A SERMON preached in S. Peter's Church in Exeter the 6. day of December last: wherein is entreated of the second coming of ●hrist unto judgement, & of the end of the world. By john Chardon master of Art, and preacher of the word of God. 1. Pet. 4. vers. 7. Now the end of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober, and watching in prayer. Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree, by Thomas Dawson. 1580. To the right worshipful Sir Gawen Carew Knight, john Chardon wisheth prosperity in this life; and in Christ jesus our saviour, life everlasting. I Had no sooner ended this Sermon (rightworshipful) but some of my very familiar friends wished, and in manner urged me to commend the same ●o you, or to the good Lady your wife: unto whose request I thought good the rather to yield, for that I knew right well what store you made of the Word, Mat. 13.46 being a pearl of great price, a rich treasure, and ●n incomparable jewel, Mat. 13.44 the very ●ode of man's soul, the sword of ●he spirit, Eph. 6.17. Heb. 4.12. more sharp than any two ●dged sword, which entereth through, even unto the dividing sunder of the soul, and the spirit, and of the joints, and the maro● In consideration whereof, I off● this my poor travel unto you praying you to accept the same, as token of my good wil And albe● I cannot compare with the rich who of their superfluities are won to add unto the offerings of God yet I of my penury am willing with the poor widow, Luk. 21.2. to cast i● the substance I have, even the mit● to the augmentation of the treasury of the Lord. Which if I perceive to be accepted, your worship shall encourage me to greater traveles. And so I betake you to the Lord. Hevytre. The second of january. 1579. Yours in the Lord to be commanded I. Chardon. Hosea. 4.1. AVdite verbum Domini, filii Israel, quia judicium domino cum habitatoribus terrae: non est enim ●●ritas, & non est misericordia, & non est scientia Dei in terra. Maledictum & mendacium & homici●●● & furtum & adulterium inundaverunt, & ●●●guis sanguinem tetigit. Propter hoc lugebit ter●a, & infirmabitur omnis qui habitat in ea. Hoseae. 12.2. ●●dicium dominicum juda, & visitatio super jacob, ●●●ra vias eius. Ergo, quìd evigilas nummorum condere sacco●? Quídue modus rabidae nullus avaritiae? Quid gestis cupidè terras coniungere terris? Quìd te Mammonae possidet alta sitis? Quìd tibi concilias tam largo foenore nummos? Quìd spolias fratres (non miserande) tuos? Quìd iugulas teneros, quos Christus diligit, agnos? joan. 13.1 Quìd Christo charas (perdite) perdis oves? Quid non mendaces, quìd non mendacia linquis? Quìd violas magni jussa tremenda Dei? Quid tua non linquis periuria, furta, rapinas? Quìd tua sic lacerat livida lingua bonos? Quìd sic scortaris, quìd non piget ire Corinthu●●● Quìd fuscant oculos blanda venena tuos? Quìd non emendas mores, vestigia, gressus? Quì sibi vult tantus cultus, amórque mali? Quìd sic decurris furiosae more iuuencae? Quìd tollis cristas, terra cinísque, tuas? Quìd sic defectu miserorum corporalanguent? Horrea frumento quìd tua plena jacent? Quìd non producis granorum, durus, aceruos? Quìd sepelis tanti munera tanta Dei? Quìd Lazarum spernis, quem morte redemit jesus ●●ke. 16.21. Quídue tui superant te pietate canes? Quìd non scripturas voluis, medicamina vitae? Quìd non sacratum voluis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? Volue, revolve, precor: sic disces jussa jehovae: Sic bene compones ordine quaeque suo. Dudum terra fuit subito concussa tremore, Aduentus magni tessera certa Dei. Io. Chardon●s. Vigilate igitur, Mar. 13.35. (nescitis enim quando dominus domus veniet, vespere, an media nocte, an in gallicinio, an manè) ne quum repentè venerit, inveniat vos dormientes. 〈◊〉. 5.9. Quae autem dico vobis, omnibus dico, vigilate. Index ante ianuam adstat. 〈◊〉. 22.20. Dicit qui testatur ista: Etiam venio citò. Amen. Etiam veni, domine jesu. Luke, 21. vers. 25. THere shallbe signs in the Sun, & in the Moon, and in the stars, & in the earth, the people shallbe at their ●ittes end through despair. The sea & the water shall roar, and men's hearts shall fail them for fear, and for looking after those things which shall come on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall move. And then shall they see the son of man come in a cloud with power & great glory. When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. And he showed them a similitude: Behold the fig tree, and all other trees, when they shoot forth their buds, ye see, and know of your own selves, that summer is then nigh at hand. So likewise ye also, when ye see these things come to pass, be sure that the kingdom of God is nigh. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass. Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overcome with surfeiting, & drunkennese and cares of this life, and that that da● come not on you unwares. For as 〈◊〉 snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the earth. Watch therefore continually, and pray, that you may obtayn● grace to flee all this that shall come, an● that you may stand before the son o● man. THis Gospel (beloved) entreateth o● the second coming of our Saviour jesus Christ unto 〈◊〉 judgement: & it confirmeth that article of our faith, by which we confess, and believe, that the same jesus, which take flesh of the virgin, which suffered under Pontius Pilate, which was buried which rose again the third day from the dead, and which ascended into heaven, shall come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick, & the dead: when all that are in the graves shall ●e●re the voice of the Son of God, john. 5. ●9. ●●d shall come forth: they that have ●●ne good, to the resurrection of life; ●●d they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation. Whereof our Saviour took occasion to speak, by ●eason of the talk that he had with his disciples about the temple of jerusalem. For when the disciples wondered at ●he gorgeous decking of the Temple with goodly stones, and costly jewels, ●●e said, that the time should come, Luke. 21. ●. in which it should be destroyed, that there should not be left one stone upon another, that should not be thrown down. Then the disciples asked him, saying: Master, when shall these things be? And ●hie told them of certain signs and tokens which should go before, lest they should faint, by reason of those troubles which were at hand. This done, our Saviour taketh occasion to speak of the universal, and latter judgement, & likewise declareth what tokens and ●●●es shall go before the same. There shallbe (sayeth he) signs in the Sun and in the Moon, and in the stars, & in the earth, the people shallbe at their wits end, through despair. The sea and the water shall roar, and men hearts shall fail them for fear: and so forth. In which piece of scripture w●● have to consider: First, of the coming of jesus Christ unto judgement: Secondly, of the signs and tokens that shall go before his coming: Thirdly, of the manner of his coming: Fourthly, of the cause of his coming: And fifthly, how we ought to order, & to prepare ourselves against his coming. It is a thing firmly to be believed, that God hath set a certain time of the world's destruction, though vnknowe● unto us, because by the sin, and wickedness of ungodly men, being marvelously polluted and accursed, it doth together with all other creatures subject to the same corruption, Rom. 8.22. desire a deliverance. Howbeit wicked and ungodly men, whose delight is to live carelessly in this world, suppose that the world shall still continue as it is, and that it ●●●l never have end. But wonderful is 〈◊〉 and execrable, that among the people of God should be Saducées; & among Christians such kind of men, which of ●et purpose, against the manifest word ●f God, dare boldly affirm, that the world shall have no end, that there shall ●e no resurrection of the flesh, no life after this life, no reward for well doing, 〈◊〉 punishment for evil doing, and that the world, as it is now, so it hath been, and shall continue for ever. Which kind of men are plain Atheists, men which neither believe there is any God, or divine providence at all. Against which apparent dotage, and wicked cogitations of wicked men, through want of true knowledge, by the instinct of Satan, we have to arm ourselves with the word of God, and to confirm our consciences by the testimonies of holy scripture. For the scripture doth evidently prove unto us, that one day the son of God jesus Christ shall come to judge the quick & the dead, that all flesh shall rise, and that the world shall h●● an end. Es. 13.9. Esay saith: The day of th● Lord shall come, terrible, full of indignation, furor, and wrath, to make th● land waste, and to root out all the sinners that are therein. Es. 66.15. The lord will com● with fire, and his chariots like a whirlwind, that he may recompense his anger with wrath, & his judgement wit● the flame of fire: for the Lord will iudg● with fire, and with his sword all fleshe● Daniel sayeth, Dan. 7.18. I saw in a vision b● night: And behold, there came one i● the clouds of heaven like the son ● man, to whom was given power an● dignity regal, that all people, tribes, ● tongues shall serve him. Mal. 4.1. Malachy saith▪ The day cometh that shall burn a● an oven, and all the proud, yea and al● such as do wickedness shallbe straw, and the day that is to come shall bun● them up. Psal. 96.13. The Prophet David saith: For he cometh, to judge the earth, and with righteousness to judge the world, and the people with his truth. And this which the Lords foreshowed by the mouths of his holy ●●phetes, our Saviour jesus Christ ●●th confirmed. For in the 13. chap. af●●r the gospel of S. Matthew he saith 〈◊〉: Mat. 13.41. The son of man shall send forth ●●s angels, which shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, & them ●hat do wickedness, and shall cast them ●to a furnace of fire, there shallbe wee●ng, and gnashing of teeth. And there ●e likeneth the kingdom of heaven to ● draw net cast into the sea, Mat. 13.47 which when ●t is full, men draw to land, and sit ●wn, and gather the good into vessels, ●●t cast the bad away. So shall it be (sayeth Christ) in the end of the world. ●e that there is nothing more certain ●hen that Christ shall come unto judgement: Nothing more certain than that the fashion of this world shallbe changed. 1. Cor. 7.29. Rom. 8. ●3. The fashion of this world that ●ow is, shall vanish: Not only the creature, but we also that now● mourn in ourselves, and wait for the adoption of the children of God, even the deliverance of our bodies, shallbe delivered from the bondage of corruption, i●● the glorious liberty of the sons ● God, at the coming of the Lord I●sus Christ unto judgement. Howbe● wicked and ungodly men can not b● persuaded touching the coming ● Christ unto judgement, of whom S. Peter prophesied long time ago. 2. Pet. 3. 3. The● shall come (saith he) in the last day mockers, which will walk after they own lusts, and say: Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers died, all things continue in th● same estate wherein they were at th● beginning. But this they know not, ● that willingly, how that the heauen● a great while ago were, and that th● earth that was in the water appear ●● up out of the water by the word of god by the which things the world that th● was perished, being overrun with water: But the heavens and earth tha● now are, are kept by the same word in store, and reserved unto fire, against the day of judgement, and perdition o● ungodly men. Dearly beloved, be n●● ignorant of this one thing, how that ●e day with the lord is as a thousand ●●re, and a thousand year as one day. The Lord that hath promised, is not ●ack to fulfil his promise, as some men ●●●nt slackness: As who should say, Let ●● man think that therefore Christ shall ●euer come unto judgement, because he ●●th procrastinate, & put of for a time, but let him think that he doth it, for that he is patiented to us ward, & would have no man lost, but would receive all men to repentance. Rom. 2. ●. Despisest thou the riches of God's goodness, patience, & long sufferance? And remember'st thou not, how that the kindness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Which lenity of ●od, if thou dost abuse, thou heapest thee together the treasure of wrath against the day of vengeance, when shallbe opened the righteous judgement of God, which will reward every man according to his deeds. And to the end that this thing might she rather sink into our hearts and minds, and lest we should be altogether unprovided, our saviour hath to ● us of certain signs, and tokens th● shall go before his coming. There sh● be signs (saith he) in the Sun a●● in the Moon and in the stars, and the earth the people shallbe at the● wits end thorough despair. The sea the water shall roar, and men's hart● shall fail them for fear, and for lo●king after the things that shall come upon the earth: For the powers of heaven shall move. These five signs sh● go before the coming of Christ vn● judgement. First, there shallbe sign● in the Sun, and in the Moon, and ● the stars: that is, as S. Mark wr●teth: Mar. 13.24 The Sun shallbe darkened, th● Moon shall not give her light, and t● stars of heaven shall seem to fall. Secondly, in the earth the people shal● be at their wits end thorough dispaint That is, as S. Mark again doth u●terprete, Mar. 13.8. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Thirdly, the sea and the water shall 〈◊〉 roar: that is, there shallbe cruel tempests, vehement, and unaccustomed ●●●des. Fourthly, by reason of these, ●ens hearts shall fail them for fear, & 〈◊〉 looking after the things, that shall ●ne upon the earth. Fiftly, the powers ●f heaven shall move, that is, there shall ●ee strange sights in the heaven: and ●n the earth there shallbe earthquakes 〈◊〉 all quarters. Briefly, the heaven, the ●●rth and sea, shall witness and declare, the day of the lord to be at hand. Now (beloved) we ourselves may witness that most of these signs, and tokens ●re passed already. For we have seen strange Eclipses of the Sun & moon, ●ée have seen nation to rise against ●●tion, and kingdom to rise against kingdom, we have heard of cruel tempests, vehement, and unaccustomed ●indes, with other strange things. And therefore we may justly prognosticat, yea and believe that the ends of the world are come upon us, and that it will not be long before Christ will come unto judgement. Behold (sayeth our saviour) the fig tree, and all other trees, when they shoot forth the buds, ye see, and know of your ow● selves that summer is nigh at hand. 〈◊〉 likewise ye also, when ye see the things to come to pass, be ye sure th● the Kingdom of God is nigh at hand But we have seen most of these come to pass, and therefore let us thi● no otherwise but that the kingdom God is nigh at hand, and that the lor● is ready to take his fan in his hand, Mat. 3.12. purge his floor, to gather his wher● into his barn, and to burn the cha● with unquenchable fire. Other toke● there are beside these, to prove vn● us that the end of the world hangeth ●uer our necks: among which, in i● judgement, the preaching of the G●pel is not the least. For as our sa●●● sayeth in the 24. chapter after the G●pel of S. matthew: Mat. 24.14 The Gospel of 〈◊〉 Kingdom shallbe preached thorough e● the world, for a witness unto all nation and then shall the end come. By wh● words the Son of man doth plai● declare, that about the time of t● worlds destruction, the true, and comfortable doctrine of Christ should be preached. Whereby it is gathered, that the same was obscured and darkened, & almost defaced by reason of the false Prophets & Apostles afore that time. But now again by the unspeakable grace and mercy of God, we do plainly perceive such a clear light of the Gospel to shine over the whole world, that in spite of the devil, and his adherents, it casteth his bright beams over all nations. And therefore what other thing may we look for, but (as Christ did foretell) a sudden downfall of this miserable and wretched world. Another token of the overthrow of the world is, because we do plainly perceive all things daily to wax worse and worse, and to decrease in their virtue. For example: The air is oftentimes corrupt, sometime with untimely showers, sometime with unprofitable dryness, now with too much cold, and now with extreme heat: The fruitfulness of the earth is not such as it hath been afore tyme. Moreover, we may thinks and perceive the foundations of the world to be worn out, and the same to be falling upon our shoulders, whe● we sensibly perceive ourselves to li●● in those days of which our Saviour hath foreshowed: I mean, eating an● drinking, marrying and married, buying and selling, planting and building. For never more did men eat & drink, never did they faster marry wives i● the days of No: never more did they buy and sell, plant and build in th● days of Lot than they do now; which may prove unto us, that the ends o● the world are come upon us. For as our Saviour saith: After these examples shall it be, Luke. 17.30. when the Son of man shall appear. And if we compare th● time present with that which is past, and set the manners of men before our eyes, we shall perceive wickedness to have his ripeness, and to reign almost every where without controlment. For notwithstanding that God thorot. A● unspeakable mercy in these latter days hath given us the use of his most ●ly word, whereby we should frame ●●r lasts and affections, according to 〈◊〉 most holy will; what desire of righ●●usnesse, what love of virtue, what ●●●e of godliness, or what zeal of re●●●ion is there to be found? yea who is ●●t in Christianity, either cold, or careless? We may now plainly see greatest vice to be counted for chiefest virtue, and those men to be most commended, which of all other for impiety ●●ght most to be dispraised. For the ●rafty deceitful men are counted wise, ●he covetous are called good husbands, ●he prodigal are called liberal, and rich men are deemed the best men. Besides S. Paul foreshoweth, that in the last days shall come perilous times. 2. Tim. 3.1. For men (saith he) shallbe lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, cur●● speakers, disobedient to father and ●●ther, unthankful, unholy, unkind. 〈◊〉 so forth. And when did men more ●et by themselves? When were they ●●re covetous? When were they more proud? when more given to cursed speaking? when more disobedient to father and mother? when more unthankful? when more unholy? when more unkind? And to be short: when more given over to work wickedness, Eph. 4.16. & that with all kind of greediness, then at these days? And therefore it must needs follow, the coming of jesus Christ unto judgement to be nigh at hand. Whose coming shallbe in a cloud with power & great glory. In the first, of the Acts, Act. 1.9. after the talk that our saviour had with the Apostles, whiles they beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly up to Heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, which also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same jesus which is taken from you into Heaven shall so come, even as ye have seen him to go into heaven. But he went in a cloud into heaven, and therefore he shall come in a cloud from heaven, with power, and great glory: even as ●. Paul writeth in the fourth of the 〈◊〉 Epistle to the Thessalonians. 1. Thes. 4.16. The ●orde shall descend from heaven with mighty shout, with the voice of the archangel, and trump of God. Such ●albe the manner of the coming of ●esus Christ unto judgement. And what shall there then ensue? S. ●aule saith: Then shall we which live, 〈◊〉 remain, be caught up in the clouds 〈◊〉 ●●iete the Lord in the air. But (say ●●u) shall not they that are alive, and ●●maine in the coming of the Lord ●nto judgement die? Yes no doubt. For otherwise S. Paul should be contrary ● himself in that he sayeth, writing to ●he Hebrews: Heb. 9.27. It is decreed that all men ●hal once die. But they that so remain, ●nd are alive in the coming of the Lord, shall not die by distances of times, as they who are spent and congeed with diseases, and are buried. For they shall not be buried, neither ●hal they die being wasted, and consumed with long sickness, but forthwith being extinguished, forthwith they sh● be changed, and shallbe caught up ● the clouds to meet the Lord in th● air. Even as also the Apostle writet● in the 15. 1. Cor. 15.51. of the first epistle to the Corinth's. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, and that in a moment, and in the twinkling of an eye, a● the sound of the last trump. Bu● what shall there become of those body which were loosed from the souls before the coming of Christ unto judgement? 1. Thes. 4.16. Here S. Paul answereth: Th● dead in Christ shall first arise: meaning that the bodies that before the coming of Christ unto judgement ste● in the graves, shall rise out of th● graves, at the sound of the trump, a● the voice of the Son of God. 1. Cor. 15.52. Fo● the trump shall blow, & the dead shal● rise incorruptible, & they shallbe changed. For this corruptible shall put 〈◊〉 incorruptibility, and this mortal sha● put on immortality. And this is th● which the Apostle again, concerning this mutation and change, writeth t● the Philippians. Phil. 3.20. Our conversation is in heaven, whence we look for the Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, which shall change our vile bodies, that they may be like to his glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. And therefore the Saducees have foully erred, that denied the resurrection of the dead: whereof job being fully assured, saith thus: job. 19.25. I know that my redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise out of the earth in the last day, and shall be covered again with my skin, and shall see God in my flesh, yea and shall behold him, not with other, but with these same eyes. For if there were no resurrection of the dead (which the Saducees affirm) then mark you what S. Paul inferreth: Mat. 22.23. 1. Cor. 15.16 if the dead (sayeth he) rise not again, then is Christ not risen again. If Christ be not risen again, then is your faith in vain, and yet are you in your sins, and they also that are fallen a sleep in Christ are perished. And if in this life only we believe on Christ, then are we of all men the most miserable. And what availed the great patience of Christians in all their troubles, and cruel persecutions, if this doctrine of the consummation of the world, and of the coming of the Lord, with all that belongeth thereto, were but a vain imagination of Christ, of the prophets, and Apostles, and of all the blessed martyrs in the Church of God? What did it advantage the godly, of all others in the world most miserable, to suffer most cruel torments, to be racked, Heb. 11.35. to be stoned, to be hewn asunder, to walk up & down in sheep skins, and in goats skins, in need, tribulation and vexation, which the world was not worthy of, wandering in wildernesses, in mountains, in dens, and caves of the earth, and would not be delivered, were there not hope to receive a better resurrection? That I have fought (saith Paul) with beasts at Ephesus, 1. Cor. 15.32. after the manner of men, what avantageth it me, if the dead rise not again? But we marvel how the dry & rotten bones can be fetched out of the 〈◊〉, out of the earth, and ashes again. 〈◊〉 that fetcheth the sun out of his 〈◊〉 every morning: he that quickeneth ●he dead moon every month: he that ●●●sed Aaron his rod, Num. 17.8. that had been many years dried, in one night to bud ●●●ssom, and to bear ripe Almonds, 〈◊〉 also bring the dry bones out of the grave, sea, and ashes, and cause them to scare ripe, and perfect flesh. And why ●hould we doubt that of a rotten body a perfect body may spring, since we see by daily experience that of rotten corn, perfect corn doth grow, and that of rotten seeds, and kernels, perfect seeds and kernels do come. Rom. 8.11. If the spirit of him that raised up jesus from the dead, dwelleth in you: even he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies. 1. Cor. 15.22 For as in Adam all do die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1. Cor. 15.49. As we have borne the image of the earthy, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly. As for the souls, after they be once loosed from the bodies, they reign, either with Christ, or with Satan, either in eterne glory, or in everlasting sorrow. Whic● maketh to the utter subversion & overthrow of the popish purgatory, & of tw● damnable opinions of two sorts of Heretics, the one called Arabici, & the other Dormitantij: the one affirming, that ● soul doth die together with the body, and that in the resurrection they shall both be raised up together. The other affirming that the souls do sleep till the day of judgement, then to be awaked, and then to receive, either damnation, or salvation. Both which opinions are most wicked, and contrary to scripture. For first, that the soul liveth, that it is immortal, and incorruptible, after that it is once loosed from the body; the examples, and testimonies of holy scripture do declare. David, no doubt, believed the immortality of the soul. For when he perceived that the child was dead, he wept no more, but said: 2. Sam. 12.23. I shall go to him, but he shall not come again to me. The widows son of Sarepta fell sick, and died, and Elias took him out of her bosom, 1. Reg. 17.19. and laid him on the bed, and stretched him●●●fe upon the child three times, and ●●led unto the Lord, praying that the ●●●es soul might come into him a●●●ne. And the Lord heard the voice of ●e Prophet, and the soul of the child 〈◊〉 into him again, and he revived. The soul therefore doth not die with ●he body. The wise man sayeth, that ●he body (which he nameth dust) shall return to earth as it was; Eccles. 12.7. but the spirit, unto the Lord that gave it. And in ●he second of Wisdom, Wisd. 2.3. entreating of the imagination's of the wicked, which say: That after this life their bodies ●halbe as ashes that are quenched; and that their souls shall vanish away as the soft air, he sayeth: That they do not understand the mysteries of the Lord, that they have no hope of the reward of the righteous, & that they regard not she worship, that holy & blessed souls shall have. Wisd. 3.1. And in the chapter following, speaking of the souls of the righteous, he saith: That they are in the hands of God, and that the fear of death shall not touch them. Luke. 16.22. The paible of the rich man, and Lazarus, 〈◊〉 evidently, and plainly proveth unto that the soul doth not die with body. For the soul of Lazarus was tied by the Angels into Abraham bosom, and the soul of the rich 〈◊〉 was buried in hell. Our saviour in 〈◊〉 10. of Matth. Mat. 10.28. comforting his disciple willeth them not to fear them t● kill the body, and be not able to kill soul. The soul therefore doth not d● with the body: Secondly, that the sou● do not sleep till the day of iudgeme● the testimonies of the scripture do declare. In the 23. of Luke, Luke. 23.43. our Saviour said to the thief that did hang on t● one side of him upon the Cross: Th● day thou shalt be with me in paradis● As much to say: Thou shalt be wi● me in a place of singular quietness a●● pleasure, not there to sleep till the da● of judgement, but without all peradventure, to live, and to reign wit● jesus Christ in eternal glory. Apo. 6.9.10. And 〈◊〉 the 6. of the Revelation it is declared that john saw under the altar the ●●les of them that were killed for the ●ord of God, and for the testimony ●hat they had, crying with a loud voice, 〈◊〉 saying: How long tarriest thou (Lord, holy, and true) to judge, and to ●auenge our blood on them that dwell ●on the earth? The souls than do not ●●éepe till the day of judgement, neither do they perish with the bodies: but being loosed by death from the same, are carried either unto eternal joy, or else ●●to everlasting sorrow, unto which ●he bodies shallbe gathered in the last day, to receive every one according to that which they have done, whether it be good or evil. For it standeth with she eternal justice of the eternal God, she righteous judge, that every man shall receive according to his deserts. Hereof Daniel prophesied, whose words be these. Daniel. 12.2. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, & some to perpetual shame and reproof. And in the third of the Prophet Malachy. Mal. 3.5. I myself will come, and be a swift unnes, against witches, against aduou●rers, against false swearers, yea and ●gainst those that wrongfully keep b●● the hirelings duty, which vex the w●dowe, and the fatherless, and oppress the stranger, and fear not me, saye● the Lord of hosts. Eccles. 11.9. In the 11. chapt● of the b●oke of the Preacher it is said Be glad (o thou young man) in th● youth, and let thine heart be merry in th● young days, follow the ways of thy● own heart, and the lust of thine eye● But be thou sure that God shall brin● thee into judgement for all these things He derideth those that set their delight in worldly pleasures, as though Go● would not call them to account, the● which nothing is surer. For we must a● appear before the judgement seat o● Christ that every man may receive th● works of his body, 2. Cor. 5.10. according to tha● which he hath done, whether it be good or bad. He will come shortly, an● his reward is with him, Apo. 22.12. to give every man as his work shallbe. Rom. 9.7. Praise, honour, and immortality to them that stime in well doing, and seek eter●●ll life; but unto them that are rebel●●●●, and disobey the truth, shall come ●ignation, & wrath, tribulation, and ●●●●she, upon the soul of every one ●●●t doth evil, of the jew first, and ●● the Gentile. 2. Thes. 1.6. For it is verily a righteous thing with God, to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 〈◊〉 to you which are troubled, rest ●●th us, when the Lord jesus shall ●●we himself from heaven with his ●ighty Angels in flaming fire, ren●●●● vengeance unto them that know ●t GOD, and to them that obey not ●●to the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ, which shall be punished with e●erlasting damnation from the pre●ence of the Lord, and from the glory ●f his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and to be made marvellous in all them that believe. ●ohn saw by Revelation the dead, Apoc. 20.10 both ●●eat and small, stand before the Lord, 〈◊〉 the book to be opened, and the dead to be judged out of that which wa● written, according to their deeds And he that was not written in th● book of life, was cast into the lake 〈◊〉 fire. jude. 1.14.15 And no doubt the time draweth when this that john saw by Revelation shall be fulfilled: when the Lor● shall come with thousands of Saint to give judgement against all men, an● to rebuke all the ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which the● have vngodlyly committed, and of a● their cruel speakings, which vngod● sinners have spoken against him: whic● it must needs follow, as a necessary consequent, that the state of good me● in the coming of jesus Christ vn● judgement, shallbe most glorious, an● the state of the wicked most miserabl● Which cometh to pass clean contrary in this wicked world, whe● most commonly the godly are with tr●●bles tormented, with banishment punished, with the loss of goods impo●rished, & with all miseries ouerwhelme● But contrariwise the wicked are wi● delycat far nourished, with goods inri●●●d, with offices preferred, & for autobee honoured, as the Prophet David in ●●se words doth bitterly complain. Psal. 37.4. My ●●ete were almost gone, & my tread ●ad well nigh slipped. And why? I was ●reued at the wicked, to see the ungodly in such prosperity. For they are in ●o peril of death, but are lusty and ●rong. They come in no misfortune like ●ther folk, neither are they plagued like ●ther men. Their eyes swell with fat, & ●hey do even what they list. Vers. 12. And a little ●●ter: Behold, these prosper in the ●orld, these have riches in possession. job. 21.9. The houses of the wicked (saith job) are peaceable without fear, and the rod ●f the Lord is not upon them. Their ●ullock gendereth and faileth not, their ●●we calveth, and casteth not her ●alfe. They send forth their children like Sheep, and their Sons ●eade the dance. And therefore there ●●st be of necessity an other life after ●his life, in which, according to the 〈◊〉 judgement of GOD, every one may receive according to their work● be they good, or bad, eternal glory, or everlasting infamy: even as David again to the comforting of himself and the Church, telleth us in these words: Then thought I to understand this, Psal. 73.16. but it was too hard for me, vnti● I went into the sanctuary of God, and considered the end of these men: Namely, how thou settest them in slippery places, that thou mayst cast them dow● headlong, and destroy them. O ho● suddenly do they consume, perish, an● come to a fearful end? Yea, even a● a dream when one awaketh, so makest thou their Image to vanish out of th● City. And because the infirmity o● the godly is great, whiles they carr● this earthly tabernacle about them, that they cannot but fear, by reaso● of those fearful tokens that shall go● before the end, and consummation o● the world: therefore our Saviour t● their comfort and consolation speake●● unto them in this wise. Luke. 21.2. When these things begin to come to pass, the● look up, and lift up your heads, for ●●r redemption draweth nigh. Mea●●● that they should not faint, but 〈◊〉 pluck up their hearts, and be ●●rry, for that they do prognosticate 〈◊〉 declare how that their redemption 〈◊〉 at hand, when they shallbe delivered, 〈◊〉 ransomed, as it were from the ●●series of this life, in the coming ●f the Son of God unto judgement. 〈◊〉 consideration whereof Paul calvish this day the day of Redemption. Eph. 4.30. 〈◊〉 of this his deliverance he glori●● in these words: 2. Ti. 4.7. I have fought a ●●od fight, & have fulfilled my course, ●●d have kept the faith. From henceforth is laid up in store for me a ●owne of righteousness, which the ●ord that is a righteous judge, shall ●●eme at that day not to me only, but ●●to all them also, that love his com●ing. And therefore the day of the Lord ●●●ht not to be terrible to the godly, ●●ither ought they to fear his coming, 〈◊〉 that he cometh to deliver them, to ●t them at ease; but to render to the wicked eternal pain. And I do firmly believe that the godly have a thirst● and a desire to enter into the courte● of the lords house; Psal. 84.2. that they desire the day of Redemption; Luke. 11.2. that they still cry: Let thy kingdom come: Tha● they still cry, Apoc. 22.20. Come Lord jesus: Tha● they look up, weighting his coming, Phil. 3.21. which shall make their vile bodies like to his own glorious body▪ That they desire, Apo. 21.2. even a little show ● that holy city, new jerusalem, descending from heaven, prepared of GOD as a bride garnished for her husband For they certainly believe that the● there shall be a full and complete end● of all their troubles. But the troubles of the wicked shall then begin● The wicked shall see above them a●● angry judge, beneath them an horrible pit of hell, without them ● burning world, within them a gnawing conscience, on the right hand● their sins accusing them, on th● left hand the devils haling the● to torment. The wretched sinner's th●● s● are beset, where shall they go? ●●h then where shall they flee? Ps. 139.7. Oh then ●●●re shall they hide? Oh whether ●●●ll they go then from his spirit? or ●hether shall they go then from his ●●●sence? If they climb up into heaven, ●is there: If they go down to bell, 〈◊〉 is there also: If they take the wings ●f the morning, and remain in the uttermost part of the Sea; even there 〈◊〉 shall his hand lead them, and his ●●●ht hand shall hold them. If they say, ●●e darkness shall cover us, then shall ●heir night be turned to day. For the darkness is no darkness with the Lord. The night is as clear as the day, the darkness, and light unto him are both ●●●ke. Oh with what terror shall the ●●cked be strooken in the day of the Lord? Oh in what fear shall they be? Ap. 6.16. They shall say to the hills and rocks, Fall upon us, and hide us from the presence of him that sitteth on the seat, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come, & who is able to abide it? The mockers which have said: 2. Pe. 3.4. Where is the promise o● his coming? shall then see, and fée● his coming, to their great grief shame and confusion, when as, too la●● repenting themselves, they shall sa● Tedious ways have we gone, Sap. 5.7. but ● for the way of the Lord we have 〈◊〉 known. What good hath our pr●●● done unto us? or what profit hath th● pomp of riches brought unto us? L●● these things are passed away like ● shadow, and thus are we consumed 〈◊〉 our own wickedness. For the hope ● the ungodly is like a dry thistle flower● or dust, that is blown away with th● wind, like a thin foam that is scattered abroad with a storm, and a● the smoke that is dispersed with th● wind, and as the remembrance of 〈◊〉 stranger that tarrieth but for a day, and then departeth. But the righteous shall live for evermore, their reward 〈◊〉 with the Lord, and their remembrance with the highest. Therefore shall the● receive a glorious kingdom, and a● beautiful crown at the lords hand: For with his right hand shall he cover 〈◊〉, and with his holy arm shall he ●●fend them. Mat. 25.32 For when the Son of 〈◊〉 shall come in his glory, and all the ●●ly Angels with him, then shall he sit ●pon the seat of his glory, and before 〈◊〉 shall be gathered all nations, and ●●e shall separate the one from the o●her, as the shepherd divideth the sheep from the Goats. And he shall ●et the Sheep on his right hand, and ●he Goats on his left hand: that is to ●●y, the wicked, whom he compareth ●●to Goats. For as the Goats are ●●thy and stinking beasts: so the ●icked, by reason of their sins, do stink in the sight of God. And as the Goats do strick the guiltless sheep with their horns, so the wicked do punish and afflict the godly with their tyranny. And as the Goats do destroy the orchard and garden, so do the wicked destroy the vinyeard of the Lord: as it is said in the third of the Prophet Esay: Esay. 3. 14. Ye have eat up the vinyeard, the robbery of the poor is in your house. These Goate● he shall set on his left hand. And the● shall the king say to them on hi● right hand: Come, blessed childre● of my Father, inherit the kingdoms prepared for you from the beginnings Then shall the king say to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Oh then how happy shall they be tha● shall hear this joyful and happy sentence of Christ, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared fo● you from the beginning of the world. Oh then how unhappy shall they be, that shall hear this terrible and fearful sentence: Go cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil, and his Angels! Would God men did consider of these things, and think upon this straight judgement in the fearful day of the Lord, and as often as they consider hereof, whether they eat or drink, or what ever they do, to think that the terrible trump of the Lord still soundeth 〈◊〉 their ears: Arise ye dead, come away to ●●dgement. But what do they? Though ●●y hear it preached, that the day of ●●e Lord is at hand, yet they continue ●●●elesse, they eat, they drink, they ma●● & are married, they plant, & they bild. They build as though they should live 〈◊〉 ever, & they eat & drink as though ●●ey should die to morrow, saying: 1. Cor. 15.23. Let ●s eat, and drink, for to morrow we ●●all die. Whereas if they did but think 〈◊〉 the world to come, and remember ●●w that every one must give an accounted of himself unto God, they could ●●t, they would not live so wickedly, so ●●●sually, so carelessly, & so ungodly, as ●●ey do: they would not vex the fatherless, the widow, nor the orphan, and stranger, as they do: they would not ●ake all fish that cometh to the net: they would not draw wickedness unto ●hem with a chord, Esay. 5. 18. and sin as it were with a cartrope: They would prepare ●●d make ready themselves to meet the bridgrom: They would observe the adventition and counsel of our Saviour: who because he foresaw that iniquity should overflow the world before hi● coming, and that men would be careless about the time of the worlds destruction, lest we should be taken napping, telleth us what we must do, an● how we must prepare ourselves against his coming. For as it is ● great grief unto an earthly father t● lose his Son, for whom he hath provided but a mean inheritance, s● is it a great grief to our heavenly Father, to lose any of us his children, for whom he hath provided, not a●● earthy, 1. Pe. 1.18. but an heavenly inheritance purchased not with gold and silver, which are corruptible, but with the effusion of the most precious blood of the immaculate and undefiled Lamb jesus Christ. The admonition, or counsel of our Saviour is this: Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be overcome with surfeiting & drunkenness, and cares of this life, & that that day come not on you unwares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the earth. Watch therefore continually, and pray that you ●●y obtain grace to flee all this that ●●all come, and that you may stand be●●e the Son of man. In which words ● willeth us first to be sober. Take ●de (saith he) unto yourselves, least ●ur hearts be overcome with surfeiting & drunkenness. Among other creature's God hath given to none so little ●●outh, as he hath given unto man, 'cording to his quantity: which sig●●●eth, no doubt, that man should 〈◊〉 more temperate in meats & drinks 〈◊〉 all other creatures. Besides, the ●●uth of a man is not bend to the earth 〈◊〉 are the mouths of unreasonable features: to signify that man should ●●t eat and drink after the manner ●hrute beasts, but should moderately use those creatures, which GOD ●●th given, as necessary, and needful, 〈◊〉 the preservation of life. V Max. lib. de insti. antiquis. The ancient Romans were went 〈◊〉 eat their meats in the open streets, ●●d were not ashamed to let the people to see what they did eat, that by the example they might learn to be ●●ber. For there is not a more v● and pernicious thing, than surfeiting, and drunkenness. By surfeiting (saith Ecclesiasticus) man● have perished. Eccl. 37.30. Wine and drunkenness (saith Oze) take away 〈◊〉 heart. Oz. 4.11. Let the drunkards and voluptuous Epicures hearken unto th● which is written in the fift of the Prophet Esay. isaiah. 5.11. The words be these: Woe be to them that rise up early give themselves to drunkenness, a●● set all their minds so on drinking that they sit sweeting thereat until it night. The harp, the lute, and shaul●●● and plenty of wine are at their fea●● but the works of the Lord they d● not behold, nor yet consider the operation of his hands. isaiah. 5.22. Woe be to the● that are mighty to drink wine, 〈◊〉 to them that are expert to aduan●●● drunkenness. Awak ye drunkards (s●●● the Lord, joel. 1.5. by the Prophet joel) & w●● and howl all ye wine suppers, beca●●● 〈◊〉 ●he new wine: for it shallbe pulled 〈◊〉 your mouth. Pro. 23.31. Look not (saith Sa●●●) upon the wine how red it is, & ●●at a colour it giveth in the glass: ●●●eth down softly, but in the end, it ●●eth like a serpent, and stingeth like 〈◊〉 Adder. Gala. 5.19. S. Paul in the fift to the ●●lathians reckoneth gluttony & drō●●nesse among the deeds of the flesh, 〈◊〉 coupleth them with Idolatry, for●●cation, murder, witchcraft, and ●●ch like, most grievous and detesta●●● vices, and saith, that they that ●●●mit such things, shall not inherit ●●e kingdom of God. And therefore let ●●t our hearts be overcome with ●●●fetting and drunkenness. 1. Pe. 4.3. Let it ●●e enough and sufficient for us, that ●ée have spent the time that is past 〈◊〉 the life, after the will of the Gentiles, walking in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, in eating and drinking, ●●d in abominable Idolatry, wherein ●seemeth to them a strange thing, that ●●e run not also with them to the ●●e excess of riot, and therefore speak they evil of us, which shall g● accounts to him that is ready to i●● quick, 1. Pe. 4.7. and dead. The end, no d●● of all things is at hand: And therefore let us be sober: 1. Thes. 5.6. Let us not 〈◊〉 as other do, but let us watch and be ●ber. For they that sleep, sleep in 〈◊〉 night, and they that be drunken, 〈◊〉 drunken in the night. But let us wh●● are of the day, Ro. 13.11. be sober. It is time th● we should now awake out of slee● For now is our salvation nearer, th● when we believed. The night is pass● and the day is come nigh. Let us therefore cast away the deeds of darkene● and put upon us the armour of light● Let us walk honestly as in the d● light, not in eating and drinking, ne●ther in Chambering and wantonness neither in strife and envying: But 〈◊〉 us put on the Lord jesus Christ, a●● make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts, and desires of it. For is the will of God (as the Apostle 〈◊〉 clareth unto Titus) that we should snye ungodliness, Tit. 21.2. and worldly lust, a●● th●e should live sober minded, rightly, and godly in this present world, 〈◊〉 for that blessed hope, and glori●●ppearing of the mighty God, and ●●r Saviour jesus Christ. Se●ly, our Saviour willeth us to flee c●res of this life, for that the love ●●re of temporal things, doth draw 〈◊〉 quite away from the love and de● of heavenly, and eternal things. Ecc. 10.9. ●ere is not a more wicked thing, than ●●man to be in love with money. Mat. 6.24. No 〈◊〉 can serve two masters: for ey● he shall hate the one, and love the ●r, or he shall cleave to the one, and ●●ke the other. Ye cannot serve God ● Mammon. Who so ever will be a 〈◊〉 of the world, jam. 4.4. is made the enemy 〈◊〉. If thou wilt be perfect (said ●●●t to the rich man) go and sell all ●t thou hast, and give it to the poor, Mat. 19.21. ● thou shalt have treasure in heaven, 〈…〉, and follow me. But when ● heard that saying, he would none of ●●t went his way mourning, for he ● great possessions. These worldly cares were also the cause, Luke. 14.18. why 〈◊〉 came not, that in the Gospel were c●●led to the great supper. 1. Ti. 6.9. The saying S. Paul unto Timothy is most tr● They that will be rich, fall into temptation, and snares, and into many fo●lish and noisome lusts, which drow● men in perdition and destruction. F● covetousness is the root of all mischi● which while some lusted after, have 〈◊〉 red from the faith, and entangled themselves with many fold sorrows. 1. Ti. 6.17. A● therefore he willed Timothy to cha●● them that are rich in this world, that th● trust not in uncertain riches, but in 〈◊〉 living God, which giveth us abundant all things to enjoy them, laying vp● store for themselves a good foundati● against the time to come, that they 〈◊〉 obtain eternal life. But when our Saviour willeth us to flee the cares of th● life, his meaning is not, that we sho● leave a necessary, 1. Ti. 5.3. and godly ca● (which who so hath not, hath den● the faith, and is worse than an 〈◊〉 fiddle) but that we should not so 〈◊〉 drowned in the cares of this life, as ●●h we had no care of the word of 〈◊〉, of the hasting of Christ unto iudg●t, or of the world to come. He 〈◊〉 right well, that gormandize, 〈◊〉 cares of this life, would abound a● the time of the worlds destructi● and that men would be apt and ready allow such vices, even to the last cast. 〈◊〉 therefore he saith: Take heed to ●●r selves, lest your hearts be ouer●●e with surfeiting and drunkenness, ●●d cares of this life, and that that day ●●e not on you unwares. For as a ●re shall it come on all them that dwell the earth. Eccles. 9.12. As the fish is taken with the ●●●e, and as the birds are taken with esnare, so are men taken in the peri●●● time when it cometh suddenly v● them. For though it be certain that ●●●s Christ shall come unto judgement; of the year, the hour, & time of his ●●●ing unto us, is altogether vncer●●e. For as our Saviour doth say 〈◊〉 the 24. chapter after the gospel of matthew: Of the day, Math. 24.36. and hour knoweth no man, Mark. 13.32. no not the Angel's o● heaven, but my father only: no not th● son himself, as he was man. Mat. 24.27. But 〈◊〉 the lightning cometh out of the Ea● and appeareth in the West: so shall th● coming of the Son of man be. As the days of Noah were, Math. 24.37. so shall th● coming of the Son of man be. Fo● as in the days of Noah, that went befo●● the flood, they did eat and drink● marry, and were married, even untie the day that No entered into the Ark● and knew not till the flood came, an● took them all away: so shall the coming of the son of man be. Likewise also as it chanced in the days of Lo● They eat, Luke. 17.28. they drank, they bought, the sold, they planted, they built. And en● the same day that Lot went out of S●dom, it rained fire and brimstone fro● heaven, and destroyed them all. After these exampls shall it be, when the S● of man shall appear. The Apostle when they asked Christ, Act. 1.16. saying: Lo● wilt thou at this time restore again th● kingdom to Israel? He said vn●● the●: It is not for you to know the ●●s, and seasons, which the father ●●h put in his own power. The day the Lord shall come as a thief in the ●●●ht: For when they shall say, peace, 1. Thes. 5.2. ●ace, all things are safe: then shall so●●e destruction come upon them, as ●●ow cometh upon a woman in her ●auell, and they shall not escape. And herefore (beloved) take heed to your ●●●es, that your hearts be not ouer●●●e with surfeiting and drunkenness, 〈◊〉 cares of this life, and that that day ●●e not on you unwares. Which ex●●tation teacheth us not only how to repair ourselves against the com●●ng of Christ in the last day: but also ●w every particular man should order in self against the coming of death. For death is wont to set upon men, ●hen they think lest thereof, when ●ey think to be most merry, and when ●ey promise themselves that they ●●e many days to live. An example 〈◊〉 have in the 1. of Samuel, 1. Sa. 25.36. in the .25 ●●pter, of Nabal, who held a feast, like the feast of a king, and his heart 〈◊〉 merry within him, for he was v● drunk. Now in the morning w● Abigail his wife after that the wine 〈◊〉 gone out of his head) had signified 〈◊〉 to him the purpose of David, his he●● died within him, & he became as a st●● Likewise in the xii. of Luke, Luke. 12.16. we re●● how that the ground of a certain r● man brought forth plentiful fruit And he said within himself, what 〈◊〉 I do? I have no room to lay my fruit in: I will destroy my barns, 〈◊〉 build greater, I will say to my soul● Soul, thou hast goods laid up i● store for many years. Take no● thine ease, eat, drink, and be merr● But God said unto him. Thou fo●l● this night they shall fetch thy soul fr●● thee. Take heed therefore, for eue● when ye think not upon, God wi●● send his messenger death, to call us away. Now that our Saviour hath told us what we should not do against the day of his coming: He likewise showeth us what we must do. Watch (saith he) and pray continually. first ●●●deth to watch. Math. 25.1. In the 25. of Ma●●, our Saviour likeneth the king●● of heaven unto ten virgins, ●ch took their lamps, and went to ●te the bridegroom. But five were ●he, and five were wise. They ●t were foolish took their lamps, ● took no oil with them. But the 〈◊〉 took oil in their vessels, with ●r lamps also. Now whiles the ●●egrome tarried, they all slumbered 〈◊〉 slept. And at midnight there was ●ry made: Behold, the bridegroom ●●eth, go out to meet him. Then the ●gins arose, & made ready their lamps. 〈◊〉 the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, Not so: lest there be not enough for us, and you. But go ye rather to them that sell, and ●●ye for yourselves. But whiles they went to buy, the bridegroom ●●e, and they that were ready, ●●at in with him unto the marriage, ●●d the gate was shut up. Anon after came the other virgins and sai● Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered, and said, Verily I say unto you● know you not. Watch therefore: for know neither the day, nor yet the h●wer, wherein the Son of man sh● come. Luk. 12.35. Let your loins be girded abou● and your lights burning, and ye yo●●selues like unto men that weight f●● their master, when he will return fro● the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, ye may open unto him▪ For happy are those servants, who● the Lord when he cometh finds waking. If he come in the second watch or third watch, & find them so, happy ar● those servants. Verily, he shall g●●● himself, and shall make them to s●● down to meat, & shall walk by, and minister unto them. Luk. 12.39. This understand you; If the good man of the house knew what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and not suffer his house to be broken up. Even so, if we knew in what day or hour the Lord would come, we would surely watch, we would be prepared, and adorned, ●e would have lights in our hands, 〈◊〉 oil in our Lamps. But we do ●t know the day, nor hour, nor shall ●now. And therefore let us be prepared, 〈◊〉 man hour that we think not, Mar. 13.35. will ●e son of man come. Watch (I say) 〈◊〉 ye know not when the master of ●●e house will come, whether at even, ● at midnight, whether at the cock ●wing, or in the dawning, least if he ●●me suddenly, he should find you sleeping. Now if the evil servant shall say thus 〈◊〉 his heart: Math. 24.48. Tush my master will de●●re his coming, and shall begin to ●●uite his fellow servants, and shall beg●n to eat and drink, and to be drunken, ●●e same servants Lord shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour when he is not ware, & shall give him his portion with hypocrites, there shallbe weeping, and gnashing of ●●eth. But contrariwise, Luke. 12.44. if the Lord shall find his servant well doing, he shall make him ruler over all his household. Watch therefore, and pray continually, that we may obtain grace to flee all that shal● come, and that we may stand before th● son of man. Let us pray that our flight be not in the winter, nor on th● the Sabbath day: Mat. 24. ●0. For so our Saviour counseleth in the 24. of Saint matthew. For to walk in the winter, it was not good, and upon the Sabbath day, it was not lawful. Meaning, that we should pray, and that with a steadfast, and ardent faith, that the day of the Lord come not upon us unprepared. For if it do, we shall not escape the evils that then shallbe, nor yet be able to stand safely before the Son of man. Beloved, we have been warned to leave our surfeiting, & drunkenness, and to forsake the superfluous cares of this life. We have been exhorted to watchfulness, and to prayer, and still are we called upon for these matters: Howbeit we are little or nothing the better. Mat. 12. 4●. The men of Ninive shall arise at the day of judgement to condemn us. For they amended at the short preaching of jonas. We have been called upon with often, and long ●●eaching, and yet cannot frame to lay ●r●m us the old man, Ephe. 4.22. that marreth him self with deceivable vanities. But let v● think, and believe, that the neglecting of God's holy spirit speaking in his prophets, can not but provoke Gods heavy wrath, and indignation speedily to be powered upon us. The heavens, the earth, and sea, have already witnessed the same against us, which (unless we convert) in the measure of our sins he will power forth upon us, and so we shall perish in his justice utterly, that in mercy refused to embrace his truth obediently. Mat. 3.10. Now is the axe put to the root of the tree, so that every tree that bringeth not forth g●●d fruit, shall be hewn down, Mat. 12.33. and cast into the fire. Either then make the tree good, and his fruit good, or make the tree evil, and his fruit ●ill also. For behold, james. 5.9. the judge standeth before the door. It is time for us to awake out of sleep, and to gird up our loins, and to be ready with oil in our lamps, and to be adorn with our wedding garments, that w● may find entrance to the Lords marriage. For sith it is most certain tha● Christ shall come to judge both quic● and dead, Rom. 14.12. sith that every one of us shall give account of himself to God, 2. Pe. 3.10. sith th● heavens shall pass away in manner 〈◊〉 a tempest, sith the elements shall me●● with heat, sith the earth also, and th● works therein shall burn, sith all these things shall perish, what manner persons ought we to be in holy conversation & godliness, looking for, and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, 〈◊〉 which the heavens shall perish with ●●er, & the elements shallbe consumed with heat. ●. Pe. 3.13. Nevertheless we look for a new heaven, and a new earth, according to his promise, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore (beloved) seeing we look for such things, let us be diligent, that we may be found of him in peace, without spot and undefiled, growing in grace, & in the knowledge of the Lord, and Saviour jesus Christ, that in the end of the world, when he shall come in 〈◊〉 clouds, with power and great glo● we perish not with the unbelievers: which the Lord grant for his infinite ●ercy, and goodness, and for his chosen ●●●e, shorten these unhappy days, that corruptible may be swallowed up of in●●rruptibilitie, and mortal of immortality: And that as in this woeful Egypt, ●e have found him a loving father, so in ●he world to come, we may behold him ● merciful Saviour, Mat. 25.34. & may receive that 〈◊〉 and happiest blessing that never again shall be revoked: which thing likewise the father of all comfort and consolation, speedily bring upon us all, for the tender love of his beloved son jesus Christ: to whom with the holy ghost, three distinct persons in trinity, but one eternal, immortal & most glorious God, be all praise, honour & glory, now and for ever. Amen.