Life.

VVOuld you know what is that? take but a view of Nature, and Scripture, & these will sufficiently describe our life.

First, Nature, whose dimme eye sees thus far: what is it? but a Rose, Ut rosa Pae­stano languet adepta jugo. Tifernas. Ut herba sol­stitialis, Plaut. saith Tifernas, which if you view in its growth, the cold nips it, heat withers it, the wind shakes it; be it never so fair it withers, be we never so lively, immediately we die and perish.

A Rose? that is too beautifull! Life is but grasse, saith Plau­tus, green now, withered anon; thus like the flower that is cut in Summer; as soon as we are born, Death is ready with his Sythe; as soon as we are dead, Angels gather in the harvest, on whose wings we are carried to that Barn of Heaven. [...], Phi­lemon. Grasse? no saith Philemon, life is no better then a counterfeit picture: what if the colours be fair, and the resemblance near? the shadow of death, Scena est ludus quoque vita: Luscin. Cum parumper se ostendisset, mox se abs­condit Anony­mus: Rodol. Agric. Tu quicscis se­curus; & in modum gliris sepultus jaces. Philonius. [...]. Ari­stophanes. and the Curtains of our grave will darken all. A picture? that is too honourable; life is (a worse resemblance) but a Play saith Luscinius, we enter at our birth, and act all our life, pre­sently there is an exit, or a back return, and away we go, shut­ting all up with a sudden Tragedie. A Play? that is too large. Anonymus being asked what was life, he shews himself a little, then hides himself amain; his meaning was this, our life is but a little show, and no sooner are we seen, but immediately are we hid and gone. A show? that is too pleasant; life is nothing but a sleep, saith Philonius, we live secure, and Dormise-like we slumber away our time; when all is done, as if all this were too little, we sleep again, and go from (our grave) the bed, to (that bed) our grave. A sleep? that is too quiet, it is nothing but a dream, saith Aristophanes; all our worldly pleasures are but [Page 3] waking dreams, at last Death rouzeth our souls that have slept in sinne, [...], Pind. in Pyth. Vita quid nisi mortis imago? Cato. then lifting up our heads and seeing all gone we awake sorrowing. A dream, or the dream of a shadow, saith Pindarus; the worst, the weakest dream that can be imagined; sure one step further, were to arrive at deaths door; and yet thus farre are we lead by the hand of Nature: nay if you will lower, death su [...]ceeds life, and life is but the image of death, saith Cato. Here is a true picture of our frailty, life is like death; indeed so like; so near together, that we cannot differ each from other.

Ʋse. And if Nature give this light, how blind are they that cannot see lifes frailty? you need no more but mark the Destinies (as Po­ets feign) to spin their threds: one holds, another draws, a third cuts it off: what is our life but a thread? some have a stronger twist, others a more slender: some live till near rot, others die when scarce born: there's none endures long, this thread of life is cut sooner or later, and then our work is done, our course is fi­nished. Are these the Emblemes of our life? and dare we trust to this broken staff? how do the heathen precede us Christians in these studies? Their books were skuls, their desks were graves, their remembrance an hour-glass. Awake your souls, and be­think you of mortality: have you any priviledge for your lives? are not Heathens and Christians of one Father Adam? of one mother, Earth? the Gospel may free you from the second, not the first death; onely provide you for the first to escape the se­cond death. O men, what be your thoughts? nothing but of Goods and Barns, and many Years? you may boast of Life, as Oromazes the Conjurer of his Egge, which (he said) included the felicity of the world, yet being opened, there was nothing but Wind: Think what you please, your life is but a Wind, which may be stopt soon, but cannot last long by the law of Nature.

2 But secondly, as Nature, so Scripture will inform you in this point. The life of man is but of little esteem; what is it but a Shrub, or a Brier in the fire? As the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the (life or) laughter of the fool: momentary and vanity, Eccles. 7.6. Eccles. 7.6. Nay, a shrub were something, but our life [Page 4] is lesse no better then a leaf, not a tree, nor shrub, nor fruit nor blossome: We all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have swept us away, Esay 64 6. Esay 64.6. Yet a leaf may glory of his birth; it is descended of a Tree; life is a Reed, sometimes broken at least shaken, so vain, so infirm so inconstant is the life of man: What went you out to see? a reed shaken with the wind? Matth. 11.7. Matth. 11.7. Nay, a reed were something, our life is baser, indeed no better then a rush or flag. Can a rush grow without mire? though it were green and not cut down, yet shall it wither before any other herb, Job 8 11, 12. Job 8.12. What shall I say more? what shall I crie, a rush? All flesh is grass, and all the grace thereof as the flower of the field, the grass withereth, the flower fadeth, surely the people is grass, Esa. 40.7. Esa. 40.7. I am descended beneath just patience; but not so low as the life of man; as all these resemble life, so in some measure they have life: but life is a smoke, without any spark of life in it, thus cries David, My dayes are consumed like smoke, & my bones are burnt like an hearth, Psal. 102.3. Psal. 102.3. Yet is here no stay, the smoke ingenders clouds, and a cloud is the fittest resemblance of our life: Our life shall passe away as the trace of a cloud, and come to nought as the myst that is driven away with the beams of the Sun. Wisd. 2.4. Wisd. 2.4. Neither is this all, clouds may hang calm, but life is like a tempest, it is a cloud and a wind too, Remember that my life is but a wind, and that mine eye shall not return to see pleasure, Iob 7.7. Job 7.7. Nay, we must lower, and find a weaker element, it is not a wind, but water, said that woman of Tekoah, We are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, 2. Sam. 14.14. 2. Sam. 14.14. yet is water both a good and necessary element, life is the least part of water, nothing but a foam, a bubble: The King of Samaria (that great King) is destroyed as the foam upon the wa­ter, Hos. 10.7. Hos. 10.7. I can no more, and yet here is something lesse, a foam or bubble may burst into a vapour, and What is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and afterwards vanisheth away, Iam. 4.14. Jam. 4 14. Lesse then this is nothing, yet life is something lesse, nothing in substance, all it is, it is but a shadow, We are strangers and sojourners as all our fathers were, our dayes are like a shadow upon the earth, & there is none abiding, 1. Chr. 29.15. 1. Chr. 29.15. See whither we have brought our life, and yet ere we part, we will down one step lower; upon a strict view we find neither substance nor shadow, Psal 39.5. onely a meer nothing, a verie vanitie: [Page 5] Behold, thou hast made my dayes as an hand breadth, and mine age is nothing in respect of thee, surely every man living is alto­gether vanitie: Psal. 39.5. Psal. 39.5.

What mean we to make such ado about a matter of nothing? I cannot choose but wonder at the vanitie of men, that runne, rid, toil, travell, undergo any labour to maintain this life, and what is it when they have their desire which they so much toyl for? we live, and yet whilest we speak this word, perhaps we die. Is this a land of the living, or a region of the dead? We that suck the air to kindle this little spark, where is our standing but at the gates of death? Psal. 9.13. Psal. 9.13. Where is our walk, but in the shadow of death? Luke 1.79. Luke 1.79. What is our mansion-house, but the body of death? Rom. 7.24. Rom. 7.24. What think ye? Is not this the region of death, where is nothing but the gate of death, An non & haec regio mortis, ubi porta mor­tis, umbra mortis, & cor­pus mortis? and the shadow of death, and the body of death? Sure we dream that we live, but sure it is that we die; or if we live, the best hold we have is but a lease: God our chief Lord may bestow what he pleaseth, to the rich man wealth, to the wise man knowledge, to the good man peace, to all men somewhat: yet if you ask, Who is the Lessor? God. Who is the Lessee? Man. What is leased? This world. For what terme? My life.] Thus Jacob tels Pharaoh, as the Text tels you, Few and evil have the dayes of my life] been.

Ʋse. 1 It is a bad life some live, Come (say they) and let us enjoy the pleasures that are present, Wisd. 2.6, 7. and let us cheerfully use the crea­tures as in youth, let us fill our selves with costly wine and oynt­ments, and let not the flower of life passe by us. What a life is here? Can it be that pleasures, wine and oyntments should have any durance in this vale of miserie? Suppose thy life a con­tinued scene of pleasures, hadst thou Dives fare, Solomons robes, Davids throne, Croesus wealth, livedst thou many years without any cares, yet at last comes death, and takes away thy soul in the midst of her pleasures: alas, what is all thy glory, but a snuff that goes out in a stench? Couldst thou not have made [Page 6] death more welcome, if he had found thee lying on a pad of straw, feeding on crusts and crums? Is not thy pain more grie­vous, because thou wast more happie? Do not thy joys more afflict thee, then if they had never been? O deceitfull world, that grievest if thou crossest, and yet to whom thou art best, they are most unhappie?

Ʋse. 2 But to speak to you who have passed the pikes and pangs of the new birth, would you have life indeed, and enjoy that joy of life which is immortall? then hear, revive, watch and awake from sinne: were you sometimes dead in sinne? O but now live in Christ, Christ is the life. Iohn 14.6. John 14.6. Were you sometimes dumb in your dying pangs? O but now abide in Christ, Christ is the word of life. Iohn 1.1. John 1.1. Are you as yet babes in Christ, feeble and but weak through lifes infirmities? why then use all good means, eat and be strong, Christ is the bread of life Iohn 6.48. John 6.48. Here is a life indeed, would you not thus live for ever? then be­lieve in God, and in Iesus Christ whom he hath sent, and this is life eternal. Iohn 17.3. John 17.3. O happy life, which many a man never dreams of! So much they strive to protract this brittle life, which but adds more grief, that they forget Christ, nay, they forget their Creed, which begins with true life, God; and ends with life never-ending, Life everlasting. Others that hope for heaven, fix not their thoughts on earth; if you be Gods servants, lift up your hearts above, for there is life, and the God of life, the Tree of life, and the Well of life, the life of Angels, and the Life everlasting.

Dayes.]

NOt weeks, nor moneths nor years; or if a year, the best A­rithmatick is to reduce or break it into Dayes: so we have it in the last translations, The dayes of the year.

Here then is the

• Summe, a Year.
• Fraction, Dayes.

First, a Year; in the Spring is the youthfull spring of our age, in the Summer is the aged time of our youth; in the Autumn is [Page 7] the high noon, or middle of our age, when the Sun (which is our soul) rules in the Equinoctiall line of our life; in the Win­ter we grow old and cold, the nips of frost strip the tree of our life, we fall into the grave, and the earth that nourished us, will then consume us. See what is man! a Spring of tears, a Sum­mers dust, an Autumns care, a Winters wo: Read but this map, and you need travell no further to enquire of life.

The first quarter is our Spring, and that is full of sinne and miserie; the infant no sooner breathes, but he sucks the poyson of his parents: in Adam all sinned, and since his time all were defiled by his sinne. Is it not Natures rule, that every man be­gets one like himself? And is it not Gods rule, that every sin­ner begets another no better then himself? How may a foul ves­sell keep sweet water? or how may an earthy sinner beget an heavenly Saint? we are all in the same state of sinne, and so we fall into the same plunge of sorrow: the child in his cradle sleeps not so secure, but now he wakes, and then he weeps, cold starves him hunger pines him, sores trouble him, sicknesse gripes him, there is some punishment, which without sinne had never been inflicted. It is wonderfull to consider, how Nature hath provided for all creatures, birds with feathers, beasts with hides, fishes with scales, all with some defence, onely man is born stark naked, without either weapon in his hand, or the least thought of defence in his heart; birds can flie, beasts can go, fishes can swim, but infant-man, as he knows nothing, so neither is he able to do any thing: indeed he can weep as soon as born, but not laugh (as some observe) till fortie dayes old: so ready are we born to wo, but so farre from the least spark of joy. O meer madnesse of men, that from so poor, naked and base beginnings, can perswade our selves we are born to be proud!

And if this be our Spring, what (think ye) is our Summer? Remember not the sinnes of this time, prayes David, Psalme 25.7. Psal. 25.7. and why? their remembrance is bitter, saith Job, Job 13.26. Job 13.26. If mirth and melody should never meet with end, this were an happy life, Rejoyce, O young man, in thy youth, let thine heart chear thee in the dayes of thy youth, walk in the wayes of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but remember for all these things God will bring thee to judgement, Eccles. 11.9. Eccles. 11.9. This [Page 8] judgement is the damp that puts out all the lights of comfort: could not Solomon have given the rains, but he must pull again at curb? Must youth rejoyce, But for all this remember? what a barre stands here in the very door of joy? alas, that we should trifle thus with toyes, which no sooner we enjoy, but in grievous sadnesse we repent our follies. The wise man that gave libertie to his wayes, what cries he but vanitie, and after, vanitie of vanities, and at last, all is vanitie? what was the wis­dome of Achitophel? a vain thing: what the swiftnesse of Hazael? a vain thing: what the strength of Goliah? a vain thing: what the pleasures of Nebuchadnezzar? a vain thing: what the honour of Haman? a vain thing: what the beautie of Absolon? a vain thing. Thus if we see but the fruit that grows of sin, we may boldly say of laughter, thou art mad, and of joy, what is this thou doest? Eccles. 2.2. Eccles. 2.2.

And if this be our Summer, what may be our Autumn? an hour of joy, a world of sorrow; if you look about you, how many miseries lie in wait to ensnare you? there is no place se­cure, no state sufficient, no pleasure permanent, whither will you go? The chamber hath its care, the house hath its fear, the field hath its toyl, the Countrey hath its frauds, the Citie hath its factions, the Church hath its Sects, the Court hath its envie, here is every place a field where is offered a battell: or if this were better, consider but your states, the Beggar hath his sores, the Souldier hath his scarres, the Magistrate hath his troubles, the Merchant his travels, the Nobles their crosses, the great ones their vexations; here is every state a sea, tossed with a world of tempests: or yet if this were happier, bethink you a little longer of your fleeting joys; the sweet hath its sower, the Crown hath its care, the world hath its want, pleasure hath its pain, profit hath its grief, all these must have their end: here is a dram of sugar mixt with an Epha of bitter. Is this man­hood, that is subject to all these miseries? Nay, what are these in comparison of all it suffers? It is deformed with sinne, defiled with lust, outraged with passions, over-carried with affections, pining with envie, burthened with gluttony, boyling with re­venge, transported with rage; all mans body is full of iniquitie, and his soul (the bright image of God) through sinne, is trans­formed to the ugly shape of the Devil.

And if this be our Autumn, what (I pray) is the Winter? then our Sun grows low, and we begin to die by degrees; shew me the light which will not darken, shew me the flower which will not fade, shew me the fruit which will not corrupt, shew me the garment which will not wear, shew me the beautie which will not wither, shew me the strength which will not weaken: behold, now is the hour that thy lights shall darken, thy cheeks wrinckle, thy skinne be furrowed, thy beautie fade, and thy strength decay. Here is the ambition of a long life, thy lease lies a bleeding, and death raps at the door of thy heart to take possession: O forcible entrie! will not pleasures delay? cannot riches ransome? dares not strength defie? Is neither wit nor wealth able to deceive nor bribe? what may rent this house, that the soul may but lodge there one night longer? Poor soul that dies (or departs) in unremedied pangs! our sinnes may run on score, and repentance forget her dayes of payment. Yet our lease shall end, the date exspire, this body suffer, and the soul be driven from her house and harbour. See the swift course of our mortall Sun, at North and South, in our mothers womb and tomb both in one year.

Ʋse. Consider this, yet that forget God, you have but a year to live, and every season yields some occasion to tell you, ye must die. In childhood, what is your chest of clouts, but a remembrance of your winding sheets? In youth, what is your mirth and mu­sick, but a summons to the knell? In manhood, what is your house and enclosure, but a token of the coffin? In age, what is your chair or litter, but a shew of the beer, which at last shall con­vey you to your graves? Man, ere he is aware, hath drest his herse, every season adding something to his solemnitie. Where is the Adulterer, Murtherer, Drunkard, Blasphemer? Are you about your sinnes? look on these objects; there is a sunne now setting, or a candle burning, or an hour-glasse running, or a flower decaying, or a Traveller passing, or a vapour vanishing, or a sick man groaning, or a strong man dying, be sure there is something puls you by the sleeve, and bids you beware to commit such enormities: Who dares live in sinne, that considers with him­self he must die soon? And who will not consider, that sees be­fore his eyes so many a remembrancer? Alas, we must die, and howsoever we passe from childhood to youth, from youth to [Page 10] manhood, Senectutem nemo excedit. from manhood to age, yet there is none can be more then old: here is the utmost of our life, a Spring, a Summer, an Autumn, a Winter, and when that is done, you know the whole Year is finished.

The summe is a Year] the Items are Dayes.] And what Dayes can ye exspect of such a Year? my text, in relation to these dayes, gives us two attributes, the first is few, the second is evil: if you consider our dayes, in regard of the fewnesse, (which this word seems rather to intimate) you may see them in Scri­pture brought to fewer and fewer, till they are well near brought to nothing.

If we begin with the beginning, we find first, that the first man Adam had a lease of his life in fee and (as Lawyers say) To have and to hold, from the beginning to everlasting: but for eating the forbidden fruit, he made a forfeiture of that estate: of this he was forewarned, In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death; Gen. 2.17. Gen. 2.17. And this he found too true, Be­cause thou hast eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee, Thou shalt not eat—what then? amongst other curses this was one, Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return: Gen. 3.19. Gen. 3.19. After him, the longest life came short of the number of a thousand years, The dayes of Methusalem (saith Moses) were nine hundred, sixtie, and nine years: Gen. 5.27. Gen. 5.27. and had he come to a thousand, which never was attained by man, yet a thousand years are but one day with God: 2. Pet. 3.8. 2 Pet. 3.8. yea, but as yesterday, saith Moses, A thousand years in Gods sight are but as yesterday: Psalme 90.4. Psal. 90.4. But what speak I of a thousand years? no sooner came the floud, but the age of man (of every man born after it) was shor­tened half in half. These are the generations of Sem (saith Moses) Gen. 11.10. Gen. 11.10. to wit, Arphaxad, and Selah, and Eber, none of which three could reach to the number of five hundred years; the longest liver was Eber, and yet all his dayes, before and after his first-born Peleg, were but four hundred, sixtie, and four years: Gen. 11.16, 17. Gen. 11.16, 17. nay, as if half a thousand were more then too much, you may see God halfs their ages once again: Peleg lives as long as any man af­ter him, and yet his dayes were neither a thousand, nor half a thousand, nor half of half a thousand; no, no more then two [Page 11] hundred, thirtie and nine years, Gen. 11.18, 19. Gen. 11.18, 19. but this was a long life too: If we come to arrive at the time of Jacob, we shall find this little time well-near halfed again; when he spoke this text, he tells he was one hundred and thirtie years old, and after this he lived no longer then seventeen years more, so that the whole age of Iacob was but (seven score and seven) an hundred fortie, and seven years. Gen. 47.28. Gen. 47.28. Nay, to leave Iacob a while, and to come a little nearer our selves, in Moses time we find this little time halfed again, he brings seven score to seventie, The dayes (saith he) of our age are threescore years and tenne, and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow, so soon passeth it away, and we are gone. Psal. 90.10. Psal. 90.10. Here is halfs of halfs, and if we half it a while, sure we shall half away all our time: nay, we have a custome goes a little further, and tells us of a number a great deal shorter, we are fallen from seventie to seven, in lifes leases made by us. Nay, what speak I of years, when my text breaks them all into dayes? Few and evil have the dayes been, so our former translation, without any addition of years at all: and (if you mark it) our life in Scripture is more often termed dayes then years: the book of Chronicles, which writes of mens lives, are called according to the interpretation, Words of dayes: to this purpose we read, David was old, and full of dayes. 1 Chron. 23.1. 1 Chron. 23.1 and in the dayes of Iehoram, Edom rebelled. 2 Chron. 21.8. 2 Chron. 21.8 So in the New Testament, In the dayes of Herod the King. Matth. 2.1. Matth. 2.1. and, in the dayes of Herod the King of Iu­dea. Luke 1.5. Luke 1.5. In a word, thus Iob speaks of us, our life is but dayes, our dayes but a shadow: we know nothing (saith Iob) and why so? our dayes upon earth are but a shadow. Iob 8.9. Job 8.9.

Ʋse. 1 Teach us, O Lord, to number our dayes, that we may apply our [Page 12] hearts unto wisdome, Psal. 90, 12. Moses Arithmetick is wor­thy your meditation; learn of him to number, pray to God your teacher, think every evening there is one day of your num­ber gone, and every morning there is another day of miserie coming on; evening and morning meditate on Gods mercy, and your own miserie. Thus if you number your dayes, you shall have the lesse to account for at that day, when God shall call you to a finall reckoning.

Ʋse. 2 But miserable men, who are not yet born again, their dayes run on without any meditation in this kind: What think they of, but of long dayes, and many years? And were all their dayes as long as the day of Joshuah, when the Sun stood still in the midst of heaven, yet it will be night at last, and their Sun shall set like others. True, God may give some a liberall time, but what enemies are they to themselves, that of all their dayes al­low themselves not one? 1. Pet. 3.10. If any man long after life, and to see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. How live they that would needs live long, and follow no rules of pietie? many can post off their conver­sion from day to day, sending Religion afore them to thirty, and then putting it off to fourtie, and not pleased yet to over­take it, promise it entertainment at threescore; at last death comes, and allows not one hour: In youth these men resolve to reserve the time of age to serve God in; in age they shuffle it off to sicknesse, when sicknesse comes, care to dispose their goods, loathnesse to die, hope to escape, ma [...]tyrs that good thought. O miserable men! if you have but the Lease of a Farm for twenty years, you make use of the time, and gather profit; but in this precious farm of Time, you are so ill husbands, that your Lease comes out before you are one penny worth of grace the richer by it. Matth. 20.6. Why stand ye here all the day idle? there are but a few hours or dayes that ye have to live; at last comes the night of death, that will shut up your eyes in sleep till the day of doom.

Few]

OUr Lease is a Life, our Life is but Dayes, our Dayes are but Few. The Phoenix, the Elephant, and the Lion fulfill their hundreds; but man dieth when he thinks his Sun yet riseth, before his eye be satisfied with seeing, or his ear with hearing, or his heart with lusting, death knocks at his door, and often will not give him leave to meditate an excuse before he comes to judgement; Is not this a wonder to see dumb beasts outstrip mans life? The Phoenix lives thousands (say some); but a thou­sand years are a long life with man: Methushalem (you saw) the longest liver, came short of this number; and yet, could we attain to so ripe an age, what are a thousand years to the dayes everlasting? If you took a little mote to compare with the whole earth, what great difference were in these two? and if you compare this life which is so short, with the life to come which shall never have end, how much lesse will it yet appear? As drops of rain are unto the sea, Ecclus 18.9. and as a gravell stone is in com­parison to the sand; so are a thousand years to the dayes everlast­ing. But will you haue an exact account and learn the just num­ber? It was the Arithmetick of holy men to reckon their dayes but Few;] as if the shortest cut were the best account. The Hebrews could subduct the time of sleep, which is half our life. so that if the dayes of men were threescore years and ten, Psal. 90.10. here's five and thirty years struck off at one blow. The Philosophers could subduct the time of weakness, which is most of life; so that if vivere be valere that onely a true life, which enjoyes good health, here's the beginning and the ending of our dayes struck off at a second blow. The Fathers could subduct all times not present, and what say you to this account? were the dayes of life at noon, man grown to manhood? look ye back, and the time past is nothing; look ye forward, and the time to come is but uncertain: and if time past and time to come stand both for ciphers, what is our life but the present? and what is that but a moment? Nay, as if a moment were too much, look at Scripture, and you will see it brought to a lesser passe: Job (for his part) goes about to subduct the time of his birth, which is the bud of life; Let the day perish (saith he) wherein I was born; nay let it not be joyned unto the dayes of the year, nor let it come into the count of moneths, Job 3.6. Job 3.6. Solomon could subduct [Page 14] not onely childhood but the time of youth too, which is the strength of life: Take away grief out of thine heart, and cause evill to depart from thy flesh; for childhood and youth both are but vanity, Eccles. 11.10. Eccles. 11.10. Paul could subduct the time of sinne, which is the joy of life, She that lives in pleasure (lives not, nay she) is dead while she is alive, 1. Tim. 5.6. 1. Tim. 5.6. Summe all and suppose that the time of birth, and childhood, and youth, and sin were gone, to what an epitome were mans life come? Think of this all ye that travell towards heaven, had we not need to make haste, that must go so long a journey in so short a time? How can he choose but run, that remembers his dayes are few? nay, that every day runs away with his life? The workman that sets a time for his task, he listens to the clock, and counts the houres, not a minute must passe, but his work goes onwards: how then do we neglect our time while we should serve God? Work while it is day, John 9.4. 2. Cor. 6.2. saith Christ; and, this is the day of salvati­on, saith the Apostle. Would you know your task? you must work: would you know the time? it is this day: a great task, a short time, had we not need with Moses to number our dayes, lest we loose a minute? It is true, of all numbers we cannot skill to number our dayes: we can number our sheep, our oxen, our fields, our coyn; but we think our dayes are infinite, and never go about to number them. The Saints that went be­fore us cast another account; Moses had his tables, Job had his measures, all agree both for measure and number, magnitude and multitude, our life is but short, our dayes are but few. Few] and evil they have been.

Give me leave a little to amplifie on this point: would we throughly know the shortness of out time, the fewness of our dayes? I shall then set before you the magnitude of the one, and the multitude of the other:

And first, for the magnitude of the time of our life; A man (say the Philosophers) is Microcosmus, a little world: little for goodness, but a world of wickedness. Of this world if you'l have the dimensions according to the rules of Geometricians, the length, breadth, and depth of our short life; then first for our length from East to West, from our birth to our buriall. I need not to take so many paces, as will make mille passus, a mile; our little life bears no proportion to such a length: I dare not say as [Page 15] Stobaeus relates, that our life hath the last of a cubits length: Psal. 39.5. for that's more then the Scripture will afford it: it is but a span, or hand breadth, saith David, that's little: nay, Alcaeus in car­mine Lyrico, saith, it is but an inch long, that's lesse: nay, Punctum est quod vivimus, & adhuc pun­cto minus. saith Plutarch, All our life is but a prick, a point: yet lesse, saith Sene­ca, it is a point that we live, and lesse then a point. that's less then either I can say, or you conceive. What is it? not a mile, but a cubit, but a span, but an inch, but a point, nay less then that: here's little longitude of life. Well, but our latitude perhaps is greater: no, take a measure if you please from one pole to another, as we stand betwixt the terms of life and death and weresoever we are, death is within an hand-breadth of our life: if we be on the sea, there's but a thick board betwixt us and drowning: if on the land, there's but a shoe-sole betwixt us and our grave: if we sleep, our bed is our bodies grave, and there's but a sheet, (perhaps a winding-sheet) betwixt us and it: when we are awake, our bo­die is our souls grave, and there's but a few skins (as say Physici­ans) betwixt death and us. What is it? but the breadth of an hand, of a board, of a shoe-sole, of a thin sheet, of a small skinne: there's little latitude you see. Well, but our profundity may help all this: go to therefore, and see what that is. I shall not lead you down many steps, for indeed there are not many steps to lead you down: in one word come to the centre of the heart of man: The Grecians to expresse the shallowness of this life, give the same name to the heart, that they do to death. [...] is the heart, the authour of life; and [...] is destiny, the worker of death; to shew that as every man hath an heart; so death hath a dart for every man. Christians! mortals! consider your ma­gnitude in all these dimensions; alas, how is it that many of you make your selves so great? what mean those titles which you take upon you? Your Greatnesse, Your Highnesse, your— I know not what. O consider the mortalitie of your bodies and that will tell you the just Mors sola fatetur quan­tula sunt ho­minum corpus­cula. Juvenal. Psal. 90.10. scantling of your selves.

2. For the multitude of our dayes, he was branded with the name of a fool, that thought he had many years to live. Moses tells us, The dayes of our years are threescore years and ten, Psal. 90.10. But now (as you heard) we value our life but at seven years, as if six years we had to labour, and to do all we had to do; but the seventh were a Sabbath to rest with God, Revel. 14.13. Revel. 14.13. [Page 16] nay yet the Scripture comes somewhat lower, and because a plurality might cause a securitie, it bestows but a unitie upon our years, thus Jacob in this text reckons of a great number of one year, The dayes of the year of my life are an hundred and thirty year. Gen. 47.9. Gen. 47.9. nay Austin comes shorter, and compares our life to a quarter of a year, like Jehoahash reign, which lasted about three moneths time. 2 Kings 23.31. 2 Kings 23.31. nay, the Scripture de­scends from moneths to dayes, Few and evil are my dayes, saith Iacob: implying that this life is but a few dayes, or but Vita nostra, non diuturna, sed diurna. one day, as some would have it, which is the meaning of Christs prayer, Give us this day our dayly bread. Matth. 6.11. Matt. 6.11. And yet that we may not think our death a great way off, the Scripture tells us, it is not a day to come: no, boast not of to morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Prov. 27.1. Prov. 27.1. thy day is this present day, and therefore saith the Apostle, To day if you will hear his voice, Heb. 3.7. Heb. 3.7. nay, to speak further, this day (saith Iob) is past already, we are but of yesterday, Job 8.9. Job 8.9. nay, as if a day were too long for the life of man, most resembles it to the grasse that grows up in the morning, and is cut down in the eve­ning, Psal. 90.6. Psal. 90.6. and Gregorie compares it to Ionahs gourd, that came up in a night, and perished ere the day was come, Jonah 4.10. Jonah 4.10. The evening and the morning make but one day. Gen. 1.5. but Quem dies videt veniens superbum, hunc dies videt abi­ens jacentem. our day is oft times an evening without a morning, and oft times a morning without an evening. Nay, yet to go lower, as if half a day were more then our life could parallell, Moses com­pares it to a watch, which is but the fourth part of a night. Psal. 90.4. Psal. 90.4. yea and as if this were longer then our life doth last, the Scripture calls it but an hour. John 5.25. John 5.25. The hour is coming, and now is, saith Christ: nay our life is but a minute, or if we can say lesse, a moment, in a moment they go down to the grave, saith Iob, Job 21.13. Job 21.13. and in a moment shall they die saith Eli­hu. Job 34.20. Job 34.20. And a lying tongue is but for a moment, saith Solomon, Prov. 12.19. Prov. 12.19. and our light affliction is but for a mo­ment, saith Paul, 2 Cor. 4.17. 2 Cor. 4.17. Lo here the length of our little life, this is the gradation that God makes of it: at first a mat­ter of seventie years, but these were tythed from seventie to se­ven, this number again was made no number, one single year: a year? nay a moneth, nay a day, nay an hour, nay a minute, nay a moment, as soon as we were born, we began to draw to our end. [Page 17] Wisd. 5.13. Wisd. 5.13. There's but one poor moment which we have to live, and when that is spent, our life is gone, How? but one? and a moment? one is the least number that is, and a moment the shortest time that ever was: O what mean men to plot and project for the time to come, as if this life would never be done? O consider of the littleness of the time that thou hast to live! O consider of the greatness of the matter that depends upon it; thy body, soul, heaven, and hel, all hangs on this thread, a short life, a few dayes.] Few] and evill have the dayes of my life been.

Ʋse. 1 God shortens your time, you that are unregenerate, lest you defer your repentance: it is said of the Devil, that he is busie, because his time is short, Revel. 12.12. Rev. 12.12. and are you worse then Devils? is not your time shorter? and yet are you more ne­gligent? how do you give way to that old serpent? he delayes no time to bring you to hell, and ye neglect all times to get you heaven: What is your life but a Jonas gourd, suddenly sprung up, and by and by withered again, and gone? whatsoever ye do, your wheel whirls about apace: in a word, ye die daily, and you all know thus much, that you have every one of you a poor soul to save. I have wondered at men, that desire time after time, one time after another, why if your souls perish, the day will come soon enough. It makes me weep (said one of a better stamp) when my hour-glasse is beside me, and I see every drop of sand follow other so speedily. Your dayes are but few, and yet who knows whether this day his sunne may set? Take heed, you unregenerate, if death come unawares, it is the price of your souls how you are provided! Who (alas) would defer to be good, that knows not how soon he may go to judgement? The enemie keeps a daily watch, a friend prepares for your welcome, and are you such enemies to your selves, that never are prepared to welcome death?

Ʋse. 2 But to speak to thee, whosoever thou art that readest, regene­rate or unregenerate, the best counsel thou canst learn, is to be still in a readinesse; think every day thou risest to be thy day of death, and every night thou goest to bed, that thou art laid down in the grave: if thou shouldest forget, will not each ob­ject [Page 18] be a remembrancer? thy sheets, of thy winding-sheet; thy coverings, of thy clasping dust; thy sleep, of thy death; with whom (I may say truly) thou shakest hands every night: who can forget his grve, that lies him down in his bed? and who then would not so provide himself, as if every night he went to his grave? Our dayes are but few, and the night will be ere long that we die indeed. What are we but Tenants at will in this Clay Farm? the foundation of all the building is a small substance, alwayes kept cold by an intercourse of air, the pillar is but a little breath, the strength some few bones tied together with dry strings, howsoever we piece and patch this poor cot­tage, it will at last fall into the Lords hands, and we must give surrender onely in this tenour, Few] and evill have the dayes of my life been.

Evill.]

OUr life is but dayes, our dayes are but few, our few dayes but evil: Into what a sea of misery have I now rushed sail? Evill life, evill dayes; but few, yet evil.

There waits on our life

• Sinne,
• Punishment.

Both these are evil; Sinne, as the father, playes the Bank­rupt; Jam. 1.15. and Punishment, the sonne, must pay the debt: first, Lust conceives and brings forth sinne, then sinne being finished brings forth death. Here is both the work and wages, first we commit, and then we suffer evil.

The evils we commit are sinnes, and see what a troop of enemies march about us; if you exspect the battel in array, what [Page 19] say you to those evils originall? these are the inheritance which we have from our first parents; it is the same infection that di­stilled from them abides in us, and therefore the same punish­ment is due to us, that fell on them. O the floud-gate of evils that now are opened! Adams sinne is ours by imputation, we are twigs of one root, streams of one fountain, and by the same reason partakers of one sinne. And as no evil is alone, so be­sides that imputed, we have another inherent, this is the proclive disposition that we have to evil, because of the losse of those powers that we had to good; First, Primò persona infecit natu­ram, sed pòst natura infecit personam: Polanus. the sinne of the person in­fected nature but now the sinne of nature infects the person: Is not the mind doubtfull of the wayes of God? Is not the will prone to all manner of evil? Are not the affections disordered in their actions? But as for goodnesse, and holinesse, and virtue, and grace, and temperance, and innocency, all these ornaments are lost; Adam received them for himself and us, and therefore lost them from us, as from himself: what wonder, if we being spoyled, nature be left naked; a rotten root must needs bear rotten branches; and if the first man be infected with sinne, what follows, but a corruption of the whole nature of man?

But these are but the seeds, what say ye to the off-spring? Evils original beget evils actuall, Dictum, vel factum, vel concupitum, contra legem aeternam. Aug. l. 22. contra Faust. cap. 27. initio tom. 6. and such are they (as Austin defines them) Whatsoever we say, or do, or think against the Law eternall. How many of these Furies haunt us? our saying, doing, thinking, all is evil that is against Gods command: his will is the rule that should measure all our actions, our actions are the frame that should be measured by his will; here then is sinnes materiall and formall, the actions of man diverted from the will of God; and if all these be evils, how many evils are they all?

Look at our omission of good duties, and come they not in like moats in the Sun? How many alms have we denied? How many blessings have we refused? How many Sermons have we neglected? How many Lords dayes have we mis-spent? This was the sinne of that rich man, of whom though Lazarus had no hurt, yet because he could receive no good therefore he was tormented in that flame. You know a day vvill come, Luke 16. vvhen a bill of negatives shall be framed against the vvicked, not vvhat ye have done, but vvhat ye have not done: I was hungry, Matth. 25.42, 43. and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a [Page 20] stranger, and ye lodged me not; I was naked, and ye cloathed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not, Matth. 5.42. It is the not doing your duties must incurre that heavie sen­tence, Matth. 25.41. Depart frome me ye cursed. Mere harmless men are no fit members for Gods kingdome; if you mean to avoid evil, you must neglect no good: alas, vvho vvould slip any occasion, that considers the just revvard of this evil of omission.

But these are not half the count, there be evils of Commissi­on, whereby we fight against God, and provoke his justice a­gainst us: of all the Commandments which we should per­form, there is not one precept which we have not broken; God himself is dishonoured, his worship is neglected, his name is blasphemed, his dayes are profaned: if we go any further pa­rents are disobeyed, injury is maintained, adultery is commit­ted, robbery is practised, false witnesse is produced, covetous­ness is followed: thus is the manner of our keeping the Com­mandments, from the first to the last having transgressed against all. Psal. 51.9. Hide thy face from my sins, O Lord, and put away all mine iniquities. We had need to pray, Hide them, for if they be not hid, how many of these evils will rise up in judgement a­gainst us?

But here is no end, there be evils externall that accompany the bodie, and what part of the body is not possessed with some evill? Look at the senses, and wherein hast thou imployed thine eyes, but in beholding vanity? wherein thine ears, but in heark­ening to lies? wherein thy tasting, touching, smelling, but in sensuall pleasures? and as the senses, so are the members full of evil, Esai. 1.5. Jer. 17.9. Jam. 3.8. Prov. 30.14. Esai. 1.15. Esa. 59.7. Esa. 1.6. The head is sick, the heart deceitfull, the tongue unruly, the teeth as swords, the jaws as knives, the hands are full of bloud, and the feet swift to shed bloud. Thus from the sole of the feet to the crown of the head, there is nothing whole, but wounds, and swellings, and sores full of corruption, Esa. 1.6.

And if these be our outward, what be those inward evils? should I thrust my hand into your bosomes, O how leprous should I pluck it out again! that Ʋnderstanding created full of light, 1. Cor. 2.14. is now so blind, that it perceives not the things of the spirit of God, neither can it know them, for they are spiritually discern­ed. No doubt there is in us a remaing spark of Nature, and that is the light of reason which makes us men; but if you look at this [Page 21] reason, it perceives onely naturall and externall things; it can perceive thy house adorned, thy lands tilled, thy grounds stock­ed; but those spirituall blessings, celestiall promises, eternal pri­viledges, it cannot see, nor so much as think of: What are all our thoughts but vanitie, and imagination of mans heart, but onely evil, Gen. 8.21. Gen. 8.21. Neither is this all, God framing mans soul, planted in it two faculties, the Ʋnderstanding that inform­eth, and the Will that followeth: and as the Ʋnderstanding, so is the Will; it receives from Reason (her Counsellour) sensuall advice, and sends forth to the Affections (her Courtiers) in­junctions of vanitie; here is a Counsellour indeed, what is it but reason without reason? and here is a will indeed, what is it but a slave to sinne, without any will to good? Man is so holden captive with the yoke of sin, that of his own nature he can nei­ther aspire by desire nor travell by endeavour to any goodnesse. Calv. Instit. l. 2. c. 4. I say not, but (as Bernard) to will is in us all, but to will evil is of nature, to will good is of grace, away then with our abilities, and confess we with the Apostle, that to will is present with me, but I find no means to perform that which is good, Rom. 7.18. Rom. 7.18.

And yet this is not all, take a view of those affections which attend the will, and how are all evil? It is God should be the object both of our will and affections, and what say you? do you love him, and fear him, and trust in him, and serve him? your sinns say, no: we can do nothing that good is, but we run upon evil; see thine anger like a Serpent, thy desire like a Wolf, thy fear like an Hart, thine envie like a Viper, all thy passions are become sensuall, and Every man is a beast by his own knowledge, Jer. 10.14. Jer. 10.14.

Blessed God! what a world of evils are within us? Orat. Manass. We have sinned (O Lord) above the number of the sands of the seas, our transgressions (O Lord) are multiplied, our offences are exceed­ing many: Many sure, that contain these streams, and yet how many are the rivolets that issue from them? There be evils of weakness against God the Father, whose attribute is Power; there be evils of ignorance against God the Son, whose attri­bute is Wisdome; there be evils of malice against God the holy Ghost, whose attribute is Love. Can we adde any more? Mark but our thoughts, our delights, our consents to evil: or if these be not enough, see a swarm indeed that continually assault us, [Page 22] anger, hatred, envy, distrust impatience, avarice, sacriledge, pride, despair, presumption, indevotion, suspition, contention, derision, ex­action, (give me leave to breathe in the numbring of this bed­roll) perjurie, blasphemie, luxury, simony, perplexitie, incon­stancy, hypocrisie, apostasie: here is a number numberless, gross sins, little sins, known sins, hid sins; Who can understand his er­rours? O Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults, Psal. 19.12. Psal. 19.12. The dayes of life are few, but the evils God knows how many; he that would number them may tell a thousand, and yet not tell one of a thousand: Can the proudest Pharisee justifie him­self? Remember the swarms that lurk in thy venomed conscience, number thy wanton words, thy carnal thoughts, thy unchri­stian gestures, thy outragious sins, & come they not in by troops and herds, thicker then the frogs in Egypt? well may we stand a­mazed at their number, and as convicted prisoners, cry for that Psalme of mercie, Miserere mei. Lord have mercy on us, most evil wretched sinners.

Ʋse. 1 Remember your selves, and who will not sing Davids bur­then, Psal. 38.4. Mine iniquities are gone over my head, and as a weighty burthen, they are too heavy for me to bear? There is in sin (saith Austin) both weight and number, and is any one so dull or dead, that he is sensible of neither? go ye to the balance, and what a mass lies upon you? enough and enough again to sink you down to hel: go ye to the count, and what a swarm comes upon you? a million, and a million of millions to keep you out of heaven; when all your sins must be called to account before that Judge of the world, what account shall be given of this account that is endless? see them like the stars, onely these set and rise, but your sins rise, and never set; see them like your hairs, onely these shed and lose, but your sinns grow ever more and more; see them like the sands, onely these are covered with the flouds and waters, but your sins lie still open and are ever before you: think on these [Page 23] stars, these hairs, these infinite innumerable sands of sins, and when all is done, let your tears be the floud to hide them over. Psal. 6.6. It was Davids saying, Every night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears: if your daies be evil, let not your night slip without repentance; go not to bed, but beat your breast with the Publican; lay you not down, but withall lift up your voice Lord be mercifull unto me a sinner: How sweet a rest doth that night bring, whose sleep is prevented with the consideration of our sins? though we are begirt with a thousand devils this would be as the watch of our souls, and the safeguard of our persons.

Ʋse: 2 But I must speak with a difference: I stand over some of you, who are so far from When I speak thus of tears or repentance, I argue not a causality or merit; onely I inferre a neces­sarie presence of repentance in those that obtain pardon of sin. All that I positively affirm is this, that re­pentance is the means or way which God hath appointed antecedently to to pardon. Act. 3.19. Jer. 4.14. washing away your sins with tears, that I fear you never took much notice of the multitude of your sins: should I tel you that you brought sin enough with you to damn you, when you first came into this world; should I tell you, that you have everie one committed thousands, and thousand of thousands of actuall sins and yet any one of those thousands is enough to send you packing to hell: You would think these strange points; but if God be true, there is no sin of man, either originiall or actuall, either of omission or commission, either of the bodie, or of the soul, which without repentance will not produce eternall death: and therefore in Gods fear take no­tice of your sins, set before you the Commandments of God, and thereto comparing your life, you may find out such a cata­logue of your sinnes, that will throughly convince you of your damnable estate,

You may ask, to what end should we be so carefull to find out our sins? I answer to a very good end, both in respect of the

• Unregenerate,
• Regenerate.

First, in respect of the unregenerate: this is the first step of repentance; this is one of those paces that will lead you towards heaven. You may be sure, without repentance no heaven, with­out confession no repentance, and without finding out sin there can be no confession. It were good therefore, and a singular means to bring you out of corruption into Christianity, and out of the state of nature into the kingdome of grace, that you would everie one of you have a Catalogue of your sins. If you will not, I can tell you who will, there is an adversary called [Page 24] Sathan (the adversary of mankind) that stands at your back, and (I may say figuratively) with a scroll in his hands, wherein he writes down your sins; not a day passeth on, but he can ea­sily tell how many sins you have committed all day. Lord, that men would think on't! Are you about any sin? at that very time Sathan is registring the act, and time and place, and everie circumstance: now wo, wo to man, that lets Sathan do his work for him! Would you do this your self, would you but study for a Catalogue of your own sins, that so you might confess them to God, and repent you thereof, this would be a dash in the devils book, so that he could not have whereof to accuse you; but if still you go on securely in sin, and never go about to call your sins to remembrance, a day will come (wo worth the day) when that roring Lion shall set all your sins and trans­gressions in order before you: then shall you read (perforce) your sinnes originall and actuall, of omission and commissi­on, of your bodies and souls. And I must tell you, herein is a great policie of Sathan, he lets you alone in your securitie a while, if you will not trouble him, he will not trouble you; if you will not tell your own sinnes, neither will he tell you of them; but he will change his note (at furthest) when your few evil dayes finish: it is the very case as many creditours deal with their debtors, while they have any doings as they say, and are in trading, they will let them alone, in policie they will say nothing; but if once down the wind, in sickness, povertie, disgrace, or the like, then comes Serjeant after Serjeant, ar­rest upon arrest, action upon action: just thus is Satans deal­ing with the unregenerate man; if you will but sinne, and never call your selves to a reckoning, inpolicie he will say no­thing, but when the score is full, and death comes to arrest you, then will he bring out his black book of all your sinnes commit­ted all your dayes. O I tremble to speak of it! then shall your sins fall as foul on your souls, as ravens on the fallen sheep, and keep you down for ever in the dungeon of despair.

Secondly in respect of the regenerate; that you have readie by you (or by heart) a catalogue of your sinnes, is necessary in many respects.

First, to humble you: for no sooner shall the poor soul look on all the sinnes he hath committed, both before and after [Page 25] his regeneration, but confessing them in prayer, it will pull down his heart, and make the wound of his remorse to bleed a fresh, as before: and therefore this catalogue is most necessary in dayes of humiliation.

Secondly, it is necessarie to prepare you for the receiving of the Sacrament; for indeed I would have none to presume to taste on that Supper, but first to view over all his sinnes, and to confess them in payer to his heavenly Father: there be many that in Confession look on their sinns, as they do on the stars in a dark cloudie night, they can see none but the great ones, of the first or second magnitude, it may be here one and there one; but if they were truly illightened, and informed aright, they might rather behold their sinns, as those innumerable stars that appear in a fair frostie winters night; they are many, and many: and therefore take a little pains in composing your ca­talogue, that so you may confess all (at least for the kinds) be­fore you presume to come near that Table of the Lord.

Thirdly, it is necessarie in times of desertion, or visitation: yea, if the Lord shall please to exercise you with any crosse, or disgrace, or discountenance, losse of goods, disease of bodie, terrour of soul, or the like; you may be sure as no miserie comes but for sinne, so then the enumeration of your sinns from a bleeding broken heart, is the prime and first means to cause that Sun of mercie to break through the clouds, and to beget a clear day; alas, our dayes are evil, and sure we have as good reason as ever Jacob had to confess it: for my part, though I keep my ca­talogue to my self, yet in the generall I cannot but confesse to you all, My dayes have been evil, evil, evil: Few and evil.

2 2. The evils that we suffer may be ranked in this order; first, evils originall fill up the scene, and what a multitude of evils do enter with them? No sooner had Adam sinned, but a world of miseries fell on man, so that as the infection, in like manner the punishment distills from him. Rom. 5.12. By one man (saith the Apo­stle) entred sin into the world: what, sin alone? no, but death [Page 26] by sinne, and so death went over all men Rom. 5.12. Infants themselves bring their damnation with them from their wombs; or if that be omitted, how many are the miseries of this life, as the fore-runners of that judgement? Look at the mind and what think ye of our ignorance, not onely that of wilfull dis­position, but (as the Schools distinguish) of pure negation; if it be not a sin, what is it but a punishment for sinne? that our understanding should be obscured and darkened, our knowledge in things naturall wounded, in supernaturall utterly extinguish­ed: O the miserable issue of that monster Sin! But as evils come by heaps, so of the same parent here is another brood, Ignorance and Forgetfulness; and is not this a miserie, after all our time and studie to get a little knowledge, quickly to forget that we are so long a learning? Man in his whole state, before the fall, could not forget things taught him; but now (as the hour-glass) we receive in at the one ear, and it goes out at the other; or rather (like the sieve) we alwayes keep the bran, but let the flowre go, so apt are we to retain the bad, but we ve­rie easily forget the good. And is this all? nay, yet more evils; see but our affections, and to what a number of infinite sorrows, griefs, anguishes suspicions, fears, malices, jealousies, is the soul of man subject? So prone are we to these miserable passions, that upon any occasion we fall into them; or for want of cause from any other, we begin to be passionate with our selves: Why hast thou, O Lord, set me against thee? I am become irksome and burdensome even unto mine own self, Job 7.20. Job 7.20.

Alas, poor man how art thou beset with a world of miseries? and yet, as if all these summed up together, could not make e­nough, look at the body, and how many are its sufferings? In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, said God, Gen. 3.19. Gen. 3.19. The Spider spins, and weaves, and wastes her very bowels to make her net, and when all is done, to what purpose serves it, but to catch a flie? If this be vain work, how vain is man in his fond imitation? the birds and beasts can feed themselves, without any pains, onely man toils night and day, on sea and land, with bodie and mind; yet all is to no purpose, but to catch a flie, to protract a life, or to procure some vanitie. And yet, as if miserie had no mean; besides our industry, how is this bodie stuffed with many an infirmitie? all the strength of man is [Page 27] but a reed, at best shaken, perhaps broken, howsoever weakened by every wind that blows upon it. The Physicians distinction of Temperamentum ad pondus, & justitiam, gives us thus much to learn, that no constitution is ever so happie, to have a just temper according to its weight; some are too hot others too cold all have some defects, and so are disposed to all kind of infirmities: man cannot carrie himself, but he must needs carry about with him many forms of his own destruction. De ipso corpore tot exsistunt morborum ma­la, ut nec libris Medicorum cuncta compre­hensa, Aug. de Civ. Dei, l. 22. cap. 22. The books of the Physicians tell us of many diseases, and yet many are the diseases which their books cannot tell of: we see in our own dayes, most labour of new sicknesses, unknown to our fa­thers; or if any of us be free from any of these, yet everie ones bodie nourisheth the causes, and may be a receptacle of a thou­sand diseases. How evil is sinne, that incurs so many evils of punishment?

But as if all were too little (because our sinnes are so many) if you will number any more, here is yet another reckoning, evils originall, and e [...]ls adventitious, evils of necessitie, Quid de innu­meris casibus qui forinsecus corpori formi­dantur? Aug. ibid. and evils of chance. Austin saith, What shall we say of those innumera­ble accidents that befall a man? as heat, and cold, and thunder, and rain, and storms, and earthquakes, and poysons, and trea­sons, and robberies, and wars, and tumults, and what not? go whither you will, and everie place is full of some of these evils: if you go on sea, every wave threatens you, every wind fears you, Quae mala pa­tiuntur navi­gantes? quae terrena itinera gradientes? every rock and sand is enough to drown you: if you go on land everie step dangers you, everie wild beast scares you, everie stone or tree is enough to kill you: if you go no whither, you can­not be without danger: Eli was sitting, and what more se­cure? yet at the news of Gods Ark, 1. Sam. 4.17. that it was taken by the Philistims, he falls down backwards, and his neck was broken. Korah was standing, what more sure? yet as soon as Moses had made an end of speaking, the earth opened her mouth, Num. 16.32. and swallowed him and his family, and all the men that were with him. Indeed Absalon was riding, & vvhat vvay more readie to escape the enemy? yet, as the mule carried him under a great thick oak, 2. Sam. 18.9. his head caught hold of the oak, & he was taken up between the heaven and the earth and the mule that was under him went away. What­soever vve do, or vvhithersoever vve go, so long as vve do evil, these evils vvill meet us. Go into the ship, there is but a board [Page 28] betvvixt thee and the vvaters: vvalk on the ground, there is but a shoe-sole betvvixt thee and thy grave: take a turn in the streets, and so many perills hang over thee, as there are tiles on the houses; travell in the countrey, and so many enemies are about thee, as thou meetest beasts in the fields; if all these places be so dangerous, then retire to thy house, and yet that is subject to fire, or water, or if it escape both, it may fall on thy head: whithersoever we turn us, all things about us seem to threaten our death. Our dayes are evil indeed, and who is it that is exempted from everie of these evils? Sin­ners are corrected, good men are chastened, there is none escapes free.

To see a little the state of Gods own friends and children: Was not Abel murdered by his brother? Noah mocked by his sonne? Job scoffed by his wife? Eli slain for his sons? will you all at once? take one for all, and see Jacob our Patriarch, a notable example of extream infelicity: he is threatned by his brother, banished from his father, abused [...]y his uncle, defraud­ed of his wife, was not here miserie enough to break one heart? But after this, for another wives sake, see him enter into a new service, Gen. 31.40. In the day he is consumed with heat, in the night with frost: an hard service sure! nay after this that he got his Rachel, see then a division betwixt her and Leah, two sisters brawling for one husband yet neither content, after both enjoyed him. Blessed Saint! how wast thou haunted with afflictions? yet after this, he agrees his wives, and they all run from their fa­ther, and now see a fresh pursuit; behind him, Laban follows which an Hue and Cry, before him Esau meets him with 400 men; to go forwards intolerable, to go backwards unavailable; which way then? It was an Angel of God, nay the God of Angels that now must comfort him.

And yet again after his first entry into his own countrey, his wife Rachel dies, his daughter Dinah is ravished his sonne Reuben lies with his concubine, and if the defiling of a wife be so great a grief to the husband, what sorrow and shame, when the wickednesse is committed by a mans own son? what can we more? If ye his heart be unbroken, here's another grief great enough to match all the rest, his sonne, his Joseph (they report) is lost, and what news hears he of him, but that he is torn with [Page 29] wild beasts? and now see a man of miseries indeed! Gen. 37.34, 35. He rends his clothes, he puts sackcloth about his loyns, he will not be com­forted, but surely (saith he) I will go down into the grave unto my sonne mourning. Alas poor Jacob! what can they say to comfort him? To comfort, said I? nay, yet hear the tidings of a new misfortune, a famine is begun, and another of his sonnes is kept in prison: What a grief is here? Another in prison, and nothing to redeem him but his onely Benjamin; Gen. 42.36. here is the losse of sonne after sonne, Ioseph is not, and Simeon is not, and now ye will take Benjamin, all these things are against me. We need no more, if Iacob thus number, how many are the miseries he did dayly suffer? would you have the summe? He himself the best witnesse of himself, affirms it to Pharaoh, Evil, E­vil. Few and Evil] have the dayes of the years of my life been.

Ʋse. 1 What is sweet in this life, which so many miseries will not imbitter? If this be a vale of rears, where is thy place to plea­sure? If this life be a nest of cares, Psal. 4, 2. how canst thou settle so great a vanity as sinne in a field of such misery as the world? O ye sonnes of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine honour, and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing? Were men not mad in their wayes, or utterly besotted in their imaginations, well might these miseries of our life breed their neglect of the world. Can we chuse but wonder to see how busily thou heap­est up riches yet knowest not who shall eat the grapes of thy planted vineyard? God gave thee a countenance erected to­wards heaven, and must it ever be groveling and poring on the earth? God gave thee a soul to live with his blessed Angels, and wilt thou make it a companion fitter for no other then brute beasts? Eccles. 5.12. There is an evil sicknesse (saith Solomon) that I have seen under the Sunne; and what is that, but riches reserved to the owners for their evil. See here the just judgement of a righ­teous [Page 30] God, to this end is thy riches, thou wouldest live at ease, and outlast many years, therefore thy life is but miserable, and thy death must be sudden, thy dayes are but few, and thy few dayes are evil.

Ʋse. 2 But to comfort all you that live in the fear of God, it may be your dayes are evil,] and what then? this is to make tryall of your love to God, and a tryall it is of Gods love to you.

First it makes a tryall of your love to God; Certainly if you have but a spark of this love, your dayes cannot be so evil, but in the midst of those evils you shall find some inward consola­tions that will sweeten all. Gen. 29.20. It is memorable how Iacob for Ra­chel serves Laban seven years, but yet (saith the Text) they seemed to him but a few dayes for the love he had to her. Nay, after Laban had deceived him in giving him blear-eyed Leah in stead of beautifull Rachel, Iacob then serves him another se­ven years prentiship; love makes the heart chearfull in the worst of sufferings: though Iacob was consumed with drought in the day, and frost in the night, Gen. 31.40. which many and many a time made his rest and sleep to depart from his eyes; yet his love of fair Rachel sweetens all his labours. Why thus thus will it be with you that wait on the Lord your God: what though miseries come upon you as thick as hail-storms in a sharp winters day? you may remember you have a better master then Laban, a bet­ter service then Iacobs, a fairer prize then Rachel: who is your master but such an one as will surely keep his covenant, even the Lord your God? what is your service, but such a one as is most glorious and honourable, even a light burden, a perfect freedome? what is your prize, but such a one as surpasseth all prizes what­soever, even the beauty of heaven, the beatificall vision of our blessed God, If then you but love God as Iacob did Rachel, what matters it how evil your few dayes be? nay be they never so evil, and were your dayes never so many, yet an hundred, a thousand years spent in Gods service, they would seem but a few dayes for the love you bear to him. O Lord work in us this love, and then command what thou wilt, persecution, affliction, the Crosse, or death, no service so hard, but we shall readily o­bey thee.

Secondly, as your evils of sufferings try your love to God, so they are a tryall (or token) of Gods love to you: 2 Cor. 4.17. Our light af­fliction [Page 31] which is but for a moment causeth unto us a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory; and if this be the end, who would not endure the means? O divine mercy! therefore the dugs of this life taste bitter, that thereby God may wean us from the love of this world to attain a better: Certainly God is good unto us in tempering these so fitly; bitternesse attends this life, that thou maist sigh continually for the true life. Wouldst thou not run through dangers for a kingdome? wouldst thou not fetch a crown for fear of a thorn? nay, who would not go to heaven, although it were with Eliah in a whirlwind? I count (saith Paul) that the afflictions of this life are not wor­thy of the glory which shall be shewed unto us. Rom. 8.18. Come then ye that thirst for long life, believe in God, and you shall have life eter­nall. All is well that ends well: though a while we sink in mi­series, yet at last the joys of heaven will refresh us: then shall we live in love, rejoyce in hymns, sing forth in praises the won­derfull works of our Creatour and Redeemer, this is that life of heaven, and when our life ends here, Lord grant us life ever­lasting.

Have been.]

OUr life is but dayes, our dayes are but few our few dayes but evil, and now when all is done, we find all is out of date. Few and evil have] the dayes of my life been.]

This last word is the leases exspiration: and why have been?] If you will needs know the reason.

First, the time that is past is best known to Iacob: Olim memi­nisse juvabit. Virg. old men can tell old stories, and something it delights them to remem­ber the storms gone over them. We all know how [Page 32]

• Many years we have lived.
• Great miseries we have suffered.

Iacob tells you, as you may tell each other, our years have been few, our few years have been evil. To make this good. Have they not been few? Let me ask some old man, whose hairs are dipt in snow, Eccles. 12.6. whose golden ewer is broken, whose silver cord is lengthened, how many be thy years? It may be thou wilt an­swer, Psal. 90.10. as Moses gives the number, a matter of threescore years and ten, or fourscore years: I cannot say but it is a long time to come, but alas, what are these fourscore years now they are gone? Tell me you that have seen the many changes both of Moon and Sun, are they not swiftly runne away? you may remember your man­hood, childhood, and I pray what think ye? was it not yester­day? is it not a while since? who will not wonder to see how quickly it is gone, and yet how long it was a coming? The time to come seems tedious, especially to a man in hope of blisse, the time now past is a very nothing, especially to a man in fear of danger: go down to those cast-away souls that now suffer in hell flames, and what say they of their life, but as soon as we were born we began to draw to our end, Wisd. 5.13. Wisd. 5.13. go down to those putrified bodies, and find amongst them the dusts of Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, Enoch, Me­thushalem, every one of whom lived near to the number of a thousand years, are they not dead? and what is their epitaph, but, they lived and dyed? Gen. 5. Gen. 5. Gen. 47.9. To summe up all in one, and to make this one serve for all, Iacob is an hundred and thirty years old (for so you see it registred in Gods book) yet now being demanded to tell his age, he answers but Dayes, and his dayes are but Few; how should they be many that now are gone already? these few dayes, they have been.]

Scribit in mar­more laesus.2. And as time past tells our dayes, so it counts all our mise­series, who cannot remember the miseries he doth suffer? The poor, the sick, the banished, the imprisoned, the traveller, the souldier, every one can write a Chronicle of his life, and make up large volumes of their severall changes. What is the history of the Bible but an holy brief Chronicle of the Saints grievous sufferings? See the miseries of the Patriarchs described in the books of Moses: see the warres of the Israelites set down in the books of Ioshua: see the afflictions of David in the books [Page 33] of Samuel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Iob, every one hath a book of their severall calamities, and if all our miseries were but thus abrevitaed, I suppose the world would not contain the books that should be written.] There is no man so cunning to know his future condition; but for those things which have been, every one can reade them. Look then (beloved) at the time now past, and will you not say with Iacob, your dayes have been evil? Evil for your sinnes, and evil for your sufferings: if you live more dayes what do you but increase more evils? the just man sinnes seven times a day, and every one of us perhaps seventy times seven times: do we thus multiply sins? and think we to subract our sorrows? think but of those storms that already have gone over our heads famines, sores, sicknesses, plagues, have we not seen many seasons unseasonable, because we could find no season to repentance? Our Springs have been graves rather then cradles, our Summers have not shot up but withered our grasse, our Autumns have took away the flocks of our sheep, and for our latest Harvest, the heavens themselves have not ceased weep­ing for us, that never yet found time to weep for our selves. And as this procured the famine, so famine ushered the pestilence. O the miseries miserable that at this time fell upon us! Were not our houses infected? our towns depopulated? our gardens made our graves? and many a grave a bed to lodge in it a whole fa­mily? Alas, what an hideous noise was heard about us? In eve­ry Church bells towling, in every hamlet some dying, in every street men watching, in every place, every where, wailing and weeping, or groning and dying. These are the evils that have been,] and how should we forget them that have once seen them with our eyes? Call to mind time past, Recole primor­dia. Bern. was the rule of Bernard, & what better rule have we to square our lives, then the remembrance of those evils which our lives have suffered? Look back then with Iacob, and we have good reason to redeem the time past, because our dayes have been evil.

2 2. But there is yet another reason why these few evill dayes have been.] As the time past is best known to Iacob so the life of Iacob is but as the time past. Go to now (saith S ^t. Iames) ye that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain, and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow. James 4.13. James 4.13. It is a meer pre­sumption [Page 34] to boast of the time to come: can any man say he will live til to morrow? look back ye that trust to this staff of Egypt, there is no man can assure you of this day, Man knoweth not his time, saith the Preacher, Eccles. 9.12. Eccles. 9.12. As near as it is to night, it may be before evening some one of us may be dead, and cold, and fitter to lodge in our graves under earth, then in our beds above it; nay, assure your selves, our life is of no long continu­ance: what speak we of to morrow, or this day? we are not sure of (that least of times division) a very hour: watch there­fore (saith our Saviour) and will you know the reason? for ye know neither the day, nor the hour when the Sonne of man will come, Matth. 25.13. Matth. 25.13. The man with ten or twenty dishes set be­fore him on his table, when he hath full intelligence that in one of them is poyson, will he not refuse all, lest in eating of any be runne upon the hazard of his life? What is our life but a few houres? and in one of them death must needs come; watch then for the hour is at hand, and we know not how soon it will seiz upon us. This hour the breath thou drawest may be thy infection, this hour the bread thou eatest may be thy poy­son, this hour the cup thou tastest may be that cup that must not passe from thee. But what speak we of this hour, seeing it is come, and gone? The sweetest ditty that Moses sung, were his briefs and semibriefs of life, and what is it but a watch? Psalme 90.4. Psal. 90.4. what is it but a sleep? Psalme 90.5. Psal. 90.5. we watch when it is dark, we sleep when it is night; if then our life be no more but a night-work, what is truer then this wonder, our life is done, our dayes they have been?

You may think we go farre to prove so strange a paradox, yet Job goes further; what are we but of yesterday, for our dayes upon earth are but a shadow? Job 8.9. Job 8.9. See here the chronolo­gie of mans frailtie, we have a time to live, and when is it, think you? not to morrow, nor do day, nor this hour, nor last night, it is as long since as yesterday it self. Are not we strangely de­ceived? What mean our plots and projects for the time to come? why our life is done, and we are now but dead men. To speak properly, In the midst of life we be in death, our whole life being truly (if not past, yet) as the time past that is gone and vanished. The similitude or resemblance will runne in these respects, [Page 35] the time past

• cannot be recalled.
• suddenly is vanished.

And so is our life: can we recall that which is fled away? the the life that we led yesterday, you see it is gone; the life that we led last night, it is past and done; the life that we led this morning, it is now a going, nay, it is gone as soon as we have spoken. Nicodemus saying according to the flesh was true, How can a man be born which is old? can he enter into his mothers womb again, and be born? John 3.4. John 3.4. How should a man re­call that is past? can he receive again the soul once given, and begin to live? man never so great in power, and spreading him­self like a green bay tree, a tree] most durable; a bay tree] most flourishing; a green bay tree] that is most in prime, if any thing will stand at a stay, what is more likely? yet he passed away (saith the Psalmist) and lo he was gone, I sought him but be could not be found, Psalme 37.35, 36. Psal. 37.35, 36 We cannot stay time present, how should we recall time past? See here the man on whom the eyes of the world are fixt with admiration, yet for all this he passeth] without stay, he is gone] without recall, I sought him but to find him] is without all recovery. Time was that Adam lived in paradise, Noah built an Ark, David slew Goliah, Alexander overcame the world: where be these men that are the wonder of us living? we all know they are long since dead and the times they saw shall never come again. How fond was that fiction of Plato, Annus Plato­nicus. that after the revolution of his tedious year, then he must live again and teach his Schollers in the same chair he sate in? our faith is above his reason, for the heavens shall passe away, the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works therein shall be burnt up, 2 Pet. 3.10. 2 Pet. 3.10. Where then is the life of Plato, when all these things shall turn to nothing? we may now for his learning praise him where he is not, and he may then for his errour be damned and tormented where he is. Is there any man with skill or power can call back but yesterday? once onely we read of such a miracle, but it was onely by the hand of God Almighty. Hezekiah was sick, 2 Kings 20. 2 Kings 20. and to confirm the news that he must recover, he requires a sign. What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day? this was no temptation, for you see how the Prophet gives him [Page 36] satisfaction, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord; wilt thou that the shadow go forward tenn degrees, or go back tenn de­grees? Hezekiah thinks of death, and the Prophet restores his life, not onely a time of fifteen years to come, but of ten degrees now gone, and thus it was observed in the diall of Ahaz. This was a miracle that but once happened since the beginning of the world; he then that sleeps away his time in exspectation of He­zekiahs sunne, may sleep till his death, and then not recall one minute of his life; as the time, so our life, if once past it is ir­revocable, irrecoverable.

2. And as it cannot be recalled again, so suddenly it is va­nished; Longitudinem hujus vitae sen­tiri non facit, nisi spes viven­di: nam nihil videtur esse celerius quâm quicquid in ea jam praeteri­tum est: Aug. in Psal. 6. Certè videres vitam tuam non fuisse diu­turnam. Aug. in Psal. 36. Nothing makes life long, but our hope to live long: take away those thoughts of the time to come, and there is nothing swif­ter then the life that is gone. Suppose then thou hadst lived so long, as from Adam to this time: as Austin saith, Certainly thou wouldest think thy life but short: and if that were short, which we think so long, how long is our life, which in compa­rison of that is so extreamly short? The time once past, we think it suddenly past, and so is life gone in a moment, in the twinckling of an eye, so soon indeed, before it can be said, This it is.] In every one of us death hath ten thousand times as much as life, the life that is gone is deaths, and the life yet to come is deaths, our now is but an instant; yet this is all that belongs to life, and all the life which any of us all is at once possessed of: here is a life indeed, that so soon is vanished, before it can be numbered or measured; it is no time but now, yet staies not till the syllable now may be written, or spoken: what can I say? the life that I had when I began to speak this word, it is now gone since I began to speak this word. May we call this life that is ever posting to­wards death? Do we what we can, & could we do yet more, all we do, and all we could do, were to no purpose to prolong our life: see how vve shore this ruinous house of our body vvith food, vvith raiment, vvith exercise, vvith sleep, yet nothing can preserve it from returning to its earth; vve go, and vve go sud­denly, vvitnesse those tvvo Cesars, vvho put off themselves vvhilest they put on their shoes; Fabius (styled Maximus for his exploits, and Cunctator for his delaying) yet could not de­lay death, till notice might be taken he vvas sick: but hovv ma­nie examples in this kind have vve daily amongst us? you knovv [Page 37] how some lately have gone safe to bed, and yet in the morning were found dead and cold: others in health and mirth laid down by their wives, and yet ere mid-night found breathless by their sides. What need we further instances? You see how we go before we know where we are; the life that we had, what is it but a nothing? the life that we have, what is it but a moment? and all that we can have, what is it but a fleeting wind, begun and done in a trice of time, before we can imagine it. In a word, our Sunne now sets, our day is done: ask Jacob (the Clock-keeper of our time) this Text tells the hour and now struck, you hear the sound? our dayes are gone, few and evil they have been.]

This.]

Doctrine. NO other but This? were it a fortnight, a seven-night, any but This] night, and his griefs were lessened; the news is more heartlesse in that it comes more sudden. You may ob­serve, Then are the greatest losses when they come on us by heaps, and without fear or suspicion of any such matter. Here was a man swimming in his fulnesse, and a sudden death robs him of all his treasures. To give you a full view, see his possessi­ons, and how great was the losse, because of the suddennesse: This] night.

1 First, those goods, whereof he boasted, are now confiscate; not a peny, not a dram, not a mite shall be left him, save onely a token of remembrance (I mean his winding-sheet) which he carries along with him to his grave.

2 Secondly, his goods and grounds both were took from him at his death; he that commanded so much of earth must now have no more earth to pleasure him but a grave; what a change was this? his grounds were fertile, Vers. 16. and they brought forth plente­ously, but a blast of death hath struck both the fruit and ground; and nothing is now left him but a barren Tombe.

3 Thirdly, his lands and houses both went together. You may guesse that great demeans must have stately Halls: we read of his building, and especially of his Barns; when these were too little for his store, he tells us, he will pull them down, and he will build greater. He never thinks of any little room in the bowels of the poor. Was his harvest so great that his barns would not hold it? Whence came the blessing but from God? How is it then he forgets God that bestowed this blessing? It is written, When ye reap the harvest of the Land, ye shall not reap every corn of your field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of the harvest. How? not reap it? not gather it? what then? why, Thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God, Levit. 19.9. Lev. 19.9, 10. When Ruth came to glean in the fields of Boaz, that good Master commands his servants, Ruth 2.15. Let her gather among the sheaves, and do not rebuke her. Had this Worldling been so pitifull to the poor, his barns might have stood, himself might have lived, his soul have been saved. But now what a strange lot happens on him? his Halls, Houses, Barns, [Page 46] Buildings, all runne round in a dance of Death before his eyes.

4 Fourthly, his house and friends both left him when death came: The Parable is common: Ex Damasceno A man hath three friends, two where­of he loved most entirely, the third he made no account of: this man being sent for to come before his King, he desires his first friend to go with him, but he could not, onely he would give him something for his journey: He desires his second friend to go with him, but he would not, onely he would bring him a lit­tle piece of his way: When both these forsook him, he goes to the last, which before he esteemed least, and this friend was the party that went with him to the King, and answered for him in all his causes: This is the case of every man dying; the King our Judge sends death his Serjeant to summon you to your judgement. Come to your first friends, (I mean your riches) alas! they cannot go with you, but give you a sheet as necessary for your journey: Come to your second friends (I mean your acquaintance) alas! they wil not go with you, but bring you to your graves, and there leave you to your selves: Come to your last friends, which you now least think of (I mean your Con­sciences) and you shall find that is the truest friend that will go with you to the Judge, answer for you to the King, and either acquit you, or condemn you; bring you to the gates of heaven, or deliver you to the goal of hell. Have a care of your Con­sciences, if you mean to speed well at this day: how blessed a man had this Worldling been, if onely a good conscience had ac­companied him to the Judge of heaven? but now when death summons him, there is no friend to solicite, no Advocate to plead no man to speak one word in his souls behalf: it is his bad conscience keeps him company, and though all others leave him, he can devise no means to shake this from him.

5 Fifthly, there is a jewell irrevocable, of which this sudden death robs him, I mean his time, and what a losse was this? all his goods, grounds, barns, buildings, were they more worth then the world it self, yet were they not able to restore one minute of his time: if this could be purchased, what a rate would he give for a little respite? nothing is now so precious as a piece of time, which before by moneths and years he lavishly mis-spent: they that passe away time with mirth and pastime, shall one [Page 47] day see to their grief what a losse they have; now we revell it out, dally it away, use all means and occasions to make it short enough; but when this golden showre is gone, and those op­portunities of salvation lost by negligence, then we may wish, and wish again, Oh had we a little time, a little space to repent! Imagine that this worldling (whom now you must suppose to lie frying in hel flames) were dispenced with for a little time, to live here again on earth amongst us; would but the Lord vouch­safe him one hour of a new triall, a minute season of a gracious visitation, oh how highly would he prize, how eagerly would he apprehend, with what infinite watching, praying, fasting, would he improve that short time, that he might repent him? I know not how effectually this may work an your hearts, but I am fully perswaded, if any damned creature had but the happi­nesse to hear this Sermon, you should see how his very heart would bleed vvithin him; bleed said I? nay, break and fall a­sunder in his breast like drops of vvater. Oh vvith vvhat infla­med attention vvould he hear and listen? vvith vvhat insatiable grasping vvould he lay hold on Christ? vvith vvhat streaming tears vvould he vvater his cheeks, as if he vvould melt himself, like Niobe, into a fountain? Blessed God! hovv fond are fool­ish men that never think of this till their time be lost? vve that are alive have onely this benefit of opportunity, and if vve neg­lect it, a day vvill come (vve knovv not hovv soon) that vve shall be past it, and cannot recover it, no not one houre, if vve vvould give a thousand, ten thousand, vvorlds for it. What can I say? reflect on your selves, you that have souls to save; you have yet a little time (and the time present is that time) vvhat then, but so use it novv, as vvhen you are gone, you need not vvith grief vvish you here again?

Sixthly, yet more losse, and that is the losse of losses, the losse of his soul; his riches, lands, houses, friends, time, and all were nothing to his soul. This is that Paragon, Peere, Rose, and Spouse of our well-beloved Christ. How many a teare shed he to save it? what grones cryes, prayers, teares, and bloud, poured he before God, that he might redeem it from the jawes of Sa­tan? and is this lost notwithstanding all this labour? O sweet Jesu! what a losse is this? thou wast born, lived, died, and that a shamefull death, (the death of the cross) and all this [Page 48] suffering was to save poor souls: yet see a soul here lost, and the bloud of God, though able, not effectuall to redeem it. Whose heart would not melt into bloud, that but knew this misery? Suppose you could see the soul of this wretched worldling, no sooner had it left the body, but immediately was it seized on by infernall fiends, now lies it on a bed of fire, tortured, tor­mented scourged, and scorched in those furious flames; there his conscience stings him, his sorrow gripes him, his pain so han­dles him, that he cryes, and roares, Woe, woe, and alas ever­more. Who now for shadows of short pleasures, would incur these sorrows of eternall pains? In this world we can weep and wail for a losse of trifles: an house, a field, an Oxe took from us, is enough to cruciate us; but how shall we bewail the losse of a soul, which no sooner plunged into that pit of horrour, but it shall feel a punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without succour, crying without comfort, torment with­out ease, a world of mischiefe, without all measure or redress? Such is the losse of this mans silly soul, whilest he was cheering it with an home-bred solace; Soul, thou hast much goods layd up for many years: God whispers in his eares, and tells him other newes: What? of his soul: how? it is required: when? this night: a fearfull sound unlookt-for message, speedy dispatch, no more delays, nor days, onely this night, for then must his soul be taken from him.

7 You see all his losses; and now to contract them, there is one griefe more then all, that all is lost on a sudden. Losses that come by succession are better born with, but all on a sudden is the worst of all; yet such is the misery of man, when he goes, all goes with him, and he and all pass away on a sudden: As in the days of Noah, they ate, and drunk, married, and gave in mar­riage, and knew nothing tell the floud came, and took them all away; so is the coming of the Son of man, Matth. 24.38. Mat. 24.38. How ma­ny have been thus took tripping in their wickedness? Belshaz­zar in his mirth, Herod in his pride, the Philistims in their ban­quetting, the men of Ziklag in their feasting, Jobs children in their drunkenness, the Sodomites in their filthiness, the Steward in his security, this Churle in his plenty: miserable end, when men end in their sin. Call to mind this (O my soul) and trem­ble: sleep not in sin, lest the sleep of death surprize thee: The [Page 49] hour is certain, in nothing but uncertainties; for sure thou must dye, yet thou knowest not on what day, nor in what place, Certa mors, in­certa hora. nor how thou shalt be disposed when death must be entertained. Do you not see most dye, whiles they are most busie how to live? he that once thought but to begin to take his ease, was fain that very night (whether he would or no) to make his end: would you have thought this? Psal. 37.35, 39 he but now flourished like a green bay tree, his thoughts full of mirth, his soul of ease, but I passed by, and loe he was gone: gone, whether? his body to the grave, his soul to hell, in the middest of his jollity, God threats destruction, Devils execution, death expedition, and thus like a Swan he sings his funerals. There is that saith, I have found rest, and now will I eat continually of my goods, and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and dye, Ecclus 11.19. Eccles. 11.19. The higher our Babel-tower of joy is raised, the nearer it is to ruine and con­fusion. Sodome, in the heat of their sins, had that showr of fire poured on their heads: Nebuchadnezzar, in the height of his pride, became suddenly a beast, that ruled before as a King: once for all, here was a man solacing, singing warbling out pleasant songs of ease and pastime; but (O the misery) in the middest of his note here is a suddain stop; he dreames of longs and larges, he hears of briefes and semi-briefes, no longer a day, but this very night, and then shall thy soul be taken from thee.

See here the many losses of one man, his goods, his grounds, his houses, his friends, his time, his soul, and all on a sudden, whilest the word is spoken, this] night.

Ʋse. 1 Our neighbours fire, cannot but give warning of approaching flames. Remember his judgment, thine also may be likewise: Ecclus 38.22. un­to me yester-day, and unto thee to day. Whose turn is next God onely knows, who knows all. Is not madness in the hearts of men whiles they live? Eccles. 9.3. In the least suspition of loosing world­ly riches, all watch and break their sleep; you shall see men work, and toyl, and fear, and care, and all too little to prevent a losse; but for all these losses which are linked together, our riches, lands, houses, friends, time, and soul, and all we have, there is few or none regards them: O that men are so carefull in trifles, and so negligent in matters of a great importance! It is storied of Archimedes, that when Syracuse was taken, he one­ly [Page 50] was sitting secure at home, and drawing circles with his compass in the dust. Thus some we have, that when the eter­nall salvation of their souls is in question, they are handling their dust, nothing but suites or mony-matters are their daily objects: but (alas) what will your goods or grounds, or houses, or friends avail you, when death comes? Where did ever that man dwell, that was comforted by any of these, in that last and sorest conflict? Give me a man amongst you, that spends the span of his transitory life in grasping gold, gathering wealth, growing great, inriching his posterity, without any endeavour, or care to treasure up grace against that fatall hour; and I dare certainly tell him, whensoever he comes to his deaths bed, he shall find nothing but an horrible confusion, extremest horrour and heaviness of heart; nay, his soul shall presently down into the kingdome of darkness, and there lye and fry in everlasting fires. Nor speak I only to the covetous (though my text seem more directly to point at them) but whosoever thou art that goest on daily in a course of sin, in the fear of God unbethink thee of mortality: some of you may think I speake not to you, and others, I speake not to you; the truth is I speake to you all, but to you more especially that to this day have sinned with de­light, but never as yet felt the smart for sin upon your souls or consciences: O beloved! this is it I call for, and must call for till you feel a change, a thorow-change in you: would but some of you at this present examine you consciences, and say, whether have I not been inordinate in drunkenness, or wanton­ness, or coveteousness? whether have I not sworn an oath, or told a lye, or dissembled in my heart, when I have spoken? O who can say amongst you, I am clean, I am clean? and assure your selves if you are guilty, you must either feel hearts grief, or you can never be provided for deaths dismall arrest. If you were but sensible of sin, if you felt but the weight and horrour of Gods wrath for sin, I am verily perswaded you would not take a quiet sleep in your beds for fear, and horrour, and heavi­ness of heart: what is it but madness of a man to lye down in ease upon a feather bed, and to lodge in his bosome that dead­ly enemy, sin?

But (horrour of horrours!) what if this night, whilest you sleep in your sin, death should arrest you on your beds? This I [Page 51] tell you is no wonder, are not sudden deaths common and ordi­nary among the sons of men? How many have we heard that went to bed well over night, for ought any man could tell, and yet were found dead in the morning? I will not say carried away out of their beds, and cast into hell fire; whether it be so or no, the Lord our God knows: but howsoever it is with them, if we for our parts commit sin, and repent not thereof by crying, and sobbing, and sorrowing for sin; it may be this night, (and that is not long to) you may sleep your last in this world, and then shall your souls be hurried by Devils to that infernall lake, whence there is no redemption. O beloved! O wretch, whosoever thou art! Canst thou possibly sleep in such a case as this? Canst thou go to bed with a conscience laden with sin? Canst thou take any sleep (which is the brother of death) when thou lyest now in danger of eternall death? Consider, I pray, what space, what distance, how far off is thy soul from death, from hell, from eternity? no more but a breath, one breath and no more; no more but a step, one step and more: O beloved! were not this lamentable, that some one of us that now are standing, or sitting, should this night sleep his last, and to morrow have his body brought to be buried; yea, and before to morrow morning have his soul (which the Lord forbid) cast from his bed of feathers, to a bed of fire? and yet alas! alas! if any of us this night dye in his sin, or in a state unregenerate, thus will it be with him who­soever he be; to morrow may his body lye could under earth, and his soul lodg in hell with this miserable rich man.

Ʋse. 2 But let me speake to you, of whom I hope better things; it is good counsell for you all to exspect death every day, and by this means, death fore-seen cannot possibly be sudden; no, it is he onely dyes suddenly, that dyes unpreparedly, Watch therefore, saith our Saviour, be ever in a readiness: and finally, that this rich man may be your warning, you that tender your souls, learn that lessen of our Saviour; Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break thorow and steal: but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break thorow, nor steal: Mat. 6.19, 20. Mat. 6.19, 20. You will say, What treasures are those? I answer: These treasures are those stocks of grace that will last for ever, it is that circum­spect [Page 52] walking, Ephes. 5.15. Ephes. 5.15. that fervency of spirit, Rom. 12.11. Rom 12.11. that zeal of good works, Tit. 2, 14. Tit. 2.14. that purity, which S ^t. Iohn makes a property of every true hearted professour, 1 Joh. 3.3. 1 Joh. 3.3. In a word, it is the work, the life, the power of that prayer, that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy; these are hea­venly hoords indeed, O that we would treasure up such provi­sion against the day of calamity! If while it is called to day, we would make our peace with his heavenly Highness, by an hum­ble continued exercise of repentance, if in this time of grace we would purchase Gods favour, and those rarest jewells of faith and a good conscience, if now before we appear at the dreadfull Tribunall, we would make God and his Angels our friends in the Court of Heaven, O then how blessed would out deaths be to us? came it never so suddenly, still should death find us rea­dy, and if ready, no matter how suddenly, yea though it were this] this night.

Night.]

HE sins all day, and dyes at night, and why at night? This you know is frequent, and there is reason, most are begot, and born, and therefore dye at night: but we must further then the lists of nature, this night was more then ordinary, as being the fittest time to aggravate his griefe: weigh but the circum­stances.

1 First, It was a night of darkness, and this may encrease the horrour of his judgment: think but what a fear seized on the Aegyptians, Wisd. 17.5. when no power of the fire must give them light, nor might the clear flames of the stars lighten the horrible night that fell upon them. The Husband-men, the Shepherds, the work-men, Exod. 10.23. all were bound with one chain of darkness, No man saw [Page 53] another, neither rose up from the place where he was for three days, Exod. 10.23. Was not this fearfull darkness? you may guesse it by the effects, they were troubled, and terrified, and swoon­ed, as though their own souls should betray them. Wisd. 17.18, 19. Whether it were an hissing wind, or a sweet noyse of birds, among the spread­ing branches, or a pleasing fall of waters running violently, or a terrible sound of stones, or the running of skipping beasts, or the noyse of cruell beasts, or the eccho that answereth again in the hol­low mountains, these fearfull things made them to swoon for fear: And if thus the Egyptians, how was it with this Worldling? a darknesse seized on him that engendred a thousand times more intolerable torments. Wisd. 17.21. This was the image of that darkness which should afterward receive him, and yet was he unto himself more grievous then the darknesse. It was not an outward, but an utter darknesse, not onely to be not seen, but to be felt and feared. Imagine then what visions, what sounds, what sights, what sudden fires appeared unto him? Unhappy Worldling, look round about thee; although it be dark, here is something to be seen: above is the angry Judge, beneath is the burning lake, before is gloomy darknesse, behind is infallibe death, on thy right and left hand a legion of evil angels, exspecting every moment to receive the prey. Here is a sight indeed, able to break the very heart-strings of each seer. If some have lost their wits, by means of some dreadfull sight; yea, if the very suspicion of Devils have caused many men to tremble, and the hairs of their heads to stand staring upright; what then was the fear and terrour of this man, when so many dreadfull, hor­rible hellish monsters stood round about him, now readie to re­ceive him? O ye sonnes of men, stand in aw and sinne not, Psal. 4.4. com­mune with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still: Will not this fear you from your sinnes? Suppose then you lay on your beds of death, were the Judge in his throne, your souls at the Barre, ths accuser at your elbows, and hell ready open to shut her mouth upon you: O then, how would you curse your selves, and bewail your sins? What horrible visions would appear to you in the dark? horrible indeed? In so much (saith Cyril. de vitae beati Hieron. ad fin. Epist. one) that were there no other punishment then the ap­pearing of Devils, you would rather burn to ashes, then endure their sights. Good God, that any Christian should live in this [Page 54] danger, and yet never heed it till he sees its terrour! How ma­ny have gone thus fearfully out of this miserable world? I know not what you have seen, but there is very few which have not heard of many, too many, in this case: What were Judas thoughts, when he strangled himself that his bowels gushed out again? What were Cains visions, when he ran like a vaga­bond roaring and crying, Gen. 4.14. Whosoever findeth me shall slay me? What are all their affrights that cry when they are a dying, they see spirits and Devils flying about them, coming for them, roaring against them, as if an hell entred into them, before themselves could enter it? I dare instance in no other but this wretched miser: What a night was that to him, when on a sudden a darknesse seized on him, that never after left him? Thus many go to bed, that never rise again, till they be wakened by the fearfull sound of the last Trumpet: and was not this a terrour? whose heart doth not quake? whose flesh doth not tremble? whose senses are not astonished whilest vve do but think on it? And then vvhat vvere the sufferings of himself in his person? He might cry, and roar, and vvail, and vveep, yet there is none to help him; his heart-strings break, the blessed Angels leave him, Devils still exspect him, and novv the Judge hath pro­nounced his sentence, This night, in the dark, they must seiz up­on him.

2 Yet this was not all the horrour, it was a night both of dark­ness and drowsiness, or security in sinne. He that reads the life of this man, may well wonder at the fearfull end of so fair begin­nings: walk into his fields, and there his cattel prosper; come nearer to his house, and there his barns swell with corn; enter into his gates, and there every table stands richly furnished; step yet into his chambers, and you may imagine doun-beds cur­tain'd with gold hangings: nay, yet come nearer, we will draw the curtains, and you shall view the person; he had toiled all day, and now see how securely he takes his rest, this night, he dreams golden dreams, of ease, of mirth, of pastime, (as all our worldly pleasures are but waking dreams) but stay a while and see the issue: just like a man who starting out of sleep, sees his house on fire, his goods ransacked, his family mur­thered, himself near lost, and not one to pitie him, when the very thrusting in of an arm might deliver him: this, and [Page 55] no other, was the case of this dying miser: at that night while his senses were most drowsie, most secure, death comes in the dark, and arrests him on his bed: Awake, rich Cormorant! what charms have lulled thee thus asleep? Canst thou slumber whilest death breaks down this house thy bodie, to rob thee of that jewell thy soul? What a deep, dull, drowsie, dead sleep is this? O fool! this night is thy soul assaulted, see death approaching, Devils hovering, Gods justice threatning, canst thou yet sleep? and are thine eyes yet heavie? Behold, the hour is at hand, and thy soul must be delivered into the hands of thine enemies: heavie eies! he sleeps still, his care all day had cast him into so dead a sleep this night, that nothing can warn him untill death awake him, That thief is most dangerous that comes at night, such a thief is death, a thief that steals men, Latro hominis. which then is most busie whilest we are most drowsie, most secure in sinne; Heark the slug­gard that lulls himself in his sinnes, Yet a little more sleep, a little more slumber, is not his destruction sudden, and poverty coming on him like an armed man? Prov. 6.11. Prov. 6.11. Watch (saith our Saviour) for you know not when the master of the house co­meth, at even, or at midnight, at the cock-crow, or in the morn­ing, lest coming suddenly he should find you sleeping Mark 13.35. Mark 13.35, 36. Was not this the wretchednesse of the foolish virgins? how sweetly could they slumber? how soundly could they sleep untill mid-night? they never wake, nor so much as dream to buy oyl for their lamps: imagine then how fearfull were those summons to these souls, Behold the Bridegroom, go ye out to meet him. Matth. 25.26. Sudden fears of all others are most dangerous: was it not a fearfull waking to this rich man, when no sooner that he opened his eyes, but he saw deaths uglinesse afore his face? what a sight was this? at his door enters the King of fear, ac­companied with all his abhorred horrours, and stinging dread: on his curtains he may read his sinns, arrayed and armed in their grisliest forms, and with their fieriest stings; about his bed are the powers of darknesse, now presenting to his view his damnable state, his deplorable miserie: what can he do that is thus beset with such a world of wofull work, and hellish rage? his tongue faulters, his breath shortens, his throat rattles, he would not watch, and now cannot resist; the crie is made, the mid-night come, God sounds destruction, and thus runs [Page 6] the proclamation, This night so drowsie, thy soul must be taken from thee.

3 And yet more horrour; it was a night of drowsinesse and sad­nesse. How is he but sad, when he sees the night coming, and his last day decaying? Read but the copy of this rich mans Will, and see how he deals all he hath about him; he bequeaths his garments to the moth, his gold to rust, his body to the grave, his soul to hell, his goods and lands he knows not to whom, Whose shall these things be? Here is the man that made such mirth all day, and now is he forced to leave all he hath this night. It is the fruit of merry lives to give sad farwels. You that sport your selves, and spoyl others; that rob God in his members, and treasure up your own damnations, will not death make sorrie hearts for your merry nights? a night wil come as sad as sadnesse in her sternest looks, and then what a lot will befall you? O that men are such cruell Caitiffs to their own souls! Is this a life (think ye) fit for the servants of our God, revelling, swearing, drinking, railing? what other did this miser? he would eat, and drink, and revell, and sing, and then came fear as de­solation; and his destruction on a sudden as a whirl-wind: If this be our life, how should we escape his death? Alas for the silly mirth that now we pleasure in! you may be sure a night will come that must pay for all, and then shall your pleasures vanish, your griefs begin, and your numberlesse sins (like so many envenomed stings) run into your damned souls, and pierce them through with everlasting sorrow: away with this fond, Prov. 14.13. foolish, sottish vanitie, The end of mirth is heavi­nesse saith Solomon, Prov. 14.13. What will the sonnes and daughters of pleasure do then? all those sweet delights shall be as scourges and Scorpions for your naked souls, Then (though too late) will you lamentably cry out, Wisd. 5.8.9. What hath pride profited us? or what profit hath the pomp of riches brought us? all those things are passed away as a shadow, or as a Poste that passeth by: Look on this man as he lies on his bed of death, here is neither smile nor dimple, All the daughters of musick are brought low. Eccles. 12.4. His voice is hoarse, his lips pale, his cheeks wan, his nostrills run out, his eyes sink into his head, and all the parts and members of his body now lose their office to assist him: Is this the merrie man that made such pastime? [Page 57] Sweet God! what a change is this? Esa. 3.24. In stead of sweet smell there is a stench, in stead of a girdle a rent, in stead of well-set hair baldness, in stead of beauty burning; in stead of mirth mourning and lamentation, weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Must not sadnesse seize on that soul which incurs this doom? Here is a malefactour stands at bar, indited by the name of Fool, charged with the guilt of treason, condemned by the Judge of heaven, and this night (the saddest that ever he saw) is that fearfull execution, that his soul is taken.

4 And yet more horrour: It was a night of sinne, and this doth encrease the sorrow. Psal. 116.13. How dear in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints? and we may say on the contrary, How abominable in the sight of the Lord is the death of the wicked? Was not this a grief to be took thus tripping in his wickedness? even now whilest he was busily plotting his ease and pastime, death stands at his door, and over-hears all his plots and pro­jects. It was a death to his soul to be took in his sinne: hear how he roars and cries, O that I had lived so virtuously as I should; had I embraced the often inspirations of Gods blessed Spi­rit; had I followed his Laws, obeyed his Commands, attended to his will how sweet and pleasant would they now be unto me? We and alas that I had not fore-seen this day, what have I done, but for a little pleasure, a fleeting vanity, lost a Kingdome, purchased damnation? O beloved! what think ye of your selves, whilest you hear this voice? you sit here as senseless of this judgement, as the seats, the pillars, the walls, the dust nay, as the dead bo­dies themselves on which you tread: but suppose (and it were a blessed meditation) you that are so fresh and frolick at this day, that spend it merrily, use it profanely swearing, revelling, sing­ing, dancing; what if this night, while you are in your sin, the hand of death should arrest you? Could I speak with you on your death-beds, I am sure I should find you in another case: how? but sorrowing, grieving, roaring, that your time were lost; and these words not heeded, whiles the time well served? how would you tear your hair, gnash your teeth, bite your nails, seek all means possibly to annihilate your selves? and can nothing warn you before death seize on you? take heed, if you go on in sinne, the next step is damnation. It was the Apostles advice, Rom. 13.11. Now it is high time to wake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer, [Page 58] then when we believed, Rom. 13.11. If this wretched man had observed the present time, how happy had he been this hour of his departure? But as Officers take malefactours, drinking or drabbing; so is he nearest danger, when deepest in the mire of pleasure. Look at all those that are gone before us, and which of them thought their end so near, while they lived so merrie? I must needs tell you, there is a fire, a worm, a sting, a darkness, an hell provided for all wicked wretches, and there most cer­tainly must you be this night, if you die this day in your naturall state of sinne. Lord! that men should be so strangely bewitch­ed by the Prince of the air, as for the momentarie enjoyment of some glorious miseries, bitter-sweet pleasures, heart-vexing riches, desperately and wilfully to abandon God, and to cast them­selves headlong into the jaws of Satan. Such a prodigious madnesse seized on this Worldling, he sings, he revels, he dal­lies, Plin. l. 7. c. 23. then dies. Thus greatest euils arise out of greatest joyes, as the ears vvith vehement sounds, and the eyes vvith brighter objects, so many by felicity have lost both their sense and being. Gallus dies in the act of pleasure, 2 Sam. 4.7. Num. 11.33. Ishbosheth dies in the middest of sleep, the Israelites die in their day of lust, this World­ling dies in that night of sinne, even then on a sudden his soul is taken.

5 And yet more horrour, it vvas a night of death, and this vvas the vvorst of all: the darkness, drowsiness, sadness, sin, all vvere no­thing to this, all nothing in themselves, if death had not follovv­ed: Aristot. lib. 3. mor. cap. 6. this is that most terrible of all terribles, all fears, griefs, su­spicions, pains, as so many small brooks, are svvallovved up, and drovvned in this Ocean of misery. Novv rich man! vvhat saiest thou to thy barns, buildings, riches, lands? Do these pleasure thee in this thy extreme and dying agonie? Thou liest this night on thy departing bed, burthened vvith the heavie load of thy former trespasses, the pangs come sore and sharp upon thee, thy brest pants, thy pulse beats short, thy breath it self smels of earth and rottennesse: vvhither vvilt thou go for a little ease or suc­cour? vvhat help canst thou have in thy heaps of gold, or hoord of vvealth? Discip. de temp serm. 118. ex Hum. in tract. de septuplici timore. should vve bring them to thy bed, (as vve read of one dying, commanded that his golden vessels and silver plate should be set before him, which looking on, he promised to his soul, it should have them all, on condition of his stay with him, but [Page 59] the remedie being silly, at last most desperately he commends it to the Devil, seeing it would not stay in his body, and so gave up the ghost.) Alas, these trifling treasures can no more deliver thee from the arrest of that inexorable Serjeant, then can an hand­full of dust. Wretched men! vvhat shall be your thoughts, vvhen you come to this miserable case? full sad and heavie thoughts (Lord thou knovvest): you may lie upon your beds, like vvild buls in a net, full of the furie of the Lord: In the mor­ning thou shalt say, would God it were evening; and at even thou shalt say, would God it were morning: for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see, Deut. 28.67. Deut. 28.67. Here is the terrour of that night of death, vvhen you may vvish vvith all your hearts, that you had never been born; if the Lord once let loose the cords of your conscience, vvhat account vvill you make of crovvns, of posses­sions? all these will be so far from healing the wound, that they will turn rather into fiery Scorpions, for your further torments. Now, now, now is the dismall time of death, what will you do? whither will you go? to whom will you pray? the Angels are offended, and they will not guard you; God is dishonoured, and he will not hear you; onely the Devil had your service, and onely hell must be your wages. Consider this, ye that forget God, Psal. 50.22. lest ye be torn in pieces, and there be none to deliver you: It is cruel for your souls thus to suffer, to be torn, and torn in pieces, and so torn in pieces that none may deliver you. Better this Worldling had been a worm, a toad, an adder, any venomous creature, then so to live, and thus to have died; yet hither it is come, his sickness is remediless, his riches comfortless, his tor­ments easeless, still he must suffer, and there is none to deliver, he is torn, torn in pieces, and none may deliver him. What need you more, now we are come to this period? his glasse is run, his Sunne is set, his day is finished, and now this night, the verie night of Death, his soul is required, and received of him.

Ʋse. 1 Who will not provide each day against this fearfull night? howsoever we passe away our time in sinne, we must of ne­cessitie, ere it be long, lie gasping for breath upon our dy­ing [Page 60] beds, there shall we grapple hand to hand with the ut­most powers of death and darknesse: what should we do then, but sow our seed while the seed-time lasteth? we have yet a day, and how short this day is, God onely knows: be sure the night cometh wherein none can work, Joh. 9.4. and then what a fearfull time will come upon us? I know there be some that dream of doing good in another world, or at least will deferre it longer, till some time hereafter, such vain hopes of future performances hath undone many a soul: I must work the work of him that sent me, Joh. 9.4. while it is day, saith our Saviour. The way-faring man travels not in darknesse, but while the day shines on him, then he knows he is under the protection of the Laws, the light of the Sunne, the bles­sing of heaven; Joh. 11.9. Are there not twelve hours in the day? if any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world; but if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.] Do good then, and lay hold of every season which may get you to heaven. Let the whole course of your life be a conscionable preparative against death. Suppose every day your last, as if at night you should be called to account before that high and great tribunall: in a word, whatsoever you think, or speak, or do, say thus with your self, Would I do thus and thus, if I knew this night to be my last? Who is it would sinne, if he thought at that instant he must go to judgement?

Ʋse. 2 But if we neglect the day, be sure the night will come to our condemnation: where be those wonders that so dazled our eies, while the day shone on them? Where is Absaloms beautie, Je­zabels paint, Sauls personage; nay, where is this wretched Worldling? he had a day to work out his own salvation, and that being lost, at last came night, before he had gone two steps to­ward heaven. Joh. 12.35. O beloved! walk while yee have light, that ye may be children of the light. You may be sure the meanest soul that hath the work of grace upon it, death is to him no night, but the day-break of eternall brightnesse. This may make us in love with the sincerity of religion, this may make us to labour, and never cease labouring till we have gotten out of the state of nature, into the state of grace. O that I could say of every one of you, as Paul of the Ephesians, Ye were once darkness, but [Page 61] now are ye light in the Lord. Ye were once carnall, but now are ye spirituall: ye were once unregenerate, Ephes. 5.8. but now are ye a first-fruits dedicated to God. If it were thus with you, then (to your comfort) upon your dying beds you should meet with a glorious troop of blessed Angels, you should feel the glorious presence of the sweetest comforter, you should see the glorious light of Gods shining countenance, you should have a night (if it were night) turn'd all into a mid-day. Now the Lord give you such a day, whensoever you dye, through Christ our Lord.

Thy Soul.]

THe party under arrest is the rich mans Soul,] no warranty could prevail, no riches satisfie, no strength rescue, death now demands it, and there's none can redeem it, therefore This night they will have his soul.]

Every man hath a jewell better worth then a world, Observ. and the loss of this is so much more dear, by how much it is more precious. What profits it a man to gain a world, and to lose his soul? (said our Lord and Saviour) Mat. 16.26. Mat. 16.26. Nay, what are a thou­sand worlds when the soul is valued? Give me leave to ope the cabinet, and you shall see the jewell that is arrested; it is the Soul]

The Soul; what's that? Substantia cre­ata, invisibilis, incorporea, im­mortalis, Deo similima, ima­ginem habens creatoris sui. Aug. in lib. de definitione animae. Dicearchus. it is (saith Austin) a substance that is created, invisible, incorporeall, immortall, most like to God, as bearing the image of its Creator. Please you that we illustrate this description, and you shall see how every word shews forth some excellencies (as the glorious lustres) of this glorious pearle the Soul.]

First, if you ask what is the Soul, 'tis a substance.] How fond were the opinions of some Philosophers? one would have it to be nothing, [vox, & praeterea nihil,] and how many of us are of this opinion? Doe not we live as if we had no souls at all? The epicure is for his belly, the ambitious for his body, but who [Page 62] is he that provides for his soul? Sure we imagine it to be no­thing valuable, or how should our estimation of it be so grosse and vile, to prefer the body, to neglect the soul?] There were other Philosophers vvent a pace yet further, and they gave it a being, Galen. but vvhat? no better then an accident, that might live or dye vvithout death of the subject; this they call [...] humo­rum, a certain temper composed of the elements, or nothing but the harmony of those humours in the body. Is this the soul? then of all creatures are men (say vve), 1 Cor. 15.19. of all men are we (saith the Apostle) most miserable, most unhappy. Look at beasts, and in this respect we and they are even as one condition, Eccles. 3.19. Eccles. 3.19. Eccles. 11.3. Mat. 27.51. Look at trees, and in their corruption you may see, the like constitution both of us and them. Look at stones, and by their dissolution we may argue this temper of composition in them also: if then our soul were nothing but this [...], not onely men, but beasts, and plants, and stones, and metalls have a soul: far be this from your thoughts, whose souls are prized to be of more worth then a world, there being nothing in the world that may give a recompence for our souls, Matth. 16.26. Mat. 16.26. Others have gone a little further, Antiqui Phi­losophir. and they suppose it to be a substance: but how? onely bodily, and not spirituall; such grosse conceits have many idolaters of the Deity, as if this our image were of Gods own substance, and this substance nothing else but a bodily being. A spirit (saith our Saviour) hath not flesh and bones, Luk. 24.39. as you see me have. It is the body is the flesh, but the soul is the spirit: the body you may see and handle, but the soul is not seen, not handled: as the Disciples then did erre in suppo­sing a spirit when they saw his body, no lesse is their errour, in supposing a body where is onely a spirit. Anima pessima melior optimo corpore. Aug. de verb. Dom. Quid tibi cum carne? Bern. in meditat. Plurimi Patres The worst soul is bet­ter then the best of bodies. O precious soul (saith Bernard) espoused to thy God, indowed with his spirit, redeemed by his Son, what art thou to the flesh, whose being is from heaven. Others again have passed this opinion, and they call it a form: but what? onely materiall, not substantiall, and such as are the souls of beasts that dye with their bodies, as being deduced from the matter of some bodies pre-existent. It is not so with the souls of men, which though for a while they are knit and united to this house of clay, yet may they be separated from it, and subsist without it: this is that goodness of God, that as [Page 63] our souls are intellectuall, so their being is perpetuall, Dionys. c. 4. de divin. nom. aliquantulum à principio. 1 Cor. 4.7. not but that our souls might dye (seeing every thing that is of nothing may return into the same nothing whence it sprung) but that God so sustains them by his glorious goodness, that as he gave the first being, so he would continue that he gave. What have we, that we have not received? Or to speake of the soul, what are we that God, and God onely hath not bestowed upon us? our parents begot our bodies, God onely gave our souls: our bodies are buried again in the wombe of our common mother, but our souls return to God, as to their chiefest good. So im­materiall is the soul, that neither will nor understanding de­pends on the dying organ. What then is the soul? a nothing, an accident, a body, a form onely materiall: no, but on the con­trary, an ens, a substance, a spirit, a form, a substantiall being of it self subsisting.

But wee'll ascend a little higher, it is a substance created,] not traduced, (as some would have it.) I must confess the opi­nion was not a little strong, that as our bodies, so our souls were both propagated from our parents. Tertullian, In epist. ad Marcellin. and the Fathers of the West (as Ierome witnesseth) were most on that side: the reason of this opinion was because of originall sin, which defileth the soul, as well as the body of each man sprung from Adam, they could see no means how both were corrupt­ed, except withall the soul were propagated. But are not our souls as the Angells? and therefore if our souls, then may the Angels beget one another; nay if this were true, what soul were generated, but another were corrupted: for the rule is infalli­ble, There can be no generation without a transmutation, and so would every soul be subject to corruption. Concerning that objection of originall sin (if the soul were not traduced from the loyns of Adam, Magis credi debet quam quaeri, & quae­ri facilius quam intelligi, & melius in­telligitur quam explicatur. Whi­tak. l. 1. de pec­cat origin. c. 8. Fallacia divi­sionis. how then should that sin be imputed to our souls?) I must confess the question is intricate, we should rather believe it, then enquire of it, and we may better enquire of it then understand it, and yet more easily understand it, then expresse it. But so well as we can, we shall untie the knot. First then, we say 'tis a fallacy to divide soul and body, for not the soul without the body, nor the body without the soul, but the whole man sinn'd in Adam, as the whole man is begot of Adam; so soon therefore as the soul is conjoyn'd to the body, [Page 64] and of the soul and body is constituted whole man, that man be­ing now made a member of Adam, is said to sin with him, and to derive that sin from him. But for a further satisfaction, although the soul depend on God according to its substance, yet is it created in that body which is produced of the parents: thus in some sort we may say that the soul is begotten, ( non quoad essentiam, sed quoad [...],) God onely gives the essence, but to exist comes from the parents. Arist. de ani­ma 2. l. c. 1. What is the soul but a form of the body? and of what body, but of that which is organicall, as being apt for the soul? This aptness then whereby it is prepa­red for the form, being received from the parents, we may say of the soul, that thus it is generated, as not beginning to subsist before the body is prepared. This is true in some sort, though not properly. Consider then the excellency of mans soul, which is not born, but created,] and howsoever now it is bespotted with sin, yet was it then pure and undefiled, as the untouched virgin: how is it but pure, which the hands of God hath made? it was the devill that caused sin, but all that God made was good, and very good, Gen. 1.31. Gen. 1.31. and such a soul hath every man. Sedibus aethe­reis spiritus ille venit. It is created by God, infused by his Spirit, of nothing made something, and what something, but an excellent work, befitting such an excellent workman?

3 And yet there be more staires to ascend: it is thirdly invisi­ble.] Hath any man seen God? or hath any man seen Gods image (which is the soul) and lived? Substances that are more pure are less visible. We see but darkly through a glasse, nay, the best eye upon earth looks but through a lattice, a window, an obscuring impediment, mortall eyes cannot behold immor­tall things; how then should this corruptible sight, see a spiritu­all soul? the object is too clear for our weak eyes, our eyes are but earthly, the soul of an heavenly nature. O divine being! not onely heavenly, but heaven it self: as God and man met both in Christ, so heaven and earth met both in man: would you see this earth? that is the body, Out of it wast thou taken, and into it must thou return, Gen. 4.19. Gen. 4.19. would you see this hea­ven? that is the soul, the God of heaven gave it, and to the God of heaven returns it, Eccles. 12.7. Eccles. 12.7. The body is but a lump, but the soul is that breath of life: of earth came the body, of God was the soul: thus earth and heaven met in the creation, and [Page 65] the man was made a living soul, Gen. 2.7. Gen. 2.7. the sanctified soul is an heaven upon earth, Est coelum sancta anima, habens solem intellectum, lu­nam fidem, astra virtutet. Bern super Cantic. where the sun is understanding, the moon is faith, and the stars gracious affections: what heaven is in that body, which lives and moves by such a soul? yet so wonderfull is Gods mercy to mankinde, that as reason doth possesse the soul, so the soul must possesse this body. Here is that union of things visible, and invisible: as the light is spirituall, incorrup­tible, indivisible, and so united to the air, that of these two is made one, without confusion of either; in like manner is the soul united to this body, one together, distinguished asunder: onely here's the difference, the light is most visible, the soul is invisible, she is the breath of God, the beauty of man, the won­der of Angels, the envie of devils, that immortall splendor which never eye hath seen, never eye must see.

4 And yet we must up another step, it is fourthly incorporeall.] as not seen with a mortall eye so neither clogg'd with a bodily shape: I say not but the soul hath a body for his organ, to which it is so knit and tyed, that they cannot be severed with­out much sorrow or strugling: yet is it not a body, but a spirit dwelling in it: the body is an house, and the soul the inhabitant: every one knows the house is not the inhabitant, and yet (O wonder!) there is no roome in the house where the inhabitant lives not: would you please to see the roomes? the eye is her window, the head is her tower, the heart is her closet, the mouth is her hall, the lungs her presence chamber, the senses her cinque-ports, the common-sense her custome-house, the phantasie her mint, the memory her treasury, the lips are her two leav'd doores, that shut and open, and all these, and all the rest, (as the motions in a Watch,) are acted and mooved by this spring, the Soul. See here a composition without confusion, the soul is in the body, yet it is not bodily: as in the greatest world the earth is more solid, the water less, the ayr yet lesser, the fire least of all; so in this little world of man, the meaner parts are of grosser substance, and the soul by how much more excellent, by so much more spi­rituall, and wholly with-drawn from all bodily being.

5 And yet a little higher, it is fiftly immortall.] It was the errour of many Fathers, Scaliger. notae in nov. Test. That bodies and souls must both die till doomes-day, and then the bodies being raised, the souls must be revived. Were that true, why then cryes Stephen, Lord [Page 66] Iesu receive my spirit? or why should Paul be dissolved, that he might be with Christ? Act. 7.59. Philip. 1.23. Blessed men are but men, and therefore no wonder if subject to some errour. Others more absolutely deny the souls immortality, We are born (say they) at all adven­tures, and we shall be hereafter, as though we had never been; (Why so?) for the breath is a smoke in our nostrils, and the words as a spark raised out of our hearts, Wisd. 2.2, 3. which being extingui­shed, the body is turned into ashes, and the spirit vanisheth as soft ayre. What, is the soul a smoak? and the spirit no better then the soft vanishing ayre; Matth. 22.32. wretched men! Have you not read what is spoken of God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob? now God (saith Christ) is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, they are not dead then in (the better part) their souls, but passed indeed from the valley of death, unto the land of the living. Whosoever liveth and believeth in mee (saith our Savi­our) shall never die, Iohn 11.26. John 11.26. Not die,] against some, never die] against others: what can we more? onely live and be­lieve in him that redeemed us, and be sure his promises shall never fail us; our souls must live, live for ever. Sweet soul, blessed with the felicity of eternall life! here's a joy unspeakable, that this soul now clogged with cares, vexations, griefs, passi­ons, shall one day enjoy those joyes immortall, not for a day, or two, Nullus erit de­fectus, nullus terminus. (though this were more then we can imagine) but through all eternity; There shall be no defect, nor end: after millions of ages the soul must still live in her happiness, it is not of a perishing, but an everlasting substance.

6 And yet the perfection of the soul goes higher; it is most like to God,] so far it transcends all earthly happiness: I cannot say, but in some sort all creatures have this likeness; every effect hath at least some similitude with its cause, but with a difference; some onely have a being, as stones; others, being and life, as plants; but man above all hath a being, life, and reason, and therefore of all other the most like unto his Creatour.

7 Can we any more? yes, one step higher, and we are at the top of Jacobs ladder: The soul is not onely like God, but the image of God. I cannot denie, but there is some apparance of it in the outward man and therefore the bodie in some measure partakes of this image of the Deity, it was man, and whole man that [Page 67] was corrupted by sin, and (by the law of contraries) it was man, and whole man, that was beautified with this image. Please you to look at the body, is it not a little world, wherein every thing that God made was good? as therefore all goodness comes from him, so was he the pattern of all goodness; that being in him perfectly, which onely is in us partly. This is that Idaea, whereby God is said to be the exemplar of the world: man then in his body being as the worlds map, what is he but that image, in which the builder of the world is manifest? but if you look at the parts of his body, how often are they attribu­ted (though in a metaphor, yet in resemblance) to his Maker? our eyes are the image of his wisdome, our hands are the image of his power, our heart is the image of his knowledge, and our tongue the lively image of his revealed will: God therefore, before he made the body, said, Let us make man in our own image: Gen. 1.26. and what was the meaning, but that soul and body should both bear the image of his Majestie? Be astonished then, ye men of the earth! If this dust, this clay, this bodie of ours be so glori­ous, what think ye of the soul, whose substance, faculties, quali­ties, dignities, every way represents Gods omnipotent Essence? Look on this glass, and first for substance, is the soul invisible? why so is God: No man hath seen him at any time, Joh. 1.18. John 1.18. Is the soul incorporeall? why so is God: We ought not to think him like unto gold, or silver, or stone graven with art, Acts 17.29. Acts 17.29. Is the soul immortall? why so is God: He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who onely hath immortality, 1. Tim. 6.16. 1. Tim. 6.16. Is the soul spirituall? why so is God: God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit, John 4.24. John 4.24. Is the soul one essence? why so is God: There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all, Ephes. 4.6. Ephes. 4.6. See here the lively image of God in every soul of man. But there is another character imprinted in every faculty, so that not one­ly the substance, but the powers of the soul bear this image in them: As there is one God and three persons, so there is one soul and three faculties: the Father, Son, and holy Ghost are but one God; the Ʋnderstanding, Will, and Memory are but one soul: the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the holy Ghost; so the Ʋnderstanding is not the Will, nor the Will the Memory: and yet the Father is God, the Son is God, and the holy Ghost [Page 68] is God; so the Ʋnderstanding is the soul, the VVill is the soul, and the Memory is the soul. I dare not say, but there is some difference. Trinitatem in nobis videmus potius quàm credimus, De­um verò esse Trinitatem credimus poti­ùs quàm vide­mus. Aug. de Trin. l. 15. c. 6. Psal. 45.13. Ecclus 17.6. This trinity in us we rather see it then believe it; but that Trinity of Persons, we more believe it then see it: Howsoe­ver then our soul is no proof of the Godhead, yet is it a true sign of that image of God in the soul. Nay, yet (as if this stamp were of a deeper impression) see the dowrie of Gods Spouse, and who wonders not at the qualities & conditions with which the soul is arrayed? The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of broydered gold. What say you to that heavenly knowledge inspired into us? God that created man, filled him with knowledge of understanding, and shewed them good and evil, Ecclus 17.6. What say you to those heavenly impressions that are stampt upon us? Ephes. 4.24. such are the new mans marks, which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse, Ephes. 4.24. These make the soul like God, and God loving to the soul; is it not clad with righteousness, as with a garment? witnesse the integrity of Adam, in that sweet subjection, his soul to the Lord, his affections to the soul, his body to the affections, the whole man to God, as to the chiefest good: and as truth and mercy meet together, so righteousnesse and holinesse kisse each other: this righteousness to God is it that makes us righteous afore God, and this is that holiness wherein we are created. O blessed image! how nearly dost thou resemble thy Creatour? he is the pattern of perfection, and we bear the image of that pattern. Be ye ho­ly, for I am holy, 1. Pet. 1.15. 1. Pet. 1.15. And yet again, as if this picture were of deeper die, how like is the soul to its Creatour in her full dominion over all the creatures? Cant. 6.3. Thou art bountifull, O my soul, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. What is it will not stoop to this Gods Vice-gerent? Beasts, and birds, and serpents, and things of the sea are tamed, and have been tamed of the nature of man, Jam. 3.7. Jam. 3.7. What a thing is this soul? she can came the wild, command the proud, pull down the loftie, do what she will, by compounding, com­paring, contemplating, commanding. O excellent nature! that sittest on earth, canst reach to heaven, mayest dive to hell, no­thing being able to resist thy power, so long as thou art subject to that power of God. Psal. 8.6. Is this the soul? Lo, what is man that thou art mindfull of him? thou hast made him to have dominion in [Page 69] the works of thy hands, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, Psal. 8.6.

Is this the darling of our Lord? where then is the rich man that hath lost this pearl? he that could tell his soul, Soul, Vers. 19. thou hast much goods laid up for many years, live at ease, eat, drink and take thy pastime. Now on a sudden his soul is taken, and whose shall those things be which he hath provided? The loss of all losses is the loss of a soul, without which, had we never so much, we could truly enjoy nothing; what trust then in your earthly treasures? what stay in such broken staves of reed? one day you shall finde them most deceitfull, leaving your naked souls to the open rage of wind and weather, to the scourges and scorpions of guiltiness and fear: Could you purchase a monopoly of all the world, had you the gold of the West, the treasures of the East, the spices of the South, the pearles of the North, all is no­thing to (this incarnate Angell) this invaluable soul. O wretched worldling! what hast thou done then to undoe thy soul? was it a wedge of gold, an heap of silver, an hoord of pearl, to which thou trustest? see, they are gone, and thy soul is required.] Alas, poor soul! whither must it go? to heaven? to its Creator? to God that gave it? no, there is another way for wandring sin­ners; Go yee into everlasting fire, Mat. 25.41. prepared for the Devill and his Angels: thither must it go with heaviness of heart, into a king­dome of darkness, a lake of burning, a prison of horrible confu­sion of terrible tortures: O poor soul! what a misery is this? darkness, burning, confusion, torments, are these the welcomes of his soul to hell? what meant the rich man in his unhappy fore-cast? he propounded to his soul a world of ease, of plea­sure, of pastime; it proves far otherwise: this other world is a world of torments, which (like infinite rivers of Brimstone) feed upon his soul without ease or end. What avails now his pompous pride at his dolefull funerals? the news is sounded [hee is dead] friends must lament him, passing-peales ring for [Page 70] him, an hearse-cloth wrap him, a tombe-stone lye over him, all must have mourning suites, and (may be) rejoycing hearts; but all this while his soul his going to judgment, without one friend, or the least acquaintance to speak in his cause: O that his soul were mortall, and body and soul to be buried both together in one grave! must his body die, and his soul live? in what world, or nation? in what place or region? it is another world, ano­ther nation, where Devils are companions, brimstone the fire, horrour the language, and eternall death the souls eternall life; never to be cured, Bernard. in Medit. and never must be ended. O my soul (saith Bernard) what a terrible day shall that be, when thou shalt leave this Mansion, and enter into an unknown region? who will deliver thee from these ramping Lyons? who can defend thee from those hellish monsters? God is incensed, hell prepared, justice threatned, onely mercy must prevent, or the soul is damned. View this rich man on his deaths-bed, the pain shouts through his head, and at last comes to his heart, anon death appeares in his face, and suddenly falls on to arrest his soul; Is it death? what is it he demands? can his goods satisfie? no, the world claims them: must his body goe? no, the worms claim that: what debt is this, which neither goods, nor body can discharge? [Habeas animam ejus coram nobis] Gods warrant bids fetch the soul: O miserable news! the soul committed sin, sin morgaged it to death, death now demands it; and what if he gain the world, he must lose his soul: This night [thy soul] shall be required of thee.

Ʋse. 1 Animula vagula, blandula, said the heathen Emperour; Pretty, Adrian. little, wandring soul, whither goest thou from me? wilt thou leave me alone, that cannot live without thee? O what conflicts suffers the poor soul, when this time is come, must the soul be gone? help friends, physick, pleasure, riches, nay, take a world to reprive a soul; so different are the thoughts of men dying, from them living: now, are they for their pleasure, or profit, the body, or the world; but then, nothing is esteemed but the soul. what can we say? but if you mean your souls must be saved, O then let these precious, dear, everlasting things breathed into your bodies for a short abode, scorn to feed on earth, or any earthly things: it is matter of a more heavenly metall, treasures of an higher temper, riches of a no­bler [Page 71] nature, that must help your souls. Do you think that ever any glorified soul, that now looks God Almighty in the face, and tramples under foot the Sun and Moon, is so bewitcht as was Achan with a wedge of gold? no, it is onely the Commu­nion of Saints, the society of Angels, the fruition of the Deity, Iosh. 7.21. the depth of eternity, which can onely feed and fill the soul. So live then, as that when you die, your souls may receive this blisse, and the Lord Iesus our Saviour receive all your souls.

Ʋse. 2 I must end, but gladly would I win a soul: If the reward be so great (as you know it) to recover a sick body, Si magnae mer­cedis est a mor­te eripere car­nem, quanti est meriti à morte liberare ani­mam. Ambros. Offic. 1. Quid est quod velis habere malum? nihil omnino: Aug. in quod. serm. which for all that must die, of what reward is that cure to save a soul, which must ever, ever live? O sweet Jesu▪ why sheddest thou the most precious and warmest bloud of thy heart, but onely to save souls? thou wast scourged, buffetted, judged, condemned, hanged; was all this for us? and shall we do nothing for our selves? What is it thou wouldest have bad, if thou couldest wish it good? not thy house, nor thy wife, nor thy children, nor thy good, nor thy cloaths, but no matter for thy soul; I beseech you, value not you souls at a less price then your shooes; you can please the flesh with delicates, which is naught but worms meat; but the soul pines for want, which is a creature invisible, incorporeall, immortall, most like to God: are we thus carefull of pelf, and so careless of this pearl? certainly, I cannot choose but wonder, when seeing the streets peopled with men that follow suits, run to Courts, attend and wait on their Councellors for this case, and that case, this house, or that land, that not one of these, no nor one of all us will ride, or run or creep, or go to have counsell for his soul: I must confess, I have sometimes dwelt on this meditation: and (Beloved, let me speak homely to you) be our Counsellors in this Town, every week solicited by their Clients? and have we no Clients in soul-cases? not one that will come to us with their cases of conscience? sure you are either careless of your souls, or belike you have no need of particular instructions: O let us not be so forward for the world, and so backward for the soul! yet I pray mistake not; I invite you not for fees, as noble Terentius, when he had petitioned for the Christians, and saw it torn in pieces before his face, gathered up the pieces, and said, I have my reward; I have not sued for gold, silver, honour, or pleasure, [Page 72] but a Church: so say I, in middest of your neglect; I have not sued for your good, or silver, for your houses, or lands, but for your souls, your precious souls: and if I cannot, or shall not woe them to come to Christ, God raise up some child of the Bride-chamber which may do it better; if neither I, nor any other can prevail, O then fear that speech of Elies sons, they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them: 1 Sam. 2.25.

In such a case, O that my head were full of water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for your sins! O that I could wash your souls with my tears from that filth of sin, wherewith they are besmeared and defiled! O that for the salvation of your souls, I might be made a sacrifie unto death! But the Lord be praised, for your souls and my soul Christ Jesus hath died; and if now we but repent us of our sins, and believe in our Saviour, if now we will but deny our selves, and take up his cross and follow him; if now we will but turn unto him, that he may turn his loving countenance unto us, if now we will but become new creatures, and ever-hereafter walk in the holy path, the narrow way which leads unto heaven, why then may our souls be saved. This is that we had need to care for, Cur carnem adornas, & animam, non adornas. Hugo de clau­stro animae. not so much for the body, as for the souls good: to this purpose saith Hugo, Why cloath we the body in silks, which must rot in the grave, and adorn not the soul with faith and good works, which one day must appear before God and his Angels. O think of this day, this night, this hour of death, for then must your Souls be taken from you.

Shall be required]

THe originall is [...], They shall require it: wherein you have, the

• Sergeants,
• Arrest.

The Sergeants, They,] and the arrest it self, They require] his soul.

Wee'll first take a view of the Sergeants.

They: who? not God, he knows not sinners, what should he do with a drunken, profane, covetous, sensuall soul, he that never so much as thought on God in this life, will God accept of the commending of his soul to him at his death? no, the Lord of heaven will none of it: he that forsook God, is justly forsaken of God: See the true weight of this balance, he would not receive Gods grace into his soul, and God will not receive his graceless soul into heaven. But who then? will the Angels take it? no, they have nothing to do with the soul of a dying sinner, the Angels are onely porters for the souls of the just: Poor Lazarus that could neither go, nor sit, nor stand for sores, it is he must be carried on the wings of Angels, but for this rich man, not the lowest Angell will do him poorest service. Who then? will the Saints receive it? no, they have no such commission to receive a soul: that blind opinion (which every one may blush at) that Saint Peter should be heavens porter, and that none may go in, but to whom he will open: if it be true, why may not a Saint help a departing soul? Away with this dreaming folly! not Peter, nor Paul, nor all the Saints of heaven have any such priviledg; if God will not hear us, what will our prayers do to Saints? Heaven is too far off, they cannot hear, or were it nearer they will not, cannot help: it is God must save us, or we perish ever. Who then are the Sergeants? not God, nor Saints, nor Angels: no, there is ano­ther crew, Death and Devils stand in a readiness, and they are the parties that arrest this prisoner.

Stay, what would death have? the soul cannot die, and for the body, no matter who receives it. O yes! there is a death of the soul, as well as of the body: I mean not such a death where­by [Page 74] it may be annihilated, but a second death that shall ever ac­company it: this is a death of the soul, that will always keep it in deaths pangs. But not to speak of this death, there is ano­ther death temperall, that shall sever the soul and body each from other: these two twins that have lived together since their first espousall, these two lovely ones that were made, and met, and married by the hands of God these two made one, till death them depart, and make them two again, now is their rufull time of divorce: when death comes he gives over the body to the grave, and arrests the soul, to appear in presence before Gods high Tribunall. Such a Bayliffe hath now laid hands on this rich mans soul, when he least thought on't, death comes on a sudden, and arrests his person. O wretched worldling! who is this behinde thee? call we this Gods Sergeant? What grim, ugly, monstrous visage is this we see? have ever any of you seen the grisly picture of death before you? how was it but with hollow eyes, open skull, grinning teeth, naked ribs, a few bones knit together with dry strings, as presenting to your eyes the most deformed image of a man in moldes? But what's that in his hands? an hour-glass, and a dart: the one expressing the de­creasings of our life, and the other deaths stroke, that he gives us in our death. Such emblemes are most fit to express mortali­ty: and imagine such a thing to arrest this rich man, would it not terrifie him, whilest looking back, death suddenly claps him on his shoulder, away he must with this messenger, all the gold and pearl of East and West cannot stay him one hour: now rich man, what avails all thy worldly pleasure? Hadst thou in thy hands the reigns of all earthly kingdomes, wert thou exalted as the Eagle, Obad. 1.4. and thy nest set among the starrs, yet all this, and whatsoever else thou canst imagine, is not worth a button: where did that man dwell, or of what cloth was his garment, that was ever comforted by his goods, or greatness, in this last and sorest conflict? See worldling, death requires thy soul, no bribe will be taken, no entreatie will prevail, no riches rescue, nothing at all redeem, death, death is impartiall.

But (O horrour!) death is not all, see yet more Sergeants, Devils, and Dragons are about thy bed, and these are they that will hurrie away thy soul to hell. How? Devils; O world­ling stay thy soul, and never yield it! better to die a thousand [Page 75] deaths, then to leave it in their hands; but alas, thou canst not choose, thy last hour is come, and here is neither hope, nor help, nor place of any longer terrying. See but the misery of a mise­rable soul! what shall it do? whither shall it fly from these damned Furies? would they take it, and teare it into nothing, it were somewhat tollerable: but to teare it in pieces, and ne­ver to make end of tearing, to give it torments without all pa­tience or resistance; this is that load which it cannot bear. and yet (O extremity!) it ever, ever must be born. Think on this, O my soul! and whilest thou hast a minutes stay in this body, call upon God to prevent this arrest of Devils: was it not (think yee) a terrour to this rich man, when so many hell hounds waited for his soul? we read of one man, Hartmundus Schedel. in vit. Pap. who being took away with a Devill through the air, was said so to roar and yell, that many miles distant his noise was heard, to many a mans trembling. And if a soul had but the organs of a sound, what a shreek would it make, being seized on by a Devil? witness the cries of many desperate souls, when as yet they are safe in their beds, how do they roar and rage? how do they call and cry, Help, help us, save us, deliver us from these fiends about us! these are those evening wolves enraged with hellish hunger, these are those ramping Lyons ever ready to devour our souls, these are those walkers up and down the earth, which are now come and entred into this rich mans lodging. Matth. 24.28. Wheresoever the dead car­kasse is, thither (saith our Saviour) will the Eagles resort: and wheresoever a damned soul is, thither with a lacrity will these spirits come: O how they fly and flutter round about him, what fires do they breathe to enkindle them on his soul? what clawes do they open, to receive her at the parting? and what astonishment is that poor soul in, that perceives these Sergeants even ready to clasp their in her burning armes? See (O Cosmo­polite) what thy sin hath caused! lust hath transported thine eyes, blasphemy thy tongue, pride thy foot, oppression thy hand, covetousness thy heart, and now Death and Devils, they are the Sergeants that require thy soul.

Ʋse. Reflect these thoughts on your own souls, and consider with your selves, what may be your cases; it may be as yet thou stan­dest upright without any changes, hitherto thou hast seen no days of sorrow, but even washed thy steps with butter, and the [Page 76] rock hath poured thee out rivers of oyle. Deut. 32.13, 14. Alas! was not this the case of this wretched worldling? yet for all this, you see a night came that paid for all: and so may it be with thee; a day, an hour, Casaub. Dies, hora, mo­mentum, &c. a moment, is enough to overturn the things that seem to have been founded, and rooted in Adamant; who can tell whe­ther this night, this storm may fall upon thee? art thou not strangely nailed and glued unto sence? art thou not stupidly senceless in spirituall things, that for pelf, vanity, dung, nothing, wilt run headlong and willfully into easelesse, endlesse, and reme­diles torments? Yet such is thy doing, (if thou beest a worldling) to get riches to thy body, and let death and devils have thy soul. O beloved, consider in time, and seeing you have such a terrible example set before you, let this worldling be your warning.

How? requried? is any so bold to approach his gates, and make a forcible entry? Yes, God hath his speciall Bailiffs that will fear no colours, riches cannot ransome, castles cannot keep, hollows cannot hide, hills nor their forts protect: Sits Herod on his Throne? there's a Writ of Remove, and the worms are his Bayliffs: is Dives at his Table? Death brings the Mitti­mus, and Devils are his Jaylours: sits Lazarus at his gates? the King greets him well, (we may say) and Angels are his keepers: poor, rich, good, bad, all must be served at the Kings suit, no place can priviledge, no power secure, no valour rescue, no liber­tie exempt: with a non omittas propter aliquam libertatem, runs this Warrant: 2. Sam. 22.5. O rich man? what wilt thou now do? The sor­rows of death compasse thee, and the flouds of Belial make thee afraid. What? no friends to help? no power to rescue, is there no other way but yield and die for it? O miserie! enough to break an heart of brasse again: Imagine that a Prince a while possessed some royall City, where (if you walk the streets) you may see peace flourishing, wealth abounding, pleasure waiting, all his neighbours offering their service, and promising to assist him in all his needs and affairs: if on a sudden this city were be­sieged by some deadly enemie, who coming (like a violent stream) takes one hold after another, one wall after another, one castle after another, and at last drives this Prince onely to a [Page 77] little Tower, and there sets on him; what fear, anguish, and misery would this Prince be in? If he looks about, his holds are taken, his men are slain, his friends and neighbours now stand aloof off, and they begin to abandon him; were not this a wofull plight trow you? even so it fares with a poor soul at the hour of her departure: the body wherein she reigned like a jolly Princesse, then droops and languishes; the keepers tremble, Eccles. 12.3. the strong men bow, the grinders cease, and they wax dark that look out at the windows▪ no wonder, if fear be in the way, when the arms the legs, the teeth, the eyes (as so many walls wherein the soul was invironed) are now surprized and beaten to the ground: her last refuge is the heart, and this is the little Tower whither at last she is driven: But what, is she there secure? no, but most fiercely assailed with a thousand enemies, her dearest friends ( youth, and Physick, and other helps) which soothed her in pro­sperity do now abandon her, what will she do? the enemy will grant no truce, will make no league, but night and day assayls the heart, which now (like a Turret struck with thunder) be­gins all to shiver? here is the wofull state of a wicked soul, God is her enemy, the Devil her foe, Angels hate her, the earth groans under her, hel gapes for her: the reason of all, sin struck the alarm, and death gives the battel: it is but this night (a mi­nute longer) and then will the raging enemie enter on her. Death is no beggar to entreat, no suiter to wo, no petitioner to ask, no soliciter to crouch and crave a favour: she runs raging, Quaque ruit furibunda ruit ruling, charging, requiring: hark this rich mans arrest, thy soul shall be required] It shall? yes, the word is peremptory; what? be required? yes, it comes with authority. Here's a fatall re­quiring, when the soul shall be forced by an unwilling necessitie, and devils by force hurrie her to her endless furie. Adieu poor soul! the Writ is served, the Goal prepared, the judgement past, and Death (the Executioner) will delay no longer; This night thy soul shalt be required of thee.

Ʋse. 1 But to whom speak I? Think of it you miserably covetous, that joyn house to house and call the lands after your own names: You may trust in your wealth, and boast your selves in the multi­tude of your riches, but none of you call by any means redeem his brother, no nor himself, Psal. 49.6. Psal. 49.6.7. When Death comes, (I pray) what composition with the Lord of heaven? could ever any buy [Page 78] out his damnation with his coyn? howsoever you live, mirrily, deliciously, go richly, yet Death will at last knock at your doors, and (notwithstanding all your wealth, honours, tears, and groans of your dearest friends) will take you away as his prisoners, to his darkest dungeon. Your case is as with a man who lying fast asleep upon the edge of some steep high rock, dreams merrily of Crowns, Kingdoms, Possessions; but upon the sudden, starting for joy, he breaks his neck, and tumbles into the bottome of some violent sea: Thus is your danger every hour, Sathan makes you a bed, lulls you asleep, charms you into golden dreams, and you conceive you are wallowing in the Sea of all wordly happi­ness; at last death comes (against which there is no resistance) and then are you suddenly swallowed up of despair, and drown­ed in that pit of eternall death and perdition,

I have read of some, whom (in some sort) we might parallel with this rich man concerning their fearful horrid departure out of this miserable world: yea, I suppose the Books are so work­ing, that any man whosoever he is, that would but read them, and ponder them in a serious way, they would certainly work in him much matter of humiliation, and make him to flie sin, as the very sting of a scorpion.

William Ro­gers. The Young mans warning-piece, by Rob. Abbot.One of them I mean to speak of was an Englishman: Ab­bot. that relates the story, tells indeed of two in one year that died thus uncomfortably; the one so many wayes looking home­wards, that he died miserably rich: the other so lashing outward that he died miserably poor, both of different wayes of life, yet both of uncomfortable passages out of the world. The one coming to his deaths-bed, the Authour reports of him, that first the Devil presented himself unto him to be his Physician, and after Christ appeared to him sitting on the Throne, condemning his un­profitable life, and bidding him shift for himself, for he would have nothing to do with him: The other (of whom I mean to speak) as if he would prevent Christ, condemned himself to hell for ever and ever: O (said he) that I might burn along time in that fire, so I might not burn in hell. — I have had (said he) a little pleasure, and now I must go to the torments of hell for ever. Then praying to God (as he was pressed by others) to forgive him his sins, and to have mercy upon him, he would adde, but I know God will not do it, I must go to hell for evermore. Whatsoever came [Page 79] between whiles, this was the close, I must be burned in Hel, I must to the furnace of Hel, millions and millions of ages. The Authour of this story (who was Minister of the place where he lived) went to him, offered him the comforts of the Gospel, opened to him the promises of the largest size, shewed him that God was delighted to save souls, and not to destroy them, and that his sweet promises were without exception of time place, person, or sinne, except that against the holy Ghost, which he assured him too, was not committed by him: and what was the issue? all this could not fasten on him, but still he would answer, Alas, it is too late, I must be burned in hell. That man of God (the Shepheard of his soul) seeing his soul in this danger, came to him again and again, and at last secluding the company, he presses him with tears in his eyes, not to cast away that soul for for which Christ died; he told him, that Christ rejected none that did not reject him: but for all this he could have no other answer, but that he had cast off Christ, and therefore must go to hell. The Minister replies, Yet pray with me (saith he) that Christ would come again, there is yet an hour in the day, and if Christ come, he can and will assist you, to do a great deal of work on a sudden: no, he would not hear of that: former coun­sels and prayers might have done me good, said he, but now it is too late.

O horrour, that ever any soul should suffer these conflicts for sinne! But what sinnes were they? He was (saith the Au­thour) no Swearer, no VVhoormonger, no Thief, no scof­fer at Religion, no perjured wretch, no wilfull lyar at all, onely Drunkennesse and neglect of mens bodies (for he was an Apothecarie) neglect of Prayer, Gods Word, and his Sa­craments, so awakt his trembling Conscience, that he was forced to passe this fearfull doom upon his soul, I must be burned in the furnace of hell, millions of millions of ages: and at last (the Lord knows) in idleness of thoughts, and talk, he end­ed his miserable-miserable life.

The other I mean to speak of was an Italian, A relation of the fearfull estate of Fr. Spira. 1548. under the Ju­risdiction of Venice, called Francis Spira, who being excessively covetous of money, and for fear of the world having renoun­ced the truth, which before he professed, he thought at last he heard a direfull voice speaking to him; Thou wicked wretch, thou [Page 80] hast denied me, thou hast broken thy vow; hence Apostate, and bear with thee the sentence of thy eternall damnation: at this voice he trembling and quaking fell down in a swoon; and after recovering himself, he professed that he was captivated under the revenging hand of the great God of heaven, and that he heard continually that fearfull sentence of Christ, now past on his own soul: his friends to comfort him propounded many of Gods promises, recorded in Scripture; Oh but my sinne (said he) is greater then the mercy of God: nay, answered they, the mercy of God is above all sinne; God would have all men to be saved: it is true (said he) he would have all men that he hath elected to be saved; but he would not have Reprobates to be saved; and I am one of that number: after this roaring out in the bit­terness of his spirit, he said, It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God. These troubles of mind brought him to a distemper of body, which the Physicians perceiving, they wisht him to seek some spirituall comfort: those comforters come, and observing the distemper to arise from the sence and horrour of hell pains; they ask him, Whether he thought there were any worse pains then what he endured? he said, He knew there were farre worse pains; yet do I desire nothing more, said he, then that I may come to that place, where I may be sure to feel the worst, and to be freed from fear of worse to come.

As on this manner he was speaking he observed (saith my Authour) divers flies that came about him, and some lighted on him; whereat, presently remembring how Belzeebub signifies the God of Flies; Behold, said he, now also Belzeebub comes to his Banquet, you shall shortly see my end, and in me an example to ma­ny of the justice and judgement of God. Then he began to reckon up what fearfull dreams and visions he was continually troubled withall, That he saw the Devils come flocking into his chamber, and about his bed terrifying him with strange noyses; and that these were not fancies, but that he saw them as really as the standers by: and that besides these outward terrours, he felt continually a rack­ing torture of his mind, and a continuall butchery of his consci­ence, being the very proper pangs of the damned wights in hel.

But of all the rest, most desperate was that last speech of his, when snatching a knife (as intending to mischief himself, but stopped by his friends) he roared with indignation, I would I [Page 81] were above God, for I know he will have no mercy on me; and thus living a while, he appeared at length a very perfect anatomie, expressing to the view nothing but sinews, and bones, vehe­mently raging for drink; ever pining, yet fearfull to live long; dreadfull of hel, yet coveting death; in a continuall torment, yet his own tormentour; consuming himself with grief and hor­rour, impatience and despair, till at last he ended his miserable-miserable life.

And now (beloved) if such be the departure of a sinnfull soul, O who would live in sinne to come to such a departure! For my part, I dare not say these parties, thus miserable in their own apprehensions, are now among Devils in hell: I find the Authours themselves to incline to the right hand; besides, what am I, that I should sit in Gods Chair? onely this I say, that their miserable deaths may verie well give warning to us all; nor need you think much at me for uttering these (terribilia) ter­rible stories: for if sometimes you did not hear of Gods judge­ments against sinne; a day might come, that you would most of all crie out on the Preacher: To this purpose, we have a story of a certain rich man, who lying on his death-bed, My soul (said he) I bequeath to the Devil, who owns it; my wife to the Devil, who drew me to my ungodly life, and my Chaplain to the Devil who flattered me in it. I pray God I never hear of such a Legacy from any of you: sure I had better to tell you afore­hand to prevent it, then not telling you to feel it. And let this be for my Apologie in relating these stories.

Ʋse. 2 But for a second Use, give me leave, I pray you, to separate the precious from the vile. Now then to sweeten the thoughts of all true penitents, the souls of Saints are not required, but re­ceived. Rejoyce then ye righteous that mourn in Sion; what though a while ye suffer? death is a Goal-delivery to your souls, not bringing in, but freeing out of thraldome. Here the good man finds sharpest misery, the evil man sweetest felicity; therefore it is just, that there should be a time of changing turnes; The rich mans Table stood full of delicates, Lazarus lacks crums, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Luke 16.25. Wo unto you that laugh, for you shall mourn, Luke 6.25. Luke 6.25. Blessed are you that mourn, for you shall rejoyce, Matth. 5.4. Matth. 5.4. Happy Laza­rus! who from thy beggary and loathsome sores wert carried by [Page 82] Angels into Abrahams bosome: happy Thief, who upon thy true repentance, and unfeigned prayer, wert received from the Crosse to the Paradise of thy Saviour: happy are all they that suffer tribulation, Death shall lose their souls from bonds and fetters, and in stead of a Bayliff to arrest them, shall be a Por­ter to conduct them to the gates of heaven: There shalt thou tread on Serpents, trample on thine enemies, sing sweet Tro­phies: were not this enough? thy Conquests shall be crowned by the hands of Seraphims, triumphed with the sound of An­gels, warbled by the Quire of Spirits, confirmed by the King of Kings, and Lord of Hosts. Happy Soul! that art not re­quired by Devils, but received by Angels: and when we die, Lord Jesus send thine Angels to receive our Souls.

Of thee]

ONce more (you see) I have brought this rich man on the stage, his doom is now at hand, and Death (Gods mes­senger) summons him to appear by Requiring of his soul] but of whom is it Required? had he any Sureties to put in? or was any Bail sufficient to be taken for him? no, he must go himself, without all help or remedie, it was he that sinned, and it is he must pay for it; Of thee] it is required.

How? of thee? Sure Death mistakes; we can find thou­sands more fit, none more fearfull; there stands a Saul, near him his armour-bearer; behold a Judas, such will outface deaths fury; nay, rather then if fail in its office, they will not much question to be their own Deaths-men: but this Of thee (who art at league with hell, in love with earth, at peace with all) is most terribly fearfull.

Stay Death! there stands a poor Lazarus at the gates, like Job on his dung-hil, his eyes blind, his ears deaf, his feet lame, his bodie struck with Boyls, Job 7.15. and his Soul choosing rather to be strangled and die, then to be in his bones: were not this a fit ob­ject [Page 83] for deaths crueltie? would he spare the rich, he should be welcome to the poor: but Death is inexorable, he must not live, nor shall the Beggar beg his own death for another: Of thee] it is required.

But (Death!) yet stay thy hand, here's a better surety; what needs death a presse, when he may have volunteers? there stands an old man as ready for the grave, as the grave for him; his face is furrowed, his hairs hoary, his back bowing, his hammes bend­ing, and therefore no song is fitter then old Simeons, Luke 2.29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: Youth is loath, but Age is merry to depart from misery; let Death then take him that standeth nearest deaths-door: No, the old must die, but the young may; he must die soon, yet be sure thou shalt not live long, Of thee] it is required.

Cannot this serve? let death yet stay his hand, there stands a servant waiting at this rich mans beck, as if he would spend his own life to save his Masters; he can make a Pageant of Cringes, act a whole speech of flatteries, every part owes him service, feet to run, hands to work, head to crouch, and as the eyes of a mai­den unto the hand of a Mistris, so the eyes of his servants look unto the hands of their Master: but where be these attendants when death comes? was ever any Master better then Christ? were ever any servants truer then his Apostles? yet see their fide­litie, must their Saviour die? one betrayes him another for­swears him all run from him, and leave him alone in midst of all his enemies: what then is the trust of servants? the rich man may command and go without, if death should require them, they would not, or if they should desire death, hee will not; his arrest concerns not the servants, it is for the Master himself he that command others, now death commands him: Of thee] it is required.

Will not all do? Let death but stay this once: there stands a friend, that will loose his own, to save his life: Greater love then this hath no man (saith our Saviour) when any man bestoweth his life for his friends, John 15.13. John 15.13. Riches may perhaps procure such love, and get some friend to answer deaths quarrel which he ows this man: Jonathan loves David, David Absolon; and sure it was a love indeed, when Jonathan preserves the life of David, and David wisheth a death to himself in the stead of Absolon: [Page 84] O my sonne Absolon, 2. Sam. 18.33. would God I had died for thee: O Absolon, my sonne, my sonne. But where be any friends so respective of this Worldling? He wants a Ionathan, a David; upon a strict enquirie we find no friend, no father, no sonne, neither heirs nor as­signes to whom he may bestow his lands. But what if he had friends as near to himself as himself? no man can die or ano­ther: Psal. 49.7, 8. or as the Psalmist, No man may deliver his brother, nor make agreement unto God for him: for it cost more to redeem their souls, so that he must let that alone for ever. Should the poor man beg, the old man pray, his servants kneel, his friends lie at deaths feet, and all these offer up all their lives for this rich mans reco­very, all were but vain▪ it is thy Soul is arrested, and it is thy self that must yield it: Of thee] it is required.

The hour is come, and the dawning of that dreadfull day appeareth; now he begins to wish that he had some space, some piece of time to repent him; and if he might obtain it, O what would he do! or what would he not do? Releive the weak, visit the sick feed the hungry, lodge the stronger, cloath the naked, give half his goods to the poor, and if he had done any wrong restore it him again seven-fold; but alas! all is too late, the candle that but follows him cannot light him to heaven; a sudden death de­nies his suit, and the increasing of his sickness will give him no leasure to fulfill those duties: what cold sweats are those that seiz upon him? his senses fail, his speech falters, his eyes sink, his breast swels, his feet die, his heart faints such are the outward pangs: what then are the inward griefs? if the body thus suffers, what cares and conflicts endures the soul? had he the riches of Croesus, the Empires of Alexander, the robes of Solomon, the fare of that rich man who lived deliciously every day, what could they do in the extremity of these pangs. O rich man, thou couldst tell us of pulling down barns, and building greater; but now imagine the vast cope of heaven thy Barn, (and that were large enough) and all the riches of the world thy grain (and that were crop enough) yet all these cannot buy a minute of ease, now that death will have thy body hell thy soul. O dark dungeon of im­prisoned men! whose help wilt thou crave? whose aid wilt [Page 85] thou ask? what release canst thou exspect from such a prison? the disease is past cure, the sickness wants remedie: alas! what may recover now the heart strings break asunder? thy date ex­spires, thy last breath goes, and now is thy Soul and Body requi­red of thee.

Believe thou (O man) who readest this, that shortly there will be two holes where thine eyes now stand, and then others may take up thy skull, and speak of thee dead, as I have done to thee living: how soon I know not, but this I am sure of, Thy time is appointed thy moneths are determined, Job 14.14. Job 14.5. Psal. 90.12. John 11.9. thy dayes are num­bred, thy very last hour is limited. And what follows, but that thy bodie lie cold at the root of the rocks, at the foot of the moun­tains? Go then to the graves of those that are gone before us, and there see; are not their eyes wasted, their mouths corrupted, their bones scattered? where be those ruddy lips, lovely cheeks, sparkling eyes, comely nose, hairy locks? are not all gone as a dream in the night, or as a shadow in the morning? alas! that we neglect these thoughts and set our minds wholly upon the world and its vanity! we are carefull, fearfull, and immo­derately painfull to get transitorie riches, like children follow­ing Butter-flies; we run, and toyl, and perhaps misse our pur­pose: but if we catch them, what is it but a flie to besmear our hands? Riches are but empty, and yet be they what they will be all at last will be nothing. Saladine that great Turk, after all his conquests, gets his shirt fastened to his spear in manner of an Ensigne, this done, a Priest makes Proclamation, Knolls Tur­kish History, pag. 73. This is all that Saladine carryes away with him, of all the riches he hath got­ten. Shall a Turk say thus, and do Christians forget their duties? Remember your selves, ye sons of earth, of Adam; what is this earth you dote on? be sure you shall have enough of it, when your mouths must be filled and crammed with it, and (as your souls desire it, so) at that day shall your bodies turn to it. O that men are thus given to gasping greediness! there is a gene­ration, and they are too common amongst us, that we may preach and preach (as they say) our hearts out, yet will not they stirre a foot further from the world, or an inch nearer un­to [Page 86] God, but could we speak with them on their death-bed, when their consciences are awaked, then should we hear them yell out those complaints, What hath pride profited us? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us? Wisd. 5.8. Assure your selves this day, or this night will come, and imagine (I pray) that the ten, twentie, thirty, fourty years, or moneths, or dayes, or hours, which you have yet to live, were at an end; were you at this pre­sent stretched on your beds, wearied with struggling against your wearied pangs, were your friends weeping your Physici­ans parting, your children crying, your wives houling, and your selves lying mute and dumb in a most pitifull agony.

1 Beloved Christian! (whosoever thou art) stay a while (I pray thee) and practise this meditation: Suppose thou now feeledst the cramp of death wresting thy heart-strings, and ready to make that rufull divorce betwixt thy body and thy soul; suppose thou lyest now panting for breath, swimming in a cold fatall sweat; suppose thy words were fled, thy tongue struck dumb, thy soul amazed, thy senses frighted; suppose thy feet beginning even to die, thy knees to wax cold and stiff, thy nostrils to run out, thine eyes to sink into thy head, and all the parts of thy body to lose their office to assist thee; upon this supposall lift up thy soul, and look about thee, (O I can tell thee, if thou livest and diest in sinne) there would be no where any comfort, but a world of terrour and per­plexity: look upwards, there shouldst thou see the terrible sword of Gods justice threatning; look downwards, there shouldst thou see the grave in exspectation ready gaping; look within thee, there shouldst thou feel the worm of conscience bitter gnawing; look without thee, there shouldst thou see good and evill Angels on both sides, waiting whether of them should have the prey: now alas! (then wouldst thou say) The soul to depart from the body were a thing intollerable, to continue still therein were a thing im­possible, and to deferre this departure any longer (supposing this hour thy last hour) no Physick could prevail it were a thing un­avoydable: what then would thy poor soul do, thus invironed with so many straights? O fond fools of Adams sinne, that neglect the time till this terrible passage! how much wouldst thou give (if thus it were) for an hours repentance? at what rate wouldst thou value a dayes contrition? worlds are worth­lesse in respect of a little respite, a short truce would seem more [Page 87] precious then the Treasures of Empires, nothing would then be so much esteemed as a trice of time, which before by moneths and years thou lavishly mis-spent, Think on thy sinns, nay, thou couldst not choose but think, Satan would write them on the curtains of thy bed, and thy agashed eyes would be forced to look upon them, there wouldst thou see thousands committed, not one confessed, or through­ly repented, then too late thou wouldst begin to wish, O had I lead a better life, and were it to begin again, O then how would I fast and pray, how repent, how live! Certainly, certainly, if thou goest on in sinne, thus would be thy de­parture, thy carkass lying cold among the stones of the pit, and thy soul, by the weight of sinne, irrecoverably sinking in­to the bottome of that bottomless burning lake.

Ʋse 2 But to prevent this evil, take this use of advice for thy far­well: whilest yet thy life lasteth, whilest yet the Lord gives thee a gracious day of visitation, ply, ply all those blessed means of salvation, as prayer, and conference, and meditation, and Sermons, and Sacraments, and fastings, and watchings, and patience, and faith, and a good conscience; in a word, so live, that when this day or night of death comes, thou mayest then stand firm and sure: as yet thou art in the way of a transitory life, as yet thou art not entred into the confines of Eternitie: if now therefore thou wilt walk in the holy path, if now thou wilt stand out against any sin whatsoever, if now thou wilt take on thee the yoke of our Saviour Christ, if now thou wilt associ­ate thy self to that sect and brotherhood, that is every where spoken against; if now thou wilt direct thy words to the glorify­ing of God, and to give grace unto the hearers; if now thou wilt delight in the word, the wayes, the Saints, the services of God; if now thou wilt never turn again unto folly, or to thy trade of sin, though Satan set upon thee with his baits and allure­ments, to detain thee in his bondage, but by one darling delight, Psal. 116.15. one minion-sin, then I dare assure thee, dear, right dear would be thy death in the sight of the Lord: with joy and triumph wouldst thou passe through all the terrours of death, with singing and rejoycing would thy soul be received into those sacred mansions above. O happy soul, if this be thy case! O happy night or day, vvhensoever the nevvs comes, that then must thy soul be taken from thee!

You may think it now high time, that we bid this far-wel-funerall Text adieu. then for conclusion let every word be thy warning. Lest this] be thy time provide for this and everie time; 1. Thess. 5.6. lest the night] be dreadfull, Do not sleep as do other, but watch and be sober; lest thy soul] should suffer, desire the suffer­ings of thy God to satisfie, lest death require] it of thee by foree, offer it up to God with a cheerfull devotion; and lest this of thee] be fearfull, who hast lived in sin, correct these courses, amend your wayes, and the blessing of God be with thee all thy life, at the hour of death, now, henceforth, and for ever.

Then.]

THen: when? the answer is

• Negative,
• Positive.

First, Negative, Then] not on a sudden, or (at least) not at this present. This life is no time to receive rewards, the rain and Sun pleasure both the good and bad, nay, oftentimes the bad fare best, and Gods own children are most fiercely fined in the furnace of affliction, Job 9.24. Matth. 16.24. The earth is given into the hands of the wicked, saith Iob: but, if any man will follow mee, he must take up his cross, saith our Saviour. Ioy, and pleasure, and happiness at­tend the ungodly, while Gods poor servants run thorow the thicket of briers and brambles to the kingdome of heaven: but shall not the Iudge of all the world do right? Gen. 18.25. a time shall come when both these must have their change; Mark the upright and behold the just, for the end of that man is peace, but the transgres­sours shall be destroyed together, and the end of the wicked shall be cut off: Psal. 37.38. Psal. 37.37, 38. The effect of things is best known to us in some issue of time, and then shall we have our rewards, when the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father. Let this ad­monish us to have patience in all our exspectations: what is it to suffer a while, an inch of time, considering the reward is [Page 91] great indeed, everlasting in durance? Rest in the Lord (saith David) and wait patiently for him, fret not thy self for him which prospereth in his way: and will you know the reason? for yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be, but the meek shall inhe­rit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace: Psal. 37.10, 11. Psal. 37.7, 10, 11. So they shall indeed, if onely they will exspect a little time; not now, but Then] stay yet a while, and be sure anon the reward shall be given.

2. But to answer positively, this Then is no other then Doomes-day, and when that shall be, will be known best by

• Conjectures,
• Signes.

We will begin with the former.

1 Some would have it in the year 6000. from the beginning of the world: this was the sentence of Elias (say the Jewes) whose prophesie thus runs, two thousand years before the Law, two thousand under the Law, and two thousand under the Gospell: how untrue this sounds, any one may guesse that considers: in the first number he fails because it was too little; in the second number he erres, because it was too much: and if Elias say amiss for the time now past, how should we believe him for that yet to come? Others, besides testimony produce reason, that as God was creating the world six days, so he must be a govern­ing it six thousand years, heres a seeming proportion, but upon what reason? Every day, (say they) must be a thousand years with man, because a thousand years, are but as one day with God. Psal. 90.4. It were too frivolous a pains to repeat any more, or to answer these: Is not this sacriledge, Salviarus de guber. Dei, l. 3. to break into Gods place and pry into his Sanctuary? Why should we presume to know more then God would have us? Look at the Apostles, were they not Gods Secretaries? Look at the Angels, are they not Gods He­ralds? Look at Christ himself, is he not the Son of God? and yet as he is the Son of man, he speaks of all, Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no Angell, neither the Son, but the Father onely: Mark 13.32. Mar. 13.32. Ne nos adda­mus inquirere, quod ille non addidit dicere. Aug. epist. 146. Acts 1.7. It is not for us to seek where the Lord hath not a tongue to speak Why should we know more then other men, then all men, then Angels, then Christ himself, who (as man) was either ignorant of it, or (at least) had no commissi­on to reveal it. It is not for you to know the times and seasons, [Page 92] which the Father hath put in his own power, Act. 1.7. It is a better use which our Saviour makes, Take heed, watch, and pray, for yee know not when the time is, Mark 13.33. Mar. 13.33. 1 Thess. 5.2. As a thiefe in the night, so is Doomes-day, it come suddainly, it will come shortly: would you needs know when? why then when you least imagine such a matter, then when worldly honours profit nothing, then when kindred & acquaintance fail, then when the world shal be set on fire, then] then] he shall reward every man according to his works.

2 But secondly, if conjectures fail, the signes are certain: Ierome reports of fifteen miracles for fifteen days, Teste Tho. A­quin. Supplem. ad 3. part. q. 73. ar. t. 1. which he writes to have found in the Hebrews Annals, and immediately must pre­cede the Judges coming. The first day (saith he) the sea shall swell, and lift up her waves at least fifteen cubits, above the height of the highest hills. The second day unlike to the former, the sea shall ebbe again, and the waves be fallen till they scarce be seen. The third day the sea must return to its ancient course, and so abide that day as it was before. The fourth day, sea monsters shall ap­pear above the sea, whose bellowing rores shall fill the air with cries, which God alone understands, and men shall tremble at. The fifth day, all the fowles of the air shall flock together, and meeting in the fields shall there chatter, and starve for fear of the approa­ching times. The sixth day, flouds of fire shall rise up against the firmament, which kindling at the falling Sun, shall run like a lightning to the rising morn. The seventh day, all stars and planets shall shoot out fiery comets. The eighth day, there shall be a gene­rall earth-quake, and the motion so violent, that the ground shall hop, and the living creatures not stand on their feet, that walk on the tottering floores. The ninth day trees shall sweat bloud. The tenth day, all the stones of the earth shall war together, and with a thundring noise break one upon another. The eleventh day all buildings shall be ruined, and all the hils and mountains melt into dust and powder. The twelfth day, all beasts of the field shall come from their woods and dens, and so abstaining from their food, shall rore and bellow up and down the plains. The thirteenth day, all graves shall be open, from the rising up of the Sun, unto the go­ing down of the same. The fourteenth day, all men shall come abroad, and such a distraction seize on their heavy hearts, that they shall lose the speech and volubility of their tongues. And the fifteenth (which is the last day) the living men shall die, and the [Page 93] dead shall live again, all above earth be changed, and those in their graves be raised and recovered.

I will not say these things are certain, (I leave you to the au­thor that recites them) but if any whit true, why (blessed Lord!) what a day of appearance shall this be? I know not (saith one) what others may think of it, but for my self, it makes me tremble to consider it. It is a day of anger and wrath, a day of trouble and heaviness, a day of obscurity and darkness, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the strong cities, and against the high towers: Zeph. 1.15. Chrysost. Hom. 77. in Matth. Zeph. 1.15. I will but run thorow the signes, as we find them in Gods writ, and then see if your hearts will not fail for fear.

Then] shall the Sun be darkned: Matth. 24.29 can Nature stand and suffer a generall Eclipse? when God died, the Sun could discolour its beauty, and suit it self in black to its makers condition; and now man dies, the Sun is clad again in mourning robes. Alas! what can it do but mourn? God lives, but man-kinde dies: though he was the Creator, yet we are the Creatures for whom it was created: when the housholder dies, the family grieves: Patrefamilias moriente tur­batur domus. Chrysost. in Matth. 44. were all eyes dry, here is the eye of the world weeps it self blind to see this dissolution: Is man bereft of compassion, for whom the Sun it self undergoes this passion? think on those times, when darkness that may be felt, shall spread over all the earth; how should plants but whither? or beasts of the field but waste? how should men but die, when they stumble at noon-day? their eyes shall fail them, the light forsake them: miserable men! the Sun shill not shine on them, because God will judg them. But this not all.

Then] shall the moon not give her light: Matth. 24.29. as the day and night are both alike with God, so the day and night shall be alike with man: the Sun will not lend his lustre, nor can the Moon borrow any more light: but what strange warr makes this confusion of nature? the Sun shall look black, Ioel 2.31. and the Moon be turned into bloud. Here is a new Moon, and such a change as before was never seen: there is no encrease, no full, no wane, Gen. 1.14. but all the light is at once exstinguished: unhappy creatures that depend upon her influence! how should they live, when she her self wades in bloud? God made these Lights for signes, and for sea­sons, for daies, and for years: but now signs are out, seasons past [Page 94] daies are done, years abolished: The Angels hath sworn by him that lives for ever, that time shall be no longer, Rev. 10.6. Who will not believe that hears this sacred oath? was it a man? no, an Angel:] did he say it? no, he swore it:] how? by him­self? no, it was by him that lives for ever:] and what? that time must be little? nay it must be no longer, time shall be no more] How shall it be any more? the Sun is disfigured, the Moon disrobed, both eclipsed. But this not all.

Then] shall the stars be shaken; the powers of Heaven shall move, and the Lamps of Heaven shall tremble: these were Gods threats against the Babylonians, Esay 13.10. Esay 13.10. For the stars of Heaven, and the Planets thereof shall not give their light. Against the Egyptians, Ezek. 32.7. Ezek. 32.7. I will cover the heaven, and make the stars dark over thee: Against all his enemies, Ioel 3.15. Joel 3.15. The Sun and Moon shall be darkned, (but not they alone, for) and the starrs themselves shall withdraw their shining: But what speak we of darkness, or the starrs not shining? they shall not onely dimme, Mark 13.15. but down. In those days (saith our Saviour) af­ter that tribulation, the Sun and Moon shall darken, and the stars of heaven shall fall: Tymne, &c. how fall? so thick (say Expositors) that the Firmament shall seem to be without all light. I cannot say these signs shall be reall; whether it is by substraction of their light, or the conceit of brain-troubled sinners or the fall of some inflamed vapours, or the Apostacy of some enlightned persons: for certain (to speak literally) there shall be some change in the whole order of Nature: Sun and Moon, Starrs and Planets, all must lose their lights, and by all likely-hood, it is the glory of the Judge that will dazel those Candles. Neither is this all.

Then] shall the Elements melt, the fire shall fall down from heaven, the air turn it self into vapours, the Sea swell above all Clouds, the earth be full of yawning Cliffes, and violent trem­blings. 2 Pet. 3.18. Elementaris subtiliando, terrestris con­sumendo, infer­nalis puniendo. Ioh. de Combis. A fire shall first usher the Judge, and such a fire as shall have the property of all fires; that fire in its sphear, this fire on earth, the fearfull fire which torments in hell, all shall meet in one, and according to their severall qualities, produce their se­verall effects: the just shall be refined by one, the wicked shall be tormented by another, the earth be consumed by a third: There is no creature but it must be fuell for this fire; as the first world [Page 95] was destroyed with water, to quench the heate of their lust, so must this be destroyed with fire to warm the cold of our chari­ty. But not the fire alone.

Then] shall the aire breed wonders: what shall be seen but lightnings, whirle-winds, coruscations, blazing starrs, flashing thunders? here a Comet runns round in a circuit, there a Crown compaseth that Comet; near them a fiery Dragon fums in flames every where appears a shooting fire, as if all above us were nothing but inflamed ayr. Yet not the air alone.

Then] shall the waters roare, Rivers shall wax dry, Luke 21.25. the Sea froth, and foame, and fume: those that dwell near shall won­der at the swelling tides, others a far off shall tremble at the roaring noise: what threats are those which the Surges mur­mur? war is proclaimed by noise, set on by blasts, continued by storms, the floods and tides shall run over all the plaines, the the Sea and waves shall mount up to the very skyes; now would they warr with Heaven, then overwhelme the earth, anone will they sinke to hell: and thus shall they rove and rage, as if they would threat all the world with a second inundation. Nay yet again.

Then] shall the earth be shaken in divers places (saith Matthew) in all places (saith Joel) for all the earth shall tremble before him: here is an Earth-quake indeed; Matth. 24.7. Joel. 1.10. not some part of the land, by reason of some cloystered wind, but the Rocks, Moun­tains, Castles, Cities, Countreys, some shall remove, others be ruined; thus all the earth shall be as a swallowing gulf, that all things here situated, may be then devoured. What can I more?

Then] shall Plants cease their growth, Beasts want their sence, men loose their reason: were this but little? you may wonder more. The Sibylls could affirm, that Nature should both cease, and change her being, the Trees in stead of growth should sweat out blood, the Beasts should bellow up & down the fields, then want their sence. Men should have disfigured faces, astonished hearts, affrighted looks, then lose their reason: nay, what marvail then, if at the worlds end, they be at their wits end? O fearful signes, enough to move flintie stones! if this be the Term, what is the Suit, the Bill, the Doom, the Executi­on? a Trump shall summon, Death will arrest, God must have [Page 96] appearance, and Then] is the day: Then] he shall reward every man according to his works.

Ʋse. 1 Who can read or hear this Prognostication of Dooms-day, and not wonder at the signes which shall hang over our heads? we see by experience when any out-ragious storm happens on Sea or Land, how wonderfully men are dismayed, how strangely astonished: now then, when the Heavens, the Earth, the Sea, the Ayr shall be wholly distempered and disordered; when the Sun shall threaten with mourning, the Moon with blood, the Stars with their falling: yea when all the heavens shall shrink and pass away as a paper scroule, who then dares eat or drink, or sleep, or take a minutes rest? Be sure these dayes shall come, and the signes shall pass: Ioel 1.5, 13 15. Awake yee Drunkards, and weep all ye drink­ers of Wine, because of the new wine; for it shall be pulled from your mouthes. Gird your selves, and lament ye Priests, howle ye Ministers of the Altar: alas! for the day, for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. What are ye insensible of these signes? the imprisoned thiefe fears at the news of the assize: and is the sinner so impudent that he fears nothing? The day shall come when the men of earth shall fear, and be full of fear; every sign shall breed a wonder, and ever sight shall breed a wondrous terrour, men shall hide themselves in the caves of beasts, and the beasts seek shall to save themselves in the houses of men: where then shal the wicked stand, when all the world shal be thus in uprore.

Ʋse. 2 Yet a word for us all, we have all warning, and we had best to provide; yet the weather is fair, we may frame an Ark to save us from the flood; yet are the Angels at the gates of So­dom; yet is Jonas in the streets of Nineveh: yet the Prophet wooes, Hos. 6.4. O Iudah, how should I entreat thee? yet the Apostle prayes, nay, we pray you in Christs stead that yee will be recon­ciled unto God: 2 Cor. 5.20. to conclude, yet the Bride-groom stayes the Virgins leisure; Lord that they would make speed, seeing the joyes of heaven tarry for them. This Tearm is at hand, and is [Page 97] it not time to petition to the Judg of heaven? what a dange­rous course is it, never to call to minde that Time of Times, until we see the Earth flaming, the Heavens melting, the Iudg­ment hastning, the Iudg with all his Angels comming in the Clouds, to denounce the last doom upon all flesh, which shall be unto some Woe, woe, when they shall call to the mountains to cover them, and for shame of their sins, hide themselves (if it were possible) in hell fire: if we have any fear this should move fear, if we have any care this should move us all to be carefull indeed. We have not two souls that we may hazard one, neither have we two lives, that we may trust to another, but as thy last day leaves thee, so will this Doomes-day finde thee. Who would not but axcept the fatherly fore-warning of Christ our Saviour? See you not how many signes, as the Heralds and fore runners of his glorious comming? Matth. 24.7, 12. The abounding of iniquity the waxing cold of charity, the rising up of Nation against Nation. Was there ever lesse love? was there ever more hatred? Where is that Jonathan that loves David as his own soul? nay, where is not that Joab, that can imbrace friendly, but carryes a malicious heart towards Abner? sure we are near the end indeed, when charity is grown thus cold. You then that would have the com­fort of the day, take these signs for warnings, provide for him who hath thus long waited for you; 2 Pet. 3.14. and seeing you look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blamless. Who would indanger their souls for a lit­tle sin? busie Clients heed nothing but their cause, and if you would recover heaven, be sure that ye mark this Tearm. The time draws on, now the Writs are out, anon comes the Iudge, and Then is the day. Then] he shall reward every man according to his work.

He.]

HE? who? if you look at the fore-going words you may see who he is: The son of man shall come in the glory of his father, and it is he that shall reward us according to our works.

hoc facit ut ad infimam se sor­tem hominum abjiciat. Musculus in Matth. cap. 8. Psal. 8.4.This title of the Son of man, denotes unto us the humility of the Son of God; what is the Son of man, but man? and this tels us how humble he was for us, that being God▪ was made man, or the Son of Man, which is as all one, according to that, Psal. 8.4. What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the Son of man that visitest him?

It is true, God is the Judg of all: Heb. 12.23. Heb. 12.23. and yet it is as true, this God is man, Acts 17.31. Acts 17.31. God (saith Paul) will judge the world, but it is by that man whom he hath ordained. God hath the power, but God as man hath onely the Commis­sion. He (who is God) hath given him Authority to execute judgment. And would you know the reason? it is onely be­cause he is the Son of man, Joh, 5.27. Iohn 5.27. In a word, God shall judg, the whole Trinity by prescription, Christ onely in execution: the Father judgeth but by the Son; or as the Evangelist John, the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Son: Iohn 5.22. Iohn 5.22.

But because as man, there appears in him a double form, as humbled, as glorified; wee'l discusse these questions, which resolve all doubts.

• 1. Whether Christ, as man shall appear unto us, when he will reward us.
• 2. Whether man, as glorified shall appear unto us, when he will reward us.

To the first we say, that onely as man he will appear our judge, who as man appeared when himself was judged; what better rea­son to express the benefit of our redemption then so to judg us as he did redeem us? Tunc mani­festus veniet inter justos ju­dicaturus, qui occultè venerat judicandus ab injustis. August de ci­vit. dei. was he not man that suffered, died, and was buried? and is he not man that one day shall come to judg both the quick and dead? he that came obscurely to be judged by the unjust, shall then appear openly to judg all the just: the same man, who is God and man, shall be our judge in his humane nature, by his divine power. Thus we say, God, (who is the ancient of daies) hath the power originall; but man (who is the Son of God) hath the power traduced, and therefore saith Daniel, One [Page 99] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him here before him, Dan. 7.13, 14. and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdome.

Ʋse. Consider this, yee that are going to the Bar; what a sight will this be to the faithless Iewes, stuborn Gentiles, wicked Christi­ans, when every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: This is the man (shall they say) that was crucified for us, Apoc. 1.7. and again crucified by us: why alas! every sin is a Cross, every oath is a Spear, and when that day is come, you must behold the man, whom thus you do crucifie by your daily sins: Sure this will be a fearfull fight; where is the bloudy swearer, that can tear his wounds, and heart, and bloud and all? at this day of Doom Sic Aug. ha­bet suum (for­tasse) de Christ; & marty­rum vulneri­bus, et quod non sit deformitas iis, sed dignitas. novi quod quae­ritur an cica­trices remane­ant in corpore perfecto et glo­rificato? atta­men Christus apparuit Tho­mae cum cica­tricibus ad fi­dem ejus con­firmandam. Ioh. 20.27. Matth. 26.24. those wounds shall appear, that heart be visible, that body and bloud be seen both of good and bad, and then shall that fear­full voice proceed from his Throne, this was the heart thou pier­cedst, these are the wounds thou racedst, and this is the bloud thou spilledst: Here is the fearfull judgment, when thou that art the murtherer shall see the slain man sit thy Judge, what favour canst thou exspect at his hands, whom thou hast so vilely abused by thy daily sins? be sure the Son of man will come, as it is writ­ten of him, but woe be unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed, it had been good for that man if he had not been born, Matth. 26.24.

To the second question we answer; that as Christ shall ap­pear in the form of man, so this man shall appear in a glo­rious form: he that is a Mediatour betwixt God and man, must both intercede for man to God, and communicate those things which are of God to man, to this purpose both these offices are agreeable to him, in that he participates of both extreams; he is man to abide the judgments due from God, hee is God to convey all his benefits unto man: as then, in his first coming, he pleased God by taking the infirmities of man upon him, so in his second coming will he judg us men, by appearing in that glory which he derives from God. But look about you! who is this Iudg arrayed in such a majesty? Ioel. 2.3, 6. A fire devoures before him, and behind him a flame burns up, on every side the people tremble, and all faces shall gather blackness: here is a change indeed, he that was in a cratch, now sits on a Throne; then Christ stood like a Lamb before Pilate, now Pilate stands [Page 100] like a malefactour before Christ, he that was once made the foot-stool of his enemies, Psal. 110.1. must now judge, till he hath made all his enemies his foot-stool. Where shall they run? and how shall they seek the clifts of the rocks, and hollow places? the glory of his Majesty kindles a flame, while the heaven and earth shall fly from the presence of this Iudge. Revel. 21.17. O yee heavens! why do ye fly away? what have ye done? why are ye afraid? it is the Majesty of the Iudge that will amaze the innocent, the great­ness of whose indignation, will be able to strike all the heavens with terror and admiration; when the Sea is out-ragious, and tempestuous he that stands on the shoar will be struck into a kinde of fear: or when the Father goes like a Lyon about his house, in punishing his bond-slave, the innocent son stands in great fear and trouble: and how then shall the wicked tremble, when the very heavens shall be affraid? Greg. in Mor. If the goodly Cedars of Lebanon be shaken, what shall become of the tender twiggs in the Desart? if the sturdy Rams stoop and tremble, how will the blea­ting Lambes cry and run away? 1 Pet. 4.18. and if the just and righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? The mountains and heavens shall melt before the Lord; and what stony hearts have we, that (for all this) are nothing at all yet moved?

But (may be) I prevent you exspectation, if here be a Judge where is the guard? behold him coming from above with great power and glory: would you know this habit? he is cloathed with Majesty: seek you the colour; 'tis the brightness of his Fa­ther: would you view his attendants? they are an hoast of An­gels: look you for the guard? they are a troope of shining Che­rubims: nay, yet see a longer train, a further company, the souls of Saints descend from their imperiall seats, and attend the Lambe with great glory, and glorious majesty: never was any Iudge Lord of such a circuit: his footstool are the Clouds, his seat the Rain-bow, his justices Saints, his officers Angels, and the Arch-Angels Trump proclaims a silence, whilest a just sen­tence comes from his mouth on all the world. Thus are the Assizes begun to be solemnized the thrones (as Daniel saw in in his vision) were set up, and the ancient of days sate down, his garments white as snow, Dan. 7.9. and the hair of his head like pure wooll his Throne like the fiery flame, and his wheeles as burning [Page 101] fire, Dan. 7.9. Dan. 7.9. This is the Iudge whose coming is so fear­full, ushered by a fiery flood, apparelled in snowy white, car­ried in his circuit on burning wheeles, and attended with the number of thousand thousands. O yee Iewes, behold the man, whom before you crucified like a Malefactor, behold him in his Throne, whom you said, his Disciples had stollen by night out of his grave: behold him in his Majesty, Matth. 28.13. Greg. sup. ill. Matth. 24. in nubibus coeli. whom you would not deigne to look upon in his humility; the baser you esteemed his weakness, the heavier must you find and feel his mightiness. The Son of man appears, and the kindred of the earth must mourn; such a shout of fury followes the sight of his Majesty, that the vaults shall eccho, the hills resound, the earth shake, the heavens change their situation, and all be turned to a confusion; then shall the wicked weep and wail, and yet their tears not serve their turn, their sins past betray them, their shame present con­demns them, and their torment to come confounds them; thus shall they bewail their miserable hap, their unfortunate birth, and their cursed end: O fearfull Iudge, Cant. 6.4, 5. terrible as an Army with Banners; turn away thine eyes from us, which overcome the proudest Potentates: the Kings of the earth shall be astonished, and the Nations of the Isles shall fear from farr: Every eye shall see him whom they have pierced, and tremble at the pre­sence of his sight. Conceive the guilty prisoner coming to his tryall, will not the red robes of his Judge, make his heart bleed for his blood-shed? doth not that scarlet Cloath present a mon­strous hew before his eyes? O then! what sight is this, when the man slain, sits in the judgment seat, the rosie wounds of our Saviour still bleeding (as it were) in the prisoners presence? These are the wounds, not as tokens of infirmity, but victory, Aquin. sup­plem. Q. 90. A. 2. ad secun­dum. and these now shall appear, not as if he must suffer, but to shew us he hath suffered. See here an object full of glory, splendor, majesty, excellency, and this is He] the man, the judg the rewarder of every man according to his works.

Ʋse. 1 Think but (O sinner) what shall be thy reward, when thou shalt meet this Iudge; The adultery for a while may flatter beauty, the Swearer grace his words with oathes, the Drun­kard [Page 102] kiss his cups, and drink his bodies-health, till he bring his soul to ruine: but remember for all these things God will bring thee to judgment. Eccles. 11.9. Cold comfort in the end: the Adulterer shall fatisfie his lust, when he lies on a bed of fire, all hugged and embraced with those flames; the swearer shall have enough of wounds and blood, when Devils torture his body, and rack his soul in hell, the Drunkard shall have plenty of his Cups, when scalding lead shall be poured down his throat, and his breath draw flames of fire in stead of air: as is thy sin, so is the nature of thy punishment, the just Iudge shall give just measure, and the ballance of his wrath poize in a just porportion.

Ʋse. 2 Yet I will not discomfort you, who are these Iudges dearest favorites; Now is the day (if you are Gods servants) that Sa­than shall be trod under your feet, and you with your Lord and Master Christ, shall be carried into the holiest of holies. You may remember how all the men of God in their greatest angui­shes here below, have fetcht comfort by the eye of faith at this mountain: Iob rejoyced being cast on the Dung-hill, that his Redeemer lived, and that he should see him at the last day stand on the earth: Iohn longed and cried; Come Lord Iesus, come quickly; and had we the same precious faith, we have the same precious promises: why then are we not ravished at the remem­brance of these things? certainly there is an happy faith (where­soever it shall be found) that shall not be ashamed at that day▪ Now therefore little children abide in him, 1 Joh. 2.28. that when he shall ap­pear, we may have confidence▪ Confidence; what else? I will see you again (saith our Saviour-Iudge) and your heart shall re­joyce, Joh. 16.22. and your joy no man taketh from you. O blessed mercy, that so triumphes against judgment; our hearts must joy, our joyes endure and all this occasioned by the sight of our Saviour; for Hee] shall reward every man according to his works.

Every man.]

THe persons to be judged are a world of men, all men of the world, good, and bad, elect and reprobates, but in a diffe­rent manner: To give you a full view of them, I must lead your attentions orderly through these passages, there must be a Citation, Resurrection, Collection, Separation: follow me in these pathes, and you may see both the men and their difference, before they come to their judgments.

First, there is a summons and Every man must hear it; it is performed by a shout from heaven, and the voice of the last Trump; Surgite mor­tui, venite ad judicium. Jeronymus su­per Mathaeum. Verc vox tubae terribilis, cui omnia obediunt elementa, pe­tras scindit, inferos, &c. Chrysost. 1. ad Corin. 15. the clangor of this Trump could ever sound in Ieroms eares, Arisr yee dead, and come to judgment: the clangor of this Trump will sound in all mens eares, it shall wake the dead out of their drouzy sleep, and change the living from their mortall state, make devils tremble, and the whole world shake with terrour: A terrible voice, a Trumpet shall sound, that shall shake the world, rend the rocks, break the mountains, dissolve the bonds of death, burst down the gates of hell, and unite all spirits to their own bodies. What say you to this Trump, that can make the whole Universe to tremble? no sooner shall it sound, but the the earth shall shake, the mountains skip like Ramms, and the lit­tle hills like young sheep: it shall pierce the waters, and fetch from the bottome of the Sea the dust of Adams seed, it shall tear the rocky Tombes of earthly Princes, and make their haughty minds to stoop before the King of heaven; it shall re­move the center, and tear the bowels of the earth, open the graves of all the dead, and fetch their souls from heaven or hell, to reunite them to their bodies. A dreadfull summons of the wicked, whom this suddain noise will no less astonish, then con­found; the dark pitchy walls of that infernall pit of hell, shall be shaken with the shout, when the dreadfull soul shall leave its place of terrour, and once more re-enter into her stinking Car­rion, to receive a greater condemnation: what terrour will this be to the wicked wretch? what wofull salutations will there be between that body and soul, which living together [Page 104] in the height of iniquity, must now be re-united to enjoy the fulness of their misery? Joh. 5.28, 29. The voice of Christ is powerfull, the dead shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth, they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evill, unto the resurrection of condemnation.

You hear the summons, and the next is your appearance; death the Goaler brings all his prisoners from the grave, and they must stand and appear before the Judge of hea­ven.

The summons is given, and every man must appear: Death must now give back all their spoils, and restore again all that she hath took from the world. What a gastly sight will this be, to see all the Sepulchers open, to see dead men rise out of their graves, and the scattered dust to flie on the wings of the wind, till it meet together in one compacted body? Ezekiels dry bones shall live: thus saith the Lord, I will lay sinewes up­on you, and make flesh grow upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall know that I am the Lord, Ezek. 37.6. Ezek. 37.6. This dust of ours shall be devoured of worms, con­sumed by Serpents, which craul and spring from the marrow of our bones: look in a dead mans grave, and see what you find; but dust, and worms, and bones, and skuls, putrified flesh, an house full of stench and vermine; Behold then the power of God Almighty, out of this grave and dust of the earth; from these chambers of death and darkness, shall arise the bodies of the buried, the graves will flie open, and the dead go out; not an hair, not a dust, not a bone shall be denied, but whatsoever holds their dust shall yield their bodies: I saw the dead (saith Iohn) small and great stand before God; Revel. 20.12, 13. and the Sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works, Revel. 20.13. what a wonderfull sight will this be, to see the sea and earth bring forth in al parts such variety of bodies: to see so many sorts of people & nations to come together? huge armies, innumerable, as the Caterpillars of Egypt, all shall arise, and every one appear before the Lords Tribunall: worms, and corruption, cannot hinder the resurrection, he that said to Cor­ruption, Iob 17.14. Iob 19.25. thou art my father, and to the worm thou art my sister and mother, said also, I know that my Redeemer liveth, and mine [Page 105] eyes shall behold him. O good God! how wonderfull is thy power? this flesh of ours shall turn to dust▪ be eate of worms, consume to nothing, if there be any reliques of our ashes, the wind may scatter them, the blasts divide them, our feet tram­ple them, the beasts digest them, the vermine devour them; if nothing, yet time will consume them. But for all this, God is as able to raise us from the dust, as to create us of the dust, not one dust of this clay shall perish, though scattered, divided tram­pled, devoured, consumed, it shall be gathered, recovered, re­vived, refined and raised; and as one dust shall not be lost of one man, so neither shall one man be lost of all the world: this is that generall day that shall congregate all, they shall come from the four winds and corners of the world, to make an uni­versall appearance; all the children of Adam shall then meet together; yea, all the kindreds of the earth shall meet together, and mourn; Assemble your selves, and come all ye heathen to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there will I sit to judg all the hea­then, Joel 3.12. Joel 3.11, 12.

Ʋse. 3 He shall send his Angels (saith our Saviour) and they shall gather together his Elect from the four winds, from one end of hea­ven to another, Matth. 24.31. Matth. 24.31. True it is, all shall be gathered, yet with a difference, some with a swift pace flie to the Throne, where is the hope of their diliverance; others draw and pull back, whiles the Angels hale them to the Iudgment seat; the righteous have nimble swift bodies, that flie to the Iudg, as a Bird to her nest and young ones; but the wicked have their bodies black and heavy, they cannot flie, but flagge in the air, and the Angels do not bear, but dragge them to the judgment seat: how can this chuse but fear the wicked, when like malefactours, they are brought before the wrathfull judg? as they were born or buried, so must they rise again naked and miserable; what a shame is this? and yet the more horrible, in that their naked­ness shall be covered with a filthy blackness; needs must desperate fears sieze one the soul, when it is again united to her body, transformed to such an ugly form: is this the body fed with delights and delicates? is this the flesh pampered [Page 106] with ease and lust? is this the face masked from the winde and Sun? are these the hands decked with Rings and Diamonds? how become these so swarthy horrible, which before were so fair and amiable? this the change of the wicked, when through sorrow and confusion they shall cry to the Rocks, cover our na­kednesse, and to the hills hide our ugliness; nay, rather than ap­pear, let the infernal Furies tear and totter us into a thousand pie­ces. Look your beauties (Beloved) in this glasse: such is the end of this worlds glory, so vain the pleasure of this body. Now is the end of all things come and what remains, but a sea of fears and miseries rushing on them: before shall the Angels drag them, behinde shall the black Crew follow them, within shal their con­sciences torture them, and without shall hot flames of fire fume, and fry and furiously torment them; fear within, & fire without: but worse then all, a Iudg above all, thither must they go, Angels usher them, Devils attend them, the Cryer hath called them, the Angels trump hath summoned them, and now they must appear.

Two travellers go together, feed together, lye together, sleep together, but in the morn their wayes part asunder: thus the sheep and goates eat together, drink together, sleep together, rot together but at this day there shall be a separation, let them grow together, corn and tares untill the harvest: this world is the flloor, Matth. 13.30. fan while you will, there will be some chaff; love peace like lambs their will be some goats to trouble; the sheep and goats live both together in one fold, the world; lye both together in one cote, the grave: the world is a common Inne, which entertains all manner of passengers: the rode-way to death, is the Kings high-way free for all travellers: after the passage of this weary day, death hath provided a large bed to lay all in, the grave: all live together, and all lye together, all rest together, and all rot together: but when this night is past, and the last day is sprung, then is the wofull separation; some turn on the right, and those are the blessed; others on the left hand, and those are the cursed. Here is the beginning of woes, when the wicked shall curse, and houl, like the fiendes of hell. O Lord, punish me here (saith one devoutly) rack me in pieces, [Page 107] cut me in shreds, burn me in fire, so that I may be there placed at thy right hand: Domine híc ure, hîc seca, modo in aeternum parcas. Aug. Blessed are they that have a place amongst those elect sheep; what now remains but their doom, which is a lot that must befall every man? for he shall reward (not one, or some, but every one) every man according to his works.

Ʋse. 1 And now see the parties thus summoned, raised, gathered, se­vered; is not here a world of men to be judged all in one day? Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision, Joel 3 14. for the day of the Lord is neer in the valley of decision. Ioel 3.14. Blessed God! what a multitude shall stands before thee? all tongues, all nati­ons, all people of the earth shall appear at once, all we shall then behold each son of Adam, and Adam our grand-father shall then see all his posterity. Consider this, high and low, rich and poor, one with another, God is no accepter of persons. Heark, O beggar, petitions are out of date, and yet thou needest not fear thou shalt have justice, this day all causes shall be heard, and thou (though a poor one) must appear with others to receive thy sentence. Heark, O Farmer, now are thy lives and leases together finished, this day is the new harvest of thy Iudge, who gathers his wheat into his garner, Matth. 3.12. and burns up the chaffe in fire un­quenchable, no boon, no bribe, no prayers, no tears can avail thy soul: but as thou hast done, so art thou sentenced at the first appearing. Heark, O Land-lord, where is thy purchase to thee and thy heires for ever? this day makes an end of all, and happy were thy soul, if thou hadst no better land then a barren rock, to cover and shelter thee from the Iudges presence. Heark, O Captain, vain now is the hope of man to be saved by the multi­tude of an host: hadst thou command of all the armies on earth and hell, yet couldest thou not resist the power of Heaven: see, the trump sounds, and the alarum summons thee, thou must ap­pear. Heark, O Prince, what is the crown and scepter against thunder? the greatness of man, when it comes to encounter with God is weakness and vanity. Heark, all the world, Ecclus 40.3, 4. From him that sitteth upon the glorious throne, unto him that is beneath in earth and ashes; from him that is cloathed in blue silk and wea­reth a crown, even to him that is cloathed in simple linnen: all must [Page 108] appear before him, the Beggar, Farmer, Land-lord, Captain, King, and Prince, and every man, (when that day is come) shall receive his rewards according to his works.

Ʋse. 2 But O here is the misery, Every man must appear, but Every man will not think on it: would you know the sign of that man which this day shall be blessed? it is he, and onely hee, that again and again thinks on this day, that Ierome-like medi­tates on this summons, and resurrection, and collection, and sepa­ration. Examine then your selves by this rule; is your mind of­ten carried to these objects? soar you on high with the wings of faith; and a sound eye to this hill? why then, you are right birds, truly bred, and not of the bastard brood? I pray you mark it, every cross and disgrace, and slander, and discounte­nance, losse of goods, disease of body or whatsoever calamity if you are the children of God, and destined to sit at the right hand of our Saviour) they will ever and anon, be carrying your minds to those objects of Doomes-day. And if you can but say that experimentally you find this true in your selves, if ordina­rily in your miseries, or other times, you think on this time of refreshing, then be of good comfort, for you are of the brides company, and shall enter into the marriage-chamber to abide there there for ever. But if you are destitute of these kinde of motions, O then strive for these properties, that are the insepa­rable breathings and movings of an holy heart, sound mind, and blessed person: every day meditate that every man shall appear one day, and receive his reward according to his works.

According to his works.]

VVEe have brought the prisoners to their triall, and now to go on, how should this triall be? I answer: not by faith, but works; by faith we are justified, by works we [Page 109] are judged: faith onely causeth, but works onely manifest that we are just indeed. Here then is the triall, that every soul of man must undergo that day. Works are the matter that must be first enquired of: and is there any wicked man to receive his sentence? let him never hope to be saved by anothers super-ero­gating, the matter of enquiring is not aliena, but sua, not anothers, but his] works. Or is there any good man on whom the smiling Iudge is ready to pronounce a blessed doom? Let him never boast of meriting heaven by his just deservings; see the reward given, not propter, but secundum, (as Gregory Greg. 1. in illa verba 7. Psal. poenit. Audi­tam fac mihi mane miseri­cordiam. tells us) not for his works, as if they were the cause, but according to his works] as being the best witnesses of his inward righteous­ness.

But the better to acquaint you with this triall, there be two points, of which especially we are to make inquiry.

• First, how all mens works shall be manifest to us?
• Secondly, how all mens works shall be examined by God?

1. Of the manifestation of every mans work, Revel. 20.12. Iohn speaketh, And I saw the dead small and great stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works, Revel. 20.12. God is said to have books, not properly, but figuratively: all things are as certain and manifest to him, as if he had registers in heaven to keep records of them. Remember this, O forget­full! you may commit, add multiply your sins, and yet run on score till they are grown so many, that they are out of memory; but God keeps them in a register, and not one shall be forgot­ten, there is a book and books, and when all the dead shall stand before God to receive their sentence, then must these books be opened.

That is, the book of

• Gods memory,
• Mans conscience,
• Eternall life.

There is a book of Gods memory, and herein are all the acts and monuments of all men whatsoever, enrolled and registred; A book of remembrance was written before God, for them that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name, Malac. 3.16. Malach. 3.16. This is [Page 110] that which manifests all secrets, whether mentall or actuall; this is that which reveales all doings, whether good or evill. In these Records are found at large Abels sacrifice, Cains murther, Ab­solons rebellion, Davids devotion, the Iews cruelty, the Pro­phets innocency, good mens intentions, and the sinners actions; nothing shall be hid when this book is opened, for all may run and read it, stand and hear it. How fond are we that imagine heavens eye (such is this book) to be shut upon us? Do we not see many run to corners to commit their sins? there can they say, Let us take our fill of love untill the morning, for darkness hath covered us, and who seeth us? who knoweth us? Esai. 29.15. Prov. 7.18. Esay 29.15. But are not the Angels of God about you? 1 Cor. 4.9. We are a spectacle to the Angels (saith the Apostle) I am sure we must be to both, to Angels, and to men, and to all the world: O do not that be­fore the Angels of God, yea before the God of Angels, which you would shame to do in the sight and presence of an earthly man! Alas, must our thoughts be known, and shall not dark-corner sins be revealed? must every word and syllable we speak be writ and recorded in Gods memorable book: and must not ill deeds, ill demeanours, ill works of darkness be disclosed at that day? yes; God shall bring every work unto judgment, with every secret thing, be it good or evill, Eccles. 12.14. Eccles. 12.14. Wail yee wicked, and tremble in astonishment. Now your closet-sins must be disclosed your private faults laid open, Gods keeps the account-book of every sin, every transgression: Imprimis, for adultery, Item for envie, blasphemy, oaths, drunkenness, vio­lence, murther, and every sin, from the beginning to this time, from our birth to our buriall, the totall summe, eternall death and damnation: this is the note of accounts, wherein are all thy offences written, the debt is death, the pay perdition, which fury pays over to destruction.

But there is another book, that shall give (a more full, I can­not say, but) a more fearfull evidence then the former, which is the book of every mans conscience: Some call it the book of testi­mony, which every man still bears about him. There is within us a Book and Secretary, the Book is Conscience, and the Secre­tary is our soul: whatsoever we do is known to the soul, and writ in our book of conscience: there is no man can so much as commit one sin, but his soul, that is privy to the fact, will write [Page 111] it in this book. In what a wofull case will thy heart then be? in what strange terrour and trembling must it stand possest, when this must be opened, and thy sinnes revealed? It is now perhaps a book shut up and sealed, Liber signatue & clausus, in die judicii a­periendus. but in the day of judgement shall be opened: and if once opened, what shall be the evidence that it will bring forth? there is a private Sessions to be held in the breast of every condemned sinner, the memorie is Recorder, grief an Accuser, truth is the Law, damnation the Judgement, hell the Prison, Devils the Jaylours, and Conscience both Wit­nesse and Judge to passe sentence on thee. What hopes he at the generall Assize, whose conscience hath condemned him before he appear? Look well to thy life, thou bearest about thee a book of testimonie, which though for a time it be shut, till it be full fraught with accusations, yet then (at the Day of Doom) it must be opened, when thou shalt read, and weep and read, every period stop with a sigh, every word be enough to break thy heart, and every syllable reveal some secret, thy own consci­ence (upon the matter) being both witnesse, Judge accuser and condemner.

But yet there is another book we read of, and that is the book of life: Herein are written all the names of Gods elect, from the beginning of the world till the end thereof: these are the golden leaves; this is that precious book of heaven, wherein if we are registred, not all the powers of hell, or death, or de­vils shall blot us out again. Here is the glory of each devout souldier of our Saviour, how many have spent their lives, spilt their blouds, runne upon sudden deaths to gain a perpetuall name? and yet for all their doings, many of these are dead, and gone, and their memories perished with them; onely Christs souldier hath immortall fame, he, and onely he is writ in that book that must never perish. Come hither ye ambitious! your names may be writ in Chronicles, yet lost; writ in durable mar­ble, yet perish; writ in a monument equall to a Colossus, yet be ignominious. O were you but writ in this book of life, your names should never die, never suffer any ignominy! It is an axi­ome most true, they that are written in the eternall leaves of hea­ven shall never be wrapped in the cloudy sheets of darknesse. Here then is the joy of Saints, at that Day of Doom this book shall be opened, and all the elect whom God hath ordained to salvati­on, [Page 112] shall see it, read it, hear it, and greatly rejoyce at it. The Disciples casting out devils, return with miracles in their mouths, O Lord (say they) even devils are subject to us through thy name. True (saith Christ) I saw Sathan as lightning fall from hea­ven, notwithstanding in this rejoyce not, that the spirits are sub­ject unto you, but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven, Luke 10.20. Luke 10.20. And well may the Saints rejoyce that have their names written in Gods book, they shall see them (to their comfort) writ in letters of gold, penned with the Al­mighties finger, ingraven with a pen of a diamond: thus will this book give in the evidence, and accordingly will the Judge proceed to sentence.

Ʋse 1 Consider (thou that readest) what books one day must be set before thee: a time will come when every thought of thy heart, every word of thy mouth, every glance of thy eye, every moment of thy time, every office thou hast born, every compa­nie thou hast used, every sermon thou hast heard, every action thou hast done, and every omission of any duty or good deed thou hast left undone, shall be seen in these books at the first opening of them: thy conscience shall then be suddenly, clearly, and universally inlarged with extraordinary light to look upon all thy life at once; Gods memory shall then shine forth, and shew it self, when all men looking on it as a reflecting glasse, they shall behold all the passages of their misspent lives from their births to their burials. Where is the wicked and deceitfull man? wilt thou yet commit thy villanies, treacheries, robberies, murthers, debates, and impieties? Let me tell thee (if so) to thy hearts-grief, all thy secret sinnes, and closet villanies, that no eye ever lookt upon (but that which is a thousand times bright­er then the Sunne) shall then be disclosed and laid open before Angels, men, and devils, and thou shall then and there be hor­ribly, universally, and everlastingly ashamed: never therefore go about to commit any sinne, because it is midnight, or that the doors are lockt upon thee, suppose it be concealed, and lie hid (in as great darknesse as it was committed) till Dooms-day again, yet then shall it out with a witnesse, and be as legible in thy forehead, as if it were writ with the brightest stars, or the most glistring Sun beam upon a wall of chrystall.

Ʋse. 2 As you mean the good of your souls amend your lives, call [Page 113] your selves to account while it is called to day, search and exa­mine all your thoughts, words, and deeds, and prostrating your selves before God, with broken and bleeding affections, pray and sue that your names may be writ in heaven, in that Book of life.] This will be the joy of your hearts, the peace of your souls, the rest of your minds: yea how glad will you then be to have It is a que­stion, whether the sinnes of Gods people shall be mani­fested at that day? some say, they shall be manifested, not for their ignominy or confusion, but onely that the goodnesse and grace of God may be made the more illustrious; and for this they urge, Matth. 12.36. 2 Cor. 5.10. Revel. 20.12. Others say they shall not be ma­nifested. 1. Because Christ in his sentence onely enumerates the good works they had done, but takes no notice of their sins. 2. Because this agrees best with those expressions, that God blot­teth out our sins, and that they are thrown into the bottome of the sea. 3. Because Christ is their bridegroom, friend, advocate, and how ill would it become one in such relations to accuse or lay open their sins? which of these opinions is truest is hard to say. Heb. 6.10. all these books laid open? by this means (I speak it to the comfort of all true hearted Christians) shall your obedience, and repentance, and faith, and love, and zeal, and patience, &c. come to light and be known. God is not unrighteous to forget your works of labour and love. No, all must out, especially at that day when the books shall be open, our works manifested, and as we have done, so must we be rewarded, for then he shall re­ward every man according to his works.]

2 The Law-book whereby we are tryed contains three leaves, Nature, the Law, and the Gospel: the Gentiles must be tryed by the first the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles by the second, and the faithfull Jews and Gentiles by the last. Those that confesse no God but nature, must be judged by the law of nature: those that confesse a God, no Christ, must be judged by the Law of God without the merits of Christ: those that confesse God the Father, and believe in God the Sonne, shall be judged by the Gospel, which reconcileth us to God the Father by the merits of Christ. Atheists by the law of nature, infidels by the law of God, Christians by the Gospel of our Saviour Christ. To the statutes of the former who can answer? our hope is in the lat­ter, we appeal to the Gospel, and by the Gospel we shall have our tryall: They that have sinned without the law; Rom. 2.12. shall perish without the law; and they that have sinned under the law, shall be judged by the law. Rom. 2.16. But God shall judge the secrets of all [Page 114] hearts (of all our hearts) by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel, Rom. 2.12.16.

Ʋse. Vel te totaliter absolvit, vel te capitaliter damnat. John 16.9.Let this then forewarn us what we have to do: It is the Gospel that will either throughly justifie thee, or extremely con­demn thee. The Spirit shall convince the world of sinne, (saith Christ) and why so? but because they believe not on me, John 16.9. There is no sinne but infidelitie, no righteousnesse but faith: not that adulterie, intemperance, malice, are no sinnes; but if unfaithfulnesse remain not all, these sinnes are pardoned, and so they are as if they were no sins indeed. How quick a rid­dance true repenting faith makes with our sinnes? they are too heavie for our shoulders, and we cannot bear them; faith onely turns them over unto Christ, and we are disburthened of them: whereas there would go with us to judgement an huge kennell of lusts, an armie of vain words, a legion of evil deeds, faith instantly dischargeth them all, and kneeling down to Jesus Christ, beseecheth him to answer for them all, howsoever com­mitted. O then make we much of faith! but not of such a faith neither, as goes alone without works: it is nothing at this judge­ment to say, I have believed, and not well lived: the Gospel re­quires both, faith to believe, and obedience to work: not onely to repent and believe the Gospel, Mark 1.15. Mark 1.15. but to obey from the heart that form of doctrine, Rom. 6.17. Rom. 6.17. True indeed, thou shalt be saved for thy faith, not for thy works, but for such a faith as is without works thou shalt never be saved; we say therefore, A justificando, non à justifi­cato. works are disjoyned, from the act of justifying, not from the person justified: heaven is given to us for Christs me­rits, but we must shew him the fair copie of our lives. O then let this move us to abound in knowledge, and faith, and repen­tance, and love, and zeal, and clothing, and feeding, and lodging the poor members of Christ Jesus, and howsoever all these can merit nothing at Gods hands, yet will he crown his own gifts, and reward them in his mercy. Say then, dost thou re­lieve a poor member of Christ Jesus? dost thou give a cup of cold water to a Prophet in the name of Prophet? Matt. 10.42. Christ doth promise thee of his truth he will not let thee lose thy reward: certainly he will not, so thy works be done in faith: why this is the covenant, the glad tidings, the Gospel, to live well and be­lieve well. O let not that which is a word of comfort to [Page 115] us, be a bill of inditement against us! albeit in our justification we may say, Be it to us according to our faith; yet in our retribu­tion it is said (as you have it before you in this Text read unto you) Then he shall reward every man (for manifestation of his faith) according to his works.

Shall reward.

VVHat Assize is this that affords each circumstance of each prisoners triall? the time is Then,] the Judge is He,] the Prisoners Men,] the evidence Works, Non coronat Deus merita tua tanquam merita tua, sed tanquam dona­sua. Aug. lib. de grat. & lib. arbit. cap. 7.] which no sooner given in, but the sentence follows, which is, to reward] every man according to his works.

This reward is nothing in effect but a retaliation, if we live well here, God will then crown his own gifts; but if we sinne without repentance, we may not escape without punishment. There is a God that sits and sees, and anon will reward us.

But to unfold this Reward,] there lies in it a

• Doom, and
• Execution.

God speaks it in the first effects it in the second: he gives it in our doom, and we receive it in the execution.

The doom is of two sorts, according to the parties that receive it. One is an absolution, which is the doom of Saints; the other is a condemnation, which is the doom of reprobates: there is a re­ward on the right hand bestowed on the blessed, and an heavie judgement which falls on the left hand upon the heads of the wicked.

To begin with that in our meditation, which our Saviour be­gins with in action: Imagine what a blessed day will this be to the godly, when standing on the right hand of the Judge, they shall hear the heavenly musick of their happy sentence, Come [Page 116] ye blessed of my Father, Matth. 25.34. inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

In which gracious speech we may observe four gradations. First, a gentle invitation, Come. Secondly, a sweet benedicti­on, Ye blessed of my Father. Thirdly, heavens possession, inhe­rit the Kingdome. Fourthly, a glorious ordination to felicitie, prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

First, you have Come.] It is the sweet voice of Christ invi­ting the Saints before, and now giving their welcome to his heavenly Canaan? he hath called often, Come all that labour, Come all that travell: Matth. 11.28. Rev. 22.17. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come, and let him that heareth, say, Come; and let him that is a thirst Come. Thus he calls all men to his grace, but onely the elect to his glo­ry: now he desires every man to Come, but the righteous alone shall have this Wel-come. O how leaps that soul with joy, that hears this voice of her sweet Saviour! all the musick of Angels cannot so ravish the mind, as this voice of our Saviour glads the soul, now are the gates of heaven open, and the Judge, who is Master of the feast, bids the guests Come and Wel-come.

But who are they? Ye blessed of my Father,] a word able to make them blessed, when pronounced. Down on your knees rebellious sonnes; and so long as you live on earth, beg, pray, sue for the blessing of your Father in heaven. They that are Gods servants, are no lesse his sonns, therefore every morn, night, and noon, ask blessing boldly, and God will bestow it liberally. The first Sermon that ever Christ preached, was full of blessings, Matth. 5. Matth. 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are they that mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the mercifull. And as he begun, so he concludes, Come ye blessed, ye blessed of my Father.

Must they come? for what? to inherit the kingdome.] Of all tenures inheritance is best, of all inheritances a kingdome is most excellent, Sic aeterna sine successione, di­stributa sine diminutione. communis sine invidia, beata sine omni mi­seria. but that all shall inherit, and that there is no scantling, this is heavens wonder, and the Angels blisse. An heavenly inheritance sure, that is cintinued without succession, di­vided without diminution, common without envie, for ever happy, and without all misery. This is the inheritance of the just, the possession whereof makes every Saint no lesse glorious then a King. Kings are they indeed, whose dominions are not limited [Page 117] nor their borders bounded, nor their people numbred, nor the time of their reigne prescribed. Such glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou City of God.

Is this your inheritance? but upon what right? it is prepared for you from the beginning of the world.] Had the Lord such care to provide for his children before they were? how may his sonnes triumph born to such dignitie? God will so certain their salvation, that he hath prepared it for them from before the foundation of the world. O blessed souls, if you be Gods ser­vants! though a while you suffer sorrow and tribulation, yet here is the hope of Saints, Luke 12.32. it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome. Heaven is prepared of old, there is the place of Gods majestie, and there the Saints of God shall receive the crown, the reward of victory.

Ʋse. I cannot expresse what this joy affords to the one half of it. Come blessed souls, bathed in repenting tears, here is a sentence able to revive the dead much more the afflicted. Are you now sorrowing for your sinnes? leave it a while, and meditate with me on this ensuing melodie. Hear yonder a quire of Angels, a song of Sion, an heavenly consort, sounding to the Judge whilest he is pronouncing of thy sentence. Blessed souls! how pant you dances at the uttering of each syllable? Come] saith our Savi­our, and if he but say Come, joy, happinesse, glory, felicity, all come on heaps into the indeared soul. Ye blessed] saith our Sa­viour, and if he but say Blessed, the Angels, Archangels, Cheru­bims, Seraphims, all joy at the injoying of this blessed compa­ny. Inherit the kingdome] saith our Saviour, and if he but say inherit, crowns, scepters, garlands, diadems, all these are the inheritance of Gods adopted children. Prepared for you] saith our Saviour, and if he but say Prepared, the love, mercy, electi­on, compassion of our Lord will shine forth to the soul to her everlasting comfort. O ravishing voice! Cantic. 5.8. I charge you O daugh­ters of Jerusalem, if you find my welbeloved, th [...] you tell him I am sick of love. What else? you that are Gods servants are no lesse his spouse, your soul is the bride, and when the day is come (this day of doom) God give you joy, the joy of heaven for ever and ever.

And what a terrible sentence will that be, which at first hearing will make all ears glow and tingle? His lips (saith the Prophet) are full of indignation, and his tongue like a consuming fire, Matt. 4.25, 41. Esay 30.27. Esa. 30.27. What fire so hot as that fierie sentence, De­part ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Here is every particular full of horrour, gradually in­hancing their judgement. First, a grievous refusall, Depart. Se­condly, the losse of salvation, from me. Thirdly, that deserved malediction, ye cursed. Fourthly, the horrour of pains, into ever­lasting fire. Fifthly, the preordinance of their torments, prepared for the devil and his angels.

First, they must depart.] This seems nothing to the wicked now: depart? why they are contented to be gone, much more delight have they in sinne, then in Gods service. But as when a gracious Prince opening his long locked up treasury, bids in some to receive, but others to depart, this must needs be a disgracefull vexation: so when the glory of heaven, and those unvaluable treasures shall be opened, and dealt about to the faithfull, what horrour will it be to the reprobates to be cast off with a depart? no share accrues to them, no not so much as one glimpse of glo­ry must chear their dejected countenances, but as ill-meriting followers they are thrust from the gates with this watch-word to be gone, Depart.

But whence? there is the losse, from me,] and if from me, then from all that is mine, my mercy, my glory, my salvation. Here is an universall spoil of all things, of God in whom is all goodnesse, of the Saints in whom is all solace, of the Angels in whom is all happinesse, of heaven, wherein all pleasures live ever and ever. Whither O Lord shall the cursed go that depart from thee? into what haven shall they arrive? what Master shall they serve? is it thought so great a punishment to be banished from our native soils? what then is this to be banished from Almigh­ty God? and whither, but into a place of horrour; to whom? but to a cursed crew of howling reprobates. Depart from me.

Who are they? Ye cursed] Christ hath before invited you with blessings, but these refused, now take you the curse to your despight: Psal. 109.17. the wicked man (saith the Prophet) as he hath loved cursing so let it come unto him: hath he loved it? let him take [Page 119] his love: as he hath cloathed himself with cursing, as with a gar­ment, so let it come into his bowels, like water, and like oyl into his bones, Psal. 109.18. Psal. 109.18. No sooner our Saviour cursed the Fig-tree, but leaves and boughs, body and root, all wither away, and never any more fruit grows thereon; and thus shall the wicked have a curse, like the Ax which put to the root of the tree, Matth. 3.10. shall hew it down, and cast it into the fire. Go ye cursed.

But whither must they go? into everlasting fire:] O what a bed is this for delicate and daintie persons? no feathers but fire, no friends but furies; no ease but fetters, no light but smoak, no Chimes nor Clock to passe away the night, but timelesse eterni­tie. A fire? intollerable, a fire burning, never dying? O immor­tall pains! Esai. 33.14. which of you (saith the Prophet) is able to dwell in the burning fire? who can endure the everlasting flames? it shall not be quenched night nor day, the smoak thereof shall go up evermore; the pile is fire, and much wood, Esai. 30.33. and the breath of the Lord like a river of brimstone kindles it. What torment, what calamitie can be compared with the shadow of this? the wicked must be crowded together like brick in a fiery Furnace: there is no servant to fanne cold air on their tormented parts, not so much as a chink, where the least puff of wind might enter in to cool them: it is a fire, an everlasting fire.

For whom? prepared for the Devil and his Angels] heavy companie for distressed souls: the Serpents policie could not escape hell, nor can the craft of our age so deal with this Serpent, as thereby to prevent this fire: it was sure prepared for some, as some have prepared themselves for it; burning in lust, in ma­lice, in revenge, untill themselves, their lust, malice, revenge, and all burn together in hell. Tophet is prepared of old, Esai. 30.33. whither that day-starre as fallen from heaven, and a black crew of Angels guard him round in that lake of hell: there must these howling reprobates keep their residence; the last sentence that never is recalled, is now pronounced: what! Go; Who? ye cursed: Whither? into everlasting fire: to what companie? to a crew of Devils and their Angels. O take heed that ye live in Gods fear! least that leaving his service he give you this reward; Depart ye cursed.

Ʋse. And is not this worthy your meditation? Consider, I pray [Page 120] you, what fearfull tremblings seiz on their souls that have their sentence for eternall flames? If a Lord have Mercy on thee, Take him away Jaylour, will cause such shedding of tears, folding of arms, and wringing of hands, what will this sentence do, Go ye cursed? &c. O which way will they turn? or how will they escape the Almighties wrath? to go back­ward is impossible, to go forwards intolerable; whose help will they crave? God is their Judge, heaven their fo, the Saints deride them, Angels hate them, all creatures cry for vengeance on them. God Lord! what a world of misery hath seized on these miserable souls? their Executioners are Devils, the Dun­geon Hell, the earth stands open, and the cruell Furnace ready-boyling to receive them: into what a shaking fit of distracti­ons will these terrours drive them? every part shall bear a part in this dolefull ditie, eyes weep, hands wring, breasts beat, hearts ake, voyces cry, horrour, dread, terrour, confusion are lively equi­pages of this tragick Scene. Now (O man of earth) what will all thy wealth avail thee? what can all thy pleasures profit thee? one drop of water to cool thy fiery tongue in hell, is more worth then a world of treasures: all the gold and pre­cious stones the world affords, will not buy one bottle of wa­ter: all thy golden gods, and silver plates cannot prevail one drammme of comfort; but rather as they were thy bane on Earth, so they will aggravate thy pain in Hel. Who pities not the vilest creature, to see it suffer torments, and no way to re­lease it? who then will not pitie this end of the wicked, when they must suffer, and suffer, yet never feel ease of pain, nor end of torments? A sentence not to be revoked, yet unsufferably to be endured; torment on torment, anguish on anguish, fire upon fire, and though a River (nay, a sea) of tears drop from their eyes, yet cannot one spark be quenched, the worm never dies, Mark 9.44. the fire never goes out. Go ye into everlasting fire, not pi­led of consuming wood, or the black moulds, turning to white ashes, but kindled, by the Judges breath, of pitch and sulphure; Rivers of boyling Brimstone runne from e­verlasting springs: in these hot Bathes was that Dives di­ved, when those fierie words came flaming from his mouth as spitting fire: Luke 16.24. Let Lazarus dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue: Alas! what should a drop of water do on a finger, [Page 121] when rivers cannot quench the tip of his tongue? he lies on a bed of never-dying flames, where brimstone is the fuel, devills the kindlers, the breath of an offended God the bellows, and hell the furnace, where bodie and soul must ever lie and frie in scorching torments. O let the heat of these flames quench the heat of our sinne: if once the sentence passe, there is no re­prieve to be hoped for; this is the last Day of Doom, when our sinns must be revealed, our Reward proportioned, and as we have done, so we must be sentenced: for then he shall reward] every man according to his works.

The sentence being past in all prescribed order, the Execution must needs follow: but as there is a double sentence, so a double retribution: first, for the wicked, who immediately after the sentence shall be chased into hell, the Execution being speedi­ly and fearfully done upon them, with all horrour and haste by the Angels. O what a scriech of horrour will be heard? what woes and lamentations will be uttered, when Devils, and Re­probates and all the damned crew of hell, shall be driven into hell, whereunto they shall be thrust with violence, never to return again? How desperate is their case, when none will comfort them? the Saints deride them, Angels mock them, their own friends scoffe them, devils hate them, the earth groans under them, and hell will swallow them. Down they go howling, and shrieking, and gnashing their teeth, the effect of a most impatient fury. The world leavs them, the earth forsakes them, hell entertains them, there must they live and die, and yet not live nor die, but dying live, and living die; death in life, life in death, miserable ever. If the drowning of the old world, swallowing up of Korah and his complices, burning up of Sodom with brimstone, were attended with such terrours and hideous out-cryes, how infinitely transcendent to all possi­bilitie of conceit, expression, or belief, will the confusions and tremblings of that red-dread-fiery day be? It is not a few but many; nor many onely, but all the wicked of the earth, being [Page 122] many millions of men, shall be dragged down, with all the Devils of hell to torments without end, or ease, or past ima­gination; then to speak it again, that I may the deeper imprint it in your minds and memories: sure there was horrible shriek­ing, when those five filthy Cities first felt fire and brimstone drop down upon their heads; when those Rebels saw the ground cleave asunder, and themselves and all theirs, Go down quick into the pit: Num. 16.33. when all the sonnes and daughters of Adam found the floud rising, and ready to over-flow them all at once. But the most horrid cry that ever was heard, or ever shall be heard in Heaven, or in Earth, in this world, or in the world to come, will be then when all the forlorn condemned reprobates upon sentence given, shall be violently and unresi­stably haled down to hel; neither shall any tears, or prayers, or promises, or suits, or cryes, or yellings, or calling upon Rocks and Mountains, or wishes never to have been, or now to be made nothing, be then heard, or prevail in their behalf: nay, (yet more to encrease their torments) there is not one in Earth or Heaven that will speak one word in their behalf: but without mercy, without stay, without any farewell at all, they shall be immediately and irrecoverably cast down into the bottomless pit of easeless, endless, and remediless torments. Oh! what then will be the gnawings of the never-dying worm? what rage of guilty consciences? what furious despair? what horrour of mind? what distractions and fears? what tearing their hair, and gnashing of teeth? In a word, what wailing, weep­ing, roaring, yelling, filling heaven, and earth, and hell? O miserable Caitiffs, catcht and wrapt in the snares of Sa­than! What need we more? this is the Judges charge, the Sheriffs Commission, Matth. 22.13. the sinners execution, Take them away, cast them into utter darknesse, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. A darknesse indeed, that must ever be debarred from the sight of heaven: no sunne-shine ever peeps within those Walls, no light, no fire, no candle, alas! nothing is there but Clouds and darknesse, thick smoak, and fierie sulphure: and such is the portion of sinners, the Reward of the wicked.

Ʋse. What faith or fear have the wicked that go dancing and leaping to this fire, as it were to a Banquet? or like Solomons [Page 123] fool, that runneth, and swiftly runneth to the stocks? Prov. 7.22. is this our pleasure, to sinne a while, and burn for ever? for one small spark of silly joy, to suffer universall and perpetuall pains? Who buyes at so dear a rate? Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee, O inhabitant of the Earth, and he that fleeth from the noyse of the fear, shall fall into the pit, and he that cometh up out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from an high are open, and the founda­tions of the earth do shake: the earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly, the earth shall reel to and fro, like a drunken man, and shall be re­moved like a Tent, and the iniquity thereof shall be heavy up­on it, so that it shall fall, and rise no more, Esay 24.17. Esay 24.17, 18, 19, 20, 22. O mi­serable fear to the wicked! If the Earth fall, how shall the sinners stand? Nay, They shall be gathered together as prison­ers in the pit, and they shall be shut up in the prison, never more to be visited, released, or comforted. Be forewarn'd then (belo­ved!) least you also come into this place of torment. Luke 16.28. It is a fearfull prison, and God give us grace so to arraigne, judge, cast, and condemne our selves here, that we may escape this execution of the damned hereafter.

After the wicked are cast down into hell, Christ and the blessed Saints ascend into heaven. From the Tribunall Seat of Judgement Christ shall arise, and with all the glo­rious companie of Heaven, march towards the Heaven of Heavens. O what comely march is this? what songs of tri­umph are here sung and warbled? The voice of thy Watch­men shall be heard, they shall lift up their voice and shout to­gether, for they shall see eie to eie, when the Lord shall bring again Zion, Esay 52.8. Esay 52.8. Here is a victorie indeed, the soul­diers in arrayed order both Marching and Triumphing: Christ leads the way, the Cherubims attend, the Seraphims burn in love, Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Priests, Evangelists, Martyrs, Pro­fessours, and Confessours of Gods Law and Gospel, follow­ing, attend the Judge and King of glory; singing with melody, [Page 124] as never ear hath heard, shining with Majestie as never eye hath seen, rejoycing without measure, as never heart conceived. O blessed train of souldiers, goodly troop of Captains! each one doth bear a palm of victory in his hands, each one must wear a Crown of glory on his head; the Church Militant is now Triumphant, with a finall overthrow have they con­quered Devills, and now must they enjoy God, life, and heaven: And thus as they march along, heaven opens un­to them: O infinite joy! Tell mee, O my soul, what an happie hour will that be, when thou shalt first enter into the gates of heaven, when the Blessed Trinitie shall gladly entertain thee, and with a Well done good and faithfull servant, Matth. 25.21. bid thee, Come, and enter into thy Masters joy: When all the Angels, and Archangels shall salute thee, when Cherubims and Sera­phims shall come to meet thee, when all the powers of heaven shall congratulate thy coming, and joy for thy arrivall at the Port of peace? Here is the end of the Godly, the fruits of his end, the Reward it self. What can I say? but live in GODS fear, and the LORD reward you; nay, he will so, if you live so, for Then he shall reward every Man ac­cording to his works.

What a strange Assize was this, where every circumstance was to the wicked so terribly fearfull? the Term full of hor­rour, the Judge full of Majestie, the Prisoners full of anguish, the Triall full of fear, the Doom full of grief to the wicked, as of comfort to the elect. 2 Pet. 3.11. Seeing therefore that all these things are thus, what manner of Persons ought ye to be in ho­ly conversation and godlinesse? A word of judgement could make Jeremiah weep, just Job be afraid, Felix to tremble, and cannot this usuall sound of the hammers a little mollifie our stony hearts? Esay 1.22. how is the gold become drosse, and the silver iron? we run over reason, and tread upon conscience, and fling by counsel, and go by the word and poste to death; but will you not remember, that for all these things you must come to judgement? Eccles. 11.9. Be sure there is a Term for our appear­ance, [Page 125] Then] there is a Judge that will sit upon us He.] There is a band of Prisoners Every man.] There is a Bill of In­dictment framed, according to our works.] And last of all, there is a sentence after which follows the Execution, the re­ward] due to us, which then he will give us: onely now bestow on us those graces of thy Spirit, and then (O Lord) Reward us according to our works. AMEN.

Them]

VVE will begin first with the subject, that you may know of whom it is spoken, Bind them] Them? whom? If you will view the precedent words, the text tels you they are Tares, Gather ye first the Tares, and bind them. In Gods [Page 128] field there is Corn and Cockle, and as for the one there is pro­vided a barn, so for the other there is nothing better then bind­ing and burning.

The Greek word cals them [...], tares; the Hebrews call them Hadul, thistles, or thorns; and both are apt expressions of the matter in hand: what are tares for? but to be gathered, bound, and burned, saith our Saviour: and what are thorns for? but to be rejected, cursed, and burned, saith the Apostle, Heb. 6.8. Heb. 6.8. Such is the penaltie of this weed of the earth (for they are nei­ther better) that as men deal with thorns, who first cut them up with bils, then lay them up to wither, and lastly, burn them in the furnace; so God deals with Tares, he weeds them, binds them, burns them; not a Tare escapes the fire, but all come to combustion.

But onely to follow the Originall, they are called [...], Tares; and that of a double derivation, the first is [...], quasi [...] because they hurt the corn wherewith they are joyned; the second is, [...] quasi [...], because they innitiate, associate, and so unite them­selves with the corn, as if they were the very same. To begin with the last.

We all come together to the Church, and amongst us are Tares and Wheat, good and bad; in all companies there will be evil intruders, Satan among the Angels, Saul among the Pro­phets, Judas among the Apostles, Demas among the Professours, yet who can discern the tares, but God alone who knows our hearts? Hypocrites can work dissimulation in a web, and this so cunningly is platted, that no difference is discerned: such are hot meteors in the air, which shoot and shew like starres, but are in­deed nothing lesse: your eyes may be fixed on heaven, your ears all listening to this Sermon, yet (as I condemn none, so) I ne­ver knew, but Darnell hath ever been in Gods field. The Church Christ calls a net, an house, a floor, a field: a net that takes fish, good and bad; an house, that harbours vessels of wrath and honour; a floor, whereon is powred wheat and chaff; a field, wherein is sowed Corn and Cockle: thus good and bad seed are a while as that treasure hid in the field, Matth. 13.44. which cannot be dis­covered: but is there not a God that searcheth both the heart and reins? Gal. 6.7. Be not deceived, ye deceivers of the world! God is [Page 129] not mocked; it is not a false heart with a fair look, it is not a mere shew of Religion which God accepts: Silly Tares, hide close your sins in the darkest sorrows, or mount up your heads amongst the flourishing wheat, Matth. 13.12. yet know there is a fan that will purge the floor; you would grow, and you shall grow till the harvest, God suffers that seed till the fruit grows ripe, but then, Gather the tares, and bind them (wicked dissemblers) bind them in bundles to burn them.

Secondly, as the Tares are hypocriticall, so are they hurtfull, they seem at unity, but are at enmity with the wheat about them: and these Tares are either hereticks, as most Fathers understood them; or any sinner whosoever, that is a child of the wicked one, Vers. 38. as our Saviour did expound them.

First, they are hereticks, wicked Tares indeed: and that you may know who are these: [...] is a choice, or election, at first a good word in Philosophy, taken for a right form of learning: but now in Divinity it is a word of disgrace, and intends a stub­born deviation from the deceived truth. This infection (like the Tares) first begins whiles men sleep, the Pastours negligence gives way unto it, and because of its little seed, or small begin­ning, it is never heeded, or regarded, till the whole house he in­fected: thus Popery crept up in the dark, like a thiefe putting out the lights, that he might rob the house more securely; and as it began with a little, so it went on by degrees, till an universall Apostasie was (as it were) over the face of the world. Vna scintilla fuit. Totum orbem ejus flamma populata est. Austin saith of Arrius his heresie, It was at first but a little spark, but it spread so at last, that the flame of it singed the whole world: so the Pope rose by degrees, first above Bishops, then above Pa­triarchs, then above Councels, then above Kings, then above Scriptures, even so the Apostle speaks of Antichrist, He hath exalted himself above all that is called God, 2 Thess. 2.4. 2 Thess. 2.4. He­resie creeps in at a little hole, like a plague that comes in at the windows, and then propagates it self beyond all measure: O that these Tares were weeded, that Ishmael were cast out of doores, so that Sara and her son Isaac might live in quiet and peace; or if they must grow untill the harvest, what remains, but, I beseech you, brethren, Rom. 16.17. mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine that ye have learned, and avoid them.

But as hereticks, so all reprobates whatsoever are the Tares here spoken of, they are offenders on all hands, both in doctrine and conversation: and thus our Saviour interprets, The good seed are the children of the kingdome, but the Tares are the children of the wicked one, ver. 38. Vers. 38.

And most fitly are the reprobates called Tares, in respect of their

• Intrusion here.
• Separation hereafter.

First, as the Tares grow amongst corn, so the wicked all their life associate themselves with the godly; the Church (saith Au­stin) is full both of wheat and chaffe. Fugio paleam ne hoc sim, non aream, ne nihil sim. Augustin. I avoid the chaffe lest I become chaffe, but I keep the floor lest I become nothing. What else? in this life the best company is not free from the intrusion of Tares, therefore cries David, Woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar, Psal. 120.4. Psal. 120.4. No greater discomfort then to cohabit with the wicked: are they not pricks in our eyes, and thornes in our sides? yea they are thorns indeed, saith the Lord to Eze­kiel, Num. 33.55. Lo the thrones and bryers are with thee, and thou dost dwell among Scorpions, Ezek. 2.6. Ezek. 2.6. Sure we had no need of security, that are thus compast with enemies, the bryers may scratch us, the thorns prick us, the Scorpions sting us, we can hardly so escape, but some of these will hurt us. A good man with ill company, is like a living man bound to a dead corps, and (may I appeal to your selves) is the living likely to receive the dead? or the dead more likely to suffocate the living? O yee children of the kingdome, bless you whiles you live, loe the Tares are among you like wolves amongst lambs; be wise then in your carriage, and save your selves, your own souls.

Secondly, as the Tares, so reprobates shall one day be separa­ted from the Wheat, the good: In the time of harvest (saith our Saviour) I will say to the reapers Gather ye first the Tares; here is that wofull separation between true Christians, and the pro­fane wretches of this world. It is begun at death, and then must they part till the day of doom, but when that comes, there must be a finall separation, Matth. 25.32. He shall sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepheard divideth his sheep [Page 131] from the goates, Matth. 25.32. Here is a separation indeed, not for a day, or a year, but for timeless eternity. Lo a vast and immeasurable gulfe betwixt heaven and hell, so that as Abraham tels the rich man, They that would pass from hence to you cannot, neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence, Luk. 16.26. Luk. 16.26. This is that endless divorce of the Wheat and Tares, this is that unpassable distance twixt heaven and hell, through all eter­nity. O miserable Tares! what a loss hath befaln you? now you live with the Wheat, and you o'retop them, trouble them, vex them with your society, but hereafter you must shake hands for ever; for the wheat must be gathered into Gods barn, his kingdome, whilest the miserable Tares are gathered by Angels, and bound up in bundles for the burning.

Ʋse. The proverb is, Ill weeds grow apace, nay they are so com­mon, that it is hard to set the foot besides them▪ Look into your hearts, you sons and daughters of Adam, [...] [...]ot your fur­rowes full of cockle and darnell? the earth (saith the Philoso­pher) is now an own mother to weeds, but a stepmother to good hearbs; man by a proclivity to his own inclination, is apt to produce weeds and tares▪ but ere he can bring forth hearbs and graces, God must take pains with him indeed: no husband­man so labours his grounds, as God doth our hearts: happy earth that yields him an exspected harvest; and that our parts may be herein, what shall we say unto thee, O thou preserver of men? Awake O north wind, and come thou south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out, yea let my belo­ved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits, Cantic. 4.16. Cantic. 4.16.

And yet again, that I may weed the Tares amongst us, con­sider with your selves, you that go on in your sins, will you run upon ruine, and can we say nothing to keep you out of the fire? O sweet Saviour! what didst thou indure for us, that we might escape this durance? and yet we are secure, and care not, vilify­ing that bloud that was of more value then a world. Think of it, you that are in the blade ere the harvest come: No man de­sires [Page 132] to purchase land, that will bring forth nothing but weed; and shall God buy so base a ground, that will be no better, at so inestimable a price, as the incorruptible blood of his onely Son? O yee weed of the earth, turn your selves, or be ye turned into wheat, call, and sue, and cry for the mercy of God in Christ our Saviour: yea again, and again, beg of your Iesus that he may root up your weed, and plant in you his graces, that like good corn you may fructifie here, and when the harvest comes, you may be gathered into his barn, and remain in his kingdome.

Binde.]

THe ma [...]ctor, whose hands are pinion'd, legs chained, feet corded, may lie restless in his thoughts, easeless in all parts: the wicked are cast into a prison under lock and bolts, where the devill is jaylor, hell the prison, and the bolts such other as burning steel and iron. See here a jaylor, jayle, and manacles, all which are provided for the damned: and because of their re­lation each to other, give me leave to produce them in their order.

The Tares must be bound, and for the executing of this doom, the Judge here delivers them over to the jaylor. Jaylor? whom? good and bad Angels: for both these are the executio­ners of Gods direfull sentence.

First the good Angels, so saith our Saviour, The reapers are the Angles, ver. 39. Vers. 39. and he will say unto the reapers, ver. 30. Vers. 30. Gather ye first the Tares, and bind them up in bundles. They which are all mercy to the good, are here the executioners of Gods judgments on the wicked. Thus was Sodome destroyed by an Angell, Gen. 19. Gen. 19. The army of Senacherib was over­thrown by an Angell, 2 King 19. 2 King. 19. Seventy thousand men of Israel were struck with pestilence by an Angell, 2 Sam. 24. 2 Sam. 24. [Page 133] Blasphemous Herod was smitten by an Angell, Act. 12.23. Act. 12.23. Yea the Tares themselves must be gathered by Angles, who will bind them in heaps like faggots, and then cast them into hell fire to burn them.

How fearfull is it, to fall into the hands of Gods hoast? no power can resist, no policy prevail, all the stratagems of war are but folly to Gods wisdome; then into what moats and atoms shall the proud dust of sinfull man be torn? what? dares he struggle against heaven? See God and Angels are become his enemies, and whose help should he have, when heaven it self makes war? Mountains and rocks are no defence against God: shields and spears cannot keep safe the Tares: no, God hath his warriours that will pluck, and tear, and torture reprobates: the Angels are his reapers, that must Gather the Tares, and binde] them in bundles to burn them.

But secondly, good and bad Angles both joyn in this office to binde the Tares: if there be any difference, it is in this, the good Angles begin, and the bad continue, to make the binding everlasting. Here is a jaylor indeed, and if you would see him in his form, you may take the description from that great Levia­than, Job 41.18. By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the eye lids of the morning, out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out; out of his nostrils goeth smoke as out of a seething pot or cauldron; his breath kindleth coales, and a flame goeth out of his mouth, Job 41.18, 19, 20, 21. Iob 41.18, 19, 20, 21. What an ugly devill is this, whom God onely mystically describes with such terrible shapes? his neesing flames, his eyes stare, his mouth shoots fire, his nostrils smoke, his very breath sets all a burning round about him. Such a jaylor hath God prepared for hell-prisoners. As God hath fettered him, so he lays fetters on them, revenging his own malice on his fellow-sufferers. The devill first tempts, and then he fetters Tares: whiles men live on earth, he lays snares for souls: thus he prepared flatterers for Rehoboam, liers for Ahad, concubins for Solomon, sorcerers for Pharaoh, witches for Saul, wine for Benhadad, gold for Achan, a ship for Ionas, and a rope for Haman: but he that makes gins, and nets, and snares on earth, makes bolts, and hammers, and whips in hell; thus he hath prepared darkness for Herod, a fire for Dives, plagues for Pilate, brimstone for Iudas, snares for [Page 134] Demas, and fiery fetters for all Reprobate Tares: what need poor souls any further fetters, whom the Devill once shuts with­in his Den? Dare you live in such a nest amongst speckled poy­sons? there Serpents girdle the loyns, and Cockatrices kill with their eyes, and Dragons spit fire from their mouthes, and Wolves all devour mens souls, and Lions roar for the prey, and Vipers sting and strike with their Tayls: O fearfull Jailers! what strange kind of furies live in hell.

The Hebrews call it Sheol, a great Ditch or Dungeon; the Greeks [...], even darkness it self; the Latins Infernus, a place under ground: all agree, it is a Dungeon under earth, con­taining these two properties.

• Deepness.
• Darkness.

1. It is deep: as heaven is high so (most probable it is) that hell is deep. Iohn calls it a bottomless pit, Revel. 9 1. Revel. 9.1. as if Re­probates were alwaies falling, yet never could find bottome, where to rest; or howsoever this be a Metaphor, yet without question, heaven and hell are as opposite as may be: and whether the Center be the place of torment, or (as others think) all the gulfes of the Sea, Kecker. Syst. Theo. de in­ferno. and hollows of the earth, as being more capable to contain the damned, I leave it to the Schools; as for the Pulpit, I think this prayer more fit, Lord shew us what it is, but never where.

Secondly, the deepness is yoaked with darkness; such a dun­geon fits the Tares, they committed works of darkness, and are cast into utter darkness; a darkness that may be felt, thick Clouds that may be handled, dampes and mists that strike at their hearts with sensible griefs. This is that bottomless pit in the heart of the earth: there shines no Sun, no Moon, nor Stars; there is no light of Candle, Torch, or Taper; shine the Sun never so fair, it is still night there; the Dungeon is dark, and this makes the place more sad, more uncomfortable. Let Poets faign of Tantalus tortures, Prometheus Vultures, Ixions Wheel, and Charons rowing, these come far short to express the pains of those that rage in hell: there plagues have no ease, cryes [Page 135] have no help, time has no end, place no redemption: it is the dark prison where the Tares are chained, and the wicked bound in fetters of fire and darkness. Could men have a sight of hell whiles they live on earth, I doubt not their hearts would trem­ble in their bosomes: yet view it in a way of meditation, and see what you find? are there not wonderfull engines, sharpe and sore instruments of revenge, fiery Brimstone, pitchy Sul­phur, red hot chains, flaming whips, scorching darkness? will you any more? the worm is immortall, cold intolerable, stench indu­rable, fire unquenchable, darkness palpable: This is that prison of the damned, then whose eyes dare behold such amazing ob­jects? but if not see, yet listen with your eares, is there any charm in hell to conjure away Devils, or to ravish souls? what musick affords the place, but roaring, and crying, and houling? cursing their Hymnes, wailing their tunes, blasphemies their dit­ties, lachrymae their notes, lamentations their songs, scrieching their streins, these are their evening and their morning songs; Moab shall cry against Moab, one against another, all against God. O fearfull Prison! what torments have the Tares that lye here fettered? their feet are chained in the stocks, and the Iron pierceth their souls; it is a Dungeon where the light ne­ver shined, but the walls are as black as pitch, the vaults are smoaked as Chimneys, the roof as dark as hell, nay the Dungeon is hell, where the Tares lie bound and fettered. Think of this Iayle, yee offenders of Gods Law, and Majesty; the An­gels see our doings, the Judge now exspects our returning, the Tares grow till the harvest, and if still they offend, death apprehends them, God will judge them, the Iayler take them, Hell imprison them, there are they bound: You hear the Evidence brought in, and the sentence gone out, Take them, Binde them. binde them in bundles to burn them.

The Angles which kept not their first estate (saith Iude) God hath reserved in everlasting Chains, Iude 6. and God spared not the An­gels that sinned (saith Peter) but cast them down to hell, 2 Pet. 2.4. and deli­vered them into Chains of darknes. Thus Christ doomed him that had not on his wedding garment, Binde him hand and foot: Matth. 13.22 [Page 136] and what may these Chains and Bonds insinuate, but that the Tares are tyed to their torments? might they but remove from place to place, this would afford some ease; might they but stir a foot, or but turn about, or have any little motion to refresh their tormented parts, this would yield some comfort; but here is an universall binding, hand and foot body and soul, all must be bound with everlasting Chains. The Reprobates are packt and crowded together, like Bricks in a fiery furnace, having not so much as a Chink where any winde may enter in to cool them. O yee that live in the sinfull wealth of this world, consider but this one punishment of hell, and be afraid! if a man injoy­ing quietment of mind, and health of body, should lie chained on a soft Down-bed for a month, or a year, how would he abide it? but this is nothing: If a man should lye sick of a Fever, swoln in a Dropsie, pained with the Gout, and (though it were for the recovery of his health) without any turning, tossing, stirring, this were a great torture sure, and a question it were, whether the disease or the physick were more intolle­rable? Vermis consci­entiam, ignis comburet car­nem. witnesse poor Patients, who change their sides, wish other beds, seek other rooms, and all these shifts but to miti­gate their pains: how wretched then are the Tares bound in Chains? they are not in health, nor bound for a month, nor sick of a Fever, nor lye for a year, their pain is grievous, their bonds heavy, their torments durable, their restlesse rest eternall. The worm shall gnaw their spirit, the fire torture their flesh; were these nothing, yet small sorrows grow great with continuance; the fire shall torture, yet never cease; worms gnaw the heart, yet never gnaw in sunder the strings: wretched souls are bound indeed, whose bonds are never out of date: A seven years prentiship would ere long exspire, but what are se­ven years to a world of ages? the reprobates must serve years, ages, even to a million of millions, and yet are never free: O bondage not to be uttered, yet must be endured! Is it not a Bed­lam fury, that must have such bonds? a little to express their tor­ments by our sufferings, which yet are nothing, nothing in com­parison: what means these Chains, and whips, and links, and scourges? Iron Chains, whips of steel, fiery linkes, knotty scourges? furies shake their bolts to afrighten souls, the Irons [Page 137] strike through their eares, and the hooked Engines tear their Bowels, as if the torment of Tares were the delight of Devils. Here is a prison indeed, where is nothing heard but yells, and grones, and suddain cryes; the fire slakes not, the worm dies not, the chains loose not, the links wear not, revenge tyres not, but for ever are the torments fresh, and the fetters on fire, as they came first from their Forge.

What a strange kind of torture falls upon the wicked? they are bound to fiery pillars, and Devils lash at them with their fiery whips: Is there any part of man scapes free in such a fray? the flesh shall f [...], the blood boil, the veins be scorcht, the sinews rackt, Serpents shall eat the body, furies tear the soul; this is that wofull plight of Tares, which he bound in Hell. The sick man at Sea may go from his ship to his boat, and from his boat to his ship again: the sick man in his bed, may tumble from his right side to his left, and from his left to his right again; onely the Tares are tied hand and foot, bound limme and joynt, their feet walk not, their fingers move not, their eyes must no more wander as before, loe all his bound. O these manacles that rot the flesh, and pierce the inward parts! O unmatchable torments, yet most fit for Tares! sin made them furious, hell must tame their Phrensie; the Judge thus commands, and the Executioners must dispatch; fetter them, fire them, Bind] them in bundles to burn them.

I have lead you through the Dungeon, let this fight serve for a terrour, that you never come nearer: To that pur­pose (for exhortation) consider:

Alas! all hangs on life, ther's but a twine thread betwixt the soul of a sinner, and the scorching flames, who then would so live, as to run his soul into hazard? the Judge threatens us, De­vils hate us, the bonds exspect us, it is onely our conscience must clear us, or condemn us. Search then thy waies, and stir up thy remembrance to her Items: hast thou dishonoured God, blas­phemed his name, decayed his image, subduing thy soul to sin, that was created for heaven? repent these courses, ask God for­giveness, and he will turn away thy punishments. I know your sins are grievous, and my soul grieves at the knowledge: many evills have possessed too many, drunkenness, and oathes, and malice, and revenge, are not these guests entertained into all [Page 138] houses? banish them your hearts, that the King of glory may come in: Ezek. 33.11. As I live (saith the Lord) I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Would God bestow mercy? and should we refuse his bounty? as you love heaven, your souls, your selves, leave your sins.

Ʋse. 2 And then (here is a word of consolation) the penitent needs not fear hell, Gods servant is freed from bonds; yea, if we love him who hath first loved us, Ephes. 5.2. all the chains, and pains of hell can neither hold, nor hurt us.

Ʋse. 3 O then ye Sons of Adam (suffer a reproof) what do ye, that ye do not repent you of your sins? is it not a madness above ad­miration, that men (who are reasonable creatures) having eyes in their heads, hearts in their bodies, understanding like the An­gels, and consciences capable of unspeakable horrour never, will be warned, untill the fire of that infernall Lake, flash and flame about their eares? Let the Angels blush, heaven and earth be amazed, & all the Creatures stand astonished at it. I am sure a time wil come, when the Tares shal feel, what now they may just­ly fear; you hear enough, such weed must be bound, thus straight is the Lords command; Binde] them in bundles to burn them.

But all is not done, Chains have their links, and we must bring all together. Sinners are coupled in hell as Tares in Bun­dles: But of these when we next meet, in the mean while let this we have heard, Binde us all to our duties, that we hear attentively, remember carefully, practice conscionably, that so God may reward accordingly, and at last crown us with his glory. The tares must be bound up in bundles; but Lord make us free in Heaven, to sit with Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, in thy blessed kingdome.

In bundles.]

THe command is out: what? Bind] whom? them] how? in bundles.] The tares must on heaps, which gives us a double observation.

• Generall,
• Speciall.

In the generall it intimates these two points; the gathering of the weed, and its severing from the wheat: both are bound in [Page 139] bundles, but the wheat by it self, and the tares by themselves: as at that doom (when all the world must be gathered, and se­vered) some stand at the right hand, others at the left; so at this execution, some are for the fire, and others for the barn; they are bundled together, yet according to the difference of the severall parties, each from the other.

Observ. 1 First, the tares must together: Woe is me (saith David) that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech: Psal. 120.4. and if David think it wofull to converse with his living enemies, then what punish­ment have the wicked, whom the Devill and damned, the black angels and everlasting horrour must accompany for ever? The tares must be gathered, and bundled, and the more bundles, the more and more miseries: Company yields no comfort in hell fire; nay what greater discomfort then to see thy friends in flames, thy fellowes in torments, the fiends with flaming whips, revenging each others malice on thy self and enemy? It was the rich mans last petition, when he had so many repulses for his own ease, to make one suit for his living brethren; he knew their company would encrease his torment, to prevent which he cries out, I pray thee, father Abraham, Luk. 16.27, 28. that thou wouldest send Lazarus to my fathers house, for I have five brethren, that he may testifie unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Why, it may be God will hear him for them, especi­ally making such a reasonable request as this was, that Lazarus might onely warn his brethren of future judgment: no, but to teach you, if you sell your souls to sin, to leave a rich posteri­ty on earth, you shall not onely your selves (without all re­morse and pity) be damned in hell; but your posterity shall be a torment to you whilest they live, and a greater torment, if they come to you when they are dead. To converse with Devils is fearfull, but altogether to accompany each other, is a plague fit for tares: In this life they flourished amongst the wheat, Let them grow both together, corn and tares untill the harvest. But the harvest come, God will now separate them both asunder, and as in heaven there are none but Saints, so in hell there are none but reprobates: to encrease this torment, as they grow together so all their conference is to curse each other: Moab shall cry against Moab, father against son, son against father: what comfort in this company? The Devill that was authour of [Page 140] such mischiefs) appears in most grisly forms, his angels (the black guard of hell) torture poor souls in flames: there live swearers with their flaming tongues, usurers with talent hands, drunkards with scorched throats, all these tares like fiery fag­gots burning together in hell flames? this is the first punishment, all the tares must meet, they are bundled together.

Observ. 2 Secondly, as the tares must together, so they must together by themselves; thus are they bundled, and severed, bundled all to­gether, but from the wheat all asunder.

Quia damni poenam infert, Basil. Ascer. in c. 2. p. 255. Chrysost. in Matth. Hom. 24. Bern. de inter. domo. cap. 38.Hell is called damnation, Because it brings Heavens losse, and this by consent of most Divines, is the more horrible part of hell: so Basil; To be alienated or separated from the presence of God, his Saints, and Angels, is farre more grievous, then the pains of hell. So Chrysostome, The pain of hell is intolerable in­deed, yet a thousand hels are nothing to the losse of that most glori­ous kingdome. So Bernard, It is a pain far surpassing all the tor­tures in hel, not to see God, and those joyes immortall, which are prepared for his children. O then what hels are in hell, when besides the pains of sense, there is a pain of losse, the losse of God, losse of Saints, losse of Angels, losse of Heaven, losse of that beatificall vision of the most Sovereigne Good; our ever­blessed Maker. Consider with your selves, if at the parting of the soul and body there be such pangs, and gripes, and stings, and sorrows: what grief then will it be, to be severed for ever from the Highest and supreamest Good, Suppose your bo­dies (as some Martyrs have been used) should be torn in sun­der, and that wild horses, driven contrary wayes, should rack and pul your arms and legs, and heart, and bowels, one piece frō another, what an horrible kind of death would this be, think you? and yet a thousand rentings of this member from that, or of the soul from the body, are infinitely lesse then this one sepa­ration of the soul from God. When Jacob got rhe blessing from his brother Esau, Gen. 27.31. it is said in the Text, that he roared with a great cry and bitter, saying to his father, Hast thou not reserved one blessing for me also? Imagine then, when the wheat must have the blessing how will the tares (figured in Esau) roar and crie, and yell, and howl again? and yet notwithstanding this unspeakable rage, all the tears of hell shall never be sufficient to bewail the losse of heaven. Hence breeds that worm that is al­wayes [Page 141] gnawing at the conscience, a wor [...]: (saith our Saviour) that dies not, Mark 9.44. Mark 9.44. It shall lie day and night, biting, and gnawing, and feeding upon the bowels of the damned persons. O the stings of this worm! no sooner shall the damned consi­der the cause of their miserie, to wit, the mis-spending of their time, the greatnesse of their sinne, the many oportunities lost, when they might have gotten Heaven for a tear, or a sigh, or groan from a penitent heart; but this worm (or remorse) shall at every consideration give them a deadly bite, and then shall they roar it out, Miserable wretch, what have I done? I had a time to have wrought out the salvation of my soul, many a powerfull searching Sermon have I heard, any one passage where­of (had I not wickedly and wilfully forsook mine own mercie) might have been unto me the beginning of the new birth; but those golden dayes are gone, and for want of a little sorrow, a little re­pentance, a little faith, now am I burning in hell fire: O precious time! O dayes, moneths, years, how are ye vanished, that you will never come again? And have I thus miserably undone my self? Come Furies, tear me into as many pieces as there are moats in the Sun, rip up my breast, dig into my bowels pull out my heart, leave me not an hair on my head, but let all burn in these flames, till I moulder into nothing. O madnesse of men, that never think on this all the dayes of your visitation, and then when the bottomlesse pit hath shut her self upon you, thus will this worm gnaw your hearts with unconceivable griefs. Be amazed, O ye Heavens! tremble thou Earth! let all creatures stand asto­nished; whilst the Tares are thus sentenced, Bundle them, and burn them.

The tares must have chains proportionable to their sinns: Observ. Bind them in bundles] saith my Text, not in one, but in many fag­gots, an Adulterer with an Adulteresse, a Drunkard with a Drunkard, a Traytor with a Traytor, as there be severall sins, so severall Bundles, all are punished in the same fire, but all are not punished in the same degree; some have heavier chains, and some have lighter, but all in just weight and measure. The Proud shall be trod under foot, the Glutton suffer inestimable [Page 142] hunger, the Drunkard feel a burning thirst, the Covetous pine in wants, the Adulterer lie with Serpents, Dragons, Scorpions, Give me leave to bind these in bundles, and so leave them for the fire; they are first bundled, then burned.

1 Where is Lady Pride and her followers? see them piled for the furnace: Esay 3. you that jet it with your bals and bracelets, tyres and tablets, rings and jewels, and changeable suits, think but what a change will come, when all you (like birds of a feather) must together, to be bound in bundles. What then will your pride avail, or your riches profit, or your gold do good, or your trea­sures help, Job 20.26. when you must be constrained to vomit up again your riches, the increase of your house departing away, and a fire not blown utterly consuming you and them. The rich man in the Gospel could for a time go richly, fare sumptuously, and that not onely on Sabbaths or Holy-dayes, but (as the text) every day: yet no sooner had death seized on his body, but he was fain to alter both his suit and diet; hear him how he begs for water, that had plentie of wines, and see him that was cloathed in purple, now apparrelled in another suit, (yet of the same co­lour too) even in purple flames: O that his delicate morsels must want a drop of water, and that his fine apparrell must cost him so dear, as the high price of his soul! why rich man is it come to this? the time was that purple and fine linnen was thy usuall apparrell, that banquets of sumptuous dishes were thy or­dinarie fare, but now not the poorest beggar (even Lazarus him­self) that would change estate with thee: Change, said I? marrie no: Remember (saith old Abraham) that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented: Luke 16.25. Luke 16.25.

2 But there are other Bundles, where is Gluttonie and her sur­fetters? Do we not see how the earth is plowed, the sea fur­rowed, and all to furnish one Epicures table? Sivill sends fruit, Canary sugars, Moluques spices, Egypt balsamum, Candy oyls, Spain sweet meats, France wines, our own land cannot satisfie, but forrein kingdomes and countreys must needs be sacrificed to our belly-gods: but what dainties have such Nabals when they come to hell? there is a black banquet prepared for devils and reprobates; the first dish is weeping, the second gnashing of [Page 143] teeth, and what mirth is there where these two courses must last all the feast? The lazie Friar sweating at [...] long meats and meals, Heu quantum patimur cries he? alas how much do we suffer which are Friars? but alas how much must you suffer at this supper, where the meat is poyson, the attendants furies, the musick grones, and time without end the sauce of every dish? See here the provision for the damned, their chains loose not, their fire cools not, their worm dies not, their woes end not, such gall and vinegar bitters every morsell. God hath proportioned this punishment for these sheaves, they are sent from surfets to an emptie dungeon, that sent away beggars empty from their doors.

3 But more Bundles yet, where is Drunkennesse with her rio­ters? Lo they are trodden under foot, saith the Prophet, Esay 28.3. they whose tables were full of vomit and filthinesse, are now driven to that scarcitie and want, that not a cup of wine, nor a draught of beer, nor a drop of water can be got in all hell for them. Sinne must have its punishment in a just proportion: the tongue of that rich man that had turned down so many [...]uns of wine, cannot procure in hell one pot of water to cool it: in his tongue he sinned, in his tongue he is tormented: fiery heats breed a scorch­ing thirst, yet because he denied Lazarus a crum of bread, La­zarus must not bring him a drop of water: how? a drop of wa­ter? alas, what are ten thousand rivers, or the whole sea of wa­ter unto that infinite world of fire? here is a poor suit indeed, what begs he, but a cup of water, an handfull of water, a drop of water, nay were it but a wet finger, to cool the tip of his scorched tongue? Hearken ye drunkards, and fear these flames that one day must parch your tongues. Here you may recreate your selves by sleep when you have too much, or by idle compa­ny when you would have more, but hereafter you shall find no means to qualifie these pains: sleep there is none, though it be nothing but an everlasting night: friends there be none, though all could professe their everlasting loves; you may indeed com­merce with some company, but who are they save devils and re­probates, (miserable comforters) in the same condemnation? Who is not sober, that knows what portion must befall these reprobates? their mouthes drie as dust, their tongues red as fire, their throats parcht as coals, all their bowels clung together as [Page 144] the burning parchment. He that sows iniquity shall reap vanity; the drunkard that abuseth so much wine, must there want a little water, his tongue shall cleave to the roof of his mouth, and goblets of boyling lead runne down his throat: as the pleasure, so the pain, he was comforted, and is tor­mented.

4 And yet more Bundles, where is Covetousnes and her gripers? O the iron age we live in! was there ever lesse love? ever more dissembling? the covetous hoardeth, holdeth, oppresseth, or it may be puts out to usury, but never without sureties, pledges, morgages, bills or bonds; Think of those bonds ye covetous, that must hind you in bundles; had you then ten thousand worlds, and were they all composed of purest gold, and brim-full with richest jewels, yet would you call them all at the foot of some Lazarus, for one drop of water, or one puff of wind, to cool any part or piece of your tormented members. See the cruell effect of sinne, he that hath no pity, shall not be pitied, no, he shall have j [...]d [...]ement without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy, James 2.13. Jam. 2.13. Thus to pay the covetous in his own coin, coffers and chests shall be brought before him, there shall devils ring him a peal of this damned coin, of pounds, of shillings, of pence, these accounts shall sound through his ears; and to satisfie his heart, melted gold shall be poured down his throat, yea he shall be served too with his meat in pl [...] and plate and meat all boil together to his loathed supper; thus hath God satisfied him that could never satisfie himself, his gold now wants no weight, his silver is not scarce, mountains and loads are prepared for him to his greater torments.

5 Yet again more Bundles, where is Adultery with her mini­ons? Lo ugly fiends do embrace them, and the furies of hell be as their bosome concubines. I have read somewhere▪ but I will not deliver it as a truth) that a voluptuous man dying, and going to this place of torment, he was there saluted in this fearfull manner: First, Lucifer commands to fetch him a chair, and forthwith an iron chair red-hot with sparkling fire was brought, and he set thereon: this done, Lucifer commands again to fetch him drink, and a drink of melted lead was brought in a cup, which they straightway pouring into his open mouth, anon it came running out of all his members: this done, Lucifer com­mands [Page 145] again, that according to his use they should fetch him mu­sitians to make him merry, and a sort of musitians came with hot glowing trumpets, and sounding them at his ears (whereto they laid them) anon there come sparks of fire leaping out of his mouth, his eyes, and nostrils, all about him; this done, Lucifer commands again, that according to his wonted manner he should have his Concubines, and upon this they bring him to a bed of fire, where Furies give him kisses, fiery Serpents hug about his neck, and the gnawing worm sucks bloud from his heart and breasts, for ever and ever. Howsoever in this story, it may be altogether truth was not brought a bed, yet imagine what a welcome shall be to the damned souls? their eyes shall startle, their ears glow, their nostrils suck up flames, their mouthes taste bitternesse, and for the sense of feeling (according to the measure of their sin) they are wrapped in the grisly embracements of sting­ing and stinking flames: where now are those daintie de­lights, sweet musick, merrie companie? are all left behind? and is there no recreation in those smokie vaults? Un­happie dungeon, where there is no order but horrour, no singing but houling, no ditties but their woes, no con­sorts but shrieks, no beautie but blacknesse, and no per­fumes or odour, but pitch and sulphur. Let the heat of this fire cool the heat of your lust, pleasure ends with pain. In as much (saith God) as the harlot glorified her self, and lived in pleasure, so much give ye to her torment and sorrow: Rev. 18.7. Rev. 18.7.

Ʋse. O then, having yet a little time, how should we labour to escape Hels horrour? let the Proud be humbled the Epicure fast, the Drunkard pray, the Adulterer chastise himself to pull down his body, and for the Covetous wretch let him with all holy greedinesse lay out his bags for the eternal good of his soul: Alas, one foot in heaven is better then all your lands on earth. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, Psal. 84.10. then to dwell in the Tents (in the houses, in the Palaces) of the wicked. Now then in the fear of God, reform your lives, and [Page 146] your harvest without question, shall be the joy of heaven; or if Tares will be Tares, what remains but Binding, and Bundling? Bind them, Bundle them, Burn them.

To burn them.]

VVE have followed the Prisoners from the Barre, and brought them to the stake, what remains further, but to kindle the Faggots, and so to shut up all with the burning?

Hell-fire (at the first naming) makes my soul to tremble, and would the bouldest courage but enter into a serious medi­tation, what it were to lie everlastingly in a red hot scorching fire, how could he chuse but stand astonished at the considerati­on? it is a furious fire: Rouze up (beloved) for either this, or nothing will awake you from the sleep of sin wherein you snort too securely.

Some differences there are about this fire: many think it a Metaphoricall, others a materiall fire; be it whether it will, it is every way fearfull, and farre above the reach either of humane or Angelicall thoughts to conceive.

If it be Metaphoricall (as Gregory and Calvine are of mind) then is it either more, or nothing lesse terrible, when the Holy Ghost shadows unto us the joys of heaven by gold, and pearls, and precious stones, Revel. 21. Rev. 21. there is no one thinks but those joys do farre surpasse these shadows: and if the pains of hell are set out by fire and flames, and brimstone, and burning, what pains are those, to which these are nothing but dumb shows or types?

Or if hell fire be materiall (as Austine and Bullenger do conjecture) yet is it farre beyond any fire on earth: mark but the difference: our fire is made for comfort: hell-fire is created for nothing else but torment: our fire is blown with some ayrie [Page 247] breath of man, but hell fire is blown with the angry breath of God; our fire is fed with the fuell of Wood or Cole, but hell fire is tempered with all the terrible torturing ingredients of Sulphur, and Brimstone; or (to cut the way nearer) I will re­duce all the differences to some of these four, and so proceed in their order; they differ first in heat, secondly in light, thirdly in their object, fourthly, in durance.

First, in heat, The pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it, Esai. 30.33. Esai. 30.33. This fire is not made by the hand of man, nor blown from the bellows of some forge, nor fed with any fuell of com­bustible matter: no, it is the arm of God, and the breath of God, and the anger of God that kindles it sharply, and con­tinues it everlastingly; and (I pray) if the breath that kindles it, be like a stream of brimstone, what is the fire it self? you know there is a great difference betwixt the heat of our breath, and the fire in our chimnies: now then if the breath of God that kindles hell fire be dissolved into brimstone: What a fearfull fire is that, which a great torrent of burning Brimstone doth ever mightily blow? A torrent of Brimstone said I? no, it is not Brimstone, but like Brimstone, like to our capacity, although for the nature this like is not like; nay, could we know exactly what this breath were, you would say (I warrant you) it were far more hotter then ten thousand Rivers of Brimstone, were they all put together: Our God (saith the Apostle) is a consu­ming fire, Heb. 12.29. Heb. 12.29. And if God be a fire, what then is hell fire, kindled by the breath God? O my soul, how canst thou but tremble at the thought of this fire, at which the very Devils themselves do quake and shiver? Pause a while and consider, wert thou arraigned at some earthly bar, thy doom past, the execution at hand, and thy body now ready to be cast, (as ma­ny a Martyrs was) into some burning fire, or boyling Caldron: O how wouldest thou shout and roar, and cry through the ex­tremity of torment? but what is a boyling Caldron, to that boyling sea of fire and brimstone? pitch and sulphur, boyl alto­gether, were not this enough? see there the perplexing proper­ties of such heats; they burn as Brimstone, darkly to grieve the sight, sharply to afflict the sense, loathsomly to perplexe the smell: it is a fire that needs no bellows to kindle it, nor admits [Page 148] of the least air to cool it; the fuell wasts not, the smoke vents not; the chimnies are but Reprobate credits, where they lie scorching, burning, houling their lullabies, and their nurses fu­ries. The flames of Nebuchadnezzars fire, could ascend forty nine Cubits; but if hell be a bottomless pit, sure these flames have an endless height, how hot then is that glowing Oven, where the fire burns lively the blasts go strongly, the wheeles turn roundly, and the darkned fuell are those damned souls that burn in an heat surpassing ours, unspeakable of us, here is one diffe­rence.

Secondly, as hell fire differs from ours in heat, so in light. Cast that unprofitable servant (saith our Saviour) into utter darkness, Mat. 25.30. Matth. 25.30. Vtter] to perplexe the mind, Darkness] to confound the eye. Consider but the terrour of this circum­stance, if a man alone in darkness, should suddenly hear a noise of ghosts, and spirits coming towards him, how would his hair bristle, his tongue faulter, his blood run to the heart? yea, (I dare say) although he felt never a lash from them on his body, yet the onely houling of devils, would make his very inmost heart to shake and shudder? O then, what horrour is that when darkness must surround thee, and devills hollow to thee, and reprobates shrick at the lashing of their bodies, and all hell be filled with the cries and ecchoes of Woe. woe. wo [...] for their tor­ments, and the darkness? May be you will object, if there be fire, there is assuredly light: nay, (without question) this fire hath heat, no light; it is a dark smoaky flame, that burns dimm to the eye, yet sharp to the f [...]nce; o [...] it may be [...] (as some do imagine) this fire affords a [...] p [...]i [...]eous o [...] obscure light, but how? not for comforts, but confusion. Conceive it thus, he that in twilight sees deformed Images, or in the night be­holds shapes of Ghosts, and spirits, by a dimm dark light, why better he saw nothing, then suck t [...]le vis [...]ns▪ such fears, nay a thousand times worse are prese [...]ved to the [...] of Reprobates, they may discern through darkness, the ugly face [...] of fiend [...]f the foul visages of Reprobates, the furious torments of their friends, or parents, while all lye together in the same condemnation. What comfort affords this light, where nothing is seen but the Judges wrath, and the prisoners punishment? O (will they cry) that our eyes were out, or the flames were quenched, or [Page 149] that some period were put to this endlesse night of darknesse! but all in vain, lo pillars of smoak arise out of the infernall pit, which darken the light, as the fire lightens the darknesse: and this the second difference.

Thirdly, there is yet another difference, in the fuell or object of this fire; ours burns not without materialls, this works also on spirituals. It is (I confesse) a question whether devils suffer by fire? and how may that be? some are of opinion, that they are not onely spirits, but have bodies, not organicall as ours, but aereall, or somewhat more subtil then the air it self: this opi­nion howsoever most denie, yet Austin argues for it; for if men and devils (saith he) are punished in the same fire, and that fire be corporeall, how are Devils capable of the suffering un­lesse they have bodies, (like men) fit for the impression? And yet if we deny them to have bodies, I see no impossibilitie, but that spirits themselves may suffer in hell fire: August. de civit. dei lib. 21. cap. 10. is it not as easie with God to joyn spirits and fire, as souls and bodies? as there­fore the soul may suffer through the body, so likewise may those spirits be tormented by fire. I will not argue the case either with, or against Austin, yet safely may we put this conclusion; not onely men in their bodies, but devils and souls must together be tormented in hell fire. thus our Saviour couples them in that last heavy doom, Matth. 25.41. Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his Angels. What a fire is this? it tryes the reins, it searcheth the bowells, it pierceth the very soul and inmost thoughts. O fire above measure! where spirits are the tormen­tors damnation the punishment, men and devils the fuell and the breath of an offended God the Bellows. Think not on your fires, that gives you heat for warmth, or light for com­fort, neither fear you him that kils your bodies, but hath no fur­ther commission to hurt your souls: here is another fire, another Judge, a fire that kindles souls, a Judge that sends bodies and souls to everlasting fire: such heats, such darknesse, such objects accompanie this fire, the heat is intollerable, dark­nesse palpable, bodie and soul both combustible, all burn together that have sinned together. This the third diffe­rence.

Lastly, there is a difference in durance, our fire dyes quick­ly, but hell fire lasts for ever. This is done (saith Austin) [Page 150] admirably, Miris, sed veris modis. Aug. ibid. Aug. de civit. dei. l. 21. yet actually, the burning bodies never consume, the kindled fire never wasts with any length of time. We read of a certain salt in Sicilia, that if put into the fire, it swims as in water, and being put into water crackles as in fire; we read of a fountain in Libya, that in a cold night is so hot, that none can touch it, & in a hot day so cold that none could drink it: If God thus work miracles on earth, dost thou seek a reason of Gods high and heavie judgement in hell? I see the pit, I cannot find the depth; there is a fire that now stands as it was created, it must be endured, yet never, never must be ended. The custome of some countreys, that burn malefactours, use the least fires for greatest offenders, that so the heat being lessened, the pains might be prolonged, but if this be so terrible to them, whose fire is but little, and whose time cannot be long, what an exceeding horrible torment is this in hell, where the fire is ex­treme great, and the time for ever and ever lasting? Suppose you, or any one of you, should lie one night grievously afflicted with a raging fit of the Stone, Collick, Strangurie, Toothach, Pangs of travail, and a thousand such miseries incident to man, how would you tosse and tumble? how would you turn your sides, tell the clock, count the houres, exspect every moment for the gay-bright morn, and till then esteem every hour a year, and every pang a misery matchlesse, and intollerable: O then what will it be (think you) to lie in fire and brimstone, kept in high­est flame by the unquenchable wrath of God, world without end? how tedious will be that endlesse night, where the clock never strikes, the time never passes, the morn never dawns, the Sunne never rises; where thou canst not turn nor tosse, nor tumble, nor yet take any rest; where thou shalt have nothing about thee but darknesse, and horrour, and wailing and yelling, wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth for evermore? Good Lord, that for a smile of present pleasure, men should run upon the rock of eternall vengeance! Come, ye that pursue vanitie, and see here the fruit of sin at this harvest of Tares, Pleasures are but momentany, Momentaneum quod delectat, aeternum quod cruciat. but the pangs are eternall: Eternall? how long is that? Nay, here we are silenced, no Limner can set it forth, no Oratour can expresse it; if all times that ever were, and ever shall be should be put together, they would in­finitely come short of this fiery eternitie; the latitude thereof [Page 151] is not to be measured, neither by houres, nor dayes, nor weeks, nor moneths, nor years, nor Lustra's, nor Olympiads, nor Indictions, no Jubilees, nor ages, nor Plato's years, nor by the most slow motions of the eighth sphear, though all these were multiplied by thousands, or millions, or the greatest mul­tiplyer, or number numbering that can be imagined. Plainly in a word, count if you please, ten hundred thousand millions of years, and adde a thousand myriads of ages to them, and when all is done, multiply all again by a thousand, thousand, thousand of thousands, and being yet too short, count all the thoughts, motions, mutations of men and Angels, adde to them all the sands of the sea, piles on the earth, starres in the Heavens, and when all this is done, multiply all again by all the numbers, squares, cubicks of Arithmetick, and yet all these are so farre short of eternity, that they neither touch end nor middle, nor the least part or parcell of it: what then is this which the damned suffer? eternall fire? we had need to cry out Fire, fire, fire: Alas, to what end? there is no help to ex­tinguish fire that must burn for ever: your Buckets may quench other fires, not this; no milk nor vinegar can extinguish that wild-fire: it is a fire which no means can moderate, no patience can endure, no time can for ever change, but in it whosoever wofully lies, their flesh shall frie, their bloud shall boil, their hearts consume; yet they shall never die, but dying live, and living die; death in life, life in death, miserable ever. This is that con­sideration, which shall bring all the damned Reprobates to shriek and houl everlastingly: were they perswaded that after millions of years they should have one year of pleasure, or after thousands of millions they should have some end of torment, here would be a little hope; but this word Ever] breaks their hearts asunder: this ever, ever, gives new life again to those in­sufferable sorrows; and hence it is, that when all those millions of years are done and gone, then (God knows) must the wheels of their torment whirl about and about: Alas? the fire is durable, the heat continuall, the fuell immortall, and such is the end of Tares, they must burn without end: Bind them in bundles to burn them.

Lo here the fire of hell, which compared to ours on earth, it differs in heat, in light, in fuell, in durance: Let your [Page 152] souls work on these objects, that they never come nearer to those flames.

Ʋse. 1 Who amongst us would dwell with devouring fire, who amongst us would dwell with everlasting burnings? Esay 33.14. Beloved, as you ten­der your souls, and would escape the flames, reform your lives whiles you have yet a little time. You hear it sounded in Syna­gogues, and preached in pulpits: what sound? but heaven or hell, joys or torments; the one befalling the good, and the other the just end of the wicked. Do we believe this truth? and dare we commit sinne, whose reward is this fiery death? upon due con­sideration, how is it that we sleep, or rest, or take a minutes ease? lesser dangers have bestraught some out of their wits, nay be­reaved many of their lives: how is it then that we run headlong into this fire, yet never weigh whither we are going, till we are dropping into the pit, whence there is no redemption. Look about you while it is called to day, or otherwise wo and alas that ever you were born, be sure a time will come, when miseries shall march, Angels beat alarms, God sound destruction, and the tents of his enemies be all set on fire, Bind them in bundles to burn them.

Ʋse. 2 Or yet if comparisons can prevail, suppose one of you should be taken, & brought along to the mouth of an hot fiery furnace, then (comparing sinne with its punishment) might I question you, how much pleasure would you ask, to continue there burn­ing but one year? how much (would you say?) surely not for all the pleasures and treasures that all this world can afford you. How is it then, that for a little sinne, that endures but a moment, so many of you so little regard eternall punishment in hell fire? If we should but see a little child fall into the fire, and his very bowels burnt out, how would it grieve us, and make our very hearts bleed within us? how much more then should it grieve you to see, not a child, but your own bodies and souls cast away for a momentany sinne into the lake of fire, that never shall be quenched? If a man should come amongst us, and cry Fire, Fire, thy house is all on Fire, thy corn, thy cattell, thy wife, thy children, and all thou hast are burning all together, how would this astonish us, making both the hair to stand upright on our heads, and the tears to gush out of our eyes? Behold then, and see the spirit of God cries out, Fire, fire; even the [Page 153] dreadfull fire of hel gapeth ready to devour, not thy house, thy corn, or thy cattel, but t [...] poor soul, and that for evermore: O then how should this break your flinty hearts asunder, and make your souls bleed again and again: if you have any spark of grace, this (me thinks) should move you to a strict [...], if you have any care of your souls, this (me thinks) should make you to walk humbly, and purely; carefully and consci [...]bly towards God, and towards man: if not, what remains but fire, fire: Bind them in bundles to burn them.

3 Or yet if example can perswade us more, meditate on the mi­serable condition of that namelesse rich man: Suppose you saw him in hel torments, compast about with furies, fires, and all that black guard below, his tongue flaming, his eyes staring, his con­science biting, his soul suffering, his body all over-burning in that fire of hel. O lamentable fight! but to make it more lamenta­ble, hearken how he roars and cryes through the extremitie of pains: O torment, torment! how am I tormented in this fire? my head, my heart, my eies; my ears, my tongue, my tongue is all on fire, what shall I do? whither shall I flie for succour? within me is the worm, without me is fire, about me are devils, above me is A­braham, and what glorious star is yond I see, but Lazarus, poor La­zarus in his bosome? what is a beggar exalted, and am I in tor­ments? Why Abraham father Abraham, have [...] on me: See here a man burning, schorching, frying in hel [...], one dram of mercy, one drop of water to a tormented soul; Oh I burn, I burn, I burn without ease or end, and is there none to [...] me? Come Lazarus ( if Abraham will not hear) let me beg of thee [...] beggar, and howsoever I denied thee a [...] [...]f bread, yet be so good, so cha­ritable, as to dip the tip of thy finger in water, and cool my tongue. It is a poor suit I ask not to dive, but dip; not thy hand, but finger; not all, but the tip of it; not in s [...], but water; not to quench, but to cool; not my body, but my least member, be it my tongue onely: no ease so little, no grant so poor, no remedy so small, but happy were I if I could obtain it, though I begged it with tears and prayers of a thousand thousand years continuance: But see Abraham and Lazarus denie my suits; I burn, and neither God, nor Saint, nor Angel takes pitie on me: and shall I cry for help on devils? alas! they are my tormentors that lash me, and cut me with their whips of burning steel and iron. O beloved! what shall [Page 154] we say to the roaring rage of this tormented wretch? Alas! alas! how little do men think on this? they can passe away time sporting and playing, as if they went to prison but for a few weeks, or dayes, just like men, who having the sentence of death past upon them, run fooling and laughing to the executi­on; but when once hell mouth hath shut her self, then shall they find nothing but eternity of torments: in the fear of God take heed in time of this eternitie, eternity, lest you also come in­to this place of eternity, eternity of torment: it is the doom of Tares, wo to them whosoever, that are of the number, for they they] must be gathered, and bound, and bundled, and burned.

Whatsoever a man sowes that shall he reap, Gal. 6.7. Gal. 6.7. If the enemy sow Tares, and we nourish the seed, what think you is the Harvest? Gather ye together first the Tares, saith our Savi­our to the Angels: they are branded in their name, Tares] sped in the time, first] curst in their doom, gathered] but worst in the hands of their executioners, it is by Angels] and yet what is all this to the latter work in hand? If the Tares weeded up might rot in the furrows, the punishment were lesse; but as they are gathered, so they must be bound.] Is that all? nay, as they are bound, so they must be bundled] Is that all? nay, as they are bound and bundled, so they must be burned] Bind them in bun­dles to burn them. I must end this Text, yet am loath to leave you where it ends: As there is an harvest of Tares, so there is a better harvest of Wheat, Psal. 126.5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy; if we repent us of our sinns, we shall have a blessed harvest in­deed: how? fourty grains for one? nay, (by the promise of our Saviour) an hundred fold. A measure heapen, and shaken, and thrust together, Luke 6.38. and yet running over. Every Saint shall have joy and glory, fountains of pleasure, and rivers of delight, where they may swim, and bathe their souls for ever and ever: what though Tares must to the fire? the Wheat is gathered into Heaven. Pray you then with me, that we may be Wheat, not Tares; and God so blesse the seed, that every soul of us may have a joyfull harvest in the kingdome of Heaven. AMEN.

When]

Ne sedendo vi­deatur purga­re: Annot. Erasm. in text.THe Text begins with the time, When] he had purged:] and this time (saith Erasmus) according to the originall denotes the time past, lest that we had thought he had purged our sinnes by his sitting him down at the right hand of God. First therefore (saith the Apostle) he purged,] and then sate:] he first purged by his death, and when that was done, he sate at the right hand of the Majesty, in the highest places. Whence observe:

Doctrine. The time that Christ purged was in the dayes of his humilia­tion. Then was he born, Matth. 1.18. Matth. 1.18. then was he tempted, Matth. 4.1. Matth. 4.1. then was he circumcised, Luke 2.21. Luke 2.21. then was he traduced, Matth. 11.19. Matth. 11.19. then was he persecuted, John 8.59. John 8.59. then was he betrayed, Matth. 26.16. Matth. 26.16.50. then was he apprehend­ed, Matth. 26.50. then was he mocked, Matth. 27.29. Matth. 27.29, 35. then was he crucified, Matth. 27.35. But all his life was full of in­firmitie, so (according to the nature of all infirmities) he had those four times mentioned by Physitians in his life, the begin­ning, the increase, the Akmen or state, and declination. Give me [Page 157] leave but to prosecute these times, and by that time we have done, the hour (I know) will summon us to a conclusion.

1 First then he had his [...], his beginning, and that was the first time of his purging, even at his birth; then took he our in­firmities upon him, and in some measure evacuated the bright­nesse of his glory, to become for us a poor, a weak, a silly babe on earth. Mark (I pray) how this purge works with him at his first entrance into the world, it brings him into so poor and low estate that heaven and earth stand amazed at so great a change: where was he born, but at Bethlehem, a little citie? where did the shepherds find him, but in a poor sory cottage? and there if we look after majestie, we find no guard but Jo­seph, no attendants but Mary, no heralds but Shepherds, none of the bed-chamber but beasts and oxen, and howsoever he is styled King of the Jews, yet the Jews cry out, They have no King but Cesar. His mother indeed descended of kings, and he himself gives crowns to others, of victory, of life, of glory, but for his own head no crown is prepared but a crown of thorns: Rev. 4.10. anon you may see him clothed in purple, anointed with spittle, but for the crown we speak of, they can afford him no richer then of the hedge, no easier then of thorns.

Thus for the beginning, what then is the increase of this?

2 This increase (say Physitians) is when the symptomes more manifestly appear either of life or death; and no sooner was our Saviour born, but he had manifest tokens evidently showing that for us he must die. If you run through his life, what was it but a sicknesse and a purge? Consider his parcitie in abstinence, his constancie in watching, his frequencie in prayer, his assiduity in labour. But how soon, and Herod makes him flee into Egypt, and live an exile in a strange land? At his return he dwels at Nazareth, and there is accounted Jesus the carpenter. Mark 6.3. When he enters into his Ministerie, he hath no house to repose him, no money to relieve him, no friends to comfort him. See him first set on by Satan, then by men; he is led into the wildernesse by the spirit, and there he fasts fourty dayes and fourty nights, with­out bit of bread, or drop of water. The devil (seeing this op­portunitie) begins his temptation, who presently overcome, the Jews follow after him with hue and cry: mark but their words and works: In word they call him a glutton, a drunkard, a de­ceiver, [Page 158] a sinner, Matt. 11.19.27.63. John 9.24.10.20.8.48. Psal. 35.12. a mad-man, a Samaritane, and one possessed with a devil. Good words I pray! is not he the anointed of God? the Saviour of men? yes, but they rendred me evil for good, and hatred for my good will, said the Psalmist in his person. When therefore he did miracles, he was a sorcerer; when he re­proved sinners, he was a seducer; when he received sin­ners, he was their favourer; when he healed the sick, he was a breaker of the Sabbath; when he cast out devils, it was by the power of devils; what and how many unjust contumelies indured he of the Pharises, who sometimes cast him out of the citie, accused him of blasphemy, cryed Out upon him, he was a man not worthy to live. And as they say, they do; ob­serve but their works: First they send officers to apprehend him, but they being overcome with the grace of his speeches, re­turn onely with this answer, John 7.46. Never man spake like this man. Then took they up stones to stone him, but by his miraculous passage (whiles they are a conspiring his death) he escapes out of their hands: John 10.39. then lead they him to an hill, thinking to throw him down headlong, and yet all would not do for ere they are aware of it, Luke 4.30. he fairly passeth through the midst of them all. At last his last passion draws near, and then men and devils combine in one to make him at once wretched and miserable: He is de­spised and rejected of men: yea he is a man full of sorrows (saith the Prophet) and hath experience of infirmities, Esay 53.3. Esay 53.3.

Or for a further inquirie, let us do what our Saviour bids, Search the Scriptures, John 5.39. for they are they which testifie of him. We have but two Testaments in the whole Bible, and both these give full evidence of Christs miserable life. In the Old Testa­ment it was prefigured by Adams penalties, Abels death, Abra­hams exile, Isaacs offering, Jacobs wrestling, Josephs bonds, Jobs suffering, Davids mourning; yea, the Prophets themselves were both figures, and delivered prophesies of our Saviours af­flictions. Thus Esay of him: Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did not esteem him stricken, smit­ten of God, and afflicted, Esa. 53.4. Esay 53.4. Thus Jeremy of him: He gives his cheeks to him that smites him, he is filled full with reproach, Lam. 3.30. Lam. 3.30. Thus Daniel of him, After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be slain: and shall have nothing, Dan. 9.26. Dan. 9.26. Thus Zechary of him, What are these wounds in the midst of thy hands? [Page 159] and he shall say, With these wounds was I wounded in the house of my friends, Zach. 13.6. Zech. 13.6. But come we to the New Testament; and in every Gospell, we may not onely read, but see him suffer: Matthew who relates the history of his life, what writes he but a tragedy, wherein every chapter is a scene? Look through the whole book, and you read in the first Chapter, Matth. Chap. 1, Ioseph will not father him; in the second 2, Herod seeks to kill him; in the third 3, Iohn the Baptist would needs out his humility deny him baptisme; in the fourth 4, he fasts fourty days, and fourty nights, and is tempted in the wilderness; in the fifth 5, he fotetells perse­cutions, and all manner of evill against his Apostles; in the sixth 6, he teacheth his church that strict course of life, in fasting, praying, giving of almes, and forgiving of enemies; in the se­venth 7, he concluds his Sermon made on the top of a mountain; in the eighth 8, he comes down, and towards night hath no house to harbour in, nor pillow to rest his head on; in the ninth 9, he is rebuked of the Pharises for not fasting; in the tenth 10, all men hate his disciples for his sake; in the eleventh 11, they call him that knew no excesse, a glutton and a drunkard; in the twelfth 12, they tell him how he casts out devils through Beelzebub prince of devils; in the thirteenth 13, they are offended at him, and derive his pedigree from a Carpenter; in the fourteenth 14, Herod thinks him to be Iohn Baptists ghost; in the fifteenth 15, the Scribes repre­hend him for the breach of their traditions; in the sixteenth 16, the Sadduces tempt him for a token; in the seventeen 17, he pays tribute to Cesar; in all the rest he foretels and executes his passion: now count not chapters, but hours, from that hour wherein he was saught for, untill the sixth hour of his crucify­ing: one betrayes him, another apprehends him, one binds him, another leads him bound from Pilate to Herod, from Herod back again to Pilate; thus they never leave him, till his soul leave the world, and he be a dead man amongst them.

This state, or Akmen (say Physitians) is when nature and the disease are in greatest contention, when all the symptomes are be­come most vehement, so that neither nature or the infirmity, must [Page 160] needs, have the victory; and although (say Divines) all Christs life was full of miseries, Kecker. Syst. l. 3. c. 4. yet principally and chiefly is, that called his passion in Scripture, which he indured two days before death: and to this extream passion (saith a Modern) is the purging of sins chiefly attributed. Come then, ye that passe by, behold, and see, if there was ever any sorrow like unto this sorrows; which is done unto him in the day of Gods anger. Lament. 1.12. His infirmities are now at full, and the symptomes which make it evident unto us, are some inward, some outward, inward in his soul, outward in his body: we'll take a view of them both.

Matth. 26.37. Mar. 14.33. Luk. 22.44. Ioh. 12.27.First, his soul, it began to be sorrowfull, saith Matthew: to be amazed and very heavy saith Mark: to be in an agony saith Luke: to be troubled saith Iohn: Here is sorrow, and heaviness, and agony, and trouble, the estimate whereof we may take from his own words in the garden; My soul is exceeding sor­rowfull, Matth. 26.38. John 12.77. even unto death: Now was the time he purged, not onely in his body, but his soul too; now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour, but for this cause came I unto this hour. A fatall hour sure, of which it was said before often, his hour was not yet come, but being come, he could then tell his Disciples, the hour is at hand, and after tell the Iewes, Matth. 26.45. Luk. 22.53. this is your very hour, and the power of darkness: Now was it that Christ yielded his soul for our souls, to the susception of sorrow, perpession of pain, and dissolution of na­ture: and therefore even sick with sorrow, he never left swea­ting, Heb. 5.7. weeping and crying, till he was heard in that which he fea­red.

Secondly, as his soul, so his body had her symptoms of ap­proaching death: Our very eye will soon tell us, no place was left in his body where he might be smitten and was not: his skin was torn, his flesh was rent, his bones unjoynted, his sinews streyned; should we summe up all? See that face of his, fairer then the Sons of men, Psal. 45.2. Revel. 1.14. how it is defiled with spettle, swoln with buffets, masked with a cover of gore-bloud; see that head, white as white wooll, and snow, how is it Crowned with thorns, beaten with a reed, and both head and hair dyed in a sanguine red that issued from it; see those eyes that were as a flame of fire, how they swim with tears, are dim with bloud, and darken at the sad approach of dreadfull death: Revel. ibid. see that mouth which speak as [Page 161] never man spake, hovv it is vvan vvith stroaks, grim vvith death, John 7.46. and embittered with that tartest potion of gall and vinegar: Should we any lower? See those arms that could embrace all the power of the world, how they are strained and stretched on the Crosse; those shoulders that could bear the frame of Heaven, how they are lasht with knotty cords, and whips; those hands that made the world, and all therein, how are they nailed and clenched to a piece of wood; that heart where never dwelt deceit nor sinne, how it is pierced and wounded with a souldi­ers spear: those bowels that yearned with compassion of others infirmities, how they are drie and pent with straining puls: those feet that walked in the wayes of God, how they are boared, and fastened to a Crosse with nayls: from hand to foot there is no part free, but all over he is covered in a mantle of cold bloud, whose garments were doft before, and took of them that were his hangmen: Poor Saviour, what a wofull sight is this? A bloudy face, thornie head, watery eyes, wan mouth, strained arms, lashed shoulders, nayled hands, wounded heart, griping bow­els, boared feet: Here is sorrie pains, when no part is free: and these are the outward Symptomes of his state that ap­pear in his Body.

We have thus far seen our Sun (the Sunne of righteousnesse) in the day-break, and rising, and height of his suffering: Mal. 4.2. what remains further, but that we come to the Declinati­on, and so end our journey for this time?

This Declination (say Physicians) is, Galen. lib. 3. de Cris. cap. 5. when Nature over­comes sicknesse, so that all diseases attain not this time, but those, and those onely that admit of a Recovery: yet howsoever (saith my Senert. insti­tution. medici­nae lib. 2. par. 1. cap. 12. de morb. temp. Authour) there is no true declination before death: there is at least a seeming declinatian, when sometimes the symptoms may become more remiss, because of weak nature yielding to the fury and tyrannie of death overcoming it. I will not say directly, that our Saviour declined thus, either in deed, or in shew: for neither was the cup removed from him, nor died he by degrees; but in perfect sense, and perfect patience both of body and soul, he did voluntarily, and miraculously resigne his Spirit (as he was pray­ing) into the hands of his Father. Here then was the true decli­nation of this Patient, not before death, but in death, and right­ly too: for then was it that this Sunne went down in a ruddy [Page 162] Cloud; then was it that this Patient received the last dregs of his Purge; then was it that Gods Justice was satisfied, the con­summatum est was effected, all was finished: as for his buriall, resurrection, and asscension which follow after this time they serve not to make any satisfaction for sinne, but onely to con­firm it, or apply it, after it was made and accomplished.

Ʋse 1 But what use of all this? Give me leave (I pray) to shake the tree, and then do you gather the fruit: from the first part, his birth, we may learn Humility, a grace most prevailing with God for the obtaining of all graces; this was it that made David King, Moses a Governour: nay, what say we to Christ him­self, who from his first entrance, untill his departure to his Fa­ther, Matth. 11.29. was the very mirrour of true Humility it felf? Learn of me (saith he) to be humble and lowly in spirit, and you shall find rest unto your souls. Hereunto accorded his Doctrine, when he pronounced them Blessed who were poor in spirit, Matth. 5.3. hereunro ac­corded his reprehension, when he disliked their manners who were wont to choose out the chief rooms at feasts: Luke 14.7. Iohn 13.5. hereunto ac­corded his practice, when he vouchsafed to wash his Disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towell wherewith he was girded. O Humility, how great are thy riches, that are thus commended to us! thou pleasest men, delightest angels, confoundest devils, and bringest thy Creatour to a Manger, where he is lapped in raggs, and cloathed in flesh! Had we Christian hearts to consi­der the Humility of our Redeemer, and how far he was from our haughty dispositions, it would pull down our Pharisaicall humours, and make us farre better to remember our selves.

Ʋse 2 Secondly, as we learn humility from his birth, so we may learn patience from his life. Matth. 16.24. If any man will come after me (saith our Saviour) let him deny himself, and take up his crosse and follow me. Dear Christian, if thou wilt be saved, mind thy Christ: Art thou abused by lies, reproaches, evil sayings, or do­ings? we cannot more shew how we have profited in Christs School, then by enduring them all: if patience be in our cala­mities, they are no calamities, but comforts: this is that com­fort that keeps the heart from envie, the hand from revenge, the tongue from contumely, and often overcomes our very ene­mies themselves, without any weapons at all. Come then, and do you learn this lesson of our Blessed Redeemer! are you stricken? [Page 163] so was Christ of the Jews: are you mocked? so was Christ of the Souldiers: are you betrayed of your friends? so was Christ of his Apostle: are you accused of your enemies? so was Christ of the Pharisies: why complain you of being injured and ma­ligned, when you see the Master of the house himself called Beel­zebub? Hereunto ye are called (saith Peter) for Christ also suf­fered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps, 1. Pet. 2.21. 1. Pet. 2.21.

Ʋse 3 Thirdly, as Patience from his life, so we may learn Remorse from his Passion, Is it nothing to you, all ye that passe by? Lament. 1.12 O look on him, and let this look breed in you a remorse and sorrow for your sinnes: Our Saviour labours in the extremities of pangs, his soul is sick, his bodie faints, and would you know the reason? Why, thus is the head wounded that he might renue health to all the body; we sinne, and Christ Jesus is heavie, and sore, and sick, and dies for it: his soul was in our souls stead, his body en­dured a Purgatory for us, that we both in body and soul might escape hell-fire, which our sinns had deserved: who but consi­ders what evils our sinnes have done, that will not grieve and mourn at the sinne he hath committed? Oh that my head were a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the sinnes of the daughters of my people! We have sinned, we have sinned, and what shall we say to thee, O Saviour of men? Alas! our sinnes have whipped thee, scourged thee, crowned thee, crucified thee; and if I have no compassion to weep for Thee, yet, O Lord, give me grace to weep for my self, who have done thus to Thee: O my Saviour! O my sinnes! It is I that offend, it is thou must smart for it.

Fourthly, we may yet learn another lesson, Christ (saith Paul) humbled himself, and became obedient to the death, even the death of the Crosse, Phil. 2.8. Philip. 2.8. and is it not our parts to be obedient to him who became thus obedient for us? We may gather Humi­lity from his birth, and Patience from his life, and Remorse from his Passion; and to make up the posie, here is one flower more, Obedience, which that Tree also yielded whereon he suffered. Iohn 14.15. If you love me (saith our Saviour) keep my Commandments. How, blessed Saviour? If you love me? Who will not love thee, who hast so dearly loved us, as to give up thy dearest life for the ran­some of our souls? But to tell us that there is no better testi­monie [Page 164] of our love, then to obey his commands, he woes us with these sugared words (whose lips like Lillies, Cant. 5.13. are dropping down pure Myrrh) if you love me: If you love me, learn obedience of me, keep my Commandments: and to move us the more (if all this cannot) what love and obedience was there in him think you? Consider, and wonder! That the Sonne of God would banish himself thirty three years from his glorious Majestie; and what more? would be born man; and what more? would be the meanest amongst men; and what more? would endure the mi­series of life; and what more? would come to the bitter pangs of death; Quò descendit humilitas. Aug. medit. 7. and what more? would be made obedient to the death, even the death of the Crosse; a degree beyond death. O Sonne of God, whither doth thy humility descend? but thus it must be, the Prophets had foretold it, and according to their prophesies the dayes were accomplished, When he himself must be purged: He was born, he lived, he suffered, he died, and thus runne round the vvheels of those miserable times; When] he had by himself purged our sinnes.

He]

VVE have observed the time When he purged, and now time it is that you know the Physician who administers it: the Apostle tells you it is He] that is, Christ our Saviour, who seeing us labour in the pains and pangs of sinne, he bows the heavens and comes down; he takes upon him our frailty, that we through him might have the remedie to escape hell fire. Come then, and behold the man, who undertakes this cure of souls; Cant. 2.8. He cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hils, saith Solomon in his Songs: and would you know his leaps, saith Gregory? Greg. hom. 39. See then how he leaps from his Throne to his Cratch, from his Cratch to his Crosse, from his Crosse to his Crown; downwards and upwards, like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices.

His first leap downwards was from heaven, and this tels us how he was God from everlasting: so said the Centurion, Sure­ly this man was the Sonne of God, Mark 15.39. Mar. 15.39. How else? the sinne of man could no otherwise be expiated, but by the Sonne of God; man had sinned and God was offended, therefore God became man, to reconcile man to God: Had he been man alone, not God, he might have suffered, but he could not have satisfied; therefore this man was God, that in his man-hood he might suffer, and by his God-head he might satisfie: O won­derfull Redemption! that God must take upon him our frailty: had we thus far run upon the score of vengeance, that none could satisfie but God himself? could not he have made his Angels Embassadours, but he himself must come in person? no; An­gels, or Saints could neither super-erogate, but if God will save us, God himself must come and die for us: it were sure no little benefit, if the King would pardon a Thief; but that the King himself should die for this Malefactor; this were most wonder­full, and indeed beyond all exspectation; and yet thus will the King of heaven deal with us, he will not onely pardon our faults, but satisfie the Law: we sinne against God, and God against whom we sin, must die for it: this is a depth beyond founding, an height above all humane reach, what is he? God.

But we must fall a note, the Creatour is become a Creature; if you ask what Creature? I must tell you, though it were an Angel, yet this were a great leap, which no created understand­ing could measure; what are the Angels in respect of God? he is their Lord, they but his servants, ministers, messengers, and howsoever it would dazle us to behold their faces, yet cannot the brightest Angels stand before God, but they are fain to co­ver their own faces with a pair of wings: the difference may ap­pear in Revel. 5.13, 14. Rev. 5.13, 14. where the Lambe is said to sit upon the Throne, but the four Beasts and four and twenty Elders fall down and worship him. Esai. 6.2. Is not here a great distance betwixt the Lamb in his Throne, and the Beasts at his feet? and yet thus farre will the Lamb descend that for our sakes he will disthrone himself, reject his state, take the office of an Angel, to bring us the glad ti­dings of salvation in purging our sinnes.

And was he an Angel? nay that was too much, he was made (saith the Apostle) a little lower then the Angels for the suffer­ing [Page 162] of death, Heb. 2.9. Heb. 2.9. What? the Son of God to be made lower then the Angels? here was a leap beyond the reach or compass of all humane thoughts; he that made the Angels, is made lower by a little then the Angels; the Creator is not onely become a creature, but inferiour to some creatures that he did create: O yee Angels, how stand yee amazed at this humility? that God your Master should become meaner then his servants, that the Lord of heaven should deny the dignity of powers, prin­cipalities, Cherubims, Seraphims, Arch-Angell, or Angell: O Iesu! how contrary art thou to thy aspiring Creatures? some Angels through pride would needs be as God, but God through humility is made lower then the Angels, not equall with them, but a note below them, as David that sweet singer of Israel sung, thou madest him little lower then the Angels, Psalm 8.9. Psal. 8.9. ci­ted also in the person of Christ. Heb. 2.7.

But how much lower? by a little (saith Paul) and if you would know what that little was, he tels you again, that he took not on him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham, Heb. 2.16. Heb. 2.16. Here is that great abysse, which all the powers of heaven could no less but wonder at: Abrahams Lord is become Abrahams Son; the God of Abraham, the God of Jsaac, and the God of Iacob, hath took upon him the seed of Abraham, the seed of Isaac, and the seed of Iacob; wonder above wonders! that God should take the shape of Angels, is more then we can think, but to take on him the na­ture of man, is more then the tongue of Angels can express; that the King of heaven should leave his glorious mansion, and from the bosome of his Father come into the womb of his mother, from that company of Angels, and Arch-Angels, to a rude rout of sinfull men: Tell ye the daughters of Sion, behold thy King cometh unto thee, saith the Prophet Esay in the 62. Chap. 11. vers. Isai. 62.11. what could he lesse? and what canst thou more? won­derfull love that he would come, but more wonderfull is the manner of his coming; he that before made man a soul after the image of God, now makes himself a body after the image of man; and he that was more excellent then all Angels, becomes lesser, lower then the Angells, even a mortall, miserable, wret­ched man.

But what man? as he is King of heaven, let him be King of all the world; if he be man, let him be the ruler of Mankinde: [Page 163] no, thou art deceived (O Jew) that exspectest in thy Saviour the glory of the world; fear not Herod the loss of thy Diadem, for this child is born, not to be thy successor, but if thou wilt believe, to be thy Saviour; was he a King on earth? alas! look through the Chronicles of his life, and you finde him so far from a King, that he is the meanest subject of all men: where was he born but at Bethlehem, a little City? where did the shepherds find him, but in a sorry cottage? who were his Disciples, but poor Fisher-men? who his companions, but Publicans and sinners? is he hungry? where stands his Table, but on plain ground? what are his dainties, but bread and a few fishes? who are his guests, but a rout of hungry starved creatures? and where is his lodging, but at the stern of a ship? here is a poor King, without either presence or bed-chamber, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head, Matth. 8.20. Matth. 8.20.

6 Descend we a little lower, and place him in our own rank, what was he but a Carpenter, say the Jews in scorn? Is not this the Carpenter, Maries son? Mark. 6.3. Mark. 6.3. A poor trade sure, but to shew us that he was man, and how much he hated idle­ness, some time he will bestow in the labours of mans life: but O wonder! if he will reject majesty, let him use at least some of those liberall arts; or if he will be mechanicall, let him choose to some noble trade, Thy Merchants were the great men of the earth, said the Angell to Babylon, Apoc. 18.23. Apoc. 18.23. Ay, but our Saviour is no Adventurer, neither is he so stockt to follow any such profession; once indeed he travelled into Aegypt with Io­seph and Mary, but to shew us that it was no prize, you may see Mary his mother steal him away by night, without further preparation: what, gone on a suddain? it seems there was no treasure to hide, no hangings to take down, no lands to secure, his mother needs do no more but lock the doors and away: what portion then is for the Lord of heaven? O sweet Jesu, thou must be content for us to hew sticks and stocks, besides which (after his coming out of Aegypt, about the seventh year of his age, untill his baptisme by Iohn, which was the thirtieth) we find little else recorded in any Writers, profane or Ecclesiasti­call.

And are we now at our just Quantum? alas, what quantity, [Page 164] what bounds hath the humility of our Saviour? is he a Carpen­ter? that were to be master of a trade, but he took on him (saith the Apostle) the form of a servant, not a master, Phil. 2.7. Phil. 2.7. It is true, he could say to his Apostles, Ye call me master, and Lord, and yee say well, for so I am, Ioh. 13.13. Ioh. 13.13. and yet at that very instant mark but his gestures, and you may see their Lord and Master, become a servant to his servants: his many offices express his services, Ioh. 13.4, 5. when he rose from supper, and laid a side his upper garments, and took a towell and girded himself, and after that he had poured water in a basen, begun to wash his disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towell wherewith he was girded. O ye blessed spirits, look down from heaven, and you may see even the Almighty kneeling at the feet of men! O yee blessed Apostles, why tremble ye not at this so wonderfull sight of your lovely, lowly Creatour? Peter, what doest thou? Is not he the beauty of the heavens, the Paradise of Angels, the brightness of God, the Redeemer of men? and wilt thou (notwithstan­ding all this) let him wash thy feet? no, leave, O Lord, leave this base office for thy servants, lay down the towell, put on thy apparell, see Peter is resolute. Lord, doest thou wash my feet? no Lord, thou shalt never do it. Yes Peter thus it must be, to leave thee and us a memoriall of his humility; I have given you an example (saith Christ) that ye should do as I have done unto you: Vers. 15. and what hath he done, but for our sakes is become a servant, yea his servants servant, washing and wiping, not their hands, or heads, but the very meanest, lowest parts, their feet.

8 And yet there is a lower fall, How many hired servants (said the Prodigall) at my fathers house have bread enough, Luk. 15.17. and I die for hunger? and as if our Saviours case were like the Prodigals, you may see him little lower then a servant, yea little better then a beggar: Yee know (saith the Apostle) the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, 2 Cor. 8.9. 2 Cor. 8.9. poor indeed, and so poor, that he was not worth a penny to pay tribute, till he had borrowed it of a fish, Mat. 17.27. Matth. 17.27. See him in his birth, in his life, in his death, and what was he but a pilgrim, that never had house to harbour in? a while he lodges in an oxen-stall, thence he flies into Aegypt, back he comes into Galilee, anon he travels to Jerusalem, within a while (as if all his life were but a wandring) you may [Page 165] see him on mount Calvary hanging on the cross, was ever any beggars life more miserable? he hath no house, no money, no friends, no lands, and howsoever he was God the disposer of all; yet for us he became man, a poor man, a mean man, yea the meanest of all men: and this another step downwards.

9 But this now low enough, men are the image of God: ay but the Son of God is not used as a man, but rather as a poor dumb beast appointed to the slaughter: what was he but a sleep, said Esay of him? Esai. 53.7. Esay 53.7. a sheep indeed, and that more especially in these two qualities. First, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth: and to this pur­pose was that silence of our Saviour: when all those evidences came against him, he would not so much as drop one syllable to defend his cause: if the high Priests question him, What is the matter that these men witness against thee? Matthew tells us that Iesus held his peace, Mat. 26.63. Matth. 26.63. If Pilate say unto him. Behold how many things they witness against thee, Mark tells us, that Iesus answered him nothing, Mark. 15.5. Mark. 15.5. If Herod question with him in many words, because he had heard many things of him, Luke tells us, that he answered him nothing, Luk. 23.9. Luk. 23.9. As a poor sheep in the hands of the shearer, he is dumb before his Judges and accusers, whence briefly we may observe, Christ came not to defend, but to suffer condemnation. Secondly (as a sheep he is dumb, and) as a sheep he is slain; Esa. ibid. He was led (saith the Prophet) as a sheep to the slaughter. O Jesu! art thou come to this? to be a man who art God, a sheep, who art man, and so for our sakes far inferiour to our selves: nay worse, a sheep: how? not free, as one that is leaping on the mountains, or skipping on the hills; no, but a sheep that is led:] led whether? not thither as David was, who could say of his Shepherd, that he fed him in green pastures, and led him forth besides the waters of comfort: no, but led to the slaughter. He is a sheep, a sheep led, Psal. 23.2. a sheep led to the slaughter; and such a slaughter, that were he a dumb creature, yet great ruth it were to see him so handled as he was by the Jewes.

10 And yet will his humility descend a little lower, as he was the poorest of men, so the least of sheep; like a lamb, saith the Apostle, Act. 8.32. Act. 8.32. and, Behold the Lamb (said Iohn the Bap­tist) even the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world, [Page 150] Joh. 1.29. Joh. 1.29. This was that Lamb which the Paschall Lamb pre­figured, Your Lamb (saith God to the Israelites) shall be a Lamb without blemish, and the bloud shall be a token for you, that I will pass over you, Exod. 12.13. Exod. 12.5. and 13. But was ever lamb like the Lamb of God? he is without blemish, saith Pilate, I find no fault in him, Luk. 23.4. Luk. 23.4. and the sprinkling of his bloud (saith Peter) is the right token of election, 1 Pet. 1.2. 1 Pet. 1.2. Such a lamb was this Lamb without blemish in his life, and whose bloud was sprink­led at his death, in life and death ever suffering for us, who (had he not done so) should for ever and ever have suffered our selves. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest! saith the Church in Canticles. tell me? yes: If thou knowest not (saith our Saviour) go thy way forth by the foot-steps of the flock, Cant. 1.8. Cant. 1.8. Our Saviour is become a man, a sheep, a lamb, or if this be not humility enough, he will yet take a leap lower.

What is he but a worm, and no man yea the very scorn of men, and the outcast of the people, Psal. 22.6. Psal. 22.6. Did you ever think we could have brought our Saviour to thus low a degree? what, beneath a lamb, and no better then a worm? Heaven and earth may well ring of this, as being the greatest wonder that ever was: there is any bitter potion due to man, which the Son of God will not partake of to the utmost dregs; and therefor [...] if Iob say to the worm, Iob 17.14. Iob. 25.6. thou art my sister, and mother; nay, if Bil­dad say, Man is a worm, and the son of man is but a worm; which is more then kindred: behold our Saviour stooping thus low himself, what is he but a man? nay, as if that were too much, a worm, and not a man, as sung the Psalmist of him.

12 I am so low, that unless we think him no body, we can down no lower; and yet here is one leap more, that if we take a view of it, we may suppose him to be nothing in esteem, a No-body indeed. Look we at every man in respect of God, and the Pro­phet tells us, All nations before him are as nothing, Esai. 40.17. Esai. 40.17. And if man be thus, why sure the son of man will be no lesse: see then (to the wondrous astonishment of men and Angels) how greatness it self, Ex omni seip­sum ad nihil redegit: Beza in loc. Tert. ad Mar. l. 5. to bring man from nothing, Exinanivit se, hath made himself nothing, or of no reputation, Phil. 2.7. Phil. 2.7. How? nothing: yes, saith Beza; He that was all in all, hath reduced himself to that which is nothing at all: and Tertullian little less, Exhausit se, He hath emptied himself, or as our translation gives [Page 151] it, He hath made himself (not of little, but) of no reputa­tion.

Ʋse. 1 Let every soul learn his duty from hence; what should we do for him, who hath done all this for us? There is a crew of unbelievers that hear and heed not: all the sufferings of our Sa­viour cannot move them a jot, either towards God, or from sin, and is not this a wofull lamentable case? I remember a passage in Cyprian, how he brings in the Devill triumphing over Christ in this manner: As for my followers, I never dyed for them, as Christ did for his, I never promised them so great a reward, as Christ hath done to his; and yet I have more followers then he, and they do more for me, then his doe for him: hear, O heaven! and hearken O earth? Was ever the like phrensie? The Devill, like a roaring Lion, seeks ever and anon to devour our souls, and how many thousands, and millions of souls yield themselves to his service, though he never died for them, nor will ever do for them the poorest favour whatsoever, but pay them everlastingly with pains and pangs, death and damnation? On the other side, see our Saviour (God Almighty) take on him the nature of a man, a poor man, a sheep, a lamh, a worm, a no­thing in esteem; and why all this? but onely to save our souls, and to give them heaven and salvation: yet such is the con­dition of a stubborn heart, that (to choose) it will spurn at heavens crown, and run upon hell, and be a slave to Satan, and scoffe at Christs suffering, yea and let out his bloud, and pull out his heart, and bring him a degree lower then very beelzebub himself, rather then it will submit to his will, and march under his banner to the kingdome of heaven. Hence it is, that the De­vill so triumphs over Christ, As for my followers (saith he) I never died for them as Christ did for his: no Devill, thou never diedst for them, but thou will put them to a death without all ease or end. Think of this, yee unbelievers; me thinks like a thunderbolt, it might shake all your hearts, and dash them into pieces.

But a word more to you, of whom I hope better things; let me exhort the Saints, that you for your parts, will ever love, and serve, and honour, and obey, and praise the Lord of glory, for this so wonderfull a mercy; I pray, have you not cause? had your Saviour onely sent his creatures to serve you, or some Pro­phets to advise you in the way of salvation, had he onely sent his Angels to attend you, and to minister unto you; or had he come down in his glory, like a King that would not onely send to the prison, but come himself to the dungeon, and ask, saying, Is such a man here? or had he onely come and wept over you, saying, Oh that you had never sinned; all these had been great mercies: But that Christ himself should come, and strive with you in mercy and patience, that he should be so fond of a com­pany of Rebels and Hel-hounds, (and yet we are not at the lowest) that he would for us become a man, a mean man, a lamb, a worm, a nothing in esteem. O all ye stubborn hearts, (too much stubborn are we all) if judgement and the hammer can­not break your hearts, yet let this mercy break you, and let eve­ry one say, O Iesu hast thou done all this for me? certainly I will love thee, and praise thee, and serve thee, and obey thee as long as I live. Say so, and the Lord say Amen to the good desires of your hearts. To whet this on the more, remember still, it is you that should have suffered, but to prevent this, it is he that was humbled, it is he that was crucified, it is he that was purged: what needs more? John 18.5. I am he, said Christ to the Iews when they apprehended him; He? what he? I know not what: but be he what he will, he it is our Saviour, Redeemer, Physician, Patient, VVho had by himself purged our sinnes.

By himself]

THe Time and Physician have prepared a Purge; but who is the Patient to receive it? it is man is sick, and it is man must purge, or otherwise he dies without all remedie or recoverie: but alas! what Purge (what Purgatory) must that be which can evacuate sinne? Should man take all the virtue of herbs and mineralls, and distill them into one sublime and purest quintes­sence, yet impossible were it to wash away sinne: or the least dregs of its corruption: Not Galen nor Hippocrates, nor all the Artists, or Naturalists that ever lived on earth could find out, or invent any remedie for sinne; this must be a work of Grace, and not of Nature; yea, and such a grace as neither man nor Angel could afford: Behold then who it is that both admini­sters and takes the receipt prepared; it is man that sinned, and God is become man, that so being both, he might administer it as God, and receive it as man, the same Person, being Physician and Patient, Compounder and Purger.

But, what a wonder is this? Are we a-dying, and must he purge for it? can Physick given to the sound, heal the party that is sick? It was the saying of our Saviour, Matth. 9.12. The whole need not the Physician, but they that are sick, and Christ Jesus for his part is whole indeed, No fault in this man, saith Pilate; Luke 23.14. Matth. 27.19. and he is a just man, said Pilates wife of him: to what end then should he purge that is whole, and we escape it that are sick? O this is to manifest the dearest love of our Soul-Physician, our endeared Saviour; the whole indeed need not the Physician, he needs no physick, no Purge, no Physician at all, but for us he is become a Physician himself, for us he became Physician and Patient: for us he was sick, for us he purged, that we through him might escape that danger of eternall fire.

But how purged he? By himself? Was there none to associ­ate him in this misery? no, he purged by himself] onely, and that without a

• Partner.
• Comforter.

First, without a partner, there was none that laid a finger in the burthen of his Crosse to ease him: why, Blessed Saviour, thou hast Myriads of Angels waiting on Thee, and can they not a little [Page 154] lighten thy heavie yoke? No, the Angels are blessed, but they are finite and limited, and therefore unable to this expiation of sinne.

But what say we of the Saints? if you will believe the Rhe­mists, Rem. Coll. 1. sec. 4. they can tell you that the sufferings of Saints (sanctified in Christs bloud) have not onely a forcible satisfaction for the Church, and its members; but withall they are the accomplish­ments of the wants of Christs passion; an horrible blasphemy: as if Christs were not sufficient in it self, but his wants must be supplyed by the satisfaction of others; my Text tels me, Christ purged by himself,] therefore not by any other, but sufficiently in his own person; and as for that Text they urge against us, Coloss. 1.24. Col. 1.24. Now rejoyce I in my sufferings for you, and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church; whence they argue these two points, first the want of Christs sufferings, and secondly, the abounding of Saints sufferings for the satisfaction of others. To the first we answer, that the afflictions of Christ, which the Apostle saith, I fulfill, are not meant of the afflictions which Christ suffered in his Person, August. tract. in Joh. 108. but in his members, thus Augustine; Non dixit pres­surarum mearum, sed Christi, quia membrum erat Christi, The Apostle saith not, my afflictions, but Christs, because he was a member of Christ, who is usually said to suffer both with, and in his members. To the second we answer, that Pauls sufferings, for his body which is the Church, served not for satisfaction, but for confirmation of their faith; Christi passio nobis sufficit ad salutem, Petri & Pauli contulit ad ex­emplum. Ambr. serm. 66. thus Ambrose, Christs passion sufficeth to salvation, Peter and Pauls passion serve onely for ex­ample; so then if you will have the true sense of the words, they run thus; Now rejoyce I in my sufferings for you, whereby I ful­fill the measure of those tribulations which remain yet to be in­dured of Christ in his mysticall body, which I do for the bodies sake, not to satisfie for it, but to confirm it, or strengthen it in the Gospel of Christ: and good reason have we to admit of this com­ment; otherwise how is Christ a perfect Saviour, if any act of our redemption be left to the performance of any Saint or An­gell? no it is Christ, and onely Christ Jesus, and onely Jesus, nor is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, Acts 4.12. Acts 4.12.

3 But if not Angels, or Saints, what say we of good Works? [Page 155] Cannot they expiate sinne? yea, say our adversaries, they are meritorious, and applicatory; and expiatorie, so here is a three­fold use of them; what? hath Christ purged by himself? and is there any other means whatsoever to expiate sinne? no saith the Apostle, so incompatible are these two, his grace, and our works, that if it be of grace, it is no more of works, Rom. 11.6. or else grace were no more grace; and if it be of works, it is no more grace, or else works were no more works. By grace then ye are saved— not of works, lest any man should boast himself, Ephes. 2.8, 9. Ephes. 2.8, 9.

4 But if no purging by Angels, Saints, nor good works, what say we to purgatory it self? we say it is a fable, or were it an Article of Faith (as the Pontificians affirm) let us have Scri­pture for it; yes saith Roffensis, We went through fire and water, Roffen. contra Luther. art. 37. Psal. 66.12. Psal. 66.12. and Sir Thomas Moor will have more Scripture yet, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water, Zach. 9.11. Zach. 9.11. here are two places for Purgatory, and one saith, there is water, the other saith, there is no water; but to say truth of both the Catholick faith, Aug. hypog. l. 5. tom. 7. resting upon divine authoritie believes heaven and hell, but third place (saith Augustine,) we know none, neither find we in holy Scripture, that there is any such place: neither speaks he onely of places eternall, that are to continue for ever, for he purposely disputes against Limbus pu­erorum: and rejects all places temporary; yea, elsewhere he ac­knowledgeth, there is no middle place at all, Aug. de pec. merit. & re­miss. l. 1. c. 28. Juel. def. Apol. 2. part. but he must needs be with the Devil, that is not with Christ: away then with those paper walls, and painted fires, a bug (could Harding once say) meet onely to fray children; God will have no rivall in sinnes purge, no Angel in Heaven, no Saints, no works on earth, no purgatory under earth, it is he himself will purge it by himself, my text affirms it, (and who dares gainsay it) that he by himself (by no other) hath purged our sinnes.

Some ease it is to have one or other touched with the sense of our miseries, and if they cannot help us, Solamen mi­seriis socios, &c. yet to do what they can (be it onely to condole us) it were a comfortable refresh­ing; [Page 172] ay, but our Saviour finds no refreshing at all, he purged by himself, without a Partner, without a Comforter; not any one one earth or in heaven, that afforded his poor heart any cure or cordiall. First, look on earth, for to them doth he ad­dress that speech in Lamentations, Lament 1.12. is it nothing to you all ye that pass by? the most grievous torments find some mitigation in the supply of friends, and what friends hath our Saviour to comfort him in his torments?

1 If you say the Gentiles; I must confess he found faith in some, and a seeming favour from others: the Centurion is witness of the one, of whom our Saviour himself confessed, I have not found so great faith no not in Israel, Matth. 8.10. Matth. 8.10. and Pilate gives a token of the other, when he took water, and wa­shed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the bloud of this just man, Matth. 27, 24 Matth. 27.24. but alas! did Pilate so favour him as to free him? no, he fears to condemn him being innocent, and yet dares not absolve him, being so envyed as he was by the Iewes; what then can a little water? what can Ior­dans floods? what can rivers of wine, and oile do, towards the washing of those hands, that had power to release him and would not? he knew they had delivered him of envy, Matth. 27.18. Matth. 27.18. he confesses, I find no fault in this man, Luk. 23.14. Luk. 23.14. he tells him that he had power to crucifie him, and he had power to loose him, Iohn 19.10. Joh. 19.10. and yet fondly would he wash away the guilt of his unjust sentence, with a little water on his hands; no Pilate, that ceremony cannot wash away thy sin, that sin I mean, which thou and the Gentiles in thee committed, in delive­ring of Jesus to the will of the Iewes. Luk. 23.25.

2 But if delivered to the Iewes, sure it is well enough; he is their Country-man, Kinsman, of the stock of Abraham, of the Tribe of Juda, of the Family of Ioseph; but this rather ag­gravates then allaies his misery, that his own people should de­generate into Traitors: not a Gentile, but a Jew to be his Executioner: what torment had not been a lenitive, and a recreation in comparison of this? Daniels Den, the three Chil­drens Furnace, Esays wooden Saw, Israels fiery Serpents, the Spanish Inquisition, the Romish Purgatory, are all as far short in torture, as the last of them in truth, to the malice of a Iew, witness our Saviours death, when they all conspired not [Page 173] onely to scourge him, mock him, buffet him, slay him; but to slay him in such a manner, as to hang him on nailes, and to make the Cross his Gibbet,

1 But what? no comforter amongst them all? do the Gen­tiles condemn him? will the Jewes crucifie him? and is there none to pity him? Yes, what say we of his Disciples, that heard him, followed him, Luk. 10.1. and were sent of him by two and two into every City and place, whether he himself should come? Would you think that these seventy, Luk. 10.17. (for they were so many in number) which for a time did his Embassage with joy, would now have forsaken him? yes, if you mark it, many of them went back, Joh. 6.66. and would walk no more with him. some stumble at his Doctrine, others at his passion, but all were offended, as it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scatte­red, Matth. 26.31. Matth. 26.31.

Yet if the Gentiles reject him, they do but like Gentiles who were ignorant of God; if the Iewes hate and maligne him, Matth. 23.31. it is but their old wont of killing the Prophets; if the Disciples that are weaker, faint, and waver in faith, Matth. 8.26. it was no more then was said of them: O ye of little faith! but what say we to the twelve Apostles, those Secretaries of his mysteries, stewards of his mercies, almners of his bounties, will they also go away, and leave him comfortless alone? no, can Peter say, Master, to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of eternall life, Ioh. 6.68. Joh. 6.68. or if he will have deeper protestations; I am ready to go with thee (saith Peter) into prison and to death, Luk. 22.33. Luk. 22.33. to death? yes, though I die with thee, I will not deny thee, and thus said all his Disciples, Matth. 26.35. Matth: 26.35. and yet like Ionas Gourd, when the Sun beates hottest, how soon are they all gone, and vani­shed away? loe one betrays him, another forswears him, all run from him, and leave him alone in the midst of all his ene­mies.

5 And yet if his Apostles leave him, what say we to Mary his mother, and other his friends? these indeed wait on him, seeing, sighing, wailing, weeping, but alas! what do those tears but increase his sorrows? might he not justly say with Paul, What mean yee to weep and to break my heart? Act. 21.13. Acts 21.13. Pity, and of all other feminine pity, it is the poorest, helpless salve of mi­sery; but howsoever it was to others, this was so far from any [Page 174] salve to him, as 'tis one of his greatest, tenderest sores about him: Luk. 23.28. Daughters of Ierusalem, weep not for me, but weep for your selves, and your children. O see the wonder of compassi­on which he bears to others in his passion; he hath more care of the women that follow him weeping, then on his own man­gled self, that reels along fainting and bleeding even unto death, the tears that drop from their eyes is more to him, then all the bloud in his veins, and therefore careless (as it were) of his own sacred person, he turns about his blessed bleeding face to the weeping women, Luk. 23.38. affording them looks and words too of com­passion, of consolation, weep not for mee, but weep for your selves and your children: But O blessed Saviour, didst thou flow unto us in showrs of Bloud, and may not we drop a tear for all those purple streams of thine? yes Lord, thou dost not here forbid us weeping, onely thou turnest the stream of our tears the right way; that is to say, homewards into our own bosomes, pointing us to our sins, the truest cause of thy suffe­rings.

6 But as for comfort to our Saviour, whence (trow ye) may it come? if we compass the earth, the Gentiles, Iewes, his Disci­ples, Apostles, Mary his own Mother, and all other his friends, they are but as Iobs miserable comforters all; but let us go up into heaven, John 16.2. and there (if any where) be his comforters indeed: alas! what comforters? If you imagine the Angels, it is true they could attend him in the Desart, and comfort him in the Garden, but when he came to the main act of our Redempti­on, not an Angell must be seen: how, not seen? no, they must not so much as look through the windows of heaven to give him any ease at all; nor indeed were it to any purpose if they should; for who can lift up, where the Lord will cast down? O yee blessed Angels, how is it that your Hallelujahs cease? that your songs which you warbled at his birth, are finished at his death; that your glorious company, which are the delight of happy souls is denied to him, who is the Lord and Maker both of you and them: why, thus it must be for our sakes: I am full of heaviness (said our Saviour in his type) and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none, Psal. 69, 20. Psal. 69.20.

7 And yet if the Angels be no comforters, he hath a Father in [Page 175] heaven that is nearer to him: Ioh. 10.30. I and my father are one (saith our Saviour) and it is my Father that honoureth mee, Ioh. 8.34. Iohn 8.34. it is my Father that loveth me, Ioh. 10.17. Iohn 10.17. it is my Father that dwelleth in me, Ioh. 14.10. Iohn 14.10. and howsoever others forsake mee, and leave me alone; (as himself proclaims it) yet I am not alone, because the Father is with mee, Ioh. 16.32. Iohn 16.32. Is it so, (sweet Sa­viour) whence then was that sorrowfull complaint of thine; My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matth. 27.46. Leo it is that first reconciled it, and all antiquity allow of it: the union was not disolved, but the beames, the influence was restrained: Non solvit u­nionem, sed subtraxit vi­sionem. Scotus 4. sent. D. 46. Q. 4. resp. ad princip. argum. Affe­ctione justitiae (saith Scotus) he was ever united to his Father, because he ever loved, trusted, and glorified him; but affectio­ne commodi, that delight ever emergent from that divine visi­on, was for a time suspended, and therefore was it that his body drooped, his soul fainted, he being even as a scorched Heath-ground, without any drop of dew of the divine comfort on it.

8 Yet be it that his Father now forsakes him, will he forsake himself? O yes! he burns in the fiery furnace of affliction, without all manner of refreshing; and this was it that was fi­gured in the Law, by those two Goats offered for the sins of the people; whereof the one was the Scape-Goat, and the other was the Offering: the scape-goat departed away, and was sent into the wilderness, but her companion was left alone in the torments, and made a Sin-Offering for the people: even so was this Sacrifice of God-man, man-God, blessed for ever, the hu­manity was offered, but the divinity escaped; the humanity suffered for the sins of the world, but the divinity departed away in the midst of sufferings, and left her sister and compani­on all alone in the torments: thus he purged himself, himself onely in his humanity, no other with him, all other left him; the Gentiles, Jewes, Disciples, Apostles, Mary his mother, and God his Father, nay he himself is bereaved of himself, Levit. 16.10. the humanity of his divinity, if not in respect of the union, yet as touching the consolation, When he had by himself] (in his humane nature, without any comforter) purged our sins.

Ʋse. I will take the cup of salvation (saith David) and call upon the Name of the Lord, Psal. 116.13. Psal. 116.13 and vvhat can vve less? if our Saviour hath begun to us in pains, shall not vve afford him our thanks? the Cup of death could not passe from him, and must the Cup of Salvation be removed from us? Psal. 148.2. O praise him, praise him all his Hosts: hovvsoever he vvas alone in his sufferings, let us all bear the burdens in a song of thanksgiving, and in this song let us singing vveep, and vveeping sing; our sins may dravv the tears vvhich vvere the cause of his sufferings, and our salvation may make us sing, vvhich those his sufferings did effect: vvhat needs more? he suffered by himself] the cause our sins, the effect our salvation; let us mourn for the one, and praise him for the other; praise him, and him alone, for he had no partner in his sufferings, nor vvill he have any in our thanks, he had no comforter in his miseries, nor must any share vvith him, in the duty vve ovve him of praising his Name: Alas, have vve not reason (think you) to give all the glory unto him? it vvas he that suffered that vvhich vve deserved he purged by him­self] vvhen vve our selves lay sick of sin, in perill of death and damnation; thus gracious is he to us, that vvhen there vvas no other remedy for our recovery, then he by himself in our stead, came, and purged our sins.

Had purged.]

YOu see vvho it is that hath freed us from sin, to vvit, Christ our Saviour vvithout a Compurgator; he purged by him­self] but vvhat did he by himself? do vve say he purged? vvhat need he to purge, vvho never committed any sinn in thought, vvord, or deed? it is vvithout doubt he needs not, and yet do it he vvill, not to clear himself, but us.

But this Purge doth imply a medicine, and so vve must ap­ply [Page 177] it, a medicine it was, and many medicines he used for the curing of mans soul; the first by diet, when he fasted fourty days and foruty nights. Matth. 4.2. Matth. 4.2. the second by Electuary, when he gave his most precious body and bloud in his last Supper, Matth. 26.26. Matth. 26.26. The third by sweat, when great drops of bloud issued from him falling down to the ground, Luk. 22.44. Luk. 22.44. The fourth by plaister, when he was spit upon by the Iewes, Mark 15.19. Mar. 15.19. The fifth by potion, when he tasted vinegar mingled with gall, Matth. 27.34. Matth. 27.34. The sixth by letting of bloud, when his hands and feet were pierced, yea, when his heart vein was stricken, and his side goared with a Spear, Ioh. 19.34. Joh. 19.34. the last (which contains all the rest) was by purge, when by all his suffe­rings (and especially by his bloud-shed) he washed us from our sins, Revel. 1.5. Revel. 1.5. Here was the cures of all cures which all the Ga­lenists in the world may admire with reverence, that our Lord and Saviour should become our surety, that our soul-Physician should become our Purger: how? not by giving us Physick, but by receiving it for us; we (miserable wretches) lay sick of sin, and he (our Physician) hath by himself purged and delivered us of it.

But that we may the better see how this Purge wrought with him, we must know, that purging in generall, Observ. is taken for any evacuation whatsoever: and to say truth in a word, the eva­cuation of Christs bloud was the right purging of our sins. Hence is it, that (as Scriptures affirm) the bloud of Christ doth redeem us, cleanse us, wash us, justifie us, sanctifie us: Yee were re­deemed by his bloud, 1 Pet. 1.19. 1 Pet. 1.19. and his bloud cleanseth us from all sin, 1 Joh. 1.7. 1 Ioh. 1.7. and he washed us from our sins in his bloud, Revel. 1.5. Rev. 1.5. and being now justified by his bloud, Rom. 5.9. Rom. 5.9. and therefore Iesus suffered, that he might sanctifie the people with his own bloud, Heb. 13.12. Heb. 13.12. This bloud was it that was be­lieved by the Patriarchs, witnessed by the Sacrifices, shadowed in the figures of the Law, exspected of all the faithfull from the beginning of the world; and therefore the Apostle concludeth, almost all things are by the Law purged with bloud, and with­out shedding of bloud is no remission, Heb. 9.22. Heb. 9.22. It is true, Christ purged by his death and other his sufferings, and yet are all these contained in the shedding of his bloud: this bloud is the foundation of true Religion, for other foundati­on [Page 178] can no man lay. Wherefore neither was the first Testament ordained without bloud, 1 Cor. 3.11. Heb. 9.18. Heb. 9.18. Nor is the new Testament otherwise sealed, then with bloud, Matth. 26.28. Matth. 26.28. What needs more? If the bloud of Buls and of Goates (in the old Testament) sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the bloud of Christ (in the new Testament) purge your Consciences from dead works, to serve the living God. Heb. 9.13, 14. Heb. 9.13, 14. O sweet bloud of our Saviour that purgeth our Consciences, evacuates our dead works, restores us to our God, will bring us unto hea­ven.

Esay 63.2.But O my Saviour, wherefore art thou red in thy apparell, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? is it thy precious bloud that hath given this hew? yes, an hew often dip­ped in the Wine-fat, and that we may the better see the colour, let us distinguish the times when his Bloud was shed for us.

Sixe times, saith a Adams Cru­cifix. Modern: seven times, saith Bern. de pas­sione Domini. cap. 36. Bernard, did Christ shed his bloud for us; and (to reduce them into or­der) the first was at his Circumcision, when his name Iesus was given him, which was so named of the Angell, before he was conceived in the womb; Luk. 2.21. Bern. ibid. and was this without Mistery? no (saith Bernard) for by the effusion of his bloud he was to be our Iesus, our Saviour. Blessed Jesu! how ready art thou for the Sacrifice? What? but eight days old, and then to shed thy bloud for the salvation of our souls? Maturum hoc Martyrium, here is a mature Martyrdome indeed. It is a superstition took up with the Aegyptians and Arabians, Ambros. l. 2. de patriarch. A­braham. that Circumcision should fright away devils: and the Iewes have a conceit not much unlike: for when the child is Circumcised, one stands by which a vessell full of dust into which they cast the Praepuce: the meaning of it is, that whereas it was the curse of the Serpent, Dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy life: Gen. 3.14. Pet. Mart loc. com. class. 4. c. 7. Symbol. Ruffini Tomo Jerony­mi. 4. they suppose therefore the Praepuce (or fore skin) being cast into the dust, the Devill by that Covenant eates his own meat, and so departs from the child. But howsoever they erre, of this we are sure, that Christ delivered his flesh as a bait to Sathan, held him fast with the hook of his Divinity through the shedding of his bloud; this bloud was it first shed at his Circumcision; and we cannot ima­gine it a little pain, seeing the flesh was cut with a sharp stone which made Zipporah to cry out against Moses, Surely a blou­dy [Page 179] husband art thou to mee: what a love is this, that Christ newly born should so early shed his bloud? Exod. 4.25. but all was for our sakes, for the salvation of our souls.

2 You see one vein opened, but in his second effusion not one, but all the veins in his body fell a bleeding at once, and this was at his passion in the garden, when (as the Evangelist testifies) he fell into an agony, and his sweat was like drops of bloud, trickling down to the ground: here is a physick-purgative indeed, Luk. 22.44. when all his body evacuates sweat like drops of bloud: but what? be the pleurisie never so great, how strange is the phlebotomy? it seems not to consult where the sign lies, you see all his body fals at once to sweating and bleeding, not is the cure less strange then the physick; for we had surfetted, and it is he that purgeth; we had the fever, and it is he that sweats and bleeds for the recove­ry of our health; did you ever hear of such a remedy as this? oft-times a bleeding in the head (say Physicians) is best stop by stri­king a vein in the foot; but here the malady is in the foot, and the remedy in the head; we (silly wretches) lay sick of sin, and Christ our Saviour purgeth it out by a sweat like drops of bloud trickling down to the ground: here is a wonder, no violence is offered, no labour is sustained, he is abroad too in the raw ayr, and laid down groveling on the cooler earth, or if all this be not enough to keep him from sweating, the night is cold (so cold that hardi­er souldiers were fain to have a fire within doors) and yet not­withstanding all this, he sweats saith the Text: how sweats? it is not sudor diaphoreticus, a thin faint sweat, but grumosus, of great drops, and those so many, so violent, as they pierce not onely his skin, but clothes too, trickling down to the ground in great abundance; and yet may all this fall within the compasse of a naturall possibility. But a sweat of bloud puts all reason to silence, yea, saith Hilary, it is again nature to sweat bloud, Contra natu­ram est sudare sanguinem. Hillar. l. 10. trinitate. and yet (howsoever nature stands agast) the God of nature goes thus far, that in a cold night (which naturally draws bloud in­wards) he sweats without heat, and bleeds without a wound. See all his body is besprinckled with a Crimson dew, the very veins and pores, not waiting the tormentors fury, pour out a showr of bloud upon the suddain; foul sin that could not be clen­sed save onely by such a bath! what? must our surfets be thus sweat out by our Saviour? Yes (saith Bernard) we sin, and our [Page 180] Saviour weeps for it, Bern. in ramis Palmarum, serm. 3. not onely with his eyes, but with all the parts of his bodie: and why so? but to this end, That the whole body of his Church might be purged with the tears of his whole body. Come then ye sons of Adam, and see your Redeemer in this heavie case! if such as be kind and loving are wont (when they come to visit their friends in death or danger) to observe their countenance, to consider their colour, and other accidents of their bodies; tell me, ye that in your Contemplations behold the face of your Saviour; What think you when you see in him such wonderfull, strange, and deadly signes? our sweat (howso­ever caused) is most usuall in the face or forehead; but our Sa­viour sweats in all his bodie, and how then was that face of his disfigured when it stood all on dros, and the drops not of a wa­trie sweat, but of scarlet bloud? O my heart! how canst thou but rend into a thousand pieces? O my beloved! well may our eies shed tears at this, when his veins thus shed their bloud for us.

3 But here is yet a third effusion of bloud, and that (as Ber­nard tels us) was in vellicatione genarum in the nippings and tearings of his sacred cheeks, Bern. de Pass. Dom. c. 38. to this bears the Prophet witness, Esay 50.6. Esay 50.6. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to the nippers; or as our later Translation, I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: whether his cheeks were torn, or his beard plucked off, some vary in opinion: Ber­nard thinks both might be true; Bern. ibid. or howsoever we believe, most probable it is, that neither of them could be effected without ef­fusion of hloud. And now me thinks I see that face fairer then the sonnes of men spit on by the Jews; nor is their scorn with­out some cruelty; for in the next Scene they exercise their fists, which that they may do with more sport to them, and spight to him, Luke 22.64. they first blindfold him, and then smiting him on the face, they bid him read who it is that strikes him; and yet (as if white­nesse of their spittle, and blewness of their strokes, had not caused enough colours) they once more die his rosie countenance in a bloudy red; to this end do they nip his cheeks with their nails, and (as others) pluck off his hair with their fingers, where­by streams and stroaks of bloud run down his cheeks, and drop down at his chin to his lower garments: O sweet face of our Sa­viour, what mean these sufferings, but to tell us, if ever confusion cover our face for him, that we consider then how bloud and sweat thus covered his face for us.

4 But yet here's a fourth effusion at his Coronation; the blows drew not bloud enough from his f [...]ot, and therefore the tho [...]s must fetch more from his head. If mine adv [...]sary (says Iob) should write a book against me, s [...]ely I would take it upon my shoulder, and binde it as [...], [...]b 31.36. Job 31.36. the [...] in stead of (writing a book, the [...] own, and see how our Saviour [...]i [...] it to [...]; not onely on his shoulder as [...] to bear it, but on his h [...]d too, as a Crown, to [...] it [...] but neither is it for triu [...] onely, but for torture, it is a Crown woven of boughs, deck'd with thorns, and [...] of bloud in lieu of precious stones. O Jes [...] [...] thy ci [...]t [...]e [...] [...] thy scepter, th [...]se [...] [...] ­ple died with bloud, thy royall Robes Is [...]nkfull people [...] watred with his bloud, that bring forth nothing but h [...]i [...]s and thorns, to crown him: but wherefore [...] save onely to crush into his tender hand? and to this [...] they do not onely stick his head full [...], but after they [...], to fasten the crown better, they strike him on the head their reeds, or [...], Matth. 27.30. are [...] not like [...] (at the Country afforded) stronger and greater to [...] his [...] with more ease; and see here [...] not [...] heavier and soli­der ( [...] and plenty of them) to [...] and hammer that crown of thorns deeper and deeper into his head: O [...] ima­gine, Ne hic puto ri­vos sanguinis defuisse. Bern. de pass. Dom. c. 39. what streams of bloud gushed [...] sharp prickled were shot in [...] less then [...] on his neck, his face, his shoulders; and [...] [...]is [...] u [...] member of that Head, his h [...] [...] down upon all his members.

And his head [...]ein [...], they [...] of bloud issuing out of his [...] the whips wherewith [...] his sa­cred sides [...] a [...]ter [...]? Consider (I pray you) [...] strip our Saviour of his [...] [...]nd [...] his holy body to a pillar? he (poor [...]) [...] [...]he, without any friends to [...] [...]im, whilest they strike [...]n their [...] again and again full [...] leave a drop of bloud in all his body wh [...] [...] in all [Page 182] this? the Law of Moses commanded that Malefactors should be beaten with whips, and it shall be if the wicked be worthy to be beaten, that the judg shall cause him to lye down, and to be bea­ten before his face according to his fault by a certain number: what number? forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed, lest if he should exceed and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee, Deut. 25.2, 3. Deut. 25.2, 3. Thus indeed were the Iews tied, but the G [...]tiles neither bound by law, nor moved with compassion, [...] exceed this number; I have read that he received no lesse then 5400 stripes; S. Gert. l. 4. di­vin. insinuat. c. 35. which if we consider these things, is not altogether improbable. First, the law of beating; that every guilty should be stricken by every one of the Souldiers, a free-man with staves, and a bond-man with whips. Secondly, the cause of this Law, that the body of him that was to be crucified, should be disfigured, that the na­kedness should not move the beholders to any dishonest thoughts, when they should see nothing pleasing or beautifull, but all things torn and full of commiseration. Thirdly, the purpose of Pilate who hoped to spare his life, by this so great cruelty used against him. Fourthly, the great care and haste which the Priests used in carrying of the crosse, lest Christ should have died before he was crucified: every one of these reasons argue an unreasonable whipping, which our poor Savi­our endured. But (O joy of the Angels, and glory of Saints) who hath thus disfigured thee? who hath thus defiled thee with so many bloudy blows? certainly they were not thy sins, but mine, that have thus evill entreated thee: it was love and mercy that compast thee about, for I should have suffered, but to prevent this, thy mercy moves thee, and so thou takest upon thee all my miseries.

6 But all this will not satisfie the Iews, Behold the man, said Pilate to them, Joh. 19.5. when he thought to have pacified their wrath by that dolefull sight, but this nothing moved them, though (presently after) it moved rocks and stones to shiver in pieces: Behold then a sixth effusion of bloud, when his hands and feet were pierced thorow with nails: he bears indeed upon his shoul­ders an heavy and weighty cross of fifteen foot long, which must needs (say some) cause a great and grievous wound, but (to omit that which is questionable) here be those wofull sufferings; now come the barbarous inhumane hang-men, and begin to [Page 183] lose his hands that were tied to the p [...]st, to tie them to (a wor­ser pillory) the cross, then strip they off his gore-glued cloaths, which did so cleave to his mangled battered back, that they pull off cloathes and skin together: nay, yet more (and how [...], I say it without tears for [...]n,) the cross is ready, and nothing wanting but a measure for the holes; down therefore they lay him on it, and though the print of his bloud gives them a true length, yet spitefully they take it longer, that so they may stretch and rack him on the cross, till you may tell his bones. Psal. 22.17. And now all fitted, his hands and feet are bored, the greatness of whose wounds David fore-shewed by those words, They digged my hands and my feet, Psal. 22.16. Psal. 22.16. Socrat. l. 1. c. 17. And well may we think so, for (as Ecclesiasticall History reports) so big were the very nailes, that Constantine made of them an helmet, and a bridle. O then what pain is this, when all the weight of his body must hang on four nailes, and they [...]o be driven (not into the least sensible parts, but) thorow his hands and his feet, the most sinew it, and therefore more sensible p [...]rts of all other what­soever; yet to hang thus for a time were (it may be) somewhat tollerable, but thus he hangs till he dies, and so the longer he continues, the wider go his wounds, and the fresher is his tor­ture. And now (my brethren) behold and see, Lam. 1.12. if there were ever any sorrow like unto this sorrow: alas! what else appears in him, but bleeding veins, bruised shoulders, scourged sides, fur­rowed back, harrowed temples, digged hands and feet? digged, I say, not with small pins, but with rough boystrous nailes, and how then shot the bloud from those hands and feet thus digged, Cant. 2.1. Bern. de pass. Dom. c. 41. and digged thorow? O, I am the rose of Sharon, it is truly said of Christ, Look on one hand, and on the other, and you may find roses in both; look on one foot, and on the other, and you may find roses in either; In a word, look all over his body, and it is all over rosie, and ruddy in bloud.

7 Can we any more? yes, after all these showrs of bloud, here is one more effusion; for after his death, Longinus Bi­shop of Cap­padocia Teste Herle Contemplati­ons on Christs passi­on. One of the souldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there [...]t bloud and water, Ioh. 19.34. Joh. 19.34. The Souldier that gave this wound (they say) was a blind man, but our Saviours bloud springing out on his eyes, restored him to his sight, and so he became a Convert, a Bishop, and a Martyr: a strange cure, where the Physician [Page 184] must bleed, but so full of virtue was this bloud, that by it we are all saved. And yet (O Saviour) why didst thou flow to us in so many streams of bloud? one drop had been enough for the world, but thy love is without measure. Physicians are usually liberall of other mens bloud, but sparing of their own; here it is not so: for in stead of the Patients arm, it is the Physicians own side that bleeds; in stead of a lancet here is a spear, and that in the hand of a blind Chirurgeon: yet as blind as he was, how right doth he hit the very vein of his heart? that heart where never dwelt deceit, see how how it runs bloud and water for our sinnes, here is the fountain of his Sacraments, the be­ginning of our happinesse: O gate of heaven! O window of Pa­radise! O place of refuge! O tower of strength! O sanctuary of the just! O flourishing bed of the Spouse of Solomon! who is not ravished at the running of this stream? me thinks I still see the bloud gushing out of his sides, more freshly and fully then those sweet golden streams which run out of Eden to wa­ter the whole world. But is it his hearts bloud? what? keeps he nothing whole without him, nor within him? his Apostles are scattered in the garden, his garments at the crosse, his bloud how many wheres? his skin they have rent with their whips, his ears with their blasphemies, his back with their fur­rows, his hands and feet with their nails, and will they yet have his heart too cloven with a spear? what a wonderfull thing is this, that after all those sufferings he must have one wound more? why (Lord) what means this open cleft and wound with­in thee? what means this stream and river of thy hearts-bloud? O it is I that sinned, and to wash it away, his heart runs bloud and water in abundance.

Ʋse. And be our sinnes thus purged? Lord in what miserable case lay we, that Christ our Saviour must endure all this for us! were our sinnes infinite, for which none could satisfie but our infinite God? were not our iniquities as the sands, for which no lesse then an Ocean of bloud could serve to cover them? sure here [Page 185] is a motive (if nothing else) to draw from us the confession of our manifold sins. Lord, we have sinned, we have sinned grie­vously, heavily, and with a mighty hand; and what now remains, but that we never cease weeping, crying, praying, beseeching, till we get our pardon sealed in the bloud of Christ? O beloved! let me entreat you for Christs sake, for his blouds sake, for his deaths sake, that you will repent you of your sinnes which have put him to these torments: and to this end I shall entreat you thus to order your repentance: 1 First (after confession of your manifold sinnes) look upon him whom you have pierced; and by your meditation supposing him to lie afore you, weep, and weep over him, whom you see, by your sinnes, thus clothed in his bloud. Why thus shall it be with the house of David, Zach. 12.10. Zach. 12.10, 11. I will poure upon the house of David (saith God) and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace, and of sup­plications, and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one that mourneth for his onely sonne; and be sorrie for him, as one that is sorry for his first-born: in that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. What is the house of David? and what are the inhabitants of Jerusa­lem, but the elect people of God? and if you be of that num­ber, then do you look on him whom you have pierced, and mourn for him, or mourn over him, as one that mourneth for his onely sonne, yea, be sorrie for him, or be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first-born. Is it not time, think you? do you not see how every part of our Saviour bleeds afore you, his head bleeds, his face bleeds, his arms bleed, his hands bleed, his heart bleeds, his back bleeds, his belly bleeds, his thighs bleed, his legs bleed, his feet bleed: and what makes all this bloud-shed but our sinnes, our sinnes? O that this day, for this cause, we would make a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon! O weep, or if you will not weep for him, yet weep for your selves, and your own sinnes: alas, have you not cause? your sins were his murtherers, and your hands by your sins were imbrued in his bloud.

2 Secondly, stay not here, but when you have mourned and wept over your Saviour, then hate those sinnes that wrought this evil on your Saviour. Which that you may do [Page 186] effectually, send your thoughts a far off, and see your Saviour in his circumcision, in the garden, and when you have done so, then follow him a little further; behold the tears in his eies, and the clodded bloud that came from him when his cheeks were nipped, his head crowned, his back scourged, his hands and feet nailed, his side opened: and then, O then see if you can love those sins that have done all this villany! love them, said I: no (if you have any share in Christ) I hope you will rather be re­venged on your sins, rather you will every one say, O my pride, and my stubbornness, and my looseness, and my uncleanness, and my drunkenness, these were the nailes, and the whips, and the spear that drew bloud from my Saviour, therefore let me be for ever revenged of this proud, subborn, rebellious heart of mine own; let me for ever loath my sin, because it brought all this sorrow on my Saviour. Is not this ordinary with men? should any one murther your Father or friend, whom you highly regarded and honoured, would you brook his sight, or endure his company? nay, would not your hearts rise against him? would you not prosecute the Law to the uttermost? and if you might be the Executioner, would you not wound him and mangle him, and at every stroak cry out, Thou wast the death of my Father, thou wast the death of my Father: and is the heart of a man thus in­raged against him, that hath but murthered his friend or his father? O then how should your hearts be transported with infinite indignation (not against the man but) against sinne that hath shed the precious bloud of your father, your Master, your God, your King, your Saviour? O follow, follow, after these sins with an Hue and Cry, bring them to the Bar, set them be-the Tribunall of that great Judge of heaven, and cry, Iustice Lord, justice against these sins of mine; these slew my Saviour, Lord slay them; these crucified my Saviour, Lord crucifie them: Why thus persue and never leave them, untill (if it possible may may) you see these sins bleed their last; never think you have done enough, but still give your corruptions one hack more, confess your sins once more and say, Lord, this pride, and this stubbornness, and this looseness of heart, these are they that killed my Saviour, and I will be revenged of them.

3 Thirdly, stay not here neither, but when you have mourned for your sins, and sought revenge on them, then by Faith cast [Page 187] them all on the Lord Jesus Christ; ease your own souls of them, and hurle your care on him that careth for you all. Certainly, there is no way to wash you clean from your sin, but onely by Christs blood, and how must you apply this but by Faith? now then, in the last place have faith, rence your soul (as it were) in the bloud of this immaculate Lamb, and though you are pol­luted and defied, yet (questionless) the bloud of Jesus Christ will purge you from all sin: Heb. 9.13, 14. If the bloud of Buls and Goats (saith the Apostle) and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean, sancti­fieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the bloud of Christ, who through the eternall Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works, to serve the living God: You may talk of a Purgatory, why here is the Purgatory, that true Purgatory, the fountain that is laid open for the house of Iudah to wash in; and I pray you mark it, it is not onely for justification, but being applyed by faith, as effe­ctuall for sanctification; not onely for the expiation of sin, that it be not laid to your charge, but withall to purge your Consci­ences from dead works to serve the living God. O then (as you tender your souls) believe, and cast your selves upon Christ for salvation, and for pardon of sins: Do you not see him bleeding on the Cross? Do you not hear him graciously offering to receive your sin-wearied souls into his bleeding wounds? what should you do then but cast your selves, with all the spirituall strength that you can (at least with infinite longings, and most hearty desires) into the bosome of your Saviour? say with your selves, the fountain is opened, and here will we bathe for ever: Come life or come death, come heaven or come hell, come what come can, here will we stick for ever: nay, if you must perish, tell God and man, Angels and devils, they shall pluck you out of the hands, and rent you from between the armes of your blessed bleeding Redeemer, your soul-purging Saviour. Thus if you believe, you need not to droop for your sins, but to go on with comfort to everlasting happiness; the bloud of Christ (no question) will make way for you into heaven: Yea, (saith the Apostle) by the bloud of Iesus we may boldly enter into the holy places, by the new and living way which he hath prepared for us, Heb. 10.19.20. through the veile which is his flesh. Such is the blessed fruit of this bloud, and the Lord make it effectuall unto us, to bring us [Page 188] into heaven, even for his sake who by himself thus purged our sins.

Our sins.]

SIn is our sickness, and to cure us of it, the Law yields corra­sives, the Gospell lenitives, but especially Christ yields that Physick Purgative, which evacuates sin. To consider Christ as a man of sorrows, and not a Saviour of sinners; were but a me­lancholick contemplation; to behold his wounds, and not so to think on 'em as they were our selves, addes but more sorrows to our other miseries; but when we call to mind that his bloud was our ransome, that his stripes were our cures, then with all our hearts we pray, his bloud be upon us and our children. And why not, this bloud (saith the Apostle) speaks better things then the bloud of Abel. Heb. 12.24. For Ables bloud cryed revenge, but Christs bloud speaks mercy; and (to our comfort be it spoken) if God heard the servant, he will much rather hear the son: yea, if he heard his servant for spilling, how much more will he hear his Son for saving, and regaining our souls? In the words are two parts,

1. The ill hu [...]our evacuated, Sin.]

2. The extent of this sin, it is mine, yours, Ours,] every ones.

What is it but Sin] which our Saviour purged? this is that ill humour derived from our Parents, inherent in our selves, im­puted to our Saviour, and therefore (saith the Prophet) he bare the sins of many, Esay 53.12. Esay 53.12. to who [...] agrees the Apostle, that he his own self bare our sins in his own body, 1 Pet. 2.24. 1 Pet. 2.24. What a load then lay on his shoulders; when all our sins, the sins of all the world were fastened upon him? one mans sin is enough to sink him into hell; and had not our Saviour intervened, every one of us had known by a wofull experience, how heavy sin [Page 189] would have been upon the soul of each man: but (O happie we!) the snare is broken, and we are delivered. To prevent sins effect, Christ Jesus hath purged and washed it away.

And is this all the matter wherefore our Saviour suffered? was sinne all the disease of which he laboured, when he had by himself purged? yes, it was all, and if we consider it rightly, we may think it enough to cause sufferings in him, when merely for its sake God was so wroth against us. O loathsome sinne, more ugly in the sight of God, then is the foulest Creature in the sight of man! he cannot away with it, nor (so righteous are his wayes) could he save his own Elect because of it, but by killing his own sonne: Imagine then what a sicknesse is sinne, when nothing but the bloud of the sonne of God could cure it: ima­gine what a poyson is sin, when nothing but a spirituall Methri­date, compounded and confected of the best bloud that ever the world had, could heal it: we need not any further to consider its nature, but onely to think of it, how hatefull it was to God, how hurtfull to his Sonne, how damnable to men.

Ʋse. And was it Sinne he purged? this may teach us how hatefull sinne is, that put him thus to his Purge: Every sinne is a nail, a thorn, a spear, and every sinner a Jew, a Judas, a Pilate: how­soever then we may seek to shift it on others, yet are we found the principall in this act our selves; you know it is not the Exe­cutioner that properly kils the man, sin onely is the murtherer, yea, our sinnes onely are the crucifyers of the Lord of glory: yea, (if you will please to hear me) I will yet say more, our sinnes onely did not crucifie him, but do crucifie him afresh, Heb. 6.6. Heb. 6.6. and herein how farre do we exceed the crueltie of the Jews? then his body was passible and mortall, but now it is glorified and immortall; they knew not what they did, 1 Cor. 2.8. for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory: but we know well enough what we do and say too: they buried Christ in the earth, and the third day he rose again from the dead; but we through sinne so bury him in oblivion, that not once in three dayes, three weeks he ariseth, or shineth in our hearts; O shame of Christians to forget so great a mercie! O sinne past shame to crucifie afresh the Sonne of God! Think of it (beloved) sin is the death of Christ, and would you not hate him that kills your brother, your father, your Master, your King, your God? [Page 190] beware then of sinne, that does it all at a blow! and if you are tempted to it; suppose with your selves that you saw Christ Jesus coming towards you, wrapt in linnens, bound with a ker­cher, and crying after you in this gastly manner: beware, take heed what you do, once have your sinnes most vilely murthered me, but now seeing my wounds are whole again, do not (I beseech you) rub and revive them with your multiplyed sinnes; pity, pity me your Jesus, save me your Saviour, once have I dyed, and had not that one death been sufficient, I would have dyed a thousand deaths more to have saved your souls, why then do you sin again to re­new my sufferings? O my Saviour, who will not leave to sinne that but hears thy voice in the gardens? Cant. 7.13. lo the companions hear­ken unto thy voice, cause me to hear it: it is I that have sinned, and if this be the fruit of it, let me rather be torn of beasts, be devoured of Worms, be violently pulled or haled with racks, then wittingly, or wilfully commit a sinne.

Secondly, he purged sinne, whose; but our sinne: and this tels us of the universality of this gracious benefit, together with its limitation.

First, of the universality: he tasted of death for every man, Heb. 2.9. Heb. 2.9. and he gave himself a ransome for all men, 1 Tim. 2.6. 1 Tim. 2.6. and he purged our sinnes, saith my Text; what, ours onely? no, saith the Apostle, he is the propitiation not for our sinnes onely, but for the sinnes of the whole world, 1 John 2.2. 1 John 2.2. You will say, all do not actually receive the fruit of his death; you say indeed truly, but I wonder through whose default: Our blessed Savi­our, what is he but like a Royall Prince, who having many of his subjects in captivity of thraldome under a Forrein enemie, pays a full ransome for every one of them, and then sending forth his Embassadours, he woes them to return to their home, and to enjoy their libertie; some there are that reject the offer, they will rather serve the enemy then return to the freedome of their Lord; and are these all the thanks they give their Redeemer? O sweet Saviour! he made, upon the crosse a full, perfect, and suffi­cient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sinnes of the world, but not all receive the benefit, because many by their own deme­rit have made themselves unworthy; and yet howsoever some despise liberty, Num. 11.23. is the arm of the Lord shortned? no see his arms spread on the Crosse to embrace all; and here is the universality of this gracious benefit.

Ʋse. The use hereof is full of comfort: if any man (any sinner) will now come in with a truly penitent soul, thirsting heartily for Christ Jesus, and resolve unfeignedly to take his yoke upon him, there is no number or notoriousnesse of sinne that can pos­sibly hinder his gracious enterment at Gods mercy seat. O then how heinously do they offend, who refuse to take Christ Jesus offered thus universally? if you ask who are they? I an­swer, they are offenders on both hands: First, those that too much despair, secondly, those that too much presume: to begin with the latter.

1 Some there are, that howsoever Christ, and heaven, and sal­vation be offered unto them, yet so close do they stick and ad­here to their sinnes, that they are loath to leave them, and they hope God is so mercifull, that they can have Christ and their sinnes too. Alas deceive not your selves, though the dearnesse, and sweetnesse, and freenesse, and generality of Christs offers be a doctrine most true, & we propound it unto you as a motive and incouragement to bring you in; yet not so much as one drop of all that bottomless depth of Christs mercie and bountie doth as yet belong unto any that lie in the state of unregeneratenesse, or in any kind of hypocrisie whatsoever. Away then with this presumption, & bethink you what a grievous and fearfull sin you commit time after time, and day after day in neglecting so great salvation, by chusing (upon a free offer of his soul saving bloud) to cleave rather to a lust (O horrible indignity!) then to Christ Jesus blessed for ever: what height and perfection of madnesse is this, that whereas a man, but renouncing his base, rotten, tran­sitorie pleasures, might have Christ Jesus, and with him a full and free discharge of hell pains, a sure and known right to heavens joys; yet: should in cold bloud most wickedly and willingly, after so many intreaties, invitations, and offers, refuse this mighty change? Heaven and Earth may be astonished, An­gels and all creatures may justly be amazed at this prodigious sottishnesse, and monstrous madnesse of such miserable men: they are the words of a late Divine, The World (saith he) is wont to call Gods people precise fools, because they are willing to sell all they have, for that one Pearl of great price, to part with profits, pleasures, preferments, their right hand, their right eye, every thing, any thing, rather then to leave Jesus Christ: but who do [Page 190] [...] [Page 191] [...] [Page 192] you think now are the true and great fools of the world? and who are likeliest one day to groan for anguish of spirit, and say within themselves, Wisd. 5.3, 4. This was he whom we had sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach; we fools accounted his life madnesse, and his end to be without honour, now is he numbered amongst the Children of God, and his lot is among the Saints: Nay, if it once come to this, with what infinite horrour and restlesse anguish will this conceit rent a mans heart in pieces, and gnaw upon his conscience, when he considers in hell, that he hath lost heaven for a lust: and whereas he might at every Sermon had even the Son of God his husband for the very taking, and have lived with him for ever in unspeakable blisse; yet neglecting so great sal­vation, must now lie in unquenchable flames, without all ease or end. Sure it is the highest honour that can be imagined, that the Sonne of God should make suit unto sinfull souls to be their husband, Rev. 3.20. and yet so it is; he stands at the door and knocks, if you will give him entrance, he will bring himself and heaven into your hearts: 2 Cor. 5.20. We are Christs Embassadours (saith the Apostle) as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, to be reconciled to God. We are Christs spokes-men, that I may so speak, to woo you and winne you unto him; now what can you say for your selves, that you stand out? why come you not in? if the Devil would give you leave to speak out, and in plain tearms, one would say, I had rather be damned then leave my drunkennesse, another, I love the world better then Jesus Christ; a third, I will not part with my easie and gainfull trade of Ʋsury for the treasure hid in the field; and so on; so that upon the matter, you must needs all confesse that you hereby judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life, that you are wil­full bloudy murtherers of your own souls: nay, and if you go on without repentance, you may exspect that the hellish gnaw­ing of Conscience for this one sinne of refusing Christ, may perhaps hold scale with the united horrours of all the rest what­soever. O then make haste out of sinne, and come, come to Christ, so freely offered unto you! Heark how he calls, Come unto me all sinners, see my arms spread, my heart open. O how gladly would I entertain you, if you would come un­to me: here is a generall invitation indeed, all men, all sinners, of all estates, of all kindes, of all conditions, [Page 191] whosoever you are, he keeps open house for you, Come and welcome.

2 Secondly, they offend on the other side, who after invitation come not, through a kind of unmannerly modestie, or a bash­full despair; Some there are, that may perhaps go so farre as to acknowledge their sinnes, and to confesse, that without Christ they are utterly undone, and everlastingly damned, that may be ravisht with the thoughts and apprehensions of this invitation of Christ, and would ever think themselves happie if they had their hungrie souls filled with Christ Jesus; but yet so it is, that (considering their manifold grievous sinnes, sinnes of a scarlet die, of an horrid strain against knowledge, against conscience, and that which troubles them most, for all these sinnes their sorrow being so little, and poor, and scant, and in no propor­tion answerable to them, they cannot, dare not; will not med­dle with any mercy, or believe that Christ Jesus in any wayes belongs unto them. To these I speak or rather let them hear our Saviour himself speak to them: Revel. 21. Whosoever will (saith he) let him come, and drink of this water of Life freely: yea, those that think themselves furthest off, he bids them come, Matt. 11.28. Come all that are weary and heavy laden: if they find sinne a burthen, then Christ invites them, they (whosoever they are) that stand at the staffs end, he desires them to lay aside their weapons and come in; or if they will not do it, he layes his charge on them, for this is his Commandment, 1 John 3.23. that we should believe on the Name of his Sonne Jesus Christ: nay, he counts it a sinne worse then the sinne of Sodom, a crying sinne, not to come in when the Gospel is proclaimed; and therefore let them never pretend their sinnes are great and many, but rather (because of his offer, invitation, and command, it being without any restraint of person, or sinne, (except that against the holy Ghost) if they will not come in, and cast themselves upon Christ, let them say, it is not the greatnesse of their sinne, but a willingnesse to be still in their sinnes, which hinders them; or otherwise let them know, that sinnes, when men are truly sensible of them, should be the greatest incouragement, (rather then discouragement) to bring them in to our Saviour: Matt. 9.12. Those that be whole need not a Phy­sician, but they that are sick: is it not for the honour of a Physi­cian to cure great diseases? a mighty God and Saviour loves to [Page 192] do mighty things, therefore in any case let them come in, and the greater sinners they are, no question the greater glory shall Christ have by their coming: And indeed to take away all scruple, it is a Maxime most true, That he which is truly wearie of his sinnes, hath a sound, seasonable, and comfortable calling to lay hold upon Christ. Do they feel the heavie load of their sin? just then is Christ ready to take off the burthen: Matth. 11.28. Rev. 21.6. do they thirst after righteousness? just then is the fountain of the water of life set wide open unto them: are they contrite and humble in spi­rit? Esay 57.15. just then are they become thrones for the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity to dwell in for ever. O then come and welcome! Christ excepts none that will not except themselves, He died for all, and be would have all men to be saved.

But yet let us be cautelous: secondly, he purged our sinnes, and ours] with a limitation; the vse of Physick (we say) consists in application; and howsoever our Saviour hath purged our sins; yet this purge of his is nothing beneficiall to us, unlesse there be some means to apply it: As then it is in all other Physick, so in this; we must first take it; secondly, keep it.

1. Take it, for as the best plaister if not laid to, can cure no wound; so Christ himself, and all his precious merits are of no virtue to him that will not apply them by faith: when you hear the Gospel preached, believe it on your parts, believe Christ is yours, believe that he lived, and died, and sorrowed, and suffered, and all this for you, to purge your souls of your sinnes.

2. But having taken it; you must secondly keep it; as men take Physick, not onely in belief that it will do them good, but in hope to keep it by the virtue and strength of the retentive parts; so we take Christ by faith, but we retain him by holiness: these two, faith and holiness, are those two bonds wherewith Christ is united unto us, and we unto Christ: so that if we be of this number, then truly may we say that he purged our sinnes: for the both died for us, and by virtue of our faith and holinesse through him, his death is applied to us; to us I say, not in any ge­nerall acception, but as we are of the number of his Saints, for we had sinned, and they were our sinnes] onely that he effectu­ally purged, and washed away.

Ʋse. And this lesson may afford us this use, that howsoever the [Page 193] free grace, and mercie, and goodnesse of Christ Jesus is revealed and offered to all men universally; yet our Saviour takes none but such as are willing to take upon them his yoke; he gives him­self to none but such as are readie to sell all and follow him: he saves none, but such as deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world: in a word, he purgeth none, or cleanseth none by his bloud from all sin, but such as walk in the light as God is in the light, who make conscience of detesting and declining all sins, and sincerely set their hearts and hands with love and carefull endeavour to eve­ry duty enjoyned them; why these are the men onely to whom his death is effectuall; and therefore, as we mean to partake of his merits, or to have good by his death, let us become new creatures. It is true indeed, and we cannot but maintain it, that to justification nothing but faith is required, but this caution must be added, it must be a faith that purifies the heart, that works an universall change, that shews it self in the fruits: if therefore any of us would come in, let us have ready our answer, as a late Di­vine speaks the dialogue betwixt Christ and a true Christian on this manner: First, (saith he) when God hath enlightened the eyes of a man, that he can see where this treasure is, what then? Why (saith the Christian) I am so enflamed with the love of it, that I will have it whatsoever it cost me: yea (saith Christ) but there is a price upon it, it must cost thee dear, a great deal of sorrow, and trouble, and crosses, and afflictions: Tush, tell me not of price (saith the Christian) whatsoever I have shall go for it, I will do any thing for it that God will enable me: Why (saith Christ) wilt thou curb thine affections? wilt thou give up thy life? wilt thou be content to sell all thou hast? I will do it (saith the Christian) with all my heart, I am content to sell all that I have, nothing is so dear unto me but I will part with it, my right hand, my right eye: nay, if hell it felf should stand between me and Christ, yet would I passe through it unto him. This (beloved) this is that violent af­fection which God puts into the hearts of his children, that they will have Christ whatsoever it cost them: yet un­derstand me, I pray you: It is not to sell our houses, or lands, or children, but our sinns that I mean: the Lord Jesus and one lust cannot lodge together in one soul: no, if we are but once [Page 194] truly incorporated into Christ, we must take him as our Hus­band and Lord; we must love, honour, and serve him; we must endeavour after sanctification, puritie, new obedience, abilitie to do, or suffer any thing for Christ; we must consecrate all the powers and possibilities of our bodies and souls to do him the best service we can; we must grieve and walk more humbly, be­cause we can do no better: and thus if we do, though I cannot say but still we shall sin so long as we live on this earth, yet here is our comfort, 1. Joh. 2.1, 2. We have an Advocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sinnes. I say for our sinnes] effectually, if we believe in his Name, for it was for us he died, and they were our sinnes he purged, and this is that great benefit we receive from our Saviour, in that he by himself hath purged our sinns.]

You see the maladie, Sin,] the remedie, a purge,] the Physi­cian, he,] the patient, himself,] our selves;] for our infirmi­ties were laid on him, and his sores became our salves, by whose virtue we are healed. Blesse we then God for the recovery of our souls; and be we carefull for the future of any relapse what­soever: these relapses are they we had need to fear indeed, for in them the diseases are more dangerous, sinns are more pernici­ous, Matth. 12.44. and men become seven times more the children of Sathan then ever they were before. Now then we are healed, be we stu­dious to preserve it all the dayes of our life, and we shall find at our death, that he that purged our sinns will save our souls; we need not any other Purgatory after death; no, when our souls shall take their flights from our bodies, then are the Angels rea­die to conduct them to his Kingdome: and thither may we come for his sake, and his onely, who by himself (in his own person) hath purged our sinnes. AMEN.

Thou shalt be]

TO this purpose was that asseveration, Verily, verily, I say unto thee.] Nor is it enough that he affirms it, but he as­sures it, [...], thou shalt be.] Will and shall is for the King, and what is he lesse that bestows Kingdomes on his servants? here was a poor man desires onely to be remembred of him, and in stead of remembring him, he tells him he shall be with him: [Page 199] how? but as a coheir of his Kingdome. Blessed thief, that had such a gift, and that made unto him with such assurance as this was! It is the promise of our Saviour, who to put him out of all doubt, he tells him it shall be so, Thou shalt be] with me in Paradise. Whence observe,

That Salvation may be made sure to a man. Observ. If you would needs know the means (howsoever it was true in this thief) it is not by any immediate suggestion, or revelation; Christ is now in heaven, and the holy Ghost works not by enthusiasmes or dreams; Fidelium [...] non nititur revela­tione, sed pro­missionibus Evangelii. The assurance of our salvation depends not upon re­velation, but on the promises of the Gospel: there then must we search and see, and if our hearts be rightly qualified, thence may we draw that fulness of perswasion with Abraham who stag­gered not at Gods promises, being fully perswaded, that what he had promised he was able to perform, Rom. 4.21. Rom. 4.20, 21 This doctrine we have confirmed by David, Psal, 35.3. Psal. 35.3. Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. By Peter, in the 2. Pet. 1.10. 2. Pet. 1.10. Make your electi­on sure. By Paul, in the 1. Cor. 9.26. 1. Cor. 9.26. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly. From all which we may argue, David would never pray for that which could not be; nor would Peter charge us with a dutie which stood not in possibility to be performed; nor would Paul serve God at randome, uncertain whether he should obtain any good, or prevent any mischief; no, but as one that was sure, that by so doing he should attain everlasting life, and without so doing he could not avoid eternall death. We may then be sure, if conditions rightly concur; and seeing this is a point we would be all glad to know, that we are sure to be sa­ved, I shall beg others help, Gods assistance, and your pati­ence, till we have opened the windows, and given you a light of the lodging, Cant. 1.7. where securely our souls may rest at noon day.

Some lay the order thus, that to assure us of heaven, we must be assured of Christ; and to assure us of Christ we must be assu­red of faith; and to assure us of faith, we must be assured of re­pentance; and to assure us of repentance, we must be assured of amendment of life.

Others tell us of more evidences, and we shall reduce them to these heads; The testimonie of our spirits, and the testimonie of Gods Spirit: It is not our spirit alone, nor Gods Spirit alone [Page 200] makes this Certificate, but both concurring, and thus Paul tels us, Rom. 8.16. Rom. 8.16. The Spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

1. Our first assurance then is the testimonie of our spirit, and this witnesseth with Gods spirit two wayes,

By

• Inward tokens,
• Outward fruits.

Inward tokens are certain speciall graces of God imprinted in the spirit of a man, as godly sorrow desire of pardon, love of righteousnesse, John 5.10. faith in Christ, for he that believeth on the Sonne of God, hath the witnesse in himself, saith the Apostle.

Outward fruits are all good deeds, holy duties, new obedi­ence, and hereby we are sure that we know him, if we keep his Commandments, 1. Joh, 2.3. 1. John 2.3. To say then we are sure of heaven, and to live a life fitter for devils, what a fond saying is this? no, if we have a true testimony we must be of good lives; it is our holinesse, and justice, and mercy, and truth, that will be our best assurance, 2. Pet 1 10. and so the Apostle assures us; If ye do these things ye shall never fall.

2. Our second and best assurance is the testimonie of Gods Spi­rit, which sometimes may suggest and testifie to the sanctified conscience thus, or in the like manner, Thou shalt be saved, thou shalt be] with me in Paradise.

But here I must satisfie two doubts: first, by what meanes the Spirit of God gives this particular assurance? secondly, how a man may discern betwixt the assurance of this Spirit, and the illusion of Satan, who is the spirit of lies?

To the first we say, the means is either by an immediate reve­lation, or by a particular application of the promises in the Go­spel, John 3.36. in form of an experimentall syllogisme, as, Whosoever be­lieves on the Son shall be saved; but I believe on the Sonne, there­fore I shall be saved. The major is Scripture, the minor is con­firmed by our faith, which if I have, I may say I believe: True, flesh and bloud cannot say this, it is the operation of the holy Ghost; but if the work be wrought, and I feel this faith within my soul, what need I doubt but this assumption is true, I believe on the Son? Yet I hear some complain, they have neither sight nor sense of faith: and thus it is often with Gods dearest chil­dren: the Sunne that in a clear sky discovers and manifests it [Page 201] self, may sometimes with clouds be overcast and darkened; and faith, that in the calmnesse of a Christian course shines, & shews it self clearly to the sanctified heart, may sometimes in the damp of spirituall desertion, or darknesse of temptation, lie hid and obscured: there is therefore in the Saints, Certitudo evi­dentiae, & ad­haerentiae. the assurance of evi­dence, and the assurance of adherence: The assurance of evidence, is that which is without scruple, and brings an admirable joy with it, and this more especially appears either in our more fer­vent prayers, or in our heavenly meditations, or in time of mar­tyrdome, or in some quickening exercises of extraordinarie hu­miliation, or in beginning of our spirituall, or end of our natu­rall life, as most needfull times, then doth Gods spirit speak comfortably to us, whispering to our souls the assurance of our happinesse, that we shall be inheritours of his Kingdome. The assurance of adherence is that, which I doubt not the Saints have in their greatest extremitie: for instance, many a faithfull soul, that makes conscience of sinne, lies and languishes upon the rack of fears and terrours, he shels nothing but a dead heart, and a spirituall desertion, yet in the mean time his soul cleaves unto Christ, as to the surest rock, he cries and longs after him, and for all his fears and sorrows he will still rest upon him, Job-like, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, Job 13.15. Job 13.15. Now this adherence unto Christ may assure him of salvation, for (if we speak punctually and properly) faith justifying is not to be assured of pardon, but to trust wholly upon Christ for par­don; and thus if he do, then may he with freedome of spirit say, I believe on the Sonne, whence ariseth this conclu­sion, which is the testimonie of Gods Spirit, therefore I shall be saved.

To our second doubt, how we may discern betwixt the te­stimonie of Gods Spirit, and the illusion of Satan? I answer.

First, the testimony of Gods Spirit is ever agreeable to the Word, and thus to trie us, the Scripture tels us, that Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sinne, 1 John 3.9. which is not to be understood simply of the act of sinning, for who can say, my heart is clean? but in this sense, he doth not commit sinne, that is, he makes not a trade of sinne, it doth not reign in him; if then thou allowest any lust in thine heart, or goest on in the willing practice of any one known sin & yet hast a conceit that thou art [Page 202] sure of salvation, alas, thou art deceived, thou hast made a lie thy refuge, and hid thy self under falshood.

Secondly Gods Spirit breeds in the soul a Reverend love, and insatiable longing after all good means appointed and sancti­fied for our spiritual good: and therefore that heart which sweet­ly is affected and inflamed with the word and prayer, and medi­tation and conference, and vows, and singing of Psalms, and use of good books, we doubt not but it is breath'd on by the Spirit of God; whilst others that use all these Ordinances out of custome or formalitie, or some other sinister end, alas, their conceit of being right, is built on the sands, and therefore down it fals at deaths floud, and is overwhelmed in destruction.

Thirdly, Gods Spirit is ever attended with the spirit of Prayer, and therefore saith the Apostle, We know not how to pray, but the spirit it self, maketh intercession for us with groan­ings which cannot be uttered, Rom. 8.26. Rom. 8.26. O the blessed opera­tion of this Spirit! it even warms the spirit of a man with quick­ning life, to pour out it self in the presence of the Lord his God, sometimes in more hearty prayers, and sometimes in more faint and cold, yet alwayes edged with infinite desires that they were farre more fervent then they are: But on the other side, every deluded Pharisee is a mere stranger to the power of Prayer, if he prayes often (as I make it a question) yet never prayes he from a broken heart, and this argues that all his confidence is no better then a weed which grows of its own accord, & there­fore like Jonahs gourd, when affliction comes, it withers on a sudden.

Fourthly, the testimonie of Gods Spirit is often exercised and accompanied with fears, and jealousies, and doubts, and di­strusts; and varieties of temptations, which many times will drive the soul thus distrest to cry mightily to God, to re-examine her grounds, to confirm her watch, to resort for counsell where it may be had; whilest on the contrary the Pharisees groundlesse conceit lies in his bosome without fears, or jealousies, or doubts, or distrusts, or any such ado, why so? alas, Sathan is too subtle to trouble him in that case; he knows his foundation is falshood, his hope of Heaven no better then a golden dream, and therefore in policie he holds his peace, that he may hold him the faster.

Fifthly, the testimony of Gods Spirit is ever most refreshing [Page 203] at those times, when we retire our selves to converse with God in a more solemn manner; when we feel that we have con­quered, or well curbed some corruption of nature; when we are well exercised in the Ordinances of God, or in our sufferings by man for a good cause, and conscience sake; then (or at such times) shall we feel that sweetnesse of the spirit cherishing our hearts with a lightsome comfort that cannot be uttered; whilest on the contrary the deluded man is alwaies alike peremptorie in his confidence, you shall not take him at any time without a bold perswasion, that he hopes to be saved as wel as the best, thus like a man who lying fast asleep on the edge of a Rock, he dreams merrily of Crowns and Kingdomes, and will not off it, but on a sudden starting for joy, he tumbles into the bottome of the Sea, and there lies drowned in the deep; that assurance which is ever secure is but a dream whereas the testimony of Gods Spirit is sometimes mixed with doubts, and sometimes (to our unspeakable comfort) with a secret, still, heart-ravishing voice thus speaks to our consciences, thou shalt be] thou shalt be] with me in paradise.

Ʋse. O blessed man that feels in his soul this blessed testimonie! what is here comparable to it? riches are deceitfull, pleasure is a toy, the world is but a bubble, onely our assurance of Heaven is the onely reall comfort that we have on earth; who then would not studie to make this certain? if we purchase an inheritance on earth we make it as sure, and our tenure as strong, as the brawn of the Law, or the brain of Lawyers can devise, we have conveyance, and bonds, and fines, no strength too much; and shall we not be more curious in the setling our eternall inheri­t [...]nce in Paradise? a man can never be too sure of going to Heaven; and therefore in Gods fear let us examine the testimo­nie of our spirits by the inward tokens, and by the outward fruits: let us examine the testimonie of Gods Spirit by the means and the difference; and if we find both these testimonies to accord within us, how blessed are we in this vale of [Page 204] tears! it is an heaven upon earth, a Paradise in a wildernesse, in a word, a comfort in all miseries, be they never so embittered. See a Thief hanging on the Crosse, an Engine of most grievous torture; but who can tell the joy that entred into him before he entred into Heaven? you may guesse it by his desire to be re­membred of Christ when he came into his Kingdome; he begs not for life, nor pleasure, nor riches, nor honour, no, there is one thing necessary; give him Heaven and he cares for nothing; to this purpose doth he addresse himself to our blessed Saviour, Luke 23.37, 39. and he asks— what? if thou be Christ, save thy self, said the Jews in derision, and if thou be Christ, save thy self and us, said the other Thief to him; but this was onely for the bo­dies safetie: and here is a man quite of another mind, let the Jews rack him tear him, break all his bones, and pull him into atomes, if our Saviour will but do so much as remember him in his kingdome, he desires nothing more: O blessed Christ speak comfortably to his soul that begs it thus vehemently at thy hands! but why do I prevent? the bowels of our Saviour yearn to hear him; remember him? yes, he will remember him, and he shall be with him; comfortable news! how leaps his heart at these so blessed words? his desire is granted, and Heaven is assured, and the Spirit of God, yea, the God of Spirits thus testifies it to him, to day [shalt thou be] with me in Paradise.]

To day.]

OUr Saviour deferres not that he promises but as he quickly hears, and quickly grants, so he quickly gives him Para­dise, and a kingdome. This sudden unexspected joy makes all more gratefull; to tell us of Crowns and Kingdomes that we must inherit, and then to put us off with delayes, abates the sweetnesse of the promise: men that go to suits for lands and livings, though Lawyers feed them with hopes, yet one order after another, spinning out time to a multitude of Terms, [Page 205] makes them weary of the businesse: it is the happinesse of this suitour that he comes to an hearing but the highest degree of his happiness was the expedition of his suit: no sooner he mo­tions, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome; but the Lord gives him that he asks upon his first motion, to day, ere the Sun be down, the Kingdome shall be thine, thou shalt be with me in Paradise.

But you may object, Was there no Limbus Patrum, no Pur­gatory to run through? but the very same day he died, he must then go to Paradise? no, unlesse Limbus or Purgatorie be Pa­radise it self, there is no such thing at all. Some there are, that rather then say nothing, speak thus; Christ giving up the ghost, Mox ut Deus exspiravit ipse secundum ani­mam ad infer­nos descendit, Guliel. Paris. cap. 21. secun­dum verbum. his soul descended into hel, and the very same day was this Male­factour partaker of Christs beatificall vision, with the other Pa­triarchs in Limbus. But of how great difference is Paradise and Limbus, we shall hear another time: sure it is, Christ pro­mised not a Dungeon in stead of a Kingdome, nor is Paradise a place of pleasure, of any such imaginary melancholy nature: we conclude then, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise,] it is all one, as to say, To day, (thy day of death) thou shalt be with me in Heaven, and there enjoy me in my Kingdome.

But again you may object, That Christ rather that day, de­scended into hel, then ascended into heaven: The Creed teach­eth, that after he was crucified, dead, and buried, he descended into hell.

To answer the objection; some go about thus; by hel (say they) is meant Paradise, where the soul of Christ was all the time that his body lay in the grave: If this be not a misconstruction, I am sure it is no literall Exposition, and me thinks a very strange kind of figure it is, to expresse Christs ascent into Paradise by his descent into hell. Others more probably understand Christs abode in the grave for the space of three dayes. Aug. Epist. 57. Austin after some turns and wrenches concludeth thus: Est autem sensus multò expeditior, &c. It is a farre easier sense and freer from all ambiguity, if we take Christ to speak thesc words, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise] not of his Manhood, but of his Godhead; for the man Christ was that day in the grave accor­ding to the flesh, and in hell as touching his soul, but the same Christ as God is alwayes every where. Thus he: But this will [Page 206] not satisfie all, Perkins on the Creed. and therefore they argue thus against it; These words (say they) must be understood of his Manhood, not his God-head: and why so? For they are an answer unto a demand, and unto it they must be sutable: Now the Thief (seeing that Christ was first of all crucified, and therefore in all likelihood should first of all die) makes his request to this effect; Lord, thou shalt shortly enter into thy Kingdome, remember me then: to which, Christs answer (as the very words import) is thus much; I shall enter into Paradise this day, and there shalt thou be with me: but the God-head, which is at all times in all places, can­not be said properly to enter into a place, and therefore not into Pa­radise. Again, When Christ saith, Thou shalt be with me in Pa­radise] he doth intimate a resemblance between the first and se­cond Adam: the first Adam sinned against God, and was pre­sently cast out of Paradise: the second having made a satisfaction for sinne, must presently enter into Paradise. Now there is no en­trance but in regard of the soul, or man-hood, and therefore to ap­ply it to the God-head, were to abolish this analogy betwixt the first and second Adam.

These reasons are weighty, but should we say with Austin, That Christ in his soul went down into hell, one of our Wor­thies can tell us, R. Clerk D. in D. Serm. that Christs soul, united to his God-head, might do all that, and yet be that day in Paradise: God works not lazily like man: Satan could shew Christ all the Kingdoms of the world in the twinkling of an eye, and Gods expedition exceeds his. To this agrees another, that we have no warrant in Gods Word, so to fasten Christs soul unto hell for all the time of his death, B. Bilson, l. of the power of Hel destroy­ed, fol. 219. Rom. 10.7. but that it might be in Paradise before it descended into hel. That he was in Paradise must be received, because himself doth affirm it, and that he descended into the deep must be received also, for the A­postle doth avouch it; but how he descended, or what time he descended, as also what manner of triumph he brought thence, cannot be limited by any mortall man. To conclude, I will not denie, but that according to the Creed, he descended into Hell, yet howsoever we expound it, Metaphorically or literally, it hinders not this truth, but that immediately after death his soul went into Paradise.

What? to day? without all doubts or delayes? here's a blessed dispatch, if we either consider the misery endured, or the joy to be received.

First, in regard of his miseries, he was a Thief condemned and crucified: we read of foure kinds of deaths in use amongst the Jews, strangling, stoning, fire and the sword: the Crosse was a death whether for the pain, the shame, the curse, farre a­bove all other: we may see it in that gradation of the Apostle, He became obedient to death, even to the death of the Crosse, Phil. 2.8. Phil. 2.8, What engine of torture was that? it spins out pain, it slowes his death, yet a little and a little till it be more then any man can think: see his hands bored, his feet nayled, his legs bro­ken, every part full of pain from top to toe, and thus hangs this Thief, the poyz of his body every moment increasing his pain, and his own weight becoming his own affliction; in this case were not a quick riddance his best remedie? were not the news of death better then a lingring life? Lo then to his eternall comfort, Christ our Saviour (in the same condemnation) grants him his desire: What would he have? a dispatch of pain? he shall have it this day] as Samuels appearance said to Saul, To morrow (yea, to day) thou shalt be with me. 1 Sam. 28.19.

But secondly, here's a greater comfort, his miseries have an end, and his joys are at hand; while he is even gasping in deaths pangs, he is carried on a sudden from earth to heaven, from his Crosse to Paradise, from a world of wo to a kingdome of hap­piness and eternall blisse. O how blessed is the change, when in the very moment of misery joy enters! Suppose you a poor man in the night time out of his way, wandring alone upon the mountains, far from companie, destitute of money, beaten with rain, terrified with thunder, stiff with cold, wearied with la­bour, famished with hunger, and near brought to despair with the multitude of miseries; if this man upon a sudden, in the twinkling of an eye, should be placed in a goodly, large, and rich palace furnished with all kind of clear lights, warm fire, sweet smels, dainty meats, soft beds, pleasant musick, fine appa­rell, honourable company, and all these prepared for him, to serve him, honour him, and to anoint and crown him a King for ever; what would this poor man do? what could he say? surely nothing, but rather in silence weep for joy: Such, nay, [Page 208] far happier was the case of this poor malefactour: he was like the man wandring on the mountains, full of as much pain as the crosse could make him; but on a sudden he and our Saviour cru­cified with him, both meet in his Kingdome: and now, Lord, what a joy enters into him, when he entred into heaven! on Calvary he had nothing about him, but the Iews at his feet, and the nails in his hands, and the Crosse at his back; in stead where­of, no sooner comes he to Paradise, but the Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, Seraphims, all hug him, and embrace him; imagine with your selves, how was he astonished, and as it were besides himself at this sudden mutation, and excessive honour done un­to him! Imagine with your selves what joy was that, when he met our Saviour in his glorie, whom that very day, he had seen buffeted, scourged, crowned, crucified; blessed day that could ever bring forth such a change! Beloved, I know not how to express it, but let your souls in some meditation flie up from Calvarie to Heaven; in the morning you might have seen Christ and this Thief hanging on two Crosses, their bodies stretched, their veins opened, their hands and feet bleeding in abundance, the one de­siring to be remembred of the other, and the other complain­ing that he was forgotten of his Father: Matth. 27.46. in this dolefull case both leaving the world, ere night they meet again, and now what hugs, what kisses are betwixt them? When Joseph met with Iacob, Gen. 46.26. he fell on his neck (saith Moses) and wept on his neck a good while; but never was any meeting on earth like this in Heaven: here we have a Ioseph lift out of the dungeon to the Throne, where no sooner set, but our Saviour performs his promise of meeting him in Paradise, at which meeting the Angels sing, the Saints rejoyce, all Harps warble, all Hands clap for joy, and the poor soul of this penitent Thief, ravished with delight, what does it, or what can it do, but even weep for joy (if any weeping were in heaven) to see on a sudden so great a change as this?

Ʋse. And if this be his case, who will not say with Balaam, Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his? Num. 23 10. O let us (I beseech you) present unto our souls the blessed con­dition to come, and this will be effectuall to stir us up to every good duty, and to comfort us in all conditions whatsoever: what will a man care for crosses, and losses, and disgraces in the [Page 209] world, that thinks of an heavenly Kingdome? What will a man care for ill usage in his Pilgrim [...]ge, when he knows he is a King at home? we are all (in this time of our ab [...]ence from God) but even strangers upon [...]rth; here then must we suffer in digni­ties, yet here is the comfort, we have a better estate to come, and all this in the mean time is nothing but a fitting of us to that heavenly Kingdome. [...]s Davids time between his anointing and investing was a very preparing of him that he might know himself, and that he might learn fitnesse for to govern aright, so we are anointed Kings, as soon as we believe, we have the same blessed anointing that is poured on our head, and runnes down about us, but we must be humbled and fitted, before we are invested: [...] time (and but a [...]) we have yet here to spend; and let this be our comfort (howsoever we [...] here) it is not long ere we inherit. Alas, the [...] of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed us Rom. 8.18. Rom. 8.18. and therefore Ig [...] i [...] a burn [...]g [...] say [...] gallows, Hieron. in ca­talogo. beasts, breaking of my bones, quartering of [...]y [...] [...]s [...]ng of my body all the torments of devils, let them come upon me, so I may enjoy the treasure of Heaven; and well [...]g [...] he say it, that knew what a ch [...]nge would be one day [...] never was cold shadow so pleasant [...] hot Summer, never was [...] so de­lightfull after [...]our, as shall be this [...]e [...]t of heaven to an af­flicted [...]our coming thither out of this valley of tears, O then what service should we do? what pain should we suffer to at­tain this [...]est? were it to runne through fire and water, were it (as Augustine said) to suffer every day torments you, Aug. serm. 31. de sanct. the very torments of Hell yet should we be con [...]en [...] to a [...]e it; and how much more when we may buy it without money, or money-worth; we need not to part with any thing for it but sin: This Thief (now a blessed Saint in glory) I speak of suffering and repenting as means, not as the cause. for a dayes suffering, an half dayes repenting, was thus welcomed to Heaven; imitate we him in his repentance, not in his delay, he indeed had mercy at the last cast, but this priviledge of one inferres not a common law for all: one finde mercie at the last, that none should de­spair, and but one that none should presume. Be then your sins as red as Scarlet, you need not despair if you will but repent; and lest your repentance be too late, let this be the day of your conversion, now abhorre sinnes past, sue out a pardon, call up­on [Page 210] Christ with this Thief on the Crosse, Lord, remember me, remember me now thou art in thy Kingdome; thus would we do, how blessedly should we die, our consciences comforting us in deaths pangs, and Christ Jesus saying to us at our last day here, our day of death, our day of dissolution, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

We have dispatcht with expedition this dispatch, this expediti­on, to day] the next day you shall hear the happinesse of this grant, which is the societie of our Saviour, thou shalt be: with whom? with me] in paradise.

With me]

ANd is he of the Societie of Jesus? yes, though no Jesuite neither, for they were not then hatcht) but what noble order is this, where the Saints sing, Angels minister, Archan­gels rule, Principalities triumph, Powers rejoyce, Dominations govern, Virtues shine, Thrones glitter, Cherubims give light, Se­raphins burn in love, and all that heavenly company ascribe and ever give all laud and praises unto God their Maker? here is a Societie indeed, (I mean not of Babylon, but Jerusalem) whi­ther Jesus our Saviour admits all his servants, and whereto this Thief on the Crosse was invited, and welcomed, thou shalt be with me] in paradise.

For if with me] then with all that is with me, and thus comes in that blessed company of Heaven; we will onely take a view of them, and in some scantling or other you may guesse at Hea­vens happinesse.

With me] and therefore with my Saints; blessed man that from a crew of thieves (by one houres repentance) became a companion of Saints: and now he is a Saint amongst them, what joy is that he enjoys with them? O my soul, couldst thou so steal Heaven by remorse for sinne, then mightst thou see— what? all those millions of Saints that ever lived on earth, and are in Heaven; Heb. 12.22. there are those holy Patriarchs, Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the rest, not now in their pilgrimage tossed to and fro on earth, but abiding for ever on Mount Sion, the City of the living God: there are those goodly Prophets, Esay, Jere­my, Ezekiel, and the rest, not now subject to the torments of their cruell adversaries, but wearing Palms, and Crowns and all [Page 211] other glorious Ensigne [...] of their victorious triumphs: there live those glorious Apostles, Peter, Andrew, James, John, and the rest, not now in danger of persecution or death, but arrayed in long robes washed and made white in the bloud of the Lamb: Revel. 7.14. there live those women-Saints, Mary, Martha, and that Virgin-mo­ther, not now weeping at our Saviours death, but singing unto him those heavenly songs of praise & glory world without end: there are those tender infants ( an hundred forty four thousand, Revel. 14.1. Revel. 14.1, 3, 4.) not now under Herods knife bleeding unto death, but harping on their harps, and following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth: there lives that noble armie of Martyrs, ( they that were slain upon the earth, Revel. 18.24. Revel. 18.24.) not now under the mercilesse hands of cruell tyrants, but singing and saying their Hallelujahs, salvation, and glory, and honour, Revel. 19.1. and power be unto the Lord our God: t [...]ere dwell all the Saints and servants of God ( both small and great, Revel. 19.5. Revel. 19.5.) not now sighing in this vale of tears but singing sweet songs that eccho through the Heavens, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of mighty thunderings, so is their voice saying, Hellelujah, Revel. 19.6. for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. And is not here a goodly troop, a sweet company, a blessed societie and fellowship of Saints? O my soul; how happie wer't thou to be with them! yea, how happie will that day be to thee, when thou shalt meet all the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Disciples, Innocents, Martyrs, the Saints, and servants of the King of Heaven? why thus happie and blessed, is this penitent Thief: no sooner entred he into the gates of Heaven, but there meets him with musick and dancing, Luke 15.25. all the quire of Heaven, and (Lord) what a joy entred into his soul, when his soul entred into his masters joy? Tell me (could I speak with thee that dwellest in the Heavens) what a day was that, when stepping from the Crosse, and conducted to Para­dise, thou wast there received with all honourable companies and troops above? there did the Patriarchs meet thee, and the Prophets hug thee, and the Martyrs struck up their Harps to bid thee welcome to the Tabernacle of Heaven. Such honour have all his Saints that attain the fellowship of the Saints in glory.

But more then so, thou shalt be with me] and therefore with my Angels: Lo here a blessed companie indeed, these are the heavenly Choristers eternally singing Jehovahs praise: The [Page 210] [...] [Page 211] [...] [Page 212] Seraphims cry aloud, Esay 6.3. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, an Army answer to the antheme, Glory to God on high. The whole Quire of heaven add the burthen, Revel. 4.11. Thou art wortby, O Lord to receive honour, and glory, and power for thou hast created all things, and for thy sake they are and were cre [...]d O heavenly harmony consisting of ten thousand times ten thousand various sorts of Musick! Revel. 5.11. I heard (saith John the Divine) that [...] of many Angels round about the throne, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, thousand of thousands these are the shining and singing Starres of which God told his ser­vant Job, Job 38.7. The morning starres sing together, and the ser [...] of God shout for joy. These are the winged Ch [...]risters of [...], whom John the Divine heard singing their song of Hallelujah and Hosanna, Revel. 19.6. I heard (saith he) the voice of a great multitude, as the voice of many waters the voice of [...]any Angels, singing, and saying Hallelujah and again Hallelujah these are the nimble Posts of heaven, Gen. 28.12. whom Jacob say [...] thing [...] and down the Ladder: these are the Protectours of the godly whose aid God promised the Israelites; Exod. 23.20. Behold, I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee to the place which I have prepared. These are the Guardians of sucking Infants, of whom our Saviour told his Disciples that in, Matth. 18.10. Heaven their Angels al­wayes behold the face of his Father; these are the armies of God, who meeting Jacob in his journey, Gen. 32.2. he said this is Gods Hosts these are the Spirits and Ministers of God whom David describing by the purity of their substance, and readinesse of their obedience, he calls the Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire. Psal. 104.4. They are shining and singing stars winged choristers, nimble Posts of hea­ven, Protectours of the godly guardians of children, the armies of the Almighty, the Spirits and Ministers of the great Jehovah.

What blessed companie is this we shall enjoy in heaven▪ there is nothing in them but is amiable, nothing in them but is admi­rable: O that this clay of ours should come to dwell with th [...]se incorporeall spirits! and yet see here a man a thief [...] the [...] of men;) by his confession, and contrition, and faith in Christ is now become a companion with Angels.

Nor is that all, thou shalt be with me] not onely with my Saints and Angels, but with me] (with my soul) in Para­dise. His soul indeed was there, though his body at that time [Page] was in the grave; and if the soul be it that makes us men, what a passing great joy is that, when men standing amongst the An­gels shall see their Lord, the Lord of heaven, not to be an Angel, but a man? Here is the solace of Saints, when they shal see & say, who is yond that rules on the Throne of heaven? who is yond that sits on the right hand of God the Father? and they shal an­swer themselves again, it is he that for us became man; for the sal­vation, it is he that of our souls hath took upon him a body & soul. And think now with thy self whosoever thou art that readst (if thou wilt but spend thy few evil dayes in his fear, & so die in his favour) what a comfort will it be unto thee to see that Lamb sit­ting on his seat of state? If the wise men of the East came so far, and so rejoyced to see him in the Manger, what will it be to thee to see him sitting and glittering in his glory? If John Baptist did leap at his presence in his mothers belly, what shall his presence do in his royall and eternall Kingdome? It passeth all other glo­ries (saith Austin) to be admitted to the inestimable sight of Christ his face, August. and to receive the beams of glory from the bright­nesse of his Majestie: nay, should we suffer torments every day, or for a time the very pains of hell it self, thereby to gain the sight of Christ, and of his Saints, it were nothing in compari­son. No wonder then, Phil. 1.23. if Paul desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Alas, who would not be so? O most sweet Saviour (saith one devoutly) when shall this joyfull day come? when shall I appear before thy face? when shall I be filled with thy ex­cellent beautie? when shall I see that countenance of thine, which the very Angels themselves are so desirous to behold? an happie time sure will it be to each faithfull soul: And thus happie was this man, he parted sorrowfully with our Saviour on the Crosse, but he met him joyfully in his Kingdome: those sweet souls that both left the world at one time, no sooner had heaven gates opened unto them, but with mutuall kisses they embraced each other in unspeakable manner.

Nor was this all, thou shalt be with me,] not onely with my soul, but with my God-head: this indeed was the height of blisse, the very soul of heavens joy it self; set aside this, and crown a man with the Empire of all the earth, the splendour of heaven, the royall endowments of a glorified soul, the sweetest company of Saints and Angels, yet still would his soul be full of empti­nesse, [Page] and utterly to seek for the surest Sanctuary whereon to rest: onely once admit him to the face of God, and then pre­sently, and never before, his infinite desire exspires in the bo­some of his Maker: I denie not but the other joyes in heaven are transcendent and ravishing, but they are all no better then accessories to this principall, drops to this Ocean, glimpses to this Sunne. If you ask how can our souls enjoy this God-head? I answer, two wayes; first, by the understanding; secondly, by the will. The understanding is filled by a clear glorious sight of God, 1 Cor. 12.12. called Beatificall vision; we shall see him face to face, saith Paul, 1 Cor. 13.12. We shall see him as he is, saith John, 1 John 3.2. 1 John 3.2. For as the Sunne by his beams and brightnesse illightens the eye, and the air, that we may see not onely all other things, but also his own glorious face: so God, blessed for ever (in whose presence ten thousand of our suns would vanish away as a dark­some mote) doth by the light of his Majestie, so irradiate the minds of all the blessed, that they behold in him, not onely the beautie of all his Creatures, but of himself; and thus shall we see and know that glorious mystery of the Trinitie, the goodnesse of the Father, the wisdome of the Sonne, the love and comfort­able fellowship of the holy Spirit; nothing that can be known, but in him we shall know it, in most ample manner.

Secondly, the will is for ever satisfied with a perfect inward, and eternall communion with God himself; Christ that is God and man, by his Man-hood assumed uniteth us unto God, and by his God-head assuming uniteth God unto us, so that by this secret and sacred communion, we are made partakers (and as it were possessours) of God himself: O bottomlesse depth, and dearest confluence of joyes and pleasures everlasting! here is the perfection of all good things, the Crown of glory, the very life of Life everlasting. And well may it be so, for what can the soul desire, God will not be unto her? It is he that is eminent­ly in himself beauty to our eyes, musick to our ears, honey to our mouthes, perfume to our nostrils, light to our understand­ing, delight to our will, continuation of eternitie to our memo­rie; in him shall we enjoy all the varieties of times, all the beau­tie of creatures, all the pleasures of Paradise. Blessed Thief, what a glory was this to be admitted to the societie of Christ in his Deitie! thou shalt be with me?] how then should he be [Page 215] but happie? Where could he be ill with him? Ʋbi malè po­terat esse cum illo? ubi bene poterat esse si­ne illo? Aug. Psal. 16.11. where could he be well without him? In thy presence there is fulnesse of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore; joy, and fulnesse of joy: pleasures, and everlasting pleasures: Blessed are all they that live in thy house, O Lord, for they shall praise thee eternally world without end, Psal. 84.4. Psal. 84.4.

Ʋse. 1 Who then would not forsake Father and Mother, the dear­est fellowship of this world to be with Christ in his Kingdome? You that love one another in the deepest bonds, who cannot part out of this life but with the survivours grief, and hearts break: tell me what a merry day will that be, when (you shall not onely meet again, never more to part asunder, but when) Christ our Saviour shall gladly welcome you (every one of you) into his societie, thou shalt be with me,] and let me speak to the joy of us all, I mean all broken-hearted Christians, (as for you that are profane ones, you have your portion here, therefore stand you by, and let the Children come to their share) a day will come, I trust in the Lord, when I shall meet you, and you me in the Kingdome of heaven: a day will come, I trust in the Lord, when you and I shall be all admitted into the societie of God, and of Christ, and of his Saints, and of the Aagels: a day will come, I trust in the Lord, when with these eyes we shall behold our Redeemer, together with that Thief that was cruci­fied with him: a day will come, I trust in the Lord, when we shall meet again with all the Saints that are gone afore us: and is not this a comfort? what shall we say when we see our Savi­our in his Throne, waited on with Mary his Mother, and Magdalen and Martha, and Lazarus, and Paul, and Peter, and all the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and Saviour? yea, when this Thief shall be presented to our view, the wounds in his hands and his feet shining like Starres, and Pearls, and Ru­bies, all his body glittering in glory, and his soul magnifying the Lord for his conversion and salvation world without end.

Ʋse. 2 But stay, least we be lead too forward, there is no such thing for us, if now we are not in the Covenant of grace: heaven is both happie and holy, and if we would enjoy heaven, then we [Page 216] must fit our selves to that estate to which God hath preserved us: to this purpose saith the Apostle, Our conversation is in hea­ven, from whence we look for the Saviour, Phil. 3.20. Phil. 3.20. He was assured of heaven, and therefore he conversed as a Citizen of heaven before he came there, every way he [...]rried himself (as much as earth would suffer him) like them that live in heaven: and thus must we (if ever we go to heaven) become like to those that are in that place. Deceive not your selves, neither Whoremongers, no Adulterers, nor Extortioners, nor the like shall enter into the Kingdome of God, 1 Cor. 6.9. 1 Cor. 6.9. Do men who live in these sinnes without all remorse or repentance ever think to go to heaven? is it possible that ever any flesh should go out of the puddle into Paradise? Matt. 25.41. no, no, Away ye workers of ini­quitie, I know you not, saith our Saviour: let no man cherish presumptions of an heavenly Kingdome, except he abstain from all sinnes against Conscience. What then? but so live we here as becomes his servants, and thus when we part, it is but for better companie: we lose a few friends, but we shall find him that welcomes all his with this heavenly harmonie, thou shalt be—with whom? with me,] in Paradise.

In Paradise.]

ANd where was that? our Adversaries say in Limbus, and yet (to give them their due) Bellarmine so means not as that Limbus was Paradise, Illa enim verè Paradisus de­liciarum est, non corporalis, aut localis, sed spiritualis & coelestis. Bellar. de 7. verbis Domini l. 1. cap. 4. but that in Limbus this thief had his Paradise, to wit, the vision of God: The vision of God (saith Bellarmine) is a true Paradise indeed, not locall, but spirituall. But with Bellarmines leave we have no such sense of Paradise, in any part of holy Writ. In the old Testament we read of an earthly Paradise, wherein Adam lived; in the new Testa­ment we read of an Heavenly Paradise, whither Paul was caught, yet both these were locall, for the one (saith Moses) [Page 217] was a garden Eastward in Eden, Gen 2.8. Gen. 2.8. and the other (saith Paul) was in heaven, which he calls the third heaven, 2. Cor. 12.2. 1. Cor. 12.2, 4 and that Paradise in my Text must be understood of Hea­ven, this resemblance confirms; the first Adam sinned against God, and was presently cast out of that Paradise on earth; the second Adam made satisfaction for sinne, and so must pre­sently enter into this Paradise of heaven: because of the sinn of the first Adam, both he and all his posterity were thrust out of Eden; because of the sufferings of the second Adam, both he, and we, this Thief, and all believers, are to go into heaven. So then this Paradise whither Christ is gone, and this Thief went with him, what is it? but as Paul calls it, the third heaven? or as the Thief himself styled it in his prayer to our Saviour, Re­member me; where? in thy Kingdome.

And if this be it we call Paradise, what can we say of it? It is not for us (saith Bernard) in these earthly bodies to mount into the Clouds, Bern. super Cant. serm. 38. to pierce this fulnesse of light to break into this bot­tomlesse depth of glory; this is reserved to the last day, when Christ Iesus shall present us glorious and pure to his Father, without spot or wrinkle. And yet because God in his Word doth here give us a taste of heaven, by comparing it with the most precious things that are on earth, let us follow him so far as he hath revealed it, and no further.

In the midst of Paradise is a Tree of Life, Rev. 2.7. Revel. 2.7. and this Tree bears twelve manner of fruits, yielding her fruit every Moneth, Rev. 22.2. Rev. 22.2. What more pleasant then life? and what life better then where is variety of pleasure? here is a tree of life, and the life of the tree; a Tree of life that renews life to the eat­ers, and the life of the tree bearing fruit every moneth, and as many moneths so many fruits; such are the varieties of heavens joyes, where youth flourisheth that never waxeth old, change of delights and choise too entreth that never knoweth end. But look we a little further: Iohn that calls this place Paradise, Re­vel. 2. calls this Paradise a City, Rev. 21. Rev. 21. from the 10 verse to 24. and hereof he gives us the quantitie and quality, the bignesse and beauty: first for the greatnesse of it; An Angel with a golden Reed mea [...]ures it, and and he finds the length and the breadth, and the height of it are equall. Secondly, for the beautie of it, The Walls (saith he) are of Iasper, and the foundation of the Walls garnished with all [Page 218] manner of precious stones, the twelve gates are of pearls, and the streets paved with pure gold: there is no need of Sun or Moon: for the glory of God lightens it, and the Lamb (Christ Iesus) is the light thereof. See here the excellency of this City: on which words to give you a short Comment,

Wee'l begin first with the Greatness of it: The Angel sets it down twelve hundred Furlongs, vers. 16. Yet that we may know this certain number; it is but figuratively taken; you may ghesse at the measurable magnitude of this Citie, by those many Mansions, spoken of by Christ, John 14.2. John 14.2. In my Fathers house are many Mansions: How many? so many (saith one) as would suffice infinitis mundis, Rolloc. in Joh cap. 14. a thousand worlds of men, and though all the men in this one world attain not to it, it is not for want of room, but of will, They believe not in him who hath prepared these seats for them. And ghesse it you may by that in­credible distance betwixt Heaven and Earth. Some Astrono­mers compute, that betwixt us onely and the starrie Frmament, there is no lesse then seventy four Millions, Casman. [...]. seven hundred three thousand, one hundred, eighty miles; and if the Empyreall Heaven (as many say) be two or three Orbs above the Starrie firmament, how many more miles is it then beyond? and the further it is distant (we all know well enough) the heavens being Orb-wise, and one comprehending another, that which is furthest or highest must needs be the greatest; hence is it that Scriptures compare the height of Heaven (and consequently the magnitude) to the perfection of God past finding out; Canst thou by searching find out God?—it is as high as heaven, what canst thou do? Job 11.8. Job 11.8.

Secondly, If such be the immensity, what think you is the beauty? It is a most glorious Citie, whose walls are of Iasper, whose building is of gold, whose gates are of pearls, whose foun­dation of precious stones: and if such be the gates and streets, what then are the inner rooms? what are the dining Chambers? what are the lodging rooms? O how unspeakable is the glory of this Citie! Kings shall throw down their Crowns before it, and count all their pomp and glory but as dust in comparison; and well they may: for what is an earthly Kingdome to this heavenly Paradise? where is mirth without sadness, health with­out sorrow, life without labour, light without darknesse, where [Page 219] every Saint is a King, adorned with light as with a garment, and clad in the richest robes that God bestows upon a creature.

But that which more especially commends the beauty of this Citie, is the lustre of it, There is (saith Iohn) no need of Sun or Moon, it is verus [...], wholly light it self, Zanch. de Coe­lo beatorum, cap. 4. not like the star­rie firmament, bespangled here and there with glittering spots. It is all as it were one great, one glorious Sun, from every point it pours out abundantly whole rivers of purest light, and then what a light is this?

Nor is this all; for the glorie of God lightens it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; besides the native lustre, there is the glorie of God, the glory of all glories; this is it for which Moses prayed, O Lord, I beseech thee shew me thy glory; to whom God answered, thou canst not see my face and live, —but I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, Exod. 33.18, 20, 21, 22, 23. and will cover thee with my hand while my glory passeth by; then will I take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. And if Moses face shone so bright with seeing Gods back-parts, that the Israelites were afraid to come nigh him, and that he was fain to cover his face with a veil while he spake unto them, Exod. 34.30, 33. how bright then is Paradise, not onely lightened with the back-parts of God, but with his own divine glory? From the majestie of God (saith a modern) there goes out a created light, Zanch. de Coelo beat. l. 1. c. 4. that makes the whole Citie glitter, and this being communicated to the Saints, God thereby causeth that they see him fully face to face.

Again, The glory of God, and the Lambe of God both give their lights; that Lambe that was slain from the beginning of the world, that body of his once crucified, now brighter then ten thousand Suns, O how infinitely glorious doth it make this Pa­radise, this Citie of God? His countenance is as the Sun that shineth in his strength, saith Iohn, Revel. 1.16. Revel. 1.16. But what starres are those in his hands and his feet? Where the nayls pierced, now it sparkleth; where the spear entred now it glittereth glo­riously: if we look all over him, Ibid. v. 14, 15. his head and his hairs are as white as snow, his eyes are as a flame of fire, his feet like unto fine brasse, as if they burned in a furnace: no wonder then if such beams come from this Sun (the Sun of righteousnesse) that all heaven shines with it from the one end to the other.

And yet again the Lambe, and the Saints all give their lights; for we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, 1. Joh. 3.2. 1. John 3.2. how like? why, he shall change our vile bodies, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, Phil. 3.21. Phil. 3.21. In what like? even in this very quality; for they that be wise shall shine, Dan. 12.3. Dan. 12.3. How shine? as the brightnesse of the Firmament: nay more, as the starres, saith Daniel: nay more, as the Sun, saith our Saviour; nay, yet more saith Chrysostome: howsoever the righteous in heaven Heaven are compared to the Sun, Matth. 13.43. Matth. 13.43. Chrysost. in Matth. Hom. 6 It is not, because they shall not surpasse the brightnesse of it; but the Sun being the most glittering thing in this world, he takes a resemblance thence onely towards the expressing of their glory. Now then what a masse of light will arise in Paradise, where so many millions of Sunns appear all at once? If one Sunne make the morning sky so glorious, what a bright shining and glorious day is there, where's not a body but 'tis a Sunn? Sure it is, Revel. 21.23. There shall be no night there no need of candle▪ no need of Sunne, or Moon, or Star. O that this clay of ours should be partakers of such glory! what am I O Lord, that being a worm on earth, thou wilt make me a Saint in heaven? this body of earth and dust shall shine in heaven like those glorious span­gles in the firmament; this body that shall rot in dust and fall more vile then a Carrion, shall arise in glory, and shine like the glorious body of our Saviour in the mount of Tabor. To come neer my Text: See here a Saint-Thief shining gloriously he that was crucified with our Saviour at whose death the Sun hid her face with a veil, now he reigns in glory without need of Sunn: for he is a Sunn himself, shining more clearly then the Sun at noon; he that one day was fastened to a Crosse, now walks at liberty through the streets of Paradise, and all the joyes, all the riches, all the glory that can be is poured upon him. What else? He is in Paradise, and what is Paradise but a place of pleasure? where sorrow is never felt, complaint is never heard, matter of sadness is never seen, evil success is never feared, but in stead there­of there is all good without any evil, life that never endeth, beau­ty that never fadeth, love that never cooleth, health that never impaireth, joy that never ceaseth; what more could this peni­tent wish, then to hear him speak that promised Paradise, and [Page 221] per [...]ed his promise, To day thou shalt [...] with me in Paradise.]

Ʋse 1 Meditate then with what sweet delight every [...] servant of God may bath himself before hand even in this valley of tears! Did we but think on this glori [...] place, [...] [...]hose hea­venly mansions prepared for us, did we spend many thoughts upon it, and ever and anon sigh and seek after it until we came to the fingering and possession of it; O how would these hea­venly meditations ravish our souls, as if Heaven [...] before we entred into Heaven! Consider of this in what [...]se soever we are, whether we are vexed, or injured, or oppressed, or persecuted for the name of Christ; there is nothing so imbit­tered, that a thought of heaven will not sweeten: Yet I say not that w [...] are onely to think of it, withall let us strive and strain to get into this golden Citie, where stre [...] [...] [...]te [...] [...]nd all is gold and pearl; nay, where pearl [...] no [...]hing worth in comparison of those things which shall be revealed unto [...] faithfull soul.

Ʋse 2 On the other side, Consider with your selves what fools are they who deprive themselves willingly of this endlesse glory, who bereave themselves of a room in this City of Pearl, for a few carnall pleasures, what Bedlams and humane beasts are they, who shut themselves out of Paradise, for [...] ­rie pelf? What sots and senselesse wretches are they, who wit­tingly and wilfully bar themselves out of this Palace, for the short fruition of wordly trash and [...]. As for you of whom I hope better things, let me advise you for the love of God, for the love of Christ, for the love that you b [...] to your own soule, that you will settle your affections or things above, and not on things beneath; and then you shall find o [...] l [...]y the comfort of it when leaving this world, the Spirit of G [...]st shall whisper to your souls this happy tidings, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.]

Every sinner that repents and believes, shall be saved: you need no other instance then this Thief on the Crosse, at one hear­ty tear, one penitent prayer, Lord, remember me in thy King­dome, the Lord gives him his desire; see here the fiat, thou shalt be] the expedition, to day] his admission, with me] the place whither he is inducted, it is into Paradise.] and there now he officiates, doing service to God without ceasing, world without end. O Lord, give me grace so to re­pent and believe, that whensoever I go hence, that day I may be with thee in Paradise. AMEN▪