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Thvrsdaie Nighte. Of the Generall Daye of Ivdgement

THIS DAIE (WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse, and prepared thy selfe hereunto,) thou hast to meditate vpon the daie of the generall iudgement, that by meanes of this consideration those two principall effectes maye be stirred vp in thy sowle, which euerie faithfull Christian ought to haue, to wit: the feare of God, and the abhorringe of sinne.

CONSIDER first what a terrible daie that shalbe,1 in which the causes of all the children of Adam shalbe througlie examyned, the proces of all our liues diligently perused, and a generall definitiue sentence geuen what shall become of vs all for euermore.

That daie shall comprise in it all the daies of all the ages, and times, both present, past, and to come. For vpon that daie the worlde shall rēdre an accompte of all these times. And then shall almightie God power out the anger, and indignation, which he hath gathered together in all ages. How violentlie shall the maine floude of gods wrathe, and indignation breake out at that daie, which conteineth in it so manie floudes of anger, and wrathe, as there haue bene sinnes committed since the beginninge of the worlde vntill that daie. And therefore the Prophet had good cause to saie: That daie shalbe a daie of anger: 2 a daie of calamitie, and miserie: a daie of obscuritie, and darckenes: a daie of cloudes, and tempestious stormes: a daie of the trompette, and alarom against the stronge cities, and against the highe towers.

3 Secondly, consider what fearefull and terrible signes shall goe before this daie. For (as our Sauiour saieth,) Before the comminge of this daie, there shalbe signes in the Sonne, in the Moone, and in the Sterres, and in all creatures both of heauen, and earthe. For they shall all haue as it were a certayne feelinge and vnderstandinge of their ende,4 before they come to their ende in deede. And shall tremble, and quake, and beginne to falle before they falle in deede. But as for men they shall (saieth he) goe vp and downe drie, and withered,5 in great anguishe, and feare of death, hearinge the terrible roringes of the Sea, and seinge the great outragious stormes, and tempestes, that shall then be stirringe. And by those dreadfull signes they shall coniecture what great calamities and miseries are threatened to the worlde. And in this wise shall they goe wholy amased, and astonied: their faces pale, and wāne: theyr hartes dead before deathe come: and as persons condemned before the sentence be geuen. For they shall measure the perilles and daungers to come, by the greate feare and terrour they be presentelie in. And euerie one shalbe so throughlie occupied with his owne affaires, that none shall thinke of others: no not so much as the father of the sonne, or the sonne of the father. No man shall haue to doe for anie other man: because no man shalbe sufficient for himselfe alone. The Sibilles doe affirme, that at that time the beastes shall goe bellowinge and roringe throughe the feildes, and cities: and that the trees shall sweate bloude: and that the Sea shall cast vp the fisshes on the drie grounde. But if this seeme incredible to anie man, let him consider that there is much more spoken in the gospell. For it is a greater matter for men to be dried vp,6 than for the sea to be dried vp. And it is a greater matter that the vertues of the heauens shoulde be moued, than that all creatures in the earthe shoulde be altered.

Thirdlie, consider that vniuersall floude of fier,7 that shall come before the iudge, and that dreadfull sownde of the trompett, which the Archangell shall blowe, to sommon and calle all the generatiōs of the worlde to assemble together in one place, and to be present at their generall and vniuersall iudgemente. And aboue all this, consider with what a dreadfull maiestie the Iudge shall come. Whose comminge is described by the Prophet Nahum in these wordes: Our Lorde shall come like a tempest, and furious whyrlewinde, and the clowdes are the dust of his feete. He shal take indignation against the Sea, and it shall waxe drie, and all the riuers of the earthe shalbe dried vp. The hill Basan, and Carmelus, shalbe withered, and the floure of the mounte Libanus shall fade and falle awaye. The mountaines shall qwake before him, and the hilles shall melte: The earth shall tremble at his presence, and the worlde and all the inhabitantes thereof. Who shall stande before the face of his indignation? And who shall abide the fearcenes of his furie? His wrathe shalbe poured out like a fire, and the verie rockes shall become dust before him.

8 After this, consider what a strait accompte shalbe there required of euerie man. Verelie (saieth Iob) no man can be iustified, if he be compared with almightie God, and if he contende with him in iudgment, of a thousande thinges that he shall charge him withall, he shall not be able to answere vnto one. Now then what shall euerie wicked person thinke at that tyme when almightie God shall enter with him in this examination,9 ād shal there within his owne cōsciēce saie thus vnto him: Come hither thou wicked and naughtie man. What hast thou seene in me, that thou shouldest thus despise me, and goe to myne enemies syde? I haue raised thee from the dust of the earthe, and created thee after myne owne image, and likenes. I haue geuen thee vertue, and strengthe, wherewith thou mightest haue obteined my glorie. But thou despisinge the benefites and commaundementes of lyfe, which I haue geuen thee, wouldest rather followe the lies of the deceiuer, than the holesome counsell of thy Lorde and creator. To deliuer thee from this foule falle I went downe from heauen into earth, where I suffered the greast paynes, tormentes, and reproches, that euer were suffered in the worlde. For thee haue I fasted: for thee haue I traueyled from place to place: for thee haue I watched, laboured, and sweate droppes of bloude: for thee haue I suffered persecutions, scourginges, blasphemies, reproches, buffettinges, dishonours, tormentes, and euen deathe it selfe vpon the crosse. To be shorte, for thee I was borne in much pouertie: for thee I liued in great paine: for thee I died with intollerable tormentes, and greifes. Witnes hereof are this crosse, and nailes, which thou here now seest: Witnes hereof are these woundes both of my handes, and feete, which are here to be seene in my bodie: Witnes hereof are heauen and earthe, before whom I suffered: Witnes hereof are the sonne, and moone, which were eclipsed at the same howre. Now what hast thou done with this thy sowle, which I with the sheedinge of myne owne bloude purchased to be mine? In whose seruice hast thou emploied that which I bought so dearly? O foolishe wicked and adulterous generation, why wouldest thou rather serue thy enemie with paine, than me thy creator, and redeemer, with ioye? Be yee astonied (ô ye heauens) at this straunge case, and let your gates falle downe at the straungnes hereof.10 For two abhominations hath my people committed: They haue forsaken me, that am the fountaine of liuely water, and refused me for an other Barrabas. I called yow verie oftentimes, and ye woulde not answere me. I knocked at your gates, and ye woulde not awake. I stretched out my handes on the crosse, and ye woulde not beholde them. Ye haue despised my counsels, with all my promises, and threatninges. Wherefore speake ye now ô ye Angels: be you iudges betwene me, and my viniarde: what coulde I haue done more for it, than I haue done?

Now what answere can the wicked make hereunto?11 Such as be scoffers at holie and diuine thinges? Such as be mockers of vertue? Such as be despisers of simplicitie? Such as make more accompte of the lawes and statutes of the worlde, than of the lawes of almightie God? Such as haue bene deaffe to heare the callinges of God: vnsensible to vnderstande his inspirations: rebellious against his commaundementes: obdurate and vnthankfull for all his chastisementes, and benefites? What can they saie? What answere will those persons make, that haue liued in such sorte, as if they had beleeued that there were no God? And such as haue made none accompte of anie other lawe but onely how to procure their owne worldly interest and commoditie? What will ye doe (saieth the Prophet Esaie) in the daie of the visitation, and calamitie,12 that shall come vpon you from afarre? Vnto whom will ye flye for succour and helpe? What shall the glorie and aboundance of your landes and riches at that tyme auaile you, but that yee maie be caried awaye prisoners into hell, and there falle emonge the deade?

After all this, consider the terrible sentence, which the Iudge shall thunder out against the wicked: And that dreadfull sayeinge,13 which shall make the eares of all that shall heare it to glowe and tingle. His lippes (saieth the Prophet Esaie) are full of indignation, and his tonge is like a consuminge fier. What fier shal burne so hoat, as those wordes:14 Departe from me ye cursed into the euerlastinge fier. 15 This is the most terrible sayeinge that can be saied to a creature. For by this departure and separation is vnderstode the paine which the diuines calle Penam damni: that is the losse of all losses. Which is a vniuersall spoile of all thinges, and a depriuation of that cheiffest goodnes (to witt of almightie God) in whom all good thinges doe consist. Now whither shall those cursed wicked persons goe ô Lorde, that shall depart from thee? In what hauen shall they arriue? What master shall they serue?16 Whosoeuer they be that shall departe from thee, shalbe written in earthe, because they haue forsaken the vaine ād springe of the water of lyfe, which is almightie God. The greatest punnishement that the Romaines vsed to put a Citizen vnto for certein greiuous offences, was to bannishe him out of the noble cittie of Rome, and to cōfine him into some Ilande aparte emonge some Barbarous natiō. Now if it were thought so great a punnishement to be bannished out of the cittie of Rome, what a punnishement shall this be, to be bannished out of the companie of almightie God, and of all his electe? Yea, and to be bannished for euer and euer into the companie of Satan, and of those Barbarous helhowndes.

Depart from me (saieth Christ) ye cursed: 17 As if he shoulde saie: I haue inuited you with my blessinge, and ye would not come, now therefore take ye my curse to your despite. The wicked man, (saieth the Prophet) loued maledictiō, 18 and it came vpon him, and he refused the blessinge, (that almightie God offered vnto him,) and therefore it shalbe kept farre enoughe from him. 19 Our Sauiour Christ cursed the figtree,20 and immediatle not onelie the leaues, but euen also the bodie, and routes of the tree withered awaie, so as it neuer brought frute anie more. In like maner shall those miserable damned persons be accursed and vtterlie depriued of all hope of saluation, and of all frute, and merite for euermore.

But whither doest thou sende them ô Lorde? Vnto euerlastinge fyer. O what a bedde is this for delicate, and tender persons?21 Which of you (saieth the Prophet) is able to dwell in the burninge fyer? Which of you is able to continewe in the euerlastinge flames? What greater curse and malediction can there be than this? What calamitie, what sentence, what aduersitie, maie be compared with the onely shadowe of this?22 This is that terrible and fearfull fier, which the Prophet Esaie settethe forthe in these wordes: The streames thereof shalbe turned into meltinge pitche, and the dust of the earthe into sulphure, and brimstone, and the verie earthe of it shalbe whollie burninge pitche. It shall not be quenched nighte, nor daie: The smooke of it shall goe vp euermore. It shall be desolat from generation to generation. No man shall euer passe throughe it.

THE FOVRTHE TREATISE. OF THE CONSIDERATION OF the generall daie of iudgemente: wherein the former…

GREAT are the effectes vndoubtedlie which the feare of God worketh in the sowle. Who so feareth God (saieth Ecclesiasticus) it shall goe well with him at his last ende, 23 and on the daie of his death he shalbe blessed. 24 And in an other place he saieth: How great is that man, that hath atteined vnto wisedome, and knowledge, but be he neuer so great, he is no greater than he that feareth God. For the feare of God hath placed his seate aboue all thinges. Blessed is that man, to whom it is geuen to feare our Lorde. He that hath this feare, with whom shall we compare him? For the feare of God is the beginninge of his loue. All these be the wordes of Ecclesiasticus. Whereby it appeareth plainly,25 that the feare of God is the beginninge of all goodnes, (sithence it is the beginninge of his loue.) And it is not onely the beginninge, but also the keie, and preseruation of all good thinges. As S. Bernarde witnesseth, sayeinge: I knowe this for a most certaine truth, 26 that there is no thinge of so great force and efficacie to kepe vs in the grace of God, as to liue at all times in the feare of him, and to eschewe alwaies all maner of prowde and presumptuouse thoughtes.

Now to obteine this so pretious a Iewell, it auayleth very muche to occupie our minde in the consideratiō and continuall remēbrance of the iudgemēte of almightie God,27 and aboue all other thinges, in the cōsideratiō of that supreme and final general iudgemēt, that shalbe geuē in the ende of the worlde. This iudgement is the most dreadfull thinge, of all that the holie scriptures declare vnto vs. For the thinges that are there signified vnto vs of this daie are so terrible, that were it not that almightie God himselfe reported them, they woulde seime altogether incredible. And therefore our Sauiour after he had preached, and set out certaine of thē to his disciples, the greatnes of thē was such, that they seemed to exceide the cōmon credulitie, and faith of men, in regarde whereof he ended the matter with this affirmatiō,28 sayeinge: Verily, verily, I saie vnto you, that the worlde shall not ende before all these thinges be fulfilled. For heauen and earthe shall faile, but my worde shall neuer faile.

It is written in the Actes of the Apostles,29 that when S. Paule preached before the president of Iudea of the terrible thinges of this daie, the same president beganne to tremble, and quake, at the wordes which the Apostle spake, notwithstandinge that he was an infidell, and had no beleefe at all in this misterie. Whereby it maie appeare, what terrible thinges those were, that the Apostle then spake of, sith the onelie sownde of them was able to cause such a great feare and tremblinge in a man that did not beleeue them. Now the Christian that belieueth them, and holdeth them for a matter of faith, what a liuelie sense and feelinge shoulde he haue in these thinges, when he heareth, readeth, or considereth them?

And let no man thinke to excuse him selfe, pretendinge innocencie, and sayeinge, that these threatninges are not spoken vnto him, but to vniust and wicked persons.30 For S. Ierome was a iust man, and yet for all that he saiede: That so often as he remembred the daie of iudgment, both his hart and bodie trembled for verie feare. The Prophet Dauid also was a iust man, yea, he was a man accordinge to Gods owne hart, and yet for all this he had so great a feare of the accompt of this daie, that he saiede in a certain Psalme:31 O Lorde enter not into iudgmente with thy seruaunt, for in thy sight no man lyuinge shalbe iustified. The holie man Iob likewise was a most innocent, and iust man, and yet for all that he liued in such exceedinge feare all the daies of his lyfe, that he reporteth thus of himselfe,32 and saieth: Like as he that saileth in the middes of a stormye tempest is in great feare when he seeth the furious raginge waues comminge vpon him: euen so haue I trembled alwaies before the maiestie of almightie God, and my feare hath bene so passinge great, that I was not able to abide the heauie burthen thereof. But aboue all these, the Apostle S. Paule was a verie iust man, and yet for all that he saide thus of himselfe:33 I feele no remorse of conscience of any thinge that I haue done amisse, and yet I accompte not my selfe safe, and secure, forsomuche as our Lorde is he that shalbe my iudge.

As if he had sayed in expresse wordes: Manie times it maie happen, that in our owne sight we finde our selues to be without blemishe in our workes, and yet in the sight of almightie God we be farre otherwise. For that which lieth hidden from the eies of men, is not hidde from the eies of almightie God. Vnto a rude and vnskilfull painter the worke that he hath drawen seemeth to be verie perfect: but a conninge and skilfull painter will finde manie defectes worthie to be noted in it. Now how farre greater defectes and imperfections shall the most highe goodnes and wisedome of almightie God finde in a creature so euill inclined as man is:34 Who (as Iob saieth) drincketh sinne, and iniquitie, as it were water. Againe, if the swoorde of almightie God did finde so much to be pared of in heauen, how much more shall it finde in earthe, which bringeth forthe nothinge els but brambles, and bryers? And who is he that hath all the corners of his sowle so pure, and cleane, but that he shall haue neide to saie with the Prophet:35 Ab occultis meis munda me Domine: Cleanse me ô Lorde from my secrete synnes.

Wherefore it behoueth all men to liue in greate feare and dreade of this daye of iudgmente, be their lyfe neuer so iust: seinge the daie is so dreadfull, our lyfe so faultie, and the Iudge so iust: and aboue all, seinge his iudgementes be so secrete, and profounde, that no man knowethe what lotte shall falle vnto him. But (as our sauiour saieth:36) Two shalbe in the feilde, the one shalbe taken, and th' other forsaken: Two in one bedde, the one shalbe taken, and th' other forsaken: 37 Two grindinge in one mille, the one shalbe taken, and th' other forsaken. In which wordes we be geuen to vnderstande, that of such persons as are all of one same state, and maner of lyfe, some shalbe caried vp to heauen, and some throwen downe into the bottomles pitt of hell; insomuch as by this and manie other places of the holie scriptures it playnlie appeareth, that no man can accompte him selfe secure, and assured to be saued,38 so longe as he liueth in this frayle and transitorie lyfe.

How rigorous the daie of Iudgement shalbe. § I

TO cōsider wel of the greatnes of this iudgement, thou must first presuppose, that there is no tonge in the worlde able to expresse the least parte of the troubles, that shalbe vpon this daie.

And therefore the Prophet Ioell beinge desirous to speake of the greatnes thereof, fownde his wittes and senses so weake, and confounded, that he beganne to stutte and stammer like a childe, and to saie,39 A! a! a! what a daie shall that be? The like maner of speache vsed the Prophet Ieremie,40 when almightie God woulde sende him to preach: to signifie that he was an infante, and altogether vnable to discharge so great an embassie, as he was appointed by almightie God to doe. And the same maner doth the Prophet Ioel vse euen at this time, to geue vs to vnderstande, that there is no tonge in the worlde, that will not stutte and stammer like a childe, when it shall goe about to signifie what thinges shall happen vpon this dreadfull daie.

Vpon this daie almightie God will reduce all such filthines as the wicked haue caused in the worlde through their wicked workes, to his first dewe forme, and comelines. And as their filthie and wicked actes haue bene manie, and great, euen so must the purifyenge of them be proportionable to the actes committed. And so shall the worlde be so much bewtified by the punishement of the wicked, as it hath bene defiled and disfigured throughe their offences. When a man hath by reason of some great falle put his arme out of ioynte, the more it is out of iointe, the more griefe and paine must he afterwardes abide, before it can be set in iointe againe, and brought to his dewe proper place. Now whereas the wicked haue disordered all thinges in this worlde, and set them out of iointe, and wrenched them out of their naturall places, when that heauenly reformer shall come to restore the worlde by punnishemēt of so manie disorders, how great shall the punnishement be, where so manie and so great disorders haue bene?

This dreadfull daie is called not onely the daie of Anger, but also the daie of our Lorde, as the Prophet Ioel tearmeth it.41 Geauinge vs thereby to vnderstāde, that all other daies haue bene the daies of men, in which they haue fulfilled their owne willes against the wil of god, but this daie is called the daie of our Lorde, because vpō this daie our Lorde will doe his will against the will of men. Thou doest now sweare, and forsweare, and blaspheme, and almightie God in this meane while holdeth his peace, and sayeth nothinge vnto it: but be thou well assured the daie shall come when almightie God will breake of his lōge silence of so manie daies, and of so manie iniuries, ād will answere for his owne honour.42 So that there be no more but two daies in the worlde: the one is the daie of our Lorde, and the other the daie of men. Man whiles his daie endureth maye doe whatsoeuer he listeth, and almightie God will holde his peace, and as it were wincke at all his doinges. Vpon this daie the Kinge Sedechias maie commaunde the Prophet of God to be cast into a well, and breade to be geuen vnto him by vnces. He maie vse and abuse the Prophet at his pleasure, and at all those iniuries almightie God will holde his peace. But after this daie there will come an other daie, and almightie God will take kinge Sedechias, and depriue him of his kingedome: he will destroie Ierusalem, and bringe kinge Sedechias in fetters before the kinge of Babilon, and there shall all his sonnes and friendes be murdered before his face. There shall he commaunde his eies (which were preserued to see so manie miseries) to be plucked out of his head: which done, he shall cause him to be caried in fetters to Babilon, and confyne him into a prison, there to remaine all the daies of his lyfe. So that as man hath libertie to doe vpon his daie whatsoeuer he listeth, without anie restraint, or impediment at all: euen so will almightie God haue free libertie to doe vpon his daie whatsoeuer his will and pleasure shalbe, and no man shalbe able to let or disturbe him.

Of the signes that shall goe before the daie of the generall Iudgemente. § II

FINALLIE, if thou desire to vnderstande what maner of daie this shalbe, consider what signes shall goe before it. For by the signes thou shalt perceiue what the thinge shalbe that is signified: as by the eueninge, and Vigile, thou mayste vnderstande what the feast of the daie shalbe.

First of all, when that daie shalbe, no man knoweth:43 no, not the Angels in heauen, nor yet the sonne himselfe (to reueile it to anie other) but the father onely. Howbeit certaine signes shall goe before it, whereby men maie prognosticate not onely of the nearnes of the daie, but also of the greatnes and dreadfulnes thereof.44 For as our Sauiour saieth: Before the comminge of this daie there shalbe great warres and troubles in the worlde. Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdome against kindome: And there shalbe great earthquakes in manie places, and pestilence, and famine, and terrible thinges appearinge in the aier, and other great signes and wonders.

And (which is more dreadfull than all this) there shall come that great horrible persecution so oftentimes mentioned in the holie Scriptures,45 which shalbe executed by the most crewell persecutor that euer the Catholike Churche hath had, to witt, by Antichrist, who shall impugne the Catholike Churche most malitiouslie, not onelie with most crewell warres, and horrible tormentes, but also with apparant and feyned miracles. Consider now therefore with thy selfe (as the blessed holie Pope S. Gregorie saieth) what a terrible time that of Antichrist shalbe, when the godlie martir shall offer his bodie to the tormentor: and the tormentor shall worke miracles before his face. 46 To conclude, the tribulation of these daies (as our Sauiour saieth) shalbe so great, as the like was neuer since the beginninge of the worlde,47 nor neuer shalbe: insomuche that if almightie God of his great mercie did not prouide to shorten these daies, all fleashe shoulde not be saued: But for the electes sake, the daies (of Antichrist) shalbe shortened.

After these signes (as this daie of the generall iudgment draweth nearer, and nearer) there shall appeare other signes more dreadfull than these, in the Sonne, in the Moone, and in the Sterres. Of which dreadfull signes our Lorde spake by his Prophet Ezechiel, sayeinge: I will cause the sterres of heauen to be darckened ouer thee, and I will couer the Sonne with a clowde, and the Moone shall not shewe fourthe her lighte. And I will cause all the lightes of heauen to mourne, and lamente ouer thee. And I will sende darcknes ouer all the lande. Now when these great signes and alterations shall appeare in the heauens, what maie we looke for vpon the earthe, which is wholly gouerned by the heauens? We see in a common weale, that when the heades that gouerne it are in anie tumulte, all the other members and partes thereof are also in a like tumulte, and vprore, and the whole commonweale is tossed and tormoyled with armes, and dissention.

Now if all this bodie of the worlde be gouerned by the vertues and influences of the heauens, in case both the heauens and this bodie be altered, and out of their naturall order, in what ruthfull case thē shall all the members and partes be, that depende of them? The aier shalbe full of lighteninges, whyrlewindes, and blasinge sterres: The earthe shalbe full of wyde yawninge cleiftes, fearfull tremblinges, and quakinges. And these earthquakes (as it is thought) shalbe so great, and violent, that they shalbe able to ouerthrowe not onely the sumptuous pallaces, highe towers, and stronge Castels, but euen the verie mountaines and rockes them selues shalbe also shaken and ouerwhelmed by them, and quite remoued out of their places. But most of all other elementes the Sea shall at that tyme shewe greatest rage, and furie, and the waues thereof shalbe so highe, and so furious, that it shall seeme that they will vtterlie ouerwhelme all the whole earthe. Such as dwell by the Sea side shalbe in great dread and terror by reason of the great rysinge of waters: and such as dwell further of shalbe wounderfullie afraide of the horrible roringes, and noyces of it, which shalbe so extremelie outragious, that they shalbe hearde manie myles of.

In what a pittiefull case then I praie you shall men be in these daies? How shall they be astonied, confounded, yea vtterlie bereued of their senses, of their speach, and of their tast of all thinges?48 Our Sauiour saieth that at this time the people shalbe in great anguishe, and distres, and that men shall goe as thoughe they were withered, and dried vp, and had no lyfe in them, by reason of the great feare of those thinges that shall happen to the worlde. Then shall they saie one to an other: What meaneth this? What doe these terrible prognostications signifie? What will the worlde at the length bringe forthe, that it now swelleth and rageth in such furious wise? What shall the ende be of all these so great tossinges and alterations of all thinges? Now after this sort shall men goe vp and downe sore afraide, and dismaide, their hartes failinge them, and carienge their armes a crosse, and one of them lokinge pittiefullie vpon an other. And they shalbe in so great dread, and feare, beholdinge one an other to be so farre chaunged, and disfigured, that euen that alone were enoughe to dismaie thē, although there were nothinge els to be feared. All occupations and trades of the worlde shall then ceasse euerie where: and so shall in like maner all studie, and desire of purchasinge, and gayninge. For the greatnes of the feare shal holde mens hartes so throughly occupied, that they shall not onely forget these thinges, but they shall also forget euen to eate, and drinke, and to doe suche thinges as are necessarie for the maintenance and sustentation of their liues. Their cheifest care shalbe where to seike out sure and safe places to defende them selues from earthquakes, and from the tempesteous stormes of the aier, and from the inundations of the Sea. And so men shall goe to hyde themselues in the caues and dennes of wylde beastes: And the wylde beastes shall seike likewise to saue them selues in the lodgynges and howses of men. And so all thinges shalbe tossed and turmoiled vpside downe, and be full of terror, and confusion. The present calamities shall afflicte them verie sore: but the greate dread and feare of those that are to come shall vexe them worse, because they knowe not what the ende shalbe, of such dolefull and lamentable beginninges. I wāte wordes to declare this matter, as it were requisite to be declared. And all that is saied, is much lesse then that, which shalbe in deede. We see euen now by experience when anie outragious tempest riseth in the Sea, or when anie stormy whirlwinde or earthquake happeneth vpon the lande, how wonderfullie men are dismaide, how they tremble, and be astonied, and how bothe their strengthe and wittes doe faile them. Now then when the heauen, the earthe, the Sea, and the aier shalbe whollie distempered, and disordered, when in all regions and elementes in the worlde there shalbe peculiare stormes, and tempestes, when the Sonne shall threaten with mourninge, the Moone with bloud, and the Sterres with their fallinges, who shalbe able to eate? Who shalbe able to sleepe? Who shalbe able to take so muche as one minute of rest, beinge compassed on each side with so manie outragious stormes, and tempestes? O how miserable and vnhappie is the state and condition of the wicked, who are threatened with all these fearefull prognostications? And contrariewise how blessed is the state of the good, and Godlie, vnto whom all these thinges are fauours, comfortes, and good tidinges of the happie prosperitie so neare at hande approchinge then vnto them? How ioyefully shall they then singe with the Prophet: God is our refuge, 49 and our strengthe, and therefore we will not feare thoughe the whole earthe be tossed, and tormoyled, and the mountaines be remoued, and falle into the bothome of the Sea. 50 Like as you vnderstande (saieth our Sauiour) when the figge tree, and all other trees, beginne to blossome, and to bringe fourthe their frute, that then the springe time draweth neare at hande, euen so when ye shall see these thinges come to passe, then maie ye perceiue, that the kingedome of God is at hande.

Then maie ye open your eies, and lift vp your head, because the daie of your redemtion approcheth. How ioyefull shall the good and vertuous then be? How well shall they thinke all their trauels, and labours employed? And contrariewise, how woefull and sorowfull shall the wicked be, and how sore shall they then condemne all the steppes, and waies, of their sinfull liues?

Of the ende of the worlde: and of the resurrection of the dead. § III

AFTER all these signes shall the comminge of the Iudge approche neare at hande, before whom there shall goe an vniuersall floude of fire,51 which shall burne and consume to ashes all the glorie of the worlde.

This fire shalbe to the wicked a beginninge of their paine: to the good a beginninge of their glorie: and vnto them that haue not made full satisfaction, it shalbe a purgatorie for their offences. Then shall all the glorie of the worlde haue an ende. Then shall the mouinges of the heauens, the course of the planettes, and the generation of thinges ceasse. Then shall the varietie of times, with all other thinges that depende of the heauens, haue an ende. And so S. Iohn writeth in the Apocalippes,52 That he sawe a mightie Angell clothed with a bright cloude. His face was like the sonne: he had a rainbow for a crowne on his head: his feete were like pillers of fier, of the which, one he sette on the Sea, and th'other vpon the lande. And he saieth, that this Angell lifted vp his arme towardes heauē, and sware by him that liueth euerlastinglie worlde without ende, that from thenceforthe there shoulde be no more time. That is to saie: that there shoulde be no mouinge of the heauens, nor of anie other thinge that is gouerned by them. And (which is more than all this) no place of penance, nor anie time to merite or demerite for the lyfe to come.

After this fyre there shall come (as the Apostle saieth) an Archangell with great power,53 and maiestie, and he shall sownde a trompette, (to wit:54 a great and terrible voyce) whose sounde shalbe hearde ouer all the partes of the worlde, and with this trompette he shall summon all nations to come to the generall iudgemente. This is that fearfull voyce, whereof S. Ierome speaketh: sayeinge, Whether I eate, or drinke, or whatsoeuer I doe, me seemeth alwaies that I heare that voyce soundinge in mine eares, which shall saie, rise vp all yee that are dead, and come to iudgemente. Who shall appeale from this sommons? Who shalbe able to auoide this iudgment? Whose hart shall not tremble and quake for feare, at the terrible sownde of this voyce? This voyce shall take from death all her spoiles, and cause her to restore againe all that she hath taken awaye from the worlde. And so S. Iohn saieth, that then The Sea shall restore the dead bodies, which it hath had. 55 And likewise both death, and hell, shall restore all those bodies that they haue. Now what a wounderfull sight shall that be, to see the Sea, and the earthe, to bringe forthe in all partes such varietie of bodies, and to see so manie huge armies, and so manie sortes and diuersities of nations and people assemble together? There shall the Alexanders appeare: There the Zerxes, and Artaxerxes: There the Dariies, and the Emperours of Rome, and the most mightie Kinges and puyssante Princes of the worlde, with an other maner of habite, and behauiour, and with other kinde of thoughtes, much differinge from those, that they had in this lyfe. To be shorte, there shall all the children of Adam meete together, euerie one to geue vp an accompte of his owne lyfe, and to be iudged accordinge to his workes.

56 Howbeit althoughe all persons shall rise agayne at that daye neuer to die anie more, yet shall there be a great differēce betwene bodies ād bodies. For the bodies of the iust shal rise verie bewtifull and bright like the Sonne. But the bodies of the wicked shall rise verie darke, and filthie, euen like vnto death it selfe. Now what a great ioye shall it be then vnto the sowles of the iust, to see their desire now fullie accomplished? What a ioye shal it be, to see thē selues after so longe a banishement to be vnited and ioyned euerlastingly in cēpanie with their most deare and louinge brethern? With what ioye maye the sowle saie then vnto the bodie? O my bodie,57 and faithfull companion, that hast holpen me to gaine this crowne, that hast so oftentimes fasted, watched, and suffered with me the painfull strookes and lashes of discipline, the trauell of pouertie, the crosse of penance, and the contradictions and reproches of the worlde? How often times hast thou spared the meate from thine owne belly, to geue it to the poore? How often hast thou lacked clothes thy selfe to clothe the naked? How often hast thou renounced and lost thine owne right, and title, for that thou wouldest not breake peace, and be at discention with thy neighbour? Wherefore it is meete that thou shouldest now be partaker of this heauenly treasure, seinge thou hast holpēme to gaine the same: And it is meete that thou shouldest be my companion in this my glorie, seinge thou hast bene my companion in all my paines, and labours. Thē shall these two faithfull friendes be ioyned together in one subiecte, not (as they were in this lyfe) with contrarie appetites, and desires, but with a leage of perpetuall peace, and conformitie. So as they maie singe, and saie for euer. Beholde what a good and ioyefull thinge it is, 58 for brethern to dwell together in one. But contrariewise, what a heauines, and greife shall it then be to the sowle of the damned person, when he shall see his bodie in an vglie forme, as there it shalbe geuen vnto him, to wit: blacke, filthie, stinckinge, and horrible. Then shal he saie: O cursed bodie! O beginninge, and ende of my paines, and sorowes! O cause of my damnation! Now art thou no more my companion, but mine enemie: Now art thou no more my helper, but my persecutor: Now art thou no more my habitation, but the chaine, and snare of my destruction. O cursed tast! How dearlie doe I paie now for thy delicacies, and delightes? O stinckinge fleashe, that hast thus brought me to these painfull horrible tormentes, by yeeldinge to thy lustes, and pleasures! What? Alas! is this the bodie for whose sake I cōmitted so manie sinnes? Were these the delightes of this bodie, that caused me vtterlye to cast awaie my selfe? Was it for this stinckinge muckhill, that I haue lost for euer the kingdome of heauen? Was it for this vyle and filthie carkas, that I haue lost for euer the glorie of lyfe euerlastinge? O ye infernall furies rise vp now against me, and teare and rent me in peeces, for I haue well deserued these horrible tormentes! Cursed be the daie of my vnfortunat birthe, seinge my happe must be so miserable, as to suffer euerlastinge tormentes in the most horrible pitt of hell, for so short pleasures, and delightes.

These and other more desperate wordes shall the dāned sowle speake vnto that bodie which she loued so exceedinglie in this trāsitorie worlde. But tell me ô miserable, sowle, why doest thou now so much abhorre that thinge, which heretofore thou louedst so well? Is not this fleashe thy dearlie beloued? Is not this the bellie, which thou madest thy God? Is not this the face, which thou diddest kepe so warily frō the sonne, and winde? Is not this the visage, which thou diddest paint with so manie artificiall coloures? Are not these the armes, and fingers, which glistered with ringes of golde, and dyamondes? Is not this the bodie, for whose sake searche was made both by lande, and Sea, to furnishe a table for it with all delicate and deintie disshes, to haue a fyne and softe bedde, to procure curious and costly garmentes? Who hath now so altered thy affection? Who hath made thy bodie to looke now so horrible, and vglie, which before seemed so faire, and amiable? Thou seest here now Christian brother, what ende the glorie of the worlde hath, with all the vayne pleasures and delightes of the bodie.

Of the comminge of the Iudge: Of the matter of the iudgement: And of the witnesses, and accusors,…

NOW when all mankinde shalbe raised againe, and assembled together in one place, expectinge the comminge of the Iudge,59 then shall he whom almightie God hath appointed to be iudge ouer the quicke and the dead come downe.60 And like as at his first comminge he came with verie great humilitie, and meikenes, inuitinge men vnto peace, and callinge them vnto penance: euen so at his seconde comminge he shall come with verie great maiestie, and glorie, accompanied with all the powers and principalities of heauen, threateninge all those with the furie of his anger, that refused to vse the meeknes of his mercie. At this time the feare and terrour of the wicked shalbe so great, that as the Prophet Esaie saieth,61 they shall seike the cliftes of stones, and the hollowe places of the rockes, to hide them selues therein, for the great feare they shall haue of oure Lorde, and of the glorie of his maiestie, when he commeth to iudge the worlde, To conclude, this feare shalbe so great,62 that as S. Iohn saieth, both the heauens and the earthe shall flye from the presence of the iudge, and shall finde no place where to hide them selues. Now ô ye heauens, why doe ye flye awaie? What haue ye done? Why are ye afraide? And if by the heauens be vnderstode the blessed spirites that are in heauen: O ye blessed spirites that were created and confirmed in grace,63 why doe ye flye awaie? What haue ye done? Why are ye afrayde? Vndowbtedly they are not afrayde for anie daunger that is towardes themselues, but they be afrayde to beholde in the iudge such a great maiestie, and indignation: the greatnes whereof shalbe able to stryke all the heauens with terrour, and admiration. When the Sea is outragious, and tempestious, euen he that standeth safe vpon the shore is in a kinde of feare and admiration. When the father goeth like a lion about his howse in punishinge his bond slaue, his innocent sonne is also afraide, although he knowe right well that his fathers rage is not bent against him, but against the slaue. Now what shall the wicked doe at this time, when euen the iust shalbe so greatly afrayd? If the heauens flye for feare, what shall the earthe doe? And if those that be wholly spirite doe tremble, and quake, what shall they doe that haue bene wholly fleashe?64 And if (as the Prophet saieth) the mountaines shall melt in this daie before the face of almightie God: What stonie harde hartes then haue we, that for all this be nothinge at all moued?

65 Before the Iudge there shall come that royall standarde of the crosse, to be a witnes of the redemption and remedie which almightie God sent to the worlde: and that the worlde woulde not receiue it. And so the holie crosse shall there iustifie the cause of almightie God, and leaue the wicked voide of al maner of comforte, and excuse. Then shall all nations of the earthe (saieth our Sauiour) weepe and lament: and they all shall stryke and beare vpon their brestes. O how great cause shall they then haue to weepe, and waile! They shall weepe, because at that tyme they can neither doe penancē, nor flye from the iustice of almightie God, nor appeale from his sentence. They shall bewaile their sinnes past, their shame present, and the tormentes that are to come. They shall bewaile their miserable happe, their vnfortunat birthe, and their cursed ende. For these and manie other causes they shall weepe, and waile verie bitterlie: and as persons whollie dismayed and fettered in all partes, and without all maner of comforte, and remedie, they shall wringe their handes, and stryke thē selues vpon their brestes.

66 Then shall the Iudge make a diuision betwene the euill, and the good: and place the goates at his left hande, and the sheepe at his right hande. O how happie and blessed shall those persons be, that shalbe though worthie to haue a place emonge those elected sheepe! O Lorde I most humblie beseeche thee let me haue tribulation here in this worlde: Punishe me here: cutte me in peeces here: burne me here, so that I maie there be placed at thy right hande. Then shall the generall iudgement beginne to be solemnised: and the causes of each one shalbe throughlie scanned, and examined: Accordinge as the Prophet Daniell writeth in these wordes.67 I stode (saieth he) attentiuely, and I sawe certaine seates set in their places, and the auncient of yeares sat downe, whose garmente was white as snowe, and the heare of his head like the pure wolle. The throne wherein he sat was like flames of fier, and the wheeles thereof like burninge fire. And a riuer of raginge fire issued and came forthe from before him. Thowsande thousandes were attendant to serue him, and tenne hundered thousande thowsandes stode waitinge before him. &c. I behelde all this in the vision of the night, and I sawe one comminge in the cloudes, who seemed to be the sonne of man. Hetherto are the wordes of the Prophet Daniell. Wherevnto S. Iohn addeth, and saieth.68 I sawe all the dead both great and smalle standinge before this throne, and there the bokes were opened: and an other boke opened which is the boke of lyfe, and the dead were iudged accordinge to the contentes in those bokes, accordinge to their workes.

Beholde here deare Christian brother the measure, whereby thou shalt be iudged. Beholde here the taxe, and prices, whereby all thinges that thou doest shalbe valued, and esteemed, and not by the fonde iudgement of the worlde, which hath the false and counterfeit weightes of Canaan in their handes,69 in whose ballance vertue and vice are iudged to be of smalle weight, and accompte. In these bokes are written all our whole lyfe, and that with such care, and diligence, that a worde hath no soner passed thy mowth, but it is foorthwith noted, and set in his proper register.

But of what thinges (trowe ye) will the Iudge require an accompte of vs?70 O Lorde (saieth Iob) thou hast nombered all the steppes of my lyfe. Certainly, there shall not be somuch as one idle worde, nor one onely thowghte whereof an accompte will not be required in that iudgement. Yea,71 and not onely of those thinges that we either thinke, or doe, but also of those that we leaue vndone: of such thinges I meane, as we are bownde to doe. If thou saie at the daie of Iudgment: ô Lorde, I haue not sworne: the Iudge will answere, that thy sonne, or thy seruant hath sworne, whom thy dutie was to haue chastised and corrected. And we shall geue an accompte not onely of our euill workes, but also euen of our good workes, with what intention and after what maner we did them. Finally, as S. Gregorie saieth:72 An accompte shall there be required of vs of euerie point and moment of our lyfe, how and after what sorte we haue spente them. Consideringe therefore that such a strait accōpte shalbe required of vs, how happeneth it, that we that beleue this as a most certaine truthe, doe neuerthelesse liue with such securitie, and negligence as we doe? Wherein doe we put our affiance? Wherewithall doe we perswade and flatter our selues in the middest of so manie dreadfull perilles and daungers? How commeth this to passe, that those persones that haue most cause to feare this dreadfull daye, doe least feare it, and those that haue least cause to feare it, doe liue in greatest feare thereof?73 Holie Iob was a iust man (for so almightie God witnessed of him with his owne mouthe) and yet for all this he liued in so great feare and dread of his accompte at the daye of Iudgment, that he saiede: What shall I doe, 74 when almightie God commeth to iudge, and when he beginneth to question with me, what answere shall I make vnto him? Suerlie these be wordes that procede from a verie sore afflicted, and troubled harte. What shall I doe saieth he: As if he had saiede: One care I haue that troubleth me continually: One naile I carrie alwaies fixed in my hart, that will not suffer me to take any rest. What shal I doe? Whither shall I goe? What answere shall I make, when almightie God shall enter into iudgemente with me? But ô holie and blessed man Iob, why art thou thus afrayd? Why art thou thus troubled ād vexed?75 Art not thou he that saiede: I haue bene a father vnto the poore, an eie vnto the blinde, and feete vnto the lame. Art not thou he that saied,76 that In all thy lyfe time thy hart neuer reproued thee of anie wicked deede. Now beinge a man of so greate innocencie, why ô holie Iob art thou thus afrayde? Trulie the cause is, for that this holie man knewe right well that almightie God looked not with fleashlie eies, and that he iudged not accordinge to the iudgemēte of men, in whose eies often times that thinge shyneth verie gaye and bright, which in the sight of almightie God is verie abhominable. Thou art ô holie Iob verie iust indede, yea euen for this cause thou arte verie iust, becauthou liuest in so great feare. This feare of this holie man Iob (my deare brethern) condemneth our false securitie. These wordes of his, ouerthrowe our vaine confidence. For which of vs hath at anie time in respecte of this care of our dreadfull accompte at the daye of Iudgment once refrained from his dynner, or supper, or broken his sleepe? Whereas those deuout godlie persons that thinke herevpon as they ought to thinke, doe oftentimes loose their sleepe, and their appetite to their meate, yea, and sometimes more than that also. We reade in the liues of the auncient holie fathers, that whā one of those holie mē sawe one of his scholers laughinge he reprehended him for it, and saiede: What? knowinge as thou doest, that thou must yeeld an accompte to almightie God before heauen and earthe, art thou (that notwithstādinge), so bolde as to laughe? This holie father thought that that mā which looked earnestly for this dreadfull accompt coulde hardly laughe.

Now as touchinge accusors, and witnesses, there shall not want in this behalfe. For our owne verie consciences shalbe witnesses and crie out against vs: All creatures which we haue abused shalbe witnesses against vs: And aboue all, our Lorde him selfe whom we haue offended shalbe also a witnes against vs: As he himselfe hath signified by one of his Prophetes, sayeinge:77 I wilbe a swifte witnes against inchaunters, adulterers, periured persons, and against those that seeke cauels to defeit the labourer of his daie wages, and against them that doe euill intreat the widowe, and Orphan, and oppresse pilgrimes, and straungers. For they doe not feare me, saieth our Lorde.

78 Neither shall there want accusors against the wicked. For the diuell himselfe shalbe a sufficient accusor: who (as S. Augustine writeth) shall alledge verie exactly before the iudge his right, and title, and shall saie vnto him. O most iust and righteous iudge, thou canst not of iustice but geue sentence and adiudge these wicked traitors to be myne: forsomuch as they haue bene alwaies myne, and haue in all thinges fulfilled my will. Thyne they were, (I graunt,) because thou diddest create them, and make them after thy Image, and likenes, and redeime them with thy bloude. But they haue defaced thy Image, and put on myne. They haue refused thyne obedience, and embraced myne. They haue dispised thy commaundementes, and obserued myne. They haue liued with my spirite. They haue imitated my workes. They haue walked in my steppes. And in each thinge haue followed my counsels. Consider how much more they haue bene myne than thyne, as appeareth herein, that notwithstandinge I gaue them nothinge, I promised them nothinge, nor laid my shoulders on the Crosse for them, yet haue they alwaies obeied my commaundementes, and not thyne. If I commaunded them to sweare, and forsweare, to robbe, and to kill, to commit adulterie, fornication, simonie, and vsurie, and to denie thy holie name, all this they did willingly, and with great facilitie. If I commaunded them to bestowe their landes, their goodes, their lyfe, and their sowle, for a point of honour, and estimation, which I perswaded them in anie wise to mainteine, or for a false delighte whereunto I inuited them, they did forthwith verie willinglie hazarde all this for my sake. But for thee, that art their God, their creator, and their redeemer, that gauest thē their lādes, their goodes, their healthe, and lyfe, that hast offered vnto thē thy grace, and promised them thy glorie, and aboue all this, hast suffered most cruell deathe vpon the crosse for them, they neuer toke the least paine and labour in the worlde. How oftentimes hast thou come to their doores in great pouertie, nakednes, and full of sores? And what almes haddest thou of them, but a waiewarde answere, and shuttinge their doores in a great furie and anger vpon thee, they beinge then more carefull to feede their hawkes, their dogges, and their horses, and to clothe their walles with hanginges of tapessarie, silke, and golde, than to relieue, clothe, and helpe thee. Wherefore seinge thou art a most Iust Iudge, and knowest that this is most certainlie true, the verie order of iustice requireth, that they shoulde be now punnished for their iniuries, and contemptes, done to so great a maiestie.

Now this accusation beinge founde most true, Christe the iudge wil pronounce that terrible sentence against the wicked,79 sayeinge: Depart ye cursed into the euerlastinge fier, which is prepared for Satan, and his angels. for I was hongrie, and ye gaue me not to eate, I was thirstie, and ye gaue me not to drinke, &c. And then shall the good goe to lyfe euerlastinge, and the wicked to fyer euerlastinge. Now who is able to expresse what an intollerable anguishe, and griefe, it wilbe to the damned persons, when they shall heare those most terrible wordes pronoūced against them? There shall they crye out to the mountaines, to come and falle vpon them, and to the hilles to couer them. There shall they blaspheme, and renye, and open their sacrilegious mouthes euen against almightie God. There shall they continuallie curse the daie of their birthe, and their vnhappie state. There shall their daye whollie ende. There shall their glorie be finished. There shall their prosperitie be vtterlie extinguished, and ouerthrowen. There shall the daie of their horrible paines and greifes beginne in their bodies to continewe for euer, and euer. As S. Iohn signifieth in his Apocalippes vnder the name of Babilon, in these wordes:80 The kinges of the earthe shall weepe and wayle ouer themselues, that haue enjoyed the pleasures and delightes of Babilon, and haue committed fornication with her, when they shall see the smooke that riseth vp from their tormentes, and they shall endeuour to kepe them selues a farre of for feare of them, and saie: Wo, wo, be vnto that great Citie of Babilon, for in one howre is her iudgement come. And the merchauntes of the earthe shall lament, because now there be none to bye their merchaundices of golde, and siluer, and pretious stones. And they shall lament ouer her, and saie: wo, wo, be vnto that great Citie, that was clothed with garmentes of purple, scarlett, silkes, and veluettes, and was couered ouer with golde, and pretious stones. For in one howre all this great riches shall perishe, and come to naught.

Wherefore ô my deare Christian brethern, if this must passe in this wise, let vs prouide for our selues (I beseach you) whilest we haue tyme here in this lyfe, and let vs followe the counsell which he geueth vs,81 who woulde leuer be our aduocate, than our iudge: and there is none that knoweth better what is requisite for that daie, than he who must be the iudge of our cause. Christ then our iudge teacheth vs breefelie what we ought to doe, in these wordes: Take hede (sayeth he in the gospell of S. Luke cap. 21. vers. 34.) that your hartes be not burthened with ouer much eatinge, and drinkinge, and with the cares of this lyfe: and beware that that sodayne daie come not vpon you at vnwares. For it shall come like a snare vpon all that dwell vpon the face of all the earthe. And therefore watche and praie at all times, that ye maie be worthie to be deliuered from all these euils that are to come, and that ye maye appeare before the sonne of man Now consideringe this my deare brethern, come I most hartelie praie you, and let vs arise whiles we haue tyme out of this so heauie sleepe, before that darcke nighte of death falle vpon vs, and before this dreadfull daie come, whereof the Prophet Malachie cap. 3. saieth: Now he commeth, and who dare abyde his comminge? And who shalbe able to beholde the daie thereof? Vndowbtedlie that man shalbe able to abide this dreadfull daie of iudgement, that shall preuent the iudge, and iudge him selfe before hande, accordinge as S. Pawle forewarneth and counselleth vs.

Footnotes

  1. Of the dreadfulnes and terrour of the generall iudgemente. ↩

  2. Soph. 1.15. ↩

  3. Of the dreadfull signes that shall goe before the generall daie of iudgemente. ↩

  4. Luc. 21.25. ↩

  5. Luc. 21.26. ↩

  6. Luc. 21. ↩

  7. Of the cō minge of the floude of fier before the Iudge, and of the dreadfull sownde of the trompette at the generall Iudgment. Nahum. 1. ↩

  8. Of the straite accompte that shall then be required of euerie mā. Iob. 4. Iob. 31. ↩

  9. How almightie God shall then accuse the wicked within their owne consciences. ↩

  10. Ierem. 2. ↩

  11. Let the wicked prouide what answere to make here vnto, now whiles they haue tyme in this worlde. ↩

  12. Esa. 10. ↩

  13. Of the terrible sentē ce that the iudge shall then giue againste all the wicked. ↩

  14. Esa. 30. ↩

  15. Math. 25. ↩

  16. Ierem. 17. ↩

  17. Math. 25. ↩

  18. Psal. 108.18. ↩

  19. Math. 21.19. ↩

  20. Marc. 11.14. ↩

  21. Esa. 33.14. ↩

  22. Esa. 34. ↩

  23. Eccles. 1.13. ↩

  24. Eccles. 25.13. ↩

  25. The feare of God is the beginnynge of the loue of God. ↩

  26. S. Bernarde. ↩

  27. The consideration and continual remē braunce of the iudgementes of almightie God, will helpe vs to obteine the feare of God. ↩

  28. Marc. 13. ↩

  29. Act. 24. ↩

  30. S. Ierome. ↩

  31. Psal. 142. ↩

  32. Iob. 31.23. ↩

    1. Cor. 4.4.
    ↩

  34. Iob. 15.16. ↩

  35. Psal. 18.13. ↩

  36. Math. 24.40. ↩

  37. Note here against the presumptuous securitie and assurance of saluatiō tawght by the Heretickes. ↩

  38. Psalm. 18. vers. 13.14. Eccles. 9.1. Eccles. 12.14. Eccles. 5.5. Iob. 31.14.23. Daniell. 4.24. Math. 12.36. Math. 19.17. Ioan. 8.31. Ioan. 15.7.14. Rom. 2.13. Rom. 8.17. 1. Cor. 4.4. 1. Cor. 9.27. 1. Cor. 10.12. 1. Cor. 13.2.13. 2. Cor. 5.10.11. Galat. 5.24. Philip. 2.12. Iac. 2 14.17.24. 1. Pet. 1.16. 1. Pet. 2.21. 2. Pet. 1.10. 1. Ioan. 2.3.5.6. 1. Ioan. 3.7.24. 1. Ioan. 4.12. 1. Ioan. 5.3. Apoc. 3.11. Apoc. 14.7. ↩

  39. Ioell. 1.15. ↩

  40. Ierem. 1.6. ↩

  41. Ioel. 1.15. why the daye of iudgemente is called the daye of our Lorde. ↩

  42. There be but two dayes, the one is the daye of our Lorde: and the other is the daye of men. 2. Paral. 18. ↩

  43. Marc. 13. ↩

  44. Math. 24.7. ↩

  45. The horrible persecution of Antichrist. The Iewes shall receiue and worship Antichrist for their Messias: as appeareth in Iohn. 5. vers. 43. ād 1. Iohn. 2. vers. 22. ↩

  46. Math. 24. vers. 21.22. Marc. 13. vers. 19.20. ↩

  47. Antichristes raigne and persecutiō shall not continewe but three yeares and a halfe. as appeareth in Daniell. 7. vers. 25. Daniell. 12. vers. 7. & 11. Apoc. 11. vers. 2. &. 3. Apoc. 13. vers. 5. Ezech. 32. ↩

  48. Luc. 21. ↩

  49. Psalm. 45. ↩

  50. Luc. 21.30.31. ↩

  51. There shalbe an vniuersall floude of fyer before the comminge of the Iudge. ↩

  52. Apoc. 10. ↩

    1. Thes. 4.
    ↩

  54. At doomes daye an Archangell with the sounde of a trompette shall sommon all nations to come to the generall iudgmente. ↩

  55. Apoc. 20. ↩

  56. There shalbe a greate difference at the daye of resurrection betweene the bodies of the iust, ād the bodies of the wicked. ↩

  57. Of the ioyefull meeting of the sowles and bodies of the iust at the daye of generall iudgemēte. ↩

  58. Psal. 132. Of the sorowful and greeuous meetinge that shalbe of the sowles and bodies of the damned persons, at the daye of generall iudgemente. ↩

  59. Act. 10. ↩

  60. Note here the two cōminges of Christe: the firste was with greate humilitie: and the secōde shalbe with great maiestie and glorie. ↩

  61. Esa. 2.19. ↩

  62. Apoc. 20. ↩

  63. At the daye of generall Iudgmente euen the blessed spirites shalbe afrayde to see so greate maiestie and indignation in Christe the iudge. ↩

  64. Esa. 64. ↩

  65. The holie crosse shall come before Christe the Iudge at the daye of generall iudgemente, and be a witnes againste the wicked. Math. 24.30. ↩

  66. Our sauiour Christe the Iudge shall make a seperatiō betwene the good and the wicked. Math. 25. ↩

  67. Daniel. 7.9. ↩

  68. Apoc. 20.12. ↩

  69. Os[…]. 12. ↩

  70. Of what thinges we must giue an accompte. Iob. 31.4. ↩

  71. Math. 12.36. ↩

  72. S. Gregorie Math. 12.36. ↩

  73. Iob. 2. vers. 3. ↩

  74. Iob. 31.14. ↩

  75. Iob. 29.15.16. ↩

  76. Iob. 27.6. ↩

  77. Malach 3.5. ↩

  78. The diuell shall accuse the wicked at the daye of iudgmēte. ↩

  79. Math. 25. ↩

  80. Apoc. 18. ↩

  81. Christe is our aduocate duringe the time we liue here: but after our departure out of this lyfe, he is no lō ger our aduocate, but our Iudge. For then the tyme is past of deylinge anie more by an aduocate with almightie God: because the whole processe of all our lyfe is alreadie then come to an ende: and thē we be to haue forthwith a definitiue sentence thereof accordinge to our workes. 1. Cor. 11.31. ↩

Chapter 18 of 29