and righteousness but a corrupt inclination in every faculty of soul and member of body Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth even from the very time he begins to conceive 4. By Actual transgression And thus we see how many wayes the natural man is a sinner We now come to the Application Vse 1. For Confutation To confute the Papists who affirme that the Virgin M. was without sin free from original sin and from sin all her life long but this were to make her equal to Christ as he was man and this is to cross the Apostles allegation There is none righteous no not one to wit by nature meer man or meer woman since Adams fall and that the V. M. was not exempted in this kind is evident by our Saviours reproving of her John 2.4 When she told him of a want of Wine at the Marriage-feast in Cana Woman what have I to do with thee my hour is not yet come Had she not been in fault he would not so have check'd her And further observe what she her self saith Luke 1.47 My spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour If she were free from sin what needed she a Saviour Vse 2. To reprove divers men and women The most will confess they are sinners and great sinners but with so little knowledge as when they became sinners or how or wherein or what sinne is they cannot tell As if a Debtor should acknowledge himself to be indebted to such a man and yet he cannot tell when wherein or how he became indebted to him were not this an ignorant acknowledgement And likewise with so little humility ' the most men and women will confess they are sinners but with so little sense and feeling with so little griefe and shame not considering how great an evil sinne is how odious it makes a man or a woman to God how it layes them open to Gods wrath here and hereafter The Leper we know in the time of the old Testament must be shut up must not converse with men but no Leper so odious to mans eye as sinne makes a man odious to God And no man indebted be it never so much is so in danger of an Arrest by man as the unhumbled sinner is in danger of Gods wrath to Arrest him every hour and to presse him down to the pit of Hell where his worme shall never dye and his fire never goes out Mark 9.44 Vse 3. To awaken the Natural man he being a sinner and a sinner so many wayes as we have heard Ephesians 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the Dead and Christ shall give thee light Would any man unlesse he were dead drunk lay himselfe downe to sleep on the top of the Mast the Ship being under-saile in the midst of the Sea Or will any man but a mad man wittingly and willingly lye sleeping in a house that is on fire over his head O that the Natural man would take notice of his wretched condition that so he might be dejected and cast down crying out of himselfe as the Leper in the Law Leviticus 13.45 Vnclean Vnclean Crying to God with the Publican Luke 18.13 Lord be merciful to me a sinner And with more words then so for we must know we have there but the abridgement of the Publicanes Prayer and crying to the Minister of God with them in the Acts Chapter 2d. Verse 37. Men and Brethren what shall we do Now that men and women would labour for a fight and sense of their Natural misery consider 1. Some Motives 2. Some Means Motive 1. Otherwise they can never confesse their sinnes heartily What is the reason men and women confesse their sinnes so generall and carelesly but because they have not a sight and sense of their natural misery Hosea 14.2 Take with you words and turne to the Lord to wit in the way of confession saith the Prophet to the Israelites But in the first Verse they must before consider how they had fallen by their iniquity how sinful they were Motive 2. Without sight and sense of misery men and women are not capable of true Comfort and Consolation Before true Consolation goes hearty humiliation Luke 5.31 They that are whole need not a Physitian but they that are sick 2 Corinthians Chapter 7. Verse 6. the Apostle Paul stiles the Lord the Comforter of the abject Motive 3. Observe the Promise made to the truly dejected Matthew 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Isaiah 37.15 Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones We come to the Meanes to bring men and women to a sight and sence of their misery Means 1. To look themselves throughly in the glass of the Law Rom. 3.20 By the Law comes the knowledg of sin 2 By applying to themselves the curses which are without partiality threatned to every transgressor of the Law for every transgression as Gal. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them 3. Consider of how pure eyes the Lord is how he hates iniquity and suffers no transgression to pass unpunished but doth either punish it in the party offending or hath already punished it in the Mediator Vse 4 To justifie the Lord in regard of the judgments he sends upon the world All men and women being corrupted with sin and so many wayes as we have heard no marvel then that the world is so plagued In the seventh of Genesis we read how the Lord destroyed the world by water but see the sixth Chapter from the first verse unto the fourteenth The world was exceedingly corrupted with sin We know what the Psalmist saith Psal 107.17 Fools by reason of their sins and because of their iniquities are afflicted And the Church Lament 5.16 17. Wo unto us that we have sinned for this our heart is faint and for these things our eyes wax dim Nay the very young Infant that is taken away by death the Lord is not unjust in that proceeding even the young Infant being a sinner three wayes at the least by Participation by Imputation and by natural Corruption When judgments are upon us we must not murmur and repine but consider as Solomon doth advise Eccles 7.14 In the day of adversity consider that is consider for what and then we shall justifie him from whom the affliction comes Vse 5. For comfort and consolation to all true Converts It is true they are sinners but the Lord sees no sin in them which he will impute unto them It is true they are sinners but not such as he that was blind speaks of John 9.31 We know that God heareth not sinners for Prov. 15.8 The prayer of the upright
swallow up Job without cause Surely his meaning is that there was nothing in Job that was the cause whereby God was moved thus to afflict him he did not therein punish his sin there were other causes of it to wit that by this tryal of his he might make him a pattern and example of faith and patience unto the Church for ever And we know what our Saviour saith to Peter John 21.18 Verily verily I say unto thee when thou wast young thou girdest thy self and walkedst whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldst not Shall we suppose now that our Saviours meaning was thus Peter when thou comest to be old will the Lord correct thee for thy sins No the the Text cleares this in the next verse This spake he signifying by what death Peter should glorifie God And this is that which our Saviour tells his Disciples touching the man born blind John 9.3 Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him as though he should say neither this mans sins nor his parents were the cause why the Lord smote him with blindness but this is the cause to wit That the works of God might be made manifest in him This is the first Reason to prove that Judgments and afflictions are not punishments to all men the Lord sometimes inflicting them upon Believers without any respect at all to their sins as the cause of them The second Reason is The Judgments the Lord inflicteth upon Believers for their sins are not properly to be accounted and called punishments but fatherly chastisements and corrections only For all punishments to speak properly that God inflicteth upon any for sin are causes and fruits of his wrath wherein he seeketh not the good of the party punished but the glorifying of his own Justice upon him and the satisfying of his most righteous Law 1. But first All the afflictions of Believers are unto them Blessings and not curses Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man that is to say being a Believer whom thou chastisest O Lord and James 1.12 Blessed is the man the Believer that endureth temptation that is affliction 2. They are fruits of Gods special love to them and not of his wrath Hebr. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and Rev. 3.19 As many as I love I rebuke and chasten 3. He seeketh their good in and by these afflictions Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good even afflictions themselves unto them that love God And 1 Cor. 11.32 But when we are judged that is afflicted we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world This David professeth Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted This is the second Reason to prove that judgments and afflictions are not punishments to all men when inflicted upon Believers for their sins they are fatherly chastisements and corrections only Object 3. You say that Justification consists in remission of sins and imputation of righteousness but how can it be that one man should be justified by the righteousness of another by that righteousness which is inherent in another Answ 1. The righteousness of Christ was the righteousness of such a person as was not only man but God Jer. 23.6 and so of infinite merit 2. Christ became the Believers Surety to obey and suffer in his stead Heb. 7.32 and so his righteousness is the Believers by imputation as the Believers sins Christs as 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 3 Why may not Christs righteousness be imputed to all true Believers as well as Adams first sin imputed to his whole posterity which the Apostle plainly tells us Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous 4 This was the end of Christs righteousnesse in Gods eternal decree and appointment to wit that it might be the righteousnesse of all true Believers as 1 Corinth 1.30 Who of God is made unto us righteousnesse agreeing with that Joh. 6.27 Him hath God the Father sealed that is set apart in his eternal decree as otherwayes why so to be the Believers Righteousnesse Now we come to the Uses Vse 1. To inform us touching the present Church of Rome that she may well be called the Synagogue of Satan and as in regard of other Errors she holds which raze the foundation why so in respect of the Errors she maintaines touching this Doctrine of Justification As first Although Christ hath freed the Believer from eternal punishment why yet not from temporal but he himself must satisfie Gods Justice for his sins by his temporal punishment A Doctrine as contrary to our definition of Justification why so to many places of Scripture Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus that is no kind of condemnation eternal or temporal And Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us to wit all true Believers from the curse of the Law but temporal punishments due for sin are part of the Curse as is plain Deut. 28.16 17. Cursed shalt thou be in the City cursed shalt thou be in the field cursed shall be thy basket and thy store 2. The Synagogue of Rome denies Justification by the imputation of Christs Righteousness this kind of Righteousness they mock at notwithstanding the Scriptures so clear and evident this way as Rom. 4.6 Even as David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works What more plain from any Text then an imputative righteousness from this And so that place Rom. 5.19 As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners to wit by imputation so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous that is to say all true Believers But how Even by imputation And 1 Cor. 1.30 Who of God is made unto us Righteousness Sanctification where the Apostle expresly distinguisheth betwixt imputed Righteousnesse and inherent And 2 Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Where observe first That he saith We are made the righteousness of God that is Righteous by such a Righteousnesse as God requireth and as will abide the trial at his judgment Seat 2. That he saith not only in the Concrete that we are made Righteous but in the Abstract Righteousness that is perfectly and fully Righteous 3. That we are made so in him to wit in Christ not in our selves inherently 3. The Synagogue of Rome affirmeth Justification by inherent Righteousness that is to say by works a Doctrine contrary to the whole current of the Scriptures do but see Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
and theirs 4 By rejoicing to see the livery of Christ put upon their child their child so honoured 5. By educating their children accordingly Ephes 6.4 2 To exhort all Baptized persons First Such as are unregenerate and in the estate of nature manifesting no lesse by their way and course First That they would consider what they are doing even acting the parts of treacherous and foresworne persons proceed just contrary to their Vow and Oath in Baptism Secondly To consider what a deal of ingratitude they manifest to God thus abusing his Livery he that prevented them with this Sign and Seal of the new Covenant before they had any ability to conceive of it that was found of them before they sought him that put a pledge into their bosomes concerning his gracious meaning towards them did they not shew themselves careless of it nay he that by his Sacrament so provoked them to embrace the Covenant 3 To exhort them that they would never rest until such time as they have a feeling of that renewing power signified in Baptism to wit the power of Christs death mortifying sin in them and the vertue of his Resurrection raising them up to newness of life To this purpoâ—e let them be earnest with the Lord in prayeâ— as well as they can follow hard after the pâ—werful preaching of the Word that so they may attain to Regeneration whereof Baptism is the Seal It is true if they take this course they shall be called Puritans and Precisians But let them remember their solemn Vow and Oath in Baptism and not regard the malice of Satan and the reproaches of men 2 To exhort such as have true grace are regenerate often to meditate upon their Baptism for the helping of their faith Is any temptation violent any corruption strong any grace weak nay hath Satan and corruption given the foile prevailed in particulars Why then call to mind thy Baptism Gods Covenant with thee signified and sealed in it this is an excellent way to get up thy faith and so to get thee up being fallen and to keep thee up being in the fight and combat For we are to know that the signification force use and fruit of this Ordinance doth not continue only for a moment of time but for the whole course of a mans life Thus much for Baptism Now we come to the Sacrament of the Supper and commend the Doctrine of it unto you in the point following Doctr. As the Sacrament of Baptism is a good outward means to encrease faith why so especially the Sacrament of the Supper But having spoken of Baptism take the Doctrine more briefly The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is an excellent outward means to encrease faith Do but see 1 Cor. 10.16 As though the Apostle should say The participating of the Supper is it not an excellent Signe Pledge and Meanes of our growth in Christ to encrease our faith And 1 Corinth 11.26 Yee do shew the Lords death to wit as to others so to your owne faith for the encrease and confirmation of it Reason 1. The Sacrament unto which this succeeds to wit the Passeover was an excellent meanes this way that is to say for the encrease and confirmation of faith Reason 2. In the Sacrament of the Supper there is such a lively picture and representation of Christ and his benefits Galat. 3.1 Crucified among you As by the preaching of the word so by the administration of the Sacraments especially by the administration of this Sacrament Reas 3. This was one principall end why Christ instituted and ordained this Sacrament to wit that his peoples faith unto the worlds end in the conscionable celebration of it might be encreased and confirmed Now for the opening of this Doctrine we intend to answer divers questions 1. What this Sacrament is 2. The difference betwixt it and Baptism 3. The parts of it 4. What is to be done of us that in the use of this ordinance our faith may be encreased Quest First What the Lords Supper is Answ It is the second or latter Sacrament of the Gospel wherein by bread and wine duely administred and received the true beleever is fed and nourished unto eternall life A little to open this description It is the second or latter Sacrament of the Gospel because in order baptism is to precede and go before it wherein by bread and wine elements first not very hard to be come by Secondly Very apt unto the purpose appointed to wit to signifie and seal spiritual food nay very apt wine being appointed and afforded as well as bread to signifie and seal a compleat feast to the soul full and perfect nourishment by the Lord Jesus the thing signified Duely administred and received that is when the persons administring and receiving are rightly qualified and the same rites and actions punctually observed which the word of God prescribes and enjoynes the true beleever he being the party only that is capable of this feast and unto whom it belongs is fed and nourished unto eternal life The bread and wine not only representing the body and blood of Christ but exhibiting and conveying them to the soul of the beleever for his spirituall nourishment Quest 2. How the Lords Supper differs from baptism Answ First We will shew briefly wherein they agree Secondly wherin they differ They agree in these things First they both represent whole Christ to the soul Secondly they both seal up whole Christ to the soul we mean by whole Christ as Christ for justification so for sanctification 1 Now these Sacraments differ divers waies First in order baptism goes before and the supper follows as being goes before growing Secondly In frequency Baptism is but once to be received the Supper often We are but once born but after we are borne we have need of frequent nourishment Thirdly they differ in the elements and external rites Fourthly in their particular ends Baptism being properly the seal of regeneration but the Supper properly the seal of growth and confirmation The former the seal of Christian being the latter the seal of Christian well being Quest 3. What are the parts of this Sacrament Answ They are either outward or inward The outward as the signe and the word By the signe we mean the elements of bread and wine and the sacramentall action on the Ministers part and on the receivers part The The other outward thing is the word the word added to the element or elements makes a Sacrament Now by the word here we are to understand First the word of institution or command do this Secondly the word of promise this is my body which is given for you this is my blood which is she d for you The inward thing or thing signified is the body aad bloud of Christ given and shed for our sins and our spiritual eating and drinking of them for our nourishment unto eternal life Quest 4 What is to be done of us that in the use of this
it by a constant dependance upon the ministry of the Word that so in time in due time they may safely and comfortably approach to the Lords Table Alas otherwise they will be so far from receiving good by this ordinance as they will eat and drink damnation to themselves The truth of it is this ordinance is not to be carelesly neglected by any of competent years and wit for you must not think the Sacrament to be a feast for children fools or the distracted and mad I say it must not be carelesly neglected Numb 9.13 by any of competent years and wit And yet notwithstanding none must approach unto it but such as are qualified with the grace of saving faith for if they do they partake unworthily in a high degree and so become guilty of the body and blood of Christ that is upon the matter joyn with Judas and the Jewes in the death of Christ approve of that horrible fact of theirs and so eat and drink damnation to themselves And it will not serve the turn for those destitute of the grace of faith to say they have received and often received heretofore they having the more to repent of and mourne for The second branch of this Use of ex hortation To exhort all true beleevers and that divers waies 1. That they would often present themselves at the Lords Table as often as possibly they can no just impediment lying in the way especially living in places where this ordinance is often celebrated Do but see 1 Cor. 11.26 Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here implies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as often as ye do it therefore do it often it being such a means not only to shew the Lords death one to another but likewise to shew it to our own faith for the encrease and strengthening of it and encrease and help on this grace and we encrease and help on all the other graces and come on in grace and corruption decaies 2. To exhort all true believers in coming to the Lords Table that they earnestly endeavour to come preparedly that so they may receive worthily that is to say acceptably to God and then no question it will prove a profitable receiving to their own souls Many true beleevers receive unworthily in some degree and fail much of the good they might receive by this ordinance for want of due preparation they are too slight in examination and for extraordinary praier to be performed sometime before the day of their receiving they are too backwward unto and too carelesse in 3. To exhort them in the act of receiving that they labour to discern the Lords body that is put a difference and distinguish betwixt the outward elements and common bread and wine although not in their substance why yet in their use and so seriously intend the whole businesse stirring up their inward affections by a serious employing of their outward senses that so Christ and his benefits may be received and welcomed into the armes of their enlarged and extended faith Many believers in the act of receiving fail much in spirituall consideration and so their affections are little moved and inflamed If 1. When the Minister sets apart the Elements thou wouldst consider that even so God the Father from all eternity did set apart Christ to be the Redeemer of mankind 2. When he consecrates the Elements by the Word and Prayer thou wouldst consider that even so in the fulness of time God sent his Son into the world to accomplish this work of Redemption 3. When thou seest the Minister to break the Bread and powr out the Wine thou wouldst meditate upon the accursed death of Christ and shedding of his bloud for all true Believers 4. When the Minister comes and gives the Bread and Wine unto thee if thou wouldst consider that even so God the Father reaches and gives his Son and all his merits unto thy faith 5. When thou takest and receivest the Elements at the Ministers hands thou wouldst stir up thy self to apprehend and receive Christ and his benefits by the hand of faith And then sixthly and lastly In eating and drinking the Elements thou wouldst earnestly endeavour more and more nearly to apply Christ and to feel thy Spiritual union with him Such consideration in the act of receiving would be the way not only to receive the Sign but at one and the same time the thing signified 4 To exhort all true Believers after they have received 1. To labour to keep up their faith assuring themselves the Lord is no deceiver but will be sure to make good his Covenant with them 2. As we have already heard sometime that day in secret take a review of thy receiving and after it proceed as thou hast been directed 3. Remember to make good thy Vows and to demonstrate both to thy self and others that thou hast got Spiritual strength by this Feast of growth thou walking more conscionably and comfortably in both Callings It s said of the fainting Egyptian 1 Sam. 30.11 12. when he had eaten and drunk that his spirit came again to him So if thou eat and drink in faith thy Spiritual life will be revived and thy strength increased And thus we have done with the second Member of the fifth Principle Now we come to the third and last Member MEMBER III. And Prayer THis Member acquaints us with another good outward meanes whereby faith is encreased to wit Prayer And hence we commend this Point of Doctrine unto you Doctr. Prayer is one good meanes for the encrease of faith See Luke 22.32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not So the father of the possessed child thought Mark 9.24 And the Apostles Luke 17.5 and Jude 20. Praying in the Holy Ghost that is by the help and assistance of the Holy Ghost this being an excellent meanes to confirm and bring on faith Reason 1. This is a good means to encrease any grace of Gods Spirit in us and therefore a good means to encrease our faith That it is a good means to encrease any grace of God Spirit in us see Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it that is the Holy Spirit in a greater measure Reas 2. Hereby faith is exercised to wit by faithful Prayer and the more faith is exercised the more it growes and encreases Ephes 6.16 18. Psal 6.8 9. see we the former part of the same Psalm and we shall observe Davids faith to get up in Prayer So Psalm 62.2 6. R. 3 The Rule of Contraries This duty omitted and neglected faith goes out of exercise slackens and decayes Now we come to the Uses Vse 1 For Tryal and Examination 1 Do we use Prayer if we pray seldom or never let us not wonder if we be poor in the grace of faith Prayer being the key that opens all Gods Treasures Such as are strangers to Prayer cannot be throughly acquainted with faith 2. But do
onely pretend our selves to have faith but make sure it be as a justifying so a sanctifying faith for so a justifying faith ever is To rise in soul we must make sure that is to say from the death of sin to the life of grace Rev. 20.6 Rom. 8.11 5. And lastly we should earnestly endeayour to live as the children of the Resurrection Luke 20.36 as those that believe a glorious Resurrection heavenly harmlesly and fruitfully 1. Heavenly Philippians 3.20 21. 2. Harmlesly Acts 24.16 17. 3. Fruitfully 1 Cor. 15.58 Thus we have done with the second Member of this Principle as we reckon Of the day of judgement THe second Common-place being finished we come now to the third which we lay forth in this Doctrine Doct. 3. Immediately after the general Resurrection shall be the last Judgement Or thus It is a most certain truth that there shall be a day of judgement The Scriptures are very clear and abundant in proof of this point Begin we with that antient testimony alledged in the Apostle Jude Jude 14.15 See Dan. 7.9 10 Eccl. 12. v. last Matth. 12.36 Acts 17.31 Rom. 14.10 2 Cor. 5.10 The Reasons of the Point Reas 1. Gods Decree Heb. 9.27 As the Lord hath appointed the former so the latter Reas 2. The particular judgements the Lord inflicts in this life upon persons and places as the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah the drowning of the old world the plaguing of Aegypt and the desolation of Jerusalem did not all these typifie the general judgement Luke 17.26 c. Reas 3. The consciences of men and women even the least inlightned and awakened tremble at this great truth and so prove it Acts 24.25 Reas 4. The justice and goodness of God The justice of God requires that it should go absolutely ill with the wicked the goodness of God requires that it should go absolutely well with the godly but neither of these come to pass in this life and therefore there must be a day of judgement that both these may be effected Reas 5. The fifth and last Reason This is the end of the general Resurrection to wit the general Judgement Men and women must be raised again that they may be judged But here we meet with an objection Object May some man say The whole world consists of Believers and Unbelievers But as touching Believers it is said John 5.24 that they shall not come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in judicium to judgement Answ The meaning is not to the judgement of condemnation and so indeed the last translation renders it Object And then as touching Unbelievers so remaining it is said of them John 3.18 that they are condemned already Answ It is true so they are 1. In Gods Decree 2. In Gods word 3. In their own consciences But yet the manifestation and finishing of this judgement is reserved unto the last day But for the opening of so weighty a Doctrine we intend to answer the questions following 1. How this judgement is distinguished from other judicial proceedings 2. When the day of judgement shall be 3. Who shall be the Judge 4. And lastly What shal be the manner of proceeding at that day Quest 1. The first question is How this judgement is distinguished from other judicial proceedings Answ This we may let you see in divers Epithets given to this judgement as 1. It is called the last judgement so the Catechisme entitles it And so it is for after it there shall be no other the sentence passed then can never be reverst there can be no appeal from that Judge and judgement 2. It is called the general judgement God judgeth men and women in this world and that both in life and death He judgeth them whilst they are living by correcting his people for their scapes and infirmities by punishing the wicked for their transgressions and rebellions He judgeth every man and woman at death But then shall be a general judgement of all 2 Cor. 5.10 3. It is called a manifest and open judgement And so it shall be for the proceedings then shall be in the eye and view of all the world 4. It is called a sudden judgement And so it shall be in regard of the wicked Even as the flood came upon the Old World when they were wantonizing and deriding that preacher of righteousness 5. And lastly It is called an eternal judgement Not that the Judge shall sit for ever sifting matters and debating causes but it is so called from the effect for the issue will be this The eternal weal and happiness of the godly and the eternal woe and misery of the wicked Quest 2. The second question When the day of judgement shall be Answ In likelihood it is not far off if we compare some Texts and our times as Luke 18.8 Matth. 24.37 c. 2 Tim. 3.1 c. The truth of it is were but Rome ruinated and the Jew called what should hinder that great day And in how little time can the Lord effect these two great works But touching the precise day see Mat. 24.36 But why doth the Lord conceal this day Answ 1. That he might hereby bridle our curiosity Acts 1.7 2. That the wicked might not defer their repentance Psalm 95.7 8. 3. That the godly might be occasioned to continual watchfulness Mark 13.33 c. Quest 3. The third question Who shall be the Judge Answ God All the Persons in the Godhead Father Son and Holy Ghost All the three Persons shall judge as touching their consent and Authority but the particular execution of this judgment is committed to the Son it is he that shall execute this vengeance and as he is the Son of man John 5.22 27. 2 Tim. 4.1 Acts 10.42 and 17.31 Object 1. But the Apostles shall judge the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 Answ It is true the Apostles shall judge the twelve tribes but how to wit by their Faith and Doctrine the example whereof wil take away all excuse from the Israelites 2. They shal be as Justices on the Bench and consent to Christs judgements Object 2. The Saints shal judge the world 1 Cor. 6.2 Answ It is true 1. As sitting with the Judge and approving of his sentence as the Apostles before 2. As they are Members of Christ the Judge and 3. As their example shall be alledged to condemn the wicked Quest 4. The 4th and last question What shal be the manner of proceeding at that day Answ That we may the better resolve this question we are to consider 1. The Preparation to this judgement 2. The judgement it self The Preparation is twofold 1. Of the Judge 2. Of them to be judged The Preparation of the Judge consists in four things 1. In the Commission he hath from his Father John 5.27 which then shal be manifested to all the world 2. In the cloathing of his Humane Nature with a wonderful Majesty and glory Matth. 25.31 Matth. 16.28 compared with Mat. 17.1 c. 3. In his