The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

Ob. But how can this be just, that they should be punished for ever, that have sinned but a little time?

Ob. But how can this be iust, that they should be punished for euer, that haue sinned but a little time?

Sol. Divers things may be answered to this: 1. That no Judge limiteth his torments to the time of the doing of the fact or crime: he measures his punishment by the greatness of the offence, not by the length of time. As in the case of treason, murder, whoredom, &c. which may be done in an instant or short time, and yet the punishment be for a long time: as men punish by death, which is a removing of the malefactor from the society of men for ever; and shall not God have the like allowance for his proceedings? Secondly, we must consider of the greatness of sin by the person against whom it is committed; men sin against God who is infinite, and therefore must suffer punishment that is infinite in continuance. Thirdly, if two men bargain together, one selleth, another buyeth, the buyer will have his bargain for ever, though the contract be made in a quarter of an hour: now, sinning is a selling of mens souls and bodies to the devil for a short pleasure, and therefore why should it not be just that the devil should have them for ever?

Sol. Diuers things may be answered to this: 1. That no Iudge limiteth his torments to the time of the doing of the fact or crime: he measures his punishment by the greatnesse of the offence, not by the length of time. As in the case of treason, murder, whoredome, &c. which may be done in an instant or short time, and yet the punishment be for a long time: as men punish by death, which is a remouing of the malefactor from the societie of men for euer; and shall not God haue the like allowance for his proceedings? Secondly, we must consider of the greatnes of sin by the person against whom it is committed; men sinne against God who is infinite, and therefore must suffer punishment that is infinite in continuance. Thirdly, if two men bargain together, one selleth, another buyeth, the buyer will haue his bargaine for euer, though the contract be made in a quarter of an houre: now, sinning is a selling of mens soules and bodies to the deuill for a short pleasure, and therefore why should it not be iust that the deuill should haue them for euer?

Hitherto of the Answer to the first Question.

The second question is, who shall be the Judge? The answer is to that, that Christ shall be Judge, even the same person that is Mediator, and of whom all the former Articles of the Creed affirmed, which is apparent by these and other Scriptures, Joh. 5. 22. 27. Act. 10. 42. and 17. 31. Not that the Father and Holy Ghost is removed from this Judgement, for the authority of judging belongs to the whole Trinity, but because the Son shall appear in the Humane Nature, and speak and pronounce sentence: but when he speaks, God speaks, and when he judges God shall judge, not only because he is God, but because the Father shall speak and judge by him: so that the Judgement belongs to him in respect of the visible proceeding in Judgement, and the promulgation, and the execution of the sentence, Dan. 7. 9. 13. and the like may be said of his judging as Man, not that he is not Judge in his Divine Nature, but because that which shall be seen and heard in the Judgement shall proceed from his Humane Nature. And whereas the Saints and Apostles are said to judge the world, Luk. 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. it must be understood thus: That they judge as members unto that head who is Judge. Secondly, as the Judgement shall be performed before Christ, and the company of the Elect, Joel 3. 2. Thirdly, as they shall be Assessors, and give consent to the Judgement, being advanced to the honour to sit as Justices of the Peace on the Bench by the Judge. Fourthly, the Apostles shall judge, because their doctrine which they have preached shall be confirmed and avouched by the sentence of the Judge. So the word that men hear now shall judge them at the last day, John 5. Fifthly, the godly shall judge the wicked, because the example of their faith and repentance shall be alleged as a furtherance of the condemnation of the wicked. Thus the Queen of the South, and the Ninevites shall rise up in Judgement and condemn that generation Christ speaks of,

The Use is first for great comfort to the godly to free them from the terror of that day, they need not be afraid of the Judge, nor any hard sentence he will pronounce ⟨p. 502⟩upon them, seeing the Judge is their own brother, yea their own flesh as their head, it was he that was judged for them on earth, and redeemed them with his own blood, he that hath continually made intercession for them in heaven, that they might be delivered from the wrath of God. Yea he hath promised them that they shall speed well in that day, Hebr. 2. 11. Eph. 5. 30. Joh. 3. 36. and 5. 24. Secondly, it is a terrible doctrine for all wicked men; because this is a Judge that cannot be corrupted, but will judge in righteousness, as there is none higher than he to make appeal to, and because also he is [Greek or Hebrew], one that knows the heart; and finally, because it is he whom they have rejected and would not let him rule over them, but have many ways vilified him, and rebelled against him and his ordinances, and persecuted him in his members, Revel. 1. 7, 8.

The Vse is first for great comfort to the godly to free them from the terror of that day, they need not bee afraid of the Iudge, nor any hard sentence he will pronounce ⟨p. 502⟩vpon them, seeing the Iudge is their owne brother, yea their owne flesh as their head, it was he that was iudged for them on earth, and redeemed them with his owne bloud, he that hath continually made intercession for them in heauen, that they might be deliuered from the wrath of God. Yea he hath promised them that they shall speed well in that day, Hebr. 2. 11. Eph. 5. 30.

The third question is, whence Christ shall come, when he comes to Judgement? And that is briefly expressed in the words of the Article. He shall come from thence, that is, from Heaven, where he sits at the right hand of God. The reason why he comes out of Heaven to execute Judgement, is because Heaven is so pure a place, as it is not fit for impure men and devils so much as to make their appearance there. And this point is not without Use: For first hereby we may clearly be confirmed in the truth of Christs humanity, against the Ubiquitaries, that say his body is every where, seeing he comes in his body out of Heaven at the last day. And besides, it may teach us to send our hearts to Heaven to meet Christ, and till he come from thence to look for him, Phil. 3. 20.

The third question is, whence Christ shall come, when he comes to Iudgement? And that is briefly exprest in the words of the Article. He shall come from thence, that is, from Heauen, where he sits at the right hand of God. The reason why he comes out of Heauen to execute Iudgement, is because Heauen is so pure a place, as it is not fit for impure men and deuils so much as to make their appearance there. And this point is not without Vse: For first hereby we may clearly bee confirmed in the truth of Christs humanitie, against the Ʋbiquitaries, that say his bodie is euery where, seeing he comes in his bodie out of Heauen at the last day. And besides, it may teach vs to send our hearts to Heauen to meet Christ, and till he come from thence to looke for him, Phil. 3. 20.

The fourth question is about the time when the day of Judgement shall be? Now about the answer to this question, there have been many opinions, and the most of them strange and false.

The fourth question is about the time when the day of Iudgement shall be? Now about the answer to this question, there haue beene many opinions, and the most of them strange and false.

1. Some have thought it should never be: and such were those mockers mentioned 2 Pet. 3. whose argument to prove their damned opinion was twofold. First, that the first Fathers in the first ages of the world were dead many ages since, and if there should have been a Judgement, it ⟨p. 503⟩is likely it would have been before this time. Secondly, that all men see by experience that all things continued without alteration since the Creation, and therefore why should men fear any alteration for the time to come? To all this the Apostle answers, first concerning the persons of these mockers, that they are men that follow their lusts, vers. 3. or that they are willingly ignorant, v. 5. and then concerning their reasons he saith against them three things; The one, that this world was made at the beginning by God, both the upper and nether world: and therefore it may have an end, v. 5. The other, that it is false that there have been no alterations, for the whole nether world was drowned by water, which may assure men that God hates sin, and will generally judge men for it, vers. 6. The third is, that the continuance of the world for so many ages ought to be no argument to prove that it is unalterable: for a thousand years with God are but as one day: it is a small time that the world hath lasted in comparison of Gods eternity: and besides, God hath urgent reason for his so long patience in deferring the last judgement, vers. 8, 9.

1. Some haue thought it should neuer be: and such were those mockers mentioned 2 Pet. 3. whose argument to proue their damned opinion was twofold. First, that the first Fathers in the first ages of the world were dead many ages since, and if there should haue beene a Iudgement, it ⟨p. 503⟩is likely it would haue beene before this time. Secondly, that all men see by experience that all things continued without alteration since the Creation, and therefore why should men feare any alteration for the time to come? To all this the Apostle answers, first concerning the persons of these mockers, that they are men that follow their lusts, vers. 3. or that they are willingly ignorant, v. 5. and then concerning their reasons he saith against them three things; The one, that this world was made at the beginning by God, both the vpper and nether world: and therefore it may haue an end, v. 5. The other, that it is false that there haue been no alterations, for the whole nether world was drowned by water, which may assure men that God hates sinne, and will generally iudge men for it, vers. 6. The third is, that the continuance of the world for so many ages ought to bee no argument to proue that it is vnalterable: for a thousand yeares with God are but as one day: it is a small time that the world hath lasted in comparison of Gods eternitie: and besides, God hath vrgent reason for his so long patience in deferring the last iudgement, vers. 8, 9.

2. Some others in the Apostles time taught that the resurrection, and so by consequent the day of Judgement was past already: of this mind was Himenaeus and Philetus, 2 Tim. 2. It is probable, that they held there was no other resurrection than that which is of the soul spiritually rising out of sin, nor any other Judgement than that which men pass through in repentance.

2. Some others in the Apostles time taught that the resurrection, and so by consequent the day of Iudgement was past already: of this minde was Himenaeus and Philetus, 2 Tim. 2. It is probable, that they held there was no other resurrection than that which is of the soule spiritually rising out of sinne, nor any other Iudgement than that which men passe through in repentance.

3. A third sort of men that did hold a true resurrection of the body, and a general Judgement of all the world, did affirm before the Apostles were yet dead, that the Judgement would come upon the world within a short time after, even in the age of them that then lived, 2 Thess. 2. 1, 2, 3. Now these false teachers are both described and confuted by the Apostle: described both by the effect of their corrupt doctrine, viz. that it would draw men away from their minds both for the present, by making them less careful of their callings, and for the time to ⟨p. 504⟩come, when they should see that that day did not come as was foretold, they might then grow either impatient under their cross, or else to fall away from religion, believing nothing, because that they have believed in this point did not come to pass: and described they were, by the manner of confirming their doctrine: For they pretended first the Spirit, that they had revelations from the Spirit within. Secondly, the word, that is either some special arguments of their own, or some words which the Apostles had uttered. Thirdly, Epistles, either wresting the words of the Epistles of the Apostles, as that 1 Thess. 4. 7. or else counterfeiting Epistles, and saying they were written by the Apostles. The Apostle confutes them by showing that the kingdom of Antichrist must come before the day of Judgement.

3. A third sort of men that did hold a true resurrection of the bodie, and a generall Iudgement of all the world, did affirme before the Apostles were yet dead, that the Iudgement would come vpon the world within a short time after, euen in the age of them that then liued, 2 Thess. 2. 1, 2, 3. Now these false teachers are both described and confuted by the Apostle: described both by the effect of their corrupt doctrine, viz. that it would draw men away from their minds both for the present, by making them lesse carefull of their callings, and for the time to ⟨p. 504⟩come, when they should see that that day did not come as was foretold, they might then grow either impatient vnder their crosse, or else to fall away from religion, beleeuing nothing, because that they haue beleeued in this point did not come to passe: and described they were, by the manner of confirming their doctrine: For they pretended first the Spirit, that they had reuelations from the Spirit within. Secondly, the word, that is either some speciall arguments of their owne, or some words which the Apostles had vttered. Thirdly, Epistles, either wresting the words of the Epistles of the Apostles, as that

The fourth sort of men are such as assign the time of the coming of Christ to be further off from the age of the Apostles, and offend in extreme curiosity, in assigning the year or age when it should be, and so mens wits have been ill employed in all ages. Saint Augustine tells that in his time divers computations were made of the end of the world, and Christs coming. Some said it would be 400. years after his Ascension, some 500. years, some 1000. years: in our age since the Gospel was restored, many men have laboured mightily to assign either the year, or at least the age when these things should be. As those that assigned the year 1587. which experience hath proved false. It had been much to have been wished that divers Writers upon the Revelation, which are held in good fame in the Church, had forborne that curiosity of computation, in reckoning so strictly by years, for it doth much hurt in the minds of weak Christians, when either experience or reason beats them from those grounds, which they have sucked in from such writings. There is a tradition that sticks in the minds of many, pretended to come from one Elijah (not Elijah the Thisbite) that the world should last 6000. years: 2000. before the Law, 2000. under the Law, and 2000. after the Law, and then the end shall be, only for the elects fake those ⟨p. 505⟩days should be shortened. Now this is a manifest dotage: for it was more than 2000. years before the Law, and less than 2000. years under the Law, as the Learned know. How then shall we believe this tradition to be true for the time to come, that is proved false for the time past? And as for the shortening of the time for the elect, that is spoken by our Saviour about the destruction of Jerusalem, not about the end of the world.

The fourth sort of men are such as assigne the time of the comming of Christ to be further off from the age of the Apostles, and offend in extreme curiositie, in assigning the yeare or age when it should be, and so mens wits haue beene ill imployed in all ages. Saint Augustiae tells that in his time diuers computations were made of the end of the world, and Christs comming. Some said it would be 400. yeares after his Ascension, some 500. yeares, some 1000. yeares: in our age since the Gospell was restored, many men haue laboured mightily to assigne either the yeare, or at least the age when these things should be. As those that assigned the yeare 1587. which experience hath proued false. It had beene much to haue beene wished that diuers Writers vpon the Reuelation, which are held in good fame in the Church, had forborne that curiositie of computation, in reckoning so strictly by yeares, for it doth much hurt in the mindes of weake Christians, when either experience or reason beats them from those grounds, which they haue sucked in from such writings. There is a tradition that sticks in the minds of many, pretended to come from one Elias (not Elias the Thisbite) that the world should last 6000. yeares: 2000. before the Law, 2000. vnder the Law, and 2000. after the Law, and then the end shall be, only for the elects fake those

To let go then all these false opinions, the judgement of such as speak according to the Scriptures contains three assertions:

To let goe then all these false opinions, the iudgement of such as speake according to the Scriptures containes three assertions:

1. That God hath precisely set and appointed the time and day when he will judge the world by Christ: this appears by Scripture, Act. 17. 31. Heb. 9. 27. and God will have this known, both for the consolation of his servants, that they may have hope in their afflictions, and to leave the wicked without excuse, that being warned will not repent, and to drive out of the godly security, that so they may keep themselves in the good way, and walk in the fear of God, watching and providing for that day.

1. That God hath precisely set and appointed the time and day when he will iudge the world by Christ: this appeares by Scripture, Act. 17. 31. Heb. 9. 27. and God will haue this knowne, both for the consolation of his seruants, that they may haue hope in their afflictions, and to leaue the wicked without excuse, that being warned will not repent, and to driue out of the godly securitie, that so they may keepe themselues in the good way, and walke in the feare of God, watching and prouiding for that day.