The doctrine of the text, however it may be wrongly im. proved or misapplied by faints or finners, as is often the cafe ; yet there is scarcely a truth more frequently repeated or more ftrongly inculcated than this. "Far be it from God, faith "Job, that he fhould do wickedness, for the work of a man " he will render unto him, and caufe every man to find accord. "to his work." Thus fpeaks the Pfalmift, "The Lord render "eth to every man according to his work." Ifaiah declares, "Say ye to the righteous it fhall be well with them, for they "fhall eat the fruit of their doings; and wo unto the wicked "it fhall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands fhall be "given him." Jeremiah records this truth, "I the Lord

fearch the heart and try the reins, to give every man accord"ing to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." St. Paul affirms, "God will render to every man according "to his works, and whatsoever good things any man doth, the "fame shall he receive of the Lord." St. Peter gives his tefti mony, "That God without refpect of perfons judgeth ac"cording to every man's work.” Christ himself, who is the chief of witnesses, teftifies the fame thing, "The Son of Man « shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then he fhall reward every man according to his works." Here is a cloud of the infpired writers all uniting in the fame affertion.

Here two important queflions arise.

First, what is the design and use of a general judgment?— And,

Secondly, What is the benefit and advantage of works in this final and folemn day?-In answer to the

First, let it be observed, that this great trial or general judgmeat is not for God's information, that he might hereby

come to the knowledge of men's characters. Human courts or trials are to investigate what men have been guilty of, what their conduct and characters are, that they may be acquitted and rewarded, or condemned and punished according to law and evidence. God knows every man's character and conduct as well before this general judgment as afterwards, therefore it is not that he should receive any information concerning them either good or bad. Neither is it the intention of this public judgment, to change the fentence which was passed on every one at his death. For every foul which departs from this world is in a private manner judged, and immediately fent to one or the other great receivers of departed fpirits, agreeable to their characters as righteous or wicked, to wit, heaven or hell. And this public judgment will not alter the fentence which was then pronounced upon them.

they imagine that he

But the defign of this great and general judgment is to dif play and illustrate to the universe, the perfect righteousness and juftice of God; and the fair and equal judgment, which has been paffed upon every individual. Every wicked being in earth and hell thinks God to blame; does wrong, in fome way or other, either in permitting fin to enter into the world, suffering it to continue in it, or he acts wrong in fhewing mercy to fome and not to others, in grant. ing gospel light and privileges to fome, while others are overwhelmed in the thick glooms of pagan darkness. For these and a thousand other reasons, they diflike God and his government and feel him to blame. But in the general judgment it will confpicuously appear to angels and devils, faints and finners, that he is righteous in all his ways and perfectly just and holy in his being, perfections and government, and in all the adminiftrations of his providence and in all his works. In that day the divine character will be cleared of all the false afpersions calt upon it, and the whole univerfe of beings will acknowledge, that each one was dealt with and treated in the most fair,

equal, canded and righteous manner. Therefore this judgment is ftiled, "The day of the revelation of the righteous judg "ment of God." Every one will have an open and public trial, before all his conduct and works will be laid to the rule, and the final adjudication will be accordingly. To him that hath done well, his fentence will be eternal life; but to him that hath obeyed unrighteoufnefs, his fentence fhall be indig. nation and wrath. The fairnefs and justice of the judicial proceedings will be unexceptionably evident to every one's confcience and judgment. So that the mouths of the wicked shall pronounce themselves guilty; and the righteous fhall cry, "Holy and true, O Lord, art thou when thou judgeft."

Alfo the final decifion will be perfectly manifeft to each ingividual. Though God needs no information refpecting any one's real character, yet there must be evidence given to a perfons felf, and to all others, in order to prove in an explicit manner, his character to be fuch as it really is. Wherefore works .. in this public judgment will be produced as the grand proof of any one's character, whether it be good or bad. And this leads to the

Second question arifing upon this fubject, to wit: What is the benefit and advantage of works in this final and folemn judgment? I must take it for granted, that we all understand what is meant by the term works. They are the productions, fruits and manifeftations of the heart. They are every thing. by which the heart is made known. God fees the heart intuitively without works, but this is not the cafe with either angels devils or men. None can immediately behold the heart of another. Man cannot difcern the heart of man, nor angel, of angel. This intuition is the prerogative of God, and is per haps one of his incommunicable attributes. Wherefore to know the heart, the real character must be known, and this is

only discoverable by works. Man will be diftinguished from man, and angel from angel, only by thefe means.

First, the real state of men will be tried by their works, whe ther it be a state of fin or holiness.-Then,

Secondly, their works will be proper manifellations of the progrefs they have made in their ftates.

First, works in the final judgment will be exhibited as the fole evidence to prove what flat a perfon is in, whether it be that of the righteous or the wicked. As the righteous will be judged first, fo their good works will be produced in teftimony of the fincerity of their love, faith, repentance, ftriving against fin, holiness and godly living. Then will the fentence of the judge be, "Come ye bleed of my Father, inherit the king"dom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; " for 1 was an hungered, and ye gave me meat, I was thirty "and ye gave me drink, I was a tranger and ye took me in, "naked and ye cloathed me, I was fick and ye vifited me, I "was in prifon and ye came unto me." On the other handl the evil works of the wicked will be exhibited as the undenia ble proof of the badnefs of their hearts and ftate Thefe will prove them workers of iniquity, impenitent, unbelieving, difobedient to the gospel, and tranfgreffors against the light of nature. And their fentence will be, "Depart from me, ye cur "fed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; "forI was an hungered and ye gave me no meat, I was thirsty "and ye gave me no drink, I was a firanger and ye took me "not in, naked and ye cloathed me not, fick and in prison and "ye vifited me not." Thus all will be judged according to their works, and the characters of all whether good or bad will be manifefted.

Secondly, another ufe and defign of works in the laft judg

ment is, they will ferve to prove the advancements which perfons have made in their general states. As fome are vaftly more wicked than others, fo fome are more righteous and ho ly than others. Some have had great and diftinguifhed talents, enjoyed higher degrees of light and knowledge, and more eminent advantages, and by their walte and mifimprovement and abufe hereof, have exceedingly aggravated their fins, and therefore will be adjudged to a greater degree of fuffering.Hence this public judgment will be more tolerable to fome than others. "The fervant who knew his master's will and "did it not fhall be beaten with many ftripes." So likewise it will be with the righteous; fome have pre-eminently fuffered for religion, and made abundantly greater advances in virtue, piety and holiness than others, thefe will be promoted to fuperior degrees of happiness in glory. Therefore we read, that in the heavenly kingdom are many manfions, that the twelve apoftles fhall fit on twelve thrones, and to be exalted on Christ's right hand and on his left fhall be given unto them for whom it is prepared of the Father. Now all these things will be determined in the exact proportion of men's works. Thus we fee the grand deign of the general judgment, the purpose and use of works in that day, and all these things illuftrate the doctrine in our text, that every one will be judged according to his works.

This fubje&t fhall be clofed with a few reflections.

First, we are here taught the great importance and abfolute necellity of good works. This is an effential article of the gofel, and muft be preached by all the minifters of truth. Our Lord fays, "Let your light fo fhine before men, that "others beholding your good works, may glorify your Father "which is in heaven." And St. Paul enjoins, "Walk wor"thy of the Lord, being fruitful in every good work." This be gives in charge to Titus, "That they who have believed in