haps more to be dreaded than any other. Ah! what a river will he have to cross, and into what an ocean of wretchedness will he have to plunge, who lives and dies in delusion, under a mask of religion! If this man on his death-bed have the possession of reason, the power of reflection, and the prospect of his doom, what must be the anguish of his heart! Is there one of this character here? Is there a member of a Christian church of this description? We repeat the question: "How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" The name of Christianity will not be enough; the appearance of religion will not suffice; the favourable opinion of men will be no security. And where is your hope? Like that of the wicked, "it shall perish," and perish dreadfully in exact proportion to its height! "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul ?" . You that pass for disciples of Jesus, take heed: in time. Search your heart, and try your ways. Bring your principles and your practice honestly to the test of the Bible. "To the Law and to the Testimony," whatever is not according to these, certainly will not stand. It matters not what profession you make, or what duties you perform, or what reputation you require: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap;" and "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Another class of religious professors are moral in their deportment, but we are afraid of the foundation on which they rest. Trusting in themselves that they are righteous, they prize not the Saviour as they ought. There is not that implicit and entire reliance on Christ, which is at once the duty and the security of a Christian. Let such look forward to "the swelling of Jordan," and ask, what must support in the trying hour? It is easy to assert: what will not support. Sliding sand and miry clay have no firmness; and human merit is no better. A spider's web and a broken reed are vain things; and our righteousness, for the purpose of acceptance with God, resembles these. Thank God! it is equally easy to determine what will support. Rock will do it; "the Rock of Ages." "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ:"-" A stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation :"-" Upon this Rock will I build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Thrice happy they, and they only, who rely on this Rock! "Here safety dwells, and sweet repose." Let the prayer of each be:"Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I;" that when "the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place" of folly, you may be secure. Dream not of inhe rent goodness, and of the desert of virtuous actions as sinners, flee to Christ the Saviour; honour him, even as you honour the Father; receive him in all the offices he sustains, and exalt him in the supreme affection of your hearts. There are some whose views of Christianity are on the whole correct, and whose faith we hope is sincere, but they are slothful; they walk negligently. Such will do well to consider the critical hour which is at hand, the "Jordan" which must be crossed. Let such consider also, what makes this Jordan swell. What renders the prospect of death gloomy, and death itself difficult to religious characters? Nothing so effectually does this as sloth of temper, and carelessness of conduct. We sometimes speak of Christians planting their dying pillows with thorns, and there is much meaning in the expression. We speak also of their fears, their doubts, and darkness; * 1 Cor. iii. 11.; Is. xxviii. 16.; Matt. xvi. 18. in many instances, these are easily accounted for: they are, indeed, the natural result of our own folly, the fruit of our negligence and sin. Here, then, is a baneful enemy to our peace, our hope, and comfort: let us apply the warning, and improve the friendly admonition against it! We read of the happy deaths of others, and are ready to envy the composure and triumph which, in their last hours, they enjoyed; but, if we would die as they died, we must live as they lived; not only in the exercise of the same faith, but cultivating the same humility, the same selfdenial, the same deadness to the world, the same diligence in devotion, the same spirituality of temper and holy watchfulness of conduct. All, however, are not slothful; some are exemplary Christians; sincere and decided, but timid and fearful of this "Jordan." Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" The word of God is rich with encouragement to you. It brings nigh the All-sufficiency of Him who has "all power in heaven and on earth." It assures you of the presence of Him who "rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." Never were promises more appropriate than these:-" When thou passest through the waters, I am with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee." "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God." "I will never leave thee; no, I will never forsake thee *." In the belief Yea, of such declarations, and in the experience of their truth, the language of humble confidence is adopted:-"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me-thy right hand shall save me. though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Is, xliii, 2; xli. 10.; Heb. xiii. 5. Much of the timidity of Christians, in the anticipation of death, is constitutional; but grace moderates this feeling, and faith provides the best antidote against it. We remember, with adoring gratitude, the great Redeemer, who suffered "that he might destroy him that had the power of death; and deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their life-time subject to bondage." There are two considerations of very high importance on this point:-that our title to heaven be clear, and our meetness for heaven advancing; in other words, that we live in the exercise of faith, and grow in the attainment of holiness. Our title to heaven is the righteousness of the Saviour-his obedience unto death: to this let us ever look; here let us steadily rely we injure our evidence, we obscure our claim to the heavenly inheritance, by a divided reliance-" Christ is all and in all." Our meetness for heaven is the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, subduing its corruptions, and promoting its purity let us cherish his influence with unremitting care, and we shall have peace ; "the Spirit itself will bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." How did the primitive Christians attain such conquest over the fear of death? It was by the vigour of faith, the fervour of love, the patience of hope. It was by following Jesus fully; by "holding fast the beginning of their confidence stedfast unto the end," knowing that it "hath great recompence reward." of "Tell me not," said a venerable minister, "how a man died, but how he lived." And let us keep in mind that if we live Christians, assuredly we shall die such. "The swelling of Jordan" will abate, its waters will divide, the Angel of the covenant will conduct us safely through; and in the prospect of |