The Christians Alphabet, Part 2 · Section 22
X Of the day of Iudgement.
Q. Rehearse the Letter X.
A. EXCeeding glorious in itselfe, ioyous to the godly, and fearfull to the wicked, shall be the day of iudgment: wherein Iesus Christ shall cal to account, and iudge all men, for all things done in this life, according to their works.
For he shall come with glory in the clouds, accompanied with innumerable Angels: and fitting vponupon his throne of Maiestie, shall vponupon due triall of eueryevery mans workes (the bookes being opened) pronounce the sentence of saluation to the Godly, and of damnation to the wicked.
Q. Proue that there shall be a day of iudgement?
A day of iudgment shall be.A. It is written, Act. 17.31: That God hath appointed a day, in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse; and Salomon telleth vaine young men, Eccles. 11.9. that they must know, that for all these things God will bring them to iudgement;, yea, it is a mayne Article of our Creed, & reason doth teach, that seeing the godly liue here in much affliction, the wicked in great pleasure, there must needs be a day of iudgement, to right all.
Q. When shall that day of iudgement be?
The time is onelyonly knowne to God.A. The day of iudgement is not knowne to any creature in heauen or earth, but to God onelyonly; see Math. 24.36. But of that day and houre knoweth no man, no nor the Angels of heauen, but my Father onelyonly; and Mark▪ 13.32. is added, neither the Son himselfe, that is, in respect of his humane nature, or as he is here in this world in the state of humiliation; or to reueale it to vsus, whom it doth not concerne to know it; as is said, Act. 1.7. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his owne power: yet there are signes foretold whereby wee kn…w the approaching of this day of Iudgement.
Q. What are the signes foreshewing the day of iudgement?The signes what?
A. The signes are chiefly these;Mark. 13.10. Math. 24.14. 2. The preaching of the Gospell through the whole world. 2. Great calamities, persecutions, troubles,Math. 24: 6.7.9.10. wars, famine, pestilence, and the like. 3. A generall apostasie or falling away, and departing from the faith and puritie of religion.2 Thes. 2.3 1 Tim. 4.1. 4. The comming and reuealing of Antichrist, the head of that Apostasie, who shall take vponupon him,2 Thes. 2.3.4.8. 1 Ioh. 2.18. to be the head of the Church, by sitting as God in the Temple of God, aboue all that is called God, or that is worshipped: 5. Many deceiuers,Math. 24.5.11.24. Math: 24.12. false Christs, and false Prophets, that shall seduce many. 6. Generall corruption of manners,2 Tim. 3.1.2. and abundance of all iniquitie. 7. Great securitie,Isai. 59 20. Math. 24.29. as in the dayes of Noe, Mat. 24.37. 8. The calling or conuerting of the Iewes,Mar. 13 8.24. Rom. 11.25.26. 9. Strange signes in the heauens,2 Pet. 3.10. in the Sunne, Moone, and Starres: on the land,Math. 24.30. earthquakes: in the sea roaring & tempestuous storms 10. The burning of the world with fire: and the comming of Christ in glory.
Why the time is concealed.Q. Why is the day of iudgement concealed from men?
A. That day and houre is hidden and vnknowne to men, 1 Thes. 5.2.3.and shall therefore be as the comming of a Thiefe in the night, or as the trauaile of a woman with childe: to the end that wee should waite and watch eueryevery day and houre, and be prepared for the Lords comming, see Math. 24.42. Watch therefore, for you know not what houre your Lord commeth, and verse 44. Therefore be yee also ready: for in such an houre as ye thinke not, the Sonne of man doth come, and Mark. 13.37. And what I say vntounto you, I say vntounto all, Watch.
Q. Why is the day of iudgement so long deferred?
A. The Lord doth deferre the day of iudgement for diuers, The day why deferred.causes: 1. that he might shew his patience toward vsus, 2 Pet. 3.9▪in giuing so large a time of repentance. Math. 24.22.2. That all the elect, both of Iewes and Gentiles, might be gathered together, Rom. 11.26.their number compleat, and so all Israel may bee saued. R…u. 6 11 I…m. 5.73. That he might try and exercise the patience of the faithfull, who suffer so much at the hands of wicked men for the truth. Rom. 2 1.4.5.4. That the vngodly, and impenitent, abusing the patience and long suffering of God, which leadeth to repentance, might bee left without excuse, and be the more seuerely punished.
Q. Who shall be the Iudge?
The Iudge is Christ.A. He shall be the iudge, who is our Sauiour, euen the Lord Iesus Christ, see Act. 17.3 1. where it is said, That God will iudge the world by that man whom hee hath appointed, and Rom. 2.16. In the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ; for, saith he, Ioh. 5.22. The Father hath committed all iudgement to his Sonn… yet at the day of iudgement, The godly … …ssistant.the godly shall also be as iudges, in assisting and consenting to the iudgement of Christ; Math. 19.28.therefore the Apostle, saith, 1 Cor. 6.2. Doe you not know, that the Saints shall iudge the world?
Q. Who are they that shall be iudged?
A. All men, All men must be iudged.of what condition soeuer, that hauehave beene, are, or shall be from the beginning to the end of the world, must come to iudgement: so we reade, 2 Cor. 5.10. That wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ, and Rom. 14.12. So then eueryevery one of vsus shall giuegive account of himselfe to God; for the Apostle had said before, verse 10. Wee shall all stand before the iudgement seat of Christ. And this must be, that as the wicked hauehave ioyned in sinne with the Apostate Angels, that is, the Deuils: so they may be conioyned with them in iudgement; who are reserued in chaines of darkenesse, vntounto the iudgement of that great day, 2 Pet. 2.4. Iud. 6. then shall Antichrist, as a chiefe head of all impietie, receiue the doome of his eternall destruction, 2 Thes. 2.8.
Q. Of what things shall all men be iudged?
A. EueryEvery man shall be iudged of all things done in this life, Of all things.both good and euill; the good shall bee approued, the euill condemned, so it is said, Eccl. 12.14. That God shall bring eueryevery worke into iudgement, with eueryevery secret thing, whether it be good or euill, and 2 Cor. 5.10. That eueryevery one may receiue the thing… done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Q. How, and how farre shall men be iudged, for their euill workes?
1Committed, as thoughts, words, wo…kes.A. All men, that in this present life, before their departure hence by death, hauehave not laid hol… on Christ and his merits by faith, for the satisfaction of Gods iustice, but dye in their sinnes and impenitencie, shall giuegive account to God for eueryevery sinfull thought, word and worke. 1. For eueryevery thought though secret and hid from men: therefore it is not onelyonly said, that God will bring eueryevery work to iudgement,Eccl. 12.14▪ but withall, eueryevery secret thing, and Rom. 2.16. In that day, God shall iudge the secrets of men. 2. For eueryevery word, yea eueryevery idle word, that men shall speake, they shall giuegive account thereof at the day of iudgement, Math. 12.36. 3. For eueryevery act or deed committed much more: as before is shewed, that God will bring eueryevery worke to iudgement, and eueryevery one shall receiue the things done in his body.
Q. Shall men giuegive account for the omission or neglect of good?
A. Men shall not onelyonly account, 2Omittedand be iudged for the euill which they hauehave committed, but also for the Good which they hauehave omitted and neglected, for God hath commanded, Psal. 34.14. Depart from euill, and doe good, and Isai. 1.16. Cease to doe euill, and learne to do well. Therefore the accusation of the wicked, at the day of iudgement, is thus propounded, Math. 25.42. I was an hungred, and ye gaue me no meat: I was thirsty and ye gaue me no drinke: I was a stranger, and yee tooke mee not in: naked, and yee clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. For this cause Iohn Baptist, for the auoiding of the wrath to come, directeth, Matth. 3.8. to bring forth fruits meet for repentance: because, eueryevery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen downe and cast into the fire: though it bringeth not forth euill fruit.
Q. Why must iudgement be giuen according to works?
According to their workes.A. That eueryevery one shall bee iudged according to his workes, Gods word is plaine eueryevery where, 2 Cor. 5.10. EueryEvery one shall receiue according to that hee hath done. So it was reuealed to Saint Iohn, Reu. 20.12.13. That they were iudged eueryevery man according to their works. The reason is, because workes are the fruits of faith, by which it is discerned, as the tree by the fruit▪ And therefore it is said according to workes, not for the merit of them, vnlesse it bee the works of sinne, which doe worthily merit damnation. Againe the triall by workes, is the fittest way to conuince hypocrites.
Q. Shew that the comming of Christ shall be glorious?
A. That Iesus Christ shall appeare in great glory, Christs comming shall be glorious.at the day of iudgement, whether we respect the manner of his comming, with the attendance of such a multitude of Angels; or his sitting in maiestie vponupon his tribunall seat, we may see Matth. 25.31. where it is said briefely, That when the sonne of man commeth in his glory, and all the Angels with him, then shall hee sit vp on the throne of his glory.
Q. Why shall it bee ioyous to the godly?
Ioyous to the godly.A. Christs comming to iudgement cannot but hee most ioyous and comfortable to the faithfull, partly because hee that commeth thus gloriously to be their iudge, is their Sauiour; partly for that they shall then receiue their full redemption and reward of their pietie: and on the contrary, shall behold all their enemies vanquished, and trod vnderunder their feete. Therefore doth the spirit of God eueryevery where comfort the godly with the consideration of this day: and therefore that day is called the time of refreshing, Acts 3.19.
Q. Why shall it be fearefull to the wicked?
Fearfull to the wickedA. It cannot but be most fearfull to all wicked men, to behold the Lord Iesus come to iudgement, in such glorious manner, whom they hauehave so pierced with their sinnes, Reu. 1.7. the rather in regard that he shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them,Psal. 50, 2 Thes. 1.8. and to execute iudgement vponupon all, and to conuince all that are vngodly of all their vngodly deeds, which they hauehave vngodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which vngodly sinners hauehave spoken against him, Iude 15.
Q. What shall be the forme or manner of the last iudgement?
A. The forme and manner of the last iudgement is not to bee expressed: The manner of the last iudgement.only the word of God for our better vnderstanding, doth set it forth by a similitude or resemblance of an earthly iudge; shewing the manner of disposing the persons conuented; the order of triall and euidence: together with the sentence of the iudge: and the execution thereof.
Q. How will hee dispose of all men at the barre of iudgement?
The disposing of all men.A. First the disposing of all men conuented at that barre, is noted by the Euangelist, Math. 25.32. Before him shall bee gathered all nations, and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepheard separateth the sheepe from the goates: and he shall set the sheepe on his right hand, and the goates on the left.
Q. What is intended by setting some on the right hand, and some on the left hand.
On the right or left hand, why?A. The intention and meaning is, that at the day of iudgement, the godly, who like sheepe hauehave heard the voice of Christ their shepheard, Io. 10.27.and hauehave led an innocent life in this world, shall then be aduanced: 1 Thes. 4.17.and the wicked, who hauehave here expressed the nature of filthy goates, Luk. 23.30 Reu. 6.16.by satisfying their vngodly lusts, shall then bee deiected. And that whereas in this life they were mingled together, Eccles. 34.18. &c, Matth. 13.29.30.and did many wayes annoy the flock of Christ: then at that day there shall be a perfect separation, to the ioy of the godly and terror of the wicked.
Q. How shall the triall be?
A. The triall shall be according to the rule appointed of God for that end. The order of the trialWhich is partly the law of nature: partly the law written, both morall and Euangelicall: as we may see by the Scriptures following. Rom. 2.12 As many as hauehave sinned without law, shall perish without law: and as many as hauehave sinned in the law, shall be iudged by the law. The reason is, verse 15. Because they hauehave the law written in their hearts. Ioh. 12.48. He that reiecteth me, and receiueh not my words, hath one that iudgeth him: the word that I hauehave spoken, the same shall iudge him in the last day.
Q What shall bee the euidence?
The euidence is certaine bookes.A. The euidence is said in the word of God to be certaine bookes. This Iohn was shewed in a vision, Reu. 20.12. I saw, saith hee, the dead, both great and small stand before God, and the bookes were opened, and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes. Which is not to bee vnderstood properly, that there shall bee materiall bookes, but by way of similitude or resemblance, because all things are as certaine and manifest to God, and shall then be as plainely laid open before Angels and men, as if they were recorded in a booke or register.
Q. What are these bookes?
The books areA. There are foure sorts of bookes, which shall then be opened, for the discouery of all the actions of men. That is, 1Of Gods prouidence.The booke of Gods prouidence, whereof the Psalmist speaketh in Psal. 139.16. In thy booke were all things written. 2Of the creatures.The booke of the creatures, spoken of in Ioh. 20.27. The heauen shall reueale his iniquity, and the earth shall rise vp against him. 3Of the conscienceThe booke of the conscience, of which see Rom. 2 15.16. Their conscience bearing witnes, and their thoughts accusing or excusing one another: in the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. 4The booke of life.The booke of life, Reu. 20.12. which is the decree of Gods election, wherein whosoeuer is not found written, is cast into the lake of fire, verse 15.
Q. What shall bee the sentence?
A. The sentence shall bee twofold: of saluation, and of condemnation, Matth. 25.34. Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come yee blessed of my father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And verse 41. then shall he say also vntounto them on his left hand, Depart from me ye cursed, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the deuill and his Angels.