different men, whether in God's providence or by his grace. Every good thing, and every capacity to do good and to receive good, is from God as a free gift bestowed of his own will, and by his absolute choice and every person, whatever be the station assigned to him in the future arrangement of the world, is foreknown and appointed to his place by God. (James i. 17. Rom. ix. 14-21; viii. 28-30.

2. Jesus calls the persons placed on the right hand "blessed of his Father (verse 34), and afterwards "righteous." (verses 37, 46.) We are apt to suppose, that these words can apply only to the glorified saints, who were converted under the Gospel through faith. Such are indeed blessed, and made righteous before God by their faith. But the word blessed is used to express many different degrees and kinds of blessedness (Mark x. 16. Luke i. 28, 42. Heb. vi. 7, 14; xi. 20, 21; xii. 17) and the great mercy to a heathen, of being chosen from amongst his fellows to have something of the image of God restored to him, may well entitle him to be called blessed of the Father. That Jesus should call these persons "righteous," proves too that his own righteousness will be made available to them, though we are not informed by what means it will be applied: it is enough for us that the Saviour himself calls them so. We are distinctly told, that no child of Adam since the fall is righteous of himself. (Rom. iii. 10. Psalm xiv; liii.) We know, that the only son of man excepted is He who is also the Son of God; and that it is only through His righteousness, that any one can be accounted righteous before God. We know, that in the present dispensation none can

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have the benefit of this righteousness except those who, being drawn by the Holy Spirit, are justified (considered righteous before God) through faith in Him (Rom. iv; v. 1): but all, who are so justified and drawn by the Father, are to be raised up at Christ's appearing, to sit with him on his throne, judging the world. And when the number of the glorified saints shall have been accomplished, it is another question altogether, how the all-sufficient righteousness of Christ may afterwards be applied to the heathen, The Jews who will be at Jerusalem, in the day when the Lord Jesus shall come to the Mount of Olives with all his saints, shall suddenly receive the spirit of grace and of supplications, and shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and mourn. (Zech. xii. 10; xiv. 4, 5.) Their conversion will thus take place through sight; not through the faith of the glorified saints, and after the accomplishment of their number: yet, when Judah shall be thus saved, and Israel dwell safely, they shall call the Branch of David "the Lord their righteousness." (Jer. xxiii. 5, 6.) And the saving application to them of this precious righteousness, being different from its application to the saints of the present dispensation, should teach us to receive with more humility of faith our Lord's declaration here that the individuals chosen to be placed on the right hand, in this judgment upon "all nations," are accounted by him to be "righteous."

3. But these righteous Gentiles are called to inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. It has been taken for granted by many persons, that the "kingdom" here spoken of, is the same kingdom prepared for the

elect saints, who are "made kings and priests unto God," and are to "reign on the earth." (Rev. v. 10.) Our Lord however, sitting on the throne with these saints, and speaking to some persons selected out of "all nations" then before him, says that it is a kingdom especially prepared for them from the time of the creation of the earth. When a similar expression is used with reference to the saints, their election is said to have taken place before the foundation of the world. (Eph. i. 4.) Upon referring to the account of the creation, we find that a particular "dominion" was assigned to Adam (Gen. i. 26–28.)—a dominion over the earth, and all beings and things upon it. Adam forfeited his claim to this kingdom: he was punished with a curse upon the earth, making it bring forth thorns and thistles, and forcing him to labour with the sweat of his brow, in order to obtain food; and with a curse upon the animals, many of which became savage and inclined to destroy man, though they were originally placed under his dominion. (Gen. iii. 17—19.) Thus Adam lost his kingdom, both for himself and his posterity; both he and they became the subjects of Satan; who thus gained possession of the kingdom prepared for man, and became "the prince of this world." (Eph. ii. 3; vi. 12. John xiv. 30; xvi. 11.) The remembrance of this prepared dominion is kept up in the Scriptures, particularly in Psalm viii.; and the Apostle quotes this Psalm, to prove that the earth, in its future state, is not to be subjected to angels, but to men. (Heb, ii. 5.) At no time yet (as the Apostle argues, verse 8) has this intended dominion been exercised by the children of Adam: but when the Lord Jesus shall

come in his glory, and prepare to remove the curse from the earth by binding the devil who had usurped the power,-then we find him selecting a number of persons out of "all nations," to "inherit the kingdom" which was intended at the creation for the children of Adam, and after its forfeiture was kept and prepared for those very persons, then called to the inheritance-the first generation of men so called, ever since their father fell into sin.

4. The Lord proceeds to give a reason for having selected those particular persons, whom he places on his right hand: and it should be observed he does not state this to be the reason, as if it were the only one; but he declares a reason, one out of many it may be-enough however, if he has not been pleased to give more. It is as when, in the Pharisee's house, he spoke of the good deeds of the penitent woman; who (he said) shewed thereby that she loved much, and that her sins were forgiven (Luke vii. 36-50): and the same principle guides him in rewarding the saints, as described in the parables of the pounds and of the talents. The persons of true christians are chosen to eternal life,-called, justified, and glorified, by God's free grace (Rom. viii. 28-30): yet the works they have done, by the power of the Holy Spirit working in them to will and to do of his good pleasure (Phil. ii. 13.), are brought forward in those parables, as reasons for which the Lord will say, "thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." (Matt. xxv. 21, Luke xix. 17.) There is therefore no difficulty in understanding the Saviour as

acting upon the same principle in this gracious reward to the chosen ones out of "all nations."

5. Furthermore we should attentively consider the reply made by the persons who are judged, and our Lord's mode of treating that reply. They who suppose that this is an account of the last general judgment (one that includes a judgment on all christians, as well as others of all generations, raised from the grave for the purpose), attribute the answer made by "the righteous" to the humility of true christians; who cannot allow themselves to be considered as deserving on account of charitable offices done to others. But their question evidently implies surprize and ignorance; they ask as to the time. "when" they could have assisted the great and glorious Person, before whom they then stand. And that this is the feeling which prompts their inquiry is further shewn by the fact, that the Judge's answer informs their ignorance, rather than satisfies their humility.

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Jesus has fully explained in his Gospel the doctrine, that he considers every act, whether of kindness or unkindness, done to one of the little ones that believe in him," as done unto himself, and that he will recompense accordingly. There can scarcely be a child properly educated in a christian country, who is not acquainted with this doctrine; certainly no one, who is admitted to partake of the glory of Christ, will be ignorant of it. Surely without a very loose habit of interpreting Scripture language, we should never have thought that the words employed upon this occasion could properly belong to true christians, converted under the knowledge of the Gospel.