which we behold encompaffed with tokens of grace and mercy, faithfulness and truth. Let us fall down before it in deep repentance of fin, and receive the offered pardon with all the energies of fervent desire, active faith and flowing gratitude. "Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrightcous man his thoughts, and let him turn to the Lord, who will have mercy on him, and abun dantly pardon him.”

SERMON XVI.

No Temple in Heaven.

ཀྱི་“ས

A Sermon preached on the first Lord's Day after the Dedication of a New Meeting-House.

REVELATION xxi. 22.

And I saw no Temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it.

SAINT

AINT JOHN, in the preceding verfes, defcribes the heavenly ftate as a fpacious city, in fome refpects, refembling the ancient Jerufalem, but far more glorious, fo that it may be called the new Jerufalem.

As heaven cannot, at present, be made visible to us, it is reprefented by images taken from things which are vifible. That our conceptions of it may be raised as high as imagination can afcend, the images are borrowed from objects the most magnificent of any, with which mortals are acquainted; and in the figurative representations fuch circumstances of fplendor and majesty are com

VOL. V.

Ee

happiness of this world is with many; but the happiness of the future world ought to be with all, the grand object of the focial union. In a ftate of fociety, by mutual communication and affiftance, each one can make thofe fcientific, moral and spiritual improvements, which would be unattainable in a state of folitude. It is not merely for our temporal convenience, but especially for our future happiness, that God has appointed us to live in fociety,

The foundation of religion is a belief of the existence, and a reverence for the character of God. We may fee evidence of his being, power and goodness in his works. But this evidence few would regard, without fome fpecial means to call their attention to it. He has therefore given us the word of revelation, which exhibits his character in a clear, but gentle light, states our various duties with perfpicuity, and urges them with impreffive arguments; and he has inftituted focial worship as a ftanding mean of religious knowledge, internal piety, and focial virtue.

There is the fame reafon, why communities fhould worship God in their focial connexion, as why particular perfons should worship him in their individual capacity. If each man ought to have a closet, to which he may retire and pray to his Fa ther who fees in fecret, the fociety ought to have a temple, in which all the members may affemble to call on their common protector and benefactor.

Even the heathens had temples in their cities for the worship of their imaginary divinities. It was a common fentiment, that there were invifible powers, on which they were dependent, and to which they were indebted; and it was a natural inference, that joint adoration fhould be paid to thefe powers, and temples erected for the purpose.

The great Jehovah, when he revealed himself to men, as the fupreme and the only true God, inftituted focial worship, and required the erection

of temples, in which his votaries might action

to pay homage and adoration to him, and to receive inftructions and bleffings from him. It is his command, “Build me a fanctuary, that I may dwell among you." And this is the promife which accompanies it; "In every place, where I record my name, I will come unto you, and bless you."

In our prefent imperfect ftate, while we dwell in material bodies, are furrounded with fenfible objects and receive our knowledge through corporeal organs, fuch external means are neceffary. Thofe holy tempers and fpiritual affections, which are the effence of religion, muft be founded in knowledge; and religious, as well as natural knowledge, must be communicated to us through the bodily fenfes. Hence God has inftituted certain forms of worship adapted to the fight and hearing; and has directed us to fequefter certain places, where thefe inftituted forms may be oblerved, that, by means of them, our minds may be enlightened, our knowledge improved, and pious and holy difpofitions brought into action.

But in heaven the cafe will be otherwife. There we fhall fubfift in a different manner without thefe grofs bodies, and without thefe fenfitive organs; and confequently we fhall not need thefe vifible and fenfible forms of worthip, which we find fo neceffary here, Hence John fays, "In heaven he faw no temple;" for heaven was all temple, and the glory of God filled it every where alike. We will attend to this thought. Social wor hip is an employment in heaven; but no temple is there."

1. There is no material temple in heaven.

The angels are fpirits, pure and active as flames of fire. The faints, in the separate state, will dwell there without bodies. After the refurrection, they will have bodies; but these will be fafhioned like to Chrift's glorious body. What kind of bodies they will be, we have no exact conception; but we know, they will be exceedingly diverfe from thefe which we now poffefs. The apoftle tells us, "They are, fown in corruption, dishonour and weakness; but will be raised in incorruption, glory and power. They are fown natural; but will be raised spiritual bodies." The prefent organs of fenfation they will not need; for they will have faculties of perception and communication, more refined, exalted and compre henfive. They will be all eye-all ear-all intellect.

Our fenfes of fight and hearing must be inconceivable to perfons born blind and deaf. The faculties of faints in glory are inconceivable to us, who have no inlets of knowledge, but the avenues of the fenfes. But to fuppofe, that they can have no faculties more perfect than ours, would be as abfurd, as if a man born blind fhould judge, that there was no way to acquire the knowledge of fenfible objects, but by feeling; or one born deaf fhould conclude, that there could be no intercourse between man and man, but by figns.

In the heavenly world, where the worshippers are all spiritual beings, without any fuch grofs bodies as thefe, in which we dwell, there will be no need of temples conftructed of timber, ftone and earthly materials, like these, in which we affemble for worship. We are ftruck with the grandeur, and pleased with the beauty of a magnificent and elegant temple. The fight of it elevates the thoughts, and affifts the spirit of devo