of this assembly, to judge us, to make the awful separation between the sheep and the goats, do you believe that the most of us would be placed at His right hand?  Do you believe that the number would at least be equal?  Do you believe that there would even be found ten upright and faithful servants of the Lord, when formerly five cities could not furnish that number?  I ask you!  You know not!  I know it not!  Thou alone, O my God, knowest who belong to Thee.

But if we know not who belong to Him, at least we know that sinners do not.  Now, who are the just and faithful assembled here at present?  Titles and dignities avail nothing; you are stript of all these in the presence of your Savior!  Who are they?  Many sinners who wish not to be converted; many more who wish, but always put it off; many others who are only converted in appearance, and again fall back to their former course; in a word, a great number, who flatter themselves they have no occasion for conversion.  This is the party of the reprobate!  Ah! my brethren, cut off from this assembly these four classes of sinners, for they will be cut off at the great day!  And now stand forth ye righteous:—­where are ye?  O God, where are Thine elect!  What remains as Thy portion!

My brethren, our ruin is almost certain!  Yet we think not of it!  If in this terrible separation, which will one day take place; there should be but one sinner in the assembly on the side of the reprobate, and a voice from heaven should assure us of it, without particularizing him, who of us would not tremble, lest he be the unfortunate and devoted wretch?  Who of us would not immediately apply to his conscience, to examine if its crimes merited not this punishment?  Who of us, seized with dread, would not demand of our Savior, as did the apostles, crying out, “Lord, is it I?” And should a small respite be allowed to our prayers, who of us would not use every effort, by tears, supplication, and sincere repentance, to avert the misfortune?

Are we in our senses, my dear hearers?  Perhaps among all who listen to me now, ten righteous ones would not be found.  It may be fewer still.  What do I perceive, O my God!  I dare not, with a fixt eye, regard the depths of Thy judgments and justice!  Not more than one, perhaps, would be found among us all!  And this danger affects you not, my dear hearer!  You persuade yourself that in this great number who shall perish, you will be the happy individual!  You, you have less reason, perhaps, than any other to believe it!  You, upon whom alone the sentence of death should fall, were only one of all who hear me to suffer!  Great God! how little are the terrors of Thy law known to the world?  In all ages the just have shuddered with dread in reflecting on the severity and extent of Thy judgments, touching the destinies of men!  Alas! what are they laying up in store for the sons of men!