THE general signs and Fore-runners of Christs coming to Iudgment. Soundly and sincerely collected out of holy Scripture, and serving as well to awaken the drowsy and careless worldling, as to comfort and revive the godly and afflicted Christian. Take heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. mark 13.33. When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth near. luke 21.28. LONDON, Printed by M. F. and are to be sold by H. Gosson, at his Shop on London-bridge. ❧ The signs and Forerunners of Christs coming to Iudgement. THE Lord Iesus in his mercy, because he would not haue his children ensnared and overtaken unawares at the suddenness of his second coming, and because he would warn, convince, and leave the very wicked his enemies without excuse and defence of themselves: hath revealed and set forth in Scripture certain general and undoubted signs of the approaching of the last iudgement, whereof some are already perfectly fulfilled, some in part accomplished, and others yet remain to come to pass in their time. Of all these and the general uses that are to be made of them, I will speak briefly, and in order. The first general sign( long sithence past) is the destruction and desolation of jerusalem, together with the Iewes state and policy, and that irrecoverably unto the end and consummation of the world, Matth. 24.12. Mark 13. vers. 12. Daniel 9.26. And this is a type and pattern of the worlds destruction. The second sign is the divulging and preaching of the gospel throughout the whole known& inhabited world. Therefore for this purpose the Apostles as they had an extraordinary calling and extraordinary gifts, so they had a general commission and commandement to go into al the world, Mat. 28.19 and to teach and baptize all nations, and to preach the gospel to every creature, Acts 1.8. Mark 16.15. and to bee his witnesses unto the ends of the world. The reason thereof is, first, Because God would hereby enlighten, convert, and draw unto himself all that are to bee saved. Secondly, that it might be a witness to all nations, and that all men might be convinced sufficiently through all parts of the world, that they could pretend and allege no excuse of their ignorance to hid their impiety, Matth. 24.14. Thirdly, the Apostles preached the gospel accordingly to all the world that was then habitable or known, or( at least) in the most famous, populous, and known countries, kingdoms, and cities of it, so that from hence either by the Apostles, Disciples, or the evangelists, or by others, it might be brought from thence unto the most obscure, unknown, and barbarous nations,( such as are America, and the North parts of the world) Col. 1.6. and 23. Rom. 10.18. Lastly, Doctor Willet sign p. fol. p. 1063. 1064. 1065. the ancient and holy Fathers of the primitive Church, as Origen, jerome, Ambrose. &c. make express mention in their writings of the universal calling and enlightening of all nations, and therefore no such solemn and universal legacy is now the second time to be expected, seeing that the apostolical calling and gifts are ceased, and seeing that the gospel is passed from judaea, and from the East, to the Seuth to the greeks: from the South it hath made its progress to the West, that is, to the latins; and from the West to the North, that is, to the germans, and other confining countries; yet wee deny not, but it may, though not universally, yet be revealed in other countries where it either originally hath not been preached, because perhaps in the Apostles times those countries were not inhabited, or( at least) very slenderly and sparing, or where the mystery of iniquity and antichristianism had obscured and prevailed over all, Apoc. 14.6. and 18.1. The third sign is the coming and revealing of Antichrist: 2 Thes. 2.3 1 joh. 2.18 for the day of the Lord( saith the Apostle) shall not come except first that man of sin be disclosed, whom Saint John calleth Antichrist: concerning which Antichrist and his members and Locusts, 2 Tim. 3.8. and 9. Saint Paul saith, that they are men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith, and that they shall prevail no longer: for their madness shall be evident to all men. But Antichrist is come long ago, when the third angel in the Apocalyps blew the trumpet, Apoc. 8.10.11. then this great star( the Pope and his successors, as the heads of the apostasy) fell from heaven burning like a forch; and it fell into the third part of the riuers, and fell into the fountains of waters, and made them bitter: he hath been revealed fithence by the preaching of the two( few yet sufficient) witnesses in the Apocalyps, and by the first, second, Apoc. 11.4.5.6. and third angel in the 14 of the same Apocalyps, that is to say, by all the excellent teachers, Preachers, and Writers sithence Martin Luther his time, namely, from the year of Christ about 1520, until this present time. To conclude, the description of Antichrist, and whatsoever the Prophets and Apostles haue foretold of Antichrist, they in all things agree to every Pope of Rome, and him onely, since the death of Gregory the Great, and since the death of the Emperour Maurice, as hath been demonstrated by many heretofore both English and foreign Writers: and touching this argument, yea and the whole mystery of the Romish Antichrist, a learned countrie-man of our own hath purposely, learnedly, and succinctly written in his theological disputations de Antichristo& ejus ecclesia. The fourth and last sign, yet in motion, Rom. 8. and not perfectly fulfilled, but to continue unto the worlds end, is the vanity, corruption and abuse of the creatures, which hath continued from Adams fall, and doth and shall increase by degrees unto the consummation of all things. The Elements( as we may observe) of fire, air, water and earth, are corrupted, distempered, and often-times very hurtful and contagious to mankind and other creatures. In plants, trees, herbs, there is not the same vigour, efficacy and virtue that was wont to be, the earth is become more barren and unfruitful; the sea more distempered and tempestuous, often breaking his bounds, and encroaching vpon the firm continent, the sun and moon, the worlds two eyes, more oftentimes and fearfully eclipsed then in sormer times, yea the sun, as also the stars( as the most excellent Astronomers haue noted) move much more unequally, and are removed greatly from their former standings. And as for men, we full well know, and are taught, by reading scripture,& experience, that they are not so long lived, nor of that goodly fall and strong constitution of body, as in former ages. But some may object and say, this shortness of mans life& decay of his strength is notably supplied by agility of mind and pregnancy of wit, capacity, invention: I answer. This is most true: and Gods name is to be glorified for it, but yet men never more abused and perverted their wits& capacities then in these daies; for commonly the more witty men are, the more wicked, the more politic, the more pestilent; and the more understanding that they haue, the more heretical, papistical and atheistical they do prove. To leave man and to come to buildings, houses, apparel, what vanity, what surperfluitie and excess, what folly and pride doth not herein appear? For buildings, that in time past served only for defence and necessity, and therefore were made very strong and durable; are now for the most part in many places, builded( albeit with excessive cost as the poor tenants can testify) yet slightly, and more for show then for substance, and for pomp then profit. And garments and apparel which naturally serveth to hid mans nakedness, and to defend him from could, and( to make the best of it) to serve for comeliness and distinction of degrees: is used now ordinarily, as an ensign of pride, serveth for bravery and ostentation, more then for any kind of profit, durableness or commonwealths advantage. And thus we see, that as the world doth decay and decline in the parts, so it doth and shall in the whole. The fourth sign, is the shaking, weakening, wounding, and consuming of Antichrist and his kingdom in many kingdoms, countries, and cities, by the breath of Gods mouth: 2 Thes. 2 8 that is, by the powerful and continual preaching of the gospel, as also by the material sword of Christian Kings, Princes, and Magistrates, in their several dominions, though not all at one time, yet successively, Apoc. 16.6. and 7.16. and 18.6. and so it shall bee more and more ruinated and decayed, until the burning and desolation of Romish Babylon. The fift sign is grievous calamities and persecutions of Gods Prophets, The fift sign. Saints, and Seruants under Antichrist, especially these 100 yeares last past, of which( perhaps) Daniel, chap. 2.15. and 8.34. Apoc. 11.35.& 13.15.16.17. Lastly in Rome hath been found the blood of the Prophets, Apoc. 18.24. Psal. 44.22. and of the Saints,& of all that were slain vpon the earth, of these it is verified that the Psalmist saith, for thy sake are we slain continually, and are counted as sheep for the slaughter:& that which our saviour foreshoweth, saying, They shall excommunicate you: joh. 16.2. yea the time shall come, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God good service: the reason hereof in respect of Antichrist and his adherents, is because they cannot endure the ransacking and resuting of their idolatry, false doctrine, the Popes supremacy, and their idle superstitions and antichristian rites, ceremonies, and traditions. But we hope that these troubles are for the most part past, and that towards the end of the world shall be well abated, so that the Church as of late yeares, shall haue a further breathing time, and thus much mark seemeth to signify, mark 13.7. And thus much of the signs perfectly, and many of them long sithence accomplished. THe second sort of signs and forerunners are those that are in continual act, namely, partly fulfilled, and party to be further performed in their times. Of this sort are first an apostasy and departure of many pastors& people from faith& sound doctrine to antichristianism antinomianism, yea and plain atheism. 2. Thes. 2.3.1. Tim. 1.4.2. Pet. 2. ve. 1.2.3. Apoc 13. ve. 16. et. 17. But under the tyranny of the Romish Antichrist& Mahomer this general apostasy and falling away from truth and wholesome doctrine hath long ago been verified, yet not so but that daily wee see it by lamentable experience continued, and so it shall more and more be increased unto the end of the world: for many that haue renounced Antichrist, fall to flat atheism and libertinism and some again revert and revolt to their former superstition out of which they were for the time and in part recovered, of these speaketh the scripture in many places, Hebrews 6. vers. 20.4.5.6. 2 Tim. 4. ver. 3.4.2. Peter 2. vers. 20.21. and it shall so abound and overflow at Christ his second coming, Luke 18.8. that he shall hardly find faith on the earth, and no marvel, for as there haue done, yet do, and always shall arise false Prophets, Seducers, deceivers( successively) in many countries, kingdoms and places, so many shall follow their damnable ways and be blinded by them. 2. Pet. 2.2. The second sign partly past and partly present and to come, is a general impiety, corruption of manners, and impudence in all manner of sin, still( like Noah his general deluge) smile in most places, the particular effects whereof we as in a catalogue may red and observe in Paul his first Epistle to Timothy chapter the third, v. 1.2.3.4.5. And hereof in our own kingdom we haue had fearful experience, especially within these yeares late past, as though God had granted a general indulgence to all manner of licentiousness, and as though hell were broken loose: and this profaneness and corruption of manners in all places of the world, yet continueth and shal be much more universal and contagious near the time of Christ his second coming Luk. 17.26. Math. 24.38. and hereof there is and shalbe more fear then of corruption in doctrine? 1. Tim. 3.5 for many shal retain a form and outward profession of godliness, but deny the power and efficacy of it. The third sign, Luk 21.25. Acts 2.20. is signs in the sun and in the moon,& in the Stars, and vpon the earth trouble vpon nations with perplexity. The sun shall bee turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come. This sign by frequenty and multitude of Eclipses, hath of later yeares, and daily is fulfilled: likewise by terrible winds, tempests, meteors, and strange alterations in the air it is performed, and this our late experience can justify: but it shall bee perfectly accomplished in the instant of Christ his second coming and glorious appearing; for then he by the brightness of his glorious majesty shall darken and suppress the light of sun, moon, and stars: and a little before this time the whole frame of the world shall bee shaken and moved, Luk. 21.26 and the very bruit and senseless creatures shall beforehand perceive and feel the power of Christ his coming, when all the reprobates shall remain blockish and without feeling. And thus much of mixed or continued signs. signs and fore-runners that are yet to come to pass are specially these five following. First, the burning and utter desolation of Rome, the mother of fornication& idolatry,& the proper seat of Antichrist, this that it shall be so, is most manifest and apparent by Scripture, reasons, and authorities: First, the Scripture testifieth, Apo. 16.16 that the great City shall bee divided into three parts, and great Babylon shall come in remembrance before God: and that the ten horned or Kings shall hate the whore, cap. 17.16. shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire: vers. 8. and most plainly in the 18 chapter, Her plagues shall come in one day, death, and sorrow, and hunger, and shee shall be utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord that iudgeth her. Hereupon the( Idolatrous) Kings of the earth, Chap. 18. vers. 9.11.17.18. the Merchants, and every ship governor, and all they that occupy ships, and ship-men, and as many as work in the sea, shall bewail her, lament her, weep and cry at the sight and notice of her burning: but this is not yet come to pass: Likewise all the Church of God shal rejoice and praise God for his just judgements executed vpon the Whore, Apoc. 11.20. and 19.1.2. Further reasons are these, God hath begun and Antichrist, and therefore seeing that it is builded and standeth vpon a sandy foundation, having begun to fall, it must needs shortly fall when the rain of Gods severe iudgement cometh,& the floods flow, and the winds blow and beat vpon it, and great must be the fall of it. Secondly, The eastern Babylon, a type of this western Babylon( abeit she had nothing so much conviction, nor committed so heinous and manifold abominations as Rome hath done) was utterly& many ages sithence destroyed, much more shall Rome itself, the mouth of hell and Satan his chamber, and Metropolis. Thirdly, all the Protestant and sound interpreters of the Apocalyps by one joint consent hold that Rome shalbe ransacked and ruinated, and wholly consumed, and never more inhabited unless it be with devils. Lastly( to omit the prophesy of Sibylla who saith that Rome in the tenth generation of men shall perish with fire hard at the end of the world) the Papists themselves aclowledge thus much, and render reasons of it. Our Rhemists in their Annotations in Apoc. 17. say that Rome before the end of the world shall be come the ●eate of Antichrist. Riber● vpon the 14 chap. saith, it shall be the shop of all Idolatry. Vega the Iesuite in his commentary vpon the 18. chapter, saith that it shall be the habitation of devils and revolt from the faith of Christ: and hereupon Vega and Ribera( both jesuits) confess that Rome in the end of the world shallbe Babylon and burned, as they collect out of the 18. chapter: and the Kings and Marchants shall lament for her torments, which saith Vega we must needs refer to the last times before the end of the world; wherefore howsoever many, because of present improbabilities cast needless doubts, yet shall the threatenings and iudgments of God not fall to the ground but be executed in their times. Mat. 24, 35 The second sign yet to be fulfilled is the general calling and conversion of the nation of the Iewes( in the places and countries where they shall be and are residing,) when the fullness of us Gentiles is come into the church, and this shalbe the reviving and rejoicing of the world both in respect of Iewes and Gentiles, and this is most plain as by Lu. 21 ver. 24. 2 Cor. 3.19.& perhaps Zophonia 3. ver. 8. so especially Rom. 11. ver. 12.15.2.6. This general conversion of them we daily expect to come to pass albeit we are ignorant of the maner and circumstances of it, but hereof I haue treated at large in my exposition of the 11. chapter to the romans. The third sign next succeeding and following in order is the arising of false Christes, Mat. 24.24 Verse 2●. and false Prophets, that shall show great signs and wonders: in so much that( if it were possible) they should deceive the very elect. hereupon Gods people are admonished& instructed, that when they shal say, behold he is, in the secret places that they must not beleeue it. But it will be objected that there were such that took vpon them the name of the messiah and the King of Israel before the destruction of jerusalem, and seduced and drew many after them( as we haue examples in Theudas Acts 5. and in the Egyptian Acts 21.) I answer, here in this place Christ speaketh of false Christs that shall long after that time arise, and that shall seduce as well the Gentiles as the Iewes. Secondly those Christs did show no signs and wonders as these shall do, who shall labour by false miracles and satanical illusions and conclusions to gain and procure credit and authority to their false doctrine, and also in respect of efficacy of error in the last generation or age of the world, it may very well stand that the son of man shall scarcely find faith vpon the earth when he cometh to iudgement. Luke 18. ● The fourth sign, that is the last general sign, is a certain brutish security and an unspeakable deadness of heart and spirit, so that man shalbe without all fear of God, senseless of all evil, caring for no instructions& admonitions? but living in pleasure and impenitency& not héeding nor taking notice of the signs of Christ his coming. Matth. 24.35. Luk. 21.35 1 Thes. 5.3.4. Luk. 17.26. 1. Thess. 5.3. so that the last day shall come as a snare on al such; sudden destruction shall come vpon them and they shall in no wise escape, they shall not be able to endure the day of his wrath; much less be able to stand and justify their cause in iudgement. This brutish security hath been in former ages, and much increaseth in these our daies, but then it shalbe much more universal and incurable. The last sign is the darkening of lights of heaven, and the roaring of the seas Matth. 24. ve. 24. Luk. 21. v. 25, this is the nearest sign and therefore we are the more carefully to observe it when it cometh. Quest. Why will not God reveal unto any the time and day of the last iudgement? An. Partly to bridle mans rash curiosity that doth search and dive into secrets that are both unpossible and unlawful to be known. Secondly, that wee should watch and wait for his coming and make us ready every hour. Mark. 13. ver. 33. Quest. Why doth God defer and put off the last iudgement so long? An. First, that the number of his elect might be all born, called and fulfilled,& so gathered into the Church triumphant in heaven. Secondly, to contain and keep his people from astonishment of fear and from abuse of his long patience. Lastly, to leave the wicked and those that contemn his grace offered unto them, Rom. 2.4.5 2 Pet. 3.8. and abuse his long suffering, without all excuse and defence of themselves in the last day. use 1. The general uses of all these signs past, present and to come, are principally four First, here are reproved and condemned all such who being lead by their own lusts and carnal reason, and not by holy scriptures believe not the last iudgement, but contemn and deride it. 2. Pet. 3. ver. 3. Whereas first this doctrine is plainly& abundantly set forth in the scriptures. Psal. 50 1. Act. 10.42. mat. 25.31. Luke 18.17. Rom. 2.16. Hebrew. 9.27. job. 19.25. Act. 3.19. Act. 17.31. 2 Cor. 5.10. 1 Pet. 4. Iude. ver. 14. et. 15. 2. Tim. 4.8. Apoc. 1. Apoc. 20. ver. 12.13.14.15. Secondly, except there should be a general iudgement there need no resurrection. Lastly, God could not show himself either perfectly just in punishing and condemning the reprobates, nor perfectly merciful in absolving, saving and rewarding his seruants. use 2. Secondly, seeing that we know not the day nor the year of Iudgement, but onely the general signs of it, it serveth to refute and refel the pride and rash curiosity of those, that either by feigned revelation, human prophesies, arith●●eticall supputation, position of stars, and human conjectures and authorities, will calculate and cast, yea and define the very time and year of Christs coming( as some did in the ancient Fathers times,& many defined that the world should end in 88.) but time& experience hath shewed the folly and vanity of their conjectures. Secondly, Acts 1.6. it is a thing both utterly unlawful, and simply vnpossble for any man to know, or define the certain and set time of Christs appearance, for it is not revealed to the very Elect angels, and Christ when he was vpon the earth knew not the day. Mar. 24.42& 44. Mat. 24.36. and 13.32. much less can we know it. use 3. The third use is for instruction& admonition, that the godly themselves( because many times they are in a kind of slumber, and do not alike cheerfully look for Christs coming) might watch, Luk. 12.43 pray, repent, make themselves ready and wait for the day and appearance of Christ that when Christ cometh to them either by death, or at the last iudgement, they may be found waking, and walking in their Christian calling, and so ready with good conscience to render unto the Lord an account of their Stewardship. use 4. Acts 3.19. The fourth use is for the consolation of the sound and sincere hearted Christian whosoever. For he knows the nearer the signs are to their accomplishment, the sooner shall he be eased of the burden of his sins, delivered from all miseries, and be possessed with all ioy and happiness. Hereupon the godly are( vpon notice taken of the accomplishment of these signs) exhorted to lift up their heads, Luk. 21.23 because their full redemption draweth nigh, and they in the certain hope& expectation of this blessed day, are notably shielded and defended against all temptations& afflictions. job 25.19. 2 Cor. 4. use 5. Apoc. 1.7. The last use is for the terror& conuincement of all impenitent, unbelieving, profane rebellious persons, who in this life would not submit& subject themselves to be taught, ruled, and ordered by Christ, his gospel, and discipline: they by reason of their unbelief and contempt shall find and feel Christ to be as a just, so an angry& severe judge to condemn them to eternal& unspeakable torments. Apoc. 6.15.16. Luke 21.26. Mat. 25.41. The Lord God for Christs sake grant that wee may take due notice of these signs, and be hereby effectually stirred up to prepare ourselves against Christ his coming, that our souls may be saved. Amen. FINIS.