more Reu. 7.16.17 neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any more heate of persecution or affliction for the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall gouerne them and shall leade them vnto the liuely fountaines of waters to coole and refresh them and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Also let vs see how Saint Paule noteth this day of iudgement vnto vs Day of iudgement called a day of wrath Rom. 2.5 in the second to the Romanes he first calleth it a day of wrath as also it is called in the sixth of the ReuelatioÌ„ the great day of wrath bicause at that time al the enimies of God shal be sure to drinke of the seuere cup of Gods wrath to their eternal destruction Psal 11.6 So saith Dauid vpon the wicked God shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke Also in the same place the Apostle calleth the day of iudgement â—ay of â—â—dgement â—alled the â—ay of reâ—ealing â—om 2.5 The day of declaring or reuealing both because the iudgement shall be kept in so open a place in the viewe of heauen earth and hell as also in respect that then all secrets shall be discouered and disclosed nothing is so hid but it shal be made knowen saith our Sauiour also in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 4.13 it is said There is no Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are open and naked in his eyes with whom we haue to doe that is in the eyes of Iesus Christ the Sonne of the eternall God who shall iudge the secrets of all men by Iesus Christ Thirdly the same Apostle not contented in that place to call the day of iudgement the day of wrath and the day of reueiling but also he calleth it the day of the righteous Iudgement of God Day of â—udgement â—alled the â—ay of the â—ighteous â—udgement of God 〈◊〉 2.5 why is there any day wherein God executeth vnrighteous iudgement God forbide For then how should God Iudge the world if there be any vnrighteousnes in him as the Apostle vrgeth in the Chapter following And as Abraham pleadeth with God himselfe vpon this point saying Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right that is execute righteous Iudgement at all times why therefore doth the Apostle appoint one day among all other daies for God to shew righteous iudgement calling it the day of the righteous iudgement of God Surely he doth it to some purpose yea for our instruction namely because in the coÌ„mon course of the world it is vsually seene and obserued and many good men as Ieremie Dauid haue complayned of it that the wicked are aduaunced the godly suppressed the sinner set aloft the seruant of God abused the meeke ones contrary as it seemes to many expresse texts of scripture constrained to wander in wildernesses being destitute tormented and afflicted the proud ones in the meane season to inherite the earth The godâ—â— abased thâ— wicked exalted and to sucke vp the fat of the Land with a thousand like aduersities that befall the godly in this life whereas the godlesse lye drowned drenched in all prosperitie what thing I pray you at the first sight can there seeme to be more contrary to the iust or as the learned terme it to the Geometricall proportion of Gods righteous iudgement To all which although it might be answered that there is a fallacie foulded vp many times in these words euill good prosperitie aduersitie counting calling too aduersitie euill when it may rather be called good prosperitie good when it may be called euil these you wil say be paradoxes yet such as Christian Schollers ought to be acquainted with Also that all these things do but deceiue the outward sences of those that are troubled with those griefes of the godly and prosperitie of the wicked not considering that God doth this in the vprightnesse of his iustice and in the depth of his wisedome both for the great good and comfort of the godly euen in this life as they themselues doe many times feele and confesse and also for the greater downe fall of the wicked as Dauid being well aduised of this matter confesseth saying God setteth them in slipperie places Psal 72.18 suddenly they are tumbled downe and perish Although I say this point may thus be answered and that not amisse yet Saint Paule doth answere the same more fully in one word and doth decide this controuersie to the full contentation of the godly and terror of the wicked by making mention of this righteous iudgement of God which is as much vnto me as if he should say Be it that it seemeth by these sundry euents that dayly fal out in the world both to the good and bad that God is not iust or to make the best of it to mans seeming Gods iustice doth not shine foorth lightly inough vnto vs Haue patience but a while iudge of nothing rashly or before the time a day is comming and will not tarry that thou wilt be of an other mind when thou shalt see God to make a short accompt vpon the earth in righteousnesse and iudge the secrets of all men according to true iustice by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell or preaching saith the Apostle Who will reward euery man according to his workes That is to them which by continuance in well doing though they haue had many crosses and lets shall be glory and honor and peace and eternall life to recompence them for the slanders shames dishonors Rom. 2. and vexations and death it selfe which they haue suffered for Christs sake in this world But to the wicked and contentious and to them that disobey the truth of Christ his Gospell and obey vnrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath to recompence them at the full for their fury and displeasure that they haue euer borne to Gods children in this world Moreouer vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill saith the Apostle and hath not repented shall be tribulation and anguish for a recompence of their vaine iolities and reioycings which was their continual delight in this life agreeing with that answer of Abraham to Diues â—â—ke 16. â— Remember that thou in thy life time receiuest pleasure and contrariwise Lazarus paine but now he is comforted and thou art punished Whereunto serue these complaints of the damned noted in the booke of Wisedome â—isedom we fooles say the damned thought the life 's of the godly that gladly suffered affliction in this life for Godlinesse sake madnesse and their ende to be without honour but now they are counted among the children of God their portion is among the Saints contrariwise say they to the increase of their griefe we haue weried our selues in the waies of wickednesse destruction and we haue passed through dangerous waies but we
in sense Heare the ende of all feare God and keepe his commaundements which is the whole dutie of man for God will bring euerie worke vnto iudgement with euery secreate thing whether it be good or bad that is to the ende the good and godly may bee approued and rewarded the wicked and vngodly reproued and condemned Saint Paule the great Doctor of vs Gentiles 2. Cor. 5.10 vseth almost the same wordes saying None shall escape Gods iudgement We must all appeare before the tribunall or iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receyue the things that are done in this life whether it be good or euill And in an other place reprouing the hastie and rash iudgement of some hee saith Rom. 14.10 Why dost thou iudge thy brother Meaning rashly or before the time or why dost thou despise thy brother Meaning in doing thinges that are indifferent presently he addeth Wee shall all appeare shortly before the iudgement seat of Christ where euerie one shall receiue a righteous iudge-ment And he also confirmeth his testimony out of the prophesie of Esay where it is written Esay 45.23 I liue saith the Lord and euery knee shall bow to me Meaning when hee commeth vnto iudgement for nowe many knees bow vnto Baal and many other Idols and all tongues euen the wicked shall confesse that is shall acknowledge Gods righteous iudgements And then the Apostle concludeth that euery one of vs shal giue accouÌ„t of himself to God And seeing the Apostle doth alledge this former testimonie of the Prophet Esay to proue the iudgement to come we may here adde another proofe out of the same Prophet where it is sayd Esay 6 Behold the Lord will come with fire and with Chariots like a whirlewinde that he may recompence his anger with wrath and his indignation with flames of fire Hereunto agreeth that euident place of Saint Peter where purposely hee speaketh entreateth at large of this generall iudgemeÌ„t saying The day of the Lord will come as a Theefe in the night 2. Pet. in the which day the heauens shall passe away with a noyse the element shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp And a little before the same Apostle saith The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished The Prophet Ioel also speaketh of this great and fearefull iudgement 〈…〉 31. when hee saith The Sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the Moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come The Prophet Malachy likewise as al the rest of the Prophets doe 〈…〉 4.1 which would be tedious to reherse speaketh of this great and feareful day of the Lord. Behold saith he the day commeth that shall burne like an Ouen and all the proude and all that do wickedly shall be stubble and that day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the Lord of hostes And the Prophet Dauid euerie where maketh mention of this iudgement 〈…〉 1. The God of Gods euen the Lord hath spoken Then he sayth Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence a fire shall deuoure before him and a mightie tempest shall bee moued round about him he shall call the heauen aboue and the earth to iudge his people Againe Say among the Nations the Lord raigneth he shall iudge the people in righteousnes Let the heauens reioyce and let the earth be glad before the Lord for hee commeth to iudge the earth he will iudge the world with righteousnes and the people with his truth And not onely haue the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles remembred vnto vs this great and dreadfull day of iudgement but euen Christ Iesus the iudge himself hath beene most carefull to forewarne vs of this day knowing how carelesse and retchlesse the world would bee in this last and doting age of the worlde insomuch that when the Sunne of man commeth he shal scarce find faith on the earth iniquitie shal be encreased and the loue that should bee betweene man and man waxing cold In the foure twentieth and fiue and twentieth of Mathew Math. 2â— 25. in the thirteenth of Marke in the seuenteenth and one and twentieth of Luke and in diuers other places in the Gospel doe the euangelists record vnto vs the speeches and admonitions which our sauiour vseth touching his second comming vnto iudgement vnto which places for breuities sake I referre the Readers for this time the rather for that I shall haue occasion hereafter to note the chiefest of them when I shal speake of the maner of this iudgement and of the preparation which the faithfull ought to make against that day These few testimonies alreadie alledged are abundant proose vnto the faythfull and godly And therefore I may here say vnto any one that shal read this chapter 〈…〉 restâ—â—◠〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 as a good writer saith speaking of the beginning of the worlde and the creation thereof Si credis satis tibi dictum est si non credis nihil tibi satis faciet If thou be a faithfull beleeuer there is inough spoken to satisfie thee if thou be an Infidel or an Atheist nothing will satisfie or content thee yet that the vngodliest Athiest may bee the more inexcusable if hee shall happen to reade this Booke it shall not grieue mee to adde some oher authorities and reasons fitting this mater we haue in hand not that any thing that can bee spoken can adde any weight to the proofes alreadie alledged out of the Scriptures but only to fight with the wicked â—â—â—ing â—dde â—oâ—itie 〈◊〉 scripâ—â—â—â— and to wound them as it were with their owne weapons who euery where builde vp their fortresses of reason and dispise or neglect he word of God which is able to throw down the strongest holdes and ought to bring into captiuitie all the thoughts and imaginations of man Wherefore if the wandring thoughts of the wicked Athiests wil not yeeld conâ—â—nt vnto this truth what reason haue â—â—â—y to gain-say it Surely none other but bare denials and because they woulde willingly not haue any iudgmeÌ„t though their consciences summon theÌ„ to iudgement euery day therefore they willingly cheerish and maintain this opinion that there shall be none at all And why maruell we at this seeing they sticke not to denie that there is a God that the soule is immortall that there shal be any resurrection from the dead and therefore no iudgement to bee looked for that the world had any beginning and therefore shal neuer haue ending This proceedeth wel inough for indeed to denie one One absuâ—ditie draâ—â— on anotâ—â—â— is to denie all as to grant one is to graunt all graunt the first that their is no God and all the rest follow of necessitie And why I beseech you doe they not aswell denie that there is a sunne in the
in diuers other places countries in Christendom all which do preach vnto vs that the desolation of all things is at hand And it is vsually obserued by the godly that euen these heauenly bodies the Sun Moone other of the planets starres which by the God of nature were created for the comfort of man haue of late yeeres withheld as it were their brightest beames sweetest influences froÌ„ vs as blushing and hiding their faces froÌ„ beholding the sinfulnes of this latter age wherein we liue adde vnto this the alteratioÌ„ which fal out in the times seasons of the yeere The spring some yeeres hoater then the sommer the sommer more moyster colder then part of the winter yea and the time of haruest wherein fruits should be ripened gathered for the sustinance of man hath shewed it selfe most vnkindly to requite as it were the vnkindnes vnthankefulnes of man towards his God who gouerneth all these things according to his good pleasure appointmeÌ„t The starres planets are ordained as the clocke of God to giue warning to the world of that euent falling out of these inferior things God the gouernor and disposer of all things but God himselfe turneth the wheeles draweth vp and letteth downe the poyses as it pleaseth him causeth echthing to fal out according to his owne pleasure So that we neede not doubt to affirme that there haue beene many estraordinary signes in the Sunne in the Moone and in the Starres passed already and yet dayly are to be seene to admonish vs that the ende of all things is at hand Now as these signes are vsually noted by the learned in the heauens so the effectes of the same are warres famines and Pestilence among men here on earth which are also tokens foretold by three Euangelists that shall fall out before the ende of the world And albeit no age in the world hath beene free from these Iudgements of God for sinne yet no doubt these latter warres which haue beene raysed by Antichrist and waged by Christian Princes within Christendome for the Gospels sake doe euen as it were point out with the finger that Christ himselfe is comming to stint this strife and to stay the fury of Antichrist the Pope and all his adherents The like is to be said of all the feareful famines and Pestilences that wee haue both seene and felt and the Lord of grace onely knoweth what is it to come before the end of the world for our great vnthankfulnesse and abusing of Gods blessing in the time of peace and plenty for as sinne doth abound so the punishment of sinne must also increase And that sinne and sinners doe so increase abound what doth it else prognosticate but that as Christ also forwarneth the end of the world posteth on Also that fidelitas faithfulnesse or faithfull dealing among men is nigro cigno similis Loue or charitie cold as ice rare to be found and loue or charitie waxen colde as the ice euen in the sun-shine of the Gospell it teacheth vs plainly that The end of all things is at hand What should we speake of the most strange vnnaâ—urall birthes that dayly are to be seene euery where which monsters beyonde all course of nature doe plainely tell vs that the God of nature is angry with man for those most monstrous and vnnaturall sins which are dayly committed to speake nothing of the strange vnheard of fires burnings haile thundrings and lightnings which are euen the Harbengeâ—â— or forerunners of that fearefull violent fire which shal shortly destroy all the aduersaries of God when his Sonne Christ shall come vnto iudgement Also there shall be earth quakes though not in all yet in diuers places we haue lately seene and felt the same â—uke 21. the Sea and waters shall swell and rore and that for all these things mens harts shall faile them and be astonished which thing euen surely doth euen now beginne to come to passe and dayly shall increase towards the ende of the world all these and many other signes and tokens we may affirme without any feare to be already passed and gone and thereupon we may conclude as our Sauiour teacheth vs by the budding of the Figge tree that the Sonne of righteousnes is ready to appeare in the Heauens and the euerlasting summer for all the children of God is euen at hand Signes passed which shall be vnto them a time of ioy and refreshing but to the wicked and vngodly a day of horror and lamentation So much briefely touching such signes and tokens as are already passed wherevnto may bee added that the Apostle speaketh of the departing from the faith 2. Thes 2 3 and the reuealing of Antichrist that childe of perdition which the light of the Gospell in this age hath reuealed made knowen to the world and I trust will dayly more and more reueile to all such as haue not receiued the marke of that beast either in their right hand Reu. 13.16 or in their forehead But here it may be said that the Scripture teacheth that the Sunne shall be darkned the Moone turned into bloud Math. 24.29 and the Starres shall fall from Heauen before this great and terrible day of the Lord come and therefore some may say we neede not to doubt of the day of Iudgement before we see these great signes so to be accomplished and fulfilled But stay are we assured that these great and fearefull tokens haue not appeared in some place or other in this last age of the world or if they haue not been litterally fulfilled yet may they not mistically be accomplished which thing by the learned is also noted and obserued comparing the darkning of the Sunne to the Eclipsing of the Gospell being Eclipsed and darkened vnder the kingdome of Antichrist fiue hundred yeeres together the Moone turned into bloud to the great slaughters persecutions of the Church children of God whose bloud by the bloudy beast of Rome hath been shed spilt as waters in al quarters of Christendome the falling away of many great Masters and Doctors which sometimes shined in the Church but after declining vnto Papisme or Atheisme haue they likened to the falling of the Starres from Heauen All these things no doubt in this sence haue beene fulfilled but that this is the meaning of our Sauiour that his words shall be mistically vnderstood I dare not affirme but rather I doe verily beleeue that the Sunne in the firmament shal indeede be darkned when the Sonne of righteousnesse shall appeare that the Moone shall not then giue her light and for how can she when the sunne is darkned from whoÌ„ she receiueth all hir light and brightnesse that the starres shal then fall from heauen and no maruell seeing then the powers of Heauen shall be shaken 2 Pet 3. the Heauens or firmament it selfe passing away with a noyce and the elements melting with
true repentance in the bloud of lesus Christ in one word that none be partakers of her sinne least also they are partakers of her punishment which in one day that is suddenly and speedily shall come vpon her Reu. 18.8 For strong is the the Lord God that shall Iudge her And so much also for the destruction of Antichrist his kingdome which how soone it shall come he onely knoweth which knoweth al things And this I hope also may suffice to be spoken in this Chapter touching certaine signes and tokens foretold in the Scripture to goe before the end of the world whereof as I haue said many are passed and some of them may be yet to come God make vs thankfull for these so gratious forewarnings and giue vs also grace wisely to consider of the ceasons And to the ende that nothing may be omited as farre as my slender habilitie is able to reach which may any way edifie or comfort the simpler sort let it be further obserued in this place that as it is on the one side too much curiositie for any mortall man to determine or paint out the time or day of iudgement when it shall be seeing it is not reuealed but rather concealed by God him selfe for our good so on the other side it is too much sencelesnes want of Christian discretion nor to consider so much of this day or time as may either bring profite or comfort vnto vs. Yea probable coniectures how long the world may endure to sober and godly mindes I suppose cannot be hurtfull so that they be soberly auerred only as Christian coniectures and not for any certaine or sound conclusions Such are these as godly sober minded men haue not refused to speake and write as that it is probable the world shall not continue aboue sixe thousand yeares agreeable to the sixe daies of the Creation and the seauenth to be the great glorious Saboath or day of eternall rest vnto all Gods children and the rather is this coniecture receaued for that the Scripture vseth this phrase or speech more then once That one day with the Lord is as a thousand yeere and a thousand yeere as one day And the prophefie of Elias which the Rabbens haue reported and those of Sibile the prophetisse knowen to each scholler do not a little confirme that coniecture adde hereunto that if times and seasons be well compared together we shall finde that from the beginning of the world vnto the calling of Abraham are neare about two thousand yeares from that time till the Hebrewes which came of Eber a great Grandfather of Abraham were subdued by the Romanes are also neare or thereabout two thousand yeares sithence that time the world hath continued almost one thousand and sixe hundred yeares so to equall the yeeres of the Iewes with the Gentiles there wanteth but a three or foure hundred yeares which with God is but as a fewe houres if with God a thousand yeeres are but as one day and who knoweth how soone these houres may runne out seeing as many expound that place For the elects sake these daies shall be shortned But among all coniectures 〈◊〉 13. â—0 for I count them but coniectures this pleaseth me best and hath most often come into my minde since God gaue me a minde to thinke sereously on this day namely that this last age shall not exceede in number the yeeres of the first age of the world now the first age of the world by Computation from the Creation to Noaths floud were yeeres one thousand sixe hundred fiftie and sixe and the last age sithence the comming of Christ in the flesh which is euery where called in the Scriptures the last age is as we all knowe and confesse past the yeeres one thousand sixe hundred therefore I perswade my selfe Christ his comming vnto Iudgement is euen at hand This coniecture also pleaseth me the better for that this speech is so often vsed by our Sauiour himselfe when he putteth vs in minde of his second comming Luke 17.26 As it was saith he in the daies of Noath so shall it be at the comming of the Sonne of man And seeing now to our own experience it falleth out so true in the manners of men in this last age of the world as it did in the ending of the first age why may it not also fall out as true in the accomplishment of the times How beit as I said before so say I still for as much as all these or any other of the like sort are but coniectures and ought onely to be vsed and considered not to hinder any ordinary proceeding in our callings but onely to call vpon vs that our Master is not onely comming but that his comming is euen at hand Let this therefore be a conclusion of this point and likewise of this Chapter that the day of Iudgement whereof all this while we haue spoken be not before to morrow yet the time of our own death and so of our particular Iudgements may be before this day be ended Therefore let euery one haue a care how he liueth for looke in what case he dyeth so shall his iudgement be Where the tree falleth there it must lie And so much touching the signes which shew vnto vs that Christ Iesus is euen ready to come vnto iudgement who onely himselfe shal be the Iudge whereof we are to intreate in the Chapter following The fift Chapter AS it is an Article of our faith to beleeue that there shall be a general Iudgement following the resurrection of the dead so it is not the least point in that Article to be wel noted and considered both for the comfort of the Godly and terror of the wicked who he is that is appointed to be this supreame Iudge The Article it selfe saith He shall come againe to â—udge the quicke and the dead that is Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God and our â—ord as wee confesse in the Creed The â—â—me Iesus that was conceaued in the â—ombe of a Virgine by the Almightie ower of the holy Ghost The same Iesus that was made Man for and dwelt among vs he whom the â—orld hated and persecuted from the â—â—adle to his graue hee that was most â—â—â—acherously betrayed most falsely acâ—â—sed and most vniustly by Pontius Pilate â—â—â—demned to that most 〈…〉 full death of the Crosse the same Iesus Christ I say the Sonne of God and man who then died for our sinnes rose againe for our Iustification Who shall be Iudge at the last day and ascended into the highest heauens shall most assuredly and vndoubtedly come againe at the last day to iudge the quicke the dead that is all those that haue dyed sithence the beginning of the world together with all those that shall be liuing vpon the earth at the time of his comming This Article is confirmed vnto vs byinfinite places of Scriptures whereof we may note a fewe for examples sake First no
sooner was our Sauiour Christ ascending or ascended into heauen but presently the Angels of God proclaime hiâ— descent or descending vnto Iudgement Saying Acts. 1.11 ye men of Galilee speaking vnto Christs Apostles and Disciples Why stâ—â—â— ye gazing into heauen This Iesus which is tâ—ken from you into heauen shall so come meanâ— vnto Iudgement as yee haue seene him goeâ— to heaven Saint Paule in the fourth Chapter the second Epistle vnto Timothy plaiâ—ly affirmeth 2 Tim. 4.1 That Iesus Christ shall 〈◊〉 the quicke and the dead at his appearing in his kingdome And the same Apostle in the first of the second to the Thessalonians saith 2. Thes 7.8 that The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fier rendring vengeance vnto them which doe not know God and obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ In the Gospell euery where mention is made of the comming of the son of man vnto Iudgement as in the 24. and twentie fiue of Mathew the thirteene of Marke the seuenteene of Luke against all which it may be obiected that Christ himselfe saith Obiect Ioh. 8 1â— I came not to Iudge the world and againe I Iudge no man But the answere is easie Ans for Christ therein speaketh of rash priuate and partiall Iudgement whereof hee accuseth the Iewes In that manner Christ iudgeth no man but speaking elsewhere of this generall Iudgement He saith plainely Ioh. â— 23. That the Father Iudgeth no man but hath committed all Iudgement vnto the Sonne yeelding a reason Because all men should honour the Sonne as they honour the Father And that none might thinke this Iudgement to appertaine vnto him onely as he was the Sonne of God he addeth presently in the same Chapter â—se 27. That God hath giuen him power to execute Iudgement euen as he is the Sonne of man Againe it might be answered that Christ saith I Iudge no man before he was glorified when he came to be iudged and not to Iudge but after his resurrectioÌ„ he plainly telleth vs â—â—tth 28. that All power in heauen and in earth is giuen vnto him Wherefore Saint Paule saith in the second to the Romanes that God shall Iudge the secrets of all men but by Iesus Christ â—â—n 2.16 And elsewhere the Apostle saith when after Iudgement Christ hath brought all things in subiection vnder his feete then he shall deliuer vp the kingdome to God the Father â—or 15. But it may be againe obiected that the same Saint Paule saith to the Corinthians â—ct That the Saints shall iudge the world and the Angels â—â—r 6. that is the wicked men of this world and euill Angels called Diuels And Christ saith his Apostles shal sit vpon twelue seates Iudging the twelue Tribes of Israell Hereunto it may be answered that at the generall day of iudgment â—ns wheÌ„ Christ shall sit vpon the throne of his glory accompanyed with his holy Angels and all the elect by his Angels gathered vnto him then as well Saints as holy Angels shall Iudge that is subscribe and giue consent vnto Christ his most righteous Iudgement which then hee shall most iustly pronounce against all the reprobate both of men and Angels whereat all the Saints elect Angels shall greatly triumph and reioyce no otherwise then it is said in the Reuelation concerning the Iudgement that shall fall vpon the whore of Babilon Rom. 18.20 Reioyce O heauen and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath giuen iudgement vpon her So at the last generall Iudgement the holy Saints and Angels shall sing the song of Moyses the seruant of God Reu. 15.3 and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruellous are thy works Lord God Almightie iust and true are thy waies and â—udgements King of Saints So here we may â—onclude according to the truth of Gods word euery where reuealed in the Scripâ—utes and agreeable with the Catholike â—rofession of the Church of God in all â—ges that Iesus Christ as he is both God â—nd man shall stand as holy Iob saith Iob. 19.25 The â—â—st vpon the earth and come to giue true â—â—dgement at the last day The vse of which doctrine is two fold namely a comfort to the godly and a terror to the wicked for what thing can bring more ioy and comfort to the harts of all godly and faithfull Christians specially to those that are afflicted in this life either in Soule or body oâ— in both for Christ his sake then tâ— heare and assuredly to be perswaded that Christ Iesus their Sauiour anâ— brother shall come to be their Iudge That is to pronounce them blamelessâ— through his owne obedience and righteousnesse in the sight of God his Father and to crowne them with eternal glory and not onely those as the Apostle teacheth that suffer persecution a the Apostle did but all the faithfâ—â— whatsoeuer that loue his appearing 2. Tim. 4.8 Be therefore of good comfort deaâ— Christian whosoeuer thou art that grâ—nest vnder the burthen of thy sinnâ— feare not that dredfull Iudgement 〈◊〉 if thou hast faith in Christ and dâ—truely repent then thou mayest affâ—â— thy selfe to be one of Gods elect Aâ—so apply that sweete sentence of tâ— Apostle vnto thy Soule which saiâ— Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that iustifieth Rom. 8.33 34. who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe which sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for thee which also it may be added for thy further comfort shall come againe at the last day to giue sentence on thy side and to receaue thee vnto himselfe Contrariwise Let the wicked Infidels and all the vngodly ones of this world which either knowe not God or obey not the Gospell of Iesus Christ shake and quake for feare for euen he whom they deadly hate whose word they beleeue not whose Ministers they regard not yea euen he whose bloud they trampled vnder their feete He that was crucified vpon the crosse and had his hart bloud launced out with a Speare shall in his owne person come to be their Iudge according to that of the Apostle Iude. Iude. 〈◊〉 And Enoch also the seuenth from Adam prophesied of such Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue Iudgement against all men c Reâ—◠〈◊〉 And euery eye shall see him euen they that pearced him through and all kindreds and people though neuer so pompious and glorious that haue not repented or beleeued in him shall waile before him 1 Reu. 1.7 And in the bitternesse of their griefe and in the anguish of their soules forhorror and feare of that Iudge shall say to the mountaines 〈◊〉 5.16 Fall vpon vs and hide vs from the presence of the Lambe for that great day of wrath is come and who may abide it And so much briefely