figure? What object, in reply, I ask you, is more glorious than yonder sun shining in the fulness of his strength? So bright are his rays that as you fix your wandering gaze upon them, your vision fails, and you turn away dazzled and overpowered. And yet "shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." They are to be like Him who is the Sun of heaven itself!

Christ had no mark of sin on his mind and soul. Perfect in both he ever was and is. He knew no sin. 2 Cor. v, 21. In this respect we shall be like him. This is plain from Rev. vii, 14: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." O flowing streams from Calvary, how unearthly your efficacy, thus to heal the wounds, and remove the scars of sin! O blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, how heavenly thy virtue, thus to cleanse us from all sin!

There may be diversity in our minds and feelings, but all will be lovely. Our fiery trial here shall burn up all sin, destroy all its marks, and melt away all dross. Altogether lovely He is, and we shall be. O how wonderful! Angels, if they knew not, might never imagine we had been sinners, except from our song. I know it doth not seem possible, for "it doth not yet appear." But "in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords." "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

In conclusion: Do not say all this is mere conjecture. It is not; it is plainly Scriptural and logical inference. If faithful, I shall see all this, and more than I can now conceive; and shall be fully satisfied.

1. We learn that heaven must be a place of unbounded felicity. What better society could be found? There all

are beautiful in body, all lovely in soul. And then there are the angels, and the Lamb of God. Will good society render us happy in the most unpleasant places on earth? Much more then in heaven. Rev. xxi, 4, and vii, 15–17.

2. We see why Christians anticipate so much from meeting with friends in heaven. We admit that here they have natural traits of character which we dislike; that we do not always feel happy in their society. But they will lose every thing that is unlovely at death, and so shall we. We would not live for ever with our friends as they now are, but we would when they are like Christ. Yes, dear brother, in heaven you will possess every thing which shall render your society delightful.

XXVIII.

WE LOOK NOT AT THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN, BUT AT THE THINGS

WHICH ARE NOT SEEN: FOR THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN ARE TEM-* PORAL; BUT THE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL.2 Cor. iv, 18.

FAITH is the great peculiarity of the Christian system. It is necessary not only for the purposes of moral discipline, but also because almost every thing that renders Christianity desirable is unseen. God, the Redeemer, the Comforter, angels, and heaven, are unseen. Their invisibility, however, does not affect their reality, and should not affect our belief. Our minds and all their operations are invisible, but our belief in them is none the less firm on this account. "The things which are not seen" are eternal; and does not this make amends for all? What we see, however bright and beautiful, “appeareth but for a little time, and then vanisheth away." This fair earth, these glorious skies with all their starry hosts, are moving slowly and sublimely to the grave of

nature. Turn then, O Christian, from the sight, and gaze on nobler scenes. In so doing it is your privilege to

consider,

1. Their nearness. We are prone to look at eternity as at an immeasurable distance--the rear ground in the picture of human life, obscured by intervening objects. But God designed it should stand out in bold relief, for he has painted it with the brightest colours. What if you should live seventy years-eternity is close by; compare seventy years with eternity, and see how short the term is. But life is generally shorter than this, and is also uncertain. Death, the dividing stream, which you are approaching, is but a few steps wide. Eternity then is close at hand.

2. Their unchangeableness and eternal duration. Here we are so accustomed to change that we can hardly conceive of any thing as absolutely fixed. Our characters, pursuits, enjoyments, friends, are changing. There character changes not in kind, nor degenerates: how consoling this to the saint! There he will never grow cold. There pursuits and enjoyments will be ever the same. There friends will be always with us, and ever loving us. Besides the unchangeableness of unseen things, consider their eternal duration. If not eternal they would be of little worth, and sighs would form the chorus of every song. But they are eternal! I cannot describe eternity→→→ it is a separate state of existence-it knows no multiplication of time.

3. Their power of conferring happiness. There would be little joy in reflecting on the particulars already named, without this. Sinners take no delight in reflecting on unseen things, for they can expect no happiness from them. But it is their power of conferring happiness, which renders them delightful subjects of reflection to the Christian. This made them so dear to Paul. All things in the eternal world will make us perfectly happy.

But why should we look at unseen things?

and pursuits! How often do

1. That our thoughts and affections may be detached from earth. We "are of the earth, earthy." How much our thoughts are engrossed with its objects How much time do we devote to them! they intrude into the sanctuary, and steal into the closet! With what a deadly grasp do our affections cling to them! Let our property be taken from us, and how we murmur and grieve; our friends, and how we mourn and weep! But we are soon to become spiritual beings, conversant only with spiritual objects. How necessary that our thoughts and affections become so likewise! What will make them so but constantly looking at unseen things? How can we love earth less, but by loving heaven more?

2. That we may be encouraged to persevere in the path of duty. We are apt to faint, our trials are so great-to despond, our afflictions are so numerous-to despair, our foes are so hostile, and our battles so many. Heaven in prospect will animate us. It will make afflictions seem light and transient-toils easy-dangers small. The last is coming. How is the weary traveller invigorated by the sight of home! The warrior when the drum beats the last alarm! What deeds of valour will he perform! And who in the Christian warfare would shrink back when the shout of victory will so soon be heard, and eternity be our home? Eternal rest and deliverance! This supported Moses, and Paul, and the martyrs.

3. That we may be prepared for their enjoyment. For all this joy we were made. We must prepare for it by looking at it. The more we look, the more we shall lovethe more we love, the more we shall strive. Could you Should heaven break in

now join in the heavenly song?

upon you now, would you not be frightened? Alas! have we not looked too much at earth, and too little at heaven?

And shall we not amend? O let not eternity at last surprise us unprepared!

The mariner, as he thinks he nears the shore, sends one aloft, not to gaze at the water or the sky, but to look for land. So the Christian should keep faith upon the watch, to look not around, but beyond him; and soon the lofty cliffs, and bold promontories of "the better land" will heave in view.

XXIX.*

SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS, AND SOME IN HORSES: BUT WE WILl reMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.-Psalm xx, 7.

CIVIL liberty is the greatest of national blessings. Like all other blessings, it is the gift of God, purchased by Christ, and obtained and perpetuated by human means. In the attainment of ours, the hand of God was clearly seen in the raising up of men to guide our counsels, and command our armies-in affording us foreign aid when our cause grew desperate-and in rendering foolish the plans of our enemies. In reverting to the past, as Christians, "we will remember the name of the Lord our God." In looking to the future, our hope and trust must still be in "the name of the Lord our God;" for he alone can secure to us the blessings of civil liberty. This appears evident from two considerations:

I. All other means have failed to preserve the liberties of

nations.

It becomes us to remember the fact, that no nation which has not worshipped God has, for a long time, been free. Greece and Rome were republics but in name,

* A Thanksgiving sermon.

and