Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 18 · Section 7
From thence he ſhall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead.
The laſt iudgement.27 Our fleſh, humane reaſon, and the whole rout of wicked men, ſhall not euermore obſtinatelie vpbraid vsus, that we hauehave deuiſed to our ſelues a God, a Lord, and a Prince, which will neuer exhibit himſelfe to be ſéene, or to be perceiued of humane ſenſe: I meane Chriſt our ſauiour. For, after that we hauehave confeſſed him to ſit gloriouſlie at the right hand of the father; we adde, that the ſame Chriſt will at the length euidentlie ſhew himſelfe to the world, when he ſhall come into his kingdome, to execute the parts of a iudge. For it ſhall be a moſt méet thing, that he, which was condemned vniuſtlie, by ſentence of the iudge, ſhould at the length make manifeſt vntounto the whole world, that moſt excellent authoritie and righteouſneſſe of his, the which was condemned; not onelie when Chriſt receiued the ſentence of death, but alſo as it were by continuall ſucceſſion it endured by humane fleſh and wiſedome the ſame iudgements, in the ages that came after: and that not onelie in the perſon of Chriſt, but alſo in his holie members and brethren, whether they be alreadie dead, or as yet wander here in this earth, who are vexed with manie reproches and contumelies, ſuffer perſecutions, and all kind of iniuries; in ſuch ſort, as there is ſcarſe anie corner of the world, that ringeth not of the ſorrowfull lamentations of the godlie.
But ſéeing all ſuch iudgements be corrupt and peruerſe, that laſt iudgement ſhall at the length come foorth (from the which there ſhall be no appeale to a higher iudge) and the which ſhall correct and reforme mens ordinances and decrées, A deſcription of the iudge and of the iudgment.which indéed were contrarie vntounto equitie and iuſtice: forſomuch as it ſhall hauehave powers and qualities, altogither contrarie vntounto thoſe wicked iudgements. Chriſt the moſt excellent iudge ſhall flouriſh in wiſedome, which ſhall perſe and perceiue all alike, as well thoſe things which be moſt manifeſt and euident to all men, as euerie thing elſe that is moſt obſcure and moſt ſecret: according to that, which Paule declareth in his epiſtle to the Romans; namelie, that He ſhall iudge of the ſecrets of men. Rom. 2, 16.He ſhall then hauehave no néed of auditors, and inquiſitions. But on the other ſide, though I hold my peace, euerie one of the faithfull dooth ſufficientlie vnderſtand thoſe peruerſe iudgements, which the vngodlie doo oftentimes decrée, touching Chriſt and his members, how plainlie they ſet abroad their owne fooliſhneſſe, and extreame darkneſſe of mind. Chriſt, when he ſhall exerciſe his iudgment in that latter daie, Rom. 11. and 2.ſhall moſt iuſtlie yéeld right vntounto euerie one, and ſhall temper his ſentence with ſingular iuſtice; neither ſhall he decline to this ſide or that, who cannot be remooued from the right, neither by peruerſe affections, neither by anie gifts.
28 Wherefore, this is ſpoken touching him, that With him there is no acception of perſons: Rom. 2, 11.which vice ſuffereth not the enimies of true godlineſſe, either to ſpeake or iudge aright of chriſtianitie. But one man being mooued with the indeuour of priuate commoditie, another being plucked awaie with other peruerſe affections, raſhlie condemneth Chriſt, and them that be his, and perſecuteth them with ſundrie reproches. Wherevpon it is ſaid in the Goſpell; Matt. 12, 34.How can ye ſpeake good things, ſeeing your ſelues be euill? That moſt high iudge lacketh no power or abilitie to execute thoſe things, which he hath determined, either in fauour of the godlie, or for the deſtruction of the wicked: ſéeing he himſelfe ſaith; Matt. 28, 18.All power is giuen vntounto me. And it is written alſo of the wicked, in the firſt epiſtle to the Theſſalonians; 1. Theſ. 5, 3.When they ſhall ſaie, peace, and that all is well, then ſhall come vponupon them ſudden deſtruction, as the trauell vponupon a woman with child, ſo as they maie not eſcape. In the peruerſe iudgement of the tyrants of this world, which they giuegive out oftentimes againſt chriſtian religion, the contrarie is perceiued. For ether ſuch decrées take none effect, or elſe they fall againe vponupon the heads of thoſe tyrants themſelues; ſo as they be rather hurtfull vntounto themſelues, than vntounto the chriſtians. But that they may bring to effect thoſe things, which they hauehave wickedlie decreed; thoſe iudgements extend no further, than vntounto goods, and vntounto this temporall life. Which things are of the leaſt account vntounto the ſpirituall man, and to him which is renewed by Chriſt: as Chriſt himſelfe teſtifieth, who ſpeaking vntounto his diſciples, ſaid; Feare ye not them which kill the bodie, Matt. 10, 28but are not able to kill the ſoule. But I will ſhew you whom ye ought rather to feare; namelie, God, who after he hath killed the bodie, is able to deſtroie the ſoule in hell fire.
Which of vsus therefore (déerelie beloued brethren in Chriſt) will not ſo prepare himſelfe, as he may receiue with a chéerefull mind, ſuch a iudge, through whoſe ſentence an end ſhall be appointed vntounto all the iniuries that are doone vntounto vsus? Luke. 12, 35.This is that moſt high good man of the houſe, which at the length ſhall make all his ſeruants to be knowne; and ſhall demand an account of them, touching ſuch affaires as he hath committed vntounto them. This is that mightie rich merchant, Matt. 25, 14.that will returne, to call for gaines of his great ſumme of monie deliuered into banke. Matth. 25, 1.This is that new bridegroome, that by a iuſt choiſe ſhall ſeuer the wiſe virgins from the fooliſh. This is that wiſe and expert ſteward, Matt. 25, 32.that knoweth how to laie vp the pure wheate in his barne, and to burne the chafte with fire; and who like a good ſhéepheard can ſeuer the ſhéepe from the goates; and like a warie fiſher, the good fiſhes from the bad: and finallie, Matt 13, 49. Ibid. 37.who like a wiſe huſbandman will throwe the cockle into the fire, but wiſelie will ſaue the profitable and pretious ſéed. Whoſoeuer therefore thirſteth after the pure church, or the ſincere kingdome of Chriſt, and after the ſound and perfect fellowſhip of the choſen, or that dooth long to ſée that moſt excellent and immaculate ſpouſe; cannot but be pearſed in mind with the remembrance of that moſt ſwéet and acceptable daie: that it is no maruell, if the ſame be therefore called by Paule, Bleſſed hope. And in Luke, Titus. 2, 13.after that he had reckoned vp diuerſe tokens of the comming of that daie, he added; Luke. 21, 28When ye ſhall ſee theſe tokens, then looke vp, and lift vp your heads, for your redemption draweth neere.
29 But leaſt the ioie conceiued of that latter comming, ſhould be diſturbed through the miſtruſt of ſaluation, which might enter into your mind, while ye vnderſtand that the ſame moſt high iudge will be inquiſitiue of mens works, (and this I ſaie, bicauſe, if thou wilt beléeue me, there ſhall be no man, how much honeſtie ſoeuer he be indued with, that ſtanding vponupon the conſideration of his owne works, is able to hold faſt this confidence; and ſo, if theſe things be not rightlie vnderſtood by you, in that bleſſed daie, there would ſéeme to be an argument preſented before your eies, of nothing elſe, but horrible & excéeding feare of euerlaſting death) we muſt throughlie conſider, Who ſhall come to be examined at the iudgement of Chriſt.and diligentlie weigh what ſhall come into triall and examination at the latter daie. Wherein I firſt affirme, that there ſhall be no néed of examination at all againſt the infidels; as they, that for their infidelitie be alreadie condemned. Iohn. 3, 18.So Chriſt plainlie teacheth in Iohn; Whoſoeuer (ſaith he) beleeueth not, is alreadie condemned. But, bicauſe this doubting might créepe into the minds of manie, how it ſhould come to paſſe, that of them which are equallie intituled by the name & title of chriſtians, ſome are adiudged to ſaluation, and other ſome to eternall damnation: for this cauſe our moſt iuſt iudge Chriſt, will hauehave the reaſon of this difference to appeare to all the world; ſéeing, as he will neuer hereafter ſuffer his iuſtice to be hidden to the world, in ſuch wiſe as it was, when he came firſt into the world, to be conuerſant among vsus; he will (I ſaie) at that ſecond comming of his, make his iuſtice knowne vntounto all perſons, that it may manifeſtlie appeare, who hath trulie taken vponupon him his name and titles, or who hath doone the ſame fainedlie and by hypocriſie.
30 At the length alſo we may be warned hereby, that not onelie the dead, but alſo the liuing muſt come vnderunder the iudgement of Chriſt. Which muſt be vnderſtood (as Paule teacheth in his epiſtle to the Corinths) that vndoutedlie We ſhall not all die, but we ſhall be all changed. 1. Co. 15, 51And to the Theſſal. We which ſhall liue, and ſhall be remaining, 1. The. 4, 17.ſhall be caught vp togither with them into the clouds, to meete with the Lord in the aire, and ſo we ſhall euer be with the Lord. Hereby it is gathered, that of them, which ſhall ſtand before that high iudgement ſeate, ſome ſhall be raiſed from death and duſt, and others in verie déed ſhall not die: but it will come to paſſe by the grace of GOD, that they ſhall be tranſlated vntounto a better ſtate, the ſame not ſubiect to anie infirmities. They ſhall be thoſe elect, which then ſhall be found aliue: for there will be no néed for them to put off their bodies, but their bodilie maſſe ſhall atteine vntounto glorie; ſo that death ſhall not take the ſame awaie from them. Among them Paule did wiſh to be numbred, as it is written in the epiſtle to the Corinthians: 1. Cor. 15, 32.and we alſo with him expect the ſame with great deſire. Howbeit, in this matter, as in all other things alſo, let vsus ſo behaue our ſelues, that all may tend vntounto the glorie of GOD.