in sense Heare the ende of all feare God and keepe his commaundements which is the whole dutie of man for God will bring euerie worke vnto iudgement with euery secreate thing whether it be good or bad that is to the ende the good and godly may bee approued and rewarded the wicked and vngodly reproued and condemned Saint Paule the great Doctor of vs Gentiles 2. Cor. 5.10 vseth almost the same wordes saying None shall escape Gods iudgement We must all appeare before the tribunall or iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receyue the things that are done in this life whether it be good or euill And in an other place reprouing the hastie and rash iudgement of some hee saith Rom. 14.10 Why dost thou iudge thy brother Meaning rashly or before the time or why dost thou despise thy brother Meaning in doing thinges that are indifferent presently he addeth Wee shall all appeare shortly before the iudgement seat of Christ where euerie one shall receiue a righteous iudge-ment And he also confirmeth his testimony out of the prophesie of Esay where it is written Esay 45.23 I liue saith the Lord and euery knee shall bow to me Meaning when hee commeth vnto iudgement for nowe many knees bow vnto Baal and many other Idols and all tongues euen the wicked shall confesse that is shall acknowledge Gods righteous iudgements And then the Apostle concludeth that euery one of vs shal giue accouÌ„t of himself to God And seeing the Apostle doth alledge this former testimonie of the Prophet Esay to proue the iudgement to come we may here adde another proofe out of the same Prophet where it is sayd Esay 6 Behold the Lord will come with fire and with Chariots like a whirlewinde that he may recompence his anger with wrath and his indignation with flames of fire Hereunto agreeth that euident place of Saint Peter where purposely hee speaketh entreateth at large of this generall iudgemeÌ„t saying The day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the night 2. Pet. in the which day the heauens shall passe away with a noyse the element shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp And a little before the same Apostle saith The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished The Prophet Ioel also speaketh of this great and fearefull iudgement 〈…〉 31. when hee saith The Sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come The Prophet Malachy likewise as al the rest of the Prophets doe 〈…〉 4.1 which would be tedious to reherse speaketh of this great and feareful day of the Lord. Behold saith he the day commeth that shall burne like an Ouen and all the proude and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and that day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of hostes And the Prophet Dauid euerie where maketh mention of this iudgement 〈…〉 1. The God of Gods euen the Lord hath spoken Then he sayth Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuoure before him and a mightie tempest shall bee moued round about him he shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people Againe Say among the Nations the Lord raigneth he shall iudge the people in righteousnes Let the heauens reioyce and let the earth be glad before the Lord for hee commeth to iudge the earth he will iudge the world with righteousnes and the people with his truth And not onely haue the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles remembred vnto vs this great and dreadfull day of iudgement but euen Christ Iesus the iudge himself hath beene most carefull to forewarne vs of this day knowing how carelesse and retchlesse the world would bee in this last and doting age of the worlde insomuch that when the Sunne of man commeth he shal scarce find faith on the earth iniquitie shal be encreased and the loue that should bee betweene man and man waxing cold In the foure twentieth and fiue and twentieth of Mathew Math. 2â— 25. in the thirteenth of Marke in the seuenteenth and one and twentieth of Luke and in diuers other places in the Gospel doe the euangelists record vnto vs the speeches and admonitions which our sauiour vseth touching his second comming vnto iudgement vnto which places for breuities sake I referre the Readers for this time the rather for that I shall haue occasion hereafter to note the chiefest of them when I shal speake of the maner of this iudgement and of the preparation which the faithfull ought to make against that day These few testimonies alreadie alledged are abundant proose vnto the faythfull and godly And therefore I may here say vnto any one that shal read this chapter 〈…〉 restâ—â—◠〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 as a good writer saith speaking of the beginning of the worlde and the creation thereof Si credis satis tibi dictum est si non credis nihil tibi satis faciet If thou be a faithfull beleeuer there is inough spoken to satisfie thee if thou be an Infidel or an Atheist nothing will satisfie or content thee yet that the vngodliest Athiest may bee the more inexcusable if hee shall happen to reade this Booke it shall not grieue mee to adde some oher authorities and reasons fitting this mater we haue in hand not that any thing that can bee spoken can adde any weight to the proofes alreadie alledged out of the Scriptures but only to fight with the wicked â—â—â—ing â—dde â—oâ—itie 〈◊〉 scripâ—â—â—â— and to wound them as it were with their owne weapons who euery where builde vp their fortresses of reason and dispise or neglect he word of God which is able to throw down the strongest holdes and ought to bring into captiuitie all the thoughts and imaginations of man Wherefore if the wandring thoughts of the wicked Athiests wil not yeeld conâ—â—nt vnto this truth what reason haue â—â—â—y to gain-say it Surely none other but bare denials and because they woulde willingly not haue any iudgmeÌ„t though their consciences summon theÌ„ to iudgement euery day therefore they willingly cheerish and maintain this opinion that there shall be none at all And why maruell we at this seeing they sticke not to denie that there is a God that the soule is immortall that there shal be any resurrection from the dead and therefore no iudgement to bee looked for that the world had any beginning and therefore shal neuer haue ending This proceedeth wel inough for indeed to denie one One absuâ—ditie draâ—â— on anotâ—â—â— is to denie all as to grant one is to graunt all graunt the first that their is no God and all the rest follow of necessitie And why I beseech you doe they not aswell denie that there is a sunne in the
King of glory Secondly he saith that he shall sit vpon the throne or seate of his glory alluding vnto the magnificence of Kings and Iudges who haue their feates and thrones of iudgement erected and set vpon high that they may be seene and heard of many people Therefore Christ Iesus who is Rex Regum Iudicum Iudex King of Kings and Iudge of Iudges his throne shall be aboue in the cloudes where euery eye shal see him both in heauen earth and hell So saith Saint Iohn Reu. 1 7. Behold he commeth with clouds and euery eye shall see him So our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs in the 21. of Luke saying When the powers of heauen shall be shaken then shal ye see the sonne of man come in the cloudes with power and great glory The like answere our Sauiour maketh vnto the high Priest who asked him whether he were Christ the sonne of God thou sayest it saith our Sauiour vnto him and hereafter shall finde it to be true Math. 26.64 when ye shall see the Sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and come in the cloudes of the heauen This glorious comming of Christ vnto Iudgement was not obscurely reuealed vnto the Prophet Daniel as hee himselfe testifieth in the seuenth of his Prophesie saying Dan. 7.10 I beheld till the Thrones were set vp and the auncient of dayes did sit whose garment was white as Snow and the haire of his head like pure Wooll his Throne was like the firie flame and his wheeles as burning fire A firie streame issued and came foorth before him thousand thousandes meaning of Angels ministred vnto him and ten thousand a Definit for an Infinit number thousands stood before him the Iudgement was set and the Bookes opened The third circumstance that our Sauiour noteth is That all Nations shall be gathered before him This circumstance serueth also very greatly to set forth the might maiestie and glory of the Iudge in that he will haue the people of all Nations to come before him Kings and Keyfers high and lowe rich and poore men women and children none shall be priuileged all must appeare So saith the Apostle We must all appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ All people that then are liuing vpon the earth as also all those which haue dyed since the beginning of the world howsoeuer they haue died or wheresoeuer they haue been buried as well they that haue beene eaten vp of beasts and burned vnto Ashes as they that haue been drowned in the Sea and eaten vp with fishes all without exception shall heare this voyce Surgite mortui arise ye dead and come to iudgement This thing is reuealed vnto Saint Iohn as he testifieth in the Reuelation 〈◊〉 12. saying I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke wasopened which is the booke of life and the dead were Iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes And the Sea gaue vp the dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were Iudged euery man according to their workes O God of glory what a great and glorious Sessions must this be where all people shall be summoned and constrayned to appeare yea the Diuels themselues saith Iude Are kept in chaines vnder darkenesse vnto this day O how great must the glory be of such a Iudge that shall so come vnto Iudgement attended on with so glorious a troupe of Angels who connot be rauished with the consideration of so glorious aspect and most admirable sight namely to see the Sonne of man to appeare in the cloudes in the glory of God his father all the holy Angels seruing and attending on him and all nations and people of the world brought before him Truely if it be a goodly sight to see the sunne rise in the morning in his brightnesse Prepared as a Giant to runne his course If it be not a little glorious to behold the Moone and glistring Starres in the euening which sight no doubt doth cause the godly oftentimes to giue glory vnto God according as Dauid saith Psal 19 The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke How farre more glorious must it be to see the Sonne of God to appeare in the brightnesse of his glory with the brightnesse thereof the sunne in the firmament must needes be darkned To see so many or more glorious Angels then there be Starres in the heauens euerie Angell shining brighter then the Sunne in his strength together with as many Saints as haue beene faithfull soules in in this life with glorified bodies shining as the starres according to that saying of Daniell They that be wise that is all the faithfull who are compared vnto the wise Virgins shall then shine as the brightnesse of the firmament 〈◊〉 12.3 and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer And so much touching the glorious comming of Christ vnto Iudgement noted by Christ himselfe in these wordes When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit vpon the Throne of his glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him there to receaue Iudgement accordingly Of the order and maner of which Iudgement we are now to intreat in the Chapter following The seuenth Chapter THis point touching the whole order of Christ his comming vnto Iudgement is very copiously layed open vnto vs in the scripture specially our Sauiour himselfe doth reueale the same at sundry times in the Gospell we will begin with that description that Christ maketh in the fiue and twenteth of Mathew Math. 25.32 who presently after he hath shewed the glory of his comming proceedeth without any stop to the order and maner of his Iudgement for hauing sayed That all Nations shall be gathered before him He sheweth what course or order he will obserue in their iudgement Namely how he will first of all begin with diuision God doth all things in measure waight and number God is a God of order and not of confusion when all are gathered before him he will separate one from the other This is the last worke that God will doe in this world And it is worth the noting how God maketh his works to agree together The beginning and the ending first in the beginning God made all things by his sonne in the ending he will iudge all things by his son for who can better iudge of all then he that made all In the beginning hee made light to shine out of darknes as the Apostle witnesseth in the end he will turne light into darknesse The Sunne shall be darke and the Moone shall not giue her light In the beginning he seperated light from darkenesse In the ende he will also seperate the children of light from the
things but because the holy Angels are immortall the damned spirits are immortall the soules of men are immortall and the bodies of all men shall then be made immortall according to their first Creation for man made himselfe mortall by sinne and corruption therefore to all these shall be no end but the ending of mans body in this world shall be an endlesse being to theÌ„ in the world to come either to ioy or paine Now as saint Peter hath told vs that there shall be an ende of this world so likewise he telleth vs in the 3. Chapter of his second Epistle how the end shal be how all things shal be destroyed with fire First he saith the world perished being ouerflowen of water 2. â—es 3. But the heauens and the earth which are now are kept in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men By and by he addeth that when this day of Iudgement shall come the Heauens that are ouer vs shall passe away with â—noyce and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with all the works that are therein shall be burnt vp And not contented with once affirming this but repeates the same againe that we should neuer forget it in the ende of his admonition saying Seeing therefore that all these things that is all worldly and earthly things must be dissolued what manner persons ought yee to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse Looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God by the which the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the Elements shall melt with feruent heate So in fine we see none of these things which now we see with our mortall eyes shall remaine permanent durable but all must bee consumed and dissolued with fire which may teach vs not to put confidence in any thing in this world Notwithstanding saith the same Apostle We looke for a new heauen Esay 65.17 and a newe earth according to Gods promise made vnto vs by the Prophet Esay wherein dwelleth righteousnesse But of his wonderfull and heauenly renewing as it is not reuealed vnto vs in the Scripture particularly so it should bee from my purpose to make any search thereof curiously seeing my text onely leadeth we to speake of the destruction and not of the restoring of all things Onely let the godly content themselues with that discourse which the Apostle Saint Paule maketh in the eight to the Romanes Rom 8.19.20 where he exhorteth the faith full ioyfully to indure all the afflictions of this life which are nothing in value comparable to the glory which at that day shall be reuealed vnto them For saith he The feruent desire of the Creature waiteth when the sonne of God shal be reuealed Because the Creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope Because the Creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of ohe sonnes of God for we knowe that euery Creature groneth also and trauelleth in paine together vnto this present and not onely the creature but we also which haue the first fruites of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body Thus hauing hitherto briefely noted how Christ shall come at the last day in glory attended on with all his holy Angels how he shall sit vpon the seate of his glory how all Nations shall be gathered before him by the voice of a Trumper sounded by an Arkangell how the Angels shal separate the good from the bad placing the godly on his right hand and the wicked on his left hand Let vs last of all consider of that great doome and irreuocable sentence which the Iudge of heauen earth shal then pronounce from whom by no meanes they may appeale The sentence that shall bee giuen at that day is very short it is but two words in our tongue Come yee Goe yee in the Latine both words are included in one Venite there is Venite come yee and in the end of Venite is Ite Goe yee The Lord will make a short accompt vpon the earth saith the Apostle in righteousnesse But I know it wil be said that Christ doth vse more words and a very long discourse in that 25. of Mathew then Venite Ite It is true he doth so but I am of opinion that he doth vse them rather to instruct vs while we be liuing and before we come vnto Iudgement then to teach vs that we shall haue so long a speech with him at that time of Iudgement Notwithstanding seeing Christ for our sakes hath vouch safed to remember the same vnto vs. Let vs for Christ his sake consider of them as that they may neuer be forgotten of vs when our Sauiour in that place hath tolde that the son of man shall come vnto Iudgement in his glory with all his holy Angels and being seâ— vpon the seate of his glory all Nations shall be gathered before him the faithful sheepe on his right hand and the sinfull Goates on the left hand he presently addeth Then the King shall say vnto them on his right hand Math 25. â—4 that is to the faithfull Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Contrariwise the same King shall say vnto them on his left hand that is to the wicked and vngodly Goe yee cursed or depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his angels â—er 41. With what words I beseech you could our Sauiour more perswade vs to haue regard how we liue in this world then by proposing vnto vs these two coÌ„trary sentences the one so ful of ioy coÌ„fort as no tongue can expresse The other so full of griefe horror as no hart can thinke That the King pronounceth first the sentence of blisse it noteth his goodnes bountifulnes inclined rather to grace and mercy then to rigor and Iustice if we had but so much grace and goodnesse as to accept of it before it be too late That he vseth this singular worde of comfort Come yee it noteth the ardent loue and affection that our Sauiour beareth to his sheepe whoÌ„ he hath purchased with his own bloud therefore he giueth so great a charge vnto those whom he hath appointed Pastors ouer them in this life to feede his sheepe and to haue care of them in the wildernesse of this world that none of them be destroyed or lost through their negligence if they be their bloud will he require at their shepheards hands That he calleth them the blessed of his Father it noteth that they are beloued of god before ordained vnto this blessing it highly commendeth Gods free grace fauour not mans merit or deseruing That he biddeth theÌ„ to possessâ— the kingdome
causeth many to sell their Patrimonies Couetousnesse is the roote of all euill and neuer deeper rooted then at this day in the harts of wicked worldlings whoordome fornication and Sodomitrie to speake nothing of prophaning of the Saboth blasphemies swearing and periury are sinnes that dayly cry vnto the heauens for punishment These these sinnes of intemperancie haue almost expeld out of our coastes all loue faith and fidelitie and it is greatly to be feared except we repent and amend our liues speedily that the heauie wrath of God will fall vpon vs shortly in a more generall maner then heretofore As for the particular punishmeÌ„ts what hart so hard is there that cannot rue euery where to heare the most lamentable cries and pittifull mones that are made in euery part of this land for the most strong vnheard of fires and burnings which not casually as heretofore but by all probabilities and by the confession of many immediatly sent downe from the heauens vpon many townes in this Land within these few yeeres I may say moneths burning and consuming most strongly not onely mens houses but also their corne cattell and substance nothing almost to be saued where these fearefull fires haue once aduentured wherein also which is most lamentable many men women childreÌ„ haue been burned into ashes the flames not to be quenched vntil it hath vtterly consumed that for which it was sent which doubtâ—â—â— doth preach vnto vs better then any tongue can vtter or pen describe that the God of heauen is grieuously offended for those sins of intemperancy for coÌ„tempt of his word which now raigneth euery where among vs. And what else may these fearefull fiers perswade vs vnto but that the euerlasting fiers are also at hand to burne the world for sinne and after all sinfull men that will not be warned in that burning lake that neuer shal be quenched Here also we might call to remeÌ„brance and I would to God there were some catalogue made thereof that we might remember them how many and sundry wayes within these few yeares God hath and yet doth not cease to forwarne vs of his wrath extraordinarily and as it were from heauen What a peale of shot was that in the yeare 1588. which did ring the land throughout to waken them that were a sleepe in security but rumors of warres nor warres it selfe will not warne vs not make vs to beware But this noise 〈◊〉 shot you say was but a beating of the 〈◊〉 about vs could not come neare to 〈◊〉 vs. Well be it so yet giue God the praâ—â—â— that kept it from vs. But if that noye doe nothing mooue vs because it was but round about vs what say yee then to these terrible thunders that we haue had and heard these late yeares yea this last yeare which made euen the heaueÌ„s as it were to crack aboue vs besides many extraordinarie winds and tempestes And also what thinke yee of the fearfull Earthquakes seene and felt in many quarters of our Countrey as else where as if the Center of the earth would sinke vnder vs and as though it were ouer burthened with our sinnes of intemperancie yet if these things cannot moue vs because the thunder you wil say was ouer our heads and the Earth-quake vnder our feete what yet will yee say to those hoate thunder-bolts which that angry Iehouah did cast downe from heauen and killed many cattell in our Countrey 〈…〉 to speake nothing of people and will you thinke any thing of him that in the midst of this last Summer did giue haile for raine yea such haile in quantiâ—ie and bignesse as it is incredible to reâ—â—â—â— as great and as fearefull haile I supâ—â—se as euer fell in the land of Aegypt â—â—â— also with these hailes he sent flames of fire in our land and with the force of that haile brake downe many trees or boughes of trees and destroyed much corne and graine in our coastes beating it into the ground as dung and stubble so that neither corne nor straw was to be saued where this storme did fall These are no fables neither would I put them into these papers if I knew it not to be true many can sweare it as I haue said it But Pharaohs hart is still hardened English Aegyptians will not be warned These things say they haue passed but in some places and haue done little harme in respect of a general calamitie to make the worst of it say some it hath hurt and spoyled but some priuate mens goods and cattell or corne their bodies and liues haue beene spared Thanke we the goodnes of God for that learne with all that the diuell had first his commission graunted for to destroy Iobs goods Iob. 1.6.7 cattell and children that pleased him not he came for a newe commission to the King of heauen for to touch his body he obtained it also at length no doubt would haue come for a third for his life if Iob had not been very holy full of patience and pietie But here let vs pause a while haue wee had indeed no generall calamities fallen vpon our country within these few years and haue our bodies alwayes beene spared indeed we are very forgetful especially if it be any thing that may bee good for our soules What then I beseech you was that generall and vnusuall plague and pestileÌ„ce which in more then posthast passed thorough all this land in a very short time which brought newes of the Portingall action And it is thought there was not any cittie towne or parrish almost in England which heard not the sounde of this packeds horne albeit wee haue now forgotten it you may also call to remembrance if you please that direfull dearth of corne and grame that followed hard almost to the heeles of this pestilentiall pest as though the other had not done his message sufficiently enough such an vnmercifull dearth I thinke was neuer heard of in the memory of man to be in this land specially seeing the price of corne was so enhaunced on the sudden not so much for want of graine in many places as for want of grace in the heartes of many hungry helhounds which were neuer satisfied with any price vntill they had suckt out the bloud of their brethreÌ„ By means whereof followed so fearefull a famine that some were compelled to make bread of straw other to dye in the streetes for want of food and such a heauenly hunger for so some haue called it that the bellies of many people were insatiable because they wanted as I suppose that hid treasur of Gods secret blessing vpon that bread which they did eate without which blessing neither bread though it be called the staffe or strength of man neither any food els whatsoeuer is of any more force then a stone to feede vs which when God wil he is able to turn it into bread for the good of his children though Christ would not do it to tempt
our Sauiour to teach his disciples to pray as Iohn before had taught his but presentlie his godlie desire is gratiouslie granted Mat. 6.2 and a most perfect paterne and right forme of praier is prescribed by Christ himselfe whereby all the praiers of the Saints must euer be squared wherein the Lord did not onely teach vs to pray but prescribed a forme euermore to be vsed The Apostles succeeding him as al the Patriarkes and holy prophetes going before doe by their singular examples highly commend the sweete exercise of godly praier vnto all Gods children till the end of the world and therein is not onely to be considered the necessitie but also the efficacie fruit of praier which is the other point that I note Holy Enoch the scripture saieth Gen. 5.24 He walked with God that is was euer conuersant and as it were talking with God by faithfull praier for they that pray faithfully talke with God as they that reade the scriptures deuoutely God talketh with them Iam. 2 23 what shall we speake of Abraham the father of the faithfull who is called The friend of God God did so fauourably heare his praiers that he made vnto him so that he was coÌ„tent to feast with him at his instant intreaty Of Isaack praying Gen 24.60 as saieth the Text in the field when his wife Rebecca was sent by God vnto him Gen 28.20 what of Iacob whose praier procured him a prosperous iorney preserued him froÌ„ all dangers What shall wee speake of Moyses that man of God whose praiers preuailed mightily with the Lord Psa 106.33 otherwise the Lord would haue destroied the children of Israel at once 〈…〉 And of Ioshua at whose praier the Sunne stood still in Gibeon and the Moone in the valley Auieloth till the Israelites were reuenged of Gods enemies So true is that saying of Saint Iames The praier of a faithfull man auaileth much Iam. 5.16.17.18 if it be feruent And proposeth Elias for an example whose instant and faithfull praier did locke vnlocke the heaueÌ„s as it were wiâ—h a key that they drop ped no raine in three years and sixe monethes and again at his praier the heauens gaue raine aboundantly I should bee too tedious to recite all the examples 1. King 3.9 Let Salomon be remembred who praied for wisdome rather then for gold and God gaue him his desire aboue all that euer were before him Iudg. 16.30 Let not Sampson be forgotten though he once lost his strength as al Gods Saints doe one time or other more or lesse yet as soone as he had recouered a little strength againe in a time conuenient he fell vnto praier and presently pulled downe the house where Gods enemies were assembled Hee killed more Philistines now saieth the text with praier and little strength then hee did in all the time of his life before when happely praier was neglected and he too confident in worldly strength The story of Daniel wee know is famous who praied three times a day to his God that is the God of heauen at that time also when it was present death for him so to doe and see how wonderfully God deliuered him from all his enemies and from the iawes of the Lions Dauid a man chosen after Gods own hart and a king though troubled with wars and other most serious affaires yet forgot not to pray euening and morning at noone tide and the Lord heard his praier his praiers and his praises in the psalmes can neuer be praised nor perused sufficiently The Apostle in the Actes Act. 2.46 the Saintes of God assemble themselues together and continue with one accord in praier for praier whether it bee publike or priuate must be voyde of discord publike disseÌ„tion hinders very much the publike praiers in the church a thing greatly to be lamented in our times and priuate discordes let and hinder priuate persons at home in their houses from those sweet exercises of praier and praising of God with Psalmes and hymnes and spiritual songs in priuate families as true Christianity requireth And as Iames the Apostle exhorteth if we be in aduersitie or in any griefe or necessity then to vse that part of praier which is called petition if mercy and in prosperitie then to sing Psalmes which is the other part of praier and thanksgiuing though I know petitioÌ„ is also included in the psalmes and giuing of thankes not seldome vsed with out singing both in publike and in priuate neuerthelesse they must euer be free from discord and dissention Therefore S. Peter 1. pet 3.7 when hee disswadeth married couples to liue without discord he addeth this for a speciall reason that your praiers be not hindered for God to whome onely wee must present our praiers by the meanes of Christ not to Saintes or Angels is a God of peace therefore onely heareth the praiers of them that be in loue peace with God and man with God by faith and true repentance with men by a christian reconciliation and godly agreement Therfore Paul sayeth Men must pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting 1 Ti. 2 8 Thus did the Apostles and saints of God in the primitiue church pray faithfully and zealously together in loue and concord and see the fruit and force of their praiers The holy Ghostfell vpon them and the places did shake oftentimes vnder them in token of ioy and to assure theÌ„ that their praiers were pleasing vnto God But stay let mee marke how I proceede on I had thought that I had eueÌ„ run my prefixed course might here haue cast ancher but looking better about I cannot see the shore nor the hauen wherein I would willingly harbour By that which hath beene spoken wee may a little perceiue the vse and necessity of praier and we shall bee the better perswaded thereof by daily trying and considering of our owne weakenes wants also the daily miseries calamities both publike priuate which hang ouer our heades and the mighty force and craftes of our aduersaries both spirituall and temporall against whome wee must continually fight by praiers according to the saying Arma ecclesiae sunt preces lacrimae The best armour and weapons of the faithfull are praiers made with teares which teares so shed are not lost for God will put them vp in his bottle By that I say which hath beene said before the necessity of praier may partly bee perceiued but as for the force and efficacy therof though in the forenamed exaÌ„ples some thing doe appeare and the sweetnes of comfort and contentation that it daily stireth vp in the harts of Gods children I perswade my selfe they may be far better perceiued then expressed for what is praier els to them that know how to pray effectually but euen a most familiar talke of man with God by the meanes of Christ What other thing is praier but an opening vnfoulding of
true repentance in the bloud of lesus Christ in one word that none be partakers of her sinne least also they are partakers of her punishment which in one day that is suddenly and speedily shall come vpon her Reu. 18.8 For strong is the the Lord God that shall Iudge her And so much also for the destruction of Antichrist his kingdome which how soone it shall come he onely knoweth which knoweth al things And this I hope also may suffice to be spoken in this Chapter touching certaine signes and tokens foretold in the Scripture to goe before the end of the world whereof as I haue said many are passed and some of them may be yet to come God make vs thankfull for these so gratious forewarnings and giue vs also grace wisely to consider of the ceasons And to the ende that nothing may be omited as farre as my slender habilitie is able to reach which may any way edifie or comfort the simpler sort let it be further obserued in this place that as it is on the one side too much curiositie for any mortall man to determine or paint out the time or day of iudgement when it shall be seeing it is not reuealed but rather concealed by God him selfe for our good so on the other side it is too much sencelesnes want of Christian discretion nor to consider so much of this day or time as may either bring profite or comfort vnto vs. Yea probable coniectures how long the world may endure to sober and godly mindes I suppose cannot be hurtfull so that they be soberly auerred only as Christian coniectures and not for any certaine or sound conclusions Such are these as godly sober minded men haue not refused to speake and write as that it is probable the world shall not continue aboue sixe thousand yeares agreeable to the sixe daies of the Creation and the seauenth to be the great glorious Saboath or day of eternall rest vnto all Gods children and the rather is this coniecture receaued for that the Scripture vseth this phrase or speech more then once That one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeere and a thousand yeere as one day And the prophefie of Elias which the Rabbens haue reported and those of Sibile the prophetisse knowen to each scholler do not a little confirme that coniecture adde hereunto that if times and seasons be well compared together we shall finde that from the beginning of the world vnto the calling of Abraham are neare about two thousand yeares from that time till the Hebrewes which came of Eber a great Grandfather of Abraham were subdued by the Romanes are also neare or thereabout two thousand yeares sithence that time the world hath continued almost one thousand and sixe hundred yeares so to equall the yeeres of the Iewes with the Gentiles there wanteth but a three or foure hundred yeares which with God is but as a fewe houres if with God a thousand yeeres are but as one day and who knoweth how soone these houres may runne out seeing as many expound that place For the elects sake these daies shall be shortned But among all coniectures 〈◊〉 13. â—0 for I count them but coniectures this pleaseth me best and hath most often come into my minde since God gaue me a minde to thinke sereously on this day namely that this last age shall not exceede in number the yeeres of the first age of the world now the first age of the world by Computation from the Creation to Noaths floud were yeeres one thousand sixe hundred fiftie and sixe and the last age sithence the comming of Christ in the flesh which is euery where called in the Scriptures the last age is as we all knowe and confesse past the yeeres one thousand sixe hundred therefore I perswade my selfe Christ his comming vnto Iudgement is euen at hand This coniecture also pleaseth me the better for that this speech is so often vsed by our Sauiour himselfe when he putteth vs in minde of his second comming Luke 17.26 As it was saith he in the daies of Noath so shall it be at the comming of the Sonne of man And seeing now to our own experience it falleth out so true in the manners of men in this last age of the world as it did in the ending of the first age why may it not also fall out as true in the accomplishment of the times How beit as I said before so say I still for as much as all these or any other of the like sort are but coniectures and ought onely to be vsed and considered not to hinder any ordinary proceeding in our callings but onely to call vpon vs that our Master is not onely comming but that his comming is euen at hand Let this therefore be a conclusion of this point and likewise of this Chapter that the day of Iudgement whereof all this while we haue spoken be not before to morrow yet the time of our own death and so of our particular Iudgements may be before this day be ended Therefore let euery one haue a care how he liueth for looke in what case he dyeth so shall his iudgement be Where the tree falleth there it must lie And so much touching the signes which shew vnto vs that Christ Iesus is euen ready to come vnto iudgement who onely himselfe shal be the Iudge whereof we are to intreate in the Chapter following The fift Chapter AS it is an Article of our faith to beleeue that there shall be a general Iudgement following the resurrection of the dead so it is not the least point in that Article to be wel noted and considered both for the comfort of the Godly and terror of the wicked who he is that is appointed to be this supreame Iudge The Article it selfe saith He shall come againe to â—udge the quicke and the dead that is Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God and our â—ord as wee confesse in the Creed The â—â—me Iesus that was conceaued in the â—ombe of a Virgine by the Almightie ower of the holy Ghost The same Iesus that was made Man for and dwelt among vs he whom the â—orld hated and persecuted from the â—â—adle to his graue hee that was most â—â—â—acherously betrayed most falsely acâ—â—sed and most vniustly by Pontius Pilate â—â—â—demned to that most 〈…〉 full death of the Crosse the same Iesus Christ I say the Sonne of God and man who then died for our sinnes rose againe for our Iustification Who shall be Iudge at the last day and ascended into the highest heauens shall most assuredly and vndoubtedly come againe at the last day to iudge the quicke the dead that is all those that haue dyed sithence the beginning of the world together with all those that shall be liuing vpon the earth at the time of his comming This Article is confirmed vnto vs byinfinite places of Scriptures whereof we may note a fewe for examples sake First no
sooner was our Sauiour Christ ascending or ascended into heauen but presently the Angels of God proclaime hiâ— descent or descending vnto Iudgement Saying Acts. 1.11 ye men of Galilee speaking vnto Christs Apostles and Disciples Why stâ—â—â— ye gazing into heauen This Iesus which is tâ—ken from you into heauen shall so come meanâ— vnto Iudgement as yee haue seene him goeâ— to heaven Saint Paule in the fourth Chapter the second Epistle vnto Timothy plaiâ—ly affirmeth 2 Tim. 4.1 That Iesus Christ shall 〈◊〉 the quicke and the dead at his appearing in his kingdome And the same Apostle in the first of the second to the Thessalonians saith 2. Thes 7.8 that The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fier rendring vengeance vnto them which doe not know God and obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ In the Gospell euery where mention is made of the comming of the son of man vnto Iudgement as in the 24. and twentie fiue of Mathew the thirteene of Marke the seuenteene of Luke against all which it may be obiected that Christ himselfe saith Obiect Ioh. 8 1â— I came not to Iudge the world and againe I Iudge no man But the answere is easie Ans for Christ therein speaketh of rash priuate and partiall Iudgement whereof hee accuseth the Iewes In that manner Christ iudgeth no man but speaking elsewhere of this generall Iudgement He saith plainely Ioh. â— 23. That the Father Iudgeth no man but hath committed all Iudgement vnto the Sonne yeelding a reason Because all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father And that none might thinke this Iudgement to appertaine vnto him onely as he was the Sonne of God he addeth presently in the same Chapter â—se 27. That God hath giuen him power to execute Iudgement euen as he is the Sonne of man Againe it might be answered that Christ saith I Iudge no man before he was glorified when he came to be iudged and not to Iudge but after his resurrectioÌ„ he plainly telleth vs â—â—tth 28. that All power in heauen and in earth is giuen vnto him Wherefore Saint Paule saith in the second to the Romanes that God shall Iudge the secrets of all men but by Iesus Christ â—â—n 2.16 And elsewhere the Apostle saith when after Iudgement Christ hath brought all things in subiection vnder his feete then he shall deliuer vp the kingdome to God the Father â—or 15. But it may be againe obiected that the same Saint Paule saith to the Corinthians â—ct That the Saints shall iudge the world and the Angels â—â—r 6. that is the wicked men of this world and euill Angels called Diuels And Christ saith his Apostles shal sit vpon twelue seates Iudging the twelue Tribes of Israell Hereunto it may be answered that at the generall day of iudgment â—ns wheÌ„ Christ shall sit vpon the throne of his glory accompanyed with his holy Angels and all the elect by his Angels gathered vnto him then as well Saints as holy Angels shall Iudge that is subscribe and giue consent vnto Christ his most righteous Iudgement which then hee shall most iustly pronounce against all the reprobate both of men and Angels whereat all the Saints elect Angels shall greatly triumph and reioyce no otherwise then it is said in the Reuelation concerning the Iudgement that shall fall vpon the whore of Babilon Rom. 18.20 Reioyce O heauen and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath giuen iudgement vpon her So at the last generall Iudgement the holy Saints and Angels shall sing the song of Moyses the seruant of God Reu. 15.3 and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruellous are thy works Lord God Almightie iust and true are thy waies and â—udgements King of Saints So here we may â—onclude according to the truth of Gods word euery where reuealed in the Scripâ—utes and agreeable with the Catholike â—rofession of the Church of God in all â—ges that Iesus Christ as he is both God â—nd man shall stand as holy Iob saith Iob. 19.25 The â—â—st vpon the earth and come to giue true â—â—dgement at the last day The vse of which doctrine is two fold namely a comfort to the godly and a terror to the wicked for what thing can bring more ioy and comfort to the harts of all godly and faithfull Christians specially to those that are afflicted in this life either in Soule or body oâ— in both for Christ his sake then tâ— heare and assuredly to be perswaded that Christ Iesus their Sauiour anâ— brother shall come to be their Iudge That is to pronounce them blamelessâ— through his owne obedience and righteousnesse in the sight of God his Father and to crowne them with eternal glory and not onely those as the Apostle teacheth that suffer persecution a the Apostle did but all the faithfâ—â— whatsoeuer that loue his appearing 2. Tim. 4.8 Be therefore of good comfort deaâ— Christian whosoeuer thou art that grâ—nest vnder the burthen of thy sinnâ— feare not that dredfull Iudgement 〈◊〉 if thou hast faith in Christ and dâ—truely repent then thou mayest affâ—â— thy selfe to be one of Gods elect Aâ—so apply that sweete sentence of tâ— Apostle vnto thy Soule which saiâ— Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that iustifieth Rom. 8.33 34. who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe which sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for thee which also it may be added for thy further comfort shall come againe at the last day to giue sentence on thy side and to receaue thee vnto himselfe Contrariwise Let the wicked Infidels and all the vngodly ones of this world which either knowe not God or obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ shake and quake for feare for euen he whom they deadly hate whose word they beleeue not whose Ministers they regard not yea euen he whose bloud they trampled vnder their feete He that was crucified vpon the crosse and had his hart bloud launced out with a Speare shall in his owne person come to be their Iudge according to that of the Apostle Iude. Iude. 〈◊〉 And Enoch also the seuenth from Adam prophesied of such Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue Iudgement against all men c Reâ—◠〈◊〉 And euery eye shall see him euen they that pearced him through and all kindreds and people though neuer so pompious and glorious that haue not repented or beleeued in him shall waile before him 1 Reu. 1.7 And in the bitternesse of their griefe and in the anguish of their soules forhorror and feare of that Iudge shall say to the mountaines 〈◊〉 5.16 Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of the Lambe for that great day of wrath is come and who may abide it And so much briefely