of them was sure of the thing in his own mind. And, as Paley well remarks, "Conjecture and opinion are not knowledge; and in religion, nothing more is known than is proved." Thus the world by wisdom knew not God; and if this was the case with the wise and the learned, what was it with the common people, with the old, with children, with the busy and engrossed, who could only eat their bread by the sweat of their brow? The Apostle, therefore, speaking of the Gentiles, says, they were left, "If haply they might feel after Him and find Him"-an expression borrowed from the blind, who grope for their object, and their way, uncertain of success, and in danger of hurting themselves by their own efforts.

But did not the Jews know? We make no scruple to say, they did. To them pertained the oracles of God. He gave his word unto Jacob; his statutes and his judgments unto Israel; and dealt not so with any other people. David said, "Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory." Jacob, even in death, was "waiting for the salvation of God." How explicit was the profession of Job, "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another, although my reins be consumed within me."

-How then could life and immortality be brought to light through the Gospel ?" We answer. The word Gospel may be taken two ways. The one more general, for revelation at large; and thus it is to be understood when it is said, "The gospel was preached to the Jews, but the word preached did not

profit them." And thus it is to be understood when it is said, "The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed."-The other is more restricted, and signifies the evangelical dispensation; commencing with the ministry of our Lord, and including not only the discourses which he personally delivered, but all the inspired communications of the Apostles. Now, if we take the word Gospel here in the former sense, the meaning is, that it brought life and immortality to light really. But if taken in the latter sense, then the meaning is, that it brought life and immortality to light pre-eminently. And it must be confessed that this is the more common acception of the term, and so it is required to be taken in the passage before us. The dawn was visible before; but now the day appeared. To the Jews the Sun of Righteousness was below the horizon; on us he has risen with healing under his wings: and Christians are all the children of the light and of the day; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Hence our Saviour said to his disciples-not comparing them with the Gentiles, but with their own nation: "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things that ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things which ye hear, and have not heard them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear."

Therefore, while for a knowledge of life and immortality we repair to the Scripture only, we must look peculiarly into the New Testament, where we are furnished with clearer decisions, and ampler re

presentations; and above all, with illustrations and pledges, in a risen and glorified Saviour. Here again the unrivalled excellency of Christianity appears. How unsatisfactory, how cold, how mean, how gross, how absurd, how disgusting, are the intimations of Deism, the Elysian fields of Pagan poetry, the rewards of Hindooism, the Paradise of Mahomedism,when placed by the side of the "life and immortality brought to light through the God!"

Through the discoveries of this Gospel, we are going to finish our Series of Lectures, by viewing the Christian in his final destination. You have seen him-In CHRIST, the source of all his principles, and consolations, and hopes. You have seen him— Withdrawing into his CLOSET, and dealing much with God alone. You have seen him-Leaving his retirement, and stepping into his FAMILY, and with his house serving God. You have seen him-Joining himself to God's people; and walking in the CHURCH in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. You have seen him-Safe and sanctified in PROSPERITY. You have seen him-Supported and comforted in ADVERSITY. You have seen himIn his SPIRITUAL SORROWS hanging his harp on the willows. You have seen-The Joy of the Lord his strength. You have surveyed him-In the VALLEY of the shadow of DEATH; and have seen that his end is peace. You have seen him-though laid in the GRAVE, not left there; but rising into newness of life. And now we are to view Him-IN HEAVEN.

things will engage our attention. The

Four

I. REGARDS THE DEGREE OF OUR PRESENT KNOWL

EDGE OF THE HEAVENLY WORLD.-The

II. THE MANNER IN WHICH THE SCRIPTURE AIDS

US IN CONCEIVING OF A SUBJECT SO VAST AND DIFFICULT.-The

III. ITS PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS.-And

IV. THE INSTRUCTIONS AND IMPRESSIONS WE SHOULD DERIVE FROM THE CONTEMPLATION OF THE CHRISTIAN IN THE POSSESSION OF IT.

I. REGARDS THE DEGREE OF OUR PRESENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE HEAVENLY WORld.

Have you never, my brethren, when perusing the sacred writings, been struck with a kind of contradiction? Here, in one place, you say, I read that "life and immortality are brought to light;" and in another, I am told of "the glory that shall be revealed." In one, I am assured, that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." And yet in another it is said, "God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." But this apparent contradiction supplies us with the fact we are remarking; and the Apostle John has fully expressed it when he says, "It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but this we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." That is, we know something of it; but much, very much, remains concealed. We have some developments in the sacred pages, and in the illuminations of the Holy Ghost

Yet we are only able to survey

Dawning of beams, and glimmerings of day;

Heaven's fuller affluence mocks our dazzled sight;
Too great its swiftness, and too strong its light..

Of the full disclosure of the heavenly world, there is a moral and a natural prevention. It would not be proper, if it were possible and it would not be possible, if it were proper. Let us explain.

The only wise God has attempered even our senses to our present condition. The measure in which we possess them, is admirably fitted to the functions and enjoyments of life. It is easy to perceive that if our feeling was more exquisite it would annoy us; that if our hearing was increased, it would prove our inconvenience; and that if our eye was to become microscopic, we should be afraid to move. It is precisely the same with our knowledge. This is adjusted in conformity to the claims of our present sphere of action and happiness. We are now in a mixed state, where sorrow is necessary as well as pleasure; and darkness as well as light. Some duties, if they do not entirely result from our ignorance, are enforced by it. Witness the admonition of the Saviour, "Watch, for ye know not the day or the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." We are in a course of trial and discipline; where the grand principle of our training is confidence; where we are to walk by faith, and not by sight: for we are to honour God by trusting in him; and to follow the example of our father Abraham, who "by faith, when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and went out, not knowing whither he went"-satisfied with his Guide, and the assurance he had received; and leaving all the inquiries which restless curiosity, and proud reasonings, and conferring with flesh and blood would have gendered, as unworthy a thought.