Disciples It is not for you to know the times and the seasons Act. 1.7 I will conclude with the saying of Augustine Ne nos addamus inquirere quòd ille non addidit dicere Aug. Epist 146. Secret things belong vnto the Lord reuealed things vnto vs Deu. 29. verse 29. Let vs not dare to pry into the Arke of the Lord striuing to know that which is impossible for vs to know it being reserued vnreuealed within the secret bosome of his sacred Maiesty The word of God affoordeth vs certayne signes and prognosticks whereby wee may conclude of a certainty that that day is not farre off the first is this The reuealing and comming of Antichrist Antichrist must first come Antichrist the forerunner of the end of the world so saith the Apostle That Man of sin must first bee reuealed before that day come that sonne of perdition 2. Thess 2. ver 3. Little children saith S. Iohn it is the last time and as you haue heard Antichrist shall come euen now are there many Antichrists whereby we may know that it is the last time 1. Ioh. 2.18 I neede not proue that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist many by their writings haue made this plaine and apparent and discouered that Man of sinne vnto the whole world as manifest to bee Antichrist as he is Pope The second signe that the day is at hand is an Apostasie from Faith and from sound Doctrine of which the Apostle speaketh Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Deuils 1. Tim. 4.1 And is not this time come to passe already are not many carryed about like vapours in the ayre with euery blast of vaine Doctrine hauing itching eares affecting alwayes some new fangled point or other what a dispute beginnes there to bee about that Twinne of our saluation Faith and Repentance touching the priority of them which makes me thinke that either men haue no repentance or else no faith vnlesse both consist vpon the tippe of the tongue in prattling not in practice The third is the promulgation of the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the whole world So saith our Sauiour Christ And this Gospell of the Kingdom shall bee preached throughout the whole world and then shall the end come Mat. 24.14 It must bee published among all Nations Mar. 13.10 And is not the sound thereof already gone forth into the ends of the earth is it not spred already from Dan euen vnto Beersheba from one Sea coast vnto another The fourth is the rising vp of false Christs and false Prophets Many shall come in my name saith our Sauiour Christ saying I am Christ and the time draweth neere Luke 21.8 And many false Prophets shall arise and deceiue many Matth. 24.11 The fift signe is Iniquity shal abound The fift signe is the generality of sinne Matth. 24.12 There shall bee such a generall infection of sinne Men shall be louers of their owne selues couetous bosters proude blasphemers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Traytors heady high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a forme of godlines but deny the power thereof 2. Tim. 3.1.2.3.4 And this is Gods ordinary proceeding against sinne hee doth neuer punish generall vntill sinne bee growne generall God neuer washt away the inhabitants of the earth with the waters of his wrath vntill all flesh had corrupted his way vpon the earth vntill the earth was filled with cruelty and all the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were euill onely euill continually euill Gen. 6.5.11.12 The Lord neuer rayned downe fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heauen vpon those two Cities Simeon and Leui like sisters in sinne vntill hee had made enquiry whether there were any righteous men amongst them for the Lord had it not derogated from his Iustice and so consequently from his glory in not being a iust reuenger of sinne was as willing and as well contented as Abraham that Sodom should be saued for euery petition returned vnto Abraham with some aduantage and most comfortable is it the Lord neuer ceased graunting till Abraham ceased asking but in the end there being such a penury such a scarcity such a nullity of good men that the Lord destroyed them with fire and brimstone and so it remaines vntill this day as a monument of Gods wrath Mare mortuum a Sea of fire and brimstone If we trauell vnto that great City Ierusalem the Metropolis of the world the Lady of the earth the perfection of beauty wee shall finde it but a heape of stones But what did moue the Lord to destroy so famous a City called the City of God the habitation of the most Highest a place where he did delight to dwell yet sin had made her infamous and odious in the sight of God the contagion and infection of sinne was generall and that not only some kinde of sinnes but all sinne all oppression that is all kinde of sinne Synechdoche speciei and well may it bee for oppression is a crying sinne and they that make no conscience of great sinnes surely will not make conscience of lesser and these sinnes were not committed in corners or by-lanes but in the open streets in the market place men were growne impudent in sinne all oppression was in the midst of Ierusalem Ierem. 6. vers 6. sinne was growne generall Ierusalem was a denne of Theeues there was no righteous man found throughout the whole City that executed iudgement and sought the truth No nor at the Court amongst the great Men amōgst the Rulers amongst the Noblemen These haue altogether broken the yoke and burst the bond no nor yet amongst the Prophets for they prophesie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes that is both agree together in a mutuall and meere collusion of the people as the Pope with his orders of begging Fryers first they robbe and deceiue the people and then they diuide the spoile Ierem. 5.1.5.31 To conclude sinne was as generall in Ierusalem as euer it was in the old world when it was destroyed with water or in Sodome that City of pride luxury idlenesse when it was burnt with fire so Ierusalems punishments were paralell to her sinnes her sinnes were generall her iudgements were as generall There is not one stone left vpon another of so many stately buildings on which the Iewes so confidently presumed Ioseph l. 6. hist Iud. and so presumptuously insulted ouer the Romanes saying that if the Romans had wings yet they could not flye ouer their wals and inuade their City And is not sinne growne as generall in this world as euer 't was in the old world or in Sodome or in Ierusalem may we not as iustly take vp the complaint of Isay in his time Both head is sicke
Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world the Redeemer of Israel For the great day of his wrath is come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 6. the great day where we may note the vniuersality of it all the dayes of iudgement going before were but types and figures but Epitomes and compends of that day that great day that is to come the drowning of the old world was a great day the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah a great day the ransacking of Ierusalem a great day yet all these together will not expresse and shew forth the least part of that dreadfully incomparable great day that is to come And who can stand It is a Metaphor drawne from those that whiles some eminent danger hangeth ouer their heads cannot looke vp but speedily they flie away vntill they are out of breath their spirits spent so they fall groueling to the ground so saith our Sauiour Christ mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things that shall come to the world Luke 21.16 The cause of this their flying is not only the fearefull apparitions of heauen as presages and prognostications of their dismall doome but Erynnis conscientiae as Melancthon cals it the sting of conscience like a fiend of hell dogs and driues them for the wicked flie when none pursueth them Pro. 28.1 They therefore are said to stand that are not terrified appaled which are not cast downe neither in body nor minde but doe confidently expect and wait their Masters comming therefore it was our Sauiours counsaile vnto his Disciples and in them vnto his whole Church hauing forewarned them that he would come vpon them at a time that they wote not of as trauell vpon a woman as a thiefe in the night he doth fore-arme them too by willing them to be frequent in watching feruent in prayer Watch therefore pray continually that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that you may bee able to stand before the Sonne of man Luke 21.36 Thus hauing Analysed the whole Chapter diuided my Text and expounded the wordes I draw forth this generall doctrine and it flowes naturall of its owne accord without any violent strayning or iniury vnto the Text this is the doctrine 1. Doct. that the state and condition of the wicked is full of horror at the day of iudgement This is proued by phrases of Scripture First It is called the Lords day the day of the Lord intimating thereby that as the wicked haue had their day the terme of their life wherein they dare as boldly to commit sinne as if they should neuer come to iudgement and as the Prophet Amos speaketh putting farre off the euill day and approching to the seat of iniquity Amos 6.3 so likewise the Lord will haue his day and these are the dayes of vengeance saith our Sauiour Christ Luke 21. v. 22. wherein the Lord will execute the seuerity of his wrath vpon sinne and sinners Secondly it is called the day of wrath now the wrath of a King is the messenger of death how much more the wrath of the Lord of Hosts the breath of whose nostrils kindleth that euerlastingly burning Tophet and his wrath abideth for euer vpon the children of disobedience in that burning Lake of hell fire for they that haue iustly prouoked the Lord vnto wrath in this their life time by fornication by vncleannesse by inordinate affection by euill concupiscence by couetousnesse which is Idolatry by wrath by anger by maliciousnesse by cursed and filthy speaking Colos 3.5.8 shall be sure to finde the recompence and their reward wrath for wrath the very fruit of their owne fruitlesse works for for these things sake the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Colos 3.6 temporally by manifest iudgements of his wrath and eternally in hell where his wrath abideth for euer and for euer in that dungeon of Dogs that is among the wicked whose estate is worse then a Dogs as namely Inchanters Whoremongers Murtherers Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes Reuel 22.15 Thirdly our Sauiour Christ speaking of that day saith that it should come vpon the world as trauell vpon a woman with child which is not onely to be vnderstood of the vncertainty of it when it will come yet as sure will it come as trauell vpon a woman with child but the similitude holds true in another sense that as a woman with child drawing neere to her trauell is in sorrow and cryeth in her paines Isay 26.17 a punishment peculiar to that sex by reason of our first Parents transgression Gen. 3.16 she doth oftentimes send foorth bitter sighes and sobbes grieuous grones lamentable cryes vncertayne whether her issue will bee a Beniamin the sonne of her right hand or a Benoni the sonne of her sorrow death yet still doth shee lift vp her eyes vnto the Hils from whence commeth her helpe so the wicked shall lift vp their eyes vnto the Hils for they shall cry vnto the Hils for helpe vnto the Mountaynes for succour and vnto the Rocks for safety yet they shall receiue none from neither Me thinkes I heare not onely Ieroms Trumpet sounding in mine * Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium eares but a horrible howling of a promiscuous multitude a greater mourning weeping and lamentation was neuer heard in Rama Matt. 2.18 Parents weeping for their children children for their parents the husband for the wife the wife for the husband yet can they not helpe one another but as they haue beene companions in sin so shal they be cōpanions in torments and such torments that are matchlesse farre beyond the paynes of women for her paynes end either with a happy birth or with as happy a buriall for better is the day of death then the day wherein we are borne but the paines of the wicked are endles easelesse remedilesse and as they haue conceiued iniquity so shall they receiue the fruit thereof Fourthly S. Iohn describing the miserable estate condition of the Church vnder Antichrist doth very liuely set forth the desperate estate and cōdition of the wicked at the day of iudgemēt they shall seeke for death in those dayes and shall not finde it they shall desire to dye and death shall flye from them Reuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 3. Ethic. 9.6 Death according to the Philosopher is of all terribles the most terrible and vnto the naturall man it is euen death to remember death yet full glad would the wicked bee if they might returne to their graue againe neuer heare and feele that dreadfull doome of diuine iustice denounced and inflicted vpon them at that last euerlasting iudgement in Hell Gregor Moral Vbi erit miseris mors sine morte finis sine fine defectus sine defectu quia mors ibi semper incipit deficere nescit where the wicked shal be
terrae pondus the very chaffe the drosse the off-scouring of the earth and therefore no maruaile though they goe into the holes of the Rocks and into the Caues of the earth from before the feare of the Lord and from the glory of his Maiesty when he shall arise to destroy the earth Isaiah 2.19 Mallent enim impij esse in inferno quà m videre faciem irati Iudicis The wicked had rather be throwne downe to hell where is vtter darkenesse then endure the glorious presence of so angry a Iudge If S. Iohn the blessed Reuelator of heauens secrets fell at the feet of Christ as dead when he beheld him Reu. 1. v. 17. If Moses that man of God could not indure the face of God but couered his eyes with a vaile If the Seraphins that stand about the Throne of God couer their faces with two of their wings as not being able to behold the glorious Maiesty of God how shall the Maiesty of this our great God euer our Sauiour Iesus Christ Tit. 2.13 daunt the hearts of the wicked at his appearing euen more then can be expressed The third reason why the estate and condition of the wicked is so full of horrour at the Day of Iudgement is by reason of the strict account that they must render All men without any exception Adam and all his posterity as many as haue beene dead before as many as are then liuing and they that are then liuing shall not preuent them that sleepe I say all men and so saith the Apostle Wee shall all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ Rom. 14. v. 10. Euery one of vs shall giue an account of himselfe to God v. 12. And euery man shall receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill 2. Cor. 5. v. 10. And not onely all men but all the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation 2. Pet. 3.4 are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgement of the Great Day Iude vers 6. This truth the Deuils themselues did confirme by their desperate crying out fearing their present executiō vnto the which they themselues know they are reserued Quid nobis tibi What haue we to doe with thee Iesus thou Sonne of God art thou come to torment vs before the time Matth. 8. v. 29. And this feare is the chaines and fetters before mentioned in the which the Deuils are manacled vntill they bee brought forth vnto the full execution of the wrath of God in Hell the place of Deuils and all the damned And not onely men and Deuils but vnreasonable creatures the heauen and the earth and whatsoeuer is contained within this spacious Vniuerse shall be iudged also after their manner at that day So saith Saint Peter The heauens and the earth are reserued vnto fire against the day of Iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men and the heauens shall passe away with a noise that is they shall passe away from a mutable condition vnto an immutable degree of perfection The Elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therein shall bee burnt vp Not that the great Fabricke and glorious workmanship of heauen and earth shal be burnt and brought to nothing for the earth remaineth for euer Eccles 1. v. 3. Sed ab ea quae nunc habet specie per ignem tergetur ea tamen in sua natura seruatur Greg. l. 17. Moral c. 5. They shall bee purged of their corruptible qualities and purified from the filth of their imperfectiōs as the Sun Moon shall be no more eclipsed and sublunary things shall be no more subiect to generation and corruption but as the gold cast into the fire is purged frō the drosse whereby it becomes a refined substance so the heauens and the earth shall put on as it were new apparell adorned with a new fashion for the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fashion of this world passeth away 1. Cor. 7.31 but not the nature and substance Hierom prooueth as much by that place Isa 30.26 The light of the Moone shall be as the light of the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seuen-fold non interitum significat pristinorum sed commutationem in melius Whereby the holy Ghost doth signifie not a destruction of those lights which were before but a change into a better Caluin goeth farther saying that they shall bee fellowes with the Saints in that glorious estate And so saith the Apostle the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non singula generum sed genera singulorum Ordi Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Creature that is the world shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God Rom. 8. v. 21. So Acts 3.21 there is promised a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non singula generum sed genera singulorum Ordi Gloss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 restauration of all things So Psal 10. The heauens shall all wax old as doth a garment and they shall be changed that is into a better forme and fashion So S. Iohn saw a new Heauen and a new earth Apo. 21.1 So S. Peter We looke for a new heauen and a new earth according to his promise c. v. 13. Hence is it that the perpetuity of Christ his spirituall Kingdome is shadowed out vnto vs by the continuance of the Sun and Moone His Throne shall be as the Sun Psal 89. v. 36.37 and shall be established for euermore as the Moone Psal 72. ve s 5. Gods children shall feare him so long as the Sunne and Moone indureth vers 7. And Christ his name shall indure so long as the Sunne vers 17. Therefore it must bee granted that these creatures shall be restored and so continue without decay or corruption or else it must must bee yeelded that Christs Kingdome must haue an end which may not bee granted But after what manner this instauration shall be it is not manifested vnto vs in the word of God and to what end they shall serue whether as Monuments of Gods glory it were curiosity to search or determine sufficient is it to know that they shall bee iudged after their kind But if any should obiect against what hath bin spoken as namely that al men shall giue an account The sixt verse of the first Psalme the wicked shall not stand in Iudgement And that of Iohn 5.24 He that beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into Iudgement Lombardus ex Gregorio binos facit ordines Iudicandorum alij iudicantur pereunt alij non iudicantur pereunt alij iudicantur regnant alij non iudicantur regnant Lomb. l. 4. dist 49. These places indeed haue much troubled the Fathers in so much that Hillarie and Origen were of opinion that neither the godly Faithfull nor the
euer burning and yet neuer consume euer dying and yet neuer dead for there is death without a death an end without an end because death alwayes begins and knowes not how to end If Death be acceptable vnto the aged whose strength faileth and are vexed with all kinde of euill things Eccles 41. vers 2. and are depriued of all kinde of good belonging vnto a naturall life as of Seeing Hearing Tasting Smelling Feeling how much more welcome would Death bee vnto the wicked at that dreadfull day of iudgement whē they are banished out of the society of Saints excluded out of heauen sent packing to hell where their sight shall bee afflicted with vncomfortable darknesse and vgly Deuils their smelling with noisome stinks their taste with rauenous hunger and bitternesse of gall their hearing with hideous and horrible cryes their feeling with intolerable fire yet notwithstanding death shall bee far from them Hell must be their habitation the Deuils their companions and they must embrace flames of fire in their armes for their inheritance 5. The Prophet Malachie in his fourth Chapter vers 1. prophecying of the terrible day of the Lords comming compares and likens it to an Ouen Behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all the proud yea and all that doe wickedly shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp so that there shall not bee left neither roote nor branch The Ouen whereinto the three Children were cast was exceeding fearefull being made seuen times more hotte then it was wont to bee and yet not an haire of their head was burnt nor their coates changed nor any smell of fire came vpon them Dan. 3.27 But how dreadfull shall this fornace of hell be being so infinitely hotter then that was Our Sauiour Christ calls it a fornace of fire Mat. 13.42.50 S. Iohn the Diuine a lake of fire and brimstone Reuel 21.8 The Apostle to the Hebrewes a deuouring fire Heb. 10.27 an vnquenchable fire Matth. 3.12 wherein all vnbeleeuers and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and all lyars the proud and all that doe wickedly shall be fuell for they shal be bound in sheaues and bundles saith our Sauiour Christ Matth. 13.30 The Adulterer and the Adulteresse in one bundle the Drunkard and the Glutton in another bundle the Couetous and Extortioner in another bundle the Vsurer and the Oppressor in another bundle the Swearer and the false Swearer in another bundle the Contemners of God and Breakers of his Sabbaths in another bundle and shall bee cast as faggots and fire-brands into this Ouen into this fornace into this lake of brimstone into this deuouring and vnquenchable fire vbi nec tortores deficient nec torti miseri morientur where their torments shall neuer cease but there shal be torments alwaies for the body and body alwaies for the torments world without end 6. Our Sauiour Christ setting forth the desperate estate and condition of of the wicked at that day saith Anxietas gentium in consilij inopia Bez. vsque ad desperationem Ierom. that there shall be distresse of nations with perplexitie Luke 21. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly belongs vnto captiues and prisoners that are so shut vp in dungeons or close prisoners and brought vnto such a doubtfull and narrow strait that there is no meanes possible for them to get out Regiomentaenus in Brussia or alluding vnto some kind of prisons wherein the partie imprisoned is in such a perplexitie that he can neither sit stand vpright nor lye vpon the ground such is the estate of the wicked at that day they are in such a strait in such a perplexitie euen vnto desperation that they see no meanes possible to escape the hand of God If they looke vpward there is Index iratus Greg. an angry Iudge if they looke downeward there is horrendum inferni chaos the horrible wide gaping mouth of hell if they looke on the one side of them there are peccata accusantia their sinnes accusing them if they looke on the other side of them there are infinita daemonia ad supplicium trahentia Anselm a Legion of deuils ready to draw them to execution if they looke without them there is mundus ardens a world of fire burning round about them ready to deuoure them if they looke within them there is conscientia vrens a griping conscience the worme that neuer dieth Latere erit impossibile to lye hid it wil be impossible apparere erit intolerabile to goe forward 't will be intolerable No maruell therefore though at the worlds end men bee at their wits end Luke 21.26 Hinc illae lachrimae hence arise Esaus teares to no end nor purpose Hinc eiulatuum angustiae hence ariseth a horrible howling when all the wicked shall be gathered together as prisoners in the pit and shal be shut vp inprison Isaiah 23 22. to be arraigned at the barre of Gods tribunall and to receiue according to those things which they haue done in the flesh 2. Cor. 5.10 Then tribulation and anguish nay desperation shal be vpon the soule of euery one that doth euil Rom. 2.9 then shall the wicked not bee able to stand because they haue walked in the counsell of the wicked and stood too long in the way of sinners Psa 1.1 They cannot sit because they haue been too long sit fast in sin and Moablike haue weltred in the dregges of their owne impieties or as the Psalmist speaketh haue sit too long in the seate of the scornefull They cannot lye along vpon the ground because they haue had a sufficient portion of rest already they haue liued at case all their life long and done nothing but stretch themselues vpon their beds of downe spent their daies in chambering and wantonnes taking thought for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof and like the Israelites sit downe to eate and drinke and so rise vp to play but now their ioy shall be turned into heauinesse their mirth into mourning their singing into sighing their case and rest into caselesse paines and restlesse torments for the wicked shall be turned into hell and so shal al they that doe forget God If wee looke backe againe vnto the Text the Parent of my doctrine wee shall finde that it will yeeld much strength to the confirmation of this truth then shall the Kings of the earth and great men and rich men c. They that in their life time haue beene able to controle whole Kingdoms with their countenance and chase before them millions of men shal be compeld to seeke such weak shelters such bootlesse refuges as to hide themselues in dennes creepe into the craggie rockes and hollow vaults of the earth as though that the infinitely-discerning eye of Almighty God could not finde them out though they could goe downe into the very depth of the sea or center of the earth whither can they goe or clime
Christ shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearing Wherby it is manifest that neither the Saints nor the Angels not God himselfe but mediante Christo by Christ into whose hands hee hath resigned all power and authority shal iudge all the world at the last day Whereunto if any obiect the words of the Apostle in the first to the Corinthians the 6. c. v. 2.3 The Saints shall iudge the world and not onely the world but the Angels too I answere that there is such a narrow band and strict vnion betwixt Christ and the Saints that they make one body so that which is granted vnto the head is not denied vnto the body Christ as the chiefe principall vpon that Bench doth pronounce that sentence already reuealed vnto vs in the Gospel Matth. 25. v. 41. and the Saints as witnesses shall subscribe vnto that sentence and triumph at the iust condemnation of the wicked This is manifest by the mouth of our Sauiour Christ Ye which haue followed me in the regeneration shal sit vpon twelue Thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Matth. 19. v. 28. or as some of the Fathers doe expound the place Amb. Chry. in hunc locum The Saints shall iudge the world Quia exemplo fidei perfidiam mundi damnabunt as our Sauiour speaketh of the Niniuites and of the Queen of the South that they should rise vp against the Iewes to condemne them at the day of Iudgement that is by the example of their faith they shall condemne them of infidelity Thus Noah is said by preparing the Arke to saue him and his posterity from the generall Deluge of water to condemne the world of infidelity who would not beleeue at the preaching of Noah that the world should bee destroyed with water as many Atheists and Epicures now a dayes at our preaching will not beleeue that the world shall be destroyed with fire Heb. 11. vers 7. and vnto this Origen saith well Orig. Hom. in Numb Non Paulus ipse sed opus Pauli quod faciebat in Euangelio iudicabit mundum So that to conclude the Faith the Life the Doctrine the Death of the Saints for the testimony of the truth shal condemne the wicked at the last day And whereas it is said the Saints shall iudge the Angels leauing Saint Chrysostomes opinion In hunc locum who would by Angels to bee vnderstood Ministers who are called Angels Apoc. 2.1 and so the Bishops of the Churches of Asia are called Angels wee may safely and most truly vnderstand the spirituall powers Angels that fell from their first estate and so are become reprobate Deuils these cursed crue I say that are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknes vnto the iudgement of the great day Iude 6. shall yeeld themselues subiect vnto the censure and sentence of the Saints Thus hauing shewed who that Iudge shall be it remaines that I speake of his Maiesty as farre as it is reuealed vnto vs in his word As a King prouiding for warre maketh choise of such men as may best serue to set forth the royalty of a King and for their valour able to encounter with the best of his approching enemies So Christ when he comes riding vpon the cloudes to encounter with the inhabitants of the earth for sinne he will come in power and great glory Luke 21.27 and this his power doth consist in a glorious multitude of heauenly attendants not silly Fishermen as in the dayes of his infirmity but a glorious troupe of holy Saints and blessed Angels as consorting with him at the appearing of his Maiesty Behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 14 he commeth saith S. Iude with thousand of his Saints to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly and as Christ shall come with his many Saints so shall he appeare with his infinite troupe and traine of Angels For thousand thousands shall minister vnto him and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him yea he shall come with all his holy Angels Dan. 7.10 which is to be vnderstood of Christ his comming to Iudgement for in the ninth verse mention is made of the Ancient of dayes sitting downe vpon his Throne that is God the Father and in the thirteenth verse it is added that the Sonne of man approched vnto the Ancient of daies which gaue vnto him power honor and a Kingdome that is Christ into whose hāds God the Father hath giuen power and authority of iudging the quick and the dead at the last day Now if Iehoram was halfe astonished at the furious marching of Iehu his company therefore sent forth horsemen to meet him and enquire whether it were peace or no 2. King 9.16 how much more will it strike the wicked with amazement and dreadfull astonishment when they shall see Christ comming against them with millions of Saints and Legions of Angels and no conditions of peace will be accepted of but he will bruise them with a rod of iron and breake them in peeces like a Potters Vessel Psal 2.9 And hee will not onely come in power but in glory in great glory and no maruaile for the Father hath glorified him will glorifie him againe when he hath gathered together the Elect from the foure corners of the earth and both shall make one glorious body in that Kingdome so full of glory where their Hymnes and Haleluiahs shal be glory and honor c. for euer and for euer It is the obseruation of some vpon the 24. of Matth. that the Sunne shall bee darkned Ferus Spangin and the Moone shall not giue her light at the bright shining glorious appearing of Christ Iesus As greater lights are wont to obscure the lesser as the bright beames of the Sun the glimmering light of a Candle so the exceeding brightnesse and transcendent glory of Christ at his appearing shall darken all those glorious lamps and lights of heauen whose sweet influence cōfortable beames wee now enioy day by day To this S. Iohn the Diuine alludeth 1. Thes 1.7 Act. 1.11 He had in his right hand seuen starres and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his face shone as the Sunne shineth in his strength Reuel 1.16 S. Paul setting forth the glory of his comming saith He shall come in flaming fire with the sound of an Archangell he shall come in the cloudes and ride vpon the wings of the winde Saint Matthew thus Then shall he sit vpon a Throne of glory and before him shall bee gathered all Nations Matth. 24.31 The gloriousnesse of which Throne Daniel describeth saying His Throne was like a fiery flame and the wheeles like burning fire Dan. 7.6 And if the Earth and the Sea doe reele too and fro start and stagger and flye away Reuel 20.11 as not being able to behold the glory nor endure the face of this approching Iudge how much lesse shall the wicked bee able to stand which are inutile
Whatsoeuer saith Bernard we now blush to confesse before men wee shall then proclaime with our own tongues before the whole world and the booke of our conscience being laid open wee shall make it manifest vnto all men The last sort of accusers are the creatures without them the creatures I say whose vse by right of inheritance belong properly vnto none saue vnto the children of God 1. Cor. 3.25 Rom. 8.32 Howsoeuer churlish Nabals and couetous Ahabs by vsurpation doe withhold them from them the sinne that is committed in the vse of them shall rise vp in iudgement to the condemnation of the wicked And not onely the sensible creatures groaning and trauelling in paine till they be deliuered from the bondage of corruption which against their will suffered vnder the wicked but euen the very senselesse creatures The heauen shall reueale their iniquity and the earth shall rise vp against them Iob 20. v. 27. The stones crying out of the wall and the beame out of the timber Heb. 2. v. 11. that is they that haue erected their houses by iniquity by oppression by keeping backe the hirelings wages this their sinne in so doing shall witnesse against them nay the Moth of the garment and the rust of their cankered coyne shall witnesse against the couetous worldling at the last day Iames 5. v. 3. Nay the dead Letter of the Bible which thou carriest about thee shall witnesse against thee if thou make not good vse of it Thus Christ told the Iewes Doe not thinke that I will accuse you to my Father there is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whom yee trust Iohn 5. v. 45. In illa die vltionis nihil habe bit quod respondere possit homo peccator vbi coelum terra sol Luna totus mundus stabunt aduersus nos in Testimonium peccatorum nostrorum Hugo de S. Victor In that day what shall sinfull man answer for himselfe when the Heauen and the Earth the Sunne the Moone the Starres nay the whole world wil stand vp against the wicked in testimony of their sinnes and yet if all these should hold their peace Ipse cogitationes nostrae ipsa specialiter opera stabunt tante oculos nostros nos ante Deum accusantes Chrys super illud Mat. 24. virtutes c. Our very owne thoughts especially our owne workes shal stand before our eyes and accuse vs before God The fift reason Reason 5 why the state and cōdition of the wicked is so full of horror at the day of Iudgement is by reason of that fearefull sentence of condemnation pronounced against them by that iust and most vpright Iudge Their sentence is already reuealed vnto them by our Sauiour Christ in the 25. of S. Matth. vers 41. Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels This sentence is very fearefull whether we respect the words themselues the Iudge from whose mouth they doe proceede or the irreuocablenesse of them Depart from me Those are words of separation you cursed wordes of detestation into euerlasting fire words of desperation prepared for the Deuill and his Angels a dolefull exemplifieation Depart from mee what shall the Creature do when he is banished from the presence of the Creator Oh the bitter fruit of sin which causeth the Lord to denie that Creature to be his as not belonging vnto him but vtterly to disclaime him which once he made to his owne Image O consider this in time who shall receiue thee when God casts thee out from his face Assure thy selfe euery Creature shall refuse her comfort to thee if a drop of cold water might be a reliefe vnto thee thou shalt not get it But as thy whole life was but a turning backe from the Lord a wandring and a going a whoring after lying vanities at that day thou shalt receaue this for a recompence of thine erring Depart from me and who are they that must depart the cursed they that in their life time haue beene renowned by great and glorious Titles as King Prince Duke Noble Reuerend Worshipfull now all their glory shall bee turned into shame their honor into ignominy and their seemingly blessed estate shall be turned into a truely cursed yee cursed depart from me and whither into fire and what fire euerlasting fire If this fire were but like that fained fire of Popish Purgatory where venial sinnes are clensed purged there were some hope that their torments should haue an end but they that are cast into this fire shall there lye and cry and fry for euer Vbi per millia millia annorum cruciandi nec tamen in secula liberandi Mat. 9.46 there they shall continue a thousand nay ten thousand nay a thousand thousand as many yeares as there are haires vpon thine head starres in heauen drops of water in the Sea Moates in the Sunne leaues in Autumne all these must be doubled nay redoubled euery one must be a thousand nay ten thousand and yet thy torments shall not haue an end Matth. 22.13 To this purpose Augustine setting forth the desperate estate of those that are adiudged to that place saith In inferno nulta est redemptio quoniam qui illic damnatus demersus fuerit vlterius non exibit In hell there is no redemption because he that is adiudged to that place shall neuer come out any more In inferno nulla est redemptio quoniam ibi nec pater potest adiuuare filium nec filius patrem In hell there is no redemption because there the Father cannot helpe the sonne nor the sonne the father Ibi non inuenitur amicus aut propinquus qui valeat argentum diuitias dare There is no friend or neighbour to be found that will giue a sum of money for the ransome of our soule None by any meanes can redeeme his brother or giue to God a ransome for him Psal 49.7 Then shall they weepe and howse bitterly by reason of the extremity of their paines shal break forth into these or the like lamentable exclamations What hath our pride our riches our honors our royall dignities our riotous kinde of life all our carnall pleasures and delights what haue they profited vs loe al things are past away like a dreame like a shaddow and as a poste that hasted by as a ship that passeth ouer the waues of the water or as a bird flowne through the aire and are become as if they neuer had been and hither are we adiudged vnto perpetual paynes and euerlasting punishments But neither their weeping nor their crying August in Ser. ad Erem nor their screeching wil auaile them any thing In inferno nulla est redemptio quoniam ibi gemitus sunt suspiria non est qui misereatur In hell there is no redemption because there is weeping sobbing and sighing and yet there is none to take pitty Ibi est dolor planctus clamor non est