Ver. io. Fifth Chap. 2d Ep. to the C ORA I N T H. 83 Judicatures, a prudent and difcerning perfon is chofen for Judge, one that knows what's Right, and what's Law, and that goes upon the evidence, that. is brought upon the mat- ter of Fadt. t, unite is required, or a conftant and unbyaft will, to determine and pafs fentericé ex egao, fit Bono, according as right, and truth (hall require. He that gives wrong judgment, becaufe he does not accurately underftand the matter, is imprudent, which in his fia- tion is a great fault ; but he that underftands the matter, yes being byafs'd by pervert-6 affeétions, and aims, gives wrong Judgment in a caufe brought before him, he is not only imprudent, but unjufl, and that's the higheft wickednefs, the molt impious and flagitious. 3. Power is necef'ary,that he May compel the Parties judged,to ftánd to his judgment, and the offenders may receive their due punifhment, for otherwife all is but precarious and arbitrary, and the Judgment given, will be but a vain and folemti pageantry, a Meer perfonating, or a &ing of a part, if there be not power to back the fentence, and bring the Perfons to the Tribunal, that accordingly it may be executed upon them. 4. There's required Authority, for otherwife, if a man Mould obtrude himfelf, of his own accord, we may fay to him as they to Lot, Who made thee a Judge over us? If by force he fhould airtime this to himfelf, or have a pretence of right, I may decline, and Ihift his Tribunal, and appeal from him. Certainly he that Rewards muft be Superi= or, and much more he that punifheth ; for he that punifheth another brings fome notable evil, detriment. and damage upon him, but to do that to,anotlser, unlefs we have right to it, is a high degree of Injuftice. Now Wifdom, and Juftice, and Power, and Authority, do all concur in the Cafe For thefe things, as they are neceffary in all Judicial proceedings, between man and man, much more in this great and folemn tranfa&ion o the Taft Judgment, which will be the greatelt that ever was ; both in refpe& of the TeDfons judged, High and Low, Rich and Poor, Prince and Subje& ; in refpetf ofthe Caufes to be Judged, the whole bufi- nefs Of the World, for 60oo years, or thereabouts ; and in refpetl of the Retributio,ir that Jhallenfue: This Judgment, the punifhmentsand rewards in the higheft degree, the higheft punifhment that ever was infli &ed, and the higheft reward that ever was diftributed, and that infinite and everlafting. Therefore there muff be a Judge, that hath an exa& knowledge, knowing not only the Laws, but all Perfons, and Caitfes That all things fhould be naked, and open, to him with whom we have to do, Heb 4. 13. Such a Iudge, who knows the thoughts ofour hearts, t 7obn 3. 20. And can proceed upon fufficient evidence againft every one that comesbefore'him. Again, he must be exceed- ing jail , without the leaft fpot and blemifh of wrong dealing, for otherwife he cannot fultain his office if he be not immutably juft. See how the Judgeofthe World is defcribed Gen. IS. 15. Shalinotthe Page of all the Worlddo right ? So when fomething was fpo- ken which feerned toblemifh the Juftice of God, the Aponte faith, Rom. 3. 5,r. Is God unrighteous ? How then (hall he judge the world? That were impoffible. Judgment may be put into a perlons hands that poffibly may be unrighteous : But it cannot be that the univerfal and final Judgment of all the world fhould be committed to him that bath, or can do, any thing that is unlawful or amifs. Again power is neceffary : To fummon the of- fenders, to gather up the dead from all the places of their difperfion, to giveevery duff its own body and to_ make them appear and ftand to the Judgment which he will award, without hope of efcaping, or refifting That Power is very neceffary,will rally appear, becaufe the offenders are fo many, and are fcattered to and fro, force in the Sea, force in the Earth, force buryed in the bodies of wild Beafts, multitudes in the maws ofFifhes. It mutt be a mighty power that can give every one his own body again. Wit were pof- fible they would fain decline the Tribunal, and hide themfelves from the throne of the Lamb, Rev. 6. 16. But it cannot be. And Authority is necelfary alto which is a right to govern, and to difpofe of the perfons Judged, which being all the World, it belongs only to the univerfal King, it muff be fuch a perfon that made all things, that preferves all things, that governs and difpofes of all things for his own glory. Legiflation and exe- cution both belong to the fame power. Judgment is part of Government. Laws arebut fhadows, if no Execution follow. And therefore. let us come particularly, and fee how all this belongs to Chrift; that he is the only wife God, and he is the juft God, that cannot err; That he is the mighty God,whofe hand none can efcape; And he is the univerfal King that bath an Abfoluteand Supream Authooity;thereforelie mull be the judge cftheWorld. t. For wifdom and underganding, it is in Chrift twofold ; Divine, and Humane, ( for each nature bath its proper wifdom belonging to it.) As Chrift is God his wifdom and his r t L a underftanding
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