Peter or as John, they are baptized with this fire, and he that is
purged here had need to be purged there again. Let him also purify us,
that every one of us being burned with that flaming sword, not burned
up or consumed, we may enter into Paradise, and give thanks unto the
Lord who hath brought us into a place of refreshment." This opinion of
theirs is, in the main of it, very uncertain; relying upon the sense
of some obscure place of Scripture is only apt to represent the
great severity of the Judge at that day, and it hath in it this only
certainty, that even the most innocent person hath great need of
mercy, and he that hath the greatest cause of confidence, altho he
runs to no rocks to hide him, yet he runs to the protection of the
cross, and hides himself under the shadow of the divine mercies: and
he that shall receive the absolution of the blest sentence shall
also suffer the terrors of the day, and the fearful circumstances of
Christ's coming. The effect of this consideration is this: That if the
righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the wicked and the sinner
appear? And if St. Paul, whose conscience accused him not, yet durst
not be too confident, because he was not hereby justified, but might
be found faulty by the severer judgment of his Lord, how shall we
appear, with all our crimes and evil habits round about us? If there
be need of much mercy to the servants and friends of the Judge, then
His enemies shall not be able to stand upright in judgment.

Let us next consider the circumstances of our appearing and his
sentence; and first I consider that men at the day of judgment that
belong not to the portion of life, shall have three sorts of accusers:
1. Christ Himself, who is their judge; 2. Their own conscience, whom
they have injured and blotted with characters of death and foul
dishonor; 3. The devil, their enemy, whom they served.