A Golden Chain

The whole proceeding of the last judgement may be reduced to seven points or heads. The first is the coming of the judge in the clouds. Here at the first may be demanded, why Christ holds the last judgement rather on earth then in heaven. Ans. He doth it for two causes. One, the creature to be judged hath sinned here upon earth: and he proceeds after the manner of earthly judges, who hold their sessions and assizes there where trespasses are commonly committed. The second, because the devil & his angels are to be judged, & it is a part of their punishment to be cast out of heaven. For no unclean thing may come into this heavenly Jerusalem, & therefore they now remain in the lower parts of the world, and there must be judged.¹ Furthermore, the second coming of Christ is sudden, as the coming of a thief in the night. He will come when the world thinketh not of him, as the snare doth on the bird. The consideration whereof must teach us the same duties which our Saviour Christ taught the men of his time. First he teacheth them what they must not do: for he knowing all things knew also the disposition of mans heart, and therefore he saith, Take heed to your selves, least at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, least that day come upon you unawares. For these sins benumb the heart, and steal away all grace. This exhortation in these our days is most needful. For mens hearts are like the smiths stithy, the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods word, the harder they are. Secondly he teacheth them what they must do: Watch therefore (saith he) and pray continually: that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and that ye may stand before the son of man. But you will say: how may we be found worthy to stand before Christ at that day? Ans. Do but this one thing: for your lives past be humbled before God, and come unto him by true, hearty, and unfeigned repentance, be changed and become new creatures: pray unto him earnestly for the pardon of your sins in Christ, and pray continually that God will turn your hearts from your old sins every day more and more: and then come the last judgement when it will, ye shall be found worthy to stand before Christ at his coming.

The whole proceeding of the last iudgement may bee reduced to seuen points or heads. The first is the comming of the iudge in the cloudes. Here at the first may be demanded, why Christ holdes the last iudgement rather on earth then in heauen. Ans. He doth it for two causes. One, the creature to bee iudged hath sinned here vpon earth: and hee proceedes after the manner of earthly iudges, who holde their sessions and assises there where trespasses are commonly committed. The second, because the deuill & his angels are to be iudged, & it is a part of their punishment to be cast out of heauen. For no vnclean thing may come into this heauēly Ierusalē, & therfore they now remain in the lower parts of the world, and there must be iudged.