"life, having alfo been fanctified by the truth "and fpirit of Chrift, and thus made meet for "the inheritance of the faints in light, fhall, in "that great day of righteous recompence, be "raised up in glory, be openly acknowledged "and acquitted, and made perfectly blefled in "the full enjoyment of God to all eternity." Now, among that happy felected number, all who have fown bountifully fhall hold a distinguished place, and fhall reap alfo bountifully. Their harveft is then fully come, and brings the moft ample returns. They fhall reap in joy." Our Lord's defcription of the folemnities of the future judgment connects with all its important tranfactions, the moft pointed diftinction, and the richest reward of liberal charity, while the oppofite character is as decidedly and awfully marked with complete reprobation, and eternal difgrace and punishment.

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The momentous interefting fcene clofes with the final difmiffion of the wicked, negligent, and obdurate, into eternal punishment, while the righteous, liberal, and compaffionate, are received into eternal life. "Then fhall the right"eous fhine forth as the fun in the kingdom of "their Father. They fhall appear with Chrift

"in glory, and he fhall be glorified in them. "He fhall change even their vile bodies, and "fafhion them like unto his glorious body.

They fhall be ever with him, beholding and admiring his divine and mediatorial glory; " and when they fee him as he is, they fhall be "like him." Completely freed from every remainder of corruption, and from all poffibility of fin, and fuffering, and temptation, they fhall, like him, be perfectly pure and immortal. They fhall fhare with him in every communicable gloThey fhall walk with him in white, for they are worthy. Having wafhed their robes, "and made them white in the blood of the "Lamb, therefore are they before the throne of "God, and ferve him day and night in his tem

ry.

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ple; and he that fitteth on the throne fhall

dwell among them; they fhall hunger no "more, neither thirst any more; neither "fhall the fun light upon them, nor any heat, "for the Lamb which is in the midft of the "throne fhall feed them, and fhall lead them

unto living fountains of water, and God fhall wipe away all tears from their eyes." They fhall live in the midft of the most perfect, honourable, and happy fociety. What an innu

merable company of angels to affift and affociate with them in every fervice, and in every enjoyment! What a countless multitude redeemed with them from among men of every age, and kindred, and tongue, and nation, and not an unholy or unhappy member among them -no difference of fentiment, no contending paffions, no interfering interefts, no untuned harp, and no difcordant heart to give a moment's difturbance to their fweet celeftial harmony. But the enjoyment connected with their benevolent ufeful character, will chiefly arife from those who have been the objects of their kind and liberal charity upon earth. They may be amongst the firft to hail them into thefe everlafting habitations. And highly indeed muft they think themfelves honoured to receive the bleffings and congratulations of thofe faints, whofe faith was ftrengthened, whofe patience was fupported, whofe drooping fpir ts were revived, and whofe bodily difeafes were healed or wants fupplied, by their charitable offices. How exquifite will be their feelings, when others prefent themselves, who were firft brought into

the

way of falvation, and kept in it by them, the inftruments in the hand of God for accomplish

ing this bleffed effect? How will their crowns of joy and rejoicing now brighten on their heads? Every recognized effect of their beneficence, and each recorded inftance of its progreffive influence among their fellow-men, fhall bring new acceffions to their high enjoyment. Shall all this diftinguished glory be received as only the fuccefs and enjoyment of vain ambition and carnal pride? No, my brethren, no fuch fentiment or gratification can have a moment's exiftence in the realms of light. Another, and far nobler fpiritd wells in their bleffed inhabitants. They are fitted to bear" an exceeding great and eternal "weight of glory," without the poffibility of any degree of felf-conceit, or any vain, or foolish, or proud imagination ever rifing in their minds They enjoy themselves and one another in God and the Lamb, as the everlasting fource and centre. of every honour and joy. Though furrounded, therefore, with thofe who owe and acknowledge eternal obligations to their former kindness and care, thefe fincere and warm acknowledgments, fo far from being intended or received as flattery, or converted into felf-admiration, turn all their thoughts on Him, who hath done all things according to the counfel of his own will. They con

template, with a growing enlargement of foul, and with unceafing rapture, the connected plans and operations of providence and grace, thus unfolded to their admiring view. They now fee, with pleasing and increafing aftonishment, how all the parts of their former hiftories, which here appeared detached and accidental, were regular links of one chain, formed by infinite wifdom, preferved unbroken amidst all the viciffitudes of life, by an Almighty Providence, and extending from eternity to eternity. There is not, therefore, any thing great, or good, or happy, in themselves, or in others by their means, which they now do not trace up to him who fitteth upon the throne. Delightfully and gratefully they view every difpofition and exertion in themfelves to do good, and all its various influence and effects upon others, as originating folely in divine love, rendered efficacious only by the divine agency, and now gloriously rewarded by the pureft grace. They, therefore, break out in one adoring hymn of praife-" O the depths of the "riches both of the wifdom and goodness of "God! How unfearchable are his judgments, "and his ways paft finding out!" "Not un"to us, O Lord! not unto us, but unto thy