Introduction.
The valley of Josaphat, in which we shall all be assembled before the judgment-seat of God, may well be called a terrible wilderness. The voices crying out therein shall be manifold, and they shall exclaim against the sinner and accuse him, as we have seen in the last sermon, etc. Continues as above.
How the saints in heaven shall be our judges: see the following sixth part.
THIRTY-EIGHTH SERMON.
ON THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE JUDGE ON THE CRIMINAL.
Subject.
Terrible shall be the sentence of the Judge, if we consider only these few words: “Depart from Me, you cursed.”—Preached on Septuagesima Sunday.
Text.
Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.—Matt. xx. 16.
“For many are called, but few chosen.”
Introduction.
Fearful words to come from Infallible Truth, “Few chosen”; So that on the last day the smaller number shall be called to the kingdom of heaven? Yes. And the greater number condemned by the Judge to hell? Yes. Ah, if we blind mortals only thought of that while there is still time, that we might be inspired with a salutary fear, and so live that we may be found among the few elect! My dear brethren, we have hitherto considered the miserable state of the guilty sinner before the judgment-seat, and how he shall be summoned to judgment, questioned therein, accused, and convicted. There is still another and that a most terrible point to be considered, namely, how that summoned, questioned, accused, and convicted sinner shall be condemned by the sentence pronounced on him. This sentence shall form the matter of this and the following meditation. “Then shall He say to them also that shall be on His left hand,” so we read in the twenty-fifth chapter of St. Matthew, “Depart from Me,
