now fow, hereafter we shall reap; on our prefent conduct, depends our happiness or mifery for ever. There is neither repen

tance nor apoftafy beyond the grave. The righteous can never fall away, and to the wicked there remaineth no more facrifice for fin. From the judgment-feat of the Immutable, the voice is heard, "He that is righteous, let him be righteous ftill; and he that is unjust, let him “be unjust still.” ·

But even here too, appears that goodnefs of God which is over all his works. For while we know not of any addition to the torments of the wicked, the happiness of the righteous fhall be for ever on the increase. That capacity of improvement which we formerly ascribed to the soul, is a capacity of improvement without end. The progrefs which begins here, is carried on hereafter. Heaven is indeed the refidence of the fpirits of just men made perfect; but it is not to be imagined, that they are all at once advanced to a perfection which they fhall not to eternity ex

ceed.

ceed. They will indeed find their state happy, when they are taken from this world; they will all be prefented without spot or blemish in the prefence of God with exceeding joy; but still there is room left for their improvement in perfection and happiness. It cannot, indeed, be otherwise. For the more we know of the Divine perfections and works, our veneration and love of God will increase the more. Now it is impoffible that we can ever know fo much of God and his works, but that we may know more. As our knowledge of God therefore, and our views of the Divine glory will be enlarged without end, our love and admiration of him will alfo increase for ever. And in proportion to our love, our affimilation to the Divine snature, and our joy in the Lord will be. What a profpect, O Chriftian! does this open up to thy mind? Here thou art at liberty to expatiate at large. Here is a noble field for thy contemplation! There is a time appointed when thou fhalt occu-py that ftation, which is now occupied by the highest angel in heaven. Not that

we

we shall overtake the angels in their course, or, in the career of immortality, press upon natures of a fuperior order; but that we shall make advances in moral perfections, and improve in the beauties of immortality. God fhall behold his great family for ever brightening in holiness; for ever drawing nearer and nearer in likeness to himself. The river of their pleasures increases as it rolls. The fulness of their joy grows more and more full. Throughout all the ages of eternity, there is ftill a heaven which is to come; ftill a glory which is to be revealed.

If the foul then be of fuch infinite value, how inexpreffibly great must the loss of it be! Over the manfions of utter darkness, the Scriptures draw a veil which does not authorise our conjectures. What is comprehended under these awful emblems, the worm that never dies, the fire that is not quenched, everlasting deftruction from the prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, we do not know. May the Almighty forbid, that any of us fhould

S

should ever know; but of this, the Scriptures affure us, that from these mansions there is no return; that the gates of the eternal world fhut to open no more, and that when the foul is once loft, it is lost for ever and for ever.

SER

SERMON XV.

PSALM xliii. 4.

I will go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy.

CH

HRISTIANS, as we are next Lord's day, to go to the altar, and approach unto God, it may be proper for me

now to explain the nature, and fet before you the advantages of fuch an approach.

The pleasures of devotion have been the theme of good men in all ages; and they are pleasures of such a kind as good men only can feel. In what I am now to say, therefore, I muft appeal to the heart, to the hearts of those who in times paft, S 2 have