The Fountain of Life Opened Up

May God give us a joyful meeting within the veil with our forerunner and sweeten our passage into it with many a blessed foresight and foretaste. And in the meantime, let the love of the Savior inflame our hearts so that whenever we cast a look towards that place where our forerunner is for us entered, our souls may say, with melting affections, Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ. And again, blessed be God for His unspeakable gift. Chapter 41, page 507. The Session of Christ at God's Right Hand. When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Hebrews 1, verse 3. Christ, having finished His work on earth and returned again to His Father, assumes the seat prepared for Him at God's right hand. How is His condition changed within a few days? Here He groaned, wept, labored, suffered, and found no rest. There He enters into rest, sits down forever in the highest throne, prepared by the Father for Him when He should have done His work. The design of the epistle to the Hebrews is to demonstrate Christ to be the fullness of all legal types and ceremonies, and that whatever light glimmered to the world through them was but as the light of the day star to the light of the sun. In this chapter is Christ described, and in this third verse particularly, number one, by His essential and primeval glory and dignity. He is the brightness of His Father's glory, the very brilliance of the Son of glory. As the sun communicates its light and influence to us by its beam, so does God communicate His goodness and manifest Himself by Christ. Yea, He is the express image or character of His person. Number two, He is described by the work He wrought here on earth in His humble state. It was a glorious work and wrought by His own single hand when He had by Himself purged our sins, a work that all the angels in heaven could not do. Number three, He is described by His glory, which as a reward of that work He now enjoys in heaven. When He had by Himself purged our sins, He sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. That is, the Lord clothed Him with the greatest power and highest honor that heaven itself could afford. Hence, when our Lord Jesus Christ had finished His work on earth, He was placed in the seat of the highest honor and authority at the right hand of God in heaven. This truth is transformingly glorious. Stephen had but a glimpse of Christ at his father's right hand and it caused his face to shine as it had been the face of an angel. Acts 6, 15 This high advancement was foretold and promised before he undertook the work of redemption. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Psalm 110, verse 1 And this promise was performed to Christ after His resurrection and ascension in His supreme exaltation far above all created beings in heaven and earth. Ephesians 1, verses 20-22 We shall here inquire what is meant by God's right hand and what is implied by Christ sitting there, His enemies being made His footstool. Roman numeral 1 What are we to understand here by God's right hand? It is obvious that the expression is figurative. God hath no hand, right or left. But it is an expression in which God stoops to the creature's understanding implying honor, power and nearness. Number 1 The right hand is the hand of honor where we place those whom we highly esteem. Solomon placed his mother in a seat at his right hand. 1 Kings 2.19 So in token of honor, God sets Christ at His right hand called in the text, the right hand of majesty. God therein expressed favor, delight and honor such as He never conferred on any creature. To which of the angels said He at any time, Sit thou on my right hand. Hebrews 1.13 Number 2 The right hand is also the hand of power and the setting of Christ there imports His exultation to the highest authority and most supreme dominion. Not that God the Father hath put Himself out of His authority and advanced Christ above Himself. No, when He says He hath put all things under Him it is manifest that He is accepted which did put all things under Him. 1 Corinthians 15.27 But to sit as an enthroned King at God's right hand imports power. Yea, the most sovereign and supreme power which is implied in the language of Christ Himself. Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power. Matthew 26.64 Number 3 It also signifies nearness of place and so it is applied to Christ. Psalm 110.5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath. That is the Lord who is very near thee present with thee. He shall subdue thine enemies. Roman numeral 2 Let us see what is implied in Christ sitting at God's right hand His enemies being made His footstool. Number 1 It implies the perfecting and completing of Christ's work for which He came into the world. After His work was ended then He sat down and rested from those labors. Every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. But this man when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down on the right hand of God. Hebrews 10 verses 11 and 12 Here He assigns a double difference between Christ and the Levitical priests. They stand, which is the posture of servants. He sits, which is the posture of a Lord. They offer daily because their sacrifices cannot take away sin. He did His work fully by one offering and after that sits or rests forever in heaven. Number 2 His sitting at God's right hand shows the high satisfaction of God the Father in Him and in His work. The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand. The words are introduced as the words of the Father welcoming Christ to heaven and as it were congratulating the happy accomplishment of His most difficult work. He delighted greatly to behold Him here in His work on earth as expressed by a voice from the excellent glory. Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. 2 Peter 1 verse 17 And Himself tells us, Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life. John 10 verse 17 It was a work dear to the heart of God from eternity. He took infinite delight in it. Number 3 Christ sitting at God's right hand in heaven shows the advancement of Christ's human nature to the highest honor even to be the object of adoration to angels and men. For it is properly His human nature that is the subject of all dishonor and advancement. Being advanced to the right hand of majesty it has become an object of worship and adoration not simply as it is flesh and blood but as it is personally united to the second person and enthroned in the supreme glory of heaven. O here is the mystery that flesh and blood should ever be advanced to the highest throne of majesty and there being installed in glory we may now direct our worship to Him as God-man. And to this end was His humanity so advanced that it might be adored and worshiped by all. The Father hath committed all judgment unto the Son that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. And the Father will accept of no honor separate from His honor. Therefore it is added He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him. John 5 verses 22 and 23 Hence the apostles in the salutations of their epistles beg for grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and desire the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to be with the churches. Number four It imports the sovereignty and supremacy of Christ over all the investiture of Christ with authority over the empire of both worlds for this belongs to Him that sits upon His throne. When the Father said to Him Sit thou at My right hand He thereby delivered to Him the dispensation and economy of the kingdom. He put the awful scepter of government into His hands so the apostle interprets it He must reign till He hath put all His enemies under His feet. 1 Corinthians 15 25 And to this purpose the same apostle accommodates if not expounds the words of the psalmist Thou madest Him a little lower than the angels that is in respect to His humble state on earth Thou crownest Him with glory and honor and didst set Him over the works of Thy hands Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet. Hebrews 2 verses 7 and 8 He is over the spiritual kingdom, the church, absolute Lord. Matthew 28 verses 18 through 20 He is also Lord over the providential kingdom, the whole world. Psalm 110 verse 2 And this providential kingdom being subordinate to His spiritual kingdom He orders and rules the providential for the advantage and benefit of the spiritual. Ephesians 1 verse 22 Number 5 To sit at God's right hand His enemies being made His footstool presents Christ as conqueror over all His enemies To have His enemies under His feet denotes conquest and complete victory They trampled His name and His saints under their feet and Christ will tread them under His feet. It is true indeed this victory is incomplete as yet for now we see not yet all things put under Him saith the apostle but we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor and that is enough enough to show that the power of His enemies is broken and though they make some opposition still yet it is to no purpose He is infinitely above them and they must fall before Him All the power of God stands ready to strike through His enemies Psalm 110 verse 5 Number 6 Christ sitting in heaven shows us the great and wonderful change in His state and condition since His ascension Ah, it is far otherwise with Him now than it was in the days of His humiliation here on earth It were good, as a worthy of ours says case, in His Mount Pisgah to compare in our thoughts the abasement of Christ and His exaltation as it were in columns one over against the other He was born in a stable but now He reigns in His royal palace then He had a manger for His cradle but now He sits on a chair of state then in contempt they called Him the carpenter's son now He obtains a more excellent name than angels then He was led away into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil now it is proclaimed let all the angels of God worship Him then He had not where to lay His head now He is exalted to be heir of all things in a state of humiliation He endured the contradiction of sinners in a state of exaltation He is adored and admired by saints and angels then He had no former comeliness and when we saw Him there was no beauty that we should desire Him now the beauty of His countenance sends forth such glorious beams as may dazzle the eyes of the celestial inhabitants round about Him Christ sitting at God's right hand implies the advancement of believers to the highest honor for this session of Christ respects them and He sits there as our representative in which respect we are made to sit with Him in heavenly places Ephesians 2 verse 6 how secure may we be saith Sir Julian who do now in Christ our head already possess the kingdom surely it is matter of exceeding joy that Christ our head our flesh and blood possesses all this glory at His Father's right hand inference number one is Christ so honored to sit enthroned at God's right hand what honor is reserved in heaven for those that are faithful to Christ now on earth Christ prayed and His prayer was heard that we may be with Him to behold the glory that God has given Him John 17 24 and what heart can conceive the felicity of such a sight thine eyes shall see the King in His beauty Isaiah 33 17 but this is not all though it be much to be spectators of Christ on His throne of glory we shall not only see Him on His throne but also sit with Him enthroned in glory the sight you shall then have of Christ will change you into His likeness we shall be like Him saith the Apostle for we shall see Him as He is 1 John 3 2 He will place us as it were in His own throne with Him so runs the promise to Him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne even as I also overcame and then sit down with My Father in His throne Revelation 3 21 and so 2 Timothy 2 12 if we suffer we shall also reign with Him the Father set Christ on His right hand and Christ will set the saints on His right hand so you know the sheep are placed by the angels at that great day Matthew 25 and so the church under the figure of the daughter of Egypt is placed on the King's right hand in gold of offer Psalm 45 this honor have all the saints O what manner of love is this these expressions indeed do not imply that the saints shall have a parity of glory with Christ for in all things He must have the preeminence but they show the great honor Christ will give to the saints as also that His glory shall be their glory in heaven as the glory of the husband redounds to the wife and again their glory will be His glory 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 10 and so it will be a social glory O it is admirable to think to what free grace hath already exalted poor dust and ashes to think how near the saints are now to this royal princely Jesus but how much higher are the designs of grace not yet fulfilled they transcend all that we now know now are we the sons of God but it does not yet appear what we shall be 1 John 3 verse 2 O what reason have you to honor Christ on earth who is preparing such honor for you in heaven 2 Is Christ thus enthroned in heaven then how impossible is it that ever His interest should fail on earth the church has many subtle and potent enemies but as Haman could not prevail against the Jews while Esther their friend spoke for them to the king no more can they while our Jesus sits at His and our Father's right hand surely they that touch His people touch the very apple of His eye Zechariah 2 verse 8 He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet 1 Corinthians 15 25 The enemy under His feet shall not destroy the children in His arms He sits in heaven on purpose to manage all the advantage of His church Ephesians 1 22 Are our enemies powerful lo our King sits on the right hand of power Are they subtle and deep in their contrivance He that sits on the throne overlooks all they do He that sits in heaven beholds and derides their attempts Psalm 2 verse 4 He may permit His enemies to straighten them in one place but it shall be for their enlargement in another For it is with the church as with the sea what it loses in one place it gets in another and so really loses nothing He may suffer them also to distress us in outward things but we shall be recompensed with inward and better mercies and so we shall lose nothing A footstool you know is useful to him that treads on it and serves to lift him up higher So shall Christ's enemies be to him and his albeit they think not so What singular benefits the opposition of His enemies occasion to His people I have elsewhere shown In His book Saint Indeed Number 3 Is Christ set down on the right hand of the majesty in heaven? O with what reverence should we approach Him in the duties of His worship Away with light and low thoughts of Christ Away with formal, irreverent and careless frames in praying hearing, yea, in conversing and speaking of Christ Away with all deadness and drowsiness in duties for He is a great King with whom you have to do a King to whom the kings of the earth are but as bits of clay Though the angels cover their faces in His presence He is an adorable majesty When John had a vision of this enthroned King about sixty years after His ascension such was the overpowering glory of Christ as the sun when it shineth in its strength that when he saw Him he fell at His feet as dead till Christ laid His hand on Him and said, Fear not I am the first and the last I am He that liveth and was dead and behold, I am alive forevermore Revelation 1 verses 17 and 18 When He appeared to Saul in the way to Damascus it was in glory above the glory of the sun which overpowered Him also and laid Him as one dead upon the ground O that you did but know what a glorious Lord you worship and serve who makes the very place of His feet glorious wherever He comes Surely He is greatly to be feared in the assembly of His saints and to be had in reverence of all that are round about Him There is indeed a boldness or liberty of speech allowed to the saints Ephesians 3.12 But no rudeness or irreverence We may indeed come as the children of a king come to their father who is both their awful sovereign and tender father which double relation causes a due mixture of love and reverence in their hearts when they come before Him Though He be your father brother, friend yet the distance between Him and you is infinite Number 4 If Christ be so gloriously advanced in the highest throne then none are dishonored by suffering the vilest things for His sake The very chains and sufferings of Christ have glory in them Hence Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Hebrews 11.26 He not only endured the reproaches of Christ, but counted them treasures to be reckoned among His honors and things of value Disgrace itself is honorable when it is endured for the Lord of glory And surely there is, as one says a little paradise a young heaven in the sufferings for Christ If there were nothing else but that they were endured for Him, it would richly reward all we can suffer But if we consider how kind Christ is to them that counted their glory to be abased for Him that though He be always kind to His people He, if we may so speak overcometh Himself in kindness when they suffer for Him It will almost make us in love with His reproaches Number 5 If Christ sat not down to rest in heaven till He had finished His work on earth then let us not think of rest till we have finished our work How willing are we to find rest here to dream of that which Christ never found in this world nor any ever found before us O think not of resting till you have done working and done sinning Your life and your labors must end together Write, saith the Spirit Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord, for they rest from their labors Revelation 14.13 Here you must be content to dwell in the tents of Kedar Hereafter you shall be within the curtains of Solomon Heaven is the place of which it may truly be said that there the weary be at rest O think not of resting on this side of heaven Grace will not suffer you to rest here Its tendencies are beyond this world It will be looking and longing for the blessed hope A gracious person regards himself as a pilgrim seeking a better country and is suspicious of danger in every place and state Grace is still rousing up the sluggish heart with the language Arise, depart, this is not thy rest for it is polluted Micah 2.10 Its further tendencies and continual jealousies will keep you from long sitting still in this world Your corruptions also will keep you from rest here They will continually exorcise your spirits and keep you upon your watch Saints have their hands filled with work by their own hearts every day sometimes to prevent sin and sometimes to lament it and always to watch in fear to mortify and kill it Sin will not long suffer you to be quiet Romans 7.21-23 And if a bad heart will not break your rest here then Satan will do it He will find you work enough with his temptations and suggestions and except you can sleep quietly in his arms as the wicked do there is no rest to be expected Your adversary the devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour whom resist 1 Peter 5.8 Nor will wicked men suffer you to be quiet on this side of heaven the very name by which they are alluded to in scripture speaks their turbulent disposition My soul saith the holy man is among lions and I lie even among them that are set on fire even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows Psalm 57.4 Well then seek to enter into your rest as Christ did unto his having finished the work which was given him to do chapter 42 page 518 Christ advent to judgment And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead Acts 10.42 Christ enthroned in the highest glory in heaven is there to abide for the effectual and successful government both of the world and of the church until all given him by the father before the world was and purchased by the blood of the cross be gathered in and then cometh the judgment of the great day which will perfectly separate the precious from the vile put the redeemed in full possession of the purchase of his blood in heaven and then shall he deliver up the kingdom to God even the father that God may be all in all This last act of Christ his judging the world is a special part of the exaltation and honor bestowed upon him because he is the son of man John 5.27 In that day shall his glory as king and supreme lord shine forth as the sun in its strength O what an honor will it be to the man Christ Jesus who stood arraigned and condemned at Pilate's bar to sit upon the great white throne surrounded with thousands and ten thousands of angels men and devils waiting upon him to receive the final sentence from his mouth In this will the glory of Christ's sovereignty and power be illustriously displayed before angels and men And this is that great truth which he commanded to be preached and testified to the people namely that it is he which is ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead Judgment is the prerogative of the whole undivided trinity but in its visible management and execution it is assigned to Christ The persons to be judged are the quick and dead All that at his coming shall be living or shall ever have lived all that ever sprung from Adam and all the apostate spirits that fell from heaven and are reserved in chains to the judgment of this great day with all the actions both secret and open that ever they did 2 Corinthians 5.10 Romans 2.16 The fountain of this delegated authority is God the Father for he hath ordained Christ to be the judge He is ordained as the Son of Man to this honorable office and work The word denotes the firm establishment of Christ in that office by his Father He is now by right of redemption Lord and King He enacts laws for government Then he comes to judge of men's obedience and disobedience to his laws Hence our Lord Jesus Christ is ordained by God the Father to be the judge of quick and dead This truth stands upon the firm basis of scripture authority You have it from his own hand The Father judges no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son John 5.22 And so the Apostle he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 And again, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ Romans 2.16 We will here show the certainty of a judgment to come the quality and nature of it and that his being appointed judge of the world is a special part of Christ's exultation Romans 1 The certainty of a judgment This is a truth of firmer establishment than heaven and earth. It is no devised fable, no cunning artifice to keep the world in awe but a thing as confessedly true as it is awfully solemn 4.1 As the scriptures just cited with 2 Corinthians 5.10 Ecclesiastes 12.14 Matthew 12.36 and many other passages plainly reveal it So the justice and righteousness of God require it should be so For the judge of all the earth will do right Genesis 18.25 Justice requires that a difference be made between the righteous and the wicked Say ye to the righteous it shall be well with him Woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with him. Isaiah 3.10 and 11 But no such distinction is generally and fully made in this world Yea, often the wicked prosper and the righteous perish There is a just man that perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness Ecclesiastes 7.15 Here the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than himself Habakkuk 1.13 As the fishes of the sea were the great and strong swallow up the small and weak And even in courts of law where the innocent might expect relief they often meet with the worst oppression How fairly and justly therefore doth the wise man infer a judgment to come from this consideration I saw under the sun the place of judgment that wickedness was there and the place of righteousness that iniquity was there I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work Ecclesiastes 3.16-17 which denotes that the judgment to come is often the only relief and support with which the innocent may quiet and comfort themselves Ye have condemned and killed the just and he doth not resist you Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord James 5.6-7 It is confessed that sometimes God vindicates his providence against the atheism of the world by particular strokes upon the wicked but this is rare As one of the fathers well observes If no sin were punished here no providence would be believed Again, if every sin were openly punished here, no judgment hereafter could be expected Number 2 Besides, man is a reasonable being and every reasonable being is an accountable being He is a subject capable of moral government His actions have a relation to law He is swayed by rewards and punishments He acts by counsel and therefore must expect to give an account of his actions So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God Romans 14.12 All the gifts of body, mind, estate, time etc. are so many talents committed and entrusted to us by God Every one has at least one talent and a time to render an account for all will come Matthew 25.14-15 We are stewards and stewards must give an account in order to which there must be a day of judgment Number 3 Our own conscience gives clear evidence of this truth Lo, it is engraven legibly upon every man's own breast Every one hath a tribunal in his own conscience which both accuses and excuses for good and evil and which it can never do, did it not forebode a future judgment In this court, records are now kept of all we do, even of our most secret actions and thoughts But if no judgment, what need of records? Nor let any imagine that this may be but the fruit of education that having heard such things we are groundlessly alarmed For if so, how comes it to obtain so universally? Who could be the author of such a common deception? But let us consider Roman numeral 2 What manner of judgment this will be Number 1. It will be a great and awful day It is called the judgment of the great day, Jude 6 The manner of Christ's coming will be awfully solemn for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God And the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air 1 Thessalonians 4 verses 16 and 17 Christ shall come forth out of heaven with the shouts of angels, above all which shall the voice of the archangel be distinctly heard And after this the trump of God shall sound. The dead being raised shall be gathered before the great throne on which Christ shall sit in his glory. And there by the angels they shall be divided exactly to the right and left of Christ Here will be the greatest assembly that ever met where Adam may see his numerous offspring, even as the sand upon the seashore, which no man can number And never was such a perfect division made. There were apparent separations of the righteous and the wicked in this world, but no other separation was like this The saints shall meet the Lord in the air. The judge shall sit upon the throne with all the saints round about him the wicked remaining below upon the earth to receive their final doom These preparatives will make it awful and much more will the work itself on which Christ now comes be awful. It is to judge the secrets of man Romans 2 verse 16 to sever the tares from the wheat to present every man in his real character and according as he shall be found on that trial, to sentence him to his everlasting and immutable state Oh, what a solemn thing is this. And no less will the execution of the sentence make it a great and solemn day The heart of man cannot conceive what impressions the voice of Christ from the throne will make, both upon believers and unbelievers Imagine Christ upon his glorious throne, surrounded with myriads and legions of angels his royal guard a poor unbeliever trembling at the bar an exact scrutiny made into his heart and life the dreadful sentence given and then a cry while he is delivered over to the executioners of eternal vengeance Never, never to see a glimpse of hope or mercy more. Imagine Christ like the general of an army mentioning with honor at the head of all the hosts of heaven and earth the services that the saints have done for him in this world then justifying them by open proclamation and then they're mounting with him to the third heavens and entering the gates of the city of God in the noble train of saints and angels to be forever with the Lord Oh, what a great day must this be Number two As it will be an awful and solemn judgment, so it will be most exact and critical The name of the judge is the searcher of hearts His eyes as a flame of fire pierced to the dividing of the heart and reigns. It is said in Matthew 12 verse 36 that men shall then give an account of every idle word that they shall speak. It is a day that will perfectly discriminate the character of every man. No hypocrite can escape. Justice will hold the balances in an even hand Number three It will be a universal judgment We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10 Every one of us shall give an account of himself to God. Romans 14 verse 12 Both those that were under the law, and those that having not the law, were a law unto themselves Romans 2 verse 14 Those that had many talents, and he that had but one talent must appear at this bar Those that were carried from the cradle to the grave, and he that stooped for age, the rich and the poor, the father and the child, the master and servant, the believer and the unbeliever, must appear in that day. I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened. Revelation 20 verse 12 Number four It will be a convicting judgment. All things will be so clearly presented that the sentence of Christ, both on saints and sinners, shall be applauded. Righteous art thou, O Lord, because thou hast judged thus. His judgments will be as the light that goeth forth, so that those poor sinners whom he will condemn shall be first self-condemned. Their own consciences shall be forced to confess that there is not one drop of injustice in all that sea of wrath into which they are to be cast. Number five It will be a supreme and final judgment, from which lies no appeal. It is the sentence of the highest and only Lord. As the ultimate resolution of faith is into the word and truth of God, so the ultimate resolution of justice is into the judgment of God. This judgment is supreme and imperial. Christ is the only potentate. 1 Timothy 6 verse 5 The sentence once passed, its execution is infallible. So you find it in the judicial process given us, Matthew 25, when the sentence is pronounced by Christ, it is immediately added, These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. This is the judgment of the great day. Roman numeral three God, in ordaining Christ to be the judge, has highly exalted him. Here his royal dignity will be illustrated. Now he will appear in his glory. Number one. In executing judgment, Christ will be glorified in his kingly office, as fully as he has been in his other offices. We find but some few glimpses of his kingly office breaking forth in this world. As his riding with Hosannas into Jerusalem, his driving the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and his title upon the cross. All these were but faint beams. Now that office will shine in its glory as the sun in the midst of the heavens. For what were the Hosannas of little children in the streets of Jerusalem to the shouts and acclamations of thousands of angels and ten thousands of saints? What was his driving the profane out of the temple to his turning the wicked into hell and sending his angels to gather out of his kingdom everything that offendeth? What was the title written by his judge and fixed on the ignominious tree to the name that shall now be seen on his vesture and on his thigh? King of kings and Lord of lords. Number two. This will be a display of his glory in the highest before the whole world. For there will be present at once and together all the inhabitants of earth and heaven and hell. Angels must be there to attend and minister. Those glittering crudiers of heaven must attend his person. Men and devils must be there to be judged and before this great assembly will Christ appear in royal majesty. He will reign before his ancients gloriously. Isaiah 24 23 He will then come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe. 2 Thessalonians 1 10 Number three. This will roll away forever the reproach of his death. For Pilate and the high priest that judged him shall now stand quivering at his bar with Herod that set him at naught and the soldiers and officers that traduced and abused him. There they that reviled him on the cross wagging their heads will stand with trembling knees before his throne. For every eye shall see him and they also that pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Revelation 1 verse 7 Inference number one. Is Jesus Christ ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead? Great then is the security of believers that they shall not be condemned in that day. Who shall condemn when Christ is judged? If believers are condemned in judgment Christ must give sentence against them. Yea and they must condemn themselves too. I say Christ must give sentence for that is the proper and peculiar office of Christ. And certainly no sentence of condemnation shall in that day be given by Christ against them. He died to save them and he will never cross and overthrow the designs and ends of his own death. Nay they have been cleared and absolved already and being once absolved by divine sentence they can never be condemned afterwards for one divine sentence cannot oppose another. He justified them here in this world by faith and declared in his word which shall then be the rule of judgment. Romans 9 verse 16 That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Romans 8 verse 1 And surely he will not retract his own word and give a sentence contrary to his own statute book out of which he has told us that they shall be judged. Moreover all except those who then survive on the earth will have passed their particular judgment long before that day. And being therein acquitted by God the judge of all justified and admitted into heaven Christ cannot now condemn them with the world. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available free and for sale in audio, video and printed formats. Our many free resources as well as our complete mail order catalog containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reform books tapes and videos at great discounts is on the web themselves, would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.