but to vindicate the equitable providence of God, who is the eternal patron of truth and righteous

ness.

It is also one of the affecting circumstances of this scene of retribution, that the Lord Jesus Christ will remember what his friends and disciples will have forgotten; they will be insensible, or rather surprised at the deeds of which he reminds them, and say, 'when saw we thee an hungered and fed thee, or thirsty, and gave thee drink, or naked, and clothed thee, or sick and in prison, and came unto thee? Then shall the judge say unto them, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' What a scene of recompense is this! Can we hope, my hearers, that we shall then be reminded of good deeds forgotten, and informed of virtues which we never suspected in ourselves? 'Whosoever shall humble himself as a little child, the same shall be greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.'

Seeing then we know that there is such a day approaching, what manner of persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness. Surely it ought above all things to encourage us in that virtue without which no other can exist, that great virtue of sincerity! What man can quietly allow himself in falsehood or equivocation, who knows that his idle words are now recorded, and will be remembered to his confusion; that his false promises will be proclaimed before the as

sembled universe, and all the treachery of his social intercourse laid bare. What a motive is it to the utmost simplicity and ingenuousness of character, that God is not for a moment deceived by that equivocation, which marks the conduct of many men who have their points to gain, but who are not otherwise absolutely corrupt.

Again. The thought of a judgment to come ought to be a restraint upon every excess of sensuality, every tendency to profligacy. Look up, O sinner, in the heat of thy passion, when the sound of mirth has lulled, and the tide of pleasure begun to ebb, for thou hast known such moments, look up, and see the writing on the wall, 'This night thy soul shall be required of thee; and then whose shall these things be?' And where shalt thou be? Wilt thou go and present thyself in the robes of thy guilt before the tribunal of thy God?

Let the thought of this scene of final trial lessen our pride and vanity; for, at that bar, men will appear as they are, and not as we have thought them to be. What then? Will the petty distinctions of which we are so ambitious, the beauty, the fine form, the grace of action, the wealth, the splendour, the whole apparatus of human vanity disappear, and leave not a fragment for our complacent regard to fix upon in that great day? What is it then, my hearers, that so many of us are contending for, praying, sinning, living, and dying for? The fashion of this world passeth away.'

The thought of this day, when the secret sorrows of so many hearts will be revealed, should guard us against all uncharitableness; for with what judgment we judge shall we be judged, and with what measure we mete shall it be measured to us again. Where is the man who would not shrink to have his own heart laid bare, before the very meanest creature whom he has regarded uncharitably? My friends, in that day we shall indeed stand in need of favour; we shall not disdain the complacent regard of the most humble of our fellow creatures.

If these considerations teach us charity, how much more should they teach us forgiveness! Have we ever thought how much we have to be forgiven; and can we, with a debt of a thousand talents unpaid, oppress a poor creature who has besought us to have patience with him till he could discharge his hundred pence?

Lastly. The belief of this judgment to come should not only fortify our minds against unjust accusations, and unexpected misfortunes, but it should also inspire us with the utmost submission and contentment under the changing and unequal circumstances of the present life. Especially let those take comfort whose fond hopes in others. have been blasted. This maze of events, so dark and unaccountable to human apprehension, will then be cleared up to the eye of faith and piety. Meanwhile, let us not be deceived; God is not mocked; that which every man soweth here he

shall reap hereafter. Though the righteous be prevented by death, yet shall he be at rest, and the sinner though an hundred years old, shall be condemned. Be not governed by present appearances; judge nothing before the time; wait the issue of this scene of probation; for it is appointed unto all men once to die, and, after death, the judgment.

SERMON V.

THE FUTURE STATE OF THE JUST.

1 CORINTHIANS, XIII. 10.

WHEN THAT WHICH IS PERFECT IS COME, THAT WHICH IS IN PART SHALL BE DONE AWAY.

THE Contemplation of the life to come, is the frequent employment of every Christian whose faith in the gospel is firm and practical. The discipline of Christianity is rendered effectual by presenting to us motives drawn from another life, adapted to overcome the temptations, and to support the trials of the present.

A subject, then, which must naturally present itself so often to the minds of the Christian, ought to be as distinctly and justly comprehended as the information of scripture, and the suggestions of reason will allow. It was no doubt intended by the Author of our salvation, to leave his followers the most satisfactory assurance of a future life; but he has furnished us with no more definite ideas of the nature and mode of that life, than are necessary for the practical influence of the general