Chapter VIII — On the seventh article

1. What does the seventh article — "From thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead" — teach us?

The seventh article of the Creed teaches us that at the end of the world Jesus Christ, full of glory and majesty, will come from heaven to judge all men, the good and the wicked, and to give to each the reward or the punishment he shall have merited.

2. If each person, immediately after death, must be judged by Jesus Christ in the particular judgment, why must we all be judged in the universal judgment?

We must all be judged in the universal judgment for several reasons: 1. for the glory of God; 2. for the glory of Jesus Christ; 3. for the glory of the Saints; 4. for the confounding of the wicked; 5. finally, that the body may share with the soul its sentence of reward or punishment.

3. In the universal judgment, how will the glory of God be manifested?

In the universal judgment the glory of God will be manifested, because all will know with what justice God governs the world, although at times we now see the good in affliction and the wicked in prosperity.

4. In the universal judgment, how will the glory of Jesus Christ be manifested?

In the universal judgment the glory of Jesus Christ will be manifested, because He, having been unjustly condemned by men, will then appear before all the world as supreme judge of all.

5. In the universal judgment, how will the glory of the Saints be manifested?

In the universal judgment the glory of the Saints will be manifested, because many of them, who died despised by the wicked, will be glorified in the presence of the whole world.

6. In the universal judgment, what will the confusion of the wicked be?

In the universal judgment the confusion of the wicked will be very great, especially for those who oppressed the just and for those who took pains during life to be esteemed as men of virtue and goodness, seeing the sins they have committed, even the most secret, made manifest to the whole world.