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

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.

2. That this Judgement day shall be in the end of the world, and not before: & therefore it is said in Scripture, it shall be at the last day. Quest. But why doth God put off the general Judgment so long, & not call men to an account till after some thousands of years after some of them died? Answ. First, God hath unsearchable respects of his own glory, in dispatching by his providence the great business that concerns the rising or alteration of things in the state of mankind: As in disposing of the Monarchies of the world, the kingdom of Antichrist raised, and ruined, the rejection and recalling of the Jews, and such like, which will not be effected till the day which he hath appointed for the coming of Christ. Secondly, it is put off so long, that the elect may be all gathered, it being Gods pleasure to gather them by ordinary means, so as the Just have a time to be borne, live, hear the word, fulfil their measure of work, &c. Thirdly, it is put off for the more effectual trial of the faith and patience ⟨p. 506⟩of Gods elect, and exercise of their hope and prayer. Fourthly, that he might by the confession of all men be justified in this that he hath allowed unto the world space and time enough to repent in, Rom. 2. 4. and 9. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 9. and therefore if wicked men do not repent, they may be left without excuse, and the rather seeing he can no way be charged to proceed in judgement against them rashly, or with more respect of his own Justice, seeing before he passeth the final sentence he stays so exceeding long. Fifthly, as he glorifies his mercy in saving the elect, and his justice in damning the wicked: so doth he by his exceeding long stay glorify his patience and clemency.

2. That this Iudgement day shall be in the end of the world, and not before: & therefore it is said in Scripture, it shall be at the last day. Quest. But why doth God put off the generall Iudgment so long, & not call men to an account til after some thousands of yeares after some of them died? Answ. First, God hath vnsearchable respects of his owne glory, in dispatching by his prouidence the great businesse that concerns the rising or alteration of things in the state of mankinde: As in disposing of the Monarchies of the world, the kingdome of Antichrist raised, and ruined, the reiection and recalling of the Iewes, and such like, which will not be effected till the day which he hath appointed for the comming of Christ. Secondly, it is put off so long, that the elect may be all gathered, it being Gods pleasure to gather them by ordinarie meanes, so as the Iust haue a time to be borne, liue, heare the word, fulfill their measure of worke, &c. Thirdly, it is put off for the more effectuall triall of the faith and patience ⟨p. 506⟩of Gods elect, and exercise of their hope and prayer. Fourthly, that he might by the confession of all men be iustified in this that he hath allowed vnto the world space and time enough to repent in, Rom. 2. 4. and 9. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 9. and therefore if wicked men doe not repent, they may be left without excuse, and the rather seeing he can no way be charged to proceed in iudgement against them rashly, or with more respect of his owne Iustice, seeing before he passeth the finall sentence he staies so exceeding long. Fifthly, as he glorifies his mercy in sauing the elect, and his iustice in damning the wicked: so doth he by his exceeding long stay glorifie his patience and clemencie.

Thirdly, it may be answered, that as Man he could not know it, without revelation from his Divinity: and therefore if the Son of Man did then know it, it was not a knowledge that belonged to his Humane Nature in it self, but he had that knowledge given him from his Divine Nature.

Thirdly, it may be answered, that as Man he could not know it, without reuelation from his Diuinitie: and therefore if the Sonne of Man did then know it, it was not a knowledge that belonged to his Humane Nature in it selfe, but he had that knowledge giuen him from his Diuine Nature.

Thus of the time.

For the place where the Judgement shall be, we have nothing in particular certain of the Scriptures: Some men have thought that it should be held in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which was a place near to Jerusalem: and to that purpose they allege the words of the Prophet Joel, Chap. 3. 2. But this opinion is rash and presumptuous: because that place seems to speak in particular of such Nations as afflicted the people of Israel, and the valley of Jehoshaphat seems to be named but by way of allusion: yet notwithstanding, that the Judge should sit in judgement in some place about Jerusalem, is not altogether improbable, because it increaseth the terror of the judgement, & augments the glory of Christ, to sit there as a Judge, where himself was judged. But in this no man can conclude peremptorily to make a resolute opinion ⟨p. 508⟩of it, because we have not sufficient warrant for it out of the Word. In the general it is clear by Scripture, that it shall be in some part of this nether world, either on the earth or near unto it; because, as was showed before, no unclean things, such as devils and wicked men, may enter into heaven: and besides, it increaseth the terror and justice of the Judgement, to keep the Assizes where men have offended, and to sentence them to punishment in the place where they have done their offences: as for great crimes, Judges are wont to appoint the place of punishment to be where the fact was committed. It is very probable, that the Judge will sit in the clouds of the Air near the earth, whither the Elect shall be caught up to meet the Lord, 1 Thess. 4. 17. that so the devils may be conquered & sentenced in the very place where they have all this while ruled as princes, Ephes. 2. 2. I say only it is probable, because it cannot be necessarily concluded out of the places are alleged, viz. Matth. 24. 30. 1 Thess. 4. 17.

For the place where the Iudgement shall be, we haue nothing in particular certaine of the Scriptures: Some men haue thought that it should be held in the valley of Iehoshaphat, which was a place neere to Ierusalem: and to that purpose they alledge the words of the Prophet Ioel, Chap. 3. 2. But this opinion is rash and presumptuous: because that place seemes to speake in particular of such Nations as afflicted the people of Israel, and the valley of Ichoshaphat seems to be named but by way of allusion: yet notwithstanding, that the Iudge should sit in iudgement in some place about Ierusalem, is not altogether improbable, because it increaseth the terror of the iudgement, & augments thoglory of Christ, to sit there as a Iudge, where himselfe was iudged. But in this no man can conclude peremptorily to make a resolute opinion

The sixth question is, who shall be judged? And to this I answer out of Scripture by beginning at the remotest things, and coming nearer and nearer till it reach to each of us: and so I say,

The sixt question is, who shall be iudged? And to this I answer out of Scripture by beginning at the remotest things, and comming nearer and nearer till it reach to each of vs: and so I say,

1. That this Judgement shall reach even to the unreasonable creatures: for the Apostle saith, that the heavens and the earth, and the things in them, are reserved unto fire against the day of Judgement, and the perdition of wicked men, 2 Pet. 3. 7. And it is likely the Apostle hath this meaning, Rom. 8. 19. to 23. And so partly God will be revenged on the old heavens and earth for the vanity cast upon them by wicked men, and as they were the dwelling place of the wicked: and partly, as God in justice will restore to every creature, in the sort of the creature, whatsoever they lost by the sin of Adam, and his posterity.

1. That this Iudgement shall reach euen to the vnreasonable creatures: for the Apostle saith, that the heauens and the earth, and the things in them, are reserued vnto fire against the day of Iudgement, and the perdition of wicked men, 2 Pet. 3. 7. And it is likely the Apostle hath this meaning, Rom. 8. 19. to 23. And so partly God will be reuenged on the old heauens and earth for the vanitie cast vpon them by wicked men, and as they were the dwelling place of the wicked: and partly, as God in iustice will restore to euery creature, in the sort of the creature, whatsoeuer they lost by the sinne of Adam, and his posteritie.

2. Evil spirits shall then be judged, even the Devil and all his Angels, which are now bound in the chains of darkness till the judgement of that day, Jude 6. 1 Cor. 6. 3. There shall be opened that great secret of the nature, and manner, and time of their first sinning against God, and ⟨p. 509⟩all the horrible murders they have committed and attempted upon the souls of all sorts of men.

2. Euill spirits shall then be iudged, euen the Deuill and all his Angels, which are now bound in the chaines of darknesse till the iudgement of that day, Iude 6. 1 Cor. 6. 3. There shall be opened that great secret of the nature, and manner, and time of their first sinning against God, and ⟨p. 509⟩all the horrible murthers they haue committed and attempted vpon the soules of all sorts of men.

3. All mankind must their appear before his Tribunal: for God will judge the people, Psal. 7. 9. The ends of the earth, 1 Sam. 2. 10. The earth, 1 Chron. 16. 38. All Nations, Joel 3. 12. The round world, Psal. 9. 9. Both quick and dead, 2 Tim. 4. 1. By the quick is meant such as shall be found alive at his coming, 1 Cor. 15. 51. 1 Thess. 4. 17. And by the dead, such as have died since the beginning of the world to that day, 1 Thess. 4. 16. Reu. 20. 12, 13. so as no man or woman shall escape, 2 Cor. 5. 10. Jude 15. Against this may be objected, that all the world stands either of believers or unbelievers, and neither of those must come to judgement, and therefore none at all are to be judged: the believer hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, Joh. 5. 24. and 3. 18. and the unbeliever is condemned already, and therefore needeth no further judgement. To this I answer, that the believer shall not come into judgement, that is, into the judgement of condemnation; he shall come to receive judgement of eternal absolution from all his sins and miseries. And the wicked are condemned already: First, in the counsel of God, as he appointed them to condemnation for their sins. Secondly, in the word of God, which tells him plainly of his estate and eternal misery, because he doth not repent and believe. Thirdly, in his own conscience, which is as a thousand witnesses, and doth judge him in himself as a forerunner of the last judgement: all this hinders not, but that he must appear openly at the bar of Christ, to have his sins publicly known, and sentence past upon him for all his sins: so that it remains clear, that all men since the beginning of the world must come to judgement. Yet that it may work the more effectually upon mens conscience, it will be profitable to take notice of such particular offenders, as God hath in plain terms telled them before-hand, that he will judge them at that day: and so he will judge

1. Pagans, that have sinned without the Law, they shall be ⟨p. 510⟩judged also without the Law written, by the Law of Nature, Rom. 2.

1. Pag•ns, that haue sinned without the Law, they shall be ⟨p. 510⟩iudged also without the Law written, by the Law of Nature, Rom. 2.

2. Jews and all others that receive the Law written, but deny Christ, they shall be judged by the Law, Rom. 2.

2. Iewes and all others that receiue the Law written, but deny Christ, they shall be iudged by the Law, Rom. 2.

3. Antichrist the Man of Sin shall be judged, and destroyed by the brightness of Christs coming, 2 Thess. 2.

3. Antichrist the Man of Sin shall be iudged, and destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs comming, 2 Thess. 2.

4. All that worship that Beast, and receive his mark (his mark is the Characteristical doctrines of errors and lies) they shall be cast into that Lake that burns with fire and brimstone, Reu. 19. 20. and 14. 9, 10.

4. All that worship that Beast, and receiue his marke (his marke is the Characteristicall doctrines of errors and lies) they shall be cast into that Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone, Reu. 19. 20. and 14. 9, 10.

5. All false Teachers that bring in damnable Heresies, 2 Pet. 2. 1.