imperfections Gal. 5.17 6. They are no way profitable and beneficiall to God Psal 16.2 Rom. 11.35.7 They are no way comparable to that glory which hereafter shall be revealed Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 Now these things considered how shall we say that good works are or can be meritorious that is such as by any value or worth in them should bind God to give a reward to them especially such a transcendent excellencie and waight of Glory as is that of the kingdome of heaven And who but onely they to whom the Lord hath sent strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye doth not discover the absurditie of that collection which the Papists doe inferre from our Apostles words who saith not that God will reward very man for his works but according to his works which phrase doth not intimate the cause why eternall life is given but the qualification of the persons to whom eternall life is given that they are such as by faith are united to Christ and bring forth good works the fruits and evidences of that faith whereunto in the Covenant of Grace God hath made the promise of Salvation Wheresoever therefore in Scripture a reward is said to be rendred to good works of justice as 2 Thes 1.7 2 Tim. 4.8 the Scripture hath relation to the merit of Christ not to any desert of our own Also wheresoever mention is made of our worthinesse as 2 Thes 1.5 Luc. 20.35 Apoc. 3.4 the Scripture means not that any are or can be worthy by the merit and dignitie of their own works but that they are worthy in Gods gracious acceptation through the worthinesse of Jesus Christ imputed to them and made theirs by a true and lively faith And so much for the first question Quest 2. If God reward every man according to his works How can God be just in punishing for ever those that sinned for a short time To this I answer 1. In the words of a learned and judicious writer of our own Iustum est ut reprobi nunquam careant supplicio quia nunquam voluerunt carere peccato Reprobates must justly suffer for ever because they would never have ceased to sin if they had lived for ever 2. The greatnesse of a sin must not be measured by the Time in which it was acted but by the Person against whom it was committed Now men sin against God who is infinite and therefore justice requiring a portion between the offence and the punishment though sin be temporary yet it is most just with God to punish it with eternal torments And so much for the fourth point I proceed to the fift By whom God will Iudge By that Man whom hee hath ordained saith the Text. And this man can be no other but the Man Christ Iesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So Saint Peter preached and Christ commanded him and the rest of his Apostles to preach so Act. 10.42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Iudge of quick and dead If respect be had to the power and authoritie of Judging then to judge us doth belong to the whole Trinitie and that equally as I said before But if respect be had to the Administration of Judgement and the visible act of Judging then to judge us doth belong to Christ onely For he onely shall be seene to descend with a guard of Angels to open the books of accounts to examine the severall causes to pronounce the finall sentence and to execute the same by the happy admission of the Elect into the kingdome of Heaven prepared by the Father and purchased by Christ to be the glorious and eternall inheritance of the Saints and by the heavy and uncomfortable dismission of reprobates into that Lake which burnes with fire and brimstone before the Throne of God for ever and ever Thus you see Christ shall be the immediate manager and administrator of judgement The Scripture is plentifull in the proofe of it Wherein he is called the Wise Husbandman that severeth the corne from the chaffe the Wheat from the Tares the good Shepherd that divideth the Sheepe from the Goats the heavenly Bridegroome that separateth the Wise from the foolish virgins the great Lord that committed sundry talents to his servants at their going and called them to account how they had employed and improved them at his returne More plainly Act. 10.42 where he is called the Iudge of quick and dead and 1 Cor. 5.5 where the day of Judgement is called the day of the Lord Iesus and 2 Cor. 5.10 where the seat of judgement is called the judgement seat of Christ and Matth. 16.27 where Christ himself saith The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his works Now if you aske a reason why the administration and Execution of Judgement is committed to Christ I referre you to Ioh. 5.27 He hath given authoritie to him that is the Father hath given authoritie to Christ to execute judgement because he is the Son of Man Here you see Christs commission to execute judgment and the reason of it because he is the Son of man About these last words I find some difference amongst expositors Some will have these words read with the words following after this manner Because he is the Son of man marvell not at this for the time shall come when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Son of God and shall come forth c. That is if it seeme wonderfull or incredible to any that the Son of man shall have such power to judge you must consider that he is the Son of God also and at the day of judgement he shall mightily declare his Godhead by the resurrection of the dead Others read the words thus in quantum or secundum quod filius hominis est that is in respect of his Humanitie or as he is the son of man And so make it a reason not of Christs giving judgement but of his receiving power to judge For as Christ was the Son of God power could not be given to him for it was naturally and essentially in himself and as he was the Sonne of man he could not have power to execute judgement untill it was given him of the Father Others understand this reason to be of the same force with that Phil. 2.8 9. He humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name So here because the Son of God humbled himself so low to become the son of man therefore God hath recompensed his infinite humilitie with this infinite glory to be the Judge of all the world Others interpret the words thus That God hath given to Christ power to execute judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by and according to his humanitie For the
glorious Coronation when Palms of victory shall be put into their hands and upon their heads shall be set a Crowne of incorruptible glory Oh what a joy and comfort will it be to see the holy Patriarchs Priests Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessours and all the rest of the crowned and triumphant Saints gathered into one companie and standing at the right hand of Christ How will the faithfull be ravished to see Christ their Brother their Advocate their Head their Husband their Redeemer to sit in the Seat of Judgement But especially to heare him from thence to pronounce to them this blissefull sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Matth. 25.43 thus joyfull comfortable and glorious will the day of Judgement be to all such as live in the feare of God and the faith of Jesus Christ Which considered I cannot but think it a strange infirmitie of the Church in the dayes of Tertullian when they usually prayed pro mora finis For the protraction and delay of the last end Rather let all the godly pray with the Spouse in the end of the Canticles Make hast my beloved and as Saint Iohn did in the close of his Revelation Come Lord Iesus For when Christ comes he comes to free us from all infirmities to redeeme us from all miseries to deliver us from all sins and in full and perfect manner to endow us with Heaven and with all Happinesse 3. This Doctrine of the last Judgement serves for the Admonition of us all To warn us while God doth afford us time means to take such a course that we may gain the favor of the Judge escape the severity of the last judgment And to this end with diligence and good conscience put in practice these six duties 1. Be thine own accuser in the free confession of thy sins to God Considering what St. Iohn saith If we confesse our sins God is just and faithfull to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse 1 Ioh. 1.9 2. Be thine own Judge and that in the strictest censure and severest condemnation of thy self Considering what Saint Paul saith If we would judge our selves we should not be judged 1 Cor. 11.31 3. Pray earnestly unto God for pardon Considering that so long as the day of Grace lasteth mercy may be found if we will but seeke it 4. Beware of Judging the Persons and Actions of thy brethren When a man doth well do not judge ill when he doth ill do not make it worse when his speeches or actions are doubtfull take nothing in the worst sense considering what our Saviour saith Iudge not and ye shall not be judged Matth. 7.1 5. Labour to get a lively faith in Christ Jesus relye wholly upon his merits for salvation Considering what Christ saith He that beleeveth hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation Iohn 5.24 6. Endeavour to keepe a good conscience in all things voyd of offence before God and all men considering what the Prophet David saith Marke the upright man and behold the just for the last end of that man is peace Psal 37.37 And now to wind up all in a word If we be mindfull of these important directions If we confesse our sins freely condemne our selves severely pray for pardon earnestly judge our brethren charitably beleeve in Jesus Christ stedfastly and sincerely desire and endeavour to lead a godly righteous and sober life then we shall finde Christ not a severe Judge to condemne us but a mercifull Redeemer to absolve and save us in that day on which God hath ordained him to Judge the world in righteousnesse And now that our hearts may be so full of graces and our lives so full of good works that we may have in the end of our life a comfortable death and in the end of the World a glorious resurrection to a blessed immortalitie let us all joyne together in faithfull and servent Prayer O Most glorious and most gracious Lord God who hast taught us to know and beleeve that there shall be a day of judgement on which we and all the world shall stand before the Tribunall Seat of Christ to render an account of all things done in the flesh whether good or evill and to receive a just reward according to our works We most humbly beseech thee to teach us to make a right and religious use of this faith and knowledge Oh let these last things be ever in our Meditation and so sanctifie to us the remembrance thereof that it may be a Bridle to restraine us from all sin and wickednesse and a Spur to provoke us powerfully and effectually to unreined repentance for all our sins to constant patience in all our sufferings to a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ and to a true feare of thee in all our thoughts words and actions throughout the whole course of our conversation That so at whatsoever watch of the night or houre of the day Christ shall come to Iudgement he may finde us watching for him walking with him worthy to stand before him and to enter with him into that kingdome wherein thou dwellest and the righteous onely shall dwell with thee in unutterable joy and glory for evermore This Grace here this Glory hereafter Lord grant unto us all for his sake who is the Son of thy Love the Mediatour of thy chosen Iesus Christ To whom with thee O Father and the Spirit of Comfort be ascribed by us and all the world Kingdome Power and Glory now and for evermore Amen FINIS
our Creed where we are taught to beleeve that Christ shall come from Heaven to judge both the quick and dead that is all that shall be found dead to be revived and quicke to be changed at the comming of Jesus Christ to iudgement See further Rom. 14.10 2. Cor. 5.10 where S. Paul saith We shall We must all appeare before the Judgement-seat of Christ I shall not ned to say more in the Confirmation of this Truth Onely I will adde a word or two to cleere some few texts which at the first view seeme to have a flat contradiction One is Psal 1.5 The ungodly shall not stand in judgement The Septuagint turne it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so many Latine fathers read it non resurgent shall not rise in judgement a bad translation it may be want of skill in the Hebrew made them to follow the Septuagint who were Jews amongst whom many held an heresie that the souls of sinners should perish with their bodies which errour receives not the least strength from these words of the Prophet David wherein he means not that the wicked shall not come to be judged but they shall not be acquitted in iudgement they shall be found guiltie and shall fall into eternall condemnation Another Place is Ioh. 3.18 He that beleeveth not is condemned already Now if all unbeleevers be condemned already what need is there of any further iudgement To this I answer It cannot be denyed that unbeleevers are already condemned 1. In Gods eternall decree who hath appointed them to condemnation 2. In Gods word which denounceth damnation to to all that beleeve not 3. In their owne Consciences which serve as a thousand witnesses to accuse them as a Judge to condemne them and as an executioner to torment them But all this hinders not but that they must appeare before the iudgement seat of the Lord that their sins may be openly manifested their sentence publikely pronounced for the fuller manifestation of Gods iustice to all the world Another place is Ioh. 5.24 He that beleeveth in God shall not come into judgement To this I answer That in this place our Saviour by a Trope putteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judgement for condemnation And in all our English Bibles even in the last and best translation the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it properly signifies judgement yet it is rendred condemnation Which though it be not a right translation yet it is a true and sound Exposition for the meaning of our Saviour is that the faithfull though they shall come to judgement yet they shall never come into condemnation They shall not come into the Judgement of damnation but they shall come into the Judgement of eternall Absolution from their sins and miseries That which they have here in part must then be perfected that which they have here by faith shall then be revealed a finall deliverance from the thraldome of this world to the glorious libertie of the sons of God And so much for the third point I proceed to the fourth 4. How God will judge He will judge in righteousnesse saith the Text. That is the Lords judiciall proceeding at the last Day in judging some to the eternall unutterable joyes and glory of Heaven and in dooming others to the easelesse and remedilesse torments of Hell shall be most just and righteous Hence the Day of Judgement is called by Saint Paul The day of the Revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.5 Now the justice and righteousnesse of the Lords proceeding at the last Day shall be declared to all the world two wayes 1. God will have no respect of persons as Saint Paul saith Rom. 2.11 That is in the act of Judging the Lord will not respect the outward qualitie and condition of any as Countrey Sex Wealth Povertie Age Youth Beautie Deformitie Honour Ignominy or any outward circumstance whatsoever none of these things shall in the least wise move the Lord to reward or punish Esaus eldership shall not remove the Lords hate nor Iacobs minoritie hinder the Lords love Sauls Scepter shall not shelter him from Gods wrath nor Davids sheep-hooke hold him backe from Gods blessing Lazarus his povertie shall not keepe him out of Abrahams bosome nor Dives his wealth free him from the place of torment It shall be no impeachment to Cornelius that he was a Gentile nor immunitie to any that he was a Jew But whosoever he be Jew or Gentile bond or free poore or rich male or female that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse he shall be accepted to salvation and whosoever he be that feareth not God and worketh unrighteousnesse without partialitie he shall be rejected to damnation 2. God will reward every man according to his works as Saint Paul saith Rom. 2.6 Evill works are most certaine evidences of infidelitie and good works are inseparable fruits and infallible testimonies and signes of saving faith and therefore God to declare himself a righteous Judge will make our works the rule of his retribution To every soul that doth evill God will render indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish for evermore but to every soul that worketh good God will render Glory honour peace and eternall life Rom. 2.7 8 9 10. So just a retribution will the Lord at the last day render to every person that all the world shall say Iust art thou O Lord and true and righteous are thy Iudgements Revel 6. vers 7. But here two Questions may very fitly be propounded Quest Whether good works are meritorious causes of salvation because the Apostle saith God will reward every man according to his works and he saith it to this end to declare the just and righteous judgement of the Lord at the last day Sol. To which I answer that the usuall collection of the Papists from this and the like places is that therefore the good works of men justified and in grace are meritorious causes of eternall life But the judgement of our Church and all other Reformed Churches is this that however good works done in grace are acceptable to God in Jesus Christ and shall by him be rewarded yet that acceptance and reward is not deserved by our works but is freely bestowed out of the grace and mercy of God And this determination we prove thus 1. By Scripture which most expressely teacheth every where that eternall life is a free gift of Gods mercy not a reward due to mans merit See these places Rom. 6.23 and 11.5.6 Ephes 2.8 9. 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 2.11 and 3.7 I might adde more but these are sufficient 2. By Reason which being enlightened by Scripture strongly argueth and concludeth that good works are not cannot be meritorious 1. Because we are creatures Psal 100.3 2. We are sinfull creatures Iam. 3.2 3. Our good works are not ours but Gods Phil. 2.13 4. They are a due debt not supererogated Luc. 17.10 5. They are stained with manifold and great
wisdome of God thought it meet that men should be judged by man that whilest wicked men tremble and are full of feare horrour and perplexitie the similitude of nature might make the elect full of joy comfort and confidence Now put all these readings together they amount to this That Christ Jesus as he is the son of man in honour and reward of his great humilitie hath received from the Father this great authority this glorious power in his humane Nature to execute judgement at the last Day And so I come to the last point The warrant to assure us that the World shall be judged by Christ There is nothing more remote from the common sense and apprehension of men then the great works of Christ at the last Day in raising the dead and bringing them with all those that then remaine alive to judgement To Christians this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mysterie to Heathens it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incredible And therefore to convince the infidelitie of Heathens and to confirme the faith of Christians Saint Paul sends us in the end of the text to the resurrection of Christ Whereby God hath given to all sufficientissimam fidem saith Cajetan a most sufficient certaine and infallible assurance of these three things 1. That the Dead shall be raised 2. That they shall rise to be judged 3. That they shall be judged by Christ 1. That the Dead shall be raised Christs Resurrection is a pledge of ours For if Christ be risen then is our nature risen and if our nature be risen then our Persons may rise nay shall rise at the last day that is plain 1 Cor. 15.52 The dead shall be raised incorruptible and they shall be raised by the Power of Christ that is proved Ioh. 5.28 29. The houre is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall heare his voyce and shall come forth The same Power by which Christ quickned his own dead body shall quicken our dead bodies at the day of Judgement 2. That they shall rise to be judged Judgement is the end of Resurrection So saith our Saviour Ioh. 5.29 All that are in the graves shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the resurrection of damnation And what Christ here saith Saint Iohn saw though a thing to come yet he saw it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Revelation Apoc. 20.12 I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which was the book of life the dead were judged out of those things which were written in those books according to their works 3. That they shall be judged by Christ His resurrection warrants that for by this powerfull and glorious act the Son of man did mightily declare himself to be the Son of God And being God and Man the Holy Trinitie ordained and decreed by him to Judge the world in righteousnesse And thus much for the Exposition of my Text and the Proofe of those points which are contained in it I come now to The Application of this Doctrine touching the last judgement in a threefold use 1. Of Terrour to some 2. Of Comfort to others 3. Of Admonition to all 1. This Doctrine of the last Judgement serves for the Terrour of all unbeleevers and ungodly livers To such the Preaching and expectation of Judgement is as the Hand which appeared to Belshazzar writing upon the wall the period of his life and kingdome or as the Hand which was sent to Ezekiel which had a rowle in it written within and without full of lamentations mourning and woe Ezek. 2.9 10. Aristotle calls death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most fearefull of all things He would not have said so had he known that after death comes judgement Heb. 9.27 This exceeds that farre That 's but timendum fearefull but this is tremendum horrendum terrible dreadfull Dreadfull in many respects 1. T is dreadfull in respect of the Preparation to Judgement for the Trumpet shall sound the Archangell shall cry Surgite mortui venite ad Iudicium arise ye dead and come to judgement Then the graves shall open the earth tremble the Sear oare the Stars fall the powers of Heaven shake the world burne Hell smoake and the Judge himselfe shall come in flames of fire to render vengeance 2. T is dreadfull in respect of the strict and severe account the ungodly shall be called unto For they must give account for their bodies which they have defiled for their souls which they have neglected for the creatures which they have abused for the Sabbaths which they have polluted for the Sacraments which they have profaned for all the means of grace which they have despised for their secret thoughts idle words and all evill deeds which they have ungodly committed For all these they shall give account in so rigorous a manner that no eye shall pittie them no tongue shall plead for them no teares no cryes shall procure them the least mercy from their wrathfull Judge 3. But most dreadfull it shall be in respect of the direfull sentence which shall be denounced against them For Christ the righteous Judge wil say to them Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his angels Matth. 29.41 A sentence full of woe and horrour what more wofull more horrible then to see so many admitted into the kingdome of God and themselves separated from the place and presence of God haled with ugly fiends into Hell where the pains of the damned are unsufferable but unavoydable easelesse but endlesse and remedilesse Dolor si longus levis si gravis brevis Pain is lightly light if long short if great t is so here but this rule doth not hold in Hell There is Darknesse that ends not gnashing of teeth that ceaseth not bonds that breake not wormes that dye not fire that never shal be extinguished Damned souls shall howle but none shall heare roare but none shall help looke round about but see no means of comfort nothing but that which helps to encrease their torments which shall have neither ease nor end Oh the fearefull case of all ungodly persons at the day of judgement what aking of Heart what anguish of Minde what horrour of Conscience what wringing of hands what knocking of breasts what cryes filling Heaven Earth and Hell shall be heard amongst the wicked upon this day of vengeance 2. This Doctrine of the last Judgement ministers matter of much comfort and rejoycing to all such as are true beleevers and do lead a godly life To them the day of Judgement will be a joyfull comfortable and most blessed day in many respects It will be a day 1. Of their restauration and perfect freedome from all infirmities and imperfections 2. Of full redemption from all miseries and calamities 3. Of finall deliverance from all sins corruptions 4. Of