DISCOURSE IV. lII ment of flesh and sense be confounded at once, and reversed with . shame ! as Is this the man that was loaded with scandal, that was buffeted with scorn, and scourged, and crucified in the land of Judea 1 Is this the person that hung on the cursed tree, and expired under agonies of pain and sorrow ? Amazing sight ! How majestic, how divine his appearance ! The Son of God; and the King of glory ! And are these the men that were made the mockery of the world? That wandered about in sheep - skins- and goat-skins, in dens and caves of the earth ! Heb. xi. 37. Surprising appearance ! How illustrious !. How full of glory ! O that such a meditation might awaken .us to judge more by faith." 2. The next lesson that we may derive from the text is this, viz. " One great design of the day of judgment is, to advance and publish the glory of Christ." He shall come on purpose to be glorified in his saints; the whole creation was made by him, and for him ; the transactions of providence, grace, and justice are managed for his honour; and the joyful and terrible affairs of the day of judgment are designed to display the majesty and the power of Jesus the King, the wisdom and equity of Jesus the King, the wisdom and equity of Jesus the Judge, and the grace and truth of Jesus the Saviour. I will grant indeed, that the appointment of this day is partly intended for the glory of Christ, in the just destruction of the impenitent, fur he will he glorified in pouring out the vengeance of his Father upon rebel- lious sinners : "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power ; Verses 7 -9. before my text. But his sweetest and most valua- ble revenue of glory arises from among his saints. If the messengers of the churches are called the glory of Christ, with all the weaknesses, and sins, and follies that attend the best of them here, as in 2 Cor. viii. 23. much more shall they be his glory hereafter, when they shall have no spot nor blemish found upon them, and the work of Christ upon their souls has formed and finished them in the perfect beauty of !holi- ness. The saints shall reflect glory on each other, and all of them cast supreme lustre on Christ their head : The people shall be the crown and glory of the minister in that day, and the minister shall be the joy and glory of the people, and both shall be the crown, joy, and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ ; 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20. 2 Cor. i. 14. 2 Thess. i. 12. I-le shall appear high on a throne in the midst of that bright assembly, and say, " Fa- ther, these are the sheep that thou hast given me in the counsels of thy eternal love : All these have I ransomed from hell, it
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