Redemption, will overwhelm him with self-condemnation; and pierce his soul with the anguish of self-reproach. 5. Impenitent sinners will in the future world, become Means of extreme Suffering to each other. In the present world sinners often love each other. The sources of this affection are the following. First; Natural affection. On this it will be unnecessary to expatiate. Secondly; Connections growing out of common interests. These are often strong, and sometimes lasting. Out of them, those, who are concerned, derive many enjoyments. Thirdly; Mistaken views of each other's characters. Ignorance, concealment, and a desire to be agreeable, hide many of the defects, and many of the vices, found in a sinful character. At the same time, the wish to gain esteem, confidence, and kind offices, induces these, who are the subjects of this character, to exhibit a pleasing temper, and commendable conduct. In this manner, the whole impression, that is made, is more agreeable than that, which would be derived from a thorough knowledge of the entire character. Fourthly; Natural amiableness. By this, I intend native sweetness of disposition, tenderness, generosity, sincerity, and integrity. Fifthly; The numerous restraints, which sinners experience from the Spirit, and Providence of God. These not only prevent the sinner from appearing, but from being, so bad as he would be, otherwise; as we have frequent opportunities to observe, even here, when such restraints are taken away. Many a man, who in humble life, has been mild, gentle, and reasonable, in his conduct, has become, after being raised to absolute power, a villain, black with every species of crime. Even Nero was regarded, before he assumed the purple, as a hopeful Prince. For these, and some other reasons, sinful men are often considered, in the present world, both by those who are virtuous, and by each other, with much respect, and affection. In the future world, their situation will in all these particulars be mightily changed. There, no natural affection will exist, to prevent the full operation of evil desires. On the contrary, those, who have lived together in habits of attachment and intimacy, will see, and feel, that they were mutual tempters, and seducers, here; sources to each other of sin; and means of each other's destruction. At the same time, none will have favours to bestow; nor a native amiableness of character, to invite esteem, or love. Nor will any restraint operate so, as to prevent the heart from emptying out all its wickedness in the open day. Contempt, therefore, deceit, and hatred, will occupy the whole soul, and dictate all the conduct. The dreadful effects of these passions; their proper, genuine effects; we often behold in the present world, in slander, oppression, wounds, and murders; and in the terrible ravages of tyranny and war. what manner these evil dispositions will be manifested in a state of being, of which we can form no adequate conception, it is beyond our power to determine. But that their whole strength may be there completely disclosed, and disclosed in such a manner, as to produce all the misery, capable of being derived from this source, cannot be questioned. The rage, which here persecutes an enemy to the grave, and laments that it cannot follow him into the invisible world, may there pursue him through eternity. Sixthly; From these considerations it is evident that there can be no Confidence in the regions of misery. The wretched inhabitants of these regions will know all around them to be enemies and deceivers. Amid the vast multitude, not an individual will be found, possessed either of natural affection, or benevolence, or sincerity. Selfishness, supreme and absolute, repels every thing, and attracts nothing. This probably will be one of the most painful, and wearisome, among all the ingredients of future woe. A rational mind instinctively looks to some object, on which it may rest in its journey through the vast of duration. How oppressive must it be to such a mind, to roam in its thoughts through immensity, and to wander down the vale of eternity, and find no friend, no being, on whom this affection may be placed! God is the natural, supreme, and ultimate object of reliance to his Intelligent creatures; a never-failing, all-sufficient, stay; a friend, that cannot deceive; a rock, that cannot be moved. Blessed, unspeakably blessed, is the man, who trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. All virtuous beings, also, in their different situations, and capacities, are proper objects of confidence; safe, amiable, and valuable, friends. Among sinful beings, parents, and other near relatives, are usually trusted with safety and comfort; and sweeten the bitterness of life by inviting, and meriting, the reliance of those, with whom they are intimately connected. Few indeed, very few, of the human race, are here either so sinful, or so unhappy, as not to find some object, to whom they may communi. cate their calamities, with the hope of relief, and the assurance of pity. But the miserable inhabitants of hell have no God, no Saviour, no virtuous friends, no parents, no relations, before whom they may spread their calamities, with the hope of being heard; or in whose hearts, or hands, they may find a refuge from the bit terness of woe. In each other they can place no confidence: since they will know, that at all times, and in all things, they will be only despised, hated, and deceived. Thus, while the inhabitant of that melancholy world looks around him; when he casts his eyes abroad through the universe; he will be forced to perceive, that it contains no friend to him. In the midst of millions he is alone; and is sure of being loathed, rejected, and shunned, by every being in the Creation of God. Not a sigh can he breathe; not a tear can he shed; not a sorrow can he unfold; not a prayer can he utter; with a hope of being befriended, heard, or regarded. In addition to all this, if he extend his view through eternity, he will find, as he passes onward from day to day, and from age to age, no change for the better. All around him will be gloom and solitude; all before him will be desolation, anguish and despair. This awful subject, and these terrible considerations concerning it, are full of instruction, admonition, and reproof. The time will, however, only permit me to make the following REMARKS. 1. How great an evil is sin! All the sufferings, which have been mentioned in this dis course, are either the rewards, the attendants, or the consequences, of sin. The rewards of sin express with absolute exactness the just views, which, the unerring eye of Omniscience forms concerning this dreadful attribute of Intelligent creatures. The attendants and consequences of sin exhibit its nature directly; and display, immediately, its turpitude to our eyes. In the former case, we have the most decisive proof of its malignity, because it is impossible, that God should in any degree mistake the true nature of this subject. In the latter case, we have what may, without very great violence, be called an experimental view of the same malignity. The evidence, in the former case, ought to produce entire conviction in every mind. The impression, in the latter case, cannot easily fail deeply to affect the heart. The evils, attendant and consequent upon sin, which impregnate the fountain, and flow out in the streams, have been here very summarily presented to your view. They have not been exaggerated. On the contrary, the exhibition is lame and feeble, compared with the fact. Even the world, which we inhabit, furnished as it is with innumerable blessings, has long realized a great part of what I have declared. The earth has groaned and travailed in pain, under the mighty pressure of sin, from the apostasy to the present hour. Every breeze has been loaded with the sighs, every hill has echoed the groans, of suf fering mankind. The heart has been wrung with anguish, from the cradle to the grave. Lewdness has changed the world into a lazar-house of corruption; and anticipated the work of death and the grave. Deceit and fraud have mocked human expectation; tortured confidence; and hurried their miserable victims in millions to beggary, despair, and death. Rage and revenge have plunged the midnight dagger in the unsuspecting bosom of the neighbour, and the friend; and in their sanguinary progress have multiplied widows and orphans, childless parents, and hopeless mourners, without number, and without end. Ambition has turned the earth into a stall of butchery and blood; and covered its surface with the bones of men; while Tyranny, like the Nubian blast, has spread decay and death through the unhappy millions, found in its course; withered the last remains of comfort and hope; and converted provinces, and kingdoms, into scenes of desolation and woe. What, then, we naturally ask, will be the ravages of the same spirit, when goaded on by passions, and armed with powers, so superior to those, which have existed on this side of the grave? What must be the ravages of sin unrestrained, of sin hopeless, of sin eternal! How evidently would it, if permitted, change any world into a hell! 2. How ought these considerations to alarm every person in this assembly! There is in this house a considerable number of individuals, who hope, that they are Christians; but not one of them knows, that this is his true character. Some doubt still remains in every breast. But where so much is at hazard, however small that hazard may seem, what efforts can be too great to be made for our escape! With these awful scenes full in view, how much alive, how much awake, how ardent, how incessant, ought every Christian to be in his exertions; in his struggles to flee from the wrath to come, and to lay hold on eternal life! Were these considerations present to the minds of all religious professors, in such a manner as their importance loudly demands; how much more fervent would be their prayers; how much more vigorous their labours; how much more exemplary their lives! There are others in this assembly, who, in their own view, as well as that of others, have no claim to the character, or to the hopes, of Christians. Of these, the number, it is to be feared, is not small. To these what shall I say? Plainly I can say nothing, which, with the remotest probability, can be expected to move them; if they are not roused to anxious attention, and the most distressing alarm, by the awful things, which have been said in this discourse; by the knell of impenitence, which they have now heard. It is the knell of eternal death; of millions for ever dying, and buried in an eternal grave. Who of you intends to be reckoned with these miserable beings? Which of you does not tremble at the bare thought of meeting the anger of God; of being destroyed alway; of dying day by day for ever? Which of you does not shrink with horror from the apprehension of sustaining this dreadful character of absolute turpitude; of becoming a mere mass of sin; an eternal enemy of |