ULTIMA, The last things, in reference to the First and Middle things: OR CERTAIN MEDITATIONS on Life, Death, Judgement, Hell, Right Purgatory, and Heaven: Delivered by ISAAC AMBROSE, Minister of the Gospel at PRESTON in AMOUNDERNES in LANCASHIRE.  Deut. 32.29 
O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end.  Ecclus. 7.36. 
Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss.  
LONDON: Printed for J. A. and are to be sold by Nathanael Webb, and William Grantham, at the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard. 1650.   

To the Reader.  
READER,  
NOt to stay thee too long at the door, come in, and thou mayst in this fabric see these several partitions.  

Here is 

Man's misery in his 

Life, Ser. 1.  
Death, Ser. 2.  
Judgement, Ser. 3.  
The Execution, Ser. 4.    
God's mercy in our 

Redemption, Ser. 5.  
Salvation, Ser. 6.       
The first part may bring thee to a sight, and sense, and sorrow for sin; the second to a sight of Christ, and a comfort in Christ: and these are the principal means of conversion. Nor is the work unprofitable, if thou be'st converted; use them as daily Meditations, and they will keep thee from sin, and help thee towards heaven. One of our Worthies can tell thee, that Nothing more strongly bends men to sin then security, or incogitancy of these things. If thou ask what things? he answers, The end of our creation and redemption, the certainty of death, the uncertainty of life, the severe account we must give, the just retribution we shall have, the misery of the damned in hell, the blessedness of the Saints in heaven, these things being sadly and frequently thought upon, would quench our burn and lustings after sin. And true thou mayest find it, that such good thoughts, and an inordinate life, are scarce consistible: Will you hear another? A serious and fruitful meditation on these things (so blessed M. Bolton) hath ever been holden very material, and of special moment to make us (by God's blessing) more humble, unworldly, provident and prepared for the evil day. And I take it, every one of these following subjects would be an excellent theme, or matter for our deliberate meditation. See the Middle things, Chap. 7. Sect. 4. Read then and practise these Meditations, and I trust by these means, thy end will be Heaven's happiness. So ends this work, and to that end solely, next to God's glory, I built it for thee. Farewell.  
Thine in all services I may, for thy souls salvation, I. A.   

Life's Lease.  GEN. 47.9. 
Few and evil have the days of my life been.  
WHen Pharaoh was Egypt's King, Joseph Pharaohs Steward, and Jacob joseph's father, there was a great famine which Pharaoh had dreamt, Joseph foretell, and jacob suffered: God that sent joseph to Pharaoh, brings jacob to joseph, the same providence so disposing of all, that yet some food must be in Egypt, when nothing was found in all the land of Canaan: Thither come, & welcome (as you may see in the story,) Pharaoh salutes jacob with this question, What is thy age? How many are thy days? How many? alas, but few: what are they? alas, but evil: Thus we find jacob at his Arithmetic, the bill is short, and the number but a cipher: Will you hear him cast his accounts? First, they are days, and without all rules of falsehood, by subtraction few, by addition full of evil; contract all and this is the sum of all, Few and evil have the days of my live been.  
This Text, briefly, is the Lease of jacobs' life, God the chief Lord enriched his substance, yet limits the grant of his time: will you question the Lease? for what time? no more, but my life] saith jacob: but a life? what years? no years, but days] saith jacob: but days? how many? not many, but few] saith jacob, but few? how good? not good, but evil] saith jacob: who can blaze the arms of life, that finds not in it Cross and Croslet? the lease but a life] the term but days] the number few] the nature evil] nay, when all is done, we see all is out of date; the days are not, but are passed, they have been] Few and evil have the days of my life been.]  We must, you see, invert the Text, and begin with that on which all hangs; it is but my life] saith jacob. 

Life.  
Would you know what is that? take but a view of Nature, and Scripture, & these will sufficiently describe our life.  
First, Nature, whose dim 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 beautiful! Life is but grass, 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 Sith; as soon as we are dead, Angels gather in the harvest, on whose wings we are carried to that Barn of Heaven. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Philemon.  Grass? no saith Philemon, life is no better than 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 Tragedy. A Play? that is too large. Anonymus being asked what was life, he shows 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 waking dreams, at last Death rouzeth our souls that have slept in sin, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 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 death's door; and yet thus fare 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.  See here the condition of our life; what is it but a Rose, a Grass, a Picture, a Play, a Show, a Sleep, a Dream, an Image of death? such a thing is life, that we so much talk of. 
Use. And if Nature give this light, how blind are they that cannot see life's frailty? you need no more but mark the Destinies (as Poets feign) to spin their threads: 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 Emblems of our life? and dare we trust to this broken staff? how do the heathen precede us Christians in these studies? Their books were skulls, their desks were graves, their remembrance an hourglass. Awake your souls, and bethink you of mortality: have you any privilege 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; only 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 Egg, 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 stopped soon, but cannot last long by the law of Nature.  
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 is less no better than a leaf, not a tree, nor shrub, nor fruit nor blossom: 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 base, indeed no better than a rush or flag. Can a rush grow without mire? though it were green and not cut down, yet shall it whither before any other herb, Job 8 11, 12. 
Job 8.12.  What shall I say more? what shall I cry, 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 days are consumed like smoke, & my bones are burnt like an hearth, Psal. 102.3. 
Psal. 102.3.  Yet is here no stay, the smoke engenders clouds, and a cloud is the fittest resemblance of our life: Our life shall pass away as the trace of a cloud, and come to nought as the mist 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, job 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 less, 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, jam. 4.14. 
Jam. 4 14.  Less than this is nothing, yet life is something less, nothing in substance, all it is, it is but a shadow, We are strangers and sojourners as all our fathers were, our days 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.  only a mere nothing, a very vanity: Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand breadth, and mine age is nothing in respect of thee, surely every man living is altogether vanity: Psal. 39.5. 
Psal. 39.5.   Lo here the nature of our life, it is a shrub a leaf, a reed, a rush, a grass, a smoke, a cloud, a wind, a water, a bubble, a vapour, a shadow a nothing. 
What mean we to make such ado about a matter of nothing? I cannot choose but wonder at the vanity of men, that run, rid, toil, travel, undergo any labour to maintain this life, and what is it when they have their desire which they so much toil for? we live, and yet whilst 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 term? My life.] Thus Jacob tells Pharaoh, as the Text tells you, Few and evil have the days of my life] been.  This is the Lease, and now you have it, let us see what use you will make of it. 
Use. 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 ourselves with costly wine and ointments, and let not the flower of life pass by us. What a life is here? Can it be that pleasures, wine and ointments should have any durance in this vale of misery? Suppose thy life a continued scene of pleasures, hadst thou Dives far, Solomon's robes, David's 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 death more welcome, if he had found thee lying on a pad of straw, feeding on crusts and crumbs? Is not thy pain more grievous, because thou wast more happy? Do not thy joys more afflict thee, then if they had never been? O deceitful world, that grievest if thou crossest, and yet to whom thou art best, they are most unhappy?  
Use. 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 immortal? then hear, revive, watch and awake from sin: were you sometimes dead in sin? O but now live in Christ, Christ is the life. john 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. john 1.1. 
John 1.1.  Are you as yet babes in Christ, feeble and but weak through life's infirmities? why then use all good means, eat and be strong, Christ is the bread of life john 6.48. 
John 6.48.  Here is a life indeed, would you not thus live for ever? then believe in God, and in jesus Christ whom he hath sent, and this is life eternal. john 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 gins 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.  One sand is run, and the Text is lessened; but as you have the lease, so you may now expect to know the date: the lease is but a life, the date lasts but days.  

Days.]  
NOt weeks, nor months nor years; or if a year, the best Arithmetic is to reduce or break it into Days: so we have it in the last translations, The days of the year.  
Here then is the 

Sum, a Year.  
Fraction, Days.    
First, a Year; in the Spring is the youthful spring of our age, in the Summer is the aged time of our youth; in the Autumn is the high noon, or middle of our age, when the Sun (which is our soul) rules in the Equinoctial 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 Summer's dust, an Autumn's care, a Winter's woe: Read but this map, and you need travel no further to inquire of life.  
The first quarter is our Spring, and that is full of sin and misery; the infant no sooner breathes, but he sucks the poison of his parents: in Adam all sinned, and since his time all were defiled by his sin. 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 than himself? How may a foul vessel keep sweet water? or how may an earthy sinner beget an heavenly Saint? we are all in the same state of sin, 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, sickness gripes him, there is some punishment, which without sin had never been inflicted. It is wonderful to consider, how Nature hath provided for all creatures, birds with feathers, beasts with hides, fishes with scales, all with some defence, only man is born stark naked, without either weapon in his hand, or the least thought of defence in his heart; birds can fly, 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 forty days old: so ready are we born to woe, but so fare from the least spark of joy. O mere madness of men, that from so poor, naked and base beginnings, can persuade ourselves we are born to be proud!  
And if this be our Spring, what (think ye) is our Summer? Remember not the sins of this time, prays David, Psalm 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, Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, let thine heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, walk in the ways 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 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 rejoice, But for all this remember? what a bar stands here in the very door of joy? alas, that we should trifle thus with toys, which no sooner we enjoy, but in grievous sadness we repent our follies. The wise man that gave liberty to his ways, what cries he but vanity, and after, vanity of vanities, and at last, all is vanity? what was the wisdom of Achitophel? a vain thing: what the swiftness of Hazael? a vain thing: what the strength of Goliath? a vain thing: what the pleasures of Nabuchadnezzar? a vain thing: what the honour of Haman? a vain thing: what the beauty of Absalon? 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 dost? 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 toil, the Country hath its frauds, the City hath its factions, the Church hath its Sects, the Court hath its envy, here is every place a field where is offered a battle: or if this were better, consider but your states, the Beggar hath his sores, the Soldier hath his scars, 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 sour, 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 mixed 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 sin, defiled with lust, outraged with passions, overcarried with affections, pining with envy, burdened with gluttony, boiling with revenge, transported with rage; all man's body is full of iniquity, and his soul (the bright image of God) through sin, 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; show me the light which will not darken, show me the flower which will not fade, show me the fruit which will not corrupt, show me the garment which will not wear, show me the beauty which will not whither, show me the strength which will not weaken: behold, now is the hour that thy lights shall darken, thy cheeks wrinkle, thy skin be furrowed, thy beauty 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 entry! will not pleasures delay? cannot riches ransom? dares not strength defy? Is neither wit nor wealth able to deceive nor bribe? what may rend this house, that the soul may but lodge there one night longer? Poor soul that dies (or departs) in unremedied pangs! our sins may run on score, and repentance forget her days 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 mortal Sun, at North and South, in our mother's womb and tomb both in one year.  
Use. 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 music, 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 show of the beer, which at last shall convey you to your graves? Man, ere he is ware, hath dressed his hearse, every season adding something to his solemnity. Where is the Adulterer, Murderer, Drunkard, Blasphemer? Are you about your sins? look on these objects; there is a sun now setting, or a candle burning, or an hourglass 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 pulls you by the sleeve, and bids you beware to commit such enormities: Who dares live in sin, 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 pass from childhood to youth, from youth to manhood, 
Senectutem nemo excedit.  from manhood to age, yet there is none can be more than 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 sum is a Year] the Items are Days.] And what Days can ye expect of such a Year? my text, in relation to these days, gives us two attributes, the first is few, the second is evil: if you consider our days, in regard of the fewness, (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 days of Methusalem (saith Moses) were nine hundred, sixty, 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 God's sight are but as yesterday: Psalm 90.4. 
Psal. 90.4.  But what speak I of a thousand years? no sooner came the flood, 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 days, before and after his firstborn Peleg, were but four hundred, sixty, and four years: Gen. 11.16, 17. 
Gen. 11.16, 17.  nay, as if half a thousand were more than too much, you may see God halfs their ages once again: Peleg lives as long as any man after him, and yet his days were neither a thousand, nor half a thousand, nor half of half a thousand; no, no more than two hundred, thirty 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 thirty years old, and after this he lived no longer than seventeen years more, so that the whole age of jacob was but (seven score and seven) an hundred forty, and seven years. Gen. 47.28. 
Gen. 47.28.  Nay, to leave jacob a while, and to come a little nearer ourselves, in Moses time we find this little time halfed again, he brings seven score to seventy, The days (saith he) of our age are threescore years and ten, 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 custom goes a little further, and tells us of a number a great deal shorter, we are fallen from seventy to seven, in life's leases made by us. Nay, what speak I of years, when my text breaks them all into days? Few and evil have the days 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 days than years: the book of Chronicles, which writes of men's lives, are called according to the interpretation, Words of days: to this purpose we read, David was old, and full of days. 1 Chron. 23.1. 
1 Chron. 23.1  and in the days of jehoram, Edom rebelled. 2 Chron. 21.8. 
2 Chron. 21.8  So in the New Testament, In the days of Herod the King. Matth. 2.1. 
Matth. 2.1.  and, in the days of Herod the King of judea. Luke 1.5. 
Luke 1.5.  In a word, thus job speaks of us, our life is but days, our days but a shadow: we know nothing (saith job) and why so? our days upon earth are but a shadow. job 8.9. 
Job 8.9.   Lo here the length of our little life, it is not for ever; no, Adam lost that estate, & he that lived longest after Adam, came short of the number of a thousand years: nay, that was halfed to somewhat less than five hundred, and that again halfed to little more than two hundred; jacob yet halfs it again to a matter of seven score, and Moses halfs that again to seventy, or a little more: nay, our time brings it from seventy to seven: nay, jacob yet brings it from years to days few and evil have the days] of the year] of my life been. 
Use. 1 Teach us, O Lord, to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom, Psal. 90, 12. Moses Arithmetic 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 misery coming on; evening and morning meditate on God's mercy, and your own misery. Thus if you number your days, you shall have the less to account for at that day, when God shall call you to a final reckoning.  
Use. 2 But miserable men, who are not yet born again, their days run on without any meditation in this kind: What think they of, but of long days, and many years? And were all their days 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 liberal time, but what enemies are they to themselves, that of all their days allow themselves not one? 
1. Pet. 3.10.  If any man long after life, and to see good days 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 piety? many can post off their conversion from day to day, sending Religion afore them to thirty, and then putting it off to forty, 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 sickness, when sickness comes, care to dispose their goods, loathness to die, hope to escape, martyr's 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 days 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.  You see now the term of our Lease, our Life lasts but Days.] and although we live many days, 
Luke 19.42. Matth. 6.12.  yet in this thy day, saith Christ; and, Give us this day our daily bread, say we as if no day could be called thy day but this day: if there be any more, we shall soon number them, my text tells you they are not many, but few, Few and evil have the days of my life been.  

Few]  
OUr Lease is a Life, our Life is but Days, our Days are but Few. The Phoenix, the Elephant, and the Lion fulfil 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 man's 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 days 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 less will it yet appear? As drops of rain are unto the sea, 
Ecclus 18.9.  and as a gravel stone is in comparison to the sand; so are a thousand years to the days everlasting. But will you have an exact account and learn the just number? It was the Arithmetic of holy men to reckon their days 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 days 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 only a true life, which enjoys good health, here's the beginning and the ending of our days struck off at a second blow. The Fathers could subduct all times not present, and what say you to this account? were the days 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 cyphers, 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 pass: 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 joined unto the days of the year, nor let it come into the count of months, Job 3.6. 
Job 3.6.  Solomon could subduct not only childhood but the time of youth too, which is the strength of life: Take away grief out of thine heart, and cause evil to departed from thy flesh; for childhood and youth both are but vanity, Eccles. 11.10. 
Eccles. 11.10.  Paul could subduct the time of sin, 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 man's life come? Think of this all ye that travel 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 days 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 hours, not a minute must pass, 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 days, lest we lose a minute? It is true, of all numbers we cannot skill to number our days: we can number our sheep, our oxen, our fields, our coin; but we think our days 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 days are but few. Few] and evil they have been.  
Give me leave a little to amplify on this point: would we throughly know the shortness of out time, the fewness of our days? 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'll 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 burial. 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 Stobaeus relates, that our life hath the last of a cubit's length: 
Psal. 39.5.  for that's more than 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 less: nay, 
Punctum est quod vivimus, & adhuc puncto minus.  saith Plutarch, All our life is but a prick, a point: yet less, saith Seneca, it is a point that we live, and less than a point. that's less than 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 than 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 body's grave, and there's but a sheet, (perhaps a winding-sheet) betwixt us and it: when we are awake, our body 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 skin: 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 express the shallowness of this life, give the same name to the heart, that they do to death. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the heart, the author of life; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is destiny, the worker of death; to show 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 yourselves so great? what mean those titles which you take upon you? Your Greatness, Your Highness, your— I know not what. O consider the mortality of your bodies and that will tell you the just 
* Mors sola fatetur quantula sunt hominum corpuscula. Juvenal. Psal. 90.10.  scantling of yourselves.  
2. For the multitude of our days, he was branded with the name of a fool, that thought he had many years to live. Moses tells us, The days 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.  nay yet the Scripture comes somewhat lower, and because a plurality might cause a security, it bestows but a unity upon our years, thus Jacob in this text reckons of a great number of one year, The days 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 month's time. 2 Kings 23.31. 
2 Kings 23.31.  nay, the Scripture descends from months to days, Few and evil are my days, saith jacob: implying that this life is but a few days, or but 
* Vita nostra, non diuturna, sed diurna.  one day, as some would have it, which is the meaning of Christ's prayer, Give us this day our daily 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 job) is passed 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 grass that grows up in the morning, and is cut down in the evening, Psal. 90.6. 
Psal. 90.6.  and Gregory compares it to jonahs' 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 than our life could parallel, 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 than 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 less, a moment, in a moment they go down to the grave, saith job, 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 seventy years, but these were tythed from seventy to seven, this number again was made no number, one single year: a year? nay a month, nay a day, nay an hour, nay a minute, nay a moment, as soon as we were born, we began to draw to our end. Wisd. 5.13. 
Wisd. 5.13.  There's but one poor moment which we have to live, and when that is spent, our life is gone, How? but one? and a moment? one is the least number that is, and a moment the shortest time that ever was: O what mean men to plot and project for the time to come, as if this life would never be done? O consider of the littleness of the time that thou hast to live! O consider of the greatness of the matter that depends upon it; thy body, soul, heaven, and hell, all hangs on this thread, a short life, a few days.] Few] and evil have the days of my life been.  You have learned Moses Arithmetic to number your days; practise a while, and you find this use. 
Use. 1 God shortens your time, you that are unregenerate, lest you defer your repentance: it is said of the Devil, that he is busy, because his time is short, Revel. 12.12. 
Rev. 12.12.  and are you worse than Devils? is not your time shorter? and yet are you more negligent? how do you give way to that old serpent? he delays no time to bring you to hell, and ye neglect all times to get you heaven: What is your life but a Ionas 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 hourglass is beside me, and I see every drop of sand follow other so speedily. Your days are but few, and yet who knows whether this day his sun 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 enemy keeps a daily watch, a friend prepares for your welcome, and are you such enemies to yourselves, that never are prepared to welcome death?  
Use. 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 readiness; think every day thou risest to be thy day of death, and every night thou goest to bed, that thou art laid down in the grave: if thou shouldest forget, will not each object be a remembrancer? thy sheets, of thy winding-sheet; thy cover, 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 days 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, always 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 only in this tenor, Few] and evil have the days of my life been.  You now see the time of our Lease to the full, out life lasts but days, our days are but few, who is so fond to settle his care on this Lease, that so soon is exspired, nay, with a blast is gone out? The man that is wedded to this world, enjoys neither length of days, nor a day of joy; as he is mortal, so is he miserable: you shall see my Text join both the hands, nothing indeed but death can lose the bonds, the days of my life are few, the few days of my life are evil; few in number, evil in nature; neither many, nor good, but few, and evil.  

Evil.]  
OUr life is but days, our days are but few, our few days but evil: Into what a sea of misery have I now rushed sail? Evil life, evil days; but few, yet evil.  
There waits on our life 

Sin,  
Punishment.    
Both these are evil; Sin, as the father, plays the Bankrupt; 
Jam. 1.15.  and Punishment, the son, must pay the debt: first, Lust conceives and brings forth sin, than sin 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 sins, and see what a troop of enemies march about us; if you expect the battle in array, what say you to those evils original? 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 floodgate of evils that now are opened! Adam's sin is ours by imputation, we are twigs of one root, streams of one fountain, and by the same reason partakers of one sin. 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 loss of those powers that we had to good; First, 
Primò persona infecit naturam, sed pòst natura infecit personam: Polanus.  the sin of the person infected nature but now the sin of nature infects the person: Is not the mind doubtful of the ways of God? Is not the will prone to all manner of evil? Are not the affections disordered in their actions? But as for goodness, and holiness, 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 spoilt, nature be left naked; a rotten root must needs bear rotten branches; and if the first man be infected with sin, what follows, but a corruption of the whole nature of man?  
But these are but the seeds, what say ye to the offspring? Evils original beget evils actual, 
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 eternal. How many of these Furies haunt us? our saying, doing, thinking, all is evil that is against God's 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 than is sins material and formal, 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 days have we misspent? This was the sin 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 will come, 
Luke 16.  when a bill of negatives shall be framed against the wicked, not what ye have done, but what 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 stranger, and ye lodged me not; I was naked, and ye clothed me not; sick and in prison, and ye visited me not, Matth. 5.42. It is the not doing your duties must incur that heavy sentence, 
Matth. 25.41.  Depart from me ye cursed. Mere harmless men are no fit members for God's kingdom; if you mean to avoid evil, you must neglect no good: alas, who would slip any occasion, that considers the just reward 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 days are profaned: if we go any further parents are disobeyed, injury is maintained, adultery is committed, robbery is practised, false witness 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.  Hid thy face from my sins, O Lord, and put away all mine iniquities. We had need to pray, Hid 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 external that accompany the body, and what part of the body is not possessed with some evil? Look at the senses, and wherein hast thou employed thine eyes, but in beholding vanity? wherein thine ears, but in harkening to lies? wherein thy tasting, touching, smelling, but in sensual 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 deceitful, the tongue unruly, the teeth as swords, the jaws as knives, the hands are full of blood, and the feet swift to shed blood. Thus from the sole of the feet to the crown of the head, there is nothing whole, but wounds, and swell, 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 bosoms, O how leprous should I pluck it out again! that Understanding 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 reason, it perceives only natural and external things; it can perceive thy house adorned, thy lands tilled, thy grounds stocked; but those spiritual blessings, celestial promises, eternal privileges, it cannot see, nor so much as think of: What are all our thoughts but vanity, and imagination of man's heart, but only evil, Gen. 8.21. 
Gen. 8.21.  Neither is this all, God framing man's soul, planted in it two faculties, the Understanding that informeth, and the Will that followeth: and as the Understanding, so is the Will; it receives from Reason (her Counsellor) sensual advice, and sends forth to the Affections (her Courtiers) injunctions of vanity; here is a Counsellor indeed, what is it but reason without reason? and here is a will indeed, what is it but a slave to sin, 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 travel by endeavour to any goodness. 
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 sins 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 envy like a Viper, all thy passions are become sensual, 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 rivulets 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 Wisdom; there be evils of malice against God the holy Ghost, whose attribute is Love. Can we add 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, anger, hatred, envy, distrust impatience, avarice, sacrilege, pride, despair, presumption, indevotion, suspicion, contention, derision, exaction, (give me leave to breathe in the numbering of this bedroll) perjury, blasphemy, luxury, simony, perplexity, inconstancy, hypocrisy, apostasy: here is a number numberless, gross sins, little sins, known sins, hid sins; Who can understand his errors? O Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults, Psal. 19.12. 
Psal. 19.12.  The days 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 justify himself? Remember the swarms that lurk in thy venomed conscience, number thy wanton words, thy carnal thoughts, thy unchristian gestures, thy outrageous sins, & come they not in by troops and herds, thicker than the frogs in Egypt? well may we stand amazed at their number, and as convicted prisoners, cry for that Psalm of mercy, 
Miserere mei.  Lord have mercy on us, most evil wretched sinners.  Thus you see, Beloved, how evil be our days, sigh every day we do evil: then to wander no further, now we have found such a world of them, will you see them in a map? here is evils original, evils actual, evils of omission, evils of commission, evils of the body evils of the soul; well may we pray, Deliver us from evil: what, so many evils of sin? now the Lord deliver us. 
Use. 1 Remember yourselves, and who will not sing David's burden, 
Psal. 38.4.  Mine iniquities are gone over my head, and as a weighty burden, 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 hell: 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, only these set and rise, but your sins rise, and never set; see them like your hairs, only these shed and lose, but your sins grow ever more and more; see them like the sands, only these are covered with the floods and waters, but your sins lie still open and are ever before you: think on these stars, these hairs, these infinite innumerable sands of sins, and when all is done, let your tears be the flood to hid them over. 
Psal. 6.6.  It was David's saying, Every night wash I my bed, and water my couch with my tears: if your days 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 withal lift up your voice Lord be merciful 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.  
Use: 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; only I infer a necessary 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 tell 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 every one committed thousands, and thousand of thousands of actual 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 actual, either of omission or commission, either of the body, or of the soul, which without repentance will not produce eternal 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 sins, that will throughly convince you of your damnable estate,  
You may ask, to what end should we be so careful 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 kingdom of grace, that you would every one of you have a Catalogue of your sins. If you will not, I can tell you who will, there is an adversary called Satan (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 Satan is registering the act, and time and place, and every circumstance: now woe, woe to man, that lets Satan do his work for him! Would you do this yourself, 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 devil's 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 (woe worth the day) when that roaring Lion shall set all your sins and transgressions in order before you: then shall you read (perforce) your sins original and actual, of omission and commission, of your bodies and souls. And I must tell you, herein is a great policy of Satan, he lets you alone in your security a while, if you will not trouble him, he will not trouble you; if you will not tell your own sins, neither will he tell you of them; but he will change his note (at furthest) when your few evil days finish: it is the very case as many creditors deal with their debtors, while they have any do as they say, and are in trading, they will let them alone, in policy they will say nothing; but if once down the wind, in sickness, poverty, disgrace, or the like, then comes Sergeant after Sergeant, arrest upon arrest, action upon action: just thus is Satan's dealing with the unregenerate man; if you will but sin, and never call yourselves 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 sins committed all your days. 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 ready by you (or by heart) a catalogue of your sins, is necessary in many respects.  
First, to humble you: for no sooner shall the poor soul look on all the sins he hath committed, both before and after 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 days of humiliation.  
Secondly, it is necessary 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 sins, and to confess them in payer to his heavenly Father: there be many that in Confession look on their sins, as they do on the stars in a dark cloudy 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 enlightened, and informed aright, they might rather behold their sins, as those innumerable stars that appear in a fair frosty winter's 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 necessary in times of desertion, or visitation: yea, if the Lord shall please to exercise you with any cross, or disgrace, or discountenance, loss of goods, disease of body, terror of soul, or the like; you may be sure as no misery comes but for sin, so then the enumeration of your sins from a bleeding broken heart, is the prime and first means to cause that Sun of mercy to break through the clouds, and to beget a clear day; alas, our days 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 myself, yet in the general I cannot but confess to you all, My days have been evil, evil, evil: Few and evil.  And now we have done with the work, it rests that you should know your wages; there be days of sin, and then days of sorrow; as you have spent your days, so must you have your rewards; first we trespass, and then we pay for it; first we sin, and then we suffer evil. 
2. The evils that we suffer may be ranked in this order; first, evils original 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 distils from him. 
Rom. 5.12.  By one man (saith the Apostle) entered sin into the world: what, sin alone? no, but death by sin, 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 forerunners of that judgement? Look at the mind and what think ye of our ignorance, not only that of wilful disposition, but (as the Schools distinguish) of pure negation; if it be not a sin, what is it but a punishment for sin? that our understanding should be obscured and darkened, our knowledge in things natural wounded, in supernatural 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 misery, after all our time and study 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 hourglass) we receive in at the one ear, and it goes out at the other; or rather (like the sieve) we always keep the bran, but let the flower go, so apt are we to retain the bad, but we very easily forget the good. And is this all? nay, yet more evil; see but our affections, and to what a number of infinite sorrows, griefs, anguishs 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 ourselves: 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 fly? If this be vain work, how vain is man in his fond imitation? the birds and beasts can feed themselves, without any pains, only man toils night and day, on sea and land, with body and mind; yet all is to no purpose, but to catch a fly, to protract a life, or to procure some vanity. And yet, as if misery had no mean; besides our industry, how is this body stuffed with many an infirmity? all the strength of man is but a reed, at best shaken, perhaps broken, howsoever weakened by every wind that blows upon it. The Physician's distinction of Temperamentum ad pondus, & justitiam, gives us thus much to learn, that no constitution is ever so happy, 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 carry 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 days, most labour of new sicknesses, unknown to our fathers; or if any of us be free from any of these, yet every one's body nourisheth the causes, and may be a receptacle of a thousand diseases. How evil is sin, that incurs so many evils of punishment?  
But as if all were too little (because our sins are so many) if you will number any more, here is yet another reckoning, evils original, and e●●ls adventitious, evils of necessity, 
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 poisons, and treasons, and robberies, and wars, and tumults, and what not? go whither you will, and every 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 every step dangers you, every wild beast scares you, every stone or tree is enough to kill you: if you go not whither, you cannot be without danger: Eli was sitting, and what more secure? yet at the news of God's 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, & what way more ready 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 we do, or whithersoever we go, so long as we do evil, these evils will meet us. Go into the ship, there is but a board betwixt thee and the waters: walk on the ground, there is but a shoe-sole betwixt thee and thy grave: take a turn in the streets, and so many perils hang over thee, as there are tiles on the houses; travel in the country, 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 days are evil indeed, and who is it that is exempted from every 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 son? 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 extreme infelicity: he is threatened by his brother, banished from his father, abused ●y his uncle, defrauded of his wife, was not here misery enough to break one heart? But after this, for another wife's 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 country, his wife Rachel dies, his daughter Dinah is ravished his son 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 wickedness is committed by a man's own son? what can we more? If ye his heart be unbroken, here's another grief great enough to match all the rest, his son, his Joseph (they report) is lost, and what news hears he of him, but that he is torn with wild beasts? and now see a man of miseries indeed! 
Gen. 37.34, 35.  He rends his clothes, he puts sackcloth about his loins, he will not be comforted, but surely (saith he) I will go down into the grave unto my son 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 sons is kept in prison: What a grief is here? Another in prison, and nothing to redeem him but his only Benjamin; 
Gen. 42.36.  here is the loss of son after son, joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and now ye will take Benjamin, all these things are against me. We need no more, if jacob thus number, how many are the miseries he did daily suffer? would you have the sum? He himself the best witness of himself, affirms it to Pharaoh, Evil, Evil. Few and Evil] have the days of the years of my life been.  So miserable is our life, that no man can take his breath before some evil or other do seize on his person: if you would that we knit up all in one bundle, there be evils original, evils adventitious, evils of the mind evils of the body, evils that are common, evils of the chosen, we had need pray again, Deliver us from evil.] What? so many evils of suffering? Now the Lord deliver us. 
Use. 1 What is sweet in this life, which so many miseries will not embitter? 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 sin in a field of such misery as the world? O ye sons 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 ways, or utterly besotted in their imaginations, well might these miseries of our life breed their neglect of the world. Can we choose 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 grovelling and poring on the earth? God gave thee a soul to live with his blessed Angels, and wilt thou make it a companion fit for no other than brute beasts? 
Eccles. 5.12.  There is an evil sickness (saith Solomon) that I have seen under the Sun; and what is that, but riches reserved to the owners for their evil. See here the just judgement of a righteous God, to this end is thy riches, thou wouldst live at ease, and outlast many years, therefore thy life is but miserable, and thy death must be sudden, thy days are but few, and thy few days are evil.  
Use. 2 But to comfort all you that live in the fear of God, it may be your days are evil,] and what then? this is to make trial of your love to God, and a trial it is of God's love to you.  
First it makes a trial of your love to God; Certainly if you have but a spark of this love, your days 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 jacob for Rachel serves Laban seven years, but yet (saith the Text) they seemed to him but a few days for the love he had to her. Nay, after Laban had deceived him in giving him bleareyed Leah in stead of beautiful Rachel, jacob then serves him another seven years' prenticeship; love makes the heart cheerful in the worst of sufferings: though jacob 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 departed 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 winter's day? you may remember you have a better master than Laban, a better service than jacobs', a fairer prize than 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 freedom? what is your prize, but such a one as surpasseth all prizes whatsoever, even the beauty of heaven, the beatifical vision of our blessed God, If then you but love God as jacob did Rachel, what matters it how evil your few days be? nay be they never so evil, and were your days never so many, yet an hundred, a thousand years spent in God's service, they would seem but a few days for the love you bear to him. O Lord work in us this love, and then command what thou wilt, persecution, affliction, the Cross, 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 trial (or token) of God's love to you: 
2 Cor. 4.17.  Our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth unto us a fare more excellent and an eternal 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; bitterness attends this life, that thou mayst sigh continually for the true life. Wouldst thou not run through dangers for a kingdom? 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 showed unto us. 
Rom. 8.18.  Come then ye that thirst for long life, believe in God, and you shall have life eternal. 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, rejoice in hymns, sing forth in praises the wonderful works of our Creator and Redeemer, this is that life of heaven, and when our life ends here, Lord grant us life everlasting.  Thus fare have you seen the state of our life, this lease breeds sorrow, but the reversion is our joy; no sooner shall this life exspire, but God will give us the purchase of his Son, that inheritance of heaven; comfort then thy soul that wades through this sea of miseries, and the Lord so assist us in all our troubles, that he lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.  

Have been.]  
OUr life is but days, our days are but few our few days but evil, and now when all is done, we find all is out of date. Few and evil have] the days of my life been.]  
This last word is the leases expiration: and why have been?] If you will needs know the reason.  The time that is passed is best known to Jacob. And the life of jacob is but as the time that is past. 
First, the time that is passed is best known to jacob: 
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 

Many years we have lived.  
Great miseries we have suffered.    
jacob 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 dipped 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 run 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 bliss, the time now past is a very nothing, especially to a man in fear of danger: go down to those castaway 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 died? Gen. 5. 
Gen. 5. Gen. 47.9.  To sum up all in one, and to make this one serve for all, jacob is an hundred and thirty years old (for so you see it registered in God's book) yet now being demanded to tell his age, he answers but Days, and his days are but Few; how should they be many that now are gone already? these few days, they have been.]  

Scribit in marmore laesus.  2. And as time past tells our days, 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 soldier, every one can write a Chronicle of his life, and make up large volumes of their several changes. What is the history of the Bible but an holy brief Chronicle of the Saints grievous sufferings? See the miseries of the Patriarches described in the books of Moses: see the wars of the Israelites set down in the books of joshua: see the afflictions of David in the books of Samuel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, job, every one hath a book of their several 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 read them. Look then (beloved) at the time now past, and will you not say with jacob, your days have been evil? Evil for your sins, and evil for your sufferings: if you live more days what do you but increase more evils? the just man sins 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 than cradles, our Summers have not shot up but withered our grass, 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 ourselves. 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 tolling, in every hamlet some dying, in every street men watching, in every place, every where, wailing and weeping, or groaning 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, than the remembrance of those evils which our lives have suffered? Look back then with jacob, and we have good reason to redeem the time past, because our days have been evil.  
2. But there is yet another reason why these few evil days have been.] As the time past is best known to jacob so the life of jacob is but as the time past. Go to now (saith St. james) 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 mere presumption to boast of the time to come: can any man say he will live till 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 fit to lodge in our graves under earth, then in our beds above it; nay, assure yourselves, 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 Son 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 poison, will he not refuse all, lest in eating of any be run upon the hazard of his life? What is our life but a few hours? 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 seize upon us. This hour the breath thou drawest may be thy infection, this hour the bread thou eatest may be thy poison, this hour the cup thou tastest may be that cup that must not pass 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? Psalm 90.4. 
Psal. 90.4.  what is it but a sleep? Psalm 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 nightwork, what is truer than this wonder, our life is done, our days they have been?  
You may think we go fare to prove so strange a paradox, yet Job goes further; what are we but of yesterday, for our days upon earth are but a shadow? Job 8.9. 
Job 8.9.  See here the chronology of man's frailty, 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 itself. 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 run in these respects, the time passed 

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 mother's 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, Psalm 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 fixed 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 Goliath, 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, than he must live again and teach his Scholars in the same chair he sat in? our faith is above his reason, for the heavens shall pass 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 error be damned and tormented where he is. Is there any man with skill or power can call back but yesterday? once only we read of such a miracle, but it was only 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 satisfaction, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord; wilt thou that the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? Hezekiah thinks of death, and the Prophet restores his life, not only a time of fifteen years to come, but of ten degrees now gone, and thus it was observed in the dial of Ahaz. This was a miracle that but once happened since the beginning of the world; he than that sleeps away his time in expectation of Hezekiahs' sun, may sleep till his death, and then not recall one minute of his life; as the time, so our life, if once passed 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 than the life that is gone. Suppose then thou hadst lived so long, as from Adam to this time: as Austin saith, Certainly thou wouldst 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 extremely short? The time once past, we think it suddenly passed, and so is life gone in a moment, in the twinkling 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 stays 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 we shore this ruinous house of our body with food, with raiment, with exercise, with sleep, yet nothing can preserve it from returning to its earth; we go, and we go suddenly, witness those two Caesar's, who put off themselves whilst 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 was sick: but how many examples in this kind have we daily amongst us? you know 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 midnight 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 Sun 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 days are gone, few and evil they have been.]   

The Conlusion: Occasioned by the death of CHARLES BRIDGEMAN, who deceased about the age of twelve, in the year of our Lord 1632. he was a most pious son of a most pious mother, both now with God.  
HEre I thought to have finished my Text and Sermon; But here is a sad accident to confirm my saying, and whilst I speak of him, what can I say of his state, his person, his birth, his life, of all he had, and of all he was, but that they have been.  
Sweet rose, cropped in its blossom, no sooner budded, but blasted; how shall we remember his days, to forget our sorrows? no sooner had he learned to speak, but (contrary to our custom) he betook him to his prayers; so soon had grace quelled the corruption of his nature, that being yet an infant, you might see his proneness to learn, nay, sometimes to teach them this duty, who waited on to teach him his devotion: not long after he was set to school, where he learned by book, what before he had learned by heart: the sweet care, good disposition, sincere religion, which were in this child, all may remember which cast but their eyes upon him. O God, how hast thou bereft us of this Gem? Sure it is (as it was said of another) for this cause only, that it might shine in heaven. But this was but the beginning of his days, now they are passed, they have been.]  
Go a little further, we left him at school, but how learned he Christ, 
1. Cor. 2.2. Psal. 8.2.  and him crucified? this was the knowledge taught him by the Spirit of God in a wonderful manner. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou, O God, ordained strength. To consider again his religious words, his upright actions, his hearty devotions, his fear of God, all then concluded, as they did of John, 
Luke 1.66.  What manner of child shall this be? No question the grace of God was with him. If I should instance in any of these his frequency in prayer, his reading of Scripture, his reasoning with others to get knowledge to himself, we may wonder at God's power in this child's poor weakness: Excuse me whiles I tell nothing but truths, and I hope they will tend to our own instruction. In the morning he would not stir out of doors, before he had poured out his prayers; at noon he would not eat any meat, before he had given the Lord thanks; at night he would not lie down on his bed, before he had kneeled down on his knees: we may remember those times, when sometimes that he had forgotten this duty, no sooner had he been in bed, but up he would have got again, and so kneeling down on his bare knees, covered with no garment but his linens, he would ask God forgiveness for that sin of forgetfulness; neither have his brothers escaped without his reprehension: for had they eat any meal or meat without a grace, his check was usual; Dare you do thus? unless God be merciful unto us, this bit of bread might choke us. The wise sentences, the religious words, which often dropped from his mouth like honey can we remember them, and not grieve at the death of him that spoke them? What comfort had we in those days? What sorrow have we to think those days are done? Surely we cannot speak it without bitterness of soul, they are gone, they have been.  
Thus he lived: will you know how he died? First, a lingering sickness seized upon him, against which to comfort him, one tells him of possessions that must fall to his portion: And what are they? (said he) I had rather have the Kingdom of Heaven, than a thousand such inheritances. Thus he minds Heaven; and God, so minding him, presently sent him his sickness that should summon him thither. And now how should I repeat his words with the life that he spoke them dying? No sooner had God struck his body with that fatal sickness, but he asks, and needs would know his souls estate: I have heard of the soul (said he) but what is the soul? the mind? he questions, and questioning answers, better (I fear) then many, too many grey headed amongst us; but the answer given, how the soul consisted of the Will and the Understanding, he says, he is satisfied, and now understands better than he did before. Another comes to him, and then he gins another question, now he knows the soul, he desires yet to know further, How his soul may be saved? O blessed soul, how wisely couldst thou question for thine own souls good! The answer given, by faith applying Christ's merits: he heard it, and had it, anon telling them, who before had taught it him. Resolved in these questions, he questions no further, but will now answer them, that go about to question him: One asks him, whether he had rather live or die, he gives the answer, and not without Paul's reason, I desire to die (said he) that I might go to my Saviour. O blessed Spirit, bow didst thou inspire into this child thy wisdom and goodness! This done, his pain gins again to afflict him, and this occasions another thus to question him, whether he would rather still endure those pains or forsake his Christ? Alas (said he) I know not what to say as a child, for these pains might stagger a strong man, but I will strive to endure the best I can. Upon this he presently calls to mind that Martyr, who being in prison, 
Thom. Bilney.  the night before his burning put his finger in the candle, to know how he could endure the fire; O (said he) had I lived then, I would have run through the fire to have gone to Christ. Sweet resolution of a silly child! who can hear, and not wonder? wonder, and not desire to hear that he may wonder still? Blessed child, hadst thou lived that we might have wondered at thy wisdom! but his days were determined, and now is the number turned to this poor cipher, they are not, they have been.  
I cannot leave him yet, his sickness lasts long, and at least three days before his death, he prophesies his departure, and how strange a prophecy? not only that he must die, but foretelling the very day, On the Lord's day (said he) look to me. Neither was this a word of course, which you may guess by his often repetition, every day ask till the day came indeed, What, is Sunday come? At last the lookt-for day came on, and no sooner had the Sun beautified that morning with his light, but he falls into a trance; What (think ye) meant his blessed soul, whilst the body itself used such an action? his eyes were fixed, his face cheerful, his lips smiling, his hands and arms clasping in a bow, as if he would have received some blessed Angel, that there was at hand to receive his soul; but he comes to himself, and tells them how he saw the sweetest boy that ever eyes beheld, and bids them, Be of good cheer, for he must presently go with him. One standing near, as now suspecting his time of dissolution, bids him say, Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit; 
Psal. 31.5.  Yes (said he) Into thy hands, Lord, I commit my spirit which is thy due; for why? thou hast redeemed it, O Lord my God most true. Who will not believe this child now sings in Heaven, that so soon had learned this David's Psalm on earth? I cannot hold myself, nor will I hold you long; but how may I omit his heavenly ejaculations? Beloved, I beseech you pardon me whilst I speak his words, and I will promise you to speak no word, but the very same formally which were his own: Pray, pray, pray, nay yet pray, and the more prayers the better all prospers: God is the best Physician: into his hands I commend my spirit: O Lord Jesus receive my soul. Now close mine eyes, forgive me father, mother, brothers, sister, all the world. Now I am well, my pain is almost gone, my joy is at hand, Lord have mercy on me, O Lord receive my soul unto thee. Where am I whilst I speak these words? Blessed Saint, now thou singest in Heaven, God hath bid thee welcome, the Angels are hugging thee, the Saints rejoice with thee, this day is the Crown set on thy head, this day is the Palm of victory in thy hand now art thou arrayed in the shining robes of Heaven, and all the Host do triumph at thy coronation. Sweet soul, how am I ravished to think upon thee! What joy is this? The Patriarches salute thee, the Prophets welcome thee, the Apostles hug thee, all hands clap for joy, all harps warble, all hearts are merry and glad. O thou Creator of men and Angels, help us all to Heaven, that when our days have been] we may all meet together in thy blessed Kingdom.  
I have done: turn back by the same thread that led you through this labyrinth, and you shall have in two words the sum of this whole Text.  
The time of our Lease what is it but our Life? what is this Life, but a number of few days? what are these days, but a world full of evil? But a life, but days, but few, but evil; can we add any more? Yes, Life is life howsoever we live, and better you think to have a bad lease in being, than our life to be quite extinguished; nay, be not deceived, this life is but death, the days that we spend, they are past and done, few and evil they have been. Thus ends the Text with the expiration of our Lease: yet is not all done, when we lose this life we have another freehold prepared in Heaven, and this is not leased, but purchased; not for a life, but inheritance; not for days but for ever: Cross but the words of my Text, and many and happy shall the ages of thy life be in Heaven, for ever and ever. Amen.   
FINIS.   

Deaths. Arrest.  LUKE 12.20. 
This night thy soul shall be required of thee.  
Man's Body (we say) is closed up within the Elements, his Blood in his Body, his Spirits in his Blood, his Soul in his Spirits and God or Satan in his Soul. Who holds the possession we may guess in life, but then is it most apparent when we come to death: The tree may bend East, or West, or North, or South; but as it falleth so it lieth: Our affections may look up or down, towards heaven or hell; but as we die we receive our doom, and then whose we are shall be fully made manifest to all the world. There is a parable of poor Lazarus, 
Luke 16.  whose life was nothing but a catalogue of miseries, his body full of sores, his mind full of sorrows; what spectacle could we think more pitiful, whose best dainties were but broken crumbs, and his warmest lodging but the rich man's gates? Here is a parable of a certain rich man, who enjoys (or at least purposeth) a delicious fare, he hath lands vers. 16. 
Vers. 16.  fruits, vers. 17. 
17.  buildings, vers. 18. 
18.  and if this be the Inventory, what is the sum? see it collected in the verse succeeding, Soul, 
19  thou hast much goods laid up for many years; now live at ease, Eat, drink, and take thy pastime. These two estates thus different, how should they be but of divers tenors? 
Matth. 6.24.  No man can serve God and Mammon. See Lazarus dying, and the Angels carry him in-abrahams' bosom. See this rich man dying, and they (that is, devils) require his soul. God receives one, and his soul is in heaven; Satan takes the other, and drags down his soul to hell; he is comforted that received pains, and thou art tormented that waist full of ease: this is the doom, and that he may undergo this, death now gives the summons, This night thy soul shall be required of thee.  
The Text we may christian Death's Arrest, it is we that offend his Majesty of heaven, and his precepts are given unto Death to attach our souls. See here a precedent, a rich man taken on a sudden, who must instantly appear before the Judge of heaven: when? this night.] What? thy soul.] Why? it is required.] Of whom? of thee.]  
Or if this will not find the offender, see yet a more narrow search, every word is like some dark closet, therefore we will open the windows that you may have full light. This Text is Death's Arrest, which as it must be executed, so it admits of no other time but This] This what? this day, whilst the Sun gives light to the world, and the light gives pleasure to the eye? this were some comfort: no, but then suddenly whilst all sleep securely, not This day but This night.] And what, this night? Is it to attach the body of some great personage, whose looks might affrighten Officers had they come by day? No, let his body rot in dust, whilst the Soul must answer his defaults: it is not thy body; 'tis thy soul.] And what, of his soul? Is this a subject liable to arrests? rather can they beg it at his hands, or will he yield it at their fair entreaties? no, it is neither begged nor entreated; but by virtue of God's Writ, it is required.] And how required? of his sureties bound for his good appearing? he hath many friends, and all, either have or would have entered bonds: no, he must go without bail or mainprise, it is not required of his sureties, but himself; not of others, but of thee] is thy soul this night required.  
You hear the Texts harmony, of each string we will give a touch, and first note the time, this night.  

This.]  
Doctrine. NO other but This? were it a fortnight, a seven-night, any but This] night, and his griefs were lessened; the news is more heartless 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 fullness, and a sudden death robs him of all his treasures. To give you a full view, see his possessions, and how great was the loss, because of the suddenness: This] night.  
First, those goods, whereof he boasted, are now confiscate; not a penny, not a dram, not a mite shall be left him, save only a token of remembrance (I mean his winding-sheet) which he carries along with him to his grave.  
Secondly, his goods and grounds both were took from him at his death; he that commanded so much of earth must now have no more earth to pleasure him but a grave; what a change was this? his grounds were fertile, 
Vers. 16.  and they brought forth plenteously, but a blast of death hath struck both the fruit and ground; and nothing is now left him but a barren Tomb.  
Thirdly, his lands and houses both went together. You may guess 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 glean 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. 
Leu. 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 pitiful to the poor, his barns might have stood, himself might have lived, his soul have been saved. But now what a strange lot happens on him? his Halls, Houses, Barns, Buildings, all run round in a dance of Death before his eyes.  
Fourthly, his house and friends both left him when death came: The Parable is common: 
Ex Damasceno  A man hath three friends, two whereof he loved most entirely, the third he made no account of: this man being sent for to come before his King, he desires his first friend to go with him, but he could not, only he would give him something for his journey: He desires his second friend to go with him, but he would not, only 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 Sergeant 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 will not go with you, but bring you to your graves, and there leave you to yourselves: 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 only a good conscience had accompanied him to the Judge of heaven? but now when death summons him, there is no friend to solicit, no Advocate to plead no man to speak one word in his souls behalf: it is his bad conscience keeps him company, and though all others leave him, he can devise no means to shake this from him.  
Fifthly, there is a jewel irrevocable, of which this sudden death robs him, I mean his time, and what a loss was this? all his goods, grounds, barns, buildings, were they more worth than the world itself, 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 months and years he lavishly misspent: they that pass away time with mirth and pastime, shall one day see to their grief what a loss they have; now we revel it out, dally it away, use all means and occasions to make it short enough; but when this golden shower is gone, and those opportunities of salvation lost by negligence, than 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 hell flames) were dispensed with for a little time, to live here again on earth amongst us; would but the Lord vouchsafe him one hour of a new trial, a minute season of a gracious visitation, oh how highly would he prise, 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 persuaded, if any damned creature had but the happiness to hear this Sermon, you should see how his very heart would bleed within him; bleed said I? nay, break and fall asunder in his breast like drops of water. Oh with what inflamed attention would he hear and listen? with what insatiable grasping would he lay hold on Christ? with what streaming tears would he water his cheeks, as if he would melt himself, like Niobe, into a fountain? Blessed God how fond are foolish men that never think of this till their time be lost? we that are alive have only this benefit of opportunity, and if we neglect it, a day will come (we know not how soon) that we shall be passed it, and cannot recover it, no not one hour, if we would give a thousand, ten thousand, world's for it. What can I say? reflect on yourselves, you that have souls to save; you have yet a little time (and the time present is that time) what then, but so use it now, as when you are gone, you need not with grief wish you here again?  
Sixthly, yet more loss, and that is the loss of losses, the loss of his soul; his riches, lands, houses, friends, time, and all were nothing to his soul. This is that Paragon, Peer, Rose, and Spouse of our wellbeloved Christ. How many a tear shed he to save it? what groans cries, prayers, tears, and blood, poured he before God, that he might redeem it from the jaws of Satan? and is this lost notwithstanding all this labour? O sweet Jesus! what a loss is this? thou wast born, lived, died, and that a shameful death, (the death of the cross) and all this suffering was to save poor souls: yet see a soul here lost, and the blood of God, though able, not effectual to redeem it. Whose heart would not melt into blood, 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 infernal 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 cries, and roars, Woe, woe, and alas evermore. Who now for shadows of short pleasures, would incur these sorrows of eternal pains? In this world we can weep and wail for a loss of trifles: an house, a field, an Ox took from us, is enough to cruciate us; but how shall we bewail the loss of a soul, which no sooner plunged into that pit of horror, but it shall feel a punishment without pity, misery without mercy, sorrow without succour, crying without comfort, torment without ease, a world of mischief, without all measure or redress? Such is the loss of this man's silly soul, whilst he was cheering it with an homebred solace; Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: God whispers in his ears, and tells him other news: What? of his soul: how? it is required: when? this night: a fearful sound unlookt-for message, speedy dispatch, no more delays, nor days, only this night, for than must his soul be taken from him.  
You see all his losses; and now to contract them, there is one grief more than 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 eaten, and drunk, married, and gave in marriage, and knew nothing tell the flood 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 banqueting, the men of Ziklag in their feasting, Jobs children in their drunkenness, the Sodomites in their filthiness, the Steward in his security, this Churl 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 surprise thee: The hour is certain, in nothing but uncertainties; for sure thou must die, 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 die, whiles they are most busy 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 lo he was gone: gone, whether? his body to the grave, his soul to hell, in the midst of his jollity, God threats destruction, Devil's 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 die, Ecclus 11.19. 
Eccles. 11.19.  The higher our Babel-tower of joy is raised, the nearer it is to ruin and confusion. Sodom, in the heat of their sins, had that shower of fire poured on their heads: Nabuchadnezzar, 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 midst of his note here is a sudden stop; he dreams of longs and largesse, he hears of briefs 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, whilst the word is spoken, this] night.  
Use. 1 Our neighbour's fire, cannot but give warning of approaching flames. Remember his judgement, thine also may be likewise: 
Ecclus 38.22.  unto me yesterday, and unto thee to day. Whose turn is next God only knows, who knows all. Is not madness in the hearts of men whiles they live? 
Eccles. 9.3.  In the least suspicion of losing worldly riches, all watch and break their sleep; you shall see men work, and toil, and fear, and care, and all too little to prevent a loss; 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 careful in trifles, and so negligent in matters of a great importance! It is storied of Archimedes, that when Syracuse was taken, he only was sitting secure at home, and drawing circles with his compass in the dust. Thus some we have, that when the eternal salvation of their souls is in question, they are handling their dust, nothing but suits 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, enriching his posterity, without any endeavour, or care to treasure up grace against that fatal hour; and I dare certainly tell him, whensoever he comes to his death's bed, he shall find nothing but an horrible confusion, extremest horror and heaviness of heart; nay, his soul shall presently down into the kingdom of darkness, and there lie 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 speak not to you, and others, I speak not to you; the truth is I speak 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 covetousness? whether have I not sworn an oath, or told a lie, or dissembled in my heart, when I have spoken? O who can say amongst you, I am clean, I am clean? and assure yourselves if you are guilty, you must either feel hearts grief, or you can never be provided for deaths dismal arrest. If you were but sensible of sin, if you felt but the weight and horror of God's wrath for sin, I am verily persuaded you would not take a quiet sleep in your beds for fear, and horror, and heaviness of heart: what is it but madness of a man to lie down in ease upon a feather bed, and to lodge in his bosom that deadly enemy, sin?  
But (horror of horrors!) what if this night, whilst you sleep in your sin, death should arrest you on your beds? This I 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 aught 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 infernal 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 liest now in danger of eternal 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 forbidden) cast from his bed of feathers, to a bed of fire? and yet alas! alas! if any of us this night die in his sin, or in a state unregenerate, thus will it be with him whosoever he be; to morrow may his body lie could under earth, and his soul lodge in hell with this miserable rich man.  
Use. 2 But let me speak to you, of whom I hope better things; it is good counsel for you all to expect death every day, and by this means, death fore-seen cannot possibly be sudden; no, it is he only dies suddenly, that dies 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 yourselves treasure upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thiefs break thorough and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thiefs do not break thorough, nor steal: Mat. 6.19, 20. 
Mat. 6.19, 20.  You will say, What treasures are those? I answer: These treasures are those stocks of grace that will last for ever, it is that circumspect walking, Ephes. 5.15. 
Ephes. 5.15.  that fervency of spirit, Rom. 12.11. 
Rom 12.11.  that zeal of good works, Tit. 2, 14. 
Tit. 2.14.  that purity, which St. john makes a property of every true hearted professor, 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 hoards 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 God's favour, and those rarest jewels of faith and a good conscience, if now before we appear at the dreadful Tribunal, we would make God and his Angels our friends in the Court of Heaven, O then how blessed would out deaths be to us? came it never so suddenly, still should death find us ready, and if ready, no matter how suddenly, yea though it were this] this night.  I have broke  the writ, and you see when it must be served this] night; but in this Quando there is both suddenness, and sadness, it is not this day, but this night] Let this] end this day's discourse, and the next day we will lay open the night's dark sadness: it is a dismal time, and God give us grace so to provide, that we may be ready with oil in our lamps, and enter with our Saviour into his blessed Kingdom.  

Night.]  
HE sins all day, and dies at night, and why at night? This you know is frequent, and there is reason, most are begot, and born, and therefore die at night: but we must further than the lists of nature, this night was more than ordinary, as being the fittest time to aggravate his grief: weigh but the circumstances.  
First, It was a night of darkness, and this may increase the horror of his judgement: think but what a fear seized on the Egyptians, 
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 Husbandmen, the Shepherds, the workmen, 
Exod. 10.23.  all were bound with one chain of darkness, No man saw another, neither rose up from the place where he was for three days, Exod. 10.23. Was not this fearful darkness? you may guess 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 noise 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 noise of cruel beasts, or the echo that answereth again in the hollow mountains, these fearful things made them to swoon for fear: And if thus the Egyptians, how was it with this Worldling? a darkness seized on him that engendered 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 than the darkness. It was not an outward, but an utter darkness, not only 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 darkness, behind is infallibe death, on thy right and left hand a legion of evil angels, expecting every moment to receive the prey. Here is a sight indeed, able to break the very heartstrings of each seer. If some have lost their wits, by means of some dreadful 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 terror of this man, when so many dreadful, horrible hellish monsters stood round about him, now ready to receive him? O ye sons of men, stand in awe and sin not, 
Psal. 4.4.  common with your own heart, and in your chamber, and be still: Will not this fear you from your sins? Suppose than you lay on your beds of death, were the Judge in his throne, your souls at the Bar, this accuser at your elbows, and hell ready open to shut her mouth upon you: O then, how would you curse yourselves, 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 than the appearing of Devils, you would rather burn to ashes, then endure their sights. Good God, that any Christian should live in this danger, and yet never heed it till he sees its terror! 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 cain's 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 entered 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 darkness seized on him, that never after left him? Thus many go to bed, that never rise again, till they be wakened by the fearful sound of the last Trumpet: and was not this a terror? whose heart doth not quake? whose flesh doth not tremble? whose senses are not astonished whilst we do but think on it? And than what were the sufferings of himself in his person? He might cry, and roar, and wail, and weep, yet there is none to help him; his heartstrings break, the blessed Angels leave him, Devils still expect him, and now the Judge hath pronounced his sentence, This night, in the dark, they must seize upon him.  
Yet this was not all the horror, it was a night both of darkness and drowsiness, or security in sin. He that reads the life of this man, may well wonder at the fearful end of so fair beginnings: walk into his fields, and there his  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 curtained with gold hang: 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 murdered, himself near lost, and not one to pity him, when the very thrusting in of an arm might deliver him: this, and no other, was the case of this dying miser: at that night while his senses were most drowsy, 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 whilst death breaks down this house thy body, to rob thee of that jewel thy soul? What a deep, dull, drowsy, dead sleep is this? O fool! this night is thy soul assaulted, see death approaching, Devils hover, God's justice threatening, canst thou yet sleep? and are thine eyes yet heavy? Behold, the hour is at hand, and thy soul must be delivered into the hands of thine enemies: heavy eyes! he sleeps still, his care all day had cast him into so dead a sleep this night, that nothing can warn him until 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 busy whilst we are most drowsy, most secure in sin; Hark the sluggard that lulls himself in his sins, 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 cockcrow, or in the morning, lest coming suddenly he should find you sleeping Mark 13.35. 
Mark 13.35, 36.  Was not this the wretchedness of the foolish virgins? how sweetly could they slumber? how sound could they sleep until midnight? they never wake, nor so much as dream to buy oil for their lamps: imagine then how fearful 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 fearful waking to this rich man, when no sooner that he opened his eyes, but he saw death's ugliness afore his face? what a sight was this? at his door enters the King of fear, accompanied with all his abhorred horrors, and stinging dread: on his curtains he may read his sins, arrayed and armed in their grisliest forms, and with their fieriest stings; about his bed are the powers of darkness, now presenting to his view his damnable state, his deplorable misery: what can he do that is thus beset with such a world of woeful work, and hellish rage? his tongue falters, his breath shortens, his throat rattles, he would not watch, and now cannot resist; the cry is made, the midnight come, God sounds destruction, and thus runs the proclamation, This night so drowsy, thy soul must be taken from thee.  
And yet more horror; it was a night of drowsiness and sadness. How is he but sad, when he sees the night coming, and his last day decaying? Read but the copy of this rich man's Will, and see how he deals all he hath about him; he bequeathes 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 farewells. You that sport yourselves, and spoil others; that rob God in his members, and treasure up your own damnations, will not death make sorry hearts for your merry nights? a night will come as sad as sadness in her sternest looks, and then what a lot will befall you? O that men are such cruel 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 revel, and sing, and then came fear as desolation; and his destruction on a sudden as a whirlwind: 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 numberless 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 vanity, The end of mirth is heaviness saith Solomon, Prov. 14.13. What will the sons 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 Post 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 music are brought low. 
Eccles. 12.4.  His voice is hoarse, his lips pale, his cheeks wan, his nostrils 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 merry man that made such pastime? Sweet God what a change is this? 
Esa. 3.24.  In stead of sweet smell there is a stench, in stead of a girdle a rent, in stead of well-set hair baldness, in stead of beauty burning; in stead of mirth mourning and lamentation, weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Must not sadness seize on that soul which incurs this doom? Here is a malefactor stands at bar, indicted 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 fearful execution, that his soul is taken.  
And yet more horror: It was a night of sin, and this doth increase 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 whilst he was busily plotting his ease and pastime, death stands at his door, and overhears all his plots and projects. It was a death to his soul to be took in his sin: hear how he roars and cries, O that I had lived so virtuously as I should; had I embraced the often inspirations of God's 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 Kingdom, purchased damnation? O beloved! what think ye of yourselves, whilst 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 frolic 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? Can I speak with you on your deathbeds, 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, by't your nails, seek all means possibly to annihilate yourselves? and can nothing warn you before death seize on you? take heed, if you go on in sin, 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, than 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 malefactors, 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 merry? 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 natural state of sin. Lord! that men should be so strangely bewitched by the Prince of the air, as for the momentary 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 madness seized on this Worldling, he sings, he revels, he dallies, 
Plin. l. 7. c. 23.  then dies. Thus greatest evils arise out of greatest joys, as the ears with vehement sounds, and the eyes with 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 midst of sleep, the Israelites die in their day of lust, this Worldling dies in that night of sin, even then on a sudden his soul is taken.  
And yet more horror, it was a night of death, and this was the worst of all: the darkness, drowsiness, sadness, sin, all were nothing to this, all nothing in themselves, if death had not followed: 
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 swallowed up, and drowned in this Ocean of misery. Now rich man! what sayest thou to thy barns, buildings, riches, lands? Do these pleasure thee in this thy extreme and dying agony? Thou liest this night on thy departing bed, burdened with the heavy load of thy former trespasses, the pangs come sore and sharp upon thee, thy breast pants, thy pulse beats short, thy breath itself smells of earth and rottenness: whither wilt thou go for a little ease or secure? what help canst thou have in thy heaps of gold, or hoard of wealth? 
Discip. de temp serm. 118. ex Hum. in tract. de septuplici timore.  should we bring them to thy bed, (as we read of one dying, commanded that his golden vessels and silver plate should be set before him, which looking on, he promised to his soul, it should have them all, on condition of his stay with him, but the remedy 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 Sergeant, then can an handful of dust. Wretched men! what shall be your thoughts, when you come to this miserable case? full sad and heavy thoughts (Lord thou knowest): you may lie upon your beds, like wild bulls in a net, full of the fury 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 terror of that night of death, when you may wish with all your hearts, that you had never been born; if the Lord once let lose the cords of your conscience, what account will you make of crowns, 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 dismal 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; only the Devil had your service, and only 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, than 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 glass is run, his Sun is set, his day is finished, and now this night, the very night of Death, his soul is required, and received of him.  Lo here the dismal, dreadful, terrible time of this man's departure, it was in the night, a night of darkness, drowsiness, sadness sin, death, and destruction. 
Use. 1 Who will not provide each day against this fearful night? howsoever we pass away our time in sin, we must of necessity, ere it be long, lie gasping for breath upon our dying beds, there shall we grapple hand to hand with the utmost powers of death and darkness: what should we do then, but sow our seed while the seedtime lasteth? we have yet a day, and how short this day is, God only knows: be sure the night cometh wherein none can work, 
Joh. 9.4.  and then what a fearful time will come upon us? I know there be some that dream of doing good in another world, or at least will defer 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 darkness, but while the day shines on him, than he knows he is under the protection of the Laws, the light of the Sun, 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 seethe 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 tribunal: in a word, whatsoever you think, or speak, or do, say thus with yourself, Would I do thus and thus, if I knew this night to be my last? Who is it would sin, if he thought at that instant he must go to judgement?  
Use. 2 But if we neglect the day, be sure the night will come to our condemnation: where be those wonders that so dazzled our eyes, while the day shone on them? Where is Absaloms' beauty, Jezabels paint, saul's 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 ye 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 daybreak of eternal brightness. 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 now are ye light in the Lord. Ye were once carnal, but now are ye spiritual: ye were once unregenerate, 
Ephes. 5.8.  but now are ye a first-fruits dedicated to God. If it were thus with you, than (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 God's shining countenance, you should have a night (if it were night) turned all into a midday. Now the Lord give you such a day, whensoever you die, through Christ our Lord.  You have heard the time of Death's arrest,] This night.] Now for the party we'll make a privy search, and if we stir one word, we shall find him at next door, it is thy soul.]  

Thy Soul.]  
THe party under arrest is the rich man's Soul,] no warranty could prevail, no riches satisfy, 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 jewel better worth than a world, 
Observe.  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 open the cabinet, and you shall see the jewel 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, incorporeal, immortal, 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 shows forth some excellencies (as the glorious lustres) of this glorious pearl 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? Do not we live as if we had no souls at all? The epicure is for his belly, the ambitious for his body, but who is he that provides for his soul? Sure we imagine it to be nothing valuable, or how should our estimation of it be so gross and vile, to prefer the body, to neglect the soul?] There were other Philosophers went a pace yet further, and they gave it a being, 
Galen.  but what? no better than an accident, that might live or die without 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 we), 
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 only men, but beasts, and plants, and stones, and metals have a soul: far be this from your thoughts, whose souls are prized to be of more worth than a world, there being nothing in the world that may give a recompense 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? only bodily, and not spiritual; such gross 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 than did err in supposing a spirit when they saw his body, no less is their error, in supposing a body where is only 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 than the best of bodies. O precious soul (saith Bernard) espoused to thy God, endowed 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? only material, not substantial, and such as are the souls of beasts that die with their bodies, as being deduced from the matter of some bodies pre-existent. It is not so with the souls of men, which though for a while they are knit and united to this house of clay, yet may they be separated from it, and subsist without it: this is that goodness of God, that as our souls are intellectual, so their being is perpetual, 
Dionys. c. 4. de divin. nom. aliquantulum à principio. 1 Cor. 4.7.  not but that our souls might die (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 speak of the soul, what are we that God, and God only hath not bestowed upon us? our parents begot our bodies, God only gave our souls: our bodies are buried again in the womb of our common mother, but our souls return to God, as to their chiefest good. So immaterial 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 only material: no, but on the contrary, an ens, a substance, a spirit, a form, a substantial being of itself subsisting.  
But we'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 Jerome witnesseth) were most on that side: the reason of this opinion was because of original 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 withal the soul were propagated. But are not our souls as the Angels? 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 original sin (if the soul were not traduced from the loins 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 inquire of it, and we may better inquire of it then understand it, and yet more easily understand it, then express 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 sinned in Adam, as the whole man is begot of Adam; so soon therefore as the soul is conjoined to the body, and of the soul and body is constituted whole man, that man being now made a member of Adam, is said to sin with him, and to derive that sin from him. But for a further satisfaction, although the soul depend on God according to its substance, yet is it created in that body which is produced of the parents: thus in some sort we may say that the soul is begotten, (non quoad essentiam, sed quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) God only 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 organical, 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 man's 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 devil that caused sin, but all that God made was good, and very good, Gen. 1.31. 
Gen. 1.31.  and such a soul hath every man. 
Sedibus aethereis spiritus ille venit.  It is created by God, infused by his Spirit, of nothing made something, and what something, but an excellent work, befitting such an excellent workman?  
And yet there be more stairs to ascend: it is thirdly invisible.] Hath any man seen God? or hath any man seen God's image (which is the soul) and lived? Substances that are more pure are less visible. We see but darkly through a glass, nay, the best eye upon earth looks but through a lattice, a window, an obscuring impediment, mortal eyes cannot behold immortal things; how then should this corruptible sight, see a spiritual 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 only heavenly, but heaven itself: as God and man met both in Christ, so heaven and earth met both in man: would you see this earth? that is the body, Out of it wast thou taken, and into it must thou return, Gen. 4.19. 
Gen. 4.19.  would you see this heaven? that is the soul, the God of heaven gave it, and to the God of heaven returns it, 
Eccles. 12.7.  Eccles. 12.7. The body is but a lump, but the soul is that breath of life: of earth came the body, of God was the soul: thus earth and heaven met in the creation, and the man was made a living soul, Gen. 2.7. 
Gen. 2.7.  the sanctified soul is an heaven upon earth, 
Est coelum sancta anima, habens solem intellectum, lunam fidem, astra virtutet. Bern super Cantic.  where the sun is understanding, the moon is faith, and the stars gracious affections: what heaven is in that body, which lives and moves by such a soul? yet so wonderful is God's mercy to mankind, that as reason doth possess the soul, so the soul must possess this body. Here is that union of things visible, and invisible: as the light is spiritual, 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: only 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 envy of devils, that immortal splendour which never eye hath seen, never eye must see.  
And yet we must up another step, it is fourthly incorporeal.] as not seen with a mortal eye so neither clogged with a bodily shape: I say not but the soul hath a body for his organ, to which it is so knit and tied, that they cannot be severed without much sorrow or struggling: 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 room in the house where the inhabitant lives not: would you please to see the rooms? 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 commonsense her customhouse, the fantasy her mint, the memory her treasury, the lips are her two leaved doors, that shut and open, and all these, and all the rest, (as the motions in a Watch,) are acted and moved 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 air yet lesser, the fire lest 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 spiritual, and wholly with-drawn from all bodily being.  
And yet a little higher, it is fifthly immortal.] It was the error of many Fathers, 
Scaliger. notae in nov. Test.  That bodies and souls must both die till doomsday, and then the bodies being raised, the souls must be revived. Were that true, why then cries Stephen, Lord jesus 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 error. 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 air. What, is the soul a smoke? and the spirit no better than the soft vanishing air; 
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 jacob? now God (saith Christ) is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Abraham, Isaac, jacob, 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 me (saith our Saviour) shall never die, john 11.26. 
John 11.26.  Not die,] against some, never die] against others: what can we more? only 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 eternal life! here's a joy unspeakable, that this soul now clogged with cares, vexations, griefs, passions, shall one day enjoy those joys immortal, not for a day, or two, 
Nullus erit defectus, nullus terminus.  (though this were more than we can imagine) but through all eternity; There shall be no defect, nor end: after millions of ages the soul must still live in her happiness, it is not of a perishing, but an everlasting substance.  
And yet the perfection of the soul goes higher; it is most like to God,] so far it transcends all earthly happiness: I cannot say, but in some sort all creatures have this likeness; every effect hath at least some similitude with its cause, but with a difference; some only 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 Creator.  
Can we any more? yes, one step higher, and we are at the top of jacob's ladder: The soul is not only like God, but the image of God. I cannot deny, but there is some appearance of it in the outward man and therefore the body in some measure partakes of this image of the Deity, it was man, and whole man that was corrupted by sin, and (by the law of contraries) it was man, and whole man, that was beautified with this image. Please you to look at the body, is it not a little world, wherein every thing that God made was good? as therefore all goodness comes from him, so was he the pattern of all goodness; that being in him perfectly, which only is in us partly. This is that Idea, whereby God is said to be the exemplar of the world: man then in his body being as the world's 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 wisdom, 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 Majesty? Be astonished then, ye men of the earth! If this dust, this clay, this body of ours be so glorious, what think ye of the soul, whose substance, faculties, qualities, dignities, every way represents God's 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 incorporeal? 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 immortal? why so is God: He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who only hath immortality, 1. Tim. 6.16. 
1. Tim. 6.16.  Is the soul spiritual? 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 only 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 Understanding, Will, and Memory are but one soul: the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the holy Ghost; so the Understanding is not the Will, nor the Will the Memory: and yet the Father is God, the Son is God, and the holy Ghost is God; so the Understanding is the soul, the Will 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 than 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 dowry of God's Spouse, and who wonders not at the qualities & conditions with which the soul is arrayed? The King's daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of broidered gold. What say you to that heavenly knowledge inspired into us? God that created man, filled him with knowledge of understanding, and shown them good and evil, Ecclus 17.6. What say you to those heavenly impressions that are stamped upon us? 
Ephes. 4.24.  such are the new man's marks, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, 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? witness 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 righteousness and holiness kiss 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 Creator? 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 Creator in her full dominion over all the creatures? 
Cant. 6.3.  Thou art bountiful, O my soul, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners. What is it will not stoop to this God's Vicegerent? 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 lofty, 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 mindful of him? thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thy hands, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, Psal. 8.6.  O my soul, my soul! what can we say of such a creature? to sum up all, she is in nature a substance, created by God, invisible of men, incorporeal with Angels, immortal through grace, most like to God in a way of nearness, and bearing his image in the glorious stamp of her created likeness. 
Is this the darling of our Lord? where then is the rich man that hath lost this pearl? he that could tell his soul, Soul, 
Vers. 19  thou hast much goods laid up for many years, live at ease, eat, drink and take thy pastime. Now on a sudden his soul is taken, and whose shall those things be which he hath provided? The loss of all losses is the loss of a soul, without which, had we never so much, we could truly enjoy nothing; what trust then in your earthly treasures? what stay in such broken staves of reed? one day you shall find them most deceitful, leaving your naked souls to the open rage of wind and weather, to the scourges and scorpions of guiltiness and fear: Can 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 pearls of the North, all is nothing to (this incarnate Angel) this invaluable soul. O wretched worldling! what hast thou done then to undo thy soul? was it a wedge of gold, an heap of silver, an hoard 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 wand'ring sinners; Go ye into everlasting fire, 
Mat. 25.41.  prepared for the Devil and his Angels: thither must it go with heaviness of heart, into a kingdom 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 forecast? 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 doleful funerals? the news is sounded [he is dead] friends must lament him, passing-peales ring for him, an hearse-cloth wrap him, a tombstone lie over him, all must have mourning suits, and (may be) rejoicing hearts; but all this while his soul his going to judgement, without one friend, or the least acquaintance to speak in his cause: O that his soul were mortal, 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, horror the language, and eternal death the souls eternal 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 Lions? who can defend thee from those hellish monsters? God is incensed, hell prepared, justice threatened, only 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 appears in his face, and suddenly falls on to arrest his soul; Is it death? what is it he demands? can his goods satisfy? no, the world claims them: must his body go? no, the worms claim that: what debt is this, which neither goods, nor body can discharge? [Habeas animam ejus coram nobis] God's warrant bids fetch the soul: O miserable news! the soul committed sin, sin mortgaged 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.  
Use. 1 Animula vagula, blandula, said the heathen Emperor; Pretty, 
Adrian.  little, wand'ring 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, physic, pleasure, riches, nay, take a world to reprieve 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 metal, treasures of an higher temper, riches of a nobler nature, that must help your souls. Do you think that ever any glorified soul, that now looks God Almighty in the face, and tramples under foot the Sun and Moon, is so bewitched as was Achan with a wedge of gold? no, it is only the Communion of Saints, the society of Angels, the fruition of the Deity, 
Iosh. 7.21.  the depth of eternity, which can only feed and fill the soul. So live then, as that when you die, your souls may receive this bliss, and the Lord jesus our Saviour receive all your souls.  
Use. 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 Jesus▪ why shedst thou the most precious and warmest blood of thy heart, but only to save souls? thou wast scourged, buffeted, judged, condemned, hanged; was all this for us? and shall we do nothing for ourselves? What is it thou wouldst have bad, if thou couldst wish it good? not thy house, nor thy wife, nor thy children, nor thy good, nor thy , but no matter for thy soul; I beseech you, value not you souls at a less price than your shoes; you can please the flesh with delicates, which is naught but worms meat; but the soul pines for want, which is a creature invisible, incorporeal, immortal, most like to God: are we thus careful 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 Councillors 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 counsel for his soul: I must confess, I have sometimes dwelled on this meditation: and (Beloved, let me speak homely to you) be our Counsellors in this Town, every week solicited by their Clients? and have we no Clients in soul-cases? not one that will come to us with their cases of conscience? sure you are either careless of your souls, or belike you have no need of particular instructions: O let us not be so forward for the world, and so backward for the soul! yet I pray mistake not; I invite you not for fees, as noble Terentius, when he had petitioned for the Christians, and saw it torn in pieces before his face, gathered up the pieces, and said, I have my reward; I have not sued for gold, silver, honour, or pleasure, but a Church: so say I, in midst 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 woo 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 harkened 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 sacrifice 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 ourselves, 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 cloth 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 than must your Souls be taken from you.  Thus far you see the rich man's arrest: God enjoins it, death serves it, the time was this night, and the party is, his Soul.] God give us grace to provide our souls, that when death arrests we may be ready, and then, O God, have thou mercy on our Souls.  

Shall be required]  
THe original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, They shall require it: wherein you have, the 

Sergeants,  
Arrest.    
The Sergeants, They,] and the arrest itself, They require] his soul.  
we'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, sensual 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 God's 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 only 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 Angel 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 heaven's 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 privilege; if God will not hear us, what will our prayers do to Saints? Heaven is too far off, they cannot hear, or were it nearer they will not, cannot help: it is God must save us, or we perish ever. Who then are the Sergeants? not God, nor Saints, nor Angels: no, there is another crew, Death and Devils stand in a readiness, and they are the parties that arrest this prisoner.  
Stay, what would death have? the soul cannot die, and for the body, no matter who receives it. O yes! there is a death of the soul, as well as of the body: I mean not such a death whereby it may be annihilated, but a second death that shall ever accompany it: this is a death of the soul, that will always keep it in deaths pangs. But not to speak of this death, there is another death temporal, that shall sever the soul and body each from other: these two twins that have lived together since their first espousal, these two lovely ones that were made, and met, and married by the hands of God these two made one, till death them departed, and make them two again, now is their rueful time of divorce: when death comes he gives over the body to the grave, and arrests the soul, to appear in presence before God's high Tribunal. Such a Bailiff hath now laid hands on this rich man's soul, when he least thought on't, death comes on a sudden, and arrests his person. O wretched worldling! who is this behind thee? call we this God's 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 moulds? But what's that in his hands? an hourglass, and a dart: the one expressing the decreasings of our life, and the other death's stroke, that he gives us in our death. Such emblems are most fit to express mortality: and imagine such a thing to arrest this rich man, would it not terrify him, whilst 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 kingdoms, wert thou exalted as the Eagle, 
Obad. 1.4.  and thy nest set among the stars, 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 entreaty will prevail, no riches rescue, nothing at all redeem, death, death is impartial.  
But (O horror!) death is not all, see yet more Sergeants, Devils, and Dragons are about thy bed, and these are they that will hurry away thy soul to hell. How? Devils; O worldling stay thy soul, and never yield it! better to die a thousand deaths, then to leave it in their hands; but alas, thou canst not choose, thy last hour is come, and here is neither hope, nor help, nor place of any longer terrying. See but the misery of a miserable soul! what shall it do? whither shall it fly from these damned Furies? would they take it, and tear it into nothing, it were somewhat tolerable: but to tear 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 whilst thou hast a minutes stay in this body, call upon God to prevent this arrest of Devils: was it not (think ye) a terror 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 Devil through the air, was said so to roar and yell, that many miles distant his noise was heard, to many a man's trembling. And if a soul had but the organs of a sound, what a shriek 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 Lions ever ready to devour our souls, these are those walkers up and down the earth, which are now come and entered into this rich man's lodging. 
Matth. 24.28.  Wheresoever the dead carcase is, thither (saith our Saviour) will the eagle's 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 claws 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 arms? 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.  
Use. Reflect these thoughts on your own souls, and consider with yourselves, 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 rock hath poured thee out rivers of oil. 
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, etc.  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 sense? art thou not stupidly senseless in spiritual things, that for pelf, vanity, dung, nothing, wilt run headlong and wilfully into easeless, endless, and remediless torments? Yet such is thy doing, (if thou be'st 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.  We have done with the Sergeants, but what's their office? to beg? to sue? No, but to force, to require, thy soul is required. 
How? requried? is any so bold to approach his gates, and make a forcible entry? Yes, God hath his special Bailiffs that will fear no colours, riches cannot ransom, castles cannot keep, hollows cannot hid, hills nor their forts protect: Sits Herod on his Throne? there's a Writ of Remove, and the worms are his Bailiffs: is Dives at his Table? Death brings the Mittimus, and Devils are his jailors: 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 King's suit, no place can privilege, no power secure, no valour rescue, no liberty 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 compass thee, and the floods 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 misery! enough to break an heart of brass again: Imagine that a Prince a while possessed some royal 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 enemy, 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 only to a 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 woeful 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 Princess, 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 environed) are now surprised 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 Physic, 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) gins all to shiver? here is the woeful state of a wicked soul, God is her enemy, the Devil her foe, Angels hate her, the earth groans under her, hell gapes for her: the reason of all, sin struck the alarm, and death gives the battle: it is but this night (a minute longer) and then will the raging enemy enter on her. Death is no beggar to entreat, no suitor to woe, no petitioner to ask, no solicitor to crouch and crave a favour: she runs raging, 
Quaque ruit furibunda ruit  ruling, charging, requiring: hark this rich man's arrest, thy soul shall be required] It shall? yes, the word is peremptory; what? be required? yes, it comes with authority. Here's a fatal requiring, when the soul shall be forced by an unwilling necessity, and devils by force hurry her to her endless fury. 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.  
Use. 1 But to whom speak I? Think of it you miserably covetous, that join house to house and call the lands after your own names: You may trust in your wealth, and boast yourselves 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 out his damnation with his coin? 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 bottom of some violent sea: Thus is your danger every hour, Satan makes you a bed, lulls you asleep, charms you into golden dreams, and you conceive you are wallowing in the Sea of all worldly 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 eternal 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 fly sin, as the very sting of a scorpion.  

William Rogers. The Young man's 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 ways looking homewards, that he died miserably rich: the other so lashing outward that he died miserably poor, both of different ways of life, yet both of uncomfortable passages out of the world. The one coming to his deaths-bed, the Author 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 add, but I know God will not do it, I must go to hell for evermore. Whatsoever came between while, this was the close, I must be burned in Hell, I must to the furnace of Hell, millions and millions of ages. The Author 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, shown 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 sin, 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 Shepherd 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 horror, that ever any soul should suffer these conflicts for sin! But what sins were they? He was (saith the Author) no Swearer, no Whoormonger, no Thief, no scoffer at Religion, no perjured wretch, no wilful liar at all, only Drunkenness and neglect of men's bodies (for he was an Apothecary) neglect of Prayer, God's Word, and his Sacraments, so awaked his trembling Conscience, that he was forced to pass this fearful 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 fearful 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 direful voice speaking to him; Thou wicked wretch, thou hast denied me, thou hast broken thy vow; hence Apostate, and bear with thee the sentence of thy eternal 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 fearful sentence of Christ, now past on his own soul: his friends to comfort him propounded many of God's promises, recorded in Scripture; Oh but my sin (said he) is greater than the mercy of God: nay, answered they, the mercy of God is above all sin; 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 fearful 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 wished him to seek some spiritual comfort: those comforters come, and observing the distemper to arise from the sense and horror of hell pains; they ask him, Whether he thought there were any worse pains than what he endured? he said, He knew there were fare 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 Author) divers flies that came about him, and some lighted on him; whereat, presently remembering 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 fearful dreams and visions he was continually troubled withal, That he saw the Devils come flocking into his chamber, and about his bed terrifying him with strange noises; and that these were not fancies, but that he saw them as really as the standers by: and that besides these outward terrors, he felt continually a racking torture of his mind, and a continual butchery of his conscience, being the very proper pangs of the damned wights in hell.  
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 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 anatomy, expressing to the view nothing but sinews, and bones, vehemently raging for drink; ever pining, yet fearful to live long; dreadful of hell, yet coveting death; in a continual torment, yet his own tormentor; consuming himself with grief and horror, impatience and despair, till at last he ended his miserable-miserable life.  
And now (beloved) if such be the departure of a sinful soul, O who would live in sin 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 Authors themselves to incline to the right hand; besides, what am I, that I should sit in God's Chair? only this I say, that their miserable deaths may very 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 God's judgements against sin; a day might come, that you would most of all cry out on the Preacher: To this purpose, we have a story of a certain rich man, who lying on his deathbed, 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, than not telling you to feel it. And let this be for my Apology in relating these stories.  
Use. 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. Rejoice than ye righteous that mourn in Zion; what though a while ye suffer? death is a Goal-delivery to your souls, not bringing in, but freeing out of thraldom. Here the good man finds sharpest misery, the evil man sweetest felicity; therefore it is just, that there should be a time of changing turns; The rich man's Table stood full of delicates, Lazarus lacks crumbs, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 
Luke 16.25.  woe unto you that laugh, for you shall mourn, Luke 6.25. 
Luke 6.25.  Blessed are you that mourn, for you shall rejoice, Matth. 5.4. 
Matth. 5.4.  Happy Lazarus! who from thy beggary and loathsome sores wert carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom: happy Thief, who upon thy true repentance, and unfeigned prayer, wert received from the Cross 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 Bailiff 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 Choir of Spirits, confirmed by the King of Kings, and Lord of Hosts. Happy Soul! that art not required by Devils, but received by Angels: and when we die, Lord Jesus send thine Angels to receive our Souls.  You see now Deaths Arrest, and what remains further, save to accept of some Bail? But what Bail, where you have the King's Commandment from his own mouth? this requiring is not of any other, but himself; of no surety, but of thee (saith God) must thy Soul be required.  

Of thee]  
ONce more (you see) I have brought this rich man on the stage, his doom is now at hand, and Death (God's 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 remedy, 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 fearful; there stands a Saul, near him his armour-bearer; behold a Judas, such will outface death's fury; nay, rather than 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 fearful.  
Stay Death! there stands a poor Lazarus at the gates, like Job on his dunghill, his eyes blind, his ears deaf, his feet lame, his body struck with Boils, 
Job 7.15.  and his Soul choosing rather to be strangled and die, then to be in his bones: were not this a fit object for death's cruelty? 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 press, 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 hams bending, and therefore no song is fit than old Simeons, 
Luke 2.29.  Lord now lettest thou thy servant departed in peace: Youth is loath, but Age is merry to departed 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 man's 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 Mistress, 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 than Christ? were ever any servants truer than his Apostles? yet see their fidelity, must their Saviour die? one betrays 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, he 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 lose his own, to save his life: Greater love than 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 owes this man: Jonathan loves David, David Absalon; 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 Absalon: O my son Absalon, 
2. Sam. 18.33.  would God I had died for thee: O Absalon, my son, my son. But where be any friends so respective of this Worldling? He wants a jonathan, a David; upon a strict enquiry we find no friend, no father, no son, neither heirs nor assigns 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 death's feet, and all these offer up all their lives for this rich man's recovery, all were but vain▪ it is thy Soul is arrested, and it is thyself that must yield it: Of thee] it is required.  You see there is no way but one with him: to conclude then, we'll bid him his farewell (this is the last friendship we can do this rich man) and so we'll leave him. 
The hour is come, and the dawning of that dreadful day appeareth; now he gins 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? Relieve the weak, visit the sick feed the hungry, lodge the stronger, cloth the naked, give half his goods to the poor, and if he had done any wrong restore it him again sevenfold; 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 leisure to fulfil those duties: what cold sweats are those that seize upon him? his senses fail, his speech falters, his eyes sink, his breast swells, 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 thou ask? what release canst thou expect from such a prison? the disease is past cure, the sickness wants remedy: 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.  I have hitherto with Nathan beat sinful David on a stranger's coat. You must give me leave to take off the mask, and show you your own faces in this glass. 
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 months are determined, 
Job 14.14. Job 14.5. Psal. 90.12. John 11.9.  thy days are numbered, thy very last hour is limited. And what follows, but that thy body 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 careful, fearful, and immoderately painful to get transitory riches, like children following Butterflies; we run, and toil, and perhaps miss our purpose: but if we catch them, what is it but a fly 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 Ensign, this done, a Priest makes Proclamation, 
Knolls Turkish History, pag. 73.  This is all that Saladine carries away with him, of all the riches he hath gotten. Shall a Turk say thus, and do Christians forget their duties? Remember yourselves, 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 stir a foot further from the world, or an inch nearer unto God, but could we speak with them on their deathbed, 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 yourselves this day, or this night will come, and imagine (I pray) that the ten, twenty, thirty, forty years, or months, or days, 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 wife's howling, and yourselves lying mute and dumb in a most pitiful agony.  
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 heartstrings, and ready to make that rueful divorce betwixt thy body and thy soul; suppose thou liest now panting for breath, swimming in a cold fatal 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 supposal lift up thy soul, and look about thee, (O I can tell thee, if thou livest and diest in sin) there would be no where any comfort, but a world of terror and perplexity: look upwards, there shouldst thou see the terrible sword of God's justice threatening; look downwards, there shouldst thou see the grave in expectation ready gaping; look within thee, there shouldst thou feel the worm of conscience bitter gnawing; look without thee, there shouldst thou see good and evil Angels on both sides, waiting whether of them should have the prey: now alas! (then wouldst thou say) The soul to departed from the body were a thing intolerable, to continue still therein were a thing impossible, and to defer this departure any longer (supposing this hour thy last hour) no Physic could prevail it were a thing unavoidable: what then would thy poor soul do, thus environed with so many straits? O fond fools of Adam's sin, 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 day's contrition? world's are worthless in respect of a little respite, a short truce would seem more precious than the Treasures of Empires, nothing would then be so much esteemed as a trice of time, which before by months and years thou lavishly misspent, Think on thy sins, 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 repent, 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 sin, thus would be thy departure, thy carcase lying cold among the stones of the pit, and thy soul, by the weight of sin, irrecoverably sinking into the bottom of that bottomless burning lake.  
Use 2 But to prevent this evil, take this use of advice for thy farewell: whilst yet thy life lasteth, whilst 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 watch, 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 entered into the confines of Eternity: 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 thyself 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 ways, 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, than I dare assure thee, dear, right dear would be thy death in the sight of the Lord: with joy and triumph wouldst thou pass through all the terrors of death, with singing and rejoicing would thy soul be received into those sacred mansions above. O happy soul, if this be thy case! O happy night or day, whensoever the news 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 every time; 
1. Thess. 5.6.  lest the night] be dreadful, Do not sleep as do other, but watch and be sober; lest thy soul] should suffer, desire the sufferings of thy God to satisfy, lest death require] it of thee by foree, offer it up to God with a cheerful devotion; and lest this of thee] be fearful, who hast lived in sin, correct these courses, amend your ways, and the blessing of God be with thee all thy life, at the hour of death, now, henceforth, and for ever.   
AMEN.  
FINIS.   

Doomsday  MATTH. 16.27. 
Then shall he reward every man according to his works.  
THe dependence of this Text is limited in few lines, and that your eyes wander no further than this verse, therein is kept a general Assize; the Judge, Officers, Prisoners stand in array, the Judge is God, and the Son of man; the Officers Angels, and they are his Angels; the Prisoners men, and because of the Gaol-delivery, every man. If you will have all together, you have a judge his circuit, his habit, his attendants, his judgements: a judge, the Son of man; his circuit, he shall come; his habit, in the glory of his Father; his attendants, with his Angels: what now remains, but the execution of justice? then without more ado see the Text, and you see all; the scales in his hand, our works in the scales, the reward for our works, of just weight each to other; Then he shall reward every man according to his works.  
This Text gives us the proceeding of Doomsday, which is the last day, the last Sessions, the last Assize that must be kept on earth, or is decreed in heaven; if you expect Sheriffs, or Judges, Plaintiffs or Prisoners, all are in this verse, some in each word. Then] is times Trumpet that proclaims their coming. He] is the Judge that examines all our lives. Reward] is the doom, that proceeds from him in his Throne. Man] is the malefactor, every man] stands before him as a prisoner, Works are the inditements, and according to our works] must go the trial howsoever we have done, good or evil.  
Give me yet leave, this Judge sits on trials as well as prisoners; it is an high Court of appeal, where Plaintiffs, Counsellors, Judges all must appear and answer: would you learn the proceed? there is the Term, Then] the Judge, he] the sentence, shall reward] the parties, very man] the trial itself, which you may find in all to be just and legal, every man his rewards according to his works.]  
We have opened the Text, and now you shall have the hearing.  

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 job: but, if any man will follow me, he must take up his cross, saith our Saviour. joy, and pleasure, and happiness attend the ungodly, while Gods poor servants run thorough the thicket of briers and brambles to the kingdom of heaven: but shall not the judge 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 transgressors 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 expectations: what is it to suffer a while, an inch of time, considering the reward is great indeed, everlasting in durance? Rest in the Lord (saith David) and wait patiently for him, fret not thyself 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 only they will expect 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 than Doomsday, and when that shall be, will be known best by 

Conjectures,  
Signs.    
We will begin with the former.  
Some would have it in the year 6000. from the beginning of the world: this was the sentence of Elias (say the Jews) whose prophecy thus runs, two thousand years before the Law, two thousand under the Law, and two thousand under the Gospel: how untrue this sounds, any one may guess that considers: in the first number he fails because it was too little; in the second number he errs, 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, here's 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 sacrilege, 
Salviarus de guber. Dei, l. 3.  to break into God's place and pry into his Sanctuary? Why should we presume to know more than 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 Angel, neither the Son, but the Father only: 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 than other men, than all men, than Angels, than 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, 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 ye know not when the time is, Mark 13.33. 
Mar. 13.33. 1 Thess. 5.2.  As a thief in the night, so is Doomsday, it come suddenly, 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 shall be set on fire, then] then] he shall reward every man according to his works.  
But secondly, if conjectures fail, the signs are certain: Jerome 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 ebb 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 fowls 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, floods 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 general earthquake, and the motion so violent, that the ground shall hop, and the living creatures not stand on their feet, that walk on the tottering floors. The ninth day trees shall sweat blood. The tenth day, all the stones of the earth shall war together, and with a thundering noise break one upon another. The eleventh day all buildings shall be ruined, and all the hills 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 roar 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 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 myself, 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 thorough the signs, as we find them in God's writ, and then see if your hearts will not fail for fear.  
Then] shall the Sun be darkened: 
Matth. 24.29  can Nature stand and suffer a general Eclipse? when God died, the Sun could discolour its beauty, and suit itself in black to its maker's condition; and now man dies, the Sun is clad again in mourning robes. Alas! what can it do but mourn? God lives, but mankind dies: though he was the Creator, yet we are the Creatures for whom it was created: when the householder dies, the family grieves: 
Patrefamilias' moriente turbatur domus. Chrysost. in Matth. 44.  were all eyes dry, here is the eye of the world weeps itself blind to see this dissolution: Is man bereft of compassion, for whom the Sun itself 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 noonday? their eyes shall fail them, the light forsake them: miserable men! the Sun shill not shine on them, because God will judge 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 war makes this confusion of nature? the Sun shall look black, 
joel 2.31.  and the Moon be turned into blood. Here is a new Moon, and such a change as before was never seen: there is no increase, 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 herself wades in blood? God made these Lights for signs, and for seasons, for days, and for years: but now signs are out, seasons past days 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 God's 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, joel 3.15. 
Joel 3.15.  The Sun and Moon shall be darkened, (but not they alone, for) and the stars themselves shall withdraw their shining: But what speak we of darkness, or the stars not shining? they shall not only dim, 
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, etc.  how fall? so thick (say Expositors) that the Firmament shall seem to be without all light. I cannot say these signs shall be real; whether it is by substraction of their light, or the conceit of brain-troubled sinners or the fall of some inflamed vapours, or the Apostasy of some enlightened persons: for certain (to speak literally) there shall be some change in the whole order of Nature: Sun and Moon, Stars and Planets, all must lose their lights, and by all likelihood, it is the glory of the Judge that will dazzle those Candles. Neither is this all.  
Then] shall the Elements melt, the fire shall fall down from heaven, the air turn itself into vapours, the Sea swell above all Clouds, the earth be full of yawning Cliffs, and violent tremble. 
2 Pet. 3.18. Elementaris subtiliando, terrestris consumendo, infernalis puniendo. joh. 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 sphere, this fire on earth, the fearful fire which torments in hell, all shall meet in one, and according to their several qualities, produce their several 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 fuel for this fire; as the first world was destroyed with water, to quench the heat 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 air breed wonders: what shall be seen but lightnings, whirlwinds, coruscations, blazing stars, flashing thunders? here a Comet runs round in a circuit, there a Crown compasseth 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 air. Yet not the air alone.  
Then] shall the waters roar, Rivers shall wax dry, 
Luke 21.25.  the Sea froth, and foam, 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 plains, the the Sea and waves shall mount up to the very skies; now would they war with Heaven, then overwhelm the earth, anon will they sink 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 Earthquake indeed; 
Matth. 24.7. Joel. 1.10.  not some part of the land, by reason of some cloistered wind, but the Rocks, Mountains, Castles, Cities, Countries, 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 sense, men lose 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 sense. Men should have disfigured faces, astonished hearts, affrighted looks, then lose their reason: nay, what marvel then, if at the world's end, they be at their wit's end? O fearful signs, enough to move flinty 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 appearance, and Then] is the day: Then] he shall reward every man according to his works.  What a Chaos is here, when the world must be thus turned topsy torvie? the Sun the Moon, the Stars; come yet lower, the Fire, the Air, the Sea, the Earth; nay Trees, and Beasts, and Men, all must be out of order in the whole course of Nature. 
Use. 1 Who can read or hear this Prognostication of Doomsday, and not wonder at the signs which shall hang over our heads? we see by experience when any outrageous storm happens on Sea or Land, how wonderfully men are dismayed, how strangely astonished: now then, when the Heavens, the Earth, the Sea, the Air 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 scroll, who then dares eat or drink, or sleep, or take a minute's rest? Be sure these days shall come, and the signs shall pass: 
joel 1.5, 13 15.  Awake ye Drunkards, and weep all ye drinkers of Wine, because of the new wine; for it shall be pulled from your mouths. Gird yourselves, and lament ye Priests, howl 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 signs? the imprisoned thief 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 terror, men shall hid themselves in the caves of beasts, and the beasts seek shall to save themselves in the houses of men: where then shall the wicked stand, when all the world shall be thus in uproar.  
Use. 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 Ionas in the streets of Nineveh: yet the Prophet woos, 
Hos. 6.4.  O judah, how should I entreat thee? yet the Apostle prays, nay, we pray you in Christ's stead that ye will be reconciled unto God: 
2 Cor. 5.20.  to conclude, yet the Bridegroom stays the Virgin's leisure; Lord that they would make speed, seeing the joys of heaven tarry for them. This Term is at hand, and is it not time to petition to the Judge of heaven? what a dangerous course is it, never to call to mind that Time of Times, until we see the Earth flaming, the Heavens melting, the judgement hastening, the judge with all his Angels coming 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, hid 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 careful 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 Doomsday find thee. Who would not but axcept the fatherly forewarning of Christ our Saviour? See you not how many signs, as the Heralds and fore runners of his glorious coming? 
Matth. 24.7, 12.  The abounding of iniquity the waxing cold of charity, the rising up of Nation against Nation. Was there ever less 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 embrace friendly, but carries 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 blameless. Who would endanger their souls for a little sin? busy Client's heed nothing but their cause, and if you would recover heaven, be sure that ye mark this Term. The time draws on, now the Writs are out, anon comes the judge, and Then is the day. Then] he shall reward every man according to his work.  You see the Term, and now you may expect to view the Judge: the Term is Then] the Judge is Herald] Stay a while and the next time you shall see him in his judgement seat.  

Herald]  
HE? who? if you look at the foregoing 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 tells 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 Judge 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 only the Commission. He (who is God) hath given him Authority to execute judgement. And would you know the reason? it is only because he is the Son of man, Joh, 5.27. 
john 5.27.  In a word, God shall judge, the whole Trinity by prescription, Christ only in execution: the Father judgeth but by the Son; or as the Evangelist John, the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son: john 5.22. 
john 5.22.   
But because as man, there appears in him a double form, as humbled, as glorified; we'll discuss 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 only 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 judge us as he did redeem us? 
Tunc manifestus veniet inter justos judicaturus, qui occultè venerat judicandus ab injustis. August de civet. dei.  was he not man that suffered, died, and was buried? and is he not man that one day shall come to judge both the quick and dead? he that came obscurely to be judged by the unjust, shall then appear openly to judge 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 days) hath the power original; but man (who is the Son of God) hath the power traduced, and therefore saith Daniel, One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ancient of days, and they brought him here before him, 
Dan. 7.13, 14.  and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom.  
Use. Consider this, ye that are going to the Bar; what a sight will this be to the faithless jews, 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 crucify by your daily sins: Sure this will be a fearful fight; where is the bloody swearer, that can tear his wounds, and heart, and blood 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. joh. 20.27. Matth. 26.24.  those wounds shall appear, that heart be visible, that body and blood be seen both of good and bad, and then shall that fearful voice proceed from his Throne, this was the heart thou piercedst, these are the wounds thou racedst, and this is the blood thou spilledst: Here is the fearful judgement, when thou that art the murderer shall see the slain man sit thy Judge, what favour canst thou expect 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 Mediator 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 extremes; he is man to abide the judgements due from God, he 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 judge us men, by appearing in that glory which he derives from God. But look about you! who is this judge arrayed in such a majesty? 
joel. 2.3, 6.  A fire devours 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 like a malefactor before Christ, he that was once made the footstool of his enemies, 
Psal. 110.1.  must now judge, till he hath made all his enemies his footstool. Where shall they run? and how shall they seek the cliffs 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 judge. 
Revel. 21.17.  O ye heavens! why do ye fly away? what have ye done? why are ye afraid? it is the Majesty of the judge 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 outrageous, and tempestuous he that stands on the shore will be struck into a kind of fear: or when the Father goes like a Lion about his house, in punishing his bondslave, the innocent son stands in great fear and trouble: and how then shall the wicked tremble, when the very heavens shall be afraid? 
Greg. in Mor.  If the goodly Cedars of Lebanon be shaken, what shall become of the tender twiggs in the Desert? if the sturdy Rams stoop and tremble, how will the bleating Lambs 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 expectation, 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 clothed with Majesty: seek you the colour; 'tis the brightness of his Father: would you view his attendants? they are an host of Angels: look you for the guard? they are a troop of shining Cherubims: nay, yet see a longer train, a further company, the souls of Saints descend from their imperial seats, and attend the Lamb with great glory, and glorious majesty: never was any judge Lord of such a circuit: his footstool are the Clouds, his seat the Rainbow, his justices Saints, his officers Angels, and the Arch-Angels Trump proclaims a silence, whilst a just sentence comes from his mouth on all the world. Thus are the Assizes begun to be solemnised the thrones (as Daniel saw in in his vision) were set up, and the ancient of days sat down, his garments white as snow, 
Dan. 7.9.  and the hair of his head like pure wool his Throne like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire, Dan. 7.9. 
Dan. 7.9.  This is the judge whose coming is so fearful, ushered by a fiery flood, apparelled in snowy white, carried in his circuit on burning wheels, and attended with the number of thousand thousands. O ye jews, behold the man, whom before you crucified like a Malefactor, behold him in his Throne, whom you said, his Disciples had stolen 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 deign to look upon in his humility; the base 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 follows the sight of his Majesty, that the vaults shall echo, 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 passed 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 fearful judge, 
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 far: Every eye shall see him whom they have pierced, and tremble at the presence of his sight. Conceive the guilty prisoner coming to his trial, will not the red robes of his Judge, make his heart bleed for his bloodshed? doth not that scarlet Cloth present a monstrous hue before his eyes? O then! what sight is this, when the man slain, sits in the judgement seat, the rosy wounds of our Saviour still bleeding (as it were) in the prisoner's 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 show us he hath suffered. See here an object full of glory, splendour, majesty, excellency, and this is He] the man, the judge the rewarder of every man according to his works.  The Judge we have set in his Throne, and before we appear, let us practise our repentance, that we answer the better. 
Use. 1 Think but (O sinner) what shall be thy reward, when thou shalt meet this judge; The adultery for a while may flatter beauty, the Swearer grace his words with oaths, the Drunkard kiss his cups, and drink his bodies-health, till he bring his soul to ruin: but remember for all these things God will bring thee to judgement. 
Eccles. 11.9.  Cold comfort in the end: the Adulterer shall satisfy 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 judge shall give just measure, and the balance of his wrath poise in a just porportion.  
Use. 2 Yet I will not discomfort you, who are these judge's dearest favourites; Now is the day (if you are Gods servants) that Satan 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 fetched comfort by the eye of faith at this mountain: job rejoiced being cast on the Dunghill, that his Redeemer lived, and that he should see him at the last day stand on the earth: john longed and cried; Come Lord jesus, 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 rejoice, 
Joh. 16.22.  and your joy no man taketh from you. O blessed mercy, that so triumphs against judgement; our hearts must joy, our joys endure and all this occasioned by the sight of our Saviour; for He] shall reward every man according to his works.  We have prepared the judge for sentence: he hath rid his circuit in the Clouds, and made the Rainbow his chair of state, for his judgement seat; his Sheriffs are the Saints, that now rise from the Dust to meet their judge, whom long they have expected: the summons is sent out by a shout from heaven; the cry no sooner made, but the graves fly open, and the dead arise: stay a while till I ready them; you have seen the judge, and now we prepare the judged. He] is the judge; every man] the judged: and He shall reward every man according to his works.  

Every man.]  
THe persons to be judged are a world of men, all men of the world, good, and bad, elect and reprobates, but in a different manner: To give you a full view of them, I must lead your attentions orderly through these passages, there must be a Citation, Resurrection, Collection, Separation: follow me in these paths, and you may see both the men and their difference, before they come to their judgements.  
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, etc. Chrysost. 1. ad Corin. 15.  the clangor of this Trump could ever sound in Ieroms ears, Arisr ye dead, and come to judgement: the clangor of this Trump will sound in all men's ears, it shall wake the dead out of their drowsy sleep, and change the living from their mortal state, make devils tremble, and the whole world shake with terror: 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 bottom of the Sea the dust of Adam's seed, it shall tear the rocky Tombs of earthly Princes, and make their haughty minds to stoop before the King of heaven; it shall remove the centre, 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 dreadful summons of the wicked, whom this sudden noise will no less astonish, then confound; the dark pitchy walls of that infernal pit of hell, shall be shaken with the shout, when the dreadful soul shall leave its place of terror, and once more re-enter into her stinking Carrion, to receive a greater condemnation: what terror will this be to the wicked wretch? what woeful salutations will there be between that body and soul, which living together in the height of iniquity, must now be reunited to enjoy the fullness of their misery? 
Joh. 5.28, 29.  The voice of Christ is powerful, 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 evil, unto the resurrection of condemnation.  
You hear the summons, and the next is your appearance; death the Gaoler 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 ghastly sight will this be, to see all the Sepulchers open, to see dead men rise out of their graves, and the scattered dust to fly on the wings of the wind, till it meet together in one compacted body? Ezekiel's dry bones shall live: thus saith the Lord, I will lay sinews 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 man's grave, and see what you find; but dust, and worms, and bones, and skulls, putrified flesh, an house full of stench and vermin; 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 fly 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 john) 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 wonderful sight will this be, to see the sea and earth bring forth in all 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 Lord's Tribunal: worms, and corruption, cannot hinder the resurrection, he that said to Corruption, 
job 17.14. job 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 eyes shall behold him. O good God how wonderful is thy power? this flesh of ours shall turn to dust▪ be eat of worms, consume to nothing, if there be any relics of our ashes, the wind may scatter them, the blasts divide them, our feet trample them, the beasts digest them, the vermin 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 general day that shall congregate all, they shall come from the four winds and corners of the world, to make an universal appearance; all the children of Adam shall then meet together; yea, all the kindreds of the earth shall meet together, and mourn; Assemble yourselves, and come all ye heathen to the valley of Jehoshaphat, for there will I sit to judge all the heathen, Joel 3.12. 
Joel 3.11, 12.   The summons are sounded, the dead raised, and yet to give you a fuller view of the parties, see how God the judge now sends his messengers, to fetch the living bodies to his Court. 
Use. 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 fly to the Throne, where is the hope of their diliverance; others draw and pull back, whiles the Angels hale them to the judgement seat; the righteous have nimble swift bodies, that fly to the judge, as a Bird to her nest and young ones; but the wicked have their bodies black and heavy, they cannot fly, but flag in the air, and the Angels do not bear, but drag them to the judgement seat: how can this choose but fear the wicked, when like malefactors, they are brought before the wrathful judge? 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 seize 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 with ease and lust? is this the face masked from the wind 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 nakedness, and to the hills hid our ugliness; nay, rather than appear, let the infernal Furies tear and totter us into a thousand pieces. Look your beauties (Beloved) in this glass: such is the end of this world's 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, behind shall the black Crew follow them, within shall their consciences torture them, and without shall hot flames of fire fume, and fry and furiously torment them; fear within, & fire without: but worse than all, a judge above all, thither must they go, Angels usher them, Devils attend them, the Crier hath called them, the Angel's trump hath summoned them, and now they must appear.  We have brought all together, now we must part them asunder, the sheep shall be put on the right hand, and the goats on the left, as every man hath deserved. 
Two travellers go together, feed together, lie together, sleep together, but in the morn their ways part asunder: thus the sheep and goats eat together, drink together, sleep together, rot together but at this day there shall be a separation, let them grow together, corn and tares until 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; lie both together in one cote, the grave: the world is a common Inn, which entertains all manner of passengers: the rode-way to death, is the King's highway 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 lie together, all rest together, and all rot together: but when this night is past, and the last day is sprung, then is the woeful 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 howl, like the fiends of hell. O Lord, punish me here (saith one devoutly) rack me in pieces, 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.  The Summons are given, the dead are raised, the prisoners conducted to the bar, and the sheep and goats severed asunder each from other. 
Use. 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 near in the valley of decision. joel 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 grandfather shall then see all his posterity. Consider this, high and low, rich and poor, one with another, God is no accepter of persons. Hark, 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. Hark, O Farmer, now are thy lives and leases together finished, this day is the new harvest of thy judge, who gathers his wheat into his garner, 
Matth. 3.12.  and burns up the chaff 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. Hark, O Landlord, where is thy purchase to thee and thy heirs for ever? this day makes an end of all, and happy were thy soul, if thou hadst not better land than a barren rock, to cover and shelter thee from the judge's presence. Hark, 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 couldst thou not resist the power of Heaven: see, the trump sounds, and the alarm summons thee, thou must appear. Hark, O Prince, what is the crown and sceptre against thunder? the greatness of man, when it comes to encounter with God is weakness and vanity. Hark, 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 clothed in blue silk and weareth a crown, even to him that is clothed in simple linen: all must appear before him, the Beggar, Farmer, Landlord, Captain, King, and Prince, and every man, (when that day is come) shall receive his rewards according to his works.  
Use. 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 only he, that again and again thinks on this day, that jerome-like meditates on this summons, and resurrection, and collection, and separation. Examine then yourselves 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, loss 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 Doomsday. And if you can but say that experimentally you find this true in yourselves, 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 bride's company, and shall enter into the marriage-chamber to abide there there for ever. But if you are destitute of these kind of motions, O then strive for these properties, that are the inseparable breathe and move 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.  You see how we have followed the cause, and well-near brought it to final sentence, the term is discovered, the judge revealed, the prisoners prepared, and the next time we shall bring them to the bar, to receive their rewards. This time departed in peace, and the God of peace keep your souls spotless without sin, that you may be well prepared for this day of judgement.  

According to his works.]  
We have brought the prisoners to their trial, and now to go on, how should this trial be? I answer: not by faith, but works; by faith we are justified, by works we are judged: faith only causeth, but works only manifest that we are just indeed. Here then is the trial, 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 another's super-erogating, the matter of enquiring is not aliena, but sua, not another's, but his] works. Or is there any good man on whom the smiling judge 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 trial, there be two points, of which especially we are to make inquiry.  

First, how all men's works shall be manifest to us?  
Secondly, how all men's works shall be examined by God?   
1. Of the manifestation of every man's work, 
Revel. 20.12.  john 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 forgetful! 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 

God's memory,  
Man's conscience,  
Eternal life.    
There is a book of God's memory, and herein are all the acts and monuments of all men whatsoever, enroled and registered; 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 that which manifests all secrets, whether mental or actual; this is that which reveals all do, whether good or evil. In these Records are found at large Abel's sacrifice, cain's murder, Absalon's rebellion, David's devotion, the jews cruelty, the Prophet's innocency, good men's 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 until the morning, for darkness hath covered us, and who seethe 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 judgement, with every secret thing, be it good or evil, Eccles. 12.14. 
Eccles. 12.14.  Wail ye 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 envy, blasphemy, oaths, drunkenness, violence, murder, and every sin, from the beginning to this time, from our birth to our burial, the total sum, eternal 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 fearful evidence than the former, which is the book of every man's 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 it in this book. In what a woeful case will thy heart then be? in what strange terror and trembling must it stand possessed, when this must be opened, and thy sins 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 memory is Recorder, grief an Accuser, truth is the Law, damnation the Judgement, hell the Prison, Devils the jailors, and Conscience both Witness and Judge to pass sentence on thee. What hopes he at the general Assize, whose conscience hath condemned him before he appear? Look well to thy life, thou bearest about thee a book of testimony, 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 witness, 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 registered, not all the powers of hell, or death, or devils shall blot us out again. Here is the glory of each devout soldier of our Saviour, how many have spent their lives, spilt their bloods, run upon sudden deaths to gain a perpetual name? and yet for all their do, many of these are dead, and gone, and their memories perished with them; only Christ's soldier hath immortal fame, he, and only 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 equal 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 axiom most true, they that are written in the eternal leaves of heaven shall never be wrapped in the cloudy sheets of darkness. 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, shall see it, read it, hear it, and greatly rejoice 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 Satan as lightning fall from heaven, notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven, Luke 10.20. 
Luke 10.20.  And well may the Saints rejoice that have their names written in God's book, they shall see them (to their comfort) writ in letters of gold, penned with the Almighty's finger, engraven with a pen of a diamond: thus will this book give in the evidence, and accordingly will the Judge proceed to sentence.  
Use 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 company 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 enlarged with extraordinary light to look upon all thy life at once; God's memory shall then shine forth, and show itself, when all men looking on it as a reflecting glass, they shall behold all the passages of their misspent lives from their births to their burials. Where is the wicked and deceitful man? wilt thou yet commit thy villainies, treacheries, robberies, murders, debates, and impieties? Let me tell thee (if so) to thy hearts-grief, all thy secret sins, and closet villainies, that no eye ever looked upon (but that which is a thousand times brighter than the Sun) 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 sin, because it is midnight, or that the doors are locked upon thee, suppose it be concealed, and lie hid (in as great darkness as it was committed) till Doomsday again, yet then shall it out with a witness, and be as legible in thy forehead, as if it were writ with the brightest stars, or the most glistering Sun beam upon a wall of crystal.  
Use. 2 As you mean the good of your souls amend your lives, call yourselves to account while it is called to day, search and examine all your thoughts, words, and deeds, and prostrating yourselves 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 sins of God's people shall be manifested at that day? some say, they shall be manifested, not for their ignominy or confusion, but only that the goodness 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 only 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 bottom 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, etc. 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 than he shall reward every man according to his works.]  The books are opened, and now are the matters to be examined: there is first a view, and then a trial. 
The Law-book whereby we are tried contains three leaves, Nature, the Law, and the Gospel: the Gentiles must be tried by the first the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles by the second, and the faithful Jews and Gentiles by the last. Those that confess no God but nature, must be judged by the law of nature: those that confess a God, no Christ, must be judged by the Law of God without the merits of Christ: those that confess God the Father, and believe in God the Son, 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 trial: They that have sinned without the law; 
Rom. 2.12.  shall perish without the law; and they that have sinned under the law, shall be judged by the law. 
Rom. 2.16.  But God shall judge the secrets of all hearts (of all our hearts) by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel, Rom. 2.12.16.  
Use. 
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 justify thee, or extremely condemn thee. The Spirit shall convince the world of sin, (saith Christ) and why so? but because they believe not on me, John 16.9. There is no sin but infidelity, no righteousness but faith: not that adultery, intemperance, malice, are no sins; but if unfaithfulness remain not all, these sins are pardoned, and so they are as if they were no sins indeed. How quick a riddance true repenting faith makes with our sins? they are too heavy for our shoulders, and we cannot bear them; faith only turns them over unto Christ, and we are disburdened of them: whereas there would go with us to judgement an huge kennel of lusts, an army 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 only 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 disjoined, from the act of justifying, not from the person justified: heaven is given to us for Christ's merits, but we must show him the fair copy 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 God's hands, yet will he crown his own gifts, and reward them in his mercy. Say then, dost thou relieve a poor member of Christ Jesus? dost thou give a cup of cold water to a Prophet in the name of Prophet? 
Matt. 10.42.  Christ doth promise thee of his truth he will not let thee lose thy reward: certainly he will not, so thy works be done in faith: why this is the covenant, the glad tidings, the Gospel, to live well and believe well. O let not that which is a word of comfort to us, be a bill of indictment against us! albeit in our justification we may say, Be it to us according to our faith; yet in our retribution it is said (as you have it before you in this Text read unto you) Then he shall reward every man (for manifestation of his faith) according to his works.  A little to recall ourselves, The Prisoners are tried, the Verdict's brought in, the indictment is found and the Judge now sits on life and death, even ready with sparkling eyes to pronounce his sentence. This we must defer a while, and the next time you shall hear what you have long expected. The Lord grant us an happy issue, that when this day is come, the sentence may be for us, and we may be saved to our endless comfort.  

Shall reward.  
What Assize is this that affords each circumstance of each prisoner's trial? 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 great. & 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 sin 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 heavy judgement which falls on the left hand upon the heads of the wicked.  
To begin with that in our meditation, which our Saviour gins 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 music of their happy sentence, Come ye blessed of my Father, 
Matth. 25.34.  inherit the kingdom 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 Kingdom. Fourthly, a glorious ordination to felicity, 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 travel: 
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 only the elect to his glory: now he desires every man to Come, but the righteous alone shall have this Welcome. O how leaps that soul with joy, that hears this voice of her sweet Saviour! all the music 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 Welcome.  
But who are they? Ye blessed of my Father,] a word able to make them blessed, when pronounced. Down on your knees rebellious sons; 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 less his sons, 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 merciful. And as he begun, so he concludes, Come ye blessed, ye blessed of my Father.  
Must they come? for what? to inherit the kingdom.] Of all tenors inheritance is best, of all inheritances a kingdom 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 heaven's wonder, and the Angel's bliss. An heavenly inheritance sure, that is cintinued without succession, divided without diminution, common without envy, for ever happy, and without all misery. This is the inheritance of the just, the possession whereof makes every Saint no less glorious than a King. Kings are they indeed, whose dominions are not limited nor their borders bounded, nor their people numbered, nor the time of their reign 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 son's triumph born to such dignity? 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 God's servants! though a while you suffer sorrow and tribulation, yet here is the hope of Saints, 
Luke 12.32.  it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Heaven is prepared of old, there is the place of God's majesty, and there the Saints of God shall receive the crown, the reward of victory.  
Use. I cannot express 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 sins? leave it a while, and meditate with me on this ensuing melody. Hear yonder a choir of Angels, a song of Zion, an heavenly consort, sounding to the Judge whilst 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, happiness, glory, felicity, all come on heaps into the endeared soul. Ye blessed] saith our Saviour, and if he but say Blessed, the Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, Seraphims, all joy at the enjoying of this blessed company. Inherit the kingdom] saith our Saviour, and if he but say inherit, crowns, sceptres, garlands, diadems, all these are the inheritance of God's 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 well-beloved, th●● you tell him I am sick of love. What else? you that are Gods servants are no less his spouse, your soul is the bride, and when the day is come (this day of doom) God give you joy, the joy of heaven for ever and ever.  But I must turn to the left hand, and show you another crew, prepared for another sentence. 
And what a terrible sentence will that be, which at first hearing will make all ears glow and tingle? His lips (saith the Prophet) are full of indignation, and his tongue like a consuming fire, 
Matt. 4.25, 41.  Esay 30.27. 
Esa. 30.27.  What fire so hot as that fiery sentence, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Here is every particular full of horror, gradually inhancing their judgement. First, a grievous refusal, Depart. Secondly, the loss of salvation, from me. Thirdly, that deserved malediction, ye cursed. Fourthly, the horror of pains, into everlasting fire. Fifthly, the preordinance of their torments, prepared for the devil and his angels.  
First, they must departed.] This seems nothing to the wicked now: depart? why they are contented to be gone, much more delight have they in sin, then in God's service. But as when a gracious Prince opening his long locked up treasury, bids in some to receive, but others to departed, this must needs be a disgraceful vexation: so when the glory of heaven, and those unvaluable treasures shall be opened, and dealt about to the faithful, what horror 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 cheer their dejected countenances, but as ill-meriting followers they are thrust from the gates with this watchword to be gone, Depart.  
But whence? there is the loss, from me,] and if from me, then from all that is mine, my mercy, my glory, my salvation. Here is an universal spoil of all things, of God in whom is all goodness, of the Saints in whom is all solace, of the Angels in whom is all happiness, 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 horror; 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 despite: 
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 his love: as he hath clothed himself with cursing, as with a garment, so let it come into his bowels, like water, and like oil into his bones, Psal. 109.18. 
Psal. 109.18.  No sooner our Saviour cursed the Figtree, but leaves and boughs, body and root, all whither away, and never any more fruit grows thereon; and thus shall the wicked have a curse, like the Axe which put to the root of the tree, 
Matth. 3.10.  shall hue 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 dainty persons? no feathers but fire, no friends but furies; no ease but fetters, no light but smoke, no Chimes nor Clock to pass away the night, but timeless eternity. A fire? intolerable, a fire burning, never dying? O immortal 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 smoke 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 calamity 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 fan 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 company for distressed souls: the Serpent's policy 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, until themselves, their lust, malice, revenge, and all burn together in hell. Tophet is prepared of old, 
Esai. 30.33.  whither that daystar 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 company? to a crew of Devils and their Angels. O take heed that ye live in God's fear! least that leaving his service he give you this reward; Depart ye cursed.  
Use. And is not this worthy your meditation? Consider, I pray you, what fearful tremble seize on their souls that have their sentence for eternal flames? If a Lord have Mercy on thee, Take him away Jailor, will cause such shedding of tears, folding of arms, and wring of hands, what will this sentence do, Go ye cursed? etc. O which way will they turn? or how will they escape the Almighty's wrath? to go backward is impossible, to go forwards intolerable; whose help will they crave? God is their Judge, heaven their foe, 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 cruel Furnace ready-boyling to receive them: into what a shaking fit of distractions will these terrors drive them? every part shall bear a part in this doleful ditie, eyes weep, hands wring, breasts beat, hearts ache, voices cry, horror, dread, terror, confusion are lively equipages of this tragic 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 than 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 pity 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 Judge's breath, of pitch and sulphur; Rivers of boiling Brimstone run from everlasting springs: in these hot Baths was that Dives dived, when those fiery 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, when rivers cannot quench the tip of his tongue? he lies on a bed of never-dying flames, where brimstone is the fuel, devils the kindlers, the breath of an offended God the bellows, and hell the furnace, where body and soul must ever lie and fry in scorching torments. O let the heat of these flames quench the heat of our sin: if once the sentence pass, there is no reprieve to be hoped for; this is the last Day of Doom, when our sins must be revealed, our Reward proportioned, and as we have done, so we must be sentenced: for than he shall reward] every man according to his works.  Thus you have heard the sentence of the just and wicked: and now is the Judge rising from his glorious seat; the Saints that were invited guard him along, and the sentenced prisoners are delivered to the jailers to be bound in burning Steel and Iron, the reward of Execution. 
The sentence being passed 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 horror and haste by the Angels. O what a scriech of horror 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 scoff 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 terrors and hideous outcries, how infinitely transcendent to all possibility of conceit, expression, or belief, will the confusions and tremble of that red-dread-fiery day be? It is not a few but many; nor many only, but all the wicked of the earth, being 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 sons and daughters of Adam found the flood rising, and ready to overflow 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 hell; neither shall any tears, or prayers, or promises, or suits, or cries, or yell, 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 increase 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 horror 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 wrapped in the snares of Satan! What need we more? this is the Judges charge, the Sheriff's Commission, 
Matth. 22.13.  the sinner's execution, Take them away, cast them into utter darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. A darkness indeed, that must ever be debarred from the sight of heaven: no sunshine ever peeps within those Walls, no light, no fire, no candle, alas! nothing is there but Clouds and darkness, thick smoke, and fiery sulphur: and such is the portion of sinners, the Reward of the wicked.  
Use. What faith or fear have the wicked that go dancing and leaping to this fire, as it were to a Banquet? or like Solomon's 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 universal and perpetual pains? Who buys 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 noise 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 forewarned then (beloved!) lest you also come into this place of torment. 
Luke 16.28.  It is a fearful prison, and God give us grace so to arraign, judge, cast, and condemn ourselves here, that we may escape this execution of the damned hereafter.  I have no will to end with terror: Then to sweeten your thoughts with the joy of Saints, look upwards and you may see a blessed company. 
After the wicked are cast down into hell, Christ and the blessed Saints ascend into heaven. From the Tribunal Seat of Judgement Christ shall arise, and with all the glorious company 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 eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion, Esay 52.8. 
Esay 52.8.  Here is a victory indeed, the soldiers in arrayed order both Marching and Triumphing: Christ leads the way, the Cherubims attend, the Seraphims burn in love, Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Powers, Patriarches, Prophets, Priests, Evangelists, Martyrs, Professors, and Confessors of God's Law and Gospel, following, attend the Judge and King of glory; singing with melody, as never ear hath heard, shining with Majesty as never eye hath seen, rejoicing without measure, as never heart conceived. O blessed train of soldiers, 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 final overthrow have they conquered Devils, and now must they enjoy God, life, and heaven: And thus as they march along, heaven opens unto them: O infinite joy! Tell me, O my soul, what an happy hour will that be, when thou shalt first enter into the gates of heaven, when the Blessed Trinity shall gladly entertain thee, and with a Well done good and faithful servant, 
Matth. 25.21.  bid thee, Come, and enter into thy Master's 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 arrival at the Port of peace? Here is the end of the Godly, the fruits of his end, the Reward itself. What can I say? but live in GOD'S fear, and the LORD reward you; nay, he will so, if you live so, for Then he shall reward every Man according to his works.  And now this Sermon done, you see the Court is dissolved: Stay but to receive A Writ of review, and you shall hear in a word all the news of this Assize, from the beginning to the ending. 
What a strange Assize was this, where every circumstance was to the wicked so terribly fearful? the Term full of horror, the Judge full of Majesty, the Prisoners full of anguish, the Trial 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 godliness? A word of judgement could make Jeremiah weep, just Job be afraid, Felix to tremble, and cannot this usual sound of the hammers a little mollify our stony hearts? 
Esay 1.22.  how is the gold become dross, and the silver iron? we run over reason, and tread upon conscience, and fling by counsel, and go by the word and post to death; but will you not remember, that for all these things you must come to judgement? 
Eccles. 11.9.  Be sure there is a Term for our appearance, Then] there is a Judge that will sit upon us Herald] 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] endue to us, which then he will give us: only now bestow on us those graces of thy Spirit, and then (O Lord) Reward us according to our works. AMEN.   
FINIS.   

Hell's horror.  MATTH. 13.30. 
Bind them in bundles to burn them.  
THis Text is the harvest of Tares, and that that you may know the husbandry, here is first the sowing, vers. 25. 
Vers. 25.  Secondly, the coming up, vers. 26. 
26.  Thirdly, the overseers of it, vers. 27. 
27.  Fourthly, their intent to weed it, vers. 28. 
28.  Fifthly the sufferance of its growth till the harvest vers. 29. 
29.  Sixthly, the harvest itself, vers. 30. 
30.  Or yet to give you the Parable in a more ample wise, here is a man sows good seed in his field, and the enemy whilst his servants sleep, sows tares amongst the wheat: the seeding done, and the fertile soil made fruitful by heaven's showers the blade of the corn springs up, and the tares appear in their kind amongst them: those heavenly Angels, which are Gods stewards of this field pitching their watchful eyes about, first see, then run to their Master with this message, Master, sowedst thou not good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? God, whose all-knowing wisdom can resolve all doubts, tells them expressly, an enemy had done this: an enemy sure, 
1 Pet. 5.8.  yea as Peter calls him, a devouring enemy: such is the fruit issuing from so bad an author. Yet see the sedulous care of God's holy servants, they will not spare to root up what envy sows, and with a willing obedience expect only his command, Wilt thou that we go and gather them up? nay, see the Almighty disparkling a while his beams of mercy, all must stay till the harvest, and then goes forth his royal command to the reapers: Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them.  
But, me thinks, I hear you say to me as the Disciples to our Saviour, Declare unto us this Parable; 
Vers. 36.  for the doing of which I shall place before you a field, the world; the reapers, Angels; the householder, God; good men, as corn; the wicked, as Tares; the harvest that must gather all, is the end of the world, and then are the reapers enjoined this heavy task, Separate the bad from the good, and cast them into hell fire to burn them.  
See here the miserable condition of impenitent souls, each circumstance aggravates their torment, and that you may in this text view a Series of the causes, here is first the efficient, Bind] the material, them] the formal, in bundles] the final, to burn them.] Every word like so many links, makes up this fiery chain of torment. Bind:] heavy doom to be fettered in hell fire! them:] miserable souls to be captived in those bands! in bundles:] cruel anguish to be crowded in throng heaps! to burn them:] intolerable heats to be scorched, blistered, burned. And yet see here at once, this heavy, miserable, cruel, intolerable doom, fall on the wicked; the command is out, what? Bind] whom? them] how? in bundles] for what? to burn them.] Not a word, but it speaks horror to the damned, either Binding, or bundling, or burning: Bind them in bundles to burn them.  
The work you see, is ordered now we put in our sickle, only God prosper our labour, till we have done the harvest.  

Them]  
WE 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 tells you they are Tares, Gather ye first the Tares, and bind them. In God's field there is Corn and Cockle, and as for the one there is provided a barn, so for the other there is nothing better than binding and burning.  
The Greek word calls 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 penalty of this weed of the earth (for they are neither better) that as men deal with thorns, who first cut them up with bills, then lay them up to whither, 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 only to follow the Original, they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Tares; and that of a double derivation, the first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they hurt the corn wherewith they are joined; 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 Professors, 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 plaited, that no difference is discerned: such are hot meteors in the air, which shoot and show like stars, but are indeed nothing less: 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 God's 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 poured 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 not mocked; it is not a false heart with a fair look, it is not a mere show of Religion which God accepts: Silly Tares, hid 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 hypocritical, so are they hurtful, they seem at unity, but are at enmity with the wheat about them: and these Tares are either heretics, 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 heretics, 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 gins whiles men sleep, the Pastors' 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 thief 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 universal Apostasy was (as it were) over the face of the world. 
una scintilla fuit. Totum orbem ejus flamma populata est.  Austin saith of Arrius his heresy, 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 risen by degrees, first above Bishops, then above Patriarches, then above Counsels, 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.  Heresy creeps in at a little hole, like a plague that comes in at the windows, and then propagates itself beyond all measure: O that these Tares were weeded, that Ishmael were cast out of doors, so that Sara and her son Isaac might live in quiet and peace; or if they must grow until 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 heretics, 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 kingdom, 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 chaff. 
Fugio paleam ne hoc sim, non aream, ne nihil sim. Augustin.  I avoid the chaff lest I become chaff, 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 thorns in our sides? yea they are thorns indeed, saith the Lord to Ezekiel, 
Num. 33.55.  Lo the thrones and briers 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 compassed with enemies, the briers 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 corpse, and (may I appeal to yourselves) is the living likely to receive the dead? or the dead more likely to suffocate the living? O ye children of the kingdom, bless you whiles you live, lo the Tares are among you like wolves amongst lambs; be wise then in your carriage, and save yourselves, 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 woeful 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 final 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 shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, Matth. 25.32. Here is a separation indeed, not for a day, or a year, but for timeless eternity. Lo a vast and immeasurable gulf betwixt heaven and hell, so that as Abraham tells 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 befallen 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 God's barn, his kingdom, whilst the miserable Tares are gathered by Angels, and bound up in bundles for the burning.  Lo here a world of Tares, and that I may give you them in a map, what are they but hypocrites, heretics, reprobates; all children whosoever, that hath Satan to their father, for of them] is this spoken. 
Use. 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 furrows full of cockle and darnel? the earth (saith the Philosopher) is now an own mother to weeds, but a stepmother to good herbs; man by a proclivity to his own inclination, is apt to produce weeds and tares▪ but ere he can bring forth herbs 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 expected 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 yourselves, you that go on in your sins, will you run upon ruin, and can we say nothing to keep you out of the fire? O sweet Saviour! what didst thou endure for us, that we might escape this durance? and yet we are secure, and care not, vilifying that blood that was of more value than a world. Think of it, you that are in the blade ere the harvest come: No man desires 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 only Son? O ye weed of the earth, turn yourselves, 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 jesus that he may root up your weed, and plant in you his graces, that like good corn you may fructify here, and when the harvest comes, you may be gathered into his barn, and remain in his kingdom.  Thus far you see the prisoners, the next point is the chains wherewith these prisoners are bound: but of that hereafter. Remember in the mean time the Tares, and as good seed bring ye forth good fruit, some thirty, some sixty, some an hundred fold, that when the reaping comes, we may be ready for the barn, and then Lord jesus, come when thou wilt, even Lord jesus come quickly. Amen.  

Bind.]  
THe malefactor, whose hands are pinioned, 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 devil is jailor, hell the prison, and the bolts such other as burning steel and iron. See here a jailor, jail, 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 jailor. Jailor? whom? good and bad Angels: for both these are the executioners of Gods direful 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 God's judgements on the wicked. Thus was Sodom destroyed by an Angel, Gen. 19 
Gen. 19  The army of Senacherib was overthrown by an Angel, 2 King 19 
2 King. 19  Seventy thousand men of Israel were struck with pestilence by an Angel, 2 Sam. 24. 
2 Sam. 24.  Blasphemous Herod was smitten by an Angel, 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 fearful is it, to fall into the hands of God's host? no power can resist, no policy prevail, all the stratagems of war are but folly to God's wisdom; then into what moats and atoms shall the proud dust of sinful 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 itself makes war? Mountains and rocks are no defence against God: shields and spears cannot keep safe the Tares: no, God hath his warriors that will pluck, and tear, and torture reprobates: the Angels are his reapers, that must Gather the Tares, and bind] them in bundles to burn them.  
But secondly, good and bad Angles both join in this office to bind 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 jailor indeed, and if you would see him in his form, you may take the description from that great Leviathan, Job 41.18. By his sneezings 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 coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth, Job 41.18, 19, 20, 21. 
job 41.18, 19, 20, 21.  What an ugly devil is this, whom God only mystically describes with such terrible shapes? his sneezing flames, his eyes stare, his mouth shoots fire, his nostril's smoke, his very breath sets all a burning round about him. Such a jailor 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 devil first tempts, and then he fetters Tares: whiles men live on earth, he lays snares for souls: thus he prepared flatterers for Rehoboam, liars for Ahad, concubines for Solomon, sorcerers for Pharaoh, witches for Saul, wine for Benhadad, gold for Achan, a ship for jonas, 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 judas, snares for Demas, and fiery fetters for all Reprobate Tares: what need poor souls any further fetters, whom the Devil once shuts within his Den? Dare you live in such a nest amongst speckled poisons? there Serpent's girdle the loins, and Cockatrices kill with their eyes, and Dragons spit fire from their mouths, and Wolves all devour men's souls, and Lions roar for the prey, and Viper's sting and strike with their Tails: O fearful Jailers! what strange kind of furies live in hell.  You see the Jailer, now turn your eyes from so bad a spectacle, and let us view the Den where this Monster lies. 
The Hebrews call it Sheol, a great Ditch or Dungeon; the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, even darkness itself; 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. john calls it a bottomless pit, Revel. 9 1. 
Revel. 9.1.  as if Reprobates were always falling, yet never could find bottom, where to rest; or howsoever this be a Metaphor, yet without question, heaven and hell are as opposite as may be: and whether the Centre be the place of torment, or (as others think) all the gulfs 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 show us what it is, but never where.  
Secondly, the deepness is yoked 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, damps 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 feign of Tantalus tortures, Prometheus' Vultures, Ixion's Wheel, and Charon's rowing, these come far short to express the pains of those that rage in hell: there plagues have no ease, cries 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. Can men have a sight of hell whiles they live on earth, I doubt not their hearts would tremble in their bosoms: yet view it in a way of meditation, and see what you find? are there not wonderful engines, sharp and sore instruments of revenge, fiery Brimstone, pitchy Sulphur, red hot chains, flaming whips, scorching darkness? will you any more? the worm is immortal, cold intolerable, stench indurable, fire unquenchable, darkness palpable: This is that prison of the damned, than whose eyes dare behold such amazing objects? but if not see, yet listen with your ears, is there any charm in hell to conjure away Devils, or to ravish souls? what music affords the place, but roaring, and crying, and howling? cursing their Hymns, wailing their tunes, blasphemies their ditties, lachrymae their notes, lamentations their songs, scrieching their strains, these are their evening and their morning songs; Moab shall cry against Moab, one against another, all against God. O fearful Prison! what torments have the Tares that lie 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 smoked as Chimneys, the roof as dark as hell, nay the Dungeon is hell, where the Tares lie bound and fettered. Think of this jail, ye offenders of God's Law, and Majesty; the Angels see our do, 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 jailer take them, Hell imprison them, there are they bound: You hear the Evidence brought in, and the sentence gone out, Take them, Bind them. bind them in bundles to burn them.  And if this be the jailers Goal, what then be the Bonds or Chains? 
The Angles which kept not their first estate (saith jude) God hath reserved in everlasting Chains, 
jude 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 darkness. Thus Christ doomed him that had not on his wedding garment, Bind him hand and foot: 
Matth. 13.22  and what may these Chains and Bonds insinuate, but that the Tares are tied 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 universal binding, hand and foot body and soul, all must be bound with everlasting Chains. The Reprobates are packed and crowded together, like Bricks in a fiery furnace, having not so much as a Chink where any wind may enter in to cool them. O ye that live in the sinful wealth of this world, consider but this one punishment of hell, and be afraid! if a man enjoying quietment of mind, and health of body, should lie chained on a soft Downe-bed for a month, or a year, how would he abide it? but this is nothing: If a man should lie sick of a Fever, swollen in a Dropsy, 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 physic were more intolerable? 
Vermis conscientiam, ignis comburet carnem.  witness 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 lie for a year, their pain is grievous, their bonds heavy, their torments durable, their restless rest eternal. 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' prenticeship 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 links, knotty scourges? furies shake their bolts to afrighten souls, the Irons strike through their ears, 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 groans, and sudden cries; the fire slakes not, the worm dies not, the chains lose not, the links wear not, revenge tires 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 escapes free in such a fray? the flesh shall f●●, the blood boil, the veins be scorched, the sinews racked, Serpents shall eat the body, furies tear the soul; this is that woeful 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; only the Tares are tied hand and foot, bound limb and joint, their feet walk not, their fingers move not, their eyes must no more wander as before, lo 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 Frenzy; 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 terror, that you never come nearer: To that purpose (for exhortation) consider:  
Alas! all hangs on life, there'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 expect us, it is only our conscience must clear us, or condemn us. Search then thy ways, 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 evils have possessed too many, drunkenness, and oaths, and malice, and revenge, are not these guests entertained into all houses? banish them your hearts, that the King of glory may come in: 
Ezek. 33.11.  As I live (saith the Lord) I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Would God bestow mercy? and should we refuse his bounty? as you love heaven, your souls, yourselves, leave your sins.  
Use. 2 And then (here is a word of consolation) the penitent needs not fear hell, God's 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.  
Use. 3 O than 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 horror never, will be warned, until the fire of that infernal Lake, flash and flame about their ears? Let the Angels blush, heaven and earth be amazed, & all the Creatures stand astonished at it. I am sure a time will come, when the Tares shall feel, what now they may justly fear; you hear enough, such weed must be bound, thus strait is the Lords command; Bind] 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, Bind 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 jacob, in thy blessed kingdom.   

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

General,  
Special.    
In the general it intimates these two points; the gathering of the weed, and its severing from the wheat: both are bound in bundles, but the wheat by itself, 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 several parties, each from the other.  
Observe. 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 woeful to converse with his living enemies, than what punishment have the wicked, whom the Devil and damned, the black angels and everlasting horror 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 fellows in torments, the fiends with flaming whips, revenging each others malice on thyself and enemy? It was the rich man's 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 increase his torment, to prevent which he cries out, I pray thee, father Abraham, 
Luk. 16.27, 28.  that thou wouldst send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify 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 only warn his brethren of future judgement: no, but to teach you, if you sell your souls to sin, to leave a rich posterity on earth, you shall not only yourselves (without all remorse and pity) be damned in hell; but your posterity shall be a torment to you whilst they live, and a greater torment, if they come to you when they are dead. To converse with Devils is fearful, 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 until 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 increase 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 Devil that was author of 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 talon 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.  
Observe. 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 Heaven's loss, 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 fare more grievous, than the pains of hell. So chrysostom, The pain of hell is intolerable indeed, yet a thousand hells are nothing to the loss of that most glorious kingdom. So Bernard, It is a pain far surpassing all the tortures in hell, not to see God, and those joys immortal, which are prepared for his children. O then what hells are in hell, when besides the pains of sense, there is a pain of loss, the loss of God, loss of Saints, loss of Angels, loss of Heaven, loss of that beatifical vision of the most Sovereign Good; our ever-blessed Maker. Consider with yourselves, 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 supremest Good, Suppose your bodies (as some Martyrs have been used) should be torn in sunder, and that wild horses, driven contrary ways, should rack and pull your arms and legs, and heart, and bowels, one piece from 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 less than this one separation of the soul from God. When Jacob got the 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 cry, and yell, and howl again? and yet notwithstanding this unspeakable rage, all the tears of hell shall never be sufficient to bewail the loss of heaven. Hence breeds that worm that is always 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 misery, to wit, the misspending of their time, the greatness of their sin, the many opportunities 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 powerful searching Sermon have I heard, any one passage whereof (had I not wickedly and wilfully forsook mine own mercy) might have been unto me the beginning of the new birth; but those golden days 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 days, months, years, how are ye vanished, that you will never come again? And have I thus miserably undone myself? 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 madness of men, that never think on this all the days of your visitation, and then when the bottomless pit hath shut herself 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.  Thus fare of the word in general: but if we look on it with a more narrow eye, it gives to our hands this special observation. 
The tares must have chains proportionable to their sins: 
Observe.  Bind them in bundles] saith my Text, not in one, but in many faggots, an Adulterer with an Adulteress, a Drunkard with a Drunkard, a Traitor with a Traitor, as there be several sins, so several 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 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.  
Where is Lady Pride and her followers? see them piled for the furnace: 
Esay 3.  you that jet it with your balls and bracelets, tires 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, far sumptuously, and that not only on Sabbaths or Holidays, 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 plenty of wines, and see him that was clothed in purple, now apparelled 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 apparel 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 linen was thy usual apparel, that banquets of sumptuous dishes were thy ordinary fare, but now not the poorest beggar (even Lazarus himself) that would change estate with thee: Change, said I? marry 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.   
But there are other Bundles, where is Gluttony and her surfetters? Do we not see how the earth is ploughed, the sea furrowed, and all to furnish one Epicures table? Seville sends fruit, Canary sugars, Moluques spices, Egypt balsamum, Candy oils, Spain sweet meats, France wines, our own land cannot satisfy, but foreign kingdoms and countries must needs be sacrificed to our belly-gods: but what dainties have such Nabals when they come to hell? there is a black banquet prepared for devils and reprobates; the first dish is weeping, the second gnashing of teeth, and what mirth is there where these two courses must last all the feast? The lazy Friar sweeting 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 poison, the attendants furies, the music groans, and time without end the sauce of every dish? See here the provision for the damned, their chains lose not, their fire cools not, their worm dies not, their woes end not, such gall and vinegar bitters every morsel. God hath proportioned this punishment for these sheaves, they are sent from surfeits to an empty dungeon, that sent away beggars empty from their doors.  
But more Bundles yet, where is Drunkenness with her rioters? Lo they are trodden under foot, saith the Prophet, 
Esay 28.3.  they whose tables were full of vomit and filthiness, are now driven to that scarcity 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. Sin 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 crumb 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 handful of water, a drop of water, nay were it but a wet finger, to cool the tip of his scorched tongue? Harken ye drunkards, and fear these flames that one day must parch your tongues. Here you may recreate yourselves by sleep when you have too much, or by idle company when you would have more, but hereafter you shall find no means to qualify these pains: sleep there is none, though it be nothing but an everlasting night: friends there be none, though all could profess 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 mouths dry as dust, their tongues red as fire, their throats parched as coals, all their bowels clung together as the burning parchment. He that sows iniquity shall reap vanity; the drunkard that abuseth so much wine, must there want a little water, his tongue shall cleave to the roof of his mouth, and goblets of boiling lead run down his throat: as the pleasure, so the pain, he was comforted, and is tormented.  
And yet more Bundles, where is Covetousness and her gripers? O the iron age we live in! was there ever less love? ever more dissembling? the covetous hoardeth, holdeth, oppresseth, or it may be puts out to usury, but never without sureties, pledges, mortgages, 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 brimful 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 cruel effect of sin, he that hath no pity, shall not be pitied, no, he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath showed 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 satisfy 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 satisfy himself, his gold now wants no weight, his silver is not scarce, mountains and loads are prepared for him to his greater torments.  
Yet again more Bundles, where is Adultery with her minions? Lo ugly fiends do embrace them, and the furies of hell be as their bosom 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 fearful manner: First, Lucifer commands to fetch him a chair, and forthwith an iron chair red-hot with sparkling fire was brought, and he set thereon: this done, Lucifer commands again to fetch him drink, and a drink of melted lead was brought in a cup, which they straightway pouring into his open mouth, anon it came running out of all his members: this done, Lucifer commands again, that according to his use they should fetch him musicians to make him merry, and a sort of musicians 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 wont 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 blood 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 mouths taste bitterness, 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 dainty delights, sweet music, merry company? are all left behind? and is there no recreation in those smoky vaults? Unhappy dungeon, where there is no order but horror, no singing but howling, no ditties but their woes, no consorts but shrieks, no beauty but blackness, 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 herself, and lived in pleasure, so much give ye to her torment and sorrow: Rev. 18.7. 
Rev. 18.7.   You see now (Beloved) what Tares are in bundles, the Proud, Gluttons, Drunkards, Covetous, Adulterers; these and such others are bundled by the Reapers at the general harvest. 
Use. O then, having yet a little time, how should we labour to escape Hell's horror? 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 greediness lay out his bags for the eternal good of his soul: Alas, one foot in heaven is better than all your lands on earth. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, 
Psal. 84.10.  then to dwell in the Tents (in the houses, in the Palaces) of the wicked. Now then in the fear of God, reform your lives, and your harvest without question, shall be the joy of heaven; or if Tares will be Tares, what remains but Binding, and Bundling? Bind them, Bundle them, Burn them.  The harvest is done, and the Angels sing and shout for their ended task: the Tares are reaped, the furrows cleansed, the sickles laid aside, the sheaves Bundled: and to shut up all, they must be Burned: But stay we them a while, and at our next meeting we will set them on fire. God make us better seed, that we may receive a better crop, even that Crown of glory in the highest heavens.  

To burn them.]  
WE have followed the Prisoners from the Bar, 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 boldest courage but enter into a serious meditation, what it were to lie everlastingly in a red hot scorching fire, how could he choose but stand astonished at the consideration? it is a furious fire: Rouse 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 Metaphorical, others a material fire; be it whether it will, it is every way fearful, and fare above the reach either of humane or Angelical thoughts to conceive.  
If it be Metaphorical (as Gregory and Calvine are of mind) then is it either more, or nothing less 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 fare surpass 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 material (as Austin and Bullenger do conjecture) yet is it fare beyond any fire on earth: mark but the difference: our fire is made for comfort: hellfire is created for nothing else but torment: our fire is blown with some airy breath of man, but hell fire is blown with the angry breath of God; our fire is fed with the fuel 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 fuel 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 itself? you know there is a great difference betwixt the heat of our breath, and the fire in our chimneys: now than if the breath of God that kindles hell fire be dissolved into brimstone: What a fearful 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 than 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 boiling Cauldron: O how wouldst thou shout and roar, and cry through the extremity of torment? but what is a boiling Cauldron, to that boiling sea of fire and brimstone? pitch and sulphur, boil 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, loathsomely to perplex the smell: it is a fire that needs no bellows to kindle it, nor admits of the least air to cool it; the fuel wastes not, the smoke vents not; the chimneys are but Reprobate credits, where they lie scorching, burning, howling their lullabies, and their nurse's furies. The flames of Nebuchadnezars 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 wheels turn roundly, and the darkened fuel 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.  Utter] to perplex the mind, Darkness] to confound the eye. Consider but the terror 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 falter, his blood run to the heart? yea, (I dare say) although he felt never a lash from them on his body, yet the only howling of devils, would make his very inmost heart to shake and shudder? O then, what horror is that when darkness must surround thee, and devils hollow to thee, and reprobates shrick at the lashing of their bodies, and all hell be filled with the cries and echoes 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 smoky flame, that burns dim to the eye, yet sharp to the fence; 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 dim dark light, why better he saw nothing, then suck t●●●●le vis●●ns▪ such fears, nay a thousand times worse are preserved 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 lie together in the same condemnation. What comfort affords this light, where nothing is seen but the Judge's wrath, and the prisoners punishment? O (will they cry) that our eyes were out, or the flames were quenched, or that some period were put to this endless night of darkness! but all in vain, lo pillars of smoke arise out of the infernal pit, which darken the light, as the fire lightens the darkness: and this the second difference.  
Thirdly, there is yet another difference, in the fuel or object of this fire; ours burns not without materials, this works also on spirituals. It is (I confess) a question whether devils suffer by fire? and how may that be? some are of opinion, that they are not only spirits, but have bodies, not organical as ours, but aereal, or somewhat more subtle than the air itself: this opinion howsoever most deny, yet Austin argues for it; for if men and devils (saith he) are punished in the same fire, and that fire be corporeal, how are Devils capable of the suffering unless they have bodies, (like men) fit for the impression? And yet if we deny them to have bodies, I see no impossibility, but that spirits themselves may suffer in hell fire: 
August. de civet. dei lib. 21. cap. 10.  is it not as easy with God to join 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 only 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 tries the reins, it searcheth the bowels, it pierceth the very soul and inmost thoughts. O fire above measure! where spirits are the tormentor's damnation the punishment, men and devils the fuel 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 kills 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 darkness, such objects accompany this fire, the heat is intolerable, darkness palpable, body and soul both combustible, all burn together that have sinned together. This the third difference.  
Lastly, there is a difference in durance, our fire dies quickly, but hell fire lasts for ever. This is done (saith Austin) admirably, 
Miris, sed veris modis. Aug. ibid. Aug. de civet. dei. l. 21.  yet actually, the burning bodies never consume, the kindled fire never wastes 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 God's high and heavy 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 custom of some countries, that burn malefactors, 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, Colic, Strangury, Toothache, Pangs of travail, and a thousand such miseries incident to man, how would you toss and tumble? how would you turn your sides, tell the clock, count the hours, expect every moment for the gay-bright morn, and till then esteem every hour a year, and every pang a misery matchless, and intolerable: 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 endless night, where the clock never strikes, the time never passes, the morn never dawns, the Sun never rises; where thou canst not turn nor toss, nor tumble, nor yet take any rest; where thou shalt have nothing about thee but darkness, and horror, and wailing and yelling, wring of hands and gnashing of teeth for evermore? Good Lord, that for a smile of present pleasure, men should run upon the rock of eternal vengeance! Come, ye that pursue vanity, 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 eternal: Eternal? how long is that? Nay, here we are silenced, no Limner can set it forth, no Orator can express it; if all times that ever were, and ever shall be should be put together, they would infinitely come short of this fiery eternity; the latitude thereof is not to be measured, neither by hours, nor days, nor weeks, nor months, 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 sphere, 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 add 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, add to them all the sands of the sea, piles on the earth, stars in the Heavens, and when all this is done, multiply all again by all the numbers, squares, cubicks of Arithmetic, and yet all these are so fare short of eternity, that they neither touch end nor middle, nor the least part or parcel of it: what then is this which the damned suffer? eternal 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 wildfire: it is a fire which no means can moderate, no patience can endure, no time can for ever change, but in it whosoever woefully lies, their flesh shall fry, their blood 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 howl everlastingly: were they persuaded 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 continual, the fuel immortal, 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 fuel, in durance: Let your souls work on these objects, that they never come nearer to those flames.  
Use. 1 Who amongst us would dwell with devouring fire, who amongst us would dwell with everlasting burn? 
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 sin, whose reward is this fiery death? upon due consideration, how is it that we sleep, or rest, or take a minute's ease? lesser dangers have distraught some out of their wits, nay bereft 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 woe 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.  
Use. 2 Or yet if comparisons can prevail, suppose one of you should be taken, & brought along to the mouth of an hot fiery furnace, than (comparing sin 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 sin, that endures but a moment, so many of you so little regard eternal 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 than should it grieve you to see, not a child, but your own bodies and souls cast away for a momentany sin 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 cattles, 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 dreadful fire of hell gapeth ready to devour, not thy house, thy corn, or thy , 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.  
Or yet if example can persuade us more, meditate on the miserable condition of that nameless rich man: Suppose you saw him in hell torments, compassed 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 hell. O lamentable fight! but to make it more lamentable, harken how he roars and cries through the extremity of pains: O torment, torment! how am I tormented in this fire? my head, my heart, my eyes; my ears, my tongue, my tongue is all on fire, what shall I do? whither shall I fly for secure? 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 bosom? what is a beggar exalted, and am I in torments? Why Abraham father Abraham, have 〈◊〉 on me: See here a man burning, scorching, frying in hell 〈◊〉, 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 only: 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 deny my suits; I burn, and neither God, nor Saint, nor Angel takes pity on me: and shall I cry for help on devils? alas! they are my tormentors that lash me, and cut me with their whips of burning steel and iron. O beloved! what shall we say to the roaring rage of this tormented wretch? Alas! alas! how little do men think on this? they can pass away time sporting and playing, as if they went to prison but for a few weeks, or days, just like men, who having the sentence of death passed upon them, run fooling and laughing to the execution; but when once hell mouth hath shut herself, then shall they find nothing but eternity of torments: in the fear of God take heed in time of this eternity, eternity, lest you also come into this place of eternity, eternity of torment: it is the doom of Tares, woe to them whosoever, that are of the number, for they they] must be gathered, and bound, and bundled, and burned.  We have now done our task, and ended the harvest: if you please to cast back your eye upon the particulars delivered, they amount to this sum. 
Whatsoever a man sows 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] cursed 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 less; 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 sins, we shall have a blessed harvest indeed: how? forty 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 bless the seed, that every soul of us may have a joyful harvest in the kingdom of Heaven. AMEN.   
FINIS.   

Right Purgatory.  HEB. 1.3. 
When he had by himself purged our sins.  
THe point is not full, but to make it up, the Text stands compassed with words of wonder, concerning the word, our Saviour; he that is the Son of God, heir of all things, creator of the world, the brightness of his glory, the image of his person, and upholder of all things by the word of his power, stands here as the subject of humility and glory: he purged our sins, and sits on the right hand of the majesty on high. He purged our sins, by his suffering on the cross, he sits on God's right hand, by obtaining the crown: he purged our sins by dying for them, he sits on God's right hand, by ruling with him; what need we more? here is his passion and session in the same order he performed them, for than he sat down on the right hand of his Father, when he had by himself purged our sins.  
But to come nearer the words, they are as the drugs of an Apothecary, and we will examine the ingredients. O I am sick of love, saith the Church in Canticles, Cant. 5.8. 
Cant. 5.8.  Sick indeed, not of love only, but of sin also; a disease that infatuates the mind, gripes the conscience, distempers the humours, disturbs the passions, corrupts the body, endangers the soul: Is not he blessed that can help this malady? Come then ye that labour of sin, and to your endless comfort see here the manner of the cure: there is a Physician he,] the patiented himself,] the physic administered when he had purged,] the ill humours evacuated, when he had purged our sins.]  
Or to gather up the crumbs, lest in this costly receipt or physic any thing be lost; see here the remedy girt and compassed with each necessary circumstance, the time when,] the person he,] the matter purged,] the manner, by himself,] the disease, sin,] the extent of it, ours.] Observe all, and you find no time more dismal than this when,] no person more humbled than this he] no physic more operative than this purge,] no disease more dangerous, no plague more spreading than sin,] our] sin, for which he suffered, When he by himself had purged our sins.]  We have opened the body of the Text, now look on the parts, and you may see the Anatomy of our Saviour in every member of it. 

When]  

Ne sedendo videatur purgare: Annot. Erasm. in text.  THe Text gins with the time, When] he had purged:] and this time (saith Erasmus) according to the original denotes the time past, lest that we had thought he had purged our sins by his sitting him down at the right hand of God. First therefore (saith the Apostle) he purged,] and then sat:] he first purged by his death, and when that was done, he sat at the right hand of the Majesty, in the highest places. Whence observe:  
Doctrine. The time that Christ purged was in the days 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 infirmity, so (according to the nature of all infirmities) he had those four times mentioned by Physicians in his life, the beginning, the increase, the Akmen or state, and declination. Give me leave but to prosecute these times, and by that time we have done, the hour (I know) will summon us to a conclusion.  
First then he had his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, his beginning, and that was the first time of his purging, even at his birth; then took he our infirmities upon him, and in some measure evacuated the brightness 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 city? where did the shepherds find him, but in a poor sorry cottage? and there if we look after majesty, we find no guard but Joseph, no attendants but Mary, no heralds but Shepherds, none of the bedchamber 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 than of the hedge, no easier than of thorns.  
Thus for the beginning, what then is the increase of this?  
This increase (say Physicians) is when the symptoms 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 sickness and a purge? Consider his parcitie in abstinence, his constancy in watching, his frequency 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 dwells at Nazareth, and there is accounted Jesus the carpenter. 
Mark 6.3.  When he enters into his Ministry, 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 wilderness by the spirit, and there he fasts forty days and forty nights, without bit of bread, or drop of water. The devil (seeing this opportunity) gins 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, a sinner, 
Matt. 11.19.27.63. John 9.24.10.20.8.48. Psal. 35.12.  a madman, 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 rendered 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 endured he of the Pharises, who sometimes cast him out of the city, accused him of blasphemy, cried 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 only with this answer, 
John 7.46.  Never man spoke 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 ware 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 inquiry, let us do what our Saviour bids, Search the Scriptures, 
John 5.39.  for they are they which testify of him. We have but two Testaments in the whole Bible, and both these give full evidence of Christ's miserable life. In the Old Testament it was prefigured by Adam's penalties, Abel's death, Abraham's exile, Isaac's offering, jacob's wrestling, joseph's bonds, Jobs suffering, David's mourning; yea, the Prophets themselves were both figures, and delivered prophecies of our Saviour's 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? 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 Gospel, we may not only 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,  joseph will not father him; in the second 
2,  Herod seeks to kill him; in the third 
3,  john the Baptist would needs out his humility deny him baptism; in the fourth 
4,  he fasts forty days, and forty nights, and is tempted in the wilderness; in the fifth 
5,  he fotetells persecutions, and all manner of evil against his Apostles; in the sixth 
6,  he teacheth his church that strict course of life, in fasting, praying, giving of alms, and forgiving of enemies; in the seventh 
7,  he concludes 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 excess, 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 john 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 foretells and executes his passion: now count not chapters, but hours, from that hour wherein he was sought for, until the sixth hour of his crucifying: one betrays 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.  You have seen the beginning and increase, and we'll now draw the Curtains, that you may behold the Bridegroom where he lieth at Noon day, to wit, in the state or vigour of his grievous sufferings. 
This state, or Akmen (say Physicians) is when nature and the disease are in greatest contention, when all the symptoms are become most vehement, so that neither nature or the infirmity, must needs, have the victory; and although (say Divines) all Christ's life was full of miseries, 
Kecker. Syst. l. 3. c. 4.  yet principally and chief is, that called his passion in Scripture, which he endured two days before death: and to this extreme passion (saith a Modern) is the purging of sins chief attributed. Come then, ye that pass by, behold, and see, if there was ever any sorrow like unto this sorrows; which is done unto him in the day of God's anger. 
Lament. 1.12.  His infirmities are now at full, and the symptoms 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. joh. 12.27.  First, his soul, it began to be sorrowful, saith Matthew: to be amazed and very heavy saith Mark: to be in an agony saith Luke: to be troubled saith john: 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 sorrowful, 
Matth. 26.38. John 12.77.  even unto death: Now was the time he purged, not only 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 fatal 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 jews, 
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 sweeting, 
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 rend, his bones unjointed, his sinews strained; should we sum up all? See that face of his, fairer than the Sons of men, 
Psal. 45.2. Revel. 1.14.  how it is defiled with spittle, swollen with buffets, masked with a cover of gore-bloud; see that head, white as white wool, and snow, how is it Crowned with thorns, beaten with a reed, and both head and hair died 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 blood, and darken at the sad approach of dreadful death: 
Revel. ibid.  see that mouth which speak as never man spoke, how it is wan with strokes, grim with 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 Cross; those shoulders that could bear the frame of Heaven, how they are lashed 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 dwelled deceit nor sin, how it is pierced and wounded with a soldier's spear: those bowels that yearned with compassion of others infirmities, how they are dry and penned with straining pulls: those feet that walked in the ways of God, how they are boared, and fastened to a Cross with nails: from hand to foot there is no part free, but all over he is covered in a mantle of cold blood, whose garments were doffed before, and took of them that were his hangmen: Poor Saviour, what a woeful sight is this? A bloody face, thorny head, watery eyes, wan mouth, strained arms, lashed shoulders, nailed hands, wounded heart, gripping bowels, boared feet: Here is sorry pains, when no part is free: and these are the outward Symptoms of his state that appear in his Body.  
We have thus far seen our Sun (the Sun of righteousness) in the daybreak, 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 sickness, so that all diseases attain not this time, but those, and those only that admit of a Recovery: yet howsoever (saith my 
* Senert. institution. medicinae lib. 2. par. 1. cap. 12. de morb. temp.  Author) 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 tyranny of death overcoming it. I will not say directly, that our Saviour declined thus, either in deed, or in show: 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 resign 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 than was it that this Sun went down in a ruddy Cloud; then was it that this Patient received the last dregs of his Purge; then was it that God's Justice was satisfied, the consummatum est was effected, all was finished: as for his burial, resurrection, and asscension which follow after this time they serve not to make any satisfaction for sin, but only to confirm it, or apply it, after it was made and accomplished.  
Use 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 Governor: nay, what say we to Christ himself, who from his first entrance, until his departure to his Father, 
Matth. 11.29.  was the very mirror of true Humility it ? 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. john 13.5.  hereunto accorded his practice, when he vouchsafed to wash his Disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel 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 Creator to a Manger, where he is lapped in rags, and clothed 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 Pharisaical humours, and make us fare better to remember ourselves.  
Use 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 cross and follow me. Dear Christian, if thou wilt be saved, mind thy Christ: Art thou abused by lies, reproaches, evil say, or do? we cannot more show how we have profited in Christ's 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 envy, 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? so was Christ of the Jews: are you mocked? so was Christ of the Soldiers: are you betrayed of your friends? so was Christ of his Apostle: are you accused of your enemies? so was Christ of the pharisees: 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.   
Use 3 Thirdly, as Patience from his life, so we may learn Remorse from his Passion, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? 
Lament. 1.12  O look on him, and let this look breed in you a remorse and sorrow for your sins: Our Saviour labours in the extremities of pangs, his soul is sick, his body faints, and would you know the reason? Why, thus is the head wounded that he might renew health to all the body; we sin, and Christ Jesus is heavy, 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 hellfire, which our sins had deserved: who but considers what evils our sins have done, that will not grieve and mourn at the sin he hath committed? Oh that my head were a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the sins 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 sins 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 myself, who have done thus to Thee: O my Saviour! O my sins! 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 Cross, 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 posy, here is one flower more, Obedience, which that Tree also yielded whereon he suffered. 
john 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 ransom of our souls? But to tell us that there is no better testimony of our love, then to obey his commands, he woes us with these sugared words (whose lips like Lilies, 
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 Son of God would banish himself thirty three years from his glorious Majesty; 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 Cross; a degree beyond death. O Son of God, whither doth thy humility descend? but thus it must be, the Prophets had foretold it, and according to their prophecies the days were accomplished, When he himself must be purged: He was born, he lived, he suffered, he died, and thus run round the wheels of those miserable times; When] he had by himself purged our sins.  You see the Time's past, and a new Time must give you the remainder of the Text; the Time is when,] the Person He,] and he it is that in order will next come after, only have you the patience, till we have the leisure to draw out his picture, and then you shall see him in some mean proportion, Who had by himself purged our sins.  

He]  
WE 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 sin, he bows the heavens and comes down; he takes upon him our frailty, that we through him might have the remedy 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 hills, 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 Cross, from his Cross 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 tells us how he was God from everlasting: so said the Centurion, Surely this man was the Son of God, Mark 15.39. 
Mar. 15.39.  How else? the sin of man could not otherwise be expiated, but by the Son 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 manhood he might suffer, and by his Godhead he might satisfy: O wonderful Redemption! that God must take upon him our frailty: had we thus far run upon the score of vengeance, that none could satisfy but God himself? could not he have made his Angel's Ambassadors, 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 wonderful, and indeed beyond all expectation; and yet thus will the King of heaven deal with us, he will not only pardon our faults, but satisfy the Law: we sin 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 Creator 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 dazzle 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 Lamb 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 fare 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 sins.  
And was he an Angel? nay that was too much, he was made (saith the Apostle) a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death, Heb. 2.9. 
Heb. 2.9.  What? the Son of God to be made lower than 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 than the Angels; the Creator is not only become a creature, but inferior to some creatures that he did create: O ye Angels, how stand ye amazed at this humility? that God your Master should become meaner than his servants, that the Lord of heaven should deny the dignity of powers, principalities, Cherubims, Seraphims, Archangel, or Angel: O jesus! how contrary art thou to thy aspiring Creatures? some Angels through pride would needs be as God, but God through humility is made lower than the Angels, not equal with them, but a note below them, as David that sweet singer of Israel sung, thou madest him little lower than 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 tells 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 abyss, which all the powers of heaven could no less but wonder at: Abraham's Lord is become Abraham's Son; the God of Abraham, the God of Jsaac, and the God of jacob, hath took upon him the seed of Abraham, the seed of Isaac, and the seed of jacob; wonder above wonders! that God should take the shape of Angels, is more than we can think, but to take on him the nature of man, is more than the tongue of Angels can express; that the King of heaven should leave his glorious mansion, and from the bosom of his Father come into the womb of his mother, from that company of Angels, and Arch-Angels, to a rude rout of sinful men: Tell ye the daughters of Zion, behold thy King cometh unto thee, saith the Prophet Esay in the 62. Chap. 11. vers. 
Isai. 62.11.  what could he less? and what canst thou more? wonderful love that he would come, but more wonderful 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 than all Angels, becomes lesser, lower than the Angels, even a mortal, 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 Mankind: 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 find 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 Fishermen? 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 bedchamber, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head, Matth. 8.20. 
Matth. 8.20.   
Descend we a little lower, and place him in our own rank, what was he but a Carpenter, say the Jews in scorn? Is not this the Carpenter, Mary's son? Mark. 6.3. 
Mark. 6.3.  A poor trade sure, but to show us that he was man, and how much he hated idleness, some time he will bestow in the labours of man's life: but O wonder! if he will reject majesty, let him use at least some of those liberal arts; or if he will be mechanical, let him choose to some noble trade, Thy Merchants were the great men of the earth, said the Angel to Babylon, Apoc. 18.23. 
Apoc. 18.23.  Ay, but our Saviour is no Adventurer, neither is he so stocked to follow any such profession; once indeed he traveled into Egypt with joseph and Mary, but to show us that it was no prize, you may see Mary his mother steal him away by night, without further preparation: what, gone on a sudden? it seems there was no treasure to hid, no hang 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 Jesus, thou must be content for us to hue sticks and stocks, besides which (after his coming out of Egypt, about the seventh year of his age, until his baptism by john, which was the thirtieth) we find little else recorded in any Writers, profane or Ecclesiastical.  
And are we now at our just Quantum? alas, what quantity, what bounds hath the humility of our Saviour? is he a Carpenter? that were to be master of a trade, but he took on him (saith the Apostle) the form of a servant, not a master, Phil. 2.7. 
Phil. 2.7.  It is true, he could say to his Apostles, Ye call me master, and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am, joh. 13.13. 
joh. 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, 
joh. 13.4, 5.  when he risen from supper, and laid a side his upper garments, and took a towel and girded himself, and after that he had poured water in a basin, begun to wash his disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel 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 ye blessed Apostles, why tremble ye not at this so wonderful sight of your lovely, lowly Creator? Peter, what dost 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 towel, put on thy apparel, see Peter is resolute. Lord, dost thou wash my feet? no Lord, thou shalt never do it. Yes Peter thus it must be, to leave thee and us a memorial of his humility; I have given you an example (saith Christ) that ye should do as I have done unto you: 
Vers. 15.  and what hath he done, but for our sakes is become a servant, yea his servants servant, washing and wiping, not their hands, or heads, but the very meanest, lowest parts, their feet.  
And yet there is a lower fall, How many hired servants (said the Prodigal) at my father's house have bread enough, 
Luk. 15.17.  and I die for hunger? and as if our Saviour's case were like the Prodigals, you may see him little lower than a servant, yea little better than a beggar: Ye know (saith the Apostle) the grace of our Lord jesus 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 Egypt, back he comes into Galilee, anon he travels to Jerusalem, within a while (as if all his life were but a wand'ring) you may see him on mount Calvary hanging on the cross, was ever any beggar's life more miserable? he hath no house, no money, no friends, no lands, and howsoever he was God the disposer of all; yet for us he became man, a poor man, a mean man, yea the meanest of all men: and this another step downwards.  
But this now low enough, men are the image of God: ay but the Son of God is not used as a man, but rather as a poor dumb beast appointed to the slaughter: what was he but a sleep, said Esay of him? Esai. 53.7. 
Esay 53.7.  a sheep indeed, and that more especially in these two qualities. First, as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth: and to this purpose was that silence of our Saviour: when all those evidences came against him, he would not so much as drop one syllable to defend his cause: if the high Priests question him, What is the matter that these men witness against thee? Matthew tells us that jesus 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 jesus 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 Jesus! art thou come to this? to be a man who art God, a sheep, who art man, and so for our sakes far inferior to ourselves: 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 Jews.  
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 john the Baptist) even the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world, Joh. 1.29. 
Joh. 1.29.  This was that Lamb which the Paschall Lamb prefigured, Your Lamb (saith God to the Israelites) shall be a Lamb without blemish, and the blood 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 blood (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 blood 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 ourselves. 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 footsteps 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 than 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 therefore if job say to the worm, 
job 17.14. job. 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 than kindred: behold our Saviour stooping thus low himself, what is he but a man? nay, as if that were too much, a worm, and not a man, as sung the Psalmist of him.  
I am so low, that unless we think him no body, we can down no lower; and yet here is one leap more, that if we take a view of it, we may suppose him to be nothing in esteem, a Nobody 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 less: see then (to the wondrous astonishment of men and Angels) how greatness itself, 
Ex omni seipsum ad nihil redegit: Beza in loc. Tert. ad Mar. l. 5.  to bring man from nothing, Exinanivit se, hath made himself nothing, or of no reputation, Phil. 2.7. 
Phil. 2.7.  How? nothing: yes, saith Beza; He that was all in all, hath reduced himself to that which is nothing at all: and Tertullian little less, Exhausit se, He hath emptied himself, or as our translation gives it, He hath made himself (not of little, but) of no reputation.  Lo here those steps (the Scripture lighting us all the way) by which our Saviour descended; he that is God for us became an Angel, a man, a Servingman, a poor man, a sheep, a lamb, a worm, a nothing in esteem, a man of no reputation. 
Use. 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 woeful lamentable case? I remember a passage in Cyprian, how he brings in the Devil triumphing over Christ in this manner: As for my followers, I never died 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 than he, and they do more for me, than his do for him: hear, O heaven! and hearken O earth? Was ever the like frenzy? The Devil, 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 only 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 heaven's crown, and run upon hell, and be a slave to Satan, and scoff at Christ's suffering, yea and let out his blood, and pull out his heart, and bring him a degree lower than very beelzebub himself, rather than it will submit to his will, and march under his banner to the kingdom of heaven. Hence it is, that the Devil so triumphs over Christ, As for my followers (saith he) I never died for them as Christ did for his: no Devil, thou never diedst for them, but thou will put them to a death without all ease or end. Think of this, ye 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 wonderful a mercy; I pray, have you not cause? had your Saviour only sent his creatures to serve you, or some Prophets to advise you in the way of salvation, had he only 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 only send to the prison, but come himself to the dungeon, and ask, saying, Is such a man here? or had he only 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 Hellhounds, (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 jesus 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 jews 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, Who had by himself purged our sins.  Thus far we have measured his steps downwards, and should we go up again the same stairs, we might bring him as high as we have placed him low: but his assent belongs rather to the words following my Text; for after he had purged, than he sat down on God's right hand on high. Come we then to the next words, and as you have seen the Person, so let us look for a companion; This may in misery yield some comfort, if but any society bears a share in his misery; But me thinks I hear you say to me, as the Athenians said 
〈◊〉 32.  to Paul, We will hear thee again of this matter another time.  

By himself]  
THe Time and Physician have prepared a Purge; but who is the Patient to receive it? it is man is sick, and it is man must purge, or otherwise he dies without all remedy or recovery: but alas! what Purge (what Purgatory) must that be which can evacuate sin? Should man take all the virtue of herbs and minerals, and distil them into one sublime and purest quintessence, yet impossible were it to wash away sin: or the least dregs of its corruption: Not Galen nor Hypocrates, nor all the Artists, or Naturalists that ever lived on earth could find out, or invent any remedy for sin; 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 dying, and must he purge for it? can Physic 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 pilate's 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 physic, 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 eternal fire.  
But how purged he? By himself? Was there none to associate him in this misery? no, he purged by himself] only, and that without a 

Partner.  
Comforter.    
First, without a partner, there was none that laid a finger in the burden of his Cross to ease him: why, Blessed Saviour, thou hast Myriad of Angels waiting on Thee, and can they not a little lighten thy heavy yoke? No, the Angels are blessed, but they are finite and limited, and therefore unable to this expiation of sin.  
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 Christ's blood) have not only a forcible satisfaction for the Church, and its members; but withal they are the accomplishments of the wants of Christ's passion; an horrible blasphemy: as if Christ's were not sufficient in itself, but his wants must be supplied by the satisfaction of others; my Text tells 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 rejoice I in my sufferings for you, and fulfil the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake which is the Church; whence they argue these two points, first the want of Christ's 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 fulfil, 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 Christ's, 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 Paul's 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, Christ's passion sufficeth to salvation, Peter and Paul's passion serve only for example; so than if you will have the true sense of the words, they run thus; Now rejoice I in my sufferings for you, whereby I fulfil the measure of those tribulations which remain yet to be endured of Christ in his mystical body, which I do for the body's sake, not to satisfy 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 Angel? no it is Christ, and only Christ Jesus, and only 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.   
But if not Angels, or Saints, what say we of good Works? Cannot they expiate sin? yea, say our adversaries, they are meritorious, and applicatory; and expiatory, so here is a threefold use of them; what? hath Christ purged by himself? and is there any other means whatsoever to expiate sin? 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 than ye are saved— not of works, lest any man should boast himself, Ephes. 2.8, 9 
Ephes. 2.8, 9   
But if no purging by Angels, Saints, nor good works, what say we to purgatory itself? 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 Catholic faith, 
Aug. hypog. l. 5. tom. 7.  resting upon divine authority 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 only of places eternal, 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. . 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 only to fray children; God will have no rival in sins 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 sins.  Thus fare you have seen Christ purging without a partner, 
Esay 63.3.  he trod the winepress alone, and there was none to help him; but o the bitterness of this purge that admits of no help, no ease; as he had no partner to help him, so no Comforter to cheer him in his so lamentable sufferings. 
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, etc.  yet to do what they can (be it only to condole us) it were a comfortable refreshing; 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 cordial. 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?  
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 blood 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 envied as he was by the jews; what then can a little water? what can Iordans floods? what can rivers of wine, and oil 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 crucify him, and he had power to lose him, john 19.10. 
Joh. 19.10.  and yet fond would he wash away the guilt of his unjust sentence, with a little water on his hands; no , 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 jews. 
Luk. 23.25.   
But if delivered to the jews, sure it is well enough; he is their Countryman, Kinsman, of the stock of Abraham, of the Tribe of Juda, of the Family of joseph; but this rather aggravates than alleys 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? daniel's Den, the three children's Furnace, Esay's wooden Saw, Israel's 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 jew, witness our Saviour's death, when they all conspired not only to scourge him, mock him, buffet him, slay him; but to slay him in such a manner, as to hang him on nails, and to make the Cross his Gibbet,  
But what? no comforter amongst them all? do the Gentiles condemn him? will the Jews crucify 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 jews hate and malign 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 than 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 eternal life, joh. 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 jonas Gourd, when the Sun beats hottest, how soon are they all gone, and vanished away? lo one betrays him, another forswears him, all run from him, and leave him alone in the midst of all his enemies.  
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 ye 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 salve to him, as 'tis one of his greatest, tenderest sores about him: 
Luk. 23.28.  Daughters of jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, 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, than all the blood 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 me, but weep for yourselves and your children: But O blessed Saviour, didst thou flow unto us in showers of Blood, and may not we drop a tear for all those purple streams of thine? yes Lord, thou dost not here forbidden us weeping, only thou turnest the stream of our tears the right way; that is to say, homewards into our own bosoms, pointing us to our sins, the truest cause of thy sufferings.  
But as for comfort to our Saviour, whence (trow ye) may it come? if we compass the earth, the Gentiles, jews, his Disciples, Apostles, Mary his own Mother, and all other his friends, they are but as jobs 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 Desert, and comfort him in the Garden, but when he came to the main act of our Redemption, not an Angel 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 ye 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.   
And yet if the Angels be no comforters, he hath a Father in heaven that is nearer to him: 
joh. 10.30.  I and my father are one (saith our Saviour) and it is my Father that honoureth me, joh. 8.34. 
john 8.34.  it is my Father that loveth me, joh. 10.17. 
john 10.17.  it is my Father that dwelleth in me, joh. 14.10. 
john 14.10.  and howsoever others forsake me, and leave me alone; (as himself proclaims it) yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me, joh. 16.32. 
john 16.32.  Is it so, (sweet Saviour) whence then was that sorrowful 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 dissolved, but the beams, 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.  
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 only in his humanity, no other with him, all other left him; the Gentiles, Jews, Disciples, Apostles, Mary his mother, and God his Father, nay he himself is bereft 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.  Thus far you have seen Christ drink the cup of his bitter pains, pure and without mixture of any manner of ease; what now remains, but that we make some use of it? 
Use. I will take the cup of salvation (saith David) and call upon the Name of the Lord, Psal. 116.13. 
Psal. 116.13  and what can we less? if our Saviour hath begun to us in pains, shall not we afford him our thanks? the Cup of death could not pass from him, and must the Cup of Salvation be removed from us? 
Psal. 148.2.  O praise him, praise him all his Hosts: howsoever he was alone in his sufferings, let us all bear the burdens in a song of thanksgiving, and in this song let us singing weep, and weeping sing; our sins may draw the tears which were the cause of his sufferings, and our salvation may make us sing, which those his sufferings did effect: what 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 will he have any in our thanks, he had no comforter in his miseries, nor must any share with him, in the duty we own him of praising his Name: Alas, have we not reason (think you) to give all the glory unto him? it was he that suffered that which we deserved he purged by himself] when we ourselves lay sick of sin, in peril of death and damnation; thus gracious is he to us, that when there was no other remedy for our recovery, than he by himself in our stead, came, and purged our sins.  Thus far you have seen the Patient, and order now requires that we prepare the Receipt, the Patient was himself] the Receipt is a Purge] but to confect this Purge, we must crave a further time; and in the mean while, and ever remember him in your thoughts, who hath done all this for you, and the Lord make you thankful.  

Had purged.]  
YOu see who it is that hath freed us from sin, to wit, Christ our Saviour without a Compurgator; he purged by himself] but what did he by himself? do we say he purged? what need he to purge, who never committed any sin in thought, word, or deed? it is without doubt he needs not, and yet do it he will, not to clear himself, but us.  
But this Purge doth imply a medicine, and so we must apply it, a medicine it was, and many medicines he used for the curing of man's soul; the first by diet, when he fasted forty days and foruty nights. Matth. 4.2. 
Matth. 4.2.  the second by Electuary, when he gave his most precious body and blood in his last Supper, Matth. 26.26. 
Matth. 26.26.  The third by sweat, when great drops of blood issued from him falling down to the ground, Luk. 22.44. 
Luk. 22.44.  The fourth by plaster, when he was spit upon by the jews, 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 blood, when his hands and feet were pierced, yea, when his heart vein was stricken, and his side gored with a Spear, joh. 19.34. 
Joh. 19.34.  the last (which contains all the rest) was by purge, when by all his sufferings (and especially by his bloodshed) 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 Physic, 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 general, 
Observe.  is taken for any evacuation whatsoever: and to say truth in a word, the evacuation of Christ's blood was the right purging of our sins. Hence is it, that (as Scriptures affirm) the blood of Christ doth redeem us, cleanse us, wash us, justify us, sanctify us: Ye were redeemed by his blood, 1 Pet. 1.19. 
1 Pet. 1.19.  and his blood cleanseth us from all sin, 1 Joh. 1.7. 
1 joh. 1.7.  and he washed us from our sins in his blood, Revel. 1.5. 
Rev. 1.5.  and being now justified by his blood, Rom. 5.9. 
Rom. 5.9.  and therefore jesus suffered, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, Heb. 13.12. 
Heb. 13.12.  This blood was it that was believed by the Patriarches, witnessed by the Sacrifices, shadowed in the figures of the Law, expected of all the faithful from the beginning of the world; and therefore the Apostle concludeth, almost all things are by the Law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood 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 blood: this blood is the foundation of true Religion, for other foundation can no man lay. Wherefore neither was the first Testament ordained without blood, 
1 Cor. 3.11.  Heb. 9.18. 
Heb. 9.18.  Nor is the new Testament otherwise sealed, then with blood, Matth. 26.28. 
Matth. 26.28.  What needs more? If the blood of Bulls and of Goats (in the old Testament) sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood 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 blood 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 apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? is it thy precious blood that hath given this hue? yes, an hue often dipped in the Wine-fat, and that we may the better see the colour, let us distinguish the times when his Blood was shed for us.  
Six times, saith a 
* Adam's Crucifix.  Modern: seven times, saith 
* Bern. de passione Domini. cap. 36.  Bernard, did Christ shed his blood for us; and (to reduce them into order) the first was at his Circumcision, when his name jesus was given him, which was so named of the Angel, before he was conceived in the womb; 
Luk. 2.21. Bern. ibid.  and was this without Mystery? no (saith Bernard) for by the effusion of his blood he was to be our jesus, our Saviour. Blessed Jesus! how ready art thou for the Sacrifice? What? but eight days old, and then to shed thy blood for the salvation of our souls? Maturum hoc Martyrium, here is a mature Martyrdom indeed. It is a superstition took up with the Egyptians and Arabians, 
Ambros. l. 2. de patriarch. Abraham.  that Circumcision should fright away devils: and the jews have a conceit not much unlike: for when the child is Circumcised, one stands by which a vessel 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 eat all the days of thy life: 
Gen. 3.14. Pet. Mart loc. come. class. 4. c. 7. Symbol. Ruffini Tomo Jeronymi. 4.  they suppose therefore the Praepuce (or fore skin) being cast into the dust, the Devil by that Covenant eats his own meat, and so departs from the child. But howsoever they err, of this we are sure, that Christ delivered his flesh as a bait to Satan, held him fast with the hook of his Divinity through the shedding of his blood; this blood 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 bloody husband art thou to me: what a love is this, that Christ newly born should so early shed his blood? 
Exod. 4.25.  but all was for our sakes, for the salvation of our souls.  
You see one vein opened, but in his second effusion not one, but all the veins in his body fell a bleeding at once, and this was at his passion in the garden, when (as the Evangelist testifies) he fell into an agony, and his sweat was like drops of blood, trickling down to the ground: here is a physick-purgative indeed, 
Luk. 22.44.  when all his body evacuates sweat like drops of blood: but what? be the pleurisy never so great, how strange is the phlebotomy? it seems not to consult where the sign lies, you see all his body falls at once to sweeting and bleeding, not is the cure less strange than the physic; for we had surfeited, 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? ofttimes 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 blood trickling down to the ground: here is a wonder, no violence is offered, no labour is sustained, he is abroad too in the raw air, and laid down grovelling on the cooler earth, or if all this be not enough to keep him from sweeting, the night is cold (so cold that hardy soldiers 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 only his skin, but clothes too, trickling down to the ground in great abundance; and yet may all this fall within the compass of a natural possibility. But a sweat of blood puts all reason to silence, yea, saith Hilary, it is again nature to sweat blood, 
Contra naturam est sudare sanguinem. Hillar. l. 10. trinitate.  and yet (howsoever nature stands aghast) the God of nature goes thus far, that in a cold night (which naturally draws blood inwards) he sweats without heat, and bleeds without a wound. See all his body is besprinkled with a Crimson dew, the very veins and pores, not waiting the tormentor's fury, pour out a shower of blood upon the sudden; foul sin that could not be cleansed save only by such a bath! what? must our surfeits be thus sweat out by our Saviour? Yes (saith Bernard) we sin, and our Saviour weeps for it, 
Bern. in ramis Palmarum, serm. 3.  not only with his eyes, but with all the parts of his body: 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 heavy 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 wonderful, strange, and deadly signs? our sweat (howsoever caused) is most usual in the face or forehead; but our Saviour sweats in all his body, and how then was that face of his disfigured when it stood all on droes, and the drops not of a watery sweat, but of scarlet blood? O my heart! how canst thou but rend into a thousand pieces? O my beloved! well may our eyes shed tears at this, when his veins thus shed their blood for us.  
But here is yet a third effusion of blood, and that (as Bernard tells us) was in vellicatione genarum in the nipping 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 than the sons 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 spite 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 whiteness of their spittle, and blewness of their strokes, had not caused enough colours) they once more die his rosy countenance in a bloody 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 strokes of blood 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 blood and sweat thus covered his face for us.  
But yet here's a fourth effusion at his Coronation; the blows drew not blood enough from his f●ot, and therefore the tho●●s must fetch more from his head. If mine adversary (says job) should write a book against me, s●●ely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind 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 only on his shoulder as 〈◊〉 to bear it, but on his h●●d too, as a Crown, to 〈◊〉 it ●● but neither is it for triumph only, but for torture, it is a Crown woven of boughs, decked with thorns, and 〈◊〉 of blood in lieu of precious stones. O Jes●● 〈…〉 thy ci●t●●e●● 〈…〉 thy sceptre, th●se 〈…〉 ●●●●ple died with blood, thy royal Robes Is ●●●●nkfull people 〈◊〉 watered with his blood, that bring forth nothing but h●i●●s and thorns, to crown him: but wherefore 〈◊〉 save only to crush into his tender hand? and to this 〈◊〉 they do not only 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 blood gushed 〈…〉 sharp prickled were shot in 〈◊〉 less than 〈…〉 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 blood 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, whilst they strike ●n their 〈…〉 again and again full 〈…〉 leave a drop of blood in all his body wh●●● 〈…〉 in all 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 judge shall cause him to lie 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, than thy brother should seem vile unto thee, Deut. 25.2, 3. 
Deut. 25.2, 3.  Thus indeed were the jews tied, but the Gentiles neither bound by law, nor moved with compassion, 〈◊〉 exceed this number; I have read that he received no less than 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 Soldiers, a freeman with staves, and a bondman 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 beautiful, 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 cross, 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 bloody blows? certainly they were not thy sins, but mine, that have thus evil entreated thee: it was love and mercy that compassed thee about, for I should have suffered, but to prevent this, thy mercy moves thee, and so thou takest upon thee all my miseries.  
But all this will not satisfy the jews, Behold the man, said Pilate to them, 
Joh. 19.5.  when he thought to have pacified their wrath by that doleful sight, but this nothing moved them, though (presently after) it moved rocks and stones to shiver in pieces: Behold then a sixth effusion of blood, when his hands and feet were pierced thorough 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 woeful sufferings; now come the barbarous inhuman hangmen, and begin to lose his hands that were tied to the p●st, to tie them to (a worse pillory) the cross, then strip they off his gore-glued , which did so cleave to his mangled battered back, that they pull off  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 blood 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 Ecclesiastical History reports) so big were the very nails, 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 nails, and they ●o be driven (not into the least sensible parts, but) thorough 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 tolerable, 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 boisterous nails, and how then shot the blood from those hands and feet thus digged, 
Cant. 2.1. Bern. de pass. Dom. c. 41.  and digged thorough? 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 rosy, and ruddy in blood.  
Can we any more? yes, after all these showers of blood, here is one more effusion; for after his death, 
Longinus Bishop of Cappadocia Teste Herle Contemplations on Christ's passion.  One of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there ●●t blood and water, joh. 19.34. 
Joh. 19.34.  The Soldier that gave this wound (they say) was a blind man, but our Saviour's blood 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 must bleed, but so full of virtue was this blood, that by it we are all saved. And yet (O Saviour) why didst thou flow to us in so many streams of blood? one drop had been enough for the world, but thy love is without measure. Physicians are usually liberal of other men's blood, but sparing of their own; here it is not so: for in stead of the Patient's 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 dwelled deceit, see how how it runs blood and water for our sins, here is the fountain of his Sacraments, the beginning of our happiness: 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 blood 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 heart's blood? what? keeps he nothing whole without him, nor within him? his Apostles are scattered in the garden, his garments at the cross, his blood how many where's? his skin they have rend 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 wonderful 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 blood and water in abundance.  Lo here those seven effusions of our Saviour's blood, the first at his circumcision, the second in the garden, the rest when his cheeks were nipped, his head crowned, his back scourged, his hands and feet nailed, his side opened with a spear, whence came out an issue of blood and water. 
Use. And be our sins thus purged? Lord in what miserable case lay we, that Christ our Saviour must endure all this for us! were our sins infinite, for which none could satisfy but our infinite God? were not our iniquities as the sands, for which no less than an Ocean of blood could serve to cover them? sure here 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 blood of Christ? O beloved! let me entreat you for Christ's sake, for his blood's sake, for his death's sake, that you will repent you of your sins which have put him to these torments: and to this end I shall entreat you thus to order your repentance: First (after confession of your manifold sins) 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 sins, thus clothed in his blood. Why thus shall it be with the house of David, Zach. 12.10. 
Zach. 12.10, 11.  I will pour 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 only son; and be sorry for him, as one that is sorry for his firstborn: 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 only son, yea, be sorry for him, or be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 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 bloodshed but our sins, our sins? 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 yourselves, and your own sins: alas, have you not cause? your sins were his murderers, and your hands by your sins were imbrued in his blood.  
Secondly, stay not here, but when you have mourned and wept over your Saviour, then hate those sins that wrought this evil on your Saviour. Which that you may do effectually, send your thoughts a far off, and see your Saviour in his circumcision, in the garden, and when you have done so, then follow him a little further; behold the tears in his eyes, and the clodded blood 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 villainy! 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 nails, and the whips, and the spear that drew blood 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 murder 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 stroke cry out, Thou wast the death of my Father, thou wast the death of my Father: and is the heart of a man thus enraged against him, that hath but murdered his friend or his father? O then how should your hearts be transported with infinite indignation (not against the man but) against sin that hath shed the precious blood 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 bethe Tribunal of that great Judge of heaven, and cry, justice Lord, justice against these sins of mine; these slew my Saviour, Lord slay them; these crucified my Saviour, Lord crucify them: Why thus pursue and never leave them, until (if it possible may may) you see these sins bleed their last; never think you have done enough, but still give your corruptions one hack more, confess your sins once more and say, Lord, this pride, and this stubbornness, and this looseness of heart, these are they that killed my Saviour, and I will be revenged of them.  
Thirdly, stay not here neither, but when you have mourned for your sins, and sought revenge on them, then by Faith cast them all on the Lord Jesus Christ; ease your own souls of them, and hurl your care on him that careth for you all. Certainly, there is no way to wash you clean from your sin, but only by Christ's blood, and how must you apply this but by Faith? now then, in the last place have faith, rinse your soul (as it were) in the blood of this immaculate Lamb, and though you are polluted and defied, yet (questionless) the blood of Jesus Christ will purge you from all sin: 
Heb. 9.13, 14.  If the blood of Bulls 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 blood of Christ, who through the eternal 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 judah to wash in; and I pray you mark it, it is not only for justification, but being applied by faith, as effectual for sanctification; not only for the expiation of sin, that it be not laid to your charge, but withal to purge your Consciences from dead works to serve the living God. O then (as you tender your souls) believe, and cast yourselves 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 yourselves, with all the spiritual strength that you can (at least with infinite long, and most hearty desires) into the bosom of your Saviour? say with yourselves, 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 rend you from between the arms 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 blood of Christ (no question) will make way for you into heaven: Yea, (saith the Apostle) by the blood of jesus 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 veil which is his flesh. Such is the blessed fruit of this blood, and the Lord make it effectual unto us, to bring us into heaven, even for his sake who by himself thus purged our sins.  You see the Purge given and taken, only a time it must have, and then follows the Evacuation: He purged.] What? the ill humour is Sin,] the extent of it Our] sin: of both these together at our next meeting. Now the Lord so prepare us, that this Purge may work in us the everlasting welfare, and health of our souls.  

Our sins.]  
SIn is our sickness, and to cure us of it, the Law yields corrasives, the Gospel lenitives, but especially Christ yields that Physic Purgative, which evacuates sin. To consider Christ as a man of sorrows, and not a Saviour of sinners; were but a melancholic contemplation; to behold his wounds, and not so to think on 'em as they were ourselves, adds but more sorrows to our other miseries; but when we call to mind that his blood was our ransom, that his stripes were our cures, then with all our hearts we pray, his blood be upon us and our children. And why not, this blood (saith the Apostle) speaks better things than the blood of Abel. 
Heb. 12.24.  For Ables blood cried revenge, but Christ's blood 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 humour 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 ourselves, imputed to our Saviour, and therefore (saith the Prophet) he bore the sins of many, Esay 53.12. 
Esay 53.12.  to who● agrees the Apostle, that he his own self bore our sins in his own body, 1 Pet. 2.24. 
1 Pet. 2.24.  What a load than lay on his shoulders; when all our sins, the sins of all the world were fastened upon him? one man's sin is enough to sink him into hell; and had not our Saviour intervened, every one of us had known by a woeful experience, how heavy sin would have been upon the soul of each man: but (O happy 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 sin 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 sin, 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 ways) could he save his own Elect because of it, but by killing his own son: Imagine then what a sickness is sin, when nothing but the blood of the son of God could cure it: imagine what a poison is sin, when nothing but a spiritual Mithridate, compounded and confected of the best blood that ever the world had, could heal it: we need not any further to consider its nature, but only to think of it, how hateful it was to God, how hurtful to his Son, how damnable to men.  
Use. And was it Sin he purged? this may teach us how hateful sin is, that put him thus to his Purge: Every sin is a nail, a thorn, a spear, and every sinner a Jew, a Judas, a Pilate: howsoever than we may seek to shift it on others, yet are we found the principal in this act ourselves; you know it is not the Executioner that properly kills the man, sin only is the murderer, yea, our sins only are the crucifyers of the Lord of glory: yea, (if you will please to hear me) I will yet say more, our sins only did not crucify him, but do crucify him afresh, Heb. 6.6. 
Heb. 6.6.  and herein how fare do we exceed the cruelty of the Jews? then his body was passable and mortal, but now it is glorified and immortal; 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 risen again from the dead; but we through sin so bury him in oblivion, that not once in three days, three weeks he ariseth, or shineth in our hearts; O shame of Christians to forget so great a mercy! O sin past shame to crucify afresh the Son 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? beware then of sin, that does it all at a blow! and if you are tempted to it; suppose with yourselves that you saw Christ Jesus coming towards you, wrapped in linens, bound with a kercher, and crying after you in this ghastly manner: beware, take heed what you do, once have your sins most vilely murdered me, but now seeing my wounds are whole again, do not (I beseech you) rub and revive them with your multiplied sins; pity, pity me your Jesus, save me your Saviour, once have I died, and had not that one death been sufficient, I would have died 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 sin that but hears thy voice in the gardens? 
Cant. 7.13.  lo the companions harken 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 sin.  
Secondly, he purged sin, whose; but our sin: and this tells 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 ransom for all men, 1 Tim. 2.6. 
1 Tim. 2.6.  and he purged our sins, saith my Text; what, ours only? no, saith the Apostle, he is the propitiation not for our sins only, but for the sins 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 Royal Prince, who having many of his subjects in captivity of thraldom under a Foreign enemy, pays a full ransom for every one of them, and then sending forth his Ambassadors, he woes them to return to their home, and to enjoy their liberty; some there are that reject the offer, they will rather serve the enemy then return to the freedom of their Lord; and are these all the thanks they give their Redeemer? O sweet Saviour! he made, upon the cross a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins 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 shortened? no see his arms spread on the Cross to embrace all; and here is the universality of this gracious benefit.  
Use. The use hereof is full of comfort: if any man (any sinner) will now come in with a truly penitent soul, thirsting hearty for Christ Jesus, and resolve unfeignedly to take his yoke upon him, there is no number or notoriousness of sin that can possibly hinder his gracious innterment at God's 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.  
Some there are, that howsoever Christ, and heaven, and salvation be offered unto them, yet so close do they stick and adhere to their sins, that they are loath to leave them, and they hope God is so merciful, that they can have Christ and their sins too. Alas deceive not yourselves, though the dearness, and sweetness, and freeness, and generality of Christ's offers be a doctrine most true, & we propound it unto you as a motive and encouragement to bring you in; yet not so much as one drop of all that bottomless depth of Christ's mercy and bounty doth as yet belong unto any that lie in the state of unregeneratenesse, or in any kind of hypocrisy whatsoever. Away then with this presumption, & bethink you what a grievous and fearful sin you commit time after time, and day after day in neglecting so great salvation, by choosing (upon a free offer of his soul saving blood) to cleave rather to a lust (O horrible indignity!) then to Christ Jesus blessed for ever: what height and perfection of madness is this, that whereas a man, but renouncing his base, rotten, transitory pleasures, might have Christ Jesus, and with him a full and free discharge of hell pains, a sure and known right to heaven's joys; yet: should in cold blood most wickedly and willingly, after so many entreaties, invitations, and offers, refuse this mighty change? Heaven and Earth may be astonished, Angels and all creatures may justly be amazed at this prodigious sottishness, and monstrous madness of such miserable men: they are the words of a late Divine, The World (saith he) is wont to call God's 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 than to leave Jesus Christ: but who do you think now are the true and great fools of the world? and who are likeliest one day to groan for anguish of spirit, and say within themselves, 
Wisd. 5.3, 4.  This was he whom we had sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach; we fool's accounted his life madness, 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 horror and restless anguish will this conceit rend a man's 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 bliss; 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 Son of God should make suit unto sinful 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 Christ's Ambassadors (saith the Apostle) as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God. We are Christ's spokesmen, that I may so speak, to woe you and win you unto him; now what can you say for yourselves, that you stand out? why come you not in? if the Devil would give you leave to speak out, and in plain terms, one would say, I had rather be damned then leave my drunkenness, another, I love the world better than Jesus Christ; a third, I will not part with my easy and gainful trade of Usury for the treasure hid in the field; and so on; so that upon the matter, you must needs all confess that you hereby judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, that you are wilful bloody murderers of your own souls: nay, and if you go on without repentance, you may expect that the hellish gnawing of Conscience for this one sin of refusing Christ, may perhaps hold scale with the united horrors of all the rest whatsoever. O then make haste out of sin, and come, come to Christ, so freely offered unto you! Hark 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 general invitation indeed, all men, all sinners, of all estates, of all kinds, of all conditions, whosoever you are, he keeps open house for you, Come and welcome.  
Secondly, they offend on the other side, who after invitation come not, through a kind of unmannerly modesty, or a bashful despair; Some there are, that may perhaps go so fare as to acknowledge their sins, and to confess, that without Christ they are utterly undone, and everlastingly damned, that may be ravished with the thoughts and apprehensions of this invitation of Christ, and would ever think themselves happy if they had their hungry souls filled with Christ Jesus; but yet so it is, that (considering their manifold grievous sins, sins of a scarlet die, of an horrid strain against knowledge, against conscience, and that which troubles them most, for all these sins 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 ways 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 sin a burden, than 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 lays his charge on them, for this is his Commandment, 
1 John 3.23.  that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ: nay, he counts it a sin worse than the sin of Sodom, a crying sin, not to come in when the Gospel is proclaimed; and therefore let them never pretend their sins are great and many, but rather (because of his offer, invitation, and command, it being without any restraint of person, or sin, (except that against the holy Ghost) if they will not come in, and cast themselves upon Christ, let them say, it is not the greatness of their sin, but a willingness to be still in their sins, which hinders them; or otherwise let them know, that sins, when men are truly sensible of them, should be the greatest encouragement, (rather than discouragement) to bring them in to our Saviour: 
Matt. 9.12.  Those that be whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick: is it not for the honour of a Physician to cure great diseases? a mighty God and Saviour loves to do mighty things, therefore in any case let them come in, and the greater sinners they are, no question the greater glory shall Christ have by their coming: And indeed to take away all scruple, it is a Maxim most true, That he which is truly weary of his sins, hath a sound, seasonable, and comfortable calling to lay hold upon Christ. Do they feel the heavy load of their sin? just than is Christ ready to take off the burden: 
Matth. 11.28. Rev. 21.6.  do they thirst after righteousness? just than 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 sins, and ours] with a limitation; the use of Physic (we say) consists in application; and howsoever our Saviour hath purged our sins; yet this purge of his is nothing beneficial to us, unless there be some means to apply it: As than it is in all other Physic, so in this; we must first take it; secondly, keep it.  
1. Take it, for as the best plaster 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 sins.  
2. But having taken it; you must secondly keep it; as men take Physic, not only 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 sins: for the both died for us, and by virtue of our faith and holiness through him, his death is applied to us; to us I say, not in any general acception, but as we are of the number of his Saints, for we had sinned, and they were our sins] only that he effectually purged, and washed away.  
Use. And this lesson may afford us this use, that howsoever the free grace, and mercy, and goodness 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 ready to sell all and follow him: he saves none, but such as deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godlily in this present world: in a word, he purgeth none, or cleanseth none by his blood 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 careful endeavour to every duty enjoined them; why these are the men only to whom his death is effectual; 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 universal change, that shows itself 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 inflamed 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  should stand between me and Christ, yet would I pass 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 sins that I mean: the Lord Jesus and one lust cannot lodge together in one soul: no, if we are but once truly incorporated into Christ, we must take him as our Husband and Lord; we must love, honour, and serve him; we must endeavour after sanctification, purity, new obedience, ability 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, jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. I say for our sins] effectually, if we believe in his Name, for it was for us he died, and they were our sins he purged, and this is that great benefit we receive from our Saviour, in that he by himself hath purged our sins.]  And now our sins being purged our souls recovered, I may well end this Text; only I shall give it one visit more, and so Farewell. 
You see the malady, Sin,] the remedy, a purge,] the Physician, he,] the patiented, himself,] ourselves;] for our infirmities were laid on him, and his sores became our salves, by whose virtue we are healed. Bless we then God for the recovery of our souls; and be we careful 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, sins are more pernicious, 
Matth. 12.44.  and men become seven times more the children of Satan then ever they were before. Now than we are healed, be we studious to preserve it all the days of our life, and we shall find at our death, that he that purged our sins 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 ready to conduct them to his Kingdom: and thither may we come for his sake, and his only, who by himself (in his own person) hath purged our sins. AMEN.   
FINIS.   

Heaven's happiness.  LUKE 23.43. 
To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.  
HE that purged our sins is here disposing of Paradise, at the same time when he hung on the Cross, even giving up the ghost, he is dealing Crowns and Kingdoms to a poor penitent soul: thus like a glorious Sun that breaks through the watery clouds ere it appear unto us, our Saviour (the Sun of Righteousness) shoots forth his rays of Majesty through all his sufferings on a dejected sinner. Two malefactors suffer with him, the one rails on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us: but the other prays to him, Lord, remember me when thou comest to thy Kingdom: in the midst of his thraldom he proclaims his Kingdom, and whom he sees a Captive, he believes a Lord: Lord remember me; is it not strange, that through so many, such thick clouds of misery, this dying thief should behold his glory? but where grace aboundeth, what marvel is it? 
1. Cor. 2.15.  The Natural man knoweth not the things of God, but he that is spiritual discerneth all things. No sooner was this penitent thief converted a Christian, but on a sudden, even on the very rack of torture he confesseth himself a sinner, and Christ his Saviour; and therefore desires to be remembered of him when he comes to heaven: Thus pouring out his soul in prayer, the Bridegroom that became an Harp, saith Bernard, (his Cross being the wood, himself stretched on it the strings, and his words the sound) hark how he warbles the most heavenly music that was ever chanted to a departing soul, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.  
The words are a Gospel, such as the Angels brought to the Shepherds, Luke 2.10. 
Luke 2.10.  Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy; here is tidings, good tidings; joy, and great joy, the greatest happiness that could ever befall a mortal, now waits on a malefactor, at that time when the execution was a doing, death approaching, and the horrors of hell laying hold upon him; when a word of comfort would have been most seasonable, like apples of gold in pictures of silver; 
Prov. 25.11.  then comes our Saviour (as a messenger with a pardon) and he bids him be of good cheer, there was happiness towards him: when? to day] what? thou shalt be with me] where? in Paradise.] Not a word but speaks comfort to the afflicted soul, be he howsoever afflicted for the present, yet there shall be a change, and the more to sweeten it,  
Here is the 

Celerity, to day]  
Certainty, thou shalt be]  
Society, with me]  
Vbi, or place where all joy is enjoyed, in Paradise.]    
These are those four heads that issue out of Eden, may God give a blessing to the watering, that you may bear good fruit till you are planted in that garden, whereof it is spoken, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.] We begin with the certainty of this promise, Thou shalt be.] etc.  

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 less that bestows Kingdoms on his servants? here was a poor man desires only to be remembered of him, and in stead of remembering him, he tells him he shall be with him: how? but as a coheir of his Kingdom. 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. 
Observe.  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 enthusiasms 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 than must we search and see, and if our hearts be rightly qualified, thence may we draw that fullness of persuasion with Abraham who staggered not at God's promises, being fully persuaded, 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 duty which stood not in possibility to be performed; nor would Paul serve God at random, 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 eternal 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, God's 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 testimony of our spirits, and the testimony of God's Spirit: It is not our spirit alone, nor God's Spirit alone makes this Certificate, but both concurring, and thus Paul tells us, Rom. 8.16. 
Rom. 8.16.  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.  
1. Our first assurance than is the testimony of our spirit, and this witnesseth with God's spirit two ways,  
By 

Inward tokens,  
Outward fruits.    
Inward tokens are certain special graces of God imprinted in the spirit of a man, as godly sorrow desire of pardon, love of righteousness, 
John 5.10.  faith in Christ, for he that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness 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 fit for devils, what a fond saying is this? no, if we have a true testimony we must be of good lives; it is our holiness, 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 testimony of God's Spirit, which sometimes may suggest and testify 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 satisfy two doubts: first, by what means 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 experimental syllogism, as, Whosoever believes on the Son shall be saved; but I believe on the Son, 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 blood 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 God's dearest children: the Sun that in a clear sky discovers and manifests it self, may sometimes with clouds be overcast and darkened; and faith, that in the calmness of a Christian course shines, & shows itself clearly to the sanctified heart, may sometimes in the damp of spiritual desertion, or darkness 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 martyrdom, or in some quickening exercises of extraordinary humiliation, or in beginning of our spiritual, or end of our natural life, as most needful times, then doth God's spirit speak comfortably to us, whispering to our souls the assurance of our happiness, that we shall be inheritors of his Kingdom. The assurance of adherence is that, which I doubt not the Saints have in their greatest extremity: for instance, many a faithful soul, that makes conscience of sin, lies and languishes upon the rack of fears and terrors, he shells nothing but a dead heart, and a spiritual 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 freedom of spirit say, I believe on the Son, whence ariseth this conclusion, which is the testimony of God's Spirit, therefore I shall be saved.  
To our second doubt, how we may discern betwixt the testimony of God's Spirit, and the illusion of Satan? I answer.  
First, the testimony of God's Spirit is ever agreeable to the Word, and thus to try us, the Scripture tells us, that Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit sin, 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 sin, that is, he makes not a trade of sin, it doth not reign in him; if then thou allowest any lust in thine heart, or goest on in the willing practice of any one known sin & yet hast a conceit that thou art sure of salvation, alas, thou art deceived, thou hast made a lie thy refuge, and hid thyself under falsehood.  
Secondly God's 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 breathed on by the Spirit of God; whilst others that use all these Ordinances out of custom or formality, or some other sinister end, alas, their conceit of being right, is built on the sands, and therefore down it falls at death's flood, and is overwhelmed in destruction.  
Thirdly, God's Spirit is ever attended with the spirit of Prayer, and therefore saith the Apostle, We know not how to pray, but the spirit itself, maketh intercession for us with groan 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 quickening life, to pour out itself in the presence of the Lord his God, sometimes in more hearty prayers, and sometimes in more faint and cold, yet always edged with infinite desires that they were fare more fervent than they are: But on the other side, every deluded Pharisee is a mere stranger to the power of Prayer, if he prays often (as I make it a question) yet never prays he from a broken heart, and this argues that all his confidence is no better than a weed which grows of its own accord, & therefore like Jonahs' gourd, when affliction comes, it withers on a sudden.  
Fourthly, the testimony of God's 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 distressed to cry mightily to God, to re-examine her grounds, to confirm her watch, to resort for counsel where it may be had; whilst on the contrary the Pharisees groundless conceit lies in his bosom without fears, or jealousies, or doubts, or distrusts, or any such ado, why so? alas, Satan is too subtle to trouble him in that case; he knows his foundation is falsehood, his hope of Heaven no better than a golden dream, and therefore in policy he holds his peace, that he may hold him the faster.  
Fifthly, the testimony of God's Spirit is ever most refreshing at those times, when we retire ourselves to converse with God in a more solemn manner; when we feel that we have conquered, or well kerbed 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 sweetness of the spirit cherishing our hearts with a lightsome comfort that cannot be uttered; whilst on the contrary the deluded man is always alike peremptory in his confidence, you shall not take him at any time without a bold persuasion, that he hopes to be saved as well as the best, thus like a man who lying fast asleep on the edge of a Rock, he dreams merrily of Crowns and Kingdoms, and will not off it, but on a sudden starting for joy, he tumbles into the bottom of the Sea, and there lies drowned in the deep; that assurance which is ever secure is but a dream whereas the testimony of God's Spirit is sometimes mixed with doubts, and sometimes (to our unspeakable comfort) with a secret, still, heart-ravishing voice thus speaks to our consciences, thou shalt be] thou shalt be] with me in paradise.  You see the testimony of God's Spirit, how it works in us, and how it is discerned by us; it works in us by a particular application of the promises in the Gospel, and is discerned by us by the word, by our love, our prayers, our fears, our joys at some times while we are a doing our duties. 
Use. O blessed man that feels in his soul this blessed testimony! what is here comparable to it? riches are deceitful, pleasure is a toy, the world is but a bubble, only our assurance of Heaven is the only real comfort that we have on earth; who then would not study 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 settling our eternal inheritance in Paradise? a man can never be too sure of going to Heaven; and therefore in God's fear let us examine the testimony of our spirits by the inward tokens, and by the outward fruits: let us examine the testimony of God's Spirit by the means and the difference; and if we find both these testimonies to accord within us, how blessed are we in this vale of tears! it is an heaven upon earth, a Paradise in a wilderness, in a word, a comfort in all miseries, be they never so embittered. See a Thief hanging on the Cross, an Engine of most grievous torture; but who can tell the joy that entered into him before he entered into Heaven? you may guess it by his desire to be remembered of Christ when he came into his Kingdom; 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 address himself to our blessed Saviour, 
Luke 23.37, 39  and he asks— what? if thou be Christ, save thyself, said the Jews in derision, and if thou be Christ, save thyself and us, said the other Thief to him; but this was only for the body's safety: and here is a man quite of another mind, let the Jews rack him tear him, break all his bones, and pull him into atoms, if our Saviour will but do so much as remember him in his kingdom, he desires nothing more: O blessed Christ speak comfortably to his soul that begs it thus vehemently at thy hands! but why do I prevent? the bowels of our Saviour yearn to hear him; remember him? yes, he will remember him, and he shall be with him; comfortable news! how leaps his heart at these so blessed words? his desire is granted, and Heaven is assured, and the Spirit of God, yea, the God of Spirits thus testifies it to him, to day [shalt thou be] with me in Paradise.]  Thus fare of the certainty of his salvation, thou shalt be:] but as the grant is sweet that is certain, so is it yet more acceptable if done with expedition: and here is both the certainty, and expedition, thou shalt be, when? to day] with me in paradise.  

To day.]  
OUr Saviour defers not that he promises but as he quickly hears, and quickly grants, so he quickly gives him Paradise, and a kingdom. This sudden unexpected joy makes all more grateful; to tell us of Crowns and Kingdoms that we must inherit, and then to put us off with delays, abates the sweetness of the promise: men that go to suits for lands and live, though Lawyers feed them with hopes, yet one order after another, spinning out time to a multitude of Terms, makes them weary of the business: it is the happiness of this suitor that he comes to an hearing but the highest degree of his happiness was the expedition of his suit: no sooner he motion's, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom; but the Lord gives him that he asks upon his first motion, to day, ere the Sun be down, the Kingdom 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, unless Limbus or Purgatory be Paradise itself, there is no such thing at all. Some there are, that rather than 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 hell, and the very same day was this Malefactor partaker of Christ's beatifical vision, with the other Patriarches 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 Kingdom, 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 Kingdom.  
But again you may object, That Christ rather that day, descended into hell, 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 hell (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 literal Exposition, and me thinks a very strange kind of figure it is, to express Christ's ascent into Paradise by his descent into hell. Others more probably understand Christ's abode in the grave for the space of three days. 
Aug. Epist. 57  Austin after some turns and wrenches concludeth thus: Est autem sensus multò expeditior, etc. It is a fare 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 always every where. Thus he: But this will not satisfy all, 
Perkins on the Creed.  and therefore they argue thus against it; These words (say they) must be understood of his Manhood, not his Godhead: and why so? For they are an answer unto a demand, and unto it they must be suitable: 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 Kingdom, remember me then: to which, Christ's 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 Godhead, 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 sin, must presently enter into Paradise. Now there is no entrance but in regard of the soul, or manhood, and therefore to apply it to the Godhead, 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 Christ's soul, united to his Godhead, might do all that, and yet be that day in Paradise: God works not lazily like man: Satan could show Christ all the Kingdoms of the world in the twinkling of an eye, and God's expedition exceeds his. To this agrees another, that we have no warrant in God's Word, so to fasten Christ's soul unto hell for all the time of his death, 
B. Bilson, l. of the power of Hell destroyed, fol. 219. Rom. 10.7.  but that it might be in Paradise before it descended into hell. 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 mortal man. To conclude, I will not deny, but that according to the Creed, he descended into Hell, yet howsoever we expound it, Metaphorically or literally, it hinders not this truth, but that immediately after death his soul went into Paradise.  The objections thus solved, now come we to the Thief thus comforted by Christ, to day] shalt thou be with me in Paradise. 
What? to day? without all doubts or delays? 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 four kinds of deaths in use amongst the Jews, strangling, stoning, fire and the sword: the Cross was a death whether for the pain, the shame, the curse, fare above all other: we may see it in that gradation of the Apostle, He became obedient to death, even to the death of the Cross, 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 than any man can think: see his hands bored, his feet nailed, 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 remedy? were not the news of death better than a lingering life? Lo then to his eternal 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 samuel's 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 Cross to Paradise, from a world of woe to a kingdom of happiness and eternal bliss. 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, wand'ring alone upon the mountains, far from company, 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 smells, dainty meats, soft beds, pleasant music, fine apparel, honourable company, and all these prepared for him, to serve him, honour him, and to anoint and crown him a King for ever; what would this poor man do? what could he say? surely nothing, but rather in silence weep for joy: Such, nay, far happier was the case of this poor malefactor: he was like the man wand'ring on the mountains, full of as much pain as the cross could make him; but on a sudden he and our Saviour crucified with him, both meet in his Kingdom: and now, Lord, what a joy enters into him, when he entered into heaven! on Calvary he had nothing about him, but the jews at his feet, and the nails in his hands, and the Cross 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 yourselves, how was he astonished, and as it were besides himself at this sudden mutation, and excessive honour done unto him! Imagine with yourselves what joy was that, when he met our Saviour in his glory, 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 fly 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 remembered of the other, and the other complaining that he was forgotten of his Father: 
Matth. 27.46.  in this doleful case both leaving the world, ere night they meet again, and now what hugs, what kisses are betwixt them? When Joseph met with jacob, 
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 joseph 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 rejoice, 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?  
Use. 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 effectual to stir us up to every good duty, and to comfort us in all conditions whatsoever: what will a man care for crosses, and losses, and disgraces in the world, that thinks of an heavenly Kingdom? What will a man care for ill usage in his Pilgrimage, when he knows he is a King at home? we are all (in this time of our absence's from God) but even strangers upon ●●rth; here than 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 Kingdom. ●s David's time between his anointing and investing was a very preparing of him that he might know himself, and that he might learn fitness 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 runs 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 showed us Rom. 8.18. 
Rom. 8.18.  and therefore Ig●●●●● i● a burning 〈…〉 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 delightful 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 run 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 moneyworth; 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 day's suffering, an half days 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 privilege of one infers not a common law for all: one find mercy 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 abhor sins past, sue out a pardon, call upon Christ with this Thief on the Cross, Lord, remember me, remember me now thou art in thy Kingdom; 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 dispatched with expedition this dispatch, this expedition, to day] the next day you shall hear the happiness of this grant, which is the society of our Saviour, thou shalt be: with whom? with me] in paradise.   

With me]  
ANd is he of the Society of Jesus? yes, though no Jesuit neither, for they were not then hatched) but what noble order is this, where the Saints sing, Angels minister, Archangels rule, Principalities triumph, Powers rejoice, 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 Society indeed, (I mean not of Babylon, but Jerusalem) whither Jesus our Saviour admits all his servants, and whereto this Thief on the Cross 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 only take a view of them, and in some scantling or other you may guess at Heaven's happiness.  
With me] and therefore with my Saints; blessed man that from a crew of thiefs (by one hours' 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 sin, 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 Patriarches, Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the rest, not now in their pilgrimage tossed to and fro on earth, but abiding for ever on Mount Zion, 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 cruel adversaries, but wearing Palms, and Crowns and all other glorious Ensigns 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 blood of the Lamb: 
Revel. 7.14.  there live those women-Saints, Marry, Martha, and that Virgin-mother, not now weeping at our Saviour's 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 Herod's knife bleeding unto death, but harping on their harps, and following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth: there lives that noble army of Martyrs, (they that were slain upon the earth, Revel. 18.24. 
Revel. 18.24. ) not now under the merciless hands of cruel 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 echo 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 society and fellowship of Saints? O my soul; how happy were't thou to be with them! yea, how happy will that day be to thee, when thou shalt meet all the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Disciples, Innocents', Martyrs, the Saints, and servants of the King of Heaven? why thus happy and blessed, is this penitent Thief: no sooner entered he into the gates of Heaven, but there meets him with music and dancing, 
Luke 15.25.  all the choir of Heaven, and (Lord) what a joy entered into his soul, when his soul entered into his master's joy? Tell me (could I speak with thee that dwellest in the Heavens) what a day was that, when stepping from the Cross, and conducted to Paradise, thou wast there received with all honourable companies and troops above? there did the Patriarches 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 than so, thou shalt be with me] and therefore with my Angels: Lo here a blessed company indeed, these are the heavenly Choristers eternally singing Jehovahs' praise: The Seraphims cry aloud, 
Esay 6.3.  Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, an Army answer to the anthem, Glory to God on high. The whole Choir of heaven add the burden, 
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 Music! 
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 Stars of which God told his servant Job, 
Job 38.7.  The morning stars sing together, and the ser●●●●● of God shout for joy. These are the winged Choristers 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 Protectors 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 always 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 God's Hosts these are the Spirits and Ministers of God whom David describing by the purity of their substance, and readiness 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, Protectors of the godly guardians of children, the armies of the Almighty, the Spirits and Ministers of the great Jehovah.  
What blessed company 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 incorporeal 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 only with my Saints and Angels, but with me] (with my soul) in Paradise. His soul indeed was there, though his body at that time was in the grave; and if the soul be it that makes us men, what a passing great joy is that, when men standing amongst the Angels shall see their Lord, the Lord of heaven, not to be an Angel, but a man? Here is the solace of Saints, when they shall 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 shall 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 thyself whosoever thou art that readst (if thou wilt but spend thy few evil days 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 rejoiced 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 mother's belly, what shall his presence do in his royal and eternal Kingdom? 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 brightness of his Majesty: nay, should we suffer torments every day, or for a time the very pains of hell itself, 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 joyful day come? when shall I appear before thy face? when shall I be filled with thy excellent beauty? when shall I see that countenance of thine, which the very Angels themselves are so desirous to behold? an happy time sure will it be to each faithful soul: And thus happy was this man, he parted sorrowfully with our Saviour on the Cross, but he met him joyfully in his Kingdom: those sweet souls that both left the world at one time, no sooner had heaven gates opened unto them, but with mutual kisses they embraced each other in unspeakable manner.  
Nor was this all, thou shalt be with me,] not only with my soul, but with my Godhead: this indeed was the height of bliss, the very soul of heaven's joy itself; set aside this, and crown a man with the Empire of all the earth, the splendour of heaven, the royal endowments of a glorified soul, the sweetest company of Saints and Angels, yet still would his soul be full of emptiness, and utterly to seek for the surest Sanctuary whereon to rest: only once admit him to the face of God, and then presently, and never before, his infinite desire exspires in the bosom of his Maker: I deny not but the other joys in heaven are transcendent and ravishing, but they are all no better than accessories to this principal, drops to this Ocean, glimpses to this Sun. If you ask how can our souls enjoy this Godhead? I answer, two ways; first, by the understanding; secondly, by the will. The understanding is filled by a clear glorious sight of God, 
1 Cor. 12.12.  called Beatifical 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 Sun by his beams and brightness illightens the eye, and the air, that we may see not only 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 Majesty, so irradiate the minds of all the blessed, that they behold in him, not only the beauty of all his Creatures, but of himself; and thus shall we see and know that glorious mystery of the Trinity, the goodness of the Father, the wisdom of the Son, 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 eternal communion with God himself; Christ that is God and man, by his Manhood assumed uniteth us unto God, and by his Godhead assuming uniteth God unto us, so that by this secret and sacred communion, we are made partakers (and as it were possessors) of God himself: O bottomless depth, and dearest confluence of joys 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, music to our ears, honey to our mouths, perfume to our nostrils, light to our understanding, delight to our will, continuation of eternity to our memory; in him shall we enjoy all the varieties of times, all the beauty of creatures, all the pleasures of Paradise. Blessed Thief, what a glory was this to be admitted to the society of Christ in his Deity! thou shalt be with me?] how then should he be but happy? Where could he be ill with him? 
Vbi malè poterat esse cum illo? ubi bene poterat esse sine illo? Aug. Psal. 16.11.  where could he be well without him? In thy presence there is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore; joy, and fullness of joy: pleasures, and everlasting pleasures: Blessed are all they that live in thy house, O Lord, for they shall praise thee eternally world without end, Psal. 84.4. 
Psal. 84.4.   You see now Heaven's society, they are Saints and Angels, and Christ, and God blessed for ever and ever. 
Use. 1 Who then would not forsake Father and Mother, the dearest fellowship of this world to be with Christ in his Kingdom? 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 only meet again, never more to part asunder, but when) Christ our Saviour shall gladly welcome you (every one of you) into his society, thou shalt be with me,] and let me speak to the joy of us all, I mean all  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 Kingdom of heaven: a day will come, I trust in the Lord, when you and I shall be all admitted into the society 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 Stars, and Pearls, and Rubies, all his body glittering in glory, and his soul magnifying the Lord for his conversion and salvation world without end.  
Use. 2 But stay, lest 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 happy and holy, and if we would enjoy heaven, than we must fit ourselves 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 yourselves, neither Whoremongers, no Adulterers, nor Extortioners, nor the like shall enter into the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.9. 
1 Cor. 6.9.  Do men who live in these sins 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 iniquity, I know you not, saith our Saviour: let no man cherish presumptions of an heavenly Kingdom, except he abstain from all sins against Conscience. What then? but so live we here as becomes his servants, and thus when we part, it is but for better company: we lose a few friends, but we shall find him that welcomes all his with this heavenly harmony, thou shalt be— with whom? with me,] in Paradise.  Hitherto of the Society. The last thing considerable is the place or Vbi where his soul arrived; but of that hereafter, as the Lord shall enable me. God give us all grace ●o to live here that howsoever we go hence one after another, yet at last we may all meet together with our Lord and Saviour in his heavenly Paradise.  

In Paradise.]  
ANd where was that? our Adversaries say in Limbus, and yet (to give them their due) Bellarmine so means not as that Limbus was Paradise, 
Illa enim verè Paradisus deliciarum est, non corporalis, aut localis, sed spiritualis & coelestis. Bellar. de 7. verbis Domini l. 1. cap. 4.  but that in Limbus this thief had his Paradise, to wit, the vision of God: The vision of God (saith Bellarmine) is a true Paradise indeed, not local, but spiritual. But with Bellarmine's 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 local, for the one (saith Moses) was a garden Eastward in Eden, Gen 2.8. 
Gen. 2.8.  and the other (saith Paul) was in heaven, 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 sin, and so must presently enter into this Paradise of heaven: because of the sin 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 Kingdom.  
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 fullness of light to break into this bottomless depth of glory; this is reserved to the last day, when Christ jesus 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 Month, Rev. 22.2. 
Rev. 22.2.  What more pleasant than life? and what life better than 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 month, and as many months so many fruits; such are the varieties of heavens joys, where youth flourisheth that never waxeth old, change of delights and choice too entereth that never knoweth end. But look we a little further: john 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 quantity and quality, the bigness and beauty: first for the greatness of it; An Angel with a golden Reed measures it, and and he finds the length and the breadth, and the height of it are equal. Secondly, for the beauty of it, The Walls (saith he) are of jasper, and the foundation of the Walls garnished with all 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 jesus) is the light thereof. See here the excellency of this City: on which words to give you a short Comment,  
we'll 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 guess at the measurable magnitude of this City, by those many Mansions, spoken of by Christ, John 14.2. 
John 14.2.  In my Father's 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 guess it you may by that incredible distance betwixt Heaven and Earth. Some Astronomers compute, that betwixt us only and the starry Frmament, there is no less than seventy four Millions, 
Casman. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  seven hundred three thousand, one hundred, eighty miles; and if the Empyreal Heaven (as many say) be two or three Orbs above the Starry 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 City, whose walls are of jasper, 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 City! King's 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 Kingdom to this heavenly Paradise? where is mirth without sadness, health without sorrow, life without labour, light without darkness, where 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 City, is the lustre of it, There is (saith john) no need of Sun or Moon, it is verus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, wholly light itself, 
Zanch. de Coelo beatorum, cap. 4.  not like the starry 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 glory of God lightens it, and the Lamb is the light thereof; besides the native lustre, there is the glory of God, the glory of all glories; this is it for which Moses prayed, O Lord, I beseech thee show me thy glory; to whom God answered, thou canst not see my face and live,— but I will put thee in a cloven 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 backparts, that the Israelites were afraid to come nigh him, and that he was fain to cover his face with a veil while he spoke unto them, 
Exod. 34.30, 33.  how bright then is Paradise, not only lightened with the backparts of God, but with his own divine glory? From the majesty of God (saith a modern) there goes out a created light, 
Zanch. de Coelo beat. l. 1. c. 4.  that makes the whole City 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 Lamb of God both give their lights; that Lamb that was slain from the beginning of the world, that body of his once crucified, now brighter than ten thousand Suns, O how infinitely glorious doth it make this Paradise, this City of God? His countenance is as the Sun that shineth in his strength, saith john, Revel. 1.16. 
Revel. 1.16.  But what stars are those in his hands and his feet? Where the nails pierced, now it sparkleth; where the spear entered 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 brass, as if they burned in a furnace: no wonder then if such beams come from this Sun (the Sun of righteousness) that all heaven shines with it from the one end to the other.  
And yet again the Lamb, 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 brightness of the Firmament: nay more, as the stars, saith Daniel: nay more, as the Sun, saith our Saviour; nay, yet more saith chrysostom: 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 surpass the brightness of it; but the Sun being the most glittering thing in this world, he takes a resemblance thence only towards the expressing of their glory. Now then what a mass of light will arise in Paradise, where so many millions of Suns appear all at once? If one Sun make the morning sky so glorious, what a bright shining and glorious day is there, where's not a body but 'tis a Sun? Sure it is, 
Revel. 21.23.  There shall be no night there no need of candle▪ no need of Sun, 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 than a Carrion, shall arise in glory, and shine like the glorious body of our Saviour in the mount of Tabor. To come near my Text: See here a Saint-Thief shining gloriously he that was crucified with our Saviour at whose death the Sun hide her face with a veil, now he reigns in glory without need of Sun: for he is a Sun himself, shining more clearly than the Sun at noon; he that one day was fastened to a Cross, now walks at liberty through the streets of Paradise, and all the joys, 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 per●●●●●ed his promise, To day thou shalt 〈…〉 with me in Paradise.]  And thus in a Map have I 〈…〉 Paradise] for quantity great, for quality glor●●●●, 〈…〉 better, when you shall walk through the 〈◊〉 observe the towers, fully contemplate the glory 〈◊〉 that you may, not w●●● of application before I 〈◊〉. 
Use 1 Meditate then with what sweet delight every●●● servant of God may bathe 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 entered 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 embittered, that a thought of heaven will not sweeten: Yet I say not that w● are only to think of it, withal let us strive and strain to get into this golden City, where stre●●● 〈◊〉 metewand ●nd all is gold and pearl; nay, where pearl 〈…〉 nothing worth in comparison of those things which shall be revealed unto 〈◊〉 faithful soul.  
Use 2 On the other side, Consider with yourselves what fools are they who deprive themselves willingly of this endless glory, who bereave themselves of a room in this City of Pearl, for a few carnal pleasures, what Bedlams and humane beasts are they, who shut themselves out of Paradise, for 〈…〉 rye pelf? What sots and senseless wretches are they, who wittingly and wilfully bar themselves out of this Palace, for the short fruition of worldly 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 soul, that you will settle your affections or things above, and not on things beneath; and than 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.]  Here is an end: Shall I now cast up the accounts of what I have delivered you? The Total is this: 
Every sinner that reputes and believes, shall be saved: you need no other instance than this Thief on the Cross, at one hearty tear, one penitent prayer, Lord, remember me in thy Kingdom, 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▪   
SO●● DEO ●L●   

Printed for Nath. Webb, and William Grantham, at the Greyhound in Paul's Churchyard. MDCL.