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
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
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
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
comparison of vs that haue the light of the Gospell liued but in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death be a notable testimony against vs in the day of iudgemēt since they feared god more reuerētly serued him more willingly obeyed him more dutifully and loued him more feruently thē we Since they had more compasston vpon their pore brethren more deuotion vnto al good workes and more regard to their owne saluation then we Since they had lesse dissimulation lesse craft lesse hypocrisie lesse malice lesse couetousnesse less wickedness in their life then we Compare the great zeale of our predecessors with the colde deuotion that wee haue in these daies and we shall be ashamed of our selues The good deedes which were done by them were done simplie either for the loue they bare to God or as they tooke it for the honor of his seruice and religion or of a compassion to their poore brethren or for the safetie of their owne soules or of a zeale they bare to their parents departed or for a benefite to the Common wealth or to ease the burthen of their successors or for the furtherance of Schooles and learning or for some such other either good or wel-meaning intent But on the other side what little good soeuer we doe we doe it neither of a lone towards GOD nor of a charitable minde towards our neighbour nor of any remorse of conscience in our selues nor yet of any affection towards our natiue countrie but all that the most of vs do we do it either for vaine glorie or for pleasing of other mens humours or to bee seene and praised of men or to auoyd the clamor of the world or by compulsion and commandement or for feare of shame and punishment or by importunate sute that is made or because wee knowe not els what to do with that we haue Wherefore the former with their blind zeale and supposed good intent shall rise vp in the daie of iudgement and condemne vs for the fruitlesse ostentation and boasting of our faith If the men of Niniuie which repented at the preaching of Ionas and the Queene of the South that came so farre to heare the wisedome of Salomon shall rise in iudgement against the Iewes that would not beleeue and amend for all that could bee said vnto them by Christ and the Prophets What shall so manie Prophets and Preachers of God do against vs in that day who daily hourelie and continuallie rebuke vs for our sinnes and stirre vs vp by all meanes to amendment of our liues shewing vs that the daie of the Lord is at hand O Iesus why should we now be further from the obeying of thee than when wee were further from thee Shall the brightnes of thy presence and the light of thy blessed word which lighteneth euerie man that commeth into the world and whose propertie is to giue light and saluation to all them that will receiue the same shall it shine I saie vppon such stonie and grauelie hearts as haue no power to bring forth true repentance nor any fruites of a godlie life And shall the Deuill so preuaile against them for whom thou hast shed thy most precious bloud that sodainlie vppon the reuealing of Antichrist and sending of new Ambassadours from thee to put thinges in order against thy comming he shall turne the hearts of all men from all goodnesse and vertue to vice and crueltie alter the natures of things from better to worse bring in Schisme Atheisme Treason and all vngodlines into the worlde and make iniquitie flowe beyond measure ouer all the bankes of the earth Howbeit Lorde if this bee thy will and that by no other meanes thy holie word should bee verified namelie that wickednesse should so mightilie abound before thy comming If thy promise should on this wise bee fulfilled If thy chosen must on this manner bee tried and that this should bee one of the last tokens of thy comming wee accept all these things as Oracles sent before and wee assuredlie looke for thine owne selfe in person to followe Wherefore ye my brethren of the Church of England for whose cause specially I haue written this second warning or sound of the last Trompet beare in minde all these thinges that I haue declared vnto you Examine your owne consciences whether ye haue not tasted of the blessings of GOD in measure more aboundantlie in fauour more apparantlie in mercie more infinitlie and in signes and tokens more wonderfullie than anie nation in the world Againe consider with your selues how all these graces and mercies haue been requited of you Whether there bee anie nation of the worlde more vnthankfull for Gods benefites more forgetfull of his promises more disobedient to his commaundements more negligent in their callings more factious in practises more contentious in Religion more inclined to Treason more vncharitable in action more colde in deuotion more rash in enterprises more restlesse in vanities more greedie in getting more carelesse in spending more slowe to vertue and more forward to vice And finally more desperate to all kinde of mischiefe then commonly the people of this kingdome are Wherefore if the mercies of God did not daylie salue the deadly wounds and diseases of our soule wee should long before this time haue come to a feareful and horrible end But that the Lord doth yet spare you impute it not to your owne desert but to his great mercy That ye perish consume not in his wrath it is of his mercie That ye liue vnplagued of your enemies is of his mercie That ye loose not his Gospell and true Religion is of his mercie That we see our Elizabeth reigne in holinesse health and prosperitie is long of his mercie And yet for all this do we reiect his goodnesse discredite his promises dishonor his seruices disallowe his tokens continue in sinnes deuide the Church with Schismes and slaunder the trueth of the Gospell by our vngodlines yet for all this do ye crye Peace Peace and think that all shall go aswell with you at the last as it did at the first And consider not the mercifull patience and long suffring of the Lord how he calleth you to repentance For ye shall al dye with euerlasting destruction vnlesse ye speedily shewe foorth the fruites of repentance And the patient forbearing of temporall punishment of your bodies in this life doth breede the greater weight of perpetuall shame and damnation both of bodie and soule in the life to come Farre more easie should it bee for vs if our sinnes had not deserued greater punishement that it would please the Lord fatherlie to correct vs while wee are heere either with publicke warres plagues and famines or else with priuate sicknesse penurie imprisonment and with losse of goods and possessions if he would feede vs with the bread of teares and with the water of affliction if he would exercise vs with all kinde of miserie and so purge and trie vs as it were by fire yea