almightie Creator being without beginning or ending Alpha Reuel 1.2 and Omega the first and the last hath made this world for a time and appoynted an ende thereunto to cut off all time Man Microcosmos In the creation of man the beautie of the world is to be seen who contayneth as also the Philosophers could say a similitude of the whole world in a verie little continent or body is first an infant thē a child then a young man after that comes middle age a shorte time more then doting old age then finis dissolutionis properans looke for the ending of this life The world likewise hath had an infancie from the beginning to Noahs floud The ages of the world then childhoode from Noahs floud to Abraham then youthful age from Abraham to Dauid then middle age vnto the captiuitie of Babylon a short time more then came our Sauiour Christ in the beginning of olde age which is also called the last age then high time to consider of the ending or dissoluing of all mortall things For how great folly should it be in any mortall man though neuer so strong by constitution of nature hauing once passed ouer not only his yong and youthfull age but his middle and strong age and entred into olde age if then he should not be mindfull of his ende how fast it stealeth on VVhat maruell then that Saint Peter knowing so many ages of the world passed and the last age of the world wel entred in if in a due cōsideration thereof he breake out into this most Christian-like exclamation or forewarning which may very well be called his Watchword Finis omnium imminet The ende of all thinges is at hande Now if Saint Peter who liued but in the beginning or entrie of this last age were so carefull and regardfull to giue this Watchworde or fore warning of some great daunger ensuing how carefull and regardfull ought we to be that liue as it were in the last poynt of this last age so to receiue and consider of the same forewarning A good Meditation as may be most pleasing to the spirit of God and most profitable for the health of our soules For this cause onely was I incouraged to vndertake this little labour at times of leysure and to leaue this Watch-word with the Centinell of our English campe that euery Christian souldier hereby may be warned to keepe himself within the cōpasse of his gard or watch and that at no time he bee found either idle sleepie or ill occupied And that this thing may be the better effected the Watchword it selfe The end of all things is at hand ought throughly to be weighed and considered Our English translations sayth The weight of S. Peters wordes Now the end of all things is at hand euery worde carrying his waight Now the end is at hand The Apostle doth not forewarne of danger long after to be looked for neither dooth hee giue warning that the world shall haue an ende one thousande or two thousande yeares after The meaning of the Apostles wordes but speaking in the presentence saith Nowe the ende is at hand as if he should say now it is time for euery one to waite for the comming of his Maister nowe it is high time for euery one to haue a care of his businesse and to make vp his reckoning and account perfect The end of all things Saint Peter doth not say the end of some thing or the end of many things nor the end of most things but the end of althings the end of all things that are finite to be destroyed is at hand So then there is a double doctrine to bee drawne out of the verie bowels of the Text. A double doctrine First that there is no time of securitie left vnto vs Christians in this world Secondly that there is nothing in this world that can secure vs. For the first Gen. 6.3 though the old world had one hundred and twentie yeares warning before the floud came vpon them though the Cananites and Ammonites spent many hundred yeares in wickednesse before their sinne was at the full Though the Niniuites had fortie dayes giuen them for repentance Ionah 3.4 yet fithence the cōming of Christ in the flesh it is not read that euer there was any yeare or day No time giuen to liue securely in in this world Math. 4.17 Cap. ◠10 Christ and his Apostles preachers o◠repentance Rom 13.12 or hour or minute giuen to any man to liue secure in or to deferre his repentance Christ himselfe saith Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Iohn Baptist his foretunner saith Repent for the axe is laid to the roote of the tree Saint Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles he noteth vnto vs the reason of the time saying It is now time that wee shoulde arise from the sleepe of sinne The night is past the day is now come let vs cast away the workes of darknesse c. Therefore is it that saint Peter is bold to say Now the end is at hand it is high time to bee sober and watching in prayer Neither doth saint Peter onely vrge this argument to keepe vs from security but saint Paul likewise vrgeth the same when he sayth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10 11. These things are written for example vnto vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come Iam 3.8 And saint Iames sayth The comming of the Lorde draweth neare And the Iudge himselfe Beholde I come shortly Reu. 22.7.20 And surely I come quickly Out alacke then vpon the securitie of our dayes Duines in heauenly things and the dulnes of our vnderstanding in heauenly things we are verie pregnant to do euill but to doe well we haue no knowledge we are very skilfull to distinguish the seasons of the yeare but haue no skil to know the time of our visitation The Apostles of Christ said and haue put their sayings in writing long agone that the comming of Christ is at hand The Atheists neuer cried out faster then at this day 2. Pet. 3.4 Reu. 21.20 Where is the promise of his comming Christ himselfe sayth Surely I come quickely The vnrighteous Steward euery were sayth Mat. 24.48 Surely my Maister will deferre his comming Now whom must we belieue the Apostles or the Atheist the false Steward or Christ Iesus the Authour of all truth The Scripture hath alreadie decided this question Rom. 3.4 when it sayth Let God bee true and euery man a lier and if euery man be a lier no maruaile that the Atheists and deceitfull Stewards of this worlde deceyue themselues with lies and errors The error of the Atheist The error of the Atheist saint Peter setteth downe to be their ignoraunce in the knowledge of God and his worde measuring Gods eternitie according to their owne capacitie And so like vnto them that deceyue themselues thus they reason It is long sithence
thy selfe the Lord is not slacke in â—omming as thou countest slackenes but tarrieth patiently yet a verye little while expecteth thy repentance take heede therfore that thou doe not according to the hardnes of thine heart which cannot repent heape vnto thy selfe wrath Rom. 2.5 against this great day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God So much briefly touching the error of the open Atheist and saint Peters reply thereunto Now the error of the secure or vnrighteous steward The securitie of the vnrighteous Stewards though it bee very dangerous yet it is not altogither so impious One saith that there shall be no iudgement the other saith My master will deferre his comming vnto iudgement for so saith the vniust steward Surely my master wil deferre his comming and thereupon he giueth himselfe licence to sinne and to liue securely in this world So then the cause of so great securitie as is now in the worlde euen of such as voluntarily confesse and acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee their maister euen in those whome hee hath reposed great trust and committed many talents vnto their credite and gouernance yea many such as hee hath made ruler ouer his wholehouse not only to keep good rule themselues but also to keep many other in good order I say the cause of all this security in theÌ„ is noted in this one word surely my Master will deferre his comming against which sinne of securitie our sauiour himselfe doth inueigh most sharpely saying Math. 24.15 Who is a faithfull seruant and wise whom his Maister hath made ruler ouer his houshold to giue them meat in season Blessed is that seruant whom his maister when he commeth shall find so doing verily I say vnto you he spall make him ruler ouer all his goodes But if that euill seruaut shall say in his heart my maister doth deferre his comming and begin to smite his fellowes and to eat and to drinke with the drunken that seruants master will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that hee is not ware of and will cut him of and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Vpon these wordes then of our sauiour Christ I may well conclude this generall affertion that there is no securitie in this world and that they who other they be that liue securely liue most dangerously without speedie repentance are like to be onertaken in their sinnes and hereafter to be punished eternally The second generall obseruation is that as there is no time of securitie in this world by reason wee are to expect the end thereof euery day so is there nothing in this world that can secure vs No earthly thing that can secure vs. because euery thing shal haue an end as the Apostle saith The end of all things is at hand No trust then or confidence to bee set then in any worldly thing Sampsons strength Croesus riches Solomons glorie Absolons beautie all must vanish away friendes though neuer so mightie wise men though neuer so politique valiant men though neuer so frolicke cannot secure vs no not a moment of time Oh that in time then we would learne to bee wise and put no confidence in transitorie things Ier. 9.23.24 that we would folow the counsell of the Prophet Ieremie Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither the rich man glorie in their riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and know me saith the Lord for I am he that sheweth mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth Hence is it that saint Paule concludeth 1. Cor. 1.31 Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord and he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall neuer bee confounded Therefore the Psalmist truly sayth Psal 118. It is better to trust in the Lord then to put any confidence in man it is better to trust in the Lord then to put any confidence in Princes He that â—rusteth in God hath â— sure refuge And if the Lord be angry yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him On the contrary the scripture saith of the wicked that liue die in their sins or else shall liue wickedly till the day of iudgement come vpon them that they shall say to the mountaines and rockes Fall on vs Reuel 6.16 and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand So that this is the briefe conclusion of the second obseruation that nothing in this life or in this world may or can secure or keepe vs from the daunger of that great day of which saint Peter forewarneth vs but onely our trust and confidence in God which the faithfull haue in him by the meanes of Christ See then how much we are beholding to saint Peter for giuing vs this Watchword The ende of all things is at hand No time of daliance in this world Whereby wee are taught that there is no time of daliance nor any place left vs to bee secure in this world alwayes we must watch and pray because wee know not what houre the sonne of man will come Math. 24.36 as Christ himselfe sayth Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaueÌ„ but as the dayes of Noah were so likewise shall the comming of the sonne of man bee for as in the dayes before the floud they did eate and drinke marrie and gaue in marriage vnto the dayes that Noah entred into thee Arke and knew nothing vntill the floud came and tooke them all away so shall also the comming of the sonne of man be Watch therfore saith our Sauiour Christ for yee know not what houre your maister will come Of this bee sure if the good man of the cause knewe at what watch the theefe woulde come he would surely watch 〈…〉 therefoâ—â— we muâ—â— looke for him euery day Luke 21.34 and not suffer his house to be digged through Therefore be ye also readie for in the houre ye thinke not will the sonne of man come For the same cause is it that Christ giueth vs this great caueat Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life least that day come vpon you at vnwares For as a snare shall it come vpon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the sonne of man But oh good God how is this caueat of Christ forgotten in this age of ours When the care of this life and the desire of gaine haue almost choaked all godlinesse or
say they many hundred yeres gone that some haue spoken and written of the ende of the world and they that then spake or wrote of it made shew as though it had beene euen at hande but now wee plainly see there is no such matter they are meere deceiuers that haue told vs these things For euery thing continueth a little from the beginning of the creation and since our fathers died the Sunne Moone and planets in the Firmament the trees and Plants in the field men and beasts vpon the earth fishes in the water foules flying in the skies the sea ebbing flowing times and seasons continuing colde and heat Summer and Winter seedtime and haruest euerie thing as it was from the beginning of the creation therefore we will set our hearts at rest we will take our pleasures in this worlde Preaching to theÌ„ that perish foolish babling we will not beleeue the babbling of preachers that crie vpon vs stil of the end of the world we will eate and drinke and rise vp to play we wil quaffe carrowse lustily we wil drinke healths vntill we be sicke â—aggering â—earers we wil swagger sweare by the eternall Iesus and will leaue no sinne vmought for no not the sinne of Sâ—dome But stay there thon swaggerer by saying as thou sayest and doing as thou doest the prophesies both of Peter Paule are accomplished and the godly more assured then euer before that the end of all things is at hand Saint Paule he plainely painteth out these persons and pointeth out the time when they should come â— Tim. 3.7 saying This know that in the last daies that is in the latter times of this last age shall come perillous times for men shall be louers of their own selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers These maâ—ers agree with our â—imes intemperat fierce no louers at al of them that are good traytors headie high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof Saint Peter more precisely noteth these Atheists of whom we speake saying â— Pet. 3.3 this first vnderstand that there shall come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lusts and say where is the promise of his comming for sinc the fathers died all things continued alike from the beginning of the creation Now seeing all these things fore-spoken of both by Peter and Paul are in our dayes most truly accomplished wee may thereupon certainly conclude with saint Peter that The end of al things is at hand Yea verie neere at hand and may therefore boldly say with saint Paule the end euen the last ende of the world are come vpon vs But before wee ende this poynt wee must note the aunswere of saint Peter to these Atheists Saint Peâ— answere Atheists that measure the infinitenesse of Gods eternitie with their onely conceyt of time which time if it bee any thing it is the least of all thinges with God Therfore saint Peter saith borroweth it out of the Psalmist Psal 90. that one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day which is a full answere to this their question Where is the promise of his comming Now doth God promise and not performe God forbid God alwâ—â— as gooâ— his woâ—â— But say they it was promised long sithence fifteene hundred yeares gone that Christ would come verie shortly vnto iudgement and yet to this day hee is not come nay to our seeming hee is as farre of now as he was then therefore it is most likely hee will not come at all Saint Peter though he were no sophister presently findeth out this fallacie and shewes whence they deceiue themselues namely because they thinke that time passeth away as fast with God as it doth with man which is nothing so a thousand yeares with man is a long time with God but as one day why then was it promised fifteene hundred yeares gone that the worlde should shortly haue an ende All that time is with God but as one day and ahalfe day stay but one halfe day more and thou shalt be sure to see the accomplishment thereof So then they which iudge or weigh Gods euerlasting eternitie in the ballance of their temporall vanitie shewe plainly that they know not what eternitie and euerlastingnesse is â—ongtime â—â—th man â—â—asured Gods â—â—â—itie is â—â—y shorâ— for in eternity there is neither length nor shortnesse of time with God there is no time past neither any to come all things are with God in the present tense or time and in eternitie there is neither length nor shortnes of time Only of this fond conceit that Gods euerlasting prouidence is subiect to casualtie of time hath spruÌ„g these grosse errors and hath caused the curiositie of man to moue these and such like questions of vanitie Curious questionâ— as how coÌ„meth it to passe that God forbore so long time before hee made this worlde what did God before hee made this worlde and the like To which latter question one answereth verie pithely that afore God made this worlde for man to liue in hee made hell for such curious questionists to dwel in after this world is ended Againe they that demaund why God forbore so long time before hee made this world might as wel aske why it plea sed God to make this world or any time at all And the terming of any time long is in respect of the continuance of time to them onely that liue in time and not in respect of God that made time Put the cause that the world had lasted one hundred thousand yeares or if yee will ten hundred thousand yeares what shall ye gaine by that you will then say that the world had beene of the greater antiquitie but I demaund in respect of whoÌ„ of God or of thy selfe of eternitie or of time truly onely in respect of thy selfe and of time but not in respect of God or of eternitie one hundred thousande thousand yeares past with God is nothing and ten hundred thousand thousand years to come with God is nothing in respect of eternitie or euerlastingnesse and these distinctions of time and place were created and brought forth togither at one instant with the worlde so as they be neither without it nor before it â—â—e that is 〈◊〉 thout â—â—â—e made â—â—e he that is without time without place made both time and place and if he had beene subiect to time place as thou Atheist imaginest he could not haue made either time or place So then be fatisfied with this replie of the Apostle a thousand yeares with God is as one day one day as a thousand years Neuer demaunde this question more Where is the promise of Christs coÌ„ming for comming he will come â—â—b 10.37 and will not tary Assure
not any longer to expect a kingdome it noteth the difference betwiâ—t the state of the faithfull here and that is to come here we enioy all by faith hope their faith and hope shall cease when we are put in possession of that we hoped for and haue receiued the end of our faith the saluation of our soules Also it is a great incouragement vnto the godly in this life to waite with patience till their pilgrimage be ouer past to contemne and despise all the glory of this world specially if the Diuell offer it to esteeme all things as dung and as drosse in respect of this glorious kingdome which they shall be bid to possesse That he saith possesse the kingdome prepared it noteth that it is a kingdome not merited or deserued by vs. That he saith lastly that it is a kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world it sheweth that God knew vs loued vs cared for vs before we were that as he made a world for vs to liue in before he made vs to liue so he ordayned a heauenly kingdome for vs to liue in after we are dead before we died What a good God is this how can we want any thing if we trust in him and call vpon his name God hath giuen vs his Sonne with his Sonne a Kingdome what more can we desire God giue vs his grace to take this Cup of Saluation thankfully as by the Prophet we are exhorted Contrariwise that Christ saith to the wicked on his left hand Depart it noteth his hatred and detestation of sinne and sinners that doe not repent as he faith in another place I know you not depart from me all yee workers of iniquitie That Christ saith depart from me it noteth that they appertaine not vnto him neither are of his fold or family nor neuer were for those whom he once loueth he loueth to the ende That he saith yee cursed it sheweth the miserable estate of them that appertaine now vnto Christ howsoeuer wicked men flatter theÌ„selues in this world they are most accursed in the sight of God and his Angels they are cursed while they liue cursed when they die and cursed after death therefore like cursed creatures as they were before they come vnto Christ they are commaunded to depart from his presence vnto the place of the damned That Christ sendeth them into euerlasting fire it noteth both the horror of the punishment and the continuance of the paine neuer to haue end in hell ther is no redemption Lastly that Christ saith that this endlesse paine and punishment was prepared for the diuell and his angels it noteth not as some would haue it that it was not also prepared for the wicked but rather signifieth that the wicked appertaine vnto the diuell whose children they are as saith Christ yee are of your father the diuell seeing they are adiudged to the same place of torments with the diuel when they are dead whose seruants they are while they liued Thus haue â—e heard the sum of both sentences which being once pronounced the tongue of men and Angels is not able to expresse the wayling weeping howling crying of these cursed creatures that shall be iudged to condemnation nor yet the vnmeasurable ioy and consolation of the faithfull The one condeÌ„ned so euerlasting tormeÌ„ts the other receaued into euerlasting glory The which entence being thus passed that glorious Sessions will be dissolued the griefe of the damned a thousand time in creased in seeing and beholding the faithfull and godly whom they euer hated to be caried by the Angels into the endles ioyes of eternal blisse the diuels in the meane while prepared to carry those curfed Caytiues with theeÌ„ into the bottoÌ„lesse gulfe of their infernall confusion But here happily some will say that I do not well to conceale that which our Sauiour addeth at the end of those senteÌ„ces saying to the faithful I was hungry Math. 42. ye gaue me meate I thirsted ye gaue me drinke Truely if you will giue the leasure to read it I would very gladly touch it with this caueat that we do not imagine those good works to be the cause of our saluation seeing as hath beene said already our saluation was prepared for vs before we can worke at all much more before we could doe good works neither will this shift of the scholemeÌ„ serâ—e the turne to say that God did happily foresee those good works that we would doe and therfore prouided a reward for them before they were done so desirous are those Merit-mongers to haue God beholding vnto them for their good works But why can they not as wel see if they would not close their eyes of purpose that God said long agone Gen 6. all the imaginations of mens hart are euil continually And when that God looked downe from heauen of purpose to see the children of men he sawe none that was good no not one And why can they not heare the Apostle say â—es 2.10 that God hath created vs vnto good works that we should doe them Christ himselfe saying when yee haue done all that yee can 〈◊〉 17. say yee are vnprofitable seruants yee haue done but what was your duetie to doe To let passe all other places of scripture and all the arguments of the Apostles which may serue as so many Rams to beate downe to the ground this diuelish doctrine of popery But now let vs heare what Christ saith to the faithfull and what reply the faithfull make vnto him Christ saith I was an hungred and yee gaue me meate I thristed and yee gaue me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged me I was naked and yee clothed me I was sicke and yee visited me I was in prison and yee came vnto me The faithfull answere presently they neuer sawe him in that case neither euer did any such thing vnto him But Christ sheweth his meaning and saith in as much as yee haue done it vnto the poore with you yee haue done it to me Here then we are taught first the care that Christ taketh of the poore whatsoeuer is done vnto them if they be godly it is done vnto him Secondly the cause wherefore he maketh some rich and leaueth others in pouertie whom he loueth most dearely that he may exercise the patience of the one and try what charity is in the other Thirdly that the faithfull in a holy kinde of humilitie seeme either to deny or at least lessen and extenuate the good workes they haue done we are taught hereby that in doing of good specially in giuing of our Almes The right hand must not know what the left hand doth So far must we be from boasting that we must euen distrust and doubt in our selues that we haue not discharged our duetie in that behalfe as wee ought to doe as who knowes the best of vs all come farre to short Lastly we are taught how excellent things they are if they