A Map of Judgement, Or a Pattern for JUDGES. Delivered in a Sermon. at the Assizes holden at Guildford in Surrey; July. 23d. 1666. BEFORE Sr. Orlando Bridgeman; Kt. Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, AND Sr. Samuel Brown, Kt.

By W. Hampton; Rector of Blechingley. in the same County.

2. Chron. 19. 6; 7. And he said to the Judges; take heed what ye do; for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord; who is with you in the Judgement: Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed, and do it; for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

LONDON; Printed by R. I. for H. Brome over against the Crane in Little-Brittain. 1667.

TO The Honourable Sr. Orlando Bridgeman; Kt. Lord Chief Justice of his Majesties Court of Common Pleas, and Sr. Samuel Brown; Kt. another of his Majesties Justices of the said Court. Grace, Mercy, and Peace, with all happiness in this World, and everlasting blessedness in that which is to come.

Reverend and Honourable Sirs;

THis Sermon being Preached in your hearing, and received with the good liking of that numerous audito­ry then present (as I understand) and as appeared by their more than usual attention while it was deli­vering; for what was said of our dear Saviour, I may without ostentation say of my poor self, The eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him. Luke 4.20. And being importuned by some worthy friends to make it more publick, I have condiscended, hoping it may adde some few mites to the publick trea­sury, for the Churches good. And I assented chiefly upon these reasons.

First, Because it was so well approved and accepted by such pious, learned, and judicious Worthies, as your Honours, great assertors of piety, equity, and right, by whom, this Circuit hath for some years, been honoured, as well as blessed, in the Administration of Justice.

Secondly, Because I have some hopes, it may put, at least a stop to that great inundation of Sin and Pro­phaneness, which is gone forth into the Land, by ani­mating his Majesties Commissioners in all places, to a diligent discharge of their duties in so good a work.

Thirdly, That it may stand as a lasting evidence of my humble and cordial thankfulnesse to that supreme Moderator of all things, for enabling me, a poor worm, to labour so long in his Vineyard, and to bring forth some fruits both in Youth and Age, and to perform such a task twice, at such a distance of time, the interval of more than ten Olympiads intervening. I cannot think of meeter persons to Devote it to, than your Honours, who so well approved both the manner of delivery, and the matter delivered; which I humbly beseech you to accept in good part, and to shelter it under your Pa­tronage. It is Printed, almost verbatim, as Preach­ed, only in the last point some little enlargement is made, which I was forced then to omit, least prolixity should have impeded your most weighty business.

Thus humbly craving pardon for my boldness, com­mending this poor Work to the blessing of God, for the glory of his Name, and good of his People, I commit you to his safe Protection, who am,

Your Honours most humble Servant in the work of the Lord, William Hampton.

A Map of Judgement, or, a Pattern for JUDGES.

GENESIS. 18.25. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right?

IT was the saying of our Saviour, Mat. 13.52. Every Scribe which is instructed for the Kingdome of Heaven, is like unto a man that is an Housholder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure, things new and old. The same with Gods help, I hope to do now. It was full forty years ago, the seventh of this month, (the Lords holy Name be praised) that I spake something upon this Text, on the like occasion, and in this County, at the Assizes holden at Riegate, July 7. 1626, and if I should hap­pen to harpe upon some of the old notes, I dare say, most, if not all here present, would keep my counsel; It will be new to them; and yet I doubt not, but to bring forth some things new, as well as old. It is true, we are to live Praeceptis non Exemplis, by Precepts not by Examples; and yet experience proves, Exemplis magis quam praeceptis, we are apt to be led rather by pattern than by precept, and in framing the course of our lives, Example for the most part more prevails than Exhortation. Wherefore, this being a time allotted for Judgment, I have made choice to set before you a Map of Judgment, the Pattern and Example of a great Judge, the Judge of Judges, the Judge of all the world; in his place you sit, he lends a part of his honour to you, and invests you with his power, he vouchsafes his name unto you, dixi dii estis; whom then should the Servant imitate but his Lord, the Subject but his Soveraign, the Little Gods of the earth, but the great God of Heaven and Earth? the Judges of a Land, or little world, but the Judge of all the world? Zeno being asked by his friends how they might keep themselves to right, when he was gone, answered, si me presen­tem semper putetis; if you imagine me to be alwaies present with you, the beholder of your actions. And surely a stronger motive you cannot have to keep your selves to equity and right, quam Deum presentem semper cogi­tare, [Page 2]than to have this great Judge alwaies before your eyes, the pattern and spectatour of all your proceedings: hee sees our works, he hear our words, he knows our thoughts; if we do ill, will not he punish us? if we do well, will not he reward us? if we do right, will not he applaud it? if we do wrong, will not he revenge it? Yes verily: For shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right?

The words were uttered by Abraham upon this occasion, when the Al­mighty was minded to destroy the City of Sodom, whose sins cryed to his Throne for vengeance; he first after the manner of men, pawsed on the matter, and was loath to do it, till he had taken advice of a friend, and made Abraham (whom St. James calleth the friend of God) privie to his purpose; Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do? Abraham being hereby assured of Gods love and favour, began to argue the matter, and became an humble suitor for his sinful neighbours, and knowing them to be in misericordia provero clamore, puts up his petition into the Chancery of Gods boundless mercy, that if there could be fifty good men found within the City, he would be pleased to spare the whole for their sake. The Lord grants his petition; Abraham goeth straight way with a privy search through the City of Sodom, and after his labour lost, he makes re­turn unto God, with a non est inventus; yet he proceeds on in his suit, and craving pardon for his boldness, he obtains a Writ Admelius inquirendum, and then falls from fifty to forty five, from forty five to forty, from forty to thirty, from thirty to twenty, from twenty to ten, which small number had that populous City afforded, he would have spared all for their sakes; I will not destroy it for tens sake. And he brings these words as a convincing Argument, that it stood not with the reputation of the Almighty, who is the great Lord chief Justice of the world, to do injustice, to burn innocents, with nocents, to flay the righteous with the wicked. Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there shall be fifty righteous within the City, wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee, to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the Righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? Not that Abraham in this expostulation doth make any doubt of the Justice of God; for this Inter­rogation is indeed a vehement asseveration; so that in this negative que­stion is emphatically implyed an affirmative position, as if he had said, I know the Judge of all the world will do right. Frequent in holy Writ, by inter­rogations in the negative, to affirm the more earnestly. So Elisha to Ge­huzi, Went not my heart with thee, &c. Yes, I know all thy tampering and juggling well enough. So here, Shall not the Judge of all the world do right? [Page 3]is all one, as if he had said, I am sure the Judge of all the Earth will do right. The words being thus resolved, you may note in them three parts. A Judge, his Circuit, and his Judgement. The Judge is the Lord; his Cir­cuit very large, All the Earth; His Judgement most just and right, or ra­ther, if you will, as the Text hath four words, so I will put four quaeries to be briefly discussed: Quis? Quos? Quando? Quomodo:

  • First, Quis, Who this Judge is? and that is Christ the Lord of the World; he it was that here talked with Abraham, that appeared to the Pa­triarchs, and Fathers in the Old Testament.
  • Secondly, Quos, Whom he shall judge; All the Earth, or the whole World.
  • Thirdly, Quando, When he shall Judge; The time is to come at the end of the World, noted in the Particle, shall.
  • Fourthly, Quomodo, How he shall judge; Not according to the corrupt Fashion of the world; Sed secundum norman Justitiae, according to the Rule of Justice, according to equity and right: Shall not the Judge of all the world do right?

And

First, I begin with him, who is [...] and [...], the beginning and the end of all our actions, yea of all things, and that is, Quis, who this Judge is? namely Christ the Son of God, God and man, the Messiah, the Saviour and Redeemer of the world; he is made Lord Chief-Justice of all the world; and he hath it by Commission: hear his own Testimony for it, and we know that his Testimony is true, John 5.22. The Father Judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgement unto the Son, because that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father. Upon which place St. Austin Tractat. 19. in Johan. moves a doubt, whether the Father shall be excluded in the last Judgement, which he resolves by comparing these words, with the 27th verse, He hath given him power to execute Judgement, because he is the Son of Man. The Father (saith he) shall not be seen coming to Judgment, but yet he shall not be excluded from giving of Judgement, he hath the same power with the Son, for the power of all the three persons is coaequal. The Son only shall be seen in Judgement; The Judge shall appear in a vi­sible shape, forma humana, in a humane form; They shall see him onely whom they have pierced; He shall come to judgement, and sit on the Throne of judgement, and pronounce judgement in the very same body wherein hee suffered and dyed; That Forme shall be Judge, which stood before a Judge; and he shall judge that was judged; and hoe shall judge justly, that was judged unjustly; For the Father hath given him power to Execute Judgement, because he is the Son of man; that is, because he did so far condescend and debase himself, as to come into the world, and assume our Nature to his [Page 4]God-head, to be greatly humbled, to do and suffer so much for our Re­demption, therefore the Father will so highly exalt him, that in the same nature, in the same forme, in the same body he shall sit to judge the world: He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in Righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained, Acts 17.31.

But doth not the Apostle say, that the Saints shall judge the world? 1 Cor. 6.2. and Christ to his Apostles, Ye which have followed me in the Regenera­tion, when the Son of man shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, Matth. 19.28.

These places are to be understood, either of judging the world. 1. By their Doctrine, or, 2. By their good examples and holy lives, as Christ said, that the Queen of the South, and the Ninevites should rise up in judg­ment against the men of that generation, and Condemn them: or, 3. Of the attestation and approbation which they shall give to the righteous judgement of Christ, Rev. 19.1, 2. They shall sit Assistants with him, and be by his side, (like privie Counsellors to the King.) As we see here at an Assize, there be many inferiour Justices, who sit on the Bench, and are As­sistants to the Judge, not that they give sentence in any matter; for that be­longs to the Judge, but they sit as approvers and testifiers of the just pro­ceedings; So shall it be with the Saints; they shall sit as Assistants with Christ, to approve and applaud the righteous dealing of that great Judge, but to him alone belongs the pronouncing of Sentence.

1. O what a strong consolation may this be to all the Faithful people of Christ, in that he who saved them, shall judge them! he who is flesh of their flesh, and bone of their bone; he who gave his flesh, and body, and blood, and life, and all to redeem them? No comfort like this to a guilty person arraigned at the Barre, as to have the Judge to be his friend; to speak for him, to plead for him, to defend, to protect him: But so it shall be with the faithful at that day; they shall have their friend to bee their Judge; their Head, their Husband, their Kinsman, their Brother; their Redeemer, their Intercessor, their Saviour: Surely it must needs go well with them; their cause shall be heard before him, who loved them so dear­ly, that he dyed for them; The great Judge of all the world shall acquit them, who then shall lay any thing to their charge? It is God that Justifieth (saith St. Paul) who then shall Condemn? It is Christ that Judgeth, there is therefore no Condemnation to them that are his.

2. And this also shall strike confusion to his enemies; They shall see him coming in the Clouds of Heaven, and sitting on the Throne of Glory, whom they pierced; Whom they pierced with their bands, with their sins, with their tongues, with their oaths, with their blasphemies, and impieties, he whom [Page 5]they despised, whose call they neglected, whose Gospel they rejected, whose Word they contemned, whose Mercy they abused, whose Ministers they slighted, whose Ambassadours they wronged; he shall be their Judge: For he is of such omnipotency, that he shall force his enemies, and all to appear before his Tribunal. And thus having briefly discussed the first quaerie, Quis, who this Judge shall be; I pass to the second, Quos, whom hee shall Judge? All the Earth. A very large Circuit; other Judges are Judges of but some small Circuit or corner of the Earth; Judges of earth, and Judges, who (when their breath goeth forth) must fall to the earth, and turn to a little lump of earth as well as others; but this is the Judge of all the Earth; Judex totius mundi, the Judge of all the world: All the world, yea, all the men of the world must appear before his Tribunal, We must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5.10. Before him shall be gathered all Nations, Mat. 25.32. All Nations and Countries, all People and Languages, all men, of what estate or condition soever: The King that Ruleth, the Judge that Judgeth, the Lawyer that pleadeth, the Client that sueth, the witness that sweareth, the Jury that, censureth, the Pastour that speaketh, the people that heareth, high and low, rich and poor, young and old, we must all appear before this mighty Judge; He is Ju­dex vivorum & mortuorum, Judge of the living and the dead; Those who are found alive at his coming, shall in a moment be changed, those that dyed before, shall in a moment be raised, all shall appear; All that are in the graves, shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they shall conse forth, they that have done good to the Resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the Resurrection of condemnation, John 5.28, 29. All that are in the Graves, yea, and more than all that are in the Graves; all that have dyed since the beginning of the world; though they have been drowned in the Sea; and devoured by fishes; though they have been burned in the fire, and con­sumed to Ashes; though their flesh hath been made a banquet to the beasts of the field, and fowls of the Air; yet at the Trumpet of the Arch-Angel, at the voice of the Son of God, they shal all revive; the Trump shall sound, and the dead shall rise, and come to judgement; There shall not miss one man, woman, or childe from the beginning of the Creation; All shall ap­pear, every one propria persona, in his own proper person; no Proxie, no Atrourney shall serve the turne at that day. Thus much St. John affirmeth, Rev. 20.12. Where was revealed to him, the Majesty of this mighty Judge, and the manner of this grand Assize. I saw a great white Throne, and one who sate upon it, from whose Face fled away, both the earth, and the Heaven; and I saw the dead both great and small stand before God; for the Sea gave up her dead, which were in her, and death and Hell delivered up the dead that were [Page 6]in them, and they were judged every man according to their works.

But some may say, shall all be judged, as well the Godly, as the Godless, as well the faithful as the faithless? have we not the Judges own Word and Warrant for the contrary, confirmed with a double Seal, that the faithful who hear and obey his Word, and believe in him, shall not bee judged; Amen, amen dico vobis, &c. Verily, verily, I say unto you, hee that heareth my word, and believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting Life, and shall not come into Judgement, but passeth from death unto life, Joh. 5.24.

To which I answer, That the word [...] which properly signifieth judgement, is sometimes taken for, [...] which signifieth condem­nation, as [...] for [...] to Judge, for to condemn, often in the Scripture: So that when Christ saith, the faithful shall not come [...] into judgement, the meaning is, into condemnation, as St. Austin well noteth on the place; There is (saith he) Judicium absolutionis, & Ju­dicium condemnationis, the Judgement of absolution, and the Judgement of condemnation: Or as Aquinas aptly distinguisheth, in the last Judge­ment are two things, discussio peccatorum, & retributio praemiorum, a discus­sion of sins, and a retribution of rewards. All shall appear, both the faith­ful and the faithless, though to a different judgement: The faithful to the judgement of absolution, ad retributionem praemioruns, to partake of the reward; the wicked to the judgement of condemnation, ad discus­sionem peccatorum, to answer for their sins: Their sins shall be discussed, searched and sifted most narrowly; their most secret sins shall be laid o­pen to the view of the whole world, before that great assembly both of Men and Angels; and not onely laid open, but laid to their charge; the Book of Conscience shall be opened, and accuse them more than a thou­sand witnesses: and according to their sins, shall a fearful doom be pro­nounced, an everlasting separation from that most beatifical Vision of the Deity, to a terrible Habitation, and association with wicked Devils; Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Mat. 25. But as for the Godly and Faithful, who are reconciled to their Heavenly Father, by the blood of Jesus Christ his blessed Son, though they appear also at this great Assize, yet it shall be to the Judge­ment of absolution, to be acquitted, pardoned, saved, There shal no dis­cussio peccatorum pass upon them; their sins shall not be laid open, nor laid to their charge, nor hamed, nor mentioned, nor brought forth at that day, so much as to accuse them, or grieve, or shame them, much less to condemn them; but they shall all be washed away in the blood of the Lamb, blotted out, forgotten and forgiven, as if they had never been; For I will forgive their iniquities, and I will remember their sin no more, [Page 7]Jer. 31.34. and again, Jer 50.20. In those dates, and at that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon them whom I re­serve. So shall the Prophesie of Balaam be fulfilled; He shall see none Ini­quity in Jacob, nor transgression in Israel, Numb. 23.21.

Their sins indeed shall be sought for; Satan that [...] most en­vious enemie of humane happiness, shall labour to accuse them, to bring forth their sins against them, and lay them to their Charge; but the true [...], the lover of men will not suffer him, he will throw them all into the bottom of the Sea, cast them behinde his back, nail them to the Cross, bury them in the grave of his Son, drown them in his blood, and remove them further than the East is from the West; that they shall not be found, nor remembred, nor brought forth against his faithful people at that day: So that though they appear, it shall not be ad discussionem peccatorum, to have their sins discussed, sifted, examined, censured like the wicked; but ad retributionem praemiorum, to have their labours and good works re­warded; yea, to have the works of Christ, which are now appropriate to them, and made theirs by imputation, Crowned with a Diadem of Glo­ry, and Immortality in the Kingdome of Heaven.

If any shall demand with the Disciples, [...], but tell us, when shall these things be? I answer, Here ye pose me indeed: These things shall so come to pass, I am sure, but when, or how soon, I can­not tell; It is the next quaerie to be discussed, Quando, When he shall Judge, noted in the future sign shall: the time is to come, at the end of the World.

That there shall be such a day is most certain, most uncertain when it shall be: we have the Word of God to confirm the certainty of it; Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; there shall go before him a consuming fire, Psal. 50.3. The Lord Jesus shall show himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, to render vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel, 2 Thes. 1. We have his promise for it, Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be, Rev. 22.12. We have his Oath for it; The Mighty Angel lift up his hand to Heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and, ever who Created Heaven, and the things that are therein, and the Earth, and the things that are therein, and the Sea, and the things which are therin, that time should be no more, Rev. 10.6. We have the Justice of God to confirm it; it stands with his Justice, that there should be such a day; God is most just, he wil shew mercy to the Godly, and judgement to the wicked; he will (as Sr. Paul saith) reward every man according to his works: but he doth not al­waies [Page]so in this life; for the wicked enjoy as many outward blessings as the Godly, All things come alike to all, and the same condition is to the Just, and to the unjust, to him that Sacrifizeth, and to him that Sacrifizeth not: &c. saith the Preacher. Yea, the wicked in this world, for the most part, enjoy more felicity, than Gods Children; they laugh, when these weep; they sing when these sigh; they prosper, when these are persecuted; they flourish, when these are afflicted; they are in pompe and jollity, when these are in want and misery: sic fuit a principio, from the beginning it hath been so; Abel, righteous Abel, lies dead at the feet of his wretched Brother Cain: Chaste Joseph is fettered in the Dungeon, while his lewd Lady flou­risheth in her braverie: the Hebrews groan under their heavy burthens, sweat in the Brick-Kills, while the Aegyptians live at ease, domineering over them: Elias fainteth in the Desart, while Jezabel painteth in her Closet: Daniel quaketh in the den of Lyons, but the proud King Belshaz­zer quaffeth among his boon Companions: The holy Prophets of God are mocked, scourged, sawn asunder, slain with the Sword, while their cruel Persecutors swell, and sway, and triumph, in their sorrows: John's head lies bleeding in the Platter, while Herod is smiling at his Revels, and Dancing among his Damsels: Lazarus Famisheth, while Dives Feasteth. Therefore, there must needs be a general day of Judgement; when God will give to every man his right; when good men shall be rewarded accord­ing to their sufferings, and wicked men punished according to their deser­vings.

If we do but hear two or three Malefactors receive their doom from the Judge, and see them led forth to Execution, we may thence conclude, that there shall be an universal doom; for it is not to be thought (saith St. Chrysostome) that seeing we have all one God, who is an upright Judge, that he would punish some men for their sins in this world, and let others escape, which have offended as much or more than they, unless he had reserved certain punishment for them also in the future World, at the day of judgement: and this is that which the Apostle hinteth to us, 1. Tim. 5.24. Some mens sins are open before hand, and go before unto judgement, but some mens follow after. The sins of some are known and manifest to the world, they are brought to Judgement, and they suffer for them here, their bodies are punished, that their souls may be saved: but the sins of some are close, secret, unknown to the world, yet there will come a time, when they shall be revealed, when they shall be punished; their sins are upon the score, and kept in store, till the great day of reckoning; though they es­cape the judgement of this world, yet they shall not escape the judgement of the world to come; their sins shall follow after them, they shall accom­pany them to judgement.

Now as it is most certain such a day shall come, so most uncertain when it shall come. Some have rashly and presumptuously undertaken to guess at the time, and define when it shall be, as though they had been in the bosome of God, and were the Secretaries of Heaven. To whom it may be said, as the Cynick to an ignorant and arrogant fellow, prating of Heavenly matters beyond his capacity, [...], pray sir, how lately came you from Heaven, that you know these things so well, or as St. Austin telleth of one who answered that busie Inquisi­tor, who would know what God did before he made the world; fecit In­fernum, curiosa scrutantibus, he made Hell to punish those who are too curious in prying into his secrets. Our Saviour tells us that when that day shall be, no man knoweth, no not the Angels of Heaven, which have farre more excellent knowledge than we; no, not he himself; that is, as man, he was ignorant of it, or had no commission then to reveal it; or, as Aqui­nas, Dicitur nescire, quia non facit scire; he is said not to know, because he will not make us to know. Therefore let no man presume above his reach; secret things belong to the Lord, revealed things to us, and to our Chil­dren; onely this we are sure of, the time cannot be farre off, it is even at hand; It was near in the Apostles time, much more in our time; all the signs preceding fore-told by our Lord, and his holy Apostles, being ful­filled, except the calling of the Jews, which how soon, when, and in what manner it shall be, we know not. Behold the Judge standeth even at the door; Yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10. The world is now in decrepito statu [...] , in a declining con­dition, drawing the last breath, at the last cast, at the last gaspe. As man who is [...], a little world, so the world which is [...], a great man, (as the Philosopher speaks) hath its infancy, childe-hood, youth, middle age, old age: The time (saith St. Austin) from Adam to Noah, was the worlds infancy; from Noah to Abraham its childe-hood; from Abraham to David, its youth; from David to the Captivity of Babylon its middle age; from the Captivity of Babylon unto Christ, its old age; from Christ unto the end of all things, its dotage; for ever since, the world hath as it were gone upon Crutches, and therefore, now cannot stand long: if St. Johns age were ultima hora, the last hour, surely our times are the last minute of the hour. [...], saith St. Paul, the time is short, the sails are wrapp'd up, the Ship is even at hand, let us therefore use this world, as if we used it not. Let this shortness and speediness ha­sten us to a speedy preparation; the uncertainty of this day, to a daily and continual preparation; for that which St. Austin said of the day of death, may as well be said of the day of Judgement; why did God hide from [Page 10]us the day of our death? was it not that every day we should be prepared? ideolatet ultimus dies, & observer un c [...]mis dies; The last day is concealed, that every day may be observed. So if any demand, why hath God hid from us this day of Judgement, why doth no man know when it shall be? I answer, It is because we should alwaies watch and wait for it; and as St. Jerome speaks, so lead the course of our lives every day, as if to mor­row should be Dooms-day. This Application let us make of it; alwaies to Prepare: Because then God will deal with every man according as hee findes him; he that is found smiting his fellow Servants, eating and drink­ing with the drunken, shall be cut in pieces, and have his portion with the Hypocrites; but he that is found doing the command of our great Master, shall enter into eternal joy; for then God will deal to every man his right, and reward him according to his deservings: And so I come to the last querie, or part of my Text, Quomodo, How he shall Judge? and that is secundum norman justitiae, according to the rule of justice, according to equity, according to right; Shall not the Judge of all the Earth, do right?

Righteous is the Lord in all his judgements; with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the peole with equity. Psal. 98.10. Some Examples of his Ju­stice, he gives in this present world, as fore-runners of his upright dealing in the future world: rewarding the wicked according to the nature and qua­lity of their sins, paying them just as they have deserved, measuring to them the same measure they have measured, and punishing them in the same kinde, wherein they offended. It is said, Wisd. 11.15, 16. That for their foolish devices, in worshipping Serpents void of reason, and vile Beasts; God sent a multitude of unreasonable beasts upon them for ven­geance: that they might know, that wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished, So Hab. 2.8. Because thou hast spoiled many Nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee, and Jer. 30.16. All they that devour thee shall be devoured; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil; and all that prey upon thee, will I give for a prey; And for proof of this, I might bring a cloud of witnesses, and Examples: Sodomiticae illae civitates, &c. saith St. Austin, Those Sodomitical Cities, that burned with filthy lusts, were justly burned with fire from above; and as they made a Hell upon earth by their beastliness and uncleanness, so Gehennam misit è Coele, (as Silvianus speaks) he sent a Hell out of Heaven to consume them for it. Pharaoh that caused the silly Infants to be drowned in the River Nilus, was himself and all his Host drowned in the Red Sea. Adonibezeck that caus­ed seventy Kings, having the Thumbs of their right hands, and great Toes cut off, to gather crumbs under his Table, was served with the same sawce by Judah; As I have done, so hath God rewarded me, Judges 1.7. Judah [Page 11]did it, yet he confesseth Gods Justice in it. The Dogs ear the flesh of Jezabel, because she made them lick the blood of Nuboth. Haman hangs on his own Gallows, which he prepared for Mordecai. As Agags sword had made many women childeless, so was his Mother by the sword made childless among women. Maxentius falls into the same trap which he laid for Constantine his Lord and Master. Pope Alexander the sixth, by the mistake of his Butler, was poisoned with the same Bottle, wherewith he in­tended to dispatch his Cardinals. That brand of Hell, Pope Hildebrand, Agent, was slain with the same instrument, wherewith he was hired to slay Henry the Emperour: This Emperour being at Rome, used every morning to pray in St. Maries, on Mount Aventine. Hildebrand suborned a wicked villain secretly to convey up to the rafters of the Church great and massie stones, and so to dispose them, that as the Emperour was kneeling at his devotions, they might fall down upon his head, and dash but his brains: but as this wretch, the minister of Popish cruelty, was hastening his design, and sitting a massie stone for the execution of his Treason, the stone fell down, and beat him down withall, which falling on the pavement by the just Judgment of God, dashed in pieces the carkass of that traiterous workman.

How miraculously doth he reveal murthers, revenging blood with blood? how frequently doth he give them their fill of blood, who delight in blood? As 'tis written of Cyrus, King of Persia, who had been the occasion of much blood-shed, that being taken by Tomyres Queen of Scythia, she struck off his head, and put it into a hogs-head of mans blood, with this exprobration of his cruelty, satiate sunguine quem fuisti & cujus insatiabilis fuisti. Glut thy self, and take thy fill of blood which thou hast alwaies thirsted after, and of which thou hast been unsatiable. The like almost we read of Joab, a man of blood who shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle at was about his joyns, and in the shoos that were on his feet; basely [...] treacherously killing Honer the Son of Ner, and Amasa the Son of Jether: and though by his power and greatness he long escaped vengeance, yet his hoar-head was not suffered to go down to the grave without blood, 1 King. 2.5, 6. How justly doth he scourge Whoremongers and Adulterers with the not and canker, even in those parts wherein they offend? do we not ever and anon hear of some notorious drunkards drowned in ditches and puddles; or taken away by some sudden disaster in the midst of their dis­order, when they have neither wit, not will to repent, nor to cry so much as Lord have mercy upon us? I have read of a Thief strangled, and so exe­cuted by the sheep that he stole; tying it by the legges, and carrying it on his head, and sitting down to rest upon a great stone by the way, the sheep [Page 12]strugling, pulled him over the stone, and choaked him; so that he was found dead in the morning, and the sheep alive (at Ailton in Huntington­shire. Dr. Beard, Judg. pag. 570.)

So he doth punish those with disobedient children, who have been dis­obedient to their Parents. Erasmus writeth of one that did beat his own Father, and being reproved as guilty of so vile a fact, he answered, when he was as I am, he did beat his Father; and I make no doubt, but there stands one (pointing to his Son, then a childe) who will hereafter do the like to mee. Therefore by the nature of our punishment, we may know the nature of our sin; for commonly the same measure is returned, that we have measured. Do we finde men ungrateful to us? let us search, have not we been ungrateful to our God? if so, no marvel if men be so to us. By this means Alphonsus King of Arragon, came to see his sin; I have (said he) advanced many to honour and preferments, and heaped great favours upon them, and yet I still finde them to be ungrateful: but search­ing mine own heart, I do not much wonder at it, for I finde that I my self being advanced by God, and having received great blessings; from him, have been unthankful to his heavenly Majesty: and it is but just that men should make such a return to me, as I have made to my God. Are we punished with the loss of our worldly goods and substance? Is it not be­cause we have set our hearts too much upon them? or with sickness? did not health make us wanton, and forgetful of our frail condition? Let, us thus, by the kind of punishment, search out our sin, that repenting, we may obtain pardon.

Thus have I shewed, that God doth sometimes use martial Law against the wicked, by remarkable stroaks of his Justice upon them, in this world; because otherwise men would think there were no God, or at least, that, he were not Just: but these, examples are but now and then; if he should pu­nish all in this world, men would think there were no Judgement to come, but that all were dispatched here, and after this life, no more ado; there­fore he defers the main execution of his Justice, till the end of the world, and then he will do right to every man: he will (as St. Paul saith) render to every man according to his works, Rom. 2.6. both secundum qualitatem, & secundum quantitatem, according to the quality, and according to the quan­tity thereof.

First, He will judge us according to the quality of our works; he will render good for good, and evil for evil; not evil for good, not good for evil: To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and ho­nour, and immortality, he will give eternal life. But unto them that are con­tentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and [Page 13]wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek, Rom. 2.7, 8, 9. The good Tree that bringeth forth good fruit, shall be cherished and preserved: The evil Tree that bringeth forth evil fruit, shall be cut down and burned.

O the vanity and folly of many worldlings, who go on in all sin and wickedness, and yet hope to have a reward in Heaven, as well as the best I but God is an upright Judge; as he will not requite good with evil, so he will not reward evil with good. Do men gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles? If a man sow Tares, can he expect a crop of Wheat? or if he sow Cockle, can he look for a harvest of Barley? Be not deceived, saith the Apostle, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, Gal. 6.7, 8.

Secondly, He will judge us according to the quantity of our works; they that have most sins, shall be adjudged to most torments; they that have most good works, to most glory. The sentence is past already on the Whore of Babylon, quantum in diliciis fuit, for so much pleasure, give her so much pain: so much for so much; a most righteous Judge. The ignorant ser­vant shall be adjudged to few stripes, the negligent servant to many stripes, Luk. 12.47, 48. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites; for ye de­vour Widdows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation, Mat. 23.14. So that some shall have greater damnation than others.

See here the pittiful folly of some desperate wretches, who being given over to a reprobate sense, to commit all filthiness with greediness, and be­ing reproved and admonished to run better courses, and shewed the dan­ger of their waies, how they will bring bitterness at last; sollace them­selves with this miserable comfort; oh we know the worst of it, we can be but damned! Alas, alas, they know not, consider not what it is to be damned; an horrid, hideous, unexpressible, irrecoverable mischief to be damned; and how there are degrees of damnation too: the more sins, the more stripes; and how that those who sin against light, knowledge and conscience, careless and wicked Christians, shall be thrust deeper into Hell, and scorched in hotter flames than Infidels and Pagans; for our Lord assures us in the Gospel, That it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon, than for Bethsaida and Corazin, at the day of doom: and that sinful Sodom shall speed better than proud Capernaum at the last day. Doubtless Ty­rus, and Sydon, and Sodom, shall be damned, and have most dreadful punish­ments in Hell, in that lake which never shall be quenched, where the worm dieth not, and the fire never goeth out: But Bethsaida, Corazin, [Page 14]Capernaum, shall have more dreadful punishments, more fearful torments: why? because Bethsaida, Corazin, Capernaum, had means of salvation, heard Christ, and saw Christ; heard his Doctrine, and saw his miracles, and yet repented not, believed not; whereas Tyrus, Sydon, Sodom, had no such means; therefore their punishment shall be lighter, the others heavier.

He will also reward our good works, according to their quantity, so much for so much, though he will not reward us, to speak properly, prop­ter opera, for our works, yet secundum opera, according to our works, as a Fa­ther saith; though not for the meer merit of them, yet according to the meet measure of them: our good works shall be the rule by which he will proportion out the heavenly reward: the more good works of grace we have, the more abundant will be our reward of glory. Every man shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour, 1 Cor. 3.8. He that useth five Talents well, shall be Ruler over five Cities; he that useth ten Ta­lents well, shall be Ruler over ten Cities, Luk. 19.17.19. They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; but they that turn many un­to righteousness, shall shine as the stars for ever and ever, Dan. 12.3. And as our Lord saith, tune fulgebunt Justi tanquam Sol, Then shall the Just shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, Mat. 13.43. In Heaven among the Saints, there shall be degrees of glory; as there is difference now among the stars of Heaven in beauty: One star differeth from another star in glory, saith the Apostle: There is one glory the Sun, another of the Moon, another of the Stars; so shall it be with the Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven; every Saint shall have glory enough, yet some more, some less, according to the proportion of their faith and good works. As all behold the Sun, yet not according to the same perfect brightness; but some more, some less, ac­cording to the diversity of their sight: so the Saints in Heaven shall all have the beatifical Vision of God, yet some in more perfect manner than other, according to the measure of their graces here: Or, as if a man cast divers Bottles into the Sea, of several capacities, some greater, some less; every one will be filled, yet the greatest will receive most: So, though all the Saints shall be filled with glory, and every one have as much as he can contain, yet those who do most abound in faith and good works, shall have most glory.

1. This may admonish us how careful we ought to be of our works; to be practical and working Christians, to add to our faith good works; as Saint Peter exhorteth Believers, 2 Pet. 1.5. Giving all diligence, add to your faith vertue, &c. godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. Though we allow not the merit of works, yet we teach the necessity of good works, as con­sequences, [Page 15]fruits, and evidences of true faith; and because the reward of glory shall be proportioned out according to our works; look what our works be, such shall be the verdict that shall pass upon us at the great day. Therefore, saith James, cap. 2. Shew me thy faith by thy works: Thou sayest thou hast faith, and talkest much of it, but let it appear by the fruits, evi­dence a right faith by a righteous life. It is said, Luk. 5.20. That Christ saw their faith: and healed the man of the Palsie: he saw not only with the eye of his Divinity, but by their works, by the effects and fruits of it, he saw their faith: for they laid the sick man on a bed, brought him after Christ, and when they could not come near him for the multitude, they opened the roof, and let him down in his Couch before him: when Christ saw their faith, by these not able works, he healed the sick man. If thou wilt have Christ to heal thee, to save thee, thou must let him see thy faith by thy works. We read, Gen. 27.21.22. That old Isaac would not bless Jacob by his speech or voice only, but feels and handles him first; Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee my Son, whether thou be my very Son Esau or not; and when he found they were Esau's hands, he blessed him. So Christ will not pronounce his blessing upon us by out voice or words on­ly; Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the King­dom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. He will handle and seel us, and if he finde working hands, that we have been open-handed to his poor Saints, he will bless us, and give us the inheri­tance of his heavenly Kingdom. How should the remembrance of this stir us up to the practice of good deeds, to be alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord? for it is [...], according to our practice that Christ will reward us at the last day. So it is in the Evangelist, Mat. 16. 27. The word is for the most part taken in a good sense, and noteth an acting after the precepts of good manners; as a learned Critick noteth, Keck. in Ethic. [...], according to our works: So it is in Paul, Rom. 2.6. Therefore I will conclude with the same Apostle, 1 Tim. 6. 18, 19. Do good, and be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to com­municate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, and that ye may lay hold on eternal life.

2. Let the consideration of this also, turn our worldly ambition into an holy ambition; our earthly covetousness, into heavenly covetousness: we do contend and cover, who shall be chief here on earth; who shall sit highest at our Feasts, and have the chief place in the Synagogue; who shall out-strip others in gay Apparel; and who shall have most wealth and riches, and who shall have the stateliest houses. Oh then let us be as co­vetous, contentious and ambitious for heavenly glory, who shall have the [Page 16]highest seat, the chiefest place there, the fairest Mansion there: for there be many Mansions; In my Fathers house are many Mansions; there be up­per rooms, and there be lower rooms; there be higher seats, and there be lower seats, there is greater glory, and there is lesser glory: Let us therefore strive, who shall be most zealous of Gods glory here, so shall we be sure to have the more glorious reward here after; For God is a most just Judge, he will give to every man his right, he will render to every man according to his works; Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Let me crave your honourable patience to add a few words for applica­tion, and I have done: you have heard how we must all appear before this Almighty Judge, where wrong shall be righted, and right rewarded. Let this move us all in our several Callings and stations, to keep a good Conscience, and take heed to the thing that is right, which will bring peace at last; for if any man do wrong, he shall receive for the wrong he hath done, and there is no respect of persons with God.

In the first place, reverend and honourable Sages, ye who now sit on the Throne of Judgement to judge others: remember the day will quickly come, when ye must appear before a Judgement seat to be judged your selves: have that great Judge still before your eyes, his fear in your hearts, (as I doubt not but ye alwaies have) and let all your Actions be such, that ye may stand before him without fear, with joy and comfort at that day. Let not friends nor favour, passion nor affection cause you to de­cline to the right hand or to the left, remember the judgement is the Lords, in whose place ye sit; whose vice-gerents ye are on earth, let his ex­ample be the square of all your proceedings, your judgement like his, se­cundum norman Justitiae, according to the rule of Justice, equity and right; your charge is great, being well discharged, your reward's the greater: As St. Paul said, the Elders that Rule well, so the Judges that judge well, are worthy of double honour, they deserve it in this world; they shall be sure to have it in the future world; this impartial Judge will do right, and recompence them according to their works.

In the next place, worshipful and worthy Commissioners, ye which now sit Assistants on the Bench, let your actions be such, that ye may also sit as­sistants with this Heavenly Judge at the last day, and be in the number of the Saints (which the Lord in mercy grant.) St. Austin laid it to the charge of the old Romans, that they were more tender of their own ho­nour, than of the honour of their Gods; if any one had wrong'd a Senator, but in a word, he was sure to smoak for it; but they suffered their Poets to quip and whip their Gods, and never questioned them for it. I hope you are free from any such imputation; of being more forward in revenging your own wrongs, than Gods wrongs. Yet give me leave, humbly to put [Page 17]a case to you; If Drunkards, Blasphemers, Swearers, Adulterers, Riotous, Debauched, Atheistical, prophane persons, who forget the God that made them, and deny the Lord that bought them, who kick at his Word and worship, who scorne at holiness, and scoffe away Religion, and jest a­way holy Scripture, or directly cry it down, daring to Blaspheme and say, it is the voice of man, and not of God, as in truth it is, I Thes. 2.13. whose madness is manifest enough to all, and deserves a severe check. who swear away our mercies, and curse away our blessings, and drink away their healths, by drinking healths; and do what in them lies to damne their precious souls, having God damne me, more often than Lord have mercy, in their mouthes; who shew their sins like Sodom, and com­mit them with an Harlots face, without shame or blushing, by whom God is more dishonoured, than by any other; shall swarme in your several Divisions, perhaps in some of your Families, and yet be seldome or never questioned, censured, or punished, at least by some of you: Are ye not too slack in vindicating Gods honour? I appeal to your own hearts. Surely, a heavy clog will at last lye upon their Souls and Consciences, by whose connivence sin is nurtured and increased, when it is in their hand to restrain it. If ye will not do justice on them, the time is coming, when the great Lord-Chief-Justice of the world, will do justice both on you and them; on them for sinning, and on you for suffering them. For Shall not the Judge of all the World do right? A sad thing it is, (and sorry I am, I must speak this, to our shame) That a greater restraint should be put upon sin, and foul enormities, under the usurped powers, than under the true, just and lawful powers: Will ye so requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise? Is not he thy Father, that hath bought or redeemed and established thee? said Moses to Israel, Deut. 22.6. And shall we thus requite the Lord for the signal mercies, the great things, the wonders he hath done for us in the blessed restauration of our King, our Religion, Laws and liberties? God forbid. For this the mouth of the Adversary is open against us; (though they see not their own sins of stubbornness, disobedience, murmuring, Schism, Heresie, as vile in Gods sight, though not so visible to the world.) Yea, I fear, the Lord hath a Controversie with our Land for this, for this his fierce anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still, For this gird thee with sackcloath, O England, weep and howl; and let thine eyes run down with tears, night and day, and let them not cease. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation, till it be reformed.

But do ye desire to redress these abuses (as I hope you do?) then let me humbly commend to you, two or three directions. 1. Put in Execution the good laws more duely. 2. give good example your selves more sin­cerely. [Page 81]sincerely. 3. Lessen the occasions thereof more effectually; by taking away clandestine, blinde, and superfluous Ale-houses, the Pest-houses of the Nation. Let them not be like the head of Hydra, when one is cut off, two to start up in the place thereof. I have read of a certain street in Rome, called Vicus Sobrius, the sober street, perhaps because there was never a tippling-house in it; which is hard to be said of any street in England; but surely both our Towns, Streets, and Villages, would be more sober, if the number of these needless houses were diminished. The King of Meth, sometime in Ireland, asked one how certain noisome birds, that came flying into his Realm, and bred there, might be destroyed; who answered, nidos eorum ubique destruendos; that the only way to rid them out of the Land, was to destroy and pull down their nests. Do you desire to lessen the number of those noisome birds, and unclean beasts, that defile our Land? your best way is to pull down the nests, where they are brood­ed, the dens, where they are harboured; blind and base Ale-houses, which are the nests and Nurseries of all vices: There quarrels are bred, mur­thers occasioned, oaths coyned, robberies plotted, thieves harboured, whoredomes committed; and to conclude, they are the very dens and cages of all uncleanness.

Let me add one Word to Gamaliel, the learned of the Law, and all who relate to it; remember, the hour is coming, wherein they who plead for others, shall not plead for themselves; where unless they now work the Judge to be their friend, by keeping faith and a good consci­ence, they shall have none to plead for them. I say not to you, as our Saviour to those in his time, Woe be to you Lawyers, I hope better things of you and such as accompany salvation. Only give me leave to make a sup­position, if there bee any which blow up the coals of dissention among neighbours, to warm their own fingers at the fire; who tell their Client, his Cause is good, when in their conscience they know it to be stark naught; who say good is evil, and evil good; who put light for darkness, and dark­ness for light; sweet for bitter, and bitter for sweet; who make truth falshood, and falshood truth; whose tongues cannot move nimbly, and so by silence smother the poor mans right, because he hath but one Angel to move the waters; any Ambidexters, that can take fees on both sides; or for a larger fee, prove turn-coats, and go to the other side; vae illis, woe be to them! the time is at hand, when they will finde it no profit to gain a world, and lose a soul. There is one on high, that looks into their hearts, and sees their shuffling and jugling, their deceit and fraud, though never so secret from the world, and will discover all to their shame and confusion. I have heard of a certain kinde of writing, so cunningly [Page 19]framed in Paper, without any appearance, that it cannot possibly be read unless one hold it against the fire; then the letters and characters appear plain to the sight. Imagine this Paper to be a mans heart, the letters written therein, his thoughts, intents and purposes; which perhaps none can now discover, for no man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him: yet when we come to the fire at dooms day, all shall be laid open; when the heart and conscience shall be laid to the fire of the last Judgement, which shall try every mans work; the most re­served thoughts and aims thereof shall be made manifest; then God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart, 1 Cor. 4. 5. Yea, then he will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, Rom. 2. 16. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be known. Luk. 12. 2.

In the next place, Jury-men, stand forth and hear your charge; all good men and true, see ye be, look to your oaths, see you break them not; let not favour or affection, spleen or passion, draw you aside: perjury, a sin most dangerous, almost unpardonable, because the perjured person doth mortgage his soul to eternal damnation; desiring God so to help him, as he sweareth truly; so that if he fail in his oath, by not performing, if promissory; by not speaking the truth, and whole truth, if assertory, he de­sires no favour, no mercy at Gods hands; and then what a fearful case is he in? no favour he desires; and God will give him according to his desires, and to his deserts; let him be sure of it; for will not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Therefore in the last place, witnesses, and you that come to give evi­dence in any matter, be well advised, look before ye leap: if by a false oath, or false evidence, the innocent be oppressed, and Justice perverted, will not the Judge of all the world revenge it? yes surely, he is a just Judge against false witnesses, and false swearers; and threatens himself against false swearers, to be a swift witness, Mal. 3.5. Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 8. Eccles. hist. relateth a memorable example in this kind, upon three shame­less Varlets, who falsly accused Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, of a hainous crime, confirming it with desperate imprecations? the first wished, if it were not true, that he might be burnt to ashes; the second, that he might dye of the Jaundies; the third, that he might lose both his eyes. Inno­cent Narcissus, not being able to resist them, fled and hid himself: but shortly after God gave them their right; the first, by the fall of one spark of fire in the night, had himself and all his family consumed to ashes: the second was surrounded and tormented in his whole body, with the disease he wished, and dyed miserably; the third seeing their ends, and fearing [Page 20]vengeance, confessed the mischief, and mourned and wept for it, till at length he lost both his eyes: or if ye should escape in this world, will not vengeance attend you in the other? if ye sin against knowledge and con­science, is it not a double sin? and will it not be repaid with a double torment? yes, be sure it will; for the Judge of all the earth will do right.

I will shut up all with the Epilogue of Solomon, to his Book called Ecclesiastes, the two last verses. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; fear God, and keep bis Commandments, for this is the whole duty of man; for God shall bring every work into Judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

FINIS.

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