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
rather when belly-cheere and drunkennesse is more in vse among vs that are named Christians then euer among those heathen people which onely serued their God Bacchus O beastly drunkards what meane you to runne into this excesse riot of drunkennesse without all mean or measure as now you do endeuouring to excel the drunkards and tossepots of all ages In olde time it was said They that are drunken are drunken in the night for then they were ashamed to be seene druÌ„ken in the day But now it seemeth our drunkards are ashamed of themselues if they be not drunken once with the least euery day Drunkards delight to make more drunkards nay they content not themselues with their owne drunkennes but take great pleasure and delight to make other drunke also as is too apparant by their carrowsing and quaffing health to him and health to her and yet no health nor wealth to any of them present or absent Saint Paule telleth thee howe thou shouldest vse thy needye brother though thine enemie If he bee hungry saith he feede him if he bee a thirst Rom. 12.20 giue 〈◊〉 drinke but thou wilt make thy friend â—rinke before he be thirstie and of a â—riend make him many time before hee â—epart thy mortall foe for how many â—ayes and fightings doe we see dayly to rise of these vnhealthful quaffings then â—hat belching of blasphemies and vnâ—aturall murthers follow after and in a worde what sinne is there that doth not â—ccompanie drunkennesse This sinâ—ull custome of quaffing by measure or â—ather aboue measure was not allowed â—n the Court of that great king Ahashueosh no not in the time of his feasting Hester 1. â—â— out rather a lawe by the kinges owne mouth made against it would God some â—aw or other were made to restraine this â—o great licenciousnesse or beastlinesse Vnlawfull drinking forbidden or hereby men are made worse then beasts bring a horse to water and hee will drinke no more then pleaseth him â—or is sufficient but if a drunkarde once come where there is either Ale or Wine â—e is neuer satisfied nay hee will enforce others to doe as he doth so long as eyâ—her of them can stand in the place It is reported that Diogines fel in comanie once with such toslepot companions and when hee was quaffed vnto in wine hee cast it on the ground saying better one then two meaning the wine perish alone then he should haue perished with it Now let the Drunkards heare what iudgement the Prophet Habakkuk pronounceth against them when he sayth Wo vnto thee that giuest thy neighbour drinke meaning in the maner aforesaide and makest him drunken also Habac. 2.15.16 that thou mayst see hiâ— priuities Thou shalt bee filled with shame foâ— glory drinke thou also and be made naked thâ— cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned vntâ— thee and shamefull spuings shall bee for thâ— glorie Againe Pro. 23.29 To whom is woe sayth the Wife dome of God To whom is sorrow Tâ— whom is strife To whom is murmuring Tâ— whom are wounds without cause The fruit of drunkennesse Euen to theâ— that tarry long at the wine and to them that see mixt wine Therefore giueth withall thiâ— counsell Looke not thou vpon the wine hoâ— pleasant it is In the ende thereof it will bite like 〈◊〉 Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice Then sheweth the feate of drunkennesse Thiâ— eyes shall looke vpon straunge women and thiâ— heart shall speake lewd things Therefore it is not without greaâ— cause that our Sauiour forewarning vs of the ende of the worlde counselleth vs aboue all things to take heede of surfetting and drunkennesse and in another place noting the disorders of the vnfaithful seruant at his coÌ„ming to iudgement sayeth Math. 24.49 That hee will eate and drinke with the drunken For which cause I verily suppose that this vnmeasurable drunkennesse of our age is a manifest token that the ende of the world is at hand And it is to be noted that saint Peter taketh the occasion of giuing this watch worde The end of all things is at hand Vpon this that he had said 1. Pet. 4. â— It is sufficient that we haue spent the time past of our life after the lawes of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie and drinkings doubling as we see this worde drunkennesse then by and by noteth that if it seemeth straunge to these wicked drunkards and vngodly persons if any bee drawne by the preaching of the Gospel from running into the same excesse of riot with theÌ„ But that the godly might not be discouraged he sayth that these drunkards and vngodly persons shall one day giue account Verse 5. to him that is readie to iudge quick and dead of which iudge and iudgement we wil now God willing proceede to speeke of more particularly in the Chapters following first prouing that there shall bee such a day of iudgement and a finall ende of all mortall things The second Chapter FOr the confirmation of this point being a chiefe Article of the Christian faith true Christians I know deferre the plaine and euident testimonies of Scripture howsoeuer the Atheists Epicures deride all scripture Let vs therefore begin our proofe with that ancient prophesie of holy Enoch noch gaue testimonie of the end of the world who liued before the flond and is reported of to haue pleased God and therfore God tooke him away vnto him selfe as it were in the midst of his dayes in respect of them that liued before and after him when he had liued three hundred sixtie and fiue yeares This Enoch the seuenth from Adam sayth saint Iude the Apostle prophesied saying Iude. 14. Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all men to rebuke all their vngodly among them of all the wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speaking which wicked sinners haue spoken against him This plaine and euident testimonie of the day of iudgement reuealed vnto so holy a Prophet and Patriarke as Henoch was in the first age of the world and before the flood God would not haue to be buried in forgetfulnesse though many other of Enochs prophesies as it is thought be lost Some of Enochs writings lost Therefore by his holy spirit inspired the minde of Iude the Apostle to record the same in holy writ and the same hath beene taken and accounted in the Church of God for most authenticall and Canonicall Scripture and shall so continue in credite among all the faithfull vntill the ende of the world Besides this same prophesie of Enoch the Patriarch is strongly confirmed vnto vs by the Prophets Apostles and by Christ himselfe so that no man maye doubt the certaintie thereof without great impietie How fitly doth that saying of Salomon in the last of Ecclesiastes Eccle. 1â— â—3 agree with the former prophesies as wel almost in word as
in diuers other places countries in Christendom all which do preach vnto vs that the desolation of all things is at hand And it is vsually obserued by the godly that euen these heauenly bodies the Sun Moone other of the planets starres which by the God of nature were created for the comfort of man haue of late yeeres withheld as it were their brightest beames sweetest influences froÌ„ vs as blushing and hiding their faces froÌ„ beholding the sinfulnes of this latter age wherein we liue adde vnto this the alteratioÌ„ which fal out in the times seasons of the yeere The spring some yeeres hoater then the sommer the sommer more moyster colder then part of the winter yea and the time of haruest wherein fruits should be ripened gathered for the sustinance of man hath shewed it selfe most vnkindly to requite as it were the vnkindnes vnthankefulnes of man towards his God who gouerneth all these things according to his good pleasure appointmeÌ„t The starres planets are ordained as the clocke of God to giue warning to the world of that euent falling out of these inferior things God the gouernor and disposer of all things but God himselfe turneth the wheeles draweth vp and letteth downe the poyses as it pleaseth him causeth echthing to fal out according to his owne pleasure So that we neede not doubt to affirme that there haue beene many estraordinary signes in the Sunne in the Moone and in the Starres passed already and yet dayly are to be seene to admonish vs that the ende of all things is at hand Now as these signes are vsually noted by the learned in the heauens so the effectes of the same are warres famines and Pestilence among men here on earth which are also tokens foretold by three Euangelists that shall fall out before the ende of the world And albeit no age in the world hath beene free from these Iudgements of God for sinne yet no doubt these latter warres which haue beene raysed by Antichrist and waged by Christian Princes within Christendome for the Gospels sake doe euen as it were point out with the finger that Christ himselfe is comming to stint this strife and to stay the fury of Antichrist the Pope and all his adherents The like is to be said of all the feareful famines and Pestilences that wee haue both seene and felt and the Lord of grace onely knoweth what is it to come before the end of the world for our great vnthankfulnesse and abusing of Gods blessing in the time of peace and plenty for as sinne doth abound so the punishment of sinne must also increase And that sinne and sinners doe so increase abound what doth it else prognosticate but that as Christ also forwarneth the end of the world posteth on Also that fidelitas faithfulnesse or faithfull dealing among men is nigro cigno similis Loue or charitie cold as ice rare to be found and loue or charitie waxen colde as the ice euen in the sun-shine of the Gospell it teacheth vs plainly that The end of all things is at hand What should we speake of the most strange vnnaâ—urall birthes that dayly are to be seene euery where which monsters beyonde all course of nature doe plainely tell vs that the God of nature is angry with man for those most monstrous and vnnaturall sins which are dayly committed to speake nothing of the strange vnheard of fires burnings haile thundrings and lightnings which are euen the Harbengeâ—â— or forerunners of that fearefull violent fire which shal shortly destroy all the aduersaries of God when his Sonne Christ shall come vnto iudgement Also there shall be earth quakes though not in all yet in diuers places we haue lately seene and felt the same â—uke 21. the Sea and waters shall swell and rore and that for all these things mens harts shall faile them and be astonished which thing euen surely doth euen now beginne to come to passe and dayly shall increase towards the ende of the world all these and many other signes and tokens we may affirme without any feare to be already passed and gone and thereupon we may conclude as our Sauiour teacheth vs by the budding of the Figge tree that the Sonne of righteousnes is ready to appeare in the Heauens and the euerlasting summer for all the children of God is euen at hand Signes passed which shall be vnto them a time of ioy and refreshing but to the wicked and vngodly a day of horror and lamentation So much briefely touching such signes and tokens as are already passed wherevnto may bee added that the Apostle speaketh of the departing from the faith 2. Thes 2 3 and the reuealing of Antichrist that childe of perdition which the light of the Gospell in this age hath reuealed made knowen to the world and I trust will dayly more and more reueile to all such as haue not receiued the marke of that beast either in their right hand Reu. 13.16 or in their forehead But here it may be said that the Scripture teacheth that the Sunne shall be darkned the Moone turned into bloud Math. 24.29 and the Starres shall fall from Heauen before this great and terrible day of the Lord come and therefore some may say we neede not to doubt of the day of Iudgement before we see these great signes so to be accomplished and fulfilled But stay are we assured that these great and fearefull tokens haue not appeared in some place or other in this last age of the world or if they haue not been litterally fulfilled yet may they not mistically be accomplished which thing by the learned is also noted and obserued comparing the darkning of the Sunne to the Eclipsing of the Gospell being Eclipsed and darkened vnder the kingdome of Antichrist fiue hundred yeeres together the Moone turned into bloud to the great slaughters persecutions of the Church children of God whose bloud by the bloudy beast of Rome hath been shed spilt as waters in al quarters of Christendome the falling away of many great Masters and Doctors which sometimes shined in the Church but after declining vnto Papisme or Atheisme haue they likened to the falling of the Starres from Heauen All these things no doubt in this sence haue beene fulfilled but that this is the meaning of our Sauiour that his words shall be mistically vnderstood I dare not affirme but rather I doe verily beleeue that the Sunne in the firmament shal indeede be darkned when the Sonne of righteousnesse shall appeare that the Moone shall not then giue her light and for how can she when the sunne is darkned from whoÌ„ she receiueth all hir light and brightnesse that the starres shal then fall from heauen and no maruell seeing then the powers of Heauen shall be shaken 2 Pet 3. the Heauens or firmament it selfe passing away with a noyce and the elements melting with