¶ The true and perfect copy of a godly Sermon, preached in the Minster at Lincoln, by the reverend Father in God, Thomas L. Bishop of Lincoln the. 28. of August. ANNO. 1575. ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Middleton for Ralph Newberie, dwelling in Fleetestrete a little above the Condite. To the Reader. When I perceived the earnest good will of some, which took pains very busily to get this sermon so exquisitely penned, as it was pithily spoken, & had therewithal had the view of the half (& as it were the maimed copy) of the same more zealously then skilfully collected: I (into whose hands by the means of a friend this true and perfect copy came) thought myself to be blame worthy, if I should deny to further the honest desire of well-meaning christians. The excellency of the thing made many men to request it, and the desire of many made me to print it, hoping that among many some will take profit by it▪ far well. ¶ A Sermon no less godly than necessary, preached in the Minster at Lincoln by the reverend Father, Thomas Cooper, bishop of Lincoln on the xxviii. day of August, 1575. Treating on the xuj. Chapter of Matthew verse. 26. 27. as followeth. QVid prodest homini si totum Mundum lucratus fuerit & animae suae iacturam etc. The last day (dearly beloved) you heard how sweetly gently and lovingly our saviour Christ spoke unto us, & with most tender and kind heart called us to follow him, and assured us to have care john. 14. 15. of our salvation. If you love me (said he) keep my commandments: assuring us withal of his singular graces and benefits of his holy spirit, & that he would not only teach us, and be our guide, but that he and his Father would come and devil in us, and so make our frail bodies, as it were, the Temple of the blessed trinity, And not only that he would make his dwelling place in us, but also abide with us for ever, that we might by him enjoy eternal life. These sweet allurements should not only move the heart of Christians to piety and godliness, but also 'cause us to have an earnest & careful consideration of our soul's health and not to neglect this time of grace whereinthe long suffering of God doth mercifully call us to repentance. But lamentable it is, and it would make any true Christian heart bleed to consider, that the most part of us are not only so careless and negligent, but so dull of hearing, and so herded hearted, as we take no heed of gentle speech, we be not moved with sweet allurements, yea, we be so a sleep in security as no sound or noise of God's mercy will wake us out of our deadly flomber. Wherefore seeing mercy and mildness will not prevail with our careless minds, seeing sweet and gentle speech will not waken our sleepy and sluggish hearts, we must be contented this day to hear him make terrible proclamation of his justice, and to put us in mind of that dreadful danger, that we shall fall into, unless we speedily have regard unto our souls. What doth it avail a man (says he) if he win the whole world and loose his own soul, for it shall come to pass that the son of man etc. The some of Christ's speech is this. The son of man assuredly shall come with mighty power to judge the world, and give to every man according to his deserts: therefore it behoveth you to have care of your souls. This short argument comprehendeth great and ample matter, of some part whereof I mean at this time by God's sufferance to speak, and first of the Antecedent, and then of the conclusion. First therefore I will let you understand that the day of judgement shall be, and that speedily. Secondly how and after what sort it shallbe. And then will I add the conclusion, how we should have care of our souls and prepare ourselves for the coming of that day. That there shallbe a judgement, If there were no more places in the whole scripture, this one might be sufficient, especially if we consider who it is that speaketh it, that is, Christ our Saviour, Matt. 16. the Son of God and truth itself. It shall come to pass (says he) that the son of man shall come in the glory of the Father with his Angels, and then shall he give to every man according to his doings. But beside this testimony the holy Ghost in sundry places of the Scripture beareth witness to the same. Now (says S. Paul) God denounceth to all men in all places that Act. 17. they should repent, because he hath set a day wherein he will by that man, whom he hath appointed, judge the world in righteousness. And again: we all shall appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every man Rom. 14. may yield to God an account for him self. And to the Corinthians: we must 2. Cor. 5. all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that every man may receive the works of his body according to that he hath done, be it good Dan. 7. Zach. 14 Mat. 25. 26. john. 5. Apoc. 1. 2. Pet. 3. 1. Cor. 15. or bad. But what should I stand in reckoning up of many testimonies seeing the holy Scriptures are full of them? And therefore the Apostles of Christ, & after them the holy Fathers of the first Church have laid it down as a necessary article of Christian faith, the denying or doubting whereof must needs subvert all Christian religion, and make us the most miserable of all men. Wherefore Christians that have feeble and wavering faith, in these miserable and dangerous days, must seek by all godly means to strengthen their consciences herein, Whereunto this reason following must be of great weight and importance with all them that have any sense of God. The Prophets of God many hundred years before Christ came in flesh, denounced unto the world, that the true Saviour Christ Jesus should be sent to work the redemption of mankind, and descriveth his Conception, his Nativity, the place and manner of his birth, his state and condition in the world, finally his death, his resurrection and ascension. All which things we see have unfallibly come to pass many years since. Therefore those things, that they have prophesied of the last day, and of his coming to judgement, must also prove as true, and as certainly in due time come to pass. But happily many be so far gone in heathenish infidelity, that they believe not the Scriptures, yea they will scoff and scorn at this talk, and think it is no better than a bug to fear babes withal. Yea and these happily shall be in no small place and countenance in the world. For the world is so great with them, that they forget God altogether. Of these speaketh S. Peter. There shall come (saith he) in 2. Pet. 3. the latter days scorners, walking after their own lust, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers slept, all things continued a like from the beginning of the creation. Who heareth not such voices spread commonly among the ioliest sort of men in this world, or if many do not hear them, who is it, that by the obstinate contempt of God's holy word, the disdain of his messengers, and by the unbridled looseness of men's lives, may not justly gather, that this opinion is in the hearts of very many? But I will answer them as S. Peter in effect doth immediately following, that is, that heaven and earth doth so long remain, because they are preserved by the word of their almighty Creator and maker, who as by his word he made it of nothing, so, when he shall appoint the time, it shall end and perish, for the same word, that had power to make the world of nothing: hath also like power, when it shall seem good, to dissolve it. For proof here of: the world continued from the first creation, until the general deluge of Noah, being appointed by the determined decree of God's holy providence that it should so do, and when the same almighty word of God had said, that for sin he would destroy the whole world with water, it was without stay performed. Therefore seeing the same providence by his holy spirit hath said also that in the end it shall be consumed with fire, the same word shall as assuredly be verified. For Mat. 5. heaven and earth shall perish and pass away in vanity, but the word of God shall not perish, but that every jot thereof shall be performed. But, as I have said, these men make small account of God's word, I will therefore leave Christians, and turn myself to Heathens and Pagans, for such are these scorning and lose Epicures of whom S. Peter speaketh, although they hide themselves under the cloaks of Christians. I ask them therefore, whether they believe there is a God or no? If they will say no: For the foolish hath said in his heart, there is no God: Then will I, will them to behold the whole world, and the marvelous workmanship thereof. The Sun, the Moon, the stars and planets, with the wonderful moving and course of the same, the earth, the water, the air, and all the beautiful furniture thereof, beasts, trees, plants, fowls, fishes, rain, hail, thunder, lightning, with the residue of God's marvelous works in his creatures, and the manner of growing, breeding, and increasing of the same, and undoubtedly the almighty power, the exceeding wisdom and unestimable goodness that shall appear in these things, must needs convince them in their own consciences that there is a God, which in so exceeding and goodly manner hath framed them. Yea, if he be worthy the name of a man, let himself consider but the framing of a little babe in his mother's womb, from séed to skin, sinews, veins, arteries, bones, flesh, life and reasonable soul, and very reason itself will tell him, that it is an everlasting power that doth it. For the weighing thereof hath convinced the consciences of great learned Philosophers, that have strived to persuade themselves the contrary. O will they say, these are done by course of nature. Why, and what is that they call Nature? or what is it, that doth direct that course? is it any thing else then the finger of God working in his creatures? Seneca an heathen Philosopher can witness so much. Seeing then there must needs be a God, let them reason thus with themselves. If there be a God, he must needs be a just God, and the office of justice is to reward them that be good, and to punish them that be evil. For this direction the same God by nature hath imprinted in us. But in this life, although God oftentimes show some notable examples of his justice, in rewarding the good, and punishing the evil, yet most commonly the wicked do prospero and flourish, as David in sundry places complaineth, and contrariwise the faithful and godly are afflicted. In so much that S. Paul 2. Tim. 3. saith, who so ever will live godly in Christ jesus, shall be sure to suffer persecution, and therefore it is truly said, Crux comes evangelii, the cross is the usual companion of the Gospel. Yea such is the misery and trouble of good men in this world that Saint Paul saith, if there be not a resurrection of 1. Cor. 15. the dead, and another life after this, Christians are of all other most miserable. Christ himself in many places telleth his faithful and blessed Apostles, and under their names all other true Christians, that they should not in this world be so sure of any thing as of affliction, trouble, and persecution. Wherefore it must needs follow as a most necessary consequent, that after this life there must be a judgement, in which men according to the unfallible justice of God, must receive as Christ saith in this place, according to their doings, be it good or bad. This reason hath persuaded the most part of the heathen Philosophers, that the soul of man is immortal, and receiveth after this life either reward or punishment. Yea, in persuasion hereof, some with their own hands have dispatched themselves out of this life, as it is written of Cato Vticensis, and other: And a great number upon the same hope of a better life after this, have constantly contemned death, and cheerfully received the same. Seeing then heathen persons that never had the true knowledge of God, by the very leading of human reason have grown to an assured persuasion, that after this life there should be a judgement for the rewarding of the godly, and punishing of the wicked: What a dreadful infidelity is it in Christians to seem any thing to doubt of the same? Seeing therefore it is by God's holy word, and by reason convinced that there shall be a judgement after this life, it remaineth that we as certainly understand, that it shall come to pass very shortly. And for proof hereof let us first call to mind the similitude and borrowed speeches, that the holy Ghost useth in the scriptures, to declare the sudden coming thereof. Christ himself and S. Paul compareth it to a thief that cometh suddenly in the night, when the master and family thinketh of no danger, but that they may quietly take their rest. If the Matt. 24. householder had known (says christ) at what hour the thief would have come, he would have watched and not suffered his house to have been broken up. Watch you therefore and be ready, for the son of man will come you know not at what hour. S. Paul resembleth the coming of the last day not only to the sudden assault of a thief in the night, but to the throws of a woman traveling with child. For this he says: When they shall say unto you peace, peace and all is well, then suddenly shall destruction come upon them as the pangs of a woman in travail, & they shall not scape it. In which words he noteth the quietness & secure peace of confidence & good estate that men shall have at the later day. Christ Matt. 24. compareth it to a flash of lightning coming from the East unto the West, than which, you know nothing can be more sudden, for it is done in the twinkling of an eye. Therefore, dearly beloved, you must be assured that in a moment, yea, even in the twinkling of an eye, when you be in most security, the last day shall oppress you. And therefore no man is able to assign the day, the month or the year, as some presumptuously have Act. 1. taken upon them. For Christ himself says, it is not known to the Angels of heaven, not nor the son of man in that he is man: but to his godhead nothing is unknown. The wisdom of God hath kept this secret from all men, thereby to stir up the faithful always to be in a readiness. For such is the frowardness of our corrupt nature that if we understand of any delay, we abuse the patience and long sufferance of God to our own further condemnation. We aught therefore so to frame ourselves in all godliness as if every day should be the last day of the world, or at the lest the last day of our life. And although the hour, day or year of Christ's last coming be to us unknown, yet hath he given us certain tokens whereby we may assuredly know when it approacheth or draweth nigh. For thus he writeth: Learn a Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Luke. 19 parable of the fig tree when his branch is yet tender, and the leaves sprung, you know that summer is nigh. So likewise when you shall see these things come to pass, be you sure that it is near even at the doors. And truly, dearly beloved there is nothing mentioned there by Christ to come before the last day, or by the holy Ghost in any other place of the Scriptures but it is evidently even to the eye of all faithful people fulfilled, so that for any thing that we know to the contrary, we may look for it even this year, even this month, even this day, even this hour, and I beseech almighty God deeply to impress this cogitation into our hearts, that we may say with S. Jerome Whether we eat or whether we drink, or whatsoever we do, we may seem to hear Matt. 24. Mar. 13. Luke. 19 this voice of the Archangel continually swooning in our ears, Surgite mortui venite ad judicium. Arise you dead and come to judgement. In the Gospel Christ first noteth these signs and tokens that shall appear before the later day, in the sun, the moon, the stars and planets, in the air, in the water, in the earth, in the Church, in the state of principalities and kingdoms, in the life & behaviour of men, which if I should stand to rehearse particularly, and for proof add the testimony of times and witness of histories in this latter age, an whole day would not suffice for the declaration thereof. Have we not had within this few years above an hundred eclipses of the Sun and of the Moon? have we not seen many Comets and other strange and wondrous fiery impressions in the air? have we not had many horrible tempests of wind, rain, hail, snow, thunder and lightning▪ to the great hurt of man and beast? What shall I say of the greatdeluges of water, at Naples, at Rome, in Germany, in Flaunders, in England? snow hath fallen twenty Cubits deep, the Sea about Pontus hath been frozen to the thickness of thirty cubits, Earthquakes, in Italy divers, in Gréece, in Asia, in Barbary, in Spain, in England & many other places. As for monsters both by sea and by land, of men & of beasts, a marvelous number▪ ●●● mainie of which are recorded and put in writing with the note of their times, places & signs, and of these manner of figures before spoken sundry have lighted here with us in this Realm, so that we can not say but God forewarneth us by the as deeply as he hath done a●●e Nation. But these things are passed away with sleight consideration, because they have causes Incident to nature whereby they may be thought to come. But christians aught not so lightly to let flippe those signs and forewarnings which our merciful Lord and gracious Saviour the trueest Prophet that ever was hath given us to stir up our faith and expectation of his last coming, that our master when he cometh suddenly may not find us as lewd servants sleeping in security, and contempt of God and godliness, and so being taken be cast into that place, where shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth, for ever to continued in the portion of hypocrites. Who is ruler of that nature? and disposer and governor of those second causes, unto which they attribute these extraordinary events? is it not our Lord and God maker of heaven and earth, who guideth all things that be done, not only by nature, but suches also as seem to us to fall by chance? For if a sparrow fall net, or a little worm of the earth creep not, or a rude Ass wander not without his certain providence, much more aught we to believe that so strange things as I have spoken of before, are not disposed by any other power to fall in these or those days but by his only, to verify the promises, threatenings and forewarnings, that his son our Saviour hath given us of his last coming to judgement. By the like contempt and misinterpreting of those signs and wondrous tokens that God sent before the destruction of Jerusalem, the stubborn Jews by gods just judgement, hardened their hearts, and foaded forth themselves with vain hope until the very day that the wrath of God in most dreadful manner did light upon them, with the utter destruction of their city and desolation of their people. There appeared a Comet and other fiery impressions, but they assigned the causes to nature as we do. A man seven years together never ceased crying, Woe be to Jerusalem, woe be to Jerusalem, and they imputed it to madness. The great brazen gate of the temple which twenty men might scant open, being fast barred and locked, without hands sundry times rushed open, and they said it was a sign of God's favour and of great prosperity to come unto them, but in the end, as I have said, they were surprised with most miserable desolation. Christian's should beware by their folly. For surely I think that the end of the people of the Jews, and the destruction of their city and Temple is a type and figure of the last day, and of those things that shall then happen in the Church, as I could more largely declare if time would suffer me. But because this kind of signs is so neglected with mante, and find such shifts in man's reason to avoid the signification of them, for the assured proof of the approaching of the last day, I will rest only upon three or four places of the word of God, which shall bring so evident testimony thereof, as no man that hath any sense of a true christian, and is not altogether carried away with the love of the world, and luftes of the flesh can with safe conscidence deny it. The first is Daniel. To whom when it pleased God in a vision Dan. 7. to declare that state of the world that should be even to the end thereof, by the figure of the four beasts, he described the four Empires, that should follow one the other before the end. The Babylonians by a lion, which should be destroyed and eaten up by the Bear of the Persians', and that consumed and wasted by the four Leopards of the Grecians, and that rent and torn, and trampled under foot by the terrible monster of the Romans, after which there is no mention made of any other Empire but only that little horn, that grew out of the Romans Empire to great might and power, by which is meant the king doom of Antichrist that shall fight against the Saints of God in the latter end of the world. Which kingdom of Antichrist now this many years hath shown itself in the power of the Turk and of the Pops. Now dearly beloved weigh these things. The Empire of the Babylonians continued not long after this vision, but was subdued by the Persians'. The Empire of Persia continued. 231. years and was conquered by Alexander and the Grecians. The Grecian empire in Alexander and his successors divided into four kingdoms prospered about 300. years, and after great and long wars was consumed by the Romans which in growing & declining hath now continued above a thousand years and an half and is come even to the last pinch, even to the feet and toes mixed with brass and clay as the same Daniel descriveth it Chap. 9 to note the weakness and small strength thereof in the end. For who seeth not now that the empire is almost nothing, and consists only of a few free Cities in Germanye? For all the residue, it hath left unto the world, as all men may see, the power of the Turk and of the Pope which both have risen, and continued very near about one time. For Mahomet in Arabia, and the Pope in Rome began their usurpation within twelve years together. Now immediately in the end of the Roman Empire and power of Antichrist, Daniel describeth the coming of Christ to judgement. And I beheld (saith Daniel) Dan. 7. until the thrones were set up, and the ancient of days did sit, and so forth, in such sort as you shall after hear in the description of the last judgement. Seeing therefore experience of times hath taught us the truth in the former part of this prophesy, touching the rising, succession, and decay of other kingdoms, we must needs believe, if we have any Christian faith in us, that the same spirit of God will perform the like truth in the residue, and that the end of the world, and the last judgement shall follow upon the decay of the Roman Empire, and by the coming of our Saviour Christ, utterly destroy and pull down the power of antichrist. The second testimony of the holy Scriptures, for the approaching of the last day, in S. Paul to the Thessaly. Let no man deceive you, saith he, by 2. Thes. 2. any means. For the Lord shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that the man of sin be revealed first, the son of perdition. what doth S. Paul mean think you by falling away? undoubtedly a great and wonderful revolting, and falling from the faith of Christ. Now call to your remembrance that within a mean number of years after Christ's ascension, all the three parts of the world submitted themselves to the faith of Christ, as the histories do evidently declare. All Asia, even to the uttermost parts of the Indians. All Africa, even to the extreme borders of the Aethiops. All Europe without exception of any part. Add also the Isles about the main land, among which we of this Realm of England are. Conceive well in your mind this general profession of Christian faith, that then was over all the earth, and then view and consider in your minds, the state of Christianity at this day, and undoubtedly you shall perceive a marvelous revolting and falling from the faith of Christ, to have been now a good many years. The furthermost parts of Asia eastward, fallen again either to heathenish Idolatry, or to such superstition as doth not much differ from it. All the residue of Asia, together with a great part of Africa, add also no small portion of Europe under the Turk, revolted to the wicked blasphemy of Mahomet: so that the countries of the world that now profess Christ, are not the tenth part of them that before time have been christian. Yea and among them that profess the christian religion in Europe, for the more part a number of years have been carried away with the superstition and idolatry of the Antichrist of Rome. In so much that if Christ do now come, in comparison of the multitude of miscreants, he shall found true that he spoke in the Gospel: when the son of man Luke. 18. shall come, dost thou think he shall find any faith in the earth? Seeing therefore we see now the general apostasy and revolting from the faith now in our time fallen out, the want whereof principally S. Paul accounteth in his time to be the stay of Christ's coming, we must needs be persuaded that it can not be far off. As touching the latter part of S. Paul's words to the Thessaly. Of the revealing of the man of sin, the son of perdition, which is an adversary and is exalted above all that is called God, so that he as God, sitteth in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is a God: because the full discourse for the proof of the coming of this antichrist would require a long process, and more than this time would bear, for the trial thereof, call to your remembrance this brief note. That since the declination and decay of the Roman Empire, for the space of certain hundred years, you have seen even in the church of God, even in Italy, even in the seat royal of the Empire of Rome, a certain power, which under the pretence of holiness, hath advanced itself above all kings and princes of the earth, that hath claimed the full power of both sword, and to that purpose hath showed itself in open procession, the one day in his pontifical ornaments, and the next in armour like a prince: that hath also avaunted, that he hath all power immediately from God, and all kings of the earth by mediation from him: that hath put the same in practice by deposing princes, & altering of titles at his pleasure in Arragon, in Naples, in Sicily in England, in France, in the Empire itself, and well near in all places of Christendom: that hath had Emperors, Kings, and Princes to hold his bridle, to go at his stirrup, to kiss his feet, to stand at the gates of his city whole days together barefooted, and could not have grace to come to his presence, that hath driven the noblest Prince in the earth, to put his head under his feet, and he in the mean time with outrageous blasphemy, caused this verse of the Psalter to be song: Super aspidem & Basiliscum ambulabis, conculcabis Leonem & Draconem. As if he should have said, behold here is that proud Antichrist, that the Scriptures witnesseth, should tread under his feet the most noble state of Emperors, & in the fare of the world, apply unto himself that verse which the Prophet meant of the son of God, and saviour of the world Christ Jesus. Call I say further to your remembrance, that you have seen this power show himself as proudly toward God, as he hath done to princes of the earth, that he hath called himself the head of the universal church, Christ's vicar in earth, that he hath taken upon him for money and bribery, to cell remission of sins, to dispense with most horrible vices against the law of God, to deliver from hell, to dismiss out of purgatory, to command the Angels of heaven, to altar the ordinances and institutions of Christ. That hath suffered his parasites to proclaim that he hath a divine power in him, above the nature of man, that he can not err, that he is another God in earth, that he is neither God nor man, but a monster between both. These properties I say call to your consideration, and compare them with the descriptions of Antichrist, made by the Prophets and Apostles, and then doubt, if you can, whether the man of sin, the son of perdition, be come into the world or not, and consequently, whether the end of the world, and the coming of the last dreadful judgement, be even at hand or no. The third testimony is taken out of the words of Christ, Luke. 17. where he saith, As it was in the days of No, so shall it be also in the day of the son of man, they did eat and drink, they married wives and were married, even unto the day that No went into the Ark, etc. Likewise also as it was in the days of Loath, they did eat, they did drink, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded, until the same day that Loth went out of Sodom, and suddenly it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them. Even thus shall it be in the day that the son of man shall be revealed. etc. Why you will say unto me it is no offence to eat, to drink, to marry, to plant, to buy, to cell, to build: and those things have been used in all ages. True it is that you say, neither doth Christ this to reprove those things in themselves, but in those words he noteth the great security that was among men at those days, and the excessive delight that they had in these pleasures & ornaments of the world, reposing such confidence in them, as though the world should for ever have continued, and as if there had been none other heaven to have rested in but this. And in the trust hereof did they neglect the preaching, warning & calling to repentance used by No and Loth, even until God's wrath came upon them: and even in like manner doth Christ signify that it should be in the end of the world. And when I pray you was there, since the world was first made, so great security in sin, such contempt of godliness, such confidence in worldly prosperity, such feasting, banqueting, and dainty feeding, such gorgeousness in apparel, such sumptuousness in building, such unseasonable marrying, such planting, such building, such buying and purchasing, such raking and scraping together of worldly pelf, as if men did determine to abide still upon the face of the earth, or as if every man did strive to pass other in riot & sensuality, & when they have consumed themselves with monstrous excess in all pleasure, than not contented with that they have, by hook or by crook they pull from other, even from the ministers of Christ, even from the church of God, even from the preachers of the Gospel, and poor servants of God, which even among the heathens have always had their honourable portion left unto them. Wherefore how they do esteem the true worship of God in these days, men do show, when they declare such impiety towards his ministers. And when they are reproved for these enormities, it is so far off that they do repent and amend, that they scoff and jest, they rail and slander, they taunt and reprove, as if they were at defiance with God and his messengers, or as if they had made a covenant with death and with hell, to be out of their danger. But when they say peace, peace, all is sure, then suddenly, as Paul saith, shall destruction come upon them, as the Deluge did upon the sons of men in the days of No, and fire from heaven upon Sodom, in the time of Loth. For ever before the horrible plagues of God, obstinate security, and contempt of God's calling, hath go before as a messenger, and showed itself in the life of men. The fourth testimony of the speedy coming of the last day, is the words of saint Paul. 2. Tim. 3. Know you this (saith he) that in the latter days shall be perilous times, for men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, ungodly without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, riotous, fierce, despisers of them that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Who would not think that Saint Paul did in spirit, foresee the manners of this time, and these days into which we are fallen, and those wicked vices, wherewith the world is now overwhelmed. What state of men is there in which most of these vices do not show themselves, and that in such manner, as never in any age the like? what slack and corrupt government in Magistrates? what stubbornness and disobedience in subjects? what pride and self liking in the rich and wealth? what spite and envy in the poor and beggarly? what looseness and wantonness in youth, what covetousness and waywardness in age? what cockering and evil ensample of life in parents? what dnnaturalnesse and unkindness in children? what headiness and fierceness in masters? what negligence and untruth in servants? what craft, subtlety, and deceit, what counterfeiting and dissymuling, what false and unjust dealing, almost in all men? Truth and sincerity is banished, cozening and falsehood is esteemed wisdom, and christian simplicity is counted peevish folly. A man would in these days marvel to hear of that plain dealing that in old time hath been. I have heard that the giving of a man's hand, should have assured his heart, and tied his faith and troth, but now all the bonds that man's wit can devise, will scantly hold that which one covenanteth with another. If there were no other argument, but the ripeness that sin and wickedness is now grown unto, it should sufficiently prove that the glory of this world must shortly fall & decay. There is an old saying of much credit among the ewes, and is called dictum domus Eliae, the saying of the school of Elias, and is attributed to the son of the widow, which Elias raised from death to life. The sum of it is, that the world should remain six thousand years, that is, two thousand before the law, two thousand under the law, and two thousand under Messiah. The first four thousand we see by just computation fulfilled before Christ, of the last two, one and more than an half is passed, now if we call to our remembrance, that Christ himself hath promised that for his elect sake, because of the exceeding trouble, misery, and wickedness, the latter days should be shortened, we shall easily gather, that the world hath not many years to continued, and how few we know not, for how much or how little he will abridge them, we are uncertain. Now seeing the proofs be so evident, that the last day can not be far of (for seeing the fig tree leaves be spread, Summer must needs be at hand) the next is (the more to move our dull hearts) diligently to consider, how and in what manner it shall be. The story thereof Christ briefly comprehendeth, Mat. 25. When the son of man (saith he) shall come in his glory, and all the holy Angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, and he shall set the sheep on the right hand, but the goats on the left, & so forth as there followeth. Christ's first coming was with all meekness, lowliness & simplicity, according to the saying of the Prophet, Behold thy king cometh to thee meek, and sitteth Zach. 9 upon an Ass. He came then to save sinners, and therefore he showed himself altogether in mercy and gentleness, but his latter coming shall be with great power, majesty and glory, for than he cometh as a dreadful Judge, to reward in justice the unrepentant sinners, that contemned his great mercies offered at his first coming. But let us examine the manner of his coming somewhat more particularly. After those signs and tokens, that go before his coming (whereof I have already spoken) there be other also joined with the very time of his latter appearing. The sun shall be darkened, the moon shall loose her light, the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved, the earth shall burn, the firmament shall melt away, and the last trump shall blow, and the voice of the Archangel shall be herded, summoning as it were all people, and sounding in their ears, Surgite mortui & venite ad judicium, arise you dead and come to judgement, which Matt. 24. 25 26. Mar. 13. Luke. 19 voice S. Jerome thought he heard ever ringing in his ears. Then shall the son of man appear in the clouds with great Majesty as is said, and the dead shall rise, and they that be living, in the twinkling of an eye shall be changed, and carried into the air to appear before the Lord, who cometh to judge the world in righteousness. This manner of Christ his coming beside his own words in sundry places of the Evangelists, is witnessed 2. Thes. 1. by S. Paul. 2. Thes. 1. When the Lord jesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with the Angels of his power in flaming fire rendering vengeance unto them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ. The very place whence he shall be revealed giveth a great authority and majesty unto his coming to judgement from heaven, says SAINT Paul, that is, from the seat and habitation of the eternal and everliving God, where is all power, wisdom and justice. From thence, says he in another place, do we look for our saviour, the Lord Jesus. And the Angel, to the Disciples at the ascension Phi. 3. Act. 1. of Christ, Why stand you, says he, gazing up into heaven, this same jesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come even as you have seen him go into heaven. And therefore all christians in their belief confess that Christ is ascended up into heaven, from whence, say they, he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. In the witness of the Apostle above rehearsed the power and end of his coming is noted, with the Angels of his power, says S. Paul, and to this end, That he may be revenged on them that know not God, nor have not believed his Gospel. Which thing must needs be most terrible to the wicked, as it is in the same place more precisely noted. But of all other the Prophet Daniel most gloriously describeth the manner of his coming. I beheld Dan. 7. (says he) till the thrones were set up, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hairs of his head like pure wool, his throne was like fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. There issued forth before him a fiery stream, a thousand thousand ministered unto him, and ten thousand stood before him, the judgement was set and the books were opened, etc. First the Prophet saith the Thrones were set up, whereby it may appear there be more Thrones than one, & that this Judge shall have a great number of assistances to be as witnesses of his justice against the wicked, and these shallbe the number of his saints, as it is witnessed in sundry places of the Scriptures Verily verily I say unto you, says Christ, That when the son of man shall sit in the throne of his majesty, you that have followed me in regeneration shall sit also upon twelve seats iudgig the twelve tribes of Israel. This judge is noted by Daniel to be An old man with his hair as white as wool, Thereby to signify the reverence, wisdom and experience that is in him, & that Mat. 19 he can not let pass any thing by ignorance, error, or folly: his garments as white as snow declare unto us his security, uprightness and integrity in judgement, not respecting any person nor being corrupted with favour, hatred or money. The fiery stream e that issueth forth before him, & the flaming throne that he sitteth in, signify the dreadful force and piercing strength of his judgement which no creature is able to resist. As fire consumeth all things & is consumed of nothing, so doth the strait judgement of God consume all the wicked of the earth, For God, as the Scriptures say, is a consuming fire. And the Prophet Esay says, The Lord shall come in fire, and his Esay. 66. chariot shall be like a whirl wind, that he may recompense his vengeance in his wrath and his indignation in a flame of fire. For the Lord shall judge all flesh with the fire and with his sword. The assistance of an infinite number of saints and Angels set forth unto us the wonderful majesty and power of the son of God in judgement, for if one Angel in one night were able to destroy 185000▪ of the host of Senacherib, of what unestimable power is he, which hath a thousand thousand, that is an infinite number of Angels and Archangels, of powers and principalities, and dominions attending on him at his commandment to execute what soever judgement he shall appoint them? The Books that are laid open do descrive unto us the detection of all men's faults, and the opening even of their secret thoughts and deeds. For the justice of God hath kept, as it were, a perfit register of all things even of our idle thoughts & words so that our consciences shall be at that day straightly burdened and charged with them al. Not much differing from these words of the Prophet is that description of Christ's coming which S. John useth in his Revelation. And I Apoca. 19 saw heaven open and behold a white horse and he that fate upon him was called Faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make battle, his eyes were as a flame of fire, & on his head were many crowns, & he had a name written, that no man known but himself. And he was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood, & his name is called the word of God. And the armies that were in heaven followed him upon white horses clothed with white and pure reins. In this description the white horse issuing out of heaven is the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospel sent from God in these latter days before the last appearing of Christ. For by the preaching of the Gospel as by an horse or chariot Christ is carried. He that sitteth on this horse is Christ himself being faithful in all his promises and very truth itself, who cometh to judge the world in righteousness and in battle by force of truth to overcome Antichrist and all his enemies. His eyes like flaming fire, declareth his wrath and vehement displeasure against the adversaries of his truth. He hath many crowns upon his head, to declare that he is king of kings, and Lord of Lords, that all power both in heaven and earth is given to him and that it is in his power with the crown of glory to reward all his faithful servants that have constantly fought under his banner against the devil & Antichrist. His garment dipped in blood signifieth that the conquest of his enemies consists in his passion & shedding of his most precious blood, for thereby sin was taken away, and the power of Satan overthrown. The armies of heaven following him on white horses and appareled in white and pure reins: Be the number of his saints and faithful professors of his Gospel which in this vale of misery have constantly fought against the enemies of his truth. The sword that issueth out of his mouth is the word of God, and principally that two edged sword of his sentence at the latter day, by which he shall pronounce on the one side, Go you blessed of my father & inherit the kingdom that hath been prepared for you since the foundation of the world, and contrariwise unto the wicked one's on the left hand, departed from me you cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his Angels. By this description of the last judgement left unto us by the holy Ghost in the scriptures of god we may know that at that day we shall not have to do with a common & frail man, but with a most dreadful Lord & terrible Judge, that knoweth the very secrets of men's hearts, and judgeth according to perfit righteousness: Whom (as Augustine says) neither favour can pervert, nor mercy bend, nor money corrupt, nor satisfaction and repentance at that day can assuage. Whose beauty and brightness is such, as darkeneth even the stars of heaven, whose might is so great as it melteth mountains and the whole frame of the world before him, whose wisdom is so perfect that by it the wisell of the world are entrapped in their own craftiness, whose purity is so excellent, that in respect of it all things are unclean, whose justice is so exquisite, that the very Angels are not able to abide that strait measure of it. Before this God I say, before this Judge shall the whole world at that day appear, and yield a most strait account of all things that ever they have done, spoken, or thought. O dearly beloved, let us follow therefore the counsel of that good. father Ephrem the Syrian, Preparemus nos sine macula inveniri in terribili illo Christi examine, etc. Let us prepare ourselves that in that dreadful examination of Christ, we may be found without spot. For then all our thoughts words and deeds, shall be reproved and convinced of corruption, yea our idle talk, our lose and uncomely gestures, and all our smallest offences shall be laid to our charge. Yea those things wherein in this life we did put our greatest pleasure and glory, shall then be unto us our greatest grief and torment. Let us therefore in time repent, and before hand enter into a strait account with ourself, for as the same father addeth, omnia dura, & aspera & amara occurrent hijs qui poenitentiae tempus perdiderunt. All things shall be hard, grievous and unpleasant to them that lose the time of their repentance in this life. In that day, saith bernard, for the wicked to hide them it shall be unpossible, though they desire the mountains and rocks to fall upon them, and to appear before the Judge, it shall be untolerable. For in so great distress their own consciences shall torment them, and the secrets of their heart shall vex them, while their own hearts shall force them to be their own accusers, and with trembling spirits they shall stand, looking for that most grievous and dreadful sentence, Go you cursed into ever lasting fire. If there be any so obstinate, wicked, and forlorn in sin, as he trembleth not at the cogitation of these things: Let him imagine that which shall be most certemly true, that he heareth that hideous sound of the last trump and voice of the Archangel, summoning all flesh to the judgement seat of God, that he seeth the heavens melting with fire, and the whole world burning about him, that above him he seethe the son of God, coming with the glorious army of his Saints and Angels, that before him he seethe laid open the book of all his wicked thoughts, words, and deeds, that within him he feeleth the worm of his conscience gnawing with perpetual torment, that beneath him he seeth hell mouth ready to swallow him, that he seeth in every quarter the Angels of God gathering together his elect, and rejecting him as a wicked reprobate, that on his right and left hand he beholdeth cruel fendes watching upon the sentence of the judge, to carry him to that place where shall be perpetual flame without quenching, weeping and gnashing of teeth without ending, darkness without light, grief without ease, sorrow without comfort, where death shall be wished for and never obtained, where shall be nothing but loathsomeness, horror, stench, and that of all other shall be most grievous, endless sense of the wrath of that God and judge, before whom he standeth. This manner of judgement is, as you see, most terrible, the speedy approaching thereof is very certain, the signs and tokens can not deceive us, they are uttered by the Prophet of God, by the Apostles of Christ, by Christ our Saviour, by the spirit of God, by truth itself that can not lie, we therefore may be well assured, seeing all things to be performed, that the year of our account is nigh, that that dreadful Judge is coming, that the day of God's wrath is at hand, and even in our necks we know not how soon. Therefore I most hearty pray you, and in the fear of God and love of yourselves, desire you speedily to cast away the care of the world, the love of the flesh, the delight of sensual pleasure and jollity, which holdeth your minds in such wicked and detestable security. Set before your eyes the image of his coming in such Majesty and terror, think you hear continually the voice of the Archangel sounding in your ears. If fear of punishment may drive you to it, he is a severe Judge: If assurance of reward may encourage you, he is a bountiful Lord: If hope of forgiveness, before hand asked, may comfort you, he is a merciful Saviour. Delay not therefore, nor lose not this time of repentance. Seeing then it is most certain there shall be a general judgement, and that the time thereof must needs be very nigh, and that before a Judge of so great Majesty, and the examination and account so strait, to all them that shall neglect the time of their repentance: It behoveth all that have any sense of God, to be careful for their souls, and to prepare themselves for the coming of that dreadful day. Our preparance consists in these three things, whereof Christ himself warneth us, Mar. 13. Cavete, Vigilate, ●rate. Beware, watch, pray. The first is a caveat or a thing to take heed of, for fear of that danger that may come thereby. And what it is Christ had shown a little before. False Christ's (saith he) and false Prophets Mar. 13. shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders to deceive, if it were possible, even the very elect. Sed cavete, but take heed, behold, I have shown you all things before. This is that we must beware of in these latter days. Of the like Christ putteth us in mind, when he saith in another place: Beware of false Prophets which come Matt. 7. unto you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening woulfes. There can no more mischief and danger come to the people of God, then by false and corrupt doctrine, for without true faith and religion, no holiness of life, seem it to the world never so glorious, can be acceptable in the sight of God. Among these false teachers principally we have to take heed of the Papist, and of those sheep skins wherewith he wrappeth himself, lest we be deceived by them, let us lift up his goodly apparel, and we shall see underneath, the paunch of a greedy wolf, and the claws of a cruel Lion. be not abashed then nor astonished, when you hear the goodly names of the Catholic Church, the great multitude of such as be of their opinion, the long continuance of many years. For if these had been good grounds of men's consciences, they might well have served for the Jews and false teachers, against the true Prophets of God in old time, and after for Annas and Cayphas, against Christ himself and his Apostles. For where were the Prophets' stain? where was Christ put to death? where were the Apostles persecuted and killed? was it not in Jerusalem the city of God? was it not among the Jews the choose people, and in deed, the church of God? had not they among them the law of God and his ordinances? did not they cry against Jeremy, the Temple of God, the Temple of God is with us, we have the covenant that God made to our forefathers, even as now the papists do allege that the Church of God, the Church of God is with them, they can not err, they have the promises of Christ, that his Spirit should never fail them. The false Prophets had a thousand, for one that did follow the true Prophets. Yea, Elias thought that he had been left alone. The Scribes and Pharisees in the end had a great number, and in deed a general consent in comparison of that little number and sinal flock that followed Christ and his Apostles. Therefore take heed of these things, that you be not miscarried by them, they are but lamb skins, wherein the wolf of Rome hideth himself to deceive thee. Remember that all which say they have Abraham to their father, are not by and by the true seed of Abraham. Remember that the Scribes and Pharisees sometime sit in Moses chair, and bear the countenance of the law of God. Remember that Saint Paul telleth thee and doth give thee warning, that the son of perdition, Antichrist himself should in the latter days sit in the Temple, that is, the Church of God. Remember that the same Paul telleth for certainty, that in the latter 1. Tim. 4. days should come certain teaching, the doctrine of devils, having their consciences marked with an hot iron, forbidding to marry and to eat such meats as God hath prepared to be received with thanksgiving. Consider whether the Pope hath forbidden Priests to marry, and denounced it a grievous sin if men do eat flesh upon certain days, and then gather whether they be the Church of Christ, or under that colour in deed the Synagogue of Antichrist. O say they the doctrine of the Gospel now taught is a new doctrine never herded of in the Church before these late years. This is not a sheep skin (good people) but it is a venomous tusk of a poisonous Boar with blasphemous lying, stricken into the Gospel of Christ thereby to wound it, and make it hateful. But the Gospel that we teach is the same Gospel that was first from the beginning by the Spirit of God revealed to the patriarchs, and Prophets, and after spread into the world by Christ himself and his Apostles. So that our doctrine is as ancient as the Prophets, as Christ himself, as his Apostles, yea, as the world is ancient. For it proceeded from God himself at the beginning, when he spoke to the Serpent and said, That the seed of the woman should break the head of the Serpent, That is, that the true Messiah should come of the seed of the woman, and destroy the kingdom of sin and Satan. This Gospel was renewed unto Abraham, and confirmed with the seal of circumcision. When he said, In thy seed all the nations of the earth shallbe blessed, etc. This Gospel was preached by Father Jacob, in his death bed saying, This sceptre Gen. 49. shall not departed from juda, etc. Until Silo come & he shall be the expectation of the Gentiles. This Gospel preached Moses also, The Lord thy God (says he) to the children of Israel, shall raise up to thee a Prophet out of thy own Deut. 18. people, and from among thy brethren and him shalt thou hear. This Gospel was renewed by God himself unto David most evidently, and afterward by all the Prophets, isaiah, jeremy, Ezechiel, Daniel, and all the residue. So that our doctrine and the Gospel that we preach (as I have said) is as ancient as the Apostles, as the Prophets and patriarchs, as the world itself is ancient. For our Gospel is none other but this, that we have remission of sins, and are reconciled to the favour of God only by Christ and by his death, that he only is the mediator and intercessor between God and us. That he only is propitiation and full sacrifice for our sins, that by him only we be made the children of God, and heirs of eternal life. All doctrines agreeing with this we receive, all doctrines repugnant to this we reject & say with S. Ambrose, Quaecunque Christus non docuit iure damnamus: Whatsoever. Christ hath not taught we justly and worthily condemn. Therefore do we justly condemn the most part of the papistical doctrine as new and fantastical, because it doth not agree with this ancient Gospel of Christ uttered from the beginning by God himself, but rests upon the observation of men's traditions, and unwritten verities, devised within the space of a few hundred years utterly against and beside the word of God. Satan in these latter days to work suspicion to the doctrine of the Gospel at this time by God's great goodness renewed, hath raised also many other perverse and wicked teachers, as the Arrians denying the deity of Christ. The Anabaptistes, beside many other errors improving the grace and strength of baptism in infants. The Libert ines dissolving all true confession of faith and practise of godly life. The familiars of love in whom Satan turneth himself into an Angel of light, and under pretence of holy life bringeth in most pernicious errors and heresies. Therefore, I say unto you of all these, beware, and take heed that you be not seduced, and settle your consciences upon that sure foundation and strong rock of Christ's Gospel whereof before I have told you. The next part of our preparance Mat. 24. 25. Mat. 13. Luk. 12. 21. 1. Pet. 5. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Thes. 5. is▪ Uigilate, which precept Christ, often and in sundry places repeateth. S. Peter also Sobris estote & vigilate, Be sober and watch, and S Paul, watch and be strong in faith, & to the Thes. Let us watch and be sober. To watch is to be careful and diligent, utterly contrary to that security and careless wretchedness wherewith the world at this day is overwhelmed, & drowned as it were in the delights and lusts of worldly pleasures. We are willed therefore to cast away this sinful security, and to have an earnest care of ourselves. Well says in Gen. c. 2. Chrisost. Decet nos esse sobrios & vigiles etc. It becometh us to be sober and watchful and to have a perpetual and continual care of our souls. For it is the part of a Christian always to stand in battle against the lusts of the flesh, and that the lovers & preachers of our Lord and master should always ring in our ears. And again, Omnes vos vigilare & sobrios esse oportet, etc. It behoveth you all to watch and be sober and never to sleep in security. Because there is no set time when our enemy will assault us. Therefore let us always be watchful, let us alway In Gen. ca 6. be careful of our salvation and so we shall never be taken upon the sudden, Christ our Saviour teacheth us Luke. 13. how we should watch and after what manner we should be in readiness. Let your loins be girded about you and your lights burning in your hands and you yourselves be like unto men that wait for the coming of their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he shall come and knock they may open unto him immediately. Happy are those servants whom, when the Lord cometh, he shall found waking. In that he says we must have our loins girded, he speaketh after the manner of the East countries where they use long garments and when they go any journey, they gird themselves and truss their garments about them that they may journey more hastily and readily. By this therefore we are taught that in this world and vale of misery we are but as pilgrims and wayfaring men, and as Paul says, have no city nor place long to abide in, For our country & dwelling place is in heaven, whence we look for our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. We be citizens of Heaven and of the household of God: Where we believe assuredly for ever to dwell. We must therefore cast away the love, the care, and the remembrance of this life, & daily go on in our way to heaven there to enjoy the heritage of that kingdom where Christ our Saviour after his resurrection and ascension hath taken possession to our behoof. For as he naturally, so we by adoption are heirs of Eternal life. So long therefore as we be here going on our journey we must remember S. Paul's counsel, that is, That the time of this life is short, and therefore 1. Cor. 7. they which have wives must be as if they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that laugh as though they laughed not, and they that use this world as though they used it not. Whereby it is meant that we must use the things of this life only of necessity for the time, and that neither adversity or weeping, nor prosperity and laughing nor marriage, nor the pleasures and possessions of this life, should so occupy our hearts, that they should make us to forget our country and kingdom unto which we are passing through the wilderness of this wicked and sinful world. Our Conversation, as Paul says, should be in heaven, & our whole or principal care should be upon heavenly things, neither must the immoderate love of this world 'cause us over greedily to look back to the delights & pleasures thereof, as Lot's wife did to Sodom, lest as she was turned to a Salt stone without sense, So the just judgement of God d●e cast us of as reprobates and turn us into stony hearts that shall have no sense of God and godliness, let us therefore guide ourselves and go on constantly in our purposed journey. But we must have light in our hands, that is, we must have the knowledge of God's holy word and our minds must be diligently instructed therewith. For that is the light that doth teach and instruct us and in deed truly direct us which way we shall take to heaven. Thy word (says David) Is a Lantern unto my feet and a light unto my steps. By the word of God only we are directed the true way. If we be guided by the dusky light of man's reason, undoubtedly we shall wander out of the way, and take some buy path that shall lead us to eternal perdition. This light of God's word we may not carry in our mouths, nor set on our heads, nor hang on our girdles, but we must carry it in our hands, that is, it must appear in our lives and show itself in our works and doings according Mat. 5. to that Christ says, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father that is in heaven. And surely if we have the right use to feed the lamp it will undoubtedly burn and with fair light show itself, that is if through God's good spirit working in us by his holy word we come in a right and true faith in the promises of God, certainly it will shine in our life and with great brightness set forth the glory of God. This oil because the holy virgins lacked, & had not in readiness, when the Lord came suddenly in the night, the door of eternal Mat. 25. life was shut against them, & they excluded unto perpetual darkness where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. We aught therefore according to the direction of this true light every man carefully to walk in his calling, and as good and diligent servants with all obedience doing those things that the Lord hath appointed, as to look for his coming, because, as is before declared, he will come suddenly at that hour that we think not, we must be ready to open whensoever he knocketh. He knocketh by the preaching of his holy word and calling to repentance, he knocketh by signs and tokens from heaven, he knocketh by troubles and afflictions, he knocketh by sickness, & lastly of all he knocketh by death. Whensoever he knocketh to come in, and dwell in our hearts, if we open not it is dangerous, but if we open not when he knocketh lastly by sickness and death, undoubtedly he than passeth from us for ever, and leaveth us as the possession of Satan to eternal fire prepared for him & his Angels. But it is exceeding perilus to defer the opening of the gates of our hearts until that the last pinch, for little know we whether God will suffer us then to be able to open, seeing we have so often before either negligently or stubbornly, and obstinately refused to open when he hath by all loving means tenderly and mercifully called and knocked to come in. Our last preparation is to pray. Uigilate, says Christ, & orate, Watch and pray lest you enter into tentation. The world is flattering, the flesh is frail, the devil ready and continually As a roaring lion going about & seeking whom to devour. Seeing then our enemies be so strong and we so weak & feeble, it behoveth us continually to call for help where it is to be had, But every good thing, and every gracious gift cometh from above from the father of lights. This father of lights is the eternal God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of this father therefore we must by most earnest and continual prayer desire assistance and the strength of his holy spirit to help us that we be not carried away from the careful cogitation of our duties by the allurements of the devil, the flesh, and the world. Worthily says that good father and Martyr Cyprian: Incumb amus gemitibus assiduis, Lib. 1. epi. 1. etc. Let us be earnest with continual groanings and often prayers, for those are the heavenly armour that make us to stand strongly & valiantly to continue, those are the spiritual weapons that do defend & save us. And again, Let us ask & we shall receive, and if there shall be any delay or tarrying, Lib. 4. epi. 4. because we have grievously offended, let us knock and the door of God's merciful goodness shallbe opened, especially if we knock at the door with prayers, groanings and bitter tears wherein also we must abide and continwe. Let us therefore continually lift up the hands and arms of our hearts unto God, as Moses did his arms in the battle between Israel and the Amalachites: and then, in that strong battle that is within us between the spirit and the flesh undoubtedly the spirit shall vanquish & overcome, but if we faint and hold down our hands, surely our enemies will wa● every day stronger than other, and so at the last give us the overthrow. Let us not faint therefore but pray continually unto God, in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord Thus if we do as men well prepared, we shall abide, warily, watchefully, and constantly looking for the last coming of our good Lord and Christ to judgement. And then he that cometh to the wicked as a dreadful and terrible judge, shall come to us as a bountifuf Saviour and redeemer, as in whose merit and Passion we have always put our whole trust and confidence, though that day be to the wicked so terrible as before I have described, yet it shall be to us the day of our chiefest joy and comfort, and therefore our Saviour Christ willeth us when the signe● of that day become, to lift up our heads because our redemption Mar. 13. is at hand. For than we shall not only be delivered from all those afflictions, troubles & dangers which in the continuance of this frail world we have suffered, but also we shall be by him adjudged to the fruition and enjoying of that heritage which he hath purchased for us by his blood: wherefore the greater that the majesty of his coming is, the greater confirmation shall it be to our faith. For therein we shall both acknowledge the truth of his word, who long before hath told us it should be so, and also we shall evidently see, that he is that mighty Lord and God, that, according to his promise, is able to perform all that he hath said, and utterly to vanquish, subdue, and tread under foot, all these powers, whatsoever that are enemies to his elect and choose flock. The world they see destroyed before them: death ended and consumed, sin confounded, Satan and all his powers even at the last cast, and looking presently to be thrown into that lake of fire, that is prepared for him and for his angels. When we have then nothing to fear, how should we not be in most perfit joy. All those things breed comfort to the godly, that cause terror to other. Though the examination & account be very straight, though Satan shall lay before us the book of our own consciences to accuse us, we shall easily disburden ourselves, by acknowledging the things, and by confessing that there is in ourselves no justice in confidence, when we dare that day stand in judgement, and that our whole trust and confidence, is in the innocent death of that immaculate Lamb, that died to take away the sins of the whole world: and for assurance thereof, we shall show acquittances of his most blessed promises, and upon them with the hand of our faith, lay sure hold. For he hath said, God sent not his son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved by him. He that believeth in him is not judged. And again. So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that who so ever doth believe on him, should not perish, but have life everlasting. And again, He that heareth my word, and believeth in him that sent me, hath life everlasting, and cometh not into judgement. but passeth from death to life. And if Satan shall lay any false thing unto us, or charge us with the weakness of our faith: to our unestimable comfort, we shall see on our right hand as it were the fruits of our faith, showed in christian charity, which the judge himself shall not only testify to be done, but acknowledge them to be done unto himself, by saying, I was hungry, and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink, I was a stranger, and you entertained me, etc. So often as you did one of these things to the smallest of your brethren, I acknowledge it to be done unto myself. And therefore we shall joyfully look for that blessed and comfortable sentence: Come you blessed of my father, and enter into the kingdom that is prepared for you, before the beginning of the world, there shall we still behold, as Basile saith, the numbers of Angels, the assembly of our first Fathers, the seats of the Apostles, the thrones of the Prophets, the sceptres of the patriarchs, the crowns of the Martyrs, the praises of the just. Yea, there shall we possess such joys, as neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor tongue can tell, nor pen is able to express, unto which endless joys, our Lord and Saviour Christ bring us, to whom with God the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour. etc. FINIS.