Of the ende of this world, the seconde commyng of Christ a comfortable and necessary discourse, for these miserable and daungerous dayes.

THE PREFACE.

AMong al sinnes, none is more odious before God, then is incredulitie, doubting both of diuine pro∣mises and threatnings, notwithstanding that the world and hypocrites (placing al religion in ex∣ternal behauiour & ceremonies, thinke the cōtrary. Because that frō that do spring al sinnes, ••f doubting both of God, & in God, and al wickednes els whatsoeuer: so that we may wel af∣firme, mistrust to be the cause of all euils. For who is there so extremely mad, that willingly would defile hymselfe with any sinne, if he gaue sufficient credite to these woordes of Christ: Come ye blessed of my father. &c. Agayne:* 1.1 Depart frō me yee accurs••d into that eternall fire which is prepa∣red for the Diu••ll and his Angels: Or to those wordes of Paule where he sayth:* 1.2 We must all appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ, that euery one may beare a∣way those things which he hath in his body doone ac∣cording to that which he hath committed, be it good or bad? Wherefore of these may certaynly be gathered that none of them beleeue eyther the sweete promises of God, or seuere and horrible threates, which stubbornly re∣sist his commau••dements, and do not obey them. For it cannot be that either beleeuers should lyue after the flesh,* 1.3 or lyuers after the flesh, should be beleeuers: because, not beleeuers, but lyuers after the flesh, shall dye. And of this we haue a manifest example in that rich man, crauyng of Abraham, that he would send Lazarus to his fiue brethren, to warne them, least they came into that place of torment. By which no doubt he would signifie, that they would more esteeme the aucthoritie of Lazarus commyng from the dead, then Moses and the Prophetes. And therefore what marueyle if he contemned charitie, when he cared not for faith? That when he flowed with such abundance of all things, yet no∣thing at all fauoured poore Lazarus lying miserably before hym? And therfore, because he was without fayth and charitie, beyng departed from this world, was cast headlong into hell. And as this vnbeliefe is the very spring of sinne, and of all vngratiousnes the gulfe, in which, all vnregene∣rated

are drowned: so contrarywise, true and Christian fayth (by which we haue a sure trust to Gods mercy, and free remission of our sinnes, promised to vs through the me∣rites of Christ the sonne of God) is the liuely fountaine in Christ, by the helpe of the holy ghost, of loue both of God and our neighbour: and it is (at one woorde) the cause of all spiritual good, which follow her as necessarily (as heate doth fire.) Because it is meete (if beleeuers liue after the spi∣rite) that the holy ghost stirre in them like motions, to hym selfe. But yet alas, great infirmitie and weakenesse is in the faithfull, although regenerate, so that not seldome they stande in doubt of Gods promises, and therefore haue great neede of proppes, to keepe them from falling: for we are more delighted with apparant and present things, than with future and inuisible. For naturally those things which are obiect vnto vs, doo more moue our senses,* 1.4 than those which are of faith, which is the substance of things to be ho∣ped for, an argument of things not appearing, whose litle sparke sometyme appeareth in vs, and is much to be raised by the woord of God, that it may the more increase, and quic∣ken our dead members with the heate of the holy Ghost. Al∣so in our greatest temptations, and most cruell persecution, the Diuell, togeather with our vile fleshe, bring great doubts into our myndes, of the promises of God, especially when we behold the vngodly to liue in this world in al pleasure to their hartes desire, ioyfully: which thing that kingly Prophet Da∣uid in his Psalmes dooth at large and plainly teach vs.* 1.5 And therefore the miseries of this lyfe are the more easily borne, when we doo as it were behold the ende of them before our eyes. Of which it commeth, that to the godly (truely thin∣king them selues to wander in this world, not to liue in their owne countrey) the remembraunce of these euylles is plea∣sant, and is a great comfort in all miseries, to thinke by death, in that last commyng of Christ, at the length that they shall haue a most free entrance into that celestial Hie∣rusalem, sweete, and eternall Countrey, of which, in a most assured hope by fayth, they knowe them selues citizens.

Wherfore I haue thought it very expedient, by certaine arguments, to set against all infidelitie, the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles, concernyng the last commyng of Christ to the vniuersall iudgemēt, before which, in the ruine of this wretched world, shall in a moment appeare the resur∣rection of the flesh, and a sodaine change of all men liuyng. So that all mistrust and vnbeliefe, the Quagmyre of all maner of wickednesse (in which many men lye t•• great slum∣ber, and sleepe securely) may earnestly be cast away, true fayth in diuine promises may be r••ised, our hope of attay∣nyng an happy life, and deliuerance from all troubles, may be nourished, and we the more vigilant, least vpon a sodaine that great day of the Lord (horrible to the vngodly, but to the godly comfortable) vnawares oppresse vs, and the spouse find vs sober, wise, and prepared to the feast, not without oyle in our Lampes. For his commyng in this last age of the world, without doubt is not farre, and maketh great hast, and wyll not (as many suppose) linger.

Wherfore, in this litle woorke, I haue determined by some euident places of the Scripture,* 1.6 first to proue, that there shal be one day a generall destruction of this world and an vni∣uersall and last iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God, in which all the promises of God shall to the vttermost be fulfilled, and his great threates shall take ef∣fect. Then by the testimonies of holy Scripture we wil shew, that the age of this world shall not be more then sixe thou∣sand yeres: & that the sixt thousand (in which we now liue, whose tyme is more than halfe past) because of intollerable wickednesse, and shamelesse securitie of men, shall not be fully finished. And to this shalbe added certaine singuler signes by course of tyme, and yeares woonderfully agreeing with the inclinations of the Starres, (if credit may be geuen to Mathematicians) which things notwithstāding I referre to the iudgement of the Church, and doctors of more discre∣tiō. Last of al, certain proofes out of Scripture shalbe brought of the maner of Christ his commyng, and of the effect of the last iudgement: with an exhortation to watchfulnesse, for that most ioyful commyng of our bridegrome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 25.
• * 1.2

  2. Cor. 5.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 8. Luc. 16.
• * 1.4

  Hebr. 11.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 73▪
• * 1.6

  The argument of the booke.