ized those things which are the prey of all-devouring flames! of those who have 'blasphemed that Saviour who appears to be their judge! or ridiculed the divine testimony concerning the place of torment, and those evil spirits which are ready to seize upon them! Let us then recollect, that we shall be present, not as mere spectators, but as cited to give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead." "For we must "all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, "that every one may receive the things done in "his body, according to that he hath done, whe"ther it be good or bad." Our present conduct is voluntary; we choose whether we will serve the Lord, or not: but we shall not be allowed to choose whether we will stand before his tribunal, or decline the awful decision.

It is extremely frivolous to start objections against the doctrines of revelation, taken from our low apprehensions, or levelled against the misinterpretations of injudicious believers. "Ye do

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err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power "of God." He has declared these things in his authenticated word: "his testimony is sure and "giveth wisdom unto the simple :" and "he that "believeth not hath made him a liar."

Will any man presume to say, that it is impossible for God to raise the dead? That human nature should be capable of such daring absurdity ought to cover us with shame, and cause us to tremble. Let us, my friends, imitate the ancient patriarch, who "by faith, being warned of God of

12 Cor. v. 10.

things not seen as yet, was moved with fear and "prepared an ark." Let us " prepare to meet our "God, and seriously inquire, Who may abide the day of his coming? or who may stand when he "appeareth?"

Neither ought we to regard those "scoffers," who, according to the prediction of the apostle, are "come in these last days, walking after their own "lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his "coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the begin"ning of the creation." We know not indeed the precise time when the Lord shall come; but we should not be ignorant that " one day is with the "Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years " as one day:" and we are assured that "the day "of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night;

for, when they shall say, Peace and safety, then "sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail

upon a woman with child, and they shall not "escape." Death is very near, and judgment follows. In this sense "The judge standeth at "the door:" and "the end of all things is at "hand." "Be ye therefore ready; for ye know "not what hour your Lord doth come." The intervening space will soon elapse: let us then "ac"count his long suffering to be salvation:" and, "seeing we look for such things, let us be diligent, "that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless."-We proceed,

II. To consider the discoveries which will then

be made.

"The Lord shall come, who will both

1 Thess. v. 2,

3.

"bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and "will make manifest the counsels of the hearts."

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory " and all his holy angels with him, then shall he "sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him "shall be gathered all nations: and he shall sepa"rate them one from another as the shepherd di" videth the sheep from the goats;" that is, with perfect ease, and infallible certainty. Then shall he be seated on "the great white throne," the emblem of his awful justice and spotless purity," and "the books shall be opened." This expression, referring to the affairs of men, leads our thoughts to the discoveries of that solemn season. The book of the divine law shall be opened, as the perfect standard of good and evil; the book of providence, stating the talents committed to the stewardship of each individual, with the advantages or disadvantages of his situation; the book of omniscience, developing all the particulars of every man's conduct, and all the motives and thoughts of his heart; and the book of conscience or memory, answering to every charge or discovery, however before buried in oblivion. But "another book" shall also be opened, or no flesh could be saved; even the book of life, in which all the elect of God, all true believers, are registered, with the evidences of their repentance, faith, and love. Then, all "men "will be judged out of those things, which are "written in the books, according to their works. "And whosoever shall not be found written in the "book of life, shall be cast into the lake of fire."

'Rev. xx. 12—15.

We know but little of the real characters even of those with whom we are most intimately acquainted; and far less of other men's. A vast proportion of their outward conduct is concealed from us what strangers then must we be to the dispositions and counsels of their hearts! Perhaps a tenth part of the actions of our nearest relatives or friends does not come under our notice we must therefore judge, as well as we can ; and, though caution be necessary, a measure of suspicion adequate to our uncertainty would mar all our earthly enjoyments. David seems not to have suspected Ahithophel, nor the apostles Judas: yet they were both plausible hypocrites. Many of you, my friends, may perhaps be conscious, that, if your neighbours or relations knew certain things in your conduct, which you carefully and successfully conceal, your characters would be injured, and yourselves covered with confusion. "But, "when the Lord shall come, he will bring to light "all these hidden things of darkness." Then the dishonesty and extortion which have here escaped detection, and even suspicion; or which have been pleaded for with specious fallacy, will appear in all their full deformity before men and angels. The oppression, rapine, and cruelty, which have been gilded over with the splendour of great talents and renowned achievements, will be viewed in another light, when "the earth shall disclose her

blood, and no more cover her slain." Nor will that degrading licentiousness and sensuality, which are often covertly practised by persons of decent or respectable character, any longer be concealed;

though it is now a shame "to speak of those things " which are done of them in secret."

But, to relieve our minds from such painful reflections, let us take a view of the contrast. The Lord will also bring to light the good works of his believing people: " he saw them in secret, and he " will reward them openly." Those fruits of faith and love, which the world perhaps vilified and called by some opprobrious name; and those, in which the left hand was scarcely suffered "to "know what the right hand did;" will then be disclosed and approved by the righteous judge. The self-denial of his despised disciples, in sparing from every article of expense and indulgence, to raise a little fund for the relief of the needy, and even of their calumniators and persecutors; their secret prayers and compassionate tears over the very persons who counted them harsh and uncharitable, because they would not speak "peace when "there was no peace; their scrupulous care to avoid every degree of injustice, when no blame was likely to be cast upon them for it; their earnestness in secret devotion, with deep humiliation and enlarged benevolence: all these will be discovered when the Lord shall come, and will greatly tend to illustrate and distinguish the characters of men. The blemishes and misconduct of pious persons are too often visible to their neighbours, and give occasion to their scoffs and impiety: but it will then appear that these things were lamented before God with many groans and tears; that they

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Jer. viii. 11.