him can no more be remoued out of his seate than euer the vngodly seede of Antichrist are so offended therewith as they betray into wicked hands their owne countrimen their kinred and acquaintance yea they hate their own brethren seek their destruction And this did Christ foreshewe to happen in the ende of the world Fiftly he declared that at the same time manie false Prophetes should arise and deceiue a multitude For when Antichrist perceiued that he might not preuaile by anie of those vile and violent meanes that hee had practized but that his power neuerthelesse decreased and his al hominable superstition and idolatrie was daily more and more disclosed he erected certein Seminarie places for learning with good maintenaunce to the same for all those that would resort vnto them of all nations to the ende they might bee sent home againe after they haue been certeine yeres ripened and rottened in superstitious doctrine that by their fained hypocrisie and by their false fables and prophesies they might reconcile all those that were fled from the Antichristian faith promising them so manie and so great matters as their holy Father by his Commission had giuen them in charge And these ministers of his be they which Paule the Apostle said To haue the forme of godlinesse but denie the power thereof haue by their false prophesies 2. Thess 3. caried away manie poore soules captiue into hell and themselues also are damned for euer without repentaunce And this token of the Lordes comming is nowe likewise fulfilled Againe Christ hath declared that before the iudgment day iniquitie shall abound and the loue of manie shall wexe colde But what kinde of iniquitie do we think shal aboūd before the second coming of Christ Verelie al kinde of sine and wickednesse that euer was in the world since the creation of the same not onely the secrete sinnes that proceede from mans heart whereby the whole man is corrupted but the publike offences and enormities done by man against man against God against the Church against the Common weale and against all iustice godlinesse and Religion And is it anie maruell why all wickednesse shoulde abounde now towards the ende more than euer before why the charitie of man towardes man why the loue of man towardes God why the zeale of man towardes godlinesse should now bee lesse than before though now the word of God be more plentifullie preached that before the sacraments more sincerely ministred than before heresies false worshipping more sōudlie conuinced than before the true Church from the false more euidently discerned than before Antichrist himselfe more plainly detected than before and our saluation now more neere at hand than before No verely For now is the time that Christ prescribed neuer before Now is Sathan our olde enimie loosed now it Antichrist his seruant reuealed For euer since the time that the kingdome of Christ hath been reuiued by preaching of the Gospell the Dragon hauing the time of his thousand yeeres captiuitie welneere expired and perceiuing his dominion to be but short is come foorth to aide and strengthen and heale the wound of the beast against the Saintes of God and against the Lambe Who ioyning their forces together seeke by their craftie and lying hypocrisie not onely to bereaue men of their saluation by deceiuing and bewitching of their soules and by driuing them forwarde to all manner of sinne and wickednesse but also to destroy their bodies and all by bringing in vpon them all manner of cruel Inquisitions warres torments miseries and deathes that man can deuise Wherefore the nature of man being euer more and more corrupted since the fall of Adam therewithall driuen by the violent inticement of sin and perswasion of the diuell it is not possible without the mightie assistance of Gods spirite but that iniquitie should not onely abound but euen nowe be growen to the full And to speake more particularlie of the sinnes against God against man and against our owne selues I say that they doe now by meanes of Antichrist and his adherentes more infinitely abounde than euer Whereby it may euidently appeare that the dissolulution of all thinges is at hande Was not Lucifer an Angell of light and desired in his heart to be but equal with God And is Antichrist any more thā man somewhat lower than the Angels and yet exalteth himselfe aboue God Did Adam breake any more commaundements of God then one when he was ashamed and cast out of Paradice But do not we daylie breake all the commaundements of God and yet are not once ashamed of our nakednesse Was not Cayn counted a reprobat because he was angrie with God and killed his owne brother about the accepting of their sacrifices But are not wee euery day vexed and disquieted against God if but the least attempt that we go about succeed not according to our desire But bee there not also as greeuous and horrible paricides and murders among vs euen for the smallest and least occasions Was it not counted a monstrous and horrible Idolatrie of the Children of Israel when they forgot God that had brought them out of the land of Egipt and worshipped a golden Calfe which they themselues had made because that Moses the seruant of God and their generall Captaine was but fourtie dayes absent from them Agayne is not the Idolatrie in these dayes of them that professe the name of Christ beyond al comparison greater when they forsake him that redeemed them from the power of Sathan and do daylie worship stockes and stones and a peece of vnleauened bread when as Christ himselfe their head and Captaine is continually present with them by his holy Saincts and Godhead vntill the end of the world Was not the infidelitie of the Children of Israell counted exceeding great when as they beleeued not the promises of GOD who had done so great wonders for them both in Egipt and at the red Sea For which cause they themselues were destroyed and their children were made to wander fourtie yeares in the wildernesse for the sinnes of their fathers But is not the infidelitie of the Christians in our time much more horrible when as GOD hath done for them farre greater thinges then euer he did for the Children of Israell euen by sending his owne Sonne for their sakes into the world to deliuer them from the slauerie of Sathan and euerlasting destruction of bodie and soule where he keepeth them as the apple of his eye from being consumed of the nations round about them when hee talketh with them daylie and familiarlie from heauen out of his holie worde when hee feedeth them from aboue with his owne precious bodie when hee indueth them with grace supernaturall by his holie spirite when hee blesseth them with all his benefites both bodily and ghostly and yet are not we more vnfaithfull vnthankfull and vnfruitfull than the Children of Israell They beleeued not because the time of the promises vnto them made
was not yet perfourmed wee beleeue not when all the prophesies deliuered to vs in the Scriptures bee alreadie fulfilled They grudged and wauered when they were wandering in the desolate wildernesse wanting many pleasures and delights of this deceiuing life wee mistrust though we now be in a delightfull and pleasant land and abound in all worldlie comforts that can be deuised for man They misdoubted the first comming of Messias because the words proceded frō the mouths of men but manie of vs beleeue not his second comming though he himselfe haue absolutely promised and shewed the tokens of the same by his owne holy word And so iniquitie and incredulitie abound this day beyond all the ages and times of the worlde Wherefore the Lord must of necessitie come to deliuer his people from the intollerable burden thereof Againe was not the disobedience and murmuring of Israel against God and against Moses his Lieutenant so incomparable great as the earth opened and swallowed vp the principall leaders of that conspiracie and all their habitations and families Yea so angrie was the Lord with this sinne that had it not been for Moses sake hee woulde then haue dispatched the whole generation of them from the face of the earth But if we will but looke into the Christianitie see what disobedience there is to the commandementes of God what continuall murmuringes against him what daylie discontentments with the blessings that he sendeth what rebellions conspiracies and seditions against the Princes which be his Lieutenaunts yea what treasons trecheries against the royall person of their Souereignes Nay what banding there is against Christ his Church to roote out both him and his holie word that neither of them should haue anie more being in the world wee shall finde that the burden of iniquitie is at this day so exceeding heauie as the foundations of the world being so farre out of course must needs fall to ruine and desolation Moreouer within what age and memorie of man is is knowen in what writings ethnicke or christian hath it bene founde nay by what place of Scripture can it be prooued especiallie since the former destruction of the world by waters that the sinne of lust fornication did so generally inuade the whole world as it doth at this present daye What sinne doeth so speedely procure the displeasure of God the destruction of the vngodly and the finall ende of all thinges by fier as doth the flame of lust and concupisence But what needeth mee to recite the greatnesse of this sinne when the vengeance and punishments that God hath brought and daily doth bring vpon fornicatours and adulterers both among Infidels and Christians in euerie age and in all families and kingdomes doth euidently shew the same And albeit we knowe that for this sinne specially God burned vp the cities of Sodome and Gomorrhe into ashes that he slewe in one day three or foure and twentie thousand Isaclites for committing that abhomination with the daughters of Moab albeit I say we know that this sinne so sore displeaseth our God impaireth our credite wasteth our goods weakneth our bodies dulleth our memories tormenteth our mindes and worketh al manner of woe both to soule and bodie in this life and keepeth vs frō inheriting of euerlasting life in the world to come yet doe we in this age take such vile and filthie pleasure therein as we exceede all the abhomination of Sodom and therein the world may seeme to match all the Generations that haue gone before vs. And the greatest cause why God hath not yet powred vpon vs the same or greater vengeance than he did vpon our forefathers is because hee hath nowe but a short time of patience and then commeth the day of vengeance For he hath alreadie sounded his Trumpet vnto iudgement he hath signified by his prophets he hath pronounced by his Preachers hee hath published by his signes and tokens and hee hath opened plainelie by the word of his promise that hee commeth speedelie like a Lion vpon his enemies and to reward with destruction and vengeance all them that worke wickednesse But I am ashamed to speake of the loathsome and horrible sinne of drunkennesse and surfetting For although there be diuers other sinnes wherein for the vilenesse of them men may be compared with brute beasts yet in this sinne men without all comparison excell all beasts and liuing creatures in the world For beasts being voide of all reason yet doe they knowe what is necessarie and sufficient for them and therefore doe they rarelie or neuer take anie more sustenaunce than is meete for their health although they haue neuer so great plentie ministred vnto them But man that is indued with reason and speech the two principall things whereby he is discerned from other beasts and whereby he hath the dominion of them during the time that he is occupied in the sinne of drunkennesse he is not onelie depriued of that excellent knowledge and gouernment that God hath giuen him aboue other creatures but while his head is ouercharged with wine he hath neither the power of vnderstanding nor the sense of feeling that other beasts haue O most horrible and cruell sinne O monstrous disease of the flesh howe easelie mightest thou be lefte what little neede hath man of thee and yet what dangerous and deadlie enormities dost thou bring vpon him both against himselfe against his neighbour against the Commonweale and against the commaundements of our gracious God He that is ouerloden with wine and strong drinke foultreth in his speech reeleth too fro falleth on the ground or tumbleth into the ditch the world goeth round about him shame doth not lay holde on him but others are ashamed for him The presence of persons doth not feare him euerie man scorneth him euerie man shunneth him euerie man derideth him but nothing doth greeue him Againe he whose head is not so deepelie drowned in drinke but is ouer merie therewith hath fraighted his bodie and pampered his bellie as well with meate as drinke how slow is he to all vertue how prone is he to al kind of mischiefe Pouertie woe strife sorowe bralling and wounds without a cause followe them that delight in wine and delicate fare And Prou. 21 Prou. 13. Through gluttonie commeth sickenesse and by surfetting death O that men woulde also weight the greatnesse of this sinne by cōsidering the mischiefs that it bringeth For besides that it destroyeth the health of the bodie and shorteneth mans life it also alienateth the minde prouoketh anger stirreth vp lusts consumeth riches discouereth secrets peruerteth iudgement it causeth sloth in the bodie dulnesse in wit weaknesse in the memorie and vnwillingnesse to euerie good action The abundaunce that is consumed by this one onelie vice woulde supply all the wantes in the Common weale The forbearing of one meale within this kingdome of all the people but once in a yere would feed a mightie Armie a whole moneth The sparing of
of heauen shal bee moued The sonne of God shall sit on his throne the wicked shall receaue the iudgement of death and the faithfull bee carried into the euerlasting Kingdome Wherefore the Lord shall come not tarie He promised signes of his comming those signes he hath sent He promised that he would come immediatelie after those signes wherefore those signes beeing accomplished hee will come and that sodainlie like a mightie tempest For heauen and earth shall faile but one iot of his promise shall not faile Wherefore insomuch as wee see so manie of the promises alreadie fulfilled let vs be patient in the rest and not murmure against him as the Children of Israel did in the wildernesse least a sodaine destruction come vpon vs as it did vpon them and we be cast aliue both bodie and soule into the bottomlesse pit They which beleeue not in the cōming of Christ doe imitate the foolish exāple of Iulius Cesar who being often warned before to take heed to himself least some great treason were wrought against him in the Ides of March made but a mock thereof the same day that hee was slaine saying to some of his familiars which counselled him not to go that day into the Senate house Why saith he they haue tolde mee this good while that I should be in danger when the Ides of March were come they are come and yet I am safe I saith one they are come but they are not yet past And so by his owne follie negligence he was the same day slaine In like manner these that doe but mocke at the Lords comming do see indeed that al the signs which were promised should come to passe are founde to bee true but yet because Christ is not come together with the signes they thinke perhaps that he will not come But ô ye fooles ye see them to be come indeed but ye see them not yet finished neither shall ye see them so soone ended as ye shal see the promise of his comming iustified Some motions yee had perhaps this last yeere to think vpon that day more than ye be accustomed because of the great expectation of the Prophesie of the yere 1588 and for that ye heard by manie probable reasons and coniectures of men drawen from the cōsent and agreement of times from the coniunctions of planets which threaten either finall destruction or wonderfull alteration and from the equalitie of numbers in the yeeres of the worlde 5550 and 5555 which iumpe with the yeres of Christ 1588 and 1593 that either the world should then ende or else verie strange things should then happen Howbeit this yere being past yee seeme now to liue more securelie yee feare God lesse yee care lesse for religion yee delight more in vanities yee sinne more greedelie yee prouoke Gods wrath more greeuouslie yee runne more headlong into damnation and yee sing your olde tune Where is the promise of his comming more reprochfullie than euer yee did before Neuertheles if so manie and so strange things happened that yere as the like did not in so short space in many ages before mē hauing no more knowledge therof thā that which could be gathred by cōiecture of the stars by cōparing time with times what effects do we think shal folow vpō the sure infallible prophesie warranted by the spirit of God himselfe in the canonicall scriptures If the starres that are but creatures can point to the time when God will worke such mighty operations in other of his creatures as against that yere they did whereby the proud lustie mindes of mightie Monarchs are abated wherby puissant and strong armies are dissolued whereby the most inuincible nauies and strong castles of the sea be destroyed whereby the leagues cōspiracies of princes shal be made frustrate wherby they that haue plaid so manie horrible tragedies in the Church and haue caused the bloud of so manie hūdred thousands to be spilled shal the same yeere finish their daies some by bloud some by death Nay if the pore herrings of the sea haue this yere brought vs letters of warning from God written vpon the skins of their little bodies that Christ cōmeth that quickly what think we shal the performāce of gods eternal promise or the least word that proceedeth out of his mouth bring to passe against al the tyrants and blood suckers of this worlde against all the enemies of his Church and religion against all them that make but a mocke at the glorious comming of Christ against all the strong and mightie Cities of the earth yea and against the consummation of the whole globe of the world But ye my masters that giue so great credit to the reuolutions of the heauens and to the threatning of the starres planets look wel to your selues from henceforth for besides that the Lord hath promised very shortly to com himselfe and call you to a reckoning hee hath put also into his creatures new accidents the effects whereof shall continue not one but one and twentie yeeres at the least if the Lorde come not before and those greater than haue euer bin since the world was made the straungenes whereof shall amase you and the effects thereof shall trouble you when ye shall see the Sunne and Moone so often and in so short time eclipsed when you shall see the brightnes of heauen at noone time darkened when God shall powre out his wrath aboundantly by plagues and famines by winds and tempestes by fearefull ouerflowings of waters and by the ruine and destruction of some Prouinces when ye shall perceiue the strength of all creatures diminished when the earth will not bring foorth her benefites when by this time all truth and righteousnes will be vanished all loue and societie among men will bee dissolued when all men will altogether loue themselues and no man will any whit loue another when naturall affection of men towards their owne will bee prostrate when all obedience to God and to Magistrates to parents and maisters to Kingdomes and Common weales will be abolished whē nothing will bee done for duetie and conscience but all for feare and necessitie when all truth all charitie and all goodnes will be abandoned and when there shall be nothing but pride enuie dissimulation oppression lust and couetousnes in all the whole earth when the earth it selfe will craue at the hands of GOD Come Lord Iesus come quicklie and deliuer me from this intolerable burden which the foundation that I am builded vpon namely thy heauenly word is not able anie longer to beare Wherefore If Christ haue discouered vnto vs vpon whom the latter endes of the world are come all the signes and tokens which he promised of his comming If he haue sent Preachers into the world to proclaime the Gospell of his kingdome If he haue reuiued as it were his owne name againe that laie hidden in Images and dumme Idolls If he haue resumed vnto himselfe his owne authoritie
if he would humble vs as he did Nabucadonosor and make vs to eate grasse with the beastes of the field and to water vs with the deaw of heauen till our hearts were whollie turned vnto him againe rather than do fill vs so abundantlie with all manner of temporal blessings With health in our bodies plentie in our coffers ioy in our families fauour with our Princes to haue praise with priuate persons and to haue authoritie in kingdomes but therewith to bee depriued of the grace and mercie of God of Christes promised saluation and in steede of the pleasures of this life to receaue paines intollerable both of bodie and soule in the life to come Wherefore ô my bretheren remember what yee are where yee are and whether yee goe Yee are of those for whom the world was made For whome the remnant was saued in Noahs floud For whome God hath shewed a thousand miracles in Aegipt in the redde Sea and in the wildernesse For whome Christ liued so manie yeeres in this wretched world and for whome hee suffered so shamefull death vpon the Crosse Yee are the seede of Abraham and generation of the blessed Yee are of the Church and members of Christes bodie Yee are the vessells of the holie Ghost if yee liue holilie and vnblameablie And ye are of them to whom the promise of euerlasting life was made Remember also that yee are in this transitorie world a place so latelie made which shall so shortlie perish wherein there is nothing but lustes of the fresh lustes of the eyes and pride of life Remember that a thousande yeeres with the Lorde are but as one day and that all your whole life is not one hower of such a day Remember that yee are in a place full of miseries cares and troubles among a crooked and peruerse generation among a people that haue solde them selues to commit wickednesse and that with all greedie desire That a mans dayes passe awaie like a shaddowe and his yeeres like vanitie That though he be the mightiest Prince Monarch of the world yet when age infirmities creepe vpon him he desireth to be losed from the burthen of this flesh Againe remember the place whereunto yee shall tende For yee are heere but pilgrimes and straungers for a little season And as manie of you as are Christes must home to your owne Countrey of Heauen A place of libertie a place of felicitie a place of euerlasting pleasure Where time shall be no more time where night and darkenesse shall be banished where yee shall neither hunger nor thirst where yee shall neither lust nor desire where it is vnpossible yee shoulde die anie more where the Lorde him selfe shall bee your foode and portion and the light of your countenaunce where the measure of your ioyes shall be full and where ye shall liue in pleasure and felicitie for euermore But on the other side as manie of you as are called Christians and are not of the flocke of Christ as manie as refuse this saluation offered you in not beleeuing as you ought and liuing as you should As manie of you as trust not whollie to be saued by the merite of Christ Iesus but iustifie your selues by your owne workes Naie all you that boast of your faith in Christ and yet mortifie not your carnall members nor walke in the steppes of his commaundements As many as make Christ Iesus but a straunger to you and seeke for other Mediatours than his owne selfe As manie as frame vnto the Church a monsterous head vpon the earth besides our owne mercifull head Christ Iesus in heauen As manie as will make the decrees of mans corrupt iudgement equall with the most holie and sacred word of GOD As manie as refuse to laie holde on Christ by faith and runne for helpe vnto Images and dumme Idolls As manie as frustrate the benefites of Christes death by redeeming their sinnes with monie and pardons As manie as thinke to obtaine their requestes by a set number of verball prayers without any earnest meditation of the merite and promise of Christ As manie as prophane that glorious bodie of Christ Iesus by worshipping of any creature for and in the name of him and so cut off the hand of faith whereby we hold fast by him as he sitteth on the right hand of his Father Briefly as many as know that God must be worshipped in spirit and trueth and yet will cleaue to the apish toyes and foolish superstitions of Antichrist Finally as many as walke after their owne waies and not as the Lord himselfe hath commaunded in his holie worde All these must likewise home to their countrie a place of torment a place of eternal trouble a cruell and terrible habitation continuallie to bee vexed with burning fire and most intollerable heate mingled neuerthelesse with palpable darknes not for a time and season but perpetuallie and for euer there to remaine vnder the dominion of Lucifer and his Angels whose workes they followed and whose commaundements they obeyed Wherfore if there yet remaine in you any sparke of godlinesse anie loue of Religion anie dutie towards God anie hope of the resurrection to come anie desire of saluation anie feare of damnation if all faith all conscience all goodnesse and all religion be not quite extinguished reuiue your mindes lifte vp your hearts ascend vnto Christ by faith Set your affection vpon things aboue and not vpon thinges beneath Cast away all vaine and idle cogitations reforme your liues forsake your sins returne no more to your filthie pleasures giue ouer your superfluous vanities cleanse your selues from all vngodlinesse as you haue hetherto giuen ouer your members to serue vncleannesse so make them now to be seruants vnto righteousnesse Crucifie the olde man in you that the bodie of sinne may be vtterly destroyed Come out from Babylon and be no more partaker of her wickednesse touch no more vncleannesse and the Lord will receiue you Euery one of you abound in charitie one towards another euen as Christ hath loued you and hath giuen himselfe for you Be renewed in the spirite of your minde and put on the newe man which is shapen in holinesse and righteousnesse Examine your selues whether you be in the faith and knowe for certaintie that Christ is in you except ye bee reprobates Clense your hearts from all filthines and sinne and go forth to meet with the Bridegrome So shall all your former sinnes be wiped out of his remembrance Ye shal be his people and he wil be your God He will seperate you from the wicked and set you on his right hand He will protect you in this life from al your enemies and in the life to come will giue you a kingdome of euerlasting happinesse Come therfore Lord Iesus Come quicklie for the saluation of thy chosen and gladnes of thy people FINIS