judgment to the Son*:") that, at a period fixed in the Divine counsels, " he will come in his own glory, and in the glory of his Father, with myriads of his holy angels," and will sit upon the throne of his glory ; and that " before him shall be gathered all nations'5:" that "the books," in which the trans- actions of the whole human race are recorded, " shall be opened," and " every one be judged according to his works0 :" that, for this end, " all who were in their graves shall come forth" in their own proper bodies ; " some to a resurrection of life, others to a resurrection of damnation d."]
Of this God has assured us, with a most solemn
oath —
[The Apostle quotes a passage from the prophecies of Isaiah. This passage speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostle tells us, and as the whole context in the prophet clearly shews. The person spoken of in that passage is He to whom we are to " look for salvation ;" He " in whom alone a sinner can have either righteousness or strength ;" and " in whom all the seed of Israel must be justified, and shall glory e." To him shall all submit, either voluntarily in this present life, or involuntarily at that great and awful day. His dominion shall extend over all. But many resist it now : and therefore there must be a day when they shall be able to resist it no longer ; and when those who would not bow to the sceptre of his grace " shall be broken in pieces by him, as a potter's vessel, with a rod of ironf." This has God declared with an oath. And here I cannot but notice how clearly and indis- putably this passage declares the Godhead of Christ. Agiiin and again does the prophet proclaim the proper Deity of the person of whom he is speaking: — " Look unto me, and be ye saved ! for I am God ; and there is none else. I have sivorn by myself, the word is gone forth in righteousness, and shall not return, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely shall one say, In the Lord (Jehovah) have I righteousness and strength ; unto him shall men come ; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." Let these expressions be compared with the application made of them in my text, and it is impossible to avoid the conclusion, that Christ is God; and no subordinate kind of Deity, but " God over all, blessed for evermore." Hear then Almighty God pledying his own life and immortal perfections, that such a day shall arrive, and that such shall be the issue of it ; every creature that has ever existed being summoned before the
a John v. 22. b Matt. xxv. 31, .32. c Rev. xx. 11—15.
<! John v. 28, 29. e Isai. xlv. 22—25. f Rev. ii. 27.