of it, and to be grateful to God for the bestowment of a gracious and just right to it. The natural aversion of man to the law of God, and his ignorance of the holy purpose of grace, can never hinder any one of the election of grace, from entering upon his prepared state of purity and perfection in the Lord Jesus; for if that were the case, one or other of these things would be true, viz. either the grace of God is not sufficient for the sanctification of his people, or the redemption of Christ was not a sufficient atonement made to divine justice for the offence offered to God by violating of the holy law. Neither of these suppositions are true. For grace in God, is God graciously purposing to sanctify his people, and the atonement of Christ is replete with the divine perfection of his person and character, and it is the salvation of his people according to the sovereign will of God. There is not any thing which can frustrate the design of God concerning of us, therefore, at the appointed hour, we shall be called from the service of the church militant to join in that of the church triumphant.

There are few things connected with the perfection of character that the saints will be clothed with in the world of light, that I would mention before I resign my present engagement. It is quite certain, that the hope of the christian is not confined to this life, nor can death destroy it; but through death he will be introduced to that communion with God, unto which he is appointed. He is not like the rich man in the gospel, who, when he was suddenly snatched away, lost all that was valuable to him-no: but when a good man leaves this world, he leaves all the perishing trifles of it, and he enters upon an incorruptible inheritance."

To be unclothed of corruptible flesh, and to enter the joy of our Lord, is the peculiar privilege of every heir of grace. What an important change that is, which is effected in a moment! This instant, he is at home in the body, subject to all the infirmities and frailties of human nature; the next, he is in the immediate presence of God. No angel in that blest land is clothed with so excellent and ennobling garments as the new tenant of that world is who has entered into this country, wearing the immaculate and imperishable righteousness of the great Redeemer. The worship presented to God by the saints on earth, is founded in the same principle as that is, in which the spirits of just men made perfect are engaged. If it is not so, there would be a necessity for another change to be effected in the sanctified man, in the moment of his departure out of the body, or immediately afterwards; but we read of nothing like to it in the scriptures, and we therefore conclude that the principle in which their worship is founded, viz. the perfection of the triune Jehovah in Christ, is the same as that of their brethren on earth. The soul that is admitted into the presence of God in heaven, has no intercepting cloud to veil the face of the great Redeemer, but in the light of his countenance it is filled with his glory. What effect will the first sight of Christ in heaven produce upon the minds? But a moment before, when

on earth, Jesus shone upon the mind, it was filled with deep humility and abasement at his feet. But now, the being and consequences of sin are for ever done away, the presence of Christ in heaven fills the soul with ineffable joy, and strengthens it to bear the weight of glory with which it is clothed. When the divine Redeemer appeared to John in the isle of Patmos, clothed with the garments of splendour that he now wears in his native kingdom, the good man could not bear the sight; for he fell at his feet as one that was dead. Jehovah is very gracious to his people, to form their minds so as to capacitate them to live in the kingdom of his dear Son. If the saints were not strengthened to bear the weight of glory in heaven, there would be imperfection existing somewhere; but we are not allowed to think that that is the case, in that blessed abode prepared by God for the saints above the skies. Whether those beautiful figurative expressions, in the latter part of John's apocalyptic vision, refer to ultimate glory, or to the personal reign of Christ upon the earth with the saints, I am not able to decide; but there are some things there spoken of which are true of the heavenly world. There will be no need of the light of the sun or the moon, for the Lord God will be the light of the city, and the Lamb will be the glory of it. In that world no one will know any thing of God, but as he is revealed in the person of Christ. It is in, by, and through him that the heavenly world is peopled, and it is in and through him that the God of glory will be enjoyed. Our Lord prayed for this just before his crucifixion: "That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one. them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." Thus prayed the incarnate friend of Zion for his beloved people. The purport of his prayer is for their perfection in himself, that they may see his glory, and dwell with him for ever. Christ will then be as he now is, the centre of perfection and bliss to his people.

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The bodies of the saints are truly precious in the sight of the great Redeemer, for their whole persons are chosen, redeemed, and sanctified to God; and ultimately, the whole person will be glorified in heaven. In the person of our Lord Jesus Christ we see the image of the invisible God, unto whom the whole family of heaven is predestinated to be conformed; so also, in his resurrection from the dead, a pledge is given that all his saints will rise in his likeness. By the life, services, sufferings, blood, death, and resurrection from the dead, Immanuel has obtained a just right to raise his people above the dominion of the grave, and to conform to his own glorious body, VOL. VII.-No. 85.

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Without this, their character would not be perfected; for they would not be like to Christ in all things. The life and properties of the body will then be different in their nature to what they now are. There have been many curious questions asked by thinking men that can never be answered; and if they could be answered, I do not think that they would be useful to the church of the living God. It is enough for us to learn from the scriptures, that "it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." Such is the description which is given by an apostle, of the important change that will be wrought in the bodies of the saints through their resurrection from the dead. There is an end to be effected by this means, even an answer to the prayer of our Lord, "That they may be made perfect in one." Christ and his seed are so indivisibly united, that through the resurrection of their bodies from the dead, they will be made spiritual in their entire persons, and in their spiritual state the plan of divine wisdom will be perfectly delineated. When the saints will leave their graves, they will arise from the dead as the comprehended members of the mystical body of Christ; and they will be gathered unto him as the acknowledged head of life and dominion over them. How wondrously gracious is God, who has constituted, in the person of his Son, such a relationship between him and his children, so that they will be distinguished by him on the day when he will for ever separate the righteous from the wicked. As the anointed Lord of saints, the great Immanuel will always delight in them as his mystical fulness.

The opinions of the learned, concerning the employment of the saints in the world of perfect understanding, are so numerous and diversified, that they cannot be reconciled. In that happy world, God and his family will dwell together in perfect peace and uninterrupted fellowship. The extensive knowledge of the person and reign of Christ, that the apostle Paul possessed when he was on earth, was truly astonishing; but his great mind now grasps more of the will of God in Christ Jesus, in the degree of it in a moment, as much beyond his former attainments, as the whole of any thing is superior to a distinct part of it. The extent of knowledge which is possessed in this life by some good men, is very great; but what is it when it is compared to that state of being where the soul is saved for ever from imperfection, and full of the light of life? When the mind is now filled with the presence of God, her powers are so expanded, that we perceive more of his glory than we can ever express. And if, while the body is our home we are capacitated, under the influence of the reign of grace, to receive a large measure of spirituality—in that holy place, where the saints will dwell, and their bodies will not be any hinderance to the mind in receiving and communicating intelligence, how happy will all the inhabitants be, communing with God

in Christ, and with one another. How often does it occur, on this side the grave, that the mind cannot execute its own plans, because the state of the body, through physical derangement, will not admit her to use her faculties without obstruction; yea, the body is often burdened by reason of the loss of the balance of power, through the existence of sin. Sometimes the soul grasps a subject, and musing upon it, she cannot pursue it long, nor with facility, for her companion is like to an instrument out of tune; and what is seen to be of eternal consequence, and is valued exceedingly, that is approved. But by this we learn with Paul, "that when we would do good, evil is present with us." Death, which is a natural evil, the fruit of sin, is wisely used by God to destroy it, and to perfect that which concerns his people. The work of redemption is complete. Our Lord has opened, through the region of the dead, the gate of life, and he lives to lead his people through it home to his eternal kingdom. And when they arrive there, freed from all defection, and all their graces and their character for ever completed, the perfection and saving worth of his sacrifice are strikingly demonstrated they being exactly like to him, their head, in all things, still live on his fulness, and they are upheld by his omnipotent arm in the possession of endless life.

When we consider, that the understandings of the just made perfect are not subject to mutation, their joy is undisturbed and perfect. The greatest of all subjects which can now employ the sanctified mind, is the person of Christ; for he is the perfection of wisdom, righteousness, and holiness. There has been much said about this wonderful person, and the saints have hung upon the lips of the ministers of the gospel with holy delight, when in their ministrations they have aimed to glorify him; but the best descriptions that have been given of him upon earth, are comparatively mean to what is known and enjoyed in the heavenly world. O what pleasure does it now afford a good man, to anticipate that day when he shall be perfected with the Lord, and when he will no more err concerning his person, redemption, kingdom, and government. There is satiety in this subject. He that knows most of it, is best fitted for the continuation and refined employment of fellowship with God. In heaven, every thing earthly is absent; and every mind is in perfect unison with the Lord of the country. Make haste, ye wheels of time, and bring that blessed moment, when we shall be freed from flesh, and all its consequences; when we shall be with the Lord, and join with all the ransomed host in that bright world of vision, to crown him Lord of all.

The felicity of the heavenly world is perfectly pure. It will not be contaminated by any of the brethren of the Lord Jesus, for they will be perfectly sanctified to his glory. They will then perfectly understand the nature of their affinity to each other, and they will perpetually elicit the spirit peculiar to it. Many things and persons are now an hinderance to the communion of the saints; but then, every

person and thing will be eternally eradicated from their bosoms, and removed from their society, which are hurtful to them. The spirituality of their employment will give a zest to their retired communion, for love is the air which they will unceasingly breathe. What a striking contrast there is between the church above and that below! Here she is exposed to innumerable evils; but there she is saved from every hurtful thing, and all her members are kept in perfect concord. It has occurred to my mind, when thinking about the heavenly world, that Jehovah will there fully develope the plan of his government to the saints. If this conception is true, how will those worthies in the church, who, in all ages of her earthly being have, as her advocates, pleaded her cause, and defended her from the attacks of her secret and open enemies, rejoice in the Lord, and glory in him, who by such means was pleased to accomplish his purpose in the salvation of his people. I do not see any thing in such an idea that is calculated to be mischievous to any one. For if the word, the works, and the ways of God, are now so interesting to his children, I think that I do not err when I say, in the world of perfect understanding they will be exceedingly more so.

There is a relationship existing to which we have before referred, viz. that of the holy angels and redeemed men, who are chosen in one head and confirmed in him. There are many services which are performed by them for the church upon earth; it is therefore probable that they will commune with each other in some way in the kingdom of God on high. It is only hinted at as a thing which is probable, for there is not any thing written about it in the scriptures. It is a pleasing theme to a sanctified mind, to consider what a numerous family the King of saints has, and that they will all meet in his kingdom above, and be everlastingly blessed to reign in life with him for ever.

The person who is clothed with a holy character must live for ever. The apostle Paul says, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable;" for the pleasures of the saints are not small in this imperfect world, and when they will occupy the mansions prepared for them in Christ's Father's house above, they will be considerably augmented. "I give," says the Redeemer unto them, "eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." This gift is, by our holy Redeemer, conferred upon all his friends and brethren, as the fruit of his eternal love for them.

O ye saints of the living God! the Lord of glory is no fickle friend. He has drawn you to his footstool, he has disposed you to renounce yourselves, and to confide alone in his person, blood, and righteousness for full salvation; he will continually defend you from every enemy and evil design, and he will kindly supply you with all needful grace, and eventually raise you to dwell in his presence. Let me say to you that there is a throne of grace, visit it often, you