes the workes of propitiation Thus is Christ alwaies lâ—ke himselfe exceeding compassionate In the time of his life hee cryes Come vnto me all you that labour and are heauie laden Mat. 11.28 and I will refresh you Ioh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke At his death vpon the crosse his armes are stretched out and his bloud gusheth forth as if he should say Come that I may wash thee come that I may embrace thee At the day of iudgement he cals Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the kingdome prepared for you And this Come is most comfortable of all others being such a word as Salomon speakes of Like apples of gold Prou. 25.11 with pictures of siluer euen as precious and pleasant as possibly may be Come yea but who You blessed of my father There are sundry kinds of blessings mentioned in the word of God Psal 5. Thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous and with fauour wilt crowne him as with a shield there is the blessing of protection The Lord blessed the house of O bed Edom 1. Ch. 13.14 and all that hee had there is the blessing of prosperitie Psa 128.3 Thy children shall bee like the Oliue plants round about thy table there is the blessing of procreatioÌ„ Thou crownest the yeare with thy goodnesse Psal 65.11 and thy steppes droppe fatnesse there is the blessing of plentie Euen in these and such like are the godlâ— often blessed but the Blessing of blessings is that which is here mentioned Come you blessed Mat. 25.34 receiue the kingdome And this blessednesse is both obtained by Christ and pronounced by him Isaiah 65.8 Destroy not my Vine saith the Lord and why for a blessing is in it Receiue the kingdome saith our Sauiour why because you are the blessed of my Father Happie are the people that are in such a case yea happie and thrise happie are they who are the blessed of the Lord. Our Sauiour somtimes promiseth the kingdome of God Luk. 12. Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers will to giue you a kingdome Sometimes hee exhorteth men to seeke the kingdome of God Mat. 6. First seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and his promise is comfortable his exhortation profitable But behold here hee takes men by the hand and bids them come and take possession of the kingdome which is much more comfortable because fruition farre exceedeth expectation That was a gladsome speech of Christ to the penitent thiefe Luk. 23.43 This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise but this is farre more gladsom when Christ shall say Come and possesse it and so shall presently take both soule and bodie into his eternall kingdome If Dauid said Psa 1.122 I was glad when they said vnto me We will go into the house of the Lord how ioyfull and glad shall the children of God be wheÌ„ Christ shall say vnto them Come you blessed of my Father into the house of God euen the kingdome of heauen This was Gods bountifull goodnesse to Adam that before he was created the Lord had prouided abundantly for him and furnished most exquisitly as it were for a great guest the tables both of heauen the earth and the sea with all things necessarie for his vse and delight But behold here a greater mercie of the Lord towards the elect that altogether without their merite not onely before they were borne but euen before the foundations of the world were laid the Lord hath prepared a blessed and glorious kingdome for theÌ„ And this is the elects happinesse that at the last day when these foundations of heauen and earth shall bee shaken Christ will call them most graciously to possesse the kingdome which cannot be shaken Heb. 12. Wee reade in the first of Luke Luk. 1.44 that Elizabeth wondered at the blessed Virgins visiting of her and said that so soone as the voice of her salutation sounded in her eares the babe in her wombe did leape for ioy Shall not our Sauiours sentence bee more admirable then the Virgins salutation and as soone as it sounds in the eares of the elect shall it not cause the hearts in their bellies euen to leape for ioy Seeing now that the condition of the godly is so happie that they shall bee partakers of this thrise happie sentence let euery ones care and carriage bee such that he may enioy the comfort thereof For as they onely are the sheepe of Christ which heare his voice in the ministerie of his holy word Ioh. 10.27 and follow him in the steppes of righteousnesse so shall they onely be the sheepe on his right hand they onely shall heare him say vnto them Come you blessed of my Father and follow him into his kingdome Mat. 25.33 To those that haue fedde him being hungrie clothed him being naked and visited him being sicke and in prison to those that haue sanctified his Sabboths honoured his name embraced his word and dealt vprightly with their neighbours to them I say doth this blessing belong Let no man then bee ouercome with Dauids infirmitie to say I haue cleansed my heart in vaine and washed my hands in innocencie For the Apostles words shall euer bee found true Your worke shall not bee in vaine in the Lord. 1. Co. 15.58 And behold here
world must be brought to iudgement before him There are two principall things in our Sauiours appearing that shall abash and terrifie the wicked first his exceeding great maiestie secondly the strictnesse of his iudgement 1 The Scriptures in setting foorth the Maiestie of his comming are very copious He shall come in the cloudes of the heauen with power and great glorie Mat. 24.30 that men may behold him in his maiestie whom they would not before vouchsafe to looke vpon in his humilitie Esa 53.3 And this Maiestie shall be conspicuous and glorious in diuerse respects 1 In respect of the admirable signes that go before him which shall be correspondent to his admirable Maiestie Saint Matthew describeth them thus Mat. 24.29 And immediatly after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken An eclipse being great hath bene very fearefull to some and the darkenesse at our Sauiours passion made the world to wonder how fearefull then and how wonderfull shall the comming of Christ to iudgement bee when the Sunne and Moone and Starres shall all lose their light and the heauens with their powerfull influences be vtterly obscured as inferiour lights are wont at the bright shining and glorious appearing of Christ Iesus When the Maister of the family dieth Chrysost in Mat. hom 49. the house is troubled the seruants lament and put on mourning apparell so when man the inhabitant of the world is neare his end and comming to his triall his old friends and seruants both in heauen and earth do thus clothe themselues in mourning weedes being also abashed to behold the glorie of the Sauiour of the world Saint Luke likewise saith Luk. 21.25 There shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and the waters shall roare and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after these things that shall come vpon the world Onely an earthquake if it be vehement is verie fearefull and the inundation of waters terrible but now when the whole massie globe of the earth shall totter and shake the mightie seas roare and rage and the glorious heauens become blacke and duskie how shall the hearts of men bee appalled with dread and terror to behold the same 2 Christs appearing shall be glorious in respect of his attendants not silly Fisher men as in the dayes of his infirmitie but holy Saints and blessed Angels as consorting with this day of Maiestie Jud. ver 14 Behold he cometh with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly c. And as Christ shall come with his many Saints so shall he appeare with his infinite troupe and traine of Angels Dan. 7.10 For thousand thousands shall minister to him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him Yea he shall come with all his holy Angels and these being his fierie messengers Mat. 24.31 he shall send with a great sound of a trumpet to gather together the elect c. Thus glorious seruants shall attend a glorious maister If Saint Iohn a holy Euangelist fell at the feete of Christ as dead when he beheld him Reu. 1.17 and Esay a heauenly Prophet cryed out Wo be to me for I am of polluted lippes Esa 6.5 because he saw the King and Lord of hostes compassed with the glorious Seraphims shall not the maiestie of this great God Tit. 2.13 euen our Sauiour Iesus Christ daunt the hearts of the wicked at his appearing euen more then can bee expressed 3 Christs comming shall be glorious in regard of the complements of honour which he shall haue at his appearing 2. Thes 1.7 He shall come in flaming fire with the sound of an Archangell he shall come in the cloudes and ride vpon the wings of the winde Act. 1. It was straunge to see mount Sin a on fire at the deliuerie of the Law Eod. 19. but how straunge will it be when the heauens shall passe away 2. Pet. 3.10 and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp then shall he sit vpon a throne of glorie Mat. 25.31 and before him shall be gathered all nations The day was when he poore man stood before the iudgement seate of Pontius Pilate to receiue his sentence but now Pontius Pilate with all the potentates of the earth must stand before his throne to receiue their dolefull doom The gloriousnesse of which throne Daniell describeth Dan. 7.6 saying His throne was like a fierie flame and the wheeles like burning fire yea so full of dreadfull maiestie it is that when the earth and the sea do come to be arraigned before it they flye away Reu. 20.11 not able to behold the glorie thereof and the Iudge that sitteth thereupon And therfore whereas at his birth onely Ierusalem was troubled and at his passion Mat. 2. Luk. 22. the tender hearted women of Ierusalem wept now at his comming to iudgement Mat. 24.30 Reu. 1.7 All the kindreds of the earth shall mourne and waile before him Euen so Amen 2 Secondly as his appearing is glorious so shall the strictnesse of his iudgement be no lesse maruellous If a man might be called to an account for his grosse sinnes onely there were some hope of safetie but Christ will call for an account of euerie idle word Mat. 12. yea he will bring to iudgmēt euery secret thought Rom. 2.16 and who alas shall be able to answer him one of a thousand Job 9.3 When the Lord casteth his infinite discerning eye vpon the most excellent of his creatures Job 4.17.15.15 he findeth no stedfastnesse in them no not in his Saints and Angels yea the heauens are not clean in his sight This caused Dauid to say Heare my prayer ô Lord Psal 143.2 and hearken to my supplication but enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no flesh liuing be iustified If Dauid a man after Gods owne heart put vp his petition appealing from the iustice of God vnto his mercie how vnable shall the wicked be to stand foorth with boldnesse Psal 1. or to lift vp their heads with confidence in the day of iudgement What shall the shrubbe of the desert do Gregor when the Cedar of Paradise shall be shaken what shall the lambe doe where the Lyon doth tremble and if the righteous scarcely be saued 1. Pet. 4.18 where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare The warie Auditor will consider the seuerall reckonings that hee is to make so should the wise Christian thinke vpon the particular accompts that Christ will exact at the generall day of iudgement Consider then that hee will call thee to
meditations is rather to stirre vp the affections of the godly then to conuerse with the conceipts of any curiously affected August de Genes ad Li er lib. 2. cap. 9. I like his iudgement who holds the disputes about the forme and figure of the heauens to bee vnprofitable and his censure Damasc de Orthodox fid lib. 2. c. 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who saith That to search out the substance of them is vnlawfull whereunto if I may adde my owne opinioÌ„ I hold it impossible Farewell theÌ„ to the schoolemens friuolous and fruitlesse discourses about the forme the substance and quantity of the heauens Very glorious things are spoken of thee Psal 87.3 thou citie of God If the Prophet might say so of the terrestriall Ierusalem how much more may it iustly bee said of the celestiall citie which is aboue and the mother of vs all And Saint Iohn indeede hath made a very excellent description of that glorious kingdome Reu. 21. calling it first in generall Reu. 21.11 The holy Ierusalem which had the gloâ—ie of God shining in it and her shining was like a stone most precious as a Iasper stone and cleare as Christall Then in particular he sets downe the forme of it which was very perfect being quadrangular then the quantitie it was large and spacious containing many cubits then the matter and ornaments of it which was pure gold and all manner of precious stones then the adiuncts belonging to it the brightnes of glorie shining therein By which speeches borrowed from things which are most precious in mens estimation Saint Iohn would teach vs to conceiue of those excellencies Ioh. 14.1 which no man indeed is able to value Our Sauiour cals heauen his Fathers house and therefore it must needes be exceeding beautifull and glorious Dan. 4. Nebuchadnetsar spake ambitiously of his Pallace Is not this great Babel which I haue built for the house of the kingdome by the might of my power and for the honour of my maiestie But of the Lords house it may be iustly said Is not that great Bethel which the Lord himselfe hath built for the house of his kingdome the habitations of his Saints and for the honour and ornament of his Maiestie If the heauens which are subiect to vanitie Psal 19.1 do declare the glorie of God what shall the pure and Christall heauens doe when they are changed and refined Hâ—b 1. If the builders of the tabernacle were renowmed as those that had perfected an excellent worke Psal 74.5 how much more excellent shall that tabernacle bee whose maker and builder is Heb. 11.10 God Psal 84.1 Oh how amiable are thy dwelling places ô Lord of hostes Doth the beautie of the temple exceede Dauids conceipt and leaue him to the taske of admiration Oh how admirable amiable and glorious do wee thinke the kingdome of heauen shall bee Reu. 21.22 where the Lord God Almightie and the Lambe are the temple where the king is Veritie the lawes Charitie the honour Equitie the peace Felicitie the life Eternitie as Saint Augustine saith Plutar. in vita Them 2 Themistocles hauing a peece of ground to sell appointed the Cryer to proclaime in the sale thereof that whosoeuer would buy it should haue a good neighbour so although the kindome of heauen be excellent of it selfe yet Almightie God sending foorth his Criers and Ambassadors to offer the same to the world Mat. 3. 2. Cor. 5. hath caused them to adde this in their proclamation That whosoeuer obtaineth it shall haue many good neighbours euen the holy Saints and blessed Angels that which is aboue all he shall behold God Almightie and Christ Iesus the immaculate Lambe of God shining there in most resplendent glorie Reue. 22.4 They shal see his face and his name shall bee in their foreheads This was one of the last requests made by Christ in the behalfe of his Church Father I will that those which thou hast giuen me Ioh. 17.24 be with me euen whâ—re I am that they may behâ—ld my glorie which thou hast giuen me a gracious petition for a blessed habitation and a glorious vision How earnestly did Moses importune the Lord Exo. 33.18 saying I beseech thee shew me thy glorie and it was a singular fauour that the Lord vouchsafed to shew him a glimpse of his glorie which he calleth his backe parts Vers 23. because a man is almost past fight when his backe is turned But behold Christ hath prayed for and the Lord hath promised a more glorious view of him in the life to come 1. Ioh. 3.2 For wee know that when he shall be made manifest we shall see him as he is A man that lookes into the sea cannot see to the bottome and he that lookes vp to the heauens can behold no further then the HorizoÌ„ and so indeed is this vision of Gods Saints bounded in the limites of finitenesse Yet is there as great difference betweene their present and future contemplation of glorie 1. Cor. 13. as betweene looking a man in the face and beholding him in a glasse for then they shall as fully behold the glorie of God as the fraile condition of mankinde may possibly permit When the Queene of Sheba had seene al the honour and magnificence of Salomon shee said with admiration Happie are thy men 1. Kin. 10.8 happie are these thy seruants that stand euer before thee and heare thy wisedome If those were so happie who stood before Salomon to behold and heare his wisedome oh how happie shall they bee who shall stand before Almightie God and our blessed Sauiour to behold and see their glorie Psal 16.11 For in their presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at thâ—ir right hand are pleasures for euermore And this is the cause Psa 42 1.2 that as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters so do the soules of the godlie pant after the Lord longing to appeare before his presence The ponderous stone inclineth downeward and lighter substances are carried vpward thus euery thing seeks his center Now the Lord is the Soules Center and like Noahs doue it finds no rest till it returne to him that gaue it Aug. Confes lib. 1. cap. 1 according to Augustines saying O Lord thou hast made vs for thy selfe and our heart is vnquiet till it rest in thy selfe But when the soule of man hath once attained this mercie then can the child of God say Psal 17.15 I will behold thy face in righteousnesse and 〈◊〉 satisfied with it because it yeelds him the fulnesse of comfort and contentation 3 When Christ was transfigured vpoÌ„ the mount wee reade that Peter albeit himselfe was not changed Luk. 9.33 said vnto our Sauiour Iesus maister it is good to be here If Peter spake thus onely vpon the view of Christs transfiguration how much more shall the children of God reioyce at the last