preserued at this generall and great Assize and they that cannot shall bee tumbled downe to the pit of perdition But because secure and carelesse men Epicures and Atheists deny this great and strict account that shall bee taken at the last Day 2. Pet. 3.3 4. according to Saint Peters prediction which telleth vs that in the last dayes there shall come mockers of Christs cōming to Iudgement to take this account And these are the last dayes in which wee see by many workes of the wicked liuing in Atheisme and Epicurisme that they are so perswaded and differ nothing as appeareth from the wicked iudgement of Paulus Tertius the Pope who when there was a speech made vnto him of this account at the last Iudgement said vnto Cardinall Bembus O Bembe Bembe quantum nobis profuit fabula de Christo making this doctrine a fabulous thing Therefore the more is the pitty the question An sit whether there is any last iudgement is most necessary to bee discussed and spoken of Which whiles I endeuour affirmatiuely to proue I beseech you without partialitie lend mee your yeelding resolutions vnto the truth as it shall be proued And Si tu quid rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his vtere mecum If better then these thou hast in store Let vs haue part and say no more But if thine owne doe thee not please Vse that I haue and rest at ease Psal 100. The first proofe is the Word of God an eternall an infallible truth as our Sauiour doth witnesse speaking thus to his Father a maintainer of it Ioh. 17.17 Sermo tuus est veritas thy Word is the Truth Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied prophesied of this day of the Lords comming to take an account saying Behold Iude 14. the Lord commeth with thousands of Saints to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all that are vngodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they haue vngodlily committed and of all their cruell speakings which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him In which place the Lords comming to iudgement is plainely foretold and because it is a thing certaine and sure to be therefore hee speaketh in the present Tense and said Behold the Lord commeth And so the high Iudge himselfe speaketh saying Behold I come as a Theefe Reu. 16. speaking in the present Tense as before and not in the future Tense saying I will come And Peter reporteth Act. 10. that the high Iudge our Sauiour Iesus Christ commanded him and the other Apostles to preach vnto the people and to testifie that it is he that is ordained of God a Iudge of quicke and dead And Paul prepareth men by repentance against that Day saying Act. 17.30 31. Now hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent because hee hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse c. The same Paul assureth vs that wee all must appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill The same Apostle most plainely setteth downe the order and manner of the Lords descension from Heauen to doe this weighty businesse when as he saith 1. Thes 4.16 17 The Lord himselfe shall descend from Heauen with a shout and with the voice of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God And the dead in Christ shal rise first then we which liue remaine shall bee caught vp with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we euer be with the Lord. This comming of our Sauiour to iudge and to take this account was foretold of the Angels who standing by him when hee ascended into Heauen and seeing the men of Galilee gazing after him said This Iesus which is taken vp from you shall so come as ye haue seene him goe into heauen And how can we doubt hereof seeing that our Sauiour himselfe euen the high Iudge foresheweth the same Mat. 27. 25. And Saint Mathew setteth downe the order and maner of this Iudgement so plainely that no man led by the Spirit of God can once mutter against his doctrine The second proofe is taken from the end vnto which mankind was made of God God necessarily obtaineth his end And this was the end for which he made mankind that he might be his Image and his eternall Temple wherein he might and should be celebrated to whom he might communicate himselfe his chiefe wisedome goodnesse righteousnesse and felicitie which felicitie is part of the Image of God but this is destroyed and defaced of the Deuill Therefore God which is stronger then the Deuill will restore it And although the end for which man was made is hindred diuers wayes in this life yet the Lord once will attaine vnto it Wherefore there must of necessitie once be a change and an adiudging vnto the same end And here it is admirable to consider how like a Diuine the learned Philosopher aymed and leuelled at this marke and matter For thus hee said Verisimile est hominem ad has miserias non esse conditum sed longè verissimum est praestantissimam creaturam omnium ad meliorem finem conditam esse That is to say It is like to be true that man was not made to endure these miseries but rather it is farre most true that the most excellent creature of all was made to a better end The third proofe is taken from the righteousnesse of God his goodnesse and diuine truth which require that the godly should be perfectly well and the wicked perfectly euill and this falleth not out so many times in this life For here we see the wicked many times flourish with all worldly prosperitie Psal 37.35 luke 16. according to Dauids report and the example of the rich Glutton Therefore there must be another life wherein this iustice of God may appeare that both bodies and soules as they haue beene ioynt partakers of good actions and bad may haue either ioy and comfort or paine terrour and discomforts the wicked may haue tribulation the godly rest And the inchoation of this shall be at this day and time as Paul prooueth where he comforteth the Church of the Thessalonians shewing that their persecuters shall be afflicted and euerlastingly punished at this day and time and the godly rewarded The words are these 2. Thess 1.6 7 8 9 10. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that doe not know God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of
case he shall stand in The lamentable case of the sinner condemned For aboue him he shall haue the Iudge offended for his wickednesse beneath him the burning pit of Hell open and boyling ready to swallow him vp on his right hand his sinnes accusing on his left hand the Diuels as it were Iaylors and Executioners ready to execute Gods Sentence vpon him within him his conscience shall gnaw him paine him grieue him and testifie against him before him iudgement without mercy behinde him his euill life on euery side all damned soules bewailing and which way soeuer you cast your eyes you shall behold a burning fire O consider this ye that forget God lest hee teare you in pieces and there be none to deliuer you Sentence giuen of godly and vngodly and first of the godly The iust Iudge will pronounce sentence righteously both of the Sheepe on his right hand and Goates on his left hand of both godly and vngodly iust and vniust faithfull and vnfaithfull Sentence shall bee giuen of the godly according to the Gospel not onely offering but now giuing saluation to Gods faithfull children by the merits of Iesus Christ And the sentence will bee a kinde inuitation or rather receiuing to ioy in these words Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world c. On the contrary sentence shall be giuen of the Goates of the wicked and vngodly on the Iudges left hand according to the rigour of the Law with all it maledictions tortures and torments then presently to be put in execution against a lewd liuer these shall then indure their deserued endlesse punishments The Sentence against these is Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire Sentence giuen against the wicked prepared for the Diuell and his Angels c. All this is ratified with a clause of an irreuocable sentence to wit These shall goe into euerlasting paine c. Of these paines of Hell as also of the ioyes of Heauen I had thought to haue written that by the consideration of the one the wicked may bee deterred from sinning and so auoid the punishment and by the consideration of the other they may be allured to well doing to seeke those things that are aboue and tread the straight way that leadeth to euerlasting life But hauing spent so much time already as I could well spare I will end for this present promising if my labours are accepted and God granteth time of life to performe it that I will write of the same at some other conuenient time I will therefore now end praying all Christians to listen to the exhortation following Beloued let vs prepare our selues for this iudgement dayly and euery moment Let the commandement of the Lord stirre vs vp to watch prouide and be in a readinesse Luk. 12.35 Let your loynes bee girded about and your lights burning and yee your selues like vnto men that wait for their Master when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking c. Let the example of the sudden floud proposed by Peter 2. Pet. 3. strike a care into vs and make vs afraid to be secure Let the consideration of the High Iudge which iudgeth with iustice and equitie all men of euery order age and kinde make vs prepare our selues against this day Let the signes now accomplished and fulfilled make vs fully resolued that the Day is at hand and strike a care into vs to bee prepared against the Lords comming Let the vncertaine houre to vs when it shall come and yet certain that once it will come and sooner then we thinke make vs obseruant and watchfull To conclude let the execution it selfe to wit euerlasting rewards and euerlasting punishments wanting all ease and mitigation of torments strike a feare in vs not to offend and make vs carefull to please God For God as the Apostle hath 2. Thes 1. will render vengeance in flaming fire to them which know him not and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Which shall bee punished with euerlasting damnation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue Let vs prepare our selues against that Day Aug. ad Demet. Epist 142. wherein Mundi gloria finienda est that is the glory of the world must take his end I say against that day and time which shall take tardy in deceitfull securitie many and therefore compared to the comming in of the Floud 2. Pet. 3. 1. Thes 5. in the dayes of Noah and to the comming of a Thiefe If a band of men should enter into a Citie and begin to destroy with fire and sword would not euery man tremble and quake If we thus feare our mortall enemies and the hand of man what shall wee doe when as the fearefull Trumpet shall sound from Heauen and at that voice of the Archangell more cleere and shrill then any Trumpet all the whole world shall rumble when we shall see not weapons made with hands but the whole powers of Heauen to be mooued and to threaten vengeance vnto vs. If a man-slayer or any other wicked person of whom punishment were to be taken by the iudgement of an earthly Iudge will tremble and quake at the sight of the Iudge and others standing about in iudgement and at the bloudy hand of the Hangman or Tormenter although he know that his end will bee but short then beloued consider what shame feare dolour and griefe will bee at the Day of Iudgement when all the euils and sorrowes that can bee imagined and deuised shall bee broached and ready to be inflicted vpon the wicked men of this world These and many other euils shall befall them which are holden with many cares of this world and thinke not of this last end of all things But we which repent beleeue and thinke of Christs comming conceiue ioy and wish for his comming as the certaine time of our Redemption and reward saying Come Lord Iesu Come To this Lord Iesus together with the Father and the Holy Ghost three Persons in one Essence be rendered all honour and glory power and seruice in Heauen and in Earth henceforth and for euer Amen FINIS
them For it shall be at midnight when men commonly are asleepe 1. Thes 4.16 The Trumpet the Word of the Lord compared to a Trumpet because of the fearefull shrill and lowd sound thereof shall sound out a most dreadfull taratantara Surgite mortui venite ad Iudicium that is Rise ye dead and come to Iudgement At which voice these dreadfull and terrible effects shall follow Mat. 24.29 The Sea and the Waters shall roare the Hils shall moue out of their places the Earth shake the Sunne shall be darke the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres shall fall from Heauen the whole Element shiuer in pieces the world shall bee in a consuming fire the Graues shall open and yeeld forth the bodies lying in them yea and the Sea and all other places also Reu. 20.13 they that then shall be aliue shall with a sudden mutation be renued and all corruption wiped from their bodies 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. and all mortalitie remoued they shall be made incorruptible and immortall which changing shall be instead of death vnto them and all shal come to meete the Lord in the Aire as thick as swarmes of Bees The Angels shall separate the good from the bad Math. 13.41 the Tares from the Wheat the Sheepe from the Goates and euery one shal receiue according to that he hath done in this life 2. Cor. 5. whether good or bad The World 2. Pet. 3. Heauen and Earth shall bee dissolued by fire there shall bee a change of this present state and a purging of the Creatures and not an vtter consumption Thirdly the Iudge himselfe euen Christ Iesus the Sonne of God to whom the Father hath giuen all iudgement shall bee seene comming in the Clouds of Heauen Ioh. 5.22 Math. 24. in his very humane Nature not in poore and base state and sort as at his first comming in the flesh which was to good purpose to giue vs an example of true humilitie of true lowlinesse but in glory and great power waited on not with mortall and sinfull men but with the immortall and holy Angels And then hee beeing most Regall maiesticall and powerfull Math. 25.31 The settling of him in his Throne and being also vpright and pure will ascend into his great white Throne most beseeming his Imperiall and immaculate person And this Iohn saw plainly in a vision reuealed vnto him by Christ Iesus Re. 20.11 Reu. 20.11 where he thus reporteth And I saw a great white Throne c. The greatnesse of this Throne sheweth his might Maiestie For he is a King hauing on his head a golden crown The whitenes of it his purity and holines Reu. 14.14 Heb. 7.26 For he is a Priest and a Iudge holy innocent vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens When this Regall mighty and vncorrupt Iudge hath setled himselfe in his Tribunall Seat then at the shrill sound of the Trumpet The Resurrection of the dead to come to Iudgement Iob. 19. all that are dead shall rise euen in the same state and forme as they were when they dyed couered againe with the same skinne and hauing the same flesh shall also behold God not with other but with the same eyes as they had when they departed out of this life and all this shall come to passe although a man is burnt to ashes For God who is Omnipotent and made man of nothing is much more able of ashes to reedifie and make man againe then a simple man of ashes can make a beautifull glasse And if a Goldsmith or a Pewterer of a melted vessell can make another againe then much more God of a man returned to dust can make a man againe He made man I say at the first of nothing therefore much more is able to make him againe of something and to bring together all parts and pieces of him wheresoeuer they bee scattered and dispersed An excellent example and demonstration whereof we haue in Ezechiel 37. where the Prophet foreshewing the bringing againe of the people being in captiuitie telleth how the Lord set him downe in the middest of a field which was full of dry bones and led him round about by them Ezec. 37. and said vnto him Sonne of Man can these bones liue And the Prophet answered O Lord God thou knowest Then the Lord proceeded further and said vnto the bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall liue and I will lay sinnewes vpon you and make flesh grow vpon you and couer you with skinne and put breath in you that ye may liue And as soone as the Lord spake the word all this was done shewing plainely vnto vs our restauration to life at the Resurrection in the last Day All that are dead shall liue shall rise againe and come to be iudged for the dead shall liue they shall rise againe with their body Esay 26.19 Awake and sing ye that sleepe in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of Hearbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Let vs therefore resolue our selues that the houre shall come in the which all that are in their graues shall heare Christs voice Ioh. 5.28 29. and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the Resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 11.24 Martha therefore truely said to Christ of Lazarus I know that hee shall rise againe at the last Day Martha knew this to bee true and so did Iob and in this point let vs all be resolued Iob 19. 2. King 4. Luke 7. Math. 9. Iohn 11. for as truely as Elizeus called to life a dead Boy Christ the Widdowes sonne in Naim and Iairus Daughter and Lazarus so wee shall be raised againe to life and stand before this high Iudge sitting in his Imperiall Throne of Maiestie I pray God that wee may appeare before him cloathed with his holinesse and righteousnesse Now although some shall be aliue at the last Day 1. Thes 4.17 yet they shall not preuent them that sleepe for they shall bee caught vp with them also in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and shall come to Iudgement that both the dead 2. Cor. 5.10 and they that then shall bee liuing may receiue the things that are done in their bodies according to that which they haue done whether it be good or bad For God by his Sonne Christ Iesus Acts 17.31 will Iudge the world in righteousnesse It shall therefore goe well with the righteous the godly but ill with the wicked It shall be with the godly and the wicked at the Resurrection in the last Day Gen. 40. as it was with Pharaoh his seruants his chiefe Butler and his chiefe Baker Both of them were taken out of Prison the one to be restored to his Office to minister before the King but the other
commaunded the cruell seruant himselfe his wife and children and all that hee had to be sold Math. 18. inflicting the punishment not onely vpon himselfe but also vpon his wife and children Therefore let men be not vniust and cruell but true and mercifull for as the holy father hath August Sola misericordia est comes defunctorum Onely mercy accompanieth the dead That a man shall carry away with him and God in his mercy will reward mercy Fourthly men play the bad Stewards when they receiue the Lords goods and lay them not out according to his will but spend them vnlawfully wilfully and wastfully for which they are culpable and accusable as this bad Steward was The idolatrous person layeth out his riches vpon superstitious workes as Ahab and Iezabel The quarrelsome man layeth out his goods vpon vnnecessary suites of law hindering himselfe and his neighbours as the Corinthians did The vncleane person in chambering and wantonnesse as Sardanapalus and Absalon liuing altogether in carnalitie The Epicure and belly God in faring deliciously euery day as the rich Glutton Gamâ—ters in gaming as Octauius Augustus To conclude euery one which layeth out his goods in idle superfluous and vngodly courses of life playeth the parts of an vnthrifty and vnfaithfull seruant as the prodigall sonne And if a Preacher Magistrate or other Officer rebuke any of these for their vnfaithfull dealing and prodigall swaggering they will say What haue they to doe with vs we wast and spend but our owne money and goods building vpon a base ground for no man is Lord and proper owner of his wealth but onely a Steward for a time to the high Lord of all And as a great mans Bayliffe and Steward on earth ought to lay out the goods of his Master as he commandeth and must render an account how he doth it euen so must euery man being made a Steward in this farme the world employ the talents and gifts which he receiueth as the Lord of Lords the high Master of all commandeth and shall render an account as hereafter followeth The second Farme or Mannor-house wherein man a Steward vnder this rich man God is to be employed and which he ought carefully to looke vnto is his owne body the goods whereof as health power and strength are to be employed to the honour of God to supply our owne necessary occasions 1. Cor. 6. and to helpe our neighbour in all godly and honest affaires This Farme ought to be well and cleanly kept that it may be a fit dwelling Place and Temple of the holy Ghost for if wee will adorne our houses decke them sweepe them and euery way as much as in vs lyeth make them hansome and commodious for a great earthly person much more should wee haue a care to preserue from pollution and keepe cleane our owne bodies because they are the houses of the holy Ghost and further to giue our members instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Rom. 6.13 and to offer vp our bodies a quicke sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God Rom. 12.1 This Farme a good Steward should carefully looke vnto lest death should enter through the ports and gates thereof to the soule and worke the destruction thereof which ports and gates I will set open vnto you making as much haste as the Porter doth when his Master waiteth for him at the gate The ports and gates of the body are these fiue Hearing Seeing Talking Tasting and Touching Which gates should be heedfully watched that nothing goe in or out but that which pleaseth the Lord for as a great earthly man hath a Porter to keepe his gates that no lewd filthy nor contagious person should enter in to pollute his house or infect his people and so procure danger or death vnto theÌ„ or otherwise disorder himselfe Euen so euery Christian man should looke to the gates and doores of his body lest sinne enter in by them and death follow to the subuersion of body and soule The first port and gate of the body is the care the proper organ and instrument of hearing it is the mouth of the soule which giues it nourishment and sendeth downe foode into it and which makes it liuely and fructifie in all the rest of mans members Mans eares should be open to heare good things Reuel 2. Math. 13. as the Word as our Sauiour would haue vs and the Prophet Esay verse 3. exhorteth vs so to doe shewing the vtilitie thereof saying Incline your cares and draw neere Heare and your soule shall liue This word is the sincere milke whereby our soules are nourished and receiue their spirituall growths it is a lanterne to carry light 1. Pet. 2.2 and to direct it is a medicine to heale a guide to conduct a bit to restraine a sword to defend water to wash fire to inflame salt to season wine to reioyce raine to refresh a treasure to inrich a key to vnlocke heauen gates vnto vs and by the merits of Christ Iesus to let vs into an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away Now beloued seeing that mans eares are the instruments vessels to receiue this Word let vs study to keepe them cleane and open to receiue the Word 1. Cor. 15. Moenan but shut this gate against al blasphemous speeches slanderous and filthy talking for euill words corrupt good manners The second port of the body is the eye which must not let in bad sights it must not couetously looke on his neighbours goods lands or liuings 1. King 21. as Ahab did on poore Naboths vineyard nor wantonly looke on his neighbours wife as Dauid did vpon the wife of Vrie 2. Sam. 11. This caused Iesus the sonne of Sirach in his ninth chapter verse eight to say Turne away thy eyes from a beautifull woman looke not vpon others beauty for many haue perished by the beauty of women for through it loue is kindled as a fire What harmes enter in by this gate it may appeare by the example of Putiphar his Lady and wife Gen. 39. who steadily beholding the beauty of Ioseph after many dayes at the last said Come lye with mee Let vs therefore take heed of wanton looking sinfull lusting and vngodly committing of sinne and wickednesse The third port and gate which letteth in sinne and death to the soule is talking out of the mouth executed by the tongue This should not be filthy nor foolish Ephes 5.4 Col. 3 8. Ephes 4.29 but good to edifie withall that it may minister grace to the hearers The tongue is the best member that a man hath if it be in tune in good order but the worst member if it is out of order And therefore Anacharsis being demanded what was the best member of a man and what the worst The people looking for a double answere vnto a double question He spake in one word and said The tongue for the former reasons Therefore the Poet said Est vitae pariter
wiped from their eyes When we are in extremity let vs consider yea and comfort our selues with that consolation which the Lord gaue to the Church of Philadelphia Reuel 3.11 12. saying Behold I come shortly and so hee comforted the other Churches And the like ioy and consolation may we all conceiue in all our tribulations and miseries Let vs euer consider that the Lord will come quickly and that he that endureth temptation is blessed and shall at the last receiue the crowne of glorie Iames 1.12 which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him The third vse We should by the knowledge and remembrance of this day keepe vs in the feare of God and care to doe our duties 1. Epist 4.7 8. And this Saint Peter teacheth vs to doe saying The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in prayer But aboue all things haue feruent loue among you for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes The same Apostle declaring the fearefulnelsse of this day 2. Pet. 3. to wit how it shall come as a theefe in the night and that the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp maketh this vse thus concluding of his former doctrines Seeing therefore Verse 11. that all these things must be dissolued what manner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlines c As though he should say You ought to be most religious most godly of a most pure life and conuersation Verse 14. And me thinkes we should haue a care to be most holy without spot and vndefiled euen blamelesse because wee shall at that day stand before the righteous and vncorrupt Iudge and shall stand openly in the sight of the holy Angels S. Augustine writing vpon these words Reu. 20.12 And I saw the dead both small and great stand before God c. hath these words Rogo vos fratres vt quotidiè cogitemus quales esse debemus in die iudicij purissimis Angelorum conspectibus offerendi aeterno Iudici rationem de libris conscientiae reddituri that is O brethren I beseech you let vs consider what maner of persons we ought to be in the last day of iudgement that shall be presented to the most pure sight of Angels and that shall render an account to the most high Iudge of the bookes of our conscience It seemed that the good Father kept himselfe in good order in the feare of God and in his Christian dutie with the daily cogitation of this Day and serious meditation how to make a good reckoning at the last day and that hee exhorted others to the like vigilance and carefulnesse Hierom reporteth Tract 5. cap. 3. that whatsoeuer he did he alwaies bore in mind this Day and thought that he was going to Iudgement Siue comedam siue hibam siue aliquid aliud agam semper videtur vox illa sonare in auribus Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium that is to say Whether I eate or drinke or doe any thing else me thinkes I alwaies heare this speech ring in my eares Rise ye dead and come to Iudgement and so by this meanes he kept himselfe in awe and refreinad to commit sinne and wickednesse As the Lord would haue vs to know that there is a day of iudgement for his owne glory our owne comfort the confutation of Epicures and Atheists and to keepe vs in our duties so he hath concealed from vs the certaine time when it shall be as it may be proued out of the sacred Scriptures these two wayes 1. By plaine sayings and sentences 2. By Parables or similitudes Mat. 24.42 First by plaine speeches such as these Watch for yee know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come Mat. 25.13 Againe Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning lest if he come suddenly hee should find you sleeping And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men Mar. 13.35 Watch. Note the words Watch ye therefore for ye know not the day nor the houre c. And to this purpose speaketh Saint Augustine Epist 78. writing to Hesychius Tempora computare hoc est CHRONOS vt sciamus quando sit huius saeculi finis vel aduentus Domini nihil mihi aliud videtur quà m scire velle quod Christus ait Scire neminem That is to say To count times that is to know the seasons when shall be the end of this world or the comming of the Lord this seemeth to me that a man is willing to know no other thing but that which Christ saith No man shall know And why should a man diue into the Lords secrets which hee is not willing to reueale vnto vs Act. 1.7 and which it is not expedient for vs to know Our Sauiour said vnto the Apostles Mark 13. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Hee hath not reuealed this secret to Man nor Angell Math. 24.36 Secondly this is proued by Parables as of the ten Virgins that went to meet the Bridegroome these slept Mat. 25. and suddenly at midnight when they looked not for him there was a cry that the Bridegroome came and these words were vttered Goe out to meet him Note the words I beseech you and sodainly at midnight when they looked not for him This proueth that the Lords comming to Iudgement shall be sudden and that hee shall finde the vvicked ones secure and carelesse Againe the Parable of the Talents doth admonish vs to be watchfull because the day and time of the Lords comming to take an account is vncertaine and vnknowne For as the deliuerer of the Talents going into a strange Countrey gaue the receiuers of them a charge to occupy them till he came and did not tell when he would come but yet after a long season came to reckon with them and to call them to account and to reward them in his mercy according to their seuerall imployments Euen so our Sauiour beeing gone as it were into a strange countrey into Heauen where he neuer was in body before hath deliuered vnto sundry and seuerall persons excellent gifts which he would haue them vse to his glory and the good of his Church and hee will come after a season he telleth not when and therefore no man knoweth the time to take a strict account of all the receiuers of them The sodainenesse and vncertaintie of his comming 1. Thes 5.2 Reu. 16.15 Luk. 17.24 is compared to the comming of a Thiefe which giues no warning to lightening that giues a sodaine flash and lighteneth out of the one part vnder Heauen and shineth vnto the other part vnder
Heauen to the dayes of Noah wherein the carelesse people did eate and drinke Luke 17. married wiues and gaue in marriage vnto the day that Noah went into the Arke and the Floud came and destroyed them all euen sodainely when they neuer thought much lesse knew of the certaine and prescript time For the same reason those dayes wherein Christ shal come are compared to the daies of Lot These similitudes doe tell and teach vs that the Lords comming to Iudgement is vnknowne and shall bee sodaine For to this purpose the Euangelist most aptly applyeth this doctrine Luk. 17.30 Luke 17.30 saying After these ensamples shall it be in the day when the Sonne of Man is reuealed Epist 88. Augustine writing to Hesichius hath an excellent saying to this purpose Ego namque de Saluatoris aduentu qui expectatur in fine tempora dinumerare non audeo nec aliquem propheta de hac re numerum annorum existimo praefinsse that is to say I dare not number the times of the comming of our Sauiour which in the end is looked for neither do I thinke that any Prophet hath determined the number of yeeres I therefore conclude this point thus Man knoweth not that day and houre nor the Angels Nay which is most of all not the Sonne as touching his humanity and mediatorship Math. 24. Mar. 13. but the Father onely and yet I stand assured that in his Godhead hee knoweth this time 3. Reasons wherefore the Lord concealeth the times of his comming 1. It is not expedient for vs to know them 2. That wee might exercise our faith and patience 3. To make vs more vigilant c. First it is not expedient nor meet for vs to know these things I meane those secrets which the Father hath kept in his owne power Act. 1.6 The Apostles asked our Sauiour Iesus Christ whether hee at that time would restore the Kingdome to Israel that is to say to his old ancient state Hee answered It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power as though he should say it belongeth not to you to know the moments of times and occasions of abstruse secret and mysticall things not reuealed in the Word as what houre a man shall dye what houre the Lord will come to Iudgement when he will vtterly destroy the kingdome of Satan at what moment hee will bring his subiects into the Kingdome of his Father There is a time when these things shall bee performed but hid from vs and therefore we ought to beleeue them for they are true and in their due times shall truely be performed but wee ought not curiously pry into these secrets For this as Hugo hath is curiositas superflua inuestigatio rerum ad se non pertinentium that is this is superfluous curiositie a searching out of matters that doe not belong to vs. This is no doctrine of the Spirit For as Bernard writing vpon the Canticles hath Doctrina spiritus non curiositatem acuit sed charitatem accendit The doctrine of the Spirit doth not whet on curiositie but inflameth charitie Therefore let vs learne to refraine from curious questions as the Apostle teacheth Timothy and Titus let vs not search and diue too deepe in dangerous whirlepooles lest we should be drowned This is good for the Teacher and profitable for the Hearer And this good counsell Augustine giueth in his eightieth Epistle answering Hesychius and in his doctrine teaching men not curiously to search into the times and seasons but to study the Death and Resurrection of Christ that is to say matters of saluation Secondly Christ concealeth this day and houre to exercise mens faith and patience Chap. 5. And to this purpose Iames giueth this good exhortation Bee patient brethren vnto the comming of the Lord c. In which place he doth comfort the poore oppressed of the rich warning them to wait for the Lords comming patiently who will reuenge the iniuries which the rich men doe to them and giue vnto them waiting in Faith and Hope and yeelding patience a prosperous issue and deliuerance and in the meane time when a man is in misery patience will make the griefe lighter and easier to bee borne This made the Poet say Horace Durum sed leuius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas It is hard I confesse that thou canst not redresse yet lighter through patience if quietly thou beare it Thirdly the Lord telleth vs not when hee will come to call vs to account that wee assured of his comming and not knowing when should at all times be vigilant watchfull and carefull to doe our duties to haue all things in a godly and good order at our Lord and Masters comming As good domesticall seruants when their Master is gone from them assuring themselues that hee will come againe vnto them and not knowing when and that he will call them to an account if they haue any care will at all times haue all things in readinesse and good order that their earthly Master may not come vpon them vnawares and finde them idle and ill occupied and all things out of right course So we seruants to Christ Iesus our Sauiour and knowing that hee is gone from vs into Heauen and standing assured that hee will come to take a reckoning of vs of our liues and conuersations and not knowing when should at all times haue our accounts straight haue all things in readinesse and good order that our heauenly Iudge and Master when he commeth to iudge the quicke and the dead may not come vpon vs vnawares at the last Day and finde vs idle or ill occupied and all things out of good order And to this purpose tendeth that exhortation of our Sauiour Christ Luk. 12.35 36. Let your loynes bee girt and your lights burning and yee your selues like vnto men that wait for their Master when he will returne from the wedding that when hee commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking c. And Paul giueth the like godly exhortation But of the times and seasons 1. Thes 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. Brethren yee haue no neede that I write vnto you for yee your selues know perfectly that the Day of the Lord shall come euen as a Thiefe in the night For when they shall say Peace and safety then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauell vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as it were a Thiefe Yee are all the children of light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darknesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as doe others but let vs watch and bee sober And what plainer exhortation can there bee deliuered to this purpose Mar. 24.42 44. Mar. 13.35 then