their good works, will be published on that day. And there are some scriptures which favor the opinion. "It is said, God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil." But then this passage may be taken distributively, and not collectively, meaning every good work of the saints, and every evil work of sinners.

In Christ's account of the process of the general judgment, there is no mention made of the publication of their sins, but only of their good works, as an evidence of their justification. And as their sins are taken away, and covered by an act of judicial absolution in this life, it is not at all likely that they will be brought into judgment, which will be only a confirmation and display of this act. Has God declared that he will remember the iniquities of his people no more, and will he after this revive them in this most public manner? Should Christ permit the hand-writing of ordinances which was against his people; but which he took out of the way and nailed to his cross, to be read over again, it would appear as if he had repented of his undertaking, or that the efficacy and merit of his death were called in question.

However, it is abundantly evident that the good works of the righteous, as the evidence of their justification, and the evil works of the wicked as the evidence and ground of their condemnation, will be published in the most explicit manner: says John, "And the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life," &c. It is by these records that the issue of the process is to be regulated, rewards conferred, and punishment inflicted.

By the books we may understand the law, the gospel, the book of God's remembrance, the book of conscience, and the book of life. The two first of these books will be used as the rule of judgment. By these the character and works of men will be tried. Those who enjoyed only the law of nature will be tried by that law, by their conformity or non-conformity to its dictates. Hence says the Apostle, (Rom. ii. 12,) "As many as have sinned without law shall perish without law." Again, those who enjoy the written law, which is always connected with the gospel, will be judged by both their conformity to the precepts of the former, and their improvement of the privileges and promises of the latter. Hence those who reject both the law and the gospel will fall under the vengeance of both. And, therefore, the condemnation of unbelievers will infinitely surpass that of the heathen world.

Again, the books of God's remembrance and of conscience will be opened, as evidence of men's works and character.

Hence men are said to be judged according to their works, and not according to taith; because their works will be fruits or evidences of their faith, or of their unbelief.

Though the omniscient God stands in no need of such evidence of the character or state of men, yet it will be necessary for the conviction of beholders concerning the equity of the sentence which shall be passed. And it is the opinion of some, that the wicked, though convinced of the truth of the charges exhibited against them, will endeavor to deny them, saying, "Lord when saw we thee an hungered," &c. "We have prophesied and cast out devils in thy name," &c.

In which case it will be necessary to produce evidence of the facts, for the satisfaction of those who are present, and eternally to silence the wicked. The last book which shall be opened is the book of life, in which are registered all the names of the election of grace of those which were given to Christ to be redeemed. Hence it is called the Lamb's book of life. That is, God will publish his eternal decree of mercy, in which will be specified the names of his elect ones. This will be necessary to show that Christ has given eternal life to as many as God has given him, that he has lost none of them. Hence he is represented as saying, "Lo, here am I, and the children whom thou hast given me." It will be necessary to silence all objections to the sovereignty of divine grace, to show that the distribution which shall be made that day depends upon it; "that he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy," &c. What transports of joy in the minds of the righteous, what sensations of terror in the wicked, will the opening of the book of life, the publication of the decree of election excite! With what ravished ears will the righteous hear their names proclaimed before an sssembled universe as the objects of eternal love-what looks of grateful adoration will they raise to their incarnate Saviour! How will their hearts burn with love! swell with sensations of ecstasy and delight?

On the other hand, how will the wicked sink under impresions of despair, when they find their names passed over! What awful distinction will now be made! What distressful separation will now take place! Who can bear up under the thought! Husband and wife who have spent a life time in mutual fondness and embraces, now eternally separated. Parents and children who had such mutual delight in one another; ministers and people, who had kept a life time of solemn holy-days; neighbors and acquaintances, who sat on the same seats, at the same communion table; masters and servants,

brothers and sisters who lay in the same womb, now eternally separated; some moving to the right others to the left hand, taking their place to receive final sentence. What bitter reflections and execrations may we suppose the wicked will now pour upon one another! How will companions of sin, who have been the mutual promoters of each other's ruin, curse one another from the heart! How will children curse their parents, and servants their masters, for being unfaithful to their souls, for neglecting to give them religious instruction, and pressing upon them the practice of piety and holiness! How will it sting the hearts of ungodly parents, to see a numerous offspring pressing around them, rendered frightful by despairing looks, covered with anguish, lamenting the unnatural indulgence of their parents, their cruelty in neglecting to administer seasonable instruction and reproof! How will gospel hearers curse their unfaithful ministers, who prophesied smooth things, and cried peace! peace! who neglected to give them seasonable warning of the wrath which was to come, and faithful discoveries of the way of escape!

On the other hand, what joyful congratulations will prevail among the righteous as they advance to the right hand. What joy and gratitude will many express for the seasonable instruction and reproof they got from their religious neighbors and acquaintances, which were blessed for their conversion and edification. And what mutual rejoicing will there be between faithful ministers and their people, who have been saved through their instrumentality. Hence, says the Apostle to the Thessalonians, (1st epistle, ii. 19,) "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming?"

5. But in the next place, Hark! the Judge rises to pronounce the sentence, first upon those who are on his right hand, which will be in these words, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!" This sentence will no doubt be pronounced with an audible voice by the man Christ Jesus; a voice full of majesty and power; a voice which will re-echo with energy over an assembled universe, now standing in awful suspense to receive its doom. What heart can conceive the glorious import of this sentence; what ravishing joy will it inspire into the minds of the ransomed of the Lord! Hark! what shouts of praise burst from their lips in joyful concert, which are answered by notes of extatic congratulation from every angelic lyre. But on the other hand, behold the throbbing hearts, the despairing looks and trembling joints of those on

the left hand, waiting to receive their sentence and begin their hell. They cannot sustain the countenance of the Judge, how then will they bear the thunder of his voice, accompanied with a flash of vengeance, pronouncing their doom, "Depart from me ye cursed." &c. "Take them devils," &c.

What shrieks of horror, what a tremendous roar of desperation will now burst from this countless assembly, descending under the arrest of relentless devils, into the regions of damnation. Now there is no way of escape; those who eluded the threatenings of God's word in the day of their merciful visitation will now find them to be inevitable. There will now be a yawning gulf below them, powerful and merciless devils around them, and streams of unmixed vengeance bursting from above on their devoted heads. Likely the general conflagration will then commence, the elements melt with fervent heat, the earth with the works thereof be burnt up, the mountains quake, the hills melt, and the rocks thrown down: the divine fury will now be literally poured out like fire; all the magazines of flame contained in the earth will burst from confinement, and bellow, and blaze, and involve the atmosphere from pole to pole. The foundations of the mountains will be set on fire. The Alps, the Appenines and Andes shall be lost in one common blaze, the earth itself will be an immense volcano. Then, brethren, who can stand before His indignation; who can abide the fierceness of His anger?

But whilst the earth burns, whilst the damned descend, behold the ransomed of the Lord with Christ at their head and angels for their convoy, ascending, marching up the skies, treading among the stars, waving their banners, and filling the heavens with shouts of triumph. "Sing praise to God," &c.

Now see the pearly gates of heaven flung open to receive the King of glory with all his shining hosts. See his ransomed ones taking their seats around his throne. Hark! how the heavenly vaults ring with hallelujahs to Him that sits upon the throne and to the Lamb. Anthems of praise burst from every tongue. A holy emulation reigns through every note, dictated by the most ecstatic sensations of joy and gratitude. "Unto him that loved us," &c.

Oh! believer, how may you rejoice in prospect of that day, which is to complete your glory and your triumph, and put you in full possession of the heavenly inheritance. Well may you love and long for the appearing of the Great God, even your Saviour Jesus Christ, who is to confer upon you a crown of immortal glory. Well may you say "Haste my beloved, be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains," &c.

,'Come Lord Jesus, come quickly." Well may you bear with patience the trials you meet with in this world-calumny, reproach, poverty, affliction, sickness, nay even death itself. In that day your character will be vindicated against every malignant aspersion. "He will bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day." All the hard speeches of a wicked world, all the criminating suggestions of a tempting devil will then be publicly refuted. Again, are you poor in this world? In that day you will be proclaimed heir of a kingdom and a crown of immortal glory. Are you not only poor but an afflicted person? In that day you will be rendered completely happy; you will return to Zion with songs of everlasting joy upon your heads, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Every ground of sorrow and affliction, whether personal or relative, shall then be removed. Again, is your happiness often interrupted by the attacks of disease? Do you feel the principles of mortality operating in your constitution? In that day you will be clothed with immortality.

On the other hand, what ground have unbelievers to tremble in prospect of this day, when their doom is to be determined, when they will be publicly arraigned, tried and condemned by Christ, for their contempt and rejection of his kind offers and tenders of mercy and salvation. He who now pleads with them from a mercy seat, to be reconciled unto him, will then condemn them from his judgment seat, punish them with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power.

How shocking therefore is their stupidity. Not being capable of being impressed by the mercy and grace of the gospel, nor the terrors of a judgment day. But let them know of a certainty, though they are sleeping in security, their damnation sleeps not. It is hastening on, and every day brings them a step nearer to a judgment day. Oh! that they were wise, that they would consider this, that they would mind their latter end.

Let me conclude this discourse, my friends, by exhorting you to make due preparation for this awful day. It is Christ's own advice. "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man will come." The certainty of the judgment with the uncertainty of the time, should engage us to watch and to pray and be ever ready for the coming of the Lord, to make our calling and election sure, and to be found of Christ without spot and blameless. If that day which comes as a thief in the night should come in our day, are we