I Know it is usuall in such assemblies as this to han­dle texts of Scripture pro­per to the present occa­sion: Such as is Jethro's counsel to Moses concerning the choice of Judges, Exod. 18.21. Moses's charge to the Judges hee had cho­sen, Deut. 1.16, 17. Samuels example, (that was a Judge itine­rant 1. Sam. 7.15-17. in Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and Ra­mah) 1 Sam. 12.3. King Jeho­shaphat's commission to the Jud­ges hee set in the cities of Judah, [Page 2]2 Chron. 19.6. Job's profession of his own integrity, Job. 29.7-17. David's vow, Psal. 101. those Proverbs of Solomon, and passa­ges of the Prophets that either press the duties of Magistrates, or prohi­bit Bribery, Cowardise, Partiality, or some other vice incident to that honourable calling. Such places as these are for the most part the sub­ject of Assise-sermons: And indeed so worthy they are to bee ever fresh in the memories of all in autority, that I wish they were written on the walls of their houses, or rather in the tables of their hearts. Yet my desire beeing to speak to all here present, and not to one onely, or a few (though those few, yea that one, bee more considerable at this time then many others) I have therefore balked such texts, & cho­sen one of general & perpetual con­cernment; a text that will not so [Page 3]much minister occasion to the Prea­cher to satissie the humour of those that exspect a Satyre from the pul­pit, and love to see the faults of o­thers, great ones especially, lashed, while themselves sit untouched, as it will force us all, if well and duly weighed, to erect a tribunall every man in his own bosome, and to be­come Accusers and Judges of our selves; a text that will not so much give occasion the Preacher to tell the people what the Informer, and witness, and Pleader, and Jurer, and Judge should do, as it will force us all, of what calling or rank soever, seriously to bethink ourselves, and carefully to enquire of others, as they in the Acts, chapt. 2.37. and 9.6. and 16.30. What wee our­selves should do. All here at Church have not business at the Court: The Sheriff's men will tell you so anon: Yea, many there are [Page 4]who never had, and haply never shall have, any quarrel or contro­versie to bee tried before an earthly Judge: But the Judge that cometh in the clouds every eie shall see him, Rev. 1.7. every one shall bee sum­monned to appear before him, to re­ceive according to what hee hath done in the body, whether good or bad, 2 Cor. 5.10. Wee shal all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ. The text, yee see, is profitable at any time, for any congregation. And meethinketh it is also seasona­ble enough at this time, and sutable enough to the present auditorie. Wee have a Judge, and an Assises in the Town; and wee have a Judge and an Assises in the Text: and each ought to reflect upon the other. The Trumpet, and Guard, and At­tendance, the Robes, the Tribunall, the Barre, the whole pomp and proceeding of Judges here below [Page 5]should mind us of that awfull Judge who will one day descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, 1 Thess. 4.16. and coming in the glorie of his Fa­ther, with his Angels and myriads of Saints, Mat. 16.27. Jude 14. shall erect his judgement-seat in the clouds, and there sit upon the eternall life and death of all man­kind. Thus the affair in hand is an embleme of the Text: for an Assise is a little Dooms-day: And again the Text by Gods blessing may have great influence upon the affair in hand. For let all that have to do in matters apperteining to Judge­ment but believe and remember these few words, Wee shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ, and I am consident there will bee no malicious calumnies or false ac­cusations brought into the Court, [Page 6]no rotten cause gilded over by bri­bed eloquence, no verdict given-in against evidence and Oath, no per­verting, no delaying of Justice, but all, from him that sitteth on the Bench to the meanest Officer, will by the terrours of the Lord bee per­swaded so to demean themselves as to have alwayes a conscience void of offense toward God & toward men, Acts. 24.16. The Text then is a word spoken in fit season; as ap­peareth further from our Saviours telling the High Priest and Councel of the Jews, when he was appre­hended and brought before them, that they should see him come in the clouds of heaven, Mat. 26.64. and from S. Pauls reasoning be­fore Felix of the judgement to come, Acts. 24.25.

My porch is big enough: It is time to walk into the Court. I have hitherto made way for my [Page 7]Text: Let us now make entrance into it. Therein three things are obvious to our view:

• 1. A Judgement-seat;
• 2. The Person that shall sit upon it;
• 3. The Persons that shall stand before it. Whence three points of doctrine:
  • 1. There shal bee a Judgement;
  • 2. Christ shall bee the Judge;
  • 3. The Judgement shall be ge­nerall.

I. That there shal bee a Judge­ment after death, though it bee an article of Christian Faith, the pro­perty and privilege whereof is to look beyond the veil, and to be­hold things invisible; yet was it not wholy hid from the ey of naturall Reason: for wee find the wiser sort of the Heathen making some discoveries of it. The Sibylls pro­phesie of it. Plato and other Phi­losophers [Page 8]prove it, in their discour­ses concerning the Immortality of the soul, and its condition after death. The Poets with their witty fansies paint it out in their fables of Aeacus and his fellow-Judges, of the Elysian fields, of Tityus's vul­tur, of Tantalus's hunger & thirst, of the darkness and fire and furies of the infernall regions. If these by the glimmering light of Nature could see so much, how can wee wonder enough at those Sadducees and Epicures amongst us, that deny this truth now the Sun of the Go­spel shineth so bright about them? what can wee think, but that they are mere Atheists, and not worthy to bee disputed with, since they deny our principles, and oppose both Scripture and Nature? Time will come when they shall feel what they will not now believe, and bewail their errour when it will bee [Page 9]too late. As for us, let us not bee deceived. Let not their evil words corrupt either our minds or our manners. Let not us follow swinish Epicures, who profess ourselves Christs sheep; but let us hear the voice of our Shepherd; & while they deride the Scriptures, let us believe them. And they are as clear in this matter as any. Solomon saith to the voluptuous youngster, Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement, Eccl. 11.9. and hee endeth that excellent book with that golden sentence concerning the end of all things, God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing whether it bee good or whe­ther it bee evil, Eccl. 12.14. Our Saviour in the Gospel doth not one­ly tell us that hee will come at the last day, and by his powerful voice raile up all unto judgement, Mat. [Page 10]16.27. Joh. 5.28, 29. and 6.39. but hee also punctually setteth down the signes of his coming, Matth. 24. and the maner of his proceeding, Matth. 25. And since the rest of his words have proved faithfull and true, let us not make any question of this. Hee foretold the particulars of his passion, the maner of his death, and the time of his resurrection; Hee promissed to send the holy Ghost upon his di­sciples; Hee threatned the ruine of the temple, the desolation of Jeru­salem, & the rejection of the Jews. Let the accomplishment of these predictions confirm our belief of the other. The same mouth spake all; and the same hand that hath ful­filled so many, will not fail in one. That this main point might be the more generally believed, he com­manded his Apostles to testifie that it is hee that is ordained of [Page 11]God to be the Judge of quick and dead, Acts 10.42. And accor­dingly they almost in all their Ser­mons and Epistles do teach and press it. It were tedious to cite all the places. S. Paul describeth the maner of the Lords coming, 1 Thess. 4.15-17. And S. John amongst his many other Revelati­ons, had the white Throne, the rai­sing of the dead, the opening of the Books, the last judgement, and the execution of it revealed unto him, Rev. 20.11-15. The like vision had Daniel, Dan. 7.9, 10, 13, 14. Yea, Enoch even in the beginning of the world was so cer­tain of the end of it, that he speak­eth of the day of doom as if he had then seen it. And indeed he did see the day of Christs second coming with the like eye to that wherewith Abraham beheld his first. See him as it were pointing [Page 12]with his finger at the Judge mar­ching in the clouds with all the company of heaven with him, Jude 14. Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all, &c. This article of the later Judgement is not onely grounded (as yee see) upon the word, but we may draw arguments also to prove it from all the Attributes of God. His Po­wer will then be shewen in raising the dead out of the dust, and bring­ing all his rationall creatures before his Tribunall, and with one word of his mouth turning the wicked in­to hell, and all the people that for­gat God. His Wisdome will then appear, by bringing to light the hidden things of darkness and lay­ing open all the works and words and thoughts of men. His Truth will then be manifest, by perform­ing the promises that he made to [Page 13]his servants, and by executing the threats denounced against his ene­mies. Lastly, his Justice and Mer­cy will then become unquestion­able, which during the time of this life are much questioned. Here in this world God doth not alwaies reward men according to their works, but for the most part suf­fereth his dearest children to lie un­der the cross, while the wicked are laden with his benefits. Cain build­eth Cities, while Abel sleepeth in the dust; Esau is a great Lord, while Jacob endureth an hard ser­vice; Chast Joseph heth by the heels, while his wanton Mistress is at liberty; Naboth's vineyard is usurped by Ahab; Lazarus want­eth relief at the gluttons door briefly. the rod of the ungodly lieth upon the back of the righteous; the devils goats tread down Gods he­ritage: and all this while though [Page 14]God look upon them that deal trea­cherously, yet he holdeth his tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he, Hab. 1.13. And because God thundereth not as oft as men bla­spheme, because sentence against their evil works is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil, Eccles. 8.11. Nay, be­cause God keepeth silence, they take his silence for consent, and they think he is altogether such an one as themselves, Psa. 50.21. Sure he loveth our persons (say they) he owneth our cause, he is well pleased with our courses, otherwise he would never pour his favours so plentifully on us. And thus they grow more hardened in their sins. On the other side, the righteous comparing their own affliction with the prosperity of the wicked, [Page 15]are ready to call into question the justice of God, and the truth of his promises. This seeming confusion that is in Gods dealings with men in this world, made not some mo­rall Heathens alone to question Providence (as we read Lucilius demanded of Seneca, Quid ita si providentia mundus agatur, tam multa bonis viris accidunt mala? but it moved the Prophet thus to expostulate with God himself, Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee, yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements; Where­fore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? Jer. 12.1. Yea, this unevenness in the wayes of God made the Psal­mist stumble shrewdly, Psal. 73.2, 3. As for me (saith he) my feet were almost gone, my steps had well­nigh slipt; For I was envious at [Page 16]the foolish, when I saw the prospe­rity of the wicked. And ver. 13, 14. Verily I have cleansed mine heart in vain, and washed mine hands in innocency; For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened eve­ry morning. He began to think it a vam thing to serve God, if God rewarded his servants with no bet­ter wages then afflictions. And surely Religion were the grandest folly in the world, and we Christi­ans of all men the most miserable, (as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 15.19.) if in this life onely we had hope in Christ. If there were no recompense of reward to be looked for hereafter, who would choose to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather then to enjoy the pleasures of sin, and esteem the reproch of Christ greater riches then the tredjures of a kingdome, as Moses did, Hebr. 11.25, 26. The [Page 17]briny tears of repentance, and the bitter pills of mortification would never down with any of us, if not sugred with after-hopes. But bles­sed be God we are assured, that af­ter all these gloomy dayes and doubtfull weather, the day of the revelation of the righteous judge­ment of God will appear, when those Saints of his whom he had afflicted in this life shall be the more rewarded for their patience, and those wicked wretches to whom he had been so bountifull, shall be the more sharply punished for the abuse of his blessings. Yea, this very irregular proceeding of God now is [...], a manifest token, of his righteous judgement hereaf­ter, as the Apostle saith, 2 Thess. 1.5. The Wise man argueth in like manner, Eccles. 3.16, 17. For observing the cruelty and injustice of men in great place and authori­ty, [Page 18]how in stead of being a shelter and sanctuary to the oppressed, they proved unto them a briar and a thorn-hedge, in stead of being pa­trones of laws they perverted them, making use of their power to do mischief, and turning their Courts of Justice into dens of rapine, into meer butcheries and shops of cru­elty, what inferreth he hence? Not what they Ezek. 9.9. The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not; but what his Fa­ther doth in the like case, Psal. 12.5. For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy the Lord will arise, &c. Solomon from the cruell and unjust courses of Magi­strates inferreth the just judgement of God, and how there shall be a time when he that is higher then the highest will call them to ac­count for all their oppression of the poor, and their violent perverting [Page 19]judgement and justiee. For thus he saith, Moreover, I saw under the sun the place of judgement, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. Thus Solomon, like Sam­son, found honey in the carcases e­ven of lions. And thus may the children of God do still. The pro­sperous wickedness of profane per­sons, which emboldeneth them in their waies of cruelty and tyrannie, and maketh them say in their hearts, God hath forgotten, he hi­deth his face, he will never see it, Psal. 10.11. even that very same thing, though it oft wring tears from the eyes of the godly, yet it affordeth them a towell to wipe their cheeks withall, it being a [Page 20]strong argument to assure their hearts, that a time of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord, Acts 3.19. when there shall be no more place left for those silly objections against Divine Pro­vidence, Why is this villain prospe­rous? and why that Saint in mife­ry? Cur sceleris pretium ille cru­cem tulit, hic diadema? Why was that traitour dressed with an hemp­en halter, and this with a gold chain or a diadem? Then the [...], Rom. 2.5. the [...], the exact justice of God will be so evident, that even his enemies shall be forced to say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous, doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth, Psal. 58, 11, A day of judgement then shall come.

But when?

Some profane ones ask the que­stion [Page 21]2 Pet. 3. scoffing at Gods slackness, and thinking, because it is not yet, that it will be never. But the Lord is not slack as they count slackness. He doth but stay till his harvest be ripe; then he will send forth his reapers, Matth. 13.30. he tarrieth but till his elect be ac­complished, and then he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, Hebr. 10.37.

Others too curious have taken on them to calculate the period of the world, both Gentiles, Jews, and Christians. Plato and Pytha­goras, among the Heathens, said all this elementary frame shall be dissolved after six and thirty thou­sand yeers. Elias a Jew, but not the Tishbite, but a cabalisticall Rabbine of a far meaner stamp, al­loweth the world but a sixth part of that term which those Philoso­phers do, and saith it shall endure [Page 22]but six thousand yeers; which he equally parcelleth out thus, two thousand before the Law, two thou­sand under, two thousand after. But he grosly erreth in the two first particulars; for from the creation of the world to the giving of the Law were above five hundred years more then his accompt, and from the Law to Christ almost five hundred years less. There­fore we may well suspect him in the last particular, which was the furthest off from his ken. But his totall summe of six thousand years passed for currant with many of the antient Fathers, whilest they compared Gods creating the world in six dayes with that place of S. Peter, One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, 2 Pet. 3.8. It would bee endless, and indeed it is needless, to acquaint you with the [Page 23]severall opinions of Christian wri­ters concerning the time of Christ's second coming; there having been some almost in every age that have ventured to set the year, if not the day, of these grand Assises: Most of which conjectures Time the mother of Truth hath already con­vinced to bee as false as they were bold; and so without doubt it will confute the rest. For none know nor can know the end of the world but hee that began it. Times and sea­sons are in the Fathers power, Acts 1.7. this especially; Mark 13.32. Of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father: Not the Son, that is, not as man, or not at that time, (for his knowledge was gra­duall, Luke 2.52. and mixed with some ignorance, Mark 11.13.) or not as Mediatour, so as to [Page 24]reveal it to his Church: Thus the Son knew not the day of judge­ment. From 1 Thess. 5.2. The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, some conclude, but very weakly, that Christ shall come in the night. The uncertainty of this appeareth from Mark 13.35. Yee know not when the Master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, orat the cock-crowing, or in the morning. Besides, it is called the day of the Lord, 1 Cor. 5.5. 2 Cor. 1.14. 2 Pet. 3.10. More­over, when it is night with us, it is day in the other hemisphere. Whe­ther night or day, how near it is wee may not affirm, yet that it is not far off wee may gather from those prognosticks that our Sa­viour hath given us, most whereof are come to passe already; as the arising of false Christs and false pro­phets, persecuting of true Chri­stians, [Page 25]wars and rumours of wars, pestilences and famines, quakings of the earth, and searfull signes in heaven, iniquity everywhere aboun­ding, and charity everywhere aba­ting. These buds plainly tell us that the Sun of righteousness draweth nigh. Let us therefore lift up our heads, and gird up our loins, that hee may not come upon us and pass by us before wee bee aware. Let the sound of the Archangels trumpet bee ever in our ears, as S. Hierome saith it was in his: Let the fear and remembrance of that dreadfull tribunall bee continually in our minds. But how far soever the generall Judgement bee off, this let us know, that our particu­lar judgement is at hand: For this immediately followeth our death. So saith the Apostle, Heb. 9.27. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement. No [Page 26]sooner shal thy soul leave her earth­ly tabernacle, but shee shall stand before her Judge, who having pas­sed an unalterable doom upon her, shee shall enter into endless joyes or pains. This shal bee as the Quar­ter-sessions; that other like the ge­nerall Assises. Thou shalt know by this how it will go with thee then. Well, Beloved, this also is unknown to us. Though wee cannot all say as Isaac, Gen. 27. that wee are old; yet wee may all say as hee did, Wee know not the day of our death. Let this consideration therefore press the same duty of Watchfulness. Ideo latet unus dies ut observentur omnes: God hath on purpose kept the knowledge of this one day from us, that hee might have our service every day; that wee should never bee secure, but ever ready, ever do­ing our Masters business, ever cast­ing up our own accompts, ever con­sidering our later end; like wise [Page 27]virgins, ever trimming our lamps; like faithfull servants, ever employ­ing and improving our talents; that so when our Master cometh, and findeth us about his work, wee may receive his wages, or rather his gift, eternall life. So much of the first point, That there shal bee a Judge­ment. Come we now to the second,

II. Christ shall bee the Judge. To bee a Judge here upon earth (though the Manichees and Dona­tists of old did, and the Anabap­tists their successours now do cry it down) is an high and honourable calling. To bee an oracle of justice, a refuge for wronged innocencie, a mainteiner of Truth and Peace, a prop and pillar of the State; To give eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; To break the jaws of op­pressours, and pluck the spoil out of their teeth, Job 29.15, 17. To drive away wickedness and wicked [Page 28]men with a cast of his ey or with the breath of his mouth, Pro. 20.8, 26. To carry the life & livelihood of others on the tip of his tongue; Such actions as these, so great, so good, lift a man almost above hu­manity. And indeed as Judges do Gods work, ( The judgement is Gods, Deut. 1.17. and, Yee judge not for man, but for the Lord, 2 Chron. 19.6.) so God giveth Judges his own title, Psal. 82.6. I have said, Yee are Gods, and all of you are children of the most High. If these that ride circuits here below, and exsecute judgement and justice but in some small province, have so great honour and dignity laid upon them, how unconceiva­ble will the autority and majesty of that Person bee that shall bee Lord Chief Justice of heaven and earth, that shall bring in his hand the keyes of Hell and Death, and [Page 29]shall cause a generall Gaol-deli­very to bee made, that shall exer­cise Commission of Oyer & Ter­miner over all both men and an­gels, and shall pass an unrepeala­ble sentence upon both! And to this height is Christ advanced. All power is given him in heaven and in earth, Matth. 28.18. Hee is made not onely Head of his Church Ephes. 5.23. but Lord and Judge of all, Acts 10.36, 42. All things are put under his feet; and hee is set far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named not onely in this world, but also in that which is to come, Ephes. 1.20.22.

Obj. But doth not Christ say, If any man hear my words, and be­lieve not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world, John 12.47? And the like wee have John 3.17.

Resp. Such places are to bee un­derstood of that coming which is past, not of that which is to come. Christ came not indeed to judge the world, but hee shall come to judge it. Hee came in poverty, but hee shall come in power; Hee came in the form of a servant, and in the similitude of sinfull flesh; but hee shall come in the glorie of his Fa­ther: Hee came to bee judged, but hee shall come to judge even those that judged him: Hee came like a Lamb, to bee sacrificed for sin; but hee shall come like a Lion, to tear all impenitent and unbelieying sin­ners in pieces. At his first coming such was his meekness and humi­lity, that hee hid himself that hee might not bee a King, John 6.15. but such shall bee the splendour and terrour of his second coming, that even Kings and Potentates shall seek to hide themselves from [Page 31]his presence, Rev. 6.15-17. When hee was upon earth, hee refused to bee a Judge of civile matters and a divider of earthly inheritances; Man, who made mee a Judge or a divider over you? Luke 12.14. but when hee cometh in the clouds of heaven, hee will bee a Judge and a divider indeed: hee will bestow the mansions of glorie on the ves­sels of grace, and, like his type Jo­shua, divide the heavenly Canaan among all the Israel of God, giving to one autority over five cities, to another over ten, Luke 19.17, 19.

Qu. But how and why is Judge­ment attributed to Christ, since God is Judge of all the earth, Gen. 18.25. Yea, since God is Judge himself, Psal. 50.6?

Resp. How and why! Let the Arian and Socinian hear how and why. Christ is therefore Judge of all, Heb. 12.23. because hee is [Page 32] God over all, Rom. 9.5. His Di­vinity and his Autority inferre each other. That which in the Text the Apostle calleth standing before the judgement-seat of Christ, in the twelfth verse hee calleth Giving ac­count to God; So then, saith hee, every one of us shall give account of himself to God. So then Christ is God. And indeed the Father com­municateth both his nature and his power unto him. Hee hath given all things into his hand, Joh. 3.35. and hee hath given him autority to exsecute judgement because hee is the Son of man, Joh. 5.27. But wee must not imagin that by in­vesting the Son with this power the Father hath devested himself of it: For hee still reteineth the power hee hath given. As in respect of essence, the Son is in the Father, and the Father in the Son; so in re­spect of action, the Son worketh [Page 33]from the Father, and the Father by the Son, John 17.21-23. Concern­ing the particular in hand; That of our Saviour, Joh. 5.22. The Fa­ther judgeth no man, but hath com­mitted all judgement to the Son, is excellently expounded by S. Paul, Acts 17.31. God hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom hee hath ordained. Yet shall not Christ sit as a delegate or subordinate Judge, but as a Judge Paramount, principall and absolute, from whom there shall bee no ap­peal, whose sentence shall not bee traversed, nor his power resisted. For hee shall judge not as Man onely, nor as God onely, but as [...], as both together. As Man, hee shall come in the clouds of heaven, and sit on the tribunall; as God, hee shall raise the dead, and force all to stand before him▪ [Page 34]As Man, every ey shall behold him; as God, hee shall behold every thought, and discover every deed of darkness: As Man, hee shall pro­nounce the sentence; as God, hee shall fulfill and exsecute it. The Scripture asscribeth the last Judge­ment to three sorts of Judges; to God, to Christ, to the Saints. God, even the whole Trinity, shall bee the Judge, in respect of judiciarie power: Christ shall bee the Judge, in respect of his visible appearance and audible promulgation of the sentence: The Saints shall judge the world, 1 Cor. 6.2. in respect of consent and approbation. God shal judge, as the King who is supreme; Christ shall judge, as a Judge sent by him for the punishment of evil­doers & for the praise of them that do well, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. The Saints shall judge, as the honest Justices, and Gentlemen and body [Page 35]of the County, who when their ears hear an upright Judge, then they bless him; and when their eyes see him, they give witness to him, Job 29.11.

I. If Christ bee Judge, then the judgement shall bee according to truth, Rom. 2.2. The Judge of all the earth will do right, Gen. 18.25. Judges of but part of the earth oft erre in judgement. Great men are not alwayes wise, neither do the aged alwayes understand judge­ment, saith Elihu, Job 32.9. Some­times Judges would find out the truth, but cannot: sometimes they can find it out, but will not; some­times they do find it out, but are driven from it. Truth lieth (as the Philosopher said) in a pit; and some Judges have not wherewith to draw it out. It is sometimes so covered with darkness, and the way to it so intricate & perplexed, & Falshood [Page 36]now and then meeteth the Judge in so handsome a disguise, that it is no wonder to see even a good man mis­taken, to see an Isaac think well of an Esau, Gen. 25.28. a Samuel of an Eliab, 1 Sam. 16.6. a whole college of Apostles of a Judas, Mat 26.22. Joh. 13.21-26. But er­rour in judgement ariseth oftner from want of will to do right then from want of skill, the Judge ei­ther not having the patience to af­ford the cause a full hearing and to examin and sift matters to the bot­tome, or else having his eyes blear­ed with passion, or blinded with gifts. And it not seldome happen­eth, that though the Judge find out the truth, and could find in his heart to maintein it, yet hee is dri­ven from it; either some great mans frown or letter being a Prohibition to him; and then

Contra libertum Caesaris ire ti­met, [Page 37]hee is afraid not to seem Cae­sars friend, John 19.12, 13. or hee is afraid to anger the beast with many heads, the multitude; & then Barabbas is released, and Christ is condemned by Pilate, Mark 15.15. Luke 23.23, and Paul by Felix is left bound, Acts 24.27. Lastly, it is a thing too often seen, that after the Judge hath worthily done his part, and justly doomed a malefa­ctour to death, some greater power interveneth and rescueth him from the gallows, granting him either a Pardon or a Reprive. Hence it fre­quently happeneth, what the Pro­phet complaineth of, Isa. 59.14. that judgement is turned away back­ward, & justice standeth afarre off, that truth falleth in the street, and equity cannot enter; that those old scenes are in every age oft acted over, that Joseph is condemned as a vitious person, that Mephibo­sheth's [Page 38]estate is bestowed upon a sycophant, that Naboth fareth the worse for having a good vineyard, and Micaiah loseth his liberty for not emprisoning the truth; that, as Cyprian saith, inter leges ipsas de­linquitur, that JUS is turned into VIS, Right overturned by Might. Certain it is, that while darkness is in the minds of men, and the Prince of darkness is suffered to tempt, a­mongst other Vanities that are un­der the Sun, that will still bee one that yee heard Solomon complain­ing of Eccl. 3.16. that in the place of judgement wickedness is there, & in the place of righteousness iniquity is there. Under the Sun it will bee so: But when the Sun in the firma­ment shal bee put out, then the Sun of righteousness will shine forth, then a Judge will sit in the throne that will judge right, Psal. 9.4. and there shall bee no unrighteous­ness [Page 39]in him, Psal. 92.15. For hee hath all the properties of a complete Judge, Wisdome, Power, Justice, all infinite.

First, his Wisdome is such, that his eyes cannot bee blinded. The darkness is no darkness to him, Psal. 139. Hee prieth into the closest corners, even into those of the heart. [...] is his peculiar title, Acts 1.24. All things are [...] stipped naked, ripped open before him, Heb. 4.13. Those that have gone in the dark, and sought deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, shall at the day of judgement find their cunning con­trivances to have been to no pur­pose. All close plots, all secret cham­berings, all curtain-sins shall then bee brought to light; all hypocrisy shall bee unveiled, and every mask pulled off. Even in the dayes of his flesh Christ knew what was in man, [Page 40]John 2.25. hee knew Nathanael to bee a true Israelite, John 1.47. and Judas to bee a devil, John 6.70. how much more then in the day of his glorie shall hee bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the hearts? 1 Cor. 4.5. The wicked shall at that day call to the moun­tains and rocks to cover them, Rev. 6.16. but in vain. For impossible it will bee for thee to bee hid. For besides the omniscience of the Judge a whole cloud of witnesses wil ap­pear against thee. I. Every sin thou hast committed, if thou suffer it to lie down in the dust with thee, will bee sure to rise up in judgement against thee. Many sins are said to cry now, as Murder, Gen. 4.10. Uncleanness, Gen. 18.20. Oppres­sion, Isa. 5.7. Keeping-back the labourers hire, Jam. 5.4. but e­very sin will have a voice at that [Page 41]day to cry for vengeance, if its mouth bee not stopped in the mean time with that bloud which speak­eth better things, Hebr. 12.24. II. Every creature which thou hast abuled will put up a bill of en­dictment. The lands or livings that by fraud or violence thou hast u­surped, and deteinest from the right owners, even these will cry against thee, and the furrows thereof will complain, Job 31.38. If thou buildest thy house by unrighteousness, and thy chambers by wrong, wo unto thee, Jer. 22.13. for the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it, Hab. 2.11. The gold and silver that thou hast either ill got, or ill kept, or ill spent, will prove an ill treasure, even a treasure of wrath, at the last day, Jam. 5.3, 4. III. Satan, [...], that adversarie in judgement, as S. Peter calleth him, 1 Pet. 5.8. [Page 42]who hath all thy life-time been [...], a Tempter, will at the day of judgement especially make good his name [...], and play the Devil indeed, accusing thee of those sins to which he tempted thee. IV. But if all else should bee silent, thou hast that in thy bosome that will speak loud enough, a book wherein all thy works, & words, & thoughts are written. This though now perhaps seldome looked into, but closed and fast sealed, shall then bee spread wide open, & bee as bad as a thousand witnesses against thee, It wil bee a testimonie beyond all exception: for it was written all with thine own hand, & kept alway in thine own cabinet. This is one of those books mentioned Rev. 20.12. even the book of thy Conscience, which shall bear witness, and either accuse or excuse thee before thy Judge, Rom. 2.16. But indeed [Page 43]the Judge shall need no proof or evidence, for hee knoweth all things of himself, and needeth not that any should testifie of man, John 2.25. In the vast volume of his Omni­science all our membres were writ­ten before they were fashioned. Hee is not onely acquainted with all our wayes, but there is not a word in our tongue that hee knoweth not altogether: yea, hee understandeth our thoughts afarre off, as the Psal­mist most excellently, Psal. 139. As hee putteth tears into a bottle, Psal. 58.8. so hee soweth and seal­eth up transgressions in a bag, Job 14.17. Hee now setteth thine ini­quities before him, even thy secret sins in the light of his countenance, Psal. 90.8. and time will come (though thou thinkest otherwise) when hee will set all in order before thine eyes, Psal. 50.21.

Secondly, as in respect of his [Page 44]Wisdome the Judge may be said to be Totus oculus, so in respect of his power hee may bee said to bee Totus manus. Other Judges are oft hindred (as I said) in the exse­cution of Justice: But there will bee no standing against this Judge, no appealing from him. Hee is high­er then the highest, Eccl. 5.8. And his Kingdome ruleth over all, Psal. 103.19. His hand will bee found no shorter at the last day then it was at the first; but as at the begin­ning of the world so at the end his Word will bee his Work. He spake the word and we were made at first: Ps. 33.9. & when hee saith, Return yee children of men, Psal. 90.3. wee shall be made anew. With his word hee drew us all out of that old Cha­os (if I may so speak) and placed us here on earth; and with his word hee will people both heaven and hell, and fix that [...], that [Page 45] great gulf, Luke 16.26. betwixt them.

Thirdly, his Justice is of equall dimensions with his Wisdome and Power. And indeed where this is wanting in a Judge, the other two serve but to arm Iniquity, and to make it so much the more mischie­vous. But this great Judge is good as well as great. Hee is Justice it self; the true Melchisedech, the King of righteousness. His name is, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUS­NESS, Jer. 23.6. and his nature is, to love righteousness, and to hate wickedness, Psal. 45.7. Righteous­ness shall go before him, Psal. 85.13. Righteousness shall bee under him: Righteousness & judgement are the habitation of his throne. Psal. 97.2. Righteousness shall bee round about him: Righteousness shall bee the girdle of his loins, and faithful­ness the girdle of his reins, Isa. 11.7. [Page 46]So righteous hee was here upon earth, that none of his enemies could convince him of sin, John 8.46, Neither Herode nor Pilate could find any fault in him, Luke 23.14, 15. Yea, the very devil cried out, Mark 1.24. I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God. But though this Judge were ever righteous in all his wayes, and holy in all his works, Psal. 145.17. yet then espe­cially will his righteousness appear, when hee cometh, when hee cometh to judge the earth, when hee shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth, Psal. 96.13. His judgements now though ever just yet are often secret, his fa­vours and his punishments beeing so promiscuously dealt, and all things coming so alike to all, that there is no judging of love or ha­tred by outward events, Eccl. 9.1, 2. But at the last day his judgement [Page 47]will bee manifest as well as just. Now hee loveth to sit upon his mer­cie-seat and his throne of grace, to encline his ear to prayers, to bee mollified with tears, to bee swayed with sighs, to receive suits, and to grant Reprives and Pardons: But at the day of Judgement his Pati­ence and Long-suffering will bee at an end: Then no entreaties, no tears, no promisses, no friends, no media­tion shall further prevail with him; but putting-on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salva­tion upon his head, and putting-on the garments of vengeance for cloth­ing, and beeing clad with zele as a cloak, according to their deeds ac­cordingly hee will repay furie to his adversaries and recompense to his enemies, Isa. 59.17, 18.

II. If Christ shall bee the Judge, oh how shall Pilate tremble that condemned him, and Judas that be­trayed [Page 48]him, and the Jews that thirst­ed for his bloud, and all that any wayes were consenting to his death! And that (let mee tell you) many thousands are that think themselves far enough from such horrid impie­ty. They that now despise his Mini­sters, reject the offers of grace, diso­bey the Gospel, profane the Sacra­ment, count the Cross foolishness, & will not relie on a crucified Saviour, such, how well soever conceited of themselves, allow the fact of the Jews in crucifying of Christ; and, had they lived in that place and at that time, they would have had an hand in that bloud which they now trample under foot and account as a commonthing, Hebr. 10.29. Yea, they do even now in some sort cru­cifie the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame, & pierce him again & again with their sinnes, Heb. 6.6. When such as these shall behold him [Page 49]whom they have pierced, how shall their faces gather blackness, rotten­ness enter into their bones, and their hearts bee overwhelmed with fear and astonishment! They were here offended at Christs humility: they shall bee much more offended at his glorie: They were here ashamed of him: then hee will bee ashamed of them: They would not hear his gentle & mild voice to their conver­sion; they shall therefore hear his terrible and dreadfull voice to their confusion: They would not come to him for ease and refreshment, Mat. 11.29. they shall therefore depart from him into everlasting fire, Mat. 25.41. If in the state of his humi­liation hee was able with a word to throw his apprehenders on their backs, Joh. 18.6. how casily then, when hee ariseth to judgement, shall his enemies (that would not appre­hend him by faith) bee scattered, [Page 50]and they that hate him, flee before him! Psal. 68.1. Now consider this, yee that forget God, lest hee then tear you in pieces, & there bee none to deliver, Psal. 50.22. Knowing the terrour of the Lord, let us bee per­swaded to look about us while wee have time & place, before that great and notable day of the Lord come, Acts 2.20. That will bee the Lords day, a day of glorie: In this our day, the day of grace, while it is called To day, let us hearken to his voice, and consider the things that belong to our peace, lest hereafter they bee hid from our eyes, Luke 19.41. Let us now curb our lusts, & break off our sinful courses, & live in all holy conversa­tion & godliness, 2 Pet. 3.11. Let us kiss the Son, lest he bee angry, & wee perish when his wrath is kindled: Then blessed are they and onely they that put their trust in him, Psal. 2.12. I am fallen on a third Use.

III. If Christ be Judge, then lift up your heads, & comfort your hearts, all true Christians. Though his eyes bee as a flame of fire, & his voice as the sound of many waters, Rev. 1.14, 15. though a fiery stream issue & come forth from before him, Dan. 7.10. though at his coming the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, & the elements shall melt with fervent heat, & the earth & the works that are therein shall bee burnt up. 2 Pet. 3.10. though as wax melteth before the fire, the wicked perish at the pre­sence of the Judge, yet let the righte­ous bee glad, let them rejoyce yea let them exceedingly rejoice, Psal. 68.2, 3. That great flame, that shall de­vour all things else, shall not touch them. Let them not fear any thing, neither Sin, nor Satan, nor Hell. They have a Friend in the Court, that is able to save them to the ut­termost, Heb. 7.25. The Judge him­self [Page 52]that sitteth on the bench will bee their Advocate, & plead their cause. Hee is their Brother, Heb. 2.11. their Husband, 2 Cor. 11.2. their Head, Col. 1.18. their Redeemer, Rev. 5.9. Hee shed his bloud for them on the Cross; shall he not then speak a word for them on the tribunall? Hee ap­peared at his first coming like us, ta­king not onely our infirmities but our iniquities upon him, that at his second coming wee might bee like him, and appear with him in glorie, Col. 3.4. 1 Joh. 3.2. How should the consideration of this make us w ^th patience bear the Cross, & run to the Crown, make us w ^th care to prepare for Christs coming & with an earnest desire & [...] Rom. 8.19. to wish and long & look for it, still cry­ing, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly! Rev. 22.20. It remaineth now that wee speak of the third observable in the text, the Persons to bee judged, [Page 53] Wee all: Whence this doctrine,

III. The last Judgement shall bee generall. It shall bee more general then Death. Some have already e­scaped death as Enoch & Elijah: ma­ny shall escape it, even all that shall bee found alive at Christs coming, 1 Cor. 15.51. 1 Thess. 4.17. But none shall escape judgement. All that are in the graves shall hear Christs voice, Joh. 5.28. All shall appear before his judgement-seat, 2 Cor. 5.10. whether Smal or Great, Rev. 20.12. whether Quick or Dead, Acts 10.42. whether Just or Un­just, Acts 24.15. So that the Pro­phets Many, Dan. 12.2. is to be ex­pounded by the Apostles All here; All shall awake out of the dust, for All shall stand before the tribunall; high & low, rich and poor, one with another, from him that sitteth on the throne to her that grindeth at the mill. There shall bee no acception or [Page 54]exception of persons no sanctuarie or hiding place, no bribe, no appeal, no appearing by Proxy or Atturney, no pleading by Counsel, but every man shall stand at the barre in his own person to give account of himself to the Judge. Every mans actions shall bee scanned, and sifted & weighed in the balance of the Sanctuarie: Every one shal be tried & judged by Gods Law concerning every thing that hee hath done in his body whether good or bad, 2 Cor. 5.10. Yea, not onely deeds, but words shall bee accounted for, Matth. 12.36. yea, thoughts, Acts 8.22. Ro. 2.16. yea, not onely commissions of evil, but omissions of good; not onely the wasting of our substance with the Prodigall, but the not employing of our talent with the slothfull servant. Thou must bee rec­koned with for all that God hath be­stowed on thee, for all the gifts of na­ture, for all the means of grace, for e­very [Page 55]Sabbath thou hast enjoyed, for every Sermon thou hast heard, for e­very blessing received, for every cor­rection inflicted, for the time that God hath lent thee, & the opportu­nitles of well-doing. Thou shalt bee questioned how thou hast used the membres of thy body, how thou hast employed the faculties of thy soul, how thou hast gotten and how thou hast spent thine estate, how thou ca­mest into and how thou hast dischar­ged thy calling. Every man shall bee summoned in particular to give an account of his stewardship, Luke 16.2. An exact and strict survey shall bee taken of all that wee have done, spoken, thought; of every ro­ving cogitation idle word, unadvised action; of every duty omitted, sinne committed, creature abused, means neglected, time misspent. Here wee take notice but of a few matters a­miss in our lives; but at that day the [Page 56]least sinnes shall bee made to appear before all the world. For as in the beams of the Sun the least motes are discerned, so shall the smallest pecca­dillos bee discovered by the bright­ness of Christs coming. And if the least, how much more the greatest? If for every idle word that men speak they shall give account in the day of judgement, Matth. 12.36. how much more for Lying, Swearing, Forswearing, Cursing, Blasphem­ing? If wee must bee answerable for the utmost farthing, how much more for Covetousness Oppression, Glut­tony, Drunkenness, Theft, Adul­terie, Murder, Rebellion? The con­sideration of this strict tribunall ma­keth the godly themselves oft to tremble and quake. Quoties diem illum considero, toto corde contremi­sco, saith Hierome. And if holy men bee afraid, oh what cause have pro­fane ones to bee astonished! If the [Page 57]righteous searcely bee saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? 1 Pet. 4.18. How will the faces of all wicked wretches bee covered with shame, when those abominable sinnes which they now dig deep to hide from the ey of the world, shall all bee made manifest to men and angels! If yee ask mee now, as they Acts 2.37. What shall wee do, that wee may stand with comfort before the judgement-seat of Christ? I answer;

• I. Let us all judge our selves un­partially.
• II. Let none judge others rash­ly.
• III. Let Magistrates judge justly.

I. Such is the Knowledge and Power of the Judge (as yee have heard) that it will bee altogether impossible for any man to hide him­self from him. Neither the moun­tains [Page 58]nor the waves will bee able to cover thee from him that will com­mand the Sea, the Earth, Death and Hell to give-up their dead, Rev. 20.13. But though thou canst not con­ceal thy person, yet (which is far better) thou mayest conceal thy sins from the ey of the Judge, by confes­sing and forsaking them now: 1 Joh. 1.9. Psal. 32.5. If thou discover them now, they will bee covered then. If in the petite Court of thine own Conscience thou call thy self to accompt, and condemn thy self for thy transgressions, thou shalt bee acquitted at the generall Assises. Hear the Wise mans words: Prov. 28, 13. Hee that hideth his sins, shall not prosper; but hee that con­fesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercie. So S. Peter, Acts 3.19. Repent yee, and bee converted, that your sins may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall [Page 59]come from the presence of the Lord. Every sin wee committ, God setteth it on our score, till wee repent: but penitent tears wash all out. This Peter having found true by expe­rience, Mark 14.72. & 16.7. commendeth a Remedie with a Pro­batum est. David, Manasseh, Ma­rie Magdalene, all Gods Saints, have proved this course effectuall. Let us take it. Let us arraign our­selves at the barre of our own con­science, rip-up our hearts and lives, confess our sins with sorrow and shame, condemn ourselves for them, repent unfeignedly of them, and turn from them, and then wee shall find all blotted out at that day. The Judge will take all on himself, will plead for us, and discharge us. But if wee cover our transgressions, as Adam, by hiding our iniquity in our bosome, Job 31.33. wee shall find that as the bushes could not [Page 60]hide him, so neither shall the hills hide us. For if wee neglect this du­ty, assure wee ourselves the Judge will not; but if wee forget our sins, hee will remember them; and if wee cast them behind our backs, hee will set them in order before our faces, Psal. 50.21. Oh let us not put the Judge to this, but let us save him the labour of judging by judging ourselves. His judgement (as yee have heard) is terrible; It is a fear­full thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Hebr. 10.31. and who may stand in his sight when once hee is angry? Psal. 76.7. but our judging of ourselves is prosi­table. For though haply for the pre­sent (as Correction, Hebr. 12.11.) it bee not joyous but grievous, yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those that are exercised thereby. For so saith the Apostle, If wee would judge [Page 61]ourselves, wee should not bee judged, that is, wee should not bee condemn­ed with the world, 1 Cor. 11.31, 32, This is one Use.

II. If yee would not bee judged yourselves, then judge not others. It is our Saviours caveat, Matth. 7.1. Judge not, that yee bee not judged; yea, and the Apostles argu­ment in this very place, Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for wee shall all stand before the judge­ment-seat of Christ. So it should bee read: for there is an illative par­ticle, [...], in the Originall, which should not have been left out in the Translation. This For ushereth-in a double argument against proud and Pharisaicall judging, against busy and uncharitable censuring of other men, one from the persons to bee judged at the last day, ano­ther from the Judge: 1. Wee shall [Page 62]all bee judged: therefore leave med­dling with thy brothers affairs, and look well to thy self. 2. Christ is the Judge of all: therefore usurp not his office; step not from the barre to the bench. This would bee presumption and sacrilege; the o­ther, folly and uncharitableness. S. James argueth after the same ma­ner, Jam. 4.11, 12. Speak not evill one of another, brethren: Hee that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? What absurd and sawcy impudence would it bee for prisoners, who are all in the same condemnation, to doom and damne one another? Yet how common is this sin, this [...], [Page 63]this putting an oar into other mens boats? Who is there al­most that is not more curious to en­quire after others, then carefull to mind his own duty? more ready to say as Peter concerning John, John 21.21. What shall this man do? then, as they to him, Acts 2.37. What shall I do? How usuall a thing is it to hear the Countrey-man blame the Citizen, and the Citizen the Countrey-man, and both the Clergy-man? how ordinarie, even among those that profess religion, to find men spying motes and strain­ing gnats in their brethren, and yet bearing beams and swallowing ca­mels in themselves! Matth. 7.3. & 23.24. And truly for the most part such as are so quick-sighted a­broad, are, as the Lamiae, blind at home. It is a good observation of Plutarch's, that as it is a shrewd signe that they have a durty and an [Page 64]ill-ordered house of their own, who love to gad much abroad, so it is probable that they have foul con­sciences in their bosomes that love to peep much into other mens mat­ters. This wee gather from Matth. 7.3. No ey so good at spying a mote as that which hath a beam in it. None so ready to find fault with the wast of the ointment as hee that was about to sell his Masters bloud, John 12.4, 5. Know this, who­ever thou art that busiest thy self with thy brothers accounts and thy Masters office, that thy condemning of others will not excuse thy self. I have heard it hath been so some­times in Courts below, that an of­fender hath escaped by impeaching his fellows: but it will bee so far from standing thee in stead at the barre above, that it will bee added to the bill of thy sinnes, and enflame thy rekoning. See what the Apostle [Page 65]saith, Rom. 2.1. Thou art inexcu­sable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest. Leave prying there­fore into other mens actions and passing thy sentence upon them, and turn thine ey inward, and examin thine own conscience, and I war­rant thee thou shalt find matter enough at home to find fault with, and business enough to cast-up thine own accounts, and no leisure or list at all to cast stones at others, John 8.7.

Obj. Doth not our Saviour say, Matth. 7.16, 20. By their fruits yee shall know them? therefore jud­ging his lawfull. Or, if judging bee not lawfull, down with the Magi­strate.

Resp. When actions are notori­ously evil, we may reprove and cen­sure them, we ought to beware of the persons that committ them, yea wee may safely judge the tree to be yet [Page 66]evill that is wont to bear such fruit: But to determin the finall condition of such a tree, and to say it shall bee feuell for hell, is high and dangerous presumption. For ought thou know­est God may better the nature of it, and make it a plant of Paradise. Judge nothing therefore before the time, 1 Cor. 4.5. nothing rashly, nothing harshly, nothing without ground, nothing against charity. Such judging it is that the Scripture forbiddeth.

But this maketh nothing against publick judging, nothing against the civile Magistrate, whose calling is as clearly warranted by Gods Word as the exsecution thereof is profitable to humane society. By mee Kings reigne, and Princes decree justice: By mee Princes rule and nobles, even all the Judges of the earth, Pro. 8.15 16. The Judge here in the text would not invade the Judges office, Luke [Page 67]12.14. and commandeth that Ce­sar have his due as well as God, Matth. 22.21. The Apostles agree with their Master: S. Paul, Rom. 13. telleth us that the Magistrate is or­dained of God and that hee is the Minister of God for our good; & that wee must afford him subjection tri­bute, fear, honour. S. Peter saith the like, 1 Pet. 11.13-17. And S. Jude sharply inveigheth against such as despise dominion, & speak evil of dignities, vers. 8. Since the Scripture is so clear for this point, how into­lerably too blame are they that abuse this spirituall sword to blunt the edge of the temporall, & slander Magistracy and civile Justice, as if it could not stand with Religion & Christianity! Such affronts as these that are put upon the Judgement­seat it self mee thinketh should rouse up the spirit even of a Gallio, and make him, how carelesse soever of [Page 68]other things, to take care of himself and his freehold. God put true zele and courage into the hearts of all Magistrates, that they may magni­fie their office by doing justice and judgement. That is the third Use of the Text, That

III. Judges should judge justly. Of this but a word; Verbum sapi­enti. The Apostle saith, Wee shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ: Let mee a little alter the words, & tell all Judges and Magi­strates, That Christ standeth before their judgement-seats. The Aethio­pians (as Franciscus Alvarez report­eth) used to set many chairs about the tribunalls of Judges, imagin­ing their Gods would come and sit down in them. That which they did but imagin, the Scripture assu­reth us of, That the Lord is with Judges in the judgement, 2 Chron. 19.6. That God standeth in the con­gregation [Page 69]of the mighty, and jud­geth among the Gods, Ps. 82.1. The Turkish Justicers in the Divan (they say) dare at no time transgress the Law, because sometimes the Empe­rour is wont to stand behind the hangings, and they know not when hee is absent: How much more should Christian Magistrates, and all that have to do in Courts of judicature, stand in aw, and sinne not, when they consider that the Lord is ever amongst them, and though they see him not, yet hee ta­keth notice of every person, and ob­serveth every particular; the ground and menaging, and issue of every suit; what conscience the Jury make of their oath; the maner and mo­tives of the Lawyers pleading, and of the Judges giving sentence! How should this make them all (as Jehoshaphat enjoyneth, 2 Chron. 19.6.) take heed what they do; espe­cially [Page 70]the Judge, who beeing Super­intendent over the whole affair, is accountable not onely for his own actions, but for whatsoever miscar­riages hee might have hindred, or should have punished, and did not. Let every one therefore that sitteth on the Bench think of that dreadfull Tribunall in the Text, and let him not so much look about him, or be­low him, to consider his power, as above him, to consider him that gave him his commission, and to whom hee must render an account. In some countreyes Judges were pictured without eyes, and Justice commonly is so: But God grant our Judges and Justices may have their eyes in their heads, and fix one on him that seeth in secret, and the other on the cause that is brought before them. And indeed let them but bethink and bespeak themselves with Job, What shall wee do when [Page 71]God riseth up? and when hee visit­eth, what shall wee answer him? Job 31.14. and they will readily follow Jobs practice, and not with­hold the poor from their desire, nor cause the eyes of the widow to fail, nor lift up their hand against the fatherless, though they see their help in the gate, vers. 16, 21. They will follow the Prophets counsel, Isa. 33.15. They will walk righteously, speak uprightly, despise the gain of oppressions, and shake their hands from holding of bribes; They will neither suffer the golden eloquence of Advocates that plead in publick, nor the eloquent gold of such as would bribe in pri­vate, to blind their eyes, and cause them to pervert or deny or delay justice; They will contemne the favours, and frowns, and threats of men, though never so mighty or many; They will not bee charmed [Page 72]by letters, or suits; they will not bee led by passion, or prejudice, or par­tiality; but they will hear the small as well as the great, Deut. 1.17. and punish the great as well as the small, and administer justice with­out respect of persons. Thus righ­teous will Judges bee in their judge­ments, if they will sadly and fre­quently fix their thoughts on the judgement-seat of Christ. They will serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling, Psal. 2.11. they will fear to offend him, and bee carefull to please and imitate him: And so doing, (besides the many positive blessings that shall flow from their judgement-seats) they shall bee a means to prevent and remove temporall judgements from the places where they live; and when Death shall summon them hence, they shall bee able to stand in the judgement at the generall Assises; [Page 73]and when unrighteous Judges and mighty sinners shall bee doom­ed to mighty torments, they shall receive a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give them at that day; and not to them onely, but to all them also that love his ap­pearing, 2 Tim. 4.8. To whom with the Fa­ther and the holy Ghost be all ho­nour and glorie now and for ever. Amen.