how the word of God is dayly more more contemned Many kind of errours pestiferous sectes horrible wickednesses increase dayly whereby the world is worse and worse whiles we hope but in vayne for amendement Wherfore then in such miseries and calamities should we be greatly desirous of our lyfe And if I for myne owne part had no great cause to desire the end of all things yet the perill and daunger of my brethren scattered here and there in the world ought to moue me for whose sake we haue good cause hartly to pray for it whose state is such as we both heare see that they are constrained to suffer all maner of ignominy reproch slaunderous wordes both priuely and openly violent iniury and finally most greuous persecution what soeuer with diuers kinds of tormentes cruelly handled and put to death For how many euē in our dayes haue we sene partly burnt openly or by some such meanes made away partly put to death priuely and by traiterous meanes dispatched There are many besides the infinite number of holy mē which haue bene slayne before our tyme since the Ascention of our Sauiour Christ or rather since the beginnyng of the world Whose bloud beyng yet vnreuenged cryeth for the commyng of our Sauiour to iudgement to the end they beyng restored to their bodyes agayne may haue full fruition of the ioyes lōg looked for and may be reuēged of the world as the reuelation of Iohn declareth Where God comforteth them after this sort saying that they must rest for a litle season vntil the number of their fel◅w seruaūtes and brethren which should be killed in like maner were fulfilled which I hope is now come to passe Therfore both the Christians that are lyuyng and those that are departed after a sorte do desire vs to helpe them with our prayers desiring God to hasten their redemption For what thing can be more miserable vnto Christiās then that they should be cōstrained alwayes to hold their tounges the world and the deuill continually bragging and raging ouer thē dayly putting to death and cruelly murderyng more more of the faithfull professours of Iesus Christ his vnfaillible word and seducyng men more and more encreasing these haynous offēces which before were vntollerable We heare see at this present the Turke and the Pope which is Antichrist rage with most cruell tyranny agaynst y name of Christ dayly sheddyng the bloud of his Saintes with many sectes bysides contrary to his Gospell And should we holdyng our handes in our bosome looke vpon the deuill practisyng without measure his crafty deuises agaynst the Christians and not make our earnest prayer vnto God for them without ceasyng There is no sparke of Christianity in a mans body remainyng that would not pray vnto God withall his harte to be deliuered out of these so great miseries and calamities Therfore if we haue a mynde to be Christians we must endeuer our selues to pray diligently and earnestly as our Sauiour hath taught vs and as our necessity requireth if it be any necessity whē we see good Christiās with great persecution slayne true doctrine oppressed the kingdome of the deuill withall maner of vice wickednes aduaunced Saintes by the meanes of wicked men not onely despised and troade vnder foote but consumed to dust and ashes finally the Gospell of Christ our Lord and his name spitefully blasphemed Therfore let vs call vpon God all that we may desiryng him for the glory of his name to take vppon him the defence of hys Christian children and of his owne doctrine and bryng them by hys commyng at the last day to iudge the quicke and the dead to that glorious rest which he hath promised and prepared for them frō the beginning of the world through the death and Passion of the immaculate lambe our Sauiour Christ. But if any man through the infirmitie of hys fleshe be afrayde of that day let hym print deepely in his mind the wordes of Christ our Sauiour and comfort him selfe with this that hee byddeth vs lift vp our heades and be of good cheare callyng that tyme our redemptiō that is not death but euerlastyng life not wrath but mercy and grace not hell but the kingdome of God not terror or daunger but comfort and ioye And therfore Paule not without a cause calleth it the blessed hope and appearyng of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Therfore we may be of good cheare nede not feare the losse of our lyfe nor his commyng to Iudgemēt which hath geuen vs his Gospell and his grace therewith not to deny him but to loue him and confesse him to shunne no daūger in his cause which are and will be layd before vs of the world and of the deuill vntill the comming of our Sauiour whose comming shall not be terrible but ioyfull yet not to the world but to vs miserable sinners which for a tyme must continue here as it were in a den of theues where the deuill day and night seeketh to draw vs takyng away from vs not onely our life and our goods but vexyng our hartes and our consciences with diuers stormes of temptations to the ende we should feare the day of our redēption and beyng destitute of all cōfort should fal into vtter desperation Unto vs thus troubled the commyng of our Sauiour shal be ioyfull but vnto the world which will not beleue what daunger hangeth ouer his head before he haue experience thereof it shall bryng terrour feare plagues death destruction hell fire Therfore when that day shall come vpon the sodaine and vtterly destroy all thinges there is no cause why thou that art a faithfull Christian shouldest be afrayd therof least it destroy thee in lyke sorte For either beyng receiued thou shalt bee taken out of the graue and out of dust into heauē or els in a moment thou shalt be chaunged into a glorious estate for euer placed where no sinne no feare no sorrow no daunger but true rightuousnes ioy peace lyfe tranquilitie and euerlastyng blessednes shall reigne These thynges we looke for and preach for the little flockes sake which shall receaue them at that day which we desire withall our hartes and hope it to be now hard at hand bycause so many signes and tokens thereof are already past forespoken by Christ our true Sauiour And this is that consolation comfort which no mā can geue but onely the holy ghost by the word of Christ our Lord. Let vs suffer therefore the Sunne the Moone and all creatures to lowre and to threaten terrible thinges to come For although they bee terrible vnto the world they are ioyfull vnto vs which in them see that cōfortable deliueraūce which our Sauiour by y wordes of this Gospell hath declared vnto vs and which he expoundeth vnto vs by this godly parable or similitude folowyng See sayth he the figge trees and all other trees when
commyng that is to say to comfort the faythful to confirme the weake and to instruct the ignoraunt in diuers necessary pointes of doctrine or at the least to geue them a watchword of our Lordes commyng that they may now at the length cease from sinityng theyr felow seruants and from eatyng and drynkyng with the drunken and may make them selues ready with oyle in their lampes to receiue hym that when the trumpet bloweth and the bridgrome commeth we may all folow hym into hys euerlastyng tabernacle therein to lyue with God the father the sonne and the holy ghost in euerlastyng ioy To whom be all prayse honor and glory world without ende Amen Anno 1569. March 22. T. B. THe places of Scripture that appertayneth to this Sermon folowyng are noted in the margent to the end that the Readers accordyng to the example of those men mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles may examine the Scriptures and try whether it bée so or no as the author hereof sayth and readyng them they may finde many moe Sentences besides for the comfort and confirmation of their fayth ¶ The Gospell for the second Sonday in Aduent THere shal be signes in the Sunne in the Moone and in the Starres and in the earth the people shal be at theyr wittes end thorow dispayre The Sea and the water shall rore and mēs harts shall fayle them for feare and for lookyng after those thynges which shall come on the earth For the powers of heauen shall moue and then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloude with power and great glory When these thynges begyn to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heades for your redemption draweth nere And he shewed them a similitude saying behold the figge tree and al other trees When they shoote forth theyr buds ye see and know of your selues that sommer is then nigh at hand So lykewyse ye also When you see these thinges come to passe ▪ be sure that the kyngdome of God is nigh Verely I say vnto you this generation shall not passe vntill all be fulfilled heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe The Sermon or exposition of the Gospell IN this dayes Gospel Christ our Lord shew eth vs what shal be the estate and conditiō of the world whē all things draw to an end Wherby we may know when the great and horrible day shall appeare in the which Christ our Lord hym selfe shall come openly to Iudgement that no mā nede to wauer or doubt of the matter For he sheweth playnly the signes that shal be sene in the last age and shal go before the last day as tokens therof because it cānot be chosen but that so straūge yea that the last chaūge of the whole world should be declared by many and great tokēs seyng that much lesse alterations of countreys and natiōs haue ben signified by signes and wonders goyng before Bycause this prefēt Gospell hath ben before tyme sufficiently declared so that now it is well knowen vnto all men I mynde not to shew the doctrine that therof may be gathered but after an other maner and fashion to handle it to the glory of God our consolation For therfore is it put in writtyng and made manifest by preachyng that it may serue to our cōfort and to the encrease of fayth and hope in vs which professe Christ and beleue in hym notwithstandyng there is good cause why it may be a terror vnto the other sort of mē I meane the wicked vnbeleuers whose destruction these signes do portend Who in dede are nothyng moued with them at all but with security of mynde do contemne them Therfore commendyng them to our God theyr Iudge which shall come and reward them accordyng to theyr desertes that by experiēce they may alwayes feele that which now they neither beleue nor regard in handlyng the Gosspell we wil haue litle consideration of them but wil make it frutfull vnto our selues lest we should suffer it in vayne to be put in writyng and should leese the frute commodity thereof Which if we consider well we shall perceiue that it contayneth matter very comfortable and ioyfull seruyng much for our commodity Which consolation and comfort is very nedeful for vs seyng the signes of them selues are very terrible and as I may say horrible to behold Moreouer Christiās as they are at other tymes fearefull enough of base courage so whē they see the indignatiō and wrath of God towardes mākind the waggyng of a leafe is able to make them amased and almost dead for feare cōtrarywise the wicked are more secure and hard harted and are moued with no signes be they neuer so great and horrible Therfore this thyng seemeth not to fall out indifferently and as reason would for they which chiefly should be afrayd whom God by his signes doth terrible threaten they I say haue hartes of horne stone and yron so that they regarde them as thoughe they dyd nothyng appertayne vnto them what soeuer wrath of God was to come beyng euen now at hand they do forewarne shewe Contrarywise they which ought not to bee moued but rather reioyce when they see these signes and tokens as vnto them they do not portend any wrath or displeasure of God but fauour consolation they I say feare more thē nedeth and can scarsely lift vp theyr harts to cōceaue such swete and comfortable cogitations as thereby occasion is offered Now to come to my matter there are two thyngs chiefly to be noted in this Gospell The one is that our Sauiour reckoneth the signes in order which go before the last day which being fulfilled we may know for a certainty that the day is euen hard at hand The other note is that he sayth those signes shal be a consolation and a comfort to hys Christian children so that therby they may be moued to looke for hys commyng with a mery and cherefull countenance The first signe sayth he shall appeare from heauen in the sunne y moone and the starres that is to say as Mathew doth expoūd it The sunne shal be darkened and the moone shall not geue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen c. Moreouer vpon the earth the people shal be at theyr wittes end thorow dispayre shal be in such perplexitye that they shall not know whether to go or where to abyde their hartes shall fayle thē for feare of those thynges which are like to come vpon them Agayne signes shal be seene in the Sea in the Waters so that all creatures and the powers of heauen shall moue there shal be such an alteration that the world shall seeme by and by to haue an end and the last day shall seeme hard at hand Here I will not greatly contend with any mā but will leaue it to the consideration of my Christian brethrē whether the signes in the
sunne the moone and the starres be already fulfilled or not But this is my belefe most certaine hope that the greater part of them haue bene already sene and that many other are not here after to bee looked for For if we will beleue there hath bene sene euen in our time aboundantly both many and great Eclipses or darkenyngs of the sunne and mone within few yeares together one after an other besides diuers in one yeare the lyke we haue not read to haue appeared at any time before since the begyn nyng of the world But he that will not beleue the word of God will not beleue y signes nor take them for signes but will cōtemne them and tread them vnder hys foote yea although the sunne should be dayly darkned before his eyes the starres should fall by heapes from heauen Although Astronomers say that such darkenynges of the sunne and moone happen by y course of nature which some of them can tel of before hand yet they deny not but they signifie some terrible thyng to happen on the earth especially seyng there be so many all most euery yeare Besides this contrary to the course of nature many signes haue bene sene in the Heauens many Sunnes at one time many Raynebowes many terrible blasyng Starres fyres in the ayre like dartes and swordes and diuers other prodigious sygnes which if they should be written would fill a whole volume but all are forgotten if they be not dayly before our eyes and assone as they are past we liue securely as though no such thyng had euer happened at any tyme yea rather the oftener they happen so much the lesse we regard them For we take thē for customable thynges thinkyng with our selues that of necessitye they must so come to passe makyng no more accountes of them afterwardes And true it is that of necessity they must so come to passe otherwise they should be tokens in vayne and the world should not bee so soone destroyed if it beyng moued therby should beleue the Gospell For it might turnyng to God by repentaunce auoyde or turne away his wrath ▪ or at the least prolong it for a tyme But alas this is rather the chief care of the world by continuyng in wickednes most obstinatly heapyng sinne to hastē Gods wrath and spedely to procure◅hys owne destruction Thus much as concernyng the signes in the Sunne the Moone and the Starres Now as touchyng the signes in the Sea and the Waters I commit them in like maner to the Iudgement of my Christian brethren Whether they be fulfilled al ready or no. Old men testify that no man aliue is able to remember so great tempestes windes and floudes as haue happened within these few yeares Some floudes haue drowned whole countreys such haue happened of late about Rome and in the lower Germany besides the earth quakes which we haue heard of but I let them passe By these thynges it semeth that such is now the condition of the world that nothing shall continue any longer in hys old estate but all things shall quickly be turned vpsidedowne and fall to decay And also this we see come to passe by many examples that many are so troubled and vexed that for very anguishe of mynde they dispayre Which thyng may be vnderstanded both bodely and spiritually but especially spiritually For we haue heard of many before tyme and yet dayly heare of mo whom the deuill so troubleth and vexeth by temptations and desperation that for the greatnes of the grief and anguish they lay hand vpon them selues procure their owne death so that we see all the signes forespokē by our Sauiour Christ haue happened in all the world And although all thynges be not fully cōplished and ended yet we can not deny but that the greater part of them is already fulfilled especially so many happenyng together one after an other Therfore litle or nothyng hereafter is to be looked for besides the end of all thyngs which signes are therfore forespoken to put vs out of doubt and that we should not thinke they happen without a cause by chaūce or fortune rather thē to signifie some notable thyng to come But they are in dede all of them terrible signes threatening vnto the world cruell euēts although it do not feele them nor care for them But true Christians do both see them and marke them well are therby terrified much more then nedes seyng they are not sent to their destruction but rather to their consolation therfore they ought with ioy gladnes to behold cōsider them and not be discouraged although the firmament appeare lamentable vnto the beholders the Sunne the Moone the Starres and all the heauen beyng darkened The Sunne although he be couered with a thicke and blacke cloude although he leese his light neuerthelesse he goeth forwardes in hys course he is no worse then he was before he remaineth the same Sunne still and shineth as he dyd before sauyng that he lowreth for a time in token of destruction to wicked men in lyke mader the residue as the Moone and the Starres in that they seeme terrible to behold it is no harme vnto them selues For they are no tokens vnto them selues but vnto the wicked world of whō they are contēned After the same sort whereas mē are troubled and vexed hauyng a timerous fearefull consciēce it is in dede a terrible signe but not vnto thee or thē which suffer this if they be Christians onely it signifieth destruction to the wicked and despisers therof which do not suffer it but neglect it For the sufferers are preserued neuerthelesse and take no harme therby although they go vp and downe with a pensiue mynde in token of destruction to the wicked and vngodly persons Euen as Esay went naked and without shooes and Ieremy caryed a chayne about hys necke for a signe of misery and calamity to the Egyptians and Philistines and yet no harme happened vnto either of them For Ieremy remayned out of bondage ▪ thraldome and in as much liberty as he was before and Esay notwithstādyng hys ▪ nakednes kept still hys garmentes So they which kepyng vnto them a good cōscience do cary about them these tokens shal be without harme and voyde of of all daunger onely they declare vnto other what shortly after shal be their estate and condicion For although they bee euill signes yet they bryng no euill to them that cary them Otherwise he that hath the execution of condemned persons would not cary the sword or the axe neither durst any mā cary a weapon But thou which art a mansleaer and murderer take thou hede to thy selfe for thou art lyke to go to the pot when the officer draweth foorth his sword In lyke maner the fire the gibbet the halter the gallowes hurte not them selues but bryng destructiō to theeues and robbers which haue committed haynous offences So before the last day there must be many men whom
the deuill troubleth and vexeth with greuous temptations and so oppresseth them with anguish that they caÌ„ not tel which way to turne them or where to abide Of which sort of men Gerson of Paris and certain confessors haue written many thynges especially in Monasteries We haue had experience of them in whom hath ben tender and fearefull consciences But let hym so vexe and terrify men he shal not hurt them if they be not such as God hath determined to terrify and condemne as the wicked and the vngodly but rather such as are fearefull tender of mynde and would gladly receiue comfort and turne vnto God and can finde no comfort or relief vntil God himselfe haue deliuered them out of the misery of their afflicted conscieÌ„ce and haue coÌ„forted them by hys word Onely feare thou take hede which beyng secure and mery coÌ„temnest all thinges wherby God threateneth thy destruction Unto these signes that appertayneth where hee sayth Mens hartes shall fayle them for feare and for lookyng for those thynges which shall happen vnto the whole world that is to say many shal be troubled in their myndes that they shall go like meÌ„ amased and as though they dyd presently feele the daunger that they see haÌ„geth ouer their heades for feare Wherof they are so vexed that the greatnes of the grief and anguish of mynde causeth theÌ„ to consume and pine away Euen as sorow vseth to wast mans life euen as a priuye consumptioÌ„ doth eate or sucke the marow out of y bones as the wise maÌ„ wytnesseth in his Prouerbes These men must feele these signes not as tokens vnto them selues but vnto them which are more worthy to feele them But bicause thou doest contemne them at length thou shalt feele more greuously not signes but those thynges which therby are signified that is to say euerlastyng terrour feare sorow and hell fire For if iust men suffer and feele these things in the earth for a tyme What shall we say will become of them for whose sakes they are sent and whose destruction God thereby doth threaten NotwithstaÌ„dyng they esteme theÌ„ no more then the paryng of theyr nayles But are dayly worse and worse vntill experience alas to late doth teach them What folye and madnes was in their brayne when they gaue them selues to all pleasure and voluptuousnes to all kynd of worldly ioy and pastyme Whiles iust men were vexed with great sorow anguish of mynde consideryng the great horrible plagues which God hath prepared for all disobedient stubburne and stifnecked infidels and Antichristes It is a very hard thyng to behold many so terrible and so horrible signes which with no small feare shal amase the mindes of many as Christ here sayth and fil them with such sorow and heauynes that they shall seeme to be voyde of all consolation and comfort to those that see them But if thou be a Christian do thou not looke either vppon the externall signes of heauen or the earth neither vpon that which thou feelest thy selfe but looke thou vpon the necessity both of thy selfe of the whole world vnto whoÌ„ God as his vnfallible word doth testify hath ap pointed such thinges Except that day shuld come at y length I had rather I had neuer bene borne For let vs consider what is now the estate and coÌ„dition of the world how it dealeth with vs and with the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ most cruelly persecutyng the Preachers therof by meÌ„ that are driuen headlong through the deuill to deuise dayly mischieuous and vntollerable tormentes for the same purpose They most wickedly coÌ„temne and despise the Gospell they scoffe at it they speake spitefull and blasphemous wordes against it most sclaunderously endeueryng therby all that they may to deface the faythfull seruauÌ„tes of Iesus our Sauiour So vnthankefull is the world for the Gospell such deadly poysoned hate doth it beare towards Gods ministers beyng more mad wood against theÌ„ theÌ„ euer was Cain agaynst Abell then Esaâ—… against Iacob theÌ„ Pharao against y Israelites theÌ„ Saul agaynst Dauid then Iesabell against the true Prophetes then Herode agaynst the Innocentes finally then the deuilish Scribes and Phariseys agaynst Christ our Sauiour Agayne on the other side there is an infinite number of wicked meÌ„ as Idolaters prophaners of the Sabboth by seruyng theyr owne couetous censual lustes in stede of God vayne swearers drunkardes rebels robbers spoylers one of an other adulterers deceyuers lyers false witnes bearers cursed speakèrs voluptuous men and wemeÌ„ slaunderers malicious enuious couetous ambitious and periured persoÌ„s so that there can scarce be sene in all the world one token of discipline reuereÌ„ce feare good maners or punishment of malefactours Princes seeke theyr owne honour more then the honour of God and theyr own profite more then the profite of y coÌ„moÌ„ weale They make bloudy battailes for small trespasses agaynst theÌ„ selues not passing for many haynous offeÌ„ces coÌ„mitted against god Through ambition they picke quarels and wage war to enlarge theyr owne kyngdomes hauyng no regarde to enlarge the kyngdome of God. Subiectes beyng destitute of good officers and Preachers of Gods word lyke mad men bereâ—…t of theyr wyttes rebell agaynst their Prince They regarde not their lawes but either wilfully and openly breake them or elles seeke meanes to delude them to the satisfiyng of their owne wicked lustes Priuate men kepe no good lawes but by compultion Officers see no lawes kept but in respect of their owne coÌ„moditie to that end many tymes they purposely breake good lawes for bribes or for frendship oppresse the poore and defeate them of theyr right either by false Iudgement or by delayes such other crafty conueances Lawyers encorrage their clieÌ„tes aswell him that hath the false as hym that hath y good cause to go forwardes with the law vntill theyr money be spente and then they send them home to agree amoÌ„gest theyr neighbours Clientes such are their couetous and malicious myndes some to enrich them selues wil wrongfully by processe of law chaleÌ„ge other mens goods some to vexe trouble other men will by sutes in the law vndoe both them selues and their neighbours Rich men neglect the poore and suffer them to perish for hunger Poore men a great nuÌ„ber of them are idle loyterers will rather by pryggyng and such like meanes shift for theÌ„ selues then by honest labour get their liuing Old meÌ„ in all kind of lewdnes are an example to the youth Young men and maydes take an example of the most part which is wicked rather then of the lesser part which is godly Parents and masters do not instruct their children and seruauntes in the true fayth feare and woorshyp of god They seeke the bodely health and worldly profite of their Children but theyr soule health and heauenly profite they regard not at all ChildreÌ„ and seruauÌ„tes that are godly instructed despise theyr teachers and folow the deuilish
they shoot out their buds you see and know of your selues how that Sōmer is thē nigh at hand so likewise ye also whē see these thinges come to passe be sure that the kyngdome of GOD is nigh Doubtelesse this is a notable exposition which I my selfe could neuer inuent or apply vnto this purpose For who euer herd that the darkenyng of y Sunne and the Moone the destructiō of the heauē and earth the feare and tremblyng of men the ruine of the ayre water all creatures should be likened to the shootyng out of buds and y blossomyng of trees I would thinke rather that these thynges should bee lykened to a rough sharpe and very hard winter which with vntollerable cold destroyeth and kylleth all frutes and what soeuer groweth vpon the earth But our Sauiour Christ of all other the best interpreter and expounder of his word expoundeth these signes after an other sorte better to our comfort and consolation shewyng that those thynges which seeme terrible vnto vs are pleasaūt and beautifull to behold as if we see the Sunne and the Moone darkened the water and the wyndes stormy and tempestuous the mountaines ouerthrowē made equall with the valleyes he teacheth vs to say thankes be to God for now the pleasaunt som◅◅s at hād now we see the spryng of the leafe in some trees and other some to shoot out theyr buddes No man no reason no humane wisedome could thus interprete these signes terrible to behold that redemption and euerlastyng ioye should be signified thereby which vnto reason mans wisedome seeme rather to prognosticate death and all kind of destruction But seyug we haue learned this interpretation of such a notable scholemaster euē of him which sendeth them and therfore knoweth best how to expound thē therfore I say let vs learne it well accustome our selues vnto it that we may print it in our mindes the better to our comfort and that we may behold these signes and geue our indgement of them accordyng to the word of God and not according to reason and mans wisedome which is foolish and ◅ull of corruption which teacheth vs to shunne and bee afrayed of those things that in dede are pleasaunt ioyfull It will not gladly suffer vs to be hold all thinges darkened and to looke lowringly thunder lightenyng great stormes tēpestes are vnacceptable vnto it Notwithstanding a Christian mā ought not to be troubled therwith but take hold vpon Gods word whereby he openeth our myndes that as he interpreteth these thinges we may interprete them also knowyng therby y pleasantnes of sommer is now at hād and the earth will very shortly bryng forth an abundance of goodly lilies and swete roses most pleasāt to behold that is to lay that now after this filthy and wicked lyfe in the which we are tumbled and tossed with many miseries and calamities we shal be brought into the hauen of tranquillitie blessednes and all pleasure which neuer shall haue end For this is his will that as we must be new mē so we must haue new sences new cogitatiōs new vnderstandyng of thynges not behold any thyng with the eyes of our own reason as they seme vnto the world but with the eyes of faith and as they seme vnto God that we may the better fashiō our selues vnto that new lyfe to come which is inuisible which we hope for after the tribulation of this world And that we be not delighted with this temporall lyfe nor greued to depart out of it or to see the destruction of the world and all creatures therin of whom it is no time now to take pitie we ought rather to take pitie of the miserable Christiās both of them which presently are afflicted in the world and also of them which beyng departed sleepe in the graue and desire to see the glorious day of their resurrection Euen as the yerbes which in the wynter tyme lye hid in the earth and the trees the iuyce therof beyng kept in with cold can not spryng and bryng forth buds blossomes and leaues but looke for the spryng at which tyme shootyng out their buds they florish and are liuely to behold so we in lyke maner ought with ioy to looke for the iast day saying Now the sharpenes of wynter is ended the pleasaunt sommer is come yea such a sommer which neuer shall haue end At the commyng wherof not onely the Saintes but also the Angels reioyce and are glad Pea all creatures after a sort looke for it and desire it earnestly For heauen earth Sunne Starres ayre and all creatures can no lenger beare the wickednes of the world which they are constrayned to behold vnto whom it is greuous to serue to the vse or rather to the abuse of sinners are an ayde to the wickednes of the deuil And therefore they would gladly bee deliuered of thys fylthy bondage and be made a new heauen and a new earth as Peter and the Prophet Esay sayth in y which onely rightuousnes shall dwell For iniquitie and the wi◅kednes of man passeth all measure so that it can not be suffred any longer And therfore all thynges are moued as now we see crying as it were vnto God for their deliueraunce For this cause our Sauiour Christ concludeth after this sort So you when you see these thynges come to passe know that the kyngdome of God is at hand Verely I say vnto you this age shall not passe vntill all thynges be fulfilled heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe As though he should say you haue prayed after this sorte Let thy kyngdome come deliuer vs from euill Therfore now know you for a certainty euen as certainely as my worde is true and euerlastyng that when you see these sygnes your prayer is heard that the kyngdome of God shall come euen as you haue desired and all sinne shall haue an end and be consumed c. Therfore when I come in the cloudes withall my aungels with great glory in flaming fyre wherwith all creatures shall melt and be consumed and all thinges shall geue alyght and shyne after a straunger and wonderfull sorte your bodyes shal be glorified so that they shall passe the purenes of the ayre and all the army of heauen shyne they neuer so bright and shall raigne with me for euer in vnspeakable glory Finally you shall see the wicked vnder your feete naked in the earth in perpetuall shame tremblyng and shakyng beyng accursed and cast downe headlong into hell Now to make an end after this sort as I haue declared vnto you the signes of the last day must be expounded vnto the Christian people that it may appeare they signifie no harme but marueilous ioy great profite and commodity As for the Astronomers let them interprete them to signifie nothyng els but warre murder and vtter destruction let them feare and tremble which haue and desire nothyng but a temporall lyfe
could be no more sene THese few examples I haue here added in the end of the Sermon to let men see that before great alterations or channges of kyngdomes and common weales God sendeth wonderfull tokens therof to signifie the same before it come to passe whereby with Martin Luther the author of this Sermon we may well conclude that before the alteration of the whole world which is the last day he will send many signes and tokens therof which he sheweth for the most part to be already fulfilled and therefore the end of all thynges is now to bee looked for bycause there hath happened of late dayes many wonderfull Eclipses or darkenyngs of the Sunne and Moone many Sunnes haue bene sene at one tyme many rayne bowes many terrible blasyng Starres and other strauÌ„ge sightes of fire in the ayre many great tempestes of wyndes with flouds and earth quakes which haue destroyed and ouerfloweÌ„ both Cities and whole countreyes Wherof here might be added diuers examples both of such as happened before Luther did write this Sermon as also since that tyme But they are almost innumerable and haue bene partly sene with our owne eyes and are at large set out in Print by Conraedus Gesnerus Marcus Fritschius and others who haue written no small bookes of such wonderful and strauÌ„ge thynges as by the prouidence of almighty God haue happened before tyme to this end that we seyng these thynges come to passe forespoken by our Sauiour might the more diligently watch for hys commyng least we folowyng the example of the lewde seruaunt leade a carelesse lyfe in all kynde of wickednes and he commyng vpon vs vnwares geue vs our portion with hypocrites and dissemblers in euerlastyng fire prepared for the deuill and hys aungels God graunt vs therfore to watch for the commyng of our Sauiour that we beyng prepared with oyle in our Lampes he may take vs with hym vnto euerlastyngâ—…lyfe Amen Esay 65. 17. and. 66. 22. 2. Thes. 2. 3 Mat. 20. 1. Mat. 20. 6. Math. 24. 49. Mat. 25. 4 Actes 17. â—…1 The effect of the Gospel â–ª and the cause why it was written Signes be fore y last day proued by humane reasoÌ„ grouÌ„ ded vpon a certayne truth Rom. 15. 4 Example hereof are the inhabitantes of Hierusâ—… â–ª before whose destruction God sent most horrible tokens thereof Whereof som they re garded not â–ª some they enterpreted to signifie victory ouer theyr enemies coÌ„trary to the true meanyng of them and of God which sent them â–ª and contrary to the expresse wordes of our Sauiour which before had foretold them Luke 14. 43 The faithful haue no more cause to feare the signes of y last day the Noe had when the flud came â–ª or Lot at y destruction of â—…odome Goâ—…orra which sâ—… company of them that then were preserued is a signe of the little flock which goeth by the narrow gate Math. 14. Math. 24. 29. Prou. 17. 22. Reade that discouery of the Spa nish Inqui sitioÌ„ for the further declaration of these wordes Gene. 4. 8. â—…e â—…7 41. Exod. 1. 15 1. Sam. 19 11. and. 1. Reg. 18. 13. and. 19. 2. Math. 2. 16 Godâ—… king â—…oure as it â—… takeÌ„ for the whole world can â—…t be enlarged but â—…s it is taken for the congregation of the Christians when hys worde is truly preached so it may and is dayly enlarged 1. Cor. 15. 19. Apoc. 22 â–ª 20. Unto this place apper tayneth the hystory of of y Emperour Char les the v. of that name who the yeare of our Lord. 1521. seÌ„t for Luther vnto Wormes a Citie in Germany by an Herauld of armes with letters of safe coÌ„duct to whom hee came boldly although some persuaded hym that hee should neuer haue come from theÌ„ce alyue There he was examined before the Emperours Maâ—…esty of y bokes that he had wriâ—…teÌ„ and whether he would recaÌ„t them or any thyng in them contained Who aunswered that he would â—…cant so much as any maÌ„ was able to proue false by the worde of GOD otherwise he would deny nothyng that hee had written After a while when no other aunswere could be gotteÌ„ of him â–ª the Emperour gaue hym leaue to departs without dauÌ„ger bycause of his safe conduct aâ—… though many laboured to the contrary especially the Popes Embassadour as in the booke of y Actes and Monâ—… meÌ„ts more playnly is declared Esay 4. 11 Psal. 146. 3. Psal. 33. 10 Prou. 21. 1â—… The â—…romise of God is the ground of true fayth which promise was thoroâ—…ly â—…oted in Luthers hart as ap peareth euâ—… dently by his words The secoÌ„â—… part of the Sermon Christes 〈◊〉 â—…araphastically expounded â—… Cor. â—… 9. The difference betwene the prognosâ—…ication of Christ and Astronoâ—… Certain similitudes whereby it is declared with what ioy wee ought to looke for y commyng of ouâ—… Sauiour to Iudgement Math. 27. 34. The commoditie of affliction in this world Mat. 24. 30. 1. Thes. â—… 3 Math. 24. 27. 1. Cor. 15. 52. This saying of the wicked is after a sorte true For the good preacher may bee a cause of trouble first bycause where y word of GOD is sincerelye preached the deuill moueth and rayseth tumultes to suppresse it secondly where it is preached and not obeyed the greater shall bee the plagues of the stubburne and stiffenecked people Mat. 6. 10 Mat. 6. 13. The Adder as they say euery spryng of purpose â–ª wresting him selfe thorow a narrow place leaâ—…eth hys olde skynne behynd him as it were leauyng of his old coate â–ª and putting on a new one This is a a true saying that we can not pray faythfully nor beleue in god a right excepte we ioyfully â—…ooke for commyng of our Sauiour to iudgemeÌ„t Mat. 24. 30. and. 25. â—…1 Act. 1 â–ª 11. 10. 42. 17. 30. 2. â—…im 4. 1. Pet. 4. 5. Esay â—…6 19. Ezec. 37. 5. Iob. 19. 26. Mat â–ª 12. 42. Maâ—… 12. 25. Luc. 14. 14. Ioan. 11. 24. Luc. 321. 1. Cor. 15. 12. Colos 3. 4. 1. Thes. â—… 14. Ioan. 3. 36 5. 2. â–ª Rom 6. 33. Dan. 12. 2. Mat. 19. â—…9 and 25. 45. Ioan. 3 15. and 4. 1â—… 36. Ioan. 6. 27. and 40. and 47. and 54. Ioan. â—…0 28. and 12. 15. and 50. and 17. 2. Act. 1â—… 46 48. Rom. 2. 7 â–ª and 5. â—…1 and 6. 22 Gal. 6. 8. Tit. â—… 2. and 3. 4. 1. Cim 1. 16. and 6. 12. 1. Ioan. 1. 2. and 2. 25. and 5. 11 â–ª and 13. and â—…0 Iude Epist. â—…1 Mâ—… â—… â–ª 16. Exod. 20. 2 Gal. 3. 24. Mat. 6. 9. Apoc. 6. 10. The Saintes of God do not require vengeance of theyr enemyes bycause of priuate hatred but bycause they know theÌ„ to be Gods enemyes and do rage with deuelishe fury agaynst his holy Church and agaynst hys euerlastyng truth And in this case the loue of our neighbour hath no place where it is repugnant to the loue of god whose glory we ought to perferre before the commodities of all the world Therfore when man is such an enemye vnto GOD that we must needes hate the one and loue y other we must loue God hate man Psal. 139. 21. and in Gods cause pray for the destruction of man Ier. 18. 11 ver 21. as agaynst the enemy of GOD vppon a zeale and ferueÌ„t loue of Gods glory especially if they be such as we perceaue offende not of ignoraunce but of malicious stubburnes and that agaynst theyr coÌ„scieÌ„ce But in our own cause as they are iniurious vnto our own persoÌ„ we must rather pray for man then agaynst maÌ„ as we are taught by the exaÌ„ple of our Sauiour and Steuen Act. 7. 60. Heâ—… 4. 3. Gen. 3. 15. Reuel 13. 8 Ioan 1. 2â—… 1. Pet. 1 â–ª 19 Ro. 16. 25. Ephes â–ª 3. 9. Colos. 1 26 2. Timo. 1. 10. Tit. 1. 2. â—…it 2. 13. Math. 10. 32. Mat. 10. 38 Rom. 8. 17 2. Tim. 3. 12. Math. 10. 25. Ioan. 16. 2 and. 33. Math. 24. 48. 1. Thes. 4. 17. 1. Cor. 15. 32. IoaÌ„ 14. 27 Iob. 1. 17. Rom. 8. 11. IoaÌ„ 7. 38 Act. 9. 31. Rom. 5. 3. and. 10. 17. 1â—… 14. 5. 1. Lor. 2. 10 1. Lor. 5. 7 2. Cor. 5. â—… 〈◊〉 6. 15 Eph. 4. 24 That is best which is new vnto the world but old vnto God. Colos. 3. 9 Collos. 2. 8 Heb. 11. 1 1. Pet. 1. 12 Rom. 8. 22 A mynde speach attributed to creatures without lyse Esa. â—…4 23. and not properly but figuratiuely â–ª as wheÌ„ we say the earth doth prayse the Lord that is to say it doth declare hys wonderous workes and the workemanshyp therof ministreth a man matter to prayse the Lord so it desireth y last day that is to say it being accursed dayly more and more for our synne sheweth our miserable estate and what cause we haue to â—…ament and to desire our deliuerauÌ„ce by the coÌ„myng of our sauiour to iudgemeÌ„t 2. Pet. 3. 13 Apoc. 2â—… 1. Esa. 65. 17. and. 66. 22. Here an age may be taken for the space of two thousand yeares whereof there are but thre in all the world one froÌ„ the beginning of the world vnto the law the secoÌ„d froÌ„ the law vnto the coÌ„myng of our Sauiour and the last from the commyng of our Sauiour vnto the ende of the world which shal be shortened But how much it is vncertain Phil. 3. 20 Collos. 3. 3 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. * Imprinted at London by Iohn Daye ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegiâ—… Regiâ—… Maiestatis 2570.