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

Now for the second point, they shall then be freed from all that vanity, or pain, or misery, or mutability fell upon them since the fall of man; and withal they shall be restored into a glorious estate, when the Elect are glorified: and so they partake of the glorious liberty of the sons of God. But this restitution shall not be made to each particular creature that hath been, but to each sort of creatures shall be then found alive at the last day: But what shall be their glory, or how long they shall continue, cannot be determined without curiosity and rashness.

Now for the second point, they shall then be freed from all that vanitie, or paine, or misery, or mutabilitie fell vpon them since the fall of man; and withall they shall be restored into a glorious estate, when the Elect are glorified: and so they partake of the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God. But this restitution shal not be made to each particular creature that hath beene, but to each sort of creatures shall be then found aliue at the last day: But what shall be their glorie, or how long they shall continue, cannot be determined without curiositie and rashnesse.

The fourth effect or consequent of the Judgement, is the delivering of the kingdom of Christ into the hands of God the Father, 1 Cor. 15. 24. which is to be understood, not of the glorious estate of Christ, but of his temporal government over the world and the Church, as he ruled by means in this world: for this kingdom ends, when he hath fully subdued the devils and death, and wicked men, and hath fully delivered the Elect from all sin and misery. Then there shall be no need to govern men by Magistrates, or Preachers, or Sacraments, or discipline, or of any of the helps of natural or spiritual life.

The fourth effect or consequent of the Iudgement, is the deliuering of the kingdome of Christ into the hands of God the Father, 1 Cor. 15. 24. which is to be vnderstood, not of the glorious estate of Christ, but of his temporall gouernment ouer the world and the Church, as he ruled by means in this world: for this kingdome ends, when hee hath fully subdued the deuils and death, and wicked men, and hath fully deliuered the Elect from all sinne and misery. Then there shall be no need to gouerne men by Magistrates, or Preachers, or Sacraments, or discipline, or of any of the helps of naturall or spirituall life.

Thus of the explication of this Article.

1. That God hath set them a day, wherein he will certainly bring them to account.

2. That this day is most certain, and God will not alter his mind, Act. 17. 31. Heb. 9. 27.

2. That this day is most certaine, and God will not alter his minde, Act. 17. 31. Heb. 9. 27.

3. That this day will be a day of wrath to them, and not of mercy: The date of mercy unto impenitent sinners will then be out, Rom. 2. 5.

3. That this day will be a day of wrath to them, and not of mercy: The date of mercy vnto impenitent sinners will then be out, Rom. 2. 5.

4. That all his sins shall then be discovered, even all his secret sins, and none can be forgotten, in as much as the evidence shall be given out of so many books, where all things are written, as it were, with a pen of iron, and the point of a Diamond, 1 Cor. 4. 5. Revel. 20. Jer. 17. 1.

4. That all his sins shall then be discouered, euen all his secret sins, and none can be forgotten, in as much as the euidence shall bee giuen out of so many bookes, where all things are written, as it were, with a pen of iron, and the point of a Diamond, 1 Cor. 4. 5. Reuel. 20. Ier. 17. 1.

5. That even the longer he lives, the more he heaps up wrath against that day, Rom. 2. 5.

5. That euen the longer hee liues, the more hee heapes vp wrath against that day, Rom. 2. 5.

6. That no means will then be available to deliver them. Riches will not help them, Job 36. 18, 19. nor multitude cannot shelter them, Jude 15.

6. That no meanes will then be auaileable to deliuer them. Riches will not helpe them, Iob 36. 18, 19. nor multitude cannot shelter them, Iude 15.

7. That though thou hast excelled in many gifts, and done much good in the world, yet if thou die in sin without repentance, thou shalt not escape Gods vengeance, 1 Cor. 13. 3.

7. That though thou hast excelled in many gifts, and done much good in the world, yet if thou die in sinne without repentance, thou shalt not escape Gods vengeance, 1 Cor. 13. 3.

8. That it is but a little while thither, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Jam. 5. 8. The signs of Christs coming are the most of them run out; and we see that divers of the last signs run together, as if the Lord made haste to make an end of all things: and if general judgement were yet further off, yet death is at hand, which gives a particular judgement upon thee.

8. That it is but a little while thither, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Iam. 5. 8. The signes of Christs comming are the most of them run out; and we see that diuers of the last signes run together, as if the Lord made haste to make an end of all things: and if generall iudgement were yet further off, yet death is at hand, which giues a particular iudgement vpon thee.

9. That when he doth come it will be so suddenly, as thou shalt not have time to make thy self ready, or to mend thy course, Matth. 25. 6, 10, 11, 12. 1 Thess. 5. 2, 3. Matth. 24. 39.

9. That when he doth come it will be so suddenly, as thou shalt not haue time to make thy selfe ready, or to mend thy course, Matth. 25. 6, 10, 11, 12. 1 Thess. 5. 2, 3. Matth. 24. 39.

10. That God will be Judge himself.

10. That God will be Iudge himselfe.

11. That it will be a final sentence, there can be no revocation or appeal.

11. That it will be a finall sentence, there can be no reuocation or appeale.

12. That Gods proceedings in his justice will be then all cleared, they shall have nothing to object; and his justice will the more appear both by the equity of his dealing: They have had their days of sinning, and therefore reason he should have his day of Judging: and by the consideration of his patience, that hath deferred this last judgement for such a wonderful while: and besides, God will then discover a world of offences in every wicked man, ⟨p. 534⟩that are not now known to others: and finally, God will then open the secrets of his counsel, and bring forth exquisite reasons for his decrees, and providence, and judgement, which are now like a great deep to us.

12. That Gods proceedings in his iustice will be then all cleared, they shall haue nothing to obiect; and his iustice will the more appeare both by the equity of his dealing: They haue had their dayes of sinning, and therefore reason he should haue his day of Iudging: and by the consideration of his patience, that hath deferred this last iudgement for such a wonderfull while: and besides, God will then discouer a world of offences in euery wicked man, ⟨p. 534⟩that are not now knowne to others: and finally, God will then open the secrets of his counsell, and bring forth exquisite reasons for his decrees, and prouidence, and iudgement, which are now like a great deepe to vs.