“cause he is also the Son of man, so that he may be "seen by the wicked."* x. Christ will exercise judgment according to both natures: the Divine nature displaying infinite majesty, knowledge, and power; the Human, performing the acts of judgment in a visible and audible manner. XI. Christ will accomplish this work, not by a borrowed and delegated authority, as if he were the mere officer and interpreter of another; but by an authority belonging to himself, supreme, and independent. He doth all things indeed, as we have shown in the eighth Section, in the name of the Father; partly because he is the Son, and doth not work but from the Father, and principally because he has undertaken the discharge of the mediatorial office according to the united counsel of the Trinity-a counsel which has its origin from the Father, as the first person. Yet since the will, as well as the Deity of Christ, is the same with that of the Father, whatever Christ doth in the exercise of his office, is done also by his own authority, namely, that divine and supreme authority which he possesses in common with the Father. And certainly the work of which we now treat, implies or supposes Divine majesty; and can be performed by none that is not God. The inalienable glory of God is, without doubt, asserted in the following words in Isaiah: "I have sworn by myself; the word is gone "out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not re"turn; that unto me every knee shall bow, every "tongue shall swear." But in the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle applies these words to Christ, and to the judgment which Christ is to administer. "The * Lib. i. de Trinit. cap. 13. k Is. xlv. 23. 1 Rom. xiv. 10, 11. 66 Son of man is to judge," says Augustine, " yet not by human authority, but by that of which he is pos"sessed as the Son of God." And again, "The Son "of God is to judge, not however appearing in that "form which belongs to him as God, equal to the Fa"ther; but in that which belongs to him as the Son "of man." XII. The GLORY of Christ when he comes to judgment, will be transcendantly great. It was great when he promulgated the law on mount Sinai.m But it will be greater, when he appears to judge according to that law. "Whose voice then shook the earth; but now " he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not "the earth only, but also heaven.” n 46 XIII. This glory consists, First, In the splendour of the Divine Majesty, shining forth with the brightest effulgence even in the human nature. "When the Son -- then shall he sit "o And that none may "of man shall come in his glory, upon the throne of his glory." imagine that his glory is inferior to that which is Divine and infinite, it is affirmed that Christ "shall come in "the glory of his Father." Not as if this glory were not his own, and were borrowed by him for a time from the Father; but it is a glory, which, owing to his having the same essence, he possesses in common with the Father, not thinking it robbery to be equal with God. Hence it is called his own glory and the Father's; that is, the Father's glory, so that it is his Ubi supra. m Exod. xix. Deut. xxxiii. 2. n Heb. xii. 26. Mat. xvi. 27. Mark viii. 38. • Mat. xxv. 31. 4 Δόξα αυτα και το Πατρὸς, Luke ix. 26. own also by an equal right. But that Divine glory "is to be revealed," in the body which he has assumed; for it will be seen by every eye. "Hereafter shall 66 66 ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." “All "the tribes of the earth -- shall see the Son of man "coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." 66 XIV. Secondly, In the magnificence of the voice and trumpet, which will accompany his advent. his advent. "For the "Lord himself shall descend from heaven WITH A "SHOUT,""-by which he will at once command and oblige the living to attend, and prepare himself for the judgment.-WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, that is, with an energy enforcing his command, by which he will show himself to be the Prince of Angels, and bring Angels as his retinue. The Scripture speaks of no more than one Archangel; who is Christ," the Messenger, the Angel, the Lord;"v" the "Head of all principality and power;"w" by whom Angels were created;" of whom it is said, "Let all "the Angels of God worship him ;" and to whom, in fine, “ Angels, and authorities, and powers, are made "subject."z 47-WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD; by which, as God, he will raise the dead. a 66 XV. This Trump is mentioned also in other passages. What we are to understand by it, is explained in different ways by men of profound erudition. Some view it in a proper and literal sense; in support of which they assign the following reasons. 1. We ought not to depart from the literal meaning without necessity. 2. The noise of a trumpet sounding "exceeding "loud" was heard at the promulgation of the law.c Why may we not suppose that the same circumstance is to take place, when judgment is to be passed according to the law? 3. The sound of the trumpet, agreeably to the Divine command, was heard at the destruction of Jericho.d From this it is inferred as not improbable, that the same thing will happen, when the Jericho of this world shall be overthrown. Others are inclined to consider the expression metaphorical; while, however, they expound the figure variously. Some understand it of thunders, such as those heard when God speaks in the audience of a multitude; others, of an articulate voice to be formed by Angels in the air, re-, sembling that which we have in the parable of the virgins; "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to "meet him."f To us it appears most simple and most consonant to the style of holy writ, to understand this expression of the command of Christ, which will be most efficacious, pervading all, and displaying its energy in all. In the book of Revelation, a manifestation of the Divine attributes in works of judgment, to which men are obliged to attend with astonishment, is designated by the sound of a trumpet. Now the command of Christ is compared to a trumpet: 1. Because, as the sound of a trumpet, when blown by a powerful breath, is re Exod. xix. 16. • Exod. xix. 16. John xii. 29. d Josh. vi. 5. f Mat. xxv. 6. markably loud, so this command of our Lord will exert its efficacy far and wide, penetrating not merely through the whole extent of the world, but even to the receptacles of the dead, and the most inaccessible caverns of the grave. Hence, too, it is termed "the sound of a "great trumpet." 2. Because the whole assembly of Israel were accustomed to be called together by a trumpet; and all the inhabitants of the earth shall then be summoned. 3. Festival days also were proclaimed by a trumpet ; and this will be an exceedingly joyful festival to the whole Church. XVI. Thirdly, This glory of Christ will also include a numerous train of Angels. Accordingly, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, " Behold "the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints;"i and Paul speaks of the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven" with his mighty Angels." That this illustrious retinue which shall surround our Lord, consisting of so many attendants of the heavenly court, will signally contribute to his glory, who can doubt? Our Lord himself, at least, would have us to think so. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and "all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon "the throne of his glory."k "The Son of man shall "come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."1 66 XVII. But they will also perform other services to Christ. 1st, In gathering together those that are to be judged. "He shall send his angels with a great "sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together 8 Num. x. 1, 2. h Lev. xxiii. 24. i 2 Thes. i. 7. 1 Luke ix. 26. Num. x. 10. |