body, and perfectly of one heart and mind. Nor will there be so much as one hypocrite found amongst them : the tares which now grow among the wheat will all be plucked up : the wolves in sheep's clothing will all be detected ; and the whole collective mass be holy, even as God himself is holy. Then also will all the wicked be standing in one vast congregation together. Those who had mixed themselves with the saints on earth will have the mask taken away, and be made to appear in all their natural deformity : and those trembling saints who were wont to number themselves amongst them, will have had their integrity cleared, and their doubts removed : and all, whether righteous or wicked, will take their proper place, ac- cording as the evidence, adduced before their Judge, attested or disproved their piety.]
The trial closed, the Judge will proceed imme- diately to,
III. The sentence —
He will first address himself to those on his right hand —
[Among the reasons which might be assigned for his first pronouncing sentence on the righteous, the principal seems to be, that they are to be his assessors in judgment, and to confii-m the sentence which he will pronounce upon the ungodly '. But from the moment of their separation, what joy will fill every breast ! What mutual congratulations will resound on every side ! How delightful will be their anticipation of the felicity that awaits them ! What smiles too will beam forth in the countenance of their Judge, when he shall turn towards them !
In his address to them, though he mentions their good works, in order to manifest the equity of his procedure, yet he traces up all their blessedness to the sovereign grace of him, who had loved them " from before the foundation of the world." It was the Father who had chosen them from all eternity'", who had sent them a Saviour; who in due time had called them by his grace ; and who was the true source of all the blessings they enjoyed °. Hence he calls them, "Ye blessed of my Father." In bidding them to take possession of " the kingdom prepared for them," he marks very strongly the same idea: for he tells them to "inherit" it: by which he clearly intimates, that it was neither earned nor purchased by them, but attained through their adoption into God's family, and their consequent regeneration by the Spirit of grace.
Surely the sound of these gracious words must pour all heaven into the souls of all to whom they are addressed.]
1 Matt, xix, 28. •" Eph. i. 4. " Jam. i. 17.