DISC. IX. To defcribe the bleffings of reft and peace in the kingdom of our Lord, images are borrowed from the scenes of rural and pastoral life. To give us ideas of it's glories, it's majesty and magnificence -a throne is fet in heaven, encompaffed by a rainbow; and one is seen upon it, like a jasper or a fardine; seven lamps burn before it; lightnings and thunders proceed from it: four and twenty venerable perfonages appear clothed in white; they rife from their feats, and fall proftrate at the foot of the throne; when a chorus is heard of all creatures both in heaven and earth, finging glory to the Lamb triumphant ! - Elsewhere, a city is exhibited, new Jerusalem, built of gold and precious ftones; that is, in the prophetical language of Isaiah, it's walls falvation, and it's gates praife; the Lord God and the Lamb conftitute it's temple; from whence it is illuminated by a splendor, far exceeding, and rendering needlefs, the light of the fun and of the moon; the ftreets refounding with the hallelujahs of it's blest inhabitants. These IX. These are some of " the things above," on DISC. which the Apostle exhorts us to “set our "affections." I am fure, you all think them worthy of your very beft and warmest affections. May the confideration of them produce that effect, which a due confideration of them must produce. May they who have neglected to seek them—if any such there be now begin to feek them; and they who have always fought them, now seek them still more; thus receiving in themselves this moft comfortable teftimony, that they are "rifen with Chrift;" that their bodies, at the appointed time, fhall arise; and both body and foul afcend to heaven after him, that "where he is, they may be also." DISCOURSE X. THE CHRISTIAN RACE. 1 COR. CHAP. IX. PART OF VERSE 24. So run, that ye may obtain. M the Apoftles communicated to the OST important was the matter by DISC. world; the heavenly reward, and the way to obtain it. The manner of communication well deferves your notice and attention. It is not done in the dry didactic ftyle. There is nothing dull and heavy. All is fpirit, and all is life. Their ideas are clothed in fuch figures, as at once convince the understanding, ftrike the imagination, warm the heart, and excite the affections. X. DISC. affections. It is impoffible to continue X. cold and indifferent, while we read their 1 epiftles. They look around on the various scenes of life, and the customs that prevail among those to whom they write. From these they select images calculated to convey with effect to the minds of their difciples, the doctrines which they wish to impress. "The moft fplendid folemnities which "ancient history hath tranfmitted to us, "were the Olympic games. Historians, "orators, and poets, abound with refe"rences to them ; and their fublimest " imagery is borrowed from these renown"ed exercifes. The games were folem"nized every fifth year by an infinite con"courfe of people from almost all parts of "the world. They were obferved with "the greatest pomp and magnificence: "hecatombs of victims were flain in ho"nour of the heathen deities, and Elis was "a fcene of univerfal feftivity and joy. "We find that the moft formidable and |