July 21 — On the Opening of the Books

Consider, first, what we read in the word of God of the caning of the books, when God shall sit down to judge, (Daniel vii,) I beheld, saith the prophet, till thrones were placed, and the An ci of days at down, — Thousands of thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stood before him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened. And (Revel..XX. 11, 12,) I saw a great white throne, saith St. John, and one sitting upon it, from whose face the earth and heaven jied awap, and there was no place found for them. And I smo the deak, great and small, standing before the throne, and the books were OPENED: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged by those things which were written in the books according to their works, Christians, attend to these awful truths, and think well on these books, by the contents of which you are to be judged. The study of these will be of infinitely more importance to you, than the knowledge of all the books of the belles lettres and human sciences, winch must all perish in the last fire.

Consider, secondly, what these books are, which shall be produced and set open at the day of judgment. In the first place, there shall be the books of our consciences, with all the divine records, in wiiicb our thoughts, words and actions, are punctually registered. In the second place, the books of the Gospel, of. the rules of life prescribed by Jesus Christ, and of the commandments of God. And lastly, the book of life; even that book, in the first line of which it is written of Jesus Christ, (Ps. xxxix,) that he should come, to do his Father s wiU; and in which the names of all stand recorded, under the name of Jesus Christ, who, with him and through him, have made it the main business of their life to do the will of him and of his Father; and who have embraced the law of bis love in the very midst of their hearts. Christians, examine yourselves now by these books, judge yourselves now by these books, and all shall be well with you then. See how your accounts now stand in your own consciences; but O! beware of the delusions of self-love. Reflect how all your thoughts, words and actions, in the moment they go fi’om you, are presently enrolled in the divine books. Ah! in what condition are yours to appear there? Shall your life be able to stand the trial of the book of the Gospel? Or shall not rather your faith rise up in judgment against you, and condemn you, for having renounced in practice what you professed to believe? Has your name any place in the book of life, where none are entered but such as do the will of God?

Consider, thirdly, how, upon the opening of. these books, the sins of the reprobate shall not only all appear, in their most odious shapes, to their own eyes, but also be exposed to the public view of that whole immense assembly of all heaven and earth visible and evident to the eyes of all, both angels and men, good and bad. Ah, poor sinner! where shalt thou then hide thy head? What shame, what anguish, shall oppress thee, when all thy filth and abominations, all thy works of darkness, which thou hadst committed in the greatest secrecy, and which thou. would not have had known to thy friends and aqctuaintaiice all the world, and perhaps couldst not find in thy heart to dis close even to one person, tied by all laws to an eternal secrecy, shall now be displayed lfore thy face, with aJ their aggravating circumstances, in this great consistory of the whole universe?

Conclude to prevent, by a hearty rei)cntance, and a sincere confession of all thy guilt, now, whilst thou hast time, the dreadful confusion which otherwise thou shalt suffer at that day; and the great Judge shall then ratify the absolution, that has been given thee here, by virtue of his commission, and clear thee from all thy sins.