notwithstanding more then 1600. yeeres are past since that promise came out A. The shortnesse of the time must not bee measured 2 Pet. 3. 8. by our estimation because wee are of small endurance here in this world but it must bee measured by the iudgement of God with whom a thousand yeers are but as one day Q. Howbeit it seemeth that hee should hasten that day more then hee doth for the aduantage of those that bee his considering that they are euill handled here in the world A. There are two causes of this delay one that all that is prophecied especially in the booke of Reuelation may be fulfilled the other that none of the elect should perish so that it is for the aduantage of those who are his that their Lord maketh no more hast which ought to make vs patiently to wait for his comming Q. Is there yet any further reason for the confutation of that godlesse opinion A. Yea for in that our Sauiour Christ hath declared that his comming should bee sudden as the thiefe in Mat. 24. 42. 44. the night that errour is confuted for it would not bee so if things should decay by little and little CHAP. 54. Of the day of Iudgement in speciall and of Antichrist Touching the day of Iudgement in speciall note the Tokens of the same Remote that is the Apostasie vnder Antichrist where of the Head Members Nearer Iudgement it selfe 2. THES chap. 2. vers 3. to the 13. 3. Let no man deceiue you by any meanes for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition 4. Who opposeth and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God 5. Remember ye not that when I was yet with you I told you these things 6. And now ye know what withholdeth that hee might bee reuealed in his time 7. For the mysterie of iniquitie doth already worke only he who now letteth will let vntill he be taken out of the way 8. And then shall that wicked be reuealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming 9. Euen him whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders 10. And with all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue a lie 12. That they all might bee damned who beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 13. But we are bound to giue thankes alway to God for you brethren beloued in the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the spirit and beleefe of the truth Q. VVHat haue we to consider in this Iudgement more specially A. First the tokens going before secondly the Iudgement it selfe Q. What are the tokens going before it A. They are either further off or nearer vnto it Q. What are the tokens further off A. A generall Apostasie vnder the Antichrist of 1. Tim. 4. 1. Rome as the Apostle teacheth 2. Thessal 2. 3-13 Q. VVhat was the occasion of this doctrine of the Apostle A. It may seeme some of the Thessalonians misconstrued these words in his former Epistle viz. That we which liue and remaine at the Lords comming shall not preuent them that are dead as if the Thessalonians to whom Paul wrote should liue till then which bred this errour among them that the day of Iudgement was at hand and this in his second Epistle hee confuteth by putting them in mind that first there must bee a generall Apostasie or falling away from the truth of the Gospell Q. VVas it not a tolerable errour considering that therby they might be stirred vp vnto greater care and watchfulnesse A. No for God will haue iust things done iustly and no truth can bee well builded vpon falshood Besides this a subtill practice of Satan appeareth in it that when they had long looked for the day and saw no alteration of things nor other appearance of it they might fall into a flat vnbeleefe that no such thing should come to passe at all Q. Is it meant that the whole Church shall fall from Christ A. No for it is impossible that a perfect head should be without a body at any time Q. Why is it then called generall A. Because the Gospell hauing been vniuersally preached throughout the world both whole nations did fall from it and the most part also euen of those nations that kept the profession of it howbeit still there remained a Church although the estate thereof was not publikely knowne to the world Q. VVhat are the parts of this Apostasie A. The head and members the head of this Apostasie is Antichrist the members his subiects and vassals for as Christ is the head of the true Church which is his body so is Antichrist the head of those which shall fall away and they his body Q. Who is this Antichrist and his body A. The Pope and the Church of Rome vnder him as by the Apostles description following doth euidently appeare Q. Then this Apostasie is as large and generall as Poperie But how is it likely that the Lord should suffer so many nations as liued vnder Poperie and that so long to fall away A. Why not and that most iustly for if the whole body of the Gentiles were reiected when the Church was onely in Iurie for some fourteene hundred yeers and seeing euen of the Iewes ten tribes were reiected and of the remainder but a few were of the Church with great reason hath the Lord reiected those nations and people for so many ages seeing they reiected Gods grace in falling away from the Gospell which the Lord most graciously reuealed vnto them passing by their fathers that were before them Q. How is this Antichristian head described vnto vs A. First he is described what he is towards others and then what he is in himselfe Q. What is he towards others A. That is declared by two speciall titles of the man of sinne and sonne of perdition declaring hereby not so much his owne sinne and perdition which is exceeding great as of those that receiue his marke whom he causeth to sinne and consequently to fall into perdition as Ieroboam who is often branded with the marke of causing Israel to sinne and hee is so much more detestable then he by how much both his Idolatry is more execrable and hath drawne more Kingdomes after him then Ieroboam did Tribes Q. In what respect is hee called the man of sinne A. In that he causeth many to sinne and this the Pope doth in a high degree iustifying sinne not by ouersight but by lawes aduisedly made not only commanding some
he that letteth shall let A. That the Antichrist is not one particular man as the Papists doe phansie for then by the like phrase he that letteth must bee one particular man where it cannot be that one man should liue so many hundred yeeres as from Pauls time to the time of the translation of the Empire from Rome much lesse vntill within two yeeres and a halfe of the latter day as they imagine the time of Antichrist And therefore as by him that letteth is vnderstood a succession of Emperours not one man alone so by Antichrist the man of sinne is vnderstood a succession of men and not one onely man So in Daniel 7. 3. 17. the foure beasts and the foure Kings doe not signifie foure particular men but foure gouernments in euery one whereof there were sundry men that ruled So that the argument of the Papists who vpon the words the man of sinne would proue that the Antichrist the Apostle speaketh of is one singular man is but vaine and hath no consequence in it Q. But how can Antichrist bee already come seeing the Empire yet standeth A. The name of the Empire onely remaineth the thing is gone for hee hath neither the chiefe Citie nor the tribute nor the commandement of the people and therefore he can bee no let to the Antichrists comming especially the Pope hauing gotten such an vpper hand vpon him as to cause him to waite at his gate barefoot and to hold his stirrop Q. What shall be the end of this Antichrist A. God shall confound him with the breath of his mouth that is with the preaching of the word which serueth for an other argument to proue the Pope to be Antichrist for wheras he had subdued Kingdoms and Empires vnder his feet he hath been of late mightily suppressed by the word preached and not by outward force as other potentates vse to be Q. What learne you of this A. The maruellous power of Gods word to suppresse 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. whatsoeuer riseth against it for if the mightiest cannot stand before it much lesse the smallest and therefore it is expressed by a mighty wind which carrieth all before it and by fire which consumeth all Act. 2. 2. 3. and pierceth all And it declareth a maruellous easie victorie against the enemies when it is said that with the breath of his mouth hee shall consume his enemies Q. What else shall be the ouerthrow of Antichrist A. The glorious appearance of the Sonne of God in the latter day Q. What gather you of this A. That before the last day he shall not bee vtterly consumed whereof notwithstanding it followeth not that the head shall remaine till then for the Beast and the false Prophet shall bee taken and cast into the fire before the latter day but some shall retaine a liking of him and his errours and superstitions euen till the last day Q. Hitherto of the head of this generall apostasie What are the members of it A. They are first described by their end euen a number of people that shall perish which accordeth with that name and property of the head the destroyer or sonne of perdition being truly verified in them in regard of the fearfull end he shall bring them to Q. What is the vse of this A. That as no poyson can take away the life of an elect so small occasions carrie away such as are appointed to destruction Q. How otherwise are these members of Antichrist described A. By this that they neuer loued the truth although they vnderstood it and professed it Q. How should a man loue the truth A. For the truths sake not for vaine glory fleshly delight or commodity Q. How appeareth it that men loue the word of God A. When they walke accordingly and keepe faith in a good conscience which some losing by their wicked life lost also their faith that is their religion 1. Tim. 1. 19. Q. How is it to be vnderstood that God giueth men vp to strong delusions A. Because God is a iust Iudge which by them either punisheth or correcteth former sinnes and especially the contempt of the Gospell in which regard euen amongst vs now some are cast into the sinke of Poperie some into the family of loue some become Arians some Anabaptists all which are as it were diuers goales and dungeons whereinto hee throweth those that are cold and carelesse professors of the Gospell Q. What learne you by this A. That they which imagine God fauourable vnto them notwithstanding their sinnes because their life or goods or honours are spared are foulely deceiued for when the Lord ceaseth to reproue any or to Rom. 1. 24. 26. striue with them then doth hee giue them vp into vanitie of their owne minds to doe their owne wicked willes which is the greater iudgement and very vsuall with God to doe Q. What is our dutie in such cases A. To pray vnto the Lord to keepe vs from all errour but if for our triall or further hardening of others it please him to send errours amongst vs that it would please him to preserue vs in that danger that wee taste not of that baite whereby Satan seeketh to catch vs. Q. What other cause is there of sending these errours A. That those may be damned which beleeue not the truth for as God hath appointed them to damnation so betwixt his counsell in reiecting them and the final effect of it there must be sinne to bring that effect iustly vpon them Q. What reason is annexed of their iust damnation A. Because they rest in vnrighteousnesse hauing their eares itching after errour which they drinke in as the earth drinketh vp raine or the fishes water So that albeit they bee powerfully sent of God in his iust iudgement yet are they also greedily desired and affected of them CHAP. 55. Of the nearer signes before the day of Iudgement They are such as shall come Either within an age Or be neerly ioyned to the same MATTH chap. 24. vers 23. to the 29. 23. Then if any man shall say vnto you Lo here is Christ or there beleeue it not 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect 25. Behold I haue told you before 26. Wherefore if they shall say vnto you Behold he is in the desart goe not forth Behold he is in the secret chambers beleeue it not 27. For as the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth euen vnto the West so shall also the cōming of the Son of mā be 28. For wheresoeuer the carkase is there will the Eagles be gathered together 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those daies shall the Sunne be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen and the powers of the heauens shall be shaken Q. HItherto wee haue heard of the tokens that goe long
which brought thee out of the land of Egypt thou must then keepe all my Commandements but I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt therefore thou must keepe all my Commandements Q. How can this belong vnto vs which are not Israel A. Though we bee not Israel in name or according to the flesh yet we are the true Israel of God according to the Spirit and promise God also by this Leuit. 26. 4-10 Deut. 28. 13. 13. stile doth cleerely distinguish himselfe from all Idols whatsoeuer Q. Why doth the Lord make choyce of that benefit which seemeth nothing at all to belong vnto vs rather then of any other wherein we communicate with them A. First because it is the manner of God to allure the Israelites to whom the Law was giuen at the first as children with temporall benefits hauing respect to their infirmity and childhood wheras we are blessed of God with greater knowledge and therefore in respect of them are as it were at mans estate Secondly because it was fittest to expresse the spirituall deliuerie from Satan by Christ which was thereby after a sort represented and so it belongeth no lesse if not more to vs then to them And thirdly we hauing been freed from the slauerie of our bloody enemies whereunto we were so neere more then once and vnto whom we iustly haue deserued to haue been inthralled and it being the common case of all Gods children to be in continuall danger of the like and to feele the like goodnesse of God towards them wee may also make vse of this title and esteeme it a bond also for vs vnto God Fourthly because it was the latest benefit the sweetnesse whereof was yet as it were in their mouth And herein the Lord had a respect vnto our corrupt nature who are ready to forget old benefits how great soeuer Q. So much of the Preface How are the Commandements diuided A. Into two Tables whereof the first containe our duties to God in the four first Commandements and the other those to our neighbour in the six other Commandements Q. What are those towards God A. Such as concerne his worship and therefore to bee preferred before the other towards our neighbour Q. How may that be shewed A. By the inequality of the persons offended God and man then also by the punishments assigned in the Scripture for the breaches of the first Table are to be more seuerely punished then the breaches of the second As he that reuileth the Magistrate shall beare his sinne but he that blasphemeth God shall bee stoned â— Sam. 2. 25. to death Which serueth to discouer the craftie practices of the Papists who would make men beleeue that the chiefest and most meritorious good Workes of all required in the Law of God are the workes of the second Table as Charity almes-deeds thereby deceiuing the people to enrich themselues Q. Are all the duties of the first Table greater then all the duties of the second A. Yea if the comparison be equally made as if the chiefe of the first Table bee compared with the chiefe of the second the middle duties of the one with the middle duties of the other and the last and least of the former with the last and least of the latter otherwise not For if the murther of a man be compared with the least abuse of the name of God it is a greater sinne then it so is Adulterie being in comparison set against the least breach of the Sabbath Q. How is this Worship of God diuided A. Into Inward only and Outward also Q. Where is the Inward Worship commanded A. In the first Commandement CHAP. 15. Of the first Commandement The 1. Commandement is of the inward worship of God in the Vnderstanding Knowledge Faith Wil and affection aboue all to Loue him Feare him Reuerence him EXOD. 20. 3. Thou shalt haue no other Gods before mee Q. WHat is the first Commandement A. Thou shalt haue no other gods before mee Q. What is the dutie required in this Commandement A. The inward worship of God as appeareth by the words before me that is that whereof I alone take notice Where wee must take heede wee imagine no likenesse of God thereby setting vp an Idoll in our hearts which wee shall doe if wee liken him to any thing whatsoeuer subiect to the sense or imagination of man Q. Wherein consisteth the inward worship of God A. In two things according to the inward man first in the vnderstanding 2. In the will and affections Q. VVhat is required in the Vnderstanding A. The knowledge of God and of his Attributes 1. Chron. 28. 9. properties and actions so farre forth as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word and workes Secondly Faith John 17. 3. both in beleeuing the things that are written of him and applying to our selues his promises Q. VVhat is contrary to this A. Confidence and trust in our selues or in our Ierem. 17. 5. Psal 62. 10. friends honour wisedome money learning or credit c. which are but meanes giuen vs of God whereby to glorifie him the better Q. What is our duty to him in regard of these and all other good meanes A. First to trust in God no lesse when wee haue them then when we want them Secondly by hope Iohn 13. 15. patiently to attend for al things that we need at Gods hands not onely when we haue the meanes but also when we want all apparant meanes as was the condition of the Israelites in the desert yea when the meanes shall seeme contrary as it was in the case of the Psalm 37. 7. 22. 4. 5. Dan. 3. 17. 18. three companions of Daniel of Daniel himselfe and as Iob profest he would do saying I will trust in God although Iob. 13. 15. he kill me Thirdly by humility to cast our selues downe before God acknowledging our insufficiency in our selues and therewith also to season all our behauiour both towards God and man Contrary whereunto is presumption whereby wee vse to glorie and boast of our selues and our owne strength and goodnesse Q. VVhat is required in the will and affections A. In the will and affections is required first to loue Deut. 6. 5. God that as wee know and beleeue that hee is good yea the chiefest good so wee loue him aboue all John 14. 15. 21. 23. Psal 119. 97. which loue for that we cannot loue God in himself is then in truth in vs when wee loue his word and Commandements Q. What is contrary to this loue of God A. Such a loue of our selues and of worldly 1. John 2. 15. Exod. 32. 32. Rom. 9. 3. pleasures as causeth vs to leaue those duties vndone which God requireth of vs whereas the true loue of God will moue vs with Moses and Paul to wish our selues accursed rather then that the glory of God should any thing at all be stained by vs. Q.