"my peace I give unto you; not as the "world giveth, give I unto you,-In the "world ye shall have tribulation; but be of

good cheer; I have overcome the world. "I have the keys of hell and of death.' His disciples rely upon his promise, and they have peace indeed. "Great peace

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"have they, and nothing shall offend them." They "depart in peace; they rest from "their labours, and their works do follow "them." Every request is answered, every desire is gratified; Jesus receives them to himself, and gives them this most delighting, most ennobling plaudit:-" Well done, good and faithful servants, enter into the "joy of your Lord."-But I will not attempt a description of this celestial joy. That which is imperfect must be done away, and that which is perfect must be come, before we can know the joy of heaven. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not "heard, neither have entered into the heart "of man to conceive, the things which God "our Saviour hath prepared for them that "love him." What a great, what a good, what a glorious Being! The universe is

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not so superior to "the small dust of the "balance," as He is to "the children of "men."

Accordingly, every possible praise, every possible honour is readily rendered to him. Even the eternal and omniscient Father proclaims him his beloved Son. "This is 66 my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And when he brought him into the world, he commanded the very hosts of heaven to worship him.

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"angels worship him!"

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"Let all the Angels hasted to obey, and this was their joyful ascription; Glory to God in the highest, and on "earth peace, good will towards men."And now that he has returned to dwell among them, angels love and adore him still. His glorious name sounds from all their harps, and his love is the subject of their everlasting song. Their number is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, and all these are heard, day and night," saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to "receive power, and riches, and wisdom,

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"and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."—And shall not we, though but the inhabitants of earth; though but "the "children of men," rejoice to join them? Shall not we adore the excellence of Jesus, and "go on in his name, making mention "of his righteousness, even of his only."Can we ever be so insensible as not to be charmed with his grace; not to love him with all our hearts, and savingly feel what he hath told us ;-" If ye love me, keep my "commandments."-The angels are the ministers of his will; and shall not we too be angels, swift messengers to fulfil his pleasure? Shall not we, whatsoever others do, gladly show forth his praise, and live and die devoted to his service ?—Yes, will every ardent Christian say;" My soul doth glo

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ry in Christ, and will ever avouch him to "be my Lord. He is my only Saviour, and "all my dependence is upon him. I count "all things but loss, for the excellence of "the knowledge of him. I count not even life dear to me, that I may finish my course with joy, and be welcomed into Whom have I in hea

66 my

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paradise by him.

"ven but him, and there is none upon earth "that I desire besides him. Salvation un"to the Lamb! I would love him; I would "trust in him, and long to be with him, "and to be like him. He is all, and in all, 66 purer than the angels of God, and "fairer "than the children of men *."

But if Christ possesses such unrivalled excellence, if he possesses every thing that can kindle our love, or excite our veneration, what shall we say, what shall we think of those who, though invited and pressed to contemplate his character, and to love and venerate him, yet continue unmoved

* So strongly does the language of Scripture express the Divine excellence of Christ, and the propriety of worshipping him, that even the ancient Socinians acknowledged its force, and admitted that Christ was an object of religious worship. To admit this was, doubtless, very inconsistent in them; it was a conces➡ sion directly hostile to their system; but most friendly to ours, who believe in the Divinity of Jesus.-The following are their words:

Christus ad dextram Dei in cœlis collocatus etiam ab angelis adorandus est.—Catachesis Ecclesiarum Polonicarum. Sect. 4.

-Omnem in cœlo et in terra potestatem accepit; et omnia,

Deo solo excepto, ejus pedibus sunt subjecta. Ibid.

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by all that we can say of him? They "discern no form, nor comeliness, nor beauty, "that they should desire him." They are "enemies to him by wicked works." They do not glory in his cross, nor prize his salvation. They turn a deaf ear to his words, violate his holy laws, and blasphemously say by their conduct, at least, that they will not have him to rule over them. Most infatuated men! They have "sent them strong "delusion to believe a lie:" they are blinded and "led captive by the devil, at his "will." Strange! they are in love with sin; they are greedy of death, and rapacious of ruin. May the Lord have mercy upon them! May he rectify their disordered minds, and “ give them repentance to "the acknowledging of the truth." O Thou "who commandedst the light to "shine out of darkness, shine in their

hearts, to give them the light of the

knowledge of the Divine glory in the "face of Jesus Christ!" Turn away their eyes from beholding vanity; induce them to behold the glory of Him, who is so glorious above "the children of men."