al men shal acknowledge howe there is a God which iudgeth the earth These thinges would the godlie haue continualie in remembrance doubtlesse neither could the prosperitie of the wicked astonish nor their own trouble some cōdition ouerthrow thē as it doth manie times but boldlie both with Paul theie would saie who shal separate vs frō the loue of Christ and with Dauid protest that though theie should walke through the valleie of death yet they wil feare none euil yea they wil not feare though the earth be moued though the mountanes fal into the mids of the sea Because God is with them and hath laide-vp vnspeakeable blessings for them doth great things for them euen before the sonnes of men and in the end too wil aduance them vnto euerlasting glorie honor and peace The wicked also in considering these things must needes be terrefied from much wickednes For the verie diuels when theie remember the iudgements of the Lord do tremble againe Wherefore especialie for other causes I haue elsewhere specified in this my booke both for the comfort of the one sorte and for the terror of the other I haue written this treatise following wherein out of the worde of God I haue proued not onelie that God wil which thing manie Atheistes doe doubt and manie vtterlie denie but also that God presentlie doth iudge this worlde For which causes I haue intitled the same THE GENERAL SESSIONS because there is not a man whom God doth not neither shal there be anie whome he wil not iudge At which iudgement howe he wil deale with vs we are ignorant what he maie do in his iustice we know ful wel And therefore as that good King of an Heathen Prince Philip of Macedon in his cheefe prosperitie thought it the readiest waie to deteine him both from insulting proudlie ouer his vanquished enimies the Athenians and from oppressing tyrannicalie his distressed subiectes the Grecians if he were tolde euerie morning that he was a man and as the noble men of Aethiopia had alwaies whensoeuer there went abrode a crosse and a basen of golde filled ful with earth born before them that the one might put them in remembrance that earth must be resolued into earth and the other renue the memorie of Christ his passion and as the Aegyptians at al their solemne banquets had the image of death laide before their faces that the sight thereof might withdrawe them from defiling themselues with those vices which commonlie doe followe after rioting and bellie-cheere and finalie as S. Ierome whether he did eate or drinke or whatsoeuer he did seemed to heare the terrible trompet sounding vnto iudgement so the readiest waie to please God and to auoide his heauie indignation is in our prosperitie while the euil daies come not euerie morning with Philip to cal into minde that we are men when we are abrode with the noble men of Aethiopia to thinke that we are but earth in our feastinges and triumphes with the Aegyptians to fore-think what we shalbe and with good S. Ierome in whatsoeuer we are doing to remember that a iudgement there must be yea and is neere at hand at which God wil bring euerie worke into iudgement with euerie secrete thing whether it be good or euil For theie which cal into minde what theie haue bine haue theie anie grace wil blush what theie are wilbe humble what theie maie be wil tremble And this treatise Right Honorable I thinke most meete to come from your Honors hands into the world First in respect of my selfe For greatlie I doe knowe and confesse that I haue bine bound vnto your Honor for manie great wordes of encouragement which it hath pleased you to giue me but especialie for that fauour which of late I found at your Honors handes and that when I least looked for the same the Lorde requite you for it and make me thankeful Secondlie in respect of the highnes of your calling For being as you are appointed the chiefest Iusticer vnder God and her Maiestie in this realme mee thinkes none either ought sooner to be a reader or wil more gladlie be a patron of God his iudgements than your Honor. Last of al in respest of their profite who are inferior persons both in the Church and common-weale For sure I am the more your Honor calleth into minde which thing your wisedome cannot be ignorant of the condition of the godlie in this life the more you wil being their special Patron by office administer both comfort vnto them which theie haue neede of and encouragement being manie waies by the wicked which make a praie of them dismaied while there is none almost wil helpe Thus I surcesse beseeching both your Honor in good part to accept these my labors and our Sauiour Christ who is ordeined of God a iudge of quicke of dead euerlastinglie to blesse you the virtuous Ladie your wife with your children and familie The 20. daie of Nouember Anno 1581. At your Honors commandement THO. ROGERS Faultes escaped Page 8. in the margine read Iauel Epit. p. 29. in the margine r. z Gal p. 31. line 3. r. doe theie p. 31. l. 11. r. nevv heauen p. 73. in the margine r. Smetonius p 74. l. 17. read by authoritie p. 88. in the margine r. g. Gen. 6. 3. The contents 1 THAT it is not onelie comfortable for the godlie to heare but also commendable for euerie Christian reuerendlie to entreat of the second comming of our Sauiour Christ. 2 Whether there shalbe an end of this world à resurrection of the flesh and à general iudgment or no. 3 Against such as thinke how the world neither had beginning nor shal haue an end 4 Against them which allowe the beginning but denie the end of this world 5 Against the Manichies and their adherenets who saie there shalbe no general iudgement nor resurrection of mankinde 6 Against H. N. or the Familie of loue who thinke that nowe the daie of iudgement is come 7 Against the fauourers of Hymeneus and Philetus who saide that the Resurrection is alreadie past 8 Against the Saturnians Valentinians c. who denie the resurrection of the flesh 9 That vndoubtedlie there shalbe à general iudgement of al flesh 10 Whether God doe iudge this present worlde or no. 11 Howe God doth iudge mankinde in this present world 12 Whether al the wicked be iudged in this world and whie these are suffered in the opinion of man to florish 13 Causes whie the godlie are afflicted 14 That the godlie deseruedlie for their sinnes are punished 15 That none be perfectlie righteous in this world 16 Whether the sainctes in this world endure greater affliction than other men and whie theie doe so 17 Where the bodies and soules of men doe remaine vntil the daie of iudgement FINIS CHAP. 1. That it is not onelie comfortable vnto the godlie to heare but also commendable for euerie Christian reuerendlie to
them that trust in his mercie That he hath coÌ„sideration too of y e wicked The face of the lord is against theÌ„ that do euil to cut-off their remeÌ„brance from the earth That he beholdeth y e waies of al men The Lord looketh downe from heauen and beholdeth al the children of men From the habitation of his dwelling he beholdeth al theÌ„ that dwel in the earth euen the euil the good that in euerie place Thou seest therefore first that God doth nowe iudge that thou maist thinke al iustice is not reserued vntil y e time to come Secondlie that God hath an eie vpon the godlie that thou maist note howe hee is charie ouer them Thirdly how his face is against them that do euil that thou maiest vnderstand howe his wrath is kindled a gainst the wicked Last of al howe he beholdeth al men that thou maist know how he neglecteth no man and not giue-out that he winketh at the wicked For he beholdeth the good for their welfare and the euil to their destruction With whoÌ„ looke thou to haue à part who deniest that God beholdeth the waies of meÌ„ And not onely know thou that God doth cleerelie behold thee but acknowledge also that he wil assuredly coÌ„deÌ„ne thee For seing the face of the Lord is against them that doe euil to cut-off their remembrance from the earth of the gouernement of of God it must ensue that thou who through infidelitie deniest the countenance of God must through destruction vnderstand the wrath of the beholder saide Saluianus and so doe I. But the more to preuaile vnto these reasons and testimonies of scripture I wil annexe moste euident examples of the iudgementes of God For if wee into the holie Bible wee shal finde the same to be euen à glasse as it were of God his iudgementes from time to time For our first Parents Adam Euah were expelled out of Paradise through the iustice of God The murther which Kain committed was reuenged through the iustice of God The whole worlde was drowned Babel ouerthrowne Sodome and Gomorh burned Pharao and al his host brought vnto destruction through the iustice of God Againe that Noah and his housholde were preserued Lot with his wife and daughters saued Moses and the Israëlites deliuered it was through the same iustice of God Againe that Dauid in the the deflouring of his wife rauishement of his daughter rebellion of his sonnes banishement from his kingdome defection of his subiectes and in the odious death of his sonne Absolom was punished what was it but the righteous iudgment of God for his sinnes committed against the coÌ„mandements of the Lord In al these examples saith Saluianus what is there not would you see à ruler Lo he both reformeth that which is presently aâ—isse disposeth thinges to come Would you see à seuere iudge Lo he punisheth malefactors Would you see à iust yet à merciful iudg Lo he spareth the innocent Would you see yet à iudge in al thinges Lo here is iudgement For he reproueth as à iudge and gouerneth as à iudge A iudge pronouÌ„ceth sentence à iudge condemneth the guiltie and à iudge rewardeth the innocent Againe saith he And althese thinges Whie Whie but that we should vnderstand that as God hath iudged and punished so he wil euermore And therefore we reade how euen holie men were corrected afore time by the iudgement of God that we should know how God wil iudg vs in this present world Because God as he liueth alwaie so he iudgeth alwaie as his omnipotencie lasteth euer so his righteousnes edndureth and as he is eternal so is his iustice from age vnto age CHAP. 11. Howe God doth iudge mankinde in this present world NOw God iudgeth mankinde in this present world three maner of waies sometime by men by himselfe sometime and somtime both by himselfe and by man too By man diuerslie as by eeclesiastical peesons and by the ciuil magistrate by the worde and power of the one and by the sworde of the other Therefore the worde of the preachers is saide to be the sauor of death vnto death to some and the sauor of life vnto life to others and that which officers of the Church doe binde on earth is saide to be bounde in heauen that which they loose on earth is loosed in heauen and Magistrates for that cause are caled the ordinance of God and saide to execute the iudgements not of man but of the Lorde and are named the ministers of God yea Gods too not simply but for that theie sit in the roome of God here vpon earth So that when either the vengeance of God against obstinate sinners or a gratious pardon vnto the penitent is pronounced or theeues be hanged witches burned traitors quartered malefactors punished when the innocent are desended right mainteined and iustice duelie executed according to the lawes of God it is the iudgement of the Lord. I saie when iustice is executed according to the lawes of God For al the iudgements of men in authority though according to lawes are not the iudgements of God Because manie times both ecclesiastical persons and that by lawe condemne those whom God doth pardon and absolue those whom God doth condemne and temporal gouernours also allowe that by their lawes which God abhorreth So both theeuerie in Lacedemonia publique whoredome in Assyria incest in Persia was coÌ„mon stewes yea and Sodomitrie somtime of yeere at Rome and grosse idolatrie in al places where the Pope hath supreme power is mainteined And therefore magistrates iudging according to such laws are not the ministers of God but of Satan and execute the iudgementes of the diuel not of the Lorde When therefore be magistrates the ministers of God or when doe theie execute his iudgements Surelie when they iudge according to Gods lawes Which lawes of his be either imprinted in the mindes of al and euerie man and are for that cause termed the lawes of nature or else written in the worde of God which is the scripture and are called the Decalog or Ten-commandements Whatsoeuer is by the authoritie enacted contrarie to these lawes it is the law of Satan what is either grounded vpon them or done by them God alloweth the same And such good magistrates and their lawes the Lord so fauoreth that he commandeth them to be obeied as his owne ordenance and that theie maie be duelie put in execution he reueileth hainous malefactors often-times and those whom men by no policie can either get or knowe he by his omnipotencie in his iustice doth descrie Thus come theeues and murtherers commonlie and traitors dailie into the magistrates hande And whie No doubt because the Lord would haue it knowen that he is à righteous and à most iust auenger of enormous crimes and y â— albeit by his almightie power he can
labours of the warfar which it susteined in this world with the Diuel the flesh and the world now enioieth the companie of the celestial Church and resteth yea reioiceth sweetlie in the Lord praising his goodnes with hie commendations That treatise also touching the immortalitie of the soule written by the reuerend father M. Iohn Caluine is altogether to the confirmation of this matter These late writers agree with the ancient Doctors and both with the holie Scriptures For the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God and in peace saith the wise man theie rest from their labors saith à voice from heauen Which hand of God and rest in other places also is called Abrahams bosome Paradise Therefore the foules of the righteous vntil the daie of the last and general iudgement are in Abrahams bosome euen in Paradise where theie haue from the beginning and shal vnto the end of the world enioie though not perfect yet vnspeakable happines There euerie of the saints hath his seueral robe but shal not be clothed with double robes vntil we put theÌ„ on too for coÌ„panie saith Ber. The 1. robe is the felicitie and rest of the soules but the 2. shalbe the immortalitie and glorie of the bodies FINIS The miserie of mankind in general The great miserie of the godlie in this world a Eccles. 9 2. The troubles of the godlie dismaie them sometimes b Psal. 73 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 12. 13. 14. c Iere. 12 1. What the reprobate do gather by the troubles of the godlie d Psal. 10 4. e Psal. 10 11. f Ezek 9. 9. g Wisd. 2 2. h Psal. 94 7. i Wisd. 2 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 19. 20. The blessed state of the righteous k Psal 92 12. l Psal. 12â— 2. m Psal. 37 2. n Psal. 68 1. 2. The heauie iudgements of God vpon the wicked o Psal. 32 10. p Psal. 37 17. q Psal 2 9. r Psal. 11 6. s Psal. 9 17. t Matth 25 41. Luke 16 25. u Luke 13 28. x Psal. 11 6. y Psal. 58 10. z Psal. 52 6. 7. a Wisd. 5 3. 4. 5. 8. 9. b Psal. 58 11. The fruite of meditating vpon the iudgements of God c Rom. 8 35. d Psal. 23 4. e Psal. 46 â—2 f Psal. 31 19. g Rom. 2 10. h Iam. 2 19. The occasion whie this Booke was written i Eccles. 12 14. Causes of this dedication k Act. 10 40. a Reue. 22 20. Aduersaries to this doctrine The occasion whie this discourse was written b Luk. 12 56. c 1. Pet. 1 10 11. d Matt. 24 3. 4. c. Mark 13. 4. 5. c. e Mat. 24 33. f 2. Pet. 3. 3 4. Matt. 25 13. g Matt. 24 42 43. c. h Mark 13 23. 33. i Luk. 21 36. k Luk. 21 28. l Mat. 24 46. The suÌ„me of this treatise m Matt. 24 36. n N. HeÌ„mingius in cap. 4. epist 1. Pet. a Cice. de Nat. Deor. lib. 1. b Epist. of Iude vers 4. Theodoret. lib. de principiis c Hierom. lib. 2. aduersus Iouin d Dionys. Alex. apud Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. e Theodoret. lib. 2. cap. 31. f Melanct. in locis suis coÌ„mu Tit. de Baptis Infantium Georg. Maior Tom. 3. Homi. suarum fol. 129. b. 572. g Hector BoeÌ„thius lib. 2 ca. 3. h 2. Pet. 3 3. i Eccles. hist. Cent. 3 cap. 11. k Irenaeus li. 5. I. Argument a Arist. lib. de Coel. Phy. li. 8 b Isai. 37 16. c Ierem. 32 17. d Psal. 102 25. 26. 27. e Psal. 33 8. 9. f Wisd. 11 14. 2. Argument g Iauel epist. in lib. 1. Artist de Coelo tract 4. c. 5 The Maior The Minor h Arist. Phys. lib. 4. Conclusion i 1. King 8 27. 2. Chron. 6 18. k Bern. de triplici cohoerentia vinculorum serui l Isaie 66 1. m 1. Pet. 3 12. n Hemmingius in c. 3. epist. 1. Pet. o Zanch. de tribus Elohim p. 1. lib. 1. c. 4. p Tho Aquin. in cap. 3. Pet. 1. q Bern. in explic Psal. 90 serm 1. 3. Argument The Maior The Minor The Conclusion r Augustine a 2. Pet. 3. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1. Argument S. Peters answere vnto Atheistes b Gen. 9 13. Colors of the Raine-bow and what they signifie 2. Argument Answere c 2. Pet. 3 8. Whie the world hath continued to this daie d Rom. 2 4. e Gen. 6 3. f Ecclesi hist. Cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 14. fol. 664. The manner of the worlds destruction Whie the world must be consumed with fire a 2. Tim. 2 17. 18. 1. Obiection b Iohn 3 17. c Iohn 9 39. A twofold comming of Christ. Whie Christ came in the flesh Whie Christ wil come 2. Obiection d Iohn 3 18. e August de agone Christ. cap. 27. A twofold iudgment of Christ. f Rom. 2. 6. g August de agone Christiano Cap. 27. Theophylactus in cap. 23. Lucae h Deut. 27 26. i Gal. 3 10. k August de agone Christianâ— cap. 27. l August in 3. cap. Ioan. The state of the wicked euen in this world m Math. 25. 41 n 1. Tim. 2 4. o Iohn 3 36. 3. Obiection p Iohn 12 47. q Rom. 14 10. Who are the Familie of Loue. a In the displaieng of the Familie of Loue leafe H. 4. Art 6 6. b 2. Pet. 2 1. c Ephes. 4 14. d 2. Pet. 2. 1. e 2. Tim. 3. 5. f Matt. 13 24. g 2. Cor. 11 14. h 2. Cor. 11 15. i Cyril Catech. 4. de decem dogmat k E. R. one of the Familie in his Epist. sent vnto M. Iohn Rogers and is to be found among the Epist. annexed vnto the displaieng of the Familie leafe L. 6. l Afore Chap. 5. pagi 16. m H. N. in his 1. Exhort cap. 16 sen. 17. page 43. b. n H.N. in his first Exhort cap. 6. sent 1 2. 3. 5. cap. 7. sent 42. o H. N in his Instruct. praef Set. 1. 3 5. Art 8 seÌ„t 35. Arti. 11. sent 42. Exhort after to those Art sent 1. p H.N. in Prophecie of the spirite of loue cap. 14. Sent. 7. cap. 16. Sent. 6 7 8. Cha 19 sent 14. q H.N. in his Prouerbs Chap. 1. sent 17. 18. r Elidad a fellowe Elder with H.N. in his Exhort sent 33 34 35. s H. N. in his Euang Chap. 2. sent 1. * Isai 3. b. Mat. 24 d Mat. 25 d * Isai. 16 b. * Acts 17 d. * Zacha. 8. â— t Christopher Vitel in his Libel against the Booke intituled The displaieng of an horrible sect of grosse wicked Heretikes naming themselues the Familie of Loue. u H.N. in his documental sentences chap. 15. sent 4. * Actes 17 e. x H.N. in his preface before the instruct of the vpright Faith sent 2. * Matt. 24 25. d Luke 17 c. 21. * Act. 1 b. 2. 2. Thes. 1. b. What the Familie of Loue doth meane by the
howe it shalbe consumed with fire At these things saith Peter doe these Atheists and Epicures euen contrarie to their verie conscience denie And therefore there needeth none other confutation but onelie to laie before them either the historie of Noahs floud or the Rainebowe in the cloudes For beholding either of them they cannot choose but cōfesse that the world must haue an ende Another of their arguments is this Had God minded to bring the world vnto an end he would haue done so before this But seing it hath continued these 5500. yeres vpwarde likelie it is that euermore it shal endure Thus do they miserablie deceiue themselues saith Peter in effect not considering that God being eternal is not encluded within the compasse of anie time For one daie is with the Lorde as a thousande yeares and a thousande yeares as one daie Therefore it followeth not because hee differreth the destruction of the worlde that he wil not make an end thereof But hee is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would al men to come vnto repentance The cause then whie it is not yet vtterlie ouerthrowne is his great and infinite mercie for our euerlasting welfare For the patience long-sufferance and bountifulnes of God leadeth vnto repentance So did he spare the old world an hundred and twentie yeares before he drowned it and Ierusalem 40. yeares after Christ his death before he destroied the same It is therefore a special cause whie wee shoulde seeke to please so gratious and merciful à God no cause to make vs secure The manner of the worlds destruction at the day of iudgement is signified by à comparison For as the worlde in time passed for the wickednesse of men was after à sort destroied with water so it shall burne and bee consumed with fire And that both for a signe of the eternal paines which y e vngodlie shal endure and also for the purging and repairing of the world For as filthily diseased persons infect the places where they are so haue the wicked polluted this worlde with their manifolde sinnes Therefore it must be purged with fire that it maie be à meete fit and pleasant theatre as it were both for Angels and the chosen seruants of God with Christ for euermore CHAP. 5. Against the Manichies and their adherents who saie there shalbe no general iudgement nor resurrection of mankinde THeie who denie the general iudgement to come are diuers of diuers opinions For some doe holde that it shal not be at al some that it is nowe and some that it is alreadie past The first sort are Manichies the seconde H. N. or the Familie of Loue the laste the fauorers of Hymeneus and Philetus as the Familie of Loue. Al wicked heretical and abhominable For proofe whereof they al doe bring not humaine reason altogether as they did whom alreadie we haue confuted but they abuse y e diuine Scripture as shal appeare Of euerie of these therefore as they stand The Manichies and their adherents to proue that there shalbe no general iudgement doe bring-out first à place out of the thirde of Iohn where it is thus written God sent not his sonne into the world that hee shoulde condemne the world but that the worlde through him might be saued If therefore saie they hee came not to condemne the world it shal not be iudged Against which their allegation I might bring à contrarie place out of the same Gospel where our Sauióur saith I am come vnto iudgement into this world and so let one place answere vnto the other But I answere there is à two-folde comming of our Sauiour Christ à first and à seconde the first is past the seconde is to come The principal cause of his first cōming was not to condemne but to be condemned the principal cause of his seconde shalbe to execute iustice iustice with seueritie vpon the reprobate iustice with mercie vpon his elect yet iustice vpon both vpon the one sort for imbracing his Gospel by à liuelie faith vnto their saluation vpon the other for contemning the same vnto their vtter condemnation Therefore according to his diuerse commings hee beareth the persons of diuerse men in his first comming of à priest whose part is both to teach and to offer sacrifice in his seconde of à iudge whose duetie we haue shewen Secondlie theie cite this place out of the same Chapter of Iohn He that beleeueth in him which is Christ shal not bee condemned but hee that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he beleeueth not in the name of the onelie begotten sonne of God They saie therefore If he who beleeueth shal not come into iudgement and he who beleeueth not is condemned alreadie where are they whom hee shal iudge at the daie of iudgement In effect if none are to bee iudged there shalbe no iudgement I answere first touching the righteous who beleeue that though they shal not bee condemned yet that they shal bee iudged For Christ wil rewarde euerie-man according vnto his workes There is then a iudgement of saluation and a iudgement of condemnation The righteous shalbe iudged yet not condemned but quited by proclamation the wicked shalbe iudged and condemned both by God and the countrie that is by their owne conscience and al the Angels in heauen Secondlie against the wicked I saie with our Sauiour because they beleeue not they are condemned But doth it followe thereof that they shal not bee iudged I beleeue not For it is à phrase vsed much in y e holie Scripture to take the time present for the time to come As cursed be he or more plainelie cursed is euerie man that continueth not in al things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to do them It is not Cursed shalbe euerie man but Cursed is euerie man c. For God hath signified what shal become of vnbeleeuers and wicked men onlie there lacketh but pronouncing of sentence at his general Sessions So saith Saint Augustine He that beleeueth not is now iudged that is condemned by the foreknowledge of God who knoweth what hangeth ouer the heads of vnbeleeuers And verie notablie in another place he saith Iudgement hath not yet appeared and yet iudgement is come For the Lord knoweth who are his hee knoweth who are to be crowned who to be burned He knoweth his wheate and hee knoweth his chaffe He knoweth his good corne and he knoweth his tares He who beleeueth not is now condemned By which their obiection occasion is giuen for our profit and comfort to consider these three thinges Firste the wretched state of the wicked theie are condemned that is in the eies of the Almightie theie goe euen with their handes bound their feete fettred and their necks be in cords onely theie tarie but for these wordes Hangman dispatch them or
Tormentors spare them not or as our Sauiour saith Depart fro me you curssed into euerlasting fire c. Secondly the cause of their miserie Vnbeleefe It is in themselues not in God that they are condemned For God woulde haue al men saued and come vnto the knowledg of the trueth He that beleeueth not is condemned as in an other place He that beleeueth not shal not see life but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Thirdelie the waie to auoide this condemnation euen To beleeue Laste of al among other vane argumentes theie alledge these wordes of our Sauiour If anie man heare my wordes and beleeue not I iudge him not for I came not to iudge the worlde but to saue the world Wherebie they wil conclude howe there shalbe no general iudgement Vnto which place I saie that as was their first so must this also bee vnderstoode of his first cōming when he iudged not For at that time he brought and preached not the Lawe but the Gospel wherebie he declared howe and which waie they might escape the bitter and byting cursse of God his heauie indignation and be saued euen if they receaued the recōciliation promised which was himselfe by faith In his seconde comming he wil iudge the worlde For so is it plainelie setdowne We shal al appeare before the iudgment seate of Christ. And yet more plainlie if plainer it may be We must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euerie man maie receiue the thinges which are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euil In which places the wordes of the Apostle are most diligentlie to be considerd one saith we shal the other we must both of them import à necessitie of à iudgement to come and that of al men monie shal not saue the rich man nor might the honorable nor learning the student nor yeeres the aged nor weakenes the sicke nor anie thing anie man but Al must appeare and that before the Iudgement seate of Christ where he wil shewe himselfe to his foes terrible but amiable to his friendes CHAP. 6. Against H. N. or the Familie of Loue who thinke that nowe the daie of iudgement is come AMong al the sectes which haue bene since the Apostles time I am perswaded there is not one which hath bene either more foolishlie fantastical or more miserablie caried-away from y e truth vnto fables fantasies of mans grosse inuētion than I onelie except the most blasphemous companie of Papists that new disordered Familie of Loue as theie cal it And among al their errors displaied by one battered by another ouerthrown by à thir de I verilie doe thinke there is not one which for impietie is more abhominable than that which theie haue concerning the daie of iudgement When I name the Familie of Loue I vnderstand so many as know and defend the errors of H. N not those who knowe them not much lesse defend them For euerie one which leaneth vnto the sect is not priuie to their errors For the il-luminate Elders knowe right wel that manie which fauor them for the open shew of godlines that they see in them would vtterlie abhor them if they knew the dānable heresies Which priuilie they bring-in Therefore like subtile fellowes they disclose not them-selues but onelie vnto such as be either of no religion at al so readie like waxe to receiue the print of al opinions or sworne enimies against the Gospel of Christ as for those who zealouslie doe hunger and thirst after righteousnes and abhor al wicked opinions contrarie to the worde of God they make such not acquainted with their errors but feede them with faire wordes as they can wel enough either to make them in time euen to denie the Lord which hath bought them and so bring vpon them selues swift damnation or to be some countenance vnto their curssed sect For who neuer seeing their bookes nor hearing of their errors woulde thinke that to bee à Familie of vngodlines heresies which so discrete men sober women so ancient fathers so graue and so godlie matrons doe fauor Oh the subtiltie of Satan Oh the deceit and craft of men O dangerous daies O time of trial Notwithstanding as the venemous Adder lurketh manie times vnder the greenest grasse and as euerie thing which glittereth is not gold so vnder their faire shew of à vertuous life the elders doe hide venemous opinions and though theie haue the shew of Godlines yet they denie the power therof Euen tares they be like wheat false Prophetes vnder sheepes cloathing seducers yet like the ministers of righteousnes and as Cyril saith such as bite lik wolues though they would faine seme euē as simple as sheep so louing as lambes As their opinions extant to be seene iudged of al men do sufficientlie declare and shal appear euen by their errors which theie haue concerning the daie of iudgement had they no moe but them And what are theie I saide in the title of this Chapter and also in an other place howe theie holde not onelie that the daie of iudgement is nowe but also that is alreadie past as in the chapter following shalbe proued For confirmation of their former opinion I wil not frame an argument as I might wel and one doth wittilie by the verie wordes of H.N. after this sort Whatsoeuer the vngodded or vnilluminated Men out of the imagination or Riches of their owne Knowledge and of their Learnednesse of the Scriptures bring-foorth institute preach and teach is assuredlie al false and lies seducing deceit ful But the vngodded or vnilluminated men which are al the godlie learned that abhor the heresies of H. N. preach and teach that there shalbe à general iudgemēt of al mankind and à resurrection of the flesh Therefore it is false lies seducing and deceitful to preach and teach so If I should thus reason perhaps theie woulde saie I presse them too sore and as it were violentlie wrest à confirmation from their bookes Their owne words therefore for mee shal confirme what I saie That theie holde that the daie of iudgment is now he that waieth with iudgment these fewe places out of their owne workes wil easilie confesse I wil recite but three of them and that from sundrie of their workes omitting à great many both in the first Exhortation in the Instruction of the vpright faith in the Prophecie of the Spirit in y e Prouerbs of H. N and also in Elidad his exhortation Wherebie it maie be gathered that it is not à scape but à doctrine aduisedlie taught of H.N. and his scholers The first is this Beholde in this present daie the glorious comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with the many thousands of his Saints be commeth manifested which hath set himselfe Now vpon the seate of his maiestie for to iudge