flesh faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." How animating are the words of Jesus, "Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, to behold my glory." Thornton.

O come, ye sacred gusts, ye pure delights,
Ye heav'nly sounds, ye intellectual sights;
Ye gales of paradise, that lull to rest,
And fill with silent calm the peaceful breast;
With you, transporting hopes, that boldly rise
And swell in blissful torrents to the skies;
That soar with angels on their splendid wings,
And search th' arcana of celestial things :
Here let me dwell, and bid the world adieu,
And still converse, ye glorious scenes, with you.

Mrs. RowE.

Heaven, taking it for the place which God hath provided for the residence and entertainment of his people, that place is one of the glorious sights which shall be presented to the eyes of glorified saints. Sometimes it is called the heaven of heavens; sometimes the third heaven-the highest heaven-the city of God- his dwelling-place-the habitation of his holiness and glory—a palace—a paradise a kingdom. Every thing that is valuable and magnificent is called in to set forth the beauty and glory of the New Jerusalem. "And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones; and the twelve gates were twelve pearls, and the streets of the city were pure gold, as it were transparent glass; and the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to lighten it; and the Lamb is the light thereof." Rev. xxi. 19-23. Can imagination conceive of any thing grander or more glorious? How highly entertaining must it be to walk about Zion, telling the towers thereof, marking her bulwarks, and considering her palaces; to view the several mansions, and observe them all splendid, yet differing in degree of splendour, according to the different rank of the inhabitants.

We know how we are affected at the sight of a fine house, espe cially if it be one of the royal palaces; how we admire the loftiness

of the rooms, the richness of the furniture, the extensiveness and variety of the views; we look, and look again, with increasing wonder and delight, and hardly know how to take off our eyes from the rich and enchanting prospect; and yet this is but a very faint resemblance of the pleasure, the transport we shall feel, at our first entrance into heaven, and especially when we come to see that place, and that dignity and blessedness which are designed for ourselves. What! we cry with astonishment, this mansion prepared for me? this kingdom prepared for me? Amazing! and when I look round, I see, "This honour have all the saints." Praise ye the Lord.

The multitude of angels, with a shout,

(Loud, as from numbers without numbers-sweet,
As from blest voices) uttering joy, heav'n rung
With jubilee, and loud hosannas fill'd
Th' eternal regions. Lowly reverent

yet,

Lavington.

T'wards either throne they bow, and to the ground,
With solemn adoration, down they cast

Their crowns, inwove with amarant and gold,

Now in loose garlands thick thrown off; the bright
Pavement, that like a sea of jasper shone,
Impurpled with celestial roses, smil'd.

Then crown'd again, their golden harps they took;
Harps ever tun'd, that glitt'ring by their side
Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet
Of charming symphony, they introduce
Their sacred song, and waken raptures high;

No voice exempt; no voice but well could join
Melodious part-such concord is in heav'n,

MILTON.

But though, according to the language of scripture, we call that place heaven, which St. John saw opened, and where the more im mediate presence of the Lord is gloriously displayed; yet it were to limit the Holy One of Israel, to suppose that Jehovah dwelleth in any place to the exclusion of his presence or glory elsewhere. In the immensity of his Godhead, and the ubiquity of his nature and essence, he is every where; and consequently, that place is '

heaven, where Jehovah's presence, in grace, and favour, and glory,
is manifested. How little do they know of heaven, or of the divine
love and favour, that conceive, if they could get to heaven in the
crowd, though they know not how, and I had almost said, they
care not how, provided they could get there; how little do they
know in what consists the felicity of the place! Alas! an unsauc-
tified, unrenewed, unregenerated heart, would be miserable, even
in heaven. Sweetly doth David speak of the blessed work of
assurance and grace in the soul respecting heaven, and in that
assurance describes the suited preparation for it: "I shall behold
thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake with
thy likeness." Psa. xvii. 15.
Dr. Hawker.*

Spacious indeed are these heavens! Where do they begin? Where do they end? What is their extent? Can angels answer my question? Have angels travelled the vast circuit? Can angels measure the bounds of space? No: it is boundless-it is unknownit is amazing all! Hervey.

Who would not willingly leave a foolish, froward, ill-natured world, for the blessed society of wise friends and perfect lovers? What a felicity must it be, to spend an eternity in such noble conversation! where we shall hear the deep philosophy of heaven communicated with mutual freedom, in the wise and amiable discourses of angels and glorified spirits, who, without any reserve or affectation of mystery, without passion, or interest, or peevish contention for victory, do freely philosophize, and mutually impart the treasures of each other's knowledge. For, since all saints there are great philosophers, and all philosophers perfect saints, we must needs suppose knowledge and goodness, wisdom and charity, to be equally intermingled throughout all their conversations: being so, what can be imagined more delightful? When, therefore, we shall leave this impertinent, unsocial world, our good old friends, who have gone to heaven before us, will meet us as soon as we are landed on the shore of eternity, and with infinite congratulations for

* While I was preparing this extract for the press, I was informed of the death of this great man, who is now realizing what he here describes with his pen,

our safe arrival, conduct us into the company of the patriarchs and prophets, apostles and martyrs, and introduce us into an intimate acquaintance with them, and with all those brave and generous souls, who by their examples have recommended themselves to the world. Then we shall be familiar friends with angels and archangels, and all the courtiers of heaven shall call us brethren, and bid us enter into their Master's joy.

The happiness of a man in heaven consists not so much in the glory and splendour of the place, as in the inward state of his own mind, which forms a suitableness of temper to the heavenly objects that do always truly employ and exercise its faculties about them. The main difference between virtue and heaven is only gradual :virtue is the beginning of heaven, and heaven is the perfection of virtue. Dr. Scott.

How great,

To mingle interests, converse, amities,
With all the sons of reason, scatter'd wide
Through habitable space, wherever born,
Howe'er endow'd! to live free citizens
Of universal nature; to lay hold
By more than feeble faith, on the Supreme!
To call all heaven's unfathomable mines
Our own! to rise in science as in bliss,
Initiate in the secrets of the skies!

To read creation, in its mighty plan,
In the bare bosom of the Deity!

Dr. YOUNG.

It is called the heaven of heavens, which is the highest comparison, to instruct and astonish us with the amplitude and glory of the place. It is a place becoming the majesty of God, the image of his immensity. Our Saviour assures us, that in his Father's house there are many mansions, to receive the innumerable company of glorified saints. It is called "the excellent glory," 2 Pet. i. 17.

This inferior world is framed with excellent order: "The earth is full of the glory of the Lord;" yet it is but the sediment of the creation. The shining firmament, with all the luminaries that adorn it, are but the frontispiece to the highest heavens ;-all the

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lustre of diamonds, the fire of carbuncles and rubies, the brightness of pearls, are dead in comparison of its glory. It is the throne of the God of glory, wherein his majesty is revealed in the most illustrious manner. For pleasantness, it is called paradise, in allusion to the delightful garden, planted by the hand of God himself, for Adam, his favourite, while innocent. There is the tree of life, there are rivers of pleasure, springing from the divine presence. It is called the inheritance of the saints in light, to signify the glory and joy of the place, for light has splendour. Hell, on the contrary, is described by the blackness of darkness for ever, to signify the sadness and despair of the damned, and because, in that centre of misery, a perpetual night and invincible darkness increases the horror of lost souls.

Heaven, for stability, is called a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. The present world is like a tent or tabernacle set up for a time, whilst the Church is passing through the wilderness; but heaven is the city of the living God, the place of his happy residence, the seat of his eternal empire, the sacred temple wherein he diffuses the richest beams of his goodness and glory, and his chosen servants see and praise his adorable excellencies for ever. Dr. Bates.

The soul that leaves this mortal land,

Fearless, when the great Master gives command.
Death is the storm: she smiles to hear it roar,

And bids the tempest waft her from the shore;

Then with a skilful helm she sweeps the seas,
And manages the raging storm with ease;
(Her face can govern death) she spreads her wings
Wide to the wind, and as she sails she sings,
And loses by degrees the sight of mortal things.

As the shores lessen, so her joys arise,

The waves roll gentler, and the tempest dies;

Now vast eternity fills all her sight,

She floats on the broad deep with infinite delight,

The seas for ever calm, the skies for ever bright.

Dr. WATTO.