now art thou arrayed in the shining robes of Heaven and all the Host do triumph at thy corronation Sweet soul how am I ravished to think upon thee What joy is this The Patriarchs salute thee the Prophets welcome thee the Apostles hug thee all hands clap for joy all harps warble all hearts are merry and glad O thou Creatour of men and Angels help us all to Heaven that when our dayes have been we may all meet together in thy blessed Kingdome I have done turn back by the same thread that led you through this labyrinth and you shall have in two words the summe of this whole Text. The time of our Lease what is it but our Life what is this Life but a number of few dayes what are these dayes but a world full of evil But a life but dayes but few but evil can we adde any more Yes Life is life howsoever we live and better you think to have a bad lease in being then our life to be quite extinguished nay be not deceived this life is but death the dayes that we spend they are past and done few and evill they have been Thus ends the Text with the exspiration of our Lease yet is not all done when we loose this life we have another free-hold prepared in Heaven and this is not leased but purchased not for a life but inheritance not for dayes but for ever Crosse but the words of my Text and many and happy shall the ages of thy life be in Heaven for ever and ever Amen FINIS Deaths Arrest LUKE 12.20 This night thy soul shall be required of thee MAns Bodie we say is closed up within the Elements his Bloud in his Bodie his Spirits in his Bloud his Soul in his Spirits and God or Sathan in his Soul Who holds the possession we may guesse in life but then is it most apparent when we come to death The tree may bend East or West or North or South but as it falleth so it lieth Our affections may look up or down towards heaven or hel but as we die we receive our doom and then whose we are shall be fully made manifest to all the world There is a parable of poor Lazarus Luke 16. whose life was nothing but a catalogue of miseries his body full of sores his mind full of sorrows what spectacle could we think more pitifull whose best dainties were but broken crumbs and his warmest lodging but the rich mans gates Here is a parable of a certain rich man who enjoyes or at least purposeth a delicious fare he hath lands vers 16. Vers 16. fruits vers 17. 17. buildings vers 18. 18. and if this be the Inventorie what is the summe see it collected in the verse succeeding Soul 19. thou hast much goods laid up for many years now live at ease Eat drink and take thy pastime These two estates thus different how should they be but of divers tenures Matth. 6.24 No man can serve God and Mammon See Lazarus dying and the Angels carry him in-Abrahams bosome See this rich man dying and they that is devils require his soul God receives one and his soul is in heaven Sathan takes the other and drags down his soul to hel he is comforted that received pains and thou art tormented that wast full of ease this is the doom and that he may undergo this death now gives the summons This night thy soul shall be required of thee The Text we may christen Deaths Arrest it is we that offend his Majestie of heaven and his precepts are given unto Death to attach our souls See here a president a rich man taken on a sudden who must instantly appear before the Judge of heaven when this night What thy soul Why it is required Of whom of thee Or if this will not find the offender see yet a more narrow search every word is like some dark closet therefore we will open the windovvs that you may have full light This Text is Deaths Arrest vvhich as it must be executed so it admits of no other time but This This what this day whilest the Sun gives light to the vvorld and the light gives pleasure to the eie this vvere some comfort no but then suddenly vvhilst all sleep securely not This day but This night And vvhat this night Is it to attach the bodie of some great personage vvhose looks might affrighten Officers had they come by day No let his bodie rot in dust vvhilest the Soul must ansvver his defaults it is not thy body 't is thy soul And what of his soul Is this a subject liable to arrests rather can they beg it at his hands or vvill he yield it at their fair intreaties no it is neither begg'd nor intreated but by vertue of Gods Writ it is required And hovv required of his sureties bound for his good appearing he hath many friends and all either have or vvould have entred bonds no he must go vvithout bail or main-prize it is not required of his sureties but himself not of others but of thee is thy soul this night required You hear the Texts harmonie of each string vve vvill give a touch and first note the time this night This. Doctrine NO other but This were it a fortnight a seven-night any but This night and his griefs were lessened the news is more heartlesse in that it comes more sudden You may observe Then are the greatest losses when they come on us by heaps and without fear or suspicion of any such matter Here was a man swimming in his fulnesse and a sudden death robs him of all his treasures To give you a full view see his possessions and how great was the losse because of the suddennesse This night First those goods whereof he boasted are now confiscate not a peny not a dram not a mite shall be left him save onely a token of remembrance I mean his winding-sheet which he carries along with him to his grave Secondly his goods and grounds both were took from him at his death he that commanded so much of earth must now have no more earth to pleasure him but a grave what a change was this his grounds were fertile Vers 16. and they brought forth plenteously but a blast of death hath struck both the fruit and ground and nothing is now left him but a barren Tombe Thirdly his lands and houses both went together You may guesse that great demeans must have stately Halls we read of his building and especially of his Barns when these were too little for his store he tells us he will pull them down and he will build greater He never thinks of any little room in the bowels of the poor Was his harvest so great that his barns would not hold it Whence came the blessing but from God How is it then he forgets God that bestowed this blessing It is written When ye reap the harvest of the Land ye shall not reap
judgment seat the rosie wounds of our Saviour still bleeding as it were in the prisoners presence These are the wounds not as tokens of infirmity but victory Aquin. supplem Q. 90. A. 2. ad secundum and these now shall appear not as if he must suffer but to shew us he hath suffered See here an object full of glory splendor majesty excellency and this is He the man the judg the rewarder of every man according to his works The Judge we have set in his Throne and before we appear let us practice our repentance that we answer the better Vse 1 Think but O sinner what shall be thy reward when thou shalt meet this Iudge The adultery for a while may flatter beauty the Swearer grace his words with oathes the Drunkard kiss his cups and drink his bodies-health till he bring his soul to ruine but remember for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Eccles 11.9 Cold comfort in the end the Adulterer shall fatisfie his lust when he lies on a bed of fire all hugged and embraced with those flames the swearer shall have enough of wounds and blood when Devils torture his body and rack his soul in hell the Drunkard shall have plenty of his Cups when scalding lead shall be poured down his throat and his breath draw flames of fire in stead of air as is thy sin so is the nature of thy punishment the just Iudge shall give just measure and the ballance of his wrath poize in a just porportion Vse 2 Yet I will not discomfort you who are these Iudges dearest favorites Now is the day if you are Gods servants that Sathan shall be trod under your feet and you with your Lord and Master Christ shall be carried into the holiest of holies You may remember how all the men of God in their greatest anguishes here below have fetcht comfort by the eye of faith at this mountain Iob rejoyced being cast on the Dung-hill that his Redeemer lived and that he should see him at the last day stand on the earth Iohn longed and cried Come Lord Iesus come quickly and had we the same precious faith we have the same precious promises why then are we not ravished at the remembrance of these things certainly there is an happy faith wheresoever it shall be found that shall not be ashamed at that day Now therefore little children abide in him 1 Joh. 2.28 that when he shall appear we may have confidence Confidence what else I will see you again saith our Saviour-Iudge and your heart shall rejoyce Joh. 16.22 and your joy no man taketh from you O blessed mercy that so triumphes against judgment our hearts must joy our joyes endure and all this occasioned by the sight of our Saviour for Hee shall reward every man according to his works We have prepared the Iudge for sentence he hath rid his circuit in the Clouds and made the Rain-bow his chair of state for his judgment seat his Sheriffes are the Saints that now rise from the Dust to meet their Iudge whom long they have exspected the summons is sent out by a shout from heaven the cry no sooner made but the graves flie open and the dead arise stay a while till I ready them you have seen the Iudge and now we prepare the judged He is the Iudge every man the judged and He shall reward every man according to his works Every man THe persons to be judged are a world of men all men of the world good and bad elect and reprobates but in a different manner To give you a full view of them I must lead your attentions orderly through these passages there must be a Citation Resurrection Collection Separation follow me in these pathes and you may see both the men and their difference before they come to their judgments First there is a summons and Every man must hear it it is performed by a shout from heaven and the voice of the last Trump Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Jeronymus super Mathaeum Verc vox tubae terribilis cui omnia obediunt elementa petras scindit inferos c. Chrysost 1. ad Corin. 15. the clangor of this Trump could ever sound in Ieroms eares Arisr yee dead and come to judgment the clangor of this Trump will sound in all mens eares it shall wake the dead out of their drouzy sleep and change the living from their mortall state make devils tremble and the whole world shake with terrour A terrible voice a Trumpet shall sound that shall shake the world rend the rocks break the mountains dissolve the bonds of death burst down the gates of hell and unite all spirits to their own bodies What say you to this Trump that can make the whole Universe to tremble no sooner shall it sound but the the earth shall shake the mountains skip like Ramms and the little hills like young sheep it shall pierce the waters and fetch from the bottome of the Sea the dust of Adams seed it shall tear the rocky Tombes of earthly Princes and make their haughty minds to stoop before the King of heaven it shall remove the center and tear the bowels of the earth open the graves of all the dead and fetch their souls from heaven or hell to reunite them to their bodies A dreadfull summons of the wicked whom this suddain noise will no less astonish then confound the dark pitchy walls of that infernall pit of hell shall be shaken with the shout when the dreadfull soul shall leave its place of terrour and once more re-enter into her stinking Carrion to receive a greater condemnation what terrour will this be to the wicked wretch what wofull salutations will there be between that body and soul which living together in the height of iniquity must now be re-united to enjoy the fulness of their misery Joh. 5.28 29. The voice of Christ is powerfull the dead shall hear his voice and they shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the resurrection of condemnation You hear the summons and the next is your appearance death the Goaler brings all his prisoners from the grave and they must stand and appear before the Judge of heaven The summons is given and every man must appear Death must now give back all their spoils and restore again all that she hath took from the world What a gastly sight will this be to see all the Sepulchers open to see dead men rise out of their graves and the scattered dust to flie on the wings of the wind till it meet together in one compacted body Ezekiels dry bones shall live thus saith the Lord I will lay sinewes upon you and make flesh grow upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you and you shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 37.6 Ezek. 37.6 This dust of ours shall be
grones and suddain cryes the fire slakes not the worm dies not the chains loose not the links wear not revenge tyres not but for ever are the torments fresh and the fetters on fire as they came first from their Forge What a strange kind of torture falls upon the wicked they are bound to fiery pillars and Devils lash at them with their fiery whips Is there any part of man scapes free in such a fray the flesh shall fâ—â— the blood boil the veins be scorcht the sinews rackt Serpents shall eat the body furies tear the soul this is that wofull plight of Tares which he bound in Hell The sick man at Sea may go from his ship to his boat and from his boat to his ship again the sick man in his bed may tumble from his right side to his left and from his left to his right again onely the Tares are tied hand and foot bound limme and joynt their feet walk not their fingers move not their eyes must no more wander as before loe all his bound O these manacles that rot the flesh and pierce the inward parts O unmatchable torments yet most fit for Tares sin made them furious hell must tame their Phrensie the Judge thus commands and the Executioners must dispatch fetter them fire them Bind them in bundles to burn them I have lead you through the Dungeon let this fight serve for a terrour that you never come nearer To that purpose for exhortation consider Alas all hangs on life ther 's but a twine thread betwixt the soul of a sinner and the scorching flames who then would so live as to run his soul into hazard the Judge threatens us Devils hate us the bonds exspect us it is onely our conscience must clear us or condemn us Search then thy waies and stir up thy remembrance to her Items hast thou dishonoured God blasphemed his name decayed his image subduing thy soul to sin that was created for heaven repent these courses ask God forgiveness and he will turn away thy punishments I know your sins are grievous and my soul grieves at the knowledge many evills have possessed too many drunkenness and oathes and malice and revenge are not these guests entertained into all houses banish them your hearts that the King of glory may come in Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Would God bestow mercy and should we refuse his bounty as you love heaven your souls your selves leave your sins Vse 2 And then here is a word of consolation the penitent needs not fear hell Gods servant is freed from bonds yea if we love him who hath first loved us Ephes 5.2 all the chains and pains of hell can neither hold nor hurt us Vse 3 O then ye Sons of Adam suffer a reproof what do ye that ye do not repent you of your sins is it not a madness above admiration that men who are reasonable creatures having eyes in their heads hearts in their bodies understanding like the Angels and consciences capable of unspeakable horrour never will be warned untill the fire of that infernall Lake flash and flame about their eares Let the Angels blush heaven and earth be amazed all the Creatures stand astonished at it I am sure a time wil come when the Tares shal feel what now they may justly fear you hear enough such weed must be bound thus straight is the Lords command Binde them in bundles to burn them But all is not done Chains have their links and we must bring all together Sinners are coupled in hell as Tares in Bundles But of these when we next meet in the mean while let this we have heard Binde us all to our duties that we hear attentively remember carefully practice conscionably that so God may reward accordingly and at last crown us with his glory The tares must be bound up in bundles but Lord make us free in Heaven to sit with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in thy blessed kingdome In bundles THe command is out what Bind whom them how in bundles The tares must on heaps which gives us a double observation Generall Speciall In the generall it intimates these two points the gathering of the weed and its severing from the wheat both are bound in bundles but the wheat by it self and the tares by themselves as at that doom when all the world must be gathered and severed some stand at the right hand others at the left so at this execution some are for the fire and others for the barn they are bundled together yet according to the difference of the severall parties each from the other Observ 1 First the tares must together Woe is me saith David that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech Psal 120.4 and if David think it wofull to converse with his living enemies then what punishment have the wicked whom the Devill and damned the black angels and everlasting horrour must accompany for ever The tares must be gathered and bundled and the more bundles the more and more miseries Company yields no comfort in hell fire nay what greater discomfort then to see thy friends in flames thy fellowes in torments the fiends with flaming whips revenging each others malice on thy self and enemy It was the rich mans last petition when he had so many repulses for his own ease to make one suit for his living brethren he knew their company would encrease his torment to prevent which he cries out I pray thee father Abraham Luk. 16.27 28. that thou wouldest send Lazarus to my fathers house for I have five brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment Why it may be God will hear him for them especially making such a reasonable request as this was that Lazarus might onely warn his brethren of future judgment no but to teach you if you sell your souls to sin to leave a rich posterity on earth you shall not onely your selves without all remorse and pity be damned in hell but your posterity shall be a torment to you whilest they live and a greater torment if they come to you when they are dead To converse with Devils is fearfull but altogether to accompany each other is a plague fit for tares In this life they flourished amongst the wheat Let them grow both together corn and tares untill the harvest But the harvest come God will now separate them both asunder and as in heaven there are none but Saints so in hell there are none but reprobates to encrease this torment as they grow together so all their conference is to curse each other Moab shall cry against Moab father against son son against father what comfort in this company The Devill that was authour of such mischiefs appears in most grisly forms his angels the black guard of hell torture poor souls in flames there live swearers
Look at beasts and in this respect we and they are even as one condition Eccles 3.19 Eccles 3.19 Eccles 11.3 Mat. 27.51 Look at trees and in their corruption you may see the like constitution both of us and them Look at stones and by their dissolution we may argue this temper of composition in them also if then our soul were nothing but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely men but beasts and plants and stones and metalls have a soul far be this from your thoughts whose souls are prized to be of more worth then a world there being nothing in the world that may give a recompence for our souls Matth. 16.26 Mat. 16.26 Others have gone a little further Antiqui Philosophir and they suppose it to be a substance but how onely bodily and not spirituall such grosse conceits have many idolaters of the Deity as if this our image were of Gods own substance and this substance nothing else but a bodily being A spirit saith our Saviour hath not flesh and bones Luk. 24.39 as you see me have It is the body is the flesh but the soul is the spirit the body you may see and handle but the soul is not seen not handled as the Disciples then did erre in supposing a spirit when they saw his body no lesse is their errour in supposing a body where is onely a spirit Anima pessima melior optimo corpore Aug. de verb. Dom. Quid tibi cum carne Bern. in meditat Plurimi Patres The worst soul is better then the best of bodies O precious soul saith Bernard espoused to thy God indowed with his spirit redeemed by his Son what art thou to the flesh whose being is from heaven Others again have passed this opinion and they call it a form but what onely materiall not substantiall and such as are the souls of beasts that dye with their bodies as being deduced from the matter of some bodies pre-existent It is not so with the souls of men which though for a while they are knit and united to this house of clay yet may they be separated from it and subsist without it this is that goodness of God that as our souls are intellectuall so their being is perpetuall Dionys c. 4. de divin nom aliquantulum à principio 1 Cor. 4.7 not but that our souls might dye seeing every thing that is of nothing may return into the same nothing whence it sprung but that God so sustains them by his glorious goodness that as he gave the first being so he would continue that he gave What have we that we have not received Or to speake of the soul what are we that God and God onely hath not bestowed upon us our parents begot our bodies God onely gave our souls our bodies are buried again in the wombe of our common mother but our souls return to God as to their chiefest good So immateriall is the soul that neither will nor understanding depends on the dying organ What then is the soul a nothing an accident a body a form onely materiall no but on the contrary an ens a substance a spirit a form a substantiall being of it self subsisting But wee 'll ascend a little higher it is a substance created not traduced as some would have it I must confess the opinion was not a little strong that as our bodies so our souls were both propagated from our parents Tertullian In epist ad Marcellin and the Fathers of the West as Ierome witnesseth were most on that side the reason of this opinion was because of originall sin which defileth the soul as well as the body of each man sprung from Adam they could see no means how both were corrupted except withall the soul were propagated But are not our souls as the Angells and therefore if our souls then may the Angels beget one another nay if this were true what soul were generated but another were corrupted for the rule is infallible There can be no generation without a transmutation and so would every soul be subject to corruption Concerning that objection of originall sin if the soul were not traduced from the loyns of Adam Magis credi debet quam quaeri quaeri facilius quam intelligi melius intelligitur quam explicatur Whitak l. 1. de peccat origin c. 8. Fallacia divisionis how then should that sin be imputed to our souls I must confess the question is intricate we should rather believe it then enquire of it and we may better enquire of it then understand it and yet more easily understand it then expresse it But so well as we can we shall untie the knot First then we say 't is a fallacy to divide soul and body for not the soul without the body nor the body without the soul but the whole man sinn'd in Adam as the whole man is begot of Adam so soon therefore as the soul is conjoyn'd to the body and of the soul and body is constituted whole man that man being now made a member of Adam is said to sin with him and to derive that sin from him But for a further satisfaction although the soul depend on God according to its substance yet is it created in that body which is produced of the parents thus in some sort we may say that the soul is begotten non quoad essentiam sed quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God onely gives the essence but to exist comes from the parents Arist de anima 2. l. c. 1. What is the soul but a form of the body and of what body but of that which is organicall as being apt for the soul This aptness then whereby it is prepared for the form being received from the parents we may say of the soul that thus it is generated as not beginning to subsist before the body is prepared This is true in some sort though not properly Consider then the excellency of mans soul which is not born but created and howsoever now it is bespotted with sin yet was it then pure and undefiled as the untouched virgin how is it but pure which the hands of God hath made it was the devill that caused sin but all that God made was good and very good Gen. 1.31 Gen. 1.31 and such a soul hath every man Sedibus aethereis spiritus ille venit It is created by God infused by his Spirit of nothing made something and what something but an excellent work befitting such an excellent workman And yet there be more staires to ascend it is thirdly invisible Hath any man seen God or hath any man seen Gods image which is the soul and lived Substances that are more pure are less visible We see but darkly through a glasse nay the best eye upon earth looks but through a lattice a window an obscuring impediment mortall eyes cannot behold immortall things how then should this corruptible sight see a spirituall
soul the object is too clear for our weak eyes our eyes are but earthly the soul of an heavenly nature O divine being not onely heavenly but heaven it self as God and man met both in Christ so heaven and earth met both in man would you see this earth that is the body Out of it wast thou taken and into it must thou return Gen. 4.19 Gen. 4.19 would you see this heaven that is the soul the God of heaven gave it and to the God of heaven returns it Eccles 12.7 Eccles 12.7 The body is but a lump but the soul is that breath of life of earth came the body of God was the soul thus earth and heaven met in the creation and the man was made a living soul Gen. 2.7 Gen. 2.7 the sanctified soul is an heaven upon earth Est coelum sancta anima habens solem intellectum lunam fidem astra virtutet Bern super Cantic where the sun is understanding the moon is faith and the stars gracious affections what heaven is in that body which lives and moves by such a soul yet so wonderfull is Gods mercy to mankinde that as reason doth possesse the soul so the soul must possesse this body Here is that union of things visible and invisible as the light is spirituall incorruptible indivisible and so united to the air that of these two is made one without confusion of either in like manner is the soul united to this body one together distinguished asunder onely here 's the difference the light is most visible the soul is invisible she is the breath of God the beauty of man the wonder of Angels the envie of devils that immortall splendor which never eye hath seen never eye must see And yet we must up another step it is fourthly incorporeall as not seen with a mortall eye so neither clogg'd with a bodily shape I say not but the soul hath a body for his organ to which it is so knit and tyed that they cannot be severed without much sorrow or strugling yet is it not a body but a spirit dwelling in it the body is an house and the soul the inhabitant every one knows the house is not the inhabitant and yet O wonder there is no roome in the house where the inhabitant lives not would you please to see the roomes the eye is her window the head is her tower the heart is her closet the mouth is her hall the lungs her presence chamber the senses her cinque-ports the common-sense her custome-house the phantasie her mint the memory her treasury the lips are her two leav'd doores that shut and open and all these and all the rest as the motions in a Watch are acted and mooved by this spring the Soul See here a composition without confusion the soul is in the body yet it is not bodily as in the greatest world the earth is more solid the water less the ayr yet lesser the fire least of all so in this little world of man the meaner parts are of grosser substance and the soul by how much more excellent by so much more spirituall and wholly with-drawn from all bodily being And yet a little higher it is fiftly immortall It was the errour of many Fathers Scaliger notae in nov Test That bodies and souls must both die till doomes-day and then the bodies being raised the souls must be revived Were that true why then cryes Stephen Lord Iesu receive my spirit or why should Paul be dissolved that he might be with Christ Act. 7.59 Philip. 1.23 Blessed men are but men and therefore no wonder if subject to some errour Others more absolutely deny the souls immortality We are born say they at all adventures and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been Why so for the breath is a smoke in our nostrils and the words as a spark raised out of our hearts Wisd 2.2 3. which being extinguished the body is turned into ashes and the spirit vanisheth as soft ayre What is the soul a smoak and the spirit no better then the soft vanishing ayre Matth. 22.32 wretched men Have you not read what is spoken of God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob now God saith Christ is not the God of the dead but of the living Abraham Isaac Iacob they are not dead then in the better part their souls but passed indeed from the valley of death unto the land of the living Whosoever liveth and believeth in mee saith our Saviour shall never die Iohn 11.26 John 11.26 Not die against some never die against others what can we more onely live and believe in him that redeemed us and be sure his promises shall never fail us our souls must live live for ever Sweet soul blessed with the felicity of eternall life here 's a joy unspeakable that this soul now clogged with cares vexations griefs passions shall one day enjoy those joyes immortall not for a day or two Nullus erit defectus nullus terminus though this were more then we can imagine but through all eternity There shall be no defect nor end after millions of ages the soul must still live in her happiness it is not of a perishing but an everlasting substance And yet the perfection of the soul goes higher it is most like to God so far it transcends all earthly happiness I cannot say but in some sort all creatures have this likeness every effect hath at least some similitude with its cause but with a difference some onely have a being as stones others being and life as plants but man above all hath a being life and reason and therefore of all other the most like unto his Creatour Can we any more yes one step higher and we are at the top of Jacobs ladder The soul is not onely like God but the image of God I cannot denie but there is some apparance of it in the outward man and therefore the bodie in some measure partakes of this image of the Deity it was man and whole man that was corrupted by sin and by the law of contraries it was man and whole man that was beautified with this image Please you to look at the body is it not a little world wherein every thing that God made was good as therefore all goodness comes from him so was he the pattern of all goodness that being in him perfectly which onely is in us partly This is that Idaea whereby God is said to be the exemplar of the world man then in his body being as the worlds map what is he but that image in which the builder of the world is manifest but if you look at the parts of his body how often are they attributed though in a metaphor yet in resemblance to his Maker our eyes are the image of his wisdome our hands are the image of his power our heart is the image of his
ministers messengers and howsoever it would dazle us to behold their faces yet cannot the brightest Angels stand before God but they are fain to cover their own faces with a pair of wings the difference may appear in Revel 5.13 14. Rev. 5.13 14. where the Lambe is said to sit upon the Throne but the four Beasts and four and twenty Elders fall down and worship him Esai 6.2 Is not here a great distance betwixt the Lamb in his Throne and the Beasts at his feet and yet thus farre will the Lamb descend that for our sakes he will disthrone himself reject his state take the office of an Angel to bring us the glad tidings of salvation in purging our sinnes And was he an Angel nay that was too much he was made saith the Apostle a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death Heb. 2.9 Heb. 2.9 What the Son of God to be made lower then the Angels here was a leap beyond the reach or compass of all humane thoughts he that made the Angels is made lower by a little then the Angels the Creator is not onely become a creature but inferiour to some creatures that he did create O yee Angels how stand yee amazed at this humility that God your Master should become meaner then his servants that the Lord of heaven should deny the dignity of powers principalities Cherubims Seraphims Arch-Angell or Angell O Iesu how contrary art thou to thy aspiring Creatures some Angels through pride would needs be as God but God through humility is made lower then the Angels not equall with them but a note below them as David that sweet singer of Israel sung thou madest him little lower then the Angels Psalm 8.9 Psal 8.9 cited also in the person of Christ Heb. 2.7 But how much lower by a little saith Paul and if you would know what that little was he tels you again that he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 Heb. 2.16 Here is that great abysse which all the powers of heaven could no less but wonder at Abrahams Lord is become Abrahams Son the God of Abraham the God of Jsaac and the God of Iacob hath took upon him the seed of Abraham the seed of Isaac and the seed of Iacob wonder above wonders that God should take the shape of Angels is more then we can think but to take on him the nature of man is more then the tongue of Angels can express that the King of heaven should leave his glorious mansion and from the bosome of his Father come into the womb of his mother from that company of Angels and Arch-Angels to a rude rout of sinfull men Tell ye the daughters of Sion behold thy King cometh unto thee saith the Prophet Esay in the 62. Chap. 11. vers Isai 62.11 what could he lesse and what canst thou more wonderfull love that he would come but more wonderfull is the manner of his coming he that before made man a soul after the image of God now makes himself a body after the image of man and he that was more excellent then all Angels becomes lesser lower then the Angells even a mortall miserable wretched man But what man as he is King of heaven let him be King of all the world if he be man let him be the ruler of Mankinde no thou art deceived O Jew that exspectest in thy Saviour the glory of the world fear not Herod the loss of thy Diadem for this child is born not to be thy successor but if thou wilt believe to be thy Saviour was he a King on earth alas look through the Chronicles of his life and you finde him so far from a King that he is the meanest subject of all men where was he born but at Bethlehem a little City where did the shepherds find him but in a sorry cottage who were his Disciples but poor Fisher-men who his companions but Publicans and sinners is he hungry where stands his Table but on plain ground what are his dainties but bread and a few fishes who are his guests but a rout of hungry starved creatures and where is his lodging but at the stern of a ship here is a poor King without either presence or bed-chamber The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head Matth. 8.20 Matth. 8.20 Descend we a little lower and place him in our own rank what was he but a Carpenter say the Jews in scorn Is not this the Carpenter Maries son Mark 6.3 Mark 6.3 A poor trade sure but to shew us that he was man and how much he hated idleness some time he will bestow in the labours of mans life but O wonder if he will reject majesty let him use at least some of those liberall arts or if he will be mechanicall let him choose to some noble trade Thy Merchants were the great men of the earth said the Angell to Babylon Apoc. 18.23 Apoc. 18.23 Ay but our Saviour is no Adventurer neither is he so stockt to follow any such profession once indeed he travelled into Aegypt with Ioseph and Mary but to shew us that it was no prize you may see Mary his mother steal him away by night without further preparation what gone on a suddain it seems there was no treasure to hide no hangings to take down no lands to secure his mother needs do no more but lock the doors and away what portion then is for the Lord of heaven O sweet Jesu thou must be content for us to hew sticks and stocks besides which after his coming out of Aegypt about the seventh year of his age untill his baptisme by Iohn which was the thirtieth we find little else recorded in any Writers profane or Ecclesiasticall And are we now at our just Quantum alas what quantity what bounds hath the humility of our Saviour is he a Carpenter that were to be master of a trade but he took on him saith the Apostle the form of a servant not a master Phil. 2.7 Phil. 2.7 It is true he could say to his Apostles Ye call me master and Lord and yee say well for so I am Ioh. 13.13 Ioh. 13.13 and yet at that very instant mark but his gestures and you may see their Lord and Master become a servant to his servants his many offices express his services Ioh. 13.4 5. when he rose from supper and laid a side his upper garments and took a towell and girded himself and after that he had poured water in a basen begun to wash his disciples feet and to wipe them with the towell wherewith he was girded O ye blessed spirits look down from heaven and you may see even the Almighty kneeling at the feet of men O yee blessed Apostles why tremble ye not at this so wonderfull sight of your lovely lowly Creatour
off the burthen Matth. 11.28 Rev. 21.6 do they thirst after righteousness just then is the fountain of the water of life set wide open unto them are they contrite and humble in spirit Esay 57.15 just then are they become thrones for the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity to dwell in for ever O then come and welcome Christ excepts none that will not except themselves He died for all and be would have all men to be saved But yet let us be cautelous secondly he purged our sinnes and ours with a limitation the vse of Physick we say consists in application and howsoever our Saviour hath purged our sins yet this purge of his is nothing beneficiall to us unlesse there be some means to apply it As then it is in all other Physick so in this we must first take it secondly keep it 1. Take it for as the best plaister if not laid to can cure no wound so Christ himself and all his precious merits are of no virtue to him that will not apply them by faith when you hear the Gospel preached believe it on your parts believe Christ is yours believe that he lived and died and sorrowed and suffered and all this for you to purge your souls of your sinnes 2. But having taken it you must secondly keep it as men take Physick not onely in belief that it will do them good but in hope to keep it by the virtue and strength of the retentive parts so we take Christ by faith but we retain him by holiness these two faith and holiness are those two bonds wherewith Christ is united unto us and we unto Christ so that if we be of this number then truly may we say that he purged our sinnes for the both died for us and by virtue of our faith and holinesse through him his death is applied to us to us I say not in any generall acception but as we are of the number of his Saints for we had sinned and they were our sinnes onely that he effectually purged and washed away Vse And this lesson may afford us this use that howsoever the free grace and mercie and goodnesse of Christ Jesus is revealed and offered to all men universally yet our Saviour takes none but such as are willing to take upon them his yoke he gives himself to none but such as are readie to sell all and follow him he saves none but such as deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world in a word he purgeth none or cleanseth none by his bloud from all sin but such as walk in the light as God is in the light who make conscience of detesting and declining all sins and sincerely set their hearts and hands with love and carefull endeavour to every duty enjoyned them why these are the men onely to whom his death is effectuall and therefore as we mean to partake of his merits or to have good by his death let us become new creatures It is true indeed and we cannot but maintain it that to justification nothing but faith is required but this caution must be added it must be a faith that purifies the heart that works an universall change that shews it self in the fruits if therefore any of us would come in let us have ready our answer as a late Divine speaks the dialogue betwixt Christ and a true Christian on this manner First saith he when God hath enlightened the eyes of a man that he can see where this treasure is what then Why saith the Christian I am so enflamed with the love of it that I will have it whatsoever it cost me yea saith Christ but there is a price upon it it must cost thee dear a great deal of sorrow and trouble and crosses and afflictions Tush tell me not of price saith the Christian whatsoever I have shall go for it I will do any thing for it that God will enable me Why saith Christ wilt thou curb thine affections wilt thou give up thy life wilt thou be content to sell all thou hast I will do it saith the Christian with all my heart I am content to sell all that I have nothing is so dear unto me but I will part with it my right hand my right eye nay if hell it felf should stand between me and Christ yet would I passe through it unto him This beloved this is that violent affection which God puts into the hearts of his children that they will have Christ whatsoever it cost them yet understand me I pray you It is not to sell our houses or lands or children but our sinns that I mean the Lord Jesus and one lust cannot lodge together in one soul no if we are but once truly incorporated into Christ we must take him as our Husband and Lord we must love honour and serve him we must endeavour after sanctification puritie new obedience abilitie to do or suffer any thing for Christ we must consecrate all the powers and possibilities of our bodies and souls to do him the best service we can we must grieve and walk more humbly because we can do no better and thus if we do though I cannot say but still we shall sin so long as we live on this earth yet here is our comfort 1. Joh. 2.1 2. We have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes I say for our sinnes effectually if we believe in his Name for it was for us he died and they were our sinnes he purged and this is that great benefit we receive from our Saviour in that he by himself hath purged our sinns And now our sinnes being purged our souls recovered I may well end this Text onely I shall give it one visit more and so Farwell You see the maladie Sin the remedie a purge the Physician he the patient himself our selves for our infirmities were laid on him and his sores became our salves by whose virtue we are healed Blesse we then God for the recovery of our souls and be we carefull for the future of any relapse whatsoever these relapses are they we had need to fear indeed for in them the diseases are more dangerous sinns are more pernicious Matth. 12.44 and men become seven times more the children of Sathan then ever they were before Now then we are healed be we studious to preserve it all the dayes of our life and we shall find at our death that he that purged our sinns will save our souls we need not any other Purgatory after death no when our souls shall take their flights from our bodies then are the Angels readie to conduct them to his Kingdome and thither may we come for his sake and his onely who by himself in his own person hath purged our sinnes AMEN FINIS Heavens happiness LUKE 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise HE that purged our sinns is
sutable Now the Thief seeing that Christ was first of all crucified and therefore in all likelihood should first of all die makes his request to this effect Lord thou shalt shortly enter into thy Kingdome remember me then to which Christs answer as the very words import is thus much I shall enter into Paradise this day and there shalt thou be with me but the God-head which is at all times in all places cannot be said properly to enter into a place and therefore not into Paradise Again When Christ saith Thou shalt be with me in Paradise he doth intimate a resemblance between the first and second Adam the first Adam sinned against God and was presently cast out of Paradise the second having made a satisfaction for sinne must presently enter into Paradise Now there is no entrance but in regard of the soul or man-hood and therefore to apply it to the God-head were to abolish this analogy betwixt the first and second Adam These reasons are weighty but should we say with Austin That Christ in his soul went down into hell one of our Worthies can tell us R. Clerk D. in D. Serm. that Christs soul united to his God-head might do all that and yet be that day in Paradise God works not lazily like man Satan could shew Christ all the Kingdoms of the world in the twinkling of an eye and Gods expedition exceeds his To this agrees another that we have no warrant in Gods Word so to fasten Christs soul unto hell for all the time of his death B. Bilson l. of the power of Hel destroyed fol. 219. Rom. 10.7 but that it might be in Paradise before it descended into hel That he was in Paradise must be received because himself doth affirm it and that he descended into the deep must be received also for the Apostle doth avouch it but how he descended or what time he descended as also what manner of triumph he brought thence cannot be limited by any mortall man To conclude I will not denie but that according to the Creed he descended into Hell yet howsoever we expound it Metaphorically or literally it hinders not this truth but that immediately after death his soul went into Paradise The objections thus solved now come we to the Thief thus comforted by Christ to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise What to day without all doubts or delayes here 's a blessed dispatch if we either consider the misery endured or the joy to be received First in regard of his miseries he was a Thief condemned and crucified we read of foure kinds of deaths in use amongst the Jews strangling stoning fire and the sword the Crosse was a death whether for the pain the shame the curse farre above all other we may see it in that gradation of the Apostle He became obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 Phil. 2.8 What engine of torture was that it spins out pain it slowes his death yet a little and a little till it be more then any man can think see his hands bored his feet nayled his legs broken every part full of pain from top to toe and thus hangs this Thief the poyz of his body every moment increasing his pain and his own weight becoming his own affliction in this case were not a quick riddance his best remedie were not the news of death better then a lingring life Lo then to his eternall comfort Christ our Saviour in the same condemnation grants him his desire What would he have a dispatch of pain he shall have it this day as Samuels appearance said to Saul To morrow yea to day thou shalt be with me 1 Sam. 28.19 But secondly here 's a greater comfort his miseries have an end and his joys are at hand while he is even gasping in deaths pangs he is carried on a sudden from earth to heaven from his Crosse to Paradise from a world of wo to a kingdome of happiness and eternall blisse O how blessed is the change when in the very moment of misery joy enters Suppose you a poor man in the night time out of his way wandring alone upon the mountains far from companie destitute of money beaten with rain terrified with thunder stiff with cold wearied with labour famished with hunger and near brought to despair with the multitude of miseries if this man upon a sudden in the twinkling of an eye should be placed in a goodly large and rich palace furnished with all kind of clear lights warm fire sweet smels dainty meats soft beds pleasant musick fine apparell honourable company and all these prepared for him to serve him honour him and to anoint and crown him a King for ever what would this poor man do what could he say surely nothing but rather in silence weep for joy Such nay far happier was the case of this poor malefactour he was like the man wandring on the mountains full of as much pain as the crosse could make him but on a sudden he and our Saviour crucified with him both meet in his Kingdome and now Lord what a joy enters into him when he entred into heaven on Calvary he had nothing about him but the Iews at his feet and the nails in his hands and the Crosse at his back in stead whereof no sooner comes he to Paradise but the Angels Archangels Cherubims Seraphims all hug him and embrace him imagine with your selves how was he astonished and as it were besides himself at this sudden mutation and excessive honour done unto him Imagine with your selves what joy was that when he met our Saviour in his glorie whom that very day he had seen buffeted scourged crowned crucified blessed day that could ever bring forth such a change Beloved I know not how to express it but let your souls in some meditation flie up from Calvarie to Heaven in the morning you might have seen Christ and this Thief hanging on two Crosses their bodies stretched their veins opened their hands and feet bleeding in abundance the one desiring to be remembred of the other and the other complaining that he was forgotten of his Father Matth. 27.46 in this dolefull case both leaving the world ere night they meet again and now what hugs what kisses are betwixt them When Joseph met with Iacob Gen. 46.26 he fell on his neck saith Moses and wept on his neck a good while but never was any meeting on earth like this in Heaven here we have a Ioseph lift out of the dungeon to the Throne where no sooner set but our Saviour performs his promise of meeting him in Paradise at which meeting the Angels sing the Saints rejoyce all Harps warble all Hands clap for joy and the poor soul of this penitent Thief ravished with delight what does it or what can it do but even weep for joy if any weeping were in heaven to see on a sudden so great a change as this Vse And if
and blessed is this penitent Thief no sooner entred he into the gates of Heaven but there meets him with musick and dancing Luke 15.25 all the quire of Heaven and Lord what a joy entred into his soul when his soul entred into his masters joy Tell me could I speak with thee that dwellest in the Heavens what a day was that when stepping from the Crosse and conducted to Paradise thou wast there received with all honourable companies and troops above there did the Patriarchs meet thee and the Prophets hug thee and the Martyrs struck up their Harps to bid thee welcome to the Tabernacle of Heaven Such honour have all his Saints that attain the fellowship of the Saints in glory But more then so thou shalt be with me and therefore with my Angels Lo here a blessed companie indeed these are the heavenly Choristers eternally singing Jehovahs praise The Seraphims cry aloud Esay 6.3 Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts an Army answer to the antheme Glory to God on high The whole Quire of heaven add the burthen Revel 4.11 Thou art wortby O Lord to receive honour and glory and power for thou hast created all things and for thy sake they are and were creâ—â—â—d O heavenly harmony consisting of ten thousand times ten thousand various sorts of Musick Revel 5.11 I heard saith John the Divine that 〈◊〉 of many Angels round about the throne and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand thousand of thousands these are the shining and singing Starres of which God told his servant Job Job 38.7 The morning starres sing together and the serâ—â—â—â—â— of God shout for joy These are the winged Châ—risters of 〈◊〉 whom John the Divine heard singing their song of Hallelujah and Hosanna Revel 19.6 I heard saith he the voice of a great multitude as the voice of many waters the voice of â—any Angels singing and saying Hallelujah and again Hallelujah these are the nimble Posts of heaven Gen. 28.12 whom Jacob sayâ— thing 〈◊〉 and down the Ladder these are the Protectours of the godly whose aid God promised the Israelites Exod. 23.20 Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee to the place which I have prepared These are the Guardians of sucking Infants of whom our Saviour told his Disciples that in Matth. 18.10 Heaven their Angels alwayes behold the face of his Father these are the armies of God who meeting Jacob in his journey Gen. 32.2 he said this is Gods Hosts these are the Spirits and Ministers of God whom David describing by the purity of their substance and readinesse of their obedience he calls the Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire Psal 104.4 They are shining and singing stars winged choristers nimble Posts of heaven Protectours of the godly guardians of children the armies of the Almighty the Spirits and Ministers of the great Jehovah What blessed companie is this we shall enjoy in heaven there is nothing in them but is amiable nothing in them but is admirable O that this clay of ours should come to dwell with thâ—se incorporeall spirits and yet see here a man a thief 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of men by his confession and contrition and faith in Christ is now become a companion with Angels Nor is that all thou shalt be with me not onely with my Saints and Angels but with me with my soul in Paradise His soul indeed was there though his body at that time was in the grave and if the soul be it that makes us men what a passing great joy is that when men standing amongst the Angels shall see their Lord the Lord of heaven not to be an Angel but a man Here is the solace of Saints when they shal see say who is yond that rules on the Throne of heaven who is yond that sits on the right hand of God the Father and they shal answer themselves again it is he that for us became man for the salvation it is he that of our souls hath took upon him a body soul And think now with thy self whosoever thou art that readst if thou wilt but spend thy few evil dayes in his fear so die in his favour what a comfort will it be unto thee to see that Lamb sitting on his seat of state If the wise men of the East came so far and so rejoyced to see him in the Manger what will it be to thee to see him sitting and glittering in his glory If John Baptist did leap at his presence in his mothers belly what shall his presence do in his royall and eternall Kingdome It passeth all other glories saith Austin to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face August and to receive the beams of glory from the brightnesse of his Majestie nay should we suffer torments every day or for a time the very pains of hell it self thereby to gain the sight of Christ and of his Saints it were nothing in comparison No wonder then Phil. 1.23 if Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Alas who would not be so O most sweet Saviour saith one devoutly when shall this joyfull day come when shall I appear before thy face when shall I be filled with thy excellent beautie when shall I see that countenance of thine which the very Angels themselves are so desirous to behold an happie time sure will it be to each faithfull soul And thus happie was this man he parted sorrowfully with our Saviour on the Crosse but he met him joyfully in his Kingdome those sweet souls that both left the world at one time no sooner had heaven gates opened unto them but with mutuall kisses they embraced each other in unspeakable manner Nor was this all thou shalt be with me not onely with my soul but with my God-head this indeed was the height of blisse the very soul of heavens joy it self set aside this and crown a man with the Empire of all the earth the splendour of heaven the royall endowments of a glorified soul the sweetest company of Saints and Angels yet still would his soul be full of emptinesse and utterly to seek for the surest Sanctuary whereon to rest onely once admit him to the face of God and then presently and never before his infinite desire exspires in the bosome of his Maker I denie not but the other joyes in heaven are transcendent and ravishing but they are all no better then accessories to this principall drops to this Ocean glimpses to this Sunne If you ask how can our souls enjoy this God-head I answer two wayes first by the understanding secondly by the will The understanding is filled by a clear glorious sight of God 1 Cor. 12.12 called Beatificall vision we shall see him face to face saith Paul 1 Cor. 13.12 We shall see him as he is saith John 1 John 3.2 1 John
may bring forth Prov. 27.1 Prov. 27.1 thy day is this present day and therefore saith the Apostle To day if you will hear his voice Heb. 3.7 Heb. 3.7 nay to speak further this day saith Iob is past already we are but of yesterday Job 8.9 Job 8.9 nay as if a day were too long for the life of man most resembles it to the grasse that grows up in the morning and is cut down in the evening Psal 90.6 Psal 90.6 and Gregorie compares it to Ionahs gourd that came up in a night and perished ere the day was come Jonah 4.10 Jonah 4.10 The evening and the morning make but one day Gen. 1.5 but * Quem dies videt veniens superbum hunc dies videt abiens jacentem our day is oft times an evening without a morning and oft times a morning without an evening Nay yet to go lower as if half a day were more then our life could parallell Moses compares it to a watch which is but the fourth part of a night Psal 90.4 Psal 90.4 yea and as if this were longer then our life doth last the Scripture calls it but an hour John 5.25 John 5.25 The hour is coming and now is saith Christ nay our life is but a minute or if we can say lesse a moment in a moment they go down to the grave saith Iob Job 21.13 Job 21.13 and in a moment shall they die saith Elihu Job 34.20 Job 34.20 And a lying tongue is but for a moment saith Solomon Prov. 12.19 Prov. 12.19 and our light affliction is but for a moment saith Paul 2 Cor. 4.17 2 Cor. 4.17 Lo here the length of our little life this is the gradation that God makes of it at first a matter of seventie years but these were tythed from seventie to seven this number again was made no number one single year a year nay a moneth nay a day nay an hour nay a minute nay a moment as soon as we were born we began to draw to our end Wisd 5.13 Wisd 5.13 There 's but one poor moment which we have to live and when that is spent our life is gone How but one and a moment one is the least number that is and a moment the shortest time that ever was O what mean men to plot and project for the time to come as if this life would never be done O consider of the littleness of the time that thou hast to live O consider of the greatness of the matter that depends upon it thy body soul heaven and hel all hangs on this thread a short life a few dayes Few and evill have the dayes of my life been You have learned Moses Arithmetick to number your dayes practise a while and you find this use Vse 1 God shortens your time you that are unregenerate lest you defer your repentance it is said of the Devil that he is busie because his time is short Revel 12.12 Rev. 12.12 and are you worse then Devils is not your time shorter and yet are you more negligent how do you give way to that old serpent he delayes no time to bring you to hell and ye neglect all times to get you heaven What is your life but a Jonas gourd suddenly sprung up and by and by withered again and gone whatsoever ye do your wheel whirls about apace in a word ye die daily and you all know thus much that you have every one of you a poor soul to save I have wondered at men that desire time after time one time after another why if your souls perish the day will come soon enough It makes me weep said one of a better stamp when my hour-glasse is beside me and I see every drop of sand follow other so speedily Your dayes are but few and yet who knows whether this day his sunne may set Take heed you unregenerate if death come unawares it is the price of your souls how you are provided Who alas would defer to be good that knows not how soon he may go to judgement The enemie keeps a daily watch a friend prepares for your welcome and are you such enemies to your selves that never are prepared to welcome death Vse 2 But to speak to thee whosoever thou art that readest regenerate or unregenerate the best counsel thou canst learn is to be still in a readinesse think every day thou risest to be thy day of death and every night thou goest to bed that thou art laid down in the grave if thou shouldest forget will not each object be a remembrancer thy sheets of thy winding-sheet thy coverings of thy clasping dust thy sleep of thy death with whom I may say truly thou shakest hands every night who can forget his grve that lies him down in his bed and who then would not so provide himself as if every night he went to his grave Our dayes are but few and the night will be ere long that we die indeed What are we but Tenants at will in this Clay Farm the foundation of all the building is a small substance alwayes kept cold by an intercourse of air the pillar is but a little breath the strength some few bones tied together with dry strings howsoever we piece and patch this poor cottage it will at last fall into the Lords hands and we must give surrender onely in this tenour Few and evill have the dayes of my life been You now see the time of our Lease to the full out life lasts but dayes our dayes are but few who is so fond to settle his care on this Lease that so soon is exspired nay with a blast is gone out The man that is wedded to this world enjoyes neither length of dayes nor a day of joy as he is mortall so is he miserable you shall see my Text joyn both the hands nothing indeed but death can loose the bonds the dayes of my life are few the few dayes of my life are evill few in number evill in nature neither many nor good but few and evill Evill OUr life is but dayes our dayes are but few our few dayes but evil Into what a sea of misery have I now rushed sail Evill life evill dayes but few yet evil There waits on our life Sinne Punishment Both these are evil Sinne as the father playes the Bankrupt Jam. 1.15 and Punishment the sonne must pay the debt first Lust conceives and brings forth sinne then sinne being finished brings forth death Here is both the work and wages first we commit and then we suffer evil The evils we commit are sinnes and see what a troop of enemies march about us if you exspect the battel in array what say you to those evils originall these are the inheritance which we have from our first parents it is the same infection that distilled from them abides in us and therefore the same punishment is due to us that fell on them
that it might shine in heaven But this was but the beginning of his dayes now they are past they have been Go a little further we left him at school but how learned he Christ 1. Cor. 2.2 Psal 8.2 and him crucified this was the knowledge taught him by the Spirit of God in a wonderfull manner Out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings hast thou O God ordained strength To consider again his religious words his upright actions his hearty devotions his fear of God all then concluded as they did of John Luke 1.66 What manner of child shall this be No question the grace of God was with him If I should instance in any of these his frequencie in prayer his reading of Scripture his reasoning with others to get knowledge to himself we may wonder at Gods power in this childs poor weakness Excuse me whiles I tell nothing but truths and I hope they will tend to our own instruction In the morning he would not stir out of doors before he had poured out his prayers at noon he would not eat any meat before he had given the Lord thanks at night he would not lie down on his bed before he had kneeled down on his knees we may remember those times when sometimes that he had forgotten this dutie no sooner had he been in bed but up he would have got again and so kneeling down on his bare knees covered with no garment but his linens he would ask God forgiveness for that sinne of forgetfulness neither have his brothers escaped without his reprehension for had they eat any meal or meat without a grace his check was usuall Dare you do thus unless God be mercifull unto us this bit of bread might choke us The wise sentences the religious words which often dropt from his mouth like honey can we remember them and not grieve at the death of him that spake them What comfort had we in those dayes What sorrow have we to think those dayes are done Surely we cannot speak it without bitterness of soul they are gone they have been Thus he lived will you know how he died First a lingring sickness seized upon him against which to comfort him one tells him of possessions that must fall to his portion And what are they said he I had rather have the Kingdome of Heaven then a thousand such inheritances Thus he minds Heaven and God so minding him presently sent him his sickness that should summon him thither And now how should I repeat his words with the life that he spake them dying No sooner had God struck his body with that fatall sickness but he asks and needs would know his souls estate I have heard of the soul said he but what is the soul the mind he questions and questioning answers better I fear then many too many gray headed amongst us but the answer given how the soul consisted of the Will and the Understanding he sayes he is satisfied and now understands better then he did before Another comes to him and then he begins another question now he knows the soul he desires yet to know further How his soul may be saved O blessed soul how wisely couldst thou question for thine own souls good The answer given by faith applying Christs merits he heard it and had it anon telling them who before had taught it him Resolved in these questions he questions no further but will now answer them that go about to question him One asks him whether he had rather live or die he gives the answer and not without Pauls reason I desire to die said he that I might go to my Saviour O blessed Spirit bow didst thou inspire into this child thy wisdome and goodnesse This done his pain begins again to afflict him and this occasions another thus to question him whether he would rather still endure those pains or forsake his Christ Alas said he I know not what to say as a child for these pains might stagger a strong man but I will strive to endure the best I can Upon this he presently calls to mind that Martyr who being in prison Thom. Bilney the night before his burning put his finger in the candle to know how he could endure the fire O said he had I lived then I would have runne through the fire to have gone to Christ Sweet resolution of a silly child who can hear and not wonder wonder and not desire to hear that he may wonder still Blessed child hadst thou lived that we might have wondred at thy wisdome but his daies were determined and now is the number turned to this poor cypher they are not they have been I cannot leave him yet his sicknesse lasts long and at least three dayes before his death he prophesies his departure and how strange a prophecie not onely that he must die but fore-telling the very day On the Lords day said he look to me Neither was this a word of course which you may guesse by his often repetition every day asking till the day came indeed What is Sunday come At last the lookt-for day came on and no sooner had the Sun beautified that morning with his light but he falls into a trance What think ye meant his blessed soul whilest the body it self used such an action his eyes were fixed his face chearfull his lips smiling his hands and arms clasping in a bow as if he would have received some blessed Angel that there was at hand to receive his soul but he comes to himself and tells them how he saw the sweetest boy that ever eyes beheld and bids them Be of good chear for he must presently go with him One standing near as now suspecting his time of dissolution bids him say Lord into thy hands I commend my spirit Psal 31.5 Yes said he Into thy hands Lord I commit my spirit which is thy due for why thou hast redeemed it O Lord my God most true Who will not believe this child now sings in Heaven that so soon had learned this Davids Psalm on earth I cannot hold my self nor will I hold you long but how may I omit his heavenly ejaculations Beloved I beseech you pardon me whilest I speak his words and I will promise you to speak no word but the very same formally which were his own Pray pray pray nay yet pray and the more prayers the better all prospers God is the best Physician into his hands I commend my spirit O Lord Jesus receive my soul Now close mine eyes forgive me father mother brothers sister all the world Now I am well my pain is almost gone my joy is at hand Lord have mercy on me O Lord receive my soul unto thee Where am I whilest I speak these words Blessed Saint now thou singest in Heaven God hath bid thee welcome the Angels are hugging thee the Saints rejoyce with thee this day is the Crown set on thy head this day is the Palm of victory in thy hand
every corn of your field neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of the harvest How not reap it not gather it what then why Thou shalt leave them for the poor and for the stranger I am the Lord your God Levit. 19.9 Lev. 19.9 10. When Ruth came to glean in the fields of Boaz that good Master commands his servants Ruth 2.15 Let her gather among the sheaves and do not rebuke her Had this Worldling been so pitifull to the poor his barns might have stood himself might have lived his soul have been saved But now what a strange lot happens on him his Halls Houses Barns Buildings all runne round in a dance of Death before his eyes Fourthly his house and friends both left him when death came The Parable is common Ex Damasceno A man hath three friends two whereof he loved most entirely the third he made no account of this man being sent for to come before his King he desires his first friend to go with him but he could not onely he would give him something for his journey He desires his second friend to go with him but he would not onely he would bring him a little piece of his way When both these forsook him he goes to the last which before he esteemed least and this friend was the party that went with him to the King and answered for him in all his causes This is the case of every man dying the King our Judge sends death his Serjeant to summon you to your judgement Come to your first friends I mean your riches alas they cannot go with you but give you a sheet as necessary for your journey Come to your second friends I mean your acquaintance alas they wil not go with you but bring you to your graves and there leave you to your selves Come to your last friends which you now least think of I mean your Consciences and you shall find that is the truest friend that will go with you to the Judge answer for you to the King and either acquit you or condemn you bring you to the gates of heaven or deliver you to the goal of hell Have a care of your Consciences if you mean to speed well at this day how blessed a man had this Worldling been if onely a good conscience had accompanied him to the Judge of heaven but now when death summons him there is no friend to solicite no Advocate to plead no man to speak one word in his souls behalf it is his bad conscience keeps him company and though all others leave him he can devise no means to shake this from him Fifthly there is a jewell irrevocable of which this sudden death robs him I mean his time and what a losse was this all his goods grounds barns buildings were they more worth then the world it self yet were they not able to restore one minute of his time if this could be purchased what a rate would he give for a little respite nothing is now so precious as a piece of time which before by moneths and years he lavishly mis-spent they that passe away time with mirth and pastime shall one day see to their grief what a losse they have now we revell it out dally it away use all means and occasions to make it short enough but when this golden showre is gone and those opportunities of salvation lost by negligence then we may wish and wish again Oh had we a little time a little space to repent Imagine that this worldling whom now you must suppose to lie frying in hel flames were dispenced with for a little time to live here again on earth amongst us would but the Lord vouchsafe him one hour of a new triall a minute season of a gracious visitation oh how highly would he prize how eagerly would he apprehend with what infinite watching praying fasting would he improve that short time that he might repent him I know not how effectually this may work an your hearts but I am fully perswaded if any damned creature had but the happinesse to hear this Sermon you should see how his very heart would bleed vvithin him bleed said I nay break and fall asunder in his breast like drops of vvater Oh vvith vvhat inflamed attention vvould he hear and listen vvith vvhat insatiable grasping vvould he lay hold on Christ vvith vvhat streaming tears vvould he vvater his cheeks as if he vvould melt himself like Niobe into a fountain Blessed God! hovv fond are foolish men that never think of this till their time be lost vve that are alive have onely this benefit of opportunity and if vve neglect it a day vvill come vve knovv not hovv soon that vve shall be past it and cannot recover it no not one houre if vve vvould give a thousand ten thousand vvorlds for it What can I say reflect on your selves you that have souls to save you have yet a little time and the time present is that time vvhat then but so use it novv as vvhen you are gone you need not vvith grief vvish you here again Sixthly yet more losse and that is the losse of losses the losse of his soul his riches lands houses friends time and all were nothing to his soul This is that Paragon Peere Rose and Spouse of our well-beloved Christ How many a teare shed he to save it what grones cryes prayers teares and bloud poured he before God that he might redeem it from the jawes of Satan and is this lost notwithstanding all this labour O sweet Jesu what a losse is this thou wast born lived died and that a shamefull death the death of the cross and all this suffering was to save poor souls yet see a soul here lost and the bloud of God though able not effectuall to redeem it Whose heart would not melt into bloud that but knew this misery Suppose you could see the soul of this wretched worldling no sooner had it left the body but immediately was it seized on by infernall fiends now lies it on a bed of fire tortured tormented scourged and scorched in those furious flames there his conscience stings him his sorrow gripes him his pain so handles him that he cryes and roares Woe woe and alas evermore Who now for shadows of short pleasures would incur these sorrows of eternall pains In this world we can weep and wail for a losse of trifles an house a field an Oxe took from us is enough to cruciate us but how shall we bewail the losse of a soul which no sooner plunged into that pit of horrour but it shall feel a punishment without pity misery without mercy sorrow without succour crying without comfort torment without ease a world of mischiefe without all measure or redress Such is the losse of this mans silly soul whilest he was cheering it with an home-bred solace Soul thou hast much goods layd up for many years God whispers in his eares and tells him other newes What of his soul
then shall your souls be hurried by Devils to that infernall lake whence there is no redemption O beloved O wretch whosoever thou art Canst thou possibly sleep in such a case as this Canst thou go to bed with a conscience laden with sin Canst thou take any sleep which is the brother of death when thou lyest now in danger of eternall death Consider I pray what space what distance how far off is thy soul from death from hell from eternity no more but a breath one breath and no more no more but a step one step and more O beloved were not this lamentable that some one of us that now are standing or sitting should this night sleep his last and to morrow have his body brought to be buried yea and before to morrow morning have his soul which the Lord forbid cast from his bed of feathers to a bed of fire and yet alas alas if any of us this night dye in his sin or in a state unregenerate thus will it be with him whosoever he be to morrow may his body lye could under earth and his soul lodg in hell with this miserable rich man Vse 2 But let me speake to you of whom I hope better things it is good counsell for you all to exspect death every day and by this means death fore-seen cannot possibly be sudden no it is he onely dyes suddenly that dyes unpreparedly Watch therefore saith our Saviour be ever in a readiness and finally that this rich man may be your warning you that tender your souls learn that lessen of our Saviour Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break thorow and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break thorow nor steal Mat. 6.19 20. Mat. 6.19 20. You will say What treasures are those I answer These treasures are those stocks of grace that will last for ever it is that circumspect walking Ephes 5.15 Ephes 5.15 that fervency of spirit Rom. 12.11 Rom 12.11 that zeal of good works Tit. 2 14. Tit. 2.14 that purity which St. Iohn makes a property of every true hearted professour 1 Joh. 3.3 1 Joh. 3.3 In a word it is the work the life the power of that prayer that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy these are heavenly hoords indeed O that we would treasure up such provision against the day of calamity If while it is called to day we would make our peace with his heavenly Highness by an humble continued exercise of repentance if in this time of grace we would purchase Gods favour and those rarest jewells of faith and a good conscience if now before we appear at the dreadfull Tribunall we would make God and his Angels our friends in the Court of Heaven O then how blessed would out deaths be to us came it never so suddenly still should death find us ready and if ready no matter how suddenly yea though it were this this night I have broke ope the writ and you see when it must be served this night but in this Quando there is both suddenness and sadness it is not this day but this night Let this end this dayes discourse and the next day we will lay open the nights dark sadness it is a dismall time and God give us grace so to provide that we may be ready with oyle in our lamps and enter with our Saviour into his blessed Kingdome Night HE sins all day and dyes at night and why at night This you know is frequent and there is reason most are begot and born and therefore dye at night but we must further then the lists of nature this night was more then ordinary as being the fittest time to aggravate his griefe weigh but the circumstances First It was a night of darkness and this may encrease the horrour of his judgment think but what a fear seized on the Aegyptians Wisd 17.5 when no power of the fire must give them light nor might the clear flames of the stars lighten the horrible night that fell upon them The Husband-men the Shepherds the work-men Exod. 10.23 all were bound with one chain of darkness No man saw another neither rose up from the place where he was for three days Exod. 10.23 Was not this fearfull darkness you may guesse it by the effects they were troubled and terrified and swooned as though their own souls should betray them Wisd 17.18 19. Whether it were an hissing wind or a sweet noyse of birds among the spreading branches or a pleasing fall of waters running violently or a terrible sound of stones or the running of skipping beasts or the noyse of cruell beasts or the eccho that answereth again in the hollow mountains these fearfull things made them to swoon for fear And if thus the Egyptians how was it with this Worldling a darknesse seized on him that engendred a thousand times more intolerable torments Wisd 17.21 This was the image of that darkness which should afterward receive him and yet was he unto himself more grievous then the darknesse It was not an outward but an utter darknesse not onely to be not seen but to be felt and feared Imagine then what visions what sounds what sights what sudden fires appeared unto him Unhappy Worldling look round about thee although it be dark here is something to be seen above is the angry Judge beneath is the burning lake before is gloomy darknesse behind is infallibe death on thy right and left hand a legion of evil angels exspecting every moment to receive the prey Here is a sight indeed able to break the very heart-strings of each seer If some have lost their wits by means of some dreadfull sight yea if the very suspicion of Devils have caused many men to tremble and the hairs of their heads to stand staring upright what then was the fear and terrour of this man when so many dreadfull horrible hellish monsters stood round about him now readie to receive him O ye sonnes of men stand in aw and sinne not Psal 4.4 commune with your own heart and in your chamber and be still Will not this fear you from your sinnes Suppose then you lay on your beds of death were the Judge in his throne your souls at the Barre ths accuser at your elbows and hell ready open to shut her mouth upon you O then how would you curse your selves and bewail your sins What horrible visions would appear to you in the dark horrible indeed In so much saith * Cyril de vitae beati Hieron ad fin Epist one that were there no other punishment then the appearing of Devils you would rather burn to ashes then endure their sights Good God that any Christian should live in this danger and yet never heed it till he sees its terrour How many have gone thus
brought us all those things are passed away as a shadow or as a Poste that passeth by Look on this man as he lies on his bed of death here is neither smile nor dimple All the daughters of musick are brought low Eccles. 12.4 His voice is hoarse his lips pale his cheeks wan his nostrills run out his eyes sink into his head and all the parts and members of his body now lose their office to assist him Is this the merrie man that made such pastime Sweet God! what a change is this Esa 3.24 In stead of sweet smell there is a stench in stead of a girdle a rent in stead of well-set hair baldness in stead of beauty burning in stead of mirth mourning and lamentation weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Must not sadnesse seize on that soul which incurs this doom Here is a malefactour stands at bar indited by the name of Fool charged with the guilt of treason condemned by the Judge of heaven and this night the saddest that ever he saw is that fearfull execution that his soul is taken And yet more horrour It was a night of sinne and this doth encrease the sorrow Psal 116.13 How dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and we may say on the contrary How abominable in the sight of the Lord is the death of the wicked Was not this a grief to be took thus tripping in his wickedness even now whilest he was busily plotting his ease and pastime death stands at his door and over-hears all his plots and projects It was a death to his soul to be took in his sinne hear how he roars and cries O that I had lived so virtuously as I should had I embraced the often inspirations of Gods blessed Spirit had I followed his Laws obeyed his Commands attended to his will how sweet and pleasant would they now be unto me We and alas that I had not fore-seen this day what have I done but for a little pleasure a fleeting vanity lost a Kingdome purchased damnation O beloved what think ye of your selves whilest you hear this voice you sit here as senseless of this judgement as the seats the pillars the walls the dust nay as the dead bodies themselves on which you tread but suppose and it were a blessed meditation you that are so fresh and frolick at this day that spend it merrily use it profanely swearing revelling singing dancing what if this night while you are in your sin the hand of death should arrest you Could I speak with you on your death-beds I am sure I should find you in another case how but sorrowing grieving roaring that your time were lost and these words not heeded whiles the time well served how would you tear your hair gnash your teeth bite your nails seek all means possibly to annihilate your selves and can nothing warn you before death seize on you take heed if you go on in sinne the next step is damnation It was the Apostles advice Rom. 13.11 Now it is high time to wake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer then when we believed Rom. 13.11 If this wretched man had observed the present time how happy had he been this hour of his departure But as Officers take malefactours drinking or drabbing so is he nearest danger when deepest in the mire of pleasure Look at all those that are gone before us and which of them thought their end so near while they lived so merrie I must needs tell you there is a fire a worm a sting a darkness an hell provided for all wicked wretches and there most certainly must you be this night if you die this day in your naturall state of sinne Lord that men should be so strangely bewitched by the Prince of the air as for the momentarie enjoyment of some glorious miseries bitter-sweet pleasures heart-vexing riches desperately and wilfully to abandon God and to cast themselves headlong into the jaws of Satan Such a prodigious madnesse seized on this Worldling he sings he revels he dallies Plin. l. 7. c. 23. then dies Thus greatest euils arise out of greatest joyes as the ears vvith vehement sounds and the eyes vvith brighter objects so many by felicity have lost both their sense and being Gallus dies in the act of pleasure 2 Sam. 4.7 Num. 11.33 Ishbosheth dies in the middest of sleep the Israelites die in their day of lust this Worldling dies in that night of sinne even then on a sudden his soul is taken And yet more horrour it vvas a night of death and this vvas the vvorst of all the darkness drowsiness sadness sin all vvere nothing to this all nothing in themselves if death had not follovved Aristot lib. 3. mor. cap. 6. this is that most terrible of all terribles all fears griefs suspicions pains as so many small brooks are svvallovved up and drovvned in this Ocean of misery Novv rich man vvhat saiest thou to thy barns buildings riches lands Do these pleasure thee in this thy extreme and dying agonie Thou liest this night on thy departing bed burthened vvith the heavie load of thy former trespasses the pangs come sore and sharp upon thee thy brest pants thy pulse beats short thy breath it self smels of earth and rottennesse vvhither vvilt thou go for a little ease or succour vvhat help canst thou have in thy heaps of gold or hoord of vvealth Discip de temp serm 118. ex Hum. in tract de septuplici timore should vve bring them to thy bed as vve read of one dying commanded that his golden vessels and silver plate should be set before him which looking on he promised to his soul it should have them all on condition of his stay with him but the remedie being silly at last most desperately he commends it to the Devil seeing it would not stay in his body and so gave up the ghost Alas these trifling treasures can no more deliver thee from the arrest of that inexorable Serjeant then can an handfull of dust Wretched men vvhat shall be your thoughts vvhen you come to this miserable case full sad and heavie thoughts Lord thou knovvest you may lie upon your beds like vvild buls in a net full of the furie of the Lord In the morning thou shalt say would God it were evening and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Deut. 28.67 Deut. 28.67 Here is the terrour of that night of death vvhen you may vvish vvith all your hearts that you had never been born if the Lord once let loose the cords of your conscience vvhat account vvill you make of crovvns of possessions all these will be so far from healing the wound that they will turn rather into fiery Scorpions for your further torments Now now now is the dismall time of death what
knowledge and our tongue the lively image of his revealed will God therefore before he made the body said Let us make man in our own image Gen. 1.26 and what was the meaning but that soul and body should both bear the image of his Majestie Be astonished then ye men of the earth If this dust this clay this bodie of ours be so glorious what think ye of the soul whose substance faculties qualities dignities every way represents Gods omnipotent Essence Look on this glass and first for substance is the soul invisible why so is God No man hath seen him at any time Joh. 1.18 John 1.18 Is the soul incorporeall why so is God We ought not to think him like unto gold or silver or stone graven with art Acts 17.29 Acts 17.29 Is the soul immortall why so is God He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who onely hath immortality 1. Tim. 6.16 1. Tim. 6.16 Is the soul spirituall why so is God God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit John 4.24 John 4.24 Is the soul one essence why so is God There is one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4.6 Ephes 4.6 See here the lively image of God in every soul of man But there is another character imprinted in every faculty so that not onely the substance but the powers of the soul bear this image in them As there is one God and three persons so there is one soul and three faculties the Father Son and holy Ghost are but one God the Vnderstanding Will and Memory are but one soul the Father is not the Son nor the Son the holy Ghost so the Vnderstanding is not the Will nor the Will the Memory and yet the Father is God the Son is God and the holy Ghost is God so the Vnderstanding is the soul the VVill is the soul and the Memory is the soul I dare not say but there is some difference Trinitatem in nobis videmus potius quà m credimus Deum verò esse Trinitatem credimus potiùs quà m videmus Aug. de Trin. l. 15. c. 6. Psal 45.13 Ecclus 17.6 This trinity in us we rather see it then believe it but that Trinity of Persons we more believe it then see it Howsoever then our soul is no proof of the Godhead yet is it a true sign of that image of God in the soul Nay yet as if this stamp were of a deeper impression see the dowrie of Gods Spouse and who wonders not at the qualities conditions with which the soul is arrayed The Kings daughter is all glorious within her clothing is of broydered gold What say you to that heavenly knowledge inspired into us God that created man filled him with knowledge of understanding and shewed them good and evil Ecclus 17.6 What say you to those heavenly impressions that are stampt upon us Ephes 4.24 such are the new mans marks which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Ephes 4.24 These make the soul like God and God loving to the soul is it not clad with righteousness as with a garment witnesse the integrity of Adam in that sweet subjection his soul to the Lord his affections to the soul his body to the affections the whole man to God as to the chiefest good and as truth and mercy meet together so righteousnesse and holinesse kisse each other this righteousness to God is it that makes us righteous afore God and this is that holiness wherein we are created O blessed image how nearly dost thou resemble thy Creatour he is the pattern of perfection and we bear the image of that pattern Be ye holy for I am holy 1. Pet. 1.15 1. Pet. 1.15 And yet again as if this picture were of deeper die how like is the soul to its Creatour in her full dominion over all the creatures Cant. 6.3 Thou art bountifull O my soul as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem terrible as an army with banners What is it will not stoop to this Gods Vice-gerent Beasts and birds and serpents and things of the sea are tamed and have been tamed of the nature of man Jam. 3.7 Jam. 3.7 What a thing is this soul she can came the wild command the proud pull down the loftie do what she will by compounding comparing contemplating commanding O excellent nature that sittest on earth canst reach to heaven mayest dive to hell nothing being able to resist thy power so long as thou art subject to that power of God Psal 8.6 Is this the soul Lo what is man that thou art mindfull of him thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet Psal 8.6 O my soul my soul what can we say of such a creature to summe up all she is in nature a substance created by God invisible of men incorporeall with Angels immortall through grace most like to God in a way of nearness and bearing his image in the glorious stamp of her created likeness Is this the darling of our Lord where then is the rich man that hath lost this pearl he that could tell his soul Soul Vers 19. thou hast much goods laid up for many years live at ease eat drink and take thy pastime Now on a sudden his soul is taken and whose shall those things be which he hath provided The loss of all losses is the loss of a soul without which had we never so much we could truly enjoy nothing what trust then in your earthly treasures what stay in such broken staves of reed one day you shall finde them most deceitfull leaving your naked souls to the open rage of wind and weather to the scourges and scorpions of guiltiness and fear Could you purchase a monopoly of all the world had you the gold of the West the treasures of the East the spices of the South the pearles of the North all is nothing to this incarnate Angell this invaluable soul O wretched worldling what hast thou done then to undoe thy soul was it a wedge of gold an heap of silver an hoord of pearl to which thou trustest see they are gone and thy soul is required Alas poor soul whither must it go to heaven to its Creator to God that gave it no there is another way for wandring sinners Go yee into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 prepared for the Devill and his Angels thither must it go with heaviness of heart into a kingdome of darkness a lake of burning a prison of horrible confusion of terrible tortures O poor soul what a misery is this darkness burning confusion torments are these the welcomes of his soul to hell what meant the rich man in his unhappy fore-cast he propounded to his soul a world of ease of pleasure of pastime it proves far otherwise this other world is a world
of torments which like infinite rivers of Brimstone feed upon his soul without ease or end What avails now his pompous pride at his dolefull funerals the news is sounded hee is dead friends must lament him passing-peales ring for him an hearse-cloth wrap him a tombe-stone lye over him all must have mourning suites and may be rejoycing hearts but all this while his soul his going to judgment without one friend or the least acquaintance to speak in his cause O that his soul were mortall and body and soul to be buried both together in one grave must his body die and his soul live in what world or nation in what place or region it is another world another nation where Devils are companions brimstone the fire horrour the language and eternall death the souls eternall life never to be cured Bernard in Medit. and never must be ended O my soul saith Bernard what a terrible day shall that be when thou shalt leave this Mansion and enter into an unknown region who will deliver thee from these ramping Lyons who can defend thee from those hellish monsters God is incensed hell prepared justice threatned onely mercy must prevent or the soul is damned View this rich man on his deaths-bed the pain shouts through his head and at last comes to his heart anon death appeares in his face and suddenly falls on to arrest his soul Is it death what is it he demands can his goods satisfie no the world claims them must his body goe no the worms claim that what debt is this which neither goods nor body can discharge Habeas animam ejus coram nobis Gods warrant bids fetch the soul O miserable news the soul committed sin sin morgaged it to death death now demands it and what if he gain the world he must lose his soul This night thy soul shall be required of thee Vse 1 Animula vagula blandula said the heathen Emperour Pretty Adrian little wandring soul whither goest thou from me wilt thou leave me alone that cannot live without thee O what conflicts suffers the poor soul when this time is come must the soul be gone help friends physick pleasure riches nay take a world to reprive a soul so different are the thoughts of men dying from them living now are they for their pleasure or profit the body or the world but then nothing is esteemed but the soul what can we say but if you mean your souls must be saved O then let these precious dear everlasting things breathed into your bodies for a short abode scorn to feed on earth or any earthly things it is matter of a more heavenly metall treasures of an higher temper riches of a nobler nature that must help your souls Do you think that ever any glorified soul that now looks God Almighty in the face and tramples under foot the Sun and Moon is so bewitcht as was Achan with a wedge of gold no it is onely the Communion of Saints the society of Angels the fruition of the Deity Iosh 7.21 the depth of eternity which can onely feed and fill the soul So live then as that when you die your souls may receive this blisse and the Lord Iesus our Saviour receive all your souls Vse 2 I must end but gladly would I win a soul If the reward be so great as you know it to recover a sick body Si magnae mercedis est a morte eripere carnem quanti est meriti à morte liberare animam Ambros Offic. 1. Quid est quod velis habere malum nihil omnino Aug. in quod serm which for all that must die of what reward is that cure to save a soul which must ever ever live O sweet Jesu why sheddest thou the most precious and warmest bloud of thy heart but onely to save souls thou wast scourged buffetted judged condemned hanged was all this for us and shall we do nothing for our selves What is it thou wouldest have bad if thou couldest wish it good not thy house nor thy wife nor thy children nor thy good nor thy cloaths but no matter for thy soul I beseech you value not you souls at a less price then your shooes you can please the flesh with delicates which is naught but worms meat but the soul pines for want which is a creature invisible incorporeall immortall most like to God are we thus carefull of pelf and so careless of this pearl certainly I cannot choose but wonder when seeing the streets peopled with men that follow suits run to Courts attend and wait on their Councellors for this case and that case this house or that land that not one of these no nor one of all us will ride or run or creep or go to have counsell for his soul I must confess I have sometimes dwelt on this meditation and Beloved let me speak homely to you be our Counsellors in this Town every week solicited by their Clients and have we no Clients in soul-cases not one that will come to us with their cases of conscience sure you are either careless of your souls or belike you have no need of particular instructions O let us not be so forward for the world and so backward for the soul yet I pray mistake not I invite you not for fees as noble Terentius when he had petitioned for the Christians and saw it torn in pieces before his face gathered up the pieces and said I have my reward I have not sued for gold silver honour or pleasure but a Church so say I in middest of your neglect I have not sued for your good or silver for your houses or lands but for your souls your precious souls and if I cannot or shall not woe them to come to Christ God raise up some child of the Bride-chamber which may do it better if neither I nor any other can prevail O then fear that speech of Elies sons they hearkened not unto the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.25 In such a case O that my head were full of water and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for your sins O that I could wash your souls with my tears from that filth of sin wherewith they are besmeared and defiled O that for the salvation of your souls I might be made a sacrifie unto death But the Lord be praised for your souls and my soul Christ Jesus hath died and if now we but repent us of our sins and believe in our Saviour if now we will but deny our selves and take up his cross and follow him if now we will but turn unto him that he may turn his loving countenance unto us if now we will but become new creatures and ever-hereafter walk in the holy path the narrow way which leads unto heaven why then may our souls be saved This is that we had need to care for Cur carnem adornas animam non
adornas Hugo de claustro animae not so much for the body as for the souls good to this purpose saith Hugo Why cloath we the body in silks which must rot in the grave and adorn not the soul with faith and good works which one day must appear before God and his Angels O think of this day this night this hour of death for then must your Souls be taken from you Thus far you see the rich mans arrest God injoyns it death serves it the time was this night and the party is his Soul God give us grace to provide our souls that when death arrests we may be ready and then O God have thou mercy on our Souls Shall be required THe originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall require it wherein you have the Sergeants Arrest The Sergeants They and the arrest it self They require his soul Wee 'll first take a view of the Sergeants They who not God he knows not sinners what should he do with a drunken profane covetous sensuall soul he that never so much as thought on God in this life will God accept of the commending of his soul to him at his death no the Lord of heaven will none of it he that forsook God is justly forsaken of God See the true weight of this balance he would not receive Gods grace into his soul and God will not receive his graceless soul into heaven But who then will the Angels take it no they have nothing to do with the soul of a dying sinner the Angels are onely porters for the souls of the just Poor Lazarus that could neither go nor sit nor stand for sores it is he must be carried on the wings of Angels but for this rich man not the lowest Angell will do him poorest service Who then will the Saints receive it no they have no such commission to receive a soul that blind opinion which every one may blush at that Saint Peter should be heavens porter and that none may go in but to whom he will open if it be true why may not a Saint help a departing soul Away with this dreaming folly not Peter nor Paul nor all the Saints of heaven have any such priviledg if God will not hear us what will our prayers do to Saints Heaven is too far off they cannot hear or were it nearer they will not cannot help it is God must save us or we perish ever Who then are the Sergeants not God nor Saints nor Angels no there is another crew Death and Devils stand in a readiness and they are the parties that arrest this prisoner Stay what would death have the soul cannot die and for the body no matter who receives it O yes there is a death of the soul as well as of the body I mean not such a death whereby it may be annihilated but a second death that shall ever accompany it this is a death of the soul that will always keep it in deaths pangs But not to speak of this death there is another death temperall that shall sever the soul and body each from other these two twins that have lived together since their first espousall these two lovely ones that were made and met and married by the hands of God these two made one till death them depart and make them two again now is their rufull time of divorce when death comes he gives over the body to the grave and arrests the soul to appear in presence before Gods high Tribunall Such a Bayliffe hath now laid hands on this rich mans soul when he least thought on 't death comes on a sudden and arrests his person O wretched worldling who is this behinde thee call we this Gods Sergeant What grim ugly monstrous visage is this we see have ever any of you seen the grisly picture of death before you how was it but with hollow eyes open skull grinning teeth naked ribs a few bones knit together with dry strings as presenting to your eyes the most deformed image of a man in moldes But what 's that in his hands an hour-glass and a dart the one expressing the decreasings of our life and the other deaths stroke that he gives us in our death Such emblemes are most fit to express mortality and imagine such a thing to arrest this rich man would it not terrifie him whilest looking back death suddenly claps him on his shoulder away he must with this messenger all the gold and pearl of East and West cannot stay him one hour now rich man what avails all thy worldly pleasure Hadst thou in thy hands the reigns of all earthly kingdomes wert thou exalted as the Eagle Obad. 1.4 and thy nest set among the starrs yet all this and whatsoever else thou canst imagine is not worth a button where did that man dwell or of what cloth was his garment that was ever comforted by his goods or greatness in this last and sorest conflict See worldling death requires thy soul no bribe will be taken no entreatie will prevail no riches rescue nothing at all redeem death death is impartiall But O horrour death is not all see yet more Sergeants Devils and Dragons are about thy bed and these are they that will hurrie away thy soul to hell How Devils O worldling stay thy soul and never yield it better to die a thousand deaths then to leave it in their hands but alas thou canst not choose thy last hour is come and here is neither hope nor help nor place of any longer terrying See but the misery of a miserable soul what shall it do whither shall it fly from these damned Furies would they take it and teare it into nothing it were somewhat tollerable but to teare it in pieces and never to make end of tearing to give it torments without all patience or resistance this is that load which it cannot bear and yet O extremity it ever ever must be born Think on this O my soul and whilest thou hast a minutes stay in this body call upon God to prevent this arrest of Devils was it not think yee a terrour to this rich man when so many hell hounds waited for his soul we read of one man Hartmundus Schedel in vit Pap. who being took away with a Devill through the air was said so to roar and yell that many miles distant his noise was heard to many a mans trembling And if a soul had but the organs of a sound what a shreek would it make being seized on by a Devil witness the cries of many desperate souls when as yet they are safe in their beds how do they roar and rage how do they call and cry Help help us save us deliver us from these fiends about us these are those evening wolves enraged with hellish hunger these are those ramping Lyons ever ready to devour our souls these are those walkers up and down the earth which are now come and entred into this rich mans lodging
dreadfull of hel yet coveting death in a continuall torment yet his own tormentour consuming himself with grief and horrour impatience and despair till at last he ended his miserable-miserable life And now beloved if such be the departure of a sinnfull soul O who would live in sinne to come to such a departure For my part I dare not say these parties thus miserable in their own apprehensions are now among Devils in hell I find the Authours themselves to incline to the right hand besides what am I that I should sit in Gods Chair onely this I say that their miserable deaths may verie well give warning to us all nor need you think much at me for uttering these terribilia terrible stories for if sometimes you did not hear of Gods judgements against sinne a day might come that you would most of all crie out on the Preacher To this purpose we have a story of a certain rich man who lying on his death-bed My soul said he I bequeath to the Devil who owns it my wife to the Devil who drew me to my ungodly life and my Chaplain to the Devil who flattered me in it I pray God I never hear of such a Legacy from any of you sure I had better to tell you aforehand to prevent it then not telling you to feel it And let this be for my Apologie in relating these stories Vse 2 But for a second Use give me leave I pray you to separate the precious from the vile Now then to sweeten the thoughts of all true penitents the souls of Saints are not required but received Rejoyce then ye righteous that mourn in Sion what though a while ye suffer death is a Goal-delivery to your souls not bringing in but freeing out of thraldome Here the good man finds sharpest misery the evil man sweetest felicity therefore it is just that there should be a time of changing turnes The rich mans Table stood full of delicates Lazarus lacks crums but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Luke 16.25 Wo unto you that laugh for you shall mourn Luke 6.25 Luke 6.25 Blessed are you that mourn for you shall rejoyce Matth. 5.4 Matth. 5.4 Happy Lazarus who from thy beggary and loathsome sores wert carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome happy Thief who upon thy true repentance and unfeigned prayer wert received from the Crosse to the Paradise of thy Saviour happy are all they that suffer tribulation Death shall lose their souls from bonds and fetters and in stead of a Bayliff to arrest them shall be a Porter to conduct them to the gates of heaven There shalt thou tread on Serpents trample on thine enemies sing sweet Trophies were not this enough thy Conquests shall be crowned by the hands of Seraphims triumphed with the sound of Angels warbled by the Quire of Spirits confirmed by the King of Kings and Lord of Hosts Happy Soul that art not required by Devils but received by Angels and when we die Lord Jesus send thine Angels to receive our Souls You see now Deaths Arrest and what remains further save to accept of some Bail But what Bail where you have the Kings Commandment from his own mouth this requiring is not of any other but himself of no suretie but of thee saith God must thy Soul be required Of thee ONce more you see I have brought this rich man on the stage his doom is now at hand and Death Gods messenger summons him to appear by Requiring of his soul but of whom is it Required had he any Sureties to put in or was any Bail sufficient to be taken for him no he must go himself without all help or remedie it was he that sinned and it is he must pay for it Of thee it is required How of thee Sure Death mistakes we can find thousands more fit none more fearfull there stands a Saul near him his armour-bearer behold a Judas such will outface deaths fury nay rather then if fail in its office they will not much question to be their own Deaths-men but this Of thee who art at league with hell in love with earth at peace with all is most terribly fearfull Stay Death there stands a poor Lazarus at the gates like Job on his dung-hil his eyes blind his ears deaf his feet lame his bodie struck with Boyls Job 7.15 and his Soul choosing rather to be strangled and die then to be in his bones were not this a fit object for deaths crueltie would he spare the rich he should be welcome to the poor but Death is inexorable he must not live nor shall the Beggar beg his own death for another Of thee it is required But Death yet stay thy hand here 's a better surety what needs death a presse when he may have volunteers there stands an old man as ready for the grave as the grave for him his face is furrowed his hairs hoary his back bowing his hammes bending and therefore no song is fitter then old Simeons Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Youth is loath but Age is merry to depart from misery let Death then take him that standeth nearest deaths-door No the old must die but the young may he must die soon yet be sure thou shalt not live long Of thee it is required Cannot this serve let death yet stay his hand there stands a servant waiting at this rich mans beck as if he would spend his own life to save his Masters he can make a Pageant of Cringes act a whole speech of flatteries every part owes him service feet to run hands to work head to crouch and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of a Mistris so the eyes of his servants look unto the hands of their Master but where be these attendants when death comes was ever any Master better then Christ were ever any servants truer then his Apostles yet see their fidelitie must their Saviour die one betrayes him another forswears him all run from him and leave him alone in midst of all his enemies what then is the trust of servants the rich man may command and go without if death should require them they would not or if they should desire death hee will not his arrest concerns not the servants it is for the Master himself he that command others now death commands him Of thee it is required Will not all do Let death but stay this once there stands a friend that will loose his own to save his life Greater love then this hath no man saith our Saviour when any man bestoweth his life for his friends John 15.13 John 15.13 Riches may perhaps procure such love and get some friend to answer deaths quarrel which he ows this man Jonathan loves David David Absolon and sure it was a love indeed when Jonathan preserves the life of David and David wisheth a death to himself in the stead of Absolon O my sonne Absolon 2.
Ayr shall be wholly distempered and disordered when the Sun shall threaten with mourning the Moon with blood the Stars with their falling yea when all the heavens shall shrink and pass away as a paper scroule who then dares eat or drink or sleep or take a minutes rest Be sure these dayes shall come and the signes shall pass Ioel 1.5 13 15. Awake yee Drunkards and weep all ye drinkers of Wine because of the new wine for it shall be pulled from your mouthes Gird your selves and lament ye Priests howle ye Ministers of the Altar alas for the day for the day of the Lord is at hand and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come What are ye insensible of these signes the imprisoned thiefe fears at the news of the assize and is the sinner so impudent that he fears nothing The day shall come when the men of earth shall fear and be full of fear every sign shall breed a wonder and ever sight shall breed a wondrous terrour men shall hide themselves in the caves of beasts and the beasts seek shall to save themselves in the houses of men where then shal the wicked stand when all the world shal be thus in uprore Vse 2 Yet a word for us all we have all warning and we had best to provide yet the weather is fair we may frame an Ark to save us from the flood yet are the Angels at the gates of Sodom yet is Jonas in the streets of Nineveh yet the Prophet wooes Hos 6.4 O Iudah how should I entreat thee yet the Apostle prayes nay we pray you in Christs stead that yee will be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 to conclude yet the Bride-groom stayes the Virgins leisure Lord that they would make speed seeing the joyes of heaven tarry for them This Tearm is at hand and is it not time to petition to the Judg of heaven what a dangerous course is it never to call to minde that Time of Times until we see the Earth flaming the Heavens melting the Iudgment hastning the Iudg with all his Angels comming in the Clouds to denounce the last doom upon all flesh which shall be unto some Woe woe when they shall call to the mountains to cover them and for shame of their sins hide themselves if it were possible in hell fire if we have any fear this should move fear if we have any care this should move us all to be carefull indeed We have not two souls that we may hazard one neither have we two lives that we may trust to another but as thy last day leaves thee so will this Doomes-day finde thee Who would not but axcept the fatherly fore-warning of Christ our Saviour See you not how many signes as the Heralds and fore runners of his glorious comming Matth. 24.7 12. The abounding of iniquity the waxing cold of charity the rising up of Nation against Nation Was there ever lesse love was there ever more hatred Where is that Jonathan that loves David as his own soul nay where is not that Joab that can imbrace friendly but carryes a malicious heart towards Abner sure we are near the end indeed when charity is grown thus cold You then that would have the comfort of the day take these signs for warnings provide for him who hath thus long waited for you 2 Pet. 3.14 and seeing you look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blamless Who would indanger their souls for a little sin busie Clients heed nothing but their cause and if you would recover heaven be sure that ye mark this Tearm The time draws on now the Writs are out anon comes the Iudge and Then is the day Then he shall reward every man according to his work You see the Tearm and now you may exspect to view the Judge the Tearm is Then the Judge is He. Stay a while and the next time you shall see him in his judgment seat He. HE who if you look at the fore-going words you may see who he is The son of man shall come in the glory of his father and it is he that shall reward us according to our works hoc facit ut ad infimam se sortem hominum abjiciat Musculus in Matth. cap. 8. Psal 8.4 This title of the Son of man denotes unto us the humility of the Son of God what is the Son of man but man and this tels us how humble he was for us that being God was made man or the Son of Man which is as all one according to that Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that visitest him It is true God is the Judg of all Heb. 12.23 Heb. 12.23 and yet it is as true this God is man Acts 17.31 Acts 17.31 God saith Paul will judge the world but it is by that man whom he hath ordained God hath the power but God as man hath onely the Commission He who is God hath given him Authority to execute judgment And would you know the reason it is onely because he is the Son of man Joh 5.27 Iohn 5.27 In a word God shall judg the whole Trinity by prescription Christ onely in execution the Father judgeth but by the Son or as the Evangelist John the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son Iohn 5.22 Iohn 5.22 But because as man there appears in him a double form as humbled as glorified wee 'l discusse these questions which resolve all doubts 1. Whether Christ as man shall appear unto us when he will reward us 2. Whether man as glorified shall appear unto us when he will reward us To the first we say that onely as man he will appear our judge who as man appeared when himself was judged what better reason to express the benefit of our redemption then so to judg us as he did redeem us Tunc manifestus veniet inter justos judicaturus qui occultè venerat judicandus ab injustis August de civit dei was he not man that suffered died and was buried and is he not man that one day shall come to judg both the quick and dead he that came obscurely to be judged by the unjust shall then appear openly to judg all the just the same man who is God and man shall be our judge in his humane nature by his divine power Thus we say God who is the ancient of daies hath the power originall but man who is the Son of God hath the power traduced and therefore saith Daniel One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days and they brought him here before him Dan. 7.13 14. and there was given him dominion and glory and a kingdome Vse Consider this yee that are going to the Bar what a sight will this be to the faithless
it was committed till Dooms-day again yet then shall it out with a witnesse and be as legible in thy forehead as if it were writ with the brightest stars or the most glistring Sun beam upon a wall of chrystall Vse 2 As you mean the good of your souls amend your lives call your selves to account while it is called to day search and examine all your thoughts words and deeds and prostrating your selves before God with broken and bleeding affections pray and sue that your names may be writ in heaven in that Book of life This will be the joy of your hearts the peace of your souls the rest of your minds yea how glad will you then be to have * It is a question whether the sinnes of Gods people shall be manifested at that day some say they shall be manifested not for their ignominy or confusion but onely that the goodnesse and grace of God may be made the more illustrious and for this they urge Matth. 12.36 2 Cor. 5.10 Revel 20.12 Others say they shall not be manifested 1. Because Christ in his sentence onely enumerates the good works they had done but takes no notice of their sins 2. Because this agrees best with those expressions that God blotteth out our sins and that they are thrown into the bottome of the sea 3. Because Christ is their bridegroom friend advocate and how ill would it become one in such relations to accuse or lay open their sins which of these opinions is truest is hard to say Heb. 6.10 all these books laid open by this means I speak it to the comfort of all true hearted Christians shall your obedience and repentance and faith and love and zeal and patience c. come to light and be known God is not unrighteous to forget your works of labour and love No all must out especially at that day when the books shall be open our works manifested and as we have done so must we be rewarded for then he shall reward every man according to his works The books are opened and now are the matters to be examined there is first a view and then a tryall The Law-book whereby we are tryed contains three leaves Nature the Law and the Gospel the Gentiles must be tryed by the first the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles by the second and the faithfull Jews and Gentiles by the last Those that confesse no God but nature must be judged by the law of nature those that confesse a God no Christ must be judged by the Law of God without the merits of Christ those that confesse God the Father and believe in God the Sonne shall be judged by the Gospel which reconcileth us to God the Father by the merits of Christ Atheists by the law of nature infidels by the law of God Christians by the Gospel of our Saviour Christ To the statutes of the former who can answer our hope is in the latter we appeal to the Gospel and by the Gospel we shall have our tryall They that have sinned without the law Rom. 2.12 shall perish without the law and they that have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law Rom. 2.16 But God shall judge the secrets of all hearts of all our hearts by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.12.16 Vse Vel te totaliter absolvit vel te capitaliter damnat John 16.9 Let this then forewarn us what we have to do It is the Gospel that will either throughly justifie thee or extremely condemn thee The Spirit shall convince the world of sinne saith Christ and why so but because they believe not on me John 16.9 There is no sinne but infidelitie no righteousnesse but faith not that adulterie intemperance malice are no sinnes but if unfaithfulnesse remain not all these sinnes are pardoned and so they are as if they were no sins indeed How quick a riddance true repenting faith makes with our sinnes they are too heavie for our shoulders and we cannot bear them faith onely turns them over unto Christ and we are disburthened of them whereas there would go with us to judgement an huge kennell of lusts an armie of vain words a legion of evil deeds faith instantly dischargeth them all and kneeling down to Jesus Christ beseecheth him to answer for them all howsoever committed O then make we much of faith but not of such a faith neither as goes alone without works it is nothing at this judgement to say I have believed and not well lived the Gospel requires both faith to believe and obedience to work not onely to repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1.15 Mark 1.15 but to obey from the heart that form of doctrine Rom. 6.17 Rom. 6.17 True indeed thou shalt be saved for thy faith not for thy works but for such a faith as is without works thou shalt never be saved we say therefore A justificando non à justificato works are disjoyned from the act of justifying not from the person justified heaven is given to us for Christs merits but we must shew him the fair copie of our lives O then let this move us to abound in knowledge and faith and repentance and love and zeal and clothing and feeding and lodging the poor members of Christ Jesus and howsoever all these can merit nothing at Gods hands yet will he crown his own gifts and reward them in his mercy Say then dost thou relieve a poor member of Christ Jesus dost thou give a cup of cold water to a Prophet in the name of Prophet Matt. 10.42 Christ doth promise thee of his truth he will not let thee lose thy reward certainly he will not so thy works be done in faith why this is the covenant the glad tidings the Gospel to live well and believe well O let not that which is a word of comfort to us be a bill of inditement against us albeit in our justification we may say Be it to us according to our faith yet in our retribution it is said as you have it before you in this Text read unto you Then he shall reward every man for manifestation of his faith according to his works A little to recall our selves The Prisoners are tryed the Verdict's brought in the inditement is found and the Judge now sits on life and death even ready with sparkling eyes to pronounce his sentence This we must deferre a while and the next time you shall hear what you have long exspected The Lord grant us an happy issue that when this day is come the sentence may be for us and we may be saved to our endless comfort Shall reward VVHat Assize is this that affords each circumstance of each prisoners triall the time is Then the Judge is He the Prisoners Men the evidence Works Non coronat Deus merita tua tanquam merita tua sed tanquam donasua Aug. lib. de grat lib. arbit cap. 7. which no sooner given in but
the sentence follows which is to reward every man according to his works This reward is nothing in effect but a retaliation if we live well here God will then crown his own gifts but if we sinne without repentance we may not escape without punishment There is a God that sits and sees and anon will reward us But to unfold this Reward there lies in it a Doom and Execution God speaks it in the first effects it in the second he gives it in our doom and we receive it in the execution The doom is of two sorts according to the parties that receive it One is an absolution which is the doom of Saints the other is a condemnation which is the doom of reprobates there is a reward on the right hand bestowed on the blessed and an heavie judgement which falls on the left hand upon the heads of the wicked To begin with that in our meditation which our Saviour begins with in action Imagine what a blessed day will this be to the godly when standing on the right hand of the Judge they shall hear the heavenly musick of their happy sentence Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25.34 inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world In which gracious speech we may observe four gradations First a gentle invitation Come Secondly a sweet benediction Ye blessed of my Father Thirdly heavens possession inherit the Kingdome Fourthly a glorious ordination to felicitie prepared for you from the beginning of the world First you have Come It is the sweet voice of Christ inviting the Saints before and now giving their welcome to his heavenly Canaan he hath called often Come all that labour Come all that travell Matth. 11.28 Rev. 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst Come Thus he calls all men to his grace but onely the elect to his glory now he desires every man to Come but the righteous alone shall have this Wel-come O how leaps that soul with joy that hears this voice of her sweet Saviour all the musick of Angels cannot so ravish the mind as this voice of our Saviour glads the soul now are the gates of heaven open and the Judge who is Master of the feast bids the guests Come and Wel-come But who are they Ye blessed of my Father a word able to make them blessed when pronounced Down on your knees rebellious sonnes and so long as you live on earth beg pray sue for the blessing of your Father in heaven They that are Gods servants are no lesse his sonns therefore every morn night and noon ask blessing boldly and God will bestow it liberally The first Sermon that ever Christ preached was full of blessings Matth. 5. Matth. 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit Blessed are they that mourn Blessed are the meek Blessed are the mercifull And as he begun so he concludes Come ye blessed ye blessed of my Father Must they come for what to inherit the kingdome Of all tenures inheritance is best of all inheritances a kingdome is most excellent Sic aeterna sine successione distributa sine diminutione communis sine invidia beata sine omni miseria but that all shall inherit and that there is no scantling this is heavens wonder and the Angels blisse An heavenly inheritance sure that is cintinued without succession divided without diminution common without envie for ever happy and without all misery This is the inheritance of the just the possession whereof makes every Saint no lesse glorious then a King Kings are they indeed whose dominions are not limited nor their borders bounded nor their people numbred nor the time of their reigne prescribed Such glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God Is this your inheritance but upon what right it is prepared for you from the beginning of the world Had the Lord such care to provide for his children before they were how may his sonnes triumph born to such dignitie God will so certain their salvation that he hath prepared it for them from before the foundation of the world O blessed souls if you be Gods servants though a while you suffer sorrow and tribulation yet here is the hope of Saints Luke 12.32 it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome Heaven is prepared of old there is the place of Gods majestie and there the Saints of God shall receive the crown the reward of victory Vse I cannot expresse what this joy affords to the one half of it Come blessed souls bathed in repenting tears here is a sentence able to revive the dead much more the afflicted Are you now sorrowing for your sinnes leave it a while and meditate with me on this ensuing melodie Hear yonder a quire of Angels a song of Sion an heavenly consort sounding to the Judge whilest he is pronouncing of thy sentence Blessed souls how pant you dances at the uttering of each syllable Come saith our Saviour and if he but say Come joy happinesse glory felicity all come on heaps into the indeared soul Ye blessed saith our Saviour and if he but say Blessed the Angels Archangels Cherubims Seraphims all joy at the injoying of this blessed company Inherit the kingdome saith our Saviour and if he but say inherit crowns scepters garlands diadems all these are the inheritance of Gods adopted children Prepared for you saith our Saviour and if he but say Prepared the love mercy election compassion of our Lord will shine forth to the soul to her everlasting comfort O ravishing voice Cantic 5.8 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if you find my welbeloved thâ—â— you tell him I am sick of love What else you that are Gods servants are no lesse his spouse your soul is the bride and when the day is come this day of doom God give you joy the joy of heaven for ever and ever But I must turn to the left hand and shew you another crew prepared for another sentence And what a terrible sentence will that be which at first hearing will make all ears glow and tingle His lips saith the Prophet are full of indignation and his tongue like a consuming fire Matt. 4.25 41. Esay 30.27 Esa 30.27 What fire so hot as that fierie sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Here is every particular full of horrour gradually inhancing their judgement First a grievous refusall Depart Secondly the losse of salvation from me Thirdly that deserved malediction ye cursed Fourthly the horrour of pains into everlasting fire Fifthly the preordinance of their torments prepared for the devil and his angels First they must depart This seems nothing to the wicked now depart why they are contented to be gone much more delight have they in sinne then in Gods service But as when a gracious Prince opening his long locked up treasury bids
they enjoy God life and heaven And thus as they march along heaven opens unto them O infinite joy Tell mee O my soul what an happie hour will that be when thou shalt first enter into the gates of heaven when the Blessed Trinitie shall gladly entertain thee and with a Well done good and faithfull servant Matth. 25.21 bid thee Come and enter into thy Masters joy When all the Angels and Archangels shall salute thee when Cherubims and Seraphims shall come to meet thee when all the powers of heaven shall congratulate thy coming and joy for thy arrivall at the Port of peace Here is the end of the Godly the fruits of his end the Reward it self What can I say but live in GODS fear and the LORD reward you nay he will so if you live so for Then he shall reward every Man according to his works And now this Sermon done you see the Court is dissolved Stay but to receive A Writ of review and you shall hear in a word all the news of this Assize from the beginning to the ending What a strange Assize was this where every circumstance was to the wicked so terribly fearfull the Term full of horrour the Judge full of Majestie the Prisoners full of anguish the Triall full of fear the Doom full of grief to the wicked as of comfort to the elect 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing therefore that all these things are thus what manner of Persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and godlinesse A word of judgement could make Jeremiah weep just Job be afraid Felix to tremble and cannot this usuall sound of the hammers a little mollifie our stony hearts Esay 1.22 how is the gold become drosse and the silver iron we run over reason and tread upon conscience and fling by counsel and go by the word and poste to death but will you not remember that for all these things you must come to judgement Eccles 11.9 Be sure there is a Term for our appearance Then there is a Judge that will sit upon us He. There is a band of Prisoners Every man There is a Bill of Indictment framed according to our works And last of all there is a sentence after which follows the Execution the reward due to us which then he will give us onely now bestow on us those graces of thy Spirit and then O Lord Reward us according to our works AMEN FINIS Hels horrour MATTH 13.30 Bind them in bundles to burn them THis Text is the harvest of Tares and that that you may know the husbandrie here is first the sowing vers 25. Vers 25. Secondly the coming up vers 26. 26. Thirdly the overseers of it vers 27. 27. Fourthly their intent to weed it vers 28. 28. Fifthly the sufferance of its growth till the harvest vers 29. 29. Sixthly the harvest it self vers 30. 30. Or yet to give you the Parable in a more ample wise here is a man sowes good seed in his field and the enemie whilest his servants sleep sows tares amongst the wheat the seeding done and the fertill soyl made fruitfull by heavens showres the blade of the corn springs up and the tares appear in their kind amongst them those heavenly Angels which are Gods stewards of this field pitching their watchfull eyes about first see then run to their Master with this message Master sowedst thou not good seed in thy field from whence then hath it tares God whose all-knowing wisdome can resolve all doubts tels them expressely an enemie had done this an enemie sure 1 Pet. 5.8 yea as Peter cals him a devouring enemie such is the fruit issuing from so bad an authour Yet see the sedulous care of Gods holy servants they will not spare to root up what envie sows and with a willing obedience exspect onely his command Wilt thou that we go and gather them up nay see the Almighty disparkling a while his beams of mercie all must stay till the harvest and then goes forth his royall command to the reapers Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them But me thinks I hear you say to me as the Disciples to our Saviour Declare unto us this Parable Vers 36. for the doing of which I shall place before you a field the world the reapers Angels the housholder God good men as corn the wicked as Tares the harvest that must gather all is the end of the world and then are the reapers enjoyned this heavie task Separate the bad from the good and cast them into hell fire to burn them See here the miserable condition of impenitent souls each circumstance aggravates their torment and that you may in this text view a Series of the causes here is first the efficient Bind the materiall them the formall in bundles the finall to burn them Every word like so many links makes up this fiery chain of torment Bind heavie doom to be fettered in hell fire them miserable souls to be captived in those bands in bundles cruell anguish to be crowded in throng heaps to burn them intollerable heats to be scorched blistered burned And yet see here at once this heavie miserable cruell intollerable doom fall on the wicked the command is out what Bind whom them how in bundles for what to burn them Not a word but it speaks horrour to the damned either Binding or bundling or burning Bind them in bundles to burn them The work you see is ordered now we put in our sickle onely God prosper our labour till we have done the harvest Them VVE will begin first with the subject that you may know of whom it is spoken Bind them Them whom If you will view the precedent words the text tels you they are Tares Gather ye first the Tares and bind them In Gods field there is Corn and Cockle and as for the one there is provided a barn so for the other there is nothing better then binding and burning The Greek word cals them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tares the Hebrews call them Hadul thistles or thorns and both are apt expressions of the matter in hand what are tares for but to be gathered bound and burned saith our Saviour and what are thorns for but to be rejected cursed and burned saith the Apostle Heb. 6.8 Heb. 6.8 Such is the penaltie of this weed of the earth for they are neither better that as men deal with thorns who first cut them up with bils then lay them up to wither and lastly burn them in the furnace so God deals with Tares he weeds them binds them burns them not a Tare escapes the fire but all come to combustion But onely to follow the Originall they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tares and that of a double derivation the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they hurt the corn wherewith they are joyned the second is 〈◊〉
furnish one Epicures table Sivill sends fruit Canary sugars Moluques spices Egypt balsamum Candy oyls Spain sweet meats France wines our own land cannot satisfie but forrein kingdomes and countreys must needs be sacrificed to our belly-gods but what dainties have such Nabals when they come to hell there is a black banquet prepared for devils and reprobates the first dish is weeping the second gnashing of teeth and what mirth is there where these two courses must last all the feast The lazie Friar sweating at 〈◊〉 long meats and meals Heu quantum patimur cries he alas how much do we suffer which are Friars but alas how much must you suffer at this supper where the meat is poyson the attendants furies the musick grones and time without end the sauce of every dish See here the provision for the damned their chains loose not their fire cools not their worm dies not their woes end not such gall and vinegar bitters every morsell God hath proportioned this punishment for these sheaves they are sent from surfets to an emptie dungeon that sent away beggars empty from their doors But more Bundles yet where is Drunkennesse with her rioters Lo they are trodden under foot saith the Prophet Esay 28.3 they whose tables were full of vomit and filthinesse are now driven to that scarcitie and want that not a cup of wine nor a draught of beer nor a drop of water can be got in all hell for them Sinne must have its punishment in a just proportion the tongue of that rich man that had turned down so many â—uns of wine cannot procure in hell one pot of water to cool it in his tongue he sinned in his tongue he is tormented fiery heats breed a scorching thirst yet because he denied Lazarus a crum of bread Lazarus must not bring him a drop of water how a drop of water alas what are ten thousand rivers or the whole sea of water unto that infinite world of fire here is a poor suit indeed what begs he but a cup of water an handfull of water a drop of water nay were it but a wet finger to cool the tip of his scorched tongue Hearken ye drunkards and fear these flames that one day must parch your tongues Here you may recreate your selves by sleep when you have too much or by idle company when you would have more but hereafter you shall find no means to qualifie these pains sleep there is none though it be nothing but an everlasting night friends there be none though all could professe their everlasting loves you may indeed commerce with some company but who are they save devils and reprobates miserable comforters in the same condemnation Who is not sober that knows what portion must befall these reprobates their mouthes drie as dust their tongues red as fire their throats parcht as coals all their bowels clung together as the burning parchment He that sows iniquity shall reap vanity the drunkard that abuseth so much wine must there want a little water his tongue shall cleave to the roof of his mouth and goblets of boyling lead runne down his throat as the pleasure so the pain he was comforted and is tormented And yet more Bundles where is Covetousnes and her gripers O the iron age we live in was there ever lesse love ever more dissembling the covetous hoardeth holdeth oppresseth or it may be puts out to usury but never without sureties pledges morgages bills or bonds Think of those bonds ye covetous that must hind you in bundles had you then ten thousand worlds and were they all composed of purest gold and brim-full with richest jewels yet would you call them all at the foot of some Lazarus for one drop of water or one puff of wind to cool any part or piece of your tormented members See the cruell effect of sinne he that hath no pity shall not be pitied no he shall have jâ—dâ—ement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy James 2.13 Jam. 2.13 Thus to pay the covetous in his own coin coffers and chests shall be brought before him there shall devils ring him a peal of this damned coin of pounds of shillings of pence these accounts shall sound through his ears and to satisfie his heart melted gold shall be poured down his throat yea he shall be served too with his meat in plâ—â—â— and plate and meat all boil together to his loathed supper thus hath God satisfied him that could never satisfie himself his gold now wants no weight his silver is not scarce mountains and loads are prepared for him to his greater torments Yet again more Bundles where is Adultery with her minions Lo ugly fiends do embrace them and the furies of hell be as their bosome concubines I have read somewhere but I will not deliver it as a truth that a voluptuous man dying and going to this place of torment he was there saluted in this fearfull manner First Lucifer commands to fetch him a chair and forthwith an iron chair red-hot with sparkling fire was brought and he set thereon this done Lucifer commands again to fetch him drink and a drink of melted lead was brought in a cup which they straightway pouring into his open mouth anon it came running out of all his members this done Lucifer commands again that according to his use they should fetch him musitians to make him merry and a sort of musitians came with hot glowing trumpets and sounding them at his ears whereto they laid them anon there come sparks of fire leaping out of his mouth his eyes and nostrils all about him this done Lucifer commands again that according to his wonted manner he should have his Concubines and upon this they bring him to a bed of fire where Furies give him kisses fiery Serpents hug about his neck and the gnawing worm sucks bloud from his heart and breasts for ever and ever Howsoever in this story it may be altogether truth was not brought a bed yet imagine what a welcome shall be to the damned souls their eyes shall startle their ears glow their nostrils suck up flames their mouthes taste bitternesse and for the sense of feeling according to the measure of their sin they are wrapped in the grisly embracements of stinging and stinking flames where now are those daintie delights sweet musick merrie companie are all left behind and is there no recreation in those smokie vaults Unhappie dungeon where there is no order but horrour no singing but houling no ditties but their woes no consorts but shrieks no beautie but blacknesse and no perfumes or odour but pitch and sulphur Let the heat of this fire cool the heat of your lust pleasure ends with pain In as much saith God as the harlot glorified her self and lived in pleasure so much give ye to her torment and sorrow Rev. 18.7 Rev. 18.7 You see now Beloved what Tares are in bundles the Proud Gluttons Drunkards Covetous Adulterers these and such others are bundled by the
Reapers at the generall harvest Vse O then having yet a little time how should we labour to escape Hels horrour let the Proud be humbled the Epicure fast the Drunkard pray the Adulterer chastise himself to pull down his body and for the Covetous wretch let him with all holy greedinesse lay out his bags for the eternal good of his soul Alas one foot in heaven is better then all your lands on earth I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God Psal 84.10 then to dwell in the Tents in the houses in the Palaces of the wicked Now then in the fear of God reform your lives and your harvest without question shall be the joy of heaven or if Tares will be Tares what remains but Binding and Bundling Bind them Bundle them Burn them The harvest is done and the Angels sing and shout for their ended task the Tares are reaped the furrows cleansed the sickles laid aside the sheaves Bundled and to shut up all they must be Burned But stay we them a while and at our next meeting we will set them on fire God make us better seed that we may receive a better crop even that Crown of glory in the highest heavens To burn them VVE have followed the Prisoners from the Barre and brought them to the stake what remains further but to kindle the Faggots and so to shut up all with the burning Hell-fire at the first naming makes my soul to tremble and would the bouldest courage but enter into a serious meditation what it were to lie everlastingly in a red hot scorching fire how could he chuse but stand astonished at the consideration it is a furious fire Rouze up beloved for either this or nothing will awake you from the sleep of sin wherein you snort too securely Some differences there are about this fire many think it a Metaphoricall others a materiall fire be it whether it will it is every way fearfull and farre above the reach either of humane or Angelicall thoughts to conceive If it be Metaphoricall as Gregory and Calvine are of mind then is it either more or nothing lesse terrible when the Holy Ghost shadows unto us the joys of heaven by gold and pearls and precious stones Revel 21. Rev. 21. there is no one thinks but those joys do farre surpasse these shadows and if the pains of hell are set out by fire and flames and brimstone and burning what pains are those to which these are nothing but dumb shows or types Or if hell fire be materiall as Austine and Bullenger do conjecture yet is it farre beyond any fire on earth mark but the difference our fire is made for comfort hell-fire is created for nothing else but torment our fire is blown with some ayrie breath of man but hell fire is blown with the angry breath of God our fire is fed with the fuell of Wood or Cole but hell fire is tempered with all the terrible torturing ingredients of Sulphur and Brimstone or to cut the way nearer I will reduce all the differences to some of these four and so proceed in their order they differ first in heat secondly in light thirdly in their object fourthly in durance First in heat The pile thereof is fire and much wood and the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Esai 30.33 Esai 30.33 This fire is not made by the hand of man nor blown from the bellows of some forge nor fed with any fuell of combustible matter no it is the arm of God and the breath of God and the anger of God that kindles it sharply and continues it everlastingly and I pray if the breath that kindles it be like a stream of brimstone what is the fire it self you know there is a great difference betwixt the heat of our breath and the fire in our chimnies now then if the breath of God that kindles hell fire be dissolved into brimstone What a fearfull fire is that which a great torrent of burning Brimstone doth ever mightily blow A torrent of Brimstone said I no it is not Brimstone but like Brimstone like to our capacity although for the nature this like is not like nay could we know exactly what this breath were you would say I warrant you it were far more hotter then ten thousand Rivers of Brimstone were they all put together Our God saith the Apostle is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Heb. 12.29 And if God be a fire what then is hell fire kindled by the breath God O my soul how canst thou but tremble at the thought of this fire at which the very Devils themselves do quake and shiver Pause a while and consider wert thou arraigned at some earthly bar thy doom past the execution at hand and thy body now ready to be cast as many a Martyrs was into some burning fire or boyling Caldron O how wouldest thou shout and roar and cry through the extremity of torment but what is a boyling Caldron to that boyling sea of fire and brimstone pitch and sulphur boyl altogether were not this enough see there the perplexing properties of such heats they burn as Brimstone darkly to grieve the sight sharply to afflict the sense loathsomly to perplexe the smell it is a fire that needs no bellows to kindle it nor admits of the least air to cool it the fuell wasts not the smoke vents not the chimnies are but Reprobate credits where they lie scorching burning houling their lullabies and their nurses furies The flames of Nebuchadnezzars fire could ascend forty nine Cubits but if hell be a bottomless pit sure these flames have an endless height how hot then is that glowing Oven where the fire burns lively the blasts go strongly the wheeles turn roundly and the darkned fuell are those damned souls that burn in an heat surpassing ours unspeakable of us here is one difference Secondly as hell fire differs from ours in heat so in light Cast that unprofitable servant saith our Saviour into utter darkness Mat. 25.30 Matth. 25.30 Vtter to perplexe the mind Darkness to confound the eye Consider but the terrour of this circumstance if a man alone in darkness should suddenly hear a noise of ghosts and spirits coming towards him how would his hair bristle his tongue faulter his blood run to the heart yea I dare say although he felt never a lash from them on his body yet the onely houling of devils would make his very inmost heart to shake and shudder O then what horrour is that when darkness must surround thee and devills hollow to thee and reprobates shrick at the lashing of their bodies and all hell be filled with the cries and ecchoes of Woe woe woâ— for their torments and the darkness May be you will object if there be fire there is assuredly light nay without question this fire hath heat no light it is a dark smoaky flame that burns dimm to the eye yet sharp to the
fire Alas to what end there is no help to extinguish fire that must burn for ever your Buckets may quench other fires not this no milk nor vinegar can extinguish that wild-fire it is a fire which no means can moderate no patience can endure no time can for ever change but in it whosoever wofully lies their flesh shall frie their bloud shall boil their hearts consume yet they shall never die but dying live and living die death in life life in death miserable ever This is that consideration which shall bring all the damned Reprobates to shriek and houl everlastingly were they perswaded that after millions of years they should have one year of pleasure or after thousands of millions they should have some end of torment here would be a little hope but this word Ever breaks their hearts asunder this ever ever gives new life again to those insufferable sorrows and hence it is that when all those millions of years are done and gone then God knows must the wheels of their torment whirl about and about Alas the fire is durable the heat continuall the fuell immortall and such is the end of Tares they must burn without end Bind them in bundles to burn them Lo here the fire of hell which compared to ours on earth it differs in heat in light in fuell in durance Let your souls work on these objects that they never come nearer to those flames Vse 1 Who amongst us would dwell with devouring fire who amongst us would dwell with everlasting burnings Esay 33.14 Beloved as you tender your souls and would escape the flames reform your lives whiles you have yet a little time You hear it sounded in Synagogues and preached in pulpits what sound but heaven or hell joys or torments the one befalling the good and the other the just end of the wicked Do we believe this truth and dare we commit sinne whose reward is this fiery death upon due consideration how is it that we sleep or rest or take a minutes ease lesser dangers have bestraught some out of their wits nay bereaved many of their lives how is it then that we run headlong into this fire yet never weigh whither we are going till we are dropping into the pit whence there is no redemption Look about you while it is called to day or otherwise wo and alas that ever you were born be sure a time will come when miseries shall march Angels beat alarms God sound destruction and the tents of his enemies be all set on fire Bind them in bundles to burn them Vse 2 Or yet if comparisons can prevail suppose one of you should be taken brought along to the mouth of an hot fiery furnace then comparing sinne with its punishment might I question you how much pleasure would you ask to continue there burning but one year how much would you say surely not for all the pleasures and treasures that all this world can afford you How is it then that for a little sinne that endures but a moment so many of you so little regard eternall punishment in hell fire If we should but see a little child fall into the fire and his very bowels burnt out how would it grieve us and make our very hearts bleed within us how much more then should it grieve you to see not a child but your own bodies and souls cast away for a momentany sinne into the lake of fire that never shall be quenched If a man should come amongst us and cry Fire Fire thy house is all on Fire thy corn thy cattell thy wife thy children and all thou hast are burning all together how would this astonish us making both the hair to stand upright on our heads and the tears to gush out of our eyes Behold then and see the spirit of God cries out Fire fire even the dreadfull fire of hel gapeth ready to devour not thy house thy corn or thy cattel but tâ—â— poor soul and that for evermore O then how should this break your flinty hearts asunder and make your souls bleed again and again if you have any spark of grace this me thinks should move you to a strict 〈…〉 if you have any care of your souls this me thinks should make you to walk humbly and purely carefully and consciâ—â—â—â—bly towards God and towards man if not what remains but fire fire Bind them in bundles to burn them Or yet if example can perswade us more meditate on the miserable condition of that namelesse rich man Suppose you saw him in hel torments compast about with furies fires and all that black guard below his tongue flaming his eyes staring his conscience biting his soul suffering his body all over-burning in that fire of hel O lamentable fight but to make it more lamentable hearken how he roars and cryes through the extremitie of pains O torment torment how am I tormented in this fire my head my heart my eies my ears my tongue my tongue is all on fire what shall I do whither shall I flie for succour within me is the worm without me is fire about me are devils above me is Abraham and what glorious star is yond I see but Lazarus poor Lazarus in his bosome what is a beggar exalted and am I in torments Why Abraham father Abraham have 〈◊〉 on me See here a man burning schorching frying in hel 〈◊〉 one dram of mercy one drop of water to a tormented soul Oh I burn I burn I burn without ease or end and is there none to 〈◊〉 me Come Lazarus if Abraham will not hear let me beg of thee â— beggar and howsoever I denied thee a 〈◊〉 â—f bread yet be so good so charitable as to dip the tip of thy finger in water and cool my tongue It is a poor suit I ask not to dive but dip not thy hand but finger not all but the tip of it not in sâ—â—â— but water not to quench but to cool not my body but my least member be it my tongue onely no ease so little no grant so poor no remedy so small but happy were I if I could obtain it though I begged it with tears and prayers of a thousand thousand years continuance But see Abraham and Lazarus denie my suits I burn and neither God nor Saint nor Angel takes pitie on me and shall I cry for help on devils alas they are my tormentors that lash me and cut me with their whips of burning steel and iron O beloved what shall we say to the roaring rage of this tormented wretch Alas alas how little do men think on this they can passe away time sporting and playing as if they went to prison but for a few weeks or dayes just like men who having the sentence of death past upon them run fooling and laughing to the execution but when once hell mouth hath shut her self then shall they find nothing but eternity of torments in the fear of God take heed in time of this
eternitie eternity lest you also come into this place of eternity eternity of torment it is the doom of Tares wo to them whosoever that are of the number for they they must be gathered and bound and bundled and burned We have now done our task and ended the harvest if you please to cast back your eie upon the particulars delivered they amount to this summe Whatsoever a man sowes that shall he reap Gal. 6.7 Gal. 6.7 If the enemy sow Tares and we nourish the seed what think you is the Harvest Gather ye together first the Tares saith our Saviour to the Angels they are branded in their name Tares sped in the time first curst in their doom gathered but worst in the hands of their executioners it is by Angels and yet what is all this to the latter work in hand If the Tares weeded up might rot in the furrows the punishment were lesse but as they are gathered so they must be bound Is that all nay as they are bound so they must be bundled Is that all nay as they are bound and bundled so they must be burned Bind them in bundles to burn them I must end this Text yet am loath to leave you where it ends As there is an harvest of Tares so there is a better harvest of Wheat Psal 126.5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy if we repent us of our sinns we shall have a blessed harvest indeed how fourty grains for one nay by the promise of our Saviour an hundred fold A measure heapen and shaken and thrust together Luke 6.38 and yet running over Every Saint shall have joy and glory fountains of pleasure and rivers of delight where they may swim and bathe their souls for ever and ever what though Tares must to the fire the Wheat is gathered into Heaven Pray you then with me that we may be Wheat not Tares and God so blesse the seed that every soul of us may have a joyfull harvest in the kingdome of Heaven AMEN FINIS Right Purgatorie HEB. 1.3 When he had by himself purged our sins THe point is not full but to make it up the Text stands compast with words of wonder concerning the word our Saviour he that is the Sonne of God heir of all things creatour of the world the brightnesse of his glory the image of his person and upholder of all things by the word of his power stands here as the subject of humilitie and glory he purged our sins and sits on the right hand of the majesty on high He purged our sins by his suffering on the crosse he sits on Gods right hand by obtaining the crown he purged our sinnes by dying for them he sits on Gods right hand by ruling with him what need we more here is his passion and session in the same order he performed them for then he sate down on the right hand of his Father when he had by himself purged our sins But to come nearer the words they are as the drugs of an Apothecary and we will examine the ingredients O I am sick of love saith the Church in Canticles Cant. 5.8 Cant. 5.8 Sick indeed not of love onely but of sinne also a disease that infatuates the mind gripes the conscience distempers the humours disturbs the passions corrupts the body indangers the soul Is not he blessed that can help this maladie Come then ye that labour of sin and to your endlesse comfort see here the manner of the cure there is a Physitian he the patient himself the physick administred when he had purged the ill humours evacuated when he had purged our sinnes Or to gather up the crumbs lest in this costly receit or physick any thing be lost see here the remedie girt and compast with each necessary circumstance the time when the person he the matter purged the manner by himself the disease sinne the extent of it ours Observe all and you find no time more dismall then this when no person more humbled then this he no physick more operative then this purge no disease more dangerous no plague more spreading then sinne our sinne for which he suffered When he by himself had purged our sins We have opened the body of the Text now look on the parts and you may see the Anatomie of our Saviour in every member of it When Ne sedendo videatur purgare Annot. Erasm in text THe Text begins with the time When he had purged and this time saith Erasmus according to the originall denotes the time past lest that we had thought he had purged our sinnes by his sitting him down at the right hand of God First therefore saith the Apostle he purged and then sate he first purged by his death and when that was done he sate at the right hand of the Majesty in the highest places Whence observe Doctrine The time that Christ purged was in the dayes of his humiliation Then was he born Matth. 1.18 Matth. 1.18 then was he tempted Matth. 4.1 Matth. 4.1 then was he circumcised Luke 2.21 Luke 2.21 then was he traduced Matth. 11.19 Matth. 11.19 then was he persecuted John 8.59 John 8.59 then was he betrayed Matth. 26.16 Matth. 26.16.50 then was he apprehended Matth. 26.50 then was he mocked Matth. 27.29 Matth. 27.29 35. then was he crucified Matth. 27.35 But all his life was full of infirmitie so according to the nature of all infirmities he had those four times mentioned by Physitians in his life the beginning the increase the Akmen or state and declination Give me leave but to prosecute these times and by that time we have done the hour I know will summon us to a conclusion First then he had his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his beginning and that was the first time of his purging even at his birth then took he our infirmities upon him and in some measure evacuated the brightnesse of his glory to become for us a poor a weak a silly babe on earth Mark I pray how this purge works with him at his first entrance into the world it brings him into so poor and low estate that heaven and earth stand amazed at so great a change where was he born but at Bethlehem a little citie where did the shepherds find him but in a poor sory cottage and there if we look after majestie we find no guard but Joseph no attendants but Mary no heralds but Shepherds none of the bed-chamber but beasts and oxen and howsoever he is styled King of the Jews yet the Jews cry out They have no King but Cesar His mother indeed descended of kings and he himself gives crowns to others of victory of life of glory but for his own head no crown is prepared but a crown of thorns Rev. 4.10 anon you may see him clothed in purple anointed with spittle but for the crown we speak of they can afford him no richer then of the hedge no easier
Peter what doest thou Is not he the beauty of the heavens the Paradise of Angels the brightness of God the Redeemer of men and wilt thou notwithstanding all this let him wash thy feet no leave O Lord leave this base office for thy servants lay down the towell put on thy apparell see Peter is resolute Lord doest thou wash my feet no Lord thou shalt never do it Yes Peter thus it must be to leave thee and us a memoriall of his humility I have given you an example saith Christ that ye should do as I have done unto you Vers 15. and what hath he done but for our sakes is become a servant yea his servants servant washing and wiping not their hands or heads but the very meanest lowest parts their feet And yet there is a lower fall How many hired servants said the Prodigall at my fathers house have bread enough Luk. 15.17 and I die for hunger and as if our Saviours case were like the Prodigals you may see him little lower then a servant yea little better then a beggar Yee know saith the Apostle the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor 2 Cor. 8.9 2 Cor. 8.9 poor indeed and so poor that he was not worth a penny to pay tribute till he had borrowed it of a fish Mat. 17.27 Matth. 17.27 See him in his birth in his life in his death and what was he but a pilgrim that never had house to harbour in a while he lodges in an oxen-stall thence he flies into Aegypt back he comes into Galilee anon he travels to Jerusalem within a while as if all his life were but a wandring you may see him on mount Calvary hanging on the cross was ever any beggars life more miserable he hath no house no money no friends no lands and howsoever he was God the disposer of all yet for us he became man a poor man a mean man yea the meanest of all men and this another step downwards But this now low enough men are the image of God ay but the Son of God is not used as a man but rather as a poor dumb beast appointed to the slaughter what was he but a sleep said Esay of him Esai 53.7 Esay 53.7 a sheep indeed and that more especially in these two qualities First as a sheep before the shearer is dumb so he openeth not his mouth and to this purpose was that silence of our Saviour when all those evidences came against him he would not so much as drop one syllable to defend his cause if the high Priests question him What is the matter that these men witness against thee Matthew tells us that Iesus held his peace Mat. 26.63 Matth. 26.63 If Pilate say unto him Behold how many things they witness against thee Mark tells us that Iesus answered him nothing Mark 15.5 Mark 15.5 If Herod question with him in many words because he had heard many things of him Luke tells us that he answered him nothing Luk. 23.9 Luk. 23.9 As a poor sheep in the hands of the shearer he is dumb before his Judges and accusers whence briefly we may observe Christ came not to defend but to suffer condemnation Secondly as a sheep he is dumb and as a sheep he is slain Esa ibid. He was led saith the Prophet as a sheep to the slaughter O Jesu art thou come to this to be a man who art God a sheep who art man and so for our sakes far inferiour to our selves nay worse a sheep how not free as one that is leaping on the mountains or skipping on the hills no but a sheep that is led led whether not thither as David was who could say of his Shepherd that he fed him in green pastures and led him forth besides the waters of comfort no but led to the slaughter He is a sheep a sheep led Psal 23.2 a sheep led to the slaughter and such a slaughter that were he a dumb creature yet great ruth it were to see him so handled as he was by the Jewes And yet will his humility descend a little lower as he was the poorest of men so the least of sheep like a lamb saith the Apostle Act. 8.32 Act. 8.32 and Behold the Lamb said Iohn the Baptist even the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world Joh. 1.29 Joh. 1.29 This was that Lamb which the Paschall Lamb prefigured Your Lamb saith God to the Israelites shall be a Lamb without blemish and the bloud shall be a token for you that I will pass over you Exod. 12.13 Exod. 12.5 and 13. But was ever lamb like the Lamb of God he is without blemish saith Pilate I find no fault in him Luk. 23.4 Luk. 23.4 and the sprinkling of his bloud saith Peter is the right token of election 1 Pet. 1.2 1 Pet. 1.2 Such a lamb was this Lamb without blemish in his life and whose bloud was sprinkled at his death in life and death ever suffering for us who had he not done so should for ever and ever have suffered our selves Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest saith the Church in Canticles tell me yes If thou knowest not saith our Saviour go thy way forth by the foot-steps of the flock Cant. 1.8 Cant. 1.8 Our Saviour is become a man a sheep a lamb or if this be not humility enough he will yet take a leap lower What is he but a worm and no man yea the very scorn of men and the outcast of the people Psal 22.6 Psal 22.6 Did you ever think we could have brought our Saviour to thus low a degree what beneath a lamb and no better then a worm Heaven and earth may well ring of this as being the greatest wonder that ever was there is any bitter potion due to man which the Son of God will not partake of to the utmost dregs and thereforâ— if Iob say to the worm Iob 17.14 Iob. 25.6 thou art my sister and mother nay if Bildad say Man is a worm and the son of man is but a worm which is more then kindred behold our Saviour stooping thus low himself what is he but a man nay as if that were too much a worm and not a man as sung the Psalmist of him I am so low that unless we think him no body we can down no lower and yet here is one leap more that if we take a view of it we may suppose him to be nothing in esteem a No-body indeed Look we at every man in respect of God and the Prophet tells us All nations before him are as nothing Esai 40.17 Esai 40.17 And if man be thus why sure the son of man will be no lesse see then to the wondrous astonishment of men and Angels how greatness it self Ex omni seipsum ad nihil redegit
Beza in loc Tert. ad Mar. l. 5. to bring man from nothing Exinanivit se hath made himself nothing or of no reputation Phil. 2.7 Phil. 2.7 How nothing yes saith Beza He that was all in all hath reduced himself to that which is nothing at all and Tertullian little less Exhausit se He hath emptied himself or as our translation gives it He hath made himself not of little but of no reputation Lo here those steps the Scripture lighting us all the way by which our Saviour descended he that is God for us became an Angell a man a Serving-man a poor man a sheep a lamb a worm a nothing in esteem a man of no reputation Vse 1 Let every soul learn his duty from hence what should we do for him who hath done all this for us There is a crew of unbelievers that hear and heed not all the sufferings of our Saviour cannot move them a jot either towards God or from sin and is not this a wofull lamentable case I remember a passage in Cyprian how he brings in the Devill triumphing over Christ in this manner As for my followers I never dyed for them as Christ did for his I never promised them so great a reward as Christ hath done to his and yet I have more followers then he and they do more for me then his doe for him hear O heaven and hearken O earth Was ever the like phrensie The Devill like a roaring Lion seeks ever and anon to devour our souls and how many thousands and millions of souls yield themselves to his service though he never died for them nor will ever do for them the poorest favour whatsoever but pay them everlastingly with pains and pangs death and damnation On the other side see our Saviour God Almighty take on him the nature of a man a poor man a sheep a lamh a worm a nothing in esteem and why all this but onely to save our souls and to give them heaven and salvation yet such is the condition of a stubborn heart that to choose it will spurn at heavens crown and run upon hell and be a slave to Satan and scoffe at Christs suffering yea and let out his bloud and pull out his heart and bring him a degree lower then very beelzebub himself rather then it will submit to his will and march under his banner to the kingdome of heaven Hence it is that the Devill so triumphs over Christ As for my followers saith he I never died for them as Christ did for his no Devill thou never diedst for them but thou will put them to a death without all ease or end Think of this yee unbelievers me thinks like a thunderbolt it might shake all your hearts and dash them into pieces But a word more to you of whom I hope better things let me exhort the Saints that you for your parts will ever love and serve and honour and obey and praise the Lord of glory for this so wonderfull a mercy I pray have you not cause had your Saviour onely sent his creatures to serve you or some Prophets to advise you in the way of salvation had he onely sent his Angels to attend you and to minister unto you or had he come down in his glory like a King that would not onely send to the prison but come himself to the dungeon and ask saying Is such a man here or had he onely come and wept over you saying Oh that you had never sinned all these had been great mercies But that Christ himself should come and strive with you in mercy and patience that he should be so fond of a company of Rebels and Hel-hounds and yet we are not at the lowest that he would for us become a man a mean man a lamb a worm a nothing in esteem O all ye stubborn hearts too much stubborn are we all if judgement and the hammer cannot break your hearts yet let this mercy break you and let every one say O Iesu hast thou done all this for me certainly I will love thee and praise thee and serve thee and obey thee as long as I live Say so and the Lord say Amen to the good desires of your hearts To whet this on the more remember still it is you that should have suffered but to prevent this it is he that was humbled it is he that was crucified it is he that was purged what needs more John 18.5 I am he said Christ to the Iews when they apprehended him He what he I know not what but be he what he will he it is our Saviour Redeemer Physician Patient VVho had by himself purged our sinnes Thus far we have measured his steps downwards and should we go up again the same stairs we might bring him as high as vve have placed him lovv but his asscent belongs rather to the words following my Text for after he had purged then he sate down on Gods right hand on high Come we then to the next words and as you have seen the Person so let us look for a companion This may in miserie yield some comfort if but any society bears a share in his misery But me thinks I hear you say to me as the Athenians said 〈◊〉 32. to Paul We wil hear thee again of this matter another time By himself THe Time and Physician have prepared a Purge but who is the Patient to receive it it is man is sick and it is man must purge or otherwise he dies without all remedie or recoverie but alas what Purge what Purgatory must that be which can evacuate sinne Should man take all the virtue of herbs and mineralls and distill them into one sublime and purest quintessence yet impossible were it to wash away sinne or the least dregs of its corruption Not Galen nor Hippocrates nor all the Artists or Naturalists that ever lived on earth could find out or invent any remedie for sinne this must be a work of Grace and not of Nature yea and such a grace as neither man nor Angel could afford Behold then who it is that both administers and takes the receipt prepared it is man that sinned and God is become man that so being both he might administer it as God and receive it as man the same Person being Physician and Patient Compounder and Purger But what a wonder is this Are we a-dying and must he purge for it can Physick given to the sound heal the party that is sick It was the saying of our Saviour Matth. 9.12 The whole need not the Physician but they that are sick and Christ Jesus for his part is whole indeed No fault in this man saith Pilate Luke 23.14 Matth. 27.19 and he is a just man said Pilates wife of him to what end then should he purge that is whole and we escape it that are sick O this is to manifest the dearest love of our Soul-Physician our endeared Saviour the whole indeed need not the
Law exspected of all the faithfull from the beginning of the world and therefore the Apostle concludeth almost all things are by the Law purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission Heb. 9.22 Heb. 9.22 It is true Christ purged by his death and other his sufferings and yet are all these contained in the shedding of his bloud this bloud is the foundation of true Religion for other foundation can no man lay Wherefore neither was the first Testament ordained without bloud 1 Cor. 3.11 Heb. 9.18 Heb. 9.18 Nor is the new Testament otherwise sealed then with bloud Matth. 26.28 Matth. 26.28 What needs more If the bloud of Buls and of Goates in the old Testament sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ in the new Testament purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.13 14. Heb. 9.13 14. O sweet bloud of our Saviour that purgeth our Consciences evacuates our dead works restores us to our God will bring us unto heaven Esay 63.2 But O my Saviour wherefore art thou red in thy apparell and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat is it thy precious bloud that hath given this hew yes an hew often dipped in the Wine-fat and that we may the better see the colour let us distinguish the times when his Bloud was shed for us Sixe times saith a * Adams Crucifix Modern seven times saith * Bern. de passione Domini cap. 36. Bernard did Christ shed his bloud for us and to reduce them into order the first was at his Circumcision when his name Iesus was given him which was so named of the Angell before he was conceived in the womb Luk. 2.21 Bern. ibid. and was this without Mistery no saith Bernard for by the effusion of his bloud he was to be our Iesus our Saviour Blessed Jesu how ready art thou for the Sacrifice What but eight days old and then to shed thy bloud for the salvation of our souls Maturum hoc Martyrium here is a mature Martyrdome indeed It is a superstition took up with the Aegyptians and Arabians Ambros l. 2. de patriarch Abraham that Circumcision should fright away devils and the Iewes have a conceit not much unlike for when the child is Circumcised one stands by which a vessell full of dust into which they cast the Praepuce the meaning of it is that whereas it was the curse of the Serpent Dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy life Gen. 3.14 Pet. Mart loc com class 4. c. 7. Symbol Ruffini Tomo Jeronymi 4. they suppose therefore the Praepuce or fore skin being cast into the dust the Devill by that Covenant eates his own meat and so departs from the child But howsoever they erre of this we are sure that Christ delivered his flesh as a bait to Sathan held him fast with the hook of his Divinity through the shedding of his bloud this bloud was it first shed at his Circumcision and we cannot imagine it a little pain seeing the flesh was cut with a sharp stone which made Zipporah to cry out against Moses Surely a bloudy husband art thou to mee what a love is this that Christ newly born should so early shed his bloud Exod. 4.25 but all was for our sakes for the salvation of our souls You see one vein opened but in his second effusion not one but all the veins in his body fell a bleeding at once and this was at his passion in the garden when as the Evangelist testifies he fell into an agony and his sweat was like drops of bloud trickling down to the ground here is a physick-purgative indeed Luk. 22.44 when all his body evacuates sweat like drops of bloud but what be the pleurisie never so great how strange is the phlebotomy it seems not to consult where the sign lies you see all his body fals at once to sweating and bleeding not is the cure less strange then the physick for we had surfetted and it is he that purgeth we had the fever and it is he that sweats and bleeds for the recovery of our health did you ever hear of such a remedy as this oft-times a bleeding in the head say Physicians is best stop by striking a vein in the foot but here the malady is in the foot and the remedy in the head we silly wretches lay sick of sin and Christ our Saviour purgeth it out by a sweat like drops of bloud trickling down to the ground here is a wonder no violence is offered no labour is sustained he is abroad too in the raw ayr and laid down groveling on the cooler earth or if all this be not enough to keep him from sweating the night is cold so cold that hardier souldiers were fain to have a fire within doors and yet notwithstanding all this he sweats saith the Text how sweats it is not sudor diaphoreticus a thin faint sweat but grumosus of great drops and those so many so violent as they pierce not onely his skin but clothes too trickling down to the ground in great abundance and yet may all this fall within the compasse of a naturall possibility But a sweat of bloud puts all reason to silence yea saith Hilary it is again nature to sweat bloud Contra naturam est sudare sanguinem Hillar l. 10. trinitate and yet howsoever nature stands agast the God of nature goes thus far that in a cold night which naturally draws bloud inwards he sweats without heat and bleeds without a wound See all his body is besprinckled with a Crimson dew the very veins and pores not waiting the tormentors fury pour out a showr of bloud upon the suddain foul sin that could not be clensed save onely by such a bath what must our surfets be thus sweat out by our Saviour Yes saith Bernard we sin and our Saviour weeps for it Bern. in ramis Palmarum serm 3. not onely with his eyes but with all the parts of his bodie and why so but to this end That the whole body of his Church might be purged with the tears of his whole body Come then ye sons of Adam and see your Redeemer in this heavie case if such as be kind and loving are wont when they come to visit their friends in death or danger to observe their countenance to consider their colour and other accidents of their bodies tell me ye that in your Contemplations behold the face of your Saviour What think you when you see in him such wonderfull strange and deadly signes our sweat howsoever caused is most usuall in the face or forehead but our Saviour sweats in all his bodie and how then was that face of his disfigured when it stood all on dros and the drops not of a watrie sweat but of scarlet bloud O my heart how canst thou but rend into a thousand pieces O
of Megiddon O weep or if you will not weep for him yet weep for your selves and your own sinnes alas have you not cause your sins were his murtherers and your hands by your sins were imbrued in his bloud Secondly stay not here but when you have mourned and wept over your Saviour then hate those sinnes that wrought this evil on your Saviour Which that you may do effectually send your thoughts a far off and see your Saviour in his circumcision in the garden and when you have done so then follow him a little further behold the tears in his eies and the clodded bloud that came from him when his cheeks were nipped his head crowned his back scourged his hands and feet nailed his side opened and then O then see if you can love those sins that have done all this villany love them said I no if you have any share in Christ I hope you will rather be revenged on your sins rather you will every one say O my pride and my stubbornness and my looseness and my uncleanness and my drunkenness these were the nailes and the whips and the spear that drew bloud from my Saviour therefore let me be for ever revenged of this proud subborn rebellious heart of mine own let me for ever loath my sin because it brought all this sorrow on my Saviour Is not this ordinary with men should any one murther your Father or friend whom you highly regarded and honoured would you brook his sight or endure his company nay would not your hearts rise against him would you not prosecute the Law to the uttermost and if you might be the Executioner would you not wound him and mangle him and at every stroak cry out Thou wast the death of my Father thou wast the death of my Father and is the heart of a man thus inraged against him that hath but murthered his friend or his father O then how should your hearts be transported with infinite indignation not against the man but against sinne that hath shed the precious bloud of your father your Master your God your King your Saviour O follow follow after these sins with an Hue and Cry bring them to the Bar set them be-the Tribunall of that great Judge of heaven and cry Iustice Lord justice against these sins of mine these slew my Saviour Lord slay them these crucified my Saviour Lord crucifie them Why thus persue and never leave them untill if it possible may may you see these sins bleed their last never think you have done enough but still give your corruptions one hack more confess your sins once more and say Lord this pride and this stubbornness and this looseness of heart these are they that killed my Saviour and I will be revenged of them Thirdly stay not here neither but when you have mourned for your sins and sought revenge on them then by Faith cast them all on the Lord Jesus Christ ease your own souls of them and hurle your care on him that careth for you all Certainly there is no way to wash you clean from your sin but onely by Christs blood and how must you apply this but by Faith now then in the last place have faith rence your soul as it were in the bloud of this immaculate Lamb and though you are polluted and defied yet questionless the bloud of Jesus Christ will purge you from all sin Heb. 9.13 14. If the bloud of Buls and Goats saith the Apostle and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God You may talk of a Purgatory why here is the Purgatory that true Purgatory the fountain that is laid open for the house of Iudah to wash in and I pray you mark it it is not onely for justification but being applyed by faith as effectuall for sanctification not onely for the expiation of sin that it be not laid to your charge but withall to purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God O then as you tender your souls believe and cast your selves upon Christ for salvation and for pardon of sins Do you not see him bleeding on the Cross Do you not hear him graciously offering to receive your sin-wearied souls into his bleeding wounds what should you do then but cast your selves with all the spirituall strength that you can at least with infinite longings and most hearty desires into the bosome of your Saviour say with your selves the fountain is opened and here will we bathe for ever Come life or come death come heaven or come hell come what come can here will we stick for ever nay if you must perish tell God and man Angels and devils they shall pluck you out of the hands and rent you from between the armes of your blessed bleeding Redeemer your soul-purging Saviour Thus if you believe you need not to droop for your sins but to go on with comfort to everlasting happiness the bloud of Christ no question will make way for you into heaven Yea saith the Apostle by the bloud of Iesus we may boldly enter into the holy places by the new and living way which he hath prepared for us Heb. 10.19.20 through the veile which is his flesh Such is the blessed fruit of this bloud and the Lord make it effectuall unto us to bring us into heaven even for his sake who by himself thus purged our sins You see the Purge given and taken onely a time it must have and then follows the Evacuation Hee purged What the ill humour is Sin the extent of it Our sin of both these together at our next meeting Now the Lord so prepare us that this Purge may work in us the everlasting wel-fare and health of our souls Our sins SIn is our sickness and to cure us of it the Law yields corrasives the Gospell lenitives but especially Christ yields that Physick Purgative which evacuates sin To consider Christ as a man of sorrows and not a Saviour of sinners were but a melancholick contemplation to behold his wounds and not so to think on 'em as they were our selves addes but more sorrows to our other miseries but when we call to mind that his bloud was our ransome that his stripes were our cures then with all our hearts we pray his bloud be upon us and our children And why not this bloud saith the Apostle speaks better things then the bloud of Abel Heb. 12.24 For Ables bloud cryed revenge but Christs bloud speaks mercy and to our comfort be it spoken if God heard the servant he will much rather hear the son yea if he heard his servant for spilling how much more will he hear his Son for saving and regaining our souls In the words are two parts 1. The ill huâ—our evacuated Sin 2. The extent
motive and incouragement to bring you in yet not so much as one drop of all that bottomless depth of Christs mercie and bountie doth as yet belong unto any that lie in the state of unregeneratenesse or in any kind of hypocrisie whatsoever Away then with this presumption bethink you what a grievous and fearfull sin you commit time after time and day after day in neglecting so great salvation by chusing upon a free offer of his soul saving bloud to cleave rather to a lust O horrible indignity then to Christ Jesus blessed for ever what height and perfection of madnesse is this that whereas a man but renouncing his base rotten transitorie pleasures might have Christ Jesus and with him a full and free discharge of hell pains a sure and known right to heavens joys yet should in cold bloud most wickedly and willingly after so many intreaties invitations and offers refuse this mighty change Heaven and Earth may be astonished Angels and all creatures may justly be amazed at this prodigious sottishnesse and monstrous madnesse of such miserable men they are the words of a late Divine The World saith he is wont to call Gods people precise fools because they are willing to sell all they have for that one Pearl of great price to part with profits pleasures preferments their right hand their right eye every thing any thing rather then to leave Jesus Christ but who do you think now are the true and great fools of the world and who are likeliest one day to groan for anguish of spirit and say within themselves Wisd 5.3 4. This was he whom we had sometimes in derision and a proverb of reproach we fools accounted his life madnesse and his end to be without honour now is he numbered amongst the Children of God and his lot is among the Saints Nay if it once come to this with what infinite horrour and restlesse anguish will this conceit rent a mans heart in pieces and gnaw upon his conscience when he considers in hell that he hath lost heaven for a lust and whereas he might at every Sermon had even the Son of God his husband for the very taking and have lived with him for ever in unspeakable blisse yet neglecting so great salvation must now lie in unquenchable flames without all ease or end Sure it is the highest honour that can be imagined that the Sonne of God should make suit unto sinfull souls to be their husband Rev. 3.20 and yet so it is he stands at the door and knocks if you will give him entrance he will bring himself and heaven into your hearts 2 Cor. 5.20 We are Christs Embassadours saith the Apostle as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God We are Christs spokes-men that I may so speak to woo you and winne you unto him now what can you say for your selves that you stand out why come you not in if the Devil would give you leave to speak out and in plain tearms one would say I had rather be damned then leave my drunkennesse another I love the world better then Jesus Christ a third I will not part with my easie and gainfull trade of Vsury for the treasure hid in the field and so on so that upon the matter you must needs all confesse that you hereby judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life that you are wilfull bloudy murtherers of your own souls nay and if you go on without repentance you may exspect that the hellish gnawing of Conscience for this one sinne of refusing Christ may perhaps hold scale with the united horrours of all the rest whatsoever O then make haste out of sinne and come come to Christ so freely offered unto you Heark how he calls Come unto me all sinners see my arms spread my heart open O how gladly would I entertain you if you would come unto me here is a generall invitation indeed all men all sinners of all estates of all kindes of all conditions whosoever you are he keeps open house for you Come and welcome Secondly they offend on the other side who after invitation come not through a kind of unmannerly modestie or a bashfull despair Some there are that may perhaps go so farre as to acknowledge their sinnes and to confesse that without Christ they are utterly undone and everlastingly damned that may be ravisht with the thoughts and apprehensions of this invitation of Christ and would ever think themselves happie if they had their hungrie souls filled with Christ Jesus but yet so it is that considering their manifold grievous sinnes sinnes of a scarlet die of an horrid strain against knowledge against conscience and that which troubles them most for all these sinnes their sorrow being so little and poor and scant and in no proportion answerable to them they cannot dare not will not meddle with any mercy or believe that Christ Jesus in any wayes belongs unto them To these I speak or rather let them hear our Saviour himself speak to them Revel 21. Whosoever will saith he let him come and drink of this water of Life freely yea those that think themselves furthest off he bids them come Matt. 11.28 Come all that are weary and heavy laden if they find sinne a burthen then Christ invites them they whosoever they are that stand at the staffs end he desires them to lay aside their weapons and come in or if they will not do it he layes his charge on them for this is his Commandment 1 John 3.23 that we should believe on the Name of his Sonne Jesus Christ nay he counts it a sinne worse then the sinne of Sodom a crying sinne not to come in when the Gospel is proclaimed and therefore let them never pretend their sinnes are great and many but rather because of his offer invitation and command it being without any restraint of person or sinne except that against the holy Ghost if they will not come in and cast themselves upon Christ let them say it is not the greatnesse of their sinne but a willingnesse to be still in their sinnes which hinders them or otherwise let them know that sinnes when men are truly sensible of them should be the greatest incouragement rather then discouragement to bring them in to our Saviour Matt. 9.12 Those that be whole need not a Physician but they that are sick is it not for the honour of a Physician to cure great diseases a mighty God and Saviour loves to do mighty things therefore in any case let them come in and the greater sinners they are no question the greater glory shall Christ have by their coming And indeed to take away all scruple it is a Maxime most true That he which is truly wearie of his sinnes hath a sound seasonable and comfortable calling to lay hold upon Christ Do they feel the heavie load of their sin just then is Christ ready to take
here disposing of Paradise at the same time when he hung on the Crosse even giving up the ghost he is dealing Crowns and Kingdoms to a poor penitent soul thus like a glorious Sun that breaks through the watrie clouds ere it appear unto us our Saviour the Sun of Righteousness shoots forth his rayes of Majesty through all his sufferings on a dejected sinner Two malefactours suffer with him the one railes on him saying If thou be Christ save thy self and us but the other prayes to him Lord remember me when thou comest to thy Kingdome in the midst of his thraldome he proclaims his Kingdome and whom he sees a Captive he believes a Lord Lord remember me is it not strange that through so many such thick clouds of misery this dying thief should behold his glory but where grace aboundeth what marvel is it 1. Cor. 2.15 The Naturall man knoweth not the things of God but he that is spirituall discerneth all things No sooner was this penitent thief converted a Christian but on a sudden even on the very rack of torture he confesseth himself a sinner and Christ his Saviour and therefore desires to be remembred of him when he comes to heaven Thus pouring out his soul in prayer the Bridegroom that became an Harp saith Bernard his Crosse being the wood himself stretcht on it the strings and his words the sound heark how he warbles the most heavenly musick that was ever chanted to a departing soul To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The words are a Gospel such as the Angels brought to the Shepherds Luke 2.10 Luke 2.10 Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy here is tidings good tidings joy and great joy the greatest happiness that could ever befall a mortall now waits on a malefactour at that time when the execution was a doing death approching and the horrours of hell laying hold upon him when a word of comfort would have been most seasonable like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 25.11 then comes our Saviour as a messenger with a pardon and he bids him be of good chear there was happiness towards him when to day what thou shalt be with me where in Paradise Not a word but speaks comfort to the afflicted soul be he howsoever afflicted for the present yet there shall be a change and the more to sweeten it Here is the Celerity to day Certainty thou shalt be Societie with me Vbi or place where all joy is enjoyed in Paradise These are those four heads that issue out of Eden may God give a blessing to the watering that you may bear good fruit till you are planted in that garden whereof it is spoken To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise We begin with the certainty of this promise Thou shalt be c. Thou shalt be TO this purpose was that asseveration Verily verily I say unto thee Nor is it enough that he affirms it but he assures it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt be Will and shall is for the King and what is he lesse that bestows Kingdomes on his servants here was a poor man desires onely to be remembred of him and in stead of remembring him he tells him he shall be with him how but as a coheir of his Kingdome Blessed thief that had such a gift and that made unto him with such assurance as this was It is the promise of our Saviour who to put him out of all doubt he tells him it shall be so Thou shalt be with me in Paradise Whence observe That Salvation may be made sure to a man Observ If you would needs know the means howsoever it was true in this thief it is not by any immediate suggestion or revelation Christ is now in heaven and the holy Ghost works not by enthusiasmes or dreams Fidelium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non nititur revelatione sed promissionibus Evangelii The assurance of our salvation depends not upon revelation but on the promises of the Gospel there then must we search and see and if our hearts be rightly qualified thence may we draw that fulness of perswasion with Abraham who staggered not at Gods promises being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Rom. 4.21 Rom. 4.20 21 This doctrine we have confirmed by David Psal 35.3 Psal 35.3 Say unto my soul I am thy salvation By Peter in the 2. Pet. 1.10 2. Pet. 1.10 Make your election sure By Paul in the 1. Cor. 9.26 1. Cor. 9.26 I therefore so run not as uncertainly From all which we may argue David would never pray for that which could not be nor would Peter charge us with a dutie which stood not in possibility to be performed nor would Paul serve God at randome uncertain whether he should obtain any good or prevent any mischief no but as one that was sure that by so doing he should attain everlasting life and without so doing he could not avoid eternall death We may then be sure if conditions rightly concur and seeing this is a point we would be all glad to know that we are sure to be saved I shall beg others help Gods assistance and your patience till we have opened the windows and given you a light of the lodging Cant. 1.7 where securely our souls may rest at noon day Some lay the order thus that to assure us of heaven we must be assured of Christ and to assure us of Christ we must be assured of faith and to assure us of faith we must be assured of repentance and to assure us of repentance we must be assured of amendment of life Others tell us of more evidences and we shall reduce them to these heads The testimonie of our spirits and the testimonie of Gods Spirit It is not our spirit alone nor Gods Spirit alone makes this Certificate but both concurring and thus Paul tels us Rom. 8.16 Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God 1. Our first assurance then is the testimonie of our spirit and this witnesseth with Gods spirit two wayes By Inward tokens Outward fruits Inward tokens are certain speciall graces of God imprinted in the spirit of a man as godly sorrow desire of pardon love of righteousnesse John 5.10 faith in Christ for he that believeth on the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himself saith the Apostle Outward fruits are all good deeds holy duties new obedience and hereby we are sure that we know him if we keep his Commandments 1. Joh 2.3 1. John 2.3 To say then we are sure of heaven and to live a life fitter for devils what a fond saying is this no if we have a true testimony we must be of good lives it is our holinesse and justice and mercy and truth that will be our best assurance 2. Pet 1 10. and so the Apostle assures us If
ye do these things ye shall never fall 2. Our second and best assurance is the testimonie of Gods Spirit which sometimes may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience thus or in the like manner Thou shalt be saved thou shalt be with me in Paradise But here I must satisfie two doubts first by what meanes the Spirit of God gives this particular assurance secondly how a man may discern betwixt the assurance of this Spirit and the illusion of Satan who is the spirit of lies To the first we say the means is either by an immediate revelation or by a particular application of the promises in the Gospel John 3.36 in form of an experimentall syllogisme as Whosoever believes on the Son shall be saved but I believe on the Sonne therefore I shall be saved The major is Scripture the minor is confirmed by our faith which if I have I may say I believe True flesh and bloud cannot say this it is the operation of the holy Ghost but if the work be wrought and I feel this faith within my soul what need I doubt but this assumption is true I believe on the Son Yet I hear some complain they have neither sight nor sense of faith and thus it is often with Gods dearest children the Sunne that in a clear sky discovers and manifests it self may sometimes with clouds be overcast and darkened and faith that in the calmnesse of a Christian course shines shews it self clearly to the sanctified heart may sometimes in the damp of spirituall desertion or darknesse of temptation lie hid and obscured there is therefore in the Saints Certitudo evidentiae adhaerentiae the assurance of evidence and the assurance of adherence The assurance of evidence is that which is without scruple and brings an admirable joy with it and this more especially appears either in our more fervent prayers or in our heavenly meditations or in time of martyrdome or in some quickening exercises of extraordinarie humiliation or in beginning of our spirituall or end of our naturall life as most needfull times then doth Gods spirit speak comfortably to us whispering to our souls the assurance of our happinesse that we shall be inheritours of his Kingdome The assurance of adherence is that which I doubt not the Saints have in their greatest extremitie for instance many a faithfull soul that makes conscience of sinne lies and languishes upon the rack of fears and terrours he shels nothing but a dead heart and a spirituall desertion yet in the mean time his soul cleaves unto Christ as to the surest rock he cries and longs after him and for all his fears and sorrows he will still rest upon him Job-like though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 Job 13.15 Now this adherence unto Christ may assure him of salvation for if we speak punctually and properly faith justifying is not to be assured of pardon but to trust wholly upon Christ for pardon and thus if he do then may he with freedome of spirit say I believe on the Sonne whence ariseth this conclusion which is the testimonie of Gods Spirit therefore I shall be saved To our second doubt how we may discern betwixt the testimonie of Gods Spirit and the illusion of Satan I answer First the testimony of Gods Spirit is ever agreeable to the Word and thus to trie us the Scripture tels us that Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sinne 1 John 3.9 which is not to be understood simply of the act of sinning for who can say my heart is clean but in this sense he doth not commit sinne that is he makes not a trade of sinne it doth not reign in him if then thou allowest any lust in thine heart or goest on in the willing practice of any one known sin yet hast a conceit that thou art sure of salvation alas thou art deceived thou hast made a lie thy refuge and hid thy self under falshood Secondly Gods Spirit breeds in the soul a Reverend love and insatiable longing after all good means appointed and sanctified for our spiritual good and therefore that heart which sweetly is affected and inflamed with the word and prayer and meditation and conference and vows and singing of Psalms and use of good books we doubt not but it is breath'd on by the Spirit of God whilst others that use all these Ordinances out of custome or formalitie or some other sinister end alas their conceit of being right is built on the sands and therefore down it fals at deaths floud and is overwhelmed in destruction Thirdly Gods Spirit is ever attended with the spirit of Prayer and therefore saith the Apostle We know not how to pray but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 Rom. 8.26 O the blessed operation of this Spirit it even warms the spirit of a man with quickning life to pour out it self in the presence of the Lord his God sometimes in more hearty prayers and sometimes in more faint and cold yet alwayes edged with infinite desires that they were farre more fervent then they are But on the other side every deluded Pharisee is a mere stranger to the power of Prayer if he prayes often as I make it a question yet never prayes he from a broken heart and this argues that all his confidence is no better then a weed which grows of its own accord therefore like Jonahs gourd when affliction comes it withers on a sudden Fourthly the testimonie of Gods Spirit is often exercised and accompanied with fears and jealousies and doubts and distrusts and varieties of temptations which many times will drive the soul thus distrest to cry mightily to God to re-examine her grounds to confirm her watch to resort for counsell where it may be had whilest on the contrary the Pharisees groundlesse conceit lies in his bosome without fears or jealousies or doubts or distrusts or any such ado why so alas Sathan is too subtle to trouble him in that case he knows his foundation is falshood his hope of Heaven no better then a golden dream and therefore in policie he holds his peace that he may hold him the faster Fifthly the testimony of Gods Spirit is ever most refreshing at those times when we retire our selves to converse with God in a more solemn manner when we feel that we have conquered or well curbed some corruption of nature when we are well exercised in the Ordinances of God or in our sufferings by man for a good cause and conscience sake then or at such times shall we feel that sweetnesse of the spirit cherishing our hearts with a lightsome comfort that cannot be uttered whilest on the contrary the deluded man is alwaies alike peremptorie in his confidence you shall not take him at any time without a bold perswasion that he hopes to be saved as wel as the best thus like a man who lying
fast asleep on the edge of a Rock he dreams merrily of Crowns and Kingdomes and will not off it but on a sudden starting for joy he tumbles into the bottome of the Sea and there lies drowned in the deep that assurance which is ever secure is but a dream whereas the testimony of Gods Spirit is sometimes mixed with doubts and sometimes to our unspeakable comfort with a secret still heart-ravishing voice thus speaks to our consciences thou shalt be thou shalt be with me in paradise You see the testimonie of Gods Spirit how it works in us and how it is discerned by us it works in us by a particular application of the promises in the Gospel and is discerned by us by the word by our love our prayers our fears our joys at some times while we are a doing our duties Vse O blessed man that feels in his soul this blessed testimonie what is here comparable to it riches are deceitfull pleasure is a toy the world is but a bubble onely our assurance of Heaven is the onely reall comfort that we have on earth who then would not studie to make this certain if we purchase an inheritance on earth we make it as sure and our tenure as strong as the brawn of the Law or the brain of Lawyers can devise we have conveyance and bonds and fines no strength too much and shall we not be more curious in the setling our eternall inheritâ—nce in Paradise a man can never be too sure of going to Heaven and therefore in Gods fear let us examine the testimonie of our spirits by the inward tokens and by the outward fruits let us examine the testimonie of Gods Spirit by the means and the difference and if we find both these testimonies to accord within us how blessed are we in this vale of tears it is an heaven upon earth a Paradise in a wildernesse in a word a comfort in all miseries be they never so embittered See a Thief hanging on the Crosse an Engine of most grievous torture but who can tell the joy that entred into him before he entred into Heaven you may guesse it by his desire to be remembred of Christ when he came into his Kingdome he begs not for life nor pleasure nor riches nor honour no there is one thing necessary give him Heaven and he cares for nothing to this purpose doth he addresse himself to our blessed Saviour Luke 23.37 39. and he asks what if thou be Christ save thy self said the Jews in derision and if thou be Christ save thy self and us said the other Thief to him but this was onely for the bodies safetie and here is a man quite of another mind let the Jews rack him tear him break all his bones and pull him into atomes if our Saviour will but do so much as remember him in his kingdome he desires nothing more O blessed Christ speak comfortably to his soul that begs it thus vehemently at thy hands but why do I prevent the bowels of our Saviour yearn to hear him remember him yes he will remember him and he shall be with him comfortable news how leaps his heart at these so blessed words his desire is granted and Heaven is assured and the Spirit of God yea the God of Spirits thus testifies it to him to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thus farre of the certainty of his salvation thou shalt be but as the grant is sweet that is certain so is it yet more acceptable if done with expedition and here is both the certainty and expedition thou shalt be when to day with me in paradise To day OUr Saviour deferres not that he promises but as he quickly hears and quickly grants so he quickly gives him Paradise and a kingdome This sudden unexspected joy makes all more gratefull to tell us of Crowns and Kingdomes that we must inherit and then to put us off with delayes abates the sweetnesse of the promise men that go to suits for lands and livings though Lawyers feed them with hopes yet one order after another spinning out time to a multitude of Terms makes them weary of the businesse it is the happinesse of this suitour that he comes to an hearing but the highest degree of his happiness was the expedition of his suit no sooner he motions Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome but the Lord gives him that he asks upon his first motion to day ere the Sun be down the Kingdome shall be thine thou shalt be with me in Paradise But you may object Was there no Limbus Patrum no Purgatory to run through but the very same day he died he must then go to Paradise no unlesse Limbus or Purgatorie be Paradise it self there is no such thing at all Some there are that rather then say nothing speak thus Christ giving up the ghost Mox ut Deus exspiravit ipse secundum animam ad infernos descendit Guliel Paris cap. 21. secundum verbum his soul descended into hel and the very same day was this Malefactour partaker of Christs beatificall vision with the other Patriarchs in Limbus But of how great difference is Paradise and Limbus we shall hear another time sure it is Christ promised not a Dungeon in stead of a Kingdome nor is Paradise a place of pleasure of any such imaginary melancholy nature we conclude then To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise it is all one as to say To day thy day of death thou shalt be with me in Heaven and there enjoy me in my Kingdome But again you may object That Christ rather that day descended into hel then ascended into heaven The Creed teacheth that after he was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell To answer the objection some go about thus by hel say they is meant Paradise where the soul of Christ was all the time that his body lay in the grave If this be not a misconstruction I am sure it is no literall Exposition and me thinks a very strange kind of figure it is to expresse Christs ascent into Paradise by his descent into hell Others more probably understand Christs abode in the grave for the space of three dayes Aug. Epist 57. Austin after some turns and wrenches concludeth thus Est autem sensus multò expeditior c. It is a farre easier sense and freer from all ambiguity if we take Christ to speak thesc words This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise not of his Manhood but of his Godhead for the man Christ was that day in the grave according to the flesh and in hell as touching his soul but the same Christ as God is alwayes every where Thus he But this will not satisfie all Perkins on the Creed and therefore they argue thus against it These words say they must be understood of his Manhood not his God-head and why so For they are an answer unto a demand and unto it they must be
this be his case who will not say with Balaam Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Num. 23 10. O let us I beseech you present unto our souls the blessed condition to come and this will be effectuall to stir us up to every good duty and to comfort us in all conditions whatsoever what will a man care for crosses and losses and disgraces in the world that thinks of an heavenly Kingdome What will a man care for ill usage in his Pilgrimâ—ge when he knows he is a King at home we are all in this time of our abâ—ence from God but even strangers upon â—â—rth here then must we suffer in dignities yet here is the comfort we have a better estate to come and all this in the mean time is nothing but a fitting of us to that heavenly Kingdome â—s Davids time between his anointing and investing was a very preparing of him that he might know himself and that he might learn fitnesse for to govern aright so we are anointed Kings as soon as we believe we have the same blessed anointing that is poured on our head and runnes down about us but we must be humbled and fitted before we are invested 〈◊〉 time and but a 〈◊〉 we have yet here to spend and let this be our comfort howsoever we 〈◊〉 here it is not long ere we inherit Alas the 〈◊〉 of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed us Rom. 8.18 Rom. 8.18 and therefore Igâ—â—â—â—â— iâ— a burnâ—â—g 〈…〉 say 〈…〉 gallows Hieron in catalogo beasts breaking of my bones quartering of â—y 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—sâ—â—ng of my body all the torments of devils let them come upon me so I may enjoy the treasure of Heaven and well â—â—gâ—â— he say it that knew what a châ—nge would be one day 〈◊〉 never was cold shadow so pleasant 〈◊〉 hot Summer never was 〈◊〉 so delightfull after â—â—â—our as shall be this â—eâ—t of heaven to an afflicted â—our coming thither out of this valley of tears O then what service should we do what pain should we suffer to attain this â—est were it to runne through fire and water were it as Augustine said to suffer every day torments you Aug. serm 31. de sanct the very torments of Hell yet should we be conâ—enâ— to aâ—â—â—e it and how much more when we may buy it without money or money-worth we need not to part with any thing for it but sin This Thief now a blessed Saint in glory * I speak of suffering and repenting as means not as the cause for a dayes suffering an half dayes repenting was thus welcomed to Heaven imitate we him in his repentance not in his delay he indeed had mercy at the last cast but this priviledge of one inferres not a common law for all one finde mercie at the last that none should despair and but one that none should presume Be then your sins as red as Scarlet you need not despair if you will but repent and lest your repentance be too late let this be the day of your conversion now abhorre sinnes past sue out a pardon call upon Christ with this Thief on the Crosse Lord remember me remember me now thou art in thy Kingdome thus would we do how blessedly should we die our consciences comforting us in deaths pangs and Christ Jesus saying to us at our last day here our day of death our day of dissolution To day shalt thou be with me in paradise We have dispatcht with expedition this dispatch this expedition to day the next day you shall hear the happinesse of this grant which is the societie of our Saviour thou shalt be with whom with me in paradise With me ANd is he of the Societie of Jesus yes though no Jesuite neither for they were not then hatcht but what noble order is this where the Saints sing Angels minister Archangels rule Principalities triumph Powers rejoyce Dominations govern Virtues shine Thrones glitter Cherubims give light Seraphins burn in love and all that heavenly company ascribe and ever give all laud and praises unto God their Maker here is a Societie indeed I mean not of Babylon but Jerusalem whither Jesus our Saviour admits all his servants and whereto this Thief on the Crosse was invited and welcomed thou shalt be with me in paradise For if with me then with all that is with me and thus comes in that blessed company of Heaven we will onely take a view of them and in some scantling or other you may guesse at Heavens happinesse With me and therefore with my Saints blessed man that from a crew of thieves by one houres repentance became a companion of Saints and now he is a Saint amongst them what joy is that he enjoys with them O my soul couldst thou so steal Heaven by remorse for sinne then mightst thou see what all those millions of Saints that ever lived on earth and are in Heaven Heb. 12.22 there are those holy Patriarchs Adam Noah Abraham and the rest not now in their pilgrimage tossed to and fro on earth but abiding for ever on Mount Sion the City of the living God there are those goodly Prophets Esay Jeremy Ezekiel and the rest not now subject to the torments of their cruell adversaries but wearing Palms and Crowns and all other glorious Ensigneâ— of their victorious triumphs there live those glorious Apostles Peter Andrew James John and the rest not now in danger of persecution or death but arrayed in long robes washed and made white in the bloud of the Lamb Revel 7.14 there live those women-Saints Mary Martha and that Virgin-mother not now weeping at our Saviours death but singing unto him those heavenly songs of praise glory world without end there are those tender infants an hundred forty four thousand Revel 14.1 Revel 14.1 3 4. not now under Herods knife bleeding unto death but harping on their harps and following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth there lives that noble armie of Martyrs they that were slain upon the earth Revel 18.24 Revel 18.24 not now under the mercilesse hands of cruell tyrants but singing and saying their Hallelujahs salvation and glory and honour Revel 19.1 and power be unto the Lord our God tâ—ere dwell all the Saints and servants of God both small and great Revel 19.5 Revel 19.5 not now sighing in this vale of tears but singing sweet songs that eccho through the Heavens as the voice of many waters as the voice of mighty thunderings so is their voice saying Hellelujah Revel 19.6 for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth And is not here a goodly troop a sweet company a blessed societie and fellowship of Saints O my soul how happie wer't thou to be with them yea how happie will that day be to thee when thou shalt meet all the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Disciples Innocents Martyrs the Saints and servants of the King of Heaven why thus happie
3.2 For as the Sunne by his beams and brightnesse illightens the eye and the air that we may see not onely all other things but also his own glorious face so God blessed for ever in whose presence ten thousand of our suns would vanish away as a darksome mote doth by the light of his Majestie so irradiate the minds of all the blessed that they behold in him not onely the beautie of all his Creatures but of himself and thus shall we see and know that glorious mystery of the Trinitie the goodnesse of the Father the wisdome of the Sonne the love and comfortable fellowship of the holy Spirit nothing that can be known but in him we shall know it in most ample manner Secondly the will is for ever satisfied with a perfect inward and eternall communion with God himself Christ that is God and man by his Man-hood assumed uniteth us unto God and by his God-head assuming uniteth God unto us so that by this secret and sacred communion we are made partakers and as it were possessours of God himself O bottomlesse depth and dearest confluence of joyes and pleasures everlasting here is the perfection of all good things the Crown of glory the very life of Life everlasting And well may it be so for what can the soul desire God will not be unto her It is he that is eminently in himself beauty to our eyes musick to our ears honey to our mouthes perfume to our nostrils light to our understanding delight to our will continuation of eternitie to our memorie in him shall we enjoy all the varieties of times all the beautie of creatures all the pleasures of Paradise Blessed Thief what a glory was this to be admitted to the societie of Christ in his Deitie thou shalt be with me how then should he be but happie Where could he be ill with him Vbi malè poterat esse cum illo ubi bene poterat esse sine illo Aug. Psal 16.11 where could he be well without him In thy presence there is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore joy and fulnesse of joy pleasures and everlasting pleasures Blessed are all they that live in thy house O Lord for they shall praise thee eternally world without end Psal 84.4 Psal 84.4 You see now Heavens societie they are Saints and Angels and Christ and God blessed for ever and ever Vse 1 Who then would not forsake Father and Mother the dearest fellowship of this world to be with Christ in his Kingdome You that love one another in the deepest bonds who cannot part out of this life but with the survivours grief and hearts break tell me what a merry day will that be when you shall not onely meet again never more to part asunder but when Christ our Saviour shall gladly welcome you every one of you into his societie thou shalt be with me and let me speak to the joy of us all I mean all broken-hearted Christians as for you that are profane ones you have your portion here therefore stand you by and let the Children come to their share a day will come I trust in the Lord when I shall meet you and you me in the Kingdome of heaven a day will come I trust in the Lord when you and I shall be all admitted into the societie of God and of Christ and of his Saints and of the Aagels a day will come I trust in the Lord when with these eyes we shall behold our Redeemer together with that Thief that was crucified with him a day will come I trust in the Lord when we shall meet again with all the Saints that are gone afore us and is not this a comfort what shall we say when we see our Saviour in his Throne waited on with Mary his Mother and Magdalen and Martha and Lazarus and Paul and Peter and all the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and Saviour yea when this Thief shall be presented to our view the wounds in his hands and his feet shining like Starres and Pearls and Rubies all his body glittering in glory and his soul magnifying the Lord for his conversion and salvation world without end Vse 2 But stay least we be lead too forward there is no such thing for us if now we are not in the Covenant of grace heaven is both happie and holy and if we would enjoy heaven then we must fit our selves to that estate to which God hath preserved us to this purpose saith the Apostle Our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour Phil. 3.20 Phil. 3.20 He was assured of heaven and therefore he conversed as a Citizen of heaven before he came there every way he â—â—rried himself as much as earth would suffer him like them that live in heaven and thus must we if ever we go to heaven become like to those that are in that place Deceive not your selves neither Whoremongers no Adulterers nor Extortioners nor the like shall enter into the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 1 Cor. 6.9 Do men who live in these sinnes without all remorse or repentance ever think to go to heaven is it possible that ever any flesh should go out of the puddle into Paradise Matt. 25.41 no no Away ye workers of iniquitie I know you not saith our Saviour let no man cherish presumptions of an heavenly Kingdome except he abstain from all sinnes against Conscience What then but so live we here as becomes his servants and thus when we part it is but for better companie we lose a few friends but we shall find him that welcomes all his with this heavenly harmonie thou shalt be with whom with me in Paradise Hitherto of the Society The last thing considerable is the place or Vbi where his soul arrived but of that hereafter as the Lord shall inable me God give us all grace â—o to live here that howsoever we go hence one after another yet at last we may all meet together with our Lord and Saviour in his heavenly Paradise In Paradise ANd where was that our Adversaries say in Limbus and yet to give them their due Bellarmine so means not as that Limbus was Paradise Illa enim verè Paradisus deliciarum est non corporalis aut localis sed spiritualis coelestis Bellar. de 7. verbis Domini l. 1. cap. 4. but that in Limbus this thief had his Paradise to wit the vision of God The vision of God saith Bellarmine is a true Paradise indeed not locall but spirituall But with Bellarmines leave we have no such sense of Paradise in any part of holy Writ In the old Testament we read of an earthly Paradise wherein Adam lived in the new Testament we read of an Heavenly Paradise whither Paul was caught yet both these were locall for the one saith Moses was a garden Eastward in Eden Gen 2.8 Gen. 2.8 and the other saith Paul was in heaven
both give their lights that Lambe that was slain from the beginning of the world that body of his once crucified now brighter then ten thousand Suns O how infinitely glorious doth it make this Paradise this Citie of God His countenance is as the Sun that shineth in his strength saith Iohn Revel 1.16 Revel 1.16 But what starres are those in his hands and his feet Where the nayls pierced now it sparkleth where the spear entred now it glittereth gloriously if we look all over him Ibid. v. 14 15. his head and his hairs are as white as snow his eyes are as a flame of fire his feet like unto fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace no wonder then if such beams come from this Sun the Sun of righteousnesse that all heaven shines with it from the one end to the other And yet again the Lambe and the Saints all give their lights for we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him 1. Joh. 3.2 1. John 3.2 how like why he shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Phil. 3.21 Phil. 3.21 In what like even in this very quality for they that be wise shall shine Dan. 12.3 Dan. 12.3 How shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament nay more as the starres saith Daniel nay more as the Sun saith our Saviour nay yet more saith Chrysostome howsoever the righteous in heaven Heaven are compared to the Sun Matth. 13.43 Matth. 13.43 Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 6 It is not because they shall not surpasse the brightnesse of it but the Sun being the most glittering thing in this world he takes a resemblance thence onely towards the expressing of their glory Now then what a masse of light will arise in Paradise where so many millions of Sunns appear all at once If one Sunne make the morning sky so glorious what a bright shining and glorious day is there where 's not a body but 't is a Sunn Sure it is Revel 21.23 There shall be no night there no need of candle no need of Sunne or Moon or Star O that this clay of ours should be partakers of such glory what am I O Lord that being a worm on earth thou wilt make me a Saint in heaven this body of earth and dust shall shine in heaven like those glorious spangles in the firmament this body that shall rot in dust and fall more vile then a Carrion shall arise in glory and shine like the glorious body of our Saviour in the mount of Tabor To come neer my Text See here a Saint-Thief shining gloriously he that was crucified with our Saviour at whose death the Sun hid her face with a veil now he reigns in glory without need of Sunn for he is a Sunn himself shining more clearly then the Sun at noon he that one day was fastened to a Crosse now walks at liberty through the streets of Paradise and all the joyes all the riches all the glory that can be is poured upon him What else He is in Paradise and what is Paradise but a place of pleasure where sorrow is never felt complaint is never heard matter of sadness is never seen evil success is never feared but in stead thereof there is all good without any evil life that never endeth beauty that never fadeth love that never cooleth health that never impaireth joy that never ceaseth what more could this penitent wish then to hear him speak that promised Paradise and perâ—â—â—â—â—ed his promise To day thou shalt 〈…〉 with me in Paradise And thus in a Map have I 〈…〉 Paradise for quantitie great for quality glorâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 better when you shall walk through the 〈◊〉 observe the towers fully contemplate the glory 〈◊〉 that you may not wâ—â—â— of application before I 〈◊〉 Vse 1 Meditate then with what sweet delight everyâ—â—â— servant of God may bath himself before hand even in this valley of tears Did we but think on this gloriâ—â—â— place 〈…〉 â—hose heavenly mansions prepared for us did we spend many thoughts upon it and ever and anon sigh and seek after it until we came to the fingering and possession of it O how would these heavenly meditations ravish our souls as if Heaven 〈…〉 before we entred into Heaven Consider of this in what â—â—se soever we are whether we are vexed or injured or oppressed or persecuted for the name of Christ there is nothing so imbittered that a thought of heaven will not sweeten Yet I say not that wâ— are onely to think of it withall let us strive and strain to get into this golden Citie where streâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—â—teâ— â—nd all is gold and pearl nay where pearl 〈…〉 noâ—hing worth in comparison of those things which shall be revealed unto 〈◊〉 faithfull soul Vse 2 On the other side Consider with your selves what fools are they who deprive themselves willingly of this endlesse glory who bereave themselves of a room in this City of Pearl for a few carnall pleasures what Bedlams and humane beasts are they who shut themselves out of Paradise for 〈…〉 rie pelf What sots and senselesse wretches are they who wittingly and wilfully bar themselves out of this Palace for the short fruition of wordly trash and 〈◊〉 As for you of whom I hope better things let me advise you for the love of God for the love of Christ for the love that you bâ—â—â— to your own soule that you will settle your affections or things above and not on things beneath and then you shall find oâ—â— lâ—y the comfort of it when leaving this world the Spirit of Gâ—â—st shall whisper to your souls this happy tidings To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Here is an end Shall I now cast up the accounts of what I have delivered you The Total is this Every sinner that repents and believes shall be saved you need no other instance then this Thief on the Crosse at one hearty tear one penitent prayer Lord remember me in thy Kingdome the Lord gives him his desire see here the fiat thou shalt be the expedition to day his admission with me the place whither he is inducted it is into Paradise and there now he officiates doing service to God without ceasing world without end O Lord give me grace so to repent and believe that whensoever I go hence that day I may be with thee in Paradise AMEN SOâ—â— DEO â—Lâ— Printed for Nath. Webb and William Grantham at the Grey-hound in Pauls Church-yard MDCL