commyng that is to say to comfort the faythful to confirme the weake and to instruct the ignoraunt in diuers necessary pointes of doctrine or at the least to geue them a watchword of our Lordes commyng that they may now at the length cease from sinityng theyr felow seruants and from eatyng and drynkyng with the drunken and may make them selues ready with oyle in their lampes to receiue hym that when the trumpet bloweth and the bridgrome commeth we may all folow hym into hys euerlastyng tabernacle therein to lyue with God the father the sonne and the holy ghost in euerlastyng ioy To whom be all prayse honor and glory world without ende Amen Anno 1569. March 22. T. B. THe places of Scripture that appertayneth to this Sermon folowyng are noted in the margent to the end that the Readers accordyng to the example of those men mentioned in the Actes of the Apostles may examine the Scriptures and try whether it bée so or no as the author hereof sayth and readyng them they may finde many moe Sentences besides for the comfort and confirmation of their fayth ¶ The Gospell for the second Sonday in Aduent THere shal be signes in the Sunne in the Moone and in the Starres and in the earth the people shal be at theyr wittes end thorow dispayre The Sea and the water shall rore and mēs harts shall fayle them for feare and for lookyng after those thynges which shall come on the earth For the powers of heauen shall moue and then shall they see the sonne of man come in a cloude with power and great glory When these thynges begyn to come to passe then looke vp and lift vp your heades for your redemption draweth nere And he shewed them a similitude saying behold the figge tree and al other trees When they shoote forth theyr buds ye see and know of your selues that sommer is then nigh at hand So lykewyse ye also When you see these thinges come to passe ▪ be sure that the kyngdome of God is nigh Verely I say vnto you this generation shall not passe vntill all be fulfilled heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe The Sermon or exposition of the Gospell IN this dayes Gospel Christ our Lord shew eth vs what shal be the estate and conditiō of the world whē all things draw to an end Wherby we may know when the great and horrible day shall appeare in the which Christ our Lord hym selfe shall come openly to Iudgement that no mā nede to wauer or doubt of the matter For he sheweth playnly the signes that shal be sene in the last age and shal go before the last day as tokens therof because it cānot be chosen but that so straūge yea that the last chaūge of the whole world should be declared by many and great tokēs seyng that much lesse alterations of countreys and natiōs haue ben signified by signes and wonders goyng before Bycause this prefēt Gospell hath ben before tyme sufficiently declared so that now it is well knowen vnto all men I mynde not to shew the doctrine that therof may be gathered but after an other maner and fashion to handle it to the glory of God our consolation For therfore is it put in writtyng and made manifest by preachyng that it may serue to our cōfort and to the encrease of fayth and hope in vs which professe Christ and beleue in hym notwithstandyng there is good cause why it may be a terror vnto the other sort of mē I meane the wicked vnbeleuers whose destruction these signes do portend Who in dede are nothyng moued with them at all but with security of mynde do contemne them Therfore commendyng them to our God theyr Iudge which shall come and reward them accordyng to theyr desertes that by experiēce they may alwayes feele that which now they neither beleue nor regard in handlyng the Gosspell we wil haue litle consideration of them but wil make it frutfull vnto our selues lest we should suffer it in vayne to be put in writyng and should leese the frute commodity thereof Which if we consider well we shall perceiue that it contayneth matter very comfortable and ioyfull seruyng much for our commodity Which consolation and comfort is very nedeful for vs seyng the signes of them selues are very terrible and as I may say horrible to behold Moreouer Christiās as they are at other tymes fearefull enough of base courage so whē they see the indignatiō and wrath of God towardes mākind the waggyng of a leafe is able to make them amased and almost dead for feare cōtrarywise the wicked are more secure and hard harted and are moued with no signes be they neuer so great and horrible Therfore this thyng seemeth not to fall out indifferently and as reason would for they which chiefly should be afrayd whom God by his signes doth terrible threaten they I say haue hartes of horne stone and yron so that they regarde them as thoughe they dyd nothyng appertayne vnto them what soeuer wrath of God was to come beyng euen now at hand they do forewarne shewe Contrarywise they which ought not to bee moued but rather reioyce when they see these signes and tokens as vnto them they do not portend any wrath or displeasure of God but fauour consolation they I say feare more thē nedeth and can scarsely lift vp theyr harts to cōceaue such swete and comfortable cogitations as thereby occasion is offered Now to come to my matter there are two thyngs chiefly to be noted in this Gospell The one is that our Sauiour reckoneth the signes in order which go before the last day which being fulfilled we may know for a certainty that the day is euen hard at hand The other note is that he sayth those signes shal be a consolation and a comfort to hys Christian children so that therby they may be moued to looke for hys commyng with a mery and cherefull countenance The first signe sayth he shall appeare from heauen in the sunne y moone and the starres that is to say as Mathew doth expoūd it The sunne shal be darkened and the moone shall not geue her light and the starres shall fall from heauen c. Moreouer vpon the earth the people shal be at theyr wittes end thorow dispayre shal be in such perplexitye that they shall not know whether to go or where to abyde their hartes shall fayle thē for feare of those thynges which are like to come vpon them Agayne signes shal be seene in the Sea in the Waters so that all creatures and the powers of heauen shall moue there shal be such an alteration that the world shall seeme by and by to haue an end and the last day shall seeme hard at hand Here I will not greatly contend with any mā but will leaue it to the consideration of my Christian brethrē whether the signes in the
¶ A very Comfortable and necessary Sermon in these our dayes made by the right reuerend father and faithfull seruaunt of Iesus Christ Martin Luther concerning the comming of our Sauior Christ to iudgement and the signes that go before the last day Which Sermon is an exposition of the Gospell appointed to be red in the Church on the second Sonday in Aduent and is now newly translated out of Latin into English and something augmented and enlarged by the translator with certaine notes in the margent Act. 17. 30. ¶ Now God admonisheth all men euery where to repent because he hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnes by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath geuen an assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead 2. Pet. 3. 3. THis first vnderstand that there shall come in the last daies mockers which will walke after their lustes and say where is the promisse of his commyng for since the fathers dyed all thynges continue a like from the begynning of the creation For this they willingly know not that the heauens were of olde and the earth that was of the water and by the water through the word of god Wherfore the world that then was perished ouerflowed with the water But the heauens and earth which are now are kept by the same word in store and reserued vnto fire agaynst the day of iudgement and of the destructioÌ„ of vngodly men Dearely beloued be not ignorant of this one thyng that one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeare as one day The Lord is not slacke concernyng hys promes as some men count slackenes but is pacient toward vs would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repeÌ„taunce But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elementes shal melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp Seyng therfore that all these thynges must be dissolued what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynes Lookyng for and hastyng vnto the commyng of the day of God by the which the heauens beyng on fire shal be dissolued and the elementes shall melt with heate But we looke for new heauens and a new earth accordyng to hys promes wherein dwelleth righteousnes Wherefore beloued seyng that ye looke for such thynges be diligent that ye may be founde of him in peace without spot and blameles ¶ To all the inhabitauntes of England and other els where that vnderstand the English toung the translator whisheth true knowledge of God contained in his word which is lyfe euerlastyng BEfore tyme not many yeares since dearely beloued brethren countreymen the Disciples of Antichrist and Apostles of Sathan for the establishyng of their Lordes kyngdome knowyng that the coÌ„tinuance therof was the increase of their owne estimatioÌ„ wealth and pleasure in this world haue deuised many politicke practises so wicked and so deuilish that whosoeuer beholdeth them well shall soone perceaue they were not inuented without the counsayle of their Lord and master Wherof this was the first and chief and as I may say the ground of the residue to keepe all men both Princes and their subiectes in ignoraunce of God hys word that they not knowyng the truth might the more casely be brought into all kynd of deuilish heresies that they not vnderstanding vice should not be able to repreheÌ„d the horrible wickednes of Antichrist and hys ministers To this end they haue restrayned all the laity throughout Christendome from readyng the Scriptures and haue forbydden them to be Printed in their vulgare tounges an din stede thereof haue geuen them to occupie theyr braynes withall fables of Robin Hood of Gie of Warrike of Geuis of Hampton of the Knightes of the round table of the iiij sonnes of AmoÌ„ filthy tales Chaucer the Court of Uenus most horrible blasphemous lyes out of Saintes Legendes and such lyke Wherby men beyng drowned in ignorauÌ„ce and detestable heresies haue bene cast downe headlong into the most miserable pit of hell But now it hath pleased almighty God towardes the commyng of our Sauiour to Iudgement by the preachyng of hys word through the workyng of hys holy spirite to oppresse the power of Sathan to cut the hornes of Antichrist to reueale the man of sinne Which sittyng in the Temple of God boasteth hym selfe as god Now it hath pleased our Sauiour Christ to diminish the kyngdome of Antichrist to aduaunce his owne kyngdome to deface y Disciples of Antichrist and to glorifie hys owne Disciples He hath driuen out the filthy swyne and wylde bores that haue spoyled hys vineyarde and hath hyred laborers to husband it agayne that it may yeld hym frute now at haruest tyme wheÌ„ he commeth to receiue the same into hys euerlastyng kyngdome at which tyme hys faythfull seruauÌ„tes shall receiue for their hyre a peece of money that neuer shall fayle and shall eate and drinke the frutes of their labours with hym world without end Therfore it is conuenient and necessary for all Gods labourers that is to say Princes and their Magistrates Prelates and all Ecclesiastical Ministers to labour diligeÌ„tly in the Lords vineyard to kepe out these swyne which Antichrist hath sent to deuoure it not onely to yoke them but also to set dogges on theÌ„ which wil both barcke and plucke of their â—…ares if they enterprise to breake through the hedge and to route vp y vines with theyr deuilishe bookes altogether voyde of Gods word and of reason to euery man that hath any vnderstandyng and knowledge of god To this end by the authority of our soueraigne Lady the Queenes Maiestie in our Realme and other Princes in other Realmes a great number of godly men haue preached diligently other haue written very profitable bookes of Diuinitie both in Latin and in theyr own vulgare toung and diuers haue translated good bookes out of straunge tounges into their owne language husbanding therby the Lordes vineyard and keepyng out the swyne that endeuer to destroy it Amongest whom I beyng one more ready to shew my good will then able to do any great seruice haue chosen this short Sermon of Martin Luther the faythfull seruant of God GraÌ„dcapitaine vnder our Sauiour Christ and chief hunter of these wyld bores vnto theyr father the deuill from wheÌ„ce they were sent to destroy the sincere true worshyp of god This mans Sermon I say concernyng the commyng of our Sauiour to IudgemeÌ„t and the signes that go before the last day I haue chosen to translate into our English toung as that which I thought a most coÌ„uenient labour in this last houre of the day to preserue in the Lordes vineyard the ripe grapes from rottyng and from wild beastes and to hast those that are vnrype agaynst the Lordes
sunne the moone and the starres be already fulfilled or not But this is my belefe most certaine hope that the greater part of them haue bene already sene and that many other are not here after to bee looked for For if we will beleue there hath bene sene euen in our time aboundantly both many and great Eclipses or darkenyngs of the sunne and mone within few yeares together one after an other besides diuers in one yeare the lyke we haue not read to haue appeared at any time before since the begyn nyng of the world But he that will not beleue the word of God will not beleue y signes nor take them for signes but will cōtemne them and tread them vnder hys foote yea although the sunne should be dayly darkned before his eyes the starres should fall by heapes from heauen Although Astronomers say that such darkenynges of the sunne and moone happen by y course of nature which some of them can tel of before hand yet they deny not but they signifie some terrible thyng to happen on the earth especially seyng there be so many all most euery yeare Besides this contrary to the course of nature many signes haue bene sene in the Heauens many Sunnes at one time many Raynebowes many terrible blasyng Starres fyres in the ayre like dartes and swordes and diuers other prodigious sygnes which if they should be written would fill a whole volume but all are forgotten if they be not dayly before our eyes and assone as they are past we liue securely as though no such thyng had euer happened at any tyme yea rather the oftener they happen so much the lesse we regard them For we take thē for customable thynges thinkyng with our selues that of necessitye they must so come to passe makyng no more accountes of them afterwardes And true it is that of necessity they must so come to passe otherwise they should be tokens in vayne and the world should not bee so soone destroyed if it beyng moued therby should beleue the Gospell For it might turnyng to God by repentaunce auoyde or turne away his wrath ▪ or at the least prolong it for a tyme But alas this is rather the chief care of the world by continuyng in wickednes most obstinatly heapyng sinne to hastē Gods wrath and spedely to procure◅hys owne destruction Thus much as concernyng the signes in the Sunne the Moone and the Starres Now as touchyng the signes in the Sea and the Waters I commit them in like maner to the Iudgement of my Christian brethren Whether they be fulfilled al ready or no. Old men testify that no man aliue is able to remember so great tempestes windes and floudes as haue happened within these few yeares Some floudes haue drowned whole countreys such haue happened of late about Rome and in the lower Germany besides the earth quakes which we haue heard of but I let them passe By these thynges it semeth that such is now the condition of the world that nothing shall continue any longer in hys old estate but all things shall quickly be turned vpsidedowne and fall to decay And also this we see come to passe by many examples that many are so troubled and vexed that for very anguishe of mynde they dispayre Which thyng may be vnderstanded both bodely and spiritually but especially spiritually For we haue heard of many before tyme and yet dayly heare of mo whom the deuill so troubleth and vexeth by temptations and desperation that for the greatnes of the grief and anguish they lay hand vpon them selues procure their owne death so that we see all the signes forespokē by our Sauiour Christ haue happened in all the world And although all thynges be not fully cōplished and ended yet we can not deny but that the greater part of them is already fulfilled especially so many happenyng together one after an other Therfore litle or nothyng hereafter is to be looked for besides the end of all thyngs which signes are therfore forespoken to put vs out of doubt and that we should not thinke they happen without a cause by chaūce or fortune rather thē to signifie some notable thyng to come But they are in dede all of them terrible signes threatening vnto the world cruell euēts although it do not feele them nor care for them But true Christians do both see them and marke them well are therby terrified much more then nedes seyng they are not sent to their destruction but rather to their consolation therfore they ought with ioy gladnes to behold cōsider them and not be discouraged although the firmament appeare lamentable vnto the beholders the Sunne the Moone the Starres and all the heauen beyng darkened The Sunne although he be couered with a thicke and blacke cloude although he leese his light neuerthelesse he goeth forwardes in hys course he is no worse then he was before he remaineth the same Sunne still and shineth as he dyd before sauyng that he lowreth for a time in token of destruction to wicked men in lyke mader the residue as the Moone and the Starres in that they seeme terrible to behold it is no harme vnto them selues For they are no tokens vnto them selues but vnto the wicked world of whō they are contēned After the same sort whereas mē are troubled and vexed hauyng a timerous fearefull consciēce it is in dede a terrible signe but not vnto thee or thē which suffer this if they be Christians onely it signifieth destruction to the wicked and despisers therof which do not suffer it but neglect it For the sufferers are preserued neuerthelesse and take no harme therby although they go vp and downe with a pensiue mynde in token of destruction to the wicked and vngodly persons Euen as Esay went naked and without shooes and Ieremy caryed a chayne about hys necke for a signe of misery and calamity to the Egyptians and Philistines and yet no harme happened vnto either of them For Ieremy remayned out of bondage ▪ thraldome and in as much liberty as he was before and Esay notwithstādyng hys ▪ nakednes kept still hys garmentes So they which kepyng vnto them a good cōscience do cary about them these tokens shal be without harme and voyde of of all daunger onely they declare vnto other what shortly after shal be their estate and condicion For although they bee euill signes yet they bryng no euill to them that cary them Otherwise he that hath the execution of condemned persons would not cary the sword or the axe neither durst any mā cary a weapon But thou which art a mansleaer and murderer take thou hede to thy selfe for thou art lyke to go to the pot when the officer draweth foorth his sword In lyke maner the fire the gibbet the halter the gallowes hurte not them selues but bryng destructiō to theeues and robbers which haue committed haynous offences So before the last day there must be many men whom
the length he will be reuenged on those wicked and desperate verlettes for the spitefull handlyng of hys holy and precious bloud No Christian man ought or cā pray otherwise then thus especially such as are molested and afflicted for the confession of Christ and preachyng of the Gospell and kyngdome of God who haue no other refuge on earth but feruent faythfull prayer He that is not thus affectioned in his mind that he doth not desire y last day with all his hart doth not yet vnderstand the Lordes prayer much lesse can he say it with his hart As I by experiēce did once plainly perceaue in my selfe at what tyme I was more delighted with other formes of prayer deuised by mās braine then with that which our Sauiour himself hath taught vs But to him that is oppressed with the miserie and calamitie of this world it will seme a swete prayer such a man will say it with all his hart For who in such a case will not desire and pray most feruently that we be deliuered from euill to the end all plagues vexations and troubles of the world may haue an end seyng we see the world will remaine as it is It will not folowyng the exāple of the Adder suffer his old skyn to be taken of that is it will not repent amend but will continue as before or rather dayly encrease more and more in wickednes Therfore of all thinges this is the best withal spede possible to departe out of it For here we liue euē as it were in a den of theues and manquellers and can hardly no not at all sometymes defēd our selues from violēt iniury and losse of life Therfore for myne owne part I care not what shift I made honest and lawfull to ryd my selfe out of the world For as S. Cyprian sayth who can haue any delight to liue in so filthy and troublesome estate and condition beyng as it were beset about with swords and daggers ready drawen agaynst vs so that it seemeth vnpossible to escape if we had a thousand liues Who in this case can be mery before he see some man come to deliuer hym But we are they which are in this case as we may easily vnderstand if we consider well our estate and condition our misery calamity the daunger that hangeth ouer our heades how busyly the deuill goeth about to entrap vs how fiercely he setteth vpon vs and how we are constrayned with great payne and trouble to award his most bitter and venemous dartes so that we can neuer haue rest What els therfore should we desire but that withall spede we may be deliuered out of these vntollerable greuaunces and daungers which is by the comming of our true Sauiour to iudgement at the last day which who so euer doth not desire he can not say the Lordes prayer nor the Articles of our fayth with his hart as he ought For with what fayth can a man say I beleue the resurrection of the flesh and life euerlastyng and doth not desire it For if a man beleue it he must nedes desire it with hys hart and be glad of it when soeuer it shall come otherwise he is no Christiā in dede neither can he iustly brag of his faith For faith is a certaine knowledge of Gods bountiful goodnes towardes vs which we tast dayly but shall chiefly and perfectly enioy it at the last day whereof we are put in mynde by three Articles of our faith by the which we are taught to say 1. We beleue that our Sauiour shal come from heauē to iudge the quicke and the dead 2. Who at hys cōmyng shall rayse vp oure bodyes 3. And receaue both body and soule together vnto the euerlastyng life This is part of our faith wher by we are iustified apprehendyng therby the mercy of God almightye towardes vs miserable synners Without the which we can not be saued For it is written He that beleueth shall be saued and he that beleueth not shall be damned Faith therfore is as I may terme it the onely staffe wherupon we must rest in this our pilgrimage beyng ouer laden with vntollerable burdens of sinne and daūgers that ensue thereof Which staffe will do vs no seruice except we take it in our handes and vse it at all tymes conuenient But we can not nor will not streatch forth our handes to receaue it except we be desirous therof Again except we desire those things which we are taught to beleue it is a manifest argument that we do not take them to be Gods benefites and to procede of his bountifull goodnes towards vs which is the propertie of the true iustifiyng faith Therfore I conclude that we cānot well say the Articles of our faith that is we can not beleue a right in Christs cōming to iudgement the resurrection of our flesh and life euerlasting except we desire that the last day may come at what time our true Sauiour will put vs in full possession of these excedyng great benefites of his Agayne a man that hath no desire of the last day doth not well vnderstand the ten commaundementes For what meaneth it when he saith I am the Lord thy God thou shalt not take my name in vayne thou shalt not steale thou shalt not kill ▪ thou shalt not commit adultery ▪ c. but that we are in daunger of al these vices and wickednesses and that such is our state and condition that without sinne and great daunger we can not liue the deuill endeuoryng by all meanes to persuade vs that we do not take God onely for our God by crafty meanes to withdraw vs from a quiet ioyfull and godly life He setteth vp idolatry raiseth vp blasphemy and vnhalowyng of Gods name he stirreth vp men to disobedience sedition wrath filthy lust robbery theft murder and all kinde of wickednes These incommodities who so euer seeth in deede would fayne be ryd of them must nedes desire the last day which is the tyme when all these and such other miseries and calamities shall haue an end Agaynst which the Lordes prayer was appointed and deuised by our Sauiour Christ as a remedy especially where he hath taught vs to say Halowed be thy name thy kyngdome come Thy will be done and deliuer vs from all euill It remaineth therfore that we vse this remedy hartely praying to God our heauenly father for these thinges which we cānot throughly and perfectly receaue before the end of the world For as I said before there is no hope of any better then this miserable estate present as lōg as the world endureth especially in this our lat ter tymes towardes the end therof it beyng now euen at the point to be cōsumed vtterly destroyed for euer For it is euen the deuils derling past all hope of amendement so that all labour that is bestowed vpō it to any such end is in vaine Which we may euidently perceaue considering
how the word of God is dayly more more contemned Many kind of errours pestiferous sectes horrible wickednesses increase dayly whereby the world is worse and worse whiles we hope but in vayne for amendement Wherfore then in such miseries and calamities should we be greatly desirous of our lyfe And if I for myne owne part had no great cause to desire the end of all things yet the perill and daunger of my brethren scattered here and there in the world ought to moue me for whose sake we haue good cause hartly to pray for it whose state is such as we both heare see that they are constrained to suffer all maner of ignominy reproch slaunderous wordes both priuely and openly violent iniury and finally most greuous persecution what soeuer with diuers kinds of tormentes cruelly handled and put to death For how many euē in our dayes haue we sene partly burnt openly or by some such meanes made away partly put to death priuely and by traiterous meanes dispatched There are many besides the infinite number of holy mē which haue bene slayne before our tyme since the Ascention of our Sauiour Christ or rather since the beginnyng of the world Whose bloud beyng yet vnreuenged cryeth for the commyng of our Sauiour to iudgement to the end they beyng restored to their bodyes agayne may haue full fruition of the ioyes lōg looked for and may be reuēged of the world as the reuelation of Iohn declareth Where God comforteth them after this sort saying that they must rest for a litle season vntil the number of their fel◅w seruaūtes and brethren which should be killed in like maner were fulfilled which I hope is now come to passe Therfore both the Christians that are lyuyng and those that are departed after a sorte do desire vs to helpe them with our prayers desiring God to hasten their redemption For what thing can be more miserable vnto Christiās then that they should be cōstrained alwayes to hold their tounges the world and the deuill continually bragging and raging ouer thē dayly putting to death and cruelly murderyng more more of the faithfull professours of Iesus Christ his vnfaillible word and seducyng men more and more encreasing these haynous offēces which before were vntollerable We heare see at this present the Turke and the Pope which is Antichrist rage with most cruell tyranny agaynst y name of Christ dayly sheddyng the bloud of his Saintes with many sectes bysides contrary to his Gospell And should we holdyng our handes in our bosome looke vpon the deuill practisyng without measure his crafty deuises agaynst the Christians and not make our earnest prayer vnto God for them without ceasyng There is no sparke of Christianity in a mans body remainyng that would not pray vnto God withall his harte to be deliuered out of these so great miseries and calamities Therfore if we haue a mynde to be Christians we must endeuer our selues to pray diligently and earnestly as our Sauiour hath taught vs and as our necessity requireth if it be any necessity whē we see good Christiās with great persecution slayne true doctrine oppressed the kingdome of the deuill withall maner of vice wickednes aduaunced Saintes by the meanes of wicked men not onely despised and troade vnder foote but consumed to dust and ashes finally the Gospell of Christ our Lord and his name spitefully blasphemed Therfore let vs call vpon God all that we may desiryng him for the glory of his name to take vppon him the defence of hys Christian children and of his owne doctrine and bryng them by hys commyng at the last day to iudge the quicke and the dead to that glorious rest which he hath promised and prepared for them frō the beginning of the world through the death and Passion of the immaculate lambe our Sauiour Christ. But if any man through the infirmitie of hys fleshe be afrayde of that day let hym print deepely in his mind the wordes of Christ our Sauiour and comfort him selfe with this that hee byddeth vs lift vp our heades and be of good cheare callyng that tyme our redemptiō that is not death but euerlastyng life not wrath but mercy and grace not hell but the kingdome of God not terror or daunger but comfort and ioye And therfore Paule not without a cause calleth it the blessed hope and appearyng of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Therfore we may be of good cheare nede not feare the losse of our lyfe nor his commyng to Iudgemēt which hath geuen vs his Gospell and his grace therewith not to deny him but to loue him and confesse him to shunne no daūger in his cause which are and will be layd before vs of the world and of the deuill vntill the comming of our Sauiour whose comming shall not be terrible but ioyfull yet not to the world but to vs miserable sinners which for a tyme must continue here as it were in a den of theues where the deuill day and night seeketh to draw vs takyng away from vs not onely our life and our goods but vexyng our hartes and our consciences with diuers stormes of temptations to the ende we should feare the day of our redēption and beyng destitute of all cōfort should fal into vtter desperation Unto vs thus troubled the commyng of our Sauiour shal be ioyfull but vnto the world which will not beleue what daunger hangeth ouer his head before he haue experience thereof it shall bryng terrour feare plagues death destruction hell fire Therfore when that day shall come vpon the sodaine and vtterly destroy all thinges there is no cause why thou that art a faithfull Christian shouldest be afrayd therof least it destroy thee in lyke sorte For either beyng receiued thou shalt bee taken out of the graue and out of dust into heauē or els in a moment thou shalt be chaunged into a glorious estate for euer placed where no sinne no feare no sorrow no daunger but true rightuousnes ioy peace lyfe tranquilitie and euerlastyng blessednes shall reigne These thynges we looke for and preach for the little flockes sake which shall receaue them at that day which we desire withall our hartes and hope it to be now hard at hand bycause so many signes and tokens thereof are already past forespoken by Christ our true Sauiour And this is that consolation comfort which no mā can geue but onely the holy ghost by the word of Christ our Lord. Let vs suffer therefore the Sunne the Moone and all creatures to lowre and to threaten terrible thinges to come For although they bee terrible vnto the world they are ioyfull vnto vs which in them see that cōfortable deliueraūce which our Sauiour by y wordes of this Gospell hath declared vnto vs and which he expoundeth vnto vs by this godly parable or similitude folowyng See sayth he the figge trees and all other trees when
and pleasaunt dayes in this world But let vs be of good cheare as men that are renued and regenerate in Christ thorow the holy Ghost And euen as he is the Lord of heauen and earth and all creatures therein so we by hym are the Lordes of all signes what soeuer semeth terrible to the eyes of maÌ„ neither can any thing hurt vs nâ—… although it take away ouâ—… life For our lyfe and conuersation is not here but we looke for an other lyfe when our body shal be deliuered which lyfe is now hid with Christ in heauen through fayth as S. Paul sayth but shortly shal be reuiued before all the world in immortall and euerlastyng bryghtnes When both in body and soule we shall raigne with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to whom be all prayse honour and glory world without ende Amen ¶ The Signes that were geuen to the inhabitantes of Hierusalem before their destruction A Whole yeare before the commyng of Vespasâ—…an to 〈◊〉 the Câ—…e right ouer it was sene a blasing Starre lyke vnto a sword which the common people dyd interpret to be a token of their deliueraunce out of bondage into the which they were brought by the Romanes Before the warre begon at the feast of vnleauened brâ—…ad which was then the viij day oâ—… Aprill there was sodenly sene at nyne of the clocke at night for the space of halfe an houre such a great light about the Alter and the Temple that it semed to be mydday At y same feast a Cow beyng brought to bee sacrificed brought forth a Lambe in the myddest of the Church The Cast gate of the Temple beyng of brasse and shut euery nyght but not without the strength of twenty men beyng locked â—… barred with diuers lockes and barres was sene at vâ—… of the clocke at night and as Egesippus testifieth diuers nyghtes to open it selfe without the hand of men This thyng was thought of the most parte to bée a token of good lucke and that the gates of their enemyes should open vnto them of theyr owne accorde But some that were of thâ—… wiser sorte sayd it was a token that the strength of the Temple should be dissolued without the hand of man that it myght be spoyled of theyr enemyes and destroyed A few dayes after theyr solemne â—…eastes there appeared in the cloudes before Sunne settyng a vision of charets and hostes of armed men where with all the Cities of Iurye the countrey there about were inuaded and ouerrunne At the feast called Pentecost the Priestes entryng in the nyght into the inner Temple according to theyr maner to do theyr diuine seruice first they perceaued a noyse or rushelyng after they heard a voyce saying often Let vs departe hence let vs depart hence One called Iesus the sonne of Anani a base man and of low degree foure yeares before the warre the Citie beyng in great wealth and quyetnes commyng to the celebration of one of theyr solemne feastes called the feastes of tabernacles went vp into the Temple and sodenly cryed out with a loude voyce saying A voyce from the East a voyce from the West a voyce from the foure wyndes a voyce agaynst Hierusalem and the teÌ„ple a voyce agaynst new maryed meÌ„ and new maried women a voyce against all this people crying thus day and night he went thorough all the stréetes of the Citie Certaine of the chief men beyng aâ—…ed and fearyng that it was a token of misfortune tooke the maÌ„ and whipped him But he whiles he was beaten cried styll as before and beyng still beaten vntill a man myght sée hys bare bones hée â—…er desired them to let hym go neither â—…yd hee shed any teares for the matter but cryed still at euery strype Wo wo vnto the inhabitauntes of Hierusalem and at the length dimissed as a man out of hys wittes he cryed still as before especially on the solemne feast dayes vntill the slege of the Citie at which tyme he entryng vp on the wall and crying wo wo vnto the City the Temple and the people he cryed at the last wâ—… vnto my selfe and was cast do wne dead with a stone hurled to hym by the enemyes out of one of theyr engyns They were nothyng moued with these sygnes but thinkyng they should haue victory ouer theyr enemyes resisted them vntill both they and theyr Citie was destroyed accordyng to the wordes of our Sauiour Luc. 19. 43. ¶ Signes and wonders signifiyng alteration or misery and calamity of certaine Countreys and Nations or of great Personages ABout the yeare from the begynnyng of the world 3458. Tarquinius surnamed Superbus the seueÌ„th Kyng of the Romanes was depriued of his kyngdome by hys subiectes and thrust out by force of armes and the state of gouernaunce altered from the gouernement of one monarche vnto ij yearely offices called Consuls a little before which time in signification thereof as Historiographers do write a Dogge did speake and a Serpent â—…id barke T. Plinius lib. 8. Cap. 41. The yeare from the begynnyng of the world 3538. the light of the Sunne was so taken away by an â—…lipse séene in Grece that a man might sée the Starres aswell at midday as at midnight Shortly afterwardes folowed y warre called the warre of Peloponesus which continued seuen and twenty yeares Thucidides The yeare from the begynnyng of the world 3698. at Rome and the countrey there about bloud in stede of water gushed out of the sprynges and milke from heauen lyke raine Shortly after followed the warre of Carthage agaynst the Romanes which cost the lyues of many thousandes Orosius li. 4. Cap. 5. Anno Domini 1452. Constantinople in Grece where in those dayes was the Emperours Palace was besieged ouercome of the great Turke called Mahomet the second of that name who when he had gotteÌ„ the victory vsed most beastly cruelty towardes the Christians both men women and children old and young rich and poore The Emperour beyng slayne hys head was set vpon a speare caryed round about the Citie the more to greue his subiectes hys wife and daughter with many noble women were rauished and after cut in péeces all the noble men were slayne the common people were made bond slaues and many other such lyke vilanies were done bysides the bryngyng of the whole countrey of Grece into hys owne dominion A little before which tyme was sene at Comus a Citie in Fraunce towardes Sunne settyng a great multitude of dogges caryed in the ayre and after theÌ„ droues of diuers kyndes of beastes also men armed diuersely some with speares and shieldes who were pursued of a great army of horsemen beyng deuided into diuers coÌ„panyes For the space of thrée houres the army séemed to be settyng forth at the last came forth a tall and huge man fearefull to behold sittyng vppon a terrible horse séemyng to bée the Capitayne of the host and many such straunge thynges appeared vntill nyght when they
they did not finde the godly Emperour such a mā as they would nor as they thought they should Therfore in despite of all their cruell bragges thākes be to God we are yet safe enough and doubt not but ma◅ger their heades we shall so continue for a time vntill it please y true Sauiour which saueth all the world to receaue our soules into his hādes Hetherto I haue recited these thyngs for an example seyng they put so much trust and confidence in one mā of whom they haue no promise neither if he had promised them it had not bene in hys power to haue performed it And why shuld not we put much more trust in our true Sauiour which hath not onely most certainly promised to come shortly and deliuer vs but also can and will performe hys promise He will not deceaue vs for he is no lyer at any tyme especially when we looke for hym with a good confidence sufferyng all thynges for his sake in a iust quarell which is not ours but his owne and not triumphyng lyke them Which puttyng theyr trust in Caesar hope for the confirmatiō of their haynous and mischieuous actes Yet it is more conuenient for vs to reioyce and say O what an excellent golden world shall that be when our true Sauiour shall come and shall quite abolish at once all wickednes all iniuries which we must suffer for a tyme and shall make an ende of all miseries and calamities Neither shall the Gospell nor hys holy name be neglected or blasphemed any more The preachers therof which now are poore and nedy shal be no longer trod vnder foote neither shall they suffer any more persecution neither shall there bee afterwardes any more theft robbery spoylyng iniury false accusations fornication lying crafty conueyance flattery periury adultery murder treason all these thinges which now almost euery man doth commit without punishment or rebuke shall cease And we finally shall be deliuered from all euill so that we nede not to feare the world sinne death hell nor the deuil For euerlastyng saluation peace tranquilitie and ioy shall reigne ouer vs And ought not we with most feruēt prayer to desire these thinges If we could see perfectly how we are compassed euery where with an infinite nūber of deuils Which euery moment of an houre ayme and shoote at vs with their venemous darts and all entisements and prouocations to sinne then we would pray dayly kneelyng vpon our knees yea and would weepe bloud desiryng God to make an ende of this miserable lyfe Therfore now Christ our Sauiour putteth vs in mynde in this Gospel to behold these signes ther in mentioned with ioye saying When these thinges begyn to come to passe looke vp and lyft vp your heades for your redemption draweth nygh Heauinesse for the most parte naturally causeth a man to looke downewards and they that are troubled in their myndes goe heauily knitting their browes together Contrary wise a mery and ioyfull hart maketh a man to hold vp hys head to streatch out hys browes and to looke merily and pleasantly about him Therefore he sayth When you see these signes come to passe whē all thynges in heauen and earth with lowryng ◅here do terrify your myndes so that you cast downe your heades for sorow and grief be you not there withall troubled For they are not tokens of destructiō vnto you but vnto them which molest vexe persecute you Therefore be of good ◅here and looke vp lustely For they bryng not tydings of destruction but of deliueraunce vnto you of vnspeakeable treasure abundaunce of all good thynges such as no harte can desire or thinke And geue no place to the deuill which beateth these signes into your heades to terrifie you to bryng you into dispayre so that you cannot lift vp your heades desire that ioyfull day Accustome your selues rather to behold them a right liftyng vp your heades with ioy as I haue sayd seyng there is no cause why you should trouble and vexe your selues but rather reioyce For they declare no other thyng vnto you but that your redemption is now at hand and that I will come shortly and deliuer you out of your troubles Behold this notable instructour which knoweth better how to expound signes and tokens of thyngs to come then any Sothsayer or Astronomer They onely prognosticate terrible and horrible euentes therof but our Sauiour Christ sayth they be tokens of great ioy and gladnes shortly after to ensue These thinges which mans reason all the world doth take for signes of destruction and teach vs to pray that they come not to effect the same thynges he vnto whō nothyng is vnknowē prognosticateth to be tokens of all goodnes Amongest all other he vseth this most comfortable word your redemption which euery faythfull man with all his hart doth desire most earnestly For what els meaneth this word your redemption but that thou which now art in bondage vnder the dominion of the deuill who setteth vpon thee with all kynd of wicked dartes bendeth all his force agaynst thee that thou I say which art oppressed and ouerwhelmed of y world with many miseries in daunger of all misfortune out of the which no earthly creature is able to deliuer thee shalt now be deliuered and saued by Christ thy Lord and placed there where thou shalt raigne as Lord ouer the world death the deuill Why shouldest thou feare or be amased with such signes and tokēs Why shouldest thou not rather with cherefull countenaunce receaue and embrace them What wouldest thou do if thou shouldest stand in a circle beset with all kynd of weapons or rather with gunnes beyng charged and bent agaynst thee as the onely marke at the which they should be shot of Where present death should be continually before thy eyes If God by his diuine power should take thee beyng in this case away sodēly and deliuer thee from thē or if thunder and lightenyng from heauen should at once ouerthrow and strike downe to y groūd all thy enemyes with their daggers swordes speares and gunnes Wouldest thou not reioyce with all thy hart If a poore prisoner which vnder a rigorous cruell tyraunt hath lyued a long tyme in a filthy and stincking prison besides the sufferyng of many other cruell tormentes if such a man I say should heare that hys owne Prince would come to deliuer hym by force of armes take hym out of so great miseries and calamities How would he be affectioned in his mynde trow you if hee should see hym commyng with a mighty armye of men and with gunnes strikyng downe the walles of y Castle where he lyeth No doubt it would be a terrible sight to all the residue therin abydyng But vnto this prisoner it would be very comfortable ioyfull The noyse and roryng of the gūnes would much more delight hys eares then any musicall harmony of swete songes or pleasant instrumētes That day no
doubt he would celebrate with much solēnitie geuyng God thankes that he had lyued to see that ioyfull houre Euen so ought we to do when we see these signes mentioned by our Sauiour Christ in this Gospell If fire water thunder and lightenyng fall from heauen so thicke and with such abundaunce as though all thinges in a momēt should vtterly be destroyed We must thus thinke with our selues that it is the prouision and ordinaunce of God our Kyng Captaine Wherby he destroyng and ouerthrowyng the prison house will deliuer vs which are kept bound in the kyngdome of the deuill vnder sinne afflicted of the world with manifold miseries calamities Wherfore then should we be afrayde when we see these thynges Why should we not rather ioyfully suffer al maner of tormentes wherwith the world and the deuill molesteth vs that our redemer may come the sooner deliuer vs For without his comfort and consolation we were of al men as I said most miserable and might well wish that we had neuer ben borne and that we had no God at all Therfore let vs cōfort our selues with these ioyfull cogitations knowyng for a certaintye that our deliuerer will come and that these signes are as I may terme them his Haroulds of armes wherby he giueth to vs to vnderstand that he him selfe is not farre behynd In the meane season although in the world we be tossed vexed and afflicted with many stormes thorow the intollerable wickednes of vngodly mē although they geue vs vineger mixed with gall to drinke bysides other dayly misfortunes as sickenes pestilence dearth warre which are greuous to the body or to the outward man yet we must suffer and abyde all these thynges with patience We must be contēt to drinke this bitter drinke for a time that y swete drinke which hereafter shal be geuē vs may be the more pleasant to our tast and that we may therby be moued the more earnestly to pray for the cōmyng of our true sauiour otherwise we should behaue our selues like sauage wild mē which bereaued of their wyt haue no perseuerance of the daunger that hāgeth ouer their heades euen like the secure and carelesse world which knoweth not how to repent yea we should be drowned in the desire and loue of worldly honor wealth and pleasure at the length cast of all care of Gods word and vtterly perish with the wicked world Therfore this bitter drinke is commodious vnto vs For it breedeth in vs a saciety and lothsomnes of this life and comfortably causeth vs to hope for a life much more excellent now whē our true Sauiour shall come in the cloudes with power great glory Who shall deliuer vs from all daunger receiue vs to him selfe into the life euerlastyng then the which nothyng cā be more ioyfull But vnto the wicked worldlyngs which set their whole delight vpon this lyfe caryng nothyng for God hys commyng shall not be very acceptable For in a moment he shall bring them to nought so that they shall be constrained to lye in euerlastyng paynes and tormentes which arrogantly contemne and despise both hys signes and hys word And whereas this is no small grief to good Christians to consider in their myndes such a great destruction of the world whereby they trouble them selues for their sakes which shall perish our Sauiour by the wordes contained in the latter part of this Gospell withdraweth their myndes from such cogitations mouing them to cōsider rather how necessary their owne ▪ redemption is then the great destruction of the wicked which for their desertes God of his iustice hath prouided for them For they can neuer make an ende of persecutyng the Gospell which most contumeliously and blasphemously they spit at cōtemne and scoffe and rashly iniuriously and by force greue oppresse the preachers therof from which wicked purpose they can not bee withdrawne by any admonitions intreatynges rebukes or threatenynges A man were as good speake vnto a stocke or a stone as vnto thē for they will not beleue before they try by experience how wonderfully they were deceaued and what punishment God hath prouided for such yron harted infidels They are so secure and careles that what so euer happeneth terrible to the eyes or horrible to the eares that they turne from them selues vpō vs saying that we are the cause of all miserie and calamitie of all daūger of all mischief Finally when we haue done all that we cā do by preachyng praying counsaylyng yea and aduēturyng our owne liues to profite y world we are rewarded with vtter contēpt hatred enuy and most crafty dealyng which are able to make a mās hart to cleaue a sunder for sorow and grief of minde Therfore God cannot chuse if he will beare any sway in earth but once at the length let them see by experience that his word and threatninges are true which they scorne and iest at and that he is able to deliuer out of trouble hys Christian children most miserably afflicted And bycause the childrē of the world do despise his Passion death and resurrection and all thinges that he did or speake with a secure and carelesse mynd therfore once at the length they shall be terrified and feared when we shall lyue pleasantly and ioyfully in euerlastyng lyfe Therefore if thou haue any sparke of pitie in thy brest take pitie rather of the afflicted Christians which must suffer so many miseries and calamities in the world yea rather lament the state of the Gospell and the most holy name of Christ our God in the which thou wast baptized and called to be partaker of lyfe euerlastyng which the wicked worldlyngs do so vyly and blasphemously spit at despise treade vnder their feete reuile with most spiteful words What kynd of pitie call you this to take pitie of these cruell murderers hauyng an hart so stony that it cannot repent which will not amend their life and make an end of their mischieuous actes before they bee vtterly destroyed with their forefather Pharao and such other as haue bene rebellious against y maiesty of almighty god I had rather tenne worldes should perish ten tymes then one true Christian should continue in sorow and grief of minde for their sakes which so outrageously contemne and despise Christ our Sauiour and all Christian Religion Therefore it is our parte to pray vnto God with a faithfull hart feruent desire that his kyngdome may come In like maner we had nede to wishe and pray that the world may be ouerthrowen and vtterly destroyed which most arrogantly and blasphemously doth set it selfe agaynst Christ and hys bloud and can neuer make an end of his raging fearcenes and cruel persecutyng of poore Christians For so that forme of prayer which Christ our Sauiour hath prescribed vnto vs teacheth vs courageously and with confidēce to pray that this day may come and that we cry without ceasing vnto god that once at