readiness to help, in every time of need, "endures the same throughout all generations." At all times, and in all places, my soul may trust in thee, and find relief. And they who know thy name will do so; for, "in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting kindness and strength," to answer all my doubts, to supply all my wants, and fulfil all my desires.

May not God take it unkindly, that I trust him no more? And is it not a criminal unkindness that I give him not the glory of all these excellent attributes, which are the grounds of truth; by a constant, steady, entire dependence on him for all that I need?

I have none in heaven but thee, O Lord! as the object of my invocation and worship. Let other Christians have recourse to new mediators, and call upon other gods; I will make mention of thy name and of thy righteousness only, and ask of thee whatever I need, for the sake of thy Christ, my only adorable Mediator. Him thou hearest always; with him thou art always well pleased. I honour the holy angels as glorious attendants about thy throne, and bless thee for them, as ministering spirits for the good of thy servants; but I dare not invoke or worship them, because they are fellow-servants. On the same account, I honour the memory of departed saints, but neither invoke them nor pay them religious worship. That glory thou wilt not give unto another. I have no precept in Holy Scripture to direct, no promise to encourage, no example to authorise, the invocation of any other but thee; in whom I believe and trust.

Having such a God in heaven, what can I need on earth? His eyes behold me, his wing is over

me, his hand can supply me, his grace provide for me. I can want nothing that is good, unless I should need somewhat which God, the infinitely blessed and all-sufficient God, cannot bestow. If thou be the portion of my soul, all mine enemies cannot make me miserable, unless they can void heaven of the presence of God, hinder his care, bind up his hand, or obstruct his love.

They

But, though my enemies cannot, I fear my sins may. alone can separate between God and my soul; and, considering the multitude and aggravations of them, and thine unspotted holiness and justice, I should have too much reason to fear and tremble, yea, and utterly despair, if I had none in heaven but thee. But thy word assures me that I have a Mediator there; a faithful and a compassionate High-priest, Jesus Christ, the righteous; whom thou hast exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins. Who liveth for ever in heaven, to make intercession, till he hath brought me there, to behold his glory, and partake of it.

That glory, O Lord! thou hast reserved for heaven; in this world we only desire, believe, and hope to enjoy it. Whom have I in heaven! that is the place of fruition. What can I desire upon earth? this world is the place of desires, as the other of full enjoyment. Most of that which men call enjoyment in this life, consists but in desire. Desire, or lust, is all that is in this wicked world. The riches of a covetous worldling make him desire more; and the great mystery of intemperance is, to create and increase desires; and desires of another kind are the portion of good men in this world.

Oh! that I could breathe after a state of perfect fruition in heaven with more importunate desires! "Who will give me to be in heaven with thee? on earth I desire nothing." (So one version hath it.) Let me, O my soul! think of heaven as such a place or state of blessed enjoyment! Speak of it, seek it, long for it, prepare for it, as such. And let Jesus Christ, "who is the desire of all nations," (through whom all divine communications are made to fallen sinners,) be the great object of my present desire and love! Let me desire nothing but as in him and for him; that, believing his word, obeying his law, adoring his person, imitating his example, trusting his promise, constrained by his love, partaking of his image, filled with his grace, and comforted by his Spirit, my meditations of him may be sweeter and my love stronger; and I may have nothing more left to desire for myself, but that God, who hath raised and exalted, would keep alive my faith and hope, and holy desires, till he hath made me meet to be with him; and, after having guided me by his grace, and Spirit, and counsels here on earth, would receive me to his most blessed and glorious presence in heaven! Amen, amen.

SECTION XXII.

The glorious appearance of Christ, to judgment, considered as certain. The terror and astonishment, confusion and despair, of wicked Jews and Christians, to behold their Judge, and hear his condemning sentence to everlasting destruction.

WHEN our blessed Saviour shall appear to judge the world, I read that it shall be "in his own glory, the glory of his Father, and of the holy angels." If, by "the glory of his Father," be meant that of the Divinity, as the original and author of all things in nature, as the almighty Creator of the world; and, by "the glory of his holy angels," be understood that of the legal administration, the law being given by the disposition of the angels; and, by "his own glory," that of the gospel, as he is the Messiah; that in the glory of all these he shall come to judgment; we have a summary account of the three different revelations which God hath made of himself to mankind; by the light of nature, that of the law, and the more manifest one, of the gospel; according to which every man is to be judged at the last day.

Though we cannot directly tell what, or how great, our Lord's glory will then be, we may be certain it will be suitable to the dignity of his royal person; suitable to the grandeur of his Father's majesty, with the splendour of a triumphant prince, who is " heir of all things," and hath all power in heaven and in earth committed to him; the great Lord of both

worlds, head of angels and men; and suitable to his glorious office, as Mediator, and the appointed Judge of quick and dead.

If, at his transfiguration, his face shone, and his raiment was white and glittering, how much more splendid will his last appearance be! When the bodies of his saints shall be seven times brighter than the lustre of the sun! and, if his members shall then be so glorious, how transcendently more so will their head, their Lord appear! If the delivery and promulgation of the law, on mount Sinai, was accompanied with such circumstances of terrible majesty, how much more may we suppose the great assize will be attended with, when he comes to judge for the violation of the law and the contempt of the gospel! And, if even Moses did then exceedingly quake and fear, what will be the consternation and trembling of the wicked world at the coming of Christ! "when he shall be revealed from heaven, in flaming fire," with a glorious retinue of his mighty angels, as so many bright stars about the more glorious Sun of Righteousness! The lights of heaven shall be eclipsed; the visible sun shall veil its blushing head, as infinitely outshone; the present glory of the creation be all benighted by reason of his transcendent brightness. Yea, the heavens shall be wrapped up as a scroll, the elements melt away with a mighty noise, the earth and all its works be burned up, and the whole universe, as one great bonfire, to adorn the triumph of our Lord's appearance: and this ushered in by the voice of an archangel, proclaiming his approach; and the voice of God, supplying the use of a trumpet, to raise the dead, and possess mankind with an awful reverence of their Judge!