that which is especially infifted upon in the fcriptures, and wherein we are more intimately concerned, is what relates to men, who fhall all be fummoned before the judgment feat of Christ, all ranks, orders and conditions, fmall and great, rich and poor, quick and dead, that is, thofe who fhall be found alive at the advent of Chrift, and all the dead from the beginning of time. The affertion is in the most general terms, hence no flesh can efcape the cognizance of that awful day. For the graves fhall be opened, and the fea will yield up her dead, and death and hell fhall deliver up the dead which are in them. Yea, they fhall be gathered from the four winds of the earth; those who have lived under the law and under the gospel, together with thofe who have had nothing to direct them but the light of nature. All who have ever been or will be, will conftitute this affembly; an immense asfembly indeed, when the innumerable generations which have exifted, and thofe which will exift, fhall be collected together. The earth will not be fufficient to contain the multitudes, therefore it is probable the judgment will be held in the air or the great expanfe. The images by which the proceedings of this grand feafon are reprefented, are taken from human courts of judicature. Accordingly the day is appointed in which caufes are to be tried, the judge appears with his enligns of authority, the perfons to be judged are brought before him, the law is known and the books are opened, and every charge. will be fupported by fufficient tellimony, and each perfon hereupon acquitted or condemned. Thus it is announced, "When

the fon of man fall come in his glory, then fall he fit upon the throne of his glory, and before him fhail be gathered all nations, and he fhall feparate them one from another, as a Chepherd divideth his theup from the goats;" the righteous fhall be divided from the wicked, and the proper witneffes will be produced, both againft tranfgreffors, and in favour of thofe who have wrought righteouliefs. The former will be tefti. fied against by their fellow men, to whom their conduct was known, both good and bad; by the holy angels who have

been conftantly employed in this world; by their own con fciences; and the omnifcience of God. Thus the witnesses in this court will bemore than two or three. And the omnifcience of God will be the completion of all teftimony. Therefore he declares," I will come near to you in judgment, I "will be a fwift witness against the forcerers, and against the "adulterers, and against the falfe fwearers, and against those "that opprefs the hireling in his wages, the widow and the "fatherlels, and that turn afide the ftranger from his right "and fear not me, faith the lord of hofts." Hence the trial will be fair, the witneffes neither ignorant nor partial, and the adjudication perfectly juft and good.

Different degrees of happinefs and mifery will be awarded to all, exactly as their characters fhall be found to be. As to the godly all will be perfectly happy, yet fome will poffefs more felicity than others according as their virtues and trials and works have been; fome fhall have ten portions of happinefs, and others only five. Capacities will differ in the future ftate as well as the prefent. There are different grades of angels, and the greater poffefs more felicity than the lefs. So it is probable it will be with the faints in heaven, each one will be completely happy, and this happinefs will be in proportion to his capacity. This will likewife be the cafe with the miférable; all will be tormented and perfectly wretched, yet fome will be unspeakably more fo than others. There are various grades among the devils, and each one fuffers according to his capacity. Thus it will be more tolerable for fome of the wicked in hell than others. Hence we read of the men of Niniveh, the queen of the South, of the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gommorah, as liable to a lefs degree of punishment than those who have enjoyed greater advantages and finned against greater light and knowledge. Therefore it will be more tolerable in the future flate for the heathen than for the chriftian world, who shall have mifimproved their privileges.

A few hints are all that can be given in a contracted difcourfe upon fo fublime, grand and extenfive a subject; but we fball take different views of it in fome future lectures, and conclude at prefent with a very brief improvement.

First, this doctrine of a future judgment adminifters reproof to the profane and unbelieving, who mock and fcoff at the coming of the Lord, who fay, "Where is the promise of his "coming, for fince the fathers fell asleep, all things continue "as they were from the beginning of the creation." Was this doctrine fuitably impreffed upon the minds of men, that one day or other they must be called to an account for all their conduct in the prefence of the affembled univerfe, would they not be more watchful and circumfpect in their behaviour and converfation? More diligent in enquiring how they fhould approve themselves to God? How neceffary is it that we should repent of all our fins, obtain an interest by faith in the meritorious righteoufnefs of the Saviour, that we fhould be justified and fan&ified, seeing we must all stand in judgment? It also reproves all those who abuse the divine patience, because his coming is delayed, not confidering that he will, "Come in a "day, when they looked not for him, and shall cut them a"funder, and appoint them their portion with hypocrites, there "fhall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Should we not of ten be placing ourfeles in the presence of the heart searching, and rein trying God, and reflecting how we fhall appear in judgment? This would have a mighty tendency to awaken our minds and command our fouls to make preparation for the great event. For he will come and he will not tarry.

Secondly, feeing Chrift Jefus is the glorious perfonage who thall judge the world, and will appear with innumerable attendants of holy angels, how fhould this fill us with high and exalted thoughts of him, and low and abafing thoughts of our felves? Since the angelic tribes account it their happiness and

higheft honor to wait upon him as his miniltering fpirits, how fhould it awaken in us an holy ambition, that we might ap prove ourselves to him as his fervants in all things, and to reckon it our greatest honour and chief bleffing to be employed as fuch by him. Seeing he, with whom there is no fhadow of partiality, fhall fuftain the office of being judge, this ought effectually to filence all murmuring thoughts against the unequal diftributions of providence in this world.

We ought not impatiently to complain of poverty, ficknefs bereavements or other calamitous circumftarces, fince the God of all the earth is doing and will always do that which is per fectly right. Can a child of God defire more than that he fhould do righteously. All these adverfe difpenfations will be perfectly adjusted, and when properly improved, they will encrease our felicity throughout eternity. Why fhould chriftians be anxicusly diftreifed about friends, children, health, riches, honors and toys, feeing they are not to expect their heaven upon earth?Let us cultivate the graces of faith, patience, fubmiffion and humility, in full affurance that all will be belt in the great day of

the Lord.

Thirdly, fince the perfons who fhall be judged are angels and men, fince we, my brethren, will form a part of this grand affembly, should not this excite and command us to univerfal holinefs both of heart and life. The fentiment that we fhall al ftand before the judgment feat of Chrift, fhould caufe us to break off our fins by righteoufnefs, and our tranfgreffions by fhewing mercy to the poor; fhould influence us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and become the faithful followers of Jefus; should engage us to deny all worldly luts and affections, and become christians in reality. Let us, my dear friends, be chriftians and all thall be well, for time, for judgment, and eternity.

SERMON XXXIX.

The difference of appearance before God here and hereafter.

Matt. 25. 33.

And he shall fet the feep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.

WE are all, my brethren, made for eternity. There are ve ry folemn fcenes before us. It is hard to bring ourselves fuitably to obferve thefe things. How difficult to perfuade our fouls, that all the invifible realities of a future ftate, of which we read in the gofpel, will be prefent. But fo it must be. O my foul, a little while and thou shalt stand before thy judge, thy case shail be flated by the rules of perfection, and thy doom irreversibly xed. How deep, how awful is the thought? O what a difference will a few years make in our circumflances. Perhaps a few days or hours will bring it to pafs. Inftead of appearing before God in his fan&tuary and in his ordinances, we shall apfear before his judgment feat to be tried for our fouls and eternity. How does the reflection affect our fpirits! Shall we be brought into judgment to be tried! Our hearts faint within us at the profpect. We cannot stand the inferior trial of our rea