A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 56
CHAP. 56.
Of the ſentence of the Iudge.
The parts of the iudgemēt are the
Sentence of the Iudge
For the faithfull.
Againſt the wicked.
The execution thereof. Chap.
MATTH. chap. 25. verſ. 34. to the end.
34. Then ſhall the King ſay vntounto them on his right hand, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, in herit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35. For I was an hungred, and ye gaue me meat: I was thirſtie, and ye gaue me drinke: I was a ſtranger, and yee tooke mee in:
36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was ſicke, and ye viſited me: I was in priſon, and ye came vntounto me.
37. Then ſhall the righteous anſwere him, ſaying, Lord, when ſaw wee thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirſtie, and gaue thee drinke?
38. When ſaw wee thee a ſtranger, and tooke thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39. Or when ſaw we thee ſicke, or in priſon, and came vntounto thee?
40. And the King ſhall anſwere, and ſay vntounto them, Verily I ſay vntounto you, In as much as ye hauehave done it vntounto one of the leaſt of theſe my brethren, ye hauehave done it vntounto me.
41. Then ſhall he ſay alſo vntounto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye curſed, into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the diuell and his angels.
42. For I was an hungred, and ye gaue me no meat: I was thirſtie, and ye gaue me no drinke.
43. I was a ſtranger, and ye tooke me not in: naked, and yee clothed me not: ſicke, and in priſon, and ye viſited me not.
44. Then ſhall they alſo anſwere him, ſaying, Lord, when ſaw we thee an hungred, or a thirſt, or a ſtranger, or naked, or ſicke, or in priſon, and did not miniſter vntounto thee?
45. Then ſhall he anſwere them, ſaying, Verily, I ſay vntounto you, In as much as ye did it not to one of the leaſt of theſe, ye did it not to me.
46. And theſe ſhall goe away into euerlaſting puniſhment: but the righteous into life eternall.
Q. So much of Chriſts preparation to the Iudgment: what are the parts thereof?
A. Two: firſt, the ſentence of the Iudge; which is twofold; one for the faithfull, another againſt the wicked: and ſecondly, the execution of the ſentence.
Q. What is the former ſentence, which is for the faithfull?
A. It is this; Come ye bleſſed of my father, inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world, &c.
Q. Why doth the iudgement begin at the godly?
A. Becauſe our Sauiour will hauehave them to fit with him to iudge the wicked; therefore hee fitteth them thereunto, by clearing them firſt, 1. Cor. 6. 2. Reuel. 3. 21.
Q. What gather you of this order?
A. A notable comfort to the godly againſt all trouble; that as the Lord in mercy beginneth his correction at them in this life: ſo in the laſt day he ſhall begin with them the iudgement of ioy and comfort; and that hauing bin miſ-iudged here, they ſhall then iudge their Iudges, vnleſſe in time they repent.
Q. What learne you out of this former ſentence?
A. Firſt, a notable harmonie betwixt Chriſt and his Church; that as they ſay vntounto him, Come Lord Ieſus, Reuel. 22. 20.come quickly: ſo ſhall hee ſay vntounto them; Come yee bleſſed of my Father, Come; declaring their exceeding deſire of mutuall fellowſhip, and ſociety.
Q. What elſe?
A. That life euerlaſting is called a kingdome; and therefore eueryevery godly one ſhall be made partaker of a moſt glorious kingdome.
Q. How commeth this kingdome? by grace, or deſert?
A. By the onelyonly grace of God in Ieſus Chriſt.
Q. Declare the ſame more euidently?
A. Firſt, it is the bleſſing of God; and therefore of grace. Secondly, it is giuen to vsus as to heires, not as the wages of a ſeruant, which commonly deſerueth more then a ſonne. Thirdly, it was prepared for vsus from the beginning of the world; and therefore is of the meere louelove of God, and not of merit.
Q. So much of the ſentence. What is the reaſon of it?
A. When Chriſt was an hungred, they fed him; when he was a thirſt, they gaue him drinke; when he was naked, they clothed him; when he was ſicke, and in priſon, they viſited him.
Q. Doth not this reaſon plainly ſtrengthen the doctrine of merits?
A. Not ſo, ſeeing (for) importeth not heere the For.cauſe, but the effect: as wee ſay, Summer is come, for flowers doe ſpring; and, It is a good tree, for it bringeth forth good fruit; theſe are effects and not cauſes. Moreouer, if Chriſt would hauehave taught merit; then would he hauehave choſen the greateſt and chiefeſt works; as of his owne worſhip in the firſt table: elſe ſome might iuſtly complaine that they were not rewarded, according to the meaſure of their good workes, hauing yeelded a greater obedience to the firſt table then others.
Q. VVhy then doth Chriſt chooſe thoſe workes of the ſecond table?
A. Becauſe they are moſt manifeſt to the world; following therein the cuſtome of earthly Iudges, who inſiſt moſt vponupon plaineſt proofes, either to conuince the guiltie, or cleare the innocent: ſo Chriſt pronounceth his ſentence rather according to workes, then to faith, and thoſe of the ſecond table, rather then of the firſt; becauſe workes are more viſible, then faith; and it is eaſier to play the hypocrite in the obedience of the firſt table, then of the ſecond.
Q. Why doth Chriſt here vſe ſo long a catalogue of theſe workes?
A. To teach vsus to exerciſe merciemercy in all thoſe duties, and not content our ſelues with any one of them.
Q. How could they doe theſe things vntounto Chriſt, whom moſt of them did neuer ſee?
A. When they did any of them to his poore members, Mat. 25. 41.then they did it vntounto him.
Q. VVhat gather you of this?
A. That ſeeing it was a great honour to lodge Angels at vnawares in ſtead of ſtrangers: this is a far more excellent honour whereunto Chriſtians are called; being aſſured that in receiuing ſuch poore as are there ſpoken of, they receiue Chriſt himſelfe; which ſhould ſtirre vp the bowels of mercy and compaſſion in vsus towards them; ſeeing not ſo much as a cup of cold water Mat. 10. 42.ſhall be vnrewarded.
Q. So much of the former ſentence. What is the latter againſt the wicked?
A. Depart from me ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the diuell and his Angels,
Q. VVhat is the equitie of this ſpeech?
A. It is likewiſe anſwerable to their owne deſerts, Amos 6. 3. Iob 21. 14.who in their life thruſt away from them the day of the Lord, and (as it were) bid Chriſt depart.
Q. When doe the wicked ſay ſo to Chriſt?
A. When they refuſe to know his will; when they diſdaine the miniſterie, are vnmercifull to the poore, and the ſtranger, or the like.
Q. What are the parts of this his iudgement?
A. Firſt, to be depriued of Gods preſence, as it is a great part of glory to bee continually in his preſence. Secondly, to be euerlaſtingly tormented in hell fire.
Q. What is the reaſon of this ſentence?
A. It is (cleane contrary to the former) for leauing thoſe duties vndone which the godly did. And although the good workes of the godly were not the cauſes of ſaluation; yet theſe euill workes are the very next cauſe of damnation.
Q. How can that be?
A. Becauſe the beſt workes of the godly are imperfectly good, and cannot deſerue life: but the euill workes of the euill, are perfectly euill; and therefore deſerue death.
Q. What is to be conſidered in their anſwere?
A. Their exceeding blindneſſe whiles they liued here, in that they neuer conſidered that in reiecting the poore, they reiected Chriſt.