neere as I can by that order which Christ himselfe and his Apostles wel neere 1600. yeeres past haue declared in the word of God And therein I will examine how manie of those signes and tokens be past and howe manie of them doe yet remaine to be fulfilled Then will I see whither this bee not the verie time that Christ hath prescribed to returne againe or if the time be not yet full complete whither it bee not so verie neere therevnto as it is most certaine that the same shall not be long deferred Lastlie I will do my best to stirre vp the mindes of all men to repentance and to prepare themselues with all the diligence duetie they can shewe in this life to go foorth of meete with that great Prince of glorie Christ Iesus Albeit our forefathers in euerie age since the time of the Apostles had manie signes and tokens whereby euerie one might looke for the day of the Lord in that age werein he liued and the rather because Paule said in his time that the examples of the old Testamēt wer writtē for a warning vnto vs vpō whō the ends of the world were come 1. Cor. 10 11 yet because the perceiued by the wordes of Christ that there were other tokens to be performed which neither they had seene nor yet did wel cōceiue they might not so boldlie prescribe the day of the Lord to be at hand as we may now affirme it to be For although Saint Paule as I haue shewed did say that the ends of the worlde were come vpon them in his dayes yet lie bad the Thessalonians that they should not bee deceaued by anie spirit or word or letter to thinke that the day of the Lord was then at hand 2. Thess 2.2 For hee taught them that there should be first a falling away from the faith and that Antichrist should be reuealed before the comming of Christ Which things were not to bee performed within the compasse of so fewe yeeres but required a longer time and manie other matters depended thereon Now howsoeuer this prophesie of Antichrist may seeme to take a latter place in the holie Historie after some other signes and tokens of Christs comming yet if we haue regarde to the first times when the Bishop of Rome was declared to bee that Antichrist it may take the first place before al other signes accomplished after Christ his ascension Neuerthelesse if we meane so plaine perfect a reuealing of Antichrist as it shall be no lesse euident vnto al other nations of Christendome than it is now vnto vs who doe sensibly see perfectly know him to be the verie man of sinne which was prophesied before whereunto the holie Ghost had respect in putting this signe after others in the place of Mathew Marke and else where then may it be called the last signe or token of all Because as the publishing of the worde ouer all the world groweth by little and little so the perfect reuealing of Antichrist vnto all Nations is daily more and more plainely and euidently discerned thereby And in this respect the preaching of the word with the consuming of him shall end both together at the verie comming of Christ and not before because the Scripture saith that the spirit of the Lords mouth shall consume him but the brightnes of his comming shall vtterly destroy him 2. Thess 2.8 And both this and the rest of the tokens that depende on the same are most euident and vndoubted testimonies of the latter dav Wherefore I will first shew how all those thinges are performed partly in other time before but most especially in this age of ours Within which time also I will declare all the rest of the tokens of Christ comming to be in a manner fully complete When the kingdome of Christ was increased and growen to the full by preaching of the Gospel and that the Bishop of Rome began also to growe great in Italy by decaying of the Empire by the giftes and donacions of Princes then did also the same Bishop fall from true religion to superstition from the right seruice of God to false worshipping from sinceritie to hypocrisie from the rules of Gods word to the reasons decrees of men And as his greatnesse increased the Emperours power diminished so the Apostasie of that Church was the more discerned Antichrist of Rome the more reuealed and so when Rome the seate of the Empire was vtterly remoued from the temporal Magistrate and wholly inuested in the Pope and that the Pope claimed to be the vniuersall Bishop there was now nothing to hinder but that all men might discerne how farre the Church was falne from God who was very Antichrist the Author of the same Howbeit though he by this meanes shewed himself to be that Antichrist which both the Prophetes and also Christ and his Apostles had so manifestly described before hand as there can be nothing in the Scriture more plaine yet can it not be saide that Antichrist was fully reuealed till this latter age of ours both because the infinite measure of his iniquitie was neuer before fulfilled with so great power and signes and lying wonders as it hath bene now within these few ages past and also because hee made princes his ministers and vassals to see that his commaundements were obserued and his honour dignitie and power maintained and that none shoulde be so hardie as to bring his name in question or to finde fault with anie part of his superstition But when it pleased God of his infinite mercie to put into the hearts of Kings and Princes prudently to snake off his intollerable yoke from their shoulders and to send foorth preachers of his word that shoulde openly pronounce him to bee verie Antichrist and to proue it to his face out of the worde of God that he is that man of sinne foreshewed in the Scripture then it might truly be said that there was no impediment betweene him and home but that he is perfectly infallibly and expresly discouered taught knowen to be Antichrist among all them that professe the Gospel of Christ Wherefore the matter being so true as both the word of God it selfe affirmeth and the testimonies and proofes of innumerable Writers extant inuincibly cōfirmeth I need not wade anie further herein than is necessarie to induce the matter I haue in hand For this beeing true that the Apostacie of that Church drawing to an ende by preaching of of the word that all the impediments which kept Antichrist backe that he could not be so manifest to the world being remoued that Antichrist himself is now in this age of ours most euidently discyphered and that those be the principall and most apparant signes of he Lords comming whereof the rest or manie of them depend and might not be shewed till these were fulfilled we are now to see what other tokens the holy Ghost hath set downe in the word written that should be shewed
was not yet perfourmed wee beleeue not when all the prophesies deliuered to vs in the Scriptures bee alreadie fulfilled They grudged and wauered when they were wandering in the desolate wildernesse wanting many pleasures and delights of this deceiuing life wee mistrust though we now be in a delightfull and pleasant land and abound in all worldlie comforts that can be deuised for man They misdoubted the first comming of Messias because the words proceded frō the mouths of men but manie of vs beleeue not his second comming though he himselfe haue absolutely promised and shewed the tokens of the same by his owne holy word And so iniquitie and incredulitie abound this day beyond all the ages and times of the worlde Wherefore the Lord must of necessitie come to deliuer his people from the intollerable burden thereof Againe was not the disobedience and murmuring of Israel against God and against Moses his Lieutenant so incomparable great as the earth opened and swallowed vp the principall leaders of that conspiracie and all their habitations and families Yea so angrie was the Lord with this sinne that had it not been for Moses sake hee woulde then haue dispatched the whole generation of them from the face of the earth But if we will but looke into the Christianitie see what disobedience there is to the commandementes of God what continuall murmuringes against him what daylie discontentments with the blessings that he sendeth what rebellions conspiracies and seditions against the Princes which be his Lieutenaunts yea what treasons trecheries against the royall person of their Souereignes Nay what banding there is against Christ his Church to roote out both him and his holie word that neither of them should haue anie more being in the world wee shall finde that the burden of iniquitie is at this day so exceeding heauie as the foundations of the world being so farre out of course must needs fall to ruine and desolation Moreouer within what age and memorie of man is is knowen in what writings ethnicke or christian hath it bene founde nay by what place of Scripture can it be prooued especiallie since the former destruction of the world by waters that the sinne of lust fornication did so generally inuade the whole world as it doth at this present daye What sinne doeth so speedely procure the displeasure of God the destruction of the vngodly and the finall ende of all thinges by fier as doth the flame of lust and concupisence But what needeth mee to recite the greatnesse of this sinne when the vengeance and punishments that God hath brought and daily doth bring vpon fornicatours and adulterers both among Infidels and Christians in euerie age and in all families and kingdomes doth euidently shew the same And albeit we knowe that for this sinne specially God burned vp the cities of Sodome and Gomorrhe into ashes that he slewe in one day three or foure and twentie thousand Isaclites for committing that abhomination with the daughters of Moab albeit I say we know that this sinne so sore displeaseth our God impaireth our credite wasteth our goods weakneth our bodies dulleth our memories tormenteth our mindes and worketh al manner of woe both to soule and bodie in this life and keepeth vs frō inheriting of euerlasting life in the world to come yet doe we in this age take such vile and filthie pleasure therein as we exceede all the abhomination of Sodom and therein the world may seeme to match all the Generations that haue gone before vs. And the greatest cause why God hath not yet powred vpon vs the same or greater vengeance than he did vpon our forefathers is because hee hath nowe but a short time of patience and then commeth the day of vengeance For he hath alreadie sounded his Trumpet vnto iudgement he hath signified by his prophets he hath pronounced by his Preachers hee hath published by his signes and tokens and hee hath opened plainelie by the word of his promise that hee commeth speedelie like a Lion vpon his enemies and to reward with destruction and vengeance all them that worke wickednesse But I am ashamed to speake of the loathsome and horrible sinne of drunkennesse and surfetting For although there be diuers other sinnes wherein for the vilenesse of them men may be compared with brute beasts yet in this sinne men without all comparison excell all beasts and liuing creatures in the world For beasts being voide of all reason yet doe they knowe what is necessarie and sufficient for them and therefore doe they rarelie or neuer take anie more sustenaunce than is meete for their health although they haue neuer so great plentie ministred vnto them But man that is indued with reason and speech the two principall things whereby he is discerned from other beasts and whereby he hath the dominion of them during the time that he is occupied in the sinne of drunkennesse he is not onelie depriued of that excellent knowledge and gouernment that God hath giuen him aboue other creatures but while his head is ouercharged with wine he hath neither the power of vnderstanding nor the sense of feeling that other beasts haue O most horrible and cruell sinne O monstrous disease of the flesh howe easelie mightest thou be lefte what little neede hath man of thee and yet what dangerous and deadlie enormities dost thou bring vpon him both against himselfe against his neighbour against the Commonweale and against the commaundements of our gracious God He that is ouerloden with wine and strong drinke foultreth in his speech reeleth too fro falleth on the ground or tumbleth into the ditch the world goeth round about him shame doth not lay holde on him but others are ashamed for him The presence of persons doth not feare him euerie man scorneth him euerie man shunneth him euerie man derideth him but nothing doth greeue him Againe he whose head is not so deepelie drowned in drinke but is ouer merie therewith hath fraighted his bodie and pampered his bellie as well with meate as drinke how slow is he to all vertue how prone is he to al kind of mischiefe Pouertie woe strife sorowe bralling and wounds without a cause followe them that delight in wine and delicate fare And Prou. 21 Prou. 13. Through gluttonie commeth sickenesse and by surfetting death O that men woulde also weight the greatnesse of this sinne by cōsidering the mischiefs that it bringeth For besides that it destroyeth the health of the bodie and shorteneth mans life it also alienateth the minde prouoketh anger stirreth vp lusts consumeth riches discouereth secrets peruerteth iudgement it causeth sloth in the bodie dulnesse in wit weaknesse in the memorie and vnwillingnesse to euerie good action The abundaunce that is consumed by this one onelie vice woulde supply all the wantes in the Common weale The forbearing of one meale within this kingdome of all the people but once in a yere would feed a mightie Armie a whole moneth The sparing of
one dish but once in a day of them that haue manie dainties at their table woulde satisfie the poore that lie in miserie at their gate The superfluitie of fare that is spent in one dayes interteinment would giue reliefe to all that be lame and impotent The monie that is spent in strong and needlesse drinke would pay all the duties that belong to a Prince Neuerthelesse so vile and corrupt is the nature of man so desperately doeth hee runne into his owne fleshly desires that though hee knewe his poore and needie brother shoulde perish for want that his Countrie and Common weale should be in distresse nay that his own life should lye vpon the abstinence of one meale or forbearing of one match at drinking he would not leaue his greedie appetite Although men at this day are ashamed to see such beastlinesse in others Albeit they are greeued when they heare of the drunkennesse of Noah when his two sonnes couered him of Lot when he lay with his own daughters Although they know that death was pronounced against Aaron Leuit. 10. if he dronke wine or strong drink Gen. 25. That Esau lost his birth-right for the greedinesse of a messe of potage That Balthazar in his dronkennesse sawe a finger vpon the wall Dan 5. that wrote the finall ende both of him and his kingdome and that the drunken banquet of Benadab 4. King 20. was the destruction 32. Kings with all their Armie Albeit that wo is pronounced to them Esay 5. that rise vp early to follow dronkennesse that wine maketh a man scornfull and vnquiet Pro 20. Ezech. 16. Gal. 5. that fulnesse of meate was one of the great causes why Sodom was destroyed and finally that no drunkard nor glutton shall inherite the kingdome of heauen yet are not men by al these warnings moued yet doe they follow the wickednesse thereof and that with more greedinesse than euer before All their felicitie is in banqueting all their pleasure is in drinking all their delight is in their belly all the pastime of their life is in gluttonie good cheere Esay 22.13 Come say they let vs eate and drinke and bee merie for to morrow we shall die Nothing at this day but eating nothing but drinking nothing but powring in of cups from morning to night and from night to morning and so al their life long without respect of time or place or holie dya or Sabboth day without feare of lawes without feare of life without feare of God and without feare of damnation or any hope of saluation Wherefore this vice beeing greater than euer requireth a greater vengeance and speedier comming vnto iudgement than euer But I tremble at this day with horrour and greefe when I heare the name of the Lorde to bee so commonly and continually taken in vayne and to bee dishonored in euery corner For wheras we are straightly charged that we should not sweare neither by heauen nor by the earth nor by any other othe so wicked and peruerse is the nature of man so crosse and contratie to the will and commaundement of God so vntoward to that he should and so readie to that hee should not that whatsoeuer he is most forbidden that doth he most insue If there bee any corner whereinto he may start from the impunitie of mans lawe thether doth he runne headlong without regarde of any diuine prohibition and without feare of Gods terrible iudgement and condemnation And for this cause where a publike weale hath made no expresse lawe for the punishment of swearing there men make no conscience of any othe in the world there heauen and earth is no othe with them there the creatures of God are nothing with them there the Lord of hoasts is nothing with them the name of his blessed Sonne is nothing with them nay all the precious members of our Sauiour that suffered for vs are too little for them to bee a testimonie of all their vntruthes of all their vilanies of all their abhominations that they worke in the worlde But if they promise or vowe any thing which they haue any minde to perfourme or if they would iustifie themselues in any thing wherein their conscience cleereth them that will they affirme by that little trueth and faith which they haue But if they be stirred vp vnto furie if their bloud be warmed with surfeting and drunkennesse if they be greedie of reuenge agaynst such as haue offended them if they promise to meete vpon any wicked enterprise if it be for the sauing of a small penie in their purse or for defence of their credite in a playne vntruth in euery trifling matter in euery vayne enterprise in euery idle game and communication and action that will they confirme with the most vehement and mightie othes that they can deuise The blessed and diuine soule of Christ the precious and deere bloud of the Lambe immaculat and all the glorious and excellent members of Christ nay be Maiestie of Christ and of the Father himselfe are nothing in their vile and vnpurre lippes This I say is the naughtie nature of man to bee euer contrarie to the commaundements of God If GOD had commaunded vs that whatsoeuer wee promise or affirme or answere or iustifie in this life wee should call heauen and earth to record or his creatures or himselfe or some of his bodily members we should neuer haue heard an othe in this worlde But because hee forbad vs all these thinges and that our affirmation should bee nothing but yea and nay therefore wee most impudentlie abuse all his creatures and most shamefully blaspheme the name of GOD in all our wordes in all our affirmations iustifications and actions and therfore shall all these bee a testimonie agaynst vs in the day of iudgement Looke well vnto it therfore ye that be these luftie and wilfull swearers in the world ye that call the Lorde of hostes so often to witnesse with your vntruths and vanities bee yee sure that the Lorde is not deafe but doth heare you hee hath registred written vp all the idle words that ye haue spoken in your banqueting in your surfetings in your gaming 's and in al the loose and lewd behauiour of your liues hee hath written in the face of euerie creature all the testimonies that ye called them to witnesse with you much more shall yee finde printed in his presence nay yee shall haue it engrauen both in your owne conscience and in the Maiestie of his person all the wilfull and rash othes wherby ye haue called him to record and vnlesse you speedely repent you in this life and cease for euer to blaspheme the name of God as yee haue done yee shall shortly come before the supreme Iudge where it shall be so hardly layd to your charge as ye shal wish that the mountaines might couer you and the earth shadow you from the presence of God whom you haue so highly displeased For the horrible sinne
of swearing is so continually accustomed in your mouths and the name of God and of his holy members is so abused in your actions as he can no longer indure the wickednesse thereof but wil hasten himselfe vnto iudgement Now if these sinnes besides manie others that I might recite doe so abound at this day in the hearts of men and doe breake out so mightily in their actions as the things themselues declare that the day of iudgment is at hand what shall we say of the sinne of couetousnesse the roote and welspring of all other mischiefes Wherein men at this day doe so farre exceed the measure of our forefathers as the later wee are borne the more corruption we haue receiued the neerer to the day of the Lord the lesse affection haue we to heauenly things and the more desire of worldlie vanities And albeit this sinne of coueting bee set downe as a capital crime in the holy Scriptures yet do we make small account of the same Howbeit if the children of Israel fled before their enimies Iosu 7. onely for the couetousnesse of Achan and that Achan himselfe was iudicially and formally executed because he had hidden to his owne vse some thinges that were accursed if Nabal the Carmelite for his couetous minde 1. Sam. 25. in denying some sustenance vnto Dauid and his seruants in time of necessitie was striken by God that he died finally if Gehezi the seruant of Elizeus 4. Kings 5. was punished with a foule leprosie for requiring and taking but a small gifte of Naaman the Sirian whome his Master had frankly freely a litle before healed of the same disease what deserueth the vnsatiable mind of Christians in our time that without all measure or ende without feare of God without regard of religiō with out remorse of cōscience without sense of other mēs griefes be it right or wrong whether it cōcerne God or the Church the Prince or the Commonweale the father or the sonne neighbour or straunger friend or foe life or death if it may turne to our owneprofit commoditie we seeke by all manner of meanes to attaine therevnto though we die for it in this life and be sure of damnation in the life to come without all remorse of conscience or anie care of restitution Howbeit all this commeth to passe that the word of God may not be frustrate which saith that in the latter day iniquitie shall abound and the loue towardes God and man shall decaie And the abundance of all sinne doth grow from this verie roote of coueting greedinesse of riches But in verie deede the meanes that this sinne hath had to come to such ripenesse in these our dayes haue been farre greater than euer in anie Age before For euen since the time that it pleased God to shewe foorth all other signes and tokens which hee had promised to come against the ende of the world what wayes haue men attempted what artes haue they deuised to fulfill their greedie appetite and desire Be there anie lands that they haue not searched or anie seas that they haue not sayled Bee there anie dangers that they haue not ventured Is there anie colde or heate that they haue not indured Is there anie world that they haue not compassed anie myne that they haue not opened anie bloud that they haue not spilled nay anie people that they haue not destroyed to attaine to their desire Doe they not trauell more willinglie more often and farther from the vppermost face of the earth to the nethermost part of the same from the Sunne rising to the Sunne setting from the South to the North and to all the endes of the world and all for the insatiable desire of golde siluer redde claie and white than they woulde doe for the sauegard of their owne life And yet the more they haue the more they want the more they want the more they couet In such sort as if the earth and sea were emptied of their treasures I suppose that they woulde seeke to Heauen for temporall riches which they cannot beelead vnto for the saluation of their soules Wherefore this vice of couetousnesse is now so primie full as it craueth an ende and dissolution of the world Now come wee to the last token and restimonie of the comming of Christ namelie That the Gospell shal be preached in all the world for a witnes vnto all nations and then shall the ende come As I wrote before that the reuealing of Antichrist and man of sinne which sitteth in the Temple of God should be the first token of that secōd comming of Christ so the preaching of the Gospell ouer all the world both by the circumstance of the Euangelicall historie and by the consequence of the thinges themselues must of necessitie bee the last token before his comming And this is also confirmed by Iohn in the Reuelation when he saith Apoc 14. That he sawe an Angell flie in the midst of heauen hauing the euerlasting gospell to preach to all nations kindreds and people and saying Giue glorie to God for the hower of his iudgment is come And immediatelie after this preaching of the word an other Angell crieth Babylon is falne that great Citie is falne that made all Nations drinke of the Cup of her fornication For if there bee no other way to make Babylon to fall to reueale Antichrist the enimie of Christ and to banish the Apostasie of the Church procured by the same Antichrist but the preaching of the word and free course of the Gospek thē is there also no other way to inlarge the kingdom of Christ to gather the Saints of God into one but onely the free course and publication of the Gospell which by litle and litle shall consume as it hath gebun the spirite of error and apostasie of the Church till the brightnes of Christes presence haue vtterly destroyed the same al the authors abettors thereof Wherfore whatsoeuer other tokens shal be at the verie comming of Christ as no doubt but ther shal be many both in the Sunne and Moone and starres and in al the creatures of God as behoueth in so great an alteration consummation of the worlde Mat. 24. Mark 13. and as Christ himselfe hath most effectually set downe in his holy word yet this publishing of the Gospel in all the world shall vndoubtedly be the very last token before his comming as it is euidently set down by the holy Ghost himself when he saith And then shal the ende come And when the Angels after preaching of the word said Apoc 14. The houre of iudgement is come thrust in thy sythe and reape for the haruest is ripe As if he should say When Antichrist of Rome which exalteth himselfe aboue me shal be reuealed to be the principal head that hath caused so great a falling away from the truth in my Church hee shall trouble and persecute you to the death he shall make
vaine worde that they haue spent all the time of their life and so to receaue iudgement for the same Thus are all mortall men and women cyted to appeare before the Iudgement seate of God to aunswere for themselues There shall then be no excepting of persons before him but Emperors Kings and Princes their subiects seruaunts and vassals all both Magistrates and people the highest Prelates and poorest Ministers Lords and tenants masters and seruants parents and children olde and young one with another shall all stand before the face of the Lorde to receiue their iudgement and either for their vngodlinesse to be accused and condemned or else hauing walked with a perfect heart before him they shal bee iustified and saued by the death and redemption of Christ Wherefore seing al these things shall thus happen that shortly how sodainly we know not and seing the day of the Lord wil steale vpō vs like a theefe in the night 2. Pet 3. when the hauens shall passe away and the earth and al the workes therein shal be vtterly burned with fire seeing we shall immediately be caried away vnto iudgement and seeing the Lord is not slacke but will speedelie come as he hath promised what manner of persons ought we to be in holinesse and godly conuersation How ought we to purge our liues from the dead and damnable workes of this world to serue the true and liuing God Howe well furnished ought we to be at all houres with all the armour of God that nothing but truth may proceede out of our mouths That all our actions bee defended by iustice and vpright dealing That wee may treade all our steppes in the Gospell of peace That we may haue a strong faith to withstand the deuill and all the temptations of this life That wee relie whollie vppon the saluation of Christ and that the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs wherewith we being indued we shall be readie at euery instant to meete the Lord when he commeth in the clowdes with power and great glorie But what shall the Lord say to them that bee so carelesse and negligent as they will not watch one small time in praier and meditation for his comming Shall they not in that great day be accused of the greatest vnfaithfulnes in the world Yea shall they not bee condemned of foule and beastlie ingratitude when for the pure loue that he beareth to vs he hath so sensiblie before hand shewed vs of all these things that haue happened and hath willed vs to watch and bee readie with our Lampes burning because the Sonne of man will come at such an houre as we knowe not O vngratefull and faithlesse generation maie he saie it repenteth me that I haue been so kinde and louing to you and that I haue bestowed vpon you so large and ample benefites when ye were dead in the burthen of your sinnes and were in thraldome of the deuill and of all your mortall enernies and had no other waie to be relieued but by me I humbled my selfe from the throne of my Maiestie and tooke your nature vpon me I came not as I might haue done like a great Prince and Monarch of this world but was content to abase my selfe to be borne of a poore woman to bee brought vp like a poore childe to walke in the forme of a poore seruant and to liue poorely from the daie of my birth to the daie of my death I indured nakednesse and cold and hunger for your sakes yea thirtie yeares together and vpward did I abide all the calamities of this life for your sakes I submitted my selfe to the lawe of man and obserued euerie iot and title of the same for your sakes I fasted fourtie daies and fourtie nights for your sakes I wrought great miracles and wonders in the world for your sakes And when the time of my passion was come I sweate water and bloud for your sakes I was scourged buffetted and beaten for your sakes I abode a crowne of sharpe thornes vpon my head for your sakes I indured spitting railing and despightfull words against my selfe for your sakes And in the ende I suffered amost shamefull and cruell death vppon the Crosse for your sakes For you and your saluation haue I done all this and yet ye will not beleeue the signes that I haue shewed nor prepare your selues to watch for my comming Therefore I will come so sodainlie vppon you as it shall be too late for you to repent and whome I finde not watching and prepared for me him will I cast into the vttermost darkenes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore my deare brethren in Christ when we haue diligentlie weighed and considered these things how iustlie how innocentlie and how purelie ought wee to shewe our selues in all the whole course of our liues looking daylie and hourelie for the appearing of our Sauiour that we maie be blamelesse in the daie of his cōming It is for our learning edifying that al the holie Scriptures are written that all the teaching instructiōs warnings therin are giuē that all the miracles of God from the beginning haue been shewed that all the examples of our forefathers haue been published that God from the beginning was so mindfull of our redemption that he sent his owne Sonne for our saluation It is we that he hath been so carefull to preserue so many ages together in the middest of so many crooked and peruerse nations from the hands of so many cruell bloudie tyrants Who were preserued in the Arke from the first destruction of the world by waters but we Who were saued from death in the great famine of Egipt and countries adioyning but we Who were deliuered from Pharao from the inhabitants of Chanaan and from manie other nations with a mightie and stretched out arme but we Who were preserued in the great and horrible persecutions of the Primitiue Church from being vtterly consumed of tyrants but we Who were safelie kept by God as the apple of his owne eye in so great and generall Apostacie of the Church but we Who were againe deliuered by God from the power of Antichrist and were indued with the knowledge of his truth but we Nay who haue receiued so many tokens of the end of the world warnings of Christes comming as we For the heathen haue no knowledge of his lawes And they that bee straungers from Christ feare not his iudgements And all they which sinned without law shall perish without law Againe if iudgement begin first with the house of God what shall become of them that beleeue not the Gospell Why do not wee then with all faithfulnesse and willng heart receiue all these Oracles sent vs by God Why doe wee not thankfully accept his benefites Why do we not beleeue his promises Why do wee not prepare our selues for his iudgements Why doe we not weepe and bewaile and lament for our sinnes Why are we so stonie and
hard hearted that there is No example of temporall punishments in other no feele of Gods wrath in our selues no threatning of Gods vengance to come no remembrance of punishments past no remorse of conscience for our sinnes no promise of temporall blessings no assurance of eternall rewards neither signes in heauen aboue nor tokens in the earth beneath nor the hope of euerlasting saluatiō nor feare of perpetuall damnation that can once effectually moue vs to amend our liues and make vs to forsake the sinne that reigneth in our mortall bodies although we know die kingdome of heauen to be neuer so neere nay euen at the very doore Wherefore I feare me it will be pronounced against vs that was sometime against the vnbeleeuing cities of Iuda Woe be vnto you Christians and especiallie you that haue takē vpon you to reforme my Church and to haue my Gospell preached among you woe I say bee vnto you For if the signes and myracles that haue bin in your time and among you had bin done among the Turkes and Infidels yea among the most sauadge Indians of the world they would long since haue repented insackecloth and ashes O that wee would open the fountaines of our heart and powre in contrition into our soule O that wee had a floud of teares to bewaile the multitude of our sinnes O that we would haue but some parte of that affection towards our selues that the creatures of God haue towards vs For they mourne and lament for our sins they long for our deliuerance because of our sinnes The earth trembleth quaketh because of our sinns The Sonne and the Moone want of their light and beautie for our sinnes The Heauens powre downe floudes of destruction for our sinnes The plants and hearbes lacke their vertue and operation for our sinnes The windes goe foorth of their places the seasons of the yere keepe not their wonted course for our sinnes yea the natures of all creatures are in a manner changed for our sinnes But what shall I saye more The Angels of God doe mourne for our sins The verie soules of the righteous doe lament for our sinnes And it greeueth the spirite of God himselfe that we persist in our sinnes But all this mooueth not our senses nor yet melteth our owne heartes for our sinnes All that we speake all that we write all the labor we take is in vaine For our heart is as hard as the Adamant and our soule refuseth counsell Euerie man speaketh of the mercies of GOD Euerie man acknowledgeth his benefits Euerie man hath the word of God in his lippes Euerie man crieth Lorde Lord but no man dooth the will of his heauenlie Father Euerie man confesseth the tokens of Christ to bee come but no man prepareth him selfe his comming No man maketh attonement with his brother no man sheweth the fruites of faith no man forsaketh his wicked life no man keepeth his vessell pure and holie to the Lorde Euerie man blameth euerie man reprooueth euerie man condemneth shamefull actes in others but no man amendeth anie one sinne in himselfe O gracious GOD why shoulde thy people thus forget thee why shoulde they bee thus stiff-necked against thee why shoulde they so deepelie dissembled with thee why shoulde they make as though they beleeued thy worde when they bee so farre from reforming of their liues why should they be so rauished with earthlie delightes that perish in a moment and contemne the hauenlie ioyes which continue for euer why shoulde they bee thus distraught from the sense and feele of hapinesse to followe the delightes and pleasures of their owne fancies Shal the care of transitorie riches of this world drowne the desire of glorie in the worlde to come Shall the vglie and deceaueable lustes of sinne that breede long and bitter repentaunce preuaile aboue the beautifull contemplation of thine eternall Godhead Shall this vale of miserie wherein wee see nothing but sinne and wickednesse nothing but care and vexation of minde nothing but perilles by lande and sea at home and abroade in bedde and at boord in freedome and in bondage in pouertie in welth in honour and disgrace at all times and in all places both in life and in death bee more deepelie printed in our heart than the Kingdome of Christ wherein the bodie shall bee chaunged from corruption to immortalitie from dishonour to glorie from weakenesse to strength from a naturall bodie to a spirituall bodie wherein all paines and sorrowes shall bee vtlie vanished and all quietnesse and tranquilitie of conscience shall dwell for euermore Nay shall the affection which wee beare to father or mother or brother or sister or wife or children or landes or goods or to haue die whole earth at our becke and commaundement once seperate vs from the loue that is in Christ Iesus from the companie that wee shall haue with his holie Angells from the fellowship of all the godlie and elect people and from the continuall fruition of Gods diuine presence and Maiestie GOD forbid What is the cause then that wee so greedelie imbrace and laye holde vpon these transitorie thinges Nothing verelie but the corruption of our owne nature the following of our owne sensuall pleasures and the instigation of the diuell who laboureth now towardes the ende of the worlde more stronglie than euer to drawe all the soules that he can into damnation with himselfe of whom we to our great shame stande in seare as though Christ our Conqueror had neuer redeemed vs as though he that had once saued vs could no more defende vs. But alas why shoulde wee not continuallie and vnfainedlie praye vnto God to assist vs and with the strength of his holie spirite to defende vs from all our wicked enemies that in him by him we may haue grace to vanquish and ouercome whensoeuer we are pressed or disquieted either in bodie or minde But as concerning sinne albeit wee for our owne parts haue made such a couenant with death as whatsoeuer be said vnto vs we will not amend haue entered into such a league with hell that we will not be saued albeit we haue refused the mercie of God that calleth all men to repentance and would all men to be saued yet after we haue once receaued the knowledge of the truth and haue been baptized in the name of Christ and haue promised to liue in his true faith and feare let vs neuer so treade vnder foote the Sonne of God nor worke such despite vnto the spirit of grace that through our vngodlie and sinfull life we shoulde make the Gentiles to hate the name of Christ for our sakes and by this meanes to keepe both out selues and others too out of the kingdome of Christ Which otherwise if they saw our iust and sincere conueration answerable to the forme of our profession they would ioyne them selues vnto the bodie of Christ so magnifie his name ouer all the world Shall not the zeale of our forefathers who in
a little before the day of iudgement Our Sauiour Christ saith that before the end of the world Nation shall rise against nation Math. 24. Mark 13. and Realme against Realme and there shall be famines and pestilence and earthquakes in certaine places When Antichrist hath long and quietly helde the possession both of the temporall and spirituall swordes when hee hath manie yeeres taken vpon him the office of Christ to be the King of Kinges and Lord of Lords and to haue the domimon aswel of the soules as of the bodies of men it is great horrible griefe vnto him to loose so high a dominion and to stoope from the office of God which hee taketh vpon him among men to become as an other man therefore he deuiseth by all meanes to punish and disquiet the Saints of God Whom he may bring into his power them he vexeth them he tormenteth them he burneth them hee destroyeth without all pitie or mercie And if they be such as for their authoritie and greatnesse he cannot or by reason of the protection of others he dare not bring vnder his tyrannie he stirreth vp Kings and Princes of his confederacie to make warres vpon them Or if that faile he moueth their owne subiects to rebel and put themselues in armes against them Whereby hee hath at this day set in an vprore the whole Christian world kingdome against kingdome and nation against nation one people against another that he may the easier as hee thinketh defende his proud and insolent gouernment his false and superstitious religion and the seate and dignitie of his Popedome Neither can that place of Scripture of Nation rising against Nation and kingdome against kingdome be more necessarilie vnderstood of anie other warres to be made between Prince Prince than such as Antichrist raiseth vp for religion sake Neither did I euer heare of anie warres before this age of ours between the nations kingdoms of Christendome for Christ his cause that is to say for the true worshipping of him for the preaching of his Gospel for the difference in opinions for the libertie of the conscience and for the triall of the true Church and that so earnestlie and continuallie and without hope of reconciliation till now that Antichrist for the sauing of his dominion hath made all these commotions and troubles in the world which cannot bee decided till Christ in his owne person come to trie his own cause in iudgement But for all other temporall causes the Nations and Princes of Christendome haue one risen against another euer since the time that Christ ascended vp into heauen Wherefore this is the sense meaning of these words of Christ Towards the ende of the worlde when Antichrist is reuealed and that he feareth to forgo his Crowne and dominion hee shall stirre vp the Princes that be his Confederates to warre vpon the Nations and Cities that professe the Gospel that what he is not able to doe of his owne power nor by his false and forged miracles nor by gathering of his general Councels nor by pronouncing of his excommunications and curses nor by the wrong interpretations of the Scriptures nor by the writings and disputations of his schoole Doctors nor by sending abroad of his Seminarie priests and hypocrites that wil he endeuor to do by the help of other princes vnder pretence of doing God good seruice And this notable token foretolde of Christ as touching his second comming we see is alreadie at hand and is like euerie day more and more to bee verified to the great effusion of Christian bloud In like manner as concerning famine pestilences and earthquakes foreshewed by Christ in the second place they are not so fitlie to bee referred to anie of those which houe ben in times past before this man of sinne was reuealed For those haue been heeretofore manie great and horrible yee and at somtimes in some places almost vniuerfall But those which haue happened and shall happen in our time when Antichrist shal be more and more reuealed superstition abandoned the power of the beast decreased the kingdome of Christ reuiued the Gospel freelie published and the second warning of the trumpet sounded those be vndoubted testimonies and tokens that the day of the Lord is at hand Such haue were now had within the compasse of these few yeeres euen manie and great and horrible somtimes in particular Cities and Countries and sometime in whole Prouinces of Christendome What wonderfull famines haue we had in places distressed besieged by the champions of Antichrist both in Fraunce the Low Countries and other Christian Prouinces not sent immediately by the finger of God but constrained for the most part by the crueltie of Antichrist by whose meanes it is to be prooued that beyond the horror of all famines that euer I heard of or read men haue been constrained to pull out the dead carkases buried in graues to make sustenance for their bodies Pestilences also there haue been manie and great besides those former signes and tokens In England in Fraunce in Spaine in Italy welneere in euerie countrie of Christendome We our selues also haue lately heard and felt great and fearefull earthquakes to put vs in minde of the promise of Christ and therefore to assure our selues of his speedie comming vnto iudgement least if we prouide not for the same we be sodeinly taken tardie and for our wickednes be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone that neuer shal be quenched In the third place is shewed what anguish trouble the Saints of God shall endure for Christes sake especially when they haue made it manifest to all the world that the Pope of Rome is that sonne of perdition which exalteth himself aboue God For then doth he seek by all maner of meanes to kil destroy them by imprisonment by torment by fire by sworde by poyson by laying in waite by treason by charging them with heresie by taking away their good name and by causing them to bee hated of all people euermore imagining with himselfe that by these persecutions hee shall so wast and destroy them that at the length the remembrance of them shall be cleerely extinct from the face of the earth Howbeit the more blood he spilleth the more the Church of God increaseth and the longer thinketh to put off the day of iudgement the sooner shall it be hastened for the chosen sake and for the destruction of the wicked worlde and of him in the midst thereof Fourthly when the worlde shall perceiue so great troubles to arise by preaching of the Gospel and that no temporall benefite commeth thereby that it causeth kingdomes to bee at warres one against another that there be as great or greater famines plagues and earthquakes as euer that iniquitie aboundeth more that euer that the loue of men faith towards God is lesse than euer that Gods displeasure is more greeuous than euer Finally that the Pope for all the preaching against