of revelation, we see the perjured, the profane swearer, the liar, the sabbath-breaker, and all the various tribes of the profligate-there will be found all hypocrites and unbelievers-there will be the families that call not upon God-in fact, there will be all the wicked who ever have lived upon the face of the earth, who have died without repentance for their sins and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for their remission there all the impenitent, the unbelieving, and the unregenerate, will be gathered together into one miserable assembly, who will "call on the mountains and the rocks to fall on them, and to hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb." But let us turn away our eyes from this fearful picture, and look upon those whom the judge will set at his right hand. There we see the glorious company of the redeemed and sanctified, shining as the stars of heaven. There we behold the multitude of the elect, whom no man can number, gathered out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. Among these will not be found one ungodly, impenitent, unregenerate character. The assembly will consist of all who have felt the burthen of sin and mourned over it, and "who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them in the gospel." They have been united to the Saviour-their sins have been washed away in his blood; they have been covered with his righteousness; they have been born again of his spirit. May the God of mercy grant, my brethren, that we may meet together in this state

at the right hand of Jesus, that we may behold his glory and stand accepted in his judgment.

2. We proceed now to the consideration of the last part of the subject, namely, the proceedings that will take place in relation to those who are to be judged. And here it may be proper to mention four partithe causes to be tried; the rule of judgment; the witnesses to the facts; and the sentences to be pronounced on the acquitted and the condemned.

culars

(1.) With reference to the causes to be tried, we remark, that all men will be judged for what they have been, and what they have done, in the body.

In the day of judgment, men's states will be tried as well as their actions. All men are either in a state of nature or in a state of grace. We are all by nature children of wrath, and the heirs of perdition. But perhaps it may render the subject more plain, to consider the judge as trying men for their actions. In this point of view it may be remarked, that nothing that has been done in this world will be buried in oblivion. God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ; and the judge being omniscient, will bring to light all the hidden things of darkness. be tried and judged according to their works: “for God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." All the deeds done in the body, with all the circumstances relating to them, will be placed in a true light by the omniscient judge. But when it is said that men shall be judged according to their works, this includes likewise their words and their

Men will

the means, of salvation? Are we prepared to answer these questions satisfactorily to our conscience? Alas, we have all fallen short of fulfilling the infinitely momentous duties belonging to our high and holy office! O let us, my beloved brethren, apply to that atoning blood of Jesus, to which we direct our hearers for the remission of their guilt! Let us look to the Saviour, our exalted Lord and Master, for grace to exercise increased activity and diligence in the great work in which he is employing us. Oh! that he would quicken our zeal and our love, that we may prosecute our high and holy employment with renewed vigour and delight; that so we may look forward to that great day, when we shall stand in his presence, in the delightful hope and expectation of receiving his plaudit, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

"Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." Those who are faithful now, shall then receive the blessing of the Lord. When Jesus, "the Chief Shepherd shall appear, they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." Such will be the final destiny and reward of all the faithful ministers of Christ. Nor shall they now be left without assistance and support in the prosecution of their arduous work. Occasional trials, difficulties, and discouragements, they must expect to be exercised with. But they are not left to main

THE GENERAL JUDGMENT:

and, before it be too late, flee for refuge to Him who can "blot out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions; and, as a cloud your sins.' When we reflect upon the numerous sins we have committed against God and our fellow-creatures, in thought, word and deed; when we consider the numberless duties we have omitted-the ordinances and the means of grace we have neglected, or by which we have not profited as we ought; the talents we have not properly husbanded; the dispensations of Providence we have not rightly improved; and all our multiplied transgressions-alas! how could we endure the severity of God's judgment, if he were to "deal with us according to our sins, or reward us according to our iniquities?" There is only one way in which we can be acquitted and justified. And this can be no otherwise than by an interest in Jesus Christ. As our surety and advocate, he will answer every charge brought against us. The Redeemer will say, that every sin alleged against us has been discharged, and blotted out, by his own most precious blood. This is the only way in which we can appear with hope and confidence at the judgment seat of Christ.

(2.) Let us now consider, by what rule the trial will

be conducted.

This will be the rule of righteousness; "for the Lord cometh to judge the world in righteousness." Jesus will be an upright, and an impartial, and a righteous judge :—so just, that he will not retaliate even upon Pilate or upon Judas. We may therefore conclude that men will be judged by some rule-by a rule

known to them, or which at least they had it in their power to know. Now the law of nature, including the light of reason and of conscience, is a universal rule. It is a rule which is known, or which may be known, by all men. Therefore, according to this, all mankind who have not been favoured with a revelation, will be judged. "For when the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another." By this rule, conscience now acquits or condemns men, at least in many instances; and as the heathens are ignorant of every rule but this, we conclude they will be judged by this only. But whether any human being can be saved on this ground may reasonably admit of doubt; as no one ever has lived up perfectly to the light of nature and conscience, and therefore no one can be saved except on the ground of forgiveness and a better righteousness than their own, through Jesus Christ. Whether God may choose to save any or not without the communication of the knowledge of Christ, is a mystery which he has not made known to us; but thus much he has revealed, that the heathen are "without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.”

But in regard to those parts of the world that have enjoyed the benefits of revelation, these will be