comparison of vs that haue the light of the Gospell liued but in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death be a notable testimony against vs in the day of iudgemēt since they feared god more reuerētly serued him more willingly obeyed him more dutifully and loued him more feruently thē we Since they had more compasston vpon their pore brethren more deuotion vnto al good workes and more regard to their owne saluation then we Since they had lesse dissimulation lesse craft lesse hypocrisie lesse malice lesse couetousnesse less wickedness in their life then we Compare the great zeale of our predecessors with the colde deuotion that wee haue in these daies and we shall be ashamed of our selues The good deedes which were done by them were done simplie either for the loue they bare to God or as they tooke it for the honor of his seruice and religion or of a compassion to their poore brethren or for the safetie of their owne soules or of a zeale they bare to their parents departed or for a benefite to the Common wealth or to ease the burthen of their successors or for the furtherance of Schooles and learning or for some such other either good or wel-meaning intent But on the other side what little good soeuer we doe we doe it neither of a lone towards GOD nor of a charitable minde towards our neighbour nor of any remorse of conscience in our selues nor yet of any affection towards our natiue countrie but all that the most of vs do we do it either for vaine glorie or for pleasing of other mens humours or to bee seene and praised of men or to auoyd the clamor of the world or by compulsion and commandement or for feare of shame and punishment or by importunate sute that is made or because wee knowe not els what to do with that we haue Wherefore the former with their blind zeale and supposed good intent shall rise vp in the daie of iudgement and condemne vs for the fruitlesse ostentation and boasting of our faith If the men of Niniuie which repented at the preaching of Ionas and the Queene of the South that came so farre to heare the wisedome of Salomon shall rise in iudgement against the Iewes that would not beleeue and amend for all that could bee said vnto them by Christ and the Prophets What shall so manie Prophets and Preachers of God do against vs in that day who daily hourelie and continuallie rebuke vs for our sinnes and stirre vs vp by all meanes to amendment of our liues shewing vs that the daie of the Lord is at hand O Iesus why should we now be further from the obeying of thee than when wee were further from thee Shall the brightnes of thy presence and the light of thy blessed word which lighteneth euerie man that commeth into the world and whose propertie is to giue light and saluation to all them that will receiue the same shall it shine I saie vppon such stonie and grauelie hearts as haue no power to bring forth true repentance nor any fruites of a godlie life And shall the Deuill so preuaile against them for whom thou hast shed thy most precious bloud that sodainlie vppon the reuealing of Antichrist and sending of new Ambassadours from thee to put thinges in order against thy comming he shall turne the hearts of all men from all goodnesse and vertue to vice and crueltie alter the natures of things from better to worse bring in Schisme Atheisme Treason and all vngodlines into the worlde and make iniquitie flowe beyond measure ouer all the bankes of the earth Howbeit Lorde if this bee thy will and that by no other meanes thy holie word should bee verified namelie that wickednesse should so mightilie abound before thy comming If thy promise should on this wise bee fulfilled If thy chosen must on this manner bee tried and that this should bee one of the last tokens of thy comming wee accept all these things as Oracles sent before and wee assuredlie looke for thine owne selfe in person to followe Wherefore ye my brethren of the Church of England for whose cause specially I haue written this second warning or sound of the last Trompet beare in minde all these thinges that I haue declared vnto you Examine your owne consciences whether ye haue not tasted of the blessings of GOD in measure more aboundantlie in fauour more apparantlie in mercie more infinitlie and in signes and tokens more wonderfullie than anie nation in the world Againe consider with your selues how all these graces and mercies haue been requited of you Whether there bee anie nation of the worlde more vnthankfull for Gods benefites more forgetfull of his promises more disobedient to his commaundements more negligent in their callings more factious in practises more contentious in Religion more inclined to Treason more vncharitable in action more colde in deuotion more rash in enterprises more restlesse in vanities more greedie in getting more carelesse in spending more slowe to vertue and more forward to vice And finally more desperate to all kinde of mischiefe then commonly the people of this kingdome are Wherefore if the mercies of God did not daylie salue the deadly wounds and diseases of our soule wee should long before this time haue come to a feareful and horrible end But that the Lord doth yet spare you impute it not to your owne desert but to his great mercy That ye perish consume not in his wrath it is of his mercie That ye liue vnplagued of your enemies is of his mercie That ye loose not his Gospell and true Religion is of his mercie That we see our Elizabeth reigne in holinesse health and prosperitie is long of his mercie And yet for all this do we reiect his goodnesse discredite his promises dishonor his seruices disallowe his tokens continue in sinnes deuide the Church with Schismes and slaunder the trueth of the Gospell by our vngodlines yet for all this do ye crye Peace Peace and think that all shall go aswell with you at the last as it did at the first And consider not the mercifull patience and long suffring of the Lord how he calleth you to repentance For ye shall al dye with euerlasting destruction vnlesse ye speedily shewe foorth the fruites of repentance And the patient forbearing of temporall punishment of your bodies in this life doth breede the greater weight of perpetuall shame and damnation both of bodie and soule in the life to come Farre more easie should it bee for vs if our sinnes had not deserued greater punishement that it would please the Lord fatherlie to correct vs while wee are heere either with publicke warres plagues and famines or else with priuate sicknesse penurie imprisonment and with losse of goods and possessions if he would feede vs with the bread of teares and with the water of affliction if he would exercise vs with all kinde of miserie and so purge and trie vs as it were by fire yea
neere as I can by that order which Christ himselfe and his Apostles wel neere 1600. yeeres past haue declared in the word of God And therein I will examine how manie of those signes and tokens be past and howe manie of them doe yet remaine to be fulfilled Then will I see whither this bee not the verie time that Christ hath prescribed to returne againe or if the time be not yet full complete whither it bee not so verie neere therevnto as it is most certaine that the same shall not be long deferred Lastlie I will do my best to stirre vp the mindes of all men to repentance and to prepare themselues with all the diligence duetie they can shewe in this life to go foorth of meete with that great Prince of glorie Christ Iesus Albeit our forefathers in euerie age since the time of the Apostles had manie signes and tokens whereby euerie one might looke for the day of the Lord in that age werein he liued and the rather because Paule said in his time that the examples of the old Testamēt wer writtē for a warning vnto vs vpō whō the ends of the world were come 1. Cor. 10 11 yet because the perceiued by the wordes of Christ that there were other tokens to be performed which neither they had seene nor yet did wel cōceiue they might not so boldlie prescribe the day of the Lord to be at hand as we may now affirme it to be For although Saint Paule as I haue shewed did say that the ends of the worlde were come vpon them in his dayes yet lie bad the Thessalonians that they should not bee deceaued by anie spirit or word or letter to thinke that the day of the Lord was then at hand 2. Thess 2.2 For hee taught them that there should be first a falling away from the faith and that Antichrist should be reuealed before the comming of Christ Which things were not to bee performed within the compasse of so fewe yeeres but required a longer time and manie other matters depended thereon Now howsoeuer this prophesie of Antichrist may seeme to take a latter place in the holie Historie after some other signes and tokens of Christs comming yet if we haue regarde to the first times when the Bishop of Rome was declared to bee that Antichrist it may take the first place before al other signes accomplished after Christ his ascension Neuerthelesse if we meane so plaine perfect a reuealing of Antichrist as it shall be no lesse euident vnto al other nations of Christendome than it is now vnto vs who doe sensibly see perfectly know him to be the verie man of sinne which was prophesied before whereunto the holie Ghost had respect in putting this signe after others in the place of Mathew Marke and else where then may it be called the last signe or token of all Because as the publishing of the worde ouer all the world groweth by little and little so the perfect reuealing of Antichrist vnto all Nations is daily more and more plainely and euidently discerned thereby And in this respect the preaching of the word with the consuming of him shall end both together at the verie comming of Christ and not before because the Scripture saith that the spirit of the Lords mouth shall consume him but the brightnes of his comming shall vtterly destroy him 2. Thess 2.8 And both this and the rest of the tokens that depende on the same are most euident and vndoubted testimonies of the latter dav Wherefore I will first shew how all those thinges are performed partly in other time before but most especially in this age of ours Within which time also I will declare all the rest of the tokens of Christ comming to be in a manner fully complete When the kingdome of Christ was increased and growen to the full by preaching of the Gospel and that the Bishop of Rome began also to growe great in Italy by decaying of the Empire by the giftes and donacions of Princes then did also the same Bishop fall from true religion to superstition from the right seruice of God to false worshipping from sinceritie to hypocrisie from the rules of Gods word to the reasons decrees of men And as his greatnesse increased the Emperours power diminished so the Apostasie of that Church was the more discerned Antichrist of Rome the more reuealed and so when Rome the seate of the Empire was vtterly remoued from the temporal Magistrate and wholly inuested in the Pope and that the Pope claimed to be the vniuersall Bishop there was now nothing to hinder but that all men might discerne how farre the Church was falne from God who was very Antichrist the Author of the same Howbeit though he by this meanes shewed himself to be that Antichrist which both the Prophetes and also Christ and his Apostles had so manifestly described before hand as there can be nothing in the Scriture more plaine yet can it not be saide that Antichrist was fully reuealed till this latter age of ours both because the infinite measure of his iniquitie was neuer before fulfilled with so great power and signes and lying wonders as it hath bene now within these few ages past and also because hee made princes his ministers and vassals to see that his commaundements were obserued and his honour dignitie and power maintained and that none shoulde be so hardie as to bring his name in question or to finde fault with anie part of his superstition But when it pleased God of his infinite mercie to put into the hearts of Kings and Princes prudently to snake off his intollerable yoke from their shoulders and to send foorth preachers of his word that shoulde openly pronounce him to bee verie Antichrist and to proue it to his face out of the worde of God that he is that man of sinne foreshewed in the Scripture then it might truly be said that there was no impediment betweene him and home but that he is perfectly infallibly and expresly discouered taught knowen to be Antichrist among all them that professe the Gospel of Christ Wherefore the matter being so true as both the word of God it selfe affirmeth and the testimonies and proofes of innumerable Writers extant inuincibly cōfirmeth I need not wade anie further herein than is necessarie to induce the matter I haue in hand For this beeing true that the Apostacie of that Church drawing to an ende by preaching of of the word that all the impediments which kept Antichrist backe that he could not be so manifest to the world being remoued that Antichrist himself is now in this age of ours most euidently discyphered and that those be the principall and most apparant signes of he Lords comming whereof the rest or manie of them depend and might not be shewed till these were fulfilled we are now to see what other tokens the holy Ghost hath set downe in the word written that should be shewed
hard hearted that there is No example of temporall punishments in other no feele of Gods wrath in our selues no threatning of Gods vengance to come no remembrance of punishments past no remorse of conscience for our sinnes no promise of temporall blessings no assurance of eternall rewards neither signes in heauen aboue nor tokens in the earth beneath nor the hope of euerlasting saluatiō nor feare of perpetuall damnation that can once effectually moue vs to amend our liues and make vs to forsake the sinne that reigneth in our mortall bodies although we know die kingdome of heauen to be neuer so neere nay euen at the very doore Wherefore I feare me it will be pronounced against vs that was sometime against the vnbeleeuing cities of Iuda Woe be vnto you Christians and especiallie you that haue takē vpon you to reforme my Church and to haue my Gospell preached among you woe I say bee vnto you For if the signes and myracles that haue bin in your time and among you had bin done among the Turkes and Infidels yea among the most sauadge Indians of the world they would long since haue repented insackecloth and ashes O that wee would open the fountaines of our heart and powre in contrition into our soule O that wee had a floud of teares to bewaile the multitude of our sinnes O that we would haue but some parte of that affection towards our selues that the creatures of God haue towards vs For they mourne and lament for our sins they long for our deliuerance because of our sinnes The earth trembleth quaketh because of our sinns The Sonne and the Moone want of their light and beautie for our sinnes The Heauens powre downe floudes of destruction for our sinnes The plants and hearbes lacke their vertue and operation for our sinnes The windes goe foorth of their places the seasons of the yere keepe not their wonted course for our sinnes yea the natures of all creatures are in a manner changed for our sinnes But what shall I saye more The Angels of God doe mourne for our sins The verie soules of the righteous doe lament for our sinnes And it greeueth the spirite of God himselfe that we persist in our sinnes But all this mooueth not our senses nor yet melteth our owne heartes for our sinnes All that we speake all that we write all the labor we take is in vaine For our heart is as hard as the Adamant and our soule refuseth counsell Euerie man speaketh of the mercies of GOD Euerie man acknowledgeth his benefits Euerie man hath the word of God in his lippes Euerie man crieth Lorde Lord but no man dooth the will of his heauenlie Father Euerie man confesseth the tokens of Christ to bee come but no man prepareth him selfe his comming No man maketh attonement with his brother no man sheweth the fruites of faith no man forsaketh his wicked life no man keepeth his vessell pure and holie to the Lorde Euerie man blameth euerie man reprooueth euerie man condemneth shamefull actes in others but no man amendeth anie one sinne in himselfe O gracious GOD why shoulde thy people thus forget thee why shoulde they bee thus stiff-necked against thee why shoulde they so deepelie dissembled with thee why shoulde they make as though they beleeued thy worde when they bee so farre from reforming of their liues why should they be so rauished with earthlie delightes that perish in a moment and contemne the hauenlie ioyes which continue for euer why shoulde they bee thus distraught from the sense and feele of hapinesse to followe the delightes and pleasures of their owne fancies Shal the care of transitorie riches of this world drowne the desire of glorie in the worlde to come Shall the vglie and deceaueable lustes of sinne that breede long and bitter repentaunce preuaile aboue the beautifull contemplation of thine eternall Godhead Shall this vale of miserie wherein wee see nothing but sinne and wickednesse nothing but care and vexation of minde nothing but perilles by lande and sea at home and abroade in bedde and at boord in freedome and in bondage in pouertie in welth in honour and disgrace at all times and in all places both in life and in death bee more deepelie printed in our heart than the Kingdome of Christ wherein the bodie shall bee chaunged from corruption to immortalitie from dishonour to glorie from weakenesse to strength from a naturall bodie to a spirituall bodie wherein all paines and sorrowes shall bee vtlie vanished and all quietnesse and tranquilitie of conscience shall dwell for euermore Nay shall the affection which wee beare to father or mother or brother or sister or wife or children or landes or goods or to haue die whole earth at our becke and commaundement once seperate vs from the loue that is in Christ Iesus from the companie that wee shall haue with his holie Angells from the fellowship of all the godlie and elect people and from the continuall fruition of Gods diuine presence and Maiestie GOD forbid What is the cause then that wee so greedelie imbrace and laye holde vpon these transitorie thinges Nothing verelie but the corruption of our owne nature the following of our owne sensuall pleasures and the instigation of the diuell who laboureth now towardes the ende of the worlde more stronglie than euer to drawe all the soules that he can into damnation with himselfe of whom we to our great shame stande in seare as though Christ our Conqueror had neuer redeemed vs as though he that had once saued vs could no more defende vs. But alas why shoulde wee not continuallie and vnfainedlie praye vnto God to assist vs and with the strength of his holie spirite to defende vs from all our wicked enemies that in him by him we may haue grace to vanquish and ouercome whensoeuer we are pressed or disquieted either in bodie or minde But as concerning sinne albeit wee for our owne parts haue made such a couenant with death as whatsoeuer be said vnto vs we will not amend haue entered into such a league with hell that we will not be saued albeit we haue refused the mercie of God that calleth all men to repentance and would all men to be saued yet after we haue once receaued the knowledge of the truth and haue been baptized in the name of Christ and haue promised to liue in his true faith and feare let vs neuer so treade vnder foote the Sonne of God nor worke such despite vnto the spirit of grace that through our vngodlie and sinfull life we shoulde make the Gentiles to hate the name of Christ for our sakes and by this meanes to keepe both out selues and others too out of the kingdome of Christ Which otherwise if they saw our iust and sincere conueration answerable to the forme of our profession they would ioyne them selues vnto the bodie of Christ so magnifie his name ouer all the world Shall not the zeale of our forefathers who in
if he would humble vs as he did Nabucadonosor and make vs to eate grasse with the beastes of the field and to water vs with the deaw of heauen till our hearts were whollie turned vnto him againe rather than do fill vs so abundantlie with all manner of temporal blessings With health in our bodies plentie in our coffers ioy in our families fauour with our Princes to haue praise with priuate persons and to haue authoritie in kingdomes but therewith to bee depriued of the grace and mercie of God of Christes promised saluation and in steede of the pleasures of this life to receaue paines intollerable both of bodie and soule in the life to come Wherefore ô my bretheren remember what yee are where yee are and whether yee goe Yee are of those for whom the world was made For whome the remnant was saued in Noahs floud For whome God hath shewed a thousand miracles in Aegipt in the redde Sea and in the wildernesse For whome Christ liued so manie yeeres in this wretched world and for whome hee suffered so shamefull death vpon the Crosse Yee are the seede of Abraham and generation of the blessed Yee are of the Church and members of Christes bodie Yee are the vessells of the holie Ghost if yee liue holilie and vnblameablie And ye are of them to whom the promise of euerlasting life was made Remember also that yee are in this transitorie world a place so latelie made which shall so shortlie perish wherein there is nothing but lustes of the fresh lustes of the eyes and pride of life Remember that a thousande yeeres with the Lorde are but as one day and that all your whole life is not one hower of such a day Remember that yee are in a place full of miseries cares and troubles among a crooked and peruerse generation among a people that haue solde them selues to commit wickednesse and that with all greedie desire That a mans dayes passe awaie like a shaddowe and his yeeres like vanitie That though he be the mightiest Prince Monarch of the world yet when age infirmities creepe vpon him he desireth to be losed from the burthen of this flesh Againe remember the place whereunto yee shall tende For yee are heere but pilgrimes and straungers for a little season And as manie of you as are Christes must home to your owne Countrey of Heauen A place of libertie a place of felicitie a place of euerlasting pleasure Where time shall be no more time where night and darkenesse shall be banished where yee shall neither hunger nor thirst where yee shall neither lust nor desire where it is vnpossible yee shoulde die anie more where the Lorde him selfe shall bee your foode and portion and the light of your countenaunce where the measure of your ioyes shall be full and where ye shall liue in pleasure and felicitie for euermore But on the other side as manie of you as are called Christians and are not of the flocke of Christ as manie as refuse this saluation offered you in not beleeuing as you ought and liuing as you should As manie of you as trust not whollie to be saued by the merite of Christ Iesus but iustifie your selues by your owne workes Naie all you that boast of your faith in Christ and yet mortifie not your carnall members nor walke in the steppes of his commaundements As many as make Christ Iesus but a straunger to you and seeke for other Mediatours than his owne selfe As manie as frame vnto the Church a monsterous head vpon the earth besides our owne mercifull head Christ Iesus in heauen As manie as will make the decrees of mans corrupt iudgement equall with the most holie and sacred word of GOD As manie as refuse to laie holde on Christ by faith and runne for helpe vnto Images and dumme Idolls As manie as frustrate the benefites of Christes death by redeeming their sinnes with monie and pardons As manie as thinke to obtaine their requestes by a set number of verball prayers without any earnest meditation of the merite and promise of Christ As manie as prophane that glorious bodie of Christ Iesus by worshipping of any creature for and in the name of him and so cut off the hand of faith whereby we hold fast by him as he sitteth on the right hand of his Father Briefly as many as know that God must be worshipped in spirit and trueth and yet will cleaue to the apish toyes and foolish superstitions of Antichrist Finally as many as walke after their owne waies and not as the Lord himselfe hath commaunded in his holie worde All these must likewise home to their countrie a place of torment a place of eternal trouble a cruell and terrible habitation continuallie to bee vexed with burning fire and most intollerable heate mingled neuerthelesse with palpable darknes not for a time and season but perpetuallie and for euer there to remaine vnder the dominion of Lucifer and his Angels whose workes they followed and whose commaundements they obeyed Wherfore if there yet remaine in you any sparke of godlinesse anie loue of Religion anie dutie towards God anie hope of the resurrection to come anie desire of saluation anie feare of damnation if all faith all conscience all goodnesse and all religion be not quite extinguished reuiue your mindes lifte vp your hearts ascend vnto Christ by faith Set your affection vpon things aboue and not vpon thinges beneath Cast away all vaine and idle cogitations reforme your liues forsake your sins returne no more to your filthie pleasures giue ouer your superfluous vanities cleanse your selues from all vngodlinesse as you haue hetherto giuen ouer your members to serue vncleannesse so make them now to be seruants vnto righteousnesse Crucifie the olde man in you that the bodie of sinne may be vtterly destroyed Come out from Babylon and be no more partaker of her wickednesse touch no more vncleannesse and the Lord will receiue you Euery one of you abound in charitie one towards another euen as Christ hath loued you and hath giuen himselfe for you Be renewed in the spirite of your minde and put on the newe man which is shapen in holinesse and righteousnesse Examine your selues whether you be in the faith and knowe for certaintie that Christ is in you except ye bee reprobates Clense your hearts from all filthines and sinne and go forth to meet with the Bridegrome So shall all your former sinnes be wiped out of his remembrance Ye shal be his people and he wil be your God He will seperate you from the wicked and set you on his right hand He will protect you in this life from al your enemies and in the life to come will giue you a kingdome of euerlasting happinesse Come therfore Lord Iesus Come quicklie for the saluation of thy chosen and gladnes of thy people FINIS
was not yet perfourmed wee beleeue not when all the prophesies deliuered to vs in the Scriptures bee alreadie fulfilled They grudged and wauered when they were wandering in the desolate wildernesse wanting many pleasures and delights of this deceiuing life wee mistrust though we now be in a delightfull and pleasant land and abound in all worldlie comforts that can be deuised for man They misdoubted the first comming of Messias because the words proceded frō the mouths of men but manie of vs beleeue not his second comming though he himselfe haue absolutely promised and shewed the tokens of the same by his owne holy word And so iniquitie and incredulitie abound this day beyond all the ages and times of the worlde Wherefore the Lord must of necessitie come to deliuer his people from the intollerable burden thereof Againe was not the disobedience and murmuring of Israel against God and against Moses his Lieutenant so incomparable great as the earth opened and swallowed vp the principall leaders of that conspiracie and all their habitations and families Yea so angrie was the Lord with this sinne that had it not been for Moses sake hee woulde then haue dispatched the whole generation of them from the face of the earth But if we will but looke into the Christianitie see what disobedience there is to the commandementes of God what continuall murmuringes against him what daylie discontentments with the blessings that he sendeth what rebellions conspiracies and seditions against the Princes which be his Lieutenaunts yea what treasons trecheries against the royall person of their Souereignes Nay what banding there is against Christ his Church to roote out both him and his holie word that neither of them should haue anie more being in the world wee shall finde that the burden of iniquitie is at this day so exceeding heauie as the foundations of the world being so farre out of course must needs fall to ruine and desolation Moreouer within what age and memorie of man is is knowen in what writings ethnicke or christian hath it bene founde nay by what place of Scripture can it be prooued especiallie since the former destruction of the world by waters that the sinne of lust fornication did so generally inuade the whole world as it doth at this present daye What sinne doeth so speedely procure the displeasure of God the destruction of the vngodly and the finall ende of all thinges by fier as doth the flame of lust and concupisence But what needeth mee to recite the greatnesse of this sinne when the vengeance and punishments that God hath brought and daily doth bring vpon fornicatours and adulterers both among Infidels and Christians in euerie age and in all families and kingdomes doth euidently shew the same And albeit we knowe that for this sinne specially God burned vp the cities of Sodome and Gomorrhe into ashes that he slewe in one day three or foure and twentie thousand Isaclites for committing that abhomination with the daughters of Moab albeit I say we know that this sinne so sore displeaseth our God impaireth our credite wasteth our goods weakneth our bodies dulleth our memories tormenteth our mindes and worketh al manner of woe both to soule and bodie in this life and keepeth vs frō inheriting of euerlasting life in the world to come yet doe we in this age take such vile and filthie pleasure therein as we exceede all the abhomination of Sodom and therein the world may seeme to match all the Generations that haue gone before vs. And the greatest cause why God hath not yet powred vpon vs the same or greater vengeance than he did vpon our forefathers is because hee hath nowe but a short time of patience and then commeth the day of vengeance For he hath alreadie sounded his Trumpet vnto iudgement he hath signified by his prophets he hath pronounced by his Preachers hee hath published by his signes and tokens and hee hath opened plainelie by the word of his promise that hee commeth speedelie like a Lion vpon his enemies and to reward with destruction and vengeance all them that worke wickednesse But I am ashamed to speake of the loathsome and horrible sinne of drunkennesse and surfetting For although there be diuers other sinnes wherein for the vilenesse of them men may be compared with brute beasts yet in this sinne men without all comparison excell all beasts and liuing creatures in the world For beasts being voide of all reason yet doe they knowe what is necessarie and sufficient for them and therefore doe they rarelie or neuer take anie more sustenaunce than is meete for their health although they haue neuer so great plentie ministred vnto them But man that is indued with reason and speech the two principall things whereby he is discerned from other beasts and whereby he hath the dominion of them during the time that he is occupied in the sinne of drunkennesse he is not onelie depriued of that excellent knowledge and gouernment that God hath giuen him aboue other creatures but while his head is ouercharged with wine he hath neither the power of vnderstanding nor the sense of feeling that other beasts haue O most horrible and cruell sinne O monstrous disease of the flesh howe easelie mightest thou be lefte what little neede hath man of thee and yet what dangerous and deadlie enormities dost thou bring vpon him both against himselfe against his neighbour against the Commonweale and against the commaundements of our gracious God He that is ouerloden with wine and strong drinke foultreth in his speech reeleth too fro falleth on the ground or tumbleth into the ditch the world goeth round about him shame doth not lay holde on him but others are ashamed for him The presence of persons doth not feare him euerie man scorneth him euerie man shunneth him euerie man derideth him but nothing doth greeue him Againe he whose head is not so deepelie drowned in drinke but is ouer merie therewith hath fraighted his bodie and pampered his bellie as well with meate as drinke how slow is he to all vertue how prone is he to al kind of mischiefe Pouertie woe strife sorowe bralling and wounds without a cause followe them that delight in wine and delicate fare And Prou. 21 Prou. 13. Through gluttonie commeth sickenesse and by surfetting death O that men woulde also weight the greatnesse of this sinne by cōsidering the mischiefs that it bringeth For besides that it destroyeth the health of the bodie and shorteneth mans life it also alienateth the minde prouoketh anger stirreth vp lusts consumeth riches discouereth secrets peruerteth iudgement it causeth sloth in the bodie dulnesse in wit weaknesse in the memorie and vnwillingnesse to euerie good action The abundaunce that is consumed by this one onelie vice woulde supply all the wantes in the Common weale The forbearing of one meale within this kingdome of all the people but once in a yere would feed a mightie Armie a whole moneth The sparing of
one dish but once in a day of them that haue manie dainties at their table woulde satisfie the poore that lie in miserie at their gate The superfluitie of fare that is spent in one dayes interteinment would giue reliefe to all that be lame and impotent The monie that is spent in strong and needlesse drinke would pay all the duties that belong to a Prince Neuerthelesse so vile and corrupt is the nature of man so desperately doeth hee runne into his owne fleshly desires that though hee knewe his poore and needie brother shoulde perish for want that his Countrie and Common weale should be in distresse nay that his own life should lye vpon the abstinence of one meale or forbearing of one match at drinking he would not leaue his greedie appetite Although men at this day are ashamed to see such beastlinesse in others Albeit they are greeued when they heare of the drunkennesse of Noah when his two sonnes couered him of Lot when he lay with his own daughters Although they know that death was pronounced against Aaron Leuit. 10. if he dronke wine or strong drink Gen. 25. That Esau lost his birth-right for the greedinesse of a messe of potage That Balthazar in his dronkennesse sawe a finger vpon the wall Dan 5. that wrote the finall ende both of him and his kingdome and that the drunken banquet of Benadab 4. King 20. was the destruction 32. Kings with all their Armie Albeit that wo is pronounced to them Esay 5. that rise vp early to follow dronkennesse that wine maketh a man scornfull and vnquiet Pro 20. Ezech. 16. Gal. 5. that fulnesse of meate was one of the great causes why Sodom was destroyed and finally that no drunkard nor glutton shall inherite the kingdome of heauen yet are not men by al these warnings moued yet doe they follow the wickednesse thereof and that with more greedinesse than euer before All their felicitie is in banqueting all their pleasure is in drinking all their delight is in their belly all the pastime of their life is in gluttonie good cheere Esay 22.13 Come say they let vs eate and drinke and bee merie for to morrow we shall die Nothing at this day but eating nothing but drinking nothing but powring in of cups from morning to night and from night to morning and so al their life long without respect of time or place or holie dya or Sabboth day without feare of lawes without feare of life without feare of God and without feare of damnation or any hope of saluation Wherefore this vice beeing greater than euer requireth a greater vengeance and speedier comming vnto iudgement than euer But I tremble at this day with horrour and greefe when I heare the name of the Lorde to bee so commonly and continually taken in vayne and to bee dishonored in euery corner For wheras we are straightly charged that we should not sweare neither by heauen nor by the earth nor by any other othe so wicked and peruerse is the nature of man so crosse and contratie to the will and commaundement of God so vntoward to that he should and so readie to that hee should not that whatsoeuer he is most forbidden that doth he most insue If there bee any corner whereinto he may start from the impunitie of mans lawe thether doth he runne headlong without regarde of any diuine prohibition and without feare of Gods terrible iudgement and condemnation And for this cause where a publike weale hath made no expresse lawe for the punishment of swearing there men make no conscience of any othe in the world there heauen and earth is no othe with them there the creatures of God are nothing with them there the Lord of hoasts is nothing with them the name of his blessed Sonne is nothing with them nay all the precious members of our Sauiour that suffered for vs are too little for them to bee a testimonie of all their vntruthes of all their vilanies of all their abhominations that they worke in the worlde But if they promise or vowe any thing which they haue any minde to perfourme or if they would iustifie themselues in any thing wherein their conscience cleereth them that will they affirme by that little trueth and faith which they haue But if they be stirred vp vnto furie if their bloud be warmed with surfeting and drunkennesse if they be greedie of reuenge agaynst such as haue offended them if they promise to meete vpon any wicked enterprise if it be for the sauing of a small penie in their purse or for defence of their credite in a playne vntruth in euery trifling matter in euery vayne enterprise in euery idle game and communication and action that will they confirme with the most vehement and mightie othes that they can deuise The blessed and diuine soule of Christ the precious and deere bloud of the Lambe immaculat and all the glorious and excellent members of Christ nay be Maiestie of Christ and of the Father himselfe are nothing in their vile and vnpurre lippes This I say is the naughtie nature of man to bee euer contrarie to the commaundements of God If GOD had commaunded vs that whatsoeuer wee promise or affirme or answere or iustifie in this life wee should call heauen and earth to record or his creatures or himselfe or some of his bodily members we should neuer haue heard an othe in this worlde But because hee forbad vs all these thinges and that our affirmation should bee nothing but yea and nay therefore wee most impudentlie abuse all his creatures and most shamefully blaspheme the name of GOD in all our wordes in all our affirmations iustifications and actions and therfore shall all these bee a testimonie agaynst vs in the day of iudgement Looke well vnto it therfore ye that be these luftie and wilfull swearers in the world ye that call the Lorde of hostes so often to witnesse with your vntruths and vanities bee yee sure that the Lorde is not deafe but doth heare you hee hath registred written vp all the idle words that ye haue spoken in your banqueting in your surfetings in your gaming 's and in al the loose and lewd behauiour of your liues hee hath written in the face of euerie creature all the testimonies that ye called them to witnesse with you much more shall yee finde printed in his presence nay yee shall haue it engrauen both in your owne conscience and in the Maiestie of his person all the wilfull and rash othes wherby ye haue called him to record and vnlesse you speedely repent you in this life and cease for euer to blaspheme the name of God as yee haue done yee shall shortly come before the supreme Iudge where it shall be so hardly layd to your charge as ye shal wish that the mountaines might couer you and the earth shadow you from the presence of God whom you haue so highly displeased For the horrible sinne
that was attributed vnto men and Saincts departed out of this life If he haue reuealed that man of sinne that taketh the whole office of Christ vpon him If he haue sent all the plagues and famines and earthquakes that his wisedome and counsell deuised best for the fatherly correction of his people before the iudgement If nations and kingdomes which are either enemies to his Gospell or straungers from his Church haue banded themselues against the Lord and against the generation of the godlie If the father haue been against the sonne and the mother against the daughter and brother against brother for the name of Christ If many false Prophets haue come in the name of Christ taught the people shameful forgeries when the Lord neuer sent them If men betray one another and hate and persecute one another for their conscience sake If iniquitie be so filled vp with the measure of it selfe as it can hardly bee any more augmented Finally if the preaching of the Gospell be at this day carried from one kingdome to another welneere vnto the ende of the world and all these things to be the tokens of Christes comming And if so manie straunge thinges haue happened besides in these our daies that haue not done the like in manie ages before and all these in the Church and concerning the Church and most agreeable to the time of Christes owne prophesie Then is the second warning of the Trompet sounded vnto iudgement It is high time therefore to awake out of sleepe and to slumber no more in the cogitations of vngodlinesse It is time that wee should cast off the cares of this life and make our selues readie for the daie of the Lord It is time yea more then time that wee should cast away the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light It is time that wee should laie awaie all filthinesse and sinne for now is our saluation neerer then when wee first beleeued The axe is now put to the roote of the tree that euen now wee must either bring foorth fruite or els bee cut downe and cast into the fire Behold now is the acceptable time now is the daie of saluation now will the Lorde shewe himselfe a mightie GOD and his name shall be magnified in all the world He came at the first and wee knewe him not beholde he commeth againe and all men shall knowe him he came before simplie to take our nature vpon him and to dye for our sinnes but he cōmeth againe as a conquerour to be reuenged of his enemies and as a bountifull Prince to reward his Subiects He came into the world which he himselfe had made but the world would not receiue him because it was not worthv of him Wherfore hauing wrought the work of our redemption he ascēded vp vnto his Father where by his holie spirit he hath gouerned kept and preserued his Church one thousand and well neere sixe hundred yeares and now he commeth in his own person to call all men to an accompt and to cite all men to his Iudgement and those that haue vsed their talents well in this life shall be sure of an eternall reward in his kingdome Math. 25. but if they haue been negligent and vnprofitable seruants and without care of the Lords comming he will cast them into the vttermost darknes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth There shall be no Lord no King no Emperour nor Pope vpon the earth that shall bee exempt from this Iudgement Can any Prince or Magistrate of the world compare himselfe in brightnes and glorie vnto Lucifer that glorious Angell yet he might not escape the iudgement of GOD but the higher he was in glorie the greater was the shame of his fall Remember therefore O ye Christian Princes and Magistrates and ye that haue charge and rule of Gods people whom God hath made his Liutenants generall within your owne dominions remember that the Lord is comming and will call you to an accompt before the throne of his Iudgement The greater your Kingdomes and Territories be the greater is the reckoning that he requireth of you and the more absolute you bee in commaunding all the more are you bound to giue an accompt for Ye are the Caesars to whom Paule appealed from you lieth no appeale to anie superior in this life As the Lord hath deliuered vnto your custodie the greatest number of Talents so he looketh to reape at your hands the greatest gaines It pitieth me to temember the woful and greeuous state of all mortall men in this miserable life the desperate and dangerous case wherein they liue the often and imminent perills that they fall into the manifold temptations vexations and disquietnes of mind that they are brought into the continuall inticements of the flesh and the diuell that they enter into besides the rash and furious and vngodlie actions that they desperatelie runne into That when they shall shortlie stand before the Tribunall seate and their owne conscience iustlie accusing them thereof there shal be no wisedome no policie no counsell no eloquence of the tongue that can excuse or satisfie the least offence of this life This is the generall state of all mankinde But alas for griefe that Princes should both nowe and then also before the Iudgement seate be in more wofull case than all other persons and subiects of this mortall life That they should bee in greater daunger than all men liuing that they shoulde bee subiect to more miscarying and mishaps than all men liuing that they shoulde haue more vexations disquietnesse and cares of minde than all men liuing that temptations of the flesh that prouocations vnto lust and desire of pleasures shoulde take more holde of them than of all men liuing and that the way vnto all vngodlie actions should be more open vnto them than to all men liuing And of all these thinges must they shortlie yeelde an account together with all men liuing And yet beholde when the Awdit is ended for this a Quietus est for all matters concerning themselues there is a new inditement framed against them wherein they must bee called to an other reckoning Then shall the Register of all their gouernement bee read before them then will it be seene whether they haue ministred Iustice vnto their people That is to say Whether they haue hearde the fatherlesse and oppressed when they haue cried vnto them Whether they haue taken notice of such appeales as haue ben made vnto them Whether they haue punished vngodlie and corrupt Iudges which solde their subiectes for siluer and the righteous for a poore rewarde Whether they haue spared the innocent bloud and not pardoned them that runne on still in wickednesse Whether in all their publique enterprises they haue respected the glorie of GOD more than their owne commodities Whether they haue nursed protected and defended the Churche of GOD to the vttermost of their power Whether they haue preserued it from all heresies errours
schismes and corruptions Whether they haue punished those Rulers of the Churche that cause the trueth of GOD to bee euill spoken of for their vngodlinesse Finallie whether in all their actions both at home and abroade priuate and publique in the Churche and Common-weale they haue done all thinges with a faithfull and sinceere heart and with the testimonie of a pure and good conscience Which if they haue they shal be coheires with Christ and shall reigne with him in glorie and felicitie for euermore otherwise they shall stande among the guiltie sinners receaue iudgement of condemnation according to their merites Next vnto Kinges and absolute Princes must come to a reckoning before the chiefe Iudge Christ Iesus the Gouernours of the Churche and Rulers of Prouinces and particular places to whome the Prince for his owne discharge hath committed his authoritie to see that GOD bee truelie serued and Iustice among his subiectes duelie executed And therefore yee my reuerent Fathers of the Churche yee whose office it is both to teach and feede and gouerne the Churche vnder your charge Christ will shortlie call you to a straight accompt First whether yee came into your office by a plaine and direct waye or els stole into it by some corrupt and sinister meanes Whether yee desired the office of a Bishop for the goodnesse of the worke or for the gayne and profite of the liuing Whether yee set before your eyes the benefite of the Church and aduancement of the Gospell more than the honour and dignitie that is attributed vnto your calling The seconde Article wherein yee must trie your selues before the Supreame Bishoppe is Whether you haue indeuoured as farre as in you lyeth to cleanse the whole Church vnder you of all vngodlie worship worshippers in the same And whether ye haue been carefull to appease al schismes and controuersies to the vttermost of your power whether yee haue sincerelie and diligentlie preached Christ as hee hath prescribed in his holie word whether yee haue weeded out of your whole gouernments all infamous vngodlie schismaticall yea and as much as in you lieth all vnlearned Pastors which either by their wicked examples offend corrupt and marre their flocke or els be altogether carelesse and negligent of them whether ye haue executed all the censures of the Church with a faithfull and single heart hand without all fauour and corruption for the aduauncement of the glorie of God and edifieng of die whole congregation Item whether you haue remooued or reformed all such your Commissaries and other meane officers if anie such you haue that by their corrupt and auaritious proceedings haue caused the most iust most holie and most pure religion of Christ to bee blasphemed and hated among the enemies of the Gospell and haue giuen so great an offence to the rest of the Church as manie haue runne into greeuous schismes and verie damnable opinions by reason of the same Likewise in all iust appeales made vnto you whether you haue in charitie and conscience indeuoured with all care and diligence to reforme all things that haue been wronged by your inferiour officers Finally whether ye haue fed the hungrie clothed the naked and lodged the harborlesse and whether to the proportion of your liuing ye haue been as liberall to the poore and impotent members of Christ as carefull to aduaunce your selues and yours with worldly riches and honors And thus whether yee haue in all thinges indeuoured to the vttermost of your power both by your sound doctrine by example of your owne life and by your faithfull and vpright gouernment to walke worthie of your vocation and haue kept the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace In al these things shall ye shortlie be examined and tried before the triumphant Iudge Christ Iesus Againe ye that bee the gouernours of Prouinces and all other Iudges and great officers vpon whom dependeth either the liues or the goods or the causes of other Subiects albeit the most of you haue long time escaped the temporall sword yet shall you not now escape the last iudgement of God For the bloud of the fatherles and widdowes haue cryed vp to the Lord of hoasts and he commeth to take an account of your vngodlie and vncharitable iudgements Shall not your owne consciences in that day accuse you as much as a thousand witnesses that you fled from iudgement and peruerted equitie That ye build vp Syon with bloud Malach 3. and Ierusalem with wickednesse That ye heads haue iudged for reward and that ye Priestes haue taught for hier and ye Prophets haue prophesied for monie That ye haue contemned the low estate of the poore feared to execute Iustice against the mightie That ye haue often preuented the trueth of the cause by a contrarie impression and conceipt in your minde That ye haue been more carried with the faire intisement of mans eloquence than with a plaine and simple declaration of the trueth That ye haue either stayed your iudgement by letters or wearied your suters by charges or consumed them by delayes or discouraged them by your speeches or mocked them by your vanities or driuen them to dispaire by your iniustice Finally that ye haue not onlie seene the bribing and extortion and scraping of pettie clarkes and inferiour ministers which ye might haue redressed but that ye your selues also haue bin partakers of their sinnes Shall not all these things bee layd open before your eyes in that great and terrible daie Generally all ye that be rich abound with goods and possessions in this life leaue off the greedie desire of monie and dispose well of the riches that ye haue Make ye friends while ye maie of your vnrighteous Mammon that ye be not taken short when the Lord commeth For he is speedilie comming and will take a straight account of all you that haue abused your stewardshippes and haue not bin faithfull in that was committed vnto you He hath sounded his Trompet now this second time and hath giuen you a lawfull warning he hath tolde you often before and he telleth you now againe at the last that you heape not vnto your selues treasure vpon the earth where the Canker and rust do corrupt theeues breake in steale That if riches increase you should not set your heart vpon them Psal 62. That riches helpe not in the day of vengeance and he which trusteth in them shall haue a horrible fall That though ye thinke Psal 49. that your dwelling places shall continue for euer yet ye shall dye and leaue your riches to others That because thou hast trusted in thine owne treasure therefore thou and thy Princes and Priestes shall be carried into captiuitie That he which stoppeth his eare frō the crye of the poore Prou. 21. he shall crye himselfe and not bee heard That the deceiptfulnes of riches choketh vp the word of GOD I am 5. and maketh it vnfruitfull 1. Timot. 6. That we should
not trust in the vncertaintie of riches Psal 112. but in the true and liuing God That he which disperseth his goods and giueth to the poore his righteousnesse shall remaine for euer That blessed are the rich which be found without blemish and haue not put any trust in monie and riches And a thousand such other profitable warnings and promises hath he giuen you But ye haue hardned your hearts and thinke that ye shall neuer come to an account how ye haue bestowed them Werefore the Canker and rust of them yea the vayne and friuolous bestowing of theÌ„ without profite to your neighbour or benefite to the Church or Common weale shall be a witnes against you at the day of Iudgement Yea the supreme Iudge himselfe all the holie Angells elect of God shall testifie against you nay your owne conscience shall accuse you when you see before your eyes those whom ye despised and oppressed And the Lord himselfe in that daie shall saie vnto you you are they vpon whom I bestowed so many benefites wheÌ„ as I might haue giuen them vnto others farre more worthie then you I made you stewards of my treasures to dispose them as might bee most agreeable to mine owne honor for the reliefe of your poore brethren which are members of my bodie whome ye sometime derided and iested at and thought their life to be but madnes Wis 5. and their end to be without honor But now ye see that I haue chosen them before you and made them heires of my saluation You in this life had aboundance of all good things but because ye vsed not those things as I had commaunded you but abused them to your owne lustes I testifie against you that the poore which before time indured al the penurie and miserie of this life shall now possesse the inheritance of my kingdome and ye shall bee turned out They in stead of the cold hunger nakednesse and trouble which they suffered vpon the earth shall now inioy all honor glorie pleasure and felicitie for euermore But ye which exalted your selues in the pride of your riches and dreamed of no other happines but temporall honors and treasures of the earth ye shall now from henceforth feele nothing but euerlasting paines and griefes in hell and bee tormented with the deuill and his Angels Ye see the poore continuallie before you in the streates the maymed and miserable go from doore to doore the impotent Lazars lye at your gates the poore farherlesse children and widdowes in continuall want They desire but the scraps that fall from your table you shut you cares against them and in the distresse of their soule they crie vnto God and shall not God deliuer them in the time of their trouble and call you to an account for them in the day of Iudgement O vnkinde and vngratefull nature of man beyond all the creatures that God hath made The birdes of the aire that be lame or olde or not able to seeke foode are fed by the labour of other birds The wilde beasts that be sicke and impotent to take anie pray of themselues are fedde by the pray of others But shal men so degenerate from their own nature and from the kind and nature of al other beasts of the fielde that hauing ouer and aboue that which should susteine themselues and their familie they wil not feede the hungrie nor cloath the naked nor helpe the maymed and impotent Wherefore those beasts and foules of the aire shal rise in the day of iudgement against them nay al the creatures of God that are obedient vnto man serue for his life and sustenaunce shal be a witnesse against them in that woful dreadfull day of the Lord. Neither shall those rich whether they bee men or women escape the iudgement of God which gathering to themselues abundance of treasure deferre all their good deeds til the time of their death determine then to dispose all things after a good and charitable manner seeing for the most part either their life is so dainlie taken from them before they haue set all in order Or while they liue they are spoyled of that they haue Or else some other mischaunce commeth after their death that things cannot be disposed according to their will But especiallie since in the meane time they haue suffred manie Christian soules to perish for lacke of their helpe Againe what thanke is it to them to be liberal then when they must of necessitie leaue their riches vnto others and cannot vse the same anie more themselues Neither wil the Iudge in that day so straightlie inquire how they bestowed the riches which they had at their death as he will examine whether they did the workes of charitie in their life Namelie Whether they had pitie on the fatherles children widowes when they cried vnto them Whether they helped the lame and blinde and impotent that were not able to shifte for themselues Whether they gaue fuel and clothes to them that were cold and naked Whether they releeued poore prisoners when the yron entered into their soules Whether they gaue Phisicke to the sicke and surgerie the wounded Whether they lent their monie freelie without hope of gaine Whether they eased the common burden of the poore in time of famine Whether they helped their Countrie and Common weale in time of necessitie Whether they ministred vnto the Saintes in their aduersitie Whether they put their helping hand to the vpholding of Religion And finallie Whether they did all these things with a single eye and faithfull heart not to be seene of men but for pure loue to Christ his members And then if they haue anie thing lefte at their death to be spared from their owne familie let them bestow the same in such wise as may most tend to the glorie of God to the edifieng of the Church and benefite of the Common weale And God shall restore them a thousand folde in the life to come But if they sawe all those necessities of their brethren and did shut vp their compassion from them and thought all too little for themselues while they liued all the good deedes at their death shall not be imputed one iot vnto them but they shal haue their poâ—tioÌ„ with hipocrites where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth For they that haue shewed no mercie vnto others shall haue iudgement without mercie to them selues Generallie there is no estate nor degree of person whatsoeuer in this life that shal escape froÌ„ this iudgement but all shall appeare before the seate of GOD and they that haue not walked with an vpright and sincere heart before him nor haue beleeued effectuallie nor liued fruitefullie in Iesus Christ wherby their sinnes might not be imputed to them shall aunswere before him not onelie for all the actuall sinnes that they haue coÌ„mitted against God against their neighbor and against their owne soules but they shall also yeelde an account for euerie idle and
vaine worde that they haue spent all the time of their life and so to receaue iudgement for the same Thus are all mortall men and women cyted to appeare before the Iudgement seate of God to aunswere for themselues There shall then be no excepting of persons before him but Emperors Kings and Princes their subiects seruaunts and vassals all both Magistrates and people the highest Prelates and poorest Ministers Lords and tenants masters and seruants parents and children olde and young one with another shall all stand before the face of the Lorde to receiue their iudgement and either for their vngodlinesse to be accused and condemned or else hauing walked with a perfect heart before him they shal bee iustified and saued by the death and redemption of Christ Wherefore seing al these things shall thus happen that shortly how sodainly we know not and seing the day of the Lord wil steale vpō vs like a theefe in the night 2. Pet 3. when the hauens shall passe away and the earth and al the workes therein shal be vtterly burned with fire seeing we shall immediately be caried away vnto iudgement and seeing the Lord is not slacke but will speedelie come as he hath promised what manner of persons ought we to be in holinesse and godly conuersation How ought we to purge our liues from the dead and damnable workes of this world to serue the true and liuing God Howe well furnished ought we to be at all houres with all the armour of God that nothing but truth may proceede out of our mouths That all our actions bee defended by iustice and vpright dealing That wee may treade all our steppes in the Gospell of peace That we may haue a strong faith to withstand the deuill and all the temptations of this life That wee relie whollie vppon the saluation of Christ and that the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs wherewith we being indued we shall be readie at euery instant to meete the Lord when he commeth in the clowdes with power and great glorie But what shall the Lord say to them that bee so carelesse and negligent as they will not watch one small time in praier and meditation for his comming Shall they not in that great day be accused of the greatest vnfaithfulnes in the world Yea shall they not bee condemned of foule and beastlie ingratitude when for the pure loue that he beareth to vs he hath so sensiblie before hand shewed vs of all these things that haue happened and hath willed vs to watch and bee readie with our Lampes burning because the Sonne of man will come at such an houre as we knowe not O vngratefull and faithlesse generation maie he saie it repenteth me that I haue been so kinde and louing to you and that I haue bestowed vpon you so large and ample benefites when ye were dead in the burthen of your sinnes and were in thraldome of the deuill and of all your mortall enernies and had no other waie to be relieued but by me I humbled my selfe from the throne of my Maiestie and tooke your nature vpon me I came not as I might haue done like a great Prince and Monarch of this world but was content to abase my selfe to be borne of a poore woman to bee brought vp like a poore childe to walke in the forme of a poore seruant and to liue poorely from the daie of my birth to the daie of my death I indured nakednesse and cold and hunger for your sakes yea thirtie yeares together and vpward did I abide all the calamities of this life for your sakes I submitted my selfe to the lawe of man and obserued euerie iot and title of the same for your sakes I fasted fourtie daies and fourtie nights for your sakes I wrought great miracles and wonders in the world for your sakes And when the time of my passion was come I sweate water and bloud for your sakes I was scourged buffetted and beaten for your sakes I abode a crowne of sharpe thornes vpon my head for your sakes I indured spitting railing and despightfull words against my selfe for your sakes And in the ende I suffered amost shamefull and cruell death vppon the Crosse for your sakes For you and your saluation haue I done all this and yet ye will not beleeue the signes that I haue shewed nor prepare your selues to watch for my comming Therefore I will come so sodainlie vppon you as it shall be too late for you to repent and whome I finde not watching and prepared for me him will I cast into the vttermost darkenes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Wherefore my deare brethren in Christ when we haue diligentlie weighed and considered these things how iustlie how innocentlie and how purelie ought wee to shewe our selues in all the whole course of our liues looking daylie and hourelie for the appearing of our Sauiour that we maie be blamelesse in the daie of his cōming It is for our learning edifying that al the holie Scriptures are written that all the teaching instructiōs warnings therin are giuē that all the miracles of God from the beginning haue been shewed that all the examples of our forefathers haue been published that God from the beginning was so mindfull of our redemption that he sent his owne Sonne for our saluation It is we that he hath been so carefull to preserue so many ages together in the middest of so many crooked and peruerse nations from the hands of so many cruell bloudie tyrants Who were preserued in the Arke from the first destruction of the world by waters but we Who were saued from death in the great famine of Egipt and countries adioyning but we Who were deliuered from Pharao from the inhabitants of Chanaan and from manie other nations with a mightie and stretched out arme but we Who were preserued in the great and horrible persecutions of the Primitiue Church from being vtterly consumed of tyrants but we Who were safelie kept by God as the apple of his owne eye in so great and generall Apostacie of the Church but we Who were againe deliuered by God from the power of Antichrist and were indued with the knowledge of his truth but we Nay who haue receiued so many tokens of the end of the world warnings of Christes comming as we For the heathen haue no knowledge of his lawes And they that bee straungers from Christ feare not his iudgements And all they which sinned without law shall perish without law Againe if iudgement begin first with the house of God what shall become of them that beleeue not the Gospell Why do not wee then with all faithfulnesse and willng heart receiue all these Oracles sent vs by God Why doe wee not thankfully accept his benefites Why do we not beleeue his promises Why do wee not prepare our selues for his iudgements Why doe we not weepe and bewaile and lament for our sinnes Why are we so stonie and
him can no more be remoued out of his seate than euer the vngodly seede of Antichrist are so offended therewith as they betray into wicked hands their owne countrimen their kinred and acquaintance yea they hate their own brethren seek their destruction And this did Christ foreshewe to happen in the ende of the world Fiftly he declared that at the same time manie false Prophetes should arise and deceiue a multitude For when Antichrist perceiued that he might not preuaile by anie of those vile and violent meanes that hee had practized but that his power neuerthelesse decreased and his al hominable superstition and idolatrie was daily more and more disclosed he erected certein Seminarie places for learning with good maintenaunce to the same for all those that would resort vnto them of all nations to the ende they might bee sent home againe after they haue been certeine yeres ripened and rottened in superstitious doctrine that by their fained hypocrisie and by their false fables and prophesies they might reconcile all those that were fled from the Antichristian faith promising them so manie and so great matters as their holy Father by his Commission had giuen them in charge And these ministers of his be they which Paule the Apostle said To haue the forme of godlinesse but denie the power thereof haue by their false prophesies 2. Thess 3. caried away manie poore soules captiue into hell and themselues also are damned for euer without repentaunce And this token of the Lordes comming is nowe likewise fulfilled Againe Christ hath declared that before the iudgment day iniquitie shall abound and the loue of manie shall wexe colde But what kinde of iniquitie do we think shal aboūd before the second coming of Christ Verelie al kinde of sine and wickednesse that euer was in the world since the creation of the same not onely the secrete sinnes that proceede from mans heart whereby the whole man is corrupted but the publike offences and enormities done by man against man against God against the Church against the Common weale and against all iustice godlinesse and Religion And is it anie maruell why all wickednesse shoulde abounde now towards the ende more than euer before why the charitie of man towardes man why the loue of man towardes God why the zeale of man towardes godlinesse should now bee lesse than before though now the word of God be more plentifullie preached that before the sacraments more sincerely ministred than before heresies false worshipping more sōudlie conuinced than before the true Church from the false more euidently discerned than before Antichrist himselfe more plainly detected than before and our saluation now more neere at hand than before No verely For now is the time that Christ prescribed neuer before Now is Sathan our olde enimie loosed now it Antichrist his seruant reuealed For euer since the time that the kingdome of Christ hath been reuiued by preaching of the Gospell the Dragon hauing the time of his thousand yeeres captiuitie welneere expired and perceiuing his dominion to be but short is come foorth to aide and strengthen and heale the wound of the beast against the Saintes of God and against the Lambe Who ioyning their forces together seeke by their craftie and lying hypocrisie not onely to bereaue men of their saluation by deceiuing and bewitching of their soules and by driuing them forwarde to all manner of sinne and wickednesse but also to destroy their bodies and all by bringing in vpon them all manner of cruel Inquisitions warres torments miseries and deathes that man can deuise Wherefore the nature of man being euer more and more corrupted since the fall of Adam therewithall driuen by the violent inticement of sin and perswasion of the diuell it is not possible without the mightie assistance of Gods spirite but that iniquitie should not onely abound but euen nowe be growen to the full And to speake more particularlie of the sinnes against God against man and against our owne selues I say that they doe now by meanes of Antichrist and his adherentes more infinitely abounde than euer Whereby it may euidently appeare that the dissolulution of all thinges is at hande Was not Lucifer an Angell of light and desired in his heart to be but equal with God And is Antichrist any more thā man somewhat lower than the Angels and yet exalteth himselfe aboue God Did Adam breake any more commaundements of God then one when he was ashamed and cast out of Paradice But do not we daylie breake all the commaundements of God and yet are not once ashamed of our nakednesse Was not Cayn counted a reprobat because he was angrie with God and killed his owne brother about the accepting of their sacrifices But are not wee euery day vexed and disquieted against God if but the least attempt that we go about succeed not according to our desire But bee there not also as greeuous and horrible paricides and murders among vs euen for the smallest and least occasions Was it not counted a monstrous and horrible Idolatrie of the Children of Israel when they forgot God that had brought them out of the land of Egipt and worshipped a golden Calfe which they themselues had made because that Moses the seruant of God and their generall Captaine was but fourtie dayes absent from them Agayne is not the Idolatrie in these dayes of them that professe the name of Christ beyond al comparison greater when they forsake him that redeemed them from the power of Sathan and do daylie worship stockes and stones and a peece of vnleauened bread when as Christ himselfe their head and Captaine is continually present with them by his holy Saincts and Godhead vntill the end of the world Was not the infidelitie of the Children of Israell counted exceeding great when as they beleeued not the promises of GOD who had done so great wonders for them both in Egipt and at the red Sea For which cause they themselues were destroyed and their children were made to wander fourtie yeares in the wildernesse for the sinnes of their fathers But is not the infidelitie of the Christians in our time much more horrible when as GOD hath done for them farre greater thinges then euer he did for the Children of Israell euen by sending his owne Sonne for their sakes into the world to deliuer them from the slauerie of Sathan and euerlasting destruction of bodie and soule where he keepeth them as the apple of his eye from being consumed of the nations round about them when hee talketh with them daylie and familiarlie from heauen out of his holie worde when hee feedeth them from aboue with his owne precious bodie when hee indueth them with grace supernaturall by his holie spirite when hee blesseth them with all his benefites both bodily and ghostly and yet are not we more vnfaithfull vnthankfull and vnfruitfull than the Children of Israell They beleeued not because the time of the promises vnto them made