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
haue written or spoken to the contrary as the Atheists and Epicures in olde time and our Epicuriall Atheists or Machiuilians in these latter â—aies haue belched out many blasphemies against the truth in this matter that â—aue beene without this feeling in their â—oÌ„sciences of the day of IudgemeÌ„t only by the iust iudgement of God that they might be the more hardned in their sins â—â—ey haue laboured with all their might rather to suppresse theÌ„ vtterly to quench the same which sting of conscience and fire of displeasure burning and tormenting their soules in this life are nothing else indeede but onely a taste and beginning of those endelesse torments which their bodies and soules shal at the last day be adiudged to endure in the life to come for euermore in the bottomelesse pit of hell Where their worme or sting of conscience shall neuer die and the fier neuer be quenched Why then should we spend more time or words or yeeld any more reasons or authorities prophane or diuine to proue vnto them that there shall be a daie of Iudgement and an ende of all mortall thinges seeing they that would must gaine say it speake not onely against all reason and authoritie but euen in a sorâ— against their owne knowledg and consciences As for the godly and faithfull the confesse the same dayly in the Articles 〈◊〉 their faith And if there be any other aâ—â— no doubt there be some that neitheâ— with the Saduces deny the resurrection 〈◊〉 the dead nor with the Atheists denâ— that there shall be a generall day 〈◊〉 Iudgment but onely stand in doubt wanering in their minds and maruailing how these things shall come to passe Let them attend diligently vnto these wordes of Christ who saith thus vnto them Ioh. 5.28.29 Maruaile not at this for the day houre shal come in the which all that are in their graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God And they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of Iudgement or condemnation And so much for proofe that there shall be a generall Iudgement and therewithall an ende of all mortall miseries Now let vs proceede to the Chapter following which sheweth how this day of Iudgement is vsually called in the Scriptures and what profit we may reap thereby The third Chapter TOuching that point let vs first see how the day of Iudgement is noted vnto vs by Saint Peter himselfe whose Watch-word hath caused vs to wade thus farre in this matter In the third Chapter of his second Epistle 2. Pet. 3.12 Stay of Iudgement called the day of God Saint Peter calleth the day of Iudgement the day of God and though it may be said that euery day is Gods day because he made all daies yet the day of Iudgement more peculiarly then other daies may rightly be called the day of God and that for diuers causes First for that God hath kept that day secret to himselfe and hath not reuealed the same either to men or Angels no not to the Sonne of man as he is onely man though he be head and Lord of Angels next it may be called the day of God because vpon that day the most mightie power and maiestie of that great God Iehouah shall be made more manifest to the world then euer before both in rewarding of the good and punishing of the wicked Then shall that saying of the Psalmâ—st be proued true in the sight of men and Angels Psal 58.11 Verily there is a reward for the righteous there is a God that Iudgeth the earth Moreouer it may well be called the day of God for when God hath iudged the world by Iesus Christ then shal Christ Iesus deliuer vp the kingdome to God his Father and God shal be all in all then shall El Elohim Iehouah as the Prophet Dauid describeth him in the 50. Psalme Psal 50. The God of Gods the euerlasting God God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost be seene worshipped of men Angels in the excellencie of their glory the sight and knowledge of whose glory shall be the full ioy and contentation of Gods elect as it is said in the sixteene Psalme Psal 16. vlâ— In Gods presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore Now Saint Peter doth not onely call the day of Iudgement the day of God Day of Iudgement called the day of the Lord. 2. Pet 3.10 but in the same Chapter calleth it also the day of the Lord meaning no doubt the Lord Iesus who shall iudge vs all And Saint Paule speaketh of the same matter vseth both wordes in the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Thess 1.8 saying The Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen in flaming fire And in the second of the Acts Saint Peter reporteth the saying of the prophet Ioel calling the day of Iudgement Ioel. 2.23 The great and notable day of the Lord. Now he calleth that day the day of the Lord because vpon that day the Lord Christ shall shew himselfe to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings and he calleth it great and notable both in respect of the great glory of the Iudge as also in regard of the notable things that shal come to passe vpon that day for then the Sun shall be darkened the Moone shall loose her light and the Starres shall fall from heauen yea heauen it selfe shall passe away with a noyce as Peter also saith the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therin shall be burnt vp Then shall the sound of the Trumpet be heard the worlde throughout to waken them that are in their graues Then shall all they that are dead heare the voyce of the son of God Then shall all the great Monarches and princes of the world together with all their vassals and subiects appeare naked before the person of this great Iudge then shall the deuils and all damned spirits roare and cry then shall all the wicked tremble and quake for feare and shall say to the hils and mountaines fall vpon vs and hide vs from him that sitteth on the throne and from the presence of the Lambe for that great day of his wrath is come and who may abide it therefore rightly may this day be called the great and notable day of the Lord. Moreouer Day of Iudgemenâ— called a daâ— of refreshing Acts 3.19 the day of iudgement is called by Saint Peter in the third of the Actes the day or time of cooling or refreshing because vpon that day all the children that haue any way beene afflicted in this life shall be comforted and refreshed especially those which haue beene scorched with the heate of persecution for Christ his sake they shall be cooled and aboue all measure cheared comforted and refreshed They shall hunger no
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
bright sonne of the Gospell began to rise as soone as the Son of righteousnesse was borne he hath run his course and hath spred the bright beames of hiâ— heauenly light by his Apostles and faithfull preachers in all corners of the world sometimes here and some times there which heat of the sunne or Gospel whâ—â— it hath ripened and brought foorth thâ— liuely fruits of faith in the harts of Goâ—â— children hardned the wicked to theâ—â— greater condemnation then shall thâ— same sunne of the Gospell begin to sâ—â— when the true sonne of righteousnes 〈◊〉 appeare in the heauens with power aâ—â— great glory glory so that it is not to be doubted but the Gospell hath beene already published among all nations notwithstanding the preaching thereof shal coÌ„tinue I trust vnto the end of the world Now touching the other questioÌ„ whither the kingdome of Antichrist shall also coÌ„tinue vntill the end of the world I know it is doubtfully disputed of among many Diuines some gathering out of the 18. of the Reuelation and other places not onely that it shall haue a suddaine and grieuous fall as no doubt it shall but also are thereby lead to thinke that new Rome which is spiritually called Babilon like as olde Rome also was shal be vtterly rased and ouerthrowne before the ende of ths world whereat all the wicked great ones of the world that hitherunto haue supported her and reioyced in her brauery shal lament and weepe and also hereupon some haue mooued questions disputed vpon what Christian Princes they are that are most likely by force of armes to giue this great and finall ouerthrow to the kingdome of Antichrist All this is probably collected by some out of that place others of the Reuelation where is mention made of the fall of Babilon now there is no doubt as I haue said by the fall of Babilon is meant the destruction of Rome and of Antichrist which hath his chiefe seate at Rome for therein all the godly learned agree I will onely alleadge the authority of Master Bullinger in his exposition vpon that place of the 18. of the Reuelation whose wordes are these He pursueth saith he meaning the Author of the Reuelation throughout all the eighteene Chapter the destruction of olde and newe Rome also of Heathennisme and Antichristianisme and that with a marueilous plentie and euidence of speech euen so that you would thinke you sure all things presently accomplished And he vseth also saith he a most godly order For first the Angell declareth the destruction of Rome with most apt and fit words Secondly counsell is giuen to the godly how to behaue themselues in so great dangers then is added the maner of the desolation that like as Rome hath greedily and cruelly spoyled and destroyed other Nations euen so it shall befall vnto her also after this a lamentation is made wherein the Princes and Marchants doe mourne for the ruine of Rome where they also recite the riches and pleasures Finally the Apostles and Prophets reioyce of the iust Iudgement of God Againe saith hee the Angell of the Lord casteth a milstone into the bottome of the Sea that so the most certaine vnrecouerable and most weightie destruction of Rome might be signified whereunto againe are annexed the causes of so greiuous euils and the same finished with the praise and gratulation of all the heauenly dwellers hitherto Master Bullinger By this therefore it appeareth plainely enough that by the fall and destruction of Babilon is meant the fall destruction of Rome together with the whole kingdome of Antichrist But when this finall fall and vtter destruction shall be or by whom it shall be accomplished Master Bullinger neither many other godly and learned men doe determine rather Bullinger as also many others are of opinion that Antichrist and his kingdome shall in some decaying and ruinous sort continue vnto the ende of the world for so he oftentimes affirmeth in his booke vpon the reuelation And in the end of his first sermon that he maketh vpon the 18. Chapter he thus concludeth Here now saith he the iudgment of God for as much as she is proud meaning the Sea of Rome which presently before he calleth the Lady of al realms and Churches for as much saith he as she is proud vaine glorious carelesse and wicked in one day shal come her plagues by which one day as he noteth out of Aretas is signified a sudden destruction and that she should then perish when she least thought of it and her plagues he saith Saint Iohn reciteth in order death mourning famine and fire And Stories saith he testifie that these things were by the Gotthes fulfilled accordingly in olde Rome whereof saith he I haue spoken before Therefore he addeth we doubt nothing at all but that new Rome also shall by men and Gods Angels marke his speech be torne a sunder and pluckt vp by the rootes by men and Gods Angels now how well the exposition of this godly man doth agree with that euident place of the Apostle in the second of the second to the Thessalonians is not hard to be discerned for no sooner hath the Apostle spoken of the reueiling of Antichrist but presently he maketh mention of his destruction for saith he Then shall that wicked man meaning Antichrist be reueiled whom the Lord shall consume by the spirite of his mouth and shall abolish at the brightnesse of his comming By meanes of which place or contrary to the meaning of this place I suppose no man may determine but that Antichrist and his tottering kingdome may continue till the end of the world no otherwise then a most ruinous and decayed Castle which shall dayly be battered downe with the power of Gods word preached by men but shall vtterly be subuerted and abolished by the brightnesse of Christs comming vnto Iudgement by the power of his Angels agreeable to that saying of Bullinger before noted that newe Rome meaning thereby the whole power and kingdome of Antichrist shall by men and Gods Angels be torne a sunder pluckt vp by the rootes Wherefore I am also of opinion that it is a safer way to perswade the children of God to indure in all places with patience the tyranny of Antichrist though it doe continue to the end of the world theÌ„ to cause theÌ„ vpon vncertaine coniectures to expect the ending of his tyrannies and ouerthrow of his kingdome before the King of kings shall come in his glory And withall let vs not cease to admonish warne all Nations and people of the world to beware if they be farre of that they come not neare vnto his Romish Babilon if they be neare or in her that they fly far from her and that speedily that they defile not themselues with the filthinesse of that Romish beast that they receiue not his marke in their right hand or in their fore-heads if they haue already beene marked that they wash it out câ—eane againe by
King of glory Secondly he saith that he shall sit vpon the throne or seate of his glory alluding vnto the magnificence of Kings and Iudges who haue their feates and thrones of iudgement erected and set vpon high that they may be seene and heard of many people Therefore Christ Iesus who is Rex Regum Iudicum Iudex King of Kings and Iudge of Iudges his throne shall be aboue in the cloudes where euery eye shal see him both in heauen earth and hell So saith Saint Iohn Reu. 1 7. Behold he commeth with clouds and euery eye shall see him So our Sauiour himselfe teacheth vs in the 21. of Luke saying When the powers of heauen shall be shaken then shal ye see the sonne of man come in the cloudes with power and great glory The like answere our Sauiour maketh vnto the high Priest who asked him whether he were Christ the sonne of God thou sayest it saith our Sauiour vnto him and hereafter shall finde it to be true Math. 26.64 when ye shall see the Sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and come in the cloudes of the heauen This glorious comming of Christ vnto Iudgement was not obscurely reuealed vnto the Prophet Daniel as hee himselfe testifieth in the seuenth of his Prophesie saying Dan. 7.10 I beheld till the Thrones were set vp and the auncient of dayes did sit whose garment was white as Snow and the haire of his head like pure Wooll his Throne was like the firie flame and his wheeles as burning fire A firie streame issued and came foorth before him thousand thousandes meaning of Angels ministred vnto him and ten thousand a Definit for an Infinit number thousands stood before him the Iudgement was set and the Bookes opened The third circumstance that our Sauiour noteth is That all Nations shall be gathered before him This circumstance serueth also very greatly to set forth the might maiestie and glory of the Iudge in that he will haue the people of all Nations to come before him Kings and Keyfers high and lowe rich and poore men women and children none shall be priuileged all must appeare So saith the Apostle We must all appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ All people that then are liuing vpon the earth as also all those which haue dyed since the beginning of the world howsoeuer they haue died or wheresoeuer they haue been buried as well they that haue beene eaten vp of beasts and burned vnto Ashes as they that haue been drowned in the Sea and eaten vp with fishes all without exception shall heare this voyce Surgite mortui arise ye dead and come to iudgement This thing is reuealed vnto Saint Iohn as he testifieth in the Reuelation 〈◊〉 12. saying I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke wasopened which is the booke of life and the dead were Iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes And the Sea gaue vp the dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were Iudged euery man according to their workes O God of glory what a great and glorious Sessions must this be where all people shall be summoned and constrayned to appeare yea the Diuels themselues saith Iude Are kept in chaines vnder darkenesse vnto this day O how great must the glory be of such a Iudge that shall so come vnto Iudgement attended on with so glorious a troupe of Angels who connot be rauished with the consideration of so glorious aspect and most admirable sight namely to see the Sonne of man to appeare in the cloudes in the glory of God his father all the holy Angels seruing and attending on him and all nations and people of the world brought before him Truely if it be a goodly sight to see the sunne rise in the morning in his brightnesse Prepared as a Giant to runne his course If it be not a little glorious to behold the Moone and glistring Starres in the euening which sight no doubt doth cause the godly oftentimes to giue glory vnto God according as Dauid saith Psal 19 The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke How farre more glorious must it be to see the Sonne of God to appeare in the brightnesse of his glory with the brightnesse thereof the sunne in the firmament must needes be darkned To see so many or more glorious Angels then there be Starres in the heauens euerie Angell shining brighter then the Sunne in his strength together with as many Saints as haue beene faithfull soules in in this life with glorified bodies shining as the starres according to that saying of Daniell They that be wise that is all the faithfull who are compared vnto the wise Virgins shall then shine as the brightnesse of the firmament 〈◊〉 12.3 and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer And so much touching the glorious comming of Christ vnto Iudgement noted by Christ himselfe in these wordes When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he sit vpon the Throne of his glory and all Nations shall be gathered before him there to receaue Iudgement accordingly Of the order and maner of which Iudgement we are now to intreat in the Chapter following The seuenth Chapter THis point touching the whole order of Christ his comming vnto Iudgement is very copiously layed open vnto vs in the scripture specially our Sauiour himselfe doth reueale the same at sundry times in the Gospell we will begin with that description that Christ maketh in the fiue and twenteth of Mathew Math. 25.32 who presently after he hath shewed the glory of his comming proceedeth without any stop to the order and maner of his Iudgement for hauing sayed That all Nations shall be gathered before him He sheweth what course or order he will obserue in their iudgement Namely how he will first of all begin with diuision God doth all things in measure waight and number God is a God of order and not of confusion when all are gathered before him he will separate one from the other This is the last worke that God will doe in this world And it is worth the noting how God maketh his works to agree together The beginning and the ending first in the beginning God made all things by his sonne in the ending he will iudge all things by his son for who can better iudge of all then he that made all In the beginning hee made light to shine out of darknes as the Apostle witnesseth in the end he will turne light into darknesse The Sunne shall be darke and the Moone shall not giue her light In the beginning he seperated light from darkenesse In the ende he will also seperate the children of light from the
children of darkenesse For what communion hath light with darkenesse In the beginning he made all things good in the ending he will destroy all things that are naught seeing the euil and naughtinesse that is in man or in any other Creature came not vnto it by creation but by corruption Therefore Christ saith he will seperate and diuide one from the other that is the good from the badde The good he compareth to sheepe for their gentlenesse patience and meekenesse of nature the badde he most fitly compareth vnto Goates â—â—ech 34. who are a more sauage and filthy kinde of beastes The metaphor seemeth to be borrowed from Ezechiell who bringeth in the Goates pushing and hurting of the sheepe with their hornes and troubling of their waters These filthy pushing Goates that all their life long desire and delight to harme and wrong the poore sheepe of Christ wil Christ himself that great shepneard finde out euery one of them at the end of the world nonne of them shall be hid from his sight And because these poore sheepe haue a very long time with great patience endured these foule and filthy Goates to feede pasture among them in the outward face of the Church to their extreame hurt and griefe therefore Christ Iesus their sheepheard without any delay at his first comming to iudgement will gather and draw out his faithfull flocke of sheepe from that filthy heard of Goates and to the ende these Goates shall see the care that Christ hath ouer them he will place them in their sight at his right hand of heauenly protection the Goates contrariwise he will set at his left hand to send them presently to endlesse destruction But here before we proceede any further we are to note by whom our Sauiour Christ will make this separation namely by his holy Angels which came with him and attend on him with all ready obedience First he will cause an Arkangell to sound out the trumpet of God in so glorious and fearefull sort that it shall be heard the world throughout not onely they that are liuing but they that are dead in their graues shall heare the sound of that Trumpet and all the wicked spirits and Diuels in hell shal quake and tremble with the noyce thereof Then when all the Nations of the world are summoned and warned by that glorious Trumpet Christ shall send foorth his Angels to separate the Sheepe from the Goates the elect from the reprobate This thing our Sauiour Christ doth reueale vnto vs in the Gospell and saint Paul doth likewise report the same in one of his Epistles to the Thessaloniant First Christ saith in the 24. of Mathew Math. 24.31 that He will send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure windes and from the one end of the heauen vnto the other The same doth Saint Marke repeate in the 13. Chapter Moreouer our Sauiour Christ doth at another time make mention of this glorious separation as Saint Mathew reports it in the 13. Math. 13. Chapter for hauing in that place shewed by diuers parables that the children of God must not be offended to liue here for a time in this world accompanied and mingled with the godlesse as the good seed is with the cockle the Wheate with the chaffe they must growe together both for the greater iudgement of the one and tryall of the other vntill the harnest which is the end of the world at what time Christ will send forth his reapers which be the Angels to gather the good seede the pure wheate that hath beene well thrashed with the flaile of affliction and winnowed from the chaffe with the Fan of Gods Iudgement in the Lords garner but the chaffe and the cockle and the Darnell shall be burnt in fire that neuer shal be quenched then shall the Iust shine as the Sunne in the kingdome of God their Father Likewise our Sauiour reporteth this separation in the same Chapter by a parable taken from Fishers which when they haue brought all manner of fish to land gather the good into vessels but cast the bad away So saith our Sauiour shall it be at the end of the world the Angels shall goe forth and seuer the bad from the Iust and shall cast the badde into a fornace of fire there shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth Saint Paule likewise in the fourth Chapter if the first Epistle to the Thessâ— lonians maketh a like description of thesâ— things The Lord himselfe saith he shalâ— descend from heauen with a shout and with the voyce of an Arkangell and with the Trumpet of God according to that which hath beene said already But the Apostle in that place like aâ— he doth in the first to the Corinthians openeth a secret or two more and he saith that he doth it by the word or commandement of the Lord. The first is that at the generall resurrection at the day of iudgement when Christ shall appeare then they that are dead in Christ that is all those that haue died in the faith of Christ since the beginning of the world shall rise first that is before the wicked that did not die in the faith of Christ The second secret or mystery is that those of the faithfull that are liuing at the day of iudgement of whom the same Apostle speaketh in the first to the Corinthians 18. When he saith we shal not all die but all shall be changed those I say that then are liuing vpoÌ„ the earth shal not preuent or goe before those that are dead and turned to dust and powder in the earth but as those that are liuing shall be changed from mortall to immortall in the twinckling of an eye to vse the Apostles words so likewise shall those of the faithfull that are dead be raised vp by the power of God at the voice of the Trumpet and being ioyned to their soules both the one and the other saith the Apostle shall bee caught vp into the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall euer remaine with the Lord which he speaketh specially for the comfort of the faithful and therefore addeth this 1. Thes 4.18 Comfort your selues one another with these words Thus we see how all Nations that is all people of all the Nations of the world shall be gathered together by the holy Angels before Christ sitteth in iudgement The godly with all the holy Angels set on his right hand the wicked with all the damned spirites and diuels set on the left attending and harkning when that finall and definatiue sentence shal be pronounced But before we speake thereof it shall not be amisse to consider in a word or two what shall be come of all other things that are now in the world Saint Peter hath resolued this point already wheÌ„ he preacheth that there shaâ— come and is euen at hand the ende of aâ— things that is of all mortall
things but because the holy Angels are immortall the damned spirits are immortall the soules of men are immortall and the bodies of all men shall then be made immortall according to their first Creation for man made himselfe mortall by sinne and corruption therefore to all these shall be no end but the ending of mans body in this world shall be an endlesse being to theÌ„ in the world to come either to ioy or paine Now as saint Peter hath told vs that there shall be an ende of this world so likewise he telleth vs in the 3. Chapter of his second Epistle how the end shal be how all things shal be destroyed with fire First he saith the world perished being ouerflowen of water 2. â—es 3. But the heauens and the earth which are now are kept in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men By and by he addeth that when this day of Iudgement shall come the Heauens that are ouer vs shall passe away with â—noyce and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with all the works that are therein shall be burnt vp And not contented with once affirming this but repeates the same againe that we should neuer forget it in the ende of his admonition saying Seeing therefore that all these things that is all worldly and earthly things must be dissolued what manner persons ought yee to be in holy conuersation and godlinesse Looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God by the which the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the Elements shall melt with feruent heate So in fine we see none of these things which now we see with our mortall eyes shall remaine permanent durable but all must bee consumed and dissolued with fire which may teach vs not to put confidence in any thing in this world Notwithstanding saith the same Apostle We looke for a new heauen Esay 65.17 and a newe earth according to Gods promise made vnto vs by the Prophet Esay wherein dwelleth righteousnesse But of his wonderfull and heauenly renewing as it is not reuealed vnto vs in the Scripture particularly so it should bee from my purpose to make any search thereof curiously seeing my text onely leadeth we to speake of the destruction and not of the restoring of all things Onely let the godly content themselues with that discourse which the Apostle Saint Paule maketh in the eight to the Romanes Rom 8.19.20 where he exhorteth the faith full ioyfully to indure all the afflictions of this life which are nothing in value comparable to the glory which at that day shall be reuealed vnto them For saith he The feruent desire of the Creature waiteth when the sonne of God shal be reuealed Because the Creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope Because the Creature also shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of ohe sonnes of God for we knowe that euery Creature groneth also and trauelleth in paine together vnto this present and not onely the creature but we also which haue the first fruites of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our body Thus hauing hitherto briefely noted how Christ shall come at the last day in glory attended on with all his holy Angels how he shall sit vpon the seate of his glory how all Nations shall be gathered before him by the voice of a Trumper sounded by an Arkangell how the Angels shal separate the good from the bad placing the godly on his right hand and the wicked on his left hand Let vs last of all consider of that great doome and irreuocable sentence which the Iudge of heauen earth shal then pronounce from whom by no meanes they may appeale The sentence that shall bee giuen at that day is very short it is but two words in our tongue Come yee Goe yee in the Latine both words are included in one Venite there is Venite come yee and in the end of Venite is Ite Goe yee The Lord will make a short accompt vpon the earth saith the Apostle in righteousnesse But I know it wil be said that Christ doth vse more words and a very long discourse in that 25. of Mathew then Venite Ite It is true he doth so but I am of opinion that he doth vse them rather to instruct vs while we be liuing and before we come vnto Iudgement then to teach vs that we shall haue so long a speech with him at that time of Iudgement Notwithstanding seeing Christ for our sakes hath vouch safed to remember the same vnto vs. Let vs for Christ his sake consider of them as that they may neuer be forgotten of vs when our Sauiour in that place hath tolde that the son of man shall come vnto Iudgement in his glory with all his holy Angels and being seâ— vpon the seate of his glory all Nations shall be gathered before him the faithful sheepe on his right hand and the sinfull Goates on the left hand he presently addeth Then the King shall say vnto them on his right hand Math 25. â—4 that is to the faithfull Come yee blessed of my Father inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Contrariwise the same King shall say vnto them on his left hand that is to the wicked and vngodly Goe yee cursed or depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his angels â—er 41. With what words I beseech you could our Sauiour more perswade vs to haue regard how we liue in this world then by proposing vnto vs these two coÌ„trary sentences the one so ful of ioy coÌ„fort as no tongue can expresse The other so full of griefe horror as no hart can thinke That the King pronounceth first the sentence of blisse it noteth his goodnes bountifulnes inclined rather to grace and mercy then to rigor and Iustice if we had but so much grace and goodnesse as to accept of it before it be too late That he vseth this singular worde of comfort Come yee it noteth the ardent loue and affection that our Sauiour beareth to his sheepe whoÌ„ he hath purchased with his own bloud therefore he giueth so great a charge vnto those whom he hath appointed Pastors ouer them in this life to feede his sheepe and to haue care of them in the wildernesse of this world that none of them be destroyed or lost through their negligence if they be their bloud will he require at their shepheards hands That he calleth them the blessed of his Father it noteth that they are beloued of god before ordained vnto this blessing it highly commendeth Gods free grace fauour not mans merit or deseruing That he biddeth theÌ„ to possessâ— the kingdome