Abrahams Humble Intercession for Sodom, Commentary on Genesis 18 · Verse 25
Verſe 25. —Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Doct. VII. THat the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is the Judge of all the Earth. So he is ſtyled here in the Text.
For opening of which, let me ſhew,
1. How it does appear that he is the Judge. 2. In what reſpects he is the Judge of all the earth, as Abraham ſtyles him. 3. What manner of Judge he is. 4. Why he is ſuch a Judge. 5. The Ʋſes.
Q. 1. How does it appear that he is the Judge?
Anſ. 1. A Judge rides in Circuit, as it is ſaid of Samuel, 1 Sam. 7.16. and ſo other Judges do: So does the Lord Jeſus, he goes his Circuit, and judgeth in all places; there's no place on Earth or Sea, but he attends the Office of a Judge in it: even in this world he is judging ſome or other every day, and is going in Circuit all the world over. But this is not mainly nor principally intended, though not altogether excluded in this Title that Abraham gives unto the Lord: for Pſal. 94.2. the Pſalmiſt prayes, Lift up thy ſelf, thou Judge of the earth; render a reward to the proud: Even in this world he judgeth every where.
2. A Judge judgeth at the place of judgement: ſo does Chriſt, and that is in the Clouds, Mat. 26.64. there his Throne is to be expected, and it will be a glorious Throne, Mat. 25.31.
3. A Judge judgeth at the time appointed for judgement; ſo does Chriſt, Acts 17.31. and ſo Rom. 2.16. he ſpeaks of the day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt. Hence alſo it is that ſo frequent mention is made of the Day of Judgement, and the Laſt day, Joh. 12.48. and the judgement of the great day, Jude 6.
4. A Judge hears all Evidences, and judgeth according to them: ſo does Chriſt according to the evidence of mens Conſcience accuſing, or excuſing, Rom. 2.15, 16.
5. A Judge judgeth according to Law; ſo does Chriſt judge at the laſt day, according to the Law that he hath given, Rom. 2.16. Joh. 12.48. The word that I ſpeak to you ſhall judge you at the laſt day.
6. A Judge paſſeth Sentence of Abſolution and of Condemnation, according to the condition of the perſons that are judged: ſo does Chriſt, Mat. 25.34. & 41.
7. A Judge ſees to the putting of his Sentence in Execution: ſo does Chriſt, Mat. 25.46. Theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment, but the Righteous into life eternal.
Queſt. 2. In what reſpects is he the Judge of all the Earth?
Anſ. 1. In that all Nations of the Earth that ever were, are, or ſhall be, ſhall be gathered before him, Mat. 25.32. 2 Cor. 5.10.
2. In that all Souls and ranks of men upon the Earth, in what Age of the world ſoever they have lived, ſhall be judged by him; the greateſt Kings and Emperours of the Earth ſhall not eſcape, Rom. 14.10.
3. In that every particular man muſt give an account of himſelf to God, Rom. 14.12. which ſhews that he is the Judge of all the Earth, none are exempted.
4. In that all of each Sex ſhall come to judgement; the weaker Sex as well as the ſtronger, women as well as men: the word All comprehends them as well as others.
5. In that all of all Ages muſt ſtand before him, old and young, (children, youth, men of riper years) yea thoſe that ſtoop for age. This the word All holds out alſo, 2 Cor. 5.10. Eccleſ. 11.9.
6. In that all of all Callings muſt appear before him: Magiſtrates, Miniſters, Merchants, Tradeſmen, Marriners, Husbandmen, Lawyers; all of every Vocation, Occupation, and Calling to this or that Imployment, muſt ſtand before him. Paul told the Scholars at Athens that they muſt be judged, Acts 17.31.
7. In that all that live idlely without a Calling muſt appear. The Athenians and ſtrangers there, ſpent their time in hearing and telling ſome new thing, and in nothing elſe, Acts 17.21. and theſe Paul tells Chriſt will be Judge to, ver. 31. So all other idle perſons, that ſpend their time in gaming and other looſe walking, muſt come to judgement.
8. In that all of all conditions, good and had, the righteous and the wicked, muſt be judged by him, Eccleſ. 3.17.
9. In that all that have been corrupt Judges, and have paſſed unrighteous Sentences in Judgement-ſeats, muſt be judged by him; as Eccleſ. 3.16, 17. Judges on Earth muſt be judged another day, and if in the place of Righteouſneſs there hath been Wickedneſs, that will be reſerved for another hearing, where Bribes will take no place.
10. In that all the neareſt and deareſt Relations muſt compeer before him; Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Miniſters and People, Maſters and Servants, Tutors and Pupils, and whatever other Relations can be named, all muſt have Him to be their Judge: So that Abraham might well ſtyle him The Judge of all the Earth.
Queſt. 3. What manner of Judge is he?
Anſ. 1. A Righteous Judge, 2 Tim. 4.8. hence Acts 17.31. He ſhall judge the world in Righteouſneſs.
2. A Dreadful Judge to his enemies, Luke 19.27. He will ſpeak dreadfully, look dreadfully, deal dreadfully with them, Mat. 25.41.
3. A Comfortable Judge to his friends, to thoſe he is a Friend and Saviour to, Mat. 25.34.
4. A Wiſe Judge: There are ſome wiſe Judges upon earth, but none like him. Solomon was a wiſe Judge, 1 Kings 3.24-27. but none like him for wiſdome, that ſtyles himſelf Greater then Solomon.
5. An Ʋnerring Judge: Other Judges may erre upon their Seats of Juſtice, but there is no errour in him, no obliquity, no iniquity with the Lord, no accepting of perſons, nor taking of gifts, 2 Chron. 19.7. Bribes may blinde men, and lead them out of the way of righteouſneſs, but God regards not gifts, he cannot be blinded by them, though men may. He cannot erre in judgement.
6. A Pitiful Judge: Some Judges on Earth have been ſo pitiful, as that they never condemned any, but they have wept over them; but no Judge on earth like him for pity. See how he wept over Jeruſalem, when he foreſaw her judgement afar off, Luke 13.34.
7. A Royal Judge, ſuch a Judge as is a King, Mat. 25.34. Other Judges may be great men, but they are not Kings; but he is a King ſitting in judgement.
8. An All-ſeeing Judge, that knows all hearts, Rev. 2.23. and therefore cannot be deceived with vain pretexts, and put off with excuſes that have nothing in them.
9. A Patient Judge, that will hold on judging till the work be ended. Hence the day of Judgement is called The great day; as in other reſpects, ſo in regard of the length of it, as Junius obſerves: which holds out the Judge's patience in ſeeing all done before he end the work.
Queſt. 4. Why is he the Judge of all the Earth?
Anſ. 1. From the Father, who 1. hath deſigned him to this work, Acts 17.31. 2. Knows when it will be, Mat. 24.36. 3. Hath committed all judgement to him, Joh. 5.22. 4. Aims at the honour of the Son in ſo doing, ver. 23.
2. From Chriſt himſelf. 1. He hath ſuffered, and is therefore thus honoured, Phil. 2.8, 9.2. He had the promiſe of this made to him long before he ſuffered, Iſa. 53.11, 12.
3. He is the one Law-giver, and therefore the whole Scripture is called The word of Chriſt, Col. 3.16. and being the Law-giver, it's meet he ſhould be Judge alſo.
4. He is our Advocate with the Father, and is called Jeſus Chriſt the Righteous, 1 Joh. 2.1. and the more righteous he is, the fitter he is to be the Judge.
Obj. But how did Abraham know him to be the Judge of all the Earth, ſo long before his Incarnation?
Anſ. 1. Why not as well as Enoch, that was long before him? Jude ver. 14, 15.
2. Abraham was called the friend of God, Jam. 2.23. and had it revealed to him, as we reveal much to friends.
3. The Lord knew not how to hide other ſecrets from him, Gen. 18.17. and therefore not this.
4. Abraham was an heavenly-minded man, Heb. 11.10. that had in his eye a bleſſed ſtate of glory, and could not but know that there was a judgement to come, and that He it was that was the Judge of all the Earth.
Ʋſe 1. for Information. 1. We ſee the great dignity that the Lord Chriſt is exalted to after his deep humiliation; He is the Judge of all the Earth, the Father highly honours him. After ſufferings comes the greateſt dignity, they uſher in glory, Luke 24.26. the Father as a reward of his deep abaſement, advanceth him to this height of honour, to be Judge of all the Earth.
2. We ſee that all the Earth had need ſtand in awe of him, for he is the Judge of all the earth; eſpecially all wicked ones of the earth. Guilty Malefactors fear their Judge; ſo ſhould all the guilty ones of the earth fear this great Judge, and not onelyonly they, but others alſo, that expect favour from him, Pſal. 4.4.
3. We ſee that the greateſt Kings and Judges of the Earth had need be wiſe, and ſubmit themſelves to him that is the Judge of all the Earth, Pſal. 2.10, 11, 12. for he will one day call them to an account, and they muſt ſtand before the Judge of all the Earth: He reſpecteth not the perſon of Princes, but will call them to the Barre of his Tribunal, as well as other men. They are all the work of his hands, and he will be a Judge to them all: He will make no difference between Silks and Leather, between Cloth of Gold and the vileſt Raiment. Men may make difference between great ones and others, but the Judge of all the Earth cannot, will not: they muſt bow the knee to him, as well as other ſtoop to him, kiſs him, and make obeiſance to him.
4. We ſee that the Patriarks of old did not onelyonly know that there was to be a day of judgement, but had ſerious thoughts and meditations of it, and knew who the Judge of all the Earth was. Thus Abraham, and Enoch the ſeventh from Adam, even in the beginning of the world prophecieth of the End of the world, and of the Day of Judgement, Jude ver. 14, 15. and if they had ſuch ſerious thoughts of that day, how much more ſhould we, upon whom the ends of the world are come? We are upon the laſt hour, as John calls it 1 Joh. 2.18. and therefore our thoughts, and looks, and longings, and breathings ſhould be after that, and we ſhould meditate much of this Judge's coming. They that have but a ſhort time to think of a ſerious matter, had need to think intenſely and ſeriouſly of it: ſo we of the Judges coming.
5. We ſee what preparation we ſhould all make to meet the Judge at his coming. There is great preparation for the coming of other Judges at the Aſſize; Oh how then ſhould we prepare for his coming who is Judge of all the Earth? eſpecially conſidering that the time is ſhort that is allotted to us. They that have a great work to do, and a very little time to do it in, had need beſtirre themſelves: ſo had we in this ſolemn work of fitting our ſelves for the coming of this great Judge; we ſhould not let him finde us without our dreſs, but be in readineſs, Mat. 24.44. A Spouſe prepares for her Husbands coming; ſo ſhould we for Chriſts coming.
6. We ſee that all the Earth have need to make Supplication to their Judge. All ſorts and ranks of men upon earth had need deſire, and earneſtly intreat that he may be a merciful Judge to them; and in this day of grace, that they may find grace in his ſight. There are thoſe that at the Aſſize will ſupplicate the Judge; and earneſtly cry, Good my Lord, Good my Lord ſhew mercy to a poor Priſoner; but they ſpeak too late: So at the laſt day there will be thoſe that will ſay, Lord, Lord, and intreat for mercy, Mat. 7.21, 22, 23. but the time is paſt, they come too late, and ſo finde no favour. That that we muſt do in this kinde, muſt be done while the day of grace laſts, as it is 2 Cor. 6.2. Heb. 3.7. If the door be ſhut, if the date be out, it is not Lord, Lord, open unto us, that will ſerve the turn.
Ʋſe 2. for Terrour to all the Earth, that have no intereſt in this Judge, that do nothing but provoke this Judge, and caſt reproach upon him, how will they do to ſtand before him in the great day of his appearing? If Malefactors ſhould rail upon an earthly Judge, and caſt dirt and diſhonour upon him, could ſuch expect any favour? How then can it be that they ſhould finde any favour that rail upon the Judge of all the Earth, and throw dirt and diſhonour upon this glorious and dreadful One?
Ʋſe 3. for Humiliation to the Saints, that are too inordinately afraid of the day of Judgement: why ſhould they, when their Redeemer is to be their Judge? He that hath bought them with his Blood, and paid ſuch a Ranſome for them, will not caſt them away, that he hath paid ſo dearly for.
Ʋſe 4. for Exhortation: 1. To honour this Judge, and let all the Earth do it. Other Judges are honourable, and have honour put upon them; Oh how much more then ſhould he?
2. To tremble to ſin againſt him. Who would provoke and exaſperate him that is to be his Judge? let all the Earth then fear before him.
3. To ſue for grace at the Throne of Grace in the day of grace, that this Judge may be a Friend to us in the day of Judgement. What ſuits are made to Earthly Judges? Oh how much more to him?
4. To plead with him to do right; as in the Text. [But of that more in the next Note.]
5. To us Miniſters, to preach the Word, to be inſtant in ſeaſon, out of ſeaſon, as ever we will anſwer it at the great day of his appearing, 2 Tim. 4.1, 2.
6. To pray alwayes, that we may eſcape the Judges ſeverity at the laſt day, Luke 21.36.
Ʋſe 5. for Conſolation: 1. To thoſe that he is a Redeemer to, this Judge will acquit them.
2. That he will take all unrighteous to do, that have perverted juſtice.
3. That all the wicked of the earth ſhalll be judged.
4. That all the righteous ſhall be delivered.