The Lord Jesus his commission (under the broad seal of His Highnes the Royal & Real Lord Protector of heaven and earth) as man, to be the alone judge of life and death in the great and general assize of the world proved and improved before the reverend judges at the assize holden at Maidstone, March 17, 1655 for the county of Kent / by Henry Symons. Symons, Henry, fl. 1657-1658. 1657 Approx. 114 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 28 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2012-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A62112 Wing S6360A ESTC R26957 09594134 ocm 09594134 43752

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A62112) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 43752) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1342:15) The Lord Jesus his commission (under the broad seal of His Highnes the Royal & Real Lord Protector of heaven and earth) as man, to be the alone judge of life and death in the great and general assize of the world proved and improved before the reverend judges at the assize holden at Maidstone, March 17, 1655 for the county of Kent / by Henry Symons. Symons, Henry, fl. 1657-1658. [4], 46 p. Printed by J.H. and are to be sold by H. Crips, London : 1657. At head of title: Agdridichasēs archidichasis. Reproduction of original in the Harvard University Library.

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eng Bible. -- N.T. -- Acts XVII, 31 -- Sermons. Sermons, English -- 17th century. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2011-09 Assigned for keying and markup 2011-09 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-10 Sampled and proofread 2011-10 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2012-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

THE Lord JESUS HIS COMMISSION (Under the Broad Seal of his HIGHNES THE Royal & Real Lord PROTECTOR of Heaven and Earth) as MAN, to be the alone JUDGE of Life and Death, in the Great and General ASSIZE of the WORLD;

Proved and Improved before the Reverend Judges AT THE Aſſize holden at Maidſtone, March 17, 1655. FOR THE COUNTY of KENT.

By HENRY SYMONS, M. A. and Miniſter of the Goſpel at Southfleet in KENT.

John 5. 22. 27.

For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son, and hath given him Authority to execute judgement alſo, becauſe he is the Son of man.

Hîc oſtendit, quòd in ea carne venit judicaturus, in qua venerat judicandus.

Aug. de Civ. Dei, lib. 20. c. 6.

Bene terrena declinat, qui propter divina deſcenderat, nec judex dignatur eſſe litium & arbiter facultatum, vivorum habens mortuorumque judicium.

Amb. Tom. 3. lib. 7. in Lue.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Sybil. Eryth. Vat. ut Euſeb.

London, Printed by J. H. & are to be ſold by H. Crips in Popes-head alley. 1657.

〈1 page duplicate〉
To the Truly Honourable HIS Deſervedly Honoured Friend Sr MICHAEL LIVESEY Baronet, High Sheriff of the COUNTY of KENT. Noble SIR,

IT is my ambition to put, not my Sermon, but my Service in Print; ſo much I ſtand ingaged to your Honour, that it's not the Dedication of my Sermon, but of my ſelf, that will ſatisfie you, nor that neither. I know this Criticall, or rather Hypercriticall, I had almoſt ſaid, Hypocriticall age, will cenſure and ſlander me for pride and preſumption in appearing ſo publickly, but the Orator hath made my Sen. de Ben. lib. 2. cap. 23. Apology; Furtivè gratias agunt qui in angulo & in aurem. They that give private thanks for publick favours; commit a theft for which they deſerve (though not to be burned in the hand) yet to be branded in their name for ingratitude. This hath cauſed me to proclaim my indearments and indebtments upon the houſe top. It was my fear once (what was Furnius to Auguſtus Caeſar) Ne morerer ingratus. I have laid hold Eraſm. Apoth. lib. 7. therefore on this lock of opportunity, to publiſh to the world, what ground I had to render ſuch a Teſtimony of Gratitude. When I deſigned my ſelf and Miniſterial ſervice for Briſtol, and to baniſh my ſelf from mine own native Country, by a perpetual Oſtraciſm. and to ſay that which was written upon the Tomb-ſtone of Scipio Africanus, Ingrata patria, ne oſſa quidem Val. Max. lib. 5. cap. 3. mea habes: unſought to, unſent to, on my part, you Barracado'd up my way with Southfleet Living: Since which time I have fallen (fato neſcio quo iniquo) between the two Mil-ſtones of this age, Cavaliers and Cavellers, I mean, prophane ſinners, and proud Sectaries, who endeavoured to grinde me to powder; you alwaies interpoſed your ſelf to keep me from the malice of the one, and the malignancy of the other. Theſe ſtorms alaid, perceiving that moſt mens conſciences were ſo feſtered with corruptions, that they hate him who rebuketh in the gate, and abhorre him that ſpeaketh uprightly, Amos 5. 10. I reſolved to ſilence my ſelf, becauſe it was an evil time, ver. 13. and to obſerve that rule, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to hide my ſelf in ſome dark cloud or corner, and never to have appeared in publick any more; but to have concluded with Luther's Vadat mundus, ſicut vadit, nam vult vadere, ſicut vadit. You then ſued me with a Latitat, and cauſed my perſonal appearance before the Judges, to anſwer ſe defendendo. Sir, that ſuch a broken potſheard (who did as little deſire, as deſerve to act any part on ſuch a publick Theater) ſhould be cull'd and call'd out by you, muſt needs publiſh, your judgement was very weak, or your affection was very ſtrong. And becauſe there is a Noverint univerſi upon your judgement, for the ſolidneſs of it, I muſt acknowledge it was the vail of your Love that covered my many defects and deficiencies for ſuch an imployment. You have been a faſt and faithfull friend to me at all turns and times; You are none of thoſe Glowworm Amico's (with which this age more abounds, than Nilus with Crocodiles) who promiſe and pretend much light and heat of love and affection, but being touched and tried, have neither; but only the ſqualid and noiſom matter of Your ſervant Sir. You ſtood by me when it was little leſs than Treaſon to own a Miniſter, who had ſincerely begun with the Parliament-Cauſe, and did ſeriouſly endeavour to keep the Parliament-Covenant. Wherefore having more reaſon, than ever Aeſchines had to Socrates, I Dedicate and Devote my ſelf wholly to your ſervice. This acknowledgement had come out ſooner, but that you were ſo ſerious and ſedulous to do your Country ſervice, that you could not but have returned Antipaters 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : But now hoping you ſhall have leave and leaſure for ſoulaffairs, I preſent that to you in whole, which you heard but in part. Time was (by the Judges command) not Executor to, but Executioner of my Text, the glaſs was the fatall Atropos, to cut aſunder the life-thred of my Sermon, ſo that I was Autor operis imperfecti, I therefore here lay it forth, in the true method it was compoſed. I preached it to you then to be a Star to guide you in your preſent place, I preſent it to you now, to be a fiery Pillar to lead and lighten you in your future pilgrimage. Sir, be pleaſed to let this Sermon be another Jerom's Trumpet, to ſound Judgements Alarum alwaies in your ears; I can aſſure you it will be of ſerious conſequence to you in your life, and of ſweet conſolation to you in your death. But not to create further trouble (verbum ſapienti) I ſhall winde up all upon the quill of thoſe words, which were Pauls Prayer for good Oneſiphorus, The Lord grant unto you that you may finde mercy of the Lord in that day, 2 Tim. 1. 18. Which is the daily Prayer of

Your obliged Chaplain, HENRY SYMONS. From my Study in Southfleet, Nov. 1. 1657.

Reader, The abſence of the Author, and his inconvenient diſtance from London, hath occaſioned ſome leſſer miſtakes in this Sermon, which thou art deſired to amend Thus:

Errata.

Page 2. line 9. for prophane, read profound. p. 3. l. 9. r. ſuperficiem. p. 11. l. 15. r. principall. p. 16. l. 30. r. Syſamnes. p. 24. l. 27. r. qui. p. 25. l. 19. r. taken in adultery. p. 26. l. 38. r. faith. p. 27. l. 22. r. center. p. 31. l. 5. r. Pſal. 50. v. 21. p. 32. l. 9. r. Arithuſa. p. 34. l. 16. r. generall.

The Text. ACTS 17. 31. Becauſe he hath appointed a Day in the which he will Judge the world in righteouſneſs, by that Man whom he hath ordained.

PAul being perſecuted by the envious Jews from Theſſalonica, v. 5. and proſecuted by them to Berea, v. 13. is carried by providence to Athens, v. 15. A place not more Famous for Learning, than Infamous for Superſtition: which Paul perceiving, his heart fired, the flame whereof vented at his tongue againſt their Idolatry, v. 16, 17

The Philoſophers readily encounter him, being joyfull to meet with any Champion that will combat with them, verſ. 18.

With all celerity, yet civility they carry him to Areopagus, the higheſt Court in Athens, v. 19. where he ſtanding up in the midſt of Mars-hill, makes a moſt Elegant and Eloquent Oration, ſtuft with ſo much Rhetorick, ſtrengthned with ſo much Reaſon, that they might have ſaid, as Julian did of Chriſtians uſing the Heathens Learning, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Like birds we are wounded with Arrows headed with our own Feathers. Here I might take occaſion to acquaint you with the excellency and neceſſity of Oratory, as a hand-maid to Divinity; but I am not now in the Rhetorick Schools.

I ſhall leave the Rhetorical part, and inſiſt on the Rational, in which Paul labours two things:

1. To convince them by Reaſon. 2. To convert them to Religion.

1. He ſpreads before them a draft of their own folly, ſhewing the Maſters of Reaſon had forfeited their Reaſon, that ſuch prophane Philoſophers ſhould worſhip a God, that they know not whence he is, what he is, who he is, where he is: that a Bill ſhould be ſent to the Grand Jury of Philoſophers about that God that gives Being, Breathing, and every bleſſing, and they ſhould return an Ignoramus. Lucian (the Praevaricator in his age) did obſerve, that the very Clowns and Corydons, neighbours to them, did deride the Philoſophers, by ſwearing by him that was unknown at Athens.

2. He preſſes on them their Being from in God:

Which he confirms by one of their Prophets, but as we term them, their Poets;

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . v. 28. A piece of Aratus an Heatheniſh Poet very delightfull to King Antiochus in his daies.

Obſ. A piece of an Heatheniſh Poet is in the Scripture: What offence then can it be to be in a Sermon. We have three ſingular and ſweet Arguments couched up in this Diſcourſe.

1. God made you, therefore you cannot make God.

2. God made you of better matter and mettal than gold and ſilver, wood and ſtone; now if a living Man be better than any Picture or Statue whatever, then it much proclaims your vanity and weakneſs to make a God of that which is farre below your ſelves.

3. He made you of his Race and Kin, according to your nobler part (that divinae aurae particula) your Soul, therefore your worſhip of him muſt be ſuch as principally flows from that, viz. pure and ſpiritual worſhip; as Cato, though a Heathen, could affirm.

Si Deus eſt animus (nobis ut carmina dicunt) Hic tibi praecipue ſit pura mente colendus.

Having wrought conviction, he endeavours converſion, by preſſing and perſwading them to Repentance, from the great and general command of God, ver. 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 i. e. ſuperficium tantum intuens. Sanct. every where to repent: i. e. God was pleaſed once to be an Overſeer to the world, but now he is Lord High Conſtable of the world, to command you to repent.

Obſ. Repentance for ſinne is the firſt and great Goſpel duty. Paul preſſes this Inprimis upon the Philoſophers, from Gods univerſal command both of perſons and places, All men, every where, to repent: How doth this beat down the flag of the Antinomians, or rather Autonomians, who ſay it is ſo far from a Goſpel duty to repent for ſin, that it is a ſin for to repent.

In my Text he gives the reaſon why it is ſo neceſſary to repent, becauſe of that rigid Judge, and righteous judgement, that are ſurely and certainly to come, Becauſe he hath appointed a Day.

Doct. It will be a dangerous and dreadfull thing for Philoſophers, Orators, Maſters of Reaſon, the wiſest and wittieſt of men to be found in a ſtate of ſinne and ſuperſtition in the day of Judgement.

The words in themſelves are a lively deſcription of the great and general Aſſize.

There are three things to be done about them.

1. Explication of the Terms. 2. Diviſion of the Text. 3. Deduction of the Truths.

Firſt, To explicate and unfold.

1. He hath appointed: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 poſuit; he hath put it among the Records of heaven, in his eternal Decree hath fixed it.

2. A, Day: preciſely a day artificial ſet and ſhort; we reade of leſſe, not of more, Matth. 24. 36. Of that day and hour.

3. To judge: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , divide and ſeparate (ſi proprie, Paſor.) Judicio Diſcuſſionis, Retributionis, Aquin.

4. The World: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , orbem terrarum, the rational, but ſinfull world: vile Angels, wicked men.

5. In righteouſueſſe: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in equity; a vertue highly valued among the Heathen, that the Philoſopher ſaies of it, it out ſhines the evening and morning Starre, and concludes with Theognis,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ariſt. 5to Eth. cap. 3.

6. By that man: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an Hebraiſm, Piſcat. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , very uſual in the Scripture, Lor. in loc.

1. Man, i. e. the nature and ſhape of a man, perfect man, though more perfect than any man: Virum attamen ut ſupra virum. Orig. in Matth. 1.

2. That man.

1. Per modum excellentiae, that good man; Job 1. 1. There was a man in the land of Ʋz, i. e. one good man among many bad in Edom and Idumaea.

2. Per modum eminentiae, that great man, i. e. a Judge in power and authority, a Magiſtrate Civil or Military.

Arma virum que cano. Virgil. Aen. 1.

Num. 27. 16. Set a man over the Congregation.

3. Per modum conjunctionis, that good man, that great man, that Iſh, as Criticks obſerve; a man of men fitted to honour God and govern men. Jer. 5. 1. Runne ye to and fro thorow the ſtreets of Jeruſalem, and ſee now if you can finde a man; ſurely no hard matter in ſuch a thronged City as Jeruſalem was, to finde a man, but ſuch a man (qualem vix reperit unum) as God requires, a good and great man: This is a ſweet and happy conjunction, when great men are good men, and when good men are great men; farre better than Plato's Commonwealth, ubi Philoſophi ſunt reges, & reges Philoſophantur.

7. Whom he hath ordained: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Greciſm, Piſcat. Per quem decreverat, Vatab.

Obſ. That man whom God hath anointed to be mans Saviour, he hath alſo appointed to be mans Judge.

Secondly, To divide the Text; in which are five parts.

1. The Author and Ordainer, he that commands Repentance, God. 2. The circumſtance of time, a day. 3. The felons to be adjudged, the world. 4. The manner how, in righteouſneſſe. 5. The Judge, who? that man whom God hath ordained.

Thirdly, To deduce and derive the Truths, which though they are very many, yet I ſhall contract, or rather extract the vertue of theſe five parts, into this quinteſſential Doctrine:

Doct. That God hath given that man Chriſt Jeſus, the power and prerogative for the judicial tranſactions of the day of judgement.

In the profecution of this Point I ſhall ſhew you,

1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , That it is ſo. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Why it is ſo. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , How he is ſo.

Firſt, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , That it is ſo: And here I ſhall ſummon both Law and Goſpel to give in their evidence to confirm this Truth.

I. The Law, which ſaies it can witneſs, that Enoch the ſeventh from Adam prophecied, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thouſand of his Saints to execute judgement upon all, Jude 14.

Give me leave to make the beſt of my witneſſes evidence; and this I ſhall do in four particulars.

1. Obſerve the antiquity of this Truth, Enoch the ſeventh Omne vetuſtum venerandum. from Adam (i. e. in that particular direct line) who lived (as Chronologers affirm) 306 years in Adams daies.

Obſ. The end of the world was preached and propheſied in the beginning of the world.

2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Ecce behold, particula inſerviens ad indicandum, incitandum, Ravan.

1. Not only for admiration of a thing as moſt wonderfull, Iſa. 7. 14. Behold a Virgin ſhall conceive a child.

2. But alſo for attention to a thing as moſt certain, Matth. 28. 7. Behold he goeth before you into Galilee. So here.

3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Lord, Perſonally, not Eſſentially. See who this Lord is, 2 Theſſ. 1. 7. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels.

4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He comes, the preſent for the future tenſe, to intimate (ſaies Mr. Perkins) to us the certainty of his coming: the ſenſe is, he ſhall as certainly come, as if he were now a coming.

II. The Law juſtifies, that Solomon the wiſeſt Prince and Preacher avows and avers it, in his recantation Sermon, Eccleſ. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth, and walk in the waies of thy heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes, but know thou that for all theſe things, God will bring thee into judgement. Verba haec valde emphatica. The words are ironical, and are Lavater. a ſmart jeer to the Hectors and Ranters of his age: He does as Hoſts, ſerve in great cheer, but withall, ſends after a ſawcy reckoning; Venite ad judicium.

2. Crier, Call in the Goſpel that that may teſtifie, or rather terrifie with its witneſſe.

1. That affirms, it is one of the firſt principles in every beleevers Catechiſm, Heb. 6, 2. and of eternal judgement. Contra principia negantem non eſt disputandum. Now to deny a principle in the Schools, much more in the Scriptures, is a groſſe and grievous Soleciſm.

2. It can teſtifie that its a Statute-Law that was never yet repealed, nor ever ſhall be, Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgement. This Statute ſtands in force as much for Judgement as for Death; Judgement is as ſure as death. Perhaps you will ſay, this witneſſe ſpeaks not home to the point and purpoſe; It ſpeaks enough to prove a day of judgement, but nothing to prove Chriſt to be Judge in that day, Though Judge and day of judgement be relata, and one doth neceſſarily imply the other; Poſito uno relatorum ponitur et alterum. ſo that I ſhould not need to produce farther teſtimony; yet to let you ſee what a full witneſs the Goſpel is, you ſhall have it proved totidem verbis, Rom. 2. 16. In the day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt, according to my Goſpel. 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jeſus Christ, who ſhall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing.

Secondly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Why ſo; here paſſing by many reaſons, drawn;

1. From the pleaſure of God to conferre this royalty. 2. From the excellency of his perſon. 3. From the fitneſs of his ſpirit. 4. From the conveniency of his affinity. 5. From the end of his death and reſurrection. 6. From the rectitude of his viſion. 7. From the merit of his deſert, appretiativè: all which you may finde in Aquin: ſum. part 3. queſt. 59. art. 2. in concluſ. 8. I ſhall only inſiſt on the equity of it; why this man ſhould be Judge, he hath ſuffered and ſuſteined infinite and unparralleld injuries and indignities. 1. He was all his life ſlandred, ſcorned, ſcoffed, perſecuted. 2. He was baſely, barbarouſly, falſely, unjuſtly, ignominiouſly put to death by the High Court of Juſtice, where of Pontius Pilate was Lord Preſident. 3. He hath ever ſince his reſurrection and aſcenſion been kept from his throne in Kingdomes and Conſciences.

1. Kingdomes.

1. Tartaria, puts up the Divell. 2. Turkey, Mahomet that impoſtor. 3. Jewes, their Moſes. 4. Rome and the greateſt part of Europe, Antichriſt. Rev. 13. 13. 5. England, and thoſe places that have caſt off all theſe, yet doe not ſet up Chriſt, but doe in ſome ſence worſe than they, for many defie Chriſt, deny Scripture, breake Covenants, abuſe liberty, ſlight Magiſtrates, deſpiſe Miniſters, contemne Ordinances, hate the godly, live as if hell it ſelfe were broke looſe, or as if this were the time of Sathans being looſed from his thouſand yeares confinement and impriſonment, to be their deare and dread Soveraigne. Rev. 20. 3.

2. In Conſciences; how is Chriſt put by his throne in every mans heart? what ſtrange Soveraignes doe they ſerve and ſubmit to? Sin, Sathan, World.

Haec tria, pro trino numine.

How daily is Chriſt crucified by ſin, Heb. 6. 6. how often is his blood ſhed profanely by unworthy receiving the Sacrament? Therefore it is but juſt and equitable, that that man and Maſter, that ſupreame Soveraigne ſhould come to account with the world in generall, and with every perſon in particular, for theſe affronts and inſolencies, that thoſe his enemies that would not have this man to reigne over them, ſhould be brought forth and ſlaine before his face, Luk. 19. 27. It is moſt juſt that thoſe who would not be ruled by his Scepter, ſhould be ruined by his Sword.

Thirdly; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; How ſo, or what manner of Judge he will be, ſuch a Judge as never rode Circuit in the world before.

1. He is the ſupreame Judge, Rev. 19. 16. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the Lord Cheife Juſtice of the King of Heavens Bench, that ſheafe in Joſephs viſion, unto which all the reſt give obeyſance.

2. Sole Judge, none joyned in Commiſſion with him, John 5. 22. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement to the Son. It is true, God the Father judges autoritativè, Saints interpretativè, but Chriſt only executivè.

3. Univerſall Judge; Judge of all fleſh, Gen: 18. 25. and more too, orbis terrarum, of the Divels alſo, whether they be in the center of the earth, or in what ever region of the aire. Heb. 12. 23. The Judge of all. Rom. 14. 10. We ſhall all ſtand before the Judgement ſeat of Chriſt: Emperours, Popes, Princes, Potentates, Peaſants, all muſt hold up their hands at his barre to be tried for their lives.

4. An omniſcient and all-knowing Judge; he is ſagax animi, he hath notitiam legis & facti, he knows every point and punctilio in the Law, every act and accent of mens ſins. Rev. 2. 2. I know thy works, whether good or bad, the time when, the place where, the parties with whom, the manner how, the end wherefore. Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open to him with whom wee have to doe. An alluſion to Anatomizing, wherein every veine and muſcle is ſeene. Chriſts eyes are more ſeeing and ſearching than the Sunne (that oculus mundi) the worlds overſeer. Rev. 2. 23. And all the Churches ſhall know, that I am he which ſearcheth the reines and the hearts.

5. A powerfull Judge; no evading, nor avoiding his ſummons or ſentence, no Non eſt inventus, can be returned, if in earth, aire, ſea, or hell, Chriſt will finde him, and fetch him out. Pſal. 139. 9, 10. Wee muſt all appeare, 2 Cor. 5. 10. Nolens volens Chriſt will fetch and force every one; Heu miſer quo fugias latere er it impoſſibile, apparere intolerabile. Anſel:

6. A viſible Judge; he ſhall come not only by his power and ſpirit (as was Origens opinion) but alſo propria perſona, in his humane nature (though glorified) which he had here on earth. Rev. 1. 7. Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye ſhall ſee him, and they alſo which peirced him.

7. A glorious Judge; hee ſhall come attended with all the pompe and power of heaven, Matth. 25. 31. The clouds ſhall be his Chariots, innumerable regiments of glorious Angels his guard, the Arch-angel his Trumpeter, to ſound an alarum to dead, and dread the hearts of all impenitent wretches. I wonder not the Sunne ſhall be turned into darkneſs that day, Matth. 24. 29. When the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhall diſplay his glorious rayes. Omne majus lumen extinguit minus.

8. A convincing and cleering Judge, Jude 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Forenſicall word uſed in Courts of judicature, ſignifying to prove a crime againſt one cleerely, evidently, unanſwerably, that nothing can be objected againſt the proofe; people ſhall ſet their hands and ſeales to their own execution.

9. A righteous Judge; 2 Tim. 4. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the only righteous Judge, who is not, cannot be moved, nec prece, nec praetio, no ſparing, no partiality, no favour, no affection, no feare, but ſuum cui que . Rom. 2. 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds and deſerts.

10. A ſpeedy and expeditious Judge.

1. Hee will come unexpectedly. 2. Hee will have done ſuddainely.

1. Hee comes unexpectedly. Chriſts coming is compared to a ſnare, Luke 21. 35. how quickly is the poore bird in a ſnare when it little expects it, Fiſtula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit auceps. It is likewiſe ſet forth from a theifs coming in the night, 1 Theſ. 5. 1, 2.

Ʋt jugulent homines ſurgunt de nocte latrones. Juvenal:

When men are faſt aſleepe, and little dream of them; yea our Saviour tells us he ſhall come as the flood upon the old world, Matth. 24. 37, 38. in the ſpring time when things were in their prime and pride, when nothing was feared or expected.

2. Hee will diſpatch ſuddainely; there will be no need of Empannelling Juries, ſwearing witneſſes, pleading of Counſels, but every one ſhall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , every mans conſcience ſhall be witnes, Jury, Judge, Quà fiat ut Aug. cui que opera ſua bona vel mala cuncta in memoriam revocentur, & mentis intuitu mira celeritate cernantur. Matth. 22. 12, 13. Friend how cameſt thou in, not having on thy wedding garment? and he was ſpeechleſs, and he ſaid, take him, and bind him hand and foot, and caſt him into utter darkneſs, where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.

11. A dreadfull and terrible Judge; one that comes in fury, 2 Theſ. 2. 8. in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Rev. 6. 16, 17. And ſaid to the Mountaines and Rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him that ſits on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand?

12. The ultimate and laſt Judge; after him never comes another Judge; Wee read Exit tyrannus, regum ultimus: yet it may be poſſible, yea probable that another may come after him, notwithſtanding that Propheſie.

Mars, Puer, Alecto, Virgo, Vulpes, Leo, Nullus.

But after Chriſt, no more aſſize or Seſſions, Judge or Jury: the ſtage of this world once burnt downe like Jeruſalems Temple, it can never be built up againe: in this ſence Chriſt is an eternall Judge, becauſe his ſentence ſtands, never to be revoked to all eternity.

And thus have I done with the explicatory, to come to the applicatory part, wherein I ſhall be ſomewhat longer, for it is my intention this day to be like a Jewes debter, to give more for uſe than the principle comes to.

This truth will be very uſefull and profitable for a ſixfold end: it is

1. A Taper, to inlighten our underſtandings by information. 2. A Touchſtone, to try our ſpirits by examination. 3. A Trumpet, to alarum and awaken all ſupine and ſecure ſinners by terrification. 4. A Fire, to kindle and inflame the affections of the godly by exhortation. 5. A Starre, to guide us to the uſe of meanes by direction. 6. A Cordiall, to comfort all drooping languiſhing ſpirits by conſolation.

Ʋſe 1. It informes us eight things.

1 Information: Is to ſhew us the vanity & folly of thoſe people, that either think, or ſay, That thoſe Miniſters who ſpend their time in preaching judgement, ſhew they want judgement in their preaching; was not Paul a judicious preacher? yet he here before the ſage and ſubtile Philoſophers, preſſes repentance upon them from the conſideration of this Judge and Judgement; yea, when he preached before the Judges, he preached ſuch a thundring Sermon of judgement, that he made the Judges heart to tremble, Act. 24. 25. the Judge ſtood ſo arraigned at the barre of his owne conſcience, that you would have thought the Judge had been the malefactor, and the priſoner the Judge. I am confident there never was a time that more cal'd for the preaching of the certainty of judgement, and the ſeverity of the Judge, then theſe times doe. Of which I may truely ſay with him, moſt people metum et memoriam ultimi Aug: Serm. 120. de temp. judicij amiſêrunt, never was there a time when this ſubject was leſſe beleeved, or leſſe beloved. Certainly, if Chryſoſtome were (according to his then fancy) to preach to the whole world, he would leave his old text, (of Pſal. 4. 2. How long will you love vanity?) and preach Chriſts judiciary power and proceedings, againſt carnall, formall, and hypocriticall Goſpellers; it were very needfull to preach on this ſubject every Sermon, to print every Sermon that is preached, to fill Churches, ſhops, ſtalls, houſes, holes with them, to dog curſed miſcreants (as that good man did his Atheiſtical ſon Junius, with Bibles) untill they are apprehended with this Hue and Cry. But to cloſe and conclude, there is enough in that text to anſwer all cavills and ſcruples. Act. 10. 42. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to teſtifie that it is he which was ordeined of God to be the Judge of quicke and dead. If Chriſts coming be ſo nigh as 1656. as was ſtrongly (though ſtrangely) aſſerted by an admired Rabbi at Pauls not long ſince, as you may finde it quoted in the Atheiſt Bible, I meane in Lillyes Almanacke; then ſurely it is high time to alarum dead and drowſie ſinners by the Goſpels Trumpet, before they are ſummoned by the Archangels Trumpet.

Inform. 2. That few perſons will be found judgement-proof when they hold up their hands at the Bar before this ſo rigid and ſo righteous a Judge.

Moſt men and women will not know (as Bellizarius Procop. once told the proud Embaſſadors of the Goths) where to hide their heads.

Hear that dreadfull and direfull text able to ſtrike you dead for fear, which I take with learned Diodate, to be underſtood of this Judge and judgement, Rev. 6. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. And I beheld when he had opened the ſixth Seal, and lo, there was a great Earth-quake, and the Sun became black as Sackcloth of haire, and the Moon became as blood. And the ſtars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a Fig-tree caſteth her untimely Figs when ſhe is ſhaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a ſcroll, when it is rolled together. And every Mountain and Iſland were moved out of their places. And the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man hid themſelves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains; and ſaid to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that ſitteth on the Throne, and from the face of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand?

Thoſe men that when on earth were not afraid of the noyſe of a Lion, are now affrigted at the voice of a Lamb. Thoſe before whoſe wrath none were able to ſtand, themſelves now are not able to ſtand before the wrath of Chriſt. But not to inſiſt on generals, to deſcend to particular Generalia non pungunt. perſons, as they are expreſſed and implied in this text.

1. To begin with Miniſters (that you may ſee I am not partiall) do we make ſuch full proof of our Miniſtery, as 2 Tim. 4. 5. that we may be judgement-proof? How few of us that are able Miniſters of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3. 6. That ſtudy to approve our ſelves to God, workmen that need not to be aſhamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, 2 Tim. 2. 15. That preach Chriſt crucified, 1 Cor. 1. 23. that make manifeſt the myſtery of Chriſt, as we ought to ſpeak, Col. 4. 4. not with enticing words of mans wiſdom, but in the demonſtration of the Spirit, and of power, 1 Cor. 2. 4. that cry aloud and ſpare not, and lift up our voyces like trumpets, and ſhew the people their tranſgreſſion, and the houſe of Jacob their ſins, Iſai. 58. 1. That make a difference and diſtinction in our praying and preaching, and take forth the pretious from the vile, Jerem. 15. 19. that will not give the childrens bread to doggs. In a word, that can wade through honour and diſhonour, evill report and good report, 2 Cor. 68. not puft up with the one, nor dejected by the other. But to uſe Pompey's verſes,

Non me videre ſuperbum Proſpera fatorum, nec fractum adverſa videbunt.

Proh dolor! How few Luthers ſhall you find that weigh Satanas ſit Lutherus, modo Chriſtus regnet. nor value not their names! Ridleies that repent of ſpending too much of their time at Cheſſe-playing! Ignatius's, ſo ſtudious and yet ſo pious, that every time they hear the clock ſtrike, ſay, there is one hour more for them to anſwer for! Chryſoſtom's that had rather have their bodies torn aſunder with wild beaſts, than give Chriſts body to be torn aſunder by men worſe than wild beaſts! Auguſtin's that deſire God may finde them preaching or praying in that day. Cyprians, whoſe thoughts of the day of judgement, make them forget the day of their martyrdome. Nazianzens, whoſe thoughts of their laſt accounts dry up their marrow, and waſt their bones. Though I would not make that doubt which Chryſoſtome did in a Sermon of his to the Miniſters, Whether any of them could poſſibly be ſaved? yet this I may ſafely ſay, that every one of us have great cauſe to fear (who have not preached to others, or not preached to others as we ought) that we ſhall be found caſt-awayes, 1 Cor. 9 27.

2. Kings and ſupream Magiſtrates who are mentioned in the text, how few of them are Patres Patriae, as the Heathen called them, and as the holy Ghoſt explains it, Iſai. 4 23. Nurſing-fathers, whoſe care of, and compaſſion to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quaſi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . their people, is the ſame with Fathers to their children, that impoveriſh them not by taxes, exciſes, oppreſſions, but endeavour to enrich them, counting their peoples wealth their beſt treaſury; as King James gives advice to his ſon Prince Henry in his book called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Hinc illae lachrymae: Moſt of ſupream Rulers are as Pliny ſpake of the Roman Emperours, Nomine Dii, natura Diaboli, monſters not men, murtherers not Magiſtrates; witneſs Saul, who when he had forfeited his Kingdome by ſparing Agag, how doth he hunt David as a Partridge in the mountains, ſlayes the innocent Prieſts, runs to a Witch at Endor.

Witneſs Herod, who preferred one Coranto of that Minion Herodias daughter, before the pretious life of John Baptiſt, of whoſe godlineſſe he was convinced in his own conſcience. Beſides this, our Engliſh Chronicles afford us too much ſad matter for this ſubject; witneſs Henry 4. and Richard 3 I profeſs I have often admired at the madneſs and folly of many, who will jeopardize their eſtates, lives and ſouls for ſuch perſons, who came to their places by unjuſt depoſings, poyſonings, perjuries, murder, inceſt; who carried themſelves in their places with pride, prophaneſs, luſt and luxury, tyranny, oppreſſion, exaction, their lives being the beſt comment on that text, Dan. 4. 17. God ſetteth over Kingdomes the baſeſt of men. God gives the kingdomes of the earth to them he never intends to give the Kingdom of heaven. To conclude this truth with that meſſage which godly Mr. Buchanon ſent to King James when he lay a dying: Remember me to him, and tell him, I am going to a place where few Kings come. Kings are as rare meat in heaven, as Veniſon in poor mens kitchins, as it is in the Dutch Proverb.

3. Judges, how few of them that find others not judgement-proof, will be found judgement-proof themſelves? they are Kings creatures, who as their maſters and makers are uſually bad, ſo they are ſeldome good. Zeph 3. 3. Her Princes within her are roaring Lions, her Judges are evening Wolves. Where Princes are Lions for their power, and roaring for their prey, there likewiſe are the Judges Wolves (crudelium emblemata) they fleece, they flaw, they feed, they feaſt themſelves upon the poor Clients, as Wolves do upon ſheep and Lambs, and they are evening Wolves that have had no prey, very ravening and rapacious, Luke 18. 2. Our Saviour tells us there was in a Citie a Judge that feared not God nor regarded man: Oh how happy had the world been if there had been but one Judge thus corrupted, and one Citie thus abuſed! but alas! how have all Kingdomes, Cities, Counties been peſtered with multitudes of ſuch Judges as have neither piety towards God, nor pitie towards man; Divine writ, humane Hiſtories; yea, our own Chronicles abound with Exempli gratia's of them, Pſalm 82. 2, 3, 4, 5. How long will yee judge unjuſtly, and accept the perſons of the wicked? Defend the poor and fatherleſs; do juſtice to the afflicted and needy, deliver the poor and needy, rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they underſtand, they walk on in darkneſs; all the foundations of the earth are out of courſe.

What ſhould I trouble you with them, who troubled others while they lived, with injuſtice, oppreſſion; as Felix who looked for a bribe of Paul, Acts 24. 25, 26, 27. Ananias who commanded Paul to be ſmitten, Acts 23. 2, 3. Gallio who ſuffered Paul to be beaten, and cared not for it, Acts 18. 17. But eſpecially above all, the Lord chief Juſtice of unjuſt Judges (Pilate) who was warned of his wife, knew that out of malice the Jewes had delivered Chriſt, profeſſed upon all he heard, and had examined, he found no fault in him; yea, he had terrors of conſcience upon him that made him afraid, and yet to continue Caeſars friend, he is an enemy to Chriſt, juſtice and his own ſoul, John 19. 6, Matth. 27. 18, 19. 8, 12, 13, 14, 15.

As for humane Hiſtories, Surely Perſia was peſtred with multitudes of ſuch Judges, that Cambyſes their King was forced to put Silanes to death, and command his skin to be pluckt off, and to be nailed to the Tribunall, and put Olanes his ſon to be ſet on his Fathers Throne, that both he and all other Judges might ever after be afraid to be unrighteous Judges. Surely Rome was much infected, that Alexander was forced according to his Sur-name, to be Severus, Lamprid. in Sever. to ſmother Taurinus a corrupt Judge with ſmoak, commanding the Praeco to cry, Fumo pereat, qui fumum vendidit.

But our hiſtories afford us too too many inſtances of the bribery, injuſtice, partiality of Judges. I ſhall read their charge in the words of the Author, Britannia habet Judices Gild. de excid. Brit. orth. pag. 1010. protegentes, &c. Britain hath Judges protecting (but to wit) protecting the guilty, robbers, adulterers, ſwearers, forſwearers. I am loath ulcus refricare, elſe I could eaſily prove, that one of the greateſt cauſes of our late miſeries, was the corruption of our Judges. But diſ-gratias a Writ of eaſe is iſſued out againſt ſuch Judges.

4. Lawyers, how few of them that truly plead the cauſes of their Clients without fraud or falſhood: How few of them do (as Pericles did to his gods) pray to the Lord to ſet a watch before their mouth, and to keep the door of their lips. How do they make the Law (which is the Wall to fence off the people propriety) a broken, bowing, bending Wall, ſometime to this ſide, ſometime to that, to this ſenſe and that ſenſe, as it will at that time beſt fit their turns; How few but make

Candida de nigris, & de candentibus atra.

Evill, good; and good, evill; make darkneſs light, and light Iſai. 5. 2. darkneſs. How few but parget over rotten cauſes with the made mortar of the Law, whereby they appear white and ſound. I have often admired why the Lawyer in behalf of his fraternity, took diſtaſte at our Saviours reproving the Scribes and Phariſees for being graves, that which appears not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them; and all that ſatisfies me is, that his conſcience flew in his face, and accuſed him that he and they were thoſe graves, that with flouriſh't words, as with graſſe, did cover rotten and ſtinking carcaſſes and Cauſes, of which Juries were not aware: they care not what cauſe they plead in, nor who the Client is they plead for, nor who the party they Acts 24. 12. plead againſt. Aperi burſam, & ego aperiam buccam. If the client will open his purſe mouth wide for his Lawyer, his Lawyer wil open his mouth wide for his Client; and ſo make good that ſad and ſtrange ſaying of that famous Lawyer Neveſſan, He that will not venture his body, will never be valiant; and he that will not venture his ſoul will never be wealthy.

5. Souldiers, how degenerated are they from the firſt Army of believers that was raiſed as we read of in the Scripture, Gen. 14. 14. Abraham Captain General of all thoſe forces that reſcued Lot. Where take notice of two particulars.

1. The Generall doth not detain, nor ſuffer to be detained any of Lots, or of the King of Sodoms goods: It's a Martiall law made ſince Abrahams time, that goods of their own party taken by the enemy, and retaken by their own forces, ſhould loſe their propriety. See v. 16.

2. He doth not plead nor pretend an abſolute conqueſt, he would have ſmiled at ſuch a Riddle, yea hiſt at ſuch a paradox, that thoſe who went out with him in their perſons, or ſtaid at home, and ſent to him their purſes, and ſent up to heaven for him their prayers, ſhould be accounted a conquered nation. Caeſar wiſhed he had ſuch Souldiers as were in Alexanders dayes; we may ſay, oh that we had ſuch Souldiers as were in Abrahams dayes. But we find the Poet a Prophet,

Nulla fides, pietaſ que viris qui caſtra ſequuntur, Lucan. lib. 10. Bell. civil. Venaleſ que manus: ibi fas, ubi maxima merces.

Luke 3. 14. When the Souldiers had ſome deſire to know of John Baptiſt, what to do that they might be ſaved, he tells them, that they muſt do violence to no man, neither accuſe any falſly, and be content with their wages. How are theſe Rules inverted by moſt Souldiers? they offer violence to every man, acccuſe any man falſly, are not content with their pay, but will have plunder and free quarter into the bargain. How hard a matter would it be to anſwer one that ſhould ask this queſtion, Cui bono do Souldiers ſerve? I know ſome will be ready to anſwer, to fight the Lords battails, to withſtand forraign invaſions, to ſubdue inteſtine rebellions, and to preſerve Princes in their Royalties, Parliaments in their Priviledges, and people in their Liberties. I cannot deny but that they may do ſuch things, and muſt do, or elſe cannot be able to juſtifie the lawfulneſs of their calling. Yet for the moſt part, they ſerve for nothing elſe but to maintaine Princes in their Tyranny and oppreſſion, Parliaments in feare and ſubjection, people in vaſſalage and ſlavery. I read of Xerxes, that viewing almoſt an innumerable Army of men, fell on weeping, ſaying, Where will all theſe men be within an hundred yeares? If he thought that for his ſake (or rather ſin) they ſhould be in hell, it might well make him weepe.

6. Rich men: How few of them that are rich towards God, Luk. 12. 21. Rich in faith, James 2. 5. Rich in good works, 1 Tim. 6. 18.

Inopem ſua copia fecit.

Their plenty in temporalls, and poverty in ſpiritualls. Riches for the moſt part are not ladders to lift mens ſouls to heaven, but to let them downe to hell: Riches to moſt men are as wind and quill to bladders, puff them and ſwell them with prophaneneſs; they make gold their God, and worſhip that in the ſtamp, which they abhor to do in the ſtatue. Theſe are ſuch as the Apoſtle could not mention with dry eyes, Phil. 3. 18, 19. Their minds are ſo taken up with earth, as they have no leiſure (nor love) to looke after heaven. As the Duke d' Alva told H. 4. of France, asking him whither he had obſerved the late great Ecclipſe: they are ſo taken up with minding their Hawks and hounds, and worſe employments, that they have no time to mind God, Chriſt, grace, poore, nor their own immortall ſoules. See an inſtance in that rich man, Luk. 16. 19. Here is minding back and belly, no praying, reading, ſinging, or releiving Lazarus, &c. Oh that all rich men would but ſeriouſly weigh two places of Scripture, they are able to make their hearts tremble; Math. 19. 23, 24. Then ſaid Jeſus unto his Diſciples, verily I ſay unto you, that a rich man ſhall hardly enter into the kingdome of heaven. And again I ſay unto you, It is eaſier for a Camel to goe thorow the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God. Philip was wont to ſay, An Aſſe laden with gold would enter any City-gates; I ſay, not enter the City-gates of heaven. Luk 6. 14. Woe unto you that are rich, for you have received your conſolation. Rich men uſually have their heaven on earth. Conſolation here, and deſolation hereafter. Luk. 16. 25.

7. The ordinary and Common ſort of people, bond and Praeter pauciſſimos quoſdam qui mala fugiunt, quid eſt aliud penè caetus Christi norum, quàm ſentina vitiorum. free, as in the Text; who live more like Bruits then men, Cretians then Chriſtians. We may ſay of moſt of them as Plato ſaid of the Argentines, they live as if they ſhould never dye, and come to judgement for all their oathes, whoredomes, coſenages, &c.

Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla ſequatur, Seu velut infernus fabula vana foret. Salv. de Pro.

They call and count judgement a bug-beare to ſcare children; They have made a Covenant with death, and with hell are they at agreement, Iſa. 28. 15. Tell them of an Aſſize on earth, wherein they are much concerned, either for land or life, they like the Devills believe and tremble, James 2. 19. But tell them of an Aſſize in the aire, wherein they are moſt concern'd for their eternall life, they little believe it, and leſs tremble at it. David in (Pſal. 14. 1, 2, 3. The fool hath ſaid in his heart, There is no God: they are corrupt, they have done abominable works; there is none that doth good. The Lord looked downe from heaven upon the children of men, to ſee if there were any that did underſtand and ſeeke God. They are all gone aſide, they are all together become filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one.) And Paul (Rom. 3. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Their throat is an open ſepulchre, with their tongues they have uſed deceit, the poyſon of Aſps is under their lips, whoſe mouth is full of curſing and bitterneſs; Their feet are ſwift to ſhed blood; Deſtruction and miſery are in their wayes; And the way of peace have they not known; There is no feare of God before their eyes.) joyned together, give a moſt exact deſcription of ſuch perſons as theſe are. It is as true of our time, as true in the time.

Multis annis jam tranſactis, Nulla fides eſt in pactis, Mel in ore, verba lactis, Fel in corde, fraus in factis.

I may partly Engliſh it in our Singing Pſalms.

Help Lord, for good and godly men, Doe periſh and decay; And faith and truth from worldly men, Is parted clean away. Who ſo doth with his neighbour talk, His talk is all but vaine; For every man bethinketh how, To flatter, lye and faine.

Luk. 13. 24. Strive to enter into the ſtrait gate: moſt are ſo far from ſtriving to get into heaven, that they ſtrive to get into hell; they ride poſt to get thither firſt, for feare there ſhould be no roome for them in hell, the only place of honour and happineſs in their opinion. Alas! whoſe faces bluſh not, eyes weep not, hearts bleed not (if any ſparks of good in them) to ſee the moſt of poor people like the country about Eugubium, Quo magis aliena divitijs, eò magis exuberat vitijs; the more poore, the more profane; the more barren, the more baſe. If they, John 7. 49. did condemne the rabble to be accurſed, becauſe they did not know the Law; then may we ſafely miſtruſt them, that neither know the Law, nor believe or obey the Goſpel.

Inform. 3. The reaſon why godly men and Miniſters are ſo much diſcontented, yea 2 Cor. 5. 13. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . inſanimus. Beza. mad; when they ſee any injury or indignity offered to the perſon, offices, government of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Oh how (ſay they) ſhall we be able to look the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in the face, when he comes as a Judge, if we ſuffer or endure it. For Chriſt to have juſt occaſion to ſay to any of them, as Abſolom to Huſhai about 2 Sam. 16. 17. David; Is this thy kindneſs to thy Friend?) would be a torment as bad as hell; and therefore they cannot beare the leaſt wrong to Chriſt. Servetus condemned Zwinglius for harſhneſs and raſhneſs; but Zwinglius anſwered; In alijs Epiſt. ad Servet. manſuetus ero, in blaſphemijs in Chriſtum non ita. Injuriam contra me patienter ult, contra Chriſtum ferre non potui. I can beare any wrong done to my ſelfe, but againſt Chriſt I am not able, ſaith Jerome. Inv niar ſane ſuperbus, modo impij ſidentij no arguar, dum dominus patitur. Luth. Epiſt. ad Staup. Let me be accounted proud and paſſionate, ſo I be not found guilty of ſinfull ſilonce, when the cauſe of Chriſt ſuffers. Luther. Sometimes to be dumb in Chriſts cauſe, is as bad, as at ſometimes to deny Chriſts cauſe, yea indeed dumbneſs is deniall; and they know what ſad conſequences will follow thereupon, Matth. 10. 33.

Inform. 4. It renders the reaſon why the godly ſo little weigh and value the judgements of men, becauſe tbey eye the judgement of Chriſt. What cares Joſeph, though he be accounted incontinent; Naboth a blaſphemer; Job an hypocrite; Michaiah the troubler of Iſrael; Paul a peſtilent fellow; Luther the Trumpeter of rebellion: they (and all other believers) doe ſay in Pauls words; With us it is a very Juſii non humana judicia ſed aeterm judicis examen aſpiciunt, et ideo cum Paulo derogantium verba deſpiciunt. Anſ. Acts & Mon. ſmall thing, that we ſhould be judged of mans judgement, he that judgeth us is the Lord, 1 Cor. 4. 3, 4. They well know how erroneous the men of the world are in their judgement, they call white, blacke, and account cyphers figures, and figures cyphers. Thou art an hereticke, ſaid Woodroſſe the Sheriffe to Mr Rogers the Protomartyr in Q. Maries dayes, That ſhall be knowne (ſaid he) at the day of Judgement. Rom. 2. 2. We know Gods judgement is according to truth,

Inform. 5. What good ground all perſons have to get into favour with Jeſus Chriſt, who is to ſit Judge upon the life and death of their bodies and ſoules for all eternity. Pro. 29. 26. Many ſeeke the Rulers favour: how do men deſire to ingratiate themſelves into the favour of the Judge, though but of Niſi prius, if they have but an action of the caſe to try, what ſuings, ſollicitations, preſents? how much more to this Judge, who when he hath killed the body, is able to caſt ſoule and body into hell-fire, Matth. 10. 28.

Inform. 6. How to demeane our ſelves under all wrongs, either nationall from publique Magiſtrates, or particular from private perſons, patiently waite upon this righteous Judge. Eccleſ. 5. 8. If thou ſeeſt the oppreſſion of the poore, and violent perverting of judgement in a Province, marvell not (murmure not) at the matter; For he that is higher than the higheſt regardeth; yea ſo regardeth, that he will right and revenge all thy unjuſt and injurious ſentences. James 5. 6, 7. You have condemned and killed the juſt, and he doth not reſiſt you, be patient therefore brethren untill the coming of the Lord. Oh remember John Huſſe, Jerome of Prague, with many other, ſufferers and ſuſtainers of injuries and indignities, who did not appellare Caeſarem, but Chriſtum.

Inform. 7. It ſhewes us how greatly and greivouſly they offend, who aſcend Chriſts judgement-ſeate, arraigne men at their barre, paſſe ſentence of death on all thoſe that are not of their way, opinion, party, ſide, judgement; many judge themſelves the greateſt Chriſtians, becauſe they are the greateſt Criticks to judge others. I ſhall endeavour to cleere this, that he or ſhe that is the greateſt cenſurer, is ever the greateſt ſinner, the more criticall, ever the more hypocriticall.

1. The raſh judging of thy mouth is a trumpet to proclaime the reall jugling of thy minde. Marke 14. 70 Thou art a Galilaan, thy ſpeech agreeth thereto: Stinking breaths argue rotten lungs, and raſh judging rotten hearts. Matth. 12. 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth ſpeaketh. Such water as is in the pipe, ſuch is in the ſpring; the mettall of the bell is knowne by the clapper.

Aera puto noſci tinnitu: pectora verbis, Sic eſt; nam que id ſunt utra que , quale ſonant.

2. Chriſt calls thee, and the Scripture accounts thee an hypocrite.

1. Chriſt calls thee ſo; Thou hypocrite, plucke first the Matth. 7 5. beame out of thine owne eye; he that ſees ſtrawes in other mens eyes, and hath beames in his owne, is an hypocrite; he that ſayes and ſees all things are yellow in others, it is ſure his owne eyes are troubled with the jaundiſe.

2. The Scripture accounts thee ſo; James 1. 26. If any man among you ſeeme to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans religion is vaine; that religion which layes and leaves the reines looſe to the tongue, to ſlander men for their preſent ſtate, and to cenſure them for their finall, it is but a videtur quod ſic, a diſſembling counterfeite religion, for ſo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 properly ſignifies. Prov. 26. 23. Burning lips and a wicked heart, are like a potſheard covered with ſilver droſſe. Os maledictum, cor malum. Luth. A cenſorious mouth and a corrupt minde are like a potſheard covered with ſilver droſſe, which ſhew and ſhine faire to the eye, yet the one is but earth, and the other is but droſſe. Burning lips of mens perſons in hell ſhew their tongue is ſet on fire from the hell of their owne hearts, James 3. 6.

3. Thou art an impudent and audacious hypocrite, thou pretendeſt faire to Chriſt, and yet thou putteſt him by his chaire, robbeſt him of his royalty; to be Judge of mens finall eſtate is Chriſts prerogative. The Pope is a notorious hypocrite, he pretends himſelfe to be Chriſts Vicar, yet he thruſts Chriſt by all his royalties, he pardons ſins, enjoynes penances, pilgrimages, diſpences with Chriſts Injunctions, diſpoſes of Kings and Kingdoms, and blaſphemouſly affirms, Per me reges regnant. Qui judicat fratrem, tantum crimen clationis incurrit ut cui tribunal aſſumit, & ejus judicium praevenit. Anſ. What art thou but another uſurping Pope, joſtling Chriſt from his royall tribunall, and ſets downe thy ſelfe, acting his part, and exerciſing his power, ſummoning and ſentencing by thy Bulls, people to eternall death and deſtruction? Would it not be an impudent part for any private man to ſummon in the Country, to ſit in the Judges place, to act his part, to paſſe ſentence of death? much more is this.

4. Thou art an obſtinate and obdurate hypocrite, thou perſevereſt in this ſin againſt the cleere light of Scripture, charging and commanding to forbeare all ſuch raſh and irreligious judging. Matth. 7. 1. Judge not. i. e. raſhly or rigidly actions or perſons for their finall ſtate Bern. Noli eſſe alienae vitae temerarius judex. Rom. 14. 10. But why doeſt thou judge? and why doeſt thou ſet at naught thy brother? A chiding and checking Apoſtrophe in an Interrogation. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Let us judge nothing before the time: it is very dangerous to antidate and anticipate judgement.

5. Thou art a cruell and bloody hypocrite. Prov. 11. 9. A hypocrite with his mouth deſtroyeth his neighbour; it ſhews thy nature to be brutiſh and bloody to judge mens ſoules to eternall ruine and deſtruction, and to have no thoughts of pitty towards them. Didſt thou ever ſee a Judge paſſe ſentence upon a poore malefactor for the death of his body without teares or ſorrow? how canſt thou ſo readily and rejoycingly paſſe ſentence on their ſoules? But to drive home this naile to the head and heart, the perſons thou judgeſt, either are Elect or Reprobate.

1. Elect, wilt thou condemne them, whom God hath not, will not condemne. Rom. 8. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus: v. 34 Who is he that condemneth? The glove is caſt downe by way of a challenge, and thou dareſt to take it up. Our Saviour when he ſaw no man condemned the woman in adultery, would John 8. 11. not condemne her. But now God hath not condemned his Elect, yet thou O vaine man wilt condemne them. Who art thou that judgeſt another? James 4. 12.

2. Reprobate perſons, thou condemneſt them before their time. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Let us judge nothing before the time. There is a time for every purpoſe under heaven, Eccleſ. 3. 1. Now to meddle with any thing before that time, as it is unſeaſonable, ſo it is unſafe. Our Saviour would not torment the Devils before their time, and wilt thou condemne thine own fleſh before its time; Oh grutch them not an inch of time, they are ſhortly to be tormented eternally in hell! Be not ſo cruell a hangman as to haſten a malefactor that is to ſuffer within an houre.

6. Thou ſhalt have the hypocrites portion; Hell is the hypocrites Fee ſimple. Matth. 24. 51. And appoint him his portion with hypocrites; Hypocrites are Free-holders of hell, others are but terants. Judas that grand hypocrite, Acts 1. 25. He went to his owne place. Chriſt will be as forward to ſend them to hell, as they have been forward to ſend others. Matth. 7. 2. With what judgement you judge, you ſhall be judged, and with what meaſure you mete, it ſhall be meaſured to you againe. My brethren, be not many Maſters, knowing that we ſhall receive the greater condemnation, James 3. 1. All that a man gets by ſuch judgement is greater judgement: thou provokeſt Chriſt (as Lot did the Sodomites) to deale worſe with thee then with them. Thus the Phariſees, thoſe eminent hypocrites are threatned with greater condemnation, Math. 23. 14. God heats the Furnace of hell (as Nebuchadnezzar did his Furnace for the Dan. 3. 19. three Children) ſeven times hotter for hypocrites than for other ſinners.

Inform. 8. See what little cauſe Saints have too much and too immoderately to lament the death and departure of their deare and neare relations, either by the fleſh or ſpirit, they are not loſt, but laid downe in a full and firme aſſurance of coming againe; this Judge will ſend his Writ of Habeas Corpus, to remove them from the priſon of the grave. See how forcibly the Apoſtle preſſes this argument on the Theſſalonians, 1 Ep. 4. 13. That they mourn not as thoſe that have no hope. He renders the reaſon, v. 14. Thoſe that ſleepe in Jeſus, will God bring with him. Every one that ſleeps ſhall be awakened; the Curtaines of the grave ſhall be drawn, and every Lazarus ſhall come forth: then ſhall that Scripture be litterally true, Eph. 5. 14. Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and ariſe from the dead, and Christ ſhall give thee ligbt; Lumen gloriae.

2 Ʋſe, Is of examination; To try our ſelves by this Touchſtone, whether we are in the number of thoſe that do believe this truth, That Chriſt ſhall ſhortly come to be a Judge. I ſhall propoſe four Queſtions to be reſolved by your own hearts.

1. What intereſt have you in him? 2. What influence have you from him? 3. What affections beare you to him? 4. What preparations make you for him?

1. What intereſt have you in him? Hath a true and lively ſaith entituled you to, inveſted you with all his glorious benefits? Hath a ſurpaſſing love matcht and married you to his perſon Doth faith make him your head? Doth love make him your husband? Can you not only ſay with Ignatius, our Love is crucified, but alſo our Love is Judge. Hear (the not triumphant) but triumphing Spouſe, Cant. 6. 2. I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. Haſt thou reſigned up thy ſelfe to be his, and accepted him to be thine, and that by a matrimoniall Covenant? Doeſt thou love him as a husband, and not feare him as a Judge, then thou expectedſt him to come as a Judge?

2. What influence have you from him? Are you ingrafted branches in that Vine, which ſuck all their ſap, John 15. 4, 5. ſtrength, ſweetneſs from it, whereby you bring forth all thoſe delightfull fruits of prayer, faſting, hearing, meditation, conference? doe you doe all in the name of Chriſt? Col. 3. 19. Are you perſwaded you can do all things through Chriſt? Phil. 4. 13.

3. What affections do you beare to him?

1. To his perſon. 2. To his people. 3. To his appearing.

1. To his perſon; Is his perſon the feate and centre of thy affection? the height and heaven of thy love? Canſt thou really and experimentally uſe the Spouſes ſweet Periphraſis, as being raviſhed with his perſon, Cant. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4. Four times in four verſes, Thou whom my ſoule loveth. Is Chriſt all the love of thy ſoule? hath he the love of all thy ſoul? do all the parts and powers of thy ſoul meet (as the beames of the Sun in a burning Glaſſe) in the perſon of Chriſt? Then is thy love pure and pretious love; ſuch as is in thoſe believers who ſhall admire the glorious coming of Chriſt as a Judge, 2 Theſſ. 1. 10.

2. To his people; have the Saints the chiefe roome in thy heart and houſe? as they had with Ingo King of the Draves, who placed his Peeres in his hall, but believers in his parlour, becauſe they were to be Peeres with him in a better Kingdome. 1 John 4. 17. Herein is love made perfect with us, that we may have boldnes in the day of judgement. Thoſe that truly love their brethren, ſhall not only dwell in God here, but alſo dwell with God hereafter; Cotton in loc: for the words are nothing elſe but an argument deduced from v. 12. on which theſe words have their dependance.

3. To his appearing.

1. Doeſt thou love it? are the thoughts thereof delightfull? would the ſight thereof be joyfull? 2 Tim. 4. 8. Ʋnto them that love his appearing: the day of judgement will be a day of coronation to all them that love his appearing.

2. Doeſt thou look for it, expecting and waiting for it? as the Indians do for the Sunnes riſing in the morning, Tit. 2. 13. Looking for that bleſſed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.

3. Doeſt thou labour for it? by prayer haſtning the coming of the day of God. 2 Pet. 3. 12. Primitive Chriſtians hindred this day by their prayers pro mora judicij; but you haſten it, and with the Church deſire Chriſt to adde wings to bring him ſwifter. Rev. 22. 20. Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly.

4. What preparations do you make for him? do you as the wiſe Virgins prepare your lamps with oyle? Matth. 25. 4. Do you get wedding garments againſt the Bridegroomes coming? Matth. 22. 11. Are you as his Spouſe ready, decked and adorned in fine linnen, cleane and white, the righteouſnes of the Saints? Rev. 19. 7, 8. Surely thoſe that prepare themſelves to entertaine Chriſt as a husband, doe beleeve he ſhall come to be a Judge; becauſe they deſire to be under Covert-barre, to be defended againſt all actions and endictments of that Informer the Devill. That though he ſhould puniſh them as he is their Judge; yet he may ſpare them as he is their husband.

3 Ʋſe. Of terror, Blazing Aetna feares ſpectators; this burning Aetna feares auditors; this may be to all notorious ſinners (as the thunder-clap was to Caligula) make them run their heads in a hole, or as the hand-writing was to Belſhazzar, Dan. 5. 5, 6. Make you to change your countenance, trouble your thoughts, looſen the joynts of your loynes, and cauſe your knees to ſmite one againſt another, as if they were at cuffs. This may make you change your name to Magor-Miſſabib, feare round about; and your heart the land of Nod, the land of trembling. See if thine eyes be not dazeled, heare if thine eares be not deafned with that dreadfull text, Pſal. 9. 17. The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. Chriſt this Judge ſhall ſend and ſentence all ſinners to hell, that lake that burns with fire and brimſtone. And though all ſinners may tremble at this doctrine, yet ſome in an eſpeciall manner, ſuch as the Scripture hath nominated.

1. All Atheiſts that make a mocke and ſcoffe at this Judges coming. 2 Pet. 3. 3. There ſhall come in the laſt dayes ſcoffers, walking after their own luſts, and ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his coming? They that deride Chriſt coming, Chriſt ſhall deride them going.

2. All hypocrites, that make faire ſhewes and fine ſignes of ſanctity and holineſs, but are full of ſin and wickedneſs, whited ſepulchres, that appeare beautifull without, but are full of rotten bones and uncleanneſs within, theſe ſhall be ſure to receive double damnation, Matth 23. 14. 27.

3. All apoſtates and backſliders, who followed their Admirall in a calme, but forſooke him in a ſtorme. Chriſt ſhall have no pleaſure in them, but puniſhment for them, even to perdition, Heb. 10. 38, 39.

4. All ſeducers and deceivers, who bring in damnable hereſies, and deny the Lord that bought them, ſhall have ſwift and ſevere deſtruction, 2 Pet. 2. 1.

5. All adulterers and adultereſſes, who defile the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, breake the holy Covenant, prophane that ſacred ſtate of marriage, who walke after the fleſh, in the luſts of uncleanneſs, ſhall cheifely be puniſhed by Chriſt, 2 Pet. 2. 9, 10. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge, Heb. 13. 4.

6. All covetous and cruell Cormorants, that want bowels of charity and compaſſion to the needy and neceſſitous; all rich and riotous Dives's, whoſe dogs have more pitty on Lazarus's than they have, ſhall have judgement without mercy, James 2. 13.

7. All raſh and rigid cenſurers, who condemne others to hell, ſhall be by Chriſt condemned to hell themſelves, Rom. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4.

8. All unrighteous Judges, who are guilty of bribery, injuſtice, oppreſſion, partiality, delaying the cauſe of the poore in the Courts of judicature, ſhall finde Chriſt a ſevere Judge to them, Eccleſ. 3. 16, 17.

9. All troublers and diſturbers of the peace and proſperity of the godly, 2 Theſſ. 1, 6, 7.

10. All diſobeyers of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Theſ. 1. 8, 9.

11. All non-lovers of Jeſus Chriſt, who are reſerved on purpoſe for Chriſts coming, 1 Cor. 16. 22.

12. All enemies and oppoſers to the glorious government and reigne of Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe execution Chriſt will ſtand and ſee, Luk. 19. 27.

There are four things which may amaze and aſtoniſh all prophane ſinners.

1 Conſ: Who is this Judge?

1. In reſpect of himſelfe. 2. In reference to your ſelves.

1. In reſpect of himſelfe; he hath the perſon of a man, but he hath the power of a God; he is mantled with Majeſty, guarded with Angels, enraged with anger, enabled to bring all prophane wretches to a publique tryall for all your acts of high treaſon againſt the crowne and dignity of heaven; in a word, one into whoſe hands it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to fall into, Heb. 10. 31.

2. In reference to your ſelves; he is one whoſe proffers you have rejected, whoſe commandments you have diſobeyed, Goſpel diſgraced, Spirit grieved, Ordinances neglected, Government contemned, perſon ſlighted, blood deſpiſed, preferring Barabbas before him, a ſordid ſin before thy ſweeteſt Saviour. Nemo eſt qui id non aegre ferat, ſi quem interfecit, eum habeat ſibi judicem, Roll. in Rom. A terrified Judge, will be a terrible Judge.

2 Conſ. What ſhall be brought to light and ſight by this Judge? all your ſins, not only your open and knowne tranſgreſſions, your drunkenneſs, whoredome, ſwearing, curſing, lying, but alſo all your ſecret ſins, your privy prancks, ſecret plottings, underboard-dealings, putrid hypocriſics, Chriſt will ranke all your ſins in battalia againſt you, Pſal. 50. Pſal. 21. How dreadfull will the ſight of ſin be to you? 1 Kings 17. 18. Oh how it terrified the Woman, the Prophets coming to call her ſins to remembrance! much more will Chriſts coming to call you for your ſins to tryall, aſtoniſh and amaze you.

3. Conſider the ſentence this Judge ſhall pronounce againſt you, Matth 25. 41. Depart from me you curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels! In this ſentence every word hath its weight of woe; you are charged to depart from Chriſt, what pleaſure ſhall you not looſe? you are condemned to fire, what puniſhment ſhall you not feele? it is impoſſible for you to conceive, or for me to expreſſe, what puniſhment it is for you to be in everlaſting fire with the Devil and his Angels?

4. Conſider the eternity of your duration in this woe and miſery, your ſoul ſhall be filled with finall deſpaire; there never will be any valley of Achor for the doore of hope, but thou muſt lye and live in thoſe flames to all eternity. This cuts and kils a mans heart, that his miſery will laſt as long as his life. Si addas eternitatem alicui malo, erit infinite malum. Drexel: Oh how much more may the eternity of infinite torment terrifie you!

4 Ʋſe. Exhort. To perſwade Gods people, ſo to live as to ſhew they believe this truth; it is the vaine glory of ſome, that they are mercy-proofe, ſword-proofe, Sermon-proofe; it will be your honour and happineſs, ſo to live as you may be judgement-proofe: what a glory will it be for you in ſuch wicked and wretched times as theſe are, to be Noahs, Lots, Joſhuahs, Calebs? I dare boldly ſay, that Religion was never more owned and honoured in England by the publique Magiſtrate, both in precept and practice, and yet I muſt ſay, never was there more prophaneneſs, vileneſs, wickedneſs, then now is in the Land; not only ſwarmes (as ever) with drunkards, ſwearers, ſlanderers, murtherers, whoremongers, &c. but alſo with ſuch unheard of ſinners, who have taken the higheſt degrees, and have commenced, Ranters, Hectors, Trappans, and words of Art, that all the Logicke I have, cannot helpe me to underſtand; ſo farre as I can conceive, they are ſuch as challenge God, defie Chriſt, deny Scripture, ſcoffe heaven, deride hell. Now what an honour will this be for you to be heavenly tapers, burning in the damps of ſin, ſtarres ſhining in the dark night of prophanneſs, to be like the river Arithuſa, to run through the brackiſh Ocean, and yet to retaine your ſweetneſs and freſhneſs. Laus tribuenda Muraenae, and if Cicero commended Muraena, that he had lived chaſtly in incontinent Aſia; how much more will Chriſt commend you for living purely and piouſly in a prophane world. Inter malos bonum eſſe, eſt immenſae bonitatis. Greg. in Job 1. 1. To be bad in any times is a ſin, to be bad in good times is a ſhame, to be good in good times is no praiſe, to be good in bad times is a glory.

Ʋſe 5. To direct you to ſome means whereby you may be able to ſtand before this Judge in judgement.

1. Repent for all your ſins. Acts 3. 19. Repent you therefore and be converted, that your ſins may he blotted out when the times of refreſhing ſhall come from the preſence of the Lord. Thoſe mens ſins ſhall never be ſealed up in Gods bag, whoſe repenting teares have been put up into his bottle. If one teare of Alexanders Mother would wipe away all her faults, then much more, will penitent tears, all the failings of Chriſts Saints.

2. Get you garments made of the wooll, and dyed with blood of the Lamb of God, be ſure to appeare in your Pontificalibus on that day: you are then to be Judges, bring your ſcarlet robes along with you, Matth. 22. 11.

3. Daily arraigne your ſoules at the barre of your own conſcience, paſſe ſentence of death and damnation on your ſelves. 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we judge our ſelves, we ſhall not be judged. Thoſe that judge themſelves in their own private Seſſions, ſhall not be judged by Chriſt in his publique Aſſizes. Amat deus ſeipſos judicantes, non judicare. Aug. Chriſt loves to judge them that judge others raſhly, but not thoſe that judge themſelves religiouſly. The Patriarch of Alexandria asked the Hermite how he ſpent his life, who anſwered, Indeſinenter culpando & judicando meipſum; who replyed, This is the only way to life and ſalvation.

4. Make Blaſtus the Kings Chamberlaine your friend; keep good correſpondency with your own conſciences, do you what God ſaid to Abraham about Sarah, Liſten to it, whatſoever it ſayes to thee. Maxima eſt vis conſcientiae in utram que partem.Cicero. 1 John 3. 20, 21. If our heart condemne us, God is greater then our heart; and knoweth all things, if our heart condemne us not, then have we confidence towards God Conſcience is Cuſtos Rotulorum, who ſhall produce and preferre all the bils of indictment againſt ſinners, and read all the pardons ſigned and ſealed by the blood of Chriſt to Saints.

5. Get bowels of mercy to the afflicted members of Jeſus Chriſt. Matth 25. 31. I was an hungry, and you gave me meate, &c. (Chriſt releived in his members.) Come you bleſſed of my Father, inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Non habebit guttam, qui non dedit micam. Aug. As he ſhall not have a drop that gave not a crumb, ſo he ſhall have an Ocean that gave a drop.

6. Live in print; keep the copy of your lives free from blots and blurs, that the characters thereof may be read by all. Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13. The grace of God that hath appeared to us, teaches us to deny ungodlineſs, and worldly lusts, and to live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world, looking for that bleſſed hope and glorious appearing of our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. Let righteouſneſs and religion, holineſs and honeſty, which God hath united together in his Word, appeare together in your workes; live and lead Evangelicall, yea Angelicall lives. 1 John. 3. 3. As having hope cauſes us to purifie our ſelves for that day, ſo purifying our ſelves, cauſes us to have hope in that day.

7. Let the meditation of this rigid and righteous Judge be fixed in your hearts before every action; this will wonderfully perſwade you to be prepared for this Judge and Nihil eſt quod magis proficiat ad vitam boneſtam, quàm ut credamus eum judicem futurum, quem & occulta non ſallunt, & indecora offendunt & honeſta delectant. Amb. lib. de Offic. Judgement. It makes the young man to rejoyce moderately in his youth, Eccleſ. 11. 9. It makes the Miniſter ſerious and ſedulous in his miniſtry, 2 Cor. 5. 11, 13, 14. It makes the Magiſtrate diligent in his place, as it did the Emperour Conſtantine, Euſeb. lib. 4. cap. 29. Yea it hath an influence on all. M. Perkins reports of a gratious Gentlewoman, much ſollicited to be a ſtrumpet by an importunate ſuitor, who promiſed her to do any thing for her ſake, ſhe deſired him to put his hand into the fire, and hold it there a quarter of an houre, to whom he replyed, oh! that is an unreaſonable requeſt; to whom ſhe retorted, how much more unreaſonable is your requeſt, that would have me to ſatisfie your luſt to burne in hell fire to all eternity. Holcot reports of two Souldiers coming to the valley of Jehoſaphat in Judaea, that ſaid one to the other, this is the place where the geuerall judgement ſhall be, therefore I will take up, ſaid one of them, my place before hand, and ſo taking up a ſtone, ſate downe upon it; but before he aroſe ſuch trembling ſeazed upon him, that he remembred the day of Judgement unto his dying day. So that we ſee thoughts of judgement have been advantageous to all ſorts of perſons; and I am ſure they would be a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to heale all diſeaſes & diſtempers. If we Miniſters would read every morning a Chapter in this booke of Judgement, and write it downe in the common place booke of our conſciences, with the pen and inke of meditation and prayer, it would keepe us from lazineſs in our places, and lewdneſs in our practiſes. If you Souldiers would anoint your ſwords with the ſword-ſalve of judgement, it would heale all the wounds in your conſciences, and keepe you from wounds for ever. If you Ladies would dreſs your ſelves every morning in the glaſſe of judgement, it would cure your black pimples, and cover your naked breſts, thoſe two famous Enſignes of ſtrumpets. If you Hectors with your Mad-dames, would perfume your beds with the muske of Judgement, it would cure you of, and keep you from the Noli me tangere. If you drunkards would ſpice your morning draughts with the Nutmeg of judgement: it would keep you from reeling and ſpuing all that day. In a word, if all would ſeriouſly thinke of being judged by the law of liberty, it would make them ſo to ſpeake, and ſo to doe, as they might hold up their heads in that time, James 2. 12.

Ʋſe 6. Of conſolation to all the friends and favourites of Jeſus Chriſt: out of the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah cometh better and ſweeter honey, then out of Sampſons Lyon; Judges 14. 8. come pretious ſoules, here you may ſatiate (you cannot ſurfet) your ſelves. When this Judge comes, then is the time for you to lift up your heads, Luke 21. 28. Then is your time of refreſhing from the preſence of the Lord, Acts 3. 19. Then is your marriage day, Rev. 19 7. Then is your Coronation day, 2 Tim. 4. 8.

There are four things that are breſts of comfort and conſolation to you.

1. The neare and deare relations between you and the Judge; he that is Judge on the Bench, was your Advocate at the barre, your friend at the board, your husband in the bed; it is he that ſuffered for your ſakes, ſatisfied for your ſins, interceded for your prayers, pleaded for your perſons. What made the Apoſtle ſo peremptorily to aske that queſtion, Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth? it is Chriſt that dyed. Quomodo Chriſtus cum damnabit, quem propria mors redemit. Amb. lib. de Jacob. cap. 6.

2. The ſhortneſs of the time; it will not be long before this Judge comes, though I dare not ſay with Alſted. in his Chronol: that 1657, ſhould be the yeare, becauſe the numerall letters are found in mundi conflagratio; nor yet with Napier that 1688 ſhal be the year, for thoſe are Arcana coeli; yet I may ſay with Bucanon, if 1600 yeares agoe were ultimum tempus, that then this is ultimum temporis. I may ſay with Tertullian, this is clauſulum ſeculi: with Auſtin, Chriſt is in proximo: with Cyprian, he is ſupra caput; yea I may ſay of ſome here, as was ſaid of Simeon, they ſhall not depart this life before they ſhall ſee the Lords Chriſt, Heb. 10. 37. For yet a little while, and he that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarry. The originall is very full and emphaticall, every word hath its weight, to ſhew not only the certainty, but eſpecially the celerity of his coming:

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , yet a little very little while. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , who is on his way, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 inſtabit, Paraeus. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Att: makes no delay: the ſumme is, he is on the wing, he comes poſt, he will be here before moſt are aware.

3. What this Judge brings with him, Rev. 22. 12. Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me. Chriſt comes with his hands full of wages and rewards. 1 John 3. 2. We know when he ſhall appeare, we ſhall be like him, 2 Theſ. 1. 10. He ſhall come to be glorified in all his Saints, and to be admired in all them that beleeve. Its not poſſible for me to expreſſe, nor you to conceive, what wages Chriſt brings with him: it is beyond rhetorick and reading. Coelum & Chriſtus non patiuntur hyperbolen.

Quicquid dixero minus erit.

Yet I ſhall adventure to give you a taſt of the fruit of the heavenly Canaan, which may ſuffice and ſatisfie you, untill your bleſſed Joſuah ſhall lead you into it.

I ſhall for method-ſake divide theſe bleſſings, into benefits for the body, benefits for the ſoule, and benefits for both.

1. Benefits to the body. Which are of two ſorts.

1. Privative. 2. Poſitive.

1. Privative; there ſhall be a releaſing our bodies.

1. From all miſeries. 2. From all neceſſities. 3. From all deformities.

1. From all miſeries.

1. From penury and poverty, thoſe dura tela; there ſhall be no beggar in that heavenly Iſrael.

2. From toile and labour, no

Redit agricolis labor actus in orbem.

As when night of death comes no man can worke, ſo when day of glory comes no man ſhall worke; all holy-dayes, heaven is nothing elſe but an eternall play day.

3. From the yoak of ſervitude and ſubjection, Politicall, Oeconomicall, Eccleſiaſticall: then will be the yeare of releaſe, the univerſall Jubilee, then ſhall God be all in all. 1 Cor. 15. 28.

4. From perſecution; no dogs nor devourers there; the dogs ſhall be caſt into the kennell of hell, to hang and howle for ever.

5. From thoſe three arrowes, of ſword, plague, famine, Rev. 21. 1. No more Sea: this world is that Sea, theſe three the billowes which breake the bones of men, and backs of Kingdomes.

6. From all diſeaſes and ſickneſſes, all pangs and paines, all Doctors and Phyſicians Recipes will be uſeleſſe there, heaven's a probatum eſt againſt all maladies.

7. From death; no crying or dying there; in that Church no bell to toll the paſſing knell; in that City no bils of mortality printed.

2. From all neceſſities.

1. From food and ſuſtenance, we ſhall not live with the Salamander in the fire, with the Camaeleon by the aire, but we ſhall live by the eye, Rev. 7. 16, 17.

2. From rayment, ſtudying, marriage, &c. Matth. 22. 30. As the Angels of God.

3. From all deformities; no monſters, nor miſhapes in heaven; that rectifies all.

2. Poſitive benefits to our bodies.

1. Our bodies ſhall be perfect and perſonable, without ſpot or blemiſh, better then if made of wax and alablaſter, no need ſhall our Ladies have then of Peter and Paul, or black ſpots. Phil. 3. 21. Glorious bodies.

2. Immortall and incorruptible; heaven hath embalming ſpices to keep our bodies for ever. Adam had (Ʋt ſcholastici) a poſſe non mori, a non poſſe non mori, a mori non poſſe; this laſt ſhall then be our condition.

3. Spirituall and tranſparent, like Venice glaſſes with water in them, which ſhew all the parts and proportions of the things in them. Corpora beatorum ita erint diaphana, ut oculis intuentium appareant venae, humores, viſcera, nervi, ac tota omnium partium harmonia. Thom: in Add: q. 85. act. 1.

4. Active and agile, they ſhall ſequi ad nutum animae, they ſhall move, though not in inſtanti, yet tempore imperceptibili.

5. Mighty and powerfull; Luther is perſwaded that the bodies of the Saints ſhall be of that ſtrength, that they ſhall be able to toſſe the greateſt mountaine like a ball.

2. Benefits for the ſoul; Si tanti vitrum, quanti margarita, if the Cabinet be thus rare, what ſhall be the jewel; ſurely Chriſt will not do as the Aegyptians, build ſtately Temples without, and have nothing but dogs and Crocodiles within.

1. The privative benefits that ſhall accrue to our ſoules are:

1. Freedome from ſin, that great troubler of our ſpirituall Iſrael, the bane and burthen of our ſoules; Hic praeceptum eſt ut non peccemus, ibi praemium eſt non poſſe peccare. Aug: ad Bonif: lib. 7. cap. 7. tom. 7.

1. Our hearts, thoſe bottomleſs Oceans of pollution and prophaneſs ſhall be emptied, we ſhall never be more troubled with hardneſs of heart, with ſtraitneſs in duties, with hypocriſie in our actions, with unbeleife in the promiſes; but our hearts ſhall be Camaerae regis, the Courts of God, and preſence Chambers of Jeſus Chriſt.

2. Our underſtandings ſhall be freed from miſts and fogs of ignorance, thoſe Iſraelites ſhall be delivered from Egypt. Ignoramus ſhall never be acted more by them.

3. Our judgements ſhall be freed from errors, it ſhall be truly ſaid of them, which is falſly ſaid of Popes, they cannot erre.

4. Our wills ſhall be freed from all impurity, imperfection, unability, unwillingneſs; heaven will make us all conformiſts, the wheels of our wills ſhall ſweetly and ſwiftly move about with the primum Mobile of Gods will.

5. Our memories ſhall be freed from oblivion; amongſt all the rivers in Paradize, there ſhall be no amnis oblivionis; amongſt all the Lawes of heaven, there ſhall be no 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; all good things ſhall be ſo imprinted with indeleble characters in our memories, that no aqua fortis ſhall be able to eat them out.

6. Our conſciences ſhall be freed from all impurity and unquietneſs. Bernards fourfold conſcience ſhall be abbreviated into one; the bad and quiet, the bad and unquiet, the good and unquiet; into a good and quiet conſcience, that which is not only the heaven upon earth, but alſo that heaven of heavens.

7. Our affections ſhall be freed from all diſtemper and diſorder; they ſhall never more make our ſoules Bedlamhouſes: thoſe untamed horſes ſhall not overthrow the Chariots; but thoſe ſtrings ſhall be ſo well tuned, that they ſhall make melodious muſick.

2. Freedome from Sathan and his temptations, no Devil ſhall ever ſtand at our eare or elbow, to inſpire wicked motions, or to incite us to vaine actions, he ſhall never rub our temples with his Opium of poyſonous ſuggeſtions. Rev. 12. 7, 8. He was once ſued with an Ejectione firma out of heaven, he can never gaine poſſeſſion againe.

3. From the feare of hell and damnation, you ſhall have an eternall acquittance and diſcharge given you under the hand of Jeſus Chriſt.

4. From the feare of Gods diſpleaſure, that inferni limen; God will for ever lift up the light of his countenance upon you; nothing but ſmiles from God.

2. Poſitive mercies to your ſoules.

1. Your ſoules ſhall be filled with perfect knowledge, (ſcibilia in quantum ſcibilia) all the eſſences, and firſt qualities of things, which now are hidden from us, all the riddles in Scripture ſhall then be reſolved, yea the whole Arke which now is dangerous to pry into, ſhall then be open'd, and we ſhall know all that is needfull and comfortable for us to know about Gods councel of election and reprobation, the Trinity in Unity, the hypoſtatical union, &c. 1 Cor. 13. 12.

2. With perfect holineſs and ſanctity of our natures: happineſs is nothing elſe but holineſs compleated and crowned.

3. Enjoyments joyntly to ſoules and bodies.

1. We ſhall ſit Judges upon them that have ſlurd and ſlanderd us, 1 Cor. 6. 2. The Saints ſhall judge the world. 1. Comparativè, Matth. 12. 41. 2. Interpretativè, they ſhall approve of the ſentence, Pſal. 119. 137. 3. Acceſſoriè, they ſhall ſit on the bench with him, Matth. 19. 28.

2. You ſhall enjoy the company of Chriſt and Saints.

1. Chriſt; you ſhall obtaine that (which was Auſtin's deſire) viz. to ſee Chriſt in the fleſh, John 17. 24.

2. Saints; you ſhall ſee and know all the Saints from Adam to the laſt that entred into heaven, Heb. 12. 23.

3. All the treaſures and pleaſures of heaven, ſet forth and ſhadowed out to you from ſundry ſimilitudes and compariſons, as crowne of life, power over nations, feaſting, marrying, ſumm'd up in the joy of the Lord, Matth. 25. 23.

4. The preſence and perſon of Almighty God, Matth. 5. 8. You ſhall ſee God, not only with a mental, but alſo with a corporal viſion, which is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of heaven and happineſs.

5. The continuance and duration of all this happineſs which is for ever, Pſal. 16. 11. In thy preſence is fulneſs of joy, at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore. 2 Cor. 4. 17. A more exceeding and eternall weight of glory. The words in the Original are ſo full, that we can ſcarcely render them in Engliſh, ſo nigh as we can come, is, that if Aeternitate magis aeterna. Bez. in loc. there be an eternity more then eternal, this is it. As it adds much to the miſery of the damned, that their torments are eternal, ſo it adds infinitely to the comfort of the Elect, that their joyes are eternal and everlaſting.

And thus have I done with my Text in general, to come to the occaſion of this Aſſembly in particular.

1. To you much honoured Lords; It is the honour of To the Judges. this people, that Judges of ſuch integrity and ability, ſhould come this Circuit. It is the happineſs of the Preacher to have ſuch Judges eares and hearts to ſpeake to, that have alwayes been obſerved for their devotion and piety; in their attention to retention of the Word; which emboldens me to ſpread theſe four Petitions humbly before your Honours.

1. When you are in the place of temporal, thinke often on eternal judgement; let your heart be the true Philoſophers ſtone, which turns all theſe earthly matters and mettals into golden meditations, ſuch thoughts will warne and warme your hearts, quicken and carry on your ſpirits in your weighty affaires, comfortably and couragiouſly.

2. Execute temporal, as this Judge will execute eternal judgement; Fiat juſtitia ruat mundus, give me leave thus to Engliſh it, ſo execute judgement as if the world were now a ruining, that ſo ſpectators may learne alphabetum judicij extremi, as Luther phraſes it.

3. Maintaine the honour of that Potentate from whom you have your Commiſſion. Prov. 8. 16. By me Princes rule, and Nobles, even all the Judges of the earth. Let your lips ſpeake, plead, pronounce, ſentence, even to death for Chriſt, if the offence demerit it If any ſhould be brought before you for ſaying the Protector were a Reader, judge whether here be any thing ſpoken againſt the Lord Protector, as ſome obtrectators have falſly accuſed mee, whoſe unjuſt calumny did occaſion the printing this Sermon. Hi mala de dulci flore venena legunt. traytor, a tyrant, an uſurper, would you not ſeverely puniſh him, and that very juſtly?

If any ſhall be brought before you for calling Chriſt a baſtard, impoſtor, no God, a curſed Coppin was then to be tryed for ſuch like blaſphemies. go are at the left hand, and many ſuch like, which I tremble to name, leaſt Chriſt ſhould ſtrike me dead for repeating ſuch blaſphemies. Let Chriſt, who is your Lord Protector now, and ſhall be your Judge one day, finde as much favour from you; ſtand you as much for Chriſt now you judge, as you would have Chriſt ſtand for you when he is your Judge: you muſt ſhortly come to your verſe;

Nuper eram judex, jam judicis ante tribunal.

As your grey-hairs are ornaments to you as you are Judges; Judge Aske dyed before the next Aſſize. ſo they are warnings to you as you are men, Pſal. 82. 8.

4. Countenance and encourage the painfull and faithfull Miniſtry, be to them as the Oke to the Ivy, ſupport them by your power, that they may ſhade and ſhelter you by their prayers.

I have three things to preſs upon your Honours to this end.

1. The neare relation between Magiſtrate and Miniſter Primum in unoquo que genere eſt menſura caeterorum. at firſt; Exod. 4. 14. Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? And God commands fraternall care and correſpondency. v. 16. He ſhall be to thee in ſtead of a mouth, and thou ſhalt be to him in ſtead of God. Though you are the elder brethren, and carry away the honour and inheritance, and we only have an annuity for terme and time of life, yet we are your brethren;

—Dat Juſtinianus honores, At genus & ſpecies cogitur ire pedes.

2. Your deare concernments, I may ſay of your lives and livelihoods (as Judah ſaid of Jacobs Benjamin, Gen. 44. 30.) are bound up in the lives and liberties of the Miniſters. Magiſtracy and Miniſtry are to the body politicke (as the two legs are to the body natural) upon which Common-weales ſtand, by which they goe; if one of theſe be broken, or cut off, the other muſt needs faile, and the whole body fall. Yea the blinde Sampſons for zeale lay hold on both theſe pillars, and pull them downe together.

3. The famous and flouriſhing ſtate of that Nation where the Magiſtrate and Miniſter mutuall ſupport one the other, the Magiſtrate by his perſon and power, the Miniſter by preaching and prayer: it is a more hopefull and happy Aſteriſme to a Land, than Caſtor and Pollux appearance together is to the Sea. When more holy and happy dayes in Iſrael, then in Davids and Hezekiahs reignes? who encouraged the Seers, and liſtned to their voyce, though reproving for ſin, and particularly, Thou art the man, 2 Sam. 1 7. When more flouriſhing times for Church and State, then in Conſtantines: and in England, then in Q. Elizabeths?

I ſhall conclude all with Jehoſaphat his charge to his Judges, 2 Chron 19. 6, 7. Take heed what you doe, for you judge not for man but for the Lord, who is with you in judgement; Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be upon you, take heed and doe it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor reſpect of perſons, nor taking of gifts.

2. You worthy Patriots, the fixed Stars in the Orb of To the Juſtices. this County, whoſe ſweet and gratious influences, we the inferiour bodies have often received, and doe with all humble thankfulneſs acknowledge, eſpecially thoſe three late ones.

1. The cleering the County of vagrants, the peſt and ſhame of England.

2. The ſuppreſſing the multitude of Alchouſes, thoſe nurſeries of vices and villanies, yea the very ſhops and Synagogues of the Devill. Surely your actions (if Reverend and religious Mr. Bolton were living) would cauſe him to recant that ſaying of his in his Sermon before the Judges at Northampton, Anno 1630. that it was not ſo hard a work to win Dunkirke, as to get downe an Alchouſe; Oh that Dunkirke, could now be ſo eaſily taken.

3. Your preſſing the Acts and Statutes againſt the prophanation of the Lords day: I ſee you have found out that Law which Solon could never finde, viz. a Law to put all good Lawes into execution, you are truly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſuch as are living Lawes, and make the Lawes to live; you have put clappers into thoſe bels which make muſick in the ears of Gods people, but ring a dolefull knell to the hearts of the wicked. Worthy Sirs, Quo pede cepiſtis, goe on, and give me leave to adde my mite to your treaſury.

1. Have a very vigilant eye over the inferiour officers; a fault in the firſt concoction, can hardly be rectified by the other digeſtions.

2. Be very impartiall in your juſtice, let that never be ſaid of your juſtice;

Dat veniam corvis vexat cenſura columbas.

You have heard of Rete Vulcanium, which caught great ones as well as meane ones: Oh when ſcarlet drunkards, and worſhipfull ſwearers are brought before you; do not receive them with Your Servant Sir, nor diſmiſſe them with ſuch another Complement as their greateſt puniſhment; but let it be ſaid of your tribunal, what was ſaid of L. Caſſius Val: Max: lib. 3. cap. 7. Praetor of Rome, Scopulus reorum, a rock to break all proud and prophane waves and wayes. Oh remember the charge God gives you, Deut. 16. 19, 20. Thou ſhalt not wreſt judgement, nor reſpect perſons, neither take a gift, but juſtice, juſtice, ſhalt thou doe. Oh imitate that admirable patterne, Job 29. 12. & 18. Deliver the poore that cry, and the fatherleſs, and him that hath none to help him; cauſe the widdowes heart to ſing for joy, put on righteouſneſs, let it be your garment, let judgement be your robe and diadem, be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, fathers to the poore, and break the jawes of the wicked; make Kent as Villamont. lib. 3. cap. 4. of his voyages. Sardinall in Syria, of which it is reported, that no Turks, Saracens, Moores, can dwell, but dye before the years end. Oh let no common drunkards, prophane ſwearers, or deboiſe wretches dwell here, but make them depart before the yeare end, that that ſcoffing Proverb of Kent and Chriſtendome may be out of date. For the Lords ſake, ſinners ſake, yea your own ſoules ſake, put to your helping hand: methinkes I ſee ſome dawnings of reformation againe, there was a glorious Sun ſhined in our Hemiſphere ſome ten yeares agoe; but like Amos Sun it ſet at noone day; ſome rayes ſeeme to appeare againe, lay hold upon them, leſt we be left in Cimmerian darkneſs, and it be ſaid of England, that its worſe with her in the end, then it was in the beginning.

3. You eloquent Tertullus's, whoſe tongues are like To the Lawyers. ſo many Orpheus his pipes to allure the Judges, Witneſſes, Juries, auditors to you; remember you ſhall be cald from the barre to the tribunall, to give account to this Judge of all your pleadings before the Judges: take a dram of the powder of Judgement, and lay it upon your tongues every time before you plead, it will be a ſpeciall preſervative, to keep your tongues from bliſtering, and your conſciences from feſtering.

4. You Witneſſes and Jury men, anoint your lips with To the Jurors. the oyle of Judgement, it will cure you of and keep you from the ſtinking breath of falſe witneſs, or a falſe Verdict.

To cloſe and conclude all: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Men of Athens, not by nation but by nature, you have itching eares after newes and novelties, and it hath been the courſe and cuſtome of Preachers to pleaſe you with ſuch things, that you might applaud them with Hic est ille Demoſthenes; but I better know the worth of yours and my ſoule, then to foole and flatter them ſo away. I have endeavoured ſo to preach this day (not only as King James ſaid of a conſcionable Chaplain of his) as if judgement were behind your backs, but as if it were before your faces, I ſhould be glad ſo to defeat your ſoules. I have read of a famous cheat that was put upon a Bulgarian King that was a Heathen, by one Methodius a Painter, who was a Chriſtian; he being deſired to draw a rare peice of his art in this Princes Pallace, promiſed he would, and did accordingly; which when he had finiſhed the King came in full fraight, with expectation to have ſeene his Hawkes flying, Hounds running, Forreſts greene and flouriſhing, &c. But behold there was a hideous Map of the day of Judgement, heaven in its blacks, the earth on fire, the Sea in blood, men and women crying, Devils roaring, &c. Which did ſo apale and amaze him, that he preſently turned from a Pagan to a Chriſtian.

You have come this day with expectation to hear a Sermon, garniſhed with ſtreines of Rhetorick, adorned with the flouriſhes of the Fathers, crowded with invectives againſt the times, ſtuffed with ſcoffs and jeers of Sectaries and Anabaptiſts, the uſuall ſtuffe of theſe Sermons; but unexpectedly you meet with a Sermon of Judgement, as lively drawne before your eyes, as if it were penſilled upon the wall with a beame of the Sun; Oh that it would amaze your hearts, affright your ſpirits, terrifie your conſciences, that of prophane people you would become pious and holy; I ſhould be glad with all my ſoule to put ſuch a holy and happy cheat upon you, to cozen you with heaven in ſtead of hell. I have often admired at that place, 2 Cor. 12. 16. Being crafty I caught you with guile: I have endeavoured after ſome ſuch cunning in catching your ſoules this day, and if I have failed of my purpoſe, yet I am ſatiſfied. In magnis & voluiſſe ſat eſt.

FINIS.