he is the universal King that hath an Absolute and Supream Authority therefore must be the judge of the World 1. For wisdom and understanding it is in Christ twofold Divine and Humane for each nature hath its proper wisdom belonging to it As Christ is God his wisdom and his understanding is Infinite as it is said in the Psalms and so by one act of understanding he knows all things that are have been yea that shall be or may be He knows all things that shall be in his own Decree And all things that may be by his Divine Power and Alsufficiency They are all before him naked as the Apostle inters Heb. 4.13 Cut down as it were by the chin-bone As when we cut down a Beast by the chin-bone and divine his Body we may see all things within him so all things are naked and open to God We know things successively God knows them all at once If a man were to read a Book he must go from line to line or from page to page but Gods knowledg is just such a thing as if a man should see through a Book by one act of his mind by one view could know all that was contained in that book by one glance of his Eye Well this is his divine wisdom For his Humane wisdom that cannot be equal to this for a Finite Nature is not capable of an Infinite Understanding But yet his humane wisdom is such as doth far exceed the knowledge of all Men and Angels When Christ was upon Earth though the forms of things could not but successively come into his mind as a man he must understand as men do in understanding because of the limited nature of the mind and understanding yet then he could know whatever he would to whatsoever thing he did apply his mind he did presently understand it and that in a moment all things were presented to him So that he accurately knew the nature of things he had a mind to know you find upon all occasions he was not ignorant of the thoughts and hearts of men and when done never so secretly yet Christ knew them as when the woman came behind him and touched the hem of his Garment undiscernibly as she thought by a secret touch then saith Christ who touched me for vertue is passed from me Luke 8.45 Christ knew the touch of Faith knew the woman that came behind him and would not be seen And Mat. 9.3 4. When certain Pharisees said within themselves this man Blasphemes Within their hearts though they dursâ— not say it publiquely and Christ discovers their inward thoughts and turns out the very inside of their Souls So Mat. 12. Jesus knew their thoughts when they imagined that by Beelzebub the Prince of Devils he cast out Devils But more fully see that notable place which will set forth that no subtil devices we can use is sufficient to escape his knowledge John 2.24 25. When he was at Jerusalem at the Passover on the Feast day many believed in his Name when they saw the miracles which he did But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man For he knew what was in man Mark they are said to believe in Christ certainly their Faith was not pretended only but real though not a thorough faith not rooted in their souls though as yet they did not betray their insincerity But Jesus knew what was in man We cannot infallibly discern the truth and falshood of a profession before men discover themselves But all hypocrites are known to him long before they shew their hypocrisy And known how Not by a Conjectural but by a certain knowledge as being that knowledge that is from and by himself as God he do's infallibly know what is most secret in man even then when for the present we have but a Moral Sincerity and do not dissemble the Lord knows whether this is a true real and supernatural work for there may be a Moral where there is not a Supernatural Sincerity Now if the Lord Jesus was endowed with such an admirable wisdom and understanding even in the days of his flesh when he was capable of growing in wisdom as well as in stature Luk. 2. as his humane capacity was inlarged by degrees for he would in all things be like us except in sin what shall we think of Christ glorifyed when he comes in that stare in which he is now glorious in heaven When he comes to exercise this judgment certainly he shall bring an incomparable knowledge so far exceeding the manner and measure of all Creatures Men or Angels even as he is man But his infinite knowledge as he is God that chiefly shines forth in this work and therefore he is fit to judge for he can bring forth the secret things of darkness and the hidden counsels of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 And shall despoil sinners of all their pretences and excuses and plainly and undeniably pluck off their disguises from them He knows all the Springs Motions hidden Counsels of the heart and secret things that move you and set you a work 2. For Justice and Righteousness An Incorrupt Judge he is that neither hath doth or can err in the Judgment As there is a double knowledge in Christ so there is also a double righteousness the one that belongs to him as God the other as man And both are exact and immutably perfect His Divine nature is holiness it self In Him there is light and no darkness at all 1 John 1.5 The least shadow of Injustice cannot be imagined in God for Gods holiness is his Being it is not a superadded Quality as it is in us The Quality may be lost yet the Being remain as in Angels holiness was a superadded Quality they had their Angelical being but lost their holiness and when Adam fell he lost that holiness and righteousness in which he was Created but yet he had his being But Gods holiness is his very Nature and Essence The holiness of God may be compared to a vessel that is all of pure Gold but the holiness of the Creature may be compared to a vessel of Wood and Earth that is only gilded the outside is God but the substance of the vessel is another thing Now in a vessel of pure Gold there the lustre and the substance is the same Our holiness is but gilding it may be worn out but Gods holiness is Gold he is holiness it self We cannot call a wise man wisdom We use the Concrete when we speak of men we say they are wise good holy but we use the Abstract of God God is Love Light Holiness Purity and Mercy it self which notes the inseparability of the Attribute from his Nature God is himself and God cannot deny himself Peter Martyr sets forth the holiness of God by this Comparison Take a Carpenter when he hath chalked and drawn his line when he goes and chops the Timber sometimes he
out that is exactly knowing not only of Laws but of all Persons and Causes That all things shall be naked and open to him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.12 13. and 1 Joh. 3.20 Again exceeding Just without the least spot and blemish of wrong Dealing Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right And Rom. 3.5 6. Is God unrighteous that taketh Vengeance God forbid For then how shall God judge the World It cannot be that the universal and final Judgment of all the World should be committed to him that hath or can do any thing wrongful and amiss And then that Power is necessary both to summon Offenders and make them appear and stand to the Judgment which he shall award without any hope of escaping or resisting will as easily appear Because the Offenders are many and they would fain hide their guilty Heads and shun this Tribunal if it were possible Rev. 6.16 Say to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb But that must not cannot be Psal. 90.11 Who knoweth the Power of thine Anger According to thy Fear so is thy Wrath. Authority is necessary also or a Right to Govern and to dispose of the Persons judged into their Everlasting Estate which being all the World belongeth only to the Universal King who hath made all things and preserveth all things and governeth and disposeth all things for his own Glory Legislation and Execution both belong to the same Power Judgment is a part of Government Laws are but Shadows if no Execution follow Now let us particularly see how all this belongeth to Christ. 1. For Wisdom and Vnderstanding 'T is in Christ two-fold Divine and Humane for each Nature hath its particular and proper Wisdom belonging to it As God 't is Infinite Psal. 147.15 His Vnderstanding is Infinite And so by one Infinite View or by one Act of Understanding he knoweth all things that are have been or shall be yea or may be by his Divine Power and All-sufficiency They are all before his Eyes as if naked and cut down by the Chine-bone We know things successively as a Man readeth a Book line after line and Page after Page but God at one View Now his Humane Wisdom cannot be equal to this A Finite Nature cannot be capable of an Infinite Understanding but yet it is such as it doth far exceed the Knowledge of all Men and all Angels When Christ was upon Earth though the Forms of things could not but successively come into his Mind or Understanding because of the limited Nature of that Mind and Understanding yet then he could know whatever he would and to whatsoever thing he would apply his Mind he did presently understand it and in a moment by the Light of the Divinity all things were presented to him so that he accurately knew the Nature of whatever he had a mind to know And therefore then he was not ignorant of those things that were in the Hearts of Men and were done so secretly as they were thought only to be known to God himself Thus he knew the secret Touch of the Woman when the Multitude thronged upon him Luk. 8.45 46. So Matth. 9.3 4. When certain of the Scribes said within themselves This Man blasphemeth Jesus knowing their Thoughts said Why think ye evil in your Hearts He discerneth the inward Thoughts and turneth out the Inside of the Scribes minds So Matth. 12.24 25. Jesus knew their Thoughts when they imagined that by Beelzebub the Prince of the Devils he cast out Devils But most fully see Joh. 2.24 25. He committed not himself to them because he knew all Men and needed not that any should testifie of Man for he knew what was in Man It may be they knew not themselves but he knew what kind of Belief it was such as would not hold out in time of Temptation We cannot infallibly discern Professors before they discover themselves Yet all Hypocrites are seen and known of him even long before they shew their Hypocrisie not by a conjectural but a certain Knowledge as being from and by himself as God He doth infallibly know what is most secret and hidden in Man Now if he were endowed with such an admirable Understanding even in the Dayes of his Flesh while he grew in Wisdom and Stature Luk. 2. and his Humane Capacity enlarged by Degrees what shall we think of him in that State in which he is now Glorious in Heaven Therefore to exercise this Judgment he shall bring incomparable Knowledge so far exceeding the manner and measure of all Creatures even as he is Man but his Infinite Knowledge as God shall chiefly shine forth in this Work Therefore he is a fit Judge able to bring forth the secret things of Darkness and Counsels of the Heart into open and manifest Light 1 Cor. 4.5 and disprove Sinners in their Pretences and Excuses and pluck off their Disguises from them 2. For Justice and Righteousness An incorrupt Judge that neither doth nor can erre in Judgment must be our Judge As there is a double Knowledge in Christ so there is a double Righteousness one that belongeth to him as God the other as Man and both are exact and immutably perfect His Divine Nature is Holiness its self In him is Light and no Darkness at all The least Shadow of Injustice cannot be imagined there All Vertues in God are his Being not superadded Qualities God's Holiness may be resembled to a Vessel of pure Gold where the Substance and Lustre is the same But ours is like a Vessel of Wood or Earth gilded where the Substance and Gilding is not the same Our Holiness is superadded Quality We cannot call a wise Man Wisdom or a righteous Man Righteousness We use the Concrete of Man but the Abstract of God He is Love He is Light He is Holiness its self which noteth the Inseparability of the Attribute from God 'T is Himself God cannot deny Himself His Act is his Rule Take Peter Martyr's Similitude A Carpenter chopping a piece of Wood by a Line or Square may sometimes chop right and sometimes wrong he cannot carry his Hand so evenly But if we could suppose that a Carpenter's Hand were his Rule he could not chop amiss Christ's Humane Nature was so sanctified that upon Earth he could not sin much more now Glorified in Heaven And there will be use of both Righteousnesses in the last Judgment but chiefly of the Righteousness that belongeth to the Divine Nature For all the Operations of Christ are Theandrical neither Nature ceaseth to work in them As in all the Works of Men the Body and the Soul do both conspire and concur in that way which is proper to either Only as in the Works of his Humiliation his Humane Nature did more appear so in the Works that belong to his Exaltation and glorified Estate his Divine Nature appeareth
is usually the Note of an Instrument yet the Spirit is not our Instrument but we are his he first worketh by us as Objects then by us as Instruments and therefore tho the duty falleth upon us and we are said to do it by the Spirit yet it must be thus understood W are the principal parties as to Obligation of duty but as to Operation and Influence of Grace the Spirit is the principal 2. In the duty there is the Act mortifie the Object the deeds of the body 1. The act mortifie I shall open it more fully by and by only note for the present First Sin is alive in some degree in the justified Otherwise what need it to be mortified The Exhortation were superfluous if sin were wholly dead 2. It noteth a continued Act We must not rest in a Mortification already wrought in us He saith not If ye have mortified but if ye do mortifie this must be our daily practice not done now and then or by fits if we always sincerely labour to mortifie the deeds of the body we are in the way of life 3. It sheweth that this work must not be attended slightly or by the by but carried on to such a degree as corruption may be weakned or lye a dying or be upon the declining hand the success and event is considerable as well as the endeavour where the event dependeth upon outward and forreign causes a man hath comfort in doing his duty whatever the success be but here where the event falleth within the compass of our duty its self there it must be regarded we must so oppose sin that in some sort we may kill it or extinguish it not only scratch the face of it but seek to root it out at least that must be our aim 4. Mortifying noteth some pain or trouble For nothing that hath life will be put to death without some strugling and the flesh cannot be subdued without some trouble to our selves or violence offered to our carnal Affections only let me tell you if it be painful to mortifie sin you make it more painful by dealing negligently in the business and drawing out your vexation to a greater lenght the longer you suffer this Canaanite to live with you the more will it prove as a Thorn or Goad in your sides here if ever it is true our affection procureth our affliction sin dyeth when our love to it dyeth your trouble endeth your delight in it ceaseth as you can bring your souls to a resolution to quit these things Quam suave mihi subito factum est carere suavitatibus iniquorum No delight so sincere as the contempt of vain delights 3. The Object the deeds of the body that is our sins so called 1. Because sin is compared to a body Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliver me from this body of death and Col. 2. 11. In putting off the body of the sins of the flesh There is besides the natural body a body of corruption which doth wholly compass about the soul there is the head of wicked desires the hands and feet of wicked executions the eye of sinful lusts the tongue of vain and evil words therefore 't is said Col. 3.5 Mortifie your members which are upon earth Not of the natural body but of the mass of corruption particular sinful lusts are as members of this body 2. Sins are called the deeds of the body because they are executed by the body Rom. 6.22 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should fulfil the lusts thereof and Rom. 6.19 As ye have yielded up your members servants uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity All the members of the body are employed as instruments to serve our sin now affections are manifested in actions therefore by the deeds of the body he meaneth not outward acts only but lusts also Well then fight we must but not with our own shadows sin is gotten within us by the soul it hath taken possession of the body The gates of the senses are always open to let in such Objects and Temptations as take part with the flesh and the flesh is ready to accomplish whatever the corrupt heart doth suggest and require 4. The life that is promised to them that mortifie sin ye shall live a spiritual life of Grace here and an eternal life of Glory hereafter Heaven is worth the having and therefore the reward should sweeten the duty From this Clause the Points are Three 1. That justified Persons are bound to mortifie sin 2. That in the mortifying of sin we and the spirit concur The Spirit will not without us and we cannot without the spirit 3. That eternal life is promised to them who seriously improve the assistance of the Holy Ghost for the mortifying of sin 1. Doct. That justified Persons should mortifie sin 'T is their Duty so to do 1. What is mortification that lieth upon us 1. Negatively What it is not we must distinguish between the mock mortification and the counterfeit resemblances of this duty and the duty its self 1. There is a Pagan Mortification I call it so because such a thing was among the Heathens which is nothing else but a suppressing such sins as nature discovereth upon such reasons and arguments as nature suggesteth Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law Namely as they abstained from gross sins and performed outward acts of duty this was a kind of resemblance of mortification and but a resemblance we read of this in story Socrates his Answer to the Physiognomist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when his Scholars enraged at his Character 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So of Palaemon coming in a drunken fit to scoff at Xenocrates his Lecture with his head crowned with a Garland of Rosebuds was by his grave and moral discourse reduced from his riot and licentiousness which was a kind of moral conversion but this we fault because 't is but an half turn from sins of the Second Table or lower Hemisphere of Duty and because these sins were rather suppressed and hidden rather than mortified and subdued Sapientia eorum abscondit vitia non abscindit Lact. As Haman refrained himself when his heart boiled with rankor and malice Esther 5.10 Their Wisdom tended to hide sin rather than to mortifie it and besides this kind of conversion was not a recovery of the soul from the flesh and the world to God but only an acquiring a fitness to live more plausibly and with less scandal among men 2. There is a popish and superstitious mortification which standeth in a meer neglect of the body and some outward abstinences and austerities and such observances as are prescribed by men without any warrant from God as in abstaining from marriage and some sort of meats or apparel as unlawful yea from the necessary functions of humane life the Apostle telleth us that these things have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Col. 23. A shew of wisdom have a specious shew and
manifested and we have seen it and bare witness and shew unto you that eternal life which was with the father and manifested unto us that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you Acts 4.20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard they had it not by hearsay but some kind of sight there being fidelity in the witness there should be faith in those that hear and read The Apostles had sensible confirmation of what they did declare If they say that they heard saw and handled that which they never did then they were deceivers if they only imagined they did see and hear those things then they were deceived if what they saw and heard will not amount to a proof of Eternal life then their testimony is not sufficient But their down-right simple honesty and great holiness sheweth they had no mind to deceive and the nature of the things they relate sheweth that they could not be deceived for they were eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses and always conversing with Christ the proof is sufficient If such miracles such resurrection ascention such a voice from the excellent glory will not prove another world what will 4. There is a care taken that we also may have a sight of these things so far as is necessary to a lively and quickning hope for the spirit is given to refine our reason and elevate our minds and raise them above sensible things that we may believe these supernatural truths and hope to enjoy this blessedness in the way of Christianity Gal. 5.5 For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith interpret it not only of the righteousness of faith but the hope built thereupon it doth assure us of bliss and glory for all that are obedient to the faith and believe those endless joys which are prepared for Christians John 1.17 18. 5. If we see not these things by faith 't is because we are blinded by lusts and bruitish affections which misbecome the humane nature 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded 'T is because worldly advantages have seduced and perverted their affections which inchant their minds that these sublime truths make no impression upon them nor have any influence upon their hearts so 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off They have not that purity of heart which should inable them to believe this Doctrine or see things that should contradict or check their lusts and being wedded to present things have no prospect of things to come 1. USE For Confutation of those that will not believe or hope for any thing which they see not they think Christians a company of credulous fools that nothing is sure that is invisible that the promises of the Gospel are but like a dream of mountains of Gold or Pearls dropt from the Sky and all the comforts thence deduced are but fanatical illusions that nothing so ridiculous as to depend upon unseen hopes that lie in another world they make the life of faith a matter of sport and jesting Psal. 22.7 8. All they that see me laugh me to scorn they shut out the lip and shake the head saying he trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him 1 Tim. 4.10 We therefore labour and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God Christians thought their reward sure and endured all things Atheists and Infidels therefore scoff at them persecute them To these I shall propose two things 1. Is nothing to be believed and hoped for that is not seen Reason will shew you the contrary Country people obey a King whom they never saw but only know his power by the effects in his Laws and Officers of Justice and doth not sense teach us the same concerning God if we transgress his laws by omitting a duty or committing a sin we hear from him though we see him not Rom. 1.18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men And Heb. 2.2 For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward And for hope do not men venture their estates in forreign Countries in the hands of persons whom they never saw nor knew and shall we venture nothing on the promises of God 'T is true God liveth in another world and our hopes lye there also but doth he not manifest himself from thence to be concerned in our actions whether they be good or evil And if he be concerned in them will he not punish the evil and reward the good hath not natural conscience a sense of these things And therefore 't is unreasonable to question these things 2. They think good people are credulous and easie of belief their own experience of these good people evidenceth the contrary that they are too slow of heart to believe what God hath revealed concerning the other world and that by the use of all holy means 't is with difficulty accomplished But what if we prove that none so credulous as the Atheist or Infidel First you are not sure there is no such life 't is impossible they should ever know or prove the contrary it may be questionless the Lord that made this world can make a world to come and the same persons to exist there in ignominy contempt and shame that lived wicked here and bestow honour on the godly and holy the question between the downright Infidel and the Christian is not so much Whether there be a world to come but whether we can prove there is none The belief of the positive That there is a God That there is everlasting life is necessary to our hope but to their conviction let them infallibly prove there is none they can never do that you cannot disprove the reality of the Christian hope or by any sound Argument evince that there is no heaven or hell for ought you can say or know there are both and if we should go on no further it were best to take the surer side especially when you part with no more than a few base pleasures and carnal satisfactions that are not worth the keeping In a Lottery where there is but a loose possibility of gaining men will venture a shilling or a small matter for a prize of an hundred pound So be there no heaven or hell or be there one you part with no more than the vain pleasures of a fading life but if it should prove true in what a woful case are you then when to gratifie a bruitish mind you run so great an hazzard the heathens granted it an Hypothesis conducing to vertue and goodness Secondly To the Atheist and Infidel bating all Scripture it may be proved That 't is a thousand to one but it is so natural reason will