DOOMES-Day Booke OR An Alarum for Atheistes A Watchword for VVorldlinges A Caueat for Christians By Samuel Gardnier Doctor of Diuinitie Heb. 9. verse 27. It is appointed to men that they shall once dye and after that commeth the Iudgement The Contentes the following page sheweth LONDON Printed by E. A. for Nicholas Ling and are to bee solde at his shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard in Fleete-streete 1606. The Contents of the Chapters of this Booke Chap. 1 OF the vnquestionable certaintie of the worlds end pag. 1 Chap. 2. Of the manner how the world shall be destroyed page 10 Chap. 3. Of the vncertaine and vnknowne time of the worlds end page 15 Chap. 4 Of the signes of the worldes end page 24 Chap. 5. Of the certaintie of our Resurrection page 45 Chap. 6. Of the certaintie of the iudgemeÌ„t or the day of Deome pa. 56 Chap. 7. That Christ shall be the iudge of the world page 63 Chap 8. How ioyful it is to the Godly and doleful to the wicked that Christ shall be their iudge page 67 Chap. 9. The maiestie of Christ in his comming to iudgement page 7â— Chap. 10. The Persons that are to be iudged page 76 Chap. 11. The cases that are to be iudged page 79 Chap. 12. Of the Terror and horrour of iudgement page 84 Chap. 13. The forme of the sentence of iudgement page â—8 Chap. 14 Of the blessed estate of the Godly in the life to come pa. 102 To the Right Honourable Iane Ladie Barkley wife to the Lord Barkley his veâ—â— good Ladie THe directiâ—â— giuen to Salomons young man 〈…〉 as an Orient starre to guide you to Heauen as the Commet in the East was to the wise men as it were a hande to leade them to Bechlehem the place where Christ was I wish if it â—e the will of God that you liue yet many yeres to the glorie of God and the comfort of your godly friends and that you may long goe with a staffe for verie age yet it will not be amisse in the meane time to giue you summons of death For this cause I tender you this Doomes-day discourse wishing you to feed vpon it in your soule as vpon a Restoratiue and to eate it vp as the Prophet did the Rowle that God gaue him You shall not die the sooner but happily to the world the sooner Though I doubt not but you haue hitherto so liued as you may bolâ—ly say vpon your dying bed I am not ashamed to liue and I am not â—oath to die The grâ—ce of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you Amen Your Honours Chaplaine SAMVEL GARDNIâ—R To the Reader SImple Christian with Natlaraâ—l or semi Christian with 〈◊〉 or no Christian with Dauiâ—s noddâ— The enrolment of this Argument is more theÌ„ needâ—â—l As a comfort to the first a consâ—â—matioÌ„ to the second a call or corosiue to the laâ—ter sort â— The former ranke heare Doomes-day discourse as wâ—llingly as that man that intending to trauaâ—le to inâ—ta delightfully listneth to an other that delateth of the riches and plentie of that place His ioy is then fulfilled in the sight of his Sauiour the substance thereof as Salomon was vpon view of the visible Arke of the Couenant which was but the shadow He taketh out his Quâ—etus est with that luckie Euangelicall Merchant who hauing found the Pearle of mestimable value and the golden mine casteth vp all his worldly commodities as Matthew did his Customers offâ—ce Paul his high Commission giuen him by the Bishops 〈◊〉 his vsurie Peter his Nets when they were called to a better place And as Elias did cast aside his Cloake when hee was catched vp to heauen Hee is then in his Haruest reaping with ioy that he sowed in teares and â—â—nging home his sheaues with him He is led to the Kings râ—yall banquet and to the Supper of the Lambe which how â—â—gh honour it is HamaÌ„ telleth you in the boast of that fauour to his wife and friendes affoorded vnto him when hee was called tâ— dine with King Assuerus His sorrowes are no sorrowes vnto him in respect of the ioyes that are set before him the light afflictions of this worlde casting vpon him a greater weight of glorie Those that weepe are as those that wept not because the shadow of this world passeth away 2 The second sort of men I meane the midling that serueth God and Baal God and Mâ—mmon By this learning of the end of the world is easily led to the contempt of the worlde Omâ—â—a â—acâ—e coâ—temâ—t qui credit se cito moriturum He soone contemneth all things that thinketh he shall die soone saith Ierome It was wisely laid togither of Esau Loe I die what shal then the prerogatiue of my birth do me and as a stone cast into the riuer raiseth a bubble and that bubble stirâ—eth vp another â—o this contempt of the world raysed by this learning raiseth an other contempt with it euen of our selues Of which Bernard taketh consideration saying Vide vnde veneris erubesce vbi es ingemesce quo vadis contremisâ—e See from whence thou camest and blush where thou art sigh at it and whither thou art going and quake at it It will make thee crestâ—alne the consideration of thy constitution what thou art by creation and that thou shalt be the same by dissolution and thou art subiect to this checke Why art thou proude thou dust and ashes Finally it wil confirme thee in thy dutifull doings and strengthen thy feeble loynes It is the Schoolmaister the Prophet desireth to be giuen him of God to teach him wisedome the certificat of the dimensions of this life Quisâ—quâ—â—â—die recordatur esse moriâ—urum contemâ—â—t praesâ—ntâ—a adfutura â—â—stiâ—at He that dayly remembreth his death will hate things present and haste to thinges to come 3 Finally it conâ—eâ—teth or confoundeth the Atheist Nabal and Epicure that with the Prodigall sonne in his conceits is gone into a farre Country from his fathers house the Church of the euerliuing God standing vpon his owne proper wisdome which he taketh to be better then the wisdome of the spirit So that he swalloweth home in his sâ—â—ine securitie such damnable sathannicall suggestions as these Ede bâ—be lude post mortem nulla 〈◊〉 Let vs eate and drinke to morrow we shall die But such â—ermâ—ning as this if there be any hope in them shall 〈…〉 by the eares and the sound of this trumpet 〈…〉 from the dead sleepe of their sinne and set thâ—m vpon their feete and cast them into a new â—ould For matter of this nature naturally scattereth an host of sinnes For as fellons â—eare the comming of the Iudge and the time of the Aâ—â—â—ses 〈◊〉 that shal not stand in the iudgement tremble at this time and will be fearefull of such sinnes as they know will arrâ—â—â—ne them and condemne them If I shall benefite these or
Others there are that are carried away with oracle deriued from the traditions of the Hebrewes which they would beare vs in hand they had learned of Elias and out of his schoole house and restraine the worlds duration to 〈◊〉 thousand of yéeres which they to part equally into these 〈…〉 1. Two thousand spent be oâ—e the time of the law 2. Two thousand vnder the law 〈◊〉 3. The last two thousand to the kingdome of Christ depâ—ted so as 〈◊〉 â—eeing the yeere of grace reuealed 1603. as it pleaseth learned men so suppâ—te this is the fiue thousand fiue hundreth 〈◊〉 eight yeere of the worldes age So that of this account there 〈◊〉 yee foure hundred â—eeres to be consummased This reckoning hath â—â—nne the more currantly in that they applie these six thousand yeeres to the six dates wherin God created yâ— worldâ— inasmuch as the Prophet saith A thousand yeers in thy sight are as yesterday and it â—â—in Peter One day is with the Lord as a thousâ—â—d yeers and a thousâ—nd yeers as one day Héereâ—pon they make this interence as in hâ—daâ—es the worlde was 〈◊〉 and in the seauenth wâ—s the sâ—bbath of the Lord wherein hée tested So after six thousand yeeres accomplished the world shall bee â—estâ—oâ—ed and in the seauenth shal our eternal fabbâ—th hee fulfilled and in the eight the puritie of our circumcision reâ—oâ—ed Wee read also of another fraternitie and brotherhoode who â—â—liuer that the â—â—sticali bodie the church shal abide three and thirtie yéeres héere in caâ—th as Christ himselfe 〈◊〉 so long in the bodâ—e which he tooke from the Virgin But they make euery of those â—éeces of a wonderful widenes putting fiftie yéeres to euery one to make euery yere a yéere of Iubilee But this and such like are verâ—e frâ—â—uolous fictions It is naturally engrafted in the mind of man to desire nouelties and to affect strange courses and so see is after a knowledge beyond al sobâ—tetâ—â— to be curiously â—â—quisttiue after â—â—ages to come and carelesly respectiue of such thinges as are present This is the cause why some giue themselves vnto â—â—lawfull artes and 〈◊〉 themselues to be mocked and misled bâ—â—ste Deuill So did Saul who perceiuing God to bee angrie with hâ—m and the hand of the Philistiâ—â—s to be sore vpon him neuer sought vnto God for his Quietus est to haue couÌ„saâ—le or comfort from 〈◊〉 But decâ—â—ous to know the censequent of the case hee deliberated with 〈◊〉 women who draue him headlong to deâ—petation and destruction Such madnesse now blindeth and beâ—â—teâ—eth too manie who by staring vpon the startes will prognositcat the euent and successe of euery yeere and so determine of the estate of it as if they had the heauens water in an brinall with an impudent rashnes denouncing warres fore-promising peace prophisying of maladies in men and beasts giuing vs many good words of a good yéere telling vs a faire tale of the free passage of religion and comprehending in their speculation the perturbations and mutations of all kingdomes In the meane while they let slip greater matters that are certaine reuealed by the scriptures touching faith hope charitie and other godlie duties requisite for a christian man weil to know and to bée familiarly conuersant in which haue no perpleritie or obscuritie in them But in this Article especially which is of the end of the world men at all times haue bene singularly busie and bolde Wheras the prophecies thereof as Augustine well saith are sooner perfected then perceiued This is one of the Deuills notable stratagems and deuises to set our braines a worke with circuler questions endles and fruitles thereby to withdraw our mindes from points of greatest néedfulnes The Apostle toucheth such and willeth the Thessalonians not to héede them that drop into their eares the present comming of Iesus Christ in glory Our age haue brought forth men of no base learning who in their bookes and sermons haue bene ouer sawcie and malipert in this matter as if they had bene furnished with heauenly reuelations and as if God had familliarly talked with them as the father deth with the childâ— Now what heinous and detestable boldnes is this to affect such a metaphisicall and supereminent knowledge which goeth beyond the wisdome of angells and the wisdome of the sonne of man as he is barely the sonne of man So wée be wise vnto saluation wée must content our selues with that which the word deliuereth vs and séeke no other scholmaâ—ster no though it were an angell I care not what any Angell saith if he take not his text from the written word of God which wée haue with vs. That which wée say of an Angel is to be vnderstode likewise of the spirites of those that are departed as the historie of the rich man and Lazarus sheweth who putting vp his bil of request vnto AbrahaÌ„ that some doctor out of another world from the company of the dead might be sent to preach vnto his brethren hée was denied his sute and tolde that Moses and the Prophets were sufficient and that if they could not reclaime them their case was incurable this his new found affected monster could doe no good vpon them What néed haue we to séene beyond the scriptures for any thing belonging to the worke of our saluation when as Paul saith an Angell is not to bee credâ—ted but so farre as he commeth with scripture The obiect and subiect of the word being Christ how should it not be stored with all kinde of wisdome Who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes and santification and redemption The written word of God endited by the spirit is in all numbers absolute as Paul teacheth The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes It was requisite that this time should be concealed and not discouered to vs. That we might arise the better from that bed of securitie into which wée were cast as Iezabell was cast vpon abedde of fornication Christ taketh vp this argument as an instigation to vs to more forwardnes and faithfullnes in our dutie Watch therefore for yee know not when the maister of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning It is our manner to serue God as lawâ—ers do their cliants with delaies and to put off duties of religion and deuotion to after times promising our selues that wée shall liue long and sée many good daies But while we are in the fashion of the world in Zacharie â—in time of which it is said All the world sitteth still and is at rest the Eccho and answering voice from heauen will be this When they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sodaine distruction as trauell vpon a woman with child and they
of the Moone 3 The downefall of starres 4. The luâ—aâ—e and palseâ— shaking disposition of heauenlie powers 5 The signe of the sonne of man 6 The direfull eiulation and lamentation of the wicked If we shall cursorâ—â—e runne ouer the 〈◊〉 clasley we shal find al of them alreadâ—â—â— esse really accoupâ—â—eâ— 1 The first adulteration of doctrine hath beene long too 〈◊〉 Iosephus speaketh of â—ableâ—â—â—s of such who led the people into the wildernes and mount of Olmes and bare them in 〈◊〉 that they were their Sauiours among others he nameth the Egyptian named by Luke in the Actes of the Apostled This mischiefe like a Gangrene hath farre disperied it selfe For all the East-churches God after Mahomet and the Pope hath established the kingdome of Antichrist very strongly in the Westerne parts 2 Warres and rumors of warres haue alreadie béene many and great In lurie there were successiue seditions which partly were raised by their false teachers and partly by tyranous presidents were kindled Wars after yâ— death of Neroe waxed very hot the Romaines being at ciuil wars among theÌ„selues euery one catching his fellow by the head thrusting his sword in his fellowes side while there was claime made to the crowne by Galba Otto Vitellius VespasiaÌ„ in whose second yere Titus took the citie which together with the temple he quite consumed with fire 3 Plague 4 Famine are indiuided companions of warres or seruants that waite at the heeles of the Plagues were long before threatned them for sinne as where Moses saith I will appoint ouer you a consumption and the bnrning ague to consume the eyes to make the heart heauie The Lord shall make the pestilence to cleaue vnto thee vntil hee hath consumed thee from the land The heauie stroke of Gods hand herein have diuers parts of this our land of late yeres gréeuously felt Concerning samme it was so fierce and fearefull in Heirusalem as many died of it of which Iosephus writeth Of a famine that came vpon them the scripture speaketh And there stood vp one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirit that there should be a great famine throughout all the world which also came to passe vnder Claudius Cesar 5 It is enough that Earthquakes are foretold though there be no further inrolement either of the place or of the time yet Iosephus maketh relation of some things agréeing with this prediction For a yéere before the siege there was a starre ouer the Citie séene like vnto a sword at nine in the night a light greater theÌ„ the day-light shined in the Temple which continued halfe an houre In the ayre were seene armed soldiors skirmishing together and a voice in the Temple was heard Let vs depart hence But wée néede not wander so farre for proofe of such prodigies The Earthquake that hapned in the yéere 1580. on the sixt of April that shaked not only the scenicall Theatre but the great stage and Theatre of the whole land verifieth Christs prediction 6 A Catholique corruption in maners and conuersation being another marke of knowledge of the worlds consumption hath béene long and is still really and substancially in action And because iniquitie shall be increased the loue of many shall be cold This prophecy took place in Christs time wheÌ„ he came among his own but his owne knewe him not When Iudas betraied him Peter forsware him al his other followers persidiously did forsake him And is the conditioÌ„ of these times betterâ—no truly but far worser and are come to all extremitie iniquitie hauing set vp a Monarchie among vs and driuen out all pietie The word of God foundeth in our eares summoning vs to repentance that we may be reborne and be made new creatures But the more serious the holy ghost is with vs the more slacke we are to héede his suggestions and more forward to apprehend all vnlawfull motions confronting the verie heauens and offring the combate vnto God himselfe So it is therefore that being wholy dedicated and giuen vp to our forâ—ide gaine we neglect al those things that make against it we feede vpon hatred and malice without cause wee conceiue filthy lustes and anger implacable and those that seeme to be of the best sect are set vpon drunkennes glottonie carnality which dulleth the mind enféeble the body disable the whole man and turneth him into an other nature of a man making him a beast Due obedience to parents is not giuen faithfulnes betweene man and wife is not kept the recâ—procall dutie that is betwéene the Master and the Seruant is neglected and the loue of both sides that is to passe currantly betweene the magistrates and their vnderlings languisheth 7 Put the seuenth signe of this sicke and dying world to the former that is to say defection of charitie The loue of many shall waxe cold and there is nothing wanting that may helpe to fulfill the measure of iniquitie wee swarue not from the right if we proportion out the corruption of these present times with the corruption of the times in the time of the flood as the Poet Graphically and al the ful hath set them foorth Viuitur exrâ—pto nec hospes ab hospite tâ—tus Neusocer a genero fratrum quoque gratiarara est Imm net exâ—tio vir coniugis illa mariti Lurida terribiles nuscent aconiâ—a nouercae Filuis ante diem patrios inquiâ— it in annos Victaiacet pietas virgo caede madentes Vlâ—â—ma caelestum terras Astrea reliquiâ— Men liue by spoile the hoast is not of guest from danger free The father in law from son in law brothers seldome agree The wife is oft the husbands bane the husband of the wife The son doth looke before the time the terme of fathers life The stepmother likewise strong poison doth prepare All pietie is vp to heauen in earth it is but rare Sutable to this saying of the Poet is this of the Apostle Toward the latter daies shall come perilous times wherein men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankfull vnholy and without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce dispisers of them which are good traitors headie high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God c. All which large discourse and perticuler reckning may be concluded in this totall and generall summe in the sentence of our Sauiour When he coÌ„meth he shal scarce find faith vpon the earth If this be not as clere as the Sunne let any man goe with cresset torch light from the center to the circumferice find me out a man in whom some of these properties is not proper that walketh éeuenly both with God man without any imputatioÌ„ of reproofe to disproue and checke this assertion 8 The eight token of the end of the world which is the preaching of the Gospell through the whole world according to
so was afterwards confined and banished into Pathmos The third persecution is giuen to Tracâ—an in which Ignatius suffered in the yere of Christ one hundreth and tenne being worried deuoured of wilde beasts The fourth was mooued by Antonius the Philosopher in which were martired Policarpus Iustinus and many more in the yere of Saluation 170. The fiâ—â— moste mercilesse nusereant against the Church was Seuerus who among others did to death Leonides the Father of Origen in the yeare after Christ 204. Maximus was the sixt The seauenth was Dreius vnder whome Saint Lawrence was tortured beeing rosted vpon a Gridiron in the yere 252. The eight was stirred by Lyanus who with the blood of those two worthies Cornelius and Symon seeded and watred the Church of God Aurchan was chiefe actor in the ninth In the tenth Dioclesian and Maximianus had three handes full who meeting at Nicomedia confuted together for the vtter râ—â—â—ing out the name of Christians Wherevpon by power of their â—â—oclamations sent out into all quarters of their domination there was such a mightie massacre made euerie where as it is in register that in one month seauenteene thousand of them were put to the sword This tempest continued for thirteene yeares Neyther haue the times beene milder vnder Antichrist as examples enough shew which maister Foxe in his booke of monuments store you with to which I doe send you hauing bene prolixe enough in this point but I hope not vnprofitable The tenth signe of this downefalling world is publique offence and scandale that shall arise And then shall many bee offended Ofthie scandale and offence there are two sortes 1. For first such as starte aside from the Gospell take a scandale and offence at the corruption of mens manners 2. Secondly by their Apostacy and defection they hardeÌ„ the obstinate ouerthrowe the weake weaken the the strong moouing great offension in their mindes The latter is the worst and badde is the best of them This prediction could not otherwise be but fulfilled For many doe nothing else but seeke their priuate gaine vnder pretext and shew of Godlinesse and this is such a naturall and common disease as the Apostles themselues were not cleere of it as their ambitions contentions about the Primacie and the right hand and left hand in the kingdome doe witnesse How should it then be shifted but that grâ—dge and offence must growe in the mindes of men when they see those great Candles whome Christ called the light of the world ware dimme and loose their light wheÌ„ they had a taste how the salt of the earth had lost his sauour when they perceiued how his heaâ—enly herauldes the preachers of his word were poore dispised afflicted determined to death and made the spectacle in the Theater of this world for men and Angels to wâ—nder at At this day many are â—ffended when they see and heare how men of good note and chiefe place sometimes wedded to their superstitious vanities haue turned their copies and haue subscribed to the veriâ—ie and are disgraced and displaced for it Yea whome should not such thinges offend that are Christians when as Christ was fore tolde by Simon that he should bee a stone of offence for many to stumble at which Paul witnesseth saying But we preâ—ch Christ crucified vnto the Iewes euen a stâ—â—bling blocke and vnto the Graecians foolishnesse And it is well knowne what Christ humelie saith to the point Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me Paul giueth iustance of such of the Church as tooke offence â—so departed from the Church as of Hymeneus and Alexander who made shâ—pwracke of â—aith conscience altogether Eâ—e-where he theweth how riches haue beene a stumbling stone to maâ—y which hath â—isâ—ed them from a former good profession and intangled them with many molestations 11 The eleuenth signe of the end of the world is a seated and resolued securitie which neither iudgements from heauen nor preaching in earth can disâ—el out of the hearts of men Of which Christ saith As it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it be in the dayes of the sonne of man They eate they dranke they married wiues and gaue in marriage vnto the day that Noah went into the Arke and the â—lood came destroied theÌ„ all c. This signe these times as those times haue seene Gods word is fréely preached and neuer any age had so many learned preachers and it is wonderfull how many conuicted in their consciences doâ— confesse that that which they preach is the truth yet we may send them to the iudgement with this superscription on their foreheads Noluerunt incantari They would not be charmed We haue piped vnto them and they haue not daunced we haue mourned vnto them and they haue not lamented we haue stretched out our handes all the day long vnto a wicked and gain-saying people Men walke after the flesh and fleshly desires and too many there be who make the Gospel and the profession of holinesse the shrewde and mantle to couer their licentiousnesse Epicureous gormandizing is rife euerie where drâ—nkennesse is without example we are cast into as founde a sleepe of sin as Adam was when hee lost a rib as Sisera was when he was slaine in his tent as Isbosheth was when he was slaine in his bed and as Eutichus was when he fel from the third loft It is with the state of sinne as it was with Dyonisius who though he had bodkins thrust into his belly so as the fat a grease issued out yet he had no feeling of it so pierce we and wouâ—d sinne as much as we will and it will not yeeld an inch for it Bene pungeris si compungens saith Bernard It were good thou hadst that punction that would bring thee to compunction 12 The twelf fore-runner of the worlds confusion is the terror desperation that shall 〈…〉 by Luke in these wordes Mens hearts shall 〈…〉 feare and for looking after those things which haâ—◠〈◊〉 on the worlde which hitherto hath beene 〈…〉 home and warres abrod 〈…〉 all of a great death 〈…〉 pleagues newe diseases neuer 〈◊〉 before haue stroken vs like the 〈◊〉 that flieth by noneday 〈…〉 And as these outwâ—â—d 〈…〉 come vpon vs 〈…〉 vering the inward conscience 〈…〉 such hold of some as they could neuer be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and proviâ—â—â— opinions in matters of faith heritical 〈◊〉 of vnspeakeable Schismes and 〈◊〉 not onely 〈…〉 with vnâ—essie cogitations but plunging it into the bottomlesse pit of desperation But this is but a light 〈◊〉 and conculsion in respect of that lamentable vnspeakable conâ—â—sâ—on and 〈◊〉 of soule and bodie which shall be the scorpion to whippe them at the nick 〈…〉 of the direfull day of doome The woman that is with childe hath often manie aylements and complaininges as of 〈…〉 and sickenesse of stomacke but all these are little and light 〈◊〉 as
sufferings as the wounds of his hands féete side and other some say is the signe of the crosse But the certainest sence is to take the signe for the signification for those prodigious aspects lately named and for the worldes combusâ—â—n which is the signe of the sonne of mans apparition by S. Peter directly named Wee will giue the vse of this large discourse and so wée will conclude it 1. First these signes serue as wholesome admoniâ—on to drâ—we vâ— to a godly and holy conuersation It is the Apostle Peters application in the case who after mention made of these â—â—full maner of the worldes destruction commeth in with this addition Seeing all thinges must be desolued what maner of men ought wee to be in holy conuersation and godlines The consequence is good for if all earthly creatures must be refined and renâ—eâ— by the fire Much more should the fire of Gods spirite burne in vs which may consume the drosse of our dead workes like sâ—uble and perfect vs that wee may be wrought as it were in a new â—oulde after the Image of God in righteousnes and holines 2. Secondly wee are taught to gather from hence howe grieuous sinne is which is in the creatures of the worlde thus greiuously punished The leprosie of the Iewes was to all that knew it wonderfull because it not only did infect the whole man but did cleaâ—e to his garments and to the walles of the house But the leprosie of sinne is more to be wondred at that not only polluteth the bodie and soule of man but bleâ—isheth staineth the worldes glorious eye euen the glorious Sunne in the firmament and subiecteth the Moone and starres vnto vanitie Wretched therefore are wée the whom the dregges of sinne are so frozen and conicalled as wée are become senceles in sinne not onely going vp to the anckles but diuing ouer head and eares in the gulfe of sin Wee endure not to looke vpon the blaines and running soreâ— of spitlemen but did we beholde the sores of our sinfull soules as they are in their naturall corâ—uption which rancle the verie heauens manie thousand miles of from them we would haue in all loathsome detestation their most vgly and fipthie abhomination 3. The third and last consideration we take from hence is the louing kindnes of God and his vnwillingnes in punishing a sinner according to that which Isai saith God worketh a strange worke to bring his owne work to passe Dij immortales nec volunt nec possunt obesse The immortal Gods are neither willing norable to hurt saith Seneca It is his propertie alwaies to haue mercie as it is in the Antheme of the Church And iudgement is a strange work vnto him contrarie to his nature which hée executeth to make vs owners of his mercie which is his owne proper action If God tooke anie pleasure in vndoing the world and worldly men he would not come in this mouing manner to vs causing all the creatures of heauen to put on blacke garments But euen as when the maister of the house dieth saith Chrisostome all the houshould is cladde in mourning wéedes so mankind for which all the parts of the world were made to be seruants to them béeing to be done away all creatures follow their funeralles with lamentations in their kindes the orient Sunne Moone staires doe chaunge colour and are in blacke array A Painter is very loath to marre the whole proportion of the picture for some defection and imperfection that is in it so God is very loath to vndoe al his workmanship in vs for some sinnes and transgressions that are in vs. Many Iudges of Assise are so pittifull as albeit they are to venounce the doome of death against prisoners at the barre as they weepe when they deliuer it so God doth with vs béeing sentenced for our vnrepentant sinnes vnto death So he wept when hée â—rowned the first world so he wept for the destruction of Hierusalem and this affection hée sheweth in this habite of heauenlie creatures which they do on at the worlds dissolution There is many a hangman who though he be neuer so butcherly bent will bemoane the estate of his freind especialliâ— his kinsman whose hand or eare he is to cut off Therefore God that loueth vs more then the father can the childe or the husband the wife cannot but be resolued into passions for our condemnation This doctrine you haue often heard but yée do but litle heede it happily because yee doe not beleeue it is so at hand But these signes hitherto spoken of maketh it out of doubt The king doth purpose to remooue from one Court to another and when report goeth of it many doubt of it because the prince many times doth delay the time but when the furniture of the Court is taken downe then euery one knoweth that he remoueth out of hand so it hath béene often preached in your eares that the end of the world is at hand that Christ is comming to iudge it and ye arraigne God of slacknes but the remoual of this the worldes furniture this buâ—â—e dooing which is not in hand flatly sheweth that these thinges are at hand The fift Chapter Of the certaintie of our resurrection THe resurrection of all flesh immediatly with the worlds consummation commeth in place So saith Christ I will raise him vp at the last day The like saith Martha no doubt immitated in the schoole of Christ touching hir brother Lazarus I know that he shal rise again in the resurrection at the last day Wherfore we are to deale with this article in this place There is a double resurrection 1. The one of our bodies 2 The other of our soules Of our soules when we rise from sinne Of our bodies we rise from our sepulchers That of our soules is called the first resurrection The other of our bodies is called the second A double death answereth this double resurrection 1. The first death which is of the vnrepentant soule 2. The second which is euerlasting death the condition of the damned We learne of the Scriptures thus to distinguish of the resurrection For the first and second resurrection The first and second death are mentioned in holy scriptures As by Iohn in the Reuellation Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection For on such the second death hath no power But they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeeres Where Iohn by the first resurrection vnderstandeth the resurrection of the minde from sinne to repentance In the Gospell of Iohn both these resurrections are spoken of together The houre shall come and now is when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God These wordes belong to the first resurrection and that doth the course of them declare in that hée saith The hower shall come and nowe is For no man will say
and seeling as it shall accuse and condemne it selfe Being thus reuealed and spred abroad there shal be disâ—inction made of them according to the nature of them eyther good or euil That shall be thus done They that neuer had knowledge of the law of God and had no other schoolemaster but nature shall bee tryed and iudged by the lawe of nature As for those that liue in the church haâ—e liâ—ed vnder the law and vnder grace shal haue their tryal by the law the Gospel So saith Paul As many as haue liued by the law shal be iudged by the law At the day of iudgement â—od â—hal iudge the secrets of our hearts according to his Gospel To â—xpresse the exact account that shal be taken of al thinges in the iudgement Iob saith of God Thou hast sealed vp our sins in a bag it is more to 〈◊〉 then to keepe for sealing signifieth a very speciall keeping Therfore the bag and bundle of our misdeeds being sealed vp not the least sinne of al can possible drop out To the further insinuation heereof saith the Lord by Zephaniah I will search Ierusalem with Lanterns Such thinges as we desire verie much wee seeke for verie much but when we seeke with candle and Cresset light wee shew thereby that we will seeke to purpose and will finde if it be possible But when the Almightie seeketh with his Candle in his hand how is it possible but that he should finde what he seeketh for This is a iudgement by it self of which all the iudgements of men are wide Before the Tribunals and iudgement seates of men the truth is often obscured and the offences of men are eyther smothered dissembled or diminished when as eyther the Iudge is deceiued or the witnesses is corrupted or the guiltie man beguileth both but there is none of all these in this Iudgement The consistoriall places of men respect consanguinitie affinitye Nobilitie but these haue no priuiledge in that impartiall place For thus the Psalmist saith Bee not thou afraide when one is made rich and when the glorie of his house is increased For he shall take nothing away when he dyeth neither shall his pompe descend after The hope of the wicked shall faile him his trust saith Iob shall be as the house of a Spider If righteousnesse and iudgement shall bee the preperation of his seate what is the preheminence of Gentrie before others before that heauenly seate of this wrighting and storing vp of the worldes faulles against the day of reckoning Isaiah speaketh thus Behold it is written before me I wil not keep silence but wil render it recoÌ„pence it into their bosomes In the meane while yâ— art merry like a fond fellonious fellow who being indited of scheme is swallowed vp with a sottish security in that meane while the inditemeÌ„t passing on the Clark of the Assise peÌ„â—ing euery point therunto appertaning That there shal be this busie inquirie that this singuler scrutiny shal be made of thoughts wordes workes the Scriptures haue tolde vs. That our thoughts shal be discouered Salomon maketh manifest sayinges God will bring to iudgement euerye secret thing whether it bee good or euill If euerie secret thing shall be iudged then the thought shall be iudged Paul maketh it a plaine case saying God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell That which he saith thus else where enforceth as much Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten thinges that are hidden in darkenes and make the counsels of the hearts manifest Wherefore the thoughts of the ambitious which are as wide as hell mouth as Pirhus his thoughts roued from Macedon to Greece from Greece to Italie which eâ—alt themselues like Eagles and say in the haughtine 〈◊〉 of their mindes Who shall bring me down to the ground who swel in their hearts with swelling titles as Sapor the King of Persia who wrote himselfe king of kinges Brother to the Sunne and Moone partner with the Starâ—es 〈◊〉 thoughts I say of the proude shall be râ—â—led So the thoughtes of Epicureans companions of swaggering swill bowles who thinke it good to take their fill of pleasure in this life licking vp these and such like sayings Let vs eate and drinke to morrow we shall die Ede bibe lude post mortem nulla voluptat Here eate and drinke disport and play For after death all fade away Soule take thy rest for thou hast goods laide vp for many yeres Better is a liuing Dog theÌ„ a dead Lyon The thoughts of these copesmates shall be said before them the thoughts of the malicious shall then come to light who said to themselues Who will giue me of his flesh to eate The cogitations of the couetous shall be 〈◊〉 and the cuâ—taine of secrecie that hath euer yet couered them shall be drawne aside so that all the world shall see them who conceiue thus in the Closets of their thoughts Soule take thy rest to day or to morrow we will goe into such a Cittie and there continue a yere and bay and sell gaine These supposalls shall be scatterâ—d like fenne and shall bee proclaimed on the house toppe â—ouâ—terous thoughtes theeuish thoughts thoughts of all natures shal be opened As for deedes there is no doubt but they shall haue their doome of this Paul ascertaineth vs saying Against this day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God he will rewarde euery man according to his workes So hee dooth in another place We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which is done in his bodie be it good or euill So doth Christ in Mathew The son of man shall come in the glorie of his father then shall he giue to euerie man according to his deeds The sentence of iudgement is formed according to our deeds I was an huÌ„gred ye fed me not for this cause Christ saith And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euil to the resurrection of condemnation It is also as plaine a point that our words shal be ventilated and iudged A blasphemous worde belked against the spirit of God is both accomptable and vnpardonable according to this saying of our Sauiour Whosoeuer shall speake against the holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the world to come Yea euery vaine word shall be sentenced to iudgement as Christ saith Of euery idle worde that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement For by thy words thou shalt be iustified and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned If not any idle word may be borne with how shall oaths and cursed speaches which are as common as stones in the street be borne