Second place is to how, who the perfon is that will be ho nored with the exalted character of being judge. This is matter of pure revelation. Reafon and the light of nature discover something concerning a judgment, but it is the holy fcriptures alone which fhow us the perfon who is dignified with the high office of being judge. It is often declared that God fhall judge the world. There are three perfons in the god. head, and each has his refpective part affigned him in the eco. nomy of man's falvation. And as the second person of the Trinity fuftains among other important offices that of a king, and as a branch hereof it is devolved upon him to judge the univerfe, or to be prefident in that great day of general judgment. Therefore the perfon appointed in the eternal counfels to this great office is none other than the Lord Jefus Chrift. "Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to "The "the Son. And it is alfo fubjoined, that he hath given him "authority to execute judgment because he is the son of man.” It is part of the work incumbent on him, in accomplishing the redemption of men, which will not be brought to perfection till the day of judgment closes. Thus when he speaks concerning his coming in a cloud with power and glory, and bids his people to lift up their heads for their redemption draweth nigh, it evidently appears that he is to draw up the grand decifion against which no bill of exceptions can be taken. It is reafonable his caufe fhould have a fecond and public hearing before men, angels and devils; before his friends and enemies, to the comfort of the former, and the eternal confufion of the latter. They before whofe bar he once ftood and received feoffs, infults and contempt, fhall now in their turn stand before his fair and impartial tribunal, where the process fhall be reduced to fpecialty, and no falle witneffes be fuborned; but their own confcience fhall approve of the teftimony, be ftruck dumb, and not a word of apology or excufe be offered against the charge. His coming with clouds in the view of the universe, wili caufe them who pierced him, and all the kindreds of the

earth, who fet themselves against him, to wail and lament be. caufe of him. It is proper, fit, reasonable and equitable, that he fhould judge the world for the open vindication of his peu. ple that had been unjustly condemned and perfecuted by it, that they should be defended and openly acquitted in the most perfect and glorious manner. That the man Chrift Jefus, who had been rejected and defpifed of men, who was worthy of the highest esteem and most universal love, who had been excluded heaven and earth, as if room for him in neither, fhould be restored to his place, again raised to the throne of his dignity, is infinitely fit and proper. This is the expreffion of wildom itself; this God man will defcend, and return to carth again infinitely different from his former appearance; he will appear robed in glory and majefty, attended with an innumerable train of angelic hosts, with the found of the heavenly trumpet, and all nations shall stand before him and shake with horror, or be filled with joy, at his deciding fentence. This grand fentence concludes the scene of the most wonderful works of God, to wit, the pre-eminent work of redemption. Chrift Jefus is the glorious perfonage, who will in perfect rightousness fix the eternal destiny of men and angels. Hence we read, "The Lord Jefus Chrift, fhall judge the quick and the dead "at his appearing." St. Paul afferts once and again, "We: "must all appear before the judgment feat of Chrift." But that he will be judge in this great affizes, none deny who prefess to believe the fcriptures-Therefore I pafs on to the

Third head of this difcourfe, which was to confider the objects of this mighty judgment, or the perfons who fhall be judged. Whether the holy angels, which fell not, are included in these objects, is matter of tedious and curious difpute. Some have contended this will be the cafe, as they are rational crea-tures, fubjects of moral government, therefore they must be accountable for their behaviour. They are abundantly em. ployed by God in almost every bufinefs of providence and

grace, they are especially fent forth as miniftering fpirits, to miniiter to thofe who fhall be heirs of falvation; hence it is deemed reasonable that they fhould appear in judgment at the laft day, that their faithfulness in the difcharge of their duty may be confpicuous in the prefence of the universe, receive the open approbation of their fervices, and be with propriety introduced to those higher degrees of glory and happiness, which thall be awarded unto them. Bue others again fuppofe them not included among the objects of this judgment; because they are reprefented as the attendants of Chrift's court in this won. derful scene, as perfons never ftanding before his tribunal in order to be tried, and as long before this confirmed in felicity, beholding the face of God continually in heaven, and confequently not to be dealt with as those who are to undergo a fcrutiny or trial in order to have a judicial fentence pa ed upon them of approbation or reprobation. But as this is wholly a matter of curious fpeculation only, we pafs on to the fallen angels, thofe rebellious fpirits, who fhall be brought as criminals before the bar of Chrift, where their primary infurrection and apoftacy, with all the guilt they have contracted fince they were ejected heaven, will be laid to their charge and supported against them; all that they have done against God and man fince the feduction of our first parents, with all thefe methods of revenge and fubtilty, whereby they have op. pofed the kingdom of Chrift, and have virulently attempted the ruin of his people, shall be tabled against them, as alfo the bold outrage committed on his own perfon, in daring to defire him to fall down and worship them, and in bearing a high hand in his crucifiixton. Thus the devils who were caft down to hell, and are now referved in chains of darknefs unto the judgment, fear and tremble at the forethoughts of that tre mendous day, when their anguilh will become more intenfe, and their punishment wrought up to the highest degree of torment. Therefore it is faid with a peculiar emphatis, "That the devil fhall be caft into the lake of fire and brimstone "and be tormented day and night, forever and ever." But

that which is especially infifted upon in the fcriptures, and wherein we are more intimately concerned, is what relates to men, who shall all be fummoned before the judgment feat of Christ, all ranks, orders and conditions, fmall and great, rich and poor, quick and dead, that is, thofe who fhall be found alive at the advent of Chrift, and all the dead from the begin ning of time. The affertion is in the most general terms, hence no fleth can efcape the cognizance of that awful day, For the graves fhall be opened, and the fea will yield up her dead, and death and hell fhall deliver up the dead which are in them. Yea, they fhall be gathered from the four winds of the earth; thofe who have lived under the law and under the gospel, together with those who have had nothing to direct them but the light of nature. All who have ever been or will be, will conftitute this affembly; an immenfe af fembly indeed, when the innumerable generations which have exited, and thofe which will exiit, fhall be collected together. The earth will not be fufficient to contain the multitudes, therefore it is probable the judgment will be held in the air or the great expanfe. The images by which the proceedings of this grand feafon are reprefented, are taken from human courts of judicature. Accordingly the day is appointed in which caufes are to be tried, the judge appears with his enligns of authority, the perlons to be judged are brought before him, the law is known and the books are opened, and every charge will be supported by fifhcleat textimony, and cach perfon hereupon acquitted or condemned. Thus it is announced, "When the fun of min fail come in his glory, then fall he fit upon the throne of his glory, and before him fail be gathered all "nations, and he fhall feparate them one from another, as a

Shepherd divideth Lis fheep from the goats;" the righteous fhall be divided from the wicked, and the proper witnelies will be produced, both againft tranfgreffors, and in favour of thofe

ho have wrought righteouinefs. The former will be tefli-, fied again by their fellow men, to whom their conduct was, known, both good and bad; by the holy angels who have

been conftantly employed in this world; by their own con fciences; and the omniscience of God. Thus the witneffes in this court will bemore than two or three. And the omniscience of God will be the completion of all teftimony. Therefore he declares, "I will come near to you in judgment, I « will be a swift witness against the forcerers, and against the

adulterers, and against the falfe fwearers, and against those “that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the "fatherless, and that turn afide the ftranger from his right. "and fear not me, faith the lord of hofts." Hence the trial will be fair, the witnesses neither ignorant nor partial, and the adjudication perfectly just and good.

Different degrees of happiness and mifery will be awardedto all, exactly as their characters fhall be found to be. As to the godly all will be perfectly happy, yet fome will poffefs more felicity than others according as their virtues and trials and works have been; fome fhall have ten portions of happi nefs, and others only five. Capacities will differ in the future ftate as well as the prefent. There are different grades of angels, and the greater poffefs more felicity than the lefs. So it is probable it will be with the faints in heaven, each one will be completely happy, and this happiness will be in proportion to his capacity. This will likewife be the cafe with the mif erable; all will be tormented and perfectly wretched, yet fome will be unfpeakably more fo than others. There are various grades among the devils, and each one suffers according to his capacity. Thus it will be more tolerable for fome of the wicked in hell than others. Hence we read of the men of Niniveh, the queen of the South, of the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gommorah, as liable to a lefs degree of punishment than those who have enjoyed greater advantages and finned against greater light and knowledge. Therefore it will be more tolerable in the future ftate for the heathen than for the chriftian world, who fhall have mifimproved their privileges.