manner of sinne Charitie is waxen cold yet selfe-loue aboundeth Vsury by the Scriptures all ancient Fathers and Councels condemned to hell and in former generations scarce heard of is now become a common Trade O Legall nay ô Lawlesse theeues Might ouer-ruleth Right the poore is the rich mans booty Idlenesse excessiue pride in apparell blasphemie Saboth-profanation lying yea and drunkennesse abound and are vnpunished These are priuiledged sinnes and seeme to haue some speciall charter and immunity yea impunity But the iudgement of God sleepeth not and one day shall pay for all What should I speak of fraud deceit filthy liuing back-biting malice enuy and going to the Law to feed the greedy Griffins for euery trifle Men in a manner mind nothing but eating drinking buying selling building marrying and giuing in marriage planting setting c. not dreading the last day though neerely approaching much lesse preparing themselues by faith and repentance against the second comming of our Lord Iesus But when they shall say peace peace sudden destruction shall come vpon them as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and they shall in no wise escape Finally there is no truth in mens promises whereas in time past euery mans word was thought as good as an Obligation There seemeth almost no faith left vpon the earth whether we respect God or man Good men decay and euill men abound yea one may with better like and applause liue loosely then Religiously For euery religious man though neuer so discreete shall vsually bee mistermed a Puritane a Precisian a Schismatick a factious and seditious person And alas what ill haue these honest and harmelesse men done or who are these that so exclaime and declaime against them but Libertines Atheists Papists Drunkards Gamesters Epicures and the like whose tongue is no slander What shall wee conclude of all these and the sinnes of all Callings and Trades in Church Family and Common-wealth which would bee too long now to recite All these daily and wonderously encreasing doe presage and euince that the end of all things is at hand and therefore wee should bee sober and watch and pray but aboue all things haue feruent charity amongst our selues For as vlcers and bodily diseases comming thick and members out of ioint are fore-runners of death neere at hand so these common and prodigious offences and scandals euidently argue that the day of the Lord is not farre off It shall bee our wisedome and good for vs in this common pestilence of Manners to get and preserue the Antidotes and Counter-poisons of faith and a good conscience that though wee liue in all euill world which will grow worse and worse yet wee bee not infected by it And it is the greatest tryall yea and the highest commendations for any man to bee godly good and deuout amongst those that are openly wicked For it sheweth that grace in him is more strong to preserue him then wicked and profane men to poison or peruert him The third part of the Booke touching generall Signes yet for to come CHAP. XII Of the vtter ruin sacking and burning of Rome the seate of Anti-christ THE first generall Signe of Christs comming that is yet not begun is the ruin and vtter desolation of the Citie Rome For the Throne of the Beast must grow darke Babylon must fall it must fall and come into remembrance before God at one instant must her plagues come viz famine mourning death it must be burnt with fire and all her pretious things all her Musicall instruments and idoll furniture be wholy consumed and euer after vnto the comming of our Lord Baybilon must be an house of deuils and a Cage of euery hatefull and vncleane Bird Some of the ten Hornes i. one of the last Emperours or some valiant Duke must be the chiefe instrument to execute Gods fore-determined vengeanee vpon her The Romanists and Italians and others that are willed to come out of Babell and to render Double vnto the Whore for that she had done vnto them shal assist the principall instrument That Rome shall literally vnderstood bee vtterly desolated before the end of the world not onely all Protestant Interpreters of the Reuelation hold but also the Sibyllae yea diuers chiefe Papists as namely Vega Ribera Bellarmine the Rhemists and others confesse Touching the yeare and point of time when Rome shall bee destroyed albeit wee dare not as some doe determine of some thirty yeares hence and some more probably of a shorter time yet we are perswaded that it is neere at hand and perhaps much neerer then most imagine For the power of the Pope in forraigne Kingdomes is much lessened his authoritie in ciuill causes euery where falleth to the ground yea in his owne Dominions in Venice Florence Millain c. Many that haue beene by him seduced beginne to kenne and smell him out To speak nothing of England and other Protestant Kingdomes that haue wholy forsaken him Now let vs come vnto some forcible reasons and arguments whereby wee may make strong our assertion I. Reason All Kingdomes and States haue their set Periods and Fatall yeares which being expired they must needs fall and come to naught and lightly in the space of 500 yeares there is seene an alteration in all States and why not in Rome II. Reason All tainted vnsound and putrified bodies hauing the beginning and matter of their destruction in themselues do at length though no man hurt them vanish and die But Rome and Popery is such a tainted vnsound and rotten body yea an old wind-shaken and ruinous house which though the Iesuites and others seeme to prop vp for a reason yet downe it must and fall it will and so let it in Gods name III. Reason Easterne Babell in Chaldaea a figure of this Romish and new Babell is long sithence fallen though in villany cruelty and idolatry nothing comparable to it and therefore it must needes come to desolation The Type and the Arch-type must needs answere and agree Babylon in Chaldaea was laid waste by the Medes and Persians and so shall Rome bee by the Christian Princes IIII. Reason God that is truth it selfe and whose absolute threatnings are alwaies executed hath fore-told a secular ruin of Rome therfore it must needs come to passe V. Reason God is infinite in power and able to bring it to passe therefore it is not impossible though in our weakenesse wee doe and may cast many doubts VI. Reason Romish Babel is already fallen in many Countries Kingdomes Prouinces and States of Europe viz. in Germany Heluetia Polonia Bohemia Hungaria England Scotland Ireland Denmarke in diuers Prouinces of the Lower Germany and in a good part of France c. And why shall it not by the like reason in due time fall in Italy Spaine Portugall c. Parium similis est ratio VII Reason The sinnes treacherie idolatry cruelty pride blaspemy lust and abominations of Rome
AN ALARVM TO THE LAST IVDGEMENT OR An exact discourse of the second comming of Christ and of the generall and remarkeable Signes and Fore-runners of it past present and to come soundly and soberly handled and wholesomely applyed Wherein diuers deep Mysteries are plainly expounded and sundry curiosities are duely examined answered and confuted By T. D. Bachelor of Diuinitie LVKE 21.28 When these things begin to come to passe then hold vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Matthew Law and are to bee sold at the signe of the Foxe in Paules Church-yard 1615. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND REligious the Major and Aldermen of Harwich in Essex and to all the deuout and zealous Christians and Parishioners both of Douercourt and Harwich a plentifull encrease of all inward and outward happinesse ALBEIT Right Worshipfull and most deerely beloued some haue causelesly doubted of and others haue damnably denyed a maine and principall Article of the Christian Faith namely the visible and glorious descent of our Lord Iesus from heauen to iudge both the quick and the dead whose comming wee thirstingly and continually expect and pray for yet it is cleere and very demonstrable by the current of sacred Scripture and by due obseruance of the ruinous estate of the world and the daily accomplishment of the fore-runners and generall Signes of the last day that the ends of the world are come vpon vs That the end of all things is at hand and that these are the very last times For First if in the Apostles times it was so neere his period and consummation yea consumption how much more neere is it in our times sith that so many hundreds of years are long agoe expired And what if the Lord seemeth to stay long and to deferre his comming yet this delay is nothing being compared with Eternity and a thousand yeares with God are but as one day and the Lord will in the meane time haue the number of his Elect fulfilled and the sinnes of the Reprobate grow to their full measure and ripenesse Secondly it is certaine that the glorious Gospell hath euen in the Apostles times beene solemnely published and proclaimed to the whole habitable world so that such a solemne and generall Legacie and Embassage is not againe to bee expected Thirdly the ancient and mightie Romane Empire that in former ages had the commaund of some two hundred and fifty Countries Kingdomes and Prouinces is now so impaired wasted and weakned that it hath lost all his former Maiestie and Dominion and retaineth onely a bare and naked image and picture of that it formerly enioyed So that that which by it puissance kindred Antichrists comming being taken away and the thousand yeares of Satans binding being expired Antichrist is confessedly come Fourthly Antichrist I meane that Italian Priest and Romish Caiphas hath beene by his excesse of tyrannie and superstition reuealed euen in the yeare of Christ 607 and sithence but from the yeare 1517 vnto our daies he hath bene not so much discouered as by the Breath of Gods mouth that is by the Preaching of the Word beene confuted and confounded and not withstanding that the busie and restlesse Iesuites Priests Seminaries studie and striue to recouer their losses and heale the wounds of the euer-dying Beast yet it is but a lightning before death periturum gaudium The Romish Haman hath begunne to fall before Mordecai of the seea of the Iewes yea to fall before the reformed Christians and therefore hee shall neuer preuaile against them but certainely fall before them Fiftly sinne and iniquity euery where aboundeth and is growne excessiue and impudent all things are out of square all flesh hath corrupted his way and whether wee respect Doctrine Discipline and specially corruption of manners in most Coasts and Countries there is almost no faith left on the earth Sixtly All the Elements all the creatures the Sun Moone Starres Plants Birds Fowles Fishes c. groane grieuously vnder the burden of mans sinnes and are wonderfully peruerted by man yea exceedingly decayed in their proprieties vertues efficacies and therefore watchfully waite for their plenarie and finall deliuerance from this bondage of corruption Lastly to passe ouer in silence many other Arguments yea and some few Signes shortly to be fulfilled whereof I distinctly entreate in the ensuing Treatise the iust Iudge of the world must needs giue perfect rest and glory to his troubled Saints and seruants and of necessity render vengeance vnto his and their implacable enemies Wherefore my deerely beloued Brethren and Parishioners let vs be wise hearted and awaken our selues and the rather because God in his wisedome hath deseruedly concealed and kept from vs the knowledge of the set houre day yea yeare let vs casting away all vnprofitable and vaine curiosities take notice of the accomplishment of the Signes and Tokens of the last iudgement as they are reuealed in the volume of the Bible and seeing the last of them to beginne onely to come to passe let vs reioycingly hold vp our heads knowing that the day of our full redemption draweth nigh And that you might bee more plainely and plentifully directed and instructed in these Doctrines and Duties I haue in my loue and Pastorall care beene moued to Print Publish and Inscribe vnto you this small Treatise following purposing if neede require hereafter to enlarge it And seeing that by Diuine Prouidence the ample charge of Douercourt and Harwich is committed vnto mee a poore Minister of the Gospell I therefore by the helpe of God will carefully and conscionably discharge my Office and Ministery And I doubt not but that you generally hauing with such contentment receiued my doctrine and so kindly and respectiuely entertained mee will continue yea happily proceed in the worke of your loue which will greatly redound vnto Gods glory and much tend to my encouragement If my reuerend graue learned and diligent Predecessour your late Pastour of blessed memory hath planted you I will doe my best endeuour to water you and build you vp in the faith referring the successe and encrease vnto the blessing of the Almighty But being so well perswaded of you all and expecting all good things from so well disposed and zealous people I cease to vse further speech and I withall betake and commend you vnto the direction and protection of the Prince of Pastors the Bishop of your soules our Lord Iesus Christ who alwaies blesse and preserue you From Harewich in Essex Iune 12. 1615. Your louing and carefull Pastor THOMAS DRAXE An Alarum to the last Iudgement THE FIRST CHAPTER Containing the Preface BEFORE that wee treate and discourse of the generall Signes and Fore-runners of the Last Iudgement it shall not be impertinent in few words to shew and demonstrate the Subiect it selfe for where there is no Substance there are no Accidents and where there is no Foundation there is no House or Building
Signe is the publishing Preaching and proclaiming of the blessed Gospell in and through all the habitable and then knowne especially the Easterne world by the Ministerie of the twelue Apostles These as Christs Embassadours and like twelue Beames of the Sunne of Righteousnesse being effectually called to this heauenly Function furnished with most rare extraordinarie and miraculous gifts aboue all former Prophets and hauing a Charge and Commission with a promise annexed to Teach and Baptise all Nations and to Preach the Gospell to euery reasonable creature did accordingly performe it and sealed and confirmed it with their bloud and martyrdome so that the line of the Apostles went out into all the earth and their words vnto the end of the world Rom. 10.18 and prospered and was fruitfull And since that time he that sitteth on the White Triumphant Horse and hath a Bow in his hand and a Crowne on his Head i. the Lord Iesus and his Vicars viz. Christian Kings and Emperours haue gone forth Conquering and to Conquer Lastly the Lights Lampes Fathers and Pillars of the Primitiue Church Saint Origen Saint Ierom Saint Ambrose and others write and auow that all Nations were enlightned by the Apostles so that the Apostolicall calling and gifts being ceased and the Gospell once vniuersally hauing beene published no such solemne Legacy is the second time of vs or our Successours to be expected I. Aetiologià The Lord would hereby enlighten all Nations and by the Arme of his Gospell draw all the elect effectually vnto him For the Gospell is the power of saluation to euery one that beleeueth to the Iew first and also to the Greek This is the Golden Scepter of Christs Kingdome which when it is holden forth and by the elect touched it is the instrument of their saluation II. Aetiologià Secondly the Lord would and will haue the Preaching of the Gospell to all Nations to bee a Testimoniall at least of conuincement vnto them that they should pretend no ignorance nor haue any thing to say in their defence For they that know or at least haue sufficient meanes to know Gods will and do not embrace and execute it shall be beaten with many stripes i. their paines in hell shall bee greater then of those who neuer enioyed the meanes of saluation yet they sinning without Law shall perish without Law Question It seemeth that the Gospell hitherto hath not bene known much lesse Preached by the Apostles to the Americans and West Indies those huge and vaste Countries for there is no monument or record of any such matter and therefore the time is to come when they shall bee enlightned and receiue the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Ans. I must in this difficult point answere as distinctly so by distinction First I answere that the Apostles and Euangelists hauing taught and Preached the Gospell to the most famous knowne and populous Kingdomes Prouinces Cities and Townes it is very probable that they or their Successours did Preach the Gospell to the vnknowne obscure and most barbarous Nations such as are the Americans West Indies and North Parts of the world And what if now either driuen thitherby Tempests or forced by enemies they might in time grow barbarous and loose all knowledge of Christ Againe I deny not but that the Gospell may and shall be at length published and made knowne to the Americans if they neuer formerly heard of it for the mercy of God in Christ is of infinite extent And if the very Iesuites though arch-heretickes and the fire-brands of sedition perhaps sow some seeds of Christianity amongst them How much more purely and plainely may the English Hollanders and other Professours in time performe it Fourthly it diuers parts of Europe haue within these hundred yeares last expired since the reuealing of Antichrist and the dispersion of the mists of Poperie beene so greatly illuminated why may not specially after the generall calling and conuersion of the Iewes which wee continually expect and pray for and which shall be the Enliuing and Resurrection of the world the Americans West Indians and other Nations yea euen in the Turkes Dominions be enlightned Lastly it is sufficient to conuince the world of vnbeleefe and to leaue the Inhabitants without excuse if onely the Fame Rumor and Report yea the very Sound of the Gospell hath come vnto them For they might haue enquired trauelled and proceeded further But time and experience will cleere this doubt CHAP. V. Of a generall Apostasie from the Gospell of Christ. THE third generall Signe already past is not onely the decay and ruine of the ancient and mighty Romane Empire whereof now a name and a shadow and not the tenth part of the Demaines and Dominions remaineth that by the ouerthrow of it Anti-christ might arise preuaile and tyrannize and the Turke likewise dominere but a generall and almost vniversall Apostasie reuolt and departure of all Nations from the Gospell of Christ partly to Mahomet as we see is come to passe in the East parts of the world and partly to the Romish Anti-christ as wee see verified in the Westerne parts This Apostasie began Anno Christi 606 or there-abouts Fore-runners whereof were and foundations whereof laid long sithence those proud ambitious and erroneus Prelates that taught Iustification before God to proceed of mans workes that taught inuocation and worshipping of Angels and Saints that brought in Traditions adored Reliques immodestly and immoderately extolled single life against Gods expresse Word forbad meates and marriages defended the doctrine of Free-will in the work of our saluation brought in an infinite number of old and idle ceremonies yea ouermuch magnified the Sea and Primacie of Rome Nemo repentè fit turpissimus The Mysterie of iniquity began in the Apostles times and went on by degrees and at length the venome and poyson of false and damnable doctrine did infuse and diffuse it selfe into all the veines and vitall parts of the Church so that that of Isaiah is verified in the Romish Synagogue From the sole of the foote euen to the head there is no soundnesse in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying soares Neither ought this to seeme strange vnto vs seeing that before the Incarnation of Christ the like Apostasie befell to vs Gentiles about the yeare of the world 2455 and continued about foureteen hundred yeares and the like apostasie or reuolt happened to the tenne Tribes Anno Mundi two thousand nine hundred sixty fiue and lasted some thousand yeares For it pleased God in his iustice by leauing men to their owne wils and by sending them strong delusions to vindicate and reuenge the contempt and refusall of his holy Gospell once offered vnto them and sincerely Preached amongst them CHAP. VI. Of the reuealing and discouerie of Antichrist THe fourth generall Signe already at least in great part accomplished is the displaying and discouery of Anti-christ by the
Ministery of Gods word c. This Anti-christ Bishop or Pope of Rome is that Great Starre or Bishop that whē the third Angel sounded fell from heauen i. the Church burning viz. before his fall as it were a Lampe and fell vpon the third part of the riuers and vpon the fountaines of waters i. Corrupted and poisoned the Church and the Bishops Pastors and Ministers of it This is the Angell of the bottomelesse Pit i. came from thence and thither will returne with all his fauourites followers This is the King of the Locusts i. the Head and Prince of the Monks Friars Iesuites This is that Man of sinne i. nothing but sinne yea a Teacher and Commander of it The Sonne of Perdition i. that is damned himselfe and draweth innumerable with him to the same destruction Hee opposeth himselfe and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God i. Kings Emperours Princes and Angels that are in Scripture oftentimes styled Elohim or Gods Hee sitteth in the Temple of God i. as most Interpretors old and new expound it the Church of God because it was a true Church and is so reputed and a true Church lurketh amongst them Shewing himselfe that he is God that is not onely assumeth to himselfe the title of God viz Holinesse and so to be called but taking vpon him power to Change times Place and displace Kings Forgiue all sinnes dispense with the degrees of Marriage forbidden in Moses Law To command the Angels to allow all villany and without controule to do what he list His will standeth for a Law And forsooth the Holy Ghost dwelleth in his breast and he cannot erre viz. but damnably His Seate is the new Babylon i. Rome that is seated or was so in Saint Iohns dayes vpon seuen knowne Hils and then raigned ouer the Kings of the earth for some 250 Prouinces and Kingdomes were subiect to the Romane Emperour In a word all the Popes from Boniface the third vnto the now Pope Paulus quartus are that great Anti-christ in a continued seate succession tyrannie false doctrine and Regiment that Saint Paul and Saint Iohn so much speake of He hath bene reuealed some three hundred yeares agoe by worthy Iohn Wickliefe and others But specially and notably from Anno Christi 1517 vntill this present date 1615 by Apostolicall Martin Luther and by many most learned holy and famous Doctors Pastors in Germany France England Bohemia and other Countries and Kingdomes The light of the Gospell and the exact knowledge of the fountaine Languages hath and daily doth discouer dispell and scatter the darknesse shades mistes and cloudes of Poperie God in mercy continue and increase amongst vs the number of such worthy instruments and grant that these flying Angels may without interruption passe through the middest of this Europaean Heauen and Preach the euerlasting Gospell to all Nations Languages and People and that they may speedily and zealously embrace and retaine it Amen CHAP. VII Of the great persecutions vnder the Romane Anti christ THE fift generall Signe already at least for the most part accomplished are the great persecutions massacres murders warres poisonings rackings excommunications banishments imprisonments and all kind of cruelties against Protestant Princes Prelates Pastors Professours Churches Kingdomes Prouinces vnder the Romish Foxe Wolfe Anti-christ and his Butcher-like and bloud-sucking followers especially ouer all Europe in these last hundred yeares immediately expired Their Religion is rebellion their faith is faction their badge is bloud Rome hath been to their power yet is the Shambles and Slaughter-house of the Saints How many hundred thousands of Christians in Europe hath not that viperous and bloudy generation slaine and destroied But we see and hope that the most part of these troubles are ouer-blowne that the Church hath and shall haue a further rest and breathing time that the Papists shall be drunk in their owne bloud and Babylon shortly bee burnt with fire And admit that the Romanists for our tryall or to punish our coldnesse and remissenesse in the profession of the pure worship of God practise or attempt ought in Germany France the Low Countries or our secure England yet wee trust it is but a Lightning before death and a principall meanes to put an edge to our prayers to scowre off the drosse of our drowsinesse and to enkindle the zeale of Protestant Kings Dukes Pastors and Professours against them to their fatall and vtter ruin which the Almightie grant for Iesus Christ his beloued Sonnes sake Amen And thus much of the generall Signes of the last day perfectly fulfilled which is the first part of the Treatise The second part of the Booke touching mixt Signes in continuall motion CHAP. VIII Of the vanity corruption and manifold abuse of the creatures THE first generall mixt Signe in continuall action and motion is the vanity decay mortalitie and maruellous abuse of the creatures daily growing and preuailing vntill the consummation and end of the world The world waxeth old as a garment it and all the parts of it fade waste consume and draw toward their fatall period All things by sinfull licentious and rebellious man are abused peruerted mis-applyed against the Creators scope and the creatures desire to vnlawfull or immoderate profite and pleasure yea to reuenge and open persecution The Sunne and Moone those two great Eyes of heauen are often darkened and fearefully eclypsed and as learned Astronomers haue obserued many thousand miles neerer the earth then in times past The Planets and the other Starres like so many Candles and Spangles in the heauens are much decayed in their vertues and operations and by hurtfull effects and influences often annoy corne man beasts and plants The Aire that we breath in is oft troubled infected and consumeth into the cloudes and many frightfull and ominous fights appeare in it The Earth the common mother of vs all is many waies cursed it is sore weakned shaken eft-soones by earth-quakes the Sea oft encroacheth vpon it and marreth the beauty of it deadly dampes proceed out of it it is in many places much more barren then in former times or else aboundeth with weeds thornes and vnprofitable things The Sea ebbeth and floweth it corrodeth and eateth vpon the firme Continent roareth is tempestuous and vnquiet and drowneth both men and Ships Riuers are often dryed vp and change their channels In Plants Hearbs Trees there is not the same vigor efficacy feeding and medicinable vertue which was in times past Men are not so tall of stature not so long liued not so strong as in the daies of old They are more fraile feeble mortall and though they are more illumined more witty and learned by many degrees then in old time yet they generally are more crafty wicked mischeiuous they haue science but not so much conscience Excesse in Building and Apparell sunt aegrae Reipub. indicia that is signes of