Now, as the new heavens and the new earth will henceforth be the abode of righteousness, and no more subject to the vanity of subserving the cause of sin, this must needs contribute to augment the blessedness of the blessed: for, as it would grieve a loyal heart to see the resources of his country turned against their rightful sovereign; so it must rejoice him to see the rebellion crushed and every thing appropriated to his honour, and the peace, order, and happiness of society. Such are the sentiments expressed in the 148th Psalm, in which every creature in heaven above, and in the earth beneath, according to its capacity, is called upon to join in praising God.

Fourthly: The glory of Christ as a Saviour will be manifested beyond any thing which has appeared before.-Christ is glorified whenever a sinner is brought to believe in him, and more so when multitudes flock to his standard; but all this is little when compared to the general assembly of the saved, every one of which furnishes an example of the efficacy of his death. The great physician appears with his recovered millions, and in the presence of an assembled universe, presents them to the Father. In that day Christ will no doubt be honoured by his people: but that which is principally held up to us is, his being honoured by others for what is seen in them. He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired IN all them that believe.

Now, as every manifestation of Christ's glory has been productive of an influx of blessedness to his people, and is that indeed in which it consists, this being the greatest of all his manifestations, it may well be supposed to be accompanied with the greatest augmentation of blessedness which has ever been experienced.

Fifthly: The mystery of God will be finished: or his great designs concerning the world and the church will be accomplished.—It has been already noticed, that one reason why man labours in vain to find out the work of God from the beginning to the end is, his nearness to the object; or his being in the world, and the world, as it were, in him. Another is, that these parts though designed to form a whole, resemble at present the detached wheels of a machine, before they are put together. God, who sees the end from the beginning views them as complete: But this is too much for crea

tures, even the most exalted. The heavenly inhabitants themselves can know things only as they are manifested. Whatever therefore turns up in providence which casts a light on God's designs, is to them an object of delightful attention, and serves of course to augment their blessedness. But if the successively putting together of every part of this divine system has gradually heightened their enjoyments, what must be the effect of the whole being completed? Innumerable events, of which we in this world were ready to think hardly, and they in the other were unable to perceive the use, will now appear wise, merciful, and glorious.

We have been used to speak of creation, providence, and redemption, as if they were distinct systems: but it may then appear that they were in reality one great system; and that the two former have all along subserved the latter. All things were created By him, and FOR him; and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

But it may be said, One great end of Christ's second coming will be to judge the world, and that it is difficult to conceive how this can increase the happiness of the righteous; unless they be so swallowed up in selfish feelings as to care only for themselves. I answer, The righteous will not be swallowed up in selfish feelings, and yet their happiness will be abundantly increased. The design of the last judgment is not merely to decide the future state of men, but to manifest the holiness, justice, and goodness of the divine proceedings. In this world God requires us to confide in his equity, and does not give an account of any of his operations; but in that day every intelligent creature shall perceive, not only what he does, but why he does it. Such a display of things to the wicked must, I acknowledge, be a source of unspeakable misery, as it will deprive them of the small consolation of even thinking well of themselves at the expense of their Creator's character: but that which silences them will satisfy the righteous, and fill them with sentiments of the highest admiration and esteem. Their present feelings will not be so extinguished as to render them hardhearted towards any creature. They will rather be overcome by the consideration of the righteousness and fitness of the divine proceedings. If they be swallowed up, it will not be in selfishness,

but in the love of God, to whose will all inferior affections, ought to be and will be subordinate. There is a satisfaction felt by every friend of justice in the conviction and execution of a murderer. Humanity in this case is not extinguished but enlarged: it is individual compassion overcome by regard to the general good. Thus, in whatever light we consider the coming of our Lord, it is a "blessed hope," and a "glorious appearing," to all that love it.

The happiness of Jacob in reviewing the issue of that mysterious train of events which brought him and his family down to Egypt, must have overbalanced, not only the sorrows which he felt during the suspense, but the joy of his whole life: much more will the happiness of saints, on reviewing the issue of all the dispensations of God, overbalance, not only their former afflictions, but all their preceding joys.

Great, however, as their happiness will be at the appearing of Jesus Christ, the language used in reference to that period, shows it to be but an introduction to greater joys: Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM prepared for you from the foundation of the world-ENTER YE INTO THE JOY OF YOUR LORD!

The likeness of Christ which is attributed to our secing him as he is, seems to be expressive of something more than a freedom from sin. It denotes; not a negative, but a positive blessing; not an instantaneous, but a gradual assimilation, like that which is insensibly contracted by being in the company of one with whom our hearts unite. We shall, doubtless, from our first introduction into his presence, on leaving this mortal body, be so far like him as to have no remains of contrariety to him: but a positive likemindedness with him may, nevertheless, be capable of perpetual increase, as his mind shall be more and more discovered by us. The spirits of the just made perfect are happy, as being free from every degree of misery; but not so filled with positive enjoyment as to be incapable of receiving more and thus it may be with respect to positive holiness. What is holiness but that in which the whole law is summed up, LOVE? But love is capable of becoming more rooted and grounded, as well as more intense, as the worth

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A MEDITATION ON THE HEAVENLY GLORY.

of its object becomes more known and appreciated. And as every degree of attainment capacitates the mind for greater attainments, and the object to be known passeth knowledge, there is reason to believe that the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, include nothing less than an eternal accumulation of bles'sedness.

ANTINOMIANISM

CONTRASTED WITH THE RELIGION TAUGHT AND
EXEMPLIFIED IN

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.

INTRODUCTION.

WHEN We consider the awful strides which irreligion has lately made in the Christian world, it is almost enough to induce us to think favourably of any thing that bears the name of Christ; of any thing, however, which professes to embrace the leading principles of the gospel; but thus it must not be. Irreligion is not so dangerrous as false religion; the one is an enemy at a distance, the other at home. The more we are threatened by the former, therefore, the more necessary it is that we detect the latter. The friends of Christ, though they be but few, had better be by themselves. A little band, girt with truth, and strengthened by the Lord of hosts, will do more execution than a heterogeneous mixture of friends and enemies.

It is one of the arts of the wily serpent, when he cannot prevent the introduction of the gospel into a place, to get it corrupted; by which means it is not only deprived of its wonted efficacy, but converted into an engine of destruction. In the early ages of the church, men rose up who advanced depreciating notions of the person, work, and grace of the Redeemer. These, however, were repelled, and a stigma fixed upon them by the labours of the