Now seeing the Prophets Christ himselfe his Angels Apostles who haue not lied nor deluded men at any time before with vane prophecies haue foretold of à iudge ment to come the godlie doubtlesse wil build their faith vpon their wordes especialie because theie al haue spoken therof moued thereunto by the spirite of God who cannot lie Which testimonies maie bring much good vnto al mankinde For first the godlie herebie in al their troubles maie receaue great and vnspeakeable comfort considering that their afflictions shal not alwaie endure but that one daie when the Lord thinketh good theie shal be adorned with euerlasting glorie and life according to his promises This made S. Paul to breake into these words I account that the afflictions of this present time are not worthie the glorie which shalbe shewed vnto vs. Secondlie the wicked hearing these prophecies of the Lorde touching the last iudgement maie be terrified frō displeasing so gratious à God who of his mercie hath reuealed what shal betide the wicked and vngonlie that theie maie with heartie sobs and sorowe repent Last of al both good and bad maie herebie as in à glasse beholde howe the world neither is gouerned by chance nor shal endure euerlastinglie but that as the old world the sinnes of men being come vnto ripenes was drowned with water so the whole world when iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand shal perish and be cōsumed with fire Theie also both good and bad I meane ought herebie to learne so to set thēselues in order by repentance that when theie shalbe summoned to appeare at that general Assise theie maie boldlie stand in the presence of his glorious Maiestie But beside these testimonies which I haue aleaged there be sundrie other great arguments of the worlds consummation For the present condition of men in this life is a manifest proofe that this worlde cannot alwaie endure For who are in more prosperitie then the wicked and who more afflicted thē the godlie in this life Therefore of necessitie there must be a iudgement where at both the vngodlie are to be condemned for their wickednes and the virtuous to receaue rewardes for their wel-doing For euerie good master to his power wil prefer his good seruants and euerie vpright iudge wil quite the innocent and punish malefactors Is this vprightnesse among mortal men saith Cyril and shal not God the immortal king reward euerie man according to his workes Hee which otherwise thinketh is in a wrong opinion For as it is in à certaine Psalme God is not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shal euil dwel with him The foolish shal not stande in his sight for hee hateth al them that worke iniquitie He shal destroie them that speake lies The Lorde wil abhorre the bloudie man and deceitful Wherfore seing though now then some yet al the wicked are not destroied there must be à iudgement at which al the vngodlie shal perish from the face of the earth and be damned For the Lord neither can because he is iust neither wil for that he is holie suffer his seruants and holie ones alwaie to be afflicted alwaie to be oppressed to be kept in thraldome and bondage of the reprobate alwaie Let the wicked then consider that à daie wil come when tribulation and anguish shalbe vpon the soule of euerie man that doth euil And though either through policie or friendship theie escape the displeasure of man yet that they cannot auoide the wrath of God For idolaters blasphemers and al wicked persons God wil iudge though man do not because he is righteous Further let them note that though they suffer and that deseruedlie in this worlde yet if theie die impenitent the ende of their life is but the beginning of an euerlasting death For God is righteous and wil punish most seuerely vnles his wrath be turned-awaie by the teares of Christian repentance Moreouer man punisheth outwarde offences but god outward and inward too Man executeth correction for one or à few but God for al sinnes which either the heart mouth or any member of the bodie hath committed and that because he is righteous Againe the ende whie this worlde was created is an vndoubted argument that à iudgement one daie must come For it was created onlie to serue for y e vse of the saints sonnes of God not of Atheists Epicures A iudgemēt therfore is to come whereby the wicked must be cast-into euerlasting torments that the godlie and none beside maie enioie the creatures of almightie God Hitherto maketh that of the Apostle For the feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sonnes of God shalbe reueiled because the creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne wil but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder Hope Because the creature also shalbe deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God For we knowe that euerie creature groaneth with vs also and traueleth in paine together vnto this present This Peter meaneth when he saith by the comming of the day of God the heauēs being on fire shalbe dissolued the elements shal melt with heate But we looke for newe heauens a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnes Againe the base estate of the saints in this world doth proue the same For they are now humbled therefore they shalbe exalted for before glory goeth humility So then We are with Christ to suffer that with Christ we maie be glorified And the life of the saints is hid with Christ in god There remaineth then à manifestation and à glorification of the godlie When Christ which is our life shal appeare then shal yee also appeare with him in glorie Nowe saith Iohn are we the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what wee shalbe and wee knowe that when hee which is Christ shal appeare we shalbe like him For we shal se him as he is In this worlde wee are saued by Hope Therefore the time must come when our Hope shal cesse and we shalbe saued in deede and by the sentence of à righteous iudge be pronounced the verie sonnes of God and heires with Christ of that kingdome which hath bene prepared for the elect euen from y e foundation of the world where we shal see god face to face and know not in part but as we are knowen Moreouer the verie conscience of men is an euident argument of à iudgement to come By this murtherers whoremongers wicked liuers be pricked tormented This made Cicero to saie There can no euils bee imagined but I am troubled therewith notwithstanding in respect of the griefe of sinne which is greatest and eternal theie are al easie to brone Therefore vndoubtedly those torments of mind are tokens that God is the auenger of wickednes and that a seuere
in this same daie which the Lord hath ordeined or appointed the whole worlde with equitie and with faithfulnes and trueth according to his righteousnesse The wordes are plaine enough that Christ in this present daie is come and hath Now set himselfe vpon the seate of his Maiestie for to iudge in this same daie the whole world Yea he is so come that he may euen Nowe not he onely but thousandes of his Angels also sensiblie be seene and perceiued Therefore doth hee saie Beholde in this present daie the glorious comming of our Sauiour Which some haue seene as that dreamer Vitel for an ensample beleeue him that list For so himselfe doth saie Moreouer there was made manifest vnto me through the same seruice of Loue and the Lords minister H. N the comming of Christ with his Saints and his righteous iudgement The second place is this This is the daie which God hath appointed for to iudge in the same the compasse of the earth with righteousnes through his worde in whome he hath concluded his iudgement The thirde shalbe this For asmuch then as that nowe in this same newest daie the cōming of Iesus Christ as à Lord in his maiestie from the right hand of God his Father appeareth and becommeth manifested vnto vs with ful clearing of his heauenlie illumination according to the Scripture In al which places he either saith Christ cōmeth in this present daie or Now he is set in iudgement to iudge in this same daie or this is the daie which God hath appointed for to iudge in the same the compas of the earth or finalie Now in this same newest daie the comming of Iesus Christ as à Lord in his maiestie c. appeareth al are in the time present It wilbe good therefore to examine what he meaneth by this present daie by Now by this daie by this newest daie For therbie the hed of this viper wil notablie peepe-out to the destruction of it selfe For interpretation whereof I wil not alleage the wordes of anie aduersarie of theirs but euen their owne iudgement yea the iudgement of the whole Familie which is this He meaning H. N. affirmeth this present time of the light of loue to bee the daie of the cleare and righteous iudgement of God wherein God wil restore al thinges to their right to wit bring or set the lie in his lieng being to be condemned in the hellish caue and the trueth likewise in his right forme or degree to wit to preuaile flourishe or beare swaie ouer the vnrighteousnes for euermore wherebie that the wil of God might be accomplished in earth as in heauen In which wordes note with mee I beseech you first what theie think the daie of iudgement to be secondlie at the daie of iudgement what thinges be renued thirdelie the ende of his iudgement For the first it is manifest that the daie of iudgement among them is nought els but this time wherein the Light of Loue that is their obscure and erronious opinions are published For so theie doe expresselie saie He affirmeth this present time of the light of loue to be the daie of the cleare and righteous iudgement of God By which I gather either that their doctrine is but newlie vp-start and so afore this time that God had no Church or if theie grant that it hath from time to time and from hand to hand euen from the beginning beene deliuered that the daie of iudgement was alwaies which is impietie to be thought and heresie to be spoke Let them take which parte theie wil as one of them theie must they shal see how theie runne into manie and absurde opinions If their doctrine hath beene from the beginning then hath the iudgement bin from the beginning For when their doctrine peeped-foorth the iudgement appeared But that the iudgement hath bin alwaie I thinke theie wil not saie Therefore their doctrine is but newe And if it bee but newe then is not the same which the olde Patriarches Prophets and Apostles preached and beleeued and wherebie theie were saued And being not the same it must of necessitie leade vnto damnation And the teachers thereof are to be helde accurssed according vnto the commandement of the Apostle If theie saie the iudgement of Christ hath bene from the beginning how is it that theie saie Beholde in this present daie the glorious comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ with the manie thousandes of his Angels becommeth manifested and not The glorious comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ c. hath bin manifested from the beginning And yet were it shameful and vile heresie to saie so For what godlie man euer was of that opinion Or howe by Scripture can there proue the same Into which error theie must needes fal if theie holde their doctrine hath bene alwaies and the iudgement to appeare that is the glorious comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ with manie thousandes of his Angels to appeare to iudge the world whē the light of the Loue brake-out But whether theie thinke that their doctrine hath bene alwaies which theie can neuer proue or whether theie thinke that of late it sprang-vp which al the worlde doth know theie vtterlie denie à iudgement to come and saie that nowe it is which is à verie detestable opinion Secondlie for the thinges to be renued marke their verie wordes They saie In this cleare and righteous iudgement God wil restore al things to their right That is the head and it seemeth goodlie but in the taile which followeth great poison doth lurke For doe theie saie That wee shal al be changed or that this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal immortalitie as Saint Paul doth or that the elements shal melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shalbe burnt-vp as S. Peter doth or finalie that al thinges shalbe so renued that there shalbe a newe heauen and à newe earth as Saint Iohn doth No. Yet do theie saie God wil restore al things to their right What doe theie meane then therebie To wit God wil bring or set the lie in his lieng being to be condemned in the hellish caue the trueth likewise in his right forme or degree Then to bring or set the lie in his lieng being to bee condemned c. is to restore al thinges A goodlie reason no doubt That which the Scripture speaketh of theie neuer mention and that which the Scripture is against theie auouch The Scripture saith al things shalbe it nameth what as afore I said namelie the bodies of al men be they aliue or dead the elements heauen and earth but that the lie in his lieng being shoulde be restored I finde no mention neither in the worde of God nor in the writinges of godlie men And therefore in my iudgement it is à great error to saie so And the rather I thinke it because
of the 24. and 25. of Matthewe the first and the 17. of the Actes the 17. and the 21. of Luke the 2. Thessal 1 and the Epistle of Saint Iude. In al which places mention is made of the vtter destruction of the worlde and of the seconde comming of our Sauiour vnto the general iudgement and proue as wel that the daie of iudgement is come as that text where it is said Beholde I sende mine Angel or messenger which shal prepare the waie or make plaine the path before Me set afore most of their Bookes doth proue that H. N. is the messenger of Christ. Thus much against the Familie of Loue and this one opinion of theirs as wicked as it is strange and vnheard-of vntil these late yeares CHAP. 7. Against the fauorers of Hymeneus and Philetus who saide that the resurrection is alredie past AS had S. Paul in his time Hymeneus and Philetus so haue we in our time such as fauor Hymeneus and Philetus namelie the Familie of Loue who denie the iudgement to come and saie the resurrection is past Yet so I woulde not write of them did not both Christopher Vitel and also H. N. himselfe auouch the same For saith Vitel The Lord hath accomplished according to his promises through the spirite of Christ in him namely H.N. al that he hath spoken through the mouth of his seruants the Prophets And in this daie are al Prophecies fulfilled saith H.N. himselfe In which two places although expresse mention bee not made either of the iudgement or comming of Christ yet in that they saie Al Prophecies are fulfilled and that the Lord hath accomplished al that he hath spoken through the mouth of his seruants the Prophets they do comprehend the iudgement and comming of Christ so wel as anie thing els For the Prophets haue foretolde thereof As the Prophet Isaiah the Prophet Ezekiel the Prophet Daniel and others If therefore whatsoeuer the Lorde hath spoken by his seruantes the Prophets be fulfilled and the Lord hath fore-tolde by his seruants y e Prophets of à general resurrection iudgement and seconde comming of Christ Then is the resurrection iudgement and seconde comming of Christe come and past already euen by the verie words of the arch-pillers of the Familie Yet would I not thinke that so wretchedlie theie do erre had I not read that one of the Familie gaue-out that Christe was already come For one of the Familie being asked before manie witnesses touching Christ his comming vnto iudgement did answere plainlie that he was alreadie come Neither yet should I so conceiue of thē did I not finde that not onelie H.N. himselfe was but also the Lords deade are alreadie raised-againe Which opinion theie woulde neuer stand-in or defend if theie did thinke anie other resurrection to be than onelie à rising from sinne à casting-of of the olde man and à putting-on of the newe But as Hymeneus and Philetus were deceaued for y t theie deuided not the word of God aright so the Familie of Loue do so perilouslie erre because theie vnder stand not the worde of God aright For did theie so theie would confesse and beleeue not à single but à double not à spiritual onelie but à corporal resurrection also wherof the one which is spiritual must go before the other that is corporal Wherefore to auoide the error of the aboue mentioned we are to beare in minde y t there is à twofold resurrection of the dead one spiritual of the mind the other corporal of the bodie When I saie there is à spiritual resurrection I meane not that the Soule or Spirite can die and be raised vp-againe For the soule is immortal But the spiritual resurrection is when à man who was dead in sinne through the preaching of the Gospel is reclamed frō the death of vngodlines vnto life that is vnto faith and knowledge of Christ wherebie he is made à new creature According as Irenaeus doth saie Agnitio Dei renouat hominem that is the knowledge of God maketh à new-man For as there is à double death to wit à spiritual and à corporal so is there á double resurrection He is spiritualie dead though he seeme healthful in bodie who is à blasphemer à traitor an adulterer an vserer à murtherer c. For he is as à dead man in the sight of God Euen as we count him who either hath done some horrible fact worthie death against the lawes of man or else is condemned to die but for à dead man because he standeth at y e mercie of the magistrate either to be saued or cast-awaie as our phrase is He therefore who by the preaching of the Gospel is sorie for his sinnes and beleeueth that through the bloode of Christ al his offences are washed and wypt-awaie and through the virtue of his faith doth so fight against his wicked affections that he is become à newe man that is of à blasphemer à continual praiser of God of rebellions obedient of incontinent pure and chast of an vserer à free lender yea à liberal giuer of à murtherer à careful preseruer of mē c. this man I saie through the power of the holie Ghost is raised from the death of sinne and risen with Christ. Which spiritual resurrection as euennowe I saide must goe-before the corporal resurrection For vnlesse we arise spiritualie by Faith vnto newnes of life let vs not looke to rise-againe corporalie vnto eternal life For our Sauior doth doth saie Theie shal come-foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but theie that haue done euil vnto the resurrection of condemnation So then if anie man desire to liue eternaly in the sight of God and to be à partaker of the felicitie to come let him first arise from sinne beleeue that his offences are pardoned through the death of Christ and spende the time he hath in this worlde godlie righteouslie and soberlie and assuredlie he shalbe raised at the second resurrection vnto eternal life The corporal death is when as the soule doth forsake the bodie and the bodie returneth vnto duste where out it was taken Which bodie we Christians doe beleeue shal rise-againe at the daie of iudgement But the fauorers of Hymeneus Philetus wil not be so perswaded to thinke And therefore because theie vnderstande not the Scriptures aright theie holde that there is onelie à spiritual resurrection But the Scripture doth so wel speake of à corporal as of à spiritual For as it is written ye which were dead in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened-together with him which is the spiritual so is it wtitten The dead shalbe raised-vp incoruptible and we shalbe changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption this mortal must put on immortalitie which is
Iewes in Iob his friends as they were called in respect of Iob in the barbarous people in respect of Paul and in the Turkes at this day in respect of Christians For who were out of God his fauour more than the Romans than Iobs friends than Paul his aduersaries and who more miserable in deede than the Turkes notwithstanding their prosperitie And such is the state of the wicked at al times Then whie doth the Lorde suffer the wicked in the sight of men to florish and whie doth hee not in iustice confounde them speedilie and vtterlie Sundrie reasons may be giuen hereof For either of his wisedome he thinketh it no due time as yet to punish them or of his mercie he spareth them because they shoulde repent or in his iustice hee hath quite forsaken them In his wisedome he spared Sodome vntil the sinnes therof were exceeding ripe and cried-up to heauē for vengeance in his mercie he spared y e old world an hundred twenty yeeres that theie might amende g in his iustice oftentimes he spareth the wicked in this present world because he hath giuen them ouer into reprobate minds and reserued thē for euer-during torments in the life to come So doe good Physicions suffer such to haue their wils with-out gaine-saying them who are past recouerie But as they who are so desperatelie sicke in bodie are nigh vnto death so they whom God for saketh and leaueth to their owne hists are nigh vnto damnation And as calues the fatter they be the nigher they are to be killed and as trees the bigger there are the more vnfruitful the nighter to bee hewen-downe so the prosperitie of the vngodlie is an vndoubted argument of their destruction at hande Which punishment of their shal thē by so much be the more grieuous intolerable by howe much the time was great before the Lord executed his iudgment Phatao is a notable example hereof For hee was long spared but at the length ouerwhelmed in the red sea So is Balthasar who in the middes of his iolitie came to destruction But they which are best knowen and most of al to be noted are Sodom and the old world the one whereof was vtterlie consumed with fire the other drowned with water both special examples of the sudden and vtter damnation of the vngodlie CAP. 13. Causes whie the godlie doe endure such miserie and troubles in this worlde FVrthermore it maie bee demanded Whie such as feare God of al others most zelouslie and fauour religion best suffer such miserie and affliction in this present world as they do I answere one cause is in them-selues through their zeale of godlinesse they chuse it another in Satan their enimie through his malice against them hee seeketh it à third in God who partlie of his wisedome and of his iustice partlie doth send it For to speake seueralie of these causes somewhat doubtles the godlie endure affliction oftentimes when wold they but assēt vnto sin or consēt vnto the wicked they migh florish in al outwarde happines and worldly as they cal it felicitie But for that they haue the feare of God alway before their eies and thinke-upon the valor-both of religion virtue they chuse rather to be afflicted for righteousnes sake then either for wickednes to be aduanced or that the glorie of their profession should be blemished Herebie manie endure displeasure which might haue fauor manie suffer pouertie which might be rich manie be obscure which might be of countenance and manie are in great aduersitie that might doe wel in the worlde So Michaiah for speaking the truth faithfullie without flatterie Daniel for seruing the true God zelously with out hypocrisie olde Eleazer for obseruing the holie Lawes of his God religiouslie Ioseph for his loialtie to his master ward and such like both were punished and are daily afflicted Of which their inuincible courages manifold commodities do arise For first in so doing albeit they lacke outwarde comfort of the world yet they haue the inward ioie of a good conseience which as Salomon saith is a continual feast Secondlie they giue testimonie vnto the worlde how they fauor Christianitie religiō not of hypocrisie or in worldlie respectes but of pure zeale and that theie regarde those wordes of our Sauior Whosoeuer shal confesse me before men him wil I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shal denie me before men him wil I also denie before my father which is in heauen Againe He that loueth father and mother more than mee is not worthie of me And he that loueth sonne or daughter more than me is not worthie of me And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth mee is not worthie of me He that wil saue his life shal lose it and he that loseth it for my sake shal saue it Thirdlie manie-times therebie theie winne such as are without make them to glorifie God to forsake either their naughtie life if theie haue beene sinners or their idols and errors if theie haue beene superstitious And last of al theie both encourage the weake and confirme the strong in good motions by their examples Again considering how it is impossible to please God and in the world to florish too and that such thinges as delight the bodie are extreme enimies to the soule theie voluntarilie abandon al occasions that maie with-drawe them from God or quench the zeale of virtue within thē Whereof it is that theie doe yea it cannot be but theie must suffer manie troubles as Lactantius noteth For it is verie hard to be holie in this worlde and happie too Therefore theie doe chuse and willinglie for welth pouertie for pleasure paine for à florishing state affliction and though theie doe neither with Democritus pluck-out their eies nor with Spurina deface their faces nor with the Monches liue by them-selues nor with the superstitious Iesuites whip their owne corpses yet with Saint Paul theie beate downe their bodies that their flesh preuaile not ouer the spirite Furthermore insomuch as the diuel is for power mightie in that hee is à Prince and his hatred is deadlie because there is enimitie betweene his seede and the godlie and his crueltie vnsatiable being à dracon and his subtleties manifolde because he is a serpent maruel it is not though the saincts of God in this worlde wherein theie are but strangers enioie neither such ease nor such honor nor such prosperitie as the wicked doe Notwithstanding whatsoeuer the diuel doth against them it is because God doth either sende him or suffer him And therefore although his hatred be mortal his crueltie extreeme and his subtleties past finding-out yet can he doe nothing to hurt the godlie without God permit So that his wil is nought but his power is good For his wicked wil is of himselfe but he
hath no power but from God Which power notwithstanding the Lorde alwaies doth moderate that of his malice he cannot afflict more than the wil of God is he shoulde This maketh the godlie neither to feare the power nor to set à rushe by Sathan for al his malice Because he can do nothing but by sufferance God also himselfe doth bring the godlie into troubles and that as afore I said partlie of his wisedome and partlie of his iustice In his wisedome he doth correct them for diuers ends First to trie whether theie are such indeede as theie would seeme to be For manie doe both thinke themselues and are thought also to be valiant Christians who in the time of tentation are but verie cowardes And therefore as when warre is hot men are proued whether theie haue hearts or no So affliction sheweth who is the faithful Christian. For God proueth them and findeth them meete for himselfe He trieth thē as gold in the fornace receiueth them as à perfect fruite offering He hideth himselfe oftentimes and turneth-awaie his face but not in wrath It is to trie not to destroie them Yet trieth he not Christians the better to know them himselfe For he both knew them before theie were fashioned in the wombe and continnalie beholdeth the secretes of mans hearte But that both theie them selues others also should see what theie are Secondlie to bring them into his feare Because in prosperitie euen the righteous oftentimes forget the Lord but in aduersitie theie remember him For as the starres do shine in the night but in the day time are not seene so the virtues of men which in prosperitie appeare not in aduersitie are most glorious to beholde And then theie see both the frailtie of their owne nature and theie acknowledge it and the vnspeakable mercie of God and theie commende it and the general miserie of mankinde and theie bewaile the same This made the Prophet to saie In the daie of my trouble I sought the Lorde my sore ranne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vpon God and was troubled I praied and my spirite was ful of anguish Againe Lord in trouble they haue visited thee theie powred-out à praier when thie chastening was vpon them And againe Before I was afflicted I went astray but nowe I keepe thie worde It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I maie learne thie statutes Thirdly y ◠they may be like vnto Christ and that partelie because he is their eldest brother Nowe no reason is it that the yonger brethren should haue greater preheminence then the eldest so longe as he is good But Christ their eldest and good brother suffered and so entered into his glorie wherefore the yonger and wicked of necessitie must looke for troubles For otherwise theie are neither the sonnes of God nor the heires annexed with Christ Partlie for that he is their master But he was persecutde and hated Therfore they are to looke for persecution and harted For the seruant is not greater than his master but à greate praise is it for seruantes rightlie to follow the steppes of their Lordes It sufficeth the disciple to be as his master and for the seruant to be as his Lorde And partlie because theie are commanded to follow his steppes For so saith Peter Here vnto ye are caled For Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an ensample that we shoulde followe his steppes And Paul If we be dead with him we also shal liue with him If we suffer with him we shal also reigne with him As who should saie If we die not as he did we shal not liue with him and if we suffer not after his ensample temporal affliction we shal not reigne with him in eternal felicitie Fourthlie that both themselues should be assured and others know howe theie are not of the world For God hath chosen them out of the world And therfore theie are hated For which cause the doctrine of the Gospel is caled the word of the crosse and the prouerbe is Crux comes Euangelii The crosse accompanieth the Gospel because the worlde doth persecute the professors of the same not for anie euil which theie doe but for that theie reproue y e works of darknes which thing the worlde cannot abide And therfore theie persecuted the Prophets Apostles and Sainctes of GOD from time to time Then seeing theie protest the same trueth let them prepare themselues vnto the like patience For we must through manie afflictions enter into the kingdome of God And al that wil liue godlie in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Fiftlie to put them in mind what they are and whither theie tende For in this world theie are pilgrims and strangers their countrie is heauen Which countrie theie woulde little couet-after enioied theie prosperitie according vnto their heartes desire O death saith Ecclesiasticus howe bitter is the remembrance of thee to à man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in al thinges yea vnto him that is able to receiue meat O death how acceptable is thie remembrance vnto the needeful and vnto him whose strength faileth and that is nowe in the last age and is vexed with al thinges and to him that dispaireth and hath lost patiēce Therfore y ◠Lord knowing this doth in his wisedome crosse afflict his seruants on al sides that theie maie be out of loue both with the world and with the thinges in the worlde and desire as Paule did to be loosed and to be with Christ Sixtelie that it maie appeare howe the godlie doe fauor Christianity and religion not for temporal profit or preferment not for glorie and praise of men or in anie worldelie respect but principalie of meere zeale and duetie to God-ward Seuenthlie that their deliuerance which in the iudgement of mā could neuer come to passe maie assure the consciences of them and others too of God his continual prouidence and presence with his seruantes So doubtles the miraculous deliuerance both of Ioseph out of his troubles of the Israëlites out of Egypt of Dauid out of the handes of Saul of the three yong men out of the consuming fire and of the godlie from time to time out of the cruel pawes of rauening wolues tyrants and oppressors doth not a litle strengthen the mindes of al the godlie in their miseries and confirme their faith touching the continual presence of God with his seruāts at al seasōs Eightlie to shew that intolerable shalbe the paines of the reprobate For if God so afflict his Children howe wil he torment his enimies If he spare not the righteous how wil he punish the reprobate If iudgement begin at the godlie what shal the ende be of them which obeie not the Gospel If the righteous
⧠THE GENERAL Session CONTEINING AN APOLOGIE of the most comfortable doctrine concerning the ende of this World and seconde comming of CHRIST Written by THOMAS ROGERS The first part Wherein for the comfort of the godlie is proued not onely that God wil but also that he doth iudge this world 2. Pet. 3. verses 3 4. This first vnderstande that there shal come in the last daies mockers vvhich vvil vvalke after their lustes and saie vvhere in the promise of his comming Allowed by auctoritie AT LONDON Printed by HENRIE MIDDLETON for Andrew Maunsell ANNO. 1581. To the right Honorable Sir THOMAS BROMLEIE Knight Lord high Chancelor of England c. his most gratious Patron Glorie eternal and happines by the comming of our Sauiour CHRIST RIght Honorable experience doth prooue that miserable is the state of mankinde in this life For we doe both come into the world in paine and liue in cares and die with griefe Our bodies are subiect to manifolde infirmities and perils our minds to innumerable vngodlie perturbations Our whole life is verie trouble som how or where or when we shal depart out of this worlde it is vncertaine And although this condition be alike to the iust and to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted yet none do feele the smart hereof so extremelie as the vpright dealers in the world and such as vnfeinedlie be religious For theie are for the most part oppressed when the wicked haue fauour there impouerished when the wicked encrease in wealth theie imprisoned when the wicked are at libertie and theie grieuouslie afflicted when the vngodlie do triumph This good men obserue manie-times and it dismaieth them not a litle As it did both King Dauid also the Prophet Ieremiah when the one said My feet were almost gone my steps had welnere slipt For I fretted at the foolish when I saw the prosperitie of the wicked For there are no bands in their death but theie are lustie strong Theie are not in trouble as other mē neither be theie plagued with other men Therefore pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment Their eies stand-out for fatnes theie haue more than their heart can wish Theie are licentious speake wickedlie of their oppression theie talke presumptuouslie Theie set their mouth against heauen and their tongue walked through the earth c. Loe these are the wicked yet prosper theie alwaie and encrease in riches Certainlie I haue cleansed mine heart in vane and washed mine handes in innocencie For dailie haue I bine punished and chastened euerie morning c. And the other exclamed wherefore doth the waie of the wicked prosper Whie are al theie in wealth that rebelliouslie transgresse The reprobate also do marke this and therbie with corrupt iudgements theie falselie imagine first that either there is no God at al or that he hath forgotten his seruantes which put their trust in him or that he doth neither gouerne the world nor see their waies secondlie that there is no life after this life nor iudgement to be feared Therfore saie theie Come and let vs enioie the pleasures that are present let vs cherefullie vse the creatures as in youth Let vs fil our selues with costlie wine ointments let the floure of life passe by vs. Let vs croune our selues with rose buds afore theie be withered Let vs al be partakers of our wantonnesse let vs leaue some token of pleasure in euerie place for that is our portion and this is our lot Let vs oppresse the poore that is righteous let vs not spare the widowe nor reuerence the white haires of the aged that haue liued manie yeares Let our strength be the lawe of vnrighteousnes for the thing that is feeble is reproued as vnprofitable Therfore let vs defraud the righteous for he is not for our profite and he is contrarie to our doings he checketh vs for offending against the lawe of God and blameth vs as transgressors of discipline He maketh his brag to haue the knowledge of God and he calleth himselfe the sonne of the Lorde He is made to reproue our thoughtes It greeueth vs to looke vpon him for his life is not like other mens his waies are of an other facion He counteth vs as bastardes c. Let vs examine him with rebukes and tormentes that wee maie know his meekenes and proue his patience Let vs condemne him vnto a shameful death for he shalbe preserued as he him self saith c. Thus speak the reprobat Epicures of this world And so of eroneous suppositions namelie that there is not neither shal be a iudgemēt theie do greedilie giue-ouer themselues vnto sinne and are wholie resolued neuer to repent Which Atheistes if euer theie did I am perswaded theie swarme in our age as the present state of this worlde can witnesse Not withstanding neither are the godlie for al this to be out of hart nor the wicked ouer-vanelie to insult For both the righteous shal florish like a palme tree abide vnmoueable like the mountanes about Ierusalem the wicked shal soone be cut-downe like the grasse and wither as the greene herbe Because God wil arise and his enimies shalbe scattered theie also which hate him shal flie before him As the smoke vanisheth so wil he driue them awaie and as the waxe melteth before the fire so shal the wicked perish at the presence of the Lord. For manie sorowes shal come to the wicked He wil breake their armes crush their bones with a scepter of iron and breake them into peeces like a potters vessel He wil raine vpon them snares fire and brimstone and bring them at length into hel into euerlasting tormentes where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Euen this shalbe their portion The righteous shal see it reioice when he seeth the vengeance he shal wash his feetee in the blood of the wicked The righteous I saie shal see it feare and shal laugh at the destruction of the vngodlie man saieng Behold the man which tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and put his strength in his malice The wicked theie also in themselues shal freate for griefe of minde and saie This is he whom we had sometime in derision and in a parable of reproch We fooles thought his life madnes and his end without honour How is he counted among the children of God his portion is among the Saints c. What hath pride profited vs or what profit hath the pomp of riches broght vs Al those things are passed-awaie like a shadowe and as a post that passeth by c. And so
entreat of the seconde comming of our Sauiour Christ. SVCH is the nature of al men generalie bee they bad or good that what theie loue wanting it theie long for As the couetous for profite the epicure for pleasure the bondman for libertie the banished for his natiue countrie So doe Christians for the cōming of their Christ and that so much the more earnestlie as heauenlie ioies are better than the comfort of this world the felicitie to come more excellent and surpassing than prosperitie present betweene which there is no comparison Hence the faithful doe crie Come Lord Iesus And therefore as theie long exceedinglie for his returne so doe theie à thousand times more hartilie reioice when theie heare but an inkeling that he is at hande than doe worldlinges at the newes of anie profit towardes them Which of late theie haue notablie declared especialie in England by the wel acceptation of à treatise to this purpose entitled Of the ende of this worlde and second comming of Christ c. A work both liked of the godlie allowed of the learned wel bought-vp of al sortes and often imprinted in à smale time Notwithstanding what through the securitie of Atheistes the malice of Heretiks y e ignorāce shal I cal it ennie rather or both of som it hath bene oppugned vndiscretelie vnorderly vncharitably cōdēned Wherfore knowing how thākfully and gladlie the virtuous of this land haue accepted that worke and seeing how vnchristianlie others haue condemned the same I haue thought it my duetie hauing now some leasure and being some instrument of bringing that discourse into our English tongue both for the comfort of y e one sort and confutation of y e other to entreat once-againe of the second comming of Christ. And surelie it is not vane curiositie either for me to write or for anie christian to thinke thereof but mere security wer it either quite to forget or but seldome to cal y e same to mind For is it cōmēdable to prognosticat y e seasons of the weather for the safetie of y e body it is not cōmendable to search-out the time of our redēption so far foorth as the word of God wil permit for our euerlasting welfare Are they rebuked which regarded not and cōmended that searchfoorth when what time the first cōming of our sauiour should be and shal theie be blameles y e seeke not earnestlie for his second cōming Shal our sauiour so gratiouslie foreshew y e signes immediatly before his cōming and shal we neglect them Shal he tel vs that when we see al those thinges doe come he is at the doores shal we thinke with mockers that he wil not come at al or not so sone Shal he as our Lorde and master command vs to watch to take heede to praie to looke-vp lift-vp our heads when those tokens do but begin to come our redemption draweth neere and shal not we obeie him O most wretched we if we doe not but blessed if we do For blessed is that seruant whome his master when he commeth shal finde so doing My mind is not to set an houre à daie à yeere or anie season of his comming that were extreme impietie but my purpose is through Gods assistance to proue especialie that he wil come how soone no man knoweth no not the Angels of heauen and that to keepe both my selfe and others from securitie For he which thinketh the end of al thinges to be at hande as saith à right learned man wil flie sin for feare of punishment continue in godlines in hope of the promises endure aduersitie through the cogitation of glorie and in prosperitie be meeke through thinking of the blessed immortalitie to come of which theie onelie shalbe partakers which reteine faith and à good conscience vnto the end For theie who finish their liues on this wise shal come vnto God euē the end of their desires who shalbe seene without end alwaies loued and neuer loathed and euer praised but neuer misliked And then at length shalbe fulfilled that canticle Blessed are theie which dwel in thine house ô Lord for euer and euer theie shal praise thee CHAP. 2. Whether there shalbe an ende of this world à resurrection of the flesh and à general iudgement or no. THere is nothing so certaine but it hath beene denied nor anie thing so necessarie to be beleeued but it hath bin doubted-of nor anie thing so profitable for Common-weales but it hath beene spoken-against nor anie thing so godlie but it hath beene oppugned What so certaine as that there is à God yet haue some denied the same as Diagoras Theodorus and others What so necessary as that sinners should repent yet haue the Montanistes and the Nouatians defended that it is both needelesse and bootelesse so to doe What more profitable than gouernment in à Common-weale yet haue the Arrians and the Anabaptistes of our time inueighed against the same And what more godlie than to thinke the worlde shal haue an ende al flesh shal rise-againe and appeare before the iudgement-seat of Iesus Christ yet haue there bine monsterous and heretical opinions hereabout For some haue flatlie but most blasphemouslie giuen-out that the worlde neither had beginning nor shal haue end so did the Priestles and Magicians of Babylon with certaine Philosophers Some thought it had à beginning that it shal haue none ende as do the mockers of whome Saint Peter prophecied and we heare of in our time Some haue altogether denied y e general iudgement as the Manichies c Some haue granted y e last iudgement but denied the resurrection of the flesh as the Saturnians the Valentinians the Marcians the Cerdonites and manie moe Which damnable and curssed opinions I would not haue recited but suffered them to be buried as be the Autors were I not perswaded that in these daies Satan by his ministers had sowed the like ful-thicke in the heartes of manie men and therefore that it were verie needeful that theie were both written-against in Bookes for the posteritie to come and inueighed-against moste zealouslie with tongue for à present profite Wherefore against al and euerie of these opinions somewhat according to the measure of that grace which God shal giue me CHAP. 3. Against such as thinke howe the worlde neither had beginning nor shal haue an end SVndrie arguments to defende their damnable opinion do theie bring who thinke the world hath bine and shalbe euerlasting First theie saie with Aristotle Of nothing nothing can bee made Therefore seeing the world cannot be made of nothing it must of necessitie be eternal I aunswere Certaine it is of nothing no creature can make any thing but God who doeth whatsoeuer he wil both in heauen and earth of nothing can make whatsoeuer he list O Lord of hostes God of Israel thou
howe it shalbe consumed with fire At these things saith Peter doe these Atheists and Epicures euen contrarie to their verie conscience denie And therefore there needeth none other confutation but onelie to laie before them either the historie of Noahs floud or the Rainebowe in the cloudes For beholding either of them they cannot choose but cōfesse that the world must haue an ende Another of their arguments is this Had God minded to bring the world vnto an end he would haue done so before this But seing it hath continued these 5500. yeres vpwarde likelie it is that euermore it shal endure Thus do they miserablie deceiue themselues saith Peter in effect not considering that God being eternal is not encluded within the compasse of anie time For one daie is with the Lorde as a thousande yeares and a thousande yeares as one daie Therefore it followeth not because hee differreth the destruction of the worlde that he wil not make an end thereof But hee is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would al men to come vnto repentance The cause then whie it is not yet vtterlie ouerthrowne is his great and infinite mercie for our euerlasting welfare For the patience long-sufferance and bountifulnes of God leadeth vnto repentance So did he spare the old world an hundred and twentie yeares before he drowned it and Ierusalem 40. yeares after Christ his death before he destroied the same It is therefore a special cause whie wee shoulde seeke to please so gratious and merciful à God no cause to make vs secure The manner of the worlds destruction at the day of iudgement is signified by à comparison For as the worlde in time passed for the wickednesse of men was after à sort destroied with water so it shall burne and bee consumed with fire And that both for a signe of the eternal paines which y e vngodlie shal endure and also for the purging and repairing of the world For as filthily diseased persons infect the places where they are so haue the wicked polluted this worlde with their manifolde sinnes Therefore it must be purged with fire that it maie be à meete fit and pleasant theatre as it were both for Angels and the chosen seruants of God with Christ for euermore CHAP. 5. Against the Manichies and their adherents who saie there shalbe no general iudgement nor resurrection of mankinde THeie who denie the general iudgement to come are diuers of diuers opinions For some doe holde that it shal not be at al some that it is nowe and some that it is alreadie past The first sort are Manichies the seconde H. N. or the Familie of Loue the laste the fauorers of Hymeneus and Philetus as the Familie of Loue. Al wicked heretical and abhominable For proofe whereof they al doe bring not humaine reason altogether as they did whom alreadie we haue confuted but they abuse y e diuine Scripture as shal appeare Of euerie of these therefore as they stand The Manichies and their adherents to proue that there shalbe no general iudgement doe bring-out first à place out of the thirde of Iohn where it is thus written God sent not his sonne into the world that hee shoulde condemne the world but that the worlde through him might be saued If therefore saie they hee came not to condemne the world it shal not be iudged Against which their allegation I might bring à contrarie place out of the same Gospel where our Sauióur saith I am come vnto iudgement into this world and so let one place answere vnto the other But I answere there is à two-folde comming of our Sauiour Christ à first and à seconde the first is past the seconde is to come The principal cause of his first cōming was not to condemne but to be condemned the principal cause of his seconde shalbe to execute iustice iustice with seueritie vpon the reprobate iustice with mercie vpon his elect yet iustice vpon both vpon the one sort for imbracing his Gospel by à liuelie faith vnto their saluation vpon the other for contemning the same vnto their vtter condemnation Therefore according to his diuerse commings hee beareth the persons of diuerse men in his first comming of à priest whose part is both to teach and to offer sacrifice in his seconde of à iudge whose duetie we haue shewen Secondlie theie cite this place out of the same Chapter of Iohn He that beleeueth in him which is Christ shal not bee condemned but hee that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he beleeueth not in the name of the onelie begotten sonne of God They saie therefore If he who beleeueth shal not come into iudgement and he who beleeueth not is condemned alreadie where are they whom hee shal iudge at the daie of iudgement In effect if none are to bee iudged there shalbe no iudgement I answere first touching the righteous who beleeue that though they shal not bee condemned yet that they shal bee iudged For Christ wil rewarde euerie-man according vnto his workes There is then a iudgement of saluation and a iudgement of condemnation The righteous shalbe iudged yet not condemned but quited by proclamation the wicked shalbe iudged and condemned both by God and the countrie that is by their owne conscience and al the Angels in heauen Secondlie against the wicked I saie with our Sauiour because they beleeue not they are condemned But doth it followe thereof that they shal not bee iudged I beleeue not For it is à phrase vsed much in y e holie Scripture to take the time present for the time to come As cursed be he or more plainelie cursed is euerie man that continueth not in al things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to do them It is not Cursed shalbe euerie man but Cursed is euerie man c. For God hath signified what shal become of vnbeleeuers and wicked men onlie there lacketh but pronouncing of sentence at his general Sessions So saith Saint Augustine He that beleeueth not is now iudged that is condemned by the foreknowledge of God who knoweth what hangeth ouer the heads of vnbeleeuers And verie notablie in another place he saith Iudgement hath not yet appeared and yet iudgement is come For the Lord knoweth who are his hee knoweth who are to be crowned who to be burned He knoweth his wheate and hee knoweth his chaffe He knoweth his good corne and he knoweth his tares He who beleeueth not is now condemned By which their obiection occasion is giuen for our profit and comfort to consider these three thinges Firste the wretched state of the wicked theie are condemned that is in the eies of the Almightie theie goe euen with their handes bound their feete fettred and their necks be in cords onely theie tarie but for these wordes Hangman dispatch them or
Tormentors spare them not or as our Sauiour saith Depart fro me you curssed into euerlasting fire c. Secondly the cause of their miserie Vnbeleefe It is in themselues not in God that they are condemned For God woulde haue al men saued and come vnto the knowledg of the trueth He that beleeueth not is condemned as in an other place He that beleeueth not shal not see life but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Thirdelie the waie to auoide this condemnation euen To beleeue Laste of al among other vane argumentes theie alledge these wordes of our Sauiour If anie man heare my wordes and beleeue not I iudge him not for I came not to iudge the worlde but to saue the world Wherebie they wil conclude howe there shalbe no general iudgement Vnto which place I saie that as was their first so must this also bee vnderstoode of his first cōming when he iudged not For at that time he brought and preached not the Lawe but the Gospel wherebie he declared howe and which waie they might escape the bitter and byting cursse of God his heauie indignation and be saued euen if they receaued the recōciliation promised which was himselfe by faith In his seconde comming he wil iudge the worlde For so is it plainelie setdowne We shal al appeare before the iudgment seate of Christ. And yet more plainlie if plainer it may be We must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euerie man maie receiue the thinges which are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euil In which places the wordes of the Apostle are most diligentlie to be considerd one saith we shal the other we must both of them import à necessitie of à iudgement to come and that of al men monie shal not saue the rich man nor might the honorable nor learning the student nor yeeres the aged nor weakenes the sicke nor anie thing anie man but Al must appeare and that before the Iudgement seate of Christ where he wil shewe himselfe to his foes terrible but amiable to his friendes CHAP. 6. Against H. N. or the Familie of Loue who thinke that nowe the daie of iudgement is come AMong al the sectes which haue bene since the Apostles time I am perswaded there is not one which hath bene either more foolishlie fantastical or more miserablie caried-away from y e truth vnto fables fantasies of mans grosse inuētion than I onelie except the most blasphemous companie of Papists that new disordered Familie of Loue as theie cal it And among al their errors displaied by one battered by another ouerthrown by à thir de I verilie doe thinke there is not one which for impietie is more abhominable than that which theie haue concerning the daie of iudgement When I name the Familie of Loue I vnderstand so many as know and defend the errors of H. N not those who knowe them not much lesse defend them For euerie one which leaneth vnto the sect is not priuie to their errors For the il-luminate Elders knowe right wel that manie which fauor them for the open shew of godlines that they see in them would vtterlie abhor them if they knew the dānable heresies Which priuilie they bring-in Therefore like subtile fellowes they disclose not them-selues but onelie vnto such as be either of no religion at al so readie like waxe to receiue the print of al opinions or sworne enimies against the Gospel of Christ as for those who zealouslie doe hunger and thirst after righteousnes and abhor al wicked opinions contrarie to the worde of God they make such not acquainted with their errors but feede them with faire wordes as they can wel enough either to make them in time euen to denie the Lord which hath bought them and so bring vpon them selues swift damnation or to be some countenance vnto their curssed sect For who neuer seeing their bookes nor hearing of their errors woulde thinke that to bee à Familie of vngodlines heresies which so discrete men sober women so ancient fathers so graue and so godlie matrons doe fauor Oh the subtiltie of Satan Oh the deceit and craft of men O dangerous daies O time of trial Notwithstanding as the venemous Adder lurketh manie times vnder the greenest grasse and as euerie thing which glittereth is not gold so vnder their faire shew of à vertuous life the elders doe hide venemous opinions and though theie haue the shew of Godlines yet they denie the power therof Euen tares they be like wheat false Prophetes vnder sheepes cloathing seducers yet like the ministers of righteousnes and as Cyril saith such as bite lik wolues though they would faine seme euē as simple as sheep so louing as lambes As their opinions extant to be seene iudged of al men do sufficientlie declare and shal appear euen by their errors which theie haue concerning the daie of iudgement had they no moe but them And what are theie I saide in the title of this Chapter and also in an other place howe theie holde not onelie that the daie of iudgement is nowe but also that is alreadie past as in the chapter following shalbe proued For confirmation of their former opinion I wil not frame an argument as I might wel and one doth wittilie by the verie wordes of H.N. after this sort Whatsoeuer the vngodded or vnilluminated Men out of the imagination or Riches of their owne Knowledge and of their Learnednesse of the Scriptures bring-foorth institute preach and teach is assuredlie al false and lies seducing deceit ful But the vngodded or vnilluminated men which are al the godlie learned that abhor the heresies of H. N. preach and teach that there shalbe à general iudgemēt of al mankind and à resurrection of the flesh Therefore it is false lies seducing and deceitful to preach and teach so If I should thus reason perhaps theie woulde saie I presse them too sore and as it were violentlie wrest à confirmation from their bookes Their owne words therefore for mee shal confirme what I saie That theie holde that the daie of iudgment is now he that waieth with iudgment these fewe places out of their owne workes wil easilie confesse I wil recite but three of them and that from sundrie of their workes omitting à great many both in the first Exhortation in the Instruction of the vpright faith in the Prophecie of the Spirit in y e Prouerbs of H. N and also in Elidad his exhortation Wherebie it maie be gathered that it is not à scape but à doctrine aduisedlie taught of H.N. and his scholers The first is this Beholde in this present daie the glorious comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with the many thousands of his Saints be commeth manifested which hath set himselfe Now vpon the seate of his maiestie for to iudge
I neuer finde that à restoring shalbe made of things either absolutely good or absolutely euil but of things indifferent For neither can virtue bee turned into vice nor vice into virtue trueth cannot become falsehoode nor falsehoode become trueth No theie cannot degenerate in anie sort from their verie natures And therefore à restitution cannot be made of them as though theie had changed either into others nature But man for that being left in his owne handes to chuse either good or euil he left that good was and followed the contrarie hee must be restored vnto his first integritie and the creatures which haue serued to the lust of man theie shalbe renued Thirdlie and last of al the end of the iudgement which theie faine is That the wil of God maie be accomplished in earth as in heauen The grossenes of the former mer pointes maie palpablie be perceaued and yet theie wil seeme more blasphemouslie wicked when the impietie of this last clause is discouered These thinges come to passe saie the Familie That the wil of God maie be accomplished in earth as in heauen Wherebie as I nowe sit me thinkes theie imagine verie baselie and grosselie of the euent of this iudgement Saint Paul saith When al thinges shalbe subdued vnto him meaning Christ thē shal the sonne also himselfe be subiect vnto him that did subdue al thinges vnder him that God maie be al in al. That God maie be al in al is the euent of this iudgement saith Paule that the wil of God maie be accomplished in earth as in heauen saie the Familie Thus are the Scriptures and the Familie of Loue cleane contrarie not in this point onelie but in the other points beside For the Scripture saith That in à momēt in the twinkling of an eie iudgemēt shalbe the Familie make it either euerlasting or of long continuance saie that Now it is The scripture testifieth y t al mē and other creatures shalbe restored the Familie restraine it vnto the Lie in his lieing being and to the truth of which there is no mention in the Scripture The scripture maketh nothing capable of euerlasting felicitie but the obedient seruantes and sonnes of God the Familie make virtue capable both of the same of damnation too as though virtue could be contrarie vnto virtue that is Trueth vnto Righteousnesse or Righteousnesse vnto Trueth Finalie the Scripture proueth the ende of the iudgement to be that God maie bee al in al the Familie wil haue it that the wil of God maie be accomplished in Earth as in heauen that is that theie maie leade à life answerable vnto the forme which H.N. hath prescribed in this present worlde For proofe of which my wordes I could cite manie places both out of the Prophecie of the spirite of Loue and out of the Prouerbes of H. N. and also out of the spiritual land of peace but for al heark what in his Euangelie he doeth saie Beholde nowe in This present daie is the Scripture fulfilled and according to the testimonie of the Scripture the raising vp the resurrection of the Lordes dead commeth also to passe Presentlie in this same daie through the appearing of the comming of Christ in his maiestie Which resurrection of the dead seeing that the same Is come vnto vs from Gods grace we doe likewise this present daie to an Euangelie or ioieful message of the kingdome of God and Christ publish in al the world vnder the obedience of the Loue In which resurrection of the dead GOD sheweth vnto vs that the time is Now fulfilled that His dead or the dead which are fallen à sleepe in the Lorde rise vp in This daie of his iudgement and appeare vnto vs in godlie glorie which shal from hence-forth liue in vs euerlastinglie with Christ and raigne vpon earth Were it my minde to stande vpon this place of H. N. I could easilie proue moe curssed errours in the same than it containeth lines but I hasten vnto other matters I alleage it in this place onelie to shewe that he teacheth happines to bee naught els but à pretended righteousnes in this present worlde and that such as be risen-againe from the dead and enioie felicitie doe liue and raigne vppon earth Then by their owne wordes if the iudgement be come if the dead be raned if happinesse bee attained they shal neuer be partakers of the fruites of the second resurrection nor of those thinges which eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard nor heart conceiued prepared for such as loue God For they are happie alreadie in their owne opinions in mine theie are of al men the most miserable and that partlie because they are altogether destitute both of faith without which it is impossible to please God and also of Hope without which they cannot bee saued For Faith is the grounde of thinges that are hoped for and the euidence of things that are not seene Which thinges being once seene and attained Faith cesseth and hope vanisheth-awaie For howe can à man hope for that which he seeth But if we hope for that wee see not we do with patience abide for it They therefore being come vnto the top of blessednesse haue banished-awaie al Faith Hope and feare of God Maruel then I wil no more whie they cal themselues the familie of Loue neither whie they so highlie commend Loue sayeng of those three virtues Faith Hope and Loue the chiefest is Loue neither whie they wil needes be caled not the householde of Faith but the Familie of Loue for I haue them nowe They are come forsooth vnto the third forme and become capitanes in the schoole of Christ they are past Faith and Hope and are come vnto Loue which is the chiefest wherebie they are like Angels what saie I like Angels Theie are Godded with God or incorporated with God in al Loue and are consubstantiated or conformablie vnited as one man of God in God Especialie I account them of al men the most miserable for that theie take drosse for golde miserie for happinesse this life for à blessed life earth for heauen yea theie dreame or doate rather that theie see God not through à glasse darkelie but face to face and knowe him not in parte but as theie are knowen and are in such à state wherein theie laugh alwayes and neuer weepe liue alwaies and neuer die alwaies reioice and neuer bee sadde alwaies merrie and neuer sorrowful in pleasure alwaie and neuer in paine For that is y e state of an happie life And yet who seeth not that they liue wretchedly as sinners and die like men to speake no worser of the ends which commonlie they haue Nowe by what auctoritie of scripture doth H. N. proue that the iudgement is nowe for that would be considered His principal places be taken out
them that trust in his mercie That he hath coÌ„sideration too of y e wicked The face of the lord is against theÌ„ that do euil to cut-off their remeÌ„brance from the earth That he beholdeth y e waies of al men The Lord looketh downe from heauen and beholdeth al the children of men From the habitation of his dwelling he beholdeth al theÌ„ that dwel in the earth euen the euil the good that in euerie place Thou seest therefore first that God doth nowe iudge that thou maist thinke al iustice is not reserued vntil y e time to come Secondlie that God hath an eie vpon the godlie that thou maist note howe hee is charie ouer them Thirdly how his face is against them that do euil that thou maiest vnderstand howe his wrath is kindled a gainst the wicked Last of al howe he beholdeth al men that thou maist know how he neglecteth no man and not giue-out that he winketh at the wicked For he beholdeth the good for their welfare and the euil to their destruction With whoÌ„ looke thou to haue à part who deniest that God beholdeth the waies of meÌ„ And not onely know thou that God doth cleerelie behold thee but acknowledge also that he wil assuredly coÌ„deÌ„ne thee For seing the face of the Lord is against them that doe euil to cut-off their remembrance from the earth of the gouernement of of God it must ensue that thou who through infidelitie deniest the countenance of God must through destruction vnderstand the wrath of the beholder saide Saluianus and so doe I. But the more to preuaile vnto these reasons and testimonies of scripture I wil annexe moste euident examples of the iudgementes of God For if wee into the holie Bible wee shal finde the same to be euen à glasse as it were of God his iudgementes from time to time For our first Parents Adam Euah were expelled out of Paradise through the iustice of God The murther which Kain committed was reuenged through the iustice of God The whole worlde was drowned Babel ouerthrowne Sodome and Gomorh burned Pharao and al his host brought vnto destruction through the iustice of God Againe that Noah and his housholde were preserued Lot with his wife and daughters saued Moses and the Israëlites deliuered it was through the same iustice of God Againe that Dauid in the the deflouring of his wife rauishement of his daughter rebellion of his sonnes banishement from his kingdome defection of his subiectes and in the odious death of his sonne Absolom was punished what was it but the righteous iudgment of God for his sinnes committed against the coÌ„mandements of the Lord In al these examples saith Saluianus what is there not would you see à ruler Lo he both reformeth that which is presently aâ—isse disposeth thinges to come Would you see à seuere iudge Lo he punisheth malefactors Would you see à iust yet à merciful iudg Lo he spareth the innocent Would you see yet à iudge in al thinges Lo here is iudgement For he reproueth as à iudge and gouerneth as à iudge A iudge pronouÌ„ceth sentence à iudge condemneth the guiltie and à iudge rewardeth the innocent Againe saith he And althese thinges Whie Whie but that we should vnderstand that as God hath iudged and punished so he wil euermore And therefore we reade how euen holie men were corrected afore time by the iudgement of God that we should know how God wil iudg vs in this present world Because God as he liueth alwaie so he iudgeth alwaie as his omnipotencie lasteth euer so his righteousnes edndureth and as he is eternal so is his iustice from age vnto age CHAP. 11. Howe God doth iudge mankinde in this present world NOw God iudgeth mankinde in this present world three maner of waies sometime by men by himselfe sometime and somtime both by himselfe and by man too By man diuerslie as by eeclesiastical peesons and by the ciuil magistrate by the worde and power of the one and by the sworde of the other Therefore the worde of the preachers is saide to be the sauor of death vnto death to some and the sauor of life vnto life to others and that which officers of the Church doe binde on earth is saide to be bounde in heauen that which they loose on earth is loosed in heauen and Magistrates for that cause are caled the ordinance of God and saide to execute the iudgements not of man but of the Lorde and are named the ministers of God yea Gods too not simply but for that theie sit in the roome of God here vpon earth So that when either the vengeance of God against obstinate sinners or a gratious pardon vnto the penitent is pronounced or theeues be hanged witches burned traitors quartered malefactors punished when the innocent are desended right mainteined and iustice duelie executed according to the lawes of God it is the iudgement of the Lord. I saie when iustice is executed according to the lawes of God For al the iudgements of men in authority though according to lawes are not the iudgements of God Because manie times both ecclesiastical persons and that by lawe condemne those whom God doth pardon and absolue those whom God doth condemne and temporal gouernours also allowe that by their lawes which God abhorreth So both theeuerie in Lacedemonia publique whoredome in Assyria incest in Persia was coÌ„mon stewes yea and Sodomitrie somtime of yeere at Rome and grosse idolatrie in al places where the Pope hath supreme power is mainteined And therefore magistrates iudging according to such laws are not the ministers of God but of Satan and execute the iudgementes of the diuel not of the Lorde When therefore be magistrates the ministers of God or when doe theie execute his iudgements Surelie when they iudge according to Gods lawes Which lawes of his be either imprinted in the mindes of al and euerie man and are for that cause termed the lawes of nature or else written in the worde of God which is the scripture and are called the Decalog or Ten-commandements Whatsoeuer is by the authoritie enacted contrarie to these lawes it is the law of Satan what is either grounded vpon them or done by them God alloweth the same And such good magistrates and their lawes the Lord so fauoreth that he commandeth them to be obeied as his owne ordenance and that theie maie be duelie put in execution he reueileth hainous malefactors often-times and those whom men by no policie can either get or knowe he by his omnipotencie in his iustice doth descrie Thus come theeues and murtherers commonlie and traitors dailie into the magistrates hande And whie No doubt because the Lord would haue it knowen that he is à righteous and à most iust auenger of enormous crimes and y â— albeit by his almightie power he can
yet through his wisedome he wil haue the ciuil magistrate to punish such and that partlie that others maie be terrified by their punishment from following their example but especialie that notorious offenders maie haue notorious and deserued correction Againe he iudgeth by the ciuil Magistrates when throgh strength of armes and force of warre the innocent are defended against al enimies whatsoeuer be theie domestical or forreigne vsurpers of anothers kingdome or Tyrants in their owne And theie who take such warres in hand are saide to fight the Lordes battel as both Ioshua Dauid Machabeus did praised be God our renoumed Queene doth both in defending her loial subiects against al enimies and in protecting the oppressed against vsurpers By himselfe the Lord also doth iudge and that diuerslie And though in al his workes he be maruelous yet most wonderful is he in those his iudgements For he iudgeth secretelie and he iudgeth openlie he iudgeth particularlie some he iudgeth vniuersalie al mē by himselfe By his secrete iudgement he stirreth-vp the hearts of man against man manie-times and againe maketh some to be extraordinarilie fauoured This do the godlie note And therefore when either theie do finde for loue enimitie for good wil hatred for benefites ingratitude or get y ◠friendship which theie neuer looked for the one theie impute vnto the righteous iudgement of God for their neglecting his loue requiting his friendship with vnkindenes his manifold good turnes with vnthankfulnes and for the other theie crie with the Psalmist To come vnto preferment is neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God is the iudge he maketh low and he maketh hie By this iudgement the Lord both taketh awaie good magistrates sometimes turneth the heartes of Princes and changeth the state of Common-weales For à true sentence is that of Cominaeus God suffereth no wickednesse to goe vnpunished although sometime it be long ere he take vengeance For so often as we see anie notable alteration in mightie Princes we ought certainlie to persuade our selues that it proceedeth from the iustice of God And by this iudgement he succoureth yea and preserueth his Church miraculouslie from destruction and also punisheth the enimies of the same from time to time Secretelie also the Lorde doth iudge when hee toucheth the minde of man with the feeling of sinne and wickednes And this iudgement of God if the holie spirite be not assistant is vnportable For herebie diuers haue desperatelie finished their lines as Kain Iudas and in our age Franciscus Spira By this iudgement diuers which seeme in manie outward and worldlie respectes as either for authoritie or for their nobilitie or for their places or for their learning or for their profession or for their wealth happie yet are theie by the testimonie of their gnawing conscience which accuseth them continualie of hainous and manifolde crimes in à curssed state and condition Last of al when the wilful despisers of God his mercies preached by the Gospel and the malitious resisters or peruertors of his worde be deliuered-vp into reprobate mindes wherebie there take darkenes for light sower for sweete for trueth falsehoode wickednes for holines superstition for true religion mans fantastical imaginations for the verie seruice of God and folowe without remorse of conscience or sense of wickednesse sinne and that with greedinesse what is it but the secrete yet righteous iudgements of the Lord Secondarilie without the ministerie of man God iudgeth by himselfe openlie to the sight of the worlde by diuers means as by the fire somtime by water somtime by the earth sometime c. By which and such like the Lorde in his iustice doth punish vs in these daies manie times So haue we bine by great fires great inundations great earth-quakes great plagues corrected yet verie mercifulie For we are neither consumed of fire as Sodome was nor drowned of water as the olde world was nor swallowed-vp of the earth as Korah Dathan and Abiram were and that not because we are more innocent nowe in the sight of God than theie were nor God is either lesse righteous that he wil not or of lesse power that he cannot punish so seuerelie as euer he did for both we are by so much more wicked thantheie were as we contemne greater benefites than euer theie enioied and God also is as righteous for iustice and for his power as mightie as euer he was For he is the Lorde and changeth not But of his infinite mercie he bringeth vs not vnto vtter confusion but punisheth vs by litle litle because we should amend Thirdlie by himselfe God openlie punisheth particular men and that notoriouslie that others maie beware Thus hath he punished long-ago both Herode Antipa for his crueltie and Herode Agrippa for his pride and Cerinthus and Arius curssed heretikes for their blasphemies and the enimies of Narcissus for their periurie and Hatto of Maguntia for insatiable couetousnes and crueltie and Dalburgius of Wormes in Germanie for his lewde and vnchaste conuersation and to omit à number mo Frier Bacon for his familiaritie with Satan For one of those Herodes hee threwe from hie authoritie downe to extreame beggerie the other was eaten-vp of vermine Cyrinthus was bruzed into peeces with the fal of an house the bowels of Arius gushed-out and so horriblie ended his daies one of Narcissus his enimies with fire another with an odious sicknes y e third hauing lost his eies with weping perished miserablie Hatto was pursued yea at y e lēgth deuoured of Myce and Rats Dalburgius going to naughtie companie in the night fel into à cellar and so tooke his death and Frier Bacon pined-awaie with hunger hauing both à greedie desire to eate and plentie of meate to feede-vpon And of verie late yeares what notable and howe manie examples of God his iudgements against wickednes haue we seene What à death came Anne Auerie à notable example of auarice for her wilful periurie vnto How died widowe Barnes because she wold haue defrauded her owne children of their portions of goods due vnto them by Lawe Howe desperatelie did father Lea finish his life for bearing false witnesse to à matter Howe died one Thomas Hil at Feuersam in Kent for murthering his owne Mother Did not the verie excrements of Anne Auerie come-out of her mouth Was she not stroken with such à sickenes and that sodenlie that neither her feete could moue nor her mouth speake nor anie member of hers in à manner do the duetie it should Died she not odiouslie in à stinking stable for her abhominable couetousnes and periurie Fel not widowe Barns out of an hie windowe and so brake her necke Did not Father Lea dispatch himselfe with à rustie knife and that two yeares after hee had forsworne himselfe And did not fiue smal points strāgle in strange
iudgement in this present daie or nowe executed y In the answer of the Family of loue vnto the notes of the Bishop of Rochecter placed before the confut of M. Wilkinson leafe A 4. line 34. 1. Daie of iudgement what in the opinioÌ„ of the Familie of Loue z Gal. 1 8. 2. What shalbe renued a 1. Cor. 15 51. 53. b 2. Pet. 3 10. c Reuel 21 1. 52. 53. d 1. Cor. 15 51. e 2. Pet. 3 10. f Reuel 21 1. 2. Pet. 3 13. 3. Ende of the iudgement n 1. Cor. 15 28. o 1. Cor. 15 52. p H. N in his prophesie of the spirite of Loue Chap. 7 sent 19. Chap 19 sent 12 14. q H. N in his Prouerbs Chap. 1. sent 16 17 18. Chap. 4 sent 9. 10. c. r H. N spiritual terr pacis cap. 44 sent 9 10 11 12. c. s H. N. in his Euangelie Chap 35 sent 8. 1 Scripture in this daie of Loue fulfilled 2 Resurrection is come 3 Christ in his maiestie appeareth 4 Resurrection come vnto the Elders of loue 5 None but the il-luminate Elders knowe the fulfilling of the Scriptures 6 They onelie do rise-vp which are fallen à sleepe in the Lord. 7 Dead do arise in this daie of iudgement 8 Dead appeare vnto H.N. and to the Elders of the familie of loue and that in glorie 9 The dead shal liue in the Elders of the familie 10 The dead shal liue in the Elders euerlastinglie 11 Dead shal liue in the Elders euerlastinglie with Christ. 12 The dead shal raigne vpon earth or in this world enioie absolute felicitie s 1. Cor. 2 9. t Heb. 11 6 u Rom. 8 24. I Heb. 11 1. y Rom. 8 24. 25. z 1. Cor. 13 12. a Gal. 6 10. * yea and grace too b H.N. in his first Exhort ca. 16. sent 16. but more truelie they are Diueled with the diuel as their own phrase is though in another sense Christopher Vitel in his Libel leafe D. 3 b. line 21. c H.N. in the prophecie of the spirit of Loue. Chap. 7 sent 19. d 1. Cor. 13 12. e Reuel 21 4. f Mal. 3 a. 4 a. Math. 11 17. Marke 1. Luke 7. a C. Vitel in his Libel leafe F. 1. b line 3. b H. N in his Euang. Chap. 36. sent 13. 20. 21. c Isai. 26 19. d Ezek. 37 4. e Dan. 2 44. Dan. 7 13. 5. 6. 14. Dan. 12 2. 3. f Answere vnto the Libel of C. Vitel leafe l. 17 line 12. g H.N. in his Euang. Chap. 1. H.N. in his 2. Epist Chap. 2. sent 1. h H. N. in his Euang. Chap. 35. sem 8. H. N. in his preface before his instruction of the vpright Faith sent 1. i 2. Tim. 2 15. Twofolde resurrection Spiritual resurrection what k Irenaeus lib. 5. aduersus haereses Vlentini c. A double death and a double resurrection Spiritual death what Who spiritualie risen Spiritual resurrection before the corporal l Iohn 5. 29. None arise corporalie vnto saluation who haue not risen spiritualie from sinne m Tit. 2 12. n Reue. 20 6. Corporal death what o As appereth by the Creede Apostolical Nicene Athanasian p Coloss. 2 13. q 1. Cor. 15. 52. 53. r Coloss. 3 1. s Iob. 19 25. 26. 27. t 1. Tim. 1 19. a Cyril catech 18. b Cyril catech 4 and 14. c Irenaeus aduersus haereses Valentini c. lib. 5. d 1. Cor. 15 50. e Ioh. 3 36. f Irenaeus aduersus haereses Valent. lib. 5. g Rom. 11 17. Diuers significatioÌ„s of the word flesh h 1. Cor. 15 39. i Gen. 6 12. k Gen. 6 13. l Gal 2 20. m Iohn 8 15. n Iohn 3 6. o Rom. 8 13. p Gal. 5 19. 20. c. q Act. 17 22. 23. c. 31. 32. r Act. 23 6. s Act. 24 14. 15. 16. t 1. Cor. 15 12. 13. c. u 1. Cor. 15 23. x 1. Cor. 15 13. 14. 32. y 1. Cor. 15 36. 37. c. z 1. Cor. 15 48. 49. 1. Proofe from the testimonie of the Prophets a Isai. 26. 19. 20. 21. b Hos. 13 14. c Dan. 12. 1. 2. 3. 2. From the testimonie of Christ. d Iohn 14 6. e Matth. 12 36 f Matth. 24 30. 31. 3. From the testimonie of Angels g Act. 1. 11. 4. From the coÌ„mandement of Christ. h Act. 10 39. 40. 41. 42. 5. From the testimonie of the Apostles Rom. 2 3. 4. 5. c. Rom. 14 10. 2. Cor. 5 10. i 1. Pet. 4 7. k 2. Pet. 2 3. l Rom. 8 18. 6. From the iustice of God m Cyril Catech. 18. n Psal. 5 4. 5. 6. o Rom. 2 9. p Math. 5 21. 22. c. q Math. 12 36. r 2. Cor. 5 10. 7. From the end of the worldes creation s Rom. 8 19 20. 21. 22. t 2. Pet. 3. 12. 13. 8. From the base estate of the god lie in this world u Rom. 8 17. x Colos. 3 3. y Colos. 3 4. z 1. Iohn 3 2. a Rom. 8 24. b Math. 25 34. c 1. Cor. 13 12. 9 From the testimonie of mans conscience d Cicero Epist. ad Aiticiâ— li. 11. 10 From temporal punishmentes 11. From the curse appointed to the wicked for breaking the lawes of God e Deut. 27 26. i Gal. 3 10. f Rom. 2 12. 14 15. 16. Diuers reasons and arguments prouing that God iudgeth mankinde a Isai. 49 15. b Lactant. de falsa Sap. ca. 10. c 1. Tim. 1 17. d Gen. 18 25. e Psal. 9 4. f Psal. 33 18. g Psal. 34 16. h Psal. 33 14. 15. i Prou. 15 3 k Saluianus de gubernat Dei lib. 2. Examples of God his iudgements in foretime l Gen. 3 23. Gen 4. 10. 11. n Gen. 7 21. o Gen. 11 6. p Gen. 19 23. 24 q Exod. 14 23. 27. 28. r Gen. 7 23. s Gen. 19. 16. t Exod. 14 21. 22. Wisd. 10 15. 16. u Saluianus de gubernas Dei lib 1. x Saluianus de gubernat Dei lib. 2. a 2. Cor. 2. 16. b Luk. 18 18. c Rom. 13. 1 2. d 2. Cor. 19 6. e Rom 13 4. 6. f Psal. 82. 1. 2. g Ex Heraclid de politiis h Osorius de glâ—ria lib. 1. i Boëmius de moribus legibus gentium lib. 2. k Cor. Agrippa de Vanit Scien cap. 64. l Tho Swetonius coÌ„tra Hamiltonium Apostatam p. 102. m Rom. 13 1. 2. c. n Eccles. 46 1. 2. c. o 2. Sam. 17 24 2. Sam. 18 1. 2. c. p 2. Macc. 15 7 8. c. Secrete iudgements of God q Psal. 75 6. 7. r Phil. Cominaeus Commens suor lib. 6. s Rom. 1 21. 22. 23. c. Open iudgemeÌ„ts of God t Gen. 19 23. 24. u Gen. 11 6. x Numb 16 31. 32. Psal. 106 17. y Mal. 3 6. Examples of God his iudgements vpon particular men z Eccles. hist. cent 1. lib. 2. cap. 3. p. 30. a Act. 12 23. b Paulus ab Eitzen Eth. doct