The monument of matrones conteining seuen seuerall lamps of virginitie, or distinct treatises; whereof the first fiue concerne praier and meditation: the other two last, precepts and examples, as the woorthie works partlie of men, partlie of women; compiled for the necessarie vse of both sexes out of the sacred Scriptures, and other approoued authors, by Thomas Bentley of Graies Inne student.

13. On euerie Sundaie, holidaie, or weekedaie. Of Christ his second and last comming to iudgement.

The Preface.

THE kingdome of heauen is neere at hand, euen at the doores. Take heed, watch and praie.

The sonne of man shall come as a theefe in the night suddenlie and vnwares, at an houre that ye knowe not. Take heed, watch and praie.

Euen Iesus, which was taken vp from vs into hea∣uen, shall so come againe to gather vs vnto him, as he was seene to haue gone into heauen. Come Lord Iesu.

Behold, he commeth with clowdes, and euerie eie shall see him, yea euen they which pierced him through, and all kindreds of the earth shall vaile before him. Come Lord Iesu.

Our God shall come, and shall not keepe silence: there shall go before him a consuming fire, and burne vp his enimies on euerie side: the hilles shall melt like waxe at the presence of the Lord, & a mightie tempest shall be stirred vp round about him. Come Lord Iesu.

He commeth, he commeth to iudge the earth, and with righteousnesse to iudge the world, and the people with equitie and truth. Come Lord Iesu.

Therefore yet a verie little while O my soule, take heed, watch & praie; and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarrie. Come Lord Iesu.

Surelie I come shortlie saith Christ, and my reward is with me, to giue to euerie one according as his works shall be, either good or bad. For I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that watch; and keepe my com∣mandements vnto the end. Come Lord Iesu.

Euen so saith the spirit and the bride. Come Lord Iesu, come quicklie:

Amen, Amen.

Halleluiah.

The praier to haue Christs sudden comming, euen in our remembrance, and that we may be in a readinesse a∣gainst his most glorious appearing. The Preface, Vt supra Iesus. The Praier.

BEholding, O heauenlie Father, the daie of accompts ouer all flesh to be euen now at hand, namelie the last daie, the daie of iudgement, the great and notable daie of the Lord, wherein the whole generation of mankind, from the beginning of the world, shall rise againe, & shall ap∣peare both in bodie and soule, before the presence of the most iust iudge thine eternall Sonne, and our righte∣ous God, to receiue their owne doome for weale or wo, for life or death, for ioie or paine, and that eternallie with the saincts in heauen, or for euer with the diuels in hell: we beseech thee most humblie, O gratious God, to haue mercie vpon all thine inheritance disper∣sed in these our euill and dangerous daies, in the midst of this wicked, most sinfull, and vntoward genera∣tion, vpon the face of the earth, amongst whome we are most miserablie entangled, contemned, cruellie dealt withall, and stirred to all abhominations.

O heauenlie Father, we acknowledge before thee, in

our selues the greatnesse of our owne frailtie, our cor∣rupted lust to lewdnesse, the fulnesse in our selues of our owne iniquitie, and our accustomed inclination at all times to wickednesse. O Father of mercies, tender vs in our weakenes; haue compassion vpon our in∣firmities, pardon our sinfulnesse, and grant vnto vs thine holie spirit, to worke speedie mortification in vs, to keepe lowe the pride of our flesh, to humble our soules in thy sight, to strengthen vs in righteousnesse, to feare alwaies thy iudgements, to thinke vpon thy wrathfull indignation, and vpon the houre of the ven∣geance to come, when thou for our wickednesse shalt turne awaie thy face from vs.

Haue mercie vpon vs, O Lord, haue mercie vpon vs, for Christ Iesus thy Sonne sake; and so prepare all our harts, soules, and bodies, to the necessitie of the time, that we may haue therein good regard to our selues, that our harts be not ouercharged with ex∣cesse of eating, surfeting, and dronkennesse, or other∣wise vexed with the cares of this wretched world, to hinder vs, and to drawe vs backe from our carefull at∣tendance, or diligent waiting for the Lords sudden comming to iudgement; but that we may continuallie attend, wait, watch and praie for the speedie appee∣rance of his glorious Maiestie, that when he shall at the rising againe of all flesh, by the sound of the last trumpet, come to iudge both the quicke and the dead, we may be then in a readinesse to meet him aboue in the heauens, and there to stand before his presence, to behold the glorie of his most gratious countenance, to see how in mercie he shall separate vs from the wic∣ked, as sheepe from the goates, to set vs also on his right hand, to giue the sentence of blessing vpon vs, and to commend vs vnto the kingdome of thee his heauenlie Father, which he himselfe hath prepared, and so pretiouslie purchased with the price of his own

bloud, there with him, with thee, O Father, and with the holie Ghost, to liue in euerlasting ioie and felicitie. Grant this, O heauenlie Father, euen for the onelie merits sake of that thy deere Sonne, and our Saui∣our Iesus Christ,

Amen.

Another meditation of the signes, which shall appeare before the end of the world.

IT is thy saieng, O Sonne of God, that in the last and doting age of the world, both greater, and more greeuous miseries and confusions among men should bee, than euer were; and also for all that, that thou which art the defender of thy Church, in the midst of such calami∣ties and crueltie of thine enimies, wilt preserue some remnant of the faithfull, that thy seruice be not vtter∣lie extinguished before the end of this world. Where∣fore being oppressed, through the intollerable burden of miseries, heaped therefore vpon vs, bicause the sins of this withering world, are most greeuous and la∣mentable: but especiallie for that Sathan thine eni∣mie seeth the daie of iudgement to be verie nigh at hand, wherein his abhomination shall openlie be laid before all thy chosen creatures, and he be cast hedlong into eternall torments; which makes him extreame∣lie to rage against thy chosen flocke, and to seeke by all meanes that possiblie he can, to withdrawe vs from thee, and to make vs blaspheme thy sacred Maiestie. Wee, as it standeth vs vpon, flie vnto thee with all humblenesse of mind in these our extremities. The whole frame of this world groaneth also with thine elect, and earnestlie desireth to be renewed.

Therefore, according to thy gratious admonition,

we call into mind the signes, which shall come before the finall destruction of this world, and thanke thee for thy goodnesse in foretelling vs of them. We lift vp our heads vnto thee, which art aloft on the right hand of the eternall Father, and in faith and praier looke for that ioifull daie, when thou wilt appeare most glori∣ouslie in the clouds, for the deliuerance of thy people out of these calamities. Gouerne vs by thy word and spirit, O most mightie protector, that wee may bee watchfull, and shun the cares of this transitorie world, which withdrawe the mind from the exercise of godli∣nesse, and choke all vertuous motions raised by thine holie spirit; and flie from wantonnesse, bellie-cheere, and vnlawfull pleasures, which both cause thy spirit to forsake our minds, and make our bodies the recep∣tacles of vnpure spirits, whereby we are caried, being secure, vnto abhominable wickednes, and from thence vnto euerlasting destruction.

Finallie, purge thou our harts by thy spirit, and let thy knowledge appeare in vs, which may both expell our grosse darknesse, and inflame in vs godlie moti∣ons, that all the daies of our life we may continue in the true and sincere confession of thy name. And for so much as thou hast promised to defend vs, and to mi∣tigate our paines, grant that wee may both escape euils to come, and stand ioifullie before thee at thy re∣turne,

Amen.

Another.

ALmightie God, and most mercifull heauenlie Father, as in the destru∣ction of Ierusalem thou hast left a fearefull example of thy horible iudgements against the contempt of the Gospell, and the wickednesse of men; & threatenest such plagues to come for like wickednesse vpon

the world, as shall cause men to die for feare of them before they come: grant vs so to read thy truth, and to be obedient vnto it, that when the signes of these things shall come, which shall astonish the wicked, wee may hold vp our heads with comfort, waiting for our redemption so neere at hand; watch with continuall praier, that we may escape all these things which shall come vpon the world in that daie, and that wee may stand before thy Sonne, when he shall come to iudge∣ment, and be receiued of him to euerlasting glorie; to whom with thee, and the holie Ghost, be all honour, glorie, and praise, for euer and euer,

Amen.

A godlie meditation of the comming of Christ to iudgement, and of the reward both of the faithfull and vnfaithfull.

O Lord Iesu Christ, the Sonne of the euerliuing God, by whom althings were made, are ruled, and gouer∣ned; as of thy loue for our redemp∣tion thou diddest not disdaine to bee our mediator, and to take vpon thee our nature in the wombe of a vir∣gin, purelie and without sinne, by the operation of the holie Ghost, that both thou migh∣test in thine owne person woonderfullie beautifie and exalt our nature, and worke the same in vs also: first abolishing the guiltinesse of sinne by remission, then sinne it selfe by death; and last of all death, by raising againe these our bodies, that they may be like vnto thine owne glorious and immortall bodie, according to the power wherewith thou art able to subiect all things vnto thee. As, I saie, of thy loue for our redem∣ption thou becamest man, and that most poore and af∣flicted vpon earth, by the space of three & thirtie yeeres at the least, in most humilitie, and paiedst the price of

our ransome, by thy most bitter death and passion; for the which I most hartilie giue thanks to thee: so of the same thy loue towards vs, in thy good time, thou wilt come againe in the clouds of heauen, with power and great glorie, with flaming fire, with thousands of Saints, with Angels of thy power, with a mightie crie, showt of an Archangell, and blast of a trumpet suddenlie as a lightening, which shineth from the east, &c. When we thinke least, euen as a theefe in the night, when men be a sleepe: thou wilt so come, I saie; thus suddenlie in the twinkeling of an eie; all men that euer haue beene, be, and shall be, with women and chil∣dren, appearing before thy Tribunall iudgment seate, to render an account of all things, which they haue thought, spoken, and done against thy lawe, openlie, and before all Angels, Saints, and diuels: and so to receiue the iust reward of thy vengeance, if they haue not repented, and obeied thy Gospell, and so depart from thee to the diuell, and his angels: and all the wic∣ked, which euer haue beene, be, or shall be, into hell fire, which is vnquenchable, and of paines intollerable, endlesse, hopelesse; euen from the face of thy glorious Maiestie, and mightie power.

But if they haue repented, and beleeued thy Gospell; if they be found watching like wise virgins, with their lamps and oile in their hands; if they be found readie apparelled with the wedding garment of innocencie; if they haue not hardened their harts, and hourded vp the treasure of thy vengeauce, in the daie of wrath to be reuealed: but haue vsed the time of grace, the ac∣ceptable time, the time of saluation; that is, the time of this life, in the which thou stretchest out thy hand, and spreadest thine armes, calling and crieng vnto vs, to come vnto thee, which art meeke in hart, and lowlie. For thou wilt ease all that labour, and are heauie la∣den. If they haue visited the sicke and prisoners; com∣forted

the comfortlesse; fed the hungrie; cloathed the naked; lodged the harbourlesse: if they haue not loden their harts with gluttonie, and surfetting, and care∣fulnesse of this life: if they haue not digged, and hid their talent in the ground, dooing no good therewith: but haue been faithfull to occupie thy gifts to thy glo∣rie, and haue washed their garments in thy bloud by hartie repentance; then shall the Angels gather them togither, not as the wicked, which shall be collected as fagots, and cast into the fire; but as the good wheate that is gathered into thy barne.

Then shall they be caught vp to meete thee in the clouds; then shall their corruptible bodie put on incor∣ruption; then shall they be indued with immortalitie and glorie; then shall they be with thee, and go whi∣ther thou goest, then shall they heare these ioifull words: Come ye blessed of my Father, possesse the king∣dome prepared for you from the beginning, &c. Then shall they be set on seates of Maiestie, iudging the whole world; then shall they reigne with thee for euer; then shall God be all in all with them, and to them; then shall they enter, and inherit heauenlie Ierusa∣lem, and the glorious restfull land of Chanaan, where it is alwaies daie, and neuer night; where is no ma∣ner of weeping, teares, infirmitie, hunger, cold, sicke∣nesse, enuie, malice, nor sinne: but alwaies ioie with∣out sorowe, mirth without measure; pleasure without paine; heauenlie harmonie; most pleasant melodie; saieng, and singing; Holie, holie, holie; Lord GOD of hosts, &c. Finallie, the eie hath not seene; the eare hath not heard; neither hath it entered into the hart of man, that they shall then inherit, and most surelie enioie; although heere they bee tormented, prisoned, burned, solicited of Sathan, tempted of the flesh, and intangled with the world, wherethrough they are in∣forced to crie; Thy kingdome come. Come Lord Iesu &c.

How amiable are thy tabernacles? Like as the hart desireth the water brookes, so longeth my soule after thee O God. Now Lord let thy seruant depart in peace. I desire to be dissolued, and to be with Christ. We moorne in our soules, waiting for the deliuerance of our bodies, &c.

Oh gratious Lord, when shall I find such mercie with thee, that I may repent, beleeue, hope, and looke for these things, with the full fruition of those heauenlie ioies, which thou hast promised and prepared for all them that feare and loue thee, and so rest with thee for euer∣more?

Amen.

2. Peter 3, 10, 11, 12.

The daie of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night, in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noise, and the element shall melt with heate, and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp.

Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissol∣ued, what manner persons ought yee to be in holie con∣uersation and good liues, looking for the hastning vnto the comming of God, by the which the heauens beeing on fire, shall be dissolued, and the elements shall melt with heate!