THE GREAT DAY, OR, A SERMON, SETTING forth the desperate estate and condition of the wicked at the day of judgement.  
Preached at Saint Andrews in Holborn at London.  
By Nathaniel Grenfeild, Master of Arts, and Preacher of the Word of God at Whit-feild in Oxfordshire.  
LONDON, Printed by W. Stansby for josias Harrison, and are to be sold at the Golden Anchor in Paternoster row. 1615.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL SIR GEORGE SPEAK, Knight, N. G. wisheth hearty all happiness.  
SIR,  
THe Wise man's censure concerning the many Booke-makers of his time, 
Morbus insanabilie scribendi cacoëthes, Juvenal. Quod de scriptis sacris authore spiritu sanct●dici non potest, verum de illis, quae vanitas humana exculpit quotidie, Fayius. Traditiones, decreta Pontificum, Canon's generalium consiliorum, quoad obsequij & fidei necessitatem praesertim refelluntur.  me thinks, as much taxeth this Writing world of ours, wherein men are almost no men, unless they be men in print; all is but a Commentary upon the Preachers words; Of making many books there is no end, Eccl. 12.12. I wish to God that there were once an end (which I fear me, will not be until the world ends) of making such books, as serve to no end, but to the corrupting of manners, infecting the heart, weakening zeal; and that some good Augustus would banish them, (as he did fleshly 
* Amatoriae Nafonis, in quibus non est tutum rudem exerceri, Erasmus.  Ovid) out of our Bethel, Christian England, into some Bethaven, into some Idolatrous, Superstitious, and Heathenish Nation, that worship the Sun and the Moon, Castor and Pollux, Rats and Mice, in stead of the true God of Heaven; or sent back for Vagrants into Italy, or the Stews of Rome, where, like an adulterous brood, they were first borne and bred; or that they were all served with the same sauce, 
Stapleton. Praefat. Moral.  as (by Stapletons' report) Saint Ephraim wittily used two books of Apollinaris, who finding them in a woman's keeping, borrowed them of her, and glued the leaves so hard together, as the book could never after be opened. For (as one saith well) ten Sermons at Paul's Cross do not so much good for moving men to true doctrine, as one of these books do harm, with enticing men to ill living; and that more Papists are made by the merry books of Italy, then by the earnest books of Louvain; so that they do not only win the wills of the weak unto wantonness, but tend something to the corrupting of true religion. Saint james reproves very sharply those, that with the same tongue bless God, & curse man, jam. 3.9. why then should the same Characters set forth Machiavels' works and Moses writings, Christ and Belial, the unchaste love of wanton Heathens, and the chaste and reciprocal love of Christ and his Church? But as for such books as have our Saviour for their subject, the holy Ghost for their Author, God's glory for their end; that are like so many Cannons planted against the Gates of hell, that tend wholly to the demolishing of Satan's Kingdom, undermining the Bulwarks of Babylon, but building up the Walls of jerusalem, why should not the sound of such go forth into the ends of the world? and when they sound forth, the end of the world? To which end, I have preached penned, and through the importunity of others, contrary to mine own mind and meaning when I preached, now imprinted this little Tract and Treatise; how free I am from salomon's censure of such as print themselves, let him that is wiser than Solomon be a witness: I am bold to fly unto your Worship, and to entreat you, that you would vouchsafe to be called a Patron unto it, as you are to learning, though far (I must confess) below your worthiness: The many testimonies of your love from time to time toward my eldest Brother and myself, do challenge more at our hands, than my pen can express, or the weakness of our utmost power make the least requital. A handful of water was fit to be powered into a Beggar's dish, then to be presented unto a King: yet a King accepted of it, though a beggar gave it, because he gave what he had, and had no better to give: nay, it is acceptable to God (if we have no greater gift to offer) to cast a mite into the Lord's Treasury: whereby I am induced to conceive, that you will no less willingly accept of this Paper gift of mine, a scholars Mite, the truest testimonial of mine intimate affections, and manifestation of my duty: what is wanting, shall be supplied in praying for you unto God, for your preservation, and for an increase in all spiritual graces, namely, of faith, which may keep you from trembling at the day of your death, and in the day of judgement. From Whitfield, july the 10.  
Your Worships to be commanded in the Lord, NATH. GRENFEILD.   

THE GREAT DAY.  REVEL. 6.15.16.17. 
verse 15 And the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of mountains,  
verse 16 And said to the mountains, and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the presence of him that fitteth upon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:  
verse 17 For the great day of his wrath is come, and who can stand?  
THis Chapter contains in it six parts, and every part the opening of a Seal by the Lamb, and every seal a distinct mystery: the four first Seals being opened, mention is made of four Riders, riding upon four horses, of four different colours, a white, vers. 2. a red, vers. 4. a black, vers. 5. a pale, verse 8. unto the beholding whereof, Saint john was invited.  
The first Rider is described by two adjuncts, 
Adiunctis. Arcu. Corona. Effectu. Fine.  a Bow and a Crown was given unto him, vers. 2. Secondly, by the effect, conquering. Thirdly, by the end, to conquer, vers. 2.  
The second Seal being opened, the second Rider, which Saint john was willed for to come and see, is described: 
Potestate. Instrumento.  first, by his power, power was given unto him, etc. vers. 4. Secondly, by an instrument; there was given unto him a great sword.  
The third Rider is described by a pair of Balances, he that sat on this horse, had a pair of Balances in his hand, vers. 5. the mystery whereof is unfolded by a sounding voice, vers. 6.  
The fourth Seal being opened, there came forth a Rider upon a pale horse, and the Rider is described, first, by his name, death. Secondly, by a companion, hell followed with him: and both are described by their power; power was given unto them, etc. vers. 8. The interpretation of these four horses, is as mystical as Nebuchadnezzars dream, and may very well bear the self same interpretation, which Daniel gave of that great Image, whose head was of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, Dan. 2.32.33. This Image was an Emblem, or representation of the four Monarchies of the World; the Monarchy of the Assyrians, or Chaldeans; the Monarchy of the Medes and Persians; the Monarchy of the Grecians; the Monarchy of the Romans: and as Gold, of all other metals is the best, and purest; and therefore it is said, that Heavenly jerusalem is a City of pure Gold, Apoc. 21.18. So White is the best, and chiefest of all colours; and therefore it is said, that the Saints were clothed with white Robes, vers. 11. Which colour is consecrated to innocency, purity, victory and felicity; and therefore it is said, that the head of the Image was of fine Gold, Dan. 2.32. And that the first horse was white, vers. 2. so the first Monarchy, viz. of the Chaldeans (though full of cruelty) was the best, and a golden Age, comparatively in respect of the rest: but the last of all was the worst of all: the Roman Emperors outstripped all the rest, in their bloody projects, and unspeakable cruelties; for who can reckon up all their expeditions of war, so many funerals of Citizens, massacring of so many millions of men, depopulations and dispeopling of so many Countries, burnings of so many Cities, such a prodigal profusion of blood when this Roman horse rushed forth? in so much, that the fourth part of the Earth was slain with the sword of this fierce Beast, as it is, vers. 8. The cruelty of all preceding Emperors was clemency, being compared with these Romans, whose Drums sounded nothing else but blood and death, and their little finger was bigger, than the loins of all their predecessors.  
The fifth Seal being opened, Saint john saw the Souls of blessed Martyrs lying under the Altar, and crying for revenge; where first he shows the essence of true Martyrs: they were killed, 
Pseudo-martyrs.  (so may false Martyrs) 'tis a good cause that makes a Martyr, and therefore it is said, that they were killed for the word of God, and for the testimony of the truth, verse 9 The words may have reference either unto the Church Militant, who may be termed Martyrs, though they be never killed, and though they never strive to blood, viz. when Christians are railed at, reviled, scorned, disgraced, abused, false witnesses suborned, either to impair the credit of their person, or impeach the sincerity of their profession: for the Devil first letteth lose the tongues of the wicked to speak ill, before he letteth lose their hands to do ill. Thus that Protomartyr Steven was gnashed at with the teeth of the wicked, Acts 7.54. before he was stoned; and they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words, etc. Acts 6.11. Thus our Saviour, before he suffered, endured such contradictions of sinners, accounted sometimes for a seditious person, a wine-bibber, a friend to Publicans and sinners, one that had a Devil, one that preached false doctrine, etc. And thus Paul, before he sealed Peter's confession with his blood, he was accounted for a mad man, 
August. l. 10 confess.  a seducer of the people, and for one not worthy to live: Lingua impiorum est quotidiana fornax, The tongue of the wicked is a furnace, wherein God's children are tried; and there is not a man or member of this little poor despised Church, whether zealous Preacher, or sincere Professor, but must be tried in this Oven of evil speaking: for as long as you are in the world, and are not of the world, the world will hate you, and speak evil of you, joh. 15.19. Or the words, as it should seem, may in a better sense only be referred unto that heavenly troup of blessed Soldiers discharged the field, with the loss of life, and for a reward of this their perseverance, striving unto blood, are clothed with white Robes; which cry for revenge, either in respect of us which do suffer (for the Saints in Heaven do pray for us in general, howsoever they know not our wants in particular) or in respect of themselves which have suffered, they cry for revenge (for it is Gods peculiar) either in this life by his temporal plagues or punishments, or by hastening his coming unto judgement, when they shall eternally be rewarded in that everlastingly burning Tophet, prepared for all persecuting Kings and Princes, who have made havoc of the Saints. Now the time when this was, Saint john makes it manifest, that it was after the opening of of the fourth Seal, and after the coming forth of the fourth Horse: for the fierceness and furious rage of this Romish Beast was not utterly abated, although there was scarce matter left for malice to work upon: but no sooner was Christ borne, which was when Augustus Octavius was Emperor, in the two and fortieth year of his reign; and also put to death again, which was when Tiberius was Emperor, before the Church had recovered any strength or growth, but Tyranny waited on her, to devour her children as soon as they were borne. There are two distinct times, in which the Church of God suffered most grievous persecutions; the first was in her Primitive estate, when by the preaching of the Apostles, the number of believers were multiplied exceedingly; then did the foes increase, that troubled her peace and prosperity, bearing evil will to Zion, inveigled by that hellish Dragon, that was set at liberty, bending and banding all their forces and furies, prosecuting her with all might and malice, did set her again a bleeding, when she was yet but a budding. Her most bloody persecutors were these Roman bloodthirsty Emperors, Domician, trajan, Nero, Doecius, Dioclesian, Antoninus, Maxentius, Lycinius, and other cruel Tyrants, even until the time of Constantine the Great; by whom the Saints were killed all the day long, and were accounted as sheep to be slain.  
The second time was in these last times, under Antichrist, when the whole number of Martyrs shall be completely finished, as it is v. 11. which may also be divided into ten persecutions, if we reckon up all those slaughters of blessed Martyrs, which have been from the time of john Wickleeve within these 138. years, 
The first persecution.  until this time throughout all the coasts of Europe. As first under King Henry the fourth and fift, here in England; the second under that general Council held in Constantia, and Bohemia; the third under the Bishops of Rome, and the nearest Provinces thereof; the fourth under Charles the fifth Emperor in Germany; the fift under Henry the eighth in England; the sixth under Henry the second in France; the seventh under james the second, in Scotland: the eight under Charles the ninth in France; under whose reign there were within the space of one month put to death, above twenty thousand of Martyrs; the ninth was under Queen Mary here in England, she that was a second Nero, for her cruelty, but yet for the Church's comfort, she was but Nubecula citò transitura▪ A short tempest: 
Q. Elizabeth.  for had she lived, then had the Churches chiefest nursing mother been bereaved of her life, and we her children should never have enjoyed these Halcyonian days wherein the Gospel flourisheth in despite either of Pope or Turk. During the time of whose reign, which was but for the space of five years, there were above forty thousand living bodies of the most choicest Martyrs most cruelly burnt, I say, the living bodies, to aggravate the depth of their enraged envy; for they would not suffer the bones of the dead to rest in their graves, but they must be burnt to ashes, when they were almost rotten to the dust. The tenth was under Philip in Spain and Flaunders, as in the Spanish Inquisition we may read more at large; nay, almost what part of the earth hath not that drunken Whore of Rome moistened with the blood of Saints? And yet here is not an end, but still she is plodding and plotting some secret mischief upon the bed of her fornications, and hatching still a malicious brood of Serpents and Cockatrices, Men and Devils, hellish conspirators, still machinating the works of darkness, their fellow-helper being the Devil, which is the Prince of darkness: and therefore no marvel though the Church triumphant in heaven, and the Church militant upon earth, do daily cry for revenge upon that Where of Babylon; and the Lord hearing the loud cry of the Saints, whose blood cries as loud as ever Abel's did against his brother Cain, at the length awaketh as one out of sleep, cometh forth as a Giant refreshed with wine, strikes their enemies upon the thigh, and puts them unto a perpetual shame; as you may see at the opening of the sixth seal, when God, in the severity of his wrath, summons all Kings and Princes of the earth, which have been bloody agents in massacring of Saints, unto the trembling Tribunal of his general judgement; where the first thing that we may take notice of, is the fearful alteration of natural things both in heaven and earth ver. 12.13.14. In the Sun blackness, the Moon became as blood, and the Stars fell from heaven, heaven departed as a scroll, the earth shook, mountains, and islands were moved out of their place; All which are evident demonstrations of that great and fearful Day; Mark. 13. v. 24.25. Matth. 24. v. 29. Luk. 21.25. The second is the fear and amazedness of men: Kings, great men, rich men, chief Captains, bond and free, their hearts did fail them for fear, Luk. 21.26. desiring rather that the earth would swallow them up alive, as it did Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, then to behold the countenance of so angry a judge, and breathing forth such bootless exclamations unto the senseless Rocks and helpless Mountains, Fall upon us, cover us from the wrath of the Lamb, v. 15.16. All which do immediately go before the day of judgement, vers. 17.11. I had rather wade with the Lamb in the shallow, lest with the Elephant plunging myself into the depth, I should be drowned in the depth; which is a just judgement of God upon all rash enterprising spirits, and curious inquisitors into the unsearchable secrets and mysteries past finding out of almighty God, to be given over unto their own private spirits, and to lose themselves in the Labyrinth of their own self motions, and all because they will not confess their ignorance, and content themselves with a sober knowledge, Rom. 12.3. but will be wise above what is written. Once, sure I am of this, that the Scriptures do contain in them all things necessary to salvation, and that they are riddles, and mysteries, dark, and obscure unto none, but unto those that perish.  
Amidst variety of Interpreters, some inclining unto a Literal, some unto an Allegorical, some unto a Tropological sense, I doubt not but that I may safely lay down this plain and literal exposition, viz. That this Text setteth forth the desperate estate and condition of the wicked, at the dreadful day of judgement: wherein I observe these parts. First, an enumeration of particulars, concluding an universal. Kings, great men, rich men, chief Captains, mighty men, bond men, free men, that is, some of all sorts and sexes; all the wicked: Secondly, their strait & desperate estate; in seeking such bootless refuges, They hide themselves in dens and in the rocks of Mountains, v. 15. Thirdly, their lamentable, yet fruitless exclamations: They said unto the Mountains and Rocks, Fall upon us, & hide us from the presence of him, etc. v. 16. Lastly, the reason of all; For the Great day of his wrath is come, and who can stand?  
The Kings of the earth] not Romani Principes, the Princes of Rome; that had been too plain, and it had been a means to have exasperated the malice of those bloody emperors more cruelly to imbrue their hands in the blood of Saints: for Kings that are Tyrants, and rich men that are wedded to the world, can hardly endure to hear of their downfall and destruction, but they will rage's more furiously, and redouble their cruelty; so Herod slew all the children that were in Bethlem and in all the coasts thereof from two years old and under, when the Wisemen told him that jesus was borne, and that He should be the King of the jews, Matth. 2. v. 2.16. Therefore Saint john noting their power and malice, being that they are Kings and rich men, doth for the Church's safety, of set purpose, conceal their names: so the Apostle Saint Paul in the second to the Thessalonians, c. 2. v. 3.4. describing the downfall of the Pope of Rome, he calls him not in plain and direct terms, Antichrist, or the Pope, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That man of sin, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, That son of perdition which exalteth himself, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Above all that is called God, describing the nature of him so, that it can be competent unto none, but unto the Pope of Rome.  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Vegetius l. 2. c. 2. dear militari.  Tribuni, the chief Captains] such as were set over a thousand soldiers, such amongst the Romans were called Tribunes: and a Roman Legion consisted of six thousand soldiers: by which finite agnomination the Devils showed, that the number of their infernal Kingdom was infinite, My name is Legion: for we are many.  
Every bond and every freeman] that is, all the wicked: but especially those that have been actors of the King's decrees, and executioners of new devised tortures, in the persecution of the Saints.  
Hid themselves in dens] Some there are (and that not a few) that would have this to be understood figuratively of the corrupt estate of the Church, and of the last persecution of Antichrist, when the Popish Prelacy had gotten the supremacy. The Sun, say they, is Christ, black and obscured, not in himself; but in the hearts of men. The Moon is the Church, which resembles the Moon waxing and waning; and she borrows her light from Christ. The Stars are the Doctors of the Church, Teachers and Preachers of the Word; Falling to the earth]. i. slain by the wicked, which seem to men to fall to the earth; when as indeed, if faithful in their endeavours to work a sinner's conversion, they shine like stars for ever and ever, Dan. 1 2. v. 3. The Heaven, say they, is the sacred Bible and Canonical Scripture; containing in it the revealed will of the King of Heaven, by means whereof we are led unto Heaven, as the Wisemen were to Christ by the conduct of a Star, 
joh. 5.39.  Matth. 2. v. 9 Within the Pages of this holy Writ, Christ, the Church, the Ministers, are placed like the Sun, Moon, and Stars in the Firmament of Heaven; This Heaven departed in the reign of Antichrist, and became as a clasped Book in respect of the use of it, for almost as good as if it had not been at all, than the people never a jot the better by it, when the laity might not read it; but through the Priest's spectacles: when Images were laymen's Books, and sacred Scripture departed like a scroll, that is, locked up in an unknown tongue. Earthquakes do signify seditions, alterations, mutations of Kingdoms, and Empires; such as began in the Papacy, and do not end as yet; but still doth that exceeding dreadful beast, Daniel 7. v. 19 stir up seditions, disturb common peace, shake Kingdoms, blow up Parliaments, cut off and anathemize Kings, by the thunderbolt of excommunication, yea and afterwards Canonize Devils for Saints; if they would adventure to kill Kings.  
The Mountains are, say they, the Prophets whom the breath of Antichrist doth overturn, and by the same breath of that not erring Man of sin, do the Schole-Doctors by their false glosses and perverse interpretations, corrupt, deprave, and overthrow the sense of the Prophets.  
The islands, say they, are the works and writings of Philosophers, which the same Doctors do pervert some other way, beyond the mind and meaning of Philosophers, so that there is nothing common with the Prophets, nor with true Philosophy. Kings and rich men, etc. are the Monarches of the world, and other private men made subject to the Pope's Catholical and Universal Supremacy, when Kings must hold the stirrup, and kiss the greasy feet of that triple-crownd Monster.  
Hid themselves in dens] that is (say they) the Cells, Cloisters, Solitary places, Nests of Nuns, and unsociable Monks. I will not disallow of this allegorizing interpretation, for it may very well stand for current: but according to the simple sense and meaning of the words, as they lie nakedly to be considered, and if Scripture may interpret Scripture, the Prophet Isaiah maketh them plain; expounding this place in the self same terms, or this place expounding that, both setting forth the narrow strait, and desperate perplexity, which the wicked are brought unto; They shall go into the holes of the Rocks, and into the Caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth, Isaiah 2.19. yea, and to strike a deeper dread and horror into the hearts of the wicked, he doth ingeminate it, like that triple woe in the eight of the Revelation, vers. 21.  
And said to the Mountains & Rocks, Fall on us, etc.] Here the holy Ghost doth allude unto two places of Scripture; the first is the tenth of Hosea v. 8. the second, is the 23. of Luke vers. 30. both describing the desperate estate of the wicked; where our Saviour speaketh of a certain time, when these things should be, after he had spoken of the destruction of jerusalem, which was a type of the consummation of the world, and dissolution of all things; but in Hosea, the Prophet speaketh of the captivity of Israel, which was a figure of jerusalems' utter divastation, and the world's final destruction, as Hierome observeth upon that place: It was an old dotage of Aquinas upon this place, who, as his custom is, to turn all things into Allegories, doth wrest this place of Kings and chief Captains, and would have it to be understood of the Romish Clergy, the Bishops, the Archbishops, and the rest of that rabble, cloistered Monks, and Masse-muttering Priests, crying unto the Mountains, that is, invocating the Saints, imploring their patrociny and their safeguarding protection, from the wrath that is to come. But these cursed Crew, that rob Christ of his honour, who is that one only Mediator, 1. Tim. 2.5. pro quo nullus interpellat, sed ipse per omnibus, as Augustine defines a Mediator; by making as many Mediators as there are Saints departed, shall at that day find the Saints no better than jobs friends, miserable comforters, and that the invocating of them shall be no more regarded, than the shouting and crying of the Priests of Baal, 1 King. 18. v. 27.  
Hid us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne, and from the voice of the Lamb. Object.) But how shall the wicked and unfaithful be able to speak these words, when as they never knew Christ sitting in his Throne, nor understood him to be the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the World? as Peter told the jews, that through ignorance they did crucify Christ, as did also their Governors, Acts 3. v. 17. for had they known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. 
Sol.  I will not insist upon any curious distinction, either of Logicians, or School divines concerning ignorance. In brief I answer thus, that the wicked out of the horror, and hellish despair of a distracted conscience, partly by reason of that imminent danger without them, & the guilt of conscience within them, they shall be compelled to acknowledge Christ to be that Incarnated Word of truth, sent out of the bosom of the Father, and to be that Lamb of God slain for as many as believe: then they shall see, know, & be made to acknowledge him; though in their life time they called his sacred Deity into question, yet then shall they acknowledge him without all question. As Pharaoh at the first answered Moses and Aaron, entreating him from the Lord, to let the children of Israel go, that they may celebrate a feast to the Lord in the wilderness. Quis est Deus, Who is the Lord? as though he had thought (belike) that there had been no God, as Atheists say in their heart, There is no God, Psal. 14.1. or that he himself had been God only, Exod. 5.2. yet afterward he learned a new lesson, being instructed by divers sorts of afflictions, which were as so many Sermons to convict and convince him of Atheism, and was compelled to acknowledge God, to be the Author of them, Exod. 8. and he only to be prayed unto, Exod. 14. So shall the wicked at that day, howsoever at this day they do scorn, deride, and not believe in Christ to be jesus, a Messiah, a Saviour, but persecute him in his members, Act. 9.4. when they see the truth of prophecies fulfilled, the destruction at hand, their own dismal desolation drawing near, then shall they acknowledge Christ to be the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, the Redeemer of Israel.  
For the great day of his wrath is come.] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Jude 6.  the great day: where we may note the universality of it; all the days of judgement going before, were but types and figures, but Epitomes and compends of that day, that great day, that is to come; the drowning of the old world was a great day, the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, a great day, the ransacking of jerusalem, a great day; yet all these together will not express and show forth the least part of that dreadfully incomparable great day, that is to come.  
And who can stand?) It is a Metaphor drawn from those, that whiles some eminent danger hangeth over their heads, cannot look up, but speedily they fly away, until they are out of breath, their spirits spent, & so they fall groveling to the ground; so saith our Saviour Christ, mens hearts shall fail them for fear, and for looking after those things that shall come to the world, Luke 21.16. The cause of this their flying is not only the fearful apparitions of heaven, as presages and prognostications of their dismal doom, but Erynnis conscientiae, as Melancthon calls it, the sting of conscience, like a fiend of hell, dogs and drives them; for the wicked fly when none pursueth them, Pro. 28.1. They therefore are said to stand, that are not terrified & appalled, which are not cast down, neither in body nor mind, but do confidently expect and wait their Masters coming; & therefore it was our saviours counsel unto his Disciples, and in them unto his whole Church, having forewarned them that he would come upon them, at a time, that they wot not of, as travel upon a woman, as a thief in the night, he doth forearm them too, by willing them to be frequent in watching, fervent in prayer; Watch therefore, & pray continually, that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of man, Luke 21.36.  
Thus having Analysed the whole Chapter, divided my Text, and expounded the words, I draw forth this general doctrine, and it flows natural, of its own accord, without any violent straining, or injury unto the Text: this is the doctrine: 
1. Doct.  that the state and condition of the wicked is full of horror at the day of judgement.  
This is proved by phrases of Scripture: First, It is called the Lords day, the day of the Lord, intimating thereby, that as the wicked have had their day, the term of their life, wherein they dare as boldly to commit sin, as if they should never come to judgement, and as the Prophet Amos speaketh, putting far off the evil day, and approaching to the seat of iniquity, Amos 6.3. so likewise the Lord will have his day: and these are the days of vengeance, saith our Saviour Christ, Luke 21. v. 22. wherein the Lord will execute the severity of his wrath, upon sin and sinners.  
Secondly, it is called the day of wrath; now, the wrath of a King is the messenger of death, how much more the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, the breath of whose nostrils kindleth that everlastingly burning Tophet, and his wrath abideth for ever upon the children of disobedience, in that burning Lake of hell fire; for they that have justly provoked the Lord unto wrath in this their life time, by fornication, by uncleanness, by inordinate affection, by evil concupiscence, by covetousness, which is Idolatry, by wrath, by anger, by maliciousness, by cursed and filthy speaking, Colos. 3.5.8. shall be sure to find the recompense and their reward; wrath for wrath, the very fruit of their own fruitless works, for, for these things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience, Colos. 3.6. temporally by manifest judgements of his wrath, and eternally in hell, where his wrath abideth for ever and for ever; in that dungeon of Dogs, that is, among the wicked, whose estate is worse than a Dogs; as namely, Enchanters, Whoremongers, Murderers, Idolaters, and whosoever loveth or maketh lies, Revel. 22.15.  
Thirdly, our Saviour Christ speaking of that day, saith; that it should come upon the world, as travel upon a woman with child: which is not only to be understood of the uncertainty of it when it will come, (yet as sure will it come as travel upon a woman with child:) but the similitude holds true in another sense; that as a woman with child drawing near to her travel, is in sorrow, and crieth in her pains, Isay 26.17. (a punishment peculiar to that sex, by reason of our first Parent's transgression, Gen. 3.16.) she doth oftentimes send forth bitter sighs, and sobs, grievous groans, & lamentable cries, uncertain whether her issue will be a Benjamin, the son of her right hand, or a Benoni, the son of her sorrow & death, yet still doth she lift up her eyes unto the Hills, from whence cometh her help; so the wicked shall lift up their eyes unto the Hills, for they shall cry unto the Hills for help, unto the Mountains for succour, and unto the Rocks for safety, yet they shall receive none from neither. Me thinks, I hear not only jeroms Trumpet sounding in mine 
* Surgite mortui, venite ad judicium.  ears; but a horrible howling of a promiscuous multitude; a greater mourning, weeping, and lamentation was never heard in Rama, Matt. 2.18. Parents weeping for their children, children for their parents; the husband for the wife, the wife for the husband; yet can they not help one another, but as they have been companions in sin, so shall they be companions in torments, and such torments that are matchless, far beyond the pains of women, for her pains end, either with a happy birth, or with as happy a burial; for better is the day of death, than the day wherein we are borne: but the pains of the wicked are endless, easeless, remediless, and as they have conceived iniquity, so shall they receive the fruit thereof.  
Fourthly, S. john describing the miserable estate & condition of the Church under Antichrist, doth very lively set forth the desperate estate and condition of the wicked, at the day of judgement: they shall seek for death in those days, and shall not find it, they shall desire to die, and death shall fly from them, Revel. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Arist. l. 3. Ethic.  9.6. Death, according to the Philosopher, is of all terribles the most terrible, and unto the natural man it is even death to remember death, yet full glad would the wicked be, if they might return to their grave again, & never hear and feel that dreadful doom of divine justice, denounced and inflicted upon them, at that last everlasting judgement in Hell, 
Gregor. Moral.  Vbi erit miseris mors sine morte, finis sine fine, defectus sine defectu, quia mors ibi semper incipit, & deficere nescit; where the wicked shall be ever burning, and yet never consume; ever dying, and yet never dead; for there is death without a death, an end without an end, because death always gins, and knows not how to end. If Death be acceptable unto the aged, whose strength faileth, and are vexed with all kind of evil things, Eccles. 41. vers. 2. and are deprived of all kind of good, belonging unto a natural life, as of Seeing, Hearing, Tasting, Smelling, Feeling, how much more welcome would Death be unto the wicked at that dreadful day of judgement, when they are banished out of the society of Saints, excluded out of heaven, sent packing to hell, where their sight shall be afflicted with uncomfortable darkness, and ugly Devils, their smelling with noisome stinks, their taste with ravenous hunger and bitterness of gall, their hearing with hideous and horrible cries, their feeling with intolerable fire; yet notwithstanding, death shall be far from them, Hell must be their habitation, the Devils their companions, and they must embrace flames of fire in their arms, for their inheritance.  
5. The Prophet Malachi in his fourth Chapter, vers. 1. prophesying of the terrible day of the Lords coming, compares and likens it to an Oven: Behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an Oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, so that there shall not be left neither root nor branch. The Oven whereinto the three Children were cast, was exceeding fearful, being made seven times more hot, than it was wont to be, and yet not an hair of their head was burnt, nor their coats changed, nor any smell of fire came upon them, Dan. 3.27. But how dreadful shall this furnace of hell be, being so infinitely hotter than that was! Our Saviour Christ calls it a furnace of fire, Mat. 13.42.50. S. john the Divine, a lake of fire and brimstone, Revel. 21.8. The Apostle to the Hebrews, a devouring fire, Heb. 10.27. an unquenchable fire, Matth. 3.12. wherein all unbelievers, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and all liars, the proud, and all that do wickedly, shall be fuel: for they shall be bound in sheaves and bundles, saith our Saviour Christ, Matth. 13.30. The Adulterer and the Adulteress in one bundle, the Drunkard and the Glutton in another bundle, the Covetous and Extortioner in another bundle, the Usurer and the Oppressor in another bundle, the Swearer and the false Swearer in another bundle, the Contemners of God and Breakers of his Sabbaths in another bundle, and shall be cast as faggots and firebrands into this Oven, into this furnace, into this lake of brimstone, into this devouring and unquenchable fire; ubi nec tortores deficient, nec torti miseri morientur, where their torments shall never cease, but there shall be torments always for the body, and body always for the torments, world without end.  
6. Our Saviour Christ setting forth the desperate estate, and condition of of the wicked at that day, saith, 
Anxietas gentium in consilij inopia, Bez. usque ad desperationem, jerom.  that there shall be distress of nations with perplexity, Luke 21. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly belongs unto captives and prisoners, that are so shut up in dungeons, or close prisoners, and brought unto such a doubtful and narrow strait, that there is no means possible for them to get out: 
Regiomentaenus in Brussia.  or alluding unto some kind of prisons, wherein the party imprisoned is in such a perplexity, that he can neither sit, stand upright, nor lie upon the ground: such is the estate of the wicked at that day; they are in such a strait, in such a perplexity, even unto desperation, that they see no means possible to escape the hand of God. If they look upward, there is Index iratus, 
Greg.  an angry judge; if they look downward, there is horrendum inferni chaos, the horrible wide gaping mouth of hell; if they look on the one side of them, there are peccata accusantia, their sins accusing them, if they look on the other side of them, there are infinita daemonia ad supplicium trahentia, 
Anselm.  a Legion of devils ready to draw them to execution; if they look without them, there is mundus arden's, a world of fire burning round about them, ready to devour them; if they look within them, there is conscientia urens, a griping conscience, the worm that never dieth; Latere erit impossibile, to lie hid it will be impossible, apparere erit intolerabile, to go forward 'twill be intolerable. No marvel therefore though at the world's end, men be at their wit's end, Luke. 21.26. Hinc illae lachrimae, hence arise Esau's tears, to no end nor purpose; Hinc eiulatuum angustiae, hence ariseth a horrible howling, when all the wicked shall be gathered together as prisoners in the pit, and shall be shut up inprison, Isaiah 23, 22. to be arraigned at the bar of God's tribunal, and to receive according to those things, which they have done in the flesh, 2. Cor. 5.10. Then tribulation and anguish, nay, desperation shall be upon the soul of every one that doth evil, Rom. 2.9. then shall the wicked not be able to stand; because they have walked in the counsel of the wicked, and stood too long in the way of sinners, Psa. 1.1. They cannot sit; because they have been too long sit fast in sin, and Moablike, have weltered in the dregs of their own impieties, or as the Psalmist speaketh, have sit too long in the seat of the scornful. They cannot lie along upon the ground, because they have had a sufficient portion of rest already, they have lived at case all their life long, and done nothing but stretch themselves upon their beds of down, spent their days in chambering and wantonness, taking thought for the flesh, to fulfil the lust thereof; and like the Israelites, sit down to eat and drink, and so rise up to play: but now their joy shall be turned into heaviness, their mirth into mourning, their singing into sighing, their case and rest into caselesse pains, and restless torments, for the wicked shall be turned into hell, and so shall all they that do forget God.  
If we look back again unto the Text, the Parent of my doctrine, we shall find, that it will yield much strength to the confirmation of this truth; then shall the Kings of the earth, and great men, and rich men, etc. They that in their life time have been able to control whole Kingdoms with their countenance, and chase before them millions of men, shall be compelled to seek such weak shelters, such bootless refuges, as to hide themselves in dens, creep into the craggy rocks, and hollow vaults of the earth, as though that the infinitely-discerning eye of Almighty God could not find them out: though they could go down into the very depth of the sea, or centre of the earth, whither can they go or climb from the al-discerning eye of Almighty God? though in their life time they think, that they shall never be removed, but are as seemingly safe as Nebuchadnezar, or as secure from danger as Edom, though now their greatness reacheth unto heaven, and their dominion to the ends of the earth, Dan. 4.19 though now they build themselves stately houses, for the honour of their Majesty, verse. 27. Though now they seem to dwell in the clefts of the rocks, secure and far enough remote out of danger; mounting aloft like Eagles in the air, making their nest among the Stars, Obad. v. 3. as though no danger should ever come nigh their dwellings. Yet Kings with their Armies then shall fly, and be discomfited, and yet cannot fly from the presence of God, nor from beyond the reach of his arm. Thus you see, that the truth of this doctrine is confirmed by many proofs, that the estate and condition of the wicked is full of horror, at the dreadful day of judgement.  
Reason 1 
Ob signorum multitudinem.  Now the reasons of this doctrine are many: the first is this, by reason of the manifold signs, and fearful apparitions both in heaven and earth, which will strike an horror, dread and amazedness into the hearts of the wicked: Saint Matthew describes them thus; the Sun shall be darkened, and the Moon shall not give her light, the Stars shall fall from heaven, and the Powers of heaven shall be shaken, Mat. 24.29. The words are to be understood not metaphorically, but properly of the alteration of the works of nature; as adjuncts, circumstances, and fearful presages of that dismal day; when the Sun shall not stand still only, as at the prayer of josuah, jos 10.12. neither shall it only go backward ten degrees, as upon Ahaz Dial, Isa. 38.8. but it shall be as black as a sackcloth of hair, Revel. 6.12. We read, that there was an exceeding great darkness of the Sun at our saviours Passion throughout all the land, and many bodies of the Saints which slept, arose, Matth. 27.52. How fearful then, and how wonderful shall the coming of Christ unto judgement be, when the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars, and all the powerful influences of heaven, shall grow black, dusky, and utterly be obscured? when all the dead, Saints, and sinners, great and small, both in Sea and land, shall come forth of their graves, whereof the first was a type and figure, 
Mat. 24.31  when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God, 1. Thes. 4.16. Saint Luke likewise describes the circumstances of that day thus, There shall be signs in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars, the Sea, and the waters shall roar, men's hearts shall fail them for fear, and for looking after these things that shall come upon the world, Luk. 21. vers. 25. An Earthquake of itself is very fearful; as threatening the ruins of Cities, hazarding the subversion of many stately buildings, & shaking the very foundations of King's Palaces; and the inundation of waters hath been very terrible, as our Western parts can very well witness; when men even wished for Noah's Ark again, and sought the highest places for refuge, against the merciless waves of the Sea; some climbing the cliffs of craggy rocks, some steeples, some the tops of houses, some trees, some floated upon the waters, like Paul & his companions; many were drowned. But now when the Seas shall roar, Rocks shall rend, Mountains shake and shiver, and the glorious Heavens become dark and dusky: how shall the hearts of men be appalled with dread and terror to behold the same: and yet notwithstanding, these things are but the beginning of sorrows, saith our Saviour Christ, but a Preamble, but a Proem, but a Prologue to the Tragedy.  
I am not ignorant but that the darkening of the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars in the holy Scripture, may sometimes be taken for some kind of calamity ready to fall upon some particular Kingdom; and that these signs do not always denotate properly the last day of judgement: but may be referred to some other particular times of judgement; as the great overthrow of the Babylonish Kingdom, Isa. 13. or the last total and final destruction of the jews by the Romans, Luk. 21. or that celestial and truly Divine victory of Constantine the Great, against Maxentius and the Roman Governors; in the which the great power of almighty God, miraculously shone from heaven, in revenging the precious blood of the blessed Martyrs. So the Wiseman exhorting us to think on God in youth, and not to defer repentance until we be old; draws one of his motives and arguments to induce us thereunto ab incommodo, from the manifold inconveniences and impediments accompanying old age, that will hinder us from the true performance of so weighty a work: Repent, saith he, and turn to God while the Sun is not dark, nor the Moon, nor the Stars, Eccles. 12.2. that is, before old age approacheth, when thou shalt have no more pleasure in thy days, then if thou wert shut up in a dark dungeon, and debarred of the comfort and benefit of those great and glorious lights of Heaven.  
The second reason, Why the state and condition of the wicked is full of horror at the day of judgement, 
Ob judicis, Maiestatem.  is, the Majesty of the judge, the beholding of whose countenance, so full of glory and majesty, shall possess the hearts of the wicked with amazement and astonishment. Now the judge at this great Assize and general Audit, is Christ himself; he that once stood before the judgement seat of Pontius Pilate to receive his sentence, shall now summon Pontius Piliate, and all the Potentates of the earth unto his Consistory, to receive their dreadful doom. That Christ is the sole judge at the last day; they are his own words. The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement unto the Son, john 5. v. 22. And hath committed unto him all power and authority to execute judgement, because he is the Son of man, v. 27. Because he is the Son of man; and this cause yields us comfort, else were we in a miserable case, he doth partake of our nature; and therefore is pitiful, compassionate: yea, far beyond human reach or reason; the Apostles likewise were commanded to testify this truth, and to preach this point; that Christ is ordained by God, to be judge of the quick and dead, Act. 10. v. 42. So likewise in the 17. Act. 31. Paul preaching to the Athenians, presseth repentance; and the argument which he useth to provoke them thereunto, is the consideration of the day of judgement; when God will judge the world in righteousness by that man, that is, Christ whom he hath ordained. So likewise the Apostle in the second to the Romans, ver. 16. God shall judge the secrets of men by jesus Christ. And in the second to Timothy, c. 4. vers. 1. jesus Christ shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing. Whereby it is manifest, that neither the Saints nor the Angels, not God himself: but mediant Christo, by Christ, into whose hands he hath resigned all power and authority, shall judge all the world at the last day.  
Whereunto if any object the words of the Apostle, in the first to the Corinthians the 6. c. v. 2.3. The Saints shall judge the world, and not only the world, but the Angels too: I answer, that there is such a narrow band and strict union, betwixt Christ and the Saints, that they make one body: so that which is granted unto the head, is not denied unto the body: Christ as the chief principal upon that Bench, doth pronounce that sentence already revealed unto us in the Gospel, Matth. 25. v. 41. and the Saints as witnesses, shall subscribe unto that sentence, and triumph at the just condemnation of the wicked. This is manifest by the mouth of our Saviour Christ, Ye which have followed me in the regeneration, shall sit upon twelve Thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel, Matth. 19 v. 28. or as some of the Fathers do expound the place, 
Amb. Chry. in hunc locum.  The Saints shall judge the world: Quia exemplo fidei perfidiam mundi damnabunt, as our Saviour speaketh of the Ninivites, and of the Queen of the South; that they should rise up against the jews to condemn them at the day of judgement, that is, by the example of their faith, they shall condemn them of infidelity. Thus Noah is said, by preparing the Ark, to save him and his posterity from the general Deluge of water, to condemn the world of infidelity, who would not believe at the preaching of Noah, that the world should be destroyed with water, as many Atheists and Epicures now a days, at our preaching will not believe, that the world shall be destroyed with fire, Heb. 11. vers. 7. and unto this Origen saith well; 
Orig. Hom. in Numb.  Non Paulus ipse sed opus Pauli, quod faciebat in evangelio, judicabit mundum: So that to conclude, the Faith, the Life, the Doctrine, the Death of the Saints, for the testimony of the truth, shall condemn the wicked at the last day.  
And whereas it is said, the Saints shall judge the Angels (leaving Saint Chrysostom's opinion, 
In hunc locum.  who would by Angels to be understood Ministers, who are called Angels, Apoc. 2.1. and so the Bishops of the Churches of Asia are called Angels) we may safely and most truly understand the spiritual powers, Angels that fell from their first estate, and so are become reprobate Devils: these cursed crew, I say, that are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgement of the great day, Jude 6. shall yield themselves subject unto the censure and sentence of the Saints.  
Thus having showed, who that judge shall be, it remains that I speak of his Majesty, as far as it is revealed unto us in his word. As a King providing for war, maketh choice of such men, as may best serve to set forth the royalty of a King, and for their valour able to encounter with the best of his approaching enemies: So Christ, when he comes riding upon the clouds, to encounter with the inhabitants of the earth, for sin, he will come in power and great glory, Luke 21.27. and this his power doth consist in a glorious multitude of heavenly attendants; not silly Fishermen, as in the days of his infirmity, but a glorious troop of holy Saints and blessed Angels, as consorting with him at the appearing of his Majesty. Behold, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Jude 14  he cometh, saith S. Jude, with thousand of his Saints, to give judgement against all men, and to rebuke all the ungodly; and as Christ shall come with his many Saints, so shall he appear with his infinite troop and train of Angels. For thousand thousands shall minister unto him, and ten thousand thousands shall stand before him, yea he shall come with all his holy Angels, Dan. 7.10. which is to be understood of Christ, & his coming to judgement: for in the ninth verse mention is made of the Ancient of days, sitting down upon his Throne; that is, God the Father: and in the thirteenth verse it is added, that the Son of man approached unto the Ancient of days, which gave unto him power, honour and a Kingdom: that is, Christ, into whose hands, God the Father hath given power and authority of judging the quick and the dead, at the last day. Now if jehoram was half astonished at the furious marching of jehu & his company, & therefore sent forth horsemen to meet him, and inquire whether it were peace or no, 2. King. 9.16. how much more will it strike the wicked with amazement, and dreadful astonishment, when they shall see Christ coming against them with millions of Saints, and Legions of Angels, and no conditions of peace will be accepted of, but he will bruise them with a rod of iron, and break them in pieces like a Potter's Vessel? Psal. 2.9. And he will not only come in power, but in glory, in great glory: and no marvel, for the Father hath glorified him, & will glorify him again, when he hath gathered together the Elect, from the four corners of the earth, and both shall make one glorious body in that Kingdom, so full of glory, where their Hymns and Haleluiahs' shall be glory, and honour, etc. for ever and for ever. It is the observation of some upon the 24. of Matth. that the Sun shall be darkened, 
Ferus Spangin.  and the Moon shall not give her light, at the bright shining & glorious appearing of Christ jesus. As greater lights are wont to obscure the lesser (as the bright beams of the Sun, the glimmering light of a Candle) so the exceeding brightness and transcendent glory of Christ, at his appearing, shall darken all those glorious lamps and lights of heaven, whose sweet influence, & comfortable beams we now enjoy day by day. To this S. john the Divine alludeth. 
1. Thes. 1.7. Act. 1.11.  He had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his face shone as the Sun shineth in his strength, Revel. 1.16. S. Paul setting forth the glory of his coming, saith, He shall come in flaming fire, with the sound of an Archangel: he shall come in the clouds, and ride upon the wings of the wind. Saint Matthew thus; Then shall he sit upon a Throne of glory, and before him shall be gathered all Nations, Matth. 24.31. The gloriousness of which Throne Daniel describeth, saying: His Throne was like a fiery flame, and the wheels like burning fire, Dan. 7.6. And if the Earth and the Sea do reel too and fro, start and stagger, and fly away▪ Revel. 20.11. as not being able to behold the glory, nor endure the face of this approaching judge: how much less shall the wicked be able to stand, which are inutile terrae pondus, the very chaff, the dross, the offscouring of the earth, and therefore no marvel, though they go into the holes of the Rocks, and into the Caves of the earth, from before the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of his Majesty, when he shall arise to destroy the earth, Isaiah 2.19. Mallent enim impij esse in inferno, quàm videre faciem irati judicis. The wicked had rather be thrown down to hell, where is utter darkness, then endure the glorious presence of so angry▪ a judge. If S. john the blessed Revelator of heavens secrets, fell at the feet of Christ as dead, when he beheld him, Reu. 1. v. 17. If Moses that man of God, could not endure the face of God: but covered his eyes with a vail: If the Seraphins that stand about the Throne of God, cover their faces with two of their wings, as not being able to behold the glorious Majesty of God, how shall the Majesty of this our great God, ever our Saviour jesus Christ, Tit. 2.13. daunt the hearts of the wicked at his appearing, even more than can be expressed?  
The third reason, why the estate and condition of the wicked is so full of horror at the Day of judgement, is; by reason of the strict account that they must render: All men without any exception, Adam and all his posterity; as many as have been dead before, & as many as are then living: and they that are then living, shall not prevent them that sleep: I say all men, and so saith the Apostle, We shall all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, Rom. 14. v. 10. Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God, v. 12. And every man shall receive the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil, 2. Cor. 5. v. 10. And not only all men, but all the Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, 
2. Pet. 3.4.  are reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgement of the Great Day, Jude, verse. 6. This truth the Devils themselves did confirm by their desperate crying out, fearing their present execution, unto the which they themselves know they are reserved; Quid nobis & tibi, What have we to do with thee, jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come to torment us before the time? Matth. 8. v. 29. And this fear is the chains and fetters before mentioned, in the which the Devils are manacled, until they be brought forth unto the full execution of the wrath of God in Hell, the place of Devils, and all the damned.  
And not only men, and Devils; but unreasonable creatures, the heaven and the earth, and whatsoever is contained within this spacious Universe, shall be judged also after their manner at that day. So saith Saint Peter, The heavens and the earth are reserved unto fire against the day of judgement, and of the destruction of ungodly men, and the heavens shall pass away with a noise, that is, they shall pass away from a mutable condition, unto an immutable degree of perfection; The Elements shall melt with heat, and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt up. Not that the great Fabric, and glorious workmanship of heaven and earth shall be burnt, and brought to nothing: for the earth remaineth for ever, Eccles. 1. v. 3. Sed ab ea quae nunc habet specie, per ignem tergetur, ea tamen in sua natura servatur, Greg. l. 17. Moral. c. 5. They shall be purged of their corruptible qualities, and purified from the filth of their imperfections, as the Sun & Moon shall be no more eclipsed, and sublunary things shall be no more subject to generation and corruption: but as the gold cast into the fire, is purged from the dross, whereby it becomes a refined substance; so the heavens and the earth shall put on, as it were, new apparel, adorned with a new fashion: for the 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  fashion of this world passeth away, 1. Cor. 7.31. but not the nature and substance. Hierom proveth as much by that place, Isa. 30.26. The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun shall be sevenfold; non interitum significat pristinorum, sed commutationem in melius. Whereby the holy Ghost doth signify, not a destruction of those lights which were before; but a change into a better. Caluin goeth farther, saying; that they shall be fellows with the Saints in that glorious estate. And so saith the Apostle, the 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Non singula generum, sed genera singulorum, Ordi. Gloss. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Creature (that is the world) shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, Rom. 8. v. 21. So Acts 3.21. there is promised a 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Non singula generum, sed genera singulorum, Ordi. Gloss. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  restoration of all things; So Psal. 10. The heavens shall all wax old as doth a garment, and they shall be changed, that is, into a better form and fashion. So S. john saw a new Heaven, and a new earth, Apo. 21.1. So S. Peter, We look for a new heaven, and a new earth, according to his promise, etc. v. 13. Hence is it, that the perpetuity of Christ his spiritual Kingdom, is shadowed out unto us by the continuance of the Sun and Moon. His Throne shall be as the Sun, Psal. 89. v. 36.37. and shall be established for evermore as the Moon, Psal. 72. ve s. 5. God's children shall fear him, so long as the Sun and Moon endureth, verse. 7. And Christ his name shall endure, so long as the Sun, verse. 17. Therefore it must be granted, that these creatures shall be restored, and so continue without decay, or corruption; or else it must must be yielded, that Christ's Kingdom must have an end, which may not be granted. But after what manner this instauration shall be, it is not manifested unto us in the word of God: and to what end they shall serve, whether as Monuments of God's glory; it were curiosity to search or determine, sufficient is it to know, that they shall be judged after their kind.  
But if any should object against what hath been spoken, as namely, that all men shall give an account: The sixth verse of the first Psalm, the wicked shall not stand in judgement, And that of john 5.24. He that believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement. 
Lombardus ex Gregorio binos facit ordines judicandorum, alij iudicantur & pereunt, alij non iudicantur & pereunt, alij iudicantur & regnant, alij non iudicantur & regnant, Lomb. l. 4. dist. 49.  These places indeed have much troubled the Fathers, in so much, that Hilary and Origen were of opinion, that neither the godly Faithful, nor the wicked Infidels shall be judged: the one being cleared, the other condemned in their own conscience. Ambrose thinketh, that the righteous only shall come into judgement, quia festinant innoxij adiudicium, the righteous they do hasten to judgement, and long to hear that comfortable sentence pronounced: Come ye blessed of my Father, etc. But the places may better be reconciled thus: there is a twofold judgement, a judgement of absolution, and a judgement of condemnation. The wicked shall not stand in that judgement, which the righteous shall receive, as namely, to be quitted and absolved. The latter part of the verse thus expounding the former, nor the sinners in the assembly of the righteous: and the righteous shall not come into judgement, that is, shall not be condemned with the wicked: for they shall both be judged apart, the one at the right hand, 
Mat. 25.34.41. Non iudicabitur i no● condemnabitur, Irenaeus.  the other at the left hand of Christ, and shall receive a far different doom, as far as a curse differs from a blessing, hell from heaven; so that the Texts alleged are thus to be reconciled; The righteous shall not come into judgement (that is) into condemnation; the wicked shall not stand in judgement, (that is) they shall be convinced in their own conscience of the just sentence, and deserved condemnation, that they shall not be able to gain say, or contradict.  
Now the strictness of their account will appear, if we, consider how many things they shall be called unto an account for. First, 
De cogitationibus.  of the thoughts of our hearts, though never so secretly contrived, though never uttered by the tongue, though never acted by the hand, yet if there be a deliberate consent, and free approbation of the will and affections, and a full resolution to put the same in practice, if we had place and fit opportunity; I say, this sin of thought shall not go for nought at the day of judgement; else why should the Lord take notice of all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart? Genes. 6.5. why should the Lord desire so much the heart, My son, give me thy heart: but because it is the root and fountain, either of good or evil? If it be the storehouse of good things, and Treasury of divine meditations, it is a Temple meet for God to dwell in: but if it be a cage of unclean birds, of evil thoughts, it is already possessed with so many devils. If the evil thoughts of the heart were not sins, and so by a consequent come to judgement: Why should the Lord style himself the searcher of the heart, and trier of the reins, were it not so punish? according to the saying of the Wise man; There shall inquisition be made for the thoughts of the ungodly, there shall not a wicked thought pass in judgement, Wis. 1.9. If adultery be a sin, and lusting after a woman, though it breaks not out into act, be adultery, Matth. 5.28. And no adulterer shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, 1. Cor. 6.9.10. then are the thoughts of the heart sin, and so by a consequent, they shall come to judgement, and shall prevail in judgement. If manslaughter be a sin, as indeed it is a crying sin: 
1. joh. 4.15  and if he that hateth his brother be a manslayer, and no manslayer shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, Revel. 21.8. then are the thoughts of the heart, sin, and they shall be brought forth to the condemnation of the wicked, at the day of judgement. Hence is it, that our Saviour Christ so sharply inveigheth against the Scribes and Pharisees, who stood so much upon their own righteousness in fulfilling the Law; thinking that if they did not violate the Law in act, by killing, or committing adultery, or by any other actual transgression, contrary to the Law of God, that they had performed the Law to a hairs breadth. But our Saviour reproving them and their righteousness, which they did so much extol, that they should not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, notwithstanding this their righteousness, showeth, that there was a stricter course required in performing the Law: for whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shall be culpable of judgement, Matth. 5.22. The Law condemneth every inclination to be evil, and the heart doth kill as well as the hand, in will, in wish, in desire: the heart committeth adultery, the heart doth steal as well, or rather ill, as the outward members. For if we consent to those wicked motions suggested by Satan, (though we never perform them outwardly in act) yet before God we have done the sin: and if the thought be truly sin, far greater is that sin of act. Yea, the sin of thought is not only a sin, but is the very original, the fountain, and root, from whence all other sins do spring; and therefore saith our Saviour Christ, That which goeth into the man, defileth not the man: but those things which come forth from the heart, as evil thoughts, murders adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witnesses, blasphemies, these defile the man, Mat. 15.19. So that there is not a sin, of what nature soever, great or small, from the least infirmity to the highest blasphemy, but it had its first beginning from the heart: thought is the seed of all sins, and though but a spark at the first, yet will it increase into a flame, if it be not repressed. For this is sin's gradation, first, 
Hall. Meditat.  there is presented a fit object; from the object, is raised an ill suggestion, suggestion brings on delight, delight consent, consent endeavour, endeavour practice, practice custom, custom excuse, excuse defence, defence obstinacy, obstinacy boasting of sin, and boasting of sin a reprobate sense; when the custom of sin hath taken away the sense of sin, and miserable man is sold as a bondslave unto Satan to commit wickedness, even with greediness. And therefore salomon's counsel in this kind is very worthy to be embraced. Keep thine heart with all diligence, for thereout cometh life: If thou keepest it not diligently, and warily, thereout will proceed death, Proverbs, 4.23. As Christ's advice unto the Church is, that the little 
* Heresies.  Foxes be taken, and be killed whilst they are but Cubs, (not that they can do much harm, but if they live until they be Foxes, they will spoil, kill, and make a prey of any thing whatsoever:) even so the thoughts of the heart at the first, may seem to be but small sins; but if they be not slain at the first, and smothered as soon as they be conceived, they will break forth into actual transgressions, and so lad the soul with sin; kill therefore these Cockatrices in the egg, slay them whilst they be but Cubs: Oh, happy is he that taketh these young children, and dasheth their brains against the stones: and so much the rather, because they are sins, and shall come to judgement, for the Lord shall judge the secrets of men, Rom. 2.16.  
Secondly, Inquisition shall not only be made of the thoughts of the heart, but we must also give an account of the words of the mouth: They are the words of him that is the word of truth; Of every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof at the day of judgement, Matth. 12.36. If a man might be called to an account but for his grosser sort of sins, as for his Whoredom, Swearing, Cheating, Stealing, Usuries, Briberies, Extortions, dishallowing of Sabbaths, and the like; there were some hope of safety, although, God knows, there is no hope of the salvation of such, without a speedy and unfeigned repentance; which doth consist in an holy confession of their sins; in an hearty sorrowing for the same; 
Sermonem otiosum vocat inanem, & nullius utilitatis, qui sc: nihil aedificatienis, vel fructus adfert, Marlor. ex Cal●.  in a faithful restitution of that which he hath taken from any man by falsity and wrong, and in a godly reformation of his forepast life: but God will bring into judgement, not only every secret thought, but every idle word: and who, alas, shall be able to answer him, one of a thousand? job 9.3. Now an idle word is that, which is spoken without a fruitful edification of the hearers: for our words ought not only to be few, but also they must be good, and gracious, they must be savoury, and well seasoned with the salt of the Sanctuary, and therefore job calls the ear the taster of the Word; that as we, in the common food of our body swallow not any thing down into the stomach, but what the palate approves to be good, and the grinders prepare for digestion: so the ear will not give passage unto any word, unless it relish of the Spirit of sanctification, and be truly good to the use of edifying, and may convey some spiritual nourishment unto the soul: and therefore it is the exhortation of the blessed Apostle, Let no communication proceed out of the mouth, but that which is good, to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers, Ephes. 4.29. The tongue is the Harbinger of the heart, and the truest Ambassador, both of the mind and meaning, it will soon descry and make manifest unto others, what Countrymen we are, whether we belong unto the Province of Babel, or the Land of Canaan. If we belong unto the Province of Heaven, than our speech is of this Country, our language is heavenly; we are frequent in praising of God, in talking of his Word, and in telling forth what great things the Lord hath done unto our souls: as our affections are in heaven, so is our talk of heaven, and heavenly things. But if we belong unto that infernal Kingdom, then is the speech carnal, sensual, diabolical; then is the tongue exercised in the language of that Country, in swearing, false-swearing, cursing, banning, and blaspheming: then is our communication such, as may help to advance the Kingdom of Satan, whereof we ourselves are limbs, and whereof hereafter without repentance, we shall be everlastingly burning, and never consuming firebrands.  
To conclude therefore, if every man must give-an account of every idle word, not tending to the edification of himself and others, and of all corrupt and filthy communication, whereby he hath grieved the holy Spirit of God, Ephos. 4.30. Tremble then, thou swearing and false swearing tongue, whose Rhetoric and Eloquence of common talk, is an execrable oath, nay, as many oaths as words: thou that canst not sell a penny worth, or a pound weight, without dozen of oaths: we have a world full of such tongues, and because of such kind of tongues the land mourns; Gods heavy judgements are gone out against it: if account must be made of every idle word, what shall become of that tongue that hath pleaded an unjust cause to the perverting of justice, wresting the Law, to the utter undoing of the fatherless & widows? what shall become of that tongue, that cannot speak a word, in the defence of the poor, unless it be well tipped with gold, the oil that makes every joint to be nimble, and every bad cause to go for current? If account must be made of every idle word, then stand amazed, thou vain and wanton tongue, understand and quake when thou hearest mentioned the terrible day of judgement; thou, whose words do not only not tend to edification, but to disgrace the Scripture, the word of God itself; thou that thinkest no jest will go for current, unless it be seasoned with the salt of the Sanctuary: such is the profaneness of the age in which we live, that every Actor upon the stage, every profane Swaggerer, and every mincing Minion cannot speak a word, but must have a fling and gird at sanctified Scripture; assuredly, thine account is the greatest, thy case fearful, thy judgement intolerable. Let every man therefore take heed unto his ways, that he offend not in his tongue; let him refrain his tongue from evil; let him desire the Lord to set a watch before his lips, that he may not speak his own words, but such as the Lord by his word command's him to speak; for if our words are not such as they ought to be, we shall give an account for them at the day of judgement.  
3. We shall not only be called unto an account for our thoughts, 
De operibus.  and words, but also of our works, wheresoever and whensoever committed, whether by day, or by night; whether in the field, or in the City; whether in the City, or in the house; whether in the house, or in our chamber; whether in our chamber, or in our bed; there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; nothing hid, that shall not be known, and made manifest, before God, before the Angels, before Saints, before the whole world, at the day of judgement: so saith the blessed Apostle, We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, and there receive according to our works, 2. Cor. 5.10. God will give unto every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his works; they that have done good, shall go into everlasting life, but they that have done ill, shall go into everlasting fire: This, God himself revealed to S. john for truth itself: I saw the dead, great and small, stand before God, and they were judged according to their works, Apoc. 20.12. To this purpose saith August. In quibus actibus quisque homo inventus fuerit, quando exierit de corpore, in his iudicabitur; in what sins soever man goes out of the body unrepented of, of the same he shall be judged at the day of judgement: as the Preacher therefore concludes his Book; so will I conclude this point, God will bring every work unto judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil, Eccles. 12. v. 14.  
4. Neither shall we be only called unto an account for our thoughts, our words, and works: but also for our goods and possessions, how we have gotten them, how we have kept them, how we have spent them; whether we have gained our goods through others hurt, building our houses like the Moth, job 27. vers. 12. The Moth is made fat by spoiling the book and barks wherein they live; so the covetous is made rich in devouring the poor: Of which sort are these, Usurers, Extortioners, Cheaters, Brokers, and all covetous Ahabs' whatsoever, that join house to house, land to land, until there be no place for the poor to dwell in: For great men must render great account, when that great Landlord comes to reckon with them, and bids them give an account of their steward-ship: for they may be no longer stewards. Secondly, we shall give an account how we have kept them. Indeed we are but keepers of our wealth, though we had the world at will: 
Amb. l. de Nab. c. 14.  Custos es tuarum, non Dominus facultatum, Thou art but a keeper, thou art not Lord over thy goods and substance. 
Chrys.  Deus enim divitiarum suarum dispensatores esse voluit, non Dominos: God will have us dispensers and disposers of our goods, unto the good of others, and not to be Lords over them ourselves; and therefore they be goods, Non quod faciunt bonum, sed unde facias bonum: not that they make a man good, but because a man by them may do good, employing them to the glory of God, & the good of his neighbour, and his own comfort. First, unto God, laying out temporal things, for spiritual comforts: in maintaining the Preachers, in defending the Gospel, in repairing his Temples. Secondly, thou must lay them out upon thy neighbour; making friends of thine unrighteous Mammon, as thy Master commands thee, Luk. 16. v. 9 Stips pauperum thesaurus inopum, was the word of the good Emperor Constantius, The rich man's treasure, is the poor man's stock; so that he that denies them what they stand in need of, denies them their due; of which sort Saint james speaks of, that have their presses full of garments, and their chests full of coin: but their gold and silver is cankered, their garments moth-eaten, whiles Christ himself in the person of a beggar, stands at their door with an empty belly, and a naked back, crying for a morsel of bread to put in their belly, or some old cast garment to cover their nakedness, and yet they are sent away as comfortless and as empty-handed, as ever they came thither. No marvel therefore, though Saint james so sharply inveigheth against rich men, against such kind of keepers of their goods: Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl, for the miseries that shall come upon you; your riches are corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten, your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat up your flesh, as it were fire; ye have heaped up treasure against the last days, james 5. v. 1.2.3. Thirdly, he shall give an account how he hath spent them; whether upon works of superstition to the dishonour of God; or in the unnecessary quarrels of the Law, to the hindrance of his neighbour, or in spending of them upon Whores and Harlots, until pox and penury be his end; or in surfeiting and drunkenness; to the ruinating of his estate, danger of soul, hurt of body, loss of credit, grief of friends, undoing of his children; 
1. Tim. 5.8.  and such a one is worse than an Infidel. To conclude therefore this point, every man must give his account unto God; the King as well as the Subjects, the Prince as well as the People, Ministers and Magistrates, Parents and children, Masters and servants, rich and poor, good and bad, and every transgression from the highest blasphemy, to the least infirmity, must be brought to a strict trial at the Day of judgement. Which is the third reason aggravating the fearful estate and condition of the wicked at the Day of judgement.  
The fourth reason why the estate and condition of the wicked is so full of horror at the Day of judgement, is, by reason of the multitude of witnesses, and accusers, which shall come forth to witness, accuse, and condemn them at that Day. As first of all, GOD himself above them, which knoweth and sealeth up their sins, as it were in a bag, job 14.17. And therefore saith job, in a case of controversy that could not be decided; My witness is in heaven. So Samuel declaring to the people his integrity, how uprightly he had conversed amongst them; he takes the Lord to be a witness betwixt him and the people, 1. Sam. 12. v. 5. Whereby we may see how fearful a thing it is, thus to dally with our all-seeing and all-knowing God; as to call his sacred Majesty, to be a witness in matters of untruth, contrary to our own knowledge, and the testimony of our own conscience. For assuredly the Lord will be a witness, a swift witness; they are the words of his own mouth: I will be a swift witness against the Sorcerers, against the Adulterers, against false swearers, against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts, Mal. 3. v. 5.  
The second sort of accusers are the Devils, the whole rabble of that infernal Kingdom; the common & sworn adversaries to all mankind, and if they dare to accuse the brethren, the Saints, and servants of God: as he did that perfect and upright man of God, holy job. Assuredly this will be his practice at that day, he will bring forth a most exact bill of all our sins committed all our life long. Presto erit, saith Augustine, Diabolus ante tribunal Christi, & recitabit verba professtonis nostrae, & obijciet nobis in faciem omnia quae fecimus; in quo die & in quo loco peccavimus, & quae facere debuimus. The Devil will be ready before the Tribunal of Christ, and will recite the words of what we have made profession of, and object our own sins to our faces; in what day, and at what place we did commit them, and all other circumstances; howsoever we now cast them behind our backs, then will he bring them forth before our faces. It behooves us therefore, to be watchful over our own ways, considering the Devil watcheth over us so, that he will not let pass any one of our sins unregistered: but will bring them forth to the confusion of the wicked; yea if it were possible, of the Saints, at the day of judgement. The third sort of accusers are the Angels beside them. I will not here maintain Origens' opinion, who saith, unusquisque Angelorum aderit, producens illos quibus praefuit, qui testimonium prohibebit quot annis circa eum laboravit ad bonum instigando, sed monita eius sprevit. That as every man hath his particular Angel attending on him, provoking him to good, protecting him from evil; every man's particular Angel shall witness against the wicked at that day. But far greater is the royalty of God's children, they have guards of Angels, thousands of Angels do environ them about, and defend them from all their foes, though never so many, never so mighty; sometime striking off the fetters in which they are tied prisoners, and making passage for them, by throwing open the doors of the prison; and as these swift-winked messengers do observe the ways of the wicked, whose ministry they have abused; and as they have presumed to commit sin in the sight of the Angels: the Angels being spectators and eye-witnesses to all their actions, shall be produced as so many accusers at the day of judgement. Tremble then, thou profane and lose liver, that darest to commit that in the sight of the Angels, which thou fearest to do in the sight of little children.  
The fourth sort of accusers are the Saints before them, whom they have despised, scorned, and abused in this life, whom they have accounted as the scum, and the offscouring of all things, men unworthy to live, whom they have had in derision, and a proverb of reproach; as the wicked have judged the godly at their pleasure, so the Saints then shall judge the wicked, the world, that is, the company of the wicked: and they that in this life have been made the footstools of the wicked, shall then sit upon Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, Matth. 19.28.  
The fifth sort of witnesses are the wicked, witnessing against the wicked. The men of Ninive, saith our Saviour Christ shall rise up with this generation, and shall condemn it; the Queen of the South shall rise up with this generation in the judgement, and shall condemn it, Matth. 12.40.41. tire and Sydon shall witness against Corazin and Bethsaida, Sodom and Gomorrah against Capernaum, Ephraim against Manasses, Manasses against Ephraim, the Pharisees against the Sadduces, the Sadduces against the Pharisees, the Pope against the Turk, the Turk against the Pope; and they that know not whether there be a holy Ghost or no, shall witness against the formal Protestants of our time, who often talk of the Spirit, and yet walk after the flesh, having a show of godliness, and yet deny the power thereof; yea, and not only so, but birds of a feather, such as have been companions in sin, and have had fellowship in the unfruitful works of darkness, shall witness one against another; the Egyptians against the Egyptians, the swearer against the swearer, the Extortioner against the Extortioner, the Usurer against the Usurer, the Drunkard against the Drunkard, and they that have slept in the same bed of sin, the Adulterer against the Adulteress, one wicked wretch shall witness against another at the day of judgement. And what know we, but that the Satyrs of Virginia may witness against many seeming Saints in England at that day? they unto whom the light of the Gospel hath not dawned as yet, but are nuzzled in darkness, bred in blindness, and led along in ignorance, shall doubtless witness against many of us, that live under the sound of the Word, enjoying the free passage of the Gospel, the pure preaching of the Word of God in season, and out of season, that have had so many Sermons of repentance that have had so many threats of God's judgements denounced against us; and yet we persevere in the same sins which we find condemned by the Word; for where grace is most plentiful, there sin is most sinful: doubtless, the Heathens, Pagans, and Infidels, Whores and Harlots, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, before such, as turn the grace of God into wantonness.  
Neither shall the wicked only one witness against another, but they shall all witness against themselves. Out of the hellish horror of a distracting conscience, they shall witness against themselves, and pronounce themselves guilty of everlasting condemnation: for when the Ancient of days shall sit down upon his white Throne, before whom Heaven and Earth fled away, then shall the Books be opened; and the Books are two, the Book of the Law, and the Book of thine own conscience: The Law will plead for transgression of her Precepts, and will tell thee what thou shouldest have done: thy conscience will present unto thy view, the things which thou hast done, and shall pronounce the sentence of condemnation with so shrill a voice, that thy deafest ear may hear it: this book of conscience is in thine own keeping, locked up within the closet of thine own bosom; none can falsify it, neither is there any thing written in this book, but what thine own hand hath subscribed thereunto; therefore thou canst not take any exception against it. As was Gods proceeding against juda and jerusalem, such shall his proceeding be against the wicked at the day of judgement: before he pronounced their judgement, he appealed unto their own consciences, whether they had not deserved, that God should utterly reject and forsake them; O Inhabitants of jerusalem, and men of judah, judge, 
Isaiah 5.  I pray you, betwixt me and my Vineyard. judge you, that is, look into your own consciences, and there read your own sins, and judge whether you have not deserved, that I should take away the hedge: that is, leave off to defend you from your enemies; and suffer the Babylonians to invade and spoil you. Make you desolate, that is; destitute of political government, and that briars and Thorns should grow up: that is, many of you carried away unto the Idolatry, and other sins of the Babylonians; and that the clouds should rain no rain: that is, that you should be deprived of all kind of comforts in your captivity, altogether pining with sorrow, 
Psalm. 137  sitting down by the waters of Babylon weeping, and hanging up your Harps upon the Willow trees that are therein. So shall it be at the day of judgement, God will appeal unto the consciences of the wicked, and the consciences of the wicked shall frame that desperate conclusion of everlasting condemnation against themselves. They shall not be brought to the fight of their sins by parables, as juda and jerusalem here, or as David, 1. Sam. 12. But their sins shall be written in the book of their conscience, in such great capital Letters, that he that runs may read it, and so shall they be evidently convicted and convinced by the contents of this book, and testimony of their own conscience: so that, as Eliphaz said falsely of job, thine own mouth, and not I, condemn thee, shall the just judge of all things at that day speak truly unto thee by the mouth of thine own conscience, O thou evil servant, thine own conscience bearing witness against thee, will I condemn thee: 
Ascendat itaque homo tribunal mentis suae, si timet, illud meminerit, quod oportet eum ante tribunal Christi exhiberi, August. Hom. 50.  Quicquid enim erubescimus confiteri, ho totum proprijs linguis coram totomundo proclam abimus. Et apertis conscientiarum libris singulis manifestabimus: Whatsoever, saith Bernard, we now blush to confess before men, we shall then proclaim with our own tongues before the whole world, and the book of our conscience being laid open, we shall make it manifest unto all men.  
The last sort of accusers are the creatures without them; the creatures, I say, whose use, by right of inheritance, belong properly unto none, save unto the children, of God, 1. Cor. 3.25. Rom. 8.32. Howsoever, churlish Nabals and covetous Ahabs', by usurpation do withhold them from them, the sin that is committed in the use of them, shall rise up in judgement to the condemnation of the wicked. And not only the sensible creatures, groaning and traveling in pain, till they be delivered from the bondage of corruption, which against their will suffered under the wicked: but even the very senseless creatures, The heaven shall reveal their iniquity, and the earth shall rise up against them, job 20. v. 27. The stones crying out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber, Heb. 2. v. 11. that is, they that have erected their houses by iniquity, by oppression, by keeping back the hirelings wages: this their sin in so doing, shall witness against them, nay, the Moth of the garment, and the rust of their cankered coin, shall witness against the covetous worldling at the last day, james 5. v. 3. Nay, the dead Letter of the Bible, which thou carriest about thee, shall witness against thee, if thou make not good use of it. Thus Christ told the jews, Do not think that I will accuse you to my Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust, john 5. v. 45. In illa die ultionis nihil habe bit, quod respondere possit homo peccator, ubi coelum & terra, sol & Luna, & totus mundus stabunt adversus nos in Testimonium peccatorum nostrorum, Hugo. de S. Victor. In that day what shall sinful man answer for himself, when the Heaven and the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars; nay, the whole world will stand up against the wicked, in testimony of their sins? and yet if all these should hold their peace, Ipse cogitationes nostrae, & ipsa specialiter opera, stabunt tante oculos nostros, nos ante Deum accusantes, Chrys. super illud, Mat. 24. & virtutes, etc. Our very own thoughts, & especially our own works, shall stand before our eyes, and accuse us before God.  
The fift reason, Reason 5 why the state and condition of the wicked is so full of horror at the day of judgement, is, by reason of that fearful sentence of condemnation, pronounced against them by that just and most upright judge. Their sentence is already revealed unto them by our Saviour Christ, in the 25. of S. Matth. vers. 41. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. This sentence is very fearful, whether we respect the words themselves, the judge, from whose mouth they do proceed, or the irrevocablenesse of them.  
Depart from me,] Those are words of separation; you cursed, words of detestation; into everlasting fire, words of desperation; prepared for the Devil and his Angels, a doleful exemplifieation. Depart from me: what shall the Creature do, when he is banished from the presence of the Creator: Oh, the bitter fruit of sin, which causeth the Lord to deny that Creature to be his, as not belonging unto him, but utterly to disclaim him, which once he made to his own Image. O, consider, this in time, who shall receive thee; when God casts thee out from his face: Assure thyself, every Creature shall refuse her comfort to thee, if a drop of cold water might be a relief unto thee, thou shalt not get it. But as thy whole life was but a turning back from the Lord, a wandering, and a going a whoring after lying vanities; at that day thou shalt receive this for a recompense of thine erring, Depart from me: and who are they that must departed, the cursed: they that in their life time have been renowned by great and glorious Titles, as King Prince, Duke, Noble, Reverend, Worshipful; now all their glory shall be turned into shame, their honour into ignominy, and their seemingly blessed estate, shall be turned into a truly cursed: ye cursed departed from me; and whither? into fire: and what fire? everlasting fire: If this fire were but like that feigned fire of Popish Purgatory, where venial sins are cleansed, & purged, there were some hope that their torments should have an end: but they that are cast into this fire, shall there lie, and cry, and fry for ever: Vbi per millia millia annorum cruciandi, nec tamen in secula liberandi, 
Mat. 9.46.  there they shall continue a thousand; nay, ten thousand; nay, a thousand thousand, as many years as there are hairs upon thine head, stars in heaven, drops of water in the Sea, Moats in the Sun, leaves in Autumn, all these must be doubled, nay redoubled, every one must be a thousand, nay ten thousand, and yet thy torments shall not have an end, Matth. 22.13.  
To this purpose, Augustine, setting forth the desperate estate of those that are adjudged to that place, saith: In inferno nulta est redemptio, quoniam qui illic damnatus, & demersus fuerit, ulterius non exibit: In hell there is no redemption, because he that is adjudged to that place, shall never come out any more. In inferno nulla est redemptio, quoniam ibi nec pater potest adiware filium, nec filius patrem: In hell there is no redemption, because there the Father cannot help the son, nor the son the father. Ibi non invenitur amicus, aut propinquus, qui valeat argentum, & divitias dare: There is no friend or neighbour to be found, that will give a sum of money, for the ransom of our soul: None by any means can redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him, Psal. 49.7. Then shall they weep and house bitterly, & by reason of the extremity of their pains, shall break forth into these or the like lamentable exclamations: What hath our pride, our riches, our honours, our royal dignities, our riotous kind of life, all our carnal pleasures and delights, what have they profited us? lo, all things are passed away, like a dream, like a shadow, and as a post that hasted by, as a ship that passeth over the waves of the water, or as a bird flown through the air, and are become as if they never had been, and hither are we adjudged unto perpetual pains, and everlasting punishments. But neither their weeping, nor their crying, 
August in Ser. ad Erem.  nor their screeching, will avail them any thing. In inferno nulla est redemptio, quoniam ibi gemitus, sunt & suspiria, & non est qui misereatur: In hell there is no redemption, because there is weeping, sobbing, and sighing, and yet there is none to take pity. Ibi est dolour, & planctus, & clamour, & non est qui exaudiet: In hell there is sorrow, mourning, crying, and yet none that will hear. Then shall the wicked wish that they had never been borne, or that God in their first creation had made them some creatures of another kind, as Toads, Serpents, or Cockatrices, for then their miseries and shame should have ended with their lives. Then shall the rent-racking Landlord wish, that he had never oppressed his poor Tenants. Then shall the covetous Patron wish, that he had never made a prey of the Levites portion. Then shall the careless Pastor wish, that he had never left his flock unto the hirelings, who instead of Preaching the word of God in season, and cut of season, do tie their flock unto a slender diet, either a few cold dead Homilies, or some certain monthly Sermons, & yet think their charge is very sufficiently discharged. Then shall the covetous Lawyer wish, that he had never sold his tongue for bribes, to plead against the fatherless and widows. Then shall the gormandizing Epicure wish, that he had never surfeited at his table, and suffer the poor to starve at his gate. Then shall the carnal Protestant wish, that he had never prattled so much of Religion, and practised so little. Then shall the drunkard wish, that he had never turned so much liquor over his tongue, wanton, & wastefully, and now want a drop of cold water for to cool his tongue. Then shall the wanton fornicator wish, that he had never wasted his body, and his goods, upon the body of a strange woman, and withal shall confess, that brevis est volupt as fornicationis, sed perpetua est poena fornicatoris: short is the pleasure of fornication, but perpetual is the pain of the fornicator. O consider this, in time, all ye that forget God I will conclude with Chrysostom's meditation: utinam homines, 
Hom. 13. in Epist. ad Rom.  in tabernis vinarijs, reliquisque commessationibus, & balneis, imo ubique de gehenna disputarent: I would to God that men, even in wine Taverns, Alehouses, in their banquets, in their baths; I will add, in bawdy houses, yea every where would dispute of Hell. Non enim sinet in Gehennam incidere, Gehennae meminisse: Men would not run so headlong to hell, did they but remember hell, did they but meditate on that fire: our common kind of fire, is but painted fire, in respect of that; and yet how hardly can we endure our finger near it an hour? how much less shall we be able, to dwell eternally in that everlastingly burning Lake, of fire and brimstone?  
With the Devil and his Angels.] The wicked have served the Devil, all the days of their life, and therefore now they must have an irksome habitation with the Devils, and portion of torments with his Angels; as it is said, that the beast and the false Prophet were cast into the place of eternal torments, with the Devil, Revel. 20.10. And indeed this conclusion of the wicked doth agree well with their conversation: as they have forsaken God, and followed Satan, in obeying his sinful suggestions, now therefore they shall go their way with Satan, as companions in sin, so partakers in suffering. The body shall be tormented, because it would not obey the soul: the soul, because it would follow the rebellious body, both soul and body, because they obeyed the instigation of Satan, and left the directions of God's holy Spirit.  
Secondly, this judge is so upright in judgement, that in giving of sentence against the wicked: first, he cannot err through ignorance, for he searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins, to give unto every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his works, 
Heb. 4.13.  jerem. 17.10. Yea, all things are naked and open to his eyes, before whom we must appear. He that knew john the Baptist in the womb, and saw Nathanael under the Figtree, doth also know, and see our doings out, and our come in; he discerns Esau from jacob; and knows fair Rahel, from blear-eyed Leah: he knows the thoughts, and intents of our hearts, the words of our mouths, and the works of our hands, Psal. 139.1.2.3.4. and is able to set before us even our most secret sins.  
Secondly, he cannot be over-swayed with favour, or friendship. Indeed in earthly Courts, amongst the sons of men, wickedness may be in the place of judgement, Eccles. 3. ver. 16. but in this great Court of heaven, the judge will not be partial to any; God hath no respect of persons, Rom. 2. v. 21. but every one that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, shall be accepted at that day. Nothing will then prevail, but a pure heart, and an upright spirit: and as for the judge, with righteousness will he judge the world, 
Causa, non persona iudicabitur, Martyr.  and the people with equity, Psal. 58.9. If great men be found in great sins, they shall be adjudged unto great torments. Tophet is prepared for the King, and the poorest beggar shall then have as good audience in this Court of justice, as the mightiest Monarch in the world.  
Thirdly, this judge cannot be overcome with power. Indeed amongst the sons of men, might oftentimes over-comes the right; but unto this judge, all power is given both in heaven and earth, Matth. 28.18. He it was that threw the Angels out of heaven; Adam out of Paradise; Saul out of his Kingdom; Nabuchadnezzar out of men's society, to converse with beasts: and he it is that will humble the high looks of man, and abase the loftiness of men in that day, Isa. 2.11.  
As this judge cannot be over-swayed with power, so can he not be bowed with pity and compassion. The time was indeed when our Saviour wept over jerusalem, and made a Sermon full of tears, O jerusalem, jerusalem, Luke 19.41. But now, alas, there is no place for pardon, though jerusalem should seek it with tears. Can thine eyes then shed as many tears as there are drops of water in the Sea, yet thou couldst not be able to move Christ unto compassion. The day before the trumpet sound, mercy shall be preached to the penitent, and believers, by the Gospel; but from the time that the sentence is once given, there shall never be more offering of mercy; the door shall be closed: though the wicked cry for mercy, & with Esau seek the blessing with many tears, yet shall they never find it. But as Christ doth now weep for the sinner's conversion, so will he then laugh at the sinner's destruction.  
5. Lastly, this judge cannot be corrupted with bribes, which amongst the sons of men pervert justice, & blind the eyes of those that sit in judgement: for the richest in the world must appear naked and empty-handed, before Christ, as naked as ever we came into the world, and nakeder than ever we went out of the world, by as much as a winding sheet comes unto: Riches, 
Pro. 11.4.  gold and silver, availeth not in the day of wrath, but righteousness saveth the soul. I will conclude with Augustine: 
August. de Symb. l. 3.  judex ille nec gratiâ praevenietur, nec misericordiâ flectetur, nec fletibus mitigabitur.  
This judge will not be prevented with favour, moved with mercy nor mitigated with tears, nec sententia eius lata unquam revocabitur; neither will the sentence once past against them, ever be revoked any more; which is the third thing that I am to speak of.  
This sentence is the more dreadful, because it is irrevocable: sentence proceeding from the judgement seat of mortal men, may be revoked, or stopped by sundry means: as first, by appealing unto some higher judge; as Paul appealed unto Caesar: but at this great Assize there is no higher judge, for he is the only and blessed Prince, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1. Tim. 6.15. And the Father hath committed all judgement unto him, joh. 5.27.  
2. The judge upon better and more mature deliberation, may alter his opinion: but there is no alteration of judgement, when it is once gone forth from the Throne of the Lord, whose judgements are more resolute, than the Decrees of the Medes and Persians, which might not be altered. When Esau came to his father for a blessing, which was formerly passed to jacob, his father said, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed, Gen. 27.33. So resolute shall the Lords sentence be at the day of judgement: I have cursed them, and they shall be cursed: and as Balaam said unto Balak, The Lord hath blessed, and he cannot reverse it, Numb. 23.20. So say I, The Lord will not reverse this his sentence of malediction, Go ye cursed: neither will he alter the thing that is gone out of his lips.  
3. By supplication: but, because the wicked turned away their cares from hearing the Lord, when he entreated them by his Word, it shall be just with God not to lend an ear, when they do call and cry unto him: there is not any of that glorious Court of Heaven, that will friend them so much as to speak a word in their behalf. Should the Saints, whom they ever despised, accounting their life madness, and their end to be without honour? Wis. 5.4. Should the Angels, whose Ministry they have refused and abused? if they did, should God himself hear them, whose Spirit they have so oftentimes grieved? And therefore job said well, There is no umpire, when God and man are at odds, job 9.33.  
Reas 6 Now the last Reason which doth aggravate the horror of the wicked, is the punishment of loss; 
Scholar poena damni.  the consideration of heavens banishment, and Hell's eternal imprisonment, is a sufficient torture unto the soul of the wicked, and as Chrysostome judgeth it to be much more bitter and irksome, than the pains of Hell; 
Duplex est damnatorum poena: nam & mentem urit tristitia & corpus flamma, Isidorus de meditatione Ignis gehennalis.  yea, worse than a thousand Hells if there were so many, Chrysost. super Mat. Hom. 33. according to our saviours saying, There shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth, when they shall see Abraham, Isaac and jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and they themselves thrust out of door, Luk. 13.18. Where shall be Dogs, and Enchanters, and Whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, and whosoever loveth or maketh lies, Revel. 22.15. And not only shall they be debarred of the joys of Heaven, and glory of the Saints, but they shall be deprived of all Earthly comforts, and all their former delights. The Pome granat tree, the Palm tree, the Apple tree shall whither; the Apples after which their soul lusted, shall departed from them, and they shall find none: Yea, if a drop of cold water would comfort them, it shall be denied them; The Epicure shall be deprived of his dainty dishes, the Drunkard, of his bowls of wine, the Adulterer, of his wanton Mistress, the Covetous, and Usurer, of their gold, which they made their God. To conclude, they shall be deprived of all Heavenly joys, of all earthly comforts.  
But I will begin to sing a Song of melody, and proclaim a year of jubilee unto the children of God: Consolemini, consolemini; Lift up your heads (saith our Saviour Christ) for your redemption draweth near, Luke 21.28. There is a great Emphasis in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which doth signify a freedom from captivity, & a restoring unto a former liberty. As if our Saviour should say, The Church, as long as she is in this world, she is like Israel under Pharaoh, held captive in imprisonment and slavery: But now at this great Assize, there shall be a gaol-delivery, an everlasting freedom from all evils whatsoever: our life is woven full of miseries; 
Psal. 90.10. Diu vivere est diu torqueri, Aug. Tertul. vita carcer.  the best of it is but labour and grief. We are borne into the world weeping and bewailing, as it were, our own ensuing miseries; the progress of our life is labour, the end is grief. joseph was never wearier of the dungeon, Daniel of the Den of Lions, David to dwell in the Tents of Kedar, than the children of God are to remain so long in the Land of Egypt, in the Prison of this world; and therefore it is said, that they look and long for a City to come, whose Builder and Maker is God. But then shall we be everlastingly delivered from all the miseries and calamities, which now we are subject unto: the soul shall be delivered from disordered passions, as hope, fear, joy and sorrow: the body from sundry outward calamities, as sickness, pain, labour, reproach, from provocations and enticements of the wicked world, from the power of the devil, from the slavery of sin, from death, from hell; it is our marriage day, when our rotten bones shall be raised out of the dust of the earth: & we shallbe clad with glory, & shall meet Christ in the clouds, 
1. The. 4. 1●  & shall be ever with the Lord: Where we shall have an everlasting Sabbath, joy upon every one's head: sorrow & sighing shall flee away. Then shall we see God face to face, & that with these eyes, saith job. God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, there shall be nö more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, Revel. 21.4. There shall be no more Winter, nor Summer, heat nor cold, day nor night, death nor hell. But there shall be Vita sine morte, Dies sine nocte, securitas sine timore, etc. There shall be life without death, day without night, security without fear, pleasure without pain, tranquillity without labour, beauty without deformity, strength without weakness, every thing that is good, without any thing that is bad: To conclude, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, 
Isa. 64.4.  1. Cor. 2.9. Let the faithful soul sigh out this meditation, with blessed Gregory, Bone jesus, verbum patris, doce me facere voluntatem tuam, ut à spiritu tuo bono ductus, ad beatam illam proveniam civitatem. O sweet jesus, thou that art the word of the Father, teach me thy will, that being guided by thy good Spirit, I may be brought unto that City, where there is Certa securitas, secura aeternitas, & aeterna tranquillitas, & tranquilla foelicitas, & foelix suavitas, & suavis iucunditas. Where there is Security, Eternity, Tranquillity, Felicity. Vbi tu Deus cum Patre & Spiritu Sancto, regnas per infinita secula. 
Greg. in Psal. sept.  Where thou dost reign as God, with the holy Ghost, world without end. Let us therefore stand with our loins girded, like good servants waiting for their master: Let us pray, that this Kingdom would come; & let us ingeminate that of the Spouse, the Church of Christ, Come, Lord jesus, come quickly, Apoc. 22.  
And here let us rest our thoughts a while, and settle our meditations on serious consideration of this great day, not curiously to define or determine, how far, or how near, the day or year when these things shall be, it being locked from us, and kept unreveyled in the secret counsel of God: yet wading herein as far as Hercules' Pillars, that is, as far as the word of God will conduct: but where the holy Ghost is silent, and hath not a tongue to speak, my pen shall not indite, nor my ear listen thereunto. And first I will set down the opinions and conjectures of others, touching the end of the world. Augustine reckoneth up six Ages of the world, 
August. l. 1. in Gen. con. Manichaeos'.  the first from Adam to Noah, the second, from Noah to Abraham, the third from Abraham to David, the fourth from David, to the captivity of Babylon, the fift from the captivity of Babylon unto Christ, the sixth from Christ, unto the end of all things, the day of judgement. So that this Age in which we live, is the last Age, and may be termed the decrepit and old-age of the world: and if Saint john's time was the last hour, then surely these our times are the last minutes: Then now the end of all things is at hand, and we are they upon whom the ends of the world are come, and Christ is ready to judge the quick and the dead. But how long this last Age, being the dotage of the world, will continue, it is concealed from men and Angels. Augustine told his friend Heschius (curiously enquiring of the end of the world) that he durst not measure, limit or determine the times and seasons which God hath put in his own power; it may be every man's answer unto all such curious questionists. There are very many of the learned Rabbins, 
Oraculum a schola Eliae.  who being led by their own vain and weak conjectures, would seem to set down a certain set time of the end of the world, positively affirming the world shall endure six thousand years, and those years they do distribute into two thousand before the Law, two thousand under the Law, two thousand after the Law; whereupon some other feign, that the world shall endure six days, as it was made in six days, & the length of every day to be a thousand years; as if it had been David's meaning where he saith, that A thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, Psal. 90 v. 4. Whereas his meaning is, that all things past, and to come, are present with God. Indeed it is the devils policy, because he would have us to put off far from us the evil day, and with the sluggard in the Proverbs, desire yet a little more sleep, a little more slumber, to busy us with an infinite many of frivolous, idle, and unprofitable questions, that we may neglect that one thing which is necessary: as namely, a careful preparation, rather than a curious inquiry, to watch and pray, according to our saviours counsel, lest that day come on us unawares, and we found sleeping: for as Augustine truly; Prophecies are sooner fulfilled, then understood. 
Prophetias impleri quam intelligi, Aug.  Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father, Mark. 13.32. If our Saviour would have revealed this day unto any, doubtless he would have revealed it unto his Apostles, his secretaries, his favourites, his followers, unto whom he imparted greater things, and better things, yet he tells them flatly, Non est vestrum nosse tempora, etc. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power, Act. 1.7. Of the day and hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels. The Angels abound with much knowledge, natural, experimental, and revealed, unto whom God himself doth reveal certain Ambassages to convey unto his children, and having far better means of knowledge than we have, for as much as they know God intuendo, by his looking in his face, Matth. 18.10. But we have our knowledge, discurrendo, by discussing, reasoning, disputing, and that not a priori neither, but a posteriori, by his back parts, as he hath manifested himself in his works, being mirabilis in maximis, mirabilis in minimis, wonderful in all his works: The invisible things of him are clearly seen in the creation of the world, and are understood by the things that are made, Rom. 1.20. And yet of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the Angels in heaven, neither the Son. To let pass Epiphanius interpretation, 
Epiphanij in illum locum expositio est valdè arguta & detorta, Martyr.  & his witty, but wrested distinction of a twofold knowledge, 
* Executionis Scientiae.  I will, under the correction of the Learned, show, how Christ knows the day, & yet how he is ignorant of it. It should seem strange, that the wisdom of God should be ignorant of those things which are in God, neither can it be said, that Christ being GOD and man, in one person together; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  his Deity should not inform his Humanity, as our soul doth the body, but leave it destitute of knowledge: for in Christ, saith the Apostle. i. in his human nature, dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily, Colos. 2.9. Christ himself being the best and truest interpreter of his own words, thus expounds himself, As the Father gave me commandment, even so I do, john 14.31. Therefore because Christ was sent as an Ambassador, to declare and manifest the will of the Father, he would neither do, or speak any thing, but that unto the which end he was sent: as therefore he was an Ambassador, sent out of the bosom of the Father, he is said to be ignorant, because he had no commission to reveal it: 
Aquinas part. 3. q. 10. Art. 2.  According to that of Aquinas, Dicitur nescire, quia non facit scire: He is said not to know, because he would not have us to know; thus he told his Disciples, It is not for you to know the times and the seasons, Act. 1.7. I will conclude with the saying of Augustine, Ne nos addamus inquirere, quòd ille non addidit dicere, 
Aug. Epist. 146.  Secret things belong unto the Lord, revealed things unto us, Deu. 29. verse 29. Let us not dare to pry into the Ark of the Lord, striving to know that which is impossible for us to know, it being reserved unrevealed within the secret bosom of his sacred Majesty.  
The word of God affordeth us certain signs and prognostics, whereby we may conclude of a certainty, that that day is not far off: the first is this:  
The revealing and coming of Antichrist. Antichrist must first come, 
Antichrist the forerunner of the end of the world.  so saith the Apostle. That Man of sin must first be revealed, before that day come, that son of perdition, 2. Thess. 2. ver. 3. Little children, saith S. john, it is the last time: and as you have heard Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists, whereby we may know that it is the last time, 1. joh. 2.18. I need not prove that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist: many by their writings have made this plain and apparent, and discovered that Man of sin, unto the whole world, as manifest to be Antichrist, as he is Pope.  
The second sign, that the day is at hand, is, an Apostasy from Faith, and from sound Doctrine, of which the Apostle speaketh: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall departed from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of Devils, 1. Tim. 4.1. And is not this time come to pass already? are not many carried about like vapours in the air, with every blast of vain Doctrine, having itching ears, affecting always some new fangled point or other? what a dispute begins there to be about that Twin of our salvation, Faith and Repentance, touching the priority of them? which makes me think, that either men have no repentance, or else no faith: unless both consist upon the tip of the tongue, in prattling, not in practice.  
The third is the promulgation of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, throughout the whole world. So saith our Saviour Christ, And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached throughout the whole world, and then shall the end come, Mat. 24.14. It must be published among all Nations, Mar. 13.10. And is not the sound thereof already gone forth into the ends of the earth? is it not spread already from Dan, even unto Beersheba? from one Sea coast unto another?  
The fourth is, the rising up of false Christ's and false Prophets. Many shall come in my name (saith our Saviour Christ) saying, I am Christ, and the time draweth near, Luke 21.8. And many false Prophets shall arise, and deceive many, Matth. 24.11.  
The fift sign is, Iniquity shall abound, 
The fift sign is the generality of sin.  Matth. 24.12. There shall be such a general infection of sin, Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good; Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof, 2. Tim. 3.1.2.3.4. And this is God's ordinary proceeding against sin, he doth never punish general, until sin be grown general. God never washed away the inhabitants of the earth, with the waters of his wrath, until all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth, until the earth was filled with cruelty, and all the imaginations of the thoughts of man's heart were evil, only evil, continually evil, Gen. 6.5.11.12. The Lord never rained down fire and brimstone from the Lord, out of heaven, upon those two Cities, Simeon and Levi like, sisters in sin, until he had made inquiry whether there were any righteous men amongst them; for the Lord, had it not derogated from his justice, and so consequently from his glory, in not being a just revenger of sin, was as willing, and as well contented, as Abraham, that Sodom should be saved, for every petition returned unto Abraham with some advantage: and most comfortable is it, the Lord never ceased granting, till Abraham ceased ask; but in the end there being such a penury, such a scarcity, such a nullity of good men, that the Lord destroyed them with fire and brimstone, and so it remains until this day, as a monument of God's wrath, 
Mare mortuum.  a Sea of fire and brimstone. If we travel unto that great City jerusalem, the Metropolis of the world, the Lady of the earth, the perfection of beauty, we shall find it but a heap of stones. But what did move the Lord to destroy so famous a City, called the City of God, the habitation of the most Highest, a place where he did delight to dwell? yet sin had made her infamous and odious in the sight of God: the contagion and infection of sin was general, and that not only some kind of sins, but all sin, all oppression, that is, all kind of sin: 
Synecdoche speciei.  and well may it be, for oppression is a crying sin, and they that make no conscience of great sins, surely, will not make conscience of lesser; and these sins were not committed in corners, or by-lanes, but in the open streets, in the market place; men were grown impudent in sin; all oppression was in the midst of jerusalem, jerem. 6. vers. 6. sin was grown general, jerusalem was a den of thieves; there was no righteous man found throughout the whole City, that executed judgement, and sought the truth; No, nor at the Court, amongst the great Men, amongst the Rulers, amongst the Noblemen, These have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bond: no, nor yet amongst the Prophets, for they prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, that is, both agree together, in a mutual and mere collusion of the people, as the Pope with his orders of begging Friars: first, they rob and deceive the people, and then they divide the spoil, jerem. 5.1.5.31. To conclude, sin was as general in jerusalem, as ever it was in the old world when it was destroyed with water, or in Sodom, that City of pride, luxury, idleness, when it was burnt with fire; so jerusalems' punishments were parallel to her sins; her sins were general, her judgements were as general: There is not one stone left upon another, of so many stately buildings, on which the jews so confidently presumed, 
joseph. l. 6. hist. jud.  and so presumptuously insulted over the Romans, saying, that if the Romans had wings, yet they could not fly over their walls, and invade their City.  
And is not sin grown as general in this world, as ever 'twas in the old world, or in Sodom, or in jerusalem? may we not as justly take up the complaint of Isay in his time? Both head is sick, and heart is heavy, Isai 1.5. where, by head (as Interpreters observe) is meant the King (for the Prophet speaketh unto the jews, as if they were one body) and when the Prophet complained of this sickness of the head, he meant Ahaz, who then was head of the Kingdom, and his disease was not in the foot, as Asa his gout, but in the corruption of his life, he did nothing that was right in the sight of the Lord his God, 2. K. 16.2. & the heart is the Priests that if they be such as they should be, may very well resemble the heart, that as the heart communicateth vital spirits unto the whole body, so the Ministers of God should endeavour to create the life of grace in every man's soul: But if, like the heart, they do not employ themselves in their peculiar office and duty, preaching the Word of God in season and out of season, quickening the members that are dead in sin, and endeavouring daily the conversion of souls, by wholesome doctrine, and holy conversation; then are they not hearts any longer, but harms, and in God's due time they shall be trodden under foot like clay in the street, or cast out with unsavoury salt to the dounghill. The foot may not find fault with head or heart: only I will ingeminate the Prophet's words, Both head is sick, and heart is heavy: The matter which I have in hand, forceth me to show the generality of sin, and so consequently the propinquity of the general judgement. If God should look down from heaven upon the children of men, and mark what is done amiss in this our sinful Sublunary, he may see that all are gone aside, even from the highest to the lowest, from the youngest to the eldest, from the richest to the poorest, from the Eagle to the Wren, They are altogether become abominable, there is none that doth good, no, not one, Psalm 14.3. The foundations of the Earth are out of course, sin hath gotten the upper hand, iniquity aboundeth, virtue is disgraced, vice advanced. Sin now adays is grown unto such a presumption, and that notwithstanding the sword of Authority, which unless it lay unsheathed in the hand of the Magistrate, bearìng it in vain, were able to destroy this Hydra of sin, though new heads budded out continually. It it recorded of a French Ambassador in the time of King Richard the third, how he told the King, that there were three great Whores in England, Pride, Covetousness, Luxury: If this Ambassador were to come again, he may tell the King, that there are more than ten times three; not a sin but hath his mate: Pride and Ambition, Covetousness and Extortion, Adultery and Fornication, Flattery and Dissimulation, Strife and Contention, Swearing and Forswearing, Lying and Cursed speaking, Chambering and Wantonness, Strife and Envying; nay, more sins than I can name, 
Si superbientibus angelis Deus non pepercit, quantò minùs tibi putredo & vermis? Bernard.  and such sins as are not to be named.  
To insist a while upon some particulars, to begin first with the first, that first sin of Pride, so hateful in the highest Eye, that it threw the Angels out of Heaven, whereby they became reprobate Devils: and yet no sin so common, none grown more general, than this sin of Pride. Were the daughters of Zion ever more proud and haughty, than our Dames of England? who are so far from being like women that profess the fear of God, 1. Tim. 2.10. that they scarce look like the creatures of God, being so miscreate ofttimes, and so deformed with their French, their Spanish, and their foolish fashions, with their Plumes, Fans, Feathers and Farthingales, Velvet Vizards, that they look rather like some Antics, Maskers, May games? Esaias Text of fashions is multiplied by the fancies of our time: Their bonnets, and their bracelets, their slippers and their mufflers, their veils, their wimples, and their crisping pings, their round tires like the Moon, Isaiah 3.19. Yet he makes no mention of the yellow Ruffs, of their perfumed shagged hair, which never grew upon their ownehead; nor of their painted faces: a pretty artificial means to mend the workmanship of their Maker. But I think, that the Mystery of this art may rather be reduced to the common place of whorishnesse, or in a nearer term, the attire of an harlot, Prou. 7. that as Erasmus said of a Liar, Oftende mihi mendacem, & ostendam tibifurem, show me a Liar, and I will show thee a thief: so show me a painted face, may I say, and I will show thee a whore, for she dwells at the Sign of a painted face. Neither is this sin of pride peculiar unto women only, but also to men, for they are almost become like unto women, as though they were willing to change sexes with them. In the time of Popery, as one says wittily, England was made an Ass to bear the burden of the Pope's taxations: but now England is metamorphosed into an Ape, an imitator of all fashions, of all Countries and Nations, France, Spain and Italy, etc.  
To leave pride as an ugly monster, and to speak of the generality of the sin of whoredom, which deserves the second place in Satan's Kingdom: The base-begotten-bastard-broode that this sin brings forth into the world, manifests the generality of it: for almost what Parish within this Kingdom, nay, almost in the whole world, but hath an adulterous issue within it? and whereas one hath none, another hath two. Beside, how is the bed of honourable marriage abused by unlawful mixtures? God that is unus one, as Bernard, Vnissimus, most one, hath made unam, one woman uni, for one man, and one man for one woman; so speaks the Prophet; And did he not make one? where God sends us back to the copy, and first institution of marriage, he made one man for one woman, Adam for Eve, and joined them both together in one inviolable band of honourable wedlock, Goe 2.24. Yet had he abundance of spirit, that is, by that self same secret inspiration, whereby Adam became a living soul, by that same powerful influence, if I may so speak, God could have created more men for one woman, yet he did not. And why would he not? Because he sought a godly seed; that is, as marriage is honourable, so the fruit of this divine ordinance should be holy, not illegitimate, not bastards, not a promiscuous seed, Malach. 2.15. But alas, how is the end of marriage perverted? how doth every man neigh after his neighbour's wife? jeremy 5.8. That is, men are as shameless, and as resolutely impudent in this filthy fact, like welfed horses, that have no understanding, Psalm. 32.9. which the Prophet calls the sin of abomination, Ezek. 22.11. How doth every man lay wait at his neighbour's door? job 31.4. that is, by private stealth, to warm another's bed, leaving their own cisterns, the wife of their youth, to embrace the bosom of the stranger, Prou. 5. But I will leave this sin in secret where it is committed: for the silent night only is guilty of these unchaste actions, and secret chambers are only privy unto these works of darkness: this sin is more suspected then known, and yet known too well, to be too too general.  
Drunkenness may be the third head of this monstrous Hellhound, and Cerberus of sin: how general is this shameless, swinish, idle, base, beastly sin grown! It was once but one man's sin, and of infirmity too, as not knowing the virtue of the grape, 
Chrysost.  nor the quality of that liquor: and long since it hath been scorned, as the beggars fault. Hence came the Proverb, As drunk as the Beggar. But now adays it is reputed not only the Servingman's complement, but the Gentleman's grace. Seneca spoke well of these times, Habebitur aliquando abrietati honour, & plurimum caepisse vini, virtus erit, The time shall come, that honour shall be attributed to drunkenness, and to drink much wine, shall be accounted virtue and valour. How many now adays draw their whole Patrimony thorough their throat; making a practice, almost a profession of drunkenness: rising up early to follow strong drink, and so continue until night, till wine inflame them? Isaiah 5.11. And as the Wise man speaks, tarry long at the wine, Prou. 23.29. Our Taverns, our Inns, and Alehouses, were they well looked into by the Magistrate, would yield too many of such kind of stairs by, who, under pretence of drinking a pot or two, fill their brains ere they go away and empty their purse.  
I will not insist any longer in discoring Satan's kingdom. From the generality of these sins, we may conclude an universality of all the rest. What sin is there, but is grown as general, as ever the Plague was in any city or country? like Naamans' leprosy, it hath overspread the whole body; From the sole of the foot, to the crown of the head, there is no soundness, but wounds, swellings, & putrefying sores, Isa. 1.6. Sin is grown unto such an height, and to such a head, that it is safer for a man to commit sin, then to reprove it; and he that refraineth his foot, and runneth not into the same excess of riot, shall be a prey, a scorn, a by word, a derision, a laughing stock. Behold, the regions are white unto harvest, sin is ripe, even to the full growth; and therefore assuredly it will not be long ere the Lord sends forth his Labourers, those winged executioners of his wrath, with sickles in their hands, to gather the wicked into bundles, that they may be cast into hell. It is the Lords gracious and merciful dispensation to prorogue a while the term of his coming, because we should have a little more time to repent in, and so be left without less excuse. Let us then use the Lords patience, as a spur and provocation unto repentance, so saith the blessed Apostle prophesying of the Atheists of our time, who do not stick to say, Where is the promise of his coming? showeth what use they should make of the seeming slackness of his coming, his long suffering, is an argument that the Lord is not willing, that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, 2. Pe. 3.9 And thus mercifully the Lord dealt with the old world; after he had threatened their destruction, he gave them one hundred and twenty years to repent in, Gen. 6.3. Put not then off far from thee the evil day: if the Lord seems slack, it is because thou shouldest fly speedily with Lot unto Zoar, that is, accelerate thy repentance. Almighty God hath already whet his sword, and bend his bow, and made it ready, how soever he may seem slack, yet he may easily come before thou art ready; if he doth come, thou being unprepared and unprovided, assuredly he will pay thee home for thus abusing his patience. The Heathen writer could say thus much, 
Valer. Max.  Deum gravitate supplicij compensare tarditatem puniendi, the greatness of his punishment shall recompense the slackness of his coming, when he doth come: when Deus & dies ultionum convenerint, when the God of vengeance, and the day of vengeance shall meet together, thou shalt be paid home for altogether. I will conclude with that questioned. Author to the Hebrews: Yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10.37.  
The last use shall be an exhortation to repentance, and that betime, while we have time: Walk, saith our Saviour Christ, in the day, john 11. v. 9 that is, in thy life, which is but a moment, a span of time, The night cometh wherein no man can work, john 9 v. 4. that is, the night of thy death, which is the conclusion of the day of thy life, and then there is no more time to work out our salvation. For an Angel hath sworn from heaven, by him that liveth for evermore, that time shall be no more, Apoc. 10.6. that is, after this acceptable time, no more time for repentance, no more days of salvation. The Apostle wills us to do good while we have time, intimating thereby, that after this time, 
Cypr.  there is no more time. Vitae aut hic amittitur aut tenetur: cùm isthinc excessum fuerit, nullus poenitentiae locus, nullus satisfactionis effectus: Life here is either got or lost; for when we go out of the body, there is no place for repentance, no effect of satisfaction; if we have sinned to day, and have not repent, it may be we shall have leave of the Lords patience, to learn it better another day: but after the transmigration of the soul from the body, there remains nothing else, but a fearful looking for of judgement. It stands us therefore upon the salvation of our soul, to look before we leap, to be certain that we have one foot upon the border of Canaan, before we leave our earthly tabernacle. Let us make our election sure unto us, by true and speedy repentance; and seal up this comfortable conclusion to our souls, that our sins are pardoned in the blood of Christ. Suppose that the general day of judgement were far off, and that this day of salvation were to shine upon this Land, still on to the world's end: yet what is that to thee or me? the day of grace endeth to thee and me, at the day of our death; after that, the Lord shall never offer mercy unto us. It is the gracious and merciful dispensation of almighty God, who when he may justly cut thee off, as thou art committing of sin, and throw thee down to hell, yet he gives thee space and time to repent of this thy sinning, and so thy sins may be done away. Thus our Saviour speaking of that woman jezabel: for so the holy Ghost points her out, by the finger, as it were in contempt, saith, That he gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repent not, Revel. 2.21. Meaning, he did let her live to repent, whereas if he had cut her off before, he had taken from her the time of repentance. Thus after he had threatened a Deluge and destruction unto the old world, he gave them many years to repent, before he washed them away with the waters of his wrath. He gave Sodom & Gomorrah, two sinful Cities, he gave them a time to repent. Ninive had a time, jerusalem had a time, two and forty years after the passion of Christ, the Fig Tree had a time, 
Chrys. observat.  the foolish five Virgins had a time when they might have entered, nay, God gives a time, and lends a long space unto the most profane, to make them the more inexcusable; Cursed Cain, profane Esau, desperate judas, they had all a time. This gracious proceeding doth the Lord observe and keep, and will unto the world's end; he gives unto some of us twenty years, unto some thirty, unto some forty, unto some fifty, even until gray-headed Age, the blossom of the grave, 
Hec momentum unde dependet aeternitas, Aug.  bids us prepare our winding sheet. And if in all this time, which in all is but a span, a moment, a small scantling, we let it slip until our glass be all run out, and the thread of our life clean cut off; then are we left without excuse, and our end is damnation. The children of this world are wise in their generation, they take their time and opportunity. The Merchant buyeth while the Mart lasteth, the Soldier fighteth while the battle endureth: the Husbandman soweth while it is winter, reapeth when it is summer. That faithful measurer of time, heavens great Ornament, observeth his rising and setting. The Sun, the Moon and Stars keep their constant revolution according to the will of their Maker, in the first Creation; The Stork, the Turtle, and the Crane know their appointed time, jerem. 8.7. But man neglects his time, and lets it steal away one day after another, until the day of grace be closed upon him. We are called upon to repent in the days of our youth, before sin is habituated, & custom of sinning hath taken away the sense of sin. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, Eccles. 12.1. But men for the most part refuse to repent until they be old, and so by a just judgement of God, they go down to the grave, having their bones full of the sins of their youth; for how almost is it possible that we should repent truly, when we be old? repentance is so hard and difficult a thing, a heavy burden, a difficult duty; Age of itself is a burden, a sickness, a languishing disease: the Sergeants and Officers of Death have arrested every limb, & have taken up the whole body, as an habitation of death. One crieth with the Shunamites child, 
Non vita longa, sed longa aegritudo.  Alas, my head, alas, my head, another with with Antiochus, My belly, my belly, the third with Asa, 
Shaking Palsy.  My feet, my feet: this man's limbs tremble as a reed shaken with the wind, another man's limbs are like the dead boughs of a dying bark, 
Dead Palsy.  one laboureth in one disease, another in another one in the colic, another in the stone; this man's eyes begin to wax dim, his ears deaf, his windpipes even stopped up with phlegm, his teeth falling out of his head, his hands possessed with the palsy, his legs not able to bear up his body, his knees strike one against another, his back not able to bear the weight of a Grasshopper: and when man is brought unto such an exigent that he cannot put off, or put on his own clothes, how shall he put off sins, and put on newness of life? Surely, I see not how he can repent, unless he reputes that he hath lived too long, and therefore they wish for welcome death: when little do they well consider, that death is the dissolution of a miserable life, but a passage to a worse, a gate, an entrance to hell, if they die unrepentant. Augustine his counsel in this case is very heavenly, and very worthy to be embraced. 
Lib. de Vtilitat. poen. agend.  Age poenitentiam dum sanus es, si sic agis, dico tibi quod securus es, quia poenitentiam egisti eo tempore quo peccare potuisti: si vis agere poenitentiam, quando iam peccare non potes, peccata te dimiserunt, non tu illa: Repent while thou art in good health, if thou dost so, I tell thee, thou art safe, because thou repentedst, when thou couldst have sinned; if thou dost repent, when by reason of the weakness of thy body, thou art not able to perform the works of darkness, sin hath left to save me. 
Acts 3.19.  Repent therefore, that thy sins may be done away, when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of God. and that with all speed. Pharaoh bad Moses pray for him to morrow: but do thou repent to day, thou knowest not whether thou shalt live until to morrow, thy life is but a flower flourishing to day, fading to morrow, but a bubble soon blown up, soon blown out: thou mayst dine in all thy royalty with Balthasar, carouse in golden bowls, yet ere thy dinner be ended, such is the uncertainty of our fleeting life, thy soul may be divorced from thy body, and thy body fit for no company, but the worms. It is not to morrow that God requireth, but to day: To day if you will hear my voice, Heb. 3.15. Remember that there will be a day, when there will be judgement without mercy, when, if thou neglect'st this day of salvation, this acceptable season, thou shalt be cast to Hell, and there shalt lie in misery, howling, and crying out, O miserable wretch that I am, what did I mean, that I did not confess my sins, repent and turn to God, when I was upon earth? now I see others partakers of heavenly joys, and I thrust out and cast into these miserable torments; where thou shalt be enforced to say, O how just are Gods judgements! I was spoken unto, but I would not hear: I was instructed out of Moses and the Prophets, and entreated by the Ministers of Christ to repent; but I stopped mine ears against their admonitions. How do I justly feel that, which nothing could make me fear? Let us not therefore neglect this opportunity, this space which is our life time, & a time which God in mercy hath allotted unto us to repent in: after this time repentance will never be preached any more, nor sins pardoned. 
Nazian.  Hic namque peccatorum remissio, ubi peccatorum commissio, hic nobis prompt a medela est, post autem clausa est omnis medicinae falutis, For sins are remitted here, where as they were committed. Hear only have we the Balm of Gilead to cure the wounds of a sinful soul, but hereafter all medicines of salvation shall be locked from us, and we from them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
Basil.  Basil: This present time in which we live, is the time of repentance and remission of sins. Frustra sibi homo post hoc corpus promittit, quod in hoc corpore comparare neglexit, Augustine. 
August.  And therefore in vain doth man promise unto himself, that after this life, which he doth neglect to obtain this life. This is our day, the next is the Lords day, wherein he will come to judge every man according to his ways; as the Tree groweth, so it falleth, and as it falleth, so it lieth; as men live, so they die, and as they die, so they come to judgement. In what sins sosoever we die unrepented of, in the same shall we be judged and condemned. Let us learn therefore, in our growth to grow the right way, let us look toward jerusalem, grow toward heaven, that is, let us live well, that we may die well: so that at the world's general judgement, at the resurrection of the just, we may meet our Saviour in the air, and be ever with him, Amen.  
Come, Lord jesus, come quickly.  
FINIS.