followers. This was furely the idea of the dying thief, when he prayed, "Lord, remember me when thou "comeft into THY kingdom;" and of Paul, when he faid, "and the Lord fhall deliver me from every evil "work, and preferve me unto HIS heavenly king"dom." He is the Sovereign; and there he rules, not as here" in the midst of his enemies." No treafon, no fedition, no difaffection there. All are adoring and praifing him; "Worthy is the Lamb that 66 was flain to receive honour, and riches, and wisdom, "and strength, and honour, and glory, and bleffing.' There he reigns immediately, always in view, and acceffible to all. There he appears in our nature, the principle, the image, the pledge of our glory and happiness. He has taken poffeffion in our name; and is preparing a place for us; and will by and by receive us to HIMSELF, that where HE is, there we may be alfo.

It has been often faid, " that however we may dif "fer from each other, we all hope for the fame heav, "en." But nothing can be more falfe. The believ er in Jefus, who loves him above all, and places the whole of his happiness in him, he, and he alone, really defires the heaven of the Bible; a pure, spiritual, CHRISTIAN heaven, the effence of which is the prefence and glory of the Redeemer. This is the heaven he demanded for all his followers; "Father, I "will that they alfo whom thou haft given me, be with "me where I am to behold my glory." This is the heaven Paul defired for himfelf; "I long to depart, "to be with Chrift, which is far better." And fuch is the difpofition of every true follower of the Lord JeBB b

fus; "This is enough; this is the heaven of Heav"en; there I fhall fee Him who is altogether lovely : "there I fhall behold Him who gave his life a ranfom "for me there I fhall approach the Lamb in the "midst of the throne, who will feed me and lead me "to living fountains of water: there I fhall be like "him, for I fhall fee him as he is there I fhall be for ever with the Lord." Having confidered the state to which we are encouraged to look forward, let us obferve,

66

II. The defirable mode of admiffion. And here we read of an ENTRANCE, MINISTERED ABUN

DANTLY.

What is the ENTRANCE? Unquestionably-Death. By one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death hath paffed upon all men, be cause all have finned." With two exceptions, this has been the way of all the earth. "Enoch was "tranflated that he fhould not fee death." "Elijah "went up by a whirlwind into heaven." They departed without the feparation of foul and body, and knew nothing of "pains and groans and dying ftrife." They were not unclothed, but clothed upon; and in them mortality was fwallowed up of life. But only one paffage remains for us; and this, not an eafy and an alluring, but a rough and a gloomy one. A meffenger brings us to God, but it is "the King of Terrors ;" we enter the land flowing with milk and honey, but it is through "the valley of the fhadow "of death."

But you should remember that your entrance into

66

the invifible world is ADMINISTERED; " Are not two "fparrows fold for a farthing? and one of them shall "not fall to the ground without your Father. Fear "not therefore, ye are of more value than many fparrows." "The" very" hairs of your head are "all numbered." "Precious in the fight of the "Lord is the death of his faints ;" and he orders all the circumstances attending it. Not only is the will of God concerned in the general sentence of mortality pronounced upon us, but death always receives a particular commiffion from him. Hence, in a fimilar condition, one is taken and another left. The circumstance of time is fixed by him; "The number of "our months is with him." The place is determined by his purpose. The means and the manner of our removal are disposed by his pleasure. Whether we are to die young or old; whether we are to be feized at home or abroad; whether we fhall be carried off by accidents or disease; whether we shall expire flowly or fuddenly, are fecrets impenetrable to us, but all is wifely and kindly regulated by his Providence.

The death of fome is diftinguifhed by indulgences and honours not vouchfafed to all; and this is what the apostle means by an entrance miniftered unto us ABUNDANTLY. For all do not enter alike. Some fhipwrecked, are washed by the furge half dead on the shore, or reach it clinging terrified to a plank ; others, with crowded fails and with a preserved cargo of fpices and perfumes, beautifully, gallantly enter the defired haven. Some are fcarcely faved, and fome are more than conquerors. A triumph was not decreed to every Roman general upon his return to

the capital. Can we imagine the martyrs iffuing from the flames entered heaven like a Chriftian, who had been often tempted to conceal his religion to escape a fneer or a frown? We may obferve a remarkable diverfity even in the deaths of common believers. Some die only fafe, while their ftate is unknown to themfelves, and suspected by others. In fome, hope and fear alternately prevail. Some feel a peace which paffeth all understanding, while fome exult with a joy unspeakable and full of glory. And in these is fulfilled the language of the promise, " With gladnefs and re"joicing fhall they be brought they fhall enter into "the King's palace." They are" joyful in glory" before they have reached it, and " fhout aloud upon "their" dying" beds." God deals with them as he did with Mofes, when he led him to the top of Pisgah and gave him a prospect of the holy land; only with this difference, his view was a fubftitute for poffeffion, while their look is to render the paffage eafier, and to make them haften to the goodly mountain of Lebanon. Such a death the apostle valued more than the continuance of life; all his concern was to "fin"ish his course with joy ;" and the affured hope of this would animate thousands, and reconcile them to all the trials they endure. It is defirable and valuable, both with regard to themselves and others.

They will need it themfelves. It is a new, a trying, and an awful thing to die. They will find dying to be work enough, without having doubts and fears to encounter. The diftreffes of life admit of alleviation and diverfion; but it is otherwife with the pains of death. Worldly pursuits are broken off, fenfual pleaf

ures are excluded, converfation is difficult, friends are anxious and fearful; and if you have no joy fpringing up in you from a fpiritual fource, your condition is deplorable and defperate. Would you die in darkness, or in the light of God's countenance? Would you enter another world, ignorant whether you fhall step into endless happiness or misery; or depart, able to fay as you look back with a fmile upon furvivors, "Whither I go ye know, and the way ye know ?"

You fhould long for this also on the behalf of others. This is the last time you can do any thing in ferving God and your generation; but by this you may be rendered peculiarly useful. Your dying looks and your dying words may make impreffions which fhall never be erafed. Some who have refused to hear fermons, have been convinced by a dying bed. The religion which can producé fuch patience and refignation, courage and joy, has become honourable in their esteem. They have admired and refolved to follow a Master, who does not caft off his fervants when their strength faileth, and who blesses them with ftrong confolation when others are left without fupport. The evidence is too plain to be denied, too folemn to be ridiculed. Such a death has also often been profitable to those who were already in the way to Zion, but walking with trembling steps, and often fearing how it would go with them at last; when they have feen the grace of God, they have been glad, their ardour has rekindled, their courage has been renewed; they have faid, "Why may it not be fo with "me? The Lord is my helper, I will not fear." When Doctor Rivet was labouring under the disease