Well, then, you will ask, Why is Christ the judge of the world, j-ather than the Father and the Spirit, who made us, and gave the law to us ? 1 answer —
1. That we have gone a good step to prove that it is the pecu- liar right of God, common to the three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; 'for these three are one,' 1 John v. 7. They have one
Vers. 31-33.] sermons upon matthew xxv. 21
common nature, and the operations that are with the divine essence are common to them all. So that as the creation of all things is equally attributed to all. so also the right of this act of judging the world doth alike agree to all. So that as j-et the thing is not explained enough, unless we should grant that it shall be exercised by all, or can prove out of the scriptures that one person of these three is ordained, and by mutual consent chosen out by the rest to exercise it for himself and for the other. Indeed, at the first, when the doctrine of the Trinity was not as 5'et openly revealed, it was not needful to inquire more diligently after it ; but this general truth sufficed, that God is the judge of the world. As wiien Enoch said, Jude 14., ' Behold, the Lord Cometh with ten thousands of his saints ;' and as David, Ps. Ixiv.. 2, 'Lift up thj'self, thou judge of the earth;' and Ps. 1. 6, 'God is judge himself ;' and in many other places. It was enough to under- stand it of one only and true God, without distinction of the persons ; but when that mystery was clearly manifested, then the question was necessar}^ which of the persons should be judge of the world ?
2. As there is an order among the persons of the blessed Tj'inity in the manner of subsisting, so there is also a certain order and economy according to which all their operations are produced and brought forth to the creatui-e ; according to which ordei- their power of judging fell partly to the Father, and partly to the Son.
[1.] In the business of redemption. The act of judging, which was to be exercised u]ion our surety, who was substituted in our room and place, and offered himself not only for our good, in honum nostrum, but loco ct vice nosfri,'to bear our punishment, and to procure favour to us; there the act of judging belongeth to the Father, to whom the satisfaction is tendered, 1 John ii. 1 ; the advocate is to plead before the judge. But —
[2.] As to the judgment to be exercised upon us, who either par- take of that salvation which was purchased by that surety, or have lost it by our negligence and unbelief; there the Son, or second person, is our judge. In the former, the Son could not be judge, because in a sense he made liimself a party for our good, and in our room and place ; and the same person cannot be both judge and party too ; give and take the satisfaction both ; that cannot be. Well, then, in this other judgment the Holy Ghost cannot be conveniently the judge ; for in this mystery he hath another part, function, and office prepared ; and being the third person in the order of subsisting, the Son was not to be passed over, but it fell to him.
[3.] In the Son there is a double relation or consideration — one as he is God, the other as he is mediator; the one natural and eternal, and shall endure for ever ; the other of mediator, which as he took upon himself in time, so in the consummation of time he shall at length lay aside : in this latter respect, as mediator, he is judge by deputation. The primitive sovereign and judge is God ; and the king and judge by derivation is Jesus Christ the mediator, in his manhood, united to the second person in the Godhead ; and so the judgment of the world is put upon him. In regard of the creatures, liis authority is absolute and su])reme, for there can be no appeal from his judgment; but in regard of God, it is deputed. He is ordained ; so it is said,
22 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR. XVIII.
Jolizi V. 27, ' The Father haili given him authority also to exercise judgment, ])ccause he is tlie Son of man.' He hath the power of life and death, to condemn and to absolve. So Acts x. 42, 'He is ordained of God to be the judge of the quick and the dead ;' and Acts xvii. 31, ' He hath a})pointed a day in which he will judge the world in right- eousness by that man whom he hath ordained.' In all which he acts as the Father's vicegerent ; and after he hath judged, * He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father,' 1 Cor. xv. 24. So that the light of Christ as mediator is not that which befalleth him imme- diately from the right of creation ; but is derivative, and subordinate to that kingdom which is essential to him, common to the Father, Son, and Spirit.