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
shall not escape Wherefore the vncertaine suddaines of the worldes end is effectuall to dispell desidiousnes and to stirre vs vp to watchfulnes to liue as if the present day were the last and to make our bookes euen as if out of hand God would keepe his Audit among vs and take a streight account of vs. Omnem crede diem tibâ— diluxisse suâ—remum Thinke euery day the last that heere abode thou hast A Poet spake it and euery Christian may well repeat it It thou were called to a table furnished with fiftie or thrée score platters of good meate sâ—uing onely that deâ—dly poison is in one of those chargers and thou art toâ—oe so â—â—uch before but art â—ot certified in which of them it is Doubtlesse in the tender regarde which thou hast of thâ— liâ—â— thou wouldest mistrust euerie diâ—h and forbeare all together least in that which thou tastest thou shouldest be taken It is thus with thee thou hast heere fiftie or thrée scoâ—e yeares to liue and in one of those death shall certainely seaze on thee and thou knowest not in which of them hee will attach thee wherefore doubt euerie one I aduise thee and looke circumspectly aboâ—t thee Seeing our pater patria and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in heauen we are Pilgrims and Trauailers vpon earth as al our Fathers were and we haue a â—ourney to goe namely to Ierusalem a Citie whose builder and workeman is God and a swift Horse wee haue to carrie vs thether let vs gird vp our reynes put our Sandols about our feet and prepare for the voyage What man knowing that hee is to liue in England will purchase and build in Spaine But such fooles are wee looking to liue in heauen wee consume our selues with care how to liue heere in earth I doe not impartinently degresse from the matter in putting two endes together of the world and mans life For the same consideration is to be had of them both there being such a kinde Simpathye and affâ—nite betweene them For death in Scripture is called the way of all flesh and the common ineuitable condition of death is imposed vpon all But there is nothing more certaine then the vncertaintie thereof as daily proofe teacheth Iob his Sonnes and Daughters when they were feastingÌ„ in their elder Brothers house little thought that death was so nie them in a whirl-wind which threwe the foure corners of the house ouer them When Elah was drinking in his Stewards house in his capable Goblets eueâ— vnâ—o drunkennes he did not imagine there to be done to death by Zimri Did Babilon was bare the title of the Ladie of the kingdomes and was called Tender and Delicate who presumed of herselfe that shee was like Mount Syon not to be remooued and therefore said I shall bee a Ladie for euer I am and none else I shal not sit as a Widdow neither shall knowe the losse of Children Did she I say that thus swelled with pride dreame that this sentence should so soone haue beene reade ouer heâ— Thine end is come wherefore to such as sayâ—â— Isaâ—ah Come I wil bring wine we will fill our selues with strong drinke to morrowe shall bee as this day and much more which 〈◊〉 but the merrie madnesse of one houre Iâ—â—nes remooueth thâ—◠〈◊〉 from their eies that blindeth them and loâ—teth them see the nice and â—ickle est ate wherein they stand thus censuring their follie Go to now ye that say To day or tomorrow we will goe into such a Citie and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine and yet cannot tell what shall be tomorrow For what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away No glasse or pitcheâ— of earth is more brickle then the body oâ— man as being nothing else but a house of clay whose foundation is the dust For a noysome sauour an infected ayre a day little more then ordinarily hotter some what a larger supper excessiue either sorrow or pleasure is as it were a blowe of a hammer that knocketh the sides of tâ—is fraile vessell together A little labour cracketh some a little loâ—e othersome vnkindnesse is some mans coroâ—iue and his pleasant wine is his â—o This man complaineth of head-ache with the Sunamites sonne that man hath conâ—ulsion in his bowels with Antiochus A third man crieth out of the goute in his legges with Asa Some perish through peâ—utie as the sonneâ— of Ierusalem and other some are slaine surfetted through satietie as the Sodomâ—tes many are dispatched by violent death many kindâ— of wayes some in their cradle as the Babes of Bethlehem some in their Parlar as Eglon. some in the field as Saul some in their bed as Isbosheth some betweene the Porch and the Altar as Zenacharib some at the very hornes of the Altar as Duke Ioab some by water as Pharaoh and his Princes of Egypt some by fire from heauen as the Coâ—onels with their fifties some by fiâ—e from the earth as Zâ—mri some by yâ— rupture and opening of the earth as DathaÌ„ and his complices some by winde as lobs sonnes and daughters some by dogges as Iesabel some by wormes as Herod some by Lions as the disobedient man of God some by Beares as the gracelesse children that mocked the Prophet some by the Gallowes as Haman some by a Gâ—at as Pope Adrian the fourth some by a haire in their 〈◊〉 as a certaine Roâ— an Fabius the Senator some by the stone of a Râ—â—sâ—n as Anacreon wee come into the world one way but we go out of it by a thousand We maruel not that a clock is soone out of â—elter because it coÌ„sisteth of so many slender peeces our bodies staÌ„ding of so many weak iunctures why should we admire the soone decay of it Death knocketh vs on the head like a hammer goeth through the loynes of vs like a sword entangleth euerie one of vs like a snare as a prison keepeth vs forth-comming as a sea ingendreth vs all and it is the tribute money that we must all disburse to nature Wherefore as watchmen are set to those places where they feare the enemie wil come though his comming be vncertaine so because our enemie death will beset our bodies and soules and his comming is dayly to be feared and looked for let vs set good ward and watch about them both that we may be appointed for him when he commeth that wee may not be affraide when wee meete him in the gatâ— The fourth Chapter Shewing the signes of the worlds end THe saying of the Prophet Amos is verie memorable in these wordes Surely the Lorde God will doe nothing but hee reuealeth his secrets vnto his seruants the Prophets Hee brought the Flood vppon the first worlde but they were tolde of it a hundred yeares before by Noah Sodome and Gomorrha and the neighbour Cities were burnt to
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
it were if wee compare them to the sorrowes which she 〈◊〉 at the time of her trauaile when she 〈◊〉 the clowdes with her cries and she â—hrobbinges and throwinges of her soule doe ascende vp vnto heauen So the troubles of these times are but tristes to close that shall befall vs in the extremitie of that time 13 The thirteenth Preludium and forewarning of the worldes ende is the raging and roaring of mightie waters The Sea and the Waters shall roare which also hath had his inchoation though not his perfection as manie vnseasonable by past yeares doe witnesse which haue brought forth manie vntimely terrible tempests and mightie inundations To these forespoken signes we must needes adioyne these other two so pregnant and notable 1 The vocation of the Iewes 2 The Reuelation of Antichrist The first is thus pointed at by the Apostle in these wordes I would not that yee should be ignorant of this secret that partly obstinacy is come to Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in The sense whereof is this That the Iewes shall not alwaies abide in blindâ—es but that after the number of the Gentiles be collected which is a great and full number signified by these his wordes The fulnesse of the Gentiles they shall come in heapes and 〈◊〉 their names to Christ and bee 〈◊〉 into the church submit theâ—selues to the obedience of 〈◊〉 by which they shall 〈◊〉 Of these specialties 〈…〉 this calling shall be 〈◊〉 Of the manner how it shall be 〈◊〉 Or of the numbâ—r of them that shall 〈◊〉 this grace we can say nothing because the 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Of 〈…〉 sealed twelue thousand of the 〈…〉 were sealed twelue thousand 〈…〉 〈…〉 shall giue vp the kingdome to 〈…〉 and how he must reigne vntill such time as hee 〈…〉 and put them vnder his 〈…〉 by these 〈…〉 The like he deliuâ—◠〈…〉 Genuadies amongst others 〈…〉 them all to fauor againe Such as 〈…〉 to expect such 〈…〉 But I 〈…〉 For 〈…〉 of the Church and alwayes withall the 〈◊〉 they coulde did kicke against Christ so among the Iewes there shall be some such humorous fellowes as shall expresse the peruersâ—â—sse of their ancestors Also al Israel is to be taken but for a part of Israel according to the vsual phraise of the scripture For vniuersall propositions in the scriptures are often contracted and implie an vniuersalitie that is definite as in these places All flesh shall see the saluation of God Againe They shal be all taught of God Also God will that all men shall be saued which is to be vnderstood as August saith of all that are saued for they are saued by the will of God But the greatest matter that they haue to oppose against this point is the saying of our Sauiour Do ye thinke that when then sonne of man shall come he shall find faith in earth But say they If there shall bee such a popular conuersion vnto Christ there remaineth much faith vpon earth which Christ shal find at his comming We thus easily dissolue this doubt and reconcile these repugnant places in appearance For Antichrist hath turned al religion vp-side downe insomuch as the principles of their faith no more fit the right faith then the counterfeite that Michell placed vpon the pillow was like vnto Dauid so that if it were possible the elect should be seduced but being smit through by the sworde of the Spirit of Christ The Iewes may well returne and acknowledge their Messiah and confirme and establish the seduced Gentiles wee also answere thus that after this vniuersall conueonrst of the world anew Apostacie and securitie may follow which may quench the fire of the spirit and so they may bee relapsed a fresh into their former filthinesse which shall bee the cause that God shall abridge and shorten the worldes age for his elects happines There is no absurditie or inconuenience in any of these two answers I charge not the Reader with one more then the other but leaue each of them to his choise it being nothing materiall vnto our saluation busily to bolt out which is the best of them 2 The seconde of the last two signes of the worldes ende is the manifestation of Antichrist of which Paul speaketh saying This day of Christ shall not come before there bee a departure first and that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is Antichrist This signe is alreadie giuen for the Pope is this huge and absolute Antichrist in the iudgement of Pope For Gregorie the eight of that name Pope of Rome in the yéere of our Lord 602. willed vs to take this for an infallable marke of Anti-christ the name of vniuersall Bishop and whosoeuer shall arrogate that title to himselfe hee concludeth him to be Antichrist But fiue yeeres after Boniface succeeding him was by Phocas the Emperour called Vniuersall Bishop And euer since euerie following Pope continueth the title By consequence then it is manifest that at Rome is the Antichrist who so listeth further to be satisfied in this point let him reade the learned booke of Doctor Whittakers against Sanders sortie demonstrations in this case and a set homelie of Gualters to this purpose and a late booke of Doctor Downams and many others that haue laboured in this busines to assoile at questions and to cleere it of all further contradiction By this which hetherto hath bene declared wee may euidently perceiue if we will not be blind with Balaam with our eyes open and groape with the Sodomites for a wall at noone day that the worldes best daies are spente and that the distruction thereof is at hand There is no greater signe of a dying man then when thou feest him snatch the sheetes and blankets of the bedde and forciblie draw them to himselfe but this wee see euery where in the course of the world wherein euery one catcheth what hee can drawing otherâ— goodes into their handes with cart-ropes of couetousnes wherein they haue their sicophantes at hand to sooth them in their sinne and their oppressing iniquitie Pharaoh had seruants at hand to magnifie Sarahs beauty thereby to sit themselues to the kings fancie Another certaine signe of a perishing bodie is the coldnesse of the bodie Therefore it is said of Dauid when he was towards death that â—e was so cold as no cloathes could heate him and so for want of heate died Wherefore when euery one beginneth to die his féete hands nose and other partes ware cold vpon sight whereof his Phisitions pronounceth him to be a dead man This is the state of the present world wherein charitie is at the coldest and at the last gaspe hauing taken farewell of the world vertue veritie pittie pietâ—e are so 〈◊〉 practised as they are not spoken of nay scarse thought of Sermons are seldom heard of vs and lesse regarded the shortest are the sweetest vnto vs for out
féete are as it were in the stocks till they be ended wee may take vp the Prophets moane There is no truth or mercie or knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud These carbuncles and putrifying sores we plainly sée to abound in the worlds body whereby we doe determine the sâ—éedy death of that botle But all these signes hitherto specified do come before the iudgment Iâ—remaineth now that we intreat of those that aâ—toÌ„pany the 〈◊〉 Aâ— 1. the â—bscuration obfuscation of the 〈◊〉 2. The 〈◊〉 darknes of the moone 3. The fal of heauenly stars 4. The coâ—â—â—ction of eclâ—stial powers 5. The signe of the Son of man 6. Of the comming of the son of man in the clouds we shal intreat more specially in his proper place I may not curiously 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 points portray out vnto you the 〈◊〉 coâ—ntenance 〈◊〉 aspect of the world which it wil then 〈◊〉 These rather serue as preparaâ—â—es to incite vs to watchfulnes become that we may stand at that day and that wee might consider how dreadfull a thing sinne is which is the procurer of these dreadfull 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 it not for our sinnes these creatures should not trauell in thâ—â—â—â—â—rowes For what haue they be serued that they should be so punished But because they looke not Gods parte and rose vp against 〈◊〉 when wee rose against God this cuâ—se shall light vpon them and wee say the sentence of the Angell in the 〈◊〉 of Deborah vpon them read ouer others in the like case Curse ye Meroz Curse the inhabitants thereof because they came 〈◊〉 helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mightie Because the 〈◊〉 gaâ—e thee light when thou 〈…〉 in the works of darknesse 〈◊〉 shall â—e 〈…〉 day Because the 〈◊〉 did warmethâ—â— and did 〈…〉 wickedlie it shall bee 〈…〉 God shall fight against 〈…〉 they would 〈…〉 â—gainst thee when thou 〈…〉 fight against God 〈◊〉 they are rightlie serued For it is 〈…〉 to take 〈…〉 of sinne as of sinne if 〈…〉 by God that when the Israelites should besiedge 〈…〉 their enemies they should lay their wooâ—es and 〈…〉 And it was a statute in Israell that he that sinned 〈…〉 should die with the beast Now the beast that was to die or the 〈…〉 were net in the sinne but because 〈…〉 was no 〈◊〉 to be shewed 〈…〉 commanded to 〈◊〉 the cattell of 〈…〉 no more then the stone walles of 〈…〉 which Iosua tumbled downe So God brought 〈…〉 vpon the Serpent commaunding him alwaies to goe vppon his 〈…〉 not that the Serpent sinned but 〈…〉 to speake out of him 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 since 〈…〉 serue onley for the extent 〈…〉 For when the godly see these 〈…〉 vp their 〈◊〉 because their Saluation is at hande 〈…〉 wicked that woulde not stande 〈…〉 confounded at the signes of a God of iudgement When Aâ—solon couâ—de not drawe Ioab 〈…〉 vse by 〈…〉 groundes he made him take his part God hath two striâ—ges to his bowe if one will not serue another shall Iâ— the 〈…〉 will not conuert vs 〈…〉 of Damascus and there leâ—◠〈…〉 power 〈…〉 all their come sâ—â—des 〈…〉 came vpon 〈…〉 when 〈…〉 〈…〉 saye when hee shall see these 〈◊〉 If men 〈…〉 darknesse of 〈…〉 〈…〉 sée another or remoouâ— out of his place If they quake at euerie earthquake If a raâ—ling winde goeth to the hart of them If the roaring of the Sea any noice at midnight dismaieth them If the skritchings of Serpents and Dragons cut them to the quicke what heapes of perturbations shall runne vpon the damned sort when these things here spoken of shall play their last acte vpon the fierie stage of this world In the day of Christs passion for mans saluation the Sunne laide downe his light and darkenes ouer-clouded all the face of the earth much more when the righteousnes of the sonne of God shall execute iudgement shall the sunne forbeare to shew himselfe or to runne his course but shall hide himselfe in his chamber that the sinner may tremble at the iudgment of Christ as the Centurion was astonished at these tokens at the suffering of Christ But as all the elements and heast of heauen and frame of the world shall serue as souldiers to fight vnder his banner for the discomfiture and confusion of his aduersaries when he shall come to destroy the world So haue they from the beginning of the same fought his battles against sinners For as the whole world was made for the vse of man and there is no part thereof but is a liuelye image of his goodnesse to those that serue God so when man setteth his face against God and despise his commandements God who is a man of warre whose name is Iehoua calleth out these souldiers into the fielde against him and they are fierce excutioners of his iudgements Examples euerie where are obuious vnto vs and the examples of the Egyptians and Chananites are especially memorable against whom all the elements conspired and put them selues in battell aray against them while the heauens smote their grounds with hot thunderbolts and discharged haileshotte of hailestones to the fearefull slaughter both of man and beast while the ayre mustred swarmes of locustes caterpillers iunumerable which did eate vp all the grasse in their lande and deuoured the fruit of their ground whilest their riuers yéelded frogges which were brought vp to the kings bedde chamber The Sunne and Moone tooke part with Iosua at the appointment of God standing still in Gibea and in the vallie of Aialon and refusing to stirre an yâ—ch till Iosua had his iust reuenge of his enimies I would that our minds were giuen more to the serious remembrance of these forepassed iudgements then they are that we might applie them to the preâ—â— vnâ—aturall yeres that we haue had of late which haue shew 〈◊〉 vs many vnkind parts by verie hurtfull tempests rage and iâ—â—undation of sea and riuers earthquakes provigious birthes â—â—luckâ—e blasing starres whereof I would fame know what age hath séene to many as ours within these last thréescore yeres In which not onely Comets haue béen common but in many places crosses swordes bloodie speares armed souldiers lyons and other such strange sightes full of terror haue verie perspicuously appeared in the ayre Now that God scareth vs not with fraybugges his following iudgements by warres commotiâ—ns alterations of kingdomes famine plagues mortalitie strange maladies whereby he heaueth vs by the shoulders and setteth vs on our feete doe witnesse well enough But yet these are but petty punishments forerunners and bréeders of a greater mischiefe which when the day commeth must certainly come vpon vs. Among these latter signes giuen vs by Christ of the worlds end the signe of the Son of man is nominated which some say is the bodie of Christ bearing the signes of his
that the hower of the latter resurrection was then By the dead therefore that should haue liued if they had had faith in Christ and beléeued hée meaneth such who by means of their sinnes are without spiritual life of whom Christ in an other place saith Let the dead burie the dead The like death is named by Saint Paul You hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sinnes In his letter to Timothie he speaketh of a liuing dead widow in the former sense She that liueth in pleasure is dead while she liues We were all of vs in this state of death before our iustification by faith First by our original sin and then by our actuall sinnes which we haue committed since of our owne frée will wherefore it is more then néedefull for vs thus to rise from the dead The blessed onely share in this resurrection In the latter resurrection the commons common with vs as Christ sheweth in his wordes of the latter resurrection Marueile not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice And they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation But this first resurrection as not falling into my purpose I minde not to meddle with In the handling of the resurrection we haue in hand we will first conclude the certaintie thereof against all gaine-saying aduersaries For the point is much pushed at with the point of Sophisticall allegations which without difficultie we will do away well inough This Article hath béene exagitated by many and many wayes oppugned The Philosophers as absurde doe renounce it And there haue beene found too many in the Church who haue denied it The Peripaticians as almost all the sects of Pâ—ilosophers haue behaued themselues most rudely in this businesse The diuinitie that the schoole of Epicures professeth in this point is this There is nothing that remaineth after death Seneca though he be a friend to the principle of the immortalitie of the soule yet he is so grosse as to auouch that all things are determined and ended by death For writing vnto Martia hee sâ—ith Mors omnium est solutio finis vltra quam mala nostra non exeunt Death is the resolution and period of all things which bounds our euils cannot exceede Againe this is another of his proper Aphorismes Non potest eâ—â—e miser qui nullus est He cannot be a wretched man that is no man In these darkenesse lay almost all the rabblement of the Orators Philosophers and Poets of the Gentiles And if we shall ransacke the militant Church we shall find many monstrous minded men in this matter Among the Iewes the Sadduces disclaimed the resurrection whom Christ tooke to taske in the Gospel and daunted those triumphing Hannibals most notablie The Apostles times brought forth Hymenaes and Philetus such companions of the same association Of this schoole was Simon Magus of whom the Heretiques Simoniani were named with whom combined in this nastie opinion the eluish route of Valentinians Carpocratians Cardonians Arcontici Seueriaâ—s Basilidans Hierarchites c. The Manichees likewise come stuffling in among them absolutely gain-saying the resurrection of the bodie but maintaining the resurrection of the soule by the preaching of the truth against whom Augustine disputeth The Heresie of these men we will remoue and doe away by Scriptures before which all such lewd assertions must fall as Dagon before the Arke The whole consent of the olde Testament confâ—â—teth them and the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles confoundeth them and naturall reason agreeth thereunto and is earnest against them This orderly and cursortly we will consider of We proue the resurrection and restitution of the same indiuided bodie in the same substance all infirmitie and deformitie taken away the mightie spirit of God to be repaired at the latter day made like the glorious bodie of his Maiestie Iob hath a peculier proofe hereof in this his simple and open formall profession I am sure that my Redeemer liueth and he shall stand the last on the earth And though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shal I see God in my flesh whoÌ„ I my selfe shal see mine eies shal behold and none other for me though my reines are consumed within me The same is not obscurely shadowed vnto vs in the drie bones which at the prophecie of Ezechiel at the commandement of God vpon them receiued breath of life had their sinews iunctures and perfect composition Daniel auoucheth as much saying Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to shame and perpetuall contempt The prophet Isai goeth hand in hand with the rest saying Thy dead men shal liue euen with my bodie shall they rise Dauid witnesseth so much in this wise But I will behold thy face in righteousnes when I awake I shall be satissied with thine image The practise and probate hereof in the widows son of Sarepta raised by Elias and in the Sunamites son restored to life by Elisha are also proofs pregnant enough of the generall resurrection to come Christ in many places of the new instrument concludeth as much as when he saith The houre commeth is how when the dead shal heare the voice of the son of God as when against the Saduces hee is peremptorie in this point thus arguing against theÌ„ God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing but God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob who are dead from hence is this necessary deduction they must rise againe as when he said to his disciples I liue ye shall liue Also to the further illustration of this doctrine do these places appertaine It shal be easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for that City which inference is repeated in yâ— next chap. The son of man shal come in the glory of his father with his Angels then shal he giue to euery maÌ„ according to his deeds he willeth vs to feast yâ— poore yéeldeth this reason Thou shalt be recoÌ„penced at the resurrection of the iust The Apostles with one mouth preach the same doctrine Paul bringeth in clusters of arguments in the case 1 He reasoneth from the confession of the Corinth thus So we preach and so haue ye beleeued Therefore there is a resurrection For otherwise ye had neuer beléeued it but as euident reason did euict it This reason liketh August wel enough and therefore he vseth it concluding that because God hath foretold the resurrection the world doth credite it which séemed impossible to be effected that the resurrection is most sure 2 He disputeth in the next place thus Christ is risen from the dead therefore we shall rise from tâ—e dead The
both from mind and bodie therefore the recompence of the reward shal be giuen vnto them both 2 Our second Apodicticall conclusion is this That which is imperfect hath not capacitie of absolute felicitie but the soule sundred from the bodie is imperfect therefore it must needes be coupled to the bodie to the attainment of this plenarie felicitie 3 We reason also thus The fulnesse of Gods goodnes towards those that are his could not be shewed nor the fulnes of his furiousnesse vpon the wicked could not be powred if the resurrection were not 4. It standeth God in hand as much as his truth is worth to make good the resurrection because we haue promise and charter of him for it Christ hauing said it God shall reward you in the resurrection of the iust 5 That we should not doubt of his truth in some examples at all tâ—mes he hath made proofe hereof exempting them froÌ„ death that the world may know that death is in his hands standing before him to execute his will like a Purseuant to spare and to spoile as in the time of nature when he tooke vp Enoch in the time of the law when he tooke vp Elias in the time of grace when he raised vp Christ from death to life We inforce the matter fuller and argue from the lesser to the greater thus Elizeus raised the Sunamites sonne therefore much more can Christ raise vs vp Elizeus his bones gaue life to a dead bodie therefore much more shall the omnipotent word of God which is Christ giue liâ—e to our dead bodies Aarons rod did blossom and beare Almonds Moses drie waster became a créeping Serpent Sarah her dead wembe was deliuered of a son what are these but liuely images of the resurrection 7 From the order of nature though we haue no strong proofe yet much probable matter we haue of the vndoubted resurrection The day that now passeth to morrow doth returne Trées and herbs are stroken dead by the violence of the winter reuiue with the spring the renuing time of the yere and are clothed with leaues and fruits But thou wilt say to this that life was not vtterly out of them by the winters wracke wee say also that by death man is not vtterly depriued of life for it is their soules that die not Such Logicks doth Paul vse in the corne that is sowne whose corruption is the generation of it O fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die This is that which Christ saith except the wheat-corne fall into the ground and dâ—e it bideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit If such contemptible creatures haue renewance and from death are restored to life shall not this handle worke of God be much more seen in man the noblest plant that his right hand hath planted and the finest seed that euer the furrowes of the earth were strowed with the most excellent and worthiest creature of all For what is the hay or gréeue herbe in comparison of man That Indian bird the Phaenix as philosophers do report good diuines do ratifie especially Lactantius among others dieth is wasted to ashes by the heat of the Sun of those her ashes is a yong one ingundred and thus is that kind continued This similitude is taken vp by diuines to illustrate our certain resurrection For more coÌ„panie sake we name the swallows worms flies which lie dead al the winter by yâ— increasing heat of the sun are enliued againe in the spring and sommer time If we run through all the rankes and classes of nature we shall finde euerie where probabilities in the point Fire that lieth dead in a flint stone by a little force that is put vnto it putteth life into it The Sunne that goeth downe doth rise againe the Moone decreaseth and increaseth againe Our nailes are paired and grow againe our heares are cut off come vp againe Sleepe called by Homer the brother of death and by others the image of death because it is the tying of the senses as binding them in that wise as they cannot execute their functions seazeth vpon vs and as it were burieth vs for a time But the bodie dispelleth it againe after which it is fresh and plyable to to any office The misbeleefe of such who cannot be brought to think that out of the putred and consumed stuffe life should be expressed are by sundry works of nature notably conuicted For of such confection or infection rather are mise mouls frogs worms ingendred Out of â—ooks cranies odde corners of the earth often very radiant and splendent precious stones are gathered The séed of liuing creatures which is nothing else but a drop of misshapen humour what substance doth it beget in progresse of time What partes doth it produce as hands feete eares eies head and such like in their kinde These thinges doe wee beholde in the Glasse of nature which so oft as we remember we doe well if we remember the resurrection 8 By the Prophets by Christ by the Apostles some haue beene raised from death in life to ground vs in the faith of the resurrection The widowes sonne of Sarepta was raised by Elias the Sunamites sonne by Elisha a dead man by the touch of the bones of Elisha the rulers daughter by Christ who was newly deceased the widowes sonne of Nain that was in his locker and led out to the graue by him likewise Lazarus that had lien in the ground foure dayes Tabitha by Peter Eutychus by Paul 9 A man would thinke if were a worke of more difficultie to forme the woman of mans rib to create the man of the gleab of the earth to make the whole frame of heauen and earth of nothing then to raise vp man from the dust to life If wine be mixed with water there are those that can part the wine from the water Goldsmiths and such as worke in mettals can dissolue confected substances concreate of gold siluer brasse steele And such are to be found who can expresse Oyle and liquide matter out of anie drie bodie Wherefore the illimited power of God which made all things of nothing shall reduce our bodies to their formes againe howsoeuer formerly reduced to nothing Lengthen out the matter so farre as conceit and imagination will let you and put the case thus That a man is eaten by a wolfe that wolfe is eaten by a lion that lion is deuoured by the fouls of the aire the foules of the are aire eaten by men one of those men eate vp another as Canibals doe yet shall his owne bodie be giuen him againe euerie man shall haue so much matter of his owne as will serue to make him a perfect bodie They shall haue the same bodies in substance as Iob saieth but altred in qualitie being freed from corruption and fulfilled with glorie Their mouthes shall bee opened to speake better things
pregnant proofes The EuaÌ„gelists are flat for it Christ saith in Math. The Son of man shal come in the glory of his father with his Angels then shal he giue to euery man according to his deeds Againe by the same Euangelist he saith thus They shall see the sonne of man come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glory c. Also by the same pen-man thus when the Son of man commeth in his glory and all the holly Angells with him then shal he sit vpon the throne of his glory Luke recordeth the like wordes of our Sauiour Then shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloude with power and great glorie beheaded and Peter to be crucified the Saints of God from time to time by all exquisite torments to be tortured if there were not a reuersion of times wherein they might be glorified Wherfore it was necessarie that a generall assise should bee holden for Gaile deliuerie and the consummation of their endlesse felicitie 3. When should this fore denuntiation of Christ sake effect Nothing is secret that shall not be euident neither anie thing hid that shall not be knowne and come to light As also these like predâ—ctions of holie Scripture God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ Euerie mans worke shall bee made manifest if our expectation of the iudgement hath not due effect For seeing heere many thinges are smothered which neuer are detected Bee we assured that God keepeth a Kalender of our doings and noteth euerie thing exactly in his Register and that the bookes shall be opened and set before vs the eternall counsaile of God reuealing to euerie one his sinnes in particular 4 Albeit the two edged sword of Gods iustice resteth and rusteth in the Scabbard of his patience because he would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance yet that this conniuencie might not cast vs vpon a bed of securitie he hath made some examples to vs in this life to set vs vpon our feet and to make vs vigilant that we fall not into the iudgement As those whom the Deluge did absorpe and sweepe away wherin all the Inhabitants of the world Noah his famille dedicted the remnant of the olde and the seede of the newe Worlde being destroyed Vnder this iudgement the future finall iudgement wherein onelie a remnant shall be saued euen the little Arke and Barke of Christs Church is luculently portended As also the fearefull conflagration of Sodome giueth faire admonition of a iudging God the breath of Gods anger hauing blowne the fire that will lick vp all the vngodly like stubble and consume them like drosse Heereupon Augustine thus sweetely speaketh Lot a iust man and a good house-keeper in Sodome pure and vndefiled from the filthinesse of the Sodomites was saued from the fire which was the image of hell fire being the type of the bodie of Christ which in all the Saints and now among the wicked wayleth by whose badde conuersation it is not corrupted and from whose consociation it shall bee deliuered in the ende of the worlde those being adindged to Hell fire c. Finally the repudiation of the Iewes the inheritance royall Nation and peculiar people of God is a memorable and dreadfull example of Gods iudgement who for their disobedience to the Lordes Prophets were the declamation and a Prouerbe vnto all the worlde and were pittifully entreated of the Assyrians and Babylonians and lastly by the Romans so spoyled as they were no more a people 5 Our consciences witnesse the certaintie of the iudgement which tremble and quake al the remembrance thereof as Faelix dâ—d at the Sermon oâ— Paul dilating vpon these points righteousnesse temperance iudgement to come But for as much as wee are called to reckoning immediately after the Dissolution of our bodies and with our death come in the Ticâ—ets and Bell of account of the by-past actions of the whole life the vniuersall generall Audit day seemeth needlesse but in a double respect it is more then necessarie First of God second of our selues 1 Of God that he might be iustified in his sayings and cleare when he is iudged God is so good as being infinite and omnipotent and we being little more then nothing hee yeeldeth to a iudiciall hearing that no man may complaine that iustice is not giuen him Therefore that thou mayest not charge him with wrong intended of his side towardes thee thou shalt haue thy open verie honourable tryull 2 In regarde of our selues it is also requisite that our shamelesse sinnes might come to more confusion and our good beâ—des might the more bee dignifyed Wherefore our prouinâ—â—ll Lawes punish theeues and malefactors openly to adde more shame vnto them If a Magistrate shall in pittie to couer his shame execute a felon closely in the Gaile hee shoulde not doe iustice because hee doth not the plenarie punishment the Lawe awarded him For the disgrace ignominie and reproch that followeth such a iudgement is the greatest part of the iudgement Hence it is that man tendring his credite had rather die then be oâ—â—gâ—aced Secular Iudges and Ecclesiasticall Officers bring foorth their delinquents to doe their peuance in the Market dayes and Sabaoth that the great apparance of people which such times do giue might inlarge their shame So God reserueth an impenitent sinner to that generall day to adde more affliction to his heauinesse being made as a spectaclâ— set vppon a stage for all the Worlde to wonder at This is that hee threatneth him by his Prophet Nahum Beholde I will discouer thy skiâ—s vpon thy face and will shew the nations thy filthinesse and the Kingdoms thy shame And I will cast filth vpon thee and make thee vile and will set thee as a gasing stocke Now what an exquisite iudgement is this consider by this which hath some similitude hereunto Put the case that an honest and shamefast Matrone shoulde bee stripped of her rayment and shewed naked to all that woulde beholde her woulde not this bee as a knife set at the heart or her and woulde shee not die through the anguish of soule for this vnspeakeable shame brought vppon her No question shee would But in what case is a sinner in respâ—ct of her who shall haue all his abhominations set before the viewe of the worlde the filthie workes wordes thoughts oâ— his â—â—â—de read in the audience of all A thousande to one that â—eheâ—â—e her nakednesse shall see his filthinesse by infinite degrees â—â—ereâ—ore the vexation of the one shall exceede the veration of the other For he shall call out heauen and earth to record against them as Moses against the people Angels and Diueâ—s shall goe against them and condemne them and what 〈◊〉 oâ— the sinnes of the Saints be spoken of Yes doubâ—â—s But rather to dignifie then damnifie them For they shall bee vnto them as rents of Garments
he shall be in his domination not one one kingdome of Egipt as Ioseph but ouer all the kingdomes of the worlde If Esther was cast into a trance and life for a time went out of the gates of her bodie at the fight of king Assuerus in his royaltie If Daniel hauing but séene an Angel was a man for a time out of soule what terror and trepidation shall possesse vs at the appearance of Christ in his maiestie at the sight of his retinue of inumerable Angells If the Warders of the Sepulcher of Christ at the day of his resurrection were so dismaid as they semed like dead men If the Iewes strong by an arme of flesh by seculer Mace and authoritie comming with forcible prouision to attache Christ in the Garden hearing him but speak say I am her fell vpon their backes and their legges could not longer bolde vp their bodies Infinit terrors shall beset the sinfull soule at the â—ight of the coÌ„ming of Christ in the cloudes If yâ— Iewes could not â—uâ—uâ—e the Maiestie of the Almightie when he descended vpon Mount Sinai but to deliuer the Lawe how shall they bee able to sustaine his furie when hee commeth to take vengeance of the breakers of the Lawe What breast can beare the arrowes of â—s indignation which hee hath steeped in 〈◊〉 for the retaâ—â—aâ—â—on of incorrigible transgressions of which he himself saith I will make mine arrowes drunken in blood and my sworde shall eate vp their flesh If the holy Citie of Ierusalem shaâ—l be scorched with lights and buâ—â—ing â—orches how shall Babylon the place of confusion bee searched This dreadfull maner of Christes comming to 〈◊〉 is so the greater dismayment of the wicked when the King of Kings came to bee married to his Church and came as it were to seasâ— with vs hee came in apparell suting that purpose and looked louingly and spâ—ke peaceablie to the worlde but when hee shall came in bâ—ght armour with Sworde and Arrowes in his hande hee sheweth by this behaâ—iour that hee commeth in anger and that there is no talking with him At his natâ—â—iâ—e when hee came to bee merrie at a marriage heâ— thus sweeteâ—â— saluted them by his heauenly faintlie Glorie bee to God on high in earth peace and good will towardes men But his second comming as Esaih sheweth is otherwise The Lorde shall goe forth as a Grant hee shall stirre vp his courage like a man of warre The Maiestie of worldly Princes coâ—isteth in their glorious retinue of all degâ—â—es of Dukes Earls Lordes Knightes Gentlemen and others of 〈◊〉 state the glorie of our blessed Sauiour shall be shewed in the Clowdes by his royall armie of Saints and Angels The Clowd 〈◊〉 the Session house of the Lord of hostes that place was for good 〈…〉 as being the roomâ—aiest and capable of all 〈…〉 of Angells Apostles Martâ—â—â—â—â—arkes and 〈◊〉 idea 〈◊〉 Saints as also of all the confused cursed 〈…〉 But he â—en is the onely braue place for 〈…〉 God 〈◊〉 of â—hat because 〈…〉 heaven and it is parcell 〈◊〉 punishment interminatea against the diuel and his angels to be cast out of heauen Herein also God keepeth custome meaning to ceasuâ—e the delinquent where he sâ—â—ned The Iewes mete out the valley or Iehosaphat for Gods iudgement hall laying the foundation of this their assertion from Ioels prediction I will also gather all nations and will bring them downe into the valley of Iehosaphat and will pleade with them there for my people and for mine heritage Israel and from other such wordes in the middle part of that chapter Let the heathen be weakned and come vp to the valley of Iehosaphat for ther wil I sit to iudge all the heathen round about The Iewes with all pertinacie doe applie this prophesie to temporall things and dote hereupon that the Messias shall preuaile euer the Gentiles in this valley and condemne them and that afterwarde in the resurrection of the righteous he shall sit in the same place vpon their finall sentence and that there he shall kéepe a solemne feast with the godly They giue out also in their head-strong imaginations that an Oxe is staked vp for the purpose created and fatted by God to that vse and that the Leuiathan hath béene slaine long since and laid in the powdring tub and that they shall drinke wine fréely out of Paradice The valley of Iehosaphat is called the valley of iudgement and it may bee true that at Ierusalem there was a place of this name scituated at the East doore of the Temple but that is but the type and shadow of the iudgement place of the Lord to which shall resort a greater assembly then that valley can receiue But we desire to know no more then is meete for vs which God hath reuealed to vs We list not to looke beyond the Moone for mysteries As the time of iudgement is onely knowne to God so God knoweth best what place is fittest and what place he will haue to hold his Assises in The tenth Chapter The persons that are to be iudged CHrist his second comming apperteyning wholie to iudgement where the persons are that are to bee iudged is to be considered All persons are to be iudged without exception which the Scriptures cal and the Article of our Creede calleth the quick the dead Some by the quick vnderstand the righteous by the dead doe vnderstand the wicked So did Diodonis of whome Augustine wrighteth whose eâ—position he there reprooueth But in the Creede scripture the quick are said to be those whome Christ findeth aliue in bodie at his second comming and the dead whose soules haue left their bodies or are giuing vp the ghost at his second coÌ„ming For the Apostle when he saith We shal not al sleep but we shall aâ—l be changed speaketh of the death of the bodie not of the vniust onely but the iust likewise deade in bodie The trumpet shall blow and the dead shall rise incorruptible Hee setteth against these all that liue in generall both good and bad we shal be changed that is to say all whome Christ shall finde liuing In his letter to the Thessalonians by those that sleepe he simplie vnder standeth the dead in bodie and by the liuing onely those that are in bodily life when he shall come That all shall bee cited to this Court as well good as badde sundrie comparisons doe shewe as of the wise and foolish virgins of the wheate and of the tares of the good and badde fish and of the Shéepe and Goates Likewise many Scripture places doe conclude the same Before him shall be gathered all Nations Hetherto belongeth this saying of our Sauiour indefinitely Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall deny mee before men him will I also denye before
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
punishment haue the next place notedâ—n this addition of the sentence Euerlasting fire which by all likelihoode shall not onely be a spiritual but a corporall fire which the verie Scripture language doth insinuate as in these places The chaffe he shal burne vp with vnquenchable fire It is better for thee to goe lame into life then hauing two hands and two feete to goe into hell fire The 〈◊〉 mistances of 1 weeping 2 Gnashing of teeth the forcible effects of that fire doe import so much in so many places of the Gospell inserted So doth the phrase of vtter darknesse and that of the binding of hands and feet 5 With these they shall also haue their tortures in the Iaile The Diuels looke for no lesse as it appeareth by their stomachous words to Christ Comest thou to torment vs before the time This prison is likewise spoken of by Christ in the Parable of the king and his Steward Hee deliuered him to the Iailers till â—e should pay all that was due vnto him 6 It is also grieuous iudgement inflicted vppon the damned to see the righteous translated into the Kingdome of God and themselues excluded Wherfore Christ saith There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God and your selues thrust out at doores When the Gluttons eies behelde Lazarus his felicitie it was mightie augmentation of his nuserie then he cried vnto Abraham and saide Oh father Abraham send Lazarus c. Wherefore Adam when he was chased out of a Paradise was placed in a grounde ouer against it that his eye seeing it the heart of him might rue it Now good Christâ—an whilest then reade these thinges what thinkest thou of them Howe doe they woorke in thee They are as true as anye thing may bee and as terrible which thou shouldest better perceiue If I had the tongue of the learned which might minister wordes in due time to mooue you But if these thus deliuered doe not touch you you haue no reason in you Wherfore while we haue time and God giueth grace and the church admonisheth and the iudge yet expecteth and calleth and putteth out his hand vnto vs and giueth to euerie one that asketh Let vs lay holde vppon the shield of faith and let vs not suffer such aduantages which make for our saluation to slippe The Sanguinarie Souldior at the preaching of Iudgement was recalled from his bloodie wayes and he came to Iohn to bée lessoned of him in the way that leadeth to a better life what shall wee doe say they And this is the song of the Publicans and Harlots who were battered with the hammer of denounced Iudgement Wherefore it is well saide of Caietan this is the best preseruatius that may bee to keepe vs in Gods feare The 13. Chapter Of the blessed state of the Godly in the life to come ALL the blessings whatsoeuer of eternall life may hee drawne to these two heades 1. To those that belong vnto the minde 2. To those that appertaine vnto the bodie The state of the bodie shall bee such as no labours or sorrowes shall seaze any more vppon it according to that which the spirit in the Reuelation saith God shal wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neyther sorrow neyther crying neither shall there bee anye more paine The heauenlye properties of our bodies are liuelye shadowed and represented vnto vs in the conditions of the bodie of Christ at his resurrection there being nothing to the contrarie but that we should hope that our bodies should be conformable to his bodie and that we his members should bee sutable to him that is our head This is that the Apostle saith Who shal change our vile bodie that it may bee facioned like his glorious bodie 2. The mind and spirit shall then bee endowed with this gift that the slanerie of sinne shall no more take holde of it the flesh the insolent yoak-fellow thereof shal no more ouererowe it it being then at quietnesse with the spirit 2. Wee shall then loue God according to the exigence of his royall law his felicitie shall affect vs as our owne All motions and perturbations of the minde as of enuie selfe-loue and the like shall be voided 3. That which is of moste moment which euerie one that is godly moste of all destreth which is the knowledge of God shall then be in full and perfect manner giuen vnto it Whecefore Paul saith Now wee see through a glasse darkelye but then shall wee see face to face Now I knowe in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowne All vales and curtaines shall then be drawne aside and wee shall see God indeede in his perfect beautie which none heere possiblie could doe and liue according to that which God saith to Moses There shal no man see me liue In this knowledge chiefly eternall life standeth as our Sauiour Christ testifieth saying This is life eternall that they know thee to bee the onely very God whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ To which answereth this other speech of his Abraham reioyced to see my day and hee saw it and was glad And of the like agreement is that which is also spoken by him in another place Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare For manye Prophets and righteous men haue desired to see those thinges which yee see and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges which ye heare and haue not heard them By this let euerie man iudge whose happinesse he may hope for when it shall be giuen vs to see him our first borne Brother in the state of his glorie and not him onelye but the eternall Father with him for whome hee keepeth a kingdome purchased by his bloâ—d A glimmering sight hereof and as it were a shadow of this happines was shewed to Peter on mount Tabor which made him to wish yâ— he might dwell alwaies there And Paul had some probate thereof when hee was caught vp to the third heauen where hee heard wordes which could not be spoken which were not possible for man to vtter The face of Moses was so bright by his beeing with God as the Israelites could not behold it How glorious theÌ„ shall our faces bee when we shall bee made the Sonnes of God and liue for euer with him If when wee reade the Scriptures with any liuelye feeling of Gods spirit if in our feruent payers powred out to God if in the deepe groaninges of our spirits vnto him for the euill that betide vs or at the powerfull operation of Gods worde that is preached in vs wee are much in wardly mooued and the ioy delight and pleasure thereof farre exceede all the delights of the Sonnes of men all which are but as it were the first fruites and beginning