It will be in vain for sinners there to plead, as they sometimes do here, that they could not help continuing in sin; that they were urged on by a fatal necessity; that they were urged on by the violence of natural inclination. For the examples of the righteous will testify, that others, who were once of like dispositions and in like circumstances, have repented, have broken off their iniquities by turning unto the Lord. At the tribunal of Heaven, the example and condition of the righteous will testify, that they only were wise, and that all the impenitent were fools. That "madness was in their heart while they lived." And the example of the wise, instead of provoking a smile of pity or contempt, will only pour eternal shame on all the finally impenitent.

For

Again, the sinner's own awakened conscience and memory will testify against him in that day. Conscience may now slumber in perfect insensibility. The sinner may put far away the evil day, and impiously say, "Where is the promise of his coming? What profit shall we have if we pray unto him?" But far different will be his reflections on another day. when the slumbers of death are broken, and the terrors of the last judgment burst upon the view then too will the slumbers of conscience be effectually broken, and a long chain of condemning recollections rush on the mind. Then will it be recollected, how, in early life, or riper years, the affecting sounds of death, judgment and eternity did ring on the ear, thrill the soul, agitate the heart, and almost persuade you to be a Christian. But conscience will then testify, how you slighted the monition, resisted the truth, and grieved the Holy Spirit. Memory too will on that day be amazingly quickened. Then every act or thought of injustice to man, or dishonor to God--all the millions of your now forgotten sins, of thought, word and deed, will come up in terrible array before you. Oh, what an immense, dark, thick cloud, to break at once in thunder on the conscience! And will not conscience be roused to fury, and declare you verily guilty, when God shall thus "bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing?" But,

Again, the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ will testify against the wicked at the day of judgment. That same Jesus who hung on the cross, will then fill the throne. But, O how changed! That countenance, once marred, now glorious as ten thousand suns shining in their strength. His appearance will then say with emphasis, to such as now slight his offered grace, These arms were once extended for your salvation-for sinners like you, this head was crowned with thorns-this body and soul bore the tremendous weight of a world's redemption. And this exhibition will be as vivid lightning to the sinner's eye. It will furnish overwhelming proof of his ingratitude and guilt, whom such love could not melt.

All the instructions of Christ will also testify against the sinner in the last judgment. "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Yes, these glorious truths of the Savior will be as noon-day splendors, to render the ingratitude and wickedness of the wicked the more manifest-their perseverance in sin perfectly inexcusable--and their damnation just.

And now, with such overwhelming variety of evidence against the sinner, and no witness whatever in his behalf, how manifest the certainty that he can

not stand the dread trial! But this certainty is still more manifest, if possible, from several other considerations.

3. Consider then next, THE ETERNAL JUDGE WILL BE INFLEXIBLY STRICT IN INTERPRETING AND UPHOLDING THE LAW. The omniscient Judge understands those laws which Himself has made. And he can not but have an unchanging veneration for them in all their strictness and purity; for he is the unchanging God. And from his book of remembrance, he can compare distinctly the life and heart of every man with what is written in the book of his statutes. And when this great God shall exhibit the infinite purity of his Law, and contrast it with the sinner's vileness, then the poor wretch, if he have no Savior to plead for him, must feel that he is indeed undone for everthat it is utterly impossible to stand such a trial. But,

4. The impenitent sinner at God's bar wILL HAVE NO ADVOCATE. At a human tribunal, when the culprit is arraigned, though his case appear exceedingly bad--though all the witnesses be against him, and the Judge inflexibly strict--still he sometimes cherishes hope, from the ingenuity and eloquence of his advocate. But for the impenitent at Jehovah's bar no advocate will be found. Not one of his boldest companions in sin will venture a syllable in his defence; not one of those foul spirits of darkness who may have seduced him with lies, will now care for his safety; not one of the bright and generous millions who encircle the throne will have a heart to palliate his guilt. And having slighted the mediation of Christ, he can have no part in his mercy. Every impenitent sinner, therefore, on that day must bear his own burden. He must hear the condemning witnesses, the eternal law, the irreversible sentence, without any advocate whatever in his behalf. How then can he stand the trial?

5. Finally; to make his case perfectly hopeless, let it be remembered, that ALL WHO ARE TO CO-OPERATE IN HIS TRIAL, WILL BE HOLY AND UPRIGHT BEINGS. "Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world?" Yes, these happy spirits, themselves "washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb," and admitted to share his glory, will then look on the wicked who have despised his mercy, just as they appear" in the light of God's countenance," ainid the splendors of the "great white throne;" and in such circumstances they cannot but acquiesce in the sanctions of the infinitely holy law. Their part will then be, with Christ, to judge and condemn; and not as now, to entreat, and suffer wrong. Men of eminent piety and moral worth are sometimes most cruelly treated in this world. Wealth and power and intrigue may here succeed in a bad cause. Yes,

"In the corrupted currents of this world

Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice;
And oft 'tis seen, the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law but 'tis not so above:
There is no shuffling."

For Heaven has declared, of all the proud, of all the unjust, yea, of all that do wickedly, "Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them, and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning." And again, "To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people, to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, to execute upon them the judgment written, this honor have all his saints.”

If then wicked kings and nobles shall fall under the condemnation of the saints, when with Christ they shall judge the world, where is the impenitent man that can stand the trial?

:

O sinner! when all the witnesses shall be against you; when your Judge shall be inflexibly strict; and no kind advocate shall appear for you; and all the jurors shall be perfectly holy can thy heart endure, or thy hands be strong, when God shall deal with thee? Ah, no! Every angel of light would say, No; every man in his right mind must say, No: this controversy is with Omnipotence, and God is right and you are wrong, and there is no possibility of standing, when "the great day of his wrath is come." What then is the grand inference from this subject? Why, every man in his right mind must say what the Savior himself hath kindly and earnestly said-" Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him."

Hearken, then, sinner, to the advice of infinite wisdom. Settle at once this awful controversy. Have the courage, have the honesty, have the magnanimity to confess before men and angels, that God is right and that you are wrong. Fly to the only Savior, to the all-prevailing Intercessor. Accept his offered mediation, and be at peace. For it is madness, inexpressible madness, as well as guilt, to remain unreconciled to God, and brave the eternal judgment, without an advocate, without one favoring witness, with no friend on the throne, nor one pitying saint or angel among all the millions who attend the trial.

As a rational being, you know that in such circumstances you must inevitably fall. "The ungodly shall not stand." And recollect, from that fall there is no recovery. It settles your destiny forever, forever, FOREVER. Then" he that is unjust let him be unjust still." And Oh! eternity, eternity, eternity! how long and dreary must be the period, spent in "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth," under a full conviction of deserved wrath! Think, O my soul, think before it be too late, what it is to be abandoned by the infinite Redeemer and Judge, and lie forever under the " power of his anger!" Think of the dread amount of misery that must be endured by an incorrigible enemy of God, increasing forever in guilt and remorse! Think of the extent of eternity! Oh! send an angel forward on the awful deep, with the speed of lightning, for millions on millions of centuries, and the dread waves of perdition are still rising and rolling eternally beyond!

Fellow sinner, in view of these considerations, what will you now do? "The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself, but the simple pass on and are punished." "If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself, but if "Be wise now therefore. Be inthou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it." structed. Serve the Lord with fear. Rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and thou perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." For "who can stand before his indignation, and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger?"

END OF VOL. XI.

THE AMERICAN

NATIONAL PREACHER;

ORIGINAL-MONTHLY,

FROM

LIVING MINISTERS OF THE UNITED STATES.

EDITED BY REV. AUSTIN DICKINSON.

VOL. XII.

NEW YORK:

PRINTED BY D. FANSHAW.

1838.