AIM 146 S E MONS upon the S E R M. XVIII. propagate nothing to the Children, but the Body, and thofe things that belong to the Body ; called therefore, The Fathers of our Flrfb, Heb. 12. q. Yea, in framing the Body God hath a greater Hand than they ; tòr they cannot tell whether the Child will be Male or Female, Beautifyl or Deformed : They know not the number and pofture of the Bones, and Veins, nd Arteries, and Sinews : But God Both not only concur to all thefe things, but form the Spirit of Nan in him, Z eh. 12. I. And all the Care and Providence of our Parents cometh to nothing, unlefs the Lord direð it, and fècondeth it with his BlefBng. Therefore, God naturally is the Go- vernour and Judge of all Creatures, vifible and inviliible : So that, from his Em- pire and Jurildi&ion, they neither can nor ought to exempt themfèlves. So that, to be God, and Judge of the World, is one and the fame thing expreffed in divers terms. Well then, you will ask, Why is Chrift the Judge of the World, rather than the Father, and the Spirit, who made us, and gave' the Law to us ? I. I Anfiver, That we have gone agood Step to prove, that it is the peculiar Right of God, common to the Three Perfons, Father, Son and Holy Ghoft ; for thefe Three are One, I feh. 5. 7. They have one common Nature, and the Operations that are with the Divine Effence, are common to them All : So that, as the Creation of all things is equally attributed to All, fo alfò the Right of this Aft of Judging the World, doth alike agree to All. So that, as yet the.thing is not explained enough, unlefs we fhould grant, that it ,fhall be exercifed by All ; or can prove out of the Scriptures, that One Perlon of thefe Three is ordained, and by mutual Content cho- fen out by the refs, to exercife it for himtèlf, and for the other. Indeed, at the lira., when the Do&rine of the Trinity was not as yet openly revealed, Was not need- ful to enquire more diligently after it : But this general Truth fufficed, That God is the Judge of the World. As when Enoch laid, fide rd. Behold, the Lord corn- eth with ten thoafands of his Saints ; and as David, Pfal. 64. 2. Lift up thy felt, ¡hod `fudge of the Earth ; and Pfal. 5o. 6. Gcd is fudge him /elf; and in many other Pia, ces. 'Twas enough to underfland it of one only, and true God, without Diftin&i- on of the Perfons : But when that Myftery was clearly manifefted, then tJhe Qleftion was neceffary, which of the Perlons fhould be Judge of the World ? z. As there is an Order among the Perlons of the Blelfed Trinity, in the manner of Sublifting ; fo there is alto a certain Order and Oeconomy, according to which all their Operations are produced, and brought forth to the Creature ; according tó which Order, their Power of Judging fell partly to the Father, and partly to the Son. (r.) In the Bufinefs of Redemption : The Aft of Judging, which was to be exer- riled upon our Surety, who was fubftituted in our Room and Place, and offered himfelf not only for our Good, in bono noffrum, but loco, & vice noflri, to -bear. our Punifhment, and to procure Favour to us there the Aft of Judging belongeth to the Father, to whom the Satisfa&ion is tendred. t foh. 2. r. the Advocate is to plead be- fore the Judge. But, (2.) As to the fudpment to be exercifed upon us, who either partake of that Sal- vation which was purchafed by that Surety, or have loll it by our Negligence, and Unbelief ; there the Son, er Second Perlon, is our Judge : In the former, the Son could not be Judge, becaufe in a Senfe he made himtèlf a Party for our Good, and in our and Place ; and the fame Perlon cannot be both Judge, and Party too : Give, and take the Satisfa &ion both, that cannot be. Well then, in this other Judg- ment the Holy Ghoft cannot be conveniently the Judge ; for in this Myflery he hath another Part, Funfion, and Office prepared ; and being the Third Perlon in the order of Subtitling, the Son was not to be paffed over, but it fell to him. (i.) In the Son there is a doable Relation, or Confederation ; one as he is God, the other as he is Mediator ; the one Natural and Eternal, and fhall endure for ever ; the other of Mediator, which as he took upon himfelf in Time, fo in the Confum- mation of Time he fhall at length lay. afide. In this latter refpe&, as Mediator, he is Judge by Deputation. The Primitive Sovereign and Judge is God ; and the King and Judge by derivation, is Jefus Chrift the Mediator, in his Manhood, united to the Second Perlon in the Godhead ; and fo the Judgment of the World is put upon him : In regard of the Creatures, his Authority is abfolute and fupream ; for there canoe no Appeal from his Judgment : bur in regard of God, 'Cis deputed. He is ordained ; fo'tis Paid, :fah. 5. 27. 'The Father bath Qiven him Authority al/o, to exercife
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=