by the wisdom which cannot err, and the love which cannot injure; that they are necessary and desirable parts of a perfect system of good; that no other being could so well fill the station which he occupies; and that he could not so well fill any other station. In a word, he will see, that, had the whole arrangement of providence been left to his own choice, he should have chosen exactly what God has chosen for him. All his wishes therefore, all his views, will be satisfied.

Thus, wherever the mind roves through the immense regions of Heaven, it will find among all its innumerable millions, not an enemy, not a stranger, not an indifferent heart; not a reserved bosom. Disguise, here, and even concealment, will be unknown. The soul will have no interests to conceal, no thoughts to disguise. A window will be opened in every breast; and show to every passing eye the rich and beautiful furniture within.

In this world of depravity, where the man who knew it better than any other, speaking with the voice of inspiration, could say, and say with obvious propriety, A faithful man who can find? A few friends, nay, even one, is regarded as an invaluable treasure. In that world, all will be friends; and the soul will, like the happy regions in which it dwells, contain ample room for the admission of all.

At the same time, this friendship will endure for ever. No de generacy will awaken alarm and distrust; no alienation chill the heart; no treachery pierce the soul with anguish. No parent will mourn over an apostate child; and no child over a profligate parent. No brothers, nor sisters, will be wrung with agony by the defection, and corruption, of those, who, inexpressibly endeared to them in this world by the tender ties of nature, and the superior attachments of the Gospel, have here walked with them side by side in the path of life, and have at length become their happy companions in the world of Glory. Husbands and wives, also, here mutually and singularly beloved, will there be united, not indeed in their former earthly relation, but in a friendship far more delightful, and, wafted onward by the stream of ages without a sigh, without a fear, will become, in each other's eyes, more and more excellent, amiable, and endeared, for ever. That the Redeemed, who have been known to each other in the present world, will be mutually known in Heaven, I have shown in a former dis course. That this knowledge will prove the means of mutual happiness, cannot be doubted. At the same time it is to be remembered, that their characters, universally excellent, their stations, universally honourable, and their employments, universally useful, will be endlessly diversified; so as to present to every eye, worth, beauty, and glory, in forms always peculiar, and with loveliness always new.

Of the several ingredients which constitute this happiness of the Redeemed, and which have been mentioned in these discourses.

I have attributed to t illustrious beings.

Of the happy age ed, that many, who Kingdom, will then as those angels whe and lowest, of all virtues will then 1 they shine with th acknowledged, a lowly Redeeme In the exerc ousy, nor hatre and acknowle In it, wisdom limits. The Author.

SERMON CLXXII.

CONCLUSION.-GENERAL REMARKS.

`Bs viii. 6.—Hear! for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

a long series of discourses I have now gone through a Sysof Theology. I have considered the Existence, Character, res, and Works, of God; the Creation, and Primitive state of ; his Apostacy, and Condemnation; the state of Human Deity, and the Impossibility of Justification by our own Righteous

I have inquired at length into the Character of Christ; the ces which he sustains as Mediator; the Justification which we in by his Righteousness, and the Faith, by means of which we are ified; the Character of the Holy Spirit; his Agency in our Reneration, the Nature and Necessity of that work, its Antecedents, sendants, Consequents, and Evidences; the Law of God, the prinal Precepts into which it is distributed, and the principal Duties ach they require; the Nature of our Inability to obey the Law, and e Manner of our Restoration to Obedience. I have also discussed Le Means of Grace; and exhibited a view of the Church, its Offirs, and Duties. Finally, I have examined the Nature of Death, and its Consequences; particularly the Resurrection, the Judgment, nd the Retributions of the Righteous and the Wicked.

Thus have I brought my original design to a termination. As natural and proper close of the whole, I propose to make Some general remarks on this great subject in the following dis

course.

In the Text, Mankind are commanded to listen to the things, spoken by the Wisdom of God, because they are right and excellent things. So far as the present purpose is concerned, it is of no consequence whether we suppose these things to be spoken by the Wisdom of God, literally understood; or by CHRIST, elsewhere called the Wisdom of God, and generally, and in my view justly, considered as speaking throughout this chapter. The things, here referred to, are the things, contained in the Scriptures. All these were spoken by the Wisdom of God. All, also, were spoken by the Spirit of Christ, who inspired alike the Writers of the Old and the New Testament. Hence the Old Testament is called the Word; and the New, the Gospel, of Christ. (See Col. iii. 16; and 2 Cor. iv. 4.)

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it is to be universally observed, that they will be continually progressive towards higher and higher perfection. Concerning Him, whose name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Father of the everlasting age, and the Prince of peace, it is declared, that of the increase of his Government, and of his peace, there shall be no end. The word government, here denotes the administration itself, and the displays which it involves of the greatness, wisdom, and goodness, of the Ruler. Peace often denotes in the Scriptures prosperity; and here intends the whole happiness of his subjects. Their residence, their bodies, their minds, their knowledge, their virtue, their stations, their employments, and their enjoyments, will form a system of glory, and of good, refining, brightening, and ascending for ever. Their possessions will be rapturous, their prospects will be ecstatic.

To the eye of man, the sun appears a pure light; a mass of unmingled glory. Were we to ascend with a continual flight towards this luminary, and could, like the eagle, gaze directly on its lustre; we should in our progress behold its greatness continually enlarge, and its splendour become every moment more intense. As we rose through the heavens, we should see a little orb changing, gradually, into a great world; and, as we advanced nearer and nearer, should behold it expanding every way, until all that was before us became an universe of excessive and immeasurable glory. Thus the Heavenly inhabitant will, at the commencement of his happy existence, see the Divine system filled with magnificence and splendour, and arrayed in glory and beauty; and, as he advances onward through the successive periods of duration, will behold all things more and more luminous, transporting, and sun-, like, for ever.

SERMON CLXXII.

CONCLUSION.-GENERAL REMARKS.

PROVERBS VIII. 6.—Hear! for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

IN a long series of discourses I have now gone through a System of Theology. I have considered the Existence, Character, Decrees, and Works, of God; the Creation, and Primitive state of Man; his Apostacy, and Condemnation; the state of Human Depravity, and the Impossibility of Justification by our own Righteousness. I have inquired at length into the Character of Christ; the Offices which he sustains as Mediator; the Justification which we obtain by his Righteousness, and the Faith, by means of which we are justified; the Character of the Holy Spirit; his Agency in our Regeneration, the Nature and Necessity of that work, its Antecedents, Attendants, Consequents, and Evidences; the Law of God, the principal Precepts into which it is distributed, and the principal Duties which they require; the Nature of our Inability to obey the Law, and the Manner of our Restoration to Obedience. I have also discussed the Means of Grace; and exhibited a view of the Church, its Officers, and Duties. Finally, I have examined the Nature of Death, and its Consequences; particularly the Resurrection, the Judgment, and the Retributions of the Righteous and the Wicked.

Thus have I brought my original design to a termination. As a natural and proper close of the whole, propose to make some general remarks on this great subject in the following dis

course.

In the Text, Mankind are commanded to listen to the things, spoken by the Wisdom of God, because they are right and excellent things. So far as the present purpose is concerned, it is of no consequence whether we suppose these things to be spoken by the Wisdom of God, literally understood; or by CHRIST, elsewhere called the Wisdom of God, and generally, and in my view justly, considered as speaking throughout this chapter. The things, here referred to, are the things, contained in the Scriptures. All these were spoken by the Wisdom of God. All, also, were spoken by the Spirit of Christ, who inspired alike the Writers of the Old and the New Testament. Hence the Old Testament is called the Word; and the New, the Gospel, of Christ. (See Col. iii. 16; and 2 Cor. iv. 4.)

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