The Last Battle of the Soul, Religious tract 1 · Part 5

The Last Battle of the Soul · Religious tract 1 · Part 5

p. 565THE FIFT DAYES Conference. Of the last Iudgement.

The sicke Man.

OVanity of vanities, O vanity, of vanities, all is vainity: this whole night I hauehave dreamed of vanitie: I thinke that my Dreameproceedeth from vesterdays Conference, for Solomon saith, that aEccles. 5. 3.Eccl 5:3 dreame cōmeth through the multitude of businesse: **NoteWell is the man that is well occupyed in the day, for in the night such businesse maketh an impression into his Spirite: An euill doer in the day cānot often dreame of good into the night: **NoteHappie p. 566is the man that hath made the Lord the onelie leuell of his life: What houres can it now bee? I long for a sight of my louing and comfortable Pastour.

The Pastour.

Heere I am Sir, come againe for to see what progresse yee hauehave made into your Christian pilgrimage: Ye… heard yesterday of the vanitie of all things that are below: I desire now to know how your heart hath beene affected since.

The sicke Man.

I hauehave Sir all this night d…eamed that this world is but vanitie, a lifting vp for a fall, a race vntounto a ruine▪ I see nowe that all the profites and pleasures thereof are but lik a rotten Nut, when men thinke to cracke the kernell they find nothing but worms with rottenesse & bitternesse which prouocke the eater to spit. O how the pure and cleane streames of diuine grace are stained with y^e stirring p. 567of y^e foule puddle of corrupt nature.

I am greatlie oblished to my God, who hath giuen to me such patience in my sicknesse, that I hauehave beene able to heare that heauenlie discours which ye had yesterday concerning earthlie things: This life as I perceiue is nothing but a toilesome task of cares, the best of our time is but labour & sorrow, our ease is a disease, and wee rot in our rest: Mine heart is no more in this world He is but a foole, and so shall hee feele who euer hee bee that is too bent for the transitorie trashes thereof.

**NoteHeere is not our rest: Rest heere is not our best: As water by standing becometh stinking, so the Spirit rotteth by carnall rest: The ease of the flesh is the disease of the Spirit: If wee bee without God in the world, Eccle. 2. 17Eccl 2:17in our well we shall find but woe, in our wealth but want, in our louelove butProv. 14. 13Prov 14:13 l…cke, in our mirth but mone: In laughing the heart shall be sorrowfull, and p. 568the end of that mirth shalbe heauiness… Without God in greatest compan… is greatest melancholie.

Hee whose eyes the god of th… Ephes 4. 4.Eph 4:4world hath not blind-folded, may easilie perceiue that all that is heere is but vanitie which vexeth the spiri… **NoteWhat follie is this to take pleasure in such perishing things, which can bring no comfort at the conclusion of all, when dust must returne to the Eccle. 12. 7Eccl 12:7earth as it was?

Oh, that wee were wise to consider that while wee are heere, we are compassed about with a bodie of sin, in a world of wickednesse: All sortes of euil in this world with eager pursute persecute the Soule of sinfull man, all the depthes of Sathan and policies of Hell concure into this worke.

Now Sir I intreat you seeing yee hauehave spoken so heauenlie of the earth, that it would please you to say some-what concerning the last p. 569judgement & the j…yes of Heauen.

The Pastour.

Such a matter is verie vnpleasant, yea, very fearefull to a naturall man: It is written that while as S. Paul reasoned Act. 24. 25Acts 24:25of Righteousnesse, Temperance, and Iudgement to come, Felix, who was but a naturall man, trembl…d all while hee heard him, and therefore desired him to leaue off preaching any more, and to goe his way till a more fitte and conuenient time: **NoteThogh the wicked tremble at this discourse, yet it is cōfortable & profitable into y^e godly: **NoteI wish at God that I had that tongue of the Learned, Isa. 50. 4.Isa 50:4that thereby I might produce these reasons of S. Paul which hee vttered while hee reasoned vponupon this matter before Felix.

This Sir yee must first know that the day of Iudgement shall bee a great day a day of Law▪ when all the Sonnes of Adam must compeare before the eyes of him who seeth our p. 570thoughts a farre off, euen to the very depths of our heart.

The sicke Man.

First of all, I desire to heare of the time that Christ shall come into the Cloudes for to judge both quicke and dead.

The Pastour.

As for the particular time of that great and glorious comming of the Lord, no man can define whē it shall bee whether in the night or in the day, at mid-night or cock-crow: It was a time hid from Christ himselfe as man, while hee was heere in the dayes of his flesh, neither thought hee shame to tell it: His vvords and his counsell concerning that, are of great weight: But that day, said hee,Mar. …. 32 and that houre knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in heauen, neither the Sonne, but the Father: Now what was his Counsell therevpon? Take heede, said hee, watch and pray, vers. 33.for yee know not when the time is: For p. 571the Son of man is as a man taking a far vers. 34journey, who left his house, and gaue authoritie to his seruantes, and to euerie man his work; & commanding the Porter vers. 35.to watch: Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the Master of the house commeth, at Euen or at mid-night, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning, lest comming suddenlie hee finde you vers. 36.sleeping: And what I say vntounto you, I say vntounto you all, watch. S. Peter saith,2 Pet. 3. 102 Pet 3:10 that hee shall come as a Theefe in the night.

**NoteBy all this it euidentlie appeareth that no man can designe the particular time of the comming of the Lord vntounto Iudgement: No tongue can tell whether his comming shall bee in the night, or in the day, in the morning, or in the euening, at the prayer, or at the preacing: * Watch yee therefore, saide Christ, and this he doubled againe, And what I say vntounto you, that I say vntounto you all, watch.

p. 572The sicke Man.

What can bee the cause wherefore God hath kept vp to himselfe the particular knowledge of that great day?

The Pastour.

**NoteGod in great wisedome hath hidde from all flesh the time of his comming, as hee hath concealed from all men the houre and forme of their death, that all may striue to be readie at all times.

The sicke Man.

Though this Day bee not particularlie knowne, thinke yee not but it is verie neere?

The Pastour.

S. Iames in his dayes saide, The Iam. 5. 8.Jas 5:8comming of the Lord draweth neere.

The sicke Man.

But since hee said that, it is more than a thousand and fiue hundreth yeares, and yet all thinges remaine euen as they were, hauehave I heard some men say.

p. 573The Pastour.

**NoteThese bee the words of them2 Pet. 3. 32 Pet 3:3 whom S. Peter calleth Scoffers: Knowing this first, saith hee, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their owne lustes: And saying where is the promise of his comming? vers. 4.for since the Fathers fell a sleepe, all things centin…e as they were from the beginning of the Creation: **NoteThis is as much as if they had said, If there were a God indeede for to come to judgement, hee would not bee so slacke in his comming: But what saith S. Peter …o that? The Lord is not vers. 9.slacke concerning his promise (as some mē count slacknes) but is long suffering to vsus ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance.

The sicke Man.

I see now that no man can be certaine at what time Christ shall come, It is a secret which God hath kept vp from all the liuing into his owne bosome.

p. 574The Pastour.

Indeed Sir, it is such a secret tha… may not bee searched: Christ after his Resurrection, said a wise wordAct. 3. 3.Acts 3:3 to his Apostles, It is not for you … knowe the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power: **NoteThis is the wisedome of God, who hath concealed such things from the knowledge of all men as well learned as vnlea…ned, as well Kinges as Subjects, that all flesh at all times be in readinesse when the Lord shall come to judgement: This made the Lord so carefullie to waine his Disciples to watch.

The sicke Man.

The Lord graunt that wee may euer hauehave our loynes girded & ou… Candles in our hands, waiting for the Luk. 12.. 35Luke 12comming of that Lord.

The Pastour.

That should be our daylie prayer▪ **NoteThis should teach vsus not to lye downe to sleepe, like foolish Virgines, Matth. 25 3Matt 25:3without Oyle in our Lampes, le… p. 575before wee, waken the Bridegrome come vponupon vsus vnprouided, & enter in his Chamber, while we shall bee seeking that which we shal not find.

The sicke Man.

Now Sir, I pray you proceed and declare to mee howe the Lord shall come downe from Heauen for to judge this world wherein we dwell.

The Pastour.

He shall come downe not as King Agrippa & his Queene Bernice came down foreign with muchAct. 25. 13Acts 25:13 phantasie or vaine shew, which is nothing indeede but a foolish phantasie: But, O the vnspeakable Glorie that shall bee seene at the comming of the Lord.

The sicke Man.

I requeast you earnestlie to continue into that purpose, for it affecteth mine heart verie much.

The Pastour.

I reade in the Gospel that while Christ was sitting vponupon y^e Mount of p. 566Oliues, his Disciples came vntounto him priuatelie, saying, Tell vsus when shall Matth. 24 3Matt 24:3these things be? and what shall be the signe of thy comming, and the end of the world? Christs answere was, That they should take heede that no man deceiue them, because, saide hee, many shall come into my Name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceiue many.

The sicke Man.

But did hee not declare anie particular signes or tokens that should appeare before his comming?

The Pastour.

The Lord hath declared that before that great & terrible day come, The Sunne shall bee darkened, and the Matth. 24. 29Matt 24:29Moone shall not giuegive her light, and the Starres shall fall from heauen, and the powers of heauen shall bee shaken.

The sicke Man.

I wish to heare the exposition of these words, for they seeme to bee full of difficulties.

p. 577The Pastour.

Some think that these words are but an allegorie of the callamities that were to befall to the Church and to the whole world before the comming of Christ: Others of the Learned tak these words to be spokē properlie: And for to cleare their opinion to bee true, they alledge the words of S. Peter as a Commentarie vponupon Christs wordes: The Heauens 2 Pet. 3. 102 Pet 3:10shall passe away, saith hee, with a great noise, and the Elements shall melt with feruent heat, the Earth also, and the works that are therein shalbe burnt vp: And a little after hee subjoyneth, Looking for and hasting vntounto the comming vers. 12.of the day of God, wherein the heauens beeing on fire shalbe dissolued, and the Elementes shall melt with feruent heate.

The sicke Man.

These bee wonderfull wordes of wonderfull workes, yee will bee so good as to make them m…e cleare.

p. 578The Pastour.

**NoteFirst it is said, That the heauens sh…l passe away praeteribunt, not that they shalbe turned to nothing, or shall …o passe away y^t they shall bee no more, but they shall passe away in that they shall bee changed: **NoteAccording to this the Psalmist speaking of the heauensPsal. 102. 26.Ps 102:26 saith, That all of them waxe olde as doeth a garment: As a vesture shal… thou change them, and they shall bee changed: **NoteThough in our life-time because it is so shorte, wee cannot sensiblie perceiue any decay in the heauenlie influences, yet it is certhat taine the heauens are but cretures ordained for the seruice of mā, creatures subject to faile, weare, and waxe olde bee.

The sicke Man.

What a change Sir, thinke yee that, that shall bee?

The Pastour.

It shall bee a change altogether for the better: All the Elementes p. 579shall be melted as mettell into a furnace whereby it is refined: After that they are melted they shall bee …ast into a new mould, for to receiue such a …orme as it shall please the most High to giuegive vntounto them.

**NoteI compare all these great creatures of the world, as the Heauens and foure Elements to an olde peece of money stamped so long since, that hardlie can it bee knowne who…e superscription is in it, all the Letters being worne off with the vsing: **NoteIt is euen so of the Heauens and of the Elements in these latter dayes: It is so lōg since they were stamped, that the letters of Gods name vponupon them are growne dim & are not so legible as they were wont to bee: But in that last day the Lord shall make the old Heauens and this olde Earth all to melt into a fire, and thereafter shall stampe them like a newe stricken Crowne: Then hee shall giuegive them such a temper that they shall neuer p. 580waxe olde any more: **NoteGods first impression on his creatures hath by sinne beene dimmeded and darkened, but this secunda cura, the second coyning of these creatures shall be so durable that nothing shall be able to deface it: For God then shall bee All in all: **NoteThen Tempus edax rerum, Time that eateth all things, yea, all times, as yeeres, moneths, days, nights, houres, lik floods shall all runne in into the sea of eternitie, where they with all such vnconstant things shall bee swallowed vp in victorie.

The sicke Man.

What is that to say, That the Heauens shall passe away with a great noise▪ What sort of noise shall that bee?

The Pastour.

**NoteThe worde in the originall is foreign, which the French hath termed auec vn bruit siflant de tempeste, that is the roaring of a tempest, which commeth with such a thudde, that it p. 581casteth downe both Trees and Houses, making all to shake, and also lifting vp dust and straes and all in the aire as with a whirle wind: Erasmus termeth it, In morem procellae, like a Tempest: **NoteSuch a Tempest was neuer heard since y^e world was founded: It shall bee a Tempest which shall shake the worlde of its foundation. Aboue and below all shall bee shaken with such a roaring and cracking tempest, that no mortall heart can conceiue: The Heauens, the Earth, the Waters, the Aire, the Sunne, the Moone, and Starres, shall bee so shaken with that tempest as though they were but pickles of dust, and caried with a whi…le wind: My minde is in a maze to think vponupon the greatnesse of that day: **NoteMy pen while I hauehave beene writting of it, hath fallen out of my hand, so hauehave I beene rauished with admiration of that day: O what a day shall that be when all that euer God made shall p. 582bee sette on fire? The Heauens being sette one fire, saith the Apostle, shall bee dissolued, and the Elements beeing set on fyre shal melt with feruant heate. Isa. 51. 6.Isa 51:6Isaiah saith, That the Heauens shall vanish away like smoke: What fearfull tempest must that bee which shall put all the worlde into a burning flamme? All shall bee sette on fire, the Heauens aboue, the Earth beneath, the waters also must be burnt and melted into that wonderfull furnace: By this fire all things must bee purged.

The sicke Man.

It would seeme by Scripture that those heauens which are now, shall bee altogether abolished: The Lord saith in Isaiah, Loe, I will create new Isa. 65. 17Isa 65:17Hea…ens and a new Earth, and the former shall not …ee remembered nor come into minde. To create a thing is properlie to mak something of nothing: What then, …hall the Heauens and Elements which are now bee red… cted to nothing?

p. 583The Pastour.

It is most certaine that they shall not bee put to nothing, but according to their earnest expectatiō they shall bee deliuered at the last day from the bondage of corruption into the Rom. 8. 21Rom 8:21glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God.

**NoteIt is not Gods custome so to reward his old seruants, as to put them from their beeing, that so hee may bee quite of them: **NoteAs for that which Isaiah saith, that he will create new Heauens and newe Earth, and that the former shall not be remembered, it is not to bee vnderstoode of the last day: The Lord by these wordes did onelie declare this to that people, that hee would so alter & change the state of his Church at the comming of the Messias, that it should seeme to dwell into another world.

The sicke Man.

I took euer that passage otherwise, but I hold that exposition best: But behold what S. Iohn saith concerning p. 584the Heauens, the Earth,Reuel. 12. 1Rev 12:1 and the Sea, I saw a new Heauen, and a new Earth, for the first Heauen, and the first Earth were passed away, and there was no more Sea. What is that to say?

The Pastour.

**NoteThe first Heauen and the first Earth are said to hauehave passed away, not that their substāce was no more, but as one sayth well, because alia ejus videbatur facies, it was so changed that men would thinke that it could not bee that cloudie Heauen and clattie Earth which was before: The Sea also was no more such as it was before.

The sicke Man.

But S. Iohn sath, That hee saw a Reuel. 20. 11Rev 20:11white Throne and One sitting on it, from whose face the Heauen and the Earth fledde away, and there was found no more place for them: By this it would seeme that they shall bee altogether abolished.

p. 585The Pastour.

I answere y^t they shall not be abolished, but they are said to flee away from the face of God, as most learned Diuines thinke, ad declarandum eorum terrorem & animum ad fugam paratum, for to declare their feare to compeare before the face of so great a Majestie, till they be forbished & scoured of the roust of their vanity wherevnto they hauehave beene made subject, they thinke shame of their vncleannesse before such eyes of puritie: **NoteIt is said, That there was no place found for them not that they wanted a place, but because of such a Majestie, they did goe about to hide themselues: It is well said by a Learned interpreter vponupon these words, Quorum locus non reperitur, illa latent & occulta manent, whose place is not found, they lurke and remaine hidde, not that they shall want a place, but because no man can find out by searching what shall p. 586bee their place: By this is onelie declared that till the Heauens and Elements bee reneued, they shall in a manner goe and hide themselues from before y^e face of that heauenlie Majestie, as a ragged man who thinking shame to compeare among those who are richlie arrayed, withdraweth himselfe vntounto some darke corner that hee should not be seene, till he be better arrayed: After that all shall bee made cleare and cleane by the fire, they shall appeare before God in their appointed place.

The sicke Man.

Thinke yee that it shall bee a long time before that all can bee refined by that fire, as also before that the dead bee raised vp and gathered together.

The Pastour.

* All this shall bee done in a moment: 1 Cor. 15. 511 Cor 15:51In the twinkling of an eye the dead shall bee raised, and the liuing shall bee changed where euer they p. 587bee found, whether grinding at the Luk. 17. 31Luke 17:31Mile, or walking in the fieldes▪ or lying in their beddes, they must all compeare either for to bee taken or to be forsaken, all other thinges shall bee speedilie dispatched.

The sicke Man.

O but he is a great God who by2 Pet. 3. 7.2 Pet 3:7 his word keepeth in store the Heauens and Earth which are nowe, reseruing them vntounto fyre against the day of Iudgement: Great must hee bee who shall kindle such a fire: Nowe after that this fire shall bee quenched, what shall bee done?

The Pastour.

After that by the fire the Lord hath cleansed all his creatures from their roust, and scoured them from all their drosse, hee shall forme them by his word the breath of his mouth: **NoteAs a maker of Glasses, by the blast of his mouth formeth as hee pleaseth the soft melted liquour taken out of the fornace: **NoteBut wherevnto p. 586duplicate page p. 587duplicate page p. 588can we compare the most High in his most wonderfull workes? **NoteThē the Heauens which of before hee had rolled vp like a scrole, shall bee vnfolded, and put out of their roll, and the Earth beeing purified and fined, shall bee made a Lodging for righteousnesse, according to his 2 Pet. 3. 132 Pet 3:13promise, saith S. Peter, Wee looke for new Heauens and new Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousnesse.

The sicke Man.

What is that to say, That righteousnesse dwelleth into the new Heauens and into the newe Earth? These words seeme to bee difficile.

The Pastour.

The opinions of men are diuerse concerning the sense thereof, some thinke y^t Righteousnesse shall dwell in y^t new Heauens & new Earth, vnderstanding by Righteousnesse, the righteousnesse of Christ: According to this S. Pauls greatest desire was that hee might bee found in Christ, Not, p. 589said hee, hauing mine owne righteousnesse Philip. 3. 9Phil 3:9which is of the Lawe, but that which is of the Faith of Christe, the Righteousnesse of God by Faith: Others by a Metommie vnderstand that righteousnesse dwelling on the new Earth, to bee taken or all faithfull and righteous men who shall be the Citizens of that new Heauen and of that new Earth: **NoteO if wee knewe the glorie of these new things! they would surelie rauish our heartes, so that wee would all cry, Come Lord Reuel. 12. 17Rev 12:17Iesus come: **NoteThese new Heauens shall neuer be ouer-cast with clouds, there shall bee none ecclipsing of light any more: **NoteAs for the new Earth, there shall be no more sweate of browes: All toiles and turmoiles shall cease: Sinne the cause of all our woe shall bee no more there: **NoteThe most barbarous and barren parte that is now on earth, shall bee more pleasant than euer was Paradise, for then God shall be All in all: p. 590**NoteAll the Earth shalbe lik that Holie of holies, but without a partition wall▪ Exod. 26. 33Exod 26:33In that Holie of holies in Canaan, none but one, & that but once in the yeare might enter: But in the new Heauens and newe Earth all the Faithfull shall hauehave their perpetuall residence, where they shall follow the Lambe whither-so-euer it shall pleaseReuel. 14. 4Rev 14:4 him to goe: There shall they for euer bee courting his countenance.

**NoteFye that men will not liue well for a little space, that they may liue with the Lambe for euer, among these pleasures for euermore: FyePsal. 16. 11Ps 16:11 that men for stinking pleasures should losse the comfort of these places wherein nothing but righteousnesse shall bee able to dwell.

The sicke Man.

Seeing the heauens and the earth shall bee made new, yee thinke that they shall change for the better.

The Pastour.

That is most certaine: They hauehave p. 591in their owne kinde beene obedient seruantes vntounto their God, and God shal also glorifie them with a kind of glorie which his Wisedome shall thinke fittest for them: The heauens Psal. 102. 1Ps 102:1like a garment are waxed olde at Gods seruice: **NoteGod will not cast off his olde seruants, but after their seruice he will reward them:**Note If their cloths bee worne at his seruice, hee will giuegive them a new coate: **NoteIf their first powers bee shaken, he will put new powers into them againe: **NoteIt was truelie said by the father of lyes,Iob. 1. 9,Job 1:9 That none serue God for nought.

**NoteIt shall not bee for nought that the Heauens by their motions, and the Earth by its birth hauehave declared the glorie of God omnipotent.

The sicke Man.

But is it possible that such creatures hauehave any knowledge while they serue God, that he will reward them at the last day, that therby they may bee incouraged at his seruice?

p. 592The Pastour.

**NoteThey hauehave indeede a certaine secret instinct from GOD, which worketh in them a sort of longing for the last day, which shall bee the day of rewardes, the day of their deliuerance: In this the Apostle isRom. 8. 19Rom 8:19 plaine, For▪ saith hee, the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the vers. 20.manifestatiō of the Sons of God: for the creature was made subject vntounto vanitie, not willinglie, but by reason of him that vers. 21.hath subjected the same in hope▪ because the creature it selfe also shall bee deliuered frō the bondage of corruption, into the glorious libertie of the Children of God. **NoteFor this cause the whole creation is said, To groane and to trauell together vntill now.vers. 22.

The sicke Man.

O the great secrets of God! I pray you Sir, to let me vnderstand these wordes by some breefe exposition▪ First what is that which hee calleth the earnest expectation of the creature p. 593which waiteth for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God? What creature is that? What expectation can that bee?

The Pastour.

By the creature are not vnderstood these little creatures, as Frogs, Flees, Midges, Beastes, Fowles, Fishes: **NoteSuch creatures hauehave none expectation of better things to come, for in the world to come there shall bee no vse for them: **NoteBut by the the creature is to bee vnderstood the whole worlde, viz. The Heauens and all the Elements, as Earth, Fire, Water, Aire, which now are all so knit in louelove, that eueryevery one as it were taketh another into its bosome: **NoteBecause they are so fast coupled together and so neere to other▪ that nothing can come betweene them, for this cause as if they were all but one thing, they are called in the singular number, the creature▪

**NoteAs for it expectation, it is called p. 594by the Apostle foreign, a stretched out of the hand: In which word the waiting of the world for the comming of the Lord, is set out like a woman standing vponupon her tip-toes stretching out her head for to see if she can see her husbād comming a farre, whom shee looketh & longeth for hourelie: **NoteSee howe liuelie the Apostle declareth the secret instinct of the worldes desire for the comming of Christ Iesus: In a most powerfull word hee letteth vsus see the Heauens and the Earth, and all the Elements, all as it were a man or a woman standing vponupon their tip-toes, and holding vp their heads for to see if Iesus bee comming according to his promise.

All the Faithfull who are the Spouse of Christ▪ groane within them Rom. 8. 23Rom 8:23selues, sighing till they see their Sauiour in the Cloudes, so also this creature hath the owne groanes and sighs till Christ come for its deliuerance: p. 595**NoteAnd as the Churches desire, maketh Her to cry, Come Lord Reuel. ll 17Iesus come, so in this creature there is a secret instinct and earnest expectation which moueth it in the own language to cry for Christes comming.

The sicke man.

What vnderstandeth the Apostle while hee saith, That the creature was made subject to vaniue▪ not willinglie but by reason of him that hath subjected the same in hope? First how is it said, That it is made subject to vanitie? Can the Heauens and the Earth bee saide to bee subject to vanitie?

The Pastour.

The most Learned thinke that by this subjection of the creature to vanitie is to bee vnderstood, ejus fluxa & evanida conditio, that is a condition subject to change, corruption▪ wearing away, or waxing olde: As for the Earth, it is euident, as for p. 596the Heauens, Scripture is plaine, They waxe olde as doeth a garment: Psal. 102. 26Ps 102:26**NoteThis is the vanitie of these creatures: Heere is also another vanitie wherevnto they are subject, in that they are made seruants to these that will not serue God whō they serue.

That the beautifull Sunne should furnish light to these that delight in Spirituall darknesse, it is a vanitie and a drudgerie wherevnto the Sun is subject: That the Earth should bea…e and bring foorth fruites for to feede the blacke mouthes that blaspheme its Maker, is a great vanitie wherevnto it is made subject: **NoteThe Sea groaneth vnderunder the Shippes of Pyrats and Robbers: **NoteSee what an vproare was in that Element for Ionahs rebellion: **NoteSo long as he was in that Shippe, Gods scourged the winds with his worde of command: The windes scourged the Seas, the Seas scourged the Shippe wherein Gods Rebell did lye till hee was cast out: **NoteThe Sea euer seethed with p. 597the fire of Gods wrath, the waues euer tumbled vp and down breaking one vponupon another with rushing and roaring, till it tooke order with the rebellious man, there was no resting for its waues.

The sicke Man.

But how is this that it is said, that the creature is subject to vanitie but not willinglie▪ It would seeme by that, that they obey God but against their will.

The Pastour.

The Heauens, or Earth properlie hauehave neither a willing nor a nilling, but onelie a secret instinct, which is like a will: **NoteThis secret instinct which God hath put into his creature is that, Omnis natura conservatrix suiest, euerie creature striueth to keepe & maintaine it selfe: Now while by God it is made subject to such changes, weakening and wearing, which is against the working of that instinct, it is said in Scripture p. 598language to bee subject to vanitie, but not willinglie.

Neither for that must wee thinke that the creature in that rebelleth or repineth against God in any wise, as if it had a will striuing against Gods will, no not: **NoteBut in some measure it may bee saide to hauehave an instinct like that will of Christ at the drinking of the bitter Cuppe: Christs Naturall instinct was that the Cuppe should passe from him, and yet for all that his prayer was, Not my will Matth. 26. 42Matt 26:42but thy will bee done.

**NoteIt is euen so in some manner of the instinct of the Heauens and of the Earth: They naturallie shrinke from bondage & abuse, as also they incline to keepe themselues frō corruption and vanitie, neither for that is their will contrarie to Gods will: Hee who is called a seruant should not care for it: But yet if hee may bee made free, the Apostles direction2 Cor. 7. 212 Cor 7:21 is, That hee vse it rather: The sick p. 599man may will life, and seeke cure for to preserue his life, though Gods will bee that hee die, if so bee that he submit vntounto Gods will his whole desire, as Christ did, euen while hee desired the Cuppe to depart which hee knew to hauehave beene put into his hand for to drinke it: **NoteA will that is diuerse from Gods will if it bee subacted, & subjected vntounto Gods wil, may bee free of sinne: **NoteSo the Heauens and the Earth are subject vntounto vanitie, but not willinglie, because they incline to bee free of the bondage of mans corruption: But seeing it is their Lords will that they beare the burden, and bee subject to such changes, they become subject, but withall they are euer groaning and longing for their redemption: **NoteAs a woman in trauell naturallie desireth to be deliuered, and yet submitteth her selfe to Gods wil, as naturallie these creatures of God hauehave an instinct to bee deliuered p. 600from the burden of their bondage: But seeing their instinct or desire to bee made free, is not so soone effectuate, neither can bee, before the world end, the Lord their good and kinde Master for to encourage them vnderunder the burden of their bondage, lest▪ they should faint, hath giuen vntounto them another secret instinct, which the Apostle calleth their hope.Rom. 8. 20Rom 8:20

For to cleare this to you in a word: **NoteThere is in this world groaning vnderunder the corruption of the wicked, a certaine instinct like Hope. whereby it looketh for to bee made free from the bondage and burden of this corruption, as a woman in trauell is comforted with hope of deliuerance: This is that whereat the Apostle pointeth, when hee saith, that God hath subjected the creature in hopeRom. 8. 20Rom 8:20

The sicke Man.

In my judgement vee speake pertinentlie: In that difficultie I hauehave p. 601full satisfaction: But what is this that is subjoyned vntounto the verse following? I vnderstand not the words well. They are these: **NoteThe creature at last shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the Children of God: What is this libertie of the Sons of God? or how can the Heauens and the Elements bee said to bee made partakers of that liberty which belongeth to the Children of God? I confesse mine ignorance heere, in this point I desire to bee instructed.

The Pastour.

This is the libertie, whereof they shall bee partakers with the Childrē of GOD, they shall then hauehave all their will, they shall no more be subject to that whereof they would desire to bee▪ free: **NoteNot willinglie shall bee no more in them in all their subjection: **NoteThey shall bee no more slaues to serue sinners, but shall serue God and his Saintes p. 600duplicate page p. 601duplicate page p. 602which is true libertie: Thus in so farre as they shall bee free of all that foresaid bondage, they are said to be deliuered into the glorious liberty of the Children of God: **NoteThis shall bee a part of the libertie of Gods Sainctes in Heauen, not to bee subject to the wicked any more, not to wearie nor waxe olde, all this shall they hauehave commond with the creature: **NoteBut O what a glorie shall the Children hauehave greater than all the creature shall receiue! Euen a farre more and exceeding weight of Glorie.2 Cor. 4. 172 Cor 4:17

The sicke Man.

I will not now inquire concerning that weightie glorie, I reserue it to afterward God-willing: One thing I desire to know, whether or not the Lord shall come downe before the World shall bee refined with fire, or if it shall bee after.

The Pastour.

In my judgement before that the Lord come down, y^e Heauens shalbe new, and the earth & all shalbe new: p. 603As a Citie before the entrie of a King, prepareth all before hand, maketh the wayes cleane, and causeth sweepe off the streets the dung-hils, so all the steertes of the Heauens▪ and of the Aire, and of the Earth muste bee made cleane before the comming of the Sonne of man: **NoteWhile in the dayes of his flesh hee entered into the Citie of Ierusalem in qualitie of a King, riding vponupon an Asse-Colt, all the streetes were couered with cloathes & greene branches of trees, so that the foote of his Asse scarclie culd touch the ground, all that was there range with theMatth. 21▪ 9Matt 21:9 sound of Hosanna, Hosanna: * Euen so in my judgement when that great Lord shall make his entrie into the world as a King from Heauen, the world shall all bee made new, it shall look with another face then it doth at this day: **NoteIf our gracious Soueraigne King CHARLES, (whom I pray the Lord to blesse with a prosperous reigne) were comming from p. 604Londō for to enter into this Citie, we would all cloth our selues in comely apperall, we wold receiue him with* Note great applause, all shouting, GOD SAVE KING CHARLES. Would we doe this to a sinfull man Whose Isa. 2. 22.Isa 2:22breath is in his nostrils? What thinke yee then shall these creatures doe, whose neckes are yoked vnderunder the bondage of corruption euer till the Lord IAH our God come downePsal. 68. 4.Ps 68:4 riding vponupon the Skie with sound of libertie for euermore?

Mine heart here faileth me while I thinke of that great applause and welcome to the world that Christ shall get when hee shall bowe the Heauens and come downe into the Aire: Shal he who in the days of his flesh, in the dayes of his disgrace, was so honoured at his Royall entrie in Ierusalem, not bee much more honoured at his Royall entrie into the worlde, which is groaning after that houre of his comming, as a woman in trauell, earning after the p. 605houre of her deliuerie: At his second comming, all his wayes shalbe prepared, and the Hosanna Hosannahs of Ierusalem shall bee turned into Halleluiah Halleluiah: **NoteBefore Christ came first to appeare amongLuk. 3. 4.Luke 3:4 men, hee sent a Messenger to prepare his ways: The voyce of One crying in the wildernesse, Prepare yee the vers. 5.way of the Lord mak his paths straight: Euerie valley shall bee filled, and eueryevery hill and mountaine shall bee made low, and the crooked shall bee made straight, & the rough ways shalbe made smooth. **NoteSeeing in his humilitie his wayes were prepared before his comming, there is greater appearance that before hee come backe to this worlde againe with his millions, this new earth and all shall bee prepared.

**NoteIt is a disgrace for a Citie to be cleansing streetes, while the King is alreadie within the portes: It is but rusticke manners to sweepe an house after that an honest man hath entered, p. 606whereby the dust that is vnderunder his feete is carried vp to his hat and betweene his shoulders.

The sicke Man.

It is your opinion then that all shall bee cleansed with a fire before the Lord come downe.

The Pastour.

It is indeed: And it seemeth also to hauehave some ground into Scripture, for Christ while hee was declaring in the Gospel the things that should be fall before his comming, hauingMatth. 24 29Matt 24:29 said, That the Sunne and Moone should bee darkened, and that Starres should fall from Heauen, which declared the change of this world: In the next verse hee declareth that after that appeared the signe of the Sonne vers. 30.of man in Heauen.

The sicke Man.

According to your discourse it would seeme that before the comming of the Lord, at the renewing of this world, there shall be a strange p. 607stirre among all the Creatures.

The Pastour.

That is most certaine, and that both aboue and belowe: S. Luke saith, That there shall bee signes in the Luk. 21. 25Luke 21:25Sunne, and in the Moone, and in the Starres, and vponupon the Earth, Pressura gentiū, distresse of Nations, with perplexitie, the Sea and the waues roaring: Mens heartes failing them for feare, vers. 26.and for looking after these things which are comming on the Earth; for the powers vers. 27.of Heauen shalbe shaken: Thē shal they see the Sonne of Man comming in a cloud with power and geart glorie.

The sicke Man.

All these wordes bee wordes of great weight: It would please you to giuegive mee the intepretation thereof.

The Pastour.

In these words the Euangelist letteth vsus see howe this bigge olde world shalbe broken downe for to bee made new againe: Some of the p. 608Learned expound these wordes by way of similitude taken from man the little world, while as hee is olde and failed, the humours of his body like elements are troubled and shaken together: His two eyes like the Sunne and Moone are darkened, and his other senses like the Starres fall downe and decay: His minde and his reason lik heauenlie powers are shaken, so at last man like an olde house all decayed, falleth downe into his dust: **NoteAs this little worlde decayeth, so doeth this great world, wherein wee liue, all is failing about vsus, aboue vsus, till at last the verie voutes of heauen shall bee rent, foreign, with a noyse and shall bee melted with fire, and as it were cast into calmes whereout of shall come a new world, which shall neuer any more waxe olde.

The sicke Man.

That is well said for the generall: I perceiue now that the Lord by his p. 609infinite power shall spread the Heauens like paper or par…hment, and that they shalbe melted like mettall: Let me now … these wordes of S. Luke as they are written into his Gospel▪ First hee saith, Thi… there shall bee sigues in the Sunne, and in the Moone, and in the Starres: What signes shall these be?

The Pastour.

Some of the Learned thinke that these signes shalbe … whereof God from these heauenlie bodies shall make a shew vntounto then vponupon the earth: Some thinke that this is spoken of great and strange …clipes that shall go… before that day. Some thinke that there shall bee such a great and glorious light that shall goe before Christes comming, that both Sunne and Moone shall bee darkened as the Starres in the morning are darke … at the rising of the Sun, so that they cannot any more bee seene, beeing obscured by a …ater p. 610light: Some by an allegorie referre these great ecclipses to great learned men, great lights in the Church making defection and Apostasie from the Trueth.

The sicke Man.

But S. Matthew, sayeth That the Matth. 24 29Matt 24:29Starres shall fall from Heauen.

The Pastour.

These words also be diuerslie interpreted: Some by these fallen stars vnderstand glorious professours of the truth falling away by Apostasie, such Starres are these whom the Dragon is said to draw downe with his taile: These bee the words of S. Iohn, And Reue. 12. 3Rev 12:3there appeared another wonder in Heauen, and behold a great red Dragon▪ And his taile drew the third part of vers. 4.the starres of heauen▪ and did cast them to the earth: **NoteBy these starres as a learned man saith well, are vnderstood these whose names in outward appearance were written in Heauen, lik the Angel of Sardis who p. 611had a name to bee liuing, and yet was Reuel. 3. 1.Rev 3:1dead: **NoteWicked men for a space may blaze like Comets and seeme to bee starres fixed in their orbe▪ and yet at last proue to bee nothing but a bundle of filthie matter, like these shote starres, that come not from Heauen but from the Aire, whereof the Deuill is the prince: Others areEphes. … ▪ … of the opinion that this bee spoken of the starres of heauen, viz. That they shall fall downe.

The sicke Man.

But seeing one starre is so many times bigger than the whole Earth, as Philosophers esteeme, how can they fall? Or if they fall, whither shall they goe?

The Pastour.

One answereth verie well to that, that it is verie difficile to pronounce, but the day of the Lord shall reueale all: **NoteIn my judgement by the falling of the stars with other such like things, is vnderstood the decaying p. 612and passing away of the Heauens which shall in that day as S. Peter 2 Pet. 3. 102 Pet 3:10testifieth, passe away with a noyse… **NoteAn house while it is olde, and readie to bee taken downe, will all bee full of cliftes and riftes, so that the olde …yling that was once fast joyned together with nailes will begin to cling, and then to gape, the nailes also will become loose and hing out▪ All signes and tokens of an hastie ruine: It shall bee euen so of that heauenlie house, when it is decayed and neare a fall, the stars which are like golden nailes into the …yling of the world, are said to bee loosed and to fall downe, for to declare the falling and ruine of the world: Some thinke that the Starres reallie shall fall downe like the leaues of a tree nipped with a winter frost: S. Iohn speaking of that strange change and perturbation that shalbe both aboue and below before that great day▪ saith, That the starres of heauen shall p. 613fall downe vntounto the earth, euen as a Reue. 6. 1…Rev 6:1figge▪ tree casteth he… ▪ vntimelie figges, when shee is a shaken of a mightie wind▪

In these wordes wee see first the infinite power of that Majestie who shall shake the fixed starres out of their firmamēt, againe obserue that the starres are said to bee shaken like vntimlie and greene figges, and not like figges that as wee say are drop ripe, which droppe downe of w…ll without any violence▪ **NoteBy this it wold appeare that this world might stand lōger than it shall stand I think that if y^e Lord shuld suffer y^e heauens to turne about some hundreth thousands of yeares, that then the stars should fall downe to the earth, nor like greene figges, but like fruite that is ripe at the falling▪ But the Lord as wee see will shake the starres…, ere they bee ripe▪ and that as some thinke for the Elects sake: For the Elects sake, said Christ, these dayes Matth. 24▪ 22.Matt 24:22shall bee shortened In the Greeke it p. 614is foreign, decurtabuntur which is to shorten or mutilat.

I know that the most Learned interpret these wordes of the calamities of the Iewes which God would not suffer to bee distressed for many yeares.

The sicke Man.

Mine hearte wonders at these words of the Reuelation concerning the starres which shall fall downe to the earth like vntimelie figges shaken with a mightie winde: I thinke your obseruation therevpon verie pleasant.

The Pastour.

Indeede Sir, the words are wonderfull, but the worke shalbe more wonderfull: **NoteFor in all appearance2 Pet. 3. 122 Pet 3:12 the heauens beeing dissolued, that is, all shaken asunder and the stars shaken loose falling downe to the earth, and all the Elements beeing melted together, in all appearance, Starres▪ Sunne, and Moone, Clay, Water, p. 615Fire, and Aire, shall become for aspace like a Chaos a confused lump or masse without forme as they wereGen. 1. 2.Gen 1:2 at the first, and that till the God of order hath refined and purified all by his refining fire. Some thinke otherwise, but the day of the Lord shall reueale all.

The sicke Man.

That shall bee a terrible worke: **NoteNow let mee know what S. Luke vnderstandeth by these words▪ That vponupon the earth shall bee distresse of Nations with perplexitie.

The Pastour.

**NoteThat is, men of all Nations shall bee so troubled at the sight of such thinges, that like a man in a straite they shall not wotte to what hand to turne them, euen as Dauid was whē he said, I am in a great strait, 2 Sam. 24. 142 Sam 24:14that is, perplexity: As for that which S. Luke saith of the Sea, viz. The sea and the waues roaring, by these words hee declareth that the sea shall be all p. 616stirred to the bottome, so that the… waters and all shall bee muddie an… drumblie: **NoteThe word Salum turened heere, …, signifieth properlie▪ mare turbatum, a raging troubled and tempestuous Sea.

All these things that shall appeare▪ are called, Fore runners, sent before to tell all the Faithfull that when they shall see them, that they lift vp their heades and looke vp for to see their Redemption that is neere▪ S▪ Luk compareth the time of all these things that appeare before the Lords comming to the spring time, when trees begin to budde, When the buds Luk. 2…. 30Luke 2:30shoote foorth, saith hee▪ ye… know that Summer is at hand: So likewise yee▪ vers. 31.when yee see these thinges come to passe… know that the Kingdome of God is nigh at hand.

The sicke Man.

All these fore-said things bee bu… buds as I see forewarning vsus of the Summer season▪ wherein the Lord p. 617shall come: But what is that which S. Matthew saith, that after all theseMatth. 24. 30.Matt 24:30 thinges shall appeare the SIGNE of the Sonne of man in Heauen▪ What is that which hee calleth the SIGNE of the Sonne of man in Heauen? What SIGNE thinke yee that to bee, that shall bee seene in Heauen after that the world shall bee made new?

The Pastour.

The interpreters varie much in their opinions concerning this Signe what sort of Signe it should bee.

Some thinke that it shall bee the signe of the Crosse vponupon which the Lord hang: This SIGNE as some think shalbe seene into the Aire before the comming of the Lord: Such a signe as some write, was that which Constantine saw in the Aire while he was going to battell against the enemies of Christ: With this signe was heard a voyce vttered in these words IN HOC SIGNO VIN…HS.

Others thinke that by the SIGNE p. 618of the Sonne of man, is to bee vnderstood Christ Himselfe, who is called, The Signe of the Sonne of man, as Circumcision in Scripture Language is called, The signe of the Circumsion.Rom. 4. 11Rom 4:11

**NoteI incline rather to thinke with Beza that, that signe shall bee some great Majestie and vnspeakable glorie aboue all compasse of comparison glorious, which shall appeare, whereby the comming of that Lord shall bee knowne to all, not to bee the comming of a creature, but of Him who is Lord of all the creatures, hauing a name aboue all names: Philip, 2. 9**NoteThe Kings and Princes of the earth while they are among the multitudes of their Subjects by some glistering jewell will be discerned from all the rest, or by the great respect that is carried to their persons, by these that are about them: **NoteAll sheaues fell down before Iosephs sheaues: Gen. 37. 7Gen 37:7So all creatures at his approach shall p. 619fall downe before him: **NoteAs beforeGen. 41. 43Gen 41:43 Ioseph, in his progesse was a cry Abrech, how the knee, so at the comming of this Lord the Angels in a manner shall cry, Abrech: At his Name euerie knee in Heauen and Earth and vnderunder the Earth shal bow▪ **NoteBefore, behind, and aboue that Bodie of God both white and ruddie Cant. 5. 10Song 5:10the chiefest among ten thousand, shall bee such a glorie and throng of Majestie as shall bee a certaine signe▪ that it can bee none other but the Prince of Eternitie, hee being among his most bright and glorious Angels like a Sunne among the Starres: The wordes of the Earth cannot beare such a signification as may expresse the glorie of this Signe.

**NoteMine hearte is without mee while I think vponupon the glorie of that Lord, whom all cyes shall see▪ that day with his golden Head and bus… Cant. 5. 11Song 5:11Lockes: Christ shall bee clothed in his triumphing apparell with such p. 620a brightnesse, that the Moone shall be confounded and the Sunne ashamed, as these who beeing clothed in course rayment, are ashamed to be seene among these who are pasmented with gold: **NoteIn a word, at his presence all powers shall shake, and all creatures at his b…cke shall obey.

The sicke Man.

After that, that Signe shall appeare: What thinke yee shall bee done?

The Pastour.

When Christ the desire of all Nations Hag. 2. 7.Hag 2:7shall bee readie to come, Hee Matth. 24 31Matt 24:31shall send before him▪ his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shall gather his dispersed and despised Elect from the foure winds, from one end of Heauen to the other▪ S. Paul saith▪ That the Trumpet shall 1 Thess. 4 161 Thess 4:16…, and the dead shall arise: This shall not bee a brasen Trumpet, but a …stiall, which shall found so shrill with a princelie noise▪ that all the creatures p. 621on Earth; in Heauen, and Hell, shall heare it.

**NoteS. Paul hath three notable sayinges concerning the sound that shall bee heard at Christs comming: First hee saith▪ That hee shall descend 1 Thess. 4 161 Thess 4:16with a shoute, Secondlie▪ With the voyce of the Archangel, Thirdlie, With the Trumpet of God.

The sicke Man.

The remembrance of that shout maketh mine eares to tingle and my heart stringes to tremble: What a shout thinke ye that, that shall bee?

The Pastour.

Some thinke that it shall bee a great noyse & dinne, such as is heard into hudge great assemblies: **NoteIt may bee a shout of victorie or of praise: **NoteThe Angels and millions of Sainctes, who sing his praise continuallie, cannot keepe silence that day: They shalbe all about Christ that day shouting for the joy of that desired day: **NoteThe worde shout in p. 622the originall is foreign, which properlie signifieth that sounding voice which the Mariners vse to others, euerie one for to moue another to row: Others thinke it to be like a cry of Souldiers, qualis est militaris convasatio, while they trusse all their baggage for to remoue.

The sicke Man.

For what cause chieflie shall this shout bee? To whom shall it bee directed?

The Pastour.

It shall bee chieflie for the Glory of God: **NoteIt shall bee directed to the dead, who are to bee raised vp by the power of God, and by the meanes of his Seruants the Angels, who at the raising vp of all creatures shall shout like Mariners, heauing vp that which is heauy by force of their armes.

**NoteWhat Archangel that shall be or what shall bee that voyce: One saith verie well, Dies Domini revelabit, p. 623The day of the Lord shall reueale it. The Lord prepare vsus for it: O what a Glorie when Christ shall appeare with hands as gold rings Cant. 5. 14Song 5:14set with the Berill; and with a bright Bellie ouer laid with Saphires.

The sicke Man.

Is it your judgement that Christ the Iudge of the World shall come downe from Heauen with a great Majestie?

The Pastour.

It is certaine, of the day of his comming againe may well bee said, that which was said of his first comming, This is the day which the Lord Psal. 11…. 24Ps 11:24hath made: In that day hee himselfe shall come downe in a Charet of a Cloude as hee ascended into a Cloude: All the Glorie of Heauen shall bee seene that day: The Father shall bee there in vnspeakable Glorie: The Holie Ghost shall bee there with vnspeakable Majestie: All the Saintes and Angels shall bee about Him like p. 624burning Lampes and glistring Suns.

The sicke Man.

What passage of Scripture letteth vsus see clearlie the Glorie of his comming to judgement?

The Pastour.

That passage of Daniel is verie formal … beheld, said hee, till the D…n. 7. 9Thrones were cost down, and the Ancient of dayes did …ite, …base Garn… was white as snow, and the Haire of his Head lik the pure wool▪ … Throne was like the …, and his wheele… as burning fire▪ A fie…e streame issued, vers. 10.and came foorih from before him, tha… sand thousands ministred vntounto him▪ … ten thousand times … thousand stood before him: S. Iohn faith, that the number of them was▪ ten thousand Reuel. 5. 11Rev 5:11times ten thousand, and thousand … thousands: **NoteLet these brutish … phemers here by … way …ak a … son, who say▪ That if many be dam… ned God shall ride with a thinne Court, words … to bee scourged with p. 625a thousand hels: Away yee barking blasphemers, God hath no neede of you nor of your like: **NoteHee who could of stones raise vp seede vntountoMatth. 3. 9Matt 3:9 Abraham, and make stones to cry, Hosanna, Hosanna, needeth not wāt multitudes of these that will sing his praises: **NoteBut hath he not Angels in Heauen alreadie, who are in number tenne thousand times tenne thousand, and thousands of thousands: But though they were none but himselfe, is hee not that great SHADAI, God al sufficient who hathExod. 6. 3Exod 6:3 neede of none, of whome all hauehave neede? If I were hungrie, said hee, I would not tell thee▪ for the worlde is Psal. 50. 12Ps 50:12mine and the fulnesse thereof.

The sicke▪ Man.

This would I learne of you, viz. If when the Trumpet of the resurrection shall blow, these that are then liuing shall die first.

The Pastour.

The Scripture saith, That they p. 626shall bee changed: This change which1 Cor. 15.1 Cor 15 shall bee into the twinkling of an eye, shall stand vntounto them in steade of death: In that is the word fulfilled, It is appointed to all men once to die.Heb. 9. 27Heb 9:27

The sicke Man.

Thinke yee that these that then shalbe aliue, shall win first to Christ? It would seeme that they hauehave a fore start of these who are rotten in the Graue.

The Pastour.

The Scripture is plaine: This we say vntounto you by the word of the Lord, 1 Thess. 4. 151 Thess 4:15that wee which are aliue, and remaine vntounto the comming of the Lord, shall not preuent them which are asleepe.

Some gather vponupon these wordes, that these who are dead shall preuent them who are aliue, and shalbe sooner at Christ than they, viz. That Adam and Eue shall bee with the first, and in the first ranke, and so that at that Conuention these who first were dead shall preuent them p. 627that shall bee aliue: But that hath no sure ground in Scripture, for though it bee said, That these who shall bee aliue shall not preuent these which are asleepe, it will not follow that these which are asleepe shall preuent these which are aliue: The Apostle himselfe saith, That we shall 1 Thess. 4. 161 Thess 4:16all be caught vp together in the Clouds: As for who shall bee formost, Dies Domini revelabit, The day of the Lord shall declare it.

The sicke Man.

I see thē that your opinion is that all flesh that day must arise and compeare before God, and that none must be excepted. But how is it that the Godlie onelie by Christ are called, The Children of the resurrection? Luk. 20. 3…Luke 20:3By that it would appeare▪ that none shall arise but y^e members of Christ?

The Pastour.

It is most certaine that all shall arise: All that are in the graue shall Ioh. 5. 28. 29.John 5:28John 5:29heare his voyce, and shall come foorth p. 628they that hauehave done good vntounto the Resurrection of life, and they that hauehave done euill vntounto the resurrection of damnation. As for the Godlie, indeede properlie they are the Children of the Resurrection, because they shall arise willinglie out of their beddes, and because by the vertue of Christs Resurrection they shall arise, hee being the Head and they the members, which must follow after that Head. As for the wicked they shalbe scourged out of their Graues, the force of wrath shall draw them out, that as Malefactors they may come & heare their doome pronounced against them.

The sicke Man.

I heare you say according to Gods worde that all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce, and shall come foorth: If that bee, where shall the little Children that died without Baptisme bee? The Romane Church teacheth that such goe to a p. 629prison where they shall neuer see the face of God: Shall not their bodies come out of their Graues? If the Heauens and the Earth passe away, what part can they be in where they shall not see Gods face?

The Pastour.

Indeede Sir your reason refuteth that errour sufficientlie: For certainelie their bodies must come out of their Graues: It is not possible but in that day they shall see Christ.

**NōteTruelie to put such into an euerlasting prison for such a cause, were to blame the Lord himselfe of injustice: The Lord hath said, The Ezek. 18. 20Ezek 18:20sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father: What if the father by negligence shall neglect to cause baptize his Childe? shall the Childe for his fathers negligence be clapped vp into euerlasting prison? If that were, should not the prouerbe bee true, The fathers hauehave eaten sower grappes, Ezek. 18. 2Ezek 18:2and the Childrens teeth are set on edge. p. 630It was well said by Bernard.

Non privatio Baptismi sed contemptusBernard. damnat.

That is, not the want, but the contempt of Baptisme condemneth: If any condemnation bee, the Father who contemneth, and not the Childe who contemneth not, shall bee damned.

S. Ambros speaking of Valentinian, Orat▪ funeb▪ de obibitu▪ Valent.who disceased before he culd come to him for to bee baptized, said,

Quem regeneraturus eram amisi, sed ille non amisit gratia… quam poposcit.

That is, I hauehave lost him whom I was for to regenerate, but hee hath not lossed the grace which he sought: **NoteNone but baptizers of Bells will be against this trueth.

The sicke Man.

I am well satisfied in that point: I wonder much howe men should goe so farre astray: Where shall these bodies of little Children bee in the p. 631day of the Resurrection▪ if they shall not compeare before Christ the Iudge? I thinke this argument can hardlie bee answered vntounto.

Another difficultie heere may be moued concerning Baptisme, which the Apostle taketh as an argument1 Cor. 15 291 Cor 15:29 to proue the Resurrection: What shall they doe, saith hee▪ which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for the dead? The wordes seeme verie difficle.

The Pastour.

Indeede Sir, they want not difficultie. Some interprete the words for the dead, That is, Vice & loco mortuorum. The custome was among the Christians as S. Ambros recordeth, that if any dyed without Baptisme, some of the liuing came to the bed where they were dead, or to their Graue, and there were baptized for them: Chrysostome and Epiphanius declare that this was a custome p. 632among the Marcionites, which they reproue as a vaine inuention▪

Others interprete these word… of these who on their death-beds were baptized, that thereby all by-gone sinnes might bee purged away.

Others interprete, To be baptized S. Chrysost.for the dead, That is, in the faith of the Resurrection of the dead: For these who were to be baptized, first did rehearse the Creede, and when they came to the Resurrection of … dead, at these words they were baptized.

Others of the Learned take theLuther. wordes foreign about the dead▪ The custome beeing of olde, thatBucanus. these who were baptized, were baptized about the Graues, where thePiscator. dead did lye, for to testifie that they did belieue the Resurrection from the dead.

Some by baptising heere vnderstand that washing and ablution of p. 633dead bodies: After this signification▪ Cuppes are said foreign to beMa…. 7. 4. baptized or washen: This washing of the dead bodies before their buriall, as some thinke, was common to the Iewes, who in hope of the Resurrection, did both them and make them cleane: This was also a custome among the Pagans▪ to wash and anoint the dead bodies: Such were called Pollinctores▪

This also appeareth to hauehave beene done in the dayes of the Apostles by the Christians: In the Actes it is written of Tabitha, that being dead,Act. 9. 37.Acts 9:37 they washed her▪ and layed her in an vpper Chamber: All these baptizings and washings, were in hope of the Resurrection▪ As for the Pagans, they wrought the wroke as Peter on Tabor spake, not knowing what hee Luk. 9 33.Luke 9:33Ioh. 18. 14,John 18:14said, or as Cajaphas prophesied▪ not vnderstanding the prophecie which hee preached: This by the moste Learned is approued.

p. 634Others interprete to bee baptized for dead, not for the dead, or about the Graues of these that are buried▪ but for dead, say they, that is, as dead to sinne, for to destroy and mortifie sinne, which is the chiefe ende of Baptisme: This say they, is a maine argument for to proue the Resurrection: For if there were no Resurrection, to what purpose should men crucifie their sinnes?

**NoteBehold how these few words: To bee baptized for dead, hath troubled so manie braines: Where wee may learne the shallownesse of mans witte: God with that little Greeke foreign hath giuen all the Doctours of the Church a taske that may teach them humilitie, an Antidote for to cure our swelling knowledge.

The sicke Man.

That which ye say is trueth: Oh▪ that men were wise in this point▪ that they could consider the weaknesse of their wits.

p. 635But to come to our purpose concerning the Resurrection: Manie a time hauehave I in my Spirit wondered at the greatnesse of that worke.

The Pastour.

It shall be a great worke indeede▪ **NoteBut if anie Saducean spirit would doubt of it, it must also doubt more of the creation: I take the creation to hauehave beene a greater worke: It is more to hauehave made our bodies of nothing, than to gather their dust together which is now but dispersed: This was a Fathers argument.

Vtique idoneus est reficere quiTertul. facit: quare miramur? quarenon credimus? Deus est qui fecit: Considera authorem & tolle dubitationem.

That is, It is easie for God to mak ouer againe that which he hath once made, why marueill wee? yea, why belieue wee not? God hath made all: Consider the Maker, and doubt no more.

p. 636The sicke Man.

Let mee heare some-thing out of Scripture concerning this point.

The Pastour.

There bee many moste famous passages for the probation of that great worke, both out of the olde and New-Testament: I know, saidIob. 19. 25Job 19:25 Iob that my Redeemer liueth, and that hee shall stand at the latter day vponupon the earth, and though after my skinne▪ wormes destroy this bodie, yet in my vers. 31.flesh, shall I see God▪ whom I shall see for my selfe▪ and mine eyes shall beholde, and not another, though my reines bee consumed within mee.

Daniel is cleare in this: Many of Dan. 12: 2Dan 12:2them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake: Some to euerlasting life, and some to shame and euerlasting contempt.

The Prophet Ezekiel by way of similitude setting the deliuerance of Israel, pointeth at the Resurrection,Ezek. 37. 12Ezek 37:12 Behold, O people, saith hee, I will open p. 637your Graues and cause you to come vp out of your graues.

Christ in the New-Testament made numbers of the Sainctes to come out of the dust of death: What they were, no man can tell their names, whether it was Moses, or Ioshua, Samuel, Dauid, Iosaphat, Iosiah or who, no tongue can tell: But this wee know, that after Christ arose by the power of his Resurrection, hee made manie to come out of theirMatth. 27 52Matt 27:52 Graues: The graues were opened, and manie bodies of Saints which slept arose, and came out of the graues after his Resurrection, vers. 53and went into the holy Citie, and appeared vntounto manie.

The sicke Man.

O but that was wonderfull! Think yee that after that, they did returne to their Graues?

The Pastour.

The most Learned esteeme that they neuer did returne back to dust, but that they waited on Christ vntill p. 638the day of his Ascention, in which day they did accompanie him vp to the Heauens, where with their Head Christ, they were receiued into Glorie, with the great applause of all Angels and Sainctes, whose Spirits aboue are desiring continuallie to see the day when Soule and bodie shall bee joyned for to bee glorified together for euer.

The sicke Man.

After that the dead are risen and the liuing changed, what thinke ye shall immediatelie follow before we meete with the Lord himselfe?

The Pastour.

In the judgment of some so soone as the dead shall bee raised and the liuing changed, before that we shall meete with Christ into the cloudes, there shall be a sore mourning both among the Godlie and the wicked, for the piercing of that Lord: EueryEvery one of the Godlie in that day shallGen. 41. 9Gen 41:9 say as the Butler said to Pharaoh I … p. 639remember my faultes this day.

Such a mourning was neuer heard since the world was founded, as shall be heard that day for a space▪ Christ himselfe hath declared this, saying, Then shall all the Tribes of the earth Matth. 24. 30Matt 24:30mourne, when they shall see the Sonne of man comming into the Cloudes: All shall bee agast at the first sight of thatIsa. 57. 15.Isa 57:15 High and loftie One, that inhabiteth Eternitie: S, Iohn saith, Behold, hee Reue▪ 1. 7.Rev 1:7commeth with Cloudes, and euerie eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: And all the Kinrides of the Earth shall waile because of him.

The Prophet Zacharie compareth this mourning to the mourning ofZath▪ … ▪ … ▪ Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon, for the death of good Iosiah.

Some thinke that onelie the wicked shall mourne in that day: In my judgement it is the most true opinion: Others by reason of these foresaid passages, thinke that all both Godlie and vngodlie at the first sight p. 640of Iesus, shall uaile with great lamentations, while they shall behold him whom they hauehave pierced.

**NoteAll at the sight of him who was pierced for and by our sinnes foreign plangent, that is, shall strik their brests with their hands, the signe of great doole.

After that the Lord hath suffered his to mourne for a space in his sight, Hee shall incontinent command them to come, and by vertue of his word they shall all as with winges flie vp into the Aire, there for to meete their Lord, **NoteThe strength of their heart, the joye of their glorie, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they sette their mindes.

So soone as they shall come toReuel. 21. 4.Rev 21:4 him hee shall wipe all teares from their eyes: **NoteThen shall these mourning Mordecais put off the Sack-cloth of their doole, for to bee arrayed with the Kings royall apparell, the aaReuel. 7. 9Rev 7:9White linnen of heauen, the glorious Liuer… p. 641of Christ Iesus: **NoteThese hauing bbReuel. 4. 4.Rev 4:4celestiall Crownes vponupon their heads, shall glaunce in glorie like shinning ccMatth. 13 43.Matt 13:43Suns, that all that euer took breath may see ddEsth. 6. 9Esth 6:9how it shall bee done to them whom the King of Heauen will honour: **NoteWhen the Godlie shall see themselues so powerfullie deliuered from so fearefull dangers, they shall cry to Christ as the Israelites said to Gideon▪ eeIudge. 8. 22Reigne thou ouer vsus, because thou hast deliuered vsus: According to their desire hee shall reigne ouer them in all prosperitie: Then shall his ffCant, …5. 11curled Lockes bee fullie dryed of the ggCant. 5. 2Song 5:2Dew and doole droppes of the night of all afflictions.

The sicke Man.

When the Lord shall come to Iudgement, in what place thinke yee that hee shall sit downe as Iudge for to pronounce his sentence?

The Pastour.

It is thought by some that Christ and all his Angels shall come down p. 642to the Earth, that the sentence may bee pronounced in the presence of the wicked, who for feare of distresse and destruction, like creeping wormes shall striue to hide themselues vnderunder Rockes and Mountaines, for to couer themselues from the face of the Lambe: Glad would they be forReue. 6. 16Rev 6:16 to hauehave the cliftes of the rockes, and the secret place of the Graue for a Shelter in that day: **NoteThat shall be a day of trouble and of treading downe, Isa. 22. 5.Isa 22:5a day of perplexitie, and of crying to the mountaines: Then shall the Wicked in fearefull qualmes of griefe beeing haltered with horrours, wish that the Rockes and Mountaines would skippe like Rammes for to leape vponuponPsal. 114. 14.Ps 114:14 them, that thereby they might bee hid from the Lambe.

But from that Royall Presence there shall bee none escape: * The Angels of great power shall haile them away by force before his great Tribunall, where all the euill they hauehave committed p. 643and all the good they hauehave omitted, both publicke scandales and secret sinnes, shall bee ript vp and set in open view before all the world to their perpetuall infamie.

This is the trueth of Gods word: Iudge nothing before the time, saide S.1 Cor. 4. 51 Cor 4:5 Paul, vntill the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden thinges of darknesse, and will make manifest the counsell of the hearts.

**NoteO mercifull God! what is this? What can foolish man thinke in himselfe while hee concealeth his since Behold here it is written, that at that day God shall make manifest the counsell of the hearts: The world saith often that Thought is free: **NoteBut behold here how the verie euill thoughts of the wicked in that day shalbe spread out and laide in broad-band before the face of God, of Angels, and of men.

**NoteWhat an aw…and should this bee for to make vsus watch better ouer p. 644our most secret thoughts, seeing in that great day before so many famous witnesses, GOD, Sainctes, and Angels, the most secret counsels of the heart shall bee made manifest?

**NoteO then, then, shall the blacke Mores hiddes and Leopardes spottes clearelie bee seene: Then shall all the hidde murthers and all the counsels therof be made manifest: Were hee a King, hee shall not bee able to couer himselfe: Then shall all the hidde Fornications and Adulteries, yea, the verie plots and counsels for such things, though not effectuate, all shall bee brought to light: O yee most vyle hearts, in that day ye shall bee vnboweled and anatamised before the eyes of all that euer breathed on earth.

**NoteWhat thinke yee, O sinners, who will not remember this? Will yee not thinke vponupon this, that the day is fast comming, except that by speedie repentance yee preuent the p. 645wrath, God shall discharge vponupon you the thunder-bolts of his vengeance? Vengeance shall beate vponupon your braines and breastes wherein your sinnes were bred.

The sicke Man.

**NoteOh, that men were wise for to lay such meditations neerest their heart, alas, such thoghts in our hearts are often but rawe and euill digested▪ Wee oftest misse the corne and choose the chaffe, such are the follies which are euer afloate in our braines.

But to come to the maine purpose which wee hauehave in hand, let me see what warrand these hauehave in Scripture, who say, That Christ shall come downe to the Earth for to sit in his last Assise.

The Pastour.

They ground their Assertion vponupon the wordes of Iob, who saith, I knowe that my Redeemer liueth, and Iob. 19. 25Job 19:25that hee shall stand at the latter day vponupon the Earth: In the French version it is.

p. 646Il demeurera le dernier sur laterre.

That is as our o…version hath, Hee shall stand the last vponupon the earth.

By this it would appeare that Christ the Iudge shall come downe to the Earth, where hee shall hauehave a Iudgement seate for to **Notedoe Iustice vponupon that Element where sinne did most abound.

Other learned Diuines thinke otherwise, viz. That Christs Throne wherevpon he shall sit that day, shall bee erected in the Aire.

The sicke man.

Seeing some are of that opinion that Christ shall judge, hee beeing vponupon the earth, what place thinke they that hee shall choose for to sit downe into?

The Pastour.

As for the particular place where that last Iudgement shall be giuen, some think that it shalbe into the …ire ouer the valley of Iehoshaphat, neere p. 647by the Mount of Oliues, which is not farre from Ierusalem: Their chiefe ground is, from that of Ioel: I will, said the Lord, gather all Nations in Ioel. 3. 2.Joel 3:2the Valley of Iehoshaphat, and will plead with them there: There will I sitte to judge the Heathen round about.

The opinion of some is▪ that where Christ was crucified and put to open shame and railed vponupon▪ there shall he chiefly in that day make manifest his Glorie.

**NoteThis great Iudge in all appearance shall judge the world in righteousnesse, and conuince the world of sinne and of righteousnesse, where hee himselfe was most vnrighteouslie judged and condemned.

Many of the Learned Schoole men thinke that he shall come downAct. 1. 12.Acts 1:12 toward the mount of Oliues: Their ground is this, That Christ ascended from the mount of Oliues, and that there the Angels said vntounto the men of Galilee that were gazing vp toward p. 648heauen, that as they had seene Act. 1. 11.Acts 1:11him goe into heauen, so should hee come againe.

These bee probable conjectures: But in my judgment no man can assuredlie tell in what particular place this great Iudge shall sitte downe for to pronounce his Iudgement: This is most certaine that hee shall come downe: Behold hee commeth, saith S.Iud. v. 14.Judg 5:14 Iude, with ten thousand of his Saintes, to execute judgement vponupon all, and to conuince all that are vngodlie among them, of all their vngodlie deeds which they hauehave vngodly commited, and of all their hard speeches, which vngodlie sinners hauehave spoken against him.

The sicke Man.

After what forme thinke ye that Christ shal come downe from Heauen at doomes-day that great judiciall day?

The Pastour.

In the most glorious forme that is possible to him, with whom nothing is impossible: That glorious p. 649King shall bee accompanied with all the Armies of heauen.

Before him in die illo decritorio, in that judiciall day, shall bee heard a shout a voice of an Archangell: The most shrill Trumpet of heauen shall sound so high with a rebounding noise that the dead in their Graues shall awake and arise out of their beddes like sleeping men that are wakened in the morning with the sound of the Drumme, or fift houre Bell: At that sound all the dead must come out of their Graues, as men after sleepe arising out of their beddes: **NoteNone then must lye still with the Sluggard, who turning himselfe on his bed as a doore on its hinges, saith,Prou. 24. 33Prov 24:33 Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleepe: No, not: At the first shout, at the first voyce of the Archangell▪ at the first blast of the Trumpet, all shall arise and compeare before the face of that Iudge in the day of that great general p. 650Assemblie, whē God shal comfort his owne, and mak a speedie riddence of the wicked▪ whom he shall denoure by the fyre of his jealousie: None shall bee able in that day to award his blowes: There shall bee such paines which no damned Soule shall bee able to auoide, or abide: But the Godlie most gladly like Eagles aboutMatth. 24 28Matt 24:28 dead bodie shal flock about their Lord.

The sicke Man.

I heare by your discourse that the LORD shall come downe in great pompe and magnificence: After that hee is come downe into his Charet with his thousand thousands, what shall bee done next?

The Pastour.

Daniel saith, that the Iudgement Dan. 7. 10.Dan 7:10shall bee set and the Bookes shall bee opened: After that Christ by his power hath cast downe all the little thrones of Emperours and Kings, he himselfe shall sitte downe vponupon a Throne of infinite Majestie: His Garments p. 651shall bee white as snow, and his Haire like pure wooll: This is said by Daniel, for to let vsus see that the Iudge of the world shalbe vpright & spotlesse in his Iugdement: To this is subjoyned by the Prophet, That the judgement was set.

The sicke Man.

I vnderstand not well these last words▪ What is that to say, That the Iudgement was set?

The Pastour.

**NoteIt is in the Hebrew Dinaiethib: In the Latin Iudicio considonte, or as Arius Montanus hath turned it Iudicium sedit, that is▪ The Iudgement sat downe, that is, as who would say, The Session sat downe.

**NoteBy this Iudgement some of the Learned, vnderstand Christ and his Saints with him, as Assessours▪ in that jurie all sitting, Christ for to judge, & they for to approue his Iudgement.

**NoteThis then know, That when the Sonne of man shall come in his Glorie, p. 652Matth. 25 31Matt 25:31not with a scornefull Reede in his hand, but with a celestiall Scepter, hee shall separate the Godlie and the wicked one from another: His God▪ head which in the dayes of his flesh did lurke, shall in that Session most ardentlie appeare with such a brightnes as shall make the eyes of deuils to dazle.

The Iudgement beeing thus orderlie set, the Bookes shall bee opened.

The sicke Man.

What Bookes are these which shall bee opened?

The Pastour.

S. Iohn speaking of that last SessionReue. 20. 12Rev 20:12 day, saith, I saw the dead great and small standing before God, and the Bookes were opened, and the dead were judged out of these thinges that were written in the Bookes according to their workes.

Your desire is to knowe what Bookes these bee which shalbe opened in that great Day: In my judgement there shall bee two Bookes opened p. 653that day: **NoteThe first is that golden Booke of the Godlie called,Reuel. 20. 12Rev 20:12 The Booke of life, which in the Chapter following is called, The Lambes Reuel. 21. 27Rev 21:27Booke of life: These whose names are written in that Booke, are said in Isaiah, to be written among the liuing Isa. 4. 3.Isa 4:3in Ierusalem. This is that Booke whereof Moses spake when hee said to God, If thou wilt not forgiue this Exod. 32. 32Exod 32:32people, blotte mee I pray thee out of the Booke which thou hast written: This may bee called, The predestination Booke, which is kept in Heauen: Rather re…oyce, said Christ to his Disciples,Luk. 10. 20Luke 10:20 that your names are written in Heauen.

The sicke Man.

Thinke yee Sir, that God hath anie matteriall Booke, wherein the names of his Saintes are written?

The Pastour.

No, not: **NoteBut as one saith well Infallibilis Dei memoria & aeterna ad vitam▪ electiò, liber dicitur: That is, The infallible memorie of God, and p. 654his eternall electiō vntounto life, is called a Booke: Wherefore that? Will ye say, because that which is written in our Booke is most surelie kept: If we hauehave a thing to day in our memorie, wee may forget it incontinent: But if it bee well written in our Booke, wee are sure of it: **NoteAccording to this God for to shew vntounto his deare Ones how well hee remembereth them, hee saith, That hee hath written Isa. 49. 16.Isa 49:16them vponupon the palmes of his hands: This is that Booke of rememberance, Mal. 3. 6.Mal 3:6whereof speaketh Malachie.

One of the Learned calleth well the Booke of Life Symbolum electionis, the signe or badge of our election: **NoteThis is that which the Prophet Ezekiel calleth, The writting of Ezek. 13. 9Ezek 13:9the house of Israel, and secret of the Lord.

The sicke Man.

But how is it said, That this Book shall bee opened?

The Pastour.

p. 655The Book of Life or of predestination is said, to bee opened when it shall appeare to all the world, who they are whō God hath predestinate: **NoteSo long as the Godlie are heere, they are Gods secret Ones no more knowne to the world, than a man is able to read that which is within a closed Booke.

While it shalbe seene by all what they are, then that Booke is said, To bee opened: When these off-scourings of the world, the most despised among men, shall bee seene vponupon Thrones shining like aaMatth. 13 43Matt 13:43Sunnes about their God, bbMal. 4. 2Mal 4:2the Sunne of righteousnesse, then shall all the wicked read as in an open Booke, that these whom they once did despise, were truelie the Saintes of God.

**NoteThe Booke of predestination is like that Booke of the Reuelation, which was so fast sealed that no man could open it, but the Lyon of the tribe Reuel. 5. 5.Rev 5:5of Iudah, without the force of a Lion, p. 656such seales could not bee lifted vp.

The sicke Man.

I hauehave heard concerning the Book of the Godlie.

Now let me know what be these Bookes wherein were written all the workes of the wicked, according to which S. Iohn saith, that they shall Reuel. 20. 12.Rev 20:12bee judged: **NoteBy this it would appeare that all the sinnes which they in their life did commit vnderunder the curtaine of darknesse shall then bee set in open view: O the deepe displeasure of our God: Happie they who are highlie in his fauour: I would gladlie know what a blacke bible is that which is called, the Book of the wicked.

The Pastour.

**NoteWhen Christ the Ancient of Dan. 7. 9.Dan 7:9dayes sitting vponupon his Throne, readie for to judge the wicked, shall bee vponupon the touch of their tryall, the Books Reuel. 21. 27Rev 21:27of accounts shall bee laide open: The Book of the Godlie is but one Book called, The Booke of the Lambe, and p. 657the Booke of Life▪ But as for the wickedReuel. 120. 12 while the Scirpture speaketh of them, it speaketh of Bookes in y^e plurall number: The Bookes▪ were opened, Reue. 20. 12Rev 20:12saith. S. Iohn, And the dead were judged out of these thinges that were written in the Bookes.

**NoteBy these Bookes some vnderstand the Law of God, and their own Conscience: Their bosome Booke like Vriahs Letters▪ containing their own death: Let mee also add… vntounto these two a third Booke, ei…en the Booke of the Gospel.

First of all, the Lord shall open his Law Book vntounto the wicked, where they shall see what they hauehave done, that God hath forbidden, and what they hauehave not done, that hee hath commanded: **NoteAt the breach of euerie command they shall see curles of Woe, woe, woe, annexed like the reekie taile of a Comet▪ which are nothing but the smoke of Gods wrath.

After that with sore sighing & griefe p. 658of minde they hauehave read through all the Book of the Law, & hauehave clearlie seene what filthie breaches they hauehave made, to them shall bee presented the Booke of the Gospel, wherein they shall see that they hauehave sinned against the reemeede of sinne by refusing grace offered vntounto them, and by treading vnderunder their vncleane feete the precious Blood of the Lambe, the price of their Redemption.

**NoteThogh the wicked shall indeed be judged according to their workes, yet the maine cause of their condemnation shall bee, because they would not belieue in the Son of God: For this cause the Gospel which is y^t Book of Faith, shalbe Gods chiefe Booke of Iudgement, according to this S. Paul plainelie saith, That in thatRom. 2. 16Rom 2:16 day God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel.

**NoteNowe lest the wicked should thinke God anie wise to bee vnrigh▪ teous while hee judgeth, the third p. 659Booke, like Iosephs Cup where by hee Gen. 41. 5Gen 41:5did diuine, shall bee produced, euen their bosome Booke, the Booke of their owne Conscience, the Booke of Nature and of Nations, which euerie one of them had in keeping within their brest, since they could discerne good by euill: **NoteWhat euer they hauehave spoken, wrought, or thought, there shall they finde it written, in most black Characters, & as it were subscribed with their owne hand, so that they shall not be able to hauehave a face for to deny, no more thā a man can denye his owne hand write.

**NoteThe Letters of that Booke shall be printed with so great a Character that all the Godlie who shall bee Christs Assessours in that Iurie, for to passe their Verdict vponupon them shall see easilie a farie off all the shame of the wicked, which was once closse▪ couered vnderunder▪ vanished colours of great godlinesse.

O in that day all their filthy thoghts p. 660and craftie conueyances, and secret conspiracies, and hidde murthers, and adulteries, and all other mischiefe, the vnhappie cockle & darnell of their heartes, whereof they were secretlie guiltie, shall be sette in open view before GOD, Angels, and men: All their faces shall be couered with the filthinesse of their menstruous clouts: All their sins both knowne and secret, shall God set in order before them, that all eyes ofPsal. 50. 21Ps 50:21 men and Angels may beholde their abominations: O short so…r sweete pleasures, with long euerlasting tailes of sorrow.

**NoteO but the Saintes of God shall wonder in that day to see so manie whom they while they liued iudged in Charitie to bee godlie and well set persons: O, say I, but they shall wonder to see them in ba…e bondage, among the blacke band, hauing the Books of their Consciences blotted with so many Items of i…lle and wicked p. 661thoughtes, which in this life could neuer be taken within the walk of humane justice: **NoteAfter the Items of their vile thoughts, shall appeare the Items of idle and wicked words: After all, shall bee seene the most filthie Items of their most vile & abominable works, which they thought had beene buried in eternall obliuion: The dashing tempest of Gods wrath shall wash out all the varnished paintings of their hypocrisie▪

Mercifull GOD▪ what shame in that day shall come with confusion vponupon all the faces of the wicked▪ When such secret sinnes as hid murthers, by Sword or by poyson, hid adulteries, incest, stollen inches & false weights, & all other such iniquities whereof this world is full, and that vnderunder a faire colour and shewe of godlinesse, when all these hid sianes▪ say I, shall bee singled out and shall come to light, the Godlie whome they once reputed precise fooles and p. 662simple Fellowes, shall wonder at the sight thereof: **NoteThen shall they point at such persons, saying among themselues, Fye, fye, out vponupon him, out vponupon her, Ohshame: who could hauehave thought that euer hee had beene such a man, or that shee had beene such a woman? was this the life that these dapper & delicate persons did leade vnderunder the faire colour of such a glorious profession? Ah stinking hypocrites, formall Pharisees with your sodered shewes, to whom poore poore Publicans seemed to bee no bodie, because while yee sinned, God kept silence yee thought that hee was altogether such a one as your selfe: But Psal. 50. 2…Ps 50:2now hee shall reproue you, and shall set all your sinnes in order before you: It shall bee clearlie proued vntounto your faces & false hearts, that ye were but painted Tombes and whited walls: The Lord in his furie shall hurle you out of your place▪ Hee in his rage shall push you all downe like a rotten and tottering wall▪ Nothing shall bee able to dazele or deceiue p. 663the eyes of your Iudge.

The sicke Man.

The Lord bee mercifull to my sillie A prayerSoule: The Lord cast all my sinnes behind thy backe, and burie them in the bottome of the Sea.

It is euident then as I see that all secret sinnes shall come to light in that day, and shall bee seene written with Letters great like mountaines▪ for to be seen by the eyes of all these that euer tooke life, and that to the euerlasting shame and infamie of these who in the dayes of Gods patience, turned his grace into wantonnesse.

The Pastour.

It is most certaine that there is nothing which shall not bee seene that day: **NoteAll the closse corruptions where▪ with the wicked were stuft and swelled, shall bee sette in open view, all the wicked shall be known, yea, euerie mothers sonne of them, shalbe clearelie seene vnmasked and p. 664vnwizored, yea, stript starke nacked of all their cloakes of craftinesse: What hauehave they thought or wrought, it shall bee sought and found: The Lord by the light beames of his eyes▪ Sonnes of thunder, and of lightning, shal… seeke and scearch thorow the secrets of all hearts, after that manner wherof Zephaniah hath written:Zepha 1. 12 At that time, saith the Lord, will I search Ierusalem with lamps, and visite the men that are frozen in their dreg… ▪ and say in their heart, The Lord will neither doe good nor euill: Then shall bee seene who sported in Meshech▪ and who ruffled in the tents of Ke…ar▪ contented themselues with painted and guilded graces.

After that the Lord hath found out with this light all their abominations and hath set them in order before them, then shall hee cry, Ah, I will Isa. 1. 42.Isa 1:42case mee of mine aduersaries That said, hee shall fling contempt vponupon their faces. The wicked then shall bee p. 665so pined with such pinches, yea, so astonished, as y^t no tong can expresse: They who while they had time to repent, would not shed a teare for to get Gods merciemercy, would then, when the Sun-shine of their glorie is past, be glad to please God, by powering out the dearest drops of their blood into teares, wherewith they might bath the feete of Iesus.

**NoteO the terrors of that day: That day shall bee moste fearefull, it shall bee like a day of Battell, wherein nothing is to be heard but noise, squeaking & yellings, nothing to be seene but gaping of wounded men, and tumbling of garmentes into blood: al these who on earth were rotten at the heart shalbe ranked in the number of that bashfull band.

O what vnspeakable feares and tremblinges shall then seaze vponupon these wretched soules: In all partes they shall bee wounded: Three restlesse plagues, Sorrow, Shame, and p. 666Feare shall continuallie nettle them, till an heaped treasure of wrath come rushing vpō them with breath of kindled Iuniper: Sathan shall continuallie fl…sh in their face, fire whose flammes shall beefed with riuers of Brim stone kindled with an euerlasting wrath: The great God with the Hammer of his vengeance shall strike thorow the rebellious loynes of their pride, and shall breake the yron sinews of their obstinacie: **NoteThen would they giuegive a world for an hole in heauen for to relish the least pleasures that be there: No tongue of man or Angel can fullie expresse the least part of these woes: **NoteManie millions of their earthlie pleasures shall bee deare boght with one minute of such paines: Their best shall bee the … rie contrarie of that which they like best: For all shall goe to all: Reeling shalbe their rest, & paines their pleasures, mourning shall bee all their mirth, and their Bone musicke shall be p. 667but gnashing of teeth, euen in the presence of their Iudge before whom they shall stand lik abominable monsters, and spectacles of amazement: **NoteThus as is well said in the Psalme, The way of the wicked hee turneth vp Psal. 1469Ps 146:9side downe: At the first dash he shall break in pieces the claspes & haspes of their foolish hopes, wherein once boldlie they did sinne, that grace might abound.

The sicke Man.

O how fearefull shall their condition bee, while like Tinder before the fyrereadie to bee consumed, they shall stand araigned before the Barre of Gods justice, with the volumes of their sinnes written in Letters great like mountaines, so that eueryevery eye may read them.

**NoteThe Lord as I think out of a sower, seuere, & imperious austeritie, shall behold that cursed band with glauncing eyes of vnuterable wrath, wherefrae shall come nothing but p. 668wilde fyre, brim-stone, and gun-powder, for the euerlasting firing of their Conscience.

**NoteNot onelie shall the Lord behold their vilanies, but to all eyes that euer saw sight, hee shall anatamize their guilefull heartes wherein all their most filthie plottes and deuices shall bee seene vntounto their euerlasting shame and infamie: O what shame and confusion of face: O what feares and tremblings, shall seaze vponupon these who on earth for a point of their hose would bee at daggers dr… ▪ wing with the greatest.

Then shall these who were bold to sinne in their life, despising God, and his threatnings: Then shall they shake and quake like a man whose neck is laide vponupon the blocke waiting for nothing but the dead st…ok from the instrument of death: The… … their comfort shall bee turned … confusion: Then shall they know howe foolishlie they conceiued an p. 669imaginarie Hell, while pressed down vnderunder a sinnefull load, the wrath of God like a Mile-stone shall cruch them downe to the deepes of despaire, where one sorrow succeeding, shall foreuer presse at the heeles of another.

The Pastour.

O these vnspeakable terrours! It is most certaine that Belshazzar neuerDan. 5. 6.Dan 5:6 did speake, so while hee saw the hand writting on the wall, as the wicked these doolefull wights shall doe when they shall stand before God with the Bookes of the Law Gospel, and of Consciences, laide open before them: Horrours shall bee heaped vponupon them with terrours & torments, wherof a created Nature can be capable: O then what g…ashing of teeth and volumes of woes! They shall bee so soacked in teares and facaked with sorrowe, that who shall see them, shall see the ve…ie image of Death, and yet none shall pitie them: There shall they stand script starke n…cked p. 670before their ludge, …ik criminals vponupon the pannell, looking for nothing but present condemnation both of soul… and bodie, which God shall make the eternall fu…ll of euerlasting fla…es: The Soule and bodie combined mates in miserie, shall mourne for euermore.

The sicke M…n.

O Lord, season my Soule with the graces of thy Spirit, reuiue it with the A prayerspirituall vigour: Let mee liue the life of the righteous, and let mine end b…e like vntounto theirs.Numb. 23. 10Num 23:10

I hauehave heard you Sir with great attention declare that when Christ shall sitte downe to judge, hee shall separate the wicked from the Godly as Goates from the Sheepe, and thatMatth. 25 33Matt 25:33 the wicked with all the hoast of hell lapped vp in that same bundle ofLuk. 22. 30Luke 22:30 condemnation▪ shall s…and at his left hand, and that the Godlie shall litte vponupon Thronos at his right hand.

Nowe I desire to knowe of you what shall bee the case of the Godly p. 671at the right hand before that the ludgement bee pronounced.

The Pastour.

It hath beene tolde you that the Wicked who on Earth made the world to tremble with their boisterous brags, shall at Gods Left hand bee standing in disgrace, discount, & discountenance with their Iudge: There shall they stand all trembling, hauing before them the Booke of the Lawe, where they shall see all their Sins, of Thoughts, Words, & Workes: While their guilted Consciences shalbe crying guiltie within them at the sight of the Lawe Booke of their transgressions, the Lord for to aggrauate their griefe, shal present before them the Book of y^e Gospel, wher they shall see how by vnbeliefe they hauehave sinned against the remeede of sinne: **NoteWith these two shall bee joyned the Booke of their Consciences, ratifying vntounto them that what is cōtained into the p. 672other two Bookes, is an vndoubted trueth: At the reading of these bloodie Bookes, as yee hauehave alreadie heard, their Consciences shall be …ortured with vnspeakable amazement & feare: Their Soules all agast, pricked & perplexed, shall yawne for a drop of comfort, which no creature aboue or below shall bee able to affoorde.

Now ye desire to know what shal be in that time the estat of the god… lie Christes right hand, before that the Iudgement bee pronounced.

It is certaine that they all in great Glorie, wearing the shining Crownes of immortalitie, shall sit vponupon … beeing more bright, than the Sunn… at the noone-day: In judgement they shall passe verdict on the wi… ked: They shall all in that summ…r processe sit as Christs assessours, for … judge the Angels, that is▪ For to approue Christs …udgement pronounced against the Deuils the euill … gels p. 673& against all that cursed crue of the Reprobates, who in their life liuing vnderunder maskes of mischiefe, branded them with the nik-names of puritanisme, proud hypocrisie, glorious singularitie, & phā …astick precisenes who in a word, in hight of stomacke ruffling & swashing, did tread vponupon Gods Turtles, accounting them the most vile off-scourings of the Earth.

O but the wicked who on earth were swelled with selfe conceit, shall wonder to see these to bee the Assessours of their Iudge in highest fauour with God, whose life once they counted madnesse: O what a wonder shall it seeme to the worldlie wise, when they shal see these simple Ones, whose life they loathed, whom they counted fools on earth, al decked & adorned with rarest jewels, so high set vponupon Thrones with the most glorious Angels of God: O how shall they whom their life reposed in aaAmos. 6. 4Amos 6:4beddes of Yvorie, be amazed to behold Gods bbMatth. 10 42Matt 10:42little p. 674ones so brightlie ccMatth. 13 43Matt 13:43shining like Suns with glistering Crownes & glorious Garlands possessing fullie Wealth, Honour, Health, and Hearts desire, yea, pleasures vnparalleled by any that heart of flesh can wish.

**NoteThe wicked beholding this, shall be swallowed vp with griefe and groanes, for then shall they remember how on Earth they hauehave drowned the good motions of the Spirit in vaine ryots, prophanenesse, and revillings of good fellowship.

I say againe, that the wicked who once in their swaggering humour, & accursed gallentnes, were wont to braue it out with the best, with the great contempt of Christs little Ones shallMatth. 10. 42Matt 10:42 wonder, and wonder againe at the sight of these whom God in that day shall honour: **NoteAre these they, shall they say, whom some times wee had in derision, and of whom we made a pa…able of reproach? Are these the men and women whom wee in hight of stomacke p. 675disdained to beholde? Behold, now wee see that they are indeede that which on earth they were called, euen Saintes, Gods most excellent ones.Psal. 16. 3.Ps 16:3

Certainelie the glorious glaunces of these blessed and beautified bodies, sitting all in royall apparell shall strike the wicked in a wonderfull maze, while they shall behold such jewels of joye, they shall be striken into the dumbe dumppes of saddest melancholie: O the follie of such miserable muckewormes, who count it now an heauen to creepe and crawle in oyled and buttered paths of carnall prosperitie! But in short to proceede in this purpose orderlie.

When all things shalbe put to an order, the wicked beeing at the left, and the Godlie at the right hand, in my judgement there shall be a great silence, that the Iudge may hauehave audience: All men shall beestedfastlie looking for to heare what GOD the LORD shall say: Then God p. 676Isa. 28. 7.Isa 28:7shall lay judgement to the Lyne, and righteousnes to the Plummet: Thē shall the Lord rise vp as in mount Perazin, and shall bee wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that hee may doe his worke, his strange worke, and bring to passe his act, his strange act: O that cleare and bright shining Eye, which nothing in that day shall bee able to escape!

The sicke Man.

To whom thinke yee that Christ in that Iudgment shall first addresse his speach? Whether shall he speak first vntounto the Godlie, who in a sacred violence did tak the Kingdome, or to y^e a Matth. 11 12.Matt 11:12wicked, vvho in the dayes of their flesh did sleepe most softlie in the downes of securitie, caring for nothing, but their Purses and their Paunches?

The Pastour.

The Lord shall speake first vntounto his owne, who are the chosen generation, 1 Pet. 1. 171 Pet 1:17the royall Priest-hood, the holy Nation, the peculiar people: * To these sitting at his right hand, first shall p. 677hee say with his Lillie lippes dropping Cant. 5. 13Song 5:13sweete Myrrhe: Come yee blessed of my Matth. 25 34Matt 25:34Father, inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from thee foundation of the world.

**NoteAt the hearing of these words of their Lords most louing inuitation, all their senses shall open like floode gates for to receiue vnspeakable Ioyes.

What tongue can tell what joyReuel. 21. 9Rev 21:9 the Lambes Bride with her purple Cant. 7. 5.Song 7:5Head and Doues Eyes, shall hauehave whē She shall see with what a Bridegrome Ioh. 3. 29.John 3:29Shee shall bee matched that day.

After y^t the Lord hath comfortedMatth 25 33Matt 25:33 his owne, hee shall turne him to the Goats, that bashfull band, trembling at his left hand: **NoteBefore that hee open his mouth to speake, hee shall behold these bruite beastes made to … Pet. 2. 12bee taken and destroyed: With fierie lookes, with kindled eyes, sparkling furie, and rage, and fl…shes of lightening, hee shall behold these deuils p. 678droiles, doolefull creatures: In his countenance they shall reade the Characters of awefull terrours euen of the horrours of hell: At the first sight of that angrie Majestie, with brent browes and his sterne countenance, a Torrent of terrours shall violentlie rush vponupon their Soules, dashing them with a dazling astonishment. Then shall they wish in these flamming horrours vexing them to the quicke, that mountaines would fall aboue them for to hid them from such angrie eyes: Thē shal they know how foolish they were in their lifetime to think that while they sinned, the Lord was but a stocke or a stone which could not perceiue them.

**NoteO that glauncing wrath, which like fire shall greaslie appeare in the eyes of that Iudge, tenne thousand times brighter than the Sunne▪ The glaunces of that fierie furie shall so dazle the sigh… of the Reprobate, yea, shall so dash them, that they shall p. 679not bee able to abide his countenance▪ No, not; though their eyes were of steale, or of yron, nothing then shall stand in the gappe against the irruptions of such a fierce and fierie vengeance.

**NoteWhile these prophane men liued on earth in a blazing prosperity they thought their mountaine so strong, that they could neuer bee moued: In their life-time they liued in gladnesse: At their end they deceased fairely in the eyes of y^e world: They seemed Saints, because that inPsal. 73. 4Ps 73:4 their death were no bands: But O the terrours that abide them.

**NoteAt the first sight of their Iudge a Torrent of terrours shall most violentlie rush vponupon their Soules standing in an heauie dumpe & waiting on their dreadfull doome: While they liue heere, the stone of their heart is like an grauell stone, so bedded in the bladder, that it cannot be painefull: Little dreame the wicked p. 680now that such fearefull and hellish horrours are preparing for them: But O their euerlasting woe is presentlie in hatching and hammering: It is neerest to the birth while the wicked are most secure: Sudden destruction is neerest, while the preaching of peace are doubled by crying,1 Thess. 5. 31 Thess 5:3 Peace and saftie.

**NoteHappie is the man to whom the Lord doeth vouchsafe the grace in this world to waken out of y^e drousie slumber of sin, for to repēt in time? Woe to these in whose hearts y^e long forebearance of Gods wrath hath wrought a more frozen coldnesse & presumptuous securitie, wherein being lulled, they are carried in a most sweete and sound sleepe, to places where their eye-lids shall neuer bee refreshed with rest any more: O how shall they fling and cry, when they shall feele themselues stung & galled vponupon thesore.

**NoteAfter that the Lord hath browbeaten p. 681them with the biggest lookes of his wrath, and hath terrified them with his piercing eyes of fire, and after that he hath disclaimed all interest that euer hee had into them,Cant. 2, 15Song 2:15 hee shall cause take these Foxes that spoiled his vines: That done, he shall vnsheath the flamming sword of hisGen. 3. 24Gen 3:24 vengeance with these most fearefull wordes of excommunication, Depart Matth. 25. 41Matt 25:41from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fyre prepared for the Deuill and his Angels▪ In that fire like dry chippie burne-wood they shall burne, but in this they shall bee like Salamanders, that they shall neuer bee consumed. By that moste fearefull blast of wrath the LORD shall chase them all away from before his face as the chaffe of the mountaines before the winde, and like a rolling thing before the whirle wind: **NoteThe mightie Lord lowring with a darke and cloudie countenance, shall then in great furie lay about him with the p. 682heauie hammer of his judgements, and that with full weight: With one stroke, without any iteration of strokes, from the best strength of a diuine Arme: Hee shall bring downe their hairie scalpes to the lowest dungeon of Death, euen to euerlasting burning brimstone beames, which no merciemercy shall be able to coole or quench: There shall they drinke in cuppes of wrath for euer.

**NoteIf these miserables could bee put out of paine vponupon the sudden, they should not be altogether comfortlesse: But the mercilesse vengeance of Gods wrath shall adde leasure and lingring to their dying life and liuing death, that sensiblie they may feel death in a life of vntollerable sufferings: No merciemercy, no pittie, no regard shall bee had vntounto them, no, not but the Lords justice shall charge the edge of his flamming sword vponupon the heads and heartes of these doolefull creatures of infamous ranke: These fearefull blowes of Iustice shall bee p. 683without any mixture of merciemercy▪ **NoteHe who created them without any labour, shall destroy them without any losse: Snaires, fire, and brimstone in that day shall raine downe vponupon the hairie scalpe of euerie one which in their lifetime did goe on in their sins without …emorse: In this perplexitie & anguish besieged with judgements both felt & feared, shall they slād before their Iudge all trembling and waiting vponupon the sentence of that doolefull doome.

The sicke Man.

What shall become of the wicked after that the Lord hath dischairged them his presence any more, by commanding them to depart?

The Pastour.

**NoteSo soone as the Lord hath pronounced these words of euerlastingexcommunication, they shall all incontinent goe downe to Hell in heapes, for to bee scorcht & parcht with the euerlasting burninges of a p. 684deuouring wrath: They who hauehave bene intrapped in their sins, shall be entombent in Gods plagues. There shalbe no more abiding for them, in his presence: they shalbe chassed frō their God, vntounto euerlasting exile in dungeons of Deuils and of darknes▪ where they shall bee pestered with vnspeakable doole in floods of fire, wherin they shall waile and yele for euer.

Gods most heauie vengeance likIudg. 7. 13Judg 7:13 a Barley Loafe tumbling from aboue, shall thrust them downe and crush them altogether like the Tents of the Midianites: Sathan then with all the spight he can shall lay on load with milstones of miseries hung about their neckes: Hee shall drawe them down with chaines of curses to the dungeons of darknesse: Thus Hell with a gaping gulfe shall swallow them all at once: They shall goe downe most fearefullie with grappling Deuils with squeeles & roaring voyces, which beeing heard by the p. 685blessed (in whose eyes and sides they once were prickes and thornes) shall rouse vp their hearts wonderfully to rejoyce and sing with such an high tune that shall mak the whole world to resound with a reboūding noise.

Mine heart trembleth to thinke vponupon these torments which the wicked shall suffer into the fierie Lake after their departing from before their Iudge: All wordes faile mee, I finde my conceptions too weak in thinking vponupon that infinite wrath: **Note▪O then these who enjoyed once all the pleasures which could bee purchased on Earth, shall want all the good which they can desire, and receiue all the euill which they can deserue: **NoteThey shall for euer be dying in a life which shall neuer end, that they may dye continuallie, and that in vtter darknesse, where Sunne neuer shined, where Day shall neuer dawne: because that in the days of their flesh on earth they wold not so liue to die, p. 686that they might die to liue, they shall for euer in the Hell dye to liue, that they may liuing to dye, a liuing death & a dying life a life & death of woes.

These miserable creatures shalbe so perplexed, that they shall both grieue to liue and feare to dye: They shall desire absolutelie neither death nor Life, & yet in a manner shall they wish for both, but all in vaine: The full bended Iustice of God shall giuegive no truce to their teares, nor place to their plaints. VntoUnto all these terrours of Gods wrath shalbe joyned, another feare, euen Sathan the king of feare, hee in most bitter spight shall besiege these trembling Soules with vnspekable terrours: **Note▪ ▪For he shall stare them in y^e face with most grizlie formes and terrible representations: Hee in great furie shall hunt out vponupon them most fearefull gnawing wormes which shall feast on their Consciences. The thoughtes of such thinges should pierce, as I thinke▪ p. 687euen vntounto the verie center of leared Consciences.

O but the assurance of happinesse in many is false and misgrounded: Obstinate sinners, whose hearts are hard paued with obstinate rebellion, think now y^t they shall neuer see that day, because God now keepeth silence▪ Psal. 50. 21Ps 50:21they thinke that he is lik vntounto them: But the slower Gods hand be in comming on, the fadder and …orer shall his stroake bee: While the wicked most securelie snort in their sinnes, dreaming of saftie and suretie, euen then their judgement lingreth not, and their damnation is not in a slumber: This2 Pet▪ 2. 32 Pet 2:3 shall they know by sense and feeling when Gods most fierie jealousie shall breake foorth vponupon them like the sorrowes of a woman in trauell: No sorrow can be heere like vntounto their sorrowes: Fire▪ chaines, rackes, and lashing whips cannot expresse the shadow of one infernall tor tour: All the woes that euer were heard on earth are nothing p. 688to the least of these vnpittied plaints.

The sicke Man.

I hauehave one question for to propound to you: It is concerning the order of Christes proceeding into Iudgement: What reason is there thinke ye that the Iudge in that day shall first absolue the godlie, by bidding them Come with his Fathers bl…ssing, before y^t he speake a word vntounto the wicked, whose hearts in their lifetime for the most parte were sealed vp by the spirit of slumber.

The Pastour.

I finde two probable reasons, first because the great God of merciemercy is more bent to shew merciemercy toward his creatures, than to powre vengeance vponupon them, and that for to teach all Iudges to execute Iustice with Grauitie and griefe.

Beholde heere howe our God, while hee is euen come vntounto the last periode, giueth vntounto the wicked who p. 689in their life with Whoorish fore-heads, Ier. 3. 3.Jer 3:3out faced the Sunne, behold, I say, how hee giueth them a certaine respite▪ and a delay from Hell in that space while hee is speaking vntounto the Godlie: And yet the more slowlie hee striketh, the surer shall hee sette his blow, which shall shake euerie sinew of their bodie and each power of their Soule.

**NoteThe other reason wherefore he speaketh first to the Godlie such words of comfort and of comming, is that the wicked who in the dayes of their vanitie combined sport with spight against him, may see how good a God hee shall bee to all these which hauehave serued him heere in Faith and trueth. **NoteO what shall the trembling Soules of these vvorldlre brates that would not serue Christ in their life thinke when they shall heare that Lord so sweetlie in so sweete heauenly & honey vvords, say vntounto al his Saints his dearest Darlings, p. 690whom they as out-casts despisedMatth. 21. 30Matt 21:30 on Earth, Come yee blessed of my Father, come and be all Kings, with mee for euer more: Come from the …awes of Death to the joyes of an euer blessed Life: Such wordes shall make the heartes of the Godlie to daunce and leape within them for joye; but shall make the heartes of the wicked to droope and to bleede for sorrow.

O what would Diues in the fyre boyling Lacke then giuegive for to bee in the place of Lazarus! **NoteManie Kings of Princelie but prophane blood, which hauehave borne the Crowne and swayed the Scepter aboue the heades of many thousāds being drunke with idolatric: **NoteSecret murther of their Parents for to sit vpō their Throne, shal thē spue and fall, but shall neuer rise againe: They all drenched in a poole of vvrath, shall wish in that day that they had vvept and vvypt the feete of Le…s with the haires of their head, yea that they had beene borne Beggers, p. 691hauing the Faith and feare of Iesus. My heart trembleth to think how so many thousands who deemed & dreamed once to bee saued, shall with damned Deuils rush downe to the snakie poole of perdition, because like Swyne in their life they trampled vnderunder feete the precious pearle of merciemercy, purchased by the Blood of Iesus.

The sicke Man.

After that y^e sentence shalbe pronounced, whether thinke yee that the wicked shall first goe to paine, or the Godlie vntounto pleasure?

The Pastour.

It would seeme by the words of the Gospel, that the wicked▪ that base brood of corruption, to whome Christ hath spokē last, shal first goe to torment: After y^t the doome is giuenMatth. 25. 46Matt 25:46 out with a roaring thūder, it is said, & these shal goe away to euerlasting punishmēt, but the righteous vntounto life eternal: After that the wicked are like chaffe chaissed away to brimstone beames, p. 692the Armes of Christ and the Gates of Glorie shall stād wide open for to giuegive entrance to y^e righteous, whō y^e Father Christ of Iesus shall receiue with most cordiall embracements vntounto their euerlasting comfort: Blessed are they who nowe cast their bread vponupon the vvaters, looking neither for thankes nor recompence from men, for then they shall bee richlie rewarded by God.

The sicke Man.

What reason thinke yee can bee of that order? that before the Godlie goe to Glorie, the vvicked all in a r…ue shall bee hurled away to euerlasting punishment, beeing thrust downe into the dominions of darknes, most fearfull spectacles of amazement? O how these so mi…ie men shal then bee pensiue and perplexed.

The Pastour.

This would seeme to be the maine reason, viz. For thereby to kindle vp so much the more the louelove of the p. 693Godlie toward their God: The bitter bickering and fearefull squeeles of the Reprobate hurling downe to hell, beeing heard and seene by the Godlie, shall make the joyes of heauen to relish the sweeter vntounto them.

**NoteIf while a people were in a Church, the Church should fall downe and smother the one halfe, not doing any harme vntounto y^e other, these who should escape, should by beholding the crushed and bloodie bones of others, much more be rauished with y^e joy of such a deliuerance than if y^e house had not fallen at all

**NoteWhen Dathan and Abiram with their companies sanke down to Hell Numb 16. 32Num 16:32in the sight of all Israel, what joye thinke ye had these whom the earth did beare aboue? Manie who neuer in their life gaue God thankes for that the sward of the earth hath borne them aboue, if they should see such a sight as of Dathan and of Abiram, they would regard the benefite the p. 694more, and would giuegive God moe thankes for that one merciemercy, than for all by-gane fauours shewed vntounto them since they beganne to vvalke vponupon the ground: Wee thanke God little that the earth beareth vsus aboue because wee see it not swallow vp sinners with a gaping gulfe: **Notewhile men see the miserie of others it wakens into them the sense of Gods merciemercy toward them. **NoteO how glad shall the Godlie bee then, that they hauehave serued God, when they shall see the Deuil & his Darnell the wicked seede, cast into a fierie Lake! when these blessed soules shal see the hels opē, & the black deuils flashing fire into the faces of the wicked, & hurling away these damned spirits with fearfull cryes & shrikes downe to the dungeons of distresse, & to most vile Vaults of darknesse entrinched among gnawing wormes stinking Scorpions and hissing Serpents, then they who were wont to weepe for y^e sins of the wicked p. 695in this life, shal hauehave no cōpassion on them; but shall laugh to see them lashed, rejoycing in y^e justice of their God powred out vponupon▪ these, that in a selfe liking of their owne estate, despised the▪ sweetenes of his merciemercy: O happieZepha. 2. 2 they who gather themselues before the decree come foorth.

**NoteBehold, and consider what a change is this: These who mourned of before for their sinnes shall then solace themselues in their sorrowes: The shriks & squoakes of these damned soules falling down to hel which shalbe to the wicked a song of judgement, shalbe to the Godlie in y^t day quite otherwise, euen a song of merciemercy full of mirth and of Musicke: O how sweete then shall merciemercy bee to the Godlie when they shall see what Gods fearefull vengeance shall work on the wicked, whom their life by an accursed Alchymie, turned the grace of their God into wantonnesse! O how rejoyced shall their heartes bee, when that great IEHOVAH shall p. 696begin to sway with his Almightie Arme, that mace of yron for to dash these fore-lorne limmes with paine both of sense and of losse.

Then shall the Theefe wish that both his hands had beene maimed and mutilate: Then shall the vncleane person whose eyes are filled with adulterie and filthinesse, wish that he had beene borne blind: Then shall the Drunkard wish that he had beene borne without a mouth: Then shall the Blasphemer a man of bloody oathes wish that his tongue with a Turkesse had beene torne out of his throat: **NoteThis also for a surplus shall bee joyned to their anguish, none shall bee for to wish them well, or for to condole their miserie.

**NoteThe decree beeing once come foorth, and the doome of damnation beeing once pronounced with these wordes of command, Depart from Matth. 25. 41Matt 25:41mee, &c. All the vngodlie in scarlet abominations, who in their excessiue p. 697pride rousted on high as in Eagles nests▪ shall in that day fall down with Deuils into that Dungeon and ward house of Hel, wher ther is no light but for to let these which are tormented see their miserie, no darknesse but that which may hid from their eyes all sortes of comfort: Then all their by-past burning pleasures shall bee quenched into the fire of Hell lik…ed hote yrō quenched into water with an extinguishing noise: Nothing shalbe then but shouting & gnashing of teeth, sighing, sobbing, and fearfull groanes, aaIsa. 9. 5.Isa 9:5Fewell of fire, and garments rolled in blood: All wicked Soules shall that daye bee drencht into an Occan of desperat displeasure, and shall bee carried away with an invnding spaite of spitefull wrath.

O what joye shall bee kindled into the heartes of the Godlie, when on the one hand they shall behold the miseries of the Theiues, Drunkards, p. 698Adulterers, Fornicators, and Blasphemers, who were wont wantonlie to stretch out their throates into high blastes of blasphemie, & whē on the other part they shall consider how God in merciemercy hath fastened them as nailes into a sure place, Isa. 22. 23Isa 22:23which cannot bee shaken! O what gladnesse of heart shall the Saintes hauehave, after that they hauehave seene the wicked tumbled downe into Hell, to see what companie they shall be into among Angels of light & louelove with Christ himselfe, in whose face is fulnesse of joye, at whose right hand arePsal 16. …1Ps 16:1 pleasures for ouermore.

**NoteThese pleasures vnspeakable, for the greatnesse of themselues, shal bee commended vntounto the Godlie by two by-respects: First, by the consideration of that infinite woe and hellish virulencie, without anie mixture of merciemercy, whereinto they shall see the wicked to be plunged, wherof they shall bee free: Secondlie, p. 699by the rememberance of the miserie whereinto they liued, while they did dwell on earth, during the dayes of their vanitie, their estate changed to the better, shall become the sweeter: Are they not these who are called Lillies among the thornes? Cant. 2. 2.Song 2:2doeth Scripture call them, These Reuel. 7▪ 14Rev 7:14that are come out of the great tribulations? Their by-past tribulations shall wonderfullie commend their present felicitie.

This wee see to be of great force by daylie experience▪ The considerations first of other mens woes, & of the calamities wherewith at other times vvee hauehave beene perplexed, are like Hunger which like good sauce giueth rellish and taste to course things which at other times wee thinke to bee no dainties: To the hungrie Soule euerie Prou. …7. 7Prov 7:7bitter thing is sweete: How sweete thē shall the sweetnesse of Gods face be to the Godlie after all their terrours are past, & after they hauehave seene the p. 700wicked these fearfull & mis-chappen brats tumbled down the steepe precipes of eternall destruction?

What pleasures I pray you shall these bee, when pleasures for euermore shall be joyned with the rememberance of all these tribulations wherin wee were enwrapped while our feete stackefast in the myre? All these considerations joyned together with vnspeakable pleasures shall make the aaReuel. 5. …Rev 5Harpes of God soundbbReuel. 19 1.Rev 19:1 Halleluiah, Halleluiah for euer and euer: Such meditations ouerflow my Soule, dyuing in such depths.

Now Sir yee hauehave heard of the last thinges which shall bee done in this world, heere is the conclusion of the last judgement, The wicked as S. Matthew saith, shall goe away to Matth. 25. 46Matt 25:46euerlasting punishment, but the Righteous to Life eternall.

The sicke Man.

**NoteO but mine heart is sore moued within mee, while I thinke of that p. 701deepe Gulfe whereinto all wretched Soules shall bee plunged: O yee who in the dayes of your vanitie drink vp the very Creame & flower of the earth, al your pleasures now, thē must be gone: Oh that euer & anone we culd applie this vntounto our hearts.

My soule is look one liking down from an high and steepie place: The meditations of these woes of the wicked, makal my senses to be troubled, & al my spirits to be confusedlie shuffled together: my heart within me is so tossed to & fro, that it is come like a squissed egge, whose yolke is mingled with its white: All my thoughtes are confounded as one that is into an hurlie burlie.

Good Lord, let thy visions bee vntounto A prayermy Soule visions of peace. The blessed God preserue vsus from all these woes: Lord, make vsus all to cleaue to thee with full purpose of Soule.

Now to come to the purpose: In your discourse ye hauehave powerfullie p. 702let mee see the wicked swallowed vp in a fearefull gulfe: Let mee heare now what becommeth of the godly.

The Pastour.

After that Christ hath giuen them his Blessing, saying vntounto them, Come Matth. 25 34Matt 25:34yee blessed of my Father, &c. They all beeing crowned and clothed in royall apparell shall all in good order goe triumphantlie in Charets vp to the Heauen of heauens with such shoutes of triumph and of Ioye, of LoueLove, and of Laud, as was neuer heard since the world was founded.

**NoteThen shall that prophecie bee fulfilled, God is gone vp with a shout, Psal. 47. 5Ps 47:5the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet: vers. 6.Sing praises to God, sing praises: That shalbe the Lambes marriage day, a day that shall neuer bee darkened with a night, a Feast that shall neuer bee followed with a Fast.

**NoteThe day of the bringing of a Queene to the King of the Land is a day of great joye: What pleasure p. 703can bee had of Mirth or Musicke, shall not bee away that day.

But alas, what can the earth affoord, simile aut secundum, that is like vntounto that joy, which shall fill & ouerflow all the hearts of the godly, whē Christ shal bring vp to the Heauens his Church, Cant. 4. 1Song 4:1which is his Wife, his faire LoueLove, hauing Doues eyes within her Locks, being cloathed and crowned with the glorie of himselfe? what tong cā expresse? nay, what heart can conceiue what joy & glorie shalbe there where the Lambes Wife shall bee dected with her Husband Christ, who shall enliue Her with marchlesse joye and glorious immortalitie?

This is that great wonder which S. Iohn in his Reuelations, saw in HeauenRouel. 12. 1 viz. A woman cloathed with the Sun, and the Moone vnderunder her feete, and vponupon her head a crowne of twelue Stars: Behold, & consider the Lambes Bride all enuironed with Light, clothed with Christ her Sunne, and crowned p. 704with glistring starres of glorie, heauenlie jewels, diuine Dyamonds: Behold her making a foote-stoole of the Moone, the second great Light of Heauen: See how shee treadeth vnderunder her feete that most inconstant creature, for to declare that constancie of her louelove toward her Lord, which shall last for euer, without anie change: O the beautie of that Bride whose cheekes shall bee comelie with rowes of Cant. 1. 10Song 1:10Iewels, whose necke shall bee dected with the chaines of Christs merites.

**NoteThe Angels themselues, beholding this Bride so royallie attyred, shall wonder at her beautie: When these Noble Spirits shall see and consider that great familiaritie that shalbe betweene Christ & his Spouse, they shallCant. 8. 5.Song 8:5 wonder, & shall say one to another, Who is this that commeth up out of the wildernes, leaning vpō her wel-beloued▪

After that the Church the Lambs Wife, who on earth was betrothed by Reuel. 19. 7Rev 19:7grace, shall in the Heauens bee maried p. 705by glorie, and conuoyed vntounto his euer greene bed, all Eternitie shalbe in y^e Heauens lik a mariage day, decored & trimed with all sortes of Flowers, & of Fruits, of feastings, & of Musick, and of all contentment that can be conceiued, heard, seene, sauoured, or touched by a creature: There our wants shall bee turned into wishes: That which there shall bee least, shall bee many thousand degrees aboue all that anie mortall heart heere can desire.

**NoteAll our senses shall be possessed and filled with pleasures, our mind shall bee enlightened: Our will shall bee contented: All our affections shall bee satisfied: **NoteThe Angel in the Reuelation gaue a command vntounto Iohn, to write in a Booke concerning the Lambes feast prepared for his Mariage in the day of the gladnesse, Cant. 3. 11Song 3:11of his heart, but not being able, neither hee to indite nor S. Iohn to write, all the dainties of that Feast he p. 706desired him to write that all were blessed which were called vntounto it: Write, said hee, Blessed are they which Reuel. 19. 9Rev 19:9are called vntounto the Mariage Supper of the Lambe: Lest Iohn should hauehave doubted whether it was so indeed or not, the Angel subjoyneth, these are the true sayings of God. **NoteLet vsus conceiue this much of these pleasures, that they cannot bee conceiued: All that wee can conceiue shall bee lesse by manie degrees than the least thing wee shall receiue: **NoteThen all our desires shalbe enlarged & made wider: Open thy mouth verie wide, Psal. 81. 10Ps 81:10& I shal fill it vntounto thee: God himselfe beeing All in all, all our desires1 Cor. 15. 281 Cor 15:28 shall bee fullie satisfied and though they shall bee alwayes satisfied, they shall neuer bee cloyed: All wordes heere are full of wants, for these bee things which passe all humane sight and search.

The sicke man.

The consideration of such things p. 707enliueth my Soule, & looseth mine heart wonderfully frō the louelove of all worldlie things, and draweth my heart with a feruent desire of a sight of that day: It is no wonder y^t the whole creation Rom. 8, 22Rom 8:22groaneth and trauelleth in paine together vntill now: If wee had hearts to belieue, we should finde into our hearts an earnest expectation and a waiting for the manifestation of the Sonnes of God: Alas, that our deuotion should bee so rotten and vnsound: **NoteIf wee could gette but a glimpse of our God heere behinde, it should stirre vp all our desires to see his Face.

The Pastour.

That is most certaine: **NoteBy this desire shall a man know whether he bee a spirituall man or a carnall: Hee that is but carnall neuer desireth to goe out of this world: It is good for vsus Luk. 9. 33Luke 9:33to be heere will he say, as …eter said on Tabor: But hee that hath receiued the Spirit will finde better motions in p. 708his heart: Wee our selues, saith S. Paul, which hauehave the first fruites of the Spirit, euen wee our selues groane within our selues, waiting for the adoption, to wite, the redemption of our bodie.

The sicke Man.

Alas, wee all are heere naturallie of a temporising temper, wee linger and delay to returne to our God.

O Lord of eternitie, be fauourable to A prayervsus that we may feare thee, let thy grace worke such groans in our hearts, that thereby we may know that wee hauehave certainelie receiued the first fruites of the Rom, 8. 27Spirit: So long as wee are heere make the current of our affections to runne the way of thy Commandements.

There is a difficultie now come in my minde, whereof I gladlie desire to be cleared: It is concerning Christ himselfe, of him it is said, That hee shall deliuer vp the Kingdome p. 709to God his Father, after hee hath subdued all his enemies.

The Pastour.

I remember well where these wordes are written: The Apostle speaking of the Resurrection of the1 Cor. 15. 241 Cor 15:24 last judgement, saith, Then commeth the end, when hee shall hauehave deliuered vp the Kingdome to God his Father, when hee shall hauehave put downe all rule, authoritie, and power: For hee must vers. 25.reigne till hee hauehave put all his enemies vnderunder his feete, &c. And when all vers. 28things shall bee subdued vntounto him, then shall the Sonne also himselfe bee subject vntounto him that put all thinges vnderunder him, that God may bee All in all.

The sicke Man.

These bee the wordes indeede of my difficultie: I pray you to make mee vnderstand them: What is that to say, That hee shall deliuer vp the Kingdome to his Father, and that after he hath subdued all things, he himselfe p. 710must become subject to him, that put all things vnderunder him?

It would seeme that Christ our Lord shall lose by this meanes: For first it is said, That hee must deliuer vp the Kingdome, and rule no more: Secōdlie, that he must become subject to God the Father: I desire you Sir to loose this knottie difficultie: **NoteThese who plowe with Gods▪ Hyfer may easilie finde out the darkest Riddles.Iudg. 14. 18.Judg 14:18

The Pastour.

I shall loose these knots easilie: By that change the Lord shall bee no loser: **NoteAs for that it is said, That he shall deliuer vp the Kingdome to his Father, after that hee hath put downe all rule, authoritie, and power: It is not to be vnderstood absolutely y^t Christ there after shall reigne no more, but y^t hee shall reigne no more after such a fashion as he did of before, viz. By fighting against his enemies, who then shalbe no more, neither by comforting or protecting his friendes from p. 711dangers, who then shalbe free from all danger.

It is certaine, that the Father reigneth now by the Son, and that the Sonne shall reigne eternallie with the Father, but that shalbe in another manner after the last judgement, then hee doeth now: **NoteNow hee reigneth like a Prince, fighting his Fathers Battels: Then shall hee reigne for euer, triumphing ouer all his enemies.

This is the interpretation of some learned writers: But in my judgement it declareth not plainlie what it is to giuegive vp the Kingdome to the Father.

I lik Beza his exposition best▪ **NoteHis words are these, Dicitur Christus regnum Deo patri traditurus vltimo demum illo die quo profligatis omnibus ad unum hostibus, omnes quos a patre gubernandos accepit, illi veluti in manus tradet aeterna gloria coronandos.

That is, Christ is said to deliuer vp the Kingdome to his Father at the last p. 712day, when hauing subdued all his enemies hee shall deliuer into his Fathers hand all these whom hee had receiued from the Father for to guide and gouerne, for to bee by him crowned with euerlasting glorie.

By the Kingdome I vnderstand the godlie who are the Children of the Kingdome: Christ then is said, To deliuer vp the Kingdome to the Father, when hee deliuereth vntounto him these whom the Father had giuen to him: **NoteAll the Godlie hauehave beene giuen by the Father vntounto Christ the Mediator: And Christ againe must bee countable to the Father for them: Holie Father, said hee, keepe Ioh. 17. 11John 17:11through thine owne Name, those whom thou hast giuen mee: And againe,vers. 12. These that thou gauest mee I hauehave kept, and none of them is lost, but the Sonne of perdition. See heere how the Father is said, to giuegive, and Christ is said to hauehave kept these whom the Father hath giuē him: **Notewhile Christ maketh p. 713his count & randereth them againe to his Father, hee is said to giuegive vp the Kingdome to his Father.

**NoteNeither must wee heere thinke that while the Father gaue this kingdome to the Sonne, hee wanted it himselfe, or that the Sonne when he shall giuegive vp the Kingdome to his Father, shall reigne no more: No,Ioh. 17. 10John 17:10 not: All mine are thine, said Christ, and thine are mine: **NoteI confesse that there is no such giuing among men as can expresse sufficientlie how the Father is said to giuegive any thing vntounto the Sonne: And againe, there is no such giuing vp among men, as can clearelie declare how the Son is said, To giuegive vp the Kingdome vntounto the Father: There bee no Mines nor Thines among men which can fullie expresse the Mine and the Thine of the Father and of the Sonne.

The sicke Man.

Indeede Sir yee speake well: Wee must all reuerence the high misteries p. 714of God, not darring to abbridge his infinite wisedome within the boūds of a braine that is not of a span long: The wordes of Moses are words of great wisedome, The secret things are Dan. …19. 29for the Lord our God, but these that are reuealed are for vsus, and our posteritie for euer. That then which is reuealed is for vsus, and that which is for vsus in Scripture, it is our part to seeke it and to search it.

O Lord, guide mee by thy counsell, A prayerkeepe my thoughts within compasse: Suffer not my Soule to turne awrie from thy trueth: Sequester mine heart from all vanitie, that I bee not curious in the knowledge of that which thou hast not alotted for mee, as are these whose heartes are filled with dreames and deceitfull dotages: Let my Soule neuer be sowred with such leauen as to presume to search that which thou desireth not to reueale

The secōd difficultie I obserued in these words which ye hauehave recited p. 715out of that Chap. to y^e Corinthians, is in these words, viz. That Christ must 1 Cor. 15 251 Cor 15:25reigne till hee hath put all his enemies vnderunder his feet: What is that to say?

The Pastour.

That is, Christ muste rule this world till God the Father hath subdued vntounto his Sonne Christ, all the enemies of his glorie, and of mans Saluation, who from the hight of their sinnes shall bee brought down into the fiercest flamme and lowest pitte of perdition.

The sicke Man.

It would appeare by the words that Christ shall reigne no m…e after that all shall bee subdued: Seeing it is said, That he must reigne till he hath put all his enemies vnderunder his feete, it would seeme that when that shall once bee done, Christ shall reigne no more.

The Pastour.

The word Till declareth not that Christ shall reigne no more after p. 716that subduing, for example it is written21Sam. 6. 23 of Michal, that shee had no Children till the day of her death.

It is not therefore to bee thought that after death shee had any Children: The opinion of many great Diuines, is that Marie neuer maried Ioseph though shee had beene betrothed vntounto him, and yet it is saide,Matth. 1. 25Matt 1:25 That Ioseph knew her not, till shee had brought foorth her first borne: So God said vntounto Iaakob, I will not leaue thee Gen. 28. 15Gen 28:15VIVTILL I hauehave done that which I hauehave spoken to thee of: Such formes of speaches are verie common: I will say to my friend at Euen, God bee with you, till wee meete againe: It is not that I desire God to bee with him no more so soone as wee shall meete againe.

Thus as ye see when it is said, that Christ must reigne Till hee hath put all his enemies vnderunder his feete, it will not import that, that once beeing done Christ shall reigne no more. p. 717Gabriel said to his Mother, That of his Luk. 1. …33Luke 1:33Kingdome there shall bee none end: **NoteIf there bee any change, it shall onelie bee in the forme of his reigning and ruling: Now hee reigneth & ruleth by a Scepter of yron, and by the Scepter of his word preached: The one is for to conuert the most stubborne hearts of the Elect, the otherPsal. 2. 9.Ps 2:9 for to dash the wicked in pieces lik a potters vessell: **NoteAll that forme of doing then shall cease, for as for the wicked they shall be committed fast to the low dungeons of Hell, for to bee vexed for euer with the infernall Burrios: Christ then and all his members shall bee quite of all their persecutions: As for the Godlie they shall bee made perfect: They shall neede no more the preaching of the word: The Law then shall not bee needfull, for all the Godlie shall bee a Law vntounto themselues: The Gospel shall bee of no vse: It is a Doctrine of Faith: Then shall bee p. 718abolished: **NoteWhen thinges absent are made present, Faith hath no more adoe.

The sicke Man.

That point is made cleare indeede: But what is this to say, That Christ the Sonne shall reigne, Till the Father hath put all enemies vnderunder his feete? It would appeare by these words, that Christ ouercommeth his enemies by another force than his owne, seeing it is said, That * Notethe Father is he who shall put all things vnderunder his feete.

The Pastour.

The most learned Diuines hauehave considered that the Apostle there speaketh not of Christ as hee is Filius Dei eternus simpliciter, simplie the Sonne of God, but as hee is in the fo…me of a seruant, for that cause, as is well remarked by the best wits, none can affirme that in Christ is, Secundaria divinitas, a Diuinitie of a baser rancke.

p. 719* This wee must all know, that Christ the Sonne & the Father beeing but one GOD, worke with one, and the selfe same power: As God the Father and hee are one, so what power Christ man hath in subduing his enemies, it may bee said to bee from the Father, Because the Trinity is such a deepe mysterie, as no humane Wit can search it thorow, so the actions of the three Persons are such, as no man can clearelie discerne them: It is much for our shallow-wits to know the borders of Gods ways: **NoteIt is good in Gods mysteries s…pere ad sobrietatem, that our wisedome bee sober and not drunke with a giddie curiosity, neither must wee d…aw to the other extremitie, as to flatter our selues in a sluggish dulnesse, hauing no care to search the Scriptures with the men of Berea for to knowe that which itAct. 17. 11Acts 17:11 hath pleased God to reueale to vsus: **NoteIt is good to seeke out carefullie, p. 718though not curiouslie the knowledge of Gods reuealed will so farre as can make for the comfort of our Soules.

The sicke Man.

Certainelie the knowledge of such things is verie needfull for the comfort of these that are for to leaue this world: And therefore, I who loo… not for long sojourning heere, desire to know the more earnestlie what good things the Lord hath prepared for his owne into that other world. The hope of Glorie is like a strong hold against the feare of Death. **NoteO… that I were that which I would bee.

There is now resting only one difficultie in the words of the Apostle, which I neuer as yet could well vnderstand: It is said, That when all 1 Cor. 25. 28things shalbe subdued vntounto the Father▪ then shall the Sonne also himselfe bee subject vntounto him, that put all thing… vnderunder his feete: Is not the Sonne euen now subject vntounto the Father▪ p. 721If not, how is it said, That hee shall bee then subject vntounto him?

The Pastour.

Christ as God, is not at all subject vntounto the Father, but, all the Godlie are subject both to Him and to the Father: But as man Christ, is with vsus subject vntounto the Father: **NoteAccording to this a Father said well,

Christus in quantum Deus est,August. lib. de Trinit. 1 cap. 10 cum illo nos subjectos habet, in quantum sacerdos, nobiscum illi subjectus est.

That is, To Christ as God wee are subject as to the Father, but as Christ is our Priest, hee is with vsus subject vntounto the Father.

Moreouer it may bee saide, that after the last Iudgement Christ shall bee subject vntounto the Father, because then all the Faithfull which are his Mysticall bodie, shall bee perfectlie subject to the Father, Christ the Head of the Church, since his incarnation, hath in his owne Person p. 722bene subject vntounto y^e Father perfectly, and so is hee yet: But in his mysticall members below there is a miserable rebellion of flesh against the Spirit: Gal. 5. 17.Gal 5:17**NoteBut when all shall bee gathered together in one Bodie into Glorie, thē shall Christ be perfectlie subject vntounto God both

Quoad naturam suam tum quoad corpus mysticum.

In his humane Nature and in his mysticall Bodie, which are the faithfull: When all the Elect with their Head Christ shall be perfectlie subject vntounto God, then shall Christ bee fullie and finallie subject to the Father: This seemeth to bee the true meaning of the wordes: This is made cleare by the wordes following, viz. That this subjection shall bee that God may bee All in all.

**NoteBut this wee must vnderstand, that this subjection of Christ and of his mysticall Bodie, is not anie disgrace or disparagement to our Head p. 723Christ▪ or to vsus: The trueth is, that it is a moste Princelie honour to bee the Prince of Heauens subject: **NoteIt were better to bee the least subject of Heauen, than the greatest commander of Hell: The seruice of our God is greatest libertie: The more perfect this subjection be, the greater is our Glorie: **NoteThe subjection of a creature to God, is the verie Image of God in the creature: Gods Image in Adam was chieflie in his subjection to Gods will, which was defaced by his rebellion, which is the verie Image of the Deuill.

The sicke Man.

Wee are much beholden to our God, who in his great merciemercy hath reuealed vntounto vsus all these things into his word: His word may well bee called, A Lanterne vntounto our steps,Psal 19. 8.Ps 19:8 a light which enlighteneth the eyes, burning clearer thā any Cresset-light warning from dangers.

p. 724The Pastour.

Indeede Gods word is a word of life and of light: It is a sauing word, the power of God to Saluation: ThisRom, 1. 16 power is onelie peculiar to the mightie operation of this word.

**NoteThere bee in the creatures words and lines of words, for to declare vntounto man that there is a God, that so man may be without excuse: Day vntounto day vttereth speach, and Psal. 19. 2.Ps 19:2night vntounto night sheweth knowledge: Their Line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world: But all these wordes and lines are but lines of words concerning the creation: All that they can say, is but that there is a God, a mouer, a primum ens a first Be-ere, whereby all things hauehave their beeing: But in all these lines of words there is not one word of Christ the Redeemer: There is not a day where the Gospel shinneth not, that can vtter any speach▪ or shewe any knowledge of that p. 725which concerneth mans Saluation, wrought with the bloodie sweate of God: There is not a word let bee a line in any worke of Nature, concerning the great mysterie of Godlinesse,1 Tim▪ 3. 161 Tim 3:16 Christ manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit seene of Angels, preached vntounto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp into glorie.

The sicke Man.

O words worthie to bee writtenIer. 17. 1Jer 17:1 with the point of a Dyamond: Seeing it is so, this should mak vsus to esteeme so much the more of the glorious Gospel which is the power of God to Rom. 1. 16Rom 1:16saluation of all beleeuers.

The Pastour.

The Gospel indeede is like a m…st rich treasure digged into a fielde, forMatth. 13. 44Matt 13:44 which a man that hath found it will goe and sell all that hee hath, that hee may buy that fielde for the treasures cause.

This Gospel is like a Sunne newly created in the heauens, which shineth p. 726both day and night, both in life and death with most glistring & wholesome Beames, wherby the vnwholesome cloudie night aire of iniquitie is rarified, scattered, and dispersed▪ **NoteAs the Sun in the heauens by its heate maketh al the earth in y^e Spring to grow greene, and the Cornes to come vp at the first with small green points, and after to shoote vp to the shot bled, & after that to come to the Seede, that at last beeing cut downe in a white ripenesse, it may be lay…e vp into Girnels: Euen so the Gospel like a Sunne shining from the heauens, commeth after the colde frostie season of the dead Winter of our Nature, and by its Beames warmeth vsus, and wakeneth vp the seede of grace sowen into our heartes by the good hand of God: After that, with its heate by little and little it ripeneth these sowne graces, at last while wee are ripe, and while the graces of God in vsus are come to their p. 727perfection, y^e Lord sendeth his seruāt Death to cut vsus downe with a sickle: Luk. 16. 9Luke 16:9After y^t by Death we are cut downe, the Lord treasureth vsus vp into euerlasting Tabernacles, the Girnels of the Prince of Heauen, farre from the keene rasors of lying tongues. Now seeing the day is f…r spent, here I shall pause, leauing that which hath bene said, to your nights meditations: By y^t grace of God I shal returne in the morning earelie: He that made Peter safelie toMatth. 14 29Matt 14:29 walk vponupon the swelling waues vphold you so, y^t ye sinke not at the rising of any boisterous blaste of temptation: **NoteGods Children in this world are lik these three Children in the fierie furnace, though such fire seeme to beeDan. 3. 23.Dan 3:23 a consuming fyre, it shall not bee able so much as to sindge their apparell.vers. 27

The sicke Man.

But before yee goe Sir, according to your good former custume, by your deuote prayers, committe my Soule to the armes of my Sauiour: I euer feare that my false heart giuegive p. 728mee the slippe: As God hath giuen you a diuine tong, so Lord, giuegive me a sanctified eare, the sweetest spirituall musick and harmonie of Gods seruice: Oh, that with Peter I couldIohn. 21. 1John 21:1 gird my coate, and swimme thorow all the swelling seas of temptations, y^t I might come vntounto my Lord. Offer vp I pray you Sir, for mee the Christian sacrifice of prayer: Resigne my Soule into his mercifull hands: Oh that I could with you homage mine heart vntounto God in feruent supplications! wee are not able as I see to stand a moment in the right way without Gods vnderpropping hand.

Alas, Sir, I finde in my prayers great distractions, which wonderfullie blunt the edge of my deuotion▪ while my mouth is speaking to God, my minde is speaking with follies and phansies: **NoteIf a man speaking vntounto a Prince, should nowe turne him vntounto this man, and now to that man, would not that Prince at last commaund, him silence enjoyning p. 729him with all speed to packe him out of his presence, as being a man who knoweth not what is matchable to such a Majestie: Many a time, alas, hauehave I at prayer babled out with my lippes many sauourles words, which hauehave wrought nothing but the sadding and grieuing of Gods Spirit.A prayer

O Lord, make this meditation of mine owne vnworthinesse, bee like a whet-stone to my prayers, that by helpe thereof I may pray better than euer I did before: GiueGive mee grace at all times, but speciallie in prayer to keepe watch and ward ouer my thoughts, that I neuer let loose the bridle vntounto them as most foolishlie often I hauehave done, rushing my Soule ouer head and eares into the myres of earthlie mindednes: Now good Lord, make mee fresh and nimble in my Spirit for prayer: Oh, for that Spirit of spirituall Rom. 8. 27Rom 8:27groans, which maketh intercession for the Sainctes, according to the will of God. I desire your helpe in prayer: The night is noysome, I lye Iob. 7. 4.Job 7:4downe, I say, when shall I arise, and the p. 730night beginne I am full of tossing vntounto the dawning of the day.

The Pastour.

I rejoyce with my Soule to heare you: I know no surer token of Gods Spirit within a man, than a ben…nes to prayer: Reprobates with Herod may gladlie heare Preachers: But they all in Scripture are branded with this blot, They call not vponupon God▪ Desire of conference with God, is a most sure token of friendship betweeneAmos. 3. …3Amos 3:3 God and man: Can two walke together except they bee agreed? Can two speake together except they be friendes? Hypocrites I knowe willMatth. 6. 7Matt 6:7 make long prayers, which are but lip labour, which our Lord calleth much babling: But their heartes in their prayers wander from God, & goe to worldly toyes, so that while they are speaking one thing with the mouth, their hearts are vponupon another subject: Isa. 29. 13Isa 29:13Thus Scripture calleth, A drawing neere to God with the mouth, while p. 731the heart is farre off: * God cannot bee scorned, but knoweth howeAct. 5. 2.Acts 5:2 much is behind, though Ananias would seeme to bring all.

**NoteHee who can pray from his heart, by his prayer as with a piercing keye, is able to vnlocke the celestiall treasures of God, where out of hee will draw comfortable cordials for distressed Soules, in their gasping agonies.

Let vsus now bend our knees most humblie before our Maker, and worship him both with heart & mouth, the most pleasant harmonie of a Christian Soule.

The Lord set all our hearts rightlie on worke: For the heart of man in prayer is most bent to play reakes in wandering from God.