Christ, they have set them on heavenly things, they have fixed their hopes upon the things which cannot be changed. What room then is there for uncertainty, and therefore how can they fear? They seek good and perfect gifts, and they come down from "the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Therefore, they cannot but come according to his promise, and stay for their continual joy and support. They seek a better country. And therefore they follow the footsteps of God the Son, who goes at the head of his people on the way to that country, and hath given an earnest of the inheritance in his resurrection from the dead, and ascension into heaven. They are in continual search of heavenly truth. And therefore they give themselves up into the care of God the Holy Spirit of truth. Nothing therefore is left to uncertainty. How can there be to such as believe in the word of Him, who hath said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away 2?" Nothing therefore is left to fear. How can there be to such as have that perfect love which casteth out fear? Life may change from youth to age, from health to sickness; the year may change from summer to winter, the day may change from morning to evening; the hour may change, yea and the

1 James i. 17.

2 Matt. xxiv. 35.

very moment, with its infinite variety or circumstances; but all these changes bring no fear, doubt, or uncertainty to hearts which have long found their resting-place in heavenly places, and in which Christ abides by faith, and his Holy Spirit in righteousness. They are unchangeable by any thing of this world. The only change that they look to, is the continual change here, from a glorious to a more glorious conformity unto the image of the Son of God, and the change hereafter of this vile body into the likeness of his glorious body. And there is no fear, but exceeding joyfulness in such a change. They only have to fear, who may be worse off than they now are. And such of

course are all who are not living in the faith of the Lord. But they who must find every change a change for the better, cannot but go on from joy to joy.

And to them, and them only, He has declared that they are of more value than many sparrows. The wicked He will cast down, and utterly destroy, and they shall become as dung for the earth. And well would it be for them, if He had done with them in this body, as He has with the sparrow, which He will never raise from the dust again. But these to whom He hath said, "Fear not," are precious indeed to Him. Do we not hold those things precious, which we have bought at a great price? Count we not those things among our treasures, for

which we make the most careful provision ? Are not those things reckoned the most valuable things upon earth, which receive and give out again to our eyes the beams of light, the rays of the sun, as gold and silver, jewels and precious stones? Will not men venture every

thing, life and all, for them? And shall not, therefore, Almighty God reckon for precious them, whom his only begotten Son hath redeemed with his most precious blood? Shall He not hold in exceeding value those, for whom He has reserved mansions in his heavenly house, where they may abide for ever? Shall they not be to Him as pearls of great price, as jewels to be numbered up with joyful care, who, being conformed to the image of his Son, who is their light and their righteousness, shine in their works, and glorify their Father which is in heaven; and being built as lively stones upon the chief corner-stone, which is elect and precious, form the spiritual house of his glorious and everlasting temple? They are indeed of more value than many sparrows. The Lord will never lose sight of them. He keeps them as the apple of his eye, and He delighteth in them. Precious in his eyes is their death. How much more precious their life !

Who that would keep his eyes open to these things, would not gladly accept his invitation who says, "Fear not," and commit himself, body and soul, into his hands, who says, that

they are of more value than many sparrows? What blessing is greater than to be delivered from the miserable perplexity of fear, and brought into joy and good courage instead? And what satisfaction can be compared with that of being precious, not in the eyes of men, who in the next hour may reckon cheap as the dust that which they reckoned most precious upon earth, but in the sight of God, the Maker of all? Shall such a privilege be thought nothing worth? Will a man go on fearing that this will not go right, and that that will go wrong, unless he give his whole heart to it, devote all his time to it, and leave no room for God in his heart, and no time for his praise and worship? Can he not have faith enough in Him, who is the very truth, to leave things to his care for one year or two, when, after all, he has to trust his soul and body to Him for everlasting ages? Will he take no delight in the thoughts of being dear to God, and precious in his eyes; have no satisfaction in his holy keeping? What must be the end of such an one? How can he possibly be fit for the kingdom of heaven? What state can be so fearful as this? For what can come out of forgetfulness of God, but unbelief? And what can come out of unbelief, but eternal banishment from the presence of God?

All that think to end with Him, must surely begin with Him. And do they wait to begin

when they are ending their life? They are too wise to begin with the end in things of this world. Why, then, will they be content to be guilty of such stark folly, such absurd contradiction in things of the world to come? Is heaven the reward of pure folly? They would seem to think so. No negligence is so careless, no delay is so desperate, no abuse of means, and waste of time so prodigal, but that they think they may attain possession of heaven. Is it in this way that they seek to attain the possession of any one thing which they value upon earth? Would they not put him down for a prince of madmen, and king of fools, who went to work on any object of this life after such a manner? But so it is. Human wisdom in things of this world, ends in pure folly as to the things of the world to come.

Let such fear now, that they may not fear hereafter. Let them hold themselves vile in the sight of God, through sincere repentance, that they may become precious in his sight for ever and ever. And may the fear of God, and of the world to come, take place in every heart of the fear of man, and of the changes and chances of this fleeting world. Then shall come the joyful satisfaction of being cared for by the Lord. And this is the earnest of the joy of everlasting life in the world to

come.