Confession of the Christian Religion, Confession · Chapter 29
CHAP. XXIX. Of the glorious comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, to iudge the quicke and the dead.
I. Areſurrection of the dead, and chaunging of them that are aliue, at the comming of the Lord Jeſus out of heauen, being made: Chriſt ſhall ſtraight exhibite himſelfe to bee ſeene of them all in the cloudes: and all the faithfull ſhall meete him in the ayre.
WE beleeue, that the dead riſing againe by the miniſterie of the Angells, at the comming of the Lord Ieſus: they which ſhall then bee remaining aliue, they ſhall not indeed dye, but they ſhall in a moment be chaunged, into the ſame ſtate with the dead that are riſen: and then Chriſt, being come downe from heauen euen in the cloudes, there ſhall iudge all men, and from thence giuegive ſentence on them, ſhal ſhew himſelfe apparently to all: and that all the godlie being taken vpp from the earth, euen into the clouds ſhall goe to meet him, 1. Theſſ. 5.1. &c. Mat. 24.3 & 25.31attended on by the Angells, and appearing in his great maieſtie and glorie: as alſo he himſelfe, and his Apoſtles hauehave taught and left in writing.
II. Chriſt ſhall viſibly returne from one place to another, and that with a bodie viſible, locall, and determinate.
We therefore beleeue, Chriſt ſhall ſo return viſiblie, as he before in the Apoſtles ſight aſcended into heauen: and ſhall come euen out of that heauen, where he now is: & therefore from that which is farre diſtant from the earth, and from the clouds, vntounto which he ſhall deſcend: and we beleeue he ſhall ſo deſcend with his naturall bodie, that it muſt needs be graū ted that the ſame is locall and finite, and conſequently, not exiſting euerie where: ſeing alſo the holie ghoſt deſcribeth ſuch a deſcending vntounto ſimple people, which hee ſheweth, cannot be made without chaunge of places.
III. The faithleſſe reprobates, ſhall not come vpp to Chriſt ſitting in the cloudes: but remaining on the earth ſhall heare the ſentence of the iudge.
But ſeing the Scriptures do pronounce, only of the godlie, that they ſhall bee caught vpp into the cloudes, and ſhall meete Chriſt in the ayre: wee beleeue, that the vngodlie ſhall not come vp vntounto Chriſt, but remaining vnderunder his feete vppon the earth, ſhall heare that ſentēce of the iudge, goe yee curſed into euerlaſting fire, when all the Saints, which ſhal bee aloft with Chriſt, ſhall approue the ſame ſentence of the iudge: according as the Apoſtle thinketh, 1. Cor. 6.2.3The Saints ſhall iudge the world, yea and the Angells.
IV. For what cauſes that generall iudgement was appointed.
And wee beleeue, that for two cauſes principally, this iudgement was appointed, wherin Chriſt ſhall ſitt as iudge in the ſight of all men: the firſt is, that ſuch thinges as are nowe hidden vntounto men, aſwel innocencie, faith, and the good conſciences of the godlie, as the hypocriſie, and vile deeds of the wicked, may be openly knowne to all the world: and thereby be manifeſtly ſeene how iuſt the iudgements of God were euer from the firſt to the laſt. Whereuppon alſo the Apoſtle called that day the day of declaration. The other cauſe, Rom. 2.5is that the reward which was promiſed aſwell to the good for their good workes, as to the bad for their euill deedes ſhould be fully paied and reſtored: as the Apoſtle ſaieth, 2. Cor. 5.10wee muſt all appeare before the iudgement ſeat of Chriſt, that euerie man may receiue the things vvhichwhich are done in his bodie according to that he hath done, whether it be good or euill: whereupon alſo the ſame Apoſtle calleth it the day of the iuſt iudgement.Rom. 2.5
V. Aeternall life, which ſhalbee giuen to the elect, is called, and is, a reward: yet due vntounto vsus onelyonly vppon fauour, and not but for Chriſts ſake.
For albeit it be a meere gift of God, which the elect ſhall receiue, and purchaſed by the meritts of Chriſt alone, yet we doubt not; but it is named, and that it is truely a reward: ſith the Lord Ieſus vouchſafed to call it ſo, namely a free reward: ſeing alſo that the good works themſelues of the godlie, and all the cauſes wherefrom the ſame do proceed, are free gifts of God: free election: free redemption: free calling, faith, iuſtification, regeneration, forgrueneſſe of ſinnes; and laſtly a free pardon of all wants and imperfections wherewith our good works are infected, and a free imputation of Chriſts perfect obedience, wherewith our imperfect obedience is clothed, and made acceptable to god and conſequently to ſpeak properly, is a reward, not due vntounto vsus for our owne workes conſidered in themſelues, but for the meri…ts of Chriſt imputed to vsus.
VI. After the iudgement giuen, the godly ſhalbee preſently with Chriſt in heauen, but the vngodly, in hell, with the deuill & his Angells.
Further more wee beleeue, that preſently after the ſame iudgement, the godly ſhall follow Chriſt into heauen, but the wicked ſhal be thruſt downe with the deuills into hell: Chriſt ſaying to the firſt, come yee bleſſed of my father, but to the other, Goe yee curſed into euerlaſting fire.
VII. That day ſhalbe to the godly moſt ioyfull, and is therefore to be wiſhed for: to the wicked moſt heauie, & is therefore, euē in the only hearing intollerable.
So do wee beleeue that this laſt day ſhal bee vntounto them which are grafted into Chriſt, moſt happie and ioyfull, and therefore loued & wiſhed of them: 2. Tim. 4.8and ought to be loued & wiſhed for of vsus: and to the wicked, the moſt accurſed and wofull day that euer was: and therefore no maruaile though they hate that day, & cannot abide the mention of it.
VIII. Errors.
We condemne, whoſoeuer ſhall denie that Chriſt ſhall truely and in verie deede deſcend in his humaine bodie from heauen into the cloudes, and then returne with his choſen into heauen againe, and would prooue, that it ſhall all bee without any chaunge of places, onelyonly by appearance (as they call it) & a certaine likeneſſe: to the which the Angells doe affirme the contrarie vntounto the Apoſtles, Act. 1.11as yee hauehave ſeene him aſcend into heauen, ſo ſhall he come againe. VVee diſallowe alſo, thoſe which teach, that the works of pietie conſidered in themſelues are the true cauſe for which eternall life is giuen, and are the true meritts thereof: againſt which the Apoſtle alſo, ſaieth, Rom. 6.23The gift of God is eternall life. Neither doe we approue the opinion of the Chiliaſts concerning the thouſand years: wherin Chriſt with his elect ſhould remaine heere in the earth, after the latter iudgement: and that they ſhould here liue in the delights, yet honeſt delights of the fleſh, and ſhould procreate children, but Saints: & ſo at laſt be tranſlated vpp into heauen. And we condemne, and deteſt their error, which ſtand in contention, that the fire whereinto the wicked ſhal be throwne, ſhall at the length be quēched: ſo that all, euen the deuills themſelues ſhall liue bleſſedlie in the kingdome of God: flatt againſt the plaine words of Chriſt, goe yee into euerlaſting fire.Mat. 25.4