the sight of the Son of God, dying upon the cross for them, and calling from thence to a thoughtless world—"Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger."

Bishop Taylor, in one of his Advent sermons, has an expostulation with a sinner upon this subject, which is so just, beautiful, and affecting, and so infinitely beyond any thing I can offer, that I shall not only have your pardon but your thanks for reciting it. "It was for thy sake that the judge did suffer unspeakable pains, such as were sufficient to reconcile all the world to God. And to consider that thou hast for thy own particular, made all this in vain and ineffective; that Christ thy Lord and Judge should be tormented for nothing; that thou wouldst not accept felicity and pardon, when he purchased them at so dear a price; it must needs be an infinite condemnation to thee. How shalt thou look upon him that fainted and died for love of thee, and thou didst scorn his miraculous mercy? How shalt thou dare to behold that holy face which brought salvation to thee, and thou didst turn away and fall in love with death, and deformity, and sin? And yet in the beholding that face consists much of the glories of eternity. Surely all the pains and the passions, the sorrows and the groans, the humility and poverty, the labors and the watchings, the prayers and the sermons, the miracles and the prophecies, the whip and the nails, the death and the burial, the shame and the smart, the cross and the grave of Jesus, shall be laid upon thy score, if thou hast refused the mercies and design of all their holy ends and purposes. And if thou rememberest what a calamity that was, which broke the Jewish nation in pieces when Christ came to judge them, for their murdering him who was their king and the prince of life; and considerest that this was but a dark image of the terrors of the day of judgment, thou mayest then apprehend, that there is some strange, unspeakable evil in store for one who refuses the salvation of Jesus, and rather chooses that Satan should rejoice in his destruction, than that Jesus should triumph in his felicity."

Thus far this excellent prelate: and all who consider the matter in this its true and proper light, cannot wonder at the effect which, as St. John in the text tells us, the sight of Christ will produce among the kindreds of the earth. They shall wail be

cause of Christ, when they see him whom they have pierced by their sins, and crucified afresh. And that wailing must needs be terrible, when millions of men and women shall at the same instant fearfully cry out, and the noise shall mingle with the trumpet of the Archangel and the thunders of the dying and groaning heavens passing away with a great noise, and the warring of the flames in which the earth and all the works that are therein shall then be dissolving. The terror and lamentation throughout the world at that time, with the forboding pangs and convulsions of departing nature, will be such as never were, since the day that God created man upon the earth. Include in your idea the destruction of the old world by the flood, the overthrow of the cities of the plain by fire and brimstone, and the dessolation of Jerusalem by the Roman armies, with an assemblage of the plagues of Egypt, and the miseries and calamities felt by men in all ages, yet your conceptions will fall as far short of the things themselves, as the shadow does of the substance. Nothing can exceed our blessed Lord's description of this last scene but its actual accomplishment "There shall be signs in the sun and in the moon and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." At this most awful and tremendous hour, when the Son of man shall display his banner, the cross, in the clouds; when the sea and the waters of the great deep shall roar; when the destroying angel shall again go forth at midnight unto the land of Egypt, and there shall be a great cry throughout all the land, because of death and judgment; then shall be brought to pass that which is written in the Revelations; "I beheld when the kings of the earth, and the great men and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?"

A view of the terrors of the Lord has by this time, perhaps, made us all ready to join in asking this last question; "Who shall be able to stand?" And we cannot help taking up our parable with Balaam; "Alas! who shall live when God doth this?" But thanks be to God, an answer will be abundantly ministered unto us by a consideration of the

III. And last point proposed, namely, the faith and hope of the church, who wishes for Christ's manifestation notwithstanding all the terrors that are to attend it; as appears by the remaining words of my text,-"Even so, Amen."

same.

For these are not the words of St. John only, but they carry in them the prayers and sighs of Christians, sent up to the throne of grace through him. It is not "the Spirit" alone, speaking by him that says, "Come;" but "the bride," or church, also says the "How long, O Lord, holy and true," is the voice of the departed spirits, resting from their labors under the altar in heaven, and waiting for the completion of their glory, at the day of their Redeemer's triumph. And that part of the church which is still militant and sojourns in the wilderness, may be heard, earnestly joining in the same expostulation in the 64th chapter of the prophet Isaiah: "O that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence; as when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil; to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! When formerly thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence." Nay, we ourselves, every one of us daily put up the very same petition to God when we pray that "his kingdom may come;" for his kingdom of glory cannot come till all these things shall have been brought to pass. And again, when standing at the grave's mouth, we have before our eyes a plain proof, that "man who is born of a woman hath but a short time to live," in this world; we earnestly beseech the Father of Spirits, "that it would please him of his gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of his elect, and to hasten his kingdom."

Thus the coming of that day in which "all the kindreds of the earth shall wail," is the constant subject of the wishes and prayers of the sons of God. A sound Christian faith gives them confidence towards God, and teaches them without hypocrisy to pray

for the second Advent of Christ. For although in that day "he cometh with clouds," yet God's promise is, that whenever "he brings his cloud" over the earth, his bow shall be in the cloud, the sure token of the everlasting covenant of mercy "between him and all flesh." And accordingly, when Ezekiel and St. John saw Christ upon his terrible throne, he appeared encompassed with a RAINBOW, to teach us that even the throne of Judgment is encircled by mercy, which rejoices against judgment. All the cries of despairing nations, the thunders of heaven, and the horrible noises of the perishing earth, shall not keep those who have been indeed the disciples of Jesus, from hearing a voice saying unto them, "Come up hither." Yea, and they who, in faith and patience have waited for the Lord, as the Prophet Isaiah speaks, "shall then renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles." They shall ascend to meet their Redeemer in the air; and the eye of faith shall steadfastly behold the glories of the Sun of Righteousness. Marvel no longer, then, that the church so passionately desires the manifestation of Christ. Marvel not that she should say, "come!" when the Advent of him to whom she speaks, is to be the day of her espousals, and the day of the gladness of her heart; the end of her Saviour's suffering, and her faith; a day of triumph and everlasting felicity. Let the men of the world lament, for their joy is ended, and their sorrow beginning; but let the redeemed be glad, for their sorrows are at an end and their joys beginning. Let the "tribes of the earth mourn," but let "Israel rejoice in him that made him, and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King." For the trumpet which proclaims the destruction of the ungodly, declares at the same time the salvation of the righteous. When that trumpet sounds throughout the land, the eternal jubilee is begun. There is liberty for the captives, and the opening of the prison doors, even the gates of the grave, for those to come out who lie there in darkness and in the shadow of death; every child of God is free to return to his possession and inheritance, and to the family of his heavenly Father. When they who have loved the world, instead of him whom the world crucified, and trusted in the false glory and riches of earthly Babylon, shall "stand weeping and wailing to see the smoke of her burning, saying 'Alas, alas! that great city, that was clothed in purple, and fine linen, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones; how, in one hour, is so

great riches come to nought?" What saith the Spirit to the church? "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy Apostles and Prophets, for God hath avenged you on her.” And what saith the church herself? "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad, and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."

And now, my brethren, whose heart does not burn within him, when he hears the melody of the celestial choir, chanting forth the praises of their victorious Redeemer, round his glorious throne? Is there a single person here, whose soul has not a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord, and to bear his part in the never-ending chorus? But know, O man, whosoever thou art, that hast this desire and longing, know thou must be a penitent on earth, before thou canst be a saint in heaven. Thou must be holy in time, if thou wouldst be glorious in eternity. Acquaint now, therefore, thyself with God, and be at peace with him, thyself, and all mankind; thereby, and thereby only, shall good come unto thee at thy latter end. Stop not thine ears, and harden not thine heart against instruction, when it is the day of trial and probation in the wilderness. Receive now, I pray thee, the law of the Most High; retire and meditate upon it, and lay up his words in thy heart; nor suffer the world to rob thee of that wisdom which is more precious than rubies, and to which all the things that thou canst desire are not to be compared. Fear not, neither be dismayed, because of the multitude of thy past transgressions, which present themselves to thy troubled conscience, and set themselves in array against thee. God can forgive if thou canst repent. Nay, he will "give thee repentance unto life," if thou wilt request it of him. If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt yet be built up, and impossible as it may appear, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle: thou shalt cease to do evil and learn to do good: thou shalt cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life: thou shalt have thy delight in the Almighty, and lift up thy face unto God: thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee; he shall not lay thy sins to thy charge, but forgive thee what is past; and give thee grace to amend thy sinful VOL. II.-6