it, be tasteless and irksome; if the weekly day of sacred rest, unless infringed on by worldly avocations, be a heavy day;' if David's language," A day in thy court is better than a thousand❞—

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My soul fainteth, yea longeth for the courts of "the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the

living God," be discordant with a man's feelings; if, in short, the various humble and heavenly dispositions of heart already stated be wanting; the heaven here described would be a feast for which he has no appetite, nay, which he would loathe, as a sick man does the most wholesome and pleasant food. The object of worship, the song of praise, the company, the constancy ("day " and night,") must be altogether uncongenial to the feelings, and affections of the unregenerate: "Ye must be born again."

But, my brethren, compare the character of that honoured and excellent person, of whom I am speaking, with this description of the apostle; and you must at once perceive the most complete congeniality. Is not then such a state of heart and mind "the meetness for the inheritance of "the saints in light?" No argument is needful: you see it, you feel it; whether you love or hate what you cannot but see and feel. You can hardly doubt, should you even try to do it, that now, ' released from the burden of the flesh,' and the 'miseries of this sinful world,' she is in 'joy and felicity.'2 But how is it then with those multitudes who leave this world without any of this preparation for the employment, the worship, the

'Psal. lxxxiv. 2. 10.

2 Burial Service.

society, the holy joys of heaven? They cannot enter "the new heavens and the new earth where"in dwelleth righteousness;" and indeed, if they could, this would afford them no delight, nay no relief from anguish and despair. "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord,'

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"And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them." Yes, the Lord God Almighty, the all-sufficient and eternal God, shall dwell among them, as their Father and their Friend "In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." To those who can say of God as David did, "God, my દેદ exceeding joy ;" and who know what it is to mourn after God, to be "athirst for God, yea for "the living God;" the sentence, "Depart from

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me," would be inconceivably dreadful, even were no positive curse or punishment to follow. But to" draw near to God," to be "with him," "to "behold his manifested glory," to be " like him,” to be filled with love to him, and with his love to us, is "fulness of joy," whether we can or cannot conceive it. "Shew us the Father, and it suf"ficeth us:" "Delight thyself in God, and he "shall grant thee the desires of thy heart:" "Here

we see through a glass darkly, but there face to "face: here we know in part, but there we shall "know even as we are known.”2

They who here have sought the Lord earnestly have" tasted that he is gracious," and could say at some times, "My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth praiseth thee

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1 Psal. xliii. 4.

1 Cor. xiii. 12.

"with joyful lips." They know assuredly, that to be admitted into the immediate presence of God, and to enjoy his love, and behold his unveiled glory, would be felicity. They have experienced seasons of holy consolation, which made them say, 'If this might be perfected and always continue, and I enabled to bear the delight, it would indeed be heaven.' But this is a "secret " of the Lord, which is with them that fear him;" ❝a joy which a stranger intermeddleth not with ; and a peace of God which passeth all under"standing." On earth, also, these are transient joys, greatly alloyed and interrupted; but, when perfected and permanent, they will be fully and eternally satisfactory.

It is observable that the apostle Paul, speaking on this subject, states, that he expected his blessedness in the presence of Christ: "I have a de"sire to depart, and to be with Christ which is far "better."2 What can more clearly shew, that the beatifying display of the glory of God in heaven is in and through " the Lamb that was slain, and "hath redeemed us to God with his blood?"

But would this manifested presence and glory of God our Saviour, of Christ our divine Redeemer, give happiness, or even be tolerable, to those who through life are disposed, in actions at least, to say to God, Depart from us, we desire not the

knowledge of thy ways?" and to Jesus, "What "have I to do with thee?" whose plan of life proclaims that they say in their hearts, The less of religion, especially of the religion of a crucified

Psal. lxiii. 3-5.

2 Phil. i. 23.

Redeemer, the better?' who by choice frequent those scenes and companies, from which every thing that bears the stamp of genuine piety, of "living godly in Christ Jesus," is systematically excluded? who would think it an outrage on propriety or politeness, deserving of scorn and resentment, for any one to introduce such subjects as form the worship and songs of heaven? who can grudge even the short time of one service, as a weekly quit-rent in a place of worship; and are then best satisfied, when heathen morality, or other topics which carry the mind far off from "the "Lamb that was slain," occupy their attention; and especially when the sermon, whatever be the subject, is not too long? My brethren, would not the presence of God, as always sensibly dwelling among them, be intolerable to persons of this description? But who can hesitate to say, that this is precisely that kind of pleasure and delight, which such a character as has been described desired on earth, and now enjoys in heaven ?—

"They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any "more."-" Blessed are they who hunger and "thirst after righteousness, for they shall be "filled." They who hunger and thirst for gold, for sensual or dissipated pleasure, for honour, power, pomp, and splendour, or revenge, shall never be satisfied, either in this world or in that which is to come. Dissatisfaction, increasing dissatisfaction, "vanity and vexation of spirit," haunt and pursue them, whether successful or not, till death closes the scene, and they "lift up their

Matt. v.
6.

eyes in hell, being in torments;" and crave, but crave in vain," a drop of water to cool the burn

ing tongue, while tormented in the flame."1 But they "who hunger and thirst for God," for his favour, for righteousness and true holiness; to be with him, to be like him, to behold his glory, and enjoy his love," shall be filled." In this world indeed their felicity is inseparable from hungering and thirsting; these are the pledge of their felicity; they are saved in hope," with some measure of anticipated joy. The more of true righteousness they attain, the greater is their abhorrence of every degree of remaining sinfulness; and, except as counterbalanced by the joy of faith and hope, the more irksome and intolerable it is. When they find that they" cannot do the things which they "would," nor reach that perfect love and purity after which they aspire, they "groan being bur"dened;" and the "body of sin and death" extorts from them, what their trials and sufferings cannot extort, the doleful complaint, "Oh! wretch"ed man that I am, who shall deliver me?" Selfdissatisfaction must then, in such persons, be inseparable from conscious imperfection; but, when attended with diligence in every duty and means of grace, it ensures felicity.-At length they " come "out of great tribulation; they have washed their "robes and made them white in the blood of the

"Lamb;" they are fully" satisfied," "" filled with "all the fulness of God," with light and love, and purity, and joy, in full perfection. They "delighted in God, and he hath granted them the

1 Luke xvi. 19-25.