neere as I can by that order which Christ himselfe and his Apostles wel neere 1600. yeeres past haue declared in the word of God And therein I will examine how manie of those signes and tokens be past and howe manie of them doe yet remaine to be fulfilled Then will I see whither this bee not the verie time that Christ hath prescribed to returne againe or if the time be not yet full complete whither it bee not so verie neere therevnto as it is most certaine that the same shall not be long deferred Lastlie I will do my best to stirre vp the mindes of all men to repentance and to prepare themselues with all the diligence duetie they can shewe in this life to go foorth of meete with that great Prince of glorie Christ Iesus Albeit our forefathers in euerie age since the time of the Apostles had manie signes and tokens whereby euerie one might looke for the day of the Lord in that age werein he liued and the rather because Paule said in his time that the examples of the old Testamēt wer writtē for a warning vnto vs vpō whō the ends of the world were come 1. Cor. 10 11 yet because the perceiued by the wordes of Christ that there were other tokens to be performed which neither they had seene nor yet did wel cōceiue they might not so boldlie prescribe the day of the Lord to be at hand as we may now affirme it to be For although Saint Paule as I haue shewed did say that the ends of the worlde were come vpon them in his dayes yet lie bad the Thessalonians that they should not bee deceaued by anie spirit or word or letter to thinke that the day of the Lord was then at hand 2. Thess 2.2 For hee taught them that there should be first a falling away from the faith and that Antichrist should be reuealed before the comming of Christ Which things were not to bee performed within the compasse of so fewe yeeres but required a longer time and manie other matters depended thereon Now howsoeuer this prophesie of Antichrist may seeme to take a latter place in the holie Historie after some other signes and tokens of Christs comming yet if we haue regarde to the first times when the Bishop of Rome was declared to bee that Antichrist it may take the first place before al other signes accomplished after Christ his ascension Neuerthelesse if we meane so plaine perfect a reuealing of Antichrist as it shall be no lesse euident vnto al other nations of Christendome than it is now vnto vs who doe sensibly see perfectly know him to be the verie man of sinne which was prophesied before whereunto the holie Ghost had respect in putting this signe after others in the place of Mathew Marke and else where then may it be called the last signe or token of all Because as the publishing of the worde ouer all the world groweth by little and little so the perfect reuealing of Antichrist vnto all Nations is daily more and more plainely and euidently discerned thereby And in this respect the preaching of the word with the consuming of him shall end both together at the verie comming of Christ and not before because the Scripture saith that the spirit of the Lords mouth shall consume him but the brightnes of his comming shall vtterly destroy him 2. Thess 2.8 And both this and the rest of the tokens that depende on the same are most euident and vndoubted testimonies of the latter dav Wherefore I will first shew how all those thinges are performed partly in other time before but most especially in this age of ours Within which time also I will declare all the rest of the tokens of Christ comming to be in a manner fully complete When the kingdome of Christ was increased and growen to the full by preaching of the Gospel and that the Bishop of Rome began also to growe great in Italy by decaying of the Empire by the giftes and donacions of Princes then did also the same Bishop fall from true religion to superstition from the right seruice of God to false worshipping from sinceritie to hypocrisie from the rules of Gods word to the reasons decrees of men And as his greatnesse increased the Emperours power diminished so the Apostasie of that Church was the more discerned Antichrist of Rome the more reuealed and so when Rome the seate of the Empire was vtterly remoued from the temporal Magistrate and wholly inuested in the Pope and that the Pope claimed to be the vniuersall Bishop there was now nothing to hinder but that all men might discerne how farre the Church was falne from God who was very Antichrist the Author of the same Howbeit though he by this meanes shewed himself to be that Antichrist which both the Prophetes and also Christ and his Apostles had so manifestly described before hand as there can be nothing in the Scriture more plaine yet can it not be saide that Antichrist was fully reuealed till this latter age of ours both because the infinite measure of his iniquitie was neuer before fulfilled with so great power and signes and lying wonders as it hath bene now within these few ages past and also because hee made princes his ministers and vassals to see that his commaundements were obserued and his honour dignitie and power maintained and that none shoulde be so hardie as to bring his name in question or to finde fault with anie part of his superstition But when it pleased God of his infinite mercie to put into the hearts of Kings and Princes prudently to snake off his intollerable yoke from their shoulders and to send foorth preachers of his word that shoulde openly pronounce him to bee verie Antichrist and to proue it to his face out of the worde of God that he is that man of sinne foreshewed in the Scripture then it might truly be said that there was no impediment betweene him and home but that he is perfectly infallibly and expresly discouered taught knowen to be Antichrist among all them that professe the Gospel of Christ Wherefore the matter being so true as both the word of God it selfe affirmeth and the testimonies and proofes of innumerable Writers extant inuincibly cōfirmeth I need not wade anie further herein than is necessarie to induce the matter I haue in hand For this beeing true that the Apostacie of that Church drawing to an ende by preaching of of the word that all the impediments which kept Antichrist backe that he could not be so manifest to the world being remoued that Antichrist himself is now in this age of ours most euidently discyphered and that those be the principall and most apparant signes of he Lords comming whereof the rest or manie of them depend and might not be shewed till these were fulfilled we are now to see what other tokens the holy Ghost hath set downe in the word written that should be shewed
vnderstande when the last token is fulfilled yet hath he also confirmed the same by other inuincible reasons drawen partlie from such thinges as we sensiblie and daylie perceiue and partlie from his owne power and omnipotencie Learne saith he of the figge tree when the branches bee tender and hath put forth leaues for then ye be sure that the summer is 〈◊〉 hand Againe Heauen and earth shall perish but my word shall not perish As if he might say When all these tokens that I haue spoken of be fulfilled ye shall be sure that I will then come and the last token before my comming is That the Gospel of my kingdom shal be preached in all the world for a witnesse vnto all Nations And there shall not be a kingdome in the worlde but either at the first sounding of my word or at the second shall heare that I am the Sauiour and redeemer of mankinde Beholde I haue spoken it Heauen and earth shall passe away before one iot of my worde passe These I say be the verie tokens times before his comming Albeit to speake of the hower or day or month nay of the yere it selfe wherm he wil com were high pride and presumption seeing there is neither mā nor angel that knoweth it But this we know for certeintie that manie Ages past the Gospell was published welneere in all Asia Aphrica and Europe a number of which Nations for their vnthankfulnesse were depriued of the benefit thereof and manie other are falne into great Apostasie Also we see it plaine that in this age of ours the glad tidings of Christ hath after some sort bin caried vnto al the barbarous natiōs in the nether part of the world we liue in cōtinual hope that in short space it shal be more sīcerly more vniuersallie published thā hetherto it hath bin which being proclaimed we may then bee bolde to say that Christ is at the verie point of his comming And yet neuertheles al that is no hindrāce but that it behoueth vs both thus day to morrow euerie day night hower to watch be readie with our lampes burning left the Bridegrome take vs vpon the sodaine vnprouided of oyle so while we expect yet some longer time of his comming we bee quite excluded out of the kingdome of heauen Al these things haue I affirmed and prooued out of the infallible worde of God by that which we haue seen with our eyes do vnderstand of our owne knowledge to be alreadie come to passe most agreeablie to the worde of God Wherby we may be assured that if anie thing be yet to come that the Scriptures haue promised touching the end of the world the same shal shortly in his due time be performed And this was my special purpose in this Treatise to proue that because the foolish vngodlie vnbeleeuing nature of men is in these daies beyond all other ages and times before so curious to search inquire for the time of Christes comming which time God hath reserued to himselfe I might draw them as much as is possible from seeking the same at the hands of men frō whō without the help of Gods spirite there proceedeth nothing that is certain or true or godlie send them to the most true and certain and vndoubted prophesie of the word of God Neuertheles I am not ignorant that there be also manie humane reasons manie probable cōiectures manie tēporal signes tokēs many sufficient argumēts cōcerning the end of the world that do concurre with the prophesie of the scriptures al which as long as they serue to iustify cōfirme whatsoeuer Christ the Prophetes Apostles haue promised concerning the same we must rather giue credite vnto them than reiect condemne them Among which are al those reasons which are commonly made to ratifie the saying of Elias that the world shall not continue the full of 6000. yeres which prophesie though it be not in the scriptures but cited by the Rabbins yet because all the other parts of the same Prophesie haue succeeded euery thing in his due time that it doth so well cōcurre with the tokens that Christ shewed for the end of the world and with that saying of Christ Those dayes shal be shortened for the elect sake we must imbrace the same as a true prognosticate religiously descended from that holie Author But in verie deede in this prophesie of Elias is contained a large field to prooue the neerenesse of the day of iudgement howbeit I wil not walke much therein because I knowe it hath been exactlie handled of manie Onelie this I say that the Scripture it selfe confirmeth and infallible reason prooueth and so manie tokens both of heauen aboue and of the earth beneath testifie that the world shall not last to the end of sixe thousand yeeres And so much the rather when we plainelie see all the tokens of the latter day to be now welneere fulfilled And I haue proued that there are not aboue 70. yeres past or thereabout since the last and most reuealing of Antichrist That is to say since he was openlie freelie and without feare published to be that sonne of perdition Within which time the tokens that Christ spoke of concerning the ende of the worlde are alreadie shewed and lacke but little of a perfect fulfilling And doe we thinke that when so great and so manie things haue been accomplished in so short a space as 70. yeres that the verie litle or nothing which remaineth should be in performing 400. yeeres and moe which are to finish vp the number of 6000. yeres Or may we not not referre that saying of Christ This generation shall not be past till all these things be fulfilled And againe For the chosens sake these dayes shal be shortened as well to this third age of the world as to the destruction of Ierusalem which was but 50. yeres after As if he should say In this latter age of the world and especiallie towards the ende thereof when Antichrist is reuealed and Sathan which is the diuell is loosed there shal be so great famines plagues earthquakes so great and hortible persecutions such leagues and conspiracies of Princes against my Church so manie false Prophetes to deceaue the worlde such hating and betraying one of another yea and such trouble and vexation on euerie side besides the iniquitie that shall then so mightelie abound that if it be possible the verie chosen may be deceaued Wherfore for their sakes I wil shorten those troublesome dayes and will cut off a part of this latter age so that it shal not be equall to the other ages that went before Besides what wonderfull alterations haue wee heard of and seene in the world since the memorie of man What chaunge in the nature of the creatures what mutation both in the actions and affections of men and in the accidents of this life and occurrents of estates such as our forefathers in
of swearing is so continually accustomed in your mouths and the name of God and of his holy members is so abused in your actions as he can no longer indure the wickednesse thereof but wil hasten himselfe vnto iudgement Now if these sinnes besides manie others that I might recite doe so abound at this day in the hearts of men and doe breake out so mightily in their actions as the things themselues declare that the day of iudgment is at hand what shall we say of the sinne of couetousnesse the roote and welspring of all other mischiefes Wherein men at this day doe so farre exceed the measure of our forefathers as the later wee are borne the more corruption we haue receiued the neerer to the day of the Lord the lesse affection haue we to heauenly things and the more desire of worldlie vanities And albeit this sinne of coueting bee set downe as a capital crime in the holy Scriptures yet do we make small account of the same Howbeit if the children of Israel fled before their enimies Iosu 7. onely for the couetousnesse of Achan and that Achan himselfe was iudicially and formally executed because he had hidden to his owne vse some thinges that were accursed if Nabal the Carmelite for his couetous minde 1. Sam. 25. in denying some sustenance vnto Dauid and his seruants in time of necessitie was striken by God that he died finally if Gehezi the seruant of Elizeus 4. Kings 5. was punished with a foule leprosie for requiring and taking but a small gifte of Naaman the Sirian whome his Master had frankly freely a litle before healed of the same disease what deserueth the vnsatiable mind of Christians in our time that without all measure or ende without feare of God without regard of religiō with out remorse of cōscience without sense of other mēs griefes be it right or wrong whether it cōcerne God or the Church the Prince or the Commonweale the father or the sonne neighbour or straunger friend or foe life or death if it may turne to our owneprofit commoditie we seeke by all manner of meanes to attaine therevnto though we die for it in this life and be sure of damnation in the life to come without all remorse of conscience or anie care of restitution Howbeit all this commeth to passe that the word of God may not be frustrate which saith that in the latter day iniquitie shall abound and the loue towardes God and man shall decaie And the abundance of all sinne doth grow from this verie roote of coueting greedinesse of riches But in verie deede the meanes that this sinne hath had to come to such ripenesse in these our dayes haue been farre greater than euer in anie Age before For euen since the time that it pleased God to shewe foorth all other signes and tokens which hee had promised to come against the ende of the world what wayes haue men attempted what artes haue they deuised to fulfill their greedie appetite and desire Be there anie lands that they haue not searched or anie seas that they haue not sayled Bee there anie dangers that they haue not ventured Is there anie colde or heate that they haue not indured Is there anie world that they haue not compassed anie myne that they haue not opened anie bloud that they haue not spilled nay anie people that they haue not destroyed to attaine to their desire Doe they not trauell more willinglie more often and farther from the vppermost face of the earth to the nethermost part of the same from the Sunne rising to the Sunne setting from the South to the North and to all the endes of the world and all for the insatiable desire of golde siluer redde claie and white than they woulde doe for the sauegard of their owne life And yet the more they haue the more they want the more they want the more they couet In such sort as if the earth and sea were emptied of their treasures I suppose that they woulde seeke to Heauen for temporall riches which they cannot beelead vnto for the saluation of their soules Wherefore this vice of couetousnesse is now so primie full as it craueth an ende and dissolution of the world Now come wee to the last token and restimonie of the comming of Christ namelie That the Gospell shal be preached in all the world for a witnes vnto all nations and then shall the ende come As I wrote before that the reuealing of Antichrist and man of sinne which sitteth in the Temple of God should be the first token of that secōd comming of Christ so the preaching of the Gospell ouer all the world both by the circumstance of the Euangelicall historie and by the consequence of the thinges themselues must of necessitie bee the last token before his comming And this is also confirmed by Iohn in the Reuelation when he saith Apoc 14. That he sawe an Angell flie in the midst of heauen hauing the euerlasting gospell to preach to all nations kindreds and people and saying Giue glorie to God for the hower of his iudgment is come And immediatelie after this preaching of the word an other Angell crieth Babylon is falne that great Citie is falne that made all Nations drinke of the Cup of her fornication For if there bee no other way to make Babylon to fall to reueale Antichrist the enimie of Christ and to banish the Apostasie of the Church procured by the same Antichrist but the preaching of the word and free course of the Gospek thē is there also no other way to inlarge the kingdom of Christ to gather the Saints of God into one but onely the free course and publication of the Gospell which by litle and litle shall consume as it hath gebun the spirite of error and apostasie of the Church till the brightnes of Christes presence haue vtterly destroyed the same al the authors abettors thereof Wherfore whatsoeuer other tokens shal be at the verie comming of Christ as no doubt but ther shal be many both in the Sunne and Moone and starres and in al the creatures of God as behoueth in so great an alteration consummation of the worlde Mat. 24. Mark 13. and as Christ himselfe hath most effectually set downe in his holy word yet this publishing of the Gospel in all the world shall vndoubtedly be the very last token before his comming as it is euidently set down by the holy Ghost himself when he saith And then shal the ende come And when the Angels after preaching of the word said Apoc 14. The houre of iudgement is come thrust in thy sythe and reape for the haruest is ripe As if he should say When Antichrist of Rome which exalteth himselfe aboue me shal be reuealed to be the principal head that hath caused so great a falling away from the truth in my Church hee shall trouble and persecute you to the death he shall make
many hundreth yeares before neuer heard of All which things since they most and chiefly happened or began about the time that the Gospell in our age was reuiued by preaching and when the kingdome of Christ began to be restored they bee manifest tokens of the ende of the world Hath not these many and mightie Kingdomes of England Scotland Denmarke Swethland Poland Germanie Belgica and a great part of the large kingdome of Fraunce all which be as much as the rest of Christendome retired themselues and been reclaymed within this space from the Romish bondage and from Antichristianitie to the true worshipping of Christ by beleeuing of the Gospell preached vnto them Was not the Arte and skill of Printing deuised by Christians and specially practised in our time by the meanes wherof though not only yet chiefly all other Religions in the world are found to bee most shamefull and Idolatrous and only the true and sincere worshipping of Christ magnified and extolled in all the world Were not all the learned tongues and languages renued by Christians in our time from a rude barbarisme wherein they had many ages been a sleepe to an excellent and perfect fourme both of speaking and writing Is not the desire of Christians in our time more earnestly bent to seeke a perfection of all Arts and Sciences and a more exquisite forme of Religion then euer was in any age before vs since the sincere times of the Primitiue Church Were not all the order and maner of Instruments and habiliments of warre and warfare in our age wel neere contrarie to that it was before especially by the deuise of gunnes which the deuill together with his deliuerance out of bondage deuised for the speedie destruction of mankind and great effusion of bloud all making way to the second comming of Christ our King Was not the finding out of the newe or as I may say of the nether world by the indeuour and trauell of Christians in our time one of the most wonderfull accidents that hath happened since the time of Christ and euen as a signe and token before the latter day that GOD which hath shut vp those nations so manie ages before in vnbeleefe would now yet in the latter time call them to the knowledge of his Sonne if any perhappes would hearken to his word that they also might bee saued and healed by the death of Christ Is it not likewise a speciall token of the end of the world that such extraordinarie Starres and Comets such straunge and rare Coniunctions of the Planets such meruellous remouings of earth whereof no mortall man can giue any naturall reason together with mightie ouerflowinges of the Sea whereby whole Countries and people are destroyed But is it not as great a signe and token hereof that within so fewe as fifteene yeares now to come there shall happen fiue Eclipses of the Sunne besides many others of the Moone such and so terrible as the like neuer happened within so short a space since the beginning of the world Doth not also the sodaine decay of mans strength and stature age together with the vnwilling mind he hath to all godlines vertue and charitable actions prognosticate vnto vs any lesse than the things before Moreouer do not the trees the plants the hearbes and fruits and all other sencelesse things of the earth which should bee for the comfort of man most sensiblie shewe vnto vs by the decay of their strength of their taste and vertue which not long since they had in greater measure that within a short time there shall be no more vse of them Nay doth not the earth it self complayne that she hath powred out of her bowells in a manner all the store of her treasures and commodities wherewith she was fraighted for the vse of man Yea do not all the creatures of God earnestly expect when the Sonne of God shall appeare that they also may be deliuered frō the bondage of corruption But shall wee not account this also to bee a great signe of the ende of the world that it pleased God in this age and neuer before both to indue man with knowledge and to leade him as it were by the hand about the whole compasse of the earth That when he had seene all and compast all and yet found all to be nothing but trouble and vanitie and vexation of minde by sea and land in all places where he came he might glorifie his Creator and Sauiour which had giuen so excellent guiftes and vertues and knowledge and ciuilitie and so iust a Religion vnto his Christian people before so many and so great nations which in comparison of them liued without God without faith and without all humanitie and might the rather bee drawne from the loue of this earthly mansion to long for the day of Christ and to bee translated to a more ioyfull and euerlasting habitation To be short The number of Prophets that GOD doth daylie send to admonish all people of the latter day and to giue them warning to be in a readines because they teach no lyes but such things as they finde in the word of God are no lesse to bee beleeued then those that prophesied of the first comming of Christ To make an ende hereof the opinions or rather firme beleefe of sondrie seuerall learned wise men so farre distant asunder by places but so neerely conspiring together by the vnitie of their iudgements and consent of their spirits as touching the comming of Christ do declare that the Bridegrome is euē now comming and craue vs to wayt for him all houres of the day and night that we may enter with him into the mariage feast Where bee now these Atheists where bee these mockers where be those that walke after their own lusts and say where is the promise of his comming Behold the winter blasts are now gone and the comfort of the spring is come The Lord shall come speedelie foorth like a Lion out of his denne and will be auenged of them that speake blasphemie and will destroy all the workers or wickednesse Beholde the Arke is now welneere finished the number is accomplished the Church established the chosen confirmed The trumpet hath sounded The kings sonne must be maried The feast is prepared the bidden guests haue refused All sorts of people in all the high waies of the world are gathered the wedding is furnished The king and the bridegroome are comming The earth and the sea shall yeeld vp their dead the sonne of man shall appeare in the cloudes he shal come with exceeding glorie Angels without number shall attend vpon him All nations of the worlde shall drawe vnto him The godlie shall triumph and reioyce in him The generatiō of the wicked shal tremble to see him The godlie shal stand at his right hand the wicked on his left Heauen shal be opened the earth shal bee consumed the sea shal be dried The Sunne the Moone shal be darkened and all the powers
a little before the day of iudgement Our Sauiour Christ saith that before the end of the world Nation shall rise against nation Math. 24. Mark 13. and Realme against Realme and there shall be famines and pestilence and earthquakes in certaine places When Antichrist hath long and quietly helde the possession both of the temporall and spirituall swordes when hee hath manie yeeres taken vpon him the office of Christ to be the King of Kinges and Lord of Lords and to haue the domimon aswel of the soules as of the bodies of men it is great horrible griefe vnto him to loose so high a dominion and to stoope from the office of God which hee taketh vpon him among men to become as an other man therefore he deuiseth by all meanes to punish and disquiet the Saints of God Whom he may bring into his power them he vexeth them he tormenteth them he burneth them hee destroyeth without all pitie or mercie And if they be such as for their authoritie and greatnesse he cannot or by reason of the protection of others he dare not bring vnder his tyrannie he stirreth vp Kings and Princes of his confederacie to make warres vpon them Or if that faile he moueth their owne subiects to rebel and put themselues in armes against them Whereby hee hath at this day set in an vprore the whole Christian world kingdome against kingdome and nation against nation one people against another that he may the easier as hee thinketh defende his proud and insolent gouernment his false and superstitious religion and the seate and dignitie of his Popedome Neither can that place of Scripture of Nation rising against Nation and kingdome against kingdome be more necessarilie vnderstood of anie other warres to be made between Prince Prince than such as Antichrist raiseth vp for religion sake Neither did I euer heare of anie warres before this age of ours between the nations kingdoms of Christendome for Christ his cause that is to say for the true worshipping of him for the preaching of his Gospel for the difference in opinions for the libertie of the conscience and for the triall of the true Church and that so earnestlie and continuallie and without hope of reconciliation till now that Antichrist for the sauing of his dominion hath made all these commotions and troubles in the world which cannot bee decided till Christ in his owne person come to trie his own cause in iudgement But for all other temporall causes the Nations and Princes of Christendome haue one risen against another euer since the time that Christ ascended vp into heauen Wherefore this is the sense meaning of these words of Christ Towards the ende of the worlde when Antichrist is reuealed and that he feareth to forgo his Crowne and dominion hee shall stirre vp the Princes that be his Confederates to warre vpon the Nations and Cities that professe the Gospel that what he is not able to doe of his owne power nor by his false and forged miracles nor by gathering of his general Councels nor by pronouncing of his excommunications and curses nor by the wrong interpretations of the Scriptures nor by the writings and disputations of his schoole Doctors nor by sending abroad of his Seminarie priests and hypocrites that wil he endeuor to do by the help of other princes vnder pretence of doing God good seruice And this notable token foretolde of Christ as touching his second comming we see is alreadie at hand and is like euerie day more and more to bee verified to the great effusion of Christian bloud In like manner as concerning famine pestilences and earthquakes foreshewed by Christ in the second place they are not so fitlie to bee referred to anie of those which houe ben in times past before this man of sinne was reuealed For those haue been heeretofore manie great and horrible yee and at somtimes in some places almost vniuerfall But those which haue happened and shall happen in our time when Antichrist shal be more and more reuealed superstition abandoned the power of the beast decreased the kingdome of Christ reuiued the Gospel freelie published and the second warning of the trumpet sounded those be vndoubted testimonies and tokens that the day of the Lord is at hand Such haue were now had within the compasse of these few yeeres euen manie and great and horrible somtimes in particular Cities and Countries and sometime in whole Prouinces of Christendome What wonderfull famines haue we had in places distressed besieged by the champions of Antichrist both in Fraunce the Low Countries and other Christian Prouinces not sent immediately by the finger of God but constrained for the most part by the crueltie of Antichrist by whose meanes it is to be prooued that beyond the horror of all famines that euer I heard of or read men haue been constrained to pull out the dead carkases buried in graues to make sustenance for their bodies Pestilences also there haue been manie and great besides those former signes and tokens In England in Fraunce in Spaine in Italy welneere in euerie countrie of Christendome We our selues also haue lately heard and felt great and fearefull earthquakes to put vs in minde of the promise of Christ and therefore to assure our selues of his speedie comming vnto iudgement least if we prouide not for the same we be sodeinly taken tardie and for our wickednes be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone that neuer shal be quenched In the third place is shewed what anguish trouble the Saints of God shall endure for Christes sake especially when they haue made it manifest to all the world that the Pope of Rome is that sonne of perdition which exalteth himself aboue God For then doth he seek by all maner of meanes to kil destroy them by imprisonment by torment by fire by sworde by poyson by laying in waite by treason by charging them with heresie by taking away their good name and by causing them to bee hated of all people euermore imagining with himselfe that by these persecutions hee shall so wast and destroy them that at the length the remembrance of them shall be cleerely extinct from the face of the earth Howbeit the more blood he spilleth the more the Church of God increaseth and the longer thinketh to put off the day of iudgement the sooner shall it be hastened for the chosen sake and for the destruction of the wicked worlde and of him in the midst thereof Fourthly when the worlde shall perceiue so great troubles to arise by preaching of the Gospel and that no temporall benefite commeth thereby that it causeth kingdomes to bee at warres one against another that there be as great or greater famines plagues and earthquakes as euer that iniquitie aboundeth more that euer that the loue of men faith towards God is lesse than euer that Gods displeasure is more greeuous than euer Finally that the Pope for all the preaching against
him can no more be remoued out of his seate than euer the vngodly seede of Antichrist are so offended therewith as they betray into wicked hands their owne countrimen their kinred and acquaintance yea they hate their own brethren seek their destruction And this did Christ foreshewe to happen in the ende of the world Fiftly he declared that at the same time manie false Prophetes should arise and deceiue a multitude For when Antichrist perceiued that he might not preuaile by anie of those vile and violent meanes that hee had practized but that his power neuerthelesse decreased and his al hominable superstition and idolatrie was daily more and more disclosed he erected certein Seminarie places for learning with good maintenaunce to the same for all those that would resort vnto them of all nations to the ende they might bee sent home againe after they haue been certeine yeres ripened and rottened in superstitious doctrine that by their fained hypocrisie and by their false fables and prophesies they might reconcile all those that were fled from the Antichristian faith promising them so manie and so great matters as their holy Father by his Commission had giuen them in charge And these ministers of his be they which Paule the Apostle said To haue the forme of godlinesse but denie the power thereof haue by their false prophesies 2. Thess 3. caried away manie poore soules captiue into hell and themselues also are damned for euer without repentaunce And this token of the Lordes comming is nowe likewise fulfilled Againe Christ hath declared that before the iudgment day iniquitie shall abound and the loue of manie shall wexe colde But what kinde of iniquitie do we think shal aboūd before the second coming of Christ Verelie al kinde of sine and wickednesse that euer was in the world since the creation of the same not onely the secrete sinnes that proceede from mans heart whereby the whole man is corrupted but the publike offences and enormities done by man against man against God against the Church against the Common weale and against all iustice godlinesse and Religion And is it anie maruell why all wickednesse shoulde abounde now towards the ende more than euer before why the charitie of man towardes man why the loue of man towardes God why the zeale of man towardes godlinesse should now bee lesse than before though now the word of God be more plentifullie preached that before the sacraments more sincerely ministred than before heresies false worshipping more sōudlie conuinced than before the true Church from the false more euidently discerned than before Antichrist himselfe more plainly detected than before and our saluation now more neere at hand than before No verely For now is the time that Christ prescribed neuer before Now is Sathan our olde enimie loosed now it Antichrist his seruant reuealed For euer since the time that the kingdome of Christ hath been reuiued by preaching of the Gospell the Dragon hauing the time of his thousand yeeres captiuitie welneere expired and perceiuing his dominion to be but short is come foorth to aide and strengthen and heale the wound of the beast against the Saintes of God and against the Lambe Who ioyning their forces together seeke by their craftie and lying hypocrisie not onely to bereaue men of their saluation by deceiuing and bewitching of their soules and by driuing them forwarde to all manner of sinne and wickednesse but also to destroy their bodies and all by bringing in vpon them all manner of cruel Inquisitions warres torments miseries and deathes that man can deuise Wherefore the nature of man being euer more and more corrupted since the fall of Adam therewithall driuen by the violent inticement of sin and perswasion of the diuell it is not possible without the mightie assistance of Gods spirite but that iniquitie should not onely abound but euen nowe be growen to the full And to speake more particularlie of the sinnes against God against man and against our owne selues I say that they doe now by meanes of Antichrist and his adherentes more infinitely abounde than euer Whereby it may euidently appeare that the dissolulution of all thinges is at hande Was not Lucifer an Angell of light and desired in his heart to be but equal with God And is Antichrist any more thā man somewhat lower than the Angels and yet exalteth himselfe aboue God Did Adam breake any more commaundements of God then one when he was ashamed and cast out of Paradice But do not we daylie breake all the commaundements of God and yet are not once ashamed of our nakednesse Was not Cayn counted a reprobat because he was angrie with God and killed his owne brother about the accepting of their sacrifices But are not wee euery day vexed and disquieted against God if but the least attempt that we go about succeed not according to our desire But bee there not also as greeuous and horrible paricides and murders among vs euen for the smallest and least occasions Was it not counted a monstrous and horrible Idolatrie of the Children of Israel when they forgot God that had brought them out of the land of Egipt and worshipped a golden Calfe which they themselues had made because that Moses the seruant of God and their generall Captaine was but fourtie dayes absent from them Agayne is not the Idolatrie in these dayes of them that professe the name of Christ beyond al comparison greater when they forsake him that redeemed them from the power of Sathan and do daylie worship stockes and stones and a peece of vnleauened bread when as Christ himselfe their head and Captaine is continually present with them by his holy Saincts and Godhead vntill the end of the world Was not the infidelitie of the Children of Israell counted exceeding great when as they beleeued not the promises of GOD who had done so great wonders for them both in Egipt and at the red Sea For which cause they themselues were destroyed and their children were made to wander fourtie yeares in the wildernesse for the sinnes of their fathers But is not the infidelitie of the Christians in our time much more horrible when as GOD hath done for them farre greater thinges then euer he did for the Children of Israell euen by sending his owne Sonne for their sakes into the world to deliuer them from the slauerie of Sathan and euerlasting destruction of bodie and soule where he keepeth them as the apple of his eye from being consumed of the nations round about them when hee talketh with them daylie and familiarlie from heauen out of his holie worde when hee feedeth them from aboue with his owne precious bodie when hee indueth them with grace supernaturall by his holie spirite when hee blesseth them with all his benefites both bodily and ghostly and yet are not we more vnfaithfull vnthankfull and vnfruitfull than the Children of Israell They beleeued not because the time of the promises vnto them made
nation to rise against nation for vpholding of his damnable heresie and hee shall cause you to bee hated for my sake but feare not my little ones for when yee shall see all these troubles to happen bee ye sure that my comming and your redemption draweth nigh For my word shall runne out very swiftly and in a short space consume that which he by his hypocrisie and tyrannie had in many yeares contriued He that hath caused al Princes to drinke of the poysoned cuppe of his fornication him will I sodainly destroy with the breath of my mouth Yea and least ye should any longer bee deceiued by his false signes and deceiuable errors my word shall be published in all the world and then is the time of my comming then is the haruest of the earth ripe and then will I thrust in my sickle and reape And this publication of the Gospell ouer all the world is the second sound vnto iudgment For as our Sauiour Christ gaue the first sound when he sent foorth his Apostles and commaunded them to teach all nations Math. 2◠and to baptize them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and to plant Churches in al those places which receiued the word of truth that the fame of Christ and sound of the Gospell went foorth at that time to all lands where any people did inhabite So now all things being fulfilled that the Scriptures had promised should come to passe betweene the first warning and the second The Gospell of our Sauiour is begun agayne to be renewed published ouer al the world and that more freely and without perill then euer before by reason of the godly minds and good indeuors of Christian Magistrates And this I say is the second sound of the Trompet besides which wee are to expect no more till Christ himself enuyrond with thousands of Angels and in the Trompet of God voyce of an Archangell shal descend from heauen and commaund the dead to arise and shall gather his elect from the foure windes and from euery part of heauen and earth and from the deepe places And as this publishing of the Gospell is a most assured token of his comming so by reason of the effects thereof it is more notable then all the rest For it seemeth to bee but simple in shewe but it is wonderfull in operation It is contayned in playne and familiar termes but it searcheth the very roote of the heart It appeareth but foolishnesse to the vngodlie and to them that perish but it confoundeth the wisedome and craftines of this world It is but small and of no reputation amongst men but it driueth proud and mightie tyrants from their feates and exalteth into their places them which submit themselues vnto it It is but weake in sight of the world but it is the power of God vnto saluation in them that beleeue and it cutteth more sharp than a two edged sword ouerthrowing all the imaginations 2. Cor. 10. vers 4.5 6. and euery high thing that is exalted agaynst the knowledge of God bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ and hauing readie vengeance against all disobedience And it is no new Gospell that is now preached but it is the old Gospell newly published It is the same that the Apostles taught planted but the ingratitude of the world left and contemned If any nation at this day haue been kept in blindnes if any haue been held frō the benefite of the Gospell their owne sinnes and abhominations haue been the cause thereof for that they haue wilfully withheld the truth in their own vnrighteousnes and haue despised both God the Father his Sonne haue wrought despite vnto the spirit of grace For the creation both of themselues and of all the visible things of the world might make both God and his eternitie manifest enough vnto thē yet would they not acknowledge him but haue followed their own imaginations haue turned the glory that is due vnto the only wise vncorruptible God either vnto creatures farre inferior to themselues or els they haue worshipped deuils damnable spirits forsaking the true God that made both them al the world Besides this they cannot pleade ignorance For vndoubtedly the sound of his Gospell hath first or last gon into all lands And though perhaps later into one countrie than into another that hath God done in his wonderfull wisedome and prouidence who beholdeth all the nations in the world at one view seeth into all their actions beholdeth all their hearts perceiueth who be inclined vnto any goodnes who haue giuen ouer themselues to a wilfull and reprobate mind And as he beholdeth all men so he calleth all men some at the first houre and some at the last that he may haue mercie on whom it pleaseth him and may shut vp vnder infidelitie those that are hard harted Neuerthelesse if there be any nation that heard not of Christ in the first sound of the Trompet by the Apostles nor in all this time that the preaching of the Gospell hath been discontinued yet now there is not doubt but in this second warning publication of the word of God through the prosperous successes of our blessed Soueraign by the care that she other godly Princes of the reformed Churches haue to aduaunce the kingdome of Christ there shall bee no corner within the whole circumference of the earth but in short space shall not only haue the sound of the Gospell but a perfect publication and spreading of the same with a full knowledge of Christ For the Gospell shall be published ouer all the world and then commeth the end And vndoubtedly if the Gospell had been preached and taught vnto the people of America and the lower India by the Spanyards and Portingalls when they first found out those nations with such plainnes and simplicitie as is done by vs in the reformed Churches without adding of Images or superstitions or vanities no lesse peeuish and vngodly then the abhominations that those Infidels themselues had before vsed the kingdome of Christ had long before this day been receiued and spread ouer all those large and ample Territories Wherefore the more greeuous shall bee their damnation that haue so mocked and deceiued them and the greater is the mercie of God if he impute not their ignorance vnto them Now that wee haue breefly declared all the signes and tokens which the holy Ghost hath promised in the Scriptures to come to passe before the ende of the world wee must also with the like perspicuitie examine whether this be not the time or very neere thervnto that Christ shall come agayne in glorie to iudge both the quick and the dead which is the second part of this discourse For albeit that he hath set downe all these tokens of his comming so exactly and in such order as it is vnpossible but that anie man capable of reason may
of heauen shal bee moued The sonne of God shall sit on his throne the wicked shall receaue the iudgement of death and the faithfull bee carried into the euerlasting Kingdome Wherefore the Lord shall come not tarie He promised signes of his comming those signes he hath sent He promised that he would come immediatelie after those signes wherefore those signes beeing accomplished hee will come and that sodainlie like a mightie tempest For heauen and earth shall faile but one iot of his promise shall not faile Wherefore insomuch as wee see so manie of the promises alreadie fulfilled let vs be patient in the rest and not murmure against him as the Children of Israel did in the wildernesse least a sodaine destruction come vpon vs as it did vpon them and we be cast aliue both bodie and soule into the bottomlesse pit They which beleeue not in the cōming of Christ doe imitate the foolish exāple of Iulius Cesar who being often warned before to take heed to himself least some great treason were wrought against him in the Ides of March made but a mock thereof the same day that hee was slaine saying to some of his familiars which counselled him not to go that day into the Senate house Why saith he they haue tolde mee this good while that I should be in danger when the Ides of March were come they are come and yet I am safe I saith one they are come but they are not yet past And so by his owne follie negligence he was the same day slaine In like manner these that doe but mocke at the Lords comming do see indeed that al the signs which were promised should come to passe are founde to bee true but yet because Christ is not come together with the signes they thinke perhaps that he will not come But ô ye fooles ye see them to be come indeed but ye see them not yet finished neither shall ye see them so soone ended as ye shal see the promise of his comming iustified Some motions yee had perhaps this last yeere to think vpon that day more than ye be accustomed because of the great expectation of the Prophesie of the yere 1588 and for that ye heard by manie probable reasons and coniectures of men drawen from the cōsent and agreement of times from the coniunctions of planets which threaten either finall destruction or wonderfull alteration and from the equalitie of numbers in the yeeres of the worlde 5550 and 5555 which iumpe with the yeres of Christ 1588 and 1593 that either the world should then ende or else verie strange things should then happen Howbeit this yere being past yee seeme now to liue more securelie yee feare God lesse yee care lesse for religion yee delight more in vanities yee sinne more greedelie yee prouoke Gods wrath more greeuouslie yee runne more headlong into damnation and yee sing your olde tune Where is the promise of his comming more reprochfullie than euer yee did before Neuertheles if so manie and so strange things happened that yere as the like did not in so short space in many ages before mē hauing no more knowledge therof thā that which could be gathred by cōiecture of the stars by cōparing time with times what effects do we think shal folow vpō the sure infallible prophesie warranted by the spirit of God himselfe in the canonicall scriptures If the starres that are but creatures can point to the time when God will worke such mighty operations in other of his creatures as against that yere they did whereby the proud lustie mindes of mightie Monarchs are abated wherby puissant and strong armies are dissolued whereby the most inuincible nauies and strong castles of the sea be destroyed whereby the leagues cōspiracies of princes shal be made frustrate wherby they that haue plaid so manie horrible tragedies in the Church and haue caused the bloud of so manie hūdred thousands to be spilled shal the same yeere finish their daies some by bloud some by death Nay if the pore herrings of the sea haue this yere brought vs letters of warning from God written vpon the skins of their little bodies that Christ cōmeth that quickly what think we shal the performāce of gods eternal promise or the least word that proceedeth out of his mouth bring to passe against al the tyrants and blood suckers of this worlde against all the enemies of his Church and religion against all them that make but a mocke at the glorious comming of Christ against all the strong and mightie Cities of the earth yea and against the consummation of the whole globe of the world But ye my masters that giue so great credit to the reuolutions of the heauens and to the threatning of the starres planets look wel to your selues from henceforth for besides that the Lord hath promised very shortly to com himselfe and call you to a reckoning hee hath put also into his creatures new accidents the effects whereof shall continue not one but one and twentie yeeres at the least if the Lorde come not before and those greater than haue euer bin since the world was made the straungenes whereof shall amase you and the effects thereof shall trouble you when ye shall see the Sunne and Moone so often and in so short time eclipsed when you shall see the brightnes of heauen at noone time darkened when God shall powre out his wrath aboundantly by plagues and famines by winds and tempestes by fearefull ouerflowings of waters and by the ruine and destruction of some Prouinces when ye shall perceiue the strength of all creatures diminished when the earth will not bring foorth her benefites when by this time all truth and righteousnes will be vanished all loue and societie among men will bee dissolued when all men will altogether loue themselues and no man will any whit loue another when naturall affection of men towards their owne will bee prostrate when all obedience to God and to Magistrates to parents and maisters to Kingdomes and Common weales will be abolished whē nothing will bee done for duetie and conscience but all for feare and necessitie when all truth all charitie and all goodnes will be abandoned and when there shall be nothing but pride enuie dissimulation oppression lust and couetousnes in all the whole earth when the earth it selfe will craue at the hands of GOD Come Lord Iesus come quicklie and deliuer me from this intolerable burden which the foundation that I am builded vpon namely thy heauenly word is not able anie longer to beare Wherefore If Christ haue discouered vnto vs vpon whom the latter endes of the world are come all the signes and tokens which he promised of his comming If he haue sent Preachers into the world to proclaime the Gospell of his kingdome If he haue reuiued as it were his owne name againe that laie hidden in Images and dumme Idolls If he haue resumed vnto himselfe his owne authoritie
that was attributed vnto men and Saincts departed out of this life If he haue reuealed that man of sinne that taketh the whole office of Christ vpon him If he haue sent all the plagues and famines and earthquakes that his wisedome and counsell deuised best for the fatherly correction of his people before the iudgement If nations and kingdomes which are either enemies to his Gospell or straungers from his Church haue banded themselues against the Lord and against the generation of the godlie If the father haue been against the sonne and the mother against the daughter and brother against brother for the name of Christ If many false Prophets haue come in the name of Christ taught the people shameful forgeries when the Lord neuer sent them If men betray one another and hate and persecute one another for their conscience sake If iniquitie be so filled vp with the measure of it selfe as it can hardly bee any more augmented Finally if the preaching of the Gospell be at this day carried from one kingdome to another welneere vnto the ende of the world and all these things to be the tokens of Christes comming And if so manie straunge thinges haue happened besides in these our daies that haue not done the like in manie ages before and all these in the Church and concerning the Church and most agreeable to the time of Christes owne prophesie Then is the second warning of the Trompet sounded vnto iudgement It is high time therefore to awake out of sleepe and to slumber no more in the cogitations of vngodlinesse It is time that wee should cast off the cares of this life and make our selues readie for the daie of the Lord It is time yea more then time that wee should cast away the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light It is time that wee should laie awaie all filthinesse and sinne for now is our saluation neerer then when wee first beleeued The axe is now put to the roote of the tree that euen now wee must either bring foorth fruite or els bee cut downe and cast into the fire Behold now is the acceptable time now is the daie of saluation now will the Lorde shewe himselfe a mightie GOD and his name shall be magnified in all the world He came at the first and wee knewe him not beholde he commeth againe and all men shall knowe him he came before simplie to take our nature vpon him and to dye for our sinnes but he cōmeth againe as a conquerour to be reuenged of his enemies and as a bountifull Prince to reward his Subiects He came into the world which he himselfe had made but the world would not receiue him because it was not worthv of him Wherfore hauing wrought the work of our redemption he ascēded vp vnto his Father where by his holie spirit he hath gouerned kept and preserued his Church one thousand and well neere sixe hundred yeares and now he commeth in his own person to call all men to an accompt and to cite all men to his Iudgement and those that haue vsed their talents well in this life shall be sure of an eternall reward in his kingdome Math. 25. but if they haue been negligent and vnprofitable seruants and without care of the Lords comming he will cast them into the vttermost darknes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth There shall be no Lord no King no Emperour nor Pope vpon the earth that shall bee exempt from this Iudgement Can any Prince or Magistrate of the world compare himselfe in brightnes and glorie vnto Lucifer that glorious Angell yet he might not escape the iudgement of GOD but the higher he was in glorie the greater was the shame of his fall Remember therefore O ye Christian Princes and Magistrates and ye that haue charge and rule of Gods people whom God hath made his Liutenants generall within your owne dominions remember that the Lord is comming and will call you to an accompt before the throne of his Iudgement The greater your Kingdomes and Territories be the greater is the reckoning that he requireth of you and the more absolute you bee in commaunding all the more are you bound to giue an accompt for Ye are the Caesars to whom Paule appealed from you lieth no appeale to anie superior in this life As the Lord hath deliuered vnto your custodie the greatest number of Talents so he looketh to reape at your hands the greatest gaines It pitieth me to temember the woful and greeuous state of all mortall men in this miserable life the desperate and dangerous case wherein they liue the often and imminent perills that they fall into the manifold temptations vexations and disquietnes of mind that they are brought into the continuall inticements of the flesh and the diuell that they enter into besides the rash and furious and vngodlie actions that they desperatelie runne into That when they shall shortlie stand before the Tribunall seate and their owne conscience iustlie accusing them thereof there shal be no wisedome no policie no counsell no eloquence of the tongue that can excuse or satisfie the least offence of this life This is the generall state of all mankinde But alas for griefe that Princes should both nowe and then also before the Iudgement seate be in more wofull case than all other persons and subiects of this mortall life That they should bee in greater daunger than all men liuing that they shoulde bee subiect to more miscarying and mishaps than all men liuing that they shoulde haue more vexations disquietnesse and cares of minde than all men liuing that temptations of the flesh that prouocations vnto lust and desire of pleasures shoulde take more holde of them than of all men liuing and that the way vnto all vngodlie actions should be more open vnto them than to all men liuing And of all these thinges must they shortlie yeelde an account together with all men liuing And yet beholde when the Awdit is ended for this a Quietus est for all matters concerning themselues there is a new inditement framed against them wherein they must bee called to an other reckoning Then shall the Register of all their gouernement bee read before them then will it be seene whether they haue ministred Iustice vnto their people That is to say Whether they haue hearde the fatherlesse and oppressed when they haue cried vnto them Whether they haue taken notice of such appeales as haue ben made vnto them Whether they haue punished vngodlie and corrupt Iudges which solde their subiectes for siluer and the righteous for a poore rewarde Whether they haue spared the innocent bloud and not pardoned them that runne on still in wickednesse Whether in all their publique enterprises they haue respected the glorie of GOD more than their owne commodities Whether they haue nursed protected and defended the Churche of GOD to the vttermost of their power Whether they haue preserued it from all heresies errours
vaine worde that they haue spent all the time of their life and so to receaue iudgement for the same Thus are all mortall men and women cyted to appeare before the Iudgement seate of God to aunswere for themselues There shall then be no excepting of persons before him but Emperors Kings and Princes their subiects seruaunts and vassals all both Magistrates and people the highest Prelates and poorest Ministers Lords and tenants masters and seruants parents and children olde and young one with another shall all stand before the face of the Lorde to receiue their iudgement and either for their vngodlinesse to be accused and condemned or else hauing walked with a perfect heart before him they shal bee iustified and saued by the death and redemption of Christ Wherefore seing al these things shall thus happen that shortly how sodainly we know not and seing the day of the Lord wil steale vpō vs like a theefe in the night 2. Pet 3. when the hauens shall passe away and the earth and al the workes therein shal be vtterly burned with fire seeing we shall immediately be caried away vnto iudgement and seeing the Lord is not slacke but will speedelie come as he hath promised what manner of persons ought we to be in holinesse and godly conuersation How ought we to purge our liues from the dead and damnable workes of this world to serue the true and liuing God Howe well furnished ought we to be at all houres with all the armour of God that nothing but truth may proceede out of our mouths That all our actions bee defended by iustice and vpright dealing That wee may treade all our steppes in the Gospell of peace That we may haue a strong faith to withstand the deuill and all the temptations of this life That wee relie whollie vppon the saluation of Christ and that the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs wherewith we being indued we shall be readie at euery instant to meete the Lord when he commeth in the clowdes with power and great glorie But what shall the Lord say to them that bee so carelesse and negligent as they will not watch one small time in praier and meditation for his comming Shall they not in that great day be accused of the greatest vnfaithfulnes in the world Yea shall they not bee condemned of foule and beastlie ingratitude when for the pure loue that he beareth to vs he hath so sensiblie before hand shewed vs of all these things that haue happened and hath willed vs to watch and bee readie with our Lampes burning because the Sonne of man will come at such an houre as we knowe not O vngratefull and faithlesse generation maie he saie it repenteth me that I haue been so kinde and louing to you and that I haue bestowed vpon you so large and ample benefites when ye were dead in the burthen of your sinnes and were in thraldome of the deuill and of all your mortall enernies and had no other waie to be relieued but by me I humbled my selfe from the throne of my Maiestie and tooke your nature vpon me I came not as I might haue done like a great Prince and Monarch of this world but was content to abase my selfe to be borne of a poore woman to bee brought vp like a poore childe to walke in the forme of a poore seruant and to liue poorely from the daie of my birth to the daie of my death I indured nakednesse and cold and hunger for your sakes yea thirtie yeares together and vpward did I abide all the calamities of this life for your sakes I submitted my selfe to the lawe of man and obserued euerie iot and title of the same for your sakes I fasted fourtie daies and fourtie nights for your sakes I wrought great miracles and wonders in the world for your sakes And when the time of my passion was come I sweate water and bloud for your sakes I was scourged buffetted and beaten for your sakes I abode a crowne of sharpe thornes vpon my head for your sakes I indured spitting railing and despightfull words against my selfe for your sakes And in the ende I suffered amost shamefull and cruell death vppon the Crosse for your sakes For you and your saluation haue I done all this and yet ye will not beleeue the signes that I haue shewed nor prepare your selues to watch for my comming Therefore I will come so sodainlie vppon you as it shall be too late for you to repent and whome I finde not watching and prepared for me him will I cast into the vttermost darkenes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore my deare brethren in Christ when we haue diligentlie weighed and considered these things how iustlie how innocentlie and how purelie ought wee to shewe our selues in all the whole course of our liues looking daylie and hourelie for the appearing of our Sauiour that we maie be blamelesse in the daie of his cōming It is for our learning edifying that al the holie Scriptures are written that all the teaching instructiōs warnings therin are giuē that all the miracles of God from the beginning haue been shewed that all the examples of our forefathers haue been published that God from the beginning was so mindfull of our redemption that he sent his owne Sonne for our saluation It is we that he hath been so carefull to preserue so many ages together in the middest of so many crooked and peruerse nations from the hands of so many cruell bloudie tyrants Who were preserued in the Arke from the first destruction of the world by waters but we Who were saued from death in the great famine of Egipt and countries adioyning but we Who were deliuered from Pharao from the inhabitants of Chanaan and from manie other nations with a mightie and stretched out arme but we Who were preserued in the great and horrible persecutions of the Primitiue Church from being vtterly consumed of tyrants but we Who were safelie kept by God as the apple of his owne eye in so great and generall Apostacie of the Church but we Who were againe deliuered by God from the power of Antichrist and were indued with the knowledge of his truth but we Nay who haue receiued so many tokens of the end of the world warnings of Christes comming as we For the heathen haue no knowledge of his lawes And they that bee straungers from Christ feare not his iudgements And all they which sinned without law shall perish without law Againe if iudgement begin first with the house of God what shall become of them that beleeue not the Gospell Why do not wee then with all faithfulnesse and willng heart receiue all these Oracles sent vs by God Why doe wee not thankfully accept his benefites Why do we not beleeue his promises Why do wee not prepare our selues for his iudgements Why doe we not weepe and bewaile and lament for our sinnes Why are we so stonie and
hard hearted that there is No example of temporall punishments in other no feele of Gods wrath in our selues no threatning of Gods vengance to come no remembrance of punishments past no remorse of conscience for our sinnes no promise of temporall blessings no assurance of eternall rewards neither signes in heauen aboue nor tokens in the earth beneath nor the hope of euerlasting saluatiō nor feare of perpetuall damnation that can once effectually moue vs to amend our liues and make vs to forsake the sinne that reigneth in our mortall bodies although we know die kingdome of heauen to be neuer so neere nay euen at the very doore Wherefore I feare me it will be pronounced against vs that was sometime against the vnbeleeuing cities of Iuda Woe be vnto you Christians and especiallie you that haue takē vpon you to reforme my Church and to haue my Gospell preached among you woe I say bee vnto you For if the signes and myracles that haue bin in your time and among you had bin done among the Turkes and Infidels yea among the most sauadge Indians of the world they would long since haue repented insackecloth and ashes O that wee would open the fountaines of our heart and powre in contrition into our soule O that wee had a floud of teares to bewaile the multitude of our sinnes O that we would haue but some parte of that affection towards our selues that the creatures of God haue towards vs For they mourne and lament for our sins they long for our deliuerance because of our sinnes The earth trembleth quaketh because of our sinns The Sonne and the Moone want of their light and beautie for our sinnes The Heauens powre downe floudes of destruction for our sinnes The plants and hearbes lacke their vertue and operation for our sinnes The windes goe foorth of their places the seasons of the yere keepe not their wonted course for our sinnes yea the natures of all creatures are in a manner changed for our sinnes But what shall I saye more The Angels of God doe mourne for our sins The verie soules of the righteous doe lament for our sinnes And it greeueth the spirite of God himselfe that we persist in our sinnes But all this mooueth not our senses nor yet melteth our owne heartes for our sinnes All that we speake all that we write all the labor we take is in vaine For our heart is as hard as the Adamant and our soule refuseth counsell Euerie man speaketh of the mercies of GOD Euerie man acknowledgeth his benefits Euerie man hath the word of God in his lippes Euerie man crieth Lorde Lord but no man dooth the will of his heauenlie Father Euerie man confesseth the tokens of Christ to bee come but no man prepareth him selfe his comming No man maketh attonement with his brother no man sheweth the fruites of faith no man forsaketh his wicked life no man keepeth his vessell pure and holie to the Lorde Euerie man blameth euerie man reprooueth euerie man condemneth shamefull actes in others but no man amendeth anie one sinne in himselfe O gracious GOD why shoulde thy people thus forget thee why shoulde they bee thus stiff-necked against thee why shoulde they so deepelie dissembled with thee why shoulde they make as though they beleeued thy worde when they bee so farre from reforming of their liues why should they be so rauished with earthlie delightes that perish in a moment and contemne the hauenlie ioyes which continue for euer why shoulde they bee thus distraught from the sense and feele of hapinesse to followe the delightes and pleasures of their owne fancies Shal the care of transitorie riches of this world drowne the desire of glorie in the worlde to come Shall the vglie and deceaueable lustes of sinne that breede long and bitter repentaunce preuaile aboue the beautifull contemplation of thine eternall Godhead Shall this vale of miserie wherein wee see nothing but sinne and wickednesse nothing but care and vexation of minde nothing but perilles by lande and sea at home and abroade in bedde and at boord in freedome and in bondage in pouertie in welth in honour and disgrace at all times and in all places both in life and in death bee more deepelie printed in our heart than the Kingdome of Christ wherein the bodie shall bee chaunged from corruption to immortalitie from dishonour to glorie from weakenesse to strength from a naturall bodie to a spirituall bodie wherein all paines and sorrowes shall bee vtlie vanished and all quietnesse and tranquilitie of conscience shall dwell for euermore Nay shall the affection which wee beare to father or mother or brother or sister or wife or children or landes or goods or to haue die whole earth at our becke and commaundement once seperate vs from the loue that is in Christ Iesus from the companie that wee shall haue with his holie Angells from the fellowship of all the godlie and elect people and from the continuall fruition of Gods diuine presence and Maiestie GOD forbid What is the cause then that wee so greedelie imbrace and laye holde vpon these transitorie thinges Nothing verelie but the corruption of our owne nature the following of our owne sensuall pleasures and the instigation of the diuell who laboureth now towardes the ende of the worlde more stronglie than euer to drawe all the soules that he can into damnation with himselfe of whom we to our great shame stande in seare as though Christ our Conqueror had neuer redeemed vs as though he that had once saued vs could no more defende vs. But alas why shoulde wee not continuallie and vnfainedlie praye vnto God to assist vs and with the strength of his holie spirite to defende vs from all our wicked enemies that in him by him we may haue grace to vanquish and ouercome whensoeuer we are pressed or disquieted either in bodie or minde But as concerning sinne albeit wee for our owne parts haue made such a couenant with death as whatsoeuer be said vnto vs we will not amend haue entered into such a league with hell that we will not be saued albeit we haue refused the mercie of God that calleth all men to repentance and would all men to be saued yet after we haue once receaued the knowledge of the truth and haue been baptized in the name of Christ and haue promised to liue in his true faith and feare let vs neuer so treade vnder foote the Sonne of God nor worke such despite vnto the spirit of grace that through our vngodlie and sinfull life we shoulde make the Gentiles to hate the name of Christ for our sakes and by this meanes to keepe both out selues and others too out of the kingdome of Christ Which otherwise if they saw our iust and sincere conueration answerable to the forme of our profession they would ioyne them selues vnto the bodie of Christ so magnifie his name ouer all the world Shall not the zeale of our forefathers who in