Therefore that the truth of these Signes may more manifestly appeare and that we may more orderly proceed I thus by warrant of Gods Word and waight of inuincible arguments euince and proue these three maine principles of Faith and Religion First that there shall bee an vniuersall Iudgement wherein all reasonable creatures shall be called to an account Secondly that IESVS CHRIST the Son of God is appointed of God to bee the Iudge of the Iudge both of the quick and the dead Lastly that this world in respect of the fashion forme and corruptible qualities thereof shall haue an and and come to destruction That there is a set and prefixed day of Iudgement though vnto vs profitably vnknowne and that there shall bee a generall Iudgement I thus declare First the sacred Scriptures are pregnant and plentifull in this point Iob 19.25 Psalm 9.8 Isa. 66.15 Dan. 12.2 Math. 25.31 Luke 18.17 Iohn 5.28.29 and chap. 12.44 Act. 17.31 Rom. 2.16 1. Thess. 4.16.17 and chap. 5.2 1. Pet. 4.8 Tit. 2.13 Apoc. 20.11 12.13 Heb. 9.27.28 Secondly the doctrine of the last Iudgement is a very ancient and principall Article of the Apostles Catechisme and therefore no person vnlesse hee bee a meere Athiest or Infidell can or will deny it Thirdly the Generall Resurrection the necessary and immediate antecedent of the iudgement and those that shall arise and appeare in iudgement who are the proper obiect of it do enforce it yea and what arguments serue to proue the Resurrection the same iustifie the last iudgement Fourthly the generall and particular iudgements calamities and punishments both in the old and new Testament and in all succeeding ages are Types Similitudes and Fore-significations of it Of this kind were Noahs Floud or Deluge wherein the world was drowned the ouer-whelming of Pharoah and the Aegyptians in the red Sea the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah the destruction of Ierusalem the ruin of the foure great Monarchies of the world that afflicted Gods chosen and of late time the sinking and dispearsing of the Spanish inuincible Armado Anno Christi 1588 in the English Seas and by the coasts of Ireland Fiftly vnlesse there should be a finall iudgement wherein euery man is to receiue a reward according to his workes God could not declare himselfe perfectly iust For all sinnes in this world committed come not to light neither are all punished that are apparant Tyrants and Oppressours yea Christs Arch-enemies the Turke and Pope c. liue long and prosper in their wickednesse And if God should censure all sinnes that are done in the earth then no other iudgement would bee expected wherefore the Lord beareth long with sinners and suffereth the offences of the Reprobate to grow rotten ripe that hee may fully and finally punish and plague them at the last day Forbearance is no quittance Christ commeth with woollen feete i. faire and softly but striketh with Iron hands that is deadly Sixtly vnlesse there come a day of generall release and absolution for the godly yea a day of full deliuerance and glorious triumph God cannot declare himselfe completely and infinitely mercifull For it seemeth to goe well with the wicked in this world and ill with the good The godly are oppressed and persecuted troubled and tormented molested martyred massacred and both inwardly and outwardly afflicted therefore the iust Lord cannot but at length reward the patience and pietie of his seruants Great shall their reward be in heauen Hee shall recompence the lightnesse of their momentany afflictions with an exceeding and super-excellent weight of glorie Seuenthly the feare trembling astonishment horror of conscience and dreadfull despaire in many malefactors specially persecutors and murderers euen of those that escape the iudgement of the Magistrate doth euidently argue that there will come a day of reckoning and that there is an hell fire whereof these are certaine flashings and fore-runners Lastly to be briefe the children of God look and long for groane and pant for this day and time which is the day of their Marriage of the bodies ascent into heauen and of their entrance and inauguration into the Kingdome of Glory These spirituall sighes and sobs are speciall effects of Gods spirit infallible characters of Gods children and the very earnest of our inheritance Inward desires make a lowder sound in Gods eares then bare words vttered with the tongue and therefore cannot misse the marke viz. eternitie of blessednesse Now that Iesus Christ not onely as he is God whereby in the decree efficacie and authority of the iudgement hee is equall with God the Father and the Holy Ghost but also as he is man in regard of the sentence to bee pronounced and the visible execution of the iudgement is and shall be the Iudge both of the quicke and dead the Scriptures put it out of question Dan. 7.9.10 Ioh. 5.27 Act. 10.42 2. Cor. 5.10 2. Tim. 4.1 Secondly it is an Article and foundation of faith firmely to be beleeued Thirdly it is one end and that a principall one of Christs Resurrection Ascension It is a part of his Kingly Office which hee shall then most openly and eminently execute Fourthly it standeth with all equity that Hee that when hee liued on earth and was most vniustly iudged accused indicted condemned and executed should at length gloriously and in the view of all the world iudge arraigne condemne and fee execution done vpon his enemies Lastly to stop the mouths of and to put all Atheists to silence the Heathenish Prophetesse Sibylla testifieth as much saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Christ shall come in the cloudes In glorie with his sinlesse Angels And that this miserable and corruptible world with all the contemned creatures shall not in respect of matter and substance but outward forme and accidentall qualities haue an end and consumption thus I compendiously make it manifest First by expresse Scripture Secondly by Argument Heauen and earth shall passe away The fashion of this world passeth away The heauens shall passe away with a great noise the elements shall melt with heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp I saw saith Saint Iohn a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the heauen and earth fled away and there was found no place for them Secondly by argument I thus make good my assertion The world being but a creature had a beginning and therefore it shall haue an end Omnia orta intereunt The world as in the seuerall parts so in the whole daily fadeth decayeth weakneth and is in an irrecouerable consumption therefore it must needs at length come to an end A ruinous house will in tract of time fall and a sick body cannot hold out long The world must bee renewed at the last day for there shall be a new heauen and a new earth Ergo the old heauen and earth must of necessitie
be first abolished Lastly some of the Pagan Philosophers and Poets whensoeuer or wheresoeuer they had so much light acknowledge as much The Platonists held that the world should be destroyed so did the Sibyls Prophecie The Poet Ouid in the first booke of his Metamorphosis and Lucan in the first booke belli Pharsalici iustifie as much and mans sinne hath iustly deserued and procureth it CHAP. II. Of the Signes and Fore-runners of the last iudgement in generall ALBEIT the day and houre of the last iudgement is vnknowne to all men to the very Angels of heauen yea albeit the Sonne himselfe being on earth knew it not yea although no man knoweth the yeare when the Son of man wil come to iudgement For it is not for vs to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power yet the Lord Iesus that hee might not so much leaue the wicked his irreconciliable enemies without all excuse and pretence of ignorance and withall appall affrighten and astonish them specially when his second comming neerely approacheth doth kindly and louingly forewarne his children that they should neither be amated nor found vnready for a man forewarned is halfe armed And that hee might comfort and encourage them against the manifold scandales troubles and miseries of this present life Hee hath I say in the Scriptures left and giuen them many generall and notable Signes Tokens and Fore-runners of his comming which they daily doe and alwaies ought to take notice of that when they see these things come to passe they might hold vp their heads knowing that their Redemption draweth neere These Signes and Prasagia are like to so many tender Greene and leauy branches of the Fig-tree that shewerh the Summer of their happinesse to bee nigh These are like the white and yellow eares of corne that declare the Haruest to bee at hand and these are as it were so many sounding Trumpets or Alarums to awaken vs. And as the Sunne being about to arise first sendeth forth his bright beames a farre off and enlightneth the East so our Lord Iesus the Sunne of righteousnesse doth before his second comming send certaine generall Signes and as I may say Herbingers that men might the more carefully waite for and more dilligently addresse and prepare themselues against that time The Tempests threaten before that they arise the Houses crack before they fall and the Smoake goeth before the flame So these Signes and Fore-warnings go before the consummation of the world These Signes Fore-runners are of three sorts namely those that are already accomplished and fulfilled Secondly those that are mixt signes and praedemonstrations in continuall action and motion and those that yet remaine in their due time to be performed Of these plainly and in order But that I may cleere the coast and proceede with more dexterity and profit two principall questions by many moued are to be seasonably decided First why God doth not and will not reueale vnto any the houre day yeare and time of the last iudgement Secondly why the Lord seemeth so long to delay and put off that day and iudgement especially seeing that hee promiseth to come quickly and that his children so long waite and so earnestly pray for that time I answer to the former question The Lord wil haue the day houre yeare c. of the vniuersall iudgement concealed First because it is the Glory of God to conceale a thing and not to reueale some things before the euent which is the best surest interpreter Secondly that hee might bridle and represse the impudent boldnesse and rash curiositie of those that vainely yea presumptuously pry and search into things forbidden vnnecessary and impossible to be known in the meane time neglect the searching out of and the due practise of things in the word of God reuealed and commanded Thirdly and lastly not onely to try and make knowne the modesty and humility of his deere seruants whether that they will break into the closet of his secrets or no but also to keep them from the slumber of security and to stir them vp to watch for and prepare themselues against that day Vtiliter saith an ancient Father latet vltimus dies vt obseruentur omnes dies That is it is for our profite that the last day is vnknowne that wee may obserue and watch all daies The second question Why doth the Lord so long deferre his comming to iudgement Ans. First that the Prophecy of the Reuelation and of other Scriptures should bee fulfilled For heauen and earth shall passe away but no point or tittle of Gods word shall passe away vnaccomplished Secondly that the sinnes and abhominations of the wicked and profane who abuse and despise the riches of Gods goodnesse forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth them to repentance and who mispend and lauish their time that God hath allotted for their repentance might be left without plea or excuse and that their sinnes being heaped vp to heauen might bee punished with eternity of torments Thirdly that none of the Predestinate should perish but that in this world they should come to the acknowledgement of the truth to repentance and so consequently to saluation Lastly to try declare cherish and exercise the patience faith hope and charity of his chosen that liue amongst such an infinite number of lewd Atheisticall scandalous superstitious and venemous people and yet by the grace of God directing and preseruing them are blamelesse harmelesse without rebuke and shine as light in the midst of a crooked and peruerse Nation CHAP. III. The first generall Signe the desolation and destruction of the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem and the vtter ouerthrow of the Iewes Common-wealth THE first generall Signe of the end of the world is the vtter ruin and laying waste of the Citie of God Ierusalem of the holy Temple and the ruin of the Iewes pollicie and Common-wealth The Temple and Citie was destroyed by Titus and Vespasian Romane Emperours the nine and thirtieth yeare after the Ascension of our Lord into heauen And the Iewes euer since haue bene led away captiue into all nations and Ierusalem hath beene troden downe of the Gentiles and the wrath of God is come vpon them to the full now whether the beleeuing Iewes shall towards the end of the world be temporally restored into their owne Country rebuild Ierusalem and haue a most reformed and flourishing Church and Common-wealth as some by extraordinary expositions seeme to gather out of the Scriptures the issue and euent will discouer But to finish the point in hand the desolation of the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem by reason of the similitude and correspondencie of things persons and euents is a type and figure of the destruction of the world CHAP. IIII. Of the Preaching of the Gospell vnto all Nations THE second generall
much more licentiously to deferre their repentance yea many would Atheistically inferre that Christ would neuer come to iudgement And therefore the Holy Ghost keepeth vs in suspense and still in the Scripture telleth vs that the Houre draweth neere that the Day is at hand and that the Lord will come quickly to the intent wee should alwaies be ready A third Question Whether that the world shall end in the yeare of Christ two thousand thirty nine that is some foure hundred and fiue and twenty yeares hence seeing that from the beginning of the world to that date are accomplished the 6000 yeares of the worlds full continuance figured as diuers old and new Writers thinke by the sixe daies of the creation Ans. First from the six daies of creation to conclude of sixe thousand yeares of the worlds continuance it is no certaine rule or axiome but onely a coniecture And whereas Saint Peter saith That a thousand yeares with the Lord viz. being compared with His Erernitie is but as one day and one day as a thousand yeares hee neither alludeth to the sixe daies wherein the world was created nor doth determine how long the world shall endure Secondly our confident perswasion is that the world shall be consummate before this long date for the dayes must bee shortned otherwise if the world hold on his hold there should no faith be left or found vpon the earth Thirdly the Wise Virgins that is the holy Professours of sincere Religion shall nictare id est nod and slumber though their hearts shall wake and therefore they haue no certaine knowledge of any yeare when the Lord will come to iudgement otherwise they would the more rowse vp themselues Lastly the sixt Angell hath already blowne or sounded with the Trumpet and when the seuenth shall but beginne to blow which time is shortly expected then the Mysterie of God shall bee finished i. the world shall bee ended as hee hath declared to his Seruants the Prophets i. will reueale to the godly learned Pastors and Ministers who no doubt some of them will take speciall notice of it that they may more painefully performe their Office and more preuailingly stirre vp their hearers A fourth Question Whether that the world shall end in the yeare of Christ 1699 or 1700 especially seeing that from the time that the daily Sacrifice shall bee taken away and the abomination of desolation set vp shall bee 1335 daies which some interprete so many yeares beginning the account in the yeare of Christ 367 when the Iewes by the grant of the Emperour Iulian repairing the Temple of Ierusalem were dispersed by fire sent from heauen I Answere that most and almost all Interpreters vnderstand those 1335 daies not for so many yeares but literally for three yeares and an halfe with the addition of 45 daies in the end wherof Antiochus the chiefe enemy of the Iewes should die and being fulfilled in Antiochus why or by what reason should any man extend them further Secondly it is generally held that the doctrine and mention of the last iudgement excepted that Daniels Prophecie endeth either at the death of Christ or at the furthermost with the destruction of Ierusalem Thirdly Maister Napier a learned Scot counting the beginning of these 1335 daies and interpreting them for yeares anno Christi 360 will haue the world to end about the yeare 1695 But Maister Brightman maketh this date the beginning of the generall conuersion and flourishing state of the Iewes which hee holdeth shall continue diuers hundred yeares afterwards Fourthly it was a receiued opinion that the world should end 1588 and the euent descried the vanity of their collection And why may not they erre though they cannot so much erre comming neerer the end of the world likewise that define that the world shall certainely end betweene the yeares 1688 and 1695 Lastly it is not for vs specially that liue not in the very last age of the world to know the times and seasons which the Father hath reserued in his owne power therefore let vs not bee ouer-curious but wise to sobrietie A fift Question Whether as some Phantasticks are reported to hold and defend the world shall end before the yeares of Christ 1630 Ans. First to arguments vnknowne wee cannot giue particular answeres Secondly this opinion is priuate and singular and perhaps onely one man is the Author of it An ille solus sapit who hath told him Thirdly all the remaining Signes not yet begunne to bee accomplished cannot in any probability bee fulfilled in so short a scantling of time or if they can let him assigne the particular yeare of Romes ruin of the Iewes conuersion of the comming of the false Christs if he cannot resolue vs in the smaler point how shall wee credit him in the greatest Lastly when the Iewes are conuerted it is most likely they shall at least continue glorious on the earth for one generation that Gods mercy may more euidently appeare and that all the world may take sufficient notice of their generall calling and herevpon be either conuerted or at least conuicted A sixth and more materiall Question Whether the very age which some reckoning according to the Iubile account restraine to 50 yeares wherein our Lord shall come to iudgement either now is or hereafter may or shal be reuealed to any especially seeing that our Lord speaking of the Signes of the last daies saith That this generation i. the age or time of a mans life shall not passe vntill all these things shall be fulfilled Ans. I answere First that to restraine a generation or age of a man to 50 yeares may seeme too short an account rather 70 or 80 yeares may make a generation Secondly the age wherein Christ shall come may bee knowne because our Lord onely excepteth the day and houre Thirdly the Scripture expressely saith that in that age in which the false Christs and Prophets shall arise all shall bee fulfilled Lastly when the seuenth Angell shall begin to blow the Mysterie of God shall be finished c. CHAP. XXI The wholesome Application and profitable Vses of all these Signes and Fore-runners I. Vse HERE are condemned Aristotle and his followers who imagining that the world had no beginning held that it should neuer end Secondly here are taxed all Atheists and Scorners that either will not beleeue or be perswaded that there shall bee a second comming of Christ and an end of this world or else with those scoffers in Saint Peters time say Where is the promise of his comming These bee like vnto one Manlius who said Non alium vidêre patres aliumùe minores aspicient II. Vse The doctrine of these Signes serueth to check and reproue all Curiosists and rash Spirits that by coniectures Arithmeticall numbers and misapplying and wresting of the holy Scriptures seeke to search out yea to determine the day as Bellarmine by consequence doth For he mis-vnderstanding the Scriptures both of Daniel
Signe is the publishing Preaching and proclaiming of the blessed Gospell in and through all the habitable and then knowne especially the Easterne world by the Ministerie of the twelue Apostles These as Christs Embassadours and like twelue Beames of the Sunne of Righteousnesse being effectually called to this heauenly Function furnished with most rare extraordinarie and miraculous gifts aboue all former Prophets and hauing a Charge and Commission with a promise annexed to Teach and Baptise all Nations and to Preach the Gospell to euery reasonable creature did accordingly performe it and sealed and confirmed it with their bloud and martyrdome so that the line of the Apostles went out into all the earth and their words vnto the end of the world Rom. 10.18 and prospered and was fruitfull And since that time he that sitteth on the White Triumphant Horse and hath a Bow in his hand and a Crowne on his Head i. the Lord Iesus and his Vicars viz. Christian Kings and Emperours haue gone forth Conquering and to Conquer Lastly the Lights Lampes Fathers and Pillars of the Primitiue Church Saint Origen Saint Ierom Saint Ambrose and others write and auow that all Nations were enlightned by the Apostles so that the Apostolicall calling and gifts being ceased and the Gospell once vniuersally hauing beene published no such solemne Legacy is the second time of vs or our Successours to be expected I. Aetiologià The Lord would hereby enlighten all Nations and by the Arme of his Gospell draw all the elect effectually vnto him For the Gospell is the power of saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Greek This is the Golden Scepter of Christs Kingdome which when it is holden forth and by the elect touched it is the instrument of their saluation II. Aetiologià Secondly the Lord would and will haue the Preaching of the Gospell to all Nations to bee a Testimoniall at least of conuincement vnto them that they should pretend no ignorance nor haue any thing to say in their defence For they that know or at least haue sufficient meanes to know Gods will and do not embrace and execute it shall be beaten with many stripes i. their paines in hell shall bee greater then of those who neuer enioyed the meanes of saluation yet they sinning without Law shall perish without Law Question It seemeth that the Gospell hitherto hath not bene known much lesse Preached by the Apostles to the Americans and West Indies those huge and vaste Countries for there is no monument or record of any such matter and therefore the time is to come when they shall bee enlightned and receiue the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Ans. I must in this difficult point answere as distinctly so by distinction First I answere that the Apostles and Euangelists hauing taught and Preached the Gospell to the most famous knowne and populous Kingdomes Prouinces Cities and Townes it is very probable that they or their Successours did Preach the Gospell to the vnknowne obscure and most barbarous Nations such as are the Americans West Indies and North Parts of the world And what if now either driuen thitherby Tempests or forced by enemies they might in time grow barbarous and loose all knowledge of Christ Againe I deny not but that the Gospell may and shall be at length published and made knowne to the Americans if they neuer formerly heard of it for the mercy of God in Christ is of infinite extent And if the very Iesuites though arch-heretickes and the fire-brands of sedition perhaps sow some seeds of Christianity amongst them How much more purely and plainely may the English Hollanders and other Professours in time performe it Fourthly it diuers parts of Europe haue within these hundred yeares last expired since the reuealing of Antichrist and the dispersion of the mists of Poperie beene so greatly illuminated why may not specially after the generall calling and conuersion of the Iewes which wee continually expect and pray for and which shall be the Enliuing and Resurrection of the world the Americans West Indians and other Nations yea euen in the Turkes Dominions be enlightned Lastly it is sufficient to conuince the world of vnbeleefe and to leaue the Inhabitants without excuse if onely the Fame Rumor and Report yea the very Sound of the Gospell hath come vnto them For they might haue enquired trauelled and proceeded further But time and experience will cleere this doubt CHAP. V. Of a generall Apostasie from the Gospell of Christ. THE third generall Signe already past is not onely the decay and ruine of the ancient and mighty Romane Empire whereof now a name and a shadow and not the tenth part of the Demaines and Dominions remaineth that by the ouerthrow of it Anti-christ might arise preuaile and tyrannize and the Turke likewise dominere but a generall and almost vniversall Apostasie reuolt and departure of all Nations from the Gospell of Christ partly to Mahomet as we see is come to passe in the East parts of the world and partly to the Romish Anti-christ as wee see verified in the Westerne parts This Apostasie began Anno Christi 606 or there-abouts Fore-runners whereof were and foundations whereof laid long sithence those proud ambitious and erroneus Prelates that taught Iustification before God to proceed of mans workes that taught inuocation and worshipping of Angels and Saints that brought in Traditions adored Reliques immodestly and immoderately extolled single life against Gods expresse Word forbad meates and marriages defended the doctrine of Free-will in the work of our saluation brought in an infinite number of old and idle ceremonies yea ouermuch magnified the Sea and Primacie of Rome Nemo repentè fit turpissimus The Mysterie of iniquity began in the Apostles times and went on by degrees and at length the venome and poyson of false and damnable doctrine did infuse and diffuse it selfe into all the veines and vitall parts of the Church so that that of Isaiah is verified in the Romish Synagogue From the sole of the foote euen to the head there is no soundnesse in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying soares Neither ought this to seeme strange vnto vs seeing that before the Incarnation of Christ the like Apostasie befell to vs Gentiles about the yeare of the world 2455 and continued about foureteen hundred yeares and the like apostasie or reuolt happened to the tenne Tribes Anno Mundi two thousand nine hundred sixty fiue and lasted some thousand yeares For it pleased God in his iustice by leauing men to their owne wils and by sending them strong delusions to vindicate and reuenge the contempt and refusall of his holy Gospell once offered vnto them and sincerely Preached amongst them CHAP. VI. Of the reuealing and discouerie of Antichrist THe fourth generall Signe already at least in great part accomplished is the displaying and discouery of Anti-christ by the
Ministery of Gods word c. This Anti-christ Bishop or Pope of Rome is that Great Starre or Bishop that whē the third Angel sounded fell from heauen i. the Church burning viz. before his fall as it were a Lampe and fell vpon the third part of the riuers and vpon the fountaines of waters i. Corrupted and poisoned the Church and the Bishops Pastors and Ministers of it This is the Angell of the bottomelesse Pit i. came from thence and thither will returne with all his fauourites followers This is the King of the Locusts i. the Head and Prince of the Monks Friars Iesuites This is that Man of sinne i. nothing but sinne yea a Teacher and Commander of it The Sonne of Perdition i. that is damned himselfe and draweth innumerable with him to the same destruction Hee opposeth himselfe and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God i. Kings Emperours Princes and Angels that are in Scripture oftentimes styled Elohim or Gods Hee sitteth in the Temple of God i. as most Interpretors old and new expound it the Church of God because it was a true Church and is so reputed and a true Church lurketh amongst them Shewing himselfe that he is God that is not onely assumeth to himselfe the title of God viz Holinesse and so to be called but taking vpon him power to Change times Place and displace Kings Forgiue all sinnes dispense with the degrees of Marriage forbidden in Moses Law To command the Angels to allow all villany and without controule to do what he list His will standeth for a Law And forsooth the Holy Ghost dwelleth in his breast and he cannot erre viz. but damnably His Seate is the new Babylon i. Rome that is seated or was so in Saint Iohns dayes vpon seuen knowne Hils and then raigned ouer the Kings of the earth for some 250 Prouinces and Kingdomes were subiect to the Romane Emperour In a word all the Popes from Boniface the third vnto the now Pope Paulus quartus are that great Anti-christ in a continued seate succession tyrannie false doctrine and Regiment that Saint Paul and Saint Iohn so much speake of He hath bene reuealed some three hundred yeares agoe by worthy Iohn Wickliefe and others But specially and notably from Anno Christi 1517 vntill this present date 1615 by Apostolicall Martin Luther and by many most learned holy and famous Doctors Pastors in Germany France England Bohemia and other Countries and Kingdomes The light of the Gospell and the exact knowledge of the fountaine Languages hath and daily doth discouer dispell and scatter the darknesse shades mistes and cloudes of Poperie God in mercy continue and increase amongst vs the number of such worthy instruments and grant that these flying Angels may without interruption passe through the middest of this Europaean Heauen and Preach the euerlasting Gospell to all Nations Languages and People and that they may speedily and zealously embrace and retaine it Amen CHAP. VII Of the great persecutions vnder the Romane Anti christ THE fift generall Signe already at least for the most part accomplished are the great persecutions massacres murders warres poisonings rackings excommunications banishments imprisonments and all kind of cruelties against Protestant Princes Prelates Pastors Professours Churches Kingdomes Prouinces vnder the Romish Foxe Wolfe Anti-christ and his Butcher-like and bloud-sucking followers especially ouer all Europe in these last hundred yeares immediately expired Their Religion is rebellion their faith is faction their badge is bloud Rome hath been to their power yet is the Shambles and Slaughter-house of the Saints How many hundred thousands of Christians in Europe hath not that viperous and bloudy generation slaine and destroied But we see and hope that the most part of these troubles are ouer-blowne that the Church hath and shall haue a further rest and breathing time that the Papists shall be drunk in their owne bloud and Babylon shortly bee burnt with fire And admit that the Romanists for our tryall or to punish our coldnesse and remissenesse in the profession of the pure worship of God practise or attempt ought in Germany France the Low Countries or our secure England yet wee trust it is but a Lightning before death and a principall meanes to put an edge to our prayers to scowre off the drosse of our drowsinesse and to enkindle the zeale of Protestant Kings Dukes Pastors and Professours against them to their fatall and vtter ruin which the Almightie grant for Iesus Christ his beloued Sonnes sake Amen And thus much of the generall Signes of the last day perfectly fulfilled which is the first part of the Treatise The second part of the Booke touching mixt Signes in continuall motion CHAP. VIII Of the vanity corruption and manifold abuse of the creatures THE first generall mixt Signe in continuall action and motion is the vanity decay mortalitie and maruellous abuse of the creatures daily growing and preuailing vntill the consummation and end of the world The world waxeth old as a garment it and all the parts of it fade waste consume and draw toward their fatall period All things by sinfull licentious and rebellious man are abused peruerted mis-applyed against the Creators scope and the creatures desire to vnlawfull or immoderate profite and pleasure yea to reuenge and open persecution The Sunne and Moone those two great Eyes of heauen are often darkened and fearefully eclypsed and as learned Astronomers haue obserued many thousand miles neerer the earth then in times past The Planets and the other Starres like so many Candles and Spangles in the heauens are much decayed in their vertues and operations and by hurtfull effects and influences often annoy corne man beasts and plants The Aire that we breath in is oft troubled infected and consumeth into the cloudes and many frightfull and ominous fights appeare in it The Earth the common mother of vs all is many waies cursed it is sore weakned shaken eft-soones by earth-quakes the Sea oft encroacheth vpon it and marreth the beauty of it deadly dampes proceed out of it it is in many places much more barren then in former times or else aboundeth with weeds thornes and vnprofitable things The Sea ebbeth and floweth it corrodeth and eateth vpon the firme Continent roareth is tempestuous and vnquiet and drowneth both men and Ships Riuers are often dryed vp and change their channels In Plants Hearbs Trees there is not the same vigor efficacy feeding and medicinable vertue which was in times past Men are not so tall of stature not so long liued not so strong as in the daies of old They are more fraile feeble mortall and though they are more illumined more witty and learned by many degrees then in old time yet they generally are more crafty wicked mischeiuous they haue science but not so much conscience Excesse in Building and Apparell sunt aegrae Reipub. indicia that is signes of
world and expect an heauen on earth and an exquisite reformation of all things whereas in so declining a world they shall see the Lord comming in the cloudes sooner then this their dreame come to passe CHAP. XVIII Of the generall and maruellous deadnesse of heart and senselesse benummednesse of the last times A Seuenth generall Signe shall bee a dead slumber spirituall Lethargie and a brutish security in all sorts of people which though it hath bene in the time of Noah not long before the vniuersall Deluge and in the time of iust Lot at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and in other ages of the world yet it shall most apparantly raigne and preuaile in the last age So that no Alarums no thundering iudgements no strange Sightes Monsters Wonders Doctrine Counsell Admonitions Warnings shall bee able to arowse and waken them from this sluggish and deafe security They shall drowne themselues in pleasure and in drunkennesse mind nothing but the world wealth oppression reuenge But the Sonne of man shall come to such in an houre they wot not of and shall finde them sleeping The day of the Lord shall come as a Thiefe in the night For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come vpon them as trauaile vpon a woman with child and they shall not escape Securitas initium calamitatis God giue vs grace to watch and waite for that day and to attend to the sound of the Trumpet that being found watching and wel-doing wee may stand before the Sonne of man and enter into our Lords ioy Amen CHAP. XIX Of the graduall yet sudden darkning of the lights of heauen THE last generall Signe is not onely the wonderfull roaring of the Seas but a graduall yet sensible and strange darkening of the lights of heauen this is the neerest generall Signe and the more to bee heeded when it commeth For presently after shall come our LORD IESVS who by the brightnesse of his comming shall vtterly obscure and hide the light of the Sunne Moone and Starres Neither must this seeme incredible or impossible for the like hath beene seene in time past though not vniuersally ouer the whole world but in some kingdome and particular place of it At mid-day as Saint Paul went to Damascus he saw in the way a light from heauen aboue the brightnesse of the Sunne shine round about him and thē that iourneyed with him If it exceeded the brightnes of Sun then it obscured the Sun and as it were put out the light of it Secondly at the death of Christ the Sunne was darkened and terribly eclypsed And darknesse was vpon all the land of Iudaea from the sixt houre to the ninth i. from noone to three of the clock in the afternoone Thirdly strange and wonderfull sightes and prodigies were fore-runners of the destruction of Ierusalem and why not likewise of the end of the world Lastly the poore Marriners and Sea-faring men haue particular and lamentable experience of such darkenesse when suddenly the storme ariseth and all their lights are put out and they oftentimes are ouer-whelmed In Saint Pauls voyage to Rome when hee and his company were exceedingly tossed vpon the Seas neither Sunne nor Starres in many daies appeared Let us therefore as the children of the Light and the day put on the Armour of light that this darkenesse when it commeth discomfort vs not much lesse bee a fore-runner of euerlasting darknesse Amen CHAP. XX. Diuers difficult and curious questions soberly handled and religiously resolued I. Question How and with what truth could Saint Paul in his time teach that the ends of the world were come on them and S. Peter write that the end of all things was then at hand seeing that from that time vnto ours haue passed about one thousand sixe hundred yeares and we certainely know not how many yeares remaine to bee accomplished I Answere First from Christs Birth or Death vnto the end of the world is counted but an age or the last though perhaps the longest age of the world Seeing wee are not to haue nor expect any new Christ new Gospell new Sacraments new Scriptures new Apostles new Euangelists new Miracles but content our selues with those that Christ hath vnchangeably left vnto vs. Secondly this last age of the world is not confined and limited to a certaine stint and set number of yeares as the former ages are and were because wee should alwaies bee prepared and in continuall expectation when it should end otherwise men would more delay and post of from time to time their conuersion vnto God Therefore as the last age of a man to wit old age cannot bee determined by a certaine number of yeares as the precedent ages of a man namely child-hood striplings state youth and ripenesse of age can Euen so the last age of the world cannot be determined and defined by certaine and expresse yeares Lastly as wee call the end of the yeare not the last day but the last moneth though containing 30 daies So wee may and doe call the last quarter of the world the end of it though it be of longer extent then any age from the beginning of the world vnto Christ his Incarnation A second Question Whether that this world shall last and continue at least seuen hundred yeares seeing that in the 20 chapter of S. Iohns Reuelation expresse mention is made of two distinct thousands of yeares the former wherof is thought to take his beginning at the raigne of the Emperour Constantine and to end about Wickliefes time Anno 1300 and in all this time the Church declined and the second millenarie or thousand wherein the Church shall bee renewed and flourish beganne onely as it is collected about the yeare of our Lord 1300 so that seuen hundred yeares yet remaine Ans. True it is that mention is made of two thousand yeares and diuers of the ancient Fathers did acknowledge as much but mis-vnderstood and mis-applyed the same being carryed away with the errour of the Millenarij that imagined that the people of God should after the Resurrection liue a thousand yeares in this world in pleasures and ioyes But I answere first that it is not agreed amongst Interpreters when the first thousand should beginne whether when S. Iohn wrote his Apocalipse or rather Anno 300 when Constantine beganne to raigne Secondly for the Elects sake least all flesh should perish these daies shall bee shortned as well as those of the Iewes miserie at the destruction of Ierusalem were abridged For the shortning of the former is a type and figure of the shortning of the latter Now how many yeares or whether certaine hundred of yeares God best knoweth if not onely knoweth and the end and issue will make manifest Thirdly if the end of the world should continue so long and this should be notified and publickly signified to the world they would take occasion to liue
and the Apocalipse touching the continuance of Antichrist doth hold that the imaginary Antichrist which hee and his followers yet expect to come shall raigne iust three yeares and an halfe and that iust in the end of them Christ shall come to iudgement or at the vtmost there shall bee a distance of 45 daies for warning and preparation so that by this account a man may know the very day of the last iudgement which Christ in his humility knew not and which the heauenly Angels are ignorant of Let vs content our selues with the knowledge and practise of things reuealed and and in other matters be wise to sobriety otherwise if wee come too neere to the Arke of Gods secrets wee shall bee consumed if wee come too neere to this Flame wee shall bee burned Let vs not approach too neere this bottomelesse pit least wee bee drowned III. Vse The meditation of the comming of Christ of the neere approach of it and of the terrour of the last iudgement must awaken vs from the slumber of security and spurre and stirre vs vp to amendment of life to prayer sobriety and watchfulnesse that we be not taken tardy nor found vnready but waking and wel-doing And the lesse that the point of Christs comming is knowne vnto vs the more let vs watch and prepare our selues Let vs liue well and we shall die well and as we die and make our last end such shall our iudgement bee at the last day Finally let Saint Hieromes holy and blessed meditation bee ours also that euery one of vs may say with him Quoties diem illum considero c. that is As often as I consider that day I tremble in all my body for whether I eate or drinke or what else souer I doe me thinkes I alwaies heare that terrible Trumpet alwaies to sound in my eares Arise yee dead and come to iudgement IIII. Vse Seeing that our Lord in his loue towards vs hath left vs certaine Herbingers and Fore-runners of his second comming for our full redemption and for our inauguration into the Kingdome of heauen let vs search the Scriptures and take due notice of these Signes and the accomplishment of them and the neerer that that day approacheth so much the more let vs hold vp our heads For the glory happinesse triumph and immediate fellowship with the blessed Trinitie the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost wee shall then enioy shall infinitely exceed whether wee respect quantity quality or continuance all the troubles and trials of this mortall and miserable life And the serious meditation hereof will make vs hopefull and patient in all afflictions and when death approacheth make vs willing to goe to God and to cry come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen Amen An effectuall Prayer according to the argument and containing the Summe of the whole Treatise O LORD our God and most mercifull Father thou art indeed great and terrible of pure Eyes and canst not behold euill Hardning blinding forsaking punishing and in thy Iustice taking vengeance on thy aduersaries and art in thy wrath a consuming fire and art notwithstanding in thy onely begotten and most deerely beloued Son IESVS CHRIST a most louing gracious and kind Father to all thy Church and children not wishing much lesse working their misery ruin and destruction but calling iustifying sanctifying directing protecting and glorifying them yea thou dost most louingly fore-warne them of the euils to come and in the midst of their miseries and distresses assist comfort sustaine support and deliuer them This sweete Ointment perfume of thy mercies doth draw vs after thee these thy high and altogether vndeserued fauours wee confesse and acknowledge with all thankfulnesse and acclamation And more particularly seeing that thou in thy wisedome to check and correct our vaine curiosity rash presumption doth conceale keep from vs the knowledge of the set houre day yea yeare when the Sonne of man shall come to iudgement that wee should be ready and prepared at euery moment and withall that we after the manner of the wicked thy enemies should not bee suddenly surprised nor distressed and perplexed with feare and astonishment but bee encouraged in wel-doing And that wee should gather certaine signes of the Summer of solace and Haruest of Happinesse at hand and that we should be preserued from all atheisme doubting mis-beleefe thou hast in thine vnspeakeable mercy left vs in the sacred Scriptures sundry generall and vndoubted Signes tokens and Fore-runners of the last Iudgement Wherof diuersare already past as the destruction of the foure mighty Monarchies the desolation of Iudaea and Ierusalem the extinguishing of the large Romane Monarchie whose power Maiesty hindred the comming of the Romish Antichrist the vniuersall and solemne Preaching of the Gospell by the Apostles and their Assistants and Successours vnto all Nations Finally the reuealing yea generall weakning wounding of Antichrist And whereof some are yet in continuall motion and progresse as the reiection and dispersion of the Iewes the invndation and deluge of all impiety and iniquity the vanity abuse corruption and decay of the creature And whereof certaine remaine yet to bee accomplished namely the ruin of Rome the ouerthrow of Mahomet and his Alcaron the generall calling and conuersion of the Iewes vnto the Christian faith that which is the plague and poyson of the declining apostaticall contemptuous and vnthankfull world in the last age of the world the arising of False Christs and false Prophets their instruments that shall shew great Diabolicall Signes and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect Lastly neere the point of Christ his glorious appearance the strange sudden and fearefull dimming and darkning of the Eyes Lamps Lights of heauen therefore bee thou entreated most mercifull Lord to enlighten all our blind vnderstandings to mollifie purge prepare all our hearts and effectually to stir vp and rectifie all our wils desires affections that wee may make true godly and seasonable vse of all these soundings of the trumpets and fore-running signes Grant vs grace that by the due obseruance of the signes expired and in continuall act wee may certainely expect and waite for the performance of those that are promised and yet for to come Heauen and earth shall passe away but thy words shall not passe away And because thy Church on earth is in such continuall trouble and warfare thy Saints and seruants so much oppressed wronged yea massacred and Martyred and the world of the Atheists Idolaters Hypocrites profane and wicked ones liue in so dreadlesse security and thriue in all manner of sin and vngodlinesse wee therefore thy poore and vnperfect children doe so much more humbly and earnestly beseech thy good Maiestie to hasten the comming of thy Son to shorten for thy Elects sake these daies of sin bondage corruption and in