we shall have consolation; we shall have

happiness.

WE shall have HONOUR. That only deserves the epithet HONOURABLE which all the wise and good agree to honour, and which God himself delighteth to honour. Now, what can lay such a claim to this character as uprightness? Other qualities we possess in some measure in common with the inferior animals; but this is our distinguished excellence. It raises us above the earth; it allies us to angels; it makes us' workers together with God,'-sublime promoters of the order and felicity of the universe.-Have we then any wish to be truly great; any sacred ambition to be lastingly honoured? Our wish, our ambition, shall be fully gratified, if we only strive to be more and more upright;' to be consistently and thoroughly good; to

be

always abounding in the work of the

"Lord.'

We shall have not only honour, but in the most distressful scenes, rich CONSOLA*TION. While in the hour of disappointment and sorrow, of disease and death, the

wicked are fearful and trembling, we have

cause to rejoice in hope.'

God is our Father and our Friend. He loveth righteousness ; his countenance doth behold the upright.'* Thus enjoying his protection and favour, of what should we be afraid? Under the divine government, all things, whether joyous or grievous, shall work together for our good.'-We have both the pleasing testimony of our con

science,' at present, and also the soothing, animating prospect of an eternal reward. We are justified by faith, and ' have thence peace with God through our • Lord Jesus Christ.' +-Nothing-' neither • death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which ' is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' ‡-Who then has any value for honour?-Who has any wish for consolation in the time of need? -Let him hear and obey this voice from heaven, I am the Almighty God, walk ⚫ before me and be thou perfect.' §

*Psalm xi, 7. Gen. xvii, 1.

† Rom. v, 1.

Rom. viii, 38, 39.

But the upright' have more than honour and consolation; they have PURE AND POSITIVE HAPPINESS. If happiness means, as it must mean, a state in which all our lawful desires aregratified.—And ifthe favour and friendship of God alone can yield this gratification, then the upright' not only have much happiness here, but shall have infinitely greater happiness hereafter. As sure as God exists; as sure as he governs the world; as sure as vice is odious, and virtue acceptable in his sight, so sure it is that the wicked shall be punished with everlast'ing destruction from the presence of the • Lord, and from the glory of his power,' and the upright' made resplendent

*

aş

the sun in the kingdom of their Father.'+ It is impossible to describe, or even to conceive that fulness of joy' which awaits them. This only we know, that when • Christ, who is their life, shall appear,

they shall be like him, for they shall see • him as he is.' -They shall dwell in his light: be completely changed into his image, and reign with him for ever and ever.

#2 Thess. i, 9.

Matth. xiii, 43. ‡ 1 John iii 2.

Now since these things are so, • what

'manner of persons ought we to be in all

holy conversation and godliness!' Should

we not fear the Lord and serve him in

sincerity and truth?'-Yes, we should give no sleep to our eyes or slumber to

our eye-lids,' till we have the witness within ourselves that we are upright.'But let us remember that none can become. ' upright' by any efforts made in his own strength. Uprightness, like faith, its origin, is the gift of God.' The agency of his holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to illuminate and rectify the mind.-' No man,' (said even a heathen,*) becomes good ' without the divine influence. No man can rise above the infirmities of nature • unless aided by God. He inspires great ' and noble purposes. In every good man

God resides. The strength which ren'ders a man superior to all those things

which the people either hope or dread, "descends from him. So lofty a structure cannot stand unsupported by the Divinity.'-These, though the words of a heathen, are in strict accordance with the

* Seneca.

dictates of revelation.

In us, that is, in our flesh, dwelleth naturally no good thing. Every good gift, and every per'fect gift, is from above, and cometh down 'from the Father of lights. Without Him we can do nothing. His Spirit must help

our infirmities. His strength must be made perfect in our weakness.'-Every upright' man is his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.'We should pray, then, to God for the succours of his grace. Our fervent prayer shall not be rejected. They who ask shall receive they who seek shall infallibly find. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up as on eagle wings; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be 'faint. They are made strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.' They can look into their own hearts and not be afraid; they can meet with confidence the eyes of their fellow-men; with humble boldness they can meet even God in the judgment. And here the language of the Psalmist is so striking and so apposite, that with it I shall conclude this dissertation..

6

Lord! who shall dwell in thy tabernacle?