SERMON XXIV. THE PERSON AND CHARACTER OF THE JOHN v. 27. AND HATH GIVEN HIM AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT ALSO, THE HE certainty of a future judgment was the subject of difcourfe in the morning. From the words now read, our meditations are turned upon the perfon and character of the Judge of the world, his authority, and the reason of his appointment to this high office. FIRST, Of his person and character. From the moral perfections of God and his promifcuous difpenfations in this world, we juftly infer an after ftate and judgment: But that he will judge by the ministry of another is a truth which could never have been conceived, had not God declared it. The ranfom which God hath provided for finners transcends our thoughts; connected with this is the doctrine that our Ranfomer fhall be our Judge. What we know of his perfon, character and office is from revelation, and in no refpect from any other fource. "No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither "knoweth any man the Father, fave the Son, and he "to whom the Son will reveal him." He had " a glory with the Father before the world was. His goings forth have been from everlasting. "By him all things were created and confift." He was made flesh; and hath therefore the appellations, the Son of man, the Son of God. Being found in fashion 365 as a man, he became obedient unto the death of the crofs, that by this act of "obedience, many might be made righteous-that through death he might deftroy him that had the power of death." He was declared, by his refurrection, to be the Son of God with power. Hereby he brought life and immortality to light. Perfect knowledge and rectitude are qualities effential to a perfect decifion on the characters of moral agents. The knowledge of hearts is therefore neceffary. For the habitual frame of the heart conftitutes the moral character. "I the Lord fearch the heart, I try the reins, even to give to every one according to his "ways"-implying that the frame of the heart muft be known in order to an impartial judgment. The Son of man exprefsly claims this prerogative. "I am "he who fearcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your "works." He "needeth not that any should testify of man; for he knoweth what is in man." He declared the most private reasonings and the unuttered thoughts of men, the moft fecret parts of their character and circumftances of their lives. "Neither is there any creature that is not manifeft in his fight. Lord, thou knoweft all things." The fins of fome will not be brought to light till the Son of man fhall be revealed from heaven. And there are many excellent characters, of whom the world is not worthy, who are fufpected, through prejudice or misreprefentation-who are the objects of envy and hatred.Their "righteoufnefs fhall be brought forth as the light, and their judgment as the noon-day." The rectitude of the Judge is as perfect as his knowledge of characters. He is the HOLY ONE AND THE Jusr. He knew no fin, and in this refpect was not made like unto us. He offered himself without spot to God, actuated by fervent zeal for the honour of divine moral government and unexampled friendship to perishing finners. "I delight to do thy will, O my God! thy "law is in my heart." All who receive him have an availing plea for mercy and grace. He who is in the bofom of the Father is their Advocate, and was made a fin-offering for them. He "loved righteoufnefs and "hated iniquity. For the fuffering of death he is "crowned with glory and honour; and with right"eousnefs and equity fhall he judge the world. He "was approved of God by the works he did in his "Father's name"-but especially when "God raised "him from the dead, and fet him at his own right "hand, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion; and gave him to be head "over all things to the church." The church and world had the fulleft proof of his exaltation, in the miraculous gifts of the apoftolic age. The accomplishment of prophecy, in every fucceeding age, hath been a further proof of his divine miffion-of the truth of his declaration on the day he rofe; "All power is giv en unto me in heaven and earth." In the day of his power, his people are willing. Their hope is, that he "fhall change this vile body, and fashion it after the "likeness of his glorious body, according to the work"ing whereby he is able to fubdue all things to him"felf." This leads us to speak of his authority to judge mankind, and the reafon of his appointment to this high office. We read v. 22. con." The Father judgeth no man; “but hath committed all judgment unto the Son." And v. 28, 29. "The hour is coming, in the which "all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall "come forth: they that have done good, unto the "refurrection of life; and they that have done evil, "unto the refurrection of damnation." And v. 21. "As the Father raifeth up the dead, and quickeneth "them; even fo the Son quickeneth whom he will" 66 Again, "The Father loveth the Son, and hath com"mittedall things into his hands-hath given him pow"er over all flesh. God hath appointed a day in the "which he will judge the world in righteousness, by "that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given afsurance unto all men, in that he hath raised "him from the dead. We must all We must all appear before the judgment-feat of Chrift. He muft reign till he hath "put all enemies under his feet. He liveth for ever"more; and hath the keys of death, the last enemy "to be destroyed." 66 "As the Father hath life in himself, fo hath he giv"en to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given "him authority to execute judgment alfo; because he "is the Son of man." Because he is the Son of man. You fee his authority to judge the world, and the reafon why this authority is given him. Shall we be at pains to affign various conjectural reafons for this appointment? We have one plain revealed reason for it, which ought to fatisfy us. He humbled himself to take our nature upon him. And in the character of the man CHRIST JESUS, he will fit in judgment. We have a Mediator and a Judge "who can be touched "with the feeling of our infirmities." Daniel, in his vision of the dominion and glory of the Son of man, defcribes him "coming with the "clouds of heaven. Thoufand thousands ministered "unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand "stood before him. The judgment was fet, and the "books were opened." This correfponds to St. Matthew's defcription of bis glorious appearance, and to other paffages in the new teftament, "The Son "of man fhall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him: Then fhall he fit on the throne of "his glory; and before him fhall be gathered all na"tions; and he shall divide them one from another"on his right hand and on his left." Saith Paul, "The Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from heaven with 66 |