slain," and his kingdom was given to the Medes and Persians*.

I might adduce many other awful examples; but those, to which I have referred, are sufficient to show you that it is God's ordinary plan to bring sudden ruin on his enemies. He gives them, indeed, a warning; he lets them know that wrath is purposed against them, if, peradventure, they will take the warning, and escape: but if they neglect it, then he will give them over to judicial hardness and impenitence, till, in an hour that they think not, his vengeance is suddenly poured forth. I believe that it will be so at Christ's second coming. Already have abundant pre

* Dan. v.

monitions been sent: we have been told that he will come-that he is comingthat he is at hand-and some have bethought themselves in time, have set their house in order, and are prepared to welcome his approach; but the mass of the world-how regardless are they of the fearful summons!-how blind to the impending danger!—and they will go on so, till the terrors of his presence shall surprise them at their business, their amusement, their jollity, their sins; and the crashing storm, and echoing trump, and blazing sky, and melting elements, shall dreadfully convince them that it is then too late to call upon the mountains to fall on them, and the rocks to hide them from

the face of Him that sitteth on his throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

Brethren, this is no idle picture, it shall surely be;-if inspiration be true, it shall surely be. Men shall rise to their accus tomed occupations, and the world around them shall smile in its loveliness, as though it were built to last for ever; and they shall go forth in the gladness of their hearts; and they shall look, the young, and gay, and noble, for many years of enjoyment; and they shall say, each one in his heart, "Soul, take thine ease;" and then, even then, shall the end be. The past delay of judgment encourages multitudes in their neglect of it. Just so the apostle warned us: "there shall come in the last days, scoffers, walking after their

own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation*." But the length of time which has elapsed since the prophecies were uttered, is a presumptive proof that their completion is not now far distant: the end long looked for must come at last; and every year, and day, and hour that passes by, drains out the small remnant that has yet to run.

Such is the scripture testimony of the suddenness of Christ's coming.

I proceed

II. To show you how fearfully this aggravates the danger of sinners.

The reason why the coming of our Lord

* 2 Pet. iii. 3, 4.

is to be sudden, is, that "as a snare"

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it may come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth;" that those who are disobeying his commands, and neglecting his service, may be detected, as it were, in the very act of transgression, and receive the righteous reward of their misdeeds. It is sudden, in order that it may be "sudden destruction;" not because the Lord has any pleasure in the death of a sinner, but because "he that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall"—and it is most just, if there is to be anything like moral government in the universe" suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

Again, when judgment so comes un