NOt to look back for Co­haerence as but so far, as the immediately preceding verses, wherein our divine Evangelist acquainteth us with what he has [Page 2] discovered, of Gog, and Ma­gog, devoured by fire from Heaven; and their great Lord, and Master, the Divel cast into a lake, that is for ever to burn with fire, and brimstone, I shall for the present, content my self with that Statutum est of the Apostle, Heb. 9.27. for an Introduction, to lead me into the Text; it is appointed for all men once to die; and after that the judgement. Death is no­thing else but as that adversary in the Gospel, that delivereth us up to the Judge. Or as an alarm, for the awaking of us, to prepare for a sharp encounter with judgement. And then, since death hath, of late dayes especially, and that for a long continued Tract of time, been [Page 3] gallopping upon her pale horse amongst us; not all-arming us onely, but beating up our quar­ters, yea, bathing her footsteps in our blood; nay, and God only knoweth how soon she may be charging us with a fresh Cari­ere; drereful Heralds unto us, that it is to probable, that ere long we shall be delivered up to this Judges Capital sentence; yea that, unless those two power­ful Advocates, a lively faith, and hearty repentance, shall sea­sonably interpose, must needs doom us to irreparable destru­ction, both of body and soul; this sentence of judge­ment, in all rational discourse, may not seem strange, or un­couth, unto us. Nay, may that the Apostles argument, upon [Page 4] his Romans he presseth, for their speedier awaking out of sleep, Rom. 13.11. pass for irrefraga­ble, that their salvation is now nearer then when they first be­lieved; of all hands can it not but be agreed upon, that a strongerty, for the contempla­tion of this Judgement, must needs lieupon us, that have far greater reason to say of our times then the Apostle of his a­bove sixteen hundred years ago, Cor. 10.11. that we are they, upon whom the ends of the world are come; then upon any Patriarch, or Prophet, before, or under, the Law, yea, or Evangelist, or Apostle, since the death, or Sepulture thereof; that had but a dim sight of this so conside­rable a spectacle, by the gli­mering [Page 5] light of Prophesie, or vision, yea, or Revelation; as hath our divine Evangelist, and Apostle, here. I saw the dead, small, and great, stand up be­fore God, &c.

The Text then you cannot but see what just reason I shall have to term a lively Effigies, and Representation, of the great, and general, and unspotted, High-Court of Justice, that, at the last day, shall be erected in the Heaven of Heavens; where­in I shall only point out unto your considerations these ensu­ing particulars.

• the Prisoners to be arraigned,
• the Iudge to pass sentence.
• the Evidence to be given in.
• the Legal proceeding of the Court.
• the Infallible certainty of all.

The Prisoners, to be arraign­ed, [Page 6] you may see to be the Dead, small, and great.

The judge, to pass sentence, God.

The Evidence, to be given in, Recorded in Books.

The Legal proceedings of the Court appeareth clearly in that the dead, without any the least distinction, or discrimination, are to be judged according to their works.

And the infallible certainty of all is conspicuously apparant by that our divine Evangelist, and Apostle, professeth that he hath been [...]; an eye-witness of all. These the parts, of these plainly, briefly, and orderly. And first are we to take a view of the Prisoners to be arraigned; which we see, are the Dead, small, and great. [Page 7] I saw the dead, small, and great, stand up before God. Not to mention those, that shall, alive, be caught up with those that are dead, to meet the Lord in the Ayre. 1 Thes. 4.17. this mention of dead, small, and great, hath ministred matter of sharp dispute to Divines, of no mean note in the Church, a­bout the stature of the dead, that shall stand up in the judge­ment; whether it shall be of all the same. Not to distract your thoughts with an endless multi­plicity of needless conjectures, we shall look no further then S. Augustines summary determina­tion of the point, that, at the day of judgement, we shall not all appear of an equal stature, for that this were, with Procru­stes, [Page 8] to stretch out those of a shorter, and to contract those of a taller Size; yea indeed, by extending and contracting of dimensions, to take away the natural property of the bodies. But of that stature shall we all appear, Qua vel eramus, vel futuri eramus, in juvenili aetate; which, either we should have attained, had we not been cut of in our infancy; or had attain­ned, and continued in, had we not by old age out-grown it. Of that strength, and vigour, that usually accompanyeth the age of three, or four, and thir­ty years; of which age the first Adam is conceived, and con­cluded to be, when he was cre­ated: the second, when he was crucified. And this conje­cture [Page 9] is not improbably groun­ded upon that of the Apostle, Ephes. 4.13. till we all come to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature, or, (as it is in the Margent,) of the age of Christ. But, shall we compare this place with 19. of this Book 18. where the Angel giveth a Commission to the fowls of the Aire to eat the flesh of all men, both bond, and free, both small, and great, we shall easily be in­duced to believe, that by those small, and great, shall be in­tended a commensuration of men, not by their statures so much as their stations; not so much by their dimensions as conditions. So that the result shortly shall be, that Princes aswel as Peasants, [Page 10] rich as poor, bond as free, shall all stand up before this judge­ment seat. We say, that, as death leaveth us, so judgement find­eth us; yea indeed, death and judgement deal with us alike impartially. So that Pallida Mors — as death visiteth, all times, the Pallaces of the mightiest Potentates, as well as the cotta­ges of the poorest Mushroms; shufling both King and Pawn into one bag, as soon as the game of our life is ended: so shall the summons of judgement equally attach us; Cum suis Pla­to adducetur discipulis; & Poten­tissimi quondam Reges nudo latere palpitabunt; Plato shall be brought forth, ranged in the same form with his the meanest Schollars, and those mighty [Page 11] Potentates, whose very names but even now struck terrour in­to the hearts of all about them, shall now, divested of all their Robes of State, and titles of Honour, stand naked, & trem­bling, before this dreadful Tri­bunal. Nor can this tidings of judgement seem strange to any, that is not a meer stranger to reason. Even the Moralist hath written a purposed Book, whose summe is this Problem debated, Quare bonis eveniat ma­lè; wherefore the most Religi­ous Persons, have, not seldome, the worst end of the staffe in this life, whose Positive resolu­tion we finde to be, that things are thus ordered by providence, that the good may be still kept in hope, and the evil in fear, [Page 12] of another life. Indeed, it, not seldome fareth with the righte­ous, and the Reprobate, in this case, as with Isaac, and his Bre­thren. Gen. 25. They have cer­tain gifts given them, and are sent away; whilest he hath the entire Inheritance reserved for him. The Reprobate here may have certain gifts of the Highest left hand, of success, of advancement, of wealth, of Honour, in a liberal measure, heaped up upon them; but then without the least hope, or ex­pectance of any further testimo­ny of Gods love, or favour, for the future, they are sent away to their own places; whilst the Righteous, in the mean time, meanly gratified with present Boons, have an Inheritance re­served [Page 13] for them, even an Inhe­ritance incorruptible, that fa­deth not away, in the highest Heavens. As with Manasseh, and Ephraim. Gen. 48. of which, however Manasseh, as the elder, be placed, by Ioseph, at his Fa­thers Right hand; and Ephraim, as the younger, at his Left: yet is the case, immediately after, altered by the good old mans deliberate transposition of his hands; he laying his Right upon Ephraim, his Left upon Manasseh. The Reprobate here in this life may, by Ioseph, which soundeth increasing, by the encrease of their wealth, and substance, as Elder brothers, be set down at the right hand of Honour, and Power; whilest the Righteous, like the Younger, may be left [Page 14] at the left of neglect, and con­tempt. But, in the life to come, the God of Iacob, that leadeth Ioseph, like a Sheep, shall dispose of them in a far di­verse, yea, contrary, posture; placing, as his true, harmless, and serviceable Sheep, the Righteous at his right hand; but leaving the Reprobate, as un­profitable Goats, at his left. As with the Teeth, and the Feet; whereof the former, whilest they are sound, we con­tentedly allow an eminent place in the body; and for that we finde them of great use, for its health, carefully, preserve, and serve with all manner of dain­ties; but, when they begin to rot, we pluck out, and cast a­way, as fit for nothing but the [Page 15] Dunghil, or Fire; the latter, whilst they are sound, we leave not only to their low, and des­picable, site; but expose to all manner, labour, and travail; and employ in the most vile, and servile offices; which yet if, by any casualty, they shall come to be ill affected, we care­fully, and charily, plaister, and binde up. The Reprobate here, like the Teeth, may be seated in the most Eminent place of the body politick; and may appear (certainly for such to appear they desire) very ser­viceable for its advantage (though it be all this while indeed but to eat up Gods people, as if they would eat bread, Psal. 14.8.) and upon either score, may not only be [Page 16] heeded tenderly, for point of preservation; but served with all manner, choise, and rare, provision; but when putrefacti­on, and rottenness, shall scorn to seize them, shall be scron­fully cast away; as fit for no­thing but the Dunghil of neglect, and contempt, in the memories of men; or the fire of Hell, in Satans territories. Whilst the Righteous, like the feet, after that, for the whole term of their life, they have, not only been left in a lowly, and base, condition; but exposed unto all manner, labour, and travail, and anguish; and that both of soul and body; and have been surbated and bruised, with all manner, Tribulations, and Per­secutions, are, at last, with [Page 17] all manner tender care, bound up in the bundle of life. To say no more, as with Cattle, kept for several purposes, the one for store, the other for slaugh­ter; whereof the one feedeth in green, and fat, Pastures; the other are kept upon bare commons. The Reprobate here may have, the seeming happiness at least of feeding in the green, and pleasant, Pa­stures of all manner of plenty, and prosperity; but then in conclusion finde they themselves designed for the slaughter-house of Hell. Whilst the Righteous in the mean time, that are fain to content themselves with no better feeding, then the bare commons ofl poverty, and all kinde of misery, are yet reser­ved, [Page 18] as choise store, to remain, yea, Reign, with him, for e­vermore. So that then, whilst the Righteous, even when they are most anxiously groa­ning under the heaviest pressure of their afflctions, shall have no reason to despair of an happy change of chear; and there­fore, in a passionate hastiness of Spirit, to cry out, as David sometimes, Psal. 31.24. We are cast out of the sight of thine Eyes; or as Sion. Isa. 49 4, The Lord hath forsaken, and forgotten us: So neither shall the Reprobate, in the highest Flux of their brain-intoxicating happiness, have reason to promise them­selves a perpetual, and un­changeable, continuance there­of, as the same David, in his [Page 19] wanton estate. Psal. 30.6. I shall never be removed; much less, as those Rulers, courage themselves in mischief, and say, as it is Isa. 28.15. We have made a Covenant with Death, and with Hell we are at an agreement; when that overflowing scourge, shall pass through, it shall not come nigh us, we have made lies our refuge, and under falshood have we hid our selves. Say ye to the Righteous (is the Lords own close of that [...], sweet-sowr word of his) that it shall be well with him; for he shall eat the fruit of his doings; but woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hand shall be given him. Isa. 2.10, 11. As it is the same Lords gracious declaration of himself to his [Page 20] Church; In a little wrath hid I my face from thee, for a mo­ment; but with everlasting kind­ness will I have Mercy upon thee. Isa. 54.8. So is it his, no less just then dreadful, doom upon Baby­lon, the Churches Maule; that, as much as she hath glorified her self, and fared deliciously, so much tor­ment, and sorrow, shall be given her, the 18. of this Book and the 7th. As there is a fearful woe thun­dered out against those, that laugh for the present. Luke 6.25. So is there a chearful Benedictus carolled out unto those, that mourn here; for that hereafter they shall be comforted, Mat. 5.4. The rich glutton hath first his good things, and Lazarus evil; and therefore is there a time by either to be expected for their [Page 21] turning of Tables, their change of conditions; when the one must be comforted, and the o­ther Tormented. Luke 16.25. It is a just thing with God (saith the Apostle, enforcing this change with an argument, we See) drawn from his Justice) to render Tribulation unto them that trouble you, 2 Thes. 1.6. whilst the Righteous (will we hear the Psalmists) shall reioyce to see the vengeance. Psal. 5.9. Tribulation shall be the just Re­compence of those, that have troubled the Righteous, whilst a principal part of the joy of the Righteous shall be the sight of just vengeance to be executed upon those, that have troubled them. So that a man shall say (will he, nill he, shall be dri­ven [Page 22] to confess) that the Righ­teous shall not finally go unre­warded, verily there is a re­ward for the Righteous; nor shall the wicked for ever escape unpunished; doubtless there is a God, that judgeth the earth.

Which fitly bringeth me to the consideration of the second particular, the Judge, that is to pass sentence, God. I saw the Dead, small, and great, stand up before God.

Three things there are (as one hath well observed) which the Lord hath reserved, as pe­culiar to himself. The know­ledge of things to come; It is not for you to know the times, and seasons (saith our Saviour to his inquisitive Disciples) which the Father hath put in his [Page 23] own Power. Acts 1.7. The re­venge of injuries; Vengeance is mine (is the Lords own word) and I will repay it. Deut. 32.35. And the judgement of secrets; judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come; Who shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make ma­nifest the counsels of the heart. 1 Cor. 4.5. The School yet, for the more precise pointing out the Person of this Judge unto us; distinguisheth of a three­fold manner of Judgement. First, there is Iudicium Approba­tionis; a judgement of suffrage, or Approbation. And in this sense shall the Saints act the parts of Judges. Know ye not (saith the Apostle) that the Saints shall judge the world? [Page 24] 1. Cor. 2.6. Secondly, there is Iudi­cium Principalis Autoritatis; a Judgement of supream Authori­ty. And this way of Judge­ment is peculiar to the Divine Essence. Wherein yet Opera Trinitatis is ad Extra sunt Indivisa (saith the same School) every subsistence in the Trinity may justly challenge an equal inte­rest. God shall bring every work to judgement, saith the Preacher. Eccles. 12.14. For which cause I finde the day of this Judgement, by St. Peter, 2 Epist. 3.12. signally stiled Gods day; looking for (saith he) and hastning unto, the Day of God. Thirdly, there is Iudici­um Promulgationis; a Judge­ment of passing sentence. And with this power is the second [Page 25] Person in the Trinity exclusive­ly invested; and that meerly in regard of his Humane Nature. The Father (is his own word) hath given the Son power to execute judgements, because he is the son of man. Iohn 5.27. And this, whether it be for the making of the equity of his pro­ceedings in this Judgement the more, conspicuous (upon which ground, I meet with Divines, that will needs make that word of the Lord. Ioel 3.2. matter of an undeniable con­clusion, that the seat of this Judgement shall be Perpendicu­larly erected over the valley of Iehosaphat near Ierusalem; for that being the center of the earth, as by Geographere is u­nanimously agreed on, thither, [Page 26] from all parts of the worlds circumference, may the lines of all Nations most commodiously be drawn, to take the fairer, and fuller view of the justice of these his proceedings) or whe­ther (as we use to help a lame Legge with a Crutch) it be for the more eminent Exaltation of this Judge in the condition of his Humane Nature; wherein [...], saith the Apostle, Phil. 2.8. he made him­self of no reputation, or (as the word more properly import­eth) he emptied himself, and made him nothing, becomming o­bedient unto death, even the death of the Cross (the eminent reason given by him for our bowing at the Name of Jesus rather then any other name of his) I for­bear [Page 27] for the present to deter­mine. Certainly, as the Pillar of the cloud, that gave light in the Israelitish, was darkness in the Egyptian Camp. Exod. 14.20. when the sight of this Iudge, in the visible shape of his Huma­nity, shall dart out beams of unspeakable comfort into the souls of his Elect, when they shall now see him set upon the Throne of Glorious Majesty, whom they have heretofore fol­lowed through much Tribula­on, and Misery; when (what the people sometimes passio­nately petitioned. Exod. 20.19.) they shall hear not God so much as a man, like unto them­selves, speaking unto them in judgement; and so (as the A­postle in another case, 2 Cor. 4. [Page 28] 7.) shall have the Heavenly treasure of the final discharge, and acquittance, from the guilt of all their sins brought unto them in an earthen (though now glorified) vessel; what darkness, and blackness, of horrour (think we) shall seize the souls of the wicked, when they shall see him, whom they have pierced? as it is in the 1. of this Book 7. when (as St. Hierom) cerves manus Iudaee, quas fixeras? The Iew shall see the Head, he hath wounded? And the Roman the side, he hath gored? Nay, if Iosephs brethren were, not a little, af­frighted, and afflicted, at his presence, when he told them that he was Ioseph, whom they had sold into Egypt, Gen. 45. [Page 29] how shall even the best of us, sinful souls, appear stricken with astonishment, when we shall hear this our Brother, but now judge, semblably upbraid­ing us; I am Jesus, your Savi­our, whom, from time to time, you have sold for the vile price of sin? And so, upon the result, shall desire the mur­therous Barabbas of your sinful concupiscence to be given you? and vote his delivery up, a se­cond time, to be crucified? when the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars, shall, in an awful re­verence, hide their heads, when the Heavens shall be rolled up, like a Scroule; and the Elements melt with heat; how shall the faces of sinners be abased, and confounded: The dreadful [Page 30] sound of the Trumpet, that shall cleave the Rocks, startle the dead out of their Graves, yea, shake the very Powers of Heaven, how shall it thunder­strike the guilty conscience? O Angustia, (saith holy Anselme;) Hic erunt Accusantia Peccata, &c. O the anguish of spirit, we shall, in that day, be surprized with? on the one side we shall hear our sins accusing us; on the other Justice threatning us; under Hell gaping for us; a­bove an angry Judge writing bitter things against us; within the conscience galling; with­out the world burning. Quan­do latere erit impossibile, as that Father goeth on; when a Latitat shall be impossible, and yet an Appearance intolerable? our [Page 31] God shall come, and shall not keep silence (saith the Royal Prophet) there shall go before him a consuming fire; and a mighty tempest shall be stirred up round about him. Psal. 50.3. Et, sitalis terror futurus sit ad­venientis, saith Eusebius Emisse­nus upon the words; and if to the eye the appearance of his person shall be so horrid, how hideously (think we) will the sound of his sentence ring in the ear? Certainly, Horror ubique animos, & plurima Nostris Imago; Tribulation, and Anguish, must needs be, on that Day in great extremity, upon those souls, that shall then appear with any of their unrepented sins about them, when we shall all both small, and great, come to [Page 32] stand up before God. But here, (me thinketh) I hear, as some, with the Saints under the Altar, in the 12. of this Book 10. crying out, How long Lord, holy; and true, doest thou not judge, and avenge, our blood on those, that dwell on the earth. So o­thers, as those in St. Peter, in the 2. of his Epistle, 3.4. scoffing; where is the promise of his comming? For all things con­tinue as they were, from the be­ginning of the Creation. All, as the Disciples, Matthew 24.3. bu­sily enquiring; Quando ist haec erunt? When shall these things be. Learn a Parable of the Fig-Tree, you know, is our Saviour just answer to this their curious Quare, Verse 32. of the above-praised Chapter. And now, from [Page 33] time to time, we have seen no withered Fig-tree putting forth many a Prognostick Leaf, how insensible shall we pro­claim our selves, if the sight of such a spectacle shall not induce us, without the least Haesitati­on, to conclude, that this sum­mer, this scorching summer is very near at hand? what the least abatement, even amongst our new self-canonizing Saints, of excess, of wantonness, of pride, of sacriledge, of perjury, of all manner vanities, nay an a­bominable grouth of al these, do we find even now, that Leves un­dae, (as S. Greg. speaketh) those les­ser waves of our long continued, unnatural, self-wasting, Jars, still tossing, and turmoiling us; nay, of the abomination of de­solation, [Page 34] still laving, and wa­sling away, all the Religious en­dowments of our holy Places; yea, and now standing with as great confidence in them, as if he were of Gods own placing; as if their errand, were expres­ly to tell us, that it cannot be long, ere the Lord in a dread­full tempest, of Fire (as in Noahs days sometimes of wa­ter) arise, to judge the earth; of which signs our Saviour him­self in the above-praised, Mat. 24? what palpable symbols of Antichrist unmasked doth our daily experience present us withal, in the well-nigh univer­sal exaltation, we sadly see, a­gainst all that is called God; and in that late starting up of not a few withall deceivableness [Page 35] of unrighteousnes; of which the Apostle 2 Thes. 2? what swarms of Apostats, from the faith; gi­ving heed to the seducing spirits of false Prophets; speaking lyes in Hypocrisie; even such, as would make the blackest Fiends of Hell to blush; forbidding to marry; at least the regular way, by the Priests tying that sacred knot; and substituting (I know not what) profane, exotick, hand, to act in the place there­of; of which the same Apostle, 1 Tim. 4? what heards, and troops of covetous, proud, boasters, blasphemers, truce-breakers, false accusers, despi­sers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded; having a show of godliness, but denying the power thereof; [Page 36] Creepers into houses; leading captive silly women laden with sins, and led away with diverse lusts; of which the same Apo­stle, 2 Tim. 3. what mockers, even mockers of God; some­times by Mock-fasts, in order, or disorder rather, to the smi­ting with the fist of wickedness? and setting Naboth on high, for the effusion of his Innocent blood; and the seizure of his poor vineyard? and Mock thanksgivings sometimes, for deliverance from Poetick dan­gers, which God, in his good time, may, in justice make re­all? Nay, as in our Chronicles we read of the Scotch, that ha­ving invaded our Borders, and having observed a great morta­lity in our English camp; and, [Page 37] upon a cessation of Arms, en­quiring of our Country men the reason; and told that it came by Gods grace, they daily pray­ed to be delivered from that foul disease, and fra Gods grace; what thanksgivings have been made for a deliverance from Gods choisest blessings, the best established Govern­ment, and ordered Religion, the world ever heard of; of which St. Iude the 18. of his Epistle; what storms of persecution a­gainst the true Professours of Christs name, by a war upon them; and a victory over them, of which our Divine Evangelist in the 11. of this Book and 7. Some of the Rabbins I meet with (of whose fancies I shall have to just reason to say, what St. [Page 38] Augustin sometimes of the School-mens arguments, Dum lucent subtilitate, franguntur va­nitate; that, while they shine with subtlety, they appear shattered through their vanity) that, upon those words of St. Peter 2 Peter 3.8. One day with the Lord is as a thousand years, & a thousand years sa one day; have dogmatical­ly concluded, that as the world was created in six dayes, and then followed the Sabbath: so was the world to continue for six thousands years. Whereof two thousand before the Law; two thousand under the Law; two thousand, six hundred fif­ty six, since the Law, being fully elapsed; as soon as the re­mainder of three hundred, for­ty, [Page 39] four, foure shall be run out, the Day of Judgement shall immediately auspicate the worlds rest; whose solemnity yet (wherein will we hear our Cock-brained Millenaries? our Saviour shall reign in all manner glorious Pomp, and State, up­on earth) shall continue for a thousand years; no otherwise, then the first Sabbath was a Day of equal length with any other of the Days of the Creation. And now, were it proper to fly out into Tropological excursi­ons, how present, and easie, were it for me to give you an account of signs, not so much immediately preceding, as a­ctually accompanying, this Days Advent: as our Sun turned in­to Blood: our Moon not giving [Page 40] her Light; our Stars faln from Heaven; and shut up in black Abysses of obscurity. But this judge himself seemeth advisedly to labour the stay of our bold adventures, for the fathoming of this depth, by whatever, whether Literal, or Metaphorical, signs. Of that Day, and Hour, knoweth no man; no not the Angels in Heaven; nay, not the Son man himself▪ Mark 13.32. Non no­vit i. e. non notificavit, saith Da­mascene; he is said not to know it, for that he is not pleased to make it known. A gloss yet, should we smoothly swallow, the light of this knowledge we might, upon the same ground, as justly deny the Father as him; for that the one is no more plea­sed to make it known then the [Page 41] other. Much better therefore St. Gregory; in Humanitate no­vit, non ex Humanitate; In his Divinity as God, though made man, in no wise may he be charged with the guilt of any ig­norance; but in his Humanity, in the mean time, as meer man, justly may he disavow all such manner of knowledge And shall we then, poor worms, and no men, be curiously inquisitive; nay, positively Definitive, where the Son of man himself is deliberately content to be ig­norant? The Prophet Isaiah 6. his Prophesie. And the 2. seeth God on his Throne; and the Seraphins above it, with two wings covering his Face, and his Feet with two. His face with two (saith St. Hierome) thereby [Page 42] shutting up from our Eyes the secrets of his Predestination from the beginning; and his Feet with two, thereby conceal­ing the certain time of his com­ming to Judgement at the last day. And then, as the Egyptian in Plutarch to him, that would needs be prying into his covered Basket; Gum vides velatam, quid inquiris in rem absconditam? Since we finde the precise time of this Judges comming delibe­rately shut up in secrecy from us, how can we, without the gross forfeiture of (I say not all Christian onely, but even Natural,) modesty, adventure upon a bold enquiry thereinto? much more a Posi­tive Definition thereof? And, as Antigonus sometimes to his [Page 43] son Demetrius, demanding of him when the Camp should move; Num te solum metuis? Art thou afraid, that thou on­ly shalt not hear the sound of the Trumpet? how can we, with­out even a profession of steely forheads, be prying into this recluse Mystery, whereof the sound of the last Trumpet is the only certain signal to be expe­cted? And of the designation of the certain time of this Days ad­vent from the search, much more discovery, of any mortal Eye St. Augustin seemeth to give a pregnant reason; Latet Dies ultimus, ut omnes Dies obser­vemus; no certain notice have we given us of the time of this last days comming, to caution us to expect, and prepare for, [Page 44] its comming every Day. And the contemplation of this Dayes so near, and uncertain, ap­proach, the son of Sirach, before we enterprize any thing, would still have us to propose to the Eyes of our Minde, as the best Line, and Square, whereby to regulate the whole course of our lives. Whatsoever (saith he) thou takest in hand, re­member thine end, this thy last end; and thou shalt never do a­miss. Eccles. 7.36. For, as a Ship is best guided by the Stern: so is the course of our life best ordered by having a continual recourse unto this our last end. And, as he shooteth best that still eyeth the Mark; so that man, in semblance, best levelleth the Shafts of all his actions, that hath the mark of this his last end [Page 45] still in his eye. And then, as is the old Philosophy Rule; Primum in intentione, Vltimum in Executione; Since this last end of ours is the last thing to put in Execution, how can we but conclude it highly reasonable, and seasonable, that it precede, and go before, every act of ours in intention, and considerati­on? O! that Men were therefore so wise (saith Moses) as still to remember this their last End. Deut. 32.19. And, with St. Hie­rom, to be so sagely fanciful as still to conceive they heard the sound of this last Trumpet still ringing in their ears. The seri­ous recognition whereof could not but make the most Heathe­nish Felix to tremble; when (as Bias sometimes on Ship­board, that there was but an [Page 46] Inch between him and Death) we shall come duly to consider, that there may not be a Days; yea, perhaps not an Hours, nay, possibly not a Mo­ments distance, between my pre­sent Speaking, your Hearing, and this Judges Appearing to Judge the World! Iob, in that his excellent description of a War-horse, amongst many o­ther eminent properties of his, reckoneth this for one most highly remarkable, that he doth Procul odorari Bellum; Smell the Battle afar off, in the 39th. of his Book and 25th. And what just reason then that we be sentenced for worse then Horse, or Mule, that have no under­standing, shall we not with the Nostrils (I know not whether to [Page 47] say of Faith, or Fear) sent that bloody day (we know not how near at hand) wherein he, whom by our sins, from time to time, we have been still pro­voking, every day more and more, to become our Adversa­ry, shall yet come to sit in judg­ment upon us? And shall not therefore send out our Am­bassadours, Preces, & Lachrymas, Cordis Legatos, saith St. Cyprian; our Prayers, and our Tears, the Ambassadours of our souls, for the making of our Peace, and Atonement, with him, whilst he is yet upon the way, and may still be at some distance from us? Certainly, with Ha­bakkuk in the 2. of his Prophsie 1. It shall stand us in hand, at all Essays, to stand upon our watch­tower; [Page 48] and see what we shall answer him, when he shall come to reprove us for these our, whatever, E­normities; and (as himself speaketh Psal. 50.21.) shall set in order (Sicut solet in Bello acies, saith St Chrysost. as we use to set an Army in Battle-aray against an enemy) before us what things we have done. I have sometimes heard of an harsh an­swer, that an hard-hearted chuffe made a poor man, when he begged an Alms of him; that, if the day of judgement were at hand, he would not give him a Penny. To whom the poor man maketh no other reply but this; that, did he but believe that that day were at hand, he would give him a Pen­ny. Doubtless, the most flin­ty-hearted [Page 49] amongst us would be far from shutting up the Bo­wels of his compassion against his distressed Brother; much less would he (what is the worlds present guise, for the ge­neral) trample upon him, and tirannize over him; nor would any of us ruffle in Pride, revel in excess, dally in wantonness, roar in Blasphemie, mask un­der the visour of Hypocrisie, (as more then a good many of us familiarly) do, did we but duly contemplate with our selves, that this great day of Judgement may be at hand; nay, did we but entertain a certain perswasi­on that there will be a day of Judgement. And therefore those Arms, wherewith Gideon furnished his Souldiers, for [Page 50] their encounter with the Midi­anites; Every one an empty Pit­cher, a burning Lamp, and a Trumpet in his hand, Iud. 7.16. will be proper for us still to have in a readiness in our thoughts, for our encounter with the Hel­lish Midianites; an emptie Pit­cher; even the apprehension of the brittle Pitchers of our bo­dies, empty of strength, and life; of a burning Lamp; a Lamp, still lighted by a stream of Fire, and Brimstone, in the Infernal To­phet; and a Trumpet, which (we know not how soon) shall rouze us out of our Graves, to try our strength & Integrity, be­fore this Judgement seat. With­out all peradventure it is, that the Midians, or Jerichoes (term them which you please) shall ne­ver [Page 51] be able to stand, or hold out, shall they, at all essays, be surrounded with the due re­cognition of this Trumpets sound, as a Signal for the open­ing of the Books. Which might fitly bring me to the view of the third particular, I commended to your observations, the evi­dence to be given in, which (we see here) is recorded in Books. But I fear, that I have already exceeded the limits both of my time, and your pa­tience. Leaving therefore what remaineth for some other Days Essay, beseech we the Almighty to grant that the words, we have this day heard with our outward Ears, may, through his grace, be so inwardly graffed in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us, &c.

ANd the Books were opened; and then another Book was opened, which was the Book of life; and the Dead were judged out of those things, which were written in the Books, accor­ding [Page 54] to their works. The whole Verse, when I first undertook it, I termed (and that perhaps not unfitly) a lively Effigies, and Representation, of the Great, and General, and Unspotted, High-Court of Justice; that at the last day, shall be erected in the Heaven of Heavens. Where­in having given you a summary view, as of the Prisoners to be arraigned, the Dead, Small, and Great; and the Judge to pass sentence, God; we are now, according to our proposed Me­thod, to heed the Evidence to be given in; the equal procee­dings of the Court; and the In­fallible certainty of all. And first the Evidence to be given in, offereth it self to our considera­tions; which (we see) is Re­corded [Page 55] in Books. And the Books were opened.

What cannot be denyed of a­ny, what ever, Judge, of this supream Judge of Heaven, and Earth, must needs Ex abundanti be granted, and confessed, that he is Lex loquens, a speaking Law; yea, Quicquid libet licet, as that gross Parasite sometimes to the King of Persia; so exact a Rule of Law is his will, that to question the equity of what e­ver he willeth were Crimen lae­sae Majestatis; no other then an height of Rebellion. And then Books, for the information of the understanding, and so gui­dance of the will, of this Judge, may justly seem superfluous. But he, that is the Fountain of Justice, and would therefore, by [Page 56] his own Exemplary practise, prescribe a course of unerring Justice unto all, that under him, will needs lay claim to any Ju­diciary Power, as in the first piece, of justice, he did upon our first Parents, though ta­king them [...], in the very Act, he doth not pre­sently, without further enqui­ry, pass sentence upon them; but first calleth man to the Bar; Adam, where art thou? Where man appearing, he apposeth him with a question, which yet hath the nature of a smart charge; Hast thou eaten of the Tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat? Yea, and then (what Nicodemus now boldly alledgeth in the behalf of his Mr. Iohn 7.51. whom in the [Page 57] preceding verse, for fear, he sought In tenebris; by Night) with patience he heareth what this guilty Person can say for himself, before he giveth him his Doom: so here, for the making up the exact comple­ment of his Justice, in the last Judgement, that the most cla­morous Delinquent may have no just cause of exception a­gainst his just way of proceed­ing, he passeth sentence (not as many a Brain-sick Enthusiast preacheth without Book, but) out of Books; and these known Books of Law; and those open­ed. And the Books were open­ed.

For the number of these Books, I know no Penman of holy Writ so proper, and pre­sent, [Page 58] to acquaint you as this our signally Divine Evangelist, and Apostle, St Iohn, who here gi­veth us an intimation of three at least; which he here professeth, and that by Revelation, to have seen; And I saw the Books open­ed; and then another Book was o­pened, which was the Book of life. For their Titles, if you please to take them amassed into one great volume, you may stile them all collectively by the name of Gods Doom-day Book. If in several pieces, you may, not unfitly, stile the first Secundum quem; the second Ex quo; the third In quo; the first his Sta­tute-Book; the second his Day-Book; the third his Book of Records. And every of these Books shall we see opened, [Page 59] when we come all, both Small, & Great, to stand up before this Righteous judge of the whole Earth. I saw the Dead, Small, and Great, stand up before God.

The first of these, his Sta­tute-Book, is made of three Tomes; in the first whereof is written the Law of Nature; in the second the Law from Sinai; in the third the Law from Sion. For the first of these, the Law of Nature, we shall content us with Melancthons definition thereof, that it is a knowledge of certain principles, and of con­clusions, thence naturally dedu­ced, agreeable to the Eternal Rule of truth, directing him to live well, and to worship his Creatour. The very Oratour can say of this Law, that it is [Page 60] Non scripta, sed Nata; quam non Didicimus, Legimus, Accepimus; Verum ex Natura Arripuimus, Hausimus, Expressimus; that it is not a written, but an inbred, Law; and such as we have, not learned, or read, or by Tradi­tion received; but such as we have derived, and drawn, and sucked, out of the very Entrails of Nature. Easie it were, by a particular Induction, to evince, that, not only the most emi­nent Divinity-Maximes, as that Tithes are to be paid, as may clearly appear in the Histo­ry of Melchizedeck, and Abra­ham Gen. 14. that some Places are, above other, sanctified by Gods special Presence, as the Place of Iacobs repose, in his journey to Haran, where God appea­reth [Page 61] to him, Gen. 28. that some Persons are, more then others, dedicate to his service; as the First-born of every Family, Exod. 13. of which, by the way, you shall do well specially to take notice, that they were eve­ry one [...], Cohen; Princes and Priests in one Person; but that every particular Precept of the Moral Law, hath from the be­ginning been, and still is, by this Laws meer instinct, im­printed, and engraven, in the hearts of those, that are meer strangers to the Israel of God, and Aliens from the Covenant of promise. St. Pauls word, Rom. 2.14. you may safely take for the whole summe; the Gen­tiles (saith he) having no Law (i. e. no Law written, as the [Page 62] Iews, in Tables of stone) do yet, by nature the things con­tained in the Law; and so are a Law unto themselves. And the Maxume therefore Verse 12. he premiseth, cannot but be entertained for irrefragable; As many as have sinned without Law, shall also perish without Law. So that even of such as these just reason shall we have to say in this case, what the same A­postle of the same Gentiles, clearly convinced of a Godhead, by those things, that are seen from the creation of the world. Rom. 16. that they are [...]; without all manner of Excuse. For the second, the Law from Sinai, you know by whom, and how, it was given, By Moses, yet God still dicta­ting; [Page 63] with lightning and Thunder; and (as is this judge­ment to be auspicated) with the sound of the Trumpet; yea, and this seconded with a curse, far more dreadful then either Lightning-flash, or Thunder-clap; Cursed is every one, that continueth not in all things, that are written in the Book of the Law, to do them. Gal. 3.10. Nay, to make sure, that this Curse want not its proper matter of sin to work upon, Lex subintravit, ut abundaret delictum; the Law was given, that sin might abound. Rom. 5.20. Not that the Law is sin (as the Apostle glosseth him­self, in the 7. of the same Epistle and 8th.) but sin, taking occasi­on by the Commandement (is his own ingenuous confession of [Page 64] himself) wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. So that then, such an occasion of, and Incentive unto, sin is the Law, Sicut fraenum equo indomi­to, saith Paraeus upon the words; as is a Bridle of a young Horses fierceness; which, whilst we use as an Instrument for the ta­ming him, by accident, it makes him the more untamed. Sic e­go Torrentem, quâ nil obstabat eunti; or as a Bank, or Rock, to a Torrent; which, whilst they strive to Bound, they en­rage the more; and so occasion it to bear, and break down, all before it, with the greater vio­lence. Nitimur in vetitum, to long for things forbidden is the current (we know) our desires all naturally run; which is the [Page 65] reason (saith the Oratour) why Solon would by no means be drawn to hear of a Law to be e­nacted against Parricide; veri­tus ne, si legem de eo tulisset, ma­gis incitaret Homines quam repri­meret, fearing (saith he) lest such a Law might rather spur men on unto, then restrain them from, so unnatural, and horrid an act. So that then, so little ad­vantage (God wot) is this Law likely to afford us at our last standing up before this High-Court of Justice, when we are at such a natural Antipathy a­gainst it, that, the more it la­boureth to reclaim us, the more we recoil, and rebel, against it, that, for any ground of comfort, we can herein meet with, too just reason shall we [Page 66] have, as the Disciples to our Common-Master, in the Gos­pel, Luke 18.26. to cry out; Do­mine, quis Salvus erit? Lord, who can be saved? Especially, seeing that (as St. Peter some­times to the Jews. Acts 15.10.) we cannot but be tenderly sensible, that this Law putteth such an heavy Yoak upon our Necks, as neither we, nor our Fathers, are able to bear.

For the last, the Law from Sion, the Law of faith (as Rom. 3.27. it is stiled) as it is so far from being Contra-distinct to either of the former Laws; but hath in it rather the summe, and substance, and Pith, of either, as hath the Intellective of the vegetative, and sensitive souls; so is Christ the main scope of all; [Page 67] they all looking toward him, as did the Cherubins towards the Mercy-seat. Exod. 37.9. In ei­ther of the former he discovered himself but as through the Lat­tice, as it is, Cant. 2.9. In this lat­ter he doth, not only present him clearly to our views; but so graciously, and affectionate­ly, offer him to our embraces, that we have now the happy op­portunity, and advantage, of laying such fast hold of him, as not to let him go, as it is Cant. 3.4. The former, either of them, holdeth us to Hard-meat, as we say; making us a proffer of Heaven indeed, but upon very unfeisable, yea, indeed impos­sible, conditions, Fac hoc, & vives, as our Saviour to the Lawyer, Luke 10.28. Do this, [Page 68] and thou shalt live. The latter tendereth us a Bargain, in our apprehension at least, much easier to compass; Crede, & Salvus eris; as Paul, and Silas, to the Jaylor, Acts 16.31. and now little question to be made, but that, as the Jew of the Almigh­ty, Rom. 2.5. there is more then a good many amongst us will be present to make our Boast of this Law; that, having the ad­vantage, both of Jew, and Gen­tile, in times past, to turn over a new Leaf, from the Law of Nature, the Law from Sinai, unto this Law of Sion, the Law of Faith, we shall not need to distrust, but that we shall be sped of an happy Acquital, and Discharge, when we come to stand up before this dreadful [Page 69] Tribunal. Our Pulpits now, for a long time, have resounded with no other Doctrin, but those revived Reliques of an old Heretical Maxime, that we shall need to act nothing our selves, in order to the accom­plishment of the great work of our Salvation; a bare, naked, Faith, apprehending the free grace of Christ, shall be of E­nergy, and Efficacy, sufficient to save us. St. Augustins Cau­tion, in the mean time, for the Law of Nature, cannot but seem very Poinante; Adolet, non abolet, Naturam Gratia; this Law from Sion, this Law of Faith, doth not disanul, but Corroborate, and confirm, and actuate, Natures Law. And, for the Law from Sinai, how­ever [Page 70] Christ, by being made a Curse for us, hath taken away the Curse thereof. Gal. 3.13. yet, as that was our School-Master, to bring us unto him, Gal. 3.24. so is he our Exem­plary Guide, to lead us to the fulfilling thereof. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfil, the Law. Mat. 5.17. And this may you see to be the Apostles clear De­termination, after his most So­licitous Debate of the Point. Rom. 3.31. Do we then make void the Law of God through Faith? God forbid! rather we establish the Law. The drift of this Law is far from broach­ing, or countenancing, any Do­ctrin of such a Liberty of consci­ence, as, with the Saints of the new Calendar, is no better [Page 71] then Licentiousness, that San­ctification, and Obedience, is no less, the scope of this then either of the former Lawes. And therefore St. Peters Caveat, in the 2. of his 1. Epistle, to his scattered strangers you may see to be, that they use not their Liberty for a Cloak of Maliti­ousness, or wickedness (for the word [...] in the Original e­qually importeth both) but that by well-doing they put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish Men. And St. Iames his pe­remptory conclusion it is, in the 1. of his Epistle and 25. whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty (this Law of Faith is a Law of Liberty indeed; but such an one, as is far from ta­king off the Yoak of Obedience [Page 72] from our Necks; and therefore immediately may you see to fol­low) and continueth therein; being, not a forgetful Hearer, but a Doer of the work, that Man only shall be Blessed in his Deed. Indeed it cannot be de­nied, but that Christ beareth a great part of this Yoak for us; that which may justly cause him to minde us, that that part of the Yoak, he hath left for us to bear, Is easie. Mat. 11.30. Howbeit [...] there are (as the Apostle seasonably Ite­meth his Colossians, in the first of that Epistle 24.) as after-sufferings; so After-doings, of his likewise to go thorough with; in the weak Endeavours, and Evidences, of which poor Patience, and Performance, [Page 73] shall we at last (notwithstand­ing all this our Book-learning) prove defective, or faulty; so that if, either our chearfulness in suffering, after his example; or promptness in Acting, ac­cording to his commands, shall not prove such, as shall be­come this our Prime Book, his glorious Gospel; too just reason shall we at last finde for our Concluding, and complain­ing, as the Preacher Eccles. 12.12. There is no end of making, and setting before us, many Books; and, with Nero, when he was sometimes to Signe a sentence of Death (the mildest Speech, that ever fell from so Bloody a Monster) in extream Anguish of Spirit, wish, utinam nesci­rem Literas! O! that I had ne­ver [Page 74] known Letter in a Book! I can but turn over the Books in haste. The second, that shall be opened is Gods Day-book; which yet hath two Tomes, that serve to the making it up; whereof the one is that of our own Conscience; the other of Gods Remembrance.

For the first of these, Annals and Diaries I finde thus distin­guished by Tacitus, that the for­mer is a Register of the greater, the latter of the less, matters of State. In this Diary, or Day-book, you shall be sure to meet with a Rhapsody of all sorts of matters, both greater, and less, together; not the works of your Hands only, and the words of your Mouths; but e­ven of the most secret, and re­cluse, [Page 75] thoughts of your Hearts. No sooner is there any Evil act­ed, or Spoken, or but concei­ved, by us, but that Inimici viri Domestici ejus; our conscience, which is our House-hold Ene­my, is ready (accordingly as Iob sometimes wished, in the 31. of his Book and 35.) to write a Book. So that, for whatever sin of ours, whether Manual, or Vocal, or but Men­tal, our Conscience will still be present to put in Execution, what the Lord sometimes gave in charge to his Prophet. Esay 30.8. to note it in a Book. And, however a Malefactor here may have just reason to inter­pret his being put to his Book, for a special Act of Mercy (whence the old word amongst [Page 76] us of a mans being saved by his Book) this Book-trial of all, we shall, in conclusion, finde to be the most Severe; for that this Great Judge himself shall, at the time of our Arraignment, without any just censure of En­trenchment, or Usurpation, as­sume the Ordinaries Place; and will then, without the least Ex­tention of any favour to be looked for, clearly, and can­didly, publish, and proclaim, in the Audience of the whole Earth, whatsoever he shall finde written In Libro Aperto; in this Book, when it commeth to be opened.

The first way of writing, I e­ver read of, was in Stone; and the first Writer God himself; who writeth the Law in two Stony [Page 77] Tables, with his own Hand. Exod 30.18. Conscience is not Ignorant of this way of wri­ting; but, after the example of God himself (whose vice­gerent she is) writeth (as is Iu­dahs sin written. Ier. 17.1.) with a Pen of Iron, with the Point of a Diamond, the Characters of our several misdeeds, in the Stony Tables of our Hearts. Whose Thoughts therefore (as the A­postle Rom. 2.5.) shall, at the last Day, either Accuse, or Ex­cuse, us. After this, another way of writing, in Barks of Trees, was found out; whence our Books, amongst the Latins, still retain their Names, Libri, Barks, or Books. Nor is Con­science unacquainted with this way of writing neither. A [Page 78] Book, a Register-Book, she keepeth of all our Enormities, and Impieties; whereof every Page shall appear filled with the sad Items of our Blasphemies, our Perjuries, our Debauche­ries, our Dalliances, our Op­pressions, our Extortions, our Murthers. So that every one of us, by way of an heavy Po­sition, shall have too just reason to bespeak our Consciences for all these, as doth David the Lord, by way of an anxious question, for his Members. Psal. 139.15. In thy Book are all these things written. The Egyp­tians, after this, found out ano­ther way of writing, by Hiero­glyphicks, strange, and un­couth Characters; and these impressed in Paper; then made [Page 79] of Reeds, as now amongst us of Rags. And the Destruction of these Reeds the Prophet Isai­ah seemeth to bewail, as a dreadful part of Gods doom up­on Egypt, in the 19. of his Pro­phesie and 7. The Paper-reeds (saith he) by the Brooks, shall wither, and be no more. And, at this time of the standing up of the Dead, Small, and Great, before this Righteous Judge of the whole Earth, as we shall see the sign of the Son of Man. Mat. 24.30. which (even by the Confession of the most Re­formed Divines) shall be the Sign of the Cross; which shall then (as a Glorious standard before a victorious General) in a Triumphant manner be carried before him: so shall we like­wise, [Page 80] in this Book of Conscience, see many other signs, & Hiero­glyphicks, too. And then, where shall the bribing Gehaze hide his Head, when he shall see the Hieroglyphick of two Talents of Silver, of which he hath cheat­ed some Credulous Naaman? where the Extorting Ahab, at the sight of the Hieroglyphick of a Vineyard? Where the Blood-thirsty Herod, and Assassine Pi­late, at the sight of the Hierogly­phicks of Thousands of Inno­cents, they have most unjustly Imprisoned, Condemned, and Butchered? Where the wanton, at the now sad sight of his lustful Mistresses, with whom he hath formerly taken his fill of lawless Love? Where the Riotous, at the sight of the full-crowned [Page 81] Cups, wherewith he hath, eve­ry day, been intoxicating his Frantick Brains? no less dreadfully then undeniably, in­denting their several Guilts? Nor yet hath Humane Invention stayed here; but hath devised a latter way of writing, with the Juice of Limons; whose Characters are in no wise to be read, until you bring them to the Fire, but then may they ea­sily, and distinctly, be read by every Eye. The Conscience writ­eth no way more like then this. Here the Letters, wherein she sets down our Lapses, are ofttimes so mysterious, and ob­scure, that they are no way ob­vious to any Mans, scarce to our own Eyes. Nay (as we say [Page 82] that there is none so blinde, as he that will not see) who seeth not how prone we are delibe­rately to hood-winck our selves, for the shutting of our sins clean out of the reach of our eye­sight? Lest (as the People in the Prophet Esay 6.10.) seeing with our Eyes, and hearing with our Ears, and understanding with our Hearts, we might be conver­ted, and God should heal us? But, when these shall come to be brought to that Fire of Judge­ment, which shall Burn up the whole World, with the works thereof, then shall they appear in such just, and full, Dimen­sions, that the clear sight of them shall strike us with Hor­rour, and Astonishment. Con­science then, that, as her Ma­ster, [Page 83] will search Ierusalem with Lights, Zephan. 1.12. shall, by the Light of this Fire, search in­to the most secret, and recluse, corners of our Hearts; and ex­pose our most secret sins, not to our own private only, but to the whole worlds publick view; and will then round every one of us in the ear, for every par­ticular sin of ours, as did Nathan sometimes David for his Adul­tery, 1 Sam. 12.12. Thou didst it secretly; but I will do it o­penly, and before the Sun. And yet is not Humane Inven­tion, in this Case, come to its Hercules Pillars; a way of wri­ting by Characters, and Ci­phers, is, of late, grown very ordinary, and familiar, with us. And let it be our subtlest [Page 84] Study to write our sins in never so abstruse, and dark, an Im­press of this nature; yet will Conscience be sure to make her self Mistress of the Key; and so, unciphering whatsoever we have written, will be publish­ing the Contents to the whole world. And then, though as an Atome in the Ayre is not to be seen, as long as the Sun with­draweth himself; but Myriads innumerable, as soon as he o­peneth: our sins, that, all our life long perhaps (having wil­fully resolved to walk in Dark­ness, and the Shadow of Death) have no more appeared unto us then Atomes in a Cloudy Day, will then too palpably discover themselves at the appearance of this Sun of Righteousness; and [Page 85] at our Common standing up, both Small, and Great, before this Iudgement Seat.

But be it that Conscience may be so wrought upon, as to em­besil, or Cancel, whatever Handwriting, in this Tome of hers, she may have against us; yet is there in this Book another Tome of Gods Remembrance; wherein whatever Evidence may be recorded, we may in no wise hope that it shall be so slubbered, or suppressed, but that it will too surely be produced. Our Apostles passage, to this purpose, is very Pregnant, and Pithy, in the 3. of his 1. Epistle. If our Hearts condem us not, then have we Confidence to­wards God; but God however is greater then our Conscience, [Page 86] and seeth all things. It is a re­ceived Maxime amongst us of Aged men, that there is no Fa­culty in them decayeth so soon as their Memory. It is other­wise with the Antient of Days (for so finde we this Judge Dan. 9.7. expresly stiled) his Memory no more then his Days. Psal. 102.27. are at any time failing him. He hath his Book of undecaying Remem­brance, as for those that fear his Name, Mal. 3.16. so for those that transgress any of his Laws; out of which (as the good Householder out of his Treasury, Mat. 13.54.) he will still be readily drawing out an heavy charge, both of our Old, and New, sins against us. Nay, whereas Memoria est Prae­teritorum; [Page 87] our Memory hath nothing, naturally, for its ob­ject, but things past, whatever we have Acted, or are Acting, at any time, throughout the whole course of our Lives, is still present to his Remem­brance. I Remember all their wickedness (is the Lords own word of his People) now their own doings have beset them, they are before my Face. And now, when these two Tomes, of our own Conscience, and Gods Remembrance, shall make up a Day-book, like that in the Prophet Zach. 5.2. a Fly­ing Book; whose wings shall carry it from one End of the Heaven to the other, that every Man may run, and read, the Contents thereof; a Great [Page 88] Book (and [...], as it is in the Pro­verb; a Great Evil, in being so Great a Book) of twenty Cu­bits long, and ten Broad; whereof every Page shall be filled up with the black Cata­logue of our deep Carowsings, our wanton Dalliances, our horrid Oppressions, our Sacri­legious Transactions, our dam­ned Dissimulations, how shall it appear unto us like that Roul of Ezechiels Book, in the 2. of his Prophesie and 10. written within▪ and without, with La­mentation, and Mourning, and woe. If some, upon but a Pri­vate perusal of their yet, per­haps secret, sins, which their Consciences, in their Solitary Retiredness, have called to [Page 89] their Remembrance, have, most desperately, made their own Hands their own Executi­oners; then how insupportably (think we) shall the Burthen of our Anguish lie upon us, when God, out of the Book of his Remembrance, shall be publishing a particular List of all our Errours, and Enormities, in the Audience of the whole World? And shall therefore be upon the point of his just Tast­ing us (as Babylon, in the 16. of this Book and 19.) with the Cup of the Wine of the fierce­ness of his wrath? This Book, my Beloved, is not yet Opened. And then, as we hope to escape the fierceness of this wrath, at this Day, when both Small, and Great, of us shall stand before this [Page 90] Iudgement-Seat, Prevention, we say, is the Heart of Policy; if we Judge our selves, the A­postle warranteth us, that we shall not be Judged, 1 Cor. 11.31. no such way shall we finde for the Prevention of that hea­vy vengeance, which, in that Day, will otherwise too surely overtake us, as to take a Pri­vate, and Early, Revenge up­on our selves; making us our own Accusers, Judges, Execu­tioners; Putting in Execution the severe Sentence of unfained Repentance, and Mortification, for all our sins; that so these sins of ours may be blotted out, when the time of refreshing shall come from his gracious Presence▪ And, for whatever time, in this valley of Tears, [Page 91] we may have remaining, our wisdome shall be to improve our utmost care and Study, for the writing of whatsoever we shall Enrol in this Book with the fair hand of Integrity, and Inno­cency. No soul, for the pre­sent, can conceive the comfort, that our Hearts, in that Day, shall be sensible of, if, at the Bar of this Judicatory, we shall be able fearlesly to justifie our Handwriting; as, upon the Bench, did Pilate sometimes his; Quod Scripsi, Scripsi; what I have written, I have writen.

And yet have we not tho­roughly Surveyed this Judges Library. There is yet his Book of Records remaining; of which we shall only take a Cur­sory view, and so Claudite [Page 92] jam Rivos; shut up for the pre­sent.

And another Book was opened, which was the Book of life.

What the Preacher sometimes of Making, Eccles. 12.12. no less just reason shall we have to say of Reading; There is no end of Reading many Books. Multitudo Librorum destruit Ani­mum, saith the Oratour; A Multitude of Books doth rather puzle, and perplex, then fur­nish, and inrich, the understan­ding, and Memory. Nay, it fareth with the Readers of Books as with some Travailers of Countries, which they only Cursorily run through; a su­perficial account may they give of their Names, and Sites; but, unless they Stay, and So­journ, [Page 93] in them for some time, little use, or Fruit, will there appear of all their Travails. Nay, of the reading of any Books, but those we have here now before us, and, God know­eth, how soon we shall see o­pened, whether History, or Philosophy, or Philology, much more of Romances, of Pasquils, of Play-books, or whatever other Pamphlets, what St. Augustin sometimes of works, that are not grounded upon Faith in Christ, that it is Cursus celerrimus preter viam; a pretty kinde of Course, for the passing away of time; but still besides the way. Nay, the most Studious, and Solicitous, reading of all such as these (un­less, as our Divine Apostle [Page 94] sometimes, it be for the un­bending the Bows of our Minds, and loosing their strings, for a time, that may the more vigo­rously, and chearfully, return to them) we shall in Conclusi­on, finde to be but as that Bread of deceit, in the wiseman. Pro. 20.17. such, as shall fill the Mouth, yea, the Stomack, with nothing but Gravel; and so shall leave a Man in an immi­nently perishing Condition. So that then, when we have pro­ved our selves Helluones Libro­rum; such exquisite Cormo­ants of all these kinds of Books, as to appear to have sucked out, and swallowed down, all their Marrow, and Quintessence; yea so, as to be able to make our Discourses Centoes of them [Page 95] perhaps yet at last, when we have thoroughly examined our selves, too just cause may we finde for the bemoaning, and bewailing, us, as doth the Pro­phet himself in another Case, Isaiah 49.4. I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength for nought. Yea, when all these shall appear to be no other but as small Straws, and Sticks, and Sand, gathered up by a whirle-winde, making a strange shew, and Noise, for a time, but immediately vanishing into nothing, of those other shall we have only reason to say, in comparison of these, what Da­vid sometimes of Goliahs Sword, 1 Sam. 21.9. There is none like unto them; for that these only we shall finde to prove unto us [Page 96] as Eliahs fiery Chariot, 1 Kings 2.11. the only present means to convey us to Heaven; and therefore only of true use in­deed, for the making up of a Christian Library. Two of these, Gods Statute-book, and his Day-book; his Statute-book, made of three Tomes; in the first whereof is the Law of Nature; in the second the Law from Sinai; in the third the Law from Sion; his Day-book of two; whereof the one is that of our own Conscience; the other of Gods Remem­brance; we have already taken a Summary view of, the third his Book of Records, we are now, as far as will consist with the dull Edge of our Mortal Ey­sight, at least with the practise of [Page 97] our Christian Modesty, to look into. And then another Book was opened, which was the Book of life. And this Book (as Zan­chy. L. 5. c. 2. Q. 3. de Nat. Dei hath will observed) is of a twofold nature. The one is that, wherein the Church registreth those for the Sons of God, that, by an outward Profession of their Faith, whether in their own Persons, or their Delegate God-fathers, and God-mo­thers, are received into her bo­some; notwithstanding that many of them afterwards ap­pear, upon Trial, to be Impo­stours, and Hypocrites. And of this Book is it, that St. Augustin interprets those passages of Holy Writ, that seem to import an Apostaticall falling away of [Page 98] some, after Grace received. It is impossible (saith the Au­thor to the Hebrews) for those, that were once Inlightned, and have tasted of the Heavenly gifts, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, if they shall fall away, to renew them a­gain to Repentance, Heb. 6.6. upon which words the same Fa­ther hath well observed, that there are more then a good many Temporizers, that assume unto themselves the Shapes of true Believers; that seem to have received the Grace of the Holy Ghost, but have nothing less then so. And from this Grace it is not possible only, but ordi­nary, to fall away. Which Grace yet, in the mean time, is no more true Grace, then a [Page 99] Falling-Star is a true Star of the Firmament. They went out from us (saith our Apostle) because they were never of us, in the 1. of this Epistle cap. 2. v. 19. Let them be wiped out of the Book of the living (is the Kingly Prophets dreadful Exe­cration against the Blood-thirsty Enemies of his son, and Savi­our, Psal. 69.29.) and not be written amongst the Righteous, i. e. (saith the above praised Fa­ther) since they are Formal Hypocrites, Personating true Professours, unmask, O Lord, their Hypocrisie; and make them appear in their genuine Shapes; that so (whatever counterfeit Shews, and Sem­blances, they have hitherto made) as their Names were ne­ver [Page 100] written in the Calendar of Saints in the Church-Trium­phant, rase them out likewise of the List of the Church-Militant Saints. The other Book of life is that certain, and immutable, Foreknowledge of God, where­by, from all Eternity he hath, and, beyond all Tract of time, will, acknowledge those for his, whom he hath Predestina­ted to the Adoption of Sons, and ordained to be Heirs of E­verlasting Life; The one of these is as a Cornfield, overspread with Tares as well as Wheat. The other as the time of Har­vest, to make a separation be­tween them. The one of them is as a Mass of Gold and Dross blended together; the other as a Fire, to distinguish, and di­vide, [Page 101] them asunder. The Let­ter of the former may scarce be of a visible impression; the Character of the latter is inde­leble. Be our names never so fairly written in the former, they may yet afterwards be oblitera­ted; but once Recorded in the latter, they can never possibly be Blotted out. I cannot stand here at large to exagitate the Malepert Humours, as of those Chymick Spirits, that will needs be preproperously drawing the Elixir, and Quintessence, of a Church out of a Church, whereinto none shall be recei­ved but Saints of their own Ca­nonization (Qui vult ante egres­sos Angelos, &c. saith St. Greg. They that will be separating the Reprobate from amongst the [Page 102] Righteous, before it shall please the Lord to send forth his An­gels to that purpose, he neither understandeth the Scriptures, nor his own Bounds, or Li­mits) so neither of those Finde, or rather Make-faults, that will needs be Quarrelling with the Paper of this Book, as if it were not able to bear Ink; cer­tainly not to preserve the Let­ters of those Names fair, that are therein Registred. Exegi Monumentum AEre perennius. No Monument of Brass so Re­tentive as the Paper; no Chara­cters therein engraven so Last­ing as the Letters of this Book. Which therefore, that they be not Blurred, or Sullyed, by a­ny bold, or prophane, Hand, that may prematurely offer at [Page 103] the opening of this Book, are to be kept close, and Shut up, un­til the Day of our Common standing up, both Small, and Great, before God. And yet this Book, which this Great Judge hath designed, not to be locked up within his Archives only; but there laid up, and that clasped, yea Sealed, yea and that with no less then seven Seals, in the 5. of this Book and 1. for the Concealment of the Contents from the discovery of the most Curious, piercing, and Searching, Eye, there want not yet uncommissioned Inquisitors, that will, not on­ly be breaking open, but will be therein Impudently Enrol­ling, and Cancelling, what Names they please. In the 12. [Page 104] of Daniel, where the Prophet heareth of a Time, and Times, and half a Time, for which the wonders, foretold him, shall [...]ast, he presently groweth In­quisitive, O my Lord (saith he) what shall be the end of these things? But the Answer, he receiveth, is no less Sharp then Short; Go thy way, Da­niel; for the words are closed, and Sealed up, until the time of the End. When we hear of a Book, wherein this Great Judge of Heaven and Earth hath Registred the Names of his cho­sen ones, we presently, with the Prophet, have an Itch in our Fingers, for the searching of the Records. Yea, and not only so; but a restless pain in our Tongues (They stretch [Page 105] forth their Mouth unto the Hea­vens, saith the Kingly Prophet, and their Tongue walketh through the Earth, Psal. 73.9.) until we have published, and proclaimed; yea, not seldom, fained, and fabled, the Con­tents. We Saints of the last E­dition, and our own Canoni­zation, have our Names only written in this Book; and have therefore exclusively Title, not for the future only to Hea­ven; but to Earth for the pre­sent. Whereas all the men of the World besides are left out as Reprobates; and so divested of all manner of Interest, whe­ther in Temporal, or Eternal, In­heritance. Which distinction yet, either for Number, or Names, of Persons much [Page 106] more, may in no wise be ex­pected shall come to any Mans Cognizance, until the Dead, Small, and Great, Arising to stand up before God, this Book, with the others, come to be O­pened. Certainly, this Book is yet so fast shut up, and Seal­ed, until the last Day, that, whoever he be, that shall arro­gate to himself a Faculty of the Knowledge of the Contents; and in the mean time, much more assume a Power of pub­lishing the Names therein recor­ded, of such an one, and that with modesty shall I have reason to say, that he speaketh without Book. And now then, how well will it become us in this Case [...]; to bewise [Page 107] unto Sobriety? Mollia sunt Par­vis Prata terenda Rotis; to be wary how we adventure upon the Plowing up of Deep Lands with slight, and slender, Car­riages? Certainly, it will be wisdome, as Charity, enough in every one of us to look to one. There is none so lawful, none so useful, a Scrutiny, as, lea­ving others to Stand, or Fall, to their own Master, to make a diligent enquiry, every one of us, for our Particular Names, whether they be Enrolled in this Book, or no. And in this Scru­tiny, this Enquiry, in no wise can we better satisfie our selves then (I say not by breaking o­pen the Seals of this Book, but) by looking into the other books; whereof each we are to look up­on [Page 108] but as an Index to this. See we that our Conversations be (as far as Humane Frailty shall enable us with a Capacity) composed unto the Dictates of the Law of Nature, the Law from Sinai, the Law from Si­on; being such, in one word (as in the word of the Apostle, Phil. 1.27.) may become the chief of these Books, the Glori­ous Gospel of Christ. See we, every one, that in the Book of our Conscience, and the Book of Gods Remembrance, the Blots of all our sins whatsoever may as in a Table-Book, appear written, Spunged out by the precious waters of unfained Re­pentance, be now henceforth be all over written with the fair Characters of Righteousness, [Page 109] and Holiness. And then shall we not need to distrust, but that we shall appear clear, when we shall come to be Judged out of those things, which shall appear written in these Books, accord­ing to our works.

Which might fitly bring me to the survey of the two last re­maining Particulars, the Equal Proceedings of the Court; and the Infallible certainty of all; but for that their but Cursory view would take up more time then, for the present can be well afforded, leaving them for a competent Argument, which may well take up our next Days entire Perusal, beseech we the Almighty, in the mean time to grant, that the words, we have, this Day, heard with our out­ward Ears, &c.

A Sight have you had, as of the Prisoners to be Arraigned, the Dead, Small, and Great; of the Judge, to pass sentence; which though, for the Judgement of Principal Au­thority, it shall be every Person in the Trinity; for which cause we finde this Day Signally stiled Gods Day, 2 Pet. 3.12. Looking [Page 113] for (saith he) and hastening un­to, the Day of God: yet for the Judgement of Promulging, and Pronouncing of sentence, it shall be the second Person in that Trinity, and that in regard of his Humane Nature. The Father (saith our Apost.) hath gi­ven Power to the Son to execute Iudgement, because he is the Son of Man. Iohn. 5.27. So of the Evidence to be given in, Recor­ded in Books; and those three principals; whereof the first is Gods Statute-Book, made up of three Tomes; in the first whereof is written the Law of Nature, in the second the Law from Sinai, in the third the Law from Sion; the second his Day-book, made up of two, whereof the first is of that our own Con­science, [Page 114] the second of Gods Re­membrance; the last his Book of Records; and that you have seen to be of a two-fold nature; the one that, wherein the Church Registreth those for the Sons of God, that, by an out­ward Confession of their Faith, are received into her Bosome; notwithstanding that not a few of them prove afterward Impo­stours, and Hypocrites; the o­ther that of his Eternal Fore­knowledge, whereby from all Eternity he hath, and beyond all Tract of time will, acknow­ledge those for his, whom he hath Predestinated to the Adop­tion of Sons, and Ordained to be Heirs of Eternal Life. The Equal Proceedings of the Court, and the Infallible cer­tainty [Page 115] of all, remain only for the present, to be discussed. And first are we to examine the equal Proceedings of the Court; whose impartial Judge shall Examine, the whole World, upon the works, whether Good, or Evil, they have done. And the Dead were Judged out of those things, which were written in the Books, according to their works.

It is the Lords own word to his People Isa. 55.8. My wayes are not as your wayes. And this difference of wayes, between him and them, the same Lord, no less justly then precisely, may you hear Contesting with them, in point of Equity, E­zech. 18.29. Are not my wayes E­qual (saith he) and yours Vne­qual? [Page 116] Betwixt Heaven and Earth there is not so great a Di­stance, as there is Difference between God and more then a good many Men in the exercise of Judiciary Power. The Law, which the Civilians say, is Sanctio Iusta, Iubens Honesta, Prohibens­que Contraria; a Just Constitu­tion, commanding things that are Honest, and Forbidding the Contrary, is, in the Court of Heaven, reputed the only straight Rule, whereunto the subjects of that court are to con­form their works, & ways; & for their Deviation, and Declina­tion, from its Rectitude are on­ly punishable. For which cause our Evangelists description of sin is, that it is the Transgression of the Law, in the 1. of his Epistle the 3. Chapter and 4. V. And [Page 117] therefore that word of that other Apostle, just reason that it obtain with us the Credit of an Oracle, Rom. 4.15. where there is no Law, there is no Trans­gression. So that then that word of that other Apostle yet. 2. Pet. 1.19. for the word of Prophesie, our parts it shall be to conceive, di­rected unto every one of us for the Law; that we shall do well to take heed thereunto, as unto a Light, that shineth in a Dark Place. No otherwise then you may observe some careful Ma­riner, for the better guidance of his Ship in a Dark Night, to heed a Light, which from some Eminent watch-towr, may discover it self. The Conduct of which Light therefore, whose Beams every one of us may clearly discern (as the Pilot his [Page 118] Light from the Tower) darting out from Heaven upon him, for the better steering him a course, through the surges of this world, shall he not heed, no marvel, if, Straying from the right Path of Justice, he wander in Darkness, and in the shadow of Death. The Proceedings of too too many a Man, that assumeth unto him­self a Power to Execute Justice, not seldome, runneth a clean contrary Bias to this. They say as those in the Wiseman. Wisd. 2.11. Our will is the Law of Iustice. And therefore take un­to themselves a liberty of Pro­scribing, Imprisoning, Con­demning, yea, & Executing too, whom they please; though guiltless of the Transgression of any Law. Nor shall the Law [Page 119] be the Rule, whereby to exa­mine the work of supposed Di­linquents; but their causeles fears and Jealousies, shall make De­linquents whomsoever they shall please. Whilst themselves, in the mean time notwithstand­ing that they are dipped in as deep a Dye of villany as the blackest Fiends of Hell, must yet have Precedence of all the Apostles, nay, the Virgin Mary her self, in Saintship (as long as did Saul with an Image, in stead of David, 1 Sam. 19.13.) they can impose upon the purblinde World with empty Shadows, and semblances, in stead of the true, and real, Body of Religi­on; and (what AEschines some­times objected to Demosthenes) [...]) [Page 120] can New-dip Extortion, Oppressi­on, Perjury, Tyranny, Sacri­ledge, Murther, yea very A­theisme, with the fair, and spe­cious Names of Reformation. Beloved! As this Great Judge is far from being so Sophistical, as to impose upon us with a Fallacy of Non causa pro Causa; and so not so Rigid as to Con­demn us without the least trans­gression of any of his Laws: so neither may we conceive him to be so Facile, and Easie, as that he shall be wone to accept of a bare Shew, and Profession, of Saint-Ship for a perfect obser­vation of this Law of his. That Rule of this great Judge. By their Fruits you shall know them, Mat. 7.16. holdeth as true for [Page 121] all manner false Pretenders as Prophets. They are the Fruits of good works only, and not the Leaves, or Blossoms, of vain Ostentation, or Profession, that shall Acquit, or condemn, us at the last Day. And the Dead▪ were Iudged out of those things, which were written in the Books, according to their works.

But how? The Dead to be Judged according to their works? Durus est hic Sermo; this is an hard saying; and who may abide it? What hope of Salvation then shall the most Righteous have to entertain? Yea, and then (as is St. Peters passionate Quaere in the 1. of his Epistle Chapter 4.18.) Where shall the Vngodly, and the Sinners appear? So that then well may [Page 122] David, Holy David, deprecate this manner of Trial before God. Psal. 143.2. Enter not in­to Iudgement with thy Servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no Man living be Iustified. He, that hath found no stedfastness in his Servants, but hath charged his very Angels with Folly, how much more then Man, which dwelleth in an House of Clay, whose Foundation is in the Dust. Alas! As the Priest in the old law was to make an a­tonement for the Holy offerings of the People, that they might be accepted. Exod. 28.38. ne­ver may the best of our Services, without some Atonement, and Expiation, hope to be sped of Acceptance at his Hands, in whose Eyes the Stars are not [Page 123] clear, Iob 25.5. but is of Purer Eyes then to behold any Ini­quity, Hab. 1.13. And then, if, in our best Dresses, we may not hope to appear Acceptable, in our worst how Abominable must we needs appear in his sight? And therefore St. Aug. word to the Lord cannot but be concluded to be very pregnant; Vae etiam laudabili vitae Homi­num, si, remota Misericordia, discutias eam, Woe to our most laudable course of Life (saith he) if thou, O Lord, without the Spectacle of Mercy, shall be pleased to look upon it. Nay, this way of work-trial the whole Stream of the Divine Pen-men seemeth, every where, to cross; setting up Grace, and Faith, not in competition only with, but in a direct opposition [Page 124] unto works, in the work of our Salvation; and so in this Day of Trial we conclude (saith St. Paul Dogmatically) that a Man is justified by Faith, with­out the works of the Law, Rom. 2.28. There is a Remnant, ac­cording to the Election of Grace (saith the same Apostle in the 11. of the same Epistle 5. and 6.) and, if by Grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise Grace is no more Grace. And if by Grace, and Faith, we are to look for Justification, then how is it that according to our works we shall be Judged? It will not be so dif­ficult a Task perhaps, upon a full discussion of the whole mat­ter, to reconcile this so much seemingly jarring Triumvirate, as at first sight may appear. Grace is the first, yea, Principal, [Page 125] Impulsive, cause of our Justifi­cation. Being Iustified freely by his Grace, saith the same Apostle. Rom. 3.24. faith the instrumental, for the laying hold of this grace in Christ. The righteousnes of God (saith the same Apostle in the 22. of the same Chapter) by the Faith of Jesus, is upon all them that Believe. Good works are, for the present, to every one of us, as, at this last Day, they shall be, in the Pre­sence of the whole world▪ Sole, but sufficient, Evidence, that we by Faith apprehend this un­speakable Grace, and Mercy, in Christ. And therefore the same Apostle may you observe to be so far from opposing of ei­ther of these to other, that, E­phes. 2.8. you may see him Coupling Grace and Faith; By [Page 126] Grace (saith he) are you saved, through Faith, Nay, 1 Tim. 1.14. both Grace, and Faith, and good works, together. The Grace of our Lord was excee­ding Abundant with Faith, and Love (the sourse of all Good works) in Christ Jesus. The lively Emblem, and Represen­tation, of all three may you clearly discover in the Eye of a Man. The Light (we know) is the only Object, this Eye con­templateth. And the Eye the sole Organ, for the Contempla­tion of this Light. And yet little comfort shall there be found by any Man in this object of Light; nor will this Organ of the Eye be of any use, if, by any means, it shall be divorced from the other Members of the Body. To the Eye Light can­not [Page 127] be more welcome then is the Grace, and Mercy, of God, that bringeth Salvation, to the soul. You are kept (saith St. Pe­ter) by the Power of God, unto Salvation. 1 Pet. 1.5. Salvation the clearest Evidence, as of the Mercy, so Power, of God. And Faith the only means for the sealing up unto us this Evi­dence. And yet, shall Faith, though of this Intuitive, and Obsignative, Efficacy (as the Eye from the other Members) be divided, and separated, from all other Gifts, and Graces, of the soul, as Humility, Meek­ness, Temperance, Patience, it shall appear no better then Dead, For Faith, without works, is Dead alone. Iam. 2.17. Brief­ly, by the Grace of God I am what [Page 128] I am (you know) is our Apo­stles word of himself, 1 Cor. 15.10. whatever we may have in us, whether of the Seeds of Faith, or the Fruits of good works, may in no wise, be Pimarily a­scribed to any cause but the Grace of God. So that then, for that, both for the best Ple­rophory of our Faith, we shall have too just reason to cry out, as that Father of the Daemonia­que, Mark 9.24. Lord, I Be­lieve; help mine unbelief; and, for our choisest works, for that they are so far from holding a­ny the least conformity unto the Rule of Gods Law. sadly to be­moan our selves before him, as doth the Royal Prophet, Psal. 130.3. If thou, Lord, wilt be ex­tream to mark what is done amiss, [Page 129] who may abide it? Nay, for that we cannot conceive the least hope of Salvation by our best works, without borrowing much out of the inexhaustible Treasury, not of Gods gracious Interpretation only, but his Imputation of his Son. Merits unto us (Christ was made sin for us, saith our Apostle, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21.) who seeth not how more then suffi­ent ground there will be for our saying one to another, what Zorobabel sometimes of the stone of the great Mountain, Zach. 4.7. Grace unto it, Grace unto it? And for those two, Faith, and Good-works, thus genuine­ly, and equally, springing from the same Root, the grace [Page 130] of God, far be it from us from becomming such Boutifeaus, and Incendiaries, as to blow, and kindle, the Coals of any Di­vision between them, which, without the least prejudice, or disgust, nay, without the ex­tream prejudice of the destru­ction of our souls, cannot be set, or kept, at the least distance. Indeed, without Faith it is impos­sible to please God. Heb. 11.6. And yet never shall Faith be able to please God without the Observation of his Commande­ments. It is Faith, that appre­hendeth the Merits of Christ. Being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 5.1. And yet Opera mea testantur de me, as our Saviour sometimes of him­self, [Page 131] Iohn 5.36. They are good works, that must justifie our Faith for true, and sincere. Faith, as the Kings Daughter, Psal. 45.14. cannot but appear gratious, and amiable, in her Heavenly Fathers Eyes: yet may she not be brought into his Presence, until she appear in her Raiment of Needle-work; and the Virgins of all other spiritual Graces, for the keeping her Company. V. 15. and 16. Faith, like one part of a pair of Compasses, must still center in the free grace of God through Christ. But then must Love, like the other, be moving about the Circumfe­rence of the relief of our distres­sed Brethrens necessities. So that then, for our Faith, how­ever possibly we may conceive [Page 132] of it, as our Apostle sometimes of his Faith of Miracles, Heb. 11.33, 34. that it is of force to sub­due Kingdoms, stop the Mouths of Lions, quench the violence of Fire; yet may we not fancy that it shall be able to open the Gates of the Kingdome of Hea­ven, as long as we are so far de­stitute of such good-works, which may become Newness of Life, as that we have any thing of Abomination, or defilement, about us, for the keeping us out; the last v. of the last Chap. of this Book. And therefore, however, for the work of our Justification, God may say unto us, as to the two Blind-men, Matth. 9.29. According to your Faith be it unto you: yet if now upon this foundation of our [Page 133] whatever Faith we shall be so far from building up the Gold, or Silver, Superstruction of Pi­ous, and Religious, works, as that we shall lay on nothing but the Hay, and Stubble, of all manner of vanities, yea, Impie­ties, and Enormities, so far shall such a Faith be from saving us, that most woful must our condition needs appear, when we shall all come to stand up before God; to receive our sen­tence, either of Acquital, or condemnation, according to our works. Every Mans works shall be made manifest (saith Saint Paul) for the Fire shall try every mans works, of what sort it is. 1 Cor. 3.13. where by Fire (will we hear St. Augustin, and diverse others of the Antients) We [Page 134] are to understand, either the Fire of all manner of Temptati­ons, and Tribulations, and Persecutions; which, as Fire, are to try, and prove, sound Doctrin; and reduce to nothing the Hay, and Stubble, of Hu­mane Invention. When the Lord shall wash away the filth of the Daughter of Sion by the Spirit of judgement, and Fire, saith the Prophet. Isa. 4.4. or the Fire of the Holy Ghost; He shall Baptize (saith the Baptist) with the Holy Ghost, and with Fire. Matth. 3.11. or our Saviours ap­pearance at this Day of Judge­ment; either for the brightness of his Presence; Who is the true Light, that lightneth every one that commeth into the world; Iohn 1.9. or for his consumptive [Page 135] quality, that (as is the same Psalmists Prediction. Mat. 3. [...]2.) is to burn up the Chaffe with unquenchable Fire. So that then, finde we in our selves some ability, for the bearing of Tribulations; and Persecuti­ons? Some eminent graces of Gods Spirit? Some Light of Illumination of our understan­dings, for the discerning of those things that are Excellent? Some consumption of the Hay, and Stubble, of all manner of Corruptions within us? Upon these, and no other Terms, just reason shall we have to con­clude, that we are truly justifi­ed by Faith in the free Grace of Christ; and so shall be counted worthy to stand before this Son of Man, as himself speaketh, Luke [Page 136] 21.36. Let then the Light of our Faith so shine before Men, that they, seeing our goods works, may thereby be induced, yea enforced, to glorifie our Fa­ther, which is in Heaven. Let not our Lean Profession of Faith devour, and swallow up, the Fat of all manner of good works amongst us. But let the Pome­granats of all manner of Fruits of Gods Spirit every where ap­pear in the Coat of our Christi­anity, as well as the Bels of our loud Profession of Faith. Let Faith, which commeth by hear­ing, be as Mary, conversant a­bout one thing, the Hearing of the word; whilst the other as Martha, is careful for many things, the entertaining of Christ in all his needy Members. [Page 137] Let Faith sing the Plain-song; and Good-works the descant, for the making up of a Melodi­ous Harmony in the Ears of the Highest. Let Faith, and good works, in every of us, prove as Rachel and Leah ▪ fruitful for the building up of the House of our Christian Profession. That so being Justified by Faith, and having good works for the Ju­stifying of this Faith of ours, in the End of our Days, we may receive the End of our Hopes, the Salvation of our Souls, when this great God of Heaven, and Earth▪ shall judge the Dead, Small, and Great, out of those things, that are written in the Books, according to their works.

And thus far shall it serve to have examined the equal Pro­ceedings [Page 138] of the Court; which clearly appeareth in that the Dead, Small, and Great, shall, without any further distinction, or discrimination, be thus (as you see) Judged. I shall only give you a short glimpse of the infallible certainty of all; that which is irrefragably evi­dent in that our Divine Evange­list professeth himself to have been [...]; an Eye-witness of all. I saw the Dead, Small, and Great, stand up before God.

The Poets word it is, Segni­us irritant Animos —The ob­jects of Hearing make not so sudden an impression upon the Ear as those of seeing do upon the Eye. And the reason here­of, given by the Phylosopher, cannot but be concluded to be [Page 139] very pregnant; for that those things, we see (saith he) come to the Eye [...]; in a direct Line; but the things, we Hear, to the Ear, [...]; oblickly; and (as we say) on every side. Had our Apostle, by Hear-say only, by Tradition from others; ac­quainted us with the Dead, Small, and Great, standing up in this wise, before God (and yet this same Evangelist of our Ears conceiveth but even such a Relation to be Edged with Au­thority sufficient; (what we have heard, saith he, declare we to you, in the 1. of his 1. Epistle and 5.) the less strange might it seem did we appear to distrust the Relation; not only for that our Age to palpably aboundeth with [Page 140] Lies much more then Truth; but for that much more the greatest part of us, that have led the Lives of Infidels, would gladly cry down this Christian Truth, rather for a Fabled Ro­mancee then a Divine Oracle.

But now, what the greatest Sceptick can, in the least mea­sure question the Truth of this Report, which so Authentick an Author as this our Evangelist reporteth himself to have seen, and this by so unquestioned a­way as this of Revelation? I saw, and that with mine own Eyes, and that by so unerring Evidence as Revelation, the [Page 141] Dead, Small, and Great, stand up before God.

Indeed, I am not Ignorant that there are Revelations, that may to justly be stooped to draw in the same Yoak with Dreams. Hearken not to your Prophets (is the Lords own word to the King of Sidon, of Tyre, of Moab, and Ammon) nor to your Divi­ners, nor Dreamers. Ier. 27.9. Every, even the meanest of us, hath, for a long time (as the Corinthians of old, in the 1. of those Epistles 14. and 26.) hath a Revelation, an Interpretation, of his own. Of every of which therefore far greater reason shall we have to Quaere, then those Philosophers sometimes of our Apostle, Acts 17.18. what will this Babbler say? But, when we [Page 142] meet with a Testificemur quod vi­dimus, as from this our Evange­list, Iohn 3.11. we Testifie that which we have seen; and that no Prophesie of Scripture is of Pri­vate Interpretation; but Holy Men of God spake still, as they were moved by God, 2 Pet. 1.20. that Sceptick must needs be concluded to be above measure Sceptical, that shall distrust the Credit of such a Relation. I saw the Dead, Small, and Great, stand up before God.

Let it then be the careful Provision, and Circumspecti­on, of every one of us, that his dreadful sight of the Dead, Small, and Great, standing up before a most impartial Judge; and of the Books, made up of three volumns; in the first [Page 143] whereof is written the Law of Nature, in the second the Law from Sinai; in the third the Law from Sion; the second [...]is Day-book, of two; whereof the first is that of our own Con­science, the second of his Re­membrance; the third his Book of Records, and this of a two­fold Nature; the one wherein the Church Registreth those for his Sons, that, by an outward Profession of their Faith, are received into her Bosome; not­withstanding that many of them afterwards prove gross Impo­stours, and Hypocrites; the other that immutable Fore­knowledge, whereby, from Eternity he hath, and beyond all Tract of Time, will, ac­knowledge those for his, whom [Page 144] he hath Predestinated to the A­doption of Sons, and ordained to be Heirs of Everlasting Life; let this spectacle I say (what the Lord sometimes to his People of the Book of the Law, Ioshua 1.8.) depart never out of our Mouths; but meditate we therein, Day and Night. And let it be the Hing of the same Care of ours to consider that we shall be saved, or condemned, not by the Leaves, or Blossoms, of faire Shews, or Semblances, but by the Fruits of Good­works▪ And then, having la­boured, as much as in us lieth, to conform us to his Example, that is the Resurrection, and the Life, when he, which is this Life of ours, shall appear, just reason shall we have to become [Page 145] confident, that we shall also appear with him in Glory; with the Lustre of which Ap­pearance, in thy good time, O Lord, irradiate every one us; for thy Mercies sake, &c.