should excite the most wakeful apprehensions, and lead to the most diligent searchings of heart.-My object in this paper-an object of sufficient importance, surely, to command attentionwill be to expose some of the grounds or reasons of those disappointments with which so many at the last will be overwhelmed.

en.

1. Some will be disappointed, because they did not suppose any particular traits of character were requisite, in order to entitle them to the heavenly kingdom. They supposed that Christ died for all, in such a sense, that all of every character were authorized to expect salvation in his name. Or they believed that some means were provided, they hardly knew what, by which the whole race of men, without distinction, would eventually be received to hearConsequently they lived thoughtless and careless, engrossed with the trifles and the pleasures of the world, and neglected to form those holy, religious characters which many around them believed to be necessary. But-as there is any truth in the Bible-when persons of this description appear in the other world, they will find themselves most grievously disappointed. When they appear at heaven's gate, it will be shut against them; and shut, not only by the decree of the Saviour, but by the necessity of the case. They will be entirely unmeet for heaven. They will have an utter disrelish for divine employments and heavenly joys. They will see, that they could not be happy in heaven, if admitted, and, to their endless confusion, they will find, too late, that the blissful regions have no place for them. They must be excluded in outer darkness, and take their portion among the despairing and the miserable forever.

2. Not a few will be disappointed, when they appear before God in the other world, because they expected to have there a space for repentance. Unlike the class of whom I have spoken, these believed in the necessity of repentance; but they did not believe that the space for repentance was limited to the present world. They hoped it would be extended to the other world; and consequently, if they neglected religion here, that they should have an opportunity of embracing it hereafter. On this ground, they ventured to waste their time on earth, and to abuse the many opportunities with which they were favored. They loved the ways of sin, and presumed to persist in them, expecting there would be time enough for repentance, and a more convenient season for securing salvation, beyond the grave. But alas! when the thread of life is severed, and their immortal spirits appear in eter nity, they find that they have been mistaken. They find, that as the tree has fallen, so it must lie; and that in the miserable state on which they have entered, no change for the better is to be ex pected. They must now reap according to that they have sown, and must be regarded and treated forever according to the deeds done in the body. Contrary to all previous expectation, they find that their

probation is ended, their space for repentance closed, and their souls irrecoverably lost. Thus their once cherished hopes have vanished like a dream, and they are destroyed, and that without remedy.

2. Many will be disappointed, when summoned into the other world, because they did not live so long as they expected. They believed that a return to God was necessary to prepare them to enjoy his presence and favor, and that this return must be accomplished on earth, or never; but still they did not think there was any need of haste. They were in the vigor of their days, in the full enjoyment of health; and if they thought of death at all, they thought of it only as a distant event. They were often warned that life was short and uncertain, and that their eternal well-being was at hazard; and they not unfrequently made resolutions that when they had arrived at a certain period, they would repent. But when the promised period came, they were not ready. They found the same hindrances and objections as before, and that these were rather increased than diminished by delay. Of course, they could not attend to the subject then, but still did not cease to hope that some more convenient season would arrive. In this way, life ran to waste, death was comparatively excluded from their thoughts, and the concerns of the immortal soul were neglected and forgotten. But in an unexpected manner and moment, disease invaded, and the dread messenger approached. They had scarcely time to look about them, and realize their situation, before all hope of life was extinguished, and the arm of the king of terrors was lifted for their destruction. At this dreadful hour their distress and horror were unspeakable. They shuddered-they resolved-they entreated for mercy: but nothing could stay or avert the lifted hand of death. It fell-it despatched them-it sent them into the eternal world-it disclosed to them in a moment that all was lost. It showed them that the half of their doom had not been told them, and left them to wail on forever, 'The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.'

4. Numbers will be disappointed hereafter, because they have mistaken the true character of God. They believed that persons must love God in order to enjoy him, and they flattered themselves. that they did love him. They supposed, indeed, that they had always loved him, and that the love of God was one of the most natural affections of the human heart. They could not doubt that they were the friends of God, and that the judgement scene would test the sincerity of their friendship. But when they appear in the eternal world, to their unutterable confusion, they find, that the God they loved so well is not there. They discover that their God was a mere fiction, and had no existence save in their own imaginings for instead of taking the character of God as he had himself revealed it, they fashioned it after their own fancies, and

no wonder they loved it. No wonder they pleased themselves with the airy delusion. But though the phantom has fled, they find that the God of the Bible, the God of heaven remains. He remains, just as he revealed himself, glorious in holiness, angry with the wicked, delighting to show mercy to the penitent; but he will by no means tarnish the honor of his law, or clear the guilty. How shall they meet this holy and just God? How shall they stand before him, and answer for denying him? They feel that they cannot do it; and in consternation and confusion they cry to the rocks and mountains to fall upon them, and hide them from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne.

5. Another class will be disappointed in the judgement, because they have mistaken the nature of true religion. They believed religion necessary, as a preparation for death, and they clung to something which they thought was religion. They continued to cling to it to the last. But the moment they step into eternity, they find that they have been deceived. They have mistaken the shadow for the substance, and have clung to that which cannot support them.

Some mistake their orthodoxy for religion, and because they are speculatively correct in their religious opinions, flatter themselves that they shall be accepted. But let such persons remember, that self-flattery like this is no part of orthodoxy-that there is such a thing as holding the truth in unrighteousness'-that an enlightened head renders an unsanctified heart the more inexcusable-and that mere speculation, however correct and extended, cannot save them. Thou believest there is one God,' and believest many things which he has revealed; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble.'

Some mistake external morality for religion, and because they treat their fellow men with justice and kindness, and perform the relative and social duties, fancy that that they have all the religion which they shall ever need. They feel no deep sense of sin, and no need of a Saviour's cleansing blood; and though they live in a neglect of prayer and all the duties which they owe to God, they are content to rest on their own supposed righteousness, as the foundation of their hopes, and their preparation for heaven.-Notwithstanding the absurdity of views such as these, there are multitudes, it may be feared, who entertain them. Thousands under the gospel are living, dying, and going into eternity, with no better religion than this. How great must be their disappointment, when summoned into the presence of God in all the confidence of self-righteous expectation, to find that heaven has no place for them: to find that a preparation for heaven is a very different thing from what they had supposed to find that all who rise to that world, go there, not on the ground of their own righteousness, but as those who have been pardoned for the sake of Christ: to find that the feeling which

pervades all heaven is, 'Not unto us, not unto us, but to Him who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, be all the glory of our salvation.'

Others mistake the nature of religion in a different way. They think it enough that they have had convictions of sin; that they have passed through something which they call conversion; that they have made a public profession of their faith; and are commonly regarded and spoken of as Christians. They do not love the duties of religion, and they neglect these duties as often as decency will allow. Their hearts are set upon the world, and they pursue it with unremitting ardor. Still, strange as it may seem, they do not doubt that their hearts have been renewed, that they have the essentials of religion, and that they are prepared to die in peace. Such persons seem to suppose that, in order to be religious, it is only necessary to pass through a certain process usually denominated conviction and conversion; and that prayer, and watchfulness, communion with God, and a strict religious life (though well enough for those who like them) are wholly unnecessary. Consequently, though they live after the manner of the world, and perhaps more loosely than many who make no pretensions to piety, they never doubt the reality of their religion or the goodness of their hope. But, if the representations of the Saviour are at all to be credited, such persons are preparing for an overwhelming disappointment. A shoreless eternity is before them; time, with resistless current, is bearing them on towards it, and the moment they enter there, they will find that they have no support. They will discover, at a glance, that they have been deceived, that they have mistaken the nature of true religiou, that the gate of heaven is shut against them, and their souls are lost. And though they may stand without, and cry, Lord, Lord, open unto us; we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets;' a voice of thunder will reply, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.'

6. Many will be disappointed at the last, because they have mistaken the character of their own exercises and feelings. They believed that religion was necessary as a preparation for heaven, and that true religion is in its nature spiritual, having its seat in the affections of the soul. They trusted, also, that their own affections were of the right kind, and consequently that their title to heaven was sure; but in this respect their hearts deceived them.

Some mistake the excitement of mere animal sensibilities for the glow and fervor of religious affection. We are so constituted as to be susceptible of a variety of feelings connected with our animal nature, such as fear, joy, grief, natural affection, &c. These animal feelings are not unfrequently excited by religious considerations. The sufferings of Christ, the worth of the soul, the joys of heaven, and the pains of hell, may be so presented to the mind, as to excite

hopes and fears, desires and sympathies which are entirely of an animal nature. Feelings of this kind are usually ardent, strong, palpable to the sense, and peculiarly calculated to deceive the unwary. In many instances, they have been mistaken for holy affec tions, and persons, on the ground of them, have made high profes sions and indulged confident hopes. A religion of this character is usually transient. The gust of passion quickly subsides, and the sleep of worldliness returns. Or, where this is not strictly the case, the character is unstable, fitful, subject to inconsistencies and extravagancies, and easily distinguishable from the course of the just, which shines brighter and brighter to the perfect day. Still, those who are deceived by feelings such as have been described are usually fond of the delusion, and refuse to renounce it. They think much of their high religious exercises, perhaps boast of them, and regard themselves as elevated almost above the region of doubt, or the ordinary necessity of self-scrutiny. O what must be the disappointment of such persons, their weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, when they shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, and all the ransomed of the Lord, in the kingdom of glory, and they themselves thrust out!

But there is another mistake in regard to the nature of religious exercises, by which many are preparing themselves for disappointment hereafter. They do not distinguish between holy and selfish affections, and because their selfishness assumes a religious aspect, they please themselves with the idea that it is religion itself. They have something which they call the love of God, but it is a mere selfish love they love him because they think he loves them, and is determined to save them. Their repentance too is of the same character. If anything more than mere compunction of conscience, or animal grief-if it is a sorrow of the heart at all, it is selfish sorrow ;—a sorrow for sin, not because it is wrong in itself, and has been committed against God, but because it is likely to injure them. With the same kind of affection they embrace the Saviour. They believe he has died for them, and will certainly save them, and they love him for the favors which they expect to receive from him. Under a delusion such as this, persons may also experience a joy in religion, which they mistake for holy joy, but which is entirely selfish. They believe that God loves them, and has perdoned all their sins, and will certainly make them happy forever; and with such impressions, who would not rejoice? These selfish affections may at times be ardent, may rise very high, and may leave the possessor of them in no doubt as to the reality of his religion, while it is obvious to other eyes that they have nothing of the nature of true religion in them. They are spurious, counter feit, terminating on self and not on God, and such as a koly God cannot approve.-Persons deceived in this way will be very likely to go on, trusting to their false hopes and selfish affections, till the