The sun, in the natural world, is a bright emblem of divinity, or the Godhead, for it is the spring of all light, and heat, and life, to the creation. Now if we should suppose this vast globe of fire which we call the sun, to be inclosed in a huge hollow sphere of crystal, which should attemper its rays like a transparent vial, and give milder and gentler influences to the burning beams of it, and yet transmit every desirable and useful portion of light or heat, this would be a happy emblem of the man Christ Jesus, in whom dwells all the fulness of the godhead bodily. It is the Lamb of God, who, in a mild and gracious manner, conveys the blessings originally derived from God his Father to all the saints.

When the bodies of the saints shall be raised again and reunited to their proper spirits, when they shall ascend to the place of their final haven and supreme happiness, we know not, what manner of bodies they shall be, what sort of senses they shall be furnished with, nor how many powers of conversing with the corporeal world shall be bestowed upon them. But this we may be assured of, that whatever inlets of knowledge, whatever avenues of pleasure, whatever delightful sensations are necessary to make the inhabitants of that world happy, they shall all be united in that spiritual body which God will prepare for

the new-raised saints.

Or what if the whole body shall be endued all over with the senses of seeing and hearing? What if these sort of sensations shall be diffused throughout all that immortal body, as feeling is diffused through all our present mortal flesh? What if God himself shall in a more illustrious manner irradiate all the powers of the body and spirit, and communicate the light of knowledge, holiness, and joy, in a superior manner to what we can now conceive or imagine? This is certain, that darkness in every sense, with all the inconveniences and unhappy consequences of it, is and must be for ever banished from the heavenly state. There is no night there.

I come in the last place to make a few remarks upon the foregoing discourse, and in order to render them more effectual for our spiritual advantage, I shall consider the words of my text, There shall be no night there, in their

metaphorical or spiritual meaning, as well as in their literal sense. There is no night of ignorance nor error in the mind, no night of guilt nor of sorrow in the soul; but the blessed above shall dwell surrounded with the light of divine knowledge, &c.

1. When heaven, earth, and hell, are compared together, with relation to light and darkness, or night and day, we then see them in their proper distinctions and aspects. Every thing is set in its most distinguishing situation and appearance, when it is compared with things which are most opposite.

The earth on which we dwell during this state of trial has neither all day nor all night belonging to it; but sometimes light appears, and again darkness.

Though there be long seasons of darkness in the winter, &c. yet the God of nature has given us a larger portion of light than there is of darkness, throughout the whole globe of the earth: and this benefit we receive by the remaining beams of the sun after its setting, and by the assistance of the moon and the stars of heaven. Blessed be God for the moon and stars, as well for the sun-beams and the brightness of noon. Blessed be God

for all the lights of nature, but we still bless him more for the light of the gospel, and for any rays from heaven, any beams of the Sun of Righteousness, which diffuse knowledge and holiness among the inhabitants of this world. God is here manifesting his love and grace in such proportions as he thinks proper. Sufficient to guide us on in our way to that heavenly country.

In hell there is all night and darkness, thick darkness in every sense, for the God of glory is absent there as to any manifestations of his face and favour. And therefore it is often called utter darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. There is no holiness, there is no comfort, there are no benefits of the creation, no blessings of grace; all are forfeited and gone for ever.

2. What light of every kind we are made partakers of here on earth, let us use it with holy thankfulness, with zeal and religious improvement. Hereby we may be assisted and animated to travel on, through the mingled stages and scenes of light and darkness, in this world, till we arrive at the inheritance of the saints in perfect light.

Let us not be found among the number of those who when light come into the world, love darkness rather than light, lest we fall under their condemnation. (John iii. 19.) Let us never rest till the day-spring that has visited us from on high, &c.

O, what a blessed change does the converting grace of Christ make in the soul! It is like the beauty and pleasure which the rising morning diffuses over the face of the earth, after a night of storm and darkness: it is so much of heaven let into all the chambers of the soul: it is a light that carries divine heat and life with it; it renews all the powers of the spirit.

3. If God has wrought this sacred and divine change in our souls, if we are made the children of light, let us put away all the works of darkness with hatred and detestation. Let us walk in the light of truth and holiness. (Eph. v. 8.) Ye were once darkness. Ye are all the children of the light, and of the day, &c.

To animate every Christian to this holy care and watchfulness, let us think what a terrible disappointment it will be, after we have made a bright profession of Christianity in our lives, to lie down in death in a state of sin and guilt, and to awake in everlasting darkness. It is only those who walk in the light of holiness here, who can be fit to dwell in the presence of God. Light is sown only for the righteous, &c. and it shall break out one day from among the clouds, a glorious day.

4. Under our darkest nights, our most unactive and heavy hours, our most uncomfortable seasons here on earth, let us remember we are travelling to a world of light and joy. If we happen to lie awake in midnightdarkness, and count the tedious hours one after another, let us comfort ourselves that we are not shut up in eternal night and darkness without hope. What if we sit in darkness and mourning, and see no light, and the beams of divine consolation are cut off, let us still trust in the name of the Lord, and stay ourselves upon our God, especially as he manifests himself in the Lamb that was slain, the blessed medium of his mercy. (Isa. 1. 10.) Let us learn to say with the prophet, (Micah vii. 8, 9,) When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light unto me; he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness.

NO PAIN AMONG THE BLESSED.

Neither shall there be any more pain.—Rev. xxi. 4.

THERE have been some divines in ancient times, as well as in our present age, who suppose this prophecy relates to some glorious and happy event here on earth, wherein the saints and faithful followers of Christ shall be delivered from the bondage and miseries to which they have been exposed in all former ages, and shall enjoy the blessings which these words promise. Among these, some have placed this happy state before the resurrection of the body; others make it to belong to that first resurrection which is spoken of in Rev. xx. 6. But let this prophecy have a particular aspect upon what earthly period soever, yet all must grant it is certainly true concerning the heavenly state; and in this sense, as part of our happiness in heaven, I shall understand the words here, and propose them as the foundation for my present discourse.

Among the many things that make this life uncomfortable, and render mankind unhappy here below, this is one that has a large influence, viz. that in this mortal state we are liable to pain, from which we shall be perfectly delivered in the life to come.

I need not spend time in explaining what pain is to persons who dwell in flesh and blood; yet, that I may proceed regularly, I would just give you this short description of it. Pain is an uneasy perception of the soul, occasioned by some indisposition of the body to which it is united.

In order to make our present meditations on this part of the blessedness of heaven useful and joyful to us while we are here on earth, let us inquire,

I. What are the evils which flow from pain, and usually attend it in this life; and all along as we go we shall take a short view of the heavenly state, where we shall be released from all these evils and inconveniences.

1. Pain has a natural tendency to make the mind sorrowful as well as the body uneasy. Our souls are so

nearly united to flesh and blood, that it is not possible for the mind to possess perfect happiness and ease, while the body is exposed to so many occasions of pain. Natural courage and strength of heart may prevail in some persons to bear up their spirits under long and intense pain of flesh, yet they really take away so much of the ease and pleasure of life, while any of us lie under the acute sensations of them. Pain will make us confess that we are flesh and blood, and force us sometimes to cry out and groan.

But in heaven, where there is no pain, there shall be no sighing or groaning, nor any more crying. There shall be nothing to make the flesh or the spirit uneasy, and to break the eternal thread of peace and pleasure that runs through the whole duration of the saints; not one painful moment to interrupt the everlasting felicity of that state. When we have done with earth and mortality, we have done also with sickness and anguish of nature, and with all sorrow and vexation for ever. There are no groans in the heavenly world to break in upon the harmony of the harps and the songs of the blessed; no sighs, no outcries, no anguish there to disturb the music and the joy of the inhabitants.

2. Another evil which attends on pain is this, that it so indisposes our nature as often to unfit us for the business and duties of the present state. With how much coldness and indifference do we go about our daily work, and perform it too with many interruptions, when nature is bur dened with continual pain, and the vital springs of action are overborne with perpetual uneasiness? What a listlessness do we find to many of the duties of religion at such a season, unless it be to run more frequently to the throne of God, and pour out our groanings and our complaints there? Groanings and cries are the language of nature, and the children of God address themselves in this language to their heavenly Father.

And what an indisposition and backwardness do we feel in ourselves to fulfil many of the duties towards our fellow-creatures while we ourselves are under present smart and anguish? Pain will so sensibly affect self, as to draw off all our thoughts thither, and centre them there, that we cannot so much employ our cares and our active