bundels to burne them but carry the wheate into the barne Nowe the sheepe and goates go together feede together and are foulded together but at that daye shall the chiefe sheapehard seperate the sheepe from the gouts placing the shepe one his righte hande and the goates on the left Now the world doth deride and the children of GOD doe weepe and lament but at that day they shall be comforted and the other shall be tormented Nowe all the creatures of God do grone and trauaile in paine with vs looking when the sonnes of God shall appeare but at that daye they shall bee freed of the bondage of corruption and vanitye whereunto they are now subiect Nowe the very heauens are not pure in his sight but at that day the heauens being on fire shalbe dissolued and the elements shall melt with heate and wee looke for a newe heauen and a newe earthe according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse In the meane time let vs possesse our soules in patience and reioyce to be partakers of Christe his sufferinges that when his glorie shall appeare we may be glad and reioyce being certainly perswaded that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of that glory which shall then bee shewed vppon vs. Onely let vs be dilligent that wee maye be found of him in peace without spot and blameles in holy conuersation and godlines our hartes being pure from an ill conscience washed in oure bodies with pure wator and that so much the rather bicause we see the end of al things to drawe neere and the daye of oure appearaunce to bee euen at hande Thus much of the first part The second part Where and before whome we must appeare THe place where wee shall appeare the apostle calleth it The iudgemente seate The person before whome we must appeare is Christ For the father hath giuen all iudgement to the son the articles of our Christion faith do teache vs to be leeue that hee shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade not that God the father and God the holy ghost shall then be excluded and not ioyned in iudgement with him but for that the visible execution of this iudgemente shall bee doone by the second person in trynitye God the sonne who shall then sitte one his seate of iudgemente to giue euerye man c. Nowe hee sitteth one his seate of mercy as oure mediator and aduocare making continuall intercession to God his Father for vs Sitting on his seate of iudgement hee shall pronounce the sentence of condemnation against vs. Now be offereth himselfe to be intertained calleth al men to be his clientes that are opressed with their ennemies the world flesh or diuell come to me all ye that labour and are laden and I will refresh giue ease to your soules Those which now resist to come when he thus calleth them in mercy he wil refuse them when he shall come in iudgement and whereas now he biddeth them come they will not come he will then commaund them to depart Now he knoweth those that are his but those that nowe will not knowe him be will not knowe them Nowe hee hathe neyther beautie nor fauoure nowe the worlde hath no lust to him nowe hee is despised and abhorred of all men nowe hee is counted so vile as men are ashamed of him and hide their faces from him nowe hee is reckoned as a worme and no man a reproche of men the verye â—f coome of the people But when hee shall come in iudgement as the sonne of God in glorie of his father accompanyed with a multitude of heauenlye souldiours in the sound of the trumpe and in flaming for to render vengeance to suche as know not God nor beleeue not the gospell his presence shall bee so hotte that no man shall be able to abide it his lippes full of indignation his tongue as a consuming fire his breath is a vehement flood of water that reacheth to the necke insomuch that euen kinges of the earth great men rich persons graund captaines and mighty men euery bondman freeman shall hide themselues in dennes and amongst rockes of the mountains saying to them fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne from the wrath of the lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand Now he appeareth in him little then be shall appeare in maiestie nowe wee see him in pouertie then we shal see him in glorie Now he seemeth to be but a man then shal be shew himselfe to be god Now is hee iudged of all men then shall hee come to iudge al men Now he commeth as a lambe then shal he come as a lyon Now be commeth to call then shall hee come to condemne Now he commâ—th intreating of vs then will he come thre aâ—eâ—nge of vs. The signes and tokens which shall goe immediately before this his seas 〈◊〉 comming the scripture sheweth to be manie Christ himselfe saithe you shall heare of warres and rumoures of wares Hearing hath relation to speaking And therefore when be saith you shall heare of warres he thereby signifieth vnto vs that towards his coÌ„ming y e diuel shal disperse sediciously messeÌ„gers of newes into the world which shal raise vp rumors tales filling y e peopls heads full of newes those no ioyfull or good newes as y e angels reported at his firste coÌ„ming but heauie troblesom newes newes rending to sedicion y e disturbaÌ„ce of publique peace disquieting of peoples mindes breeding disoledience in subiectes againste their souerâ—igues in princes ielosie of their Subiertes in Magistrates and men of honour secrete harted disliking one of an other both in religion gouernment After which rumors newes dispearsed abrod of war that mens hartes are as it were prepared to wars wars shall flow indeede both forren ciuell and domesticall For nation shall rise against nation realm against realm c. Bitter contentions and contrarietie of opinions controuersies for matters of religion shall ensue sollow They shal put you to troble and shal kill you you shal be hated of al nations for my names sake Many shalbe offeÌ„ded betray hate one another that which is wonderful against the coÌ„mon course of nature a man shalbe at variance with his father the daughter with the mother the daughter in lawe with the mother in lawe insomuch that the brother shal betray the brother vnto death the father the son childreÌ„ shal rise against their own pareÌ„ts shal cause theÌ„ to dy a mans foes shalbe those of his own houshold For nullu est 〈◊〉 saith Hierâ—m in 〈◊〉 non sint infidele◠〈◊〉 Ther is no hous wher in they are not both infidels beleâ—â—ers And therfore no 〈◊〉 though they be thus diuided in
A godlie Sermon of repentaunce and amendment of life togeather with the accompt which we must render at the day of iudgement Preached at the Rolles Church in London the second of Maye and taken out of the fifth Chapter of Saint Paule his Epistle to the Corrinthians Cor. 5. vers 10. We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christe that euery man maye receiue the thinges which are done in his bodye according to that which he hath done whether it bee good or euill AT LONDON Printed by Thomas Purfoote and are to be sold at his shop right ouer against S. Sepulchers Church 1585. A Sermon preached at the Rolles Church in London the 2. of Maye beeing Sondaye taken out of the 5. Chapter of S. Paule his second Epistle to the Corinthians verse 10. The Text. We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christe that euery man maye receiue the thinges which are done in his bodye according to that which he hath done whether it bee good or euill THe holye Apostle at such time as he wrote this Epistle to the Corinthians beeing persecuted for the testimonye of his conscience and the profession of the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christe protesteth solempnely that the troubles which bee suffered in his bodye did not onelye not discourage him nor cause him to faint but eyther That they did adde zealo and 〈…〉 causing him to continue constaune in his calling and to account those afflitions but tuomentary light in respect of that most excellent and eternall weight of glorye wherewith all in the end he knew he shoulde be crowned the earnest desire whereof caused him to sigh and grone in spirite that he might shortly be losed out of his body and cloathed with his house which the Lord had prepared for him in heauen not that be thought hee coulde preuent the time which the Lord in his secret counsel had already determined For he knew that the Dayes of man surely are determined and that his number of monethes are knowne of God who hath appoynted him his boundes which can not goe beyonde but we know sayth he that if our earthly house of that tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue a buildinge giuen of GOD that is a house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens beeing absent from the Lord whileste we are at hoame in this body Howbeit whether it be the Lord his good wil and pleasure that we shall stil dwell at home in the bodye or remooue from home out of this bodye and dwell wich him we endeuour our selues that we may be found acceptable in his sight at all times and in all places Whereof he giueth this reason For we must all appeare c. Exhorting al men both by his example and doctrine in life to meditate of death in prosperitie to feare aduersitie in the day of mercye to thinke of the daye of iudgement and so to liue in their seuerall callinges as to remember they must giue account of their callinges so to vse the benefites and blessinges of God as not forgetting from whence they haue them and when they muste resigne them according to that counsell of the wise man Remember thy ende That is the certaintie of thy ende the vncertain howre of thy ende the rewarde thou shalt receaue at thy ende the place of ioye or payne that thou must goe to at thy end In all thy doinges remember these thinges and thoâ—â—â—â— shalâ— neuer doe amisse For what causeth such losenes of life in all sortes but the forgetfulnes of death in all sortes What causeth the wicked alwayes to presume of God his mercye but the contempt of his iustice What causeth such generall security in sinne but the generall obliuion of the reward of sinne Whereas if we did alwayes remember our particular endes and our generall iudgements it would cause vs to walke more circumspectly in our callinges which more care of conscience and greater consideration of all our actions which one day must be brought to iudgment To this ende doth the Apostle preach of the daye of iudgement in this place putting vs in remembraunce of three thinges necessary to be thought of and considered of all men before that tyme. 1 First who and what they are whiche must appeare at that day 2 Secondarily where and before whom they must appeare 3 Thirdly to what ende they must appeare If you aske who they are which must appeare at that daye the Apostle saithe All. If you aske where and before whome those All must appeare the Apostle aunswereth Before the iudgement seate of Christ If you aske to what ende those All must appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ the Apostle doth aunswere To receaue euery man according to that which he hath done in his body whether it c. The first part TOuching the substaunce of that doctrine which here is deliuered by the Apostle it was prophesied long since by S. Peter that towards the letter end of the world this doctrine of the generall iudgement and resurrection of all flesh should of all other to the opinions of the wicked seeme most absurd ridiculous and foolish There shall come in the last dayes mockers saith he which will walke after their lustes and saye where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers dayed all thinges continue a like from the beginning of the creation He termeth the despisers and contemners of this doctrine mockers he saith the dais they shal liue in shalbe the last the manner how they shall mocke it will appeare both in their liues and speeches in their liues for that they shall not walke after the lawes of God but after the lawes of their fleshe fulfilling the lustes therof as prophane and rechles persons void of al godlines and giuen ouer to all sinne and iuniquirye In speeches not ashamed to profes that they beleue nothing lesse then that that should be performed which is promised in the scriptures concerning the comming of Christ in iudgement The reason that moue them to thinke and say so is the obseruation of nature his constant course in all the workes and creatures of God continuing in y e same state wherein they were first created withoute any alteration or chaunge in any of them as those great lights the sunne and the Moone obseruing their vsuall and ordinarye time of their vprising and downe sitting according to the seuerall seales and tymes of the yeare the one ruling and giuing light to the daye the other in the night the starrs remaining firme and fixed as lightes in the firmament of heauen where they were firste planted in the beginning to diuide y e day and the night and to bee as signes and seasons for daies and yeares the earth being vnremooueable vnder our feete bringing forth budde and greene hearbe apt to seede and fruitfull trees euerye one yeilding fruites after his kinde and all these together with the beasts of the
field foules of the ayre and fishes of the sea to be subiect to man who likewise according to Gods firste ordinaunce is borne at his appointed time and at his appointed time also returneth againe to duste from whence he came and so obseruing all the workes of God to holde on that course of nature at this daye without any change which he gaue to euery one of them in their kind at their first creation many yeares since thereupon they promise and presume of an eternall perpetuitie in all thinges concluding with the Precher Mundus durauit hactenus ergo finem non habebit The wor◠hath endured hitherto ergo it shall haue no ende and thus as much as in them lyeth both in the examples of their liues and wordes of their lippes discredyting nay deriding the promise of the comming of Christe and mocking the threatninges of God his iudgementes Such mockers in these dayes of ours which the Apostle termeth the last are manye One sort of them saye in their heartes there is no God In which number the moste and greatest part of vs I feare me may be comprehended we are not so impudent to say with our tonges there is no God but loke into our liues our offices and functions marke how euery man walketh in that state of lyfe wherein he is placed of the Lorde and you shall see we are not ashamed to say in our heartes There is no God We all saye with our tongues that we esteeme our soules a thousande times more deare then our bodies but compare that which we do to the one with that which we say of the other and you shall see that in our heartes we haue a greater care to preserue our filthye carcase then to instruct our conscience we all say with our mouthes we would goe to heauen if wishing would bringe vs to heauen but we frame our lyues as though in our hearts we neither hoped for heauen nor beleeued there is a hell but looked alwayes to liue vppon earth Wee cry out with our mouthes fie of the flesh and we defte the Diuell in our wordes but we are ready to take his part in our workes and the least temptation that is offered vs is able to vanquishe vs and cause vs to giue the Diuell our consent with our heartes Thus we mocke God and we deceaue our selues but the Diuell he will neither be deceiued nor mocked of vs when time shall bee that the secreats of all hearts shall be opened and the deedes of all men iudged he will challenge that which is his and bring in good and sufficient euidence to prooue vs to bee his then by our owne workes and not his whose now we pretend to be with oure mouthes Then shall we finde that in earnest which now beeing preached to vs and yet not felt of vs we esteeme but as a mocke or iest A second sort of mockers there is who although they confes there is a God yet saye they non veniet dies iudicii that God will neuer come in iudgement Let vs therefore cate and drinke for to morrow we shall die there is noman known to haue returned from the graue We are borne at all aduenture and wee shall bee hereafter as though we had neuer bene our breath is like a smoke in our nostrels and words like a sparke raised out of our hartes which being extinguished oure bodie shall be turned into ashes and our spirite shall vanishe as the softe aire our life shall passe awaye as the trace of a cloude and come to naught as the miste that is driuen awaye with the beames of the same and put downe with the heate thereof our name also shalbe forgotten by litle and litle and no man shall haue our works in remembrance for our time is a day shadowe that passeth away and after oure ende there is no returning Come on therfore let vs enioy the pleasures that are present and let vs cheerefullye vse the creatures like as in youthe Let euery one of vs bee partakers of oure voluptuousnesse let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euery place for this is our portion and this onely our lot Let vs oppresse the pore righteous let vs not spare the widowe or old man let vs not regard the heads that are graye for age and so forth as it followeth in the booke of wisedome where the life and manner of these second sorts of moekers and epitures is liuely described and set foorth at large The Apostle tearmeth them ennemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly and glory to their shame minding onely earthly things and not seeking after those thinges that are aboue The third sort of mockers there is which saye with the ill seruant Tardat dominus venire these proue there is agod that God wil at last come in iudgement but yet presuming of his mercy life they differ their repentaunce to the houre of death thinking they may repēt them when they will that they shall haue leisure enough when they are old ready to dye But O ye fooles and mockers of God remēber with your selues that like as God is mercifull so goeth wrath from him also his indignation commeth downe vppon sinners Make no tarrying therfore to turne to the Lord and put not off from day to daye for sodenlye shall his wrath come and in the time of vengeance he shall destroy thee Put not of thy repentance therefore in hope to attaine to old age or to find God mercifull at the laste houre For thou knowest not whether thou shalt liue till thou arte olde and death when he commeth hee asketh not howe long a man hath liued but as hee findeth him so hee taketh him But suppose thou liuest till thou art old how art thou sure that thou shalt haue the space of an houre on quarter or minute of an houre before that death doth strike thee with his dart Olde father Isaac confessed hee knewe not the day of his death much lesse dost thou knowe the howre of thy death For as fishes are taken with the angle and birdes cought in the share euen so are men ouertaken with death But when thou dost sicken what if thou doste liue an houre a day a weeke before thou die art thou sure in y e howre day or weeke to haue a mind to call for God his grace and repente thee of thy life misliked Or dost thou thinke that a wicked man can repent him when he will and when he list why then did not Caine repent why did not Saul why Iudas why Esau who as the apostle saith founde no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with teares No repentance is the free gift of the grace of God who giueth it to euery man when he will to whom he will and in what measure hee will according to the riches of his mercie which
haue beene brent and consumed to ashes slayne in fieldes and veuoured of wild beastes or corne in peeces with vermine or which haue miscarried on the seas they thinke it impossible that those bodies should be brought againe But that which is impossible to man is possible with God al is one with him whether the sea hath receaued vs or lande the Church or the Chancel earth or water and as easie it is for him to raise vp our bodies out of the earth sea or land as it was easie for him at the firste of nothing to make vs something and with the breath of his spirite to breath into vs a liuing soule which before were boyde of life Dost â—oe thou see it is possible for thee being but a man and the creatour of God to strike ster out of the harde flint where before thou flindest it it may seeme impossible to haue fier And why shouldest thou thinke it were impossible thy creator and maker which hath giuen that nature to the stone that power to thee himselfe hauing greater power to raise thy body out of y e dust water or cinders seeing at first he gaue thee thy bodye Those that finde not them selues thus satisfied with the consideration of the omnipotent power of God but requyre to be further satisfied with reason the apostle saith there are fooles mad men as thaugh he should say the resurrectioÌ„ of the body is either to be beleeued that it shalbe then to be reasoned vpon how it can be they but fooles madd men that will stand reasoning about it when they are bound simply to beleue it Nay he that will call in question euery kind of doctrine in the scriptures wherof he cannot conceaue or giue a reason maye chaunce to doubt of the highest points of a christian mans faith and religion For what reson in there that there should be one and one three as that the Father shoulde be God the sonne God and the holye Ghoste God yet not three Gods but one God a trinity in vnity and an vnitye in trinitye What reason is there that a Virgine shoulde conceiue with childe beare a childe and yet after her conception and birth remain a pure and vndefiled virgine stil What reason is there that a man deade buried laid in his graue three daies should rise again aliue Or what is he that baring the name of a Christian dare denye or doubt of the truth of these thinges because he seeth not the reason of theÌ„ No God almighty his misteries are hid and inserchable not to be construed by reason but conceiued by faith And we are taught in the scriptures bound to beleeue many things whereof our reason can conceiue but few I come to the lord his table who hath hidden me vnder the signe of bread wine to receiue his bodye and drincke his bloud and I doe nothing doubt but he doth truly offer him selfe to me and I do truely receiue him Howbeit if anye man aske me how hee beeing in heauen shoulde be receiued in earth I aunswere as Maister Caluine De modo si quis me interrogat fateri me non pudebit sublimius esse attamen quam vt vel meo ingenio comprehendi vel enarrari verbis queat atque vt apertius dicam experior magis quam intelligam Itaque veritatem dei in qua acquiescere tuti licet hic sine controuersia amplector That is If anye man aske me of the maner howe Christe is present in the Sacrament I will not shame to confesse that it is a higher mistery than can either bee conceiued with my wit or expressed with my tongue and to speake more plainely I rather feele it then vnderstande it And therefore in this poynt I doe willinglye embrace God his truth wherein I doe safely rest stay So for the resurrection of the dead though I see no reason in it or that the reason is hid from me yet I doe acknowledge it to be an article of my Christian faith and therefore do vndoubtedly beleeue that the spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead shall raise my mortall and corruptible bodye and that my bodie and all mens bodies throughe his omnipotente power and myght being so raised Must appeare before the iudgement seate of Christe c. But heere now leaste anye man shoulde thinke that among such a multitude as must then appeare it were possible for some to hide themselues from the presence of their iudge and so escape the seueritie of his sentence therefore the Apostle saith we shal not onely be summoned by the trumpe of the Lorde and so dismissed agayne but of necessitye We must ad appeare before him and can no waye hide our selues from him The worde Apparere that is appeare is very emphaticall in this place notinge vnto vs the appearaunce of the soule as the bodye the inwarde heart and conscience as well as the outward man And because the nature of the wicked is to promise themselues perpetuall impunitie of those simes before God whereof they can not bee detected before the world to confute and confound that vain hope of theirs the Apostle telleth them plainly they must then appeare Which importeth so much as if he should saye whereas we haue heere played the Hipocrites dissembled our selues and oure sinnes before men with a counterfaite show of vprightnes not beeing the same men before God in our consciences now we must haue the vizardes pulled of froÌ„ our faces and be vncased laid wide open to the whole world Euen as though our bodyes were ript in peeces for euerye man to view vs to looke ouer vs vnder vs round about vs and into vs. Naie either the verye heartes in our bodyes which now we 〈◊〉 count the most feereat partes of vs shal be so 〈◊〉 sought and searched into as if they were 〈◊〉 in smell peeres for euerye 〈…〉 and discerne the secreates thereof which now are onelye knowne to oure selues Let vs take herd therefore we be no bescher incouraged to bee 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 of our 〈◊〉 or the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of the place wherein we doe 〈◊〉 For how 〈…〉 we be in our selues or how 〈…〉 yet will our wickednesse one daye appeâ—â—â— when nothing can hide it Nothing so secreat but it shall 〈◊〉 Sayth Christ it is not alwayes reuealed as it is done but it shall be The wicked presumptuous sinner who 〈…〉 â—he world with his glosing speech and â—ocketh God with his abhominable lyfe thinking that his hipocrisie shall neuer be found out because it is not alwayes piâ—nished and detected of God But God by the Prophet telleth him an other caâ—e When thou sawest a theife thou diddest consent to him and haste bene partaker with the adulterers Thou hast let thy mouth speake wickednesse and with thy tongue thou hast set foorth deceit Thou sattest and spakest againste thy brother yea thou hast slaundered thy owne mothers sonne these thinge haste thou
done and I heid my tongue and thou thoughtst wickedly that I was suen a one as thou thy selfe but I will reproue thee and lay before thee the things that thou hast don Let vs not flatter our selues in our sins therfore thinking bicaus God doth dissemble theÌ„ make as thogh he saw them not that therefore be doth forges them or allow of them but assure our selues that one day he will reproue vs and laye our faultes before our eyes We do many thinges in secret and huggermugger which for shame we woulde not if we knew we were seen of anye how much lesse ought we to do theÌ„ since we are seene of God We haue many secret thoughts phantasticall imaginacioÌ„s wherin we much please our selues and delight our flesh and would blushe to haue them knowne of others which one daye the Lorde will make knowne to our neighbours when he shall make manifest the thinges of the darcke and open the secreates of all heartes I will search Hierusalem sayth the Lorde in that day with a lanterne Alas who can hide him selfe so secretlye or dissemble so deeply but the Lord wil find him and found euen the vnserchable depth of his heart when he shall search Hierusalem with a lanterne Let vs remember this all the sort of vs least as the Prophet Dauid sayth we forget God and perish from the right waye The witnesses which shall come in againste vs shall be especiallye the testimonye of our owne heartes and consciences The bookes shal be opened and the dead shalbe iudged of these things which are written in the bookes These bookes are the consciences of our good deeds and bad which as the Apostle witnesseth shall then excuse vs or accuse vs iustiste vs or condemne vs make with vs or against vs. And there is no man to whom God hath not giuen one of these bookes to carrye with him alwayes in his bosome neyther is anye man so ignoraunt but the Lorde hath giuen him knowledge to reade them But most men are so carelesse to vnclapse them as they neuer read or marke the contents of them till it is to late for them When God had placed Adam in Paradise forbidding him to eate of the fruit in the middest of the garden hee gaue him a booke and for his memories sake hee wrote in it What day soeuer thou eat thereof thou shalt dye the death But Adam neuer vnclaspt this booke till he had in deede transgressed Goods commandement and then his booke beeing opened he sawe the vglesome deformitie of this sinne whereto he had brought him selfe and his posterity but it was too late Caine carried this booke in his bosome but he neuer opened it til he had murdered his brother and then vnclasping it he found written in it Thou shalt not kill but thou hast killed thy brother ergo sayth he My suâ—e is greater than that it can be forgiuen That same frantike 〈◊〉 of whom mencion is made in Euripides after he had staine adulterouâ—â— Egisthus aud Clytemnestra his owne mother hauing no man to accuse him but his own conscience he looked in his booke and there he found written Bloud will haue bloud and therevpon though he was acquit by the law he presemlye ran mad and was neuer his own man afterward One demaunding the cause thereof in Euripides Quid muli te perdidit Orestes What ill hath betide or what hath caused thee lose thy wits Orestes He aunswereth him conscientia my conscience for Quid si omnes excusant sola conscâ—enâ—ia accusat what if all meÌ„ in the world excuse a man if his owne conscience accuse him which is insteed of a thousand witnesses shal more foâ—er confound him then they al. And therfore Nullam peccatoruÌ„ tuoruÌ„ conscium magis timueris quaÌ„ teipsum aliuÌ„ potes effugerâ— teipsum nun quam feare no maÌ„ y â— in priuie to thy sins so much as thy selfe thou maist auoyd an other maÌ„ but thou canst not flee froÌ„ thy self nor thy own knowledg conscience which according to the Etimologye of the worde is nothing els but a ioynts knowledge which an other hath with thee and thou with him which is God and thy self and is very aptly termed of Chrisostom in psal 50. Coaeâ— in quo conscribanâ—â— quotidiana peccata A booke wherin is recorded our daily sins which howsoeuer they be dissembled of vs now shall then be reuealed brought to light and punished when we must appear c. And therfore is this day and time of our appearaunce termed of the Apostle dies declarationis the daye of declaration not that anye thing shall then be declared to the Lord more then he knoweth already For he that planes the care how can he but heare he that made the eie how can he but see heauen is his seate earth is his footstoole what can be dâ—n in heauen or earth wherof he hath not knowledg he knoweth our down sitting our vprising he vnderstandeth all our thoughtes long before he spieth out all our waies not a word in our tong but he knoweth it altogether if we climbe vp into heauen he is there if we go down into hell he is there if we remaine in the vttermost partes of the sea he is there also if we think darknes shal hid vs the darknes is no darknes with him but the night is as cleare as the day darknes light are both alike To conclude all thinges are naked and open to his eies and there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight but wherfore is the daye of iudgemente tearmed of the Apostle the day of declaration for that nothing is so secretlye concealed of vs nowe but it shall be manifestly reuealed then The daye of this lyfe is one daie and may be tearmed the day of our dissimulation the day which followeth immediately after this life is the lords and is tearmed the daye of declaration For then the verye heauens saith Iob shall declare the wickednes of the wicked and the earthe whiche nowe doeth beare him shall then take parte againste him Now the ten virgins go together walke together talke together eat and drinke together but at that day it shall appeare who are wise who foolish who haue slept who haue watched whiche of them had oyle in their Lampes and which way which of them shalbe admitted vnto the marriage and whiche excluded and shut oute Now the corne chaffe lie together on a heape in one flowre and are not yet scucrd but at that dtye the Lorde shall come with his â—ari in his hande and purge his flower thorowlye carrye his wheate into his garner but burne his chaffe with vnquenchable fier Now the wheate and tares growe together in one fielde and are not yet weeded out but at the daye the lorde of the haruest will saye to the reapers gather the eares and bind them vp in
kingdoÌ„s in cities towns houses For non potest saith he eorum fidies esse affectus quorum diuersa est fides They caÌ„not be true on to another in hart affection y e differ in faith religion Another signe going before his comming is The Gospell shall be preached in all the world for a witnesse of all nations whereby he noteth vnto vs that towardes his comming the gospell shal be preached to all nations professed also of many but practised of a fewe but be a witnes and testimony against him For notwithstandinge the preaching of the Gospell some shall departe from the faith and shall giue heed to spirites of errour and doctrines of diuels which speak lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with a hot iron forbidding to marry and commaunding to absteyne from meates which God hath created to bee receaued with giuinge of thankes of them which beleeue know the truth An other signe is that faith shall faile charitie waxe could and iniquitye abound For men shall be louers of them selues couetous proude boasters cursed speakers disobedient to parentes vnthankfull without naturall affection truthbreakers false accusers intemperate fierce no louers at all of those that are good traitours heady high minded louers of pleasures more then of GOD hauing a shew of Godlines but denying the power thereof But for all this the ende is not yet For that daye shall not come except there come a departinge first and that the man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is an aduersary and exalteth him selfe againste all that is called God or that is worshipped sittinge as God in the temple of God shewing him selfe that he is God These are the heginninges of sorrowes the manifest demonstrations of his comming and the experience of theÌ„ in our dayes do plainely Prognosticate vnto vs that he can not be farre of For daylye doe we heare of warres and tumors of warres neuer was the world so full of newes and fearefull rumors nation doth rise against nation and realme against realme And euen now is the time that the sonne is at variance with the father the father with the sonne c. Euen now can one state hardly abyde another without grudging disliking or disdaine or if they agree in matters of policy gouerment yet do they hardly agree in matters of faith and religion in one house where they are nighly ioyned together it is hard to finde twoo of one mind amonge those that seeme to consent in opinions not to haue the selfe same man in some thinges to dissent froÌ„ them selues Euen now is the Gospell preached yet euen now in the time of the Gospell doe some depart from the truth giuing beede to spirites of errour and doctrine of Diuels forbidding to marrye and eat meates who the Lorde bath ordained to be receiued with thaÌ„ksgiuing Euen now also doth faith faile faith in religion faith in worde of promise in bargening buying and selling and no truth to be found charitye kaiecold a care to eache man common abuses remaines in many pity mercye and compassion and iudgement remayneth in few Iniquity is growne to such perfection in both sects all states ages and callinges that it hath almost gotten the vpper hand For when was there euer such selfe loue when was there euer so liet lenâ—ig hâ—orly loue when were â—teneueâ— so 〈◊〉 when were there eure such bosters braggers when was ther euer the like pride when were mens mouthes fuller of cursing bitternesse where were Children so disobedient to their parents when were men euer so vnthankfull either to God their prince or their priuate friends when were men euer so voyd of compassion when so fals harted when so many false tongs when so many riotous ruffiaÌ„s so fierce wheÌ„ was vertue godlines godly men more abhorted when so many traitors publique priuate open secret wheÌ„ were there euer so many bayrebraines when so many high minded marchauntes In what age were pleasures in greater price and God had in lesse honour when was religion euer more in showe when was there euer lesse among all men generally in truth And to make iniquity consummate hath not the man of sinâ—â— long since beene disclosed hath not the childe of perdition beâ—â—t manifestly deuealed are not his dangerous practises dayly discouered and through the wanderfull working of God miraculoustye confounded Since these thinges therfore are the sIgnes of his comming and are gone before let vs assure our seLues the time of his comming which they prognosticate can not be farre of And yet 〈◊〉 not I speake this as though A 〈◊〉 scemâ— precisely to determine of the verye day or howre weeke or yeare of his comming I know what Christ answered his Apostles when they 〈◊〉 yred of his retourne It is not for thee to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne power And de die hora c. Of thatday and that howre no man knoweth not the angels in heauen nor the sonne of man him selfe But euen as lightninge flash 〈◊〉 in a mans face vnawares and as the byed is 〈◊〉 in the snare before he thinketh himselfe within danger of the net and as a chief enmmeth sodenly in the night so shall the comming of the sonne of man be yet because men are so sencelesse of their sinnes and liue in such securitie of lyfe crying peace peace safety safetye thinking least of those dangers which hang ouer their heades giuing them selues wholy to eating and drinking planting and building buying and selling chapping and chaunging wyuing marrying c. euen as they did in the dayes of 〈◊〉 when the flouddes came and destroyed them all and in the time of Lor when fier and Brimstone came downe from heauen and consumed them all vpon earth This generall securitie I say and these peritous times of ours whereas men liue as though they were either wedded or bewitched of this worlde without anye worde or remembraunce of the worlde to come is a most plaine and manifest argument that hee is at hande euen at the doore who commeth to iudge the world And therefore if thou will bee counted worthye to stand before the sonne of man and auoyd those daungers which shall fall vppon them that dwell on theÌ„ face of the earth Take heede that your hearts be not at any time ouercome with surffeting and drunkenesse and the eares of this lyfe but beeing on earth let your conuersation be in heauen Seeke those things that are aboue wher christ sitteth on the right hand of god set your affectioÌ„ on thinges aboue and not on thinges on earth and take vnto thee the whole armour of God that thou maye bee able to resist in the euil day that hauing finished all thinges thou maye stande fast hauing youre loynes gyrte with truth and the brest-plate of righteousnes your feete shod in the preparation of
whatsoeuer is not of faith is nothing but saying it is sin declareth that whatsoeuer thinges are not of faith they are not to be decided as good things but as vices rather which iustify not the doers of them but rather do condemne them When the scripture therefore saythe in this place Euerye man shall receaue according to that which he hath done in other places that euery man shalbe rewarded accordinge to that whiche hee hath doone that manner of speaking is not ment of the merite of oure dooinges for that wee shoulde all be rewarded with euerlasting damnation and hell fier but that we shall receiue and be euerie man rewarded according to the testimonye of that which hee hath done bearing witnesse of our faith with vs or of want of sayth against vs. If that which we haue done proceede of faith then doth God accept it and impute it to vs for a good woorlie not in respect of the woorke it selfe or for our sakes or for oure faythe sake but for Iesus Christes sake in whome he is well pleased and in whose name we do it and he doth accept it and in mercie reward it Now we are to consider that the Apostle saith Euery inan shall receiue according to his well doing so likewise Euery man that hath doone euil shall receiue according to his doing ill whiche must not be 〈◊〉 conâ—â—ued of vs as though man at the laÌ„tter iudgement shoulde receiue onely according to that ill whiche hee hath done and not aunswere at all nor receiue anye punishnent for that ill whiche hee hath spoaken For I tell you saith our sauioure Christ a man shall giue accompte for euerye euell woorde Quid ost in omni vit a nostra cutus nos minus rationis habeamus quam verborum what is there in the whole course of our life whereof we haue lesse regard then of oure wordes and therefore in what daunger stand we before God if we shal aunswere euery idell woorde wherein we haue offended before men Or if we shall aunswere euery idle worde Alas how shall we answere euery idell word If we must answere euery idell woorde how shall we answer euery lying word euery blasphemous word euery flandorous worde Or if wee cannot answere our idell words how shall we answere of one idell deedes and time mispent Or if we caÌ„not answere our idel deedes how shal we be able to susteine the punishment which we must receiue for our il deedes Heere we may all crye out and appeale from God his iustice and oure deseruings to his mercie Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O lorde for no flesh is righteus in thy sight and haue mercie vppon me O God not according to my merites but according to the mercie doe awaye my offences c. For otherwise we must all prepare our selues to taste of the reward of sinne which be our sinne neuer so light or littell committed in thought woorde or deede is death of bodye and death of soule to euery one according to that which he hath done Vppon the vngodlye shall come snares fier brimstone stormie tempest this shalbe their portion to drinke The Prophet vseth many words wher of euery one may seeme more greeuous then other to teache vs that the greater shalbe the punishment which the sinner shal receiue according to that which he saith in the second chapter to the Romaines that the impenitent presumptious sinner doth heap vp wrath to himself c. as who should saye God will heape damnation vpon his head in life to come as he hath heaped one sinne vppon an other in this life not that there are many helles or many siers in bell but that the iustice of God re quireth to measure out y â— grieuousnes of their punishment accor to the grieuousnes of their sines vt et ignem non dissimilem habeant tamen eosdem singulos exurat that not hauing a diuerse fire yet euery one to be tormented the same w t fire euen as we feel in our do dies wheras many stand together in the sun the sun hath like power of them all alike yet doe they not all feele the like heat but some feele it hotter then other some euery man according to the complexion and constitution of his body Euen so according to the quality of his sinne shall euerye man receaue his punishment And therefore in the daye of iudgement it shall hee easie for Sodome and Gomortha then for those Cities Townes and persons which haue hard remission of sinnes preached in the name of Iesus yet haue not repented For the seruant that knew his maisters wil and did it not shalbe beaten with many stripes If that reuerend and childish feare of God therefore cannot win vs to eschue euill and do good yet let this seruile and slauishe feare the feare of punishement staie vs and make vs a fraide to perseuer in our ill least accordinge to the greeuousnes of the same in oure soules at last we reseaue double damnation in our bodyes For although euery man so sone as the soule and body are parted by death hath his particular iudgement and receiueth in his soul which presently mounteth either to heauen or is carryed to hell the rewarde of ioye or paine which either thorough sinne he hath deserued or the Lorde in merrye doth freely giue him yet doth he nor receiue the same in body which remayneth in the graue til the generall resurrection and iudgement of all flesh at what time the bodye shall be vnited to the soule and be made partaker of the same euerlasting ioyes in heauen or eternall torments in hell as it was partaker with the bodye in sin vpon earth If any man therfore aske wherefore and what there should neede to be a second iudgement since euerie man hath his iudgement already I answere out of the Apostle that euery man may receaue in his body that which hee hath already receaued in his soule Lâ—â— vs forbeare therefore to iudge of 〈…〉 mens sinnes to looke into other mens liues and either euery man that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde depart from iniquity and learne to amend him selfe For euery man shall receaue accordinge to that which he hath done in his body I shall not receaue accordinge to that which thou haste done in thy bodye nor thou shalt not receaue according to that which I haue done in my bodye but I according to that which I haue done in my bodye and thou according to that which thou 〈◊〉 done in thy body and so forth euery maÌ„ according to that which he hath done in his own bodye That soule that hath sinned that soule shall dye the death Though the father haue eaten sowre grapes the childrens teeth shall not be set on edge The sonne shall not beare the fathers iniquity nor the fathers beare the sonnes The righteousnes of the righteous shall be vppon him the wickednes of the wicked vpon him