THe s [...]curitie, Math. 24. [...]2. 38. 44 4 [...]. 48. and iniquitie of these [...]mes, Luke. 17. 1 [...]. 27. 2 [...]. haue thrust this argument vpon me. For hauing beene foure and fourtie yeres su [...] feted with peace and plentie, we haue not onely forgotten but as it were set our faces against ple [...]ie. So that spa [...] the iudgements of God, not by his word but by the state of the times▪ 2. Pet. 3. 4. 8 1 [...]. wee make a moc [...] them: and whatsoeuer Preachers tell vs of the dissolution of the world▪ [...] 18. of [...] of all flesh, Mat [...]. [...]. 13, 34 of the generall countie day▪ wee [...] and [...]. T [...] cut the ve [...] [...]ase [...] of truth, doe wee not finde that the wor [...]d sedde vpon [...] [...] and [...]ucke vp these su­ [...] damnable ep [...]nons to the sub [...]sion of their soules? [...] [...] that [...] no [...] at all or iudgement to [...]me, sensuall [...] 2. [...] Or that God [...]ath adiourned the [...]me of his c [...]mm [...]ng and that it will belong [...]ce he come▪ of the generation of those [...] al the [...]est of them, that Saint Peter taketh to [...]ske. [...] It is therefore high time to put the world in mind of their lying vani [...]ies which so [...] their soules and so call them from deade wo [...]k, [...] [...] so bee it may [...] se [...]ue the liuing God, [...] by placing before [...] [...]yes the day [Page 2] 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, Rom. [...]. 6. 7 8. 9 &c. and immortalitie, eternall life: Apoca. 22. 12 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 quēch or qualifie our hot sinfull lustes: If we looke vp to this clocke or dyall, we shall bee wary how we spend our time. Dan. 14. 15. 19. [...]0. 21. Daniel by strewing ashes vppon the floore found out the fallacy of the Priestes of Baal: Gen. 18. 27. 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 des [...]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, [...]. 14 13 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 d [...]e [...] of our life as that of Iacobs was vnto him, Gen. 32. 10. wherewith he passed o­uer Iordan. Mat. 2. 10. 11 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, Luke. 15. 13. 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, I [...] not this a strong bodie? as Nabuchadonozer saide to himselfe. Dan. 4 27. 28 Is not this great Babell? The cause of the sinnes of the people that were endlesse, Lau [...]en. 1. 9. 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▪ [...]ee forsooke the worlde betime, and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God, Heb [...] 11. 25. thē to inioy the pleasures of sins for a season.

[Page 3] Tell me worldly man, Matt. 17. 4. that sayest with Peter: It is good to behere, Mark. 9. 5. 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? Gen. 19. 2 [...]. 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, Apoc. 21. 1. according as hee hath immutably de­creed, saying: Heauen and earth shall passe. Matth. 24. 35. And as in this chap­ter it shall be fully prooued vnto thee▪ Psal. 102. 2 [...]. He that made the heauen can fold it vp like a booke againe & can rolle it together like a skin of Parchment. Heb. 1. 10. 11. 12. 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 [...]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. Mat. 24. 29. & 21. 2 [...]. It is the grea­test follie in the world to dreame here of a dwelling place. Heb. 13. 14. Wee haue here no continuing Citie, but we seeke one to come. Iohn 14. 2. 3 Of his fathers house Christ hathsaid, That there are many mansiōs, but he neuer said so much of Horeb or Thabor, or of the wilder­nesse of this world. Heb. 9. 27. But the worde is alreadie gone out of Gods mouth. It is appointed vnto all men once to die: nay twise to die, Gen▪ 2. 17. Heb. M [...]riend [...] mo [...]ent. 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, Iohn▪ 4. 30. 4 [...] 42. but because the Lorde himselfe hath spoken it by the mouth of his Prophets euer since [...] world began. Gen. [...]. 1. 20. The Deluge or flood, which Moses diligently hath described vnto vs. Luke 17. 26. [...]s a liuely representation of the worldes dis [...]tion. Saint Peter [...]teth so much from thence against the mockers of his time, 1. Pet. 3. 20. thus: Wherefore the worlde that then wa [...] perished, ouerflowed with the water: 2. Pet. 3. 6. 7. but the heauens and earth which [...] now, are kept by the same werde in store, [...] 11. 12. 13 [...] [...]lerued vnto fire vnto the day of iudgement. This his [...] is taken from the example▪ and it is fashioned thus: [Page 4] If God could in times past marre the face of the whole world, hee is able to doe the like againe: 1. Pet. 3. 20. But the former he hath done alrea­die, ouerwhelming the whole earth (a handfull of seede as it were onely rese [...]ed to renue the same againe,) with riuers of waters. Gen. 6. 14. 17. And the latter is to be looked for that he waste the worlde againe with riuers of fire and brimstone. Luke 17. 26. 2. Pet. 3. 6. 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Christ in many places is plaine in this point. Heauen & earth shall passe away, Matt. 5. 18. and ch. 34. 35. 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: Matth. 13. 39. verse 49. 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. Matth. 25. It is the gracious pro­mise Christ hath giuen to his Church: Matt. 28. 20. I am with you alway to the ende of the world. Iohn 14. 16. 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. Rom. 8. 21. In his first Let­ter to the Corinthians he is large in this point. 1. Cor. 15. 12. 15. Then shal be the end when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God: &c. 1. Thes. 5. 2, 3. To the Thessalonians he sayth: When they shall say peace, 1. Pet. 4. 7. and safetie, then shall come vpon them sudden destruction, 2. Pet. 3. 10. &c. The e [...]de of all things is at hand, saith Saint Peter. Reuel. 3. 3. What better witnesses would a man wish to haue for the eu [...]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. Acts 17. 28. 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,) Tit. 1. 12. 13. but that Heathens may bee vanqui­shed with their owne weapons, as the head of Goliah was cut off by his owne a [...]ming sworde, 1. Sam. 17. 51. and the Baalites were lanched with their owne shredding kniues: 1. King. 18. 28 and that such as beare the name of Christians might bee ashamed, who denie that in their hearts, Ephes. 2. 12. which the heathens who were without God in the world, confessed with their tongues. Ouid describing God, Rom. 2. 14. 15 deliberating with himselfe about the Deluge, among other things hee rela­teth this of him.

Plato whose eyes were broader then the worlde, and saw so much into this Diumitie, as his wisdom was but a little wide of [...], Iudg. 14. 1 [...]. h [...]n [...]leth the worlds creation in such sort, as Euse­ [...]s auerreth, that [...]e plowed with Moses Heiser, Gen. 1. 1. 3. 8. 9. &c. 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, G [...] 37. 28. 29. there being such free passage one to another betweene the Iewes and the Aegyptians. His Dialogue super [...]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. 2. Pet. 3. 36. 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 re­q [...]ring the aide of thinges simple, from whence they may haue their originall composition) the duration or dissolution thereof must stand to the [...]rtesi [...] and will of the compo [...]nder, whose will is free, and will not be inforced, as things naturall are in their [...]c [...]io [...]s: or admit that ne [...]essarie co [...]erence of causes, which the [...] cast in their con [...]ts. Id [...]iue this long dilated Argu­ment into a narrow roome and [...] it vp thus: The worlde [...], Acts 17. 28. mooued, prese [...]ued by a first cause: but that first go­ [...]ing and preset [...]ng cause is at absolute libertie to dee as it p [...]s [...]th, wherefore when that arch fli [...]ht from it, the whole [...] and [...] ther of immediately falleth. The Sect of Phelos [...]phers called Sto [...]cks, not onely pronounce the dissolution et the world, 2. P [...]. [...]. 7. but they go further, and determine (as Cicero re­cordeth) the maner of it, that it shall bee brought to a generall [Page 6] combustien. Heraclitus as Themistius an Expositor vpon A­ristotle hath it, [...] in na­tura lib. quest, lib. 1 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 c [...]urse and concourse [...]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 conslo [...]ration. The time appointed is (as he fan [...]seth) when as all the Eelestiall signes, who now haue their seuerall [...]eram­bulatie [...]e and [...]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 ha [...]e i [...] we should ransacke the whole worlde, from the Center to the Cir­cum [...]erence for euerie such authoritie? Let the Perepatecians prate as they please to the contrarie, who peremptorily auouch th [...] 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 good [...]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: 2. Tim. 3. 1. Where is the promise of his comming? For since the fathers died, 2. Pet. 3. 4. all things haue continued alike since the beginning of the creation. Iude 18. Let these (I say and such like) blurt out their vaine tattle as they please, 1. Tim. 4. 1. 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 thēselues 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, [Page 7] Plinie and his [...]plices, [...] Sen [...]a who is worth them all and will forte them at the [...].

L [...]stly I desire no other Iudge in the cause, Ps [...]l. 19. 1. &c. [...]. 1. 20. &c. then our common [...] [...]hich considereth of the natu [...]e of the whole b [...] the con [...]equence of the seuerall pa [...]ts which doe ordeyne and [...] the whole. But euery particular part of the world that pe­ [...] whe [...]ore common sence it selfe setteth downe that the whole worlde shall perish. Take wee a shorte and cur [...]ory suruay of the esp [...]ciall parts, [...] 1. 1. to put the matter out of doubt: which for [...] wee reduce to two che [...]fe, (for so the scripture truneth them all vp as it were in two bundles) The heauen and the earth. But the definitiue doome of Christ concerning them, Math. 5. [...]8. is, that they shall be destroied: Heauen and earth shall pas [...]e. The heauen is the roofe, Gen. 1. 8. 9, 10. and the earth the foundation of Gods house. The hea­uen containeth the ayre and whatsoeuer liueth in the same. The earth containeth the sea in it▪ which are the pauement of Gods beautiful pallace, the sea also being the girdle of the dryland: now there is nothing more firme and stable then the earth, which how best it be [...]ounded vpon the floodes ( as Dauid saith) yet is it such a solid and compact bodie and of such waightines, Psal. 136. 6. as by no means of man it may bee rocked out of his place: & an earthquake which assaniteth it most is numbred amongest the strangest thunder­boltes of Gods iudgements which he letteth she as arrowes at a marke. The heauen as it is so mortaised and hangde as it cannot bee drawne from his hindges and hookes: Psal. 102. 26. so his orbs haue their certaine and orderlie courses, but they shall bee thredbare, H [...]br. 1. 10. 11. 12. and waxe olde as a garment. 1. Pet. 3. 10 11. 12. &c. The heauens shall pass away with a noise, and the elements shall melte with heate &c. Doe wee not see how the earth droopeth like an old man that hath lost his strength, hauing lost the fatnesse and marrow that was wont to be in the heart & bones of it, Iames. 5. 17. whilest it is somtimes choaked with water, and at other times parched with heat, 1. King. 17. and whilest in some places it mouldreth away? 1. Luke. 4. 25. It is recorded of Aetna that mightie mountaine that it is not such a marke to Sailers as it was wont. Ecle. 48. 3. In manie places the sea retire and giue backe, as is written of E­gipt: Amos. 4. 7. &c. in other places it getteth ground horriblie, ouerwhelming whole townes and prouinces. In some places mountaines are maimed by earthquakes, rockes (the boniest places of the earth) [Page 8] splitted asunder, great deepes dried vp, and are like a drie floore, neither cloddes, nor clouds giue the [...]r wonted inst [...]s al which doe argue that they haue no long cont [...]un [...]e. Moreouer if wee may beleeue Astrononiers, the [...] of the celestia [...]s is weakned, the Sun is not so many [...] from vs as it was wont to be, for they auouch that [...]t is neerer to vs by the fourth part then it was in P [...]olome [...]s time: that is to say nine thousand nine hundred seuentie fire miles as the Germaines rec­kon miles. If there be such a decl [...]ation in the vppermost parte, what shall we say of this lowe [...]ost rome, but that it is in a verie weake taking? 1. Cor. 2. 29. 32. 31. Old age hath come vpon the backe of the worlde, and euery part thereof groaueth vnder the burthen thereof. Rom. 8. 19. 20. 21. &c. In p [...]antes their is lesser vertue▪ in bea [...]ts and men lesser strength, Isaith. 24. 1. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. &c. in all of vs fewer yeares. [...] 26. 14. I looke therefore for noe lesse then a sud­daine and short consummation of all. Deut. 28. 16. From this doctrine grow­eth verie special vse, if we haue grace [...]o apprehend it. 1. For the consideration of the trāsttory nature of the things of this world, lifteth vp our mindes beyond all earthlie thinges, and gaineth them to God. For it is but lost labour to plough vpon rocks, to leane vpon a broaken reede, to looke for comfort of a riuer that is dried vp, to builde vpon vncertainties, and to relie vpon meere vanities. But Salomon smiteth the world of both cheeres, twice calling it vanitie, Eccle. 1. 2. vanitie of vanities and troubling the note, that wee might knowe it is his verdict without repeale. All is vanitie. Ioan. 2. 8. Ionas giueth the he to them, naming them lying vanities: as promising one thing and giuing vs another: promising li [...]e, and euery minute bringing vs to death: promising felicitie, and o­uerwhelming vs with miserie: promising eternitie, whereas it is transt [...]orie: Gen. [...]9. 13. dealing dissemblingly and falsly with vs as Laban did with Iacob, who promised him Rachell, but gaue him Lea [...] in her steade: And as the false prophets did by Achab, promising him victorie, 1 King. 22. 34. when behold hee was slaine by the enemie: and as the deceitfull teachers did the people, of whom God thus speak­eth by Isaiah: My people, they that cal you blessed deceiue you. It is the ghostly councel the Apostle giueth vs from this obserua­tion. Charge them that are rich in this world, 1. Tim. 6. 17. that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in vncertaine riches, Muk [...]. 4. 15. [...]8. but in the liuing God &c. Luke. 12. 15. 16. The like lecture Christ reade vs before [Page 9] him: Math. 6. 19. Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpō the earth▪ which the moth and canker corrupt, 1 [...] 19. and where theeues digge tho­ [...]ough and steale: For if we dee, [...]. 12. 33. the verie corruption thereof shall co [...]me our corruption, as the Apostle learneth vs. Your riches [...] corrupt: [...] and your garments are motheaten. Your golde and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnes a­ga [...]st you, and shall eate your [...] as it were fire. [...] Ye haue li­ [...] pleasure on the earth and in wantonnes. Ye haue nouri­shed your hearts, as [...] day of slaughter. He saith of them as Duke Ioab said to Abner in effect: [...] 26. Knowest thou not that it [...] bitternes in the latter end? If we could spare a time from due sinnes for such a thought, wee should soone feele in our selues more compunction, and deuo [...]ion.

2. This document also as needfull as the former is from hence deducted, that wee who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundati­on is the dust, whoe are nothing else but a sincke of sinne▪ and Chaos of corruption, shall much more perish, seeing all the parts of the world, the excellent creatures and wormanship of God shal haue their desolution. We [...]iue not heere in a castle and place of abode: Iohn. 18. 36. but as it were in an Iune as passengers to tarry but for a night: as Christ said. My kingdome is not of this world: so our kingdome and continuance is not in this world. As God said to Abrahā ▪ Gen. 12. 1. get thee out of thy country, & from thy kindred, and from thy fathers house: so God will say to euery one of vs, Acts. [...]. 3. get thee out of thy life. Exod 33. 1. 7 As the tabernacles of the Iewes were made to be remoued, so are we. Wherefore, stand not so much vpon y ^• pre­rogati [...]e of thy birth right and termes of gentry, seeing they are all so momentarie. Ge. 2. [...]. & 5. 2 It is well knowne from what house the best borne among vs, 1. Cor. 15. 45 the sonne of man only excepted) originally haue descended, namely from the earth and gleabe, Gen 3. 19. Iob teaching vs to cal corruption our father, and the worm our mother. Iob. 1 [...]. 14. Now what profite is there (as Dauid saith) in our bloud, I [...]al. 6. 5. when wee goe downe to the pitte? As [...] said, Lo, I am almost dead, what is then this birthright t [...]ee? Gen. 25. 32. Wherefore by the diligent conside­ration of thy end with the worlde and thou shalt be taught and brought to make an end of sinne and so beginne a new life. Hebr. 12. 16. And therewith? [...] Christ the sole obiect of the eye of the [...], thou shalt [...] death bedde be willing to die, and [Page 10] [...] (which saying Possid [...]nius in the storie of his life [...]) I am not ashamed to liue & I doe not feare to die, A [...]stine [...]. because I haue a good maister whom I serue▪ what extremitie of sollie is it to be thinking of this transi­torie world so much, and of the eternall world to come so litle? wherein wee are like the [...]unnell that tunneth in licor into a vessell, that deliuereth it selfe of the purer matter, but suffereth the concreat and gresser substance to cleaue to the sides of it. The iudgement that should purifie vs is out of our sight: and the car­nall cares of the world, like lumpes of mire and clay sticke to our soules.

IT being concluded in the former chapter that the world shall be destroied, order would we should set downe how it is to bee destroied: which shall bee the subiect & argument of this chapter; which wee will spend vpon these two parts. 1. The first shall determine in what sorte it shall perish.

2. The second shall giue decision to this question, whether the same in substance or forme shall so perish. About the first there is great dispute and difference among Doctors, while they de­nide them selues into contrarie min [...]es: some holding that it shall be destroied by water, Seneca in na­turalib [...] quest. lib. [...]. othersome by fire. Of the first rancke are Seneca and his schollers. In historia Phile. Of the second which are the sound­er sort, are the Stoicks, of whom Cicero and Galen maketh men­tion, Heraclitus, the greater part of Philosophers, the Mathema­ticians, and Diuines running with the streame of sacred authori­ties, as the other part with the current of their priuate fan [...]ics. For they take their text from Peter who saith. 1. Pet 3. 7. 10. 11. 12. 13. But the heauens, and earth which are now, are kept by the same worde in store, [...] 1. 65. 17. & 66. 22. and res [...]rued vnto fier against the day of iudgement, [...] [...]. 21. 1 and o [...] t [...]e dest [...] of vngodly men. But yet there is no small [...] [Page 11] of the Moon to scoure and purifie the other three elements: others producing it out of the Sunne beames. Peter Lombard saith, that th [...]e fier shall goe before the face of the Lord, and shall reduce the whole fashion of the heauens & earth to a consumption: and he is so curious and fine as to measure out vnto vs the height of the fier, su [...]ing it to the depth of y ^• waters of Noah which drown­ed the earth. Such thinges deliuereth Austine in his twentieth booke of the Citie of God in the 18. chapter. Yet in the 16. chapter of that booke he semeth to denie that a man may haue any certaine knowledge therein but by the especiall certificate of the spirite. Wherein hee is in the right and of the surer side, for it is safer for vs to hold this modestie then to be ouer busie with the secrets of Gods sanctuary. 1. Peter. 3. 7. &c. It is enough that we simplie beléeue (as Peter teacheth) that the worlde shall bee fixed. 1. To ventilate and ex­amine, of what kind of nature this fire should be. 2. From whence it should be brought 3. How the saints shall be preserued in that flame, & liue as the Salamander in the fire. 4. How high this fier shal mount we leaue to the wil & prouidēce of God, being conten­ted to be wise with sobrietie and not affecting to know more then God wold haue vs, or to compel the scriptures that are willing to go part of y ^• way with vs▪ to go after the vagaries of our idle lusts. It serueth to the confirmation of the present cause, namly to the il­lustratiō of the maner of the worlds dissolution, that which Math: hath in these words: Math 25 6. At midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridgrome cōmeth. The voice of the angell and the trum­pet of God is part of that cry. The scripture calleth it else where [...] which signifieth the hoarse vociferation of Mariners when they call one vpon another to goe to their tackling: for it must needs be a cry out of cry that must waken the dead, and raise them from their graues. But another part of the cry is the stridor and noise that Peter mentioneth which this fier that shal consume the world shall make, 1. Pet. 3. 10. saying: The heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the workes therin, s [...]al be burnt vp. Wee heare a terrible noise at the downfal of two or three houses at once: there­fore that must be a noise with a [...] esse which one fire shall make which shalouerchro [...] [...]he heauers, the earth, the sea, all ci­ties▪ towns, houses, beasts, liuing creatures, and the whole masse [Page 12] of the world [...]ltogither. Dauid by an apt similitude, teaching the [...]ate and condition of the wicked, alludeth hereunto As the fire among the thornes, &c. Fire among thorns, maketh a great noise. Wherefore heare we now the crie of his worde at mid-day, least we hea [...]e this fearefull crie at midnight hetherto spoken of: and in time let the swéete crie of his mercie charme vs, least the direfull and irefull out crie of his iudgements do condemne vs.

We come to the second part of this Chapter, which answe­reth the question, whether the substance or forme of the worlde shall perish. For hereof are two opinions scattered. 1 Some are of that minde, that in verie substance it shall be turned vp­side downe, fastning vpon these Scriptures, as of that in the Psalme: Isal, 102. 25. Thou hast aforetime laid the foundation of the earth, and the heauens are the workes of thine hands. Heb. 1. 10, 11 12. They shall pe­rish, but thou shalt indure, &c. As of that saying of the Prophet Isaiah, Isai. 65. 17. and 66. 22. For loe I will create new heauens, and a new earth, Reuel. [...]1. 1. and the former shall not be remembred, nor come into mind: 1. Pet 3. 13. as of that which Saint Iohn in his Reuelation saith: And I sawe a new heauen, and a new earth; for the first heauen, and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. Finally, in that the Angell sweareth by him that liueth for euer, that Time shall be no more. Now if time be taken away, all motion must be taken away. If all motion be taken away, there is nothing in the world that can continue. 2 But othersome hold, that on­ly but some parts of the worlde shall bee ouerturned at the second comming of Christ, not altogither raised from their foundation [...]: but so as they shall suffer a singular alteration. Ambrose taketh part with this side and setteth his hande to this opinion, 1. Cor. 7. 31. vrging that which the Apostle Paul saith: The fashion of this worlde goeth away: prossing the word which he calleth the fashion, sha­dow, or forme, and not the masse, matter, substance. That autho­ritie of Peter also fauoureth that part, in these wordes. Where­fore the worlde that then was, 2. Pet. 3. 6. perished, ouerflowed with the water: when as but the lower parts thereof were corrupted by the waters. Apoc. 21. 1. 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, Isai. 3 [...]. [...]6 [Page 13] 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, Rom. 8. 20. 21, &c. as it shall bee brought to no­thing: but it shall be rescued and redeemed from the hands of va­r [...]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 subl [...]arie worlde: for those be most obiect and subiect to corruption. Lib. 4. dist. 4 [...] Lib. 20. cap. 1 [...] de [...] Dei. 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 cōdition 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, 1. Cor. 7. 31 Lib. de dogma. [...]. 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.

[Page 14] 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: 2. Pet. 3. 7. 11. 12. wee see how euery thing, howsoeuer simplie of it owne nature, Gen. 7. 20. 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, Gen. 19 24. Gen 7. 20. Num. 16. 31. 32. 33. 34. Num. 11. 16. 33. 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) y ^• 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, [...] 1. 4. 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: 1. Cor. 3. 12, 13, 14, 15. let vs labour to plant golde, siluer, precious stones, which the fire will make brighter: and roote vp and remoue, woodde, [...]ay, stubble, which cannot con­tinue against the force of the fire: 2. Thes. 1. 7, 8. 1. Thes. 4. 16. 1. Cor. 15. 52. Matt. 24. 31. 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, [Page 15] and carketh to care, neuer taking out his Quietus est, for those things that are reserued vnto fi [...]e: which draweth manie, through their wicked practises thereabout, into the horrible fire that we shall [...]ntreate of afterward.

HAuing fore shewed the maner of the worlds disso­lution, which we rather call an immutation then corruption, and a translation from a w [...]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: Matth. 24. 36. Of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels of heauē, but my father only. In Mark he excepteth against himselfe to leaue the high knowledge thereof onely to his father: Mar. 13. 32. Neither the sonne himselfe, saue the father. Which is to be vnderstoode of his humanitie: which naturally and ordi­narily knoweth nothing [...]erein: but as it is taught by a better schoolmaster namely his Diuinitie. When the Apostles put forth the question to Christ: [...] 1. 6. 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 h [...]s owne power. It is Christs watchword to the world. Matth. 24. 41. Matt 2 [...]. 13. Marke 13. 33. Ye know not what houre your mu [...]er will come. Ye know not the day nor the houre, when the sonne of man will come. Ye know not w [...]en the time is But [...] it is not farre of we are sure. So Paul teacheth: 1. Cor. 13. 11. To admonis [...], vs, vpon whom the ends of the world [Page 16] are come: Apo [...]. 16. 15. 1. Iohn. 1. 18. [...] Gen. cont. M [...]nic [...]. cap. 2 [...]. 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 [...]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, Iohn. 2. 18. 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, Gen. 4. 21. 22. &c. Gen. 4. 26. Gene. 3. 15. Exo. 12 & 13. & 16. & 20. &c. Exod. 28. 21. 2 [...]. Exo. 18. 5. 18. 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 [Page 17] instituted, and the couenant of saluation by God with Abra­ham our father indented, the linage and descent of the Messiah designed, Exo. 13. 3. 1 [...] 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, Mat. 11. 1 [...] 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 comm [...] ­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, 1. Iohn 2. 18. Gal. 4. 4. 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 ful [...]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 [...]riuolous con­iectures.

These haue found out a simple shift for themselues to an­swer Christs words, The day and houre knoweth no man, inst­nuating [Page 18] 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 thē For Christs [...]plie to the [...]psie qu [...]stion of the Apo­stles in these words. It is not for you to know the times, cutleth off their cauilling [...]stinction of time it beeing in the Greeke [...] Times and seasons, Act 1. 7. 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 [...], Math. 24. 14. in these words: And this Gospell of the king­dome shall bee preached thorough the whole world, for a wit­nes to all nati [...]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 cōtinual tedious perambulations had sent the sound thereof into all lands, Rom. 10. 18. Psal. 19. 4 Col. 1. 6. 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 [...]cr [...]ed fiue hūdred: 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 [Page 19] the worlds duration to [...] thousand of yéeres which they to part equally into these [...]. 1. Two thousand spent be o [...]e the time of the law. 2. Two thousand vnder the law [...] 3. The last two thousand to the kingdome of Christ, dep [...]ted so as [...] [...]eeing the yeere of grace reuealed 1603. (as it pleaseth learned men so supp [...]te,) this is the fiue thousand fiue hundreth [...] eight yeere of the worldes age: So that of this ac­count there [...] yee foure hundred [...]eeres to be consumma­sed. This reckoning hath [...]nne the more currantly, in that they applie these six thousand yeeres to the six dates, wherin God cre­ated y ^• world [...] inasmuch as the Prophet saith. A thousand yeers in thy sight are as yesterday: P [...]l. 9 [...] 4 [...] 2. Pet 3. 8. and it [...]in Peter: One day is with the Lord as a thous [...]d yeers, and a thous [...]nd yeers as one day. Héere [...]pon they make this interence: as in h [...]da [...]es the worlde was [...], and in the seauenth w [...]s the s [...]bbath of the Lord, wherein hée tested. So after six thousand yeeres accomplished the world shall bee [...]est [...]o [...]ed, and in the seauenth shal our eternal fab­b [...]th hee fulfilled, and in the eight the puritie of our circumcision re [...]o [...]ed. Wee read also of another fraternitie and brotherhoode, who [...]liuer that the [...]sticali bodie the church, shal abide three and thirtie yéeres héere in ca [...]th, as Christ himselfe [...] so long in the bod [...]e which he tooke from the Virgin. But they make euery of those [...]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 ver [...]e fr [...]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 sob [...]tet [...]: to be curiously [...]quist­tiue after [...]ages to come, and carelesly respectiue of such thinges as are present. This is the cause why some giue themselves vn­to [...]lawfull artes. and [...] themselues to be mocked and misled b [...]ste Deuill. 1 [...] 18 8. 9 &c. I [...]ah. 8 19. So did Saul who perceiuing God to bee angrie with h [...]m▪ and the hand of the Philisti [...]s to be sore vpon him▪ ne­uer sought vnto God for his Quietus est to haue coūsa [...]le or com­fort from [...]: But dec [...]ous to know the censequent of the case, hee deliberated with [...] women who draue him headlong to de [...]petation and destruction. Such madnesse now blindeth, and be [...]te [...]eth too manie, who by staring vpon the startes will prognositcat the euent and successe of euery yeere, and so deter­mine [Page 20] 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, 1. Thess. 2. 1. [...]. 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, Ephe. 56. Luke. 21. 8. Mar. 13. 5. Mat. 24. 4. 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 child [...]. Math. 24 36. Marke. 12. 32 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 scholma [...] ­ster, no though it were an angell. Isaiah 8 20. Gal. 1. 8 9. 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 Abrahā, Luke. 16. 29 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 [Page 21] 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 cre­d [...]ted, but so farre as he commeth with scripture? The obiect and subiect of the word being Christ. Gal. [...]. 8. 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. I. Cor. I. [...]0. Iere. 13. 5. [...]. 2 Tim. 13. 16. 2. Pet. 1. 10. 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, Marke 13. 35. 36. 37. at euen or at midnight, at the cocke cro­wing or in the dawning. It is our manner to serue God as law [...]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 [...]in time, Zach. 1. [...]1. of which it is said, All the world sitteth still, and is at rest, the Eccho and answering voice from heauen will be this. 1. Thess. 5. 3. Apoca. 3. 3. & 16. 15. When they shall say peace and safetie, then shall come vpon them sodaine distruction, as tra­uell vpon a woman with child, 2. Pet. 3. 10. Math. 14. 44. and they shall not escape. Wherefore the vncertaine suddaines of the worldes end is effec­tuall to dispell desidiousnes, and to stirre vs vp to watchfulnes, to liue as if the present day were the last, Apoca. 20. 1 [...] and to make our bookes euen, as if out of hand God would keepe his Audit among vs and take a streight account of vs.

Thinke euery day the last: that heere abode thou hast.

A Poet spake it and euery Christian may well repeat it. It thou were called to a table furnished with fiftie or thrée score [Page 22] platters of good meate, s [...]uing onely that de [...]dly poison is in one of those chargers, and thou art to [...]oe so [...]uch before but art [...]ot certified in which of them it is: Doubtlesse in the tender regarde which thou hast of th [...] li [...]. thou wouldest mistrust euerie di [...]h, and forbeare all together, least in that which thou tastest thou shouldest be taken: It is thus with thee, thou hast heere fiftie or thrée sco [...]e yeares to liue, and in one of those, death shall certainely seaze on thee, and thou knowest not in which of them hee will at­tach thee: wherefore doubt euerie one I aduise thee, and looke circumspectly abo [...]t thee Seeing our pater patria, and [...] are in heauen, we are Pilgrims and Trauailers vpon earth, as al our Fathers were and we haue a [...]ourney to goe namely to Ie­rusalem, a Citie, whose builder and workeman is God, and a swift Horse wee haue to carrie vs thether, let vs gird vp our reynes, put our Sandols about our feet and prepare for the voy­age. What man knowing that hee is to liue in England will purchase and build in Spaine? But such fooles are wee, looking to liue in heauen, wee consume our selues with care how to liue heere in earth. I doe not impartinently degresse from the matter, in putting two endes together of the world, and mans life. For the same consideration is to be had of them both; there being such a kinde Simpathye and aff [...]nite betweene them. For death in Scripture is called the way of all flesh, [...]osua. 23. 14. and the common ineui­table condition of death is imposed vpon all. But there is nothing more certaine then the vncertaintie thereof as daily proofe teach­eth. Iob his Sonnes and Daughters, Iob 1. 19. when they were feastinḡ in their elder Brothers house, little thought that death was so nie them in a whirl-wind, which threwe the foure corners of the house ouer them. 1 King. 16. 10 When Elah was drinking in his Stewards house in his capable Goblets eue [...] vn [...]o drunkennes, he did not imagine there to be done to death by Zimri. Did Babilon, was bare the title of the Ladie of the kingdomes, and was called Ten­der and Delicate, Isai. 47. [...]. 5. 7. 8. who presumed of herselfe that shee was like Mount Syon, not to be remooued, and therefore said, I shall bee a Ladie for euer: I am, and none else: I shal not sit as a Widdow, neither shall knowe the losse of Children: Did she (I say) that thus swelled with pride, dreame that this sentence should so soone haue beene reade ouer he [...] Thine end is come? Ierem. 51. 13. wherefore to [Page 23] such as say [...] Isa [...]ah: Isai. 56. 12. Come I wil bring wine, & we will fill our selues with strong drinke & to morrowe shall bee as this day, and much more, which [...] but the merrie madnesse of one houre. I [...]nes remooueth th [...] [...] from their eies that blindeth them, and lo [...]teth them see the nice and [...]ickle est ate wherein they stand thus censuring their follie. Iam. 4. 13. 14. 15. Go to now ye that say, To day, or tomorrow we will goe into such a Citie, and continue there a yeare and buy and sell and get gaine, 1. Cor. 4. 19. Act. 18. 21. and yet cannot tell what shall be tomorrow. For what is your life? It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanisheth away. No glasse or pitche [...] of earth is more brickle then the body o [...] man, as being nothing else but a house of clay, whose foundation is the dust. For a noysome sauour, an infected ayre, a day little more then ordinarily hotter, some what a larger supper, excessiue either sorrow or pleasure, is as it were a blowe of a hammer that knoc­keth the sides of t [...]is fraile vessell together. A little labour crac­keth some, a little lo [...]e othersome, vnkindnesse is some mans coro [...]iue, 2. King. 4. 8. Macc 5. 9. &c. 1. Kin. 15. 23. 2. Chr. 16. 12. Lam. 2. 11. 12 Ezec. 16. 49. and his pleasant wine is his [...]o. This man complai­neth of head-ache with the Sunamites sonne: that man hath con­ [...]ulsion in his bowels with Antiochus. A third man crieth out of the goute in his legges with Asa. Some perish through pe [...]u­tie, as the sonne [...] of Ierusalem: and other some are slaine, surfet­ted through satietie, as the Sodom [...]tes: many are dispatched by violent death many kind [...] of wayes; Math. 2. 16. some in their cradle, as the Babes of Bethlehem: some in their Parlar as Eglon. some in the field as Saul: Iudg. 3. 12. 1. Sam. 3 1. 4. 2. Sam. 4. 5. 6. 1. King. 2. 29. &c. some in their bed, as Isbosheth: some betweene the Porch and the Altar, as Zenacharib: some at the very hornes of the Altar, as Duke Ioab: some by water, as Pharaoh and his Princes of Egypt: some by fire from heauen, as the Co [...]onels with their fifties: Exod. 14. 27. 2. King. 1. 10. 2 Kin. 16. 18. Num. 16. 31. 32. some by fi [...]e from the earth, as Z [...]mri: some by y ^• rupture and opening of the earth, as Dathā and his complices: some by winde, as lobs sonnes and daughters: some by dogges as Iesabel: some by wormes, as Herod: some by Lions as the disobedient man of God: Iob 1. 19. 2. King. 9. 33. Acts. 12. 23. 1. Kin. 13. 24. 2 King. 2. 24. Ester. 7. 6. some by Beares as the gracelesse chil­dren that mocked the Prophet: some by the Gallowes as Ha­man: some by a G [...]at, as Pope Adrian the fourth: some by a haire in their [...] as a certaine Ro [...] an Fabius the Sena­tor: some by the stone of a R [...]s [...]n as Anacreon: wee come into [Page 24] the world one way: but we go out of it by a thousand. We maruel not that a clock is soone out of [...]elter, because it cōsisteth of so ma­ny slender peeces: our bodies stāding of so many weak iunctures, why should we admire the soone decay of it? Death knocketh vs on the head like a hammer: goeth through the loynes of vs like a sword: entangleth euerie one of vs like a snare, as a prison kee­peth vs forth-comming: as a sea, ingendreth vs all: and it is the tribute money that we must all disburse to nature. Wherefore as watchmen are set to those places where they feare the enemie wil come, though his comming be vncertaine: so because our enemie death will beset our bodies and soules, and his comming is day­ly to be feared and looked for, let vs set good ward and watch a­bout them both, that we may be appointed for him when he com­meth, that wee may not be affraide when wee meete him in the gat [...].

THe saying of the Prophet Amos, is verie memo­rable in these wordes: Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lorde God will doe nothing, but hee reuealeth his secrets vnto his seruants the Prophets. Hee brought the Flood vppon the first worlde, Gene. 6. 3. 18. & cha. 7. 1. 20 Gen. 19. 7. 9. 2. Pet. 2. 7. 8. 9 Exod. 5. 1. & 6. 10 & 7. 10. & 8. 6. 13. 17. 21. & 9. 3. 10. 23. & 10. [...]. 13. 22. but they were tolde of it a hundred yeares before by Noah. Sodome and Go­morrha, and the neighbour Cities were burnt to Ashes, but this iudgement was formerly denounced by Loth. He brought his vengeance and fierce wrath vppon Pharaoh. but hee had faire warning thereof by Moses aforehand. Thus God threatneth the worlds end, but he giueth vs signes, which are the Preachers and forerunners of the end. That God doth this, inuincible argument that hee loueth vs, and that he is loath to vndoe vs. For wished he our destruction, hee would not preuent it with so wholesome admonition. For the Huntsman that seeketh the death of the Hare, threatneth not the Hare, but warily watcheth him, the better to set vpon him: but God threatning vs before, it is a signe hee would haue vs take heede of that which [Page 25] followeth. The Genttle had an eye to this, who tooke con­iectutes of consequent calamities, by some pre [...] accidents, according to that which the Poet sayth:

That we should be grounded in the certaintie of the worldes end, though we know not the certaintie of the time, these signes and markes are giuen vs. The signes prefired, partly are such as are knowne vnto vs, and familiar to our senses: and partly they are such as exceede natures course, and are verie strange and fear­full to ronfider of. But they all serue to set foorth the corruption and consumption of the worlds bodie, as Vlcers, diseases, di­stort, and luxate members forespeake the dissolution of the na­turall bodie. This is no strange and vncouth case (as wee haue sayde before) but it is Gods woont so to doe. Gen. 9. 14. Eccl. 43. 11. 12. Hee made peace with Noah, but the Raine-bowe which hee placed in the Heauen, was the consignement of this Charter and in­dentment. Ezechias rece [...]ueth promise of ensuing health, 2. King. 20. [...]. 11. Isai. 38. 5. 8. 2. Chr. 32. 24. and of longer life: And the recesse of the Sunne and shadowe, certaine degrees bindeth and confirmeth it. In this sort by signes are wee assured that the world shall be dissolued.

The signes expresly nominated in the holie Scriptures, Matth. 24. 29. Mark. 13. 10. Luk. 21. 8. 9. 27. are by Matthew, Marke, Luke, diligently set foorth, and put toge­ther thus: 1 The first is corruption of doctrine, and seduction by impostors and deceyuable teachers, noted by the pen-men of the Gospels in these wordes: Matth. 24. 5. Colos. 2. 18. Matth. 24. 6. Manie shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceiue manie. 2 The second is warres, and rumors of warres, in these wordes: Ye shal heare of wars, and rumors of warres. 3 Motions, commotions, & sub­uersions of Empires, Matth. 24. 7. and dominations thus, deliuered: Nation tha [...] rise against nation, & realme against realme. 4 Pestilence, [...] Famine, 6 Earthquake, in the ende of the seauenth verse, of the 24. Chapter of Saint Mathews Gospell, hudled together.

[Page 26] 7 The persecution of the Church by the false Brether [...], the brethe [...] of [...] chur [...] in these wo [...]ds [...]. [...] 14. 9. Io [...]n. 15. 20. & 16. 2. Math. 10. 17. Thē shall they deli­uer you vp to be afflicted, and shall kil you, and ye shall be ha­ted of all nations for my names sake. 8. Defections in the church and int [...]stine perturbations and diuisione betweene k [...] ­dred and al [...]e [...] in these wordes opened: Math. 24. 10. And then shall manye be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And that an insolent nei [...]hbour-hood, and Ero [...]erhood shall doe this, Mark. 13. 12. Marke forete [...]eth. The Brother shall deliuē the Brother to death, and the father the Sonne, and the Children shall rise against their Parents, and shall cause them to die. 9. Generallie, of iniqui [...]ie and detection of charitie, are tokens of a cousumption in the worldes bodie, in the same Cat log of [...]e­hearsed malignities put downe. Math. 24. 12. And because iniquitie shall be increased, the loue of many shall be colde. 10. The coll [...]men of the church throughout the Gentils & al [...]ations and the disper­sion of the Gospell among all lano [...]s, to the endes of the world, is another presagement of the worldes [...]nd And this Gospel of the kingdom shal be preached throughout the whole world, Math. 24. 14. for a witnesse to all nations, and then shall the end come. 11. The abhomination of desolution, setting vp a Monarchie in the holie place, with the rest witnesseth the worldes desolution. When yee shall see the abhom nation of desolation, Math. 24. 15. Mark. 13. 14. Dan. 9. 27. spoke of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the holy place. &c. 12. The comming in of dececiuable and damnable spirit, false Christs and false Prophets is an other essentiall marke of this matter: Math. 14. 24. Luke 17. 23. 2. Thes. 2. 3 For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets, and shall shew great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible, they should deceiue the verie elect. 13. Prodigious, Aspeas in the heauen, strange Ecclipses of Sunne and Moone, palpable and more then Aegiptian darknesse, afearefull fall of the Startes, a shaking in all the powers of head [...] do prophecie this point: Mat. 24. 29. Dan. 7. 13. Apocal 1 7. Ioel. 2. 31. The Sunne shall bee darkned, and the Moone shall not giue her light, and the Starres shall fall from Heauen, and the powers of heauen shall be shaken. Descend from the ayre to the earth, which giueth vs no lesse fearefull tokens hereof, as troubles and perplerities among the nations, roarings in the sea and al [...]ps, palpitatious torobbings, and thrauings in all hearts, in expect­tion [Page 27] of so terrible destruction. Luk 21. [...]5. Vpō the earth trouble among the nations with perplex [...]tie: the Sea, and the waters shall roare. And mens hearts shall faile them for feare, and for looking after those things which shall come on the world. 14 The signe of the sonne of man in the el [...]udes shall be set vp as a banner of the approach and end without end. Luk. 21. 25. Then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloud, with power and great glorie. 15 Lastlie to trusse vp the bundle hereof, a supine securitie in the hearts of men, eating, [...]rinking, huing in daliance (as they did in Noahs time, whom the stood found so occupied and destroied) shal possessie the world, and shall betoken the end of the world. As it was in the daies of Noah, L [...]k. [...] 26. Gen. 7. 5. Matt. 24. 38. 1. Pet. 3. [...]0. so shall it be in the daies of the sonne of man: they eate, they dranke, they married wines, and gaue in ma [...]iage vnto the day that Noe went into the arke, and the flood came and destroied them all. 16 To the former, put va­r [...]etie or nu [...]itie of saith. But when the sonne of man commeth, shall he find faith on the earth? Luk. 18. 8. These signes are of two kinds, 1 Some goe before the Iudgement. 2 Some goe hand in hand with it. Ma. 24 24. [...]1 Matt. 24. 6. 7. Of the first ranke are these. 1 Adulteration of pure doc­trine by false and [...] doctors. 2 Warres and proclamati­ons of warres. 7. 3. Plagur. 4 Famine. 5 Earthquake. 6 Ca­tholicke and general corruption to maners. 12. 7 Decay of charity. 8 The progresse and free passage of the Gospell. 14. 9. 10. Martirdome of good men. 10 Publicke scandale. 11 Setled and stiffe-necked secaritie. 21. &c. 12 Terror and horror among men. 13 Vocifiration and ex [...]ndation of waters. Sccōdly, The signes that keepe com­panie with the Iudg [...]nt, are 1. The obscuca [...]lon of the sunne. 2 The E [...]l [...]pse and defect of the Moone. Matt. 24. 20. 3 The downefall of starres. 4. The lu [...]a [...]e and palse [...] shaking disposition of heauen­lie powers. 30. 30. &c. 5 The signe of the sonne of man. 6 The direfull eiulation and lamentation of the wicked. If we shall cursor [...]e runne ouer the [...] clasley, we shal find al of them alread [...] esse, really accoup [...]e [...]. Ma [...]. 13. 21. Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 11. 12. 14 1 The first, adulteration of doctrine, hath beene long too [...] Iosephus speaketh of [...]able [...]s of such. who led the people into the wildernes and mount of Olmes: and bare them in [...] that they were their Sauiours: among others he nameth the Egyptian named by Luke in the Actes of the Apo­stled. Act. 21. 38. 8 Chap. 5. 36. This mischiefe like a Gangrene hath farre disperied it selfe: [Page 28] For all the East-churches God after Mahomet, and the Pope hath established the kingdome of Antichrist very strongly in the Westerne parts. M [...]h. [...]4. 6. 7 2 Warres and rumors of warres haue alrea­die béene many and great. In lurie there were successiue sediti­ons, which partly were raised by their false teachers, and partly by tyranous presidents were kindled. Wars after y ^• death of Ne­roe waxed very hot, the Romaines being at ciuil wars among thē ­selues, euery one catching his fellow by the head, & thrusting his sword in his fellowes side while there was claime made to the crowne by Galba, Otto, Vitellius, & Vespasiā, in whose second yere Titus took the citie which together with the temple he quite consumed with fire. Matth. 24. 7. 3 Plague. 4 Famine, are indiuided com­panions of warres, or seruants that waite at the heeles of the Plagues, were long before threatned them for sinne: as where Moses saith: Leuit. 26. 16. Lamen. 2. 17. Mal. 2. 2. Deut. 18. 21. I will appoint ouer you a consumption and the bnrning ague to consume the eyes & to make the heart heauie. The Lord shall make the pestilence to cleaue vnto thee, vntil hee hath consumed thee from the land. The heauie stroke of Gods hand herein have diuers parts of this our land of late yeres gréeuously felt. Concerning samme, it was so fierce and fearefull in Heirusalem as many died of it, of which Iosephus writeth. Of a famine that came vpon them the scripture speaketh. Matth. 24. 7. L [...]b. 20. Antiq. Cap. 2. Act. 11. 28. And there stood vp one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit, that there should be a great famine throughout all the world, which also came to passe vnder Claudius Cesar. 5 It is enough that Earthquakes are foretold though there be no fur­ther inrolement either of the place or of the time: Matth. 24. 7. yet Iosephus maketh relation of some things agréeing with this prediction. For a yéere before the siege, Lib. 7. de bell [...]. [...]. Cap. 12. there was a starre ouer the Citie séene like vnto a sword: at nine in the night, a light greater thē the day­light shined in the Temple, which continued halfe an houre. In the ayre were seene armed soldiors skirmishing together, and a voice in the Temple was heard. Let vs depart hence: But wée néede not wander so farre for proofe of such prodigies. The Earth­quake that hapned in the yéere 1580. on the sixt of April, that sha­ked not only the scenicall Theatre, but the great stage and Thea­tre of the whole land verifieth Christs prediction. 6 A Catho­lique corruption in maners and conuersation, being another [Page 29] marke of knowledge of the worlds consumption, hath béene long and is still really, and substancially in action. And because ini­quitie shall be increased, the loue of many shall be cold. This prophecy took place in Christs time, whē he came among his own, Iohn. 1. 11. Mark. 14. 43. Luk. 22. 47. but his owne knewe him not. When Iudas betraied him, Peter forsware him, & al his other followers persidiously did forsake him. And is the conditiō of these times better [...]no truly, but far worser, and are come to all extremitie, Iohn. 18. 1 [...]. iniquitie hauing set vp a Monar­chie among vs, and driuen out all pietie. The word of God foun­deth in our eares summoning vs to repentance, that we may be reborne, Luk. 22 55 58 Mat. 25. 69. 71 and be made new creatures. But the more serious the holy ghost is with vs, the more slacke we are to héede his sugge­stions, and more forward to apprehend all vnlawfull motions, confronting the verie heauens, and offring the combate vnto God himselfe. So it is therefore, that being wholy dedicated and giuen vp to our for [...]ide gaine, we neglect al those things that make against it: we feede vpon hatred and malice without cause: wee conceiue filthy lustes and anger implacable, and those that seeme to be of the best sect, are set vpon: drunkennes, glottonie, car­nality: which dulleth the mind, enféeble the body, disable the whole man, and turneth him into an other nature of a man, making him a beast. Due obedience to parents is not giuen, faithfulnes be­tweene man and wife is not kept, the rec [...]procall dutie that is be­twéene the Master and the Seruant is neglected, and the loue of both sides that is to passe currantly betweene the magistrates and their vnderlings languisheth. 7 Put the seuenth signe of this sicke and dying world to the former, Math. 24. [...]2. that is to say, defection of charitie. The loue of many shall waxe cold, and there is no­thing wanting that may helpe to fulfill the measure of iniquitie, wee swarue not from the right, if we proportion out the corrup­tion of these present times with the corruption of the times in the time of the flood: as the Poet Graphically, and al the ful hath set them foorth.

Sutable to this saying of the Poet is this of the Apostle. To­ward the latter daies shall come perilous times, 2. Tim 3. 1. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Iude 18. 2. Pet 3. 3. wherein men shall be louers of themselues, couetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobedient to parents, vnthankfull, vnholy, and without naturall affection, truce breakers, false accusers, in­temperate, fierce, dispisers of them which are good, traitors, headie, high minded, louers of pleasures more then louers of God &c. All which large discourse and perticuler reckning, may be concluded in this totall and generall summe in the sentence of our Sauiour, Luk 18. 8. When he cōmeth he shal scarce find faith vpon the earth. If this be not as clere as the Sunne, let any man goe with cresset & torch light from the center to the circumferice, & find me out a man, in whom some of these properties is not proper, that walketh éeuenly both with God & man without any imputatiō of reproofe, to disproue and checke this assertion. 8 The eight to­ken of the end of the world which is the preaching of the Gospell through the whole world, according to that which Christ sayth: This Gospel of the Kingdome must be preached through the whole world for a witnesse to all nations, Matt. 24. 14. Mark. 13. 10. and then shall the end come. These wordes of our Sauiour being rightly vnder­stoode, hath had his vertue and effect. For when persecution be­gan to bee in Hierusalem, and the D [...]sciples were driuen from thence, Act 8. 2. 3. 4. 9. 19. they went preaching throughout all Iudea, and went from thence into Samaria, and illuminated that place with the light of the Gospell, where Philip conuerted Queene Candaces Chamberlaine the Aethiopian, by whose meanes, no doubt, the knowledge of the truth was scattered among the Aethiopi­ans. Also while the Disciples were at a stand, amazed within themselues, doubtful what to doe, whether they might beare the [Page 31] worde vnto the Gentiles: Acts. 10. 1. 7. 11. 17. 44. Actes. 12. 24. Act. [...]3. 1. 13. 14. 42. this their st [...]die was broken vp, Peter being aduised by heauēly Oracle, to ioyne himself to the Centuri­ [...] Cornelius a G [...]n [...]tle the rest of the Apostles coasting to Phae­nicia, & Cyprus, & so spreading the Gospel ouer sea and land. But Paul did sweate most of all other at this worke, Act. 11. 4. 21. 2 [...]. who filled all the parts from [...]ierusalem, with the Countries round about vnto Illyricum w ^t the preaching of the word. Act. 14. 6. 13. 26. And being in fetters, be wrote Euāg [...]cal [...]etters from y ^e Iaile to the Colossians, Act. 15. 35. 39 Act. 28. 30. 6. 31. Col. 1. Rom. 1. 7. 11. con [...]ra­tulating with thē the large progresse of the Gospell through the world. The Gospell is come vnto you, euen as it is vnto all the world, and is fruitfull, a [...] it is also among you Now these wordes of our Sauiour: The Gospel must bee preached vnto all Nations, are to be vnderstoode of the greatest part of the Na­tions. The greaterpart haue alreadie had the preaching thereof, of which Paul saith: 1. T [...]m. 3. 16. God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, belee­ued on in the world. Now whereas some giue a checke to this doctrine, inasmuch as the Antipodes, and such as are cast into the cut-shifts of the world, haue neuer hea [...]d so much as an inck­ [...]ag of the worde, that is a stale ieast, and it is a knot as easie as mar be to be vndone. For the words of Christ meane not eue­rie Cauton, tract, and stroke of the world, neyther haue they an are to any set time when the Gospel shall be thus strewed about: but the meaning is this, The Gospell which in respect of raging persecutions, they thought should haue beene banished out of Iu­dea, the naturall home thereof, shall disperse it selfe to the vtmost [...]artes of the world before this generall desolution, according to the saying [...] the Psalmograph: Ps [...]l. 19. 4. Rom 10. 18. His found is gone into all [...]andes, and [...]is wordes vnto the ende of the worlde. Which wordes are also taken vp for [...]ext by Saint Paul. Therefore that he speaketh of all the worlde, is to be appli [...]d to the Iewes and Gentiles, to whom the Gospel is to be published: For into these two sortes of people the whole worlde is dia [...]ded. Ioh. 15. 20. & 16. 2. Luke. 21. 12. 9 The ninth euidence of the worldes ende, which is the massacre and martyrdome of the saints, is as euidently as any come to passe. For haue not Princes [...] wordes from age to age been ouer-drun­ken with the blood of the godly? Isa [...] was killed with a Saw: Ie­ [...]emie with stones; Dan, 6. 16. Amos with a clubbe; Daniel was exposed [Page 32] [...]; Paul was beheaved; Peter crucified: In the ten p [...]s [...]co [...]ions which were three hundred yeares after Christ, what erquis [...]e [...] were deuised, against good professors? rockes, rackes, flees, and what not? In Europe how hath the church bene chaced like a Doe, tossed like a Ball, remoued like a Tree by the bloudy Beast of Rome now these hundred yeeres by-past? We cannot find a time, if we make a scrutinie of times, either when the church was in her infancie, or when it was growne vp to more yeeres, or in her latter daies wherein the better sort hau [...] not bene put to the worst and haue bene heauily handled. For Christ the obiect of their profession is as Simeon prophesied, a a signe of contradiction, Lukk. [...]. 34. which the Apostles for Christs sake as­soone as they began to preach the word, had lamentable expe­rience off. 1. Pet 28. Act. 2. 11. 13 For when as those that heard them were astonished at them, speaking in seuerall languages the wonderful workes of God: some immediatly shot thē through with the arrows of their bitter wordes, Act 3. 7. Act. 4. 1. 2. 3. 5. 7. 18. 21. Act 5. 17. 29. [...]0. saying They are all full of new wine. By and by after when Peter and Iohn in the name of Christ made the Créeple a sound Creature, the multitude grew mad at this new miracle, and committed the Preachers to prison, and afterwards drew a grieuous enditement against them, and not without great threates discharged them which should come vpon them, when they should aduenture to preach againe among them. Not long after, the number of the faithfull increafing, the high Bishop with his swarme of Saduces, who then domin [...]red and ruled the roste at Hierusalem, got the Apostles into their clutches, & layd them by the heeles. Acts. 5. 18. 19 29. 40. And albrit God sent an Angell to bate them, yet the second time they had them by the backes, and made no bones to haue a set Sessions against them, wherein they gaue them the whip, and suspended them of their ministrie. But they for al that fors [...]ke not their profession, but stood to their tackling, they catcht Stephen, Actes 6 8. Acts 7. 57. 58 Act. 26. and call a counsell against him, and suborne false witnesses, and doe him to death. After which acte followed an vniuersall persecution. wherein Saul bestirred his stumps in persecuting the second Dauid. as if he had beene begotten of that Sa [...] that persecuted the first Dauid.

At the last came in Herod Agrippa to play his parte [...] who act­ed it to the purpose, Act. 12. 1. 2 4. falling vpon the Church and making heueck [Page 33] of it, killing Iohn the Brother of Iames with the sword, Act. 14 6. 19. Actes. 16. 19. 22. 23. 24. 33. 25. without order of lawe, his cause being neuer heard to currie fauour with the Iewes: and for his cause shut vp Peter in prison, and sent out his writte for his execution. Finall [...]e the more the Church increased, persecutio [...]s increased: for thrée hūdred yeres after the Apostles times exceeding the persecuting times of the Apostles. Whereof there were tenne which the Roman Emperors s [...]ured vp. The [...]. Nero was the Author of the first, who for his fact of setting Rome on fi [...]e hauing set the hearts of his Subiects on fire against him to quench the [...]e coales, and to winde into their good wills a­gaine, 1 charged the Christians with the fact, and as though they had beene guiltie, attached and executed a mightie number of them, and exceedingly tormēted them, couering them with beasts hides and casting them to Dogges to be torne in peeces, or fast­ning them to Crosses, did light them like to Torches to giue them light in the night, Cornel. T [...]it. as Tacitus doth reporte, who otherwise was a monstrous enemie to Christ, vnder which persecution died Paul and Peter valiantly and carried away the crowne. The second 2 was caused by Domitian in the yeare of Grace 86. Tertull de pra­scri [...] [...]. in the which the Apostle Iohn was put into a Tunne or Vessell of hot boyling oyle, which could not harme him, and so was afterwards confi­ned, and banished into Pathmos. The third persecution is giuen 3 to Trac [...]an, in which Ignatius suffered in the yere of Christ, one hundreth and tenne, being worried & deuoured of wilde beasts. 4 The fourth was mooued by Antonius the Philosopher, in which were martired Policarpus, Iustinus, and many more in the yere of Saluation, 170. The fi [...] moste mercilesse nusereant against the 5 Church was Seuerus, who among others did to death Leonides 6 the Father of Origen in the yeare after Christ 204. Maximus 7 was the sixt. The seauenth was Dreius vnder whome Saint Lawrence was tortured, beeing rosted vpon a Gridiron in the yere 252. The eight was stirred by Lyanus, who with the blood 8 of those two worthies Cornelius and Symon, seeded and watred the Church of God. Aurchan was chiefe actor in the ninth. In 9 the tenth Dioclesian and Maximianus had three handes full: 10 who meeting at Nicomedia confuted together for the vtter r [...] ­ [...]ing out the name of Christians. Wherevpon by power of their [...]oclamations sent out into all quarters of their domination▪ [Page 34] there was such a mightie massacre made euerie where, as it is in register, that in one month, seauenteene thousand of them were put to the sword. Acts and Mo­numents of the Church by Maister Fox. This tempest continued for thirteene yeares. Neyther haue the times beene milder vnder Antichrist, as ex­amples enough shew, which maister Foxe in his booke of monu­ments store you with to which I doe send you, hauing bene pro­lixe enough in this point, but I hope not vnprofitable.

The tenth signe of this downefalling world, is publique of­fence, and scandale that shall arise. [...] 10. And then shall many bee offended. Ofthie scandale and offence there are two sortes. 1. For first such as starte aside from the Gospell, take a scandale and offence at the corruption of mens manners. 2. Secondly by their Apostacy and defection they hardē the obstinate, ouerthrowe the weake, weaken the the strong, moouing great offension in their mindes. The latter is the worst, and badde is the best of them. This prediction could not otherwise be but fulfilled. For many doe nothing else but seeke their priuate gaine vnder pre­text and shew of Godlinesse, and this is such a naturall and com­mon disease, Math. 18. 1. as the Apostles themselues were not cleere of it, as their ambitions, contentions about the Primacie, and the right hand and left hand in the kingdome doe witnesse. Math. 20. 20 Marke. 10. 35. Luc. 22. 24. 25. 26. How should it then be shifted, but that gr [...]dge and offence must growe in the mindes of men when they see those great Candles whome Christ called the light of the world ware dimme and loose their light, Math. 5. 13. 14 15. whē they had a taste how the salt of the earth had lost his sauour, when they perceiued how his hea [...]enly herauldes, Mark. 9. 50. Luke. 14. 34. the preachers of his word, were poore, dispised, afflicted, determined to death, and made the spectacle in the Theater of this world, for men and Angels to w [...]nder at?

At this day many are [...]ffended when they see and heare, 1. Cor. 4. 8. 9. 3. 10. 13. how men of good note, and chiefe place, sometimes wedded to their superstitious vanities, haue turned their copies, and haue sub­scribed to the veri [...]ie and are disgraced, and displaced for it. Yea whome should not such thinges offend that are Christians, Luc. 2. Isa. 8. 14. Romans 9. 32 1. Pet. 2. 8. 1. Cor. 1. 23. when as Christ was fore tolde by Simon that he should bee a stone of offence: for many to stumble at, which Paul witnesseth saying: But we pre [...]ch Christ crucified: vnto the Iewes euen a st [...] ­bling blocke, and vnto the Graecians foolishnesse. And it is [Page 35] well knowne what Christ humelie saith to the point: Math. 11. 6. Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me. Paul giueth iustance of such of the Church as tooke offence [...]so departed from the Church, as of Hymeneus and Alexander, 1 Tim. 18. [...] 19. 20. who made sh [...]pwracke of [...]aith & conscience altogether. E [...]e-where he theweth how riches haue beene a stumbling stone to ma [...]y, which hath [...]is [...]ed them from a former good profession, and intangled them with ma­ny molestations. 11 The eleuenth signe of the end of the world, is a seated and resolued securitie, which neither iudgements from heauen, nor preaching in earth can dis [...]el out of the hearts of men. Of which Christ saith: Luke. 17. 26 27. 28. 29. 30. Gen. 7. 5. 1. Pet. 3. 20. As it was in the dayes of Noah, so shall it be in the dayes of the sonne of man, They eate, they dranke, they married wiues, and gaue in marriage, vnto the day that Noah went into the Arke, and the [...]lood came & destroied thē all, &c. This signe these times, as those times haue seene. Gods word is fréely preached, and neuer any age had so many learned preachers, and it is wonderfull how many conuicted in their con­sciences, do [...] confesse that that which they preach is the truth: yet we may send them to the iudgement with this superscription on their foreheads. Matth. 11. 16. 17. 20. 21. 23. Luke 7 31. 32 Isai 62. 6. & 65. 2. Iere. 7. 21. 22. 23. Noluerunt incantari, They would not be char­med: We haue piped vnto them, and they haue not daunced: we haue mourned vnto them, and they haue not lamented: we haue stretched out our handes all the day long vnto a wicked and gain-saying people. Men walke after the flesh, and fleshly desires: and too many there be, who make the Gospel, and the pro­fession of holinesse, the shrewde and mantle to couer their licen­tiousnesse. Epicureous gormandizing is rife euerie where: Ezec. 16. 49. 40. &c. dr [...]nkennesse is without example, we are cast into as founde a sleepe of sin, Gen. 2. 21. 22. Iudg. 4. 17. 21. 2. Sam. 4. 6. Act 20. 9. as Adam was when hee lost a rib: as Sisera was when he was slaine in his tent: & as Isbosheth was when he was slaine in his bed: and as Eutichus was when he fel from the third loft. It is with the state of sinne, as it was with Dyonisius, who though he had bodkins thrust into his belly, so as the fat a grease issued out, yet he had no feeling of it: so pierce we and wou [...]d sinne as much as we will, and it will not yeeld an inch for it. Bene pun­geris si compungens, saith Bernard. It were good thou hadst that punction, that would bring thee to compunction. 12 The twelf fore-runner of the worlds confusion, is the terror & despera­tion [Page 36] that shall [...] by Luke in these wordes: Mens hearts shall [...] feare, Luk 21. 2 [...]. Mark 13 10. [...]. 13. 24. and for looking after those things which ha [...] [...] on the worlde: which hitherto hath beene [...] home, and warres abrod, [...] all of a great death, [...] pleagues newe diseases ne­uer [...] before, haue stroken vs like the [...] that flieth by noneday [...] And as these out­w [...]d [...] come vpon vs, [...] ver­ing the inward conscience [...] such hold of some, as they could neuer be [...]: [...] 24. 11. 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. 2. Pet. 3. 3. [...] and provi [...] opini­ons in matters of faith, heritical [...] of vnspeakeable Schismes and [...], not onely [...] with vn­ [...]essie cogitations, but plunging it into the bottomlesse pit of de­speration. But this is but a light [...] and conculsion in re­spect of that lamentable & vnspeakable con [...]s [...]on and [...] of soule and bodie, Matth. 25. 32. 33. which shall be the scorpion to whippe them at the nick [...] of the direfull day of doome. Luk. 13. 24. 27. The woman that is with childe hath often manie aylements and complaininges: as of [...], and sickenesse of sto­macke, but all these are little and light, [...] as 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 [...]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: Luke 21.25 Isa 13. 10. Math 24. 29. 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, [...] 11. 25. [...] 28. 31. [...] 59. 20. [...] 27. 9. 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 [Page 37] sense whereof is this, That the Iewes shall not alwaies abide in blind [...]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 the [...]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 num­b [...]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 deli­u [...] [...] 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 [Page 38] kicke against Christ: so among the Iewes there shall be some such humorous fellowes, as shall expresse the peruers [...]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. 1. Tim. 2. 4. 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: Luke. 18. 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. 2. Thes. 2. 3. 1. Sam. 19. 13. Of the princi­ples of their faith, swar­uing from the truth. See D. Reinolds 5. conclusion, inlarged. An 1602. 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. Romes 7. hils described by Virgil. Georg. 2 in fine, by Proper [...]us E­log [...] lib. 3 by Varro. lib. 5. 2. Thes. 2. 3. Apoc. 18. 6. Apo. 17. 2. 13 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 [Page 39] 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, D. Downam his treatise of Antichrist, published An. 1603. 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. Num. 21. 22. & 23 &c. Gen. 19 11. 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 other [...] goodes into their handes with cart­ropes 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, Gen 12. 15. 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 [...]e was so cold as no cloathes could heate him: 1. King. 1. 1, 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, piet [...]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 [Page 40] 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 s [...]éedy death of that botle. But all these signes hitherto specified do come before the iudgment. [...] 24. 29. 3 [...] [...] 13. 24. Luk. 21. 25. Isa. [...]3. [...] Ezek. 32. 7. I [...]re­maineth now that we intreat of those that a [...]tōpany the [...] A [...] 1. the [...]bscuration & obfuscation of the [...] 2. The [...] darknes of the moone. 3. The fal of heauenly stars. 4. The co [...] ­ction of ecl [...]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 [...] co [...]ntenance & [...] as­pect of y ^e world which it wil then [...]. Mark. [...]3. 33. 34. 35. Math. 14. 42. These rather serue as pre­para [...]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, Ro [...]. 8. 19. 20 21. 22. 23. which is the procurer of these dreadfull [...]. For [...] it not for our sinnes these creatures should not trauell in th [...] [...] ­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 cu [...]se shall light vpon them, [...] [...]5. 23. 14 25. 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 [...] ga [...]e thee light when thou [...] in the works of darknesse. [...] shall [...]e [...] day. Because the [...] did warmeth [...], and did [...] wickedlie, it shall bee [...]. God shall fight against [...] they would [...] [...] ­gainst thee when thou [...] fight against God. [...] they are rightlie serued. For it is [...] to take [...] of sinne, Deutr. 20 20. as of sinne if [...] by God, that when the Israelites should besiedge [...] their enemies, they should lay their woo [...]es and [...]. And it was a statute in Israell that he that sinned [...] Exod. 22. [Page 41] 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. 2. Sam. 14 3 [...] When A [...]solon cou [...]de not drawe Ioab [...] vse: by [...] groundes he made him take his part. God hath two stri [...]ges to his bowe: if one will not serue, another shall: I [...] the [...] will not conuert vs, [...] of Damascus and there le [...] [...] power, [...] all their come s [...]des, [...] came vpon [...] when [...] [...] [...] [...] saye, when hee shall see these [...] If men [...] darknesse of [...], [...] [...] [Page 30] sée another or remoou [...] out of his place: If they quake at euerie earthquake, If a ra [...]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? Math. 27. 45. 51. 52. 53. Mark. 15. 33. 38. Math. 27. 54. Marke. 15. 39. 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. Math. 24. 29. 30. Mark. 13. 24. 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, Gen. 1. 26. 29 30. Psal. 19. 1. 2. Exod. 7. 19. 20 21. Exod 8. 6. 16 24. &. 9. 1. 10 23. & 10 13. 22. & 12. 29. & 14 27. Num. 10. 1. 2 Num. 16. 28. 29. 32. 33. 34. Psal 105. 16. 27. 28. 29. 30 31. 32. 34. 35. Exod. 7 20. Exod. 8. 6. Exod 29. Psal 104. 1 2. 3. 4 29. 32 &c. Ids. 10 10. 11 12 13 14. Ios. 6. 3, 4, 20 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 y [...]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 [Page 43] iudgements, then they are, that we might applie them to the pre­ [...] vn [...]aturall yeres that we haue had of late, which haue shew [...] vs many vnkind parts, by verie hurtfull tempests, rage and i [...]undation of sea and riuers, earthquakes, provigious birthes, [...]luck [...]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, Math. 24. [...] 29. Mark. 13. 24. Luk. 21 25. Isa. 13. 1 [...] 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, commoti [...]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. Math. 25. 2 [...] 8. 11. 12. [...] 33. Among these latter signes giuen vs by Christ of the worlds end, the signe of the Son of man is nominated, Mark. 13. 34. which some say is the bodie of Christ, bearing the signes of his sufferings, as the wounds of his hands, féete, side: and other some say is the signe of the crosse. But the certainest sence is, to take the signe for the signification, for those prodigious aspects lately named, and for the worldes com­bus [...]n, which is the signe of the sonne of mans apparition by S. Peter directly named.

Wee will giue the vse of this large discourse, 2. Pet. 3 7. 10. 11. 12. 13 14. Math. 24. 29. 30. and so wée will conclude it. 1. First these signes serue as wholesome admoni­ [...]on to dr [...]we v [...] to a godly and holy conuersation. It is the A­postle Peters application in the case, Ioe. 2. 31. &c. who after mention made of these [...]full maner of the worldes destruction commeth in with this addition. Seeing all thinges must be desolued, what ma­ner of men ought wee to be in holy conuersation and godli­nes? The consequence is good, for if all earthly creatures must be refined and ren [...]e [...] by the fire: Much more should the fire of Gods spirite burne in vs which may consume the drosse of our dead workes like s [...]uble, and perfect vs that wee may be wrought as it were in a new [...]oulde after the Image of God in righteous­nes and holines. 1 Thess 5. 2. R [...]u [...]. 16 15. 2. Secondly wee are taught to gather from hence howe grieuous sinne is which is in the creatures of the [Page 44] worlde thus greiuously punished. Deutr 24. 8. Leuit. 13. & 14. The leprosie of the Iewes was to all that knew it wonderfull: because it not only did in­fect the whole man, but did clea [...]e to his garments, and to the walles of the house. Luk. 17. 12. But the leprosie of sinne is more to be won­dred at, that not only polluteth the bodie and soule of man, but ble [...]isheth & staineth the worldes glorious eye euen the glorious Sunne in the firmament, and subiecteth the Moone and starres vnto vanitie. Wretched therefore are wée the whom the dregges of sinne are so frozen and conicalled, as wée are become senceles in sinne: not onely going vp to the anckles, but diuing ouer head and eares in the gulfe of sin. Wee endure not to looke vpon the blaines and running sore [...] of spitlemen, but did we beholde the sores of our sinfull soules as they are in their naturall cor [...]upti­on, which rancle the verie heauens manie thousand miles of from them, we would haue, in all loathsome detestation, their most vgly and fipthie abhomination. 3. The third and last considera­tion we take from hence, is the louing kindnes of God and his vn­willingnes in punishing a sinner, according to that which Isai saith. God worketh a strange worke, to bring his owne work to passe. Dij immortales nec volunt nec possunt obesse. The im­mortal Gods are neither willing norable to hurt, saith Seneca. It is his propertie alwaies to haue mercie, as it is in the Antheme of the Church. And iudgement is a strange work vnto him con­trarie to his nature: which hée executeth to make vs owners of his mercie, which is his owne proper action. If God tooke anie pleasure in vndoing the world, and worldly men: he would not come in this mouing manner to vs, causing all the creatures of heauen to put on blacke garments. But euen as when the mai­ster of the house dieth (saith Chrisostome) all the houshould is cladde in mourning wéedes: so mankind, for which all the parts of the world were made to be seruants to them, béeing to be done away, all creatures follow their funeralles with lamentations in their kindes, the orient Sunne, Moone, staires doe chaunge co­lour, and are in blacke array. Math. 24. 29. Mark. 13. 24. A Painter is very loath to marre the whole proportion of the picture, for some defection and im­perfection that is in it: so God is very loath, to vndoe al his work­manship in vs, for some sinnes and transgressions that are in vs. Many Iudges of Assise are so pittifull, as albeit they are to ve­nounce [Page 45] the doome of death against prisoners at the barre, as they weepe when they deliuer it: so God doth with vs béeing senten­ced for our vnrepentant sinnes vnto death. So he wept when hée [...]rowned the first world: Gen. 7. Luke 19. 21. 41. 42. Math. 24. 29. so he wept for the destruction of Hieru­salem, and this affection hée sheweth in this habite of heauenlie creatures, which they do on at the worlds dissolution. There is many a hangman, who though he be neuer so butcherly bent will bemoane the estate of his freind, especialli [...] his kinsman, whose hand or eare he is to cut off: Therefore God that loueth vs more then the father can the childe, or the husband the wife, cannot but be resolued into passions for our condemnation. This doctrine you haue often heard, but yée do but litle heede it, happi­ly because yee doe not beleeue it is so at hand. But these signes hi­therto spoken of maketh it out of doubt. The king doth purpose to remooue from one Court to another: and when report goeth of it, many doubt of it, because the prince many times doth delay the time, but when the furniture of the Court is taken downe, then euery one knoweth that he remoueth out of hand: 1. Pet. 4. [...]. so it hath béene often preached in your eares, that the end of the world is at hand, that Christ is comming to iudge it, and ye arraigne God of slacknes; Mark. 13. 24, 25. but the remoual of this the worldes furniture this bu­ [...]e dooing which is not in hand, flatly sheweth that these thinges are at hand.

THe resurrection of all flesh immediatly with the worlds consummation commeth in place. Ioh. 6. 40. So saith Christ, I will raise him vp at the last day. The like saith Martha (no doubt immitated in the schoole of Christ) touching hir brother Lazarus: I know that he shal rise again in the resurrection at the last day: Ioh. 21. 24. 25. Wher­fore we are to deale with this article in this place.

There is a double resurrection. 1. Cor. 15. 34. 1. The one of our bodies. 2 The other of our soules. Of our soules when we rise from sinne: Of our bodies we rise from our sepulchers. That of our soules is [Page 46] called the first resurrection. Reu. 11. 18. & 14. 1. 2. & 20. 12. 13. The other of our bodies is called the second. A double death answereth this double resurrection. 1. The first death, which is of the vnrepentant soule. 2. The se­cond which is euerlasting death, the condition of the damned. We learne of the Scriptures thus to distinguish of the resurrection. For the first and second resurrection, The first and second death are mentioned in holy scriptures. [...]. 20. 6. As by Iohn in the Reuellati­on: Blessed, and holy is he, that hath part in the first resurrec­tion: For on such the second death hath no power: But they shall be the Priests of God and of Christ. and shall raigne with him a thousand yeeres. Where Iohn by the first resurrection vnderstandeth the resurrection of the minde from sinne to repen­tance. In the Gospell of Iohn both these resurrections are spok­en of together: Ioh. 5. 25. 28, 2 [...]. The houre shall come and now is, when the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God, These wordes belong to the first resurrection, and that doth the course of them declare, in that hée saith: The hower shall come and nowe is. For no man will say that the hower of the latter resurrection was then. By the dead therefore that should haue liued, if they had had faith in Christ and beléeued: hée meaneth such who by means of their sinnes, are without spiritual life: of whom Christ in an other place, Math. 8. 22. Ephes. 2. 1. 2 3 saith Let the dead burie the dead. The like death is named by Saint Paul: You hath he quickned, that were dead in trespasses and sinnes. In his letter to Timothie, he speaketh of a liuing dead widow in the former sense: She that liueth in pleasure is dead while she liues. 1. Tim. 5. 6. Col. 2. 13. We were all of vs in this state of death before our iustification by faith: First by our original sin, and then by our actuall sinnes, which we haue committed since of our owne frée will: wherefore it is more then néedefull for vs thus to rise from the dead. The blessed onely share in this resur­rection. In the latter resurrection the commons common with vs, as Christ sheweth in his wordes of the latter resurrection: [...]eue. 21. 3. 24 27. Mar­ueile not at this: for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues, shall heare his voice. And they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life, but they that haue done euill, vnto the resurrection of condemna­tion. But this first resurrection as not falling into my purpose I minde not to meddle with.

[Page 47] In the handling of the resurrection, 1. Cor. 15. 12 13 21 29 30, 32 34 35, 36 38, 43. we haue in hand, we will first conclude the certaintie thereof against all gaine-saying ad­uersaries. For the point is much pushed at with the point of So­phisticall allegations, which without difficultie we will do away well inough. This Article hath béene exagitated by many, and many wayes oppugned. The Philosophers as absurde doe re­nounce it: And there haue beene found too many in the Church who haue denied it. The Peripaticians as almost all the sects of P [...]ilosophers haue behaued themselues most rudely in this busi­nesse. The diuinitie that the schoole of Epicures professeth in this point, is this. There is nothing that remaineth after death. Seneca, though he be a friend to the principle of the immortalitie of the soule, yet he is so grosse, as to auouch that all things are de­termined and ended by death. For writing vnto Martia, hee s [...]ith: Mors omnium est solutio & finis, vltra quam mala nostra non exeunt. Death is the resolution and period of all things, which bounds our euils cannot exceede. Againe, this is another of his proper Aphorismes. Non potest e [...]e miser qui nullus est. He cannot be a wretched man that is no man. In these darkenesse lay al­most all the rabblement of the Orators, Philosophers, and Poets of the Gentiles. And if we shall ransacke the militant Church, we shall find many monstrous minded men in this matter. A­mong the Iewes, the Sadduces disclaimed the resurrection, whom Christ tooke to taske in the Gospel, and daunted those triumphing Hannibals most notablie.

The Apostles times brought forth Hymenaes, Mat. 22. 23. 2. Tim. 2. 16. 17 18 and Philetus, such companions of the same association. Of this schoole was Si­mon Magus of whom the Heretiques Simoniani were named, with whom combined in this nastie opinion, the eluish route of Valentinians, Carpocratians, Cardonians, Arcontici, Seueri­a [...]s, Basilidans, Hierarchites, &c. The Manichees likewise come stuffling in among them, absolutely gain-saying the resurrection of the bodie, but maintaining the resurrection of the soule, by the preaching of the truth, against whom Augustine disputeth. The Heresie of these men we will remoue and doe away by Scrip­tures, before which all such lewd assertions must fall, as Dagon before the Arke. The whole consent of the olde Testament con­f [...]teth them, and the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles confoun­deth [Page 48] them, and naturall reason agreeth thereunto, and is earnest against them. This orderly and cursortly we will consider of. We proue the resurrection, and restitution of the same indiuided bodie in the same substance, all infirmitie and deformitie taken away, the mightie spirit of God to be repaired at the latter day, & made like the glorious bodie of his Maiestie. Iob hath a peculier proofe hereof in this his simple and open formall profession: Iob 14. 12. Iob. 19. 35. &c I am sure that my Redeemer liueth, and he shall stand the last on the earth. And though after my skinne wormes destroy this body, yet shal I see God in my flesh, whō I my selfe shal see, & mine eies shal behold, and none other for me, though my reines are con­sumed within me. The same is not obscurely shadowed vnto vs in the drie bones which at the prophecie of Ezechiel at the com­mandement of God vpon them receiued breath of life, Ezech. 37. 8. had their sinews iunctures, and perfect composition. Daniel auoucheth as much saying: Dan. 12. 2. Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to euerlasting life, & some to shame and per­petuall contempt. The prophet Isai goeth hand in hand with the rest, Isai. 26. 19. saying: Thy dead men shal liue, euen with my bodie shall they rise. Dauid witnesseth so much in this wise: Psal. 17. 15. But I will be­hold thy face in righteousnes & when I awake, I shall be satis­sied with thine image. The practise and probate hereof in the wi­dows son of Sarepta raised by Elias, and in the Sunamites son re­stored to life by Elisha, 1. Kin. 17. 22. 2 King. 4. 34 Iohn 5. 25. Matth. 9. 25. Act. 4. 2 Matt. 22. 23. Mat. 5. 45. 4 [...]. Acts 23. 8. Iohn 14. 19. are also proofs pregnant enough of the ge­nerall resurrection to come. Christ in many places of the new in­strument concludeth as much, as when he saith: The houre com­meth, & is how, when the dead shal heare the voice of the son of God: as when against the Saduces hee is peremptorie in this point, thus arguing against thē: God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing: but God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob who are dead: from hence is this necessary deduction, they must rise againe: as when he said to his disciples, I liue & ye shall liue. Also to the further illustration of this doctrine, do these places appertaine: It shalbe easier for them of the land of Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for that City: which inference is repeated in y ^• next chap. The son of man shal come in the glory of his father with his Angels, Matt. 10 15. Matth. 1 [...]. 24. Mat. 6. 27. & then shal he giue to euery mā according to his deeds: he willeth vs to feast y ^• poore. & [Page 49] yéeldeth this reason: Luk 14. 14. Thou shalt be recōpenced at the resurre­ction of the iust. The Apostles with one mouth preach the same doctrine. Paul bringeth in clusters of arguments in the case. 1 He reasoneth from the confession of the Corinth. 1. Cor. 15. 11. 14, 15, 17. 18 20. 23, 29, 36 37 &c. thus: So we preach and so haue ye beleeued: Therefore there is a resurrection. For otherwise ye had neuer beléeued it: but as euident reason did euict it This reason liketh August. wel enough, Lib. 22. de Ci [...]t. Dei. ca. 25 and therefore he vseth it: concluding, that because God hath foretold the resurrection, & the world doth credite it, which séemed impossible to be effected, that the resurrection is most sure. 1. Cor. 15. 1 [...], 13 14. &c. 2 He disputeth in the next place thus: Christ is risen from the dead, therefore we shall rise from t [...]e dead. The coherence is good: for the head and the members go together, & it were abs [...]rd to part the one from the other. But Christ is the head and we are the members conglutinated and co­a [...]nuuated to that head: The antecedeut and forepart of the argu­ment is accompanied by sundrie consequences in the following verses. 1. Cor. 15. 14. 15, 19, 17. 1 [...]. 19 22, 23. That if Christ our head be not risen, 1 Our preaching is vaine 2 your faith is vaine: 3 we are false witnesses who h [...]ue testified so much: 4 ye are yet in your sinnes: 5. They which are asleepe in Christ are perished. The analogie of head and members maketh good the consequent. That therefore we shal li [...]e, as Christ hath risen: wherfore the fathers call the resurrection of Christ the misterie of our resurrection, 1. Cor [...]5. 20. 21. and the Apostle termeth it, The first fruits of them that slept. 3 Thirdly from the puri­fit of the contraries, he formeth his matter thus: It by one man came death, by one man must also come the resurrection from the de [...]de. 1. Cor. 25. 22 23. But the first is true: therefore the second. The argument holdeth the contraries, so answering one another. Adam, and Christ: Death and the Resurrection. But wee all die in bodie th [...]ough Adam: therefore wee must liue in bodie againe by Christ. 4 The forme that the Apostle so accurately descri­ [...]eth of the resurrection thus: We shall not all sleepe, but we shall be all changed in a moment, in the twinckling of an eie, at the last Trumpet: for the trumpet shall blow, and the deade shall be raised vp incorruptible, 1. Thes. 4. 16, 17, 18. and we shalbe changed. And thus For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout & with the voice of the archāgel, & with the trumpet of God: & the dead in christ shal rise first: thē shal we which liue [Page 50] and remaine bee caught vp with them also in the cloudes, to meet the Lord in the aire, & so shall we euer be with the Lord.

This Graphicall and ord [...]r [...]ie description of the resurrection euicteth the necessarie also intall [...]le certaintie of the resurrection. For if it were not a matter vndoubted, to what purpose is it that it is thus described? These are the chiefe arguments wherewith the Apostle vrgeth the resurrection in that famous fiftéenth char­ter of his first Letter to the Corinthians. Vpon which subiect hée disputed often: as at Athens, where he preached vnto the people of Iesus, Act. 17. 18. Act. 24. 15 M [...]tt. 22. 31. [...] 20. 37. and the resurrection: as in the Consistorie before Faelix, where he maketh this constant profession: I haue hope towards God, that the resurrection of the dead which they themselues looke for also, shall bee both of iust and vniust. Of the resur­rection of the dead am I accused of you this day. Peter in sun­drie places witnesseth the resurrection, as when he saith: Which shall giue accounte to him that is readie to iudge quicke and dead, 1. Pet. 4. 5. 1. Pet. 3. and thus: when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare, yee shall receiue an incorruptible Crowne of glorie Also his last Chapter of his last Epistle, is nothing else but illustration of this Article. S. Iohn deliuereth like diuinitie thus: We know that when he shall appeare, 1. Iohn 3. 2. we shal be like him, for we shal see him as he is. In the Reuelation y ^• spirit speaketh euidently thus: And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God: Reu [...]. 20. 12. Iohn 5. 28. & [...]1. 24. and the bookes were opened, and another booke was opened, which was the book of life, and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes, according to their workes. And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her, and death and hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them, and they were iudged euerie man according to their works. In the next Chapter we haue this discourse, R [...]ue 21. 4. Iames 5. 7. 8. which openeth the resurrection vnto vs: God shall wipe away all teares from their eies; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more paine. Saint Iames auoucheth as much saying: Be patient vnto the comming of the Lord. Be patient and settle your heart, for the comming of the Lorde draweth neere. the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews hath much good matter in the behalfe of the resurrection. In the tenth Chapter, after much discourse appertaining thereunto, he sum­meth [Page 51] it vp thus: Knowing in your selues how that ye haue in heauen a better and enduring substance. Heb. 10. 34. Heb. 11. 35. &c. In the next chap­ter he saith: Others also were racked and would not be deliue­red, that they might receiue a better resurrection.

Thus haue we the old and new Testament on the side of this doctrine, which is sufficient: but because Atheists (who pester this land, as the Frogs and Caterpillers did Pharaos Court) doe ar­raigne the integritie of the Scriptures, 1. Cor. 15. 3 [...] 36. 37. 38. and iudge of this matter by naturall reason: it is not amisse t [...] stop their mouthes by con­futing and confounding them this way. Wherefore we set vpon them thus. 1 The soule did not sinne without the body: therfore the bodie must be punished with it. Therefore the bodie must rise againe. The Philosophers doe denie the sequence, and say that it is enough that the minde bee rewarded according to the actions thereof, and that it is not néedefull that the bodie which was not principall but accessarie in the sinne, and only but the instrument to serue sins turne, should partake with the mind. And they shew comparisons for the same of Artificers and craftsmen, who for making a house, or any other peece of worke, haue their hire and couenants, when as the instruments wherewith they wrought are not rewarded, neither are they damnified though the worke by them be not accordingly performed. Of a poisoned pot, which is not therefore dissolued and broken in péeces, especially if it be of any price, though many haue drunke their destruction out of it. Of a sword, which a man will not breake or cast from him, be­cause a man hath beene slaine with it. But yet by their leaue (who take these similitudes for such sure studdes) there be many in their vnstaied affections, that will dash in peeces such intoxicated cups, and breake that weapon against a wall, that hath beene the occa­sion of a mischiefe. But we turne away all the force of such rea­so [...]ing by distinction of instruments, as they are of coniunct, and diuided nature. The bodie (the souls instrument) is of the first dif­ference, and is conioyned and coupled with the mind: wherfore it du [...]ly taketh such part as the mind doth. The minde draweth on the bodie to commit vncleannesse: the bodie therefore falleth thereupon iustly into diuers maladies. The mind is disposed to fel onie, for which the hands and the feete are manacled, and the necke is hazarded, and the whole bodie vndergoeth the penaltie. [Page 52] This argument deducted from the rule of Gods iustice, pleaseth Paul so wel as he maketh vse of it, hauing pro [...]ed the resurrection. Therefore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast, 1. Cor. 15. 58. vnmoueable, a­boundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vaine in the Lord But this la­bor commeth both from mind and bodie: therefore the recompence of the reward shalbe giuen vnto them both. 2 Our second Apo­dicticall conclusion is this That which is imperfect, hath not ca­pacitie of absolute felicitie: but the soule sundred from the bodie is imperfect, therefore it must needes be coupled to the bodie, to the attainment of this plenarie felicitie. 3 We reason also thus. The fulnesse of Gods goodnes towards those that are his, could not be shewed: nor the fulnes of his furiousnesse vpon the wicked could not be powred, if the resurrection were not. 4. It standeth God in hand as much as his truth is worth, to make good the resurrection because we haue promise and charter of him for it: Christ hauing said it, God shall reward you in the resurrection of the iust. 5 That we should not doubt of his truth in some examples, Luke 14. at all t [...]mes he hath made proofe hereof, exempting them frō death, that the world may know that death is in his hands, standing before him to execute his will like a Purseuant, to spare and to spoile: as in the time of nature, Gen. 5. 20. 2. Reg. 2. 8. 11. Matt. 28. 6. Marke 16. 1. 8, 5, &c. Ioh 20. 11, &c 2. Reg. 4. 34. 2 Kin. 13. 21. Exod. 4. 3. 6. Gen. 7. Heb. 11. 11. Gen. 21. 7. when he tooke vp Enoch: in the time of the law when he tooke vp Elias: in the time of grace, when he raised vp Christ from death to life. We inforce the matter fuller, and ar­gue from the lesser to the greater thus. Elizeus raised the Suna­mites sonne, therefore much more can Christ raise vs vp. Elizeus his bones gaue life to a dead bodie: therefore much more shall the omnipotent word of God which is Christ, giue li [...]e to our dead bodies. Aarons rod did blossom and beare Almonds. Moses drie waster became a créeping Serpent. Sarah her dead wembe was deliuered of a son: what are these but liuely images of the resur­rection? 7 From the order of nature, though we haue no strong proofe, yet much probable matter we haue of the vndoubted resur­rection. The day that now passeth, to morrow doth returne. Trées and herbs are stroken dead by the violence of the winter, & reuiue with the spring (the renuing time of the yere) and are clothed with leaues and fruits. But thou wilt say to this, that life was not vt­terly out of them by the winters wracke: wee say also, that by [Page 53] death man is not vtterly depriued of life, for it is their soules that die not. Such Logicks doth Paul vse in the corne that is sowne, whose corruption is the generation of it. 1. Cor. 15. 3 [...]. Iohn 13. 14. O fool that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. This is that which Christ saith, except the wheat-corne fall into the ground and d [...]e, it bideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. If such contemptible creatures haue renewance, and from death are restored to life: shall not this handle worke of God be much more seen in man, the noblest plant that his right hand hath plan­ted, and the finest seed that euer the furrowes of the earth were strowed with the most excellent and worthiest: creature of all? For what is the hay or gréeue herbe in comparison of man? That Indian bird the Phaenix (as philosophers do report) & good diuines do ratifie (especially Lactantius among others) dieth & is wasted to ashes by the heat of the Sun, & of those her ashes is a yong one in­gundred, and thus is that kind continued. This similitude is ta­ken vp by diuines to illustrate our certain resurrection. For more cōpanie sake we name the swallows, worms, flies, which lie dead al the winter, & by y ^• increasing heat of the sun are enliued againe in the spring and sommer time. If we run through all the rankes and classes of nature, we shall finde euerie where probabilities in the point. Fire that lieth dead in a flint stone, by a little force that is put vnto it, putteth life into it. The Sunne that goeth downe doth rise againe: the Moone decreaseth and increaseth againe: Our nailes are paired, and grow againe: our heares are cut off, & come vp againe. Sleepe (called by Homer the brother of death, and by others the image of death, because it is the tying of the senses, as binding them in that wise as they cannot execute their functi­ons) seazeth vpon vs, and as it were burieth vs for a time. But the bodie dispelleth it againe: after which it is fresh and plyable to to any office. The misbeleefe of such, who cannot be brought to think that out of the putred and consumed stuffe, life should be ex­pressed, are by sundry works of nature notably conuicted. For of such confection (or infection rather) are mise, mouls, frogs, worms, ingendred. Out of [...]ooks, cranies, odde corners of the earth, often very radiant and splendent precious stones are gathered. The séed of liuing creatures, which is nothing else but a drop of misshapen humour, what substance doth it beget in progresse of time? [Page 52] [...] [Page 53] [...] [Page 54] What partes doth it produce, as hands, feete, eares, eies, head and such like in their kinde? These thinges doe wee beholde in the Glasse of nature; which so oft as we remember, we doe well if we remember the resurrection. 8 By the Prophets, by Christ, by the Apostles some haue beene raised from death in life, to ground vs in the faith of the resurrection. 1. Kin. 17. 20. The widowes sonne of Sa­repta was raised by Elias: 2. King. 4. 33. the Sunamites sonne by Elisha: a dead man by the touch of the bones of Elisha: 2. Kin. 13. 21. the rulers daugh­ter by Christ, Matth. 9. 25. who was newly deceased: the widowes sonne of Nain that was in his locker, Luke 7. 14. 15 Iohn 11. 43. and led out to the graue by him like­wise: Lazarus that had lien in the ground foure dayes: Acts 9. 40. Tabitha by Peter: Acts 20. 10. Eutychus by Paul, 9 A man would thinke if were a worke of more difficultie to forme the woman of mans rib, to cre­ate the man of the gleab of the earth, to make the whole frame of heauen and earth of nothing; then to raise vp man from the dust to life. If wine be mixed with water, there are those that can part the wine from the water. Goldsmiths, and such as worke in mettals, Gen. 1. 1. 3 26 can dissolue confected substances, concreate of gold, siluer, brasse, Gen. 2. 22. steele. And such are to be found, who can expresse Oyle and liquide matter out of anie drie bodie: Wherefore the illi­mited power of God, which made all things of nothing, shall re­duce our bodies to their formes againe, howsoeuer formerly re­duced to nothing. Lengthen out the matter so farre as conceit and imagination will let you, and put the case thus: That a man is eaten by a wolfe; that wolfe is eaten by a lion; that lion is deuou­red by the fouls of the aire; the foules of the are aire eaten by men; one of those men eate vp another as Canibals doe: yet shall his owne bodie be giuen him againe: euerie man shall haue so much matter of his owne, as will serue to make him a perfect bo­die. They shall haue the same bodies in substance, Iob 19. 27. as Iob saieth, but altred in qualitie, being freed from corruption, and fulfilled with glorie. Homil. 2. Corinth. Their mouthes shall bee opened to speake better things, their eyes shall haue better obiect before them, their feete shall be exalted aboue the cloudes, and the whole bodie shall be mantled with immortalitie, as sayeth Chrysostome. If to infringe this which hath beene deliuered, any shall obiect this saying of the Apostle: 1. Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherite the Kingdome of God: and so inferre hereupon, that the bodies [Page 55] of men shall not rise againe: we answer them thus, that by fleth and blood is not meant the bodies of men simply, but as they are now in the state of corruption, that which the Apostle calleth ani­male corpus The fleshly man or the earthly man, and what soeuer is of nature without the spirite: which being depraued and cor­rupted, must needes be renued. Ioh. [...]. 3. 5. 6. 7 8. 1 [...]. 15. 16. 18. Wherefore Christ said to Nico­demus vnles a man be regenerate, and borne a new, he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. The vnregenerate man is called Flesh: therefore Christ immediatly after the former words said. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh, wherefore of force wee must be regenerated, neither onely the flesh, the bodie, or a part of the minde is to be renued, which couetteth and is angry: but especially the reason, the minde, the will. And Christ else where teacheth that the whole man as he is in the state of nature is called flesh and bloud. For thus Christ answereth Peter: Blessed art thou Simon Bar Iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed these thinges, Math. 16. 16. 17. E [...]h. 1. 19. & 2 10. 1. Pet. 1. 3. but the spirite of my father. In which wordes Christ comprehendeth the better parts of the mind. For they be those by which we vnderstood, and the truth is reuealed vnto vs. Therefore these must be turned and transposed and created a new, that we may be (as Christ saith) like the Angells in resurrection. For the infirmitie of this mortall bodie is such, as it cannot take the least taste or smack of heauenly glorie, as we perceiue in the Prophets and Apostles, who were men without soules, when at anie time God did appeare vnto them. And not without cause said God to Moses, Thou canst not see my face: neither shall man see me and liue. Wherefore the German and right sence of the wordes of the Apostle is this: as we are nothing else but flesh and bloud, weake, mortall, sinfull. Curuae in terris a­nimae coel est ium in mes, wée cannot inherite the kingdome of God. Lastly if that of Salomon shall be laid against vs: Eccles. 3. 19. The condition of the children of men, and the condition of beasts are euen as one condition, and so argue that a man shall rise no more from the dead then a beast: we will answere them by Salomon who explaineth himselfe in the words following: they are like in dy­ing, As the one dieth so dieth the other: but in their estate af­ter death they differ, of which Salomon speaketh not.

THe general iudgement being the consecution of the resurrection, 1. Thes. 4. [...]6. & the end therof, y ^• last blast of that shril trūpet giuing this Eccho surgite mortui, venite ad Iudiciū. Arise ye dead & come to iudgement: We are to enter into the tractation hereof in this place. This subiect matter though it be of vnquestionable assurance: Yet because y ^e schoole of Cyclopical Atheists, Epicures, carnal min­ded men, is so great (who as se [...]pents grouel wholly in the dust, & only giue themselues to earthly things, licking vp this Aphorisme of Socrates the Philosopher, Quae supra nos nihil ad nos. Those things that are aboue vs appertaine not vnto vs) we list to light a candle before the Sun, and aswel by scriptures, as irrefragable reasons, determine the absolute certaintie of this matter.

1. The scriptures are plaine and plentifull in the point. Hanna the mother of Samuel thus prophecieth hereof saying, 1. Sam. 2. 10. The Lords aduersaries shall be destroied, and out of heauen shall he thunder vpon them: the Lord shall iudge the ends of the world, and shall giue power vnto his kinge, and exalt the horne of his anointed, which is Christ. Isaiah sermoneth it thus, Isa. 2. 19. Then shall they goe into the holes of the rockes, and in­to the caues of the earth, from before the feare of the Lord, and from the glorie of his maiestie, when he shall arise to iudge the earth. That the prophet by these wordes aimeth at doomes day appeareth by the Angells exposition of the same. Reu. 6. 15. 1. Reu. 1. 7. & 6. [...]5. And the kings of the earth and the great men▪ and the rich men, and the cheif captaines, and the mighty men, and euery bondman, and euery free man, hid themselues in dennes, and among the rockes of the mountaines, And said to the mountaines & rocks fal on vs and hide vs frō 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? In another place he preach­eth thus Behould the day of the Lord cometh, Isa. 13. 9. cruell, with wrath and fierce anger▪ &c. But in another place [...]e is most pa­thetical in the point. Isa [...]. 66. 15. [...] 1. 7. 8 The lord wil come with fire, & his charets like a wirlewind, that hee may recompence his [...] with [Page 57] wrath, and his indignatiō with the flame of fire. For the Lord wil iudge with fire, Dā. 12. 1. 2. 3. and with his sword all flesh. Daniel de­liuereth the like doome, saying: And at that time shal Michael stand vp, the great prince, which stādeth for the childrē of the people, and there shall be a time of trouble, such as neuer was since there began to bee a nation vnto that same time, and at that time thy people shall be deliuered, euery one that shall be found written in the booke. And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth, shall awake, some to euerlasting life, and some to shame and perpetuall contempt. And they that bee wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament: and they that turne many to righteousnes, shall shine as the starres for euer and euer. Iod. 2. 30. Ioel writeth thus of it: I will shew wonders in the heauens and in the earth: bloud, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The Sunne shall be turned into darknes, and the moone into bloud, before the great & terrible day of the Lord come. Zophan. 1. 1 [...] Zephaniah singeth the same songe with the rest. The great day of the Lord is neere, it is neere and hasteth greatly, euen the voice of the day of the Lord: the strong man shall crie there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and heaumes, a day of destruction and des [...]lation, a day of obscuritie and darknes, a day of cloudes and blacknes, a day of the trumpet, Mala [...]. 4. 1. and a [...]arume against the strong citties &c. Ma­lachie hath also good matter to this purpose. The day commeth that shal burne as an ouen, and all the proud, yea & all that do wickedly shalbe stuble, & the day that co [...]meth shall burne them vp, saith the Lord of hosts, and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch. In the new testament we haue verie pregnant proofes. Math. 16. 27. The Euāgelists 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. Math. 24. 30. They shall see the sonne of man come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glory &c. Math. 25. 31. Also by the same pen-man thus: when the Son of man commeth in his glory, and all the holly Angells with him, Luk. 21. 27. 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. [...] [Page 60] 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: Luke 8. 17. neither anie thing hid that shall not be knowne, and come to light. As also these like pred [...]ctions of holie Scripture: Rom 2 16. 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, 2. Pet. 3. 9. Gen. 3. 17. & 6 35. 18. & 7. 1. 10. Luke 17. 26. 27. Matt. 24. 38. 1. Pet. 3. 20. 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, Gen. 19. 24. 25. the breath of Gods anger hauing blowne the fire, that will lick vp all the vngodly like stubble, Iab. 22. cap. 41 con. Faust. Ma­ [...]ichaum. Gen. 19. 3. 7. [...]7. 21. 22. 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, [Page 61] 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, Luke 13. 34. Rom. 11. 8. 18. Ezech. 2. 3. 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, Acts 14. 26. as Faelix d [...]d at the Sermon o [...] 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 Tic [...]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. Psal. 51. 1 Of God, that he might be iustified in his sayings, and cleare when he is iudged. Matt. 25. 31. 32 33 34. 37. 41. 4 [...]. 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 be [...]des might the more bee dignifyed. Wherefore our prouin­ [...]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 o [...]g [...]aced. Secular Iudges, and Ecclesiasticall Officers, [Page 62] 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 spectacl [...] set vppon a stage for all the Worlde to wonder at. This is that hee threatneth him by his Prophet Nahum. Nahum. 3. 5. Beholde I will discouer thy ski [...]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 resp [...]ct of her, who shall haue all his abhominations set before the viewe of the worlde, the filthie workes, wordes, thoughts o [...] his [...]de, read in the audience of all? A thousande to one that [...]ehe [...]e her na­kednesse shall see his filthinesse: by infinite degrees [...]ere [...]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, Deut. 31. 28. as Moses against the people: Angels and Diue [...]s shall goe a­gainst them, and condemne them: and what, [...] o [...] the sinnes of the Saints be spoken of? Yes doub [...]s. But rather to dignifie then damnifie them. For they shall bee vnto them as rents of Garments, which are [...]ouered ouer with a Vewe [...] Welt, or Fringe, or Lace of Golde, which giueth a great d [...]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. Psal. 1. 5. 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. [Page 63] It was the order among the Romans that such ch [...]iftains and v [...]liants that had performed honorable seru [...]c [...] in the warres, should be brought into the cittie of Rome with grea [...] [...]om [...]e, with their captiues taken in the field following them, and the displaid [...] and other ensigne [...] of their va [...]o [...]c carried before them: [...] the godly when they go [...] out of this use, shall be brought with all vnspeakable solemn [...] [...] the heauenly cittie of Hie­r [...]salem, among the companie of inu [...]merable [...]ngels, Mat. 25. 33. 35. [...]6. Isa. 58. 7. 8. Ezek. 18. 7, Matt. 25. 41. 42. 43. with all the fuduments and ornaments of their vertu [...]s about them as all [...] workes of pittie and pi [...]e, their co [...]tumelies, callamities [...] suff [...]d for conscience sake, their humility charity, mode­s [...]e, [...]: finally euery good action, thogh it be quid­ [...] rather then quantum a quidditie rather then a quantitie, as a cup of cold water giuen for Gods sake, which we giue our beasts, s [...]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 D [...]ell, the world, the [...]lesh, and all the blacke garde that hang [...]ereupon, as fornication, vnclea [...]es, immodestie, anger, con­tention, and such like ouer which they haue victoriou [...]ly trium­phed.

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. Ioh. 5. 22. & 1. 27. 1. Cor 1. 7 8. & 11. 26. Phil. 2. 10. & 3. 20. Matt. 26. 27. Col. 34. 1. Thes. 1. [...]0▪ & 2. 9. 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 h [...]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 [Page 64] 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. Math 24. 30. Math. 25. 31. 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. Luk. 21. 27. & 22. 69. 1. Thess. 4. 16 & 5. 23. 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 whē God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ: Rom. 2. 16. 2. Cor. 5 10. Rom. 14. 10 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 be [...]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, Act. 17, 31. Hebr. 9 28 & 10. 25. 37. Iacob 5 7. 8. 9 Apoc. 22. 7. 12 [...]0. 2 Tim 4. 1. Phil 3 [...]0. 21 1. Pet. 1. 7. & 4. 5. 7. & 5. 4. 2. Pet 3. 4. 10. 12. Tit. 2. 13. 1. Iohn. 2. 28. & 3. 2. Iud. 24. Apoc. 1. 7. 25. 2. Thess 1. 7. 8 10. 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 [...]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 admoni [...]ion. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence also we look for the Sauio [...] euē the Lord Iesus Christ, who shal change our vile b [...]d [...]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 wr [...]ghting of the Apostle free from this doctrine, but it is eft-soones by him vpon al [...]ccurring necessities repea [...]ed. This text was giuē to Pe­ter to preach vpon, to the Centuriō Cornelius; as he himselfe con­fesseth in this wise. Act. 10. 42. Hee commāded vs to preach vnto the peo­ple, & to testifie, that it is he that is ordeined of God a iudge of quick, and dead Augustine rēdreth this reason of his cōming to iudgemēt in this wise: vt ea natura Iudicem agat qu [...] sub Iudice [Page 65] stetit: that he may act the off [...]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 t [...]e worlde. But this office seemeth too base for his heauenly maiestie, to fitte iudging and determining the [...]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 esteem [...]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. Psal. 62. 9. Psal. 39 [...]. 9. Psal. 8. 5 Psal. 29. 5. Iob. 1. 21. & 8 9. & 25. 6. Psal. 82. 7. & 94. 20. & 103 14. & 104. 4. 6. & 146. 3. Eccle. 4. 3. Hebr. 2. 6. 1. Pet. 1 24. Isai. 40. 7. Isai 31. 3 & 5 [...] 8. [...]2. Psal. [...]02. Now this action of Christ seem­eth in outwar [...] consideration me [...]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 musi­ [...]ian of Israel. Isaj resembleth vs to [...]ay and to grasse which the wind wracketh, the Sunne s [...]ngeth, the beast deuoureth, and e­uery passenger trampleth vnder féete, which is to day, and to mor­row is cast into th [...] [...]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 der [...]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 afterward speake of, doth assoile this question, and infinuation. But yet is this con­c [...]usion somwhat choaked by that which Isaiah saith: Isai. 3. 14. The Lord shall enter into iudgement with the antients of his people and the princes thereof, meaning the elect and faithfull children o [...] God: Math. 39. 2 [...] and by that promise of Christ to his Apostles: Ye which followed mee in the regeneration, shall sitte also vpon twelue thrones, and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel. And by that which Paul saith: 1. Cor. 6. [...] Doe ye not know that the saints shall [Page 66] iudge the world? By these it should séeme that Christ haue co­partners in this commission, and that the whole authoritie is not in him alone. We answere that he is the cheife iustice, and hee and none but hee pronounceth the sentence: the Apostles, and good professers of his name shall sit on the bench by him, as all that are iustices among vs doe sit by their principall Iudge at both hands, and giue euidence and allowance to the sentence. This is a royall prerogatiue that the saints haue, that they are Christes assistants and consortes, and their enimies iudges: wherefore take the watchword of the Apostle with you. Brethren consider your calling, and disgrace we it at no hand by our misdoings. A noble mans son is not suffered to conuerse with any inordinate or base companion: We are of noble degrée as yee sée being to sitte with our Christ in his throne of maiestie. Oh remember we this, and by conuersing with wicked men let vs not bring vpon so high a calling such contempt and dislike. Aulus Fuluius would haue [...]laine his sonne because hee consorted himselfe with Catiline the enemie of the countrie, whereas he had begat him for the good of the country. God indureth not that such as are seperated & put a­part to be consorts to our sauiour, should be copsmats with sin­ners. When as Philip the King was playing with his prisoners taken in the warres, and was casting vp vnto them in declama­torie wise their captiue condition. Demades the philosopher in­dured him not, but thus wisely censured him: since fortune and good lucke haue made thee a great man, & laid vpon thee the per­son of Agamemnon, art thou not ashamed to plaie the Thersites? that is of a victorious prince wilt thou proue a paltrie companion? This is our estate, but not fortune, but Gods fauor hath made vs kinges for euer: wherefore be we not conditioned as catifes. But as christians as it becommeth vs. And this grace the Lord giue vs.

AS Kinges haue their habits according to the times, either of warre, mirth, or mourning: So Christ su­teth himselfe to the nature and propertie of his busi­nesse: and comming to iudge the worlde, he cloatheth himselfe with the cloudes, as with a garment, and is decked with maiestie and honour. He will come flying like a Be [...] amōg vs. bringing honie to the godly, & fastning his sting in those that are his enemies. In his first comming hee came for thee: but his second iourney, if thou takest not heede, wil be taken a­gainst thee. To the Saint he will sh [...]w himselfe a Lambe: to the sinner he will sh [...]w himselfe a [...]ion. His fi [...]st comming was the kingdome of grace: his second shal be his kingdome of glorie and iustice. That, shewed mercie vpon soules: this shall sit in iudge­ment vpon soules. Then hee came with the Trumpet of mens tongues: but he is to come next with the Trumpet of an Archan­gell [...]. Then he came downe with a verie merrie noise, with this comfortable Antheme and song of deliuerance, Glorie bee to God in the heauens, and peace in the earth: but he is to come hereafter with a doleful dumpish note: Woe, woe, be to the inha­bitants of the earth. Then he came to gather the lost sheepe in­to his folde: but his next comming is to separate the sheepe from the Goates. Acts. 8 32. Then he came to entertaine both Iewe and the Gentile: but when hee comes againe hee will diuide the seruant from the seruant standing at the Mill-quearnes, the husband from the wife couching together in one bed: Matt. 16. 27. & 25. 31. 6. & 24 30. Psal. 58. 10. Iacob from Esan w [...]ll [...]wing in one wombe. But then begins the merrie worlde with the godly which neuer shall haue end. The righteous shall reioyce when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feete in the blood of the wicked▪ The Saints shall bee ioyfull with g [...]rie, Psa. 149. 5. they shall reioyce in their beds. The praises of God shall be in their [...]o [...]thes, and a two edged sworde in their hands. &c. As the iudge [...] ▪ be dreadfull to the wicked, because they shall be [...] it shall bee as delightfull to the godly, because they [...] according to that which [Page 68] Paul saith: [...]. Tim. 4. 7. I haue fought a good fight, and haue finished my course: I haue kept the faith. For hence-forth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse, which the Lord the righte­ous Iudge shall giue mee at that day: and not to me onely, but vnto all them also that loue his appearance.

By the names he giueth vs, he openeth his loue towards vs, that we might lift vp our heades when bee commeth againe to vs. Iud. 8. 21. Rom. 6. 16. 18. 22. Iohn 15. 14. Mark. 3. 33. Luk [...] 24. Marke 1. Cant. 5. 1. He calleth the godly, Mother, Sisters, Brethren. Hee cal­leth them his Seruants. He calleth them his Friends. He calleth them his kinsmen. He calleth them his Brethren. He calleth them his Sonnes. He calleth them his Spouse. All these being tearmes of loue, and requi [...]i [...]g dueties of loue. By calling vs by all these, what else doth hee thereby signifie, but that he hath all loue to­wardes vs. Wherefore beare we him our hearts, as Marie bare him in her armes, if we be his Mother. Let vs preferre him before all brethren, as Ioseph preferred Beniamin before all his brethren if he be our brother. Let vs embrace him as Rebecca did Isaac, A [...]. in. lib. de Iacob. & vita beata. lib. c. 6. if we be his Spouse. Art thou afraide (saith Ambrose) that thy Iudge will be vnmercifull? consider what Iudge thou hast? The Father hath committed all the iudgement to Christ: can he condemne vs to death, who hath redeemed vs from death [...] hauing giuen himselfe for vs, whose life he acknowledgeth to bee the recompence of his death? Shall he not say, what pro [...]e is there in my blood, if I damne him whom I haue deliuered? Again, dost thou consider the Iudge, and dost not consider the Aduocate? Can his sentence be sharpe, who ceaseth not to make continuall intercession for vs, that we may gaine his fathers grace againe [...] This is the sage and sweete saying of this worthie father. T [...] which this short sugred speach of learned Gregorie is sutable. Est nobis spes magna poenitentibus: G [...]g. [...]om [...] 3. [...] Euan. quia Aduocatus noster factus est Iu­dex noster. There is great hope for vs that are penitent, because he that is our Aduocate is made our Iudge. Iustit lib. 2. [...] [...]6. sect, 11 Thrice ren [...] wne [...] Master Caluin, to this purpose speaketh most comfortablie to the Christian soule thus: It is no small securitie, that we are not cal­led before any iudgement seat, 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 [Page 69] [...] the consciences of his seruant & aff [...]ighted with the regard of the terror of his iudgement.

Thus (good Christian) is thy lot fal [...]e into a faire ground, and thou hast a good inheritance. For tell me if thou hadst a cause ha [...] ­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, n [...]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 [...]ill of complaint thus vnto him: Iere. 11. 20. 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, Marke 14. 62▪ Luke 9. 26. 2. Thes. [...]. 1. 7. 8. 2. Pet 3. 4. 10 Apoc. 1. 7 1▪ Gen. 37. 7 [...] 8, 9. 11. 1. Sam. 19. 2. Lam 1. 2. 3. 5. 7. 10. Psal. 3. 18▪ 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 e [...]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 melācholick mā, because the people so much applau­ded Dauid whō he persecuted. It was not such veration to Iere­mie to sée Ierusalē destroied, & to sit as a widow forsakē: but this wrought al his wo, that his enemies had dominiō ouer him▪ That the wicked are Christs enemies & no better it is certaine. So Paul calleth thē. They are the enemies of the crosse of Christ, whose [...] damnation.

[Page 70] 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 hole [...], 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 [...]ey can the proude haue when they appeare be [...]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, Iosh. 6. 15. 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, Matt. 27. 48. Iohn 19. 29. 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 [Page 71] one of thy acquaintance comming from thence, to whom thou o­pe [...]est thy purpose in this bus [...]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 inte [...]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. Cou [...]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 [...]ll in thy moneyes by obligatorie wrightinges (though by vn­censcionable practise [...]tors [...]) 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 [...] [...]rath, and not hauing in al [...] life time a cabbin to couer him: in this [...]ts owne example hath condemned this course. I say the [...] to you resolute and desolate men, that picke quarrelles for s [...]all causes and often for no cause: and thinke man-slaughter g [...]od man-hood, and thinke it a dispa [...]ent to bigest a discon­tent [...]ment: you will be condemned for this [...]ate at the iudge­ment: for the Iudge by doing the con [...]rarie, hath condemned it: b [...]e a [...]u [...]led▪ reu [...]led not againe: did not ban [...]e backe blowes for blowes: but euen as sheepe before his shéerer was d [...]mmie, so opened he not his mo [...]th. Math. 5 39. Luk. 6. 29. Math 11. 29. Col. 3. 1 [...]. Acts. 7. 60▪ Also he hath left vs c [...]ntrarie com­mandement, namely, if we be bu [...]ted on the one chéeke, to holde out the other: the meaning whereof is, that we rather suffer two i [...]iuries then reuenge one. To the Ep [...]cures▪ ambitious, luxuri­o [...]s, and to all e [...]orbitant persons of what name and title soeuer they bee, bée the same spoaken: they haue their i [...]dgement in the law, and they shall haue it in the lake, if they looke not well vnto it. Therfore for God [...] sake be ye warned that ye may be armed that ye may not be harmed. Thou angrie man, it will not se [...]ue thy turne at that time toplead the heat of thy nature, the impotencie of thy affections, whereby thou canst not moderat thy [...]cessiue perturbations: For when many dogges came about [Page 72] 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. [...]. 23. 34. Thou gréedie gutt [...] 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, [...]. 2. 34. 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 shalbe 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 out [...] date and there is none to be looked for of him in the [...] to come.

CHrist shall come verie gloriously to iudgement with a white cloud round about him, Math. 26. 27. 24. 30. & 25. 31. & 26. 64 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. Dan. 7. 10. 2. Cor. 5 10. Luk. 1. 28. & 2. 9. 1. Thes. 4. 16. 2. Thes. 1. 7. 8. [...]0 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 cōming whē the minister and hoast of heauēly soldiers wait­ed on him: and shall take place againe at his second comming, [Page 73] when all the ministring spirits and creatures of heauen. Saints, Angels, Tit. 2. 13. Hebr. 9. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 7. 2. Pet. 3. 4. 10. 12. Math. 16 27. Iud. 24 Apoc. 1. 7. Math. 24. 30. Math. 25. 31. Math. 26. 64. Mark. 13. 26. 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. Whē 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 cōmeth with thousands of his saintes. Now the power of Angels in the execution of Gods iudgements is inuin­c [...]ble, for one Angel slew all the first borne of Egipt in on night. Luke. 21. 27. Iud. 14. Exod 12. 29. 2. Kin, 19. 35. Isai. 37. 3 [...]. 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 cur [...]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 fi [...]e was to terrible for them, Exod. 19, 16. Hebr. 12. 2 [...]. Exod. 20. 19. 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: Hag, 2, 7▪ Hebr. 12, 26. Now shal they endure his second comming in the [...]tiousnes of his wrath, when his voice shall shake y ^• heauens, the earth, the sea, the dry land, & his comming is to take vengeance of the breakers of this lawe?

[Page 74] 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, Exod. 10. 22. 23. as for two or three daies together one could not see another, Wis. 17. 2. & 18. 1. 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, Math 27 51. 52 53 54. & 24 29. 43. there shalbe terrible fearful signes, Gen. 15. 5. &▪ 50. 16. 17. to strike sinners into passions, Mark. 13. 24. as the Centurion and many others were at those signes shewed at his passion. Luk. 21. 25. 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, Reuel. 1. 7. and come flying with the winges of the wind, 2 Pet. 3. 7. 10. 11. 12. 14. 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? Gen. 32. 7. When he shall be in his domination, not one: one kingdome of Egipt as Ioseph, Exod 14 10. & 19 16. but ouer all the kingdomes of the worlde? Deut. 5 5. If Esther was cast into a trance, 1. Sam. 7 7. and life for a time went out of the gates of her bodie at the fight of king Assuerus in his royaltie: Hest. 4. If Daniel hauing but séene an Angel, 1 Sam. 17. 11 & 28 5. was a man for a time out of soule: Dan. 9. what terror and trepidation shall possesse vs at the appearance of Christ in his maiestie, Math. 28. 2. 34 at the sight of his reti­nue of inumerable Angells? Ioh. 18. 6. If the Warders of the Sepulcher of Christ at the day of his resurrection, were so dismaid as they sem­ed like dead men: If the Iewes strong by an arme of flesh, by se­culer Mace and authoritie comming with forcible prouision to at­tache Christ in the Garden, hearing him but speak & say I am her fell vpon their backes, and their legges could not longer bolde vp their bodies: Infinit terrors shall beset the sinfull soule at the [Page 75] [...]ight of the cōming of Christ in the cloudes. If y ^• Iewes could not [...]u [...]u [...]e the Maiestie of the Almightie, Exod 19. 16 & 20 18. when he descended vpon Mount Sinai but to deliuer the Lawe: Deut. 5 24. & 18. 6. how shall they bee able to sustaine his furie when hee commeth to take vengeance of the breakers of the Lawe? Heb. 12. 8. What breast can beare the arrowes of [...]s indignation, which hee hath steeped in [...] for the reta­ [...]a [...]on of incorrigible transgressions? of which he himself saith: I will make mine arrowes drunken in blood, Soph 1. 10. and my sworde shall eate vp their flesh. Apoc 18. 1, 2. 3. If the holy Citie of Ierusalem sha [...]l be scorched with lights and bu [...]ing [...]orches: how shall Ba­bylon the place of confusion bee searched? This dreadfull ma­ner of Christes comming to [...], is so▪ the greater dismay­ment of the wicked: when the King of Kings came to bee mar­ried to his Church▪ and came (as it were) to seas [...] with vs, hee came in apparell suting that purpose, and looked louingly, and sp [...]ke peaceablie to the worlde: but when hee shall came in b [...]ght armour with Sworde and Arrowes in his hande, hee sheweth by this beha [...]iour that hee commeth in anger, and that there is no talking with him.

At his nat [...]i [...]e, when hee came to bee merrie at a marriage, he [...] thus sweete [...] saluted them by his heauenly faintlie: Luk. 2. 10. 14. 30. 38. Glo­rie bee to God on high, in earth peace, and good will to­wardes men. But his second comming as Esaih sheweth, is otherwise: Isai 42. 13. The Lorde shall goe forth as a Grant: hee shall stirre vp his courage like a man of warre. The Maiestie of worldly Princes co [...]isteth in their glorious retinue of all de­g [...]es: of Dukes, Earls, Lordes, Knightes, Gentlemen, and others of [...] state: M [...]th. 24. 30▪ Apo [...] 17. the glorie of our blessed Sauiour shall be shewed in the Clowdes by his royall armie of Saints and Angels. Dan. 7. 13.

The Clowd [...] the Session house of the Lord of hostes: 1. Thes. 4. 16. that place was for good [...]: as being the room­ [...]aiest and capable of all [...] of Angells, Apostles, Mar­t [...] [...]arkes, and [...] idea [...] Saints as also of all the con­fused cursed [...] But he [...]en is the one­ly braue place for [...] God [...] of [...]hat, be­cause [...] heaven, and it is parcell [...] punishment interminatea against the diuel and his angels, [Page 76] to be cast out of heauen Herein also God keepeth custome, mea­ning to ceasu [...]e the delinquent where he s [...]ned. The Iewes mete out the valley or Iehosaphat for Gods iudgement hall laying the foundation of this their assertion from Ioels prediction: Iod. 32. I will also gather all nations and will bring them downe into the valley of Iehosaphat and will pleade with them there for my people and for mine heritage Israel and from other such wordes in the middle part of that chapter: Verse 12. Let the heathen be weakned, and come vp to the valley of Iehosaphat, for ther wil I sit to iudge all the heathen round about. The Iewes with all pertinacie doe applie this prophesie to temporall things, and dote hereupon, that the Messias shall preuaile euer the Gentiles in this valley, and condemne them; and that afterwarde in the resurrection of the righteous he shall sit in the same place vpon their finall sentence, and that there he shall kéepe a solemne feast with the godly. They giue out also in their head-strong imaginations, that an Oxe is staked vp for the purpose, created and fatted by God to that vse: and that the Leuiathan hath béene slaine long since, and laid in the powdring tub, and that they shall drinke wine fréely out of Para­dice. The valley of Iehosaphat is called the valley of iudgement, and it may bee true that at Ierusalem there was a place of this name, scituated at the East doore of the Temple: but that is but the type and shadow of the iudgement place of the Lord, Matt. 25. 32. to which shall resort a greater assembly then that valley can receiue. But we desire to know no more then is meete for vs, which God hath reuealed to vs: We list not to looke beyond the Moone for myste­ries: As the time of iudgement is onely knowne to God, so God knoweth best what place is fittest, and what place he will haue to hold his Assises in.

CHrist his second comming apperteyning wholie to iudgement, where the persons are that are to bee iud­ged, is to be considered. All persons are to be iudged without exception, which the Scriptures cal and the [Page 77] Article of our Creede calleth the quick & the dead. Some by the quick vnderstand the righteous: & by the dead doe vnderstand the wicked. Li [...]. [...] de Dog. Ecclesia. So did Diodonis of whome Augustine wrighteth, whose e [...]position he there reprooueth. But in the Creede & scrip­ture the quick are said to be those whome Christ findeth aliue in bodie at his second comming: and the dead, whose soules haue left their bodies, or are giuing vp the ghost at his second cōming. For the Apostle when he saith: 1. Cor. 15. 3 [...] 52. We shal not al sleep, but we shall a [...]l be changed, speaketh of the death of y ^e bodie, not of the vniust onely but the iust likewise deade in bodie. The trumpet shall blow and the dead shall rise incorruptible: Hee setteth against these all that liue in generall both good and bad, we shal be chan­ged, that is to say: all whome Christ shall finde liuing. In his letter to the Thessalonians by those that sleepe he simplie vnder standeth the dead in bodie, 1. Thes. 4. 13 14. 15. 16. 17. and by the liuing, onely those that are in bodily life when he shall come. That all shall bee cited to this Court, as well good as badde, sundrie comparisons doe shewe: as of the wise and foolish virgins: of the wheate and of the tares: of the good and badde fish: and of the Shéepe and Goates. Like­wise many Scripture places doe conclude the same. Math. 25. 32. 33. 34. 41 4 [...]. Before him shall be gathered all Nations▪ Hetherto belongeth this say­ing of our Sauiour indefinitely: Math. 10. Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men, him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen. But whosoeuer shall deny mee before men, him will I also denye before my Father which is in hea­uen. The Apostle hath set it downe for an irrefrugable conclu­sion, we shal all appeare before the iudgement [...]eate of Christ. Rom. 14. 10. Answerable to this is this his other Aphort [...]me: 2 Cor. 5. 10. we must al ap­peare before the iudgement seate of Christ, that euerie man may receiue the thinges which are done in his bodie▪ &c. But the Godly shal make a very easie reckoning. For Christ is their comfort [...], their conscience there cleerg [...], as witnesse of their [...], & heauenly possession, But the wicked, because their conscien­ce shal condemne thē, & the deuil shal accuse th [...] Christ shal be a­gainst thē shal haue a world of wo [...]n answer to make answers. They shal say to the mountaine, Reuel. 6 12. 13. 14 15 16. 17. hide vs, and to the hilles co­ [...]er vs. But from hence groweth a question how the Godly can bee iudged, Luke. 23 3 [...] seeing they shall sitte Assistants with Christ in the [Page 78] iudgement, Isai. 3. 14. as Esai saieth. The Lord shall enter into iudgement with the ancients of his people, and the Princes thereof▪ that is to say, with the elect companie, as Christ saith to his Apostles: Ye shal sit vpon twelue Thrones, Matt 19 18. Luke. 22. 30. 1. Cor. 6. 3. and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel, as Paul saith: Know ye not that wee shall iudge the Angels? We answer, that iudgement is of double nature: there is a iudgement of Absolution: there is another iudgement which is of Condemnation. In the iudgement of Condemnation are the wicked only wrapped, adulterers, adultresses, fornicators vn­cleane persons, Apoc. 22. 11. 15. vsurers, oppressors slanderers, blasph [...]mers, hers, deceiuers, ep [...]cures, Machi [...]ilians, Atheists. The godly haue one­ly but iudgement of Absolution that is to say: they are iudged to be quit and deliuered, and blessed. They shall be absolued of all the slanderous imputatiōs of the world, and wicked men against them. Besides men, the euill spirite also shall be iudged. Christ denounceth infernall fire to the diuell and his angels: Mat. 25. 41. 42. Goe yee cursed into Hell fire prepared for the diuell and his angels. Of this their condemnation speaketh: Peter thus. 2. Pet. 4. God spared not the Angels that had sinned, but cast them downe into hel, and deliuered them into chaines of darknes to bee kept vnto condemnation Of this Paul speaketh when he saith. 1 Cor. 6. 3. Vers. 6. Rnow yee not that we shall iudge the Angels? Iude consenteth with the rest, expresly saying: The Angels also which kept not their s [...]st estate but le [...]t their own habitation, he hath referred in euerla­sting chaines vnder darknes, vnto the iudgement of the great day. These are to be iudged as ringleaders of all [...] of all the band of sinners, Math. 26 48. [...]9. as Iudas did the band of souldiers against Christ. Also this iudgement shall extend it selfe vnto the senslesse & vnreasonable creature, the heauen, the earth, and whatsoeuer is conteined in them. Isai. 66. 22. Esai speaketh of new heauen and a new earth, 2 Pet. 3. 1 [...]. that are promised. Isa 65. 17. The new heauens, Apoc. 21. 1. and the new earth which I will make, Rom 8. 19. 20 21. 22. shall remaine before me. Paul sheweth somuch, say­ing: The feruent desire of the creature waiteth when the sons of God shal be reuealed, because the creature is subiect to vani­tie, not of its own wil, but by reason of him which hath subdu­ed it vnder hope: because the creaturs also shalbe deliuered frō the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Lastly antichrist is rankt in the ranke of those that shall [Page 79] haue condemnatorie iudgement His dam [...]ation decréed against him is thus spoaken of: Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirite of his mouth, 2. Thes. 2. 8. and shall abolish with the bright­nes [...]f his comming. Thus haue we the seuerall persons that shall be iudged seuerally, the sen [...]les creature shalbe purged, the godly shalbe absolued, the wicked shall be condemned, Sathan the muster maister of malignant men, shall be throwne downe into hell, and Anti-christ as the sonne of perdition, the opposite a [...]uersarie to our Sauiour Christ shall be destro [...]ed by the wrath­ [...]l [...] indignation of Christ.

AS all persons are to be iudged, so they shall bee [...]asted to their co [...]rsest branne: Their thoughtes, wordes, workes, shal be as throughly ransacked as euer Laban did ra [...]sacke Rachels st [...]ff [...]. Gen. 31. 32. 33. 37. That all thinges shalbe scanned. Saint Iohn hath de­clared. I saw the dead b [...]th great and small [...]and before God, Reuel. 20. [...]2. and the bookes were opened: and another booke was open [...]d, which is the booke of life, and the deade were iudged of these things, which were writtē in the bookes a [...]cording to their works. God is said i [...] haue counting bookes by him, because all thinges are as certaine to him, as if he had Ac­ [...]ries and Clarkes in heauen to make enrolement thereof and to keepe the recordes of them. [...] hath three seuerall [...] or Bookes. 1. The booke of prouidence. 2. Of Iudgement. 3. Of life. The booke of his prouidence is the absolute knowledge of a particularities p [...]st, present, to come. This Book is me [...]oned by Dauid in these wordes: [...] 12. & 11 [...] 14. Thine eyes did see my substance yet being vnperfect: and in thy bookes were al my members written, which day by day were [...]ashioned, when as yet there were none of them: As in another place thus: Thou tellest my [...]ttings, puttest my teares into thy bottel, are not these things noted in thy bookes? The booke of Iudgement is that where­b [...] he giueth iudgement, which is of two sections. The first is [Page 80] his [...]ore knowle [...]ge in wh [...]ch all the affaires of men, their design­me [...]ts and [...] as plainely set downe to him, as if they were p [...]nned Wee may [...]et them slippe in a careles [...]e [...]or­ge fulnesse, but God hath [...]ckets of our dooings by him, and keepeth them in per [...]ect remembrance. Of which the Pro­phet Dauid saith thus: Psal. 90. 9. Thou hast set my misdeedes before thee, and my secret sinnes in the sight of thy countenance. So that be they neuer so olde, they are as new to him as if they had beene doon but yesterday. [...]. Sam. 15 3. For he rippeth vp the s [...]ane of Ama­lek, doone more then three hundreth yeares before, and com­maundeth Saul to conferre it. He y ^• numbreth the stars, & calleth them all by their names, hath numbred our sins, and will name them vnto vs: as periuries, blasphemies, adulteries, lyes, vsuries and such like. The second leafe or tome of this second Booke is euerie mans particuler conscience, which maketh conuulsions & thinges in vs, and is instead of a thousand witnesses, setting be­fore vs the thinges that we haue done. The booke of life is the de­cree of Gods election, in which God hath set downe who are sea­led vp vnto eternal life. The opening of these bookes is Gods re­uealing vnto euerie man his owne proper sins, in thought word, and deede, committed against heauen and against him, and then also by his omnipotent power, hee that can of stones by Iordans brooke side raise vp Children to Abraham, shall breake a sunder our stonie consciences, so that wee shall haue compunction and re­membrance of all sorepassed actions. Now the conscience of the wicked is feared with a hot yron, and is past feeling, but then, it shall be so sensible and seeling as it shall accuse and condemne it selfe.

Being thus reuealed and spred abroad, there shal be dis [...]inction made of them according to the nature of them eyther good or euil. That shall be thus done. They that neuer had knowledge of the law of God, and had no other schoolemaster but nature, shall bee tryed and iudged by the lawe of nature. As for those that liue in the church, & ha [...]e li [...]ed vnder the law and vnder grace: shal haue their tryal by the law & the Gospel. Rom. 2. 1 [...]. 16. So saith Paul, As many as haue liued by the law shal be iudged by the law. At the day of iudgement [...]od [...]hal iudge the secrets of our hearts according to his Gospel. To [...]xpresse the exact account that shal be taken of [Page 81] al thinges in the iudgement, Iob saith of God, Thou hast sealed vp our sins in a bag▪ it is more to [...] then to keepe, for sealing signifieth a very speciall keeping, Therfore the bag and bundle of our misdeeds being sealed vp: not the least sinne of al can possible drop out. S [...] 1. 1 [...]. To the further insinuation heereof saith the Lord by Zephaniah: I will search Ierusalem with Lanterns▪ Such thinges as we desire verie much, wee seeke for verie much, but when we seeke with candle and Cresset light, wee shew thereby that we will seeke to purpose and will finde if it be possible. But when the Almightie seeketh with his Candle in his hand, how is it possible but that he should finde what he seeketh for? This is a iudgement by it self of which all y ^e iudgements of men are wide. Before the Tribunals and iudgement seates of men the truth is often obscured, and the offences of men are eyther smothered, dissembled, or diminished: when as eyther the Iudge is de­ceiued, or the witnesses is corrupted, or the guiltie man begui­leth both: but there is none of all these in this Iudgement. The consistoriall places of men, respect consanguinitie, affinitye No­bilitie: but these haue no priuiledge in that impartiall place: For thus the Psalmist saith: Psal 49. 16. Bee not thou afraide when one is made rich, and when the glorie of his house is increased. For he shall take nothing away when he dyeth, neither shall his pompe descend after. The hope of the wicked shall faile him, his trust saith Iob shall be as the house of a Spider. Iob 8. 14. Psal. If righte­ousnesse and iudgement shall bee the preperation of his seate, what is the preheminence of Gentrie before others, before that heauenly seate? of this wrighting and storing vp of the worldes faulles against y ^e day of reckoning. Isai 65. 6. Isaiah speaketh thus: Behold it is written before me: I wil not keep silence, but wil render it & recōpence it into their bosomes. In the meane while y ^• art merry like a fond fellonious fellow, who being indited of scheme, is swallowed vp w ^t a sottish security, in y ^t meane while the indite­mēt passing on & the Clark of the Assise pē [...]ing euery point ther­unto appertaning. That there shal be this busie inquirie, & that this singuler scrutiny shal be made of thoughts, wordes, workes, the Scriptures haue tolde vs. That our thoughts shal be discoue­red, Salomon maketh manifest sayinges: [...]. [...]. 14. God will bring to iudgement euerye secret thing whether it bee good or euill.

[Page 82] If euerie secret thing shall be iudged, then the thought shall be iudged. [...]om. 2. 16. Paul maketh it a plaine case saying: God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ, according to my Gospell. That which he saith thus else where enforceth as much: Iudge nothing before the time, vntill the Lord come, who will ligh­ten thinges that are hidden in darkenes, and make the coun­sels of the hearts manifest. Wherefore the thoughts of the am­bitious which are as wide as hell mouth, (as Pirhus his thoughts roued from Macedon to Greece, from Greece to Italie) which e [...]alt themselues like Eagles, and say in the haughtine [...] of their mindes: Obi [...]. 4. Who shall bring me down to the ground? who swel in their hearts with swelling titles, as Sapor the King of Persia, who wrote himselfe king of kinges, Brother to the Sunne and Moone, partner with the Star [...]es. [...] thoughts I say of the proude shall be r [...]led. So the thoughtes of Epicureans compani­ons of swaggering swill bowles, who thinke it good to take their fill of pleasure in this life, licking vp these and such like sayings: Let vs eate and drinke to morrow we shall die. 1. Cor. 15.

Soule take thy rest, for thou hast goods laide vp for many yeres. Better is a liuing Dog thē a dead Lyon; Luk. 12. The thoughts of these copesmates shall be said before them: the thoughts of the malicious shall then come to light, Iob. 31, 31. who said to themselues, Who will giue me of his flesh to eate? The cogitations of the coue­tous shall be [...], and the cu [...]taine of secrecie that hath euer yet couered them shall be drawne aside, so that all the world shall see them: Iam 4, 13, 14 who conceiue thus in the Closets of their thoughts, Luke. 12. 16. 17. 19. Soule take thy rest, to day or to morrow we will goe into such a Cittie, and there continue a yere, and bay and sell & gaine.

These supposalls shall be scatter [...]d like fenne, and shall bee pro­claimed on the house toppe. [...]ou [...]terous thoughtes, theeuish thoughts, thoughts of all natures shal be opened. As for deedes, there is no doubt but they shall haue their doome: of this Paul as­certaineth vs, saying: Rom. 2 5. 6. Against this day of wrath and of the de­claration of the iust iudgement of God, he will rewarde euery man according to his workes. So hee dooth in another place: [Page 83] We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ, 1. Cor. 5. 10. that euery man may receiue the things which is done in his bodie be it good or euill. Mat. 16. 1 [...]. So doth Christ in Mathew. The son of man shall come in the glorie of his father, then shall he giue to eue­rie man according to his deeds. The sentence of iudgement is formed according to our deeds. Mat 25. 41▪ 43. 46. I was an hūgred & ye fed me not. for this cause Christ saith: And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life: Iohn. 5. 2 [...]. but they that haue done euil, to the resurrection of condemnation. It is also as plaine a point, that our words shal be ventilated and iudged. A blasphemous worde belked against the spirit of God, is both ac­comptable and vnpardonable▪ according to this saying of our Sa­uiour? Whosoeuer shall speake against the holy Ghost, Mat 12. 32. it shall not be forgiuen him neither in this world, Mar. 3. [...]8. 29. nor in the world to come. Yea euery vaine word shall be sentenced to iudgement, as Christ saith: Matt. 12. 36. 37. Of euery idle worde that men shall speake, they shall giue account thereof at the day of iudgement: For by thy words thou shalt be iustified, and by thy wordes thou shalt be condemned. If not any idle word may be borne with, how shall oaths and cursed speaches, which are as common as stones in the street be borne with? Wo be to great dinners, whereat when we haue béene at our full meales, we haue full mouthes, and powre out wastful words of wind, as lustily as we haue powred in wine wantonly. Iob [...]umpeth with the former, declaring that we shall haue it fall by our words: Iob. 20. 29. This is the portion of the wicked man from God, and the heritage that he shall haue of God for his words Christ telleth the wicked seruant, Matt. 12. 34 that he will conuict and condemne him by his own mouth▪ Cyprian is of that minde, that the rich glutton was most tormented in his tongue, Cypr. li. 1. ep 1. because in his tongue he most offended Wherefore set we a watch before our tongue and ward we well the doore of our lips, Luke 16. 24. that no vnbe­seeming word may passe out of it here after to punish vs. Psal. 34. 13. A godly man purposing to commit the whole Psalme to memorie, and to meditate well vpon it: when he had weyed well the first verse of it in these words: I said I will take heed to my wayes, that I of­fend not in my tongue, found studie enough of that to last him all his life, so that he could go no further. I would to God we could take out this lesson while we liued, & we should he highly learned. [Page 84] The calling of our brother but Foole in malice of minde, Matt. 22. 4. is cul­pable of hell fire, so Christ hath concluded. Now who is not wrapped in the iudgement by this verdit? Thus great is the Haruest of sinne, what with thoughts, wordes, workes, which by a sickle from Heauen shall bee cutte downe at the generall iudgement.

THough alreadie (as fit aduantages haue béen offe­red) we haue by diuerse inferences in some sort, il­lustrated the terror of the iudgement: yet because it beareth matter of a tractate by it selfe, & it minis­streth much profitable vse vnto vs, we will take it in hand. 1 The terrible signes, the sorerunners of the iudgement, doe signifie sufficiently the outrage thereof. Here­upon Eusebius Emissenus maketh this deduction. Cum talis futu­rus sit terror venientis, quis poterit terrorem sustinere iudicantis. If such be the terror of his comming, who shall abide the terror of his iudging? These signes haue had a roome by themselues, and therefore we heere leade them. 2 The matter we haue in hand is euicted by the number without number that is to be iudged. Isai. 45. 23. I haue sworne by my selfe (saith God) the worde is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse, Matth. 7. 23. and shall not returne, Luke 17. 30. & 22. 69. that euerie knee shal bow vnto me, &c. An hoast innumerable as the sands of the sea, shall stand before him. They shall be called together as soone as an arrow can be deliuered out of a bowe, in a moment, in the twinckling of an eie, at the last trumpet. Make this suppo­sall (my brethren) that al the bodies of men did lye vpon one heap, what a ruthfull sight would it make: therefore what an obiect and spectacle will that be, when so many Myriads of men shal be mustred together in the ayre at the iudgement day? When the Kings writ is out for the execution of a noble man, ye shall haue huge heapes of people trudging to the execution place: but in the great day of iudgement, wherein so many kings shall stande out in Chaines, and so manie Nobles in Linkes of Iron naked, [Page 85] trembling, all their proude retinue cut from their heeles▪ to re­ceiue a sentence of a neuer dying death, what beholding will there bee of that, and how formidable will the face and fashion of the same bee? 3 The greatnesse of Gods anger which will bee declared at that day, sheweth likewise the great horrible­nesse of that day. The whole packe of worldly calamities, as plagues, bloodshed, famine, rage of waters, and such like, are but a sparke of that fire of furie that lyeth close in his breast, co­uered (as it were) with Ashes, which will breake out and climbe like the Sun in the morning, and consume sinne and sinners like stubble at the dreadfull iudgement. The Lorde sent this errant vnto Pharaoh: Exod. 9. 14. I will at this time send all my plagues vpon thine heart. &c. And indeede for this cause haue I appointed to shewe my power in thee, and to declare my name through­out all the worlde. The obstinate sinner in the iudgement shal be the soule of this sentence, vpon his vilde head shalbe pow­red the full violl of the red mixt wine of his wrath, God will get him a name by him, and by their punishment make declaration of the greatnesse of his righteous iudgements. The stroke of Gods hand in this life, is but the stroke of a rod: but the punishment laid vp for the life to come, is a seething pot. The vision of Ieremie, the allusian hereunto giueth vs this comparison. Iete. 1. 11▪ The de [...]ection of the Angels from their first estate of Adam out of Paradise: Gen. [...] 14. 15. 16, 17, 23, 24 the browning of the first world with riuers of water▪ Gen. 7. 20. and of Sodom and Gomorr [...]a with riuers of Brimston: Gen. 19. 24. the slaughter of the first borne of Egypt the plagues brought vpon Pharaoh: Exod. 12 29. the blotting out of the memorie of Amalek from among men: Exod. 14. 27. the destruction brought vpon the kings Og, Exod. 17 14. and Schon, Num. 21. 24. 33. & the kingdoms of Cha­naan: the ouer whelming of the blasphemer with stones: the lepro­sie wherwith Miriam the sister of Moses was smittē: I [...]t. 24. 14. the rupture of the earth which cauered Dathan & Abira [...] the fir [...] Serpents that destroied the Israelites: Num. 12. 10. the iudgements shewed vpō Achan for his sacriledge: Num. 16. 31. the sudden & fearfull death of Eli the high priest. Num. 21. 6. Iosua. 5. 22. 25. 26. who by a fall frō his chaire brake his necke: 1 Sam. 4. 18 the repudiation of Sa [...] the death that was inflicted vpō Vzzah for putting his hand to the Arke the iudgement shewed vpon the disobedient Prophet sent to Ieroboam, 1. Sam. 13. 13 who was torne by a lion: 2. Sam. 6. 7. the ouerthrow of an 1 Kin. 13. 24. hundred fourescore and fiue thousand in one night of y ^• Assirians by the stroake of an Angell. 2. Kin. 19. 2 [...].

[Page 86] The singuler seueritie shewed vpon a sort of scoffing boyes, that beardes the good Prophet, 2. King. 2. 23. torne in peeces by two Beares. 1. King. 5. 27. The Leprosie of Gihezi for his Simonie: 1. Sam. 17. 49 The slaughter of Goli­ath the champion, Act. 5. 5. 10. by a childe, the strange death of Ananias and Zaphira his wife stricken to death by the swoord of Peters lips: the moste wretched ende of Herod, Act. 12. 23. ouer crowed and ouercame in the height of his pride by the lowest creatures in the earth, eaten vp by wormes aliue: impatient to stay till hee was laide in his graue.

These, and whatsoeuer else besides these are to bee named, are not worth the naming, with those deuised torments for the dam­ned, which shall bee denounced against them in the iudgement. For all these were but roddes held ouer them: Prou. 13. 14. 24. & 15. 5. 12 31. 32. & 17. 20. If thou strikest with a rod (saith Salomon) he shall not dye. Prou. 13. 24. A rodde is but for correction, Psal. 23. 4. it worketh not destruction: And a blow giuen by this, proceedeth not from hatred but from loue. He 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 o [...]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, Iob. 41. 10. 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, Psal. 50. 3. 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 hea [...]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. Psal. [...]04. 7. 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 [Page 87] 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. 1 Pet. 4. 17 18 If therefore in that day, Prou. 2. 21. 22 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: M [...]l. 3. 2▪ Who may abide the day of his comming? and who shall endure when he appeareth? For he is like a purging fi [...]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. Heb [...]. 10. 31. To fall into the hands of a dying God, if I may so tearme our crucified redeemer, there is much hope of comfort to b [...]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 li [...]tes to bee baited, who onelye is basted a little with a couple of clubs or cudgels: but when he cōmeth to the combate, then clubs. Swordes, speares are set against him. These daies are daies of dalliance, wherein a waster or rodde of l [...]uing correction is sha­ken against vs, but at that dismall, [...]irefull, dreadfull day, Lan­ces, swordes, speares, and instruments of death, will be prepared against the face of all his enemies. Then shall the ma [...]cles and fetters be brought foorth to binde Kinges in chaines, Psal. 150. and No­bles with linckes of yron. Luk. 3. 17. 2. I Lictor ligam [...]nus, [...]es 1. 9. Erecutioner, M [...]t 2 [...]. due thine office shall the iudge say: Iudg. 7. 14. 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 in­t [...] 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. [...]. 2 [...] A day of darkenes, Mark. 13. 25. & of black­nes a day of cloudes and obscuritie. As he shewed his power i [...] the worldes creation▪ his wisdome in it's g [...]bernation, so his iustice shall be manifested in the correction of the wicked, in that [Page 88] 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? Iob 9. 2, 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, Gen. 9. 22. 25 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 Coppye of the finall iudgement, Math. 25. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39 [...]0. 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. [Page 89] 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, Math. 25 1. [...]. 3. 4 5▪ & 33. betweene Cam and Abel: Isaac and Ismael: Math. 13. 25. 47. 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: Psal. 26 5. Ecclesiam [...]n [...]lignantium odi, I haue hated the as­semblie of the euill. The Scribe and Towne-Clarke of Ephe­sus who appeased the Garboile, that the siluer Smith with the Apprentises to that trade had raised, Act. 19. 41 is said to haue dismissed the church: but the force of the word signifieth a companie called out from the common companie. And truely such as are of the Church indeede, are called out of the world into one companye and bodye, into a holy common wealth by themselues. Where­fore God when hee first founded his Church heere in earth, hee did cast out Cain from the face of the earth: and surrogated Se [...]h from whome lineally the Sonnes of God should haue dis­tent. G [...]n. 4. 12. 14 So Abraham was called out of Chaldea, Gen. 26 63. 1 [...]. and seperated from among them: and the faithfull Sonnes of Abraham are peremptorily commaunded to goe out of Babilon. Gen 1 [...]. [...]. 3. 5 Thus was Paul called from the companie of Pharises, Isa [...]. 5. 2. 11. 12. when hee was to her a Church man, Reuel. 18. 4 5. 6. and hee nameth such as are Saintes, cal­led as the Romans. To you that bee at Rome beloued of God, Act 9. [...]. 15. called to bee Saints: The Corinthians: Rom. 1. 7. vnto the Church of God, 1. Cor. 1. 2 which is at Corinthus, to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus, Math. 9. [...]. Saintes by calling. And Christ saith that hee came not to call the righteous. Wherfore such as are called, are of the Church and such as are not called are not of the Church.

We will sift euerie word of the sentence one by one. But we will first marke the difference that this Iudiciall proceeding shal haue from the definitiue doomes of men. In the trybunals of earthly Iudges, an enditement is put in, an euidence vpon the Indicement is giuen: witnesses are produced and sworne: the guiltie person hath his aduocate and Counsellor to plead his cause: a Iurye is pannelled against the Prisoner.

[Page 90] But here are none of these circumstances vsed: Reuel 20 11. 12. 13 chap. 3. [...]. & 21. 27. for here the con­science shall accuse and excuse all. Christ shall not need witnesses, as knowing the verie secrets of the heart, and vnderstanding the thoughts long before. Wh [...] by his presence shall comfort the elect, and confound the reprobate. Against whom the diuell shall vrge the Lawe, and call for iustice out of hand: thus yelling like a woolf against the damned ones, as Eusebius Emissenus notablie thus deliuereth: O thou iust Iudge, these were thine by creation, but they are mine by corruption: thine by nature, but mine by diso­bedience: who héeded more my seduction, then thy wholsome in­struction: thine by Law, mine by fact: thine by worke, mine by will. Then the king speaketh. He calleth himselfe a king, who before named himselfe the sonne of man: to shew that his incar­nation, and humiliation, shall bee nothing derogatorie from his Diuinitie and Maiestie, when he shall come in the forme of a man, true man to bee King of glorie, and Iudge generall of all men.

He diuideth his speech into two partes, Mat. 25. 34. 35. 36. suting them to the two sortes of people that shall stande before him. Mat. 25. 41. 42. 43. 1 The elect. Iohn 5. 29. 2 reprobate. To the first he readeth sentence of Absolution: to the second the sentence of Condemnation. In the first wee will handle these points. 1 Their calling. 2 Who are called. 3 To what they are called. 4 Wherefore they are so called. The first which is their calling is abridged in this word. Come: He giueth vs frée accesse vnto himselfe, Matt. 25. 34. without the mediation of Saints & Angels, as the Church of Rome fancieth. He is the same in hea­uen in the height of his Maiestie, as he was in earth in the height of his humilitie. This was his Proclaimation in earth: Come vnto me all ye that are wearie, [...] 11. 28. & laden, and I will refresh you. All ye that are thirstie, come vnto the waters: The same he will proclaime at the standard in the ayre: Iohn. 5. Come yee blessed: Matt 25. 34. And why? Because his pleasure is, y ^• we he where he is, according to that which he saith in Iohn: I will that where I am, there my seruants be also: Iohn 12. And after this saying: I goe to prepare you a place: and when I shall goe and prepare you a place. I will come againe and take you vnto me, Iohn 14. 2. 3. that where I am, there may you be also. 2 The persons that are called, are pricked out in these wordes: Mat. 25. 34. Ye blessed of my father. By which tytle, [Page 91] wee see the whole conueyance of our heauenlye inheritance, as descending vnto vs by the meere blessing of heauenly grace. Wée being by Adams vngraciousnesse sentenced to a cursse.

By Christ therfore the case is altered, Gen. 3. 16. 1 [...]. 18. 15. & a cursse is turned into a blessing, he being that blessed promised seede that should bruse the Serpents head, the original of our cursse: hee being the [...]eed of A­braham in whome all the nations of the earth are blessed, Gen. 12. 3 Wher­fore we sing the Apostle Paules song, Blessed bee God the Fa­ther of our Lord Iesus Christ, Ephe. 1. 3. which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges in Christ. 2. Cor. 1. 3. Where­fore this blessing came not by the lawe, 1. Pet. 1. 3. but by grace. If the law of Moses could not make vs blessed; much lesse can the lawes of Mahomet or the Pope make vs blessed. Wherefore by grace wee are onelye gracious. 3. Whether, and to what wee are called, Mat. 25. 32. is shewed in these wordes: Gal. 2. 21. Possesse the King­dome of Heauen prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde. Ephe. 1. 6. & 2. 5. & 24. The Greeke word signifieth not simply to pos­sesse but inherite, which word inherit, dooth vtterly vannish merrit. For as the Infant is borne an heyre before hee can merrit the inheritance, so God hath made vs inheritors, before wee were able to doe any thing, eyther good or euill, as Paul by the examples of Iacob, and Esau plainely teacheth vs.

Againe, Rom. 9. 11. the preparation and ordination of the Kingdome heere spoken of, 2. Tim. 4. 22. concludeth that it was ours before we were our owne, Tit. 1. 4. &. 2. 11. &. 3. 7. wherefore wee come not to it by anye worthinesse of our owne. 4. The answere wherefore wee are so called, is giuen in the sequell: I was a hungrie and you gaue me meate. As if hee should haue said, I call you the blessed of my Fa­ther, and ioynt heires with mee in his Kingdome, Because by effectuall workes and liuelye fruites thereof yee haue testified your faith.

The workes that are heere specified, are workes of Charitie not of vanitie, as monasticall vowes, and such as haue foundati­on from humain traditions: These containe all whatsoeuer else may be named. For they that performe these, doubtlesse will by hurtfull to none, vse deceit towards none, and be negligent towardes none, who are commended to their charge by God.

In the next place followeth the condemnatorie sentence pro­nounced [Page 92] against the wicked which would make a mans blood cold and co [...]gealed within him. Math 25. Verse. 41. Departe from mee. Heereupon shall the damned say, Lord seeing wee must so doe, yet blesse vs, Gen. 27. 38. before wee departe, Heb. 12. 16. 17. as Esau saide to his Father Isa­ac But with their departure is the blessing departed from them likewise. Gen. 27. 33. Iacob haue I blessed, Math. 25. and hee shall be blessed saith Father Isaac to Esau: so the godly haue I blessed, and they shall be blessed saith God our Father to the wicked: therefore hee addeth this word Curssed. Vers. 34. 41. But I imagine how they further ioyne together in petition and say: Lord, seeing we are cast out of thy presence, and accursed: yet giue vs some resting place: to this he answereth, into the fire. Yet Lord (say they) let vs speak once more though we are to 1. Depart, 2. Cursed, 3. Into fire. and all these thinges come vppon vs, yet Quous (que) Domine, how long shall these punishments be vpon vs? Truely this their end shall bee without end, the worme dyeth not, and the fire neuer goeth out, all the waters of the South cannot quench this fire, therefore the nature of this fire is set downe in the soote of the sentence euerlasting fire. Yet it were some refection (like the droppe of water, Luk 16. 19 23 14. 25. 26. 27. 28. the Purple Glution called for to coole his fla­ming tongue) that they might haue anye companion to com­forte them, but they shall haue no better friendes then the Fiendes, the black Guard of Deuils, their tormentors, shall associate them: and this is the binding and winding vp of all in these wordes prepared for the Deuill and his Angells. Yet further to worke vppon these wordes, that they may better worke in our soules, wee will diue more deepely into euerie cir­cumstance.

But to the vnfolding of these misteries to the full, we had néede of a damned Doctor out of another world that might speake with a feeling, to giue vs more feeling, such a one as the Glutton en­treated of Abraham might be sent out of Hell to forewarne his Bretheren. For albeit, the scripture is Schoolemaster sufficient as Abraham tolde Diues saying: They haue Moses and the Prophets. Yet no Preacher is more pleasing to those that are towards hell, then one that commeth from hell according to this surioynder of that damned Epicure. Nay father Abraham, but if one come vnto them from the dead, they will amend their [Page 93] liues. How is it possible that a peece of Timber, that taketh vp the roome of a whole house should be drawne out of the little wic­ket, and Portall doore of that house? Heere are so manie circum­stances of wonder in this Iudiciall sentence, which so fill all our sences and amaze them, as out of the narrow doores of any mans [...]pes they cannot in their full bignesse bee deliuered vnto you. For heere the discension, 2. Malediction. 3. Exustion, and 4. their eternall duration are to be spoken of, vnto which the dam­ned shall be deliuered vp. Oh departure, Cursse, fire, eternall fire, formidable to heare: but intollerable to indure. We will take them as they come to the hand, and as the hande of the Scripture layeth them out. The first word Depart, striketh the hearers dead. It is a plague of all plagues, and the verie bottome of the [...]ioll of gods wrath to be driuen from God. Ca [...]n tooke this in­flicted punishmēt so heauily, as he thought nothing could be added more vnto it, wherefore he said to God. Gen 4. 1. [...]. Behold thou hast cast me out this day from the earth, and from thy face shall I bee hid, and shall be a vagabond and runnagate in the earth, & who­se euer findeth me shall slay me: that is to say, death the vpshot of miserie shall come vpon me. 2. Sam. 14. 32. Absalon of the two, thought it the best choice rather to die, then to bee in that disgrace with his Father, as not to see his face, and so hee tolde Ioab plainelye say­ing: Let mee see the Kinges face, and if there bee anye tres­passe in mee let him kill mee: Ps [...]l. 29. 3. 4. 5 As in the presence of God (as saith the royall Prophet) Is the fulnesse of ioy, Psal. 5 5 6. & 34. 17 and at his right hand are aboundance of pleasures for euer more So when anye depart from God, Math. 7 23. & 25. 12. or God departeth from him, all misfortnne and miserie doth fall vpon him.

If a King keepeth Court in a Countrye Towne, all the Countrye is intitched by his comming, and empourished a­gaine by his departure: Psal. 4 [...] 2. & 1. 8. [...]4. So when God is among vs wee are rich and wealthye men: and when hée leaueth vs, a poore and woefull estate s [...]ndeth vs. The more the Sunne is with vs, there is more plentie among vs, Psal. 36. 1 [...]. & 4. 2. 2. and with the absence thereof is pe [...]urye, therefore the Summer season is the fruitefull season, [...]euen the Sunne is of moste power: and the winter time is the [...]ren, and deade time when the Sunne is weakest. The more [...] Sunne-shine of Gods presence is vppon vs, the more [Page 94] fruitfull we are in euerie good worke: but when this decayeth, all decayeth with it. Psal. 80. 10. Psal. 25. 9. What a hard thing therefore it is for anye to departe from the liuing God, from his sweete Sauiour Christ, who is the life, hope, sollace saluation, the beginning and end of all thinges, in whome are all things. But thou for a short sinfull pleasure bringest this horrible euill vpon thee, and makest thy selfe an aliant from the Israel of God, a stranger and ban­nished man from the heauenly Hierusalem.

If the Apostles for that little while that Ch [...]ist tolde them hée was to bee absent from them, they were [...]o sadde and sorrow­ful, as expouading vnto them these vis wordes: Ioh 16. 22. A little while, and ye shall not see mee: and againe, A little while and yee shall see me, he saide: ye shall weepe and lament, and measu­reth their mourning by the mourning of a woman in her trauell: In what case shalt thou be thou accursed sinner, when not for a white, but for all eternitie thou shalt bee sh [...]t from the sight of God? Ioh. 13. 8. If Peter to whome Christ said: If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with me, was so loath to part with Christ, as he saide: Lord not my feet onely, but also the hāds & the head: How shall it be with the wicked, who shall bee put away from God, without hope of seeing his sweete face any more? The name of Father in the entrie of the sentence read ouer the godlye, Mat 25. 3 [...]. omitted in the tenor of Iudgement against the wicked, hath good consideration. For in the saying to the Godlie: 41. 34. 41. Come ye blessed of my Father, and absolutely saying to the damned: Goe ye curs­sed: It is to insinuate, that the blessing of happinesse is his fa­therly goodnes and not of mans worthinesse, that eternall life is of the father of lightes: Of the other side, that damnation is not of the Father, Os [...]. 13. 9 but of our follie according to this sentence of O­seas. Thy destruction O Israel is of thy selfe, but thy saluati­on is of me. That the Godly are saued, it is of grace: that the wicked perrish, Psal. 62. 11. & [...]16 5. & 119 & 145 156. [...]8. it is of [...]nne. Let no man therefore commence complaint against God that hee is cruell, for hee carrieth that which condemneth him about him, as naturally sinfull. God is the author of all that is good: it procee [...]eth from our corrupt na­tures, whatsoeuer is euill. In diuiding this truth aright in this sorte, we shall walke with an euen foole, neyther giuing to our selues that which is Gods, or to God that which is onely ours.

[Page 95] N [...]ither is the learning of Gods predestination laide down by [...], which te [...]cheth that God in his free and righteous counsell, e [...]e [...]een some and reiect [...] othersome. For albeit of meere gracs hee chooseth whome be will: yet against such as are decreed to death, hee is neither cruell nor wrongful, seeing God oweth them nothing & they are so dealt with for their sinnes, they not being able to pleade for themselues, Math 25. 41. 46 & [...] [...]3. We haue paid the debts that wee neuer owed. Next to this they a [...]e abiudred to H [...]il fire: what he [...]l [...]e is, we [...] not curio [...]ye to search, but wee are rather to be carefull how to auoide it, as when a mans house is on fire, bee standeth not to enquire from whence that fire came, but all his care is to quench it. The wicked are [...]on pared to drie wood that the fire will soone take holde on, as when Christ saide to the woman of Hierusalem that wept for him: Luk. 23. 3 [...]. If they doe these thinges to a greene tree, what shall be done to the drye? Or vnto Cha [...]e which is presently inflamed, Math. 3. 13. in these wordes of Iohn, He will burne vp the Chasse with vnquenchable fire: or to tares, which the remie sowed among good wheate in these words of Christ: Math. 23. 38. The tares are the Children of the wick­ed. These are to be made vp into Faggots, and sheafes, to bee [...]tted to the fire according to that which is in the parable. Verse. 30. Ga­ther yee first the tares and binde them in sheafes to burne them. But how shall they be shocked and bundled vp? namely [...] the Vsurer with his Broker, Badger, regrater and workemen of such things, shal be bound vp together to make an euen f [...]ggot according to the Statute. The decei [...]efull Merchant with his ap­prentises, that make ly [...], oathes, dece [...]tfulnesse the principall porters to bring in their liuing. The whole broode of Lawyers that can set a good dye vpon a b [...]dde cloath, and call bad good and good badde, that eate vp the people like breade, and grinde their noses to the faces betweene the Milstones of oppression? Prea­thers y ^• make merchandize of holy misteries: Barter [...] [...] of the Bible, that with their tempor [...]s [...]ng, and luke-warme Religion, dawbe vp the mudde wall of all abhomination: euerie of these companies make seuerall shea [...], seruisable for the [...] Ye may runne through all the ranckes and Clas [...]ies of sinne, in th [...] manner to make vp the wood stacke that must feed [...] this [...]re.

[Page 96] But it is more then admirable which is said of the nature of this [...], Mat. 25. 41. 49. that it is euerlasting. For the [...]unishment ex [...]eedeth the offence for the offence was but momentame, and the iudgement is eternall, which seemeth not to be answerable to Gods infinite mercie. We answere extraordinarie transgression hath no proportion with ordinarie correction. Againe, what is the cause that thy domesticall and ordinarie fire goeth out? Is it not because thou feedest it not with combustible matter? For let it haue alwayes stouer giuen to it, and it will alwayes con­tinue. In hell the fire is maintained by fewell fit for it. For there is euerie mans wicked will, and endlesse desire of sin­ning which can neuer be done away, because there is no re­pentance in hell, which is the nutriment and preseruatiue of this fire. Therefore so long as the sinne remaineth, it is but equi­tie and iustice that the punishment should continue. Sinners are like Card-players, who will not giue ouer though the night bee neuer so much spent, vnlesse their Candle saile them: so did not the light of life faile them, and were not their Candle (as Iob saieth) put out, and spent to the Socket, they would not cease to sinne. Wherfore the punishment is agreeable with their sinfull wishes. They wish to sinne for euer: therefore they are worthily plagued for euer.

Therewarde of the righteous is euerlasting: therefore the wages of the wicked is euerlasting. May not the sonne is sinne against the father, and the subiect against his soueraigne, as in the rule of reason and iustice the one may be disinherited, and the other confined and banished for euer? If wee admit these; it holdeth by comparison, that our heauenly King and father may doe so with his degenerate children, and rebellious people. But yet it is verie strange, that this fire should burne, and not consume? But the answere hereof is, the will of the Crea­tor, who hath giuen this condition and qualitie vnto it. The beast called the Salamander, is not burnt but nourished by the fire, and thou maist by anoynting thy selfe with the lard and fat of it, walke vpon the fire and not be burned. The fish that is d [...] ­cocted in vineger, remaineth whole, and will not fall a peeces, be­cause the vineger hardn [...]th it, and fitteth it for the frying. If these smaller matters of no moment are brought to passe by man: shall [Page 97] not God giue this [...]sposition to the damned creature, much more to liue and neuer [...] in this fire?

Thus death shall be a restauratiue to the damned, and dying they shall neuer die. Who doth not now shake and quake at the remembrance of such erquisite iudgement? In respect of this fire, our ordinarie fire is but as painted fire, yet it is so fierce, as to ga [...]e the worlde thou wilt not indure thy bodie in it one quarter of an houre: how wilt thou therefore wrastle with eternall bur­nings? If wee bee so delicate, as lying on our beds, wee can­not abide the byting of a Flea, or Gnat: how shall wee endure the venemous mouthes of so manie Serpents, Dragons, poi­sonable and stinging creatures, that will come gnawing vpon vs round about? There is weeping with a witnesse, for the eies shall deliuer out riuers of teares, and the chattering of teeth shalbe like the clattering of an army of armed men. Flaetus ex dolore, stridor dentium exfurore: Wéeping commeth of the dolor and gnashing of séeth, Bernard 9. of the furor that we shall there be put vnto. There no part of body or soule shall be able to solace or succor one another, but all shalbe intollerably pained. The mind shall muze of nothing but a maze of miseries past her getting out: the memorie shall recount nothing but old odious sins: the fantasie shall feed of nothing but f [...]aceful visions: the eies shal behold nothing but legions of soule flends: the eares shall be alwayes grated with the direfull discorde of the hoarse and hideous howlings of hell-hounds: the nosthrils shall be filled with sulphurous fumes, and fuliginous filthie o­dours: the handes shall holde fast nothing but globes and balles of fire: their feete shall goe no further then their chaines will let them.

Thus hath euerie part of man perfection of miserie. The Braines of men haue béene curiously busied in inuenting strange torments for men. A Booke hath beene written, entituled, De torquendis Christianis: Of tortering Christians. Some haue beene giuen vp to the teeth of wilde Beasts: Some haue beene burned vppon a Harth and soft fire: Other spitted and rosted vppon Gredyrons: Others cast into furious fires, into Furnaces, and Ouens of hote: burning coales: Others into ves­sels of boyling Lead, or Oyle Some into bul [...] and engens of bur­ning Brasse: some haue béene rowle [...] and rocked vp ad downe in [Page 98] Barrels of sharpe nailes: some haue béene boared with Aules: some punched & sobbed with bodkins: some haue had their nayles pricked through with Néedles: their flesh plucked a péeces with Pincers: their skinnes drawne ouer their eares aliue: but all these are but flea-bitings to the torments of hell.

There is no order, but eternall horror. There is an ende with­out ende, a death that dieth not: fire inextinguishable: dark­nesse more palpable then the darknesse of the Aegiptians, and blacker then blacknesse it selfe: torments more terrible then the torments of men, Psal. 60. Psal. 40. Esai. vlt. Iere 8. Ezech. 38. Reuel. 14. Reuel. 16. by how much the reach of the wittes of diuels goeth beyond the inuentions and excogitations of men. There is the cuppe of the deadlyest wine that euer was drunke vp: there be the deepest Graues that euer were made to keepe vs downe, that we rise not any more: there be the waters of Wormewood and Gall: there be those malignant aspects, pestilence, blood, pil­lars of smoke, huge hailstones, stormes and terrible tempests, wherewith he will plead his righteous cause against the damned. That is that capable, and wide Winepresse of the Lords indig­nation, where the smoke goeth vp foreuer, and there is no rest day nor night: there be the infinite and vnmercifull plagues which the Angels of God powre out of their glasse bottels when blood is giuen them to drinke, and they boyle so with heate, as they eate their verie tongues for griefe. Who can better make Chronicle of this place then the purple Glutton that is in it, L [...]ke 16. 19. 22, 23, 24, 25 26, 28. that may say: Et quorum pars vno fui: who shared in these torments, and had his ordinarie allowance in that lake? For the torments of hell would haue the vttermost farthing of their due of him, and would not depart with a droppe of water for the ease-ment of his tongue.

As Esau could not ransome his morgaged birth-right with all the moysture of his bodie that gushed out of his eyes: Gen. 17 34. 38. so that mer­cilesse man if he could haue deliuered such plentie of teares, Hebr. [...]2. 16. 17. as the Ocean hath of waters, his request vnto Abraham in that little might not be obteyned. Giue we that he had speeded in that slen­der sute: yet what good had it done him, when as his other parts, as his heart, liuer, lungs, bowe [...], armes, feete, fryed and were all in a light fire. The torments of hell are to last for a time, and times, and when time shall be no more. For when thou hast laine [Page 99] rosting there so manie thousandes of yeares, as thou canst possible name, thou art as farre from the ende as at the first. As the Gates of Paradise were garded by the Cherubins and the blade of a Sworde shaken: Gen. 3. 24. so Hell gates are war­ded by Porters for purpose, Matt. 25. 41. Matt. 27. 63, 64, 65, 66. by the Diuell and his An­gels, and a Seale set vppon the doore liddes, (as the Tombe and graue-stone of Christ was sealed vp by the Priests.) So that as Adam was barred from ingresse into Eden: so the damned sort shall bee kept from egresse out of hell. The co­ueriant that God hath made with the day and night, that they shall come in their turnes, may bee reuersed, the Starres may finish their course, the Elements shall melt away like Ware before the fire, Heauen and earth shall bee renued, Sommer and Winter shall cease, but the paines of poore Prisoners in Hell shall bee perpetuall. Yet more to particularize of the paynes of Hell. 1 They shall firs [...] feele the anger of God vppon them, as Christ saieth in Iohn: Iohn. 3. 36. Matth. 3. 7. The wrath of God abideth in him. And as Iohn himselfe saieth to the Pharisees, and Sadduces: Who hath forewarned you to flie from the anger to come? Howe horrible and vnsufferable this is, conceiue by the description of the Scriptures of it. The Poet passingly portrayeth out vnto vs in his colours the fierce qualities of Achilles, Horat in ar [...] Poet. giuing him these Titles.

But this is nothing to that linely description made by the Prophet Dauid, of the Lords anger thus: The earth trem­bled and quaked, Psal. 18. [...] 10, 11, 12, 13 14, 15. the mightie foundations of the hils sha­ked, and were remoued because he was wroth. It striketh of [...] one side with woe, and on the other side with woe, as not [...]epenting of y ^• it doth: wherfore the Philistims said: Woe vnto vs, 1. Sam. 4. 7, 8. woe vnto vs, who shal deliuer vs out of the hāds of tnese mightie Gods? Iob 26. 11. Iob aggrauateth it thus: The pillars of heauen tremble and quake at his reproofe. Isaiah laieth [Page 100] it downe with these notable circumstances of amplification. At my rebuke I drie vp the sea, Isai. 50. 2, 3. I make the floods desart: their fish rotteth for want of water, and dieth for thirst. I cloath the heauens with darknesse, and make a sacke their couering. The like plummets of Lead doth Ieremy hang vp­on the heeles of Gods wrath, Iere. 4. 23, 24, 25, 26, 28. to make it most heauie to vs. I haue looked vpon the earth, and lo, it was without forme and void: and to the heauens, and they had no light: I be­held the mountaines, and lo, they trembled, and al the hils shooke. I beheld, and lo there was no man, and all the birds of the heauen were departed. I beheld, and lo the fruitfull place was a wildernesse, and all the Cities thereof were broken downe at the presence of the Lorde, and by his fierce wrath. For thus hath the Lord saide, The whole land shall bee desolate: yet will I not make a full ende. As he saide to Samuel, 2. Sam. 3. 12. When I begin I will also make an ende: or rather, he will make no ende, his indignation being endlesse.

The rage of the rankest euemie among men, may be qualifyed, if not, it must dye with him. But Gods anger is euerlasting, as hee himselfe is euerlasting. The hosti­litie of men may with counter-hostilitie bee resisted, though his Quiuer bee an open Sepulchre, Iere. 5. 16. 17. & 16, 10, 13, 14, 16, 18. and all his armie ve­rie strong: if not when hee is in the extent of his crueltie, and hath done his worst, hee hath but eaten thine Har­uest, and thy bread, bee hath deuoured but thy sonnes and thy daughters, hee hath but eaten vppe thy sheepe, and thy bullockes, thy Vines, and thy Figg-trees, and destroyed with the Sworde thy fenced Cities: But Gods wrath is vn­appeaceable, irremediable, incomprehensible. Of the anger of God Moses speaketh thus: Deu [...] 32. 22, [...] 24, 25, 26. Fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burne vnto the bottom of hell, and shall consume the earth with her encrease, and set on fire the foundations of the Mountaines. Father Chrysostome saieth, that it is farre more sharpe to see the angrie countenance of the Iudge, then a thousand hell fiers. 2 It is also one degree of their punishment to be separated and diuided from God according [Page 101] as it is in the forme of the sentence: Mat [...] 25. 4 [...]. Depart from me ye cur­sed: of which we haue formerly intreated. 3 Their third plague shall bee their hell [...]h companie, Vers. 41. the Diuell and his Darlings: for so it is laide out in the definitiue sentence, in these wordes: Prepared for the Diuell and his Angels. 4 [...]et the eternitie of their punishment haue the next place no­ted [...]n this addition of the sentence Euerlasting fire, Ma [...], 25. 41. which by all likelihoode shall not onely be a spiritual, but a corporall fire which the verie Scripture language doth insinuate, as in these places: Matt [...] Luke. 3. 9. [...] The chaffe he shal burne vp with vnquench­able fire. It is better for thee to goe lame into life, then ha­uing two hands, and two feete, to goe into hell fire. The [...] mistances of 1 weeping. Ma [...] 9. 43. 44, 45, 4 [...]. Matt. 8. 12. Matt. 13. [...] Matt. 2 [...] [...] Matt. 25. 46. Luke 13. 2 [...] Matt. 8. 29. Mar [...] [...] Luke 8. 26. Luke 18. 3 [...] 2 Gnashing of teeth: the forci­ble effects of that fire doe import so much in so many places of the Gospell inserted. So doth the phrase of vtter darknesse: and that of the binding of hands and feet. 5 With these they shall also haue their tortures in the Iaile. The Diuels looke for no lesse, as it appeareth by their stomachous words to Christ. Comest thou to torment vs before the time? This prison is likewise spoken of by Christ in the Parable of the king and his Steward: Hee deliuered him to the Iailers, till [...]e should pay all that was due vnto him. 6 It is also grieuous iudgement inflicted vppon the damned, to see the righteous translated into the Kingdome of God, and them­selues excluded. [...] 1 [...] 2 [...]. Ma [...] [...]3. Wherfore Christ saith: There shall be wee­ping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God, Luke 1 [...] 23. 24, 25 26. and your selues thrust out at doores. When the Gluttons eies behelde Lazarus his felicitie, it was mightie augmentation of his nuserie, then he cried vnto Abraham, and saide: Oh father Abraham, send Lazarus, &c. Where­fore Adam when he was chased out of a Paradise, Gen. 3. 22, 2 [...] 24. was pla­ced in a grounde ouer against it, that his eye seeing it, the heart of him might rue it. Now good Christ [...]an, whilest then reade these thinges, what thinkest thou of them? Howe doe they woorke in thee? They are as true as anye thing may bee, and as terrible, which thou [Page 102] shouldest better perceiue, If I had the tongue of the learned which might minister wordes in due time to mooue you. But if these thus deliuered doe not touch you, you haue no reason in you. Wherfore while we haue time, and God giueth grace, and the church admonisheth, and the iudge yet expecteth and calleth, and putteth out his hand vnto vs, and giueth to euerie one that asketh, Let vs lay holde vppon the shield of faith, and let vs not suffer such aduantages, which make for our saluation, to slippe.

The Sanguinarie Souldior at the preaching of Iudge­ment was recalled from his bloodie wayes, and he came to Iohn to bée lessoned of him, Luk. 3. 12. 13. 14. in the way that leadeth to a better life: what shall wee doe say they? And this is the song of the Publicans and Harlots, who were battered with the ham­mer of denounced Iudgement. Wherefore it is well saide of Caietan, this is the best preseruatius that may bee to keepe vs in Gods feare.

ALL the blessings whatsoeuer of eternall life, may hee drawne to these two heades. 1. To those that belong vnto the minde. 2. To those that appertaine vnto the bodie. The state of the bodie shall bee such as no labours or sorrowes shall seaze any more vppon it, according to that which the spirit in the Reuelation saith: God shal wipe away all teares from their eyes: Reuel. 21. 4. 5. 6. 7. 24. 10. 11 12. 13. &c. Reuel. 22. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 14. and there shall be no more death, neyther sorrow, neyther crying, neither shall there bee anye more paine. The heauenlye properties of our bodies are liuelye shadowed and represen­ted vnto vs in the conditions of the bodie of Christ at his re­surrection: there being nothing to the contrarie, but that we should hope that our bodies should be conformable to his bo­die, [Page 103] and that we his members should bee sutable to him that is our head. This is that the Apostle saith, Who shal change our vile bodie, Phil. 3. 21. that it may bee facioned like his glorious bodie. 2. The mind and spirit shall then bee endowed with this gift, that the slanerie of sinne shall no more take holde of it, the flesh (the insolent yoak-fellow thereof,) shal no more ouererowe it, it being then at quietnesse with the spirit. 2. Wee shall then loue God according to the exigence of his royall law, his felicitie shall affect vs as our owne. All motions and perturbations of the minde, as of enuie, selfe-loue, and the like shall be voided. 3. That which is of moste moment, which euerie one that is godly moste of all destreth, which is the knowledge of God, shall then be in full and per­fect manner giuen vnto it. 1. Cor. 13 12. Whecefore Paul saith: Now wee see through a glasse darkelye: but then shall wee see face to face. Now I knowe in part: but then shall I know euen as I am knowne. All vales and curtaines shall then be drawne aside, and wee shall see God indeede in his perfect beautie, which none heere possiblie could doe and liue, accor­ding to that which God saith to Moses: Exod. 33. 20. There shal no man see me & liue. In this knowledge chiefly eternall life stan­deth, as our Sauiour Christ testifieth saying: Ioh. 17. 3. This is life e­ternall, that they know thee to bee the onely very God, & whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ.

To which answereth this other speech of his: Abraham reioyced to see my day, and hee saw it, and was glad. And of the like agreement is that which is also spoken by him in another place. Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your eares for they heare: Ioh. 8 5. [...]. Math. 13. 16. For manye Prophets and righteous men haue desired to see those thinges which yee see, and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges which ye heare, and haue not heard them. By this let euerie man iudge, whose happinesse he may hope for when it shall be gi­uen vs to see him our first borne Brother in the state of his glorie: and not him onelye, but the eternall Father with him, for whome hee keepeth a kingdome purchased by his blo [...]d.

[Page 104] A glimmering sight hereof, M [...]th 17. 4. and as it were a shadow of this happines was shewed to Peter on mount Tabor: which made him to wish y ^• he might dwell alwaies there. And Paul had some probate thereof, when hee was caught vp to the third heauen, [...] Cor. 124. [...] 20. 18. 19. [...] 5. 24. & 18. 16. Ex. 19. 16. 17. 18 19. Exod. 24. 18. Exod. 33. 9. Exod. 34. 28. 29. 30. 33. 34. [...]. where hee heard wordes which could not be spoken, which were not possible for man to vtter. The face of Moses was so bright by his beeing with God, as the Israelites could not behold it. How glorious thē shall our fa­ces bee, when we shall bee made the Sonnes of God and liue for euer with him? If when wee reade the Scriptures with any liuelye feeling of Gods spirit, if in our feruent payers powred out to God, if in the deepe groaninges of our spirits vnto him for the euill that betide vs, or at the pow­erfull operation of Gods worde that is preached in vs, wee are much in wardly mooued, and the ioy, delight, and plea­sure thereof farre exceede all the delights of the Sonnes of men, all which are but as it were the first fruites, and be­ginning of eternall life: gather from hence what that pure, perfect compleate ioy will bee which wee shall bee owners of in the life to come. But these amplyfications I had rather leaue to thy faith good Reader, then to prosecute further al the pleasures of this world compared to our future felicitie, being but as a drop of water to the huge Ocean Sea. For wouldest y ^• haue riches? [...] 1 [...]. 11. Riches & plentionsnes are in his house. Psal. 2 [...]. Wouldest thou haue pleasures? In thy presence [...]s fulnesse of ioy, at thy right hand are pleasures for euer­more. If thou assiest life of him, [...] K [...]ng. 1. 10. he giueth thee a long life euen for euer and euer. If the ioy of the people made the earth to ring when Salomon was crowned: how shall not the floods clappe their handes, and the hilles reioyce when hee shall come to iudge his people? If the Easterne wise­men when they sawe the Starre that ledde vnto Christ, were wonderfullye gladde: what ioy shall bee in the holye ones of God, Math. 2. 2. Luke. 2. 9. 13. 1 [...]. when they shall see the Sonne of God in his king­dome? Therefore the glorie of the Godlye to come is won­derfull and vnspeakeable.

But whe [...] we shall all be dignified alike, and be copart­ners [Page 105] of equall glorie, it is a greate question, and hath no certaine determination by Scriptures, Testimonies there­of seruing of both sides. Each parte is probable, neyther maketh it to the matter of saluation, or any wise mar [...]eth it the certaine knowledge heereof.

Wee will heare what is disputed to and fro, and leaue the Christian Reader to his choyce. They that pleade for paritie, and equalitie of reward, reason in this for [...]e: Math. 20. 13. 14. 15. 1. Those that laboured in the Vine-yard, though their worke differed; their wages was all one: the last had his pennye aswell as the first, and the first had no more, though he murmured neuer so much against his Maister, neither had hee any wrong doone him as the couenant be­tweene him and his Maister absolutely concludeth. 2. Their second reason is Christes asseueration. Math. 13. 43. Dan. 12. 3. Then shall the iust men shine as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father. But there can bee no greater light then that the Sunne giueth. And none but the iust shall enter into this kingdome: there­fore they shall all haue the light of this Sunne, that is to say, they ioyntlye shall haue the perfection of all glorie. 3. They also vrge the case thus: Math. 22. 30 Make. 12. 25. Luk. 20. 34. [...]. 36 Christ disputing with the Pharisees about the resurection: likeneth our estate in heauen to the condition of the Angells, without anye mention of diffe­rent contribution. 4. Whereas in this life there are oddes betweene vs, they giue the cause thereof to the flesh, which they carrie about them, beeing more or lesse regenerate as they are more or lesse mortified in the flesh: Of which burden we shall bee eased in the other life, the infirmitie of the fle [...]h beeing to bee done away, and so there shall be no distur­bance why wee should not all receiue the like recompence. 5. Christ promiseth to the twelue Apostles equall glorie in heauen, that they shall sit on twelue seates and Iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel. Luke. 22. 30. Math. 19. 28. And doubtle [...]se Paul though he bée the thirteenth cannot but be equall with them in honour, be­ing vnequall, and aboue them in labour. 6. Paul seemeth to shake handes with this side, 1. Cor. 15. 10. making the Corinthians and with them all the faithfull in the like estate of glorie, [Page 106] while hee saith: 1. Cor. 6. 2. 3. Knowe you not that wee shall iudge the Angel?

7. Lastly it is written that the sufferings of these times haue no proportion with our future felicitie. If God re­specteth not our workes in this worke: from whence say they doe wee draw this difference of the recompence? This our dignitie is meerelye Gods dignation: therefore wee fetch the inequalitie thereof not from our merrits, but his mercie: whereas they of the contrarie side seeme to strength­en their opinion by distinguishing of workes, as if by the condignitie of them wee did earne and worke out this glories.

There bee other reasons, but these are the chiefest that make for this matter. The aduerse part is aswell prouid­ed to hold their assertion: Their arguments are many and good, and they are these. 1. First they say, God will re­ward euery one according to his workes, and as his worke is so shall his wages be.

The Scriptures goe with this: Rom. 2. 6. it is Paules saying: Who will reward euerie man according to his workes. 2. Da­niel foretelling the condition of the Saints after this life, is flat for difference of rewardes, saying: They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament, Dan. 12. 3. and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars for euermore. But there is manifest difference betweene the brightnesse of the firmament, and the brightnesse of the Starres. 3. From the contraries they conclude the case thus: There are diuersities of punishments in Hell, there­fore the consequence holdeth by comparison that there is va­rietie of rewardes in heauen. That the sufferings in Hell are sundrie, it is apparant by Christes wordes: It shall bee easier in that day for Tyrus and Sydon, Math. 11. 22. Luke. 10, 13. 14. then for Corozain, and Bethzaide and for Sodome, then for Ca­pernaum: wherefore degrees also of glorie are diuided. 4. That there is not onely one reward for all the righteous, but that there are manie of them, it is plaine by that which Christ elsewhere saith: Iohn. 14. 1. In my Fathers house are manye [Page 107] dwelling places. 5. Further if our state must be sutable [...] the Angels, Math. 22. 30. Mark. 22. 25. Luke 20. 36. as Christ hath let it downe. In the resurrect­io [...] we are as the Angels of God in heauen: it must needes bee that wee haue sun [...] degrees of glorie because there are seuerall degrees of Angells. Math. 13. 8. 6. The seede that was [...] vppon the good ground, came not vp like, but some better then some: some gaue an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and another thirtee folde.

This not obscurelie shadoweth disproportion of retributi­on of heauenlye glorie. Math. 2 5. 7. So dooth the Parable of the talents, those that had them in ban [...]k were rewarded more or lesse according to the improouement they made of [...]h [...]m. In the Reuelation mention is made of a peculier fl [...]cke who follow the law whether soeuer hee goeth, Reuel. 14. 4. agr [...] which seemeth not to be giuen to others. Math. 5. 19. 8 This als [...] [...]rength [...]eth the cause verie much that Christ saith, Whosoeuer shall obserue and teach them, the same shall bee called great in the Kingdome of heauen: Thereby insinuating that there are greater and lesser in that Kingdome.

The like is enforced out of these his wordes, Math. 20. 27. Whosoeuer will bee chiefe among you, let him be your seruāt 9. [...] of the [...]postle maketh much to th [...]s purpose: 2. Cor. 9. 6. Hee which seweth sparingly, shall reape also sparingly, and hee that s [...]weth liberallie, shall reape also liberallie. But moste pregnant is this proofe of the same Ap [...]stle. 1, Cor. 15. 4 [...] 4. [...]3, 44, There is one glorie of the Sunne, and another glorie of the Moone, an other glory of the Starres: for one Starre differeth from another in glorie. But the reddition and answere heere­v [...]to maketh the case plaine and palpable, So is the resur­rection of the dead. These differences of dignitie in the crea­tures doe not abl [...]e illustrate the differences of glory, that shal bee in mens bodies after there surrection. Finally if we may measure this matter by the line of verie probable reason, it is verie likely that the degrees of glorie in the life to come, shall answere the diuersiue of iudgements and qualities gi­uen [Page 108] vs in this life. The more we haue vsed our Talents by heauenly dispensation committed vnto vs, to the glorie of God, and the good of the church, the more shall our felicitie bee in the day of retribution: wherefore the twelue Apostles who were royallye embroatered and garnished with giftes, and were Maister workemen in the Primitiue Church, shal haue that stately preheminence ouer others, Math. 19. 28. Luke. 22. 30. [...]3. as they shall sit in iudgement ouer others▪ they should haue twelue scaffolds and Chaires placed for them, whereupon they shall fitte to iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel. But it may be thought if some shal haue so much, there wil be nothing for othersome: wee answere that the Fountaine of that felicitie is bottom­lesse and can neuer bee emptied.

It is with that as it is with the great Sea, Apo [...]. 22. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. to which if you carrie neuer so capable vessels, yet there is more then enough alwaies to fill euerie ones tanckerd come he as often as hee will: Reuel. 21. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. so though wee draw neuer so deepelye of the waters of life: it hath a welspring of euer liuing water, to giue aboun­dantly to all, abone all that wee are able to speake or thinke. The eye hath not seene, the eare hath not heard, neither can the heart of man conceiue the things that God hath prepared for those that loue him. The latter I embrace as the cheerefullest and moste currant opinion, let others bee as they thinke good of contrarie imagination Beeing [...]ooted in this perswasion, I am heartned to all zealous contrition in Religion, that I may attaine more heauenly benediction.

Another question would be touched though wee will not vndertake fullie to determine it: Whether wee shall know one another in heauen? I am more carelesse in this matter, because it is curious. Let our care be to knowe whether wee shal come to heauen, then to know whether wee shall know one another in heauen. But it is cleere wee shall know one another there, though we know them not heere. For doubtles Adams knowledge in his best estate must giue place to that knowledge which we shall haue in our glorified estate. But Adam knew Eue whome he neuer saw before, [Page 109] and saide, Gen. 2. 2 [...] This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh: Therefore what reason is against it, why wee should not knowe one another in heauen, though neuer knowne heere to vs? Marke 9. 4. [...]. Math. 17. 4. Luke. 9. 28. [...]9 30. &c. This is one argument in the cause. Againe who doth not know that the clarification of Christ on Mount Tabor was a liuely idea of our glorification: But when Christ was clarified, and Moses and [...]lias appeared, Peter present­ly knew them though he neuer before knewe them: this is another good argument in the cause. Luc. 16. 22. [...]3 24. &c. Finally, it Diues knew [...] in hell, dooth it not necessarily follow that wee all know one another in heauen, where our knowledge shall bee absolute & perfect, whether we shall know one another, so as we shall say this was my Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, &c. I can say nothing to it, but so I leaue it, and leaue th [...]e to God. Now to the King numortall inusible, to God onely wise be all honour and glo­ry for euer. Amen.