the severe and exact account that shall be taken in the Parable of the Talents Thirdly the just sentence of the judgement pronounced executed in the history of the sheepe and goates which three are the summe of this Chapter This Parable of the Virgins hath three parts Division of the Parable for in every comparison we are to consider the propounding amplifying and applying First the Parable is propounded vers 1. Secondly amplified unto the 13 verse Thirdly applyed unto the intended purpose verse 13. In expounding this or any other Parable A Rule to be observed in expounding Parables we may not curiously enquyre every particular nor thinke God and the actuall Government thereof as in this Parable which sheweth though in this part of the heavenly kingdome wherein we see the true or counterfeite preparing for Heaven there be wise and foolish yet the time will come when they shall be separated and these who deceived themselves shall finde them barred out of the Kingdome The state of the Church in this world By this name our Saviour giveth 1. a generall threatning to all whilst he teacheth the generall state of men concerning Salvation that the Church hath wise and foolish Elect and Reprobate and many shall be rejected who were esteemed and esteemed themselves of the Kingdome of Heaven Heaven Earth and hell are places appoynted for men In Heaven none are but good in Hell none but euill men the Earth is a common receiver of good and evill from which in end both good and evill doe goe But while we are in this world Greg. Mor. lib. 31 ca. 12. we must live and be joyned together et vt mali mutentur per exempla bonorum et boni purgentur per tormenta malorum that the evill may be changed by the examples of good men and the good may be purged by the torments of wicked men Therefore we must remember Math. 13.47 that as a nett gathereth Fishes of all kindes which being in the Sea are not knowne but are discerned on the shoare so is it in the end of the world what sort of Christians we are the world hideth but judgement shall discover in one barne are wheate and chaffe Math. 3. Math. 25. in one field the Sheepe and Goates feed together which shall be separate in Iudgement Tares remaineth with the good seed untill the harvest cleane and uncleane beastes stayed in Noahs Arke while the flood indured so wicked and godly men must be together whilst this troublesome world indureth and this is taught us that we may discerne and marke of what sort and faction we are of whether of the Church prepared for salvation or in the Church and yet reserved for destruction Secondly Heaven is our natiue countrey Ioh. 18.36 whilst the Church is called the Kingdome of heaven it is to put us in minde that our kingdome and natiue country is Heaven and not earth Christ our King said that his Kingdome was not of this world it was the kingdome of Heaven So are the seruants of God heere they are strangers and out of their countrey they dwell in a strange land they are in the world not of the world they are of the Kingdome Heb. 11.13 Psal 39.12 Heb. 11.14 not in the kingdome Abraham confessed himselfe a Pilgrime David a stranger as his Fathers were in all their actions they shewed that they sought another countrey if their happinesse and kingdome had been in this life then of all men they were most miserable whose greatest joyes were to be valiant in greatest miseries As they that are borne in this Land are Denizons in England so though we are borne and liue here our title of freedome is in Heauen there are we Denizons God for three sortes of people hath made three places Math 25 41. Act. â— 25 Hell for the Diuell and his Angels of which wicked men are a part the Scripture saith of Iudas that he went to his owne place So this is their Countrey Psal 17 14. the Earth for ungodly men David calls them the men of this world who have their portion in this life Math. 25.34 this is their countrey Heaven is our Countrey Christ saith to his elect that it is the Kingdome prepared for them this therefore is our Countrey for which we are chosen For which we are set to be trayned up Here we are as children set a nursing breeding in this strange place wherein as little children we are ready to fall in fire and water Math. 8.11 9.15 to perish both by having and wanting in many perills are we before we be perfite men and women in Christ or fitted to inherit the Kingdome and therefore while we are a training up for heaven our Saviour calls us the Children of the Kingdome and children of the mariage chamber This comfort our Saviour giveth us to assure us of the continuall care our heavenly Father hath of us Therefore the Lord taketh the greater care of us Iohn 17.15.16 Repetit igitur in mundo non sunt multo subsidio habent opus Theophil in locum And we should take the greater care to prepare our selues we are not of the world and therfore the Lord ought have the greater care of us as Christ teacheth us and if the Lord hath care to keepe the strangers Psal 147.9 much more will he have care to keepe the strangers that appertaine to his owne Kingdome Secondly if we be set to be brought up for the kingdome of Heaven which is prepared for vs long agoe then ought we to prepare our selves for it this is the vse and summe of the whole Parable A Heathen answering to the question why are we suffered to remaine so long as strangers and banisht men in the earth Cicero lib. de Senectut answers Qui coelestium ordinem contemplantes vitae modo imitarentur et constantiâ that being set to behold the order of the Coelestiall bodyes they might imitate them 〈…〉 5.19 Dignum vaâ—de est omnino exigit ratio aequitatis ut quibus a constitutione mundi regnuÌ„ paratur ipsi etiam sese regno parare non negligant etc. in manner and constancy of life but to speake plainely with S. Bernard It is most worthy and the reason of equity requyreth that they for whom a Kingdome was prepared before the beginning of the world should likwise prepare themselves for the Kingdome least it be of them that was said of the guestes of the great Supper that the Supper was ready but they that were called were unworthy To what is this Kingdome prepared Even to ten Virgins c. That is to say to the solemnizing of a great mariage Now although the fashion of solemnizing Mariages in our times do not in every poynt agree with this Parable yet doth it agree with the fashion of Mariages Fashion of Iewes mariage which the Iewes vsed in Christs dayes and when their state and
the third time and by a common comparison labours to imprint it in the mindes of his hearers Iob 33 14.29 30. The Lord saith Elihu speaketh once or twice and a man perceiveth it not yea and being abundant in compassion will labour twice or thrice with a man that he may turne backe his soule from the pit to be illuminate in the light of the living As a carefull Captaine before hee betake him to rest considering the great danger of his army if they become sleepy and carelesse will give charge that the watches be placed and not contented with direction and intreaty will goe in person to see his owne satisfaction and their security So our Lord Iesus Christ being to leave this world and considering the watchfulnesse and labour of our spirituall enemies seeking to devoure us which may hastily be done if once we be taken at unawares he often exhorts us to stand to our guard and at last in his owne person sets the watch and seales it with a charge of punishment to be inflicted upon those that neglect And as a man going into a strange Country and leaveth his house Marke 13 34. giveth authority to his servants and to every man his worke and commandeth the porter and all to worke and watch that upon his uncertaine time of returne they may be upon an instant ready to give account of their charge So our Lord before his going into our heavenly Country prescribed and delivered to every man his charge and because not onely the Disciples but every other soule standeth at the gate of heaven untill it be open and our Saviour meet us he therefore gave charge and exhorted all to watch lest they be found sleeping and negligent Matth. 25.30 and with the sloathfull servant be cast into utter darknesse where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Consider how carefull Christ is to preach and beate this doctrine into our eares and make use of it for the more carefull the Lord is to give us warning the more severe shall he be in judgeing if we neglect This exhortation Watch therefore springeth from many rootes each wherof leadeth us to this fruite even from every maine particular in this Parable which proceeding along by the uncertainty of time are as so many motives and counsellers that wee watch and awaite for the comming of Christ to us The great River Nilus receiveth water and strength from many springs all which concurring overflow much of Egypt and causeth fruitfulnesse So the former doctrines of this Parable all concurre in one and taking their current through the uncertainty of our life or Christs comming doe overflow the soule and make it fruitfull causing us to walke worthy of our calling and to watch for Christs comming The greatest argument to move us to watchfulnesse and carefulnesse of a Christian life is the uncertainty of our life and the continuall danger we stand in to be arrested by death and so brought presently to a fearefull account He that feareth the thiefe to come at every houre of the night will be sure to spend the whole night in watching Wee are ever in danger yea in the midst of life we be in death and therefore while we live our soules should continually watch for the time that our Lord Iesus shall appeare for our deliverance out of this mortall life Therefore when our Lord exhorteth us to watch he giveth this for a reason We know not the day c. And because of all the foolishnesse and miserable estate of the foolish Virgins this is most lamentable that beginning and labouring for the marriage they should notwithstanding allow a purposed prodigality to consume an uncertaine time and so be taken at unawares in carelesnesse lose their expected credit and benefit to their great shame and confusion so should we stand in awe and watch lest that day come upon us as a snare when we least thinke of it For we know not the day c. And this is the particular that Christ urgeth out of this Parable and which hee maketh expresse use of But seeing there are many other circumstances in it which doe urge this exhortation and by good consequence conclude the same doctrine it is not unfitting to set them downe as so many hands laying one and the same burthen of necessary watchfulnesse upon us but so as they may be linked with this maine reason of the uncertainty of the time to give greater strength unto them When all our reasons are seasoned and salted with the uncertaine time of death they give no other relish nor bring out any other effect in an understanding soule than warinesse and watchfulnesse in all things according to the wise mans saying Remember death and thou shalt never sinne Ecclesiasticus 7.36 There have been six principall doctrines in this Parable which all concurre to teach us this exhortation These reasons I have set down thus for brevities sake which may be easily drawne into syllogismes From the first Verse Heaven is our native Country for which wee are brought up now we are children of the kingdome and are pilgrims in another Countrey and have no certainty when the Lord will translate us from this miserable estate to receive our mercifull expectation and therefore wee should watch seeing we know not the day c. From the second Verse We heard that few were to be saved and the power of damnation is an equall enemy to all and at all times ready to take holde of us therefore we should be watchfull seeing we know not c. From the third Verse We finde it true that most of men content themselves with a shew of grace and preparation and so labour with cunning and industry that they may be damned and with this shew consume the time which they neither know nor have power of and therefore we should give labour that we prove not of this gracelesse number but watch for we know not c. From the fifth Verse The time of our life and of Christs stay is bestowed upon us to the end that we may make ready against he come which if it be within a day or an houre we know not and therefore we should watch seeing we know not c. From the fift and sixt Verses Security is a common forerunner of danger and the usher which maketh way to destruction which is commonly nearest when it seemeth to be furthest off but when it comes is uncertaine but ever doubtfull and therefore we should be ever upon our guard and watch seeing we know not c. From the following Verses is by reasons concluded that there is neither time to provide and prepare nor any helpe to be hoped for from God or man after the day of death which is ever waiting to carry us to judgement And therefore we should ever prepare and watch seeing we know neither the day nor houre when the Sonne of man commeth Now we are in particular to consider the main reason
far frō loathing quia sitientes satiabimur satiati sitiemus for in thirsting after the same wee shall be filled and being filled we shall thirst What shall wee doe in heaven saith Augustine Psal 84.4 The Psalme saith Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be alwayes praising thee this shall be our eternall action Thou ceasest to praise him if thou cease to love him but thou shalt not leave loving of him for hee whom thou seest can never be too much looked upon his presence causeth fulnesse of joy nor offend thee with loathing Et satiat te non satiat Mirum est quod dico si dicam quia satiat te timeo ne c. August in Psal 85 in Hebr. 86.17 Adiu visti me consolatus es me Hee both filleth and filleth thee not this is a wonder that I say for if I say he filleth thee I feare thou shouldst conceiue it in earthly manner that thou shouldest depart as one filled with a dinner or supper if I say hee doth not fill thee I feare thou shouldest seeme to want and be empty in some part which should be filled why then shall I say that which cannot be uttered cannot be conceived It is easier to obtaine than declare the joyes of heaven whatsoever wee can conceiue or speake we shall to our great comfort finde it true which is written As we haue heard Psal 48.8 so haue wee seene in the Citty of the Lord but what we shal heare and see cannot come by report Wonderfull things were tolde the Queene of Sheba 2 Chron. 9.6 of Salomons wisedome and glory of his Kingdome she beleeved them not untill she saw and heard them and then she confessed that the one halfe was not reported unto her Glorious things are spoken of heaven unto us and such as wee shall understand could not be delivered and conceiued with words Let us therefore beleeue the Lord and rely with hope untill that blessednesse be shewen upon us he hath done a harder thing than bringing us to immortality For it is harder to beleeue saith Aug. that he who is eternal should die In Psal 148.6 Posuit mandatum c. than that a mortall man should live for ever We beleeue the death of the Sonne of God if God died for man shall not man live with God or hee live eternally for whom one died who liveth for ever Vses of this doctrine The use the Scripture teacheth us of this doctrine is first that considering what entertainment the Lord hath prepared for us in heaven we should winde our hearts from the love of the shadowes which the world presents unto us We are here like the poore estate of the prodigall childe if we considered how many were in our Fathers house in full felicity we would wish to be removed from this place where hogges have as much to maintaine their life as we can obtaine to maintaine ours St. Paul who once tasted of this joy sighed and groaned ever after to bee gone out of the world and little reason have we if wee appertaine unto God to be in love with our worldly estate for it hinders us of a better Secondly what labor should we take to obtaine unspeakable joyes or to purchase a heavenly kingdome August in Psal 93. in Hebr. 94.20 Nunquid sedes iniquitatis c. If we speake the truth eternall rest is worthy to be bought with eternall labour yet the Lord is mercifull in hastening us to get possession Let us therefore consider at what rate we would sell those joyes if once we had them and we shall the better know what labour and paines is worthy to be payed for them Thirdly this doctrine is set downe to comfort and ease all that suffer misery in this life that they looke not on the things which are seene but the things which are not seene that nothing prove so intollerable which they feare to suffer that they may see Christ in glory In Manual therefore Augustine did encourage himselfe against miseries and meditated thus O soule if we behooved to suffer daily torments if to suffer hell it selfe a long time that we might see Christ in glory and be fellowed with his Saints were it not worthy to suffer all that is painfull that we may be partakers of so great a glory Let therefore the infernall spirits beset us let them prepare their temptations let fasting breake the body let labours burden watching dry up let whosoever disquiet me let my conscience murmure heate burne me the body sicken the breast be enflamed the stomack swell let the countenance grow pale let all be weake let my life end in sorrow and my yeares in mourning Habac 3 16. let rottennesse enter into my bones so that I may have rest in the day of tribulation And the gate was shut Now followeth the reward of foolishnesse the foolish are kept without doores and not admitted to the company of the wise nor accounted worthy that the same place should receive the carelesse and improvident which is appointed as a reward unto the understanding and industrious The greatest punishment that could be imposed upon the unprovided for a common wedding was to be exposed to shame and shut out of doores Therefore Christ according hereunto saith that the Reprobate shall be shut out from partaking the felicity of the elect when notwithstanding this is not their greatest sorrow for if they were neither capable of joy Pana damni nor sorrow their estate might seeme more tollerable but their misery can never be enough pitied for they shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord 2 Thess 1. if once their misery could come to an end it were some hope of comfort but eternally this word is more painefull then all the paine besides that so long they must suffer torment as God is God And so everlastingly they shall be banished from the presence of God who is mercifull and chained in the land of forgetfullnesse When our Saviour sheweth that they shall be deprived of a glorious inheritance and expresseth no more he would have us thereby to understand that there is no man so forgetfull of salvation if he knew how great good he were to have needed to be threatned with any further punishment The like is set downe in the Revelation that the punishment of filthy and wicked men shall be to be without the gates of heavenly Ierusalem Revel 22 15. St. Paul in punishment of diverse kinds of wickednesse pronounceth 1 Cor. 6.10 Gal 5 21. Ephes 5 5. that they shall not inherite the kingdome of God who is able to abide such a doome To bee sure that others in our presence shall enter to possesse unspeakable joyes and our selues receive ashamefull repulse Who can patiently abide to be disinherited When Caine was banished from the Lords presence favour he complained in this life Gen. 4 13. That his
or top-mast what hope have the company to bee saved In like manner the flocke of Christ in this world is tossed betweene winde and wave Satan buffets them with stormes the gate of affliction is ever open to receive them but if there be a Messenger amongst them or an interpreter one of a thousand Iob 33.23 24. to declare to them the way of righteousnesse then will the Lord have mercy upon them and say deliver them that they goe not downe in to the pit for I have received a reconciliation Therefore there is a great charge laid upon a Pilot of the Church that the Apostle saith 2 Cor 2 16. Who is sufficient for these things St. Augustine found a great weight of it in himselfe who fled from many places lest hee should be urged to take this charge upon him and at length when hee could escape no longer Gul. Paris de vitijs par 6. ut citatur in destructor vicior part 5. cap. 10. C. saith In nullo sentio Deum mihi magis iratum sicut in hoc quòd cùm indignus essem poni ad remum positus sum ad gubernandum in apice regiminis Ecclesiae I feele not God more angry with me in any thing than this that when I was unworthy to be set to an oare I am placed to rule in the chiefe government of the Church And these are the words of S. Bernard Quid ego infoelix quo me vertam c. Bernâ—r Ser. 3. Advent What shall I doe unhappy man whither shall I turne me if I shall happen to be negligent in keeping that precious thing which Christ hath judged to be more precious than his owne blood If I had gathered the blood of our Lord as it dropped from him on the Crosse and it were kept by me in a vessell of glasse which behooved often to be carried about what could I thinke in so great a danger But certainly I have received that thing to keepe for which a Merchant that was not unwise for it was even wisedome it selfe gave the aforesaid blood but I have this treasure in earthen vessels unto which more dangers are imminent than to glasse And which addeth unto the heape of my cares and weight of my griefe that being of necessity bound for the keeping of my owne and the conscience of my neighbour neither of both is well knowne unto me both are a depth unsearchable both are as the darke night unto me and notwithstanding the watching of both are required at my hands and it is cryed Watchman what seest thou in the night Esay 21 11. I must not say with Cain Am I my brothers keeper Gen 4 9. But I must humbly confesse with the Prophet Psal 127 1. Except the Lord keepe the Citty the watcher keepeth in vaine c. Here is a wonderfull modesty and watchfulnes in these holy men what shall wee answer to God who are puffed up as if we had all knowledge and so carelesse as if we had no charge to be required at our hands Thirdly 3 Porters Watchmen Sentinells it is dangerous for Porters of Citties or Watchmen of Townes or of an Army to be given to sleepe If while a Porter hath the gates open hee fall on sleepe the enemies have way and time to take the Citty So if the Minister is not carefull Satan privily sinne openly instruments of heresies and divisions rush in upon their flockes If the Porter shut the gate and fall on sleep then is the passage stopped that they cannot goe to others nor others come to them The Stewards of Christ have the keyes of the kingdome of heaven the Word and Sacraments in their custody if they take away the key of knowledge the people are barred Christ is the Way Ioh 14. who is onely to be seene and found in his Word which being kept from us we are locked out of heaven For as Eliah his word was a meanes for a time to open and shut heaven so the word of God committed unto the Ministers is the key whereby we see the heaven open and Iesus at the right hand of God and get way to goe unto the Holiest of all If Watchmen sleepe then is the Army or Citty betrayed which they have in charge and for their negligence though no hurt ensue if it be knowne the law adjudgeth them to die So if the Watchmen of the Church grow carelesse they doe what in them lyeth to betray the flocke of Christ and therefore their security is the messenger of death A wake therefore beloved brethren quite your selves like men shew your selves leaders of your flocke through this worldly wildernesse with watching and carefulnesse untill you have placed them before the Lord in glory Hebr 12 20 21 The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great shepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in all good works to do his will working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for ever and ever Amen ☞ What is required for performance of this Christian Watching EVery Watchman must in the first place be able for performance and the next faithfull in discharging the trust committed unto him By these two doth Christ choose out his true watchmen Mat 24 45. saying Who is that faithfull servant and wise Wisedome to enable and faithfulnesse to make him carefull in his place The want of either of the two must be the cause of betraying all that he hath in trust Many of Gods servants faithfull to God in all their intents have by weaknesse and unability fallen and given advantage unto sinne as David and Peter Others labour to make shew of their carefull serving of God and ablenes in every worke of religion but they deale not faithfully with God nor with their owne foule but are full of hypocrisie without contradiction give way to all uncleannes to enter overcome them And therefore that the watchfull Christian may bee truely able and truely carefull to keepe himselfe watchfull and undefiled for his Masters coming Conditions required in a Watchman we are to consider wherein both of these consist The summe of the conditions are these A watchman must be able in body able in preparation In his body he must have a good eye a quick eare a good tongue able hands His preparation must be inward outward Inward that the mind be not troubled with the cares of this life that the body be not overcharged with excesse of meate and drinke which may make him heavie and sleepy Outward that he be well furnished with armour to defend himselfe be ready to joyne in the common defence Lastly in his charge hee must be faithfull that is diligent to mark spye out all danger give true notice of it unto others All sorts of persons who are charged to watch in whatsoever kind
in another letter saith his owne minde with application of it Ad Cecili lib 2 Ep 3. Et quia jam secundus adventus nobis appropinquat magis ac magis benigna ejus dignatio corda nostra illustrat c And because his second comming commeth neere Instit lib 7 cap 25. c. In the yeare 317 Lactantius saith that all expectation was of no more time than 200 yeares at most After the yeare 400 Augustine and Ierome say that many were of Lactantius minde that even in their owne time Christ would come to judgement and that St. Ierome was of this minde appeareth by his fearefull words In Regist Monach cap 30. Sive edam sive bibam aut aliud quid agam semper insonat auribus vox illa horrifica Surgite c. Whether I eate drinke or whatsoever I doe that fearfull voice sounds ever in mine eares Rise dead and come to Iudgement Hesichius a Bishop wrote to Augustine that Christ should come in the yeare 700 because of Daniels Prophecy of 70 weekes which was onely concerning the first comming of Christ Augustine answereth him in the words of Christ that of that day knoweth no man nor the Angels but onely God himselfe All these expectations and conjectures proving false Christ is said to stay long I have further observed diverse who being curious to know and determine the time of the great Iudgement were sodainly themselves taken away by death Wherefore wee are to retaine onely the signes and that modesty to be beleeved and daily expect it But seeing many have beene deceived even by mistaking the signes themselves it may be asked Which of them may wee take holde of as a marke and not to be mistaken concerning his comming I answere The plainest and surest marke of Christs coming the surest of all is the conversion of the Iewes But when shall this be I answer they are letted by Daniels Prophecie chap. 2. for seeing the Roman Empire as yet stands in the Pope they cannot beleeve that Messiah is come and therefore untill this power of his be beaten to powder they cannot see how the King of Kings can reigne and whosoever doth this as they thinke is their saviour and deliverer then shall their hearts be turned to the Lord and be opened to see the hardheartednesse of their forefathers in crucifying the Lord of glorie and their owne blindnesse that so many hundreth yeares could not espie the day of salvation What doe the Iewes see in the Christian Churches The many thousands that are tributaries in Rome Naples All this mischiefe is set downe particularly in Muscul com plaâ— de Ministris verbi under the name of Nundin Pont. Venice Spaine and other places see that they directly stand against the holines of Gods law in commanding publike Idolatry dispensing with blasphemies treasons rebellions murthers and sometimes commanding and authorizing them in countenancing incests adulteries fornication receiving rent for stewes selling soules and bodies and making lawfull and unlawfull what they will commanding people to beleeve and yet they may not enquire what The bookes of Corn Agrippa Ioan. Baptistae poreae Iohan. Tâ—itenemius de occult Scripturis doe plainely shew this and chiefly this last author who upon his salvation protests the said booke may bee used with a safe conscience c In Prafat 〈◊〉 finally admitting Iewish superstition to be mixed with their own permitting witchcraft and conjuration which is the invocation of Satan to be accounted so lawfull as either of them Whilest this Babel and kingdome of confusion doth stand how is it possible that a Iew should be converted or beleeve that these are the true servants of God As for such Iewes as are in Germany or other places neere the reformed they see few visible Churches and know that all of them are farre from the large extent spoken of Dan. 2.35 But when once this is taken away and they converted their learning and devotion shall be the riches of the world that the secure and carelesse shall by their example be pierced with sorrow and turne unfeinedly unto the Lord after which time both they and other Nations shall fall in a dead security and lose the power of religion that Gods particular punishments nor the cry of Preachers shall be little able to awake or make them looke about them Then on a sodaine shall the Lord come the heavens goe away with a noise the elements melt with heate the earth fall a burning the quicke and dead mount up to meete the Lord in the ayre But when shall those things come to passe It can not certainely be knowne but if it be asked When to come to passe unknowne yet as appeareth by example may soone come how soone all this may be I pray you consider what alteration the Lord hath made in Christendome since Luther was taken notice of but 112 yeares agoe especially what God hath done in Great Britaine in lesse time turned out the Prince of Babell indued olde and young with knowledge and other gifts of God especially inflamed their hearts with zeale that they were readier to suffer torments than their enemies were to impose them upon them filled all with knowledge that none were hidde from the sound of Gods word and finally hath cast them into such a security that most have lost the power strength of religion that no sinne wants actours no wickednesse but it hath excusers patrons and defenders hundreds of Preachers are become dumbe and these best heard and befriended that either cannot or will not speake a word in Gods name and these who forewarne men of this state never taken notice of what they say or command O what a security is this Certainely if the great Iudgement day were farre off God could not suffer this so long He therefore that considereth how God hath wrought these things in so short a time may easily see how soone the Lord can bring all the aforesaid to passe and hasten the Iudgement day Now we are to make use of this Death and Iudgement go together I cannot think or speake of this great day but I must needes continually thinke of death and therefore if any say that it is neare at hand then I answere that death must bring him thither If he say that it is farre off and shall not be these many hundred yeares I answere that death shall presently apprehend him and pull him unto Iudgement The world may stand long but how knowest thou but thou maist fall before to morrow the great judgement may be farre but thy judgement may be this night and as death leaveth thee the great judgement shall finde thee Death a prophecy of iudgment Finally so oft as thou seest one die so many prophecies the Lord shews thee foretelling the ruine of the whole world in which the heaveÌ„ which is the light of the world shall goe away with a noyse 2 Pet 3. in death Vitaque