The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

17. All ignorant persons that know not God, and all that disobey the Gospel, 2 Thess. 1. 8.

17. All ignorant persons that know not God, and all that disobey the Gospell, 2 Thess. 1. 8.

18. All Swearers, for God hath vowed he will not hold them guiltless, Commandment 3.

18. All Swearers, for God hath vowed hee will not hold them guiltlesse, Commandement 3.

19. All gross offenders, not mentioned before, as Murderers, Idolaters, Sorcerers, Usurers, and such like, Reu. 21. •8. and 22. 15.

19. All grosse offenders, not mentioned before, as Murtherers, Idolators, Sorcerers, Vsurers, and such like, Reu. 21. •8. and 22. 15.

Lastly, all the godly must come to judgement too, but not to the judgement of condemnation, as was showed before: we must all appear, we as well as other men, 2 Cor. 5. 10.

Lastly, all the godly must come to iudgement too, but not to the iudgement of condemnation, as was shewed before: wee must all appeare, wee as well as other men, 2 Cor. 5. 10.

This point should greatly terrify all impenitent sinners, seeing no man can escape the judgement of God: multitude will not help them, nor can there be any help from worldly means: God hath his book in which are written the names of all to whom he gave life, and therefore none shall be forgotten: and therefore this should be a warning to enforce every man to repent in time, lest God surprise him at unawares and carry him away in an hour he thinks not of; and then as Death leaves him, Judgement will find him. And besides, this very point should greatly stir up the desire of all that love the appearing of Christ, to wait for, and long for this great Assize. Men generally long to be at such Assizes, where many persons are to be tried, and where they shall have great causes examined and judged, especially if there be any great man to be arraigned. How them should we desire that day, when all men shall be judged, and the causes of so many great men of the earth shall then be openly heard? &c.

This point should greatly terrifie all impenitent sinners, seeing no man can escape the iudgement of God: multitude will not helpe them, nor can there be any help from worldly meanes: God hath his booke in which are written the names of all to whom he gaue life, and therefore none shall be forgotten: and therefore this should be a warning to inforce euery man to repent in time, lest God surprize him at vnawares and carry him away in an houre he thinks not of; and then as Death leaues him, Iudgement will finde him. And besides, this very point should greatly stirre vp the desire of all that loue the appearing of Christ, to wait for, and long for this great Assise. Men generally long to be at such Assises, where many persons are to be tried, and where they shall haue great causes examined and iudged, especially if there be any great man to be arraigned. How them should we desire that day, when all men shall be iudged, and the causes of so many great men of the earth shall then be openly heard? &c.

Thus of the Sixth point.

The Seventh Question concerns the signs of the coming of Christ, and these are of two sorts; for they are either signs that go before, and prognosticate and foretell of his coming, or else are such as are joined with the instant of his coming: Before I reckon the Signs that go before, I must give the Reader warning of certain events that are by some Divines reckoned for signs, which (I take under correction ⟨p. 510⟩[…] ⟨p. 511⟩[…] ⟨p. 512⟩of the better learned) to be no signs at all of the last Judgment: it is easy for us when we take things upon trust, sometimes to mistake.

The Seuenth Question concernes the signes of the comming of Christ, and these are of two sorts; for they are either signes that goe before, and prognosticate and foretell of his comming, or else are such as are ioyned with the instant of his comming: Before I reckon the Signes that goe before, I must giue the Reader warning of certaine euents that are by some Diuines reckoned for signes, which (I take vnder correction ⟨p. 510⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 511⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 512⟩of the better learned) to bee no signes at all of the last Iudgment: it is easie for vs when wee take things vpon trust, somtimes to mistake.

As first, some make the preaching of the Gospel to all Nations to be a sign, and such a one as is yet to be performed: whereas it is clear by that of the Apostle, Col. 1. 6. that that promise was accomplished in the Apostles days. For all Nations in that text, Matth. 24. 14. stand opposed to the country of the Jews, that whereas in former times and then, the Gospel was only preached to Jews, the time should come, and that shortly, that it should be preached all the world over, that is, in many other Countries. There is no necessity to understand it so, that every particular Nation in the world should have the Gospel preached to them; or if it were, it must not be meant of any one time, but successively at one time or other. Again, some make the security of the world, which our Saviour likens to the security of the old world, Matth. 24. to be a sign; whereas that is spoken of by way of complaint of the carelessness of men that would not awaken, no not when his coming was near at hand: for otherwaies the world is always secure, and wicked men are always so minded: and therefore it cannot be a sign that hath no distinction in it.

As first, some make the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations to be a signe, and such a one as is yet to be performed: whereas it is cleare by that of the Apostle, Col. 1. 6. that that promise was accomplished in the Apostles daies. For all Nations in that text, Matth. 24. 14. stand opposed to the countrey of the Iewes, that whereas in former times and then, the Gospell was onely preached to Iewes, the time should come, and that shortly, that it should be preached all the world ouer, that is, in many other Countryes. There is no necessity to vnderstand it so, that euery particular Nation in the world should haue the Gospell preached to them; or if it were, it must not be meant of any one time, but successiuely at one time or other. Againe, some make the security of the world, which our Sauiour likens to the security of the old world, Matth. 24. to be a signe; whereas that is spoken of by way of complaint of the carelesnesse of men that would not awaken, no not when his comming was neer at hand: for otherwaies the world is alwaies secure, and wicked men are alwaies so minded: and therefore it cannot bee a signe that hath no distinction in it.

Again, some make that a sign, that when Christ comes, he shall not find faith upon earth, Luk. 18. which place is not meant of his second coming, but of his coming to avenge the quarrel of his Elect that suffer in all ages: And the want of faith he complains of, is not to be understood simply, but in that respect which he intends in the Parable before: and so his meaning is, that th••e are few of the very elect themselves that have so much faith, as to persist in prayer, & to resolve to overcome God by importunity, and not to be discouraged, though God seem not to hear their prayers, and put off a great while before he deliver them.

Againe, some make that a signe, that when Christ comes, he shall not finde faith vpon earth, Luk. 18. which place is not meant of his second comming, but of his comming to auenge the quarrell of his Elect that suffer in all ages: And the want of faith he complaines of, is not to be vnderstood simply, but in that respect which hee intends in the Parable before: and so his meaning is, that th••e are few of the very elect themselues that haue so much faith, as to persist in praier, & to resolue to ouercome God by importunity, and not to be discouraged, though God seeme not to heare their praiers, and put off a great while before he deliuer them.

Again, some make the persecutions mentioned, Mat. 24. 9. and the wars and other plagues mentioned, vers. 6. and the decay of love in many, vers. 12. and the rising of false Prophets and false Christs, vers. 24. to be all several ⟨p. 513⟩signs: whereas these were accomplished before or about the time of the final destruction of Jerusalem, as is plain in the text: for he speaks not of the signs of his coming till the 29 vers. and besides, it is said they shall be accomplished before that generation pass, vers. 34.

Againe, some make the persecutions mentioned, Mat. 24. 9. and the warres and other plagues mentioned, vers. 6. and the decay of loue in many, vers. 12. and the rising of false Prophets and false Christs, vers. 24. to bee all seuerall ⟨p. 513⟩signes: whereas these were accomplished before or about the time of the finall destruction of Ierusalem, as is plaine in the text: for hee speakes not of the signes of his comming till the 29 vers. and besides, it is said they shall be accomplished before that generation passe, vers. 34.

The signs which do properly prognosticate and give warning to the world of the coming of Christ, are so described in Scripture, as they serve successively one after another, to give warning in every age of the Church: and therefore the signs began to discover themselves in the very age of the Apostles, and so downwards, and will so be ordered, as every age yet to come shall have their special warnings to provide for that day: and so I take the proper signs to be in number eight.

The signes which do properly prognosticate and giue warning to the world of the comming of Christ, are so described in Scripture, as they serue successiuely one after another, to giue warning in euery age of the Church: and therefore the signes began to discouer themselues in the very age of the Apostles, and so downwards, and will so be ordered, as euery age yet to come shall haue their speciall warnings to prouide for that day: and so I take the proper signes to be in number eight.

The first is the signs of certain Antichrists, that is, special false and heretical teachers, professing the Christian religion, which should teach doctrine that deprived the souls of men, of the benefit of redemption by Christ: and these Antichrists were but fore-runners of the great Antichrist. This Saint John makes a sign, and this sign was accomplished, or began to be so, while yet S. John was alive, 1 Joh. 2. 18.

The first is the signes of certaine Antichrists, that is, speciall false and hereticall teachers, professing the Christian religion, which should teach doctrine that depriued the soules of men, of the benefit of redemption by Christ: and these Antichrists were but fore-runners of the great Antichrist. This Saint Iohn makes a signe, and this signe was accomplished, or began to be so, while yet S. Iohn was aliue, 1 Ioh. 2. 18.

The second sign is given by S. Paul, 2 Thes. 2. 3, 4. and that is a general Apostasy of men in the visible Church, from the soundness of religion: and this was accomplished under Arrius, and the many ages of the Papacy.

The second signe is giuen by S. Paul, 2 Thes. 2. 3, 4. and that is a generall Apostasie of men in the visible Church, from the soundnesse of religion: and this was accomplished vnder Arrius, and the many ages of the Papacy.

The third sign is the revealing and discovering of Antichrist, and the making of it known who was that great Antichrist, 2 Thes. 2. 4. and this was done by Gods two witnesses, that is, by a few choice Instruments that God raised up in the very times of this Apostasy, to preach and teach, that the Pope was Antichrist, and this was done in several ages of that Apostasy.

The third signe is the reuealing and discouering of Antichrist, and the making of it knowne who was that great Antichrist, 2 Thes. 2. 4. and this was done by Gods two witnesses, that is, by a few choise Instruments that God raised vp in the very times of this Apostasie, to preach and teach, that the Pope was Antichrist, and this was done in seuerall ages of that Apostasie.

The fourth sign is the preaching again of the everlasting Gospel, and the public profession of reformed religion, Rev. 14. 6. 7. and 15. 1, 2, 3. and this began in the age next before us that now live, in the ministry of Luther, Zwinglius, and divers other.

The fourth signe is the preaching againe of the euerlasting Gospel, and the publike profession of reformed religion, Rev. 14. 6. 7. and 15. 1, 2, 3. and this began in the age next before vs that now liue, in the ministery of Luther, Zwinglius, and diuers other.