Clause 7

Thus much of the highest degree of Christs exaltation in his kingdome: now followeth the last point to be beleeued concerning Christ, in these words, From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade. And they containe a proofe or a particular declaration of the former article. For as on earth those that are set at the right hand of kings doe execute iustice in courts or assises for the maintenance of the state and peace of the kingdome: so Christ Iesus sitting at the right hande of his father, that is, being made soueraigne Lord of all things both in heauen & earth, is to hold a court or assise, in which he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead. Now in handling the last iudgement, we are to consider these points: I. whether there shall be a iudgement or not? II. the time of it. III. the signes therof. IV. the manner of it. V. the vse which is to be made thereof. Of these in order. For the first point, whether there shall be a iudgement or not? the question is needefull: for as Saint Peter saith, There shall come in the last daies mockers, which shall walke after their lusts, and say, Where is the promise of his comming?¹ which daies are now. The answeare is set downe in this article, in which we professe that the cōming of Christ to the last iudgement, is a point of religion specially to be held and auouched. The reasons to prooue it are principally two: first the testimonie of God himselfe in the books of the old and new testament, which affoard vnto vs plentifull testimonies touching the last iudgement, so as he which will but lightly reade the same, shall not neede to doubt thereof. The second reason is taken from the iustice and goodnes of God, the propertie wherof is, to punish wicked and vngodly men, and to honour and reward the godly: but in this world the godly mā is most of al in misery, (for iudgement beginneth at Gods house) and the vngodly haue their hearts ease. Wicked Diues hath the world at will, but pore Lazarus is hunger bitten, full of soares, & miserable euery way. This being so, it remaineth that after this life, there must needes be a iudgement and a second comming of Christ, when the godly must receiue fulnes of ioy & glorie, and the vngodly fulnes of woe and miserie. This second reason may stoppe the mouthes of all gainesayers in the worlde whatsoeuer. But it may be obiected, that the whole world stands either of beleeuers or vnbeleeuers, and that there is no last iudgement for either of these; for the beleeuer,² as Christ saith, hath euerlasting life, & shal not come into iudgement; and the vnbeleeuer is condemned alreadie, and therefore needeth no further iudgement.³ Answ. Where it is said, he that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement, it must be vnderstood of the iudgement of condemnation, & not the iudgement of absolution: & he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie in effect & substance three waies: I. in the counsel of God, who did foresee & appoint his condemnation, as it is a punishment of sinne, and an execution of his iustice. II. in the word of God, where he hath his condemnation set down. III. he is condemned in his own conscience: for euery vngodly mans conscience is a iudge vnto himselfe, which doth euery houre condemne him, and it is a forerunner of the last iudgement. And notwithstāding all this, there may remain a second iudgement, which is a manifestatiō & finishing of that which was begū in this world: & therefore the meaning of that place is this; he that beleeueth not is alreadie iudged in part, but so as the full manifestation thereof, shall be at the second comming of Christ.

The second circumstance, is the time of his iudgement: in handling whereof I. we will see what is the iudgement of men: II. what is the truth. For the first, two opinions touching this time take place. The first is, that the second comming of Christ shall be about sixe thousand yeares from the beginning of the world, & that for the elects sake some of these daies must be shortned: & now since the beginning of the world, are passed fiue thousand & almost sixe hūdred yeares, so as there remaine but foure hundreds. The groūds of this opinion are these. First the testimonie of Elias, two thousand yeares before the law: two thousand yeares vnder the law: and two thousand yeres vnder Christ. And for the elects sake some of these yeares shalbe shortned. Answ. This was not the sentēce of Elias the Thisbite, but of another Elias which was a Iew, no Prophet. And wheras he saith two thousand yeares before the law: & two thousand yeres vnder the law, he faileth. From the giuing of the law to the comming of Christ, was about one thousand & fiue hundred yeares: and from the law to the creation aboue two thousand. Now if Elias can not set downe a iust number for the time past▪ which a meane man may doe, what shall we think that he can doe for the time to come? And if he deceiue vs in that which is more easie to finde, howe shall wee trust him in things that be harder? The second reason is this: howe long God was in creating the worlde, so long he shall be in gouerning the same; but he was sixe daies in creating the worlde, and in the seuenth he rested, and so proportionally he shall be sixe thousand yeares in gouerning the world; euery day answearing to a thousand yeares, as Peter saith: A thousand yeares are but as one day with God, and then shall the ende be. Answer. This reason likewise hath no ground in Gods word: as for that place of Peter, the meaning is, that innumerable yeares are but as a short time with God:⁴ and we may as well say, two thousand or tenne thousand yeares are but as one day with God. For Peter meant not to speake any thing distinctly of a thousand yeares, but of a long time. Thirdly it is alleadged, that within sixe thousand yeares from the creation of the worlde, shall appeare in the heauens straunge coniunctions, and positions of the starres, which signifie nothing else but the subversion of the state of the world: nay, some haue noted that the ende thereof should haue beene in the yeare of our Lord, a thousand fiue hundred eightie eight: their writings are manifest: but we finde by experience that this opinion is false and friuolous, and their groundes be as friuolous. For no man can gather by the ordinarie course of the heauens the extraordinarie change of the whole world.

The second is, that the end of the world shall be three yeares and an halfe after the reuealing of Antichrist. And it is gathered out of places in Daniel and the Revelation, abused. Where a time and times and halfe a time signifie not three yeares and an halfe, but a short time. And therefore to take the words properly, is farre from the meaning of the holy Ghost. For marke, if the end shall be three yeares & an halfe after the reuealing of Antichrist, then may any man knowe before hand the particular moneth wherein the ende of the world should be, which is not possible.

Now the truth which is to be auouched against all is this, that no man can know or set downe or coniecture the day, the weeke, the moneth, the yeare or the age, wherein the second comming of Christ and the last day of iudgement shall be. For Christ himselfe saith, of that day and houre knoweth no man, no not the angels in heauen, but God onely: nay Christ himselfe as he is man,⁵ knoweth it not. And when the disciples asked Christ at his ascensiō, whether he would restore the kingdō vnto Israel, he answered, It is not for you to know the times and seasons,⁶ which the father hath put in his owne power. And Paul saith, Of the times and seasons, brethren, you haue no neede that I write vnto you.⁷ For you your selues know perfectly that the day of the Lord shall come, euen as a thiefe in the night. Now we know that a man that keepeth his house, can not coniecture or imagine when a thiefe will come: and therefore no man can set downe the particular time or age, when Christ shal come to iudgement. This must we hold steadfastly, and if wee reade the contrarie in the writings of men, we are not to beleeue their sayings, but accoūt of them as of the deuices of mē, which haue no ground in Gods word.

To come to the third point, namely the signes of the last iudgement, they are of two sorts: some goe before the comming of Christ, and some are ioyned with it. The signes that goe before, are in number seuen, recorded distinctly by the holy Ghost. The first, is the preaching of the Gospell through the whole worlde. So our Sauiour Christ saith, This Gospell of the kingdome must be preached through the whole world for a witnesse vnto all nations,⁸ and then shall the ende come. Which place must thus be vnderstoode; not that the Gospell must be preached to the whole world at any one time, for that (as I take it) was neuer yet seene, neither shalbe; but that it shall be published distinctly and successiuely at seuerall times: and thus vnderstanding the words of Christ, if we consider the time since the Apostles daies, we shall finde this to be true, that the Gospell hath bin preached to all the world: and therefore this first signe of Christs comming is alreadie past and accomplished.

The second signe of his comming, is the reuealing of Antichrist, as Paul saith, The day of Christ shall not come before there be a departure first, and that man of sinne be disclosed,⁹ euen the sonne of perdition, which is Antichrist. Concerning this signe, in the yeare of our Lord 602. Gregorie the eight Pope of Rome, auouched this solemnly as a manifest 〈◊〉, that whosoeuer did take to him selfe the name of Vniuersall Bishop, the same was Antichrist. Now fiue yeares after, Boniface succeeding him, was by Phocas the Emperour entituled, Vniversall Bishop, pastor of the Catholicke Church, in the yeare of our Lord 607. & of all Popes he was the first knowne Antichrist, & since him all his successours haue taken vnto them the same title of Vniuersall & Catholick Bishop, whereby it doth plainly appeare, that at Rome hath bin and is the Antichrist. And this signe is also past.

The third is, a generall departing of most men from the faith. For it is said in the place before named, Let no man deceiue you:¹⁰ for the day of Christ shall not come, except there come a departing first. Generall departure hath bin in former ages. When Arius spied his heresie, it tooke such place that the whole world became an Arian. And during the space of 900 yeares from the time of Boniface, the popish heresie spread it selfe ouer the whole earth, and the faithful seruants of God were but as an handfull of wheat in a mountaine of chaffe, which can scarce be discerned. This signe is in part alreadie past, neuerthelesse it shall continue to the ende, because men shall continually depart from the faith. And the nearer the ende of the world is, the more satan rageth and seekes to bring men into his kingdome. Therefore it standeth vs in hand to labour for the knowledge of true religion, and hauing learned it, most heartily to loue the same.

The fourth signe is, a generall corruption in maners. This point the Apostle sets downe at large, saying, Toward the latter daies shall come perilous times, wherein men shalbe louers of themselues,¹¹ couetous, boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobediēt to parents, vnthankefull, vnholy, and without naturall affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, intemperate, fierce, despisers of them which are good, traytours, headie, high minded, louers of pleasures more then louers of God, &c. This generall corruption in the manners of men, is noted by our Sauiour Christ, when he saith, When he commeth he shall scarce finde faith vpon the earth. This signe hath bin in former ages, and is no doubt at this day in the world. For it is hard to finde a man that walketh iustly, soberly, and faithfully, doing the duties of his calling to God and man.

The fifth signe of Christs comming stands in terrible & grieuous calamities. For Christs disciples asking him a signe of his cōming, & of the end of the world, he saith, There shal be warres & rumours of warres, nation shall rise against nation,¹² & realme against realme: and there shalbe pestilence and famine & earthquakes in diuers places, & mē shalbe at their wits ends. These haue bin in former ages. In the first 3. hundred yeres after Christ, were ten most fearefull persecutions: and since in Europe the Church of God hath bin wōderfully persecuted by the Antichrist of Rome in the hūdred yeres last past.

The sixth signe is, an exceeding deadnes of heart, so as neither iudgements from heauen, nor the preaching of the word shall mooue the hearts of men. So Christ saith,¹³ It shal be in the cōming of the sonne of mā, as it was in the daies of Noe, & in the daies of Sodō: they knew nothing til the flood came, & fire frō heauē destroied thē all. This signe undoubtedly is manifest in these our daies, howsoeuer it hath bin also in former times. For where are any almost that are moued with Gods iudgements, or touched at the preaching of the word; nay rather men hardē their hearts, & become secure and careles. The small fruit that the word of God bringeth foorth in the liues of men, shews this to be most true.

The seuenth & last signe, set down by the Apostle Paul is, that there shall be a calling of the Iewes before the Lord come to iudgemēt: but of the time whē this calling shal be,¹⁴ of the maner how, or the number of them that shalbe called, there is no mention made in the word of God. Now it is likely that this signe is yet to come.

These are the signes that go before the cōming of Christ, all which are almost past, and therefore the end can not be farre off. Now follows the signe that is ioyned with the cōming of Christ, called the signe of the sonne of man. What this signe is, we find not in the Scriptures. Some thinke it to be the signe of the crosse; but that is friuolous: some, the glorie & maiestie of Christ, which shal be made manifest in his appearance: which seemes to be otherwise by the very words of Christ. Then (saith he) shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man,¹⁵ &c. and then they shall see him come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glorie; distinguishing the one from the other. But I rather coniecture it to be the burning of heauen and earth with fire, at the very instant of Christs comming, mentioned by Peter. We must not here dispute whence this fire shal come, or how it shall be kindled, for that the word of God hath concealed: and where God hath not a mouth to speake, there we must not haue an eare to heare.

The vses to be made hereof, are these. When S. Peter had set downe the change that shall be at the comming of Christ, and that heauen and earth must be purged with fire, he makes this vse thereof. Seeing all things must be dissolued, what manner of men ought we to be in holy conuersation & godlines?¹⁶ and the reason is good. For if heauen & earth must be changed and purged at Christs comming, then much more ought we to be changed, & to put off the old man of sinne, & to become new creatures created after the image of God in righteousnes and true holines. If the bruit creatures must be renewed by fire, then much more are we to labour that the fire of Gods spirite may burne vp sinne & corruption in vs, & so change vs that we may be ready for him against his cōming: els heauē & earth it selfe shal stand vp in iudgemēt against vs to our condemnation. Secondly the consideration of this, that the world shall be consumed with fire, teacheth vs moderation and sobrietie in the vse of Gods creatures, as in costly buildings, gorgeous attire, and such like. What madnes is this, to bestow all that we haue on such things, as at the day of iudgement shall be consumed with fire. For looke whatsoeuer abuse shall come to Gods creatures by our follie, the same shal then be abolished. Thirdly we must consider that the cause why heauen & earth must be consumed with fire, is mans sinne by means wherof they are made subiect to vanitie & corruption. Here thē we haue iust occasion to acknowledge the greatnes & wretchednes of our sinnes. If any of vs had but seene the Iewes leprosie, it would haue made vs to wōder: for the contagion thereof did infect not only the whole mā, but his garmēts also that were about him, & somtime the walls of his house: but howsoeuer we cānot now see that leprosie amōg vs, yet we may see a worse. For the leprosie of our sins doth not onely infect our garmēts, & the things about us, with our bodies, but euen the high heauēs & the earth are slained with the contagion thereof, and are made subiect to vanitie and corruption: yea by sinne in us the most glorious creatures in them, as the Sunne, Moone, and Starres are become subiect to vanitie. Oh then, how wretched is the heart of man, that makes no bones of sinne, which is the most noisome thing in all the worlde, the stinke whereof hath infected both heauen and earth. If we could consider this, we would not be so slacke in humbling our selues for the same as wee are. Wee can not abide to looke on a poore lazar full of blanes and sores, but if wee could see our sinnes in their right colours, they would make us seem unto our selues ten thousād times more ougly then any lazar man can be, the contagiō thereof is so great & noisome, that the verie heauens which are many thousand miles distant from us, are infected therwith. Yet here we are to know, that this fire shall not consume the substance of heauen and earth, but onely change the qualitie, and abolish the corruption which our sinnes haue brought upon them.

The fourth point to be considered, is the manner of the last iudgement, in which wee may obserue two things: I. who shall be iudge: II. the proceeding of this iudge. The first is expressed in this article; From thence hee shall come to iudge▪ Hee, that is▪ Christ Iesus the second person in trinitie: For the father hath committed all iudgement unto him. It is indeede an action common to all the three persons in trinitie, but yet the execution thereof appertaines unto the sonne. The father indeed doth iudge the world, but yet by the sonne. But some may obiect,¹⁷ that the Apostles shall sit on twvelve thrones and iudge the twelve tribes of Israel. And S. Paul saith, The saintes shall iudge the world.¹⁸ How then is this true, that Christ is the onely iudge of the world. Answer. The authoritie of iudgement and giuing sentence at the last day is proper to Christ alone, and doth not belong either to the Apostles, or to the saints: and they shall iudge at the last day only as witnesses and apprpouers of Christs iudgement: at the great day of assise beside the iudge the iustices on the bench are also in a maner iudges, not that they giue sentence, but because by their presence they approoue and witnesse the equitie of the sentence of the iudge: so the definitive sentence doth belong to Christ: and the Apostles and saintes doe nothing but approoue his righteous sentence.

The whole proceeding of the last iudgement may be reduced to seuen pointes or heades. The first is the comming of the iudge in the cloudes. Here at the first it may be demaunded why Christ holdes the last iudgement rather on earth then in heauen. Answer. He doth it for two causes. One, the creature to be iudged hath sinned here upon earth: and he proceeds after the maner of earthly iudges, who hold their sessions and assises there where trespasses are commonly committed. The seconde, because the deuill and his angels are to be iudged, and it is a parte of their punishment to be cast out of heauen. For no uncleane thing may come into this heauenly Ierusalem, and therefore they now remaine in the lower parts of the world, & there must be iudged. Furthermore the second comming of Christ is sudden as the comming of a thiefe in the night. He will come when the worlde thinketh not of him as the snare doeth on the birde.¹⁹ The consideration whereof must teach us the same duties which our Sauiour Christ taught the men of his time. First hee teacheth them what they must not doe: For hee knowing all things knewe also the disposition of mans heart, and therefore saieth, Take heede to your selves, least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse, and the cares of this life; least that day come vpon you unawares. For these sinnes benumme the heart, and steale away all grace. This exhortation in these our daies is most needefull. For mens heartes are like the smithes sti•hie, the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods worde, the harder they are. Secondly hee teacheth them what they must doe: Watch therefore (saieth hee) and pray continually: That yee may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe, and that ye may stand before the sonne of man. But you will say: how may wee be founde worthy to stande before Christ at that day? Answere. Doe but this one thing: for your liues past be humbled before God, and come unto him by true, hearty, and unfained repentance, be changed and become newe creatures: pray unto him earnestly for the pardon of your sinnes in Christ, and pray continually that God will turne your heartes from your olde sinnes euerie day more and more: and then come the last iudgement when it will, ye shall be founde worthy to stand before Christ at his comming. The repentant sinner is hee, that shall finde fauour in the sight of God at that day. The consideration hereof may mooue us to change our liues. Those which were neuer yet humbled for their sinnes, let them now begin: and those which haue alreadie begon, let them goe forwarde and continue. But the deuill will crie in the hearts of some men, that this exhortation is as yet needelesse: for the day of iudgement is not neare, because all the signes thereof are not yet passed. Answere. Suppose the day of iudgement be farre off, yet the day of thy death can not be so: for the common saying is true, to day a man, to morrow none. Now looke as death leaveth thee, so shall the day of iudgement finde thee. Impenitent Cain died long since, and yet the day of iudgement when it commeth, shall finde him impenitent still. The same thing may be saide of Saul, Achitophel, and Iudas. They died desperately and impenitent, and the Lord shall finde them so at his comming. So it will be with thee, whatsoeuer thou art that repentest not. Death may come upon thee the next day or the next houre, therefore watch and pray. Prepare thy selfe against the day of death, that at the day of iudgement thou maiest be founde worthy to obtaine fauour in the sight of the Lorde. Securitie doeth ouerwhelme the worlde, but let us for our parts learne to prepare our selues daily: For if the day of death do leaue thee unworthy, then the Lord Iesus at his comming shall find thee unworthy: and the deuill shal stand before thee & accuse thee, thy conscience shall condemne thee, & hell shalbe ready to swallow thee up. If this admonition take no place in thy heart, then at the day of iudgement it shall stand against thee, and be a bill of inditement to thy further condemnation.

The second point followeth, that Christ after that hee is come in the cloudes shall sit in a throne of glorie as the soueraigne iudge of heauen and earth,²⁰ after the manner of earthly kings, who when they will shew themselues unto their subiectes in maiestie, power, and glorie, use to ascende into the thrones of their kingdomes, and there to shewe themselues and appeare in state vnto all the people. Now what this throne is▪ and how Christ sittes in the same, the scripture hath not revealed, and therefore I will not stand to search. Yet here must we further marke, that this appearance of his in endlesse glory and maiestie shalbe most terrible and dreadfull to the ungodly,²¹ and therefore in Daniel his throne is said to be like a flame of fire, and at the verie sight hereof men shall desire the mountaines to fall upon them and the hilles to couer them.

The third point is the citing of all men and of the angels before his maiestie in that daie, there to answer for themselues. This citing shall be done by the voice of Christ, as he himselfe saith:²² In that day all that are in the graues shall heare his voice, and they shall come forth. And here we are to consider two things: I. the power of this voice: II. the ministerie whereby it shall be uttered. For the first, No doubt the power of this voice shall be unspeakable, and therefore it is compared to a trumpet,²³ the loudest and shrillest of all musicall instrumentes; and to the crie of the mariners, whose manner hath bene in the doing of any businesse with all their strength at one instant to make a common shout. And sensible experience shall manifest the force thereof. For it shall cause all the deade euen from the beginning of the worlde to rise againe, though they haue lien rotten in the earth many thousande yeres: and all uncleane spirites shall be forced and compelled will they nill they to come before Christ, who shalbe unto them a most fearefull and terrible iudge, neither man nor angell shal be able to absent or hide himselfe: all without exception must appeare as well high as low, rich as poore: none shalbe able to withdraw themselues, no not the mightie Monarches of the earth.

Furthermore this voice shall be uttered by angels. As in the Church Christ useth men as his ministers by whome he speakes unto his people:²⁴ so at the last day he shall use the ministerie of angels, whome hee shall sende forth into the foure windes to gather his elect togither: and therefore it is likely that this voice shalbe uttered by them. And by this which hath bene saide, we must be mooued to make conscience of all sinne. For there is no avoiding of this iudgement, we can not absent our selues, no excuse will serue the turne: euen the most rebellious of all creatures whether mā or angell shall be forced to appeare: and therefore it stands us in hand, while wee haue time in this life, to looke unto our estates, and to practise the duties of Christianitie, that when we shall be cited before his glorious maiestie at the last day, we may be cleared and absolued.

The fourth point is the separation of the sheepe from the goates, the good from the bad; for when all the kinreds of the earth, & all uncleane spirits shall stand before Christ,²⁵ sitting in the throne of his glorie: then as a good shepheard hee shall separate them one from another, the righteous from the wicked, & the elect from the reprobate. He which knoweth the heartes of all men, knoweth also how to doe this, and he will doe it. This full and finall separation is reserued to Christ, and shall not be accomplished till the last day. For so it is in the parable, that the tares must grow with the wheate till haruest,²⁶ and then the reapers must separate them, and gather the wheate into the barne, but the tares must be burned with unquenchable fire. By the consideration of this one point, wee learne diuers things: I. that in the Church of God in this world good and badde are mingled togither, elect and reprobate: and we are not to imagine any perfection of the Church of God upon earth, as many haue dreamed, which when they could not find, they haue therefore forsaken all assemblies. I confesse indeede that the preaching of the word is the Lords fanne, whereby he clenseth his Church in part, but yet the finishing of this worke shall not be before the last iudgement. For when the ministers of God haue done all that they can, yet shall the wicked be mingled with the godly. Therefore the Church is compared to a barne store, where is both wheate and chaffe: & a corne field where there is both tares and good corne: and a draw net, wherein is both good fish and bad. Secondly, whereas this separation must not be before the end of the world, hence we learne the state of Gods church in this life. It is like a flock of sheep mingled with goates, & therefore the condition of Gods people in this worlde is to be troubled many waies by those with whome they liue. For goates use to strike the sheepe, to annoy their pasture, & to make their water muddie that they can not drinke of it:²⁷ therefore wee must prepare our selues to beare all annoiances, crosses, and calamities that shall befall us in this world by the wicked ones, among whome we liue. Thirdly we are taught, that howsoeuer the goates and the sheepe be very like, & feed in one pasture, & lie in one fold all their life time: yet Christ can & will seuer them asunder at the last day. Therefore considering as wee are borne of Adam wee haue the nature of the goate, yea of the wild beast, & not of the sheep, it stands us in hand to lay aside our goatish conditions, and to take unto us the properties of the sheepe of Christ which hee expresseth in these wordes, My sheepe (saith he) heare my voice, I know them, & they follow me. And the properties are three;²⁸ to know him, to be known of him, and to follow him, namely in obedience: and he that finds them all in himselfe, weareth the brand and marke of the true sheepe of Christ: but contrariwise they that make profession of Christ, & yet therewithall ioyne not obedience, howsoeuer the worlde may account of them, they are but goates & no sheep. Let us therefore with the knowledge of Christ ioyne obedience to his word, that when the day shall come that the goats must be separated from the sheep, we may be found to be in the nūber of the true sheep of Christ. Wee may deceiue men both in life & death, & beare them in hand that we are sheepe, but when the iudgement shall come, we can not deceiue Christ: he it is that formed us, he knowes our harts, & therfore cā easily discern what we are.

The fift thing is the triall of euery mans particular cause, a point especially to be considered. For as at the barre of an earthly iudge, the malefactour is brought out of prison and set before the iudge and there examined: euen so in that great day shall euery man without exception be brought before the Lord to be tried. But how shal this trial be made. Ans. By workes: as the Apostle saith, Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ,²⁹ that every man may receiue the thinges which are done in his body according to that hee hath done, whether it be good or evil. And the reason is, because workes are the outward signes of inward grace and godlinesse. And though we be iustified by faith alone without workes, yet may we be iudged both by faith and workes. For the last iudgement doeth not serue to make men iust that are not, but onely to manifest them to be iust indeed, which were iust before and in this life truely iustified. The consideration of this very point should moue us all to repent us of our sins past & to reforme our selues throughout, & to be plentifull in all good works. And undoubtedly if wee seriously thinke upon it, it will holde us more straitly to all good duties, then if with the Papistes we held iustification by workes.

Furthermore in this triall two things must be skanned: I. how all mens workes shall be made manifest. II. by what meanes they shall be examined. Of the manifestation of euery mans work S. Iohn speaketh,³⁰ And I saw (saith he) the deade both great and small stande before God, and the bookes were opened: and another booke was opened, which is the booke of life, and the dead were iudged of these things which were written in the bookes according to their workes. God is saide to haue books not properly, but because al things are as certen and manifest to him, as if he had his Registers in heauen to keepe rolles and recordes of them. His bookes are three; the book of Prouidence, the book of Iudgement, the book of Life. The book of his providence is the knowledge of all particular things past, present, to come. Of this the Psalmist speaketh, Thine eyes did see me when I was without forme: for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance were fashioned,³¹ when there was none of them before. The booke of iudgement is that whereby he giues iudgement: and it is two-folde. The first is Gods knowledge or prescience, in which all the affaires of men, their thoughts, wordes, and deedes are as certenly knowen and set downe, as if they were put in bookes of record. Wee may forget our sinnes, but God keepes them in a register; he knowes them euery one. The seconde booke is euery mans particular conscience, which also brings to remembrence and testifies what men haue done and what they haue not done. The booke of life is nothing els but the decree of Gods election,³² in which God hath set downe who be ordained to life eternall.

Now the opening of these bookes is a thing wherin the endlesse power of God shall most notably shewe it selfe. For when we shall stand before the iudgement seate of Christ, he then knowing all things in his eternall counsell, shall reueale unto euery man his owne particular sinnes, whether they were in thought, worde, or deede, and then also by his mightie power hee shall so touch mens consciences, that they shall a fresh remember what they haue done. Now indeede the wicked mans conscience is shut up as a closed booke, but then it shall be so touched, and as it were, opened, that he shall plainly see and remember all the particular offences which at any time he hath committed; & his very cōscience shall be as good as a thousand witnesses; whereupon hee shall accuse and utterly condemne himselfe. The consideration of this ought to terrifie all those that liue in their sinnes: For howsoeuer they may hide them from the worlde, yet at the last day God will be sure to reveale them all.

Now after that mens workes are made manifest, they must further be tried whether they be good or euill. And that shall be done on this maner. They that neuer heard of Christ must be tried by the law of nature, which serues to make them inexcusable before God. As for those that liue in the Church they shall be tried by the Law and the Gospell, as Paul saith, As many as have lived in the law, shall be iudged by the law. And againe,³³ At the day of iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of our hearts according to his gospell. And By faith Noah builded an arke,³⁴ whereby he condemned the olde world. If this be true, then we must in the feare of God heare his word preached & taught with all reuerence & make cōscience to profit by it. For otherwise in the day of iudgement when all our workes shalbe tried by it, the same word of God shall be a bill of inditement, and the fearefull sentence of condemnation against us. Therefore let us be humbled by the doctrine of the lawe, and willingly embrace the sweete promises of the gospell: considering it is the onely touchstone, whereby all our wordes, thoughts & workes must be examined.

The sixt pointe in the proceeding of the last iudgement, is the giuing of sentence, which is twofolde: the sentence of absolution, and the sentence of condemnation, both which are to be obserued diligently, that we may receiue profit therby. And first of al Christ shal begin his iudgemēt with the sētēce of absolutiō, which shews, that he is ready to shew mercy & slow to wrath. In this sentence wee are to consider foure pointes: I. a calling of the elect to the kingdome of heauen: II. the reason thereof: III. a reply of the elect: IV. the answere of Christ to them againe. The calling of the elect is set downe in these wordes,³⁵ Come yee blessed of my father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world. And the wordes are to be obserued one by one. Come ye blessed] Though Christ now sit in glorie and maiestie in iudgement, yet hee ceaseth not to shew his tender affection of loue unto his chosen. And this ouerthroweth the opinion of the Church of Rome, which would haue us rather to come vnto Christ by the intercession of saints, then by our selues immediatly, because he is now exalted in glorie and maiestie. But mark, when he was heare on earth, hee saide, Come vnto me all yee that are heavy laden and I will ease you. And when hee shall be most glorious in maiestie and power at the day of iudgement, hee will then also say, Come ye blessed of my father: and therfore we may resolue our selues, that it is his will now, that we should come unto him without any intercessiō of saints. Yee blessed of my father] The elect are here called the blessed of God, because their righteousnes, saluation, and all that they haue springs of the meere blessing of God. Nothing therefore must be ascribed to the workes of man. Inherit] that is, receiue as your inheritance: therefore the kingdome of heauen is Gods meere gifte. A father giueth no inheritance unto his sonne of merite, but of his free gifte: whereupon it followes, that no man can merit the kingdome of heauen by his workes. The kingdome] that is, the eternall estate of glorie and happinesse in heauen: therfore in this life we must so use this worlde, as though we used it not: all that we haue here is but vaine and transitorie: and all our studie and endeauour must be to come to the kingdome of heauen. Prepared) Here note the unspeakeable care of God for the faithfull. Had he such care to prouide a kingdome for his children before they were? then wee may assure our selues, he will haue greater care ouer them now when they haue a being. For you) that is, for the elect and faithfull. Hence it appeares that there is no uniuersall election whereby God decrees that all and euery man shal be saued. Indeed if he had said, Come ye blessed of my father, inherite the kingdome prepared for all but received of you, it had beene something, but he saieth onely, Prepared for you: and therefore all were not chosen to saluation.

The reason of this calling, is taken from workes as from signes, in these wordes, For I was hungry and yee gave mee meate, &c. When he saith, for I was hungry, hee meanes his poore members upon earth: and thereby he signifies unto us that the miseries of his members are his owne miseries. Thus the Lord saith in Zachary,³⁶ He which toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. And when Saul was going to persecute them that called on the name of Christ in Damascus,³⁷ hee cried from heauen, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And this is a notable comfort to Gods Church and people,³⁸ that they haue an high priest that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities: and if hee accompt our miseries his owne miseries, then no doubt hee will pity our estate and make us able to beare the worst. And yee gave mee meate) Here wee note, that the principall workes of men are those which are done to the poore members of Christ: wee are indeed to helpe all in as much as they are our verie flesh and the creatures of God; the rule of S. Paul being remembred, Doe good to all, but especially to those that are of the houshold of faith.³⁹ Many are of mind that the best works are to build Churches & Monasteries, but Christ tells us here, that the best work of all is to relieue those that be the liuing members of his mysticall body.

The third point is the reply of the saints to Christ againe in these wordes, Lorde, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? &c. They doe not denie that which Christ auouched, but doe, as I take it, standing before the tribunall seat of God, humble themselues, hauing stil an after consideration of the infirmities and offences of their liues past. Here note then, that it is a Satanicall practise for a man to bragge of workes and to stand upon them in the matter of iustification before God. And wee must rather doe as the saintes of God doe, abase our selues in regard of our sinnes past.

The last point is the answere of Christ to them againe, in these wordes, Verily, I say unto you, in as much as yee did it to the least of these my breethren, you did it to me. A most notable sentence: and it serueth to teach us, how wee should and ought to behaue our selues in doing workes of mercie, which are duties to bee perfourmed in this life. We are not to doe them of any sinister respect, as for praise of men or commodity, but wee must propound unto our selues the party to whome wee doe any good, and in him looke on Christ, and so doe it, as unto Christ and for Christes sake onely; and this is a good worke indeede. Christ saith, Whosoever shall give a cup of cold water to a disciple in the name of a disciple, shall not loose his reward. It is but a small gift, but yet the maner of doing it,⁴⁰ namely in the name of a disciple, that is, in respect that he is a member of Christ, doth make it an excellent worke of mercie. It is a speciall marke of a childe of God to shew mercy on a christian because he is a christian. If any would know whether he be a christian or no, let him search himselfe, whether he loue a man, and can doe good unto him, because he is a childe of God, and a member of Christ: For this is a plaine argument, that he also is the childe of God. Many can loue, because they are loued againe, but to lone for Christ his sake, is a worke of Christ in us and a speciall gift of God.

The sentence of condemnation followes in the seconde place: and it containes foure points: I. the reiection of the ungooly: II. the reason of their reiection: III. the defence which the wicked make for themselues: lastly, the answere of Christ to them againe. The reiection of the wicked is uttered by a terrible sentence, Away from mee yee cursed into hell fire. The use hereof in generall is twofold. First it serves to awake and excite all men and women in the worlde whosoeuer they be that shall heare it, to looke unto their owne estates. It is wonderfull to see what great securitie reigneth euery where in these our daies. Men goe on in sinne from day to day and from yere to yere without repentance, nothing at all fearing the sentence of condemnation at the last day; like unto many which for the obtaining of other mens goods are neither by the feare of arraignment or imprisonment kept in good order. The occasions of securitie are twofolde: I. the prosperitie of the wicked who of all men liue most at ease without trouble, either in body or in minde. II. Gods patience and long suffering, as Salomon saith, Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily,⁴¹ therefore the hearts of the children of men is fully set in them to doe evill. But to awake all those which liue in this securitie, they must remember that howsoeuer the Lord God doth now deferre his iudgement, yet there is a day wherin he wil no way shew mercy & long suffering, when they shall heare this fearfull sentēce of condēnation pronounced against them, Away from me yee cursed. The second use is to the godly: It serues to nurture them & to keep thē in awe before god: & no doubt, this was a principall cause why this sentence▪ was here penned by the holy ghost. A wise master of a family will checke his seruant, and if the cause require, correct him in his childes presence, that the childe it selfe may learne thereby to feare and stand in awe of his father: so Christ the most carefull and wise gouernour of his Church hath set downe this sentence of condemnation against the wicked, that the children of God in this world whensoeuer they shall heare or reade the same, might be mooued thereby to stande in great feare of God, and more dutifully perfourme obedience to his commaundements. Away from me] Here wee may learne, what a blessed thing it is for a man to haue true fellowship with Christ in this worlde. For in the day of iudgement the punishment of the wicked is to be cut off from him, and driuen away from his presence. Now hee that would haue fellowship with God after this life, and escape that punishment, must seeke to haue it in this life: and hee that will not seeke to haue fellowship with him in this life, shal neuer haue it after in the day of iudgement. Again, let us mark that it is nothing to draw nere unto Christ with our lippes, if the heart be not with him: for such as come nere with the lippe and haue kept aloofe in the heart, shall heare the sentence pronounced▪ Away foom me ye cursed ▪ & shall be seuered as farre from Christ as hell from heauen. Therefore let us not content our selues with formall profession, but open the dores of our heartes that the king of glory may come in. Yee cursed.] They are cursed who are borne in sinne and liue in their sinnes, and all the daies of their liues so perseuere to the last gaspe without seeking recouerie. Whosoeuer he be that is in this estate, the curse of God hangeth ouer his head, and will so do till hee get reconciliation with God in Christ. This being so, aboue all things in this world we must labor to be at peace with God, and neuer cease nor be quiet with our selues till we haue the same wrought and sealed in our hearts. For before such time as we be in Gods fauour, his fearfull curse hangs ouer our heads, & if we so perseuere without repentance, the day will come when we shall heare this fearefull sentence pronounced against us: Away from me ye cursed into hell fire. What hell fire is, we must not curiously search, but rather giue our whole endeauour to learne how we may auoid it: as when a mans house is on fire, his care must be, not to search how it came, but rather how to quench it: yet we are to know thus much, that by hell fire is not meant any bodily flame, but it signifies the seazing of the fearful & terrible wrath of God both on body and soule for euer. For howsoeuer the body be subiect to burning with fire, yet the soule being spiritual can not burn; & therfore hell fire is not a materiall fire, but a grieuous tormēt fit resembled therby. Prepared for the divell and his angels.) There is in euery mās heart by nature this corruption: whereby when he sinneth, he thinkes that there is no daunger but all is well, having as Esai saieth, made a covenat with hell. But here consider, that although the deuill was once an angell of light, yet when he had sinned, he could not escape hell: it was prepared euen for him. Now then shall ungodly men which are not halfe so wily thinke to escape?

Nowe followeth the reason of their reiection in these wordes: For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meate, &c. Hence we learne these two points: I. that all mans religiō & seruing of God is in vaine, if so be we shew no cōpassion towarde the poore members of Christ, in feeding, clothing, lodging, & visiting of them. For we must thinke, that many of those against whom this reason shalbe brought, did know religiō & professe the same, yea they prophesied in the name of Christ, & called on him, saying, Lord, Lord: & yet the sentence of condemnation goeth against them, because they shewed no cōpassion toward the mēbers of Christ, & therfore it is a principall vertue, & a speciall note of a christian, to shew the bowels of cōpassion towardes his needy breethren. Here againe we note, that it is not sufficient for us to abstaine frō euil, but we must also do good. For it is not said, I was an hungred and ye tooke meate from me, but, When I was hūgry ye gave me no meat. They are not charged with doing euill,⁴² but, for not doing good. S. Iohn saith, The axe is laid to the root of the tree, & the reason followes, not because the tree bare euil fruite, but because it bare not good fruit: therfore it must be cast into the fire. This condemnes a bad opinion of all worldly men, who thinke that all is well, & that God will be mercifull unto them, because they do no man harme. Thus we see how the deuill blindes the eyes of men▪ for it will not stand for paiment at the day of iudgement to say, I haue hurt no man, unlesse we further doe all the good we can.

The third point is the defence which impenitent sinners make for themselues in these wordes, Lorde, when saw we thee an hungred, or thirstie, or naked, or in prison, or sicke, and did not minister unto thee? Thus in their owne defence, that which Christ saith they gainsay, & iustifie themselues. Here mark the nature of all impenitent sinners, which is to sooth & flatter thēselues in sinne, & to maintaine their own righteousnes, like to the proude Pharisie in his praier, who bragged of his goodnes & said, Lord, I thanke thee,⁴³ that I am not as other men are, extortioners, &c. and in the very same manner ignorant persons of all sortes among us, iustifie themselues in their strong faith, and bragge of their zeale of gods glory, and of their loue to their brethren, and yet indeede shew no signes thereof. And truly wee are not to maruell when we se such persons to iustifie themselues before men, whereas they shall not be ashamed to doe it at the day of iudgement before the Lord Iesus himselfe.

The last point, is Christes answere to them againe in these wordes: Verily, I say vnto you, in as much as yee did it not to one of the least of these, yee did it not to me. This sentence beeing repeated againe, doeth teach us the lesson which wee learned before, that when wee are to shewe compassion to any man, especially if hee be a member of Gods Church, we must not cōsider his outward estate or his basenesse, in that he wantes foode or raiment, but beholde Christ in him, not respecting him as a man, but as a member of Christ. This it is that must mooue us to compassion, and cause us to make a supply of his wants more thē any respect in the worlde besides. And surely when Christ in his members comes to our dores and complaines that he is hungry and sicke, and naked, if our bowels came not towardes him, there is not so much as a dramine of the loue of God in vs.

The seventh point in the proceeding of the last iudgement is, the retribution or reward in these words: and they shall goe into everlasting paine, and the righteous into life eternall. How doe the wicked enter into hell and the godly into heaven? Answ. By the powerfull & commaunding voice of Christ, which is of that force, that neither the greatest rebell that euer was among men, nor all the diuels in hell shal be able to withstand it. And seeing that after the day of iudgement we must remaine for euer either in heauen or in hell, we are to looke about us, and to take heede unto our hearts. Indeed if the time were but a thousand or two thousand yeres, then with more reason men might take libertie to themselues: but seeing it is without end we must be most carefull through the whole course of our lives so to liue & behaue our selues, that when the day of iudgement shall come, we may auoid that fearful sentēce of euerlasting woe & condēnation, which shalbe pronounced against the wicked. And wheras all wicked men shall go to hell at Christs commandement, it teacheth us, willingly to obey the voice of Christ in the ministerie of the worde. For if we rebell against his voice in this world, when in the day of iudgemēt sentence shal be pronounced against us, we shall heare another voice, at the giuing whereof, we must obey whether we will or no, and thereupon go to euerlasting paine, whither we would not. Let us therfore in time denie our selues for our sinnes past, and onely relie upon Christ Iesus for the free remission of them all, and for the time to come leade a new reformed life.

Thus much of the order of Christ his proceeding at the day of iudgement. Now follow the uses thereof, which are either comforts to gods church or duties for all mē. The first comforte or benefite is this, that the same person which died for us upon the crosse to work our redemption, must also be our Iudge. And hence we reape two speciall comfortes. I. The people of God shall hereby inioy full redemption from all miseries and calamities which they had in this life. So Christ himselfe speaking of the signes of the end of the world saith to his disciples: When you see these things, lift vp your heads for your redemptiō draweth nere.⁴⁴ Thē he shall wipe all teares from their eies. Secondly, we shall hereby haue a finall deliuerance from all sinne. Now what a ioyfull thing it is to be freed from sinne, may plainely appeare by the cry of Saint Paul: Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death? And certen it is, that he which knowes what sinne is, and seriously repents him of the same, would wish with all his heart to be out of this world, that he might leaue off to sinne, and thereby to displease God.

The second comfort is this: the godly in this worlde haue many enemies: they are reuiled, slaundred, and oftentimes put to death: well, Christ Iesus at the day of iudgement will take euery mans case into his owne hand: he will then heare the complaint of the godly, howsoeuer in this world they found no remedie: and then he will reuenge their blood that is shed vpon the earth,⁴⁵ according to their praier. This comfort is to be considered especially of all those that are any way persecuted or molested by the wicked of this world.

Now follow the duties to be learned of euery one of vs, and they are diuerse. First, the consideration of the last iudgement serueth to teach all ignorant persons and impenitent sinners, repentance and humiliation for their sinnes, and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vnto Christ for the pardon of the same. When Paul preached to the Athenians, he willed them to repent vpon this ground & reason, because the Lord hath appointed a day wherin he will iudge the world in righteousnes. To speake plainly;⁴⁶ we can be content to heare the worde, and to honour him with our lippes, yet for the most part all is done but for fashions sake: for still we liue in our old sinnes: our hearts are not turned: but in the feare of God let vs bethinke our selues of the time, when we shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth, and haue all our sinnes laide open, and wee must answer for them all. This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vnto repentance: and assuredly if this will not mooue vs, there is nothing in the world will. Secondly, to this purpose Paul saith, If we would iudge our selues, we should not be iudged. Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day?⁴⁷ then in this life iudge thy selfe. Now a man in iudging of himselfe, must performe foure things: I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes: II. he must confesse them before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe, and as a iudge vpon the bench giue sentence against himselfe. Lastly, he must plead pardon, and cry vnto God as for life and death, for the remission of all his sinnes: and he that doth this vnfainedly shall neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day: but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life, then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come.

Thirdly, by this we may learne one not to iudge or condemne another, as Paul saith, Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come,⁴⁸ who lighten things that are hidde in darknes, and make the counsells of the hearts manifest. And Christ saith, Iudgement is mine: and, Iudge not, and ye shall not be iudged. And againe Paul saith to the Romanes, Why doest thou iudge thy brother?⁴⁹ for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ: but some will aske, how doth one iudge another? Answer. Thus: I. when a man doth well, to say of him that he doth euill: II. when a man doth euill, then to make it worse: III. when a thing is doubtfull, to take it in the worst part. And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons, or of their actions.

Fourthly, we must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men. This is the practise of Saint Paul, who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vnto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust,⁵⁰ endeauoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men. His example is worthie our marking and imitation; for fewe there be that vpon this occasion make any conscience either of dutie to God or to their brethren.

Fifthly, the last iudgement must stirre vs vp to a reuerend feare of God, and cause vs to glorifie him: as the angel saith in the Revelation, Feare God and giue glorie to him: for the houre of his iudgement is come.⁵¹ And doubtles if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord it is this, to remember the fearefull and terrible day of iudgement.

Footnotes

1. Pet. 3.3. ↩

2. Ioh. 5.24. ↩

3. Ioh. 3.18. ↩

4. A certen number for 〈◊〉 vncertē. ↩

5. Matt. 24.36 ↩

6. Act. 1.7. ↩

7. 1. Thess. 5.2.
   ↩

8. Math. 24.14. ↩

9. 2. Thess. 2.3.
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10. 2. Thes. 2.3.
    ↩
11. 2. Tim. 3.1.
    ↩

12. Math. 24.6.16. ↩

13. Luk. 17.26. ↩

14. Rom. 11.25. ↩

15. Math. 24.30. ↩

16. 2. Pet. 2.11.
    ↩

17. Mar. 19.28. ↩

18. 1. Cor. 6.2.
    ↩

19. Luk. 21.35. ↩

20. Mat. 25.31. ↩

21. Dan. 7.9. ↩

22. Ioh. 5.28. ↩

23. Mat. 24.31. 1. Thes. 4.6. ↩

24. Mat. 24.31. ↩

25. Mat. 25 32. ↩

26. Mat. 13.30. ↩

27. Eze. 34.18▪ ↩

28. Ioh. 10.27. ↩

29. 2. Cor. 5.10.
    ↩

30. Rev. 20.12. ↩

31. Psa. 159.16. ↩

32. Isai. 4.3. ↩

33. Rom. 2.12▪ vers. 16. ↩

34. Heb. 11.7. ↩

35. Mat. 25.34. ↩

36. Zach. 2.8. ↩

37. Act. 9.4. ↩

38. Heb. 4.15. ↩

39. Gal. 6.10. ↩

40. Mar. 10.42▪ ↩

41. Eccles. 8.9. ↩

42. Mat. 3. ↩

43. Luk. 18.10. ↩

44. Luk 21.18. ↩

45. Apoc. 6.10. ↩

46. Act. 17.31▪ ↩

47. 1. Cor. 11.31
    ↩
48. 1. Cor. 4.3.
    ↩

49. Rom. 14.10. ↩

50. Act. 24.15. ↩

51. Rev. 14.17. ↩