God will place the redeemed beyond the influence of temptation and fin, and the perfection of the heavenly state will forever exempt them from all thofe caufes of frailty and change that exift upon earth. It knows no change except that of continual progreffion. The principal value of all our fources of enjoyment in this world is deftroyed by their inftability. Every object here is mutable, and difappoints those who expect permanent felicity from it, and pierces through with many forrows those who attempt to lean upon it. Even the comforts that flow from religion in the prefent life are variable and uncertain, because the fanctification of the believer is ftill partial and imperfect. But, in Heaven, being perfectly holy, he fhall be completely and immutably happy.

Eternity is the idea that crowns and enriches the whole. "There fhall be no more death," faith the amen, the faithful and true witnefs. The felicity of the faints, like the being of God, fhall be interminable.— Glorious and confolatory truth! I would willingly affift your minds to frame some measures of an immortal existence, but how

shall we measure a fubject that fo far furpaffes our feeble conceptions? Number the ftars that fill the fky-reckon the fands upon the fea fhore-count the drops in the immeafurable ocean-compute the atoms that compofe the globe-multiply them by millions of years, and when this amazing fucceffion of duration fhall have been finifhed, and repeated as many times as are equal to its own units, eternity will be but beginning-Beginning! It cannot be faid to be begun. It is wrong to apply any term which meafures progrellion, to that which has no period.

In this aftonishing and boundless idea the mind is overwhelmed! What a glory does it thed over the inheritance of the faints in light! How ftrongly is it calculated to awaken the defires of a believer after the reft that remaineth for the people of God! I may add, how well is it fitted to confole -those who mourn over their friends who fleep in Jefus! If, at any time, the mind is ready to fink under the weight of its fufferings in the prefent life, and to repine at the will of God, will it not become patient, and even thankful again, when it looks forward to that immortal bleffedness to which every

calamity that tends to crush this frail tenement of clay, is only haftening our passage? "For our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are feen are temporal, but the things which are not feen are eternal.”*

Bleffed are the dead who die in the Lord! yea faith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them! What a confolatory, what a fublime and glorious object is here presented to the faith and hope of good men, and confirmed by the faithful affeverations of the spirit of truth! All the sufferings, induced by fin in the prefent life, there come to an everlasting period-all the joys that human nature exalted and improved with immortal powers can sustain, shall be poffeffed by the redeemed, and shall continually increase in an endless progreffion. There you behold them in the midit of their heavenly country from which they fhall be no more exiled-there they contemplate without a veil,

Cor. iv. 17, 18.

in the clear, unclouded vifion of heaven, the adorable perfections of God-they behold him enthroned in glory ineffable, whence he difpenfes happiness to countless myriads of bleffed fpirits-Rivers of pleafure iffue from the foot of the eternal throne -they bathe themselves in those celestial streams-they are absorbed in extacies of a divine and immortal love..

pure

and

My brethren! what an animating motive to perfect holiness in the fear of God, is proposed to your faith in the bleffed promife of life and immortality! What a reward for all the labours, and felf-denials of virtue! What a confolation under all the afflictions of life!—The happiness of heaven is effentially connected with purity of heart, with fanctity of manners, and with ufefulness of living. And your progress in these divine qualities fhall be the measure of your eternal felicity. The path of perfect virtue, indeed, is laborious, and often paffes in its course over steep and difficult afcents. Our paffions frequently render extremely painful the facrifices which duty requires. We are obliged to combat with the world, its interefts, its pleasures, its examples, its folicitations, and, ftill more, to

maintain a conftant conflict with ourselves. But, contemplate the fublime recompence which religion confers on these labours and thefe facrifices, and they are arduous no longer. What are the enticements by which vice would enfnare the heart, and withdraw it from virtue, compared with that fullness of joy that is in the prefence of God, and thole rivers of pleasure that flow at his right hand forever more! What are the labours or dangers of duty compared with its triumphant reward! Endure hardnefs, therefore, as good foldiers of Chrift Fefus, remembering that thele fort conflicts fhall, ere long, gain for you crowns of victory, and encircle you with immortal glory.

Finally, this hope affords a good man the beft confolation under affliction. All the neceffary evils of life will foon be ended, and will open to him a him a peaceful entrance into the joy of his Lord. If difeafe and pain are hastening his return to the duft from which he was taken, why fhould he repine,fince they are at the fame time bringing him to thofe living fountains of immortal health, where God fhall wipe away all tears from his eyes? If the dcareft ties of friendship, or of love are broken afunder, and his heart is torn by cruel