concerning the person of the Iudge now let vs consider the glorious maner of his comming vnto Iudgement which is to be described in the Chapter following The sixt Chapter IN the fiue twentieth of Mathew our Sauiour him selfe doth most gallantly and gloriously describe and set forth that his cōming vnto iudgement when he saith 〈◊〉 25.2 When the Sonne of man commeth in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit vpon the throne of his glorie and all nations shall be gathered before him c. Now our Sauiour Christ doth purposely speake of this his most maiesticall and glorious comming vnto iudgement to counteruaile his first comming in the flesh in so great basenesse and humilitie The which most admirable surpassing glory of Christ when he shall come to shew himselfe in the greatnes of his maiestie we may not imagine can be comprehended by any reason or vnderstanding of man for if as Saint Paule saith No eye hath seene no eare hath heard 1. Cor. 2.9 neither can enter into the hart of man to conceaue the ioy and glory which is prepared for vs in Heauen which are but the members of Christ How great glory must that be which is prepared for the head who is himselfe Prince of glory yea and glorified with the same glory in respect as he is man and our mediator wherewith he was glorified with the Father in respect that he was the Sonne of God before the worlde was for so prayeth he in the 17. of Iohn Father glorifie me with the same glory Ioh. 17.5 which I had with thee before the world was And whatsoeuer he asked of his Father that did he receiue as he saith in the 11. of Iohn That God heareth him praying that is Ioh. 1.124 granteth his request at all times Therefore it is that Saint Paule boldly affirmeth in the second to the Collossians Col. 2 9. that in Christ Iesus as hee is man dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily or essentially And in the first to the Ephesians the same Apostle also saith That God raised vp Christ from the dead Eph. 1.20 and set him at his right hand in the heauenly places farre aboue all principalities power might and dominion and euery name that is named not in this world onely but also in that which is to come And hath made all things subiect vnder his feete And aboue all hath appoynted him to be the head to the Church which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Now if any would demaund whether the faithfull shall not be made partakers of this glory of Christ I answere no doubt they shall for so Christ himselfe saith in the 17. of Iohn The glory that thou O Father gauest me Ioh 17.22 I haue giuen them that is those that haue or shall hereafter beleeue in his name But here we must note that there is a great difference betweene Christ the head and giuer of this glory and his Saints and members which are made partakers of his glory let vs a little illustrate this by some fit similitudes The whole body of a King we know is glorious and very magnificent but yet there is a great difference betweene the glory of his head or face and the glory of his feete The grace and glory of Courtiers specially those that are neerest in fauour with the Prince is very glorious yet when they are highest in fauor not comparable to the Prince in glory Mordecay when hee was most royally arayed with King Ahashuerus his owne apparrell set vpon the Kings owne horse Hester 6.9 the Crowne royall put vpon his head and Proclamation made before him this shall be done to the man whom the King will honour Yet euery man did know that there was a great difference betweene Mordecay who was honored of the King and the King who gaue the glory and honour vnto Mordecay Againe that similitude which the Apostle vseth to note the difference as I suppose of the Saints in glory affirming one glory to be of the Sunne 1. Cor. 15.41 and another of the Moone and another of the Sarres May very liuely represent vnto vs the difference betwixt the glorie of Iesus Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse and the glory of his Church and Saints who receiue all the glory from Christ euen as the Moone and Starres receiue their light of the Sunne And as the sun is yet neuerthelesse light and bright in himselfe notwithstanding he maketh so infinite number of starres and planets to shine through his light and brightnesse so Iesus Christ our sauiour the sonne of the eternall God shall in a most heauenly and glorious maner giue light and glory to all his saints children though they be neuer so innumerable yet shall not his glory thereby any thing be diminished neither shall any saint or Angell attaine vnto the perfection of his glorie The which thing saint Austen me thinketh by a pretie inuention of words in the tongue which he vseth doth very wel note vnto vs for speaking in a certaine place of the glory and ioy that the saints shall hereafter this haue in heauen saith thus Non omne gaudium intrabit in gaudentes sed omnes gaudentes intrabunt in gaudium that is as I take his meaning may be the faints in heauen shall not be partakers of all the ioy and glory of their master in heauen notwithstanding all saints shal be sure to enter into their Masters ioy into heauen there to receaue so much glory as they are capable of and as each measure can containe euen as Christ saith to the good and saithfull seruant Enterthou into the ioy of thy Master In a word Matth. 25.23 Christ himselfe doth make this matter plaine inough vnto vs as it seemeth vnto me in the 17. of Iohn and 24. verse Ioh. 17. where he saith Father I wil that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glory that is as I vnderstand it that they may be glorified with me and it to haue their glorie still increased in beholding that incomprehensible and infinite glory which I haue with thee as I am man their Sauiour and Redeemer which neither Saint or Angell can attaine vnto This most infinite endlesse and incomprehensible glory is the very same which our Sauiour meaneth saying Matth. 25. When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory Now to the ende that we might the better conceaue and consider of this vnspeakable glory of Christ he addeth presently three circumstances of very great importance Three circumstances The first is that he will not come alone but like a King of glory as he is wil come accompanied and attended on with all his holy Angels none left behinde Angels and Arkangels Cherubins and Seraphins and all the whole hoast of heauen shall giue their attendance vnto this
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
vs in safety In time of warre it getteth vs the victorie In time of prosperitie it keepeth vs from pride In time of aduersitie it keepeth vs from despaire If wee be in health we may pray without paine If wee bee sicke pray and recouer as did Hezekiah If wee bee rich prayer encreaseth our store If wee bee poore prayer maketh vs rich in content and goodnes If we be in authoritie wee haue neede to Pray for wisedome courage and grauity If of the CoÌ„monaltie for obedience loi altie If wee be Pastors our prayers preuaile for the people If we bee parishioners wee must pray and prayse God for and with our Pastors In a word prayer is a present for a Prince and is a delight for the painefull plough-man euery man is delighted with the singing of the Nightingale but no Nightingales song is so sweete in the eares of man as the faithfull prayers of the Saints are in the eares of our God Many commend contemplation but prayer is the soule of the coÌ„templatiue life If thou be in companie thou maiest pray secretly If alone thou maiest pray sweetely Whatsoeuer thou doest or wheresoeuer thou goest if prayer be thy guide thou shalt bee sure to prosper If thou begin to loathe these earthly vanities prayer will bring into thy sight the truest treasures If thou once begin to mortifie thy sinfull affections prayer perfumeth thy soule with most sweete consolation and ioy in the holy Ghost As the hill is the way to the mountaines and the meanes to ascende vnto it so prayer is the way to mortificacation As golde precious stones and marble doe make the houses of Kings so praier doth build the temple of Christ that he may dwell in our heartes by the holy Ghost As fire doth scoure the rust of Iron so prayer doth scowre cleanse our soules from the rust of sinne And as the ioynts of the body are bound together by nerues and sinewes so the soules of the righteous are established by prayer Prayer therefore for the force and efficacie thereof is compared by one to a forke that expelleth all euill things from vs and to a hooke or crooke that pulleth downe from heauen al blessings and good things vpon vs. If therefore thy foule seeme at any time to be cloyed and clogged in the earthly tabernacle of thy bodie the windes of prayer will carrie it aboue the cloudes and conduct thee vnto the pallace of eternall pleasure Pray therefore faithfully and pray continuallie and thou shalt bee sure to haue the presence and assistance of the glorious Trinitie Who therefore will not bee in loue with prayer which pierceth the cloudes preuaileth with God prospereth our affaires at home and abroad by day and by night maketh vs beloued of God and his Angels bringeth sweete rest and peace to our bodies and eternall rest and tranquilitie to our soules to our great comfort in this life and to our endlesse ioy in the worlde to come when Christ Iesus our Iudge and Sauiour shall come in the clouds to make an end of all mortall miseries Who blesse vs all and bring vs at that day into the sight of God his Father that we may see his glorie which hee had with him before the â—ld was made by the gracious guiâ—e of his most holy and blessed spirit which most holy and vndeuidable â—itie one God of most glorious Maâ—e be rendred of vs and all Saints and gels in heauen and in earth all power â—d impire all prayse and glorie and thankesgiuing from this time forth and for euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo
firmament in beholding whereof they cannot if there mindes were not more then blindfolded but beholde the glory of God Psal 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament his handie worke Or why doe they not denie that man hath any soule at all in which soule of man there is painted forth as it were in a table vnto vs though couered with the vaile of sinne not onely an Image of the Godhead but euen a liuely representation of the glorious Trinitie Againe if the world had no beginning whence sillie wormes as they are had they their originals who made them or whereof were they made will they say the world made them Why they themselues are more excellent thē the world and the creature cannot be better then the Creator will they say that they had an euerlasting beginning with the world why then doe they die and returne to dust and so an end as they say and yet wil by no meanes yeeld that the worlde shall haue an end Thus when their wits haue wandered the world throughout they shall bee brought into this straite will they nill they either to confesse that there is a God and so the rest to follow in order or else they shall fall into so many absurdities as the wit of man can deuise to aske them questions For as they themselues I meane the learneder sort of thē will teach vs in other learnings a principall being denied they are not to bee disputed withall that deny the same their reasons will be so raw and their conclusions so absurd Againe seeing Aristotle a Prince of Philosophers as they call him when he had read some of Moses writings concerning the Creation of the world could in his bording and iesting maner say of him Ille homo meaning Moses multa dicit nihil probat hath set downe much but how doth he prooue it I say if they will needs craue proofe of God or of his Prophets for confirming of truth let it be demanded of them what proofe or reasons they bring vs to maintaine their dotages lyings and falsehoods what proofe or reason can they alleadge to make any one beleeue or rather to be such an Infidel to thinke that there is no God that the world had no beginning that the soule is not immortall that the world and all mortall things shall haue none end if they will haue vs onely to credit them denying these things without any proofe and contrary to all reason why doe they not beleeue the truth which is agreeable to all reason and confirmed by plaine demonstrations which as they themselues say is the soundest kinde of proofe or why are they so partiall and iniurious to the Prophets and holy men of God I might well say to God himselfe as once to doubt of those thinges which are plainely and compendiously yea with such harmony and consent as is wonderfull The cōsent of Scripture admirable recorded in the Scriptures seeing they themselues will thinke themselues more then iniured if we giue not credit to their writings though many times they bee full of fables and in knowen things different and dissenting the one from the other But if they will not yeelde God his due in obeying the truth let vs yeeld so much vnto them as to reprooue their falsehoodes as well by reason as by weaker authorities then the word of God which they had rather beleeue In their owne reason they both see and confesse that many things in this world by the reason of the alteration of times and corruptions of men are in a sort as it were shuffled together very confusedly the foole is exalted the wise man despised the vertuous punished the vitious praised what other thing should this teach vs in common reason but that there is a time to be expected when all this shall be redressed all these corruptions purged and a perfection of all things restored againe This much the Heathen themselues haue confessed The Heathen held that there should be a burning of al things That after a certaine time there should be an vniuersall burning of the world which wee Christians call Domesday and that immediately after all things shal be set in there perfect state againe as they were at the first Now among all the records of the heathen that intreat of the iudgement to come those sayings of Sibilla Erithrea for there were many Sibils are of greatest accompt among the learned which sayings or oracles as they are called seeing they are extant in diuers bookes both in their originall and also translated into our toung I will not trouble the readers with them in this place And as touching this generall Iudgement though it were neither recorded vnto vs in the sacred Scriptures nor by any other authorities or reasons confirmed yet surely Gods giuing of his Law Gods giuing of the law a testimonie that there shall be a iudgement not to theoutward but to the inner man not to our deedes onely but also to our thoughts sheweth sufficiently without any other proofe that there is another Iudge besides the Iudges Maiestrates of this world to iudge vs and an other iudgement then their iudgement to be looked for seeing there iudgement here proceede but to the outward deede and by prooffes of witnesses therefore cannot in any wise pearce into the hart to discerne what is within For as it is the Soule that chiefely receaueth the commandement and chifely breaketh it it is therefore the Soule that must come to examination which cannot be done in this world Againe seeing the bodies are vsed as the instruments of the Soule either to good or euill therefore there must be a resurrection that they may be againe ioyned to their Soules to receiue ioy or punishment at the generall iudgement But if these Atheists will mocke deride as well prophane as diuine authorities which prooue vnto vs the iudgement to come neither will yeelde vnto common reason yet there is some thing within themselues which they euer carry about to conuince them I meane their own consciences Mans conscience tels him there shall be a adgement which shall euer witnesse against them selues For let them tell me what meane these feares and trouble which terrifie them night and day if there were not a Iudge and Iudgement to be feared What made that prophane Caligula to tremble euen at the shaking of a leafe but onely because his conscience tolde him of the Iudgement to come When Paule preached vnto Felix of the Iudgement to come Act. 24.26 then did Felix tremble and quake And how should not the sinfull Soule of man be afraid of this fearefull iudgement seeing the deuils themselues are horribly confounded with the feare thereof Iud 6. being kept in Chaynes vnto the iudgement of that great day To draw to an end therefore I am rather of this mind then otherwise namely that there were neuer any so prophane or wicked in the world Whatsoeuer they
haue written or spoken to the contrary as the Atheists and Epicures in olde time and our Epicuriall Atheists or Machiuilians in these latter â—aies haue belched out many blasphemies against the truth in this matter that â—aue beene without this feeling in their â—oÌ„sciences of the day of IudgemeÌ„t only by the iust iudgement of God that they might be the more hardned in their sins â—â—ey haue laboured with all their might rather to suppresse theÌ„ vtterly to quench the same which sting of conscience and fire of displeasure burning and tormenting their soules in this life are nothing else indeede but onely a taste and beginning of those endelesse torments which their bodies and soules shal at the last day be adiudged to endure in the life to come for euermore in the bottomelesse pit of hell Where their worme or sting of conscience shall neuer die and the fier neuer be quenched Why then should we spend more time or words or yeeld any more reasons or authorities prophane or diuine to proue vnto them that there shall be a daie of Iudgement and an ende of all mortall thinges seeing they that would must gaine say it speake not onely against all reason and authoritie but euen in a sorâ— against their owne knowledg and consciences As for the godly and faithfull the confesse the same dayly in the Articles 〈◊〉 their faith And if there be any other aâ—â— no doubt there be some that neitheâ— with the Saduces deny the resurrection 〈◊〉 the dead nor with the Atheists denâ— that there shall be a generall day 〈◊〉 Iudgment but onely stand in doubt wanering in their minds and maruailing how these things shall come to passe Let them attend diligently vnto these wordes of Christ who saith thus vnto them Ioh. 5.28.29 Maruaile not at this for the day houre shal come in the which all that are in their graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God And they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of Iudgement or condemnation And so much for proofe that there shall be a generall Iudgement and therewithall an ende of all mortall miseries Now let vs proceede to the Chapter following which sheweth how this day of Iudgement is vsually called in the Scriptures and what profit we may reap thereby The third Chapter TOuching that point let vs first see how the day of Iudgement is noted vnto vs by Saint Peter himselfe whose Watch-word hath caused vs to wade thus farre in this matter In the third Chapter of his second Epistle 2. Pet. 3.12 Stay of Iudgement called the day of God Saint Peter calleth the day of Iudgement the day of God and though it may be said that euery day is Gods day because he made all daies yet the day of Iudgement more peculiarly then other daies may rightly be called the day of God and that for diuers causes First for that God hath kept that day secret to himselfe and hath not reuealed the same either to men or Angels no not to the Sonne of man as he is onely man though he be head and Lord of Angels next it may be called the day of God because vpon that day the most mightie power and maiestie of that great God Iehouah shall be made more manifest to the world then euer before both in rewarding of the good and punishing of the wicked Then shall that saying of the Psalmâ—st be proued true in the sight of men and Angels Psal 58.11 Verily there is a reward for the righteous there is a God that Iudgeth the earth Moreouer it may well be called the day of God for when God hath iudged the world by Iesus Christ then shal Christ Iesus deliuer vp the kingdome to God his Father and God shal be all in all then shall El Elohim Iehouah as the Prophet Dauid describeth him in the 50. Psalme Psal 50. The God of Gods the euerlasting God God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost be seene worshipped of men Angels in the excellencie of their glory the sight and knowledge of whose glory shall be the full ioy and contentation of Gods elect as it is said in the sixteene Psalme Psal 16. vlâ— In Gods presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore Now Saint Peter doth not onely call the day of Iudgement the day of God Day of Iudgement called the day of the Lord. 2. Pet 3.10 but in the same Chapter calleth it also the day of the Lord meaning no doubt the Lord Iesus who shall iudge vs all And Saint Paule speaketh of the same matter vseth both wordes in the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Thess 1.8 saying The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen in flaming fire And in the second of the Acts Saint Peter reporteth the saying of the prophet Ioel calling the day of Iudgement Ioel. 2.23 The great and notable day of the Lord. Now he calleth that day the day of the Lord because vpon that day the Lord Christ shall shew himselfe to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings and he calleth it great and notable both in respect of the great glory of the Iudge as also in regard of the notable things that shal come to passe vpon that day for then the Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall loose her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen yea heauen it selfe shall passe away with a noyce as Peter also saith the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therin shall be burnt vp Then shall the sound of the Trumpet be heard the worlde throughout to waken them that are in their graues Then shall all they that are dead heare the voyce of the son of God Then shall all the great Monarches and princes of the world together with all their vassals and subiects appeare naked before the person of this great Iudge then shall the deuils and all damned spirits roare and cry then shall all the wicked tremble and quake for feare and shall say to the hils and mountaines fall vpon vs and hide vs from him that sitteth on the throne and from the presence of the Lambe for that great day of his wrath is come and who may abide it therefore rightly may this day be called the great and notable day of the Lord. Moreouer Day of Iudgemenâ— called a daâ— of refreshing Acts 3.19 the day of iudgement is called by Saint Peter in the third of the Actes the day or time of cooling or refreshing because vpon that day all the children that haue any way beene afflicted in this life shall be comforted and refreshed especially those which haue beene scorched with the heate of persecution for Christ his sake they shall be cooled and aboue all measure cheared comforted and refreshed They shall hunger no
feruent heate Therefore I am perswaded that these tokens shall not be accomplished till the ende of the world And therefore as I haue said let no man deferre his repentance till these signes be fulfilled which are signes and tokens that shal accompany the comming of the Iudge no otherwise as also I haue said then a flash of lightning before the thunder or rather with the thunder though the light be seene before the thunder be heard yet both are said to breake out of the cloude together so assuredly as soone as these tokens are accomplished the Sonne of man shal presently appeare in the clouds with power and great glory This thing is plainely reuealed vnto vs by two Euangelistes Marke and Mathew Mark 13.24 who say In those daies that is at the end of the world the sunne shall waxe darke the Moone shall not giue her light the starres of Heauen shall fall the powers of heauen shall be shaken And then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in the clouds with power and great glorie No intermission of time between the one and the other scarce so much time for the faithfull to lift vp their eyes vnto heauen to receiue ioy into their harts for that their expected redeemer is come Moreouer that those signes are not yet accomplished it may be gathered out of Luke Luk. 21.24 who maketh mention of the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled before he speaketh of the signes in the Sunne Moone and Starres But we see the time of the Gentiles is not yet fulfilled neither I hope shall be fulfilled till the ende of the world therefore these signes and tokens are not as yet accomplished But some will yet say that Saint Paule speaketh of the restoring of the Iewes before the generall Iudgement shall come It is true indeede Saint Paule in the 11. of the Romanes Rom. 11. maketh mention of such a secret which curiously to intreat of is from my purpose onely this wee may note out of that place of the Apostle that Saint Paule hauing an intent to tame the pride of the Gentiles that they should not boast or preferre themselues before the Iewes who were the naturall branches affirmeth in the three and twentieth verse of the same Chapter that the Iewes shall be graffed in againe For saith he God is able to graffe them in againe if they continue not still in vnbeleefe which if or exception of the Apostle being well noted will stay sober minds from concluding a generall restoring of any publike estate of the Iewes before the comming of Christ vnto iudgement For as much as Infidelitie is that great sinne which hitherunto hath stickt so fast vnto that Nation Howbeit we doubt not many Iewes sithence their reiection God of his mercy hath called and dayly doth call vnto repentance that so all Israell may be saued Rom. 11.26 as the Apostle saith that as all those that are Isralites indeede and by faith in Christ depend onely vpon the free election of God as also must the Gentiles if they will be saued But in the meane while let it not hinder any to looke for the comming of our Sauiour till the nations of the Iewes be wholy restored seeing if that were the meaning of the Apostle wee know not how soone God may bring the same to passe for a iust iudgement vnto vs GeÌ„tiles neither yet how long they may coÌ„tinue in their vnbeleefe euen to the last day if God do not shew mercy vpon theÌ„ And as for that the Apostle also in the Gospell maketh mention of the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled Luke 21 if the meaning thereof be that for their great vnthankfulnes contempt of Gods grace the Gospell may be taken from them as I hope it shall not before the ende of the world for then the time of the Gentiles must needs be fulfilled I had rather meditate vpon this matter then make any discourse thereof at all onely let these wordes of the Apostle in that place euer sound in our eares that are Gentiles Be ye not high minded but feare Ro 〈◊〉 for if God spared not the naturall branches which were the Iewes take-heede which word euermore goeth before danger That he spare not thee being a Gentile and a wilde Oliue tree And as for deciding of these questioÌ„s either touching the publike restoring of the Iewes or small reiection of the Gentiles before the ende of the worlde both which questions I rather hold negatiuely seeing they are somewhat disputable let vs in a Christian lobriety rather confesse our ignorance then bewray curiositie waying well that diuine declamation of the Apostle wherewith he concludeth that discourse â—â—rse 33. O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out There are yet remayning two other poynts of like difficultie to some to be briefely touched The one whether the Gospell be yet preached throughout the world The other whether the kingdome of Antichrist shal not in a sort continue vnto the comming of Christ vnto Iudgement Of the former albeit I speake of it in this place yet I am rather of opinion that the publike preaching of the Gospell should be reckoned in the number of those tokens that are already passed and that the Gospell hath already beene published yea sithence the darknesse of Popery Mahomatisme hath beene discouered throughout all Nations of the world euen as Saint Paule affirmed it was euen in his time and therefore now the end of the world to be looked for If any will say why then the ende should come presently seeing Christ saith when the Gospell shall be preached then shall the end come I answere that the word then must not onely be referred to that time when the Gospell is preached or shall be preached but also to that time when the breaching of the Gospel hath fully effecâ—ed that for which it was preached and published The word of God beauenly seed for we know the preaching â—f the Gospell is that heauenly seede which must be sowen in the Gardens of â—arthly mens harts which seede must â—aue a time to be sowen a time to grow â—â—d a time to ripen assoone as this seede 〈◊〉 fully ripened in the harts of Gods â—ect and the reprobate made inexcusaâ—â—e for not receiuing or for not yeelding forth fruite accordingly then presently without delay will the haruest come and the sickle shall be thrust in to cut the Lords corne to preserue it for his owne Garner the kingdome of Heauen when the weede euery vnprofitable branch shall be burned in that fire that neuer shall be quenched Againe we see the day must dawne and the day starre of the Gospell must haue a time to appeare before the Sonne of righteousnesse doe arise yea the sunne in the firmament hath a time to rise a time to run his course and a time to set so 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