coherence is good for the head and the members go together it were absâ—rd to part the one from the other But Christ is the head and we are the members conglutinated and coaâ—nuuated to that head The antecedeut and forepart of the argument is accompanied by sundrie consequences in the following verses That if Christ our head be not risen 1 Our preaching is vaine 2 your faith is vaine 3 we are false witnesses who hâ—ue testified so much 4 ye are yet in your sinnes 5. They which are asleepe in Christ are perished The analogie of head and members maketh good the consequent That therefore we shal liâ—e as Christ hath risen wherfore the fathers call the resurrection of Christ the misterie of our resurrection and the Apostle termeth it The first fruits of them that slept 3 Thirdly from the purifit of the contraries he formeth his matter thus It by one man came death by one man must also come the resurrection from the deâ—de But the first is true therefore the second The argument holdeth the contraries so answering one another Adam and Christ Death and the Resurrection But wee all die in bodie thâ—ough Adam therefore wee must liue in bodie againe by Christ 4 The forme that the Apostle so accurately descriâ—eth of the resurrection thus We shall not all sleepe but we shall be all changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eie at the last Trumpet for the trumpet shall blow and the deade shall be raised vp incorruptible and we shal be changed And thus For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout with the voice of the archaÌ„gel with the trumpet of God the dead in christ shal rise first theÌ„ shal we which liue and remaine bee caught vp with them also in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the aire so shall we euer be with the Lord. This Graphicall and ordâ—râ—ie description of the resurrection euicteth the necessarie also intallâ—â—le certaintie of the resurrection For if it were not a matter vndoubted to what purpose is it that it is thus described These are the chiefe arguments wherewith the Apostle vrgeth the resurrection in that famous fiftéenth charter of his first Letter to the Corinthians Vpon which subiect hée disputed often as at Athens where he preached vnto the people of Iesus and the resurrection as in the Consistorie before Faelix where he maketh this constant profession I haue hope towards God that the resurrection of the dead which they themselues looke for also shall bee both of iust and vniust Of the resurrection of the dead am I accused of you this day Peter in sundrie places witnesseth the resurrection as when he saith Which shall giue accounte to him that is readie to iudge quicke and dead and thus when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare yee shall receiue an incorruptible Crowne of glorie Also his last Chapter of his last Epistle is nothing else but illustration of this Article S. Iohn deliuereth like diuinitie thus We know that when he shall appeare we shal be like him for we shal see him as he is In the Reuelation yâ— spirit speaketh euidently thus And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which was the book 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 her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were iudged euerie man according to their works In the next Chapter we haue this discourse which openeth the resurrection vnto vs God shall wipe away all teares from their eies and there shall be no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine Saint Iames auoucheth as much saying Be patient vnto the comming of the Lord. Be patient and settle your heart for the comming of the Lorde draweth neere the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews hath much good matter in the behalfe of the resurrection In the tenth Chapter after much discourse appertaining thereunto he summeth it vp thus Knowing in your selues how that ye haue in heauen a better and enduring substance c. In the next chapter he saith Others also were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection Thus haue we the old and new Testament on the side of this doctrine which is sufficient but because Atheists who pester this land as the Frogs and Caterpillers did Pharaos Court doe arraigne the integritie of the Scriptures and iudge of this matter by naturall reason it is not amisse tâ— stop their mouthes by confuting and confounding them this way Wherefore we set vpon them thus 1 The soule did not sinne without the body therfore the bodie must be punished with it Therefore the bodie must rise againe The Philosophers doe denie the sequence and say that it is enough that the minde bee rewarded according to the actions thereof and that it is not néedefull that the bodie which was not principall but accessarie in the sinne and only but the instrument to serue sins turne should partake with the mind And they shew comparisons for the same of Artificers and craftsmen who for making a house or any other peece of worke haue their hire and couenants when as the instruments wherewith they wrought are not rewarded neither are they damnified though the worke by them be not accordingly performed Of a poisoned pot which is not therefore dissolued and broken in péeces especially if it be of any price though many haue drunke their destruction out of it Of a sword which a man will not breake or cast from him because a man hath beene slaine with it But yet by their leaue who take these similitudes for such sure studdes there be many in their vnstaied affections that will dash in peeces such intoxicated cups and breake that weapon against a wall that hath beene the occasion of a mischiefe But we turne away all the force of such reasoâ—ing by distinction of instruments as they are of coniunct and diuided nature The bodie the souls instrument is of the first difference and is conioyned and coupled with the mind wherfore it duâ—ly taketh such part as the mind doth The minde draweth on the bodie to commit vncleannesse the bodie therefore falleth thereupon iustly into diuers maladies The mind is disposed to fel onie for which the hands and the feete are manacled and the necke is hazarded and the whole bodie vndergoeth the penaltie This argument deducted from the rule of Gods iustice pleaseth Paul so wel as he maketh vse of it hauing proâ—ed the resurrection Therefore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast vnmoueable aboundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vaine in the Lord But this labor commeth
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
my words shall not passe away In the reedition of a Parable the effect thereof elsewhere is thus deliuered The Haruest is the ende of the world So shall it be in the ende of this world And in the 49 verse of that Chapter the same wordes are repeated The 25. Chapter of Matthews Gospell handleth no other Argument but it is Doomes dayes discourse altogether It is the gracious promise Christ hath giuen to his Church I am with you alway to the ende of the world The Apostle taking this Text from Christs mouth doe est-soones put their people in remembrance hereof It is Paules saying to the Romans The creature shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption In his first Letter to the Corinthians he is large in this point Then shal be the end when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God c. To the Thessalonians he sayth When they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction c. The eâ—de of all things is at hand saith Saint Peter What better witnesses would a man wish to haue for the euâ—â—ence of the case We heare God himselfe speake and therefore let euerie aduersaries mouth be stopped in the certaintie of the worlds end let vs be fullie grounded With these authenticke and pregnant proofes we may heare what the Heathens say not that the sacred mysteries of our faith haue neede of any grace from the lippes of Poets and Philosophers but that Heathens may bee vanquished with their owne weapons as the head of Goliah was cut off by his owne aâ—ming sworde and the Baalites were lanched with their owne shredding kniues and that such as beare the name of Christians might bee ashamed who denie that in their hearts which the heathens who were without God in the world confessed with their tongues Ouid describing God deliberating with himselfe about the Deluge among other things hee relateth this of him Esse quoquem â—atiâ—â— reminiscitur affore tempus Quo 〈◊〉 quo tellus corrept â—quâ— râ—gâ—â—â—â—li 〈…〉 lâ—molâ—s operola laboret The Dâ—â—â—mes decree a dismall day to come Wherein the Sea the soyleâ— and frame coelestâ—ll And 〈◊〉 worldly masse and spacious rome 〈…〉 vtter wracke and ruine fall Plato whose eyes were broader then the worlde and saw so much into this Diumitie as his wisdom was but a little wide of 〈◊〉 hâ—nâ—leth the worlds creation in such sort as Euseâ—â—â—s auerreth that â—e plowed with Moses Heiser and was helped by his Bookes which is not much vnlikely Plato hauing bin in Egypt as the storie of his life sheweth and the Egyptians being so carefull keepers of the rolles and registers of Moses the Iewes bringing them into Aegypt there being such free passage one to another betweene the Iewes and the Aegyptians His Dialogue superâ—cribed Timaeus giueth clusters of conclusions in the case So that giue we that the worlde was created as Plato contendeth this consequence will necessarily follow thereupon that it shall likewise bee dissolued For the composition thereof plainly proouing the beginning thereof as well in regard of the materiall as the effecient cause euerie thing compounded hauing a compounder and the compound matter of things contrarie reqâ—ring the aide of thinges simple from whence they may haue their originall composition the duration or dissolution thereof must stand to the â—â—rtesiâ— and will of the compoâ—nder whose will is free and will not be inforced as things naturall are in their â—câ—ioâ—s or admit that neâ—essarie coâ—erence of causes which the 〈◊〉 cast in their conâ—â—ts Idâ—iue this long dilated Argument into a narrow roome and 〈◊〉 it vp thus The worlde 〈…〉 mooued preseâ—ued by a first cause but that first goâ—â—â—ing and presetâ—â—ng cause is at absolute libertie to d ee as it pâ—â—sâ—th wherefore when that arch fliâ—ht from it the whole 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ther of immediately falleth The Sect of Phelosâ—phers called Stoâ—cks not onely pronounce the dissolution et the world but they go further and determine as Cicero recordeth the maner of it that it shall bee brought to a generall combustien Heraclitus as Themistius an Expositor vpon Aristotle hath it and Seneca surnamed by some a Christian Gentile or a Gentile Christian are of the mind that it shall perish by water But the scheole of Philosophers goeth most with the first opinion of the two whose steppes the Mathematicians tread in who make the starres the Incendiaries of the world running into a câ—urse and concourse â—â—ereunto Berosus is verie busie there about who as Seneca saith is so nice as to calculate the verie nicke and exegent of time when it shall be reduced to his finall consloâ—ration The time appointed is as he fanâ—seth when as all the Eelestiall signes who now haue their seuerall â—erambulatieâ—e and â—ettings shall meete togither in Cancer Of this kinde we haue vntnesses enough for hauing a sufficient company to make a grand Iurie what aduantage should wee haâ—e iâ— we should ransacke the whole worlde from the Center to the Circumâ—erence for euerie such authoritie Let the Perepatecians prate as they please to the contrarie who peremptorily auouch thâ— worldes eternitie Among whom their great master Aristotle is the chiefest and Galen the Phisitians God is not behind who measureth the nature of the world by experience saying as we see by dayly sight that the world hath alwayes stoode so it shall still stand Of which vain is Manlius comming in verie goodâ—ily with such a spoke saying Our fathers haue not seene neither shall their childrens children see any other world then this Vpon which string harpeth the blinde Harpers and ianglers at this doctrine whom Peter statly ouercame in disputation who considering how the world keepeth at a stay do promise the perpetuity of the same vnto themselues in a restie securitie Thus shooting their fooles bolte Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers died all things haue continued alike since the beginning of the creation Let these I say and such like blurt out their vaine tattle as they please we haue aduersaries of their owne marke and calling that shall replie against them and repell them Against those forenamed grand-captaines of the controuersie we culle out Philosophers as theÌ„selues are Pithagoras the Sloicks and the broode of Epicures if they wil admit of them as for Plato their Deisted Philosopher they dare not denie him but they will giue him the first place in the schooles Against the Latins Plinie and his â—â—â—plices 〈…〉 Senâ—â—a who is worth them all and will forte them at the 〈◊〉 Lâ—stly I desire no other Iudge in the cause then our common 〈…〉 â—hich considereth of the natuâ—e of the whole bâ— the conâ—equence of the seuerall paâ—ts which doe ordeyne and 〈◊〉 the whole But euery particular part of the world that peâ—â—â— wheâ—â—ore common sence it selfe setteth downe that the whole
as but the lower parts thereof were corrupted by the waters That of the Reuelation preiudiceth not the point For there seemeth rather a new heauen and newe earth to be destroyed then a dissolution of the other to be insinuated Also in Isaiah it is said That the Moone shall haue the light of the Sun and that the Sunne shall yeeld seuen fold more light then it doth now The Schoolemen applie all inferences in this case to the qualities and not to the substance of the world for the nature of the world shall not so be turmosted as it shall bee brought to nothing but it shall be rescued and redeemed from the hands of varâ—tie vnto which it was subiect For the world being sentensed to this iudgement for the sinne of man not of it selfe sinning against God after that sinne is out of place the world must recouer his former dignitie when the time appointed is accomplished especially the lower bodies which are in the sublâ—â—arie worlde for those be most obiect and subiect to corruption The master of the Sentences in effect deliuereth thus much But hee borroweth that which hee hath herein from Austine who saith That by a worldly combustion the qualities of the corruptible elements which had some cognation and correspondencie with our corruptible bodies shall vtterly burne and perish and that the substance shall put on those qualities by a miraculous exchange which shal be agreeable with the coÌ„dition of immortal bodies that the world being altred to the better may bee fitting to the persons also in their bodies altred to the better In the 14. Chapter of the forenamed booke this is his verdit This world shall passe away by a mutation not finall subuersion And he alledgeth for himselfe the fore-cited saying of Paul The fashion of this world passeth away The figure saith he not the nature is spoken of by the Apostle else where he likewise saith we are not to beléeue that the Elements that is to say that heauen and earth are to be produced to ashes but that their propertie shall be bettered The scriptures no where shew the dissolution of the worlds substance Also the bodies of the Saints must be in a place but what place shall they haue if they haue not a place in the worlde Moreouer man for whose sinne all woe came vpon the world shall not vtterly be destroyed but shall be renued in bodie and inuested with immortalitie either to his endlesse felicitie or miserie wherefore the worlds composition that was not in the transgression shall much lesse comein substance to this vtter confusion But this being a point more doubtfull then profitable we leaue it arbitrable what shall be the ende of the world we shall best know in the end of the world Thus hauing insisted as much as neede requireth in the two propounded points of this Chapter we will giue the vse the life of the whole and so conclude the same Whereas the fire is to consume this worlde as stubble as the former world was licked vp by water wee see how euery thing howsoeuer simplie of it owne nature appertaineth moste to the necessarie vse of man hath a most hurtfull effect against man when God will take it vp as a rod in his hand either for the correction or destruction of man The fire the water the soile the aire are the Elements that are aliments vnto vs in their propertie and kinde whereby we liue moue and haue our being but when God otherwise disposeth of them and purposeth the diuersion of their nature they are posting Purseuants of the wrath of God to execute his iudgements to the ouerthrow of our liues Wherefore the fire went out from Gods presence to burne vp Sodom and her Cities The water the Beesom of his fierce anger drowned reseruing onely eight persons yâ— whole world of the vngodly The earth whereupon euery one treadeth opened and distended her mouth like hell and swallowed vp Dathan and coneted the congregation of Abiram Manna the daintie restauration of the Israelites burst out of their noses and sauoured abhominably as a most iust iudgement against their palpable and damnable vngratefulnesse The sonnes of the Prophets by a sower hearbe in their pottage had almost perlshed The winde a Meteor by which we liue being the spirit of life and as it were a fanne in the hand of God for the clarifying the ayre that it should not putrifie an the Lungs in stead of Bellowes are giuen to the heart to qualifie the excessiue heare of the heart driued Ionas into the depth of the sea Againe whereas the world is to be wasted with fire and euerie mans worke is to be reuealed by sire let vs labour to plant golde siluer precious stones which the fire will make brighter and roote vp and remoue woodde â—ay stubble which cannot continue against the force of the fire When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendering vengeance vnto them that doe not know God c. Lastly this argueth the worldes follie that laboureth to labour and carketh to care neuer taking out his Quietus est for those things that are reserued vnto fiâ—e which draweth manie through their wicked practises thereabout into the horrible fire that we shall â—ntreate of afterward The third Chapter Of the vncertaine and vnknowne time of the worlds end HAuing fore shewed the maner of the worlds dissolution which we rather call an immutation then corruption and a translation from a wâ—rser to a better condition like as when we of children become men of men old men we are not destroyed but changed in nature the fire not consuming the world but restoring it as the fire consumeth not the gold but refineth it by the methode of the place it would bee considered concerning the time of the duration thereof what is to bee determined wherein wee will desire to knowe no more then the Scriptures haue reuealed From whence we haue no certaintie but rather the vncertaintie is euerie where spoken of As where Christ saith Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaueÌ„ but my father only In Mark he excepteth against himselfe to leaue the high knowledge thereof onely to his father Neither the sonne himselfe saue the father Which is to be vnderstoode of his humanitie which naturally and ordinarily knoweth nothing â—erein but as it is taught by a better schoolmaster namely his Diuinitie When the Apostles put forth the question to Christ Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Their answere was that the knowledge thereof was to deepe misterie for them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in hâ—s owne power It is Christs watchword to the world Ye know not what houre your muâ—â—er will come Ye know not the day nor the houre when the sonne of man will
their eyes shall haue better obiect before them their feete shall be exalted aboue the cloudes and the whole bodie shall be mantled with immortalitie as sayeth Chrysostome If to infringe this which hath beene deliuered any shall obiect this saying of the Apostle Flesh and blood cannot inherite the Kingdome of God and so inferre hereupon that the bodies of men shall not rise againe we answer them thus that by fleth and blood is not meant the bodies of men simply but as they are now in the state of corruption that which the Apostle calleth animale corpus The fleshly man or the earthly man and what soeuer is of nature without the spirite which being depraued and corrupted must needes be renued Wherefore Christ said to Nicodemus vnles a man be regenerate and borne a new he cannot enter into the kingdome of God The vnregenerate man is called Flesh therefore Christ immediatly after the former words said That which is borne of the flesh is flesh wherefore of force wee must be regenerated neither onely the flesh the bodie or a part of the minde is to be renued which couetteth and is angry but especially the reason the minde the will And Christ else where teacheth that the whole man as he is in the state of nature is called flesh and bloud For thus Christ answereth Peter Blessed art thou Simon Bar Iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed these thinges but the spirite of my father In which wordes Christ comprehendeth the better parts of the mind For they be those by which we vnderstood and the truth is reuealed vnto vs. Therefore these must be turned and transposed and created a new that we may be as Christ saith like the Angells in resurrection For the infirmitie of this mortall bodie is such as it cannot take the least taste or smack of heauenly glorie as we perceiue in the Prophets and Apostles who were men without soules when at anie time God did appeare vnto them And not without cause said God to Moses Thou canst not see my face neither shall man see me and liue Wherefore the German and right sence of the wordes of the Apostle is this as we are nothing else but flesh and bloud weake mortall sinfull Curuae in terris animae coel est ium in mes wée cannot inherite the kingdome of God Lastly if that of Salomon shall be laid against vs The condition of the children of men and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition and so argue that a man shall rise no more from the dead then a beast we will answere them by Salomon who explaineth himselfe in the words following they are like in dying As the one dieth so dieth the other but in their estate after death they differ of which Salomon speaketh not The sixt Chapter Of the certaintie of the iudgement or the day of doome THe general iudgement being the consecution of the resurrection the end therof yâ— last blast of that shril truÌ„pet giuing this Eccho surgite mortui venite ad IudiciuÌ„ Arise ye dead come to iudgement We are to enter into the tractation hereof in this place This subiect matter though it be of vnquestionable assurance Yet because the schoole of Cyclopical Atheists Epicures carnal minded men is so great who as seâ—pents grouel wholly in the dust only giue themselues to earthly things licking vp this Aphorisme of Socrates the Philosopher Quae supra nos nihil ad nos Those things that are aboue vs appertaine not vnto vs we list to light a candle before the Sun and aswel by scriptures as irrefragable reasons determine the absolute certaintie of this matter 1. The scriptures are plaine and plentifull in the point Hanna the mother of Samuel thus prophecieth hereof saying The Lords aduersaries shall be destroied and out of heauen shall he thunder vpon them the Lord shall iudge the ends of the world and shall giue power vnto his kinge and exalt the horne of his anointed which is Christ Isaiah sermoneth it thus Then shall they goe into the holes of the rockes and into the caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and from the glorie of his maiestie when he shall arise to iudge the earth That the prophet by these wordes aimeth at doomes day appeareth by the Angells exposition of the same And the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the cheif captaines and the mighty men and euery bondman and euery free man hid themselues in dennes and among the rockes of the mountaines And said to the mountaines rocks fal on vs and hide vs froÌ„ the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe For the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand In another place he preacheth thus Behould the day of the Lord cometh cruell with wrath and fierce anger c. But in another place â—e is most pathetical in the point The lord wil come with fire his charets like a wirlewind that hee may recompence his 〈◊〉 with wrath and his indignatioÌ„ with the flame of fire For the Lord wil iudge with fire and with his sword all flesh Daniel deliuereth the like doome saying And at that time shal Michael stand vp the great prince which staÌ„deth for the childreÌ„ of the people and there shall be a time of trouble such as neuer was since there began to bee a nation vnto that same time and at that time thy people shall be deliuered euery one that shall be found written in the booke And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt And they that bee wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer Ioel writeth thus of it I will shew wonders in the heauens and in the earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoke The Sunne shall be turned into darknes and the moone into bloud before the great terrible day of the Lord come Zephaniah singeth the same songe with the rest The great day of the Lord is neere it is neere and hasteth greatly euen the voice of the day of the Lord the strong man shall crie there bitterly That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and heaumes a day of destruction and desâ—lation a day of obscuritie and darknes a day of cloudes and blacknes a day of the trumpet and a â—arume against the strong citties c. Malachie hath also good matter to this purpose The day commeth that shal burne as an ouen and all the proud yea all that do wickedly shal be stuble the day that coâ—meth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of hosts and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch In the new testament we haue verie