rather when belly-cheere and drunkennesse is more in vse among vs that are named Christians then euer among those heathen people which onely serued their God Bacchus O beastly drunkards what meane you to runne into this excesse riot of drunkennesse without all mean or measure as now you do endeuouring to excel the drunkards and tossepots of all ages In olde time it was said They that are drunken are drunken in the night for then they were ashamed to be seene druÌ„ken in the day But now it seemeth our drunkards are ashamed of themselues if they be not drunken once with the least euery day Drunkards delight to make more drunkards nay they content not themselues with their owne drunkennes but take great pleasure and delight to make other drunke also as is too apparant by their carrowsing and quaffing health to him and health to her and yet no health nor wealth to any of them present or absent Saint Paule telleth thee howe thou shouldest vse thy needye brother though thine enemie If he bee hungry saith he feede him if he bee a thirst Rom. 12.20 giue 〈◊〉 drinke but thou wilt make thy friend â—rinke before he be thirstie and of a â—riend make him many time before hee â—epart thy mortall foe for how many â—ayes and fightings doe we see dayly to rise of these vnhealthful quaffings then â—hat belching of blasphemies and vnâ—aturall murthers follow after and in a worde what sinne is there that doth not â—ccompanie drunkennesse This sinâ—ull custome of quaffing by measure or â—ather aboue measure was not allowed â—n the Court of that great king Ahashueosh no not in the time of his feasting Hester 1. â—â— out rather a lawe by the kinges owne mouth made against it would God some â—aw or other were made to restraine this â—o great licenciousnesse or beastlinesse Vnlawfull drinking forbidden or hereby men are made worse then beasts bring a horse to water and hee will drinke no more then pleaseth him â—or is sufficient but if a drunkarde once come where there is either Ale or Wine â—e is neuer satisfied nay hee will enforce others to doe as he doth so long as eyâ—her of them can stand in the place It is reported that Diogines fel in comanie once with such toslepot companions and when hee was quaffed vnto in wine hee cast it on the ground saying better one then two meaning the wine perish alone then he should haue perished with it Now let the Drunkards heare what iudgement the Prophet Habakkuk pronounceth against them when he sayth Wo vnto thee that giuest thy neighbour drinke meaning in the maner aforesaide and makest him drunken also Habac. 2.15.16 that thou mayst see hiâ— priuities Thou shalt bee filled with shame foâ— glory drinke thou also and be made naked thâ— cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned vntâ— thee and shamefull spuings shall bee for thâ— glorie Againe Pro. 23.29 To whom is woe sayth the Wife dome of God To whom is sorrow Tâ— whom is strife To whom is murmuring Tâ— whom are wounds without cause The fruit of drunkennesse Euen to theâ— that tarry long at the wine and to them that see mixt wine Therefore giueth withall thiâ— counsell Looke not thou vpon the wine hoâ— pleasant it is In the ende thereof it will bite like 〈◊〉 Serpent and hurt like a Cockatrice Then sheweth the feate of drunkennesse Thiâ— eyes shall looke vpon straunge women and thiâ— heart shall speake lewd things Therefore it is not without greaâ— cause that our Sauiour forewarning vs of the ende of the worlde counselleth vs aboue all things to take heede of surfetting and drunkennesse and in another place noting the disorders of the vnfaithful seruant at his coÌ„ming to iudgement sayeth Math. 24.49 That hee will eate and drinke with the drunken For which cause I verily suppose that this vnmeasurable drunkennesse of our age is a manifest token that the ende of the world is at hand And it is to be noted that saint Peter taketh the occasion of giuing this watch worde The end of all things is at hand Vpon this that he had said 1. Pet. 4. â— It is sufficient that we haue spent the time past of our life after the lawes of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonie and drinkings doubling as we see this worde drunkennesse then by and by noteth that if it seemeth straunge to these wicked drunkards and vngodly persons if any bee drawne by the preaching of the Gospel from running into the same excesse of riot with theÌ„ But that the godly might not be discouraged he sayth that these drunkards and vngodly persons shall one day giue account Verse 5. to him that is readie to iudge quick and dead of which iudge and iudgement we wil now God willing proceede to speeke of more particularly in the Chapters following first prouing that there shall bee such a day of iudgement and a finall ende of all mortall things The second Chapter FOr the confirmation of this point being a chiefe Article of the Christian faith true Christians I know deferre the plaine and euident testimonies of Scripture howsoeuer the Atheists Epicures deride all scripture Let vs therefore begin our proofe with that ancient prophesie of holy Enoch noch gaue testimonie of the end of the world who liued before the flond and is reported of to haue pleased God and therfore God tooke him away vnto him selfe as it were in the midst of his dayes in respect of them that liued before and after him when he had liued three hundred sixtie and fiue yeares This Enoch the seuenth from Adam sayth saint Iude the Apostle prophesied saying Iude. 14. Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement against all men to rebuke all their vngodly among them of all the wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speaking which wicked sinners haue spoken against him This plaine and euident testimonie of the day of iudgement reuealed vnto so holy a Prophet and Patriarke as Henoch was in the first age of the world and before the flood God would not haue to be buried in forgetfulnesse though many other of Enochs prophesies as it is thought be lost Some of Enochs writings lost Therefore by his holy spirit inspired the minde of Iude the Apostle to record the same in holy writ and the same hath beene taken and accounted in the Church of God for most authenticall and Canonicall Scripture and shall so continue in credite among all the faithfull vntill the ende of the world Besides this same prophesie of Enoch the Patriarch is strongly confirmed vnto vs by the Prophets Apostles and by Christ himselfe so that no man maye doubt the certaintie thereof without great impietie How fitly doth that saying of Salomon in the last of Ecclesiastes Eccle. 1â— â—3 agree with the former prophesies as wel almost in word as
true repentance in the bloud of lesus Christ in one word that none be partakers of her sinne least also they are partakers of her punishment which in one day that is suddenly and speedily shall come vpon her Reu. 18.8 For strong is the the Lord God that shall Iudge her And so much also for the destruction of Antichrist his kingdome which how soone it shall come he onely knoweth which knoweth al things And this I hope also may suffice to be spoken in this Chapter touching certaine signes and tokens foretold in the Scripture to goe before the end of the world whereof as I haue said many are passed and some of them may be yet to come God make vs thankfull for these so gratious forewarnings and giue vs also grace wisely to consider of the ceasons And to the ende that nothing may be omited as farre as my slender habilitie is able to reach which may any way edifie or comfort the simpler sort let it be further obserued in this place that as it is on the one side too much curiositie for any mortall man to determine or paint out the time or day of iudgement when it shall be seeing it is not reuealed but rather concealed by God him selfe for our good so on the other side it is too much sencelesnes want of Christian discretion nor to consider so much of this day or time as may either bring profite or comfort vnto vs. Yea probable coniectures how long the world may endure to sober and godly mindes I suppose cannot be hurtfull so that they be soberly auerred only as Christian coniectures and not for any certaine or sound conclusions Such are these as godly sober minded men haue not refused to speake and write as that it is probable the world shall not continue aboue sixe thousand yeares agreeable to the sixe daies of the Creation and the seauenth to be the great glorious Saboath or day of eternall rest vnto all Gods children and the rather is this coniecture receaued for that the Scripture vseth this phrase or speech more then once That one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeere and a thousand yeere as one day And the prophefie of Elias which the Rabbens haue reported and those of Sibile the prophetisse knowen to each scholler do not a little confirme that coniecture adde hereunto that if times and seasons be well compared together we shall finde that from the beginning of the world vnto the calling of Abraham are neare about two thousand yeares from that time till the Hebrewes which came of Eber a great Grandfather of Abraham were subdued by the Romanes are also neare or thereabout two thousand yeares sithence that time the world hath continued almost one thousand and sixe hundred yeares so to equall the yeeres of the Iewes with the Gentiles there wanteth but a three or foure hundred yeares which with God is but as a fewe houres if with God a thousand yeeres are but as one day and who knoweth how soone these houres may runne out seeing as many expound that place For the elects sake these daies shall be shortned But among all coniectures 〈◊〉 13. â—0 for I count them but coniectures this pleaseth me best and hath most often come into my minde since God gaue me a minde to thinke sereously on this day namely that this last age shall not exceede in number the yeeres of the first age of the world now the first age of the world by Computation from the Creation to Noaths floud were yeeres one thousand sixe hundred fiftie and sixe and the last age sithence the comming of Christ in the flesh which is euery where called in the Scriptures the last age is as we all knowe and confesse past the yeeres one thousand sixe hundred therefore I perswade my selfe Christ his comming vnto Iudgement is euen at hand This coniecture also pleaseth me the better for that this speech is so often vsed by our Sauiour himselfe when he putteth vs in minde of his second comming Luke 17.26 As it was saith he in the daies of Noath so shall it be at the comming of the Sonne of man And seeing now to our own experience it falleth out so true in the manners of men in this last age of the world as it did in the ending of the first age why may it not also fall out as true in the accomplishment of the times How beit as I said before so say I still for as much as all these or any other of the like sort are but coniectures and ought onely to be vsed and considered not to hinder any ordinary proceeding in our callings but onely to call vpon vs that our Master is not onely comming but that his comming is euen at hand Let this therefore be a conclusion of this point and likewise of this Chapter that the day of Iudgement whereof all this while we haue spoken be not before to morrow yet the time of our own death and so of our particular Iudgements may be before this day be ended Therefore let euery one haue a care how he liueth for looke in what case he dyeth so shall his iudgement be Where the tree falleth there it must lie And so much touching the signes which shew vnto vs that Christ Iesus is euen ready to come vnto iudgement who onely himselfe shal be the Iudge whereof we are to intreate in the Chapter following The fift Chapter AS it is an Article of our faith to beleeue that there shall be a general Iudgement following the resurrection of the dead so it is not the least point in that Article to be wel noted and considered both for the comfort of the Godly and terror of the wicked who he is that is appointed to be this supreame Iudge The Article it selfe saith He shall come againe to â—udge the quicke and the dead that is Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God and our â—ord as wee confesse in the Creed The â—â—me Iesus that was conceaued in the â—ombe of a Virgine by the Almightie ower of the holy Ghost The same Iesus that was made Man for and dwelt among vs he whom the â—orld hated and persecuted from the â—â—adle to his graue hee that was most â—â—â—acherously betrayed most falsely acâ—â—sed and most vniustly by Pontius Pilate â—â—â—demned to that most 〈…〉 full death of the Crosse the same Iesus Christ I say the Sonne of God and man who then died for our sinnes rose againe for our Iustification Who shall be Iudge at the last day and ascended into the highest heauens shall most assuredly and vndoubtedly come againe at the last day to iudge the quicke the dead that is all those that haue dyed sithence the beginning of the world together with all those that shall be liuing vpon the earth at the time of his comming This Article is confirmed vnto vs byinfinite places of Scriptures whereof we may note a fewe for examples sake First no
SAINT PETERS WATCH WORD The end of all things is at hand Digested into eight Chapters and published by R.M. Minister Perused and allowed Reuel 22.7 Behold I come shortly Ver. 20. Surely I come quickly LONDON Printed by I.W. dwelling at Powles Wharfe at the signe of the Crosse-keyes 1603. The Contents of euery seuerall Chapter in this Booke IN the first Chapter The Watchword it selfe is explained In the second the day of Iudgement that it shall be is proued In the third the names and titles of that day are noted In the fourth the signes and tokens of that day are remembred In the fifth who shall bee the supreme Iudge at that day is shewed In the sixt the glorious comming of Christ vnto Iudgement is deciphered In the seuenth the order maner of the iudgement is described In the eight an exhortation vnto prayer sobriety and watchfulnesse is added with a necessarie prayer annexed thereunto TO THE VERIE VVORshipfull vertuous and religious Gentlewoman Mistresse Elizabeth Foord wife vnto the worshipfull master Th. Foord of Ilsington in Deuonshire Esquire R.M. dayly prayeth the rich blessings of God to be powred down vpon them their kindred and posteritie to their comforts in this life and to their eternall saluation in the life to come THe dayes of man being compared with eternitie may be likened vnto one sande on the Sea shore vnto one grasse vpon the ground or to one starre in the firmament matched with all the rest for if a man coulde liue as some almost haue liued a thousand yeares yet all those yeares are but as one day with God The ignoraunce whereof hath made men imagine that it is a very long while agone since God created man and that seeing the world hath continued so many thousand yeares therefore that it shall neuer haue an ende yea the worser sort do thinke that either God hath not at all determined to destroy this worlde or if he haue determined and promised so to do that then he hath forgotten his promise And therefore say many times to themselues Where is the promise of Christ his comming become And wherefore doth he make so long delay Whereunto our Sauiour himselfe doth answere if we would vouchsafe to heare him and sweares because we shoulde beleeue him Beholde I come shortly And surely I come quickly tarying for no mans pleasure one minute of an houre longer then is determined and appoynted which appoynted time though no man may curiously inquire of yet euery good Christian wil dayly think of it thank God for any good thing that may put them in remembrance of the same Among which number of true hearted Christians because I knowe your worship to bee one and such a one whereof in my charge I take greate comfort as well for your godlinesse as for your kindnesse extended vnto me I therefore offer vnto your meeke Meditation by way of dedication these my poore labours howsoeuer imperfect or vnpolished which at times of leysure I haue collected since my first comming vnto you through the fauour and presentment of your kinde husband and my very worshipfull and louing Patron Publishing the same in this sort for the benefite of all but through their owne fault for the comfort onely of all such as either do or hereafter shall vnfainedly loue and looke for the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ to their immortalitie Beseeching the diuine maiestie to giue vs grace and patience cheerfully to passe ouer this our pilgrimage in his feare and in some discharge of our dutie in a good conscience to Gods glorie and to some good of Gods children howsoeuer the world and the childrē therof shall esteeme of vs or of any thing we do that so at last to our endlesse ioy we may heare that sweet sentence of our sauiour pronounced vnto vs Euge bone serue fidelis Well done good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull in few things I will make thee ruler ouer much enter thou into the ioy of thy Maister Which God of his mercy grant through the merit of his sonne by the assistance of Gods holy spirit who seale the assurance therof in our hearts to which holy and blessed Trinitie be ascribed all prayse power and maiestie for euer Amen Your Worships as much bounden vnder God as his life is worth and in the Lord euer to be commaunded Radford Mauericke To each Christian Reader all health and eternall happinesse wished and desired BEing more then one yeare passed right courteous and Christian Reader sithence I was entreated to peruse Saint Peters Chaine for setting it on vnto a second Edition I therupon by Gods helpe togither with that labour tooke occasion and courage to contriue this little work called Saint Peters watchworde which may either passe alone by it selfe or bee ioyned to that Chaine according as it shall bee fitting and expedient the mettall both of the one and the other being finest golde of the truest touch first hammered vpon the Anuill in Saint Peters forge by that Apostle himselfe and whatsoeuer is added vnto it and howsoeuer vnpolished yet you shall finde it weighed I trust in the vpright ballance of the Lords Sanctuarie Which Watchworde of the Apostle if it waken them that are sound a sleepe in sinne and warne them that are alreadie waking to stand vpon their guard more warily then heretofore it is the onely marke that I ayme at and the verie blessing of God vpon these poore and vnlaboured labours of mine which I heartily desire And because as all men know it is a very vnpleasant thing any whit to trouble them that are asleepe and euen breuitie it selfe to them that are napping is counted tediousnesse I haue therefore not onely indeuoured to be as briefe as conueniently I might throughout this whole Treatise that so I might not offende them that are best disposed but haue also cut or deuided this discourse into diuerse partes or Chapters that so euen they that are drowsie may at least wise take a taste thereof in reading a Chapter betwixt euery nappe and so happily may be thereby incouraged to proceede with the rest as appetite and good desire shall increase vpon them Most humbly praying the holy spirit of God who first mooued Saint Peter to giue this watchword and inspired and confirmed my minde thus to explaine it and to publish the same for the good I trust of others to blesse this little labour of mine and to make it fruitfull with the dew of his grace as well in the heart of the sower as in the minds of those that shall reape any profit thereby And so gentle Reader I wish thee well to fare as thy soule fareth and in thy prayers I pray thee remember him that prayeth dayly for thee and for all them that looke for the appearing of our Lorde Iesus Christ to their immortalitie Veni citò domine Iesu SAINT PETERS Watch-word The end of all things is at hand 1. Pet. 4.7 The first Chapter THe
almightie Creator being without beginning or ending Alpha Reuel 1.2 and Omega the first and the last hath made this world for a time and appoynted an ende thereunto to cut off all time Man Microcosmos In the creation of man the beautie of the world is to be seen who contayneth as also the Philosophers could say a similitude of the whole world in a verie little continent or body is first an infant thē a child then a young man after that comes middle age a shorte time more then doting old age then finis dissolutionis properans looke for the ending of this life The world likewise hath had an infancie from the beginning to Noahs floud The ages of the world then childhoode from Noahs floud to Abraham then youthful age from Abraham to Dauid then middle age vnto the captiuitie of Babylon a short time more then came our Sauiour Christ in the beginning of olde age which is also called the last age then high time to consider of the ending or dissoluing of all mortall things For how great folly should it be in any mortall man though neuer so strong by constitution of nature hauing once passed ouer not only his yong and youthfull age but his middle and strong age and entred into olde age if then he should not be mindfull of his ende how fast it stealeth on VVhat maruell then that Saint Peter knowing so many ages of the world passed and the last age of the world wel entred in if in a due cōsideration thereof he breake out into this most Christian-like exclamation or forewarning which may very well be called his Watchword Finis omnium imminet The ende of all thinges is at hande Now if Saint Peter who liued but in the beginning or entrie of this last age were so carefull and regardfull to giue this Watchworde or fore warning of some great daunger ensuing how carefull and regardfull ought we to be that liue as it were in the last poynt of this last age so to receiue and consider of the same forewarning A good Meditation as may be most pleasing to the spirit of God and most profitable for the health of our soules For this cause onely was I incouraged to vndertake this little labour at times of leysure and to leaue this Watch-word with the Centinell of our English campe that euery Christian souldier hereby may be warned to keepe himself within the cōpasse of his gard or watch and that at no time he bee found either idle sleepie or ill occupied And that this thing may be the better effected the Watchword it selfe The end of all things is at hand ought throughly to be weighed and considered Our English translations sayth The weight of S. Peters wordes Now the end of all things is at hand euery worde carrying his waight Now the end is at hand The Apostle doth not forewarne of danger long after to be looked for neither dooth hee giue warning that the world shall haue an ende one thousande or two thousande yeares after The meaning of the Apostles wordes but speaking in the presentence saith Nowe the ende is at hand as if he should say now it is time for euery one to waite for the comming of his Maister nowe it is high time for euery one to haue a care of his businesse and to make vp his reckoning and account perfect The end of all things Saint Peter doth not say the end of some thing or the end of many things nor the end of most things but the end of althings the end of all things that are finite to be destroyed is at hand So then there is a double doctrine to bee drawne out of the verie bowels of the Text. A double doctrine First that there is no time of securitie left vnto vs Christians in this world Secondly that there is nothing in this world that can secure vs. For the first Gen. 6.3 though the old world had one hundred and twentie yeares warning before the floud came vpon them though the Cananites and Ammonites spent many hundred yeares in wickednesse before their sinne was at the full Though the Niniuites had fortie dayes giuen them for repentance Ionah 3.4 yet fithence the cōming of Christ in the flesh it is not read that euer there was any yeare or day No time giuen to liue securely in in this world Math. 4.17 Cap. ◠10 Christ and his Apostles preachers o◠repentance Rom 13.12 or hour or minute giuen to any man to liue secure in or to deferre his repentance Christ himselfe saith Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Iohn Baptist his foretunner saith Repent for the axe is laid to the roote of the tree Saint Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles he noteth vnto vs the reason of the time saying It is now time that wee shoulde arise from the sleepe of sinne The night is past the day is now come let vs cast away the workes of darknesse c. Therefore is it that saint Peter is bold to say Now the end is at hand it is high time to bee sober and watching in prayer Neither doth saint Peter onely vrge this argument to keepe vs from security but saint Paul likewise vrgeth the same when he sayth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10 11. These things are written for example vnto vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come Iam 3.8 And saint Iames sayth The comming of the Lorde draweth neare And the Iudge himselfe Beholde I come shortly Reu. 22.7.20 And surely I come quickly Out alacke then vpon the securitie of our dayes Duines in heauenly things and the dulnes of our vnderstanding in heauenly things we are verie pregnant to do euill but to doe well we haue no knowledge we are very skilfull to distinguish the seasons of the yeare but haue no skil to know the time of our visitation The Apostles of Christ said and haue put their sayings in writing long agone that the comming of Christ is at hand The Atheists neuer cried out faster then at this day 2. Pet. 3.4 Reu. 21.20 Where is the promise of his comming Christ himselfe sayth Surely I come quickely The vnrighteous Steward euery were sayth Mat. 24.48 Surely my Maister will deferre his comming Now whom must we belieue the Apostles or the Atheist the false Steward or Christ Iesus the Authour of all truth The Scripture hath alreadie decided this question Rom. 3.4 when it sayth Let God bee true and euery man a lier and if euery man be a lier no maruaile that the Atheists and deceitfull Stewards of this worlde deceyue themselues with lies and errors The error of the Atheist The error of the Atheist saint Peter setteth downe to be their ignoraunce in the knowledge of God and his worde measuring Gods eternitie according to their owne capacitie And so like vnto them that deceyue themselues thus they reason It is long sithence
say they many hundred yeres gone that some haue spoken and written of the ende of the world and they that then spake or wrote of it made shew as though it had beene euen at hande but now wee plainly see there is no such matter they are meere deceiuers that haue told vs these things For euery thing continueth a little from the beginning of the creation and since our fathers died the Sunne Moone and planets in the Firmament the trees and Plants in the field men and beasts vpon the earth fishes in the water foules flying in the skies the sea ebbing flowing times and seasons continuing colde and heat Summer and Winter seedtime and haruest euerie thing as it was from the beginning of the creation therefore we will set our hearts at rest we will take our pleasures in this worlde Preaching to theÌ„ that perish foolish babling we will not beleeue the babbling of preachers that crie vpon vs stil of the end of the world we will eate and drinke and rise vp to play we wil quaffe carrowse lustily we wil drinke healths vntill we be sicke â—aggering â—earers we wil swagger sweare by the eternall Iesus and will leaue no sinne vmought for no not the sinne of Sâ—dome But stay there thon swaggerer by saying as thou sayest and doing as thou doest the prophesies both of Peter Paule are accomplished and the godly more assured then euer before that the end of all things is at hand Saint Paule he plainely painteth out these persons and pointeth out the time when they should come â— Tim. 3.7 saying This know that in the last daies that is in the latter times of this last age shall come perillous times for men shall be louers of their own selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers These maâ—ers agree with our â—imes intemperat fierce no louers at al of them that are good traytors headie high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof Saint Peter more precisely noteth these Atheists of whom we speake saying â— Pet. 3.3 this first vnderstand that there shall come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lusts and say where is the promise of his comming for sinc the fathers died all things continued alike from the beginning of the creation Now seeing all these things fore-spoken of both by Peter and Paul are in our dayes most truly accomplished wee may thereupon certainly conclude with saint Peter that The end of al things is at hand Yea verie neere at hand and may therefore boldly say with saint Paule the end euen the last ende of the world are come vpon vs But before wee ende this poynt wee must note the aunswere of saint Peter to these Atheists Saint Peâ— answere Atheists that measure the infinitenesse of Gods eternitie with their onely conceyt of time which time if it bee any thing it is the least of all thinges with God Therfore saint Peter saith borroweth it out of the Psalmist Psal 90. that one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day which is a full answere to this their question Where is the promise of his comming Now doth God promise and not performe God forbid God alwâ—â— as gooâ— his woâ—â— But say they it was promised long sithence fifteene hundred yeares gone that Christ would come verie shortly vnto iudgement and yet to this day hee is not come nay to our seeming hee is as farre of now as he was then therefore it is most likely hee will not come at all Saint Peter though he were no sophister presently findeth out this fallacie and shewes whence they deceiue themselues namely because they thinke that time passeth away as fast with God as it doth with man which is nothing so a thousand yeares with man is a long time with God but as one day why then was it promised fifteene hundred yeares gone that the worlde should shortly haue an ende All that time is with God but as one day and ahalfe day stay but one halfe day more and thou shalt be sure to see the accomplishment thereof So then they which iudge or weigh Gods euerlasting eternitie in the ballance of their temporall vanitie shewe plainly that they know not what eternitie and euerlastingnesse is â—ongtime â—â—th man â—â—asured Gods â—â—â—itie is â—â—y shorâ— for in eternity there is neither length nor shortnesse of time with God there is no time past neither any to come all things are with God in the present tense or time and in eternitie there is neither length nor shortnes of time Only of this fond conceit that Gods euerlasting prouidence is subiect to casualtie of time hath spruÌ„g these grosse errors and hath caused the curiositie of man to moue these and such like questions of vanitie Curious questionâ— as how coÌ„meth it to passe that God forbore so long time before hee made this worlde what did God before hee made this worlde and the like To which latter question one answereth verie pithely that afore God made this worlde for man to liue in hee made hell for such curious questionists to dwel in after this world is ended Againe they that demaund why God forbore so long time before hee made this world might as wel aske why it plea sed God to make this world or any time at all And the terming of any time long is in respect of the continuance of time to them onely that liue in time and not in respect of God that made time Put the cause that the world had lasted one hundred thousand yeares or if yee will ten hundred thousand yeares what shall ye gaine by that you will then say that the world had beene of the greater antiquitie but I demaund in respect of whoÌ„ of God or of thy selfe of eternitie or of time truly onely in respect of thy selfe and of time but not in respect of God or of eternitie one hundred thousande thousand yeares past with God is nothing and ten hundred thousand thousand years to come with God is nothing in respect of eternitie or euerlastingnesse and these distinctions of time and place were created and brought forth togither at one instant with the worlde so as they be neither without it nor before it â—â—e that is 〈◊〉 thout â—â—â—e made â—â—e he that is without time without place made both time and place and if he had beene subiect to time place as thou Atheist imaginest he could not haue made either time or place So then be fatisfied with this replie of the Apostle a thousand yeares with God is as one day one day as a thousand years Neuer demaunde this question more Where is the promise of Christs coÌ„ming for comming he will come â—â—b 10.37 and will not tary Assure
thy selfe the Lord is not slacke in â—omming as thou countest slackenes but tarrieth patiently yet a verye little while expecteth thy repentance take heede therfore that thou doe not according to the hardnes of thine heart which cannot repent heape vnto thy selfe wrath Rom. 2.5 against this great day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God So much briefly touching the error of the open Atheist and saint Peters reply thereunto Now the error of the secure or vnrighteous steward The securitie of the vnrighteous Stewards though it bee very dangerous yet it is not altogither so impious One saith that there shall be no iudgement the other saith My master will deferre his comming vnto iudgement for so saith the vniust steward Surely my master wil deferre his comming and thereupon he giueth himselfe licence to sinne and to liue securely in this world So then the cause of so great securitie as is now in the worlde euen of such as voluntarily confesse and acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee their maister euen in those whome hee hath reposed great trust and committed many talents vnto their credite and gouernance yea many such as hee hath made ruler ouer his wholehouse not only to keep good rule themselues but also to keep many other in good order I say the cause of all this security in theÌ„ is noted in this one word surely my Master will deferre his comming against which sinne of securitie our sauiour himselfe doth inueigh most sharpely saying Math. 24.15 Who is a faithfull seruant and wise whom his Maister hath made ruler ouer his houshold to giue them meat in season Blessed is that seruant whom his maister when he commeth shall find so doing verily I say vnto you he spall make him ruler ouer all his goodes But if that euill seruaut shall say in his heart my maister doth deferre his comming and begin to smite his fellowes and to eat and to drinke with the drunken that seruants master will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an houre that hee is not ware of and will cut him of and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Vpon these wordes then of our sauiour Christ I may well conclude this generall affertion that there is no securitie in this world and that they who other they be that liue securely liue most dangerously without speedie repentance are like to be onertaken in their sinnes and hereafter to be punished eternally The second generall obseruation is that as there is no time of securitie in this world by reason wee are to expect the end thereof euery day so is there nothing in this world that can secure vs No earthly thing that can secure vs. because euery thing shal haue an end as the Apostle saith The end of all things is at hand No trust then or confidence to bee set then in any worldly thing Sampsons strength Croesus riches Solomons glorie Absolons beautie all must vanish away friendes though neuer so mightie wise men though neuer so politique valiant men though neuer so frolicke cannot secure vs no not a moment of time Oh that in time then we would learne to bee wise and put no confidence in transitorie things Ier. 9.23.24 that we would folow the counsell of the Prophet Ieremie Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome nor the strong man glorie in his strength neither the rich man glorie in their riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and know me saith the Lord for I am he that sheweth mercie iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth Hence is it that saint Paule concludeth 1. Cor. 1.31 Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord and he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall neuer bee confounded Therefore the Psalmist truly sayth Psal 118. It is better to trust in the Lord then to put any confidence in man it is better to trust in the Lord then to put any confidence in Princes He that â—rusteth in God hath â— sure refuge And if the Lord be angry yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him On the contrary the scripture saith of the wicked that liue die in their sins or else shall liue wickedly till the day of iudgement come vpon them that they shall say to the mountaines and rockes Fall on vs Reuel 6.16 and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand So that this is the briefe conclusion of the second obseruation that nothing in this life or in this world may or can secure or keepe vs from the daunger of that great day of which saint Peter forewarneth vs but onely our trust and confidence in God which the faithfull haue in him by the meanes of Christ See then how much we are beholding to saint Peter for giuing vs this Watchword The ende of all things is at hand No time of daliance in this world Whereby wee are taught that there is no time of daliance nor any place left vs to bee secure in this world alwayes we must watch and pray because wee know not what houre the sonne of man will come Math. 24.36 as Christ himselfe sayth Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaueÌ„ but as the dayes of Noah were so likewise shall the comming of the sonne of man bee for as in the dayes before the floud they did eate and drinke marrie and gaue in marriage vnto the dayes that Noah entred into thee Arke and knew nothing vntill the floud came and tooke them all away so shall also the comming of the sonne of man be Watch therfore saith our Sauiour Christ for yee know not what houre your maister will come Of this bee sure if the good man of the cause knewe at what watch the theefe woulde come he would surely watch 〈…〉 therefoâ—â— we muâ—â— looke for him euery day Luke 21.34 and not suffer his house to be digged through Therefore be ye also readie for in the houre ye thinke not will the sonne of man come For the same cause is it that Christ giueth vs this great caueat Take heede to your selues least at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life least that day come vpon you at vnwares For as a snare shall it come vpon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth watch therfore and pray continually that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the sonne of man But oh good God how is this caueat of Christ forgotten in this age of ours When the care of this life and the desire of gaine haue almost choaked all godlinesse or
in sense Heare the ende of all feare God and keepe his commaundements which is the whole dutie of man for God will bring euerie worke vnto iudgement with euery secreate thing whether it be good or bad that is to the ende the good and godly may bee approued and rewarded the wicked and vngodly reproued and condemned Saint Paule the great Doctor of vs Gentiles 2. Cor. 5.10 vseth almost the same wordes saying None shall escape Gods iudgement We must all appeare before the tribunall or iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receyue the things that are done in this life whether it be good or euill And in an other place reprouing the hastie and rash iudgement of some hee saith Rom. 14.10 Why dost thou iudge thy brother Meaning rashly or before the time or why dost thou despise thy brother Meaning in doing thinges that are indifferent presently he addeth Wee shall all appeare shortly before the iudgement seat of Christ where euerie one shall receiue a righteous iudge-ment And he also confirmeth his testimony out of the prophesie of Esay where it is written Esay 45.23 I liue saith the Lord and euery knee shall bow to me Meaning when hee commeth vnto iudgement for nowe many knees bow vnto Baal and many other Idols and all tongues euen the wicked shall confesse that is shall acknowledge Gods righteous iudgements And then the Apostle concludeth that euery one of vs shal giue accouÌ„t of himself to God And seeing the Apostle doth alledge this former testimonie of the Prophet Esay to proue the iudgement to come we may here adde another proofe out of the same Prophet where it is sayd Esay 6 Behold the Lord will come with fire and with Chariots like a whirlewinde that he may recompence his anger with wrath and his indignation with flames of fire Hereunto agreeth that euident place of Saint Peter where purposely hee speaketh entreateth at large of this generall iudgemeÌ„t saying The day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the night 2. Pet. in the which day the heauens shall passe away with a noyse the element shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp And a little before the same Apostle saith The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished The Prophet Ioel also speaketh of this great and fearefull iudgement 〈…〉 31. when hee saith The Sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come The Prophet Malachy likewise as al the rest of the Prophets doe 〈…〉 4.1 which would be tedious to reherse speaketh of this great and feareful day of the Lord. Behold saith he the day commeth that shall burne like an Ouen and all the proude and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and that day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of hostes And the Prophet Dauid euerie where maketh mention of this iudgement 〈…〉 1. The God of Gods euen the Lord hath spoken Then he sayth Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuoure before him and a mightie tempest shall bee moued round about him he shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people Againe Say among the Nations the Lord raigneth he shall iudge the people in righteousnes Let the heauens reioyce and let the earth be glad before the Lord for hee commeth to iudge the earth he will iudge the world with righteousnes and the people with his truth And not onely haue the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles remembred vnto vs this great and dreadfull day of iudgement but euen Christ Iesus the iudge himself hath beene most carefull to forewarne vs of this day knowing how carelesse and retchlesse the world would bee in this last and doting age of the worlde insomuch that when the Sunne of man commeth he shal scarce find faith on the earth iniquitie shal be encreased and the loue that should bee betweene man and man waxing cold In the foure twentieth and fiue and twentieth of Mathew Math. 2â— 25. in the thirteenth of Marke in the seuenteenth and one and twentieth of Luke and in diuers other places in the Gospel doe the euangelists record vnto vs the speeches and admonitions which our sauiour vseth touching his second comming vnto iudgement vnto which places for breuities sake I referre the Readers for this time the rather for that I shall haue occasion hereafter to note the chiefest of them when I shal speake of the maner of this iudgement and of the preparation which the faithfull ought to make against that day These few testimonies alreadie alledged are abundant proose vnto the faythfull and godly And therefore I may here say vnto any one that shal read this chapter 〈…〉 restâ—â—◠〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 as a good writer saith speaking of the beginning of the worlde and the creation thereof Si credis satis tibi dictum est si non credis nihil tibi satis faciet If thou be a faithfull beleeuer there is inough spoken to satisfie thee if thou be an Infidel or an Atheist nothing will satisfie or content thee yet that the vngodliest Athiest may bee the more inexcusable if hee shall happen to reade this Booke it shall not grieue mee to adde some oher authorities and reasons fitting this mater we haue in hand not that any thing that can bee spoken can adde any weight to the proofes alreadie alledged out of the Scriptures but only to fight with the wicked â—â—â—ing â—dde â—oâ—itie 〈◊〉 scripâ—â—â—â— and to wound them as it were with their owne weapons who euery where builde vp their fortresses of reason and dispise or neglect he word of God which is able to throw down the strongest holdes and ought to bring into captiuitie all the thoughts and imaginations of man Wherefore if the wandring thoughts of the wicked Athiests wil not yeeld conâ—â—nt vnto this truth what reason haue â—â—â—y to gain-say it Surely none other but bare denials and because they woulde willingly not haue any iudgmeÌ„t though their consciences summon theÌ„ to iudgement euery day therefore they willingly cheerish and maintain this opinion that there shall be none at all And why maruell we at this seeing they sticke not to denie that there is a God that the soule is immortall that there shal be any resurrection from the dead and therefore no iudgement to bee looked for that the world had any beginning and therefore shal neuer haue ending This proceedeth wel inough for indeed to denie one One absuâ—ditie draâ—â— on anotâ—â—â— is to denie all as to grant one is to graunt all graunt the first that their is no God and all the rest follow of necessitie And why I beseech you doe they not aswell denie that there is a sunne in the
firmament in beholding whereof they cannot if there mindes were not more then blindfolded but beholde the glory of God Psal 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament his handie worke Or why doe they not denie that man hath any soule at all in which soule of man there is painted forth as it were in a table vnto vs though couered with the vaile of sinne not onely an Image of the Godhead but euen a liuely representation of the glorious Trinitie Againe if the world had no beginning whence sillie wormes as they are had they their originals who made them or whereof were they made will they say the world made them Why they themselues are more excellent thē the world and the creature cannot be better then the Creator will they say that they had an euerlasting beginning with the world why then doe they die and returne to dust and so an end as they say and yet wil by no meanes yeeld that the worlde shall haue an end Thus when their wits haue wandered the world throughout they shall bee brought into this straite will they nill they either to confesse that there is a God and so the rest to follow in order or else they shall fall into so many absurdities as the wit of man can deuise to aske them questions For as they themselues I meane the learneder sort of thē will teach vs in other learnings a principall being denied they are not to bee disputed withall that deny the same their reasons will be so raw and their conclusions so absurd Againe seeing Aristotle a Prince of Philosophers as they call him when he had read some of Moses writings concerning the Creation of the world could in his bording and iesting maner say of him Ille homo meaning Moses multa dicit nihil probat hath set downe much but how doth he prooue it I say if they will needs craue proofe of God or of his Prophets for confirming of truth let it be demanded of them what proofe or reasons they bring vs to maintaine their dotages lyings and falsehoods what proofe or reason can they alleadge to make any one beleeue or rather to be such an Infidel to thinke that there is no God that the world had no beginning that the soule is not immortall that the world and all mortall things shall haue none end if they will haue vs onely to credit them denying these things without any proofe and contrary to all reason why doe they not beleeue the truth which is agreeable to all reason and confirmed by plaine demonstrations which as they themselues say is the soundest kinde of proofe or why are they so partiall and iniurious to the Prophets and holy men of God I might well say to God himselfe as once to doubt of those thinges which are plainely and compendiously yea with such harmony and consent as is wonderfull The cōsent of Scripture admirable recorded in the Scriptures seeing they themselues will thinke themselues more then iniured if we giue not credit to their writings though many times they bee full of fables and in knowen things different and dissenting the one from the other But if they will not yeelde God his due in obeying the truth let vs yeeld so much vnto them as to reprooue their falsehoodes as well by reason as by weaker authorities then the word of God which they had rather beleeue In their owne reason they both see and confesse that many things in this world by the reason of the alteration of times and corruptions of men are in a sort as it were shuffled together very confusedly the foole is exalted the wise man despised the vertuous punished the vitious praised what other thing should this teach vs in common reason but that there is a time to be expected when all this shall be redressed all these corruptions purged and a perfection of all things restored againe This much the Heathen themselues haue confessed The Heathen held that there should be a burning of al things That after a certaine time there should be an vniuersall burning of the world which wee Christians call Domesday and that immediately after all things shal be set in there perfect state againe as they were at the first Now among all the records of the heathen that intreat of the iudgement to come those sayings of Sibilla Erithrea for there were many Sibils are of greatest accompt among the learned which sayings or oracles as they are called seeing they are extant in diuers bookes both in their originall and also translated into our toung I will not trouble the readers with them in this place And as touching this generall Iudgement though it were neither recorded vnto vs in the sacred Scriptures nor by any other authorities or reasons confirmed yet surely Gods giuing of his Law Gods giuing of the law a testimonie that there shall be a iudgement not to theoutward but to the inner man not to our deedes onely but also to our thoughts sheweth sufficiently without any other proofe that there is another Iudge besides the Iudges Maiestrates of this world to iudge vs and an other iudgement then their iudgement to be looked for seeing there iudgement here proceede but to the outward deede and by prooffes of witnesses therefore cannot in any wise pearce into the hart to discerne what is within For as it is the Soule that chiefely receaueth the commandement and chifely breaketh it it is therefore the Soule that must come to examination which cannot be done in this world Againe seeing the bodies are vsed as the instruments of the Soule either to good or euill therefore there must be a resurrection that they may be againe ioyned to their Soules to receiue ioy or punishment at the generall iudgement But if these Atheists will mocke deride as well prophane as diuine authorities which prooue vnto vs the iudgement to come neither will yeelde vnto common reason yet there is some thing within themselues which they euer carry about to conuince them I meane their own consciences Mans conscience tels him there shall be a adgement which shall euer witnesse against them selues For let them tell me what meane these feares and trouble which terrifie them night and day if there were not a Iudge and Iudgement to be feared What made that prophane Caligula to tremble euen at the shaking of a leafe but onely because his conscience tolde him of the Iudgement to come When Paule preached vnto Felix of the Iudgement to come Act. 24.26 then did Felix tremble and quake And how should not the sinfull Soule of man be afraid of this fearefull iudgement seeing the deuils themselues are horribly confounded with the feare thereof Iud 6. being kept in Chaynes vnto the iudgement of that great day To draw to an end therefore I am rather of this mind then otherwise namely that there were neuer any so prophane or wicked in the world Whatsoeuer they
haue written or spoken to the contrary as the Atheists and Epicures in olde time and our Epicuriall Atheists or Machiuilians in these latter â—aies haue belched out many blasphemies against the truth in this matter that â—aue beene without this feeling in their â—oÌ„sciences of the day of IudgemeÌ„t only by the iust iudgement of God that they might be the more hardned in their sins â—â—ey haue laboured with all their might rather to suppresse theÌ„ vtterly to quench the same which sting of conscience and fire of displeasure burning and tormenting their soules in this life are nothing else indeede but onely a taste and beginning of those endelesse torments which their bodies and soules shal at the last day be adiudged to endure in the life to come for euermore in the bottomelesse pit of hell Where their worme or sting of conscience shall neuer die and the fier neuer be quenched Why then should we spend more time or words or yeeld any more reasons or authorities prophane or diuine to proue vnto them that there shall be a daie of Iudgement and an ende of all mortall thinges seeing they that would must gaine say it speake not onely against all reason and authoritie but euen in a sorâ— against their owne knowledg and consciences As for the godly and faithfull the confesse the same dayly in the Articles 〈◊〉 their faith And if there be any other aâ—â— no doubt there be some that neitheâ— with the Saduces deny the resurrection 〈◊〉 the dead nor with the Atheists denâ— that there shall be a generall day 〈◊〉 Iudgment but onely stand in doubt wanering in their minds and maruailing how these things shall come to passe Let them attend diligently vnto these wordes of Christ who saith thus vnto them Ioh. 5.28.29 Maruaile not at this for the day houre shal come in the which all that are in their graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God And they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of Iudgement or condemnation And so much for proofe that there shall be a generall Iudgement and therewithall an ende of all mortall miseries Now let vs proceede to the Chapter following which sheweth how this day of Iudgement is vsually called in the Scriptures and what profit we may reap thereby The third Chapter TOuching that point let vs first see how the day of Iudgement is noted vnto vs by Saint Peter himselfe whose Watch-word hath caused vs to wade thus farre in this matter In the third Chapter of his second Epistle 2. Pet. 3.12 Stay of Iudgement called the day of God Saint Peter calleth the day of Iudgement the day of God and though it may be said that euery day is Gods day because he made all daies yet the day of Iudgement more peculiarly then other daies may rightly be called the day of God and that for diuers causes First for that God hath kept that day secret to himselfe and hath not reuealed the same either to men or Angels no not to the Sonne of man as he is onely man though he be head and Lord of Angels next it may be called the day of God because vpon that day the most mightie power and maiestie of that great God Iehouah shall be made more manifest to the world then euer before both in rewarding of the good and punishing of the wicked Then shall that saying of the Psalmâ—st be proued true in the sight of men and Angels Psal 58.11 Verily there is a reward for the righteous there is a God that Iudgeth the earth Moreouer it may well be called the day of God for when God hath iudged the world by Iesus Christ then shal Christ Iesus deliuer vp the kingdome to God his Father and God shal be all in all then shall El Elohim Iehouah as the Prophet Dauid describeth him in the 50. Psalme Psal 50. The God of Gods the euerlasting God God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost be seene worshipped of men Angels in the excellencie of their glory the sight and knowledge of whose glory shall be the full ioy and contentation of Gods elect as it is said in the sixteene Psalme Psal 16. vlâ— In Gods presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore Now Saint Peter doth not onely call the day of Iudgement the day of God Day of Iudgement called the day of the Lord. 2. Pet 3.10 but in the same Chapter calleth it also the day of the Lord meaning no doubt the Lord Iesus who shall iudge vs all And Saint Paule speaketh of the same matter vseth both wordes in the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Thess 1.8 saying The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen in flaming fire And in the second of the Acts Saint Peter reporteth the saying of the prophet Ioel calling the day of Iudgement Ioel. 2.23 The great and notable day of the Lord. Now he calleth that day the day of the Lord because vpon that day the Lord Christ shall shew himselfe to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings and he calleth it great and notable both in respect of the great glory of the Iudge as also in regard of the notable things that shal come to passe vpon that day for then the Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall loose her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen yea heauen it selfe shall passe away with a noyce as Peter also saith the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therin shall be burnt vp Then shall the sound of the Trumpet be heard the worlde throughout to waken them that are in their graues Then shall all they that are dead heare the voyce of the son of God Then shall all the great Monarches and princes of the world together with all their vassals and subiects appeare naked before the person of this great Iudge then shall the deuils and all damned spirits roare and cry then shall all the wicked tremble and quake for feare and shall say to the hils and mountaines fall vpon vs and hide vs from him that sitteth on the throne and from the presence of the Lambe for that great day of his wrath is come and who may abide it therefore rightly may this day be called the great and notable day of the Lord. Moreouer Day of Iudgemenâ— called a daâ— of refreshing Acts 3.19 the day of iudgement is called by Saint Peter in the third of the Actes the day or time of cooling or refreshing because vpon that day all the children that haue any way beene afflicted in this life shall be comforted and refreshed especially those which haue beene scorched with the heate of persecution for Christ his sake they shall be cooled and aboue all measure cheared comforted and refreshed They shall hunger no
more Reu. 7.16.17 neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any more heate of persecution or affliction for the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall gouerne them and shall leade them vnto the liuely fountaines of waters to coole and refresh them and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Also let vs see how Saint Paule noteth this day of iudgement vnto vs Day of iudgement called a day of wrath Rom. 2.5 in the second to the Romanes he first calleth it a day of wrath as also it is called in the sixth of the ReuelatioÌ„ the great day of wrath bicause at that time al the enimies of God shal be sure to drinke of the seuere cup of Gods wrath to their eternal destruction Psal 11.6 So saith Dauid vpon the wicked God shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke Also in the same place the Apostle calleth the day of iudgement â—ay of â—â—dgement â—alled the â—ay of reâ—ealing â—om 2.5 The day of declaring or reuealing both because the iudgement shall be kept in so open a place in the viewe of heauen earth and hell as also in respect that then all secrets shall be discouered and disclosed nothing is so hid but it shal be made knowen saith our Sauiour also in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 4.13 it is said There is no Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are open and naked in his eyes with whom we haue to doe that is in the eyes of Iesus Christ the Sonne of the eternall God who shall iudge the secrets of all men by Iesus Christ Thirdly the same Apostle not contented in that place to call the day of iudgement the day of wrath and the day of reueiling but also he calleth it the day of the righteous Iudgement of God Day of â—udgement â—alled the â—ay of the â—ighteous â—udgement of God 〈◊〉 2.5 why is there any day wherein God executeth vnrighteous iudgement God forbide For then how should God Iudge the world if there be any vnrighteousnes in him as the Apostle vrgeth in the Chapter following And as Abraham pleadeth with God himselfe vpon this point saying Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right that is execute righteous Iudgement at all times why therefore doth the Apostle appoint one day among all other daies for God to shew righteous iudgement calling it the day of the righteous iudgement of God Surely he doth it to some purpose yea for our instruction namely because in the coÌ„mon course of the world it is vsually seene and obserued and many good men as Ieremie Dauid haue complayned of it that the wicked are aduaunced the godly suppressed the sinner set aloft the seruant of God abused the meeke ones contrary as it seemes to many expresse texts of scripture constrained to wander in wildernesses being destitute tormented and afflicted the proud ones in the meane season to inherite the earth The godâ—â— abased thâ— wicked exalted and to sucke vp the fat of the Land with a thousand like aduersities that befall the godly in this life whereas the godlesse lye drowned drenched in all prosperitie what thing I pray you at the first sight can there seeme to be more contrary to the iust or as the learned terme it to the Geometricall proportion of Gods righteous iudgement To all which although it might be answered that there is a fallacie foulded vp many times in these words euill good prosperitie aduersitie counting calling too aduersitie euill when it may rather be called good prosperitie good when it may be called euil these you wil say be paradoxes yet such as Christian Schollers ought to be acquainted with Also that all these things do but deceiue the outward sences of those that are troubled with those griefes of the godly and prosperitie of the wicked not considering that God doth this in the vprightnesse of his iustice and in the depth of his wisedome both for the great good and comfort of the godly euen in this life as they themselues doe many times feele and confesse and also for the greater downe fall of the wicked as Dauid being well aduised of this matter confesseth saying God setteth them in slipperie places Psal 72.18 suddenly they are tumbled downe and perish Although I say this point may thus be answered and that not amisse yet Saint Paule doth answere the same more fully in one word and doth decide this controuersie to the full contentation of the godly and terror of the wicked by making mention of this righteous iudgement of God which is as much vnto me as if he should say Be it that it seemeth by these sundry euents that dayly fal out in the world both to the good and bad that God is not iust or to make the best of it to mans seeming Gods iustice doth not shine foorth lightly inough vnto vs Haue patience but a while iudge of nothing rashly or before the time a day is comming and will not tarry that thou wilt be of an other mind when thou shalt see God to make a short accompt vpon the earth in righteousnesse and iudge the secrets of all men according to true iustice by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell or preaching saith the Apostle Who will reward euery man according to his workes That is to them which by continuance in well doing though they haue had many crosses and lets shall be glory and honor and peace and eternall life to recompence them for the slanders shames dishonors Rom. 2. and vexations and death it selfe which they haue suffered for Christs sake in this world But to the wicked and contentious and to them that disobey the truth of Christ his Gospell and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath to recompence them at the full for their fury and displeasure that they haue euer borne to Gods children in this world Moreouer vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill saith the Apostle and hath not repented shall be tribulation and anguish for a recompence of their vaine iolities and reioycings which was their continual delight in this life agreeing with that answer of Abraham to Diues â—â—ke 16. â— Remember that thou in thy life time receiuest pleasure and contrariwise Lazarus paine but now he is comforted and thou art punished Whereunto serue these complaints of the damned noted in the booke of Wisedome â—isedom we fooles say the damned thought the life 's of the godly that gladly suffered affliction in this life for Godlinesse sake madnesse and their ende to be without honour but now they are counted among the children of God their portion is among the Saints contrariwise say they to the increase of their griefe we haue weried our selues in the waies of wickednesse destruction and we haue passed through dangerous waies but we
haue not knowne the way of the Lord. Last of all the remembrance of their glory in this world doth most of all torment them saying among themselues what hath the pride of this world profited vs or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vs all those things are passed away like a shadow Then it followeth for the hope of the vngodly is like the dust that is blowen away with the winde but the righteous shall liue for euer And all this is according to the righteous iudgement of God Psal 9.8 Who shall Iudge the world in righteousnesse and minister true iudgement vnto the people as Dauid speaketh in the 9. Psalme Hereupon then we conclude that God euen in this world in the vprightnesse of his Iustice doth deferre the Iudgement of the wicked at times and also suffers many times the godly to be most vniustly Iudged and wronged by the vngodly for causes left knowne to his wisedome of whose wronges he will surely be reuenged either in this world or in the world to come or in both Neither as a godly Father hath well noted doth God cease to shew continually tokens of his Iustice euen in this life lest any should thinke God were altogether vniust and had no regard how matters passed in this world On the contrary he doth not punish all the vngodly ones of this world at leastwise for all their vngodlinesse for then he should leaue nothing for the iudgement to come And withall it is to be noted that euen those Iudgements which God at any time doth execute vpon the godlesse in this world are but onely beginnings of their torments to come to the which they shall eternally be Iudged at the last day except they repeÌ„t And so much for that Saint Paule calleth the day of Iudgement a day of wrath a day of reuealing and a day of the righteous Iudgement of God I will not indeuour further to enlarge this Chapter by any curious searching of any other attributes or names wherby this day of Iudgement is noted vnto vs in the Scriptures whereof I know there are many other both in the olde and newe Testament for as much as I seeke not a multitude of examples to fill the page but onely fitte examples to confirme the godly and to strike a terror into the harts of the godlesse for their good if at least any thing may terrifie them Onely for the further comfort of the godly who with great patience must waite for the comming of their Master Let it not be forgotten that our Sauiour himselfe in the Gospell after he hath noted many fearefull signes that shall goe before and accompanie this great iudgement for the confounding of the wicked he addeth a most comfortable exhortation to al the godly bidding them to lift vp their heads and reioyce The day of iudgement called a day of redemption Luke 21.28 for that the day of their redemption is at hand for then and vpon that day all the faithfull shall be sure to receaue the effect of their former redemption purchased by the death of Christ and also the end of their faith which is their eternall saluation both in soule and body in the life to come This day thus noted vnto vs in the scriptures hath been yet is vsually called of the godly The day of doome because then the last doome or definitiue sentence shall be giuen vpon all flesh neuer to be reuoked It is also called commonly the day of the second comming of Christ And the day of Christ his comming which shal be in infinite glory to counteruaile his first comming in the flesh in so great basenesse and humilitie Lastly The day of iudgement called tâ—â— last day it is rightly called by our Sauiour three times in one Chapter The last day because all daies and time it selfe shal end with it for as time began when the world began so with the world it must needes haue an end Therefore is it that the Angell sweareth so solemnly in the Reuelation Iâ— 6.39.44.54 such an other oath we shall hardly finde in all the Scriptures Ren. 10.5.6 By him that liueth for euermore which created heauen the things which therein are and the earth and the things that therein are and the Sea and the thinges which therin are that Time shal be no more meaning after this world is ended Now God of his great mercy therefore giue vs grace wisely to consider of the seasons and to make benefite of the time wherein we liue and also to be assured that this time or day will come how soone he onely knoweth that knoweth all things though all the Epicures in the world haue sworne the contrary The rather for that we are assured all of the signes fore prophesied in the scriptures to come to passe before that day are well neare accomplished and fulfilled whereof we are to intreate in the Chapter following The fourth Chapter THe signes and tokens that shall goe before this great and generall Iudgement are thus diuided by some Into signes Physicall In the heauens earth and Sea Signes Politicall in Countries and common-wealthes Signes Ecclesiasticall in Church and Church-men which deuision is good and may well be followed howbeit my purpose is not at this time to enter into any curious discourse but onely briefely and plainely to discouer and lay open such signes and tokens as the Scripture doth forewarne vs of that shall come before this day whereof many no doubt are past and some may be yet to come which we will also note as we speake of them in perticular And albeit I say there may be some fignes and tokens that are not yet fully accomplished No man ought to defer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let no man therefore defer his repentance or thinke the day of iudgement to be the further off for that for I suppose there be tokens that shal be seene to come before that day no otherwise then the lightning before the thunder betweene the which there will be no time for the obstinate sinners to repent but euen for the faithfull and godly To lift vp their heads and to reioyce for that their redemption is so nigh The signes and tokens that shall goe before this great and fearefull daie of Iudgement hath Christ the Iudge himselfe in token of his loue vnto vs described and made knowne howbeit somewhat darkely to the end the godly should consider thereof the more carefully as the wicked do passe them ouer contemptuously which signes we will briefely recite as they are deliuered vs by Christ himselfe his faithful Euangelists Apostles Luke 21. Then shal be signes saith Saint Luke in the sunne and in the Moone in the starres which no doubt haue been accomplished fulfilled that in this last age of the world by most strange extraordinary eclipses of the Sun of the Moone by fearful vnwonted comets blasing stars that haue appeared as wel to vs as
in diuers other places countries in Christendom all which do preach vnto vs that the desolation of all things is at hand And it is vsually obserued by the godly that euen these heauenly bodies the Sun Moone other of the planets starres which by the God of nature were created for the comfort of man haue of late yeeres withheld as it were their brightest beames sweetest influences froÌ„ vs as blushing and hiding their faces froÌ„ beholding the sinfulnes of this latter age wherein we liue adde vnto this the alteratioÌ„ which fal out in the times seasons of the yeere The spring some yeeres hoater then the sommer the sommer more moyster colder then part of the winter yea and the time of haruest wherein fruits should be ripened gathered for the sustinance of man hath shewed it selfe most vnkindly to requite as it were the vnkindnes vnthankefulnes of man towards his God who gouerneth all these things according to his good pleasure appointmeÌ„t The starres planets are ordained as the clocke of God to giue warning to the world of that euent falling out of these inferior things God the gouernor and disposer of all things but God himselfe turneth the wheeles draweth vp and letteth downe the poyses as it pleaseth him causeth echthing to fal out according to his owne pleasure So that we neede not doubt to affirme that there haue beene many estraordinary signes in the Sunne in the Moone and in the Starres passed already and yet dayly are to be seene to admonish vs that the ende of all things is at hand Now as these signes are vsually noted by the learned in the heauens so the effectes of the same are warres famines and Pestilence among men here on earth which are also tokens foretold by three Euangelists that shall fall out before the ende of the world And albeit no age in the world hath beene free from these Iudgements of God for sinne yet no doubt these latter warres which haue beene raysed by Antichrist and waged by Christian Princes within Christendome for the Gospels sake doe euen as it were point out with the finger that Christ himselfe is comming to stint this strife and to stay the fury of Antichrist the Pope and all his adherents The like is to be said of all the feareful famines and Pestilences that wee haue both seene and felt and the Lord of grace onely knoweth what is it to come before the end of the world for our great vnthankfulnesse and abusing of Gods blessing in the time of peace and plenty for as sinne doth abound so the punishment of sinne must also increase And that sinne and sinners doe so increase abound what doth it else prognosticate but that as Christ also forwarneth the end of the world posteth on Also that fidelitas faithfulnesse or faithfull dealing among men is nigro cigno similis Loue or charitie cold as ice rare to be found and loue or charitie waxen colde as the ice euen in the sun-shine of the Gospell it teacheth vs plainly that The end of all things is at hand What should we speake of the most strange vnnaâ—urall birthes that dayly are to be seene euery where which monsters beyonde all course of nature doe plainely tell vs that the God of nature is angry with man for those most monstrous and vnnaturall sins which are dayly committed to speake nothing of the strange vnheard of fires burnings haile thundrings and lightnings which are euen the Harbengeâ—â— or forerunners of that fearefull violent fire which shal shortly destroy all the aduersaries of God when his Sonne Christ shall come vnto iudgement Also there shall be earth quakes though not in all yet in diuers places we haue lately seene and felt the same â—uke 21. the Sea and waters shall swell and rore and that for all these things mens harts shall faile them and be astonished which thing euen surely doth euen now beginne to come to passe and dayly shall increase towards the ende of the world all these and many other signes and tokens we may affirme without any feare to be already passed and gone and thereupon we may conclude as our Sauiour teacheth vs by the budding of the Figge tree that the Sonne of righteousnes is ready to appeare in the Heauens and the euerlasting summer for all the children of God is euen at hand Signes passed which shall be vnto them a time of ioy and refreshing but to the wicked and vngodly a day of horror and lamentation So much briefely touching such signes and tokens as are already passed wherevnto may bee added that the Apostle speaketh of the departing from the faith 2. Thes 2 3 and the reuealing of Antichrist that childe of perdition which the light of the Gospell in this age hath reuealed made knowen to the world and I trust will dayly more and more reueile to all such as haue not receiued the marke of that beast either in their right hand Reu. 13.16 or in their forehead But here it may be said that the Scripture teacheth that the Sunne shall be darkned the Moone turned into bloud Math. 24.29 and the Starres shall fall from Heauen before this great and terrible day of the Lord come and therefore some may say we neede not to doubt of the day of Iudgement before we see these great signes so to be accomplished and fulfilled But stay are we assured that these great and fearefull tokens haue not appeared in some place or other in this last age of the world or if they haue not been litterally fulfilled yet may they not mistically be accomplished which thing by the learned is also noted and obserued comparing the darkning of the Sunne to the Eclipsing of the Gospell being Eclipsed and darkened vnder the kingdome of Antichrist fiue hundred yeeres together the Moone turned into bloud to the great slaughters persecutions of the Church children of God whose bloud by the bloudy beast of Rome hath been shed spilt as waters in al quarters of Christendome the falling away of many great Masters and Doctors which sometimes shined in the Church but after declining vnto Papisme or Atheisme haue they likened to the falling of the Starres from Heauen All these things no doubt in this sence haue beene fulfilled but that this is the meaning of our Sauiour that his words shall be mistically vnderstood I dare not affirme but rather I doe verily beleeue that the Sunne in the firmament shal indeede be darkned when the Sonne of righteousnesse shall appeare that the Moone shall not then giue her light and for how can she when the sunne is darkned from whoÌ„ she receiueth all hir light and brightnesse that the starres shal then fall from heauen and no maruell seeing then the powers of Heauen shall be shaken 2 Pet 3. the Heauens or firmament it selfe passing away with a noyce and the elements melting with
feruent heate Therefore I am perswaded that these tokens shall not be accomplished till the ende of the world And therefore as I haue said let no man deferre his repentance till these signes be fulfilled which are signes and tokens that shal accompany the comming of the Iudge no otherwise as also I haue said then a flash of lightning before the thunder or rather with the thunder though the light be seene before the thunder be heard yet both are said to breake out of the cloude together so assuredly as soone as these tokens are accomplished the Sonne of man shal presently appeare in the clouds with power and great glory This thing is plainely reuealed vnto vs by two Euangelistes Marke and Mathew Mark 13.24 who say In those daies that is at the end of the world the sunne shall waxe darke the Moone shall not giue her light the starres of Heauen shall fall the powers of heauen shall be shaken And then shall they see the Sonne of man comming in the clouds with power and great glorie No intermission of time between the one and the other scarce so much time for the faithfull to lift vp their eyes vnto heauen to receiue ioy into their harts for that their expected redeemer is come Moreouer that those signes are not yet accomplished it may be gathered out of Luke Luk. 21.24 who maketh mention of the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled before he speaketh of the signes in the Sunne Moone and Starres But we see the time of the Gentiles is not yet fulfilled neither I hope shall be fulfilled till the ende of the world therefore these signes and tokens are not as yet accomplished But some will yet say that Saint Paule speaketh of the restoring of the Iewes before the generall Iudgement shall come It is true indeede Saint Paule in the 11. of the Romanes Rom. 11. maketh mention of such a secret which curiously to intreat of is from my purpose onely this wee may note out of that place of the Apostle that Saint Paule hauing an intent to tame the pride of the Gentiles that they should not boast or preferre themselues before the Iewes who were the naturall branches affirmeth in the three and twentieth verse of the same Chapter that the Iewes shall be graffed in againe For saith he God is able to graffe them in againe if they continue not still in vnbeleefe which if or exception of the Apostle being well noted will stay sober minds from concluding a generall restoring of any publike estate of the Iewes before the comming of Christ vnto iudgement For as much as Infidelitie is that great sinne which hitherunto hath stickt so fast vnto that Nation Howbeit we doubt not many Iewes sithence their reiection God of his mercy hath called and dayly doth call vnto repentance that so all Israell may be saued Rom. 11.26 as the Apostle saith that as all those that are Isralites indeede and by faith in Christ depend onely vpon the free election of God as also must the Gentiles if they will be saued But in the meane while let it not hinder any to looke for the comming of our Sauiour till the nations of the Iewes be wholy restored seeing if that were the meaning of the Apostle wee know not how soone God may bring the same to passe for a iust iudgement vnto vs GeÌ„tiles neither yet how long they may coÌ„tinue in their vnbeleefe euen to the last day if God do not shew mercy vpon theÌ„ And as for that the Apostle also in the Gospell maketh mention of the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled Luke 21 if the meaning thereof be that for their great vnthankfulnes contempt of Gods grace the Gospell may be taken from them as I hope it shall not before the ende of the world for then the time of the Gentiles must needs be fulfilled I had rather meditate vpon this matter then make any discourse thereof at all onely let these wordes of the Apostle in that place euer sound in our eares that are Gentiles Be ye not high minded but feare Ro 〈◊〉 for if God spared not the naturall branches which were the Iewes take-heede which word euermore goeth before danger That he spare not thee being a Gentile and a wilde Oliue tree And as for deciding of these questioÌ„s either touching the publike restoring of the Iewes or small reiection of the Gentiles before the ende of the worlde both which questions I rather hold negatiuely seeing they are somewhat disputable let vs in a Christian lobriety rather confesse our ignorance then bewray curiositie waying well that diuine declamation of the Apostle wherewith he concludeth that discourse â—â—rse 33. O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out There are yet remayning two other poynts of like difficultie to some to be briefely touched The one whether the Gospell be yet preached throughout the world The other whether the kingdome of Antichrist shal not in a sort continue vnto the comming of Christ vnto Iudgement Of the former albeit I speake of it in this place yet I am rather of opinion that the publike preaching of the Gospell should be reckoned in the number of those tokens that are already passed and that the Gospell hath already beene published yea sithence the darknesse of Popery Mahomatisme hath beene discouered throughout all Nations of the world euen as Saint Paule affirmed it was euen in his time and therefore now the end of the world to be looked for If any will say why then the ende should come presently seeing Christ saith when the Gospell shall be preached then shall the end come I answere that the word then must not onely be referred to that time when the Gospell is preached or shall be preached but also to that time when the breaching of the Gospel hath fully effecâ—ed that for which it was preached and published The word of God beauenly seed for we know the preaching â—f the Gospell is that heauenly seede which must be sowen in the Gardens of â—arthly mens harts which seede must â—aue a time to be sowen a time to grow â—â—d a time to ripen assoone as this seede 〈◊〉 fully ripened in the harts of Gods â—ect and the reprobate made inexcusaâ—â—e for not receiuing or for not yeelding forth fruite accordingly then presently without delay will the haruest come and the sickle shall be thrust in to cut the Lords corne to preserue it for his owne Garner the kingdome of Heauen when the weede euery vnprofitable branch shall be burned in that fire that neuer shall be quenched Againe we see the day must dawne and the day starre of the Gospell must haue a time to appeare before the Sonne of righteousnesse doe arise yea the sunne in the firmament hath a time to rise a time to run his course and a time to set so the
sooner was our Sauiour Christ ascending or ascended into heauen but presently the Angels of God proclaime hiâ— descent or descending vnto Iudgement Saying Acts. 1.11 ye men of Galilee speaking vnto Christs Apostles and Disciples Why stâ—â—â— ye gazing into heauen This Iesus which is tâ—ken from you into heauen shall so come meanâ— vnto Iudgement as yee haue seene him goeâ— to heaven Saint Paule in the fourth Chapter the second Epistle vnto Timothy plaiâ—ly affirmeth 2 Tim. 4.1 That Iesus Christ shall 〈◊〉 the quicke and the dead at his appearing in his kingdome And the same Apostle in the first of the second to the Thessalonians saith 2. Thes 7.8 that The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fier rendring vengeance vnto them which doe not know God and obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ In the Gospell euery where mention is made of the comming of the son of man vnto Iudgement as in the 24. and twentie fiue of Mathew the thirteene of Marke the seuenteene of Luke against all which it may be obiected that Christ himselfe saith Obiect Ioh. 8 1â— I came not to Iudge the world and againe I Iudge no man But the answere is easie Ans for Christ therein speaketh of rash priuate and partiall Iudgement whereof hee accuseth the Iewes In that manner Christ iudgeth no man but speaking elsewhere of this generall Iudgement He saith plainely Ioh. â— 23. That the Father Iudgeth no man but hath committed all Iudgement vnto the Sonne yeelding a reason Because all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father And that none might thinke this Iudgement to appertaine vnto him onely as he was the Sonne of God he addeth presently in the same Chapter â—se 27. That God hath giuen him power to execute Iudgement euen as he is the Sonne of man Againe it might be answered that Christ saith I Iudge no man before he was glorified when he came to be iudged and not to Iudge but after his resurrectioÌ„ he plainly telleth vs â—â—tth 28. that All power in heauen and in earth is giuen vnto him Wherefore Saint Paule saith in the second to the Romanes that God shall Iudge the secrets of all men but by Iesus Christ â—â—n 2.16 And elsewhere the Apostle saith when after Iudgement Christ hath brought all things in subiection vnder his feete then he shall deliuer vp the kingdome to God the Father â—or 15. But it may be againe obiected that the same Saint Paule saith to the Corinthians â—ct That the Saints shall iudge the world and the Angels â—â—r 6. that is the wicked men of this world and euill Angels called Diuels And Christ saith his Apostles shal sit vpon twelue seates Iudging the twelue Tribes of Israell Hereunto it may be answered that at the generall day of iudgment â—ns wheÌ„ Christ shall sit vpon the throne of his glory accompanyed with his holy Angels and all the elect by his Angels gathered vnto him then as well Saints as holy Angels shall Iudge that is subscribe and giue consent vnto Christ his most righteous Iudgement which then hee shall most iustly pronounce against all the reprobate both of men and Angels whereat all the Saints elect Angels shall greatly triumph and reioyce no otherwise then it is said in the Reuelation concerning the Iudgement that shall fall vpon the whore of Babilon Rom. 18.20 Reioyce O heauen and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath giuen iudgement vpon her So at the last generall Iudgement the holy Saints and Angels shall sing the song of Moyses the seruant of God Reu. 15.3 and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruellous are thy works Lord God Almightie iust and true are thy waies and â—udgements King of Saints So here we may â—onclude according to the truth of Gods word euery where reuealed in the Scripâ—utes and agreeable with the Catholike â—rofession of the Church of God in all â—ges that Iesus Christ as he is both God â—nd man shall stand as holy Iob saith Iob. 19.25 The â—â—st vpon the earth and come to giue true â—â—dgement at the last day The vse of which doctrine is two fold namely a comfort to the godly and a terror to the wicked for what thing can bring more ioy and comfort to the harts of all godly and faithfull Christians specially to those that are afflicted in this life either in Soule or body oâ— in both for Christ his sake then tâ— heare and assuredly to be perswaded that Christ Iesus their Sauiour anâ— brother shall come to be their Iudge That is to pronounce them blamelessâ— through his owne obedience and righteousnesse in the sight of God his Father and to crowne them with eternal glory and not onely those as the Apostle teacheth that suffer persecution a the Apostle did but all the faithfâ—â— whatsoeuer that loue his appearing 2. Tim. 4.8 Be therefore of good comfort deaâ— Christian whosoeuer thou art that grâ—nest vnder the burthen of thy sinnâ— feare not that dredfull Iudgement 〈◊〉 if thou hast faith in Christ and dâ—truely repent then thou mayest affâ—â— thy selfe to be one of Gods elect Aâ—so apply that sweete sentence of tâ— Apostle vnto thy Soule which saiâ— Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that iustifieth Rom. 8.33 34. who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe which sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for thee which also it may be added for thy further comfort shall come againe at the last day to giue sentence on thy side and to receaue thee vnto himselfe Contrariwise Let the wicked Infidels and all the vngodly ones of this world which either knowe not God or obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ shake and quake for feare for euen he whom they deadly hate whose word they beleeue not whose Ministers they regard not yea euen he whose bloud they trampled vnder their feete He that was crucified vpon the crosse and had his hart bloud launced out with a Speare shall in his owne person come to be their Iudge according to that of the Apostle Iude. Iude. 〈◊〉 And Enoch also the seuenth from Adam prophesied of such Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue Iudgement against all men c Reâ—◠〈◊〉 And euery eye shall see him euen they that pearced him through and all kindreds and people though neuer so pompious and glorious that haue not repented or beleeued in him shall waile before him 1 Reu. 1.7 And in the bitternesse of their griefe and in the anguish of their soules forhorror and feare of that Iudge shall say to the mountaines 〈◊〉 5.16 Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of the Lambe for that great day of wrath is come and who may abide it And so much briefely
children of darkenesse For what communion hath light with darkenesse In the beginning he made all things good in the ending he will destroy all things that are naught seeing the euil and naughtinesse that is in man or in any other Creature came not vnto it by creation but by corruption Therefore Christ saith he will seperate and diuide one from the other that is the good from the badde The good he compareth to sheepe for their gentlenesse patience and meekenesse of nature the badde he most fitly compareth vnto Goates â—â—ech 34. who are a more sauage and filthy kinde of beastes The metaphor seemeth to be borrowed from Ezechiell who bringeth in the Goates pushing and hurting of the sheepe with their hornes and troubling of their waters These filthy pushing Goates that all their life long desire and delight to harme and wrong the poore sheepe of Christ wil Christ himself that great shepneard finde out euery one of them at the end of the world nonne of them shall be hid from his sight And because these poore sheepe haue a very long time with great patience endured these foule and filthy Goates to feede pasture among them in the outward face of the Church to their extreame hurt and griefe therefore Christ Iesus their sheepheard without any delay at his first comming to iudgement will gather and draw out his faithfull flocke of sheepe from that filthy heard of Goates and to the ende these Goates shall see the care that Christ hath ouer them he will place them in their sight at his right hand of heauenly protection the Goates contrariwise he will set at his left hand to send them presently to endlesse destruction But here before we proceede any further we are to note by whom our Sauiour Christ will make this separation namely by his holy Angels which came with him and attend on him with all ready obedience First he will cause an Arkangell to sound out the trumpet of God in so glorious and fearefull sort that it shall be heard the world throughout not onely they that are liuing but they that are dead in their graues shall heare the sound of that Trumpet and all the wicked spirits and Diuels in hell shal quake and tremble with the noyce thereof Then when all the Nations of the world are summoned and warned by that glorious Trumpet Christ shall send foorth his Angels to separate the Sheepe from the Goates the elect from the reprobate This thing our Sauiour Christ doth reueale vnto vs in the Gospell and saint Paul doth likewise report the same in one of his Epistles to the Thessaloniant First Christ saith in the 24. of Mathew Math. 24.31 that He will send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure windes and from the one end of the heauen vnto the other The same doth Saint Marke repeate in the 13. Chapter Moreouer our Sauiour Christ doth at another time make mention of this glorious separation as Saint Mathew reports it in the 13. Math. 13. Chapter for hauing in that place shewed by diuers parables that the children of God must not be offended to liue here for a time in this world accompanied and mingled with the godlesse as the good seed is with the cockle the Wheate with the chaffe they must growe together both for the greater iudgement of the one and tryall of the other vntill the harnest which is the end of the world at what time Christ will send forth his reapers which be the Angels to gather the good seede the pure wheate that hath beene well thrashed with the flaile of affliction and winnowed from the chaffe with the Fan of Gods Iudgement in the Lords garner but the chaffe and the cockle and the Darnell shall be burnt in fire that neuer shal be quenched then shall the Iust shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of God their Father Likewise our Sauiour reporteth this separation in the same Chapter by a parable taken from Fishers which when they haue brought all manner of fish to land gather the good into vessels but cast the bad away So saith our Sauiour shall it be at the end of the world the Angels shall goe forth and seuer the bad from the Iust and shall cast the badde into a fornace of fire there shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth Saint Paule likewise in the fourth Chapter if the first Epistle to the Thessâ— lonians maketh a like description of thesâ— things The Lord himselfe saith he shalâ— descend from heauen with a shout and with the voyce of an Arkangell and with the Trumpet of God according to that which hath beene said already But the Apostle in that place like aâ— he doth in the first to the Corinthians openeth a secret or two more and he saith that he doth it by the word or commandement of the Lord. The first is that at the generall resurrection at the day of iudgement when Christ shall appeare then they that are dead in Christ that is all those that haue died in the faith of Christ since the beginning of the world shall rise first that is before the wicked that did not die in the faith of Christ The second secret or mystery is that those of the faithfull that are liuing at the day of iudgement of whom the same Apostle speaketh in the first to the Corinthians 18. When he saith we shal not all die but all shall be changed those I say that then are liuing vpoÌ„ the earth shal not preuent or goe before those that are dead and turned to dust and powder in the earth but as those that are liuing shall be changed from mortall to immortall in the twinckling of an eye to vse the Apostles words so likewise shall those of the faithfull that are dead be raised vp by the power of God at the voice of the Trumpet and being ioyned to their soules both the one and the other saith the Apostle shall bee caught vp into the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall euer remaine with the Lord which he speaketh specially for the comfort of the faithful and therefore addeth this 1. Thes 4.18 Comfort your selues one another with these words Thus we see how all Nations that is all people of all the Nations of the world shall be gathered together by the holy Angels before Christ sitteth in iudgement The godly with all the holy Angels set on his right hand the wicked with all the damned spirites and diuels set on the left attending and harkning when that finall and definatiue sentence shal be pronounced But before we speake thereof it shall not be amisse to consider in a word or two what shall be come of all other things that are now in the world Saint Peter hath resolued this point already wheÌ„ he preacheth that there shaâ— come and is euen at hand the ende of aâ— things that is of all mortall
exhorting vs vnto sobrietie watchfulnesse and prayer As if he should say The end of all things is at hand and the Iudge is at the doore ready to take vengeance of all vngodlinesse and intemperancie By yee therefore sober The day of his comming is altogether vncertain Be ye therfore vigilant watchful If this be to hard for fraile flesh to performe fly vnto Prayer which maketh the hardest things easie to be done Be yee sober 1. Pet. 4 7. and watch vnto Prayer Of either of these three briefely Sobrietie Watchfulnesse and Prayer Of Sobrietie or Temperancie we haue heretofore spoken sufficiently I trust to instruct them that are godly and in loue with that vertue it is the fourth linke in Saint Peters Chaine In this place therefore by way of digression I will indeuor to speake briefely of Intemperancy the very bane cut-throate of all Christianitie and Pietie and a most cruell enimie vnto all good gouernement and policie There is a saying Nemo laeditur nisi a se ipso euery man is the worker of his owne woe I pray God the generall Intemperancie of this land doe not viper-like eate out the bowels thereof The stinging of a Viper they say at the first doth yeelde a certaine tickling delight to all the outward sences but assoone as the infected bloud comes to the hart presently the body is in daunger of death what pleasing delight is dayly taken in Intemperancie by all the sences I meane by all sorts and sexts of people in this land as in other places of the worlds it may better be felt then seene when Paule had but one viper on his hand Acts. 28 4â— all the standers by looked that hee should haue fallen downe dead presently But this countrey being stung with the venome of vipers I meane all kinde of filthy vices not in the band onely but in euery part of the body yet no man feareth the ruine or fall thereof Most true it is that we which liâ—e in the latter end of this last age of the world liue in the time and vnder the climate of all intemperancy I hope the end is the neerer at hand to redresse all that is amisse my minde is not and if my minde would serue time would not suffer me particularly to point out all the sinnes of intemperancy that abonnd at this day euery where among vs. There are foure cardinall sinnes vpon the which also the rest doe hang Pride Couetousnesse Whooredome Drunkennesse which for their swiftnes in running ouer the world may well be compared to the foure wheeles of the diuels chariot in the which chariot he daily carrieth cart-loads of soules into hell These sinnes together with the other sinnes of Sodome tumble in one on anothers backe like the waues of the Sea there is neither meane nor measure kept in any of them Onely least I should slaunder any with the truth in drinking they say they haue Law as strong as the Lawe of the Medes and Persians that euery one must drinke by measure but without any meane they must drinke off al their measure and leaue none yea I heare and I haue onely heard of it that our new dubd ale knights whereof we haue great store in the countrey inough to ransack any city in Spain if they were vnarmed of their Ale well marshalled doe in their dayly drinkings to their measure of drinke adde a certain set number of words which may bee termed the tossepots watch-word and therin not onely take their delight but many of them spend their whole thrift at the Ale-house leauing their wiues familise alone vncarde for so they may sit singing swinging themselues in good Ale from morning to night it is all that they care for and all the good or rather euil they desire to do except it be also to raile at those that be good and that are wont to reprooue them for this their â—eastlinesse This measurable drinking or rather vnmeasurable and vnreasonable quaffing carrowsing whereof I haue also spoken in the first Chapter will nay already doth begin to breed a great scarcity of Corne and grayne in our Countrey It cannot be denied but that there are already many good lawes in force to punish those dayly drunkards but neuer worse executed then at this day and some are of good hope that there shall be straiter and more seuere Lawes prouided against drunkennesse For I verily thinke and I wish experience prooue it not to bee true that drunkennesse is more hurtfull and dangerous to this Common-wealth wherein wee liue then common theft and therefore I pray God to put it into the harts of all good Common weales men specially those that are in high places and authoritie to vse all good meanes for the redressing thereof and before better or straiter Lawes be enacted to giue straiter charge to all other inferiour officers to execute with all seueritie as in a matter of great necessity appertaineth the lawes of our land already prouided which hitherto of a long time haue bin very much neglected at least in some quarters of this Countrey which will surely grow to a greater disease then many thinke off if it bee not the sooner cured which thing hath caused me often to speake and now to write more against this vice of drunkennesse both here and in the first Chapter then many happely will thinke it fit and conuenient to be spoken of in so smal a treatise howbeit if my words preuaile any thing to the killing of this stinging viper drunkennesse I will confesse I haue spoken inough if nothing that I haue written too much except for the discharge of mine owne conscience And as for the three other capitall vices of intemperancie Pride Couetousnesse and Whooredome I thinke they may be compared to the heads of Hydra for euery head that is cut off by the sword of the Preachers for other punishment there is little or none there spring vp an hundred in the place in such sort that Preachers are almost weried any longer to florish their swords of Gods word to cut downetheir sinnes except it would please the godly Magistrate to draw out of their sheathes or scabbards their sharpest swords of Iustice which in particular Sheathes I feare are waxen rustie for want of vse and so to ioyne their armies and forces together to kill or at least to keepe downe those monstrous Hydras which otherwise are like to spoyle deuoure this little land Let it therfore be looked vnto betimes for feare we repent too late for there is no daunger compared to that daunger which is not feared Citties and Countreyes Townes and Villages doe euery where stinke with these filthy and beastly sinnes Pride Couetousnesse Whooredome Drunkennesse Pride must needs haue Couetousnes as a mistresse to maintaine her and Drunkennesse must haue Whoredome and Lechery for a handmaid to attend on her Sine Cerere Baccho friget Venus Wine and women make many men runnagates Pride and Riot
vs in safety In time of warre it getteth vs the victorie In time of prosperitie it keepeth vs from pride In time of aduersitie it keepeth vs from despaire If wee be in health we may pray without paine If wee bee sicke pray and recouer as did Hezekiah If wee bee rich prayer encreaseth our store If wee bee poore prayer maketh vs rich in content and goodnes If we be in authoritie wee haue neede to Pray for wisedome courage and grauity If of the CoÌ„monaltie for obedience loi altie If wee be Pastors our prayers preuaile for the people If we bee parishioners wee must pray and prayse God for and with our Pastors In a word prayer is a present for a Prince and is a delight for the painefull plough-man euery man is delighted with the singing of the Nightingale but no Nightingales song is so sweete in the eares of man as the faithfull prayers of the Saints are in the eares of our God Many commend contemplation but prayer is the soule of the coÌ„templatiue life If thou be in companie thou maiest pray secretly If alone thou maiest pray sweetely Whatsoeuer thou doest or wheresoeuer thou goest if prayer be thy guide thou shalt bee sure to prosper If thou begin to loathe these earthly vanities prayer will bring into thy sight the truest treasures If thou once begin to mortifie thy sinfull affections prayer perfumeth thy soule with most sweete consolation and ioy in the holy Ghost As the hill is the way to the mountaines and the meanes to ascende vnto it so prayer is the way to mortificacation As golde precious stones and marble doe make the houses of Kings so praier doth build the temple of Christ that he may dwell in our heartes by the holy Ghost As fire doth scoure the rust of Iron so prayer doth scowre cleanse our soules from the rust of sinne And as the ioynts of the body are bound together by nerues and sinewes so the soules of the righteous are established by prayer Prayer therefore for the force and efficacie thereof is compared by one to a forke that expelleth all euill things from vs and to a hooke or crooke that pulleth downe from heauen al blessings and good things vpon vs. If therefore thy foule seeme at any time to be cloyed and clogged in the earthly tabernacle of thy bodie the windes of prayer will carrie it aboue the cloudes and conduct thee vnto the pallace of eternall pleasure Pray therefore faithfully and pray continuallie and thou shalt bee sure to haue the presence and assistance of the glorious Trinitie Who therefore will not bee in loue with prayer which pierceth the cloudes preuaileth with God prospereth our affaires at home and abroad by day and by night maketh vs beloued of God and his Angels bringeth sweete rest and peace to our bodies and eternall rest and tranquilitie to our soules to our great comfort in this life and to our endlesse ioy in the worlde to come when Christ Iesus our Iudge and Sauiour shall come in the clouds to make an end of all mortall miseries Who blesse vs all and bring vs at that day into the sight of God his Father that we may see his glorie which hee had with him before the â—ld was made by the gracious guiâ—e of his most holy and blessed spirit which most holy and vndeuidable â—itie one God of most glorious Maâ—e be rendred of vs and all Saints and gels in heauen and in earth all power â—d impire all prayse and glorie and thankesgiuing from this time forth and for euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo