"into things which he hath not seen," the person who is the object of his gratuitous censure-asserting his independence as a man, and his liberty as "the Lord's free man," may boldly turn and, ask, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man's judgment; he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts;" and then shall every man have praise or condemnation from the Son of Man.

Now this consideration, namely, that Christ is supreme judge in the Church, while it is doubtless a very serious and solemn thought, is nevertheless fitted to impart strong consolation to a Christian when he is exposed to the shafts of malignant and unmerited reproach. Withdrawing himself from the cruel strife of slanderous tongues, he can 66 enter into his chamber, and shut his doors about him," and there make his humble but confident appeal to his gracious Master. Let fellow-worms in their ignorant presumption censure and condemn, but there is one whose judgment is according to truth, and on his sympathizing tenderness he may ever rely, so long as conscience, enlightened by the word of God, assures him he is in the path of truth and of duty. It is the Son of Man, his faithful high priest, his compassionate Redeemer, his indulgent and merciful judge. He knoweth his frame, and he knoweth his way; he can bear with his infirmities-he can

make allowance for his shortcomings-he can appreciate his motives-he can discern all his perplexities→ he can weigh all his difficulties-he can enter into all his feelings; and with support like this, a man may cast the rash judgments of open enemies or pretended friends to the winds. Committing himself unto Him who judg eth righteously, He shall bring forth his righteousness as the light, and his judgment as the noon day.

3. The Father hath given to the Son judicial authority in heaven, as well as on earth. He is the supreme legislator and administrator of law there also, according to his own declaration, "All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth." This includes that peculiar dominion which it is given to Christ to exercise over angels. Respecting those high and happy intelligences, the Bible affords us little more information than what is necessary to shew the connexion they have with man and man's redemption. This much, however, seems to be revealed regarding their destiny, namely that they were created mutable and falliblethat many of their number have actually fallen never more to rise and that for aught we know, this might, in the course of ages, have happened to more of the angelic family, had it not been for the interposition of Christ in behalf of the fallen race of man. And then opens up to our view that vast and sublime scheme of divine wisdom, by which not only are sinful believing men reconciled to God, but holy angels are reconciled to holy men, and the permanent stability of both in holiness and happiness is for ever secured in Christ, their common and ever-living Head. For this end, the

upon his own absolute Thus he becomes the

"elect angels" are brought into the Church-are made to constitute part of the body, "the fulness" of Christ, and He rules over them in love; he enhances their felicity, by connecting them with his redeemed, and renders it now certain and everlasting, by making it no longer dependent upon themselves, but purpose and almighty power. medium of re-union and of communion, not only between the angels and saints in heaven, but between angels and saints on earth. As there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over every repenting sinner, and they are all ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, so through Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, the citizens of Zion are already come, not only to the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven, but to "an innumerable company of angels." He is the mystic ladder seen by Jacob, reaching down from heaven to earth and up from earth to heaven, and according to his own prediction, we now see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. Thus it is that unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places is made known-not by creation and its wonders, not by providence and its mysteries, but by the Church-that is, by redemption and its glories—the manifold wisdom of God. Thus in the dispensation of the fulness of time, God gathers together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. Thus, as it was by him and for him that all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible

and invisible, whether they he thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers; so it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell, and (having made peace through the blood of his cross,)-by him to reconcile all things unto himself-by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. And therefore hath he set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, his fulness-that which he fills, and enriches, and beautifies-even the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Let us fix our adoring regards upon this King of saints and angels, this King of glory. Does purity, harmony, love, prevail through all that happy region? Does joy unspeakable bound in every heart? Does bliss unutterable swell every bosom with rapture? Is their peace as a river, and their righteousness as the waves of the sea? All these things are but the results of His administration, of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice even for ever. No sinner can hope to enter heaven but through Christ's permission, and by Christ's appointment. How important, then, how necessary to our happiness, that we should now endeavour to secure Christ as our friend, if we would at last join the glorified multitude of many angels and saints who sing: "Worthy is the Lamb that

was slain, to receive power and riches, and wisdom and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."

4. The Father hath committed to the Son judicial authority in hell-the world of penal misery. No scheme of law can long exist, no system of government can be carried on, without appropriate punishments for rebellion and crime. And since it is a lamentable truth, that in the moral world of God's creation, many of the rational and accountable beings, who, according to the constitution of their high nature were left to the freedom of their own will, nevertheless persist in choosing the paths of disobedience and impenitence even to the end-there remains for them, as criminals, nothing but the certain fearful looking for of judgment and of fiery indignation, which shall devour God's adversaries. Yea, that judgment has already commenced-that flame of indignation has already burst forth-and a place of torment "of fiery burning sulphur unconsumed," has, according to the righteous ordination of a righteous God, been appointed for apostate angels and ungodly men. "Tophet is ordained of old. Yea, for sinners is it prepared; he hath made it deep and large; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of Jehovah as a stream of brimstone doth kindle it." If there be truth in the Bible, it is at this moment blazing in inconceivable fury, with the flame that is unquenchable.

Ye scoffers at the promises and threatenings of the Bible! say not in your hearts, "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." Know that whatever may be the aspect of the fu