SAINT PETER'S WATCH WORD. The end of all things is at hand. Digested into eight Chapters, and published by R.M. Minister. Perused and allowed. Revel. 22.7. Behold I come shortly. Ver. 20. Surely I come quickly. LONDON Printed by I.W. dwelling at Paul's Wharfe, at the sign of the Crosskeys. 1603. The Contents of every several Chapter in this Book. IN the first Chapter, The Watchword itself is explained. In the second, the day of judgement that it shall be, is proved. In the third, the names and titles of that day are noted. In the fourth, the signs and tokens of that day are remembered. In the fifth, who shall be the supreme judge at that day is showed. In the sixth, the glorious coming of Christ unto judgement is deciphered, In the seventh, the order & manner of the judgement is described. In the eight, an exhortation unto prayer, sobriety and watchfulness is added, with a necessary prayer annexed thereunto. TO THE VERY Worshipful, virtuous, and religious Gentlewoman, Mistress Elizabeth Ford, wife unto the worshipful master Th. Ford of Ilsington in Devonshire Esquire: R.M. daily prayeth the rich blessings of God, to be powered down upon them, their kindred and posterity, to their comforts in this life, and to their eternal salvation in the life to come. THe days of man, being compared with eternity, may be likened unto one sand on the Sea shore, unto one grass upon the ground, or to one star in the firmament, matched with all the rest: for if a man could live, as some almost have lived, a thousand years, yet all those years, are but as one day with God. The ignorance whereof, hath made men imagine, that it is a very long while agone since God created man; and that seeing the world hath continued so many thousand years; therefore that it shall never have an end: yea the worse sort do think, that either God hath not at all determined to destroy this world; or, if he have determined and promised so to do, that then he hath forgotten his promise. And therefore say many times to themselves, Where is the promise of Christ his coming, become? And wherefore doth he make so long delay? Whereunto our Saviour himself doth answer, if we would vouchsafe to hear him; and swears because we should believe him: Behold I come shortly: And, surely I come quickly, tarrying for no man's pleasure, one minute of an hour longer, then is determined and appointed, which appointed time, though no man may curiously inquire of; yet every good Christian will daily think of it, & thank God, for any good thing that may put them in remembrance of the same. Among which number of true hearted Christians, because I know your worship to be one, and such a one whereof in my charge, I take great comfort, as well for your godliness, as for your kindness extended unto me; I therefore offer unto your meek Meditation, by way of dedication, these my poor labours (howsoever imperfect, or unpolished) which at times of leisure, I have collected since my first coming unto you; through the favour and presentment of your kind husband, and my very worshipful and loving Patron. Publishing the same in this sort, for the benefit of all, but (through their own fault) for the comfort only of all such, as either do, or hereafter shall unfeignedly love and look for the coming of our Lord jesus Christ to their immortality. Beseeching the divine majesty, to give us grace and patience, cheerfully to pass over this our pilgrimage in his fear, and in some discharge of our duty in a good conscience, to God's glory, and to some good of God's children; howsoever the world, and the children thereof, shall esteem of us or of any thing we do: that so at last to our endless joy, we may hear that sweet sentence of our saviour pronounced unto us, Euge bone serve & fidelis: Well done good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in few things, I will make thee ruler over much, enter thou into the joy of thy Master: Which God of his mercy grant, through the merit of his son, by the assistance of God's holy spirit; who seal the assurance thereof in our hearts: to which holy and blessed Trinity, be ascribed all praise, power and majesty, for ever, Amen. Your Worships as much bounden under God, as his life is worth; and in the Lord ever to be commanded. Radford Mavericke. To each Christian Reader, all health and eternal happiness wished and desired. BEing more than one year passed (right courteous and Christian Reader) sithence I was entreated to peruse Saint Peter's Chain, for setting it on unto a second Edition; I thereupon (by God's help together with that labour) took occasion and courage to contrive this little work called Saint Peter's watchword; which may either pass alone by itself, or be joined to that Chain, according as it shall be fitting and expedient: the metal both of the one and the other, being finest gold of the truest touch; first hammered upon the Anvil in Saint Peter's forge, by that Apostle himself, and whatsoever is added unto it, and howsoever unpolished, yet you shall find it weighed, I trust, in the upright balance of the Lords Sanctuary. Which watchword of the Apostle if it waken them that are sound a sleep in sin; and warn them that are already waking, to stand upon their guard more warily than heretofore: it is the only mark that I aim at, and the very blessing of God upon these poor and unlaboured labours of mine, which I hearty desire. And because (as all men know) it is a very unpleasant thing, any whit to trouble them that are asleep: and even brevity itself to them that are napping, is counted tediousness: I have therefore not only endeavoured, to be as brief as conveniently I might throughout this whole Treatise, that so I might not offend them that are best disposed: but have also cut or divided this discourse into diverse parts or Chapters; that so even they that are drowsy, may at least wise take a taste thereof, in reading a Chapter betwixt every nap, and so happily may be thereby encouraged to proceed with the rest as appetite and good desire shall increase upon them. Most humbly praying the holy spirit of God, who first moved Saint Peter to give this watchword, and inspired and confirmed my mind thus to explain it, and to publish the same for the good I trust of others; to bless this little labour of mine, and to make it fruitful, with the dew of his grace, as well in the heart of the sour, as in the minds of those that shall reap any profit thereby. And so gentle Reader I wish thee well to far, as thy soul fareth: and in thy prayers I pray thee, remember him that prayeth daily for thee, and for all them that look for the appearing of our Lord jesus Christ, to their immortality. Veni citò domine jesu. SAINT PETER'S Watchword. The end of all things is at hand. 1. Pet. 4.7. The first Chapter. THe almighty Creator, being without beginning, or ending, Alpha, Revel. 1.2 and Omega, the first and the last, hath made this world for a time, and appointed an end thereunto to cut off all time. Man Microcosmos, In the creation of man the beauty of the world is to be seen. who containeth as also the Philosophers could say, a similitude of the whole world in a very little continent or body, is first an infant, then a child, than a young man, after that comes middle age, a short time more, then doting old age, than (finis dissolutionis properans) look for the ending of this life. The world likewise hath had an infancy from the beginning to Noah's flood, The ages of the world. than childhood from Noah's flood to Abraham, then youthful age, from Abraham to David, then middle age unto the captivity of Babylon, a short time more, than came our Saviour Christ in the beginning of old age, which is also called the last age: then high time to consider of the ending or dissolving of all mortal things. For how great folly should it be in any mortal man (though never so strong by constitution of nature) having once passed over, not only his young and youthful age, but his middle and strong age, and entered into old age, if then he should not be mindful of his end, how fast it stealeth on? What marvel then, that Saint Peter knowing so many ages of the world passed and the last age of the world well entered in if in a due consideration thereof he break out into this most Christianlike exclamation or forewarning, which may very well be called his Watchword, Finis omnium imminet: The end of all things is at hand. Now if Saint Peter, who lived but in the beginning or entry of this last age, were so careful and regardful to give this watchword or fore warning of some great danger ensuing, how careful and regardful aught we to be, that live as it were in the last point of this last age, so to receive and consider of the same forewarning, A good Meditation as may be most pleasing to the spirit of God, and most profitable for the health of our souls? For this cause only was I encouraged, to undertake this little labour at times of leisure, and to leave this Watchword with the Sentinel of our English camp, that every Christian soldier hereby may be warned to keep himself within the compass of his guard or watch, and that at no time he be found either idle, sleepy, or ill occupied. And that this thing may be the better effected, the Watchword itself, The end of all things is at hand, ought thoroughly to be weighed and considered. Our English translations saith, The weight of S. Peter's words. Now the end of all things is at hand: every word carrying his weight: Now the end is at hand. The Apostle doth not forewarn, of danger long after to be looked for, neither doth he give warning that the world shall have an end one thousand or two thousand years after: The meaning of the Apostles words. but speaking in the presentence saith, Now the end is at hand: as if he should say: now it is time for every one to wait for the coming of his Master, now it is high time for every one to have a care of his business, and to make up his reckoning and account perfect. The end of all things: Saint Peter doth not say the end of some thing, or the end of many things, nor the end of most things, but the end of allthings, the end of all things (that are finite, & to be destroyed) is at hand. So then there is a double doctrine to be drawn out of the very bowels of the Text. A double doctrine. First, that there is no time of security left unto us Christians in this world. Secondly, that there is nothing in this world that can secure us. For the first, Gen. 6.3. though the old world had one hundred and twenty years warning, before the flood came upon them: though the Canaanites and Ammonites, spent many hundred years in wickedness before their sin was at the full: Though the Ninivites had forty days given them for repentance, jonah. 3.4 yet sithence the coming of Christ in the flesh, it is not read, that ever there was any year, or day, No time given to live securely in, in this world. Math. 4.17 Cap. ●. 10. Christ and his Apostles preachers o● repentance. Rom 13.12 or hour or minute, given to any man, to live secure in, or to defer his repentance. Christ himself saith: Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. john Baptist his foretunner saith, Repent, for the axe is laid to the root of the tree. Saint Paul the Doctor of the Gentiles, he noteth unto us the reason of the time saying: It is now time, that we should arise from the sleep of sin: The night is past, the day is now come, let us cast away the works of darkness, etc. Therefore is it that saint Peter is bold to say, Now the end is at hand, it is high time to be sober and watching in prayer. Neither doth saint Peter only urge this argument to keep us from security, but saint Paul likewise urgeth the same when he saith to the Corinthians, 1. Cor. 10 11. These things are written for example unto us, upon whom the ends of the world are come. jam 3.8. And saint james saith, The coming of the Lord draweth near. And the judge himself, Behold I come shortly, Reu. 22.7.20. And surely I come quickly. Out alack then upon the security of our days, Duines in heavenly things. and the dullness of our understanding in heavenly things! we are very pregnant to do evil, but to do well we have no knowledge: we are very skilful to distinguish the seasons of the year, but have no skill to know the time of our visitation. The Apostles of Christ said, and have put their sayings in writing long agone, that the coming of Christ is at hand. The Atheists never cried out faster than at this day, 2. Pet. 3.4. Reu. 21.20. Where is the promise of his coming? Christ himself saith, Surely I come quickly, The unrighteous Steward every were saith, Mat. 24.48. Surely my Master will defer his coming. Now whom must we believe, the Apostles, or the Atheist: the false Steward, or Christ jesus the Author of all truth? The Scripture hath already decided this question, Rom. 3.4. when it saith, Let God be true and every man a liar: and if every man be a liar, no marvel that the Atheists and deceitful Stewards of this world, deceive themselves with lies and errors. The error of the Atheist. The error of the Atheist saint Peter setteth down to be their ignorance in the knowledge of God, and his word, measuring God's eternity, according to their own capacity: And so like unto them that deceive themselves, thus they reason: It is long sithence (say they) many hundred years gone, that some have spoken and written of the end of the world: and they that then spoke or wrote of it, made show as though it had been even at hand: but now we plainly see there is no such matter, they are mere deceivers, that have told us these things. For every thing continueth a little from the beginning of the creation, and since our fathers died, the Sun, Moon, and planets in the Firmament, the trees and Plants in the field, men and beasts upon the earth, fishes in the water, fowls flying in the skies, the sea ebbing & flowing, times and seasons continuing, cold and heat, Summer and Winter, seedtime and harvest, every thing as it was from the beginning of the creation, therefore we will set our hearts at rest, we will take our pleasures in this world, Preaching to them that perish foolish babbling. we will not believe the babbling of preachers, that cry upon us still of the end of the world, we will eat and drink, and rise up to play, we will quaff, & carouse lustily, we will drink healths until we be sick, ●aggering ●earers. we will swagger & swear by the eternal jesus, and will leave no sin umought for, no not the sin of S●dome. But stay there thou swaggerer, by saying as thou sayest, and doing as thou dost, the prophecies both of Peter & Paul are accomplished, and the godly more assured then ever before, that the end of all things is at hand. Saint Paul he plainly painteth out these persons, and pointeth out the time when they should come, ●. Tim. 3.7. saying: This know, that in the last days, that is in the latter times of this last age, shall come perilous times, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, These ma●ers agree with our ●imes. intemperate, fierce, no lovers at all of them that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God, having a show of godliness, but have denied the power thereof. Saint Peter more precisely noteth these Atheists of whom we speak, saying: ●. Pet. 3.3. this first understand, that there shall come in the last days mockers, which will walk after their lusts, and say, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers died, all things continued alike from the beginning of the creation. Now seeing all these things forespoken of both, by Peter and Paul, are in our days most truly accomplished, we may thereupon certainly conclude with saint Peter, that The end of all things is at hand. Yea very near at hand, and may therefore boldly say with saint Paul, the end, even the last end of the world, are come upon us But before we end this point, we must note the answer of saint Peter to these Atheists, Saint Pe● answer Atheists. that measure the infiniteness of God's eternity, with their only conceit of time, which time if it be any thing, it is the least of all things with God. Therefore saint Peter saith & borroweth it out of the Psalmist, Psal. 90. that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day, which is a full answer to this their question, Where is the promise of his coming? Now doth God promise and not perform? God forbidden. God alw●● as goo● his wo●● But (say they) it was promised long since fifteen hundred years gone, that Christ would come very shortly unto judgement, and yet to this day he is not come, nay to our seeming he is as far of now, as he was then: therefore it is most likely he will not come at all. Saint Peter though he were no sophister, presently findeth out this fallacy, and shows whence they deceive themselves: namely, because they think that time passeth away as fast with God, as it doth with man, which is nothing so, a thousand years with man, is a long time, with God, but as one day: why then was it promised fifteen hundred years gone, that the world should shortly have an end? All that time is with God but as one day, and ahalfe day: stay but one half day more, and thou shalt be sure to see the accomplishment thereof. So then they which judge or weigh Gods everlasting eternity, in the balance of their temporal vanity, show plainly that they know not what eternity and everlastingness is, ●ongtime ●●th man measured God's ●●●itie is ●●y shor●. for in eternity there is neither length nor shortness of time, with God there is no time past, neither any to come, all things are with God in the present tense, or time, and in eternity there is neither length nor shortness of time. Only of this fond conceit that God's everlasting providence, is subject to casualty of time, hath sprung these gross errors, and hath caused the curiosity of man to move these and such like questions of vanity, Curious question● as how cometh it to pass that God forbore so long time before he made this world! what did God before he made this world, and the like? To which latter question one answereth very pithily, that afore God made this world for man to live in, he made hell for such curious questionists to dwell in, after this world is ended. Again, they that demand why God forbore so long time before he made this world, might as well ask why it plea sed God to make this world or any time at all? And the terming of any time long, is in respect of the continuance of time, to them only that live in time, and not in respect of God that made time. Put the cause that the world had lasted one hundred thousand years, or if ye will ten hundred thousand years, what shall ye gain by that: you will then say, that the world had been of the greater antiquity, but I demand in respect of whom? of God, or of thyself? of eternity, or of time? truly only in respect of thyself, and of time, but not in respect of God, or of eternity: one hundred thousand thousand years passed with God is nothing, and ten hundred thousand thousand years to come with God is nothing, in respect of eternity or everlastingness: and these distinctions of time and place, were created and brought forth together at one instant with the world, so as they be neither without it, nor before it: ●●e that is 〈◊〉 thou't ●●●e made ●●e. he that is without time, & without place, made both time and place, and if he had been subject to time & place, (as thou Atheist imaginest) he could not have made either time or place. So then be satisfied with this reply of the Apostle, a thousand years with God is as one day, & one day as a thousand years: Never demand this question more, Where is the promise of Christ's coming? for coming he will come, ●●b. 10.37. and will not tarry. Assure thyself, the Lord is not slack in coming as thou countest slackness, but tarrieth patiently yet a very little while, & expecteth thy repentance, take heed therefore that thou do not according to the hardness of thine heart which cannot repent, heap unto thyself wrath, Rom. 2.5. against this great day of wrath, and declaration of the just judgement of God. So much briefly touching the error of the open Atheist, and saint Peter's reply thereunto. Now the error of the secure or unrighteous steward, The security of the unrighteous Stewards. though it be very dangerous, yet it is not altogether so impious. One saith, that there shall be no judgement, the other saith, My master will defer his coming unto judgement, for so saith the unjust steward, Surely my master will defer his coming, and thereupon he giveth himself licence to sin, and to live securely in this world. So then the cause of so great security as is now in the world, even of such as voluntarily confess and acknowledge jesus Christ to be their master, even in those whom he hath reposed great trust, and committed many talents unto their credit and governance, yea many such as he hath made ruler over his wholehouse, not only to keep good rule themselves, but also to keep many other in good order. I say, the cause of all this security in them, is noted in this one word, surely my Master will defer his coming: against which sin of security, our saviour himself doth inveigh most sharply saying: Math. 24.15. Who is a faithful servant, and wise, whom his Master hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in season? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he cometh: shall find so doing, verily I say unto you, he spall make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant, shall say in his heart, my master doth defer his coming, and begin to smite his fellows, and to eat, and to drink with the drunken: that servants master will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not ware of, and will cut him of, and give him his portion with hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Upon these words then of our saviour Christ, I may well conclude this general assertion, that there is no security in this world, and that they who other they be that live securely, live most dangerously, & without speedy repentance, are like to be onertaken in their sins, and hereafter to be punished eternally. The second general observation is, that as there is no time of security in this world, by reason we are to expect the end thereof every day, so is there nothing in this world that can secure us, No earthly thing that can secure us. because every thing shall have an end as the Apostle saith. The end of all things is at hand. No trust then or confidence to be set then in any worldly thing. Sampsons' strength, Croesus' riches, Solomon's glory, Absalon's beauty, all must vanish away, friends though never so mighty, wise men though never so politic, valiant men though never so frolic, cannot secure us, no not a moment of time. Oh, that in time than we would learn to be wise, and put no confidence in transitory things! jer. 9.23.24. that we would follow the counsel of the Prophet jeremy: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, neither the rich man glory in their riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and know me saith the Lord, for I am he that showeth mercy, judgement and righteousness in the earth. Hence is it that saint Paul concludeth: 1. Cor. 1.31. Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord: and he that putteth his trust in the Lord, shall never be confounded. Therefore the Psalmist truly saith, Psal. 118. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put any confidence in man: it is better to trust in the Lord, then to put any confidence in Princes. He that ●rusteth in God hath ● sure refuge. And, if the Lord be angry, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him. On the contrary, the scripture saith of the wicked that live & die in their sins, or else shall live wickedly till the day of judgement come upon them, that they shall say to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, Revel. 6.16. and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who can stand? So that this is the brief conclusion of the second observation, that nothing in this life, or in this world, may or can secure or keep us from the danger of that great day, of which saint Peter forewarneth us, but only our trust and confidence in God, which the faithful have in him by the means of Christ. See then how much we are beholding to saint Peter, for giving us this Watchword, The end of all things is at hand. No time of dalliance in this world. Whereby we are taught that there is no time of dalliance, nor any place left us to be secure in this world, always we must watch and pray, because we know not what hour the son of man will come, Math. 24.36. as Christ himself saith: Of that day and hour knoweth no man no not the Angels of heaven, but as the days of Noah were, so likewise shall the coming of the son of man be: for as in the days before the flood, they did eat and drink, marry, and gave in marriage unto the days that Noah entered into thee Ark, and knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away: so shall also the coming of the son of man be. Watch therefore, saith our Saviour Christ, for ye know not what hour your master will come. Of this be sure, if the good man of the cause knew at what watch the thief would come, he would surely watch, 〈…〉 therefore we mu●● look for him every day. Luke. 21.34. and not suffer his house to be digged through. Therefore be ye also ready, for in the hour ye think not, will the son of man come. For the same cause is it that Christ giveth us this great caveat: Take heed to yourselves, least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, & lest that day come upon you at unwares. For as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth: watch therefore and pray continually, that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things, that shall come to pass, and that ye may stand before the son of man. But oh good God, how is this caveat of Christ forgotten in this age of ours? When the care of this life, and the desire of gain have almost choked all godliness, or rather when belly-cheer and drunkenness, is more in use among us that are named Christians, than ever among those heathen people, which only served their God Bacchus. O beastly drunkards, what mean you to run into this excess riot of drunkenness, without all mean or measure as now you do? endeavouring to excel the drunkards and tossepots of all ages. In old time it was said, They that are drunken, are drunken in the night, for than they were ashamed to be seen drunken in the day. But now it seemeth our drunkards are ashamed of themselves, if they be not drunken once with the least every day: Drunkard's delight to make more drunkards. nay they content not themselves with their own drunkenness, but take great pleasure and delight to make other drunk also, as is too apparent by their carousing and quaffing health to him, and health to her, and yet no health nor wealth to any of them present or absent. Saint Paul telleth thee how thou shouldest use thy needy brother, though thine enemy: If he be hungry (saith he) feed him, if he be a thirst, Rom. 12.20. give 〈◊〉 drink: but thou wilt make thy friend ●rinke before he be thirsty, and of a friend make him many time before he ●epart thy mortal foe: for how many ●ayes and fightings do we see daily to rise of these unhealthful quaffings? then ●hat belching of blasphemies, and unnatural murders follow after, and in a word, what sin is there that doth not accompany drunkenness? This sinful custom of quaffing by measure, or ●ather above measure, was not allowed ●n the Court of that great king Ahashueosh, no not in the time of his feasting, Hester. 1. ●● out rather a law by the kings own mouth made against it: would God some ●aw or other were made to restrain this ●o great licentiousness, or beastliness, Unlawful drinking forbidden. or hereby men are made worse than beasts: bring a horse to water, and he will drink no more than pleaseth him, ●or is sufficient: but if a drunkard once come where there is either Ale or Wine, ●e is never satisfied, nay he will enforce others to do as he doth, so long as either of them can stand in the place. It is reported that Diogenes fell in comanie once with such toslepot companions: and when he was quaffed unto in wine, he cast it on the ground, saying, better one, than two, meaning the wine perish alone, than he should have perished with it. Now let the Drunkards hear what judgement the Prophet Habakkuk pronounceth against them, when he saith: Woe unto thee that givest thy neighbour drink (meaning in the manner aforesaid) and makest him drunken also, Habac. 2.15.16. that thou mayst see hi● privities. Thou shalt be filled with shame fo● glory, drink thou also and be made naked, th● cup of the Lords right hand shall be turned vnt● thee, and shameful spuing shall be for th● glory. Again. Pro. 23.29. To whom is woe, (saith the Wife doom of God?) To whom is sorrow? T● whom is strife? To whom is murmuring? T● whom are wounds without cause? The fruit of drunkenness. Even to the● that tarry long at the wine and to them that see mixed wine: Therefore giveth withal thi● counsel: Look not thou upon the wine ho● pleasant it is: In the end thereof it will bite like 〈◊〉 Serpent, and hurt like a Cockatrice. Then showeth the feat of drunkenness, Thi● eyes shall look upon strange women, and thi● heart shall speak lewd things. Therefore it is not without grea● cause that our Saviour forewarning us of the end of the world counseleth us above all things, to take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness: and in another place noting the disorders of the unfaithful servant at his coming to judgement, sayeth, Math. 24.49. That he will eat and drink with the drunken. For which cause I verily suppose that this unmeasurable drunkenness of our age, is a manifest token that the end of the world is at hand. And it is to be noted, that saint Peter taketh the occasion of giving this watch word. The end of all things is at hand. Upon this that he had said, 1. Pet. 4. ●. It is sufficient that we have spent the time passed of our life after the laws of the Gentiles, walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in gluttony, and drink, doubling as we see this word drunkenness: then by and by noteth, that if it seemeth strange to these wicked drunkards, and ungodly persons, if any be drawn by the preaching of the Gospel, from running into the same excess of riot with them. But that the godly might not be discouraged, he saith, that these drunkards and ungodly persons, shall one day give account, Verse 5. to him that is ready to judge quick and dead, of which judge and judgement we will now God willing proceed to speak of more particularly in the Chapters following, first proving that there shall be such a day of judgement, and a final end of all mortal things. The second Chapter. FOr the confirmation of this point (being a chief Article of the Christian faith) true Christians, I know defer the plain and evident testimonies of Scripture, howsoever the Atheists & Epicures deride all scripture. Let us therefore begin our proof with that ancient prophesy of holy Enoch, noch gave testimony of the end of the world. who lived before the flond, and is reported of to have pleased God, and therefore God took him away unto himself, as it were in the midst of his days, in respect of them that lived before and after him, when he had lived three hundred sixty and five years. This Enoch the seventh from Adam (saith saint Jude the Apostle) prophesied saying: jude. 14. Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints, to give judgement against all men, & to rebuke all their ungodly among them, of all the wicked deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their cruel speaking which wicked sinners have spoken against him. This plain and evident testimony of the day of judgement, revealed unto so holy a Prophet and Patriarch as Henoch was, in the first age of the world, and before the flood, God would not have to be buried in forgetfulness, though many other of enoch's prophecies (as it is thought) be lost. Some of enoch's writings lost. Therefore by his holy spirit, inspired the mind of Jude the Apostle, to record the same in holy writ, and the same hath been taken and accounted in the Church of God, for most authentical and Canonical Scripture, and shall so continue in credit among all the faithful, until the end of the world. Besides, this same prophesy of Enoch, the Patriarch, is strongly confirmed unto us by the Prophets, Apostles, and by Christ himself, so that no man may doubt the certainty thereof without great impiety. How fitly doth that saying of Solomon in the last of Ecclesiastes, Eccle. 1●. ●3. agree with the former prophecies, as well almost in word as in sense? Hear the end of all, fear God, and keep his commandments, which is the whole duty of man, for God will bring every work unto judgement, with every secret thing whether it be good or bad: that is, to the end the good and godly may be approved, and rewarded, the wicked and ungodly reproved and condemned. Saint Paul the great Doctor of us Gentiles, 2. Cor. 5.10 useth almost the same words: saying: None shall escape God's judgement. We must all appear before the tribunal or judgement seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things that are done in this life, whether it be good or evil. And in an other place, reproving the hasty and rash judgement of some, he saith: Rom. 14.10. Why dost thou judge thy brother? Meaning rashly, or before the time, or why dost thou despise thy brother? Meaning in doing things that are indifferent, presently he addeth: We shall all appear shortly, before the judgement seat of Christ where every one shall receive a righteous judgement. And he also confirmeth his testimony out of the prophesy of Esay, where it is written: Esay. 45.23. I live, saith the Lord, and every knee shall bow to me. Meaning when he cometh unto judgement, for now many knees bow unto Baal, and many other Idols, and all tongues, even the wicked shall confess, that is shall acknowledge Gods righteous judgements. And then the Apostle concludeth, that every one of us, shall give account of himself to God. And seeing the Apostle doth allege this former testimony of the Prophet Esay, to prove the judgement to come, we may here add another proof out of the same Prophet, where it is said: Esay. 6 Behold the Lord will come with fire, and with Chariots like a whirlwind, that he may recompense his anger with wrath, and his indignation with flames of fire. Hereunto agreeth that evident place of Saint Peter, where purposely he speaketh & entreateth at large of this general judgement saying: The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night, 2. Pet. in the which day the heavens shall pass away with a noise, the element shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up. And a little before the same Apostle saith: The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished. The Prophet joel also speaketh of this great and fearful judgement, 〈…〉. 31. when he saith: The Sun shall be turned into darkness, and the Moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. The Prophet Malachy likewise, as all the rest of the Prophets do, 〈…〉. 4.1. which would be tedious to rehearse, speaketh of this great and fearful day of the Lord. Behold (saith he) the day cometh that shall burn like an Oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble: and that day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts. And the Prophet David every where maketh mention of this judgement, 〈…〉 1. The God of Gods even the Lord hath spoken: Then he saith: Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence, a fire shall devour before him, and a mighty tempest shall be moved round about him, he shall call the heaven above, and the earth to judge his people. Again, Say among the Nations the Lord reigneth, he shall judge the people in righteousness, Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad before the Lord, for he cometh to judge the earth, he will judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. And not only have the patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles remembered unto us this great and dreadful day of judgement, but even Christ jesus the judge himself hath been most careful to forewarn us of this day, knowing how careless and reckless the world would be in this last and doting age of the world, insomuch that when the Sun of man cometh he shall scarce find faith on the earth, iniquity shall be increased, and the love that should be between man and man waxing cold. In the four & twentieth, and five and twentieth of Matthew, Math. 2● & 25. in the thirteenth of Mark, in the seventeenth, and one and twentieth of Luke, and in divers other places in the Gospel, do the evangelists record unto us the speeches and admonitions which our saviour useth touching his second coming unto judgement, unto which places for brevities sake I refer the Readers for this time: the rather for that I shall have occasion hereafter to note the chiefest of them when I shall speak of the manner of this judgement, and of the preparation which the faithful aught to make against that day. These few testimonies already alleged are abundant prose unto the faithful and godly. And therefore I may here say unto any one that shall read this chapter, 〈…〉 rest●●● 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 as a good writer saith, speaking of the beginning of the world, and the creation thereof. Si credis, satis tibi dictum est, si non credis, nihil tibi satis faciet: If thou be a faithful believer, there is enough spoken to satisfy thee, if thou be an Infidel, or an Atheist, nothing will satisfy or content thee: yet that the ungodliest Atheist may be the more inexcusable, if he shall happen to read this Book, it shall not grieve me to add some other authorities and reasons fitting this matter we have in hand: not that any thing that can be spoken can add any weight to the proofs already alleged out of the Scriptures: but only to fight with the wicked, ●●●ing ●dde ●o●itie 〈◊〉 scrip●●●● and to wound them as it were with their own weapons, who every where build up their fortresses of reason, and despise or neglect he word of God, which is able to throw down the strongest holds, and aught to bring into captivity all the thoughts and imaginations of man. Wherefore if the wandering thoughts of the wicked Atheists will not yield con●●nt unto this truth, what reason have ●●●y to gainsay it? Surely none other but bare denials, and because they would willingly not have any judgement, though their consciences summon them to judgement every day, therefore they willingly cherish and maintain this opinion, that there shall be none at all. And why marvel we at this, seeing they stick not to deny that there is a God, that the soul is immortal, that there shall be any resurrection from the dead, and therefore no judgement to be looked for; that the world had any beginning, and therefore shall never have ending. This proceedeth well enough, for indeed to deny one, One absurdity dra●● on another is to deny all, as to grant one, is to grant all: grant the first, that their is no God, and all the rest follow of necessity. And why I beseech you do they not aswell deny that there is a sun in the firmament, in beholding whereof they cannot if there minds were not more than blindfolded, but behold the glory of God? Psal. 19 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament, his handy work. Or why do they not deny that man hath any soul at all, in which soul of man there is painted forth as it were in a table unto us, though covered with the vail of sin, not only an Image of the Godhead, but even a lively representation of the glorious Trinity. Again, if the world had no beginning whence silly worms as they are, had they their originals, who made them, or whereof were they made? will they say the world made them? Why they themselves are more excellent than the world: and the creature cannot be better than the Creator: will they say that they had an everlasting beginning with the world? why then do they die, and return to dust? and so an end as they say, and yet will by no means yield that the world shall have an end. Thus when their wits have wandered the world throughout, they shall be brought into this strait will they nill they, either to confess that there is a God, and so the rest to follow in order, or else they shall fall into so many absurdities, as the wit of man can devise to ask them questions. For as they themselves, I mean the learneder sort of them will teach us in other learn a principal being denied, they are not to be disputed withal that deny the same, their reasons will be so raw, and their conclusions so absurd. Again, seeing Aristotle a Prince of Philosophers as they call him, when he had read some of Moses writings concerning the Creation of the world, could in his boarding and jesting manner say of him. Ille homo (meaning Moses) multa dicit, & nihil probat: hath set down much, but how doth he prove it? I say if they will needs crave proof of God or of his Prophets, for confirming of truth; let it be demanded of them what proof or reasons they bring us to maintain their dotages, lyings, and falsehoods, what proof or reason can they allege to make any one believe, or rather to be such an Infidel to think, that there is no God, that the world had no beginning, that the soul is not immortal, that the world and all mortal things shall have none end: if they will have us only to credit them denying these things, without any proof and contrary to all reason, why do they not believe the truth, which is agreeable to all reason, and confirmed by plain demonstrations, which as they themselves say, is the soundest kind of proof! or why are they so partial and injurious to the Prophets and holy men of God, I might well say to God himself, as once to doubt of those things, which are plainly and compendiously, yea with such harmony and consent as is wonderful, The consent of Scripture admirable, recorded in the Scriptures? seeing they themselves will think themselves more then injured, if we give not credit to their writings, though many times they be full of fables, and in known things different, and dissenting the one from the other. But if they will not yield God his due in obeying the truth, let us yield so much unto them as to reprove their falsehoods, as well by reason as by weaker authorities than the word of God, which they had rather believe. In their own reason, they both see and confess, that many things in this world by the reason of the alteration of times, and corruptions of men, are in a sort as it were shuffled together very confusedly, the fool is exalted, the wise man despised, the virtuous punished, the vicious praised: what other thing should this teach us in common reason, but that there is a time to be expected when all this shall be redressed, all these corruptions purged, and a perfection of all things restored again. This much the Heathen themselves have confessed. The Heathen held that there should be a burning of all things. That after a certain time there should be an universal burning of the world, which we Christians call doomsday, and that immediately after, all things shall be set in there perfect state again, as they were at the first. Now among all the records of the heathen that entreat of the judgement to come, those sayings of Sibilla Erithrea (for there were many Sibyls) are of greatest account among the learned, which sayings or oracles, as they are called, seeing they are extant in divers books, both in their original, and also translated into our tongue, I will not trouble the readers with them in this place. And as touching this general judgement though it were neither recorded unto us in the sacred Scriptures, nor by any other authorities or reasons confirmed, yet surely Gods giving of his Law, God's giving of the law a testimony that there shall be a judgement. not to theoutward but to the inner man, not to our deeds only, but also to our thoughts, showeth sufficiently without any other proof that there is another judge, besides the judges & Magistrates of this world, to judge us and an other judgement than their judgement to be looked for, seeing there judgement here proceed but to the outward deed, and by proofs of witnesses, therefore cannot in any wise pierce into the heart, to discern what is within. For as it is the Soul that chiefly receiveth the commandment, and chiefly breaketh it: it is therefore the Soul that must come to examination, which cannot be done in this world. Again, seeing the bodies are used as the instruments of the Soul, either to good or evil, therefore there must be a resurrection that they may be again joined to their Souls, to receive joy or punishment, at the general judgement. But if these Atheists will mock & deride, as well profane, as divine authorities, which prove unto us the judgement to come, neither will yield unto common reason, yet there is some thing within themselves which they ever carry about to convince them. I mean their own consciences, Man's conscience tells him there shall be a adgement. which shall ever witness against themselves. For let them tell me, what mean these fears and trouble which terrify them night and day, if there were not a judge and judgement to be feared? What made that profane Caligula to tremble even at the shaking of a leaf, but only because his conscience told him of the judgement to come? When Paul preached unto Felix of the judgement to come, Act. 24.26 than did Felix tremble and quake. And how should not the sinful Soul of man be afraid of this fearful judgement, seeing the devils themselves are horribly confounded with the fear thereof, jud, 6. being kept in Chains unto the judgement of that great day? To draw to an end therefore, I am rather of this mind, than otherwise, namely, that there were never any so profane or wicked in the world. Whatsoever they have written or spoken to the contrary, (as the Atheists and Epicures in old time, and our Epicuriall Atheists or Machivilians in these latter ●aies have belched out many blasphemies against the truth in this matter) that ●aue been without this feeling in their consciences of the day of judgement, only by the just judgement of God, that they might be the more hardened in their sins, ●●ey have laboured with all their might, rather to suppress, than utterly to quench the same, which sting of conscience, and fire of displeasure, burning and tormenting their souls in this life, are nothing else indeed, but only a taste and beginning of those endless torments, which their bodies and souls shall at the last day be adjudged to endure, in the life to come for evermore, in the bottomless pit of hell. Where their worm or sting of conscience shall never die, and the fire never be quenched. Why then should we spend more time or words, or yield any more reasons or authorities profane or divine, to prove unto them that there shall be a day of judgement, and an end of all mortal things! seeing they that would must gain say it speak not only against all reason and authority, but even in a sor● against their own knowledge and consciences. As for the godly and faithful, the confess the same daily in the Articles 〈◊〉 their faith. And if there be any other a●● no doubt there be some, that neither with the Saducees deny the resurrection 〈◊〉 the dead, nor with the Atheists den● that there shall be a general day 〈◊〉 judgement, but only stand in doubt, wanering in their minds, and marveling how these things shall come to pass. Let them attend diligently, unto these words of Christ, who saith thus unto them, joh. 5.28.29. Marvel not at this for the day & hour shall come, in the which all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And they shall come forth that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of judgement or condemnation. And so much for proof that there shall be a general judgement, and therewithal an end of all mortal miseries. Now let us proceed to the Chapter following, which showeth how this day of judgement is usually called in the Scriptures, and what profit we may reap thereby. The third Chapter. TOuching that point, let us first see how the day of judgement is noted unto us by Saint Peter himself, whose Watchword hath caused us to wade thus far in this matter. In the third Chapter of his second Epistle, 2. Pet. 3.12. Stay of judgement called the day of God Saint Peter calleth the day of judgement, the day of God, and though it may be said that every day is God's day, because he made all days, yet the day of judgement more peculiarly than other days, may rightly be called the day of God, and that for divers causes: First, for that God hath kept that day secret to himself, and hath not revealed the same either to men or Angels, no not to the Son of man as he is only man, though he be head and Lord of Angels: next, it may be called the day of God because upon that day the most mighty power and majesty of that great God jehovah shall be made more manifest to the world then ever before, both in rewarding of the good, and punishing of the wicked. Then shall that saying of the Psalmist be proved true in the sight of men and Angels. Psal. 58.11. Verily, there is a reward for the righteous, there is a God that judgeth the earth. Moreover, it may well be called the day of God, for when God hath judged the world by jesus Christ, then shall Christ jesus deliver up the kingdom to God his Father and God shall be all in all, then shall El Elohim jehovah, as the Prophet David describeth him in the 50. Psalm. Psal. 50. The God of Gods, the everlasting God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Ghost, be seen & worshipped of men & Angels, in the excellency of their glory, the sight and knowledge of whose glory, shall be the full joy and contentation of Gods elect, as it is said in the sixteen Psalm, Psal. 16. vl● In God's presence is the fullness of joy, and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore, Now Saint Peter doth not only call the day of judgement the day of God, Day of judgement called the day of the Lord. 2. Pet 3.10 but in the same Chapter calleth it also the day of the Lord, meaning no doubt the Lord jesus, who shall judge us all. And Saint Paul speaketh of the same matter, useth both words in the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, 2. Thess. 1.8. saying, The Lord jesus shall show himself from heaven in flaming fire. And in the second of the Acts, Saint Peter reporteth the saying of the prophet joel, calling the day of judgement, joel. 2.23. The great and notable day of the Lord. Now he calleth that day the day of the Lord, because upon that day the Lord Christ, shall show himself to be Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, and he calleth it great and notable, both in respect of the great glory of the judge, as also in regard of the notable things that shall come to pass upon that day, for then the Sun shall be darkened, the Moon shall lose her light, and the Stars shall fall from heaven, yea, heaven itself shall pass away with a noise (as Peter also saith) the Elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein, shall be burnt up. Then shall the sound of the Trumpet be heard the world throughout, to waken them that are in their graves, Then shall all they that are dead, hear the voice of the son of God. Then shall all the great monarchs and princes of the world, together with all their vassals, and subjects, appear naked before the person of this great judge, then shall the devils and all damned spirits roar and cry, then shall all the wicked tremble and quake for fear, and shall say to the hills and mountains, fall upon us, and hide us from him that sitteth on the throne, and from the presence of the Lamb, for that great day of his wrath is come, and who may abide it? therefore rightly may this day be called, the great and notable day of the Lord. Moreover, Day of judgement called a da● of refreshing. Acts 3.19. the day of judgement is called by Saint Peter in the third of the Acts, the day or time of cooling or refreshing, because upon that day all the children that have any way been afflicted in this life, shall be comforted and refreshed, especially those which have been scorched with the heat of persecution for Christ his sake, they shall be cooled and above all measure cheered, comforted and refreshed. They shall hunger no more, Reu. 7.16.17. neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them, neither any more heat of persecution or affliction, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne, shall govern them, and shall lead them unto the lively fountains of waters, to cool and refresh them, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Also let us see how Saint Paul noteth this day of judgement unto us, Day of judgement called a day of wrath. Rom. 2.5. in the second to the Romans, he first calleth it a day of wrath, as also it is called in the sixth of the Revelation, the great day of wrath, because at that time all the enemies of God shall be sure to drink of the severe cup of God's wrath to their eternal destruction. Psal. 11.6. So saith David upon the wicked God shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, storm and tempest, this shall be their portion to drink. Also in the same place the Apostle calleth the day of judgement. ●ay of ●●dgement ●alled the ●ay of re●ealing. ●om. 2.5. The day of declaring or revealing, both because the judgement shall be kept in so open a place in the view of heaven, earth, and hell, as also in respect, that then all secrets shall be discovered and disclosed, nothing is so hid, but it shall be made known, saith our Saviour, also in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Heb. 4.13. it is said, There is no Creature, which is not manifest in his sight, but all things are open and naked in his eyes with whom we have to do, that is in the eyes of jesus Christ, the Son of the eternal God, who shall judge the secrets of all men by jesus Christ. Thirdly, the same Apostle not contented in that place to call the day of judgement, the day of wrath, and the day of revealing, but also he calleth it the day of the righteous judgement of God, Day of ●udgement ●alled the ●ay of the righteous ●udgement of God. 〈◊〉 2.5. why is there any day wherein God executeth unrighteous judgement? God forbid. For then how should God judge the world, if there be any unrighteousness in him as the Apostle urgeth in the Chapter following? And as Abraham pleadeth with God himself upon this point, saying, Shall not the judge of all the world do right? that is, execute righteous judgement at all times; why therefore doth the Apostle appoint one day among all other days, for God to show righteous judgement, calling it the day of the righteous judgement of God? Surely he doth it to some purpose, yea, for our instruction, namely because in the common course of the world, it is usually seen and observed, and many good men as jeremy & David have complained of it, that the wicked are advanced, the godly suppressed, the sinner set aloft, the servant of God abused, the meek ones contrary (as it seems) to many express texts of scripture, constrained to wander in wildernesses, being destitute, tormented, and afflicted, the proud ones in the mean season to inherit the earth, The god●● abased, th● wicked exalted. and to suck up the fat of the Land; with a thousand like adversities, that befall the godly in this life, whereas the godless lie drowned & drenched in all prosperity; what thing I pray you at the first sight, can there seem to be more contrary to the just, or as the learned term it, to the Geometrical proportion of God's righteous judgement. To all which, although it might be answered, that there is a fallacy folded up many times in these words evil & good, prosperity & adversity, counting & calling too, adversity evil, when it may rather be called good, & prosperity good, when it may be called evil: these you will say be paradoxes, yet such as Christian Scholars ought to be acquainted with. Also that all these things do but deceive the outward senses of those, that are troubled with those griefs of the godly, and prosperity of the wicked, not considering, that God doth this in the uprightness of his justice, and in the depth of his wisdom, both for the great good and comfort of the godly, even in this life, as they themselves do many times feel and confess, and also for the greater down fall of the wicked, as David being well advised of this matter, confesseth saying. God setteth them in slippery places, Psal 72.18. suddenly they are tumbled down and perish. Although I say, this point may thus be answered, and that not amiss: yet Saint Paul doth answer the same more fully in one word, and doth decide this controversy, to the full contentation of the godly, and terror of the wicked, by making mention of this righteous judgement of God, which is as much unto me, as if he should say, Be it that it seemeth by these sundry events, that daily fall out in the world, both to the good and bad, that God is not just, or to make the best of it to man's seeming, God's justice doth not shine forth lightly enough unto us; Have patience but a while, judge of nothing rashly or before the time, a day is coming, and will not tarry, that thou wilt be of an other mind, when thou shalt see God to make a short account upon the earth in righteousness, and judge the secrets of all men, according to true justice by jesus Christ, according to my Gospel or preaching, saith the Apostle, Who will reward every man according to his works. That is, to them which by continuance in well doing (though they have had many crosses and lets) shall be glory and honour, and peace, and eternal life, to recompense them for the slanders, & shames, dishonours, Rom. 2. and vexations, and death itself, which they have suffered for Christ's sake in this world. But to the wicked and contentious and to them that disobey the truth of Christ his Gospel, and obey unrighteousness shall be indignation and wrath to recompense them at the full for their fury and displeasure that they have ever borne to God's children in this world. Moreover, upon the soul of every man that doth evil saith the Apostle, and hath not repent, shall be tribulation and anguish for a recompense of their vain jollities and rejoicings, which was their continual delight in this life, agreeing with that answer of Abraham to Dives, ●●ke. 16. ●. Remember that thou in thy life time receivest pleasure, and contrariwise, Lazarus pain, but now he is comforted, and thou art punished? Whereunto serve these complaints of the damned noted in the book of Wisdom, wisdom. we fools say the damned, thought the lives of the godly that gladly suffered affliction in this life for Godliness sake, madness, and their end to be without honour, but now they are counted among the children of God, & their portion is among the Saints; contrariwise, say they to the increase of their grief, we have wearied ourselves in the ways of wickedness & destruction, and we have passed through dangerous ways, but we have not known the way of the Lord. Last of all the remembrance of their glory in this world, doth most of all torment them, saying among themselves, what hath the pride of this world profited us, or what profit hath the pomp of riches brought us, all those things are passed away like a shadow? Then it followeth, for the hope of the ungodly is like the dust that is blown away with the wind, but the righteous shall live for ever. And all this is according to the righteous judgement of God, Psal. 9.8. Who shall judge the world in righteousness, and minister true judgement unto the people, as David speaketh in the 9 Psalm. Hereupon than we conclude, that God even in this world, in the uprightness of his justice, doth defer the judgement of the wicked at times, and also suffers many times the godly to be most unjustly judged and wronged, by the ungodly, for causes left known to his wisdom; of whose wrongs, he will surely be revenged either in this world, or in the world to come, or in both. Neither (as a godly Father hath well noted) doth God cease to show continually tokens of his justice even in this life, lest any should think God were altogether unjust, and had no regard how matters passed in this world. On the contrary, he doth not punish all the ungodly ones of this world, at leastwise for all their ungodliness, for than he should leave nothing for the judgement to come. And withal it is to be noted, that even those judgements which God at any time doth execute upon the godless in this world, are but only beginnings of their torments to come, to the which they shall eternally be judged at the last day, except they repent, And so much for that Saint Paul calleth the day of judgement a day of wrath a day of revealing, and a day of the righteous judgement of God. I will not endeavour further to enlarge this Chapter, by any curious searching of any other attributes or names, whereby this day of judgement is noted unto us in the Scriptures, whereof I know there are many other both in the old and new Testament: for as much as I seek not a multitude of examples to fill the page, but only fit examples to confirm the godly, and to strike a terror into the hearts of the godless for their good, if at least any thing may terrify them. Only for the further comfort of the godly, who with great patience must wait for the coming of their Master. Let it not be forgotten, that our Saviour himself in the Gospel, after he hath noted many fearful signs that shall go before and accompany this great judgement for the confounding of the wicked: he addeth a most comfortable exhortation to all the godly bidding them to lift up their heads and rejoice, The day of judgement called a day of redemption. Luke. 21.28 for that the day of their redemption is at hand, for then and upon that day, all the faithful shall be sure to receive the effect of their former redemption, purchased by the death of Christ, and also the end of their faith, which is their eternal salvation, both in soul and body in the life to come. This day thus noted unto us in the scriptures, hath been & yet is usually called of the godly, The day of doom, because then the last doom or definitive sentence shall be given upon all flesh, never to be revoked. It is also called commonly the day of the second coming of Christ, And the day of Christ his coming. which shall be in infinite glory, to countervail his first coming in the flesh in so great baseness and humility. Lastly, The day of judgement called t●● last day. it is rightly called by our Saviour three times in one Chapter. The last day, because all days and time itself shall end with it, for as time began when the world began, so with the world it must needs have an end, Therefore is it that the Angel sweareth so solemnly in the Revelation, I●. 6.39.44.54. (such an other oath we shall hardly find in all the Scriptures,) Ren. 10.5.6 By him that liveth for evermore, which created heaven & the things which therein are, and the earth and the things that therein are, and the Sea and the things which therein are, that Time shall be no more, meaning after this world is ended. Now God of his great mercy therefore give us grace wisely to consider of the seasons, and to make benefit of the time wherein we live, and also to be assured that this time or day will come how soon, he only knoweth, that knoweth all things, though all the Epicures in the world, have sworn the contrary. The rather for that we are assured all of the signs fore-prophesied in the scriptures to come to pass before that day are well near accomplished and fulfilled, whereof we are to entreat in the Chapter following. The fourth Chapter. THe signs and tokens that shall go before this great and general judgement are thus divided by some. Into signs Physical, In the heavens, earth, and Sea. Signs Political, in Countries and commonwealths. Signs Ecclesiastical, in Church and Churchmen, which division is good, and may well be followed, howbeit, my purpose is not at this time, to enter into any curious discourse, but only briefly and plainly to discover and lay open such signs and tokens as the Scripture doth forewarn us of that shall come before this day, whereof many no doubt are past, and some may be yet to come, which we will also note as we speak of them in particular. And albeit I say there may be some signs and tokens that are not yet fully accomplished, No man ought to defer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let no man therefore defer his repentance, or think the day of judgement to be the further off for that, for I suppose there be tokens that shall be seen to come before that day, no otherwise then the lightning before the thunder, between the which there will be no time for the obstinate sinners to repent, but even for the faithful and godly, To lift up their heads and to rejoice, for that their redemption is so nigh. The signs and tokens that shall go before this great and fearful day of judgement, hath Christ the judge himself in token of his love unto us described and made known, howbeit somewhat darkly to the end the godly should consider thereof the more carefully, as the wicked do pass them over contemptuously, which signs we will briefly recite, as they are delivered us by Christ himself, his faithful Evangelists & Apostles. Luke. 21. Then shall be signs saith Saint Luke, in the sun, and in the Moon, & in the stars, which no doubt have been accomplished & fulfilled, & that in this last age of the world by most strange & extraordinary eclipses of the Sun, & of the Moon, & by fearful & unwonted comets & blazing stars that have appeared as well to us, as in divers other places & countries in Christendom: all which do preach unto us, that the desolation of all things is at hand. And it is usually observed by the godly, that even these heavenly bodies, the Sun, Moon, & other of the planets & stars which by the God of nature were created for the comfort of man, have of late years withheld as it were their brightest beams, & sweetest influences from us, as blushing and hiding their faces from beholding the sinfulness of this latter age wherein we live: add unto this the alteration which fall out in the times & seasons of the year: The spring some years hotter than the summer, & the summer more moister & colder than part of the winter: yea, and the time of harvest wherein fruits should be ripened & gathered for the sustenance of man, hath showed itself most unkindly to requite as it were the unkindness & unthankfulness of man towards his God, who governeth all these things according to his good pleasure, & appointment The stars & planets are ordained as the clock of God to give warning to the world of that event & falling out of these inferior things, God the governor and disposer of all things. but God himself turneth the wheels, draweth up, and letteth down the poises as it pleaseth him, & causeth echthing to fall out according to his own pleasure. So that we need not doubt to affirm that there have been many estraordinary signs in the Sun, in the Moon, and in the Stars, passed already, and yet daily are to be seen, to admonish us that the end of all things is at hand. Now, as these signs are usually noted by the learned in the heavens, so the effects of the same are wars, famines, and Pestilence among men here on earth, which are also tokens foretold by three Evangelists, that shall fall out before the end of the world. And albeit no age in the world hath been free from these judgements of God for sin, yet no doubt these latter wars which have been raised by Antichrist, and waged by Christian Princes, within Christendom for the Gospel's sake, do even as it were point out with the finger, that Christ himself is coming to stint this strife, and to stay the fury of Antichrist the Pope, and all his adherents. The like is to be said of all the fearful famines and Pestilences that we have both seen and felt, and the Lord of grace only knoweth what is it to come before the end of the world for our great unthankfulness, and abusing of God's blessing in the time of peace and plenty: for as sin doth abound, so the punishment of sin must also increase. And that sin and sinners do so increase & abound, what doth it else prognosticate, but that as Christ also forwarneth, the end of the world posteth on. Also that fidelitas faithfulness or faithful dealing among men is nigro cigno similis, Love, or charity cold as ice. rare to be found, and love or charity waxed cold as the ice, even in the sunshine of the Gospel, it teacheth us plainly, that The end of all things is at hand: What should we speak of the most strange & unnatural births that daily are to be seen every where, which monsters beyond all course of nature, do plainly tell us, that the God of nature is angry with man, for those most monstrous and unnatural sins which are daily committed: to speak nothing of the strange & unheard of fires, & burnings, hail, thunderings and lightnings, which are even the Harbingers or forerunners, of that fearful & violent fire, which shall shortly destroy all the adversaries of God when his Son Christ shall come unto judgement. Also there shall be earth quakes though not in all, yet in divers places, & we have lately seen and felt the same, ●uke 21. the Sea and waters shall swell and roar, and that for all these things men's hearts shall fail them and be astonished, which thing even surely doth even now begin to come to pass and daily shall increase towards the end of the world, all these and many other signs and tokens we may affirm without any fear to be already passed and gone, and thereupon we may conclude as our Saviour teacheth us by the budding of the Fig tree, that the Son of righteousness is ready to appear in the Heavens, and the everlasting summer for all the children of God is even at hand, Signs passed. which shall be unto them a time of joy and refreshing, but to the wicked and ungodly a day of horror and lamentation. So much briefly touching such signs and tokens as are already passed, whereunto may be added that the Apostle speaketh of the departing from the faith, 2. Thes. 2 3 and the revealing of Antichrist that child of perdition, which the light of the Gospel in this age hath revealed, & made known to the world, and I trust will daily more and more reveal to all such as have not received the mark of that beast, either in their right hand, Reu. 13.16. or in their forehead. But here it may be said, that the Scripture teacheth that the Sun shall be darkened, the Moon turned into blood, Math. 24.29. and the Stars shall fall from Heaven, before this great and terrible day of the Lord come: and therefore some may say we need not to doubt of the day of judgement before we see these great signs so to be accomplished and fulfilled. But stay, are we assured that these great and fearful tokens have not appeared in some place or other in this last age of the world: or if they have not been literally fulfilled, yet may they not mystically be accomplished? which thing by the learned is also noted, and observed, comparing the darkening of the Sun to the Eclipsing of the Gospel, being Eclipsed and darkened under the kingdom of Antichrist five hundred years together, the Moon turned into blood, to the great slaughters & persecutions of the Church & children of God, whose blood by the bloody beast of Rome hath been shed & spilled as waters in all quarters of Christendom, the falling away of many great Masters and Doctors which sometimes shined in the Church but after declining unto Papisme or Atheism, have they likened to the falling of the Stars from Heaven. All these things no doubt in this sense have been fulfilled; but that this is the meaning of our Saviour, that his words shall be mystically understood, I dare not affirm, but rather I do verily believe, that the Sun in the firmament shall indeed be darkened, when the Son of righteousness shall appear; that the Moon shall not then give her light, and for how can she, when the sun is darkened, from whom she receiveth all her light and brightness, that the stars shall then fall from heaven, and no marvel, seeing then the powers of Heaven shall be shaken, 2 Pet 3. the Heavens or firmament itself passing away with a noise, and the elements melting with fervent heat: Therefore I am persuaded that these tokens shall not be accomplished, till the end of the world. And therefore as I have said, let no man defer his repentance till these signs be fulfilled, which are signs and tokens that shall accompany the coming of the judge, no otherwise (as also I have said) then a flash of lightning before the thunder, or rather with the thunder (though the light be seen before the thunder be heard) yet both are said to break out of the cloud together; so assuredly as soon as these tokens are accomplished, the Son of man shall presently appear in the clouds with power and great glory. This thing is plainly revealed unto us by two Evangelists, Mark and Matthew, Mark. 13.24. who say, In those days, that is, at the end of the world, the sun shall wax dark, the Moon shall not give her light, the stars of Heaven shall fall, the powers of heaven shall be shaken: And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and great glory: No intermission of time between the one and the other, scarce so much time, for the faithful to lift up their eyes unto heaven & to receive joy into their hearts, for that their expected redeemer is come. Moreover, that those signs are not yet accomplished, it may be gathered out of Luke, Luk. 21.24. who maketh mention of the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled, before he speaketh of the signs in the Sun, Moon, and Stars, But we see the time of the Gentiles is not yet fulfilled, neither I hope shall be fulfilled, till the end of the world, therefore these signs and tokens are not as yet accomplished. But some will yet say, that Saint Paul speaketh of the restoring of the jews, before the general judgement shall come. It is true indeed, Saint Paul in the 11. of the Romans, Rom. 11. maketh mention of such a secret, which curiously to entreat of, is from my purpose; only this we may note out of that place of the Apostle, that Saint Paul having an intent to tame the pride of the Gentiles, that they should not boast or prefer themselves before the jews, who were the natural branches, affirmeth in the three and twentieth verse of the same Chapter, that the jews shall be graffed in again. For saith he, God is able to graff them in again, if they continue not still in unbelief, which if, or exception of the Apostle, being well noted, will stay sober minds from concluding a general restoring of any public estate of the jews before the coming of Christ unto judgement; For as much as Infidelity is that great sin, which hitherunto hath sticked so fast unto that Nation. Howbeit, we doubt not many jews since their rejection, God of his mercy hath called, and daily doth call unto repentance, that so all Israel may be saved, Rom. 11.26. as the Apostle saith, that as all those that are Isralites indeed, and by faith in Christ, depend only upon the free election of God, as also must the Gentiles if they will be saved: But in the mean while, let it not hinder any to look for the coming of our Saviour, till the nations of the jews be wholly restored, seeing if that were the meaning of the Apostle, we know not how soon God may bring the same to pass, for a just judgement unto us Gentiles, neither yet how long they may continued in their unbelief, even to the last day, if God do not show mercy upon them. And as for that the Apostle also in the Gospel, maketh mention of the time of the Gentiles to be fulfilled, Luke. 21 if the meaning thereof be, that for their great unthankfulness, & contempt of God's grace, the Gospel may be taken from them, as I hope it shall not before the end of the world, (for then the time of the Gentiles must needs be fulfilled) I had rather meditate upon this matter, then make any discourse thereof at all, only let these words of the Apostle in that place, ever sound in our ears that are Gentiles. Be ye not high minded, but fear, Ro 〈◊〉. for if God spared not the natural branches which were the jews take-heed, (which word evermore goeth before danger,) That he spare not thee, being a Gentile and a wild Olive tree. And as for deciding of these questions, either touching the public restoring of the jews, or small rejection of the Gentiles, before the end of the world, (both which questions I rather hold negatively) seeing they are somewhat disputable, let us in a Christian lobriety, rather confess our ignorance, then bewray curiosity, weighing well that divine declamation of the Apostle, wherewith he concludeth that discourse. ●●rse. 33. O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out? There are yet remaining two other points of like difficulty to some, to be briefly touched. The one, whether the Gospel be yet preached throughout the world. The other, whether the kingdom of Antichrist shall not in a sort continue unto the coming of Christ unto judgement. Of the former, albeit I speak of it in this place, yet I am rather of opinion, that the public preaching of the Gospel, should be reckoned in the number of those tokens that are already passed, and that the Gospel hath already been published, yea since the darkness of Popery & Mahomatisme hath been discovered throughout all Nations of the world, even as Saint Paul affirmed it was even in his time, and therefore now the end of the world to be looked for. If any will say, why then the end should come presently? seeing Christ saith when the Gospel shall be preached, then shall the end come. I answer, that the word then, must not only be referred to that time when the Gospel is preached, or shall be preached, but also to that time when the breaching of the Gospel hath fully effected that for which it was preached and published: The word of God beavenly seed. for we know the preaching ●f the Gospel, is that heavenly seed which must be sown in the Gardens of earthly men's hearts, which seed must ●aue a time to be sown, a time to grow, ●●d a time to ripen; assoon as this seed 〈◊〉 fully ripened, in the hearts of God's ●ect, and the reprobate made inexcusable, for not receiving or for not yielding forth fruit accordingly: then presently without delay will the harvest come, and the sickle shall be thrust in to cut the Lords corn, to preserve it for his own Garner the kingdom of Heaven, when the weed & every unprofitable branch, shall be burned in that fire, that never shall be quenched. Again, we see the day must dawn, and the day star of the Gospel must have a time to appear, before the Son of righteousness do arise, yea the sun in the firmament hath a time to rise, a time to run his course, and a time to set so the bright son of the Gospel began to rise as soon as the Son of righteousness was borne, he hath run his course and hath spread the bright beams of hi● heavenly light by his Apostles and faithful preachers in all corners of the world sometimes here, and some times there which heat of the sun or Gospel, wh●● it hath ripened and brought forth th● lively fruits of faith, in the hearts of Go●● children: & hardened the wicked to the●● greater condemnation: then shall th● same sun of the Gospel begin to s●● when the true son of righteousness 〈◊〉 appear in the heavens, with power a●● great glory glory: so that it is not to be doubted, but the Gospel hath been already published, among all nations, notwithstanding the preaching thereof, shall continued I trust unto the end of the world. Now touching the other question, whither the kingdom of Antichrist shall also continued until the end of the world, I know it is doubtfully disputed of among many Divines, some gathering out of the 18. of the Revelation and other places, not only that it shall have a sudden and grievous fall, as no doubt it shall, but also are thereby lead to think, that new Rome which is spiritually called Babylon, (like as old Rome also was) shall be utterly razed and overthrown before the end of this world: whereat all the wicked great ones of the world, that hitherunto have supported her, and rejoiced in her bravery, shall lament and weep: and also hereupon some have moved questions & disputed upon, what Christian Princes they are that are most likely by force of arms to give this great and final overthrow to the kingdom of Antichrist. All this is probably collected by some out of that place, & others of the Revelation where is mention made of the fall of Babylon, now there is no doubt as I have said, by the fall of Babylon, is meant the destruction of Rome, and of Antichrist, which hath his chief seat at Rome, for therein all the godly learned agree. I will only allege the authority of Master Bullinger in his exposition upon that place of the 18. of the Revelation, whose words are these. He pursueth saith he, (meaning the Author of the Revelation) throughout all the eighteen Chapter the destruction of old and new Rome: also of Heathennisme and Antichristianisme, and that with a marvelous plenty and evidence of speech, even so that you would think you sure, all things presently accomplished. And he useth also (saith he) a most godly order. For first the Angel declareth the destruction of Rome, with most apt and fit words: Secondly, counsel is given to the godly, how to behave themselves in so great dangers: then is added the manner of the desolation, that like as Rome hath greedily and cruelly spoiled and destroyed other Nations, even so it shall befall unto her: also after this, a lamentation is made, wherein the Princes and Merchants do mourn for the ruin of Rome, where they also recite the riches and pleasures. Finally, the Apostles and Prophets rejoice of the just judgement of God. Again, (saith he) the Angel of the Lord, casteth a millstone into the bottom of the Sea, that so the most certain & unrecoverable and most weighty destruction of Rome might be signified, whereunto again are annexed the causes of so grievous evils and the same finished with the praise and gratulation of all the heavenly dwellers, hitherto Master Bullinger. By this therefore it appeareth plainly enough, that by the fall and destruction of Babylon, is meant the fall & destruction of Rome, together with the whole kingdom of Antichrist. But when this final fall and utter destruction shall be, or by whom it shall be accomplished, Master Bullinger neither many other godly and learned men do determine, rather Bullinger as also many others are of opinion that Antichrist and his kingdom shall in some decaying and ruinous sort continue unto the end of the world, for so he oftentimes affirmeth in his book upon the revelation. And in the end of his first sermon that he maketh upon the 18. Chapter he thus concludeth, Here now saith he, the judgement of God for as much as she is proud (meaning the Sea of Rome which presently before he calleth the Lady of all realms and Churches) for as much saith he as she is proud, vain glorious, careless, and wicked: in one day shall come her plagues, by which one day, as he noteth out of Aretas, is signified a sudden destruction, and that she should then perish when she least thought of it, and her plagues he saith, Saint john reciteth in order, death, mourning, famine, and fire. And Stories saith he testify, that these things were by the Gotthes fulfilled accordingly in old Rome, whereof (saith he) I have spoken before. Therefore he addeth we doubt nothing at all but that new Rome also shall by men and Gods Angels (mark his speech) be torn a sunder and plucked up by the roots: by men and Gods Angels, now how well the exposition of this godly man doth agree with that evident place of the Apostle in the second of the second to the Thessalonians, is not hard to be discerned, for no sooner hath the Apostle spoken of the revealing of Antichrist, but presently he maketh mention of his destruction, for saith he, Then shall that wicked man meaning Antichrist be revealed whom the Lord shall consume by the spirit of his mouth, and shall abolish at the brightness of his coming. By means of which place or contrary to the meaning of this place, I suppose no man may determine, but that Antichrist and his tottering kingdom may continue till the end of the world: no otherwise then a most ruinous and decayed Castle which shall daily be battered down with the power of God's word, preached by men, but shall utterly be subverted and abolished by the brightness of Christ's coming unto judgement: by the power of his Angels, agreeable to that saying of Bullinger, before noted, that new Rome (meaning thereby the whole power and kingdom of Antichrist) shall by men and Gods Angels, be torn a sunder & plucked up by the roots. Wherefore I am also of opinion, that it is a safer way to persuade the children of God to endure in all places with patience the tyranny of Antichrist, though it do continue to the end of the world, them to cause them upon uncertain conjectures to expect the ending of his tyrannies and overthrow of his kingdom, before the King of kings shall come in his glory. And withal let us not cease to admonish & warn all Nations and people of the world to beware if they be far of that they come not near unto his Romish Babylon, if they be near or in her, that they fly far from her and that speedily that they defile not themselves with the filthiness of that Romish beast, that they receive not his mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: if they have already been marked, that they wash it out c●eane again by true repentance in the blood of lesus Christ: in one word, that none be partakers of her sin, lest also they are partakers of her punishment, which in one day, that is, suddenly and speedily shall come upon her, Reu. 18.8. For strong is the the Lord God that shall judge her. And so much also for the destruction of Antichrist & his kingdom, which how soon it shall come he only knoweth, which knoweth all things. And this I hope also may suffice to be spoken in this Chapter, touching certain signs and tokens foretold in the Scripture to go before the end of the world, whereof as I have said, many are passed and some of them may be yet to come. God make us thankful for these so gracious forewarnings, and give us also grace wisely to consider of the ceasons. And to the end that nothing may be omited as far as my slender ability is able to reach, which may any way edify or comfort the simpler sort, let it be further observed in this place, that as it is on the one side too much curiosity for any mortal man to determine or paint out the time or day of judgement when it shall be, seeing it is not revealed, but rather concealed by God himself for our good: so on the other side, it is too much senselessness & want of Christian discretion, nor to consider so much of this day or time as may either bring profit or comfort unto us. Yea, probable conjectures how long the world may endure to sober and godly minds I suppose cannot be hurtful, so that they be soberly averred only as Christian conjectures and not for any certain or sound conclusions. Such are these as godly & sober minded men have not refused to speak and write, as that it is probable the world shall not continue above six thousand years, agreeable to the six days of the Creation: and the seventh to be the great & glorious Sabbath or day of eternal rest, unto all God's children: and the rather is this conjecture received, for that the Scripture useth this phrase or speech, more than once: That one day with the Lord, is as a thousand year, and a thousand year as one day. And the prophesy of Elias which the Rabbens have reported and those of Sibile the prophetisse known to each scholar, do not a little confirm that conjecture; add hereunto, that if times and seasons be well compared together, we shall find, that from the beginning of the world unto the calling of Abraham, are near about two thousand years: from that time till the Hebrews which came of Eber, a great Grandfather of Abraham, were subdued by the Romans are also near or thereabout two thousand years: sithence that time the world hath continued almost one thousand and six hundred years: so to equal the years of the jews with the Gentiles, there wanteth but a three or four hundred years, which with God is but as a few hours, if with God a thousand years are but as one day, and who knoweth how soon these hours may run out, seeing (as many expound that place) For the elects sake these days shall be shortened. But among all conjectures, 〈◊〉 13. ●0. for I count them but conjectures, this pleaseth me best and hath most often come into my mind, since God gave me a mind to think sereously on this day: namely, that this last age shall not exceed in number the years of the first age of the world, now the first age of the world by Computation from the Creation to Noaths flood, were years, one thousand, six hundred, fifty and six, and the last age since the coming of Christ in the flesh (which is every where called in the Scriptures the last age) is, as we all know and confess past the years one thousand six hundred: therefore I persuade myself, Christ his coming unto judgement is even at hand. This conjecture also pleaseth me the better, for that this speech is so often used by our Saviour himself, when he putteth us in mind of his second coming. Luke. 17.26. As it was saith he in the days of Noath, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man. And seeing now to our own experience, it falleth out so true in the manners of men in this last age of the world, as it did in the ending of the first age, why may it not also fall out as true in the accomplishment of the times? How beit, (as I said before) so say I still, for as much as all these, or any other of the like sort, are but conjectures, and ought only to be used and considered not to hinder any ordinary proceeding in our callings, but only to call upon us, that our Master is not only coming, but that his coming is even at hand. Let this therefore be a conclusion of this point, and likewise of this Chapter, that the day of judgement whereof all this while we have spoken, be not before to morrow, yet the time of our own death and so of our particular judgements, may be before this day be ended. Therefore let every one have a care how he liveth, for look in what case he dieth so shall his judgement be. Where the tree falleth, there it must lie. And so much touching the signs which show unto us that Christ jesus is even ready to come unto judgement, who only himself shall be the judge, whereof we are to entreat in the Chapter following. The fift Chapter. AS it is an Article of our faith to believe that there shall be a general judgement following the resurrection of the dead, so it is not the least point in that Article to be well noted and considered both for the comfort of the Godly, and terror of the wicked, who he is that is appointed to be this supreme judge. The Article itself saith, He shall come again to ●udge the quick and the dead: that is, jesus Christ the only Son of God and our ●ord as we confess in the Creed. The ●●me jesus that was conceived in the ●ombe of a Virgin, by the Almighty power of the holy Ghost. The same jesus that was made Man for and dwelled among us, he whom the ●orld hated and persecuted from the ●●adle to his grave; he that was most treacherously betrayed, most falsely accused, and most unjustly by Pontius Pilate ●●●demned to that most 〈…〉 full death of the Cross: the same jesus Christ I say the Son of God and man, who then died for our sins, rose again for our justification, Who shall be judge at the last day. and ascended into the highest heavens, shall most assuredly and undoubtedly come again at the last day to judge the quick & the dead; that is, all those that have died since the beginning of the world, together with all those that shall be living upon the earth at the time of his coming. This Article is confirmed unto us byinfinite places of Scriptures, whereof we may note a few for examples sake. First no sooner was our Saviour Christ ascending or ascended into heaven, but presently the Angels of God proclaim hi● descent or descending unto judgement Saying, Acts. 1.11. ye men of Galilee, speaking unto Christ's Apostles and Disciples. Why st●●● ye gazing into heaven. This jesus which is t●ken from you into heaven, shall so come, mean● unto judgement, as ye have seen him goe● to heaven. Saint Paul in the fourth Chapter the second Epistle unto Timothy plainly affirmeth. 2 Tim. 4.1. That jesus Christ shall 〈◊〉 the quick and the dead at his appearing in his kingdom. And the same Apostle in the first of the second to the Thessalonians saith, 2. Thes. 7.8. that The Lord jesus shall show himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, rendering vengeance unto them which do not know God, and obey not the Gospel of jesus Christ. In the Gospel every where mention is made of the coming of the son of man unto judgement, as in the 24. and twenty five of Matthew, the thirteen of Mark, the seventeen of Luke, against all which it may be objected that Christ himself saith: Object joh. 8. 1● I came not to judge the world, and again, I judge no man. But the answer is easy, Ans. for Christ therein speaketh of rash, private, and partial judgement; whereof he accuseth the jews. In that manner Christ judgeth no man, but speaking elsewhere of this general judgement. He saith plainly, joh. ● 23. That the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son, yielding a reason Because all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father. And that none might think this judgement to appertain unto him only as he was the Son of God, he addeth presently in the same Chapter, ●se. 27. That God hath given him power to execute judgement even as he is the Son of man. Again, it might be answered, that Christ saith, I judge no man, before he was glorified when he came to be judged, and not to judge: but after his resurrection he plainly telleth us, ●●tth. 28. that All power in heaven and in earth is given unto him: Wherefore Saint Paul saith, in the second to the Romans, that God shall judge the secrets of all men but by jesus Christ. ●●n. 2.16. And elsewhere the Apostle saith, when after judgement Christ hath brought all things in subjection under his feet then he shall deliver up the kingdom to God the Father. ●or. 15. But it may be again objected that the same Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians, ●ct. That the Saints shall judge the world and the Angels, ●●r. 6. that is, the wicked men of this world and evil Angels, called Devils. And Christ saith his Apostles shall sit upon twelve seats judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. Hereunto it may be answered that at the general day of judgement, ●ns. when Christ shall sit upon the throne of his glory, accompanied with his holy Angels, and all the elect by his Angels gathered unto him, then as well Saints, as holy Angels, shall judge, that is subscribe, and give consent unto Christ his most righteous judgement; which than he shall most justly pronounce, against all the reprobate both of men and Angels: whereat all the Saints & elect Angels shall greatly triumph and rejoice, no otherwise than it is said in the Revelation concerning the judgement that shall fall upon the whore of Babylon: Rom. 18.20. Rejoice O heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath given judgement upon her: So at the last general judgement the holy Saints and Angels shall sing the song of Moses the servant of God, Reu. 15.3 and the song of the Lamb saying: Great and marvelous are thy works Lord God Almighty, just and true are thy ways and ●udgements King of Saints. So here we may. conclude according to the truth of God's word every where revealed in the Scrip●utes: and agreeable with the Catholic profession of the Church of God in all age's: that jesus Christ as he is both God ●nd man, shall stand as holy job saith, job. 19.25. The ●●st upon the earth, and come to give true ●●dgement at the last day. The use of which doctrine is two fold namely, a comfort to the godly, and a terror to the wicked: for what thing can bring more joy and comfort to the hearts of all godly and faithful Christians, specially to those that are afflicted in this life, either in Soul, or body, o● in both for Christ his sake, than t● hear and assuredly to be persuaded that Christ jesus their Saviour an● brother, shall come to be their judge That is, to pronounce them blameless through his own obedience and righteousness in the sight of God his Father: and to crown them with eternal glory, and not only those as the Apostle teacheth, that suffer persecution a the Apostle did, but all the faithful whatsoever that love his appearing. 2. Tim. 4.8. Be therefore of good comfort dea● Christian whosoever thou art, that grinest under the burden of thy sinn● fear not that dreadful judgement, 〈◊〉 if thou hast faith in Christ, and d●truely repent, than thou mayest aff●● thyself to be one of Gods elect. Also apply that sweet sentence of t● Apostle unto thy Soul, which sai● Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? it is God that justifieth, Rom. 8.33 34. who shall condemn? it is Christ which is dead, yea, or rather which is risen again, which sitteth at the right hand of God, to make intercession for thee, which also it may be added for thy further comfort, shall come again at the last day to give sentence on thy side, and to receive thee unto himself. Contrariwise, Let the wicked Infidels, and all the ungodly ones of this world; which either know not God, or obey not the Gospel of jesus Christ, shake, and quake for fear: for even he whom they deadly hate, whose word they believe not, whose Ministers they regard not, yea, even he whose blood they trampled under their feet. He that was crucified upon the cross, and had his heart blood lanced out with a Spear, shall in his own person come to be their judge, according to that of the Apostle jude. jude. 〈◊〉 And Enoch also the seventh from Adam, prophesied of such, Behold, the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against all men, etc., Re●● 〈◊〉 And every eye shall see him even they that pierced him through and all kindreds and people though never so pompious and glorious that have not repent or believed in him shall wail before him. 1 Reu. 1.7. And in the bitterness of their grief and in the anguish of their soul's forhorror and fear of that judge shall say to the mountains, 〈◊〉 & 5.16. Fall upon us and hide us from the presence of the Lamb for that great day of wrath is come and who may abide it, And so much briefly concerning the person of the judge, now let us consider the glorious manner of his coming unto judgement which is to be described in the Chapter following. The sixth Chapter IN the five & twentieth of Matthew our Saviour himself doth most gallantly and gloriously describe and set forth that his coming unto judgement when he saith, 〈◊〉. 25.2. When the Son of man cometh in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him: then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and all nations shall be gathered before him, etc. Now our Saviour Christ doth purposely speak of this his most majestical and glorious coming unto judgement, to countervail his first coming in the flesh in so great baseness and humility. The which most admirable & surpassing glory of Christ when he shall come, to show himself in the greatness of his majesty, we may not imagine, can be comprehended by any reason or understanding of man: for if as Saint Paul saith, No eye hath seen, no ear hath heard, 1. Cor. 2.9. neither can enter into the heart of man to conceive, the joy and glory, which is prepared for us in Heaven: which are but the members of Christ. How great glory must that be which is prepared for the head, who is himself Prince of glory, yea and glorified with the same glory in respect as he is man, and our mediator, wherewith he was glorified with the Father, in respect that he was the Son of God, before the world was: for so prayeth he in the 17. of john, Father, glorify me with the same glory, joh. 17.5. which I had with thee before the world was. And whatsoever, he asked of his Father, that did he receive as he saith in the 11. of john, That God heareth him, praying that is, joh. 1.124. granteth his request at all times. Therefore it is, that Saint Paul boldly affirmeth in the second to the Collossians, Col. 2 9 that in Christ jesus (as he is man) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, or essentially. And in the first to the Ephesians, the same Apostle also saith, That God raised up Christ from the dead, Eph. 1.20. and set him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principalities, power, might and dominion, and every name that is named, not in this world only, but also in that which is to come. And hath made all things subject under his feet. And above all hath appointed him to be the head to the Church, which is his body, even the fullness of him that filleth all in all things. Now if any would demand whether the faithful shall not be made partakers of this glory of Christ, I answer, no doubt they shall, for so Christ himself saith in the 17. of john, The glory that thou O Father gavest me, Ioh 17.22. I have given them: that is, those that have or shall hereafter believe in his name. But here we must note, that there is a great difference between Christ the head and giver of this glory, and his Saints and members which are made partakers of his glory, let us a little illustrate this by some fit similitudes. The whole body of a King, we know is glorious and very magnificent, but yet there is a great difference between the glory of his head or face, and the glory of his feet. The grace and glory of Courtiers specially those that are nearest in favour with the Prince, is very glorious: yet when they are highest in favour, not comparable to the Prince in glory. Mordecay when he was most royally arrayed with King Ahashuerus his own apparel set upon the Kings own horse, Hester. 6.9 the Crown royal put upon his head; and Proclamation made before him, this shall be done to the man whom the King will honour. Yet every man did know that there was a great difference between Mordecay who was honoured of the King, and the King who gave the glory and honour unto Mordecay. Again, that similitude which the Apostle useth to note the difference as I suppose of the Saints in glory, affirming one glory to be of the Sun, 1. Cor. 15.41. and another of the Moon, and another of the Sarres, May very lively represent unto us the difference betwixt the glory of jesus Christ the Son of righteousness, and the glory of his Church and Saints, who receive all the glory from Christ, even as the Moon and Stars receive their light of the Sun. And as the sun is yet nevertheless light and bright in himself, notwithstanding he maketh so infinite number of stars and planets to shine through his light and brightness: so jesus Christ our saviour the son of the eternal God, shall in a most heavenly and glorious manner, give light and glory to all his saints & children, though they be never so innumerable, yet shall not his glory thereby any thing be diminished, neither shall any saint or Angel attain unto the perfection of his glory. The which thing saint Austen me thinketh by a pretty invention of words, in the tongue which he useth, doth very well note unto us: for speaking in a certain place of the glory and joy that the saints shall hereafter this have in heaven: saith thus, Non omne gaudium intrabit in gaudentes, sed omnes gaudentes intrabunt in gaudium: that is (as I take his meaning may be) the faints in heaven shall not be partakers of all the joy and glory of their master in heaven: notwithstanding all saints shall be sure to enter into their Master's joy, into heaven: there to receive so much glory, as they are capable of, and as each measure can contain: even as Christ saith, to the good and saithful servant: Enterthou into the joy of thy Master. In a word, Matth. 25.23. Christ himself doth make this matter plain enough unto us as it seemeth unto me, in the 17. of john and 24. verse, joh. 17. where he saith, Father I will that they which thou hast given me, be with me even where I am, that they may behold my glory: that is, as I understand it, that they may be glorified with me, and it to have their glory still increased, in beholding that incomprehensible, and infinite glory, which I have with thee, as I am man their Saviour and Redeemer, which neither Saint or Angel can attain unto. This most infinite endless and incomprehensible glory, is the very same which our Saviour meaneth, saying: Matth. 25. When the Son of man shall come in his glory. Now to the end, that we might the better conceive and consider of this unspeakable glory of Christ, he addeth presently three circumstances of very great importance. Three circumstances. The first is, that he will not come alone, but like a King of glory as he is will come accompanied and attended on with all his holy Angels, none left behind. Angels and Arkangels, Cherubins, and Seraphins, and all the whole host of heaven, shall give their attendance unto this King of glory. Secondly, he saith, that he shall sit upon the throne or seat of his glory, alluding unto the magnificence of Kings and judges, who have their feats and thrones of judgement erected and set upon high, that they may be seen and heard of many people. Therefore Christ jesus who is Rex Regum & judicum judex: King of Kings, and judge of judges: his throne shall be above in the clouds, where every eye shall see him both in heaven, earth, and hell. So saith Saint john, Reu. 1 7. Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him. So our Saviour himself teacheth us in the 21. of Luke, saying, When the powers of heaven shall be shaken then shall ye see the son of man come in the clouds with power and great glory. The like answer our Saviour maketh unto the high Priest, who asked him whether he were Christ the son of God, thou sayest it, saith our Saviour unto him, and hereafter shall find it to be true, Math. 26.64 when ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and come in the clouds of the heaven. This glorious coming of Christ unto judgement, was not obscurely revealed unto the Prophet Daniel as he himself testifieth in the seventh of his prophesy saying, Dan. 7.10. I beheld till the Thrones were set up and the ancient of days did sit whose garment was white as Snow, and the hair of his head like pure Wool, his Throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire, A fiery stream issued, and came forth before him; thousand thousands meaning of Angels ministered unto him, and ten thousand (a definite for an Infinite number) thousands, stood before him, the judgement was set, and the Books opened. The third circumstance that our Saviour noteth, is, That all Nations shall be gathered before him. This circumstance serveth also very greatly to set forth the might, majesty, and glory of the judge, in that he will have the people of all Nations to come before him, Kings and Keyfers, high and low, rich and poor, men, women, and children: none shall be privileged, all must appear. So saith the Apostle, We must all appear before the tribunal seat of Christ: All people that then are living upon the earth, as also all those which have died since the beginning of the world: howsoever they have died, or wheresoever they have been buried: as well they that have been eaten up of beasts, and burned unto Ashes: as they that have been drowned in the Sea, and eaten up with fishes: all without exception, shall hear this voice. Surgite mortui, arise ye dead and come to judgement. This thing is revealed unto Saint john as he testifieth in the Revelation, 〈◊〉 12. saying: I saw the dead both great and small stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And the Sea gave up the dead which were in her, and death, and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works. O God of glory, what a great and glorious Sessions must this be, where all people shall be summoned and constrained to appear! yea the Devils themselves saith Jude, Are kept in chains under darkness unto this day. O how great must the glory be of such a judge, that shall so come unto judgement, attended on with so glorious a troop of Angels? who cannot be ravished with the consideration of so glorious aspect, and most admirable sight? namely, to see the Son of man to appear in the clouds in the glory of God his father: all the holy Angels serving and attending on him: and all nations and people of the world brought before him. Truly, if it be a goodly sight to see the sun rise in the morning in his brightness, Prepared as a Giant to run his course, If it be not a little glorious to behold the Moon and glistering Stars in the evening, which sight no doubt doth cause the godly oftentimes to give glory unto God according as David saith, Psal. 19 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work? How far more glorious must it be, to see the Son of God to appear in the brightness of his glory, with the brightness thereof the sun in the firmament must needs be darkened. To see so many or more glorious Angels, than there be Stars in the heavens, every Angel shining brighter than the Sun in his strength: together with as many Saints, as have been faithful souls in in this life with glorified bodies, shining as the stars, according to that saying of Daniel. They that be wise, (that is, all the faithful who are compared unto the wise Virgins) shall then shine as the brightness of the firmament, 〈◊〉 12.3. and they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. And so much touching the glorious coming of Christ unto judgement, noted by Christ himself in these words: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the Throne of his glory, and all Nations shall be gathered before him there to receive judgement accordingly. Of the order and manner of which judgement we are now to entreat in the Chapter following. The seventh Chapter. THis point touching the whole order of Christ his coming unto judgement is very copiously laid open unto us in the scripture, specially our Saviour himself doth reveal the same at sundry times in the Gospel: we will begin with that description that Christ maketh in the five and twentieth of Matthew, Math. 25.32. who presently after he hath showed the glory of his coming, proceedeth without any stop to the order and manner of his judgement, for having said, That all Nations shall be gathered before him, He showeth what course or order he will observe in their judgement. Namely, how he will first of all begin with division, God doth all things in measure, weight, and number: God is a God of order, and not of confusion: when all are gathered before him, he will separate one from the other. This is the last work, that God will do in this world, And it is worth the noting, how God maketh his works to agree together, The beginning and the ending, first, in the beginning, God made all things by his son, in the ending he will judge all things by his son, for who can better judge of all, than he that made all. In the beginning he made light to shine out of darkness as the Apostle witnesseth, in the end he will turn light into darkness. The Sun shall be dark, and the Moon shall not give her light. In the beginning he separated light from darkness. In the end, he will also separate the children of light, from the children of darkness: For what communion hath light with darkness. In the beginning he made all things good, in the ending he will destroy all things that are nought, seeing the evil and naughtiness that is in man, or in any other Creature, came not unto it by creation but by corruption. Therefore Christ saith, he will separate and divide one from the other: that is, the good from the bad: The good he compareth to sheep, for their gentleness, patience, and meekness of nature: the bad, he most fitly compareth unto Goats, ●●ech. 34. who are a more savage and filthy kind of beasts, The metaphor seemeth to be borrowed from Ezechiell, who bringeth in the goats pushing and hurting of the sheep with their horns and troubling of their waters. These filthy pushing Goats that all their life long, desire and delight to harm and wrong the poor sheep of Christ: will Christ himself that great shepneard find out every one of them at the end of the world: nun of them shall be hid from his sight. And because these poor sheep have a very long time with great patience endured these foul and filthy Goats, to feed & pasture among them in the outward face of the Church, to their extreme hurt and grief: therefore Christ jesus their shepherd without any delay, at his first coming to judgement, will gather and draw out his faithful flock of sheep from that filthy heard of Goats, and to the end these Goats shall see the care that Christ hath over them, he will place them in their sight, at his right hand of heavenly protection: the Goats contrariwise, he will set at his left hand, to send them presently to endless destruction. But here before we proceed any further we are to note by whom our Saviour Christ will make this separation, namely, by his holy Angels which came with him and attend on him with all ready obedience. First, he will cause an Arkangell to sound out the trumpet of God, in so glorious and fearful sort, that it shall be heard the world throughout, not only they that are living, but they that are dead in their graves, shall hear the sound of that Trumpet: and all the wicked spirits, and Devils in hell, shall quake and tremble with the noise thereof. Then when all the Nations of the world are summoned and warned by that glorious Trumpet, Christ shall send forth his Angels to separate the Sheep from the Goats, the elect from the reprobate. This thing our Saviour Christ doth reveal unto us in the Gospel, and saint Paul doth likewise report the same in one of his Epistles to the Thessaloniant. First Christ saith in the 24. of Matthew, Math. 24.31. that He will send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds and from the one end of the heaven unto the other. The same doth Saint Mark repeat in the 13. Chapter. Moreover, our Saviour Christ doth at another time make mention of this glorious separation as Saint Matthew reports it in the 13. Math. 13. Chapter, for having in that place showed by divers parables that the children of God must not be offended to live here, for a time in this world, accompanied and mingled with the godless, as the good seed is with the cockle, the Wheat with the chaff: they must grow together both for the greater judgement of the one, and trial of the other, until the harnessed which is the end of the world: at what time Christ will send forth his reapers which be the Angels, to gather the good seed, the pure wheat, that hath been well thrashed with the flail of affliction, and winnowed from the chaff with the Fan of God's judgement in the Lord's garner: but the chaff and the cockle and the Darnell shall be burnt in fire that never shall be quenched then shall the Just shine as the Sun in the kingdom of God their Father. Likewise, our Saviour reporteth this separation in the same Chapter by a parable taken from Fishers, which when they have brought all manner of fish to land gather the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So saith our Saviour shall it be at the end of the world, the Angels shall go forth and sever the bad from the Just, and shall cast the bad into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Saint Paul likewise in the fourth Chapter, if the first Epistle to the Thess● lonians maketh a like description of these things. The Lord himself saith he shal● descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of an Arkangell, and with the Trumpet of God according to that which hath been said already. But the Apostle in that place like a● he doth in the first to the Corinthians, openeth a secret or two more, and he saith, that he doth it by the word or commandment of the Lord. The first is, that at the general resurrection at the day of judgement, when Christ shall appear, than they that are dead in Christ, that is, all those that have died in the faith of Christ since the beginning of the world, shall rise first, that is, before the wicked, that did not die in the faith of Christ. The second secret or mystery is, that those of the faithful, that are living at the day of judgement of whom the same Apostle speaketh in the first to the Corinthians & 18. When he saith, we shall not all die, but all shall be changed: those I say that then are living upon the earth, shall not prevent or go before those that are dead and turned to dust and powder in the earth: but as those that are living shall be changed from mortal, to immortal, in the twinkling of an eye (to use the Apostles words) so likewise shall those of the faithful that are dead be raised up by the power of God, at the voice of the Trumpet, and being joined to their souls, both the one and the other (saith the Apostle) shall be caught up into the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall ever remain with the Lord: which he speaketh specially for the comfort of the faithful, and therefore addeth this, 1. Thes. 4.18. Comfort yourselves one another with these words. Thus we see how all Nations that is, all people of all the Nations of the world, shall be gathered together by the holy Angels, before Christ sitteth in judgement. The godly with all the holy Angels, set on his right hand, the wicked, with all the damned spirits, and devils set on the left, attending and hearkening, when that final and definative sentence shall be pronounced. But before we speak thereof, it shall not be amiss to consider in a word or two, what shall be come of all other things that are now in the world. Saint Peter hath resolved this point already: when he preacheth, that there sha● come, and is even at hand, the end of a● things that is of all mortal things, but because the holy Angels are immortal, the damned spirits are immortal, the souls of men are immortal, and the bodies of all men shall then be made immortal according to their first Creation, for man made himself mortal by sin and corruption, therefore to all these shall be no end: but the ending of man's body in this world, shall be an endless being to them in the world to come, either to joy or pain. Now as saint Peter hath told us, that there shall be an end of this world, so likewise he telleth us in the 3. Chapter of his second Epistle, how the end shall be, & how all things shallbe destroyed with fire. First, he saith the world perished being overflown of water. 2. ●es. 3. But the heavens and the earth which are now are kept in store, and reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and of the destruction of ungodly men. By and by he addeth, that when this day of judgement shall come, the Heavens that are over us, shall pass away with ●noyce, and the Elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with all the works that are therein shall be burnt up. And not contented with once affirming this, but repeats the same again, that we should never forget it in the end of his admonition saying. Seeing therefore that all these things, that is, all worldly and earthly things must be dissolved, what manner persons ought ye to be in holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, by the which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat. So in fine, we see none of these things which now we see with our mortal eyes, shall remain permanent & durable, but all must be consumed and dissolved with fire, which may teach us not to put confidence in any thing in this world. Notwithstanding, saith the same Apostle We look for a new heaven, Esay. 65.17 and a new earth according to Gods promise made unto us by the Prophet Esay, wherein dwelleth righteousness. But of his wonderful and heavenly renewing, as it is not revealed unto us in the Scripture particularly: so it should be from my purpose to make any search thereof curiously: seeing my text only leadeth we to speak of the destruction, and not of the restoring of all things. Only let the godly content themselves with that discourse, which the Apostle Saint Paul maketh in the eight to the Romans, Rom 8.19.20. where he exhorteth the faith full joyfully to endure all the afflictions of this life which are nothing in value comparable to the glory which at that day shall be revealed unto them. For saith he, The fervent desire of the Creature waiteth when the son of God shall be revealed. Because the Creature is subject to vanity not of it own will, but by reason of him which hath subdued it under hope. Because the Creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of oh sons of God: for we know that every Creature groaneth also and traveleth in pain together unto this present: and not only the creature, but we also which have the first fruits of the spirit, even we do sigh in ourselves waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our body. Thus having hitherto briefly noted how Christ shall come at the last day in glory, attended on with all his holy Angels, how he shall sit upon the seat of his glory, how all Nations shall be gathered before him by the voice of a Trumpet, sounded by an Arkangell, how the Angels shall separate the good from the bad, placing the godly on his right hand, and the wicked on his left hand. Let us last of all consider of that great doom, and irrevocable sentence, which the judge of heaven & earth shall then pronounce, from whom by no means they may appeal. The sentence that shall be given at that day is very short, it is but two words in our tongue, Come ye, Go ye, in the Latin both words are included in one, Venite, there is Venite, come ye, and in the end of Venite, is Ite, Go ye. The Lord will make a short account upon the earth saith the Apostle in righteousness. But I know it will be said, that Christ doth use more words, and a very long discourse in that 25. of Matthew, then Venite, & Ite. It is true he doth so, but I am of opinion, that he doth use them rather to instruct us while we be living, and before we come unto judgement, then to teach us that we shall have so long a speech with him at that time of judgement. Notwithstanding, seeing Christ for our sakes hath vouch safed to remember the same unto us. Let us for Christ his sake consider of them as that they may never be forgotten of us when our Saviour in that place hath told, that the son of man shall come unto judgement, in his glory, with all his holy Angels, and being se● upon the seat of his glory, all Nations shall be gathered before him, the faithful sheep on his right hand, and the sinful Goats on the left hand, he presently addeth. Then the King shall say unto them on his right hand, Math 25. ●4. that is, to the faithful, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit ye the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Contrariwise, the same King shall say unto them on his left hand, that is, to the wicked and ungodly: Go ye cursed or departed from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Devil and his angels. ●er. 41. With what words, I beseech you could our Saviour more persuade us to have regard how we live in this world then by proposing unto us these two contrary sentences? the one so full of joy & comfort as no tongue can express. The other so full of grief & horror as no heart can think. That the King pronounceth first the sentence of bliss, it noteth his goodness & bountifulness inclined rather to grace and mercy, then to rigour and justice: if we had but so much grace and goodness, as to accept of it before it be too late. That he useth this singular word of comfort, Come ye, it noteth the ardent love and affection that our Saviour beareth to his sheep, whom he hath purchased with his own blood: therefore he giveth so great a charge unto those, whom he hath appointed Pastors over them in this life, to feed his sheep, and to have care of them in the wilderness of this world, that none of them be destroyed or lost, through their negligence; if they be, their blood will he require at their shepherds hands. That he calleth them the blessed of his Father, it noteth that they are beloved of god, & before ordained unto this blessing: it highly commendeth Gods free grace & favour, not man's merit or deserving. That he biddeth them to possess● the kingdom not any longer to expect a kingdom, it noteth the difference betwixt the state of the faithful here and that is to come here we enjoy all by faith & hope, their faith and hope shall cease, when we are put in possession of that we hoped for, and have received the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls. Also it is a great encouragement unto the godly in this life, to wait with patience till their pilgrimage be over past to contemn and despise all the glory of this world, specially if the Devil offer it to esteem all things as dung, and as dross, in respect of this glorious kingdom, which they shall be bid to possess. That he saith possess the kingdom prepared it noteth that it is a kingdom not merited or deserved by us. That he saith lastly, that it is a kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world, it showeth that God knew us, loved us, cared for us, before we were, that as he made a world for us, to live in, before he made us to live; so he ordained a heavenly kingdom for us to live in, after we are dead before we died. What a good God is this, how can we want any thing if we trust in him, and call upon his name. God hath given us his Son, with his Son a Kingdom, what more can we desire. God give us his grace to take this Cup of Salvation thankfully, as by the Prophet we are exhorted. Contrariwise, that Christ saith to the wicked on his left hand, Depart, it noteth his hatred and detestation of sin and sinners that do not repent as he faith in another place, I know you not, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. That Christ saith departed from me, it noteth that they appertain not unto him, neither are of his fold or family, nor never were; for those whom he once loveth he loveth to the end. That he saith ye cursed it showeth the miserable estate, of them that appertain now unto Christ, howsoever wicked men flatter themselves in this world: they are most accursed in the sight of God and his Angels; they are cursed while they live, cursed when they die, and cursed after death: & therefore like cursed creatures, as they were before they come unto Christ, they are commanded to departed from his presence, unto the place of the damned. That Christ sendeth them into everlasting fire, it noteth both the horror of the punishment, and the continuance of the pain, never to have end: in hell there is no redemption, Lastly, that Christ saith, that this endless pain and punishment was prepared for the devil and his angels it noteth not (as some would have it) that it was not also prepared for the wicked, but rather signifieth that the wicked appertain unto the devil, whose children they are, as saith Christ, ye are of your father the devil, seeing they are adjudged to the same place of torments with the devil when they are dead, whose servants they are while they lived. Thus have ●e heard the sum of both sentences, which being once pronounced, the tongue of men and Angels, is not able to express, the wailing & weeping, howling & crying, of these cursed creatures, that shall be judged to condemnation, nor yet the unmeasurable joy and consolation of the faithful. The one condemned so everlasting torments, the other received into everlasting glory. The which entence being thus passed, that glorious Sessions will be dissolved: the grief of the damned a thousand time increased, in seeing and beholding the faithful and godly whom they ever hated, to be carried by the Angels into the endless joys of eternal bliss, the devils in the mean while prepared, to carry those curfed Caytives with them, into the bottomless gulf, of their infernal confusion. But here happily, some will say that I do not well to conceal that which our Saviour addeth at the end of those sentences saying, to the faithful, I was hungry, Math. 42. & ye gave me meat, I thirsted, & ye gave me drink. Truly, if you will give the leisure to read it, I would very gladly touch it, with this caveat, that we do not imagine those good works to be the cause of our salvation: seeing as hath been said already, our salvation was prepared for us, before we can work at all: much more before we could do good works: neither will this shift of the schoolmen ser●e the turn, to say that God did happily foresee those good works that we would do, and therefore provided a reward for them, before they were done: so desirous are those Merit-mongers, to have God beholding unto them for their good works. But why can they not as well see, if they would not close their eyes of purpose: that God said long agone, Gen 6. all the imaginations of men's heart are evil continually. And when that God looked down from heaven of purpose to see the children of men, he saw none that was good, no not one. And why can they not hear the Apostle say, ●es. 2.10 that God hath created us unto good works, that we should do them. Christ himself saying when ye have done all that ye can, 〈◊〉 17. say ye are unprofitable servants, ye have done, but what was your duty to do. To let pass all other places of scripture, and all the arguments of the Apostles: which may serve as so many Rams, to beat down to the ground this devilish doctrine of popery. But now let us hear what Christ saith to the faithful, and what reply the faithful make unto him: Christ saith, I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I thirsted, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye lodged me: I was naked, and ye clothed me, I was sick, and ye visited me, I was in prison, and ye came unto me. The faithful answer presently they never saw him in that case, neither ever did any such thing unto him. But Christ showeth his meaning, and saith in as much as ye have done it unto the poor with you, ye have done it to me. Here than we are taught first the care that Christ taketh of the poor, whatsoever is done unto them if they be godly, it is done unto him. Secondly, the cause wherefore he maketh some rich, and leaveth others in poverty, whom he loveth most dearly, that he may exercise the patience of the one, and try what charity is in the other. Thirdly, that the faithful in a holy kind of humility seem either to deny or at least lessen and extenuate the good works they have done; we are taught hereby, that in doing of good, specially in giving of our Alms, The right hand must not know what the left hand doth. So far must we be from boasting, that we must even distrust and doubt in ourselves, that we have not discharged our duty in that behalf, as we ought to do as who knows the best of us all come far to short. Lastly, we are taught how excellent things they are, if they be done in faith, and in the fear of God: to feed the hungry, to cloth the naked: not that all the works of mercy & charity are here numbered, or any certain number observed, but only these few are named, for example's sake, to show us that mercy must be used, where man's misery doth need it, and withal we must make a difference, betwixt those duties which we do as we are men, and those that we do, as we are Christian men: therefore what soever good we do unto gods Saints we must do it in, & for Christ's sake: though it be but a gift of a cup of cold water in his name, we shall not lose our reward (though not rewarded of merit & desert but of mercy & grace) God of his mercy make us mindful of those duties, to perform them as he shall enable us, otherwise we must look for no mercy at his hands, but shall be sure to hear that which shall be pronounced to them on the left hand, I was an hungered, & ye gave me no meat: I thirsted and ye gave me no drink: And then though we will excuse the matter never so cunningly, & allege that we never saw Christ hungry, or a thirst, because we would not see Christ in his poor members, being in that case, because we would shut up our compassion from the poor, & turn our eyes from our own flesh, because our religion was only but in outward profession, no lively fruits of faith budding forth: because we would not visit the widow & the fatherless in their adversity, and keep ourselves unspotted of the world, nay because while we lived in this world: we did wrong the widow, & the fatherless, and grind the faces of the poor: therefore as we have done, so shall it be done unto us: the same measure that we shall measure unto others, the same shall be measured unto us again There shall be judgement merciless, ●am. 2.13. to him that showeth no mercy: but mercy contrariwise shall rejoice against judgement. Finally, our Saviour repeateth the sum of both sentences again, lest happily we have for gotten them: as too of en we do. Math 25. vlt. And these (saith Christ) shall go into everlasting pain, & the righteous into life eternal. That is, those graceless Goats, those merciless misers, those miserable miscreants, that have had no fear of God before their eyes, no compassion on their brethren that have hated to be reproved, that have had their whole swing in sin, & wearied themselves in vanity, they 〈◊〉 all be sent packing into everlasting pain. But the righteous, that is, those that have apprehended the righteous esse of Christ, jesus by a true & lively faith, & have repent & endeavoured to leave sin, before sin leave them, those that have brought forth the timely fruits of repentance, with an ardent zeal unto God's glory, and a burning charity unto their poor brethren these shall go presently into life eternal: by which two words life eternal and pain everlasting is certainly noted the perpetual and endless continuance of the joys of the godly and torments of the damned in the world to come never to have end. But it may be, some will say, that we post on with these two sentences to fast, Christ will use a greater moderation before he proceed to sentence, there is mention made in the scripture of books that must be opened. It is true indeed, Daniel saith, The judgement was set; Dan. 7.10. and before sentence is given, the books are opened. Saint john likewise in the Revelation when he saw the dead both great and small stand before God, saith, that the books were opened, and an other book was opened, Reu. 20.12. which he calleth the book of life. The Book of life I take to be the hidden and unreveiled knowledge of God, concerning those whom he hath appointed to life and salvation. And this Book is not for me, or any mortal man to look into: by the other books, I suppose are meant the consciences of all men in general, and of every one in particular which shall either excuse, or accuse us at that day. These books also are very secret books laid up in the Closet of every man's heart. And I have no skill to read in any of them, but in mine own. Indeed they are books of account, which every one must be careful to keep, until this great day of reckoning come. They are also Books of record, wherein are written all the things that we have done in this life whether they be good or evil: and at that day shall be laid open in Fancy curiae, in the view, and open fight of men and Angels. Then shall be verified that saying of our Saviour in the Gospel: Nothing is so secret that shall not be evident, neither any thing hid that shall not be known, and come to light. Wherefore it behoveth every one to have a special regard of these books, and to covet evermore with the Apostle to have a clear conscience, which is as the wise Man saith, a continual feast, for if our consciences condemn us not, then have we boldness towards God, saith Saint john: contrariwise, saith that Apostle, If thy heart and conscience accuse thee, God is greater than thy heart and knoweth all things. If thy conscience be against thee, it will be mill testes, more than a thousand witnesses. These consciences of ours beloved, which now we think we can stretch and strain as we please, are the books of record, which then must be opened: either to excuse or condemn us: and thereupon sentence shall be given accordingly. My admonition therefore is, that all business laid aside, the next private leisure, that ever we have, let us overwiew again and again, these books of reckoning, & see that the accounts be perfect: where there is any defect, let it be amended without delay: for God knoweth, how soon these books may be called for to be opened, and then it will be too late to amend, the least blot, or fault that is in them. Let us follow the counsel of the Apostle to accuse and condemn ourselves in this world, that so we may be acquitted, and not condemned in that fearful judgement. And this I hope may suffice to be spoken of this matter, concerning the glory of Christ his coming and the manner of the judgement The eight Chapter wherein is entreated of Sobriety, Watchfulness, and Prayer. IT might seem that saint Peter had very well discharged his duty in forwarning the world of the danger to come, towards the end thereof: in saying the end of all things is at hand. But that holy Apostle like a careful Physician not contented to warn us, that we fall not into a dangerous disease of security: doth with all readiness & diligence prescribe unto us a marvelous good medicine, for them that are already sick in that disease: & the same may also serve as a pure preservative to keep those that are more sound, from the infection thereof: exhorting us unto sobriety, watchfulness and prayer. As if he should say, The end of all things is at hand, and the judge is at the door ready to take vengeance, of all ungodliness and intemperancy. By ye therefore sober. The day of his coming is altogether uncertain. Be ye therefore vigilant & watchful. If this be to hard for frail flesh to perform, fly unto Prayer, which maketh the hardest things easy to be done. Be ye sober, 1. Pet. 4 7. and watch unto Prayer. Of either of these three briefly. Sobriety, Watchfulness, and Prayer. Of Sobriety, or temperancy, we have heretofore spoken sufficiently I trust, to instruct them that are godly and in love with that virtue, it is the fourth link in Saint Peter's Chain. In this place therefore by way of digression, I will endeavour to speak briefly of Intemperancy the very bane & cut-throat of all Christianity, and Piety, and a most cruel enemy unto all good government and policy. There is a saying, Nemo laeditur nisi a se ipso, every man is the worker of his own woe: I pray God the general intemperancy of this land do not viperlike eat out the bowels thereof. The stinging of a Viper they say at the first, doth yield a certain tickling delight to all the outward senses; but assoon as the infected blood comes to the heart, presently the body is in danger of death: what pleasing delight is daily taken in intemperancy by all the senses, I mean by all sorts and sexts of people in this land, as in other places of the worlds it may better be felt then seen: when Paul had but one viper on his hand, Acts. 28. 4● all the standers by looked that he should have fallen down dead presently. But this country being stung with the venom of vipers, I mean all kind of filthy vices, not in the band only, but in every part of the body, yet no man feareth the ruin or fall thereof. Most true it is, that we which li●e in the latter end of this last age of the world live in the time, and under the climate of all intemperancy, I hope the end is the nearer at hand to redress all that is amiss: my mind is not, and if my mind would serve time would not suffer me, particularly to point out all the sins of intemperancy, that abonnd at this day every where among us. There are four cardinal sins upon the which also the rest do hang, Pride, Covetousness, Whoredom, Drunkenness: which for their swiftness in running over the world, may well be compared to the four wheels of the devils chariot, in the which chariot, he daily carrieth cartload of souls into hell. These sins together with the other sins of Sodom, tumble in one on another's back, like the waves of the Sea: there is neither mean nor measure kept in any of them. Only lest I should slander any with the truth in drinking, they say, they have Law as strong as the Law of the Medes, and Persians, that every one must drink by measure: but without any mean: they must drink off all their measure, and leave none: yea I hear, and I have only heard of it, that our new dubbed ale knights whereof we have great store in the country, enough to ransack any city in Spain, if they were unarmed of their Ale, & well marshaled, do in their daily drink to their measure of drink, add a certain set number of words, which may be termed the tossepots watchword, and therein not only take their delight, but many of them spend their whole thrift at the Alehouse, leaving their wives & familise alone uncarde for: so they may sit singing & swinging themselves in good Ale, from morning to night, it is all that they care for: and all the good or rather evil they desire to do except it be, also to rail at those that be good, and that are wont to reprove them for this their beastliness. This measurable drinking or rather unmeasurable and unreasonable quaffing, & carousing, whereof I have also spoken in the first Chapter, will, nay already doth, begin to breed a great scarcity of Corn and grain in our Country. It cannot be denied, but that there are already many good laws in force to punish those daily drunkards: but never worse executed then at this day: and some are of good hope, that there shall be straighter and more severe Laws provided against drunkenness. For I verily think, (and I wish experience prove it not to be true) that drunkenness is more hurtful and dangerous to this Commonwealth, wherein we live, then common theft, and therefore I pray God to put it into the hearts of all good Common weals men, specially those that are in high places, and authority to use all good means for the redressing thereof: and before better or straighter Laws be enacted to give straighter charge to all other inferior officers, to execute with all severity, as in a matter of great necessity appertaineth, the laws of our land already provided, which hitherto of a long time have been very much neglected at least in some quarters of this Country, which will surely grow to a greater disease than many think off, if it be not the sooner cured: which thing hath caused me often to speak, and now to write more against this vice of drunkenness both here, and in the first Chapter, than many happily will think it fit and convenient to be spoken of in so small a treatise: howbeit if my words prevail any thing to the kill of this stinging viper drunkenness, I will confess, I have spoken enough: if nothing, that I have written too much, except for the discharge of mine own conscience. And as for the three other capital vices of intemperancy, Pride, Covetousness, and Whoredom, I think they may be compared to the heads of Hydra, for every head that is cut off by the sword of the Preachers (for other punishment there is little or none) there spring up an hundred in the place, in such sort that Preachers are almost wearied any longer to flourish their swords of God's word to cut downetheir sins except it would please the godly Magistrate to draw out of their sheaths or scabbards their sharpest swords of justice which in particular Sheaths, I fear are waxen rusty for want of use: and so to join their armies and forces together to kill or at least to keep down, those monstrous Hydra's, which otherwise are like to spoil & devour this little land. Let it therefore be looked unto betimes, for fear we repent too late, for there is no danger compared to that danger which is not feared. Cities, and Countries, Towns, and Villages, do every where stink with these filthy and beastly sins, Pride, Covetousness, Whoredom, Drunkenness: Pride, must needs have Covetousness as a mistress to maintain her: and Drunkenness must have Whoredom and Lechery for a handmaid to attend on her: Sine Cerere, & Baccho friget Venus, Wine and women, make many men runagates: Pride, and Riot, causeth many to sell their Patrimonies. Covetousness is the root of all evil, and never deeper rooted then at this day in the hearts of wicked worldlings: whoredom, fornication and Sodomitry, to speak nothing of profaning of the Saboth, blasphemies, swearing, and perjury, are sins that daily cry unto the heavens for punishment. These, these sins of intemperancy, have almost expelled out of our coasts all love, faith, and fidelity: and it is greatly to be feared, except we repent and amend our lives speedily, that the heavy wrath of God will fall upon us shortly, in a more general manner than heretofore. As for the particular punishments, what heart so hard is there, that cannot rue every where to hear the most lamentable cries and pitiful moans that are made in every part of this land for the most strong & unheard of fires and burnings, which not casually as heretofore, but by all probabilities, and by the confession of many, immediately sent down from the heavens upon many towns in this Land within these few years (I may say months) burning and consuming most strongly, not only men's houses, but also their corn, cattle, and substance, nothing almost to be saved, where these fearful fires have once adventured, wherein also, which is most lamentable, many men, women, & children, have been burned into ashes, & the flames not to be quenched, until it hath utterly consumed that for which it was sent: which doubt●●● doth preach unto us better than any tongue can utter or pen describe, that the God of heaven is grievously offended for those sins of intemperancy, & for contempt of his word, which now reigneth every where among us. And what else may these fearful fires persuade us unto, but that the everlasting fires are also at hand to burn the world for sin, and after all sinful men that will not be warned in that burning lake, that never shall be quenched. Here also we might call to remembrance and I would to God there were some catalogue made thereof, that we might remember them, how many and sundry ways within these few years, God hath and yet doth not cease to forewarn us of his wrath extraordinarily, and as it were from heaven. What a peal of shot was that in the year, 1588. which did ring the land throughout, to waken them that were a sleep in security, but rumours of wars nor wars itself, will not warn us, not make us to beware. But this noise 〈◊〉 shot you say was but a beating of the 〈◊〉 about us & could not come near to 〈◊〉 us. Well be it so, yet give God the pra●●● that kept it from us. But if that noye do nothing move us, because it was but round about us: what say ye then to these terrible thunders that we have had, and heard these late years, yea this last year, which made even the heavens as it were to crack above us, besides many extraordinary winds and tempests? And also what think ye of the fearful Earthquakes seen and felt in many quarters of our Country, as else where? as if the Centre of the earth would sink under us, and as though it were over burdened with our sins of intemperancy: yet if these things cannot move us, because the thunder you will say was over our heads, and the Earthquake under our feet, what yet will ye say to those hot thunderbolts? which that angry jehovah did cast down from heaven, and killed many cattle in our Country: 〈…〉 to speak nothing of people: and will you think any thing of him? that in the midst of this last Summer, did give hail for rain, yea, such hail in quanti●ie and bigness, as it is incredible to re●●●●, as great and as fearful hail, I suppose, as ever fell in the land of Egypt. ●●●, also with these hails he sent flames of fire in our land, and with the force of that hail, broke down many trees or boughs of trees, and destroyed much corn and grain in our coasts, beating it into the ground, as dung and stubble, so that neither corn nor straw, was to be saved where this storm did fall. These are no fables, neither would I put them into these papers: if I knew it not to be true, many can swear it, as I have said it. But Pharaohs heart is still hardened: & English Egyptians will not be warned. These things, say they, have passed, but in some places, and have done little harm in respect of a general calamity: to make the worst of it say some, it hath hurt and spoiled but some private men's goods, and cattle, or corn, their bodies and lives have been spared. Thank we the goodness of God for that, & learn with all, that the devil had first his commission granted for to destroy jobs goods, job. 1.6.7 cattle, and children, that pleased him not; he came for a new commission to the King of heaven for to touch his body, he obtained it also: at length no doubt would have come for a third, for his life, if job had not been very holy, full of patience and piety. But here let us pause a while; have we had indeed no general calamities fallen upon our country within these few years, and have our bodies always been spared? indeed we are very forgetful, especially if it be any thing that may be good for our souls, What then I beseech you was that general and unusual plague and pestilence, which in more than posthaste passed through all this land in a very short time, which brought news of the Portugal action? And it is thought, there was not any city, town or parish almost in England, which heard not the sound of this packeds horn, albeit we have now forgotten it: you may also call to remembrance if you please, that direful dearth of corn and grame, that followed hard almost to the heels of this pestilential pest, as though the other had not done his message sufficiently enough: such an unmerciful dearth I think was never heard of in the memory of man to be in this land, specially seeing the price of corn was so enhanced on the sudden, not so much for want of grain in many places, as for want of grace in the hearts of many hungry hellhounds, which were never satisfied with any price, until they had sucked out the blood of their brethren. By means whereof followed so fearful a famine, that some were compelled to make bread of straw, other to die in the streets for want of food, and such a heavenly hunger (for so some have called it) that the bellies of many people were insatiable, because they wanted as I suppose that hid treasure of Gods secret blessing upon that bread which they did eat, without which blessing, neither bread, though it be called the staff or strength of man, neither any food else whatsoever, is of any more force than a stone to feed us, which when God will, he is able to turn it into bread for the good of his children, though Christ would not do it to tempt God at the request of the Devil. This doctrine may reach us while we live, Mat. 3.4. not only to pray for our daily bread, but chief to pray for god's blessing upon our bread & food which he giveth, and to praise his Majesty for it, when we have received it, which the godly call saying of grace, both before & after meat, which thing the godless scoff at, & the manners of the multitude will hardly be brought to perform it, though preachers every where persuade them to it, & therefore it is to be feared they may smart for it again here after by the like punishment of dearth, & famine, (which the Lord in his mercy deliver us from) when God in his justice shall call our unthankfulness (among many other sins) in remembrance before him. And withal, this shall not be the least comfort to the godly poor that are often times pinched with penury: if they be well assured and persuaded that even in their greatest wants, God will not fail to provide for them, if they be faithful & fervent in prayer, 1. Kings 17 4. & 12. either to command the Ravens to feed them, as he did Elias, either by increasing the oil in the Cruse and the flower in the Pitcher, as the widow of Sareptas was: or if at any time, as many times it falleth out, they want their daily bread, which the King of heaven hath commanded his earthly Stewards to give them: yet will God either feed them with some other pulse or sustenance to their good content and liking, which was daniel's far, or at leastwise he will stay the rage of their hungry bellies, as he did the mouths of those hungry Lions, that otherwise would have devoured that Prophet of God. In a word, let not any of God's children, in any distress whatsoever doubt of the fatherly providence of our God, who haply may pinch us, but will not suffer us to perish, who feedeth the young Ravens that cry unto him, and shall he not hear his children that trust in him and call upon him? Yes verily, let us be assured, Psal. 104.21. for it is the word of truth, that saith, The righteous shall never be forsaken. Again, The lions lack and suffer hunger, but they that fear the Lord, shall want nothing that is good. God make us faithful and thankful, and continue us in his fear. Thus have we now seen, how God hath not ceased oftentimes to warn us to beware of sin, and if by those punishments already passed, we will not learn to be wise, but walk on still in the stubbornness of our own hearts: Levi. 26. then will God punish us yet seven times more according to our sins, and still will add seven unto seven, as he threateneth, 26. of Leviticus, until we be utterly consumed in our sins, or have stayed his judgement by unfeigned repentance. And this I hope may serve to be spoken (as indeed I have spoken much more of this point, than I thought of at the beginning) concerning the sins of intemperancy, or any other sins that are contrary to so brietie, and far unfitting those people, that truly profess Christianity, grounding my speech upon the exhortation of S. Peter, be ye sober, and much agreeable to that exhortation of Saint Paul, Titus. 2.11. The grace of God hath appeared, teaching us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to line soberly, righteously, and godly, while we live in this world: and then we shall be sure to live for evermore in the world to come. The next point I promised to speak of in this Chapter, is of Christian watchfulness, and vigilancy, which is so much commended unto us in the scripture: and is by S. Peter opposed against that great sin of careless security, in whose cradle it is to be feared, most people will be lulled a sleep, towards the end of the world: of which point of vigilancy, I will endeavour to speak briefly, and so hasten to the last point, which is Prayer, whereunto watchfulness must be joined. And first of all, forasmuch as there is so often mention made in the Scripture of this virtue of vigilancy or watchfulness, it shall not be amiss for us, briefly to consider what it is, that is commended unto us by that word: the word is often used by our Saviour himself, specially when he is giving warning of his second coming. In the 12. of Luke he saith, Luk. 12.35. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait or watch for their Master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find waking. Verily I say unto you, he will gird himself about, and make them to sit down at table, and will come forth and serve them. And if he come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and shall find them so, blessed are those servants. Now understand this also, saith Christ, that if the good man of the house had known at what hour the thief would have come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be digged thorough. Be ye also prepared therefore, for the Son of man will come in an hour when ye think not. The like is said in the Revelation, Beholds I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth. And in the 13. Mark. 13.34. of Mark. The Son of man saith Christ, is as a man going into a strange Country, and leaveth his house, and giveth authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commandeth the Porters to watch: Watch therefore for ye know not when the master of the house will come: at even or at midnight: at the Cocke-crowing, or in the dawning, lest if he come suddenly he should find you sleeping, By these and many other places which willingly for brevities sake, I omit, it is very evident what it is, that is commended unto us, by this word watch, verily nothing else but a Christian and careful heedfulness in our several callings, in as much as Christ saith every one hath his work or task appointed him, as (the Apostle saith) Let every one wherein he is called even so abide with God: Now, like as in Kings and Noble men's houses, there are divers and sundry offices, one is Controller, and another Steward, some standing at the gate, and all other officers labouring in their several business, waiting for the return of their Master: So likewise the King of heaven Christ jesus who for a time, leaving this earthly Country, appointed his officers in this world, some as controllers to reprove, some as Stewards to provide for the family, some as Porters to keep the gate, others as labourers or workmen in their several charges, every one hath his place where he must abide, not idle or sleepy, but careful and watching the return of their Master: blessed then shall that servant be, whom when his Master cometh, shall find waking, that is, well occupied: but if any of these shall say in a careless and contemptuous security, surely my Master will defer his coming, & leaving his own place or duty, shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken, his Master shall come in a time when he is not aware, & shall hue him in pieces, and give him his portion with hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Here hence then we are first taught that every one in this world, aswell the highest as the lowest, is but an officer unto the king of heaven, and shall one day give an account of his office. Secondly we are here taught, that every officer hath this peculiarly appropriate unto him, besides his office or work, namely, to watch for the coming of his Lord: and therefore it is, that sometime we are compared unto porters, who must watch at the gates of our consciences, that the devil step not in to steal away our souls: sometimes unto soldiers, who watch in the field, waiting for the coming of the enemy: sometimes unto guests, as the old manner was in the east country, to watch for the coming of the Bridegroom. And that all are commanded to watch, lest any should think themselves excepted, it is proved by that conclusion of our Saviour in Mark: Mark. 13.37 And those things that I say unto you (saith Christ) I say unto all men, watch, which watchfulness is not opposed against natural sleep: for it is a metaphorical speech: but against that careless security, that usually doth fall upon all men in their several callings. Thirdly we are hereby plainly taught, that there should be none in this world without one office or other, if they will account themselves servants to this great king: for if they have not some office of their own, they must either be idle, which is accompanied with many mischiefs, or they must be il occupied, which is worse, or they must be meddling with other men's offices, and duties, which is worst of all. Contrariwise here are hardly taxed all those that are called unto any office, and wait not on their office, whether in the magistracy, or in the ministry: nay that endeavour not to do all the good they can in their offices and places; not hiding, but making some gain of each talon committed unto them. Secondly, all those, wheresoever they are placed, either in church or common weal are reproved, what calling soever they are of, that sleep in security, & watch not for the coming of their Master. Thirdly those multitudes of people, that live idle as drones, & have no calling, but flying from place to place, like flies that will have a taste of every thing, or il occupied like filthy ducks, that ever live in the puddle of sin. Fourthly all those are not a little to be blamed, neither shall in the world to come escape unpunished, who when they shall hear or do any goodness, are always a sleep, or in a slumber: but to hurt or beguile their brethren, are ever waking, who are very ready to carouse and play, but have no skill to watch and pray: who can most willingly spend days & weeks to win worldly wealth, but think one hour in a week to long, & too much, to be spared for the winning of their souls. Last of all for a conclusion, as every one of us are commanded to stand upon our guard, heedfully to watch the Castle of our bodies, wherein the treasure of our souls are enclosed: so there is not any one of us, but have a secret watch within us continually to waken us, and to give us warning, which is the watchor Clock of our own consciences, spoken of in the Chapter before: many are desirous to carry watches or clocks in their bosoms, to give them warning how time passeth away, let us therefore above allthings have regard unto this watch, which we carry with us, wheresoever we go, which doth always run aswell by night as by day, and giveth a check every minute, and doth never stand still, except it be to rusty, and altogether choked with the filth of sin. This watch will both warn us, & forewarn us, check us, and cherish us: warn us for any fault passed; forewarn & advise us to avoid dangers to come: check us, and chide us, for falling into sin: comfort and cherish us in doing any thing that is good. These watches therefore are of more worth, than worldlings can account of: they are these goodly Geese, which always rest in the Capitol or market place of our minds, who with their only crying, if it be well marked, keep the city of our souls from sacking: to these if we hearken diligently, we shall not lightly fall into any deadly sleep of sin, Acts. 20. ● as the young man Eutichus did, though Paul continue his preaching until midnight: but rather shall be ready at midnight, while the godly slumber, and the wicked sleep: & 12, 7 and when the cry is made come unto the wedding, to strike us in the side, as the Angel did Peter in the prison, to wake us, & warn us with the wise Virgins, to take our lamps, prepared with the oil of faith, and flaming with the fire of love in our hands, and so to enter in with the Bridegroom, into that great marriage of the Lamb, before it be too late, and the doors be shut: at what time it shall be said to the foolish virgins, that had no oil in their lamps, and unto all the rest, which would not be married betimes, by these clocks of their conso●●ences, but would spend all their time in the sleep of sin, and security, and had no care to watch for the coming of their Master: to all these (I say) when they shall stand without, and knock for mercy, when it is the time of justice, the judge himself shall say unto them, depart hence, I know ye not, ye workers of iniquity. Wherefore let us hearken betimes unto this gracious watchword and forewarning of Saint Peter, Be ye sober and watch: But because he had learned by his own experience, the weakness and frailness of man's nature, even those that are best minded, and that we (as the Apostles in the Garden) are never more heavy and sleepy, then when dangers are nearest, therefore unto Christian watchfulness, he counseleth to add faithful prayer, saying, Be sober, and watch: unto prayer the like counsel he giveth us in another place, when he warneth us of the coming of our enemy, saying, Be ye sober and watch, for your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lion, seeketh whom he may devour, whom resist (saith he) steadfastly in the faith, the force of which faith must appear in our prayers. This Lesson also had Peter learned of our Saviour Christ, who told him and other the Apostles, that though the Spi●● were sometimes willing, yet that the flesh is always weak, and therefore willeth us to watch and pray. And the same lesson doth our Saviour continually teach us, specially when he telleth us, Mark. 13. that the end of the world is at hand, saying, Take heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is. And again elsewhere he saith, Watch and pray continually, Luk. 21. ●. that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things, and that ye may stand before the Son of man. Prayer is a chief part of that Panoplia or complete harness, which the Apostle Saint Paul, in the sixth to the Ephesians, Ephe. 6. ● doth charge every Christian Soldier daily to put on, or, being put once on, never to put it off any more: the reason is, because so long as we live in the field of this world, we must a ways look our enemy in the face, and never turn the back: Therefore also it is that the Apostle hath appointed us no harness for our hinder parts. Again we must never unarm ourselves, because there is never no truce to be taken with our adversary, who continually seeketh to kill us, as well, or rather, by night, then by day● aswell in Winter, as in Summer. Against because we wrestle not only with fle●● and blood, which are our daily and domestical enemies, and must always be kept under as bondslaves, which naturally seek to conspire against us: But also, as the Apostle saith, Against principalities, against powers, and against the worldly governors, the prince of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickednesses, which are in the high places: For this cause we must take unto ourselves, the whole armour of God, that we may be able to resist in the evil day: That is every day when we are tempted, and having many fights, we must still stand upon our stations or guard, With our loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, And our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace: Above all, we must take the shield of faith, wherewith we may quench all the fiery darts of the Devil: We must also take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: And yet all this is too little, therefore the Apostle addeth, And pray always with all manner Prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watch thereunto with all perseverance: So that we are taught how we must be harnessed from top to toe (as they say) as many as are Christ's soldiers, they must not come naked unto this fight, neither must they only put on their armour or harness, but they must also take weapons in their hands; the sword of the spirit to strike at the devil, if he come near, and the pike of prayer to keep him off, that he do not assault them: And these weapons if the skill of them be well known, are both offensive and defensive; they will as well stick and wound the adversary, as defend us from the force of his blows, when he striketh towards us, yea believe it (dear christian) though the Devil play the Lion when he is not resisted, yet if thou come towards him, as did David towards Goliath, with these weapons in thine hand, he will soon flee from thee, as S. james saith, and be afraid of thee, and even quake for fear, jam 4.7. as doth the Lion at the crowing 〈◊〉 a cock, for as the roaring of a Lion, ●righteth the beasts of the forest, so doth the prayers of the faithful profligat or drive to flight the devils of hell: faithful prayer therefore is to be considered chief in these two respects; the one is, the great need and necessity of it, that we may not be without it: the other is, the fruit & profit that it bringeth with it, if it be daily and continually used: the necessity whereof we see already, in that it is one of out chiefest weapons, wherewith we must evermore be fight; if happily at any time the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God be forgotten behind, or laid up in our closet, as the sword of David was behind the Ephod; and the door of our remembrance locked, and the key lost for a time, yet prayer must always be present, and never be forgotten behind; therefore it is that we are so oftentimes exhorted in the scriptures to pray continually, and always give thanks for benefits received, not that we should do nothing else but pray, but to teach us that whatsoever we do else, either at home or abroad, we must if we please use prayer with it, either publicly or privately, either in word or in thought, yea the very secret groanings of the godly at all times are acceptable unto God, and to teach us also that every good thing we take in hand shall prosper the better for prayer, yea things Adiaphora, things indifferent, yea even our sports and recreation, such as the wicked use profanely, may by the godly be used holily by the benefit of prayer. 1. Tim 4.5. All things (saith the Apostle) are sanctified by the word of God and prayer: that is, as I take it all indifferent things, such as in themselves are neither good nor evil, are sanctified to the use of godly men, for things that are ever good, are ever sanctified, and things that are merely evil can never be made good, only the evilness that is in them, may be avoided and taken away, and so the thing that was evil before, may in a sort be changed into goodness; & all this is done by the word of God and prayer, through the mighty working of the holy & sanctifying spirit of God. Prayer therefore (I say) must be present with the children of God at all times, & the praises of God must be in their mouths continually, for as a soldier without weapon, so is a christian without prayer, and as water is the life of a fish, so is prayer the life of the fou●e: As Samson was soon overcome by the Philistines when he once cut off his hair, wherein his strength was: so these devilish Philistines will soon come upon us, if once they see us to neglect or cast away prayer, wherein our spiritual strength consisteth. For this cause the necessity of prayer is not only commended unto us in scripture, by sundry precepts, 〈◊〉 Psal. 50.15 Mat. 11.28. as Call upon me in the day of trouble, & I will hear thee (saith God) & thou shalt praise me. And again, come unto me all that travel and are heavy laden with the burden of sin, I will ease ye, Mat. 7.7. I will refresh ye●. And seek, ask, knock, which teacheth us that we must continue in prayer, and many such like precepts, but also it is most of all commended unto us by example, which is a most forcible kind of teaching: what meaneth that continual course of prayer, and the spending of whole nights in prayer by our saviour, but to commend unto us the necessity of prayer? No sooner did that good disciple, who soever he was desire our Saviour to teach his disciples to pray, as john before had taught his, but presently his godly desire is graciously granted, Mat. 6.2. and a most perfect pattern and right form of prayer is prescribed by Christ himself, whereby all the prayers of the Saints must ever be squared, wherein the Lord did not only teach us to pray, but prescribed a form evermore to be used. The Apostles succeeding him, as all the patriarchs and holy prophets going before, do by their singular examples, highly commend the sweet exercise of godly prayer unto all God's children, till the end of the world: and therein is not only to be considered the necessity, but also the efficacy & fruit of prayer, which is the other point that I note. Holy Enoch the scripture saith, Gen. 5.24 He walked with God, that is, was ever conversant, and as it were talking with God by faithful prayer, for they that pray faithfully talk with God, as they that read the scriptures devoutly, God talketh with them: jam. 2: 23 what shall we speak of Abraham the father of the faithful, who is called The friend of God, God did so favourably hear his prayers that he made unto him so that he was content to feast with him at his instant entreaty. Of Isaac praying, Gen 24.60 as saith the Text, in the field, when his wife Rebecca was sent by God unto him: Gen: 28.20 what of jacob, whose prayer procured him a prosperous journey, & preserved him from all dangers? What shall we speak of Moses that man of God? whose prayers prevailed mightily with the Lord, Psa. 106.33 otherwise the Lord would have destroyed the children of Israel at once. 〈…〉 And of joshua, at whose prayer, the Sun stood still in Gibeon, and the Moon in the valley Auieloth, till the Israelites were revenged of God's enemies: So true is that saying of Saint james: The prayer of a faithful man availeth much, jam. 5.16.17.18. if it be fervent And proposeth Elias for an example, whose instant and faithful prayer, did lock & unlock the heavens (as it were) wi●h a key, that they dropped no rain, in three years and six months, and again, at his prayer the heavens gave rain abundantly. I should be too tedious to recite all the examples. 1. King. 3.9 Let Solomon be remembered, who prayed for wisdom, rather than for gold, and God gave him his desire, above all that ever were before him. judg. 16.30 Let not Samson be forgotten, though he once lost his strength, as all God's Saints do one time or other, more or less, yet as soon as he had recovered a little strength again in a time convenient, he fell unto prayer, and presently pulled down the house, where God's enemies were assembled: He killed more Philistines now saith the text, with prayer and little strength, than he did in all the time of his life before, when happily prayer was neglected, and he too confident in worldly strength. The story of Daniel we know is famous, who prayed three times a day to his God, that is, the God of heaven, at that time also, when it was present death for him so to do, and see how wonderfully God delivered him from all his enemies, and from the jaws of the Lions. David a man chosen after Gods own heart, and a king, though troubled with wars, and other most serious affairs, yet forgot not to pray evening and morning, & at noon tide, and the Lord heard his prayer: his prayers and his praises in the psalms can never be praised nor perused sufficiently. The Apostle in the Acts, Act. 2.46. & the Saints of God assemble themselves together, and continue with one accord in prayer, for prayer, whether it be public or private, must be void of discord: public dissension hinders very much the public prayers in the church: a thing greatly to be lamented in our times, and private discords let and hinder private persons, at home in their houses, from those sweet exercises of prayer and praising of God, with Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs in private families, as true Christianity requireth. And as james the Apostle exhorteth, if we be in adversity, or in any grief or necessity, then to use that part of prayer, which is called petition, if mercy and in prosperity, then to sing Psalms, which is the other part of prayer and thanksgiving: though I know petition is also included in the psalms, and giving of thanks, not seldom used with out singing both in public, and in private, nevertheless they must ever be free from discord and dissension. Therefore S. Peter, 1. pet, 3.7 when he dissuadeth married couples, to live without discord, he addeth this for a special reason, that your prayers be not hindered: for God, to whom only we must present our prayers, by the means of Christ, not to saints or Angels, is a God of peace, therefore only heareth the prayers of them that be in love & peace with God and man: with God by faith and true repentance, with men, by a christian reconciliation and godly agreement. Therefore Paul sayeth, Men must pray every where, lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting. 1 Ti. 2, 8 Thus did the Apostles and saints of God in the primitive church pray faithfully and zealously together in love and concord, and see the fruit and force of their prayers. The holy Ghostfell upon them, and the places did shake oftentimes under them, in token of joy, and to assure them that their prayers were pleasing unto God. But stay, let me mark how I proceed on; I had thought that I had even run my prefixed course, & might here have cast ancher, but looking better about, I cannot see the shore, nor the haven wherein I would willingly harbour. By that which hath been spoken, we may a little perceive the use and necessity of prayer, and we shall be the better persuaded thereof by daily trying and considering of our own weakness & wants, also the daily miseries & calamities both public & private, which hang over our heads, and the mighty force and crafts of our adversaries, both spiritual and temporal, against whom we must continually fight by prayers, according to the saying; Arma ecclesiae sunt preces & lacrimae: The best armour and weapons of the faithful, are prayers made with tears, which tears so shed are not lost, for God will put them up in his bottle. By that I say, which hath been said before, the necessity of prayer may partly be perceived: but as for the force and efficacy thereof, though in the forenamed examples, some thing do appear, and the sweetness of comfort and contentation, that it daily stireth up in the hearts of God's children, I persuade myself they may be far better perceived, then expressed, for what is prayer else to them that know how to pray effectually? but even a most familiar talk of man with God, by the means of Christ. What other thing is prayer? but an opening & unfolding of our minds unto God, to make our moans unto him in all our miseries, even as do dear and obedient children, unto their most loving and most merciful father, to pray unto him for whatsoever we want necessary for soul and body, with full assurance to be heard, if it be for his glory & our good, and to praise his Majesty continually for all his benefits. And if at any time our prayers seem not to be heard at first, as oftentimes it falleth out, than we are also assured, that he doth either deny them for our good, and will give us better things, when it pleaseth him, or else for a time delaieth and deferreth our petition, to the end he may the better try our obedience, prove our patience,, and confirm us in perseverance: which three virtues being knit together, make that cable of three twistes, which being tied fast to the anchor of faith, can never be broken. God in hearing and granting our prayers, is like (as S. Jerome compares him) unto a faithful Physician, that will suffer his sick patient to cry long enough, if he call for things that are hurtful for his health, yet notwithstanding, hath more care of his good and recovery, than the patiented hath of himself and therefore it is, that these sweet sentences of S. Austen are to be regarded, who saith, Deus saepe non ex● audit ad voluntatem, ut exaudiat ad salutem, God oftentimes doth not hear us as we desire, but only as in his wisdom, he knoweth best for our health, and for our good. And again, the same father saith, Si non dat ad horam, etc. if God sometimes do seem not to hear presently, it is to exercise the petitioners, not because he despiseth our prayers. But what pen is able to express the profit and pleasure, the sweet comfort and consolation in soul and mind, that the children of God do feel in this holy exercise of prayer, if it be made with knowledge and conscience, with faith & feeling, without wrath or doubting, free from hypocrisy, and any popish conceit to be heard for our much babbling sake, against which vices our Saviour doth most sharply inveigh in the 6. of Matthew. And the Apostle doth plainly reprove that lip-labour, & bibble-babble, such as is yet used in the Romish churches, that is made in an unknown tongue, and so without knowledge and understanding, and therefore without fruit and profit: whereof I here give warning, lest any infected with these follies of Popery, should think themselves also commended that spend their whole time almost in praying upon their beads, and in mumbling of their Matins, and our Lady's Psalter, as they call it, which hath neither any sweetness, nor any godly savour in it, but altogether offensive unto God, and most dangerous for the health of their souls: but leaving them that also sin of ignorance, to God's mercy to be recalled; and their leaders to that judgement, which is pronounced against them, except they speedily repent. Let us return to finish our discourse, concerning the fruit and efficacy of prayer, as well public as private, and the rather I make mention of public prayer, because it is neglected of a great many which otherwise think themselves good professors of Christiavity, for I speak not here of open Recusantes, that are worthily blamed, and also punished for their indurate obstinacy, but I speak only of those, that will not come to public prayers, except there be preaching: how necessary it is, that there should be preaching in every congregation, what good man seethe not? what good Christian desireth it not? for it is the best external means, to teach us how to pray, and all other good duties whatsoever: but where one wanteth, must the other also be neglected? God forbidden, me thinks there is no reason to be yielded for it, except you will say, it is reason, that while a man is fight with his enemy, and his sword be broken off, or strooken out of his hand, he must therefore cast away the dagger too, and so suffer himself to be killed or stabbed presently. Have we not heard before, that prayer is that weapon, that must ever be present with us, both at home & abroad, both in private and in public? they therefore (for that is the common excuse) that will pray at home, or in private, whe● they may and will not come unto public prayers, are like unto some dastard● soldiers, who while the whole Camp is skirmishing, flourish their swords out a part by themselves, and yet think they have played the men sufficiently. I speak not against private prayer, but rather persuade all men unto it, but I speak only against those, that will not come at public prayers, where many soldiers together may do better service than a few alone. And also by the way, those may be noted, that all the times of public prayer, will be busied in their private prayer, as though they were soldiers of an other camp: and sometimes reading or pouring in a book, and that is used of many in time of preaching also, as though public prayer and preaching were not to be regarded: these abuses therefore, and many other which I cannot stand to rehearse, being avoided and eschewed, the force and fruit of faithful and zealous prayer, as well private as public, will be the better felt and perceived of all those that shall religiously and carefully accustom themselves unto it. Many I know have written most learnedly and excellently of the sweet fruit and efficacy of prayer, howbeit I persuade myself, that we may say of them, and of all others, that shall entreat thereof, as the Samaritans said to the woman, Io. 4.42. 1. King. 10.8. that brought them tidings of Christ; and as the Queen of Saba said of the domestical servants of Solomon, they do report most rare and surpassing pleasure, fruit and commodity, to be present at hand with this most singular and sweet exercise of prayer, yea things incredible to be reported, and therefore not to be believed of the greater part, but unto them that have seen Solomon in the face, and have heard the gracious words, that proceed out of his mouth, to them the one half is not reported, that they find true by their own experience, and cannot be expressed to others. I wish therefore every Christian soul, not to think to find the fruit of prayer demonstrated in paper, but to endeavour daily to feel the force thereof in themselves, by practice: and then let them tell me, whether this thing be not true that I have said. For what thing is there that our souls can wish or desire, if it be good for us, but may be obtained by prayer? What case or sort soever we be in, we may either be confirmed or comforted by prayer. What work or labour is there, which we take in hand, whether of soul or body, how hard soever it be, if it be agreeable to our callings, but may be achieved by prayer? In time of peace, prayer keepeth us in safety: In time of war, it getteth us the victory. In time of prosperity, it keepeth us from pride: In time of adversity, it keepeth us from despair. If we be in health, we may pray without pain: If we be sick, pray, and recover, as did Hezekiah: If we be rich, prayer increaseth our store: If we be poor, prayer maketh us rich, in content and goodness: If we be in authority, we have need to Pray for wisdom, courage, and gravity: If of the Commonalty, for obedience & loi altie: If we be Pastors, our prayers prevail for the people: If we be parishioners, we must pray and praise God, for, and with our Pastors. In a word, prayer is a present for a Prince, and is a delight for the painful ploughman: every man is delighted with the singing of the Nightingale, but no Nightingales song is so sweet in the ears of man, as the faithful prayers of the Saints, are in the ears of our God. Many commend contemplation, but prayer is the soul of the contemplative life. If thou be in company, thou mayest pray secretly: If alone, thou mayest pray sweetly: Whatsoever thou dost, or wheresoever thou goest, if prayer be thy guide, thou shalt be sure to prosper. If thou begin to loath these earthly vanities, prayer will bring into thy sight, the truest treasures: If thou once begin to mortify thy sinful affections, prayer perfumeth thy soul with most sweet consolation and joy in the holy Ghost: As the hill is the way to the mountains, and the means to ascend unto it, so prayer is the way to mortificacation: As gold, precious stones, and marble, do make the houses of Kings, so prayer doth build the temple of Christ that he may dwell in our hearts by the holy Ghost: As fire doth scour the rust of Iron, so prayer doth scour & cleanse our souls from the rust of sin: And as the joints of the body are bound together by nerves and sinews, so the souls of the righteous are established by prayer. Prayer therefore, for the force and efficacy thereof, is compared by one, to a fork, that expelleth all evil things from us, and to a hook, or crook, that pulleth down from heaven, all blessings, and good things upon us. If therefore thy foul seem at any time to be cloyed and clogged in the earthly tabernacle of thy body: the winds of prayer will carry it above the clouds, and conduct thee unto the palace of eternal pleasure. Pray therefore faithfully, and pray continually, and thou shalt be sure to have the presence and assistance of the glorious Trinity. Who therefore will not be in love with prayer, which pierceth the clouds, prevaileth with God, prospereth our affairs, at home, and abroad, by day, and by night, maketh us beloved of God and his Angels, bringeth sweet rest and peace to our bodies, and eternal rest and tranquillity to our souls: to our great comfort in this life, and to our endless joy in the world to come, when Christ jesus, our judge and Saviour, shall come in the clouds, to make an end of all mortal miseries: Who bless us all, and bring us at that day, into the sight of God his Father, that we may see his glory which he had with him, before the ●ld was made, by the gracious gui●e of his most holy and blessed spirit. which most holy and undevidable ●itie, one God of most glorious Ma●e, be rendered, of us, and all Saints and gels, in heaven, and in earth, all power ●d empire, all praise and glory, and thanksgiving, from this time forth, and for ever, Amen. FINIS. Laus Deo.