the blood, the death, of the Redeemer ! He feels "the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile," to indulge and excuse it. By faith in the veracity and justice of God, he contemplates the disclosure of "the secrets of men," as well as their open sins, before the judgment seat of God, who "numbers all their steps," and "seals up "the awful records of their crimes, for a judicial process before "the great white throne." He realises "small and great, standing before God"-the judgment seat-the seals broken, the books opened, and the unbelieving and impenitent-the ungodly and the impure-" JUDGED

ACCORDING TO THEIR WORKS!"

In the records of this Bag will be found, the sins of those who have polished and flattered the crimes of their superiors; and widened the breaches which wisdom and fidelity might have healed.

The crimes of those "unjust judges," who have "justified the wicked, and condemned the innocent; both of which are an abomination to the Lord."

The verdicts of those jurors, who have delivered a sentence which violated truth, justice, and conscience, to please a party, to serve a friend, or to accommodate themselves to popular prejudice.

The wars of Christian princes will be found "sealed up;" for God will make inquisition for blood; "—bring the guilt of shedding it, on those who have occasioned, advised, and cruelly promoted, the shedding of human blood.

In the records against persecutors of good men, under the pretext of "doing God service," will be found, the corruption of the worship, the abuse of divine institutions, cruelty to the best of ministers and Christians, defiance of sacred obligations, and reigning unbelief under a profession of faith, as "the root of bitterness,' which after all the blood it has shed, "like the horseleech, cries, give, give." Blood! blood! blood! is still "crying from the altarhow long, O Lord, holy and just, wilt thou not avenge our blood?"

The sealed archives contain the sins of fashionable dissipation— the violation of the Christian Sabbath-the lies and clandestine slanders-the awful profanation of the name of God-the injustice and dishonesty, in all its forms, of the gamester, the oppressive lawyer, and the unfair tradesman. Among these will be found, the seducer of the wife and the virgin, under the mask of friendship-the clamorous subject, all zeal for king and church, to acquire an office, to serve his family, or extend his trade. And professing faith in the Bible he seldom reads, and veneration for the church he seldom attends, he takes "the name of God in vain," to confirm his word, abuses his mercies by intemperance, and endeavours to cover his infidelity, his sensuality, and dissipation, by relieving the distressed, and by a shew of liberality in supporting benevolent institutions.

"He who hath the keys of death and of the unseen world," hath recently "taken away our mighty men. The general, the admiral,

the statesman;-He has entered the palace, and removed from us the lamented princess-the queen, with our venerable monarch.

Do our "men of high degree, hear the voice which crieth in the city," the senate, and the court. Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die?" Do they "break off their sins by righteousness?" Are they "wise to consider THEIR latter end," in its nearness-its swift approach-- its nature and its consequences?" Do they attend those ministers of the sanctuary who enforce on them" repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ ?” Who call the attention of their hearers, as the apostle Paul did the attention of King Agrippa, to temperance, righteousness, and judgment to come?" or drawn into the whirlpool of business, politics, and pleasure, which "drown men in destruction and perdition," while hypocritically and presumptuously "waiting for a more convenient

season?"

If God should forget their obligations and their sins; if he should be imposed on by the name of Christian, without the character and duties of the Christian; if he will "hold him guiltless who taketh his name in vain ;" if he should approve of those who are "lovers of pleasures more than the lovers of God," even on the Sabbath day; if he should erase the declaration from his word-" whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge; " if he should allow them to change the standard of duty, from his will, to their own, then they may "walk after the light of their own eyes, and the desires of their hearts." But if God be true and faithful; if God be immutably holy and just, their " transgressions are sealed up" for judgment; and "what they sow, that shall they also reap." Then," he that is guilty shall be guilty still; and he that is filthy shall be filthy still." Yes, "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and give an account of all things done in the body." Yes! "God will bring every work into judgment, with every SECRET thing." And do the fashionable in high life, BELIEVE the Word of God, while declaiming against infidelity and immorality in their inferiors?" Are they not "partakers of other men's sins," by exhibiting a shameless example of PRACTICAL INFIDELITY to their equals, and to the lower orders of society? And while we "sigh for their abominations in the land," can we suppress our fears when we read, " shall I not VISIT for these things, saith the Lord? And shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?"

Let our great men listen to the voice of him who may soon “come near to them in judgment, and be a swift witness against them: " Let them listen to the voice that crieth, "prepare to meet thy God!"

If they turn a deaf ear to his warnings, they will meet him and each other in the invisible world; meet each other at the judgment seat; meet each other in hell; reproaching themselves and each other for their crimes, their folly, their madness, and their misery.

Meet in hell! What harshness! How shocking! True; it is

shocking, that such characters should appear at church, in solemn mockery, crying, "spare THY PEOPLE:" for if these are "the people of God, the righteous," where are the wicked? Shocking, indeed, that such persons should continue in their sins, and publicly pray, "from thy wrath, and from EVERLASTING DAMNATION, good Lord, deliver us!

It is a difficult thing for a man to think "soberly of himself," who is surrounded with worldly distinctions and flatterers, and habitually addicted to "think more highly of himself," in a moral point of view," than he ought to think." He is deceived by others-he deceives himself, and judges himself by a law of his own; the law of honour, of fashion, of expedience, of inclination. The perfect law of God, he is above; and the obligations of the gospel, and example of Christ, are below his standard, and left for fanatics, enthusiasts, and methodists. He pities or despises the dupes of real religion, and flatters himself, although he is not of too much consequence to die, that God will excuse his beloved sins, who has been esteemed of so much consequence by the most polished sinners, that, like him, "walked after the sight of their own eyes, and the desires of their hearts." What will God bring such genteel sinners unto judgment? Will that God, who has distinguished them by rank, by wealth, by learning, office and power, ever say to each of them-thy glory "is departed?" Must they obey the summons, "at such an hour as they think not;" this day, or, "this night-thy soul shall be required of thee; give an ACCOUNT of thy stewardship? Yes;

He sees with equal eye, as Lord of all,

A hero perish, or a sparrow fall.

"

Yes as a righteous governor of the world, "he regardeth not the rich more than the poor; and will bring them to judgment," for the sins they have committed, and the sins they have occasioned; and make them feel the weight of the charge against a proud, luxurious, and abandoned king of Babylon," the God in whose hand thy breath is, hast thou not glorified! They may revel in polite society, like Nebuchadnezzar, with "a thousand of his lords" and ladies, until they read their doom, "written by the fingers of a man's hand;" not "on the wall; " but in that book which now informs them, that "the heavens shall reveal their iniquities, and the earth shall rise up against them;" and "hell from beneath shall be moved to MEET them at their coming!"

They may forget their own sins, and laugh at or condemn the sins of others; or, forget both in fashionable dissipation; but neither time nor art, will blot out "the transgressions sealed up" for an impartial and public judgment.

But let not the gentleman, the tradesman, the labourer, think, that the sins of their superiors will justify their own practical infi"God accepts delity, because they raise their voice against them. no man's person" because he is rich or poor. And if the middle and

lower orders of society, neglect the word and worship of God, or pay a hypocritical attention to them; if they present to their families and neighbours, examples of rash censure, discontent with Providence, and murmuring against the badness of the times, whilst they follow the steps of their superiors in drinking to excess, profane swearing, unchaste conversation and conduct, spending a part of the Sabbath in idleness, unnecessary business, travelling, visiting, and feasting, or forming parties of pleasure on "God's holy day," let them not expect to "escape the judgment of God." Their transgressions also are "sealed up," and the bed of sickness, the dying hour, and following judgment, will make horrible and fatal “disclosures against them."

The duellist is a man of honour. If his pride is offended he demands the satisfaction of a gentleman. His keen resentment hastily sends a challenge. The sword or pistol must satisfy his revenge. He hazards his own life and the life of his fellow gentleman. Perhaps one or both fall in the cruel contest for honour; and are hurried to the tribunal of God, where the guilt of human blood cries to justice for satisfaction for the crime of murder, the miseries of weeping relatives and friends, the injury done to society, the contempt of the laws of God, the sanction given to sin, in imitating him who was "a murderer from the beginning." A thousand profane oaths, which dishonour the name of God-the long standing debts of honourable tradesmen unpaid, the crimes of drunkenness, gaming, and whoredcm, give few of these gentlemen, these men of honour, any offence! "My soul, come not thou into their secret to their honour, be not thou united!"

The transgressions of the duellist will be unsealed, who has deliberately hazarded the life of the friend, the husband, the father, the useful member of society; hazarded his own life, too—and for what? His country-his salvation--the honour of God?-No! but to gratify his pride, his resentment and revenge, for a real or imaginary offence against him, in the spirit of that cruel enemy of man, who was "a murderer from the beginning," He ventures to rush into the presence of that God, who hath said, "Thou shalt do no murder;" and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. These giants in transgression, after demanding satisfaction for a word, agree to sign their own summons, to give satisfaction to the moral governor and judge of the world, for violating his law, disbelieving his threatenings, defying his power, destroying themselves and a fellow immortal, and practically invoking and accelerating their own damnation.

The violations of the divine law, the injuries of society, the infectious example, the pangs of the widow, the tears of the fatherless, the verdict of conscience, the claims of divine justice, demand satisfaction. And if the rancorous passions and cruel actions of the duellist, are no qualifications for a heaven of love and order, holiness and bliss-"Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Dying in his sins, by the deadly sword or bullet, he separates himself

from the society of saints and angels; and that he may never disturb the harmony of the heavenly world by his proud, diabolic temper, he "goes to his own place," as much adapted to his disposition and disorderly conduct, as Bedlam to a madman.

The mercenary and cruel physician; the selfish and treacherous apothecary, who conceals his artifice by artificial sympathy; the haughty and unjust magistrate; the false and fraudulent lawyer; the perjured juryman; the false witness; the spy, who, under pretence of serving his country, "sells himself to work wickedness;" the tyrannical master and the faithless and fraudulent servant;-all, all these shall know, that "there is a God that judgeth in the earth," that "their sins will surely find them out," and that whatever arts they may use, in denying, excusing, covering, and forgetting their sins, they are "sealed up to become the records of impartial judg

ment.

One class of society may enjoy a delusive peace, by respecting the law of the land and the law of fashion, while they violate the law of God; and deny their sins, or excuse them, by the temptations which they love, the false standards which they create, the crimes from which they abstain, the hypocritical duties which they perform, and the worst examples which they condemn. They may draw a comparison, flattering to themselves, between their own sins and the sins of others; judge their superiors, exalt themselves above their equals, and despise their inferiors, and proudly" thank God they are not as other men;" but "the judgment of God, is according to truth ;" who impartially "seals up" the records of their sins, the guilt of which cannot be cancelled by time, by forgetfulness, by self-flattery, or by artifice.

If you have defrauded your neighbour, slandered his character, violated your engagements to him, flattered him and his duties, and excused his sins;-if you have made him the dupe of your lies and misrepresentations, or the tool of your malice-or the deluded partisan of your selfish, hollow, and persecuting zeal for religion-think not that your ostentatious charity, your evangelical sentiments, and your constant discharge of duties at church, chapel, or meeting, will diminish the awful records of your guilt in the "sealed bag." You make no restitution to the injured, like Zaccheus, to prove your repentance sincere; but add the crime of hypocrisy to your other sins, to appear against you when the "seal" is broken!

Nor will your politeness and hospitality to a clergyman of the Church of England, or a dissenting minister, to melt down his faithfulness and conform him to your taste and criminal moderation in religion, cover your sins;" but make you "a partaker of his sins," and the effects of them.

The time is fast approaching when "the bag" of individuals will be opened, and the genteel violations of the Christian Sabbath, by feasting, idleness, dissipation, business, and pleasure,