3 II. AWFUL IN ITS NATURE.

However thoughtless man may affect to trifle, still there is something peculiarly awful in death. Who can attend a friend, or even a stranger, in his last moments, and hear him bid a final adieu to all surrounding objects, however dear,—and behold his eyes grow dim, his lips quiver, and nature expire, without being deeply affected? At the same time, perhaps, it is impossible for the living to enter fully into the sensations of the dying man. In these solemn moments, how appalling to feel the stings of a guilty conscience! The thoughts of meeting an offended God, must add ten thousand horrors to the pangs of expiring nature! It is in death, however, as in life, that Christianity manifests her benign influence, by soothing the sorrows of the heart, illuminating and gilding the tomb, and opening the gates of paradise to the soul of the believer, just about to escape from a world of error, pollution, and death.

III. NEAR IN ITS APPROACH.

It may be considered as near in its approach.-First when our neighbours, friends, or relatives, are summoned to the invisible world. And where is the man who can say, death has hitherto wandered at a great distance? most, or all, may call to mind the painful loss of a parent, a wife, a husband, a child, a brother, a sister, a friend, or at least an acquaintance. And it is possible his next approach may be to you! to me! What, if before the sun again adorn the eastern skies, we should be hurried hence? This thought should lead the mind to solemn pause, and speedy reformation, if our ways are wrong. Secondly, with respect to the shortness of human life. The Scriptures compare the term of human existence, to the flight of an eagle, the falling of a leaf, and a vapour that passeth away." IV. FREQUENT IN ITS OCCURRENCE.

Some have calculated (probably without exaggeration) that one human being expires every moment. Thus, while numbers are spending their time in wantonness, drunkenness, slander, and all the vices that degrade and defile humanity, others are saying in effect, O the pain, the dread of dying!

V. OFTEN, SUDDEN IN ITS Arrival.

How frequently does it happen when men say to themselves, Peace, peace,-sudden destruction comes upon them?

How impressive the description given by the Saviour of the rich man. (Luke xii. 16-21.)

"How shocking must thy summons be, O death!
To him that is at ease in his possessions :
Who counting on long years of pleasure here,
Is quite unfurnished for the world to come !"

What a striking contrast do we behold in the closing scene of the diligent, watchful, Christian. In health and strength he embraced the offers of merey, and salvation, through the sacrificial death of Christ, as exhibited in the Gospel; and now, though his body is wasted by disease, the joys of sense have all withered, and he is placed in the immediate prospect of dissolution, yet he is enabled triumphantly to exclaim." O grave where is thy victory! O death where is thy sting! thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

VI. UNIFORMLY GREAT IN ITS CONSEQUENCES.

Death ends our state of probation! Life affords opportunities of improvement, and usefulness; but in the grave there is neither knowledge, nor device; and the man who closes his eyes in death, before he has acquired those intellectual, moral, and spiritual accomplishments, detailed in the Holy Scriptures, (which

R.

indeed can alone qualify the soul for the society of the redeemed) is undone for ever! For the Scriptures know of no state of purgation after death;-"Where the foul deeds done in the days of sinful nature, are burnt and purged away." On the contrary they say, "He that is unholy, let him be unholy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still."

O ye sons of men! remember that whenever the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe, pronounces the decree, "Give an account of your stewardship," it will be in vain to plead that you are not prepared to obey the

summons.

Let the infidel, the abandoned sinner, the hypocrite, and the formalist, lay these things to heart; before the door of divine mercy is for ever closed.

Drinkwater.

THE LAST JUDGMENT.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at, &c. Acts xvii. 30, 31.

AMONG all the events that can ever affect the numerous inhabitants of our world, the one referred to in our text is at once the most awful, and the most important. Compared with this, all that has been considered momentous in the annals of time, all that has hitherto transpired, will appear insignificant and trifling. Permit me to invite your serious attention,

I. TO THE CERTAINTY OF A FUTURE JUDGMENT.
That there is a judgment to come, is evident,
1. From the dictates of sound reason.

The present unequal distribution of good and evil, has led wise and thinking men in all ages, to infer the certainty of a future reckoning.

2. From the convictions and accusations of conscience experienced by impenitent transgressors-Belshazzar-Felix.

3. It also appears from the testimony of revelation,Enoch predicted it. (Dan. vii. 9, 10; Rev. xx. 13; Jude xiv. 15.)

4. It is also evident from the argument contained in the text; viz., The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

II. THE PERSON OF THE JUDGE.

Christ is the appointed person; and should any be disposed to ask, why the Son, rather than the Father, or Holy Spirit? I would answer,

1. This is one of the honours put upon him by his heavenly Father, as the reward of his humiliation and sufferings.

2. It is fit also that human embodied beings should be judged by one clothed in their own nature.

3. It is intended for the comfort and encouragement of God's people, that Christ their Mediator and Saviour should also be their Judge.

III. THE SYMPTOMS AND MANNER OF HIS APPROACH. (1 Pet. iv. 8; Luke xvii. 26; Rev. xx. 9.)

IV. THE OBJECTS OF HIS JUDICIAL INSPECTION.

He will judge the world,-more particularly,

1. All the apostate angels, (2 Pet. ii. 4; Jude 6.) 2. The universal progeny of Adam.

appear before this tribunal.

V. THE RULE OF HIS DECISIONS.

All men must

"He will judge the world in righteousness." This expression conveys to us two ideas:

The first is, that of a rule, or law of equity, which the judge will apply to the different characters that come before him.

The second idea implied is, that the judge will in

352 APPENDIX TO THE CHRISTIAN'S SKETCH BOOK.

his sentence display the perfect rectitude of his couduct to angels and to men.

VI. THE GRAND AND AWFUL CRISIS.

The passing of the decisive sentence, upon which shall turn the everlasting destiny of all mankind. Every person's character being fully and impartially investigated, and minutely scrutinized, the wicked will be banished into outer darkness, but the righteous enter into life eternal.

IMPROVEMENT.-1. The folly and danger of infidelity and unbelief.

2. The awfully miserable state of impenitent sinners in a future world.

3. The vanity of this uncertain, unsatisfying world. 4. The absolute necessity of immediate repentance and reformation.

H. L. Poppewell.

THE END.

LONDON:

Printed by JOSEPH BRADFORD, 30, Pitfield Street, Hoxton.