The general session conteining an apologie of the most comfortable doctrine concerning the ende of this world, and seconde comming of Christ, written by Thomas Rogers. The first part, wherein for the comfort of the godlie is proued not onely that God wil, but also that he doth iudge this world.

CHAP. 10. (Book 10)

Whether God do iudge this present world, or no. (Book 10)

BVt one perhaps wil saie, yea, I thanke God, I vtterlie detest al such as either doubt-of, or anie waie denie the general iudgemēt to come; I beleeue it shal come, and I praie God it maie come this weeke before the next. For doubtlesse wee had neede of à iudgement, wee haue lacked iustice à great while: too to long hath god neglected his seruants, too to long hath he winked at the vngodlie, and suffered his faithful children either with pouertie, or with infamie, or with slauerie, or with per secutiō, or with one crosse or other to be afflicted: where-as the wicked, theie doe continue for riches, welthie; for health, lustie; for auctoritie, of countenance; e∣uerie waie at their hearts ease, florishing, iocunde, and happie.

This I knowe manie doe thinke; and some, comparing the state of the godlie in this world, and of the wiked together, wil not let to saie so much: not considering that by such words they vtter out as dan∣gerous, and damnable opinions, as anie of them are which they doe detest. Where∣fore, albeit when I tooke this discourse in hand, I thought not to handle this que∣stion: yet, because I see both how it sprin∣geth of y^e premises, & is also very needful

to be discussed in these wicked daies, and the handling thereof beside wil much confirme the mindes of the weake, & ad∣uance the glorie of almightie God, I wil alleage such proofes for the affirmatiue part, as no cause, I hope, shalbe left of doubting, whether GOD hath care of this seruants, or doe iudge mankinde in this world.

Thou therefore who saiest, God hath no care of the godlie in this worlde,* 1.1 an∣swere I praie thee, is hee their father? If thou saiest, No; thine wordes shal con∣demne thee. For thou saiest in thy daielie praier, O our Father. If thou saiest, Yea; then hath he à fatherlie affection toward his children. For can a woman forget her childea 1.2, and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe? Though theie should forget: yet wil not God forget his children. God then doth not forget, naie he can∣not but haue à care of the godlie, because they are his children. If therefore with∣out great follie it cannot bee saide, that earthlie fathers wil neglect their chil∣dren; without extreme folishnesse thou canst not saie, God neglecteth the godly: because he is their father.

Againe, is he their Lord? If thou saiest,

No, whie dost thou serue him? whie dost thou feare him? whie doest thou dreade his displeasure? if thou saiest, yea; then doth he gouerne; and if he gouerne, hee doeth iudge. For where à gouernement is, there is also administration of iustice. If therefore without great absurditie, it cannot be denied y^t he is à Lord; without foule absurdities thou canst not deny that he iudgeth: because he is a Lord.

If thou saiest, he is à Lord but in litle, he doth not the office of à Lorde, he exe∣cuteth no iustice: in sayeng so, thou be∣wraiest thy madnes. For what realme; naie, what towne; naie, what house; naie what one man can prosper without à go∣uernour? For an house without an inhabiter commeth quicklie to decare; à ship without à master, goeth to warcke; and à bodie without à soule cannot liue, and do wel. So Lactanti∣usb 1.3. Then if smal things, in the iudgemēt of the wise, must needs be gouerned; the whole worlde is gouerned: and if go∣uerned, then iudged. For hee that is à gouernour, is a iudge. If therefore with∣out meere madnesse it cannot bee saide that smal thinges can continue with∣out gouernours: it is extreme madnesse to saie, God iudgeth not the worlde: be∣cause

he is gouernour of the same.

He gouerneth the world, thou wilt say, but hee iudgeth not among men; for the innocēt are oppressed of the wicked. But listen, can God, thinkest thou, iudge the whole worlde, and yet not iudge à part? Or wil he gouerne things senselesse, and liuelesse, and neglect reasonable men?

Againe, if he be à iudge, and yet doe no iustice, what doest thou make him, but à rechles, & careles person, one that fetteth al at sixe and seuen, not caring which end goeth-forward? which thing thou canst not conceiue in thy mind, much lesse re∣port, without great impudencie; and as∣sure thy selfe God wil not hold thee gilt∣lesse for thinking so of him, who is onelie wisec 1.4.

Last of al, I aduise thee, O mā, take heed what thou saiest. for, if thou grant, as thou canst not denie, that God iudgeth al men, and yet saiest the innocent are punished, or oppressed without iust cause whie, and the wicked cherished; then is he not à righteous iudge; and if not righteous, then à tyran; which is blasphemie be it either thought or spoken. Wherefore laie thine hand vpon thy mouth.

These are good reasons, thou confessest.

If they bee, they wil perswade thee, bee thou à reasonable man. Happilie, thou lookest for scripture. Wouldst thou haue it proued that God doth iudge? God is the iudge of the whole worldd 1.5. He sitteth in his throne and iudgeth righte 1.6. That God hath care of y^e godly? Behold the eie of the Lorde is vpon thē that feare him, & vpon them that trust in his mercief 1.7. That he hath cōsidera∣tion too of y^e wicked? The face of the lord is against thē that do euil, to cut-off their remē∣brance from the earthg 1.8. That he beholdeth y^e waies of al men? The Lord looketh downe from heauen, and beholdeth al the children of menh 1.9. From the habitation of his dwelling, he beholdeth al thē that dwel in the earth, euen, the euil & the good, & that in euerie placei 1.10.

Thou seest therefore first, that God doth nowe iudge, that thou maist thinke al iu∣stice is not reserued vntil y^e time to come. Secondlie that God hath an eie vpon the godlie, that thou maist note howe hee is charie ouer them. Thirdly, how his face is against them that do euil, that thou maiest vnderstand, howe his wrath is kindled a gainst the wicked. Last of al, howe he be∣holdeth al men, that thou maist know, how he neglecteth no man: and not giue∣out, that he winketh at the wicked. For

he beholdeth, the good for their welfare, and the euil to their destruction. With whō looke thou to haue à part, who deniest that God be∣holdeth the waies of mē. And not onely know thou that God doth cleerelie behold thee, but acknowledge also that he wil assuredly cōdēne thee. For seing the face of the Lord is against them that doe euil, to cut-off their remem∣brance from the earth: of the gouernement of of God it must ensue, that thou who through infidelitie deniest the countenance of God, must through destruction vnderstand the wrath of the beholder, saide Saluianusk 1.11, and so doe I.

But the more to preuaile, vnto these reasons, and testimonies of scripture, I wil annexe moste euident examples of the iudgementes of God. For, if wee into the holie Bible,* 1.12 wee shal finde the same to be euen à glasse as it were of God his iudgementes from time to time. For our first Parents Adam & Euah were ex∣pelled out of Paradisel 1.13, through the iu∣stice of God. The murther which Kain committed, was reuenged* 1.14 through the iustice of God. The whole worlde was drownedn 1.15; Babel ouerthrowneo 1.16; So∣dome and Gomorh burnedp 1.17; Pharao and al his host brought vnto destructionq 1.18,

through the iustice of God.* 1.19 Againe, that Noah and his housholde were pre∣seruedr 1.20; Lot with his wife and daugh∣ters saueds 1.21; Moses and the Israëlites, deliueredt 1.22, it was through the same iu∣stice of God.* 1.23 Againe, that Dauid in the the deflouring of his wife; rauishement of his daughter; rebellion of his sonnes; banishement from his kingdome; defecti∣on of his subiectes; and in the odious death of his sonne Absolom was puni∣shed; what was it but the righteous iudg∣ment of God, for his sinnes committed against the cōmandements of the Lord?

In al these examples, saith Saluianusu 1.24, what is there not? would you see à ruler? Lo, he both reformeth that which is presently a∣••isse & disposeth thinges to come. Would you see à seuere iudge? Lo, he punisheth malefa∣ctors. Would you see à iust, yet à merciful iudg? Lo, he spareth the innocent. Would you see yet à iudge in al thinges? Lo, here is iudge∣ment. For he reproueth as à iudge, and go∣uerneth as à iudge. A iudge pronoūceth sen∣tence, à iudge condemneth the guiltie, and à iudge rewardeth the innocent. Againe saith hex 1.25, And althese thinges, Whie? Whie? but that we should vnderstand that as God hath iudged and punished; so he wil euermore.

And therefore we reade how euen holie men were corrected afore time by the iudgement of God, that we should know how God wil iudg vs in this present world. Because God, as he liueth alwaie, so he iudgeth alwaie; as his omnipotencie lasteth euer, so his righteousnes edndureth; and as he is eternal, so is his iustice from age vnto age.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Diuers reasons, and arguments, prouing that God iudgeth mankinde.
• a 1.2

  Isai. 49, 15.
• b 1.3

  Lactant. de falsa Sap. ca. 10.
• c 1.4

  1. Tim. 1, 17.
• d 1.5

  Gen. 18, 25.
• e 1.6

  Psal. 9, 4.
• f 1.7

  Psal. 33, 18.
• g 1.8

  Psal. 34, 16.
• h 1.9

  Psal. 33, 14. 15.
• i 1.10

  Prou. 15, 3
• k 1.11

  Saluianus de gubernat. Dei. lib. 2.
• * 1.12

  Examples of God his iudge∣ments in fore∣time.
• l 1.13

  Gen. 3, 23.
• * 1.14

  Gen 4. 10. 11.
• n 1.15

  Gen. 7, 21.
• o 1.16

  Gen. 11, 6.
• p 1.17

  Gen. 19, 23. 24,
• q 1.18

  Exod. 14, 23.
• * 1.19

  27. 28.
• r 1.20

  Gen. 7, 23.
• s 1.21

  Gen. 19. 16.
• t 1.22

  Exod. 14, 21. 22.
• * 1.23

  Wisd. 10, 15. 16.
• u 1.24

  Saluianus de gubernas. Dei. lib 1.
• x 1.25

  Saluianus de gubernat. Dei lib. 2.