hour of serious reflexion is the time, when things appear in their true colours and proportions. And happy and wise is he, who draws rules from this serious season to guide and controul him in the gayer and more tumultuous scenes of life!

I SHALL add but one argument more. That the libertine might not call these things mere arbitrary reasoning and wild conjecture, that he might not have the least room to plead doubts and uncertainties in so important a point, it has pleafed GOD to fupport the witness of nature by the express revelation of his will. When he has declared himself in fuch aweful terms as thefe; all must appear before the judgment feat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. ii. Cor. v. 10. All that are in the graves fhall hear his voice and fhall come forth; they that have done good unto the refurrection of life, and

they

they that have done evil unto the refurrection of damnation. John v. 28. And thefe fhall go away into everlasting punishment, and the righteous into life eternal. Mat. xxv. 46.

I SAY, when GOD has in this clear and authoritative manner revealed the awful fecrets of his future kingdom, what room is there for difbelief or disobedience? what has man to do, but to humble himself before his Maker, to receive his commands with reverence, and to obey them without referve?

IF, in fhort, man is not accountable, it must be, because GOD either wants the will or the power to bring him into judgment.

His will is clear from the foregoing obfervations: he has declared his intention; and he is not a man that he should repent. But may he not, you will fay, want the power-what? He, that planteth the ear, shall be not hear? He, that formeth the eye, shall be not fee? He,

that teacheth man knowledge, fhall be not know? Pfal. xciv. 9. He, by whose command, the heavens and earth arose out of nothing, and by whofe command they shall vanish again, shall he want power to chastise those creatures, who have trampled upon his laws, and fet his authority at defiance? In vain shall they hope to fleep in the duft for ever : the power, that first formed them, fhall awaken them to their doom. In vain fhall they cry to the mountains and to the rocks to fall on them and fkreen them from his wrath: thofe rocks and mountains arose at his command, and by his command are vanishing with the whole machine of nature. There is no fubterfuge; no alternative: EVERY ONE

SHALL GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF

TO GOD. Refiftance is vain; for the Judge is omnipotent: all artifices are vain; for he is omniscient and knoweth all things: all prayers are vain; for he is now no longer a Saviour, but a Judge.

The

The holy angels (fays the scripture) shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; but the righteous fhall shine forth like the fun in the kingdom of their Father. Mat. xiii. 41, &c.

THE Conclufion is fhort: fince this life, then, is only introductory to another, let us form a confiftent plan. We generally provide in youth for the wants of age to neglect this is generally thought imprudent, because of the connexion between these two stages of life. Alas! this connexion is not infeperable: the young may not live to be old; the gay libertine tells he intends not to you be old. But young and old alike must die and go into the other ftate. The connexion between these two ftates is infeperable. As fure as we now live, we must be judged. Let us then in this time provide for the wants of eternity. Innocence of manners generally is as happy here as it defires; it will inB 2 fallibly

fallibly make us happy hereafter. If it leads into trials and diftreffes-they can be but temporary; the happiness of futurity will make us an abundant compenfation. And as we are exposed to numerous temptations in our paffage, let us ever remember that we are accountable creatures; and that will be our fecurity.

"HE, that will be my judge, is always about my path and about my

bed, and spieth out all my ways; and "how can I commit this fin in his aw"ful presence? Or, if I have fallen in "the weakness of my nature, I will re"pent. He who is to be my judge, is "in this life my Saviour, accepteth of "my repentance, and blotteth out all my tranfgreffions."

SER