THIRTY-SEVENTH SERMON.
ON THE CONVICTION OF THE CRIMINAL IN THE JUDGMENT.
Subject.
The sinner in the judgment shall be convicted: 1. That he lived a bad life; therefore he shall not be able to deny that. 2. That he might have lived a better one; therefore he shall not be able to offer any excuse.—Preached on the sixth Sunday after Epiphany.
Text.
Eructabo abscondita a constitutione mundi.—Matt. xiii. 35.
“I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
Introduction.
So shall it be; there is nothing so hidden in the hearts and consciences of men from the beginning of the world that Our Lord shall not bring to light and speak out openly on that day when He shall come to judge the living and the dead. And not only shall the Judge do that; there shall also be many accusers to demand justice on the sinner, as we have seen from the Scriptures and the holy Fathers in our last meditation. What will you do then, O sinner? Will you be able to deny your wickedness, or to excuse it against so many witnesses? Will you perhaps appeal to others? But where the accusers are so numerous no appeal can help. But do you still wish for other witnesses? Then if so, you will find enough of them to convict you as clearly as the noon-day sun of the crimes you shall be charged with: as I now intend to show.
Plan of Discourse.
The criminal convicted by witnesses in the judgment. Such is the whole subject. He will be convicted of having led a bad life, and therefore no denial will help him: the first part. He will be convicted of having been able to lead a better life, and therefore no excuse will help him: the second part. The object is the same as that of the last meditation.
