Let us consider,

II. The description, by which the apostle contrasts the heavenly with the earthly state. "We have a building of God, an house notmade with hands, eternal in the heavens."

The apostle may here be supposed to refer to the spiritual, incorruptible, glorious body, with which the saints will be clothed at the resurrection of the just. This stands in a natural opposition to our earthly house of this tabernacle. This vile body will then be fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body according to that mighty power by which he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Or, it may rather refer to the heavenly state in general, which in scripture is called the house of God, and a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. In either view, the contrast between our present and our future house, is striking.

Here our house is but a tent; but when this is dissolved, we shall have a house worthy of the name-a proper-a settled, immoveable abode. Our Lord says to his disciples, "In my Father's house are many mansions-I go to prepare a place for you." "While we are at home in the body," says the apostle, we are absent from the Lord; we desire rather to be absent from the body, and at home with the Lord.” Here we are strangers and

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sojourners, having no certain dwelling place. There we shall receive a city which cannot be moved; we shall be fixed as pillars in the temple of God, and go no more out.

Here we sojourn in tents of earthly materials. Hereafter we shall have a building in heaven, not earthly and corruptible, but spiritual and incorruptible-a house not exposed to the violence of storms and the injuries of accidents, but situated in a peaceful region, where it will stand secure and unmolested.

These tabernacles are to be dissolved. Our house in the heavens will be eternal-subject to no decay and needing no repair. The mansion will never be taken down, or the inhabitant removed. The place is not only purchased, but prepared by the Redeemer— and it is well prepared. He has left nothing undone, which needed to be done. It is incorruptible, undefiled, undecaying, reserved in heaven for them who love his appearing.

Pious souls sojourn here as in a strange country, dwelling in tents, as was said of the patriarchs. But they have the promise of a city which hath foundations-of a kingdom which cannot be moved. When they shall have finished their pilgrimage, they will receive the promise of an eternal inheritance.

The heavenly habitation is said to be a building of God-an house not made with hands.

Our present houses of clay are, indeed, the work of God. He hath made us, and not we ourselves. But our house in heaven is called the building of God, by way of eminence. It is a most glorious work of God-a work of which there can be no exact pattern on earth. St. John, describing the glories of the heavenly state, borrows from nature and from art, the richest, purest and grandest images. But all these fall short of the reality. For he adds, The glory of God doth lighten it, and it hath no need of the sun. It cannot now appear, what we shall be when we arrive there. For it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive the things, which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Heaven may be called a building of God, to signify, that it is a place where God himself dwells in a peculiar manner. God's essential presence is universal. It is confined to no place. He is a God at hand and a God afar off. The heavens, even the heaven of heavens cannot contain him. But we may collect from scripture that there is a place in the universe, where he manifests his glory in a special and peculiar manner-in such a manner as it is manifested in no other place. There the angels worship himthere the spirits of just men will be admitted to behold his majesty there the blessed Jesus sits enthroned in his own glory and the glory of the Father. Our Saviour says, In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go and prepare a place, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.

St. John, in his vision, heard a voice out of heaven, saying, "The tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and he shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their

eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, for the former things are passed away." This imports the great happiness and glory, which holy souls shall enjoy in heaven. When these their earthly tabernacles shall be dissolved, they will be received into a building of God-into God's own house. When they are absent from the body, they will be at home with the Lord. What greater felicity can be imagined, than to dwell in God's immediate presence. In the expectation of this happiness, the Psalmist says, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy likeness. Thou wilt guide me by thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand are pleasures forevermore.

How different is our present state from the state which we have in prospect? Here we sojourn in earthly houses-in moveable tents, soon to be dissolved. Here we are subject to sorrow and pain-sickness and death. There we expect to dwell in a building of God-in his glorious presence, and to enjoy a fulness of all that we can desire, without interruption and without fear of change.

Let us withdraw our affections from this world and direct them to a better state. Let us seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Let us secure a title to the inheritance of the saints in light.

Let us examine the ground of our hopes. Let us enquire whether our souls are prepared for the enjoyments of the future world—whether we have any anticipations of those enjoyments now-whether our heaven is already begun in communion with God, in the love of his worship, in a conformity to the mind that is in Christ, and in benevolence to our fellow-men and in affection to our christian brethren.

Let us often consider, to whom we are indebted for these glorious prospects. It is Jesus the Son of God, who has opened heaven for our reception and has marked the course in which we may arrive thither. He has suffered on the cross the effects of · God's wrath against the sins of men, that they might be delivered from the wrath to come. He has abolished death and brought

life and immortality to light. He has gone before us in the way which leads up to the heavenly world. He has gone thither to prepare a place for his humble followers. He there lives to make intercession for them. When they are dismissed from their present abode, they will ascend to him, and be at home with him. His gracious presence will contribute much to the felicity of the heavenly state. Paul had a desire to depart, that so he might be with Christ. This he knew would be far better than to abide

in the flesh.

Communion with Christ in ordinances is a pleasure to the christian now. In heaven there will be a communion more inti

mate and more delightful.

The present world is rendered more pleasant to the believer by means of the ordinances of Christ. Were he deprived of these, he would lose the better part of his happiness on earth. When the Psalmist referred it to God to choose an inheritance for him, he expressed an ardent desire, that it might be in a place where God was known and his worship enjoyed. This will be an object of attention with every good man, when he changes the place of his habitation.

We have the privilege of divine worship; and some of us are now about to pay our devout acknowledgments to our gracious Redeemer for the heavenly hopes which he has set before us. Let our hearts rise to him in grateful affections for the wonderful things he has done for us, and the glorious prospects he has opened to us. And let us endeavor by means of his ordinances, and of the ordinance now before us, to acquire such a love and conformity to Christ, that we may be able to say-We know that when our earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

SERMON XXV.

THE PRESENT CONDITION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE BE

LIEVER.

II. CORINTHIANS v. 1.

For we know, &c.

We have considered the affecting representation which the apostle gives us of our present mortal condition. And his animating description of the happiness of the heavenly state.

We shall now, in the third place,

III. Attend to the assurance with which he speaks on this subject.

We know, that if our earthly house be dissolved, we have a building of God.

The apostle may be understood as expressing an assurance of a future state of happiness; and a confidence of his own title to that state.

1. We may understand the apostle as expressing an assurance, that there is a state of happiness in reserve for true christians. The evidences of such a state he suggests in our context, and in the parallel place in Romans.

He supposes it to be a common sentiment, founded in the reason of mankind, that there is a God-that God exercises a gov