whence they came, saying, "These are they that came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple." Angels have beckoned them away from us. Jesus said, "Come up hither," and heavenly harpers sang their welcome home. They are there at last-safe at last-arrived at home. But, as we shall renew this theme in our next chapter, we conclude with a wish to find you among them.

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Thus far we have followed the royal children of the Eden family, and witnessed their varied experience, while returning from desert exile to their heavenly Father's house. We have seen the waters of penitence gush from the smitten rock; we were amazed at the mercy that wiped the tears of contrition from the weeping eyes of the returning prodigal, and wondered at the paternal love that sealed a pardon on the poor broken heart. We have heard the pardoned penitent singing Happy day," returning with songs of deliverance to his home in the skies; we were glad when he cast in his lot with the Israel of God, saying, "This people shall be my people, and their God my God." We have seen them fording deep rivers, passing through the waters of complicated afflictions, and rejoiced to observe that, when drenched in the waves of this life's tumultuous sea, they could submissively say of every dispensation of our Father's providence, "I love Him for all; I bless Him for all; I praise Him for all. For I reckon that the sufferings of the present state are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in

us."

We have seen them climbing steep hills on their homeward journey, and have proved that when difficult duties are enjoined then special privileges are vouchsafed, and when great trials have been permitted, great grace has been given. It is true that they have some hard battles to fight, but in all these things they are

more than conquerors." And though some of our brethren have had to pass through bitter storms, yet have they been so thoroughly sustained by grace and succoured by help from heaven, that they could even "glory in tribulation ;" and the rude blasts of persecution had this effect only on the champion children of God-they were driven sooner home, by a nearer way, to their Father's house. We have seen the way-worn, weary pilgrims retire to rest, "where the wicked cease from troubling," and have sincerely prayed that we may sink as calmly and sweetly into undisturbed repose, and sleep side by side with our kindred in the same honoured grave-that we may arise with them on the morning of the bright day of eternal redemption, and enjoy their company in our Father's house for ever and ever. Amen.

"TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE OF God." -REV. it. 7.

HEAVEN is a place of the highest possible degree of interest to the earthly pilgrims who are journeying thither. Viewed as a place of rest for the way-worn traveller, where the soul shall dwell at ease, and staff and sandals will be required no more, it is most delightful to contemplate its perfect and perpetual repose. Considered as a refuge from the spiritual foes that have beset us in the way through this waste howling wilderness, and as a shelter from the stormy blasts of persecution which have so bitterly pelted us during our return from our desert exile, it is every way inviting and devoutly to be desired. But, as our Father's house, it has greater attraction still. It is our home, sweet home; our celestial home; our welcome, our general home; our commodious, our plentiful, peaceful, happy home. This is the home of rest and refuge, of social intercourse and pure affection. Our Father's house is the house of banquet, of charming melody, and religious

festivity, of holy mirth and heavenly feasting. It is our temple home! our perpetual home!! our paradise home!!! Observe :

1. Its beautiful situation.

"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river was there the tree of life."-Rev. xxii. 2.

The future home of the regenerate children of the Eden family is the place of every attraction. It has all the charms of purity and innocence, of peace and plenty, of health and happiness, of affectionate intercourse and social enjoyment, to allure us onward to possess it for ever. It is a paradise of beauty, fertility, and harmony, which render it the most glorious place in the magnificent universe; and the quantity, quality, and perpetuity of its felicities constitute a state of enjoyment which eye hath not seen or human heart conceived. Compared with this paradise place of abode, which holy scripture describes as the permanent habitation of the poorest member of the royal family of heaven, what are the mansion homes of the most affluent of earthly nobles? How little are lordships, and how narrow and short are the dilapidated dwellings of their possessors! How contracted and incommodious are the mud halls of earls! how insignificant are the small seats of dukes, of most illustrious ancestry that this world can boast! and how poor and perishing are the palaces of peers of these realms, and the princes and kings of the earth, when compared with our Father's house with many mansions!

Its geographical position is everything that our hearts could wish; it is situate in the most delightful locality in our heavenly Father's illimitable dominions; it is the place which He hath chosen for his own habitation, and of which He hath said, "This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell for I have desired it." The thistlestings of the desert grow not in this paradise, and the briars and thorns of the wilderness places of earth are not found there. Much as we have heard and read of

the Hesperian orchards, where the Grecian hero is said to have found Juno's golden apples, and of their fabled flowers of immortal beauty, we almost blush to bring them into contrast with even the earthly Eden which we lost; and dare scarcely mention them in comparison with our future paradise home, because their fruits are false at the heart, and decayed at the core. Wither away, and droop and die, ye floral gardens of ancient Roman fable, ye degrade the subject when compared with the teeming fertility and mantling bloom, the flowery chaplets and garland arbours of that lovely paradise where our earthly father dwelt in innocent estate. Compared with this fair sun-spot, the brightest scenes which the Elysian fields presented to the sylvan nymphs were barren sterility. But what is this terrestrial garden of Eden-this emporium of all fruitfulness and earthly beauty-with its gushing fountains and meandering streams, its pristine wreathlets and blissful bowers, compared to heaven? Even Eden itself discovers its nakedness when compared with the paradise of God. It is a barren waste-sterile desert-howling wilderness-compared with the heavenly paradise. Here are roses without thorns, and honey without a sting. This is a paradise without a serpent to beguile, without a forbidden tree, and without a flaming sword to prevent access to the tree of life.

Far as immortal eyes can gaze, and distant as angel's wing can soar, all is celestial luxuriance and Eden glory. Gushing fountains spring up amid the fadeless bloom and spicy fragrance of this beautiful paradise home. Rivers of living water meander softly and slowly through its verdant landscapes. Crystal streams flow silently and sweetly through its dewy meads and flowery fields. Waters of life immortal gladden it. Deep, bright, glistering seas of perpetual bliss refresh it. It flows with milk and honey. Mountains of frankincense, and hills of myrrh, and all fragrant odours perfume its salubrious air. Its atmosphere is impregnated