A Golden Chain

But it may be objected, that the whole world stands either of believers or unbelievers, and that there is no last judgement for either of these: for the believer, as Christ saith, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement; and the unbeliever is condemned already, ¹and therefore needeth no further judgement. Ans. Where it is said, he that believeth shall not come into judgement, it must be understood of the judgement of condemnation, and not the judgement of absolution; and he that believeth not is condemned already in effect and substance three ways: I. in the counsel of God, who did foresee and appoint his condemnation, as it is a punishment of sin, and an execution of his justice. II. in the word of God, where he hath his condemnation set down. III. he is condemned in his own conscience: for every ungodly mans conscience is a judge unto himself, which doth every hour condemn him, and it is a forerunner of the last judgement. And notwithstanding all this, there may remain a second judgement, which is a manifestation and finishing of that which was begun in this world: and therefore the meaning of that place is this; he that believeth not is already judged in part, but so as the full manifestation thereof, shall be at the second coming of Christ.

But it may be obiected, that the whole world stands either of beleeuers or vnbeleeuers, and that there is no last iudgement for either of these: for the beleeuer, as Christ saith, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into iudgement; and the vnbeleeuer is condemned alreadie, ¹and therefore needeth no further iudgement. Ans. Where it is said, he that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement, it must bee vnderstood of the iudgement of condemnation, and not the iudgement of absolution; and he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie in effect and substance three waies: I. in the counsell of God, who did foresee and appoint his condemnation, as it is a punishment of sinne, and an execution of his iustice. II. in the word of God, where he hath his condemnation set downe. III. he is condemned in his own conscience: for euery vngodly mans conscience is a iudge vnto himselfe, which doth euery houre condemne him, and it is a forerunner of the last iudgement. And notwithstanding all this, there may remaine a second iudgement, which is a manifestation and finishing of that which was begunne in this worlde: and therefore the meaning of that place is this; hee that beleeueth not is alreadie iudged in part, but so as the full manifestation thereof, shall be at the second comming of Christ.