CHAP. I.] Eternal Judgment. [JUDGMENT punishments between the righteous and the wicked, and its government shall have its complete and glorious issue. This is styled the judgment of the great day.' (1) With respect to the appearance of the Judge. When the law was given from mount Sinai, the mountain was covered with fire, and the voice of God as loud as thunder proclaimed it from the midst of the flames, so that the whole army of the Israelites was prostrate on the plain, struck with sacred horror, and almost dead at the amazing sights and sounds. Hence it is said, that' from his right hand went forth a fiery law.' And if the Lawgiver appeared in such terrible majesty in proclaiming the law, how much more when he shall come to revenge the transgressions of it. This is set forth in scripture in the most lofty and magnificent expressions: He shall come in his Father's glory, and in his own glory, and the glory of the holy angels.' Luke ix. 26. A devouring fire shall go before him, to consume all the works of the universe. He shall descend from the highest heavens, glorious in the attendance of innumerable angels, but more so in his own majesty, and shall sit on a radiant throne high above all. (2) It is great with respect to the appearance of those who are to be judged. All the apostate angels, and the universal progeny of Adam. The bowels of the earth, and the bottom of the sea, and all the elements shall give up the dead. The mighty angels, the winged ministers of justice, shall fly to all parts JUDGMENT.] Eternal Judgment. [СКАР. 1. and attack the wicked, to bring them as miserable prisoners before that high tribunal. And those blessed powerful spirits shall congregate the righteous, to present them at his right hand. (3) It is great with respect to what shall then be done. He shall perform the most glorious and consummate act of his legal office, for after a righteous trial he shall pronounce judgment, upon which the eternal destiny of the world depends. The saints shall immediately ascend with him to the everlasting mansions of glory, and the wicked shall be swallowed up in the fiery gulph for ever. To define the particular time when this shall be accomplished, is beyond the knowledge of the angels of highest dignity. This is among the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. It is observable that God has revealed the times precisely wherein some great events should come to pass; as for example, after how many years the Israelites should be freed from Egyptian bondage; after what space of time they should be restored from the captivity of Babylon; and when the Messiah should die for the expiation of sin. But there is no designation by certain characters of the particular day, nor year, nor age, in any prophecy, of our Saviour's coming to judgment; and it may be because the special end of those predictions was, that those who lived to see their accomplishment, notwithstanding the seeming impossibilities, might believe the truth and power of God to fulfil the revelation of his purposes for the time to come. But at CHAP. I.] Eternal Judgment. [JUDGMENT. the last day all the promises and threatenings will be fulfilled; nothing will remain to be the object of faith; and consequently it was superfluous to declare the certain time, since the exact accomplishment of it according to the prediction will neither be useful to confirm believers or convert infidels. : Lastly, The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most convincing and commanding evidence of this doctrine, that he shall judge the world. For he was charged with blasphemy deserving of death for this testimony I say unto you, hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.' Matt. xxvi. 63, 64. He dedicated martyrdom in his own sufferings. Now God in raising him from the dead, confirmed the truth of his testimony by that visible miracle, and the belief of it converted the world to christianity. CHAP. II. God will righteously judge the world by Jesus Christ The equity of the law the rule of judyment Its precepts and penalties such as becomes the Creator to give, and the reasonable creature to receive-Answer to objections-The law of faith considered-Unfeigned faith in the Redeemer the condition of our justification and glorification. I SHALL now proceed to illustrate and prove the main point, which is this;-That God will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ. The Mediator, who shall be judge in the union of both natures, considered as the Son of God, is essentially holy and righteous; and considered as the Son of man, he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. In him all virtues shined in their absolute purity and who is so worthy and qualified to reward holiness and punish wickedness, as the holy One of God? Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.' He hath consecrated him to the regal office, and enriched his human nature with endowments suitable to it. It was prophesied that the Spirit of the Lord should rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of CHAP. II.] Eternal Judgnient. [JUDGMENT knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, and should make him of quick understanding in the fear of the › Lord, and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears, But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity. Isa. xi. 2, 3, 4. Human judgments are often unrighteous, from vicious respects and affections that pervert the will, or fair › appearances that deceive the understanding. By gifts or guile, innocence is cast, and guilt acquitted. But the Judge of the world is inflexibly just, and all things are entirely open to his sight. In the act of judgment he is represented sitting on a white throne, the emblem of unspotted holiness. Rev. xx. 11. The righteousness of God's judicial proceedings will appear by considering three things. First, the equity of his law is the rule of the great and final judgment. Secondly, the evidence of the facts and matter which shall be produced are the reason of the judgment.--Thirdly, the impartiality of the sentence. I. Consider the equity of the law, which shall be the rule of the last judgment. This will appear by considering the law of nature and the law of faith, in their precepts and penalties, annexed to enforce the observation of them. 1. The law of nature, which is the rule of man's duty, will be the rule of judgment; for without the M |