eyes;" the night of tears shall be overtaken with a long day of rejoicing. The present is a state of conflict-" without are fightings; within, fears." The war with sin must be maintained; there is no cessation, no breathing time, in this life. Should the believer dream of retiring from the combat, all would be lost. The present is the time for buckling on the armour, not for taking it off. Think of the sorry plight of a

warrior without his armour, in the midst of a shower of the enemy's darts; and would the condition of the Christian be any better, exposed to the attacks of Satan and his emissaries, and wanting the spiritual protection that is to be found in grace's magazine? Every step of the ground that the believer makes is to be battled for; and when his arms grow weary with fighting, he must have recourse to prayer and supplication, to stay up his hands," as Moses did while the Israelites were fighting with Amalek: "And Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side, until the going down of the sun." Christian, no victory, no peace, till the going down of the sun; no rest, till the sun is set. This side the grave, it is a conflict with sin; the other side, peace with Jesus: here, it is a fight with devils; there, a triumph with the Captain of salvation; here, we have a lengthened contest; there, an enduring rest; here, "we wrestle not only against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places;" there, these subtle adversaries will no more disturb, for the door will be shut, to the exclusion of whatever would break "the rest." And what a pleasant prospect to look forward to! Does the sailor look with longing desire to the port to which he is steering after a dangerous

voyage? How much more joyous is it to anticipate the port of calms to which the spiritual voyager is guiding his well-laden bark! How delectable, after the storm of life, when foaming billows, rolling surges, swelling waves, have all subsided, to enter upon a serene and unruffled rest! How exhilarating the burst of conquest, the shout of victory, the song of triumph, after the confused noise of the warrior in battle, and the garments rolled in blood! The trials of the present state, the clouds and darkness, the trouble and anguish, the strife and pain of the believer, will enhance to him the mild radiance of more tranquil skies, where his face shall shine as the sun, and his raiment be white as the light, and his employments accord with the grateful emotions of a heart expanded by the love of God.

Saints

It is not unlikely that the anthems of heaven are eternal anthems; the harmonies may be ever varying, as I suppose the choirs are who chaunt them. and angels, doubtless, form these choirs. Their employments may be various, but in succession they may be appointed to take their harps, and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." And if a portion of eternity is spent in viewing and exploring the magnificent works of creation, to join in this anthem will require no prompter.

For whom is the heavenly rest prepared? The answer is, "the people of God"-a highly interesting people, although the world do not think so; they are a people belonging to God, for they are his by purchase. He knew the worth of an immortal soul when he covenanted with his only begotten Son for their redemption; and he gave them to him to redeem them

with the precious price of his sacred blood. The Saviour of sinners has therefore a right in believers; he has a claim upon them, for they are his, and for them he has prepared the heavenly rest. “In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also." This is a precious promise to the people of God, to those who have the sure signs and evidences that they are such.

They are his by covenant. "For ye are the temple of the living God." As God hath said, “I will dwell in then, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." On the part of believers, faith is the bond of the covenant; nor can that covenant be broken while they continue in faith, giving glory to God. On the part of God, his word and his oath are the bond; and the satisfaction of his people in the covenant is, that his word is sure— "Thy testimonies are very sure."

They are his by profession. The present is the time to confess Christ before men; as then, consequently, Christ will confess those who thus honour him before his Father who is in heaven. But if men are ashamed of him now, if they do not represent him on earth, "of them also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels." By making a profession of Christ is not intended merely an outward profession of religion, for this in our day brings with it no trial; it is an age of profession, an age of formalities in religion; and, excepting a few hardy infidels and infatuated Socinians, men of every rank and grade in society would take offence were a doubt expressed of their being

real Christians. But it is not this general profession that is intended; it is a particular confession of Christ that is required; it is such a confession of Christ as an undaunted champion of the cross would make, in the face of the fires of Smithfield. And who is there among us professors that is prepared to burn rather than abjure his religion? Who is prepared to obey the commands of Christ in the face of all dangers and oppositions?

that is, between

They are his by communion, Christ and the souls of believers there exists a mutual communion, which is experienced in appointed ordinances, when the soul is in a spiritual frame; it is also enjoyed most uninterruptedly in secret prayer and meditation: "That which we have seen and heard

declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

They are his by conversation. When the conversation of Christians is not in heaven, or when the bent of their conversation is not heaven-wards, then they may be said to have lost their savour; for "a good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things." A man is known by his conversation, "for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." The ignorant make us acquainted with their ignorance when they speak. The fool tells us that he is a fool by the words of his mouth, for "excellent speech becometh not a fool." The people of God are acknowledged by him, when he brings them into the furnace of affliction to purify them; and they, when they are tried, will call upon his name: he will say, "It is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God."

They are few in number; nor need we look far for proof of the fact. If we examine the families with which we may happen in any way to become acquainted, how few individuals of those who form these little communities can we reckon among the followers of the Lamb! If we look through a neighbourhood, how quickly are we convinced of the truth of the position. And why is it so? Because the way is too strait and narrow; there is nothing in religion to gratify the sensual appetites and desires of men; flesh and blood find no gratifications; the affections are to be weaned; the flesh mortified; right hands are to be cut off; right eyes plucked out; the old man must be dismembered—ay, killed outright; and therefore it is that God's people are few in number. The demands of religion are too strict: "Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven." This is what the worldling and the man of pleasure cannot do; he cannot part with his household gods, his idols. The testimony of the word of God confirms it: "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." The Saviour addresses his disciples, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

They are poor in spirit. Humble and contrite ones. "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet are not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, oh, how lofty are their eyes, and their eyelids are lifted up;" these form the very reverse of God's people. His chosen ones have no confidence in any of their own performances; they know too well their own deficiencies and unworthiness