An Address to the Inhabitants of the Colonies | Page 8

trumpet shall sound, the graves shall open, the sea give up her dead, and all who have lived upon earth, from the creation to the final consummation of time, will then be judged, and rewarded or punished according to their works. Mark well St. John's representation of this solemn transaction, "I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works"[Rev. xx. 12, 13.]. Such are the declarations of scripture respecting this awful season! Sinners, whatever you may now think of these things, or think or say of me, for declaring them to you, in this, plain and solemn manner, I must and will tell you, that there is not a profane oath which you have uttered, nor a lie which you have told, nor a sabbath which you have broken, nor a single act of adultery, fornication, theft, or any wickedness of which you have been guilty; in a word, there is not an evil you have committed, nor a duty you have omitted to perform, but what is noted down in the book of God's remembrance, and will be produced against you in the day of judgment, unless you repent, and believe the gospel. You must then give an account how you improved the advantages now afforded you, for attending to the things pertaining to your peace. If you do not improve them, the Bible will condemn you, every faithful sermon you have heard will condemn you, nay, every sermon which you might have heard, but would not, because you despised and neglected the ordinances of public worship, will condemn you: And alas! this address, by which I try to warn you, because I love you, and wish well to your souls; which you are now reading, or perhaps, about to throw aside with scorn, will then condemn you. The admonitions, intreaties, prayers, and tears of godly parents, the advice and reproofs of pious friends, the warning and expostulations of faithful ministers, will all witness against you. My brethren, what shall I say? The law of God, the gospel, saints, sinners, angels, your own consciences, the Holy Spirit, the Lord Jesus, the great Judge himself, will all witness against you, for your contempt and neglect of that mercy and salvation, which are set before you in the gospel.
Then all ungodly and impenitent sinners, being tried, cast, and condemned, must hear that final terrible sentence pronounced upon them, Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels![Matt. xxv. 41.] And remember that those who have been your associates in wickedness here, will then be your companions in misery. This will, if possible, aggravate your torment. You and they will rue the day when you first met; and mutually charge the ruin of your souls upon each other. Oh, think of this, and pray for grace to repent, before it be too late!
At that solemn season, the righteous shall be publicly and fully acquitted before the assembled world. The judge will say to them, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world [Matt. xxv.34.]. The holy angels will then conduct them to the mansions of eternal bliss. Happy souls! They will then have no more cause to weep and mourn, to fight and wrestle. They will no more be exercised with darkness or temptation; for sin, which is the cause of all their conflicts and sorrows, shall be done away; and God their gracious Father, and everlasting Friend, shall wipe all tears from their eyes [Rev. vii. 17.].
The righteous, however obscured and reproached upon earth, shall then shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. They are represented to us, as standing before the throne, clothed in white robes, with palm-branches (the emblems of victory) in their hands, and singing to their harps their Redeemer's praise [Matt. xiii.43.; Rev vii. 9,10.]. There they will join in company with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with the apostles, prophets, and martyrs, with their dear friends and relatives, who died in the faith before them, and with the glorious angels; and above all, (without which heaven itself would be no heaven to them) they will enjoy the unclouded presence of their Lord and Saviour, who once suffered pain, and shame, and death for them. They will see him seated upon a throne of glory, and unite with all the heavenly host, in ascribing salvation, glory, and honour, and praise to him who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood; and has made them kings and priests to God,