pression to denote that they are continually employed in promoting truth and virtue. Believers may be distinguished from the children of this world, as the children of light, because they are enlightened in that great truth of which the others are ignorant. God is also said to dwell in light-"who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see." This light is so exceedingly glorious that no man in his present state can approach it. But the time will come when even the eyes of the saints will be able to bear that light, for "they shall see God." "Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God," but the glorious spiritual bodies of the saints will enjoy it. What must be the brilliancy of the light of heaven when a glance of it now overpowers any of the human race? "At mid-day, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and then which journied with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth," etc. "And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me," etc. Some have supposed that God will never be visible, and that the promise that we shall see God means only that we shall see the light in which He dwells. It is dangerous to advance too far on such a subject. But I am not willing even here to limit Scripture-language by views of possibility. That one spirit may have a perception of another corresponding to what we call visible, is surely not only possible but certain. If so, why may not our spirits have such a perception of God? And that it is impossible for the glorified eye of the saint to have a perception of God, is more than I will say. Let it suffice us that "we shall see God." Let us leave the manner of this to Himself. "Take heed," says Christ, "that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven." And if angels behold the face of God, it will not be impossible for us. To behold His face must imply to view Him in His glory; we need not, therefore, confound ourselves by any subtle inquiries about the way of seeing a spirit. God is everywhere: it is possible to make us sensible of His presence, whatever part of space we may at any time occupy. This is an unfathomable subject, but though it represses arrogant inquiries beyond what is written, it opens up a boundless field of expectation to our future state. Having such a God as a Father, what may we not expect? There is nothing in the state of the future world about which Christians seem more interested, than the question whether they will know each other. It is a consoling thought that relatives and friends shall meet again and have peculiar satisfaction in each other's society. There is, perhaps, little enough evidence to prove this point, but a very little is sufficient in a matter so agreeable to our wishes. I am not sure that the peculiar affection for kindred will exist in the future world. What our Lord says, in reply to the Sad ducees, with respect to husbands and wives, appear to be against this view. "They neither marry nor are given in marriage," and the seven husbands, were they all in heaven, appear to have no disagreeable feelings from a situation that would have been a hell upon earth. Yet if any one can show from Scripture that relations will still retain that peculiar love for each other, I am very willing to believe it. We must not, however, wrest Scripture, even for this amiable purpose the most harmless, certainly, for which the word of God was ever perverted. One thing I think is certain: we must lose that peculiar love with respect to our relatives and friends who shall go into everlasting punishment. Were our affection to be as it is now, all the glories in heaven could not make us happy. What an agony is it now to think of the damnation of a parent or child! Christians have continual heaviness of heart on account of their brethren of mankind. Who can think of the Scripture denunciations against the wicked-who can read the accounts of the torments of hell, without feelings of the keenest sorrow? If so, how can they think of the perdition of those for whom they could lay down their lives? This part of our frame must, therefore, be altered. We must perfectly accord with the will of God in all that He does, and not only submit, but approve. Of this we can now have no conception. But the personal knowledge of each other is independent of this That the saints may not only recognize each other as formerly ac quainted, but that they may personally know every one of the innumerable multitude, is no extravagant opinion. The nature of their intercourse, and the happiness of their society seem to require this. Yet, perhaps, the passages usually alleged to prove this are not perfectly decisive. The apostles knew Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration; but it must be observed that the apostles were still themselves in the flesh, and that this might have been learned from the conversation, or some intimation by Jesus. Certainly it was not from recognizing their persons: for with Moses and Elijah, they had no previous acquaintance. Moses was not in the body, but being clothed with his house from heaven, it is likely he had his personal likeness, as nearly as the state of glory would ad mit. If this passage proves any thing on the subject, it is that the glorified persons of the saints impress all that behold them with the knowledge of them. Dives knew Abraham and Lazarus, but this is a parable, and the nature of it required this circumstance independent of any indirect intention to prove personal recognition of each other in a future state. However, this knowledge I do not question. Adam, from an intuitive knowledge of the nature and properties of the various animals, could give names to them before he could have had any actual acquaintance with them. The glorified saints will possess knowledge and every other attribute and perfection of their nature in a degree infinitely above Adam in a state of innocence. * * The glory of the future condition of the saints may also be estimated from the love of Christ toward them. Of this immensely great love we have the fullest proof in His humiliation and death. Read the history of Jesus; witness the degradation and infamy of the Son of God, behold Him an outcast from society, and at last a willing sacrifice for our sins, even while enemies, and then let us ask ourselves what is the extent of His love? It is beyond all description, and even beyond conception. If He loved us so while enemies, what will He not confer on us as friends and brethren? Paul bowed his knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying "That being rooted and grounded in love," the Ephesian Christians "might be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, that they might be filled with all the fullness of God." If, then, it is a matter of such importance to know this love; if the real extent of it is beyond knowledge; what is likely to be the height of glory to which they will be advanced? * * * The reward of the saints is frequently exhibited with very animating effect, under the figure of the crowns of the victors in the Grecian games, and of the conquerors who obtain a triumph on their return to their country. In these games the greatest men of the times entered as competitors for the glory of victory, and even kings thought themselves honored by obtaining the prize. The victor was rewarded with a crown of leaves, and was received with unbounded honor by the vast multitudes assembled from all parts of Greece. Now, after all the self-denial of their former lives and unwearied diligence in preparatory exercises; after all the toils, dangers, and sufferings in the arduous struggle, they thought this crown of leaves a high recompense. It raised them upon a pinnacle of glory, to be viewed with admiration by all countries. Yet, as the apostle says, they had in prospect only a corruptible crown; we have in our view an incorruptible crown. Their crown was the greatest the world could bestow, but it was fading, and is already withered many a hundred years. The crown of the Christian flourishes on his head with unfading freshness, and will bloom through eternity. Its glory will be witnessed not by the people only of one age, but by all the princi palities in heaven. What a noble excitement to ambition! Such are the high prospects of the believers of the Gospel. Can the proudest of the children of men boast of equal pretensions? Speak, ye thrones of this world, tell us the glory of your dignity. Is it comparable to that of the meanest saint in heaven? Speak ye of being born of the mighty of many generations? No more; the Christian is a son and heir of God. Boast ye of your vast dominions and the power of your empires? Be silent; the Christian is to reign with Christ over all worlds. Ye conquerors, come forward with all your dazzling glories, that we may view your honors in contrast with those of the Christian. You have triumphed, and now inherit a deathless name. The history of the nations is the record of your exploits; the children of all countries are familiar with your names; learning, and genius, and power unite in raising your temples, and burning incense on your altars. And what can the imagination conceive more glorious on earth? Thrones and kingdoms could not purchase the glory of Wellington. Illustrious man! When we speak of worldly glory thou standest at the head of the human race. Compared with thine, the glory of kings is but a vulgar glory. Who would not rather enjoy the glories of thy name than sway the most powerful scepter in the world? Every age produces a multitude of kings; but ages pass away without conferring thy fame on an individual of the hu man race. Yet all this honor is fading; the glory of the most obscure of the children of God is infinitely to be preferred. The Christian conqueror is to sit down on the throne of Christ, as He has conquered and sat down upon the throne of His Father. DIS COURSE FORTY.FOURTH. CHARLES WOLFE, A.B. WOLFE was born at Dublin in 1791, and distinguished himself in his academic course for proficiency in classical studies, and powers of Greek and Latin versification. His poetic genius was quite remarkakle. He is widely known as the author of the ode on the burial of Sir John More, commencing, "Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note." Besides this, he wrote several other less celebrated pieces. He was ordained a minister of the Church of England in 1817, and entered a temporary curacy at Ballyclog, Tyrone County, where his preaching drew together many, not only of his own faith, but also of the Dissenters. But his sun went down ere it was noon. He died in Cork, 1823, aged thirty-two years. His sermons, and other writings, have been published in a single volume, which is now entirely out of print. Wolfe was evidently a young man of decided piety, genius, and literary culture. Dr. Miller, of Trinity College, Dublin, said of him, "He combined eloquence of the first description with the zeal of an apostle." He ascribes to him a vigorous and manly intellect, a vivid fancy and great enthusiasm in his profession. One night, during his sickness, he said to a friend, "I want comfort to-night," and upon being reminded of his having been the means of saving souls, he faintly exclaimed, "Stop, stop that is comfort enough for one night." The sermons of this divine present little of abstract or metaphysical reasoning, and no display of learned criticism. They are not so much adapted to direct as to impel. There is in them a vein of beautiful simplicity, and occasionally we meet with passages of singular eloquence. As an example, we may refer to the paragraph in the following sermon, beginning with the exclamation, "Such is our yoke and our burden." THE YOKE EASY AND THE BURDEN LIGHT. It is almost always by comparison that we judge of the ease or the hardship of our situation. You will generally find, that any |