Ashes but this iudgement was formerly denounced by Loth. He brought his vengeance and fierce wrath vppon Pharaoh but hee had faire warning thereof by Moses aforehand Thus God threatneth the worlds end but he giueth vs signes which are the Preachers and forerunners of the end That God doth this inuincible argument that hee loueth vs and that he is loath to vndoe vs. For wished he our destruction hee would not preuent it with so wholesome admonition For the Huntsman that seeketh the death of the Hare threatneth not the Hare but warily watcheth him the better to set vpon him but God threatning vs before it is a signe hee would haue vs take heede of that which followeth The Genttle had an eye to this who tooke coniectutes of consequent calamities by some preâ—â—â— accidents according to that which the Poet sayth Sâ—pe malum hoc nobis si mens non laeua fuisset De Coelâ— tactas memini praedicere quercus This euill to vs if that our minds had not been fondly bent Thunder froÌ„ heauen vpon our Oaks did threaten such eueÌ„t That we should be grounded in the certaintie of the worldes end though we know not the certaintie of the time these signes and markes are giuen vs. The signes prefired partly are such as are knowne vnto vs and familiar to our senses and partly they are such as exceede natures course and are verie strange and fearfull to ronfider of But they all serue to set foorth the corruption and consumption of the worlds bodie as Vlcers diseases distort and luxate members forespeake the dissolution of the naturall bodie This is no strange and vncouth case as wee haue sayde before but it is Gods woont so to doe Hee made peace with Noah but the Raine-bowe which hee placed in the Heauen was the consignement of this Charter and indentment Ezechias receâ—ueth promise of ensuing health and of longer life And the recesse of the Sunne and shadowe certaine degrees bindeth and confirmeth it In this sort by signes are wee assured that the world shall be dissolued The signes expresly nominated in the holie Scriptures are by Matthew Marke Luke diligently set foorth and put together thus 1 The first is corruption of doctrine and seduction by impostors and deceyuable teachers noted by the pen-men of the Gospels in these wordes Manie shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceiue manie 2 The second is warres and rumors of warres in these wordes Ye shal heare of wars and rumors of warres 3 Motions commotions subuersions of Empires and dominations thus deliuered Nation thaâ— rise against nation realme against realme 4 Pestilence 〈◊〉 Famine 6 Earthquake in the ende of the seauenth verse of the 24. Chapter of Saint Mathews Gospell hudled together 7 The persecution of the Church by the false Bretherâ—â— the bretheâ—â— of 〈◊〉 churâ—â— in these woâ—ds 〈◊〉 TheÌ„ shall they deliuer you vp to be afflicted and shall kil you and ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake 8. Defections in the church and intâ—stine perturbations and diuisione betweene kâ—dred and alâ—eâ— in these wordes opened And then shall manye be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another And that an insolent neiâ—hbour-hood and Eroâ—â—erhood shall doe this Marke foreteâ—â—eth The Brother shall deliueÌ„ the Brother to death and the father the Sonne and the Children shall rise against their Parents and shall cause them to die 9. Generallie of iniquiâ—ie and detection of charitie are tokens of a cousumption in the worldes bodie in the same Cat log of â—ehearsed malignities put downe And because iniquitie shall be increased the loue of many shall be colde 10. The collâ—men of the church throughout the Gentils alâ—â—ations and the dispersion of the Gospell among all lanoâ—s to the endes of the world is another presagement of the worldes â—nd And this Gospel of the kingdom shal be preached throughout the whole world for a witnesse to all nations and then shall the end come 11. The abhomination of desolution setting vp a Monarchie in the holie place with the rest witnesseth the worldes desolution When yee shall see the abhom nation of desolation spoke of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place c. 12. The comming in of dececiuable and damnable spirit false Christs and false Prophets is an other essentiall marke of this matter For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie elect 13. Prodigious Aspeas in the heauen strange Ecclipses of Sunne and Moone palpable and more then Aegiptian darknesse afearefull fall of the Startes a shaking in all the powers of headâ—â— do prophecie this point The Sunne shall bee darkned and the Moone shall not giue her light and the Starres shall fall from Heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken Descend from the ayre to the earth which giueth vs no lesse fearefull tokens hereof as troubles and perplerities among the nations roarings in the sea and alâ—â—ps palpitatious torobbings and thrauings in all hearts in expecttion of so terrible destruction VpoÌ„ the earth trouble among the nations with perplexâ—tie the Sea and the waters shall roare And mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world 14 The signe of the sonne of man in the elâ—udes shall be set vp as a banner of the approach and end without end Then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloud with power and great glorie 15 Lastlie to trusse vp the bundle hereof a supine securitie in the hearts of men eating â—rinking huing in daliance as they did in Noahs time whom the stood found so occupied and destroied shal possessie the world and shall betoken the end of the world As it was in the daies of Noah so shall it be in the daies of the sonne of man they eate they dranke they married wines and gaue in maâ—iage vnto the day that Noe went into the arke and the flood came and destroied them all 16 To the former put varâ—etie or nuâ—â—itie of saith But when the sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on the earth These signes are of two kinds 1 Some goe before the Iudgement 2 Some goe hand in hand with it Of the first ranke are these 1 Adulteration of pure doctrine by false and 〈◊〉 doctors 2 Warres and proclamations of warres 3. Plagur 4 Famine 5 Earthquake 6 Catholicke and general corruption to maners 7 Decay of charity 8 The progresse and free passage of the Gospell Martirdome of good men 10 Publicke scandale 11 Setled and stiffe-necked secaritie 12 Terror and horror among men 13 Vocifiration and exâ—ndation of waters SccoÌ„dly The signes that keepe companie with the Iudgâ—nt are 1. The obscucaâ—lon of the sunne 2 The Eâ—lâ—pse and defect
ad downe in Barrels of sharpe nailes some haue béene boared with Aules some punched sobbed with bodkins some haue had their nayles pricked through with Néedles their flesh plucked a péeces with Pincers their skinnes drawne ouer their eares aliue but all these are but flea-bitings to the torments of hell There is no order but eternall horror There is an ende without ende a death that dieth not fire inextinguishable darknesse more palpable then the darknesse of the Aegiptians and blacker then blacknesse it selfe torments more terrible then the torments of men by how much the reach of the wittes of diuels goeth beyond the inuentions and excogitations of men There is the cuppe of the deadlyest wine that euer was drunke vp there be the deepest Graues that euer were made to keepe vs downe that we rise not any more there be the waters of Wormewood and Gall there be those malignant aspects pestilence blood pillars of smoke huge hailstones stormes and terrible tempests wherewith he will plead his righteous cause against the damned That is that capable and wide Winepresse of the Lords indignation where the smoke goeth vp foreuer and there is no rest day nor night there be the infinite and vnmercifull plagues which the Angels of God powre out of their glasse bottels when blood is giuen them to drinke and they boyle so with heate as they eate their verie tongues for griefe Who can better make Chronicle of this place then the purple Glutton that is in it that may say Et quorum pars vno fui who shared in these torments and had his ordinarie allowance in that lake For the torments of hell would haue the vttermost farthing of their due of him and would not depart with a droppe of water for the ease-ment of his tongue As Esau could not ransome his morgaged birth-right with all the moysture of his bodie that gushed out of his eyes so that mercilesse man if he could haue deliuered such plentie of teares as the Ocean hath of waters his request vnto Abraham in that little might not be obteyned Giue we that he had speeded in that slender sute yet what good had it done him when as his other parts as his heart liuer lungs boweâ—â— armes feete fryed and were all in a light fire The torments of hell are to last for a time and times and when time shall be no more For when thou hast laine rosting there so manie thousandes of yeares as thou canst possible name thou art as farre from the ende as at the first As the Gates of Paradise were garded by the Cherubins and the blade of a Sworde shaken so Hell gates are warded by Porters for purpose by the Diuell and his Angels and a Seale set vppon the doore liddes as the Tombe and graue-stone of Christ was sealed vp by the Priests So that as Adam was barred from ingresse into Eden so the damned sort shall bee kept from egresse out of hell The coueriant that God hath made with the day and night that they shall come in their turnes may bee reuersed the Starres may finish their course the Elements shall melt away like Ware before the fire Heauen and earth shall bee renued Sommer and Winter shall cease but the paines of poore Prisoners in Hell shall bee perpetuall Yet more to particularize of the paynes of Hell 1 They shall firsâ— feele the anger of God vppon them as Christ saieth in Iohn The wrath of God abideth in him And as Iohn himselfe saieth to the Pharisees and Sadduces Who hath forewarned you to flie from the anger to come Howe horrible and vnsufferable this is conceiue by the description of the Scriptures of it The Poet passingly portrayeth out vnto vs in his colours the fierce qualities of Achilles giuing him these Titles Scriptor honoratum si forte reponiâ— Achâ—llem Impiger iracundus mexorabilis acer But this is nothing to that linely description made by the Prophet Dauid of the Lords anger thus The earth trembled and quaked the mightie foundations of the hils shaked and were remoued because he was wroth It striketh of 〈◊〉 one side with woe and on the other side with woe as not â—epenting of yâ— it doth wherfore the Philistims said Woe vnto vs woe vnto vs who shal deliuer vs out of the haÌ„ds of tnese mightie Gods Iob aggrauateth it thus The pillars of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe Isaiah laieth it downe with these notable circumstances of amplification At my rebuke I drie vp the sea I make the floods desart their fish rotteth for want of water and dieth for thirst I cloath the heauens with darknesse and make a sacke their couering The like plummets of Lead doth Ieremy hang vpon the heeles of Gods wrath to make it most heauie to vs. I haue looked vpon the earth and lo it was without forme and void and to the heauens and they had no light I beheld the mountaines and lo they trembled and al the hils shooke I beheld and lo there was no man and all the birds of the heauen were departed I beheld and lo the fruitfull place was a wildernesse and all the Cities thereof were broken downe at the presence of the Lorde and by his fierce wrath For thus hath the Lord saide The whole land shall bee desolate yet will I not make a full ende As he saide to Samuel When I begin I will also make an ende or rather he will make no ende his indignation being endlesse The rage of the rankest euemie among men may be qualifyed if not it must dye with him But Gods anger is euerlasting as hee himselfe is euerlasting The hostilitie of men may with counter-hostilitie bee resisted though his Quiuer bee an open Sepulchre and all his armie verie strong if not when hee is in the extent of his crueltie and hath done his worst hee hath but eaten thine Haruest and thy bread bee hath deuoured but thy sonnes and thy daughters hee hath but eaten vppe thy sheepe and thy bullockes thy Vines and thy Figg-trees and destroyed with the Sworde thy fenced Cities But Gods wrath is vnappeaceable irremediable incomprehensible Of the anger of God Moses speaketh thus Fire is kindled in my wrath and shall burne vnto the bottom of hell and shall consume the earth with her encrease and set on fire the foundations of the Mountaines Father Chrysostome saieth that it is farre more sharpe to see the angrie countenance of the Iudge then a thousand hell fiers 2 It is also one degree of their punishment to be separated and diuided from God according as it is in the forme of the sentence Depart from me ye cursed of which we haue formerly intreated 3 Their third plague shall bee their hellâ—â—h companie the Diuell and his Darlings for so it is laide out in the definitiue sentence in these wordes Prepared for the Diuell and his Angels 4 â—et the eternitie of their
any of these which is the period of my labors and desires the Lordes name be blessed for it Doomes day Booke The first Chapter Of the vnquestionable certaintie of the worldes end THe sâ—curitie and iniquitie of these â—â—mes haue thrust this argument vpon me For hauing beene foure and fourtie yeres suâ— feted with peace and plentie we haue not onely forgotten but as it were set our faces against pleâ—ie So that spaâ—â—â—â— the iudgements of God not by his word but by the state of the times wee make a mocâ—â—â—â— them and whatsoeuer Preachers tell vs of the dissolution of the world of 〈…〉 of all flesh of the generall countie day wee 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 Tâ— cut the veâ—â—â—ase 〈…〉 of truth doe wee not finde that the worâ—d sedde vpon 〈…〉 and â—ucke vp these suâ—â—â—â— damnable epâ—nons to the subâ—â—â—sion of their soules 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 no 〈◊〉 at all or iudgement to â—â—me sensuall 〈…〉 2. Or that God â—ath adiourned the â—â—me of his câ—mmâ—ng and that it will belong â—ce he come of the generation of those 〈◊〉 al the â—est of them that Saint Peter taketh to â—â—ske It is therefore high time to put the world in mind of their lying vaniâ—ies which so 〈◊〉 their soules and so call them from deade woâ—k 〈◊〉 so bee it may 〈…〉 seâ—ue the liuing God by placing before 〈◊〉 â—yes the day of doome which must certainely come and shortly come which shall giue to euerie one according to their workes That is to them which by continuance in well doing seeke glory and honour and immortalitie eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Now if this shrill trumpet and passing Bell will not wake vs out of our lithargie of carnall securitie there is no recouerie of vs For this is the onely cooler I can consider of to queÌ„ch or qualifie our hot sinfull lustes If we looke vp to this clocke or dyall we shall bee wary how we spend our time Daniel by strewing ashes vppon the floore found out the fallacy of the Priestes of Baal by the mature meditation of our fraile condition that wee are but dust and ashes and that we are sure of a resurrection and retribution according to the nature of our actions we shall desâ—tie and dispeli the subtilties of the deuill For all his deuises by the memorie hereof shall bee subdued vnto vs as the deuill himselfe was driuen away by Christ by telling him of Scriptures The remembrance of this will bee a staffe and crotch as luckie vnto vs in this our wearisome perambulation of the few and euill dâ—â—eâ— of our life as that of Iacobs was vnto him wherewith he passed ouer Iordan If we looke to the end as the wisemen to the star it will leade vs as it did them the right way to Christ For why are older men better keepers of their Church then young men but because they consider they are nearer their end yong men by their sinnes with the younger Sonne who went farre from his father are farther off from God the farther they thinke in regard of their youth they are from their end They are as proud of the healthfull estate of their bodies as Nabuchadonozar was of the statelynesse of his Pallace saying to themselues Iâ— not this a strong bodie as Nabuchadonozer saide to himselfe Is not this great Babell The cause of the sinnes of the people that were endlesse was their carelesnesse of the end as Ieremie flatly telleth Hierusalem Her filthines is in her skirts she remembreth not her last end While Moses considered that hee had but a time in the world â—ee forsooke the worlde betime and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God theÌ„ to inioy the pleasures of sins for a season Tell me worldly man that sayest with Peter It is good to behere whether if thou hadst hired a house whose foundation reeleth and rocketh and threatneth a downfall thou wouldest not make hast out of that house It is certaine thou wouldest Hast thee saue thee escape for thy life I counsaile thee as the Angell counselled Lot Escape into the Mountaine and holie hill of the Lord as Lot was aduised when Sodom was destroied for the Lord will fire the house of this worlde and the heauens the beautifull roofe of the house according as hee hath immutably decreed saying Heauen and earth shall passe And as in this chapter it shall be fully prooued vnto thee He that made the heauen can fold it vp like a booke againe can rolle it together like a skin of Parchment He that made the sea and set the waues thereof in a rage and caused it to boile like a pot of oyntment can say to the â—â—oods Be ye dried vp He that made the drie land can rocke it to and fro vpon her foundations as a drunken man reeleth from place to place He can cleath the Sunne and the Moone in sack-cloath and commaund the starres to fall downe to the earth and the mountaines of the land to remoue into the sea It is the greatest follie in the world to dreame here of a dwelling place Wee haue here no continuing Citie but we seeke one to come Of his fathers house Christ hathsaid That there are many mansioÌ„s but he neuer said so much of Horeb or Thabor or of the wildernesse of this world But the worde is alreadie gone out of Gods mouth It is appointed vnto all men once to die nay twise to die as God threatned Adam Thou shalt die the death wherefore the Apostle maketh vp the former sentence with this addition After that commeth the iudgement Beleeue this as the Samaritans did not because of my worde but because the Lorde himselfe hath spoken it by the mouth of his Prophets euer since 〈◊〉 world began The Deluge or flood which Moses diligently hath described vnto vs. â—s a liuely representation of the worldes disâ—â—tion Saint Peter â—â—â—â—teth so much from thence against the mockers of his time thus Wherefore the worlde that then waâ— perished ouerflowed with the water but the heauens and earth which 〈◊〉 now are kept by the same werde in store 〈◊〉 â—lerued vnto fire vnto the day of iudgement This his 〈…〉 is taken from the example and it is fashioned thus If God could in times past marre the face of the whole world hee is able to doe the like againe But the former he hath done alreadie ouerwhelming the whole earth a handfull of seede as it were onely reseâ—â—ed to renue the same againe with riuers of waters And the latter is to be looked for that he waste the worlde againe with riuers of fire and brimstone Christ in many places is plaine in this point Heauen earth shall passe away but
worlde shall perish Take wee a shorte and curâ—ory suruay of the espâ—ciall parts to put the matter out of doubt which for 〈…〉 wee reduce to two cheâ—fe for so the scripture truneth them all vp as it were in two bundles The heauen and the earth But the definitiue doome of Christ concerning them is that they shall be destroied Heauen and earth shall pasâ—e The heauen is the roofe and the earth the foundation of Gods house The heauen containeth the ayre and whatsoeuer liueth in the same The earth containeth the sea in it which are the pauement of Gods beautiful pallace the sea also being the girdle of the dryland now there is nothing more firme and stable then the earth which how best it be â—ounded vpon the floodes as Dauid saith yet is it such a solid and compact bodie and of such waightines as by no means of man it may bee rocked out of his place an earthquake which assaniteth it most is numbred amongest the strangest thunderboltes of Gods iudgements which he letteth she as arrowes at a marke The heauen as it is so mortaised and hangde as it cannot bee drawne from his hindges and hookes so his orbs haue their certaine and orderlie courses but they shall bee thredbare and waxe olde as a garment The heauens shall pass away with a noise and the elements shall melte with heate c. Doe wee not see how the earth droopeth like an old man that hath lost his strength hauing lost the fatnesse and marrow that was wont to be in the heart bones of it whilest it is somtimes choaked with water and at other times parched with heat and whilest in some places it mouldreth away It is recorded of Aetna that mightie mountaine that it is not such a marke to Sailers as it was wont In manie places the sea retire and giue backe as is written of Egipt in other places it getteth ground horriblie ouerwhelming whole townes and prouinces In some places mountaines are maimed by earthquakes rockes the boniest places of the earth splitted asunder great deepes dried vp and are like a drie floore neither cloddes nor clouds giue theâ—r wonted instâ—â—â—s al which doe argue that they haue no long contâ—unâ—â—e Moreouer if wee may beleeue Astrononiers the 〈…〉 of the celestiaâ—â—â—â—s is weakned the Sun is not so many 〈…〉 from vs as it was wont to be for they auouch that â—t is neerer to vs by the fourth part then it was in Pâ—olome â—s time that is to say nine thousand nine hundred seuentie fire miles as the Germaines reckon miles If there be such a declâ—â—ation in the vppermost parte what shall we say of this lowe â—â—ost rome but that it is in a verie weake taking Old age hath come vpon the backe of the worlde and euery part thereof groaueth vnder the burthen thereof In pâ—antes their is lesser vertue in beaâ—ts and men lesser strength in all of vs fewer yeares I looke therefore for noe lesse then a suddaine and short consummation of all From this doctrine groweth verie special vse if we haue grace â—o apprehend it 1. For the consideration of the traÌ„sttory nature of the things of this world lifteth vp our mindes beyond all earthlie thinges and gaineth them to God For it is but lost labour to plough vpon rocks to leane vpon a broaken reede to looke for comfort of a riuer that is dried vp to builde vpon vncertainties and to relie vpon meere vanities But Salomon smiteth the world of both cheeres twice calling it vanitie vanitie of vanities and troubling the note that wee might knowe it is his verdict without repeale All is vanitie Ionas giueth the he to them naming them lying vanities as promising one thing and giuing vs another promising liâ—e and euery minute bringing vs to death promising felicitie and ouerwhelming vs with miserie promising eternitie whereas it is transtâ—orie dealing dissemblingly and falsly with vs as Laban did with Iacob who promised him Rachell but gaue him Leaâ—â— in her steade And as the false prophets did by Achab promising him victorie when behold hee was slaine by the enemie and as the deceitfull teachers did the people of whom God thus speaketh by Isaiah My people they that cal you blessed deceiue you It is the ghostly councel the Apostle giueth vs from this obseruation Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God c. The like lecture Christ reade vs before him Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpoÌ„ the earth which the moth and canker corrupt and where theeues digge thoâ—ough and steale For if we d ee the verie corruption thereof shall coâ—â—â—â—me our corruption as the Apostle learneth vs. Your riches 〈◊〉 corrupt and your garments are motheaten Your golde and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnes agaâ—â—st you and shall eate your 〈◊〉 as it were fire Ye haue liâ—â—â—â—â— pleasure on the earth and in wantonnes Ye haue nourished your hearts as 〈◊〉 day of slaughter He saith of them as Duke Ioab said to Abner in effect Knowest thou not that it 〈◊〉 bitternes in the latter end If we could spare a time from due sinnes for such a thought wee should soone feele in our selues more compunction and deuoâ—ion 2. This document also as needfull as the former is from hence deducted that wee who dwell in houses of clay whose foundation is the dust whoe are nothing else but a sincke of sinne and Chaos of corruption shall much more perish seeing all the parts of the world the excellent creatures and wormanship of God shal haue their desolution We â—iue not heere in a castle and place of abode but as it were in an Iune as passengers to tarry but for a night as Christ said My kingdome is not of this world so our kingdome and continuance is not in this world As God said to AbrahaÌ„ get thee out of thy country from thy kindred and from thy fathers house so God will say to euery one of vs get thee out of thy life As the tabernacles of the Iewes were made to be remoued so are we Wherefore stand not so much vpon yâ— prerogatiâ—e of thy birth right and termes of gentry seeing they are all so momentarie It is well knowne from what house the best borne among vs the sonne of man only excepted originally haue descended namely from the earth and gleabe Iob teaching vs to cal corruption our father and the worm our mother Now what profite is there as Dauid saith in our bloud when wee goe downe to the pitte As 〈◊〉 said Lo I am almost dead what is then this birthright tâ—â—ee Wherefore by the diligent consideration of thy end with the worlde and thou shalt be taught
and brought to make an end of sinne and so beginne a new life And therewith 〈…〉 Christ the sole obiect of the eye of the 〈◊〉 thou shalt 〈…〉 death bedde be willing to die and 〈…〉 which saying Possidâ—nius in the storie of his life 〈…〉 I am not ashamed to liue I doe not feare to die because I haue a good maister whom I serue what extremitie of sollie is it to be thinking of this transitorie world so much and of the eternall world to come so litle wherein wee are like the â—unnell that tunneth in licor into a vessell that deliuereth it selfe of the purer matter but suffereth the concreat and gresser substance to cleaue to the sides of it The iudgement that should purifie vs is out of our sight and the carnall cares of the world like lumpes of mire and clay sticke to our soules The second Chapter Of the maner how the world shall be destroied IT being concluded in the former chapter that the world shall be destroied order would we should set downe how it is to bee destroied which shall bee the subiect argument of this chapter which wee will spend vpon these two parts 1. The first shall determine in what sorte it shall perish 2. The second shall giue decision to this question whether the same in substance or forme shall so perish About the first there is great dispute and difference among Doctors while they denide them selues into contrarie minâ—es some holding that it shall be destroied by water othersome by fire Of the first rancke are Seneca and his schollers Of the second which are the sounder sort are the Stoicks of whom Cicero and Galen maketh mention Heraclitus the greater part of Philosophers the Mathematicians and Diuines running with the streame of sacred authorities as the other part with the current of their priuate fanâ—ics For they take their text from Peter who saith But the heauens and earth which are now are kept by the same worde in store and resâ—rued vnto fier against the day of iudgement and oâ— tâ—e destâ—â—â— of vngodly men But yet there is no small 〈…〉 of the Moon to scoure and purifie the other three elements others producing it out of the Sunne beames Peter Lombard saith that thâ—e fier shall goe before the face of the Lord and shall reduce the whole fashion of the heauens earth to a consumption and he is so curious and fine as to measure out vnto vs the height of the fier suâ—ing it to the depth of yâ— waters of Noah which drowned the earth Such thinges deliuereth Austine in his twentieth booke of the Citie of God in the 18. chapter Yet in the 16. chapter of that booke he semeth to denie that a man may haue any certaine knowledge therein but by the especiall certificate of the spirite Wherein hee is in the right and of the surer side for it is safer for vs to hold this modestie then to be ouer busie with the secrets of Gods sanctuary It is enough that we simplie beléeue as Peter teacheth that the worlde shall bee fixed 1. To ventilate and examine of what kind of nature this fire should be 2. From whence it should be brought 3. How the saints shall be preserued in that flame liue as the Salamander in the fire 4. How high this fier shal mount we leaue to the wil prouideÌ„ce of God being contented to be wise with sobrietie and not affecting to know more then God wold haue vs or to compel the scriptures that are willing to go part of yâ— way with vs to go after the vagaries of our idle lusts It serueth to the confirmation of the present cause namly to the illustratioÌ„ of the maner of the worlds dissolution that which Math hath in these words At midnight there was a cry made Behold the bridgrome coÌ„meth The voice of the angell and the trumpet of God is part of that cry The scripture calleth it else where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the hoarse vociferation of Mariners when they call one vpon another to goe to their tackling for it must needs be a cry out of cry that must waken the dead and raise them from their graues But another part of the cry is the stridor and noise that Peter mentioneth which this fier that shal consume the world shall make saying The heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes therin sâ—al be burnt vp Wee heare a terrible noise at the downfal of two or three houses at once therefore that must be a noise with a 〈◊〉 esse which one fire shall make which shalouerchroâ—â—â—he heauers the earth the sea all cities towns houses beasts liuing creatures and the whole masse of the world â—ltogither Dauid by an apt similitude teaching the â—â—ate and condition of the wicked alludeth hereunto As the fire among the thornes c. Fire among thorns maketh a great noise Wherefore heare we now the crie of his worde at mid-day least we heaâ—e this fearefull crie at midnight hetherto spoken of and in time let the swéete crie of his mercie charme vs least the direfull and irefull out crie of his iudgements do condemne vs. We come to the second part of this Chapter which answereth the question whether the substance or forme of the worlde shall perish For hereof are two opinions scattered 1 Some are of that minde that in verie substance it shall be turned vpside downe fastning vpon these Scriptures as of that in the Psalme Thou hast aforetime laid the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt indure c. As of that saying of the Prophet Isaiah For loe I will create new heauens and a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind as of that which Saint Iohn in his Reuelation saith And I sawe a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea Finally in that the Angell sweareth by him that liueth for euer that Time shall be no more Now if time be taken away all motion must be taken away If all motion be taken away there is nothing in the world that can continue 2 But othersome hold that only but some parts of the worlde shall bee ouerturned at the second comming of Christ not altogither raised from their foundationâ— but so as they shall suffer a singular alteration Ambrose taketh part with this side and setteth his hande to this opinion vrging that which the Apostle Paul saith The fashion of this worlde goeth away prossing the word which he calleth the fashion shadow or forme and not the masse matter substance That authoritie of Peter also fauoureth that part in these wordes Wherefore the worlde that then was perished ouerflowed with the water when
both from mind and bodie therefore the recompence of the reward shal be giuen vnto them both 2 Our second Apodicticall conclusion is this That which is imperfect hath not capacitie of absolute felicitie but the soule sundred from the bodie is imperfect therefore it must needes be coupled to the bodie to the attainment of this plenarie felicitie 3 We reason also thus The fulnesse of Gods goodnes towards those that are his could not be shewed nor the fulnes of his furiousnesse vpon the wicked could not be powred if the resurrection were not 4. It standeth God in hand as much as his truth is worth to make good the resurrection because we haue promise and charter of him for it Christ hauing said it God shall reward you in the resurrection of the iust 5 That we should not doubt of his truth in some examples at all tâ—mes he hath made proofe hereof exempting them froÌ„ death that the world may know that death is in his hands standing before him to execute his will like a Purseuant to spare and to spoile as in the time of nature when he tooke vp Enoch in the time of the law when he tooke vp Elias in the time of grace when he raised vp Christ from death to life We inforce the matter fuller and argue from the lesser to the greater thus Elizeus raised the Sunamites sonne therefore much more can Christ raise vs vp Elizeus his bones gaue life to a dead bodie therefore much more shall the omnipotent word of God which is Christ giue liâ—e to our dead bodies Aarons rod did blossom and beare Almonds Moses drie waster became a créeping Serpent Sarah her dead wembe was deliuered of a son what are these but liuely images of the resurrection 7 From the order of nature though we haue no strong proofe yet much probable matter we haue of the vndoubted resurrection The day that now passeth to morrow doth returne Trées and herbs are stroken dead by the violence of the winter reuiue with the spring the renuing time of the yere and are clothed with leaues and fruits But thou wilt say to this that life was not vtterly out of them by the winters wracke wee say also that by death man is not vtterly depriued of life for it is their soules that die not Such Logicks doth Paul vse in the corne that is sowne whose corruption is the generation of it O fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die This is that which Christ saith except the wheat-corne fall into the ground and dâ—e it bideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit If such contemptible creatures haue renewance and from death are restored to life shall not this handle worke of God be much more seen in man the noblest plant that his right hand hath planted and the finest seed that euer the furrowes of the earth were strowed with the most excellent and worthiest creature of all For what is the hay or gréeue herbe in comparison of man That Indian bird the Phaenix as philosophers do report good diuines do ratifie especially Lactantius among others dieth is wasted to ashes by the heat of the Sun of those her ashes is a yong one ingundred and thus is that kind continued This similitude is taken vp by diuines to illustrate our certain resurrection For more coÌ„panie sake we name the swallows worms flies which lie dead al the winter by yâ— increasing heat of the sun are enliued againe in the spring and sommer time If we run through all the rankes and classes of nature we shall finde euerie where probabilities in the point Fire that lieth dead in a flint stone by a little force that is put vnto it putteth life into it The Sunne that goeth downe doth rise againe the Moone decreaseth and increaseth againe Our nailes are paired and grow againe our heares are cut off come vp againe Sleepe called by Homer the brother of death and by others the image of death because it is the tying of the senses as binding them in that wise as they cannot execute their functions seazeth vpon vs and as it were burieth vs for a time But the bodie dispelleth it againe after which it is fresh and plyable to to any office The misbeleefe of such who cannot be brought to think that out of the putred and consumed stuffe life should be expressed are by sundry works of nature notably conuicted For of such confection or infection rather are mise mouls frogs worms ingendred Out of â—ooks cranies odde corners of the earth often very radiant and splendent precious stones are gathered The séed of liuing creatures which is nothing else but a drop of misshapen humour what substance doth it beget in progresse of time What partes doth it produce as hands feete eares eies head and such like in their kinde These thinges doe wee beholde in the Glasse of nature which so oft as we remember we doe well if we remember the resurrection 8 By the Prophets by Christ by the Apostles some haue beene raised from death in life to ground vs in the faith of the resurrection The widowes sonne of Sarepta was raised by Elias the Sunamites sonne by Elisha a dead man by the touch of the bones of Elisha the rulers daughter by Christ who was newly deceased the widowes sonne of Nain that was in his locker and led out to the graue by him likewise Lazarus that had lien in the ground foure dayes Tabitha by Peter Eutychus by Paul 9 A man would thinke if were a worke of more difficultie to forme the woman of mans rib to create the man of the gleab of the earth to make the whole frame of heauen and earth of nothing then to raise vp man from the dust to life If wine be mixed with water there are those that can part the wine from the water Goldsmiths and such as worke in mettals can dissolue confected substances concreate of gold siluer brasse steele And such are to be found who can expresse Oyle and liquide matter out of anie drie bodie Wherefore the illimited power of God which made all things of nothing shall reduce our bodies to their formes againe howsoeuer formerly reduced to nothing Lengthen out the matter so farre as conceit and imagination will let you and put the case thus That a man is eaten by a wolfe that wolfe is eaten by a lion that lion is deuoured by the fouls of the aire the foules of the are aire eaten by men one of those men eate vp another as Canibals doe yet shall his owne bodie be giuen him againe euerie man shall haue so much matter of his owne as will serue to make him a perfect bodie They shall haue the same bodies in substance as Iob saieth but altred in qualitie being freed from corruption and fulfilled with glorie Their mouthes shall bee opened to speake better things
my Father which is in heauen The Apostle hath set it downe for an irrefrugable conclusion we shal all appeare before the iudgement â—eate of Christ Answerable to this is this his other Aphortâ—me we must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euerie man may receiue the thinges which are done in his bodie c. But the Godly shal make a very easie reckoning For Christ is their comfortâ—â— their conscience there cleergâ— as witnesse of their 〈◊〉 heauenly possession But the wicked because their conscience shal condemne theÌ„ the deuil shal accuse thâ—â— Christ shal be against theÌ„ shal haue a world of woâ—â—n answer to make answers They shal say to the mountaine hide vs and to the hilles coâ—er vs. But from hence groweth a question how the Godly can bee iudged seeing they shall sitte Assistants with Christ in the iudgement as Esai saieth The Lord shall enter into iudgement with the ancients of his people and the Princes thereof that is to say with the elect companie as Christ saith to his Apostles Ye shal sit vpon twelue Thrones and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel as Paul saith Know ye not that wee shall iudge the Angels We answer that iudgement is of double nature there is a iudgement of Absolution there is another iudgement which is of Condemnation In the iudgement of Condemnation are the wicked only wrapped adulterers adultresses fornicators vncleane persons vsurers oppressors slanderers blasphâ—mers hers deceiuers epâ—cures Machiâ—ilians Atheists The godly haue onely but iudgement of Absolution that is to say they are iudged to be quit and deliuered and blessed They shall be absolued of all the slanderous imputatioÌ„s of the world and wicked men against them Besides men the euill spirite also shall be iudged Christ denounceth infernall fire to the diuell and his angels Goe yee cursed into Hell fire prepared for the diuell and his angels Of this their condemnation speaketh Peter thus God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hel and deliuered them into chaines of darknes to bee kept vnto condemnation Of this Paul speaketh when he saith Rnow yee not that we shall iudge the Angels Iude consenteth with the rest expresly saying The Angels also which kept not their sâ—st estate but leâ—t their own habitation he hath referred in euerlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day These are to be iudged as ringleaders of all 〈…〉 of all the band of sinners as Iudas did the band of souldiers against Christ Also this iudgement shall extend it selfe vnto the senslesse vnreasonable creature the heauen the earth and whatsoeuer is conteined in them Esai speaketh of new heauen and a new earth that are promised The new heauens and the new earth which I will make shall remaine before me Paul sheweth somuch saying The feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sons of God shal be reuealed because the creature is subiect to vanitie not of its own wil but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope because the creaturs also shal be deliuered froÌ„ the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Lastly antichrist is rankt in the ranke of those that shall haue condemnatorie iudgement His damâ—ation decréed against him is thus spoaken of Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolish with the brightnes â—f his comming Thus haue we the seuerall persons that shall be iudged seuerally the senâ—les creature shal be purged the godly shal be absolued the wicked shall be condemned Sathan the muster maister of malignant men shall be throwne downe into hell and Anti-christ as the sonne of perdition the opposite aâ—uersarie to our Sauiour Christ shall be destroâ—ed by the wrathâ—â—lâ— indignation of Christ The eleuenth Chapter The thinges that are to be iudged AS all persons are to be iudged so they shall bee â—asted to their coâ—rsest branne Their thoughtes wordes workes shal be as throughly ransacked as euer Laban did raâ—sacke Rachels stâ—ffâ— That all thinges shal be scanned Saint Iohn hath declared I saw the dead bâ—th great and small â—â—and before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was openâ—d which is the booke of life and the deade were iudged of these things which were writteÌ„ in the bookes aâ—cording to their works God is said iâ— haue counting bookes by him because all thinges are as certaine to him as if he had Acâ—â—â—ries and Clarkes in heauen to make enrolement thereof and to keepe the recordes of them 〈◊〉 hath three seuerall 〈◊〉 or Bookes 1. The booke of prouidence 2. Of Iudgement 3. Of life The booke of his prouidence is the absolute knowledge of a particularities pâ—st present to come This Book is meâ—â—oned by Dauid in these wordes Thine eyes did see my substance yet being vnperfect and in thy bookes were al my members written which day by day were â—ashioned when as yet there were none of them As in another place thus Thou tellest my â—â—ttings puttest my teares into thy bottel are not these things noted in thy bookes The booke of Iudgement is that wherebâ— he giueth iudgement which is of two sections The first is his â—ore knowleâ—ge in whâ—ch all the affaires of men their designmeâ—ts and 〈…〉 as plainely set downe to him as if they were pâ—nned Wee may â—et them slippe in a carelesâ—e â—orge fulnesse but God hath â—ckets of our dooings by him and keepeth them in perâ—ect remembrance Of which the Prophet Dauid saith thus Thou hast set my misdeedes before thee and my secret sinnes in the sight of thy countenance So that be they neuer so olde they are as new to him as if they had beene doon but yesterday For he rippeth vp the sâ—ane of Amalek doone more then three hundreth yeares before and commaundeth Saul to conferre it He yâ— numbreth the stars calleth them all by their names hath numbred our sins and will name them vnto vs as periuries blasphemies adulteries lyes vsuries and such like The second leafe or tome of this second Booke is euerie mans particuler conscience which maketh conuulsions thinges in vs and is instead of a thousand witnesses setting before vs the thinges that we haue done The booke of life is the decree of Gods election in which God hath set downe who are sealed vp vnto eternal life The opening of these bookes is Gods reuealing vnto euerie man his owne proper sins in thought word and deede committed against heauen and against him and then also by his omnipotent power hee that can of stones by Iordans brooke side raise vp Children to Abraham shall breake a sunder our stonie consciences so that wee shall haue compunction and remembrance of all sorepassed actions Now the conscience of the wicked is feared with a hot yron and is past feeling but then it shall be so sensible
of eternall life gather from hence what that pure perfect compleate ioy will bee which wee shall bee owners of in the life to come But these amplyfications I had rather leaue to thy faith good Reader then to prosecute further al the pleasures of this world compared to our future felicitie being but as a drop of water to the huge Ocean Sea For wouldest yâ— haue riches Riches plentionsnes are in his house Wouldest thou haue pleasures In thy presenceâ—s fulnesse of ioy at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore If thou assiest life of him he giueth thee a long life euen for euer and euer If the ioy of the people made the earth to ring when Salomon was crowned how shall not the floods clappe their handes and the hilles reioyce when hee shall come to iudge his people If the Easterne wisemen when they sawe the Starre that ledde vnto Christ were wonderfullye gladde what ioy shall bee in the holye ones of God when they shall see the Sonne of God in his kingdome Therefore the glorie of the Godlye to come is wonderfull and vnspeakeable But wheâ—â— we shall all be dignified alike and be copartners of equall glorie it is a greate question and hath no certaine determination by Scriptures Testimonies thereof seruing of both sides Each parte is probable neyther maketh it to the matter of saluation or any wise marâ—eth it the certaine knowledge heereof Wee will heare what is disputed to and fro and leaue the Christian Reader to his choyce They that pleade for paritie and equalitie of reward reason in this forâ—e 1. Those that laboured in the Vine-yard though their worke differed their wages was all one the last had his pennye aswell as the first and the first had no more though he murmured neuer so much against his Maister neither had hee any wrong doone him as the couenant betweene him and his Maister absolutely concludeth 2. Their second reason is Christes asseueration Then shall the iust men shine as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father But there can bee no greater light then that the Sunne giueth And none but the iust shall enter into this kingdome therefore they shall all haue the light of this Sunne that is to say they ioyntlye shall haue the perfection of all glorie 3. They also vrge the case thus Christ disputing with the Pharisees about the resurection likeneth our estate in heauen to the condition of the Angells without anye mention of different contribution 4. Whereas in this life there are oddes betweene vs they giue the cause thereof to the flesh which they carrie about them beeing more or lesse regenerate as they are more or lesse mortified in the flesh Of which burden we shall bee eased in the other life the infirmitie of the fleâ—h beeing to bee done away and so there shall be no disturbance why wee should not all receiue the like recompence 5. Christ promiseth to the twelue Apostles equall glorie in heauen that they shall sit on twelue seates and Iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel And doubtleâ—se Paul though he bée the thirteenth cannot but be equall with them in honour being vnequall and aboue them in labour 6. Paul seemeth to shake handes with this side making the Corinthians and with them all the faithfull in the like estate of glorie while hee saith Knowe you not that wee shall iudge the Angel 7. Lastly it is written that the sufferings of these times haue no proportion with our future felicitie If God respecteth not our workes in this worke from whence say they doe wee draw this difference of the recompence This our dignitie is meerelye Gods dignation therefore wee fetch the inequalitie thereof not from our merrits but his mercie whereas they of the contrarie side seeme to strengthen their opinion by distinguishing of workes as if by the condignitie of them wee did earne and worke out this glories There bee other reasons but these are the chiefest that make for this matter The aduerse part is aswell prouided to hold their assertion Their arguments are many and good and they are these 1. First they say God will reward euery one according to his workes and as his worke is so shall his wages be The Scriptures goe with this it is Paules saying Who will reward euerie man according to his workes 2. Daniel foretelling the condition of the Saints after this life is flat for difference of rewardes saying They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars for euermore But there is manifest difference betweene the brightnesse of the firmament and the brightnesse of the Starres 3. From the contraries they conclude the case thus There are diuersities of punishments in Hell therefore the consequence holdeth by comparison that there is varietie of rewardes in heauen That the sufferings in Hell are sundrie it is apparant by Christes wordes It shall bee easier in that day for Tyrus and Sydon then for Corozain and Bethzaide and for Sodome then for Capernaum wherefore degrees also of glorie are diuided 4. That there is not onely one reward for all the righteous but that there are manie of them it is plaine by that which Christ elsewhere saith In my Fathers house are manye dwelling places 5. Further if our state must be sutable 〈◊〉 the Angels as Christ hath let it downe In the resurrectioâ— we are as the Angels of God in heauen it must needes bee that wee haue sunâ—â—â— degrees of glorie because there are seuerall degrees of Angells 6. The seede that was 〈◊〉 vppon the good ground came not vp like but some better then some some gaue an hundreth folde some sixtie folde and another thirtee folde This not obscurelie shadoweth disproportion of retribution of heauenlye glorie 7. So dooth the Parable of the talents those that had them in banâ—k were rewarded more or lesse according to the improouement they made of â—hâ—m In the Reuelation mention is made of a peculier flâ—cke who follow the law whether soeuer hee goeth agrâ—â—â— which seemeth not to be giuen to others 8 This alsâ—â—â—rengthâ—eth the cause verie much that Christ saith Whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them the same shall bee called great in the Kingdome of heauen Thereby insinuating that there are greater and lesser in that Kingdome The like is enforced out of these his wordes Whosoeuer will bee chiefe among you let him be your seruaÌ„t 9. 〈◊〉 of the â—postle maketh much to thâ—s purpose Hee which seweth sparingly shall reape also sparingly and hee that sâ—weth liberallie shall reape also liberallie But moste pregnant is this proofe of the same Apâ—stle There is one glorie of the Sunne and another glorie of the Moone an other glory of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another in glorie But the reddition and answere heerevâ—to maketh the case plaine and