pointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he hath ordained: Acts x. 42. and, saith St. Peter, God hath commanded us to 10. John v. 27. preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick Rom. xiv. and dead: and, It is the judgment-seat of Christ, 2 Cor. v. 10. before which we must all appear. In fine, The Father, saith our Saviour, hath given to the Son authority to execute judgment, for that he is the Son of man; (hath committed to him authority regal and judicial; for that he is that Son of man, whom God had designed to this office, even of old, as we see in Daniel vii. 13, 14. and in Isaiah ix. 6, 7.) John v. 23. It is plain, then, that our Saviour is by designment and deputation from God invested with this great office and power. And why God so appointed him many reasons may be assigned; upon many accounts our Saviour's person may appear most fit for this grand employment. How could God more plainly shew his goodness in this matter, than by constituting such a Judge? Seeing that judgment should pass upon us, it was necessary and requisite; how could the terror and severity thereof be better tempered, than by putting the execution thereof into such hands? whom, were the choice permitted to us, should we rather submit to, than to him who is by nature our brother; who in disposition is meek and lowly, compassionate and merciful; who by so many signal experiments hath expressed such an excess of kindness and charity toward us; who hath so conspicuously evidenced himself to be the best friend of mankind; that he ardently desires the salvation of all men, even of his worst enemies; whom he spent his blood for, whom he prayed for, dying; whom he continually invites to reconciliation and repentance? How also could God better declare his justice, than in exalting him to this pitch, who out of obedience and compliance with his will descended so low, and underwent so much? Who better deserved a crown, who more righteously would manage a sceptre, than he who willingly bore a cross, who patiently submitted to a scourge? It was also equal and fit, that he who was unworthily rejected and despised, cruelly abused and persecuted, unjustly accused, condemned, and slaughtered by men, should be requited with power to right himself upon them; to reprobate them worthily who had unworthily rejected him; to judge them justly, who had wickedly condemned him; to punish them severely, who had unmercifully afflicted him; that he should see his proud and spiteful enemies lying under his feet, at his discretion. Add hereto the wisdom of God in designing him to be judge, whom they who were to be judged might see and hear, and converse with; whom the godly with cheerful satisfaction and comfort, the wicked with befitting terror and astonishment, might behold; they with unexpressible joy hear him commending, acquitting, and blessing them; those with dismal amazement and regret hear him pronouncing the fatal sentence and curse upon them; they with humble thankfulness acknowledge his grace, those with confusion confess their guilt; Behold, saith St. John in the Revelation, (i. 7.) he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, even they who did pierce him. The dreadful presence of Jer. x. 10. God were neither discernible nor supportable by guilty men: Who may stand in his sight when once Ps. lxxvi. 7. he is angry? Ps. cxxx. 3. Ps. xlvi. 6. II. Isa. vi. 2. 1. Who could endure to hear that voice, at which Job xxvi. the earth melteth; that reproof, at which the pillars of heaven tremble; that majesty, in presence whereof the purest seraphims are constrained to hide their faces? how should impure men abide that face which no man can behold and live? But the milder, though glorious and bright aspect of the Son of man, all men, in some manner, may be capable to see; and, if we believe St. Austin, Rectum erat ut judicandi viderent judicem ; It was fit that they who were to be judged should see their judge. So much reason there was, (and more questionless, beyond what we can know or comprehend,) that our Saviour Jesus should be designed and deputed to this office; in it we may admire the wisdom and adore the justice of God; for it we may applaud his goodness and clemency. We may also (that this doctrine may have the greater impression upon our hearts and influence upon our practice) further consider, how great an aggravation it will seem to our whether foolish perverseness or slothful negligence; what extreme disingenuity, how wretched ingratitude it will argue in us, to be cast and condemned by such a Judge; a Judge so just and equal, so mild and gentle, so benign and favourable to us! With what face, we having transgressed his most good and righteous laws; having violated our manifold obligations and engagements toward him; having abused his so great love and good-will toward us; having rejected his gracious tenders of mercy and favour; defeated his most serious purposes, frustrated his most earnest endeavours for our good; having so forfeited all his favour, and incurred his most grievous displeasure, shall we appear in his presence? how shall we bear the frowns of so dear love changed into fierce disdain, of highest patience turned into extreme fury, of so great majesty provoked by such affronts? With what heart shall we be able to hear that voice, which did once so sweetly and affectionately sound words of peace and comfort in our ears; that so kindly invited us to peace, so meekly entreated us to compliance, now uttering only bitter complaints and rebukes, thundering forth words of indignation and terror, denouncing horrible threats and curses upon us? But let this suffice for the nature of the office and act of judging, and for the Person exercising it. Here is further implied, I Thess. iv. 2. The manner of its exercise, or execution; or rather the manner of his address and proceeding thereto, (From thence he shall come ;) the which we have in scripture (for begetting answerable veneration, regard, and awe within us) described to be with greatest solemnity, glory, and magnificence. He came once in a meek humility to teach us our duty, Acts iii. 21. but he shall come again with a terrible majesty to 16. i. 7. exact an account thereof; taking his progress from the highest heavens, in a most royal state, attended upon with a numerous, (or rather an innumerable, Távτes oi äyι äɣyeλ, all his holy angels; it is Matt. xxv. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and his holy angels with him; that is, an innumerable company, as we read it Heb. xiii. 22.) an innumerably numerous and pompous train of glorious angels, accompanied with triumphant shouts and acclamations; a trumpet (blown by the mouth of an archangel) sounding before him an universal summons, with a noise so loud and piercing, as shall im 52. Acts i. 11. ii. 7, 9. 30.xxvi.64. 1 Cor. xv. mediately, and in the twinkling of an eye, shake all the earth, and rouse the dead out of their mortal slumber. This same Jesus, said the angels to the apostles, expressing the thing in a more plain and simple manner, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven; (a cloud took him up from their eyes; the clouds should restore him to sight; Rev. i. 7. for, Behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye Matt. xxiv. shall see him, saith St. John :) and, They shall see the Son of man, himself tells us, coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory: 1 Thess. iv. and, The Lord himself, saith St. Paul, shall descend from heaven, èv keλevoμat, (with a shout, with an exciting summons,) with the voice of an Matt. xvi. archangel, with the trump of God: The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render to every man 2 Thess.i.7. according to his practice: When the Son of man shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. 16. 27. So the scriptures (to the purpose forementioned, to beget respect and dread in us) declare that our Saviour shall come at the end of the world, at the day of judgment, and how. Here is further determined the extent of this judgment: he shall come to judge; whom? how many? All, without exception; expressed by the words quick and dead: which expression is taken from those words of St. Peter, (Acts x. 42.) wherein our Saviour is said to be designed by God, KρITns SúvτWV Kai VEKρav, the judge of the living and the dead: or of St. Paul, (2 Tim. iv. 1.) I charge thee therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, |