them, who by patient continuance in well-doing have sought for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life : but to them that were con- tentious, and obeyed not the truth, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, even upon every soul of man that doeth evil." At that day, we are informed, " the Judge will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory ;" and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, even " with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God." " Then shall the sea give up the dead which were in it, and death and hell deliver up the dead that were in them, and all, small and great, shall stand before God." " The Ancient of days, whose garment is white as snow, and the hair of whose head is like pure wool, will sit upon his fiery throne; and while a fiery stream issues from before him, and ten thousand times ten thousand minister unto him, he will open the books"; the book of life°, wherein the names of his people are written ; the book of his remembrance p, wherein the most secret imaginations of men's hearts were registered; the book of con- science too'^, which, however illegible now through our ignorance and partiality, will be found to cor- respond with his records in every particular ; and lastly, the book of his law% according to which he will pass his judgment. Ah ! who can reflect on the solemnities of that day, and not be filled with awe ? Who amongst us can endure so strict a scrutiny ? " Who can abide the day of his coming ?" We may easily conceive the feelings of a prisoner, who, being to be tried for a capital offence, hears the trumpet announce the coming of his judge. Let us endea- vour to realize the thought, and to apply it to our own case. We are sure that such a criminal would lose no time in preparing for his defence. He would engage his counsel, summon his witnesses, and em- ploy every art in order to obtain a favourable sen- tence. Let us go and do likewise : our " time is
n Dan. vii. 9, 10. ° Rev. xx. 12. p Mai. iii. 16.
'1 Matt. xxii. 12. ■" Rom. ii. 12.