come Ye know not wâ—en the time is But 〈◊〉 it is not farre of we are sure So Paul teacheth To admonisâ— vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Saint Iohn is as plaine It is the last time Augustine saith vnto Hesychius who was curiously inquisitiue of the worldes end That he dare not giue the aduenture to measure the length and the scope theref seeing the Angels and Sonne of man himselfe are ignorant hereof But in his first â—ocke vppon Genesis against the Manichies hee giueth sixe ages to the life of the worlde as the life of man is disposed and diuided into seuerall sundrie ages through which as his life passe so the life of the worlde goeth away By casting the worlde into sire ages hee followeth the set number of dayes which were sire wherein the whole forme and frame of heauen and earth were made and finished The first age is the time from Adam to Noah or to the stood which hee compareth to our infancie The seconde is all the time from the flood to Abrahams dayes which hee likeneth to our childehoode The third is all the time from Abraham to Dauid which he suteth to our youthfull age The fourth is all the time from Dauid to the transportation of the people into Babylon which is answerable to our mans estate The fift is all the time from the captiuitie to the Incarnation of Christ which hath reference is our olde age The sixt is all the time from Christ to the verie ende it selfe which is our decrepit estate and condition which is called by Saint Iohn The last houre After which followeth the seauenth day euen the Sabboth of our endlesse rest But in regarde of the notable chaunges thereof the worlde may be drawne to a narrower roome and more simplie be destributed into foure ages onely The first is the time from the Creation to the Flood which wee may rightly tearme the infancie and Child-hoode of the worlde for that theu Artes were first founde out and that with the first principles and promises of saluation the godly were satisfied and they worshipped God after a simple and plaine manner The second from the Flood extendeth it selfe to the promulgation and publication of the Lawe which for verie good causes wee may woorthily call the youthfull age of it For then were men farre and wide diuided throughout all partes of the earth Common-wealths were first founded and the beginning of the first Monarchie instituted and the couenant of saluation by God with Abraham our father indented the linage and descent of the Messiah designed and our vniuersall redemption in the deliuerance of the Israelites from the Egyptian thraldome typicallie represented The thirde age comprehendeth the whole time that was spent vnder the time of the Lawe vnto the comming of our Sauiour in the flesh as wee finde it diuided by our Sauiour Christ himselfe saying The Lawe and the Prophets are vnto Iohn c. That was the ripe age and manhoods of the Worlde it being then come to his perfect growth for then came in Magna Charta the plenarie enrolment of the will of God making the consignement of the promises of God by sundrye Ceremonies and opening them at large by the Commentaries of the Prophets Nowe as sorrowes encrease with yeares and the full age hath fulnesse of troubles accompanying it so manie perturbations did fall vppon these tymes and the whole worlde was as it were set vppon Wheeles and vp and downe rolled with tragicall commâ—tions The fourth age ranne vppon the necke of this wherein the Senne of God in flesh was manifested which to the consummation of the worlde shall be continued This as wee noted before out of Iohn is called The last houre otherwise called by the Apostle Paul to the same effect The fulnesse of time so tearmed because all the promises of God excepting the generall resurrection and iudgement are absolutely fulfilled and shall make a full end of the Worlde Nowe it agreeth fulâ—ie with the nature of olde age For as olde men can not liue long though young men may die soone and they spende their remainder of time with cares infirmityes and diseases enough so wee can not promise to the worlde beeing in his olde age any long continuance or that it shall bee better then it is but rather that the age of it shall bee more burdensome vnto it and make it to be worsser This knowledge howsoeuer sufficient for vs satisfieth not others folishly curious ayming at the verie exact time of his dissolution by these â—riuolous coniectures These haue found out a simple shift for themselues to answer Christs words The day and houre knoweth no man instnuating that we may haue a gesse at the time though wée knowe not the nicke and exact part of the time But their sophistrie will not serue theÌ„ For Christs â—â—plie to the â—psie quâ—stion of the Apostles in these words It is not for you to know the times cutleth off their cauilling â—â—stinction of time it beeing in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Times and seasons wherefore their cunning commeth out of time Neither will that out of Mathew doe them good whereby they would take a measure of the time when 〈◊〉 world should haue 〈◊〉 in these words And this Gospell of the kingdome shall bee preached thorough the whole world for a witnes to all natiâ—ns and then shall the end come Augustine answereth them thus the Lords comming shal not be vntill the Gospell be dispersed throughout the world But how soone he shal come after this is thus published it is not from hence gathered The Gospel was generally notified to the world in the Apostles time who by their coÌ„tinual tedious perambulations had sent the sound thereof into all lands as Paul in his letter to the Colossians writeth thus Which is come vnto you euen as it is vnto all the world and is fruitful as it is also among you and yet euer since the world hath continued But there are many relie vpon idle dreames as vpon familiar deuiles The Mathematicians doe looke for a great yeere as Cicero sheweth after which al the starres shal returne to their beginnings and then the end of the world shal be Baldus in Cicero putteth in this spoake This conuersion howe long it will bée is a great question but it is necessarily certaine and definite Macrobius out of the opinion of naturall philosophers doth set downe a great yeere which hee calleth the worldes yeere Making it to confist of fiftéene thousand yeeres as the Sunne measureth them Augustine acquainteth vs with the fancies of some in his time who assigned fower hundred yéeres after the assention of Christ vnto heauen of others who â—â—crâ—ed fiue huÌ„dred of others who spake of a thousand after the expiration whereof the world should haue an absolute vastation But their vttermost prefixed time hauing long beene out of date their vaine assertions are sufficiently reproued
Others there are that are carried away with oracle deriued from the traditions of the Hebrewes which they would beare vs in hand they had learned of Elias and out of his schoole house and restraine the worlds duration to 〈◊〉 thousand of yéeres which they to part equally into these 〈…〉 1. Two thousand spent be oâ—e the time of the law 2. Two thousand vnder the law 〈◊〉 3. The last two thousand to the kingdome of Christ depâ—ted so as 〈◊〉 â—eeing the yeere of grace reuealed 1603. as it pleaseth learned men so suppâ—te this is the fiue thousand fiue hundreth 〈◊〉 eight yeere of the worldes age So that of this account there 〈◊〉 yee foure hundred â—eeres to be consummased This reckoning hath â—â—nne the more currantly in that they applie these six thousand yeeres to the six dates wherin God created yâ— worldâ— inasmuch as the Prophet saith A thousand yeers in thy sight are as yesterday and it â—â—in Peter One day is with the Lord as a thousâ—â—d yeers and a thousâ—nd yeers as one day Héereâ—pon they make this interence as in hâ—daâ—es the worlde was 〈◊〉 and in the seauenth wâ—s the sâ—bbath of the Lord wherein hée tested So after six thousand yeeres accomplished the world shall bee â—estâ—oâ—ed and in the seauenth shal our eternal fabbâ—th hee fulfilled and in the eight the puritie of our circumcision reâ—oâ—ed Wee read also of another fraternitie and brotherhoode who â—â—liuer that the â—â—sticali bodie the church shal abide three and thirtie yéeres héere in caâ—th as Christ himselfe 〈◊〉 so long in the bodâ—e which he tooke from the Virgin But they make euery of those â—éeces of a wonderful widenes putting fiftie yéeres to euery one to make euery yere a yéere of Iubilee But this and such like are verâ—e frâ—â—uolous fictions It is naturally engrafted in the mind of man to desire nouelties and to affect strange courses and so see is after a knowledge beyond al sobâ—tetâ—â— to be curiously â—â—quisttiue after â—â—ages to come and carelesly respectiue of such thinges as are present This is the cause why some giue themselves vnto â—â—lawfull artes and 〈◊〉 themselues to be mocked and misled bâ—â—ste Deuill So did Saul who perceiuing God to bee angrie with hâ—m and the hand of the Philistiâ—â—s to be sore vpon him neuer sought vnto God for his Quietus est to haue couÌ„saâ—le or comfort from 〈◊〉 But decâ—â—ous to know the censequent of the case hee deliberated with 〈◊〉 women who draue him headlong to deâ—petation and destruction Such madnesse now blindeth and beâ—â—teâ—eth too manie who by staring vpon the startes will prognositcat the euent and successe of euery yeere and so determine of the estate of it as if they had the heauens water in an brinall with an impudent rashnes denouncing warres fore-promising peace prophisying of maladies in men and beasts giuing vs many good words of a good yéere telling vs a faire tale of the free passage of religion and comprehending in their speculation the perturbations and mutations of all kingdomes In the meane while they let slip greater matters that are certaine reuealed by the scriptures touching faith hope charitie and other godlie duties requisite for a christian man weil to know and to bée familiarly conuersant in which haue no perpleritie or obscuritie in them But in this Article especially which is of the end of the world men at all times haue bene singularly busie and bolde Wheras the prophecies thereof as Augustine well saith are sooner perfected then perceiued This is one of the Deuills notable stratagems and deuises to set our braines a worke with circuler questions endles and fruitles thereby to withdraw our mindes from points of greatest néedfulnes The Apostle toucheth such and willeth the Thessalonians not to héede them that drop into their eares the present comming of Iesus Christ in glory Our age haue brought forth men of no base learning who in their bookes and sermons haue bene ouer sawcie and malipert in this matter as if they had bene furnished with heauenly reuelations and as if God had familliarly talked with them as the father deth with the childâ— Now what heinous and detestable boldnes is this to affect such a metaphisicall and supereminent knowledge which goeth beyond the wisdome of angells and the wisdome of the sonne of man as he is barely the sonne of man So wée be wise vnto saluation wée must content our selues with that which the word deliuereth vs and séeke no other scholmaâ—ster no though it were an angell I care not what any Angell saith if he take not his text from the written word of God which wée haue with vs. That which wée say of an Angel is to be vnderstode likewise of the spirites of those that are departed as the historie of the rich man and Lazarus sheweth who putting vp his bil of request vnto AbrahaÌ„ that some doctor out of another world from the company of the dead might be sent to preach vnto his brethren hée was denied his sute and tolde that Moses and the Prophets were sufficient and that if they could not reclaime them their case was incurable this his new found affected monster could doe no good vpon them What néed haue we to séene beyond the scriptures for any thing belonging to the worke of our saluation when as Paul saith an Angell is not to bee credâ—ted but so farre as he commeth with scripture The obiect and subiect of the word being Christ how should it not be stored with all kinde of wisdome Who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes and santification and redemption The written word of God endited by the spirit is in all numbers absolute as Paul teacheth The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes It was requisite that this time should be concealed and not discouered to vs. That we might arise the better from that bed of securitie into which wée were cast as Iezabell was cast vpon abedde of fornication Christ taketh vp this argument as an instigation to vs to more forwardnes and faithfullnes in our dutie Watch therefore for yee know not when the maister of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning It is our manner to serue God as lawâ—ers do their cliants with delaies and to put off duties of religion and deuotion to after times promising our selues that wée shall liue long and sée many good daies But while we are in the fashion of the world in Zacharie â—in time of which it is said All the world sitteth still and is at rest the Eccho and answering voice from heauen will be this When they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sodaine distruction as trauell vpon a woman with child and they
DOOMES-Day Booke OR An Alarum for Atheistes A Watchword for VVorldlinges A Caueat for Christians By Samuel Gardnier Doctor of Diuinitie Heb. 9. verse 27. It is appointed to men that they shall once dye and after that commeth the Iudgement The Contentes the following page sheweth LONDON Printed by E. A. for Nicholas Ling and are to bee solde at his shop in Saint Dunstans Church-yard in Fleete-streete 1606. The Contents of the Chapters of this Booke Chap. 1 OF the vnquestionable certaintie of the worlds end pag. 1 Chap. 2. Of the manner how the world shall be destroyed page 10 Chap. 3. Of the vncertaine and vnknowne time of the worlds end page 15 Chap. 4 Of the signes of the worldes end page 24 Chap. 5. Of the certaintie of our Resurrection page 45 Chap. 6. Of the certaintie of the iudgemeÌ„t or the day of Deome pa. 56 Chap. 7. That Christ shall be the iudge of the world page 63 Chap 8. How ioyful it is to the Godly and doleful to the wicked that Christ shall be their iudge page 67 Chap. 9. The maiestie of Christ in his comming to iudgement page 7â— Chap. 10. The Persons that are to be iudged page 76 Chap. 11. The cases that are to be iudged page 79 Chap. 12. Of the Terror and horrour of iudgement page 84 Chap. 13. The forme of the sentence of iudgement page â—8 Chap. 14 Of the blessed estate of the Godly in the life to come pa. 102 To the Right Honourable Iane Ladie Barkley wife to the Lord Barkley his veâ—â— good Ladie THe directiâ—â— giuen to Salomons young man 〈…〉 as an Orient starre to guide you to Heauen as the Commet in the East was to the wise men as it were a hande to leade them to Bechlehem the place where Christ was I wish if it â—e the will of God that you liue yet many yeres to the glorie of God and the comfort of your godly friends and that you may long goe with a staffe for verie age yet it will not be amisse in the meane time to giue you summons of death For this cause I tender you this Doomes-day discourse wishing you to feed vpon it in your soule as vpon a Restoratiue and to eate it vp as the Prophet did the Rowle that God gaue him You shall not die the sooner but happily to the world the sooner Though I doubt not but you haue hitherto so liued as you may bolâ—ly say vpon your dying bed I am not ashamed to liue and I am not â—oath to die The grâ—ce of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you Amen Your Honours Chaplaine SAMVEL GARDNIâ—R To the Reader SImple Christian with Natlaraâ—l or semi Christian with 〈◊〉 or no Christian with Dauiâ—s noddâ— The enrolment of this Argument is more theÌ„ needâ—â—l As a comfort to the first a consâ—â—matioÌ„ to the second a call or corosiue to the laâ—ter sort â— The former ranke heare Doomes-day discourse as wâ—llingly as that man that intending to trauaâ—le to inâ—ta delightfully listneth to an other that delateth of the riches and plentie of that place His ioy is then fulfilled in the sight of his Sauiour the substance thereof as Salomon was vpon view of the visible Arke of the Couenant which was but the shadow He taketh out his Quâ—etus est with that luckie Euangelicall Merchant who hauing found the Pearle of mestimable value and the golden mine casteth vp all his worldly commodities as Matthew did his Customers offâ—ce Paul his high Commission giuen him by the Bishops 〈◊〉 his vsurie Peter his Nets when they were called to a better place And as Elias did cast aside his Cloake when hee was catched vp to heauen Hee is then in his Haruest reaping with ioy that he sowed in teares and â—â—nging home his sheaues with him He is led to the Kings râ—yall banquet and to the Supper of the Lambe which how â—â—gh honour it is HamaÌ„ telleth you in the boast of that fauour to his wife and friendes affoorded vnto him when hee was called tâ— dine with King Assuerus His sorrowes are no sorrowes vnto him in respect of the ioyes that are set before him the light afflictions of this worlde casting vpon him a greater weight of glorie Those that weepe are as those that wept not because the shadow of this world passeth away 2 The second sort of men I meane the midling that serueth God and Baal God and Mâ—mmon By this learning of the end of the world is easily led to the contempt of the worlde Omâ—â—a â—acâ—e coâ—temâ—t qui credit se cito moriturum He soone contemneth all things that thinketh he shall die soone saith Ierome It was wisely laid togither of Esau Loe I die what shal then the prerogatiue of my birth do me and as a stone cast into the riuer raiseth a bubble and that bubble stirâ—eth vp another â—o this contempt of the world raysed by this learning raiseth an other contempt with it euen of our selues Of which Bernard taketh consideration saying Vide vnde veneris erubesce vbi es ingemesce quo vadis contremisâ—e See from whence thou camest and blush where thou art sigh at it and whither thou art going and quake at it It will make thee crestâ—alne the consideration of thy constitution what thou art by creation and that thou shalt be the same by dissolution and thou art subiect to this checke Why art thou proude thou dust and ashes Finally it wil confirme thee in thy dutifull doings and strengthen thy feeble loynes It is the Schoolmaister the Prophet desireth to be giuen him of God to teach him wisedome the certificat of the dimensions of this life Quisâ—quâ—â—â—die recordatur esse moriâ—urum contemâ—â—t praesâ—ntâ—a adfutura â—â—stiâ—at He that dayly remembreth his death will hate things present and haste to thinges to come 3 Finally it conâ—eâ—teth or confoundeth the Atheist Nabal and Epicure that with the Prodigall sonne in his conceits is gone into a farre Country from his fathers house the Church of the euerliuing God standing vpon his owne proper wisdome which he taketh to be better then the wisdome of the spirit So that he swalloweth home in his sâ—â—ine securitie such damnable sathannicall suggestions as these Ede bâ—be lude post mortem nulla 〈◊〉 Let vs eate and drinke to morrow we shall die But such â—ermâ—ning as this if there be any hope in them shall 〈…〉 by the eares and the sound of this trumpet 〈…〉 from the dead sleepe of their sinne and set thâ—m vpon their feete and cast them into a new â—ould For matter of this nature naturally scattereth an host of sinnes For as fellons â—eare the comming of the Iudge and the time of the Aâ—â—â—ses 〈◊〉 that shal not stand in the iudgement tremble at this time and will be fearefull of such sinnes as they know will arrâ—â—â—ne them and condemne them If I shall benefite these or
any of these which is the period of my labors and desires the Lordes name be blessed for it Doomes day Booke The first Chapter Of the vnquestionable certaintie of the worldes end THe sâ—curitie and iniquitie of these â—â—mes haue thrust this argument vpon me For hauing beene foure and fourtie yeres suâ— feted with peace and plentie we haue not onely forgotten but as it were set our faces against pleâ—ie So that spaâ—â—â—â— the iudgements of God not by his word but by the state of the times wee make a mocâ—â—â—â— them and whatsoeuer Preachers tell vs of the dissolution of the world of 〈…〉 of all flesh of the generall countie day wee 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 Tâ— cut the veâ—â—â—ase 〈…〉 of truth doe wee not finde that the worâ—d sedde vpon 〈…〉 and â—ucke vp these suâ—â—â—â— damnable epâ—nons to the subâ—â—â—sion of their soules 〈◊〉 that 〈…〉 no 〈◊〉 at all or iudgement to â—â—me sensuall 〈…〉 2. Or that God â—ath adiourned the â—â—me of his câ—mmâ—ng and that it will belong â—ce he come of the generation of those 〈◊〉 al the â—est of them that Saint Peter taketh to â—â—ske It is therefore high time to put the world in mind of their lying vaniâ—ies which so 〈◊〉 their soules and so call them from deade woâ—k 〈◊〉 so bee it may 〈…〉 seâ—ue the liuing God by placing before 〈◊〉 â—yes the day of doome which must certainely come and shortly come which shall giue to euerie one according to their workes That is to them which by continuance in well doing seeke glory and honour and immortalitie eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Now if this shrill trumpet and passing Bell will not wake vs out of our lithargie of carnall securitie there is no recouerie of vs For this is the onely cooler I can consider of to queÌ„ch or qualifie our hot sinfull lustes If we looke vp to this clocke or dyall we shall bee wary how we spend our time Daniel by strewing ashes vppon the floore found out the fallacy of the Priestes of Baal by the mature meditation of our fraile condition that wee are but dust and ashes and that we are sure of a resurrection and retribution according to the nature of our actions we shall desâ—tie and dispeli the subtilties of the deuill For all his deuises by the memorie hereof shall bee subdued vnto vs as the deuill himselfe was driuen away by Christ by telling him of Scriptures The remembrance of this will bee a staffe and crotch as luckie vnto vs in this our wearisome perambulation of the few and euill dâ—â—eâ— of our life as that of Iacobs was vnto him wherewith he passed ouer Iordan If we looke to the end as the wisemen to the star it will leade vs as it did them the right way to Christ For why are older men better keepers of their Church then young men but because they consider they are nearer their end yong men by their sinnes with the younger Sonne who went farre from his father are farther off from God the farther they thinke in regard of their youth they are from their end They are as proud of the healthfull estate of their bodies as Nabuchadonozar was of the statelynesse of his Pallace saying to themselues Iâ— not this a strong bodie as Nabuchadonozer saide to himselfe Is not this great Babell The cause of the sinnes of the people that were endlesse was their carelesnesse of the end as Ieremie flatly telleth Hierusalem Her filthines is in her skirts she remembreth not her last end While Moses considered that hee had but a time in the world â—ee forsooke the worlde betime and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God theÌ„ to inioy the pleasures of sins for a season Tell me worldly man that sayest with Peter It is good to behere whether if thou hadst hired a house whose foundation reeleth and rocketh and threatneth a downfall thou wouldest not make hast out of that house It is certaine thou wouldest Hast thee saue thee escape for thy life I counsaile thee as the Angell counselled Lot Escape into the Mountaine and holie hill of the Lord as Lot was aduised when Sodom was destroied for the Lord will fire the house of this worlde and the heauens the beautifull roofe of the house according as hee hath immutably decreed saying Heauen and earth shall passe And as in this chapter it shall be fully prooued vnto thee He that made the heauen can fold it vp like a booke againe can rolle it together like a skin of Parchment He that made the sea and set the waues thereof in a rage and caused it to boile like a pot of oyntment can say to the â—â—oods Be ye dried vp He that made the drie land can rocke it to and fro vpon her foundations as a drunken man reeleth from place to place He can cleath the Sunne and the Moone in sack-cloath and commaund the starres to fall downe to the earth and the mountaines of the land to remoue into the sea It is the greatest follie in the world to dreame here of a dwelling place Wee haue here no continuing Citie but we seeke one to come Of his fathers house Christ hathsaid That there are many mansioÌ„s but he neuer said so much of Horeb or Thabor or of the wildernesse of this world But the worde is alreadie gone out of Gods mouth It is appointed vnto all men once to die nay twise to die as God threatned Adam Thou shalt die the death wherefore the Apostle maketh vp the former sentence with this addition After that commeth the iudgement Beleeue this as the Samaritans did not because of my worde but because the Lorde himselfe hath spoken it by the mouth of his Prophets euer since 〈◊〉 world began The Deluge or flood which Moses diligently hath described vnto vs. â—s a liuely representation of the worldes disâ—â—tion Saint Peter â—â—â—â—teth so much from thence against the mockers of his time thus Wherefore the worlde that then waâ— perished ouerflowed with the water but the heauens and earth which 〈◊〉 now are kept by the same werde in store 〈◊〉 â—lerued vnto fire vnto the day of iudgement This his 〈…〉 is taken from the example and it is fashioned thus If God could in times past marre the face of the whole world hee is able to doe the like againe But the former he hath done alreadie ouerwhelming the whole earth a handfull of seede as it were onely reseâ—â—ed to renue the same againe with riuers of waters And the latter is to be looked for that he waste the worlde againe with riuers of fire and brimstone Christ in many places is plaine in this point Heauen earth shall passe away but
my words shall not passe away In the reedition of a Parable the effect thereof elsewhere is thus deliuered The Haruest is the ende of the world So shall it be in the ende of this world And in the 49 verse of that Chapter the same wordes are repeated The 25. Chapter of Matthews Gospell handleth no other Argument but it is Doomes dayes discourse altogether It is the gracious promise Christ hath giuen to his Church I am with you alway to the ende of the world The Apostle taking this Text from Christs mouth doe est-soones put their people in remembrance hereof It is Paules saying to the Romans The creature shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption In his first Letter to the Corinthians he is large in this point Then shal be the end when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God c. To the Thessalonians he sayth When they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vpon them sudden destruction c. The eâ—de of all things is at hand saith Saint Peter What better witnesses would a man wish to haue for the euâ—â—ence of the case We heare God himselfe speake and therefore let euerie aduersaries mouth be stopped in the certaintie of the worlds end let vs be fullie grounded With these authenticke and pregnant proofes we may heare what the Heathens say not that the sacred mysteries of our faith haue neede of any grace from the lippes of Poets and Philosophers but that Heathens may bee vanquished with their owne weapons as the head of Goliah was cut off by his owne aâ—ming sworde and the Baalites were lanched with their owne shredding kniues and that such as beare the name of Christians might bee ashamed who denie that in their hearts which the heathens who were without God in the world confessed with their tongues Ouid describing God deliberating with himselfe about the Deluge among other things hee relateth this of him Esse quoquem â—atiâ—â— reminiscitur affore tempus Quo 〈◊〉 quo tellus corrept â—quâ— râ—gâ—â—â—â—li 〈…〉 lâ—molâ—s operola laboret The Dâ—â—â—mes decree a dismall day to come Wherein the Sea the soyleâ— and frame coelestâ—ll And 〈◊〉 worldly masse and spacious rome 〈…〉 vtter wracke and ruine fall Plato whose eyes were broader then the worlde and saw so much into this Diumitie as his wisdom was but a little wide of 〈◊〉 hâ—nâ—leth the worlds creation in such sort as Euseâ—â—â—s auerreth that â—e plowed with Moses Heiser and was helped by his Bookes which is not much vnlikely Plato hauing bin in Egypt as the storie of his life sheweth and the Egyptians being so carefull keepers of the rolles and registers of Moses the Iewes bringing them into Aegypt there being such free passage one to another betweene the Iewes and the Aegyptians His Dialogue superâ—cribed Timaeus giueth clusters of conclusions in the case So that giue we that the worlde was created as Plato contendeth this consequence will necessarily follow thereupon that it shall likewise bee dissolued For the composition thereof plainly proouing the beginning thereof as well in regard of the materiall as the effecient cause euerie thing compounded hauing a compounder and the compound matter of things contrarie reqâ—ring the aide of thinges simple from whence they may haue their originall composition the duration or dissolution thereof must stand to the â—â—rtesiâ— and will of the compoâ—nder whose will is free and will not be inforced as things naturall are in their â—câ—ioâ—s or admit that neâ—essarie coâ—erence of causes which the 〈◊〉 cast in their conâ—â—ts Idâ—iue this long dilated Argument into a narrow roome and 〈◊〉 it vp thus The worlde 〈…〉 mooued preseâ—ued by a first cause but that first goâ—â—â—ing and presetâ—â—ng cause is at absolute libertie to d ee as it pâ—â—sâ—th wherefore when that arch fliâ—ht from it the whole 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ther of immediately falleth The Sect of Phelosâ—phers called Stoâ—cks not onely pronounce the dissolution et the world but they go further and determine as Cicero recordeth the maner of it that it shall bee brought to a generall combustien Heraclitus as Themistius an Expositor vpon Aristotle hath it and Seneca surnamed by some a Christian Gentile or a Gentile Christian are of the mind that it shall perish by water But the scheole of Philosophers goeth most with the first opinion of the two whose steppes the Mathematicians tread in who make the starres the Incendiaries of the world running into a câ—urse and concourse â—â—ereunto Berosus is verie busie there about who as Seneca saith is so nice as to calculate the verie nicke and exegent of time when it shall be reduced to his finall consloâ—ration The time appointed is as he fanâ—seth when as all the Eelestiall signes who now haue their seuerall â—erambulatieâ—e and â—ettings shall meete togither in Cancer Of this kinde we haue vntnesses enough for hauing a sufficient company to make a grand Iurie what aduantage should wee haâ—e iâ— we should ransacke the whole worlde from the Center to the Circumâ—erence for euerie such authoritie Let the Perepatecians prate as they please to the contrarie who peremptorily auouch thâ— worldes eternitie Among whom their great master Aristotle is the chiefest and Galen the Phisitians God is not behind who measureth the nature of the world by experience saying as we see by dayly sight that the world hath alwayes stoode so it shall still stand Of which vain is Manlius comming in verie goodâ—ily with such a spoke saying Our fathers haue not seene neither shall their childrens children see any other world then this Vpon which string harpeth the blinde Harpers and ianglers at this doctrine whom Peter statly ouercame in disputation who considering how the world keepeth at a stay do promise the perpetuity of the same vnto themselues in a restie securitie Thus shooting their fooles bolte Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers died all things haue continued alike since the beginning of the creation Let these I say and such like blurt out their vaine tattle as they please we haue aduersaries of their owne marke and calling that shall replie against them and repell them Against those forenamed grand-captaines of the controuersie we culle out Philosophers as theÌ„selues are Pithagoras the Sloicks and the broode of Epicures if they wil admit of them as for Plato their Deisted Philosopher they dare not denie him but they will giue him the first place in the schooles Against the Latins Plinie and his â—â—â—plices 〈…〉 Senâ—â—a who is worth them all and will forte them at the 〈◊〉 Lâ—stly I desire no other Iudge in the cause then our common 〈…〉 â—hich considereth of the natuâ—e of the whole bâ— the conâ—equence of the seuerall paâ—ts which doe ordeyne and 〈◊〉 the whole But euery particular part of the world that peâ—â—â— wheâ—â—ore common sence it selfe setteth downe that the whole
it were if wee compare them to the sorrowes which she 〈◊〉 at the time of her trauaile when she 〈◊〉 the clowdes with her cries and she â—hrobbinges and throwinges of her soule doe ascende vp vnto heauen So the troubles of these times are but tristes to close that shall befall vs in the extremitie of that time 13 The thirteenth Preludium and forewarning of the worldes ende is the raging and roaring of mightie waters The Sea and the Waters shall roare which also hath had his inchoation though not his perfection as manie vnseasonable by past yeares doe witnesse which haue brought forth manie vntimely terrible tempests and mightie inundations To these forespoken signes we must needes adioyne these other two so pregnant and notable 1 The vocation of the Iewes 2 The Reuelation of Antichrist The first is thus pointed at by the Apostle in these wordes I would not that yee should be ignorant of this secret that partly obstinacy is come to Israel vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in The sense whereof is this That the Iewes shall not alwaies abide in blindâ—es but that after the number of the Gentiles be collected which is a great and full number signified by these his wordes The fulnesse of the Gentiles they shall come in heapes and 〈◊〉 their names to Christ and bee 〈◊〉 into the church submit theâ—selues to the obedience of 〈◊〉 by which they shall 〈◊〉 Of these specialties 〈…〉 this calling shall be 〈◊〉 Of the manner how it shall be 〈◊〉 Or of the numbâ—r of them that shall 〈◊〉 this grace we can say nothing because the 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Of 〈…〉 sealed twelue thousand of the 〈…〉 were sealed twelue thousand 〈…〉 〈…〉 shall giue vp the kingdome to 〈…〉 and how he must reigne vntill such time as hee 〈…〉 and put them vnder his 〈…〉 by these 〈…〉 The like he deliuâ—◠〈…〉 Genuadies amongst others 〈…〉 them all to fauor againe Such as 〈…〉 to expect such 〈…〉 But I 〈…〉 For 〈…〉 of the Church and alwayes withall the 〈◊〉 they coulde did kicke against Christ so among the Iewes there shall be some such humorous fellowes as shall expresse the peruersâ—â—sse of their ancestors Also al Israel is to be taken but for a part of Israel according to the vsual phraise of the scripture For vniuersall propositions in the scriptures are often contracted and implie an vniuersalitie that is definite as in these places All flesh shall see the saluation of God Againe They shal be all taught of God Also God will that all men shall be saued which is to be vnderstood as August saith of all that are saued for they are saued by the will of God But the greatest matter that they haue to oppose against this point is the saying of our Sauiour Do ye thinke that when then sonne of man shall come he shall find faith in earth But say they If there shall bee such a popular conuersion vnto Christ there remaineth much faith vpon earth which Christ shal find at his comming We thus easily dissolue this doubt and reconcile these repugnant places in appearance For Antichrist hath turned al religion vp-side downe insomuch as the principles of their faith no more fit the right faith then the counterfeite that Michell placed vpon the pillow was like vnto Dauid so that if it were possible the elect should be seduced but being smit through by the sworde of the Spirit of Christ The Iewes may well returne and acknowledge their Messiah and confirme and establish the seduced Gentiles wee also answere thus that after this vniuersall conueonrst of the world anew Apostacie and securitie may follow which may quench the fire of the spirit and so they may bee relapsed a fresh into their former filthinesse which shall bee the cause that God shall abridge and shorten the worldes age for his elects happines There is no absurditie or inconuenience in any of these two answers I charge not the Reader with one more then the other but leaue each of them to his choise it being nothing materiall vnto our saluation busily to bolt out which is the best of them 2 The seconde of the last two signes of the worldes ende is the manifestation of Antichrist of which Paul speaketh saying This day of Christ shall not come before there bee a departure first and that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition which is Antichrist This signe is alreadie giuen for the Pope is this huge and absolute Antichrist in the iudgement of Pope For Gregorie the eight of that name Pope of Rome in the yéere of our Lord 602. willed vs to take this for an infallable marke of Anti-christ the name of vniuersall Bishop and whosoeuer shall arrogate that title to himselfe hee concludeth him to be Antichrist But fiue yeeres after Boniface succeeding him was by Phocas the Emperour called Vniuersall Bishop And euer since euerie following Pope continueth the title By consequence then it is manifest that at Rome is the Antichrist who so listeth further to be satisfied in this point let him reade the learned booke of Doctor Whittakers against Sanders sortie demonstrations in this case and a set homelie of Gualters to this purpose and a late booke of Doctor Downams and many others that haue laboured in this busines to assoile at questions and to cleere it of all further contradiction By this which hetherto hath bene declared wee may euidently perceiue if we will not be blind with Balaam with our eyes open and groape with the Sodomites for a wall at noone day that the worldes best daies are spente and that the distruction thereof is at hand There is no greater signe of a dying man then when thou feest him snatch the sheetes and blankets of the bedde and forciblie draw them to himselfe but this wee see euery where in the course of the world wherein euery one catcheth what hee can drawing otherâ— goodes into their handes with cart-ropes of couetousnes wherein they haue their sicophantes at hand to sooth them in their sinne and their oppressing iniquitie Pharaoh had seruants at hand to magnifie Sarahs beauty thereby to sit themselues to the kings fancie Another certaine signe of a perishing bodie is the coldnesse of the bodie Therefore it is said of Dauid when he was towards death that â—e was so cold as no cloathes could heate him and so for want of heate died Wherefore when euery one beginneth to die his féete hands nose and other partes ware cold vpon sight whereof his Phisitions pronounceth him to be a dead man This is the state of the present world wherein charitie is at the coldest and at the last gaspe hauing taken farewell of the world vertue veritie pittie pietâ—e are so 〈◊〉 practised as they are not spoken of nay scarse thought of Sermons are seldom heard of vs and lesse regarded the shortest are the sweetest vnto vs for out
féete are as it were in the stocks till they be ended wee may take vp the Prophets moane There is no truth or mercie or knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud These carbuncles and putrifying sores we plainly sée to abound in the worlds body whereby we doe determine the sâ—éedy death of that botle But all these signes hitherto specified do come before the iudgment Iâ—remaineth now that we intreat of those that aâ—toÌ„pany the 〈◊〉 Aâ— 1. the â—bscuration obfuscation of the 〈◊〉 2. The 〈◊〉 darknes of the moone 3. The fal of heauenly stars 4. The coâ—â—â—ction of eclâ—stial powers 5. The signe of the Son of man 6. Of the comming of the son of man in the clouds we shal intreat more specially in his proper place I may not curiously 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 points portray out vnto you the 〈◊〉 coâ—ntenance 〈◊〉 aspect of the world which it wil then 〈◊〉 These rather serue as preparaâ—â—es to incite vs to watchfulnes become that we may stand at that day and that wee might consider how dreadfull a thing sinne is which is the procurer of these dreadfull 〈◊〉 For 〈◊〉 it not for our sinnes these creatures should not trauell in thâ—â—â—â—â—rowes For what haue they be serued that they should be so punished But because they looke not Gods parte and rose vp against 〈◊〉 when wee rose against God this cuâ—se shall light vpon them and wee say the sentence of the Angell in the 〈◊〉 of Deborah vpon them read ouer others in the like case Curse ye Meroz Curse the inhabitants thereof because they came 〈◊〉 helpe the Lord to helpe the Lord against the mightie Because the 〈◊〉 gaâ—e thee light when thou 〈…〉 in the works of darknesse 〈◊〉 shall â—e 〈…〉 day Because the 〈◊〉 did warmethâ—â— and did 〈…〉 wickedlie it shall bee 〈…〉 God shall fight against 〈…〉 they would 〈…〉 â—gainst thee when thou 〈…〉 fight against God 〈◊〉 they are rightlie serued For it is 〈…〉 to take 〈…〉 of sinne as of sinne if 〈…〉 by God that when the Israelites should besiedge 〈…〉 their enemies they should lay their wooâ—es and 〈…〉 And it was a statute in Israell that he that sinned 〈…〉 should die with the beast Now the beast that was to die or the 〈…〉 were net in the sinne but because 〈…〉 was no 〈◊〉 to be shewed 〈…〉 commanded to 〈◊〉 the cattell of 〈…〉 no more then the stone walles of 〈…〉 which Iosua tumbled downe So God brought 〈…〉 vpon the Serpent commaunding him alwaies to goe vppon his 〈…〉 not that the Serpent sinned but 〈…〉 to speake out of him 〈◊〉 was 〈…〉 since 〈…〉 serue onley for the extent 〈…〉 For when the godly see these 〈…〉 vp their 〈◊〉 because their Saluation is at hande 〈…〉 wicked that woulde not stande 〈…〉 confounded at the signes of a God of iudgement When Aâ—solon couâ—de not drawe Ioab 〈…〉 vse by 〈…〉 groundes he made him take his part God hath two striâ—ges to his bowe if one will not serue another shall Iâ— the 〈…〉 will not conuert vs 〈…〉 of Damascus and there leâ—◠〈…〉 power 〈…〉 all their come sâ—â—des 〈…〉 came vpon 〈…〉 when 〈…〉 〈…〉 saye when hee shall see these 〈◊〉 If men 〈…〉 darknesse of 〈…〉 〈…〉 sée another or remoouâ— out of his place If they quake at euerie earthquake If a raâ—ling winde goeth to the hart of them If the roaring of the Sea any noice at midnight dismaieth them If the skritchings of Serpents and Dragons cut them to the quicke what heapes of perturbations shall runne vpon the damned sort when these things here spoken of shall play their last acte vpon the fierie stage of this world In the day of Christs passion for mans saluation the Sunne laide downe his light and darkenes ouer-clouded all the face of the earth much more when the righteousnes of the sonne of God shall execute iudgement shall the sunne forbeare to shew himselfe or to runne his course but shall hide himselfe in his chamber that the sinner may tremble at the iudgment of Christ as the Centurion was astonished at these tokens at the suffering of Christ But as all the elements and heast of heauen and frame of the world shall serue as souldiers to fight vnder his banner for the discomfiture and confusion of his aduersaries when he shall come to destroy the world So haue they from the beginning of the same fought his battles against sinners For as the whole world was made for the vse of man and there is no part thereof but is a liuelye image of his goodnesse to those that serue God so when man setteth his face against God and despise his commandements God who is a man of warre whose name is Iehoua calleth out these souldiers into the fielde against him and they are fierce excutioners of his iudgements Examples euerie where are obuious vnto vs and the examples of the Egyptians and Chananites are especially memorable against whom all the elements conspired and put them selues in battell aray against them while the heauens smote their grounds with hot thunderbolts and discharged haileshotte of hailestones to the fearefull slaughter both of man and beast while the ayre mustred swarmes of locustes caterpillers iunumerable which did eate vp all the grasse in their lande and deuoured the fruit of their ground whilest their riuers yéelded frogges which were brought vp to the kings bedde chamber The Sunne and Moone tooke part with Iosua at the appointment of God standing still in Gibea and in the vallie of Aialon and refusing to stirre an yâ—ch till Iosua had his iust reuenge of his enimies I would that our minds were giuen more to the serious remembrance of these forepassed iudgements then they are that we might applie them to the preâ—â— vnâ—aturall yeres that we haue had of late which haue shew 〈◊〉 vs many vnkind parts by verie hurtfull tempests rage and iâ—â—undation of sea and riuers earthquakes provigious birthes â—â—luckâ—e blasing starres whereof I would fame know what age hath séene to many as ours within these last thréescore yeres In which not onely Comets haue béen common but in many places crosses swordes bloodie speares armed souldiers lyons and other such strange sightes full of terror haue verie perspicuously appeared in the ayre Now that God scareth vs not with fraybugges his following iudgements by warres commotiâ—ns alterations of kingdomes famine plagues mortalitie strange maladies whereby he heaueth vs by the shoulders and setteth vs on our feete doe witnesse well enough But yet these are but petty punishments forerunners and bréeders of a greater mischiefe which when the day commeth must certainly come vpon vs. Among these latter signes giuen vs by Christ of the worlds end the signe of the Son of man is nominated which some say is the bodie of Christ bearing the signes of his
pregnant proofes The EuaÌ„gelists are flat for it Christ saith in Math. The Son of man shal come in the glory of his father with his Angels then shal he giue to euery man according to his deeds Againe by the same Euangelist he saith thus They shall see the sonne of man come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glory c. Also by the same pen-man thus when the Son of man commeth in his glory and all the holly Angells with him then shal he sit vpon the throne of his glory Luke recordeth the like wordes of our Sauiour Then shall they see the Sonne of man come in a cloude with power and great glorie beheaded and Peter to be crucified the Saints of God from time to time by all exquisite torments to be tortured if there were not a reuersion of times wherein they might be glorified Wherfore it was necessarie that a generall assise should bee holden for Gaile deliuerie and the consummation of their endlesse felicitie 3. When should this fore denuntiation of Christ sake effect Nothing is secret that shall not be euident neither anie thing hid that shall not be knowne and come to light As also these like predâ—ctions of holie Scripture God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ Euerie mans worke shall bee made manifest if our expectation of the iudgement hath not due effect For seeing heere many thinges are smothered which neuer are detected Bee we assured that God keepeth a Kalender of our doings and noteth euerie thing exactly in his Register and that the bookes shall be opened and set before vs the eternall counsaile of God reuealing to euerie one his sinnes in particular 4 Albeit the two edged sword of Gods iustice resteth and rusteth in the Scabbard of his patience because he would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance yet that this conniuencie might not cast vs vpon a bed of securitie he hath made some examples to vs in this life to set vs vpon our feet and to make vs vigilant that we fall not into the iudgement As those whom the Deluge did absorpe and sweepe away wherin all the Inhabitants of the world Noah his famille dedicted the remnant of the olde and the seede of the newe Worlde being destroyed Vnder this iudgement the future finall iudgement wherein onelie a remnant shall be saued euen the little Arke and Barke of Christs Church is luculently portended As also the fearefull conflagration of Sodome giueth faire admonition of a iudging God the breath of Gods anger hauing blowne the fire that will lick vp all the vngodly like stubble and consume them like drosse Heereupon Augustine thus sweetely speaketh Lot a iust man and a good house-keeper in Sodome pure and vndefiled from the filthinesse of the Sodomites was saued from the fire which was the image of hell fire being the type of the bodie of Christ which in all the Saints and now among the wicked wayleth by whose badde conuersation it is not corrupted and from whose consociation it shall bee deliuered in the ende of the worlde those being adindged to Hell fire c. Finally the repudiation of the Iewes the inheritance royall Nation and peculiar people of God is a memorable and dreadfull example of Gods iudgement who for their disobedience to the Lordes Prophets were the declamation and a Prouerbe vnto all the worlde and were pittifully entreated of the Assyrians and Babylonians and lastly by the Romans so spoyled as they were no more a people 5 Our consciences witnesse the certaintie of the iudgement which tremble and quake al the remembrance thereof as Faelix dâ—d at the Sermon oâ— Paul dilating vpon these points righteousnesse temperance iudgement to come But for as much as wee are called to reckoning immediately after the Dissolution of our bodies and with our death come in the Ticâ—ets and Bell of account of the by-past actions of the whole life the vniuersall generall Audit day seemeth needlesse but in a double respect it is more then necessarie First of God second of our selues 1 Of God that he might be iustified in his sayings and cleare when he is iudged God is so good as being infinite and omnipotent and we being little more then nothing hee yeeldeth to a iudiciall hearing that no man may complaine that iustice is not giuen him Therefore that thou mayest not charge him with wrong intended of his side towardes thee thou shalt haue thy open verie honourable tryull 2 In regarde of our selues it is also requisite that our shamelesse sinnes might come to more confusion and our good beâ—des might the more bee dignifyed Wherefore our prouinâ—â—ll Lawes punish theeues and malefactors openly to adde more shame vnto them If a Magistrate shall in pittie to couer his shame execute a felon closely in the Gaile hee shoulde not doe iustice because hee doth not the plenarie punishment the Lawe awarded him For the disgrace ignominie and reproch that followeth such a iudgement is the greatest part of the iudgement Hence it is that man tendring his credite had rather die then be oâ—â—gâ—aced Secular Iudges and Ecclesiasticall Officers bring foorth their delinquents to doe their peuance in the Market dayes and Sabaoth that the great apparance of people which such times do giue might inlarge their shame So God reserueth an impenitent sinner to that generall day to adde more affliction to his heauinesse being made as a spectaclâ— set vppon a stage for all the Worlde to wonder at This is that hee threatneth him by his Prophet Nahum Beholde I will discouer thy skiâ—s vpon thy face and will shew the nations thy filthinesse and the Kingdoms thy shame And I will cast filth vpon thee and make thee vile and will set thee as a gasing stocke Now what an exquisite iudgement is this consider by this which hath some similitude hereunto Put the case that an honest and shamefast Matrone shoulde bee stripped of her rayment and shewed naked to all that woulde beholde her woulde not this bee as a knife set at the heart or her and woulde shee not die through the anguish of soule for this vnspeakeable shame brought vppon her No question shee would But in what case is a sinner in respâ—ct of her who shall haue all his abhominations set before the viewe of the worlde the filthie workes wordes thoughts oâ— his â—â—â—de read in the audience of all A thousande to one that â—eheâ—â—e her nakednesse shall see his filthinesse by infinite degrees â—â—ereâ—ore the vexation of the one shall exceede the veration of the other For he shall call out heauen and earth to record against them as Moses against the people Angels and Diueâ—s shall goe against them and condemne them and what 〈◊〉 oâ— the sinnes of the Saints be spoken of Yes doubâ—â—s But rather to dignifie then damnifie them For they shall bee vnto them as rents of Garments
which are â—ouered ouer with a Veweâ— Welt or Fringe or Lace of Golde which giueth a great dâ—ale more grace vnto the Garment The rentes of their sinnes being ouerlayde with repentance appeare no more but rather are more orient and beautifull But the wicked shall not stand in the iudgement neither the sinners in the Congregation of the righteous Thus as the generall iudgement serueth for the greater confusion of vilde persons so it maketh to the greater glorie of the Saints and the grace of their good workes It was the order among the Romans that such châ—iftains and vâ—liants that had performed honorable seruâ—câ— in the warres should be brought into the cittie of Rome with greaâ—â—omâ—e with their captiues taken in the field following them and the displaid 〈◊〉 and other ensigneâ— of their vaâ—oâ—c carried before them 〈◊〉 the godly when they goâ— out of this use shall be brought with all vnspeakable solemn◠〈…〉 the heauenly cittie of Hierâ—salem among the companie of inuâ—merable â—ngels with all the fuduments and ornaments of their vertuâ—s about them as all 〈◊〉 workes of pittie and piâ—â—e their coâ—tumelies callamities 〈◊〉 suffâ—â—â—d for conscience sake their humility charity modesâ—e 〈…〉 finally euery good action thogh it be quidâ—â— rather then quantum a quidditie rather then a quantitie as a cup of cold water giuen for Gods sake which we giue our beasts sâ—â—ll come before God and haue reward in heauen the qualitie rather then quantitie beeing regarded by the almightie As for the 〈◊〉 which shall be brought after them as the Emperoures among the Romans did bring their prisoners with them they are the Dâ—â—ell the world the â—lesh and all the blacke garde that hang â—â—ereupon as fornication vncleaâ—â—es immodestie anger contention and such like ouer which they haue victoriouâ—ly triumphed The seauenth Chapter That Christ shall be the iudge of the world THe certaintie of the iudgement béeing shewed in the next roome it is meete it bee declared who shall be the iudge The iudge shall be Christ the second person in Trinitie The whole Trinitie haue a stroke in the action but the execution therof is committed by them to the second person So the scriptures shew It is Christes saying The father iudgeth woman but hath committed all iudgement to the 〈◊〉 And hâ—th giuen him power to execute iudgement in that he is the sonne of man Mathew Marke Luke witnesse so much In Mathew it is said The sonne of man shall come in the glory of his father with his Angels and then shall he giue to euery man according to his deeds Againe by him thus They shall see the Son of man come in the clouds of heauen c. And thus And when the son of man commeth in his glory c. In Mark it is said When they shall see the son of man comming in the cloudes c. The like saith Luke They shall see the sonne of man come in a cloude c The Apostle by their subscription establish this proposition Paul giueth his vnfained consent thereunto thus At the day wheÌ„ God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ And in another place thus We must all apeare before the iudgement seat of Christ c. The third time he puteth his hand to this doctrine vsing the selfe same wordes beâ—ore mentioned This was a peece of his preaching at Athens Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnes by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath giuen an assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead By this he adiureth Timothie to bee â—aithfull in his ministrie I charge thee before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing and in his kingdome c. By this he perswadeth to follow wholesome admoniâ—ion Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we look for the Sauioâ— eueÌ„ the Lord Iesus Christ who shal change our vile bâ—dâ—e that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working wherby he is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe He putteth Titus in mind hereof saying Looking for the blessed hope and apearing of the glory of the mightie God of our sauiour lesus Christ So much hee intimateth in effect to the Thessalonians When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angells in flaming fire rendring vengance vnto them that doe not know God c There is no wrâ—ghting of the Apostle free from this doctrine but it is eft-soones by him vpon al â—ccurring necessities repeaâ—ed This text was giueÌ„ to Peter to preach vpon to the CenturioÌ„ Cornelius as he himselfe confesseth in this wise Hee commaÌ„ded vs to preach vnto the people to testifie that it is he that is ordeined of God a iudge of quick and dead Augustine reÌ„dreth this reason of his coÌ„ming to iudgemeÌ„t in this wise vt ea natura Iudicem agat quâ— sub Iudice stetit that he may act the offâ—ce of a iudge in that nature in which he stode before a iudge Hée shall come visible and manifest to iudge the worlde as hee came visible and manifest to redeeme tâ—e worlde But this office seemeth too base for his heauenly maiestie to fitte iudging and determining the â—ffaires of men And one would thinke it might become a meaner person better For if a King should sitte counting with hie Cater about his expences or should once enter into the kitchin or larder house hee should be lesse esteemâ—d ouer after for it But he that will parley the point with the Ante why he conueyeth away kernelles of corne and hoordeth them vp in the holes of the earth hee should bee accounted a very foolish man Now this action of Christ seemeth in outwarâ— consideration meâ—â—er then anie of these supposed cases inasmuch as Christ and wee cannot admitte comparisons wée being not so much as a mote to himward My substance is nothing in respect of thee euery man in his best state is altogether vanitie so singeth the melodious and mellictuous musiâ—ian of Israel Isaj resembleth vs to â—ay and to grasse which the wind wracketh the Sunne sâ—ngeth the beast deuoureth and euery passenger trampleth vnder féete which is to day and to morrow is cast into thâ—â—uen and he taketh the theame from Gods mouth saying All flesh is grasse and all the glorie thereof is as the flower of the field Dauid hath no better thing to liken vs to then a worme and cast garment wee shall all waxe olde as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change vs and we shall be changed Therefore if being said to Christ we are lesse then the Cater is to the King the moth to a man It séeme derâ—gatorie from his supreame dignitie to vndergoe such an office of humilitie But the necessitie thereof hath beene for-shewed and his maner of comming in glorie which we shal
but of our redeemers of whom saluation is to be looked for so farre is he from going vp to the bench to condemne vs. To this end the Father hath honoured his Son and hath resigned vp to him all the iudgement for the pacificition 〈◊〉 the consciences of his seruant affâ—ighted with the regard of the terror of his iudgement Thus good Christian is thy lot falâ—e into a faire ground and thou hast a good inheritance For tell me if thou hadst a cause haâ—ing in the law thy Counsellor who alwayes hath encouraged thee in it should be made thy Iudge wouldst thou not bee a glad man vpon it and ascertaine thy selfe of thy good successe The Christians case is the like and our fee-simple and frée-hold of our saluation is to vndergo decision and determination of law Christ that alwayes hath béene our Counsellor and warranted vs the day is created by the father our Iudge the inheritance therefore cocke-sure of our side and that our soules knowe right well Respect not therefore what iudgement the worlde giueth of thee seeing thou hast the supreme Iudge of the highest Court that giueth sentence on thy side which Omni appellatione remota without further appeale must stande inuiolable For if thou beest here wronged in a lower Court by some vnskilfull or corrupt Iudge thou knowest how to remedie the matter out of hand nâ—mely by appealing to a higher Bench where this iniuris is rectified Art thou thus wise for thy worldly wealth and wilt thou not haue as good vnderstanding for thy sauing health The Prophet Ieremie tooke this course who beeing vniustly iudged by men turneth himselfe to God and putteth vp his â—ill of complaint thus vnto him O Lord of hostes that iudgest righteously and triest the reines and heart let me see thy vengeance on them for vnto thee haue I opened my cause But this is not so much comfort to the godly as a corosiue to the wicked For it will be a death vnto them to see him whom they so hated so exalted that their highest enemy shal be in highest maiesty It was the greatest eâ—e-sore heart-sore that might be to the brethren of Ioseph that Ioseph was more set by of their father Iacob then they because they neuer could abide him Saul was made a mad melaÌ„cholick maÌ„ because the people so much applauded Dauid whoÌ„ he persecuted It was not such veration to Ieremie to sée IerusaleÌ„ destroied to sit as a widow forsakeÌ„ but this wrought al his wo that his enemies had dominioÌ„ ouer him That the wicked are Christs enemies no better it is certaine So Paul calleth theÌ„ They are the enemies of the crosse of Christ whose 〈◊〉 damnation In regard of his enmitie betwéene Christ and them they had rather go downe presently into hel then see him in such Maiestie whom they loaded with such miserie 2 Also their conditions are so contrarie as they could not possible haue a worse match then that he should be Iudge ouer them For what comfort can a couetous man haue when he standeth before him to be iudged who euer so abhorred couetousnesse and despised riches as when he was borne hee woulde haue neuer a Cradle but suffred himselfe to be layd in a Cratch who all his life time would not haue a house of his owne wherein to hide his head when as the foxes were better prouided for by their holeâ— and the birde of the ayre by their nests who at his death had neuer a Graue-stone to couer him but was intombed in Iosephs Sepulchre What â—ey can the proude haue when they appeare beâ—ore this Iudge whose humilitie was such as he stooped and yeelded his shoulders to the crosse which he carried till his backe was readie to breake what heart can the haughtie and ambicious haue who only stand vpon termes of gentrie and hunt after honour saying with Saul Honour mee before my people and taking that to be their Quietus est the chiefest felicitie knowing that this Iudge can abide nothing worse in which respect when they would have honoured him he hid himselfe from them and when they would haue crowned him a king he would not come at them And what shall the trencher-men of our times whose God is their bellie whose larder is their loue whose bowles are their blisse and their foode their felicitie say when they shall holde vp their handes at his barre and looke him on the face whose 〈◊〉 was so sowre and diet so much against appetite gall steeped in Vineger being giuen him for restauration Now shall not all the louers of the world be confounded before him who so loathed and reiected all the pleasures of this worlde It dismaieth the rich man to haue a poore man his Iudge the proude man endureth not the humble should iudge him the vnchast dreadeth the arbitriment of the continent the mightie had rather bee tried by anie then by the meane man In all these respects the vnrighteous wish to bee tried by any then by Christ Iesus And they haue reason for it For admitte thou were to goe to Westminster Hall to conuent thy neighbour before one of the Iudges and thou shouldest méete one of thy acquaintance comming from thence to whom thou opeâ—est thy purpose in this busâ—â—esse and he should answere thee that the law would goe against thee because others in the like case haue bene condemned before thee would not thy discretion deale with thee to goe backe as then camest and giue ouer this inteâ—dement truly if thou hast anye witte in thy head thou wouldest It so fareth with euery wicked man and so standeth the case with him Couâ—tous man I aske thee whether thou goest thou answerest mee to a iudge of Assise and thou answerest right for to him thou must goe whether thou wilt or no. But tell mee what thou wouldest haue there Thou saiest by that meanes thou wouldest â—ll in thy moneyes by obligatorie wrightinges though by vncenscionable practise â—â—torsâ—â— due vnto thee I tel thee my freind returne backe by repentance and be thine owne freind for vppon my certaine knowledge I haue seene the case condemned in others wholy wrightings and I haue diuerse times read them The Lord the iudge of glorie sitting vppon that cause by couching in 〈◊〉 â—rath and not hauing in al 〈◊〉 life time a cabbin to couer him in this â—ts owne example hath condemned this course I say the 〈◊〉 to you resolute and desolate men that picke quarrelles for sâ—all causes and often for no cause and thinke man-slaughter gâ—od man-hood and thinke it a dispaâ—â—â—â—ent to bigest a discontentâ—ment you will be condemned for this â—â—ate at the iudgement for the Iudge by doing the conâ—rarie hath condemned it bâ—e a â—â—uâ—led reuâ—led not againe did not banâ—â—e backe blowes for blowes but euen as sheepe before his shéerer was dâ—mmie so opened he not his moâ—th Also he hath left vs câ—ntrarie commandement namely if we be buâ—â—â—ted on the
one chéeke to holde out the other the meaning whereof is that we rather suffer two iâ—iuries then reuenge one To the Epâ—cures ambitious luxurioâ—s and to all eâ—orbitant persons of what name and title soeuer they bee bée the same spoaken they haue their iâ—dgement in the law and they shall haue it in the lake if they looke not well vnto it Therfore for Godâ— sake be ye warned that ye may be armed that ye may not be harmed Thou angrie man it will not seâ—ue thy turne at that time toplead the heat of thy nature the impotencie of thy affections whereby thou canst not moderat thy â—cessiue perturbations For when many dogges came about Christ and many fatte Bulles of Basan incircled him and be set him round about hee was so farre from troublesome passions as hee was resolued into charitable affections towards them and put vp his praieres to his father for them Thou gréedie guttâ— that giuest vp thy selfe to gurmandizing it is but absurde to plead disuse of abstinence or temperaunco for Christ that great faster shal condemne thee thou great feaster From these instances all degrées of sinners may take inferences that belong vnto them and be in time conuerted least at that time they be for euer confounded Thus Christ as he was the ruine and resurrection of many according to the prophecie at his first comming so shall his second comming haue the same effects The dolor of the wicked and the pleasure of the godly shal be such at that time as a learned man in meditation hereof wondereth that euery stone should not be a thorne to the godly in this life to enlarg his miserie that in the life to come he might haue laide vpon his shoulders a great-weight of glorie that euery stone is not a rose to the wicked 〈◊〉 might haue his fill of pleasure in this life because then it is outâ—â— date and there is none to be looked for of him in the 〈◊〉 to come The ninth Chapter The Maiestie of Christ in his comming to Iudgement CHrist shall come verie gloriously to iudgement with a white cloud round about him the whole quire of Angells and the whole host of heauen attending vpon him with an incredible shrill and hoarse noise of trumpets His number without number is thus indefinitly spoken of by the Apostle in these wordes He shall come with thousandes of his saintes which hath consent with former prophecies for Daniel being in this argument saith A firie streame issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousands stood before him the iudgment was set and the bookes opened This tooke place at his first coÌ„ming wheÌ„ the minister and hoast of heaueÌ„ly soldiers waited on him and shall take place againe at his second comming when all the ministring spirits and creatures of heauen Saints Angels seruants shall be pannelled personally to assist him To this end saith the Euangelist The sonne of man shall come in the glorie of his father with his Angells They shall see the some of man come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glorie WheÌ„ the son of man cometh in his glorie al the holy Angells with him Yee shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and come in the cloudes of the heauen They shall see the Sonne of man comming in the cloudes with great power and glorie The like wordes are in Luke with these hath the saying of Iude sweete harmonie Behold the Lord coÌ„meth with thousands of his saintes Now the power of Angels in the execution of Gods iudgements is inuincâ—ble for one Angel slew all the first borne of Egipt in on night By the hand of one Angel there was such hauock made of the armies of the Assirians as a hundreth fouer-score and fiue thousand of them were put to the sword and laid on the ground as corne by a sicle Therefore what a huge destruction shall there be of the wicked when hee commeth with such a royall armie of Angels with him There are manie that are innocent that are terrified when they see a King come by with an armed power the sight of glistring swords dismaieth them the clattering of armour and weapons affrighteth them therefore what terror horror shall come vpon the wicked when Christ a man of war shal buckle his harnesse to him he shal put on iustice as a habergeon shal come with his Miriades of heauenly Angels and betake himself to his throane out of which he shall thunder the great curâ—â—e against all flesh which must be ratified foreuer Where shall those that haue persecuted him in his members then appeare If they could not indure the maiestie of him when he came but to deliuer the law in Mount Synaj but the blacknes darknes tempest burning fiâ—e was to terrible for them insomuch as Moses said I feare and quake the people fled stood a far off and said vnto Moses Talk thou with vs we wil heare but let not God talk with vs least we die Now shal they endure his second comming in the â—â—tiousnes of his wrath when his voice shall shake yâ— heauens the earth the sea the dry land his comming is to take vengeance of the breakers of this lawe If men ware amazed at any strange eclips of Sunne and Moone if any extraordinarie darknes danteth them as the Egiptians were out of heart when such a foggie darknes came vpon them as for two or three daies together one could not see another or mooue out of his place if earth-quakes make them quake and their hearts faile them vpon the occurrence of impetuous winds vociferations of many waters noice in the night scritchings of Serpents and Dragons and such like When greater signes then these by infinite degrées be shewed in the glorious comming of Christ to iudge the worlde how should not the hearts of the wicked malt like waxe and fall away like water As in the daie wheron our redéemer was crucified the naturall sonne of God for the sinnes of the world the Sun was smoothered and there was dacknes ouer all the land so when the iustice of the adopted Son of God shal be shewed there shal be terrible fearful signes to strike sinners into passions as the Centurion and many others were at those signes shewed at his passion If the brethren of Ioseph could not tell what to say when as Ioseph in kindnes did but say vnto him I am Ioseph in remembrance but of one forpassed trespasse What shal stubborne sinners say at this the glorious comming of Iesus Christ when hee shall come riding vpon the heauens as vpon an horse and come flying with the winges of the wind who haue so often solde their Iesus by their sinfull doings and neuer with the brethren of Ioseph haue yet tasted of any sorrowe for it When
that spareth the rod hateth the Childe It is Dauids saying Thy rodde and thy staffe comfort me We are corrected in this world that we might not bee condemned in the world to come These punishments are but wandes to waken vs ouer-whelmed with a dead sléepe of securitie and to rouse vs vp out of the pallet of oâ—r carnall pleasures But there is a scalding kettle for the cursed companie set on the fire against the day of iudgement which is the seething Pot the Prophet before spake of A seething Pot is to boyle flesh in but God hath a capable pot for the nonce to boyle much flesh in it This Pot is Hell pitte and the fire vnder it is the fire of Hell and the seething is their perpetual burning Herevnto alludeth Iob saying Out of his mouth goe lamps and sparkes of fire leape out Out of his Nostrels commeth out smoake as out of a boyling pot or Caldron Thus much also is insinuated by the Psalmist in this wise Our God shal come and not keepe silence a fire shal deuoure before him and a mighty tempest shal be mooued round about him It is fearefull to heaâ—e a terrible thunder but the thunder clappe at that time wil shake and rend the foundation of the heart of which Dauid saith At the voice of thy thunder they are affraid The countenance of the iudge wil be then so grim his lips will be so burning and his face so full of indignation as the verie Saintes will shunne his lookes wherefore Iob saith Who shall hide me till the anger of God passeth ouer And why because there is no sin but God findeth it out An vnskilfull Painter pleaseth himselfe with his picture and workemanship but he that is perfect in that trade findeth manye faultes in it If therefore in that day which is a day of Iustice the elect tremble what shal sinners doe how shal they not be at their wittes end wherefore Malachi crieth out of that day saying Who may abide the day of his comming and who shall endure when he appeareth For he is like a purging fiâ—e and like fullers sope It is a fearefull thing saith the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes To fall into the hands of the liuing God To fall into the hands of a dying God if I may so tearme our crucified redeemer there is much hope of comfort to bâ—e had For thou shalt finde his handes fastned to the Crosse so as he cannot smite thee The punishment of this life laide to that which is laide out against the life to come I can liken no better then to the triyall that is made of a Bull before hee is ledde to the liâ—tes to bee baited who onelye is basted a little with a couple of clubs or cudgels but when he coÌ„meth to the combate then clubs Swordes speares are set against him These daies are daies of dalliance wherein a waster or rodde of lâ—uing correction is shaken against vs but at that dismall â—irefull dreadfull day Lances swordes speares and instruments of death will be prepared against the face of all his enemies Then shall the maâ—â—cles and fetters be brought foorth to binde Kinges in chaines and Nobles with linckes of yron I Lictor ligamâ—nus Erecutioner due thine office shall the iudge say Binde him hand and foote and cast him into vtter darknes Now are our feete free and of libertie to run the way of Gods commaundements but then they shall be shackled and be in the stockes and the yron shall enter intâ— our soule Now are our handes the instrument of good works loose but then they shall be pinnioned and they shall not be suffered to worke any longer Wherfore Ioel of this day thus saith Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord is come for it is at hand A day of darkenes of blacknes a day of cloudes and obscuritie As he shewed his power iâ— the worldes creation his wisdome in it's gâ—bernation so his iustice shall be manifested in the correction of the wicked in that day of the declaration of his righteous iudgements Then shall a sinner stand tongue tide haue not a word to say as the mute man that came to the marriage without his wedding suite For what should he say for it shall be as Iob saith How should a man compared vnto God bee iustified If hee would dispute with him hee could not answere him one thing of a thousand The discouerie that Ham made of the nakednesse of Noah his Father his irrision and insultation thereupon the sleepe of Noah in his tabernacle his answere when he awaked answereth notably the manner of Gods iudgement with the euent thereof For here Christ their Father is derided by his wicked Sonne Cham I meane the whole progenie of all prophane people who make a mocke of his Crosse and insult ouer his shame The afflicted estate of the Gospell is traduced by them and despised In the meane while Christ who is thus contemned seemeth a sleepe as Noah was as though hee saw not and vnderstood not what a sinner doth For how many Fornicators Adulterers blasphemers hath hee long suffered to escape vnpunished But wil be alwaies sleepe no he wil awake as one out of sleep and like a Giant refreshed with wine wil finite the enemies vpon the hinder partes and put them to a perpetuall shame Then as Noah when he awoke and knew what Cham had doon denounced his iudgement vpon Cham. Cursed shalt thou be So Christ when hee ariseth and perceiueth what the wicked hath done he shall wrap them in the great cursse and say Goe ye cursed into hell fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angells Which is parcell of the forme of the latter sentence of which we list now consequently to intreate The 13. Chapter The forme of the last sentence THe Coppye of the finall iudgement which passeth vppon all is cramplified by Math. in the 25. Chap. at the 34. verse to the end of the Chapt. But before the promulgation of the sentence the parties to bee sentenced are seperated The Church millitant is like a field wherin cockle daruel tares grow vp with good graine It is a draw-net that containeth and bringeth to shoare fishes of all sortes It is compounded of wise and foolish Virgins It is a mixed flock of Sheepe and Goates But in the latter day a diuision shall be made betweene good and bad betweene Cam and Abel Isaac and Ismael Esau and Iacob Cephas and Caiphas Simon Peter and Simon Magus Iude the Apostle and Iudas the Apostata Paul from Elimas the true Christian professor euerie hipocrite and persecutor The Church is commonly taken for euerie companie for the societie of the wicked as where Dauid saith Ecclesiam â—nâ—lignantium odi I haue hated the assemblie of the euill The Scribe and Towne-Clarke of Ephesus who appeased the Garboile that
as but the lower parts thereof were corrupted by the waters That of the Reuelation preiudiceth not the point For there seemeth rather a new heauen and newe earth to be destroyed then a dissolution of the other to be insinuated Also in Isaiah it is said That the Moone shall haue the light of the Sun and that the Sunne shall yeeld seuen fold more light then it doth now The Schoolemen applie all inferences in this case to the qualities and not to the substance of the world for the nature of the world shall not so be turmosted as it shall bee brought to nothing but it shall be rescued and redeemed from the hands of varâ—tie vnto which it was subiect For the world being sentensed to this iudgement for the sinne of man not of it selfe sinning against God after that sinne is out of place the world must recouer his former dignitie when the time appointed is accomplished especially the lower bodies which are in the sublâ—â—arie worlde for those be most obiect and subiect to corruption The master of the Sentences in effect deliuereth thus much But hee borroweth that which hee hath herein from Austine who saith That by a worldly combustion the qualities of the corruptible elements which had some cognation and correspondencie with our corruptible bodies shall vtterly burne and perish and that the substance shall put on those qualities by a miraculous exchange which shal be agreeable with the coÌ„dition of immortal bodies that the world being altred to the better may bee fitting to the persons also in their bodies altred to the better In the 14. Chapter of the forenamed booke this is his verdit This world shall passe away by a mutation not finall subuersion And he alledgeth for himselfe the fore-cited saying of Paul The fashion of this world passeth away The figure saith he not the nature is spoken of by the Apostle else where he likewise saith we are not to beléeue that the Elements that is to say that heauen and earth are to be produced to ashes but that their propertie shall be bettered The scriptures no where shew the dissolution of the worlds substance Also the bodies of the Saints must be in a place but what place shall they haue if they haue not a place in the worlde Moreouer man for whose sinne all woe came vpon the world shall not vtterly be destroyed but shall be renued in bodie and inuested with immortalitie either to his endlesse felicitie or miserie wherefore the worlds composition that was not in the transgression shall much lesse comein substance to this vtter confusion But this being a point more doubtfull then profitable we leaue it arbitrable what shall be the ende of the world we shall best know in the end of the world Thus hauing insisted as much as neede requireth in the two propounded points of this Chapter we will giue the vse the life of the whole and so conclude the same Whereas the fire is to consume this worlde as stubble as the former world was licked vp by water wee see how euery thing howsoeuer simplie of it owne nature appertaineth moste to the necessarie vse of man hath a most hurtfull effect against man when God will take it vp as a rod in his hand either for the correction or destruction of man The fire the water the soile the aire are the Elements that are aliments vnto vs in their propertie and kinde whereby we liue moue and haue our being but when God otherwise disposeth of them and purposeth the diuersion of their nature they are posting Purseuants of the wrath of God to execute his iudgements to the ouerthrow of our liues Wherefore the fire went out from Gods presence to burne vp Sodom and her Cities The water the Beesom of his fierce anger drowned reseruing onely eight persons yâ— whole world of the vngodly The earth whereupon euery one treadeth opened and distended her mouth like hell and swallowed vp Dathan and coneted the congregation of Abiram Manna the daintie restauration of the Israelites burst out of their noses and sauoured abhominably as a most iust iudgement against their palpable and damnable vngratefulnesse The sonnes of the Prophets by a sower hearbe in their pottage had almost perlshed The winde a Meteor by which we liue being the spirit of life and as it were a fanne in the hand of God for the clarifying the ayre that it should not putrifie an the Lungs in stead of Bellowes are giuen to the heart to qualifie the excessiue heare of the heart driued Ionas into the depth of the sea Againe whereas the world is to be wasted with fire and euerie mans worke is to be reuealed by sire let vs labour to plant golde siluer precious stones which the fire will make brighter and roote vp and remoue woodde â—ay stubble which cannot continue against the force of the fire When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rendering vengeance vnto them that doe not know God c. Lastly this argueth the worldes follie that laboureth to labour and carketh to care neuer taking out his Quietus est for those things that are reserued vnto fiâ—e which draweth manie through their wicked practises thereabout into the horrible fire that we shall â—ntreate of afterward The third Chapter Of the vncertaine and vnknowne time of the worlds end HAuing fore shewed the maner of the worlds dissolution which we rather call an immutation then corruption and a translation from a wâ—rser to a better condition like as when we of children become men of men old men we are not destroyed but changed in nature the fire not consuming the world but restoring it as the fire consumeth not the gold but refineth it by the methode of the place it would bee considered concerning the time of the duration thereof what is to bee determined wherein wee will desire to knowe no more then the Scriptures haue reuealed From whence we haue no certaintie but rather the vncertaintie is euerie where spoken of As where Christ saith Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaueÌ„ but my father only In Mark he excepteth against himselfe to leaue the high knowledge thereof onely to his father Neither the sonne himselfe saue the father Which is to be vnderstoode of his humanitie which naturally and ordinarily knoweth nothing â—erein but as it is taught by a better schoolmaster namely his Diuinitie When the Apostles put forth the question to Christ Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Their answere was that the knowledge thereof was to deepe misterie for them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in hâ—s owne power It is Christs watchword to the world Ye know not what houre your muâ—â—er will come Ye know not the day nor the houre when the sonne of man will