The Pulpit Of The Reformation Part 1

The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

by John Welch, and Bishop Latimer and John Knox.

THE LAST JUDGMENT.

BY THE REV. JOHN WELCH, A. D. 1570-1622.

REV. xx. 11.-_And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away._

The security of all flesh is wonderous great, for there is a fearful sleep fallen both upon the good and the evil. The foolish virgins are sound asleep, and the wise are asleep also. And suppose the Lord be at the door, and the hour of judgment at hand, and the seventh angel ready to blow the last trumpet, when time shall be no more; yet it is scarcely one of a thousand, yea, one of ten thousand, is to be found that is prepared, and busying themselves to meet the Lord, who is making speed to come in the clouds: and how soon that fire shall break forth, which shall kindle the heavens above your head, and the earth under your feet, and shall set all on fire; how soon the trumpet shall blow, and the shout shall cry, "Rise, Dead, and come to judgment," is only known to G.o.d, and to no mortal man.

Will ye not then be wakened till this trumpet waken you? And will none of you take pains to look over the leaves of your conscience, and read what sins are written there, since ye came into the world, before that day of doom come upon you? O that ye knew that eternity, and that terror of the day of the Lord, when the heavens above you, and the earth beneath you, shall not be able to stand before the face of him that sits on the throne!

Therefore I hope the Lord has made choice to me of this text, at this time, to give you warning before the judgment come. Ye know the watchman that the Lord takes from among the people, that he sets over the city or house to credit to them, "If ye see the sword and pestilence coming, and warn them not, the blood of them that perish under the judgment for lack of warning, will be required at his hand," that is, the watchman's; therefore it is time for me to be making warning to you, and, in the measure of strength that G.o.d will give me, I am to make warning not of a temporal judgment, but of an everlasting judgment that is coming on, (G.o.d waken you and warn you in time!) that when ye shall see the Judge sit on his throne, your hearts may not tremble at his awful countenance, having gotten your souls washed in his blood. But, to come to the purpose, there are many visions in this book, and there are many things done here, that the Son shews to his servant John. He shews him first the present state of the Church at that time in the world, under the name of seven stars, and he tells, "they are suffering, and had patience; and they laboured for his name's sake, and fainted not; but yet he had somewhat against them, because they had forsaken their first love." Some were in tribulation and poverty, but yet rich in G.o.d; some kept the name of Jesus, and denied not the faith, suppose they should had given their blood for it, as the faithful martyr Antipas did; but yet he had a few things against them, because they maintained the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing he hated. Some had love, service, faith, and patience, and their work was more at the last than at the first; but yet they suffered the false prophetess Jezebel to be among them, to whom he threatens he will cast her into a bed of affliction, and them that commit fornication with her, except they repent them of their works. There were some whose works were not found perfect before G.o.d; therefore he exhorts them to remember how they had heard, and received; he bids them hold fast and repent, otherwise, he tells, that he will come shortly against them. Some had a little strength, and kept his word, and denied not his name; therefore he promises to deliver them in the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world to try the whole earth. Some were neither cold nor hot; and therefore, because they were lukewarm, he tells them that it would come to pa.s.s, that he would spew them out of his mouth; they thought they were rich and increased in goods, and had need of nothing, but they know not that they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; and then he counsels them to buy of him gold tried in the fire, that they might be rich, and white raiment, that they might be clothed, and eye-salve that they might see. So what is your case this day? Have ye not forsaken your first love? But as for tribulation, it is not yet come; for our days have been days of peace, of light, liberty, and glory; but as for tribulation it is not yet come; but as the Lord lives, the days of tribulation are not far off. As for false doctrine, G.o.d be praised, it is not among us yet, or, at least, if it be, it dare not be avowed yet; but I fear, that, who lives to see it, they shall see heresy and corruption in doctrine and religion creep in piece and piece, in this Church; and if our works be found perfect before G.o.d, or not, the Lord knows the contrary, and your own consciences bear witness to it; and if your life be answerable to your name, I leave it to your consciences to judge, if we have not a name that we are living, and yet are dead; and whether this be not the doleful state of the generation that is neither cold nor hot. It is clear, the zeal of the glory of G.o.d, being so worn out of the hearts of all, plainly declares the same. But I leave this. After he had shewed him the present state of the Church, at that time, then he tells him what shall be the state of the Church unto the end of the world.

And _first_, in the vision of a sealed book, containing these acts concerning the Church, which none could open but the Lion of the tribe of Judah, for it was sealed with seven seals. Now, what was contained in these seven seals? This will take a larger time to declare than now is meet to ware upon it.

Mark always of these things spoken, there are three consolations to the Church of G.o.d; howsoever it be that she be in tribulation, or poverty, and affliction; and albeit it come to pa.s.s, that the devil cast some of them in prison, that they may be tried, and some have tribulation ten days, which is but a short time; and howsoever it be that our adversary goes about continually like "a roaring lion, seeking whom to devour;" but yet, "he that rides on the white horse," with the badge at his belt, and the arrows at his side, he shall get the victory at the end of the world; and to them that are faithful to the death, he shall give them a crown of life.

Mark _next_, suppose the sword, the famine, the pestilence, these temporal judgments, be common to the G.o.dly as well as to the wicked, yet there is consolation to the "souls of them that are slain for the testimony of Jesus, they are lying under the altar, and they cry with a loud voice, Lord, how long, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood upon them that dwell on the earth?" Then it was said unto them, "that they should rest for a little season, until their fellow-servants and brethren, that should be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled."

Mark, _thirdly_, the sixth seal is opened, "and there was a great earthquake, and the sun was as black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon was like blood, and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, and heaven departed away as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places; and then the kings of the earth, and the great men, and rich men, and the captains, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in dens and rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the presence of him that sits on the throne, and from the face of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" Then shall the Church of G.o.d be avenged on her enemies; then she shall have power over the nations, and shall rule them with a rod of iron, and as the vessels of a potter they shall be broken; then shall the saints of G.o.d be brought out of great tribulation, and have their long robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb; they shall be in the presence of the throne of G.o.d, and serve him both day and night in his temple; and he that sits on the throne shall live among them, and he that is in the midst of the throne shall govern them, and shall lead them to the lively fountains of waters, and G.o.d shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Now, I go forward. After this, he tells him, before this day the Gospel shall be wonderfully restrained; "And the bottomless pit shall be opened, and the smoke of that pit shall arise as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air shall be made dark with that smoke: and out of that smoke shall come locusts upon the earth, and they shall have power as the scorpions of the earth have, and the pain of them shall be as the pain of a scorpion, when he have stung a man. And in these days men shall seek death, and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall fly from them." Then he tells two woes that shall come upon the earth, the one of the Antichrist, the other of the Turk, "who shall run through the world and slay the third part of men, and shall lead their great army of twenty times ten thousand hors.e.m.e.n of war, and there should be two witnesses raised up, and power should be given them to prophesy so many days clothed in sackcloth; and if any man should hurt them, fire should proceed out of their mouth and devour their enemies; and when they have fulfilled their testimonies, they should be slain by the beast that came out of the bottomless pit, but they should rise again; and the spirit of life coming up from G.o.d, should enter into them, and they should stand upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them that seized them, and then shall they ascend up to heaven in a cloud in the sight of their enemies."

And at last, "The seventh angel shall blow his trumpet, and the dead shall rise, and every man shall receive according to his works." This he does till he comes to the twelfth chapter, then he tells him, "The fights of the dragon with the woman, and her seed that kept the commands of her G.o.d, and kept the testimony of Jesus Christ." Then he tells him, "the two empires of the two beasts, Antichrist and the Turk, and the manner of every one of them." Then he tells, "The n.o.ble company of the Lamb that stands in mount Zion, even the hundred and forty and four thousand, having their Father's name written on their fore-heads; and how he heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and as the sound of a great thunder; and he heard the noise of harpers harping with their harps; they sung, as it were, a new song before the throne, and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were brought from the earth." He tells what they were, saying, "These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes, and these were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits to G.o.d, and to the Lamb: and in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without spot before the throne of G.o.d." Then he tells, "That another angel flew in the midst of heaven, with the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them which dwell on the earth;" and that is the same Gospel which I preach unto you, even this, "Fear G.o.d, and give glory to him, for the hour of judgment is come; and wors.h.i.+p him that made the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Then he tells, "that another angel cried, It is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon that great city, she made all the nations to drink of the wine of her fornication. Ay, Rome, thou shalt be taken and burnt in a furnice of fire, and a mill-stone shall be bound about thy neck, and thou shalt be cast into the midst of the sea, and shalt be drowned; there thou shalt fall, and thy fall shall make heaven and earth, and all the angels and saints to rejoice at thy fall. Ay, G.o.d shall put it into the hearts of the kings to do it; we know not what kings they are; and then the bride shall prepare her for the bridegroom's coming in the clouds."

Next again, of _seven vials_ he sets down again almost the same things that he prophesied before; and now here, last of all, he lets him see the last judgment. Would you know then what is here? See ye yon great throne?

Ye shall see the Judge standing on the throne; ye shall all see both heaven and earth flee away from his face, ye shall all see the dead, great and small, and yourselves among the rest, standing before G.o.d; and ye shall all see the books opened, and the dead judged according to their works, and death and h.e.l.l cast into the lake of fire, even those that had their hands in his heart's blood, and those that pierced his side with a spear, and those that rivetted him with nails, both hands and feet, they shall see it also. The elect shall see it, as Job says, "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the last day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet I shall see G.o.d in my flesh: whom myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reins were consumed in me." And this was his consolation; even so those very eyes of yours, and no other, shall see with terror or with joy, either to your endless comfort, or to your endless condemnation. Now, what sees he? First, he sees a throne; ye know a throne is set for a judge to sit on; so he sees a throne whereon the Judge of the whole earth is to sit on; therefore he shall come to be a Judge. He came before, at his first coming, not to sit on a throne, nor to be a Judge, but to be judged before thrones and tribunals of men; for John says, "That he sent not his Son that he should condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." Christ himself says, "Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you?" And in another place, "The Son of man came not to judge, but be judged himself." In his first coming, he comes from high majesty to baseness and humility; he came from his Father's glory to shame and ignominy; he came from a palace to a crib; from the seat of his majesty to a tree; he came like a Lamb to be slain, and as a Saviour to save sinners: as the Apostle says, it was a true saying, "That Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief;"

Christ himself says, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance;" and therefore that is the name that the angel gives him, when he appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, and "thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins; and they shall call his name Emmanuel, that is, G.o.d with us," our G.o.d made flesh, our G.o.d manifested in the flesh. So I say, in his first testimony, he comes as a Saviour and Mediator between G.o.d and man; but in his last coming, he shall not come as a Lamb, but as a Judge, convoyed with all his angels and saints in heaven; he shall come in flaming fire, kindling the heavens before him, in melting the elements and earth beneath him; he shall come with a blast of the trumpet, with the archangel, to gather all people from the four corners of the earth; and he shall come with a peremptory sentence, from the which there shall be no appellation, and of which there shall be no revocation, ever again or again calling; and he shall come with his reward in his hand, to every man according to his works which he has done in this world, be they evil, be they good. Now, ye see he has a throne, he has a throne of grace; as the Apostle to the Hebrews says, "Let us go boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace in time of need." Now he is sitting on a throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace in time of need; and now he holds the door of mercy open, and lets in every penitent sinner that comes; therefore I testify unto you, if ye will flee from your sins, if ye will cast away the works of darkness, if ye will hate and detest all sort of iniquity, and if thou wilt run to the throne of grace now, I will a.s.sure thee thou shalt find mercy, and grace in the time of need; so now is the throne of grace and mercy, but afterwards thou shalt see the throne of glory and justice. Now is the good Shepherd seeking his lost sheep, and finding them, to drink of the wells of the water of life, and to eat of the fat things of his own house; but afterwards, such as would not be gathered of him, he shall bind them hand and foot, and cast them into outer darkness. Now he pities them that will not come home, as he said to Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have gathered thee, as a hen doth her birds under her wings, but thou wouldst not: behold, your habitation shall be made desolate." So wo to the souls that repine and refuse to be fetched within the sweet and loving arms of the Son of G.o.d, even those b.l.o.o.d.y arms which were stretched out upon a tree. Now, discern, I pray you, betwixt his first coming and his last coming; for now is the time of grace, and now is the spirit of grace offered, and now is the throne of grace set up, and now is the rainbow, which is the sign of the covenant of life, round about the throne, and now the twelve ports of that new Jerusalem are standing open, that all may come in; therefore, wo to the soul that shall sit till this time of grace pa.s.s over, and will not come in in time.

But I will go forward. Now, ye see two things in that throne, the one is a _great_ throne, the other is a _white_ throne. Let kings keep silence of their thrones, and speak of this throne. O ye kings, will ye look to the heavens above you, and see that white cloud, and upon the cloud one standing like the Son of man, having upon his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle, who thrusts his sharp sickle in the earth, and cuts down the vine of the vineyards of the earth, and casts them into the great wine-press of the wrath of G.o.d; so he calls it a _great_ throne.

Solomon's throne was great which he made of ivory, and had six steps, and twelve lions, two on every step, and the queen of the South was astonished when she saw it; and it is said in the Canticles, "Come forth, O daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his marriage, and in the day of the gladness of his heart." But will ye come out, ye daughters of Zion, and see here another throne nor Solomon's, another crown nor his crown? It is a _great_ throne, so that all the monarchs' thrones under heaven, what are they in comparison with this throne? Nothing. Therefore no wonder that the twenty-four elders take their own crowns, and cast them down before his throne; and it is no wonder that they fall down before him that sits on the throne, and wors.h.i.+p him that lives for evermore, saying, "Thou art worthy to receive glory, honour, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy will's sake they are created." O that the men of the world saw this throne! And, O that ye did see the greatness of the majesty of his throne!

Now he calls it _great_, because of him that sits on it; _great_, because of them that stand about it; _great_, because of them that shall be judged there; and last of all, _great_, because of the judgment itself. Now, who sits on it? O! the Judge of the whole world, G.o.d himself, that infinite Essence that men and angels have borrowed their being from, even he whose glorious face the seraphims and cherubims cannot behold for the brightness thereof; and therefore they have wings to cover their faces, because they cannot bear to see him, much less so then can any mortal man see his face and live; he that rides on his white horse, and tramples under foot all his enemies, and treads them in the wine-press of his wrath without the city; therefore rejoice, all ye whose garments are made white in the blood of the Lamb, for his throne shall not terrify you, because of the Judge that sits thereon: for he is thy brother, thy Advocate, and thy Saviour. O blessed for evermore is the soul of the righteous, and of such as are reconciled with the great G.o.d, before he come to sit on this throne.

Now, I said, it was _great_ in respect of him that sits thereon; _next_, in respect of them that stand about it. Ye see a judge has his a.s.sizers that sit in judgment with him, and consent to his sentence; so this great Judge has his a.s.sizers, for there is not one of his angels shall be left in heaven, but all shall stand about this throne, and all the saints on earth shall be caught up in the air, and they shall all have thrones set about his throne. O the fairest parliament that ever was in the world! O!

behold the King crowned with many crowns, standing in the midst, and all the King's servants with their crowns on their heads, and also the saints with palms in their hands, sitting on thrones about that throne.

_Thirdly_, Great is this throne, because great is the number of persons that shall be there. All men and women in the world must be judged here; there is never a reprobate that ever took life, but he shall be judged here, and all the elect and saints of G.o.d shall be judged here also, (so fair is this parliament,) six thousand years' generations shall all stand there, waiting to receive an eternal and final judgment.

_Last_ of all, _Great_ is this throne, because great shall be the judgment that shall come forth from this throne. Lords of the Session think their judgments great; but come out here, and see to whom the new city Jerusalem in heaven shall be given, and who shall be cast into the lake of fire.

Now, compare all these together, and see if this throne be not great; great is he that sits on the throne, even the Prince of life, and G.o.d of glory, and the Judge of all the world; great is his synod, even all the elect angels and saints, from the beginning of the world to the end of the world; for ye that are in Christ shall be glorified in the clouds, and the sight of your glory shall aggravate the torment of the reprobates, because they might have had it, and would not take it; and then you shall rule them with a rod of iron, and as a potter's vessel they shall be broken; and great is the number of them that shall be judged; for let all flesh prepare them for it, even kings and emperors, those that wore many crowns on the earth, must appear naked before the throne. Alexander, thou worest many crowns, conquered many nations, but yet thou must stand up naked as thou was born, and thou must render a reckoning of thy conquests.

But I leave this. Again, you see this throne is _white_. What means this whiteness? It is innocency or righteousness, and full of s.h.i.+ning brightness, of an unspeakable joy. Innocent and righteous; how so? Because the Judge is white, innocent, and righteous; all his a.s.sizers that shall sit round about him, they are white, innocent, white and righteous; all his citations, summonses and convictions, sentences and executions, are innocent and righteous; so all is white, the Judge, the unspotted innocent and undefiled Lamb of G.o.d, sitting on his throne of justice, and ordained deputy of his Father, to judge both the quick and the dead, he in whose heart was never found guile; therefore Abraham said, "Shall not the Judge of the world judge righteously?" So this Judge is white, innocent, and he is bright and glorious. Peter, James, and John, saw him white on the mount Tabor, when he was transfigured, "and his face s.h.i.+ned as the sun, and his raiment white as the light; and when Peter said, Master, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." Matth. xvii. 1, 2, 3. Ay, Peter, but this shall be a whiter appearing, and thou shalt think it better to be with him here. Ay, Lord, it is true, _white_ wast thou upon mount Tabor, but whiter shalt thou be in the clouds.

He is _white_ again, in respect of his citations. O that our hearts were ravished with the consideration of thy righteous and just citing and summoning of all men, when thou shalt cause the earth, grave, h.e.l.l, and the sea, and all places, thrust out of them all their dead; just shalt thou be in glorifying the souls and bodies of them that glorify thee on earth; and just shalt thou be in glorifying thyself, by tormenting the souls and bodies of them that dishonoured thee on earth.

He is _white_ in respect of his accusations, for there shall be nothing read in thy ditty, but that which shall be found written either in one leaf of thy conscience or other; there the sins of thy conception, there the sins of thy youth, there the sins of thy ignorance, there the sins against the light of thy conscience, and there the sins against the law, and there the sins against the gospel, and all shall be presented to thy conscience. O! well is the soul and conscience that dare lift up the head with rejoicing, and can say, "Thou Lamb of G.o.d, thou takest away the sins of the world," thou tookest away my sins when thou wast on the tree. And can any body tell how ye will compear before this throne that were never cleansed with the blood of Jesus? O! that blackness and darkness, which is abiding that soul which never yet ran to the blood of the Lamb, to make itself white in it; so the raising of all, the compearing of all, the accusation of all, the conviction of all, shall be just, and G.o.d shall be glorified in all.

There is also the absolution of the righteous, and the condemnation of the wicked; and therefore the throne is called white, because of the innocency and righteousness of the Judge. Now, brethren, I will go no further at this time than this that follows or remains to be spoken of, the majesty and terror of the Judge sitting on his throne, "and him that sat on it."

Many shall sit on thrones in that day, but one shall sit above all the rest, for the saints shall be caught up in the air, and shall all sit on thrones, and give out sentence both of absolution and condemnation, and they shall say, "Hallelujah, salvation, and glory, and power, be to the Lord our G.o.d, for true and righteous are his judgments." I could never yet rightly consider the majesty of this Judge. O heavens! what aileth thee to flee from the face of this Judge. O earth! what aileth thee to flee, and why art thou chased away, and never seen again? What ails thee, O heavens, that never sinned, and, O earth, that never sinned neither, for they had never understanding to be capable of a law, nor to be subject to keep a law. What means this? O but I must leave this! for who can but wonder at this! Yet I will tell you the cause. You and I, and the generations before that this firmament has seen, and this earth seen or born, since the first day that G.o.d made the earth, and established this heaven and earth, and since that day that Adam eat of the forbidden tree, since that day heaven and earth have been eye-witnesses of our sins, and subject to vanity, and since that day they have been defiled with our iniquities, and since that time they have been subject to bondage and corruption, and therefore they groan with us also, and travail with pain together until this present; and therefore, in that great day, they cannot abide the face of the Judge.

Now, what is the fruit ye should make of this? I thank my G.o.d that I preach unto you so sure a gospel, even the oracles of the eternal G.o.d; the earth and the heavens shall pa.s.s away, but this word and oracles shall never pa.s.s away; therefore it is not a doubtsome message that I carry unto you, for it is surer than the heavens, and surer than the earth; and these eyes of yours, that have seen both the truth of this spoken here. O that the Lord would fill my heart, with this verity, that I might eat it and drink it, and feed upon it continually, and that he would fill me with the spirit of exhortation, that I might exhort you to meditate on this truth, both day and night, that the remembrance of that day might never go out of your hearts. O that you would do it, even for his sake that left you his heart's blood to slocken that fire which will burn both the heavens and the earth: therefore hear, hear! What should you hear? things of the last importance. Is h.e.l.l, is heaven, is the terror of that day of any importance? And this is not the blessing of mount Gerizim, but that everlasting blessing which the Judge of all the world shall p.r.o.nounce out of his mouth, saying, "Ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world." And it is nothing to the curse of the mount Ebal, but it is that everlasting curse and malediction which the Son of G.o.d shall p.r.o.nounce, saying, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."

(And what shall I say to you?) This day is coming, and the Lord is preparing himself to come down through the clouds, to sit on a great white throne, and the archangel is putting the trumpet to his mouth, and he is near to the blowing of it, and the rest of the angels are but waiting when they shall give the last shout, "Rise, dead, and come to judgment," the Bridegroom is coming, and the heaven and the earth are waiting when the Lord shall come in his glory, in flaming fire, to burn them up.

Now, brethren, what should ye do then? It is but this one thing that I will charge you with, hear what I am to say to you, I bear the message of G.o.d, and I preach the Gospel that shall judge you; and I am here sent of G.o.d to tell you what is his will towards you; therefore I charge you all before G.o.d, and his Son Christ Jesus, every man and woman, let this be your occupation this day, turn over the leaves of your conscience, and see there what is the ditty that thou hast pinned up against thyself, since the day that thou wast born, and look on thy sins before the Lord, and come and spread them before the Judge, and crave pardon of them, now in the day of grace; for he is ready to forgive thee and thy sins, were they never so great; for aye the redder that thy soul has been, the virtue of his blood shall appear the greater in cleansing thee from thy sins; therefore let none of you scare at the greatness of your sins; for here I testify unto you, that if any of you be condemned, it shall not be for your sins, but it shall be for contempt of that blood which shall condemn you. O G.o.d! full of mercy and goodness, and of fatherly care and providence, and never a greater providence found I in my lifetime, than I found this last time in my journey, I thank my G.o.d for it; and here I avow, if this blood of mine should go for it, it was acceptable service to G.o.d we did that day; I know there were many that sent up their prayers to G.o.d for the maintenance of his liberty, I am sure the Lord heard you; for I say to you, the room was never that I came to, but I found the Lord meeting me there, and confirming me that all was well and acceptable to him; so that I never found sweeter providence since I was born; I see the Lord's hand is not shortened. O Scotland! O that thou wouldst repent, and mourn for the contempt of this so great a light that has s.h.i.+ned in thee; then thou shouldst see as glorious a day on G.o.d's poor Church within this land, as ever was seen in any church before from the beginning; then the Lord should be strong, and glorious, and wonderful in all the hearts of his own. What is it to him to run sixteen or eighteen score of miles to London, and then run to the hearts of kings, princes, and n.o.bles of the land, and humble them, and subject them to the crown and kingdom of Jesus Christ; but, let them think of it what they will, I know who has approven of us, for it is the running of the Gospel through the whole land, and it is that the net of Christ may be spread over all, that if it were possible we may gather in a world in it, that they might not perish; it is that which we seek, and when I look to the eternity of wrath that is abiding the wicked of this world, then I may say, who would not pity a world of sinners? But I leave this, and I will give G.o.d the praise of his own glory, that he can begin and he can perfect his own work in you: therefore this is my pet.i.tion to G.o.d, that ye may all be presented blameless before him in that great day. Therefore I beseech you all, for Christ's sake, that every one of you would come in time, by speedy repentance, and that you would take up Christ in the arms of your souls, and that ye would take a fill of his flesh and blood, that ye may never hunger and thirst any more; and, in like manner, he may know you in that great day to be his own sheep, marked with his own blood. Will ye have any pleasure at his coming, when ye have eaten and drunken, and taken your pleasure here, and then shall be flung into h.e.l.l hereafter? So I would beseech you, in all lenity and meekness of mind, for Christ's cause, ye would not delay at least to mint at repentance; and if ye cannot get your hearts melted as ye would, yet run to G.o.d, and say, "Father have mercy upon me; Father, forgive me,"

and cause me to repent; Father, send down thy Spirit to soften my heart.

Now, if ye would do this, ye should be welcome to him; for I a.s.sure you he delights to shew mercy on poor penitent sinners, that would "repent, and hunger, and thirst for righteousness." Now, I say no more now, but I commend you all to him that is able to give you repentance and remission of sins in the blood of his Son Jesus Christ: to Father and with the Holy Ghost, be all honour, Amen.

THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

EXTRACTED FROM A SERMON BY HUGH LATIMER, BISHOP OF WORCESTER, AND MARTYR, 1555.(1)

LUKE XXI.(2)

As we die so we shall rise again. If we die in the state of d.a.m.nation, we shall rise in that same state. Again, if we die in the state of salvation, we shall rise again in that state, and come to everlasting felicity, both of soul and body. For if we die now in the state of salvation, then at the last general day of judgment we shall hear this joyful sentence, proceeding out of the mouth of our Saviour Christ, when he will say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess that kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world." (Matt. xxv.) And though we have much misery here in this world, though it goeth hard with us, though we must bite on the bridle, yet for all that, we must be content, for we shall be sure of our deliverance, we shall be sure that our salvation is not far off. And no doubt they that will wrestle with sin, and strive and fight with it, shall have the a.s.sistance of G.o.d; he will help them, he will not forsake them, he will strengthen them, so that they shall be able to live uprightly; and though they shall not be able to fulfil the law of G.o.d to the uttermost, yet for all that, G.o.d will take their doings in good part, for Christ his Son's sake, in whose name all faithful people do their good works, and so for his sake they are acceptable unto G.o.d, and in the end they shall be delivered out of all miseries and troubles, and come to the bliss of everlasting joy and felicity.

I pray G.o.d, that we may be of the number of those who shall hear this joyful and most comfortable voice of Christ our Saviour, when he will say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom which is prepared for you before the foundation of the world was laid." There are a great number amongst the Christian people, who in the Lord's prayer, when they pray, "Thy kingdom come," pray that this day may come; but yet, for all that, they are drowned in the world, they say the words with their lips, but they cannot tell what is the meaning of it; they speak it only with their tongue: which saying indeed is to no purpose. But the man or woman that saith these words, "Thy kingdom come," with a faithful heart, no doubt he or she desires in very deed that G.o.d will come to judgment, and amend all things in this world, to pull down satan that old serpent under our feet.

But there are a great number of us who are not ready. Some have lived in this world fifty years, some sixty, but yet for all that they are not prepared for his coming; they ever think he will not come yet. But I tell you, that though his general coming be not yet, yet for all that he will come one day, and take us out of this world: and, no doubt, as he finds us, so we shall have; if he find us ready, and in the state of salvation, no doubt we shall be saved for ever, world without end. But, if he find us in the state of d.a.m.nation, we shall be d.a.m.ned, world without end, there is no remedy after we are once past this world; no penance will help then, nor anything that man is able to do for us.

"And then shall they see the Son of man come in a cloud with power and great glory." St. Paul to the Thessalonians setteth out the coming of Christ and our resurrection; but he speaks in the same place only of the rising of the good and faithful that shall be saved. But the Holy Scripture in other places witnesses, that the wicked shall rise too, and shall receive their sentence from Christ, and so go to h.e.l.l, where they shall be punished world without end. Now, St. Paul's words are these, "This say we unto you in the word of the Lord: that we which shall live and shall remain to the coming of the Lord, shall not come before them which sleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel and the trump of G.o.d, and the dead in Christ shall arise first: then we which shall live, even we which shall remain, shall be caught up with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord; wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1 Thess. iv.

By these words of St. Paul it appears, that they which died in the beginning of the world shall be by Christ as soon saved, as they who shall be alive here at the time of his coming. I would have you to note well the manner of speaking which St. Paul uses; he speaks as if the last day should have come in his time. Now, when St. Paul thought that this day should have come in his time, how much more shall we think that it shall be in our time? For no doubt it will come, and it is not long thereunto; as it appears by all the scriptures which make mention of this day; it will come, but it shall come suddenly, unawares, as a thief in the night.

For a thief when he intends a robbery, to rob a man's house, to break up his chests, and take away his goods, gives him not warning, he lets not the good man of the house know at what time he intends to come, but rather he intends to spy such a time, that no man shall be aware of him. So, no doubt, this last day will come one day suddenly upon our heads, before we are aware of it; like as the fire fell down from heaven upon the people of Sodom when unlooked for; they thought that all things were well, therefore they took their pleasures, till the time when fire fell down from heaven and burned them up all, with all their substance and goods.

"And he showed them a similitude, Behold the fig-tree and all the trees, when they shoot forth their buds, ye see and know of your ownselves that summer is then near at hand." So when you see the tokens which shall go before this fearful day, it is time to make ready. But here a man might ask a question, saying, I pray you wherein standeth this preparation? How shall I make ready? About this there has been great strife, for there have been an infinite number, and there are some yet at this time, who think that this readiness standeth in ma.s.ses, in setting up candles, in going of pilgrimage; and in such things, they thought to be made ready for that day, and so to be made worthy to stand before the Son of man, that is, before our Saviour Christ. But I tell you, this was not the right way to make ready. Christ our Saviour showeth us how we shall make ourselves ready, saying, "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcome with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this world, and so this day come upon you unawares; for as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole world."

"Watch and pray:" as if he had said, Be ye ever in readiness, lest you be taken unawares. But those sluggards who spend their time vainly in eating and drinking, and sleeping, please not G.o.d, for he commands us to watch, to be mindful, to take heed to ourselves, lest the devil, or the world, or our own flesh, get the victory over us. We are allowed to take our natural sleep, for it is as necessary for us as meat and drink, and we please G.o.d as well in that, as we please him when we take our food. But we must take heed, that we do it according as he has appointed us; for like as he has not ordained meat and drink that we should play the glutton with it, so likewise sleep is not ordained that we should give ourselves to sluggishness, or over-much sleeping; for no doubt when we do so, we shall displease G.o.d most highly. For Christ saith not in vain, "Watch and pray."

He would have us to be watchers, to have at all times in remembrance his coming, and to give ourselves to prayer, that we may be able to stand before him at this great and fearful day. Meaning, that we should not trust in ourselves but call unto G.o.d, saying, "Lord G.o.d Almighty, thou hast promised to come and judge the quick and the dead; we beseech thee give us thy grace and Holy Ghost, that we may live according unto thy holy commandments, that when thou comest, thou have not cause to bestow thy fearful anger, but rather thy lovingkindness and mercy upon us."

So likewise when we go to bed, we should desire G.o.d that we sleep not the sleep of sin and wickedness, but rather that we may leave them, and follow his will and pleasure; that we be not led with the desires of this wicked world. Such an earnest mind we should have towards him, so watchful we should be. For I tell you it is not a trifling matter, it is not a money matter: for our eternal salvation and our d.a.m.nation hang upon it. Our nature is to do all that is possible for us to get silver and gold; how much more then should we endeavour to make ourselves ready towards this day, when it shall not be a money matter, but a soul matter, for at that day it will appear most manifestly who they are that shall enjoy everlasting life, and who shall be thrust into h.e.l.l. Now as long as we are in this world, we have all one baptism, we go all to the Lord's Supper, we all bear the name of Christians, but then it will appear who are the right Christians; and again, who are the hypocrites or dissemblers.

Well, I pray G.o.d grant us such hearts, that we may look diligently about us, and make ready against his fearful and joyful coming-fearful to them that delight in sin and wickedness, and will not leave them; and joyful unto those who repent, forsake their sins, and believe in him; who, no doubt, will come in great honour and glory, and will make all his faithful like unto him, and will say unto them that are chosen to everlasting life, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess that kingdom which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world." But, to the wicked who will not live according unto his will and pleasure, but follow their own appet.i.tes, he will say, "Go, ye cursed, into everlasting fire." O what a horrible thing will this be, to depart from him who is the fountain of all goodness and mercy, without whom is no consolation, comfort, nor rest, but eternal sorrow and everlasting death! For G.o.d's sake I require you let us consider this, that we may be amongst those who shall hear, "Come to me;" that we may be amongst those who shall enjoy eternal life.

THE PARABLE OF THE HOUSEHOLDER.

A SERMON, BY BISHOP LATIMER.

MATTHEW XX.-_The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard._