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ther; and the LORD hearkened, and heard it; and a "book of remembrance was written before him for "them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon "his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD "of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; " and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son "that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern "between the righteous and the wicked; between him "that serveth God, and him that serveth him not."h 2dly, From the book of Conscience; which not only discharges its office of judging the guilty here, but also summons all of them to the tribunal of God, there to undergo another and a more severe and impartial judgment. 3dly, From the book of Scripture; which exhibits the entire scene of the judgment, with its whole apparatus, prepared with a magnificence corresponding to the majesty of the Supreme Judge. Scripture discovers many circumstances of which nature is utterly ignorant, and others which it teaches but imperfectly and indistinctly.

Iv. In treating this subject, the four following points demand our attention. First, The JUDGE. Secondly, Those that are TO BE JUDGED. Thirdly, The SENTENCE. Fourthly, The circumstances of PLACE and

TIME.

v. With regard to the JUDGE, we may consider, 1st, His PERSON. 2dly, His GLORY. 3dly, His

ATTENDANTS.

VI. GOD is the JUDGE-none of the Divine persons being excluded; whose knowledge, will, authority, and sentence, is one. "Know thou," says Solomon," that "for all these things God will bring thee into judg

h Mal. iii. 16-18.

i Rom. ii. 15.

1 John iii. 20.

"ment:" and, "God will bring every work into judg "ment." Paul, too, mentions " the day of wrath and "revelation of the righteous judgment of God;" and speaks of "God the Judge of all."m-God, for the precise reason that he is God, that is, a Being infinitely perfect, is the King and Lawgiver of rational creatures." He is, therefore, also the Judge, to take cognizance of the actions of men according to the law, and to distribute rewards or punishments conformably to its sanction. He "will render to every man according to his deeds."o

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VII. But by special economy, judgment is attributed to CHRIST; which appears from numerous and striking testimonies both in the Old and New Testament. In Isaiah, the Messiah is described as "judging, and "seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness." To him I would refer also the following words: "The "LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the "LORD is our King; he will save us ;"a for all these characters pertain to Messiah the Saviour, who was anointed by God to be King of Zion, and who delivered in the audience of the whole congregation of Israel, that law, according to which he will judge Israel, and the whole world. In the book of Ezekiel, it is promised that he shall come "whose right it is," or "whose is the judgment;"-who has a right to the incorruptible and inalienable crown promised to the house of David, and being King, has also authority to exercise judgment upon all. The following expression

J Eccles. xi. 9.

1 Rom. ii. 5.

n James iv. 12.

P Ch. xvi. 5.

k Eccles. xii. 14.

m Heb. xii. 23.

• Rom. ii. 6.

1 Is. xxxiii. 22.

.27 .Ch. xxi אשר לו חמשפט *

s

in Micah, too, relates to no other person: "They shall "smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the "cheek." It appears from the Gospel history, that Christ was in fact insulted in this manner; and who but he can be called the Judge of Israel that was smitten by the Jews, and for the avenging of whom, the destructive legions of Rome, referred to in this verse, subverted their polity? To him also these words in the Psalms must be applied; "Give the King thy judgments, O "God, and thy righteousness unto the King's Son." Here the Chaldee Paraphrast, not altogether improperly, makes the following comment; To King Messiah, the Son of King David. But it is better to refer the expression to a more excellent name, so as peculiarly and eminently to indicate him to be King, who is not the heir of any man in his kingdom, but the Son of the true King, namely, God the Father. The same truth is very frequently inculcated in the New Testament Scriptures."

VIII. The following declaration of Christ is particularly memorable: "The Father judgeth no man, but "hath committed all judgment to the Son." With this, however, these other expressions of our Lord seem not to agree; "I judge no man ;"w and, "There is one that seeketh and judgeth," that is, the Father.x This seeming contradiction is thus reconciled. The Father judgeth no man, 1. Separately from the Son. 2. In a visible form. 3. As, according to the economy of redemption, King of the Church. The Father,

.למלכא משיחא בריה דדוד מלכא

Chap. v. 1.

t Ps. lxxii. 1.

"See Acts xvii. 31. Rom. ii. 16. 2 Cor. v. 10. 2 Tim. iv. 1.

▾ John v.
22.

* Verse 50.

W

John viii. 15.

nevertheless, has not abdicated the whole power, or the whole exercise, of judgment; for the Son is come “in "the name" of the Father; nor can he do any thing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do. The Father, therefore, judges by the Son; "He will judge "the world in righteousness by that man whom he "hath ordained," and "God shall judge the secrets "of men by Jesus Christ."b

When Christ says of himself, that he judges no man, the expression must be thus understood. 1. He is not a minister of condemnation, such as Moses was;c for "God sent not his Son into the world, to condemn "the world, but that the world through him might be "saved." 2. He doth not judge separately from the Father, which is intimated by the words immediately succeeding; "And yet if I judge, my judgment is "true, for I am not alone, but I and the Father that "sent me."e Compare also what he adds in a subsequent verse; "I do nothing of myself, but as my Fa"ther hath taught me, I speak these things." f IX. It is necessary, also, to explain the reason why it pleased the Father to transfer the whole power of judging to the Son; which is expressed in these words: "And hath given him authority to execute judgment

also, BECAUSE he is the Son of man."s The following remarks will serve to illustrate the force of this reason. 1. Because the Son of God, by a voluntary humiliation, became man, that by his obedience and sufferings in the human nature he assumed, he might de

y John v. 43.
a Acts xvii. 31.
c 2 Cor. iii. 9.
John viii. 16.
John v. 27.

z Verse 19.
b Rom. ii. 16.

d John iii. 17.

f Verse 28.

stroy the enemies of God's kingdom, and obtain salvation for his people; it was consonant to reason and equity, that he should likewise judge those conquered I enemies, and award to his people that salvation which jhe had purchased for them. Hence his conquering

and his judging are mentioned together.h 2. Because the Son of God in the form of the Son of man, became subject to the law, and presented himself before wicked men to be judged and condemned, as guilty of having presumptuously arrogated to himself the Divine majesty; it is expedient that, by a wonderful reverse, he should be manifested to be the Lord of the law, and the Judge of his unjust judges—the glory of that Deity, his pretensions to which were by no means false, being vindicated and declared. Hence his challenge to his enemies, when he stood at the bar of the Jewish council, arraigned, and clothed with an humble garb. "He "who stood under a judge," says Augustine, "will "sit as Judge. He who was himself falsely pronoun"ced guilty, will condemn the truly guilty.”* 3. Because he is the Son of man, it will be possible for him to be beheld in that nature by all, and to administer judgment visibly and audibly. "Behold, he cometh "with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they "also which pierced him."j "We read," says Augustine," that the Father judgeth no man, but hath com"mitted all judgment to the Son: as if it were said; none will see the Father in the judgment of the quick and the dead; but all shall see the Son, be

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