416 CHRIST ADMIRED AND GLORIFIED [DISC. iv. shall call up his saints from their bed of dust and dark- -ness, and make the graves resign those prisoners ofhope when they shall all gather together around their Lord, a bright and numerous army, shining and reflecting the splendors ofhis presence ; how will thejudgment of flesh and sense be confounded at once, and reversed with shame! Is this the man that was loaded ,with scandal, that was buffeted with scorn, and scourged, and crucified in the land of Judea ? 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. Surprizing appearance ! How illustrious ! How full of glory ! O that such a meditation might awaken us to judge more by faith." Lesson 2. The next lessen that we may derive from the text is this, viz. "One great design of the dayofjudgment, is, to advance and publish the gloryof Christ." He shall come on purpose to be glorified in his saints ; the whole creation was made by hire, 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 ofJesus 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 de- struction of the impenitent, for he will be glorified in pouring out the vengeance of his Father upon rebellious sinners: The LordJesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, inflamingfire, takingvengeance on :them that know not God, andobey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall bepunishedwith ever- lasting 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 valuable 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 thebest ofthem here, asin2Cor. viii. 23. much more shall they be his glory hereafter, when they shall
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