A Lenten Series (V)

On the Terrors of the Last Judgement

Behold, o my soul, how terrible will be the last Judgement when the whole world shall be wrapt in flames blazing up higher than the loftiest peak by many an ell. Then shall come down from Heaven attended by the whole company of angels and saints, Christ, the stern judge. The dead shall rise again and stand before the face of Christ the Lord. The bodies of the damned, weighed down like so much lead, shall lie prone on that earth they have loved too well. They shall be more horrible that when they lay rotting in the tomb as loathsome food for worms; sheets of flame too shall light upon them. O my soul, how shall not those wretched creatures be pressed on every side: above them, their Judge, all mercy gone and full of wrath; below them Hell, yawning open; on this side and that the devils ready to accuse them. Yea, and all the angels and saints and the whole of mankind too, stirred up against them! At that moment every one of their sins shall be made plain to the whole world. The judge will sum up their record of sin and pronounce sentence: "Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire". What awful fear shall seize upon them as He frameth these words, and as they see the earth open to swallow them up. Yes, they know the next moment shall see them amidst eternal flames, captives for ever with the devils in the prison-house of Hell. While in the same instant looking upwards, they may see the blessed climbing Heaven's heights in a very ocean of delights.

Think too, o my soul, of thine own particular judgement. As soon as thou shalt have passed from this body, thou shalt be haled before the bar of Christ and strictly judged by Him. Yea, tremble at this judgement; walk in holy fear and watchfulness before the all-seeing eye of thy judge: pray without ceasing that in the day of account, thy lot shall be not with the damned, with whom is weeping and gnashing of teeth.