their good. But more especially is their conversation directed towards the all-interesting topic of redemption. They are never wearied in looking into this mighty subject, and never tired of speaking one to another of "the unsearchable riches of Christ," and of the wonders of that love "which passeth knowledge." With an interest unfelt on earth, they watch the progress of Christ's holy kingdom, and speak of it, and rejoice over it, if but one sinner is truly converted-if but one is added to the followers of the Lamb.

The joys of celestial beings, like their conversation and pursuits, are entirely of a religious character. Theirs are not the joys of vain mirth, nor the low pleasures of sense and sin. No, they are religious joys. The heavenly inhabitants rejoice in God. They rejoice in his adorable perfections and character. They rejoice in his holy and righteous government. They rejoice that his counsel shall stand, and that he will do all his pleasure. They rejoice in the all-sufficiency, loveliness, and glory of their Redeemer; in his finished work of humiliation and suffering; and in the stability, prosperity, and assured triumph of his holy kingdom.

The songs, too, of celestial beings, are all spiritual-songs of adoration and praise. When the heavens were opened to the prophet Isaiah, he heard the seraphim singing, " Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory." When the heavens were opened to the astonished shepherds, they heard the angels saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men. And when the heavens were opened to the beloved John on the isle of Patmos, he heard the host above singing, "Worthy is the Lamb, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." In short, if we wish to form a correct and scriptural idea of heaven, we can, perhaps, best do it, by reading the fourth and fifth chapters of the Revelation of John. For here the curtain is, as it were, drawn aside; the heavens are exposed to the views of mortals; and we are permitted, for once, to look in, and see the occupations of the blessed. There we see the eternal throne, and the eternal Jehovah seated upon it. There are the elders and the cherubim sitting and standing round about the throne, “having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints." In the midst of the throne, there is the Lamb that was slain-the Lord Jesus Christ-a principal object of love, of wonder, and of worship to the celestial throng. At various distances, and in different mansions round about the throne, there are ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands a great multitude which no man can number-singing with a loud voice," Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever."

This, my hearers, is heaven. This is the idea which the Scriptures give of the heavenly state. And it conforms, I presume, to the ideas entertained of heaven by the generality of Christians. We do not expect a Mahomedan paradise. We do not expect a heathen elysium. We do not expect a heaven of carnal indulgence, or of sensual gratification. We are taught in the Scriptures to expect, and we do expect, a heaven of unspotted holiness, of elevated devotion, of fervent and perpetual piety. We expect the heavenly state to be filled up forever with the duties, services, and enjoyments of religion.

Now, the proposition which has been advanced asserts, and it remains for me to prove, that in order to see and enjoy this heaven--in order to be happy in it forever-sinners in a state of nature must experience an entire change in the affections of their hearts. Or, in the strong language of our Saviour, 'they must be born again, in order to see the kingdom of God."

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The proof of this sentiment I might rest upon the Scriptures. For the declaration in the text, and numerous others of similar import, are plain and

decisive. But really, I think the proposition before us is of a nature to be established even were there no appeal to the Scriptures. I think it may be established by a direct appeal to the consciousness and common sense of individuals.

You have heard the kingdom of heaven described. You have had the means of seeing for yourselves, and knowing, what kind of place heaven is. And now I appeal to you to decide, whether natural, unrenewed men, such as you behold around you in the world, are prepared, in their present character, without a change, to go up into this holy heaven, and be happy there forever.

There is one class, and unfortunately not a small one, whose chief happiness seems to consist in frequenting scenes of mirth, and noise, and riot, and vice. They love the loud laugh, the oath, and the midnight revel. They tell you, that their hearts are set upon such things, and they think that they cannot be happy without them. And now I appeal to you to decide, whether such persons are prepared, without a change, to go up into heaven, that holy place which has been described, and set down there, and be happy to eternity. Are their characters at all assimilated to that of heaven? Have they the least fitness for the enjoyments of heaven? And is it not of absolute necessity that their hearts be changed, in order to see the kingdom of God?

There is another class, who are under the control of the basest passions. Their hearts are filled-to overflowing often-with malice, envy, revenge and rage. Or I may point you to a class, who are altogether sensual in their feelings and habits-the creatures of appetite and lust. And both classes die as they have lived, perhaps by violence, or it may be in a debauch, or in a fit of intoxication. And now I ask, what is to become of such persons? Are they prepared, in their present character, to leave their scenes of wickedness on earth-the tippling-house, the brothel, and the field of blood-and go up into heaven, the holy habitation of the righteous, and mingle in their divine employments, and partake of celestial joys?

I may next point you to a more numerous and respectable class of persons, whose external characters are not vicious, but whose hearts are set supremely upon the world. The world, in some form or other, is their god, and they bow down to it and serve it with the most obsequious devotion. This is that about which they think. This is that of which they talk. This is that for which they labor, from one end of the week to the other. If they are successful in their worldly plans and pursuits, they think themselves happy. If they fail in pursuits of this nature, they are miserable. They are scheming and planning, and putting forth the entire energies of body and mind merely for the acquisition of the world. No one can doubt, that there are a great many persous of this description among us and around us; and I ask whether they are prepared, in their present state and character, without a change, to close their eyes upon that world which they so much love-to bid it an eternal farewell-and to go into heaven-that holy, spiritual place, where no sordid desire or earthly affection can ever enter, and dwell there, and be happy there, to all eternity.

But I must direct your attention to another class of persons, embracing many of those already described, and many others, who, whatever else they love, manifestly have no love for the services of religion. They do not love the Bible. They do not love the religious meeting, or religious conversation. And they manifest that they have no love for such things, by neglecting them. You do not see them turning over the leaves of the book of God, and pondering its precious contents. You rarely see them in the house of God on the Sabbath, and never in the meeting for religious conference and prayer. They tell you, that they have no love for such meetings, no relish for them, and that

an hour spent in a meeting of this character would be to them a miserable hour. And now I appeal to you, my hearers, to decide, whether persons of this decription-and they are very numerous-are prepared, as they are with out a change, to leave the world, and go up to heaven, and unite cordially, delightfully, in those religious services, with which the heavenly state is to be filled up forever? They have no love for such services on earth; and how can they, without a change, enjoy them in heaven? To press the subject of religion home upon them on earth, is to make them miserable;-what then, I ask, must be their condition in heaven?

Another class of persons may be found among us, who, though they do not neglect the services of religion altogether, attend upon them from other motives and for other ends, than because they love them. In this Christian land, a variety of motives may operate to draw persons to the house of God on the Sabbath, aside from a love for the services of God's house. They may go to public worship, because it is customary to go-because it is respectable to go-and because they do not wish to make themselves singular. Or they may go from motives of curiosity, or of display ;--because they have something to see, or something to show, or something to say, or something to hear, aside from hearing the truths of the gospel. We all know how it has been with us, in this respect, in times past; and we know very well how it is with others. I only ask, therefore, whether persons of this description are prepared, in their present character, to die, and go to heaven, and be happy there forever? Think you that any will go to heaven for custom's sake, or example's sake, or decency's sake, or for any of those unworthy purposes at which I have hinted? Will any go there who have not a meetness, in point of character, for the holy inheritance of the saints in light? And do the persons, whose characters have been just described, possess in any degree this meetness?

I am aware that most people, under the gospel, are hoping and expecting, by some means or other, to enter heaven when they die. And there are some who flatter themselves that all, of every character, will be admitted to that bright world. But waiving all other objections to such schemes and hopes, is not the one suggested in this discourse insuperable? What kind of place must heaven be, to make all the various descriptions of persons who dwell upon this earth happy, to eternity? And I will even go further and ask, whether you think it possible for God to contrive and construct a heaven, which should make all the inhabitants of this wide world, without a change of character, happy, forever? I admit that God can do whatever is possible to be done--every thing which does not imply a contradiction. But this does imply a contradiction. For, what would make some men very happy, would make others very miserable. What some would like very much, others would not like at all. And it would be manifestly impossible, even for the Supreme Being, with all his wisdom, and love, and power, to contrive and construct a heaven, which should make the entire population of this globe happy, in their present sinful characters, to all eternity. If any doubt this, then let them try it on a smaller scale. Let them see if they can think of any amusement, or pleasure, or business, or pursuit, which would be likely to make all the inhabitants of this town happy, for any considerable length of time. What sources of enjoyment would you propose, my friends-on supposition you had it in charge to make such a proposal-which should meet and unite all the multiform descriptions of character among your fellow-citizens-the industrious and the lazy, the refined and the vulgar, the religious and irreligious, the good and the bad--and make them all perfectly happy, we will say for one year? Do you think it would be possible to make any such proposal? And were you to attempt it, would you not meet with difficulties insuperable?--But the difficulties which you would encounter on a small scale, the great God would

encounter on a much larger scale, in endeavoring to provide an eternal heaven for all the numberless descriptions of character which are found upon the earth.

The necessity of a change of heart, in order to be prepared for heaven, is indeed absolute, and, I had almost said, self-evident. The declaration in the text is evidently true, because our Saviour said it; and it would have been true, if he never had said it. It is true, in the very nature of things. Heaven being what it is, and mankind in a state of nature being what they are, the two never can come together. There must be a change in the one, or the other; and as heaven cannot be changed, and brought down to the groveling views and varied characters and tastes of mortals; it follows that mortals must be changed-must be renewed, and sanctified, and assimilated in their characters to the purity of heaven, or they can never be admitted to that blessed world.

But perhaps it will be said here, "We know we must be changed in order to be prepared for heaven: and we expect to be changed. We expect soon to die; and death is a great change; and very likely this will be all the change that we need. When we have passed through the gate of death, very likely we shall all be purified and prepared for heaven." Now I admit, in reply, that we are all hasting to death, and that death is a great change; but of what is death a change? This is the point. Death is a change of circumstances--a change of worlds. In the moment of death, the soul passes out of one world, and enters another; leaves the body, and goes into eternity; but is death a change of heart? Is it any where represented in the Scriptures as a change of heart? And I will even go farther and ask, whether there is any thing in this event of temporal dissolution, which has the least tendency or adaptedness to change the heart? A change of heart is a change in the affections, in the moral exercises, of a free, intelligent, and accountable agent. And this change must be accomplished, if accomplished at all, by the instrumentality of truth, presented for the consideration of a rational mind, and set home by the energies of the Holy Spirit. This is the way in which hearts are changed. And now what is there, I ask again, in mere temporal dissolution--the separation of soul and body-which has the least tendency to bring about such a change as this? Manifestly nothing. Accordingly, death is never spoken of as a change of heart; and there is not the least reason to believe that it ever did or ever can, change the heart of any human being? It follows, therefore, that the soul is ushered into the other world, in the same state and character that it departs out of this world. It is just as unprepared for heaven the first moment after it has appeared in eternity, as it was the last moment that it lingered on the shores of time.

But perhaps it will be said again, "We know we must be changed, in order to be prepared for heaven; and we expect to be changed. And if not changed in this life, nor changed in death; we expect to be changed beyond the grave; very likely, the world of wo will be, like this world, a state of trial, a space for repentance, a place where hearts will be renewed, and sins forgiven, and souls sanctified and prepared for heaven." Let us then, my friends, look into this matter; and let us endeavor to look at it calmly and candidly. For this is a subject in which we are all deeply interested, and interested alike. I have no more interest in it than you, and you no more than I.

And here let me inquire, in the first place, whether it is not in accordance with the general current of Scripture representation, to consider this life as the state of probation, and the other as the state of retribution; this life as the seed time, the place where character is formed, and the other as the place, where we are to reap according to that we have sown, and to be rewarded or punished, according to the deeds done here in the body? Is not this, I say,

in accordance with the general current of Scripture representation on the subject?

But not to insist upon this: if we will suppose that the world of wo is, like this world, a state of trial, a space for repentance; we must of necessity include all that is fairly implied in such a supposition. We must suppose that the means of grace are enjoyed in that world: for surely, there cannot be conversions without means. We must suppose that the Bible is read in hell, and the gospel preached, and that the Holy Spirit is poured out, and that there are revivals of religion there. All this is necessarily included in the supposition, that that world is, like the present, a place of probation--a place where sinners are born again, and sanctified, and fitted for heaven. And now I ask, do you read in your Bibles of such means and influences being enjoyed in hell? Did the rich man know any thing of them, in his place of torment? Or do those fallen spirits know any thing of them, who are “reserved in chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day?"

But waiving the Scriptural argument, which seems to me decisive, let us look at this subject on the mere ground of reason. Is hell a suitable place, I ask, for the conversion of sinners? Is it at all adapted, in its influence upon those who are confined there, to bring about so desirable a result? Suppose either of you, my hearers, had it in charge, from the constituted authorities of this Commonwealth, to construct a penitentiary, a house of correction, for the reformation, we will say, of juvenile offenders. You wish to construct a prison, where vicious youth may be confined for a while, and enjoy the best moral instruction and discipline, till they are reformed, reclaimed, and fitted to be let out again with safety upon the world. How would you construct your house of correction, so as best to answer this most desirable purpose? Would you so construct it, as to place the young offenders, whom you hoped to reclaim, in the society, and under the example and influence, of old, hardened, and flagrant transgressors? Could you hope, by such a process, to reform them, and make them better? And yet we are told that the all-wise God, because forsooth he cannot bring as many to repentance in this life as he intends to save, turns over vast multitudes of the human family into hella great penitentiary or house of correction which he has prepared for the purpose--and there places them in the society, and under the example and influence of devils and damned spirits-the oldest and the most skilled and flagrant transgressors in the universe-to change their hearts, and prepare them for heaven! And now I ask you, my friends, is this reasonable? Does such a theory seem to you reasonable? And on the validity of such a theory are you willing to risk the destiny of your souls?

There are then several important points, which seem to me to have been well settled in the preceding discourse. It has been settled, on the ground. not of Scripture merely, but of common sense-such ground as every one can feel and understand-that all persons, in a state of nature, must experience a radical change in their affections, from sin to holiness, or they never can see the kingdom of God. It has been farther settled, that this change is not experienced in death; for whatever else death may do for us, it has no tendency or adaptedness to change the heart. Nor is the change in question experienced in the world of wo; as there are no influences in that world to make its miserable tenants better, and no changes but from bad to worse. course, the change we need must be experienced in the present world, or never. Yes, I repeat it, this great and needed change must be experienced in this world, or never. And now it would seem that no further points need be settled, in order to put all those who hear me-every man, and woman, and child, who is not rationally convinced that he has already experienced the necessary change,--in order to put all such persons upon the great work of

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