take some bye path that shal lead vs to eternall perdition This light of Gods worde we may not carie in our mouthes nor set on our heades nor hange on our girdles but we must carie it in our hands that is it must appeare in our liues and shew it selfe in our workes and doings according to that Christ saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good vvorkes and glorifie your father that is in heauen And surely if we haue the right vse to féede the lampe it will vndoubtedly burne and with faire light shew it selfe that is if through Gods good spirit working in vs by his holy worde we come in a right and true faith in the promises of God certeinly it will shine in our life and with great brightnesse set foorth the glorie of god This oile because the holy virgines lacked had not in readinesse when the Lorde came sodainely in the night the doore of eternal life was shut against them they excluded vnto perpetuall darkenesse where is wéepinge and gnashinge of téeth We ought therefore according to the direction of this true light euery man carefully to walke in his calling and as good and diligent seruants with al obedience doing those things that the Lorde hath appointed as to looke for his comming because as is before declared he wil come sodainely at that houre that we thinke not we must be ready to open whensoeuer he knocketh He knocketh by the preaching of his holy worde and calling to repentance he knocketh by signes and tokens from heauen he knocketh by troubles and afflictions he knocketh by sickenesse lastly of al he knocketh by death Whensoeuer he knocketh to come in and dwel in our hearts if we open not it is dangerous but if we open not when he knocketh lastly by sicknesse and death vndoubtedly he then passeth from vs for euer and leaueth vs as the possession of Satan to eternal fire prepared for him his Angels But it is exceding perilus to defer y opening of y gates of our hearts vntil that y last pinch for litle know we whether God will suffer vs then to be hable to open séeing we haue so often before either negligently or stubburnly and obstinately refused to open wheÌ„ he hath by al louing meanes tenderly and mercifully called and knocked to come in Our last preparation is to pray Uigilate saith Christ orate VVatche and pray least you enter into tentation The worlde is flattering the fleshe is fraile the deuil readie and continually As a roaring lyon going about seeking vvhom to deuoure Séeing then our enemies be so strong and we so weake féeble it behoueth vs continually to cal for helpe where it is to be had But euerie good thing and euerie gratious gift commeth from aboue from the father of lightes This father of lights is y eternal God y father of our Lorde Jesus Christ of this father therefore we must by most earnest and continual prayer desire assistance and the strength of his holy spirit to helpe vs that we be not caried away from the carefull cogitation of our dueties by the allurements of the deuil the flesh and the worlde Woorthely saith that good father and Martyr Ciprian Incumb amus gemitibus assiduis c. Let vs be earnest vvith continual gronings and often prayers for those are the heauenly armour that make vs to stand strongly valiantly to coÌ„tinew those are the spiritual weapons that do defend saue vs. And againe Let vs aske vve shal receiue and if there shal be any delay or tarying because vve haue grieuously offended let vs knocke and the doore of Gods mercifull goodnesse shal be opened especially if vve knocke at the doore vvith prayers groninges and bitter teares vvherein also vve must abide and continvve Let vs therfore continually lifte vp the handes and armes of our harts vnto God as Moses did his armes in the battaile betwéene Israel and the Amalachites and then in that strong battaile that is within vs betwéene the spirit and the fleshe vndoubtedly the spirit shall vanquish ouercome but if we faynt and holde downe our handes surely our enemies wil waâ— euery day stronger then other and so at the last giue vs the ouerthrowe Let vs not fainte therefore but praye continually vnto God in the name of Christ Jesu our lord Thus if we doe as men wel prepared we shal abyde warily watchefully and constantly lookinge for the last comming of our good Lorde and Christ to iudgement And then he that commeth to the wicked as a dreadful and terrible iudge shall come to vs as a bountifuf Sauiour and redéemer as in whose merite and Passion we haue alway put our whole trust and confidence though that daye be to the wicked so terrible as before I haue descriued yet it shal be to vs the daye of our chiefest ioye and comfort and therefore our Sauiour Christ willeth vs when the signeâ— of that day beâ—come to lift vp our heades because our redemption is at hand For then we shal not onely be deliuered from all those afflictions troubles dangers which in the continuance of this fraile world we haue suffered but also we shall be by him adiudged to the fruition and enioying of that heritage whiche he hath purchased for vs by his bloud wherefore the greater that the maiestie of his comminge is the greater confirmation shall it be to our fayth For therin we shal both acknowledge the trueth of his worde who long before hath tolde vs it shoulde be so and also we shall euidently sée that he is that mightie Lorde and God that according to his promise is able to performe all that he hath sayde and vtterly to vanquish subdue and treade vnder foote all these powers whatsoeuer that are enemies to his electe and chosen flocke The worlde they sée destroyed before them death ended and consumed sinne confounded Satan and all his powers euen at the last cast and looking presently to be throwen into that lake of fire that is prepared for him and for his angels WheÌ„ we haue then nothing to feare howe should we not be in moste perfite ioy All those things bréed comfort to the godly that cause terrour to other Though the examination account be verie streight though Satan shall lay before vs the booke of our own consciences to accuse vs we shal easily disburdeÌ„ our selues by acknowledging the things and by coÌ„fessing that there is in our selues no iustice in confidence when we dare that day stand in iudgement and that oure whole trust and confidence is in the innocent death of that immaculate Lambe that dyed to take away the sinnes of the whole worlde and for assurance thereof we shall shewe acquittances of his most blessed promises and vpon them with the hande of our fayth lay sure hold For he hath sayde God sent not his sonne into the vvorlde to iudge the vvorld but that the vvorlde shoulde be saued by him He that beleeueth in him is not iudged And agayne So God loued the vvorld that he gaue his only begotten sonne that vvho so euer doth beleeue on him should not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting And agayne He that heareth my vvorde and beleeueth in him that sent me hath life euerlasting and commeth not into iudgement but passeth from death to life And if Satan shall lay any false thing vnto vs or charge vs with the weaknesse of our fayth to oure vnestimable comfort we shall sée on our right hande as it were the fruites of our faith shewed in christian charitie which the iudge him selfe shall not onely testifie to be done but acknowledge them to be done vnto him selfe by saying I vvas hungry and ye gaue me to eate I vvas thirstie and ye gaue me to drinke I vvas a stranger and you interteyned me c. So often as you did one of these things to the smallest of your brethren I acknovvledge it to be done vnto my selfe And therefore we shall ioyfully looke for that blessed and comfortable sentence Come ye blessed of my father and enter into the kingdom that is prepared for you before the beginning of the vvorlde there shall we still beholde as Basile sayth the numbers of Angels the assembly of our first Fathers the seates of the Apostles the thrones of the Prophetes the scepters of the Patriarkes the crownes of the Martyrs the prayses of the iust Yea there shall we possesse suche ioyes as neyther eye hath séene nor eare hath hearde nor tongue can tell nor penne is able to expresse vnto which endlesse ioyes our Lord and Sauiour Christe bring vs to whome with God the Father and the holie Ghost be al honour c. FINIS Iohn 14. 15. Matt. 16. Act. 17. Rom. 14. 2. Cor. 5. Dan. 7. Zach. 14 Mat. 25. 26. Iohn 5. Apoc. 1. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Pet. 3. Mat. 5. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Matt. 24. Act. 1. Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Luke 19. Matt. 24. Mar. 13. Luke 19. Dan. 7. Dan. 7. 2. Thes 2. Luke 18. Zach. 9. Matt. 24. 25 26. Mar. 13. Luke 19. 2. Thes 1. Phi. 3. Act. 1. Dan. 7. Mat. 19. Esay 66. Apoca. 19. Mar. 13. Matt. 7. 1. Tim. 4. Gen. 49. Deut. 18. Mat. 24. 25. Mat. 13. Luk. 12. 21. 1. Pet. 5. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Thes 5. in Gen. c. 2. In Gen. ca. 6. Luke 13. 1. Cor. 7. Mat. 5. Mat. 25. Lib. 1. epi. 1. Lib. 4. epi. 4. Mar. 13.
ioliest sort of men in this worlde or if many doe not heare theÌ„ who is it y by the obstinate contempt of Gods holy worde the disdain of his messengers and by the vnbrideled loosenesse of mens liues may not iustly gather that this opinion is in the hearts of very many But I wil answere them as S. Peter in effect doth immediately folowing that is that heauen and earth doth so long remaine because they are preserued by the worde of their almightie Creator and maker who as by his worde he made it of nothing so when he shall appoint the time it shall ende and perishe for the same worde that had power to make the worlde of nothing hath also like power when it shall seeme good to dissolue it For proâ—e here of the world continued from the first creation vntill the generall deluge of Noah being appointed by the determined decree of Gods holy prouidence that it should so do and when the same almightie worde of God had sayd that for sinne he would destroy the whole worlde with water it was without stay perfourmed Therefore séeing the same prouidence by his holy spirit hath sayde also that in the ende it shall be consumed with fire the same worde shall as assuredly be veryfied For heauen and earth shall perishe and passe away in vanitie but the worde of God shall not perish but that euery iote thereof shal be perfourmed But as I haue sayd these men make small account of Gods worde I will therefore leaue Christians and turne my selfe to Heathens and Paganes for suche are these scorning and loose Epicures of whome S. Peter speaketh although they hide themselues vnder the cloakes of Christians I aske them therefore whether they beléeue there is a God or no If they will say no For the foolish hath saide in his heart there is no God Then will I will them to beholde the whole world and the maruellous workemanship thereof The Sunne the Moone the starres and planets with the wonderfull mouing and course of the same the earth the water the ayre and all the beautifull furniture thereof beastes trées plantes foules fyshes rayne haile thunder lightning with the residue of Gods maruellous workes in his creatures and the maner of growing bréeding and encreasing of the same and vndoubtedly the almightie power the excéeding wisedome and vnestimable goodnesse that shall appeare in these things must néedes conuince them in their owne consciences that there is a God which in so excéeding and goodly maner hath framed them Yea if he be worthy the name of a man let himselfe consider but the framing of a litle babe in his mothers wombe from séed to skynne sinews veynes arteries bones flesh lyfe and reasonable soule and verie reason it selfe will tell him that it is an euerlasting power that doeth it For the weighing thereof hath coÌ„uinced the consciences of great learned Philosophers that haue striued to persuade them selues the contrary Oh wil they say these are done by course of nature Why and what is that they call Nature or what is it that doeth directe that course is it any thing else then the finger of God working in his creatures Seneca an heathen Philosopher can witnesse so much Séeing then there must néedes be a God let them reason thus with themselues If there be a God he must néedes be a iust God and the office of iustice is to rewarde them that be good and to punish them that be euill For this direction the same God by nature hath imprinted in vs But in this lyfe although God oftentimes shewe some notable examples of his iustice in rewarding the good and punishing the euill yet most commonly the wicked doe prosper and flourishe as Dauid in sundry places complayneth and coÌ„trarywise the faythfull and godly are afflicted In so muche that S. Paule sayth vvho so euer vvill liue godly in Christ Iesu shall be sure to suffer persecution and therfore it is truely said Crux comes euangelij the crosse is the vsuall companion of the Gospell Yea such is the miserie and trouble of good men in this worlde that Saint Paule sayth if there be not a resurrection of the deade and another life after this Christians are of all other most miserable Christ him selfe in many places telleth his faythfull and blessed Apostles and vnder their names all other true Christians that they shoulde not in this worlde be so sure of any thing as of affliction trouble and persecution Wherefore it must néedes folow as a most necessarie consequent that after this life there must be a iudgement in which men according to the vnfallible iustice of God must receiue as Christ sayth in this place according to their doings be it good or bad This reason hath persuaded the most parte of the heathen Philosophers that the soule of man is immortal and receiueth after this life eyther reward or punishment Yea in persuasion hereof some with their owne handes haue dispatched them selues out of this life as it is writen of Cato Vticensis and other And a great number vpon the same hope of a better life after this haue constantly contemned death and cherefully receiued the same Seing then heathen persones that neuer had the true knowledge of God by the very leading of humane reason haue growne to an assured persuasion that after this life there shuld be a iudgement for the rewarding of the godly and punishing of the wicked What a dreadfull inâ—idelitie is it in Christians to séeme any thing to doubt of the same Séeing therefore it is by Gods holy worde and by reason conuinced that there shall be a iudgement after this life it remayneth that we as certeinly vnderstand that it shall come to passe very shortly And for proofe hereof let vs first cal to minde the similitude and borowed speeches that the holy Ghost vseth in the scriptures to declare the sodaine comming thereof Christ himselfe and S. Paule compareth it to a thief that commeth sodainly in the night when thâ— master and family thinketh of no danger but that they may quietly take their rest If the housholder had knovveÌ„ saith christ at vvhat houre the thiefe vvould haue come he vvoulde haue vvatched and not suffred his house to haue ben broken vp VVatch you therefore and be ready for the sonne of man vvil come you knovve not at vvhat houre S. Paule resembleth the comminge of the last day not onely to the sodaine assault of a thiefe in the night but to the throwes of a woman traueiling with chylde For this he saith VVhen they shal say vnto you peace peace and all is vvell then sodainly shall destruction come vpon them as the panges of a vvoman in trauaile they shall not scape it In which wordes he noteth the quietnes secure peace of confidence good estate y men shal haue at the later day Christ Matt. 24. coÌ„pareth it to a flashe of lightening comming from the East vnto the West then which
and is called dictum domus Eliae the saying of the schole of Elias and is attributed to the sonne of the widowe which Elias raysed from death to lyfe The summe of it is that the worlde should remayne sixe thousande yeres that is two thousand before the law two thousand vnder the lawe and two thousand vnder Messiah The first foure thousande we sée by iust computation fulfilled before Christe of the last two one and more then an halfe is passed nowe if we call to our remembrance that Christe him selfe hath promised that for his electe sake because of the excéeding trouble miserie and wickednesse the latter dayes should be shortned we shall easily gather that the world hath not many yeres to continue and howe fewe we knowe not for howe much or how litle he will abridge them we are vncerteine Nowe séeing the proofes be so euident that the last day can not be farre of for séeing the figge trée leaues be spreade Sommer must néedes be at hande the nexte is the more to moue our dull hearts diligently to consider howe and in what maner it shall be The story thereof Christ briefly comprehendeth Mat. 25. VVhen the sonne of man sayth he shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels vvith him then shall he sitte on the throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered al nations and he shal separate them one from another as the shephearde deuideth his sheepe from the goates and he shall set the sheepe on the right hande but the goates on the left so forth as there foloweth Christes first comming was with al méekenesse lowlines simplicitie according to the saying of the Prophet Behold thy king commeth to thee meeke and sitteth vpon an Asse He came then to saue sinners and therefore he shewed him selfe altogether in mercy and gentlenesse but his latter comming shall be with great power maiestie and glory for then he commeth as a dreadfull Judge to reward in iustice the vnrepentant sinners that contemned his great mercies offered at his firste comming But let vs examine the maner of his comming somewhat more particularly After those signes and tokens that goe before his comming whereof I haue already spoken there be other also ioyned with the verie time of his latter appearing The sun shall be darkened the moone shall lose her light the starres shall fall from heauen and the povvers of heauen shall be moued the earth shall burne the firmament shall melt away and the last trumpe shall blowe and the voyce of the Archangell shal be heard summoning as it were all people aud sounding in their eares Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium arise you dead and come to iudgement whiche voyce S. Hierome thought he hearde euer ringing in his eares Then shall the sonne of mā appeare in the cloudes with great Maiestie as is sayde and the dead shall rise and they that be lyuing in the twinckling of an eye shall be changed and caryed into the ayre to appeare before the Lorde who commeth to iudge the worlde in ryghteousnesse This maner of Christ his comming beside his owne wordes in sundrie places of the Euangelistes is witnessed by S. Paule 2. Thes 1. VVhen the Lord Iesus Christe shall be reuealed from heauen vvith the Angels of his povver in flaming fire rendring vengeance vnto them that knovve not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ The very place whence he shall be reuealed giueth a great authoritie and maiestie vnto his comming to iudgement from heauen saith S Paule that is from the seate and habitation of the eternall and euerliuing God where is al power wisdome and iustice From thence saith he in another place doe we looke for our sauiour the Lorde Jesu And the Angell to the Disciples at the ascention of Christ VVhy stand you saith he gasing vp into heauen this same Iesus vvhich is taken from you into heauen shal so come euen as you haue sene him goe into heauen And therefore all christians in their beliefe confesse that Christ is ascended vp into heauē from whence say they he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead In the witnesse of the Apostle aboue rehearsed the power and ende of his comming is noted vvith the Angels of his povver saith S. Paule and to this end That he may be reuenged on them that knovve not God nor haue not beleeued his Gospel Which thing muste néedes be most terrible to the wicked as it is in the same place more precisely noted But of all other the Prophet Daniel most gloriously discribeth the maner of his comming I beheld saith he til the thrones vvere set vp and the Auncient of dayes did sit vvhose garment vvas vvhite as snow and the haires of his heade like pure vvool his throne vvas like firie flame and his vvheles as burning fire There issued forth before him a firie streame a thousand thousande ministred vnto him and ten thousand stoode before him the iudgment was set and the bokes were opened c. First the Prophet sayth the Thrones vvere set vp whereby it may appeare there be moe Thrones then one that this Judge shal haue a great number of assistances to be as witnesses of his iustice against the wicked and these shal be the number of his saintes as it is witnessed in sundrie places of the Scriptures Verely verely I saye vnto you saith Christ That vvhen the sonne of man shal sit in the throne of his maiestie you that haue follovved me in regeneration shal sit also vpon twelue seats iudgig the twelue tribes of Israel This iudge is noted by Daniel to be An olde man vvith his haire as white as vvool Therby to signifie the reuerence wisdome and experience y is in him that he cā not let passe any thinge by ignorance errour or follye his garmentes as white as snowe declare vnto vs his securitie vprightnes and integritie in iudgement not respecting any person nor being corrupted with fauour hatred or money The firie stream e y issueth forth before him the flaming throne that he sitteth in signifie the dreadfull force and pearsing strength of his iudgement which no creature is able to resist As fire consumeth all things is consumed of nothing so doth the straight iudgement of God consume all the wicked of the earth For God as the Scriptures saye is a consuming fire And the Prophet Esay saith The Lorde shall comme in fire and his chariot shall be like a vvhirle vvinde that he may recompence his vēgeance in his vvrath and his indignation in a flame of fire For the Lord shal iudge all fleshe with the fire and vvith his svvorde The assistance of an infinite number of saints and Angels set forth vnto vs the wonderfull maiestie and power of the sonne of God in iudgement for if one Angell in one night were hable to destroye 185000 ▪ of the host of Senacherib of
This Gospel preached Moses also The Lord thy God saith he to the children of Israel shall rayse vp to thee a Prophet out of thine own people and from among thy brethren and him shalt thou heare This Gospel was renued by God himselfe vnto Dauid most euidently and afterward by al the Prophets Esaie Ieremie Ezechiel Daniel and al the residue So that our doctrine and the Gospel that we preache as I haue said is as auncient as the Apostles as the Prophets and Patriarkes as the worlde it selfe is auncient For our Gospell is none other but this that we haue remission of sinnes and are reconcyled to the fauoure of God onely by Christ and by his death that he onely is the mediatour and intercessour betwene God and vs That he onely is propitiation and full sacrifice for our sinnes that by him onely we be made the children of God and heires of eternal lyfe All doctrines agréeing with this we receiue all doctrines repugnant to this we reiecte say with S. Ambrose Quaecunque Christus non docuit iure damnamus Whatsoeuer Christ hath not taught we iustly and worthily condemne Therefore doe we iustly condemne the most part of the papistical doctrine as newe and phantastical because it doth not agrée with this auncient Gospell of Christ vttered from the beginning by God himselfe but resteth vpon the obseruation of mens traditions and vnwriten verities deuised within the space of a fewe hundred yeres vtterly against and beside the worde of God. Satan in these latter dayes to worke suspition to the doctrine of the Gospel at this time by Gods great goodnesse renewed hath raised also manie other peruerse and wicked teachers as the Arrians denying the deitie of Christ The Anabaptistes beside manie other errours improouinge the grace and strength of baptisme in infants The Libert ines dissoluing all true confession of faith and practise of godly life The familiars of loue in whome Satan turneth himselfe into an Angel of light and vnder pretence of holy life bringeth in most pernitious errours and heresies Therefore I saye vnto you of al these beware and take héede that you be not seduced and settle your consciences vpon that sure foundation and stronge rocke of Christes Gospell whereof before I haue tolde you The next parte of our preparance is â–ª Uigilate which precept Christ often and in sundrie places repeateth S. Peter also Sobris estote vigilate Be sober and vvatche and S Paule vvatch and be stronge in faith to the Thes Let vs vvatch and be sober To watch is to be carefull and diligent vtterly contrarie to that securitie and carelesse wretchednesse wherewith the worlde at this daye is ouerwhelmed drowned as it were in the delights and lustes of worldly pleasures We are willed therefore to cast away this sinfull securitie and to haue an earnest care of our selues Well saith Chrisost Decet nos esse sobrios vigiles c. It becommeth vs to be sober and vvatchful and to haue a perpetual and continuall care of our soules For it is the part of a Christian alvvay to stand in battaile against the lustes of the flesh and that the louers preachers of our Lord and master should alvvay ring in our eares And againe Omnes vos vigilare sobrios esse oportet c. It behoueth you al to vvatche and be sober and neuer to sleepe in securitie Because there is no set time vvhen our enemie vvil assault vs Therefore let vs alvvay be vvatchful let vs alvvaye be carefull of our saluation and so vve shall neuer bee taken vpon the sodaine Christ our Sauiour teacheth vs how we should watch and after what maner we should be in readinesse Let your loynes be girded about you and your lights burning in your handes and ye your selues be like vnto men that vvaite for the comminge of their Lord vvhen he vvill returne from the vvedding that vvhen he shall come and knocke they may open vnto him immediatly Happy are those seruants vvhom vvhen the Lord commeth he shal find vvaking In that he saith we must haue our loynes girded he speaketh after the maner of the East counâ—reyes where they vse long garments and when they goe any iourney they girde themselues and trusse their garmeÌ„ts about them that they may iourney more hastely and readily By this therefore we are taught that in this worlde and vale of miserie we are but as pilgrimes and wayfaring men and as Paule saith haue no citie nor place long to abide in For our countrey dwelling place is in heauen whence we looke for our Lord and Sauiour Christ Jesu VVe be citizens of Heauen and of the housholde of God Where we belieue assuredly for euer to dwel We must therefore cast away the loue the care and y remembrance of this life dayly go on in our way to heauen there to enioy the heritage of that kingdome where Christ our Sauiour after his resurrection and ascention hath taken possession to our behoufe For as he naturally so we by adoption are heires of Eternall life So long therefore as we be here going on our iourney we must remember S. Paules counsaile that is That the time of this life is short and therefore they vvhich haue vviues must be as if they had none and they that vveepe as though they vvept not and they that laugh as though they laughed not and they that vse this vvorlde as though they vsed it not Whereby it is ment that we must vse the things of this life onely of necessitie for the time and that neither aduersitie or wéeping nor prosperitie and laughing nor marriage nor the pleasures and possessions of this life should so occupy our hearts that they shoulde make vs to forget our countreye and kingdome vnto whiche we are passinge through the wildernesse of this wicked and sinful worlde Our Conuersation as Paule saith should be in heauen our whole or principall care shoulde be vpoÌ„ heauenly things neither must y immoderate loue of this world cause vs ouer gredely to loke back to the delights pleasures therof as Lots wife did to Sodom least as she was turned to a Salt stone without sense So the iust iudgement of God dâ—e cast vs of as reprobates and turne vs into stony hearts that shal haue no sense of God and godlinesse let vs therefore guide our selues and go on constantly in our purposed iourney But vve must haue light in our handes that is we must haue the knowledg of Gods holy word and our mindes must be diligently instructed therewith For that is the light that doth teache and instruct vs and in deede truely directe vs which way we shal take to heaueÌ„ Thy word saith Dauid Is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my steppes By the worde of God onely we are directed the true way If we be guided by the duskie light of mans reason vndoutedly we shall wander out of the way and