but the very Angels would be astonied and wonder thereat and euery man would take it an high blessing of God to be quickly rid therefrom Hegesias a Cyrenian Philosopher did with such eloquence dilate of the miseries of this life that many of his hearers desired wilfull death whereupon Ptolomy the King forbad him to dispute further therof in the Schooles Cicero in Orat. lib. 1. â—uscul quaest Yet will you obiect by dying the godly lose many a good thing and the doing of many excellent workes then to the godly Death is still an enemy filleth vs with terrors and diseases renteth the soule from the body most grieuously causeth our bodies to rotte in their graues and be conuerted to wormes meat and then to dust and ashes then the graue is the land of darkenesse and solitarinesse then death driueth vs out of our vocations out of Gods Church and depriue vs of all worldly comforts and brings vs to iudgement all and euery of which are distastefull and fearefull to Gods Saints Answ. All this is true and wee may thanke Sinne and Sathan for it for had wee not sinned and yeelded to Satans temptation Gen. 3. we should not haue tasted of Death nor misery but Sinne brought Gods curse into the world and specially this for the reward of Sinne is Death and doe we maruell that it as a cursed shippe is ouer-laden with cursed marchandize nay wee all may thanke God it is no worse with vs yet see Gods mercy wrapped secretly in his heauie curse for 1. though Death be our implacable enemy yet is he disarmed and vanquished and swallowed vp of life and though bodily death remaines vnto Gods children for the exercise of their faith patience c. yet all that makes it fearefull or greeuous are remooued preuented or changed and altered to the better for none of these can hinder vs from seruing the Lord and calling vpon our God 2. Neither can our dissolution diuorcing soule and body impair our blisse nor seuer vs from Christ and this parting is but for a time the while it resteth in hope 3. Though the body see corruption yet neuer destruction but euer we expect a day of restitution 4. Though we lye buried yet the memoriall of the righteous shal be blessed 5. Though we be out of our earthly calling yet are wee in an higher and more honourable seruice among Gods Angels and Saints in the Church triumphant 6. And though we be depriued of earthly contentments yet our exchange is with greater aduantage in heauen 7. Death cannot be vncertaine to them that know they must die and daily prouide for it and as for iudgement we will watch and prouide for it but woe to the vnprepared The last Vse serues for thankfulnesse to God for this vnspeakeble mercy to vs as in all other so namely in this that whereas we all the sonnes of Adam had violated Gods sacred Law Gen. 2. 17. and brought death eternall vpon our soules and bodies Rom. 5. 12. c. so vnspeakeable was the loue of our heauenly father to vs that to deliuer vs from this body of Death he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to suffer Death for vs and to be made a curse for vs to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law Galath 3. 13. and changed this second eternall Death to a temporall momentany death making it now the gate of eternall life and albeit that so also this temporall death seemeth and is the greatest and most greeuous and terrible of all temporall plagues and torments and the strength and end thereof so that thus yet it is intollerable to all the sonnes of Adam the Lord heare also for his sonnes sake mitigateth to vs his Elect this first death also giueth vs his spirit and grace to pull out by degrees the stings thereof that it shall not hurt vs no more then a Scorpion that embraceth vs about the sting beeing pulled out and withall giueth vs Christian fortitude in this last combate to gripe with and ouercome death the terrors thereof and which is chiefest of all not onely sendeth his holy Angels in that agony to comfort vs and to be about our beds and paths as he did to his owne Sonne Luk 22. 43. but is with vs himselfe in this troble to comfort and to deliuer vs. Psal. 23. and 41. 3. and often to the greater comfort of such as surviue filleth our hearts while we be heare with ioy gladnes and with an vnspeakable heaueÌ„ly light and feeling of the very ioyes of heaven wherby Gods blessed Saints are in this case so farre from feares terrours that having faithfully and blessedly past all temptations of Satan and relikes of sin which be their afflictions they as men and woemen rapt to the third heaven desire and cry for death pray heartely to be dissolved and be with their Christ their Lord and their God and when death commeth with his last stroake to finish his worke then is he most welcome and most ioyfully receiued and entertained by them The Lord heereby putting a playne difference at this time betweene the death of his holy and elect saints and the reprobates as Psal. 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace c. and the end of the wicked shall be cut off The Lords name be glorified euer for this vnspeakable gift and all others in Christ Amen And so farre as now of our watchfulnes for and against Deaths comming The third kinde of watching concerneth our preparation against the day of iudgement and how to be then vvith comfort discharged and so enioy life euerlasting which depends indeed vpon the other two former watches for if we during our abode heere liue godly and depart hence well prepared in the feare and fauour of God it cannot be but we shall be well prepared for iudgement which is nothing else but the iust reward or due punishment in the life to come for the things acted or committed in the time we liued heere And this care likewise must be thought vpon in this life and as our preparation for death so this for life eternall is a forcible motiue to lead a godly life and faithfully to occupie our talents vntill our Masters returne from receiuing his kingdome Luke 19. 13. 15. as we see in faithfull and trusty seruants who in their Masters absence will be carefull to giue the seruants their portions in due season and themselues to be found well occupied Luke 12. 42. c. but if they heare of their Masters returne shortly they will afresh see that all things be in good order that they be not blamed in any respect but if they receiue tidings that hee approacheth and is at the doores now they vse a third on-set oh how now they bestirre them 〈◊〉 how they sweepe the house though swept againe againe before they make vp the beds dresse and
to render vp to the Lord our speciall callings and talents with their well-occupied encrease And lastâ—y as to the best keeper our bodies life and soules beseech his Grace as he in mercy and of his vnspeakeable loue gaue them vs and all temporall and spirituall good things with them hee will now in like fauour and mercy receiue them againe and keepe them safe for vs vntill the day of iudgement and then bestow them and himseâ—fe vpon vs grant we may euer be with him and he with vs. 8. In the last agony of death we must draw vnto vs al strength of body and soule now in this â—ast combat quit vs like men As 1. we are to rest by faith vpon the preseÌ„t fauour mercy of God in Christ perswading our hearts soules that now Neyther death nor life nor Angells nor Principâ—lities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be abie to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Râ—m 8. 38. 39. and so plucking vp â—â—r broken hearts shew our selues to be that which long we laboured for viz. to be true Christians 2. Then let heart tongue and voyce bee imployed onely in prayer to God for patience in our anguish for comfort in this our greatest distress for strength in our temptations and for wished and victorious deliuerance from them for a godly end and a ioyfull receiuing and conducting of vs by his holy Angels vnto Abrahams bosome yea endeauour to dye praying for now our weapons be but prayers teares sighes and groanes misery must caâ—l for mercy and let our last words be Lord be mercifull to me a sinnâ—r Lord Iesu receiue my soule Come Lord Iesu come quickly And thus with our â—iues let vs breake vp our watch And thus farre of our watch against Death yet there bee that for better keeping of a true watch and performing of this most necessary necessity thoroughly contriue this preparation vnto a weekes worke or weekely Diarie sorting for euery day of the weeke vnto themselues certaine deuout exercises and meditations so as though they were to die presently that day as thus The first day of the weeke they wholly spend in this meditation that they are mortaâ—l and must die and therefore they so vse and dispose of the commodities of this life and their callings as though before night they must hence labouring to obey that coÌ„mandement of Christ Luk. 12. 35. 36. Let your loynes be gâ—rt about your lights burning And ye your selues like vnto men that wait for their Master when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall find waking c. and so set their house in good order for they must die The second day they spend in meditating vpon death the precedents and horror thereof to whom they willingly yeeld yet so that by faith in Christ true repentance and renued obedience they sweeten the taâ—t sharpnesse thereof whereby they shall be able they doubt not cheerefuâ—ly comfortably to drinke of this cup Math. 20. 22. 23. The third day they thinke vpon their sins and with broken and contrite hearts confesse them to the Lord. Psal. 32. 5. 6. 7. and that with such vehement feruency of spirit earnest sweating agonie in soule as if within that day or houre they shuld by death be attached The fourth day with their greatest deuotion and most careful preparation they come to the holy Communion which they call viaticum and so victuall themselues therewith for reliefe in their iourney to heauen ioyning therevnto the reading and preaching of Gods sacred word applying the same to the present purpose so nye as may be suting and agreeing with Christs last Sermon in the Chamber before his death Iohn 13. and 14. 15. and 16. not without prayer and praise to the holy Trinity I he fift day they spend in meditation and prayer for the more liuely and effectuall working of Gods holy Spirit in their harts the better entertainment of Gods sacred word in their soules and opening of their eyes to see their weakenes wickednesse and accursednesse and for wished power to ouercome all temptations assaulting their soules specially at their death-time The sixth day in all humblenesse of heart and feruentnesse of deuotion they pray for a spirituall death wholly heauenly free from all doubtings greefe temptations or fears with an infallible sight of the Sonne of God in some though small manner most comfortable feeling apprehension of the ioyes of heauen contempt of this world with the perfect fulfilling to them of all Gods promises made to them for the life to come and that whatsoeuer holy duty is in them wanting by ignorance or weakenesse the holy spirit of God would suggest vnto them and supply that so the whole glory might be the Lords and to them in life and in death Christ should be aduantage Phil. 1. 21 and that walking through the valley of the shadow of death they should feare nothing for the Lord would be with them and his Angels safely conduct them to Paradise The seuenth day they giue hearty thanks to Almighty God for the innumerable benefits bestowed vpon them spiritually and temporally beseeching his maiesty to continue the same so far forth as hee seeth expedient for them vowing to make the rest of their life if any part be remaining a perpetuall Sabbath vnto the Lord vntill they bee translated to his kingdome where with all his Angels and Saints they shall solemnize an euerlasting Iubilie then this day they vse a deepe meditation and repetition of all the exercises of the sixe daies going before and to euery of these dayes they select certaine fit Psalmes and praiers c. And thus according to my skill haue I charged my watch-man in the best manner I could deuise to prepare for death and when I haue done all I find my selfe vnable to finde the depth of this principle for want of experience which I cannot learne vntill I dye my selfe Onely this I know that albeit this watch be vnreprooueable and necessary for all Christians yet as we see in a Master of Fence if a strong champion set vpon him he will soone set him out of all his fence and make a foole of him so if Death assaile vs aboue our nature and strength wee will soone forget all these instructions and fall to cursing blaspheming and no man woteth with what violence death will assault him therefore would I wish him euer to lead a godly life and keepe a carefull watch annexing to the first obseruations this weekely Diary and that circularly that is weeke after weeke to renew it to our dying day and then to both to desire the Lord himselfe to watch ouer vs else all will be in
towards them aboue all other people 2. In regard of the holy Angels awaking and comforting them in the Lord. 3. In respect of their owne persons for now soule and body shall be combined which formerly by death were parted and shall now and for euer as the Sun shine in the fulnesse of glory 4. Now shall they enioy the company of all Gods Saints the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and all Gods elect know them and they vs and their enemies also and be thankefull to such as did them good and this is so certaine that it can not be denied For first wee shall see God and know him as wee are knowne 1. Corin. 13. 12. though not absolutely wherof the Angels are vncapable he being incomprehensible but as a man standing vpon the shore of the Sea seeth the Sea perfectly yet seeth not the depth nor bredth ofit so the Elect shall see God yet not comprehend the depth of his greatnes nor bredth of his power nor height of his Essence Maiesty and glory Then we shall see and know one another the King his subiects the Pastor his people the Parents their children the Husband his Wife the Master his seruants and they them and if they bee good be thankefull to God for them if bad thanke God for pardoning their sinnes if they be saued if damned iustifying and praysing God for executing his iust iudgement vpon them This is confirmed out of the word of God Zach. 12. 10 Iohn 19. 37. They shall see him whom they haue pierced Math. 7. 22. and 25. 37. 44. Luke 13. 28. and 16. 23. Wisd. 5. 1. c then our knowledge shall be perfect 2. the soule by departing from the body looseth nothing of his former knowledge but rather his knowledge is cleerer and more perfect else how could they remember that they heard Christ ate and dranke in his company wrought miracles in his name reason with him when saw they him hungry c Math 7. 12. and 25. 44. This is so plaine in Nature that the very heathen thought this to bee a great benefit that men specially vvise men had by death that their knowledge should be perfected in the other world and that none could possibly attaine to perfect wisedome knowledge till he came thither and as for that Pythagoricall fancie that men by washing in the Riuer Lethe forgâ—t all they formerly did It is a plaine fiction more to be derided then confuted and Plato in his Apology of Socrates relateth how Socrates being condemned by the Iudges reioyced that if the soules were immortall then should hee see the famous men that liued before him And Tully in his first booke of Tusculus questions brings this as an argument not to feare but desire death and Tertullian lib. ad Martyr saith That the Martyrs shall iudge their Iudges which they could not if they knew them not 5. Christ our Sauiour will know vs and call vs to himselfe Come ye blessed of my Father c. and they shall see their desire vpon their enemies according to their prayer in Reuelat. 6. 10. Now considering the premises what childe of God would desire there should be no day of iudgement or would seeke a place to hide himselfe or giue a penny to buy a pardon to exempt him from appearing and for euer lose God heauen all the company of heauen and communion of Saints not wish this day and giue all vvorldly treasures that this day might be hastened and vncessantly cry and pray Come Lord Iesu come quickly for now such as sowed in teares shall reape in ioy and haue all teares wiped from their eyes and liue in perpetuall ioy and their reioycings shall no man take from them nor euer end Secondly knowing these things before hand this should be a faire warning for good and badde to acquaint themselues now with the Iudge and labour for grace that being well prepared and their Talents wel imployed they might be sure of the Iudges acceptance and the fauor and comfort of all his Saints And so farre of the fifth Motiue The sixt Motiue to Watchfulnesse is the consideration of Christs comming to iudgement who now vvill not come poore contemptible and in the forme of a seruant as in the time of his first visitation but in most glorious triumphant power might and maiesty and as a Lion most victorious of the Tribe of Iuda to take vengeance of his enemies and highly to reward his loyall Subiects So we read in Math. 25. 31. When the Sonne of Man shall come in his glory all the holy Angells with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory c The day was when he poore man meek as a Lambe stood before the iudgement seat of Pontius Pilate proudly vaunting that hee had power to crucifie or loose him Ioh. 19. 10. but in this day Pilate and all Potentates must stand and stoope before his foote-stoole to be iudged and shall know that hee onely hath all power in his hand to saue and condemne The vse we are to make heereof is to giue the Lord now all honour and glory and to kisse the Sunne least hâ— be angry Then secondly we are to obserue the mystery of this that is said in Math. 24. 30. Hee shall come in the clouds of â—eauen with power and great glory which is to humble and to teach vs that if wee will hereafter ioyfully behold him comming in the clouds we must thankefully and gladly receiue and intertaine him now comming vnto vs in the clouds of his holy Preachers who instill the gracious deaw of his Gospell into our soules Then thirdly consider further in what blessed estate his Angels stand in vvho shal accompany the Lord to iudgement and most ioyfully and securely behould his glory and now together with all the Saints of God receiue the fulnesse of all felicity all enemies troden vnder feet and if thou couldst wish then thy selfe to be one of his number and not of Satans damned rabblement then now labour for holinesse and true righteousnesse that thou mayest then bee numbred amongst the Sonnes of God then contrarily marke in what a miserable taking shall these accursed wretches be in that they scorned were ashamed of and crucified our Sauiour to death reuiled and persecuted his word and ministers flouted them and their appeales against the sentences cruelty and vniustly denounced against them which now shall be fauourably heard and they seuerally plagued so that to their cost anon they shall know how the Lord will take part with the Lambes against those sauage Lyons let them then become now such as then faine they would bee found and reputed And thus farre of the sixt motiue The seuenth Motiue concerneth the place where the Iudgement shall bee which is euidently expressed but guessed diuersly of diuers men when our Sauiour was demanded this question in Luke 17. 37. Math. 24. 48. hee answered prouerbially yet doubtfully thus
shall be the more sanctified and they will learne sooner and with greater facilitie the on of an other then of an elder instructour 5. And if the father perceiueth him to be of ready and quicke capacitie he may acquaint him as hee thinketh best with his booke which shall keepe him from bad company or being idle and ill occupied then let him drop into him by familiar tearmes the name and right meaning of God his Creator of Christ his Redeemer of the holy Ghost his sanctifier then of the holy Trinitie in the Vnitie of the Dietie in as plaine easie and briefe manner as possible he can neither shall he labour in vaine for God will giue a wished blessing and comfort to his owne worke 6. Thus the sixth yeere of his age compleatly passed and the seauenth current then must hee prouide him a faithful godly schoolemaster to traine him further on in learning vertuous educatiō yet so that he forget not himselfe that still he is his father and therefore is to watch ouer him and must teach him priuately as his Master publikely to know and loue the Lord and to render some reasons thereof as thus we children must loue God aboue all because he loueth vs he made vs of nothing then God loueth vs for he gaue his Sonne to die for vs and gaue vs his Spirit and word to sanctifie vs and bring vs to him and therefore must wee obay the same and loue and praise God for by these meanes he gathereth vs to the mysticall vnion of his sonnes body and to the communion of his Elect Church Finally God loueth vs for after death he will raise vs to life and we shall euer liue with him in heauen and therefore must we loue and glorifie him in euery thing Then teach him to feare and abhorre sin in thought word and work And first to know as much as conueniently may be by the ten commandements what sin is and the temporall and spirituall penalties thereof As thus also wee must not sinne for then God will be angry with vs then wil he take his grace and peace from vs then will he send vs troubles sicknesses death and cast ve to hell with the diuell and reprobates And let him learne to doubt of his doing and demand of his parents if this should be done or vndone if the Lord bid or forbid it if he loue or hate it and to conclude that if God will it I will doe it if not to die rather then doe it 7. The seuenth yeere complete and the eight current acquaint him with the Bible and the principall stories therof as of the creation fall and recouery of man of the deluge and burning of Sodome of Israels departure out of Aegypt of the whole acts and life of our Sauiour Christ c. Then with other parts thereof and withall to make some vse thereof as we must not breake Gods commandement for this brought sinne and misery vpon the world wee must nor mocke the ministers for this caused God to send Beares to kill the children of Bethel maids must not be gadding about so Dinah was defloured we must not breake the Sabbath for he that gathered stickes that day was stoned to death nor blaspheme the Lord for the blasphemer must die the death nor with Absolon dishonor our parents nor with Cain commit murther c. Only be carefull not to ouercharge him with too many things at once nor yet to cloy or ouer weary him for there is nothing more pernitious then sacietie in well doing this will cause him forsake all but let his labours be workes of libertie freedome and sport knowing that the schoole-house is called not Carnificina a butcherie but Ludus a sporting and playing place where all things bee taught and learned with ease and delight Thus let him proceede till he be readie for some calling but euermore the parents must be watchfull that he be not carried away with ill company or infected with the sinnes of the time place or his age but that euer he proceede according to these beginnings and while the parents bee parents let them watch and command ouer their children and they euer obay c. Then thirdly Masters are to watch ouer their families with as great care for the time being as ouer their children and also ouer their kindred and friends and euery one ouer another that their hearts be not hardened with the deceitfulnesse of sinne and at no hand bee of Cains humour to say or thinke am I my brothers keeper Gen 4. 9. But because it were an endlesse labour to speake of all sorts of people and of all duties belonging to them and to euery period of mens ages where of their be already intire volumes extant I will surcease and speake of on or two more and referre the rest to euery godly mans consideration The next vse serues only for a memento to the godly Ministers not to forget their names but as in Scripture they be called watchmen Ezech. 3. 17. and 33. 2. 6. 7. So must they carefully and faithfully watch ouer the poore sheepe and lambes of Christ Iesus And howsoeuer most men take this to be no labour at all and that such as are in this worke most wakefull to be busie bodies taking more vpon them then neede for these sheepe are as wise and carefull for their saluation as they else it were pitty of their liues c. Yet Gods seruants finde it an Art of Arts and a Science of Sciences to ouersee and superintend this wily flocke euer distrustfull and suspecting all plaine dealing taking their friendly louing watchman euer to be their greatest and most malitious enemie and at euery bray laboureth to hide themselues from him or to escape out of his fould so that they may be resembled to fish which bee so sharpe sighted fearefull and distrustfull that were it not there be so many fishes in euery brooke and riuer Gen. 1. 20. and 48. 16. The fisher could hardly catch any and so if the Lord wrought not miraculously by his word and spirit with his painefull Minister he should neuer catch on of them so wilde and vntractable they be nay hee shall be so farre from catching them be he an vsurer a Church robber an oppressour c. that vnlesse he well see to himselfe the fish will catch the fisher and make him more the childe of hell then themselues and therefore no tongue is able to expresse his care vigilancie labour and trauell neuer at rest that whereas all others worke the sixe weeke daies yet they rest from their labours vpon the Lords day but this poore shepheard is to expect no rest but as the Sunne running his course laboureth all the weeke but most of all vpon the Lords day and what remedie but that as Ierem 10. 19. It is their sorrow and they will beare it Episcopius Printer in Basill had this Embleme in the first page of the bookes
for husbands and parents impiety separated from God and stand in the same transgression If to thy Minister he it is whom thou hast euer hated robbed persecuted and which is another vexation hee shall anon sit in iudgement vpon thee If to the Saints they haue not oyle enough for themselues If to thine own good workes they as smoake vanish being all done in hypocrisie and for vaine-glory and from an vnregenerate heart If to thy former life behold a blacke cloud of trecherous inditements against thee If to Satan thy suggester he now stands in the like condemnation If to the Angells they are the haruest-men sent to gather the tares and to cast them into the fiery furnace If to the Iudge himselfe he calls thee to surrender thy talents and stewardship If to carnall shifts and helpes the Iudge will not be corrupted with bribes nor mooued with flattery nor deluded any longer with promises nor terrified with threats nor touched with pitty thy threats will not bee respected wringing of hands pulling of hayre tearing of thy flesh weeping howling and endlesse lamenting will not be regarded praiers be but babling vowes past date no truce no sureties no appeale no repriuing no delay no repentance a wicked life calleth for iustice sin for death contempt of God for finall damnation turne thee what way thou wilt there is no cōfort euery creature proclaims that the mighty must be mightily tormented and woe is to the wicked for now it shall goe euill vvith him for the reward of his hands shall bee giuen him What shalt thou doe looke vp to heauen it is shut against thee to the Iudge hee commeth to denounce the sentence vnder thy feete hell gapeth for thee within thee is a condemning conscience without thee the bookes opened about thee the reprobates mourning to goe forward is vnpossible to goe backward is not permitted to stand still thou canst not to runne away is bootlesse no remedy but miserably to sustaine and vndergoe all torments and extremities of this fearefull day and place vnlesse now thou repent ioyne with Gods Church forsake thy former wickednesse and that thou maist die the death of the iust liue the life of the godly and if thou vvilt haue a wished place in iudgement and after in heauen with Gods Elect get thee a place heere vpon earth with Gods Church bee not now separated from them in the exercises of religion and holy communion of Saints and thou shalt not be diuided from them in the enioyments of the fruits thereof both in death iudgement and glory eternall in heauen for looke what place and profession thou choosest heere now among the godly or wicked and the like place shalt thou find with the like company in iudgement and euer after Behold I set before thee life and death good and euill c. as in Deut. 30. 15. to the end And thus farre of the second Motiue The eight Motiue to watchfulnesse is the consideration of the glorious comming of the Son of God to iudgement immediately after the whole world is assembled to the appointed place but so that first two euident signes shall goe before the one immediately before his comming or as I may say at his setting forth which is this 1. There shall be signes in the Sun c. as in Luk. 21. 25. The Sea and the Waters shall rore and mens hearts shall faile in them for feare for the powers of Heauen shall be shaken Luke 21. 25. 26. As for the signes in the Sunne Moone and Starres Math. 24. 29. saith they shall be darkened that is to say as the learned expound it Christs comming vnto iudgement shall be with such resplendant and vnspeakeable glory that euen the most excellent creatures shall bee thereat astonied so that the Sunne and Moone shall bee darkened and the starres as if they fell from heauen giue no light that is these most glorious and bright-shining creatures shall be clouded obscured and damped by the vnconceiuable brightnesse of Christs comming to iudgement whereat the wicked shall despaire for feare as Reuel 6. 12. to the end which place is an euident fore-running figure hereof as that also in Exod. 19. 16. to 20. Then the sea and waters shall for feare roare least now they shall bee turned to nothing such as dwell by the Sea side obserue that against tempestuous weather the Sea roareth but this being a most fearefull day in respect of Gods inquisition for sinne and sinners and all other accessaries therevnto and no storme to the tempest of Gods wrath they not onely roare but as it were set out their feare with all the strength and power they can that so the Lord might respect and preserue the miserable sencelesse creatures abused by mans sinfulnesse and the powers of heauen shall be shaken as threatning a downefall by reason of mans sinne and the Lords indignation and punishing of all sinners As when the Father of a family punisheth and whippeth in his anger any one of the seruants all the house as the very children and seruants will feare and so is it heere when the Lord in his vvrath commeth to punish all workers of iniquity the Angells the Heauens and Saints of God all subiect and guilty of their infirmities compared vvith Gods holinesse and perfection cannot but tremble and quake as we read the Prophets did in all their visions much more in this So likewise when the Master of a great family dieth the whole house is troubled the wife taketh on the children weep the seruants lament the retainers mourne the house is turned vpside-downe hospitality giuen ouer and all come to ruine and desolation so heere when man the center and glory of this world draweth to his end and triall and is like to bee vtterly confounded in hell fire Oh Lord What shall become or to vvhat vse serues this world the heauens the earth the sea and all the powers thereof but vvith man to be turned to nothing or set vpon a light fire to bee consumed to dust and ashes if the Lord in mercy do not otherwise determine and dispose of them and is it any maruell that they tremble quake and roare for feare and how much-more should man the cause hereof seeing and knowing all these things tremble weepe and howle for his sinnes now while time serueth and he may be heard but in these great water-flouds of misery they shall not come nigh him nor be heard Wee see that onely an earth-quake if it bee any thing vehement is exceeding fearefull the least extraordinary inundation of waters very terrible but now when the vvhole massie globe of this world shal thus totter and shake the mightiest seas and waters rore and rage for feare and the glorious heauens become darke and dusky how shall the hearts of men be appalled with dread and terror to behold the same and the cause thereof wise men preuent dangerous diseases lest they take away their colour and kill them