XXXVIII. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

The Judge-The circumstances of the day-All will be judged-The judgment of the righteous and the wicked.

1. How does the Psalmist describe God's righteousness and judgment?

Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. (97 P. 2.)

2. Who is our Judge?

The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. (5 Jn. 22.)

God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. (2 Ro. 16.) 3. What assurance have we that God has appointed Christ to judge the world?

He hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (17 Ас. 31.)

4. How will Christ proceed to judgment?

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. (25 Mt. 31 to 33.)

5. What did Enoch prophesy?

Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all. (Jd. 14, 15.)

6. What did Solomon say?

God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (12 Ес. 14.)

7. How does Daniel describe the day of judgment?

I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did-sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. (7 Dan. 9, 10.)

8. How does St. John describe the day of judgment ?

I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (20 Rev. 11 to 15.)

9. How does St. Peter describe the day of judgment?

The heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.-The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God; wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (II. Pet. 3. 7, 10 to 13.)

10. What is after death?

It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (9 Heb. 27.)

11. Shall we all stand before the judgment-seat?

We shall all stand before, the judgment-seat of Christ. Every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (14 Ro. 10, 12.)

12. For what purpose must we appear at the judgment

seat?

We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II. Cor. 5. 10.)

13. Are the rebel angels reserved by God till the day of judgment?

The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, until the judgment of the great day. (Jd. 6.)

14. How did Christ warn those cities in which he per-formed many mighty works of the day of judgment ?

Wo unto thee, Chorazin! wo unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. (11 Mt. 21 to 24.)

15. Does abused mercy peculiarly aggravate the sinner's guilt and punishment ?

Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. (2 Ro. 4, 5.)

16. How will God fix the state of the righteous and the wicked, in the day of judgment ?

Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for

glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath; tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil. There is no respect of persons with God. (2 Ro. 6, 7, 8, 9, 11.)

17. Will all secret sins be then discovered ?

Who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. (I. Cor. 4. 5.)

18. Will our characters on earth decide our state at the day of judgment ?

Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (6 Gal. 7.)

19. What punishment awaits the sinful?

A certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignațion, which shall devour the adversaries. Vengeance be longeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (10 Heb. 27, 30, 31.)

20. How did the Apostle rejoice in looking forward to the day of judgment ?

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (II. Tim. 4. 8.)

XXXIX. HEAVEN.

Its nature and employments-Its happiness-Promises of -Connexion with Christ.

1. Does Christ exhort us to fix our treasures and our hearts in heaven?

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and

steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (6 Mt. 19 to 21.)

2. How did Christ refer to his coming again?

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: and he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (24 Mt. 30, 31.)

3. What are the exalted hopes of true Christians as to heaven?

Our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself, (3 Phi. 20, 21.)

4. How does St. Peter express his gratitude to God for the hope of heaven?

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. (I. Pet. 1. 3, 4.)

5. Will the saints be made like to Christ?

It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (I. Jn. 3. 2.)

6. How do pure and blessed spirits in heaven express their praises ?

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.-Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. (5 Rev. 12, 13.)