Three Decades of Sermons

An Ingagement unto Holyness, from the consideration of the Day of Judgment.

THat Christ shall come to Judgment, is an Article of our Faith: We profess we believe it, yet how many deny it in their practices: Some put far from them the evil day, or think not of a day of account; like desperate Bank-rupts, adding more to the score, not considering an after reckoning. Hence multitudes live as they list, without God in the world, running into all excess of riot, frolicking it in all manner of Epicurism and Voluptuousness, thus denying the Day of Judgment by the wickedness of their lives: Others are much offended because the day is so long a coming, because Christ stays so long; they are hot-spurs, and will not wait: If God's clo • k strike not according to their Dial: If the Resurrection, Day of Judgment, Christ's second coming, be not as soon as they expect, they call all in question, and propose a question full of Blasphemy and Infidelity both, ver. 4. Where is the promise of his coming? These blasphemous Scoffers, the Apostle consures by several Arguments: The world was created by the word of God, v. 5. It was not ab aeterno, (as Philosophers dreamed) now the Argument is valid; The same God who by his word made the world, can by his word destroy it when he pleaseth.

A second Argument is drawn from experience, v. 6. By the Deluge the old world was destroyed: God bade the water over-flow, and destroy man and beast, and it did so: And the time will come, that he will bid the fire to destroy this visible World wherein we no • live, and it shall be so, v. 7.

A third Argument is drawn from the Eternity of God: We poor Creatures measure things by time, we speak of days, weeks, months, and years, of times past, present, and to come, thus we apprehend; but time past, present, and to come, are all one in God; His Decree delays not: He's not measured by time, v. 8. If God seem to defer this day, yet this is an argument of singular patience, mercy, and loving kindness, not of any slackness, v. 9. God's longsuffering should be our salvation; God's patience and waiting upon us, roads us a Lecture of Repentance: O infinite forbearance! bowels of mercy opened; when as the Lord might cut us asunder in the midst of our rebellions, and send us to Hell immediately; yet he woos, invites, and beseecheth us to repent; and he waits, and trys us, whetting of his Sword, bending of his Bow, that whilst the Sword is a whetting, and the Bow a bending, we should prudently fore-see and take warning, that so we might escape the blow.

The fourth and last Argument, to confute those scoffers, who [Arg. 4] are over curiously inquisitive, hasty, unbelieving, rashly expostulating, Where is the promise of his coming? This, I say, is drawn from the manner of Christ's coming, v. 10. Hoc additum est (saith Calvin) ut semper sint in excubiis fideles, nec crastinum sibi promittant.

This may be considered three manner of ways.

1. It's unexpected, as Thieves come unlook'd for, when men are asleep and most secure, then the Thief comes. When the old World was secure, in the midst of their jollity, then came the Flood and swept them away.

2. There will be a change of the whole frame of the Universe, v. 10. The heavens, &c.

Impetum veluti Sibillantis procella declarat: So Beza, In morem procellae, in manner of a storm: So Erasmus.

3. There shall be an utter conslagration of all things, even of those wherein worldlings place their happiness, The Manors, Lands, goodly Buildings, the Wonders and Idols of the World, shall be burnt up at that day. Now it will be our wisdom, neither to question the truth of these things (for Truth itself, the Lord Jesus Christ, hath told us that these things shall come to pass) neither ought we to be curiously inquisitive after the particular time, when, (as some of the Jewish Rabbins have been too bold in this pa • ticular) neither ought we to be impatient or querulous, because its not yet accomplished.

4. Our duty to wait and believe: And our main duty and wisdom will consist in this, to make preparation, to be in Procinctu, to have our Garments girt about us, to have our Lamps burning, and Oil enough in them against that great day. Far be it from me to raise a dust, or rake into the Dung-hill of those ancient lately 〈◊〉 Heretics, who deny the Resurrection, the Day of Judgment: Hac fide vivo, the rule of the Scripture is clear and infallible, there shall be a day of Judgment: All this world shall be dissolved: This is a Doctrine most true; My Text makes the Application, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c.

Which words contain a Supposition and an Inference.

1. Here's something supposed, Seeing, &c. Its a Principle undoubtedly to be believed, That the Heavens and Earth shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent • eat: Compare this with Psalm 102. 25, 26, 27. Let's not introduce, nor believe vain Philosophy which holds amongst many other dotages, Quod coeli sunt incorruptibiles. To me it's out of question that he that made them by his word, will one day by his word destroy them: Now whether the heavens are so perfectly made as in their own nature uncap • ble of corruption, is not here to be disputed of; or whether the celestial influences be as vigorous as at first (though a learned Dr. of our own holds the affirmative, in that excellent book entitled The Power and Providence of God in the government of the world) Yet I shall wave this Question, being loath to intermixe any Philosophical dispute, in matters of faith. We believe it, We have sure ground, plain scripture for our assertion, that all these things shall be dissolved.

2. Heres an inference 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Jts inferred by way of admiration, what manner of persons (i. e.) we should be eminent in holiness, we should act in an extraordinary manner, we should be rare, singular, even a non-such for piety; its Diodats observation upon the place. If heaven and Earth be purified by fire, what care ought we to take to be purged and cleansed from our corruptions? An ergo nos in terra demersos esse convenit &c. saith Calvin on the place? The heavens & earth shall pass away, and shall we be s • allowed up in the earth, and not rather meditate on a holy and a godly life? The argument I may thus frame; There shall at the day of judgment, be a dissolution of this visible Globe of heaven and earth, therefore we ought in an especial manner to labor after holiness: This is the argument of the Text of incomparable strength. But why is it in the Plural number 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; This is an Hebraism; when the Scripture would express a thing with a greater emphasis, it useth the plural number, so Cant. 1. 4: We will remember thy loves, thereby inhancing the greatness and multitudes of Christ's loving kindness: Likewise we read Psal. 20. He is the God of our Salvations (i. e.) that he is the God from whom all salvations come in the most high and eminent way. And the Psalmist further specifies Psal. 100. 3. Thy people shall be a people of willingness, to show their singular readiness and willingness, as if they were all made up of a willing mind and ready spirit for Jesus Christ. Thus in the text in all holy conversations and Godliness: Which expression, some refer to duties of both tables: its most true that a godly man respects both, and labors to keep a Good conscience both towards God and men. For the genuine sense of the text, Beza gives me full satisfaction: Usurpatur numerus multitudinis ex Haebreorum more, ut pietas significetur omnibus suis partibus constans, quam pro viribus sectari nos oporteat. The scope of all I conceive to be this, as if the Apo •• le should thus enlarge himself. You are secure and careless, you shall be suddenly surprised: The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night: You commit Idolatry with the world, your hearts are married to these outward things, on a sudden all shall be consumed, all wherein you trust shall be burnt up: • owever you put the day of judgment far of, yet its a coming, its nigher then you are aware of, and the heavens and the earth shall be dissolved: At that day none but holy persons can hold up their heads with comfort. Therefore seriously bethink yourselves; anticipate the terror and sorrow of that day, by an holy conversation: Make timely provision for that day, Labor for holiness, and then you need not fear, notwithstanding the burning up of the present world, you that are holy here shall behold that day with comfort: Therefore now have that day in your eyes, in your thoughts, in your frequent meditations, in your prayers, that you may be found blameless at that day.

The words thus divided and expounded, presents unto you one entire, plain, and practical Doctrine.

That the serious consideration of the day of Judgment should in an especial [Doct.] manner engage us unto an holy life and conversation.

For the unfolding of this excellent and practical point, my work will be

1. To prove it by scripture testimonies.

2. To confirm it by evidence of Reason.

3. To improve all to your consciences by particular application.

1. For Scripture, it contributes abundant testimony to the proof hereof, I shall gather sparingly from so great an heap, selecting only some more eminent proofs, leaving the rest to be supplied in your serious meditations: Peruse v: 14 of this chap. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . But can any walk so? Yes Zechariah and Elizabeth walked so, they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. It was Paul's exercise, Acts 24. 16. go thou and do likewise. Labor to make strait paths. Labor to approve thy heart to God, always walking as in the presence of God; Begge strength from Christ, and thou canst do all things through Christ that strengtheneth thee. Another proof we have 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. The consideration of our latter end, should be a forcible argument to persuade us unto sobriety and watchfulness. That's a pregnant proof of the Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 9, 10. Upon this consideration he layeth down those 3 adverbs, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , hopeing to gain them over to the practice of them, Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13. This was a motive to him and the rest of the saints, to have their conversation in heaven, because hence they look for the Lord Jesus Christ. You read of a sacred Irony Eccles. 11. 9. The meaning is, rejoice in God, walk in the ways of God's commandments, that Ironicall speech commands the contrary. Now what's used by the wise man, as a moving consideration? But know that there will be a day of judgment. Entertain frequent and serious thoughts concerning it, which through the grace of God, set home upon thy heart, may prevail with the circumspect walking in all holy conversation and Godliness. The consideration hereof should make us look better to our hearts and lives and keep strict sentinell over both. That saying give an account of thy stewardship, should be still ringing in the ears of Ministers, Governors, and Tutors: We shall one day be called to an account, let's labor to be faithful Stewards, that so we may give up our account with joy and not sorrow. It's a known story, that the young man committed by the Apostle to the Elders care, was dissolute and a companion of Thieves, and is there termed a dead man, (i. e.) dead to God and goodness. O let it not be our default, our negligence, that any under our charge are dead souls. As the Captain beseeched, that his life, and the life of his fifty might be precious in the Prophets eyes: Whe her we have more or fewer, let their souls be precious, and let us put forth ourselves in all our places and capacityes to give one another a lift toward heaven: A day of judgment is coming, let that be a Frontlet before our eyes: upon this consideration let Christians do brotherly offices, and manifest their love to the souls of their brethren. Hereupon we are exhorted, to avoid rash judgment Rom. 14. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 5. Theres wisdom, understanding, consideration all joined together. Deut. 32. 22. Its a pathetical speech, and he's a wiseman in the esteem of the Holy Ghost, who considers his of latter end. We should all of us fix this meditation upon our hearts, & entertain serious thoughts, what will become of our our precious souls to all Eternity? Will not a day of Judgment come? May not thou or I be summoned forthwith at that impartial Tribunal? This being so, What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness?

In the second place, to confirm the Point by evidence of Reason, why the consideration of the Day of Judgment should engage us unto holiness.

1. Because only holy persons shall be able to stand in Judgment: When the wicked, the Goats that stand on the left hand, and shall wish that the Hills might • all on them, and that the mountains might cover them from the face of the Lamb: Then shall the godly lift up their heads, and behold Christ who is their Judge, their Redeemer: This comforted Job on the Dung-hill, I Know that my Redeemer liveth.

They that are holy here, shall be happy to all eternity. They only shall be partakers of the blessed Vis • on.

Now its much controverted, whether the Saints shall have their sins mentioned at all at the day of Judgment; some conceive, that their sins shall be brought in only as a cancel'd • ond; others are of opinion that they shall be mentioned, that God's mercy may the more be glorified in the greatness of the Pardon: And others say, they shall not be mentioned at all, because in several Scriptures the Lord saith, He will remember their sins no more; and that he will c • st all our sins into the depth of the Sea; and that he casteth our sins behind his back: without all controversy that shall be done that conduceth most to • ods glory, and their happiness: There's no condemnation to the Saints, the day of Judgment will be a day of refreshing to them, an addition to their happiness, soul and body being re-united, and made companions in bliss unto all • ternity. Seeing then holy persons shall be able to look the Judge in the face, since they only shall stand in judgment, the consideration of this great day should sink deep into our hearts, and make deep impression upon our spirits, exciting, alluring, and prevailing with us to a sanctified life and conversation.

2. • ecause the time of this life, is the only Season appointed by God to labor after holiness: The Exhortation runs in the present • ense, 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1 John 3. 3.

Q. 3. But can we be perfectly holy?

A. We must have perfection of parts (i. e.) Sincerity: In Heaven there will be perfection of degrees; we must have truth of holiness, we must begin here, and strive after more: In Heaven we shall attain the complement thereof; we may not content ourselves with what we have attained unto, but we must labor after perfection, pressing forward toward the mark, for the price of the high calling that is in Jesus Christ, as the Apostle did, Phil. 3. 14. Now then consider, the time of this life is the Seed-time, the Harvest is reserved in Heaven: As you sow, so you shall reap: If you sow to the flesh, you shall of the flesh reap corruption; if you sow to the spirit, you shall of the spirit reap life everlasting: Therefore in your most serious thoughts, consider that you deal for life and immortality; your negotiations are for the great things of Eternity. In this World, in this present time of life, you must labor to be holy. Purgatory is a Blasphemous Popish dream: No purgation left for another World: No Prayer, no Sermon will work upon thee after this life: Here then holiness is wrought, lay these things to heart.

3. Because Judgment returns us just as death leaves us: As the Tree falls, so it lies; and as death leaves us, so judgment will find us: He that is filthy, let him be filthy still: He that dies unreconciled to Jesus, shall be so returned: The day of Judgment is most impartially just in all proceedings: And Judgment returns none, neither better nor worse, but as death leaves them. Now then, if thou livest and diest in an unregenerate estate, so thou wilt remain unto all Eternity. After death, no tears, no cries will prevail: There's no door of hope, the damned are without hope, and this heightens their misery: Time is past, time is past; The Judge hath veiled his face, having past a Sentence irrevo cable: No • whilst you are alive, on this side Hell and Eternity, there's hope left, you are under the sound of the Gospel, and the Ambassado • are sent, offering unto you terms of reconciliation, We pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. O follow after holiness! 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , pursue it hard, give not over: This day is a working day, and it's but short; a day of Judgment (which is a day of restitution and recompense) is approaching: So live, as you desire to die: Do you desire to be happy in your deaths? Labor to live holy in your lives.

Thus much for the Doctrinal part: Now to set all home by particular Application: I have five Uses to make of this Doctrine: for Terror, Exhortation, Examination, Direction, and Consolation.

1. This Doctrine breathes forth terror and dreadful Judgment unto all unholy persons: If the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall all unholy persons appear? If only holy persons are blessed, surely then unholy persons are cursed: If holy persons shall be admitted into God's presence, and enjoy communion with God, and see God the Father reconciled, God the Son their Redeemer, God the Holy Ghost their Comforter, where shall unholy persons appear? They shall stand without; they are the dogs whipt out of God's presence; they shall see God no otherwise then the Malefactor a Judge condemning of him: Then all the Attributes of God shall plead against profane persons; My mercy (saith God) my patience, my loving kindness, my goodness, have been despised: All the Sermons they have heard shall plead against them; so many Sermons of Repentance; so many Sermons of Reconciliation, of Holyness, bring in black Bills of Indictment against them: All the Messengers of God plead, We have spent our breath and strength in vain; We have labored all night, and caught nothing: We have tendered Christ, offered to these profane Wretches terms of peace and reconciliation, but they have scorned them all, and undervalued the glorious excellencies of the Lord Jesus: All the passages of Providence will come in against unholy persons. Providence will plead, I have clothed and fed thee, I gave thee the dew of Heaven, and fatness of the Earth; I sustained, preserved thee, but thou hast abused all the Creatures, not eating for health, but for gluttony; not drinking for strength, but drunkenness: All thy friends will plead against thee, such as have been real friends to thy soul, as have spent their spirits in Exhortations, Counsels, Admonitions, all these are upon Record, and will cry out for vengeance against thee: O that God would smite the hearts of all unholy persons, and loosen the joints of their loins, as Belshazzar's were, and make their knees smite one against another, that now, in this time of life, this short day, they might be effectually wrought upon to a holy conversation!

This Use in an especial manner reproves those that scoff at holiness: [Use 1] I would there were none such in the Walls of Athens: That which is the true Believers honor to be a Saint, is cast by some profane persons into the teeth of Professors, as if it were a Character of infamy, These are your Saints. In the Act; and Monuments, a Martyr reproved a proud Prelate for Swearing: He answered profanely, I am no Saint: What was he then, surely an incarnate Devil? If you be no Saints here in the Militant Church, you shall never be Saints▪ in the Triumphant Church: What shall we say to such as deride holiness, and exercise their wits to cast a flam or a jeer upon Religion, and make a mock at praying by the Spirit: Let them read that dreadful Sentence, each word is a thunder-bolt, Rom. 8. 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his; whose are they then? the Devils questionless; either Christ's or the Devils; If none of Christ's Sheep, then surely of the Devils Goats: Of all others, a Scoffer is hardest to cure, seldom are such brought home; if they are, it costs them dear. If any such be present (though I hope better things of you) let me tell you, when you come to die, holiness will be holiness indeed, then holy persons will be holy persons: Then when conscience is awakened, you will wish you were in their stead whom you so much contemned, you will wish your tongues had fallen out of your heads when you spake against holy persons. You that make God's children, even real Saints, your subject of obloquy, What will you say at the day of Judgment, when they shall be at the right hand, and the Judge shall say, Come ye blessed; and you shall be on the left hand, and the Judge shall say, Go ye cursed; when you shall see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Saints in the kingdom of Heaven, and you yourselves shut out of doors: Are any such present, are any young wanton wits, that will rather loose a friend then a jest, rather loose the friendship of a good conscience, then the frothy issue of a scurrilous wit? To such let me speak, with abundance of love to their souls: Non est tutum ludere cum sanctis: It's not safe to make a jest of holy persons, or holy things: If ever they belong to God, they will with Austin make Confessions and Retractations. University sins, abuse of wit and parts, contempt of holiness, neglect of seasons of Grace, will cry loud, and make such a gash in the conscience, as may be a long time clawing off.

2. This Doctrine reproves Hypocrites: These seem better then they are, and put on a Vizard of sanctity; these are painted Sepulchers, rotten at the core, gilded rotten Nut-megs; and by how much they pretend to Religion, they are so much the worse, because they satisfy themselves in a bare pretence. There shall be a day of Judgment, and that will be a day of terror and vengeance unto them: Seldom (as a Reverend Divine saith) an Hypocrite dies undiscovered. It pleaseth God to unmask him, and discover his counterfeit profession before he dieth. so that usually in this world a • ypocrite is discovered. However, in the world to come, all shall be laid open; his glozing formalities, outside, glorious shows, all his painted dresses shall be made known to men and Angels: And what's the portion of Hypocrites? If there be one place in Hell lower then another, any torment greater, that's his portion, Matth. 14. 15.

3. This Doctrine reproves all secret sinners, who by reason of their secret cunning conveyance, hope for impunity: They little think of the all-seeing eye of God: Could a Homer say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and shall not Christians believe that the God of Heaven knows all things? All thy Reservations, Equivocations, subtle Distinctions and Evasions, are obvious and naked to the Allseeing eye of God. The Adulterer waits for the twy-light, he would fain escape the sight of men, but he cannot escape the sight of God: Speculative, as well as practical defilements, are all known to God: Thy Curtain, Closet-sins, thy Imageries in the dark, the sins that no man living knows of, are made manifest unto God: The Trades-man's Sophisticated Wares, his false Lights, scant Measures, all his mysteries of Cousenings in the Trade, are apparent unto God; the Liars obstinate standing in a lie, cannot escape God's knowledge; all his tricks of wit and collusions, to baffle his conscience, will not serve his turn at the day of Judgment. The Popish distinctions of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , will not acquit them at God's Tri •• nal: The cheating of the Laborer in God's Vineyard, upon pretence that his maintenance is J • wish or Anti-Christian, will not be excused at the day of account, when as covotousness and self-interest is the usual moving cause of defrauding the Ministers: It plainly appears, that many, like Water-men, look one way, and row another; they serve the Ministers in these days, as the Pagans did the Primitive Christians: They put them first into Bears skins, and then they worryed them: For there are many who stigmatize their • alling and Maintenance, as Anti-Christian, that so they may the more securely run away with their maintenance. Just like Demetrius and the Crafts-men, who cried up Diana, Great is Diana of the Ephesians; but he had more mind to the Silver Shrines, By this craft (saith he) we get our living: Now all these things one day shall come to light, even the most hidden things of darkness: All the Machivialian politick jugglings of men; all the secret designs men drive at for advantage; all the Hypocritical defalkations and reservations, such as were in Ananias and Saphyra; all the Meanders, Windings, Diverticles, shall all be made naked at the day of Judgment; then unjust persons, Hypocrites, Time-serving Politicians, false-hearted persons, shall appear portrayed forth in their proper colors, and be the astonishment and open disgrace •• men and Angels.

But I proceed to a second Use, and that is for Exhortation: I beseech you, in the fear of God, in the Bowels of Jesus Christ, to labor after holiness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Let the motive of the Text be set home upon your hearts, What manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness; You that are young, vigorous, and have marrow in your bones, labor to be holy, Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth: God loves the first ripe fruits, our best service, away with that wicked Proverb,— Angelicus juvenis senibus satanizat in annis: The Sun cannot rise too early, unless it be to a sluggard: You cannot begin too soon. Defer not a day, not a moment longer: O that in this Garden of Learning there might be a great increase of Plants of Righteousness, that as Plants, planted in God's garden, they may bring forth more fruit in their elder age: It's usually said, Spes Ecclesiae est in juve • tute: Far be it from me to envy, but I desire to be thankful, and rejoice to see a sprinkling of holy young men, who are grave, serious, and studious, and breath after God, and bend their studies to attain to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ: The Lord of heaven add unto their number an hundred-fold. Its oftentimes observed, that the University proves the marring or making of many; insomuch as a Scholar hath a censure given him, like that of Origen, Ubi bonus nemo melior, ubi malus nemo pejor. Look to it, you are in your prime and fresh green years: O consecrate yourselves unto the service of God. It was the exhortation of Joshua, Sanctify yourselves; for the Lord will do wonders amongst you. The Lord may employ you in great services, and make you instruments of great good; What a wonder is it for a young Timothy to be able to grapple with the old Leviathan, and throw him on his back. Consider with yourselves all your Philosophical learning (though I discard not, but • commend in its due place and distance) will do you no good at the great day. It's holiness, an holy life that will comfort you when you come to die. It's the knowledge of Jesus Christ that will stand you instead, when all vain Philosophy will do you no more good than the High Priests did Judas, They said, what's that to us, see thou to that, Mat. 27. 3. O therefore now in your youth labor to be holy: Happy is it for any of you, with whom God begins betime. And to you that are old I address my Exhortation, you should be examples of holiness; you are Beacons set upon a hill, the eyes of thousands of young ones are upon you: Let days speak, and multitude of years teach wisdom. You have one foot in the grave, would you have comfort in your death, O labor to lead holy lives: Would you die the death of the righteous, O labor to live the life of the righteous: your riches, your dignities, your learning will do you no good when you come to die; you shall then be degra • ed, levelled, stripped naked of all, and if you have not the robes of Christ's righteousness for your cover, you had better never have been born. What was that which comforted Hezekiah when he received the sentence of death, you may read it to be the walking before the Lord in truth, and with a perfect heart. This is that which will give you comfort, and this alone, even the remembrance of an holy lise. The assurance of a God reconciled in Christ, will cause you to bid welcome to the King of terrors. That which the Philosopher accounts 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , will be your Marriage day, the welcome •• day that ever your eyes beheld: And because I love from myheart plain dealing, give me leave yet a little more plainly & particularly to set home a seasonable word of Exhortation.

You Fathers and Brethren whom God hath made • ulers in Israel, Govern: in the University, O labor for holiness yourselves, and to plant holiness in your societies: Root out scossing Ishmael's, profane Esau's, suffer not a scoffer at holiness to be within your walls: Let Joshuas resolution be your continual Monitor, I and my house will serve the Lord: Set up holy Ordinances, Preaching, Divinity Lectures, and a plain way of Catechizing; what abundance of good may this do? Some do give good examples in this kind, I hope the rest will follow after, that all our societies may be called Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there: In your Elections principally look after holiness; Encourage such as have the Image of Christ stamped on them, and are willing to receive Instruction. You that are Tutors have great prices put into your hands; you have young, tender twigs, flexible, tractable, they are some of them instar tabulae rasae, in some sense; pray with your Scholars, Catechize them, ground them in the Principles of Religion, and season them with grace betimes— Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem testa diu: Trouble not young heads with disciplinarie Controsies and doubtful Disputations: Instruct them in the mystery of Regeneration, in the Doctrines of Holynesse, Faith, and Repentance and Self-denial, these are the most needful things. In doing good to one Scholar, you may do good to a whole City or Parish; if you quit your trust and be faithful, and play the men, thousands may have cause to praise God, and rise up and call you blessed. You that are Masters of Families, be exhorted to set up Holynesse in your Families: Teach your children and servants to know God, keep up your authority, give not liberty to them under your roof to live as they list; Abraham gave no toleration, he commanded his household to keep the way of the Lord. Let all sorts and sexes, old and young, learned and unlearned, lay this Exhortation to heart: I press holiness upon you all. O that the Priests Motto were writ upon your hearts and lives, Holynesse unto the Lord. You cannot say as Sheba the Son of Bichri said, We have no portion in David, &c. as if this concerns not us, but holiness concerns you all, you must all follow after holiness.

To excite you to your duty, I will lay down some moving considerations.

1. Consider you are elected unto holiness; not for holiness, nor through praevision of holiness, that's a false Arminian gloss, but unto holiness.

2. We are created unto holiness. All the members of our bodies and faculties of our souls should be instruments of holiness: The tongue should speak holily, holy communication should drop from the tongue; the heart and hand both should be clean, as James specifies c. 4. 8. The feet must keep the ways of God's commandments; the understanding, will, affections, the whole man, all must be holy; to this purpose they were created.

3. Consider we are redeemed for this end and purpose, that we may be holy.

4. It's God's will that we should be holy, 1 Thes. 4. 3. Now our wills must be subject unto God's will: He commands us to be holy, we should pray for his grace to enable us to perform his command: Holynesse is suitable to God's will, and we have an encouraging promise, 1 Joh. 5. 14.

5. • olynesse is our calling, 1 Pet. 1. 15. 1 Thes. 4. 7. We can have no comfort, but when we are in a lawful calling; when our ways are according to God's ways, we may hope for God's gracious protection according to the promise, Psal. 91. 11. When any commit wickedness, are unclean, drunk, associate themselves with wicked persons, they are out of their calling, and so out of God's special p • ovidence. Consider this seriously when you are tempted to Whoredom, or any o • her sin, God hath not called you unto un • eannesse, but unto holiness.

6. Heaven is an holy place only appointed for holy persons: Nothing thats defiled shall enter there, Rev. 21. 27. Only holy persons shall be acquitted before Christ's Judgment-seat: They only shall enter into the new Jerusalem.

7. In heaven there shall be no other but holy employment, singing Hosannahs and Hallelujahs to him that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for evermore. A profane person hates holy Ordinances and holy employments here on earth: Were it possible for him to be in heaven, he would be weary of the employment; whereas the Saints shall have their hearts put into such an high and excellent frame, as they shall without molestation, weariness, or intermission, be ever setting forth the praises of the Lord.

8. And there will be in heaven the most holy company, the holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, the most holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity. There will be holy Angels, the spirits of just men made perfect, holy Martyrs, holy Ministers, holy people: No company there but all holy company.

9. And lastly, to close up all: Now whilst we live on earth is the time or never to labor after holiness: now I mean in this time of life we must make provision for eternity: This is God's summons, today if you will hear his voice. Delay not a minute longer: Resist not the movings of the Spirit; great is the danger of resisting the Spirits movings. The Lord set home all these considerations upon your hearts; and if hereby the Lord should be pleased to gain any soul to the love and practice of holiness, I should never be enough thankful for the mercies of this day.

The third Use is for Examination and Trial: Everyone will plead for himself, and pretend to an holy conversation: As it was said, When the Son of man comes shall he find faith on the earth? So shall he find an holy conversation; a formal Professor, a Christian at large, are everywhere to be found, like Sycamo • es in the valley for abundance; but the power of holiness, an holy, circumspect walking are rarely found. Now then, because its the grand Ministerial duty to distinguish the precious from the vile; according to that high commendation and privilege given, as to be the mouths of God, Jer. 15. 19. And because God hath gone forth in a signal exemplary blessing upon this way, which hath been so frequently used by old Disciples, faithful, laboring Ministers (whose plain Preaching would it were more revived nowadays) It shall therefore be my task to lay forth some distinguishing characters and signs of a gracious, sincere heart, whose life is accordingly ordered in an holy conversation, and by them you may put yourselves upon the test and trial, as in the presence of God, whether you are such manner of persons, in all holy conversation and godliness.

The first sign is spiritual poverty; and this consists in the emptying of the heart of self-confidence, self-opinion, self-sufficiency, and self-righteousness; whereby a Christian becomes nothing in himself, altogether lost, undone, blind, miserable, poor and naked: He is thoroughly sensible of his own misery and wretchedness: He is apprehensive of his own undone condition, and what need he hath of a Savior; such an one Christ pronounceth to be in the state of blessedness.

2. There followeth the highest prizing and estimate of Jesus Christ: That soul which is spiritually poor, accounts Christ the greatest treasure; it apprehends itself blind, that Christ may give it eye-salve; miserable and lost, that Christ may save it; naked, that Christ may clothe it with his righteousness: See what an high price the Spo • se puts upon Jesus Christ, Cant. 5. 10, 11, 12, &c. He is precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7. a plant of renown, Ezek. 34 29. Such an high price had the wise Merchant, to sell all for him, Mat. 13. 45, 46. So Moses, who preferred the reproach of Christ before Egypt's treasure: Bradford wept often, even at meals, because he could not bring his dull heart to love Jesus Christ; so the Martyr in the flames cried out, None but Christ: Thus highly did John Baptist testify of Christ, Joh. 3. 30. so Christ may be exalted, he cares not what becomes o • himself: So every faithful Minister puts the highest value upon Jesus Christ; so Christ's honor may be advanced, Christ's cause and interest promoted, he cares not what sufferings, what persecutions he me • s withal: Though he encounter with Beasts at Ephesus, Sons of Anak, and fry at a stake, none of these things move him, so Christ may be glorified in him, and by him. It's a sign of true grace to prize Christ highly, and enhaunce his esteem and honor above all things besides.

3. The heart is in love with holiness for itself. • olynesse is the image of God, Ephes. 4. 24. and there is beauty in God's im • ge to enamour the soul. What was said of Moral virtue, may be much more said of Theological, Si • erreno oculo possit cerni, admirabile sui desiderium excitaret. Could we discern by a spiritual eye the luster and excellency of Holynesse, O how would our hearts be in love with it! Multitudes followed Christ for the Loaves, and accounted gain their godliness. Self-seeking interests, covetousness is that Master-wheel that sets many on working; but a true Believer accounts Godliness his gain, Christ his honor, • eligion his preferment: His eye is single, his heart sincere: He'l do his duty, do his work faithfully, and trust God for his wages: Nay the work is a reward: O how I love thy law, saith David: It was his delight: he loved the Commandments above sine gold: And what was the Law? it was holy, just, and good: Holynesse was the object of his love. To love God for himself, Holynesse for itself, is a good sign.

4. There must an ingenuous sorrow for sin: I call it ingenuous, in opposition to all slavish howling under the rod. There is a vast difference between Ahab and Paul, between that sorrow which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and that which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2 Cor. 7. 10. and you have there seven Apostolical characters of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. 7. 11. There's a vast difference between the howling of dogs and crying of children; between the crying of wicked persons, as Pharaoh, Ahab, Cain, under a heavy judgment, for the punishment and smart upon them, and the crying of Paul, Peter, and Mary Magdalene: Pharaoh said, Take away this plague; the plague of Locusts, Caterpillars, &c. he never was affected with the plague of his heart, which was the greatest plague of all: But take away my sins, cries David: Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sins, heres a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of godly sorrow; it mourns for sin more than the punishment; it mourns for sin because it is sin, because it is a breach of God's holy Law, because thereby God is dishonored; this sorrow is kindly, ingenuous, when the heart is melted and mourns, and is broken for displeasing so good and gracious a Lord God.

5. There will be a cordial mourning for others sins: This affection was singular in David, Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy Law. A godly man lays to heart the sins of the times and the place where he lives. It grieves him at the heart to see God dishonored by any. Bradford, that rare spirited man grieved at the miscarriages of one of his Scholars, and laid the fault upon himself for not looking better to him. If he so charged himself, surely our faces will gather blackness, and a great deal of guilt will lie at our do • es for not discharging our trust as we ought to do, concerning so many Scholars, as so many Depositums committed to our charge: But let's do our duties, and mourn over them that are refractory, and keep them strict to discipline: Lets pray for them, and mourn over them, and questionless prayers and tears are prevalent weapons. When thou hearest a man swear, feest him drunk, break Sabbaths, & takes no heed, nor makes any conscience to walk in the way of the Lord, O mourn for him, and weep that God is dishonored, and reflect upon thyself, thy nature is as bad as his: Who art thou that differs from thy brother? What difference there is, it is not of thy making, it's Grace, free Grace that makes all the difference.

6. The heart approves itself to God, so did David, put himself upon God's Examination: Such a one walks always as in the presence of God; knowing that God is all eye to see, all ear to hear, all hand to write down all: He stands not to man's day, and man's judgment, he appeals to God the searcher of all hearts, whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun. Hereupon Job raised a ground of comfort and confidence, because his Redeemer was his Judge; he that was his Savior should acquit him, his Witness was on high: See his excellent protestation, that his heart should not reproach him, Job 27. 4, 5, 6. Now when a Christian is hardly censured and condemned by the world, yet if he can approve his heart to God, that he hath walked before God with an upright heart, here's ground of abundant comfort; If God be for us, who can be against us? If God speak peace, who can speak trouble? It's God that justifieth, who's he then that condemneth? Let's all then labor to tread even paths, to keep close to the rule of the Word, always to set the fear of God before our eyes, that whatsoever evil entreaties we may meet withal from abroad, we may have comfort at home, having approved our hearts to God, who searcheth all hearts, and trieth the reins, and rendereth unto everyone according to the fruits of their doings.

7. There will be a pressing forward toward perfection. A heart that approves itself to God, as it labors for truth of every grace, so it labors for growth of them: Joshuas Sun stood still, Hezechiahs Sun went back: Neither of these are for their imitation; but they are like David's Sun, which like a Giant refreshed with wine runs its course. I well know, that there are Lambs as well as Sheep, weak as well as strong Christians, Christians of the Lower and of the Vpper Form, and that Faith admits degrees; yet every true Believer contents not himself with that measure of grace whereunto he hath attained, but labors after perfection, as you may see Phil. 3. 12, 13, 14. Psal. 48. 6, 7. 2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7, 8. There are many things which a godly man finds lacking in his Faith, Love, Humility; and therefore he desires and endeavors after the increase of every grace, more Faith, more Love, more Humility; thus he cries as the Horsleach's daughter give, give.

8. Theres a careful strict watch set upon the heart & life against bosom sins: Be they ancient customary constitution, complexion sins as dear as a right hand, and a right eye, they must be cut off, plucked out; David professed, I kept myself from mine iniquity, Psal. 18. 23. Be it peccatum in deliciis, an Herodias, a Delilah, away with them; be it a Gibeonite, a pretending sin, m • ke no league with it, be it a Benhadad, an Agag, give no quarter to them, bid adieu to every sin, though delightful and pleasing to flesh and blood, say to it as to a menstruous clothe, get thee hence. Let Josephs resolution be as a Monitor, and as a Frontlet before thine eyes, How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

9. Yet further, the desire and endeavor must be universally extensive as to hate and turn from every sin, so to have respect to every commandment, Psal. 119. 101. It is an argument of a gracious heart, neither to divide in duties nor commands; neither to plead a dispensation in the first nor in the second Table: This was Paul's exercise, he as it were drove that trade 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And this is consonant to the doctrine of the Gospel. Universality is a divisive difference, it distinguisheth a Sheep from a • oat, a true from a formal Professor; and a constitutive difference, to constitute a child of God. The universality respects (as I now mentioned) the object, the whole Law, all God's Commandments; the subject, the whole man, at all places, and in all companies, to walk closely with God all the days of our lives.

10. The Spirit is without guile: Heres an Israelite indeed without guile, such was that excellent commendation that Christ gave Nathaniel. There are three words whereof a godly man is compounded 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 singleness of heart, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 simplicity, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , sincerity: You have two of them in one verse, and thence was matter enough of rejoicing, 2 Cor. 1. 12. This we must labor for, even singleness, simplicity, and sincerity, and acting upon these principles, we may with comfort look the King of terrors in the face, when all carnal Machiavilian policies will prove Physicians of no value.

11. There will be the practice of Mortification and Vivisication, The mortifying of the deeds of the body, and the quickening of the graces of the Spirit, these are fruits of Regeneration and Repentance, Col. 3. 5. Rom. 8. 13. Never dream of a shorter cut to h • aven than the rule of the Word prescribes. Mr. Perkins saith, He that was never truly humbled, never truly believed. O set upon the practice of Mortification, put to death these br • ts of Babylon, crucify, slay, mortify thy corruptions: • et this day be a slaughter day for thy sins; spare not an an • ient sin; let not thine eye pity thy most delightful sin, butlet thy • ow be like the Bow of Jonathan, that never returned empty without the blood of the slain: This is a severe way, but theres comfort in it. The Apostle useth two words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (i. e.) the making of the body black and blew, and the bringing it into subjection. There may be no toleration of any sin. Take heed of easy, lazy ways, pleasing to thy corrupt nature, they are dangerous ways. Follow the old light of the Word, that presseth Repentance, Humiliation, Mortification, that's God's Law: Take heed of any Antinomian Ignes fatuos, which decrie so row for sin; if thou followest them, thou wilt follow a blind guide, and if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch.

12. And lastly, there will be a burning in love to Jesus Christ; such a love as many waters cannot quench, nor stood-gates drown it, Cant. 8. 7. The love of Christ will con •• rain him, 2 Cor. 5. 14. He will do and suffer out of a principle of love to Jesus Christ: This man loves Christ's image, holiness, Christ's Members, Joh. 13. 35. Christ's • rdinances they are his delight and counsellors, Christ's Messengers, the appearance of Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 4. 8. Tit. 2. 13. He longs for Christ's coming, Rev. 22. 20. By all these signs and discriminating characters, we may judge of the Tree by the fruit, and conclude that heart to be a gracious heart that can produce these evidences; and where the heart is upright and holy, the conversation cannot but be suitable; when the heart is enlarged, the feet will run the ways of God's commandments. Put yourselves to these Trials proved to you from the Word of God, and your own consciences.

The fo • rah Use shall be for Direction, how we shall make the best use of this day of Judgment: In pursuance of this consideration, what rules of directions must we observe, that from hence we may be engaged to a holy conversation? amongst many I shall press six Rules to be reduced to point of practice.

1. Pray for the Spirit of Sanctification: It's God's will our Sanctification, we must pray that his will may be done in us, and by us; that Christ's kingdom may be within us, that Christ would love and wash us, and make us Kings and Priests unto God. This is a new creation, and requires an omnipotent hand, Psal. 51. 10. This is the Apostles prayer for the Thessalonians, that the God of peace would sanctify them. This is the prayer suitable to God's will, and if • e • ask anything according to God's will he heareth us. We read of a spirit of holiness, Rom. 1. 4. and sanctification of the spirit. Pray hard for holiness, wrestle with God, be importunate for Grace, and when it's begun pray for the consummation of it, that he that hath begun a good work will not leave it unfinished till the day of Jesus Christ.

2. Be much employed in washing and cleansing thy heart. This God calls for, Jer. 4. 14. There's a great deal of filthiness that lies lurking in thy heart, many foul corners, O wash and rinse thy heart: there are many vain and wicked thoughts, theres in thy heart a stye, a sink of filthiness, a cage of unclean birds: Many nasty rotten thoughts, and wicked imaginations doth this womb conceive: Try thy heart thoroughly, be better acquainted at home; doest thou hope to have benefit by Christ, see to thy duty to purify thyself, to cleanse thy hands, and purify thy heart; this is a needful study, its time well employed in searching our hearts, in washing and purifying of the inward man.

3. Be much exercised in divine meditation: Meditate frequently of the four last things, Death, Judgment, Hell, and Heaven Entertain frequent, and serious thoughts of • ternity. It's a point: of understanding and wisdom to consider our latter end. Meditate what a holy place heaven is, what holy company, and what holy employments aret here. Nothing that defileth shall ever come there Get up into the Mount with Moses; let thy affections soar aloft, being carried aloft with the wings of heavenly meditation. This was Isaac's practice, David's, and Paul's: Were you acquainted with the singular benefit of Meditation, you would not lie groveling here below; your words, thoughts, whole conversations would be in heaven.

4. Consider the omnipresence and omniscience of God; whither canst thou go from his presence? how canst thou escape his knowledge? If I sin, (saith Job) he marketh me, Job 10. 14, 15. God seeth thy secret sins, he knoweth all thy reservations and cunning conveyances. All things are naked unto him with whom thou hast to deal, and without holiness thou shalt never see the face of God with comfort. The serious consideration of the Omnipresence and Omniscience of God, through the grace of God may prevail with us to a circumspect, and holy conversation.

5. Set an high estimate upon, and frequent diligently the holy Ordinances of God: They are called, The beauties of Holynesse, Psal. 110. 3. There is a cleansing virtue in the Word of God, Psal. 119. 9. God's face is beautiful, his holiness is his beauty. Now by the face of God, Calvin understands the Ordinances of God, Psal. 27. 8. Wait then, O▪ Christian, at the posts of Wisdoms gate; lie in the way where Christ comes by; tarry at these Bethesdaes. The Ordinances are the golden Pipes to convey the golden Oil; take heed of sitting loose from them: Bless God that your eyes behold your Teachers, and that your Gospel is not driven into corners: Improve these prices and spiritual advantages for the good of your precious souls.

6. And lastly, associate yourselves with holy company: Love where God loves; now the Lord loveth his Saints: It was David's profession, that his delight was in the Saints, Psal. 16. 2, 3. Be a companion to those that fear God. If a dead coal be near a live co • le, it may be enkindled by it; but if two live coals be together, what abundance of heat will they give? We read, Mal. 3. 16. That they that feared the Lord spake often one to another. Let not Christians be strange and shy of one another's company: But let's unite as one man to conserre all our interests to give each other a lift to heaven: Make them thy companions on earth whom thou hopest to enjoy in heaven to all eternity.

The last Use (and so in a few words to conclude) is a word of Consolation, unto holy persons, true believers, the adopted sons and daughters of God, when the day of Judgment comes, and the whole world is in a flame, they shall be of good comfort: That day which will be a day of terror and revenge to the wicked, shall be a day of refreshing and restitution unto them. The Saints that sleep in the grave shall be awakened at the sound of the Trumpet, and their bodies and souls shall be reunited, and they sh • ll receive the consummation of their happiness: The Saints that are alive shall be caught up together with those that are dead in Christ in the clouds to meet the • ord in the air, and so shall be ever with the Lord. The inference the Apostle makes should be ours; wherefore comfort one another with these words.

O but I cannot see this in me, I would be holy, yet I cannot find this growth of holiness in me. Is this thy case? go thy way to God, challenge him with his promise; put his bond in suit: He commands, make you a clean heart, but doth he not promise to give it, Ezek. 36. 25. Comfort thyself with Christ's prayer to the Father: He prays, Father sanctify them through thy truth. And know, there may be grace where feeling may be wanting. Its an excellent saying of Mr. Greenham, We hold Christ by faith and not by feeling: Feeling is an after thing: After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise. Is it the desire and endeavor of thy soul to be holy? Notwithstanding infirmities, yet is thy heart single and without guile, be of good comfort thou shalt hold up thy head with comfort at that great day of accompt, when the wicked shall wish that the mountains might fall upon them, and the hills cover them from the face of the Lamb, thou shalt behold Christ in the face with comfort, when all these visible things shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, thou shalt be glad and rejoice at that day, and enjoy eternal felloship with the blessed Trinity, in whose presence there is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Did we but seriously consider of these things, we should desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; we should cry, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly: we should have the Moon under our feet, we should negotiate for the great things of eternity. May all things that have been said, make deep impression upon our spirits, and prevail with us to the love and practice of holiness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of God. Though at that day the world be on fire, we shall be safe, though there shall be a general Assize we shall be acquitted, and that day of Judgment will be the Saints refreshing day; Christ is their Redeemer and Intercessor. Who would not now be in love with holiness? holiness will be holiness indeed at that day. Only holy persons shall hold up their heads with comfort, they only shall be able to stand in judgment: God only that made the heart can cleanse it; Christ doth love and wash his people: Lets therefore pray for holiness, follow after holiness. Thus our fruit being unto holiness, our end will be happiness.

The Necessity of the Knowledge of Regeneration.

THE report of Christ's Miracles being famous everywhere (insomuch that multitudes followed him) at last, one of an eminent Rank comes to visit and confer with Christ, v. 1. By degree he was a Doctor, by his Sect a Pharisee, by his place and calling a Ruler, (as is supposed) an Ecclesiastical Governor, one of the Jewish Sanhedrin; his name was Nicodemus: The time when he came to Christ was by night. What? a Tenebrio, a night Bird? surely he was afraid to be seen or known by his fellow Pharisees. He had riches, honors, dignities to lose, and therefore he would carry his designs with all privacie, for fear of being put out of the Synagogue. Thus preferments, riches, degrees, dignities, fear of men, are oftentimes as so many fetters and shackles to clog men, and keep them off from coming unto Christ.

Now followeth a Dialogue between Christ and Nicodemus. First Nicodemus makes a declaration of his faith in Christ, grounded upon the great Miracles that he wrought, v. 2. Christ give • him an answer concerning Regeneration. A Sophister would cavil, as if this answer had been impertinent, and not suitable to what Nicodemus spake, but indeed it was the most pertinent Answer that ever was given: For Christ sp • ke to the spiritual necessities and wants of Nicodemus: He knew wherein this Learned Doctor was ignorant, and therefore Christ teacheth him his A, B, C, the Llements and first • udiments of Christianity. Christ took the Doctor out of the School of the Pharisees, and he himself becomes his teacher, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Here is a vehement asseveration in a matter of highest importance: Its said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : From above, some re • d it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , From Heaven. Beza and Erasmus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 again, and the second time come to the same pass, all which produce this fundamental assertion: No Regeneration, no Salvation. Now Nicodemus proposeth an ignorant and un-doctorlike question, v. 4. concerning entering the second time into his mothers womb: Christ takes yet more pains to instruct him, v. 5. of being born of water and of the Spirit. The Spirit of God is the sole Author of our Regeneration. The Spirit sanctifieth and worketh like water: As water washeth away the filth of our bodies, so the Spirit besprinkleth us with the blood of Christ, and washeth away the filth from our souls: This washing of water is mentioned Ezek. 16. 9. Hence some understand these expressions of Water and the Spirit, of Spiritual water opposed to the ceremonial washings of the Pharisees, to which Nicodemus ascribed too much, or else, which is in effect all one to the Spirit working like water, and thus Calvin and Musculus understand the words Aqua nihil aliud est quam interna Spiritus Sancti purgatio, so Calvin, Omnis regenerationis operatio est Spiritus Sancti, so Musculus. Aqua tanquam operationis Sancti Spiritus Symbolum ac Signum adhibetur. Further Christ confirms his assertion, in 2 Propohtions v. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. By Flesh we are to understand the corruption of our nature, by reason of original sin, by Spirit the renovation of our nature by the holy spirit of God. Here Christ distinguisheth of a twofold birth, Natural and Spiritual, to instruct Nicodemus, who though a Doctor of the Law, and had read Jeremy, Ezekiel and other Scriptures speaking of a new heart, a heart of flesh, and circumcising of the heart, washing of the heart, yet understood not at all what those Scriptures meant, and was altogether ignorant of the distinction of a natural and spiritual birth. Christ leaves not his Scholar suddenly, but takes more pains yet to teach him to understand so hard a lesson, v. 7, 8. Christ sets it out by a similitude of the wind: Motum scimus, modum nescimus; a man may be regenerate, and yet not know, how and when he came to be so. How a man is made in his mothers womb, who can tell? How a man lives may be told by the effects: and so we may tell we are regenerate by its effects and operations, as the tree is known by its fruit. Som know how and when they came to be converted: so Paul & Lydia: others say (as was said of the blindman) we know he was born blind, but by what means he now sees we know not: Notwithstanding all that hath been said, Nicodemus is still ignorant, and cannot by his reason understand these things: though he cannot gainsay and disprove what Christ said, yet he holdeth his conclusion, and proposeth a question full of doubting and unbelief, v. 9. How can these things be? Now Christ deals roundly with him, and sharply rebukes him, him that was a Doctor of the Law, an Interpreter of Moses and the Prophets, a man ocherwise of great learning, and yet unlearned in the main fundamental doctrine, A man that was a teacher of others, and yet one that needs a great deal of teaching himself in the main principle of Religion. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. Which words contain a person reproving, a person reproved, and the Crime for which he was reproved.

1. The reprover is Jesus Christ, the great Prophet and Teacher, he that spake as never man sp • k • He is a reprover, and an Instructor both to Nicodemus: Christ knew with whom he had to deal, with a Pharisee, one that stood upon outward righteousness and legal ceremonies, one that was a teacher of others, and yet had need of teaching himself.

2. The person reproved is Nicodemus, described by his degree and employment. The Article presixt is Emphatical 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ill Doctor, hoc loco videtur Articulus suum pondus habere, quo significatur Nicodemum non modo pro doctore, sed etiam pro excellenti Doctore habitum fuisse ab Israelites. So Beza. Nicodemus was the Master 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a Doctor of the greatest repute and eminency among the Jews; he was not a Disciple, but a Master, the renowned teacher of all Israel, as if all Israel had been his Scholars, and yet this great Scholar must go to School to Jesus Christ. He that was ill doctor Israelis tanta authoritate & existimatione (as Junius observes) yet was ignorant in the main things.

3. For what was Nicodemus reproved? Ans. For his gross ignorance, and that not in circumstantialls, but in Fundamentalls, not in smaller matters, but in the greatest of all, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (i. e.) knowest not thou these things concerning regeneration, this birth from heaven, the new and second birth, this being born of water and of the spirit. Tu es ill magister Israelis, magister insignis ad Israelitas verbo Dei erudiendos Praefectus: ideo{que} indignissimum est &c. so Calvin on the place. Because the Scripture so often inculcats this doctrine, the lowest Scholar ought to know it. And therefore its insufferable that he who professeth himself a Doctor in the church, should be ignorant of that doctrine. Cogitemus hic quanta caecitas necessario obtineat in eo populo, in quo Doctoribus ipsis potest objici, rerum ad ingressum Regni Dei necessariarum ignorantia: so Musculus. What blindness must there be in that people, when their very teachers are ignorant of the most necessary things. These things being p • emised for the opening of my text, I shall ground my discourse, upon this experimental truth of doctrine, That

The instance of my Text is instar omnium, and it sufficiently proves my assertion: yet notwith •• anding I will add thereunto other instances out of the word of God. Paul was bred at the feet of Gamaliel, of the strictest sect, a Pharisee, as touching the law blameless, and yet all this while he knew nothing of Christ, and Regen • ration, until Christ me • t with him by the way, as he was going to Damascus: His confession is upon record, That he was a Blasphemer, a Persecuter, and injurious, 1 Tim. 1. 3. The Pharisees were of great learning, and knowledge in the Laws, they stood strictly upon outward washings, yet were unacquainted with the washing of the heart. Luke 11. 39. The Pharisees were the Rabbies and learned Doctors of their time, they boasted much of outward righteousness, yet their righteousness came short, and was exceedingly defective. Our Savior tells them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Matth. 5. 20. Those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Greece who attained a great measure of knowledge, were ignorant of this great point, and therefore their wisdom hath the brand of foolishness put upon it, by the learned Doctor of the Gentiles, I Cor. 3. 19. 1 Cor. 20, 21. Simon Magus did so bewitch the people, and was accounted of such great abilities, as he was esteemed the great power of God, Act. 8. 10. and yet he was a man unregenerate, for he was in the Gall of bitterness, and Bond of iniquity, v. 23. Tertullus was an eloquent Orator, yet never did man abuse his parts more then he, who pleaded with strength of eloquence, in so bad a cause against Paul. What need I add more? The Magicians of Egypt, the Wise men of Babylon, the old Heathen Philosophers, the Epicureans and Stoics were all ignorant of Christ, and the great work of of his spirit to regenerate souls. They accounted Paul but a Babbler, and they would in all probability have asked the same absurd question as Nicodemus did, can a man enter into his mothers womb the second time? By all their ratiocinations they could never evince a second birth, this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : This subject came not as a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in their disputations, it was beyond their ken and cognizance, and this was never spoken of in Aristotle's Lycaeum, Zeno's Stoa, nor in Plato's Academy.

I shall now descend to the Reasons of the point, and then conclude with some useful Application.

There are 3 Reasons or Arguments drawn a fortiori, viz.

From the Nature of Regeneration, Of unregeneracy, and the free working of God's spirit: and in relation to these three, you will clearly see the assertion proved abundantly.

1. • et's consider the nature of Regeneration, what it is, which being discovered, it will plainly appear, that there may be a great deal of Learning and other kinds of Knowledge, even to admiration of the world, whilst in the mean time, men may be mere strangers, to this great work of Regeneration. Let's inquire how the scripture speaks of Regeneration. Sometimes its compared to circumcision, Jer 4. 4. its called the renovation of the mind, Rom. 12. 2. The renewing in the spirit of the mind, Eph. 4. 23. The new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. The divine nature, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2 Pet. 1. 4. a new Lump, 1 Cor. 5. 7. The forming of Christ in the soul, Gal. 4. 19. To be regenerate is to be born of the spirit, Joh▪ 3. 6. to be baptized with the Holy Ghost, and fire, Matth. 3. 11. And these are new born babes, 1 Pet. 2. 2. This gives a man esse supernaturale, a supernatural heavenly-born being. Regeneration looks at the inward man, the hidden man, and there makes a blessed change. All the documenta, principia 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as they are called) of the strictest Philosophers could never bring any: to understand what Regeneration meant. Their counsels tended only to the re • ormation of the outward man, to keep men in a decorum, and within bounds of morality, to follow those dictates, which were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but they never aimed at heart-pollution, heart-reformation, the searc • ing out of Spiritual filthiness, vain thoughs &c. The best of your heathen Philosophers, were Mole-ey'd & bat-ey'd, they could not see nor understand, what purification of the heart meant. Now then Regeneration being a supernatural work, as is forementioned by plain scripture Testimony, its no wonder that many men of excellent parts, who act upon dictates and principles of nature only, that they are strangers unto this great mystery of the new birth.

2. Another argument may be drawn from the nature of unregeneracy. The state of unregeneracy, is a state of impurity, enmity, blindness and deadness.

First its a state of impurity. Original sin is an universal pollution Psal. 51. 5. Job 14. 4. An unregenerate man is a compound of all sin, he is a Cage of unclean Birds, a Sink of impurity: He is (as a Reverend Divine gives a fit expression) A Pitcher of earth, filled up to the brim with the poisonful liquor of Hell. Original sin is that spawn, whence is multiplied an innumerable fry of actual rebellions. What is corrupt nature but a filthy dunghill of all abominations? The heart is the Devils Magazine to store up all manner of wickedness, the tongue is set on fire of hell, a fountain of all sorts of evil communication: The hand an instrument of deceit and violence, The eyes windows and thorowfaires, to let in all sorts of impurities, the feet swift to run the devils errand, and the whole life is a continued trade in sin, to use the expression of the same precious Divine, now with God, The life of an unregenerate man is one continued Webbe of wickedness, made up by the devil and the flesh, an evil spinner and a worse weaver. This is that estate which the Psalmist mentions Psal. 14. 1, 2, 3.

2ly. The state of unregeneracy is enmity against God: Natural men are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Rom. 5. 10. That's the concrete; but we read it in the abstract 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Rom. 8. 7. An unregenerate man is God's enemy, and no greater opposition then between God and his enemies Is. 1. 25. Luke. 19. 27. To have a potent man thy enemy is sad, but what is it to have the great God? All the attributes of God put forth themselves against his enemies, his Justice, truth, power, holiness, abused patience. His justice in punishing, his truth in making good all his threats against them, his holiness, abhorring impurities, his power in • mustering up all his forces against them, his abused patience, that hath so long forborne, now breaks forth into extremity of fury.

3. The state of unregeneracy is a state of blindness 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : He neither doth nor can perceive. A beast may as soon understand reason, as a natural man, qua talis, the things of God. So we read 2 Pet. 1. 9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , nihil pr •• ul cernens, as Stephanus and Beza observed, which word, according to Stephanus, is derived from, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 connivere, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 oculus. Dicuntur 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , qui oculos saepe claudunt quadam debilitate visus, quod vitium aliquando natural est, as Aretius observes. Unconverted persons are in a state of darkness Eph. 5. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 darkness itself in the abstract, Act. 26. 28. & Eph. 4. 18. They are said to have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , callosam concretionem, as Gerhard observes in his Harmony: its a kind of hardness that is joined with this blindness.

4. This estate is a state of death. An unregenerate man is a dead man, Eph. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and some will have it from Spa • hale, which signifieth ornamenta mul • ebria, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is cibus delicatior. She that lives thus luxuriously is a dead woman: So Jude describes ungodly unregenrate men by this Character v. 12 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . This is the second reason.

A third reason shall be drawn from the free workings of God's spirit. The spirit bloweth where it listeth. God is a most free agent, and his gifts are various: to some he gives human wisdom, to other divine wisdom; to some he gives speculative head-knowledge, to others practical heart knowledge. His gifts are free, some had skill given from God to be builders in the Ark, notwithstanding they themselves perished in the waters. You know Saul had a spirit of Government and Prophesy 〈◊〉 both for a time, yet he was a wicked man. The Philosophers of Athens, were men of great learning, but they were ignorant of Jesus Christ; and those wise men of Greece, accounted the Gospel foolishness. Though the world accounted them wise men, and cried them up for men of eminent learning, yet they were fools in matters of Christ and eternal salvation. Theres a vast difference between Parts and Graces: God gives plentifully many times great parts, where he gives not one dram of saving grace. How many know the mysteries of nature, and yet know not of the new nature? Many are acquainted well with moral and intellectual virtues out of Aristotle, and yet ignorant altogether of Theological graces, such as are Faith, Repo • tance, Love, Humility and the like. Put then all these Reasons together. Is Regeneration such a supernatural work, and is an unregenerate man in a state of Impurity, Enmity, blindness and deadness? Doth God's spirit work freely, dispensing gifts and graces when he pleaseth, being a most free agent, tied to none, then my Assertion will prove itself; That many Learned men are ignorant of the great work of Regeneration. This is hidden from the wise and learned of the world. Now to conclude all with some useful Application.

There are 4 Principal uses, which I purpose to make of this Doctrine. viz. For Exhortation, Information, Examination, & Direction.

1. Then here is an use of Exhortation: And this I shall direct to two sorts of persons (and so take in my whole Auditory) viz. to Teachers, and to Disciples; my endeavor shall be with all plainness of speech to press your duties home to you, and so to divide to everyone their portion.

1. To Teachers; was Nicodemus a Doctor, a profound Scholar, and the chief Rabbi amongst the Jews, and yet ignorant of Regeneration; Then let me press two duties upon you that are Teachers of others,

In the First place let me beseech you all that are Teachers of others, that you would all go to School to Jesus Christ, to learn this grand fundamental Doctrine of Regeneration. Of all others Ministers should be acquainted with this Doctrine of the new birth. The main end of the Ministry is to beget men a new unto God, to convert souls unto Jesus Christ; And he is the fittest to comfort others, who himself hath been comforted, with those things in particular, which he communicates unto the comfort of others. Of all others, Ministers should be men of knowledge, Mal. 2. 7. An ignorant Minister is none of God's making, the lame and the blind may not be offered in Sacrifice. Where God gives a calling, he gives gifts, and therefore a Teacher of others, ought to have the tongue of the Learned. Isa. 50. 4. Blind guides are not of God's approbation: For if the blind lead the blind, both must fall into the ditch. It's Gualters observation: Admonemur non modo vulgus hominum, verum etiam ipsos Doctors propter ignorantiam atque inscitiam argui at que corripi debere. And Bullinger gives an excellent note upon the place. In Ecclesia nihil est melius, utilius, praestantius Doctoribus sive Pastoribus side • ibus, & solid doctis. Such then as are unskillful and ignorant of •• this soul trade, are unfit for a Ministerial employment, and it's high time to give a vomit to all such, who make the sacrifice of God to be abhor'd. No • we are to distinguish of a twofold knowledge of Regeneration, Theoreticall and Experimentall: A Theoretical knowledge is when a man is convinced by argument, & study of Scripture that there is a necessity of Regeneration; but this Theoreticall knowledge is not like Aaron's oil, that descended from the head to other parts; it only lodgeth in the brain. A natural m • n (its possible) may preach for it, discourse of it by strength of parts, reading and study. Nicodemus came not so far, and many there are that come short of him. But besides this speculative, there is an experimental knowledge of Regeneration, when a man finds the sweetness, and lively power thereof, upon his own soul: when a man apprehends the image of Christ, which consists in righteousness and holiness stamped upon him: when a man finds a real, powerful and effectual change upon his heart and life; this is the knowledge a minister ought chiefly to have. Let him study the Theory, and be able to instruct others what this new birth is; but above all let him labor for the practical and experimental knowledge thereof, in his own heart, that he may feel it operative, and active in his own heart, and so be more able to discourse from observations, out of the book of his own heart, rather then out of the choicest writers that handle that subject.

2. You that are Teachers of others, let me beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ, to preach frequently this fundamental Doctrine of Regeneration. • his is a most needful Lesson which can be never enough taught, never enough learned: Christ crucified, Faith, Repentance, Holiness, Regeneration, are main necessary doctrines to be Preachit, in season, and out of season: do not throw away and wast your time about unnecessary controversies, vain •• nglings; doubtful and curious disputations, where the scripture it silent. It was said of old, Elias cum venerit solvet dub • um. And we say now, that where God's spirit is silent, our curiosity deserves a check. Let such as bend their wits to force blood out of the Scriptures, and coin new interpretations at the Mint of a whimsical brain, let them be convinced of their great folly: and O that for the future, such would preach Regeneration more, and in all their Preaching hold fast the form of sound words. A preacher will do more good (through God's blessing) by preaching one Sermon on this Argument, from an experimental feeling of God's spirit upon his heart; then if (to pleasure any w • n • on ears of Athens) he preach a thousand Sermons full of high-flown Poetical expressions. Fathers and Brethren suffer the word of Exhortation: Round about the country, near to the University, the poor people cry for your help, as the man of Macedonia, come and help us. Charity binds you, Conscience binds you. In some places you have Impropriations, these help to feed you with corporal food, and in conscience you are bound to feed them with spiritual food; Why then stand any of you idle in the Market? Why do not you arise & be doing, and travel, East, West, North and South, preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And when you go, do not stuff up your Sermons with fragments of Poets, and fag-ends of Philosophical distinctions. It was the •• nne of your Predecessors removed lately, sometimes to preach strong lines, uncouth Phrases, at some Neibouring Parish, and this they called, Ayring of a Paul's, or a Court Sermon, and so they seemed to the people no better then Barbarians, preaching in an unknown tongue. High-flown Poets formerly, and Familists of late, (both unsit for a Pulpit) amuse the people with sublime non-sensical strains, speaking as the Apostle Jude saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Take heed none of you be such. Therefore let it be the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to preach Christ crucified; Shew men their misery by nature, the necessity of Regeneration, The excellency of Christ, thisis that unum necessarium. Governors, Tutors, Masters, Parents, all in their places had need take more pains in examining those under them, concerning the Doctrine of a new birth. You will upon search find many men that can discourse of State Controversies, and Church Controversies, that can discourse of Discipline, that can readily fall upon the Ministry, and Vehemently cry down their maintenance, as Jewish or Antichristian &c. and yet oft times such are very ignorant in the main necessary Point of Regeneration. This is the grand point that should be more preached then it is nowadays.

2. To Disciples, the other part of the Use respects them. Let me beseech you to lay aside itching Ears, after novel Doctrines: come not here with an appetite to have your fancy tickled: Be not like those of old Athens (of our Athens we hope better things) ever expecting some new thing, some Brain Fancy, some Chimara or Ens rationis, some new coin'd Interpretation, besides, and against the rule of the word of God: But rejoice in plain preaching, and delight in that which tells you plainly of the necessity of holiness; new creature, interest in Jesus Christ. This is the life of preaching, to preach Christ crucified, in the demonstration of the Spirit. And this is the life of hearing to yield ready obedience thereunto. Let everyone say, let the plain, powerful, profitable preaching come, let it come, let it come closely, particularly and effectually into my soul, let God's word find me out, divide unto me my portion, and separate between the joints and marrow, even between myself and my bosom corruptions. Some of you are the sons of Nobles, Antient Families, O remember wherein consists your best Nobility; and that's in this New Birth. The Bereans were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Kings Daughter is said to be glorious within, her clothing is of wrought Gold. The graces of God's spirit, Faith, love, meekness, temperance, goodness, and the like, these ennoble your souls, these make Nobility itself truly noble: And these will last when honorable persons shall be degraded, and all honors lie in the dust: Therefore labor for this true Nobility. It was Ignatius his saying, Nobilitas & Antiquitas mea Jesus Christus. It was an excellent saying of Lewis of Bavyer Emperor of Germany, Hujusmodi comparandae sunt opes, quae cum naufragio simul enatent. Such goods are worth getting, that when a shipwreck happens, will swim along with us. And these are the riches of Christ, the graces of his spirit, this great grace of Regeneration. When storms, and tempest, even Euroclydons, the most blustering winds come, when concussions, overturnings, and hurlyburlyes come, theres safety, for that man who hath made God his portion, who hath an interest in Christ, he shall not be afraid of evil tidings, because his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord; he hath the name of the Lord to go unto, a rock of ages to shelter himself upon, and so shall be safe. Brethren, I speak to many men of great learning, well skilled in Arts and Sciences; I acknowledge singular use of them, and I know none that will speak against them, unless such, of whom the Apostle speaks, they speak evil of that which they know not; yet notwithstanding here is a Science that out bids all your Sciences, and that is the knowledge of Christ. Paul the learned Doctor of the Gentiles thus determines 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined to know nothing amongst you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified. And he calls other things in comparison of this knowledge Phil. 3. 8, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Above all knowledge, labor to get this knowledge, and above all your gettings, labor to get this understanding. And unless you be newborn, you can never attain unto a savory knowledge of Christ. An ignorant person will ask, what is thy beloved more then another beloved? but the Spouse answered, my beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand. Here lies our duty to pray for the spirit, and wait upon God in his word; the word is the seed, the spirit that formative virtue that makes it effectual. O prize God's ordinances, and wait upon God in them. Happy will it be for any of you of whom it can be truly said, Loe there was he born, Loe there was he new born, and washed with the laver of Regeneration. In such a place, and at such a Sermon, God came in, and changed the heart. This is the Nail we are a driving, we let down the Casting-net of the Gospel, hopeing to catch some: and it's the desire of our souls to be instrumental, to beget souls unto Jesus Christ. Let's all do our duties faithfully, and leave the success with God.

The 2d Use is for Information. To handle this use more distinctly, my work will be.

1. To show you negatively, what Regeneration is not.

2. To show positively, what it is.

1. Negatively, and this I shall discover in these ensuing particulars.

1. It consists not, as Nicodemus grossly apprehended, in a second entering into the womb. Suppose that a natural man could be born in a natural way, a thousand times over, yet there is such defilement in his natural being and birth, by reason of Original sin, that it's infinitely different and disagreeing with spiritual Regeneration: this natural birth would be but flesh, and our Savior tells us, that which is born of the flesh, is flesh.

2. Regeneration consists not in a New Physical being, (i. e.) to loose the essentials we had of a soul, and the faculties thereof. We have some Familists, and vain Dreamers, who talk of being Goded and Christed, and tell of a strange Deification, of being made God with God: This is Blasphemy in a high measure, see 1 Pet. 1. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . We have by Christ not a new substance put into us, but new qualities. In a Theological sense, he is wholly a new man, who is changed in quality from bad to good, yet the substance remains still the same. The alteration is not in the essence, but in the operations and qualities of a man.

3. Regeneration is not civility and moral honesty, though civility and moral honesty are both commendable, and a shame for any Christians to be strangers to them; yet men may be morally honest, just in dealings, and yet not outstrip heathens, who never heard of Christ. A Socrates, a Plato, a Regulus, a Fabritius by their principles may go a great way, & walk inoffensively to the eye of the world, and yet may be a mere Ignoramus of Regeneration. What's the reason, the Apostle will tell us, 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God. Heathens have called the new moulding of their life, a new birth. Seneca tells us, Nobis ad arbitrium nostrum nasci licet. Yet this is far short of that heavenly birth, which the Scripture discovers. How were Heathens new molded, but according to those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 common natural principles, according to those institutions which they had in the Schools of Plato, Zeno and Aristotle. Its the property of God's word only to beget this new nature: It's called Incorruptible seed, 1 Pet. 1. 23. Now not only a pro • ane man must be born again, but a civil man, Joh. 3. 3. It's spoken Indefinitely, except a man be born again &c. A man outwardly virtuous, a man of a sweet disposition, a man of a good nature, he must be born again. It was a Blasphemous Hyperbole, used in commendation of Bonaventure, In hoc homine non peccavit Adam; yet let the nature be nere so ingenuous, it must be born from above.

4. Regeneration consists, not in great parts, and abilities. Many may have great learning, both natural and acquired parts to admiration, and yet remain altogether ignorant of Regeneration. The learned Orators and Philosophers, attained unto a great measure of knowledge, and yet were ignorant of the mystery of Regeneration. Where Regeneration is, there's a wonderful change wrought upon the heart, the inward man is purified, the thoughts are sanctified, the heart cleansed; But all the Documenta and Principia of the chiefest of Philosophers and Orators mention not one syllable of heart cleansing, heart purifying; they direct no further then the outward man.

5. Regeneration consists not in common graces. There may be a common Faith, a common Love, and a common Hope in such as are unregenerate. To have a temporary, opinionative Faith, to have a common verbal Love, a presumptuous Hope, these are common to those that perish: But to have a Faith that purifieth the heart, a Love without dissimulation, a Hope that maketh not ashamed, these appertain only to regenerate persons.

6. Regeneration consists not in a bare profession of Christ, and acknowledgement of the Gospel. Many have an external profession, and profess that they believe in Christ, and yet cannot tell what this New birth means. Many may be turned from Paganism to Popery, from Popery to Protestantism, and yet be unregenerate all the while. There must be a conversion from an outward profession at large, to a holy conversation. There must be a saving work of grace upon the heart. We must not only be externally professors, but internally, and really changed in our natures; we must be took off the old stock, and planted into the new; we must not be contented to be accounted nominal professors, unless we be really wrought upon, and thoroughly changed.

Now as I have shown you in six particulars wherein Regeneration is not, I shall now endeavor to show in six particulars wherein it consists, viz. in a new Nature, a new Understanding, new Will, new Affections, a new Heart, and a new Life and Conversation.

1. For the new Nature, this is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Eph. 4. 24. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2 Cor. 5. 17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 1 Cor. 5. 7. This consists not only in the change of some particular actions, but the change of the whole Nature.

2. There's a new Understanding, Eph. 4. 23. Rev. 3. 18. 1 Joh. 2. 20. when Saul was converted he had a new understanding; he was another manner of man, he was inspired from heaven, and had divine illumination.

3. There's a new Will, Psal. 110. 3. Paul asked, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do? after Christ met with him by the way.

4. New Affections, Col. 3. 2.

5. A new Heart. It's commanded Ezek. 18. 31. and promised Ezek. 36. 26.

6. A new Life; there are new paths, there are new ways; the fruit of Regeneration is newness of life and conversation; the fruit of a regenerate man is to holiness; he brings forth fruits meet for repentance, as we are commanded, Mat. 3. 8.

I proceed to another Use, for Exhortation, to exhort and excite everyone, to search and inquire, and let everyone ask his own heart, whether or no he be regenerated. This is a matter of eternal consequence, and therefore we should make it a Question, and ask everyone himself particularly, Am I regenerated yea or no. For Motives consider,

1. The necessity, Joh. 3. 3. No coming to heaven withou [Mot. 1] Regeneration.

2. All the Actions, Services, and Duties performed by unregenerate [Mot. 2] men, can no ways be acceptable and pleasing unto God; For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin: Now the most gaudy, specious pretences of unregenerate men arise not from a Principle of Faith; there's Self-love, Vain-glory at the bottom. Now without Faith • ere is an utter impossibility of pleasing God, Heb. 11. 6.

3. Nothing defiled shall ever enter into heaven: Now an unregenerate [Mot. 3] person is unwashed, left to lie in his blood and pollution, his ways are foul, his mind and conscience are defiled: No sink so filthy as the state of unregeneracy.

The fifth Use is for Direction.

First, Pray hard for Divine Wisdom, Jam. 1. 17. All Secular Learning, all the accomplisht knowledge in the Arts and Sciences, are not able to teach this Mystery of Regeneration. It comes from heaven, it's the work of the Spirits illumination to open the understanding, to bring a soul from darkness unto light.

2. Wait upon God in his Word; the Word is the • eed of Regeneration; it's immortal, incorruptible Seed.

3. Pray for the Spirit; the Spirit causeth this Seed to fructify.

The sixth Use is for Consolation: O how happy are their conditions who are savingly wrought on by the Spirit of God! It's God that hath loved them, and washed them, and made them Kings and Priests unto God. They are new born, and are of the family of the First-born. Not flesh and blood, not the greatest birth, nor accomplisht parts hath revealed this Mystery of Regeneration; this is only the work of God's Spirit. Now what's the Duty of regenerate persons?

1. To praise God, and tell of his goodness: So did Paul, reciting the History of his Conversion, break forth into Praises, 1 Tim. 1. 17.

2. To walk as becometh converted children, Eph. 5. 8. Regeneration must be evidenced by the fruits of a sanctified conversation.

3. To set an high price on so great a distinguishing love and mercy, That God should change thy heart, and purify thy nature.

This is 1, a work of an Omnipotent God.

2. In instanti.

3. Ex nihilo; it's a pure Creation; pray then with David, Psal. 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Unconverted must pray for Regeneration, and Converted must pray fo • further Manifestations and Evidences there 〈…〉 that this great work is effectually wrought upon their souls.

The Feasts of Purim:

OR, Two Solemn Festivals instituted, & ordained in remembrance of that wonderful Deliverance from Haman's bloody Plot, applied to our Anniversary Commemoration of God's gracious Deliverance from the GUN-POWDER TREASON.

THE Text and Solemnity of this day of Thanksgiving answer each other, as in water face answers face. The Jews having obtained a signal deliverance from a barbarous Mass • cre, plotted and contrived by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, their inveterate and implacable Adversary, set apart by way of gratulatory Commemoration, the fo • rteenth and fifteenth day of the Month Adar, that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.

And we of this Nation, being wonderfully delivered from a Romish, Devillish design of the Gun-powder Treason, are here on purpose met to commemorate with thankfulness this fifth of November, when the Blow was intended to be given, but through Mercy was disappointed. Some Parallels might easily be drawn between Haman's hortid Assassination, and the bloody Butchery intended this day, though in many things this Popish Plot wants a parallel: Haman was an old enemy to the Jews; he was an Ag • gite, of the Family of Agag King of Amalek, and therefore, upon an old grudge, the greater enemy: And this Haman was a • avo • rite in the highest deg • ee of King Ahasuerus, and so in a fitter capacity to bring his mischief to • ass. The occasion of the first quarrel, was but a petty, trissing, inconsiderable matter, Mordecai did not bow, nor do reverence to Haman: The want of a bended knee first blew the co • l of contention, fir • incensed Haman against Mordecai. Several Questions are raised, whether Haman expected from Mordecai more than a civil worship? or whether Mordecai refused to do reverence because Haman was a Persian, and (as their custom is) had the Sun pictured in his breast? or because he was of the Family of Amalck, with whom God would have War from generation to generation? Exod. 17. 16. Hence there are raised several disputes, and many cōjectures, neither is it necessary to be too peremptory in our determination, seeing the Scripture is silent; but Human thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, Esth. 3. 6. Aquila non • aptat muscas; he aims at the utter ruin of Mordecai and all his people: He complains to the King against the Jews, pleads an argument, ab inutili, that it's not for the Kings profit to suffer them, Esth. 3. 8. The King gives Haman his • ing, and gives the Jews into his hand, ver. 10. The Scribes write the Letters, the Posts carry them with expedition, the day of their Massacre was appointed, viz. on the thirteenth day of the Month Adar. The news hereof was cause of great sorrow and perplexity to the Jews; Esther and her Maids fasted, Mordecai cries and rends his clothes, but withal Mordecai puts Esther in mind to do what she could for prevention, Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esth. 4. 14. A very good argument to make the best use of that providence and prize put into her hands, to be the Jews Advocate: After fasting and praying, she is steeled with courage and heroic resolution, and so she resolves, then will I go in unto the King, which is not according to the Law, and if I perish, I perish, Esth. 4. 16. She goeth into the inward Court, the King holds forth the Golden Scepter, he asks her what her request was? she invites the King and Haman to a Banquet, the King and Haman go to her Banquet, the King bids her make her request, she invites the King the second time, and in the mean time Haman brags of that great honor put upon him, whereas the banquet indeed proved but a snare to him. The Queen impeacheth Haman of a bloody Plot, the King was wroth with Haman, they cover Haman's face, the Chamberlain informs of a Gallows that Haman had made for Mordecai, by the Kings appointment he was forthwith hanged thereon: Further yet to reverse the mischievous device of Haman, upon Esther's supplication the Scribes were called, and the Posts sent with letters to give liberty to the Jews to stand upon their guard. Haman's ten Sons were hanged; so that the devices of that wicked Haman fell upon his own pate: now the day of sorrow being turned to a good day, from a day of mourning to a day of joy and rejoicing, it's high time to set a special mark upon so special a deliverance, to set time apart for the commemoration of so eminent a deliverance; and this was their practice in the words of the Text.

The Jews ordained, &c. which words contain an institution of two Festival days in memorial of that wonderful deliverance from Haman's intended massacre, wherein you have, first, the names given to the solemn Feasts, or Eucharistical days, Purim (i.) Lots, Pur the Persian word signifies a Lot, in Hebrew it signifieth to disappoint, and in Greek it signifieth fire; the Lot was cast for destruction of the Jews, but it fell not on those upon whom the enemy would have cast it, it was disappointed, and therefore (as a Learned man wittily observes) that the God of the Hebrews gave an Hebrew Pur to the Persian Pur, disappointing the Persian Lot, so though it was cast it was not suffered to light upon the people of the Jews; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifieth fire, which was intended to blow up the Parliament (blessed be God) did not singe any of their garments, neither did the smell of fire pass upon them.

Secondly, the strict observation of those days, it's said, should not fail among the Jews, &c. The 70 render the words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . They take care that they and their children after them, every Generation, Family and Province, and City should keep these days; thus they hand them over to Posterity, and transmit these Records of Deliverance to their children's children, and would have the memory of them perpetuated from generation to generation.

Thus you have heard the deliverance, and the duty ensuing thereupon, from the example of the Jews in my Text, I commend one observation unto your practice, which compriseth the sense of the Text:

This takes in the scope and drift of this Text: It's a word spoken • n due season, the Lord make it as profitable for us as it is spoken seasonably unto us: Neither do we tread in untrackt p • ths; I might enlarge myself in a cloud of witnesses: We have many Parallel examples of Nations and persons delivered, who in perpetuam rei memoriam have set a mark upon the place, and upon the day, resolving never to let slip the remembrance of the mercies or deliverances vouchsafed; never to pass an Act of Oblivion of the loving kindness of the Lord. As for instance, the Israelites made Songs of Thanksgiving in memorial of their deliverance from Pharaoh, Exod. 15. and from Jabin and Sisera, Judge. 5. Jehoshaphat and his people met together at the valley of Beracah to • raise the Lord. Goliath's sword was kept as a trophy of victory, The Israelites set up stones as Pillars for the remembrance of the drying up of Jordan: they used to set a mark upon the place, and call it Eben-ezer, 1 Sam. 7. 12. And for personal deliverances, sometimes they gave significant names, as Laeah called her fourth Son Judah, Now (saith she) will I praise the Lord. Hezekiah made a Poem of gratitude, Is. 38. 9. David made multitudes of Psalms for peculiar deliverances, as we may read, Psal. 7. Ps. 18. Ps. 34. Ps. 52. Ps. 54. Ps. 57. Ps. 59. and least his memory should fail, the 38 Psalm and the 70 Psalm have one and the same inscription, A Psalm of David to bring to remembrance: I need add no more examples, you have here given you good measure, full pressed, and running over: Let us go and do likewise.

Likewise we have variety of Scripture precepts in this particular; theres a special injunction Deut. 32. 7. Remember the days of old. There was a special command, Deut. 16. 1. Observe the Month of Abib: And to remember Amalek, as we may read Deut. 25. 17. 18. compared with Exod. 17. 14. The self-same numerical day must be Chronicled, Ezek. 24. 2. Balak's and Balaam's mischievous plot are to be remembered, Mich. 6. 5. • Chronicle is required, Ps. 102. 18.

And now let's inquire into the grounds of this Doctrine: Some reasons thereof may be these.

1. Because the name and honor of God is from eternity to eternity; and its an evidence of our love to God, when we desire that God's name may out-live ours. We poor creat • r • s, dust and ashes, live but a little while in this world, and whats our life but a vapor, a hands-breadth, a flower, swister than a Weavers Shuttle? • e must therefore tell of the goodness of God in the ears of our children, and let them tell it in the ears of their children; let's make a Chronicle of God's deliverences, and leave behind us a standing Record, that when we are dead and rotten, the memo • ial of God's deliverances may be revived. and the remembran • e of them never fail. The Mariners used to hang up after their deliverance, Votivas Tabulas, as Monuments of gratitude for their deliverance. What are we to offer but Thanksgiving? Ps. 50. 14. what are we to render but the Calves of our lips? Hos. 14. 2. No • if we thus I bour to eternize God's name, he will have regard unto our names: if we honor him, he will honor us: so he declares, Them that honor me I will honor, 1 Sam. 2. 30.

Secondly, a grateful commemoration of Mercies and Deliverances is that Tribute that God requires, that Homage due unto him. We are all indebted to God, nec solvendo sumus, whatever we can do at the best, holds no proportion with the mercy received, yet the Lord is pleased to accept of a thankful heart, and where it is, graciously rewards it. What special notice doth Christ take of the thankful Samaritan? and the Apostle joins unthankful and unholy together: what a brand of infamy lieth on the ungrateful? Impudence and Ingratitude go together: How many are like Swine, that eat the Acorns, but never look up to the Tree? what great ingratitude was charged on Ieshurun, to forget the Ro • k that made them, and lightly esteem of the Rock of their salvation? Now what a poor pittance is this Rent-penny, and acknowledgment to vouchsafe unto the father of Mercies? Shall we not return a drop of Praises for an Ocean of Mercies? wheres David's, Quid retribuam, What shall I render? &c. Psal. 107. 8.

A third Reason shall be drawn from the excellency of the duty: to record Mercies, to speak good of God, and bless his name, to tell what God hath done for thyself, and for others, what national, what personal mercies he hath heaped on thee, and to be exuberant in the praises of the Lord, this is an excellent service: To set thy Hosannahs and Hallelujahs on the highest Key, and to break forth into the praises of God: This is a good thing, Psal. 92. 1. and as it is a good thing, so it is a pleasant thing, Psal. 147, 1. further, it's a comely thing to tell of God's mercies, and to say, blessed be God, is in discourses a comely Parenthesis. The Apostle tells us, Eph. 5. 14. that filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, are unseemly, and inconvenient; but what's to be used in their room? it followeth, but rather giving of thanks, but add further, praise is permanent; for praise is to all eternity, we shall forever be praising of the Lord, we shall sing praise, honor, and glory unto him that sitteth on the Throne, and unto the Lamb for evermore: David professeth, Ps. 146. 2. that he will praise God whilst he hath any being: we should thus exercise ourselves in that language on earth, which will be our employment unto all eternity.

A fourth Reason shall be drawn from those many obligations that lie us upon: As

1. Vinculo creationis, God it is that made us, and not we ourselves, Psal. 100. 3. Now we should be to the praise of God, and set forth his praise, we should be thankful unto him, and bless his name: as Rivers return unto the Sea whence they first came; so we should return all we have to the praise and service of God: Auius Fulvius said to his Son when he found him in Catilines conspiracy, Non ego te Catilinae genui, sed patriae: So doth God say, I gave thee not a soul and body to serve sin withal, but to serve me withal. Quot membra tot ora, So many members of our body, and so many faculties of our souls are as so many mouths to call upon us to praise the Lord.

2. Vinculo Redemptionis, here's matter of praise forever, and eternity will be too little to praise God for Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who hath delivered us from our enemies to this pur • ose, That we might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives, Luk. 1. 74, 75. So that Thanksgiving is a special service due unto God. Quot inimici tot ora, so many enemies as we are delivered from by Christ's death, call upon us to serve Christ forever, and to bless God for the riches of his mercies in Jesu Christ.

3. Vinculo Gratitudinis, Quot beneficia tot ora, we receive mercies at our lying down, and ri • ng up, we are compassed about with varieties of mercies, mercies on the right, and mercies on the left hand: mercies for our bodies, & mercies for our souls; so that every mercy is a mouth to call upon us to be thankful. Haman plotted most mischief, and was counterplotted, and the Jews accounted themselves bound even by the bond of gratitude to keep a solemn remembrance of so great a deliverance; so the Romish • un-powder • rayto • s plotted the destruction of Protestants, and laid their designs as low as Hell. God hath vou • hsafed a gracious deliverance unto the land of our Nativity; wherefore the very bond of Gratitude engageth us to keep this day, and offer unto God praise and thanksgiving d • e unto his name.

4. Vinculo gloriae divinae promovendae. What lieth in us, we should unite all our members and faculties to advance the glory of God: Now this is a way of gloryfying God, he is glorysied by the praises of his people: • or he that praiseth God glorisieth him: Psal. 50. 23. Now put all these together, and you will conclude what good reason we have to keep in memory divine Deliverances, and ascribe unto the Lord the praise and glory of his Deliverances.

I shall insist no longer in this proof of the Doctrine, but make a seasonable improvement thereof in some useful Application: I shall only ins • st on three • ses, for Info • mation, Caution, and Exhortation, and accordingly apply the point unto the solemnity of the day: Lend me (I pray) your patient attention, whilst I make a suitable application of all.

1. This serves to inform us of the warrantableness of our present meeting upon this day, and what good grounds we have to set apart this day for an Anniversary Thanksgiving: God's people formerly upon like occasions, kept a day of remembrance; so did the Jews here in the Text keep the Feast of Purim; and truly we of this Nation have as great cause as ever any had to keep this memorable day, wherein the hand of God was eminently seen in our deliverance, wherein his own right arm wrought a glorious salvation for us. Now to make you more sensible of the greatness of the deliverance, I con • eive it very proper to my business that lies before me, to make a brief Narrative, and acquaint you with the • istory of this day. In pursuance whereof I shall observe two heads, into which I shall cast my following Narration.

1. We are to consider a Popish, Devilish design and plot contrived.

And secondly, a seasonable and gracious deliverance vouchsafed.

1. For the Popish devilish design, we are to consider these eight particulars: v. z. Length of time in pro • ecting: Unwearied Industrie: Cunning Conveyance: Inveterate Malice: the Persons active: the Persons that were intended to be passive: the place or stage whereon they acted: and the horrible cruelty intended. Review but these eight circumstances, and follow me as I go along, and you will conclude it to be a Treason not to be paralleled in our Age, not the like to be heard of by the eldest person that is alive.

1. Lets consider the length of time in projecting: This Treason was a long time a brewing, and the Traitors were as long with child of this Treason, as an Elephant was with young: the Treason was originally intended against Queen Elizabeth; she desied the Pope, and made strict Laws against the Papists: whereupon Pius quintus (more properly, called Impius quintus) to show his detestation of her, set forth his Bulls, one whereof was fixed upon Londonhouse, and he excommunicated the Queen, and under an Anathema absolved the people of England from their obedience: The first design was to bring in an Army, Anno 1601. Garnet wrote to Creswell the Legier Jesuit in Spain, and Winter and Tesmond were employed to negotiate with the King of Spain to invade England: First the King of Spain entertained the motion, withal the Pope sent two Bulls to Garnet, and gave his Blessing both to the Clergy and Laity of England, that were Catholics: But before they could ripen their designs, the Queen died, and then, being disappointed of their firstintention, they thought of this hellish design of blowing up the Parliament with Gun-powder: For the first design was not against King James chiefly; for in the two first years of his Reign, he did nothing against them, but it was first of all designed against Queen Elizabeth; but because they feared that the King would act against them, as that renowned Queen his Predecessor did; and likewise some of the Jesuits raised a loud Lye (the common trade they drive) which was carried up and down, that there was a design on foot to cut all the Catholics throats; wherefore, though the Queen was dead, yet they resolved to go on in their design.

In the second place note their unwearied industry; they dig'd a long time under ground; these Romish Pioneers were indefatigable in their endeavors, they wrought oftentimes both night and day; they stuck at no pains, nor cost, no • charges; their labor might be called Labor improbus in the most pro • er sense, these wicked persons wrought a deceitful work.

3. Note their conveyance, the Traitors took an Oath of secres • e, neither directly nor indirectly to disclose their design. They wrought under ground, laid Barrels of Gun-powder in fashion of Barrels of Beer, covered them with Faggots, hired a Cellar on purpose, that so they might work without suspi • ion; these were their Romish deeds of darkness: Here are under-ground villainies, wickedness in the dark, Mysteries of Iniquity, a Vault, a Cellar, a close Cavern in the earth, where they might act their wickedness and not be seen nor discovered by any man: Just like those adversaries of the Jews, mentioned Nehem. 4. 11. and those Psal. 10. 8, 9. and so confident was Faux, that Arch-Pioneere of the Devil, of the success, in that he feared no discovery, as the words of his Letter run, that they shall have a great blow, and rot know who hurt them; the danger is past as soon as you have burnt the Letter.

4. Note their inveterate malice, it was prepens'd and implacacle; they were enraged against Protestants, and cried against the Protestant Religion, as the children of Edom did in the day of Jerusalem, Down with it, down with it, even unto the ground. The Popish Traito • s acted from a Principle of Malice and h • tread ag • inst the Protestant • eligion: they resemble the Scorpions, who (as Pl •• y writes) put forth their sting every moment, so they are continually p • tting forth their sting, and would fugn sting to de • th the 〈…〉 st • nt Religion: Ga • net being asked whether it was lawful to de •• oy the inno • en • with the no • ent? peremptorily resolved, no • oubt it was, if the good coming thereby m • g • t make recompense: • ee never thought of the Apostles • ule, We may not do evil, that good may come thereof, Rom. 3. 8. But he, and the rest of his devilish f •• ternity, were acted by th •• principle which Aug • st • ne ch • rgeth upon the old Heretics, the Manichees, Pereant amici, modo pereant inimici. A suitable, blasphemous speech I have read of a bloody Assassinate, Occidite eos omnes, quia Deus novit quinam e us sint.

5. Consider the persons acting in this business, and they are Jesuits, and other Papists, inverate enemies to the Protestant Religion. The names of the principal Counselors were Garnet, Tesmond, Creswel, Gerrard, Hammond, Hall, and other Jesuits with them were joined, fit Agents for the villainy, Birds of the same Feather, Faux, Winter, Catesby, Rockwood, Piercy, Digby; and these acted according to the counsel of Garnet, the Superior of the Jesuits; and to these thus acted by the Jesuits counsel, we may apply that common Prove b, They must needs go whom the devil drives. Faux was a desperate • ngineere of Satan, Catesby such another, of whom this character is given of him, Erat homo subacto & versuto ingenio & profundâ perfidia, and so fitter for the se • vice: For the more wicked they were, they were the more fit instruments to do the Devil servi • e in this design. Faux after his apprehension professed, that he repented for nothing more, but that he had not done the fact; and had he not been so suddenly surprised, he would have given fite to the powder, though he knew that he should be burnt in that flame; and its the special remarkable hand of God to discover this Hellish plot; for had it took effect, the Jesuits, who are Ma •• ers of the Art of Lying, would have laid all upon the Puritans (although none more abhorred such villainies than the Puritans did) but God prevented this their wicked intention likewise; and though some few were only apprehended and executed, yet the whole Conclave of Rome, Pope, Cardinals, Jesuits, Priests, even all that black Regiment of Hell joined hearts, heads, hands to promote this design for the good of the Catholic cause: How many Mass • , how many Prayers did their Priests put up? The Actors were absolved, had the Popes blessing, they should have been Canonized for Saints: nay Faux is put long since (as its reported) and so stands to this day (for ought I know) in the Romish Calendar. Strange kind of Saints these, who were indeed Limbs of Antichrist, and Members of the Synagogue of Satan; but its no new thing for Heretics and Sectaries to look upon their Patrons as Saints; Ignatius Loyola, Becket, &c. such are the Papists Saints, Machiavel the Politicians Saint, John of Leyden the Anabaptists Saint, Henry Nicholas the Familists Saint: If such as these be Saints, I know not what are Incarnate Devils: Such kind of Saints (falsely called Saints) enlarge at • ns kingdom.

6. Note the Persons against whom all this mischief was framed, against King, Queen, Prince, Lord's, Judges, Knights, Citizens, Burgesses; and after they were destroyed, their design was to destroy the Protestants throughout the Land; what else doth that prayer of Garnet intimate; Gentem auserte perfidam credentium de finibus, ut, Christo laudes debitas persolvamus alacriter: They would have destroyed the Protestant Religion root and branch that (as far as in them lay) there might be no memorial thereof. What Amilcar, the Father of Hannibal said of his sons, may be applied to Seminary Priests and Jesuits, he confessed that he bred them, tanquam Leoninos catulos in perniciem Romani Imperii, as Lions Whelps for the destruction of the Roman Empire: Hannibal when he was but nine years old, swore upon the Altar, that he would be a deadly enemy unto the people of Rome. So the • esuits are Con • urati Hosts Ecclesiae & Reipublicae Protestantium, and therefore they leave no stone unturned to destroy Protestantism; through the sides of both Houses of Parliament they shot at the whole body of Protestants throughout the kingdom.

7. Note the place which they purposed to blow up, and that was the Parliament House, first built by Edward the Confessor; their rage was not only against men but walls: within the Parliament walls many severe Laws and just were made against them, and therefore their rage was against those very walls. Thus Polymnestor struck blind, out of rage to Hecuba, sought to murder all the women he could meet withal. Thus Fulvia, by thrusting Needles into the Tongue of •• cero, after he was dead, sought revenge of his sharp Invectives against her Husband Anthony; and Anthony himself after Caesar's death, warred against the very walls of the Senate • • ouse of Rome; this was the mad humor of these savage beasts, to destroy buildings and walls.

8. And lastly, note their cruelty: an Epithet I cannot s • udy bad enough: Shall I call it Savage, Farbarous, Stupendious, nay rather, Romish, Jesuitical, Devillish: This was their design at one blow to destroy Kings, Lord's, and Commens. This exceeds Haman's cruelty, they were to be put to the sword, so it was possible that some might scape, here all had gone at a blow; these Senators had been served as Nero would have served his, even all had been cut off at one blow, not one had escaped. The Sicilian Vespers, the Parisian Massacre were monstrous cruelties, but there some escaped with their lives, and were brands plucked out of the burning; here it was most probable (had the blow been given) not one could have escaped. Abimelech slew with one stone threescore and ten persons of Gideon's sons, yet Jotham escaped. Saul flew fourscore and five Priests, yet Abiathar escaped. Athaliah destroyed the Seed Royal, but Joash escaped. The Devil himself left one Messenger • live always to tell Job bad tidings. Job had more favor from the Devil than the Parliament should have had from these desperate villains; but heres such a merciless cruelty, that not a man had escaped, had this Plot took; what a Vesuvius, an Aetna, an Aceldama, a Golgotha had there been? What huge piles of torn bodies, what havoc of Royal and Noble blood? What multitudes of Cark • sses so mangled, as not to be discerned whose they were? This fact bespeaks them not men but Monsters, not Monsters but Tigers, not Tigers but Incarnate Devils. The Rhetoric of Orators, the fabulous fancies of Poets are here at a stand, and out-stripped in their own art. Hell was broken loose, and all the Devils in Hell were the inventors of this horrid Treason: Had this took place it had exceeded Joels day of blood, it had brought all the Kingdom into a Chaos, it had been the most dismal, ghastly sight that ever eye beheld; and when we had been in a maze and perplexity, even at our wits end, then some foreign force had invaded the land, and captivated it to Popery, this was the design, thus was the plot laid according to the eight forementioned circumstances: It was laid as low as hell, but when we know not of any danger, then appeared deliverance; and though we slept, the Keeper of Israel neither slumbered nor slept: Inter pontem & fontem, inter calicem & labra, between the match and the powder, the Lord himself appeared, and wrought a great salvation for us,

In the next place (as I promised) lets in two or three particulars discover what a gracious deliverance the Lord was pleased to vouchsafe unto our forefathers. And here we are to note,

1. The means of Discovery, and that was first of all by Auricular confession: I well remember what I heard this day fourteen years in this •• lpit, by the learned and worthy Primate of Ireland, how that Delrius wrote five years before of the Powder Treason, and tells of this discovery by Auricular Confession—Consitotur maleficus se posuisse pulverem in tali limine, & magnum inde periculum venturum. It's much to be observed, that Auricular Confession which they laid as a Net to catch others, caught themselves:

2. Observe the season • bleness of a full discovery of this ho • rid Treason; that which was discovered by Auricular Confession • id not mention the particul • r place but the night before this horrid villainy was to be acted, th • ough the miscarriage of a Letter, and the Kings Interpretation thereof against Grammatical construction, this was discovered, and the Devils grand • ioneere, Guido Faux, apprehended.

3. Observe the just retribution of God's judgments unto evil men, causing their iniquities to f • l upon their own pa • e, so that destruction befell them who aimed at the destruction of the Parliament. It's recorded of a profane P • ince, that he said, that he would ride his horse up to the belly in the blood of the Lutherans; but through the just, and seasonable revenging hand of God, the same night he was cho • kt with his own blood. Thus Haman was hanged on the Gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. This is the Lord's doing, and it should be marvelous in our eyes: This is the day which the Lord hath changed, from mourning to joy, from destruction to salvation: If we then forget the memory of this day, may our tongues cleave to the rooss of our mouths.

But I proceed to a second Use, which is for abundant Caution: Beware of men (saith the Apostle) Beware of the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees, saith Christ. Beware of the leaven of Popish Doctrines; I will not now make a Catalogue of the Murthers, Adulteries, So • omies, Witch • rafts, of Hildebrand, Boniface, Silvester, and other Popes; neither will I at the present rake into the Dunghil of the lewd & abhomin • ble lives of many • riests and Jesuits, &c. To •• nsack this • age of unclean birds, this den of Thieves, to rake into this Augaeum stabulum, being so filthy and loathsome, as it is, will require a large volume. I refer you to whats recorded in the Acts and Monuments, there you will find their Murthe • s, Treasons, Persecutions: Bonner, Gardener, Story, and other Popish blood- • ounds are recorded in that Marian Quinq • unrium, who hungered after the flesh, and thirsted after the blood of Protestants, and persecuted them with fire and faggot: I refer you likewise to Platina, who writes of the lives of the Popes: like wise you may see more of the Papists Lives and Tenets in the Romish Be-hive, and in a Book called the Genealogy of Monks and Friers; there are many more that might be named, but I forbear quotations of other Authors besides those I have by me, & have had occasion more or less to peruse. What shall I say further? beware of Popery, beware of Idolatry, save yourselves from this wicked Generation, Enter not into the way of these wicked men, avoid them, pass not by them, turn from them, and pass away. But it will be said, There is no fear of Papists nowadays; I would there were not: For he's a mere stranger in Israel, that knows not what broils & disorders Jesuits have made, and are still a somenting in this Nation. Sir Edward Coke, that learned Lawyer professed in his Speech at the Araignment of the Gunpowder Traitors, That there was never any Treason committed in England, but a Popish Priest had a hand therein. Do not Jesuits set people together by the ears? Do not the Heresies and damnable opinions of these licentious times gratify the Jesuits? These are meat and drink to them. Do not they love to fish in troubled waters, hoping to catch a prize for the Popes coffers? Do not Jesuits go up and down like the Devil, encompassing the earth, acting in Courts, Cities, Countries, Universities? Will they not become Church-members (as one Ramsey was lately detected at Newcastle) that so they might promote the Catholic cause? I will repeat to you the words of a dying man upon the Scaffold, not an hour before he was to give up his account to God: his words are these, The Pope (saith he) had never such an harvest in England since the Reformation as • ow, for by reason of the errors and opinions of the times, the Kingdom is like an Oak cleft in pieces with wedges made of its own body: But of the increase of Papists I will give you a late, and (questionless) a true information, in a Speech spoken by a great Personage; these are the words, even totid • m verba, We know very well, that Emissaries of the Jesuits, never came in those swarms, as they have done since these things were set on foot, and I tell you, that divers Gentlemen here can bear witness with me, how that they have had a Consistory abroad, that rules all the affairs of things in England, from an Arch-bishop with other dependants upon him, and they had in England (of which we are able to produce the particular instruments in most of the limits of the Cathedrals) an Episcopal power with Archdeacons, &c. and had persons authorized to exercise and distribute those things which pervert and deceive the people: These things being so attested, we had need look about us; we had need be circumspect, and not associate ourselves with Papists; we had need take heed lest we bite at the devils bait: lets not be so Fool-hardy as to venture into their companies, lest (as Peter ventured into Caiaphas his hall) we return with a wound upon our consciences.

That you may detest Popery, have but a little patience, and I will tell you the opinions of some of their Champions.

One is, that the Pope is Christ's vicar, head of the Church, not only [ 1] in spirituals, but sometimes in temporal things: one of the Popes threw his keys into Tybur, and took his sword, and said, If Peters keys would not keep him, Peters sword should.

Another opinion is that the Pope hath power of binding and [ 2] loosing, of forgiveing of sins.

3ly. That the • ope may depose Princes at his pleasure, for Heresy, [ 3] and Protestantisme is Heresy in the Popes accompt.

4ly. That Heretical Princes (and so are Protestants in his accompt) [ 4] may be excommunicated.

5ly. That Princes that are Protestants: excommunicated by the [ 5] Pope may be murder'd by their subjects, Simanca, Creswell, and Mariana hold this opinion: And Bellarmine tells us, Princeps subditus esse debet suo Episcop • , non Episcopus Principi.

6ly. That Faith is not to be kept with Heretics: John Hus that [ 6] holy Martyr by experience found this to be their doctrine, for he, notwithstanding a safe conduct promised, at Constance was burnt to death.

7ly. That Equivocation is lawful: and indeed Equivocation is one great pillar to support Po • ery: their principle is Jura, perjura, [ 7] secretum prodere noli: If you ask a Jesuit, is such a one at his house? Though he knows him to be there, he will say no, and keep a mental reservation, no, that is, not that he means to tell you of. Arius Diaboli Primogen • tus, who was ancienter then the Jesuits, taught them this art of Equivocation. And we may say 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he professed that he acknowledged the Orthodox faith, and laid his hand upon his bosom, and there were written papers hid, containing his Arian Heresies, which he accounted for the Orthodox faith: I he • rily wish that there were not a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the spirits of Jesuties into many of these times, who account themselves Protestants, and yet are Interpendent, hanging between Ignatius Loyala, and Machiavell: their words are so amphibologicall, such Legerdemain is in their actions, as a man knows not where to have them, nor what to make of them, whether they be for you, or against you: you know whence that Oracle came, Ibis redibis nunquam per bella peribis. And what was the event of that Amphiboly without a comma, but to put a period to King Edward his life— Edvardum occidere nolite timere bonum est? Let all vizards be plukt off, let men appear in their colors, lets not come too near the Camp of our adversaries, let's not act the Jesuits part, nor pl • y their game for them. What shall I tell you further of their seven Sacraments, and other Trent Doctrines, viz, Justification by work • , Purgatory, Indulgences, Transubstantiation, the Mass, praying to Saints? I would not at this time conjure up these devils, unless I had more time to lay them down, by a particular confutation: I refer you to the learned confutations of Chamier, Dr. Whitaker, and Dr. Reynolds, each one the glory and o • nament of his • niver • ty, and our Nation: One of them kills his enemy and hewes him to pieces: Another buries him: I will give in a few Principles, which are not my judgment only, though I heartily subscribe thereunto, but of many others whose • ookes I am not worthy to carry after them.

One is that the Pope is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Antichrist, let's not be afraid to give him his right name, a • d call a spade a spade, a Whore a Whore, Antichrist Antichrist.

Learned Downham in several demonstrations abundantly proves the Assertion, its a book worthy your perus • ll. K. James asked Sir Francis Bacon whether the • o • e were Antichrist, he returned this answer, that if a hue and cry were made after Antichrist, and he should apprehend the Pope, he would make him clear himself of the marks of Antichrist before he would let him go.

A Second Principle is this, that a Papist cannot go beyond a Reprobate, I refer you to the Learned and satisfacto • y tract of judicious Mr. Perkins, who will give you (if you be as willing to re • eive) abundant satisfaction in this particular.

A 3 ^d. Principle is, that there ought to be no Peace no • econciliation with • ome: I am herein fully of that Reverend Drs • o • inion. th • t there ought to be no peace with • ome (though I cannot agree with him in saying that Rome is a true Church, no more then I can say that a wom • n is honest, who is know • to be a common Whore) As for Cassander of old, Sancta Clara of late, who would be reconcilers, and join the Ark and Dagon, Rome and England together (for ought I know) they may as well reconcile the two Poles, as unite those that differ in several fundamentals: A Pottle of Tiber and a Pint of Thames will make a strange Medley, Ballderdash, Gallimaufrie (what shall I call it?) Christ and Antichrist will not be thus yoked, Protestantisme and Popery, Rome and Geneva can agree, no more than fire and water,

Lead and Gold cannot agree in the same Furnace, no union with Antichrist, no peace with Jezebel, no reconciliation with Babylon.

A fourth Principle is this, That a Papist living and dying in the opinion of his own Merits, cannot be saved, because he overthroweth the Foundation, cuts off that Bough whereon he should lean, he overthroweth the Righteousness of Christ, and without Christ's righteousness no salvation.

5. That Babylon is Rome, Urbs septicollis, and shall be destroyed: Rome is that Mother of Fornications and Witchcrafts: and herein you have the consent of the most Orthodox and learned Interpreters of the Revelation, who concur in this principle: These are the Principles which I am not afraid to own, and I am pers •• ded that few or none of you differ from my judgment, but believe these Principles to be true.

I will have but one word more for a close of all, in my last use, which is for exhortation, and then I shall dismiss you: My Brethren, you have heard of the Mercies of this day, singular Deliverances, singular Testimonies of the loving kindness of the Lord: Now what eminent things shall we do for God? What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits? Let me be your Remembrancer, after what manner we should remember the mercies of this day, and then I shall commend you to the grace of God.

1. Remember to transmit the memory of this day to your Posterity. Let this Anniversary solemnity be kept in record; let it be told by the Father to the children, and to the children's children, from Generation to Generation: Because some question the truth of the day, and look upon it but as a politick invention, and Trick of State, let us be more diligent to keep it in memory, let us speak one to another of the mercies of this day, be well acquainted with the History of the day, and let us speak of this deliverance in the house, in the field, at our down-lying, and rising up, what things of old, what ancient mercies the Lord hath vouchsafed to our Fathers, and to us in them. May this day be wrote in the Kalendar in Letters of Gold, which the Papists would have wrote in letters of blood.

2. Remember and praise God for this miraculous deliverance, let our mouths be filled with the praises of the Lord, Ps. 107. 8. Lets take up the Ps. 124. and make application; let our lips praise the Lord, and let us say the name of the Lord be praised: let our hearts praise the Lord, let all that is within us bless his holy name.

3. Remember and be vigilant, watch against Papists, trust them not, we know their equivo • tions, we know their blood-thi • sty • ess, lets ever deprecate and • bhorre any Toleration, any connivance or compliance with them; no mo • e trusting to them than to Simeon and Levi, Brethren in Iniquity, in whose habitations were instruments of cruelty, Gen. 49. 5, 6. Be cu • telous, come not near the brink, venture not upon Armini • n, F • milistical, and other mungril opinions, which partly speaks in the language of the Jews, and partly in the language of Ashdod: Give the Devil his Option, he would have for his Agent a. Familist as soon as a Papist: for a Familist can aequivocate, and tell you he means Christ and him crucified, when as he means not the Christ crucified at Jerusalem; but a fancy of his own addle brain, a Christ in him, or a Platonic Christ.

4. And lastly, show some tokens for good of your joy and rejoicing in the mercy of this day. This day is a day of Thanksgiving, let it be a day of Alms-giving, to clothe the naked, and feed the hungry, that their loins may bless you; send to such for whom nothing is prepared: This day is a feasting day, and there ought to be a sending of port • ons one unto another: I come in a good day, I hope you will not say me my; there are many poo • e Householders, and poor Scholars too, it's far more charity to help them than your wandering Peggars. In Florence (as I have read) there was special provision made for such householders as were poor, and ashamed to beg; let these be the objects of your charity: Do good to all, but especially unto the household of Faith; this is the special duty of such a day as this is, to honor God with our substance, to distribute our bread to the hungry: Wherefore forget not this duty, it's a sacrifice where • ith God is well-pleased. I commend this duty unto your practice, and the Lord stir up your hearts, and cause you to draw forth your hearts to the relief of the distressed, afflicted, especially the poor members of Jesus Chri •• , that this may be a good day, and a day of rejoicing to you, and a good day, and a day of rejoicing to them; and let the memorial of this day be Monumentum aere perennius. Lets imitate the Je • s in the Text, and use all the care we can, that such days as these are, may never fail, nor the memorial of them perish from our seed.

The Day of Judgment

A Serious discourse of the day of Judgment, is both seasonable and profitable; seasonable, because (as the Apostle informed long ago) there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? There have been of old multitudes of Heretics, who have decried, and endeavored to expunge this Article out of the Creed concerning the day of Judgment: Such were the Sadducees, Epicures, Dositheans, Samaritans, Mar • chees, Prod • anitae, Floriani, Symmachiani; and of all these Sects the vilest were the Borboritae, against whom Augustine made an elaborate Confutation. Near of kin to those filthy beasts were the Harlots (against whom there was long since by King Hen. 2. a Proclamation sent into Northhamptonshire) and the lewd Ranters, their genuine, abhominable offspring, in these last and worst of times. Now adaies Hell it self is broke loose through the variety of Heretics, who though differing from one another, yet all agree against the truth, like Herod and Pilate, who of enemies were made friends, and they both agreed together against Christ. What shall we say when Skeptics, Antiscripturists, Atheists in print and practice, in their works and deeds deny the day of Judgment? Surely, as at all times, so now especially, the Preaching of this Doctrine of the day of Judgment is exceeding seasonable.

2. This Doctrine is as profitable as seasonable: And this will be evidenced by two Reasons, which are of great weight and consequence.

1. Because the Preaching of this Doctrine is an incentive, and a special motive to excite unto the practice of godliness: Why doth God command all men to repent? there's a strong reason used by the Apostle to persuade, Because he hath appointed a day it the which he will judge the world in righteousness. And from the consideration of the day of Judgment, the Apostle draws a strong engagement unto Holyness of life and conversation, Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God? 2 Pet. 3. 11, 12.

2. Because this Doctrine of the day of Judgment is the foundation of comfort unto the godly. Hence Paul triumphed; I have (saith he) fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, &c: 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. Such as have been troubled, who belong to Christ, they shall have rest (as the Apostle saith) When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty A • gels: and the righteousness of God is engaged for performance, 2 Thes. 2. 6, 7 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest with us.

Now to come nearer the words: Their connection and dependence is upon ver. 12. For as many as have sinned without Law, shall also perish without Law: And as many as have sinned in the Law, shall be judged by the Law. Although they had not the Moral Law promulgated to them by the Ministry of Moses, yet they had the Law of Nature written in their hearts: And the Law of Nature, though unwritten in Tables of stone, shall condemn them that sinned against the written Moral Law. What else is the Moral Law, but a Transcript, more fairly wrote, of that Law of Nature, which was first wrote in Adams heart? Those likewise that sinned against the written Law (as the Jews did) shall be judged by it: For there is a dreadful curse threatened, Deut. 27. 26. Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. Now if the Question be propounded, When shall this judgment be executed upon Jews and Gentiles? My Text gives in the Answer, In the day, &c.

Which words contain a plain assertion, and an evident proof of a grand Article of our Faith concerning the day of Judgment: Wherein we may observe,

1. A Fundamental Doctrine asserted, That at the day of Judgment the secrets of all men's hearts shall be judged by Jesus Christ.

2. Here's a full proof of this assertion, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , according to my Gospel: Which is not to be understood as if Paul was the Author of the Gospel, but only the Publisher thereof. Jerome thus understands the Apostle, According to that which I declare by Jesus Christ. And this the Apostle calls his own (as Calvin observes) in respect of his Ministry. So that I conceive Paul may be thus understood, as if he should say, This is the Gospel that Christ, myself, and all the Apostles have taught: This and no other Gospel I preach unto you.

The words thus opened and divided contain three Doctrines.

1. That there shall be a day of Judgment.

2. At that day the secrets of all men's hearts shall be judged.

3. Jesus Christ shall be the Judge at that day.

I resume the first Doctrine in order, according to this Method. [Doct. 1]

1. To lay down evident proof for clearing of so great a truth.

2. To make some useful improvement of all by particular Application.

For proof hereof, Scripture and Reason both contribute abundantly to the evincing and stablishing of us in this Article of ou • Faith, I begin with Scripture Testimony, which is instar omnium: And I shall select some principal in the Old and New Testament not mentioning so many places, as might easily be produced, les • quotations only fill up my Sermon.

1. For the Old Testament, read with deliberation, Psal. 9. 8, 9. Eccles. 11. 9. Eccl. 12. 14. Dan. 7. 22.

2. For the New Testament; in the Text it is said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ver. 5. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . It's called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that day, Luk. 21. 34. 2 Tim. 4. 8. It's called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a day of Judgment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the judgment of the great day, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a day of Redemption, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a day of refreshing and restitution. Christ himself foretells of this day, Luk. 13. 41. Mat. 26. 41. Mat. 26. 64. His Apostles foretell thereof, Paul, Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Phil, 3. 20. Peter, 1 Pet. 4. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Apostle Jude quotes Enoch, ver. 14. St. John, Rev. 1. 7. chap. 20. 11. And he cites the testimony of Christ in the conclusion of his book. c. 22. 7. and v. 20. Surely I come quickly. To scripture testimonies I might add Fathers, Councils, Confessions. It were easy to call in heathens for witnesses as Hydaspes, Hermes, and such like, mentioned by Eusebius de praeparatione Evangelica, or I might quote the Sybils, according to Lactantius his Relation: But that I judge it superfluous to light a candle to the Sun. To Scripture proof I will add some evidences of reason, or Arguments a fortiori, for confirmation of the Doctrine.

The first Argument shall be drawn from the decree of God: Heb. 9. 27. It's the statute law • nd decree of heaven, which cannot be reversed. God is immutable and changeth not; Omnia alia futura quae praedixerat Spiritus Sanctus, evenerunt &c. saith Austin. All other predictions are fulfilled, concerning the coming of Christ, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, and this also concerning Christ's second coming, shall come to pass, God hath appointed a day to judge the world in Act. 17. 31. God's decrees and purposes cannot be disappointed nor dis • nulled. Truth it self hath spoken, the word is gone out of the mouth of God, and therefore undoubtedly shall come to pass, Balaam giveth a true testimony in this particular, Numb. 23. 19. Hath he said, and shall he not do it?

A second Argument shall be drawn from the justice of God: God's children have not their portion in this life, it's reserved for them in heaven. The best of God's children meet with many hardships, they are afflicted, persecuted, tormented, killed all the day long. This question posed heathens, as Seneca and others, Car bonis male sit, & malis been fit? It put David to a stand, to see the prosperity of the wicked, Psa. 73. 12. He never had his judgment rightly informed, till he went into the Sanctuary Psal. 73. v. 17. The day of judgment will set all things right and straight; shall not the Judge of the world do right? read 2 Thes. 1. 6, 7, 8. We read Isa. • . 10, 11. That it shall be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked. In this world it goeth often very • ill with the righteous, they are made a prey unto wicked men, and the wicked are advanced. The rich man went in sumptuous apparel, and fared deliciously every day, when Lazarus wanted the crumbs to sustain nature. Pharaoh was in prosperity, whilst the poor Israelites endured slavery at the brick-kiln. Joseph was in prison, Daniel in the lions den, Jeremiah in the dungeon, the city Shushan in great perplexity whilst the King and Haman were at a banquet. But at the day of judgment the scene will be altered, the righteous will be happy, the wicked miserable. The godly shall be at Christ's right hand, the goats at the left. In die judicii cum justi introducentur in regnum Dei, injusti autem abjicientur foras, tunc justitia Dei ostendetur, saith Austin on Psa. 72. The righteous are misjudged, accused falsely, and maliciously persecuted: at that day they shall be cleared. Luther used to say, At the day of judgment John Hus and Jerome of Prague will appear to all to be faithful and holy martyrs, When the Pope and his Cardinals, will appear to be vile wicked wretches. It is a good observation of Bernard in his Epistle ad Nepotianum, Veniet, veniet, qui male judicata rejudic abit dies. There will come a day, there is a day coming wherein all illjudged cases and causes shall be reviewed and rectified, when all perverse judgments shall have judgment against them.

A 3. Argument shall be drawn from the convictions of conscience. The bangs of conscience, those ictus & laniatus, which Julian the Apostate had; these (which are assidua & domesticae Furiae, as the Orator speaks) do testify a judgment to come. Haenc conscientiam Deus impiis imposuit, in quá poenas luant, priusquam luant, so Lipsius. But read the verse preceding my Text. Conscience gave Judas a bang, and made him restore the thirty pieces. The horror of conscience made Cain to roar, and changed Pas • ur's name to Magor Missabib, a terror round about, a terror to himself. When the Doctrines of righteousness, and temperance were preached by Paul to Felix, he fell a trembling: A strange change, that the very Judge should tremble before a despised prisoner. However men commit sin never so secretly, and think that no man living knows thereof, yet conscience lasheth fore. The consideration of a day of judgment makes the sinner afraid of himself. Hereupon the wicked flee when none pursue. Conscience when it's awakened slies into the face of the abhominable sinner. It makes him afraid where ever he goes. His fancy is so troubled, that he thinketh every bush to be a man, every man an executioner to hale him before the judgment feat of God.

A 4. Argument shall be drawn from the near dependence and connection between the resurrection and the day of judgment. The resurrection goeth before, the judgment must needs follow after. The general judgment is a necessary consequent of the resurrection: Christ will come to raise up the dead and judge them. Resurrection and judgment are coupled together, and death and judgment joined together. And that place Joh. 5. 29. wherein we read of a resurrection of judgment; Gerrard conceives that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may be fully rendered per 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

A 5 Argument shall be drawn from the general expectation of the Saints, Rom. 8. 19. It is an emphatical word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , It's derived 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 caput & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 videri: it signifieth the looking for something with the lifting up of the head, or strerching out of the neck, with earnest intention and observation. Thus do the Saints long for the appearance of Christ, Heb, 9. 28. it's not an ordinary looking for, it's said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And the Saints cry Rev. 22. 20. Come Lord Jesus. The Saints look for a better life, 2 Cor. 15. 10. a house not made with hands. Their desire is to be dissolved and to be with Christ, and when their bodies are in the grave, their souls are in heaven. They wait for a glorious resurrection, and at the day of judgment it will be known who are Saints, who are not. Many that the world accounts hypocrites, will prove real Saints then: Many that the world accoun • e • h Saints, will then appear to be painted hypocrites. Those whom the world hath falsely condemned shall then be acquitted, and those whom the world hath unjustly acquitted shall then be condemned. That Tribunal is impartial and just, no false judgment can be given there, no unjust sentence, no wrong Verdict shall be given by that Judge; wherefore the Saints long for that day, they earnestly desire the appearance of Jesus Christ. And these breathings and longings are not invain, for the elects sake Christ hath promised to shorten these days of sin and misery.

The 6 and last argument shall be drawn from God's glory. To this purpose was man created to glorify his maker unto all eternity. Now, God will be glorified either in our salvation or damnation. God hath ordained mankind to an eternal condition, either of happiness, or misery. Now God will glorify himself in the fight of men, and Angels, in an eminent manner at the day of judgment, when Christ shall pass a sentence of eternal absolution, and say, Come ye blessed of my Father, &c. Then will be glorified the mercy of God, & when he shall say, go ye cursed, then will be glorified God's justice. Thus you have heard the Doctrinal part of 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the Text proved by Scripture and reason: It now remains that I should improve all unto our consciences, by some useful Application. A 3 fold Use I shall now make of this Doctrine, for reproof, Instruction, and consolation.

1. For Reproof. This brings heavy tidings to all ungodly persons, who live as if there were neither death nor judgment, heaven, nor hell. Because this great day is not yet come, they put it far from them. How soon a particular judgment may befall them, as it did Korah, Dathan and Abiram, Sennacherib, Herod, and others none can tell. And how soon the general judgment may come, is a secret locked up in God's Cabinet. As for Prognosticators and Wizards who determine the time when, we are not to put the least confidence in such presumptuous persons, who are no better then the Devils Chaplains. But here's the great wickedness, that people consider not how soon they may be surprised: They have not this day in their thoughts; drunkards, swearers, adulterers, oppressors, voluptuous persons, they run on in their mad careere, and think not of this day. Flagitious profligate sinners add iniquity unto iniquity, and treasure unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the declaration of the righteous judgment of God against them. What shall we say of heretics and blasphemers? who like that horn (which was Antiochus▪ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) Dan. 8. 12. which cast the truth to the ground. Desperate heretics are broke loose, Socinians, Familists, Enthusiasts swarm like those flies of Egypt, and make the whole land to stink. But there will be a day of visitation, a day of recompense, all their varnishes, pretexts and dissimulations will • lie open to the sight of men and Angels. Manes, Arius, and others, met with dreadful particular judgments in this life. However at the general judgment Macedonians, that deny the Diviny of the Holy Ghost, Arians, that deny the Divinity of Christ, Circumcellians, whose apes the Quakers are nowadays, and tread their steps, all these shall appear before that judgment seat, which they now dread not, that God whom they now vilify, shall judge them. What shall we say of loose Libertines, Jovialists, Epicures, dissolute livers, who are mighty to pour in strong drink, game, and carouse away many precious hours? what shall we say of hypocrites, who daub, juggle, dissemble, whose words are smoother then butter, but within are sharp swords? What shall we say of Apostates that desert their profession, and relinquish their Principles, and fly from Christ's colors, and fight under the banners of Arius, Macedonius, Donatus, or some of the same bran? What shall we say of abominable livers, Antinomians, Athists, and who overthrow Laws, Rule, Government, and live as they list, who run into all sorts of lasciviousness, and follow sin with greediness? Let me tell all such that they are already dead, dead to God and goodness, they are dead in sins, and follow Satan their chief commander, they dance after his pipe, go when he bids go, come when he bids come. But a day of judgment will come, then thou wilt be called to account for those cups which thou hast been mighty to pour down thy own throat, and for those which thou hast forced on thy brother: Then thou wilt be called to an account, for thy secret whoredoms, and abominations committed in the dark: Then thou wilt be called to an account for those Sermons, which thou hast scoffed at, and gave no heed unto, for those Sabbaths which thou hast profaned, and for all thy misspent time, for all those precious seasons which thou hast squandred away. All the creatures will bring in their Indictments against thee, Imprimis, For gluttony and drunkenness, thou hast eaten not for health but gluttony, drunken not for strength, but drunkenness: The clothes thou wearest will come against thee; Thou spendest more for superfluities then would clothe many poor servants of Jesus Christ: Thou followest thy fancy, the Garbe, and fashion of the time, these thou art curious to observe, and thou harkenest after all the new fashions, but in the mean time considerest not how many of God's children want clothes for their nakedness. All thy books in thy study shall come and witness against thee, such great helps thou hadst, such prices were put into thy hands, but they were prices put into the hands of a fool, for want of a heart to improve them. All thy parts and gifts shall witness against thee, thou hast hidden all thy talents in a napkin, thou hast let thy gifts lie rusty for want of using. All the Sermons, Sabbaths, exhortations, admonitions, waytings, treaties, and striveings of the Holy Spirit will come and prefer a black bill of Indictment against thee, who notwithstanding these precious means, yet didst not regard thy eternal condition. Thou didst not consider in that day those things that concerned thy peace. Now if at that great day of judgment the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the wicked and sinner appear? What will be the doom of ungodly men? The Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. and the Holy Ghost tells us of their doom, Rev. 21. 8. Rev. 22. 15. At that day however wicked men have been flattered and idolized in this world, they will appear vile and abominable. The swearers are those dogs, that are whipt out of the presence of God. The drunkards are swine, unclean beasts, these shall not come to heaven. The unclean persons are the goats, these stand on Christ's left hand, and shall hear the sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. Then will the wicked sinners wish that the mountains might fall upon them, and that the hills might cover them from the face of the Lamb. The wicked shall appear in judgment, but they shall not be able to stand in judgment. I might further inlarg this Use, but there are many who have in print bestowed fruitful pains on this argument, as Carthusianus, Drexelius, Gerrard, Vossius, Alsted. Among our own countrymen, Babington, Perkins, Smith, Bolton, &c. In an especial manner I commend to your serious reading and meditation that powerful and pathetical application concerning the day of judgment, by the reverend and learned Dr. Hackwel in his 14th chapter, and 8 last sections of his 4th book of the Apology for the power and providence of God in the government of the world. I must profess that I conceive that Application which that worthy Dr. there useth, to be one of the most full, pithy and particular Applications of any that ever I met with-all on that argument; I commend the perusal of that to you.

And in the second place I proceed to an use of instruction: Let the consideration of the day of judgment be our instruction, and put everyone of us according to our several stations & capacities, in mind of the great duty incumbent upon us. Let Magistrates from the consideration of the day of judgment, be instructed in their duty, to be a praise unto them that do well, and a terror unto • evil doers. Let them execute justice impartially; let them in the distribution of justice be like Levi, who knew neither father nor mother, nor brother nor sister. Let not a Magistrate show more pity to a blasphemer then to a murderer or thief, considering that those that murder souls are the worst of murderers, and those that rob God of his honor are the worst of thieves. Let Ministers be instructed in their duty to cry aloud and spare not, to speak as the oracles of God, to divide the word aright, and walk aright. Such as are Pastors and Doctors let them discard that Antiphrasis, Pastores, à non pascendo, & Doctors à non docendo. That rotten distinction per se & per alium, will not excuse a lazy Minister at the day of judgment. Let Governors, Tutors, and all that have the inspection over others remember the day of judgment. It is Apostolical counsel, Rom. 12. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , whether he be Secular or • cclesiastical Ruler, the duty is of weight by both sorts to be put in practice; The Maxim is most true, Every onthat ruleth ought to rule with diligence. Let there not be any among you, who (as Diogenes his servant was called Manens à non manendo; because he used to run away) I say, let not any be called Prafecti, à non praeficiendo, and Tutores à non tuendo. • emember the day of judgment. Then those young-ones, those Deposita, Parentum charissima Pignora, will be required of you. Let all tradesmen be instructed in their duty, from the consideration of the day of judgment, to deal justly, to use a just weight, a just measure, a just balance, & a just • phah. Sophisticated wares, false lights, false weights, adulterated wares, cozenage in the trade, will lie heavy upon their account at the day of judgment. Let young scholars whose wits are green, wanton, and frothy, remember the day of judgment, then they would not adventure upon Platonic fancies, vain speculations, and bend their wits to m • intain them after they have discovered them, for no other reason but that they are new discoveries, like some new African monsters. It's a sad thing to consider that men now a days bend their wits to be skeptical, to defend any Chimaera or abortive issue of their sterile brains. Men are so sool-hardy as they will venture upon any opinion, any notion that so (as Simon Magus designed) they might be accounted some great ones, like Erostratus that burnt Dianas Temple to get himself a name. Many that have parts care not whether they employ them for the truth or against it. Hence it comes to pass that Judaism, Socinia • isme, Familism, Enthusiasm all these shall have their patronage. Many will plead for them and defend them with eagerness. I will tell you a story (though I use very few stories in a Pulpit) which is recorded by Matthew Paris an historian of good repute among us. There was one Simon Carnatensis a Master of Paris Anno 1201, who having most subtly and acutely disputed about the Trinity, some of his familiar friends persuaded him to put his disputation in writing, that so the memorial of such excellent things might not be lost, whereupon he proudly brake forth into this blasphemous speech, O little Jesu! how much have I confirmed and advanced thy Law in this Question! but if I list to deal crossly, I know how with stronger reasons and arguments to weaken, and disprove the same: Which proud, blasphemous speech was no sooner spoken, but he was stricken dumb, and became an errand I deot, and stark fool, and so made a Ludibrium, a laughing-stock to all that saw him. Let all wanton Skeptics, Novelists, and Platonics take heed by this sad example: Let this be their Warning-piece.

Now that I may more particularly set forth your duty, I shall commend these serious lessons of special concernment for your instruction and practice.

1. Let us entertain frequent and serious thoughts and meditations concerning the day of Judgment: It was a saying of Jerome, that learned Father, Whatsoever I am a doing, whether eating, drinking, reading, or writing, methinks I hear the shril sound of the Archangels Trumpet, summoning all flesh to appear, and crying aloud, Surgite, mortui, & venite ad judicium. Chrysostom professed, that whatever others do think of it, for myself, it makes me often tremble when I consider of it; wherefore upon this very Text he saith, that its a dreadful Judgment, and a Tribunal to be trembled at. When thou art tempted to sin, be it Pride, Passion, Uncleanness, Covetousness, Oppression, Dissimulation, &c. O! consider seriously there will be a day of Judgment, wherein thou shalt be called to an account for all by thoughts, words, and deeds. It's excellent counsel which Basil gives, Cum senseris te ad aliquod peccatum provocari, ad mentem revoca formidabile illud judicium, & hoc quasi fraeno & paedagogo utere (i. e.) when thou art tempted to sin, call to mind the dreadful day of Judgment, and this will be as a bridle to curb sin, and as a School-master to instruct us in our duty. Let this be a Monitor, a Frontlet before thine eyes, a perpetual vade mecum. In all places and companies consider there will be a day of an account, a day of Judgment will come. O that this consideration were more frequent in our thoughts! Through the grace of God it would be a special preservative against sin.

2. Let the consideration of the day of Judgment engage you to holiness of life and conversation. That's the practical use which the Apostle commends to our practice, 2 Pet. 3. 11, 12. Only holy persons shall be able to stand in judgment. This consideration moved the Saints to have their conversation in Heaven, Phil. 3. 20.

3. This consideration should read us a Lecture of Patience. Amidst all sufferings, persecutions, losses, crosses, hardships, evil entreaties, amidst all perils at home, abroad, and among false brethren: Let us consider that a day will come which will make amends for all sufferings: Be patient (saith the Apostle) for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, Jam. 5. 8. Let us therefore be patient under crosses; yet a little while and the day of the Revelation of Christ will come, when the righteous shall be delivered out of trouble, and the wicked shall come in their stead. Learn hence by patience to possess your souls.

4. Hence let us be put upon continual watchfulness. The time of Christ's coming is (like a thief) in the night. We know not the time, to the intent we should always keep strict sentinel, always stand upon our watch, and be in procinctu, like the wise Virgins, with our Lamps trimmed, and oil in our Lamps: Watchfulness is commended at all times, Mark 13. 33, 34, 35, 36. Shake off all security and drowsiness. If the Watchmen sleep, the City will soon be surprised.

Invadunt urbem somno vino{que} sepultam.

Let our Savior's caution ring aloud in our ears, Luk. 21. 34. Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged, &c.

5. Hence learn to fear God, Rev. 14. 7. Ungodly men (though Preachers amplify these things) look upon them, but as so many Scare-crows: But that which they now fear not, shall make them tremble, and wish that some Rock would so much favor them, as to fall on them, and hide them from the wrath of a sin revenging God. O Christian! fear God, and walk in his fear all the day long; tremble at the consideration of this day, and let it be thy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to work out thy salvation with fear and trembling.

6. And lastly, hence learn compassion and exercise of Charity towards the poor Members of Christ. Not a cup of cold water but shall be rewarded in that day. The visiting the sick, the clothing of the naked, the relieving of the distressed shall be all remembered in that day; Christ brings them all to remembrance, Mat. 25. Let us then cast our bread upon the waters, and after many days we shall find it, Eccl. 11. 1. The Apostle prayeth for Onesiphorus, his benefactor, that he might find mercy in that day, 2 Tim. 1. 18. What day was that, but the day of Judgment and recompense? Then God will remember all the Saints good deeds, but all their bad deeds shall be blotted out of the Book of Remembrance, or brought in only like a cancel'd bond for the further manifestation of the riches of God's mercy.

And now heres only one Use more of the Doctrine, which shall be for consolation unto the godly. In these respects the consideration of the day of Judgment administers unto them abundance of consolation; I shall name a few particulars, and so conclude this Doctrine.

1. From the nature of the day, the Saints reap comfort; for that day is a day of Redemption, a day of restitution, a day of deliverance. Wherefore in expectation of this day, they lift up their heads, Luke 21. 28. This is the day of the appearance of Christ, and this is the foundation of the Saints comfort, Col. 3. 4.

2. Heres comfort in respect of the Judge, and that is Jesus Christ, who is their Head, their Husband, their Elder Brother, their Advocate, their Intercessor. He is their Judge who is their Savior, and he will pronounce the sentence of Absolution. Christ is their Judge, who hath loved them and washed them in his blood: Rev. 1. 5. Christ is their Judge who is their peace and reconciler, Eph. 2. 14.

3. Heres comfort in respect of the sentence which Christ shall pronounce; Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world.

4. And lastly, their happiness shall be to all eternity, Psal. 16. 11. And of this presence the godly shall be partakers. They shall see the blessed vision, enjoy an uninterrupted communion with the holy Trinity. I will close up the first Doctrine with leaving you to meditate upon 1 Thes. 4. 16, 17, 18. And so much for the first Doctrine.

I proceed to the second Doctrine, That at the day of Judgment the secrets of all men's hearts shall be judged. Though men dignity never [Doct. 2] so deep, yet shall they never be able to hide anything from God, God will bring every work to judgment, Eccles. 12. 14.

The reasons of the Doctrine may be drawn,

1. From the Omniscience of God, Psal. 44. 21. He knew the secret whoredoms of Aholah, and Aholibah, all the chambers of imagery, and all their wickednesses done in the dark, Ezek. 8. 12. Darkness and light are both alike to him, Psal. 139. 12. All things are naked unto him with whom we have to deal, Heb. 4. 13. God knoweth all things, 1 Joh. 3. 20. So that words secretly whispered, actions secretly done; nay more, thoughts, purposes, intentions, before ever they are thought, purposed, and intended, are fully known to God: Thou hast set (saith the Psalmist) our iniquities before thee; our secret sins in the light of thy countenance, Psal. 90. 8.

A second Reason shall be drawn from the Justice of God, which is to render to everyone according to the fruit of their doings. And this is the end of our appearance before Christ's Judgment seat, 2 Cor. 15. 10. It's impossible but that the Judge of all the world should do right; secret Murders, secret Adulteries, secret Thefts, secret Abominations, secret Cousenage, secret malicious Heartburnings, Murtherous intentions, secret Back-bitings, Detractings, Calumniatings, all these shall be made manifest at the day of Judgment. Now Justice requireth, that as the sinner soweth so he should reap, that as he hath sown seeds of wickedness, so he should reap the fruits of destruction.

3. The secrets of men shall be judged for the vindicating, acquitting and clearing of the godly. What se • ret wickednesses are unjustly and falsely laid to their charge? What calumnies, forgeries are invented to blast the name and reputation of those that fear God? The Primitive Christians in their night meetings were slandered, and such horrible aspersions cast upon them, as the Father of Lyes could invent: What horrible slanders have been cast on Luther, Calvin, and other eminent Pillars of the Church? How are the Prayers, Fasts, strict walkings of God's children traduced, reproached, and scandalized? How do the men of the world reproach the Saints for hypocrisy, false-heartedness? but at the day of Judgment the innocence of the Saints will be cleared. What hard measure do the godly meet withal from the wicked of the world? They are buffeted, tormented, slain, all the day long. All they say, think, and do, are misconstrued and reproached. But at the grand day of Account God will clear where men have reproached; God will justify where men have condemned; so that secret Prayers, Fasts, Watches, secret communion with God, will appear, and be openly known and made manifest to the honor of the Godly, and to the shame and infamy of their malicious enemies.

4. The secrets of men's hearts shall be judged for the further condemation of the wicked. All their cunning conveyances, secret pollutions, all the impure abominations of their hearts shall be laid open in the sight of men and Angels. We read Psal. 50. 21. I will reprove and set them in order before thine eyes. God will at that day set all a man's secret villainies, and closset abominations in order before him. And this will add further to the condemnation of the wicked, that their most secret wickednesses shall be disclosed to their eternal confusion and horror. These things being premised, I shall infer three Uses; for Ter • our unto the wicked, Comfort unto the godly, and Counsel to both.

1. For terror unto the wicked. Is it so, that at that day the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest and judged; then in vain do hypocrites dignity deep, and seek to hide their counsel from the Lord, as if they thought themselves secure, and undiscovered. Though no eye of man can see them, yet the eye of God, which is ten thousand times brighter than the Sun, will descry and discover all. Then will all varnishes, painted glosses, vain pretences, and outside professions be discovered, and all such who plead for them appear in their colors. In vain do Adulterers wait for the Twi-light, as Job speaks, c. 24. 15. Though the doors be bolted, and though it be dark night, yet the All-seeing eye of God finds out all. What shall we say of secret cheating Tradesmen, who think themselves secure, because man cannot find them out? Yet let them know that all their mysteries of cozenage in their Trade, all their secret, fraudulent dealings shall be discovered at the day of Judgment. When men profess one thing, and practice another, pretending friendship with their mouths, but meditating ruin and destruction in their hearts: When men make but Religion a stalking-horse, for getting a prey, and as a cloak to cover wicked projects. When men have no regard to the All-seeing eye of God, so they can but escape the eye of men, what shall we say of them, but put them in mind of the words of the Wise man, Eccl. 11. 9. But know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment. Then every vain thought, every idle word, every lascivious glance, all mental reservations, all hypocritical collusions, all time-serving complyances, self-interests, ends, and aims, shall be all called to account, and laid open in the sight of men and Angels.

2. Heres matter of comfort to the godly. At that day, their secret desires, breathings, longings, and pantings after God shall be discovered. The broken prayers, fighs, cries, inward compunctions of heart shall be all made manifest. The imputations, scandals, ignominies cast upon the Saints shall then be wiped away. Many that have been condemned by men, shall be at that great day pronounced innocent. Holy Martyrs that laid down their lives for Christ, against whom the wicked of the world pronounced a sentence of condemnation, shall at that day have a sentence of absolution pronounced by Jesus Christ, and be acquitted before that impartial Tribunal. It's a ground of great comfort to God's children that God knows their hearts, how vehemently their desires are towards him, as Psalm 42. 1. Isaiah 26. 9. Though the Saints cannot ofttimes express how their hearts stand affected, and are not able fully to discover themselves, and open their condition to man, yet God knoweth their inward groanings, their secret breathings, vehement desires after Christ: Now all these are regarded by God; for there is not a tear, nor a desire, nor a sigh, which are not taken notice of by the great God of Heaven and Earth. The secret, closset devotions, fastings, prayings, meditations, which the world knows not of, nor understand the value of such divine services, all these shall be made known at the day of Judgment. Thou seest one cheerful, thou knowest not why: It's neither corn, nor wine, nor oil, nor anything of the world that revives his spirit. It's only the light of God's countenance, Psal. 4. 6. that's the cause, hidden to thee, but a child of God knows it. Thou seest another sad and troubled, though he may have riches and honors in abundance, yet there is a secret damp upon his spirit, a secret cause of grief. It may be God hides his face from him; it may be thou art the cause of his grief; he seeth and heareth God dishonored by thee, and this is matter of mourning and sadness to his spirit.

Let then God's children amidst all sorrows, comfort themselves with the consideration of a day of refreshing, a day of restitution, a day of redemption and consolation, which will one day be at the great and general Assize of the just Judge of Heaven and Earth.

Thirdly Here's matter of counsel, both to the ungodly & godly: 1. To the ungodly: Will there be such a day then. 1. • e counseled to break off your sins by repentance. Be sensible of the evil of your doings. 2. Kiss the Son; hast and delay not to make your peace with Jesus Christ, for he is our praise, Eph. 2. 14. 3. Make choice of other paths, enter into the way of holiness, Isa. 35. 8. 2 Pet. 3. 14. Then to the godly, Here lieth your duty, 1. To have your thoughts, meditations and desires fixed on that day. Be longing for the sight of Christ coming in the clouds; and pray, come Lord Jesus, come quickly. 2. Comfort yourselves with the assurance of God's love to you, so was Paul comforted. 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. 3. Let your conversation be in heaven, Phil. 3. 20, 21. 4. Be not afraid of death, for to the Saints death is a conquered enemy, the sting is taken away; the Serpents teeth are knocked out. What need they be afraid of death, who shall be acquitted before the Judges. And their Judge is their Advocate, their friend; their Redeemer Jesus Christ, which brings in the last Doctrine. [Doct. 3]

That at the day of judgment Jesus Christ shall be the Judge.

In handling of this Doctrine I shall give clear proof from Scripture and Reason; then answe • several Que • ies and Objections; and conclude with particular Application.

1. For Scripture proof. That Christ shall be judge is plain from several Scriptures, viz. Joh. 5. 22, 27. Act. 10. 42. Act. 17. 31. Mat. 28. 18. John. 5. 21. Christ for this purpose rose again, that he might be Lord over quick and dead, Rom. 14. 9, 10. and part of his dominion is the last judgment.

The Reasons why Christ shall be Judge, are drawn: 1 From equity & retaliation. Christ shall judge those that judged him. Christ shall judge Pontius Pilate, the High Priest, the Jews &c. And this will be for the confusion of Christ's enemies, that though Christ was reproached, buffered; crowned with thorns, and crucified, set at naught by the wicked of the world, yet now he shall be in triumph and be the judge of quick and dead, Joh. 19. 37. They shall look upon him whom they have pierced.

2. Christ shall be Judge for the comfort of the godly, Heb. 2. 11. Eph. 5. 30. Christ is their head, redeemer, elder-brother, intercessor; Christ hath promised everlasting life. Joh. 3. 36. Joh. 5. 24.

3. For the terror of the wicked, Rev. 1. 7. But in the next place, here are many questions to be resolved.

Q. 1. Is the Father excluded from judgment? I answer. Neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost are excluded. The Father is said to judge by the Son, Act. 17. 31. Now judgment is peculiarly by a kind of appropriation ascribed to the Son, Joh. 5. 22. Pater occultus, Filius manifestus (as Augustine observes) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to the whole Trinity: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to the Son this judgment appertains.

• ut 2. It will be asked, How shall Christ appear at that day?

Ans. • e shall 1. Appear visibly. This judgment the Father hath committed to Christ, God and man. • nd Chris • shall not only judge according to his divine nature, but also according to his human nature. So that Christ shall be seen vissibly and locally. Act. 1. 11. Mat. 24. 30. 2. Christ shall come gloriously, and this will be cleared in sour Particulars, 1. He shall come in the glory of his Father, Mat. 10. 27. 2. With an innumerable company of Angels, Mat. 25. 31. 3. With the sound of the trumpet, 1 Thes. 4. 16. 4 With Power. Mat. 24. 30.

3. Christ shall come suddenly, as a thief, Mat. 24. 4 • . As a snare, Luk. 21. 34. Unexspectedly, Luk. 12. 46. 1 Thes. 5. 2, 3.

A 3. Question is, whom Christ shall judge?

Ans. The Scripture is evident; Men and Angels. 1 For Men, universally, all Men, Rom. 14. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 10. both quick • nd dead, Act. 10. 42. 1 Pet. 4. 5. 2 Tim. 4. 1. 2. For Angels, Jude v. 6. Rev. 20. 10.

A 4. Question is, What will be the manner of Christ's judging?

To answer this Question, we are to consider the preparation to this judgment, the Proceeding of this Judge, and the • ule of judging.

1. For preparation. That will appear in these particulars, 1 There will be a transmutation of heaven and earth, Rev. 21. 4, 5. 2 Pet. 3. 10. 2. Christ will appear in a throne of glory, Mat. 19. 28. 3. There will be a summoning of all sorts of men; quick and dead shall be summoned to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Joh. 5. 28, 29. 1 Thes. 4. 16, 17. 4 There will be a separation and division, a placing of the sheep on the right hand, and the goats on the left hand, Mat.