The criterion of judgment is often represented in the New Testament as the deeds of the earthly life (2 Cor. v. 10; cf. Matt. xvi. 27; Gal. vi. 7–8; Rev. xx. 12, 13). At first sight this seems to contradict the other teachings of the New Testament, according to which men are saved by the pure unmerited grace of God on the ground of Christ's redemptive work and not by the merit of their own works. But a closer examination of the passages shows that works are not made the ground of salvation, but only the evidence of the man's moral character and state; they include his faith or unbelief and his whole attitude toward God and Christ. This is beautifully brought out in the Saviour's vivid portraiture of the scenes of the last day (Matt. xxv. 31-46). Those who for Christ's sake have fed and clothed and visited and helped his brethren are adjudged to have done all this to Christ himself. Those who failed to do it are regarded as having rejected Christ. The question is not of merit, but of character and act and relation to Christ. The ground of acceptance is, of course, not the works as meritorious good works, but the grace of Christ to which these works are due, and of the presence of which they are the evidence.

The last judgment is, as we have seen, general rather than particular. It is not needful that we should regard it as a great pageant, ordered after the model of human tribunals and their processes. We should also bear in mind what has been said about the application of our common measures of time to the last day. The peculiarity of the general judgment is that it is open and public, so that its processes and its results are known to all souls in God's universe. It is intended not so much for the decision of destiny as for the manifestation of it. Its great object is to vindicate the righteousness of the divine government. as a government of grace through Jesus Christ. It will be the great Theodicée. Then will the dark things in God's government be made light. Then will the secret things

be revealed. It will be shown beyond a peradventure that in all things the Judge of all the earth has done right. From the nature of the case this could not be shown during the course of human history. The imputation of unrighteousness has often rested upon God. Even His own children have often cherished a secret mistrust that there might be some partiality or inequality in His ways. But now, in the final outcome of things, it will be shown that the scales of justice hang even. Even that

darkest and most inscrutable of all God's dealings, the final punishment of the ungodly, will be shown to be right. Even the wicked themselves will acknowledge it to be right, and go of their own accord, like Judas, to their own place. The devils will believe and tremble.

The revelations of individual human acts and character, which undoubtedly will be made in the last judgment, will not be arbitrary, but only such as will be needful to vindicate the righteousness of God's government. Hence it is not necessary to suppose that every trivial act will be exposed. The last judgment has often been presented in such a way as to render the thought of it shocking to every sensitive mind, as if then the universe was to be resolved into a great society for gossip and all unhallowed curiosity to be gratified. But God will not in the judgment forsake the infinite delicacy which belongs to Him as the Highest and the Holiest. We may be sure that where it is needful to raise the veil which covers the scars on His children's lives, He will do it with such tender love, that they will rejoice that they are able to give their testimony to His holy dealings; and where it is needful to expose the festering sin of the lost, it will be certainly done with infinite compassion. God will not taunt and expose to ridicule those whom He condemns.

With the last judgment the eternal age begins. It is the final scene in the long world age, the conclusion of human history in its earthly stage. It will be the con

verse over.

summation of the Saviour's glory. The kingdom of God will then be complete. All beings will be brought under the sway of God. The good will be triumphant the uniWhat evil remains will be brought into submission, absolute and final. In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. ii. 10, 11).

THE PRESENT DIRECTION OF THEOLOGICAL THOUGHT IN THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES OF THE UNITED STATES.

[A paper read before the International Congregational Council, in London, July 15, 1891.]