IV. And lastly, the Lord will reign ere long upon a throne of univerfal judgment confpicuous to the affembled univerfe, let the earth therefore rejoice, and the multitude of the ifles be glad.

Here I may borrow the inimitable language of the Pfalmift, Pfalm xcvi. 10, 13. The Lord fhall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad: let the fea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields be joyful, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord, for be cometh! for he cometh to judge the earth. "He fhall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth." This will indeed be a day of infupportable terror to his enemies, Rev. vi. 15, 16. but, on many accounts, it will prove a day of joy and triumph.

This day will unfold all the mysteries of divine Providence, which are now unfearchable. There are many difpenfations now for which we cannot account. Many bleffings are bestowed, many calamities fall, and many events happen, of which mortals cannot fee the reason. Profperity is the lot of fome who feem the peculiar objects of divine vengeance; and many groan under afflictions who feem more proper objects of providential beneficence. We are often led into ways, the end of which we cannot fee, and are bewildered in various perplexities about the defigns of divine Providence towards us. Hence alfo impiety takes occafion to cavil at the ways of God as not equal, and to cenfure his government as weakly administered. But in that day all his ways will appear to be judgment. The clouds and darkness that now furround them will vanish, and the beams of wisdom, goodness, and justice, will shine illuftrious before the whole univerfe, and every creature shall join the plaudit, He hath done all things well! Now we can at best but fee a few links in the chain of providence, but then we fhall fee it all entire and complete; then the whole fyftem will be expofed to view at once, which will discover the ftrange fymmetry, connections, dependencies, and references of all the

parts,

parts, without which we can no more judge of the excellency of the procedure than a ruftic could tell the ufe of the feveral parts of a watch, if he faw them fcattered, in various places. Let the earth therefore be glad in expectation of this glorious discovery.

Again, let the earth rejoice that in that day the prefent unequal diftributions of Providence will be for ever adjusted, and regulated according to the ftricteft juftice. This is not the place or feason for retribution, and therefore we need not be furprised that the bleffings and calamities of this life are not difpofed according to men's real characters; but then every man shall be dealt with according to his works. Oppreffed innocence will be redreffed, and infolence for ever mortified: calumny will be confuted, and flattery expofed: Lazarus fhall be comforted, and Dives tormented: impious kings fhall be driven into the infernal pit, while pious beggars fhall be advanced to the heights of happiness. In short, all matters will then be fet right, and therefore let the earth rejoice.

Again, let the earth rejoice that in that day the righteous fhall be completely delivered from all fin and forrow, and advanced to the perfection of heavenly happiness. Then they fhall enter upon the full fruition of that blifs, which is now the object of all their anxious hopes and earnest labours.

But we must change the fcene into tragedy, and take a view of trembling criminals hearing their dreadful doom, and finking to hell with horrible anguish. And muft the earth rejoice in this too? Yes, but with a folemn tremendous joy. Even the condemnation and everlasting mifery of these is right and juft, is amiable and glorious; and God, angels, and faints, will at the great day rejoice in it. The awful grandeur of juftice will be illuftrated in it; and this is matter of joy. The punishment of irreclaimable impenitents will be an effectual warning to all reasonable beings, and to all future creations, as has been observed; and by it they will be deterred from disobedience;

and

and this is the caufe of joy. These criminals will then be beyond repentance and reformation, and therefore it is impoffible in the nature of things they fhould be happy; and why then fhould Heaven be encumbered with them? Is it not caufe of joy that they should be confined in prifon who have made themselves unfit for fociety? In the prefent ftate finners are objects of our compaffion and forrow, and the whole creation mourns for them. Rom. viii. 22. But God will then rejoice in their ruin, and laugh at their calamity, Prov. i. 26. and all dutiful creatures will join in his joy.

Thus you fee that the Lord reigneth. And who, poor feeble faints, who is this that fuftains this univerfal government, and rules the whole creation according to his pleafure? It is your Father, your Saviour, your Friend! It is he that entertains a tenderer regard for you than ever glowed in an human breast. And can you be fo foolish as to regard the furmifes of unbelief? Can you force yourselves to fear that he will ever leave or forfake you? Can you fufpect that he will fuffer you to fall an helpless prey to your enemies? No, your Lord reigneth, therefore rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I fay rejoice. While he keeps the throne of the univerfe, you fhall be fafe and happy. Your Father is greater than all, and none can pluck you out of his hands. Remember he fits upon a throne of grace, therefore come to him with boldness. You may fmile at calamity and confufion, and rejoice amid the ruins of the world: you may borrow the language of David, Pfalm xlvi. or of Habbakuk, ch. iii. ver. 17, 18. Remember alfo, that as he is a King he demands your cheerful obedience, and therefore make his fervice the bufinefs of your life.

And, unhappy finners! let me afk you, Who is this that reigns King of the univerfe? Why, it is he whom you have rejected from being King over you; it is he against whom you have rebelled, and who is therefore your just enemy. And are you able to make good

good your caufe against him who has univerfal nature at his nod? How dreadful is your fituation! That which may make the earth rejoice, may make you fear and tremble. The Lord reigneth, let finners tremble. You must fall before him, if you will not cheerfully fubmit to his government. Let me therefore renew the ufual neglected declaration, "He fits upon a throne of grace." Let me once more in his name proclaim reconciliation! reconciliation! in your ears, and invite you to return to your allegiance. Lay down your arms, forfake your fins. Haften, haften to him. The fword of his juftice now hangs over your heads while I am managing the treaty with you; and therefore delay not. Yield! yield, or die; furrender, or perifh; for you have no other alternative. Submit, and you may join the general joy at his government. You upon earth, and devils and damned ghofts in hell, are the only beings that are forry for it; but upon your fubmiffion your forrow fhall be turned into joy, and you fhall exult when the Lord of all comes to judge the world with righteousness, and the people with bis truth. Pfalm xcvi. 13.

SERMON

XVII.

The Name of God proclaimed by himself.

EXOD. xxxiii. 18, 19. And he faid, I beseech thee, fhew me thy glory. And he faid, I will make all my goodnefs pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee—

WITH

CHAP. XXXIV. 6, 7. And the Lord paffed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thoufands, forgiving iniquity and tranfgreffion and fin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.

T is a very natural and proper inquiry for a creature, "Where is God my Maker ?" And an heart that loves him muft long to know more of him, and is ever ready to join with Mofes in his petition, Shew me, I pray thee, thy glory; or, "Reveal thyfelf to me.” That thou art, I infer from my own existence, and from thy numerous works all around me; and that thou art glorious, I learn from the display of thy perfections in thy vaft creation, and in the government of the world thou haft made. But, alas! how small a portion of God is known in the earth? How faintly does thy glory fhine in the feeble eyes of mortals? My knowledge of things in the prefent state of flesh and blood depends in a great measure upon the fenses; but God is a fpirit invifible to eyes of flefh, and imperceptible through the grofs medium of fenfation. How and when fhall I know thee as thou art, thou great, thou dear unknown? In what a strange fituation am I! I am furrounded with thy omniprefence,

yet