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nerous; the most lofty, at the same time the most merciful; the most glorious, the most condescending. No finite creature ever was, or can be, as long-suffering and merciful as God. It is the glory of his nature to be exempt from the elements of those passions which tend to diminish the exercise of immeasurable love. God is love' pure, unvarying love; love in its essence. No jealousies, nor envy, nor selfishness, nor rivalship, nor private wants, nor poverty of means, can ruffle his mind, or limit the full exercise of his love." Vol. i. pp. 44, 45.

The proof in the same sermon, that holiness and justice are but modifications of his goodness, is a fine specimen of the reasoning sublime. In the next sermon, on "the Prayer of St. Paul for the Ephesians," we have the following passage on "the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge."

"In what particulars does it differ from the most exalted human love, or from the still more pure and generous affection of an angelic being? I answer-it differs essentially. But in order to comprehend it aright, it is necessary that we should form some adequate conception of the glory of the Son of God, as the object of adoration to all the hosts of heaven;-that we should understand, in a degree, the perfections of his nature;-that we should ourselves feel somewhat of that ardent love to his Father's law, which glowed within his breast;-that we should also be actuated, in a degree, by that inexpressible hatred of all pollution and sin which he felt ;-that we should entertain a just conception of man, and be sensible how low and worthless a creature, in his fallen state, he is;-that we should understand something of what it would necessarily cost to redeem the soul and to expiate Divine Justice. We should feel a portion, also, of what Jesus felt in the garden of Gethsemane, when his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood. We should feel something of the breadth of that love which extended to the covering of such a multitude of sins; sins of such a complicated dye; sins of the memory, the will, the imagination; sins of revolt against God, of willing service to Satan, of hatred of the Almighty; sins of backsliding and

eternity; should survey the du that love, which was from everl everlasting; should behold the t glory, and the eternal bliss to wh love will advance the redeemed. brethren, how well did the Ap claim, it passeth knowledge!" pp. 78, 79.

The following sermon, the in this volume, on "the State Saints above, contrasted with former Condition below," fro vii. 9-17. preached on Al day, leaves us under the sam culty of selection, and makes u fear that the simple dignity one passage may in appeara below the majestic effect pr by the whole when viewed to We shall give the opening p in which, if our readers shou cover any thing bordering. style of some of the admired preachers, they may here lea they have not been first in thei

"On this day, consecrated to dev diation on a future state and heav heritance-within these hallowed which we feebly attempt to emul worship, the feelings, and the emplo of the blessed spirits above ;-on th val, dedicated to the pious commen of the saints who have slept in Chr are now with him in joy and felic us endeavour, my Christian breth the help of God, to detach our thou a few happy moments from the scenes below; from the tumults, th eties, the troubles, the vicissitud fears, the follies, the vanities, the tions, of this sinful world; and fix t devout contemplation, on that g state and that blessed assembly of so delightful a picture has been j sented to us. It is a picture rende cred by the recollection that it de the felicity of those beloved frien were once our companions and guid earth; who departed hence in C faith and hope; and to whom ou yet cleave in all the union of the te affection. It is a picture endeared by the humble hope that it de

the happiness which we ourselves shall one day enjoy, when our warfare has been accomplished, our labours finished, our sorrows ended, and our released spirits have 'entered into the joy of our Lord.'

"I beheld,' says the Apostle (admitted, for the consolation of the church, to witness and record the happiness of the saints in heaven ;) 'I beheld, and, lo! a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the Throne, and be fore the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.'-O what a different scene, what a different world, separated only by a slight veil from that which we inhabit, is here exhibited to our view! a world into which we may enter by a single step, and in a moment of time! Here we see a busy world, eager in vain pursuits, agitated by mere trifles, contending about objects of no moment, and immersed in things which perish with the using. All is noise, and confusion, and vanity, and sorrow, and evil. But behold another world, nigh at hand, composed of different beings, governed by different principles; where all things are as substantial, as here they are vain; where all things are as momentous, as here they are frivolous; where all things are as great, as here they are little; where all things are as durable, as here they are transitory; where all things are as fixed, as here they are mutable! That world has also its inhabitants-so numerous, that the population of this world is but as a petty tribe compared to them. It has its employments; but they are of the noblest kind and weightiest import; and compared

with them, the whole sum of the concerns of this life is but as a particle of dust. It has its pleasures; but they are pure and spotless, holy and divine. There, perfect happiness, and uninterrupted harmony and righteousness and peace, ever prevail. What a contrast to our present state!-And is this blessed scene near us? Is there but, as it were, a step between? May we be called into it in a moment? With what anxious solicitude, then, should we endeavour to realize it! And how ardently should we desire to be prepared for an admission into it!" Vol. i. pp. 83-86.

The happiness arising from "numbers," is described in a manner at once novel, moral, and inspiriting; as also the employments of heaven,

being all such as to "excite new and continual praises to God."-The following thoughts on the nature and source of heavenly happiness will doubtless be acceptable to our readers.

"It will be sufficient to state, that relido not mean this merely in the sense in gion is but another word for happiness. I which, without guarding them, the words may be understood-viz. that the effect produced by religion is happiness. I use the words literally; and design to state, that religion itself, the act and exercise of it, is the purest and highest happiness.It may here be necessary to rectify the general definition of religion. Religion is not merely the worship of God, or the exercise of obedience: it is the union of the soul with God; the conformity of the will with his will; the enjoyment of communion with him; and the transformation of every faculty of the soul to his image and likeness, Religion, here, is but the faint outline of this more sublime image of its nature; the outward expression of what it ought to be, and of what it is above. Now happiness arises from a frame of mind harmonizing with the objects which surround

us.

When the soul, therefore, is moulded into the perfect frame of religion in its most exalted state; when every affection and every faculty are put into perfect tune, and all are in unison with the Divine Source of all good; there must be happiness, arising from such a constitution, the most pure and perfect which a creature can enjoy. It is the happiness of God himself- of God, the source of all happiness. It is a state of mind in which that necessarily gives pleasure which gives Him pleasure: in which there is a participation of His feelings; in which the soul drinks at the Fountain Head of all enjoyment; in which the bliss of the Almighty becomes the bliss of his creatures. Thus religion and happiness are convertible terms. They are, in fact, one and the same thing and it is not more impossible that God should be unhap. Py, than that his devout servants, dwelling near his throne, and serving him day and night in his temple,' should taste of misery." Vol. i. pp. 93-95.

In the second Volume, we find two sermons nearly on the same subject; one on "the Happiness of

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"There will the mind be continually astonished, delighted, and elevated by proofs of wisdom, not obscure, or sparing, or finite, but clear, and manifest, and boundless. There, too, the holiness and purity of the Divine Nature will beam forth in rays of lustre; not such, indeed, as will dazzle the beholder, but rather such as will

illuminate him with their splendour, and transform him into the same celestial image from glory to glory.' There will be exhibited the most stupendous acts of Divine power. There also will be poured forth, in the richest profusion and variety, and the most exquisite perfection, the treasures of Divine goodness. And there will the love of the Father and of Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, shine in its fullest effulgence.

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"Thus God dwells' in heaven by the boundless manifestation of every thing great, and glorious, and good. Upon this earth, indeed, we see on every side some proofs of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness; the rich variety of plants, adorned with all the vividness of colour and elegance of form; the magnitude of the heavenly bodies, the skill of their arrangement, and the swiftness of their motions; the exquisite conformation of the body, and the admirable and diversified powers of the mind; -all these proclaim the presence and the hand of a Master, whose wisdom must be infinite and power uncontrollable. But these no otherwise apprize us of the skill of the great Architect than the broken cloumns, the disjointed arches, and the mouldering capitals of some fine ruined edifice convey to us an adequate idea of the beauty and grandeur of the original building. We live here in the ruins of a world, once indeed fair and glorious, but now forsaken by its great Master, and suffered to fall into decay; and the traces which we meet with of greatness and splendour are comparatively few and mean. Here every thing is mingled with imperfection. Light is obscured by darkness; truth is inter

mingled with error, good with evil; pleasure is alloyed by pain; health is interrupted by sickness; and every enjoyment is transi tory and uncertain. His wisdom and power are here displayed upon objects of comparatively little worth. The leaf of a weed may discover wonderful skill; the shell of a contemptible fish may display the richest colouring; the body of the vilest of men may shew astonishing contrivance; yet all these things are, as it were, the rough sketches of Infinite Wisdom: they are in. tended only for a moment; they will soon be burnt up as things of no value. We have yet to learn what is the fulness of the Divine wisdom and goodness." Vol. ii. pp. 50-52.

Two Sermons, the XI. and XII. in the First Volume, one on "the Communion of Saints," the other on "our Communion with the Angels," much struck us. They imply a familiarity with the spiritual world both present and to come, which we deem a rare and most blessed attainment. "The family of God" is thus rapid. ly and graphically sketched in the first sermon :

"It is necessary that we consider that family in its whole extent. It is not confined to the small circle of holy persons worshipping together upon earth. These comprise but a very small part. The whole who are thus united in Christ form an assembly, whose worth no tongue can describe, and whose number no man can compute. They are a vast body, composed not only of private Christians, and of ministers now dwelling together upon earth, but of all those faithful disciples of Christ who have ever lived upon it. Confessors and martyrs, prophets and apostles, priests and patriarchs, saints militant below, and spirits triumphant and made perfect above. All these make but one family. They are distinct branches of it, severed, for a little while, by time and space; but not separated by nature.

"The family is to be considered as still more ample than this. The angels of heaven, who are subject to Christ, and employed by him as ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, may be justly considered as comprising a part of it; for they worship the same Lord, they are

engaged in the same pursuits, and therefore the Apostle speaks of them as branches of the same family living under the same Head.

"Such is the family of God; into which Christ has introduced us, giving to all who are in him, access by one spirit unto the Father.' Over this family the Father, the Son, and the Spirit preside; each of them in their several offices holding communion with the members, and the members with them." Vol. i. pp. 179–181.

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Our communion with these several branches of "the family" is then most fully and ably described. Happy, indeed, art thou," he feelingly concludes, and we can have no doubt it was a happiness which he warmly felt himself at the moment;

"Happy, indeed, art thou, if thou canst say, 'My delight is with the saints that are upon the earth, and with such as excel in virtue :' my communion is with the Father of Spirits, and with his Son Jesus Christ my Redeemer, and with the angels above. I am also joined with the whole church of the faithful below; I am occupied in the same work, I possess the same comforts, I am warmed with the same love. I feel a brother's sympathy with the members of Christ. My soul unites itself to them when I approach the Throne of Grace, and my heart burns within me while I converse with them upon the things of God.-My brethren in Christ,' such will be our feelings if we are actuated by the Spirit of God." Vol. i. pp. 189, 190.

The following sermon, on "our Communion with Angels," we think still more ingenious and exquisitely fraught with angelic sentiments. He considers the "innumerable company of angels" as become, through grace, our friends, our ministering spirits, our examples, our eternal associates. Under these heads he beautifully classes almost all the appearances and, indeed, nearly every mention of the angelic host in Scripture, as instruments of mercy or patterns of purity to man.

An awful thought concludes the sermon. "God and Satan divide the Christ. Observ. No. 157.

world. Each has his angels subordinate to him." The application to the conscience of the wicked is at once obvious and appalling.

"Thou who endeavourest to subvert the government of God, and to loosen the grasp which the obligations of his truth have upon the mind; thou who tramplest upon his laws; thou who slightest the ordinances of his grace, the worship of God, and the word of God;-is it not evident to whom thou art united? Art thou not doing the work of devils? Art thou not already associated with them? Art thou not 'trea

suring up for thyself wrath against the day of wrath? Oh, let me conjure you to pause, to consider, to repent! Even for you there is hope. Behold the glorious company of angels. They desire to receive you : they stretch forth their hands to you. In their holy zeal to reclaim the wicked and to enlarge their blessed society, they carry the everlasting Gospel to all nations. Will you renounce them, to have fellowship with devils? Oh! turn to God, that you may be added to this innumerable company." Vol, i. p. 208.

We scarcely know where to close our extracts. The very next sermon which meets us in this first volume is on" the Effect of seeing God as he is," from 1 John iii. 2, We find ourselves surrounded by fresh beams of celestial light, and attracted by new features of Divine beauty.

"Here we are illuminated by the light of the sun; but the Lord God himself will fill every part with glory, as he originally be the Sun of that place, and his rays will stand before its dazzling lustre. We did the temple, when the priests could not shall, therefore, see and feel, that in him we live, and move, and have our being.' We shall rejoice in his presence, and in his light we shall see light. But this con spicuous revelation of the presence and glory of God, will particularly be displayed in Jesus Christ. In him the perfection and glory of the invisible God are embo. died and rendered visible to man. his beloved Son, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person;' and so full and perfect is his identity with the Father, that, according to his own reG

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presentation, he that hath seen the Son hath seen the Father also. The Son was the visible display of the Father's glory, even in this world." Vol. i. pp. 220, 221.

And again :

"The analogy of the present state of existence demonstrates, that in all example, whether good or evil, there is an assimilating efficacy; and there can be no doubt, if we extend the analogy still further, if we were condemned to dwell in the regions of outer darkness with Satan and the infernal spirits, exposed to the view of perpetual malignity and deceit, we too should become malignant and deceitful. Assailed with rage and execration, our passions too would be kindled; and where we were hated, we should soon learn to hate in our turn.— But not to pursue further this awful contrast, let us suppose ourselves placed in those blessed regions, where the mercy and love of God shall surround us on every side with inexhaustible profusion. In those regions of eternal tranquillity, should not our souls possess an unruffled calm? Seeing nothing on every side but happiness, could we fail to be happy? Or could we behold the triumph of eternal love, without loving also in return? Where all were endeavour ing to increase our happiness, would not our hearts surely burn with a general glow of gratitude? Where all were wise, should we not learn wisdom? Where the beauty of holiness was every where diffused, could we be otherwise than holy? Thus there will necessarily be a general tendency in heaven towards a continual increase of peace, happiness, love, wisdom, and holiness. Christ will communicate to all his servants, and they to each other, every good. Out of his fulness shall we receive even grace for grace imparted to us. And, in reference to this assimilating influence, we are told, that even our bodies shall be made to resemble the glorified body of Christ. We look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself,' or to assimilate all things to himself. Thus we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.'" Vol. i. pp. 223-225.

It will easily be seen, by a reference to the table of contents, that our resources are by no means exhausted by this multitude of extracts;

though we fear it may be otherwise with the time, not the patience, of our readers. We shall conclude, therefore, this series by one more quotation from a sermon in the Second Volume, on "Peace arising from Trust in God," that our readers may realize the same God below who has been described in the regions above; may behold him beam ing with a softer radiance on the yet frail, imperfect, militant saint on earth; and may understand some thing of that peace which, in our author's view, may even here

Be the lot of the mind Which seeks it in meekness and love; Whilst rapture and bliss are confined To the glorified spirits above.

"It is plain the man who trusts in God will be kept in perfect peace; for what can disturb him? Can any troubles assail him, which the Lord has not appointed, or under which he cannot support him? It may be justly observed, that the contemplation of God's greatness tends to level the inequalities of all finite things. The distinc tion of great and little vanishes, when the immensity of his nature and attributes is before us. And thus, while we contem. plate him, and stay our souls upon him for support, the trials to which we may be exposed appear, in this view, to be all on an exact equality. There is not one which we can select and say, it will be too hard for us in his strength. Nor, on the other hand, is there one blessing which he has allowed us to hope for, of which we can even ima gine that it is too much to expect from him. Any thing is too much to be expected, while we look at ourselves: nothing, while we look to God through Christ. The faith, therefore, of a Christian may overlook all distinctions, and rest its dependence on almighty power, on inexhaustible bounty, on infinite goodness, on immeasura ble love. What peace must not this convey to the soul! What a contrast to that fretting anxiety of the mind, when it is ever in dread of approaching evils; when it shrinks in vain from them, and looks round in vain to escape them; when it builds what hope it has upon the sand, and finds the edifice continually tottering to its base; when it has nothing stable, nothing unchangeable, nothing out of the reach of storms and tempests on which it can repose; no

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