iii. 13-15. _The Lord standeth up to plead, &c._
I. THE PLEADER WHO HERE PRESENTS HIMSELF. Note +1. His majesty.+ The
ancient idea of an advocate was that of a venerable person who would
be heard for his own sake, and who would therefore be able to secure
for the cause of his clients an attention that would not otherwise be
accorded to it. The ideal of a pleader was that of a person noble in
birth and blameless in character. To a considerable extent this ideal
has been preserved in our English courts of law. A barrister must be
a gentleman (at least in this sense, that he has never earned his
bread by manual labour), and of good repute as a man of honour.
Certain barristers have established such a reputation, not only for
ability and learning, but also for character, and are always listened
to with respect; happy therefore is the suitor who is able to secure
their advocacy. But this Pleader--how august and venerable is He! How
infatuated are those who do not stand prepared to listen carefully
and respectfully to whatever He may advance! +2. His benevolence.+
The ancient idea of a pleader was again that of a person who
undertook to advocate the cause of another out of a sense of justice
and compassion. Advocacy was esteemed too sacred a thing to be
purchased with money. In the course of time the practice sprang up of
rewarding the exertions of an advocate by an _honorarium;_ but the
distinction that still exists between a barrister and an attorney,
shows us what the ancient idea of the advocate was. In God this idea
is perfectly fulfilled. Without fee or reward, out of pure compassion
and justice, He has become "counsel" for the poor and oppressed. Of
this fact there is abundant evidence in Scripture, and surely it
should kindle within us admiration and love. We justly venerate
Howard, Clarkson, Wilberforce--shall we not still more greatly honour
God, who stoops to regard them that are of low degree, and becomes
the advocate of those who have no other friend? +3. His earnestness.+
The advocate is supposed to make the cause of his client for the time
being his own. Often the supposition is realised in a remarkable
degree. But in God it is perfectly realised. The oppressed for whom
He pleads He speaks of, not merely as "_these_ people," but as "_my_
people." In all their afflictions He is afflicted. However frequently
men may forget it, He reminds that He is the Father of all mankind,
and the wrongs of His children He feels to be His wrongs; the feebler
they are, the less able they are to defend themselves, the more do
their wrongs wound Him, and provoke Him to anger--_This_ is the
Advocate who stands up to plead for the oppressed. Will the
oppressors be so infatuated as to turn a deaf ear to His pleading?
Let those who are tempted to do so pause, and consider
II. THAT HE WHO NOW PLEADS BEFORE THEM WILL BE THEIR JUDGE. An
astonishing reversal of circumstances is about to take place: the
Advocate is about to ascend the judicial bench, and those before whom
He pleads are about to stand at His bar. He has announced beforehand
the principles upon which then He will proceed. +1. He will have no
regard to rank.+ He will "enter into judgment with the ancients and
princes." In many countries, great criminals have been able to defy
the judge; but none shall be able to defy this Judge.[1] +2. He will
pronounce mere indifference to want and suffering a crime+ (Matt.
xxv. 42-45). +3. Those who have inflicted suffering He will judge
upon the strict rule of retribution, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for
a tooth"+ (James ii. 13).
By these truths let us be guided in our use of whatever power over
others that may have been entrusted to us. Let us hear God
proclaiming that the poor are _His_ people, and let us so comport
ourselves towards them, that in the end we may come to know the
fulness of the meaning of the Master's declaration, that "_blessed_
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."