[No, verily, there is no peace for the wicked there. At the instant of the departure of the soul from the body, all delusions vanish, and every thing which God has spoken is ful- filled. Then how glad would the sinner be, if rocks or hills could fall upon him, and hide him from the face of his offended God! But that cannot be: into the presence of his Judge must he go ; and from him must he receive his eternal doom, even in the lake that burnetii with fire and brimstone, pre- pared for the devil and his angels. What peace can be pos- sessed there, let the rich man inform you, who wanted a drop of water to cool his tongue. Alas ! " they rest not day nor night," but " drink incessantly of the cup of God's wrath and indignation ;" and to all eternity will they be occupied in " weeping and wailing, and gnashing their teeth." Such will be the issue of walking in the broad road which leadeth to de- struction ; nor will any escape it, but those who " enter in at the strait gate, and walk in the narrow way that leadeth unto life."]
Address —
1. The erring —
[Pause, I pray you, Brethren, and consider whither your feet are tending : for, whether you will believe it or not, they who walk in crooked paths shall never know peace. But, having warned you of this, let me tell you how you may have peace. Blessed be God ! there is peace to be obtained through the Lord Jesus Christ, " who is our Peace." Yes : " the day-spring from on high has visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide oiir feet into the way of peaces Do you ask, How shall I obtain this ? I answer, Come to him in penitence and faith ; and " you shall surely find rest unto your souls." Let me propose to you the pattern which is to be realized by innumerable multitudes in the latter day : " They shall come with weep- ing, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight ivay, wherein they shall not stumble V "Return to God" in this way, and then you may rest assured that your past iniquities shall not be your ruin.]
2. Those who are walking in the right way —
[Who is it that has made you to differ? You were once walking in crooked paths, even as others: but God, in his mercy, has stopped you, as he did the persecuting Saul, and " brought you into the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Let a sense of this mercy fill you with thankfulness
b Jer. xxxi. 9.