our Creed where we are taught to beleeve that Christ shall come from Heaven to judge both the quick and dead that is all that shall be found dead to be revived and quicke to be changed at the comming of Jesus Christ to iudgement See further Rom. 14.10 2. Cor. 5.10 where S. Paul saith We shall We must all appeare before the Judgement-seat of Christ I shall not ned to say more in the Confirmation of this Truth Onely I will adde a word or two to cleere some few texts which at the first view seeme to have a flat contradiction One is Psal 1.5 The ungodly shall not stand in judgement The Septuagint turne it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so many Latine fathers read it non resurgent shall not rise in judgement a bad translation it may be want of skill in the Hebrew made them to follow the Septuagint who were Jews amongst whom many held an heresie that the souls of sinners should perish with their bodies which errour receives not the least strength from these words of the Prophet David wherein he means not that the wicked shall not come to be judged but they shall not be acquitted in iudgement they shall be found guiltie and shall fall into eternall condemnation Another Place is Ioh. 3.18 He that beleeveth not is condemned already Now if all unbeleevers be condemned already what need is there of any further iudgement To this I answer It cannot be denyed that unbeleevers are already condemned 1. In Gods eternall decree who hath appointed them to condemnation 2. In Gods word which denounceth damnation to to all that beleeve not 3. In their owne Consciences which serve as a thousand witnesses to accuse them as a Judge to condemne them and as an executioner to torment them But all this hinders not but that they must appeare before the iudgement seat of the Lord that their sins may be openly manifested their sentence publikely pronounced for the fuller manifestation of Gods iustice to all the world Another place is Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeveth in God shall not come into judgement To this I answer That in this place our Saviour by a Trope putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgement for condemnation And in all our English Bibles even in the last and best translation the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it properly signifies judgement yet it is rendred condemnation Which though it be not a right translation yet it is a true and sound Exposition for the meaning of our Saviour is that the faithfull though they shall come to judgement yet they shall never come into condemnation They shall not come into the Judgement of damnation but they shall come into the Judgement of eternall Absolution from their sins and miseries That which they have here in part must then be perfected that which they have here by faith shall then be revealed a finall deliverance from the thraldome of this world to the glorious libertie of the sons of God And so much for the third point I proceed to the fourth 4. How God will judge He will judge in righteousnesse saith the Text. That is the Lords judiciall proceeding at the last Day in judging some to the eternall unutterable joyes and glory of Heaven and in dooming others to the easelesse and remedilesse torments of Hell shall be most just and righteous Hence the Day of Judgement is called by Saint Paul The day of the Revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.5 Now the justice and righteousnesse of the Lords proceeding at the last Day shall be declared to all the world two wayes 1. God will have no respect of persons as Saint Paul saith Rom. 2.11 That is in the act of Judging the Lord will not respect the outward qualitie and condition of any as Countrey Sex Wealth Povertie Age Youth Beautie Deformitie Honour Ignominy or any outward circumstance whatsoever none of these things shall in the least wise move the Lord to reward or punish Esaus eldership shall not remove the Lords hate nor Iacobs minoritie hinder the Lords love Sauls Scepter shall not shelter him from Gods wrath nor Davids sheep-hooke hold him backe from Gods blessing Lazarus his povertie shall not keepe him out of Abrahams bosome nor Dives his wealth free him from the place of torment It shall be no impeachment to Cornelius that he was a Gentile nor immunitie to any that he was a Jew But whosoever he be Jew or Gentile bond or free poore or rich male or female that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse he shall be accepted to salvation and whosoever he be that feareth not God and worketh unrighteousnesse without partialitie he shall be rejected to damnation 2. God will reward every man according to his works as Saint Paul saith Rom. 2.6 Evill works are most certaine evidences of infidelitie and good works are inseparable fruits and infallible testimonies and signes of saving faith and therefore God to declare himself a righteous Judge will make our works the rule of his retribution To every soul that doth evill God will render indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish for evermore but to every soul that worketh good God will render Glory honour peace and eternall life Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. So just a retribution will the Lord at the last day render to every person that all the world shall say Iust art thou O Lord and true and righteous are thy Iudgements Revel 6. vers 7. But here two Questions may very fitly be propounded Quest Whether good works are meritorious causes of salvation because the Apostle saith God will reward every man according to his works and he saith it to this end to declare the just and righteous judgement of the Lord at the last day Sol. To which I answer that the usuall collection of the Papists from this and the like places is that therefore the good works of men justified and in grace are meritorious causes of eternall life But the judgement of our Church and all other Reformed Churches is this that however good works done in grace are acceptable to God in Jesus Christ and shall by him be rewarded yet that acceptance and reward is not deserved by our works but is freely bestowed out of the grace and mercy of God And this determination we prove thus 1. By Scripture which most expressely teacheth every where that eternall life is a free gift of Gods mercy not a reward due to mans merit See these places Rom. 6.23 and 11.5.6 Ephes 2.8 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 2.11 and 3.7 I might adde more but these are sufficient 2. By Reason which being enlightened by Scripture strongly argueth and concludeth that good works are not cannot be meritorious 1. Because we are creatures Psal 100.3 2. We are sinfull creatures Iam. 3.2 3. Our good works are not ours but Gods Phil. 2.13 4. They are a due debt not supererogated Luc. 17.10 5. They are stained with manifold and great
glorious Coronation when Palms of victory shall be put into their hands and upon their heads shall be set a Crowne of incorruptible glory Oh what a joy and comfort will it be to see the holy Patriarchs Priests Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessours and all the rest of the crowned and triumphant Saints gathered into one companie and standing at the right hand of Christ How will the faithfull be ravished to see Christ their Brother their Advocate their Head their Husband their Redeemer to sit in the Seat of Judgement But especially to heare him from thence to pronounce to them this blissefull sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matth. 25.43 thus joyfull comfortable and glorious will the day of Judgement be to all such as live in the feare of God and the faith of Jesus Christ Which considered I cannot but think it a strange infirmitie of the Church in the dayes of Tertullian when they usually prayed pro mora finis For the protraction and delay of the last end Rather let all the godly pray with the Spouse in the end of the Canticles Make hast my beloved and as Saint Iohn did in the close of his Revelation Come Lord Iesus For when Christ comes he comes to free us from all infirmities to redeeme us from all miseries to deliver us from all sins and in full and perfect manner to endow us with Heaven and with all Happinesse 3. This Doctrine of the last Judgement serves for the Admonition of us all To warn us while God doth afford us time means to take such a course that we may gain the favor of the Judge escape the severity of the last judgment And to this end with diligence and good conscience put in practice these six duties 1. Be thine own accuser in the free confession of thy sins to God Considering what St. Iohn saith If we confesse our sins God is just and faithfull to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1.9 2. Be thine own Judge and that in the strictest censure and severest condemnation of thy self Considering what Saint Paul saith If we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 3. Pray earnestly unto God for pardon Considering that so long as the day of Grace lasteth mercy may be found if we will but seeke it 4. Beware of Judging the Persons and Actions of thy brethren When a man doth well do not judge ill when he doth ill do not make it worse when his speeches or actions are doubtfull take nothing in the worst sense considering what our Saviour saith Iudge not and ye shall not be judged Matth. 7.1 5. Labour to get a lively faith in Christ Jesus relye wholly upon his merits for salvation Considering what Christ saith He that beleeveth hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation Iohn 5.24 6. Endeavour to keepe a good conscience in all things voyd of offence before God and all men considering what the Prophet David saith Marke the upright man and behold the just for the last end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 And now to wind up all in a word If we be mindfull of these important directions If we confesse our sins freely condemne our selves severely pray for pardon earnestly judge our brethren charitably beleeve in Jesus Christ stedfastly and sincerely desire and endeavour to lead a godly righteous and sober life then we shall finde Christ not a severe Judge to condemne us but a mercifull Redeemer to absolve and save us in that day on which God hath ordained him to Judge the world in righteousnesse And now that our hearts may be so full of graces and our lives so full of good works that we may have in the end of our life a comfortable death and in the end of the World a glorious resurrection to a blessed immortalitie let us all joyne together in faithfull and servent Prayer O Most glorious and most gracious Lord God who hast taught us to know and beleeve that there shall be a day of judgement on which we and all the world shall stand before the Tribunall Seat of Christ to render an account of all things done in the flesh whether good or evill and to receive a just reward according to our works We most humbly beseech thee to teach us to make a right and religious use of this faith and knowledge Oh let these last things be ever in our Meditation and so sanctifie to us the remembrance thereof that it may be a Bridle to restraine us from all sin and wickednesse and a Spur to provoke us powerfully and effectually to unreined repentance for all our sins to constant patience in all our sufferings to a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ and to a true feare of thee in all our thoughts words and actions throughout the whole course of our conversation That so at whatsoever watch of the night or houre of the day Christ shall come to Iudgement he may finde us watching for him walking with him worthy to stand before him and to enter with him into that kingdome wherein thou dwellest and the righteous onely shall dwell with thee in unutterable joy and glory for evermore This Grace here this Glory hereafter Lord grant unto us all for his sake who is the Son of thy Love the Mediatour of thy chosen Iesus Christ To whom with thee O Father and the Spirit of Comfort be ascribed by us and all the world Kingdome Power and Glory now and for evermore Amen FINIS
Church and all her answers appointed by the Liturgie were uttered so orderly so audibly so affectionately and so zealously that I must confesse I never observed in any more reverence attention and zeale in the publike service and worship of God Another instance of her Pietie was her love to the Ministers of God She respected all for their callings sake but did highly esteeme such as she observed to be faithfull in the worke of the Lord. An evident signe that she tooke much comfort and tasted much sweetnesse in the water of Life who so loved and respected that Pipe thorow which the Lord did conveigh the same into her Many other evidences of her Pietie I might instance in As her readinesse to offer and entertaine holy Conference Her delight in such as did excell in vertue Her encouraging and rewarding vertue in those that did belong to her Her hatred of vice in her self in those that were neere and deere to her and in all that did attend upon her She opposed nothing so much as sinne She was never offended with children or servants for any thing so much as for sin She desired and endeavoured nothing so much as to serve God with her whole houshold Now from these premises wee must needs inferre this Conclusion That she was a most Pious Lady 2. Observe and Imitate her Wisdome She was a Lady of excellent understanding In Huswiferie in Chirurgerie in Physick c. But principally in matters of Religion which concerned Gods worship and mans salvation She was wise to salvation By continuall study and meditation the word of God became so familiar to her dwelt so plentifully in her that she was able as occasion was offered to rehearse pertinent places of Scripture and much of her ordinary language was in Scripture phrase 3. Observe and Imitate her Charitie She loved the poore as the members of Christ in word and deed wishing well and doing well to all though enemies who stood in need of her reliefe and comfort She was a Chirurgion to such as were hurt and maymed And oftentimes dressed with her owne hand such putrified soares that some who waited on her did loath to looke upon She was a Physician to the sicke and diseased And as her skill this way was more then ordinarie so most ready and willing she was to be at much charge to bestow any paines to further their recovery She was also Christs Almoner to the poore and needy While she lived never did any hungry belly goe from her doore unfed As God had given plentifully to her so she gave plentifully to God againe in the poore members of Christ not only appointing food to be given them by the hands of servants but like Salomons vertuous woman She stretched forth her hand to the poore and reached out both her hands to the needie Prov. 31.20 4. Observe and Imitate her Humilitie Though many things whereof others be proud were not wanting in her as Birth Riches Reputation excellent parts of Art and Nature yet she alwayes continued the Lords humble handmaid Through humilitie she made her selfe equall to those that be of a low degree and was even a companion of poore ones that feared the Lord. She despised the ornaments of vanitie which other Ladies and Gentlewomen too much delight in and dote upon Her outward habite did shew the inward modestie lowlinesse and humilitie of her minde She was ever humble in the sight of her sins never in sicknesse or health flattering her selfe with any thing she had done but ever condemning her selfe and complaining of her owne sins and unworthinesse Now this which hath been said is enough to prove her a most gracious Lady But nothing so much as may be spoken in the praise of her Me thinks I heare her sorrowfull husband praise her saying that to him she was a wise humble loving loyall and most obedient Wife Me thinks I heare her children praise her saying that to them she was a most loving tender prudent provident and most pious Mother Me thinks I heare her servants praise her saying that to them she was a most meeke gentle loving and libetall Lady a zealous reprover of their vices but a bountifull rewarder of their true and faithfull service Me thinks I heare all both men and women praise her and saying that she was the ornament of her sex a great and light shining in a darke place Thus it pleased God to infuse into the heart of this Lady a measure more then ordinary of heavenly Grace which was not hid in her as a light under a bushell but it shined forth to all with whom she conversed so that by the shining of her light and the sight of her good works others were provoked and directed to glorifie God our heavenly father And as the Course of her Life was religious So the Conclusion of her life was most gracious witnesse her most Saintlike behaviour in her last sicknesse wherein these graces were visible to all about her 1. Patience which was admirable It pleased God to visit her with a long and sometimes most sharpe and painfull sicknesse which most piously she acknowledged to be the Lords visitation and apprehending the hand of the Lord in it most patiently she submitted her selfe to the Lords heavenly will and pleasure resting contented to live but willing to die yea so willing that ever and anon shee was uttering Saint Pauls wish I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Iesus To her patience adde her 2. Repentance which I am confidently assured was most sincere and heartie testified oft-times by most penitentiall confessions and most fervent supplications for grace and mercie To her repentance adde her 3. Pietie Wherein she profited much whilst she continued in the Schoole of affliction Her sicknesse was to her as the waters of the flood were to the Arke of Noah the longer it continued the more it encreased the higher it did beare up her thoughts and desires towards heaven Her whole time she spent in reading or hearing of others reade to her in praying by her selfe or with others in holy conference in heavenly meditations and ever and anon her soul was sending up some short and sweet ejaculations with such zeale and fervencie of spirit in words so full of divinitie and devotion with such elevation of hands and eyes that she afforded hereby much comfort and benefit to all that did visit her or attend upon her Adde to these her 4. Faith Which was firmely built upon the Rock Christ Jesus Him she acknowledged to be her onely and all-sufficient Redeemer and stedfastly relyed upon his merits for salvation And through him she made a sure peace with God and gained a full assurance of salvation as appeared by those words she spake to a deare friend one Mistris Reynolds O daughter he is come he is come To which she replying Who is come Madam she answered in words to this purpose The Spirit of comfort is come and hath testified to
these the Prophesie of Enoch the seventh from Adam recorded Iudges 14.15 Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all And in this the last Apostle agrees with the first Prophet Behold saith Saint Iohn he commeth with clouds and every eye shall see him Revel 1.7 Many more texts might be alleadged consonant to these but your knowledge and beliefe of this matter assures me that this labour would be superfluous 2. Conscience testifies it Yea also the conscience of the the vilest Atheist it will be as a thousand witnesses to confirme it How often are they filled with unspeakable horrour especially in death and wherefore it is thus with them because conscience tels that die they must and after death must come to judgement 3. Humane Reason enlightened by holy Scripture conceives and concludes that there shall be a day of Judgement Looke abroad into the world and you shall see a wonderfull confusion of things a strange inequalitie of Divine dispensations The wicked many times flourish and enjoy great prosperitie when the righteous are afflicted and endure great adversitie Now though some doe from hence conclude that there is no present providence and shall be no future judgement yet this confusion of things and inequalitie of Divine dispensations is an argument sufficient in Saint Pauls Divinitie to prove a judgement to come Heare what Saint Paul writes from Athens to his persecuted Thessalonians Your persecutions and tribulations which you endure is a manifest token or an evident demonstration of the righteous Iudgement of God 2 Thess 1.4 5. And Salomon before him in his survey of vanities saith I saw under the Sun the place of judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquitie was there And what doth Salomon inferre from hence therefore no providence therefore no judgement to come No but the plaine contrary I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for a time there is for every purpose and for every worke Eccles. 3.16 17. 4. Particular judgements which God inflicteth upon men in this life doe prove the universall The drowning of the old world the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah the plaguing of Egypt the desolation of Jerusalem and more particular judgements upon particular persons all these are praeludia judicii universalis forerunners and foretellers of a generall judgement Some sinnes are punished here that we might know that there is a Providence and a Judge that takes notice of every sin and some sins passe here unpunished that we might expect a greater and stricter judgement to come hereafter Thus Scripture teacheth Conscience testifyeth Reason concludeth and present Judgements doe demonstrate the truth of my propounded Doctrine that there shall be a day of judgement So I dismisse the first Point and come to the second 2. Who shall Iudge He shall Iudge saith the Text where the word He hath relation to God mentioned in the foregoing verse where the Apostle saith God commandeth all men every where to repent Because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge So then you see God shall Iudge God essentially meant concluding all the sacred Persons of the Deitie Father Son and holy Ghost The whole Trinitie shall concurre in this work being as the Schooles say Opus ad extra an Externall work of the Godhead And it is an Axiome in Divinitie Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa The externall works of the Godhead admit not of any division in the persons of the Deitie It is true there be certaine Internall works which are incommunicably proper to every Person It is incommunicably proper to the person of the Father to have his being of himself It is incommunicably proper to the Person of the Son to be begotten of the Father And it is incommunicably proper to the Person of the Holy Ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son But those works by which the invisible things of the Godhead are made manifest to the Creature as Creation Preservation Redemption and this of Iudgement are equally and indifferently to be ascribed to the sacred three in one and to God in all Object But it may be objected That albeit in this place judgement be attributed essentially to God yet in other places it is attributed personally and respectively to Christ The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son Joh. 5.22 Again sometimes this worke of judging is appropriated to the Saints Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6.2 How shall these places be reconciled which affirme that God and Christ and the Saints shall Judge Answ This threefold doubt is easily dissolved by a threefold distinction 1. God is said to Judge because the Power and Right of judging belongeth to God onely 2. Christ is said to Judge because God hath committed to him the Administration of Judgement 3. Saints are said to Judge because they shall approve and give attestation to the sentence which Christ shall pronounce of salvation to the godly of damnation to the wicked The Authoritie is Gods The Execution is Christs The Approbation is the Saints This distinction is sufficient to free the Scripture from the least contradiction and the point from this objection And now having cleared the point that Almightie God onely shall judge the world I will confirme it by two reasons drawne from two Attributes in God proving him onely fit to be the Judge of all the world The first reason is drawne from Gods Omniscience the knowledge of the Lord like himselfe is Infinite nothing can be hid from his sight Heaven is not so high but he can reach it Hell is not so deep but he can search it The Earth is not so wide but he can span it the Night is not so darke but he can see it the Chamber the Bed the Closet is not so close but he whose eyes are as flames of fire can pierce it Psal 94.9 God planted the eare needs therefore must he heare all our words He formed the eye needs therefore must he see all our works He made the Heart Heb. 4.12 needs therefore must he know the thoughts Psal 94.11 and discerne the intents of the Hearts of the sonnes of men The Scripture is plaine and plentifull in the proofe of this Lord thou knowest all things saith Saint Peter Ioh. 21.17 Againe Heb. 4.13 There is no creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open Open as an Anatomized body for thence the Metaphor is drawn where the bowels are laid open and every nerve and Muscle and ligament every Atome discovered so as we may take a full view of it Thus the most secret whispers the most retired actions the deepest and darkest thoughts and intentions of all men are open and naked unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Rightly therefore is the Lord conceived under the name
of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to run or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to see Because the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth 2 Chron. 16.9 to spie out all our wayes and to behold all our works The second Reason is drawn from Gods Omnipotence As he is infinite in knowledge so also he is infinite in power and authoritie Our God saith David is in Heaven and doth whatsoever he will Psal 111.3 Againe Whatsoever pleased the Lord that did he in heaven and in earth and in the Sea Psal 135.6 God is supreame Head over all persons and in all causes through his Dominion which is universall Zach. 9.10 and everlasting Dan. 7.14 Kings themselves though Gods on earth yet are subject to the regiment and government of the King of heaven He bindeth Kings in chaines and nobles in links of iron Psal 149.9 more plainly Revel 6.15 16 17. where Saint Iohn shewing the terrour of the Lord at the last day against the persecutors of the Saints he saith And the Kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chiefe captaines and the mightie men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountaines And said to the rocks and to the mountaines Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Nay God is not onely over all the Kings of the earth but he is Potentate of Heaven and Hell too He hath a commanding power over all the Angels feare the Divels tremble when they come to stand before God Thus you have seene who shall judge Almightie God and the reasons why 1. Because he onely hath sufficient Knowledge to discerne all sins 2. Because he onely hath sufficient Power to punish all sinners The consideration whereof me thinks should deterre the greatest persons from the least and most secret sins because one day they must be arraigned before the judgement seat of that God Quem latebit nil occultum Qui relinquet nilinultum from whom nothing can be concealed by whom nothing shall be left unpunished So much for the second point I proceed to the third 3. Who shall be judged The world saith my Text. World is a word of a large extent of an universall signification It comprehends 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Paul speaks Rom. 8.22 every creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever is in the world as Saint Iohn speaks 1 Ioh. 2.16 Angels in Heaven Divels in Hell Men on Earth with all unreasonable and inanimate creatures whatsoever All these suo modo after a sort in some respect shall be subject to the judgement of the last day 1. The glorious and blessed Angels of Heaven they shall not onely summon others but they themselves shall be summoned by the voice of the Archangel Christ Jesus if not to be judged which some doubt yet at least to write upon the Judge for the declaration of his Majestie the approbation of his Judgement and the execution of his sentence The Judge himselfe saith it Matth. 25.31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory all the holy Angels shall come with him 2. The Divell and all his Angels shall then be judged as appears plainly Iude 6. The Angels also which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgement of the great Day That is those reprobate Angels which did voluntarily depart from that estate of holinesse and righteousnesse in which they were created proudly leaviing the place of Gods presence and rebelliously departing from that office and calling in which they ought for ever to be employed in glorifying God are reserved by the everlasting Decree and Almightie power of God under the darknesse of Gods implacable wrath and their owne accusing condemning and tormenting consciences unto the Judgement of the great Day wherein they shall have their finall doome and the fulnesse and extremitie of torment to which they were of old adjudged shall be powred forth upon them 3. All unreasonable and inanimate creatures shall be after a sort judged at the last day as is evidently proved 2 Pet. 3.7 The Heavens and the earth and the things in them are reserved unto fire against the day of judgement It is most probable that by this fire all these creatures which are appointed for the necessities of this life for the food cloathing and other services of men shall be consumed and mans necessitie ceasing and with it their use and service their being and substance shall for ever be abolished But for the Heavens and the Earth their substance shall not be consumed nor their being abolished but onely their fashion shall be changed and their qualitie renewed They shall be freed from that vanitie corruption and servitude which the sin and service of Man hath made them subject to and in a sort they shall be brought into the glorious and immortall state of the sons of God The heavens shall be decked and adorned with Stars The Moone shall shine like the Sun The light of the Sun shall be seven-fold Esay 30.26 The earth shall be replenished and garnished with fruitfull and pleasant trees plants and flowers Such a new Heaven and a new Earth the Scripture promiseth in which God will have a new Hierusalem a glorious Church and the time of their renovation will be at this day of Judgement 4. Men shall be judged at the last day And to them this word World hath speciall reference in this place teaching us that all men without exception of any shall come to judgement Though some escape mans judgement yea Gods judgement too here yet none shall escape the last udgement of the Lord. The Papists say that Christs resurrection harrowed Hell Limbus Patrum was then emptied Surely Christs comming to iudgement shall harrow Heaven and Hell too for a while not a Saint shall be left in Heaven nor a damned ghost be left in Hell all shall be assembled before the Judge of all the world The Scripture is not more plaine or plentifull in any point than this In which you shall meet often with these three distributions of men Iust and unjust Great and small Quicke and dead And these distinctions comprehend all men of all Nations Ages Estates Qualifications and Periods Now the Scripture speaks expressely of these that they shall all be iudged Eccles. 3.17 Salomon saith God shall judge the just and the unjust and Revel 20.12 Saint Iohn did see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Revelation Great and small stand before God to be judged and Acts 10.42 Saint Peter doth preach and testifie that Christ was ordained of God to be judge of quick and dead This last distinction we finde in the seventh Article of
imperfections Gal. 5.17 6. They are no way profitable and beneficiall to God Psal 16.2 Rom. 11.35.7 They are no way comparable to that glory which hereafter shall be revealed Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 Now these things considered how shall we say that good works are or can be meritorious that is such as by any value or worth in them should bind God to give a reward to them especially such a transcendent excellencie and waight of Glory as is that of the kingdome of heaven And who but onely they to whom the Lord hath sent strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye doth not discover the absurditie of that collection which the Papists doe inferre from our Apostles words who saith not that God will reward very man for his works but according to his works which phrase doth not intimate the cause why eternall life is given but the qualification of the persons to whom eternall life is given that they are such as by faith are united to Christ and bring forth good works the fruits and evidences of that faith whereunto in the Covenant of Grace God hath made the promise of Salvation Wheresoever therefore in Scripture a reward is said to be rendred to good works of justice as 2 Thes 1.7 2 Tim. 4.8 the Scripture hath relation to the merit of Christ not to any desert of our own Also wheresoever mention is made of our worthinesse as 2 Thes 1.5 Luc. 20.35 Apoc. 3.4 the Scripture means not that any are or can be worthy by the merit and dignitie of their own works but that they are worthy in Gods gracious acceptation through the worthinesse of Jesus Christ imputed to them and made theirs by a true and lively faith And so much for the first question Quest 2. If God reward every man according to his works How can God be just in punishing for ever those that sinned for a short time To this I answer 1. In the words of a learned and judicious writer of our own Iustum est ut reprobi nunquam careant supplicio quia nunquam voluerunt carere peccato Reprobates must justly suffer for ever because they would never have ceased to sin if they had lived for ever 2. The greatnesse of a sin must not be measured by the Time in which it was acted but by the Person against whom it was committed Now men sin against God who is infinite and therefore justice requiring a portion between the offence and the punishment though sin be temporary yet it is most just with God to punish it with eternal torments And so much for the fourth point I proceed to the fift By whom God will Iudge By that Man whom hee hath ordained saith the Text. And this man can be no other but the Man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So Saint Peter preached and Christ commanded him and the rest of his Apostles to preach so Act. 10.42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Iudge of quick and dead If respect be had to the power and authoritie of Judging then to judge us doth belong to the whole Trinitie and that equally as I said before But if respect be had to the Administration of Judgement and the visible act of Judging then to judge us doth belong to Christ onely For he onely shall be seene to descend with a guard of Angels to open the books of accounts to examine the severall causes to pronounce the finall sentence and to execute the same by the happy admission of the Elect into the kingdome of Heaven prepared by the Father and purchased by Christ to be the glorious and eternall inheritance of the Saints and by the heavy and uncomfortable dismission of reprobates into that Lake which burnes with fire and brimstone before the Throne of God for ever and ever Thus you see Christ shall be the immediate manager and administrator of judgement The Scripture is plentifull in the proofe of it Wherein he is called the Wise Husbandman that severeth the corne from the chaffe the Wheat from the Tares the good Shepherd that divideth the Sheepe from the Goats the heavenly Bridegroome that separateth the Wise from the foolish virgins the great Lord that committed sundry talents to his servants at their going and called them to account how they had employed and improved them at his returne More plainly Act. 10.42 where he is called the Iudge of quick and dead and 1 Cor. 5.5 where the day of Judgement is called the day of the Lord Iesus and 2 Cor. 5.10 where the seat of judgement is called the judgement seat of Christ and Matth. 16.27 where Christ himself saith The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Now if you aske a reason why the administration and Execution of Judgement is committed to Christ I referre you to Ioh. 5.27 He hath given authoritie to him that is the Father hath given authoritie to Christ to execute judgement because he is the Son of Man Here you see Christs commission to execute judgment and the reason of it because he is the Son of man About these last words I find some difference amongst expositors Some will have these words read with the words following after this manner Because he is the Son of man marvell not at this for the time shall come when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Son of God and shall come forth c. That is if it seeme wonderfull or incredible to any that the Son of man shall have such power to judge you must consider that he is the Son of God also and at the day of judgement he shall mightily declare his Godhead by the resurrection of the dead Others read the words thus in quantum or secundum quod filius hominis est that is in respect of his Humanitie or as he is the son of man And so make it a reason not of Christs giving judgement but of his receiving power to judge For as Christ was the Son of God power could not be given to him for it was naturally and essentially in himself and as he was the Sonne of man he could not have power to execute judgement untill it was given him of the Father Others understand this reason to be of the same force with that Phil. 2.8 9. He humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name So here because the Son of God humbled himself so low to become the son of man therefore God hath recompensed his infinite humilitie with this infinite glory to be the Judge of all the world Others interpret the words thus That God hath given to Christ power to execute judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by and according to his humanitie For the