abstaine from fornacation 4. That euerie one of you shoulde knowe howe to possesse his vessel in holinesse and honour God requireth true and vnfained holinesse Wash you sayth the Prophet Esay make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to doe ill This is the commaundement of God that so wee should be partakers of his heauenlie nature As hee which hath called you is holy so be ye holie in al manner of conuersation sayth Saint Peter Abstaine from fornication Nothing so much hindreth true holinesse as fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse and such like Euery sinne that a man doth is without the bodie but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne bodie God is the auenger of such He wil iudge the adulterers and fornicatours Be not deceiued Neither fornicatours nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers shal inherite the kingdome of heauen Knowe to possesse his vessel That is his bodie And the bodie is the temple of the holy ghost as he saith to the Corinthians And therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods In this bodie we shal rise out of our graue and appeare before the iudgement seate of God in this bodie wee shal sit vpon the twelue seates and iudge the twelue tribes God shal crowne it with glorie and honour Kéepe this vessel cleane it is precious keepe it in honour keepe it in holines Make not the member of Christ a member of the diuel Shame not your bodies shame not your selues V. 5. And not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles which know not God Giue not your selues ouer to filthie affections as the horse and mule which haue no vnderstanding and as the Gentiles which haue no feare of Gods iudgement Their heart and minde is vncleane They know not God they knowe not themselues They knowe not the difference of this life and of the life to come Therefore they knowe not sin or if they know it they refraine it not but follow the lustes of their corrupt nature and giue themselues to wantonnesse to worke al vncleannesse euen with gréedinesse Thus the Apostle setteth downe what is the fruite of ignoraunce and whereto a man groweth that knoweth not God That deuotion therefore which some say is the daughter of ignorance hath no likenesse with true holinesse For this is life eternal saith Christ that they know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. V. 6. That no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter for the Lorde is an auenger of al such thinges as we haue also told you before time and testified Let no man defraude his brother neither by false weight nor by false measure nor by lying words Let your measures weights wordes be true let your gaines be iust true that God may blesse them His blessing will make you rich and whatsoeuer he blesseth not shal wast consume and do you no good Doe vnto others as you would they should do vnto you This is true dealing and vpright If thou speake more than is true if thou take more than thy ware is worth thy conscience knoweth it is none of thine God will destroy al the workers of iniquitie He that delighteth in sin hateth his owne soule The mouth that accustometh to lie slayeth the soule Defraud not thy brother he is thy brother whether he be rich or poore he is thy brother and the sonne of God Wilt thou do wrong to thy brother wilt thou oppresse the son of God and y e euen in y e sight of god God is his father he wil not leaue it vnpunished in thée If he be simple and vnskilful abuse not his simplicitie God is the God of righteousnes Deale iustly that thine owne conscience accuse thée not Teach not thy sonnes nor thy seruauntes to deceiue others and to gaine by wickednesse After they haue learned of thée to deceiue others they wil deceiue thée also Iob prayed daily for his children Be thou also careful that thy children and seruauntes deceiue no man nor hurt any Their sinnes shal be layd to thy charge Why askest thou of God that hée wil féede thée giue thée thy daily bread waitest not vpon his wil but séedest vpoÌ„ the bread of iniquitie This meate wil not nourish thée this wealth wil not stande by thée for God wil not prosper it The wise man saith The bread of deceite is sweete to a man but afterwarde his mouth shal be filled with grauel I gotten goods haue an il end God hath said by the prophet Aggeus Yee haue sowen much but you haue brought in little Ye brought it home I did blowe vpon it We haue examples hereof daily We haue séene great heapes of wealth sodainely blowne away and consumed to nothing great houses decayed and the hope of the wicked quite ouertâ—…ne Here wil I speake somewhat of the vnhappie trade of â—…surie because therin standeth the most miserable and shameful deceiuing of the brethren I wil not speake al that may be said for it would be too long and ouer wearisome I will haue regard of that shal be agréeable and profitable and behooueful for you to heare And that you may the better consider hereof and sée the whole matter of Vsurie I will shewe you first what Vsurie is then whence it springeth what are the causes of Vsarie thirdly what commeth of it what hurt it worketh to the common wealth and I will laie soorth such reasons as may make any good man abhorre it Then I wil declare what the holie fathers and the Apostles and Martyres and Christ and God himselfe haue thought and spoken of vsurie Manie simple men â—…nowe not what is Vsurie nor neuer heard of the name of it The world were happie if no man knew it For euil things do lesse harm when they be most vnknown 〈◊〉 and plagues are not knowen but with great miserie But that you maie learne to knowe it and the more to aâ—…horre horre it this it is Vsurie is a kinde of lending of money or corne or olle or wine or of anie other thing wherein vpon couenant and bargaine we rereiue againe the whole principall which we delivred and somewhat more for the vse and occupying of the same As if I lend 100. pounds and for it couenant to receiue 105. li. or anie other sum greater than was the sum which I did lend This is that which we call Vsurie Such a kind of bargaining as no good man or godlie man euer vsed Such a kinde of bargaining as all men that euer feared Gods iudgement haue alwaies abhorred and condemned It is filthie gaines and a worke of darkenesse It is a monster in nature the ouerthrow of mightie kingdoms the destruction of flourishing states the decay of wealthy Cities the plagues of the world and the misery of the people It is thest it is the murthering of our Brethren it
therefore or die we are the Lords He goeth into his graue as into a bed he forsaketh this life as if he lay downe to sléepe he shall shake off his sléepe rouse himselfe and rise againe As we wake out of sléepe we know not howe so shall we rise againe though we knowe not how As we are much refreshed and our bodies strengthened by sléepe so shal we rise againe in much more strength and our corruption shal put on incorruption and our mortalitie immortalitie So often then as we goe to our beddes lette vs thinke of our resurrection from death Who is sorie to goe into his bedde what father lamenteth to sée his childe lie quietly and take his reste why then shoulde he so mourne for his death wherein GOD dealeth mercifully with him and doth translate him to the glorie of the sonnes of God where is no death nor feare but we shal be made like to the Angels of God The bodie rotteth in the grounde yet God preserueth it that it shal not perish His spirite shall returne to it againe and it shal liue God is able to bring this to passe He hath promised so to do He hath done it alreadie and wil doe it againe When Christ came neare to the gate of the Citie of Naim there was a dead man carried out the only begotten sonne of his mother which was a widow and much people of the Citie was with hir and when the Lord saw hir hee had compassion on hir and saide vnto hir weepe not And hee went and touched the coffin and they that bare it stoode still and he saide I saie vnto thee yong man arise And he that was dead sate vp and beganne to speake and hee deliuered him to his mother Lazarus was laide in his graue he had béene foure daies dead his bodie did stincke Yet when Christ cried with a loud voice Lazarus come foorth then he that was dead came foorth bound hand and foote with bandes and his face was bound with a napkin Iesus saide vnto them loose him and let him goe Saint Mathew saith The graues did open them selues and manie bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the graues after his resurrection and went into the holie Citie and appeared vnto manie These fewe stories witnesse vnto vs the rising againe of our bodies vnto life But what do I speake of the bodies of men they are the houses of GOD the temples of the holie Ghost God hath appointed vnto them a kingdome Who considereth not the swallowes and other birdes they sléepe al the winter long But when the spring commeth they come to life againe and are séene abroad What creature so little so vile and so little worth as the stie Yet by those so base and contemptible things doth God teach vs to know our selues and our estate The greatest part of the winter they are as dead They créepe into chinks and corners as into their graue and lie there without life without féeling Prooue it who list he shall sée it so The bodie is dead the wings moulted Yet the verie same flie so little and so vile shall be refrozed againe at the spring and shall liue in the warme weather and haue the same wings and the same féete and the same bodie If we be hard of beléefe to giue credite to the word of God these are manifest proofes to teach vs the resurrection of our bodies If GOD do so much for the flies which are so vile a creature how much rather wil he quicken vs againe whome hée hath chosen out of this world to liue with him for euer The word of GOD is almightie Hée shall but speake and it shall be done The Trumpet shall sounde and the dead shal return to life I am sure saith Iob that my redeemer liueth and that I shall rise out of the earâ—…h in the latter daie and shall be couered againe with my skinne and shall see God in my flesh Whome I my selfe shall see and mine eies shall behold and none other for me This is my hope laide vp in my bosome Saint Paul willeth Timothie neuer to forget this doctrine Remember that Iesus Christ made of the seede of Dauid was raised againe from the dead according to my Gospell This is the foundation the beginning and the ending of religion If the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raised vppe Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirite dwelleth in you This is an article of our faith We beleue the resurrection of the bodie euen of this bodie in which we liue and which we carrie about with vs. All flesh shal sée the saluation of our GOD. This is the hope of Christians the resurrection of their fleshe Set your affections on things which are aboue not on things which are on the earth For yee are dead saith the Apostle and your life is hidde with Christ in God When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shal yee appeare with him in glorie Therefore let not your heartes be dull through vnbeliefe As God was able to saue the bodies of his seruantes that they were not hurt in the fire as he was able to kéepe Ionas safe in the whales bellie so can he preserue our bodies safe in the earth Yea much better because the fire naturally consuineth and the fishes bellie destroieth those things which they rauine but the earth naturally preseruoth that which is earthie As our GOD is of power to diuide the waters to make the sea stand like a wall and giue passage to his people as he can chaunge the course of the heauens and make the sunne goe backe as he can drawe water out of the harde rockes so is he of power to raise our dead bodies againe vnto life If he made the earth the water the aire the heauens and all creatures in them of nothing he is much more able to restore againe those bodies which haue beene Wee looke saieth Paule for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodie and make it like his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able to subdue al things to himselfe The Prophet Esay comforteth the people of GOD in their affliâ—…ions Thy dead men shall liue euen with my bodie shall they rise awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust for thy deawe is as the deawe of hearbes and the earth shall cast out the dead Againe The earth shall disclose her bloud and shal no more hide her slaine Therefore saith our sauiour This is the fathers wil which hath sent me that of al which hee hath giuen mee I should loose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last daie Againe hée saith The houre shall come in the which al that are in the graues shall heare his voice And they shall come foorth that haue done good
might be saned in the middest of burning fire yet y e thrée seruauntes of God walked in the fire safelie and came safe foorth againe We knowe sayth the Apostle that all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God The Apostles reioyced in their persecution that they were counted woorthie to suffer rebuke for Christes sake And Paule speaking of this perfection in the godly sayeth We reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God And not so onlie but also we reioyce in tribulations Who hath not heard of the patience of Iob his heardes of Cattel were driuen away his houses consumed with fire his children slaine his body stricken with a scurfe or manginesse his wife loathed him and his friendes for sooke him What did Iob in all these miseries what thought hée or what spake he let his patience in suffering his wordes of thankesgiuing teach vs howe to beare aduersitie The Lorde sayeth he hath giuen and the Lorde hath taken it blessed bee the name of the Lorde Againe Though he slay me yet wil I trust in him Who is able to expresse the manly comfort of his heart which said I wil trust in him though he kill me He is my God I am his creature His wil be doone I wil alwayes giue him thankes and praise his holie name By these we are learned to giue thanks in pouertie in afflictions in miserie and in al things though they are heauy and greeuous vnto vs. What are we then that are neither thankful for riches nor for health nor for our pleasures nor in the aboundance of al things yea which abuse the good giftes of GOD to dishonour God who hath giuen them vnto vs the earth is the Lords and al that therein is the world they that dwel therin He openeth his hand and filleth al thinges liuing with his good blessing Let vs looke vp into the heauens there is God the Father of lightes from whom euerie good and perfect gift commeth there is our redeemer Iesus Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge-When we turne in our beddes when we sée our fare and the furniture of our â—…able when we sée our seruants and children about vs when we sée our money and houses and lands let vs thinke with our selues how many good men faithful seruants of God lack the same and haue not receiued these blessinges in such measure as we In al these thinges God speaketh to vs and sayth I haue giuen them thée thou hast them at my handes vse them well and be not vnthankful If I would stande herein and declare what rauses we haue to giue thankes vnto God I shoulde neuer make an ende There is no beast on the grounde no fish in the Sea no bird in the ayre no starre in the heauens no leafe of the trée no corne of the field no sande on the shoare no droppe of water no sparckle of fire but GOD hath created them all for the sonnes of men So much are wée bound alwayes to giue thankes to God and to say as the Prophet O Lorde our Lorde howe excellent is thy name in all the worlde Let vs confesse before the Lorde his louing kindnesse and his woonderful workes before the sonnes of men But who is able to render thankes sufficient to God for that he giueth vs y e knowledge of his Gospel and maketh vs know the secrets of his wil this is a great blessing and farre aboue al the other comforts of this life They that haue not this are in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death To be short euen in death we haue to praise God we must say I thanke thée O God for thou hast deliuered him froÌ„ the bodyof this death thou hast translated him vnto thy selfe that so he may remaine with thée in thy glorie Thus whither soeuer ye turne what state or part of life or death soeuer ye coÌ„sider whether it be trouble or peace things present or things to come heaueÌ„ or earth life or death you shall alwaies finde causes to be thankefull V. 19. Quench not the spirite Hée meaneth by the spirite the giftes and graces of the spirite The spirite of God is the spirit of wisedome and the spirite of truth No man sayeth S. Paule can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Againe The spirite helpeth our infirmities and againe The same spirite beareth witnesse with our spirite that we are the children of God It is he that leadeth vs into all trueth that openeth our hearts to vnderstanding and guideth our féete into the waie of peace O saith he despise not the wisedome of the spirite refuse not his help but seek it that you may be strengthened comforte your selues in his testimony of your adoption quench not the light he hath kindled in your hearts disdaine not his leading abuse not his mercy abuse not the time of your visitation let not so great mercie of God be bestowed on you in vaine fulfil not your own willes abstaine from fleshly lusts walke in the spirite desire the best gifts and let euerie man as he hath receiued the gift so minister the same to another as good disposers of the manifold grace of God V. 20 Despise not prophecying Prophecie is the preaching and expounding of the word of God and he is called a Prophet and doth prophecie that openeth vnto vs the wil of God This is not meant of fond and vain and lying prophecies as were those of Merline and such like which tell you tales of lions and beares and goates of the sunne of the moone and manie strange deuises Such prophecies must be despised they are workes of darkenesse and forged by the Diuell to make vproares and to beguile the people But despise not prophecying That is despise not to heare the word of GOD turns not awaie thine eare from vnderstanding God giueth power to his word that it may worke according to his good pleasure It will let thée sée the weakenesse of thine errour and settle thée in the waie wherein thou shouldest walke If it had béene dangerous for the people to heare the preaching of the Gospell hée would not haue sent his Apostles into all the worlde If Lidia shoulde not haue liked to heare Paule prophecie howe might she haue knowne GOD If those great numbers which heard Peter and were connerted had despised prophecying and woulde not haue heard him open the Gâ—…pell vnto them they had neuer considered the great mercie of GOD nor sought to be instructed in their saluation Faith commeth by hearing This hath béene the meanes by which Christ hath giuen knowledge to Kings Princes and al nations It hath pleased God saith Saint Paul by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Despise not then to come to the Church of God to praie in the congregation of the faithful to heare the Scriptures of God read and erpounded it is
mightie Kinges and Princes and powers and states of the worlde as S. Iohn hath sayde And Gregorie hath sayde An armie of Priestes is prepared to waite vpon the king of pride And here by may you knowe him What armour shal they haue and with what weapon shal they fight Antichrist shall furnish his men with speare and sworde and fire He shal reioyce in killing in burning and in shedding of bloâ—…d Christ shal send his men into the field naked and armed with pacience They shal take vppe their crosse and followe him readie to suffer whatsoeuer shal be layde vppon them Their weapons shal be prayers and wéeping What shal be the pretense of this fight Antichrist shal come in his owne name to maintaine and exalt himselfe Christ shal come in his fathers name to mainetaine the glorie of his father What shal they séeke wherefore fight they what is it they shal desire to mainetaine Antichrist shall desire to mainetaine his owne traditions Christ shal maintaine the holy worde of God Christ shal procure the glory of his father Antichrist shal maintaine his owne glory In what place shal this battaile be vpon what downes or plaine or in what countrey Neither in hill nor in anie plaine but in the hearts of the people There shall the warre be There shall it be fought If it were possible the elect should be confounded His assault shall be so terrible that manie shall be offended in Christ manie shall denie Christ manie shall be ashamed of him and the loue of manie shall waxe colde But blessed is he which continueth to the end We haue heard briefly of Christ and Antichrist their estates their seuerall cognisance what bands of meÌ„ they shall haue what armor they shal beare by what title they shall claime what they shal séeke where the fight shal be that it shalbe made in the consciences of y e people There shall Antichrist sit there shall he be worshipped as God there they shall call him the holie and most holie father there shalbe giuen to him the power of heauen and earth there he himselfe shall rouze himselfe and be setled and shal say I sit as a Prince I shal neuer be remooued I cannot fall But Christ shal blow him down with the breath of his mouth and shal abolish him with the brightnesse of his comming Christ shall haue the vpper haÌ„d and destroy him Euen that Christ whome they made the reproch scorne of the people whom they reuiled calling him drunkard and companion vnto Publicans harlots which was so poore simple which was oppressed and afflicted and yet opened not his mouth which was brought as a shéep to y e slaughter was killed S. Iohn had a reuelation and did sée Iesus Christ the sonne of God And Hee had in his right hand seauen starres and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword It was sharpe and mightie it entreth thorow euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioints and the marow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart So we sée the breath of the mouth of Christ is a sword This sword shal ouerthrow Antichrist RemeÌ„ber how Dagon sell on his face vpon the ground before the Arke of the Lord how hée could not stand how at that presence the head and the two palmes of his hands were cut off vpon the threshold with a fall So shall Antichrist fall at the presence of Christ. His armes and his head shal be broken off and he shal not stand Remember that Aaron cast forth his rod before Pharao and his seruaÌ„ts and it was turned into a serpent so did the charmers of Aegypt They cast down euerie man his rod and they were also turned into serpents But Aarons rod deuoured their rods consumed them to nothing Euen so shall the truth of Christ consume and bring to nothing the falshood of Antichrist Al his glorie shall be scattered as the chaffe which the wind driueth awaie as a thinne some is scattered away with a storme and as the smoke which is dispersed with the wind and as the darknes which can not abide in the sight of the sunne it shal be consumed it shal be defaced it shall not stand At the name of Iesus euerie knée shall how euery tongue shall confesse that Iesus Christ is mightie to the glorie of God the father that he is worthy to receiue glorie and honor and power But who may better disclose this mysterie and the fall of Antichrist than Iohn the Euangelist which leaned on Iesus bosome whome Iesus loued and which was indued with wisdome from aboue Let vs heare him I saw saith he an Angel slie in the midst of heauen hauing an euerlasting gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth and to euery nation and kinred and tongue and people saying with a loud voice Feare God giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come worship him that made heauen earth and the sea the fountains of waters And there folowed another Angell saying It is fallen it is fallen Babilon y e great city for she made al nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication And the third Angel folowing theÌ„ said with a loud voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forehead or on his hand the same shall drinke the wine of the wrath of God and shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holie Angels and before the holie Lamb they shall haue no rest daie nor night Againe the seauenth Angel poured out his viall into the aire and there came a loud voice out of the Temple of heauen from the throne saying It is done That is it is concluded iudgement is giuen it shall stande for euer And there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and there was a great earthquake and the great citie was rent into thrée partes and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to giue vnto her the cup of the wine of the fiercenesse of his wrath Then one of the Angels talked with me saying Come I wil shewe thée the damnation of the great whore that sitteth vppon manie waters with whom haue committed fornication the Kings of the earth the inhabitants of the earth are drunken with the wine of her fornication And in the same Chapter he saith These haue al one mind shal giue their power and authoritie to the beast that is to Antichrist Thus the kings al princes as squiers to his bodie shall fight against the lamb But the lamb shal ouercome them for he is lord of lords and king of kings I saw an other Angel comming down from heauen hauing great power so that the earth was lightned with his glorie and he cried out mightily with a loud voice saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon
Lorde If they haue called the maister of the house Beelzebub how much more them of his housholde But this is reckoned vnto them for happipinesse Blessed are you when men reuile you and persecute you and saie al manner of euil against you for my sake falsely Reioice and be glad for great is your reward in Heauen For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you They slue them drowned them hewed them with swords and cut them in péeces with sawes If anie man saith our Sauiour wil folow me let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow mee So farre must the children of God be from the loue of this worlde in such sorte must he forsake his owne life and endure affliction that wil come vnto Christ. In the olde lawe the Priests went on and carried the Arke before and the people came after In token that they should giue good example and the people shoulde follow them The Priest was appointed to be a shril trumpet sounding in the eares of the people and the people were commanded to prepare them selues for the battel of the Lord of hostes Therefore saieth S. Paul so haue I followed the Lord and so haue you folowed me and receiued the word not in affliction onelie but in much Affliction Where he much describeth the vnmercifull hearts and tyrannous hate of the wicked against al those that followe the lamb and receiue the word of God with gladnes No torment so cruel no deuise so strange no maner of death so horrible which hath not beene or which is not laide vpon them Their babies be cast into prisons they are stript out of their houses and spoiled of their goodes Thus doe the enimies of God worke tyrannie and much affliction vnto the godlie They consume their bodies in fire shed their bloud without measure throw out their bones and scatter them vppon the face of the earth and this doe they not as against murtherers robbers adulterers or such like but â—…nelie because they receiue the word and beare a loue to the trueth and cannot denie the power thereof With ioy of the holie ghost This is that which passeth al naturall sense and wisedome Manie séeme to take in good part and abide patiently afflictions losse of goods imprisonment and losse of life But no man can reioice in the suffring of these things but the child of god no man but whoÌ„ Christ hath choseÌ„ out of y e world but whose name is written in the booke of life but he in whom y e spirit beareth witnes with his spirit that he is the child of God He knoweth that through manie tribulations he must enter intorest He knoweth the wicked could haue no power ouer him â—…nlesse it were giuen them from aboue he knoweth that al is done for the best to them that loue God and that God could dispose meanes if it were so â—…dient to bring to naught all the deuises of the vngodlie When the â—…ernantes of God were rast into the hote burning fornace bicause they woulde not worship the golden Image that the â—…ing Nabuchodonosor had set vp who would haue thought that the fire could not burne Dâ—… that their bodies shoulde not haue béene consumedâ—… yet did God in the middest of the fire preferâ—… them so that not one haire of their head was burnt neither were their coats changed nor anie smel of fire came vpon them Let vs neuer forget this notable example of Gods power to deliuer his seruants that we may euer be earnest and carefull to professe our faith in him to â—…riue vnto the death for the setting foorth of his glorie It â—…areth euen so with the children of God in the persecution of this world troubles miseries and aduerâ—…tie compasse them as the â—…rie â—…nace compassed those thrée men of God But God couereth them with his mercie as with a cloude that nothing shal hurt them I say not al that stande in likâ—… defence shal in like sort be so preserued that their bodies â—…al not be peirced For God suffereth the wicked to destroy and kil his seruauntes and to consume their bodies to dust and ashes Yet are his seruauntes warned not to feare them When the Apostles were beaten because they had spoken in the name of Iesus They departed from the counsel reioycing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for his name We reioyce saith Saint Paule in â—…bulations knowing that tribulation bringeth foorth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shed abroade in our heartes by the holy ghost which is giuen vnto vs. The comfort which is giuen in this case to the godlie is hidden within them For to him that ouer commeth shal be giuen a white stone and in the stone a newe name written which no man knoweth sauing he that receyueth it The afflictions of this present time are not worthie the glorie which shal be shewed vnto vs. When our saniour did sée the time of his passion drawe neare he saide to his Disciples You are they which haue continued with me in my temptations Therefore I appoint to you a kingdome as my father hath appointed vnto me that yee may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and sit on seates and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And in his sermon vpon the mountaine he saith Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen The case shal be altered It shal be betwéene them and their persecuters as it was betwéene Lazarus and the Rich man When the wicked and cruel tyrantes shal sée them in the presence of the throne of God because they came out of great tribulatioÌ„ haue washed their long robes and haue made them white in y e bloud of the lambe the god of Abraham shal say vnto the wicked sons remember that you in your life time receiued your pleasures like wise these men paines now therfore are they câ—…orted you tormented They are taken out of affliction into rest from their bondes into libertie out of prison into a kingdome out of miserie vnto glory from life vnto death The promise of this comfort is often renewed The prophet Dauid saith They y t sowe in teares shal reape in ioy Our sauiour telleth his Disciples Ye shal weepe and lament and the world shal reioyce and you shal forrowe but your sorrowe shal be turned to ioy S. Iohn heard a voice from heauen saying Blessed be the dead which hereafter dy in y e Lórd Euen so saith the spirite for they rest froÌ„ their labours and their workes follow them He is commanded to write vnto y e Angel of the Church of the Smyrnians Feare none of those things which thou shalt suffer Bohold it shal come to passe that the diuel shal cast some of you into prison that you may be tried
you enlarged your selues toward me and tooke me in When I was in prison you came to me and feared no man you were not ashamed of my bonds you were readie to loose your owne liues to saue me This is spoken of to your great praise And howe you turned to God from idols to serue the liuing and true God Here are set downe in fewe words the summe and parts of Christian religion The first is to forsake at â—…ols to turne from them then to turne vnto God and to put alout trust in 〈◊〉 to serue the liuing and true God The â—…nice of God and idols can not stand togither No man can turne vnto God that turneth not from idols This is a wonderfull effect of the gospell to forsake idols and serue God to leaue customes and the vsage of forefathers and giue eare to the trueth To loue from the heart that which thou diddest sometimes hate and to detest from the heart that which thou didbest sometimes loue is strange and wonderfull But to doe this for Christ which was borne of poore Marie whom the wise and learned and mightie men of this worlde despised which was crucified and hanged betwene two théeues whome they scorned vpon the Crosse to follow or beléeue or put trust in him to cal him the power and the wisedome of God to confesse him to be in whome al Israel shall be blessed and in whom all the worlde shal be saued to giue bodie or life for his sake is a straÌ„ge miracle No King no Prince no lawe no wisedome of man can worke this and bring it to passe This is the Lordes doing and it is maruelous in our eies And this doeth he in those onelie which receiue the word of the gospel with ioy of the holie ghost And to looke for his sonne from heauen whome he raised c. The holie Scriptures do not onlie teach vs to turne vnto God but also what it is that god giueth vnto al them which séeke him euen that they be deliuered from the wrath to come and for whose sake he deliuereth vs for Jesus his sonne whome he raised from the dead Therefore he telleth them howsoeuer they be reiected or despised as foolish among men if they continue in the things which they haue learned they shall be wise vnto saluation That therefore they lift vp their heads and looke for their redéemer That they saie thy kingdome come and Come Lord Jesus because he is appointed by God to be the Judge of the quicke and the dead and hée shal come in the glorie of his father and deliuereth from the wrath to come al those that trust in him For among men there is none other name giuen vnder heauen whereby wée must be saued This is the depth of al knowledge and the comfort which passeth al vnderstanding that against al temptations and afflictions which oppresse our conscience or bere and trouble our bodies we maie growe strong by faith in the sonne of God Christ Jesus and assertaine our selues of his comming from heauen for our delinerance CHAP. 2. FOr you your selues know brethren that our entrance vnto you was not in vaine HE taketh witnesse of them of his diligence and paines taken in the fulfilling of his ministery séeing it hath so good successe among them that they by the preaching of the gospell haue forsaken superstition and are turned vnto and do now serue the true and liuing God and do bâ—…leeue for giuenes of their sinnes and deliuerance from the wrath to come by Jesus Christ. It is a great and deadly smart to the faithfull seruant of God to sée the people wilfull and to despise the word of their saluation Hereof Esaie complaineth I haue spred out my handes al the daie long to a rebellious people which walked in a waie that was not good euen after their owne imaginations They stopped their eares and woulde not heare nor be reclaimed nor returne that they might be saued And Ieremie O that my head were full of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe daie and night for the staine of the daughter of my people for they be adulterers and an assemblie of rebels Sword and destruction commeth vppon them and they will not sée Oh that they woulde giue eare and repent in time Againe My people is foolish they haue not knowen mee they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge Dauid crieth out O yee sonnes of men howe long wil yee loue vanitie and seeke after lies Why forsake you the truth of GOD and haue no regarde to his mercie So our Sauior mourneth ouer Ierusalem O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent to thee howe often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the henne her broode vnder her wings and yee woulde not how carefully and tenderly haue I sought for thy saluation how often haue I called vpon thée sent vnto thée my seruantes and powred out my blessings before thine eies So bitter and mourneful a thing is it to al those that séeke the glorie of God to see no fruite followe of their labours to sée the people continue ignorant and wilfull and to séeke their owne destruction Therefore they turne themselues vnto GOD which is the father of lights and God of all comforte in whose hand are the hearts of the people that his worde maie haue frée passage and be glorified that God will open vnto them the doore of vtterance to speak the mysterie of Christ and publish the secret of the gospell boldlie that he will giue power to his worde declared by them and assist them with his holie spirite that hée will open the eies of the people that they maie sée and turne their heartes that they maie be conuerted So did Dauid make his praier Open thou my lippes O Lord and my mouth shal shewe foorth thy praise Albeit my month is simple and rude and barbarous yet if thou wilt it maie bée an instrument to declare thy glorie Then shall I teach thy waies vnto the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee Be fauourable vnto Sion builde the wales of Ierusalem Thus doe they lift vp their handes and call vnto GOD that he would send downe his light into the hearts of the people that what they heare they heare not in vaine but maie receiue it and vnderstande it and kéepe it For vnlesse GOD direct the heart and make it fit to receiue instruction the preacher though he be neuer so desirous to doe good doth labor in vaine God one lic disposeth the waies of men it is hée which trieth the corne from the chasse hée knoweth whome he will bring to he of his folde make to heare his voice Manie times he blesseth his word with great encrease among them which at the first despise it and intreate cruelly the preachers and messengers thereof
your sakes What coulde you aske of me moreâ—… what greater gift coulde I bestowe vppon you V. 11. And ye know how that we exhorted you and comforted and besought euerie one of you as a father his children 12. That ye would walke worthie of God who hath called you to his kingdome and glorie I tooke care of you as of mine owne soule and dealt with you by alwayes of comfort and erhortation that you would take héede vnto your selues and your calling I did put you in minde that you were placed in the middest of the vnfaithfull people which knewe not God and that they watched you and your doing that their eye was vpon your housholde your wiues your seruauntes and your children vpon your selues and your words to espie if they might finde any occasion to speake euil of you I did beséech you by the glorious comming of our Lorde and sauiour Jesus Christ that the name of God might not be il spoken of through you You can not denie this You must néedes confesse you haue thus béene taught Ignorance can not be your excuse What remaineth then but that you performe it For the seruaunt that knoweth his maisters wil and doth it not shal be beaten with many stripes As a father his children What maner care is it that the father taketh of his children Many men are fathers of children but what man taketh the care he ought to take for them pastours or teachers of the people should be affected towardes their people as fathers are to their natural children Let such as are fathers and haue children knowe in what sort they must be careful Your children are a good blessing of God they bée members of the bodie of Christ the sonnes of God The kingdome of heauen belongeth to them God hath appointed his Angels to guide and leade them and to â—…ield them from euil and their Angels be in the presence of God and doe beholde the face of their father which is in heauen They be fresh plantes of the Church Who knoweth what necessarie instruments they may be in the common wealth and in the house of God It is not ynough to féede them and to nourish theyr bodies with necessarie sustenaunce For this do the heathen that knowe not God and the sauage and brute beastes and the birdes which haue no vnderstanding They bréede vp their young ones and are tender and paineful to prouide for them The asse though she be dul the Beare and Lion though they be wilde and cruel yet séeke they farre and néere to get wherewith to helpe their young Therefore if there be anie or can bee any which doeth forsake and leaue his owne he is more beastly than the foolish Asse and more vnnatural than most cruel Beares and Lions and Tigres But in this part men are for the most part ouer careful For this cause many build their houses with bloud and séeke possessions by iniquitie they ioyne house to house and fielde to fielde and wil dwel alone vpon the earth they oppresse the poore and néedie and doe wrong to the widowe and the fatherlesse they make money their God and spoyle one an other and al to prouide for their children This is the couer and cloake for al their misthiefe they may not leaue their children vnprouided Unhappie are the fathers which in this sort care for their children by the ruine spoyle of the néedy and innocent and so breake the commandement of God because their portion shal be with the wicked in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone And vnhappie are their children because they are partakers of their fathers wickednesse and therefore shal also be partakers of punishment with them The Prophet Dauid sayth I haue seene the wicked strong and spreading himselfe like a greene Bay tree Yet hee passed away and loe he was gone and I sought him but hee could not be found His roote was déepe his stocke strong his braunches broade he spread ouer and shadowed the whole countrey yet he passed away He departed his sonnes died his house soone decayed and his name was in little time quite forgotten Oh howe much better then is it to furnish the mindes of your children and to instruct them in godlinesse to teach them to knowe God to leade their life vertuously and to rebuke them and correct them for dealing il The beginning of wisedome is the feare of God Let them then learne what that good and acceptable wil of God is Shewe them the way in which they should walke that they goe neither to the right hande nor to the left The worde of God is pure and giueth vnderstanding to the simple it is a light to their footesteps it teacheth those that are young to amende their wayes When Christ came into Ierusalem the young children receiued him They cryed Ozanna to the sonne of Dauid Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde Christ giâ—…eth witnesse of them By the mouth of babes and sucklinges hast thou set foorth thy praise The wordes of the little and simple children were able to confounde the wisedome of the Pharise is Thus were they taught from their cradle so careful were their godly parents for them Contrariwise they can not haue any wisedome that despise the lawe of the Lord. They become blinde and wicked abhominable in al their waies They haue no sense nor féeling of the wil of God They cannot know light froÌ„ darkenesse nor God from Belial Such were the little children that mocked the Prophet Elizeus and said to him Come vp thou baulde head come vp thou bauld head Their bringing vp was no better Their wicked fathers had taught theÌ„ nothing elâ—… but waÌ„tonnes But the wrath of God fel vppon them and there were destroyed by two Beares two and fortie of them An other care which a father ought to haue of his children is to leade them vp in the studie of vertue and of godly life Blessed are the pure in heart for they shal see God They which kéepe not this way are the children of wrath Herein standeth the whole profession of a Christian life For God hath not called vs to vncleanesse but vnto holinesse This is the wil of God and this is our promise made vnto him that wee serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse al the dayes of our life that we encrease in vertue and growe from grace to grace A good and louing father which sendeth his sonne to a daungerous iourney either by sea or lande first instructeth him with aduise and telleth him in what sort hée shal auoyde perils Take héede sayth he the way is perilous which thou must passe The sea is terrible The waues rise vp as high as heauen and by and by thou shalt sée a pit as lowe as hel The sandes may swallowe thée the rockes may destroy thée Thou shalt passe by huge mountaines and through wildernesse where théeues wil assault thée Thy heart wil quake
Iesus Christ. When this worde is read Princes and Emperours stande vp and laie downe their sword and vncouer their head and bowe their bodie and doe reuerence bicause they knowe it is the worde of GOD which God himselfe vttered that it should be as the deaw of heauen to moisten our soules as a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life as a sauour of life vnto life and the verie power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beléeueth Without this worde wée can receiue no comforte wée can not sée the light nor growe in saith nor abide in the Church of God It is the word of reconciliation By it God maketh atonement betwéene himselfe and the sonnes of men Therfore when the Epistles the Psalms the Chapters and the Gospell are read in our hearing let vs remember whose worde wée heare Let vs thinke thus with our selues These are the words of our gracious GOD. My God openeth his mouth from heauen aboue Hée speaketh to me that I maie be saued he speaketh to me to kéepe mée from errour to comforte mée in the aduersities and troubles of this life and to leade me to the life to come What is the cause why so manie so little regarde the worde of GOD Why they doubt it and suspect it Why they are so soone wearie of it and beare it not that reuerence that belongeth to it Bicause they thinke not neither from whome it commeth nor with whose bloud it is sealed nor to Inhose benefite it is written Let vs not be ashamed to giue place to the worde of GOD to awake our senses and to submit them and our wisedome and learning and bodies and soules vnto it Let vs not harden our hearts Let vs humble our selues before God and saie Beholde here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies Which also worketh in you that belceue Whosoeuer heareth the wordes of God and doth them not shall be likened to a foolish man that buildeth his house vppon the sand If yee know these things saith Christ blessed are yee if ye doe them The same worde of God which Paule taught the Thessalonians which was preached by Peter and the rest of the Apostles to the faithfull which Christ receiued of his father and deliuered to his Church is this day by the mercie of God purely and truly set downe vnto you By it you are required to amend your liues and comforted in the promises of GOD to the forgiuenesse of your sinnes If there he anie in whom it worketh not this effecte if there be anie which though they heare it beléeue it not nor are thereby renewed in their mindes it is a token that they haue not receiued the lous of the trueth of the Gospell they despise the worde of saluation and it shall iâ—…dge them in that daie V. 14. For brethren you are become followers of the Church of GOD which in Iudea are in Christ Iesus because yee haue also suffered the same things of your owne countrie men euen as they of the Iewes 15. Who both killed the Lorde Iesus and their owne Prophetes and haue persecuted vs and God they please not and are contrarie to al men 16. And forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued to fulfil their sinnes alwaies For the wrath of God is come on them to the vtmost Wherein became they followers In suffring as they did This is the badge and cognisance of the sonnes of God Christ sayth If any man wil come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and followe mee They followed others not in pleasure and glory but in trouble and persecution For that was the way of the prophetes and Apostles and of Christ himselfe Esay the Prophet was cut in sunder with a Sawe What more cruel death His bodie was rent his bowels torne and yet hee not quite dead In such sort it liked the cruel tormentors to sport themselues Why what had he done he was a prophet They néeded no other matter against him It was ynough that they found him to be a prophet Hieremie was stoned to death Wherefore because he called the people to repentaunce that they might be saued Because he was a prophet Amos was slaine with a barre poore olde man No reuerence giuen to his gray head no regarde or pitie was taken of him Wherefore because he rebuked iniquitie Because he was a Prophet Zacharie was sâ—…aine when he was in his prayers and doing sacrifice in the holy place betwéene the entraunce and the alter Wherefore Because he declared the trueth because he was a prophet This hath béene the malice and hatred of the Diuel The Prince of the darkenesse of this world hath raged so euen from the beginning By this meanes he hath sought to deface the truth glorie of God and to establish his owne kingdome in shedding the bloud and murthering the saints of God The Churches of God in Iudea were miserably bered and afflicted they were hated of al men and counted vnworthie of life Wherfore because they turned to the true liuing god did beléeue in the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore they were stript spoyled headed quartred drowned burnt and put to most reprocheful death Who would become their â—…ollowers Who would willingly learne to be so persecuted and made gazing stockes to al the worlde is discouraged not the Thessalonians They were a thousand mileâ—… distant from Iudea but were ioyned in fellowship of the Gospel and in brotherly loue vnto them They hearde of their mildenesse and of their constancie and were stirred vp by their example They did hearken after them and were carefull for them as for their brethren and the members of the same bodie You haue heard what numbers of late haue béene persecuted and put to death among vs. Wherefore because they turned from idols to serus God as he hath commanded and did put their trust in him You haue hearde how patiently and méekely they went to their death and what a plentiful haruest God hath raised of their bloud For the death of his saintes is precious in the sight of the Lorde Their bloud cannot be spent in vaine Wee must remember their patience and zeale and the cause why they suffred We must not despise or set light by the Gospel of Jesus Christ for which they so ioyfully gaue their liues And it is not ynough that we be mindeful of such examples as we haue had at home We must also carefully consider of other Churches abroade God hath kindled a fire he wil haue it burne O what formentes doe our brethren daily suffer What crueltie is deuised daily against them I speake not of death onelie but of rackings and wonderful extremities more painefull than death Wherefore are these thinges done vnto them Because they are turned to the true and liuing God and beléene in the name of Jesus Christ. Some they hang by the hands and drawe vp with
concerning them which are asleepe that yee sorrowe not euen as other which haue no hope 14 For if wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them that sleepe with Iesus wil God bring with him Herein standeth the comfort of Christian religion Were it not for the hope of the seconde life the godly in this worlde were in worse case than the dumbe and brute beastes When Christ appointed his Disciples to goe and preach hée sayde I sende you as sheepe in the middest of wolues They will scourge you you shall bée hated of al men As the Gospel encreased in any place these words were fulfilled The godly were put to death for the name of Christ. The father did sée his sonne staine before his face and the sonne his father cruelly tormented Hence grewe great mourning heauinesse Oh saide they he was a reuerende sage father oh he was a wise young man learned zealous and a great stay in the Church Why would God take him before his time there is not nowe any one left whom we may beholde or heare or followe We are left comfortlesse and without hope After this sort it is likely the Thessalonians mourned when they behelde the persecution of the Church of God among them Herein they grewe towardes mistrust and to be like the heathen which had no hope Saint Paule thought good to refourme this errour And because this abuse grewe of ignorance for that they knewe not the happie estate of such which die in the Lorde hée sayeth I would not haue you ignoraunt what is become of them and what GOD hath doone for them He hath tryed them as golde and hath made them woorthie for himselfe Therefore you ought rather to reioyce there is no cause at al of mourning When Christ sawe his disciples heauie and sad because of his departure hée sayde If yee loued mee yee woulde verily reioyce because I sayde I goe to the father for my father is greater than I. I shal sit at the right hande of my father in glorie then shal euerie knée bowe vnto mée and enerie tongue shal confesse my greatnesse Therefore if ye loued me you would reioyce in my behalfe It is ignoraunce that maketh you heauie because you knowe not whither I goe When Ioseph was solde into Egypt good father Iacob thought he was dead and therefore mourned day and night Nothing could comfort him Alas sayeth he that I haue liued to sée this day O Ioseph my sonne my sonne Ioseph oh that I might giue my life to redéeme thée Nowe shal my hoarie head goe downe to the graue in heauinesse But when he hearde that Ioseph liued and did sée him with his eyes when he did sée that he was a Prince next in place to the King and had al the Countrey at commaundement then hée knewe he had mourned without a cause Then his heart leapt within him his eyes gusht out with water he wept for ioy Ignoraunce as we sée made him heauie knowledge of the truth as it was reioyced his halt and made him glad There is great errour and darkenesse and ignoraunce in mans life Wee reioyce when wee haue cause to mourne and mourne manie times when wee haue cause to reioyce Therefore he sayeth I would not haue you ignorant Be not deceiued God hath giuen you eyes to sée the right ways God hath giuen you eares to heare counsel and a heart to knowe reason and to vnderstande and iudge God hath giuen you the Scriptures and by them the knowledge of his wil. He hath giuen you a face to looke vp to heauen and the spirit of life hath he poured into you that you should not by anie meanes be deceiued That ye sorrowe not as other that haue no hope He doth not forbidde natural affection Our parentes and our children are deare vn to vs. They are our fleshe and bloude and the chiefe and principal partes of our bodie Anie part of our bodie can not be cut off but wée shal féele it The father if he féele not the death of his sonne or the sonne if he féele not the death of his Father and haue not a déepe féeling of it he is vnnaturall Dauid mourned for Ionathan The whole lande mourned for Iosias Paul sayth God haue mercie vppon Epaphroditus he was sicke verie néere vnto death and not on him onely but on me also least I shoulde haue sorrowe vpon sorrowe If God had taken Epaphroditus out of life no doubt Paul would haue sorrowed What néede more examples Christ mourned for Lazarus and shed teares for him Then saide the Iewes behold he loued him Wée are not therefore forbidden to mourne ouer the dead but to mourne in such sorte as the heathen did we are forbidden They as they did neither beléeue in God nor in Christ so had they no hope of y e life to come When a father saw his sonne dead he thought he had beene dead for euer He became heauie changed his garment delighted in no companie forsooke his meate famished him selfe rent his bodie cursed his fortune cried out of his Gods Oh my deare sonne saith he how beautifull how learned and wise and vertuous wast thou why shouldst thou die so vntimely why haue I offered sacrifice and done seruice to my Gods they haue made me a good recompence I wil trust them no more I wil no more call vpon them Thus they fel into dispaire and spake blasphemies Therefore saith Paul you may mourne as did the holie men of GOD but in such sorte as the vnfaithfull sorrowe for their dead you maie not mourne You are the sonnes of the holie fathers fashion not your selues therefore like to the heathens do not as they did neither in feastes nor in marriages nor in your attire nor in your mourning nor in your pastimes But behaue your selues as becommeth the children of the most highest But why may not Christians mourne and continue in heauinesse because it is no newe thing for a man to die because he goeth the waie of al flesh Againe they that departe this life are not dead they are not gone for euer as the heathen imagined They are laid down to take rest quietly for a time The deth of a godlie man is nothing else but a sléepe So saith our sauiour of Lazarus Our friend Lazarus sleepeth howbeit Iesus spake of his death So it is saide of Steuen And they stoned Steuen who called on God and saide Lord Iesus receiue my spirite And hee kneeled downe and cried with a loud voice Lord laie not this sinne to their charge and when he had thus spoken he slept Whosoeuer dieth in the peace of conscience he may saie I will lie downe and take my rest Thus doeth the man of God repose himselfe For Christ is vnto him both in life and in death aduantage He saith with the Apostle Whether we liue wee liue vnto the Lord or whether wee die we die vnto the Lord whether wee liue
vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue doone euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation And againe I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in mee though hee were dead shal liue and whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me shall neuer die For if wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen that he was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification if we beléeue that he is ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of GOD his father he will also raise vp our mortall bodies and bring vs with him Nowe Christ is risen from the dead and was made the firste fruites of them that sleepe He is our head wée are his bodie Wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Hée hath giuen vs his Spirite to dwell in vs. But if anie man hath not the Spirite of Christ the same is not his Christ our head liueth His bodie then can not he dead Where I am sayeth he there shall also my seruaunt be Wherefore if we be dead with Christ we beleeue that wee shal liue also with him What then shal become of the infidelles which haue no faith which haue not the spirit of God Shal not they rise againe Yes verily They shal rise but not with Christ. They shal not rise the resurrection of the iust Some shal rise vnto life some vnto death some to saluation others to damnation some to glory others to shame Wee must al appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euerie man may receiue the thinges which are doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euil The wicked shal rise vp again with their bodies and their portion shal be with the Diuel and his Angels they shal come foorth of their graues to the resurrection of condemnation their bodie and soule shal be cast into hel fire Their worme shal neuer die their fire shal not be quenched It had béen better for them they had neuer béene borne V. 15. For this say we vnto you by the word of the Lord that we which liue and are remaining in the comming of the Lorde shal not preuent them that sleepe 16. For the Lorde himselfe shal descende from heauen with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shal rise first This that we declare vnto you is not of our selues It is the truth of God it shal stand good be found true for euer God wil raise our bodies out of the graue 〈◊〉 restore theÌ„ from death to life You may not reason howe or in what order this shal be doone or who shal be the first or the seconde or the third that shal rise vp in the resurrection Such questions are unfit and not to be moued We shal al be chaunged in a moment in the twinckling of an eye At that houre some shalve aliue and some shal be dead For he shal come to iudge both the quicke and the dead We that are remaining in the comming of the Lorde shal not preuent them that sleepe Neither is their part better in the resurrection that shal then be founde aliue nor their part worse that haue béene dead manis yeares before For they which were dead shal as soone be partakers of the glory of the sonnes of God as the other Touching the state of men that shal liue in the end of the world Christ sayth As the daies of Noe so likewise shal the comming of the sonne of man be I doubt not but you remeÌ„ber the storie what dreadful plague of rain tempest fel when al the world was drowned and destroyd with water Vice and vngodlines encreased and al flesh had corrupt his way vpon earth They had no shame there was no feare of God before their eyes Gods wrath was kindled against them He sent Noah a preacher of righteousnes to reforme them to tel them of the destructioÌ„ at hand that they might repent and be saued But they regarded it not They laught Noah to scorne grewe desperate and continued in sinne Sodenly al the fountaines of the great déepe were broken vp the windowes of heauen were opened As they were eating drinking buying selling building purchasing stirring and trauailing as they were in the middest of their ioyes trauailes and pleasures the raine came vpon them and the flouds grewe so great that it destroyed the whole worlde except Noah and a fewe of his companie Their landes their goods Cities Castles nor any other their pleasure or wealth could saue them so shal it be in the comming of Christ. As it was in the daies of Lot and as it betel to Sodome and Gomortha they liued and increased in filthinesse Their heartes were blind and regarded no counsel Their bodies were filthie their soules their liues their houses cities were ful of filthinesse The Angel of God departed from them Loth went out from among them and fire came downe from heauen and consumed them to ashes and caried them downe quick into hel There was no father left to lament his child no child left to lament his father So shal it be at the comming of Christ. He shal come as a théefe sodenly when no man looketh for his comming he shal come at such season when mens harts wil be asléepe and thinke not of him S. Peter sayeth There shal come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say where is the promise of his comming for since the fathers dyed al things continue alike from the beginning of the creation They skorne the threatninges of Gods indgement When shal the world come to an ende We haue winter and sommer raine snow day and night as before The sonne kéepeth his course the fioudes runne the frâ—… beare fruit al things are as they haue béene O sayth Peter know this that god hath made the heauen and earth and al the furniture in them They are his creatures he doth holde theÌ„ vp and preserue them by the power of his word When God shal withdrawe his word they shal decay and haue an ende As for our Lorde he shal come and not tarie at his comming heauen shal depart away as a scrol that is rold the element shal melt with heat and the earth with the works that are therin shal be burnt vp and consumed before his face Deceiue not your selues with lying wordes For when you say peace peace and al thinges are safe then shal sodaine destruction come vpon you Then two men shal be in the fieldes the one shal bee receiued and the other refused Two women shal be grinding at the mil the one shall be receiued and the other refused So shal also the comming of the sonne of man â—…ée The number of the faithful that shal remain at his comming shal not be many So sayth Christ When the sonne
al be changed In a moment in y e twinkling of an eie shal they that are dead arise and we shall be changed This our mortall bodie shall be changed and shal put on immortalitie this corruptible bodie shal be changed and put on incorruption Christ wil change our earthly bodies to the likenesse of his glorious heauenly bodie Then shall our flesh be pure and heauenly and spirituall and we shall be able to behold the glorie of God Then shall be brought to passe the saying that is written death is swalowed vp into victorie O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie To meete the Lord in the aire c. This is a comfortable end of al troubles and persecutions which the godlie suffer in this life that they be receiued into the glorie of God and that both their bodie and soule doth liue with him and enioy his presence for euer Then shall they eate of the trée of life which is in the middest of the paradise of GOD. They shal hunger no more nor thirst any more neither shal the sunne light on them nor anie heate God shal wipe away al teares from their eies Then shal they féele those ioies which eie hath not séene nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man Such an end shal they haue whosoeuer feare the Lord. Comfort your selues one another with these wordes You sée the turmoiles and troubles of the world what vexations and afflictions Sathan raiseth vp against al those that will liue godlie Open and notorious sinners are â—…borne Theft adulterie vsurie extortion wilfull murther rebellion treason are many times pardoned and vnpunished but true religion which is the turning from idols to serue the true and liuing God and faith in Jesus Christ that by him we shall be deliuered from the wrath to come findeth feâ—…e friends and seldome escapeth without strange and most cruel tormeÌ„ts What is this but to crucifie the Lord of glory and to set Barrabas a murtherer at libertie Dauid saith The Kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his annointed They séeke to spoile the vine of the Lord and to destroy his little flocke They vse al meanes to put out the light of the Gospel But be you of good chéere coÌ„tinue you stedfast in the truth your redemption is euen at hand You shal be caught vp in the cloudes to méete the Lord and so shall abide with him for euer Let euerie neighbour comfort his neighbour and euery father his childe let vs al one comfort an other with these words CHAP. 5. BVt of times and seasons brethren you haue no neede that I write vnto you 2 For yee your selues know perfectly that the daie of the Lord shal come as a theefe in the night 3 For when they shal say peace and safetie then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and they shal not escape WHen the Disciples came vnto Christ a part and saide Tel vs when these things shall be and what signe shal be of thy comming and of the ende of the world hee answered Take heede least anie man deceiue you It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power For of that daie and houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heauen neither the sonne himselfe saue the Father vere not your spirite in vaine Séeke not for that you may not knowe you shall not be able to finde it Therefore saith Paul I néede not write of times and seasons in which these things shall be done Your selues haue béene taught the word of God you haue learned what his wil is you know the day of the Lord shal come vpon you as a théefe And how commeth a théefe not in the day time not when a man hath company about him not when he is watched but in the night in the darkenesse when al light is out when the good man of the house taketh his rest when the seruants are asléepe Euen so when the light of the truth is taken away when the hart of the goodman of the house is at rest and his eies are darkened that they cannot sée and al his senses drowned in worldlie pleasures when we care for nothing and think of nothing when we say peace and safety then wil the sonne of man come to iudgement then shal destruction sodainly fal vpon vs. Therfore let vs be readie for in the houre that we think not wil the sonne of man come Marke that Paul saith yée haue no néede that I write vnto you of times and seasons that our sauior saith it is not for you to know the times or the seasons What may we think then of them that write bookes almanackes and say such a yeare and at such a time Christ shal come and with these spéeches fray and mocke the world Paul was the Apostle of Christ an elect vessel of the holie ghost he said I haue no néed to write of it you cannot know it What néede is there nowe that such bookes and pamphlets should be written why should the world be troubled with such vanities Spare me your patience and giue me leaue a little to deale with these wisards Tell mee thou that doest measure and beholde the compasse of heauen and markest the coniunoions and oppositions and aspects of the starres and by that wisedome canst foretel the things that shalbe done hereafter where learnest thou this skil how commest thou by this déepe knowledge Paul was taken vp into the third héaueÌ„ heard words which cannot be spoken which are not lawful for man to vtter yet he knew not this secret nor might not know it What art thou then art thou greater than the Apostle of Christ hast thou béene taken vp into some place higher than the third heauen hast thou heard such words as are not lawfull to vtter if it be so why doest thou vtter them wilt thou take that vpon thée which the holie Apostle dareth not arte thou of Gods priuie counsel the angels and archangels know not hereof and shal we thinke that thou knowest it Art thou wiser than an Angel Consider thy selfe thou art a miserable man thy breath fadeth as the smoake Thou art nothing but dust and ashes thou canst not attaine to the knowledge hereof And what is that which thou boastest the knowledge of that terrible daie when all flesh shall appeare before the Judge Euen of that time which God hath put in his owne power O vaine man thou knowest not thine owne â—…aie thou knowest not when thy soule shall be taken from thée By what helpes and meanes camest thou vnto this knowledge by reading the writings of the Apostles by reading the Gospell of Christ or anie parte of the word of GOD No GOD wote thou hast no great skill in this learning Thou hast
heauen the spirite of God ordring al thinges and directing al the heads of the church In the time of Tertullian the Christians stil kept this maner Therefore he sayth Coâ—…mus ad diuiâ—…arum literarum commemor ationem fidem sanet is vocibus pascimus spem erigimus fiduciam sigimus We meete together at the reading of the holy scriptures wee nourish our faith with those heauenly wordes by them we raise vp our hope settle our affiance trust Augustine Chrisostome Origen other auntient and godly fathers commended the reading of the scriptures vnto the people called vpon them to read them theselues or to get others to reade vnto them And that they would heare them not onely in the Church but also at home in their houses They taught them the hurt and daunger of ignoraunce that ignoraunce of the scriptures hath béene the cause of her esies and that it hath brought in corruption of life and of maners This was the order and vsage of the Church in the time of the holy Apostles and of our first fathers The people were guided by the worde of God they were made partakers of the holie mysteries and al thinges were done in the Church to edifying And the same order is this day restored and practised in our churches Let vs looke into the church of Rome and behold the vsage behauiour thereof Where shal we find that heauenly comelinesse which S. Paule requireth Where is the comfortable reading of scriptures Where is the people taught their saluation in Christ Iesus where is the brotherly méeting of al the congregation at the communion of the Lordes supper May we say of Rome that it holdeth fast the forme and fashion of that church which Christ and his Apostles left vnto vs and which the holy ancient fathers continued nay rather we may say of them with Chrisostome they may haue the chestes and cofers wherein the treasure was sometimes kept but the treasures they haue not We may say it is not nowe a house of prayer but a denne of théeues We may say it shal no more be called Bethel the house of God but Bethauen the house of vanitie or of lying Iupiter and Bacchus and the Idols of the heathen were not so dishonored of their worshippers as the almightie and euerlasting and onely true God is dishonoured in that sinagogue I speake of it as it is nowe and as it hath béene these many yeares For in the time of our elder fathers it had great testimonie of true holinesse Ignatius called it castissimam most chaste Tertullian saide it was a happie Church because the Apostles of Christ suffered martyrdome in it and left their whole doctrine vnto it And in like sort did others giue vnto Rome as it was in those times reuerent and worthie commendation But now saith he O Roma à Roma quantum mutata vetusta es nunc caput es scelerum quae caput orbis eras O Rome howe much art thou channged from the olde Rome thou which hast beene the chiefe in al the worlde art nowe the chiefe in al naughtinesse They haue forsaken the trade of life and the loue of the Gospel which they of olde time had in Rome and therefore cannot be inheritours of their commendation When Chrisostme considered the state of the Church as the Apostle speaketh of it vntâ—… the Corinthians did see how farre the church in his time swarued from that he sayd Nunc verò vestigia tantum rerum illarum tenemus We haue now the only bare signes of those things Againe Videtur ecclesia hodie mulieri quae mansuetudine veteri exciderit similis quaeqúe Symbola tantum c. The church which is now may be likened to a woman which hath forsaken her wonted modestie And hath only certaine outward shewes of that first felicitie and keepeth stil the hutches and boxes of precious thinges but lacketh the treasure which was in them To such a woman may the church this day be likened I speake not this of the giftes for the matter were not so great if we wanted them only but of life and of vertue And againe he sayth Scrinium aliud paternt the sauri exinanitum bodie dicam c. I wil tel you of one other boxe of that treasure which our father left vnto vs which is empty and hath nothing left in it at this day In times past they did sing altogether so doe we also but then they were al of one minde of one heart at this day you shal not finde one man that agreeth with himselfe there is such warre and discord in al thinges euerie where The name of peace is common in al places but peace it selfe is no where to bee founde Then men did vse their houses like churches now men do vse the church as they vse their house nay more prophanely than any house Thus Chrisostome blamed the church in his time and layeth out their departing from the faith He liued about 411. yeres after Christ. What may we thinke he would say of the church that hath béene of later yeres if he had liued to sée the desormitie and abuses thereof where besides that they are not of one minde and of one heart they suffer not the people altogether to sing the praises of God where they haue not only emptieâ—… such boxes or hutches wherein Christ left great treasures vnto his church but haue made light account of them and haue cast away the very patterns and images of true godlinesse They driue away the people from reading the scriptures and reckon that as vnlaweful as to cast the bread of the children vnto degges or pearles before Swine They leade men from trust in the bloud of Christ and teach them to beléeue such thinges and to put confidence in those creatures which cannot profit or helpe them at al. You may remember what prayers they vsed But blesse your eares for they are wordes ful of horrible blasphemie They sayde to the holy and blessed Virgin Marie the mother of our redéemer sauiour In te virgo Maria confidimus in te speramus nos defendas in aeternum Our trust and hope we put in thee O Virgine Marie defende vs euerlastingly They say O faelix puerpera nostra pians scelera O happy mother which doest purge vs from our sinnes And Sanctae Mariae merita ducant nos ad regna coelestia The merites of holie Marie bring vs to the heauenly kingdome Againe Tu mediatrix dei hominum aduocata pauperum refugiuÌ„ peccatorum Thou art the mediatour betweene God and man the aduocate for the poore the refuge of al sinners O merciful Christ what is become of thy passion where is the price of thy blout howe are we lead away from thée to séeke redemption in a creature Againe they say vnto her Thou art the Ladie of Angels thou art the Queene of heauen Commaund thy sonne shew thy selfe to be a mother He is thy sonne thou art
reformation of the abuses and errours of the church of Rome They haue béene aduertised of them not only by the professours of the gospel but also many of themselues haue spoken for reformatioÌ„ of sundrie abuses They haue kept many counsailes and assemblies They haue promised redresse They haue sit in consultation many yeares What one thing haue they reformed sée looke ouer their aâ—…es and sessions They be abroad in print Hitherto they haue reformed nothing no not their pardons no not their srâ—…ws they haue hardned their heartes and set themselues against the highest Therefore shal the glorie of the Lord shew it selfe in their destruction With the breath of his lippes they shal be consumed and brought to nothing And shal abolish with the brightnesse of his comming The Lord shal come and shal make his enemies his footstoole Then the sunne shal be black as a sackcloth the moone shal be like blood There shal be an earthquake Kinges great men and rich men and euery bond man and frée man shal hide themselues in dennes they shal say to the hils and mountaines and rockes fal vpon vs hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Then shal Antichrist be quite ouerthrowen Then his kingdome shal be vtterly abolished and haue an end Then it shal appeare who hath sought the glorie of Christ who hath followed the doctrine of the gospel and who hath done the true endeuor of a faithful shepheard theÌ„ it shal appeare who is the woolfe who scattereth spoileth the flocke S. Hierome sayth Circumdabit â—…um calix dextere domini c. The cuppe of the Lordes right hande which is the Lorde and sauiour shal compasse him about when hee shal staie him with the breath of his mouth and shal destroie him with the brightnes of his comming Then al the ignominie and shame which hee hath heaped vp vppon himselfe with thoughtes deedes and wordes shal fal vppon his glorie and pompe in so much that he shal be afterwarde as vile and contemned of al men as he was before reputed or highly esteemed of them This might suffise touching the ruine and fal of Antichrist Yet I wil adde to that hath béene spoken the maner of the sight and of the victorie and of the triumphe which shall followe The fight is doubtful and daungerous the victorie shal be glorious the triumph shal be ioyful Heare let vs cal to remembraunce the warres which tyrantes and vngodly princes haue made against the people of God and what hath followed Scuacherib the great king of the Assirians came vp against Ierusalem with horses chariots and infinite nuÌ„bers of pickt souldiers The whole countrey of Iewrie was in an agonie al the people were astonied with feare to sée so many enemies and themselues so fewe to sée the enemies so strong and themselues so weake They knewe not neither where to séeke aide nor how to escape the present danger Sodainly the Lord sent his Angel from heauen to relieue his people In one night he smote in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred foure score and fiue thousand which were al dead coarses The residue were scattered and ranne away stragling they knewe not where to hide their head King Senacherib went his way and returned And when he was in 〈◊〉 at home and woorshipping his God Nisroch in the temple Adramelech and Sharezer his sonnes slew him Remember the cruel warres which Nabuchodonozer King of Babilon made against Gods people He tooke their citie spoyled their Temple sacked Ierusalem and gaue the pray to his souldiers He tooke the Nobles and gentlemen and marchants and yeomen and led them captiues Some of them he tooke with him to Babilon and some he sold for money so great and so terrible was his victorie In the middest of al his pompe God bereft him of his wit and astonied him with deadly madnesse He was driuen from men and did eate grasse as the Oxen and his bodie was wet with the dewe of heauen til his hayres were growen as Eagles feathers his nayles like birds clawes He imagined that he was an Oxe that he had hoofe and horne and haire as Oxen. Hée therefore forsooke his palace his princely apparel and daintie fare and lay abroade and fed with beastes So did God auenge the cause of his people Who hath not heard of the war which Pharao had against the Israelites the battaile was strange and the victory sodaine The people of god was beset with dangers on euery side the wildernesse had shut them in Before their faces they saw the raging sea that they could not scape it behinde their backes they did beholds Pharao with his army march after theÌ„ if they went forward they must néedes be drowned if they retired they must néedes be slaine Their enemies were mightie and they were weake Sodainly God deuided the waters made the sea dry land so that the children of Israel went through the middest of the sea vpoÌ„ dry ground safely as through a medow Pharao followed after with his sword and speare to worke his fury Then the sea returned to his course and drowned the chariots horsemen and al the host of Pharao there remained not one of them aliue Their carkases lay afloat vpon the water and were cast in heapes vppon the shoare Such shal bee the ende of those that hate the Lorde So shal he make his name triumph ouer al the world Let vs imagine a battaile of two mightie princes both of great power and of great â—…ourage they méete togither in the fielde they ioyne battaile both sides encounter together either part is bent to beate downe the other what an horrour is it to heare the braying of Horses the sounde of trumpets the thunder of drummes the roaring of guns the clashing of swords the groning and mournful voice of them which are slaine and the crying trembling of the people nowe let vs by this make some resemblance of the battaile betwéene Christ and Antichrist betwéene Christ the sonne of God and Antichrist the sonne of the diuel Either of them is wel prepared They are both mightie and haue both of them souldiers and knightes to attende vpon them Antichrist shal come from the earth for al his glorie is vpon the earth his power shal be the power of Satan Christ shal come from the heauens aboue euen from the bosome of his father What cognisance shal they giue how by what difference shal their souldiers be discerned the ensigne of Christ shal be enerlasting truth the ensigne of Antichrist shalbe falshood and vanitie and al deceitfulnesse By these markes shal either be knowen With what souldiers shal they make their fielde they that shal follow Christ are poore and simple who haue forsaken themselues their goods and their liues and tremble at the worde of God The men of warre which fight with Antichrist and followe him shal bee
the great citie the harbor and palace of Antichrist and is become the habitation of Diuels and the hold of al foule spirites And I heard an other voice from heauen say â—…o out of her my people beléeue her not do not as she commaundeth you that ye be not partakers in her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues For her sinnes are come vp into heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities Reward her euen as she hath rewarded you giue her double according to her works and in the cup that she hath filled vnto you fill her the double In as much as she glorified her selfe and liued in pleasure so much giue you to her forment and forrow For she saith in her heart I sit being a Quéene the world is mine no ill shal touch me Therefore shal her plagues come at one day death and sorow and famine and she shal be burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God which will condemne her And the kings of the earth which haue committed fornication and liued in pleasure with her shall bewaile her when they shall sée the smoake of her burning and shall stand a far off for feare of her torment saying alas alas the great ciâ—…ie Babylon the mightie citie for in one houre is thy iudgement come And the Marchants of the earth shal wéepe and waile ouer her for no man buieth their ware any more the ware of gold siluer and of pretions stone of pearls and of fine linnen of purple and of silke of scarlet and of al maner of Thime wood of al maner of Yuorie of al vessels of most pretious wood of brasse and of yron of marble and of cinamome and odours and ointments and frankencense and wine and oile and fine flower and wheat and beasts and shéepe and horses and chariots and seruants and soules of menâ—…o man anie more shall buie her parchment waxe and seales no man shall buie her orders her dispensations pluralities totquot non residence Perinde valere no man shal buie her concubines her oile salt holie water holie bread no man shal buie her palles her agnos dei her iubilees masses trentals and pardâ—…ns no man shall any more buie of her forgiuenes of their sins and life euer lasting no man shall regard her no man shall buie or séeke to get this marchandise of her anie more The marchants of these wares shal stand a far off for feare of her plagues and saie alas that great city that was clothed in reines and scarlet and purple and golde and diamonds and pretious stones in one houre is al thy glorie stript from thée O what city vnder heauen was like vnto thée Thou wast the great citie the noble and the holie citie Then a mightie Angel tooke vp a stone like a great milstone cast it into the sea saying With such violâ—…nce shal the great citie Babylon be cast and shal be found no more She shall be out of remembrance they shall séeke the place where shée stood and not find it The voice of harpers and musitions shal be no more heard in her The light of a candle shal shine no more in her her marchants officers and dataries were the great men of the earth and by her enchauntments were al nations deceiued And in her was found the bloud of the Prophets and of the saints of al that were staine vpon earth Then I heard a great voice of a great multitude in heauen saying Halleluiah saluation and glorie and honour and power be to the Lorde our God For he hath condemned the great whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath auenged the bloud of his seruants shed by her hand And againe they saide Halleluiah and the smoake rose vp for euermore and the foure and â—…nentie elders fel down worshipped god that safe on the throne saying Amen Halleluiah Then a voice came out of the throne saying praise our God al ye his seruants both small great And I heard like y e voice of a great multitude and as the voice of manie waters and as the voice of strong thunderings saying Halleluiah for our Lord God almightie hath raigned Let vs be glad and reioice giue glorie to him for she is fallen she is fallen Babylon that great citie there she lieth the mother of filth and fornication There lieth Antichrist the man of sin the son of perdition which is an aduersarie which hath sit in the temple of God and exalted himselfe aboue al that is called God that wicked lawlesse man lieth there The Lamb the roote of Iesse the lion of the tribe of Iuda hath ouercome and gotten the victorie He is worthy to receiue glorie and honor Then shal the Apostles and the Prophets the Angels saie praise and honor and glorie be vnto him that sitteth vpon the throne and vnto the lamb for euermore We thank thée we giue thanks to thée O God which art and was and shal be Thou hast auenged the bloud of the Prophets and Martyres thou hast destroyed them that haue defiled the earth Thy name be blessed for euer Amen Halleluiah Such glée and triumph shall be in heauen for the ouerthrow of Antichrist Thus haue I by occasion of the Apostles words spokeÌ„ of the comming and of the kingdome of Antichrist And least we might be deâ—…eiued as touching his person I haue saide what hée should bée what thinges he shal doe of what estate he shal bée what countenaunce he shal carie in what place he shal sit at what time shal be his comming by what meanes he shal preuaile who they be that shal beléeue in him what power shal beate him downe what ende hee shal haue what triumph shal followe vpon his fal I haue tolde you that he shal be the ouerthrowe of the worlde the confusion of the Church the sonne of perdition that he shal destroye himselfe and be the destruction of others I haue tolde you he shal be a reuerend father and weare a myter and be a Bishop and a Bishop of Bishoppes So saith Gregorie so Ierome so Augustine and Barnard and others And can not we tel who it is that calleth himselfe an vniuersal Bishop the Bishoppe of al Churches Doe we not heare of such a one Doe we not know him What soeuer he be wheresoeuer he dwel what countenaunce soeuer he beare he is Antichrist I haue tolde you he shal sit in the temple of God in the consciences of the people that the people shal heare credite follow and honor him as if he were God and thinke it sinne and daâ—…aioon to breake his loare I haue tolde you where hee shal be stalled where his chiefe place shal be whence hée may be séene Saint Iohn sayth he shal sit in a Citie built vpon seauen hils that citie is the citie of Rome Rome is so built Rome is set vpon seauen hils Dame Sybilla sayth Antichrist shal sit by the