THE Lord Iesus in his mer­cy, because hee would not haue his children ensnared and ouertaken vnawares at the suddennesse of his se­cond comming, and because hee would warne, conuince, and leaue the very wic­ked his enemies without excuse and de­fence of themselues: hath reuealed and set forth in Scripture certaine generall and vndoubted signes of the approaching of the last iudgement, whereof some are already perfectly fulfilled, some in part ac­complished, and others yet remaine to come to passe in their time. Of all these and the generall vses that are to be made of them, I will speak briefly, and in order.

The first generall signe (long sithence [Page] past) is the destruction and desolation of Ierusalem, together with the Iewes state and policy, and that irrecouerably vnto the end and consummation of the world, Matth. 24.12. Mark 13. vers. 12. Daniel 9.26.

And this is a type and patterne of the worlds destruction.

The second signe is the divulging and preaching of the Gospell throughout the whole knowne & inhabited world. There­fore for this purpose the Apostles as they had an extraordinary calling and extraor­dinary gifts, so they had a generall com­mission and commandement to goe into al the world, Mat. 28.19 and to teach and baptize all na­tions, and to preach the Gospell to euery creature, Acts 1.8. Mark 16.15. and to bee his wit­nesses vnto the ends of the world.

The reason thereof is, first, Because God would hereby inlighten, conuert, and draw vnto himselfe all that are to bee sa­ued. Secondly, that it might be a witnes to all nations, and that all men might be conuinced sufficiently through all parts of the world, that they could pretend and alledge no excuse of their ignorance to hide their impiety, Matth. 24.14. Thirdly, [Page] the Apostles preached the Gospell accord­ingly to all the world that was then ha­bitable or knowne, or (at least) in the most famous, populous, and known coun­tries, kingdomes, and cities of it, so that from hence either by the Apostles, Disci­ples, or the Euangelists, or by others, it might be brought from thence vnto the most obscure, vnknowne, and barbarous nations, (such as are America, and the North parts of the world) Col. 1.6. and 23. Rom. 10.18. Lastly, Doctor Willet Sy­ne p. fol. p. 1063. 1064. 1065. the ancient and holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church, as Origen, Ierome, Ambrose. &c. make expresse mention in their writings of the vniuersall calling and enlightning of all nations, and therefore no such solemne and vniuersall legacy is now the second time to be expected, séeing that the Apo­stolicall calling and gifts are ceased, and séeing that the Gospell is passed from Iu­daea, and from the East, to the Seuth to the Gréekes: from the South it hath made its progresse to the West, that is, to the Latines; and from the West to the North, that is, to the Germaines, and o­ther confining countries; yet wee deny not, but it may, though not vniuersally, [Page] yet be reuealed in other countries where it either originally hath not béene preach­ed, because perhaps in the Apostles times those countries were not inhabited, or (at least) very slenderly and sparingly, or where the mystery of iniquity and Anti­christianisme had obscured and preuailed ouer all, Apoc. 14.6. and 18.1.

The third signe is the comming and reuealing of Antichrist: 2 Thes. 2.3 1 Ioh. 2.18 for the day of the Lord (saith the Apostle) shall not come except first that man of sinne be disclosed, whom Saint Iohn calleth Antichrist: con­cerning which Antichrist and his mem­bers and Locusts, 2 Tim. 3.8. and 9. Saint Paul saith, that they are men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith, and that they shall preuaile no longer: for their madnesse shall be euident to all men.

But Antichrist is come long ago, when the third Angell in the Apocalyps blew the trumpet, Apoc. 8.10.11. then this great Starre (the Pope and his successors, as the heads of the Apostasie) fell from heauen burning like a forch; and it fell into the third part of the riuers, and fell into the fountaines of waters, and made them bitter: he hath béene reuealed fithence by the preaching [Page] of the two (few yet sufficient) witnesses in the Apocalyps, and by the first, second, Apoc. 11.4.5.6. and third Angell in the 14 of the same A­pocalyps, that is to say, by all the excel­lent teachers, Preachers, and Writers sithence Martin Luther his time, namely, from the yeare of Christ about 1520, vn­till this present time. To conclude, the description of Antichrist, and whatsoeuer the Prophets and Apostles haue foretold of Antichrist, they in all things agrée to euery Pope of Rome, and him onely, since the death of Gregory the Great, and since the death of the Emperour Maurice, as hath béene demonstrated by many here­tofore both English and forrain Writers: and touching this argument, yea and the whole mystery of the Romish Antichrist, a learned countrie-man of our owne hath purposely, learnedly, and succinctly writ­ten in his Theologicall disputations de Antichristo & ejus ecclesia.

The fourth and last signe, yet in motiō, Rom. 8. and not perfectly fulfilled, but to cōtinue vnto the worlds end, is the vanitie, cor­ruption and abuse of the creatures, which hath continued from Adams fall, and doth and shall encrease by degrées vnto the [Page] consummation of all things. The Ele­ments (as we may obserue) of fire, ayre, water and earth, are corrupted, distem­pered, and often-times very hurtfull and contagious to mankind and other crea­tures. In plants, trées, herbes, there is not the same vigor, efficacie and vertue that was wont to be, the earth is become more barren and vnfruitfull; the sea more distempered and tempestuous, often breaking his bounds, and encroaching vpon the firme continent, the Sunne and Moone, the worlds two eyes, more often­times and fearefully eclipsed then in sor­mer times, yea the sunne, as also the stars (as the most excellent Astronomers haue noted) moue much more vnequally, and are remooued greatly from their for­mer standings. And as for men, we full well know, and are taught, by reading scripture, & experience, that they are not so long liued, nor of that goodly fall and strong constitution of body, as in former ages.

But some may obiect and say, this short­nesse of mans life & decay of his strength is notably supplied by agilitie of mind and pregnancy of wit, capacitie, inuen­tion: [Page] I answere. This is most true: and Gods name is to be glorified for it, but yet men neuer more abused and peruert­ed their wits & capacities then in these daies; for commonly the more witty men are, the more wicked, the more politike, the more pestilent; and the more vnder­standing that they haue, the more hereti­call, Papisticall and Atheisticall they do prooue. To leaue man and to come to buildings, houses, apparell, what vanitie, what surperfluitie and excesse, what follie and pride doth not herein appeare? For buildings, that in time past serued only for defence and necessity, and therefore were made very strong and durable; are now for the most part in many places, builded (albeit with excessiue cost as the poore tenants can testifie) yet slightly, and more for shew then for substance, and for pompe then profit. And garments and apparell which naturally serueth to hide mans nakednesse, and to defend him from cold, and (to make the best of it) to serue for comelinesse and distinction of degrees: is vsed now ordinarily, as an ensigne of pride, serueth for brauery and oftenta­tion, more then for any kinde of profit, [Page] durablenesse or commonwealths aduan­tage. And thus we sée, that as the world doth decay and decline in the parts, so it doth and shall in the whole.

The fourth signe, is the shaking, weak­ning, wounding, and consuming of Anti­christ and his kingdome in many king­domes, countries, and cities, by the breath of Gods mouth: 2 Thes. 2 8 that is, by the powerfull and continuall preaching of the Gospell, as also by the materiall sword of Christi­an Kings, Princes, and Magistrates, in their seuerall dominions, though not all at one time, yet successiuely, Apoc. 16.6. and 7.16. and 18.6. and so it shall bee more and more ruinated and decayed, vn­till the burning and desolation of Romish Babylon.

The fift signe is grieuous calamities and persecutions of Gods Prophets, The fift signe. Saints, and Seruants vnder Antichrist, especially these 100 yeares last past, of which (perhaps) Daniel, chap. 2.15. and 8.34. Apoc. 11.35. & 13.15.16.17. Lastly in Rome hath béene found the blood of the Prophets, Apoc. 18.24. Psal. 44.22. and of the Saints, & of all that were slaine vpon the earth, of these it is verified that the Psalmist saith, for thy sake [Page] are we slaine continually, and are counted as sheepe for the slaughter: & that which our Sauiour foresheweth, saying, They shall excommunicate you: Ioh. 16.2. yea the time shall come, that whosoeuer killeth you, will thinke that hee doth God good ser­uice: the reason hereof in respect of Anti­christ and his adherents, is because they cannot endure the ransacking and resu­ting of their idolatry, false doctrine, the Popes supremacy, and their idle super­stitions and antichristian rites, ceremo­nies, and traditions. But we hope that these troubles are for the most part past, and that towards the end of the world shall be well abated, so that the Church as of late yeares, shall haue a further brea­thing time, and thus much Marke seem­eth to signifie, Marke 13.7.

And thus much of the signes perfectly, and many of them long sithence accom­plished.

THe second sort of signes and forerun­ners are those that are in continuall act, namely, partly fulfilled, and party to be further performed in their times. Of this sort are first an apostasie and depar­ture [Page] of many pastors & people from faith & sound doctrine to Antichristianisme Tur­cisme, yea and plain Atheisme. 2. Thes. 2.3.1. Tim. 1.4.2. Pet. 2. ve. 1.2.3. Apoc 13. ve. 16. et. 17. But vnder the tiranny of the Romish Antichrist & Ma­homer this general Apostasie and falling away from truth and wholesome doctrine hath long agoe béene verified, yet not so but that daily wee sée it by lamentable ex­perience continued, and so it shall more and more bée encreased vnto the end of the world: for many that haue renounced Antichrist, fall to flat Atheisme and Li­bertinisme and some againe reuert and reuolt to their former superstition out of which they were for the time and in part recouered, of these speaketh the scripture in many places, Hebrews 6. vers. 20.4.5.6. 2 Tim. 4. ver. 3.4.2. Peter 2. vers. 20.21. and it shall so abound and ouerflow at Christ his second comming, Luke 18.8. that he shall hardly finde faith on the earth, and no maruaile, for as there haue done, yet doe, and alwaies shall arise false Prophets, Seducers, Deceiuers (successiuely) in many countries, Kingdomes and places, so many shall follow their damnable [Page] wayes and be blinded by them. 2. Pet. 2.2.

The second signe partly past and partly present and to come, is a generall impi­etie, corruption of manners, and impu­dency in all manner of sinne, still (like Noah his generall deluge) preuayling in most places, the particular effects wher­of we as in a catalogue may read and ob­serue in Paul his first Epistle to Timothy chapter the third, v. 1.2.3.4.5. And hereof in our owne Kingdome we haue had fear­full experience, especially within these yeares late past, as though God had granted a general indulgence to all man­ner of licentiousnesse, and as though hell were broke loose: and this profanenesse and corruption of manners in all places of the world, yet continueth and shalbe much more vniuersall and contagious neare the time of Christ his second com­ming Luk. 17.26. Math. 24.38. and hereof there is and shalbe more feare then of cor­ruption in doctrine? 1. Tim. 3.5 for many shal retaine a forme and outward profession of Godli­nes, but denie the power and efficacy of it.

The third signe, Luk 21.25. Acts 2.20. is signes in the Sunne and in the Moone, & in the Stars, and vpon the earth trouble vpon nations [Page] with perplexity. The Sunne shall bee tur­ned into darknesse, and the Moone into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come. This signe by frequen­ty and multitude of Eclipses, hath of la­ter yeares, and daily is fulfilled: likewise by terrible windes, tempests, meteors, and strange alterations in the ayre it is performed, and this our late experience can iustifie: but it shall bee perfectly ac­complished in the instant of Christ his se­cond comming and glorious appearing; for then he by the brightnesse of his glo­rious Maiesty shall darken and suppresse the light of Sunne, Moone, and Starres: and a little before this time the whole frame of the world shall bee shaken and moued, Luk. 21.26 and the very bruit and senselesse creatures shall beforehand perceiue and feele the power of Christ his comming, when all the reprobates shall remaine blockish and without feeling.

And thus much of mixt or continued signes.

SIgnes and fore-runners that are yet to come to passe are specially these fiue following.

First, the burning and vtter desolati­on of Rome, the mother of fornication & idolatry, & the proper seat of Antichrist, this that it shall be so, is most manifest and apparent by Scripture, reasons, and au­thorities: First, the Scripture testifi­eth, Apo. 16.16 that the great City shall bee diuided into three parts, and great Babylon shall come in remembrance before God: and that the tenne horned or Kings shall hate the whore, cap. 17.16. shall make her desolate and na­ked, and shall eate her flesh, and burne her with fire: vers. 8. and most plainly in the 18 chap­ter, Her plagues shall come in one day, death, and sorrow, and hunger, and shee shall be vtterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord that iudgeth her. Hereupon the (Idolatrous) Kings of the earth, Chap. 18. vers. 9.11.17.18. the Merchants, and euery ship gouernour, and all they that occupy ships, and ship-men, and as many as worke in the sea, shall be­wayle her, lament her, weepe and cry at the sight and notice of her burning: but this is not yet come to passe: Likewise all the Church of God shal reioyce and praise God for his iust iudgements executed vp­on the Whore, Apoc. 11.20. and 19.1.2.

Further reasons are these, God hath begun [Page] and Antichrist, and therefore séeing that it is builded and standeth vpon a sandy foundation, hauing begun to fall, it must needes shortly fall when the rain of Gods seuere iudgement commeth, & the flouds flow, and the windes blow and beat vpon it, and great must be the fall of it.

Secondly, The Easterne Babylon, a type of this Westerne Babylon (abeit she had nothing so much conuiction, nor committed so haynous and manifold ab­hominations as Rome hath done) was vtterly & many ages sithence destroyed, much more shall Rome it selfe, the mouth of hell and Satan his chamber, and Me­tropolis. Thirdly, all the Protestant and sound interpreters of the Apocalyps by one ioynt consent hold that Rome shalbe ransacked and ruinated, and wholly con­sumed, and neuer more inhabited vnlesse it be with deuills.

Lastly (to omit the prophecy of Sibylla who saith that Rome in the tenth gene­ration of men shall perish with fire hard at the end of the world) the Papists them selues acknowledge thus much, and ren­der reasons of it. Our Rhemists in their Annotations in Apoc. 17. say that Rome [Page] before the end of the world shall be come the [...]eate of Antichrist. Riber [...] vpon the 14 chap. saith, it shall be the shoppe of all Idolatry. Vega the Iesuite in his commen­tary vpon the 18. chapter, saith that it shall be the habitation of deuils and reuolt from the faith of Christ: and herevpon Vega and Ribera (both Iesuits) confesse that Rome in the end of the world shallbe Babylon and burned, as they collect out of the 18. chapter: and the Kings and Marchants shall lamēt for her torments, which saith Vega wée must néedes referre to the last times before the end of the world; wherefore howsoeuer many, be­cause of present improbabilities cast néedlesse doubts, yet shall the threatnings and iudgments of God not fall to the ground but bée executed in their times. Mat. 24, 35

The second signe yet to bée fulfilled is the generall calling and conuersion of the nation of the Iewes (in the places and countries where they shall be and are residing,) whē the fulnesse of vs Gentiles is come into the church, and this shalbe the reuiuing and reioysing of the world both in respect of Iewes and Gentiles, and this is most plaine as by Lu. 21 ver. [Page] 24. 2 Cor. 3.19. & perhaps Zophonia 3. ver. 8. so especially Rom. 11. ver. 12.15.2.6. This generall conuersion of them wée daily expect to come to passe albeit we are ignorant of the maner and circumstances of it, but hereof I haue treated at large in my exposition of the 11. chapter to the Romanes.

The third signe next succéeding and following in order is the arising of false Christes, Mat. 24.24 Verse 2 [...]. and false Prophets, that shall shew great signes and wonders: in so much that (if it were possible) they should deceiue the very elect. Herevpon Gods people are admonished & instructed, that when they shal say, behold hée is, in the secret places that they must not beleeue it. But it will bée obiected that there were such that tooke vpon them the name of the Messias and the King of Israel before the destruction of Ierusalem, and seduced and drew many after them (as we haue examples in Theudas Acts 5. and in the Egyptian Acts 21.) I answer, here in this place Christ speaketh of false Christs that shall long after that time arise, and that shall seduce as well the Gentiles as the Iewes.

Secondly those Christs did shew no signes and wonders as these shall doe, who shall labour by false miracles and satanicall illusions and conclusions to gaine and procure credit and authoritie to their false doctrine, and also in respect of efficacie of error in the last generation or age of the world, it may very well stand that the Sonne of man shall scarcely finde faith vpon the earth when hee commeth to iudgement. Luke 18. [...]

The fourth signe, that is the last generall signe, is a certaine brutish secu­ritie and an vnspeakable deadnesse of heart and spirit, so that man shalbe with­out all feare of God, senselesse of all euill, caring for no instructions & admonitions? but liuing in pleasure and impenitency & not héeding nor taking notice of the signes of Christ his comming. Matth. 24.35. Luk. 21.35 1 Thes. 5.3.4. Luk. 17.26. 1. Thess. 5.3. so that the last day shall come as a snare on al such; sudden destruction shall come vpon them and they shall in no wise escape, they shall not be able to endure the day of his wrath; much lesse be able to stand and iustifie their cause in iudgement.

This brutish securitie hath béene in [Page] former ages, and much increaseth in these our daies, but then it shalbe much more vniuersall and incurable.

The last signe is the darkning of lights of heauen, and the roaring of the seas Matth. 24. ve. 24. Luk. 21. v. 25, this is the néerest signe and therefore wée are the more carefully to obserue it when it com­meth. Quest. Why will not God reueale vnto any the time and day of the last iudgement?

An. Partly to bridle mans rash curiositie that doth search and diue into secrets that are both vnpossible and vnlawfull to be knowne. Secondly, that wee should watch and waite for his comming and make vs ready euery houre. Mark. 13. ver. 33.

Quest. Why doth God deferre and put off the last iudgement so long?

An. First, that the number of his elect might be all borne, called and fulfilled, & so gathered into the Church triumphant in heauen. Secondly, to containe and kéep his people from astonishment of feare and from abuse of his long patience. Lastly, to leaue the wicked and those that contemne his grace offered vnto them, Rom. 2.4.5 2 Pet. 3.8. and abuse his long suffering, without all excuse and [Page] defence of themselues in the last day.

Vse 1. The generall vses of all these signes past, present and to come, are principally foure First, here are reproued and condemned all such who béeing led by their owne lusts and carnall reason, and not by holy scriptures beléeue not the last iudgement, but contemne and deride it. 2. Pet. 3. ver. 3.

Whereas first this doctrine is plainely & abundantly set forth in the scriptures. Psal. 50 1. Act. 10.42. Matt. 25.31. Luke 18.17. Rom. 2.16. Hebrew. 9.27. Iob. 19.25. Act. 3.19. Act. 17.31. 2 Cor. 5.10. 1 Pet. 4. Iude. ver. 14. et. 15. 2. Tim. 4.8. Apoc. 1. Apoc. 20. ver. 12.13.14.15.

Secondly, except there should bée a generall iudgement there néede no resurrection. Lastly, God could not shew himselfe either perfectly iust in punishing and condemning the reprobates, nor per­fectly mercifull in absoluing, sauing and rewarding his seruants.

Vse 2. Secondly, séeing that we know not the day nor the yeare of Iudgement, but onely the generall signes of it, it ser­ueth to refute and refell the pride and rash curiositie of those, that eyther by fained [Page] reuelation, humane prophesies, arith [...]e­ticall supputation, position of stars, and humane coniectures and authorities, will calculate and cast, yea and define the ve­ry time and yéere of Christs comming (as some did in the ancient Fathers times, & many defined that the world should end in 88.) but time & experience hath shewed the folly and vanity of their coniectures.

Secondly, Acts 1.6. it is a thing both vtterly vn­lawfull, and simply vnpossble for any man to know, or define the certaine and set time of Christs appearance, for it is not reuealed to the very Elect angels, and Christ when he was vpon the earth knew not the day. Mar. 24.42 & 44. Mat. 24.36. and 13.32. much lesse can we know it.

Vse 3. The third vse is for instruction & admonition, that the godly themselues (because many times they are in a kinde of slumber, and doe not alike chéerfully looke for Christs comming) might watch, Luk. 12.43 pray, repent, make themselues ready and wait for the day and appearance of Christ that when Christ commeth to them ey­ther by death, or at the last iudgement, they may be found waking, and walking in their Christian calling, and so ready [Page] with good conscience to render vnto the Lord an account of their Stewardship.

Vse 4. Acts 3.19. The fourth vse is for the conso­lation of the sound and sincere hearted Christian whosoeuer. For he knowes the néerer the signes are to their accomplish­ment, the sooner shall hee be eased of the burden of his sinnes, deliuered from all miseries, and be possessed with all ioy and happinesse. Hereupon the godly are (vp­on notice taken of the accomplishment of these signes) exhorted to lift vp their heads, Luk. 21.23 because their ful redemption draw­eth nigh, and they in the certaine hope & expectation of this blessed day, are nota­bly shielded and defended against all tem­ptations & afflictions. Iob 25.19. 2 Cor. 4.

Vse 5. Apoc. 1.7. The last vse is for the terror & conuincement of all impenitent, vnbelée­uing, profane rebellious persons, who in this life would not submit & subiect them­selues to be taught, ruled, and ordered by Christ, his Gospell, and discipline: they by reason of their vnbeléefe and contempt shall finde and féele Christ to be as a iust, so an angry & seuere Iudge to condemne them to eternall & vnspeakable torments. Apoc. 6.15.16. Luke 21.26. Mat. 25.41.

The Lord God for Christs sake grant that wee may take due notice of these signes, and be hereby effectually stirred vp to prepare our selues against Christ his comming, that our soules may be saued.

Amen.