for God will guide with his counsel, and afterward receive his to glory: he will shew them the path of life, and bring them into his presence, where there is fulness of joy; he will abundantly satisfy them with the fatness of his house, and cause them to drink of the river of his pleasures, Psal. lxxiii. 24, xvi. 11, xxxvi. 8.

If the Christian's faith and assurance were but proportionate to heaven's glory and happiness, with what - ecstacy of joy would we leave this world to possess the heavenly inheritance purchased by Jesus Christ! Let me farther ask, Why should the Christian fear, or his faith be wanting? When Jonathan had tasted a little honey, his eyes were enlightened, 1 Sam. xiv. 29; so the believer, having tasted of that honey which is found in the rock of Christ, his understanding is enlightened also, which may relieve under the apprehensions of death, and cause the Christian not barely to expect God's salvation, but to rejoice in the views of it, and declare with David, I was glad when they said unto me, come let us go up to the house of the Lord, Psal. cxxii. 1, this upper and better house of our heavenly Father.

In this frame of spirit the Christian may not only look for, expect with patience, and embrace with joy, the tidings of this glorious salvation, but be hasting unto the coming of the day of God, (2 Pet. iii. 12,) when he shall behold his heavenly Father's face, delightfully dwell in his presence, and drink for ever of the water of life at the fountain head. Joseph, when called to the royal palace, hastily went out of prison, and prepared himself to stand before Pharaoh, (Gen. xli. 14 ;) and hath not the believing soul much greater reason to make haste in its preparation to leave the prison of the body, to ascend to the heavenly palace, to appear in the pre

sence of the King of kings, and be advanced to the highest honours? Such honours indeed as infinitely excel all the pomp and pageantry of the princes of this world!

Bartimeus readily cast away his garment to come to Jesus with the greater speed when called by him. Mark x. 50; and should not the spirit of a Christian willingly leave this body, (which is but like a troublesome garment.) and repair to Christ the Saviour. to be cured of all diseases, the remains of spiritual darkness, and to dwell in light inaccessible to the mortal body? 1 Tim. vi. 16; glorious light, in which the righteous shall shine as the stars, for ever and ever, Dan. xii. 3. Let the believing spirit, then. willingly cast off the spotted garment of the flesh, in order to be clothed with light and glory. The prophet Elijah let fall his mantle, and was surrounded with a celestial splendour; so the Christian, when he hath cast off this frail body, will be happily encompassed with heavenly flames, in which he will ascend to heaven, and bear some likeness to that God who covereth himself with light as with a garment.

Joshua, the high-priest was clad with filthy garments, but command was given to those in waiting, Take away the filthy garments from him; I will clothe thee with change of raiment; let them set a fair mitre upon his head. Zech. iii. 4, 5. This does not unaptly represent the Christian's case, whose body is oppressed by labour, attended with pains, who bears about him the relics of the old man; but God calls, as it were, from his heavenly sanctuary, in this language: Take away from him this overworn, or at best defiled garment, and clothe him with sacred ornaments, proper to the royal priest-hood; array him in fine linen, clean and white, (the ephod of right

eousness;) place an incorruptible crown upon his head, and put a golden vial into his hand, that he may offer up for ever the most pleasing perfumes, in company with the glorious and glorified ones who are under the heavenly altar.

If, after this, the Christian can yet doubt of the certain felicity and glory of such who die in the Lord, let him well attend to what St. Paul hath said, who was himself caught up into the third heaven, where he both heard and saw things unutterable, Cor. xii. 1, 4; and we know, says he, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven, &c. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life, 2 Cor. v. 1, 2, 4. And to what is said elsewhere, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them, Rev. xiv. 13.

It were to be wished we had some other word than that of death, by which to express the happy change that Christians make when they leave this miserable world. It is with small propriety a person can be said to die when he leaves an uncertain world filled with vanity and vexation, and enters into another that abides for ever, where all felicity does abound; when he exchanges labour for rest, war for peace, pain for pleasure, and sorrow for joy.

Christian, revolve over in thy mind thy spiritual beginning, and thy happy end; consider well, what thou

art, from whence thou proceedest, and whither thou goest. The renewed soul is of a celestial and immortal nature, a beam of glory, nay the image of the Creator. It is pure without spot or blemish, as washed in the blood of the Lanib, and sanctified by the Spirit of God: hereby the nobler part is fitted and disposed to enter into the holy city, and the fruition of eternal glory. Such have fought a good fight, have finished their course, have kept the faith; and there is laid up for them a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge will then assuredly give unto them.

Go then, O believing soul, with joy and gladness to the great God, who calls thee, and to the precious Mediator, who is ready to embrace and receive thee: go cheerfully into the glorious company of angels and happy spirits, to be arrayed like them, with robes of light, and wear the immortal crown which the King of glory has provided for thee: go and stay thy hunger with the bread of life, and allay thy thirst with the crystal stream of the pure river of the water of life, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb. Rev. xxii. 1; go and behold the amiable face of the Father of lights, be farther transformed into his glorious image, and be for ever happy in the divine resemblance.

O Christian, seest thou not the heavens opened, and the son of man standing at the right hand of God ready to receive thy spirit into his glorious rest? Seest thou not the holy angels coming to transport thee from this wretched world? Art thou not already encompassed about with heavenly guards? Dost thou not relish the sweetness of paradise? Is not heaven begun in thy heart? Canst thou not hear the melody of glorified spirits in their hymns of praise? Dost thou not know that joyful

voice sounding in thine ear, Verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you be fore the foundation of the world: Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.

Dost not the Christian feel himself raised above all earthly things, and flying upon the wings of faith and love to the very throne of glory? Can he not, under these meditations, cast himself into the arms of God, and the bosom of Jesus, there to rest for ever in the full enjoyment of those good things which eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, but which yet God hath certainly prepared for them that love him?

PRAYER AND MEDITATION,

Of a Christian, whose spirit is prepared by grace to leave the body, and is comforted with the thought and hope of the after state.

O ALMIGHTY God! the alone author of my being, and the sovereign Lord of my life; thou seest all the secret motions and dispositions of my spiritual part; thou knowest that I have wholly resigned myself into thy hands, to be formed and fitted for thee for all thy pleasure, then would I say, Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; here I am, and I delight to do thy will, O God. As the Israelites waited for thy order, before they removed their camp; so I am waiting for thy command to leave this earthly tabernacle; and as the golden cherubs were always upon their feet, with their wings stretched out, and their faces towards the mercyseat; in like manner, I would always be in a fit posture to take my flight to the true mercy-seat, (to the blessed