The Stewards Summons. t 3 will be in cafes that are brought before him. Again; donot, men fear thofe out- warda&ions which expofe them to the cenfure amen on earth, and unto punish- ment here ? But in the mean time they fear not evil affe&ions; and the motions of fin in their own hearts. A man would not be took with open theft, yet ne- ¡verthelefs he ufeth fraud, when men cannot difcern it. A man would not be took ¡with murther, yet neverthelefs he is full ofmalice and envy, and repining : Why is this, but becaufe men acknowledge not a judgement to come ? They fear, not the judgement of God, wherein he will bring the breaches of the firft Table to an account,aswell as thofeof thefecond, and the fecret thoughts,and fins of the heart, to a reckoning, as well as outward a&ions. Such mockers there were in the time ofSaint Peter, againft whom he (peaks in a Pet. I. his fecond Epiftle, and third chapter. We will a little obferve the method of the Apoftle, that we may fee how he difcovereth'.them. Say the mockers, there /hall beno Judgement. There (hall,faith theApofllc. How canthat be ? Havenoeall things continued as theywere, face the beginning ofthe Creationfor ft many thoufand years ? And why fhould we think that there fhould come any alteration after, more thanbefore Ye are deceived ( faith he ) all thingshave not continuedalike, the world rim drowned by water. But if theydocontinue, it is by the word ofGod, and that Word that gave a being to them, that Wordwill put anend to them ; God can as eafily byhis Worddeftroy all things, as by his Word he made all things. But fomewill fay; by what inftrumént will hedeftroy the world ? Byfire. How can that be, for that is one ofthe main parts, the main matter whereof things were made, and thall that be the deftruEtionofthat whereofit is made? Yes ( faith the Apoftle) All things were made by water too, and yet theyweredeftoyed by wa- ter , and why not then by -fire ? But God deferretb the promifi of his coming ? What of that ? He putteth it not quite oft, though he deferre, yet it is not long with God, for there is no time long to him that is eternal : and in that hedeferreth, it is that finale men may be brought to falvation, and others made inexcufable. Thus the Apoftle takes offall objedionsof the Atheiftsofthe world, and 1h eweth that there !hall be a day ofJudgement. Secondly, it ferveth for inftru&ion. Ifthere (hall be luck aJudgement tocome, of z. ifGod will havefuck a time of reckoning with all his Stewards in the world, Then For ,n(tcuti- it teacheth us firft, not to bufie our felves in judging one another ,' why ? becaufe on. there (!'tall a time come of Gods Judgement. whoart thaw ( faith the Apoftle ) mhN Sctoiudg that judgefl thy brother? we (hall all /land before the Judgement feat of Chrifl. As Rom. 14. to. if he fhould fay ; What a bold part? what a prefumptuous part is this, that thou fhouldeft judge thy brother ? Doltthounot knowthat there is one that (halljudge him and thee ? is it fit that he that isa prifoner at the.Barre Ihould come and leap up into the place of theJudge, and fit in his feat ? Ye areallfellow prifoners toge- ther, and ye muff all [land before theJudgementfeatofChrift. So in another place the fame Apoftle, when he would take men off from judging, faith he ; judge no. t Cot. 4. g. thing before the time : why ? for the Lord willcome, who both will bring to light, the bidden things of darknefi , and will make maniFeft the counfelt of the hearta, and then lhallevery man havepramofGod. Asifhe fhouldfay ; Thou art not able to judge aright, it may be that man that thou difpraifeft, at that daymay findpraife with God. Secondly, Turn the Judgement on thy own heart, be more inJudging of thy 2. To lodge felf,thatthoumayeft not be judgedofthe Lord. Will God call theeto a reckoning? out ICIVes thenbegin to call thyfell to a reckoning firft. beta. How (hall that be done ? There is a double reckoning that every markmuft undergo, that will avoid 'this A twofold reckoning withGod. reckoning to Firft, hemuff reckon withhisown heart. be madebete. Secondly, with others. Firft with his own heart. Every man muff take all the advantages, opportuni- t. Reckon ties that God bath given, to reckon with himfelf. Doth God awaken thycon. with ottc fcience by the preaching of hisword: Defcend into thy own heart ?' It is that that o`"ed' the
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