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this world without interruption. much worse, then, may we suppose that the condition of the world would be, if men were not taught, in such a manner that they cannot doubt it, that they will be called to account hereafter for their conduct here? It is the belief of a Judgment to come, the belief that all his actions and the secrets of his heart will be laid open before God, and angels, and men, in the last great day, which will often prevail upon a man, if his conscience be not hardened by his sins, more than the hope of everlasting life, to leave off the wickedness which he feels that he shall be ashamed to have made known, and to break through those evil courses, which he cannot but be convinced will awaken against him the anger of his Judge. Such, by the blessing of God, has often been the good which a belief in a day of judgment to come has produced in a sinner's heart: leading him to repentance and newness of life, and prevailing upon him before it is too late to leave off his sins and "flee from the wrath to come." The mercy and goodness of God ought, indeed,

to be enough to make every Christian forsake his sins out of love to Him: but alas! some hearts are less easily moved by thankfulness than they are by fear. We have reason, therefore, to thank God for this first truth which the text reminds us of, and which is taught us over and over again in the Bible, that God is our Judge.

But as we are poor weak helpless beings, and even in spite of our best endeavours to do well, are for ever doing ill, the thoughts of a judgment to come might be too much for us, and sink us in despair, if we knew nothing of the character of that great Judge to whom we must account: the text therefore tells us what all his dealings with us assure us is the truth, that God is a righteous judge that the sentence which He will pass on us hereafter will be in righteousness and justice. And surely it ought to be a comfort and an encouragement to us, to consider that God, being perfect goodness, cannot do wrong: that He is not like a judge upon earth, who may be tempted or bribed to deal unjustly. God is a righteous judge, a judge who will take into considera

tion all the disadvantages which we may have had to struggle with: a judge who will make allowances for all our failings and infirmities, because He knoweth what we are made of, and remembereth that we are but dust. There is many an unhappy sinner whose soul would faint within him, who would cease to have any hopes, or to make any endeavours of amendment, who would give himself over as lost and undone for ever, if he did not know that such a judge, so righteous and so good, is God. But, believing this, who that repents, and thinks of Christ crucified for him, will refuse to be comforted? and, though the burden of his sins may be great, will not be cheered by the remembrance, that He who will hereafter pass sentence on him for them, is a righteous judge. But if our knowing that God will judge the world with righteousness, may serve to give us comfort and to raise our hopes, it should serve also to increase our watchfulness and our hatred of sin. A righteous judge must make a difference between the evil and the good. If He make allowance for our disadvantages, He will

also take into account the advantages which we have had He may pardon our frailties and infirmities, but can He look over our wilful and unrepented wickedness? No, my brethren, God is a righteous judge, and will give to every man according to his works.

The next thing that the text declares to us of Him from whom we are at last to receive eternal punishments or eternal rewards, is, that He is strong, that He is mighty. And think you not that He is mighty, who could, by merely speaking the word, call into being, out of nothing, this world and all it contains: who has taught the sun to run his daily course through the heavens: who has placed the moon and the stars where we behold them in all their glory? At whose word the stormy wind ariseth; who sendeth forth the clouds, the hail and rain, the lightning, thunder, storm, and tempest? Think you not that He is mighty who could bring man into life-forming him out of the dust of the earth making the blood to run in his veins-giving him his reason, the power of hearing, seeing, speaking, and thinking-

and who is able in a moment, to take all His gifts away, and to lay us again in the dust out of which we at first were taken. Surely the things that we see around us in every direction may well convince us of the power of that Being by whom all things were made! The accidents, the sicknesses, the deaths which are daily falling upon some of our fellow creatures, are enough to make us tremble before that God who can do with us just what He pleases! But when to the things which we see and know ourselves, we join that which our blessed Saviour has told us, that God is able to destroy us for ever both body and soul in hell, we shall feel how true that is which is written in my text, that our Judge is strong: so strong that none can stand against Him; so mighty that none who have awakened. His anger can escape it: for who may stand in Thy sight when thou art angry! Happy are they who believe and bear in mind the power and the might of God, and being firmly persuaded that His wrath is the greatest evil that can befall a man, and His love the greatest blessing that he can

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