and thousands for ages to come, even to the end of time. What but the general judgment can discover the beneficial effects that have been produced on the world by the example, the preaching, and the writings of the apostles and first ministers of the gospel? and in later ages, by the influence of a Wickliffe, a Luther, and a thousand others that might be mentioned? What but the general judgment can manifest the pernicious effects which the writings of a Voltaire, a Gibbon, a Hume, a Paine, and a numerous host of other infidels, whom the righteous Governor of the world has suffered to be the pests, the scourges, and the curses of the human race? In fine, it is only by the general judgment that the Almighty can clear up many of those mysterious providences, which now appear involved in clouds and darkness. For these, and for many other reasons, it is necessary that the whole human race should meet together at the tribunal of God.

But let us return to notice more particularly the circumstances of the separation between the righteous and the wicked, of which we were speaking. In how many instances will those intimately associated with each other upon earth, be strangely and awfully disunited! How many professors of religion, who once ranked among true Christians, and were considered of their number, will now be seen separated from them, and placed among the criminals on the left hand! How many sincere and weak believers, whose apprehensions had sometimes led them to

therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord

have patience with me, and I will thee all."
pay

This part of the parable seems to exhibit the terrors which men, as sinners, may sometimes feel from a view of the severity of the divine justice. It implies some general hope of mercy, from which they may seek relief under a sense of their sin. But the engagement to pay the debt seems to imply the representation of an unhumbled and self-confident spirit. In fact, it is a picture of pharisaical repentance arising only from a dread of the wrath of the Almighty. Alas! how many are there, who, in the prospect of approaching death, and when seized by the alarming conviction of a guilty conscience, virtually ad"Have dress the great God in a similar mannerpatience with me, and I will pay thee all." Sinners are careless respecting the pardon of their sins, till they are brought into some deplorable situation of danger, and then they exclaim, "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord!" Behold, my brethren, how easily the Almighty can terrify the proudest sinner. And how frequently there is an awful dread of the punishment of sin, where there is none of that "godly sorrow, which worketh repentance not to be repented of." Look at Pharaoh. After all his vain-boasting, he exclaims, " Moses, I have sinned. The Lord is righteous: I and my people are wicked." Observe the conduct of Ahab: Elijah denounces on him the judgments of God. He rends his clothes, puts sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasts. See Belshazzar at a great feast, "drinking wine with a thousand of his

lords, and his wives and concubines;" spending the night in luxury and debauchery. A hand writes three words upon the wall, and the king's countenance

was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his knees were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." Consider the despair and the ruin of the traitor Judas. He repented himself, carried back the price of his treachery, and exclaimed, “I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood, and departing he went and hanged himself." And once more: observe Felix. He hears Paul preach of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come :-" He trembles;" but that is all. Thus many are alarmed when under a temporary impression of their sin and danger. Some resolutely promise, that if their lives are spared, they will reform: they are so infatuated as to imagine they can make full amends for their sins, pay all they owe, and thus make their peace with God. Well:- -God's mercy spares them: he gives them time and space for repentance. But alas! instead of paying what they owe, they rapidly and awfully increase their debt; they sin with more greediness than ever, and make it evidently appear that their promises of amendment arose only from an apprehension of the execution of the divine threatenings. Their repentance was the morning cloud, and as the early dew which soon passeth away." It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, "The dog is turned unto his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.'

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as

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 particulars--the 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.

(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. Men will 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

thoughts. For Jesus says, "That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment;" and the apostle declares that the judge "will then make manifest the counsel of the hearts." Thoughts do not come under the cognizance of man; but they are not free from the judgment of God; and before him our thoughts are as much an evidence of our true state, as our words or our actions. In that day the hidden springs of men's actions will be made manifest; and sinful desires indulged in the heart, although conceived, and lying unperpetrated in its inmost recesses, will be unveiled. And oh, how evident will the character of men appear, when their hearts will, as it were, be laid bare; their most secret thoughts made open; and the concealed motives of their actions detected! The design of this particular scrutiny at the day of judgment will not be to communicate information to the judge, who with all other things knoweth the secret of men's hearts; but to convince all intelligent beings, of the justice of his proceedings, and to shew angels and men the ground upon which he passes sentence. And now allow me to ask, my fellowsinners, is not the prospect of such a judgment sufficient to fill some of you with horror and dread? Will your actions, your words, and your thoughts bear to be brought to light? Could you be willing to have all your thoughts, words and deeds now published before your fellow-creatures? Alas! how then will you bear to have them fully exposed before God, angels, and men? Oh! consider these awful realities,