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
that which Christ sayth This Gospel of the Kingdome must be preached through the whole world for a witnesse to all nations and then shall the end come These wordes of our Sauiour being rightly vnderstoode hath had his vertue and effect For when persecution began to bee in Hierusalem and the Dâ—sciples were driuen from thence they went preaching throughout all Iudea and went from thence into Samaria and illuminated that place with the light of the Gospell where Philip conuerted Queene Candaces Chamberlaine the Aethiopian by whose meanes no doubt the knowledge of the truth was scattered among the Aethiopians Also while the Disciples were at a stand amazed within themselues doubtful what to doe whether they might beare the worde vnto the Gentiles this their stâ—die was broken vp Peter being aduised by heaueÌ„ly Oracle to ioyne himself to the Centuriâ—â— Cornelius a Gâ—nâ—tle the rest of the Apostles coasting to Phaenicia Cyprus so spreading the Gospel ouer sea and land But Paul did sweate most of all other at this worke who filled all the parts from â—ierusalem with the Countries round about vnto Illyricum with the preaching of the word And being in fetters be wrote EuaÌ„gâ—â—cal â—etters from the Iaile to the Colossians conâ—ratulating with theÌ„ the large progresse of the Gospell through the world The Gospell is come vnto you euen as it is vnto all the world and is fruitfull aâ— it is also among you Now these wordes of our Sauiour The Gospel must bee preached vnto all Nations are to be vnderstoode of the greatest part of the Nations The greaterpart haue alreadie had the preaching thereof of which Paul saith God is manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world Now whereas some giue a checke to this doctrine inasmuch as the Antipodes and such as are cast into the cut-shifts of the world haue neuer heaâ—d so much as an inckâ—â—ag of the worde that is a stale ieast and it is a knot as easie as mar be to be vndone For the words of Christ meane not euerie Cauton tract and stroke of the world neyther haue they an are to any set time when the Gospel shall be thus strewed about but the meaning is this The Gospell which in respect of raging persecutions they thought should haue beene banished out of Iudea the naturall home thereof shall disperse it selfe to the vtmost â—artes of the world before this generall desolution according to the saying 〈◊〉 the Psalmograph His found is gone into all â—andes and â—â—is wordes vnto the ende of the worlde Which wordes are also taken vp for â—ext by Saint Paul Therefore that he speaketh of all the worlde is to be appliâ—d to the Iewes and Gentiles to whom the Gospel is to be published For into these two sortes of people the whole worlde is diaâ—ded 9 The ninth euidence of the worldes ende which is the massacre and martyrdome of the saints is as euidently as any come to passe For haue not Princes â— wordes from age to age been ouer-drunken with the blood of the godly Isaâ— was killed with a Saw Ieâ—emie with stones Amos with a clubbe Daniel was exposed 〈…〉 Paul was beheaved Peter crucified In the ten pâ—sâ—coâ—ions which were three hundred yeares after Christ what erquisâ—â—e 〈◊〉 were deuised against good professors rockes rackes flees and what not In Europe how hath the church bene chaced like a Doe tossed like a Ball remoued like a Tree by the bloudy Beast of Rome now these hundred yeeres by-past We cannot find a time if we make a scrutinie of times either when the church was in her infancie or when it was growne vp to more yeeres or in her latter daies wherein the better sort hauâ— not bene put to the worst and haue bene heauily handled For Christ the obiect of their profession is as Simeon prophesied a a signe of contradiction which the Apostles for Christs sake assoone as they began to preach the word had lamentable experience off For when as those that heard them were astonished at them speaking in seuerall languages the wonderful workes of God some immediatly shot theÌ„ through with the arrows of their bitter wordes saying They are all full of new wine By and by after when Peter and Iohn in the name of Christ made the Créeple a sound Creature the multitude grew mad at this new miracle and committed the Preachers to prison and afterwards drew a grieuous enditement against them and not without great threates discharged them which should come vpon them when they should aduenture to preach againe among them Not long after the number of the faithfull increafing the high Bishop with his swarme of Saduces who then dominâ—red and ruled the roste at Hierusalem got the Apostles into their clutches layd them by the heeles And albrit God sent an Angell to bate them yet the second time they had them by the backes and made no bones to haue a set Sessions against them wherein they gaue them the whip and suspended them of their ministrie But they for al that forsâ—â—ke not their profession but stood to their tackling they catcht Stephen and call a counsell against him and suborne false witnesses and doe him to death After which acte followed an vniuersall persecution wherein Saul bestirred his stumps in persecuting the second Dauid as if he had beene begotten of that Saâ—â— that persecuted the first Dauid At the last came in Herod Agrippa to play his parteâ— who acted it to the purpose falling vpon the Church and making heueck of it killing Iohn the Brother of Iames with the sword without order of lawe his cause being neuer heard to currie fauour with the Iewes and for his cause shut vp Peter in prison and sent out his writte for his execution Finallâ—e the more the Church increased persecutioâ—s increased for thrée huÌ„dred yeres after the Apostles times exceeding the persecuting times of the Apostles Whereof there were tenne which the Roman Emperors sâ—ured vp Nero was the Author of the first who for his fact of setting Rome on fiâ—e hauing set the hearts of his Subiects on fire against him to quench theâ—e coales and to winde into their good wills againe charged the Christians with the fact and as though they had beene guiltie attached and executed a mightie number of them and exceedingly tormeÌ„ted them couering them with beasts hides and casting them to Dogges to be torne in peeces or fastning them to Crosses did light them like to Torches to giue them light in the night as Tacitus doth reporte who otherwise was a monstrous enemie to Christ vnder which persecution died Paul and Peter valiantly and carried away the crowne The second was caused by Domitian in the yeare of Grace 86. in the which the Apostle Iohn was put into a Tunne or Vessell of hot boyling oyle which could not harme him and
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
coherence is good for the head and the members go together it were absâ—rd to part the one from the other But Christ is the head and we are the members conglutinated and coaâ—nuuated to that head The antecedeut and forepart of the argument is accompanied by sundrie consequences in the following verses That if Christ our head be not risen 1 Our preaching is vaine 2 your faith is vaine 3 we are false witnesses who hâ—ue testified so much 4 ye are yet in your sinnes 5. They which are asleepe in Christ are perished The analogie of head and members maketh good the consequent That therefore we shal liâ—e as Christ hath risen wherfore the fathers call the resurrection of Christ the misterie of our resurrection and the Apostle termeth it The first fruits of them that slept 3 Thirdly from the purifit of the contraries he formeth his matter thus It by one man came death by one man must also come the resurrection from the deâ—de But the first is true therefore the second The argument holdeth the contraries so answering one another Adam and Christ Death and the Resurrection But wee all die in bodie thâ—ough Adam therefore wee must liue in bodie againe by Christ 4 The forme that the Apostle so accurately descriâ—eth of the resurrection thus We shall not all sleepe but we shall be all changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eie at the last Trumpet for the trumpet shall blow and the deade shall be raised vp incorruptible and we shal be changed And thus For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout with the voice of the archaÌ„gel with the trumpet of God the dead in christ shal rise first theÌ„ shal we which liue and remaine bee caught vp with them also in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the aire so shall we euer be with the Lord. This Graphicall and ordâ—râ—ie description of the resurrection euicteth the necessarie also intallâ—â—le certaintie of the resurrection For if it were not a matter vndoubted to what purpose is it that it is thus described These are the chiefe arguments wherewith the Apostle vrgeth the resurrection in that famous fiftéenth charter of his first Letter to the Corinthians Vpon which subiect hée disputed often as at Athens where he preached vnto the people of Iesus and the resurrection as in the Consistorie before Faelix where he maketh this constant profession I haue hope towards God that the resurrection of the dead which they themselues looke for also shall bee both of iust and vniust Of the resurrection of the dead am I accused of you this day Peter in sundrie places witnesseth the resurrection as when he saith Which shall giue accounte to him that is readie to iudge quicke and dead and thus when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare yee shall receiue an incorruptible Crowne of glorie Also his last Chapter of his last Epistle is nothing else but illustration of this Article S. Iohn deliuereth like diuinitie thus We know that when he shall appeare we shal be like him for we shal see him as he is In the Reuelation yâ— spirit speaketh euidently thus And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which was the book of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were iudged euerie man according to their works In the next Chapter we haue this discourse which openeth the resurrection vnto vs God shall wipe away all teares from their eies and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine Saint Iames auoucheth as much saying Be patient vnto the comming of the Lord. Be patient and settle your heart for the comming of the Lorde draweth neere the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews hath much good matter in the behalfe of the resurrection In the tenth Chapter after much discourse appertaining thereunto he summeth it vp thus Knowing in your selues how that ye haue in heauen a better and enduring substance c. In the next chapter he saith Others also were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection Thus haue we the old and new Testament on the side of this doctrine which is sufficient but because Atheists who pester this land as the Frogs and Caterpillers did Pharaos Court doe arraigne the integritie of the Scriptures and iudge of this matter by naturall reason it is not amisse tâ— stop their mouthes by confuting and confounding them this way Wherefore we set vpon them thus 1 The soule did not sinne without the body therfore the bodie must be punished with it Therefore the bodie must rise againe The Philosophers doe denie the sequence and say that it is enough that the minde bee rewarded according to the actions thereof and that it is not néedefull that the bodie which was not principall but accessarie in the sinne and only but the instrument to serue sins turne should partake with the mind And they shew comparisons for the same of Artificers and craftsmen who for making a house or any other peece of worke haue their hire and couenants when as the instruments wherewith they wrought are not rewarded neither are they damnified though the worke by them be not accordingly performed Of a poisoned pot which is not therefore dissolued and broken in péeces especially if it be of any price though many haue drunke their destruction out of it Of a sword which a man will not breake or cast from him because a man hath beene slaine with it But yet by their leaue who take these similitudes for such sure studdes there be many in their vnstaied affections that will dash in peeces such intoxicated cups and breake that weapon against a wall that hath beene the occasion of a mischiefe But we turne away all the force of such reasoâ—ing by distinction of instruments as they are of coniunct and diuided nature The bodie the souls instrument is of the first difference and is conioyned and coupled with the mind wherfore it duâ—ly taketh such part as the mind doth The minde draweth on the bodie to commit vncleannesse the bodie therefore falleth thereupon iustly into diuers maladies The mind is disposed to fel onie for which the hands and the feete are manacled and the necke is hazarded and the whole bodie vndergoeth the penaltie This argument deducted from the rule of Gods iustice pleaseth Paul so wel as he maketh vse of it hauing proâ—ed the resurrection Therefore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast vnmoueable aboundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vaine in the Lord But this labor commeth
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