to léese their brightnes the earth to tremble the Sea to roare and all things else to manace a present ruine not as if it were so indéed but because men shall be so straitned as that they shall thinke it is so And because those notable reuengements of God on the Babylonians Tyrians Egyptians Iewes other nations were as it were paintings out of the great day of iudgement and forerunners thereof we may fitly apply vnto that day such descriptions as the Prophets haue made of those reuengements Behold then what Isaiah saith speaking of the punishment of the Babylonians Behold the day of the Lord commeth Isa 13.9 c. cruell with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land waste and he shall destroy the sinners out of it for the stars of heauen and the planets thereof shall not giue their light the Sunne shall be darkened in his going fâ—rth and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine Therefore I will saith the Lord shake the heauen and the earth shall moue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hoasts and in the day of his fierce anger and it shall be as a chased Doe and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp and I will visite the wickednes vpoÌ„ the world and their iniquitie vpon the wicked and I will cause the arrogancie of the proud to cease and will cast downe the pride of tyrants Behold againe what the same Prophet saith speaking of the punishment of all vngodly enemies of the Lords Church Isai 34.1.2 c. Come neere yee nations and heare and hearken ye people let the earth heare and all that is therein the world and all that proceedeth thereof for the indignation of the Lord is vpon all nations and his wrath vpon all their armies he hath destroyed them and deliuered them to the slaughter and their slaine shall be cast out and their stinke shall come vp out of their bodies and the mountaines shall be melted with their blood and all the hoast of heauen shall be dissolued and the heauens shall be folden like a Booke and all their hoasts shall fall as the leafe falleth from the vine and as it falleth from the figge tree Behold againe what Ezekiel saith Ezek. 32.4 c. speaking of the punishment of Egypt I will leaue thee vpon the land saith the Lord God and I will cast thee vpon the open field and I will cause all the foules of the heauen to remaine vpon thee and I will fill all the beasts of the field with thee and I will lay thy flesh vpon the mountaines and fill the vallies with thine heigth I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest euen to the mountaines and the riuers shall be full of thee and when I shall put thee out I will couer the heauen and make the starres thereof darke I will couer the Sunne with a cloud and the moone shall not giue her light all the lights of heauen will I make darke for thee and bring darkenes vpon thy land saith the Lord God Behold againe what the Prophet Ioel saith speaking of the plagues that should light vpoÌ„ the Iewes Ioel. 2.1.2.31 Blowe the trumpet in Zyon and shoute in mine holy mountaine let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord is come for it is at hand a day of darkenes and of blacknes a day of clouds and obscuritie the Sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood When we behold these and the like spéeches let vs suppose that they are foretellings of the last iudgement When the Psalmist saith The God of Gods euen the Lord hath spoken and called the earth from the rising vp of the Sunne Psal 50.1.3.4 vnto the going downe thereof our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuour before him and a mightie tempest shall be moued round about him he shall call the heauen aboute Zephan 1.14 c. the earth to iudge his people When the Prophet Zephania saith The great day of the Lord is neere it is neere and hasteth greatly eueÌ„ the voyce of the day of the Lord the strong man shall crye there bitterly that day is a day of wrath a day of trouble heauines a day of destruction desolation a day of obscuritie darkenes a day of clouds and blackenes a day of the trumpet alarme against the strong cities and against the high towers and I will bring distresse vpon men saith the Lord that they shall walke like blind men because they haue sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be powred out as dust and their flesh as the dongue neither their siluer nor their gold shal be able to deliuer them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shal be deuoured by the fire of his iealousie for he shall make euen a speedie riddance of theÌ„ that dwell in the land When the Prophet Daniel saith I behold Dan. 7.9.10 till the thrones were set vp and the ancient of daies did sit whose garment was white as snowe and the haire of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame his wheeles as burning fire a firie streame issued came foorth from before him thousand thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousands stood before him the iudgement was set the bookes opened When these things are spoken what else is it but that the Diuine saith And I sawe a great white throne Reu. 20.11.12.13 and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth heauen and their place was no more found and I sawe the dead both great small stand before God the bookes were opened another Booke was opened which is the booke 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 the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes This is the second comming of Christ much differing from his first comming For in his first comming he appeared humble in the shape of a seruant in his second coÌ„ming he shall appeare stately in the shape of the King of Kings and Iudge of all in his first coÌ„ming he was subiect to reproach in his second comming he shall shine in glorie in his first coÌ„ming he appeared weake in his secoÌ„d comming he shall appeare in heauenly power in his first comming he did vndergoe the iudgement and condemnation of the reprobate in his second comming he shall iudge and condemne all the wicked and reprobate In his first comming he fought like little Dauid against Goliah without worldly furniture in his second comming he will descend like armed and angrie Dauid 1. Sam. 25 21.22 against vnthankefull Nabal and will say as Dauid said
part Math. 20.23.24 to place any on his right or left hand in the kingdome of heauen For he doth not there absolutely derogate that authoritie from himselfe but the sense is that he was not sent from the Father with this commandement while hee liued among men so héere also we must vnderstand that as hee descended to be our Mediator till he had executed that office he had not that giuen him which he receiued after his resurrection For hee affirmeth that then the power ouer all things is giuen vnto him Math. 28.18 And therefore as he tooke on him all other things pertaining to mans infirmitie Heb. 2.17.14.15 being in all things like vnto men sinne excepted so he tooke on him also the knowledge and ignorance and reason and vnderstanding of man which by degrées is encreased and diminished and in respect whereof he is said not to know this or that Luk. 2.52 As else-where it is written that Iesus encreased in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God and men Where are they now that professe their knowledge of the yeare of the last iddgement when Christ the onely Sonne of God confesseth that he is ignorant of it Some Anabaptists haue boasted of their prophecies reuelations to the simple multitude and haue not doubted to prefixe the certaine yeare moneth and day of the iudgement some haue calculated the day by iudiciarie Astrologie and by the position and aspect of the starres or by Arithmaticall and imaginarie supputations of numbers and times some haue béene indured or rather seduced to determine the day by ancient and friuolous predictions of others but of these it may be said as the acute and excellent Epigrammatist taxeth a forward Calculator Nonaginta duos durabit mundus in anno Ioan. Munaus ad arbitrium si staâ— abâ—que tuum Ouen Cur mundi finem propiorem non facis vt ne Ante obitum mendax arguerere sapis That they are wise in setting the day so far off least otherwise in their life time they shuld be conuicted of lying Some haue béene misled by weake coniectures producing the Oracle receiued by the tradition of the Iewes which they refer to Eliah and to his schoole namely that the world shuld last sixe thousand yeares so distributing those yeares that two thousand should be spent before the law two thousand vnder the law and two thousand vnder the kingdome of the Messiah and adding that these last two thousand yeares shal scarce haue full consummation because of the most gréeuous iniquities of the world but these must know that that prophesie is vaine because there were before the law two thousand fiue hundred and thirtéene yeares and much lesse then two thousand yeares vnder the lawe Some haue fained that the world should continue sixe daies as it was created in sixe daies but for euery day they haue allotted a thousand yéeres Psal 90.4 as though Dauid meant so when he said That a thousand yeeres in the sight of the Lord are as yesterday when it is past Some other haue supposed that the mystecall body of Christ which is the Church shall abide on earth thirtie thrée yeeres because Christ in regard of his body which he tooke of the Virgine abode so long in this world and for euery yeere they appoint fiftie vsuall yéeres that they make vp the yéere of Iubilee but these are to vnderstand that the end of the world depends not on the lawe or course of nature or from any other secondarie cause but on the pleasure and secret determination of the Lord. Some on the contrarie are so farre of from calculating of a certaine yeare and day as that they feare not to make a flat doubt whether there shall be an end of the world or not 1. Pet. 4.7 Iam. â— 8 because Saint Peter saith that the end of all things is at hand and Saint Iames saith againe that the comming of the Lord draweth neere and yet Saint Paul doth plainely contradict them as they thinke affirming that the day of the Lord should not yet come but these must remember that the Apostles are not coÌ„trarie among themselues for they speake not of the same things nor in the same respect For S. Peter S. Iames say that the day of iudgement is at hand in respect of God with whom a thousand yéeres are but as one day Whereas S. Paul denieth that the day of the Lord was at hand in his Age and while he liued disputing against the false Prophets nor prefixed a meere and certaine time and yet he denieth not that the comming of the Lord drew neere or that these are the last times in comparison of former Ages and of the appearing of the Messiah which no other time shall in such sort succeede nor haue so long continuance as was the continuance from the creation of the world to the Birth of Christ And though that houre be so vncertaine as that we neither may nor ought to search after it yet by the fore-going signes which we daily see accomplished and by the deprauation and vngodlinesse of manners which is come to the very top it is euident enough that the day of Christ is not far off euen as the buds of trées declare the approaching of the Summer and the Husbandman gathers by the waxing yellow of the Eare that Haruest is néere at haÌ„d and these signes are as it were Criers Apparitors to summon men to Christs Tribunall seate though touching the Yéere Moneth Day Houre and momeÌ„t men know nothing because in scripture there is reuealed nothing For Austen saith well That as the last age of man which is his old age cannot be limited by a certaine nuÌ„ber of yeeres like the rest of the ages namely Child-hood youth constant setled age So the last age of the world cannot be determined by certaine yeeres Wherfore we must reiect curious superstitious and vnprofitable questions wherein sathan entangleth many that they should neglect faith hope charitie the necessarie offices of vertue and when we heare mention of the last iudgement we must prepare our selues to watch and pray that by the vnlookt for comming thereof we be not oppressed suddenly For this sudden coÌ„ming of the day of iudgement cuts off all delaies that are commonly made for leading our liues in the feare and awe of God Let none say that so many threatnings haue past of that day of iudgement and that it is not yet séene and therefore that they may liue securely for how farre off or neere soeuer the generall iudgement be yet the day of death which will bring thée to thy particular iudgement may be very nigh and because of the shortnes of mans life on the earth cannot be many yéeres off If a king should giue thée a Lordship on this condition that within one houre thou shouldest dispatch the letters of donation and cause the great Seale to be annexed thereunto what diligence and spéede wouldest thou vse
dungeon of Hell To leaue Lawrence marke what Christ saies in the 25. of Matthew and sée whether he doe not there most liuely demonstrate and shew what he accounts of the faithfull poore and what estimation he makes of Almes bestowed on them for there he saies Matt. 25.31 c. that when the sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall the he sit vpon the throne of his glorie and before him shall be gathered all nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard separateth the shéepe from the goates and he shall set the shéepe on his right hand and the goates on the left Then shal the king say to theÌ„ on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye tooke me in vnto you I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me Then shall the righteous answere him saying Lord when saw we thée an hungred and fed thée or a thirst and gaue thée drinke and when saw we thée a stranger and tooke thée in vnto vs or naked and cloathed thée or when saw we thée sicke or in prison and came vnto thée And the king shall answeare and say vnto them Verily I say vnto you in asmuch as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me How terrible shal the day of Iudgement be to those that are not perswaded that Christ shall bee as well their absoluer and acquitter as their Iudge censurer 2. Pet. 3.10 For the day of the Lord will come as a théefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shal melt heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp and in that great and generall and Impartiall Iudgement the booke of all offences shall be layed open the Graue Death and Hell shall yeeld foorth all that are in them all corners shal be swept and all plaites and wrinckles shal be vnfolded the Sunne shal be darkened and the Moone eclipsed and the starres shall fall from Heauen Christ the Iudge of quick and dead shall take in hand the glittering and two-edged Sworde being readie to throw the Thunderbolts of his fierce wrath and the vnfaithfull and vngodly shal be driuen to such straites and extremitie that they shall crie to the Hills Fall on vs and to the Mountaine â—ouer vs and to the Waters Swallow vs vp Happie are they that may stand then boldly in that day but that loue their poore brethren shall haue boldnes and confidence in the day of Iudgement For as hee is so are wee in â—his world saith the Apostle that is 1. Ioh. 4.17 GOD will not condemne those that are like himselfe but the mercifull in this world are like to God for God is mercifull and gratious and therefore the mercifull néede not to feare the sentence of condemnation And wee must marke that CHRIST will say Take the inheritance of the Kingdome For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate He will not say enherite the kingdome of heauen because ye haue prophecied in my Name cast out diuels in my Name For many that shall say so in the last day shall heare this Answere Mat. 7.23 I neuer knewe you Depart from me yee that worke iniquitie Neither shall Christ say enherite the Kingdome because you haue not couered your Neighbors goods because you haue not committed fornication because you haue not defiled your handes with blood although the auoyding of these things be necessarie for Christians for Fornicators and murtherers and vncleane persons and couetous persons Gal. 6.21 shall not possesse the kingdome of God Neither shall Christ say to Abel because thou hast suffered for righteousnes to Noah because thou hast built the Arke for the worlds preseruation to Abraham because thou hast offered vp thy Sonne to Moses because thou hast published the law to Peter because thou wast Crucified therefore inherite the Kingdome of heauen But Christ shall only say enherite the Kingdome because yee ministred to the poore Saintes in their necessities Which words of our Sauiour must not be so taken as if Almes or any other of our workes did merite eternall life Almes merite not and why mention is made of workes of mercie in the last iudgement For the Scripture expressely teacheth that our Election is of grace and if it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Rom. 1.5 â— and the scripture teacheth that we are saued by grace through faith and not of our selues it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 and the scripture teacheth that Christ by his merite hath sufficiently obtained for vs eternall life in that he gaue his life for the ransome of many Matt. 20.28 and the scripture teacheth that Christ being an high Priest of good things to come by a greater and a more perfect tabernacle not made with hands neither by the blood of goates and calues but his owne blood entered once vnto the holy place and obtained eternall redemption for vs for if the blood of buls and of goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling them that are vncleane sanctifieth as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. â— 11.12.13.14 This doctrine clearely taught in holy scrripture vtterly excludes boasting on our part in the matter of saluation For that anie worke of oure may merite first it is required that it be freely our owne and not due to him to whome it is performed but whatsoeuer good we doe it is onely some parte of our dutie which wee owe to God Luk. 17.10 For when we haue done all those things which are commanded vs we must say we are vnprofitable Seruants wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe Ro. 11.35 And who hath giuen to the Lord first and he shall be recompenced Rom. 8.12 and we are debters not to liue after the flesh but after the spirit Next it is required that our worke or gift that we offer be profitable and commodious to him of whom wee merite but no action or worke of ours can bring any commoditie to the Lord Psal 16.2 For the Prophet sayes My well doing extendeth not to thee ô Lord And the Temanite Iob. 22. â— 3 Iobs friend sayes May a man be profitable vnto God as he that is wise may be profitable to himselfe
busie If the Apostles hauing power to liue by the Gospell did worke with their hands that they might not charge any and did relieue others whereas they might haue reapt carnall things for spiritual things Why doest not thou prepare one thing or other that may redound to thy profite Either frame a basket or make a panyer or rake and weede the ground or contriue and plot the beds of an hearbe garden And he affirmes that Monasteries of Aegypt had a custome to entertain none that could not labour with hands not so much for that otherwise they could not maintaine them as that it might be beneficiall to their soules health Aske of Salomon the wisest man that euer was borne of woman 1. King 3.12 after the ordinary sort what an idle person is and he will tell vs that the idle person is he that saies when he should trauell any whither for his profite Prou. 26.13.14.15 A Lyon is in the way a Lyon is in the streets as the dore turneth vpon his hinges so doth the slouthfull man vpon his bed the slothfull hideth his hand in his bosome and it greeueth him to put it againe to his mouth Aske of Salomon againe what is the fruits of Idlenes and he will answere cléerely that it is beggerie Prou. 20.4 for the slothfull man that will not plough because of winter shall beg in summer Prou. 6.10 11. but haue nothing and when the loyterer saies yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little holding of the hands to sleepe pouertie coÌ„meth as one that trauelleth by the way and necessitie like an armed man Therefore since beggerie is the fruite of idlenesse wée must with Salomon gather instructioÌ„ gaine experience by the example of others for so hée writes of himselfe Prou. 24.30.31.32 I passed by the field of the slothfull by the vineyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding loe it was all growne ouer with Thornes nettles had couered the face thereof the stone wall thereof was broken downe Then I behelde and I considered it well I looked vpoÌ„ it receiued instruction All Creatures that in the beginning of their creation receiued a coÌ„mmandement to labour doe labour till this day The Heauens cease not to mooue the Earth ceasseth not to bring foorth plants and hearbs the Beasts Byrds and Fishes cease not to multiplie onely Man who was commanded to eate his bread in the sweate of his face neglecteth his charge And therefore Gods word sends the idle slothful to base creatures to learne their dutie euen to the Emmot Goe to the Pismiâ—e ô sluggard behold her waies be wise Prou. 6.6 for she hauing no guide gouernor nor ruler prepareth her meat in the suÌ„mer gathereth her food in haruest saith the Wise man Shall the Pismire that hath no leader nor coÌ„ducter gather food in suÌ„mer haruest against winter tempests And shall we be negligent to prouide in health and youth for sicknes and olde Age who haue the example of Christ and the saints set before vs and the precepts of Christian Rulers th'admonitions and reprehensions of teachers and ouerseers of our soules Let the idle and sluggard beware then least that not the Quéene of the South or the Niniuites but the contemptible and base Pismire rise to condemne them in the day of iudgement Now if wee aske wheÌ„ce there are so many beggars wheÌ„ce such filching whence so manie Roagues caterpillers vnprofitable members in the commonwealth the Answere is easie Idlenes is the true cause of all these Therefore if wee would haue the number of beggars and thriftles persons to decrease parents must enforme their childreÌ„ in honest Trades and gouernors of parishes must employ orphans in good courses and Officers must punish idlenes as the lawes prescribe Exod. 32.6 Besides pouertie Idolatrie is a fruite of idlenesse for the idle Israelites sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to commit Idolatrie Besides Idolatrie toyes and curiositie are a fruite of idlenes for the loytering Athenians strangers that dwelt among them gaue theÌ„selues to nothing els but either to tel Act. 17 2â— or to heare som newes the yonger widowes being idle 1. Tim. 5.13 learne to go about froÌ„ house to house and are also pratlers busie-bodies speaking things that are not comely Besides toyes and curiositie hiding of Gods gifts talents is a fruit of idlenes Matt. 25.25 for the slothfull seruant went and hid his talent in the earth Besides hiding of Gods gifts léesing of the séed of Gods word sowne among vs is a fruit of idlenes for while men slept the enemy came and sowed tares amoÌ„g the wheate Matt. 13.25 Besides léesing the séed of Gods word to be excluded from the marriage of the bridegroome is a fruite of idlenes for while all slumbred slept the foolish virgins that trimmed not their Lamps were shut out at doores and heard this voice Verily I say vnto you I know you not Matt. 25.12 If then idlenes bréed beggerie idolatrie curiositie hiding of Gods gifts léesing of the séede of the word excluding froÌ„ the marriage of the bridegroome and what not Doubtlesse it is a sinne most loathsome before GOD and most studiously to be auoyded of vs. Who hath not heard of the horrible punishment of Sodome by fire and brimstone from Heauen And who quakes not at the remembrance thereof So horrible a plague must néedes be for hainous sinne And what were the sinnes of of Sodome Ezechiell rehearses them in this manner Behold this was the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome Ezek. 16.49 Pride Fulnes of Bread abundance of idlenes was in her in her daughters neither did she strengthen the hand of the poore and needie If wee will be frée from the punishment of Sodome wee must be frée from idlenesse and other sinnes of Sodome Chrysostome teacheth by a familiar example Hom. 16 in Ephes how grieuous a sinne idlenesse is Nihil boni facere hoc ipsum est mâ—lefacere Not to doe some good is to doe euill Tell me saith hee if thou hast a seruant who doth neither steale nor raile nor coÌ„tradict nor is druÌ„ken nor doth any ill yet sits all the day idle doth not anie of those things which a seruaÌ„t should do to his maister wouldst thou not scourge him yet he hath done no ill Euen so God will punish the idle Psal 34.14 because they are idle For the righteousnes of a man consisteth in two points not only in abstaining froÌ„ euill but also in dooing good Idlenesse séemed so absurde a thing to the best Philosophers as that they had rather affirme that the world hath bin from euerlasting and without beginning then by confessing that the world was created thereby as they supposed to confesse that God was idle before he made the world This opinion of the Philosophers was both foolish wise It was
and writings and examinations that Gallus went about to poyson him but hee spake so hainous a matter with so calme a countenance so fainte voice and so remisse gesture that Cicero the Aduocate of the person accused gathered by his gesture and action that hée spake fainedly and therefore saide Tu nisi fingeres Callidî sic ageres ô Callidius Wouldest thou so pleade the cause vnlesse thou didst dissemble So when these keye-colde Christians say that they hate sinne embrace vertue belieue in Christ loue his Gospell and their brethren they do it so remissely and faintly that it may be excepted said against them would you so slenderlie and negligently speake of these things if you were so well resolued On the contrary there are some so forward in citing scripture in reprehending of sinne in glorious protestation of their faith hope and charitie in listning to the Word read preached as it may be thoght that they are mounted high in the steps of mortification and that they are crucified to the world and the desires thereof but if we approch to the fig-trée that flourisheth with such faire gréene leaues we shall finde no fruite thereon Matt. 21.19 but shall thinke that those Iewes are reuiued that were woont to talke of the Prophet by the walles and in the doores of houses Ezek. 33.30.31.32 and to speake one to another euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you heare what is the Word that coÌ„meth from the Lorde yet when they sat before the Prophet and heard his wordes they would not doe them but with their mouthes they made ieasts and their hearts went after couetousnes the Prophet was vnto them as a ieasting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can sing well For they heard his wordes but they did them not It were to be wished that it were not true that one saith that if the closet of mens hearts were vnlockt the cloudes of the countenaÌ„ce chased away there would be séene strange moÌ„sters lodging in the heart as straÌ„ge as Nilus and Ganges Lybia Câ—ucasus haue brought foorth There would be found the bloody Tyger the cruell Lyon the sauage Wolfe the venemous Basiliske the Aspe that brings into a deadly drowzinesse the stinging Scorpion the counterfeiting Crocodile the false Foxe and the dissembling Hiena And it would appeare that oftentimes fained godlines couers crueltie En vetereÌ„ PharisaismuÌ„ recenteÌ„ papismum and a godly shewe shrowdes wickednes whereas on the otherside naked vertue is oftentimes coursely attired and lodgeth in a homely cottage and boasteth not of lofty titles and scornes popular applauses and followes not great Patrones but séekes by all means to liue retiredly in a secret habitation If then Hypocrisie be so odious in the eyes of God and shall bee so sharpely punished in the worlde to come and bée so daily and vsually found in the liues of men For these dayes are no freer then Paules time wherein there were some that did professe that they knewe God but by workes denyed him and were abhominable and disobedient Tit. 1.16 and vnto euery good worke reprobate Let vs stedfastly cleaue to the Lorde with full purpose of heart and let vs abandon hypocrisie that wee may please the Lorde and let vs reiect dissimulation that wee may be blessed and let vs auoyde counterfeiting that wee may not bee fashioned according to this present Worlde and let vs not presume to carrie the Name of CHRIST without sinceritie of Faith and christian life and godlines of conuersation and continuance in well-doing For it is not enough to begin well except we perseuere Greg. in Homil. Quum desiâ—eria bona concipimus semen in terram mittimus When we conceiue goods desires we cast séede on the ground and when wée begin to doe well then springs vp the blade and when we profite in well doing then appeare the eare and when wee are rooted and stablished in well doing then there is full Corne in the eare Let vs not fall away from well dooing Gal. 6.9 Chris in Mat. â—4 Hom. 53. till the Haruest come that our workes may be plenteously rewarded for in due time we shall reape if we faint not The money of this world if it be enclosed in a bag it remaines alone but if it be curraÌ„t and goe from hand to hand it is multiplied by the vse thereof So the Faith of a Christian if it be kept close prisoner in the heart it not onely abides alone but it is lessened by idlenes and waxeth sloathfull and at last falles to nothing but if it be daily exercised in the scriptures and stirred vp by good spéeches and confirmed by good workes it will not onely multiplie but also neuer cease to growe and encrease till it bring vs to the marriage of the Lambe of God CHRIST IESVS in heauen where wee shall haue the end of our Faith Euen the saluation of our soules The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ the great Shepheard of the sheepe Hebr. 13.20.21 through the blood of the euerlasting Couenant make vs perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in vs which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise foreuer and euer Amen Hovv to vanquish Sathan 1. Pet. 5.8.9 Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the Diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure whom resist stedfast in the faith MAn naturally is desirous of peace quietnes abhorreth vexation trouble yet when he hath obtained his desire being too secure and yeelding himselfe a captiue and slaue to the suggestions of the flesh and Sathan he abuseth ease tranquillitie to his owne hurt and destruction And therefore that we may auoide securitie and be héedfull the scriptures do often shew vnto vs how full of dangers our life is in that they compare it sometimes to a Pilgrimage sometimes to a Warfare Note what the Patriarke Iacob said when Pharaoh asked of him how olde he was Gen. 4â— 9 The whole time saith he of my pilgrimage is an hundred and thirtie yeeres fewe and euill and full of trouble haue the daies of my life bene Note what penitent Iob said of his life Is there not an appointed Time for man vpon earth and are not his daies Iob. 7.1.2.3.6 as the daies of an hireling As a seruaÌ„t longeth for the shadowe and an hireling longeth for the end of his worke So I haue had as an inheritance the monethes of vanitie pinefull nights haue bene appointed vnto me my daies are swifter then a Weauers shittle Note what Moses the man of God saith Psal 90.3.5.6.10 Thou ô Ood turnest man to destruction Againe thou sayest Returne yee sonnes of Adam thou hast ouerflowed them they are as a sleepe In the morning he groweth like the grasse in the morning it flourisheth groweth in the euening
it is cut downe and withereth the time of our life is threescore yeeres ten and if they be of strength fourscore yeeres yet their streÌ„gth is but labour sorrow for it is cut off quickly we flee away Note what the great Apostle doctor of the GeÌ„â—iles Paul saith Ephes 6.12.13 We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers and against the worldly gouernours the Princes of the darknes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are the high places And therefore he addes presently For this cause take vnto you the whole armor of God that yee may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand fast Euen so doth Peter in this present place declaring vnto vs the couÌ„terwaites of Sathan and exhorting vs diligently to beware take héed of them And therefore he saith Besober and watch for yuur aduersarie c. In which words the holy Apostle doth thrée things first he exhortes vs vnto a continuall care for our saluation which care consisteth in Sobrietie vigilancie or watchfulnes in these words Be sober watch secoÌ„dly he addes a reason of his exhortation and therein is contained a description of our grand-enemie Sathan in these words For your aduersarie the Diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whoÌ„ he may deuoure Thirdly he shewes what we must doe in this case in these wordes Whom resist stedfast in the faith 1. We must continually care for our saluation First then the Apostle commends vnto vs a perpetual care and studie for the sauing and health of our soules And because he hath an eye and respect to warfare he vseth a double metaphore borrowed spéech from the things that are requisite and necessarie in Earth Warfare and Militarie discipline The first borrowed phrase is this Be sober that is vse temperaÌ„cie in all your actioÌ„s For as surfeting druÌ„kennes makes the body vnapt for worldly busines So they that drowne their soules in the sinke of earthly delights pleasures they caÌ„not desire follow the kingdome of heauen And as the worldly souldior that stuffes crains himselfe too full with meate and drinke cannot readily nimbly resist his bodily enemie So CHRISTS souldior that liues intemperately cannot withstand the enemies of his soule as he ought to doe And therefore the Apostle sayes Be sober When Peter saith Be sober hee saith no other then that which Christ saith Take heede to your selues Luk. 21.34.35.39 least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting drunkennes and cares of this life least that day come on you at vnawares For as a Snare shall it come on all them that dwel on the face of the whole earth watch therefore pray continually that yee may bee counted worthie to escape all these things that shal come to passe that yee may stand before the Sonne of man When Pâ—ter saith be sober he saith no other theÌ„ that which Paul saith It is now time that wee should arise froÌ„ sleepe for now is our saluation neerer theÌ„ when wee belieued it the night is past Rom 13 11.12.1â— the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the works of darknes let vs put on the armor of light so that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony druÌ„kennes neither in chaÌ„bering wantonnes nor in strife and enuie WheÌ„ Peter saith 1. Thess 5.5.9.7.8 Be sober it is no other then that which Paul saith againe Yee are all the childreÌ„ of light the childreÌ„ of the day we are not of the night neither of darknes therefore let vs not sleepe as doe other but let vs watch and be sober for they that sleepe sleepe in the night they that be druÌ„ken are druÌ„ken in the night but let vs which are of the dai be sober WheÌ„ Peter saith Ephes 4.22.23.24 be sober it is no other theÌ„ that which Paul saith againe cast off concerning the coÌ„uersation in time past that old maÌ„ which is corrupt through the deceiuable lusts be renued in the spirite of your minde put on the new man which after God is created vnto righteousnes true holines And what is teÌ„peraÌ„cie or sobrietie It is a vertue that moderates the desires of meat drink that we may neither by excesse hinder meditation prayer the labors of our calling nor yet on the other side hurte our bodily health by too much abstineÌ„ce Therefore else-where our Apostle saith Be sober watching in praier For what atteÌ„tion â— Pet. 4.7 or intention caÌ„ druÌ„kards vse in praier how caÌ„ they muse thinke deuoutly of God godly things S Basil saith truely DrunkeÌ„nes chaseth away the gifts of the no yâ— Spirit smoke driueth away Bees druÌ„kennes driuet away the gifts of the holy Ghost And the Hathenish Poet saith well Corpus onustum Hesternis vitijs animum quoque praegnauat vnà Horat. ser l. 2. sat 2. Atque affigit humi diuinae particulam aurae When the body is surcharged with excessiue diet it burdens the minde also and fasteneth to the earth that portion of the diuine breath Drunkennesse saith Austin is a flattering Diuell a sweet poyson a pleasant sinne In sermons quod which whosoeuer hath hath nor himselfe which whosoeuer commits not so much commits sinne as is altogheter made sinne Drunkennesse is the bewitching Circe that metamorphoseth turneth men into Swine Dogs and Lyons Apes discouering and setting on fire the vices that were before secret and drawing foorth into the light of the Sunne those qualities of the minde which were lurking in close caues and cabbines Then the vnchast professeth and publisheth his disease then the wanton refraines Sen. ep 8 nor tongue nor hand then appeares the pride of the insolent the crueltie of the vnmercifull the enuie of the malignant Omne vitium grassatur prodit Euery vâ—ce then rageth and rusheth foorth And who becomes not a Beast in his Drunkennesse when he knowes not himselfe nor others hée cannot speake plainely intelligiblie he speakes to no purpose hee rowles his eyes he staggars and réeles hee vtters and vomits his owne secrets and shame hée féeles the swimming of the head he imagineth one candle to be two and that the very house whirleth round about him he findes that of the Poet verified in himself â—agnuÌ„ hec vitium est vinc Plautus in Pseudolo Pedes captat primuâ— luctator dolosus est That the great faulte of immoderatie drinking of wine is this that like a craftie wrestler it first seekes to trippe vp the héeles Drunkennesse makes men worse then beasts For beasts will not by compulsion take more meate or drinke then their neede craueth And therefore Drunkards those that enforce others to drinke excessiuely are in this respect to be iudged worse then Asses and worse then Dogs saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 58.
him to heare my prayer which I doe not heare that vtter it forth I beseech God to giue heede to me when I my selfe giue heede nor to him nor to my selfe but which is much worse by tossing vncleane and vnprofitable things in my heart I bring before his sight an horrible stinch And another said as fitly that as in a garland it is not enough Chrys hom 4. cum esset presbyter designatus for the flowers to be pure and cleane except the hand that ioynes and binds them vp be pure and cleane also in like sort in the prayses and prayers offered to God not onely the words must be godly but also the minde whence they proceed The second thing to be considered in Saint Peters words is a reason of his exhortation 2. A description of Sathan and therein a description of our arch-enemie Sathan in these words For your aduersarie the Dâ—uell as a roaring lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour S. Peter saies that we are souldiours must fight as long as we remaine in this world and doth admonish vs that we haue to do not with a coÌ„mon enemie but with one that like a lyon runnes hither thither readie to deuoure therefore he infers herevpon that we must be sober and watch And héere we may sée what thing our life is how the Apostle doth paint it out as that none regenerate by Gods spirit will not wish continually to be dissolued and to be with Christ For we are heere exposed to the assaults of Sathan like a traueller that is to enter into an Inne full of theeues and robbers Without doubt before he entered into that house if he must néedes enter he would arme and furnish himself as much as he might and he would sléepe very little in it that he might depart againe out of it without hurt Euen in the like danger doe we liue heere on the earth where Sathan beareth great swaie and so ruleth in the hearts of worldlings as that he holdes them captiues at his owne pleasure This is a terrible matter if it be duely considered And therefore blessed Peter labours to put vs in minde that we looke to our selues carefully and earnestly that is that we be sober and watch For we often abuse peace and quietnes vnto idlenes and sloath and thence it comes to passe that now and then the Enemie beguiles and oppresses vs because thinking our selues frée from all daungers we passe ouer our time in delights and pleasures as the flesh desireth How néedfull is it that we should watch since we haue an Enemie and what Enemie that eminent and notable aduersarie the diuell And what is he a lyon and what lyon a roaring lyon and what roaring lyon a roaring lyon wandring vp and downe and why wandring and walking vp and downe that he may spoile and deuour the soules of men Matt. 4.3 Ioh. 12.31 2. Cor. 4.4 Matt. 12.29 Isa 27.1 Reu. 12.3 Luk. 10.18 Heb. 2.14 This aduersarie is a tempter to impietie he is the Prince of the world he is the God of this world he is that armed man that kéepes his house with munition he is the hugie and hideous whale that doth swallow the vngodly in the gulfe of perdition he is that great dragon and old serpent he is like to lightning that will pierce most nimbly and straungely and doe wondrous things contrarie to all expectation he hath the power of death for from him came sinne and sinne brought forth death he it is of whom Saint Iohn saith He that ommitteth sinne is of the Diuell 1. Ioh. 3.8 for the diuell sinneth from the beginning And it is to be marked that he saies not the Diuell hath sinned but the Diuell sinneth to teach vs that he doth nothing else but sinne and entice to sinne One cals him magnum illum Peripateticum that great Peripatetick or walker And he may wel be so called for when he stood among the children of God Iob. 1.6 The Lord said vnto Sathan whence commest thou And Sathan answered the Lord saying from compassing the earth too and fro and from walking in it Yea but if Sathan be such a wanderer and compasser of the earth how can that place of Saint Peter stand 2. Pet. 2.4 where he saies that God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into Hell and deliuered them into chaines of darkenes to be kept vnto damnation If the wicked Angels are deliuered into chaines of darkenes and so kept how can they wander vp and downe The answere hereunto is that God in the beginning assoone as the Angels had rebelled and sinned against him he thrust them into Hâ—ll and the depth vnder the earth and yet in that sort that as often as it pleaseth him he suffeâ—s them till the last iudgement to goe forth vpon the earth and againe after a time shuts them vp into the dâ—pth that they may hurt no more nor no longer then it seemeth good to his heauenly wisedome Reu. 9.1 For where we reade that the keye of the bottomles pit that is of Hell was giuen to an Angell and when the pit was opened destroying grasse-hoppers came foorth that is infernall and hellish spirits whose king was the Angell of the bottomles pit and was called in Hebrewe Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon that is a destroyer and that power was giuen them to vexe and disquiet men for a certaine time and where we ceade Reu. 20.1 that an Angell descended from heauen which had the keye of the bottomles pit and a great chaine in his hand with which he bound Sathan for a thousand yeares that he might deceiue the nations no longer vntill the 1000. yeares were accomplished for afterward he must be loosed againe for a small space what may be learned out of this but that the hellish spirits are so enclosed in their prison that is in Hell and in the depth vnder the earth that now and then they are sent foorth vpon the earth and then againe shut vp and bound at Gods pleasure But while Sathan is suffered so to compasse the earth he neuer ceaseth nor neuer resteth to assaye all enterprises and vndertake all courses that he 〈◊〉 â—â—â—lest the godly make himselfe sure of the wicked and so encrease the subiects of his infernall kingdome Gen. 3. He beguiled Euah in the person of a subtile Serpent If Paradise had no priuiledge and if the first woman created holy and vnspotted of sinne were subiect to his allurements who can promise securitie to himselfe He deceiued Saul in the forme of the old sacred graue Samuel he seduced Ahab by the mouth of Prophets 1. SaÌ„ 28. 1. King 22. 1. Chron. 21. 2. Cor. 12.7 Luk. 22.31 Luk. 4.13 he stird vp the Patriarke Dauid to number the people he mooued Paul to be proud of the vision he sought to winnow the Apostles as wheate to sift them to and froe and to cast them
him Iam. 4.4 for the amitie of the world is the enimitie of God and whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God Let vs remember that wee are in the latter end of the world And therefore they that haue wiues 1 Cor. 7.29.30.31 must be aâ— though they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that reioyce as though they reioyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that vse this world as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this world goeth away that is let vs not fixe and tie our affections on earthly things Heb. 13. â—4 For we haue hâ—ere no continuing Citie but wee seeke one to come but let vs hunger and thâ—rst after â—ighteousnessâ— that we may be filled with eternall blessednesse through our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus Amen KNOW THIS THAT GOD WILL bring thee to iudgement Luk. 21.36 Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the Sonne of man WHen our Sauiour had shewed the terriblenesse of that last and great day wherein hee will come to iudge all flesh and to giue to euery one after his doings hee exhorts all men to haue these things in continuall remembrance that they may attaine to eternall blessednes escape euerlasting wretchednes For they that are drawne from sinne neither by the loue of God nor the desire of heauenly blessings nor by the embracing and following of vertue yet if they giue héede to that they heare they must néedes be terrified and consequently something refrained from euill by the expectation and looking for of this dreadfull iudgemâ—nt And therefore our Sauiour propounds this as a meaneâ— to reclaime obdurate and obstinate offenders and concludes the fearefull description of the day of doome with this admonition Watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that wee may stand before the Sonne of man And that which in this Euangelist is spoken briefely in Saint Matthew is expounded and amplified more largely where Christ saith Watch therefore Matt. 24.42 c. for ye knowe not what houre your Maister will come Of this be sure that if the good man of the house knewe at what watch the theefe would come hee would surely watch and not suffer his house to be digged through therefore be yee also readie for in the houre that yee thinke not will the sonne of man come Who then is a faithfull seruant and wise whom his Maister hath made ruler ouer his household to giue them meate in season Blessed is that seruant whom his Maister when he commeth shall finde so doing Verily I say vnto you he shall make him ruler ouer all his goods But if that euill seruant shall say in his heart my Maister doth deferre his comming begin to smite his fellowes and to eate and to drinke with the drunken that seruants Maister will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Likewise our Sauiour saith in S. Marke Take heede watch and pray Mar. 13.33.34 c. for ye know not when the time is For the Sonne of man is as a man going into a strange countrey and leaueth his house and giueth authoritie to his seruants and to â—uery man his worke and commandeth the porter to watch Watch yee therefore for yee know not when the Maister of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning least if he come suddenly he should finde you sleeping And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men Watch. Now to the end we may be the more prepared and the more watchfull and the more earnest in praier let vs weigh with our selues first the dreadfulnes of the last iudgement secondly why the day thereof is not knowne thirdly whereunto the expectation and remembrance thereof is profitable 1. The dreadfulnes of the last iudgement The fearefulnes of the last iudgement the Lord describes in the foregoing words when he saith Then there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone and in the Starres and vpon the earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie the sea and the waters shall roare and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world Luk. 21.25.26.27 for the powers of heauen shall be shaken and then shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloud with power and great glorie Thus also it is expressed in Saint Matthew Matt. 24. â—9 30.31 And immediately after the tribulation of those daies shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen and then shall all the kinreds of the earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of man come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glorie And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the fower windes and from the one end of the heauens vnto the other The substance of Christs words is this that then all Elements and heauenly bodies shall both suffer strangely in themselues to affright the wicked and shall also work strangely on the wicked by casting vpon them diuerse torments as well of soule as of body and that all Creatures aboue and beneath shall be cryers and trumpetters to summon men before that horrible Tribunall seate which because they haue contemned therefore they haue persisted still in all vngodlines How the Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken and the sea and floods shall roare in such ghastly sort that men shall be readie to yeeld vp the ghost through feare and anguish At this time we cannoâ— coniecture but the euent it selfe will declare and though the manner thereof be not knowne to vs yet to God it is well knowne But howsoeuer it shall be because the vse of the scripture is by the darkening of the Sunne Moone and Starres and by the like things as Christ héere foretels to discipher and signifie the extreame stormes and tempests of Gods wrath vengeance therefore those threatning predictions in the old Prophets may be applied to the last day of Iudgement in which they prophesie that the world shal be in such anguish perplexitie as that men shal thinke the Sun to be darkened the Moone to be bloodie the Sars
reiection of the Iewes the destruction of erusaâ—em and the like demonstrations of the last Iudgement And are not daily calamities both publique priuate and the death of the bodie are not these representations Images of the last iudgement Wherefore since it is so certain that the day of iudgement shal come at the time prescribed of God and since that day shall be so searefull and terrible Let vs watch and pray continually that we may be counted worthie to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that we may stand before the Sonne of man Secondly we must note The day of iudgemeÌ„t not known and why that the day and houre of the day of Iudgement is vncertaine and vnknowne For this our Sauiour teacheth most euideÌ„tly For wheÌ„ the disciples asked what signe there should be of his coÌ„ming and of the end of the world Christ did not answere when his comming should be but after what manner it should be He declareth the fashion of it but he concealeth the season of it If any shall say that the approaching of it may be discerned by the signes and tokens which our Sauiour himselfe hath set downe and that therewithall the time of it may be somewhat coniectured It may be answered that the prognostications and signes of the day of iudgement are of two sorts some are precedent anâ— going before it and some are conioyned and going with it And of the foregoing tokens some goe long before it and some goe not long before it The signes that goe long before the day of iudgement Matt. 24 24.3â—.38 are these First the preaching of the Gospell throughout the whole world and among all nations secondly that strange securitie and gluttonie such as was in the daies of Noah before the flood thirdly a departure from sound doctrine of which Paul speakes 1. Tim. 4.1 when he saith That the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue heede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of Diuels fourthly a wonderfull disorder and corruption in manners for in the last daies saith the scripture shall come perillous times 2. Tim. 3.1.2.3.4 for men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to Parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of them which are good traitours headie hie-minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God fiftly the reuealing of that notable Antichrist for the Apostle saith 2. Thess 2.3 That no man must deceiue vs by any meanes For that day shall not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition sixtly Luk. 2â— 12 Matt. 24.10 Matt. 24.11 the persecution of the godly and betraying of them for the name of Christ seuenthly publike and notorious scandales and offences eightly many false Christs false Prophets saying I am Christ that is vsing the name of Christ or faining that they are sent of Christ or that they are that which Christ is shewing forth signes and wonders to deceiue the very elect if it were possible ninthly neglect of loue and charitie and a falling from the faith The signes going néerely before the day yet such as the day shall not presently follow are these First in heauen Mar. 13.17.24 the sunne shall be darkened that is there shall be eclipses of the Sunne the Moone shall loose her light the Starres shall fall from heauen that is shall séeme to fall the powers of heauen shall be shaken Secondly in the earth there shall be great earthquakes sturs and tumults nation shall rise against nation and kingdome against kingdome Luk. 11.9.10.15 Mar. 13.7.8 Luk. 21.23 no place shall be frée from wars pestilences famines persecutions and vexations 3. In the sea there shall be fearefull roaring sounding and flowing 4. In the aire there shall be dreadfull and terrible tempests In a word the heauen earth and all Elements shall expresse the face of an angrie Iudge that sinners may be warned to repent Super. Matt. 24. except they will perish suddenly And therefore Saint Chrysostome saies When the good man of the house dieth the familie lamenteth apparelleth it selfe with blacke garments so when mankind drawes to an end the powers of heauen which were made for mankind doe mourne and putting aside beautie are ouerwhelmed with darkenes When the king of heauen ariseth to iudge the quicke and dead the Angelicall powers shall be moued and the terrible seruants shall goe before the terrible Lord. Vnto these foregoing signes may be added the conuersion or gathering of Israel to the faith that is of the whole Iewish nation to the Church of Christ Luk. 21.24 Isai 59. Rom. 11. when the fuâ—â—s of the gentiles is come in of which conuersion both the Prophet and the Apostle maketh mention and the which how and when it shall be none knowes but God These are the signes that goe before the second comming of Christ The tokens conioyned and going with the day of iudgement are the wayling of the kinreds of the earth Matt. 24.30 and the signe of the Sonne of man which shall be seene in the heauen when the Lord shall come in the cloudes which some take for the signe of the Crosse and some take for the excellent glory and Maiestie which shall giue witnes that Christ is come to iudge the whole world Now by the accomplishing of the foregoing signes which we haue scene and doe see daily performed we may gather the néere approaching of the day of iudgement but of the signe that shall goe with it the time is vncertaine and therefore our Sauiour saith Matt. 24.33 When ye see all these things knowe that the kingdome of God is neere euen at the doores and he addes presently but as the daies of Noah were Verse 37.38.39 so likewise shall the comming of the Sonne of man be for as in the daies before the flood they did eate and drinke marrie and giue in marriage vnto the day that Noah entered into the Arke and they knewe nothing till the flood came and tooke them all away so shall also the comming of the Sonne of man be And he ads withall of this be sure Verse 43.44 that if the goodman of the house knewe at what watch the theefe wold come he would surely watch not suffer his house to be digged through therefore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the Sonne of man come 2. Pet. 3.10 This Peter learned of his Maister Christ when he said That the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night And likewise Paul Thess 5.2.3 when he said That the day of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night for when they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as
the trauell vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape Luk. 21.35 And our Sauiour saith also that that day shall come as a snare on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Very fitly may the comming of that great day be compared vnto a snare For as a bird or beast feares nothing lesse then the snare but they flee and wâ—nder freely and without feare in the fields and woods seeking their foode and yet by the câ—aft and Arte of men of which they are not aware they fall into traps and snares and so are slaine euen so vpon earthly men which dwell vpon the face of the earth and which still gape on gaine of the world the prouidence of God which such people thinke not of brings the iudgement of God suddenly and so holdes them entangled in eternall condemnation The day then of iudgement must néedes be vncertaine since Christ sets it forth by very sudden things to wit Noahs floud a théefe a snare And the cause of the vncertaine day thereof is that we should take héede beware watch pray and be prepared If the bird or beast did know of the snare before hand how carefully would they auoid it For if the bird or beast once escape out of the snare they will hardly returne to that place againe Against théeues men build strong houses and shut their doores with lockes and barres and kéepe their dwellings with dogges and watchmen and weapons If there were as great care for the soule and eternall saluation as for the life temporall and earthly treasures and possessions who would not be readie for the day of iudgement And as God hath hidden the time of this last iudgement from vs that we should daily and hourely expect Christs comming and be watchfull that that day finde vs not vnreadie and that the number of the elect may be fulfilled 2. Pet. 3.9 Reu. 6.11 and the remnant of the faithfull may be called by the Gospell to the Church of Christ and that our faith hope and patience may be tryed and we stird vp to repentance and that the vngodly that contemne the lenitie of God Rom. 2.4.5 and the space that he hath so bountifully granted for their amendment may be made more and more inexcusable 2. Pet. 3.8.9 so also God hath hidden the time of the iudgement from vs to bridle our curiositie that we should not enquire after his hidden and secret Counsels For Christ himselfe saies That of that day and houre knoweth no man Mar. 13.32 not the Angels which are in heauen neither the Son himselfe but the Father In which words our Sauiour would hold the mindes of the faithfull in suspence least by false imagination they should prefixe a day and certaine time for the last redemption For such is mens curiositie that neglecting things necessarie to be knowne they most scrupulously desire to know that which God hath not vouchsafed to reueale vnto them The Apostles themselues were attainted of this curiositie and for this cause Christ said vnto them when they asked whether hee would restore the kingdome to Israel It is not for you Act. 1.6.7 said he to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Therefore to draw vs from this curiositie and to cut off all occasion of enquirie after that Christ had discouered of his comming and the occurrences thereof hee presently speakes of the vncertaine day and houre therof For hee would haue the day of his comming to be so looked for and hoped for as that none should presume to enquire when hee would come and he would haue his disciples to walke in such light of faith as that being vncertaine of the time they should patiently waite for the reuelation thereof And therefore we must take héede that we be not more carefull and curious in the seasons and moments of time then the Lord doth permit For the chiefest part of Christian wisedome consisteth herein that we containe our selues within the limits and precincts of the word of God And therefore when the Apostle for the consolation of the godly had fore-tolde some things of the last times and Christes comming hee immediately addeth against this curiositie But of the times and seasons 1. Thess 5.1 brethren saith he yee haue no neede that I write vnto you Yea why should it gréeue men to be ignorant of that day since the Angels of GOD know it not Were it not too great pride and too importunate desire for vs wormes and wretches that créepe on the earth to séeke to know more then the Angels of heauen Therefore let vs be willing to be ignorant of that of which God would haue vs to be ignorant Yea were it not the extreamest folly to be vnwilling to submit our selues to that ignorance which the very Sonne of God himselfe hath not refused to vndertake for our sake Indéede for that many haue thought that it becommeth not Christ to be ignorant of any thing they haue endeuoured to mollifiâ— the hardnesse of the spéech as they accounted it with their owne inuention And it may be that the malice of the Arrians who by this place laboured to prooue that Christ was not the true and onely God enforced them to this starting hole as to say that Christ knew not the houre of the Iudgement because he would not reueale it vnto other But séeing it is cleare that an ignorance is attributed to Christ common with the Angels some other fitter meaning must be sought out of these words For it is nothing to say that Christ is God and God is ignorant of nothing for there are in Christ two natures so ioyned in one person that each nature retaineth it owne proprieties and specially the Deitie did as it were rest and not shew it selfe foorth as often as for the accomplishing of the office of the Mediator it was requisite that the humane nature should by it selfe worke that which appertained vnto it Therefore it is no absurditie for Christ that knew all things as hee is God to be ignorant of something as he is man How else could he haue beene like vnto vs and subiect to griefe and heauinesse And it is a great absurditie for any to reply that ignorance which is the punishment for sinne beséemeth not Christ For first it is folly to thinke that the ignorance which is here ascribed to the Angels procéedeth from sinne and againe it is folly not to acknowledge that Christ tooke vpon him our flesh to the end he might vndergoe the punishments that were due to our sinnes And that Christ knew not the day and haâ—re of the last iudgement according to his humanitie it derogates no more from his diuine nature then that hee was once mortall and subiect to death Now questionlesse Christ in attributing this ignorance to himselfe had respect to the office enioyned him by his Father as he did when he said that it was not his
by thy self and thy friends to performe that condition This life is as it were an houre neither canst thou assure thy self of one houre it is promised thee of God that thou shalt obtaine the euerlasting in heritance if thou watch and pray Why then dost thou cease to watch against sin to pray for Gods grace mercy that thou maist be counted worthy to escape all these things to staÌ„d before the Sonne of man That is to appeare boldly to obtaine fauor of the iudge and not to be reiected either in the general iudgment when all flesh shall receiue their doome or in the particular iudgment of thy soule when it shal be separated from the tabernacle of the bodie by death But perhaps because thou seest many to liue long thou doest promise to thy selfe ling life therefore dost deferre to prepare for thy iudgement And doest thou not also sée that many are takeÌ„ hence in their flourishing Age and on the sudden Who will not beware of a madde Dogge that bites all that passeth by Death is like a furious Dogge that spares none and warnes fewe But in this regard we are like vnto Swine For when Swine sée their fellowe killing and heare his grunting they all run about him and grunt and make a great sturre but when their Fellowe is killed and cryes no more presently they returne to the dyrt and dongue and care no longer for it So worldly carnall and voluptuous men when one of their acquaintaÌ„ce dyeth as long as the Funerals last they are mooued and serrified and troubled but anon after the Funerals are finished they soone forget it and returne againe to the filthinesse of their pleasures and former iniquities The deferring of repentance and doubling of sinnes is most perillous A Shippe bâ—eares many burdens yet it may be laden so long till it sincke againe God is gratious but if he be prouoked euery day he will whet his sword and bend his Bowe and shoote his Arrowes against the obstinate offenders Patience too much wronged Psal 7. â—â— is turned into Furie at last It is reported of the Diamond that it is the hardest of all stones but when it is broken it is scattered into most smal pieces that can hardly be discerned with the eyes and can neuer be ioyned together againe Let vs beware that the Lord be not by so much the more seuere against vs if we abuse his louing kindnes by how much the more fauour he hath formerly shewed vnto vs. He that heares the Thunder is afraid of the lightning The preaching of the word is a thundring of the iudgemeÌ„t to come Let vs next feare the lightning of the iustice of God The loÌ„ger we haue liued and the more punishments we haue escaped that were due to our sinnes the more let vs expect the iudgement that will come spéedily and surely Tâ—eramenes a Citizen of Athens when he had auoided the fall of an house which fell as soone as he was out of it cryed out Aelian de vaer histor l. 9. O Iupiter cuinam metemporâ—reseruea ô God for what time doest thou keepe me And anon after he was compelled by the thirtie Tyrants to drinke poyson and so dyed The like thing must the sinner expect that remaines impenitent and hath not yet felt the hand of God Wherefore say not Ecclus â— 4 5.6.7 I haue sinned and what euill hath come vnto me for the Almightie is a patient rewarder but he will not leaue thee vnpunished because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne and say not the mercie of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes for mercy and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarrying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance Thirdly Let vs sée to what the remembrance 3. To what the remembrance of the iudgement auaileth the Feare and the expectation of the last iudgement auaileth To meditate on the day of iudgement will bridle and refraine the desire and delight in sinning And therefore Saint Basil saies well If thou perceiue thy selfe to be prouoked to any sinne saith he call to minde that fearefull iudgement of Christ which no mortall man may endure and stay thy soule as it were with this bridle For as the Sunne obscures and darkens all the Starres with his brightnes In Psal 33 So the remembrance onely of this iudgement puts out all the concupiscences of the soule by the terriblenes thereof And therefore the Prophet Dauid shewes that the forgetting of this iudgement is the cause of sinne For when he had said that the vngodly doeth persecute the poore make boast of his owne hearts desire is so proud that he cares not for his God hath his mouth full of cursing deceit and fraude He yéeldes the reason Psal 10.6.11 when he saies That Gods iudgements are farre aboue out of his sight For he hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will neuer see it I shall neuer be mooued nor be in danger Therefore when we are allured and tempted to euill let vs resist temptations and say to our selues I will not doe this euill and I will not commit this sinne For a day will come wherein I shall not be able to answere for it in which the Heauen and Earth the Aire and water and whole world will stand vp and giue witnesse of my sinnes and though all things should hold their peace yet my very thoughts and workes shall be before mine eyes and shal accuse me before the Lord. When Sathan shall perswade vs that we shall finde fauour in that day though we persist and wallow in vngodlines let vs oppose and set against this assault the sort and qualitie of the last iudgement which shall be horrible intollerable vnauoydable sudden and wherein the iudge shall not be miscarried by fauour and entreatie For on the right hand shall be sinne to accuse On the left hand infinite Diuels to torment Vnder the hydeous Gulfe of Hell Ouer an Angrie Iudge Without the World flaming Within Conscience burning There the Righteous shall onely be saued Ah wretched Sinner whither wilt thou flie being so taken To be hidden it is impossible To appeare it is intollerable Nothing can be so auaileable to leade our life in the feare of God Ambros de Gffic as firmely to beléeue that he shall be the iudge whom no secret thing can deceiue and none offence hurt and who is delighted with vertue godlines the feare of the Lord. And if when our cause is to be heard of an earthly iudge we be so heedefull to prepare an Aduocate and to make readie all prooâ—es that may doe vs good how diligent should we be to haue our faith fixed
on Christ our Mediatour and Aduocate and to declare our faith by vertue and godlines of liuing that we may be absolued and preuaile against the daungerous enemies and accusees of our soules in the last and great day of iudgement For where our Sauiour saith That the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce Ioh. 5.28 we must attentiuely consider that it is said that the houre of the last day shall come For because we doe often so much pursue the vanitie of this world therein passeth away the tediousnes of houres and times in that we are taught that the houre of iudgement shall come and we knowe not how soone this must make vs carefull and watchfull in the loue and embracing of godlines For they that affirme that all shall at the last be said how can they aunswere to that spéech of him that cannot lie when he speaketh of the resurrection and last iudgement saying They shall come foorth that haue done good Ioh. 5.29 vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation In which words Christ sheweth that the twofold state of men shall appeare in the end of the world also and not without iust cause For as men haue béene diuerse in this life some elect some reprobate so euery one shall haue his reward and Christ shall gather all nations before him and separate them as the Shepheard separates the shéepe and goates setting the shéepe on the right hand and the goates on the left hand All shall liue indéed after the generall iudgement but there shall be a distinction of this life by the iudgement of Christ the iust Iudge For Christ béeing God that taketh no pleasure in iniquitie when he hath gathered the wheate into his gainer that is when he hath called and receiued the faithfull and godly to the perpetuall possession of his kingdome Matt. 3.11 then he will burnethe chaffe that is vnfruitful persons workers of iniquitie with fire that cannot be extinguished and the Angels shall goe forth and separate the euill from the iust Matt. 13.41 Mar. 9.41 and throwe them into the fornace of flaming fire where shall be wéeping and gnashing of téeth and the worme will neuer die This the Diuine expresseth in these words He that ouercometh shall inherite all things and I will be his God â—eu 21.7.8.27 and he shall be my son but the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyars shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death for none vncleane thing shall enter into Heauen neither whatsoeuer worketh abomination or lyes but they which are written in the lambes booke of life The Apostle preaching to the Athenians Act. 17.31 said that God hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnes As if Saint Paul had said that the circumstance and consideration of the time must stir vs vp to repentance and amendment of life for this is the time of grace in which men may be partakers of Gods mercie if they repent But if men stubbornely reiect the mercie of the Lord offered vnto them they must knowe that all men shall in the prefixed day be arraigned before Gods Tribunall seate which can neither be auoyded nor refused For albeit God suffer the vngodly for a time yet he doth it not for that he alloweth their wickednes but that by his forbearance he may allure them to repentance and if they contemne his kindnes and long suffering when he inuiteth them to his feare at length will they nill they they shall finde him a sharpe and seuere Iudge As he patiently for a long time expected the conuersion of the old world in the daies of Noah but at last said Gen. 6.3 That his spirit should not alway striue with man because he is but flesh and that his daies should be an hundreth and twentie yeares that is because men could not be wonne by Gods lenitie and long sufferance whereby as it were he stroue to ouercome them he would no longer stay his vengeance but definitely prescribe the terme of an hundreth and twentie yeares in which the inhabitants of the earth might repâ—nt before the Earth were destroyed Gen. 19.19.24.25 and as God patiently for a long time expected the conuersion of the Sodomites in the daies of Lot but at last for their hardnes of heart consumed them with fire and brimstone from heauen and their cities and that that grew vpon the Earth and as God patiently expected for a long time the conuersion of the Israelites sending his seruants the Prophets daily vnto them that they might be spared 2. King 17.13.14 but at last for reiecting and contemning of his admonitions and threatnings he destroyed Samaria Ierusalem so whosoeuer shall doe wickedly and yet shall thinke to escape Gods iudgement Rom. 2. â— 4 5.6.7.8 â— 10 despising the riches of Gods bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God should lead him to repentance he after his hardnes and heart that cannot repent heapeth vp as a treasure vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will reward euery man according to his works that is to them which through patience in well doing séeke glorie and honor and immortalitie eternall life but vnto them that are contentions and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes shall be indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall be vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill of the Iew first and also of the Grecian but to euery man that doth good shall be glorie and honour and peace to the Iewe first and also to the Grecian And why is the separation of the good and bad expressed by the comparison of the shéepe and goates but partly for the consolation of the godly who in this mixture of good and bad are manifoldly molested by the reprobate as the shéepe are by the goates partly for the instruction and admonition of the godly that we should be most studious in this life to cast aside the manners and malice of goates and to expresse the simplicitie and innocencie of shéepe When the world goes about to draw vs to the pleasures of youth and by addicting our selues to vanitie to forget God and his worship let vs call to minde what Salomon saith of this matter reioyce saith he Eccles. 11.9 ô young man in thy youth and let thine heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth and walke in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but knowe that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement When the loue of the world and the desire of riches and honour shall moue vs to be vnconscionable vnmercifull readie
such death and tribulations are not a reproach vnto them but a thing glorious in Gods sight and pleasing vnto him Rom. 5.3 Therefore the Apostle saieth That we reioyce in Tribulations That is we iudge afflictions to be a glorious thing which God will after chaunge into glorie and this is the peculiar wisdome of the Church which the world perceiueth not Lastly hee affirmeth that there remaines a life and iudgement after the death of the bodie For if the death of the godlie be not neglected of God but is pretious in his sight and on the contrarie * Mors impiorum pessima vulgata translatio ex Graeco Psal 6.8 If the death of the vngodly bee euill there must néedes remaine a iudgement wherein this shall bee made manifest to all Tyrants shall receiue punishment for their crueltie but the godly shall be â—dorned w th eternall glorie For if God number the teares of the faithfull and put them into a Bottell Ps 34.21 How can he suffer the blood that is shed for the confession of his diuine Name to perish and vanish away to nothing Doest thou quake and tremble at the remembrance of that horrible day 2. Pet. 3.10 in which the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melte with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp Bee of good comfort For thy Iudge is also thy Sauiour he is thy Brother he is thy head and thou a member of his bodie Hee loues thée most ardently hee is thy Iesus That is SAVIOVR Patrone Aduocate Redeemer Intercessor Hee layed downe his life for thée Ioh. 5.24 He hath sworne with an oath that if thou belieue in him thou shalt haue eternall life He maketh request for thée and who shall condemne thée He coÌ„meth to finish the troubles of the World and to auenge himselfe of his enemies and to deliuer the godly from the hands of sinners and he commeth not to condemne thée but to absolue thée and not to torture thée but to rid thée from all miserie and to make manifest thy full Redemption and to frée thy bodie also from all calamities to performe that promise of eternall life which so often he hath made vnto thée in his sacred word For he that heareth his word belieueth God that sent him hath euerlasting life shall not come into condemnation but hath passed froÌ„ death to life Therefore as Christ saith Surely Reu. 22.20 I come quickly So thou mayest say with the Euangelist Amen euen so come Lord Iesus It is for the wicked that haue no part in Christ to tremble and be dismaied at the very mention of the great day For what haue they to doe with it Amos. 5.18.19.10 the day of the Lord is as darknes and not light as if a man did flie from a Lyon a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him shall not the day of the Lord to the wicked be darknes not light euen darknes and no light in it Zach. 9.9 But the Prophet Zachariah bids the Daughter of Zyon to reioyce for the comming of her King And vpon good reason Isai 35.4 for as another Prophet testifieth The same day that brings wrath vengeance to the vngodlie brings a recompence and saluation to the godly For which cause the holie Apostle Paul sets this downe for a marke of the faithfull by which they may be knowne Namely 1. Cor. 1.7 2. Tim. 4.8 that they wayre for the appearing of CHRIST and loue his comming Therefore if we shall happeÌ„ to liue at such time as Christ shall come to Iudgement against the beholding of those ghastly signes which shall be ioyned with his CoÌ„ming we must coÌ„fort our selues with Christs promise that then our Redemption draweth neere that is that he will take vs to himselfe into heauen finally deliuer vs from all miseries In the meane time let vs belieue with the Apostle That there is layed vp for vs the crowne of righteousnes which the Lorde the righteous Iudge shall giue vs at that day not to vs only but vnto all them that loue that his appearing And when we sée the clowds of the Heauen let vs be admonished of these things For as when Christ Ascended Act. 1.11 a clowde tooke him out of sight and as Christ shall so come againe euen as he was takeÌ„ vp that is in the clowds 2. Thess 4.17 so the clowds shall as a Charret to lift vs vp to eternal glorie and we shal be rapt vp into the clowdes to meete the Lorde in the Aire Psal 20.3 c. When we heare the Thunder which is the terrible and mightie voice of God let vs suppose that we heare the lowde voice of the high Iudge pronouncing the Sentence both of the shéepe and goates When wee sée the swift and bright and sudden flashes and flakes of lightning Let them call to our mindes the sudden and vnexpected and * Epipháneian 2. Tim. 4.8 cleere and perspicuous comming and appearing of the supreme Iudge For as the lightening that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen shineth vnto the other part vnder Heauen so shall the Sonne of man be in his day Luk. 17.24 And since these things must be so For heauen and earth shall passe and be changed but the word of the Lorde abideth for euer what manner persons ought wee to be in holy conuersation godlines looking for and hasting vnto the coÌ„ming of that day of God by which the heauens being on fire 2. Pet. 3.11.12.13.14 shal be dissolued the Elements shall melte with heate But we looke for new Heauens and a newe Earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnes Wherefore seeing we looke for such things Let vs be diligent that wee may bee found of him in peace without spot and blameles Let vs take heed to our selues Luk. 21.34 least at any time our hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennes and cares of this life and least that day come on vs at vnawares There are thrée Robes and Garments belonging to a true Christian The first is a Purple robe the second is a white robe the third is a golden robe If we will attaine to true happines and holines Iude. vers 23. wee must cast off our owne polluted rags and denie our selues and we must put on these rich pretious garments First we must be arraied in a purple garment dyed and dipped in the blood of the Sonne of God That is Gal. 3.27 wee must fréely receiue forgiuenes of sinnes and be reconciled to GOD through CHRIST and Faith in his blood and this is our Iustification Next Rom. 13.13 wee must be clothed with a white robe That is it becomes vs to be renued in the spirit of our mind and to serue God in holines and
in moral and such as were free from passions yet apparantly conuicted of the contrarie were iustly compared to ships that sometimes are named Good spéed Prouidence felicitie when they are slow vncircumspect infortunate And as Diogenes when he saw Olympia and the Rhodian young men pretiously sumptuously apparelled Aelian lib. 9. de var. histor said this is nought but pride so when anone after he saw the Lacedemonians arried in ragged and sluttish garments he said this is pride also but of another sort whereby he meant that a proud minde doth not alwaies appeare in gorgeous and gallant ornaments but also in homely and course attire namely when the rich goe in vilde raiment to win thereby the praise of men as though they would be proud in the very midst of humblenes They that boast of the good workes which they haue done in former daies must remember that it is nothing worth to begin well except we perseuere Matt. 24.13 Luk. 18.21 for he that continueth vnto the end he shall be saued The ruler could boast that he had obserued the commandements from his youth but when he was commanded to continue in the vnfained loue of his neighbour and to cherish the poore and néedie though it were with the expence and saie of all his possessions he went away heauie sorrowfull And as one said to him that boasted that at Rhodes he had done strange things and had leapt farther then any could leape héere said he is Rhodes héere is a place to leape in meaning that he should then and there shew his nimblenes of which he made ostentation so it may be said to some that brag what godly déeds they haue done in times past now also declare the same godlines againe They that boast of their riches and wealth must remember what the blessed Apostle enioynes to Timothie 1. Tim. 6.17 namely that he should charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God Ser. de ver Dom. Vpon which words Saint Augustine saith that riches bring forth nothing so much as pride and that euery apple euery graine euery corne euery wood hath his worme for there is one worme of the apple another of the peare another of the beane another of the wheate and that the worme of riches is pride and that therefore the Apostle to exclude the fault and retaine the vse bids Timothie to charge the rich that they be not high minded And why boastest thou of thy riches and wealth The more riches thou hast hast thou not the more enuie and enemies hast thou not the more danger hanging ouer thee of robbing spoiling and backbiting and subuerting hast thou not the more cause to feare a fall and ruine Cyp. de fingularitate Glericorum hast thou not obserued that Captaines and Princes are more assaulted in the battell then souldiours and that high Turrets are vehemently blowne vpon by windes and stormes as the Poet said long since Hor. Car. l. 2. Od. 10 Saepius ventis agitatur ingens Pinus et celsae grauiore turres Decidunt casu feriuntque summos Fulmina montes If thou boast of thy riches as if thine owne labour and industrie had gotten them call to minde what the Prophet sayeth Psal 127.1.2 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that built it except the Lord keepe the Citie the keepeâ— watcheth in vaine it is vaine for men to rise early and to lye downe late and to eate the bread of sorrow except the Lord did giue rest to his beloued For to purpose to get riches without Gods blessing is that euill boasting which Saint Iames condemnes when he reproues those that wil say to day or to morrow Iam. 4.13.15 we will goe into such a Citie and continue there a yeere and buy and sell and get gaine for that they ought to say if the Lord will and if we liue we will doe this or that The pride of many may be repressed if they would consider how small or rather how nothing their wealth is if it be compared with the whole world Stobaeus Therefore Socraâ—es seeing Alcikâ—ades proud of his wealth riches and possessions he brought him into a place where was hanged a Cosmographicall Table and Map of the whole earth and hée bad Alcikâ—ades to seeke out Athens therein which when he had found he bad him séeke out his possessions in Athens but when Alcikâ—ades said that they were not set downe there why then said Socrates art thou proud for those things which are not in any part of the earth If this consideration cannot stop boasting of wealth and riches let the proud in this kind remember that this bragging is the imitation of him that tempts to all iniquitie for he once said to Christ Luk. 4.6 All this power will I giue thee the glory of those kingdomes for that is deliuered to me and to whomsoeuer I will I giue it Iam. 4.14 They that boast of beautie must remember That our life is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time Psal 103.15 and afterward vanisheth away and that the daies of man are aâ— grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he May not beautie be defaced by sicknes griefe or age Why art thou proud then thou earth and ashes Hast thou forgotten whence thou camest and whither thou goest what thy beginning was and what thy end shall be that thou wast corruption and shalt be rottennes Gen. 3.19 and that as thou art dust so thou shalt returne to dust If this cannot beated owne the Peacocke-like pride of some that are too conceited for their beautie then let those that sincerely worship God take occasion to adorne their soules by example of such as spend much cost and time in decking their bodies and let them seriously ponder what is written of Pambo Eccles hist l. 8. c. 1. who when he saw at Alexandria a woman proud of her gorgeous apparell he wept and being asked why he wept so bitterly he aunsweared There are two things which moue me the one is the dangerous case of this woman that runs headlong to perdition the other is that I which professe the name of a Christian doe not seeke so much to please God by innocencie of life as this woman doth desire to please incontinent persons They that boast of their honour and dignitie must remember what Christ answered Pilate when he said Ioh. 1â— 10.11 Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee and haue power to loofe thee Iesus aunswered thou couldest haue no power at all against me except it were giuen thee from aboue As the body remaines the same when the shadow encreaseth or decreaseth so promotion or honour changeth not the person to better or worse but the good or ill vse therof And it is so farre off that