see God." They shall know, by constant experience, that God is love. The period of their discipline is past, and with it the afflictive chastisements, which for a time obscured, in their gloomy minds, the manifestations of the Divine benignity. They now enjoy the light of his countenance without a cloud.

Their Saviour had said, when he was upon the earth, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." They will see the accomplishment of this desire. who, through many sufferings and much disgrace, became the triumphant captain of their salvation. They will participate in his possession of that joy, which, by being set before him, in prospect, enabled him to endure the cross, despising the shame; which gave him a title to sit down at the right hand of the throne of God; and with hearts overflowing with gratitude, they will join the grand chorus, "Blessing and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever!"

They will rejoice in him

5. The blessedness of the righteous is fre

quently represented in the sacred writings, as being the result of Knowledge. It is said of the wicked, that they know not God: it is characteristic of the righteous that they know the Lord. St. Paul congratulates the Corinthians that they are enriched in all knowledge. Light and knowledge are frequently synonymous in the language of Scripture. Because the Son of God came to reveal the will of his Father, he calls himself the light of the world. "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ;" and the Apostle prays that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give unto the Ephesians "the spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of him; that, the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, they may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints." In his anticipation of the future state, he saith, "Now we know, in part; when that which is perfect shall come, then that which is in part shall be done away. For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know, even also as I am known."

We have observed, upon a former occasion, that the love of knowledge is natural to the mind; the pursuit of knowledge is of itself a pleasing occupation. Where utility is not the object, and where no attention is paid to the great source of knowledge; where his existence may be denied, still there is a gratification in the exercise of the intellectual powers, and in enriching the mind with treasures, by which it enjoys an elevation unknown to the mere sensualist. But what is comprised in the knowledge of God no one can tell. Thus far we know, that a devout Theist, in this world, contemplates the works of nature with an advantage which no Atheist can appreciate; for he hath a delight in tracing the footsteps of Wisdom and Design in all his researches. Every truth discovered, every operation rescued from ignorance and darkness, being ascribed to an intelligent cause, becomes a gem of infinite value; and it fills his soul, not with vague embarrassed Wonder, but with the pleasing sensations of devout Surprise and Admiration.

In those regions of light, no painful obscurities shall remain. Those who are worthy of becoming partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, shall know as they are known. All the difficulties and embarrassments that confounded and tormented them, in their sublunary

state, shall at once be dissolved; they shall be dissipated like the chilling mists before the meridian sun. The scenes surrounding them shall amply display the glories of their God: and their occupation, during the endless concatenation of ages, shall consist in the employment of their intellectual powers, in new discoveries, developing the wisdom of his plans, and the evidences of his unbounded Benignity. These will incessantly cherish those pleasing affections, Loye, Joy, Gratitude, and Admiration. Nor will their complete felicity ever extinguish Hope. Whatever they may possess, they will be autho rized to hope for more; and their hopes will be unalloyed by the fear of disappointments.

These are the leading characteristics of the blessings of a future State, in reserve for the righteous, as revealed to us in the gospel; and to this revelation we shall confine our attention. Were we to indulge in speculation, and in reasoning from analogy, we might draw many pleasing inferences with safety. We might ar gue that, as in this state of things, which is confessedly a school of discipline, the sources of our present well-being and enjoyments are so numerous and so various, an infinitely greater variety, and to an infinitely greater extent, may rationally be expected from an indulgent parent, when he

shall be perfectly well pleased with his offspring. We might argue, that as in this state of imperfect knowledge, the mind is furnished with bodily organs, and instruments capable of executing such important purposes; as these are of so much utility to the accommodation of our present life; as they are such wonderful sources of intellectual improvements, in every useful art and science, we might argue, that the instruments provided for the immortal principle, will certainly be accommodated to a state of perfection, and to a world of light and knowledge. The sublime apostle informs us, that "there are celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, that the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." So also "the resurrection of the dead: it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." As it hath not entered into the heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, they never can be known until they shall be enjoyed.

The primitive preachers of Christianity, describing the state of the Blessed, frequently make allusions to subjects which are most pleasing and acceptable to men. The kingdom of heaven