the heavens are single points of light. But in the heaven of heavens, such is the union of these stars, that all is light-one great constellation of glory; the brightness of the firmament for ever and ever.

Which leads me to consider,

ITS PERPETUITY-it is "for ever and ever." It is not a leasehold estate for the most lengthened term imaginable. Kingdoms on earth have their periods, their rise and prosperity, their decline and fall. But this kingdom is ever rising and prospering, and will never fall nor decline. Were eternity wanting, it would give a cast of darkness and gloom over the fairest scene of heaven's meridian glory.

Abraham told the rich man, 66 they that would pass from us to you cannot:" not that they for a moment could admit the thought of leaving; but supposing an impossible case-if they would, they cannot.

The Scriptures always describe it under the character of perpetuity. It is everlasting life, eternal glory, eternal salvation, an eternal inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Christ, everlasting habitations, a continuing city, a house eternal in the heavens, and pleasures at God's right hand for evermore. In a similar view, St. John describes the blessed as "a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out." Their blessedness is therefore secure for eternity.

And in this eternity, as we cannot ccase to admire, and love, and delight in that infinite object of glory, so we cannot cease to be happy. The eternal God, that boundless and unfathomable ocean of love and all perfection, the saints shall for ever praise; praise Him for what he is in himself, and praise him for what he has done and is doing for them and for all others: and as the rays of Divine love and glory shine upon them, they are reflected back again in ceaseless joyful hallelujahs.

How interrupted is all human happiness below! If we enjoy communion with God, how soon we lose the sense of his presence! If the light of his countenance shine upon us, it is but for a moment. How different will it be there! O, the glories of those words, "for ever with the Lord!" Well may we comfort each other with those words. Then again here, often the Christian may be cast down with the fear of perishing at the last; 'What

if I should fall short at last of heaven!' If the thought should rise within, it cannot but agitate his mind. But in heaven there is no ground for such an anxiety, no possibility of such a loss, he is there, he is confirmed there for ever. After millions and millions of ages, the happiness will be as far from diminishing, and as far from ending, as when it commenced.

But language utterly fails, imagination fails; "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." The "eye" of man has seen many splendid sights, goodly prospects, rich and extended views, magnificent palaces adorned with all that art can contrive, and splendid cities full of splendid edifices: the "ear" has heard awakening and soul-thrilling eloquence, ravishing music, touching and exquisite melodies, and tender and melting expressions of sympathy and kindness: the "heart" has conceived worlds upon worlds, it can multiply, it can enlarge, it can beautify, to the utmost stretch of fancy's limits:—and yet the glory of heaven is beyond all that ever human eye saw, or human ear heard, or human heart ever can now conceive, excepting in that foretaste and carnest which the Divine Spirit now gives.

So the Scriptures invariably speak of it. The Saviour dwelt in that glory; but he describes it not. He calls heaven simply "my Father's house." The Apostle Paul was carried up to it, and what says he of it?" He heard unspeakable words, which it is not possible for a man to utter." St. John beheld it in his enraptured visions, and how does he develop it? "It doth not yet appear what we shall be."

I address two classes-Those neglecting this glory, and those secking it.

1st. THOSE NEGLECTING THIS GLORY. How inexpressible, how mournful your folly! Look at the conduct of men wise for this world. Where it is a mere temporal advantage, some employment, some better situation, how vigilant and circumspect, how active and how patient also will they be! Ah! men even run with more violence to death and hell, than Christians to life and glory. But surely to neglect this great salvation, is that which is emphatically folly, even madness, worse than chained lunacy. Think you that any who reach heaven regret any losses or any sacrifices for reaching that glory. No, they cry-O, sweet

losses! O, blessed sacrifices! which God in love called me to! by these he made me meet for this glory.' Do any say, 'I too wish to see this glory.' There are two grand impediments, your guilt, and your unfitness. But the Gospel shows you how both may be removed. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and so shall all your guilt be forgiven, according to the promise, "Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more;" thus shall you be among those, "having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." Ask also for the gift of the Holy Spirit, by whom your unfitness will also be removed, your heart truly converted, and you made "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light."

2d. CHRISTIANS SEEKING THIS GLORY. O, my brethren, why do we spend so few thoughts upon it! Is there this exceeding and eternal weight of glory before us! O, let us often and deeply meditate upon it. If ever you want a subject for contemplation, here you have one of the richest and fullest of animating hope. The bridegroom longs to be united to his bride; the heir longs to be of age to receive his inheritance; the merchant longs for the return of his richly freighted vessel. O, let us long to enter that city of the Great King, of which such glorious things are spoken; and seeing it is our chief good, our last home, our everlasting felicity, let our affections be set upon it, our conversation be there already, and we, as strangers, and pilgrims, pressing on, till through the gates we enter in, to dwell there for ever.

SERMON IX.

THE WORSHIP OF HEAVEN.

By the Rt. Rev. JOHN BIRD SUMNER, D. D.,
Bishop of Chester.

REVELATIONS iv. 10, 11.

The four-and-twenty elders fell down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and

were created.

THE Bible, as you must often have observed, does not abound with descriptions of the glories or the happiness of heaven. The little which we are told, serves rather to excite curiosity than to gratify it. Our Lord purposely checked all questions upon this subject. When the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection altogether, attempted to draw him into a discussion respecting it, he gives them nothing more than this general answer: "In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." And every where his promises run in a similar strain: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." "Great is your reward in heaven." "You shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." But he no where explains what the blessings of paradise will be; what recompense the righteous shall enjoy, what is the nature of the heavenly reward. And this for a very evident reason. Our understandings would be unable, in their present limited and imperfect state, to compre hend any thing more full and particular.

The Apostles are no less reserved upon this point. St. Paul was admitted to a near view of the heavenly glories; but he does

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not attempt to describe them. He contents himself with saying that he heard unspeakable words, such as it is not lawful for man to utter:" that "eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God had prepared for them that love him." So in his argument concerning the resurrection, he does not explain with what body the dead shall rise: he only says, that the body "which is sown in corruption, is raised in incorruption; that is sown in dishonor, is raised in glory; that is sown in weakness, is raised in power; that is sown a natural body, is raised a spiritual body."

This is enough, and more than enough, to excite our most fervent prayers and our most constant endeavors, that we may be accounted meet to attain that heavenly inheritance. But it does not enable us to declare what that body will be, which shall "put on immortality;" neither does it acquaint us with the manner in which the inhabitants of heaven are occupied, or describe the nature of their enjoyments.

St. John alone, in the Revelations, sometimes lifts up the veil which conceals the eternal world from our view. But we are soon reduced to confess that the sight is too dazzling for our mortal eyes. In order to convey some idea of the blaze of glory which was revealed to him, he combines together all those things which in this world are most bright, most beautiful, and most valuable. He speaks of "a holy city, the foundations of which were garnished with all manner of precious stones; and the gates of pearls; and the street pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

So again, in the chapter from which the text is taken, and which our Church, in order to exalt our minds and animate our devotions, has selected for the service of this day, we are told of "a throne set in heaven, and a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald;" we are told of "seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;" we are told of "a sea of glass before the throne, like unto crystal; and round about the throne four bcasts," (or four living creatures, as they might more properly be called,) "full of eyes, before and behind; and each of them had six wings about him." When we come to examine this description, we find our ideas

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